help whē he néeded desiring to vse him as one in whō he might repose his trust Now was Alexāder glad that of his own accord he would return and because he would better let him vnderstande some signe of good wil harty loue he accōpanied him into Thessaly but after they were arriued in the Citie of Larissa they a fresh began to practise new treason one against another and first Alexander to put Demetrius quite out of suspition either without armour or weapon or anie guard to attend on his person would oft visite him hoping thereby to make him doo the like but he was in his so thinking greatly deceiued for as Alexander one night came to supper to Demetrius without guard according to his accustomed wont and that they wer in the chiefe of their supper Demetrius sodainly arose from the table wherat Alexander was sore abashed insomuch that hee arose also followed him to the hall doore but so soone as Demetrius was without he gaue signe and token to his souldiors who incontinently fell vppon Alexander and slew him and certaine of his men which would haue defended him among whom a certain fellowe before he was killed said Demetrius hath preuented vs but a day onely Now was Demetrius King of Macedon and the Macedonians right glad of their change but not long after this Demetrius was taken prisoner by Seleuchus in battaile committed to prison where he continued vntill he died Then was the great fight betwixt Seleucus and Lysimachus which was the verie last battaile that was fought betwixt the successors of Alexander in which conflict Lysimachus was slaine Seleucus victor But Seleucus inioyed his victorie not long for he was shortly after slaine by Ptolome whose sister Lysimachus had married Also Olympias mother to Alexander the Great when she had slaine King Philip and his wife Euridice then to despite Cassander she put to death an 100. noble men of Macedon at one time also she made Nicanor brother to Cassander to be slaine and defaced the tombe and monument of Iole his other Brother to reuenge the death of Alexander her sonne as she said because it was suspected that he had poysoned him in giuing him drinke About the same time when Ptolome Lord of the Isle of Cypres vnderstood that Nicocles King of Paphos had secretly allied with Antigone hee sent two of his chiefe friends to wit Argey and Calicrate into Cypres charging them to kill the said Nicocles fearing that if he should leaue him vnpunished the rest would not sticke to doo the like When these messengers were arriued in Cypres hauing with them the souldiors of Ptolome they incompassed the house of Nicocles signifying to him their charge from Ptolome therefore they exhorted him to kill himselfe who from the beginning vsed manie words in the excusing of the fact but when hee did sée there was no account made of his tale hee at the last slewe himselfe and after that Axithia his wife vnderstood of his death she first slew two yong maides her daughters whom she had by him to the end they shuld not come into the hands of her husbands enemies and after exhorted Nicocles brothers wiues willingly to die with her which indéed they did In this sort also was the pallaice royall of Paphos ful of murders and wilfull slaughters and after in manner of a tragedie burnt for immediately after the brothers wiues of Nicocles were dead they shut vp the dores of the houses and set them on fire and foorthwith they that then liued in the pallaice killed themselues and so finished that lamētable murder In the same season while these things were done in Cypres great controuersie arose in the Countrey of Pontus after the death of Parisade sometime King of Bosphorus betwixt Satyre Eumele and Pritame Parisade his sonnes for the succession of the said Realme insomuch that the brothers made sharpe warre one against the other So it fortuned that Satyre and Pritame were both slaine in that warre wherefore the other Brother Eumele to assure himselfe of the Realme caused all the wiues children and friends of Pritame and Satyre his brethren to be slaine not long after was himselfe cruelly slaine by misfortune Now to returne to Alexander the Great and his line it was reported and partly beléeued that he himselfe consented with Olympias his mother to the death and murder of Philip his father for which gréeuous offence he himselfe with his whole line and stocke was punished accordingly For first it is to be considered that olde Antipater who in Alexanders life was his Lieutenant and after his death first had the Satrape of Macedon bestowed on him by Perdicas the Gouernour Which Antipater and Olympias could neuer agrée but still were at contention and strife both in the life time of her sonne Alexander and also after his death insomuch that when Alexander was comming from the conquest of the world making his abode in Babylon for a time and after minding to returne home into Macedon to visit his mother Olympias Antipater being then Lieutenant of Macedon considered with himselfe that if in case Alexander shuld return home that then his mother Olympias would make gréeuous complaints against him which thing he so much feared that he caused poyson to be giuen to Alexander at Babylon whereof hee presently died Thus when Alexander was dead and olde Antipater deceased there grew a new grudge and quarrell betwixt Olympias and Cassander sonne to Antipater insomuch that he tooke Olympias prisoner and in the end caused her to be slaine Aslo hee slewe Alexander sonne of Alexander the Great and Roxana his mother afterward he put to death Hercules the other sonne of Alexander with Arsinne his mother yet notwithstanding Cassander espoused Thessalonica one of the Sisters of Alexander the great who after the death of Cassander was also slaine by her own sonne Antipater Cleopatra also the other Sister of Alexander was also slaine by the commaundement of Antigonus After this sort was the whole line of Alexander for all his mightie conquests gained with lamentable slaughters and wonderfull effusion of bloud vtterly extinguished by Antipater and his Successours Also what gained his Successors by the large Kingdomes and possessions hee left For they were al by enuie depriued both of life and lands in miserable sort Insomuch that their remained not one that could iustly vaunt and brag of his happie successe but had rather good cause to mourne bewaile the cruel murders manifold slaughters and wastfull ruines both of themselues their wiues children and friends hauing also right good cause to wish that Alexander had neuer béen borne or els that he had neuer conquered so great a part of the world to leaue the possession therof to them wherby they were all driuen to vntimely death with the murder of infinite thousands of their people so that the whole whole world did lament and grieue at their
geare but very basely vsed and as present occasion craued priuily sent away by secret and vnknowne wayes to the intent it might not be intercepted or stayed Now when Perdicas had espied the sumptuous simulachre of dead Alexander and sawe euery thing as he thought roially executed and pompously performed he pawsed from his speedy pursuit after Ptolomey perswading himselfe that he had obtained the thing namely the body of Alexander wherabout such strife and contention kindled and burned betwixt them both so egerly but hee was deluded and mocked for all that and vnderstood the truth somewhat too late and perceiued that he was craftily circumuented and was forced in the end to retire backe being shamefully flowted This was the end of this earthly god and the vnquietnes which fell to his dead carkasse which could not for a time obtaine the rights of buriall and also after it was committed to the ground it could not rest but was tossed and remoued from place to place for whereas hee in his life time despised to be counted mortal he was at his death denied the cōmon benefite of a mortall man Of whose life and manners hereafter shall be more sufficiently spoken according as the cause shall require and occasion be offered Scho. O most vnhappy Prince that euer liued woulde hee needs be a god Was there no remedy Well therefore as it seemeth he could not enioy the common benefit of a man what meant he by this vaine wish when he heartily wished that his armes might reach from the orient to the occident and that he might beare his banners displayed in all kingdoms and nations of the earth to the intent he might be knowne their Lorde and King nay rather what meant he when that he could not satisfie himselfe with so great a parte of the world as he had already gotten and wonne but mourned for the other worldes which he heard of which he thought vnpossible for him to get Was his appetite so vnquenchable O vnsatiable minde that hearkened not to the wise saying of Diogenes who saide His length of ground were sufficient patrimony for him which in the ende the greatest prince and peere of the earth must be contented withall but he being kept so long aboue the ground as seemeth lesse than his length in his life might containe his dead rotten carkas For a small hole would serue to croud and thrust the remaine of the decayed and putrified corps with ease wherefore he needed not so large measure of ground as Diogenes spake of before But sée the power of the immortall God in shortning the armes of this mortall God so much that so small a rowme would with ease hold and containe him which before groped in a manner after the verie heauens the vpper face of the earth not contenting his greedie appetite Therefore truly in my opinion he needed not to write vpon his graue or Tombe as Ennius did who ingraued these verses be cause the people should not bewaile his death saying Nemo me lacrimis decoret neque funerafletu Faxit cur volito docta per ora virûm No man shall bewaile mee with teares nor shall make sad my funerall with weeping For Alexander might well assure himselfe hauing so much troubled and molested the world that his name which in his life time was both odious and detestable should not at his death bee bewailed and deplored but rather that his funerall should turne the whole world to great gladnes and common ioye Fa. Cyrus the Persian King although he liued a while contented and in fauour and good liking of his people yet notwithstanding in the end hee was drowned in couetousnesse giuing himselfe to the vaine pride of the world hunting after honour climing after superioritie striuing vncessantly for the kingdomes of his neighbours whereby he grewe both odious to his countrimen also vntollerable to his confines and borderers neither could he take example by Croesus the rich King of Lydia whom hee had taken prisoner before with all his people which happned thorowe his coueting and vnsatiable minde and yet for all that hee gaue himselfe so much to the conquering of the kingdomes of others that in the end he lost both his own patrimonie and life also But first to showe the preseruing election and establishing of this King it shall not much digresse from our purpose Astyages King of the Medeans in the night dreamed that out of his daughters loynes should spring a vine whose branches should ouer shadowe al Asia The King being feareful asked counsaile of y e Southsaiers cōcerning y e euent of his troublesome dreame whose answeres were y t his daughter should bring foorth to him a nephewe which should take his kingdome from him Thus being terrified with this answere he would neither giue his daughter to any forreigne Prince or worthie state nor to his owne countriemen which discended or came of any honorable parentage to the intent that no stock or race of nobilitie might bréed or bring vp such a nephewe to him But at the last he gaue her in mariage to Cambises a Persian which was at that time a most obscure Nation notwithstanding fearing the future hap of his dreame he sent for his daughter being great with child vnder colour of being graundfather that he might looke well and carefullie to his daughters Child when it should be borne Not long after the young Childe his nephew was borne and then foorthwith Astiages the Graundfather gaue it to Harpagus chiefe Lord of his counsaile to bee presently slaine but Harpagus fearing least after the death of his Lord Astiages his daughter mother to that child should raigne in the kingdome and so reuenge the murder of the innocēt on him wherfore he gaue it to one of the kings shepheards to bee priuelie brought vp returning this answere to the King that he had slaine the child his nephew therefore he should not néede to feare his dreame But in time the boy growing vp to a pretie stripling being in companie with his fellowe shepheard boyes in the field and by lot was chosen King in their childish sportes and plaies when certaine of his little subiects had transgressed his cōmandement he caused them to be holden vp in iest whilest he whipped them in earnest the boyes complained of this abuse to their parents and they in like sort taking in hard part such whipping cōplained of it also to the King how that the sonne of a hired seruant had scorged and whipped their children which they tooke grieuousely then Astiages sending for the boy demanding of him the cause Where with the boy with a bolde and manly face Fecisse se vt regem respondit he answered That hee had done as became a King and no otherwise Astiages hearing this maiesticall answere of the pretie boy called to minde his forepassed dreame viewing well the lad he asuredly thought that y e boy much fauored his daughter whose Childe hee had caused
to braue it out to breed me further paine No that I will not sure digest though I my selfe be slaine And therwithall in feeble fist his speare he trembling held Whose quaking lims by age opprest could scant his weapon weld And at proud Pyrrhus he lets driue his hurtles speare God knowes Wherof strong Pyrrhus might haue born for need a thousand blowes Achilles bastard borne quoth he by this I know thou art That dares presume before my face to play so hard a part Thou wretch thou misbegotten wretch that thus hast shewd thy kind For well I know thou art the man that bearst so bad a mind With that quoth he Neoptolemus my fathers sonne the same That was the bastard and not I for Pyrrhus is my name And for because in time to come thou shalt not vse me so With these hard tearms a token I will geue thee how to know My brother and my selfe apart wherfore thou shalt enquire Ere long of slaine Achilles ghost to proue thy selfe a lier And therwithall the spitefull Greek from sacred place did draw My noblemate by haire of head contrary to all law And through the bloud of his slaine sonne the aged man he drew And right before our sacred Gods my husband deare he slew With fatall blade before my face he piercde his tender side That right against the Gods themselues my louing husband dide The Gods no help at all would geue the Grecian to preuent Nor that the Troyan Prince should liue but they with one consent Did vow his death for former fault and for his sinnes offence No earthly wight for this his sinne could with their power dispence But die he must it was decreed and dreadfull death should end This bloudy war that after none in like case should offend My husband dead I did behold a grieuous sight to see His daughters all bewayld his hap which then did stand with me The cellers deep and hollow caues with wayling all did sound And from the hauty houses tops the Echo did rebound Ah heauy chaunce to see him slaine who was my chiefest ioy The Emperor of Asia great and stately King of Troy Who now lay slaine before my face but being then starke dead With louing zeale on Priam slaine my greedy eyes I fed What hath this princox boy quoth I my louing husband slaine Beside our Gods without reuenge what shall he still remaine Aliue to vaunt of this his deed or brag of such a fact Before the Greeks his cruell mates who ioyes at this his act Ye Gods ye sacred Gods I cride although your wrath be great Against vs Troyans now subdude whose ruine ye did threat For Paris sinne yet haue regard on Triam thus betrayd VVho now is dead by your decree wherfore his debt is payd But now quoth I graunt my request that this vile Greek may rue This cruell deed in time to come that euer he so slue The aged King for reuerence of gray and aged haires VVhose youth was come by yearly course to old and aged yeares Let not the slaughter of a King make proud his hauty hart Nor that he long may make his vaunt of this so hard a part But as your iustice now is seen in so reuenging wrong So Pyrrhus proud by your consent may rue this deed ere long VVhen Priam thus by Pyrrhus sword had breathed out his last And that the town was quite subdude by Grecians fighting fast The Greeks demaund Polixena because she first procurde Achilles death by fained loue through which he was allurde VVhom when they found this Pyrrhus craude to haue my louing child That so had causde his fathers death by working such a wilde But when she knew the earnest suite of fierce Achilles sonne For succour to me helples wretch with vaine hope fast did run VVith clasping armes about my neck on me she cride for ayd For Pyrrhus dead Achilles sonne had made her sore afrayd Help mother now at need quoth she still weeping on my brest A place too weak for greedy Greeks for there she might not rest Grim Pyrrhus with an eager look did teare her from my lap VVith churlish fist he gript the girle O hard and cruell hap That still mine eyes should witnes beare of this my wofull case And that both mate and children deare should die before my face By haire of head Polixena was drawne along the street VVhere diuers of her wofull frends in sorrowing sort did meete To waile with her for well they wist to dreadfull death she went Achilles death now to reuenge they knew proud Pyrrhus ment And as they thought it came to passe for Pyrrhus did deuise Vpon his fathers tombe as then my child to sacrifise Vnto the ghost of his slaine Sire his death to recompence And that Achilles ghost might know it was for her offence Polixena so halde along by such a cruell foe VVhat should become of this my child as then I did not know VVherfore to see I followed fast what would to her betide VVhere round about Achilles tombe a troup of Greeks I spide Which readie were to giue their aide if need should so require My daughters death with one consent each Gretian did desire And there before my face they bound both hand and foote full fast Of this my child that willing was of bitter death to tast But hauing spide me where I stood her hands and feete fast bound In token of her last farewell her head towards me she twound And fixt her eyes on me poore wretch with such a wofull looke With nodding head for want of limmes her last farewell she tooke Then Pyrrhus mad vntill reuenge did drawe his fatall blade And slewe my child vpon the tombe which he before had made In honour of his father dead and there with gorie blood Imbrewd the graue which cruell act did all the Gretians good These words he spake which well I heard quoth he take here thine end Thy soule vnto my fathers ghost for thine offence I send And for the fault of Paris slaine King Priam late did rewe His sonnes vile part for with this hand the aged man I slewe O fortune vile that sparde my life to see this wofull day My friends starke dead whom Grecians slewe in euery corner lay Not one was left to comfort me that could my woe redresse But mourning matrons whose hard hap increasde my heauinesse And last of al the angry Greekes to breede vs further care The traytours of our common wealth from sacke or spoile they spare Aeneas and Antenor he those that betrayde our towne In conquerde Troy had liberty as walkers vp and downe The spoile once had our stately towne with fire fierce did flame The gods decreed my life should last that I might see the same Then did I see our lofty towers consumde with fire to fall In burning houses children cride which number was not small A world of woe to call to minde the latter spoile of Troy When Greekes with fire
need remember what was Craesus fall and how the wretch did speed O On Catos words consider well then rich when once content of Crates thinke who sure was rich when all his wealth was spent B Beare Titus mind that Roman peere whose noble heart did bend before the sunne went downe each day to purchase him a friend E Ere angry moode doo make the strike first play vpon thy lute each day Achilles would doo so and Clinius on the Flute R Reuenge not vnaduisedly call Phocion first to mind rather take thou wrong with him than shew thy selfe vnkinde T To wise Themistocles giue eare that loude his Countrey well true subiects liude as oft we read when wretched traitors fell V Vse not by feare to awe each man least thou repent too late vrge none saith Tully by such meanes for feare procureth hate S See that thy Countrimen haue right the poore man doo not fleece so maist thou haue in this our soyle as Solon had in Greece S Shun Caesars pride beware of that for he himselfe was slaine such haps doo greete aspiring mindes when worlds they thinke to gain P Pompey could abide no mate nor Caesar anie peere pride brought them to vntimely death their state was bought so deere E Endeuour to digest abuse on wise Pericles thinke else follow sage Zenocrites at iniuries to winke N Nestor liude with great renowme in Pilos well esteemd now lead a life that thou in fine a second he be deemd C Call to thy minde King Darius that vsed oft remorce could Nero liue when he began to rule in Rome perforce E Earst Hiero of Siracusa for learning still would striue erre not but spend some time therein whilest heere thou art aliue R Read what wise Seneca doth say of Cicero goe learne run not with vnaduised hast and thou shalt right discerne To the Reader RIght curteous gentle and learned Reader as dutie bindeth mee I am determined to inuite thee to a base and simple banquet for knowing that thou art dayly inuited bidden to manie more curious and daintie dishes that thy appetite is sufficed with all kinde of delicates therefore in mine opinion by staying thee from thy delicious meates by inuiting thee to more homelie fare thy stomacke may be the more whetted sharpned to take thy repast of those dainties when occasion serueth It may be that when thou shalt perceiue my principall and chiefest Guest for whom this banquet was first prouided whose mouth is daylie vsed to the sweetest delicates and whose tongue is of sufficient iudgement to make a difference betwixt the sower taste of vnpleasant cates and the sweete relish and sauer of well seasoned meates for manner sake to commend the dishes and gratefully accept the good will of the inuiter that then thou wilt accordingly take in good part and well like of such homely cheere as the willing bidder hath prouided for thee But if it should so fall out that thy mouth being so often accustomed with the sweete taste and relish of daintie fare that thy stomacke can hardly digest the homelines of my reare supper yet I assure thee that the cates themselues be as daintie neweltie as the best thogh not so well dressed by the vnskilfulnesse of the Cooke Therefore I beseech thee to vse the part of a friendly guest in taking it in good woorth and reporting the best and further I request thee if thou findest fault or mislikest anie dish being not well dressed rather to winke priuelie at the Cooke than openly to discredit his workmanship Perhaps it may be further obiected to the discredit of the workman saying It was great pitie that such daintie delicates hapned to be bought of so simple a cater to carie to so homely a cooke to be dressed in so smokie a kitchin wherby the dishes haue not their right and their taste and relish spoyled by reason of the basenesse of the roome To which obiection with reason I thus may reply that the vnskilfull cooke may sometime take in hand to dresse the daintiest dish as well as the cunning and finest workman to learne experience for he that ventreth not the marring or making shal neuer attain to good workmanship Thus gentle Reader hauing inuited thee to this base banquet play thou not like the dogge in a manger that will eate no hay nor suffer those that would wherefore I pray thee either fall too thy selfe or giue others leaue to satisfie their hunger whose stomackes are sufficiently prepared to feed I would not haue it thought that I thorough a vainglorious minde goe about to edifie and instruct the learned whose ripe iudgements wise conceipts and learned experience is of sufficient force to teach better Schollers than my selfe for then should I goe about arenas in littus fundere but for that I right well know there are diuers whose learning is not of that profunditie but they may take both pleasure and profite by reading this homely worke Is it not reported that Aeneas comming to Carthage there viewing and perusing the destruction of Troy being painted on the wall of Didoes pallaice with his faithfull companion Achates to haue more imaginations and thoughts in his minde concerning the effect and substaunce than the wall by painting could signifie yet notwithstanding the picture first caused those thoghts by representing the matter to reuolue in his experienced minde so that the setting downe of a part causeth the wise to conceiue the whole and by penning a briefe the learned coniectureth a volume Therefore curteous Reader I am content to appeale to thy learned iudgement for Appelles setting foorth his picture to heare each mans opinion in his worke begun was verie wel content when the shoomaker found fault with the shooe and the taylor with the hose knowing these men to be artificers in the Science which they had reprehended did willingly reforme his errour But when the vnskilfull intruded themselues to the iudgement of the legges armes and other parts of the bodie then he drewe in his picture knowing that hee should neuer please and satisfie the humour and fancie of all men Thus Fare thee well Thy friend in what I may T. F. Fennes fruites A Dialogue betwene Fame and the Scholer no lesse pleasant than profitable wherein the bad behauiours and lewd demeanours of man is rightly discyphered Scholer SIR you are well met I reioyce greatly that my good fortune is such to méete with you so happily of whome I haue so often heard but neuer as yet coulde méete vntill this time to vse conference with all Fame It is great maruaile that you could neuer finde me out before this time traueling in all Coastes and Kingdomes as I doo hearing also all Nations of the earth report of me so that the vttermost borders of the world hath had my presence therefore truely hard was your hap in deede not to speake with me before this time Scho. True it is in déede but the messengers of vncertaintie did daylie so
giue mee that which himselfe wanteth whereof I haue sufficient but I will send him that which hee lacketh and I my selfe haue abundantly and as for threats and menaces I nothing at al regard for if I liue saith he my countrie will bring foorth things sufficiently to furnish my life withall so that I shall not need his rewards as for death I do nothing feare but exceedingly desire it which shall deliuer me from my old withered carkas Thus you may perceiue that this wise philosopher accounted them poore which were not satisfied and those rich which were contented Scho. Sir I doo verie well perceiue my error and doo acknowledge it for it standeth with good reason that the riches of this world is contentment and that a coueting and discontented minde is extreame pouertie therefore if it please you to procéed forward according to your pretence I shall according to my promise be attentiue Fa. Well séeing you are satisfied heerein I will proceede further The Philosopher Diogenes as I said before perceiuing the vnconstancie of vnfriendly fortune the mutability of honour with the vncertaintie of life so much contemned despised the vaine preferments and promotions of this transitorie life that he liued content and satisfied with a small portion of possession which was but his bare tub or tun wherein he was Lord and King without controlment crauing neither territories or confines to inlarge this his quiet kingdom finding this his poore patrimonie so voyd of all incumbraunces vexations and inuasions that he contented himself with this life vntill his end turning his tub in the summer toward the North for the coolenesse and shade from the Sunne in winter to the South for the heate and warmnes thereof making his vaunt merelie that he could rule his Lordship and possession as he listed from the inuasions of his enimies which was the sharpe bitter windes by turning his tumbling pallaice Thus liuing in contentment it chanced that Alexander the great king of Macedony hearing the rare fame of this Philosopher thought good to visit Diognes in his tub to heare his wisedome and the cause of his so solitarie liuing came vnto him being set in his tun saying My friend I haue long desired to see thee and to inrich thee being so a poore a philosopher therefore aske of mee what goods or liuing thou needest and I will inrich thee with it to thy great contentment To whom when Diogenes had giuen thankes for his great courtesie offered he saide If thou wilt doo mee this fauour as thou saist then I pray thee take not that from me which thou canst not giue me but stand from before the mouth of my tun that I may haue the light and warmnes of the Sunne which is to me great riches for now thou detainest that from me and canst not giue me the like therefore do me but this fauour and I will craue of thee no other substāce Then said Alexander My friend how much possession lands and reuenues woulde satisfie and content thee if now I should giue thee thyful contentment to whom Diogenes answered Euen as much Alexander as thou must be thy selfe contented with all in the end But at the first he misconstrued the meaning of Diogenes and thought him wonderfull couetous knowing that he himselfe had nowe most part of the world in possession and dayly striued to get the whole therefore he thought it an vnsatiable appetite of him not to be contented with lesse but after consideration on the cause he perceiued that Diogenes meant his length of ground to be sufficient patrimony for himselfe which in the end the greatest king of the earth must be contented withall then said Alexander to him againe My good friend what thing best contenteth thee in this world to whom Diogenes replied saying That thing sir King which thou art most discontented withall in the worlde which is a satisfied and contented mind to couet for no more than sufficeth which in thee saieth he I finde contrary Alexander was nothing at all offended at the reprehension of the wise Philosopher but rather smelling his owne follie said at that time Truely if I wer not Alexander I would be Diogenes But we see that he was Alexāder therefore he could not be Diogenes he was couetous therefore he could not be contented wherefore it appeareth that Diogenes had the gift of temperance not to couet his owne destruction as Alexander did but being rich in contentment despised fortune for that her force coulde not molest or touch him reiecting honour because of the mutablitie and varietie of the same regarding not life for the vncertaintie of it but liued as a man contented fearing no calamitie nor aduersitie whatsoeuer might happē to him but was readie with patience to digest it Sch. Truly it doth appeare most plaine that this man had the gift of temperance sufficiently and that he was nothing subiect to the wauering wheele of fortune neither passing of her smooth countenance nor louring looke liuing a stranger to her whereby he kept himself free from her force notwithstanding I would faine know if the end and death of him were as worthie as his life for No man is called happie before his end which being answerable I must needs confesse the man deserued merit Fa. Indeed you say true it is good in our conference orderly to proceede for the life of man cannot be so cleare but that it may be much dimmed and dusked by an ill ende making digression from the former life but truely Diogenes continued a sound Philosopher vntill his end at his death it is said that he lying grieuously sicke perceiuing it a thing vnpossible for him to recouer his former health by feeling his aged body so much weakened and hauing in this great extremitie of sicknesse smal friends to comfort or relieue him threw himselfe downe tumbling from the top of a bridge abutting néere to the common place of excercises and commanded the kéeper or ouer-séer of the bridge that when life failed and breath was quite departed hee should cast his carkasse into the riuer Ilissus Adeò pro nihilo duxit mortem sepulturam Diogenes So little regarded Diogenes the inuasion of death or the tranquilitie and quietnesse of his bodie in the graue But I say not that this end was commendable in a Christian for he was long before the incarnation of Christ being an heathen man notwithstanding indued with wonderfull wisdome Againe some report of his death after this sort saying he died when he was 90. yeares olde and being at the poynt of death willed his bodie to bee left vnburied saying That he would not be troublesome to his friends to digge and delue for him who had no pleasure in their paine vnlesse they would doo it to auoide the smell and stincking sauor whereby he were likely to annoy them but when his friends asked him whether he would lie aboue the ground to be deuoured of birds and beastes No friends
saith hee but lay you by me a little staffe that I may feare and keepe them away therein deriding their foolish curiosity that séemed to be so carefull to burie the dead carkasse as though there had béen great difference whether it had been deuoured of birdes and beastes in the field or eaten and consumed of wormes in the ground so rebuking their folly he died The wise Philosophers so little regarded their dead carcasses knowing by their natural wisdome what the substance thereof was making also no account or reckoning of life whose state was so fraile and fickle the learned Horace going about to quip and reprehend the fearefull minds of those that so much feared death said Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas regúmque turries that pale death did as wel visit the rich as the poore therfore saith he it is a foolish thing so much to feare that which no man knoweth when it shall happen neither can it be auoyded or shunned by any praiers or gifts nor by the force or strength of man repelled or driuen back Whereunto also Homer replieth saying Nec vis Herculea fatum enitauit acerbum neither could Hercules strength resist or withstand death The wise Socrates when hée was to suffer punishment namely losse of life Apollodorus his familiar friend comming to the prison where hee was laide vp brought vnto him a verie fine coate of costlie wooll well wouen and wrought and therewithall a cloake of no courser stuffe desiring him to put them on and to weare them when he drunke the poyson that should procure his death For saith he Socrates cannot want a rich and honorable buriall if hee being attired with those gorgeous garments yeeld vp the sweete pledge of his life nor that he should lye dead altogether vndecently being decked with such beautifull and comely furniture These words vttered Apollodorus to Socrates but he not allowing thereof said to Crito Simmias and Phoedon O what a notable opinion dooth Apollodorus conceiue of vs if he hope to see Socrates in such brauerie after he hath drunke vp the poysoned potion ministred to him by the hands of the Athenians but if he did consider and beleeue that shortly after I should droupe downe grouel on the ground and at last lye like a lumpe of lead vnder feete he would not vouchsafe to knowe me Not long before the time of his death also he being at libertie was verie sick and féeble in bodie so that his friends asked him how it fared with him verie well said he how so euer the world shall wag for if I haue my life prolonged I shall increase mine enimies to baite me with rebukes againe if death shorten my dayes I shall winne more friendes to crowne me with commendation In like manner Plato at what time the Academy was reported to be infected with the pestilence the Phisicians gaue him counsaile to remoue his schoole from the Academy into Lyceus but hee neuer a whit agréed to their counsaile but saide Sed ego producendae vitae causa ne in Atho quidem summitatem transmigare velim I would not remoue to the high tops of the maine mountaine Athos for the prolonging of my daies and the preseruing of my mortall life so little also feared or regarded that wise Philosopher the fatall end Sch. Truly y e philosophers in this point do shew thēselues the folowers of wisedome indeede for by birth they perceiue themselues to be mortall therefore make they no great account of their vncertaine life but truely I coulde wish that there were many Philosophers now liuing amongest vs to instruct vs thorowly by their great wisedome whereby wee might as well learne to die as to liue Fa. Surely in mine opinion it were in vaine for the nature of man is rather to credite and followe the precepts and doctrine of those that are dead than to giue audience or be instructed at the mouth of the wise who liueth for Diogenes himselfe in his life was forsaken of al his friends because he vsed to reprehend them most sharpely therefore they termed him a Cinike or doggish Philosopher but after his death his deedes were recorded and had in great reuerence Socrates also was hated amongst his countrimen because he would tell them thorowly of their faults Wherefore in the ende he was accused and put to death but after had in great reuerence and admiration folowing his rules and precepts in gouerning their common wealth In like sort Aristotle Demosthenes Plato Callisthenes and diuers other were had in greater estimation after their death than they were in their life time If Christ himselfe did liue at this day amongest you as he did amongst the Iewes and his miracles shewed to you as they were in Iewry it is hardly to be thought whether you would haue beleeued so soundly on him being bodily liuing amongst you as you do nowe by the certaine reports of his passion and miracles But if the Philosophers would haue giuen themselues to please men to flatter their follie and to maintaine their vice they should haue beene in great estimation in their life but they should neuer haue purchased the name of Philosophers Xenophon saith that Socrates vpon a time had conference with the harlot Caliste who vttered these wordes in course of talke to Socrates Ego tibi Socrates multùm presto nam cùm tu neminem à me possis abalienare ego cum libitum est tuos omnes à te auoco I excell thee Socrates many degrees for when thou canst not allure men from me I can entise any of thine from thee when soeuer I list To whom Socrates shaped this answere Quid mirum est siquidem tu ad decline c. What wonder is that for thou dooest traile men downe in the dale of vice and destruction but I hale them vp the hill of vertue and eternitie wherevnto is no easie passage or common climing meaning that the nature of man were more easier to be entised by flattery to lewdnesse than by sharpe reprehension drawne to vertue The wise Philosophers also were of this minde and opinion that the most blessed and happiest thing which might fall and happen to man was death the end and conclusion of all miseries In like manner the ancient Poets in diuers of their workes haue confirmed the same opinion as a generall and vniuersall iudgement insomuch that it hath beene reported that Biton and Cleobis the sonnes of Araia when their mother being ministresse in a Temple of a goddesse should haue gone to the Temple in a chariot with great speede as the manner was and her horses coulde not be founde her two sonnes of childly pitie vouchsafed themselues to bend their bodies and draw their mother with speed to the Temple for which gentle affection the mother desired of the goddesse whom she serued to giue her children the greatest benefite which GOD might giue to man After the feast in the night when
the mother did take rest with her children in the morning her two sonnes were founde dead whereby it was gathered that the greatest benefit that man could haue was in the middest of his glory and praise to end his fraile life that the vnconstancie of fickle fortune might not blot out any part of that which he had before gotten Croesus the rich King of Lydia demanding on a time of Solon who was the happiest man that euer he did sée thinking that he would say Croesus for his great riches and wealth but Solon said Tellus a man of Athens who had honest and good sonnes and they also had good children all which he sawe in his life and when he had liued a good time honestly at the last fighting against and vanquishing the enemies of his countrie he died a faire death was in the same place honorably buried of the Athenians When Croesus asked who was most happy next Tellus Solon named those whome hee knewe to liue and die most happiest not naming Croesus at al where at he being abashed said vnto Solon My friend of Athens settest thou so little by our felicitie that thou preferrest before vs these priuat persoÌ„s SoloÌ„ answered Truly Croesus in proces of time many things are seene that men would not see and many things are suffered that men would not suffer and speaking much of mans calamitie at the last he concluded saying Ante obitum nemo supremáque funera foelix No man is happie or thorowly blessed before his last and vttermost end and that the end of euery thing is to be looked on where to it shall come for God plucketh vp many men by the rootes vnto whom he gaue all thinges at pleasure therefore I cannot account any man happy before his end be knowne Croesus made hereto no countenance at al but esteeming Solon for a foole considering hee passed so lightly vpon things which appeared good let him depart A good space after Croesus attempting warre against Cyrus king of Persia was at the last taken of him who caused a great pile of wood to be made redy and Croesus to be gyued and set on the top therof to be burned Then forthwith Croesus remembring the words of Solon that no man liuing was blessed or on all parts happy lamenting cried O Solon Solon Solon which Cyrus hearing caused it to be demaunded of him who it was that he named Croesus with much difficultie told who it was and declared all that was before rehearsed which wheÌ„ Cyrus had heard remembring himselfe to be also a man sore repented that he went about to burne him which was equall to himselfe in honour and riches and commaunded him to be taken from the fire which then began to flame so with great difficultie he was deliuered who coulde not perceiue his own errour before experience had made him wise wherefore in such causes it may aptly be sayd Phryx plagis emendatur he bethought himselfe too late Scho. It is sufficiently apparant by your examples that the life of man cannot be happy vntill his ende and that man ought to liue accordingly to attaine to that happinesse but the nature of men is so farre from that consideration that they rather thinke themselues immortall and without end as doth appeare by their liues most euident for they liue now in these our dayes according as the Agragentines did in times past for the wise Plato said of them They bâ—â—ded as if they would liue euer and fedd as if they should alwayes die because of their costlines in building and their delicatenes in eating the one shewing the immortall minde of man and by the other contrary to their meaning they runne headlong to an vntimely death which surfetting end according to the opinion of the wise Philosophers can not be accounted happy but whereas temperance hath beene the originall ground of our conference it shalbe also expedient that you would make manifest what the want thereof is as well in princes and high estates as in the meanest subiect and what by their vnsatiable coueting they gaine Fa. It is very requisite and necessary truely to shew the vnsatiable appetite of aspiring mindes and what by their inordinate coueting they gaine which commeth by the want of the aforesaid gift whereof I am right wel content my good friend so that you will diligently marke what I shall say herein I will first begin with a king of the Hebrewes whose name was Amasius liued before the incarnation of Christ 853. yeares who although he liued well and contentedly for a space yet in the ende he forgat himselfe and especially he forgat the liuing GOD whom he before had serued which hapned by his successes and innumerable riches where withall he grew so proude that not contenting himselfe he wrote to Ioas king of the Israelites commaunding him his people to be vnder his obedience and gouernement But Ioas after defiance gathered an army and went against Amasius whose people fled before they came to strokes for feare of Ioas himselfe being taken and brought to the king who threatned to kill him except he caused the gates of Ierusalem to be opened that he with his army might enter in there Amasius was forced to breake downe of his owne Citie walles foure hundred cubites by which way his enemie Ioas might enter in being also led as prisoner by his foe into his owne where his aduersary spoyled and robbed him before his face of al the treasure of his house and citie with the treasure of the temple which he commanded to be caried to Samaria and afterward being deliuered his owne people slew him This gained he for his discontentment In like sort Marcus Antonius a noble Roman whome Augustus the Emperour highly fauoured making him companion in the Romane Empire with himselfe vsing him so louingly and friendly that hee wholie ruled and commaunded the Empire so far foorth as Augustus himselfe in consideration wherof Antonius by the lewd enticement of Cleopatra Q. of Aegypt aspired to the whole Empire and to put downe his true and trusty friend Augustus who before had aduanced him to that dignitie for which vnsatiable appetite he was destroyed of his very louing and faithfull friend Also if Caesar Pompey Cyrus Alexander Hanniball and diuers other great Princes had bene coutented with their owne large kingdomes and possessions they had neuer bin driuen to those extreme and shamefull ends as they were so that it may well be prouerbially spoken Aurum Tolosanum habem they died most miserably whose liues and ends I would sufficiently relate and vnfold to the better vnderstanding and perceiuing of the quiet state of contentment and the shamefull fall and destruction of couetous and aspiring mindes but it may be that I shoulde ouer-weary your eares with tediousnesse for where a briefe will serue it were méere folly to make a volume Therefore for the auoyding of the blameable cause of ouer much tediousnesse
prison in Chalciaeco where he was miserably starued to death But before he died wrastling with hunger and fighting for life death with famishment further séeing before his face a most miserable lamentable and wofull end remembred vpon a sodaine the saying of Simonides crying out with a loud and pitifull voice thrée seuerall times in this sort saying O Simonides magnum quiddam in tuo sermone inerat ego vero inani persuasione sum adductus vt eum nullius momenti putarem O friend Simonides in thy watchword was a great and weighty matter included but as for me I was caried away with vaine persuasions and made small account of thy wise warning Also Craesus the rich king of Lydia because Solon would not account of him aboue all mortall men then liuing but rather preferred other honest men in beautitude and happy estate farre aboue Crasus nothing regarding the huge heapes of money and mighty masses of treasure which he then possessed Wherewith he was so eleuated with pride that he farre excelled and excéeded all earthly and mortall creatures in his owne conceit Most sharply reprehending Solon for that he so little regarded his mighty power as to preferre any man in blessed estate aboue him whom he ought not so much as once to compare with any mortall man but rather to haue lifted and extolled him to the heauens and recounted him amongst the Gods immortall For which his stately pride and vaine folly he was accordingly punished as is before rehearsed Where he most hartely repented himself of his foolish vanitie Nay there were diuers kings which not onely contented themselues with the stately stile of immortall Gods or satisfied themselues when their subiects both seperated made a difference betwixt them as farre as the heauens from the earth but also commaunded themselues to be adored and worshipped as the very liuing God and that all knees should bowe and be obedient at the hearing of their names as Nabuchodonozer the great and mighty King of Babylon when he perceiued that his power made the worlde to shrinke grewe so proud that he would be a God on the earth setting vp his picture or image commaunding those to be slaine which would not fall downe worship it but see how the high God plagued him most iustly for his proud folly taking his kingdome from him for a time to the intent he might know perceiue a difference betwixt the liuing God and his mortall carkasse being also transformed to an vgly shape of a beast whose head was like the head of an Oxe his feete like to the feete of a Beare his taile like the tayle of a Lyon and euerie haire on his bodie as big as an Eagles feather and he that would be a God before thinking the earth too vile and base for him to tread on was now faine to lay his flapping lips to the ground to gather his food and did eate hay the space of 7. yeres together being at the last againe restored both to his former shape and dignitie Alexander Magnus when hee had conquered most part of the world returned to Babylon holding ther his Parliament summoning the Kings of the earth to come and worship the sonne of Iupiter making such account of himselfe putting diuers to most cruel death who would not consent to his vile folly nor adore him as a God yea and those that were his very friends who had before time preserued him from death and also from diuers dangers which otherwise had greatly annoyed and molested him hee plagued with most vile torments because they would not vphold and maintaine his monstrous errour Notwithstanding for all these gréeuous punishments there were that could not brooke his stately pride but sharply reprehended laughed him openly to scorne for the wise Anaxarchus hearing that this God fell sicke on some sodaine sicknesse and that the Phisitions were sent for to him who ministred purgations vnto him and prescribed certaine receipts and potions for the recouerie of his health whereat he floutingly said thus At deo nostro spes omnis in sorbilatione patellae pofita est What is all the hope of our goodly God come now to the sipping of a platter for in such vessells were the confections and sirops giuen by the Phisitions Further saying after a scoffing manner It had been necessarie first that he should haue been Gods fellowe before he presumed to be a God in deed for so perhaps hee might haue purchased and obtained the good will of the Gods in attaining to his desired seate But he scaped not vnpunished to show the difference betwixt God and man whose miserable death is néedlesse to repeate being before spoken of Also Agrippa the sonne of Aristobolus after his good successes by the lewd entisement of his flattering counsailors and thorough the foolish perswasions of seruants was cōtent to haue such honour done to him as was due to a God yea also to suffer himselfe to be called by the name of a God notwithstanding he had before béen taken prisoner by Tiberius and vsed most cruelly in prison not like a man for he was gyued chayned with mighty chaines to yron But beeing afterward deliuered by Caligula who made him King of the Iewes setting a crowne of golde on his head giuing him a chaine of golde of the same weight that he had before worne in prison of yron so that by such sodaine changes his minde was so eleuated and lifted vp with pride that he no longer would be man but suffered himself to be wondred at by the people as a God causing himselfe so to bee tearmed and called by his subiects but in the ende hee was striken with an Angell in the sight of an infinite number of people wherewith his bodie smelled and wormes issued out with intollerable paines and horrible stench In the which torments grieuous paines he looked on his euill counsailors and flattring seruants saying Loe I whom you called a God am nowe in the paines of death And so most miserably hee died In like sort Menecrates being but a Phisition because he had cured diuers and sundrie diseases to his great fame and commendation did so swell in pride that hee called himselfe Iupiter or Iuuans Pater this arrogant asse sent vpon a time to Philip king of Macedony a letter wherein was written this sawcie salutation Menecrates Iupiter Philipo salutem c. Menecrates Iupiter to Philip sendeth greeting c. Whose vaunting vaine the King perceiuing wrote back againe in this manner and forme folowing Philippus Menecrati sanitatem c. Philip Macedo to Menecrates wisheth well fare c. Consulo vt ad Anticyram te conferas I counsaile thee to take thy iorney to Anticyra meaning by this drye frump that the man was moonesick and besides his wittes the aforesaide Philip on a time made a sumptuous and costly banquet whereunto he inuited and bad Menecrates commanding his seruants that there
restrayned from his accustomed tyrannie two of the most noblest young Gentlemen of the Citie conspired his death venturing their owne liues to deliuer and set free their Common-wealth from such a tyrannous enemie neuer resting vntill they had freed their Countreymen from his cruell tyrannie For Clearchus vnmercifully tormenting his guiltles subiects with most cruell torture sharp punishment and extreame banishment taking pleasure in the vntollerable paines of his distressed people finding out most sharpe and cruell inuentions to plague and torment his miserable Subiects withall At the last these two yong Gentlemen Chion and Leonides being both brought vp vnder the tutorship and gouernment of the wise and learned Philosopher Plato tendring their Countreyes libertie and detesting the cruell tyrannie of the wicked Tyrant fained themselues to be at variance and earnest controuersie in the Kings presence insomuch that they drewe their Daggers one at the other in the Kinges sight so betwixt them both they stabbed the Tyrant to death and deliuered their Common wealth from such a bloudie minded butcher It is also reported that after Pisistratus was dead who vsurped the crowne and raigned by force and crueltie that then his sonne Diocles excelling his Father in all kinde of tyranny was soone after him slaine for his wickednes and especially for that he had dishonourably rauished and with violence intreated a yong Maide whose brother in reuengement thereof slew the King Then raigned his Brother Hippias who also was a most wicked and bloudie Tyrant this Hippias caused the yong man that had slaine his brother to be racked to confesse who were the counsellers of him to that déede who named all the Tyrants frends Whom so soone as they were apprehended were presently put to death as chiefe ayders in the conspiracie whereof they were altogether ignorant and vnguiltie but the youngman appeached them for mainteining the tyrant in his wickednes Thus the tyrants frends being slaine the yong mā was againe demaunded if he knewe anie other that was consenting to the death and murder of his Brother The young man answered No truly Hippias there is none liuing that I would haue dead but thou thy selfe O thou Tyrant Saying further That he greatly reioyced that he had caused one Tyrant to execute tyrannie on another whereby he had freed his Countrey from a great number of them wishing and earnestly exhorting his Countrey men to haue as great a care in wishing well to their Countrey by rooting out of all such Tyrants which déede would sort the common good of their Countreymen as they had or should haue of their owne priuate Estates Did Nero purchase to himselfe the fauor and friendly harts of his Countrie men by such monstrous crueltie as he commōly vsed No truly but their disdainfull hate was thereby obtained He had such care ouer his Countrey and so tendered the welfare of his Countreymen that to satisfie and please his tyrannous minde on a time hee woulde néedes set the stately Citie of Rome on fire to see how rightly it would resemble the burning and ouerthrowe of Troy when the Greekes had taken it by which cruell déed he was the spoyle of manie a thousand Romane for the fire continued burning in the Citie the space of fiue dayes wonderfully consuming the goods and treasure of the Citizens to the great impouerishing of the whole Common wealth For which impious cruelties when he had committed other outragious tyrannies which before are specified he was by the common consent of his subiects condemned to be beaten to death with whips and roddes but the execution was not done accordingly for the preuented their sharp sentence with the murder of himselfe Diomedes the bloudie Thracian Tyraunt scaped not vnreuenged for his monstrous and abhominable murders in giuing to his horses the bodies of liuing men to bee deuoured of those rauenous iades which he kept for the same purpose executing dayly his accustomed tyrannie vpon the poore distressed Thracians his Countreymen delighting to embrewe himselfe in the bloud of his subiects but in the ende the noble Hercules disdaining to suffer so vile a wretch a liue made warre against him and tooke the cruell Tyraunt Diomedes prisoner giuing him to his owne horses who deuoured him as their wonted pray For being before by accustomed manner made fierce and fell in their iadish crueltie they were now the more apt and readie to teare in péeces and plucke lim-meale the bodie of the bloudie Tyrant Also the most odious and detestable Tyrant Phalaris in semblable manner receiued like reward for when he had long time studied and inuented for strange and cruell torments to plague and paine his poore subiects withall at last Perillus a notable and expert workman came to Phalaris hoping to receiue such reward as the Tyrants proclamation before had promised and sayd Sir King I haue inuented and made a most strange rare and cruell punishment to torment whom it shall please you after a most wonderfull and extreame order The engine was like a Bull made and shaped of brasse in euerie respect hauing in the side thereof a dore right artificially contriued to put in naked men which doore being closed vp fast againe with the man in the middle fire should bee put vnder the belly of the brasen Bull and so soone as the Engine began thoroughly to heate it would so scorch and burne the liuing man within that he shuld not choose but mainly and extreamely crie out whose voyce by comming thorough certaine hollowe holes in the Buls throte made for that purpose should séeme like to the cruell roaring of a mad Bull or some other bedlam Beast which was sharply goared or pricked Phalaris beholding this strange deuice greatly reioycing at the rarenesse thereof thought it long vntill he might sée the effect thereof put in execution Wherefore calling to him the running worke man who had taken great paines in framing and contriuing that straunge and rare torment saying Friend Perillus I most heartely thanke thee for this deuice and for because I would saine be satisfied and see some experience prooued in this thy hollowe deuice I commaund that thou prooue the first experience of thine owne handie crafte Which without stay was forced to bee done to the great terrifying of all the beholders Thus was Perillus beaten with his owne rodde for that which hee made for gaine to crucifie land torment others hee first of all tasted himselfe Yet notwithstanding Phalaris was not to be commended herein for that he had no respect to the cause but according to his accustomed manner of crueltie vsed the Engine afterwardes to the punishment of his subiects therewithall to delight and satisfie his tyrannous and bloudie minde vntill his Countrey men detesting such outragious crueltie could not suffer his tyrannie anie longer but rose vp against him and tooke the bloudie Tyrant putting him into the brasen Bull to make him tast the torment of his owne crueltie Thus also died the notable
Tyrant Phalaris who alwayes tooke pleasure in tormenting and persecuting his poore Subiects wishing rather to bee feared than loued coueting to rule and gouerne his Weale publique by cruell and tyrannous meanes for which his vnsatiate and bloudthirstie intemperancie he felt the desert of his owne folly Therefore Sir I right well perceiue that the Prince ruleth with more safetie as you said before in a thinne and single wastcoate than in strong armour much more auayling by gentle and curteous meanes ouer their louing Subiects than with a bloudie and tyrannous hand which oftentimes turneth them to hate not to loue preferrring him to death not to life And whereas you haue shewed examples what great honour and renowme falleth to the share of such Princes which haue shewed both mercifull pitie gentle courtesie and manly clemencie on poore distressed creatures in time of victorie and also what loue they gate euen of their enemies for the chast preseruing of Matrones and Uirgines for their gentle courtesie in entertaining them and for their liberall hearts in voluntarily fréeing and dismissing them beeing such hurtlesse captiues noting contrariwise the deserued ruine of such as haue vniustly tyrannized ouer their innocence for of such Tyrants falls all Histories are full It is certainly reported that Dionysius Iunior in his victories vsed great crueltie by abusing of Matrones rauishing yong Uirgines and deflowring of Maidens for when on a time he came to the Locreans he tooke vp possessed occupied vsed or rather abused the greatest largest fairest houses that were in all the Citie strewing them with damaske roses lauender sauorie and such like odoriferous flowers swéet smelling hearbs sending for the yong Damsels of the Locreans to come to him with whom he had fleshly pleasure and delight past all shame honestie or regard of chastitie Which filthines most loathsome offence abounding in him escaped not vnpunished for when his kingdome was rent and torne from him by Dion the Locreans rewarded like with like dealing carnally with the Wife and Daughters of Dionysius inforcing vpon them for his offence most abhominable fornication without anie intermission or ceasing and such specially as were of the linage consanguinitie and kinred of those young maydes and virgins whom Dionysius defloured were most eager and fierce to be so reuenged After they had satisfied and staunched the lust of their flesh with the bodies of Dionysius his wife and daughters they tooke needles and thrust them into their fingers and toes vnder the naples in such lamentable order murthering them and stamped their bones in morters from the which they had launced and cut collops of flesh offering the gobbets to be eaten whereof who so refused to tast such they abused most villainously and handled worse than helhounds The remnant of slaughtered and dismembered carcases was cast into the sea there to be consumed with whirling waues or to be deuoured by monstrous fishes and as for Dionysius himselfe after he had endured manifold mischances and sustayned sundry distresses of life and estate at Corinth being pinched with extreme néede he became a starke begger and went from place to place playing on a Timbrel and Flute and singing Ballades in the companie of such as hyred him and gaue him for his labour going also into Barbers shops to iest and to make the people mery and pleasant when they came thether to be notted shauen This was the end of Dionysius and after this sort hee finished the course of his life in no lesse beggery than infamie who no doubt was but plagued according to his desert Fame Now doe I right well perceiue that our conference doth much profit you and that you haue wel noted and marked the tenor of my purpose in going about to discipher the difference betwixt vertue and vice which you sufficiently discerne and are able to geue examples to the contrary therefore I nothing repent me of my paine and labour herein but will with willing minde procéede to pleasure you in what I may and whereas now in this my last speech I shewed vnto you what honor and renowme was purchased and obteined thorow mercy and clemencie and also what noble fame and eternall praise remayneth to those who doo shew both manly pitie gentle courtesie and mercifull fauour to the conquered to those who are vnder their power to dispose at their pleasure Contrariwise you haue declared what inconuenience doeth often fall to those who séeke to rule and raigne thorow tyrannie and by bloudie meanes and also what miserie hapneth oft to those who haue had neither regard of their owne honestie the preseruation of chastitie nor any pitifull consideration of them in aduersitie Well now againe I will procéed beginning where last you interrupted me which was where Princes tendered carefullie loued their subiects and welfare of their commonwealth there also what a duetifull care and obedient mind the subiects ought to haue for the preseruation of their so good a Prince happie weale publique for that commonwealth which is gouerned by a wise and prudent Prince cannot chuse but be called and tearmed right happy and fortunate The wise and learned Philosopher Plato was woont to say Tum demùm beatum terrarum orbem futurum cum aut sapientes regnare aut reges sapere caepissent Yet at length a happy blessed time shall fall on the earth when either wisemen begin to raigne orels Kinges begin to waxe wise For there saith he the Common wealth is on all parts blessed Then hauing such a wise Prince and setled Commonwealth the Subiectes ought to haue a speciall and duetifull care in mainteyning defending vpholding and preseruing both Prince and Countrey to the vttermost of their power yea if it were with the losse of their liues in the iust quartell and good cause of their Prince and Countrey Cicero saith Non nobis solùm nati sumus sed etiam pro patria We are not onely borne saith he to pleasure our selues but also to the profite and commoditie of our coūtrey For at such time as Attilius Regulus a noble Consull of Rome hauing oftentimes vanquished the Carthaginians was at the last of them taken prisoner by a certaine subtile sleight yet notwithstanding because the Romanes had also taken certaine prisoners of the Carthaginians and those most noble and valiant Captaines and Souldiers wherefore Regulus was sent home to Rome to make exchange for the other prisoners But when this ancient Father was come to Rome he called a Conuocation of the Senators and there in the Senate before them all he thus began Most learned graue fathers whom I right well know haue alwaies wished well and tendered the welfare cōmon good of our coūtrey knowing also that at this time you are not ignorant of my late chaunce and mishap which now being past remedy is not to be sorowed and also that you haue here in the citie certaine prisoners of the Carthaginians being both expert actiue
Sceuola in which when he came to the place hee thrust his right hand willingly into the fire first suffering it to burne to ashes couragiously saying I willingly committe this my hand to the fire which fayled to kill Porsena the tyrant Further affirming at his death that there were thrée hundreth Romanes more redy prest which had also sworne the death of the king if he fayled and would as willingly venture themselues in their Countreys cause as he before them had done and as it were among themselues striuing who first should doe that good seruice to their countrey Which when Porsena had hearde he did not much discommend their faithfulnes towardes their Commonwealth but with all speed remoued his siege and departed from the walles of Rome to the great reioising of the citizens Thus ought euery man to haue a speciall care regard to preserue his natiue countrey and commonwealth For when both Princes and noble estates haue willingly ventured life nay run to present death for the sauegard of the weale publike much more then ought euery priuate person and meane subiect in Prince and Countreyes cause valiantly to venture both life and lim with right couragious mindes in defence of so honest and good a cause Scho. I confesse that euery subiect ought willingly to offer his body in defence of his Prince and natiue Soyle and not to haue so great a care for the preseruation of his priuate person as for the benefit and welfare of his Prince and Commonwealth Were it not a vile reproach and ignomie to those people that should by their cowardlines suffer their king to be slaine in the field and they themselues to remaine aliue and geue the looking on Contrariwise is it not great honor to him that shall hazard his life yea or run to right desperate exploites in the good cause or quarrell of his Prince To conclude it is the part of euery good prince to haue a care of the welfare of his commonwealth and of the preseruation of his subiects and also the part of all honest Subiects to haue a duetiful care to preserue their prince and a manly courage to defend their coūtrey Truely we read in most ancient histories of diuers who by their noble valoure wise policie and manly courage haue defended from the inuation of forrain foes both their weale publique from subuersion their stately townes and cities from ruine and decay also the whole body of their countreymen from most cruel murther and pitifull slaughter and yet in the end haue been most vilely recompenced by their vnkind countreymen Was not Manlius a Roman surnamed Capitolinus who preserued the Capitoll or castle of Rome from the cruell force of the Gaules and did many other noble actes in his Countreis cause throwne down from the top of the same Castle headlong by his owne vnkind countreimen whom he many times both manfully and couragiously had defended and saued Also Miltiades a noble man of Athens which in the field of Marathaon with 10000. Gréekes discomfited and put to flight 600000. Persians and so by his great wisdome and prudent policie saued deliuered his countrey from being ouerrun with such a mighty and huge hoast which otherwise had beene vtterly subdued ouerthrowen but after being cast in arrerage of a certaine summe of mony he was by his vngratefull Countreymen condemned into most cruell prison and there died in fetters and being dead he might not be suffered to be buried vntill his sonne had put on him the giues that his father did weare In like sort Themistocles a noble captain of the same vngrateful town of Athens after he had deliuered his Countrey from the huge terrible power of Xerxes putting him to flight and al his great hoast making y t mightie king by his circumspect wisdome and policie shamefully to flie home in a Fishermans boate vnknowen for the safety and preseruation of himselfe notwithstanding was at the last driuē his Countrey and forced to flie by the vnkinde Citizens to his enemie Xerxes whō before he had driuen from the walles of Athens but Xerxes willingly receiued such a friende with great intertainment and sent him againe with a mighty armie to warre on his owne countrey hoping now that he would be sharply reuenged on his vnkinde citizens But Themistocles being now Lord Generall against his natiue countrey hauing in his power the whole destruction and ouerthrow of his deere commonwealth yet notwithstanding for all that the Athenians had dealt so extremely with him he rather chose to die than any way to hurt his countrey And because he would not shew himselfe a traitor to Xerxes who had put his whole power into his hand and receiued him so courteously in his extremitie nor that he would torment the bowels of his vngratefull citie vnmercifully to spoyle with forraine people his vnkind countreimē to frée himselfe of these two inconueniences hee poysoned him selfe and so died a more faithfull frend to his countreymē than they had deserued After that Demetrius sonne of Philip king of Macedon whom before I spake of had obteined pardon for his father and whole countrey by his great modestie temperance shewed in the Senat of Rome because the Senators did write to his father the king in this maner We the Senators of Rome do not pardō thee for thy owne sake but for the modest demeanor of thy sonne shewed here before vs in the Senate Which thing Philip by the instigation of certaine of his flattering Subiectes did take so displeasantly and gréeuouslie that his sonne was in such estimation and better accounted of than himselfe and therefore so hated his sonne for his great paines and diligent care whereby he preserued both his father and Countrey from the reuenge of the Romanes At whose good hap also certaine of his vnkinde Countreymen with the helpe of his vnnaturall brother Perses so repined insomuch that they procured false witnes to accuse him to his father being willing to heare any cause against his sonne Thus by the surmise of his vnnaturall Countreymen he was condemned to death by his vnkinde father who before had both studied to preserue the honor of his father and also to mainteine the flourishing estate of his countrey Did not the Romanes banish and exile the noble and worthie Cicero by the procurement of Clodius when he had preserued and defended his Countrey from ruine and vtter destruction and saued the noble Citie of Rome from the fury of Cataline euen for because he had put to death the chiefe traytors and enemies of the Common-wealth in that dangerous conspiracie who sought to spoyle sacke take and burne their natiue Citie Rome Was not the same vngratefull Citie Rome found vnkinde to her most deare frend and preseruer the worthie Scipio for when the Romanes were in great distresse thorow the bitter and sharpe warres which the Carthaginians long time most greeuously helde against them being also mightely ouermatched
he had made triall of their wisedome But the wise Athenians seeing the blinde conceit of the olde Emperour fayned that they woulde not at all speake anie thing of their message if it woulde please the Emperour but to doo them this fauour as to suffer them for to come into his presence to beholde his person of whome they had before time so often heard they woulde thinke their paines right well bestowed although they had no answere at all of their Embassade Unto which request the olde Emperour soone graunted sitting in great maiestie for the Athenians to beholde him Thus when they were brought before him they began after this manner to flowe the olde doting Emperour for his rash iudgement saying Most renowmed sir if the states of Athens had thought that wisedome had cōsisted in gray beards and whitish haires they no dout woulde haue sent for Embassadours to you gray bearded Buckes and Goates and detained those in Athens still whose approoued wisedome hath as well beene tried at home in Athens as also in thy countries of Greece O thou aged Emperour Wherefore as I haue saide not altogether condemning yong men as vnsufficient for to haue anie rule or charge committed to them by reason of their yong yeares for that oftentimes we sée vaine follie to be couered and shadowed with gray haires also wisdome to spring and proceed from beardlesse cheeks Yet truely in mine opinion graue yeres is partly a signe that all youthfull follie wilfull rashnes and childish gouernement is well ouerpassed and laide aside so no doubt but that there are diuers yong Gentlemen of sufficient experience grauitie and wisedome to take charge and authoritie in an army notwithstanding it is necessary that both their liues maners conuersation and vsuall dealings be thorowly looked into before they haue any charge committed to them to the end they may be the better able to punish vice execute true iustice and rule with good gouernement in the armie for no remedy but that there must be sharpe punishment seuere iustice and martiall lawe in such a multitude of people to correct the malefactour and lewd fellowe without partialitie for example sake and to cherish the honest true and painefull souldiour with friendly and good vsage to encourage others to liue in the army accordingly The ancient Romanes did alwayes vse sharply to punish and correct the intolerable abuses committed in the host for whosoeuer had stolne purloyned or filched from his fellow any of his goods furniture or other necessaries which thing being openly prooued by some honest witnes the offendor was presently iudged to die without partialitie in this sort the partie being lawfully condemned by the Tribune he brought foorth a club and therewithall striketh the offendor not hurting the partie himselfe but as it were in token of lawfull conuiction and guiltinesse Which when the Tribune had done the whole armie and companie with great furie doo strike and lay on with clubbes slaues and stones vntil they haue vtterlie slaine and dismembred the offendor and if that in the whole Campe there bee anie found that refuse or would not put too his helping hand so to punish vice in the malefactor after the Tribune had striken him with his club such persons for their so refusing were iudged as aiders and maintainers of such disordered fellows so that they euer after were forbidden on paine of death not to return into their coūtry any more to their parēts wiues or childrē being also vnlawful for them to craue or demaund any necessaries out of their countrey for their maintenance in other places The Romanes also punished with death him that lacked in the watch he that forsook the place that was geuen him to fight he that caried any trifle hid out of the campe if any man should say he had done some worthie thing in fight and had not done it if any for feare had cast away his weapon and when it hapned that a Legion had committed the like fault because they woulde not put all to death their names were taken and put together in a bag and so by lot they drew out the tenth person and put those to death And againe for lesser faults which deserued not death they sharply punished by whippings continual stāding appoynted fastings and such other paines which they prouided for that purpose But the good and honest Souldier was courteously entertayned gently vsed and much made of lacking nothing that appertayned necessarie to men whereby it appeareth that the honest Soldier is frendly to be cherished and the lewde and disordered sharply to be punished Which order in euery hoast is carefully to be obserued and kept and vsed with great discretion and good gouernment by the wise Captaine But now it may be obiected concerning the hardines of young Captaines saying Haue we not knowen or heard of such lustie young Gentlemen or youthfull Captaines who by their valiant prowes and couragious mindes haue brauely and desperatly set vpon such a strong Castle Towne or Fort and being as eager on the enemie as a hauke on her pray haue atchieued most wonderful notable exploites by their lustie braue courages And therefore say ye what are young Captaines to be disalowed not worthie to beare charge Whereunto I answere that although some braue Gentleman or youthfull Captaine haue by his desperate boldnes or ouer hardie valour obteined or atchieued some notable victorie or great exploite to the great glory and fame both of his Countrey and himselfe yet for all that it is commōly no consequent that victorie followeth desperate boldnes nor conquest rash hardines For although that Fortune at some one time doeth fauour rash attēpts yet presume not ouer much on her for she is mutable and vnstedfast least that subtile Hanniball may insnare wilfull Minutius Achilles desperat Troylus and circumspect Themistocles intrap vnaduised Xerxes Paulus Aemilius a noble State of Rome was alwaies woont to say when Fortune fauoured and smiled most of all on him that then he mistrusted and feared her mutabilitie most of all Insomuch that when he triumphed in the Citie of Rome for certain noble actions by him most happely atchieued seeing the people so woonderfully praise and extoll his name clapping of their hands flinging vp their caps and honouring him in such maiesticall sort seeing Fortune so sweetly smile and fauour him after such an extraordinarie manner he turned to the people and said with a lamentable voice I greatly seare me least that Fortune doeth meane highly to displease and disquiet mee after this her vnaccustomed flatterie Which indéede fell out accordingly For the same time returning to his owne house in this most sumptuous manner he found his sweete sonnes sodainly dead The wise and learned Cicero thorowly perceyuing the vncertaintie and mutable estate of vnfriendly fortune seeing likewise by his prouident wisdome how much more prudent counsell and wise gouernment auayleth than force and strength of the body was not ashamed boldly to
mighty blowes layd on For if my sonne had beene aliue and armed for to fight Achilles durst not come in place nor once be seene in sight But when by chance my naked sonne Achilles launce had payde The eager Greeke to lay on lode was nothing then afraide When noble Hector thus was dead yea dead and dead againe Achilles then to spoyle my sonne began to take some paine I sawe how that he handled him I could not looke beside And if I did yet straight againe my sight that way would glide The tyrant vile the bedlam beast his carkas would not spare Who was a man a valiant man his noble mind was rare Another of king Priams sonnes that day was caught in fight Whose hands chopt off the Greeks sent home to worke vs further spite And wilde him thus to say in Troy and tell his aged sire That Hector now by Grecian launce was payd his earned hire And that Achilles had no doubt but Paris so to slay VVho was the cause of all that warre and bred that bloudy day Thus came my sonne with losse of hands before his mothers face To tell how Greekes had dealt with him a lamentable case And how that Hector now was dead whom Troyans soon should misse VVhich was no newes for that before mine eyes had seene all this And while my boy besmearde with bloud his heauie hap did waile A seruant came and shewde vs how Achilles vile did hale Dead Hector round about the walles in all the Troyans sight VVhich was because his frends should see as easily they might His naked corps in mire drawne at horses taile fast tide And that the doer of the same before did vaunting ride Then came I to the wall to see slaine Hector so misusde From whence I cride for that I knew the Greekes had him abusd VVho was king Priams eldest sonne wherfore against all law In cruell sort to spite his friends his carkasse dead to draw VVith that I strainde my voice and said Achilles let me haue My sonne whom thou hast slayn that I may send him to his graue But he for all my mournfull cries full fierce without remorce Did hale my naked sonne about the Troyan walles perforce VVhich when his aged sire be held from top of lofty wall For griefe conceiude did yeald himselfe in desperat wise to fall Down headlong from the turrets height if friends had him not stayd And throngd about to succour him who then had need of ayd But when at last he did perceiue Achilles cruell hart VVith beckning hand he spake aloud Be sure for this hard part If that I liue thou shalt repent and Gods the same will graunt Thy wicked act and that ere long vile wretch thou shalt not vaunt Of this despitefull fact wherfore I wish thee to restore My slaughtered sonne as I haue done thy slaughtered Greeks before Yet would not fierce Achilles cease from doing Hector wrong For round about the Troyan walls he halde our sonne along And thus did still for four days space euen in his parents sight To work our wo for well he wist he could not Hector spight VVho then was dead whose gaping iawes the durt and grauell fild VVhose whighish skin the muddy mire with filthy spots had hild His beard besmeard with stinking filth to eyes and face did clung Such lothsome stuff as filthy Greeks with durty fists had flung VVas this a sight for parents eye to vew their louing child In such a case as he was then amongst his foes so wild O haples hap O Fortune vile what woman could abide Such pangs of wo from sobbing soule as did to me beside VVe did not cease to sue for grace at proud Achilles feet In yealding wise to haue our sonne although it were not meet A mighty king should stoup so low vnto so meane as state For that vnto the Troyan king Achilles was no mate But yet for all king Priams sute when he did what he might The tyrant would not yeald as yet our sonne should haue his right Of funerall nor that his bones should rest in silent graue VVhen we had made such humble sute his mangled corps to haue Vnburied thus he kept him still for twelue days space at least VVhose flesh was torne and then did will the dogs should haue the rest VVhich when I heard a hell of woes did plague me then aliue O death quoth I my loathed life from miseries depriue Let not me liue to call to mind this Fortunes froward spite Nor see the day wherin againe such heauie hap may light Yet still in hope to haue his corps Polixena I sent My daughter faire to Grecian campe and to Achilles tent Who there on knees with wringing hands before Achilles face With brinish teares made humble suite to find as then such grace As that he would as then restore the corps of this her brother slaine And for which cause to pleasure him she euer would remaine His seruant base or bondslaue vile to satisfie his mind For which if that it pleasd him well she then would stay behind To be a faithfull seruant true to him at all assayes And pray the Gods to prosper him and send him happie dayes With that Achilles stepped foorth and gaue to her his hand In courteous wise he greeted her and wilde her vp to stand Before his face and waile no more and then as she thought best He was content it should be so and graunted her request This did my daughter bring to passe such was her peereles hewe That she a second Helen was within Achilles vewe When Priamus and Hectors wife before had tried in vaine And I myselfe with weeping teares the like could not obtaine Her beautie so did qualifie the tyrants wrathfull ire That Hectors corps was brought by her home to her aged sire Then did I mourne afresh to see there laide before my face The ougly shape of my sweet sonne in such a wofull case That Hectors face I could not know although I knew his name For Hecuba his mother I before had geuen the same Whose corps once washt full well I knew the fauour of my child But pale aspect did alter much that neare I was begilde Twelue dayes at least my sonne had lain abroad in open ayre VVhat time till now to haue againe we euer did despaire The funerals and other rites in order allwell done VVe did prouide the mony which redeemed this our sonne For first before my daughter had the thing she did desire Achilles he a certain summe of mony did require VVhich thing before he had refusde though massie summes were sent But for her sake and such a summe he seemed well content The money now without delay we sent away in hast And willingly did pay the same for daughters promise past O wretch most vile O tyrant bad that thus with Hector delt VVhat stonied heart in brawned breast would this not make to melt The cause of this his furie great and
in Troy that durst presume Achylles once to meete VVho thus had slaine my noble sonnes and crouded vnder feete The brauest peere of Troy that durst incounter with his force VVith Grecian launce he threw to ground thus had he no remorce But still did striue by martial force to beat the Troyans downe And egerly maintained fight in hope to sacke our towne My sonnes thus slaine the warre increast and bloody sight did growe No Troyan durst within my sight incounter this my foe So that before our walls he marchde with glistring speare and shield Like mightie Mars he oft did dare the Troyans to the field Which made me woe to see him raigne that thus with me had delt Whose cruell hand to our great losse the haplesse Troyans felt A counsell then of matrons wise I presently did call How to reuenge my slaughtred sonnes to counsell straight we fall That fierce Achylles might not vaunt of this his cruel deede Together then we layde our heades in such a time of neede We thus conclude that best it were Achylles to insnare With some fine peece of Venus Court whose beauty shoulde be rare And forbecause the Greeke wel knowne to loue a daintie peece Which I had spide for that before he sayled home to Greece When Agamemnon tooke away sweete Briseis his delight No longer then he would abide nor for the Greekes did fight Till Briseis was againe restorde which thing I wel did note And was right glad that beautie faire could make my foe to dote And forbecause Polixena his sight did wel content When she to fetch her brothers corps to Grecian campe was sent So that at first he fraunted ber when we before had nay And whatsoeuer she did craue was done without delay Which wel I wist wherefore foorthwith my daughter I bedect With gorgeous geare in hope to bring my purpose to effect And presently to Grecian campes a messenger I send Vnto Achylles tent to shew what then I did intend Which messenger I did commaund his arrand thus to tell That Hecuba the Queene of Troy Achylles greeted well And further that he should declare Achylles should inioy My daughter faire Polixena the peerelesse flower of Troy No other wight I do desire for that mine eies behelde The noble valour of the man so tride in Troyan field The Greeke hath often made me glad to see his courage bolde For from the highest walls of Troy I gazing did beholde To view Achylles that braue Greeke so lyon-like to vaunt Before the towne and with his force the proudest foe to daunt And that although my sonnes were slaine in warre by lucklesse chaunce Yet were I glad their hap were such as that vpon his launce To end their liues that no reproch might happen to them dead And that Achylles right wel knew they died before they fled And for their death I nothing grieue for that my sonnes were slaine By such a noble Grecian peere whose like doth not remaine In all the world such worthy fame the peerelesse Greek hath woon Say thus quoth she I shall not rest till that he be my sonne My daughter for the courtesie that she with him did find Cannot forget the benefit but still doeth beare in mind The friendly vsage of the Greeke at whose hands she hath found Such sweet reliefe that euer since to this day she is bound To yeald to him her chiefest friend and willing to fulfill His mind in all respects and be obedient to his will And that because Achilles shall not think my words as vaine VVish him foorthwith to proue my mind and find if I doe faine Appoint some place wish him doe so and there my daughter she And I my selfe his louing friend will then attendant be Achilles knowes that oft I doe to Hectors tombe repare Apollos temple holds his bones in which I haue a care To doe him rights as custome is and yet the church did stand In greenish field without the towne not far from Grecian band In which if that Achilles will Polixena shall stay And I my selfe will come with her to celebrate that day Thus to the Grecian camps I sent my messenger in hast VVho soone vnto Achilles tent in secrete manner past And told him all that I had said who presently with ioy Besturd his stumps and was right glad my daughter was not coy For that when first he made his suite and did my daughter craue The wench was coy and thus replide No Grecian she would haue But now reuiude from former woe the man with ioy halfe mad Did send me thanks and ten times thanks that thus had made him glad I will quoth he be there indeede to offer with my frends For Hector slaine whose death I rue yet vvill I make amends VVith some oblation to his ghost right in his mothers view That she may say Achilles is become a frend full true To vs and to the Troyans all by souldiers faith I sweare It shall be so vvhile life doeth last this mind I still vvill beare And then foorthwith preparde himselfe to offer to my sonne VVhom he before had slaine but novv did vvish the deede vndone Meane vvhile vvhen that I knevv his mind and hauing place so fit I did inuent in secrete sort to cry the Grecian quit For slaying of my sonnes and for a thousand Troyans slaine VVhich vvere my frends for vvhose sake novv such frendship I did faine The presently I cald my sonne vvhom Fortune yet had sparde And made him priuy of my mind how that I had preparde To worke my foe a spitefull part when least he did suspect And sure I was no liuing wight as yet could it detect And thus I said my louing sonne euen as thou art my child And hast a care to wish me well that am thy mother mild And as thou knowest I tendred thee when Priam sentence gaue Thou shouldst be slaine yet I as then sought meanes thy life to saue Wherfore good Paris haue a care to ease thy mothers griefe And that I pine in paine not long before I find reliefe Which soon may be by thy good help wherfore lay to thy hand And shrinke not now in time of need but to thy mother stand Thou knowest my sonne quoth I how that thy brethren both are gone Whom well I loude and now in Troy aliue there is not one That dares so valiantly in field against our foe to fight But trembling we thou knowest it well doe feare Achilles might Euen now the time is come that we may banish feare away For that Achilles hath set down a certaine meeting day To meet thy sister and my selfe with others of my traine What time the wretch doeth make account my daughter for to gaine Apollos temple is the place where Hectors bones doo rest VVhich stands in field vvithout our rovvne a place mistrusted least In vvhich Achilles mindes to be and vovves if that he liue To keep the time expecting then my daughter I should giue
Because he held his lawful wife he would reuenge that rape For when that Paris late was slaine then this my sonne did take Faire Helen Menelaus wife which did against him make And now before my face this Greeke my louing sonne had cought Whom he before through all the towne full egerly had sought To make him rue his former deede and Paris being slaine He vowde my sonne that held his wife should yeeld her vp againe Lo thus I say before my face the greedy Greeke there helde My sonne who to the bedlem beast in humble sort did yelde But he in steade of clemencie did shewe his cruell minde My sonne that yeelded at his foote the tyrant vile did binde His nose he cut his eares and lips and plucked out his sight His other limmes in spiteful sort he did dismember quite Take heere quoth he the due reward of Paris fault forepast Thy brother dead for if he liude a worser plague should taste Wherefore commend me to his ghost and truely to him tell That I for his offences vile did send thy soule to hell And therewithall he stabde my sonne that willing was to die Which thing once done yet further griefe I chanced to espie For presently right neare my sight it was my hap to see My daughter whom full deare I loude my sweete Cassandra she Most vilely to be drawne along whose handes and feete were bound In spitefull sort by haire of head they dragged on bloody ground They hallde her still along the streetes where gory blood did flowe That when she past along by me I scarce her face did knowe But soone she spide me where I stoode and lifting vp her eies To haughty heauens and for redresse in wofull sort she cries And calls aloude to haue my ayde when I myselfe had neede Of ayde to succour my mishap and that to haue with speede Yet still she cryes O mother helpe lay to your helping hand Let not this Greeke misuse me thus while you on looking stand But rather seeke to succour me from this vile tyrant wilde And saue me from this cruell Greeke that mindes to force your childe Sweet mother help quoth she againe get Troyans to defend Me thus abusde But she in vayn her wofull voice did spend For I my selfe did quaking stand expecting still the end Amongst my foes I there was placde I could not spie a frend Yet following fast my daughter deere to see what might betide Who still for ayd on me poore soule continually cride To Pallas temple she was drawn in Troy a sacred place And there my daughter was abusde before her mothers face That bad vngodly Greek did deale with her and did abuse The holy place with such a fact her body to misuse Which when I saw I could not stay to geue the looking on But cried aloud for Troyan ayd although I could get none That holy temple was defilde with such a filthy deed For which offence that wretch ere long vnhappily did speed Away I trudgd opprest with grief vnable to geue ayd Or to reuenge my selfe on him that this vile part had playd And as I past from place to place it was my chance to see A hundred of my daughter-lawes which did enquire for me And quaking stood in open street with minds resolud to dy For well they knew the wayes were stopt that none away could fly With wofull cries we wayld a good down dropt the brinish teares But all in vain for dreadfull death in ougly shape appeares Yet lingring still in hope to line we seek to find reliefe And rangde about in streets vnknown which bred vs further grief For as I past I might behold an altar huge to stand In open street wherto we went to shun their cruell hand A sacred place where all our Gods were painted on a row There throngd we thick about that place to shrowd vs from our foe Which place we thought the angry Greeks durst not once be so bold Before the Gods our bloud to shed wherfore on them we hold And thought the Gods would vs defend and priuiledge the place And as a sanctuary safe to help in such a case Thus sitting there at last I spide old Priamus my mate Who yet had scapt their murdring hand but this his heauy state VVas death to me yea death it selfe my husband deare to see So chacte as hare before the hound who fast for life did flee The aged man whose quaking limmes could scant his body beare Had weapons got and armour bright vpon his back did weare His bending hams did beare the waight vnfit for Priams yeares VVith speare in hand as if no state of Grecian land he feares His manly mind was bent to fight his feeble force to try And he amongst his louing frends most willingly would dy The heauy harnesse ouer huge my husband would assay That being on his speare in hand could scarce his body stay But staggering stood not fit to fight infeebled so by age Yet he against his cruell foes in desperat wise did rage VVhich soon I spide wherfore as then I humbly did desire To rage no more but seeme content and pacifie his ire I wild him then without delay to sacred place repare VVhich thing to touch the greedy Greeks would haue especiall care For that the Gods there present were to keep vs free from spoyle VVhose presence what bold Grecian dares pollute with bloudy foyle And therwithall in hast I drew him to the altar side And set him down old feeble man but see what did betide By this time Pryams pallace faire was yealded to the Greekes And Pyrrhus fierce Achilles sonne in euery corner seekes For Priamus that aged sire and for his louing sonnes In hope to gaine them with the spoile full eagerly he runs And hauing found Polytes out in cruell sort did chase The fearfull youth who for his life did trudge the streets apace And comming where his father sate there hoping to haue ayd Yet scarcely come to wished place but that proud Pyrrhus stayd Our sonne and there within our sight with churlish fist fast held And presently in parents view Polites there he feld There panting lay our louing sonne by breathles course neare spent VVhile Pyrrhus stern his fatall speare through back and side had sent That dying straight his hands vp held to take his last farewell It makes me shrink to call to mind and greeues me now to tell VVhat after did ensue for that King Priam could not rest VVith such a sight as commonly each father dooth detest For to reuenge his sonne so slain he needs would take in hand VVhen he good man vnable was with feeble age to stand But he to shew his noble mind bad Pyrrhus proud pack hence Forth of his sight or els he would with speed driue him from thence VVhat darst thou now thou wretch quoth he thus in my presence stay VVhen that my sonne whom well I loude thou didst before me slay And wilt thou stand
I mourne For remedlesse the cause remaines when Planets all had sworne And haughty gods to worke me woe for Paris filthie sinne Who would to God had dide the death when life did first begin Or would to God I wish too late the waues had beene his graue When he to Lacedemon went faire Helen for to haue O Neptune fierce couldst thou not frowne and Eolus out call With whirling windes to drench his ship his company and all But safely so to suffer him to swimme with gale at will The doting youth in prime of yeres his fancie to fulfill In Simois and Zanthus flood his ships did seeme to saile So quiet was the seas as then because he should preuaile What did ye seaish Gods decree together with consent To plague the Troian state so farre as angrie Pallas ment Ye Gods that rule both land and sea why did ye thus decree That Neptunes towne at first so cald to Greekes a pray should bee If otherwise ye ment at all his ship should not haue past So quietlie through surging seas by helpe of Boreas blast For Triton mild did shewe his face so happilie that day That Paris past with sprouting sailes into the Gretian bay What was become of Palemon did Glaucus hide his head Their swift recourse far from his ship in partiall sort was fled The Strencoucht Antiphates Parthenope was gone That wonted were to keep their course but novv there vvas not one Not Circe nor Calipso vvould their vvonted magike vse Although they knevv the lecher meant Atrides to abuse So Zephirus and Eurus fell with Aquilo did lurke And hid themselues while Boreas with frendly gale did work Nereides were past away Latonas imps did shine Ech thing did smoothly smile that day by help of Gods diuine And all was for the Troyan wracke to plague my sonnes offence For Paris needs to Greece would goe and soon returnd from thence But would to God the brinish seas with raging waues so wild Had drownd that baud that Theseus first in filthy sort defilde And that my sonne had dide with her before he came to shore Then Troy had stood and flourisht still as long it did before But Helen Menelaus wife that was Sir Paris ioy VVas first occasion of our woe and latest fate to Troy O would the tygers first had torne the lims of this my sonne VVhen aged Priam sentence gaue on that which was not done The cause wherof was mine own deed which act I now repent For that the Oracle did shew before the boyes intent But now I know I wish too late the angry Gods had sworn To plague our state for some offence For Paris being born VVhose desteny the Oracle did openly declare And yet to see my hap was such that wicked babe to spare VVho was the cause of this mischaunce and breeder of our woe His death had been to vs a life and life to thousands mo Yet I for pitie sake would not consent that this my boy The tygers brood his tender lims should vtterly destroy VVhat power diuine did hinder me or what infernall fiend VVhat did both heauen and earth to this their vtter forces bend O what offence did we commit that all the Gods should frowne And thus decree with one consent to pluck our Empire downe Did they appoint that I should breed and foster in my lap A scourge to plague the parents sinne and cause of their mishap VVas it king Priams fathers fault that Laomedon bad That builded Troy vvith borovved coyne for he receiued had Of Neptune and Apollos Priests a summe of money great And when the day appoynted came the wretch forsware the debt With mighty vowes the periurde man at altar side did say He borrowed none to buyld his walles and therfore none would pay But whether twere for periurie or for my sonnes offence I cannot tell but well I know it was a recompence For double and for treble sinne so many thousand dide From Nations far the world dooth know the people thether hide In hope of pay to either side great troupes of men did run But what was gaind saue deadly fight or what but death was won Did euer any feel such woe as I poore wretch did tast Did euer Fortune yeeld such lookes as she on me did cast O hauty Gods what hap was mine to feel such bitter paine Did destiny assigne me that to make me thus complaine I would that I had been vnborn or borne I dead had been For then these wofull miseries I wretch had neuer seen Why did the Gods cause me to liue why did they thus decree Was this their will that I should liue with present eyes to see My louing mate and children slaine and Troy to burn with fire If they did will it should be so then they had their desire But fie on that vile destinie O fie on that hard curse The Gods themselues could not deuise how they should plague me worse And then with wringing hands she wept with wayling voice she cride Which griende me sore about I turnd where presently I spide An aged man both graue and grim for that he seemed sad Right father like for grayish haires with Princely robes be clad Vnto the wofull Queen he marchd and thus in modest sort Began to quip her frantike mood as I shall geue report What madnes now hath mooude thy mind quoth he O louing mate That thus thou fretst against the Gods and frantikelie doost prate Can this thy fuming mind redresse or cause the things vndone To be againe No if we liude againe we could not shun The Gods decree wherfore be still shake off such heauines In vaine it is to vexe thy selfe where cause is remedles VVhat shall thy ghost that now should rest in worldly cares still dwell And thinke on things that carst were past O plague far worse than hell Then suffer thou thy ghost to take her quiet ease at last And call thou not to mind againe that vvhich is gone and past Thou knovvest our destinie vvas so vve could it not preuent For that the Gods to plague our sinne for some abusesment What should we kick against the spur or swim against the tide Or striue for that to haue at will which angry Gods denide When I had sent my sonne to death and that he should be kild His life thou sauedst wherfore thou seest that destenie it wild But I to shun Simphlegades on Hebrus lake did light And coasting from Charibdis gulfe on Scilla rock did smite Thus seeking how all dangers great by counsell I might shun Did vnawares ere that I wist to present perils run Was I the cause that Helen faire with Paris came to Troy No sure it was fell destenie or fickle Fortune coy For when the Oracle had told what hap in time should fall I wild to take away the cause For witnes now I call The sacred Gods who knew my mind my sonne I would haue slaine I was content my flesh and bloud the tygers
chop should staine Because I feard the prophesie therfore I did consent But what of that the Gods themselues did hinder mine intent For if the Gods decree it once I know it will fall out Let no man think the powers diuine by any meane to stout Sir Satire sonne to Pariside of Bosphore sometime king Was wild by Oracle to shun a mouse of any thing For that a mouse should be his death except he took great heed The Oracle did tell him flat his fate was so decreed But he to shun the warned harme did slay the silly mice In field and town that none might liue his death to enterprice And in his land no man might dwell that mouse was cald by name He sought each way to saue himselfe he feared so the same He stopt the holes of creeping mice in euery place full sure For that the vermins by no meanes his death might once procure Yet see the end when least he thought of this forewarned harme He wounded was vpon the brawne or muscle of the arme For Musculus a little mouse in Latine we doo call And Mus a mouse which Satire slew as after did befall A dagger piercd Sir Satirs arme right where the muscle grew And muscle comes of Musculus though then too late he knew And Philip King of Macedon was warned to beware Of wagon or of wheeled coach wherfore he had a care To keep himselfe from any such he neuer could abide To come in coach for feare of that but still on horse did ride For all his care it so fell out he could it not preuent He was deceiud no running coach by this before was ment For being slaine the sword that slew the King was brought to sight And viewed well where on the hilts a coach was grauen right To Pelius it was declarde when that he chauncd to see One barefoot doing rights vnto his fathers ghost that he Should then of death in danger stand the prophesie was so Because he should take heed of him and shun the warned foe When he was doing of his rights vnto his fathers ghost His nephew Iason came by chance whose right foot shoo was lost And there vnto his grandsire dead the youth his dewes did giue The vncle then with ielous mind not long did think to liue For that he feard his neuew now who barefoot there did stand Should be the cause of his dispatch wherfore he out of hand Did counsell Iason being young to Colchos Ile to sayle To fetch the golden fleece from thence wherin he did preuaile His meaning was that Iason should be lost or drownd therin The conquest seemd vnpossible the golden fleece to win And for because he might not feare the prophesie forepast He shipt his neuew speedely and sent him thence in hast But Iason soon returnde again and brought away the fleece And brought Medea home with him to be old Pelias Neece To Thessalie Medea came and hearing what was done Against the aged Pelias she presently begun To practise treason at the last and causd the aged sire By his own daughters to be slaine this was for Pelias hire For he that could not trust the man that was his kinsman near But purposely did seek his death to free himselfe from fear Had such a chance ere that he wist Medea did the deed His ielous mind was chiefest cause that made him so to speed The Oracle long time before did know old Pelias mind Wherfore it told what destenie was to the man assignde Of fiftie daughters Danaus to be the sire was knowne Aegiptus then his brother had so many sonnes his own Aegiptus would haue all these his sonnes his brothers daughters wed But Danaus would not consent wherfore away he fled And tooke his daughters all with him because he did suspect A sonne in law would be his death therfore he did reiect The offer that his brother made but why he did refraine The cause was thus the Oracle did say he should be slaine By him that was his sonne in law wherefore he sought to shunne Such destinie as might befall through such a wicked sonne Aegyptus wroth with this his deede did send his sonnes to stay Their vncle that before was fled and pact from thence away His sonnes according to his will old Danaus did take And causde him there against his will a marrige day to make His daughters all were wedded then against their fathers will Eche man his cousin germaine had Aegyptus did fulfill His mind at last and did reioyce in this so strange a march But Danaus not well content did worke a swift dispatch Because he fearde the prophecie least that on him should light He did commaund his daughters all they should appoint a night Wherein eche one with willing minde her slumbring mate should slay And disappoint the prophecie before the morrow day His iealous minde did vexe him so he still did doubt the worst Til it was done he could not rest the man did so mistrust According to the fathers minde they did commit the act The nuptiall bed was so defilde with such a filthie fact All sauing one was slaine that night a hard and cruel part Whose life was saude for that his wife did wil him thence to start For very loue she bare to him though all her sisters had Destroyde their mates which deede she thought to be right vile and bad Thus being saude by such a meane the sonne in law did wexe Right fierce against his father law and earnestly did vexe He vowde reuenge on Danaus that thus vniustly delt He swore that he should taste the same that they before had felt And in the end he slue the wretch for doing of that deede The Oracle pronouncde before how Danaus should speede Thus seeking how to shunne his fate his death he did procure Himselfe was cause of his dispatch when he thought all things sure The Theban king that Laius hight by Oracle was tolde That Oedipus his onely sonne would proue a man too bolde And in the end should be the death of him that was his sier But Laius thought to frustrate that and proue his god a lier Vnto a shepheard of his owne his sonne he gaue to slay And chargde the man vpon his life there should be no delay But presently his sonne to kill and bring him home his heart He shall not liue so long quoth he to make his father smart The shepheard tooke the lad a field but loath he was to kill His Masters sonne that he loude well and yet he must fulfill His masters minde which grieude him sore wherefore he did inuent How he might satisfie the King and saue the innocent That Oedipus were dead he wisht so that his hands were freed From doing hurt vnto the youth and from so vile a deede Wherefore the hurtlesse lad he tooke his legs with twigs he bound And by the heeles vpon a tree he hung him from the ground That no wilde beasts might reach the
makes thee thus to mone O Hecuba and vex thyselfe thus walking all alone Let them that liue in latter time example by vs take Fret thou no more from sobbing brest all wofull wayling shake Thy troubled ghost dooth cry for ease tis time yea time to rest Of Lethe floud now take thy fill all things forepast digest What furious fiend dooth vex thee now to double this thy paine In life thou knewest all kind of woe VVhat will the Gods againe Cause thee to see another world a world I meane of woes When thou hast felt such miserie in elder time God knowes Tis past with vs and remedles wherfore no longer mourn Shall we reuenge the thing againe that long time since was worne No let it passe and greeue no more thy griefe dooth come too late Be now content with this mishap sith Gods assignde such fate And yet quoth he to angry Gods an humble suite I make That they vpon the Troyan race will not reuengement take There lies an Ile enuironde within the Ocean sea Which Troyans woon in time forepast and holds it at this day For Brutus he of Troyan race made conquest of that land The Giants then that there did dwell could not against him stand The people that inhabit there and in the Iland dwell Doe fetch their pedigree from Troy each Nation knowes it well A homely brag for Englishmen to them a foule disgrace To graft themselues on such a stock as was the Troyan race But yet if they descend from vs as they doe witnes still I pray the Gods to keep from them the desperat Troyans will And that they may not follow vs but far from that digresse To purchase them eternall fame and for their quietnesse Let this our death be life to them that they may die with fame Let Troyan wrack example be vnlesse they tast the same As we haue done in elder time therfore let them take heed Lest that if wilfull folly raigne accordingly they speed And now quoth he O Hecuba leaue off and doo not waile Can vexing here in wofull sort for sorrow past preuaile Let sorrow passe and banish griefe the time is past and gone VVhen once a thing is remedles then bootles tis to mone If that I liude on earth againe in time I would preuent But time did passe without regard too late I doo repent And therwithall the graue old man in bitter sort did weep He sighed sore from sobbing soule his teares he could not keep Thus Morpheus my fancie fed that from mine eyes a streame Of teares did flow which causde me soon to wake out of my dreame And lying broad awake at last still musing in my mind Me thought I saw dame Hecuba that had such fate assignde And Priamus that aged sire me thought was still in vew Their fauour and their faces both as if before I knew What they had been and now againe to memorie did call Things done before in drowsie dreame as often doeth befall And therwithall I tooke my pen to note what fancie vewde And orderly did set it downe Loe thus I doe conclude FINIS Seneca Cicero Cato In vita Philosopho Elianus in lib. 6. Laertius in lib. 7. Diogenes Lacitius lib. 2. Horace Homer de morte Elianus liber 5. In vita Platonis Eli. lib. 7. Eli lib. 9. Croesus Solon Dictum Platonis Amasius king of Iudea M. Antonius in gesta Romano Liuius lib. 5. Prouerbium Caesar in comment The English chronicle Cicero in offi Mors Caesaris Distum Catonis Alexander magnus vt Plutarchus scripsit Democrites ita dixit Iustinus in lib. 12. Diodorus Siculus in lib 8. Eli. lib. 10. Diodorus Siculus de morte Alexand Carmina Ennij Iustinus lib. 1. Digressio Plu. de vita Cyri. Actum terribile Ad causam Mors Cyri. Dictum Thomiris Pompeius magnus Vt Liuius scripsit li. 3. Mors Pom. Mar. Cato 〈◊〉 fo 215. Bias Prienaeus Ehanus l. 6. Dictum Agesilai Dictum Anthe Sextus Aurelius so 54 Liuius lib. 2 Ouidius de tristibus Eli. lib. 4. Plutarchus de vita Craesi Plut. de vita Alex. Dictum Anaxarchi Plu de vita Agrippae Dictum Agrippae mors eius Eli. lib 4. Epist. Menecratis responsio Philippi Eli. lib. 7. Herod Actum Herostrati De ebrietaâ—e Sextus Aurelius de vita Bonosij Aur. de Tiberio Dictum Philippi Eli. lib. 3. Ebrietas Alexandri Iustin. li. 12 Alex. se valdè penitet Iustin. l. 15. Actum horribile Aphthoni us de castigatione ebriorum Seneca Diodorus Siculus fol. 253 Iustin. li. 14 Plu. de vita Neronia Aurelius fol. 153. Vt ait Cicero pro Roscio Amerino Pena parricidij Vetus Prouerbium Eli. li. 6. Laer. f. 586. Plu. de vita Mausoli Aristotle Iuuenal Plu. in uita Demetrij Polib li. 10 Aurel. li. 7. Eli. li. 6. Laer. li. 6. Plu devita Hipp. Aureli. li. 7. Plu. de vita Diomed. Plu. de vita Phale Mors Phalaris Aurelius de vita moribus imperatorum Dictum Ciceronis Valer. li Liuius in prelatione belloium punicorum Plu. devita Codri Diogenes Laer. li. 4 Plu. in vita Darij Li. in bello Punico Q Curtius fo 280. Iustin. li. 15 Plu. de Themistocle Valer. li. 9. Liui. li. 3. Polib in bello Roma norum coÌ„tra Carthaginenses Hesiodus Parmenides Euripides Ouid de Amore Quidius de Meta. Homerus Lacon Plu. de vita Semiramis Et Iust. â—lu de vita Candauli Eli. li. 10. Iustin. li. 1. Salustius libro 2. Liu. li. 5. Polib li. 6. Iust. li. 1. Valer. f. 345 Eli. lib. 5. Responsio Dionysij Pol. li. 7. Poli. lib 5. Semâ—ronius Q Fabius Dictys Cretensis lib. 3. Dares Phrigius li. 1. Pol. lib. 2. Diodorus Siculus libro 7 Pol. lib. 2. Responsio Hannibalis Antiocho Iustinus libro 10. Ordines quoque nemo nisi sexagenarius duxit Diodorus resert Sic Quintus Curtius scribit Iustin. lib. 2 Plu. de Antiocho Laertius lib. 7. Plus menti quam mentis Poli. lib. 6. Furti poena in castris Roman Liu li 7. Val. li. 3 Cicero in Offic. Cicero de Senectute Val. li. 5. Poll. li. 7. Vt Diodorus resert Poli. lib. 8 * Falernia Stratagema contra Romanos Stratagema Hannibalis in Fabi. Strategem contra Ap. Poli. Iustin. li. â— Plu. de 〈◊〉 Agesi Valer. sol 257. Dictum Philippi Vt Diodorus relert Determinatio Alexandriâ— Mors Meleag Discordia inter successores Alexandri Mors Perd. Mors Philippi Euridicae vxor eius Craterus ce ciditur ab Eumene Mors quoque Eume. Mors Anti. Interitus Alex. Mors Demetriâ— Mors Lysima vt lustinus scribit Mors quoque Seleuchi Factum terribile Lamentabile actum Discordia inter fratres Interitus O lympij mater Alex. Extinctus vniuersales successores Alex. Dictum Hannibalis vt Pol. refert Submissio Paeni Poli 14. Sic scribit Poli. Vt Dictys Cretâ—nsis affirmat Sic Dares Phrigius recordat l. 1 Hi Graij ca dunt ab Hectore Interitus Agamemnonis occasione bell TroianoruÌ„ Mors Achylli Pirrhus occiditur per eadem causam testis Dyctis li. 6. Mors Vlissi vt scribit Dares in reditu Grecorum Mors Palame Dictis Cretensis Sic Dares Phrigeus autumat Vide Tertellum Vide Gel. lib 7. Vt dictum Cornelio Nepote interprete Fol. 149. Hercules was also called Heracles Dares Phri sic resert Libido Paridis Vxor Menelai rapta Dares Phrigius lib. 1. Et Dictis Crentensis lib. 5. Virgilius lib. 3. lib. 6. lib. 7. Virgilius lib. 1. sed ficta romanorum Dictis Dares ita affirmunt Troia tradita Aenea Dares lib. 1 Inconstantia Aeneae Vt Romani ipsi confirmant Ficta à Romanis Vetus Proâ—erbium Malicorui malum ouum
should bee a table prouided and set by it selfe in a place seuerall and that a cubbord should be furnished with dew preparation and swéet perfumes tempered burned and scattered against the comming of the said Menecrates all which costes was expended and laide out to pleasure the fine nosed gentleman who sat solitarie and alone at a side boorde by himselfe whilst all the companie that were bidden guests tasted of the toothsome cheere and sumptuous feast which wanted no varietie of delicates but nothing was serued vnto the table where he sat by himselfe notwithstanding hee held him content for a season and greatly delighted in the worship and honour which was exhibited to him being in a manner regall sauing that he was kept fasting which was after a sorte seruile But after that hunger griped his guts and appetite whetted his stomack insomuch that his téeth watered at the cates he saw brought in and none fell to his share then was he taught by experience that hée was not Menecrates Iupiter but Menecrates mortalis and foorthwith he arose from the table and went his way complayning on the iniurie which he suffered being a bidden guest to that banquet whereof hee not once tasted thus did Philip cut Menecrates his combe and detected the mad mans vanitie with a notable flout King Herod because he stood still to shew himselfe to the people when they magnified him as a God was wonderfullie slaine for his proud minde for when on a time hée had made a certaine oration in the hearing of a number of people he so pleased the companie by his eloquence that they made a great showte and crie saying It was the voyce of a God and not of a man by reason whereof hée was so eleuated and lifted vp with stately pride that he stoode vaunting himselfe before the multitude taking himself to be no lesse than they had termed him For which proud follie the liuing God to shew that he was but man did strike him in the presence of them all in so much that hee died with most grieuous paines liuing wormes issuing out of his body to the great terror of all the beholders thus dooth the immortal God reuenge himself on those mortall earthly gods to make them knowe they are but men and soone shall turne to dust Yet notwithstanding although they are taught by experience and daylie do sée most plaine and euidently that man is mortall both from the Prince and Péere to the poorest people yet for al that when they doo perceiue their mortall carkasses must néeds to the ground perforce they couet to leaue behind them at least their name and fame to be immortall for which cause they striue mightely in their life time And truly so in princes it commeth oft to passe for they are long time remembred either for their vertue liberalitie courtesie patience and constancie which no doubt but is both to the pleasing of God and drawing on of their successors to imitate folow their vertue But if their immortall fame bée purchased by their great tyrannie cruelty vnsatiable appetites dronkennes monsterous pride or such like horrible vices no doubt but they haue registred themselues to euerlasting ignomie and perpetuall infamie But diuers so that they may after their death attaine to perpetuall remembrance care not by what meanes they purchase that immortalitie For Herostratus a priuate Citizen liued not contented for that no man talked much of him wherefore he thought that after his death he shoulde be buried in the graue of obliuion and fully be forgotten In so much as whē he heard the dayly fame of worthy men set forth some for vertue some for valure yea and againe some dayly spoken of for their great crueltie auarice dronkennes and such like vices whose fame be also perceiued to liue after their death grew in the end himselfe so desirous of perpetuall remēbrance that his name might come in question to be as much noted in the Citie as the rest were But when he had long time studied and could not bring to passe any notable thing worthy to be talked of at the last he went priuily and set on fire y e stately temple of Diana in the Citie and vtterly consumed it downe to the ground Thus when the most sumptuous gallant temple was so vilely defaced great inquisition was made in the Citie who should doe that notorious fact talking much of the matter but none did know the mā For which cause Herostratus much repining in himselfe that although the matter was spoken of in euery part of the Citie yet notwithstanding his name was in no admiration amongst them Wherfore he went presently to the Citizens detected himselfe For which cause be foorthwith was most cruelly put to death Then in trueth he was therfore wonderfully spoken of and is in remembrance at this day Scho. In mine opinion he hath very well deserued perpetuall remembrance who was of that mad minde to register such meere folly to his euerlasting reproach and ignomie which is worthie to be noted throughout all ages But it séemeth that the vices of men doe much longer continue and are of more ancient antiquitie than their vertues For a few speciall vices do dimme and ouershadow a great number of good qualities and shall longer be remembred to their reprochfull infamie than the other to their praise and merite We also read of diuers notable Princes who by a few inordinate follies haue drowned a number of their especiall vertues as most plainly appeareth in your last examples For what good vertues are to be picked out of the liues of those that for their madde pride would be accounted as Gods on the earth although indéede diuers good qualities and examples of vertue procéede from them before Yet notwithstanding this most monstrous pride obscured and blotted out their meritorious remembrance shadowing as it were with a thick and darke veile their notable vertues from the face of the earth Therefore I beséech you to vnfold and lay open part of those monstrous vices which are such enemies and so repugnant to vertue which suffereth not the worthie fame of man to rise and flourish but croudeth and thrusteth it downe into the darke graue of obliuion wherein is drowned his worthie merites by the ouerflowing of his foolish follie Fa. There is remaining in man my good friend manie notable vices and sundrie misgouernments which are altogether repugnant to vertue as the vnsatiable pride of the minde which is alreadie spoken of as the most monstrous folly and vice in man The filthie vice of drunkennesse is also most odious detestable and a great enemie to the quiet gouernment of man it bringeth also with it manie vexations troubles enormities great incōueniences being a disturber daily breaker of peaceable amitie and friendly tranquilitie purchasing both reproachfull rebukes and sharpe reprehensions in their life time and also perpetuall infamie euerlasting ignominie after their death For as
it is most certainly reported that Bonosus a Romane Emperour was such an excéeding quaffer and bibber of wine that Aurelius writeth of him in this sort saying that Hee was not borne to lead a life but to lift a pot In the end for his misgouernment by reason of his vnsatiable quaffing he was disinherited of his Empire by Probus who succéeded him for which cause he went and most shamefully hanged himselfe who being beheld of manie they scoffed and flouted at him saying It was a tankard or wine pot did hang there and not a man In like sort Tiberius the 3. Emperour of Rome delighting in such inordinate quaffing and sucking of wine and being so immoderately taken would lie so disorderly drunke that his owne subiects reproachfully and despitefully termed him whose name was Claudius Tiberius Nero to be Caldius Biberius Mero which is a most monstrous quaffer and gréedie deuourer of liquor Also Philip King of Macedonia sonne to Amintas and father to Alexander the great who although he had manie good most singular vertues yet notwithstanding the vice of drunkennesse so drowned all the rest of his good qualities and curteous behauiours that the reproach of one vice was more often spokē of after his death to the great slaunder of his noble acts than all the rest of his most worthie merites could be noted to his euerlasting praise His propertie was being either in garrison or camp after a banquet or merrie making his head somwhat drowned in wine as his common custome was would set out on his enemies and fight with them presently in that braue moode which often turned to his great losse and also made his bodie receiue manie a wound which easely he might haue preuented in his sobernesse In his drunkennesse he was alwayes found a truce breaker kéeping neither promise nor faith which before he had plighted insomuch as on a time being demanded why he kept not the league which he was sworne vnto at Melitus which indéed he had broken being in his accustomed folly and not much better when hee was asked the question Tush said he as children are trained beguiled with trisles euen so are men to be deluded and mocked with oaths Of which dooings and sayings being sober he would greatly repent himselfe and gouerne his procéedings wonderfull wisely For at what time he had gotten a great victorie conquest against the Athenians at Cheronea doubting least that he should grow too proud of this his great good hap prouided a bridle to kéepe vnder such inordinate pride causing a boy euerie day in the morning without fayling to come to his chamber dore calling aloud saying Philip remember thou art a man mortall Thus he vsed to heare the boy thrice euerie morning before he would permit or suffer anie suters or others whatsoeuer to tread ouer his chamber threshold or come néere his presence Hee was also a man of great humilitie and patience for on a time the Athenians sending an Ambassade to him whom he patiently heard and at their departure said Know ye said he anie thing wherin I may be beneficiall to you or your countrey for that I greatly desire both to pleasure your selues and also to doo the Towne of Athens some good Democrates at that time being companion in the Athenian ambassage said Yes mary Philip if thou wilt hang vp thy selfe Which answere sore troubled his companions But Philip most gently and coollie answered saying Say ye to the Athenians that they which for anger cannot abstaine from such words are much prowder of courage than they which suffer it spoken without punishment and doe easilie digest so proud an iniurie He had also like patience at Meton For when he had long besieged the Citie and could not get it at last he gaue a sharpe allarme and fierce assault on the Citie In which conflict he lost his eye to his great griefe and paine But when the Citizens of Meton humbly requested mercie at his hands when their towne could holde out no longer he notwithstanding his gréefe and great iniurie remitted their trespasse vpon their duetifull submission In iustice also when he was sober he was very vpright for on a time sitting in iudgement and hearing a matter in controuersie before him taking at that time litle regard what was spoken and sometime stumbring at the last gaue iudgement against one Machetas who crying out with a lowde voice saide O Philip I appeale Whereat he being sore moued with an angrie looke said To whom doest thou appeale I appeale said Machetas to Philip being thorowly awaked and not to thee O king when thou sleepest Whereat he thorowly awaking himselfe perceiued that Machetas had manifest wrong after that he had heard the matter openly explaned and related geuing thereunto good eare what was spoken Yet notwithstanding by no meanes he would reuerse his iudgement but the summe of money wherein he was condemned he paid it of his treasure himselfe Yet againe in the ende he fell to his accustomed cuppes forgetting himselfe satisfiing his gréedy appetite in vnmeasurable swilling and bibbing insomuch that when Pausanias a lusty young Gentleman came to him to complaine of a great and vile iniurie which he had suffered by one of the kings noble-men when he was but a youth and kept in the Court by reason of his nonage And now crauing for iustice and equitie at his hand and to stand an vpright king and iust gouernour betwixt them both The abuse was Attalus a noble-man in the Court which was then counseller to Philip the king had taken the youth Pausanias being a propper yong boy to his house where he ordeyned a costly banquette vpon purpose making Pausanias dronken and afterward abused his body most filthely after the detestable maner of the Sodomites Which vile villanie the youth tooke gréeuously and now being at mans estate came to the king to complaine of this most mōsterous abuse which Attalus had offered him being but a boye Whereat Philip being at that time as it séemeth somewhat merry in his cuppes deriding and mocking him for his labour with great laughter nothing entering into the cause of the abuse Wherewith Pausanias being sore moued finding no redresse of the king who shoulde haue shewed him true iustice Wherefore he turned his anger from Attalus to the king himselfe and as Philip came walking along in the middest of his friends not once suspecting the matter this Pausanias stabbed him thorow with a sword So that Philip the king of Macedonia forthwith died Thus ended this Prince by not ministring true iustice to his Subiects which especially procéeded by his accustomed folly in such excessiue quaffing who otherwise might well haue béen called the good Prince of Macedonia In like case his sonne Alexander surnamed the great nothing digressing from the steppes of his father Philippe but rather excelled him in this vile and detestable qualitie of quaffing insomuch that it is certainly reported of him being frée and
be as ioyfull vnto them as the restitution of their daughter vndefiled Then Scipio being ouercome with their long and vehement intercession caused the saide summe to be layd on the ground before his feete and calling Lucius againe to him hee said Beside the dowrie that you shall receiue of your Father in law for the mariage of his daughter ye also shall take this gift at my hande With which his great gift and also much honor done to him beside he returned home to his house countrey declaring to euery man the honor magnificence of noble Scipio saying There was a young man come most like a God who both with his power in warre and also with his gentlenes and liberalitie in peace had ouercome all the countrey Not long after this young Gentleman leauing his house and familie in good order returned to Scipio bringing with him 1400. good horsemen to the ayde and succour of the Romanes Thus first Scipio began with mercy lenity and gentle courtesie which was the cause that he gote in the end to the Romanes such notable and mightie victories The great Pompey neuer gate the like renowne in all his conquest of Spaine and Affrike nor in the subduing of the valiant Sertorius neither in the victories of Armenia Cappadocia Arabia Iberia Mesopotamia with diuers other Prouinces and Kingdomes as he did by his great courtesie For when in his warres against Mithridates he had taken certaine noble matrons and beutifulll virgins he caried a vigilant eye ouer them neither abusing any of them himselfe nor suffering his captains or souldiers to dishonour or dishonest them in any case calling them all together before him comforting them with sweete wordes in the best maner he coulde saying That none vnder paine of death should offer them villanie graunting foorth his safeconduct to them that they might be conueyed to their husbandes parents and friends with honour vndefiled richly rewarding them with iewels which he had taken in his warres protesting also vnto them that he for his part was most heartely sorrie that it was his hap so to fright and terrifie such hurtlesse creatures requesting them to take it in good part for such was the chaunce and casualtie of warre for which gentle behauiours had it not béen for certaine other lewd vices which are before mentioned he had attained to péerlesse praise Alexander the great king of Macedon although hee frequented a number of most notable and bad vices yet were it no reason to burie in obliuion and forgetfulnesse couering as it were in the graue of silence the gentle courtesie and manly pietie which hee showed in most ample maner to the distressed houshold and familie of king Darius For euen at such time as the mightie Warres began betwéene these two Princes In the second Battaile and conflict Alexander had a great victorie against Darius and the Persians taking the tents with all the bag baggage appertaining to the King and the Persians and also for a pray amongst other booties hee tooke prisoners the mother wife sister and the two daughters of King Darius his enemie whome when Alexander came to comfort beeing in great sorrow and distresse they beholding him comming with an armed troupe pitifully schritched and lamentably cried out as if they then should presently haue been slaine falling downe prostrate at the féete of Alexander beséeching him that they might before they died burie the dead bodie of their Lord Darius whom they supposed to be slaine in that bloudie fight and that now wheras he was a man and had at this time gotten a most noble and manly victorie against Darius their Lord and King so to behaue himselfe towards those poore distressed creatures who were altogether vnguiltie of that pitiful slaughter being as it were present in the Armie with their friend for their countreyes cause and in defence of their libertie in which also their Lord King Darius was now slaine therefore now that he would vouchsafe to bestow the bodie of their slain friend on them that they might doo to him in their life the rights of buriall and then said they O Alexander our liues be at thy cōmaundement Alexander beeing greatly mooued with pitie séeing their bitter teares and considering the hard hap and bad destinie of so noble Dames bewayled their distressed case with wéeping further comforting them saying that Darius theyr Lord and King was aliue and at libertie still with his owne force and power and although he was ouercome in that fight yet was he readie to giue newe battaile againe as in déede hee did causing them to banish feare from them for that no iniurie or wrong should happen to them giuing also commaundement that they should be prouided for and vsed as to their high estate and dignitie appertained giuing good words and comfort vnto the two yong Daughters of Darius wishing them assuredly to thinke and firmely to perswade themselues that hee woulde haue as great care to bestowe them in marriage if King Darius their father did die and perish in these warres as he liuing with a fatherly care would prouide for them and that with no base or obscure mates Which thing when Darius was truely certified of and of the courteous entertainement of his mother wife and sister being all prisoners and captiues at the hands of Alexander his enemie although he then was able to geue battaile to the strongest king of the earth for he agayne had gathered a most mightie and huge armie was already ouercome and conquered with the gentle courtesies of his enemie altogether vnwilling to fight against so friendly a foe wherfore he sent his letters to Alexander requiring him that he might redéeme his captiues promising a mightie summe masse of money for their raunsome Notwithstanding Alexander would receiue no money but required his whole kingdome for their redemption Darius not willing to fight with so friēdly an enemie sent his letters to Alexander the second time offering one of his daughters in mariage with part of his kingdome to him if it might please him to accept thereof But the vnsatiable Alexander could not be content with part vnlesse he might haue all the whole And as for the offer of his daughters he returned this answere saying He had them already and could doe with them his pleasure Now was Darius forced to goe against his friendly foe the thirde time hoping to get his prisoners and yet notwithstanding louing and honouring the very name of Alexander for the great courtesie and lenitie he had shewed to his familie The army and power of Darius was at this time foure hundred thousand footmen and an hundred thousand horsmen thus marching toward his enemie Alexander it was told him in his iorney that his wife was dead whose death Alexander lamented with teares and caused a noble funerall to be appointed doing to her the greatest honor he could deuise comforting the rest requesting them not so heauely to take the death of their friend whose
life by no meanes he coulde saue or preserue Now was Darius ouercome when his power was most strongest with the benefites and friendlinesse of his foe so honouring in his heart his aduersarie that for loue he bare him he could not arange his battaile against him reioysing greatly in himselfe and also saying to his friends If I am ouercome in this warre yet notwithstāding I haue great cause to reioyse that I shall be conquered by so noble a minded prince Wherefore againe he sent his letters to Alexander offering him the greater part of his kingdome to the riuer of Euphrates with his other daughter and for the other captiues he offered three hundred thousand talents But Alexander returned this answere refusing the compositiō saying It was need lessethankes of his enemie for he alwaies had vsed to reuenge himselfe on armed men and on his fighting foe and not vpon hurtlesse women Thus by the hautie courage of Alexander Darius was forced and drawen into the fielde vnwillinglie to fight against his enemie whom he estéemed as a friendly foe notwithstanding there was fought betwixt them a fierce and cruell battaile the Persians in the end being ouerthrowen with great slaughter for that Darius their Captaine could not encourage or stirre them vp to fight against his friend In which conflict certaine of the friends and alliance of Darius séeing the battaile vtterly lost and that Alexander was like presently to be Lord of the field sought to betray their king into the hands of Alexander thereby to pick a thanke or as they say to currie fauour In accōplishing of which thing Darius was sore wounded by his allies notwithstanding he escaped preuented their purpose But Alexander not hearing of Darius sent out seuen thousand horsmen to prosecute after him whō when they could not finde they requested leaue to rest themselues and their ouer wearied horses then one of the souldiers going to water his horse at a certaine riuer thereby by chaunce found out Darius lying in a coach or chariot being mortally wounded with many gréeuous hurtes ready to yéeld vp his life comming néere to the coach he did plainly perceiue that it was Darius and Darius did well knowe that he was one of the crewe or bande of Alexander wherefore he called him to his coache saying My good friend I greatly reioyce that it is my good fortune before I die to haue so fitte a messenger as yourselfe to carrie these my last words not to my enemie but to my good frend Alexander at whose handes I haue founde great fauour say thou my friende that I confesse I die greatly indebted vnto him being altogether vnable to requite the very least of his courtesies shewed to my mother wife and children and that I haue of him a more happier enemie than my kinsmen are frendly For my mother wife and children haue found both fauour and life at the hand of mine enemie and I my selfe am depriued of life by my kinsmen and allies to whom I gaue both life and land Wherefore I wish as great happines to fall on him as he being victor can wish or desire and that I euen now dying doe wholy committe and betake both myself my landes and goods into the hands of so noble a minded prince praying both to the high Gods and also to the infernall powers that he may be victor against whomsoeuer he wageth warre and that all blessings may happen to him according to his owne hartes desire And for the further acknowledging of my vnfeined loue and well wishing desire towardes Alexander my approued friend take here of me this my right hande which thou seest me cut of willingly being aliue and carrie it to thy Lord and master my good friend as a sure seale and firme pledge of my vnfeyned good will and hartie well wishing towards him Thus died Darius when hee coulde no otherwise gratifie and recompence his friendly foe for the great fauoures and courtesies shewed to his familie than by the acknowledging of his clemencie and and gentlenes This friendly fauour of Alexander was soone spred thorow the world and more often repeated to his high praise and commendation than the great and famous victorie which he had against the Persians which was a most wonderfull conquest and remayneth at this day the very chiefe and most principall praise and merite to Alexander Was there not likewise singular courtesie and wonderful gentlenes in King Darius which Alexander conquered For at such time as certaine of his noble men sought to entangle and take him by treason which were of no small account amongst the Persians Darius the King hauing intelligence of their wicked practise thus considered with himselfe and brake it vnto his secrete friend saying Here are diuers noble men which traiterously haue conspired my death if now I shoulde put them all to the sworde there is no doubt but that I should stirre vp against me many of their friends and allies and so be forced to make great effusion of bloud which truely is contrarie and repugnant to my nature The cause surely to me is vnknowen why they should thus wickedly worke my hurt It may be they would be better cōtent with another king to raign ouer them than with me now their present prince yet truely I rather chuse to haue it registred of their disloyaltie toward their Prince by my death than to purchase to my selfe the name of a cruell tyrant by their bloudy slaughters With these considerations he concealed the matter making a shew as though he nothing mistrusted any such thing on a time riding foorth a hunting these noblemen which had conspired against him flocked together hoping now to get some conuenient time and place for their purpose riding with the king to the forrest making a shewe of great ioy and gladnes to the end the king should suspect no euill but he full well knew their intent though he dissembled the matter Thus following their game they trouped together hoping that the king would come that way which they had laide and stauled for him which indéede he did The King séeing their intent and spying their order singled himself from the rest of his companie going directly to the traytors who stoode in ambush redy to fulfill and accomplish that for which cause they came The king boldly rushed into the middest of them saying Now ye traytors dispatch and committe that which ye are determined to doe I haue long time knowē your intent for because I would not be counted a bloudy prince I haue spared you all rather chusing that your handes should be unbrued in the bloud of your giltlesse Prince to your euerlasting infamie and dishonor than my sworde should be stayned with the slaughter of so many Subiectes wishing rather here to die and free your troubled mindes than to liue and remaine such an eyesore to so many noble estates though traytors to their Prince Therefore said he Quid igitur non exequimini id cuius
gratia venistis Why doe ye not dispatch your purpose in respect of the accomplishment whereof you be resorted hether Then they all looked on ech other in the face being troubled in their mindes greatly repenting their enterprise that euer they went about to worke such villany to so noble a minded Prince who knew their practise before and yet spared to punish them rather choosing himselfe to die than to vse tyrannie on his subiects which indeede had been no cruelty but vpright iustice wherefore they all with one accorde threwe downe their speares and lighted from their saddles confessing their trespasse humbly submitting themselues on their knees crauing mercie at the hands of Darius proffering their voluntarie seruice to doe whatsoeuer hee hencefoorth gaue them in commaundement Thus with the great mercie and clemencie of Darius without bloudshed the vnbrideled stomackes of his nobles were pacified and made quiet which by a bloudy hand he coulde neuer haue brought to passe And from that time foorth they were mindfull of so gratious a benefite remayning euer after most faithfull obedient and full of duetie to Darius their milde and gentle Prince In like maner Titus a Roman Emperor sonne to Vespasianus excelled in humilitie clemencie and courtesie for at such time as two of his chiefest Péeres had consented conspired to the murthering of their master the king Titus hauing knowledge thereof first calling them into a priuie chamber telling them home of their wicked intent wishing them by milde and gentle meanes to become better Subiectes to their hurtles Prince who so farre as he knew had not deserued at their hands the very thought of such a wicked inuention And afterward taking them both with him to a common game or play setting himselfe betweene them both willing them to sit neere his person and so soone as the sword-players came out with their glittering swords Titus called for one of them which was presently deliuered to him then he foorthwith gaue it to the one and after to the other vnder colour of feeling how sharp it was beholding them with a smiling countenance saying Videtisne potestates fato dari frustrà que tentari facinus potiundi spe vel admittendi metu See ye not saith he that authoritie and power is geuen by destinie therefore it is vaine to trie by wicked practise to possesse the place and as vaine it is to feare the losing thereof Meaning thereby that although they had the sword in their handes yet could they not displace him whoÌ„ God had setled Thus courteously did Titus intreate his Nobles saying that he had greater pleasure and more delight to correct offenders with lenitie than to chastice them with cruelty which caused him to raigne more quietly in his life and also at his death to be bewayled thorow the whole earth calling him the darling and delight of mankind He was wont to say y e night that the day before he had not geuen well to the poore or béene liberall amongst his friends Amici perdidimus diem Frends we haue lost a day Gelon king of Syracusa behaued himselfe wonderfull mildly gently and peaceably in his kingdome yet notwithstanding he was of some tearmed a tyrant But this is most certaine that when diuers of his commonwealth sought wayes to shorten his life by cruell murther wayting for fit occasion to execute and accomplish their vile pretended villanie Whereof when Gelon was enformed and certified he called a court and sommoned an assemblie of Syracusians which being done in the presence and countenance of them all hee went vp into an hauty and high place in maner of a pulpit hauing on his bodie harnesse and in his hands weapons bright and glistring In which sort and order he stoode before them making a declaration of his faithfull care which he alwayes had ouer the weale publique tendering the welfare of them all euen as his owne life Hauing thus done he vnarmed himselfe laying down both armour and weapon at his féete and vttered these words to the congregation which was there assembled saying En amictus tunicula nudus armorum asto dedo me vobis vt pro voluntate libitóque mecum agatis Behold I stand before you naked vnarmed in a thinne wastcote I yeald my life into your handes my body is at your commandement deale with me according to your pleasure For saith he I detest the place if you despise my person neither doe I wish any longer to liue in my calling than you shall well like of my gouernment When Gelon had thus yealded himselfe to his subiects the whole assembly of the Syracusians were much amased and thereupon were so affectioned in mind that néeds they would there was no way to the coÌ„trary deliuer those traiterous varlets and rebellious villaines to the kings power to punish them according to the proportion of their offence and gaue him their suffrages vniuersall consents to continue ouer them his dominion gouernmeÌ„t yet not withstanding would not Gelon correct those offenders but fréely forgaue theÌ„ their trespasses counselling them euer after to become better subiects and to wish to him in their harts no otherwise than he would deserue at their hands Which great mercy and fauor of Gelon the king made the Syracusians to honor and duetifully obey him so long as he liued among them and after his death to haue him in perpetuall remembrance for his singular courtesie and notable clemencie They erected and planted a standing image wearing a single peticote representing to the beholder that this king did raigne and rule by gentle and courteous meanes more safer and far stronger than he that should raigne like a tyrant with harnes and armour of proofe Scho. Truely Sir it is now in these our dayes most manifest how mightely the lenitie and gentlenes of Princes is of force and auayleth and with what willing hearts their subiects will venture both life land and limme in the seruice and defence of their so milde and gentle a Prince yea if it were possible that one body should venture the losse of life ten times or presently to runne to ten deaths for the preseruation â—o safetie of such a noble and mercifull Prince no doubt they could make no curiositie in the cause nor scrupulositie on the matter but with willing and fierce mindes boldly venture themselues Contrariwise we both dayly see and reade that cruell tyrants by their tyrannie cannot compell their Subiectes to beare or carry towardes them a duetifull minde and louing heart neither willingly to venture themselues in their causes but drawen as it were by the eares to their defence or els they should fight in their owne quarrels the people also delight reioyce to heare of the ruine and destruction of such tyrannicall Princes yea and that which is worse doe often conspire and practise vnnaturally the death and destruction of such tyrants Wee reade of the cruell tyrant Clearchus King of the Heraclians that when by no perswasions he could be