out of Fraunce by king Charles the seuenth as certaine of them were readie to passe the sea the French in mockage demaunded of an English Captaine when they would come againe to make warre in Fraunce who answered That shall we when your sinnes do exceed ours in number It is our sinnes onely that draweth down the vvrath of God and causeth him to send vs both vvarres famine and pestilence A good opinion of the Venetians THe Venetians are very secret in their counsels and deliberations and they haue an vsuall saying That a good Councell be it neuer so secret is oftentimes disclosed The ansvver of a Duchesse of Normandie to her husband A Certaine Damosell named Gonnor which in former times had bene beloued by Richard duke of Normandie the sonne of VVilliam Long spath being afterwards maried to the said duke after the death of the Ladie Auina his first wife the daughter of Hugues the great Erle of Paris the first night after she was maried to the said duke being laid in bed with him she turned her backe towards him The duke maruelling at that manner of her behauiour said vnto her Full often haue you lien with me yet did I neuer see you thus do before Whereunto she answered True it is my sweet loue for heretofore I lay in your bed and therefore did as pleased you but now I lye in the bed that is mine as well as yours and therefore I may rest me of what side do I please The constancie of Elizabeth the daughter of the King of Boheme ELizabeth the daughter of VVenceslaus king of Boheme being conducted with great honour to the city of Spire in Germanie of purpose there to be espoused to Iohn the eldest son of the Emperour Henry the seuenth and perceiuing that the celebrating of the mariage was deferred she made so secret inquirie of the cause that in the end she knew it was prolonged in regard of a iealousie which the Emperour had conceiued that she had not kept her virginitie for the truth is she was of a most singular and incomparable beautie farre excelling all the Ladies of that age knowing therefore whereupon this delay grew she stripped her selfe out of her clothes starke naked and couering her selfe onely with a mantle of pure fine linnen which was soone and easie to be cast off in this forme she presented her selfe to the Emperour saying vnto him Sacred Prince I will now instaÌ„tly make good proof of my virginity by the view search of my bodie the examinatioÌ„ therof made by sage honest women I will neuer stir foot from hence till you be free from that suspitioÌ„ which you haue conceiued of me The Emperour astonished and afraid at her speech could not possibly remoue her from her determination by any excuse or perswasion that he could vse but he was constrained to cause her to be searched and she being found to be pure and a virgine inuiolate he caused her to be maried vnto his sonne True vertue is alwaies of that strength and fortitude as it can neuer he vanquished A reason vvisely alleadged by the foole of the duke of Austrich LVpoldus duke of Austrich making warres against the Swizzers who were in alliance with the Emperour Levvis of Bauier hauing assembled vnder the charge of certain captaines of the estate of Germany to the number of 20000. men horse foot to the end he might cause them to set forward he consulted with his Counsell by what way he might best enter into the Svvizzers countrey The Councel being resolued of the course which they meant to take the dukes foole named Kune de Stocken who was present and had heard their deliberation said vnto them in his accustomed habite and countenance of a foole I do not like of your counsell for all of you haue consulted how and by what meanes we may enter into their countrey but there is none of you that hath giuen his aduice how and in what sort we shall get away againe from thence A good entrie or beginning is not all vvithout it haue a happie ending The good conditions of the Emperour Theodosian THe Emperour Theodosian could not endure to haue any to his seruants who were proud and arrogant or of too braue and vaunting an humour much lesse could he suffer them that were shameles mutinous dissolute seditious or rash in their speech And he was wont to say that that Prince could neuer be well beloued of his people nor obeyed of his subiects as long as he did suffer any to be neare him or about him for his ordinarie seruants that were presumptuous and arrogant or if his Officers were ambitious and couetous or if his fauorites and familiars were either dishonest or imprudent double hearted or double tounged By the seruant men iudge vvhat his lord is and such a man such a maister A Sentence of the Empresse Sophia TIberius being appointed to haue the gouernement of the Roman Empire in place of the Emperor Iustin who was become sickely Sophia the wife of the said Iustin entring into speech with Tiberius who was a most bountifull Prince amongst other matters vsed this sentence in her speech vnto him It is much better and a thing more easie to be endured that a Prince should be an ill maÌ„ and a good Prince then to be an ill Prince and a good man Certaine braue speeches of the Lord of Assier IAques de Genouillay Lord of Assier called Galeot who was grand Maister of the Ordinance to king Levvis the twelfth being determined to go to Mitilen to beare armes against the Turkes vnder the commaund of Monsieur de Rauestin and disposing of his affaires against he went on his voyage he was admonished by his friends to make his wil and to ordaine his Sepulture if he should happen to be slaine in that warre to whom he gaue this answer What need I take care to trouble my selfe with thinking where I shall be buried or by whom shall I not haue trow ye Pioners enough about me who will not leaue me vnburied if I fortune to dye there His soâ—â—e taking his leaue of him to go to the battel of Serizoles against the armie of the Emperor Charles the fifth he said vnto him You cannot possibly get to be at the battell in time His sonne answered him I will ride thither post The father replyed What will you cause your horses to runne and your armour to be caried post No quoth the sonne when I my selfe shall haue gotten thither I shall easily find horse and armour Oh poore man said the Lord of Assier wilt thou go seeke thy death in post As if he had said vnto him you cannot find there such horse and armes as will be fit for thy bodie which will be the cause of thy death And indeede there he made his end A foolish speech of certaine Ambassadours of Venice THe VenetiaÌ„s sent two yong Ambassadors to the Emperour Fredericke vnto whom 〈◊〉 would not giue
theÌ„ to commence sute or to bring processe against the seruitours of God his Church whereof may arise and grow any offence and scandall A saying of Pope Vrban the fifth KIng Charles the fifth being desirous to ridde his countrey and kingdome of Fraunce of those men at armes both English and French which after the treatie of peace accorded betweene those two nations did ouerrunne and spoile the countrey of Fraunce the lord Bertrand du Guesclin obtained leaue of the king to leade them into the realme of Granada against the Saracens And by reason of the pilferies and robberies which these men at armes had committed the Pope Vrban the fifth had excommunicated them Bertrand du Guesclin hauing assembled them together and being chosen Generall of these forces to passe with them into Spaine marched away with them by the way of Auignon where the Pope Vrban the fifth was then resident who sent a Cardinall vnto them to know what was their demaund to the which Cardinall Bertrand answered Sir I pray tell his Holinesse that these men of warre do demaund pardon absolution both from the gilt and the punishment of their sinnes which they haue committed and for the which they haue incurred the sentence of excommunication and besides they do require two thousand Florins of gold to maintaine them and to defray their charges in their voyage vndertaken for the aduancement of the Christian faith The Cardinall making report vnto the Pope of his message his answer was this This is very straunge and a maruellous matter that this people should demaund absolution and money and our custome is to giue absolution and to take money The opinion of the Earle of Arminacke THe Nobles and Barons of Guien being assembled in counsell to giue an answer vnto the demaunds of the Prince of VVales who was purposed to make warre in Spaine because the most part of them thought it vnlawfull and an enterprise of small reason and were desirous to be resolued amongst themselues of the truth of the matter The Earle of Arminacke spake vnto them on this manner It is not fit nor a thing appertinent to the subiect who standeth vpon the reputation of his faith and loyaltie to dispute of the rights and interests which his Prince may haue in vndertaking warre against another Prince but he ought to yeeld him his best seruice and endeuours whensoeuer he shall be required thereunto for he ought to be perswaded that his Prince in so doing doth nothing but vpon good counsell aduice neither ought he any further to be inquisitiue therinto Euery vvarre vndertaken vpon an vniust quarrell is to the dishonour rather of the Prince then of the subiect The saying of the Earle of Foix. GAston the second of that name Earle of Foix hauing taken to wife Elinor the daughter of CoÌ„minge who was much elder then himselfe certaine Nobles of that countrey being in communication with her of that mariage told her That she had taken and chosen an husband who was much younger then she to whoÌ„ she answered If I had knowne that the Earle of Foix should haue bene my husband I would not haue bene borne so soone but haue stayed for him In euery good mariage it is requisit that the parties be equal and alike in conditions age and vvealth The last words of the king of Nauarre at his death FRauncis Phoebus Earle of Foix and king of Nauarre lying vpon his death bed in the very agonie and last panges of death vsed these wordes for his last speech Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo I dâ—ò relinquo mundum non conturbemini quia vado ad patrem My kingdome is not of this world therefore I leaue the world be not you troubled for I go to the father The answer of Iouian Pontanus IOuian Pontanus an excellent Philosopher and a notable Poet being demaunded why he did eate but of one kind of meate at his meale and of that also very little and in great sobrietie he answered Because I wold not haue any need of the Phisition All Phisitions are of accordin this that diuersitie of meates do hinder the digestion and ingender sicknesses and diseases A pleasant conceipt of the brother of Sanctius brother to the king of Spaine A Solemne Councel being assembled at Rome to consult vpon the taking of armes against the Saracens who had the possession of the holy land it was of a long time there debated who should be chosen as the most worthie and sufficient to haue the conduct and commaund of the armie After many opinions it was concluded that Sanctius brother to the king of Spaine in regard of his good parts his hardinesse courage and vertues should be the chiefe and Generall of this honourable enterprise because it was well known that he was a man deuoide of couetousnesse and ambition and of excellent expedition in deedes of armes whervpon he being after this election come to Rome and repairing to the Conclaue where the Pope Cardinals and Princes of Christendome were assembled together he was immediately in the presence of them all by the decree and ordinance of the Pope amongst other articles proclaimed and declared King of Egypt vpon the which Proclamation all the people showted with a publicke crie and acclamation exceedingly reioyced He not skilled in the Latine tongue and not knowing wherat the Consistorie did make that triumphing demaunded the cause of his interpreter who hauing told him that the Pope had graunted and proclaimed him king of Egypt he said vnto his interpreter Stand vp and make here presently a Proclamation before all this people here assembled that seeing the Pope hath made me king of Egypt he therefore shall be Caliph of Babylon This was a sudden and royall liberality to recompence him with a vaine title of Pontificalitie from vvhom he had receiued the name and stile of a king vvithout a kingdome The opinion of the king of Sicilie RObert king of Sicilie being on a time in communication with that famous Italian Poet Frauncis Petrarch told him That he was more in loue with his bookes then his own Crown and that he held more deare the learning and knowledge which he had gotté in the studying of good letters then all the honours and riches of his realme This opinion vvas cleane contrarie to that of the French king Levvis the eleuenth The mind of the Emperour Fredericke vvhich he shevved towards his vvife THe Emperour Fredericke did neuer vse to drinke wine but at his meals and euen then he vsed to mingle and temper it with a great quantitie of water His wife the Empresse Leonor did likewise neuer vse to drinke any wine whilest she liued in her fathers house and being come to the imperiall dignitie the Phisitions of Almaine aduised her to vse wine if she meant to haue any children because the climate of that countrey was very cold wherof Fredericke being aduertised commaunded one of his neare and familiar friends to
that to get to wealth and preferment in Court it is a more happie thing for a man to receiue of his Prince benefits exceeding farre beyond his desert then that his desert and seruice should be greater then the recompence wherby his Prince should remaine indebted as it were bound vnto him For I quoth he do more naturally loue those that are beholding vnto me theÌ„ those to whoÌ„ I am beholding AFter the enterview between him and Edward the fourth king of England at Piquâ—nie where a peace was accorded between them for nine yeares as he returned he said to som of his familiars I like not very well of the company of the king of EnglaÌ„d on this side the seas but being beyoÌ„d the sea at home in his owne country I can well loue him as my brother and my good friend Hauing caused a goodly Tombe or Sepulture to be made in the castle of Locâ—es for the faire ladie Agnes the loue of his late fatherâ— within a while after the Chanons of the church did desire him that the Tombe might be remoued out of the heart of the Church and set in a side Isle or chappell he answered Your request is neither iust nor reasonable neither will I suffer her Sepulture whom my father loued so affectionately to be violated for it should be against all law and equitie He being to make his entrie into Hesdin whilst execution was in doing vpon certaine of the principall Gouernours and Burgesses of Arras his enemies which were some two and twentie in number and eighteen of them being executed he caused the execution to cease and demaunding if M. Oudard de Bussi were beheaded or not and answer being made that he was and that al the bodies of the parties beheaded were buried he commaunded the head of the said de Bussi to be againe digged vp caused a high pole of wood to be set vp in the middest of the market place vpon the which he caused the head of the dead partie to be placed couered with a Cap of scarlet furred with Miniuere as of one that had bene a Councellour of the Parliament He held him in very great reputation because he had bene a most prudent wise man and of sound iudgement in graue and waightie affaires And he would once haue giuen the said Nobleman the office of Councellor in the Parliament of Paris but the said Bussi being not willing to accept of it in his life time he did him this honour after his death A certaine person was a suter to him for an Office which was void in the towne where he dwelt which the king refused to graunt vnto him insomuch as the partie was out of all hope to obtaine it howbeit he humbly thanked the king so departed King Lewis iudging the man to be of no meane spirit and surmizing that he had not well vnderstood what he had said vnto him caused him to be called backe againe and asked him if he had conceiued aright of his answer the partie said Yea sir. Why what said I vnto thee quoth the king You denyed me my sute said he Why didst thou thanke me then replyed the king Because Sir quoth he you did me a greater pleasure theÌ„ you thought of in giuing me my dispatch so speedily without causing me to loose my time in comming after you vpon vaine and idle hopes The King holding himselfe highly satisfied and taking great contentment by this answer granted him the Office and caused his Patent to be made immediatly An Apotheg of Monsieur Bresay to king Lewis the eleuenth THe same King being to ride on hunting mounted on a very little horse Monsieur Peter de Bresay Seneshall of Normandie who accompanied him asked him where he had gotten that so goodly and so stout a horse How meane you that quoth the King seeing he is so weakeanâ—d so litle Me thinkes said de Bresay he must needes be very strong because he caryeth you with all your counsell He taxed the king in that he would manie times beleeue no other counsel theÌ„ his ovvne being vvise in his ovvne conceipt vvhich sometimes he repented The counsell of the said Monsieur de Bresaie to the said King THe Embassadours of the king of England hauing on a time deliuered their charge to king Levvis he demaunded of Monsieur de Bresay his opinion what thing he might bestow vpon the Ambassadours which might not cost him much who answered him Sir you were best to present them with your Musitians for they cost you much and are chargeable vnto you they do you litle or no seruice neither do you take any great pleasure in them The death of the said Seigneur de Bresay IN the battell foughten betweene Levvis the eleuenth and the Countie de Charolois neare mount Leherie the said King as his custome was to speake hastily said vnto Seignor de Bresay that he had no great trust nor affiance in him for that iourney Sir answered de Bresay because you shall well see that I am your loyall and faithfull seruant giue me your coat Armour that I may weare it for you know your enemies aime at nothing more then the destruction of your person and it may happen to saue your life Whereupon the king and he exchaunged both Armes and En signes And the Burgonians supposing that de Bresay whom they saw in the middest of the presse had bene the king they charged furiously in vpon him and so slue him Of king Charles the eighth who gaue an answer to the Florentines in tvvo Italian verses KIng Charles the eighth being in Italie on the conquest of Naples the Florentines sent an Embassade vnto his Maiestie the king reposing no trust in them for their answere caused two Italian verses to be read vnto them which he had written vpoÌ„ a wall in great letters and were these Concortesiae fede poca Va a Fiorence vender loca Which is to say To Florence he went of his goose to make sale Without any faith or courtesie at all The argument of which two verses was this A pesant of the country neare Florence sold a goose to a braue dame of Florence onely to haue his pleasure of her which hauing had yet notwithstanding in his agreemeÌ„t he vsed so little fidelitie or courtesie to the gentlewoman as he exacted the price of his goose in the presence of her husbaâ—d so as she durst not deny but to pay him And thence had this Italian Prouerbe his originalâ— which king Charles pronounced to the Embassadours for their answer A speech of king Charles the eighth touching the keeping of his counsell VVHen the said king Charles the eighth meant to discouer any secret to any man he was wont to say vnto him If I thought that my shirt next my backe knew it I would plucke it off and burne it The speech of Queene Anne vvife to Charles the eighth CHarles the eighth being deceased and the tidings of his death being brought to Queene
Anne his wife she said Gods will be done For my part I doubt not but I shall be as great as I was before She promised herselfe in her hopes to be twise Queene of Fraunce and so she vvas for she vvas aftervvards maried to king Levvis the tvvelfth A notable sentence of king Levvis the tvvelfth AFter that Levvis duke of Orleance had attained to the Crowne of Fraunce some of his familiars did perswade him to take vengeance vpon them of Orleance who had shut the gates of their citie against him at such time as king Charles the eighth made warre vpon him and compelled him to flie into Britaine But the said Levvis the twelfth of that name made them this worthy answer It appertaineth not any thing to the king of Fraunce to reuenge the iniuries done to the duke of Orleance Other vvorthie speeches of the same King THe said Prince making warre in Italie for the recouerie of the Duchie of Millaine it was told him that his enemies had taken Agnadel that he wold come thither too late to lodge in it Whereunto he answered with an hautie courage Then wil I lodge vpon their bellies or els they shall lodge vpon mine Another came vnto him saying Sir take heed to yourselfe that the great Ordinance do not annoy you He answered There was neuer rightfull king of Fraunce slaine with a shot of a canon therefore whosoeuer is afraid let him come behind me Another time the said king lying in Campe and a certaine souldier a man at armes which stoode neare him being slaine with a Canon shot some of the standers by shewing him vnto the king he said laughing He is but a little cold in his hands His speech to certaine souldiers vvith the ansvver that they made him THe said king Levvis being determined to leauie a certaine companie of footemen gaue commandement that choise should be made of the strongest and most able and actiue men that could be found The day appointed for the muster of thē being come there was presented vnto him a goodly company of lustie fellowes who hauing bene trayned vp in the warres and carying diuerse skarres and wounds vpon them did appeare to be old souldiers whose markes did testifie that they had not lien idle nor vnemployed The king seeing them so hacked and hewed in their bodies said vnto their leaders Indeed these be good souldiers but it seemeth they haue bene more willing to take then to giue and those men which gaue them these markes in their faces and elsewhere seemed to be farre more expert in deedes of Armes then these were The souldiers hearing the king to giue this cēsure of them presently made him this answer Sir sauing our due reuerence to your Maiestie they were not better men nor more valiant then we for if they hurt and wounded vs we slue them for their labours A braue speech which he gaue to a boaster A Certaine Gentleman was very importunate vpon king Lewis the twelfth to haue some reward and recompence for the losses and dammages which he had sustained in the warres he shewed him the wounds which he had receiued in his visage The king seeing him so rash and audacious and being disposed to paye him home for his braue vaunting ostentation said vnto him Take heed thou turne not back thy face another time when thou art flying from thy enemie His opinion of the Venetians BEing resolued to make warre vpon the Venetians one of his nobles would haue disswaded him from it telling him That he could not do it without great perill to the French and that the Venetians were a most prudent and sage people Be it so quoth the king yet we will set so many fooles vpon them who shall so beard them to their teeth as they shall not know which way to turne themselues CErtaine Embassadours of Greece being come to the French Court to demaund succours of king Levvis against the great Turke and promising on their part to do their best indeuours to chase the Turkes out of such places as they had possessed the king reposing little trust in this strange Nation excused himself touching their request and taxing the nature of the Greekes he alleadged this verse of the old Grammarian Alexander de ville Dieu Barbara Graeca genus retinent quod habere solebant A pleasant speech vvhich he spake to the Lords of the Parliament HAuing giuen a certaine office of a Counsellour of the Parliament to one that was none of the wisest the Court would not admit him into their societie but sent two Counsellours of the Parliament chamber to the king to let him know the insufficiencie of the man The king hauing heard them condemne the partie of ignorance demaunded of thē this question How many be there of you in your Court Sir said they there be an hundred And how is it quoth the King that you being so many wise men together cannot make one to become wise Another merie conceipt of the same King CErtaine Gentlemen of his Court wondering at the vnmeasurable stature of a Courtier whome euery man reputed in manner of a Giant the king taxing the honestie of his parents said No maruell if he be so exceeding great for his mother took great paines to make him and perhaps he had many fathers Of a certaine Fable recited by him BEing in familiar discourse with the Ladies he said vnto them In the beginning nature gaue hornes aswell to the Hinds as to the Harts but the Hinds growing proud to see thēselues haue so goodly heads they began to rebell against the Harts wherewith nature being displeased and willing to represse their arrogancie and pride and reduce them to the subiection of the males she depriued them of their hornes so that neuer afterwards they wore any By this fable he gaue the Ladies to vnderstand that it vvas their dutie to be obedient to their husbands BEing one day in talk with Francis Duke of Angolesme his son in law who expected the Crown of France as of right after his decease it was to come vnto him he told him this parable A certaine father quoth he trauelling with his sonne on the way held on their course to come vnto a good towne the sonne being very wearie by reason of the length of the way yet perceiuing a farre off the turrets and wals of the towne very chearefully said vnto his father Father me thinkes I am now somwhat fresh for we are euen at the towne alreadie After these words they went on so long that it was full night notwithstanding ere they got to the towne where being readie to enter the father said vnto his sonne From hencefoorth sonne neuer say I am at the towne till thou hast gotten past the gates His speech of beneficed persons HE was wont to say That the Asses had a better world then the horses for the horses said he do runne post towards Rome to get those Benefices whereof many asses are possessed An Apotheg