Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	die_v	end_n	life_n	13,615	5	4.8465	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15039	A mirour for magestrates of cyties Representing the ordinaunces, policies, and diligence, of the noble emperour, Alexander (surnamed) Seuerus, to suppresse and chastise the notorious vices noorished in Rome, by the superfluous nomber of dicing-houses, tauarns, and common stewes: suffred and cheerished, by his beastlye predecessour, Helyogabalus, vvith sundrie graue orations: by the said noble emperor, co[n]cerning reformation. And hereunto, is added, A touchstone for the time: containyng: many perillous mischiefes, bred in the bowels of the citie of London: by the infection of some of thease sanctuaries of iniquitie. By George Whetstones. Gent.	Whetstone, George, 1544?-1587?; Severus Alexander, Emperor of Rome, 208-235.	1584 (1584)	STC 25341; ESTC S119730	41,603	88

them were as dissolute as common Soldiers A wise pollicie of Alexander And one especiall cautle hee vsed in the searche of mens behauiours hee woulde manye tymes in disguysed habyte with diuers others by hym especiallye elected take vpō him the Office of the Censors and in euery corner he had secretly suche faythfull Explorers as mens proper Houses were no Couerts for naughtie practises nor the Senat-house for partial Iudgementes And by this Pollycie he discouered many naughtie matters besides cōmon trespasses as the Treason of Oninius the false accusation of Geminus by his Lybertines or Copyholders as also of the mortall mallice of Duillius and Gotta towardes the said Geminus In so much as the people seyng nothyng that was euyl could escape his vengeāce al men indeuored to do well to purchase his fauour King Henry the seuenth Imitator of Alexanders gouernment THE most Noble and prudent Kynge Kynge HENRY the seuenth the Queenes most excellent Maiesties Graundfather and Roote of Englandes happinesse was a true imitator of this most worthy Emperours gouernmēt by whose singular wisdome England which at the beginning of his Raigne was a deformed and decreped Commonwealthe by reason of the longe tyme of the Cyuylwarres which durynge syx Kinges Raignes made barrayne feildes and fatt Churche-yardes before his deathe repossessed her Auncient Vertues renown and prosperytie So that it is a questiō whither this famous Realm is more bownd to eternize his glorious Memorie in regarde of his Prowesse or Pollycie when by the one he planted Peace in her bowelles and by the other banished warre frō the Terrytories He knew that to reforme so disordered an estate it was more needefull to execute then to make Lawes and therfore not trustyng the corruption of common Informers who for lucre or gain attemptyng many vexations against poore men and for feare seeke to please the ritche Inclynation of Common Informers he committed the execution of the Penall Lawes to the charge of these two worthie Coūsellers fir Richard Empson Knight and Richarde Dudley Esquier who so seuerely chastened the rich and great Offenders as they stirred the inconstant cōmunaltie after the death of the vertuous Henrie the seuenth to seeke their lyues who had their willes for feare of Commotion thease two worthie Maiestrates weare beheaded And vndoubtedly their deathes is a testimonie of as great vertue as their liues a Monument of Iustice for the multitude The lewde affections of Common people are the mortall Enemies of their owne welfare and frendes and followers of their owne confusion One said to Antisthenes The people speaketh much good of you Why saide he what hurt haue I done As who should say they seldome praise but suche as do euil No Ethnicke deserued to lyue better then Socrates yet the people would haue hym dead The Athenians had a Lawe euerie yeare by the most voyces of the people for ten yeares to banysh two of their principall Maiestrates On a tyme a poore man came with a white Paper in his hande to Aristides the iust and willed him to write Banish Aristides Why quoth he doest thou know Aristides No quoth the other Hath Aristides done thee or any of thy friendes hurte Neither quoth he but I wyll haue Aristides banished The worthy Scipio was banished by the people whome he oft had saued I omyt Themistocles Photion many mo whome Histories record to shewe the light Iudgementes of Cōmons Danté the Italian Poet saithful truely of them it is seldome seene that the people crye not Viua la mia morte innoia la mia vita Let liue my death let die my lyfe Yea those great estates that seek to please the people for the most parte haue had the endes of enemies to their Countrey When Cicero sawe that Caesar was in hye fauour with the people of Rome he cryed out It is great pitie that the affabilitie of Caesar should be the ouerthrow of the Weale-publique And truely Cicero prophesied rightly for by their fauour Caesar iudged the Iudgementes of the Senate and sent the good and graue Cato to Prison whose vertues obtayned reuerence of the woorst liuers But notwithstandyng the Affections of the multitude coueiteth their owne vndoynges yet their incouragement proceedeth of greater capacyties And therfore the redy way to keepe them in awe is seuerely to punysh their Chief-taynes In all tumultes it is euidently seene that if their Captaynes yelde they ronne away if their Incouragers be dismayde they sing Peccaui do Iustice vpon the great Offenders and the meaner wyll soone amend Alexander in his Gouernment found it true who in the Execution of the Lawes made no difference of persons saue that to the inferiour people he was euermore most mercifull FINIS AN ADDITION OR TOVCHSTONE for the Time exposyng the daingerous Mischiefes that the Dicyng Howses cōmonly called Ordinarie Tables and other like Sanctuaries of Iniquitie do dayly breede Within the Bovvelles of the famous-CITIE of LONDON By George Wherstones Gent. Imprinted at London by Richarde Iones MAIESTRATES OF CITIES The dangerous Mischiefes that the DICING-HOVSES and other lyke Sanctuaries of iniquitie do breede in the Cittie of LONDON IT is sufficiently expressed that by the vertue diligence and wisdom of the right Noble Emperour Alexander Rome the most ouglye and monsterous Common-wealth of the world so was she deformed with horrible beastly vices fostered by Heliogabalus other wicked Emperours was brought vnto such perfection as she might lawfullye bee intituled The Temple of the Goddes The Fowntayne of Vertue and The Nurce of Learnyng so free was the Exercise of Pietie The woundes of a Comon wealth Iustice Temperance and all other Deuine Morall and Heroycall vertues In curyng of which daungerous Infirmyties of the Cōmon-wealth Alexander perfourmed the Offices of a skylfull Phisition and Surgion he did not ignorantly apply Medicine to the outwarde sore vntyll he had searched the inward cause He founde the outwarde woundes of the Weale-publique was Pride Prodigalytie Dicynge Drunkennesse Lecherie Vsurie Coueitousnes c. The suppressing of which Passions consisted not alone in chastisment of Offenders He prudently foresawe that the Boatman lost much labor that with a Dish stoode all day ladyng out of water when a quarter of an howres worke wold mende the breache of his Boate whiche was the cause althoughe the water were the annoyance he knew that euery Ryuer had a Spryng euery Disease a nooryshing Humour and euery vice a special succour Reason instructed him that no Thiefe wold be so bould as to rob by the hye waye if he had no Couert to shrowd hym If there were no Brothell Houses Shame wold delay Lechery But for Tauerns and tiplyng Boothes Drunkardes should be sober against their wils But for Ordinarie tables Dicers should many times be idle or better occupied then in swearyng and consumyng their Patrimonie These causes beynge stopped the vicious perforce must change their course And therfore the good Emperour as the best remedie for the

hym at his Pallace where he cōmaūded that by secrete inquirie they should learne how many Cittyzyns by Vsurie or other corrupte bargaynyng had absolute possession or Morguage of the Gentlemens Landes and to certifye bothe the names of the Vserers and the Gentlemen so distressed Vppon whose certificate he dealed with the Creditors of the Gentlemē bestowyng a great portion of money out of his owne Treasurie towardes a generall agreement as in the ende he concluded that the Creditors shuld receiue the residue of their Debtes by a yearely pention oute of the Gentlemens Landes By whiche Newes their Posterytie might recouer what their vnthriftinesse had wasted The Noble Emperour hauynge brought to passe this hye benefite for the Gentlemen of Rome with the possession therof in this louyng Oration he instructed them in the Dueties of Gentlemen and mildely reprehended the Dishonours of their Reputation The Emperour Alexander his Oration to the Gentle men of Rome GEntlemen of Rome by the name of Gentlemen I salute you as Hereditorie Title of your Auncestours vertues which I hope will alwayes remayne in your hearts How-be-it too excessiue prodigalitie hath much wasted your liuings and impayred your credit But with the blame of your lauiciousnes I am bound by the woorking of pittie to shew the cause thereof Which although it bee no excuse in Iustice yet it iustly moueth commiseration The examples of our predecessors wickednesse is more liuelye expressed in your workes then may be showen by my wordes and I hope his worthie confusion will be cause of your speedy amendment Yet I hold it not amisse to laie before your eyes the monstrous euilles which you haue learned of your late Emperour Heliogabalus that comparing his wretched ende with his wicked raigne feare may reforme what our louing affection wisheth to be amended in you This vessel of abhominatiō so exceeded in pride that frō top to toe he was attired in cloth of golde pearle pretious-stones Vyces of Helyogabalus neuer wore any garment more thē once from his bed chamber vnto the place where hee mounted vnto his Coch the walles were decked wyth tapestrie full of greate pearles and pretious stones The waie as he went was strewed with golde and siluer as one disdayning to treade vppon earth lyke other men His Charyot was sometyme drawen with tame Lions sometimes with Elephantes and sometimes with marueilous faire Women The Kinges which he drewe off his fingers hee neuer put on againe The vessels of golde and siluer wherein he was serued was euermore the sees of his seruitors Suche huge prodigalitie was ioined with his incomparable pride His gluttonie voluptuousnes was so great as neere the Sea his whole houshold was fed with most daintie fowles and beeing farre within lande they were all serued with all maner of fishes by Poste brought alyue from the Sea Sometime he had for a generall seruice pasties of Peacockes toonges other whyle Partridges egges the heades of Popiniayes Fesauntes and the most daintiest Byrdes Neither was this superfluitie alone vpon the Tables in his owne Pallace but in selfe same manner his Lyons Gray-hounds and other Dogs of pleasure were fed He so much esteemed of thinges that were deare and rare that hearing there was but one Phaenix in the worlde hee offered twoo thowsand Markes to haue it to hys Dinner His lecherie was so vnsatiable and withalso vnclean as common ciuilitie forbiddeth the report His Pusalanimitie was such as he studied how to become a woman and of moste notorious Strumpets and Bawdes hee erected a Senate and in a Capitoll for the no●ce hee made vnto them manie Orations and called them his Companions and fellowe Souldiers That vice might haue no staye nor vertue anie passage he gaue free Charters to all men to vse all manner of villanie And Sabinus Vlpianus and other learned and reuerent Iudges hee banished from the administration of Iustice He cruelly put to death many worthie personages amongst the people many times let loose Lions Beares and other cruell Beastes In fine when his monstrous pryde prodigallitie and lecherie had consumed all his own treasure necessitie a naughtie disposition made him to sell the offices of Iustice But his owne familiar Seruantes and Souldiers wearie of his abhominations slew him drawing his horrible Carren with hooks through the Cittie they tyed him to a stone of greate waight and threw him into Tyber to the end so vile a bodie should neuer be buried Yet your owne eies are Iudges that I say the truth His death and funerals was as vile and filthie as what I haue saide of his life was sumptuous and rich I haue laide the miserie of his death before your eyes that you should expell the vices of his life forth of your harts It was the due of his beastlines and will be the reward of your insolent liuing without amendment You are yet yong by prowesse may recouer more then you haue by prodigalitie wasted A vertuous end repaireth the dishonors of a vicious life But shame lyueth when lewd men are dead A prodigall and voluptuous humor I know is hardly purged bicause the norishments are many and sweete But when I consider that you are Gentlemen I straightwaies hope that you will easilye subdue these affections There is nothyng more pretious to man then life nor nothing more fearfull then death Yet the noble Romaine Gentlemen your auncestors in actions of honour preferred the last before the first If you be heires of their vertues Vsurers cannot purchase that patrimonie And therefore great is our hope that you will bridle meane affections when they contemned the greatest ROMVLVS with a weake strength and inuincible courage first buylded this famous Citie and of his name shee is called to this daye Roome Numa Pompilius that succeeded him both inlarged the boundes and strengthened her with manie good lawes and orders And in processe of time the wisdome of the Maiestrates and valiancie of her Gentlemen made Rome The Soueraigne of Citties the Beautie of the earth and Empresse of rhe whole world And so to this daye had remained had not the horrible vices of her Emperors Nero Caligula Domitian Comodus and Heliogabalus eclipsed her glorie and polluted her people with abhominations But vertue is able to perfect more then vice hath deformed We beseech the Gods that on our part there may bee no defaulte as wee earnestly desite reformation in you And then no doubt Rome shall shortlye haue her auncient honour and you the reputation of Romulus heires This badge of pryde 〈◊〉 apparell 〈◊〉 yee for sage players Brauerie in apparell is necessarie for base persons that publiquely in open Theaters presente the personages of Emperoures Kinges Dukes and such Heroycall Estates For that they haue no other meane to perfourme their action But the magnanimous Gentleman carrieth honor in his coūtinance and not countenance in his Garments CICERO discouered the Haughtinesse of Caesar in his fore-heade ASTIAGES saw a Kyngly minde in

a Forrest of wilde beastes or to speake more properlie a den of theeues a Sanctuarie for Ruffens a priueledge for Strumpets a place in whiche no vice was forbidden nor vertu cōmaunded by their great wisdomes was brought into so good an order as Alexanders eyes could beholde no open offenders nor his eares heare of any secreat offences In-so-much as after his returne to the Pallace they lauded the Emperour with many acclamations of vertue attributing this happy reformation vnto his pietie temperaunce and Iustice thinking that in giuing of hym this soueraigntie he would returne the praises vpon their paineful-trauels with the incouragement that the magnanimious Caesar gaue vnto his souldiours saying that their bloods wrot honor in his forehead and therfore how precious he esteemed his owne honor so carefull he was of their welfare But Alexander although he were second to none in the regarding and the rewarding of vertuous Maiestrates yet least by thinking that this outwarde reformation had in the common wealth setled an inwarde amendement and thereby they shoulde growe negligent in the administratiōs of their waighty charges he with a light regarde attended his owne deserued praises to reaue them of the hope of particular commendations yea that they might wel know that all that glistered was not Golde that alwaies the inwarde harte was not discouered by the outward habit he compared the best gouerned Common welth vnto a faire Aple which being serched hath a Core and that the worthy Senators might perceaue their errours and to amende what was omitted of their owne duties and necessarie to establish a happye gouernment in this graue and prudent Oration hee set downe the daungerous estate of the publique weale and with-al a perfect remedie for the festred and inwarde maladies The first Oration of Alexander the Emperour to the Senators Most graue and reuerende Fathers we not a litle reioyce through the grace of the immortal Gods and your great wisdomes to beholde the famous Rome but yesterday in comparison infamed with al abhominatiōs by the priueleges of our beastly predecessor who meriteth neither the name of Emperour nor man nowe in possession of her auncient vertues And as we confesse that by the deuine and heroyicall blessinges the hoaresed voyce of Iustice is cleared So wee like-wise hope by the same graces the remembraunce of vice and iniquitie shal-be rooted out But good Senators to discontinue a prosperous beginning with a slouthfull imagination that the Common weale is sounde because no infyrmities appeare is the vnhappie meane to blaste the fruites of your well imployed wisdomes and to inpresse an vncurable Canker in the bowels of Rome The practisers of Chirurgerie very well know that an olde and deepe festred sore wil with easie working of the Surgion outwardly seeme to heale but if there bee not Corsiues applied to eate out the roote thereof this ouer hastie healing will breake foorth vnto a more greeuous maladie Good Senators vnto you al it is wel knowen that the publique weale hath of long time bin infected with the most horrible vices that euer humanitie practised yea so foule and vncleane as ciuill creatures are forbod to recite them by the sauadge inclination of that Monster HELIOGABALVS yea so lothsome and fylthy were his abhominations as the worser sort of people his fauoured seruantes so detested his detestable and vile lyfe as they hasted his ouer-long proroged death Now that the immortall Gods haue inuested vs with the Imperiall Maiestie small is the wonder though there appeare a reformation in the good when the verie Reprobate were glutted with wickednesse But reuerend Fathers this sweete alteration is no warrant to the Magistrate to be slouthfull in his function least in not suruayinge of the best the best them-selues be corrupted as Moaths consume the finest garmentes where they be seeldome worne and lesse ouer-lookte And although in the better sort this inconuenience is to be feared in the worser this mischiefe is to be certenly expected they wil vpon euerie temptation returne to their naughtines as a Dog to his vomit and therfore these daungerous infyrmities in a Common wealth must be cured as the skilfull Surgion doth a festred sore Their causes must bee searched and their nourishing humors purged and then amendment followeth The cause of this inordinate lust this excessiue drunkennesse this outragious prodigalitye to be short this hel of iniquity among the Romanes is euill education of long time there hath bin no man ready to instruct them in vertues nor willing to reprehend their vices the nourishment of these euils are the Tauerns Dicing places and brothell houses of whiche Rome hath great store they greater store of guestes so that to rid the publique weale of this dangerous infection is fyrste and cheefelye to instruct the youth in good maners and next to abate the number of these superfluous howses or at the least daylie to ouer-see their dooings Thus in breefe I haue declared some of the hydden euilles harboured in the bowels of Rome which to reforme your owne eyes must be as ready to fynde them out as your eares attentiue to heare euils reported you must bee as well Informers of offenders as Iudges of offences for the desire of Iustice is to roote out iniquitie and the office of Iustices to inquire after euil lyuers And without al doubt in this carefull proceedinge in your visitations you shall see sufficient example of sin to occupie your Iudiciall places with correction This vigilant care will eternize your good beginnings with glorie will establish prosperitye in the weale puplique will comforte the good and bridle the wicked yf not through the loue of vertue yet for the chastninge of vice Thus you see it concerneth the inrichinge of the common wealth in the seruice where-of the bitternesse of death should vnto you deeme pleasant In particulers it concerneth the prosperitie of your Children Kinsfolke and Allies for whose benefit you are borne to trauell also it concerneth your owne honor which you should holde more precious then lyfe and therefore as your Soueraigne we coniure you and as fathers of the Common-wealth beseeche you that you wyll continue our good beginninge with the execution of the Emperours directions and so we end as we begun the prosperitie of Rome shal highly laude the gracious goodnes of the gods the greatnes of your wysdoms WHen the good Emperour had in few words ended this waightie Oration or more properly graue admonition the fatherly Senators admiring the sound iudgemēt of Alex. beinge of tender yeares vnexperienced in pollices of gouernment knew straight-waies that there was a negligence in their administration of Iustice which his minde continually exercised for the benefyt of the publique weale forsaw and to the profit therof in this louing maner the same discouered To witnesse that they throughly conceiued the intent of his reposed wordes by their owne prudent deeds they foorth-with wrought out the wholsome effects of his godly desire and the better

she hath ●e● called the head of the world she may now be as aptly called the tayle of iniquitie If none of all these titles belong vnto you what name shuld we then giue you you be of Rome lyue in Roome and haue your sustenance from Rome all this hath Moathes in cloath Canker-rust in Iron Caterpillers in fruict Then you Moathes Canker-rust and Caterpillers of Roome giue eare vnto my words which showe you a more assured benefite then your own trauelles The large Priuiledges of Abuses which you of long tyme haue inioyed haue by sufferance made a custom of sin therfore in charytie we are first bound to admonish you with good coūsell if that work no amēdmēt thē of necessitie we must chasten you with the Rod of Iustice But admit this lybertie were without checke you would be the cōfusion of your own-selues you haue experience of the Vermins to whome wee rightly compared you the Moathe consumeth the Cloath and in tyme for lacke of sustenaunce starueth it selfe The lyke doth the Caterpyller amonge Fruict and with continuance the Canker-rust in Iron And you that deuoure the wealth of the CITTIE dwell vppon the Possessions of the Gentlemen and oppresse the multitude with bondage what gayne you by this By Crueltie you purchase hatred of your Neighbours and the Ambitious wyll enuie your aboundance of wealth and then this followeth If they can not be strengthned with forein power your familiars wyll invade you with ciuil discention For among those that haue liued prodigally this rule is obserued whē their Purses are emptie their heads are occupied with a thousand mischiefes to compasse a newe supply And which is most to be feared they be not so perrillous cunnyng in their practises as they are Deuillysh resolute in their Executious If they sell you their landes for money to spend riotously whē that help is past they wyl cut off your heads fyre your Houses Pryde and want cause of Sedition and sacke this famous Cittie to susteine their lasciuious humoures For without speciall grace in prowd minds want can not suppresse desire to spend You haue reade the experience in the Historie of vnthriftie CATTILINE and his Confederats how he murdered the worthiest Cittezins without mercie made spoyle of their Gooddes without lawe and beseaged Roome with a shrewde daunger you are lyke to be partakers of their Afflictions vnlesse you bee more moderate in gayning of Gentlemens liuyngs and they lesse riotous in spendynge of your money When PHILIP Kyng of MACEDONS made warre vppon the PERSIANS hauing intelligence that they abounded in all maner of delicate vyandes sumptuous Garments and wastful expences he foorth with retyred his Army and said it was needelesse too make warre vpon those that within a while would cut one anothers throates And truely though PHILLIP his answere were short his iudgement was waightie for as mightie Ryuers wyll soone run drie when their noorishyng Spryngs are turned another way so wealthy Citties can not but be subuerted when euery man doth cleane contrary to his function Among the Phylosophers MAN is called MICROCOSMOS or a little worlde for that in him is figured a Modell of the glorie therof If he resemble the whole worlde it were an absurditie too make him a Figure of a wel-gouerned Cōmon-wealth a man consisteth of diuers members as head body Armes legges c. So doth a good Common-wealth of diuers estates as of a Kyng as Supreame-head and Cōmaūder of godly Prelates as the heart and nooryshers of deuine vertues of graue Iudges Maiestrates and Counsellers as the body and strength of Common prosperytie of worthy Gentlemen as the Armes hands and executioners of the Maiestrates graue pollycies of aduentrous Marchauntes as the legges and trauaylers into forreigne countreyes for their owne Countteyes cōmodytie of Plowmen and inferiour people as the feete which must run at the cōmaundement of euery other member I say where all these estates dutifully doo their Offices where the Prince doth iustly commaunde the Maiestrates aduisedly direct and inferiour Subiectes faythfully obey there where this Concorde is peace and prosperytie floorysheth in their Citties and feare pineth the enuie of their borderyng enemies On the contrary parte where the head is crowned with a Pantofle as the Subiect of the vnconstant multitude where the passages of the heart whiche is the Organe of the Soule are fixed with the continuall exercise of sinne the Figure that the Prelates sownde Doctrine are but wordes of warnyng and no causes of amendment Where the brest and bodie lyes naked to euery peryl I meane the good Maiestrates are neither reuerenced feared nor obayed Where the handes are bownde to the knees in token that the Gentlemen are thrawle to the Marchantes Where on the knees is fastened a Cap and a feather and about the legges a Swoord and a Target buckled in signe that the Cittizyns desire the honour they can not gouerne and leaue their trauayles whiche woulde inritch the Common-wealth And where the feete which should trudge for euery necessary should be fettred in a payre of Stockes as witnesse of the poore Laborers bondage and oppression who for their necessarie trauelles ought too bee cheerised I say as a man thus deformed buckled and bownd on a heape would soone perysh for want of sustenance euen-so a Common-wealth thus confused would soone be confownded for lacke of good Order What Prince that is Head and Soueraigne of such a sauadge and brute people that wyll not rather wysh a Royall Tombe then a Princely Pallace for in the one he is priuyleaged against the outrage of enemies in the other he is not safe from the Treasons of his own Subiects And therfore you Vipers which destroy one another if our louyng perswasions may not alter your lewde dispositions take the aduauntage of tyme my nakednes giue me an vntimely death rather thē a dishonorable raign for truely I had rather die while the walles of Roome doe stande then liue to see her sumptuous Buildynges on fite whose ruine is at hand vnlesse out of hand you amend your corrupt cōsciences the multitude their naughtie maners AT these wordes with teares in their eyes as Pleadges of sorowful heartes the people shouted foorth with a lowde crye their dutifull Affections saying O noble ALEXANDER let the Torture of ten dearhes be too easie a payne for the man whiche but ymagyneth thy Death Lyue and lyue long O most noble Emperour the lyfe of vs all and the light of the Romaynes glorye ¶ Here Sorrow stopped their mouthes but their dismayed countenaunces gaue full knowledge of their inwarde Repentance so that the Emperour both in wordes lookes and gesture more mildely continued his Oration as followeth Continuance of Alexander his Oration to the Cittizyns YOV wish him the vengeance of ten deaths that should but imagine our death And certainly Conscience perswadeth vs your tonges do truely publysh the consents of your heartes but small is the difference when death and desolation

is the ende whyther you lay violent hands vpon vs or murder vs with your horryble vices The ouerthrowe of a Kinge dome endeth the raigne fo the Kinge The body that is in a Consumption bringeth the head to the graue euen-so the ruine of the kingdom endeth the raign of the king he whose head groweth out of his shyn whose eyes are set in his knees whose feete are ioyned to his shoulders his other members semblably disordred wold you not rather take him for a Mōster then a man yea verely and doubtles such a creature wold perysh by his deformytie ware he not by others fostered for a wōder euen so his preposterous shape in a Common-wealth when euery estate liueth out of order wyl soone come to confusion people of the best fortune but liue as the bōdmen of their enemies The first Erector of the Romayn walles was ROMVLVS yet Roome was nothyng so much bound vnto him for the envyronyng of her fayre buildynges with strong Bulwarkes as in appoinctyng offices otders and lawes among the people to gouerne them in peace and prosperytie This Romulus that Roome might prosper hastened the death of his Brother REMVS an Act simply considered by Nature very impious and the vengeance of detestable crueltie but the seditious disposition of Remus well pōdred necessytie approoued the seuerytie of ROMVLVS to be perfect Iustice The loue we owe to our Parents ought to be very reuerent and great because thei gaue vs lyfe to our brethren naturall because of preuytie in blood to our frends Men ar more bound to the common-wealth then to Parentes affectionat because vertue or benefit is the foundation But the loue we owe vnto our Countrey cōmaundeth vs to breake all these bandes of affection in presentyng the deerest frends offending against the Weale-publique yea in the seruice therof to make it appeare that the prodigall spoylles of our liues giueth contempt vnto Death That Examples of Kynges and Capital Maiestrates in this duetie may be Samplers of Vertue vnto the inferiour Subiectes of Roome I giue you to vnderstād how Kyng LYCVRGVS went into voluntary exile that his good Lawes might haue long continuance among the Lacedemonians Kyng CODRVS wilfully ran vpon his owne Daughter only vpon a Prophesie that the same should deliuer his Countrey from inuasion AVCVRVS Kyng MYDAS Son of PHRIGIA hauing knowledge that the yre of the Goddes would not be pacified vntil a liuing mā leapt into a great gaping gulph of the earth which ouerthrew many houses and dyd much hurt in the Countrey The Kyngs Sonne ANCVRVS I say least some should preuent him hastely kyssed the King his father his wife and frends and couragiously leaped into this Gulph What need we further search then the Monumentes of Noble Romaynes CVRTIVS dyd the like valiant deed of Ancurus MVTIVS SCEVOLE in disguised Habyte entred alone the Hetruryan Camp to stay their kyng who daungerously assaulted Rome GAIVS MARIVS to ouercome the fierce Cymbrians sacrificed his deerely beloued Daughter CALPHVRNIA Death was the certaine ende of al these enterpises but these Noble personages weare wondrous vncertaine whither their Deathes should rydde their Countreyes from daungers or no But Louers of their Countreyes prosperitie maketh neither doubts nor delayes where great peryll asketh present succour But you wyll peraduenture saye that you are redy to spende your lyues your landes and Goods to with-stande forreigne Hostilytie or Domesticall ennemies If you so say and doo so Dutie challengeth al this and wisdome wylleth a deeper foresight It is a work of more thank to preserue health then to cure Sicknesse for payn and griefe onely commendeth Medicine euen-so effusion of innocent bloode burnyng of Cytties and rauishment of Virgins are the effectes of most glorious conquestes And truely he that will giue cause of sedition though hee after dooth his vttermost to suppresse the same is lyke vnto hym that doth wilfully surfet that Phisicke may heale hym Your excessiue Coueitousnesse is example of the lyke mischiefe yea this double daunger dependeth thereon By the same you vndoe the Gentlemen whiche are the Beautie of Rome and the strength of the Empyre For al-be-it lawe-lesse Wolues wyll scarre Sheepe yet maymed men incourage Cowardes Your aboundaunce can not defende Forreigne Inuasion when the Gentlemens hartes are nipped with want nay it is to be feared that Enuie and Necessytie will make them to ioyne with the Enemie to be reuenged of your Cruelties or too be relieued of your superfluyties HEREWITH the Multitude cried out alowde Accursed be he and vnworthie the name of a Citizyn of Rome that by vnsatiable Coueitousnes and Vsurie seeketh this publique delolution whatsoeuer is thus vnlawfully gotten shal be restored backe Hereafter such vnprofitable members shal be bridled Liue vertuous Emperour and what lack ye finde in vs refourme it and we wyll obey you and he that doth resist let him be slaine and buried in Tyber Your vertue hath restored vs to lyfe that we are dead vnto Lybertie that were in thraldom vnto Honour that were dishonoured In Gouernaunce you be our Father whome we well reuerence by free election our Emperour whom we wil obay in wisdome our soundest Iudge whose commaūdemēts coūsels we wil execute as generall Lawes ¶ Hereat the Emperour releated and with much paine retayned the teares of his eyes and in the ende comforted thē with this Conclusion The Conclusion of AlexANDERS Oration to the Cittizyns I Am right glad that your Protestation declareth that you yet hold some portion of Vertue which giueth vs hope that the renown of this Noble Realme begunne by Romulus shall not ende in you And if you be constant in this affection we trust right shortly to make the Fame therof equall in estimation with the Raignes of any of our Progenitours And now I haue fownd agayne your old name wherby I wyll call you Ye Children and Successours of the vertuous Romaynes I say you victorious people braunches of Romulus subduers of Realmes patternes of vertue and prowesse to all the world mittigate your couetous appetites abandon excessiue Vsurie exceede not the boundes of your popular state be charitable and merciful vnto your owne Countrey-men where their necessitie may be relieued with your abundance Be you ashamed that labourers and rude people should condemne you of crueltie for destroying of your Gentlemen the chiefe ornament and defence of this noble Cittie Remember that if the state of Senators do decaye the most vertuous of the Gentlemen are elected in their places So you that shall equall them in vertue for your substance onely cannot make you gentle shall be aduaunced vnto the state of Gentlemen according to your demerits Nowe haue we no more to say vnto you but applye your selues to the auncient and most laudable orders as we shal indeuour our selues by example diligence to bring this Citie againe vnto perfection VVHen the good Emperor had thus ended his Oration he caused diuers of the grauest Citizyns to attend

CYRVS although hee were armed with a Sheepehooke man maketh the Habyt and not Habyt a man Drunkennesse and Glotonie Dronkennes and glotney greatly disgraceth a gentleman are fowle maymes too Honour and the greatest deformytie in a Gentleman Call Alexander the great to witnesse who after hee had conquered almoste all the whole Worlde with the Swoord conquered hym-selfe with a Wine-potte So that it is a question whither he receiued more Honour in ouer commyng the mighty Darius of Persia or Dishonor by beyng subdued by the Persians Vices If I were a Iudge Alexander should find a seueare Iudgement for by his valiancie he did but conquer his ennemies and in his drunkennesse he slew his frendes and hastened his owne death Prodigalytie is so sharpe a vengeance The vengeance of Prodigalitie as there needeth no Lawe to chastise the Prodigall man he doth so seuerely punish him-selfe Epicharidus the Athenian in sixe Dayes consumed his Patrimonie and al his lyfe after liued a Begger Pasicirus kyng of Cyprus first prodigallie spent his Treasure afterwards sould his Realme and lastly died miserablie in the Cittie of Amathuntus The prodigall Cleops Kyng of Egypte was driuen vnto such necessitie as he was faine to liue of the dishonest vse of his Daughters bodie If prodigalitie bring Kings to this exigent who haue manie supplies it speedilye ruineth the richest Subiect yea which is worst their recouerie is as vncertaine as their vndooing is certaine For by colour of their Reuennewes they runne in debt the triple value of theyr Landes You Gentlemen of Rome knowe this better by experience then by my information you feele the smart of prodigalitie by ryot you were dtyuen to morgage your Lands and had lost the same and your selues had not our liberalitie redeemed both our louing care to preuent that followeth after prodigalitie whiche is this perillous daunger Men beyng by prodigalytie Enemies of their owne and posteryties prospetytie by want and Necessytie become Enemies of their Countreyes peace and welfare I saie feare of this mischiefe and loue of your weldoynge hath repurchased your Landes receyue of vs the Possession therof as a Cognisance of our loue and desyre that you maye floorysh Keepe your Honour with your Landes least our seuere displeasure be heaped vpon your vndoynges Lette vertuous Pollycies and Documents be your studdie see that your exercise bee Feates of Chiualrye vse your handes to the managynge of Armes The dishonour of Dicing and not your Fyngers to the trippynge of Dice a Pastyme so villanous that notwithstandinge the losse be doubtfull the dishonour is certaine GOBILON the Athenian beyng sent Ambassadour to make League with the Corrynthians who findyng the Gouernours of Corrynth playinge at the Dice departed without dispatch of his busines saying He would not staine the Glorye of the Spartianes in makyng League with Dicers The Kyng of the Persians sent goulden Dice to kynge Demetrius for a reproache of his Lightnesse Cicero in the Senate-house put Anthonius to scilence in sayinge he was a Dicer And truely so infamous a pastime neither beseemeth the Grauitie of the Magistrate nor Honor of a Gentleman for that the gaine is loaden with dishonest practises and the losse with vnquiet passions Learn by the Cōtinencie of the mightie Alexāder the noble Romain Scipio to subdue carnal affections worthye examPls of continencie the one hauyng by fortune of warre the possession of kyng Darius Wyfe the moste beautifull Ladie of all ASIA he neither suffred him-selfe to bee conquered by her beautie nor the Queene to bee dishonoured by his victorie The other hauyng lyke Aduauntage of the Paragon of Spayne with the semblable vertue vanquished his Affections On the cōtrarie part know ye that Rome of late hath had more Emperours brought vnto the Sepulture by Lecherie then in many hundred yeares before by the Launce Gentlemen my Kinsmen and Companions I admonish you from naughtinesse by the falles of Emperours kynges and Heroycall Estates that you maye knowe in the punishment of vice the Goddes neither feare nor spare the mightiest of men On the contrarie parte I counsell you to goodnesse by the Counsell of our dignitie assuring you by the exercise of Vertue meaner then Gentlemen become Emperours of Kingdomes Wee haue no more to saye but that the Goddes impresse in your hartes the counsell we haue blowen into your eares and that your Emperour Alexander maye beholde Rome Rome agayne And you Gentlemen of Rome worthye the reputation of your Noble Auncestors VVHen the good Emperor had ended his Oration the Gentlemen ouercome with the Princely fauour and affection of Alexander as also voounded with the knowledge of their former lasciuiousnesse discouered a great dismaye of Spirite In the ende with abased Countenaunces vppon their knees they humbly acknowledged his gratious benefits confessed their owne vnworthynesse and faithfullie promised to obay his fatherly Counsailes The good Emperour then demaunded yf they would be contented that their Debts shuld be paide by yearely pentions out of their Landes and if they woulde sparingely liue accordyng vnto the proportion of the rest They al aunswerd with one voyce Yea noble Emperor els were we accursed ¶ The prudent Alexander hauing by these graue Orations sounded the inclynations of the three Estates of Rome vz. The Senators The Gentlemen and the Citizyns forsook not the aduaūtage of the peoples good dispositions but whyle the Vertue of his wise Counselles was workyng in their hartes he with the Aduice of his graue Senators deuised many good Lawes for the abandonyng and banishment of Vices foorth of the Citie assuryng himselfe that where Discipline was wanting the sowndest coūsell purged not corrupt maners so that to the loue which his Affabylitie had wonne he ioyned dread through seuere executiōs of these profitable lawes ❧ Lawes Pains and Penalties set downe by Alexander Seuerus to punish Offenders against the Weale-publique In primis For that the Tauarnes Dicing-houses the Stewes Tauernes stewes anb dicing houses were the Nurses of all vices and the Sanctuaries of vicious persons he suppressed all such as were of euyll fame saying That if the Owners could not liue but vpon th●●ndoynge of others it were reason they should starue by the necessytie of their idle bryngyng vp ¶ Item He cōmaūded that in the Tauarns Open bothes in Tauernes there should be no other thē open Boothes that the Censors might see the behauiors cōditions of the people that haunted them ¶ Item He cōmaunded that no Gentleman Gentlemen for bidden Tauernes Romayne should resorte to any of these Houses vppon paine to lose the name of a Gentleman ¶ Item He cōmaunded that no Senator should haue more then fower Disshes at his Dinner Glottony and Dronkenes nor Gentleman or Citizyn more then three And that the Cōmon people should feed onely of one Dish of fish or flesh saying that Glotonie and Drunkenesse not onely consumed the wealth of the Weale publique but also the health of the people