pretence of adulterie hee slew my husband in his bed chamber so the better to obtaine his purpose After whome I call the Gods to witnes I haue liued for no other cause but to see this day neither hath the gaine of a crowne counteruaâ—…ed my former content the glistering shewe of dignitie hath not tickled my minde with delight the vaine pleasure of preferment neuer made me proude onclie worthie péeres of Egypt the hope that one daie I should make reuenge of poore Maenons inâ—…urie hath made me liue in such contented patience which nowe is come for it befitteth a quéene in iustice to be impartiall and two mischiefes are neuer founde to escapâ—… mishap therefore how saiest thou Nynus quoth shee declare heere before the Lordes and commons of Egypt wert thou not the sole murtherer of my husband without my consent Nynus aunswered as one halfe afraide at the countenance of Semyramis I conâ—…sse that â—…ly Maenon was murthered by me but for the loue of thâ—… whâ—…ch I hope thou holdest not in memorie while this time Yes Nynus and now will I reúenge the iniurie offered to Maenon and therefore I command that without further delaie thy head bee heere â—…mitten off as a punishment due for murther and adulterie The nobilitie and commons hearing the seâ—…ere sentence of Semyramis intreated for the life of their soueraigne but it was in vaine for she departed not from the scaffolde till shee sawe her command executed which done she intombed his bodie roiallic and in so famous a sepulchrâ—… that it was one of the seuen wonders of the world and after swaied the kingdome with politike gouernment vntill her sonne Nynus was of age to rule the kingdome Seignior Cosimo hauing ended his tale Farneze greatly commended the discourse applying the effect of this historie to the Gentlâ—…men present telling them that in déede the yeuth of Florence were greatlie giuen to this folly as a vice predominant amongest them Peratio who meant to be pleasant with the olde Countie tolde him that he had learned this fruit in Astronoâ—…ie that the influence of Venus and Saturn kept the same 〈◊〉 to inferre as wel age as youth and that respect and experience had taught him that olde men were like léeâ—…es gray headed and oft gréene taiâ—…de that they would finde one foote at the doore for a young wife when the other stumbled in the graue to death so that Diogenes being demanded where a man left off from lust vnlesse quoth â—…e he be vertuous not vntill the coffin be brought to his doorâ—… meaning that time neuer wore out this follie but by death And yet to see quoth Benedetto what cynicall axiomes age wil prâ—…scribe to youth when they themselues are neuer able to performe their owne precepts allowing more priuiledge to their 〈◊〉 haires than to our greene yéeres anâ—… 〈◊〉 vnder the shadowe of vertue the verie substance of vice beeing as intemperate in the sâ—…ostie winter of their age as we in the glowing summer of our â—…outh and yet for that they are olde and though they cannot deale more caste yet will worke more caâ—… and simplie conceale that wee rashlie reueale they are in age generally taken sor Gods when compared euen with youth they are meere deuils Yet by your leaue messieur Benedetto quoth the Ladie Margeret you speake too generally of age for the verie constitution of the naturall temperature of our bodies is able to infringe your reasons séeing that same naturalis calor is ouerpressed with a cold drâ—…nesse in age which in youth furthered with moisture causeth such voluptuous motions Cupid is painted a childe Venus without wrinkles in her face and they which calculate the influence of Saturne set not down many notes of venerie Howe philosophically you speake quoth Peratio and yet small to the purpose for although naturall heate be extinguished in age yet remaines there in the minde certain Scyntillulae voluptatis which confirmed by a saturnall impression were harder to root out than were they newly sprong vp in youth neither did messieur Benedetto conclude generally of olde men but brought in as a premisse or proposition that age as well as youth was infected with this folly but well it is Ladie Margeret that our discourse stretcheth not so farre as women nor to talke of their wanton affections least happilie we had â—…ntied such a 〈◊〉 of their lasciuious vanities as might haue made vs sooner desire our rest then end the discourse You are alwaies glancing at women quoth Cosimo not that you are a 〈◊〉 and hate that sexe for sir I knowe your lippes 〈◊〉 digest such lettâ—…ce but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were out of temper if once a daic you had not a woman in your mouth héerein resembling Marcus Laepidus who made an innectiue against sumptuousnesse of diet himselfe being called the glutton of Rome not that hée was sparing in his chéere but that Athâ—…n abstaining srom daintie â—…ates might leaue the market more stored with delicate dishes Benedeâ—…to was nipt on the head with this sharpe replie espâ—…cially for that all the whole companie lauâ—…ht to see how he answered with silence Farneze about whom the talke began made this answer I can not denie Gentlemen but anger is subiect to many foolish and intemperat passions therfore to be compreheÌ„ded within the compas of this folly but neither age or youth it breedeth many inormities so that for this night I will take in hand to send you all to bed with a farewell of foure verses which I read once in the monastery of Santo Marco in Uenice the author I know not the verses are these Quatuor his paenis Certo afficietur adulter Aut Egenus erit Subita vel morte peribit Aut Cadet in causam qua debet Iudice vinci Aut aliquod membrum casu vel Crymine perdit The time of the night beeing somewhat late they tooke his iest for a charge and solempnly taking their leaue euerie man departed quietlie vnto his lodging The third discourse of Follie. THe inâ—…ning being 〈◊〉 and the Sun displaying her radiant beames vpon the glomie mantle of the earth Flora presented her glorious obiectes to the eâ—…e and swéete smelling parfumes to the nose with the delight of sundrie pleasing and odoriferous flowers when these young Gentlemen ashamed that Tytan should sommon them from their beddes passing into the garden sound the olde Countie his wife and foure daughters walking for health and pleasure in a fresh and grâ—…ne arâ—…our where after they had saluted each other with a mutuall God morrowe they ioyned all in seuerall parlies amongst the rest â—…ernardino spying a â—…arigesde opening his leaues a little by the â—…cate of the Sonne pulling Ladie Frances by the sléeue began his morning mattens on this manner The nature of this hearbe Ladie Frances which we call the marrigolde and the Grecians Helitropion and the Latinistes Sol sequiam is thought by the ancient Philosophers to bee framed onely by nature to teach
entered the house where â—…ding all thinges in a readines they wâ—…t to dinner the fresh aire had procured good appetite that little talke past till they had ended their repast dinner being done counting it Phisicke to sit a while the olds Countesse spying on the finger of seignior Cosimo a ring with a deaths head ingrauen circled with this posie Gressus ad vitam demanded whether hee adorde the signet for profit or pleasure seignior Cosimo speaking in truth as his conscience wild him tolde her that it was a fauour which a Gentlewoman had bestowed vpon him and that onely he wore it for her sake Then quoth the countesse t is a whetstone to sharp fancie if it be madam quoth Cosimo I am not so olde but I may loue nor so young sir quoth shee but you may learne by that to leaue such folly as loue no doubt nature works nothing vaine the Lapidarie cuts not a stone but it hath some vertue men weare not iems only to please the sight but to be defensiues by their secret operatioÌ„s against perils so seignior Cosimo wold I haue you vse the gentlewomans fauour not for a whetstone to further folly but for a cooling card to inordinate vanities Themistocles wore in his shield the picture of a storke his motto Antipelargein for that he would not be stained with ingratitude Socrates had but one toie in his house and that wos the counterfait of patience for that he had a shrew to his wife By your leaue madame quoth Cosimo had not Socrates couÌ„terfait also a senteÌ„ce yes answered Farneze but my wife plaies like the Priest that at his Eleuatio left out his Memento the motto was this Neque haec sufficit meaning patience was as good a medicine to cure a waspish woman of sullenes as an ants egge in sirop for him that is troubled with the Sciatica The Gentlemen laught at the drie frumpe of Farneze and the Countesse for that she had talkt of patience tooke it for a president and prosecuted â—…er intent in this maner 〈◊〉 howe you please Gentlemen still I saie that well cannot be gainsayd how the image of death figured in Cosimos ring should be a glasse whereby to direct his actions that the pagans who builde their blisse in the swéete conceit of Fame vsed the picture of death as a restraint to all forward follies Alexander when he named himselfe the son of Iupiter was reuoked from heresie by the sight of a dead mans scull that Calistenes presented to him in a casket Augustus Caesar set on the dore of his banketting house the scalpe of a dead man least extremâ—…ie should turne delight to vice so seignior Cosimo vse you your mistres fauor as a benefit to profit the minde not as a toy to please fancie Cosimo was driuen into a dump with this sodain insinuation of the countesse as in déed he stood like the picture of silence whereat Bernardin smiling made the Countesse this answere I cannot denie madame but you say well yet your censure is a little too peremptorie neither can I gainsay but such a resolution would do well in age whose sappe shronke from y â— branches coÌ„forts the water but affoords no blossoms your hairs being siluer had a soÌ„mons vnto death therefore to be armed with deuotion our yeres growen budding forth a restles desire to plesure which if we should cut off with a continuall remembrance of death we shuld preuent time metamorphose our selues by conceit into a contrary shape the Astronomer by long staring at the stars forgets the globe at his féet so feareful was Phaeton of the signe in the zodiaock that he forgat his course so would you haue the delight of youth dasht with the sight of a death head y â— laying aside al recreation we should fall to be flat Saturnists By this doctrine madam you would erect againe the Acadenne of the â—…ks make young men either apathoi to liue without passions or els so holy to die without sin the gentlemen were glad that Bernardino had made such an answere Farneze to draw them farther into talke told his wife y â— he thought she was driuen to a non plus no sir qd she but the gentleman mistakes me for I meane not to haue him so holy as to liue without sinne but so honest as to liue without follies which our Florentins shrowd vnder the shadowe of youth that in déede are meere enemies to the glorie of youth Messieur Benedetto interrupted the countesse as one amongst al the companie most giuen to follie for he was a fine courtier and was thus quicke in his replie I remember madame that Phocion carped at all men that went shod because he him selfe was euer barefoot Antisthenes admitted no guest but Geometritians None supt with Cassius but such as neuer laught and they which feele your humour must though not in yeres yet in action be as old as you or else they are fondlings But they which at â—…ood Diogenes tubbe came as well to laugh as to learne and we that heare you may sooner fall a sléepe than follow your doctrine for I perceiue vnder this worde folly you abridge young gentlemen of euerie laudable pleasure and delight allowing mirth in no measure 〈◊〉 pourd out after your proportion As to hunt to hauke to daunce to loue to go cleanly or whatsoeuer else that contenteth youth his folly And thus by an induction you conclude omnia vanitas The Lady Katherin hearing hir mother so sharply shaken vp by messieur Benedetto proâ—… hir boldnesse with a modest blushe made this answere And sir quoth she they which laught at Diogenes perhaps were as foolishe as he was cynicall might with Alexander whatsoeuer they brought take a frump for a farewell my mother sets not downe peremptorie precepts to disallow of honest recreation but necessary perswasion to diswade men from vanitie she séekes not with Tullie to frame an Orator in conceipt with Plato to build a common wealth vpon supposes nor with Baldeslar to figure out a courtier in impossibilities but séeing the wings of youth trickt vp with follies plumes 〈◊〉 to perswade him with Icarus from soaring to high And I pray you qd Benedetto what terme you follies womens fancies no sir quoth she mens fauours Sylenus asse neuer sawe a wine bottle but he would winch and you can not heare the name of folly but you must frowne not that you mislike of it in thought but that deckt in your pontificalibus a man may shape cetera by your shadow Benedetto let not this bitter blow fall to the ground but told hir hir Latine was verie bad aud worst placst for cetera was no word of art for a foole but in déede he did remember Parrats spake not what they thinke but what they are taught And so quoth Cosimo you make a bare exchange with Ladie Katherine for a soole to deliuer a popingay but in déede to take hir parte in this we
fauour of fortune to subdue affection is a gift from the Gods loue in kings is princely but lust is pernitious kinges therefore weare crownes because they should be iust iustice giue euerie one his due Semiramis is Maenons wife and therfore his inheritance the Gods threaten Princes as well as poore men hot loue is soone colde she eie is variable inconstant and insatiate Adulterie is odious though graced with a scepter beautie is a slipperie good Princes concubines prise honour too deare in selling the precious iewell of honestie for golde death is a farre more swéete than discredite fame to bee preserred before friendes Nynus is a king whose seate is sure sancturie for the oppressed Sâ—…miramis is poore yet honest loue of Maenon in her youth and loyall tâ—… him in hir age resolued rather to dye than be proued 〈◊〉 subiects pray for their soueraignes wishing they may liue princely and dye vertuous Semyramis the faithfull wife of poore Maenon This confused chaos of principles being written and sealed vp she deliuered it to the Secretarie who courteously taking his leaue hied in hast to the Court where the king carefully expecting his comming receiuing the letter vnript the seales where in stead of an amoroâ—…s reply he found nothing but a heape of philosophicall axiâ—…mes and yet his 〈◊〉 answered to the full the â—…ithie sentences of Semyramis whome by hir pâ—…nne he found to be poore honest beautifull and wise did not take 〈◊〉 which poore soule she aimed at for in â—…tead of cooling his mind with good counsayle she inflamed his mind with a deeper affection for where before he onely was allured with hir beautie nowâ—… he was entised with hir wisedome Pallas gaue him a déeper wounde than Venus and the inwarde vertues were more forcible than the outwarde shadowes sâ—… that he persisted in his passions and began to consider with himselfe that the meanes to procure his content was onely the simplicitie of Maenon with whome he woulde make an exchange rather than be frustrate of his desire an exchange I meane for Ninus being a widower had one oâ—…ely childe which was a daughter about the age of sixtéene yeares hir he determined to giue in marriage vnto Maenon rather than he would not enioy Semyramis thinking that the feare of hiâ—… displeasure the burthen of his owne pouertie the hope of preferrement the tickling conceit of dignity woulde force the poore â—…assall to looke twise on his faire wife before he refused suche a proffer thinking this pretence to bee his best pollicie hee resolued presentlye to put it in execution and therefore foorthwith 〈◊〉 a Pursuiuant to fetche Maenon vnto the Court who comming with commission vnto the poore mans house founde him and his wife at dinner to whome after he had declared the summe of his â—…essage he departed willing him with as much spéede as might be to repaire vnto the Court Maenon although amazed with this newes yet for that his conscience was cléere feared not but with as much hast as was possible made him selfe readie to goe Semyramis dissembled the matter 〈◊〉 hir husbande foorth his newe hose and his best iackâ—…t thinking to spunge him vp after the 〈◊〉 fashion that Ninus might sée she had cause to loâ—…e and like so proper a man setting hir husbande therefore foorth in print he tooke his waye vnto the Câ—…urt where at the gate the Secretarie awayted to bring him into presence whither no sooner hee was entered but the â—…ing takinge the poore man aside beganne to common with him in this manner Maenon for the Soueraigne to make a long disscourse vnto the subiect were friuolous séeing as the one for his maiestie is priuiledged to commandâ—… and constrayne so the other by obedience is tyed to obeye therefore omitting all néeâ—…elsse preambles thus to the purpose Maenon thou art poore and yet a Lorde ouer Fortune for that I hearâ—… thou art content for it is not richesse to haue much but to dâ—…sire little yet to thy want thou hast sucâ—… a fauour graunted thâ—…e by the Destinies as â—…uerie waie may counterâ—…ayle thy pouâ—…rtie I meane the possession of thy wife Semyramis whome mine eye can witnesse to be passing faire and beautiâ—…ull enuie that grudged at thy happinesse and loue that frowned at my libertie ioyning their forces together haue so disquieted my mindâ—… with sundrie passions as onely it lies in thy power to mittigate the cause of my 〈◊〉 for know Maenon I am in loue with thy wife a censure I knowe which will bee hard for thee to digest and yet to be borne with more patience for that thou hast a king and thy soueraigne to bee thy riuall ber Maenon I craue of thée to bee my concubine which if thou grant not thinke as nowe thou hast pouertie with quiet so then thou shalt haue both conâ—…ent dignitie The pooreman who thought by the kings speeches that his wife had bene consenting to this pretence framed the king this answere I knowe right mightie soueraigne that Princes may command where poore men cannot intreate that the title of a king is a writ of priuiledge in the court of Loue that chastitie is of small force to resist where wealth and dignitie ioyned in league are armed to assault kings are warranted to command and subiects to obey therefore if Semiramis be content to grant the interest of her affections into your maiesties hands I am resolued to redâ—…liuer vp my fee simple with patience No Maenon qd Ninus as thy wife is faire so she is honest and therefore where I cannot command I wil them constraine I meane that thou force her to louâ—… me Maenon grieuing at the wordes of the king made this replie If my wife mightie Ninus bee contented to preferre a cottage before a crowne and the person of a poore labourer before the loue of a Prince let me not good my Lord be so vnnaturall as to resolue vppon such a villanie as the very beasts abhorre to commit the lion killeth the lyonesse beeing taken in adulterie the swanne killeth her make sor suspition of the saâ—…e fault and shall I whom reason willeth to be charie of my choise force my wife persorce to such a folly pardon my liege neuer shall the loyaltie of my wife be reuenged with such treachery rather had I suffer death than be appeached of suche discourteâ—…ie Ninus hearing the poore man so resolute thought there was no adder so 〈◊〉 but had his charme no bird so fickle but had hir call no man so obstinat but by some meanes might be reclaimed therfore he made him this answer Maennon be not so fonde as to preferre fanciâ—… before life nor so insolent as to refuse the fauour of a king for the affection of an inconstant woman though I meane to depriâ—…e thee of a present ioy so I means to counteruaile it with a greater blisse for the exchange of Semyramis I meane to giue thée my daughter Sarencida in marriage so of a subiect to make thée a
sonne and my equall so that nothing shall be different betwixt vs but a crowne and a kingdom for a poore wife thou shalt haue a rich princesse from pouertie thou shalt rise to honour from a begger to a duke consider with thy selfe then Maenon how I â—…auour thée which might possesse my desire by thy death and yet séeke it at thy handes by intreatie and prefâ—…rrement take time now by the forehead she is bald behinde and in letting hir turne hir backe thou bidst farâ—… well to oportunity if thou refuse dignitie my daughter and the fauour of a soueraigne hope not to liue nor inioy thy-wife for this censure holde for an â—…racle Ninus before night will enioy the loue of Semyramis This seuere resolâ—…tion of the king drone poore Maenon into a thousande sundry passions for he considered with him selfe Semyramis was a woman and in the 〈◊〉 of hir age and though she were beautifull she was but a woman and had hir equals he knew that Sarencida was honourable of royall parentage the daughter of a king beautifull young and 〈◊〉 he felt pouertie to be the sister of distresse and that there was no greater woe than want dignitie presented to his imagination the glory that deaws from honour the swéete content that preâ—…errement afoordes and howe princely a thing it was to be the sonne in law to a king these vnacquainted thoughts sore troubled the minde of the poore man but when he called to remembrance the constancie of Semyramis how the motion of suche a mightie monarch was in vaine to mitigate one sparke of hir affection that neitheir dignitie nor death no not the maiestie of a king coulde perswade hir to falsifie hir saith returned Ninus this answer As my liege kings haue honour to countenance their actions so poore men haue honestie whereby to direct their liues Diogenes was as desirous of good fame as Alexander was of glory Pouertie is as glad to creepe to credite as dignitie and the thoughts that smoke from a cottage are 〈◊〉 as sweete a sacrifice to the gods as the perfumes of princes the heauens are equall allotters of mishap and the destinies impartiall in their censure for as oft doeth reâ—…enge followe maiestie for iniustice as pouertie for doing 〈◊〉 the one offendes with intent the other eyther by ignorance or necâ—…ssitie then my Liege if â—…our Highnesse â—…ffer me wrong by taking away my wife perforce assure your selfe that honour is no priuiledge against infamie neyther will the â—…ods sleepe in reuenge of poore Maenon for your proffers knowe this I account preferment in ill 〈◊〉 not dignitie and the sanour of a Prince in wickednesse the frowne of God in iustice for your daughter I am sorie the vnbrideled furie of lust shoulde so farre ouerrule the lawe of nature as to alienate the loue of a father for such follie â—…er I vtterly refuse not that I 〈◊〉 the Princesse but that I pitie hir estate and wishe hir better Fortune for death which your hignesse threatens I scorne it as prefering an honest fame before mishap and the loue of my wife before death were it neuer so terrible for pouertie denies me to make other requitall for hir vnfayned affection than constancie which I will pay as hir due though with the losse of my life why shoulde not the examples which historiographers pennes downe for presidentes serue as trumpettes to incourage poore men in honest and honourable resolutions when Marcus Lepidus the Romane Consull was driuen into banishment and hearde that the Senate in despighte had giuen his wife vnto an other he presently died for sorrowe when Nero the tyrant pardon my liege I inferre no comparisons inslamed with lust towardes the wife of Sylaus a Romane neither respecting the law Iulia made to the controrie by his predecessor Augustus neither iustice nor the gods but opposing himselfe to the heauens reft the poore citizen of his wife Sylaus â—…lewe him selfe at the pallace gate which brought the Emperour in great hate with his Commons I inferre not these examples as fearefull of your Highnesse disâ—…auour but as one determined to followe these Romanes in their fortunes and eyther with quiet to liue still the husbande of Semyramis in Babylon or to let the worlde witnesse I neuer was so cowardly to deliuer vp so deare an interest but by death Nynus storming at the answere which poore Maenon made did not take his speeches as perswasions from his foliye but as preparatiues to further choller for so deepe was the vnsatiable desire of filthie lust ingrauen and imprinted in his minde and the fowle imagination of adulterous thoughtes had so blinded his senses that as a man â—…alfe fraught with a lunacie he became furious that in a rage taking a sword that hoong at his beds head he rusht vpon the poore man and slue him this cruell deede being thus vniustly executed he felt no remorse in his conscience but as a man wholly soulde ouer vnto mischiefe procéeded in his purpose and presently sent his Secretarie for Semyramis who no sooner heard the mcssage but fearing that hir husband for hir cause might come to mishap in hir woorst attire as she was hied to the Court where being brought into the kings chamber Ninus hauing caused the dead body before to be carried away told hir briefly all the matter howe hir husbande was slaine and that nowe he had sent for hir not to make hir his concubine but quéene Semyramis no sooner heard of the death of hir hus bande but she fell into a pasme and was hardly brought to life but at last being reuiued she burst foorth into fountaines of teares into bitter exclamations against the tyrant who sought to appease hir with sundrie swéete promises but séeing nothing could preuaile he sent for his daughter Sarencida to whom he committed the charge of Semyramis as of one that shoulde be a quéene and hir mother Sarencida as nothing daring whatsoeuer she thought to disobey hir fathers commande led hir by the hand into hir chamber as womens perswasâ—…ues are best confectaries for womens sorrowes did somewhat mitigate some parte of hir griefe that shee ceast from hir teares till at night being alone in hir bed the Idea of hir hus bandes person presented it selfe though not an obiect to hir eyes yet to hir imagination that ouercome with the passions of loue thinking to take the benefit of the place and time determining to follow hir husband in his fortunes tooke hir knife in hir hande and standing in hir smocke by the bed side fell into these furious tearmes Semyramis this day hath béene the beginning of thy sorrowes and the end of thy good fortunes the same of thine honestie so generally blazed abroade through all Babylon shall this day without desert be spotted with infamie the bloudie action of Ninus shall be attributed to thée for a fault and the intent of his death harbour vnder the suspition of thy dishonesty if thou liuest and become queene
learne out kitching commentaries but if we perseuere still in this dissolute kind of superâ—…uity being Christians in name and Epicures in life we are to feare that in the ends néede and necessitie will force vs to forsake it and as it happened vnto king Darius who when he had liued a long time in delightes drowning him selfe in the 〈◊〉 of the Persians not once looking so low as hunger and thirst as he fled from Alexander and waxed verie thirstie drinking puddle water taken from a riuer tainted with deade carcasses he burst â—…oorth into this spéeche that in all his life he neuer drancke swéeter so will it befall to vs by our inordinate excesse and seeing we may best sée this vertue of â—…rugalitie by discouering his contrary we will spend this forenoone in dscoursing the follie of superfluitie or gluttonie which Bernardino I appoint vnto your charge as one which we all knowe to haue béene an enemie to such disordered bankets Bernardino not greatly discontent with this command beganne after the gentlemen were seated in the arbour to frame his spéech in this manner Plato the prince of the Academickes who for his sacred sentences with his maister Socrates amongst all the Philosophers challenged the name of diuine had alwayes this saying in his mouth that whatsoeuer excéedeth this word necessarie is superfluitie which genus he deuided into two especiall partes of apparell and fare for the last whereof I am appointed to intreat thus to the purpose Those Gentlemen which build vpon the doctrine of the Epicures and place their chiefe felicitie or summum bonum in the delicacie of fare consider not that gluttonie is like to the Lymons in Arabia which being passing swéete to the mouth are infâ—…ctious in the stomach like to the floure of Amyta which glorious to the eye greatly molesteth the smell the swéete content or rather the bitter pleasures that procéede from these follies feeding our lust with a tickling humour of â—…elight for euerie dram of pretended blisse presents vs a pounde of assured enormitie for we are so blinded with the vale of this vayne sollie that forgetting our selues we runne headlong with Vlysles into Cyrces lappe and so by tasting hir inchaunted potion suffer our selfe to be like beasts transformed into sundrie shapes sor that was the meaning Homer aimed at by the Metamorphosis saying some were chaunged into Lyoâ—…s as by dronkennesse madâ—… furious some into Apes whom wine had made pleasaunt seme into sâ—…ine whose brutishe manner bewrayed their imperfection by sléeping in their pottes comparing the altâ—…ration of men by ouermuch drinke to no other but a bestiall chaunge of their natures besides this discoucrie Galen Hypocrates and other learned Phisitians approue it the source from whence all diseases and euill dispositions of the body do flow for sayth Plutarch we are sicke of those things whereof we doe liue and by our naturall disposition are wholy giueÌ„ to health if the disorder of our diet did not infringe the perfect temperature of our complexions Homer going about to prooue the immortalitie of the Goddes and that they dye not groundeth his argument vppon this because they eate not as if he woulde argue that as eating and drinking maintaines life so they are the efficient causes of death and that more dye of gluttoâ—…e than of hunger hauing oft more care to digest meate than care to get it Seneca sayd that the Phisitians in his time cried out that life was shorte and art long that complaint was made of nature that shee had graunted vnto beastes to liue fiue or sixe ages and to limite mans dayes but the length of a spannâ—… which notwithstanding being so short and momentarie was oft consumd in excesse drawing on death by our owne desires and offering vp our gorged stomaches vnto Atropos as sacrifice to intreat that the date of our yeares bee vntimely preuented so that as the wise man sayth morâ—… perishe by surfet than by the sword vnto whome sayth Salomon falleth woe affliction sorrowe strife teares rednesse of the eyes and diseases Euen to them that sit long at the wine which at the first pleaseth both the eye and the tâ—…st but at last stingeth as deadly as a scorpion Heraclytus was of this opinion that the insatiate appetite of gluttonie doth obscure the interiour vertues of the minde oppressing the diuine parte of man with a confused chaos of sundrie delicates that as the sunne eclipsed with darke and vndigested vapours hath not the perfection of his brightnesse so the bodie ouercharged with 〈◊〉 of meates hath the senses so sotted as they are not able to pierce by contemplation into the Metaphysicall secreates of anie honoâ—…rable science Innumerable also be dissolutâ—… fashions and wicked enormities that spring froâ—… gluttony and dronkennesse for where this follie is predominant there is the minde subiect vnto lust anger sloth adulterie loue and all other vices that are subiectes of the sensuall part for as the olâ—…e Poet sayth Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus And by the way I remâ—…mber certaine verses written by our countriman Dante to this effect Il vitio chi conduce Englished thus A monster seated in the midst of men Which daily fed is neuer satiat A hollow gulfe of vild ingratitude Which for his food vouchsafes not pay of thankes But still doth claime a debt of due expenee From hence doth Venus draw the shape of lust From hence Mars raiseth bloud and stratagemes Tâ—…e wracke of wealth the secret foe to life The sword that hastneth on the date of death The suâ—…est friend to phisicke by disease The pumice that defaceth memorie The misty vapour that obscures the light And brightest beames of science glittring sunne And doth eclipse the minde with sluggish thoughtes The monster that afoordes this cursed brood And makes commixture of these dyer mishaps Is but a stomach ouerchargd with meates That takes delight in endlesse gluttony Well did Dante note in these verses the sundrie mischieâ—…es that procéede from this folly séeing what expâ—…ces to the purse what diseases to the person what ruine to common wealth what subuersion of estates what miserie to princes â—…aue insued by this insatiate sinne of gluttonie We read of the Emperour Vitellius Spynter that he was so much giuen to superfluity and excesse that at one supper 〈◊〉 was serued with two thousand seuerall kind of 〈◊〉 and with seauen thousande flying foules but the heauens storming at such an insatiable monster that so highly abused the benefites of God conspired his ouerthrow for 〈◊〉 did not onely dispossesse him of the imperial Diademe but caused him to be publikly executed in Rome Dionysius the younger from gluttony fell to tyrannie vntill he was exiled for his wickednesse out of Sirilia Mulcasses king of Thunis was so drowned in pleasure delight of superfluous banketting that in the midst of his miseries when the Emperour Charles had forsaken him and left him of a king almost the 〈◊〉 of the world yet as Paulus Iouius