haue lifted themselues against thée I haue hated them withall my heart and accomted them as mine enemies I haue destroyed euery day all those curssed and wicked people to the end I might put out of the citie of the Lord all suche as giue themselues to wickednesse And now let vs harken what testimonie the holy scripture doth giue vs of the zele that kings in the olde time did beare vnto their religion which was but a figure shadow to ours what was it that hath made Ezechias King of Iuda so greatly to be praised and honored amoÌ„gs men but bicause he tooke away those hault Gods bet downe the pillers quashed and brake in peeces the brasen Serpent that the people of Jsrael did make sacrifices vnto What hathe made the memorie of Iosias to endure vnto these our dayes but bicause he amongste other his commendable vertues burnt the Idolles Churches images and altares that was made to the dishonor and contempte of God The time nor the puissance therof shall neuer extinguishe the memorie of Mathathias father to Machabeus who being moued with zelous choller inflamed with a diuine furor killed a Jew vppon the altare that did sacrifise to Idolles and that in the presence of all the people and in like maner being moued with the same zeale he put to death an other that Antiochus had sent to doe sacrifise And aboue all things let Princes haue good regarde that in stead of defending the church they do not persecute the same for if they do they cannot eschue the iust vengeaunce of the wrathe of God as we haue example by Helidorus who robbing and spoyling the Churche of Jerusalem of the mony and goods that was appoynted for the reléefe of Widowes and Orphanes was so punished by the Angels that ruled and gouerned in the temple as he remaineth as an example for euer to others Pompeius after that he had cruelly polluted and prophaned the same Temple coulde not escape the scourge of God but euen by the victorie that Cesar had of him in the ciuill warres it did appeare he was iustly corrected for his offence Marcus Crassus passing by Ierusalem with his army against the Parthians could not forbeare to robbe and spoile the temple but as Iosephus wryteth the paine of the Sacriledge was not long after the offence for euen at the same assaute his armie was destroyed and him selfe miserably slaine And if we will search the Histories well we shall finde maruellous plagues of God laide vppon Pharao for the oppressions that he made to the sinagoge which was but as a figure of our Church who after that he had ben afflicted with .x. maruellous plages was in the ende swalowed vp and drowned by the violeÌ„ce of the seas Senacherib king of the Assirians likewise persecuting the Churche sawe before his owne eyes euen by the handes of the Angels of god al his armie ouerthrowne afterwards he himself had his head cut of by his own children in the temple of his gods But how was that great monarch Antiochê° plaged who séeking all the meanes he could to extinguishe the memorie of the sinagoge of God and to bring in the honoring of Idolles had he not in satisfaction of his crueltie his body eaten with vermine and became so odious and filthie withall that the stinke that came out of the corruption of his bodie did infecte his whole armie Thus he who by his pride thought to commauÌ„d the waues of the sea to stay and to waigh in the balance the highe mountaines and that was so puffed vp with ambition that he thoughte to reache the starres in heauen was so brought downe by the fearful iudgement of God that no man coulde abide his stinking and corruption and for that he did cruelly handle the seruauntes of God he died as a straunger in the mountaines of a deathe worthy his wicked life Herodotus likewise for persecuting the Churche died of the like deathe Nero that infamous butcher who hathe lefte none other memorie to his posteritie but his murthers and tirannies after that he had raised many persecutions againste the Churche being noted chéefe enemie of the Common wealthe in the ende executed Iustice him selfe vppon his miserable bodie Domitianus did succéede him in the like crueltie After this Dioclesianus Maximilianus Constantius and other like vermine of whome we haue héeretofore made mention that haue sought the decay and ruine of the church and murthered the ministers of the woorde of God did receiue an ende agréeable to the wickednesse of their liues Constantinus the yonger sonne of the great Emperor Constantinus who degenerated from the religion of his Father fauoring the secte of the Arrians was sodenly suffocated and choked with the Apoplexie Cherinthus likewise choked in bathing him selfe Arius died vpon a priuie Olimpus Bishop of Carthage after he had pronounced and vttered many blasphemies against the Trinitie was presently striken with thrée claps of Thunder and died therewithall and his bodye when he was found deade all togither brent Iulianus the Apostata was thrust thorow with a halberte by a souldier and so ended his dayes Valentius the Emperor was vaÌ„quished with the Gothes whome he had infected with heresie Darius likewise as he was persecuting the Christians was consumed with fire in a little house what néede is there after all these to make any remembrance of Theodorike King of the Gothes Attillus Totillus Fredericke the seconde Leon the third Emperors with an infinite number of other Princes and Monarches who for persecuting the Christian church haue tasted the right hande of God so sharpely that the memory of them shall neuer be buryed nor extincte The good Princes and true seruaunts of God according to the example giuen by Constantinus the Great aforenamed ought to be defenders tutoures conseruaters and membres of the Church and not to spare or restraine their mightie handes or any other force that God hath giuen them for the furtherance therof For they haue receiued the administration of the Kingdoms and the dignitie of their Crownes and scepters with suche charge And now for a full conclusion of all our examples we wil adde one other notable testimonie of the obedience of one Emperour written at large in the Tripartite historie as it was doone Theodosius the great being aduertized of a certain emotion that was sprong vp amongs the Magistrates and common people of Thessalonye and of the controuersie that it grewe to the destruction of some of the Iudges The Emperour beeing aduertized thereof and béeing withall surpryzed with so great anger that hée could not staye hymselfe withoute any further inquisition of the matter or order of lawe dyd commaunde that all the Inhabitauntes there shoulde bée put to the swoorde whyche was doone wyth all diligence by his menne of armes And by thys execution there dyed very néere seauen thousande persones as well the innocente as the guiltie Sainct Ambrose
to master them selues and so suppresse and moderate their affections and passions that by their good liues they may induce those that be subiect to them to vertue and godlinesse Chapter 4. Fol. 41. How that if the Prince desire to haue his Common welth to be well gouerned it is most meetest and necessarie that he him selfe obeye and obserue the lawes that by his good examples he may teache the vulgare and common people to do the like and liue in feare and obedience towardes him Chapter 5. Folio 48. Howe that a Prince for his better perfection in the ordering and directing of his life ought specially aboue all other things to be learned and also to haue continuall conference and Counsell with sage and wise men whiche shal be as the sinnewes and life wherby his Realme shall be sustained and maintained wherin also is made diuers and many discourses of the honour nd reuerence that Princes in the olde time haue borne towards learning and knowledge Chapter 6. Fol. 57. How that Kings and Princes ought chiefly and most principally to haue the state of christian Religion in greate reuerence and estimation and to shewe themselues louers of the same and that they ought also to be very diligent and carefull to punish the blasphemers and cōtemners therof and withal to purge their dominions and realmes of all heretikes and Sectaries for the which there is shewed many examples of erronious sectes together with the false doctrine of Mahomet his life and death and by what means and suttletie he hath suborned and seduced so many people and how many Emperours kings and princes after they had persecuted the faithfull of the Churche of God did not escape the sharp vengeance of his wrath but dyed in the ende of some shamefull and horrible death Chapter 7. Fol. 82. Howe that Princes ought to eschue and put away all furiousnesse and pryde and that they oughte not to truste to muche in their force and mightinesse with a declaration of the humaine miseries and to how many accidentes of misfortune our liues are subiect with also diuers examples howe manye descended of a meane and vnknowen bloud haue ben aduaunced to the estate of Kings Princes and Emperoures and how contrarywise many taking their originall of noble bloud and progenie when they were in the full complement of all prosperitie haue ben through their wicked and abhominable doings by the deuine permission shamefully ouerthrowen and driuen out of their kingdomes and dominions Chapter 8. Folio 106. How that clemencie and gentlenesse are vertues most meete and conuenable for Kings and Princes with many examples alleaged confirming the same Chapter 9. Folio 128. What Iustice is and what profite and commoditie the same bringeth to gouernement and how that without the vse thereof Kingdomes can not be called kingdomes but dennes and receptacles for theeues and robbers Chapter 10. Folio 142. How that crueltie and tyrannie are cheefe enemies to Justice where also is shewed wherin the good Prince differeth from the tyrannous Prince with sundry examples confirming the same gathered as well out of the Greeke as Latine Authors which will bring great pleasure and contentation too the Reader Chapter 11. Folio 147. A Treatise of Peace and Warre and the difference of the one from the other things necessarie to be red by Princes and magistrates that haue the gouernement of Realmes and Common wealthes Chapter 12. Fol. 155. How hurtfull incontinencie is to Princes and how that the same hathe ben the cause of the ruine and destruction of manye realmes and kingdomes with also a Treatise of the dignitie and excellencie of the honourable state of Matrimonie Chapter 13. Fol. 179. The ende of the Table Peter Bouaisteau to the Reader GEntle Reader thou shalte vnderstande that this presente Auctoure whose translatiō I prefer here vnto thee doth not folowe others of the Greekes and Latines that haue entreted of the like matter bicause they alway wryting any instructiōs for their Princes were accustomed to aduertize them how they ought to gouerne themselues in mariage and also to admonishe them that they shoulde flee from the companie of euill and wicked women and to be vigilant and careful to cleanse their dominions of all such infections as the onely things that tended to the vtter decay and ruine of them Neyther doth he make any mention here howe Princes ought to eschue wars and embrace peace a thing so necessarie as without the which Gouernement is altogether imperfect and maymed He hath likewyse omitted to exhorte Princes to bannish out of their Courtes al Flatterers and other such kinde of vermine that do nothing else but fyl their eares with vnnecessarie pleasures and delights whose exercise is onely to watche apte houres and tymes to feede them with toyes and fantasies wherin they do so well play their partes that in the ende they corrupte them although they be very good of nature and well inclined And if thou be curious to knowe the occasyon why the Authour hath suppressed and kept in silence in the discourse of thys Booke things so necessarie for Regimente seing he hath so wel entreated of the rest I can not tell any reson therfore other than as I suppose that he was preuented by death being in purpose if he had liued longer to haue performed those points And the cause that doth leade mee thus to be persuaded is for that there was founde of his doing after his decease one Booke of Geographie and another of Greeke Epigrams that were imperfect and vncorrected which are at this presente in the Kings Librarie to be sene And in place therof I am enboldned trusting vpon the good interpretation thou wilt make of these my labours to ioyne vnto it these three treatises beforenamed of mine owne inuention for the better and more perfect adourning of this worke assuring thee that I haue not so wel trusted in myne owne habilitie nor presumed of my selfe so much but that I haue vsed therin the ayde of certein famous Latin Authors and specially in the Treatise of Peace and Warre as thou mayest perceyue by the reading thereof And as touching the other two I haue perfourmed them rather by myne own labor and trauayle than by any other meanes which neuerthelesse are not to be condemned although as the Comicall Poete sayeth there is nothing presently there spoken that hath not bene sayd long before The fyrste Treatise which is agaynste Parasites and Flatterers thou mayest reade in my Prologue and that of the excellencie of Mariage and the other of Peace and Warre be the last two Chapters of this present Boke Besydes these things before named I haue gathered oute of many good Authoures by the persuasion of a friend of mine the life maners religion and death of that monster Mahomet and shewed by what meanes and subtiltie he did seduce and cary away with him so many people Al which things I praye thee fyrst reade wyth good deliberation before thou do iudge and then I
very periode of his age was Monarche of the whole worlde and not contented with such victorie as he had gotten but caused the earth to bée digged thinking that he shoulde fynde an other worlde to conquere Oh a greate noblenesse of a Prince that thinketh he hath doon nothing if there remaine yet any thing to bée doone It is not therefore now my purpose as you perceyue to exclude and banish yong men from the presence of Princes no more than I couet to speake euill of them but bicause I doo desire for the perfection of the Prince he should be without all faulte and blemishe euen so for that the counsel of olde and auncient men is more assured lesse suspect than the counsel of yong men I do wish in the respect that they would more frequēt the one than the others ¶ The seuenth Chapter Hovve that Kings and Princes ought chiefly and moste principally to haue the estate of christian Religion in great reuerence and estimation and to shevve themselues louers of the same and that they ought also to be very diligent and carefull to punishe the blasphemers and contemners therof and vvithal to purge their dominions and realmes of al heretikes and Sectaries for the vvhich there is shevved many examples of erronious sects together vvith the false doctrine of Mahomet his life and death and by vvhat means and suttletie hee hath suborned and seduced so many people and hovv many Emperors kings princes after they had persecuted the faithefull of the Churche of God did not escape the sharpe vengeance of his vvrath but dyed in the end of some shamefull and horrible death WE haue here in this laste Chapter intreated generally of such vertues as are méete and cōuenable for Princes for the worthy gouernments of their realmes and dominions and now we will speake of one speciall vertue without the vse and practize wherof all the others are but vayne and of no value and that is holynesse and pietie towards God with an ardente affection and zele to hys true religion which with Princes ought to be had in more greater recommendacion and estimation than their owne proper liues Iosias one of the most vertuous princes that euer did bear scepter after that the booke of the lawe was found in the temple and that he had heard it red he assembled al the most auncients of the people and being accompained with all the Prophets and priests went into the Church and there sitting in hys seate royall made an allyaunce before God to obey to his commaundements statutes and ordinances and made all his subiects to promise that they should accomplish all the words of the same allyaunce according to the couenant of the God of their fathers which they did obserue and keepe during all the time of the life of this king Iosias There is one notable lesson writtē in Deuteronomie for kings and princes where it is sayd You Princes and kings whiche are set vppon the throne of your kingdomes receiue the lawe and haue it alwayes with you and reade it all the days of your life to the end you may learne to feare the Lord your God and to kepe his lawes and commaundementes and sée that it do not depart your mouths but thinke of it day and night that you may accomplish all that is written therin and then your realmes and kingdomes shall prosper with al ioy felicitie open your eares you that iudge the costes of the earth and rule the multitude and take pleasure in numbers of people authoritie and power is giuen you of the Lorde and strength from the highest who as Daniell sayeth chaungeth times and ages putteth downe Princes setteth them vp and choseth them amongst the most humbliest sorte of men Receiue discipline and be learned you that iudge the earth serue the Lorde in feare least he be wroth for he will looke vpon your dooings and will searche your thoughts bycause that you being ministers of hys kingdome haue not iudged rightly and iustly nor haue not regarded the lawe of righteousenesse nor haue not walked in the pathes of the lord He shal therfore appeare to you in his rigorous iudgement when he will iudge seuerely them that haue sitten in the seate of iudgemēt and the mightie ones shal be mightely tormented and punished Enter into your selues therfore you Princes and dispoyle your selues of these humain affections that holde your eyes blind acknowlege the graces that the Lord hath bestowed vppon you whiche are comprised in the secret misteries of this heauenly philosophie The kingdomes of Israell did alwayes prosper very well as long as they were gouerned by good and vertuouse Princes as Dauid Iosaphat Ezechiel and Iosias who had alwayes the feare of God before their eyes but to the contrary vnder Achab Manasses Ammon and other such wicked idolaters and cōtemners of true religion they were always tormented and afflicted and in the ende vtterly ouerthrowne For during the tyme that Salomon walked in the wayes of the Lorde he possessed his kingdom in tranquillitie but after that he had buylded temples to Idols all the worlde was agaynst him It is mans duetie and most chiefly required at the handes of Princes to haue the house of the pure and sacred places in remembraunce And specially those that are without reliefe decayed and become almoste ruinate by continuaunce of tyme according to the example of that good prince Dauid who spdéeily and with al diligence reedified the tabernacle and his sonne Salomon with a maruellous magnificence the Temple of the lord Zorobabel was greatly commended bycause that after from the captiuitie of Babylon by the ayde of Esdras he reedified the temple of the Lorde As likewise Iudas Machabeus did restore the temple polluted and prophaned by Antiochus But what a gracious testimonie haue we in Esay of the allyance that kings haue made with the Churche Where he sayth The kings and princes shal giue thée milke and shall be thy nursses they shall doo honour and reuerence vnto thée with their faces flat vppon the earth kings shall walke in thy lyght and shall buylde thy walles they shall bring vnto thée golde and siluer and shall serue thée thou shalte sucke the milke of nations and thou shalte bée nourished of the breastes and teates of princes Oh Jerusalem thou holy Citie of God all the countreys vppon the earth shall woorshippe thée strange nations shall bring thée presents and shall worship the Lorde in thée and shall account the earth holy where thou standest they that shall contemne thée shall be accursed and they that shall blaspheme thée shal be condemned But those that shall buylde thée shall be blissed By the patterne of this churche is figured the Christian Churche And when Kings and Princes haue established and set in order all things that is necessary concerning true religion they oughte with greate discretion and policie to deuise and establish lawes to chastise
and correct the infinite numbres of periuries blasphemies which do reigne amongs the people and that with suche seueritie as they may taste of their iustice And forasmuch as the maiestie of God is thereby contemned if by their negligence the same doo remaine vnpunished they shal be accomptable for it before God who will shoote the arrowes of his wrath vpon them and vpon the earth For if wée be ready and diligent to chastise them that be condemned of treason or that doo backbite speake euil of Kings and Princes that presently for the offence coÌ„mitted we hang them burne them quarter them and confiscate their goodes Why should we not be muche more zelous to pursue them that do coÌ„temne the Maiestie of God before whom and to whome all shall obey and bowe their knees specially béeing straightly commaunded therevnto by the Lorde where hee wylleth that blasphemers shall bée chased oute of the Citie and that the people shall stone them to death King Nabuchodonosor who of an abhominable tyraunte was becomme the disciple of Danyell did ordeyne that yf any Nation or people did blaspheme the name of the God of Danyell that he shoulde be cut in péeces Kyng Darius lykewyse wrote vnto all his subiects that they should feare the God of Daniel And we haue many examples of a great number of Kings Prophets apostles and byshops as Samuell Iosaphat Moyses Artaxerxes and Darius who dyd stone to death the blasphemers and amongst all others that good king Loys dyd make a lawe that suche blasphemers shoulde haue their tungs thruste through with an hote yron But this vice is so common at this day that if all that do offend therin should be thus punished all the Smithes vppon the earth wolde not suffise to heate the yrons seeing then it is so that Kings and Princes be patrons proctours and the children of the Churche they ought to girde theyr swords about their loynes for the honoure and glory of God as the Psalmist doothe teache them that is to say they should imploy all their chief study and care therin and to trauell by all meanes possible to clense their realmes and dominions of these rauening wolues false Prophets seducers of the people erronious teachers and hipocrites that wolde séeme to bée discréet and sage before the eyes of the world and to be wise in their owne conceites and yet in deede are but asses and fooles replenished with all ignoraunce and blindnesse blinde and leaders of the blinde resisters of the holy Ghost and the truth and giuen vp into a reprobate sense For Sathan the prince of this world as S. Paule writeth doth so bleare their eyes and so shut vp their minds that hauing their eyes open they sée not and in hearing they heare not And this procedeth of the furiouse rage of the Deuill who stirreth them vp ageinst God and the ministers of his worde And such troublers and persecuters of the Churche haue begon and endured euen from the time that Iesus Christ our redemer ascended into Heauen vntill the tyme of the emperor Constantine the great which coÌ„tinued nere 300. yeres during which time the poore church was maruelously afflicted and troubled as vnder the gouernement of Nero Domitianus Traianus Adrianus Anthonius Seuerus and Diocletianus For alwayes when it was thought the Churche to be in most best peace and traÌ„quilitie wherby mennes harts waxed carelesse with ouermuch ydlenesse and want of zele and suche as ought to haue bin the chief conseruers and mainteiners of true and sincere doctrine wer negligent and had no regard therof then by and by the Deuill stirred vp sturdy and furiouse sprites flattering and ambicious mindes to sowe false doctrine to deface the truthe and dyd ingender greate confusion in the Church as when by the meanes of Constantine the great the Churche had gotten some tranquillitie and rest beholde incontinentlye the furie of the Arrians Pelagians Manichees Eunomyens Macedoniens Nestorians Eutychiens and many others béeganne to spring vp to so greate a hinderaunce and decaye of the Christian common welth that the woundes thereof hathe well appeared too all the posteritie folowyng and not staying at all these persecutions but euen then that false Prophet Mahomet most wicked of all others béeganne to exalte himselfe who by his cruell malyce hath infected the moste part of the earth And for as muche as his beginning is recounted sundry wayes by many Aucthours too the end I would giue some pleasure too the Reader and to satysfie the requeste of a Gentlemanne a fréende of myne and for as muche also as iuste occasyon is nowe offered I will faythfully and truely rehearse that whyche I haue redde as well in his Alkâ—ron as in other auncient authours and some others that of late haue written any thing of his lyfe And bycause that no man shal think that I do write here vppon the reporte or credyte of others or that I haue heerevnto added or diminished any thing after myne owne fantasye or deuyse I wyll gyue the Reader to vnderstand what Aucthours I haue chiefly followed in this treatise to the end that yf he bée desyrous to haue a more full or ample Discourse hereof I wil send hym to Aeneas Syluius otherwyse called Pope Iâ—â—us Pomponius Latus in the abridgement of the Romain historie Platina in the life of the popes Blondus in hys booke of the fall of the Empire of Rome Nauclerus Baptist Egnatius in his abridgement of the emperours Paulus Iouius Lodouicus Viues in a certeine treatise of his the Alcoran it selfe of Mahomet and also Alcimadus his interpreter vppon Caalay which he commended vppon A. Berosus vpon Cyar of the acts of Mahomet Hayn Moymu Mustlin And if he be not satisfied with al these ancient authours I haue hereunto adioyned the testimonie of those which haue bin of late dayes in Turky and haue had the experience and proof of al these matters as Petrus Belon who diligently hath written all things which he obserued in that his iorney And Bartholomeus Georgieniso who continued there the space of nine or ten yeres and was sold and boughte there fiue or six times hath written vnto vs all his whole vyage whose testimonies I will here remeÌ„ber chiefly for two causes the one is for that I might assure the reader that in this little discourse which I do here present vnto him he shall find the perfect summarie of all that any others haue written before The other cause is wholly to extinguish and take away the greate desire that many haue to reade the sayd Alcoran in which they suppose to finde some greate straunge and maruelous matter but assuredly they are farre deceiued of their accompte for in reading thereof they shall finde no kind of pleasure at all nor no phrase or propertie of words well vsed but rather a disordered stile without sappe or sauoure or any sentence or other matter else therin that might delight or
second heaueÌ„ which was altogether of pure and good gold where hauing knockt they entred and founde there Noe where they did beholde the name also of God and Mahomet written togither in euery place From whence they past ageyn into the third heauen which was of riche and precious stones where they founde Abraham And thence ageyn into the fourth heauen whiche was all made of perfect Emeraudes where they founde presently Ioseph From thence they passed further into the fyft heauen which was all of diamondes where they found Moyses And from thence into the sixt heauen which was all of shyning carbuncles where they founde S. Iohn the Baptiste who did vnto him humble honor and reuereÌ„ce From thence they past into the seuenth heauen whiche shined all with the bryghtnesse of the diuine maiestie where they found Chryst Iesus with an infinite numbre of holy angels whome Mahomet saluted in moste reuerent maner and then the angel Gabriell toke his leaue of Mahomet and Mahomet mounted yet againe higher where he found great store of waters and of snow there of his trauell he waxed so wéery that he was scantly able to go any further and there he herd a voice that sayd vnto him in this maner Oh Mahomet honoure thou thy God thy creator for thou approchest very nyghe vnto hym and incontinently he seemed to be enuironed with suche brightenesse that his eyes were dazeled and began to fayle him and he sayde that his maiestie had sixe hundreth thousande curtaines or vayles hanging before his face and that he was nygh vnto him within the space of two shootes of a Crosbowe he sayde ageyne that God spake vnto him and gaue him many commmaundements of his lawe reueling also vnto him infinite of his secrets After all this hée yet also gaue him fiue great prerogatiues The fyrst that he should be most honoured of all creatures liuing in heauen aboue or in earth beneath The seconde that he should be the most famous Gentleman of all others the children of Adam The third that he shold haue authoritie to pardon all sinnes The fourth that he should be skilfull in all languages The fifth that all spoyles in warres shoulde be giuen to him This done he returned to the angel Gabriell in the place where he before had left him who led him further to beholde in what sorte the féendes tormented the damned soules in Hell. All whiche things and suche lyke trashe and lyes he hathe in a long discourse written in his Alkaron which for breuities sake I omitte and passe ouer neyther had I written so muche of him as I haue done if it had not bene to dissuade and dehort those that doo earnestly desyre to peruse and reade his fond and foolishe woorkes and they may well iudge by that whiche is aboue alledged the frantike and disordered humour of this vnhappie Prophet which did spewe and spitte out lyke a man senslesse al that did fall into his idle brayne or fantasye without any arte skill or order at all It resteth now that I let you vnderstand by what means hée inchaunted and bewitcht so many to giue credite to his prodigious trumperies Some there are that haue reported of him that knowing certainly by often reading the Olde Testament that when the lawe was giuen to Moyses in the mount Sinay there were seene many signes as thunders lightnings and suche lyke as it is written in Leuiticus the .xix. Euen so he desiring with some apishe deuise to counterfeat his dooings caused to be hyd certain pots full of Milâ—e in the earth vpon the top of an hygh or great mountayne and had so wel tamed a sauage or wyld bull that he would come to him as oftentimes as he pleased to cal him and hauing fastened certaine chapiters of his Alkaron vppon the hornes of the sayd bull he assembled the greateste parte of the barbarous people of Araâ—ia vppon the foresaid mountayne where after he had vsed some kind of talke to them he immediatly called his bull who redily cam to him from whiche bull he tooke these papers which he before had fastened on hys hornes affirming to them that it was the lawe that God had sent them which he there red and interpreted opeÌ„ly And remaining there two days and two nights vpon this mountain the people being pinched with hunger began to cry out in a straunge manner and then fayning as though he had prayed to God for them immediately sayd to them that God by inspiration had reueled vnto him certein places of the earth whiche they should digge wherein they should finde present remedy for their hunger and immediatly digging certein places in the grounde where it pleased him to commaunde them they founde many vesselles full of milke whiche he had caused to be hidden there not long before Whiche thing in maruelous wise amazed the rude and simple people And some other saye whiche is lyke to bée more true that Mahomet did neuer miracle either true or false for as he writeth of himself in his Alkaron he was not sent to do any miracles bicause the people did vse to presse to deth and kill suche as God had sent them before time to call them to repentaunce but he was sent only with the sword to do rigorouse iustice on those that made no accoumpt of hys prophesies for their incredulity or that payd not tribute to him And that he had no power to doo any kinde of miracle it appeareth euident in the booke intituled Ciart when dyuers Arabiens of sundry nations sent to him euen then when he called himselfe a Prophet in most intier maner requiring him to confirme his lawe and doctrine by some kinde of miracle giuing him to vnderstand that their country was very barein sterile hilly voyd both of water and victuals that it might please hym therefore to desire of God that he wolde make their countrey euen playn abating the mountaynes and send them springs plentifull in places of néede and that he farther wold stirre vp and moue certein of the elders fully to instruct them if he taught the truth But thys accursed Prophet hauing small affiaunce or rather none at all in the righte of thys cause aunswered that hée had communicated with God and had receiued of him for aunswer that whiche foloweth Thy people demaund miracles but tell them that héeretofore I sent them Martirs Prophets and Apostles with infinite miracles but they with blouddy hands most cruelly murthered them and I will therefore that the lawe be mainteyned by the swoorde and by the effusion of bloud vppon all suche as shall refuse to accepte or receyue the same Beholde héere howe this traiterouse and blouddy spirite woulde frame and make of a moste mylde and mercifull GOD an vnkynde tiraunt and cruel tormenter And surely I beléeue the greatest miracle that euer hée did was that hée transfourmed so many creatures reasonable into beastes brute and insensible
Persians the Meedes the Grekes nor of the Romanes who were called the Garramants and he béeing very ambitious of suche matters minded to visite them in his iourney and when he arriued in their Prouince he commaunded that the wysest and sagest amongs them should come and speake with him that he might vnderstande the maners customes and order of liuing of those people who séemed vnto him to be men farre estraunged from the fashions and dooings of the common vsage of other men whereof when the Garramants were aduertised without any more deliberation sent vnto hym presently an olde man frée and franke in words and stoute in his countenaunce and one that had neuer ben feared for the presence of any Prince Emperour or Monarche who béeing arriued afore him after that he had made his due reuerence began to beholde him with a Philosophers eye and knowing very well Alexanders humor that he was not come into their countrey for any other intente but to make him selfe Lorde and Prince thereof firing his countenaunce immoueable vppon his face lyke a man that had ben halfe in an extasie sayde to him Tell me I pray thee O thou Alexander what wouldest thou haue what is thy meaning what is thy will and purpose doest not thou sufficiently giue knowledge to the face of the whole world that thou arte possessed with an insatiate greedynesse and an inordinate couetousnesse which for a transitory ambition that vanisheth away as the smoke arte not afearde to pouerishe many to make thy selfe onely riche nor arte not ashamed of the complayntes and lamentations of the poore widows and of an infinite nuÌ„ber of wretched myserable people which thou hast dispossessed of their lands to make thy selfe vniuersall Monarche of the whole earth nor hast thou no regard of the effusion of the bloud of so many poore Innocents but thus with infamy to make thy name euerlasting and immortalize thy selfe for euer yet if thou couldest by thy cruel battels bloudie victories enioy the lyues of them which thou doest kill to increase prolong thyne owne lyfe as thou doest inherite their goods to augment thy renowne although it were wicked yet it were tollerable But to what purpose serueth it thée to take away their liues when thou thy selfe lookest euery houre that the Gods shall take thyne Oh Alexander yet if thy desire had any ende and that it were bordered and limitted as the kingdomes bee which thou doest conquere thou wouldest then giue some hope to the people of thy amendemente to come but know thou oh Alexander to what ende this will come vnto the Gods shall giue for a penaunce vnto thée and to all suche ambitious hearts as thine is which are neuer satisfied nor contented that assoone as death is ready to close vp your mouths and when you are at the last poynt of life you shall haue so great an vnquietnesse of conscience for those things which you haue so vniustly heaped gathered togithers that it shall be more gréeuous and harder for you to digest than if ye should suffer a thousand deathes togithers And so this old man hauing ended al his discourse stoode still immoueable for a space before Alexander aspecting some answere of him but Alexander féeling him selfe touched inwardly was tossed with many imaginations at the reasons of that wise sage philosopher and in such sort that this spirits were ouercome and vanquished not able to vtter the effect of his minde to make him any answere by reason whereof béeing confounded and condemned in him selfe for his enterprises he returned from thence immediately without hurting or any wayes annoying the Garramants The Emperour Tiberius a cruell man in all his doings was not moued when it was told him that many did murmure and speake euill of his cruelties and tyrannies but answered to them that perswaded him to bée reuenged vppon those that so murmured agaynst him that he coulde very well occupie him selfe otherwise and saide that mens tongues ought to be frée in a frée Citie Moyses that great law giuer of the Lorde hath lefte vs also maruellous testimonies of pacience modestie who although he was many times tormented vexed with his people yea euen that they were ready to stone him to death yet whatsoeuer assaults these sturdy people did make against him they could neuer driue him from his humilitie nor put him out of pacience but to the contrary he dyd by his continuall prayers which he made to the Lorde appease the malice and furie which they had vniustly conceyued agaynst him The Historiens doo wryte that two olde women dyd addresse them selues to a king and an Emperour the one to king Demetrius the other to the Emperor Adrianus praying theÌ„ instaÌ„tly that they might haue iustice ministred for a certen violence which one had don to them But these Princes being occupied with other affayres did aunswere them that they must for a time deferre the matter for that they could not intende it at that present whereat the women beeing gréeued sayd vnto theÌ„ that then they ought to giue vp their Empires to others for princes muste sayde they be at all times of the day ready to protect defende the afflicted and euer willing to render iustice and righte to eche one and with that charge yée doo receiue your dignities and kingdomes And yet notwithstanding al these words neither of these Princes were moued or angrie and they perceyuing the earnestnesse of these matrons began to smile and presently gaue them audience and did them iustice And Ioseph that great Patriarke beeing so cruelly handled at his brothers hands in stéede of reuenging him selfe he delyuered them from famine which did oppresse them so muche that they knew not where to haue any succour or helpe Denis the Tyraunt king of Siâ—ilia by force who hath borne a gret name of crueltie amongs others and a man hated almoste of all persons vsed neuer the lesse curtesie towards an old woman suche as foloweth As he was vppon a time aduertised that she prayed vnto the Gods dayly for hys long lyfe and health where to the contrary he knew that all the rest of the people wished his death and ouerthrow as the very pestilence of their common wealth did commaunde hir to be called before him and he dyd earnestly require hir to tell him for what cause she prayed so often to the Gods for his lyfe seeing that he knew very well that all the rest of the people desired his death This olde woman who knew not how to counterfeyte did discouer vnto him hir meaning therein and sayde My soueraigne Lorde when I was a yong woman this Prouince was gouerned with a cruell Tyraunt whose life was so noysome to me that I did continually wishe his death and to the ende my desire might take place I prayed hartely to the Gods in the Temple that they would deliuer the people from the bondage of that Tyraunt and that they would sende
vnderstand wel the maners the vertue the integritie of lyfe and the sufficiencie of suche as they doo depute for else they shall one daye be called too accompt for the wrongs and iniuries of their ministers Plutarke writeth in his politikes Plato in his cōmon wealth that there is no mischiefe more pernicious in any common welth than the buying selling that is made of offices For they which be riche buye for money that which ought to be obtayned by wisdome and vertue and so it commeth to passe that those that buye their offices in greate doo afterwarde sell iustice by retayle and vpon this mischiefe dooth ryse the briberie and corruptions of these mercenarie Iudges who doo make themselues fat by the calamities and miseries of the poore people bring themselues to great possessions and make their houses mightie euen by the pilling and polling of good men The Emperour Seuerus was so great an enemie to corrupt Iudges that he sayd he had alwayes one finger ready to pull out the eyes of those that he knewe to be suche The Egiptians had alwayes mercenarie Iudges in suche suspition and contempte that they dyd alwayes sweare suche as they chose into the place of iudgement and therein did charge them vppon payne of death they shoulde not violate their othes nor giue any iudgement contrary to righte and equitie although they were straightly commaunded to the contrary by their Princes And to the ende they should haue alwayes their othes printed in their remembraunce they caused to be set vpon the iudgement seate the image of a Iudge hauing his eyes put oute and his handes cut off signifying thereby that they oughte not to be parciall to any man nor to receyue money or other brybes to defeate Iustice Alexander Seuerus Emperoure of the Romaines is verye muche commended of the Historiens bycause that hée dydde punyshe his owne Secretarye béeynge infourmed that hée caused the estate through bryberie to violate iustice in disquieting thereby the poore and maynteyning the riche in their naughtinesse and wickednesse Herodotus the Greke writer dyd greately commende Cambyses King of the Persians for his carefull diligence in punishing the wicked iudges that did peruerte iustice for as he was vpon a tyme aduertised by the testimonie of many that a Iudge called Sysamnes was corrupted by money to pronounce false iudgement euen at the same instant that his offence was discouered he caused him presently to bée flayne béeing aliue and commaunded that his skinne shoulde bée nayled ouer the seate where the Iudges were accustomed to sit to pronounce iudgement and that it should remayne there for euer to the ende that other Iudges taking an example therat should beware from thencefoorth that they doo not defile them selues with the like offences and ordeyned further that the sonne of the same Iudge shoulde supply firste the same seate to the ende he should be admonished by the example of his father faythfully to minister iustice Plato a man that thought he could neuer commende iustice too muche hath left vnto vs in writing that this excellente vertue of Iustice is commonly defiled in two things the one is that when the punishment of the offence requireth expedition the Iudge by fynenesse and of purpose doth deferre the Iudgement of the matter to the ende that by prolonging of tyme there should bée some meanes founde for to saue the offendour the other is that when the offence is notable and that it deserueth paines of death or some other corporall punishment it is stayed and turned into a certayne summe of money and by meanes hereof men that are offenders get muche libertie and haue great hope by force of their riches to haue their offences remitted and to escape the daunger of death If these Ethnikes who had not suche knowledge of god as we haue haue detested the violaters and infringers of iustice how muche more ought we to doo the like considering the threatnings that are made vnto vs for the same by the mouthe of the Lorde Let vs hearken therefore to the exhortation in this behalfe that Salomon one of the moste sagest and wysest Princes that euer bare Scepter maketh vnto all Kings and Iudges and other that doo sitte in place of ministration of iudgement Geue eare sayth he you Kinges and Princes and marke well you that iudge the coastes of the earth learne and open your eares to heare you that gouerne the multitude and that delighte in muche people for the power is gyuen to you of the Lorde who will marke diligently your dooings and wyll searche your thoughtes bycause that when yée were ministers of hys kyngdome yée haue not Iudged iustely nor haue not regarded the Lawe of Iustice yée haue not walked accordyng to the will of GOD wherefore he shall appeare fearefully vnto you and that very soone and he shall gyue a harde iudgemente to suche as bee in the places of iudgemente to the simple shall be graunted mercy but those that bée in Authoritie shall suffer greate tormentes for the Lorde that is Ruler ouer all shall excepte no mans person neyther shall he stande in awe of any mannes greatenesse for he hath made the small and the greate and careth for all alyke To you therefore Oh Kings doo I speake that ye may learne wisedome for they shall bée iustly iudged that haue kepte iustice Beholde lo a maruellous instruction for earthly Iudges that haue no mynde but vppon the worlde and bée a sleepe in the darkenesse of ambition and worldely honour and set all their felicitie to make them selues greate and maruellous to the people and after their deathes to leaue their children inheriters of their glorie Let them hencefoorthe therefore I say goe to the Schole of the wyse to refourme their lyues and to knowe how that thys lyfe is caducall and transitorye and that further they shall bée iudged euen as they haue iudged others and of such a Iudge to whom also al our thoughts be knowen The .xj. Chapter Hovv that crueltie and tyrannie are cheefe enemies to Iustice vvhere also is shevved vvherein the good Prince differeth from the tyrannous Prince vvith sundry examples confirming the same gathered as vvell out of the Greeke as Latine Authors vvhich vvyll bring great pleasure and contentation to the Reader IVstice hathe not a more greater enemie than crueltie and tyrannie which bée things very monstruouse and abhominable in man who is a noble and excellent creature made to the image and similitude of God borne to bée méeke and gentle but if he bée once defiled and infected with thys wycked Tyrannie he is as Aristotle sayth like a thing transformed into a brute beast and become enimie both to God and man But to the ende we may know the good Prince from the tirannous Prince I will set foorth vnto you here certayne differences of the good princes and the tyraunts which I haue collected out of a great number of good authors The
Vaâ—pasâ—anus Domitianus Traianus Adrianus Aurelius Anthonius Maximius Commodus Pertinax Seuerus Saracula Iustinianus Fredericus Charles the gret haue al exerâ—â—sed the s ate of Judgement Machetas did apeale to the sentence â—f the Empeâ—or beâ—â—â—e hims lfe ReformatioÌ„ of Sentence Bâ—oke 17. of his Eneidos Plutarque vppon his life The Kings of the Persians did alwayes iudge the causes of the people ExcelleÌ„t meÌ„ The meane sâ—â—â—â— Men of a pâ—râ—â—rsâ— naâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Amarpelous liberalitie of an Emperor Jn what eâ—â—â—matâ—â—n lâ—â—rning was â—moâ—gst the auncients A maruelous liberalitie of a couetous man. 480. thousaÌ„d Crounes geuen for one booke Alexander mâ—de 〈◊〉 pillâ—we of the Jliad 〈◊〉 â—f Hoâ—eâ—e A singuler honour that Pompeius gaue to Possidonius Seuen Cities were in controuersie for the bones of Homer The verye Tirants did fauour learning Demostenes Josephus captiue Alexander not conteÌ„ted that Aristotle had published hys bookes Letters of king Antigonus to Zeno the Philosopher Julius Caesar passing ouer a certaine floud swymming held his workes in his haÌ„d that they shoulde not be lost Themistocles Methridates All the most famous captaines of Grece were louers of learning Paulus Emilius A great nuÌ„ber of Emperours that did compose bookes By knowledge learning men shal procure to them selues immortalitie 1 Kinges 3. SalomoÌ„ surpassed al men in wisedome The Quene of Saba Counsell of wise graue men is good for Princes Prouerb 3. Esay 5. Roma 22. Many kingdomes maintained in great honor by councel of the wise A marueylous affiance in a friend Antipater fri nde to king Philip. A greate affiance that Alexander had in Ephesteon Alexander bestowed vpoÌ„ the funerals of Ephestion his deare frend ten thousand talents of gold which is after the accoÌ„pt of Bude sixe millions of gold Plutarque Armanus Theodorus affirme the same The incredible amity of Zopirus to Darius his Master A subtile inuention to deceiue the enemy The like histories for the Romanes Sextus Tarquinius did beate himselfe with roddes to decâ—iue the Gabinets Light credence is noysome Alexander gelous of the glory of Achilles This whichâ— is here attributed to Alexander by others is referred to Augustus Caesar as Suetonus doth wytnes in the lyfe of 12. emperors Pliny and Horace The desire of AgamemnoÌ„ Homerus lib 2. An Epilogue of the thinges before sayd Testimonies of the holy and sacred scriptures Num. 11. Hester 1. Vertues of the said Alexander Prouer. 19. The councell of yonge men perillous to Princes Aristotle S. Ierome Plato in hys Sympose Wherefore old men be more feareful thaÌ„ yong men Plutarche Embassadors ought to be auncieÌ„t wise men Macha 5. Cap. 24. Nume 22. Denis Halicar Genesis 29 Solon The Romaines Atheniens Lacedemoniens Stobeus sermon 122. The prayse of aged and auncient meÌ„ Plinie lib. 8. cap. 5. Age honored among brute beastes Cap. 12. Kings 3. Iechonias Sedechias Kinges 12. Ieremy a yong man Daniell a yong man Ieremie 1. Daniel 3. Sc pio Affricanus a yong man. Yong menns preferred before old men Jphicrates being of the age of xxv yeares was chosen captaine of the Atheniens ageinst the Boetians Holynesse and pyetie towards god and religion is required of kings and Princes Josias one of the most worthy Princes that euer bare scepter Paralipo ca. â— Deuine instructions of Princeâ— Deuteron 2.7 solue ca. 1. Wisdom 7. The prosperitie of princes lyeth in the â—â—lfâ—â—ling the lawe Daniel ca. 2. A profitable exhortation of Daniell geue to princeâ— The threaâ—nings of Gâ—d to wicked Pâ—inâ—â—â— Wâ—s â—iaâ— 1. Kings 2. Kingdomes doo alwayes prosper when they are gouerned by good and vertuous princes 3 Kings 3. Idolatrous kings and contemners of religion Hospitalles oughte to bee had in remeÌ„braÌ„ce amoÌ„gst kings and princes 1. Macha 4. 1. Esdras 3. The churche shall sucke of the brests of princes Kings nurses of the church Esay 6. The christiaÌ„ churche is figured by Iâ—rusalem Iob. 14. The seconde thing required at christeÌ„ princes handes is to punish the blaâ—phemies and periuries amongs the people Blasphemers muste be stoned to death Daniel 3. Blasphemers by tâ—â— lawe of good king Loys was made thrusting throgh the tung 5. Ambro 54. Heresies must be punished by Princes The persecutioÌ„ ageinst the faithfull hath endured from the â—â—â—e that Jeâ—â—â— Christ ascended into Heauen vntill Conâ—â—â—â—tine the Emperour which is 300 yeares or there abouts Greate persecution of the Church Ydlenesse nurâ—e of all hereâ—ie The maiesty of God is dâ—praued in this Alâ—gâ—on Abdola and Imina the pareÌ„ts of Mahomet A naughty life argueth an obâ—â—â—â— race and family Imina the mother of Mahoâ—â—t dâ—scended of Jsmael sonne of Abraham Mahomet had coÌ„fereÌ„ce with wicked spirits A turkish dreame Mahomet saluted of stones beastes and trees Mahomets pardon Axa Mahomet his chief darling Mahomet his beast called Alborach The angell Gabriel foot man to Mahomet Adam Noe. Abraham Ioseph Moyses S John Baptist Iesâ—â— Christ Fiue prerogatiues giuen to Mahomet What trash Mahomet had gathered in his Alkaron The subtile policie of Mahomet A more true opinion of Mahomet than the first Mahomet sent in the vertue of the sworde The lawe of Mahomet mainteâ—â—â—d by the sword and bloud The greatest miracle that euer Mahomet did A policy to couer his lotâ—some infirmitie Mâ—que It is at this day an hâ—ynous offence to kill a pâ—geon Sergius an Apostata SuÌ„dry kinde of heresies of which Mahomet framed his Alkaron Alkaron a colâ—ectioÌ„ of chapters Am trueâ—â—â—e reuerence come to their Alkaron A fantasticall hell of Mahomet A ridiculous Paradise Of this matter rede the foure bookes of his Alkaron translated out of the Araby tong into the latine The aucthors that iâ— treate of this matter Platina P. Laetus Sabellicus P. Iouius Pope Pius Beâ—on P. Messia Arnoldus Romianus Crispus FloreÌ„tinus Franciscus Barnardus in his camologe of heretiks Mahomet died beiÌ„g 34 yeres of age The priest that was a traueller sheweth it in his geographie The good chastened for the euill Peter Messâ—e in his forest A meruellous perswasioÌ„ of a tiraÌ„t that he said he was sent of God vpon the earth to punish his people Mahomet the most greatest enemie of the church of God that euer was The church of God shall endure for euer Martyres for the word of God. Jesus Christs keper spouse and hed of this Church The infants of god be not orphaÌ„s Iesus Christ will assist them at all times Esay ca. 50. I say witnessed by J say An exhortatioÌ„ to princes gathered of the things before rehersed Psalme 138. Psalme 100. Ezechias a chief enimie to Jdolaters 4 Kings 8. Josias burnt the Idolles 4. Kings 23. Anger proceding of vertue Two murthers committed by Mathathias for Jdolatrie 2. Macha 3. The angells do chasteÌ„ Jdolatrie Pompeius was plaged for his offeÌ„ce Marcus Crassus Pharao Exod. ca. 14. Senacherib 4. Kings 16. The father killed by his owne childreÌ„ in the teÌ„ple Antiochus eaten with lâ—ce beeing aliue 2. Macha ca. 19. The death of Herod Act ca 12. CoÌ„stantine the yonger Cassiodore Olimpus
him a sodayne death which they did for he dyed in very deede sodaynly but the time was so vnhappy that there succéeded in his place a worse and a man more dissolute a thousande times than the first which is the cause that moueth me to flée from my first prayer least the Gods should do as they did before which they will doo and now thou arte come who is worse than both the others and for that I feare that if I make my request to the Gods for thy death as I did for the others there shal come an other after more wicked and abhominable than thou arte therefore I go dayly to the temple and praye to the Gods that they will maynteyne and conserue thée with long lyfe as thou art Then this tyrant maruelling at the franke and liberall spéeche of this woman and specially to him who was feared of al men as he was without béeing angry at all fel to laughing and let her depart without any kynde of punishment The pacience of Pirrhus king of the Epyrotes is greatly cōmended in the histories who when he was in his warres against the Romains in Italy had certain of his souldiers in his cāpe that as they did sit at their meate with opē mouth spake vncomly vndecēt words of him vsing therin words of defamation wherof he being aduertised by certayn spyes who did apprehend them vpon the matter he commaunded they should immediatly be brought before him and he asked of them if it were true they wer so outragious of their language that they durst blaspheme the maiestie of a Prince Which thing one of them that was more stout and carelesse than the other did confesse vnto him to be true and did acknowledge they wer greatly forgetfull of themselues in this cause adding therevnto further that if the wine had not failed them at the table that they were in good waye to haue passed further into more vnséemely woords putting wholly the fault in the wine which was the very instrument that did force them to speake such things The rehersal of which matter didde cause their colour to come and goe euen as it dothe when any man féeleth the Surgion put an instrument into his sore wounde and as though they shoulde haue loste their lyues presently Wherat the King made no semblance that he was moued or angry any thing at all but sayde to them with a chéerfull countenance My frendes at another tyme when you speake of your superiours speake more softly for such communication sayde he euen the very walles will vnderstande Plato the chief of al the Philosophers amongs the Grekes when he tooke his leaue of Dionyse the tyrant to returne to Athens Dionyse demaunded what report he woulde make of him to other Philosophers his companyons when hée came to Athens whervnto Plato answered with a boldnesse conformable to his wisedome that the Philosophers of Athens had not so much leysure as that they woulde lose any tyme to speake of him or his doings giuing him to vnderstand by this franke answere that his lyfe was so out of order as the Philosophers who did occupie them selues commonly in graue and weightie matters would not vouchsafe to consume their tyme to make any rehersall of the acts of a wicked man and sayd they rather merited to be buryed in the perpetual darknesse of forgetfulnesse than to bee brought in rehersall before men Whiche answere although it were very sharpe and nipping and scantely to be borne euen by a man very pacient yet notwithstanding he dissimuled the matter and did not once make any shewe by countenaunce that he was any thing angry or moued thereat Thus wée haue brought foorth a great numbre of auncient examples of méekenesse and gentlenesse whiche to some peraduenture at the fyrst shewe will séeme ridiculous and to bée but fables but bycause they bée written by so many notable and famous authours bothe Grekes and Latines we ought to giue them credite and wee shoulde do them greate iniurye and also greately discredyte oure auncesters who haue alwayes to this presente daye had them in great estimation and reuerence now to bring their greate wisedome and granitie in question And nowe we will shewe you some example of the same matter which hath passed in these our dayes to the end that suche princes and greate lordes as stande so muche vppon their honours may when they féele themselues touched as it were vpon the finger frame themselues somwhat to bear with the follie and boldnesse of their subiects The Jtalians write in theyr histories and Annalles that vpon a time when the Pope wente out of the castell Angel in Rome in his accustomed magnificence an olde manne a stranger and vnknown newly come to the citie and not hauing seene any suche things before began to laughe aloude that the Pope and all the Cardinalles heard him who maruelling at the matter demaunded of him by and by the cause of his disordinate laughing This old man that was so aged that there was nothing left vnto him of all his membres to stand him in any stede but onely his tung answered redyly with a high voyce neuer staying thereat the occasion of my laughing said he is why Saint Peter was so poore being in this worlde and so simply apparelled and left his successors so rich and pompous Which answer when al they that stode by herd ther was not one that was offended any thing therat but began al to laugh at the matter as he himselfe did Pope Sextus the .iiij. who was a religious man of the order of S. Francis was exalted to the dignitie Papal A while after a Frier of his own couēt that had ben one of his most familiars came to Rome to visite him the Pope hauing receyued him cry courteously to shew him his great secrets led him into his treasorie where he had great plentie of precious stones riches and other tresures where he sayd vnto him smiling Brother you see I can not say that whiche S. Peter my predecessour sayde that I haue neither gold nor siluer I do confesse that sayde the Frier holy Father neither can you say as he sayd to the impotent lame and leaprous ryse and go your wayes giuing him secretely to vnderstande thereby that riches be enimies to holynesse And the Pope knowyng that he spake nothing but that which was true was not displeased thereat but of himselfe did afterwardes tell the same to a greate number of Bishoppes and Cardinals that were not then presente Raphaell one of the moste excellentest Paynters that euer Italy bredde was vppon a tyme inuited to dinner too a Cardinall in Rome where as the Pope and many other Prelates were presente Thys Cardinall when dinner was doone shewed to them that were present as a maruelous thing a table of the sayd Raphaels making in the which was painted the figure and portraiture of S. Peter and Paule to the ende that they might iudge of