age the then Consuls were L. Crassus and Q. Scaevola his eloquence had then the approbation of the whole people of Rome and which is more of the Consuls themselves who were more judicious than all the rest What he had so well begun in his early youth he afterwards so perfected in his maturer age that he was justly reputed the best Orator of his time and perhaps never excelled by any but his own Pupil M. Tullius Cicero 12. Alexander gave manifest presages of his future greatness while he was yet in his first youth when a Horse called Bucephalus of extraordinary fierceness was brought to King Philip and that no man was found that durst bestride him young Alexander chanced at that time to come to his Father and with great importunity obtain'd leave to mount him whom he rode with that art and managed with such singular skill in his full cariere and curvetting that when he descended his Father Philip embracing him with tears said Son seek out a greater Kingdom for that I shall leave thee will be but too little for thee The greatness of his mind he had before discovered for when he was a Boy at School and that there he was told of a victory his Father had newly obtain'd If said he sighing my Father conquer all what will be left for me when they that stood by replyed That all these would be for him I little esteem said he of a great and large Empire when I shall be deprived of all means for the gaining of Glory 13. Herod the first Son of Antipater Prefect of Galilee when he was not above fifteen years of age contrary to the manner of those of his age left the School and put himself into Arms wherein the first proof he gave of himself was that he set upon Ezekias the Captain of an Army of Thieves who molested all Syria and not only routed his Forces but slew the Leader himself shewing by this beginning that except in cruelty he would prove nothing inferiour to any of the Kings his Predecessors 15. C. Martius Coriolanus in the Latine War which was made for the restitution of Taâ—quinius to his Kingdom shewed an admirable boldness though then very young for beholdiâ—g now a Citizen of Rome beaten down and now ready to be slain by the Enemy he ran into his assistance and gave him life by the death of him that pressed so eagerly upon him for which act of valour the Dictator put a Civick Crown upon his young Hâ—ad an honour that persons of a mature age and great virtue did rarely attain unto He afterwards prov'd a person of incomparable valour and military virtue 15. Adeodatus the Son of S. Augustine before he was fifteen years of age was of so prodigious a wit that his Father saith of him Horrori mihi erat istud ingenium he could not think of it but with astonishment for already at that age he surpassed many great and learned men he also verified the saying of Sages Ingenium nimis mature magnum non est vitale such early sparkling wits are not for any long continuance upon earth for he lived but a few years 16. C. Cassius when very young hearing Faustus the Son of Sylla magnifying the tyranny that his Father exercised in Rome was so moved at it that he gave him a blow upon the face in publick the matter was so heynous that both it and the persons came before Pompey the great whâ—re though in so great a presence the young Câ—ssius was â—o far from being terrified that on the contrary he cryed thus out to his Adversary Go to Faustus said he repeat again those words wherewith I was before so far provoked by thee that I may now also strike thee a second time By this action he gave a notable instance how jealous he would afterwards prove of the Roman Liberty for it was he who with Brutus conspired against Iulius Caesar and slew him as the invader of it and after died with the reputation of being Romanorum ulâ—imus the last true Roman 15. Ianus Drusus that famous Scholar had a Son so singular that from fifteen years old to twenty when he died he wrote excellent Commentaries on the Proverbs and other Books that were not unacceptable amongst the Learned that looked upon them 18. Edburg the eighth Daughter of King Edward in her childhood had her disposition tryed and her course of life disposed by her Father in this manner he laid before her gorgeous Apparel and rich Jewels in one end of a Chamber and the New Testament and Books of Princely Instructions in another wishing her to make her choice of which she liked she presently took up the Books and he her in his Arms and kissing her said Go in God's name whither he hath called thee and thereupon placed her in a Monastery at Winchester where she virtuously spent her whole life after 19. Lewis Duke of Orleance was owner of the Castle at Crucy his Constable was the Lord of Cawny whose Wife the Duke's Paramour had a child not certain which was the Father whereupon Cawny and his Wife being dead a controversie arose the next of kin to Cawny claiming the Inheritance which was four thousand Crowns per annum This controversie depending in the Parliament of Paris the child then eight years old though both instructed by his Mother's Friends to save his Mother's credit and to enjoy so ample an inheritance himself as Cawny's Child yet being asked answered openly to the Judges My heart giveth me and my noble courage telleth me that I am the Son of the noble Duke of Orleance more glad am I to be his Bastard with a mean living than to be the lawful Son of that cowardly Cuckold Cawny with his thousand Crowns inheritance The next of kin had the estate and the young Duke of Orleance took him into his Family who after proved a most valiant and fortunate Warriour against the English in the days of Henry the Sixth and is commonly called the Bastard of Orleance 20. Theodoricus Meschede a German Physician had a Son of the same name who at the age of fifiteen years surpassed in Eloquence and Learning many of those who had gained to themselves fame and reputation thereby He wrote to Trithemius and other learned men of that age almost numberless Epistles upon divers subjects with that Accuracy and Ciceronian Eloquence that for his wit dexterity and promptitude in writing and disputation he became the wonder and admiration of those he had any conversation with CHAP. II. Of such as having been extreme Wild and Prodigal or Debauched in their Youth have afterwards proved excellent Persons THose Bodies are usually the most healthful that break out in their youth and many times the Souls of some men prove the â—ounder for having vented themselves in their younger days Commonly none are greater enemies to Vice than such as formerly have been the slaves of it and have been
Husband was dead This was all and not long after dying though by his Wife he had a Son of his own yet he left the Kingdom to his Brother together with the Queen his Wife Attalus on the other side that he might not be surpassed in Brotherly love though he had many children by his own wife yet he educated that Son she had by Eumenes to the hope of the Kingdom and when he came of sufficient age freely resign'd up all to him and lived a private life many years after 3. When the Emperour Augustus had taken Adiatoriges a Prince of Cappadocia together with his wife and children in war and had led them to Rome in Triumph he gave order that the Father and the elder of the Brothers should be slain The designed Ministers of this execution were come to the place of restraint to this unfortunate family and there enquiring which of the Brethren was the eldest there arose a vehement and earnest contention betwixt the two young Princes each of them affirming himself to be the Elder that by his death he might preserve the life of the other when they had long continued in this pious emulation the Mother at last not without difficulty prevailed with her Son Dyetentus that he would permit his younger Brother to dye in his stead as hoping that by him she might most probably be sustain'd Augustus was at length certified of this great example of brotherly Love and not only lamented that act of his severity but gave an honourable support to the Mother and her surviving Son by some called Clitatus 4. Darius King of the Persians extremely provoked by crimes of an extraordinary nature had pronounced a sentence of death upon Ithaphernes his Children and the whole Family of them at once The wife of Ithaphernes went to the Kings Palace and there all in tears was so loud in her mournfull lamentations that her cryes coming to the Kings ear moved him in such manner to compassion that the King sent her word that with her own he gave her the life of any single person whom she would make choice of among the condemned The woman begged the life of her Brother Darius wondred that she should rather ask his life than that of her Husband or any of her children and therefore asked her the reason who replyed that since her Father was dead she could never hope for a brother more if she should loose this but that her self being but young as yet might hope for another Husband and other children Darius was moved with this answer and being himself repleat with brotherly love as well as prudence he gave her also the life of her eldest Son 5. Bernardus Iustitianus the Venetian had three Sons who the Father being dead were educated by the Mother so great and mutual a love there was betwixt these three that there was nothing more admirable in the City nor more frequently discoursed of Laurentius was one of these and although he had put himself into a Monastery yet this different choice of life hindred nothing of the true affection between them But though Marcus was an eminent Senator and Leonardus an excellent Orator and of singular skill in the Latine and Greek learning yet both went almost daily to the Monastery to dine and sup with their Brother 6. In the division of the Norman Empire Robert promised to his Brother Roger the half of Calabria and all Sicily but when it came to sharing and dividing Robert would give him nothing in Calabria but Meto and Squillacci and bad him to purchase the Realm which he already began to possess meaning Sicily and in the end resolved as Artaxander wrote to Darius that as the world could not endure two Suns so one Realm could not endure two Soveraign Lords Roger being much displeased herewith made war upon him and after many adventures having taken him prisoner in a Castle where Robert was unwisely entred in the habit of a Peasant with a purpose to bring it to his own devotion Roger of a Brotherly love and pity not only saved his life but also restored him to his estate which by right of war and being Prisoner he had lost 7. Anno 1585. The Portugal Ship called S. Iago was cast away upon the Shallows near to S. Lawrence and towards the Coast of Mosambique here it was that divers persons had leapt into the great Boat to save their lives and finding that it was over burthened they chose a Captain whom they swore to obey who caused them to cast lots and such as the lot light upon to be cast over board There was one of those that in Portugal are called new Christians he being allotted to be cast over board into the Sea had a younger Brother in the same Boat that suddenly rose up and desired the Captain that he would pardon and make free his Brother and let him supply his place Saying My Brother is elder and of better knowledge in the world than I therefore more fit to live in the world and to help my Sisters and Friends in their need so that I had rather dye for him than live without him At which request they remitted the elder Brother and threw the younger at his own request into the Sea who swum at least six hours after the Boat And although they held up their hands with naked Swords willing him that he should not once come to touch the Boat yet laying hold thereon and having his hand half cut in two he would not let go so that in the end they were constrained to take him in again Both these Brethren I knew and have been in company with them 8. Titus Vespasian the Emperour bare such a brotherly Love towards Domitian that although he knew he spake irreverently of him and that he had sollicited the Army to rebel against him yet he never treated him with the less love or respect for all this nor would endure that others should but called him his Copartner and successor in the Empire sometimes when they were alone together he besought him not only with earnest entreaties but with tears too that he would bear the same fraternal love towards him as he should ever find from him 9. Heliodorus the Britain had afterwards the Sirname of Pius upon this occasion the People provoked with the cruelty and Avarice of Archigallus had deposed him and raised Heliodorus to the Throne of his Brother One time when the King went a hunting he accidently met with his Brother Archigallus in the Wood whose altered Visage and ragged Cloaths gave sufficient evidence of his afflicted condition As soon as the King knew him though he was not ignorant how he had sought his restoration both by force and fraud yet he lovingly embraced him and caused him privately to be conveyed into the City The King pretended he was sick and giving forth that he would dispose of the affairs of his Realm by his last
how they have been rewarded 119 Chap. 17. Of the envious Nature and Disposition of some men 120 Chap. 18. Of Modesty and the Shame-faced Nature of some men and women 122 Chap. 19. Of Impudence and the shameless Behaviour of divers persons 124 Chap. 20. Of Iealousie and how strangely some have been affected with it 125 Chap. 21. Of the Commiseration Pity and Compassion of some men to others in time of their Adversity 127 Chap. 22. Of the deep Dissimulation and Hypocrisie of some men 128 The THIRD BOOK CHap. 1. Of the early appearance of Virtue Learning Greatness of Spirit and Subtlety in some Young Persons 130 Chap. 2. Of such as having been extream Wild and Prodigal or Debauched in their Youth have afterwards proved excellent Persons 132 Chap. 3. Of Punctual Observations in Matters of Religion and the great regard some men have had to it 134 Chap. 4. Of the Veracity of some Persons and their great Love to Truth and hatred of Flattery and Falshood 137 Chap. 5. Of such as have been great Lovers and Promoters of Peace 139 Chap. 6. Of the signal Love that some men have shewed to their Country 140 Chap. 7. Of the singular Love of some Husbands to their Wives 142 Chap. 8. Of the singular Love of some Wives to their Husbands 144 Chap. 9. Of the Indulgence and great Love of some Parents to their Children 147 Chap. 10. Of the Reverence and Piety of some Children to their Parents 149 Chap. 11. Of the singular Love of some Brethren to each other 152 Chap. 12. Of the singular Love of some Servants to their Masters 154 Chap. 13. Of the Faithfulness of some men to their Engagement and Trust reposed in them 157 Chap. 14. Of the exact Obedience which some have yielded to their Superiours 159 Chap. 15. Of the Generosity of some Persons and the Noble Actions by them performed 161 Chap. 16. Of the Frugality and Thriftiness of some men in their Apparel Furniture and other things 164 Chap. 17. Of the Hospitality of some men and their free Entertainment of Strangers 165 Chap. 18. Of the blameless and innocent Life of some Persons 167 Chap. 19. Of the choicest Instances of the most intire Friendship 168 Chap. 20. Of the Grateful Disposition of some Persons and what returns they have made of Benefits received 171 Chap. 21. Of the Meekness Humanity Clemency and Mercy of some men 174 Chap. 22. Of the light and gentle Revenges some have taken upon others 177 Chap 23. Of the Sobriety and Temperance of some men in their Meat and Drink and other things 179 Chap. 24. Of the Affability and Humility of divers Great Persons 181 Chap. 25. Of Counsel and the Wisdom of some men therein 182 Chap. 26 Of the Subtilty and Prudence of some men in the Investigation and discovery of things and their Determinations about them 184 Chap. 27. Of the Liberal and Bountiful Disposition of divers Great Persons 186 Chap. 28. Of the Pious Works and Charitable Gifts of some men 189 Chap. 28. Of such as were Lovers of Iustice and Impartial Administrators of it 192 Chap. 30. Of such Persons as were Illustrious for their singular Chastity both Men and Women 195 Chap. 31. Of Patience and what power some men have had over their Passions 199 Chap. 32. Of such as have well deported themselves in their Adversity or been improved thereby 200 Chap. 33. Of the willingness of some men to forgive Injuries received 201 Chap. 34. Of such as have patiently taken free Speeches and Reprehensions from their Inferiors 203 Chap. 35. Of the incredible strength of Mind wherewith some Persons have supported themselves in the midst of Torments and other Hardship 205 Chap. 36. Of the Fortitude and Personal Valour of some famous Men. 207 Chap. 37. Of the fearless Boldness of some Men and their desperate Resolutions 210 Chap. 38. Of the immoveable Constancy of some Persons 213 Chap. 39. Of the great Confidence of some Men in themselves 214 Chap. 40. Of the great reverence shewed to Learning and Learned Men. 216 Chap. 41. Of the exceeding intentness of some Men upon their Meditations and Studies 218 Chap. 42. Of such Persons as were of choice Learning and singular Skill in the Tongues Chap. 43. Of the first Authors of divers famous Inventions 222 Chap. 44. Of the admirable Works of some curious Artists 224. Chap. 45. Of the Industry and Pains of some Men and their hatred of Idleness 229 Chap. 46. Of the Dexterity of some men in the instruction of several Crâ—atures 230 Chap. 47. Of the Taciturnity and Secrecy of some men instrusted with privacies 232 Chap. 48. Of such who in their raised Fortunes have been mindful of their low beginnings 233 Chap. 49. Of such as have despised Riches and of the laudable poverty of some illustrious persons 234 Chap. 50. Of such Persons as have preferred Death before the loss of thâ—ir Liberty and what some have endured in the preservation of it 237 Chap. 51. Of such as in highest Fortunes have been mindful of humane frailty 238 Chap. 52. Of such as were of unusual Fortune and Felicity 239 Chap. 53. Of the Gallantry wherewith some Persons have received death or the message of it 241 The FOURTH BOOK CHap. 1. Of Atheists and such as have made no account of Religion with their Sacrilegious actions and the punishments thereof 361 Chap. 2. Of such as were exceeding hopeful in youth but afterwards improved to the worse 363 Chap. 3. Of the rigorous Severity of some Parents to their Children and how unnatural others have shewed themselves towards them 364 Chap. 4. Of the degenerate Sons of illustrious Parents 366 Chap. 5. Of undutiful and unnatural Children to their Parents 368 Chap. 6. Of the Affectation of divine Honours and the desire of some men te be reputed Gods 370 Chap. 7. Of unnatural Husbands to their Wives 372 Chap. 8. Of such Wives as were unnatural to their Husbands or evil deported towards them 373 Chap. 9. Of the deep hatred some have conceived against their own Brethren and the unnatural actions of Brothers and Sisters 374 Chap. 10. Of the Barbarous and Savage Cruelty of some men 376 Chap. 11. Of the bitter Revenges that some men have taken upon their enemies 379 Chap. 12. Of the great and grievous oppressions and unmercifulness of some men and their punishments 382 Chap. 13. Of the bloody and cruel Massacres in several places and their occasions 384 Chap. 13. Of the excessive Prodigality of some Persons 385 Chap. 14. Of the Prodigious Luxury of some men in their Feasting 387 Chap. 15. Of the Voraciousness of some great Eaters and the Swallowers of Stones c. 390 Chap. 16. Of great Drinkers and what great quantities they have swallowed 391 Chap. 17. Of Drunkenness and what hath befallen some men in theirs 393 Chap. 18. Of the Luxury and Expence of some Persons in Apparel and their Variety therein and in their other Furniture 395 Chap. 19. Of Gaming
do 12. In the Person of the great Sfortia all other things did so answer to that military reputation and glory he did acquir'd that being oftentimes in the same habit with many of his Attendants and at other times alone without any retinue yet was he easily discern'd and saluted as the chief and Prince of the rest by the Countrey-men and such Rusticks as had never before seen him 13. Alexander the Great though he took little care of his body is yet reported to be very beautiful he is said to have yellow haâ—r and his locks fell into natural Rings and curles besides which in the composure of his Face there was something so great and august as begat a fear in them that look'd upon him 14. Caius Marius being cast into the depth and extremity of misery and in great hazard of his life was saved by the Majesty of his Person for while he liv'd in a private house at Minturn there was a publick Officer a Cimbrian by Nation that was sent to be his Executioner he came to this unarmed and at that time squallid old Man with his Sword drawn but astonish'd at the noble presence of so great a Man he cast away his Sword and ran away trembling and amazed Marius had conquer'd the Cimbrian Nation and perhaps it was this that help'd to break the courage of him that came to kill him or possibly the gods thought it unworthy that he should fall by a single person of that Nation who had broke and triumphed over the whole strength of it at once The Minturnians also themselves when they had taken and bound him yet moved with something they saw of extraordinary in him suffered him to go at liberty though the late Victory of Sylla was enough to make them fear they should e're long repent it 15. Ludovicus Pius King of France had many virtues worthy of a King and Heroe This is also remembred of him that upon the taking of Damiata he was circumvented and taken by Melaxala the Sultan of Aegypt when unequal terms were proposed unto him he refused them with great constancy and although he was in great danger amongst such as had slain their own Sultan and though while he lay sick they rush'd upon him with their drawn Swords either to kill him or force him to subscribe to unequal conditions yet with the Majesty of his Face and that Dignity that was in his countenance he restrained their fierceness so that they desisted to afford him further trouble 16. Alphonsus King of Arragon is famous for the like Majesty and Princely constancy of whom after in a Naval fight he was taken Prisoner by the Genoans Panulphus Collenutius thus relates that he bare such a countenance was of that Majesty and constancy that as well by Sea as Land at Millain and in all other places he commanded and was obeyed in no other manner than if he had been free and a Conquerour For to omit other things when he was brought before Ischia and the Captain of the Ship wherein he was spake to him that he should command that City to submit it self to the Genoeses he gallantly reply'd that he would not do it and that he hoped they should not gain a stone of his jurisdiction without Arms and blood for he well knew that none of his Subjects would obey any such command while he remained a Captive he so confounded the Captain that Blasius the Admiral was constrained to appease him with fair words and to declare that the Captain had not spoken this by any order from him but that it was the effect of his own imprudence So that it was commonly said that Alphonsus alone in whatsoever fortune he was was deservedly a King and ought so to be called 17. Philippus Arabs having obtained the Empire in his Journey towards Rome made his Son C. Iulius Saturnius co-partner with him in that honour Of this young Prince it is said that he was of so severe and grave a countenance and disposition that from five years of Age he was never observed to laugh and thereupon was call'd Agelastus nothing how ridiculous soever could provoke him to a smile and when the Emperour in the secular Plays brake out into an effuse laughter he as one that was ashamed or displeased thereat turned away his face from him 18. Cassander having made Olympias the Mother of Alexander the Great his Prisoner and fearing the inconstancy of the Macedonians that they would one time or other create him some trouble in favour of her sent Soldiers with express command to kill her immediately She seeing them come towards her obstinate and armed in a Royal Robe and leaning upon two Maids of her own accord she set forward to meet them At sight of her her intended Murtherers stood astonish'd revering the Majesty of her former fortune and the names of many of their Kings that were so nearly related to her They therefore stood still but the Kindred of those whom Olympias had formerly put to death that at once they might gratifie Cassander and revenge the dead these slew the Queen while she neither declin'd the Sword nor wounds nor made any feminine out-cry but after the manner of gallant Men and agreeable to the glory of her ancient stock receiv'd her death That Alexander himself might seem to be seen to die in the person of his Mother 19. When Alexander the Great was dead his Soldiers were in expectation of Riches and his Friends to succeed him in the Empire and they might seem the less vain in such expectation seeing they were Men of that virtue and Princely port that you would have thought each of them a King such Majesty and beauty in the countenance such stature and talness of body so great strength and wisdom was conspicuous in all of them that they who knew them not would have concluded they had been chosen not out of any one Nation but out of all the parts of the World And certainly before that time neither Macedon nor any other Nation could ever boast of the production of so many gallant and Illustrious persons at once whom Philip first and after him his Son Alexander had selected with that care that they seemed to be made choice of not so much to assist in the Wars as to succeed in the Government What wonder is it then that the whole World was subdued by such able Ministers when the Army of the Macedonians was conducted by as many Kings as Captains who had never found their equals unless they had fallen out amongst themselves and Macedon instead of one had had many Alexanders unless Fortune in emulation of one another's virtue had armed them to their mutual destruction 20. Guntherus Bishop of Babenberg died in the year of our Lord 1064. in his journey as he was travelling towards Ierusalem and the Holy Land This Prince besides the composedness of his Life and the riches of his mind was also
Ey'd lame of a Leg a Dwarf and as it were a Monster amongst Men yet he thought himself so monstrous in nothing as in that he had no Philosopher in his Court and of his Council 11. Xantippus a Lacedemonian was the General of the Carthaginians at such time as they took prisoner Attilius Regulus this Man was of a horrid and truculent Aspect his personage made no shew of dignity or comeliness and his stature was very small but with these disadvantages he had a sharp Wit and a body so strong that he was too hard for those that were much taller than himself 12. Tyrteus the Poet who was appointed by the Oracle to be the Leader of the Spartans against the Messenians and under whose conduct they became victorious after they had been three times overthrown by their Enemies was of a foul and contemptible Aspect and lame of one Foot insomuch as he was scoff'd at by those whom he came to assist but they soon found how much so deformed a person was able to contribute to their successes for he so enflam'd their crest-fallen courages by his verses that they resolved rather to dye than return without conquest 13. Boccharis was a most deformed Prince as ever Egypt had Yet as Diodorus Siculus saith of him in Wisdom and Knowledge he went far beyond all his Predecessors 14. Crates the Theban was a wise Philosopher yet of a deformed Aspect and crooked insomuch that when he exercised himself he was commonly derided by all the by-standers Then would he lift up his hands and say Courage Crates in respect of thine Eyes and the rest of thy Body for thou shalt shortly see those that deride thee consum'd with diseases and then detesting their own sloth they will begin to applaud him whom they so lately scorn'd 15. As it is said of Plato that he was bunch-back'd and of Aristotle that he did stammer and stutter in his Speech So we read of Agamesor an Academick Philosopher that amongst other deformities he had a withered Leg and nothing left thereof but skin and bone yet a wise and prudent person for being once met with some others at a Feast all the other by way of mockery insulted upon him and made a law amongst themselves that they should all stand upon their right Leg and every one so drink his Bowl of Wine or else pay a piece of Money as a forfeiture Now when it came to Agamesors turn to command he charged all to drink in that manner as they saw him drink then call'd he for an earthen pitcher with a narrow mouth into which when he had thrust his poor consumed Leg he poured a cup of Wine and drank it off and when all the rest had assay'd and found they could not do as he did they were all enforced to pay the forfeiture and had the malignity of their scoffing at him return'd upon themselves CHAP. XX. Of the great resemblance and likeness of some men in Face Feature c. to others THe Faces of Men are little Tablets which though but small in compass the skilful Hand of the great Artificer hath wisely drawn over with such infinite variety that amongst the millions of millions wherewith this Globe of Earth is furnished there is not any two of them to be found that are in all points so alike but that they carry certain Marks upon them whereby they are distinguishable from each other were it not for this no man could know to whom he is indebted by whom he hath been injured or to whom he is beholden the murderer would be concealed in a crowd and the world would be full of incests and adulteries As for those few that are extremely like they are rarities that serve rather to administer to our pleasure than our fears through any errour or mistake that may arise about them 1. Nicholas and Andrew Tremain were Twins and younger Sons to Thomas Tremain of Colecomb in the County of Devonshire Esquire such their likeness in all lineaments they could not be distinguished but by their several habits which when they were pleas'd in private confederacy to exchange for disport they occasioned more mirthful mistakes than ever were acted in the Amphitruo of Plautus they felt like pain though at distance and without intelligence given they equally desired to walk travel sit sleep eat drink together as many credible Gentry of the Vicinage by relation from their Father will attest In this they differ'd that at Newhaven in France the one was a Captain of a Troop and the other but a private Soldier here they were both slain 1564. death being pitiful to kill them together to prevent the lingering languishing of the survivor 2. Artemon a mean man amongst the Commons was so like in all points to Antiochus King of Syria that Laodice the Queen after that Antiochus her Husband was kill'd served her own turn by him and made him play the part of Antiochus until she had by his means as in the King's person recommended whom she would and made over the Kingdom and Crown in succession and reversion to whom she thought good 3. Vibius a poor Commoner of Rome and Publicius one newly of a bondslave made a freed-man were both of them so like unto Pompey the great that the one could very hardly be discern'd from the other So lively did they represent that good Visage of his so full of honesty so fully did they resemble and express the singular Majesty that appeared in the fore-head of Pompey 4. The Father of Pompey call'd Strabo had yet the additional sirname of Menogenes which was his Cook and Slave and this meerly because he so much resembled him 5. One of the Scipio's was sirnam'd Serapius for that a base Slave of his no better than a Swine-herd of that name did so nearly resemble him Another of the Scipio's of the same House after him was call'd Salutio because a certain Jester of that name was so like unto him 6. After the same manner one Spintber and Pamphilus two Players gave their names to Lentulus and Metellus who were both Consuls together in one year and that because they resembled them so much contrariwise Rubrius the Stage-player was sirnamed Plancus because he was so like unto Plancus the Orator 7. Burbuleius and Mâ—nogenes both Players of Interludes so resembled Curio the Elder and Messala Censorius that though this latter had been Censor neither of them could avoid the being sirnamed after them 8. There was in Sicily a certain Fisher-man who resembled in all points Sura the Proconsul not only in visage and feature of the Face but also in putting out his mouth when he spake in drawing his Tongue short and in his huddle and thick Speech 9. Toranius a Merchant Slave seller sold unto Marcus Antonius one of the greatest Triumvirs two most beautiful and sweet faced Boys for Twins so like they were one to the other albeit
no place by Land safe for him resolved to seek some refuge by the waters and got into a boat to convey himself to a Tower in the midst of the Rhine near a little City called Bingen But the Rats threw themselves by infinite heaps into the Rhine and swam to the foot of the Tower and clambering up the wall entred therein and fell upon the Archbishop gnawing and biting and throttling and tearing and tugging him most miserably till he dyed This Tower is yet to be seen and at this day call'd Rats Tower It is also remarkable that whiles the Archbishop was yet alive and in perfect health the Rat 's gnawed and razed out his name written and painted upon many walls 32. Sylla the Dictator had at first an inward ulcer through which his flesh having contracted corruption was wholly turned into lice nor could any remedy be found for so great an evil the shifting of Garments use of Baths change of Diet would do no good but such a number of Lice did perpetually issue out together with flesh as overcame all endeavours to cleanse him long did this disease afflict him till at last in great misery and horrible torments he ended his days 33. Anno Dom. 1217. Henry the First was King of Spain being yet a Child nor did he long enjoy the Kingdom for after the second year of his Reign he was taken away by a sad and unexpected accident For while at Valentia he was playing in the Court-yard of the Palace with his equals it fortun'd that a tilâ— fell from the house upon his head which so brake his skull that he dy'd of the wound upon the eleventh day after he receiv'd it 34. Haquinus King of Norway had in pitch'd Field overcame Haraldus the Son of Gunilda who with the assistance of the Danes had invaded his Kingdom and while he was upon return to his Ships there was seen a Dart uncertain from what hand it came long hovering in the Air as if it knew not where to light while every man was apprehensive of the danger of his own person it at last fell with that force upon the head of Haquinus that it slew him in the place some suppose it was procur'd by the witchcraf of Gunilda in revenge of her Sons dishonour however Haraldus by this unhop'd for death of his enemy obtain'd the Kingdom of Norway 35. The Romans under Titus had entred the Temple of Ierusalem the Jews set fire on it with a purpose to drive them thence or consume them there amongst others that were distressed in the flames was one Artorius who having espy'd below his Camrade Lucius call'd to him wIth a loud voice That he made him his Heir of all he had if he would stand to receive him as he leapt down into his arms he readily came and stood to receive him Artorius was sav'd but Lucius oppressed with the fall of him was so bruised upon the stones that he dyed upon it 36. A certain Priest that was well skill'd in swimming and groping for Fish had in a deep place under the Banks light of a Pearch which to hold the better he put into his mouth and so to swim back to his companions the Pearch with her strugling slipt so far into his Throat that the miserable Priest was strangled by it notwithanding all the endeavours his associates could use to the contrary sic perca Parca fuit saith my Author thus the Fish was his fate 37. Nicon the Thasian Champion was dead and a Statue erected in memory of him and his exploits one of his Rivals in Honour out of a deep hatred he had conceiv'd against the deceased and being not able to reach his person with a club laid load upon his Statue which being thus beaten fell with such a weight upon the injurious person below it that it crush'd and bruised him to death upon the place saith Suidas 38. We read in Strada of a Baker in that Street of Rome which is call'd Suburra wâ—o having sneez'd twenty three times in one continued breath dy'd upon the twenty fourth 39. Grimoaldus King of the Lombards upon the ninth day after he had opened a vein in his arm by the advice of the Physicians took a Bow into his Hand and shot at a Pidgeon by which the Vein was again so suddenly and unhappily unclosed that it poured out so much Blood as sufficed to carry out his life along with it 40. I will shut up this Chapter with some such Examples of sudden death as I meet with in Pliny and they are such as followeth two of the Caesars that had been Pretors dy'd one at Pisa and the other at Rome in the Morning as they were putting on their Shooes Q. Aemylius Iaepidus as he was going out of his Bed-chamber hit his great Toe against the Door side and therewith dy'd Caius Aufidius going to the Senate stumbled and dy'd immediately An Embassador of the Rhodians who had to the admiration of all that were present pleaded their cause before the Senate in the very entry of the Council-house as he was going forth fell down dead and never spake word Cn. Bebius Pamphilus who had been Praetor dy'd suddenly as he was asking a Boy what it was a clock Aulus Pompeius as he had finished his Prayers Iuventius Thalna as he was sacrificing Servilius Pansa as he stood at a Shop in the Market-place leaning upon the shoulder of his Brother P. Pansa Bebius the Judge as he was adjourning the day of ones appearance in the Court Mr. Terentius Corax as he was writing Letters in the Market place C. Iulius a Surgeon as he was dressing the sore Eye of another L. Manlius Torquatus at Supper reaching a Cake to one of his Guests L. Durius Valla as he drank a Potion of honey'd Wine Appius Aufeius newly come out of the Bath and as he supp'd up a reer Egg. P. Quintius Scapula as he was at Supper in the House of Aquilius Gallus Decimus Saufeius the Scribe as he was at Dinner in his own House Nemo tam divos habuit faventes Crastinum ut possit sibi polliceri Res Deus nostras celeri citatas Turbine versat CHAP. XXXVII Of the dead Bodies of some great Persons which not without difficulty found their Graves and of others not permitted to rest there THe Grave is the common House and home that is appointed for all the living that safe harbour that lies open for all those Passangers that have been toss'd upon the troubled Sea of this mortal life Here The purpl'd Princes strip'd of all their pride Lye down uncrowned by the poor mans side Only it sometimes so falls out that some great persons are not suffered to go to rest when their bed is made and others are pull'd out of those Lodgings whereof they had once taken a peaceable possession 1. No sooner had the Soul of that victorious Prince William the Conquerour left his
third day after he was offered by the Victor his liberty and restauration to the Kingdom in case he would confirm to Thebaldus what he was possessed of therein But he in an inconceiveable hatred to him that had made him his Prisoner reply'd That he should ever scorn to receive those and greater proffers from so base a hand as his Thebaldus had reason to resent this affront and therefore told him he would make him repent his so great insolence At which Gualterus inflam'd with a greater fury tare of his cloths and brake the ligatures of his wounds crying out that he would live no longer since he was fallen into the hands of such a man that treated him with threats upon which he tare open the lips of his wounds and thrust his hands into his Intestines so that when he resolvedly refused all food and ways of cure he forcibly drave out his furious Soul from his Body and lest only one Daughter behind him who might have been happier had she not had a breast to her Father CHAP. X. Of Fear and the strange effects of it also of panick fears THe Spartans would not consecrate to the Gods any of those spoils which they had taken from the Enemy they thought they were unfit presents â—or them and no convenient sight for their own Children because they were things pluck'd off from them who suffer'd themselves to be taken through fear The meaning was they look'd upon the fearful man as neither pleasing to God nor profitable to Man the truth is an habitual coward is a man of no price but withal there are certain times wherein the worthiest of men have found their courage to desert them and upon some occasions more than others 1. Augustus Caesar was somewhat over timerous of Thunder and Lightning so that he always and every where carry'd with him the skin of a Sea-calf as a remedie And upon suspicion of approaching tempest would retreat into some ground or vaulted place as having been formerly affrighted by extraordinary flashes of Lightning in a nights journey of his 2. Caius Caligula who otherwise was a great contemner of the gods yet would wink at the least Thunder and Lightning and cover his head if there chanc'd to be greater and lowder he would then leap out of his bed and run to hide himself under it 3. Philippus Vicecomes was of so very timerous and a fearful Nature that upon the hearing of any indifferent Thunder he would tremble and shake with fear and as a person in distraction run up and down to seek out some subterranean hiding place 4. Pope Alexander the third being in France and performing divine Offices upon Good Fryday upon the sudden there was a horrible darkness and while the Reader was upon the Passion of Christ and was speaking of those words It is finished there fell such a stupendous Lightning and such a terrible crack of Thunder follow'd that Alexander leaving the Altar and the Reader deserting the Passion all that were present ran out of the place consulting their own safety by flight 5. Archelaus King of Macedon being ignorant of the effects of Natural Causes when once there hapned an Eclipse of the Sun as one overcome and astonish'd with fear he caus'd his Palace to be hastily shut up and as it was the usual custom in cases of extreme mourning and sadness he caus'd the hair of his Sons head to be cut off 6. Diomedes was the Steward of Augustus the Emperour as they two were on a time walking out together on the sudden there brake loose a wild Boar who took his way directly towards them here the Steward in the fear he was in gat behind the Emperour and interposed him betwixt the danger and himself Augustus though in great hazard yet knowing it was more his fear than his malice resented it no farther than to jest with him upon it 7. At the time when Caius Caligula was slain Claudius Caesar seeing all was full of sedition and slaughter thrust himself into a hole in a by corner to hide himself though he had no cause to be apprehensive of danger besides the illustriousness of his Birth being thus found he was drawn out by the Soldiers for no other purpose than to make him Emperour he besought their mercy as supposing all they said to be nothing else but a cruel mockery but they when through fear and dread of death he was not able to go took him up upon their shoulders carryed him to the Camp and proclaim'd him Emperour 8. Fulgos Argelatus by the terrible noise that was made by an Earthquake was so affrighted that his fear drave him into madness and his madness unto death for he cast himself headlong from the upper part of his house and so died 9. Cassander the Son of Antipater came to Alexander the Great at Babylon where finding himself not so welcome by reason of some suspicions the King had conceiv'd of his treachery he was seis'd with such a terrour at this suspicion of his that in the following times having obtain'd the Kingdom of Macedon and made himself Lord of Greece walking at Delphos and there viewing the Statues he cast his eye upon that of Alexander the Great at which sight he conceiv'd such horror that he trembled all over and had much ado to recover himself from under the power of that agony 10. The Emperour Maximilian the First being taken by the people of Bruges and divers of the Citizens who took his part slain Nicholaus de Helst formerly a prisoner together with divers others had the sentence of death pass'd upon him and being now laid down to receive the stroke of the Sword The people suddenly cry'd out Mercy he was pardon'd as to his life but the paleness his face had contracted by reason of his fear of his approaching death continued with him from that time forth to the last day of his life 11. We are told by Zacchias of a young man of Belgia who saith he not many years since was condemn'd to be burnt it was observ'd of him by as many as would that through the extremity of fear he sweat blood and Maldonate tells the like of one at Paris who having receiv'd the sentence of death for a crime by him committed sweat blood out of several parts of the body 12. Being about four or six years since in the County of Cork there was an Irish Captain a man of middle age and stature who coming with some of his followers to render himself to the Lord Broghil who then commanded the English forces in those parts upon a publick offer of pardon to the Irish that would lay down arms he was casually in a suspicious place met with by a party of the English and intercepted the Lord Broghil being then absent he was so apprehensive of being put to death before his return that that anxiety of mind quickly chang'd the colour of his
spake and did he knew not what 9. Upon Thursday the twenty fourth of March 1602 about two of the Clock in the Morning deceased Queen Elizabeth at her Mannour of Richmond in Surrey she then being aged seventy years of which she had reigned forty four five Months and odd days Her Corps were privily conveighed to White-Hall and there remained till the twenty eight of April following and was then buried at Westminster at which time the City of Westminster was surcharged with multitudes of all sorts of people in the Streets Houses Windows Leads and Gutters that came to see the Obsequie and when they beheld her Statue lying in Royal Robes with a Crown upon the Head there was such a general sighing groaning and weeping as the like hath not been seen or known in the memory of man neither doth any History mention any people time or state to make the like lamentation for the death of their Sovereign 10. Secundus the Philosopher had been many years absent from home so that he was unknown to the Family by face and upon his return he was very desirous to make some experiment of the chastity of his Mother he courted her as a strangeâ— and so far prevailed that he was admitted to her Bed where he revealed to her who he was at the hearing of which the Mother was so over-born with shame and grief that she gave up the Ghost 11. Peter Alvarado the Governour of Guatimala married the Lady Beatrice Della Culva and he being dead by a mischance his Wife abandoned her self to all the excesses of grief and not only painted her House with sorrows black Livery and abstained from meat and sleep but in a mad impiety said God could now do her no greater evil Soon after anno 1582 happened an extraordinary inundation of waters which on the sudden first assailed the Governour 's House and caused this impotent and impatient Lady now to bethink her self of her devotion and betake her to her Chappel with eleven of her Maids where leaping on the Altar and clasping about an Image the force of the water ruined the Chappel and she with her Maids found their death therein 12. Gormo Father of one Câ—nute slain before Dublin so exceedingly lov'd this Son of his that he sware to kill him that brought him news of his death which when Thira his Mother heard she used this way to make it known to him she prepared Mourning Apparel and laid aside all Princely State which the old man perceiving he concluded his Son dead and with excessive grief that he conceived thereat he speedily ended his days 13. Cardanus relates of a man in Milan who in sixty years having never been without the Walls of the City yet when the Duke hearing thereof sent him a peremptory command never to go out of the Gates during life he that before had no inclination to do so died of very grief to be denied the liberty of doing it 14. King Eâ—helstan being jealous of Edwin his Brother caused him to be put into a little Pinnace without tackling or Oars one only Page accompanying of him that his death might be imputed to the Waves the young Prince overcome with the grief of this his Brother's unkindness cast himself over-board headlong into the Sea 15. When Queen Mary was informed of the loss of Calis in France she was so affected therewith that she took no pleasure in any thing She would often say that the loss of Calis was written in her heart and might there be read when her body should be opened and indeed the grief she took thereupon shortned her days so that she but a while outlived that news that was so unacceptable to her 16. Margaret Daughter to Iames the Fourth King of Scotland married to Lâ—wis the Dauphin of France was of so nasty a complexion and stinking breath that her Husband after the first night loathed her company for grief of which she soon after died 17. Charles Duke of Burgundy being discomfited at the Battle of Nancy passing over a River was overthrown by his Horse and in that estate was assaulted by a Gentleman of whom he craved quarter but the Gentleman being deaf slew him immediately yet afterwards when he knew whom he had slain he died within few days of grief and melancholy 18. Aâ—urath the sixth Emperour of the Turks at his â—irst ascent to the Throne to free himself of Competitors caused his five Brethren Mustapha Solyman Abdâ—lla Osman and Tzihanger to be all strangled in his presence The Mother of Solyman pierced through with the cruel death of her young Son as a woman overcome with grief and sorrow struck her self to the heart with a Dagger and so died 19. Amurath the Second having long lain before the Walls of Croja and assaulted it in vain and being no way able either by force or â—lattery to bring Scanderbeg to terms of submission or agreement angry that his Presents and Propositions were refused he resolved to make a terrible assault upon Croja from all Quarters but this by the Christian Valour proving greater loss to him than before not able to behold the endless slaughter of his men he gave over the assault and return'd into his Camp as if he had been a man half frantick or distract of his wits and there sate down in his Tent all that day full of melancholy passions sometimes violently pulling his hoary Beard and white Locks complaining of his hard and disastrous fortune that he had lived so long to see those days of disgrace wherein all his â—ormer Glory and triumphant Victories were obscured by one base Town of Epirus His Bassas and grave Counsellours by long discourses sought to comfort him but dark and heavy conceits had so overwhelmed the melancholy old Tyrant that nothing could content his wayward mind or revive his dying spirits so that the little remainder of natural heat which was left in his aged body now oppressed and almost extinguished with melancholy conceits and his body it self dryed up with sorrow he became sick for pure grief Feeling his sickness dayly to encrease so that he could not longer live lying upon a Pallet in his Pavilion he sadly complained to his Bassas that the destinies had blemished all the former course of his life with such an obscure death That he who had so often repressed the fury of the Hungarians and almost brought to nought the pride of the Grecians together with their name should now be enforced to give up the Ghost under the Walls of an obscure Castle as he termed it and that in the sight of his contemptible enemy Shortly aâ—ter he became speechless and striving with the pangs of death half a day he then expired This was anno 1450 when he had lived eighty five years and thereof reigned thirty 20. Franciscus Foscarus according to the manner of Venice was elected Duke thereof during his life and long did he govern that
in a schedule that by the instigation of Satan mov'd with false suspicions he had murdered his innocent Wife and having tied this Note to his Left Arm he threw himself headlong from the top of his House into the Street by which â—all he died 8. Ionuses a great Bassa of the Turks upon an overthrow of the Christians beheld amongst other Captives then taken the Lady Manto a most beautiful Greek as much surpassing all other the companions of her misfortune in loveliness as the Sun doth the lesser Stars Ionuses with this one view was himself taken prisoner and finding her outward perfections no less graced with inward virtues and her honourable mind answerable to her rare â—eatures he took her to his Wife honouring her far above all the rest of his Wives and Concubines and she again in all dutiful Loyalty seeking to please him for a space she lived in all worldly felicity and bliss not much inferiour to one of the great Sultanesses But not long after the Bassa more amorous of her person than secured in her virtues and aster the manner of sensual men still fearing lest that which so much pleased himself gave no less contentment to others also began to have her in distrust although he saw no great cause more than his own conceit not grounded upon any her evil demeanour but upon the excess of his own liking which mad humour of it self still more and more encreasing in him he became so froward and imperious that nothing she could say or do could now so please to content him but he still thought some one or other to be partakers with him Thus he tormented himself and her with his own passionate distrust until at length the fair Lady grieved to see her self thus without cause suspected and wearied with the insolent pride of her peevish Husband determined secretly to depart from him and so return again into her own Country Her purpose she discovered to one of her Eunuchs to whom she had also delivered certain Letters to be by him conveyed unto such of her Friends whose help she was to use in her intended slight These Letters the false Eunuch opened and so for the more clear manifestration of the matter delivered them unto the Bassa his Master who therewith enraged and calling her unto him forthwith in his fury with a Dagger stabbed her to the heart and slew her and so together with the death of his love cured himself of so tormenting a jealousie 9. Leontius an Athenian Philosopher had a Daughter called Athenais of admirable beauty and a singular wit the Father with a secret presage of her good fortune had left his whole estate and at his death only bequeathed to her an hundred Crowns saying that her fortune would be sufficient for her Upon this occasion she falls out with them and was thereupon by them forced to Constantinople Then it was that she insinuated her self and commended her cause to Pulcheria the Emperour's Sister whom she so much pleased that hearing she was a Virgin she caused her to be baptized nam'd her Eudoxia and married her to her Brother Theodosius the Emperour with whom she could do all things This was her ascent now hear her fall Upon the day of Epiphany as the Emperour return'd from Church with great pomp and magnificence a certain Countryman a Stranger brake through the press accosteth Theodosius who was of most easie access and presented him with an Apple of an extraordinary size esteem'd at that time a rare fruit the Emperour receiveth it gratefully and commanded to give the good man presently to the value of an hundred and fifty Crowns As soon as he was return'd to the Palace he goes to visit the Empress and full of joy gave her the fair present for a great rarity The good Empress having understood that Paulinus a great Favourite of Theodosius kept his Bed sick of the Gout to please and comfort him had sent him the Apple not mentioning from whom she had received it Paulinus was seised with so great a joy at such a favour from a person so eminent that the contentment he received charm'd at that time the pain of his Gout He so admired this goodly fruit that he judged it worthy of Imperial Hands and forthwith he sent it to the Emperour excusing himself through his indisposition that he was not himself the messenger Theodosius knew the Apple which he had very lately put into the Empress's hands whereupon a furious jealousie began to lay hold on his gentle spirit he instantly sends for Eudoxia and to sound her heart demanded what was become of the â—air Apple he had given her The poor Princess was overtaken something appeared on the brow of her Husband whereby she perceived thaâ— his â—air Soul was not in its ordinary situation she therefore declin'd entreaty and thinking to underprop her innocenâ—y with a lie said she had eaten the Apple The Emperour urged her upon this answer she who already was involv'd tumbled her self further into the snare and that she might not seem a Liar sware by the life and health of her Husband she had eaten it He to convince her of this impudence drew the fatal Fruit out of his Cabinet The Empress at the sight of it turn'd pale and was so confounded she had not courage eâ—ough to speak one only word Theodosius retireth in an instant with his heart drenched in Gall and Bitterness the poor Eudoxia on the other side poureth her self into tears without comfort The Prince Paulinus who knew nothing of that which passed was that night put to death without any form of process When the Empress understood of his sudden and unexpected death she then well saw that the Emperour was tainted with the venom of most cruel jealousie Eudoxia was remov'd from councel and manage of affairs deprived of the Imperial Bed and so went a voyage to Palestine to satisfie her Devotion 10. Theodebert King of France married Deutera she was a Widow before and had by her former Husband a most beautiful Daughter which she took along with her It was not long ere the Queen suspected that her Daughter had stollen the heart of her Husband from her and although there was no such thing yet so strong was her jealousie that her maternal affection gave place to it and without admitting of any leisure wherein a discovery of the truth might be made she caused the young Lady to be slain 11. Hippocrates the Physician had a smack of this disease for when he was to go from home as far as Abdera and some other remote Cities of Greece he wrote to his Friend Dionysius to oversee his Wife in his absence although she lived in his House with her Father and Mother who he knew would have a care of her yet that would not satisfie his jâ—alousie he would have his especial Friend Dionysius to dwell in his House with her all the time of his peregrination and to observe her
behaviour how she carried her self in her Husband's absence and that she did not lust after other men for a woman had need to have an Overseer saith he to keep her honest they are bad by nature and lightly given and if not curbed in time as an unpruned tree they will be full of wild Branches and degenerate on the sudden 12. Procris having a jealous suspicion of her Husband Cephalus that he was enflamed with the love of some other woman followed him into the Woods and Fields where he went a hunting she hid her self in a Bush that she might privily observe what her Husband did and stirring in the Bush where she was Cephalus supposing it was some wild Beast shot an Arrow into it and slew her 13. Constantine the Great by his first Wife Minervina had a Son named Crispus a Prince endowed with all requisite accomplishments both of body and mind too nearly were these his perfections observed by the amorous eye of Faustina the Empress and his Mother in law for she solicited him to comply with her amours but he in a just detestation of so foul a crime shewed himself insensible of all her alâ—urements whereupon the incens'd Empress aâ—cused him to her Husband as one that sought to undeâ—minâ— her chastity The Emperour transported with the jâ—alousie he had conceiv'd againâ—â— his Son commandâ—d the innocâ—nt Prince to be slain without admitting him so much as audience whereas he might clear himself Afterwards coming to understand in what manner both himself and his Son had been betrayed by his Wife he also caused her to be put to death 14. Cardinal Hypolito d' Este pulled out the eyes of his own Brother Iulio in a pang of jâ—alousie and because there was such a sweetness in them as he perceiv'd was over-pleasing in the eyes of his Mistress CHAP. XXI Of the Commiseration Pity and Compassion of some men to others in time of their Adversity IT is reported of S. Augustine that he could not refrain himself from tears when he read in Virgil of the loves and death of Queen Dido although he knew well that the whole story was but a fiction which the Poet had devised of his own Brain Certainly the most generous persons are soonest stirred to a sympathy with others in their sufferings and the calamity or fall of their Enemies are wont to leave upon them none of the lightest impressions 1. When Alexander the Great found Darius murdered by his own servants though he was his Enemy yet could he not refrain from weeping and putting off his own Coat he covered the body of Darius with it and cloathing him with Royal Ornaments he sent him to his Mother Sisigambris to be interred amongst his Ancestors in a Royal manner 2. Nero the Emperour in the first five years of his Reign was comparable even with Augustus himself especially in Princely Pity and Compassion insomuch as being requested to set his hand to a writ for the execution of a Malefactour Quam vellem me nescire literas said he how do I wish that I could neither write or read 3. Camillus with the Roman Army after ten years siege took the City of Veiae in Italy by storm and when Camillus from the top of the Castle saw the infinite Riches which the Soldiers took by plundering the City he brake out into tears for very pity to behold what miseries the Inhabitants had willfully brought upon themselves 4. Flavius Vespasianus the Emperour was of so merciful and compassionate a disposition that he never rejoyced at the death of any though his enemies Etiam justis suppliciis ingemuit he used to sigh and weep when any were condemned by him for their faults though never so justly 5. Lucullus the Roman General pursuing Mithridates came to the rich and stately City of Amisus where Callimachus was Governour under Mithridates Callimachus seeing he could not hold out set the City on fire and fled Lucullus would fain have quenched the fire but could not by force or fair words prevail with the Soldiers to do it Lucullus entring the City the next morning and beholding the great desolation and deformed ruines which the â—iâ—e had made he burst out into tears and turning to his Fâ—iends said That he had often thought Sylla happy in that when he dâ—sired â—o sâ—â—e the City of Athens the Gods had granted him his desire But said he whereas I desired to have saved this City of Amisus fortune by disappointing my purpose and design hath brought me to the disreputation of Mummius who caused the burning of the City of Corinth 6. M. Marcellus the Consul shed tears at his entrance of the City of Syracuse which he had newly taken not so much for joy that he had performed so glorious an exploit as for many things which recurred to his thoughts enough to excite his compassion to so great and splendid a City which was speedily to be converted into ashes He called to mind the famous victories which they of Syracuse had gain'd over the Athenians by Sea and Land how they had broke in pieces the Attick Navy overthrown two famous Generals and routed their numerous Armies he recalled to his memory the Wars that Syracuse had had with Carthage the power that Dionysius the Father and Son had sometime enjoyed then he thought of Hiero a King who not long before reigned there who was the most faithful of all their Allies unto the Romans and highly honoured by them now to think that a City once so famous at this time so rich should on the sudden have all its Buildings and Furniture for peace and war consumed this drew tears from his eyes 7. Iulianus the Emperour departed from Constantinople against the Persians with a mighty Equipage and passing over the Bosphorus from Chalcedon he passed on to Nicomedia He deeply sigh'd and wept at his entrance into this City calling to mind that heretofore he had been brought up in the Palace of this City at that time large in the circumference and sumptuous in the Buildings but now at this time miserably wasted and shaken in pieces by the fury of an Earthquake that had lately been therein 8. Solyman the Magnificent Emperour of the Turks when he had taken Rhodes after he had receiv'd the great Master with as much humanity as could be expected from an Enemy he dismissed him and when he was gone from him I pity said he the miserable old man and it grieves me to see him being thrâ—wn out of his own house to depart thus sorrowfully from us 9. Agesilaus the King of Sparta being inform'd that in a great Battle near Corinth few of the Spartans were fallen but very many of the Corinthians and Athenians and the rest of the Confederatâ—s were there slain The King made no sign of joy to appear for so great a victory but with a deep sigh Poor Greece said he who hast lost in Civil Wars so many
do it He asked him again and again but he persisted in his denial he therefore takes him up into a high part of the House and threatens to throw him down thence unless he would promise to assist them but neither so could he prevail with him whereupon turning to his companions We may be glad said he that this Merchant is so young for had he been a Senatour we might have despaired of any success in our suit 3. When Alcibiades was but yet a child he gave insâ—â—nâ—e of that natural subtlety for which he was afterwards so remarkable in Athens â—or coming to his Unâ—le Pâ—ricles and â—inding him sitting somewhat sad in a retiring Room he asked him the cause of his trouble who told him he had been employed by the City in some publick Buildings in which he had expended such sums of money as he knew noâ— well how to give account of You should therefore said he think of a way to prevent your 〈◊〉 câ—llâ—d to accouâ—â— And thus that great and wise 〈◊〉 being dâ—stitute of counsel himself made me of this wâ—ich was given him by a child for he involved Athens in a foreign War by which means they were not at leisure to consider of accounts 4. Themistocles in his childhood and boyage bewrayed a quick spirit and understanding beyond his years and a propensity towards great matters he used not to play amongst his equals but they found him employing that time in framing Accusatory or Defensive Orations for this and that other of his Schoolfellows And therefore his Master was used to say My Son thou wilt be nothing indifferent but either a great Glory or Plague to thy Country For even then he was not much affected with Moral Precepts or matters of accomplishment for urbanity but what concern'd providence and the management of affairs that he chiefly delighted in and addicted himself to the knowledge of beyond what could be expected from his youth 5. Richard Carew Esquire was bred a Gentleman Commoner at Oxford where being but fourteen years old and yet three years standing in the University he was called out to dispute ex tempore before the Earls of Leicester and Warwick with the matchless Sir Philip Sydney Ask you the end of this contest They neither had the better both the best 6. Thucydides being yet a Boy while he heard Herodotus reciting his Histories in the Olympicks is said to have wept exceedingly which when Herodotus had observ'd he congratulated the happiness of Olorus his Father advising him that he would use great diligence in the education of his Son and indeed he afterwards proved one of the best Historians that ever Greece had 7. Astyages King of the Medes frighted by a dream caused Cyrus the Son of his Daughter Mandane as soon as born to be delivered to Harpaâ—us with a charge to make him away He delivers him to the Herdâ—man of Astyages with the same charge but the Herdsman's wife newly delivered of a dead child and taken with the young Cyrus kept him instead of her own and buried the other instead of him When Cyrus was grown up to ten years of age playing amongst the young Lads in the Country he was by them chosâ—n to be their King appointed them to their several Oâ—â—ices some for Builders some for Guards Couâ—tiers Messengers and the like One of those Boys that played with them was the Son of Aâ—â—embaris a Noble Person amongsâ— the Mâ—des who not obeying the commands of this new King Cyrus commanded him to be seised by the rest of the Boys and that done he bestowed many stripes upon him The Lad being let go complain'd to his Father and he to Astyages for shewing him the bruised Shoulders of his Son Is it thus O King said he that we are treated by the Son of thy Herdsman and slave Astyages sent for the Herdsman and his Son and then looking upon Cyrus How darest thou said he being the Son of such a Father as this treat in such sort the Son of a principal person about me Sir said he I have done to him nothing but what was fit for the Country Lads one of which he was chose me their King in play because I seemed the most worthy of the place but when all others obeyed my commands he only regarded not what I said for this he was punished and if thereupon I have merited to suffer any thing I am here ready to do it While the Boy spake this Astyages began to take some knowledge of him the figure of his â—ace his generous deportment the time of Cyrus his exposition agreeing with the age of this Boy he concluded he was the same which he soon after made the Herdsman to confess But being told by the Magi that now the danger was over for having played the King in sport they believed it was all that his dream did intend So he was sent into Persia to his Father not long after he caused the Persians to revolt overcame Astyages his Grandfather and transferred the Empire of the Medes to the Persians 8. Thomas Aquinas when he went to School was by nature addicted to silence and was also somewhat more fat than the rest of his Fellow-Scholars whereupon they usually called him the dumb Ox but his Master having made experiment of his wit in some little Disputations and finding to what his silence tended This dumb Ox said he will shortly set up such a lowing that all the world will admire the sound of it 9. Origines Adamantius being a young boy would often ask his Father Leonidas about the mystical sense of the Scriptures insomuch that his Father was constrain'd to withdraw him from so over early a wisdom Also when his Father was in prison for the sake of Christ and that by reason of his tender age for he was but seventeen and the strict custody of his Mother he could not be companion with him in his Martyrdom he then wrote to him that he should not through the love of his children be turned from the true faith in Christ even in that age discovering how undaunted a Preacher Christianity would afterwards have of him 10. Grimoaldus a young noble Lombard was taken with divers others at Forum Iulii by Cacanus King of the Avares and contrary to sworn conditions was lead to death perceiving the perfididiousness of the Barbarians in the midst of the tumult and slaughter he with his two Brothers brake from amongst them but he being but a very youth was soon overtaken by the pursuer was retaken by a Horseman and again by him led to death But he observing his time drew his little Sword slew his Guardian overtook his Brethren and got safe away By this his incredible boldness he shewed with what spirit and wisdom he would after both gain and govern the Kingdom of Lombardy 11. Q. Hortensius spake his first Oration in the Forum at Rome when he was but nineteen years of
so fortunate as to break their Chain and recover their liberty A certain blackness in the Cradle has been observed to give beginning and rise unto the most perfect Beauties and there are no sort of men that have shined with greater Glory in the world than such whose first days have been sullied and a little overcast 1. Themistocles by reason of the Luxury and Debauchery of his life was cast off and disowned by his Father his Mother over-grieved with the villanies he frequently committed finished her life with an Halter notwithstanding all which this man proved afterwards the most noble person of all the Grecian Blood and was the interposed pledge of hope or despair to all Europe and Asia Patrit lib. de Reipub. instit 4. tit 6. p. 208. 2. C. Valerius Flaccus in the time of the second Punick War began his youth in a most profuse kind of luxury afterwards he was created Flamine by P. Licinius the chief Pontiff that in that employment he might find an easier recess from such vices as he was infected with addressing his mind therefore to the care of Ceremonies and sacred things he made Religion his Guide to Frugality and in process of time shewed himself as great an example of Sanctity and Modesty as before he had been of Luxury and Prodigality 3. Nicholas West was born at Putney in Surrey bred first at Eaton then at Kings College in Cambridge where when a youth he was a Rakehel in grain for something crossing him in the College he could find no other way to work his revenge than by secret setting on fire the Master's Lodgings part whereof he burnt to the ground Immediately after this little Herostratus lest the Colledge liv'd for a time in the Country debauched enough for his conversation But he seasonably retrenched his wildness turned hard Student became an excellâ—nt Scholar and most able Statesman and after smaller promotions was at last made Bishop of Ely and often employed in foreign Embassies Now if it had been possible he would have quenched the fire he kindled in the College with his own tears and in expression of his penitence became a worthy Beneâ—actor to the House and rebuilt the Master's Lodgings firm and fair from the ground No Bishop in England was better attended with Menial Servants or kept a more bountiful House which made his death so lamented anno 1533. 3. Polemo was a youth of Athens of that wretched Debauchery that he was not only delighted in vice but also in the very infamy of it Returning once from a Feast after Sun-rise and seeing the Gate of Xenocrates the Philosopher open full of Wine as he was smeared with Ointments a Garland on his head and cloathed with a loose and transparent Garmâ—nt he enters the School at that time thronged with a number of learned men not content with so uncivil an entrance he also sate down on purpose to affront a singular eloquence and most prudent precepts with his drunken follies His coming had occasion'd all that were present to be angry only Xenocrates retaining the same gravity in his countenance and dismissing his present Theam bâ—gan to discourse of Modesty and Temperance which he presented so lively before him that Polemo affected therewith fiâ—st laid aside the Crown from his head soon after drew his arm within his Cloak changed that Festival Merriment that appeared in his face and at last cast off all his Luxury By that one Oration the young man received so great a cure that of a most licentious person he became one of the greatest Philophers of his time 5. Fabius Gurges was born of a Noble Family in Rome and left with a very plentiful estate by his Father but he spent all in the riots of his first youth which he left many brands upon and occasioned then to himself the sirname of Gurges But afterwards relinquishing the unbridled lusts of his first age he arrived to that temperance that he was thought worthy by the people of Rome to have the office of Censorship committed to him and no man more fit than he to inspect the manners of the City 6. Titus Vespasianus while he was young and before he came to the Empire gave just causes of censure for his cruel covetous riotous and lustful way of living insomuch that men reputed and also reported him to be another Nero. But having arrived to the Empire he made himself conspicuous for the contrary virtues His Feasts were moderate his Friends select and choice persons necessary members of the Common-wealth his former minions he endured not so much as to look upon Queen Berenice whom he was known to love too well he sent away from Rome from no Citizen did he take any thing by violence and from the Goods of Aliens he abstain'd if ever any did and yet was he inferiour to none of his Predecessors in Magnificence and Bounty when he took upon him the supreme Pontificate he protested it was only upon this account that he would keep his hands pure and innocent from the blood of any wherein he made good his word and in all things he demeaned himself with that integrity and innocency that he was worthily stiled Delitiae humani generis the very darling of mankind 7. Agis while yet a youth was brought up in all kind of delights that such of his age are used to be affected with but as soon as ever he was come to be King of Sparta though yet but a young man with an incredible change of mind and manners he renounced all the pleasures of his former life and bent his mind wholly unto this to recal Sparta unto its priâ—tine frugality that was extremely debauched and corrupted with the manners of the Greeks and Barbarians This honest endeavour of his proved the occasion of his death 8. Cimon the Son of Miltiades in his youth was infamous amongst his people for his disorderly life and excesses in drinking and they looked upon him as resembling in his diâ—position his Grandfather Cimon who by reason of his stupidity was called Coalemus that is the Sot Stesimbrotus saith of him that he was neither skilled in Musick nor instructed in any other liberal Science and far removed from the Attick Acumen and smartness of wit Some say he had too private familiarity with his Sister Elpenice and others that he publickly married her and liv'd with her as his wife besides his being deeply in love with Aristeria and Mnestra c. yet this man was afterwards so improv'd that a singular generosity and sincerity appear'd in his manners and merited to have this as part of his just praise that whereas he was no whit inferiour to Miltiades in valour nor to Themistocles in prudence he was more innocent than both of them He was not in the least below either of them in the Art Military but in his administration in time of peace he exceedingly surpassed them both 9. Thomas Sackvil afterwards
was upon this occasion that his heart not able to such a desolation of the City and his Subjects as he foresaw he gave such an illustrioâ—s example of his humanity and tenderness to his people as Europe scarce ever saw for he mounted upon the City Walls and calling to the Tartarian General upon his knees he begged the lives of his people Spare not me said he I shall willingly be the Victime of my Subjects And having said this he presently went out to the Tartars Army and was by them taken By which means this noble City was conserved though with the destruction of the mutinous Army â—or the Tartars caused the City to shut the Gates against them till they had cut in pieces all that were without and then entred triumphantly into it not using any force or violence to any 9. Darius the Son oâ— Hystaspis had sent Embassadors to Sparta to demand of them Earth and Water as a token of their subjection to him they took their Embassadors and cast some of them headlong into a Dungeon others into pits and bade them thence take the Earth and Water they came for After which when they had no prosperous sacrifices and that for a long time weary of these calamities they met in a full assembly and proposed if any would die for the good of Sparta Then Sperthies the Son of Aneristus and Balis the Son of Nicolaus of birth and equal estate with the best freely offered themselves to undergo such punishment as Xerxes the Son of Darius then his Successour should inflict for the death of his Embassadours The Spartans sent them away as persons hastening towards their death being come to Susâ— they were admitted the presence of Xerxes where first they refused to adore him and then told him that the Spartans had sent them to suffer death in lieu of those Embassadours whom they had put to death at Sparta Xerxes replyed that he would not deal as the Spartans had done who by killing Embassadours had confounded the Laws of all Nations that he would not do what he had upbraided them with nor would he by their death absolve the Spartans from their guilt 10. Iohn King of Bohemia was so great a Lover oâ— Lucenberg his own Country that oftentimes he laid aside the care of his Kingdoms Affairs and went thither to the great indignation of his Nobility Besides this he had thoughts of changing Bohemia with the Emperour Ludovicus for the Dukedom of Bavaria â—or no other purpose but that he might be the nearer to Lucenburgh 11. A Spartan woman had five Sons in a Battle that was fought near unto the City and seeing one that came thence she asked him how affairs went All your five Sons are slain said he Vnhappy wretch replyed the woman I ask thee not of of their concerns but of that of my Country As to that all is well said the Soldier Then said she let them mourn that are miserable for my part I esteem my self happy in the prosperity of my Country 12. Aristides the Athenian going into Banishment lift up his eyes to Heaven and with conjoyned hands prayed that the Gods would so prosper the affairs of the Athenians that Aristides might never more come into their minds for in times of adversity the people is wont to have recourse to some or other excellent person which also fell out in his case for in the third year of his exile Xerxes came with his whole power into Greece and then Aristides was recalled to receive an important command 13. Whâ—n Charle's the Seventh King of France marched towards Naples they of the City of Florence did set open their Gates to him as supposing they should thereupon receive the less damage by him in their City and Territories adjoyning But the King being entred with his Army demanded the Government of the City and a sum of money to ransom their Liberties and Estates In this strait â—our of the principal Citizens were appointed to transact and manage this affair with the King's Ministers amongst these was Petrus Caponis who having heard the rigorous terms of their composition recited and read by the King 's principal Secretary was so moved that in the sight and presence of the King he snatched the paper out of his hands tore it in pieces And now cryed he sound you your Trumpets and we will ring our Bells Charles astonished at the resolution of the man desisted from his design and thereupon it passed as a Proverbial Speech Gallum a Capo victum fuisse 13. P. Valerius Poplicola had a proud and sumptuous Palace in the Velia seated on high near the Forum and had a fair prospect into all parts of the City the ascent of it was narrow and not easie of access and he being Consul when he descended from his House with his Litters and Attendance the people said it represented the proud pomp of a King and the countenance of one that had a design upon their liberty Valerius was told this by his Friends and no way offended with the jealousie of the people though causeless while it was yet night having hired a number of Smiths Carpenters and others he in one night pulled down that stately Palace of his and subverted it to the very Foundations himself and Family abiding with his Friends CHAP. VII Of the singular Love of some Husbands to their Wives FRom the Nuptial Sacrifices of old the Gall was to be taken away and cast upon the ground to signifie that betwixt the young couple there should be nothing of bitterness or discontent but that instead thereof sweetness and love should fill up the whole space of their lives We shall find in the following instances not only the Gall taken away but some such affectionate Husbands and such proficients of this lesson of love that they may seem to have improv'd it to the uttermost heights 1. Darius the last King of the Persians supposing that his Wife Statira was slain by Alexander filled all the Camp with lamentations and outcries O Alexander said he whom of thy Relations have I done to death that thou shouldest thus retaliate my severities thou hast hated me without any provocation on my part but suppose thou hast justice on thy side shouldst thou manage the war against Women Thus he bewailed the supposed death of his Wife but as soon as he heard she was not only preserved alive but also treated by Alexander with the highest Honour he then pray'd the Gods to render Alexander fortunate in all things though he was his Enemy 2. M. Antonius the Triumvir being come to Laodicea sent for Herod King of the Jews to answer what should be objected against him concerning the death of Aristobulus the High Priest and his Brother-in-law whom while he was swimming he caused to be drowned under pretence of sport Herod not trusting much to the goodness of his cause committing the Government of his Kingdom to Ioseph his Uncle
secrecy and undiscovered for the space of nine years together She conceived and brought forth Children in that solitary mansion At last the place of their Abode came to be known they were taken and brought to Rome where Vespasian commanded they should be slain Eponina producing and shewing her Children Behold O Caesar said she such as I have brought forth and brought up in a Monument that thou mightest have more suppliants for our lives Cruel Vespasian that could not be mov'd with such words as these Well they were both led to death and Eponina joyfully dyed with her Husband who had been before buried with him for so many years together 15. Eumenes burying the dead that had fall'n in the Battel of Gabine against Antigonus amongst others there was found the Body of Ceteas the Captain of those Troops that had come out of India This man had two Wives who accompanied him in the Wars one which he had newly married and another which he had marryed a few years before but both of them bare an entire love to him for whereas the Laws of India require that one Wife shall be burnt with her dead Husband both these proffered themselves to death and strove with that ambition as if it was some glorious prize they sought after Before such Captains as were appointed their Judges the younger pleaded that the other was with child and that therefore she could not have the benefit of that Law The elder pleaded that whereas she was before the other in years it was also fit that she should be before her in honour since it was customary in other things that the elder should have place The Judges when they understood by Midwives that the elder was with child passed judgment that the younger should be burnt which done she that had lost the cause departed rending her Diadem and tearing her hair as if some grievous calamity had befallen her The other all joy at her victory went to the Funeral Fire magnificently dressed up by her Friends led along by her Kinred as if to her Nuptials they all the way singing Hymns in her praises when she drew near the fire taking off her Ornaments she delivered them to her Friends and Servants as tokens of remembrance they were a multitude Rings with variety of precious Stones Chains and Stars of Gold c. this done she was by her Brother placed upon the combustible matter by the side of her Husband and after the Army had thrice compassed the Funeral Pile fire was put to it and she without a word of complaint finished her life in the flames 16. Clara Cervenda was one of the most beautiful and fairest Virgins in all Bruges she was married to Bernard Valdaura at that time above forty four years of age The first night after her marriage she found that her Husbands Thighs were rolled and wrapped with Clouts and that he was a man very sore and sickly for all which she lov'd him not a whit the less Not long after Valdaura fell so sick that all the Physicians despaired of his life then did she so attend upon him that in six weeks space she put not off her cloaths only for shift nor rested above an hour or two at the most in a night and that in her cloaths This Disease was a venemous Relique of the Pox and the Physicians counselled Clara not to touch the sick man or come near him and so also did her Kinred and Neighbours All which moved her not but having taken order for that which concerned the benefit of his Soul she provided him all things that might tend to the health of his body she made him Broths and Juleps she changed his Sheets and Clouts although by reason of a continual loosness and many sores about him his body never left running with matter and filth so that he never had any clean part about him All the day she rested not the strength of her love supporting the delicacy of her body by this good means Valdaura escaped that danger After this by reason of a sharp and hot Rheum falling from his Brain the Gristle within his Nose began to be eaten away wherefore the Physicians appointed a certain powder to be blown up softly into his Nose at certain times with a Quill no body could be found to take such a loathsome service in hand because of the stench that came from him but Clara did it chearfully and when his Cheeks and Chin were all covered over with Scabs Wheals and Scales so as no Barber could or would shave him she with her little Scissars played the Barber and made him a deft Beard From this Sickness he fell into another which lasted seven years during which time with incredible diligence she made ready his meat put in his Tents laid on his Plaisters dressed and bound up his Thighs all rotten with Scabs and Ulcers his Breath was such that none durst come near by ten paces and abide by it which yet she protested was sweet to her This long sickness and the nourishing and medicining of a body oppressed by so many Diseases was a great matter in a House that had no Rents or Profits coming in and where Trade had ceased of a long time and consequently the gain she therefore to furnish expences sold her Pretious Jewels her Gold Chains her rich Carcanets her Garments of great value a Cupboard of Plate not caring for any thing so her Husband was relieved and contenting her self with little so he wanted nothing Thus Valdaura lingred on a life by the help of his Wife within a rotten body or rather within a Grave for twenty years together in which time she had eight children by him yet neither she nor they had so much as a Scab Wheal or Pimple in any part of their bodies Valdaura died an old man for whose death his Wife Clara made such mourning as they who knew her well say never woman did for any Husband When some instead of comforting her told her God had done much in taking him away and that they therefore came to congratulate with her she detested their speeches wishing for her Husband again in exchange of five children and though she was yet both young and lusty and sought to by many she resolved not to marry saying she should never meet with any whom she could like so well as her dear Bernard Valdaura CHAP. IX Of the Indulgence and great Love of some Parents to their Children THat natural affection which we bear towards them that proceed from us we have in common with other creatures The Poet hath expressed it in the most cruel of all other Beasts The Tiger which most thirsts for blood Seeing her self robbed of her tender Brood Lies down lamenting in her Scythian Den And licks the prints where her lost whelps had lain Only this affection reigns with greater power in the Souls of some than others and the effects of it have been such as cannot but detain us
betwixt us that needed reconciliation 3. The Emperour of China on certain days of the year visiteth his Mother who is seated on a Throne and four times on his feet and four times on his knees he maketh her a profound reverence bowing his head even to the ground The same custom is also observed through the greatest part of the Empire and if it chance that any one is negligent or deficient in this duty to his Parents he is complain'd of to the Magistrates who punish such offenders very severely But generally no people express more filial respect and duty than they 4. Sir Thomas Moore being Lord Chancellour of England at the same time that his Father was a Judge of the King's Bench he would always at his going to Westminster go first to the King's Bench and ask his Father blessing before he went to sit in the Chancery 5. Alexander the Great sent his Mother Olympias many Royal Presents out of the Asian Spoils but withal forbade her to intermeddle with State affairs or to challenge to her self such offices as appertained to the Governour Olympias expostulated these things very sharply with him which yet he easily endured But upon a certain time when he had received long Letters from Antipater filled with complaints against her Antipater said he doth not know that one single tear of my Mother is able to blot out six hundred of his Epistles 6. There happened in Sicily as it hath often an eruption of Aetna now called Mount Gibel it murmurs burns belches up flames and throws out its fiery entrails making all the world to flie from it It happened then that in this violent and horrible breach of â—â—ames every one flying and carrying away what they had most precious with them two Sons the one called Anapias the other Amphinomus careful of the wealth and goods of their Houses reflected on their Father and Mother both very old who could not save themselves from the fire by flight And where shall we said they find a more precious treasure than those who begat us The one took up his Father on his Shoulders the other his Mother and so made passage through the flames It is an admirable thing that God in the consideration of this piety though Pagans did a miracle for the monuments of all Antiquity witness that the devouring flames staid at this spectacle and the fire wasting and broiling all about them the way only through which these two good Sons passed was tapestryed with fresh verdure and called afterwards by posterity the Field of the Pious in memory of this Accident 7. Artaxerxes the First King of Persia was a fervent lover of Statyra his wife and though he knew that by the fraud of his Mother Parysatis she had been empoysoned and murdered yet piety to his Mother overcame his conjugal affection and he so dissembled the injury of his Mother that he not only spake nothing of revenging her wickedness but which is more strange he never gave the least sign of his being offended by any alteration of his countenance towards her unless in this that desiring to go to Babylon he gave her leave and said that he would not see Babylon while she lived 8. Q. Cicero Brother of Marcus being proscribed and sought after to be slain by the Triumvirate was hid by his Son who for that cause was hurried to torments but by no punishments or tortures could he be forced to betray his Father The Father mov'd with the piety and constancy of the Son of his own accord offered himself to death lest for his sake they should determine with utmost severity against his Son 9. Epaminondas the Theban General being asked what was the most pleasant thing that had happened to him throughout his whole life replyed it was this that he had carried away the Leuctrian Victory his Father and Mother being both alive Plut. in M. Coriolan p. 215. 10. There were three Brothers who upon the death of the King their Father fell out amongst themselves about succession in the Kingdom at last they agreed to stand to the judgment and determination of a Neighbour King to whom they fully referred the matter He therefore commanded the dead body of the Father to be fetched out of his monument and ordered that each of them should shoot an arrow at his heart and he that hit it or came the nearest to it should succeed The elder shot first and his arrow passed through the Throat of his Father the second Brother shot his Father into the Breast but yet missed the heart The youngest detesting this wickedness I had rather said he yield all to my Brothers and utterly resign up all my pretences to the Kingdom than to treat the body of my Father with this contumely This saying of his considered the King passed sentence that he alone was worthy of the Kingdom as having given evidence how much he excelled his Brothers in virtue by the piety he had shewed to the dead body of his Father 11. Caius Flaminius being a Tribune of the people had promulged a Law about the division of the Fields of Gallia man by man the Senate unwilling it should pass opposed it but he resisted both their entreaties and threats They told him they would raise an Army against him in case he should not desist from his intentions notwithstanding all which unaffrighted he ascends the Pulpit and being now ready with all the people about him by their suffrages to have it pass into a Law his own Father came and laid hands upon him enjoyning him to come down he broken with this private command descended from the Pulpit and was not so much as reproach'd with the least murmur of the people whom he had forsaken but the whole assembly seemed to approve this his piety to his Parent although so much to their own prejudice 12. The Pretor had sentenced to death a woman of good Birth for a capital crime and had consign'd her over to the Triumvir to be killed in prison The Jaylor that received her mov'd with compassion did not presently strangle her but besides permitted her Daughter to come often to her though first diligently searched lest she should convey in any sustenance to her the Jaylor expecting that she should die of famine When therefore divers days had passed wondring within himself what it might be that occasioned her to live so long he one day set himself to observe her Daughter with greater curiosity and then discovered how with the Milk in her Breasts she allayed the famine of her Mother The news of this strange spectacle of the Daughter suckling her Mother was by him carried to the Triumvir by the Triumvir to the Pretor from the Pretor it was brought to the judgment of the Consul who pardoned the woman as to the sentence of death passed upon her and to preserve the memory of that fact where her prison stood they caused an Altar
thereupon advised him to retire to the lowest and most secret part of the Cave he himself put on his Master's Gown pretending to the pursuers that he was the person whom they sought after being desirous to save the life of his Patron with the loss of his own But one of his Fellow-servants betrayed him in this officious design so the Master was fetched out of his hiding place and slain When this was known to the people of Rome they would not be satisfied till the betrayer of his Master was crucified and he that attempted to save him was set at liberty The servant of Vrbinius Panopion knowing that the Soldiers commissioned to kill his Master were come to his Houâ—e in Reatina changed cloaths with him and having put his Ring upon his Finger he sent him out at a postern door but went himself to the Chamber and threw himself upon the Bed where he was slain in his Masters stead Panopion by this means escaped and afterwards when the times would permit it erected a noble monument with a due inscription in memory of the true fidelity of so good a servant 8. Antistius Restio was proscribed by the Triumvirate and while all his Domâ—stick Servants were busied about the plunder and pillage of his House he conveyed himself away in the midst of night with what privacy he could his departure was observed by a servant of his whom not long before he had cast into Bonds and branded his face with infamous characters this man traced his wandring footsteps with such diligence that he overtook him and bare him company in his â—light and at such time as the other were scrambling for his Goods all his care was to save his life by whom he had been so severely used and though it might seem enough that he should forget what had passed he used all his art to preserve his Patron for having heard that pursuers were at hand he conveyed away his Master and having erected a Funeral Pile and set fire to it he sâ—ew a poor old man that passed that way and cast him upon it When the Soldiers were come and asked where was Antistius pointing to the fire he said he was there burning to make him amends for that cruelty he had used him with The Soldiers that saw how deep he was stigmatized thought it was probable enough believ'd him and by this means Antistius obtained his safety 9. Cornutus having hid himself was no less wittily and faithfully preserved by his Servants in those difficult days of Marius and Sylla for they having found the body of a man set â—ire about it and being asked of such as were sent out to kill their Master what they were about with an officious lye they told them they were performing the last offices for their dead Master who hearing this sought no further after him 10. Caepio was adjudged to death for conspiring against the life of Augustus Caesar but his Servant in the night carried him in a Chest out of the City and brought him by Night-Journies from Ostia to the Laurentine Fields to his Father's Villa or House of Pleasure Afterwards to be at the further distance from danger they took Ship but being by force of a tempest driven upon the Coast of Naples and the servant laid hold on and brought before the Centurion yet could he not be perswaded either by Bribes or Threats to make any discovery of his Master 11. Aesopus the freed man of Demosthenes being conscious of the adultery his Master had committed with Iulia and being exposed to the wrack bare the tortures thereof a long time with invincible patience nor by any menaces of pain could he be wrought upon to betray his Master chusing rather to endure all things than to bring his life or reputation into question 12. Hasdrubal managed the War of the Carthaginians in Spain and what by force and fraud had made himself the Master of most of it but having slain a certain Noble Man of Spain a servant of his a Frenchman by birth was not able to endure it but determined with himself to revenge the death of his Lord though at the price of his own liâ—e Whereupon he assaulted Hasdrubal and slew him he was taken in the fact tormented and fastened to a Cross but in the midst of all his pains he bore a countenance that shewed more of joy than of grief as one that was well satisâ—ied that he was secure in his premeditated revenge 13. Menenius was in the number of those that were proscribed by the Triumvirate and when a servant of his perceived that his Master's House was enclosed with a company of Soldiers that came to kill him he caused himself to be put into a Litter wherein his Master was used to be carried and ordered some other of his Fellow-servants to bear him forth in it The Soldiers supposing that it was Menenius himself slew him there whereupon looking no further his Master clad in a servile habit had the means and opportunity to escape into Sicily where he was in safety under the protection of Pompeius 14. The Hungarians had conspired against Sigismund King of Hungary and Bohemia but the plot being discovered the principal persons were all taken brought to Buda and there beheaded Stephanus Contus was the chief of these Conspirators who having thereupon lost his head Chioka his Esquire lamented the death of his Lord with such outcries that the King took notice of him and said unto him I am now become thy Lord and Master and it is in my power to do thee much more good than can be expected from that headless Trunk To whom the young man replyed I will never be the servant of a Bohemian Hog and I had rather be torn into a thousand pieces than to desert a Master of so great a Magnanimity as all the Bohemians together are not able to equal And thereupon he voluntarily laid down his head upon the Block and had it severed from his Shoulders that he might no longer survive his Master 15. These are instances of such servants as no considerations whatsoever could move to disloyalty or infidelity towards their Master such examples as these are few and rare whereas the world is full of those of the contrary and because I know nothing more pleasant wherewithal to shut up this Chapter I will set down the story of one that was not altogether of â—o virtuous a humour as the forementioned and it is this Lewis the Twelfth going to Bayonne lay in a Village called Esperon which is nearer to Bayonne than Burdeaux Now upon the great Road betwixt these two places the Bayliff had built a very noble House the King thought it very strange that in a Country so bare and barren as that was and amongst Downs and Sands that would bear nothing this Bayliff should build so fine a House and at Supper was speaking of it to the Chamberlain of his Houshold who made
wealth as of the burthen he had in a Daughter ripe for marriage and willing enough but blemished with many deformities She was saith the History but half a woman a body mishapen limping and blear-eyed a Face disfigured and besides she had the Falling-sickness with horrible Convulsions Nevertheless this noble heart said unto him trouble not your self about the marriage of your Daughter for I will be her Husband The other astonished at such goodness God forbid said he that I should lay such a burden upon you No no replyed the other she shall be mine And instantly he married her making great Feasts at the Nuptials being married he honoureth her with much regard and makes it his Glory to shew her in the best company as a Trophy of his Friendship In the end she brought him a Son who restored his Grandfather to his Estate and was the honour of his Family 2. At Rome saith Camerarius there are to be be seen these Verses engraven about an Urn. D. D. S. Vrna brevis geminum quamvis tenet ista cadaver Attamen in Coelo spiritus unus adest Viximus unanimes Luciusque Flavius idem Sensus amor studium vita duobus erat Though both our ashes this Vrn doth enclose Yet as one Soul in Heaven we repose Lucius and Flavius living were one mind One will love and to one course enclin'd 3. Damon and Pythias two Pythagorean Philosophers had betwixt them so firm a friendship that when Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracuse had resolv'd the death of one of them and that he only besought he might have liberty first to go home and set his affairs in order the other doubted not to be surety in the mean time to the Tyrant for his return The Tyrant granted it intent upon what this new and strange action would come to in the event a day had passed and he came not then all began to condemn the rashness of the surety but he told them he doubted not of the constancy of his Friend At the same hour as was agreed with Dionysius came he that was condemned thereby freeing the other The Tyrant admiring the courage and fidelity of them both remitted the punishment and entreated that he himself might be admitted as a third person into the society of â—o admirable a Friendship 4. Pylades and Orestes were famous of old for their friendship Orestes being very desirous to ease himself of that grief which he had conceived for the death of his Motherâ— consulted the Oracle and understood thereby that he should forthwith take the way to the Temple of Diana in the Country of Taurica thither he went in the company of Pylades his friend Now it was the cruel custom of Thoas the then King of that Country to put to death every Tenth Stranger that came into his Dominions This unfortunate Lot fell upon Orestes the King at last asked which was that Orestes Pylades readily stepped forth and told him he was the man who had that name Orestes denyed it he again affirm'd so that the King was in doubt which of them he should kill 5. Eudamidas the Corinthian had Aretaeâ—s the Corinthian and Charixenus the Sycionian for his friends they were both rich whereas he was exceeding poor he departing this life left a will ridiculous perhaps to some wherein was thus written I give and bequeath to Aretaeus my Mother to be kept and foster'd in her Old Age as also my Daughter to Charixenus to be married with a Dowry as great as he can afferd but if any thing in the mean time fall out to any of these men my Will is that the other shall perform that which he should have done had he lived This Testament being read they who knew the poverty of Eudamidas but not his friendship with these men accounted of it all as mere jest and sport no man that was present but departed laughing at the Legacies which Aretaeus and Charixenus were to receive But those whose the Bequests were as soon as they heard of it came forthwith acknowledging and ratifying what was commanded in the Will Charixenus died within five days after Aretaeus his excellent Successor took upon him borh the one and the others charge kept the Mother of Eudamidas and soon as might be disposed of his Daughter in marriage of five Talents which his estate amounted to two of them he gave in Dowry with his own Daughter and two more with the Daughter of his Friend and would needs have their Nuptials solemnized in one and the same day 6. Alexander the Great was so true a Lover of Ephestion that in his life time he had him always near him made him acquainted with the nearest and weightiest of his secrets and when he was dead bewailed him with inconsolable tears he hanged up Glaucus his Physician for being absent when he took that which hastened his end In token of heavy Mourning he caused the Battlements of City Walls to be pulled down and the Manes of Mules and Horses to be cut off he bestowed ten thousand Talents upon his Funerals and that he might not want Attendants to wait upon him in the other world he caused some thousands of men to be slain even the whole Cussean Nation at once 7. Pelopidas and Epaminondas were singularly noted and commended for the perfect love and friendship that was ever inviolably kept betwixt them to the day of their deaths They went both together to Mantinea in assistance of the Lacedemonians then in league with the Thebans their place in Battel fell near together for they were appointed to oppose the Arcadians and to fight on foot It fell out that the Spartan wing wherein they were was enforced to retreat and some â—led outright but those two gallant young spirits were resolved to prefer death before slight and so standing close together with great courage they sustained the many enemies that came upon them till such time as Pelopidas having received seven dangerous wounds fell upon a heap of dead bodies Here it was that the brave Epaminondas though he thought he was slain stept before him defended his body and armour with invincible courage and resolution at last he was thrust through the Breast with a Pike and receiving a deep wound with a Sword on his Arm he was ready to sink when Agesipolis King of Sparta came in with the other wing and saved the lives of these incomparable friends 8. Lucilius was one of the friends of Brutus and a good man he when Brutus was overthrown at Philippi perceiving a Troop of the Barbarians careless in the pursuit of others but with loose Reins following hard after Brutus resolved to take off their eagerness with the hazard of his own life and being left somewhat behind he told them that he was Brutus They gave the more credit to him because he desired to be presented to Anthony as if he feared Caesar and reposed some confidence in the other They glad of
deserve 6. M. Bibulus a man of Eminent Authority while he abode in the Province of Syria had two Sons slain by the Souldiers of Gabinius for whose death he exceedingly mourned Queen Cleopatra of Egypt to asswage his grief 〈◊〉 him bound those that had slain his Sons that he might take of them such reveng as he thought sit He very joyfully received this good office but commanded them untouched to be returned back to Cleopatra thinking it revenge enough that he had the Enemies of his blood in his power 7. Sophia Augusta the Wife of Iustinus the younger had conspired against Tiberius the Emperor to advance Iustinianus the Nephew of Iustinus to the Greek Empire and in the absence of Tiberius had called him to her for that purpose but he having notice of the business hasted to Constantinople and by his presence quite spoyled the Plot. He caused Augusta to be apprehended took from her her Treasure displaced such Officers about her whose counsel he knew she used and appointed others in their places yet left her an abundant maintenance This done he called Iustinianus before him and contenting himself sharply to reprove him he afterwards unpunished permitted him to go at his liberty where he pleased 8. Flavius Vespasianus in the Reign of Nero was forbid the Court from whence he departed in great fear at that time there came to him one of the Courtiers who gave him harsh language and withal driving him thence commanded him to go to Morbovia when Vespasianus had afterwards attained the Empire this same man in terrible apprehensions of death presented himself before him begging his life the Emperor revenged himself only with a Jest and in his own former words commanded him also to go to Morbovia 9. Tiberius Caesar when the Rhodians had wrote a Letter to him and in the latter end of it had not prayed for his health he sent for their Embassadors as if he had resolved to inâ—lict some puâ—nishment upon them as soon as they came he caused them to add to their Letter the good wishes which were wanting and without any further feverity dismissed them 10. Certain persons of Chios being strangers in Sparta after supper not only disgorged themselves by vomit but also in a beastly manner defiled the very Seats of the Ephori great diligence was used to â—ind out the Authors of so heinous a crime being in case they were Citizens to suffer a condign punishment when at last it was found they were of Chios the Ephori caused publick Proclamation to be made that the Chians had liberty to leave behind them the tokens of their intemperance and further there was nothing decreed against them by Aelian they are called Clazomenians 13. Amilcar the brave General of the Carthaginians had fought divers battles with desirable fortune after which he was looked upon with the eyes of Envy and being accused as if he went about to establish the sole Sovereignty in himself he was put to death his Brother Giscon was forced into Exile and all his Goods conâ—iscate After which the Carthaginians made use of several Generals but finding themselves to be shamefully beaten and reduced to an extream hazard of servitude they recalled Giscon from his banishment and having entrusted him with the Supreme Command in all Military Affairs they put into his hands all his and his Brothers Enemies to be disposed of and punished at his pleasure Giscon caused them all to be bound and in the sight of the people commanded them all to lie prostrate on the Ground which done with a quick foot he passed over them all three times treading upon each of their necks I have now said he a sufficient revenge for the murder of my Brother upon which he freely dismissed them all saying I have not rendered evil for evil but good for evil 12. The Civil Law for many Ages together lay conceal'd amongst the Ceremonies and Mysteries of the Gods known only to the Chief Priests Ca. Flavius the Son of a Freed man and a Scribe being to the great indignation of the Nobility made Edile Curule divulged the Maxims of it and made it common almost to the whole Forum When therefore Flavius came once to visit his Collegue in his Sickness he found the Chamber filled with the Nobility none of which would vouchsafe to proffer him a Seat amongst them whereupon he commanded his Chair of State to be brought him and sate down therein this way revenging at once his injured Honour and the Contempt that was shewed to his Person 13. When the Duke of Alva was in Brussells about the beginning of the Tumults in the Netherlands he had sate down before Hulst in Flanders and there was a Provost Marshal in his Army who was a Favourite of his and the Provost had put some to death by secret Commission from the Duke There was one Captain Bolea in the Army who was an intimate Friend of the Provosts and one Evening late he went to the Captains Tent and brought with him a Conâ—essor and an Executioner as it was his custom He told the Captain he was come to execute his Excellencies Commission and Martial Law upon him The Captain started up suddenly his hair standing at an end and being struck with amazement asked him Wherein have I offended the Duke The Provost answered Sir I am not to expostulate the business with you but to execute my Commission therefore I pray prepare your self for there 's your Ghostly Father and Executioner So he fell on his knees before the Priest and having done the Hangman going to put the Halter about his Neck the Provost threw it away and breaking into a laughter told him there was no such thing and that he had done this to try his courage how he would bear the terrour of death The Captain looked ghastly upon him and said Then Sir get you out of my Tent for you have done me a very ill office The next Morning the said Captain Bolea though a young man of about thirty had his hair all turned grey to the admiration of all the World and the Duke of Alva himself who questioned him about it but he would confess nothing The next year the Duke was revoked and in his journey to the Court of Spain he was to pass by Sarragossa and this Captain Bolea and the Provost went along with him as his Domesticks The Duke being to repose some days in Saragossa the young old Captain Bolea told him that there was a thing in that Town worthy to be seen by his Excellency which was a Casa de loco a Bedlam-house for there was not the like in Christendom Well said the Duke go and tell the Warden I will be there to morrow in the Afternoon The Captain having obtained this went to the Warden and told him the Duke's intention and that the chief occasion that moved him to it was that he had an unruly Provost about him who was subject
him with implacable violence his hair was torn off his beard pull'd away his teeth were knocked out and not so much as women but ran upon his wretched body to torture and torment it whilst he replyed not a word some days after his eyes being digg'd out and his face disfigured with blows they set him on an old botchy Camel without ought else to cover him then an old shirt this Spectacle so full of horror nothing mollify'd the peoples hearts but desperate men rush'd upon him as thick as â—lies in Autumn some covered him all over with dirt and â—ilth others squeez'd spunges filled with ordure on his face others gave him blows with clubs on the head others prick'd him with Awls and Bodkins and divers threw stones at him calling him mad Dog A wicked woman of the dregs of the vulgar threw a pail of scalding water upon his head that his skin pilled off Lastly they hastned to hang him on a gibbet by the feet exposing him to a shameful nakedness in sight of all the world and they tormented him to the last instant of death at which time he received a blow from a hand which thrust a Sword through his mouth into his bowels all these and greater inhumanities the aged Emperor underwent with that invincible patience that he was heard to say no other thing then Lord have mercy on me and why do ye break a bruised reed 3. Ianus Anceps a wicked person lived in a lone house by the way side without the East-gate of Copenhagen this man in the night had murdered divers persons and knock'd them on the head with an Ax. At last he was discovered taken and condemned to a terrible death He was drawn upon a sledge through the City he had pieces of â—lesh pulled off from his body with burning Pincers his legs and arms were broken his tongue was pulled out of his mouth thongs of his skin were cut out of his back his brest was opened by the speedy hand of the Executioner his heart pulled out and thrown at his face All this the stout hearted man bare with an invincible courage and when his heart lay panting by his side in the midst of such torments as he yet underwent he moved his head and looked upon the by standers with a frowning aspect and seem'd with curiosity to contemplate his own heart till such time as his head was cut off 4. Mutius Scaevola having resolv'd to kill Porsena King of the Hetruscans who at that time was the enemy of Rome he came into his Camp and Tent with a purpose to Execute his design but by mistake instead of the King be slew his Secretary or Captain of the Guard being taken and adjudged to death to punish this error of his Arm he thrust his right hand into the â—ire and without change of countenance held it therein till it was quite burnt off At which invincible patience and constancy of his King Porsena was so amazed that he raised his Siege before Rome and also made peace with the Romans 5. When Xerxes was arrived at the Cape of Artemisium with above 500000 fighting men the Athenians sent out Agesilaus the brother of Themistocles to discover his Army He coming in the habit of a Persian into the Camp of the Barbarians slew Mardonius one of the Captains of the guard of the Kings body supposing he had been Xerxes himself whereupon being taken he was fettred and brought before the King who was then offring sacrifice upon the Altar of the Sun into the fire whereof Agesilaus thrusting his hand and there enduring the torment without sigh or groan Xerxes commanded to loose him All we Athenians said Agesilaus are of the like courage and if thou wilt not believe it I will put also my left hand into the fire the King amazed at his resolute Speech Commanded him to be carefully kept and looked too 6. Isabella wife of Ferdinand King of Spain was a woman of that firm temper of mind that not only in the times of her sickness but also in the sharpest pains of her travail she ever supprest both voice and sighs A most incredible thing but that Marinaeus Siculus affirms that he was assured of the truth hereof by Ladies of unquestionable verity who attended upon her in her Chamber 7. The Lord Verulame mentions a certain tradition of a man who being under the Executioners hand for High Treason after his heart was plucked out of his body and in the hand of the Executioner was yet heard to utter three or four words of Prayer and Purchas speaking of the humane sacrifices in New Spain where the heart is offered to the Sun saith thus there happened a strange accident in one of these sacrifices reported by men of worthy credit That the Spaniards beholding the solemnity a young man whose heart was newly plucked out and himself turned down the stairs when he came to the bottom he said to the Spaniards in his Language Knights they have slain me 8. Gregorius Nazianzenus tells of the Pontick Monks that some of them torture themselves with chains of Iron some as if they were wild beasts shut up themselves in narrow and strait Cells and see no body remain in silence and fasting for the space of twenty days and nights together O Christ goes he on be thou propitious to those souls that are Pious and devout I confess but not so prudent and advised as they might be 9. This is a notable Example of Tollerance which happened in our times in a certain Burgundian who was the Murderer of the Prince of Orange this man though he was scourged with Rods of Iron though his flesh was torn off with red hot and burning Pincers yet be gave not so much as a single sigh or groan Nay further when part of a broken Scaâ—fold fell upon the head of one that stood by as a spectator this burned villain in the midst of all his torments laughed at that accident although not long before the same man had wept when he saw the curls of his hair cut off 10. After the Ancient custom of the Macedonians there were certain Noble youths that ministred unto Alexander the Great at such time as he sacrificed to the gods one of which having a Censer in his hand stood before the King it chanced that a burning coal fell upon his Arm and although he was so burnt by it that the smell of his burnt flesh was in the Noses of them that stood by yet he suppressed his pain with silence and held his Arm immoveable least by shaking the Censer he should interrupt the sacrifice or least by his groaning he should give Alexander any disturbance The King also delighted with this patience of the youth that he might make the more certain experiment of his tollerance on set purpose continued and protracted his sacrifice and yet for all this the youth persisted in his resolute intention 11. Anaxarohus was
so perished together with their Houses and Relations 5. Ptolemaeus ruling over the Cyprian Cities and hearing that Nicocles the Paphian King did closely hold correspondence with Antigonus he sent Argaeus and Callicrates his Friends with command that they should put Nicocles to death as fearing the defection of other Cities besides that of Paphos These came to Cyprus and having received some Troops of Menelaus the General there they beset the Palace of Nicocles and having declared the Kings commands they demanded Nicocles to death He at first would have excused the matter but when he saw that would not serve his turn he slew himself Axiothea the wife of Nicocles being informed of the death of her Husband did then slay her Daughters that were Virgins that they might not fall into the enemies hands She also perswaded the Wives of Nicocles his Brethren with her to murther themselves though Ptolemy had granted them impunity Their Husbands seeing this set fire upon the Palace and slew themselves by this means the Royal Family of the Paphians was utterly distinguished 6. The Tacchi a people in Asia rather then they would be captivated to the Greeks threw themselves down headlong from the Rocks the very women throwing down their own children first and then casting themselves upon them 7. Philip King of Macedon had beseiged the City of Abydus and straitly beset it both by Sea and Land when the inhabitants defended it against him with great courage till at last the Enemy had undermin'd and overthrown the outward wall and were now by their mines approaching that other wall which the Inhabitants had made up within instead of the former Then the besieged apprehensive of their danger sent Embassadors to Philip offering him the surrender of their City upon condition that the Rhodians and Soldiers of Attalus should be freely dismissed and that every freeman should have liberty to depart whither he pleased Philip returned them this answer that either they should resolve to surrender at discretion or else fight it gallantly They of Abidus made desperate by these means consulted together and resolved upon this course to give liberty to all slaves that they might assist them with greater cheerfulness to shut up all their wives in the Temple of Diana their Children and Nurses in the publick Schools to lay all their silver and gold upon a heap in the Market place and to put their most precious furniture into two Galleys This done they chose out fifty persons of strength and Authority whom in presence of all the Citizens they caused to swear that as soon as they should perceive the enemy to be Master of the inward Wall they should kill all their Wives and Childrenâ— burn the Galleys and cast the Silver and Gold into the Sea They all swore to defend their liberty to the last breath and indeed when the Walls were fallen all the Soldiers and Inhabitants maintained the ruines of them with that obstinacy that few remained alive or unwounded And when the City was taken Philip was amazed to see the rest kill their Wives and Children cast themselves headlong from houses and into pits and running upon any kind of death so that few of that City could be perswaded to out-live the loss of their liberty unless such as were bound and by force preserved from doing violence upon themselves 8. At Numantia in Spain four thousand Soldiers withstood forty thousand Romans for fourteen years together in which time having often valiantly repulsed them and forced them unto two dishonourable compositions at last when they could hold out no longer they gathered all their Armour money and goods together and laid them on an heap which being fired they voluntarily cast themselves also into the flames leaving unto Scipio nothing but the bare name of Numantia to adorn his triumph with 9. The City of Saguntum had been besieged by Annibal for the space of nine months in which the famine was so great that the inhabitants were enforced to eat mans flesh At last when they could hold out no longer rather than they would fall into the hands of their enemies they made a fire in which themselves and their City was consumed to Ashes 10. Perdiccas made war upon Ariarathes King of Cappadocia although he had no way provoked him yet although he overcame the King in Battle he carried thence nothing but hazards and wounds instead of rewards for the slying Army being received into the City each man slew his Wife and Children set fire on their houses and furniture of them and having laid upon one heap all their riches at once and consumed them to ashes they then threw themselves headlong from Towers and high places into the flames so that the victorious enemy enjoyed nothing of theirs besides the sight of those flames which devoured the spoils they hoped to have divided amongst them 11. When Brutus had besieged the City of the Xanthii in Licia they themselves set fire on their own City some of them leapâ—d into the flames and there perished others fell upon their own swords A woman was seen hanging from the roof of her house with an infant newly strangled about her neck and in her right hand a burning torch that she might that way have burnt down the house over her CHAP. LI. Of such as in highest Fortunes have been mindful of Humane frailty THe Lamae who are the Priests of the Tibitenses when they prepare to celebrate prayers they summon the people together with the hollow whispering sounds of certain pipes made of the bones of dead men They have also Rosaries or Beads made of them which they carry always about them and they drink continually out of a Skull Being asked the reason of this Ceremony by Anthony Andrada who first found them out one that was the chiefest among them told him that they did it ad fatorum memoriam they did therefore pipe with the bones of the dead that those sad whispers might warn the people of the swift and invisible approach of death whose musick they term'd iâ— The Beads they wore did put them in mind of the frail estate of their bodies their drinking in a skull did mortifie their affections repress pleasures and imbitter their tast lest they should relish too much the delights of life and certainly these great and excellent persons hereafter mentioned did therefore carry along with them the commemoration of death as finding it a powerful Antidote against those excesses and deviations whereunto the nature of man especially in prosperity has so notable a proneness 1. Maximilianus the first Emperour of Germany for three years some say two caused his Coffin made of Oak to be carried along with him in a Wagon before he felt any sickness and when he drew near to his death he gave order in his last will that they should wrap up his dead body in course linen without any embowelling at all and that they should stop his
God to take care of heavenly things and not to cross him in his worldly actions He kept no promise further than for his advantage and took all occasions to satisfie his lust 18. Philomelus Onomarchus and Phaillus had spoil'd the Temple of Delphos and had their punishment divinely allotted to them For whereas the ordained punishment of sacrilegious persons is this That they shall die by being thrown head-long from some high place or by being choak'd in the water or burnt to ashes in the fire Not long after this plunder of theirs one of them was burnt alive another drowned and the third was thrown head-long from an high and steep place so that by these kinds of deaths they suffered according to that Law which amongst the Grecians was made against such as are found guilty of Sacriledge 19. Agathocles without any provocation came upon the Liparenses with a Fleet and exacted of them fifty Talents of Silver The Liparenses desired a further time for the payment of some part of the money saying they could not at present furnish so great a summ unless they should make bold with such gifts as had been devoted to the gods and which they had never used to abuse Agathocles forc'd them to pay all down forthwith though part of the money was inscribed with the names of Aeolus and Vulcan so having received it he set sail from them but a mighty wind and storm arose whereby the ten Ships that carryed the money were all dasht in pieces Whereupon it was said that Aeolus who is said thereabouts to be the god of the Winds had taken immediate revenge upon him and that Vulcan remitted his to his death for Agathocles was afterwards burnt alive in his own Country 20. Cambyses sent fifty thousand Souldiers to pull down the Temple of Iupiter Ammon but all that number having taken their repast betwixt Oasis and the Ammonians before they came to the place perished under the vast heaps of sand that the wind blew upon them so that not so much as one of them escaped and the news of their calamity was only made known by the neighbouring Nations 21. When those bloody wars in France for matters of Religion saith Richard Dinoth were so violently pursued between the Hugonots and Papists there were divers found that laughed them all to scorn as being a sort of superstitious fools to lose their lives and fortunes upon such slender accounts accounting Faith Religion immortality of the Soul meer fopperies and illusions And as Mercennus thinks there are fifty thousand Atheists in Paris at this day 22. Bulco Opiliensis sometimes Duke of Silesia was a perfect Atheist he lived saith Aeneas Sylvius at Vratislavia and was so mad to satisfie his lust that he believed neither Heaven nor Hell or that the Soul was immortal but married Wives and sent them away as he thought good did murder and mischief and whatsoever he himself took pleasure to do 23. Frederick the Emperour saith Matthew Paris is reported to have said that there were three principal Impostors Moses Christ and Mahomet who that they might rule the world had seduced all those that liv'd in their times And Henry the Lantgrave of Hesse heard him speak it That if the Princes of the Empire would adhere to his institutions he would ordain and set forth another and better way both for Faith and Manners CHAP. II. Of such as were exceeding hopeful in Youth but afterwards improv'd to the worse THere is nothing saith Montaigne at this day more lovely to behold than the French Children but for the most part they deceive the hope that was fore-apprehended of them for when they once become men there is no excellency at all in them Thus as many a bright and fair morning has been followed with dark and black Clouds before Sun-set so not a few have out-liv'd their own vertues and utterly frustrated the good hopes that were conceived of them 1. Dionysius the younger the Tyrant of Sicily upon the death of his father shew'd himself exceeding merciful and of a Princely liberality he set at liberty three thousand persons that were under restraint for debt making satisfaction to the Creditors himself He remitted his ordinary Tributes for the space of three years and did several other things whereby he gain'd the favour and universal applause of the people But having once established himself in the Government he re-assumed that disposition which as it appears he had only laid aside for a time He caused his Uncles to be put to death whom he was aw'd by or stood in fear of he slew his own Brethren that he might have no Rival in the Soveraignty and soon after he raged against all sorts with a promiscuous cruelty in such manner that he deserved to be called not so much the Tyrant as Tyranny it self 2. Philip the last King of the Macedonians but one and who made war upon the Romans was as Polybius saith of him who saw and knew him a Prince adorned with most of the gifts and perfections both of body and mind he had a comely visage a straight and proper body a ready eloquence a strong memory comprehensive wit a facetious ingenuity in his speeches and replyes accompanyed with a Royal gravity and majesty he was well seen in matters of Peace and War he had a great spirit and a liberal mind and in a word he was a King of that promising and fair hope as scarcely had Macedon or Greece it self seen any other his like But behold in a moment all this noble building was overturn'd whether by the fault of Fortune that was adverse to him in his dispute with the Romans brake his spirit and courage and wheel'd him back from his determined course unto Glory or whether it was by the fault of Informers or his own who gave too easie and inconsiderate an ear to them however it came to pass he laid aside the better sort of men poysoned some and slew others not sparing his own blood at length for he put to death his own son Demetrius To conclude that Philip concerning whom there were such goodly hopes and in the beginning of whose Reign there had been such happy and auspicious discoveries declin'd unto all kind of evil prov'd a bad Prince hated and unfortunate 3. Herod King of Iudea in the six first years of his Reign was as gallant mild and magnificent a Prince as any other whatsoever but during the rest of his Rule which was one and thirty years he was fierce and cruel both to others and to his own friends and family to that degree that at one time he caused seventy Senators of the Royal blood to be put to death he slew his Wife and three of his own sons and at the last when he saw that he himself was at the point to die he sent for all the Nobles from every part of Iudea upon the pretence of some weighty occasion and when they were
might fall upon her as she slept in the night when this was discovered he made a Ship that should be taken in pieces that so she might perish either by wrack or the fall of the Decks upon her but she escaped this danger also by swimming Which when Nero understood he commits the slaughter of his mother to Anicetus the Centurion who taking along with him to the Villa of Agrippina persons fit for the employment compassed the house brake open the door and with his drawn sword presented himself with the rest of the Murderers at her bed-side apprehending his intention she shew'd him her belly and bad him strike there This Womb of mine said she is deservedly to be digged up that has brought forth such a Monster and so after many wounds died It 's said that Nero came thither to behold the Corpse of his mother that he took her limbs into his hands and commended this and dispraised that other as his fancy led him he caused her Belly to be opened that he might see the place where once he had lain while this was doing finding himself a dry he was so unconcerned as to call for drink without leaving the place saying He did not think he had so handsome a mother 7. Bajazet the second of that name being thrust out of his mighty Empire by his son Selymus when he was near fourscore broken with years and grief resolved to forsake Constantinople before he was enforced to it by his son and to retire himself to Dymotica a small and pleasant City in Thrace where he had formerly bestowed much cost for his pleasure and now thought it the fittest place wherein to end his sorrowful daies But the cursed impiety of Selymus had provided otherwise for him for with the promise of ten Duckets a day during life and threats of a cruel death in case it was not performed he prevail'd with Haman a Jew chief Physician to the old Emperour to make him away by poyson as he was upon his Journey so that with horrible gripings and heavy groans he gave up the Ghost in the year 1512. when he had Reigned thirty years The perfidious Jew upon the delivery of the poysonous potion had hasted to Constantinople to bring Selymus the first news of it who commanded his head to be presently struck off saying That for the hopes of reward he would not stick to do the like to Selymus himself 8. Orodes was the King of Parthia the same who had overcome Crassus his Army and slain himself in the field he was grown old in grief for the death of his son Pacorus slain by Ventidius and was fallen into a Dropsie not likely to live long his son Phraates thought his death too slow and did therefore determine to hasten it by poyson which being administred had an effect so contrary that only putting him into a looseness it carried the disease away with it and instead of a messenger of death it proved a medicine of health His son incensed at so strange a miscarriage of his design passed from secret to open Parricide and caused the old King his father to be openly smothered He mounted the Throne and sending back the Ensigns and spoils of the defeated Army of Crassus he was so much in the favour of Augustus that he sent him a beautiful Italian Lady for his Concubine of her he begat Phrataces who when he was grown up with the privity and endeavours of his mother became the murderer of his father making him the example of the same impiety whereof in times past he had been the detestable Author 9. Eucratides King of the Bactrians in all his Wars behaved himself with much prowess when he was worn out with the continuance of them and was closely besieged by Demetrius King of the Indians although he had not above three thousand Souldiers with him by his daily Sallies he wasted the enemies Forces consisting of sixty thousand and being at liberty in the fifth Month reduced all India under his command In his return homewards he was slain by his own son whom he had made joynt Partner with him in the Kingdom he did not go about to dissemble or smother his Parricide but drave his Charriot through the blood and commanded the dead Corpse to be cast aside into some by-place or other unburied as if he had slain an enemy and not murdered a father 10. When saith Howell I was in Valenâ—ia in Spain a Gentleman told me of a Miracle which happened in that Town which was That a proper young man under twenty was Executed there for a crime and before he was taken down from the Tree there were many gray and white hairs had budded forth of his Chin as if he had been a man of sixty It struck amazement into all men but this interpreâ—ation was made of it That the said young man might have lived to such an age if he had been dutiful to his Parents unto whom he had been barbarously disobedient and unnatural 11. Scander late King of Georgia by a Circassian Lady had three hopeful sons Scander-Cawne Thre-Beg and Constandel all born Christians but for preferment the two last named became Bosar-men or Circumcised Thre-Beg served the Turk Constandel the Persian Constandel was naturally deformed but of such an active Spirit that his bodily imperfections were not noted but his hateful ambition rendred him more than Monstrous It happened that Acbas King of Persia had vow'd some revenge upon the Turks and to that end gave order to Ally-Cawne to trouble them Constandel perceives the occasion right to attempt his hellish resolutions and therefore after long suit got to be joined in Commission with the Persian General Through Georgia they go where Constandel under a pre-text of duty visits his sad parents who upon his protests that his Apostasie was counterseit joyfully welcomed him but he forgetting that and all other ties of nature next night at a solemn Banquet caused them to be murdered and till the Georgians saluted him King perpetrated all sorts of Villanies imaginable But how secure soever he stood in his own fancy the dreadful Justice of an impartial God retaliated him the rest of his life after this hated Parricide was infinitely miserable For first near Sumachan Cycala's son the Turkish General wounded him in the arm and by that gained the Victory over the Persian The same night he was also assaulted in his Tent by his enraged Country-men who in his stead for at the first alarm he escaped cut a Catamite in pieces his accursed bed-fellow And though he so far exasperated the Persian to revenge that he brought the whole Army into Georgia resolving there to act unparallel'd Tragedies yet was he over-reach'd in his Stratagems for upon parley with the Queen his late brothers Wife he was shot to death at a private signal given by that Amazon to some Musquetteers ambushed of purpose betwixt both the Armies a just punishment for such a Viper
and oyl and though they run sixty miles together yet they no way incorporate but the Danow is clear and pure as a well while the Sava that runs along with it is as troubled as a street channel After the manner of these Rivers it is with some brethren though bred up together and near enough each other in respect of their bodies yet their minds have been as distant from each other as the Poles are which when opportunity hath served they have shewed in the effects of an implacable hatred 1. Sir George Sonds of Kent had lately two Sons grown up to that age wherein he might have expected most comfort from them but in the year 1655. the younger of them named Freeman Sonds having no apparent cause or provocation either from his Father or Brother did in a most inhumane and butcherly manner murder the elder as he lay sleeping by him in his bed he clave his head and brains with a Cleaver and although this was his mortal wound yet perceiving him to groan and sigh as one approaching unto death he stabbed him with a Stilletto seven or eight times in and about the heart as the sorrowful Father witnesseth in his Printed narrative of the whole and when he had finished this black and bloody tragedy he went to his aged Father then in bed and told him of it rather glorying in it than expressing any repentance for it Being apprehended he was presently after condemned at Maydstone Assizes and accordingly executed 2. Eteocles was the Son of Oedipus by his own Mother Iocasta their Father the King of Thebes had ordered it that Eteocles and his other Son Polynices after his departure should reign yearly by course But Eteocles after his year was expired would not suffer his Brother to succeed whereupon Polynices being aided by Tydeus and Adrastus made war upon his Brother they meeting together with their forces in the field were slain by each other in the battle their dead bodies were also burned together when the flame parted it self as if it seemed to declare such a deadly hatred betwixt them that as their minds being alive so neither could their bodies being dead agree This their antipathy was propagated to their posterity breaking out into many outragious and bloody wars Unto such ends doth the providence of God often bring an incestuous brood that others may be instructed thereby 3. Upon the death of Selymus the second which happened Anno 1582. Amurath the third succeeded in the Turkish Empire at his entrance upon which he caused his five Brothers Mustapha Solyman Abdala Osman and Sianger without all pity or commiseration to be strangled in his presence and gave order that they should be buried with his dead Father an ordinary thing with Mahometan Princes who to secure to themselves the Empire without rivalship doubt not to pollute their hands with the blood of their nearest relations It is said of this Amurath when he saw the fatal bow-string put about the neck of his younger Brother that he was seen to weep but it seems they were Crocodiles tears for he held firm to his bloody purpose 4. Petrus King of Spain having reigned some time with great cruelty purpling his hands in the blood of his Nobles At last his Brother Henry took up arms against him Anno Dom. 1369. He had hired auxiliary forces out of France against Petrus and having met him in the field a bloody battle was fought agreeable to the pertinacious hatred of the two Brethren The victory resting on the side of Henry and his Brother made prisoner being brought before him Petrus with a Dagger wounded Henry in the face the other endeavouring to repay it with interest both grapled together having thrown each other to the ground But others coming in to the help of Henry he quickly became the superiour and having slain his Brother with many wounds he succeeded in his Kingdom 5. Extream was the hatred that was betwixt Bassianus and Geta the two sons of Severus the Emperour which soon betrayed it self upon the death of their Father they could not agree about the partage of the Empire nor did they omit any means whereby they might supplant each other they endeavoured to bribe each others Cooks and Butlers to poyson their Masters but when both were too watchful to be thus circumvented at last Bassianus grew impatient and burning with ambition to enjoy the Rule alone he set upon his Brother Geta gave him a deadly wound and shed his blood in the lap of Iulia their Mother and having executed this villany threw himself amongst the souldiers told them that he had with difficulty saved his life from the malice of his Brother and having parted amongst them all that Severus his Father had been eighteen years heaping up he was by them confirmed in the Empire 6. Anno 1080. Boleslaus King of Poland having slain his Brother S. Stanislaus Bishop of Cracovia at the very Altar as he was in the celebration of the Mass he suddenly fell into a frenzy and such a degree of madness that he laid violent hands upon himself It is said of this King that he grew into a vehement hatred of the Bishop his Brother upon the account of that freedom he took in reproving him for those horrible crimes he frequently committed 7. Tosto and Harold the sons of Earl Godwin falling out Tosto secretly hyed himself into the Marches of Wales and near the City of Hereford at Portaslith where Harold had a house then in preparation to entertain the King he slew all his Brothers servants and cutting them piece-meal into gobbets some of their limbs he salted and cast the rest into the vessels of Meath and Wine sending his Brother word that he had furnished him with powdred meats against the Kings coming thither 8. Robert Duke of Normandy was chosen King of Ierusalem but refused that in hopes to have England but it is observed that he never prospered after his Brother Rufus got the Crown and when he was dead Henry Beauclerke his youngest Brother ascended the throne and conquered Normandy on the Vigil of St. Michael he also put out the eyes of Robert his Brother and kept him prisoner in Cardiff Castle twenty six years where for grief conceived at the putting on of a new Robe too little for the King and therefore sent to the Duke to wear he grew weary of his life as disdaining to be mocked with his Brothers cast Cloaths and cursing the time of his unfortunate nativity refused thenceforth to take any sustenance and so pined himself to death 9. Alphonsus Diazius a Popish Spaniard hearing that Iohn Diazius his Brother had renounced Popery and was become a professor of the Reformed Religion fell into so deep a hatred of him that like another Cain he slew his Brother with his own hands for which he was not only not punished but highly applauded by the Romanists for his heroical atchievement but he
was so haunted and hunted by the furies of his own Conscience that he desperately hanged himself at Trent about the neck of his own Mule 10. Cleopatra the Wife of Cyricaenus having taken Sanctuary at Antioch after her Husbands overthrow her Sister Gryphina the Wife of Gryphus most importunately â—olicited her death and though Gryphus much perswaded her delivery yet she her self commanded the Souldiers to dispatch her but a few dayes after the same Gryphina falling into the hands of Cyricaenus was by him made a Sacrifice to his Wives Ghost 11. Selymus the first having stepped into the throne of his Father sought the destruction of all his Brethren and while his Brother Corcutus lay quiet in Magnetia he secretly led an army thither to destroy him Corcuâ—us having notice of it fled away with two Servants and all passages by Sea being shut up he was glad to hide himself in a Cave by the Sea-side where he lived miserably upon Country Crabs and other like wild fruit till discovered by a Peasant he was apprehended Selymus informed of it sent one to strangle him and bring his dead body to Prusa The Executioner a Captain coming to Corcutus in the dead time of the night and awaking him out of his slâ—ep told him his heavy message that he was sent by his Brother presently to strangle him Corcutus exceedingly troubled with this heavy news and fetching a deep sigh desired the Captain so long to spare his life untill he might write a few short lines unto his Brother Selymus which he did readily in Turkish verse upbraiding him with his horrible cruelty and concluding wâ—th many a bitter curse he besought God to take a just revenge upon him Being then strangled his dâ—ad body was brought to Prusa Selymus uncovered the face of it to be sure that it was he when seeing this writing in his hand he took and read it and is said thereupon to have shed tears notwithstanding his cruel nature and stony heart CHAP. X. Of the Barbarous and Savage cruelty of some men THeodorus Gadaraeus who was Tutor to Tiberius the Roman Emperour observing in him while a Boy a sanguinary nature and disposition that lay lurking under a shew of lenity and pretence of clemency was used to call him a lump of clay steeped and soaked in blood His prediction of him did not fail in the event This being he who thought of death that it was too light a punishment for hearing Carnulius being in his disfavour had cut his own throat Carnulius said he hath escaped me to another who begged of him to dye quickly he told him he was not yet so much in his favour yet even this Artist in cruelty has since been out-acted by Monsters more overgrown than himself 1. The Island of Amboyna lies near Seran the chief Town of it hath also the same name and is the Randesvous for the gathering and buying of Cloves the English lived in the Town under the protection of the Castle held and well manned by the Dutch In February 1622. a Iaponer Souldier discoursing with the Dutch Centinel of the Castle was suspected tortured and confessed divers of his Countrey-men contrivers with him of surprizing the Castle also one Price an English man and prisoner with them accused other English men of the Factories who were all sent for and put to horrid torture the manner thus First they hoysed up the Examinant by the hands with a Cord on a large Door fastning him upon two staples of Iron on the top as wide as the arms could stretch his feet hung to the ground stretched out at length and wideness fastned beneath the Door then they wrapped a cloath about his neck and face so close that no water could go by This done pouring the water leasurely upon his head and filling the cloath up to his mouth and nostrils that he could not draw breath but must withall suck in water and so continued till it forced his inward parts to come out at his nose eyes and ears stifling and choaking him into a swound or fainting but being taken down they made him vomit out the water and so somewhat recovered they torture him again four or five times his body swoln three times bigger his cheeks like bladders his eyes staring out beyond his brows one Colson thus tortured did still deny their accusation whereupon they burn him under his paps arm-holes elbows hands and feet till the fat dropped out their Torches then they lodged him in a dungeon where his flesh putrified and Maggots engendred in it to a horrid and loathsome condition till at the end of eight days they were executed March 1623. At which instant there was a sudden darkness and a tempest that forced two Dutch ships out of the Harbour which were hardly saved The dead were all buried in one pit and one Dunkin their accuser stumbled at their grave and fell stark mad and died so within three days after also a sickness followed at Amboyna of which divers Dutch dyed The names of the English thus inhumanely dealt with were Captain Towerson Tompson Beaumount Collins Colson Webber Ramsey Iohnson Fard and Brown 2. It is in this kind a memorable example that Seneca relates of Piso who finding a Souldier to return from forraging without his comrade as if he had slain him whom he brought not back with him condemned him to death The executioner being in readiness and he stretching forth his neck to receive the stroke of the Axe behold in the very instant his comrade appears in the place Whereupon the Centurion who had the charge of the execution commands the Executioner to desist and carries back the condemned Souldier to Piso together with his Comrade thereby to manifest his innocency and the whole army waited on them with joyful acclamations But Piso in a rage gets him up to the Tribunal and condemns both the Souldiers the one for returning without his Comrade and the other for not returning with him and hereunto adds the condemnation of the Centurion for staying the execution without warrant which was given him in charge and thus three were condemned to dye for the innocency of one 3. The thirty Athenian Tyrants were of that fierce and cruel disposition that they caused the daughters of some of the slain Citizens to dance in the blood of their own Parents who had newly been murdered by them 4. Sylla having upon his credit received to mercy four Legions of the adverse part which amounts to twenty four thousand men he caused them notwithstanding in publick to be cut in pieces calling in vain for mercy from his treacherous right hand which he had reached out as a sure token of it And when the dying groans of these men reached to the very Curia it self where the Senate were then met and that the Senators themselves stood in amaze what it might mean Let us mind our business Fathers said he a few seditious Fellows are punished by my orders
where they were born to strike terrour into the rest Not content with this he vexed the whole Province so that he left it in a manner desolate for he perfectly hated it because he thought they approved not of his Government He caused almost eighteen thousand Students to be brought before him and at once Massacred them all saying These were they that by their Sophisms solicited the rest to Rebellion Anno 1646. the Tartars entred the Province of Xensi to give him Battel and therefore to leave the Country behind him secure he commanded all the Citizens of what quality soever in his Royal City of Chingtu to be bound hand and foot which was done by his Army and then riding about them he viewed them with less compassion than a Tygre and cry'd out Kill kill these Rebels it is thought there were no less than six hundred thousand souls most of which were thus horribly murdered He besides sent part of his Army to other Cities about and killed all those he could lay hands on and so brought the populous Province of Suchuen into a vast Wilderness In his march he caused his Souldiers to kill all their Wives himself to give them an example having caused two hundred and eighty beautiful Maids that waited upon his three Queens to be slain He killed all his sick or weak Souldiers to deliver them as he said out of so miserable and ruined a Country Then he turned his rage against Cities Palaces and Buildings not sparing his own stately one in Chingtu he consumed it together with a great part of the City by fire he cut down all Trees and Woods that they might profit no man He sunk sixty Ships of silver in the River of Chiang having killed the Shipmen to conceal the place This done he marched into the Province of Xensi to meet the Tartars where this Devil incarnate was happily kill'd 16. Accioline Tyrant about Taurisium and Padua surpassed all those in cruelty that were called by the name of Christians he gelded Boys vitiated Virgins cut off the breasts of Matrons ripped up the bellies of women with child casting the births into the fire Once hearing that Padua had revolted from him he caused twelve thousand Paduans in his Army to be slain every man being after this beaten in the Field wounded and made a Prisoner he tore open the lips of his wound that he might die as cruelly as he had lived The manner of this Tyrant was like unto that of Caligula he put men to death by slow degrees that they might feel themselves die so that by divers waies of torture he was the death of thirty thousand persons CHAP. XI Of the bitter Revenges that some have taken upon their Enemies WHen the Emperour Frederick had newly obtained a most signal Victory in Hungary he made a Speech to his Souldiers whereof this was a part We have done said he a great Work and yet there is a greater that still remains for us to do which is to overcome our selves and to put an end at once to our Covetousness and the desire of Revenge Thus great and generous souls are ever found to be the most placable and are easiest appeased while the weak and fearful are guilty of the greatest barbarities as not knowing how to allot any measure or bounds to their anger 1. A Student sufficiently skill'd in Philosophy fell at odds with his fellow Student boat him with his â—ists and gave him a great deal of reproachful language not content with this he meditated a further Revenge Pretending sorrow for what had past he invites him to a Feast where they should be reconciled here he offers him a Cup of Wine which he had mixed with two ounces of the blood of a red hair'd man who but a while before had breath'd a vein he put in sugar in the sight of all that were present The other in token of friendship willingly takes off the poyson The next day he was sensible of no inconvenience but after a third was past he seemed to have some dotage in his discourses at length he became a meer fool and so continued while he lived no kind of remedy being found any whit available to him 2. In the Isle of Majorca there was a Lord of a Castle who amongst others kept a Negro slave and for some fault of his had beaten with some severity the Villain Moor watching his opportunity when his Master and the rest were absent shut the door against him and at his return he thus acted his damnable Revenge while his Lord stood without demanding entrance he reviled him violated the honour of his Lady threw her and two of his young children out at the Castle windows and stood ready to do the like with the third and youngest child The miserable father who had beheld the ruine of all his Family but this one begged of his slave to save the life of that little one which the cruel slave refused unless he would cut off his own nose the pitiful Parent accepted the condition and had no sooner performed it but the bloody Villain first cast the infant down head-long and then himself in a barbarous bravery thereby to elude the desired Revenge of his abused Lord. 3. As I went from Rome with my company saith Camerarius passing through the Marquisate of Ancona we were to go through a City called Terni As we entred the City we saw over the gate upon an high Tower a certain Tablet to which were fastened as at first it seemed to us a great many Batts or Reermice we thinking it a strange sight and not knowing what it meant one of the City whom we asked told us thus There was said he in this City two Noble Rich and mighty houses which of a long time bare an irreconcilable hatred one against the other their malice passed from father to son as it were by inheritance by occasion of which many of both houses were slain and murdered At last the one house not many years since resolved to stand no more upon murdering one or two of the adverse party by surprize but to run upon them all at once and not to leave one of them alive This bloody Family secretly gathered together out of the Country adjoining with their servants and such other Bravo's as many Italians keep in pay to employ in the execution of their Revenges these were privily armed and had notice to be ready at a word About midnight they seize upon the person of the Governour of the City and leaving Guards in his house go on silently to the house of their enemy disposing Troops at the end of every Street About ten of them take the Governour in the midst of them as if they had been the Archers of his Guard whom they compelled by setting a Poynard to his throat to command speedy entrance he caused the doors to be opened for they seeing the Governour there made no refusal which done they call
potent enemies to Theopompus throughout all Greece 10. C. Cornisicius a Poet and Emulator of Virgil when he saw the Souldiers often flying he called them Helmetted Hares who so far resented this term of ignominy that upon the first opportunity they all deserted him in fight and so he was slain upon the place by the enemy 11. Vitellius the Emperour upon the coming of Vespasian was seised upon by the people of Rome they bound his hands behind him put a halter about his neck torâ— his garments and drew him half naked into the Forum they taunted him all along the street called the Sacred way with the most opprobrious speâ—ches They drew backward the hairs of his head as is usual with heinous Malefactours they underser his chin with the point of a Sword that he might carry his face aloft to be seen of all men some cast dirt and dung upon him others called him Incendiary and Gormandizer others upbraided him with defaults in his body at the last he was cruelly put to death at the Gemonies with little blows and by slow degrees thence he was drawn with a hook and his dead body thrown in Tiber. 12. M. Tullius Cicero had made some invective Orations against M. Antonius for which when Antonius came to be of the Triumvirate he caused him to be slain Fulvia the Wife of Antonius not satisfied with the death of that great Orator caused his head to be brought to her upon which she bestowed many curses she spat in the face of it she placed it upon her lap and opening the mouth drew out the tongue and pricked it in divers places with a needle and after all caused it to be set up in a high and eminent place over those Pulpits from whence the Orators use to speak their Orations to the people Reynolds Treat pass chap. 15. p. 150. 13. Pope Stephen the seventh having been hindred from the Popedom by Formosus his Predecessour when after his death he was made Pope he caused his dead body to be taken out out of the Sepulchre to be stript of the Pontificial Ornaments cloathed in secular garments and to be buried without the Church he also caused his fingers to be cut off and to be cast into the River for the Fish to devour When Sergius the third came to be Pope he caused the body of the same Formosus to be drawn out of its second burying place to be beheaded in the Forum or Market-place and then to be cast into the River Tiber to gratifie Lotharius the King of France who thus hated the dead Formosus for that by his means the Empire was translated from the French to the Berengarians others say that Sergius did this to Formosus because he had also opposed him in the Election 14. Cambyses the son of Cyrus King of Persia sent to Amasis King of Egypt that he should send him his Daughter Amasis knowing that the Persian would use her but as one of his Concubines not his Wife and withall dreading his power he sent Nitetes the Daughter of Apries the former King adorned after the manner of his Daughter The Daughter of Apries made known this deceit to Cambyses at her first coming who was thereupon so incensed that he resolved upon a war with Egypt and though Amasis was dead before he could take Memphis yet as soon as he had he went thence to the City Sais enters the Palace of Amasis caused the body of him to be taken out of his Sepulcher which done he would have it to be scourged pulled beaten prickt and used with all the contumely he could devise this being done till the ministers of his pleasure were wearied and seeing the salted Carcase opposed their blows so that no particle fell from it thereby he at last caused it to be cast into the fire where it was burt to ashes 15. Cyrus warring against Tonyris Queen of the Massagetes had by a stratagem taken her Son Spargapises for he had left part of his army with plentiful provisions of meats and wines on purpose to be seised upon These troops Spargapises had cut in pieces and that done set himself and his army to feasting and carowsing and while they were secure asleep and enfeebled by drinking Cyrus set upon them killed and took most of them Spargapises brought before Cyrus desired him that he might be unbound when he was loosed and his hands at liberty grieved for the discomfiture of his army he slew himself After which Tomyris in a great battle overthrew the forces of Cyrus and having found him amongst the dead in revenge of her Sons death she caused his head to be cut off and to be thrown into a vessel full of humane blood with this bitter sarcasm say some Satiate thy self with blood which thou hast so much thirsted after but Herodotus thus Thou hast destroyed my Son taken by guile while I am alive and victorious but as I threatned I will satiate thee with blood 16. A Noble Hungarian having found one in bed with his Wife committed the Adulterer to prison there to be famished to death and that he might the better attain his end he caused a roasted Hen ever and anon to be let down to his nose that by the smell of the meat his appetite might be excited to the greater eagerness but he was not suffered to taste of it only it was presented to make his punishment the more bitter when the miserable creature had endured this manner of usage for six days the seventh it was found that he had eaten the upper part of his own arms 17. When Paris was dead Helena was married to another of the Sons of Priamus called Deiphobus and Troy being taken by the Greeks Menelaus her first from whom she had been stolen acted his revenge upon this later Husband with great severity for he cut off his ears and arms and nose and at the last when he had maimed him all over and in every part he suffered him to dye in exquisite torments 18. Fridericus Barbarossa the Emperour with a strong army besieged Millaine that had withdrawn it self from under his obedience and had lately affronted his Empress on this manner The Empress desirous to see the City and not fearing to meet with any disrespect from a place under her Husbands jurisdiction had put her self into it The mad people seise upon her set her upon the back of a Mule with her face to the tail-ward and the tail in her hand instead of a bridle and in this contumelious manner put her out at the other gate of the City The Emperour justly incensed urged the besieged to yield who at last did and he received them to mercy upon this condition that every person who desired to live should with their teeth take a Fig out of the genitals of a Mule as many as refused were immediately to be beheaded divers preferred death before this ignominy those that desired life did
shewed the testimonies of his presence A Iew that was but lately become a Christian there denied that it was any miracle saying it was not likely that out of a dry piece of Wood there should come such a light Now albeit many of the standers by doubted of the miracle yet hearing a Jew deny it they began to murmure calling him wicked Apostate a detestable enemy to Jesus Christ and after they had sufficiently revileâ— him with words all the multitude foaming with anger fall upon him pluck off the hair of his head and beard tread upon him trail him into the Church-yard beat him to death and kindling a great fire cast the dead body into it All the residue of the people ran to this mutinous Company there a certain Fryer made a Sermon wherein he vehemently egged on his auditors to revenge the injury that our Lord had received The people mad enough of themselves were clean cast off of the hinges by this Exhortation besides this two other Fryers took and held up a Cross as high as they could cryed out Revenge Heresie Heresie down with wicked Heresie and destroy the wicked Nation Then like hungry Dogs they fall upon the miserable Jews cut the throats of a great number and drag them half dead to the fires many of which they made for the purpose They regarded not Age or Sex but murdered Men Women and Children they brake open doors rush into rooms dash out Childrens brains against the walls they went insolently into Churches to pluck out thence the little Children old Men and young Maids that had taken hold of the Altars the Crosses and Images of Saints crying misericordia mercy mercy there they either so murdered them presently or threw them out alive into the fire Many that carried the port and shew of Jews found themselves in great danger and some were killed and others wounded before they could make proof that they had no relation to them Some that bare a grudge to others as they met them did but cry Jews and they were presently beaten down without having any liberty or leasure to answer for themselves The Magistrates were not so hardy as to oppose themselves against the fury of the people so that in three dayes the Cut-throats killed above two thousand Jewish persons The King understanding the news of this horrible hurly burly was extreamly wroth and suddenly dispatched away Iaques Almeida and Iaques Lopez with full power to punish so great offences who caused a great number of the seditious to be executed The Fryers that had lift up the Cross and animated the people to murder were degraded and afterwards hanged and burnt The Magistrates that had been slack to repress this riot were some put out of Office and others fined the City also was disfranchized of many priviledges and honours 2. In the 1281 year since the birth of our Saviour when Charles of Anjoy reigned in Sicily his Souldiers all French men lying in Garisons in the Cities grew so odious to the Sicilians that they studied of nothing so much as how to be revenged and to free themselves from the yoke of the French The fittest and most resolute in this business was a Gentleman called Iohn Prochyto This Gentleman being justly provoked by the French who had forced his Wife and finding himself much favoured by the Sicilian Lords and Gentlemen begins by their counsel and support to build a strange design for the entrapping of all the French at once and abolishing for ever their memory in Sicilia All which was so secretly carried for eighteen months that ever since it hath been looked upon as a prodigious thing that a design of that nature could possibly be so long and safely concealed by so many people and so different in humour The watch-word or signal was that upon Easter-day when the Bell should begin to toll to Even-song all the Sicilians should presently run to arms and joyning together with one accord should fall upon all the French throughout Sicilia Accordingly all the Inhabitants of the Iâ—le were gathered together at the appointed hour and armed ran upon the French cut all their throats without taking so much as one prisoner or sparing the Children or Women gotten with Child by the French that they might utterly extinguish the whole race of them There were slain eight thousand at that time and there escaped but a very small number who fled into a Fort called Sperling where for want of victuals they were all starved to death This bloody Massacre is to this day called the Sicilian Even-song 3. Anno 1572. was the bloody Parisian Mattins wherein was spilt so much Christian blood that it flowed through the streets like rain water in great abundance and this butchery of Men Women and Children continued so long that the principal Rivers of the Kingdom were seen covered with murdered bodies and their streams so dyed and stained with humane blood that they who dwelt far from the place where this barbarous act was committed abhorred the waters of those Rivers and refused to use either it or to eat of the fish taken therein for a long time after This Tragedie was thus cunningly plotted A peace was made with the Protestants for assurance whereof a marriage was solemnized between Henry of Navarre chief of the Protestant party and the Lady Margaret the Kings Sister At this Wedding there assembled the Prince of Conde the Admiral Coligni and divers others of chief note but there was not so much Wine drank as blood shed at it At midnight the Watch-bell rung the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde are taken prisoners the Admiral murdered in his bed and thirty thousand at the least of the most potent men of the Religion sent by the way of the Red Sea to find the nearest passage to the Land of Canaan 4. In the year 1311. and in the time of Pope Clement the fifth all the order of the Knights Templars being condemned at the Council of Vienna and adjudged to dye Philip the Fair King of France urged by the Pope and out of a covetous desire of store of Confications gave way for men to charge them with crimes and so these Innocents were put to death The Great Master of the Order together with two other of the principal Persons one whereof was Brother to the Dolphin of Viennois were publickly burnt together 5. Mithridates King of Pomus once a friend and confederate of the Romans and took their part against Aristonicus who would not consent to the admission of the Romans unto Pergamus according to the last will of King Attalus yet afterwards conceiving an ambitious hope to obtain the Monarchy of all Asia in one night he plotted and effected the death of all the Roman Souldiers dispersed in Anatolia to the number of one hundred and fifty thousand 6. The Massacre of the Frâ—nch Protestants at Merindol and Chabriers happened in the year 1545. the instrument of it being
of strong Beer which accordingly they did but within twenty four hours three of them dyed and the fourth hardly escaped after great sickness 16. Anno Dom. 1618. one Thomas Alred of Godmaâ—chester being a common Drunkard was intreated by a Neighbour to unpitch a load of Hay and being at that time drunk the Pitchfork slipt out of his hand which he stooping to take up again fell from the Cart with his head downwards and the Fork standing with the Tines upward he fell directly upon them which striking to his heart killed him immediately 17. Alexander the Great invited his Friends to a solemn Feast wherein among those that were drunk mention was made of the atchievements of King Philip Alexander preferred himself before his Father and began to extol the greatness of his actions to the very Heavens as most part of the Guests did flatteringly comply with him therein When therefore Clytus presuming upon the great friendship he had with the King wherein none had a greater share went about to defend the memory of Philip and to extol his actions Alexander was so offendded herewith that hastily snatching a Javelin out of the hands of one of the Guards he slew Clytus therewith at this drunken feast and glorying in the death he had given him he upbraided the dead with his Patronage of Philip and the praises of his Fathers warfare But so soon as his mind satiated with blood came to its usual repose and that honour succeeded in the place of anger then considering the person slain and also the occasion upon which he began to repent of what he had done and that he had received the praises of his Father with as great impatience as perhaps was due to his reproaches Now it grieved him that he had slain an old man his Friend an Innocent and that also in the midst of his Cups so that converting to repentance with the same fury as he had rushed into anger before he was now determined to dye and had killed himself but that he was hindered by his Friends yet even then he would pine himself had fasted for four dayes and had done so till death but that he was recalled by the comforts and counsel of Calisthenes and the earnest intercessions of his whole Army CHAP. XVIII Of the Luxury and expence of some Persons in Apparel and their variety and vanity therein and in their other Furniture WHen Michael Paleologus the Greek Emperour had sent certain rich Robes as a present to Nugas the Scythian Monarch he asked of those that brought them Nunquam calamitates morbos mortemque depellere possent whether they could drive away calamities sickness and death for if they could not they were not in his opinion to be much regarded It seems there have been others of a contrary mind as will appear by what follows 1. Lollia Paulina a Roman Lady being invited to a banquet went thither and carried about her in Chains Carcanets and Precious Stones a million of Gold her Father had despoiled all the Roman Provinces to cloath this only Daughter and yet was afterwards enforced to drink poyson being overwhelmed in the despair of his own affairs 2. In the year 1544. there was found in Rome a Coffin of Marble eight foot long and in it a Robe embroidered with Goldsmiths work which yielded six and thirty pound weight of Gold besides fourty Rings a cluster of Emeralds a little Mouse made of another Precious Stone and amongst all those precious Magnificences two Leg-bones of a dead Corpse known by the inscription of the Tombe to be the bones of the Empress Mary Daughter of Stilicon and Wife of the Emperour Honorius 3. Charles Duke of Burgundy had one Garment of the price of two hundred thousand Duckets a prodigious luxury and which could not be maintained but by the expilation of his Subiects 4. In the third year of the reign of King Richard the second Sir Iohn Arundel with divers others put to Sea with a purpose to pass over into Britain but were all cast away in a tempest This Sir Iohn Arundel was then said in his furniture to have two and fifty new suits of apparel made of Cloath of Gold and Tissue all which were also lost at Sea 5. Demetrius his garments were illustrious with Purple and Gold his Shoos also were daubed over with it In his Cloak was woven the representation of the World and the Stars so that when he fell from the Soveraignty of Macedon no King how great soever that succeeded him did dare to be seen in that Cloak to so envyed a magnificence did the make and value of it amount 6. A Praetor in Rome intending to set forth the most sumptuous and magnificent shews he could devise sent to Lucullus to borrow of him some store of short Cloaks his answer was that he would take a time to see if he had so many as the Praetor desired and the next day sending to know what number would serve his turn it being told him an hundred he â—ad them take two hundred but Horace speaks of a far greater number no less than five thousand chlamydes Lucullus ut aiunt c. Lucullus asked once if he could lend Vnto the Stage one hundred Cloaks replied How can I man so many Yet I 'le send As many as I have when I have tried Soon after writes five thousand Cloaks I have Take all or part as many as you crave 7. At their publick Feasts even private Romans changed their Cloaks only for ostentation to shew their variety hence that of the Poet. Vndecies una surrexti Zoile coena Et mutata tibi est Synthesis undecies Eleven times one Supper thou O Zoilus didst arise As many times thou didst I trow Thy Mantle change likewise 8. The Emperour Henry the fifth having conquered Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples had reached yet further in his hopes and intended for Greece he therefore sent his Embassadours to Alexius Angelus the Greek Emperour to demand of him a mighty sum of Gold as a Tribute from him which if he denied he would seek to obtain by War Alexius informed of the arrival of these Foraigners and their business that by an ostentation of his splendour and riches he might possess them with reverence and dread of him commanded his Nobles to attend him adorned with Gold and the richest of their Jewels he himself from head to foot was but one continued splendour dazling the eyes of all that beheld him The Germans came but so far were they from being terrified with this Gallantry that they wished for nothing more than to fight with these men who they saw were prepared to enrich them with their spoils The Grecians in the mean time directed their eyes to the Emperour calling upon them to behold the glory of his Garments and Jewels See said they how he appears like some flowery Meadow in the midst of Winter you may here
yet this man was very ambitious of being thought to be a learned man 5. Baâ—â—a King of the Goths by a draught of Poyson given him by his successor Heringius utterly lost the use of his memory 6. In the reign of the Emperour Frederick the second one Germanus a Clerke having opened a vein whereat he might lose some blood together with it lost all memory of Learning nor could be better tell how to write or read than if he had never learnt either but in the mean time he still retained all other things A year together he continued in this Kind of oblivion till which is strange being let blood again at the same time of the year in the same place he was restored to his former knowledge of reading and writing 7. A certain Franciscan being recovered of a disease was suddenly so deprived of his memory that although he was an able Divine yet he did not understand the first Elements nor could he remember the names of those things which he daily used Four months did he thus continue and began to learn his Alphabet but by the use of powerful medicines he recovered all his former learning in the next four months 8. When Curio the Oratour was to plead in the behalf of Sex Naevius and Cicero was to do the like for Titinia Corta upon the sudden Curio forgat the whole cause and said it was occasioned by the witchcraft and enchantments of Titinia But the truth is he had naturally so frail a memory that sometimes propounding to insist upon three heads he would either add a fourth or have forgotten the third And in his writings usually he forgat what he had set down before 9. Hermogenes was born in Cilicia a Rhetorician of that account that he may challenge the next place to Aristotle he was scarce eighteen years old when he wrote the Art of Rhetorick which is yet extant He was in great reputation for his learning in the reign of Marcus Aurelius but being arrived to the twenty fourth year of his age he fell into an invincible and incurable stupidity of mind so that he forgat all manner of learning whereupon they used to say by way of jest Hermogenes was an old Man amongst Boyes and a Boy amongst old men he flourished Anno Christi 160. 10. Antonius of Siena being newly recovered of a disease did so perfectly forget all that he had before fixed in his memory that he remembred not so much as the names of things while he was at Florence he believed he was at Siena he knew not his friends from his enemies but called them by other names and therefore as a meer mad Man and Dotard he was left to Nature It was now twenty days since he was thus affected when a looseness took him wherein he voided blood green choler and other things and was thereby restored to his former memory though he remembred nothing of what he had done in the mean time 11. In Claâ—dius Caesar there was nothing that men wondered more at than his forgetfulness and inconsiderateness When Messalina his Empress was slain by his command as soon as he was sat down to Supper he enquired of the Servitors why their Lady did not come And many of those whom he had put to death the next day he invited into Council and to play at Dice and as if they made little haste he sent messengers to reprove them for their sloth 12. Thâ—anus writes of Theodore Beza that before he died when his mind was grown feeble he forgat things present but what was printed in his memory afore-time when he had his understanding that he held and it continued thus with him during the two years wherein he languished 13. So stupid and so dull of memory was Atticus the Son of Herod the Sophist that by no means he could be brought to retain the names of the first Elements or letters in the Alphabet His father to remedy this evil procured twenty four boyes of like age with his son and gave to each of them a sirname from the several letters that at least by this means he might instruct the gross capacity of his son 14. The Emperour Antoninus Caracalla had so profited in learning and Philosophy that he was numbred amongst the learned and used to employ a great part of the day in philosophical discourses and disputations But afterwards he was seised upon with so great a forgetfulness of all sorts of learning as if he had never had the least acquaintance with letters 15. When Theseus was about to sail into Creet with a purpose to encounter with the Minotaur there his father commanded him all the way in his Voyage thither to make use of black sails but in case he should be victorious in his return homewards he should then advance his white flags as the sure sign of his being a Conquerour Theseus utterly forgot all that his Father had given him in charge when therefore the careful old man stood almost continually upon the Rocks in a longing expectation of his Sons arrival at last he set his eye upon the ship which he knew but observing that the sails of it were black and concluding that his Son was perished in that his unfortunate enterprize as one who was not able to survive that which was once so dear and desirable to him he cast himself headlong from the Rock into the Sea and was there drowned 16. Conradus Lycosthenes in the year 1555. was suddenly taken with a dead Palsey on his right side by which he lost the use of his speech and though he retain'd his reason yet his memory was quite gone for divers dayes At last being restored to his wonted health he lived seven years with his memory as perfect and entire as ever CHAP. XXVI Of the absurd and strange follies of divers men SOme little deviations of any of the lesser lights would scarce be heeded by us but should the Sun make but one false step the eyes of almost all the world would be suddenly directed that way thus the follies of mean persons are lightly passed over whereas the impertinences of Princes and the dotages of great persons are as generally observed and censured as those foolish and ridiculous customes wherewith whole Nations at once have been tainted and infected 1. Amongst the Caribbians assoon as the wife is delivered the husband goes to bed to bemoan himself there and act the part of the woman in that condition but what is most troublesome to the poor Caribbian who hath put himself into bed instead of his new delivered wife is that they oblige him to a certain diet for ten or twelve dayes together allowing him every day only a little piece of Cassava and a little water wherein there had been boyled a little of that Root-bread afterwards his allowance is a little increased yet still continued in that same diet but he breaks the Cassava which is presented
dead more than twenty two years before The Emperor Rudolphus at that time laid Siege to Colmaria but not a little moved that this Impostour had got together a great Force and that divers of the Nobles and Cities in the Lower Germany took part with him he desisted from his Siege came down the Rhine as one that made hast to pay his obeysance to the old Emperour but having once seized upon him and demanded Who Whence and for what reason he had done such things he caused him to be burnt in the Town of Witzlar 9. In the same Germany Anno 1348. there was a notable Impostour about Voldemarus Marquess of Brandenburgh the Marquess had been abroad and missing whether lost or dead for thirty one years when Rudolphus Duke of Saxony considered which way he might deprive Ludovicus Bavarus of his Marquisate of Brandenburgh To this purpose he kept privately about him a Miller whom he instructed with all requisite art and subtilty and gave out that he was the Marquess divers Castles and Towns were hereupon yielded up to him the Bavarians and their Assistants were overthrown by him in one great Battel wherein Rudolphus Count Palatine of the Rhine with seventy nine Knights were taken Prisoners three years did this Miller bear up till at last he was taken and adjudged to the â—lames to the Infamy of his Abettours 10. Balwine the eighth was Earl of Flanders and Hannonia afterwards Emperour of Constantinople slain in a Battel against the Bulgarians Twenty years after his death Bernardus Rainsus a Campanian gave himself out to be the Emperour long imprisoned but now at liberty the gravity of his Countenance the remembrance of former men and things the exact knowledge of his Pedegree deceived even the most cautious and circumspect much trouble he created till at last cited before Lewis the eighth King of France and not able to answer such questions as were by him propounded he was reputed and sent away as an Impostour after which taken in Burgundy he was sent to Iâ—anna Countess of Flanders and by her order strangled 11. The like to this fell out in Spain when Alphonsus was King of Arragon a youth of about eleven years of age and under the Government of his mother there rose up one who gave out of himself That he was that old Alphonsus twenty eight years past reported to be slain at Fraga to colour his absence all that while he said How that out of a weariness of humane affairs he went into Asia and the Holy Land where he had fought in the Wars for God and Religion that having now expiated his sins he was returned to his Subjects The matter took with many and he had undoubtedly raised some considerable stirs there but that being taken at Augusta he there hang'd himself CHAP. XXXV Of the huge Ambition of some men and their thirst after Soveraignty HEliogabalus sometimes took his Courtiers and commanded them to be ty'd and trussed fast to a great Wheel and then turned and rolled them up and down in the water taking infinite pleasure to see them sometimes aloft sometime below sometime to tast the sweetness of the air and sometime to be deeply plunged in the water where of necessity they drank more than enough Ambitious men daily act the same play but they personate it tragically and therefore it was well advised by one of the Kings of France when his Chancellour shewed him his own lively Effigies upon a piece of Arras standing upon the uppermost part of Fortunes Wheel You would do well said he to pin it fast lest it should turn again Yet all considerations of this kind are two little to rebate the keenness of some mens soaring minds who are in continual Fevors to be great though for never so little a time and at what rate soever 1. At the Election of the Pope the great Ambition of Cardinal William Rhotomagensis was visible even in the scrutiny for being timerous and fearful things would not happen as he expected seeing Cardinal Aeneas going towards the Schedule he said to him with an humble and submissive voice Aeneas I recommend my self to thee remember me I beseech thee and have compassion on me Aeneas answered him only thus Poor Worm thou mistakest in recommending thy self to me His Ambition was moreover conspicuous in the prayers he went mumbling about yet so as his Neighbours might understand him lifting up his eyes and his voice to Heaven and joining his hands he cried out Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori God be merciful unto me a sinner The scrutiny being published it appeared that Aeneas had three voices more than Rotomagensis and by the accession of Cardinal Prosper Colonna was then made Pope 2. When Stephen that good and great King of Poland was dead and that the usual Assembly was called for the Election of a new King the Great Cham of Tartary was also there by his Embassadours who in his name told them That he was a Potent Prince able of his own Subjects to lead many Myriads of Horse into the Field for either the defence or inlargement of Poland That he was also frugal and temperate and setting aside all delicate dishes his manner was to asswage his hunger with only Horses flesh In the next place as to matters of Religion concerning which he heard they were in dispute their Pope should be his Pope and their Luther his Luther No marvel if this Embassy was received with laughter when they beheld a man ready to part at once with Religion and all things Sacred for the very desire he had after Rule 3. After the Noble exploits of Sertorius in Spain had put those on his part almost in equal hopes with their enemies Perpenna too much rerelying upon the Nobility of his Descent ambitiously aspired to the power of Sertorius to that purpose he sowed the seeds of dissention in the Army and amongst the Captains and the Conspiracy being ripe he invited Sertorius with other his Officers Confederate with him to supper and there caused him to be murdered Immediately the Spaniards revolted from Perpenna and by their Embassadours yielded themselves to Pompey and Metellus Perpenna soon shewed he was a man that knew neither how to command nor to obey he was speedily broken and taken by Pompey nor did he bear his last misfortune in such manner as became a General for having the Papers of Sertorius in his hands he promised to Pompey to shew him Letters from consular persons and under the hands of the chiefest men in the City whereby Sertorius was invited into Italy Pompey burnt the Letters and all Sertorius his Papers not looking upon any of them himself nor suffering any other and then caused Perpenna to be dispatched that he might free the City of a mighty fear and this was the end of the foolish Ambition of Perpenna 4. Alexander was at the Siege of Tyrus when a second time there came to him
in this 1. The Marryed Clergy of England would not hear of being divorced â—rom their Wives the Bishops therefore were fain to call in the aid of the Pope Iohn de Crema an Italian Cardinal jolly with his youthful blood and gallant equipage came over into England with his bigness and bravery to bluster the Clergy out of their Wives He made a most gaudy Oration in the commendation of Virginity as one who in his own person knew well how to value such a Jewel by the loss thereof most true it is that the same night at London he was caught in Bed with an Harlot 2. Didymus the Grammarian wrote so much as no man more it fell out that upon a time when he objected against a story endeavouring to make the vanity thereof appear as a thing utterly false one of his own books was brought to him and the page laid open before him where he had related it as a truth 3. M. Crassus gaping after the Parthian riches was leading against them a gallant Army and passing through Galatia he found Deiotarus the King thereof though in extremity of old age building a New City wondering hereat he thus played upon the King What is this said he that I see the twelfth hour is just upon the stroke with thee and yet thou art about to erect a new City Deiotarus smiling replyed Nor is it over early day with my Lord General as it should seem and yet he is upon an expedition into Parthia Crassus was then in the sixtieth year of his age and by his countenance seemed to be older than indeed he was 4. Seneca that wrote so excellently of moral vertue and the commendation thereof yet himself allowed his Scholar Nero to commit incest with his own Mother Agrippina and when he wrote against Tyranny himself was Tutor to a Tyrant when he reproved others for frequenting the Emperours Court himself was scarce ever out of it and when he reproached Flatterers himself practised it in a shameful manner towards the Empress and the Freed-men whilest he inveighed against riches and rich men he heaped together inâ—inite riches by usury and unjust dealings and whilest he condemned luxury in others himself had â—ive hundred costly Chairs made of Cedar the feet of them Ivory and all other Furniture of his House answerable thereunto 5. Pericles the Athenian might do what he pleased in his Country and therefore made a sâ—aw that no mans natural or illegitimate Son should be reputed amongst the number of the Citizens or be admitted to their priviledges it fâ—ll out aâ—terwards that all his own Sons lawâ—ully begotten dyed but he had a bastard who was yet alive him he would have to enjoy the freedom of the City and so was the first violator of that law which himself had made 6. In the reign of Theodosius the Elder Gildo was the Preâ—ect of Africa who upon the death of the Emperour seised upon that Province for his own and sought to bring Massâ—lzeres his Brother into society with him in his disloyalty but he slying the Country the Tyrant slew his Wife and Children whereupon he was sent for by Arcadius and Honorius who succeeded in the Empire to go against Gildo his Brother for the recovery of that Province He went overthrew Gildo in battel having put him to death easily regained all that was lost which he had no sooner done but he fell into the same treasonable disloyalty which he had formerly so much disapproved and he himself rebelled against the Emperour who had employed him 7. C. Licinius sirnamed Hoplomachus petitioned the Pretor that his Father might be interdicted from having to do with his estate as being one that prodigally wasted and consumed it He obtained what he desired but not long after the old man deing dead he himself riotously spent a vast sum of mony and all those large lands that were lest unto him by his Father 8. C. Licinius Stolo by whose means the Plebeians were enabled to sue for the Consulship made a Law that no man should possess more than five hundred Acres of Land after which he himself purchased a thousand and to dissemble his â—ault therein he gave five hundred of them to his Son whereupon he was accused by M. Popilius Laenas and was the first that was condemned by his own Law 9. Henry the Son of Henry the fourth Emperour in the quarrel of the Pope rose against his own Father but when his Father being dead he himself was Emperour he then maintained the same quarrel about investiture of Bishops against the Pope which his Father before did CHAP. XLVI Of such persons as could not endure to be told of their Faults DIseases are sometimes more happily cured by medicines made up with bitter ingredients than they are with such sweet potions as are more delightful to the palate but there are a sort of patients so wilful that they can be wrought upon by no perswasions to take them down A just and home reproof though not very tastfull where it is well digested is of excellent use to remove some maladies from the mind the worst of it is that there are but few to be found especially amongst the great ones who can endure to be administred to in this kind 1. Cambyses King of Persia on a time desired to be truly informed by Prexaspes his beloved favourite what the Persians thought of his conditions who answered That his virtues were followed with abundant praise from all men only it was by many observed that he took more than usual delight in the taste of Wine inflamed with this taxation he made this reply And are the Persians double tongued who also tell me that I have in all things excelled my Father Cyrus Thou Prexaspes shalt then witness whether in this report they have done me right for if at the â—irst shot I pierce thy Sons heart with an Arrow then it is false that hath been spoken but if I miss the mark I am then pleased that the fame be counted true and my Subjects believed he immediately directed an Arrow towards the innocent Child who falling down dead with the stroke Cambyses commanded his body to be opened and his heart being broached upon the Arrow this monstrous Tyrant greatly rejoycing shewed it to the Father with this saying instead of an Epitaph Now Prexaspes thou maist resolve thy self that I have not lost my wits with Wine but the Persians theirs who make such report 2. Yu King of China had a Colao who at the Royal audience would not fail to tell him freely of his faults one day whether the King had given more cause or that the excess was on the Colaos part the Audience being ended the King returned into the Palace very much offended saying he would cut off the head of that impertinent Fellow The Queen asked him the cause of his displeasure the King answered There is an unmannerly Clown that never ceaseth
This infamous Law was repealed by King Malcolme Anno 1057. granting the Husband liberty to redeem the same by payment of an half mark of Silver which Portion they call marchetas Mulierum and is yet disponed by Superiours in the Charters they give to their Vassals 6. Augustus though of so great a fame for a good Emperour was yet so lustfully given that if he saw any beautiful Lady he caused her to be privately brought to him without all respect of Nobility Dignity or Honesty The Philosopher Athenodorus was very inward with him yet not acquainted with his libidinous practises but one day understanding that Augustus had sent a Litter closed with his Seal for a certain Noble Lady whose Husband lamented exceedingly and the Chast Woman was also moved extreamly thereat He besought them both to be patient and forthwith conveyed himself secretly into the Litter in place of the Lady with a Sword in his hand when the Litter was brought Augustus coming as his manner was to open it himself Athenodorus rushed forth upon him with his drawn Sword in his hand and said he Art thou not afraid that some one should kill thee in this manner Augustus much amazed at this unexpected accident yet gently bore with the boldness of the Philosopher thanking him afterwards and making good use of so good a warning 7. There was a Chirurgion of no mean City who neglecting his own followed the wife of another man and when on a time he had mounted his Horse with a purpose to ride to her his Wife asked him whither he went who in derision replyed to a Brothel House These words spoken in such a petulant levity were not unheard by Divine Justice for when he had performed with the Adulteress what he intended and was mounting his Horse to return one of his feet catched and was entangled in the Reins which the Horse frighted at ran away as if mad shook him off the Saddle one of his feet hanging in the Stirrup he drew him in such manner along the way that his Brains were beat out upon the Stones nor could he be stopped till he had dragged him into a Brothel House and made good those words that before he had spoken with an inconsiderate perverseness 8. Hostius was a man of a most prostigate baseness after what manner he abused himself with both Sexes and what Glasses he caused to be made on purpose to enlarge the imagination of his impurities by the delusion of his eyes I had rather should be declared by the Pen of Seneca than mine but it is even pleasant to remember that the villanies of this monster had a due recompence even in this world for when he was slain by his own Servants Augustus the Emperor judged his death unworthy of revenge 9. The Duke of Anjou coming to assist the Netherlanders against the Spaniards while his Army was yet upon the Frontiers to enter into Henault it hapned that one Captain Pont was lodged in the House of a rich Farmer named Iohn Mills of whom he demanded his Daughter Mary to Wife but being denyed he chased the whole Family out of the House keeping only this poor Virgin whom he ravished and caused three or four of his Souldiers to do the like which done he set her at the Table by him and flouted her with â—ilthy and dissolute speeches She big with revenge as the Captain turned his head to speak with a Corporal catched up a Knife and stabbed him therewith to the heart so that he fell down presently dead the Souldiers took and bound her to a Tree and shot her to death 10. Paulina was the Wife of Saturninus illustrious as well for the chastity of her life as the Nobility of her birth Decius Mundus none of the meanest of the Knights of Rome was inflamed with her incomparable beauty so that he offered her two hundred thousand Drachmes for a single night she despising his gifts he determined to famish himself Ide the Freed-woman of his Father was aware of this and told him that for fifty thousand Drachmes she would procure him the embraces of Paulina which having received and knowing Paulina vehemently addicted to the worship of Isis she delivers twenty five thousand Drachmes to some of the Priests declares the love of Decâ—â—s solicits their help and that done she promised to deliver them as much more in Gold The elder of these Priests thus corrupted gets to Paulina and admitted to private conference tells her that the god Anubis was taken with her beauty and commanded that she should repair to him she obtained leave of her Husband to go the more easily for that he knew she was of approved chastity To the Temple she went and when it was time to rest she was locked in by the Priests and there in the dark was encountred by Mundus whose pleasure that night she obeyed supposing that she had gratified the god He went thence before the Priests that were conscious of the abuse were risen Paulina magnified her happiness to her Husband and Equals Upon the third day after Mundus met her It was well done Paulina said he to save me two hundred thousand Drachmes and yet withal to fulfill what I desired for I am not ill satisfied that you despised Mundus and yet embraced him under the pretext of Anubis and so departed Paulina now first apprehending the abuse tare her Garments and Hair discovered all to her Husband conjuring him not to suffer so great a Villany to pass unpunished Her Husband informed the Emperor Tiberius of the matter who having caused strict examination to be had of all persons concerned he commanded all those Impostor Priests to be crucified together with Ide the Inventrix and Contriver of this mischief He ordered the Temple to be pulled down and the Statue of Isis to be cast into the River Tyber As for Mundus he condemn'd him to perpetual banishment in part as he said excusing him because of the rage of his loves 11. That is a prodigious example in Athenaeus The Tarentines having spoiled Carbinas a Town of the Iapyges they gathered all the boyes Virgins and Women of the most flourishing years into the Temples of the Town and there exposed them naked in the broad day to all comers giving liberty to all sorts to satisfie their Lust as they pleased and that in open view thus was the miserable people oppressed by an unheard of wickedness in contempt of the Divinity But God was so offended therewith that as many of the Tarentines as had committed this Villany were struck dead with lightning from Heaven and their own friends were so far from pitying them that they made Sacrifices to Thundering Iupiter CHAP. LI. Of the Incestuous Loves and Marriages of some Men. IT is the saying of St. Augustine that the commixture of Brothers and Sisters the more ancient it is in respect of the compulsion of necessity the more damnable it is now afterwards become through
being once all together one of them stole from his Fellows and finding this Staff at the Door accused his Sister to his Father of adultery whereof by discovery of the truth she was cleared 9. Bassianus Caracalla the Emperour after he had slain the Son of Iulia his Mother-in-law did also take her to his Wife upon this occasion Iulia was a most beautiful woman and she one day as if through negligence or accident having discovered a great part of her body naked to the eyes of her Son Bassianus sighing said thereupon I would if I might Iulia replyed If you please you may know you not that you are Emperour and that it is your part to give and not to receive Laws Hearing this he publickly marryed her and kept her as his Wife Not long after being slain by the hand of Martialis Macrinus having burnt his body sent the reliques thereof in an Vrn to Iulia his Wife and Mother then at Antioch in Syria who casting her self upon the Urn slew her self and this was the end of this incestuous copulation 10. Artaxerxes Mnemon King of Persia fell in love with his own Daughter a beautiful Virgin called Atossa which his own Mother Parysatis perceiving perswaded him to marry her and so to take her for his Wife and though the Persian Laws forbad such incestuous Marriages yet by the counsel of his wicked Mother and his own lust he had her for his Wife after which time he never prospered in any thing he took in hand 11. Lucretia the Daughter of Pope Alexander the sixth not only lay with the Pope her Father but also with her Bother the Duke of Candy which Duke was also slain by Caesar Borgia for being his Rival in his Sisters Bed Of this Lucretia is this Epitaph extant Hic jacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine sed re Thais Alexandri Filia Sponsa Nurus Here Lucrece lies a Thais in her life Pope Sixtus Daughter Daughter-in-law and Wife 12. When we came to the Court of the King of Queda we found that with a great deal of Pomp excellent Musick Dancing and largess to the poor he was solemnizing the Funerals of his Father whom he himself had stabbed on purpose to marry his own Mother after he had already gotten her with Child As a remedy in these evils he made proclamation that on pain of a most rigorous death no person whatsoever should be so daring as to speak a word of that which had passed and it was told us how for that cause he had already put to death divers principal personages of his Kingdom and a number of Merchants CHAP. LII Of such as have been warned of their approaching death who yet were not able to avoid it WHen Alexander the Great then in India had been told by an Oracle that he should dye by Poyson at Babylon and that within the compass of the next eight months he was importunate to know further who was the person that should give him that Poyson But he had no other answer than this That the Fates cannot be deceived So it seems for when the appointed time is come 't is easie to observe how some push on themselves by a wilful and presumptuous foolhardiness and to others their very caution and circumspection hath proved as fatal to them as any other thing 1. Advâ—rtisements were come from all parts both within and without the Realm from Spain Rome Lorrain and Savoy to give notice to Henry of Lorrain Duke of Guise in the reign of Henry the third of France that a bloody catastrophe would dissolve that assembly he had then occasioned of the Estates The Almanacks had well observed it it was generally bruited in the Estates that the execution should be on St. Thomas day the very Eve before the Dukes death the Duke himself sitting down to Dinner found a scrole under his Napkin advertising him of a secret ambush of the King and his but he writ underneath with his own hand They dare not and threw it under the Tabâ—e seeing therefore that no warning would abate his confidence nor awake his security his murder was performed on this manner Upon December 23. 1588. the King assembles his Council having before prepared seven of his Gentlemen that were near his person to execute his will The Duke of Guise came and attending the beginning of the Council sends for an Handkerchief Pericart his Secretary not daring to commit this new advertisement to any mans report tyes a note to one of the corners thereof saying Come forth and save your self else you are but a dead man But Larchant the Captain of the Kings Guard staid the Page that carried it and caused another to be given to him by St. Prix the chief Groom of the Kings Chamber The spirit of man doth often prophesie the mischief that doth pursue him the Duke in the Council feels strange alterations and extraordinary distemperatures and amidst his distrust a great fainting of his heart St. Prix presents unto him some Prunes of Brignolles and Raysins of the Sun he eats and thereupon the King calls him into his Cabinet by Revol one of the Secretaries of State as it were to confer with him about some secret of importance the Duke leaves the Council to pass into the Cabinet and as he lift up the Tapestry with one hand to enter they charge him with Swords Daggers and Partisanes and so he was slain 2. Certain it is that some good while before the Duke of Buckinghams death by the Knife of Felton Sir Clement Throckmorton a Gentleman then living advised him to wear a privy Coat whâ—se Council the Duke received very kindly but gave him this answer That against any popular fury a Shirt of Male would be but a silly defence and as for any single mans assault he took hiâ—self to be in no danger so dark is destiny 3. The night before King William the second was killed a certain Monk dreamed that he saw the King gnaw the Image of Christ cruciâ—ied with his teeth and that as he was about to bite away the legs of the same Image Christ with his feet spurned him down to the ground and that as he lay on the earth there came out of his mouth a flame of fire with abundance of smoak this being related to the King by Robert Fitz Mammon he made a jest of it saying This Monk would sain have something for his dream go give him an hundred Shillings but bid him look that he dream more auspicious dreams hereafter Also the same night the King himself dreamed that the veins of his arms were broken and that the blood issued out in great abundance and many other like passages there were by which it seems he had Friends somewhere as well as Iulius Caesar that did all they could to give him warning but that as Caesars to his malus Genius would not suffer him to take it for King William notwithstanding forewarned by many signs
untimely death 8. Herod overcome with pain troubled with a vehement Cough and almost pined with fasting was determined to hasten his own death and taking an Apple in his hand he called for a Knife and then looking about him lest any stander by should hinder him he lifted up his Arm to strike himself But Achiabus his Cousin ran hastily unto him and stayed his hand and presently there was great lamentation made throughout all the Kings Palace as if the King had been dead His Son Antipater then in Prison having speedy news hereof was glad and promised the Keepers a piece of money to let him go but the chiefest of them did not only deny to do it but also went and immediately acquainted the King with it Herod hearing this commanded his guard to go and kill Antipater and bury him in the Castle called Hircanium Thus was that wicked man cast away by his own temerity and imprudence who had he had more patience and discretion might probably have secured both his life and the Kingdom to himself for Herod out-lived his death but five dayes 9. Anthony being at Laodicea sent for King Herod to answer what was objected against him touching the death of Young Aristobulus He was an impotent Lover of his Wife Mariamne and suspecting that her beauty was one cause of his danger before he went he committed the care of his Kingdom to Ioseph his Unkle withall leaving him order to kill Mariamne his Wiâ—e in case he should hear that any thing evil had befallen him He had taken his journey and Ioseph in Conversation with the Queen as an argument of the great love the King bare her acquainted her with the order he had left with him Herod having appeased Anthony returâ—ed with honour and speaking to the Queen of the truth and greatness of his love in the midst of Embraces Mariamne said to him It was not the part of a Lover to give commandment that if any thing should befall thee otherwise than well with Anthony I should presently be done to death No sooner were these words out of her mouth but the King entred into a strange passion and giving over his embraces he cryed out with a loud voice and tore his hair saying that he had a most evident proof that Ioseph had committed adultery with her for that he would not have discovered those things which had been spoke to him in secret except they had greatly trusted the one the other and in this emotion or rage of Jealousie hardly contained he from killing his Wife yet he gave order that Ioseph should be slain without admitting him audience or justification of his Innocency Thus Ioseph by his imprudent revealing of a dangerous secret unwarily procured his own death 10. The Emperour Probus a great and excellent Prince having well nigh brought the Empire into a quiet and peaceable from a troublesome and turbulent posture was heard to say that he would speedily take such a course that there should be no more need of Men of War This Speech was so distasted by the Souldiers that they conspired against him and procured his death CHAP. LIV. Men of unusual misfortune in their Affairs Persons or Families THe Ancients accounted him for a fool who being himself but a man would yet upbraid another of his kind with his calamity or misfortune For what reason can any man have to boast of his own estate or to insult over anothers unhappiness when how pleasant a time soever he hath for the present he hath yet no assurance that it shall so continue with him until the evening and though he be never so near unto good fortune yet he may possibly miss it as did the three Princes in the following Example 1. Anastasius Emperour of Constantinople being greatly hated and foreseeing he could not make much longer abode in the world he began to reflect on his Successours desiring to transfer to the Throne one of his three Nephewes whom he had bred up having no male issue to succeed him There was difficulty in the choice and he having a soul very superstitious put that to the lot which he could not resolve by reason for he caused three Beds to be prepared in the Royal Chamber and made his Crown to be hanged within the Tester of one of these Beds being resolved to give it to him who by lot should place himself under it this done he sent for his Nephews and after he had magnificently entertained them commanded them to repose themselves each one chusing one of the Beds prepared for them The eldest accommodated himself according to his fancy and he hit upon nothing the second did the same he then expected the youngest should go directly to the Crowned Bed but he prayed the Emperour he might be permitted to lye with one of his Brothers and by this means not any of them took the way of the Empire which was so easie to be had that it was not above a pace distant Anastasius amazed well saw God would transfer the Diadem from his Race and indeed Iustin succeeded a stranger to his blood 2. Anne Momorancy was a man of an exquisite wit and mature wisdom accompanied with a long experience in the changes of the World by which Arts he acquired happily for himself and for his Posterity exceeding great wealth and the chief dignities of the Kingdom himself having attained to be Constable of France But this man in his military commands had alwayes such ill fortune that in all the wars of which he had the Government he ever remained either a loser or grievously wounded or a Prisoner which misfortunes were the occasion that many times his fidelity was questioned even in that last action where fighting he lost his life he wanted not accusers 3. Thomas Tusser while as yet a Boy lived in many Schools Wallingford St. Pauls and Eaton whence he went to Trinity-hall in Cambridge when a man he lived in Staffordshire Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgeshire and where not He was successively a Musician Schoolmaster Serving-man Husbandman Grasier and Poet more skilful in all than thriving in any Vocation he traded at large in Oxen Sheep Dairies Grain of all kinds to no profit whether he bought or sold he lost and when a Renter impoverished himself and never enriched his Landlord yet hath he laid down excellent Rules of Husbandry and Huswifery so that the observer thereof must be rich in his own defence He spread his Bread with all sorts of Butter yet none would stick thereon yet I hear no man charge him with any vicious extravagancy or visible carelesness but imputing his ill success to some occult cause in Gods Counsel 4. The Emperour Sigismumd passing a River his Horse stood still and pissed in it which when one of his Servants perceived that rode not far before him he said jestingly the Horse had directly the same quality with his Master Caesar heard him and bade him explain the meaning of what
eighth year of his age having Reigned but ninety five daies Sueton. 9. Aul. Vitellius was elected by the German Legions his Motto was Bonus est odor hostia melior civis occisi he was slain by the Souldiers in the fifty seventh year of his age having Reigned eight Months or thereabouts Sueton. 10. Flavius Vespasianus chosen by the Syrian and Iudaean Armies he brought Achaia Lycia Rhodes Samos Thrace and Syria Comagene under the form of Roman Provinces his Motto was Bonus odor lucri ex re qualibet he died of a Flux aged sixty nine and having Reigned nine years Sueton. 11. Titus Vespasianus the Conquerour of the Jews his Motto was Princeps Bonus orbis amor he is supposed to be poysoned by his brother Domitian in the â—orty first year of his age and having Reigned but two years and two Months Sueton. 12. Flavius Domitianus raised the second Persecution against the Christians his Motto was Fallax bonum Regnum he was stabb'd by Stephanus in the forty fifth of his age having Reigned fifteen years Sueton. 13. Nerva Cocceius a Noble Senatour his Motto was Mens bona Regnum possidet he died of a weakness in the stomach in the sixty sixth year of his age having Reigned one year and four Months Symps. ch hist. cent 1. p. 17. 14. Vlpius Trajanus a Spaniard made Dacia a Province of the Empire subdu'd Armenia Mesopotamia and Assyria and caused the third Persecution his Motto was Qualis Rex talis Grex he died suddenly aged sixty one having Reigned nineteen years six Months 15. Aelius Adrianus his Motto was Non mihi sed populo he died aged sixty three having Reigned twenty years Syms 16. Antoninus Pius his friendship was sought by the very Indians his Motto was Melius est servare unum quam occidere mille he died of a Fevor aged seventy five and Reigned twenty three Symps. 17. Antoninus Philosophus associated with him his brother L. Verus by whom he subdu'd the Parthians he raised the fourth Persecution his Motto was Regni clementia custos he Reigned nineteen years Symps. ch hist. cent 2. p. 21. 18. L. Anton. Commodus his Motto was Pedetentim Paulatim he was strangled in the thirty first year of his age after he had Reigned thirteen years Symps. ch hist. cent 2. p. 23. 19. P. Aelius Pertinax made Emperour against his will his Motto was Militenius he was slain by the Praetorian Guards in the seventieth year of his age having Reigned six Months Symps. ch hist. cent 2. p. 24. 20. Didius Iulianus bought the Empire of the Souldiers his Motto was In pretio pretium he was slain by the Souldiers having Reigned but sixty six daies 21. Septimius Severus he raised the fifth Persecution his Motto was Laboremus he died at York in the fifty sixth of his age having Reigned seventeen years eight Months 22. Bassianus Caracalla his Motto was Omnis in serro salus he was slain by Martialis aged twenty nine having Reigned seven years six Months 23. Opilius Macrinus made Emperour by the men of War his Motto was Ferendum ac Sperandum he was slain in the City of Chalcedon aged fifty four having Reigned not full one year 24. Antoninus Heliogabalus a prodigious belly god his Motto was Suns sibi quisque haeres optimus he was murdered by the Praetorian Souldiers aged nineteen having Reigned four years 25. Aurel. Severus Alexander his Motto was Quod tibi hoc Alteri he was slain by the Souldiers aged twenty nine having Reigned thirteen years and nine daies 26. Maximinus a Thracian of obscure birth he raised the sixth Persecution his Motto was Quo major hoc laboriosior he was slain in his Tent by the Souldiers at the Siege of Aquileia having Reigned three years 27. M. Antonius Gordianus elected by the Senate his Motto was Pro patria mori pulchrum he and his son cut off Pupienus and Balbinus and Gordianus Nephew to the former succeeded the two former made away by the Souldiery young Gordianus held the Empire alone his Motto was Princeps miser quem latet veritas he is accounted to have Reigned six years and was then slain 28. Iulius Philippus supposed by some to be a Christian his Motto was Malitia Regno idonea he Reigned five years seven saith Eusebius and was slain by the Souldiery 29. Decius Author of the seventh Persecution his Motto was Apex Magistratus autoritas he was slain by the Goths after he had Reigned two years 30. Trebonianus Gallus with his son Volusianus his Motto was Nemo amicus idem Adulator they were both slain in Battel having Reigned two years 31. Aemilianus his Motto was Non Gens sed Mens he was slain by the Souldiery when he had Reigned three Months 32. Valerianus Author of the eighth Persecution his Motto was Non acerba sed blanda at seventy years of age he was taken by Sapores the Persian and made his foot-stool he Reigned seven years 33. Galienus son of the former in his time stood up the thirty Tyrants that were confounded by one another his Motto was Prope ad summum prope ad exitum he was slain after he had Reigned eight years 34. Claudius his Motto was Rex viva lex having Reigned two years he fell sick and dying left the Empire to his brother 35. Quintilius who finding himself too weak to retain it voluntarily bled to death after he had Reigned seventeen daies to whom succeeded 36. Valerius Aurelianus Author of the ninth Persecution his Motto was Quo major eo placabilior he Reigned six years and was slain by the procurement of Mnestheus his Secretary 37. Annius Tacitus elected by the Senate his Motto was Sibi bonus aliis malus he died of a Fevor in Tarsus having Reigned but six Months left all to his brother 38. Florianus who died voluntarily bleeding having Reigned but two Months to whom succeeded 39. Aurelius Probus subdu'd the Germans and Persians his Motto was Pro stipe labor he was murdered by the Souldiers having Reigned six years and three Months 40. Carus with his two sons Carinus and Numerianus their Motto's were Bonus dux bonus comes that of Carinus was Cedendum multitudini and Numerianus had Esto quod audis The Father was slain by Lightning Carinus in Battel and Numerianus by his Father-in-law Arrius Aper all three Reigned about three years 41. Aulus Valer. Diocletianus he raised the tenth Persecution his Motto was Nil difficilius quam benè imperare he resigned the Empire and liv'd privately he Reigned twenty years with Maximinianus and five Caesars one whereof was 42. Constantiâ—â— Chlorus was a vertuous and valiant Prince a great favourer of the Christians Many of his Servants about him were professed Christians these he told that unless they would Sacrifice to Idols they must resolve to quit his Service a day of tryal was appointed and then such as Sacrificed he turned away saying That such as were unfaithful to God could never be otherwise to him but the other who
could not be drawn to Sacrifice these he kept with him and both commended and honoured his Motto was Virtus dum patitur vincit 43. Flavius Constantinus son of Chlorus sirnamed Magnus or the Great the first Emperour who countenanced the Gospel and embraced it publickly which he is said to have done on this occasion At the same time that he was saluted Emperour in Britain Maxentius was chosen at Rome by the Praetorian Souldiers and Licinius named successour by Maximus the Associate of his Father Chlorus Being pensive and solicitous upon these distractions he cast his eyes upwards towards Heaven where he saw in the Air a lightsom Pillar in the form of a Cross whereon he read these words In hoc vince in this overcome The next night our Saviour appeared to him in a Vision commanded him to bear that Figure in his Standard and he should overcome all his enemies this he performed and was accordingly Victorious From this time he not only favoured the Christians but became a zealous Professour of the Faith and Gospel his Motto was Immedicabile vulnus Ense rescindendum he died aged sixty five having Reigned thirty one years 44. Constans the youngest son of Constantinus the Great his brother Constantine being dead in the third year of his Reign remained sole Emperour of the West his Motto was Crescente superbia decrescit Fortuna 45. Constantius the other of Constantines sons succeeded Constans in his part after his decease uniting the divided Empire into one Estate He turned Arian Persecuted the Orthodox and died of a bloody Flux in the forty fifth year of his age and twenty fifth of his Reign 46. Valentinian Emperour of the West his brother Valens Ruling in Constantinople and the Eastern parts a good and vertuous Prince restored to the Church her Liberties and Possessions his Motto was Princeps servator justus 47. Valentinian the second youngest son of the former Valentinian 48. Honorius the second son of Theodosius the Emperour in his time Alarick with the Goths invaded Italy Sack'd Rome and made themselves Masters of the Country his Motto was Male partum male disperit 49. Valentinian the third during his time Atila and the Hunnes made foul work in Italy and the Vandals seised upon Africk as they did on Italy and Rome also after his decease He was murdered by Maximinus a Roman whose Wife he had trained to the Court and ravished his Motto was Omnia mea mecum porto 50. Maximinus having slain Valentinian the third succeeded in the Empire but on the coming of the Vandals whom Eudoxia the former Empress lâ—ad drawn into Italy he was stoned to death by his own Souldiers 51. Avitus chosen Emperour in a Military Tumult 52. Majoranus 53. Severus 54. Anthemius at the end of five years was slain by Recimer a Suevian born the chief Commander of the Army this man had an aim at the Empire himself but he died as soon as he had vanquished and slain Anthemius 55. Olybrius an Emperour of four Months only 56. Glictrius another of as little note 57. Iulius Nepos deposed by Orestes a Noble Roman who gave the Empire to his son called at first Momillus but after his assuming the Imperial Title he was called as in contempt 58. Augustulus the last of the Emperours who resided in Italy vanquished by Odoacer King of the Heruli and Turingians Thus an Augustus raised this Empire and an Augustulus ruined it After this the Goths and Lombards and other Nations obtained the Dominion of the West yet notwithstanding their prevailing power for about three hundred years they all of them abstained from the Name Dignity and Stile of Emperours till at length 59. Carolus Magnus was Anointed and Crowned Emperour by Leo the third in Rome a prudent and Godly Emperour favoured the Christians died in the seventy first year of his age and was buried at Aken 60. Ludovicus Pius so called for his gentle and meek behaviour he gave away that right That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour and thereby open'd a door to all mischief which after followed he Reigned twenty six years his Motto was Omnium rerum vicissitudo 61. Ludovicus the second Sirnamed the Ancient Reigned twenty one years and dying without Children his brother 62. Carolus Calvus King of France by gifts obtained at the hands of the Bishop of Rome to be anointed Emperour he enjoy'd the Title but two years and was poysoned by one Zedechias a Jew his Physician 63. Carolus Crassus son of Lewis the Ancient he Reigned ten years in his time the Normans made desolations in France Crassus for his negligence and evil Government was deposed his Motto was Os garrulum intricat omnia 64. Arnulphus Nephew of the former Crowned Emperour by Pope Formosus besieging the Wife of Guido Duke of Spoleto she hired some of his Servants who gave him a cup of poyson which brought him into a Lethargy and three daies sleeping continually after this he arose sick left the Siege and died his Motto was Facilis descensus averni 65. Lewis the third his son succeeded in his time the Hungars invaded Italy France and Germany as the Saracens did Calabria and Apulia he Reigned ten years his Motto was Multorum manus paucorum consilium 66. Conrade the son of Conrade the brother of Lewis the third he was the last of the Off-spring of Charles the Great who had enjoyed the Empire of the West one hundred and twelve years after whom the Empire was transferred to the Saxons his Motto was Fortuna cum blanditur fallit 67. Henricus Auceps or the Fowler Duke of Saxony for wisdom and magnanimity worthy of so high a place he vanquished the Hungars made the Slavonians and Bohemians Tributaries to him and purged his Dominions from Simony an universal fault almost in those daies his Motto was Piger ad poenas ad praemia velox 68. Otho the first his son succeeded was molested with many Foreign and Domestick Wars his son Lyndolphus Rebelled against him but was by him overcome Otho prospering in all his Enterprizes had the Sirname of Great after he had declared his son to be Emperour he died and was buried at Magdeburg in a Church himself had builded his Motto was Aut mors aut vita decora 69. Otho the second son of the former succeeded a vertuous Prince he prevailed against Henry Duke of Bavaria who contended with him for the Empire he died at Rome was buried in the Church of St. Peter his Motto was Pacem cum hominibus cum vitiis bellum 70. Otho the third but eleven years of age when his Father died he was wise above his years and therefore called Mirabile mundi or the wonder of the World by his advice Gregory the fifth instituted the seven Electors of the Empire Unhappy in his Wife Mary of Arragon a barren Harlot A pair of empoysoned Gloves sent him by the Widow of Crescentius procured his death he was buried
fasting beyond all measure he dyed in the sixty fourth year of his age 23. Thomas Aquinas otherwise called Doctor Angelicus was Disciple to Albertus Magnus and profited in Philosophy and Theology above others while he was young at School he was quiet and still more enclined to hear others than himself speak whereupon he was called by his School-fellows The Ox because he was so silent yet afterwards by his Pen this Ox lowed lowder than all his Compeers and filled all Nations with the sound of his Doctrine He was of the Order of the Dominick or Preaching Fryers and defended his Order against Gulielmus de Sancto Amore. He dyed in the way as he was journying to the Council of Lyons and was Canonized by Pope Iohn the twenty second and was supposed to have wrought Miracles after his death The End of the Fifth Book THE SIXTH BOOK CHAP. I. Of Dreams and what hath been revealed to some persons therein ALthough it is too great a vanity to give over-much credit to our Dreams and to distress and distract our selves about the â—ignifications and successes of them yet they are not altogether unuseful to us Zeno Eleates was wont to say that any of his Scholars might judge of their proficiency in Philosophy by their Dreams for if they neither did nor suffered any thing therein but what was vertuous they had made some good progress in Philosophy By the same way we may discover much of our own natural inclinations and the constitution we are of Besides this there hath been so much of highest concernment revealed to some in their sleep that is enough to make us believe there is not altogether so much of vanity in Dreams as some men are of opinion 1. Astyages the last King of the Medes saw in his dream a Vine to spring forth from the womb of his only daughter and at last so to flourish and spread out it self that it seemed to overshadow all Asia with its very fruitful branches He consults with the Soothsayers upon this dream who answer him that of his daughter should be born a Son that should seise on the Empire of Asia and divest him of his terrified with this prediction he forth with bestowed his daughter upon Cambyses a Foreigner and then an obscure person when his daughter drew near the time of delivery he sends for her to himself that whatsoever should be born of her should perish by his own command The Infant therefore is delivered to Harpagus to be slain a man of known fidelity and with whom he had long communicated his greatest secrets But he fearing that upon Astyages his death Mandane his daughter would succeed in the Empire since the King had no issue Male and that then he should be sure to be paid home for his obedience doth not kill the Royal Babe but delivers it to the Kings chief Herds-man to be exposed to the wide world It fell out that the wife of this man was newly brought to bed and having heard of the whole affair she earnestly importunes her Husband to bring the child home to her that she might see him the Husband is overcome goes to the Wood where he had left him he finds there a Bitch that at once saved the Babe and kept off the birds and beasts from it and also suckled it her self Affected with this miracle and thus instructed by a brute in humanity he takes up the child carries it to his wife she sees and loves it breeds him up till he grew â—irst to a man and then to a King he overcomes Astyages his Grandfather and translates the Scepter from the Medes to the Persians 2. Alexander the Great in the long and difficult Siege of Tyrus bordering upon Iudaea sent to the Jews for assistances but was by them rejected as having a more ancient League with Darius When therefore he had taken the City full of indignation he leads his Army against the Jews resolved upon revenge and devoting all to slaughter and spoil But Iaddus the then High-Priest admonished by God in a dream meets him upon the way accompanied with a number both of Priests and people himself with his Priestly attire with his Mitre upon his head and upon that the Name of God whom assoon as Alexander saw with all mildness and submission he approaches him salutes him and adores that wonderful Name Those who accompanied him were some of them amazed others displeased amongst these was Parmenio who asks the King wherefore he adored a man himself being now almost every where reputed as a God To whom Alexander reply'd that he worshipped not the man but God in him who heretofore in that form had appeared to him in Dio a City of Macedonia in his dream encouraging him to a speedy Expedition against Asia which through his divine power and assistance he would subject to him And therefore 〈◊〉 not only pardoned but honoured and enriched the City and Nation of the Jews pronounced them at liberty to live after their own Laws and made choice of some of them to serve him in his own Troops 3. Ertucules having slept after dinner when he awaked was confounded with the thoughts of what he had seemed to see in his dream and therefore according to the Religion of the Turkish Nation he first bathes his body in water to purifie himself and then goes to Edebales a person in great reputation amongst them as well for his wisdom as sanctitie and thus he speaks I dreamed venerable Sir that the brightness of the Moon did proceed from your bosome and thence afterwards did pass into mine when it was thither come there sprang up a tree from my navel which overshadowed at once many Nations Mountains and Valleys From the roots of this tree there issued waters sufficient to irrigate Vines and Gardens and there both my dream and my sleep forsook me Edebales when he had heard him after some pause thus bespake him There will be born unto you my good Friend a Son whose name shall be Osman he shall wage many Wars shall acquire to himself Victory and Glory and your posterity shall be Lords and Kings of many Nations But my Daughter must marry to your Son Osman and she is that brightness which you saw come from my bosome into yours and from both sprang up the tree A strange prediction and the more remarkable for that of the Moon seeing we know that the Crescent is the prime and most remarkable Ensign of the Turkish Nation 4. There was amongst the Tartars that of old lived in Imaus a part of the Mountain Taurus a sort of Shepherds who lived after the manner of wild beasts without Law or truth wandring up and down in the Woods Amongst these there were certain Families called Malgotz that kept together in one place and at first chose themselves Leaders but yet were subject to their neighbour Nations and oppressed with excessive burdens Till at last there was an old Black-smith
amongst them that was stirred up by vision whose name was Cangius and it was on this manner There appeared to him in a dream a certain person in Armour sitting upon a white Horse who thus spake to him Cangius it is the will of the Eternal God that thou shortly shalt be the King and Ruler of the Tartars that are called Malgotz thou shalt free them from that servitude under which they have long groaned and the neighbour Nations shall be subjected to them Cangius in the morning before the seven Princes and Elders of the Malgotz rehearses what he had dreamed which they all at the first looked upon as ridiculous but the next night all of them in their sleep seemed to behold the same person he had told them of and to hear him commanding them to obey Cangius Whereupon summoning all the people together they commanded them the same and the Princes themselves in the first place took the Oath of Allegiance to him and intituled him the first Emperour in their language Chan which signifies King or Emperour All such as succeeded him were aâ—ter called by the same name of Chan and were of great Fame and Power This Emperour freed his people subdued Georgia and the greater Armenia and afterwards wasted Polonia and Hungary 5. Antigonus dreamed that he had sowed Gold in a large and wide field that the seed sprang up flourished and grew ripe but that streight after he saw all this golden harvest was reaped and nothing left but the worthless stubble and stalks and then he seemed to hear a voice that Mithridates was fled into the Euxine Pontus carrying along with him all the golden harvest This Mithridates was descended of the Persian Magi and was at this time in the Retinue of this Antigonus King of Macedonia his Country of Persia being conquered and his own Fortunes ruined in that of the publick The dream was not obscure neither yet the signification of it The King therefore being awaked and exceedingly terrified resolves to cut off Mithridates and communicates the matter with his own Son Demetrius exacting of him a previous oath for his silence Demetrius was the Friend of Mithridates as being of the same age and by accident he encounters him as he came from the King The young Prince pities his Friend and would willingly assist him but he is restrained by the reverence of his oath Well he takes him aside and with the point of his Spear writes in the sand Fly Mithridates which he looking upon and admonished at once with those words and the countenance of Demetrius he privily flies into Cappadocia and not long after founded the famous and potent Kingdom of Pontus which continued from this man to the eighth descent that other Mithridates being very difficulty overthrown by all the Power and Forces of the Romans 6. The night before the Battel at Philippi Artorius or as others M. Antonius Musa Physician to Octavianus had a dream wherein he thought he saw Minerva who commanded him to tell Octavianus that though he was very sick he should not therefore decline his being present at the Battel which when Caesar understood he commanded himself to be carried in his Litter to the Army where he had not long remained before his Tents were seised upon by Brutus and himself also had been had he not so timely removed 7. Quintus Catulus a noble Roman saw as he thought in his depth of rest Iupiter delivering into the hand of a child the Ensign of the Roman People and the next night after he saw the same child hug'd in the bosome of the same God Whom Catulus offering to pluck from thence Iupiter charged him to lay no violent hands on him who was born for the Weal and preservation of the Roman Empire The very next morning when Q. Catulus espy'd by chance in the street Octavianus then a child afterwards Augustus Caesar and perceiving him to be the same he ran unto him and with a loud acclamation said Yes this is he whom the last night I beheld hug'd in the bosome of Iupiter 8. Iulius Caesar was excited to large hopes this way for he dreamed that he had carnal knowledge of his Mother and being confounded with the uncouthness of it he was told by the Interpreters that the Empire of the World was thereby presaged unto him for the Mother which he beheld subject unto him was no other than that of the Earth which is the common Parent of all men 9. Arlotte the Mother of William the Conquerour being great with him had a dream like that of Mandane the Mother of Cyrus the first Persian Monarch namely that her bowels were extended and dilated over all Normandy and England 10. Whilst I lived at Prague saith an English Gentleman and one night had sate up very late drinking at a Feast early in the morning the Sun-beams glancing on my face as I lay in my bed I dreamed that a shadow passing by told me that father was dead At which awaking all in a sweat and affected with this dream I rose and wrote the day and hour and all circumstances thereof in a Paper-book which Book with many other things I put into a Barrel and sent it from Prague to Stode thence to be conveyed into England And now being at Nuremberg a Merchant of a noble Family well acquainted with me and my Relations arrived there who told me that my father dyed some two months past I list not to write any lies but that which I write is as true as strange when I returned into England some four years after I would not open the Barrel I sent from Prague nor look into the Paper-book in which I had written this dream till I had called my Sisters and some other Friends to be witnesses where my self and they were astonished to see my written dream answer the very day of my fathers death 11. The same Gentleman saith thus also I may lawfully swear that which my Kinsmen have heard witnessed by my Brother Henry whilst he lived that in my youth at Cambridge I had the like dream of my mothers death where my Brother Henry lying with me early in the morning I dreamed that my mother passed by with a sad countenance and told me that she could not come to my Commencement I being within five months to proceed Master of Arts and she having promised at that time to come to Cambridge when I related this dream to my Brother both of us awaking together in a sweat he protested to me that he had dreamed the very same and when we had not the least knowledge of our mothers sickness neither in our youthful affections were any whit affected with the strangeness of this dream yet the next Carrier brought us word of our mothers death 12. Doctor Ioseph Hall then Bishop of Exeter since of Norwich speaking of the good offices which Angels do to Gods servants Of this kind saith he was that
was easily slain In the mean time Fleance so prospered in Wales that he gained the affection of the Princes Daughter of the Country and by her had a Son called Walter who â—lying Wales returned into Scotland where his descent known he was restored to the Honors and Lands of his House and preferred to be Steward of the House of Edgar the Son of Malcolme the Third sirnamed Conmer King of Scotland the name of Steward growing hence hereditary unto his Posterity From this Walter descended that Robert Steward who succeeded David Bruce in the Kingdom of Scotland the Progenitor of nine Kings of the name of Stewart which have reigned successively in that Kingdom 3. Oliver a Benedictine Monk of Malmesbury was much addicted to the Mathematicks and to Judicial Astrology a great Comet happened to appear in his â—â—e which he entertained with these expressions Venisti Venistâ— multis matribus lugendum malum Dudum te vidi sed multò jam terribilius Anglicae minans prorsus excidium Art thou come Art thou come thou evil to be lamented by many mothers I saw thee long since but now thou art much more terrible threatning the English with utter destruction Nor did he much miss his mark herein for soon after the coming in of the Norman Conqueror deprived many English of their lives more of their Laws and Liberties This Oliver dyed 1060. five years before the Norman Invasion and so prevented by death saw not his own prediction performed 4. Agrippa the Son of Aristobulus was accused to Tiberius Caesar and by his command cast into bonds standing thus bound amongst others before the Palace gates by reason of grief he leaned against a Tree upon which there sate an Owl A certain German that was also in bonds beholding the Bird inquired of a Souldier what Noble man that was who told him that it was Agrippa a Prince of the Jews The German desired he might be permitted to come nearer to him it was granted when he thus said Young man this sudden and unexpected mutation of Fortune doth torment and perplex thee but in a short time thou shalt be freed of these bonds and raised to a dignity and power that shall be the envy of all these who now look upon thee as a miserable person know also that whensoever thou shalt see an Owl pearch over thy head after the manner of this now present it shall betoken to thee that thy fatal end draweth nigh All this was fulfilled for soon after Tiberius dyed Caius succeeded who loosed the bonds of Agrippa and placed the Crown of Iudaea on his head there he reigned in great splendour when one day having ended a Royal Oration he had made to the people with great acclamation and applause turning back his head he spyed the fatal Owl sitting over his head whereupon he was seised with torments of the belly carried away and in few days dyed 5. When Flavius Vespasianus made War in Iudaea amongst the noble Captives there was one called Ioseph who being cast into bonds by his order did nevertheless constantly affirm that those shackles of his should in a short time be taken off by the same person who had commanded them to be put on but by that time he should of a private man become Emperour which soon after fâ—ll out for Nero Galba Otho and Vitellius the Emperors being slain in a short space Vespasian succeeded and commanded Iosephs setters not to be unlocked but for the greater honour to be broken off 6. Manahem a Jew an Essaean beholding on a time Herod the Ascalonite at School amongst the rest of the youth saluted him King of the Jews Herod supposing he either mocked or knew him not told him he was one of the meanâ—r sort Manahem smiling and giving him a gentle blow or two Thou shalt reign said he and prosperously too for so is the pleasure of God and remember then these blows of Manahem which may admonish thee of mutable Fortune but I foresee thou wilt be unmindful both of the Laws of God and man though otherwise most fortunate and illustrious Herod lived to fulfil all this 7. Iudas of the Sect of the Essaeans amongst the Jews being not used to fail in his predictions when he beheld Antigonus the Brother of Aristobulus the Brother of Aristobulus to pass by the Temple of Ierusalem of whom he had predicted that he should that day be slain in the Tower of Strato he turned to his friends wishing that himself might dye since he was alive The Tower of Strato said he is six hundred furlongs off so that my prediction is not possible to be fulfilled on this day as I pronounced but scarce had he finished his discourse when news comes that Antigonus was slain in a Cave that was called the Tower of Strato and thus the prediction was fulfilled though not well understood by him who was the Author of it 8. While Iulius Caesar was sacrificing Spurina a Soothsayer advised him to beware of the Ides of March when therefore they were come and that there was no visible appearance of danger Caesar sent for Spurina Well said he the Ides of March are come and I see nothing in them so formidable as thy caution to me would seem to import They are come indeed said Spurina but they are not past that unhappy accident which was threatned may yet fall out nor was he mistaken for upon the same day Iulius was slain in the Senate house by Brutus and Cassius and the rest of their Complices 9. When Vitellius the Emperour had set forth an Edict that the Mathematicians should at a certain day depart the City and Italy it self there was a Paper affixed to a publick place wherein was writ that the Cha daeans did predict good Fortune for before the day appointed for their departure Vitellius should no where be found nor did it miscarry in the event Vitellius being slain before the day came 10. Proclus Larginus having in Germany predicted that Domitian the Emperour should dye upon such a day was laid hold upon and for that cause sent to Rome where when before Domitian himself he had affirmed the very same he was sentenced to death with order to keep him till the day of his prediction was past and then that on the next he should dye in case what he had foretold of the Emperour proved false but Domitian was slain by Stephanus upon the very day as he had said whereupon the Soothsayer escaped and was enlarged with great honour 11. Ascletarion was one singularly skilled in Astrology and he also had predicted the day and hour of Domitians death and being asked by the Emperour what kind of death he himself should dye I shall shortly said he be torn in pieces by Dogs the Emperour therefore commands that he should be slain forthwith publickly burnt and to mock the vanity and temerity of his Art he ordered that the ashes of his body should be
gathered put into an Urn and carefully buried But the body was no sooner laid upon the funeral pile in order to his burning but a sudden tempest and vehement shower of rain extinguished the fire and caused the attendants of the Corps to betake themselvâ—s to shelter when came the Dogs and pulled in pieces the half-burnt carkass Domitian being certified hereof began to grow into more fearful apprehensions of his own safety but the irresistable force of Destiny is no way to be eluded but he was slain accordingly 12. Alexander Severus the Emperour marching out to the German Wars Thrasybulus a Mathematiciâ—n and his Friend told him that he would be slain by the Sword of a Barbarian and a Woman Druid cryed out to him in the Gallick Tongue Thou mayst go but neither hope for the Victory nor trust to the faith of thy Souldiers It fell out accordingly for before he came in sight of the Enemy he was slain by some German Souldiers that were in his own Camp 13. A Greek Astrologer the same that had predicted the Dukedome of Tuscany to Cosmo de Medices did also to the wonder of many foretel the death of Alexander and that with such assuredness that he described his Murtherer to be such a one as was his intimate and familiar of a slender habit of body a â—mall face and swarthy complexion and who with a reserved silence was almost unsociable to all persons in the Court by which description he did almost point out with the singer Laurence Medices who murdered Prince Alexander in his Bed-chamber contrary to all the Laws of Consanguinity and Hospitality 14. Pope Paul the Third wrote to Petrus Aâ—oisius Farnesius his Son that he should take special care of himself upon the 10. of September for the Stars did then threaten him with some signal misfortune Petrus giving credit to his Fathers admonition with great anxiety and fear took heed to himself upon that day and yet notwithstanding all his care he was slain by thirty six that had framed a conspiracy against him 15. Alexander the Great returning out of India and being about to enter Babylon the Chaldean Soothsayers sent him word that he would speedily dye if he entred the Walls of it This prediction was derided by Anaxarchus the Epicurcan and Alexander not to shew himself over-timerous or superstitious in this kind would needs put himself within the City where as most hold he was poysoned by Cassander 16. The very same day that the formentioned Alexander was born the Temple of Diana at Ephesus was set on fire and certain Magicians that were then present ran up and down crying that a great calamity and cruel scourge to Asia was born that day nor were they mistaken for Alexander over-ran all Asia with conquering Arms not without a wonderful slaughter of the men and desolation of the Country 17. When Darius in the beginning of his Empire had caused the Persian Scimitar to be made after the manner of the Greeks and commanded all men to wear them so forthwith the Chaldeans predicted that the Empire of the Persians should be devolved into the power of them whose Arms and Weapons they thus imitated which also came to pass for Darius overcome in three Battels and in his flight left treacherously wounded by some of his own men lost his life and left his Empire to his Conqueror the Grecian Alexander 18. While Cosmo Medices was yet a private man and little thought of the Dukedom of Florence Basilius the Mathematician foretold tâ—at a wonderful rich inheritance would certainly fall to him in as much as the Ascendant of his Nativity was beautified and illustrated by a happy conspiracy of Stars in Capricorn in such manner as had heretofore fallen out to Augustus Caesar and the Emperour Charles the Fifth upon the 5. of the Ides of Ian. he was advanced to the Dignity of the Dukedom 19. Belesus a Babylonish Captain skilled in Astrology and Divination beyond all the Chaldeans told Arbaces the Prefect of Media that he should be Lord of all that Sardanapalus did now possess since his Genesis was favoured as he knew with a lucky Position of Stars Arbaces encouraged by this hope conspired with the Babylonians and Arabians but the Revolt being known the Rebels were thrice in plain field overthrown by Sardanapalus The Confederates amazed at so many unhappy chances determined to return home But Belesus having all night made observation of the Stars foretold that a considerable body of friends were coming to their assistance and that in a short time their affairs would go on more prosperously Thus confirmed they waited the time set down by Belesus in which it was told them that the Bactrians were come in aid of the King It seemed good to Arbaces and the rest to meet the Bactrians with an expedite and select Body and perswade them to the same Revolt or force them he prevailed without stroke they joyned with his Forces In the night he fell upon the Camp of Sardanapalus who feared nothing less and took it twice after they overcame him in the field with great slaughter and having driven him into Niniveh after two years siege took that also and so fulfilled the prediction of Belesius 20. The great Picus Mirandula who for writing more against the Astrologers and also more reproachfully than others or indeed than any man ever did was called Flagellum Astrologorum the Scourage of Astrologers met at last with one Bellantius of Syena who was not at all deceived in the Judgement that he gave upon his Nativity for he foretold him that he should dye in the thirty fourth year of his age which accordingly came to pass 21. Iunctin an Italian of the City of Florence foretold that himself should dye of some violent death and upon the very same day was knocked on the head by the Books in his own Study falling upon him 22. The Duke of Biron being then only Baron of Biron and in some trouble by reason of the death of the Lord Cerency and others slain in a quarrel is said to have gone disguised like a Carrier of Letters unto one la Brosse a great Mathematician whom they held to be skilful in casting Nativities to whom he shewed his Nativity drawn by some other and dissembling it to be his he said it was a Gentlemans whom he served and that he desired to know what end that man should have La Brosse having rectified this Figure said to him that he was of a good House and no elder than you are said he to the Baron asking him if it were his The Baron answered him I will not tell you but tell me said he what his life and means and end shall be The old man who was then in a little Garret which served him for a Study said unto him My Son I see that he whose Nativity this is shall come to great honour by his industry and military valour
and may be a King but there is a Caput Algol which hinders it And what is that said the Baron Ask me not said la Brosse what it is I must know it replied he In the end he said to him My Son it is that he will do that which shall make him lose his head Whereupon the Baron beat him cruelly and having left him half dead he went down and carried with him the key of the Garret door whereof he afterwards brag'd He had also conference with one Caesar who was a Magician at Paris who told him that only a back blow of the Bourguignon would keep him from being a King He remembred this prediction being a Prisoner in the Bastille and intreated one that went to visit him to learn if the Executioner of Paris was a Bourguignon and having found it so he said I am a dead man and soon after was beheaded for his Conspiracy 23. Upon St. Nicholas day in the year 1422. Queen Katherine Wife to King Henry the Fifth was brought to bed of a Son at Windsor who was by the Duke of Bedford and Henry Bishop of Winchester and the Countesse of Holland christned by the name of Henry whereof when the King had notice out of a prophetick rapture he said Good Lord I Henry of Monmouth shall small time reign and much get and Henry born at Windsor shall long time reign and lose all but Gods will be done 24. On the 30. day of October 1485. was Henry the Seventh with great Solemnity anointed and crowned King of England and even this was revealed to Cadwallader last King of the Britains 797 years past that his Off-spring should reign and bear dominion in this Realm again 25. Although Henry the First came not to the Crown of England by the gift of his Father the Conqueror as his Brother William did yet he came to it by the Prophecy of his Father for when his Father made his Will and divided all his Estate in Land between his two eldest Sons giving to Henry his youngest only a Portion in Money with which division he perceived him to be much discontentend he said unto him Content thy self Harry for the time will come that thy turn shall be serv'd as well as theirs His prediction was accomplished August the 5. An. 1100. he being then crowned in Westminster 26. The Great Cham Cublai intending to besiege the Metropolis of the Province of Mangi made one Bajan Chiusan the General of his Army which name signifies the light of an hundred eyes the Queen that was within the Walls of the City with a Garrison sufficient hearing the name of the General not only delivered the City but also the whole Province into the hands of Cublai for that she had before heard it predicted by the Astrologers that the City should be taken by him that had an hundred eyes 27. Thrasyllus the Mathematician was in the Retinue of Tiberius when he lived at Rhodes as an Exile and though under that cloud and that Caius and Lucius were both alive whose pretences were before his yet he constantly told him that he should be Emperour Tiberius believed him not but suspecting he was suborned by his Enemies to betray him into dangerous words he determined privily to make him away He had a house in Rhodes in which there was a Tower built upon a Rock which was washed by the Sea hither he brought him accompanied by a Servant of his own of great strength resolved to cast him headlong from thence When therefore they were come up Tell me said he by all that is dear unto thee if that is true which thou hast hitherto so confidently affirmed to me concerning the Empire It is said Thrasyllus a certain truth and such is the pleasure of the Stars If then said Tiberius you have such assurance of my Destiny what say you of your own Presently be erected a Scheme and considering the situation and distance of the Stars he began to fear look pale and cryed out I am in doubtful and hazardous state and the last end of my life seems nearly to approach At this Tiberius embraced him and told him he doubted not his skill in predictions acquainting him with his design against his life The same Thrasyllus not long after walking with Tiberius upon the shore of Rhodes having discovered a Ship under Sail afar off told him that Ship came from Rome and therein were Messengers with Letters from Augustus concerning his return which also fell out accordingly 28. Apollonius Tyanaeus was at Ephesus in Asia reading a Lecture in a Grove there a great space both of Land and Sea interposed betwixt him and Rome when he began to speak low and then more slowly streight he looked pale and stood silent at last stepping hastily on some paces as one transported O brave Stephanus said he strike the Tyrant kill the Murderer thou hast struck him thou hast wounded him thou hast slain him This spoke in publick was carefully gathered up the time diligently observed and as it was after well known that Domitian the Emperour was slain in Rome that day and the same hour of the day by one Stephanus that was of his Bed-chamber 29. Diocletian being in Gallia with the Roman Army and at that time but a Knight of Rome and of a slender Fortune paid his quarters but indifferently his Hostess upbraided him that he paid her too sparingly and he on the other side jestingly replied that he would discharge his Reckoning more bountifully assoon as he should be Emperor the Woman who was a Witch told him that he should be Emperour assoon as he had slain the Boar he thereupon betook himself to hunting and had killed many wild Boars yet still found himself never the nearer at last Numerianus the Emperour being slain by the fraud of Aper his Father-in-law Diocletian slew Aper in the Council his name in English is a Boar and thereupon was elected Emperour 30. William Earl of Holland upon the death of Henry Lantgrave of Hassia and King of the Romans was chosen King in his stead after which he warred upon Frisia and subdued it when near unto a City there he light upon a Tomb adorned with great curiosity of Workmanship and asking who was intombed therein he was told by the Inhabitants that at present there was not any body interred therein but that by a secret Fate it was reserved for a certain King of the Romans The King having assured his new Conquest was marching out of Frisia and rode himself before with few of his Attendance to seek out a convenient place for the quartering of his Army when it chanced that his Horse breaking into the Ice overthrew him There were certain fugitive Frisons that lay hid in the reeds thereabouts who observing his misfortune brake out upon him and before any could come in to his assistance he was partly slain by them and partly choaked with his Helmet about him in
by them 11. It was a received opinion and confirmed by Oracles that out of Iudaea should come the Lord of the Universe the Jews interpreting this to their advantage rebelled and assembling in Mount Carmel brake out into Sedition they flew the Prefect forced to flight the Legate of Syria a Consular person who came in with Forces to reduce them and endeavoured to drive out the Roman Name from Iudaea To repress this Commotion when it was thought fit to send a strong power and an able Leader Flavianus Vespasian was pitched upon as the fittest person He having reduced the Jews upon the death of Otho was saluted Caesar by his Army and having overcome Vitellius obtained the Roman Empire Thus the Oracle was fulfilled which being ill understood by the Jews had administred occasion to them to rebel 12. An Astrologer having viewed the Nativity of Constans the Emperour predicted that he should dye in the lap of his Mother now he had been trained up by Helena his Grandmother his Mother Fausta being dead before but when his Grandmother was dead also he looked upon the prediction as altogether vain but there was a Town in Spain called by the name of his Grandmother Helena there he was slain and so after his death the obscurity of the prediction was unridled 13. There were some ancient Verses of the Sibyls in which was contained that when Africa should again fall under the power of the Romans Mundum cum proâ—e suâ interiturum This Prophecy of the Sibyls affrighted very many extremely solicitous lest the Heavens and the Earth together with all Mankind should then perish But Africa being reduced by the fortunate vertue of Belisarius it then appeared that the death of Mundus the then General and of Mauritius his Son was predicted by the Sibyl who in a Battel against the Goths were both slain at Salona a City in Dalmatia 14. Nero Caesar consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos touching his future Fortune and was thereby advised to beware of the sixty and third year he concluded that he should not only arrive to old age but also that all things should be prosperous to him and was so entirely possessed that nothing could be fatal till that year of his age that when he had lost divers things of great value by shipwrack he doubted not to say amongst his Attendants that the fishes would bring them back to him But he was deceived in his expectation for Galba being in the sixty third year of his age was saluted Emperour by his Souldiers and Nero being forced to death was succeeded by him in the Empire 15. Alexius the Emperour having long delayed the time of his return to Blachernas at the last Election was made of a prosperous time according to the Position of the Stars as to the day and hour he set forth and the truth is so happily that so soon as ever he began his journey the Earth opened before him he himself escaped but Alexius his Son-in-law and divers of his Nobles fell in one of his Eunuchs also that was in principal favour with him was presently killed by it 16. The Sicilians and Latines had blocked up the Seas near to Constantinople and both infamy and loss being daily presented before his eyes Manuel the then Emperour set forth a Navy against them again and again which was still repulsed with slaughter and ignominy Whereupon the Astrologers were consulted Election is made of a more fortunate day and then the success is not doubted in the least Constantius Angelus an illustrious person prepares himself to conduct them and sets out against the Enemy but he is called back by hasty Messengers when he was half way and that upon this account that the Emperour did understand that the matter had not been sufficiently discussed amongst the Astrologers and that there was some errour committed in the election of that time A Scheme therefore was erected a second time and a long dispute held amongst the most skilful in that Art At last they agreed upon a time wherein there was a benevolent and propitious Aspect of the Planets Constantius sets forth again and you would now expect that the Victory should be his but it fell out otherwise for scarce had he put forth to Sea when which was the worst that could come both he and his were taken Prisoners 17. Alexander King of Epirus consulted the Oracle of Iupiter at Dodona a City of Epire about his life he was answered that he should shun the City of Pandosia and the River Acherusius as fatal places he knew there were such places amongst the Thesproti warring therefore upon the Brutii a warlike people he was by them overthrown and slain near unto places amongst them called by the same names 18. I have heard saith Bodinus of Constantine who of all the French is the chief Chymist and of the greatest Fame in that Country that when his Associates had long attended upon the Bellows without hope of profit they then had recourse to the Devil and inquired of him if they rightly proceeded and if they should attain to their desired end The Devil returned his answer in this one word Travaillez which is Labour The fire-men were so encouraged with this word that they went on and blowed at that rate that they multiplied all that they had into nothing and had yet further proceeded but that Constantine told them that this was the guise of Satan to make ambiguous Responses that the word Labour signified they should say aside Alchymy and betake themselves to some honest Art or Employment that it was the part of a man purely mad so fancy the making of that Gold in so small a space of time seeing that in the making of it Nature it self is wont to spend more than a thousand years 19. The Emperour Valens consulted the Devil about the name of him that should succeed him in the Empire the Devil answered in his accustomed manner and shewed the Greek Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THEOD intimating that the name of his Successor should begin with those Letters Valens therefore caused as many as he could to be slain whose names began in that manner the Theodori Theodoti Theoduli and amongst others Theodosiolus a Noble person in Spain others in fear of this new danger changed their names but for all this he could not prevent Theodosius from succeeding him in the Empire 20. Pope Sylvester the Second before called Gilbertus by Nation a French man obtained the Popedom by evil Arts and though while Pope he dissembled his skill in Magick yet he had a brazen Head in a private place from which â—e received Responses as oft as he consulted the evil Spirit On a time he inquired of the Devil how long he should enjoy the Popedom The fallacious Spirit answered him in equivocating terms If thou com'st not at Ierusalem thou shalt live long Whilst therefore in the fourth year the first month
that City and all its Inhabitants and was more exactly obeyed in all his orders and commands than ever Monarch had the glory to be in his own Kingdom This most astonishing revolution in the City of Naples began upon Sunday the seventh of Iuly An. 1647. and ended with the death of Masaniello which was upon Iuly the 16. 1647 the tenth day from its beginning 3. The Lord Cromwel was born at Putney a Village in Surrey near the Thames-side Son to a Smith after whose decease his Mother was married to a Sheer-man This young Cromwel for the pregnancy of his wit was first entertained by Cardinal Wolsey and by him employed in many great Affairs The Cardinal falling the King that was Henry the Eighth took him to his service and finding his great abilities advanced him by degrees to these Dignities Master of the Kings Jewel-house and of the Kings Privy Council Secretary to the King and Master of the Rolls Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal made Lord Cromwel and Vicar General under the King over all the Spirituality created Earl of Essex and at last Lord High Chancellor of England 4. In the Reign of King Henry the Second one Nicholas Breakspear born at St. Albans or as others write at Langley in Hartfordshire being a Bond-man of that Abbey and therefore not allowed to be a Monk there went beyond Sea where he so profited in Learning that the Pope made him first Bishop of Alba and afterwards Cardinal and sent him as his Legate to the Norways where he reduced that Nation from Paganism to Christianity and returning back to Rome was chosen Pope by the name of Adrian the Fourth 5. The War betwixt the Chineses and Tartars began in the year 1206. which lasting 77 years at last the Tartars in the year 1288. having totally subdued all that mighty Empire extinguished the Imperial Family of the Sunga's and erected a new Royal Family which they called Iuena of which Tartarian Race nine Emperours by descent ruled the Kingdom of China for the space of 70 years in peace and quietness In this tract of time the Tartars declining from their ancient vigor and having their warlike Spirits softned by the pleasures and delights of the Country there was a contemptible person called Chu he was Servant to one of those that were deputed to offer Sacrifice to their Idols a Native of China and this man presumed to rebel against them At the first he acted the part of a Thief or High way man and being of a generous nature bold quick of hand and wit he gathered such a multitude in a short time that they made up the body of a great Army then deposing the person of a Thief he became a General set upon the Tartars and fought many Battels with them with such fortune and success that in the year 1368. he drove them quite out of the Empire of China receiving for so illustrious an action the whole Empire of China as a worthy reward of his Heroical Exploits It was he that first erected the Imperial Family of the Taminges and was the first Emperour of that Race stiling himself by the name of Hunguuâ— which is the famous Warriour He placed his Court at Nanking near the great River of Kiang and having speedily ordered and established that Empire he made an irruption into Tartary it self and so followed the course of his Victories that he defeated them several times wasted their Territories and finally brought the Oriental Tartars to such streights as he forced them to lay down their Arms to pay Tribute and to beg an inglorious Peace 6. Sinan that great Bassa in the Court of Selymus the First was born of base Parentage as he being a child was sleeping in the shade he had his Genitals bitten off by a Sow The Turkish Officers which usually provided young Boys for the service of the Grand Signior being in Epirus for that was Sinans Country and hearing of this so extraordinary an Eunuch took him amongst others with them to the Court where under Mahomet the Great Bajazet the Second and his Son Selymus he so exceedingly thrived that he was made the chief Bassa of the Court and so well deserved it that he was accounted Selymus his right hand and was indeed the man to whose Valour especially the Turks owe their Kingdom of Egypt in which Kingdom then not fully setled he was also slain 7. Eumenes being a poor Carriers Son attained to such an ability in the Art of War that after the death of Alexander the Great under whom he served he seised on the Provinces of Cappadoâ—ia and Paphlagonia and siding though a Stranger to Macedon with Olympias and the Blood Royal against the Greek Captains he vanquished and slew Craterus and divers times drove Antigonus afterwards Lord of Asia out of the field but being by his own Souldiers betrayed he was by them delivered to Antigonus and by him slain 8. When Alexander the Great had taken the City of Tyre he permitted Ephestion his chief Favourite to chuse whom he would to be King there Ephestion proffered it to him with whom he had lodged a rich and honourable person but he refused it as not touching the blood of their Kings in any degree Then being asked by Ephestion if he knew any of the Royal Lineage yet living he told him there was a wise and honest man remaining but that he was in extremity of poverty Ephestion went to him forthwith with the Royal Robes and sound him in a Garden lading water out of a pit for a little money and in ragged apparel Ephestion tells him the intent of his coming cloaths him in all the Royal Ornaments and brings him into the Forum where the people were convented and delivers him the Soveraignty over them The people chearfully accepted of a person that was so accidentally and wonderfully found out to rule over them His name was Abdolonymus or as others Ballonymus 9. Licungzus at first a common Thief then a Captain of a Troop of Robbers by degrees arrived to that force and power in China that he took all the Province of Honan subjected the Province of Xensi and gave Sigan the Metropolis of it as a prey to his Souldiers These and many other his fortunate Exploits caused him to take the name of King with the addition of Xungvan which sounds as much as Licungzus the prosperous and at last thinking himself secure of the Empire he took the name of Emperour upon him and stiled the Family wherein he thought to establish this Dignity Thienxunam as much as to say obedient to Heaven By which he endeavoured to perswade the Souldiers and people that it was by the disposition of the Heavens that he should reign He besieged Peking the Metropolis of all China and with his victorious Army he entred and took it An. 1644. and coming into the Palace sate him down in the Imperial Throne though it was observed in this first act
and thence to Barkely Many cruelties they exercised upon this poor Prince they permitted him not to ride but by night neither to see any man nor to be seen by any man when he rode they forced him to be bare-headed when he desired to sleep they would not suffer him neither when he was hungry would they give him such meat as he desired but such only as he loathed every word that he spake was contraried by them and they gave out that he was mad All this was done that either by cold watching unwholesom food melancholy or some other infirmity he might languâ—sh and dye but in vain was their expectation yea even the poysons they gave him were dispatched away by the benefit of Nature In their journey to Barkely from Bristol the wicked Gurney making a Crown of Hay put it on his head and the Souldiers that were present scoffed and mocked him beyond measure saying Tprut avaunt Sir King making a kind of noise with their mouths as if they farted Fearing to be known as they travelled they devised to disfigure him by shaving of his head and beard wherefore by a little water that ran into a ditch they commanded him to light from his Horse to be shaven to whom being set on a Mole-hill a Barber came with a Bason of cold water taken out of a ditch saying to the King that water should serve for that time To whom Edward answered That in spite of them he would have warm water for his beard and thereupon began to weep and shed tears plentifully At length they came to Barkely Castle where Edward was shut up close as an Anchorite in a room where dead carcasses were laid on purpose in the Cellar under it that the stench might suffocate him but this being perceived not sufficient one night being the 22. of Septemb. they came rushing in upon him suddenly as he lay in his bed and with great and heavy Feather-beds being in weight as much as fifteen strong men could bear they oppressed and strangled him Also they thrust a Plummers Sodring-Iron being made red-hot into his bowels through a certain Instrument like to the end of a Trumpet or Clystering Pipe put in at the Fundament burning thereby his inward parts lest any outward wound should be found His crys were heard within and without the Castle and known to be the crys of one that suffered violent death And this was the sorrowful and tragick end of Edward of Carnarvan 25. Dionysius the younger had his Kingdom in good constitution and sufficiently fortified as thus He had no less than 400 Ships of five and six Oars in a seat he had one hundred thousand Foot and nine thousand Horse his City of Syracuse had strong Gates and was compassed with high Walls he had in readiness all manner of warlike provisions to furnish out 500 more Ships he had Granaries wherein were laid up 100 Myriads of that measure which contains six bushels of bread-corn he had a Magazine repleat with all sorts of Arms offensive and defensive he was also well fortified with Confederates and Allies so that he himself thought that the Government was fastned to him with chains of Adamant But being invaded by Dion in his absence his people revolted and behold what a fatal revolution fell out in his Family himself had before slain his Brother and in this Insurrection against him his Sons were cruelly put to death his Daughters were first ravished then stript naked and in that manner slain and in short none of his Progeny obtained so much as a decent Burial for some were burnt others cut in pieces and some cast into the Sea and he himself dyed old in extreme poverty Theopompus saith that by the immoderate use of Wine he was become purblind that his manner was to sit in Barbers Shops and as a Jester to move men unto laughter living in the midst of Greece in a mean and low fashion he wore out the miserable remainders of a wretched life 26. King Edward the Third that glorious Conqueror after he had reigned fifty years and four months being in the fifty sixth year of his Age An. Dom. 1377. fell into his last sickness at his Mannor of Richmond where when he was observed to be drawing on towards his end his Concubine Alice Peirce came to his bed-side and took the Rings from his fingers which for the Royalty of his Majesty he was wonted to wear and having left him gasping for breath fled away The Knights and Esquires and Officers of his Court each of them fell to rifle and make prey of all they could meet with and also hasted away leaving the King alone in this sorrowful state and condition Only it fortuned that a Priest lamenting the Kings misery that amongst all his Counsellors and Servants there was none to assist him in his last moments entred his Chamber exhorting the King to lift up his eyes and heart unto God to repent him of his sins and to implore the mercy of Heaven and its forgiveness The King had before quite lost his speech but at these words taking strength uttered his mind though imperfectly in those matters and made signs of contrition wherein his voice and speech failed him and scarce pronouncing this word Iesu he yielded up the ghost 27. Gilimer was King of the Vandals in Africk long had he lived happy increasing his riches and Dominions by his Victories when his felicity began to alter Belisarius sent by the Emperour Iustinian against him overthrew him he sled out of the Battel unto Pappus a high Mountain in Numidia whither he was pursued and besieged he had endured the Siege a while when he sent word that he would yield up himself only desired there might be sent him a piece of Bread a Sponge and a Harp the Bread to relieve his hunger the Sponge to dry his eyes and the Harp to ease his afflicted mind they were sent him and he yielded Being brought into the presence of Belisarius he did nothing but laugh being led in Triumph to Constantinople and presented to Iustinianus and Theodora his Empress he cryed out Vanity of vanities all his vanity He afterwards dyed private in a corner of Gaul 28. Croesus that rich King of Lydia shewed Solon all his Riches and Treasures And what thinkest thou said he is there any man thou knowest more happy than my self There is said he and named one Tellus a man of mean fortune but content with it and then he named two others who having lived well were now dead Croesus laughs and said he What state take you me to be in I cannot tell said Solon nor can we reasonably account that man happy who is tossed in the waves of this life till he is arrived at the Haven seeing a tempest may come that may overturn all Croesus made little of this at that time but being overcome by Cyrus bound and laid upon a Pile to be burnt alive Croesus cryed out O
goes home and puts himself to death To change death into banishment is held unlawful and it is said that when one had received the sign of death and had intentioâ—s to flye out of Ethiopia his Mother being apprehensive of it fastned her girdle about his neck and he not offering to resist her with his hands lest he should thereby fasten a reproach upon his Family was strangled by her 15. In the greater India in the Kingdom of Var in which St. Thomas is said to be slain and buried he amongst them who is to undergo a capital punishment begs of the King that he may rather dye in honour of some God than an inglorious death by the hands of the Hang-man If the King in mercy grant him it by his kindred with great joy he is led through the City with mighty pomp he is placed in a chair with sharp knives all hung about his neck When he comes to the place of Execution with a loud voice he affirms he will dye in honour of this or that God then taking one of the knives he wounds himself where he pleases then a second then a third till his strength fail and so he is honourably burnt by his friends 16. The Mosynaeci that live beyond the River Carambis if their King whom they have chosen have done any thing amiss they punish him in this sort they suffer him not to eat any thing for one day entire 17. The Scots have a Custom which is also at Millain they call it an Indictment there is a Chest in the Church into which any man may cast a paper having suppose the name of the Wizard the thing done by him the place and time and also the Witnesses set down This Chest in the presence of the Judge is opened the Kings Proctor being by and this is done every fifteenth day that there may be a private inquiry made of all such persons whose names are there found and they accordingly to be brought before them 18. The ancient Romans appointed that about the Axes which were carried before the Magistrates bundles of Rods should be bound that while those bundles were unloosing a convenient space of time should be given to the Magistrate â—est in a heat of passion he should command such things to be done whereof afterwards he should but in vain repent himself 19. The Egyptians yearly compelled all persons to give in their names and profession to the Magistrate and such as they found to lye or live upon unlawful gains they adjudged to death Also about the neck of their principal Justice there is hung the Image of a Deity of Gold and Gems which Deity they called Truth by which they shewed that truth ought always to be in the heart and mouth of a Judge and when they beheld that they should prefer it before all other things 20. The Romans used to take away the horses from such men as were of a fat and corpulent body as a mark of infamy upon them For when through luxury they had unfitted themselves for the service of their Country they would they should be without publick honour in it Also they caused such as were convicted of cowardise to be let blood in the arm that they might dishonourably lose that blood which they feared to shed for the honour and safety of their Country 21. That was also a praise-worthy Custom of the Romans whereby it was forbidden that those spoils which they had taken from their enemies and consumed through length of time should ever be renewed By which they seemed to take care that that hatred which might appear to be retained while the spoils were standing should in some time be obliterated and cease with the spoils themselves 22. The Corinthians were wont without much examination to hang up such as were suspected of theft and upon the third day after the matter was strictly examined by the Judge then if it was found that they had really committed the theft whereof they had been accused they left them hanging upon the Gallows but if they were adjudged to be innocent they were taken thence and buried with a preface of honour at the publick charge 23. The Thracians did celebrate the birth of any with mournful complaints and their Funerals with all the signs of mirth and expressions of joy this they did without any directions therein from the learned but only moved thereunto with apprehensions of the miserable condition of humane life 24. The Lycians when any matter of mourning doth befal them use to put upon themselves the cloaths and habit of a Woman that so being moved with the deformity of their array they might be willing the sooner to lay aside their foolish grief 25. The old Gaules had a Custom that when they were about to make War they called forth their armed Youth unto Council and he whosoever he was that came last upon that summons was put to death by divers torments 26. The Romans whether they went into the Country or travelled further at their return used to send a Messenger before them to their Wives to let them know that they are at hand and upon this reason they did it because women in the absence of their husbands are supposed to be detained with many cares and much employment possibly they have brawls and discontents in the family that therefore all these might be laid aside and that they might have time to receive their husbands in peace and with chearfulness they send before them the news of their arrival 27. Plutarch saith that the King of Persia hath one of his Bed-chamber who hath this given him in charge that in the morning when he first enters the Kings Chamber he should awake him with these words Arise O King and take care of those affairs which Mâ—soromasdes hath commanded thee to take care of 28. The Iews before they entred Battel by publick Edict commanded them to depart from the Army who were newly married and had not brought home their wives also all those that had planted a Vineyard and had not yet eaten of the fruit of it and those who had begun to build a house and had not yet finished it together with these all such as were cowardly and fearful lest the desire of those things which the one had begun or the saint-heartedness of the other should occasion them to fight feebly and also by their fears possess the hearts of such as were bold and valiant 29. The manner of making War amongst the Romans and the recovery of such things as were injuriously detained was this They sent forth Feciales or Heralds whom they also called Orators crowned with Vervain that they might make the Gods witnesses who are the Revengers of broken Leagues He that was crowned with Vervain carried a Turff with the grass upon it out of the Tower and the Ambassador when he came to their borders who were the offerers of the
was sirnamed the Ape because he was able to express any thing by a most ingenious imitation 10. Alexander the Great carried his neck somewhat awry and thereupon all the Courtiers and Great men took up the same as a fashion and framed themselves to his manner though in so mall a matter 11. The luxury of the Romans was exceeding great in their Feasts Cloaths Houshold-stuff and whole Families unto the time of Vespasian and it was so confirmed amongst them that it could not be restrained by the force of those many Laws that were made against it But when he came to be Emperour of it self it streight became out of fashion for while he himself observed the ancient manner both in his diet and attire the love and fear of the Prince swayed more with the people than the Law it self 12. It is said of the Emperour Titus Vespasian That he could write in Cyphers and Characters most swiftly striving by way of sport and mirth with his own Secretaries and Clerks whether he or they could write fastest also he could imitate and express exactly any hand-writing whatsoever he had once seen so that he would often profess he could have made a notable Forger and Counterfeiter of Writings 13. When King Henry the Eighth of England about the year 1521. did cut his hair short immediately all the English were so moved with his example that they were all shorn whereas before they used to wear long hair 14. Lewis the Eleventh King of France used to say he would have his Son Charles understand nothing of the Latine Language further than this Qui nescit dissimulare nescit reguare He that knows not how to dissemble knows not how to reign This advice of King Lewis was so evil interpreted by the Nobles of France that thereupon they began to despise all kind of learning On the contrary when Francis the First shewed himself a mighty Favourer of learning and learned men most men in imitation of his example did the like 15. Ernestus Prince of Lunenburg complaining to Luther of the immeasurable drinking that was at Courts Luther replied That Princes ought to look thereunto Ah! Sir said he we that are Princes do so our selves otherwise it would long since have gone down Manent exempla regentum In vulgus When the Abbot throweth the Dice the whole Covent will play 16. Queen Anne the Wife of King Iames had a Wen in her neck to hide which she used to wear a Ruff and this they say was the original and first occasion of that fashion which soon after spread it self over the most part of England 17. A certain Duke of Bavaria before he went to his Diet or Council used to call his Servant to bring him water in a Bason in the bottom whereof was stamped in Gold the Image of Cato Major that so he might fix the impression of his Image in his mind the imitation of whose vertues he had prudently proposed for his practice 18. The Emperour Charles the Fifth having resigned his Kingdom and betaken himself to a Monastery laboured to wash out the stains of his defiled Conscience by Confession to a Priest and with a Discipline of platted Cords he put himself to a constant and sharp Penance for his former wicked life This Discipline his Son King Philip ever had in great veneration and a little before his death commanded it to be brought unto him as it was stained in the blood of Charles his Father Afterwards he sent it to his Son Philip the Third to be kept by him as a Relique and a sacred Monument 19. Antoninus Caracalla being come to Troy visited the Tomb of Achilles adorning it with a Crown and dressing it with flowers and framing himself to the imitation of Achilles he called Festus his best beloved Freed-man by the name of Patroclus While he was there Festus died made away on purpose as it was supposed by him that so he might bury him with the same Solemnities as Achilles did his Friend Indeed he buried him honourably using all the same Rites as Achilles had done in the Funerals of Patroclus In this performance when he sought for hair to cast upon the funeral Pile and that he had but thin hair he was laughed at by all men yet he caused that little he had to be cast into the fire being clipped off for that purpose He also was a studious Imitator of Alexander the Great he went in the Macedonian Habit chose out a Band of young men whom he called the Macedonian Phalanx causing them to use such Arms as were used when Alexander was alive and commanded the Leaders of the Roman Legions to take upon themselves the names of such Captains as served Alexander in his Wars CHAP. XXII Of the Authority of some persons amongst their Souldiers and Country-men and Seditions appeased by them divers ways NEar Assos there are stones which in few days not only consume the flesh of dead bodies but the very bones too and there is in Palestine an Earth of the same operation and quality Thus there are some men who by their singular prudence and authority are able not only to cease the present tumult and disorder of a people but to take such effectual course that the very seeds and causes of their fermentation and distemper should be utterly consumed and removed Of what force the presence of some and the eloquence of others hath been in this matter see in the Chapter following 1. Caius Caesar the Dictator intending to transfer the War into Africa his Legionaries at Rome rose up in a general mutiny desiring to be disbanded and discharged from the War Caesar though otherwise perswaded by all his friends went out to them and shewed himself amongst the enraged multitude He called them Quirites that is Commoners of Rome by which one word he so shamed and subdued them that they made answer they were Souldiers and not Commoners and being then by him publickly discharged they did not without difficulty obtain of him to be restored to their Commissions and places 2. Arcagathus the Son of Agathocles had slain Lycifcus a great Captain for some intemperate words whereupon the friends of the dead put the Army into such a commotion that they demanded Arcagathus to death and threatned the same punishment to Agathocles himself unless he did yield up his Son Besides this divers Captains with their Companies spake of passing over to the Enemy Agathocles fearing to be delivered into the hands of the Enemy and so to be put to some ignominious death thought in case he must suffer he had better die by the hands of his own Souldiers so laying aside the Royal Purple and putting on a vile garment he came forth to them silence was made and all ran together to behold the novelty of the thing when he made a Speech to them agreeable to the present state of things he told them of the great
in the Judge or other circumstances as may lay no great imputation upon such as have not the gift of infallibility But when men that sit in the place of God shall through corruption or malice wilfully prevaricate and knowingly and presumptuously oppress the innocent in such cases the supreme Judge oftentimes reserves the decision of the Cause to be made at his own Bar and thereupon hath inspired the injured persons to give their oppressors a summons of appearance which though at prefixed days they have not been able to avoid 1. In the Reign of Frederick Aenobarbus the Emperour and the year 1154. Henry was Archbishop of Mentz a pious and peaceable man but not able to endure the dissolute manners of the Clergy under him he determined to subject them to some sharp censure but while he thought of this he himself was by them before-hand accused to Pope Eugenius the Fourth The Bishop sent Arnoldus his Chamberlain to Rome to make proof of his innocency but the Traitor deserted his Lord and instead of defending him traduced him there himself The Pope sent two Cardinals as his Legates to Mentz to determine the cause who being bribed by the Canons and Arnoldus deprived Henry of his Seat with great ignominy and substituted Arnoldus in his stead Henry bore all patiently without appealing to the Pope which he knew would be to no purpose but openly declared that from their unjust judgment he made his Appeal to Christ the just Judge there I will put in my Answer and thither I cite you the Cardinals jestingly replied When thou art gone before we will follow thee About a year and half after the Bishop Henry died upon the hearing of his death both the Cardinals said Lo he is gone beforâ— and we shall follow after their jest proved in earnest for both of them died in one and the same day one in a house of office and the other gnawing off his own fingers in his madness Arnoldus was assaulted in a Monastery butcher'd and his carcass cast into the Town-ditch 2. Ferdinand the Fourth King of Spain was a great man both in peace and war but something rash and rigid in pronouncing Judgment so that he seemed to incline to cruelty About the year 1312. he commanded two Brothers Peter and Iohn of the noble Family of the Carvialii to be thrown headlong from an high Tower as suspected guilty of the death of Benavidius a Noble person of the first rank they with great constancy denied they were guilty of any such crime but to small purpose When therefore they perceived that the Kings ears were shut against them they cryed out they died innocent and since they found the King had no regard to their pleadings they did appeal to the divine Tribunal and turning themselves to the King bid him remember to make his appearance there within the space of thirty days at the furthest Ferdinand at that time made no reckoning of their words but upon the thirtieth day his Servants supposing he was asleep found him dead in his bed in the flower of his age for he was but twenty four years and nine months old 3. When by the counsel and perswasion of Philip the fair King of France Pope Clement the Fifth had condemned the whole Order of the Knights Templars and in divers places had put many of them to death at last there was a Neapolitan Knight brought to suffer in like manner who espying the Pope and the King looking out at a window with a loud voice he spake unto them as followeth Clement thou cruel Tyrant seeing there is now none left amongst mortals unto whom I may make my appeal as to that grievous death whereunto thou hast most unjustly condemned me I do therefore appeal unto the just Judge Christ our Redeemer unto whose Tribunal I cite thee together with King Philip that you both make your appearance there within a year and a day where I will open my Cause Pope Clement died within the time and soon after him King Philip this was An. 1214. 4. Rodolphus Duke of Austria being grievously offended with a certain Knight caused him to be apprehended and being bound hand and foot and thrust into a Sack to be thrown into the River the Knight being in the Sack and it not as yet sown up espying the Duke looking out of a window where he stood to behold that spectacle cryed out to him with a loud voice Duke Rodolph I summon thee to appear at the dreadful Tribunal of Almighty God within the compass of one year there to shew cause wherefore thou hast undeservedly put me to this bitter and unworthy death The Duke received this summons with laughter and unappalled made answer Well go thou before and I will then present my self The year being almost spent the Duke fell into a light Feaver and remembring the appeal said to the standers by The time of my death does now approach and I must go to Judgment and so it fell out for he died sooner after 5. Francis Duke of the Armorick Britain cast into prison his Brother Aegidius one of his Council who was falsely accused to him of Treason where when Aegidius was almost famished perceiving that his fatal hour approached he spyed a Franciscan Monk out of the window of the prison and calling him to confer with him he took his promise that he would tell his Brother that within the fourteenth day he should stand before the Judgment-seat of God The Franciscan having found out the Duke in the Confines of Normandy where he then was told him of his Brothers death and of his appeal to the high Tribunal of God The Duke terrified with that message immediately grew ill and his distemper daily increasing he expired upon the very day appointed 6. Severianus by the command of the Emperour Adrianus was to die but before he was slain he called for fire and casting Incense upon it I call you to witness O ye Gods said he that I have attempted nothing against the Emperour and since he thus causelesly pursues me to death I beseech you this only that when he shall have a desire to die he may not be able This his appeal and imprecation did not miss of the event for the Emperour being afflicted with terrible tortures often broke out into these words How miserable is it to desire to die and not to have the power 7. Lambertus Schasnaburgensis an excellent Writer as most in those times tells That Burchardus Bishop of Halberstadht in the year 1059. had an unjust controversie with the Abbot of Helverdense about the Tiths of Saxony these the Bishop would take from the Monks and by strong hand rather than by any course of Law sought to make them his own It was to small purpose to make any resistance against so powerful an Adversary but the injured Abbot some few days before his death sent to Frederick the Count Palatine and intreated him
great miseries we endured great wants we were under and had nothing little but hope food and strength If any ask by what directions we steered our course to Mayork whither we designed for the day a Pocket-dial supplied the place of the Compass by night the Stars when they appeared and when not we guessed our way by the motions of the Clouds Four days and nights were we in this woful plight on the fifth all hope that we should be saved was perished so that we left off our labour because we had no strength left only emptied the Boat of water when God sent us some relief as we lay hulling up and down we discovered a Tortoise not far from us asleep in the Sea had Drake discovered the Spanish Fleet he could not have more rejoiced we took up our Oars silently rowed to our prey took it into the Boat with great triumph we cut off her head and let her bleed into a pot we drank the blood eat the liver and sucked the flesh It wonderfully refreshed our spirits and we picked up some crums of hope About noon we thought we discovered Land it 's impossible to express the joy of our raised souls at this apprehension we wrought hard and after further labour were fully satisfied that it was Land and it was Mayork we kept within sight of it all day The sixth of Iuly and about ten a clock at night we came under the Island and crept as near the shore as we could and durst till we found a convenient place where we might thrust in our Weather-beaten Boat When we were come to Land we were not insensible of our deliverance but though we had escaped the Sea we might die at Land we had no food since we eat the liver and drank the blood of the Tortoise therefore Iohn Anthony and my self were sent out to scout abroad for fresh water because we spake some Spanish we came to a Watch-Tower of the Spaniards spake to him on the Watch told him our condition earnestly begged some fresh water and some bread he threw us down an old mouldy Cake but so long as it was a Cake hunger did not consider its mouldiness then he directed us to fresh water which was hard by We stood not telling stories we remembred our brethren left with our Boat and observing the Sentinels directions came to a Well where there was a Pot with strings to draw with we drank a little water and eat a bit of our Cake but the passage was so disused that we had much ado to force our throats to relieve our clamorous stomachs We return to our Boat acquaint them with the good success of our Embassy and all prepare to make to the Well so tying our Boat as fast as we could to the shore we left her to mercy Now we are at the Well it hath water and we have something to draw but God must give us a throat to swallow for William Adams attempting to drink after many essays was not able to swallow it but still the water returned so that he sunk down to the ground faintly saying I am a dead man but after much striving he took a little so refreshed with our Cake and water we lay down by the Well-side till the morning when it was clear day we again went to the Watch-man intreating him to direct us the ready way to the next House or Town where we might find relief he civilly pointed us to one about two miles off and long it was e're our blistered feet could overcome the tediousness of that little way When we came the honest Farmer moved with our relation sent us out bread and water and Olives and seeing us thankful Beggars enlarged his civility to us called us into his house and gave us good warm Bean-pottage which seemed to me the most pleasant food that I ever eat in my life Thence we advanced to the City of Mayork about ten miles from that place that night we lay by a Well-side and in the morning we entred the Suburbs the Viceroy was informed of us and we were commanded to appear before him who after he had examined us and heard our story ordered we should be maintained at his own cost till we could have passage to our own Country but our English Ships seldom trading thither we petitioned the Viceroy for passage in the King of Spains Gallies which were in the Road bound for Alicant which he graciously granted us After some other troubles we met with contrary winds and it was five weeks e're we could reach the Downs where we arrived in Sept. 1644. The Commander of the Ship was Captain Smith of Redriff Mr. Thomas Sanders my Wife's Brother being in Mayork not long after we came thence saw our Boat hung up for a Monument upon the side of the great Church there Mr. Robert Hales was there 1671. and assures me that he saw the naked ribs and skeleton of it then hanging in the same place CHAP. XXXIX Of Conscience the force and effects of it in some men LVcretius boasts of his Master Epicurus that when the minds of men were sunk under the burden of Religion this was he who first did dare to assert the freedom and liberty of Mankind and that so successfully that Religion began to be despised and man was made equal with Heaven it self but if we believe Cotta in Tully he tells us That Epicurus was so far from finding his beloved ease and pleasure in his sentiments that never was School-boy more afraid of a Rod than he was of the thought of a God and Death Nec quenquam vidi saith he qui magis ed timeret quae timenda esse negaret No man more feared the things which he taught should be despised than himself For whatever there is in the Air there is certainly an Elastical power in the Conscience that will bear it self up notwithstanding all the weight that is laid upon it Men may silence for a while the voice of their own Conscience but it will find a time to speak so loud as to be heard in despite of its owner 1. There were two Senators in great reputation at Rome Symmachus and Boethius who had married the Daughter of the former Theodoricus King of the Goths sent for them to him then at Ticinum where he long kept them in prison because they had opposed something which he was desirous should be decreed in the Senate possibly the allowance of Churches to the Arrians Having thus deprived them of liberty he exposed their Goods to open sale and at last caused them both to be slain Not long after their death there was set before him on the Table at supper the head of a great fish there did he think he saw the head of Symmachus with a horrible yawning and threatning him with flaming eyes Immediately therefore he was sore affrighted and trembling caused himself to be carried to his bed Elpidius the Physician was sent for but could not
334 Robberies and Thefts 420 S. SCoffing and Scorn 119 Sea-meâ—â—amous 486 Secrecy 232 Seditions appeased 603 Servants love to Masters 154 Sepulchres violated 62 Sepulture hardly obtained ibid. Sex changed 52 Shamefacedness 122 Sight and Seeing 99 Slothfulness 403 Smelling the Sense 104 Sleepers long 594 Sleep walked in 592 Sobriety 179 Solitude loved 575 Stage Players 502 Statuarie famous 501 Stature and Tallness 34 Stratogems 6â—â— Strength very great 37 Study very hard â—â—8 Stupidity 404 Swiftness 44 Swimmers and Divers under Water 504 T. TAst the Sense 183 Teeth their Number 20 Temperance 179 Thefts very bold 420 Time well spent 229 Torments born 205 Touch the Sense 101 Tongue 21 Trances and Raptures 595 Treachery 447 Treasures found 604 Tributes and Taxes 418 Truth loved 137 V. VAlour and Courage 297 Unavoidable Fate 455 Unchastity 452 Unfortunate men 459 Unmerciful men 382 Voice and Speech 21 Voluptuous men 451 Voracity and Greediness 390 W. WAlkers in their sleep 592 Warnings of death 455 Wishes and desires 1â—7 Witches and Witchcraft 5â—◠〈◊〉 unnatural 373 Wives 〈◊〉 good 144 Works of Art 224 Work of 〈◊〉 189 Wise sayings 646 Witty speeches 649 Wives well beloved 142 X. XErxes his folly 407 Y. YOuth hopeful 130 Youth wild reclaimed 132 Youth hopeful declined 363 Youth restored 51 Z. ZOpyrus his fact 155 Zoroastres how born 4 ADVERTISEMENT BY reason of the Authors Absence some Errors have passed the Press though few such as make any considerable Alteration of the Sence or that may not easily be Corrected by 〈◊〉 Pen of the Reader FINIS Lib. 4. c. 1. p. 179 180.181 Hist. of the Netherlands pag. 91. Clark's mir cap. 104. p. 497. Barthol Hist. Anatomic Cent. 1. Hist. 1. page 1.2 Sennert pract Med. lib. 4. part 2 § 5. cap. 8. p. 359. Barthol Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 2. Sennert prax l. 4. par 2. § 5. c. 8. p. 359.360 Barth Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 3. Salmas responâ— ad Beverov de calculo p. 198. Barth Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 3. Barth Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 4.5 Nâ—edh disquisit Anat. cap. 3. p. 84. Schenck observat l. 1. p. 13. obs 1. Weinrich de Monstris c. 26. p. 62. Sennert pract Med. l. 4. part 2. § 5. cap. 8. p. 359. Ovid Epist. l. 1. Ep. 21. Schenck observ lib. 4. p. 575. obs 8. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. lib. 2. c. 22. p. 240. Schenck observ lib. 4. p. 577. obs 9. Zuing. Theatr vol. 2. lib. 4. p. 357 col 2. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. lib. 2. c. 22. p. 239. Zacut. Lusit praxis Medic. admirand lib. 2. obs 157. p. 276. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. lib. 2. c. 22. p. 241. †Lâ—ps de constant lib 2. c. 1â— p. 172. Ovid Metaâ— l. 6. p. 101. Sennert prax Med. lib. 4. par 2. § 4. c. 7. p. 311. Schâ—â—k obs lib. 4. obs 21. p. 537. Barth Cent. 2. Hist. 100. p. 76. Rosse Arcan Micrososm lib. 3. cap. 3. p. 76. Addit ad Doâ—at per Greg. Hâ—rit lib. 7. cap. 2. p. 659. Iohns Nat. Hist. Cent. 16. cap. 5. p. 334. Konaman de Mir. Mort. par 3. c. 34. p. 117. Addit ad Donat. per Greg. Hâ—râ—i lib. 7. cap. 2. p. 663. Ad. Donat. lib. 7. pâ—â— Hâ—st cap. 2. p. 664. Zâ—â—ch qu. Medico-legal lib. 4. tit 1. qu. 10. p. 235. Karnman de Mir. Mort. par 3. cap. 36. p. 18. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 16. p. 164. Solin cap. 4. p. 181. Zuing. Theatr Vol. 2. lib. 5. pag. 414. col 1. Plut. parel p. in Cicerone Solin c. 4. p. 180. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 8. p. 160. Zuing. Theatr vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col 2. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 16. p. 164. Solin c. 4. p. 181. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 9. p. 160. Schenck obs Med. lib. 4. obs 15. p. 580. Hâ—yl Cosm. p. 336. Baker chr p. Schenck obs Med. lib. 4. obs 15. pag. 580. Zuin. Theat vol. 2. lib. 1. p. 270. col 2. Schenck obs p. 580. Zuin. Theat vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col 2. Schenck obs p. 580. Sennert prax Med. l. 4. part 2. § 6. cap. 8. p. 419. Schenck obs Med. p. 580. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 3. p. 158. Zuin. Theat vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col 1. Camerar horae subcisiv Cen. 1. c. 55. p. 241. Schenck obs Med. lib. 5. obs 1. pag. 674. Zuin. Theat vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col 1. Barth Hist. Anat. Cen. 2. Hist. 8. p. 159. Barth Ibid. Cent. 2. Hist. 8. p. 157. Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 30. Zuin. Theâ—t vol. 2. l. 1. p. 270. col 1. Zuing. Ibid. p. 270. Senn praâ— Med. l. 4. par 2. § 6. c. 8. p. 419. Barth Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 1. p. 6.7 Id. Cent. â— Hist. 99. p. 307. Rosse Arcan Microcosm l. 3. c. 7. § 7. p. 89. Camerar Hor. Subcis Cen. 2. c. 67. p. 275. Iohâ—st Nat. Hist. Cent. 10. c. 5. p. 334. Schenck obs Med. l. 1. obs 1. p. 7. Barth Hist. Aâ—at Cent. 1. Hist. 66. p. 103. Lemnius de Natur. Mir. lib. 1. cap. 8. p. 38. Camer hor. subcis Cent. 1. cap. 54. p. 240. Barth Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 10. p. 20. Barth Hist. Anat. Cen. 1. Hist. 10. p. 19. Barth Hist. Anat. Cent. 1. Hist. 4. p. 10 11 12. Sâ—nnert pract Med. l. 4. par 2. § 4. cap. 10. p. 326. Camer hor subcisâ—v Cen. Schenck obs Med. l. 4. obs 1. p. 543. Camer hor. subcis Cent. Schenck obs Med. l. 4. obs 1. p. â—54 Zuin. Theat Vol. 2. l. 2. p. 305. col 2. Paraeus de Monstris l. 24. Lithgow's Travels par 2. p. 52.53 P. Orosii Hist. l. 5. c. 6. p. 190. Fabrit obs Chirurg Cen. 3. obs 55. p. 239. Lycosth de prodigiis p. 582. Iohnst Nat. Hist. Class 10. c. 5. p. 334. Dr. Henry More 's Immort of thâ— Soul l. 3. c. 7. p. 173. Clark's Mir. c. 63. p. 249. Aul. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 19. c. 9. p. 511. Tibul. l. 1. Eleg. 8. Horat. l. 4. â—dâ— 11. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 51. p. 184. Schenck obs Med. l. 6. ob 1. p. 721. Valer. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 32 Schenck observ lib. 6. obs 1. p. 721 Epiph. Ferd. casus Med. casus 81. p. 259. Bak. Chron. p. 360. Schenck obs Med l. 6. obs 1. p. 721. Alex. l. 4. c. 20. fol. 233. Zuin. Theat vol. 2. l. 7. p. 561. Plut. in Camil p. 135. Sabel l. 9. c. 4. Zuin. Theat vol. 2. l. 7. p. 561. Zuin. Theat vol. 2. l. 7. p. 561. Zuin. Theat Ibid. Zuin. Theat Ibid. Crantz l. 2. Saxon. c. 20. Zuin. Theat vol. 2. l. 7. Zuin. Theat Ibid. Treasury of Ancient modern times l. 4. c. 12. p. 330. Heyl. Cosm. p. 734. Plin. l. 7. c. 53. p. 186. Suet. p. 105. p. 55. in Augustâ— Alex. ab Alex dies Gen. l. 4. c. 20. fol. 233. Idem Ibid. fol. 233. Idem ut sup fol.