fallen a sleep she call'd in her complices and casting a long Towel about his neck caus'd the Groom to lye upon him to keep him from struggling whilst her self and the Maid straining the Towel stop'd his breath Having thus dispatched the work they carry'd him into another room where a Close Stool was placed upon which they set him An hour after the Maid and Groom were got silently away to palliate the business she made an out-cry in the house wringing her hands pulling her hair and weeping extremely pretending that missing him some time out of bed she went to see what the matter was and found him in that posture By these feigned shews of sorrow she prevented all suspicion of his violent death and not long after went to London setting so high a value upon her Beauty that Robinson became neglected But within two years following this woful deed of darkness was brought to light in this manner The Groom before mentioned was entertained with Mr. Richard Smyth Son and Heir to the murder'd Knight and attending him to Coventry with divers other Servants became so sensible of his villany when he was in his cups that out of good nature he took his Master aside and upon his knees besought his forgiveness for acting in the murder of his Father declaring all the circumstances thereof Whereupon Mr. Smyth discreetly gave him good words but wished some others he trusted to have an eye to him that he might not escape when he had slept and better consider'd what might be the issue thereof Notwithstanding which direction he fled away with his Masters best Horse and hasting presently into Wales attempted to go beyond Sea but being hindred by contrary winds after three essays to lanch out was so happily pursu'd by Mr. Smyth who spared no cost in sending to several Ports that he was found out and brought prisoner to Warwick as was also the Lady and her Gentlewoman all of them with great boldness denying the fact and the Groom most impudently charging Mr. Smyth with endeavour of corrupting to accuse the Lady his Mother-in-law falsly to the end he might get her Joynture but upon his arreignment smitten with the apprehension of his guilt he publickly acknowledged it and stoutly justified what he had so said to be true to the face of the Lady and her Maid who at first with much seeming confidence pleaded their innocency till at length seeing the particular circumstances thus discovered they both confessed the fact for which having judgment to die the Lady was burnt at a stake near the Hermitage on Woolvey Heath towards the side of Shirford Lordship where the Country people to this day shew the place and the Groom with the Maid suffer'd death at Warwick This was about the third year of Queen Maries Reign it being May the 15.1 Mariae that Sir Walters murder so happened The end of the First Book of the Wonders of the Little World THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. Of the Imagination or Phantasie and the force of it in some persons when depraved by melancholy or otherwise IMagination the work of Fancy saith Dr. Fuller oftentimes produces real effects and this he confirms by a pleasanter instance than some of these that follow 1. A Gentleman had lead a company of children into the Fields beyond their wonted walk and they being now weary cryed to him to carry them The Gentleman not able to carry them all relieved himself with this device he said he would provide them Horses to ride home with and furnished himself and them with Geldings out of the next Hedge the success was saith my Author that mounted fancy put metal into their Legs and they came cheerfully home 2. There was one who fell into a vain imagination that he was perpetually frozen and therefore in the very Dog-days continually sate near the Fire crying out that he should never be warm unless his whole body should be set on fire and whereas by stealth he would cast himself into the fire he was bound in chains in a seat near the fire where he sate night and day not able to sleep by reason of this foolish fancy when all the counsels of his Friends were in vain I took this course for his cure I wrapped him in Sheepskins from head to foot the wool was upon them which I had well wetted with Aqua Vitae and thus dressed I set him at once all on fire he burnt thus for half an hour when dancing and leaping he cryed out he was now well and rather too hot by this means his former fancy vanished and he in a few days was perfectly well 3. A Noble Person in Portugal fell into this melancholy imagination that he continually cryed out God would never pardon his sins In this agony he continued pensive and wasted away various prescriptions in Physick were used to no purpose as also all kinds of Divertisements and other means At last we made use of this Artifice his Chamber door being locked about midnight at the Roof of his Chamber we had stripped off the tile for that purpose there appeared an artificial Angel having a drawn Sword in his right and a lighted torch in his left hand who called him by his name he straight rose from his Bed and adored the Angel which he saw cloathed in white and of a beautiful aspect he listned attentively to the Angel who told him all his sins were forgiven and so extinguished his Torch and said no more The poor man overjoyed knocked with great violence at the door raises the House tells them all that had passed and as soon as it was day sent for his Physicians and relates alâ—â—â— them who congratulated his felicity calling him a righteous person He soon after fell to his meat slept quietly perform'd all the offices of a sound man and from thence forth never felt any thing of his former indisposition 4. Anno Dom. 1610. attending upon my Prince at Prague as his Physician it fell out that upon the eighteenth of Iuly there was born a boy whose Liver Intestines Stomach Spleen with a great part of the Mesentery hung out all naked below his Navel He lived but a few hours and then with misery enough exchanged that life for death which he had newly begun If any demand the reason of so monstrous a deformity he shall find no other than the imagination of the Mother who being asked by Doctor Major and my self whether happily she had not given some occasion to such a Birth she answered with tears that three Months before her delivery she was constrain'd by some Soldiers to be present at the killing of a Calf at the opening of it she felt an extraordinary motion in her self when she saw how the bowels came tumbling down from the Belly 5. In the same City of Prague much about the same time there was the like if not a greater miracle of nature a woman was delivered of a Son who was born with
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
CHAP. VI. Of the affectation of Divine Honours and the desire of some men to be reputed Gods POwer is a liquour of so strong a Fermentation that few vessels are fit to be intrusted with any extraordinary measure of it it swells up men to an immeasurable pride and such a degree of immodesty as to believe themselves above the condition of mortality Death is the only remedy against this otherwise incurable madness and this it is that laies down these Magnifico's in the same nakedness and noysomeness with others O Eloquent just and mighty Death saith Sir Walter Raleigh whom none could advise thou hast perswaded what none hath dared thou hast done and whom all the world hath flattered thou hast cast out of the world and despised Thou hast drawn together all the far stretch'd greatness all the pride and cruelty and ambition of man and cover'd it all over with these two narrow words Hic jacet All these reputed gods have died like other men only perhaps more untimely and less lamented 1. Amulius King of the Latines was a proud man and at last grew up to that degree of arrogant impudence that he sought amongst his people to have the reputation of a god and to that purpose he had certain Machines by the help of which he imitated Thunders made an appearance of Lightnings by sudden ejaculations of flames and cast out Thunder-bolts but by a sudden inundation of waters near the place where he dwelt both he and his Palace were over-born and drowned 2. Agrippa King of the Jews had Reign'd over all Iudaea three years when he appointed Royal Shews in Caesarea upon the second day of which in the morning he entred the Theatre rob'd in a Vest of Silver the Silver irradiated with the beams of the Rising-sun shone with such a luster as bred a kind of horrour and aweful dread in the Spectators His flatterers therefore straight cried out from this and that other place That he was a god and besought him to be propitious to them They said That they had hitherto revered him only as a man but hereafter should acknowledge that he was above the nature of mortality The King though he heard did not reprehend these speeches nor reject so impious an Adulation but a while after when he had raised up himself he spy'd an Owl sitting over his head he had seen the like at Rome before in his calamity and was told it was the token of a change of his forlorn estate to great honours but when he should see the Bird in that posture the second time it should be the messenger of his death surpriz'd then with that unpleasing sight he fell into pains of the heart and stomach when turning to his friends Behold I your god said he am ceasing to live and he whom you but now called immortal is dragg'd unto death While he said this oppressed with torture he was straight carryed back to his Palace and in five daies was taken out of the World in the 54. of his age and seventh year of his Reign 3. Alexander the Great was very desirous to be accounted and taken as a god and boasted amongst the Barbarians that he was the son of Iupiter Ammon so that Olympiaâ— his mother used to say that Alexander never ceased to calumniate her to Iuno Being once wounded This said he is blood not that Ichor which Homer saies is wont to slow from the gods It is reported that finding himself near unto death he would privily have cast himself into the River Euphrates that being suddenly out of sight he might breed an opinion in men that he was not departed as one over-pressed with the weight of a disease but that he was ascended to the gods from whence he first came But when Roxane having understood his mind went about to hinder him he sighing said Woman dost thou envy me the glory of immortality and divinity 4. There was in Libya a man called Psaphon to whom Nature had been sufficiently indulgent in bestowing upon him extraordinary accomplishments the inward magnificence of his mind expanding it self and prompting him to it he used this subtil artifice to possess the Inhabitants about him with an opinion of his divinity Having therefore taking a number of such Birds as are capable of the imitation of humane speech he taught them to pronounce these words distinctly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psaphon is a great god this done he set them all at liberty who fill'd the Woods and places about with this ditty which the Inhabitants hearing and supposing this to fall out by divine power they fell to adoration of him 5. Caligula caused the Statues of the gods amongst which was that of Iupiter Olympius to be brought out of Greece and taking off their heads commanded his own to be set on instead thereof and standing betwixt Castor and Pollux exhibited himself to be worshipped of such as resorted thither He farther erected a Temple and instituted both Priests and most exquisite Sacrifices to the service of himself In his Temple stood his Image of Gold taken to the life which every day was clad with the same attire as was himself his Sacrifices were Phaenicopters Peacocks Bustards Turkeys Pheasants and all these were daily offered 6. Philip King of Macedon though a great contemner of the gods had yet a great desire to be reputed one himself and that also not inferiour to any of the rest for in that celebrious Pomp in which he caused twelve Statues of the gods to be carried he added his own for a thirteenth and would that it should be carried the first in order but he was at that time stabb'd and slain by the hand of Pausanias one of his own Guard 7. Menecrates the Physician having successfully cured divers persons of deplorable diseases was called Iupiter and he himself was not ashamed to take that name upon him insomuch that in the front of his Letter he wrote on this manner Menecrates Iupiter sends to King Agesilaus health who on the other side to meet with his intolerable pride and vanity returned King Agesilaus wisheth to Menecrates soundness The Greek Writers affirm of him that he took an Oath of such as he cured of the Falling-sickness that they should follow and attend upon him as his servants and they did follow him some in the habit of Hercules and others in that of Mercury Philip of Macedon observing the vanity of this man invited him with his own gods to supper when he came he was placed at a higher and more sumptuous Table whereon was a fairer Altar than on the rest on this Altar while the dishes were carryed up to other Tables were made divers â—ibations and suffumigations with incense till such time as this new Iupiter perceiving in what manner he was derided and abused went his way being well laughed at by all that were present 8. Flavius Domitianus being mounted to the Imperial Seat when after
in the Reins of his back whereby he rotted above ground and died near unto the City Chiurli in the same place where he had formerly unnaturally assaulted his aged Father Bajazet a man he was of a fierce bloody and faithless disposition he died 1520. 82. Solyman Sirnamed the magnificent surprised Rhodes Belgrade and Buda with a great part of Hungary Babylon Assyria Mesopotamia spoiled Austria sharply besieged and assaulted Vienna it self took the Isle of Naxos and Paros and made them Tributaries to him War'd upon the Venetians and invaded the Islands of Corfu and Malta besieging the Town of Sigeth upon the Frontiers of Dalmatia he there fell sick of a looseness of his belly upon which he retired for recovery of his health to Quinque Ecclesiae a City near Sigeth and there died the fourth of September Anno 1566. having lived seventy six years and Reigned thereof forty six a Prince more just and true to his word than any other of his Predecessours but a great terrour unto all Christendom 83. Selymus the second an idle and effeminate Emperour by his Deputies took from the Venetians the Isle of Cyprus and from the Moors the Kingdoms of Tunis and Algiers Over this Emperour the Christians were Victorious in that famous Sea-fight called the Battel of Lepanto where of the enemies Galleys were taken an hundred threescore and one forty sunk of burnt and of Galliots and other small Vessels were taken about sixty besides the Admiral Galley which for beauty and riches had none in the whole Ocean to compare with it Selymus spent with Wine and Women died Decemb. 9. 1574. A man of a heavy disposition and of the least valour of all the Othoman Kings 84. Amurath the third took from the disagreeing Persians Armenia Media and the City Tauris and the Fort Gaino from the Hungarians To rid himself of all Competitors he at his first coming to the Crown caused his five Brethren to be all strangled in his presence He himself was a Prince unactive managing the Wars by his principal Bassa's Mustapha Sinan Osman and Ferat The insolent Ianizaries made such a tumult at Constantinople that the Emperour for grief and anger fell into a fit of the Falling Sickness which vexed him three daies and three nights his death not long after followed the 18 Ian. Anno 1595. when he had lived fifty one years and thereof Reigned nineteen At the time of his death such a sudden and terrible tempest arose that many thought the World would then be dissolved 85. Mahomet the third took Agria in Hungary which Kingdom in all likelihood had been lost if he had pursued his Victory at the Battel of Keresture he was never but then in any Battel and then was so frighted that he durst never see the face of an Army afterwards great harm was done him by Michael the Vayvod of Valachia and the Army of Sinan Bassa utterly routed by the Prince of Transylvania He was altogether given to sensuality and pleasure the marks whereof he still carried about with him a foul swollen unweildy overgrown body and a mind thereto answerable no small means of his death which fell out at the end of Ianuary in the year of our Lord 1604. when he had lived about forty four years 86. Achmet who the better to enjoy his pleasures made peace with the German Emperour and added nothing to his Empire Cicala Bassa his General was overthrown by the Persians and divers of his Armies under several Bassa's cut off by the fortunate Rebel the Bassa of Aleppo This Prince was of good constitution strong and active he would cast a Horse-man's Mace of nine or ten pounds weight farther than any other of his Court He was much given to sensuality and pleasure had three thousand Concubines one reason perhaps of his death at thirty years having Reigned fifteen 87. Mustapha brother to Achmet succeeded which was a Novelty never before heard of in this Kingdom it being the Grand Signiors Policy to strangle all the younger brothers howsoever this Mustapha was preserved either because Achmet being once a younger brother took pity on him or because he had no issue of his own body and so was not permitted to kill him It is said Achmet once intended to have shot him but at the instant was seised with such a pain in his arm and shoulder that he cryed out Mahomet would not have him die he carried himself but insolently and cruelly and was deposed 88. Osman succeeded his Uncle Mustapha and being unsuccessful in his War against Poland was by the Ianizaries slain in an uproar and Mustapha again restored yet long he enjoy'd not his Throne for the same hand that raised him did again pluck him down 89. Morat or Amurath the fourth brother of Osman of the age of thirteen years succeeded on the second deposition of his Uncle Mustapha he proved a stout and masculine Prince and bent himself to the reviving of the ancient discipline To the great good of Christendom he spent his stomach on the Persians from whom he recovered Babylon 90. Ibraim the brother of Morat preserved by the Sultaness his mother in his brothers life and by her power deposed again for interdicting her the Court He spent a great part of his Reign in the War of Creet against the Venetians but without any great success 91. Mahomet the fourth now Reigning was the son of Ibraim Lord of all this vast Empire containing all Asia and Greece the greatest part of Slavonia and Hungary the Isles of the Aegaean Sea and a great part of the Taurican Chersonese in Europe most of the Isles and Provinces in Asia and in Africk of all Aegypt the Kingdoms of Tunis and Algiers with the Ports of Snachem and Erocco nor is their stile inferiour to so vast an Empire Solyman thus stiling himself to Villerius great Master of the Rhodes at such time as he intended to Invade that Island i. e. Solyman King of Kings Lord of Lords and high Emperour of Constantinople and Trabâ—sond the most mighty King of Persia Syria Arabia and the Holy Land Lord of Europe Asia and Africa Prince of Meccha and Aâ—â—ppo Ruler of Hierusalem and Soveraign Lord of all the Seas and Isles thereof It remains That I acknowledge to whom I have been beholden in the making up this Catalogue of the forementioned Princes which I acknowledge to have borrowed from Mr. Prideaux his Introduction to History Carion's Chronology Dr. Heylin's Cosmography Knowles his Turkish History Zuingerus Nicaetas Zonaras Gaulterus Symson and such others as a slender Country Library would admit of CHAP. III. Of the Bishops and Popes of Rome and their Succession 1. SAint Peter was Crucified at Rome with his head downwards and was buryed about the Vatican in the Aurelian way not far from the Gardens of Nero having sat saith Platina in that See twenty five years He together with the Apostle Paul was put to death in the last year of Nero's Reign and was succeeded by 2.
cry'd with that noise that it was heard by the Neighbours They throng'd together in great numbers to hear so unusual a crying both such as knew the Woman and such as knew her not The Magistrates in the mean time caused the Woman to be carefully watch'd that afterwards the birth of that cryer might be the more certain Divers spent their judgement before hand of what shap'd Monster she should be delivered but at last the Woman was safely brought to bed of a perfect Female child who with her Mother are both alive at this day Let no Man question the truth of this History for I who am not wont to rely upon rumour can for certain affirm that I have heard this relation from the Mother her self 8. Dr. Walter Needham an eminent and learned Physician discoursing about the Air that is contain'd in the membranes of the Womb as a proof thereof relates the story of a child that was heard to cry while as yet in the belly of its Mother A long time saith he I could scarce believe that there were any such kind of cryings till I was inform'd of that which I now set down by a noble Lady in Cheshire As this Honourable person sat after Meat in the dining room with her Husband their Domestick Chaplain and divers others she was sensible of an extraordinary stirring in her belly which so lift up her clothes that it was easily discernible to those that were present she was then with child and it was the seventh Month from the time wherein she had conceived upon the sudden there was a voice heard but whence it should come they were not able to conjecture not suspecting any thing of the Embryo in her Womb. Soon after they perceiv'd the belly and garments of the Lady to have a second and notable commotion and withal heard a cry as if it had proceeded from thence While they were amaz'd at what had pass'd and were discoursing together of this prodigy All that had before happened did a third time so manifestly appear that being now become the more attentive they doubted not but that the cry came from her Womb the Girl that was so loquacious in the Womb of her Mother doth yet live and is likely enough so to continue I cannot doubt of the truth of so eminent a story receiving the confirmation of it from so credible persons nor was I willing longer to conceal the thing it self seeing it is of such moment in the controversie aforesaid 9. Anno 1233. In Rathstadt a Town in the Noric Alpes was born a child whose crying was heard fourteen days before the birth of it 10. Martinus Weinrichius writes thus even in our times saith he and in this our City of Bressa an Infant was heard to cry three days before it came into the light and he observes that the Man so born was miserable in respect of his fortune and Diseases he was seiz'd with even to the day of his death CHAP. II. Of such as have carried their dead Children in their Womb for some years SO unwilling are Parents for the most part to survive the funerals of their Children that some have thought it a very desireable thing to have their dying eyes clos'd by the hands of such as have issued from them It was the wish of Penelope that the performance of this last Office for her self and her Vlysses might be reserv'd to their dear Telemachus according to that of Ovid. Ille meos oculos comprimat ille tuos By him let my Eyes closed be And may he do the same for thee We cannot then but pity those unhappy Mothers whose Children have not only died before them but within them in whom the punishment of Mezentius may seem to have been reviv'd in such a coupling of the living with the dead and who with a fatal disappointment of their hopes are sensible their expired Infants have found their untimely Coffins in the midst of their own Bowels The transcribed Histories of some such disconsolate Creatures you have here under-written 1. Catherine the Wife of Michael de Menne a poor Countrey-man for twelve years together carried a dead Child or rather the Skeleton of one in her Womb. A monstrous and miraculous thing and which yet is manifest to the touch saith Aegidius de Horthoge I my self saith he and many other both Men and Illustrious Women are witnesses hereof it is enough to name the excellent Henricus Cornelius Mathisius who heretofore was domestick Physician to the Emperour Charles the Fifth he when he had handled the Woman beforesaid both standing and lying and by touch had easily distinguished all the bones of the dead Infant in a great amazement cry'd out nothing is impossible to God and Nature She conceiv'd of this child in March Anno 1549. who desires to see this History more at large may have it from Schenckius in the place forecited 2. In the Town of Sindelfingen there lives a Woman of thirty years or thereabouts who six or seven weeks before her expected delivery by reason of a slip upon the Ice hit her back against a wall and from that time never afterwards felt her child she went with to stir The bigness of her belly was the same only a little after her fall it did somewhat encrease and after fell again but she brought not forth her dead child nor from that time forth was she sensible of the ordinary purgation of Women She had her fall Anno 1590. After which notwithstanding she conceived twice or thrice and was as often delivered of living Children But after her delivery her usual bigness continueth so that she verily believes the dead child is yet in her Womb. 3. Anno Dom. 1545. at Vienna in Austria Margarita Carlinia the Wife of Georgius Volzerus being big with child and in Travail in her labour pains was sensible that somewhat seem'd to crack within her and from thenceforward never felt her child to stir but for the intire space of four year afterwards she was afflicted with vehement pains so that at the last she was given over by the Physicians After which Nature endeavouring an evacuation caused an Ulcer about her Navel which discharg'd it self of an abundance of matter and so closed it self again till at length Anno 1549. upon the collection of new matter there appeared the bone of the childs elbow in the very orifice of the Ulcer together with a marvellous weakness of the Woman In this desperate Disease there was recourse had to a desperate remedy which was incision her belly was opened by the advice of Mathias Cornax the Emperour's Physician and by the operation of the chief Chirurgions there a masculine child half putrid was drawn out thence piece-meal the wound was afterwards so happily cured that the Woman attained to so entire health as that it was hoped she might conceive again Alexander Benedictus saith she did and dy'd in Travail of her next child 4. Zacutus
were of a great growth not agreeable to their Age which was but six and thirty days Their feet were proportionably made like to the foot of a Camel round and cloven in the midst They receiv'd their food with an insatiable desire and continually mourn'd with a pitiful noise when one slept the other waked which was a strange disagreement in Nature the Mother of them bought dearly that birth with the loss of her life and as I was afterwards inform'd these liv'd but a small time after we had seen them 13. Ser. Fulvius Flaccus and Q. Calphurnius Piso being Consuls there was then in Rome a Maid Servant delivered of a child that had four feet and as many hands four eyes four ears and two members of virility 14. At Prague this Summer upon the 18. day of Iuly there was born a boy whose Liver Intestines Stomach and Spleen with the greatest part of the Mesentery hung out beyond the Navel who liv'd but a few hours the Mother being ask'd by Gregorius Horstius and Dr. Major if she knew any thing that might occasion such a birth answer'd with tears that three months before her delivery she was compelled to hold a Calf while he was kill'd and that standing by while he was opened at the falling of the bowels she felt a commotion within her unto which she imputed this accident 15. At Cracovia there was born of noble Parents a child that was terrible to behold with flaming and shining eyes the mouth and Nostrils were like to those of an Oxe it had long horns and a back hairy like a dogs It had the Faces of Apes in the brest where the Teats should stand It had Cats eyes under the Navel fastned to the Hypogastrium and they looked hideously and frightfully It had the heads of Dogs upon both Elbows and at the whirl-bones of each knee looking forwards it was splay footed and splay handed the Feet were like Swans feet and it had a Tail turned upwards that was crooked backwards about half an ell long It lived four hours from the birth of it and near its death it spake thus Watch for the Lord your God comes this was saith Lycosthenes in Anno Dom. 1543. 16. In the year 1573. there was a Monster born at St. Lawrence in the West Indies the narration whereof was brought to the Duke of Medina Sidonia from very faithful hands How that there was a child born there at that time that besides the horrible deformity of its mouth ears and nose had two horns on the head like those of young goats long hair on the body a fleshy girdle about his middle double from whence hung a piece of flesh like a purse and a bell of flesh in his left hand like those the Indians use when they dance white boots of flesh on his legs doubled down In brief the whole shape was horrid and diabolical and conceived to proceed from some fright the Mother had taken from the Antick Dances of the Indians amongst whom the Devil himself does not fail to appear sometimes At Boston in New England October 17. 1637. Mrs. Dyer was delivered of a Monster which had no head the face was on the brest the ears like Apes grew upon the shoulders the eyes and mouth stood far out the nose hooking upward the brest and back full of prickles the Navel and belly where the hips should have been instead of toes it had on each foot three claws upon the back it had two great holes like mouths above the eyes it had four horns and was of the Female Sex The Father and Mother of it were great Familists CHAP. VI. Of the Birth-day and what hath befallen some Men thereon also of such other days as were observ'd fortunate or otherwise to several persons THe Ancients us'd to celebrate the annual returns of their birth-day with feasting musick sports mutual presents and whatsoever else might serve to witness how desirous they were to entertain with highest solemnity the revisits of that light wherein they had first beheld the World And yet notwithstanding all their courtships it seems the Tragedian had truth on his side when he said Nulla dies Maerore caret sed nova fletus Causa Ministrat Senec. Troad No day from sadness so exempt appears As not to minister new cause of tears 1. For Antipater Sidonius the Poet throughout the whole space of his life every year for one only day that is to say the day whereon he was born was seized with a Fever and when he had liv'd to a great Age by the certain return of his wonted Disease he dy'd upon his birth-day 2. Iohannes Architectus every year at a set time that is upon his birth-day was taken with a Fever which proceeding of putrid choler keeping it's circle never exceeded the fourteenth day at last being spent with Age and his wonted Fever assailing him he was overcome by it and yielded to Nature upon his birth-day 3. Elizabeth eldest Daughter of King Edward the Fourth and eighteen years the Wife of King Henry the Seventh dy'd in child-bed in the Tower of London the eleventh of February the very day upon which she was born 4. I know a Man saith Amatus Lusitanus who every year upon that day in which he first entred the World is seiz'd with an evident fit of a Fever all the rest of the year he enjoys very good health Thomas a Veiga witnesses that he hath observ'd the same in another and also that he hath known a Man who every year had a Fever for three days and no longer 5. Alexander the Great is said to have been born upon the sixth day of the Month Targelion and also to have dy'd on the same that is to say on the sixth of February 6. Attalus the King of Pergamum and Cn. Pompeius the Great both died upon their birth-days 7. Caius Iulius Caesar was born in the Ides of March and by a conspiracy of the Nobles was slain in the Senate-house upon the same although he was fore-warned to take heed of them 8. Antonius Caracalla the Emperour was slain by Macrinus the Praetorian praefect at Carris near to Edessa in Mesopotamia upon his birth-day which was the sixth of the Ides of April the twenty ninth year of his Age and the sixth of his Empire 9. Pope Gregory the Great was born and died upon the same day to wit upon the fourth of the Ides of March. 10. Garsias the Great Grandfather by the Father's side to Petrarch having liv'd one hundred and four years died as also did Plato in the very day of his Nativity and in the same Chamber wherein he was born 11. The Emperour Charles the Great was buried at Aquisgrave upon the same day wherein he was born in the year of our Lord Anno Dom. 810. 12. Philip Melancthon died Anno Dom. 1560. in the sixty third year of his Age and upon the
and afterwards to the Lord Chamberlain Hastings by the commandment of King Richard the Third to the Bishop of London was put to her open penance going before the Cross in procession upon a Sunday with a Taper in her hand in which she went in countenance and pace demure so Womanly and albeit she was out of all array save her Kirtle only yet went she so fair and lovely namely while the wondring of the people cast a comely red in her cheeks that her great shame wan her much praise amongst those that were more amorous of her body than regardful of her Soul Many also that hated her manner of Life and were glad to see sin corrected yet they more pityed her penance than rejoyced therein She liv'd till she was old lean wither'd and dryed up nothing left but rivel'd skin and hard bone and in such poverty that she was constrained to beg of many who had begg'd all their time if she had not been 27. Phryne was a most beautiful Woman but a Strumpet it is said of her that once at Athens fearing in a cause of hers to be condemn'd in pleading for her self she bared her breasts and disclosed some part of her beauties to the Eyes of her Judges who were so enchanted thereby that they pronounc'd her guiltless though at the same time they ordained that thenceforth no Woman should be permitted to plead her own cause The same Phryne being once at a publick Feast where it was customary to have a Queen amongst them and the rest were bound to do what they saw her to begin it fell out that Phryne was Queen she therefore put her hand into a bason of cold Water twice and therewith washed her Fore-head the rest that had painted their Faces had their Artificial beauties turn'd into deformity by the Water and so were expos'd to the laughter of the company but Phryne whose beauty was native and beholden to nothing of Art appear'd by this touch of the Water to be rather improv'd then any way impaired 28. Atalanta excell'd all the Virgins of Peloponesus for beauty she was tall of stature her Hair was yellow not made so by Art but Nature her face was Rosie colour'd and very lovely yet was there something therein so Majestick and severe that no timorous or dissolute Person could love her or scarce endure to fix his Eyes upon her Her appearance in company was very seldom and even that render'd her yet more amiable and admirable in the estimation of all Men She was exceeding swiâ—t of Foot and knew so well how to use her bow that when Hylaeus and Rhaecus two dissolute young Men came with purpose to attempt her Chastity in her solitudes she sent two Arrows to their hearts which made them resign up their lust together with their lives 29. Lais was a famous and renowned Curtizan so beautiful that she enâ—lamed and set on fire all Greece with the love and longing desire of her After the love of Hippolochus had seized on her she quitt the Mount Acrocorinthus and flying secretly from an army of other Lovers she went to Megalopolis unto him where the Women upon very spight envy and jealousie in regard of her surpassing beauty drew her into the Temple of Venus and stoned her to death whereupon it is called to this day The Temple of Venus the Murderess 30. Helena that beautifull Grecian who caus'd so much blood to be shed before the Walls of Troy and ten years siege to be laid to that City is thus described by Dares the Phrygian who was present in that War She was saith he yellow hair'd full Ey'd exceeding fair of Face and well shap'd in her body a small Mouth her Legs exactly fram'd and a Mole betwixt her Eye-brows As to her disposition it was open and ingenuous and her deportment courteous and obliging to all sorts 31. Polyxena saith Dares was very â—air tall beautiful in her features her Neck was long her Eyes sparkling her Hair yellow and long her Body exactly shaped throughout her fingers small and long her Legs streight her Feet as neat as could be wish'd and in the whole such a one as for beauty excell'd all the Women of her time Besides which she was plain hearted bountiful and affable to all Persons 32. Panthea was a noble Lady taken Prisoner by Cyrus King of Persia Araspes one of his Favorites and Minions made a report to him that she was a Person of extraordinary and wonderful beauty and therefore worthy to be looked upon and visited but such was the Chastity and gallantry of that Prince that he thus reply'd if so said he I ought the rather to forbear the sight of her for if by your perswasion I should yeild to go and see her it may so fall out that she her self may induce me to repair unto her even then when I shall not have such leisure and to sit with her and keep her company neglecting in the mean time the weightiest affairs of the state 33. There were divers places wherein there were famous contests amongst the Women who amongst them all should bear away the prize for beauty At the Feast of Ceres Eleusina near the River Alphens there was one of these contentions and there it was that Herodice was adjudg'd to be the most beautiful of all the rest of the pretenders Those Women that were the contenders were called Chrysophorae the reward was a Crown of Myrtle to her who was pronounced to have the prelation CHAP. XVIII Of the Majesty and Gravity in the Countenance and Behaviour of some Persons THe Sophiti a people of India have the stature and comeliness of the body in such estimation that in their infancy they made such discrimination of their Children this way as to bring up none but such as they judg'd to have such a Nature and Limbs as did presignifie a good stature of body and a convenient strength as for the rest supposing their Education would prove but labour in vain they put them to death And amongst them and the Aethiopians likewise they made choice of such to be their Kings as were most remarkable for stature and strength c. Nor hath Nature it self seemed to ordain it otherwise seeing that for the most part persons of Illustrious Fortunes have a Character of Majesty imprinted upon them very different from the common sort We read how 1. Pyrrhus the King of Epirus assaulting Argos was there slain by the fall of a huge stone cast upon him from the top of an House his Soldiers being retreated he was found dead by Zotypus who taking off his Helmet with the greater facility to cut off his Head was so terrified with the Majesty of his Royal countenance which even in death it self had not forsaken him that he went his way not daring to execute the villany he intended But his covetousness prevailing over his fears he at last returned yet so timerously set his
could live as you have heard for several days 23. A Student at Ingolstadht was stab'd into the left side by a Printer the wound was made in the substance of the Heart a cross each Ventricle of it and yet being thus wounded he ran the length of a prety long street and but only so but for almost an hour he was so perfect in his senses as to be able to speak and to commend himself to God His Body being opened after his death all the Professors of Physick and not a sew of other spectators beheld the wound and by the form of it was able to discern of the kind of weapon it was made with and to speak to that purpose at the bar 24. An insolent young man here at Copenhagen stab'd a Pilot with a knife betwixt the third and fourth rib on the left side The wound reach'd the right Venticle of the Heart so that his Body being afterwards opened there was found therein a round and crooked hole yet thus wounded he not only went out of the Suburbs on foot to his own house but liv'd after it for five days As far as I am able to conjecture by reason of the narrowness and obliqueness of this wound in the Heart the lips of it falling together the circulation of the Blood was uninterrupted for so many days 25. I saw saith Parry a Noble man who in a single Duel was wounded so deeply that the point of the Sword had pierc'd into the very substance of his Heart yet did he notwithstanding for a good while lay about him with his Sword and walk'd two hundred paces before he fell down After his death the wound was found to be the breadth of a â—inger and a great quantity of blood in the Diaphragma 26. I knew saith Cardan Antonius Benzius a man of 34 years of age pale-fac'd thin bearded and somewhat fat out of whose Paps such abundance of Milk issued as would almost suffice to suckle a child 27. I knew one Lawrence Wolff a Citizen of Brisac saith Conradus Schenckius who from his youth to the 55 th year of his age did so abound with Milk in both brests that by way of mirth in their merry meetings he would spirt Milk into the Faces of his companions who sate over against him He was well known to all the inhabitants for this faculty yet did he find no pain gravity or tension in those parts CHAP. XXII Of Giants and such as have exceeded the common proportion in Stature and height AS the tallest Ears of Corn are the lightest in the Head and Houses built many stories high have their uppermost rooms the worst furnished so those humane Fabricks which Nature hath raised to a Giant-like height are observ'd not to have had so happy a composition of the brain as other men so that like Pyramids of Egypt they are rather for ostentation than use and are remembred in History not for any accomplishment of mind but chiefly if not only for the stature of their Bodies 1. Artachaees of the Family of the Achaemenidae a person in great favour with Xerxes was the tallest man of all the rest of the Persians for he lacked but the breadth of four fingers of full five Cubits by the Royal Standard 2. There was a young Giant whom Iulius Scaliger saw at Millain who was so tall that he could not stand but lie along extending his body the length of two beds joyned together 3. Walter Parsons born in Staffordshire was first Apprentice to a Smith when he grew so tall that a hole was made for him in the ground to stand therein up the knees so to make him adequate with his fellow workmen he afterwards was Porter to King Iames seeing as Gates generally are higher than the rest of the Building so it was sightly that the Porter should be taller than other persons He was proportionable in all parts and had strength equal to his height valour to his strength temper to his valour so that he disdained to do an injury to any single person he would make nothing to take two of the tallest Yeomen of the Guard like the Gizzard and Liver under his Arms at once and order them as he pleased 4. Williams Evans was born in Monmouthshire and may justly be counted the Giant of our age for his stature being â—ull two yards and a half in height he was Porter to King Charles the First succeeding Walter Parsons in his place and exceeding him two inches in height but far beneath him in equal proportion of Body for he was not only what the Latins call compernis knocking his knees together and going out squalling with bis feet but also halted a little yet made he a shift to dance in an Antimask at Court where he drew little Ieffery the dwarf out of his Pocket first to the wonder then to the laughter of the beholders 5. The tallest man that hath been seen in our age was one named Gabara who in the days of Claudius the late Emperour was brought out of Arabia nine foot high was he and as many inches 6. I saw a young Girl in France of eighteen years of age who was of a Giant like stature and bigness and though she descended of Parents of mean and small stature yet was her hand such as might equal the hands of three men if they were joyned together 7. Iovianus the Emperour was of a pleasant countenance grey-ey'd of a vast and huge stature so that for a long time there was no Royal Robe that was found to answer the height of his body 8. Maximinus the Emperour was eight foot and a half in height he was a Thracian barbarous cruel and hated of all men he us'd the Bracelet or Armlet of his Wife as a Ring for his Thumb and it is said that his shooe was longer by a foot than the foot of another man 9. I saw a young man of Lunenburg call'd Iacobus Damman who for his extraordinary stature was carry'd throughout Germany to be seen Anno 1613. he was brought to us at Basil he was then 22 years of age and a half beardless as yet strong of body and in all his limbs save that at that time he was somewhat sick and lean he was eight foot high compleat the length of his hand was one foot and a third he surpass'd the common stature of man two foot 10. Anno 1572. Martinus Delrius as himself tells us saw a Giant the height of whose body was full nine foot And in the year 1600 saith Zacchias I my self saw another not inferiour to the former in stature 11. I saw saith Wierus a Maid who for the Gigantick proportion of her body was carry'd from one City and Country to another on purpose to be seen as a monstrous representation of humane Figure I diligently enquired into all things concerning her and 〈◊〉 inform'd both by the Mother and
Reign of nine Kings and Queens of England He saw saith another the children of his children's children to the number of an hundred and three and died 1572. 6. Georgias Leontinus a famous Philosopher liv'd in health till he was an hundred and eight years of age and when it was asked him by what means he attained to such a fulness of days his answer was by not addicting himself to any voluptuous living 7. Most memorable is that of Cornarus the Venetian who being in his youth of a sickly body begaâ— to eat and drink first by measure to a certain weight thereby to recover his health this cure turn'd by use into a diet that diet into an extraordinary long life even of an hundred years and better without any decay of his senses and with a constant enjoyment of his health 8. Hippocrates Coâ—s the famous Physician lived an hundred and four years and approved and credited his own art by so long a life 9. Mr. Carew in his Survey of Cornwal assures us upon his own knowledge that fourscore and ten years of age is ordinary there in every place and in most persons accompanied with an able use of the body and their senses One Polezew saith he lately living reached to one hundred and thirty A Kinsman of his to one hundred and twelve One Beauchamp to one hundred and six And in the Parish where himself dwelt he professed to have remembred the decease of four within fourteen weeks space whose years added together made up the sum of three hundred and forty The same Gentleman made this Epigram or Epitaph upon one Brawne an Irish Man but a Cornish Beggar Here Brawne the quondam Beggar lies Who counted by his tale Some sixscore winters and above Such Vertue is in Ale Ale was his Meat his Drink his Cloth Ale did his death deprive And could he still have drunk his Ale He had been still alive 10. Democritus of Abdera a most studious and learned Philosopher who spent all his life in the contemplation and investigation of things who liv'd in great solitude and poverty yet did arrive to an hundred and nine years 11. Galeria Câ—piola a Player and a Dancer was brought upon the Stage as a Novice in what year of her age is not known but ninety nine years after at the Dedication of the Theatre by Pompey the Great she was shewn upon the Stage again not now for an Actress but a wonder Neither was this all for after that in the Solemnities for the life and health of Augustus she was shewn upon the Stage the third time 12. Simeon the Son of Cleophas called the Brother of our Lord and Bishop of Ierusalem lived an hundred and twenty years though he was cut short by Martyrdom Aquila and Priscilla first S. Paul's Hosts afterwards his fellow-labourers lived together in a happy and famous Wedlock at least to an hundred years a piece for they were both alive under Pope Christus the First 13. William Postel a Frenchman lived to an hundred and well nigh twenty years and yet the top of his beard on the upper lip was black and not gray at all 14. Iohannes Summer-Matterus my great Grandfather by the Mother's side of an ancient and honourable Family after the hundredth year of his age marryed a wife of thirty years by whom he had a Son at whose wedding which was twenty years after the old man was present and lived six years after that so that he completed an hundred and twenty six without complaining of any more grievous accidents than this that he could not prevent escapes by reason of wind Six years before his death my Father his Grandchild discoursing with him he told him that there were in that Diocess ten men yet left who were more aged than himself 15. Arganthonius was the King of the Tartessians and had been so for eighty years when the Phocensians who were the first of all the Greeks who opened the way into the Adriatick Sea and visited Tyrrhenia Iberia and Tartessus came to him He lived to an hundred and twenty years saith Herodotus 16. In the last Taxation Number and Review of the eighth Region of Italy there were found in the Roll saith Pliny four and fifty persons of an hundred years of age seven and fifty of an hundred and ten two of an hundred five and twenty â—our of an hundred and thirty as many that were of an hundred five and thirty or an hundred of seven and thirty years old and last of all three men of an hundred and forty And this search was made in the times of Vespasian the Father and Son 17. Galen the great Physician who flourished about the reign of Antoninus the Emperour is said to have lived one hundred and forty years From the time of his twenty eighth year he was never seised with any sickness save only with the grudge of a Fever for one day only The rules he observed were not to eat nor drink his fill nor to eat any thing raw and to carry always about him some one or other perfume 18. Iames Sands of Horborne in Staffordshire near Birmingham lived an hundred and forty years and his Wife one hundred and twenty and died about ten years past He out-lived five Leases of twenty one years a piece made unto him after he was married 19. I my self saith Sir Walter Rawleigh knew the old Countess of Desmond of Inchequin in Munster who lived in the year 1589 and many years sinâ—e who was marryed in Edward the Fourth's time and held her joynture from all the Earls of Desmond since then and that this is true all the Gentlemen and Noble Men in Munster can witness The Lord Bacon casts up her age to be an hundred â—nd forty at the least adding withal Ter per vices dentisse that she recovered her teeth after the casting them three several times 20. Thomas Parre Son of Iohn Parre born at Alberbury in the Parish of Winnington in Shropshire he was born in the Reign of King Edward the Fourth anno 1483 at eighty years he married his first wife Iane and in the space of thirty two years had but two children by her both of them short lived the one liv'd but a Month the other but a few years Being aged an hundred and twenty he fell in love with Katherine Milton and with remarkable strength got her with child He lived to above one hundred and fifty years Two months before his death he was brought up by Thomas Earl of Arundel to Westminster he slept away most of his time and is thus characterised by an eye-witness of him From head to heel his body had all over A quick set thick set nat'ral hairy cover Change of air and diet better in it self but worse for him with the trouble of many Visitants or Spectators rather are conceived to have accelerated his death which happened Westminster November the fifteenth anno 1634
and was buried in the Abbey Church there 21. Titus Fullonius of Bononia in the Censorship of Claudius the Emperour the years being exactly reckoned on purpose to prevent all fraud was found to have liv'd above one hundred and fifty years And L. Tertulla of Arminium in the Censorship of Vespasian was found to have liv'd one hundred thirty seven years 22 Franciscus Alvarez saith that he saw Albuna Marc. chief Bishop of Aethiopia being then of the age of one hundred and fifty years 23. There came a man of Bengala to the Portugals in the East Indies who was three hundred thirty five years old the aged men of the Country testified that they had heard their Ancestors speak of his great age Though he was not Book learn'd yet was he a speaking Chronicle of the forepassed times his teeth had sometimes fallen out yet others came up in their rooms For this his miraculous age the Sultan of Cambaia had allowed him a pension to live on which whas continued by the Portugal Governour there when they had dispossessed the Sultan aforesaid 24. Iohannes de temporibus or Iohn of times so called because of the sundry ages he lived in he was Armour-bearer to the Emperour Charles the Great by whom he was also made Knight Being a man of great temperance sobriety and contentment of mind in his condition of life residing partly in Germany where he was born and partly in France liv'd unto the ninth year of the Emperour Conrade and died at the age of three hundred and threescore and one year anno 1128 1146 saith Fulgosus and may well be reckoned as a miracle of nature 25. That which is written by Monsieur Besanneera a French Gentleman in the relation of Captain Laudonneireis second voyage to Florida is very strange and not unworthy to be set down at large Our men saith he regarding the age of their Paracoussy or Lord of the Country began to question with him thereabout whereunto he made answer that he was the first living original from whence five Generations were descended shewing them withal another old man which far exceeded him in age and this man was his Father who seemed rather an Anatomy than a living body for his Sinews his Veins and Arteries his Bones and other parts appeared so clearly through his skin that a man might easily tell them and discern them one from another Also his age was so great that the good man had lost his sight and could not speak one only word without exceeding great pain Monsieur d' Ottigny having seen so strange a sight turn'd to the younger of these two old men praying him to vouchsafe to answer to that which he demanded touching his age then called he a company of Indians and striking twice upon his thigh and laying his hands upon two of them he shewed by signs that these two were his Sons again striking upon their thighs he shewed him others not so old which were the children of the two first and thus continued he in the same manner to the fifth Generation But though this old man had his Father alive more old than himself and that both their hairs was as white as was possible yet it was told them that they might yet live thirty or forty years more by the course of nature though the younger of them both was not less than two hundred and fifty years old 26. Guido Bonatus an Astronomer and a man of great Learning saith he saw a man whose name was Richard in the year 1223 who told him that he was a Soldier under Charlemain and had now lived to the four hundreth year of his age 27. That is a rarity which is recited by Thuanus that Emanuel Demetrius a man of obscure birth and breeding liv'd one hundred and three years his wife was aged ninety and nine she had been married to him seventy five years the one superviv'd the other but three hours and were both buried together at Delph 103. 28. In the Kingdom of Casubi the men are of good stature something tawny the people in these parts live long sometimes above an hundred and fifty years and they who retire behind the Mountains live yet longer CHAP. XXXI Of the memorable old age of some and such as have not found such sensible decays therein as others THe Philosopher Cleanthes being one time reproach'd with his old age I would fain be gone said he but when I consider that I am every way in health and well disposed either for reading or writing then again I am contented to stay This man was so free from the common infirmities of Age that he had nothing whereof to accuse his the like vegeteness and sufficiency both in body and mind as to all sorts of Affairs by a rare indulgence of Nature is sometimes granted to extremity of Age. 1. Sir Walter Raleigh in his discovery of Guiana reports that the King of Aromaia being an hundred and ten years old came in a morning on foot to him from his House which was fourteen English miles and returned on foot the same day 2. Buchanan in his Scottish History towards the latter end of his first Book speaking of the Orcades names one Lawrence who dwelling in one of those Islands marry'd a Wife after he was one hundred years of age and more and that when he was sevenscore years old he doubted not to go a fishing alone in his little Boat though in a rough and Tempestuous Sea 3. Sigismundus Polcastrus a Physician and Philosopher at Padua read there fifty years in his old age he bury'd four Sons in a short time at seventy years age he marry'd again and by this second Wife had three Sons the Eldest of which called Antonius he saw dignifi'd with a Degree in both Laws Ierome another of his Sons had his Cap set on his Head by the hand of his aged Father who trembled and wept for joy not long after which the old man dy'd aged ninety four years 4. To speak nothing faith Platerus but what is yet fresh in memory and whereof there are many witnesses My father Thomas Platerus upon the death of my mother his first wife Anno 1572. and the 73d year of his age marrying a second time within the compass of ten years he had six children by her two sons and four daughters the youngest of the daughters was born in the 81st year of his age two years before he died who if he was now alive in this year 1614 would be aged 115 years and would have a Grand-daughter of one year old by Thomas his son And which is memorable betwixt two of his sons I Foelix was born Anno 1536. and Thomas 1574. the distance betwixt us being thirty eight years and yet this brother of mine to whom I might have been Grandfather is all gray and seems elder than my self possibly because he was gotten when my father was stricken in years 5. M. Valerius
City of Lyssa and there with great devotion digg'd up his bones reckoning it some part of their happiness if they might but see or touch the same and such as could get any part thereof were it never so little caused the same to be set some in Silver some in Gold to hang about their Necks or wear upon their Bodies perswading themselves by the wearing thereof to be partakers of such good fortune and hap as had Scanderbeg himself whilst he lived 9. The Sepulcher of the Great Cyrus King of Persia was violated in the days of Alexander the Great in such manner that his bones were displaced and thrown out and the Urn of Gold that was fixed in his Coffin when it could not be wholly pulled away was broken off by parcels When Alexander was inform'd hereof he caused the Magi who were entrusted with the care and keeping thereof to be exposed unto tortures to make them confess the authors of so great a violation and robbery but they denyed with great constancy that they had any hand in it or that they knew by whom it was done Plutarch says that it was one Polymachus a noble Pellean that was guilty of so great a crime It is said that the Epitaph of this mighty Monarch was to this purpose O mortal that comest hither for come I know thou wilt know that I am Cyrus the Son of Cambyses who settled the Persian Empire and ruled over Asia and therefore envy me not this little heap of earth wherewith my body is covered CHAP. XXXVIII Of entombed Bodies â—ow found at the opening of their Monuments and of the parcel Resurrection near Gran Cairo SUch as held the pre-existency of Souls write of them that when they are commanded to enter into bodies they are astonished and suffer a kind of deliquium or trance that they hiss and murmur like to the suspirations of the wind complaining in such manner as this Miserable wretches in what have we so fouly trespassed what offence so heynous and worthy of so horrible a punishment have we committed as to be shut up and imprisoned for it in these moist and cold carcases That thereupon they comforted themselves with the thoughts of the bodies dissolution and petitioned before their captivity that their enlargement might be hastened through the fall and corruption of their prisons I insist not upon the truth of these matters but pretend only to shew in what manner these shells of mortality have been found after the bird hath been fled and that some bodies have made far less haste to putrefaction than others whether from any peculiarity in their texture or preservative virtue in their conditure let others examine 1. At such time as Constantine reign'd together with Irene his Mother there was found in an ancient Sepulchre in Constantinople a body with a plate of Gold upon the brest of it and therein thus engraven In Christum credo qui ex Mariâ Virgine nascetur O Sol Imperantibus Constantino Irene iterum me videbis that is I believe in that Christ who shall be born of Mary a Virgin O Sun thou shalt see me again when Constantine and Irene shall come to reign When this Inscription had been publickly read the body was restored to the same place where it had been formerly buried 2. In the tenth year of Henry the Seventh at the digging of a new foundation in the Church of S. Mary Hill in London there was then found and taken up the body of Alice Hackney she had been buried in that Church an hundred and seventy five years before yet was she then found whole of skin and the joints of her Arms pliable her Corps was kept above ground four days without any annoyance exposed to the view of as many as would behold it and then recommitted to the earth 3. In the Reign of King Iames at Astley in Warwick shire upon the fall of the Church there was taken-up the Corps of Thomas Grey Marquess of Dorset who was there buried the tenth of October 1530 in the twenty second year of King Henry the Eighth and albeit he had lain seventy eight years in this Bed of corruption yet his eyes hair flesh nails and joints remain'd in manner as if he had been but newly buried 4. Robert Braybrook born at a Village in Northamptonshire was consecrated Bishop of London Ian. 5. 1381. he was after that Chancellour of England for six Months he died anno 1404. and was buried under a Marble Stone in the Chappel of S. Mary in the Cathedral of S. Paul London yet was the body of this Bishop lately taken up and found firm as to skin hair joynts nails c. For upon that fierce and fatal fire in London Sept. 2. 1666. which turn'd so much of Pauls into rubbish when part of the floor fell into S. Faiths this dead person was shaken out of his Dormitory where he had lain and slept so unchanged as you have heard no less than two hundred sixty and two years His body was exposed to the view of all sorts of people for divers days and some thousands did behold and poise it in their arms till by special order it was reinterred 5. At the taking down of the most ancient Church of S. Peter in Rome to make way for that new and most magnificent one since erected in its stead there was found the body of Pope Boniface the Eighth all whole and in no part diminished 6. Some years since at the repairs of the Church of S. Caecilia beyond the River Tiber there was found the body of a certain Cardinal an English man who had been buried there three hundred years before yet was it every way entire not the least part of it perished as they report who both saw and handled it 7. Not long since at Bononia in the Church of S. Dominick there was found the body of Alexander Tartagnus a Lawyer at Imola which was perfectly entire and no way decayed although it had liad lain there from his decease above one hundred and fifty years 8. Pausanias hath the History of a Soldier whose body was found with wounds fresh and apparent upon it although it had been buried sixty two Olympiads that is no less than two hundred forty eight years 9. In the Reign of King Henry the Second anno 1089 the Bones of King Arthur and his wife Guenevor were found in the Vale of Avalon under an hollow Oak fifteen foot under ground the hair of the said Guenevor being then whole and fresh of a colour yellow but as soon as it was touched it fell to powder as Fabian relateth this was more than six hundred years after his death his Shin-bone set by the Leg of a tall man reached above his Knee the breadth of three Fingers Hieronymus Cardanus tells of his Father that after he had been twenty years buried and they then had occasion to open his monument they found
old man then present named Monstier and a Son-in-Law of his who immediately went that night away at ten in the Morning came to Flaming's House with each of them a basket of Cherries and a Green-Goose as if presents from the Husband they were let in by the boy whom they presently murdered yet not so but the woman heard his cry and therefore locked fast the Chamber Door and cry'd for help out at the Window the Neighhours ran in took these two villains one in the Funnel of a Chimney and the other in a Well in the Cellar with nothing but his Nose above Water These two being condemned and brought to the place of Execution Monstier desired to speak with the Smiths Widow of whom he asked forgiveness confessing he had stollen from him his Hammer and had therewith kill'd the Woman at St. Opportunes Thus the Smiths innocency was detected and the Murderer found out after twenty years from the commitment 10. A Murderer at Tubing betray'd his murder by his own sighs which were so deep and incessant in grief not of his fact but of his small booty that being but ask'd the question he confessed the crime and underwent worthy punishment 11. At Tiguri a certain vagabond Rogue in the night had kill'd his companion that lay with him in a Barn and having first removed the dead Corps somewhat out of sight fled betimes in the Morning towards Eglisavium a Town under the government of the Tigurines But the Master of the Barn having in the Morning found the signs of a murder soon after found also the dead body In the mean time the Murderer was got far upon his way yet by the noise of Crows and Jays which follow'd and assaulted him he was taken notice of by some Reapers then in the Field who were somewhat terrifi'd at the novelty of so unusual a thing The Murderer for all this holds on his way and now might he seem to be out of danger when there came such as were ordered to make pursuit after him who enquire of the Reapers if any man had pass'd by that way who tell them they had seen none besides one only fellow who as he passed was ever and anon molested with the Crows and Jays that they thence did conjecture he was some villain and that if they made haste they might undoubtedly take him The wretch was soon after seis'd by them and broken upon the Wheel at his execution with sighs and prayers I heard him acknowledge the providence of God a clear instance of which he had receiv'd in so unusual a detection of himself 12. Anno 1611. Some of the English Embassadors men entred into a quarrel with some of the Iamoglans of the next Seraglio in which Tumult one of the Embassadors men threw a stone and smote a Iamoglan on the forehead that he dyed in a few hours The Aâ—a of the Seraglio complained hereof to the Grand Visier who presently sent the sub-Bassa of Galatia to make inquiry of the fact The Embassador went himself to the Seraglio and sent for his men which had been in the quarrel and willed the Turks to design the man which had thrown the stone who all with one shout ran upon one Simon Dibbins a man that was newly come from Candia where he had serv'd the Venetians and was now entertain'd into the Embassadors service This Simon was not he that threw the stone yet the Turks would have none but him on him they laid hands and drag'd him away The Embassador enterpos'd but in vain the English offer'd great sums for his life but the Turks would have blood for blood The day of execution being appointed the Embassador sent his Chaplain to the Prison to prepare him for death who examining him how he had formerly liv'd he confessed that some few years before he had in England kill'd a man for which he had sled to Candia from whence he came to Constantinople where he was now to suffer for that which he did not the just Judgement of God thus pursuing him he was hanged at the Embassadors Gates 13. Henry Renzovius Lieutenant to the King of Denmark in the Dukedome of Holsatia in a Letter of his to David Chytreus writes thus A Traveller was found murdered in the High-way near to Itzehow in Denmark and because the murderer was unknown the Magistrates of the place caused one of the hands of him that was slain to be cut off and hung up by a string on the top of the room in the Town Prison about ten years after the Murderer coming upon some occasion into the Prison the hand that had been a long time dry began to drop Blood upon the Table that stood underneath it which the Gaoler beholding stay'd the fellow and advertised the Magistrates of it and examining him the Murderer giving glory to God confessed his fact and submitted himself to the rigor of the Law which was inflicted on him as he well deserved 14. Smyth and Gurney two Watermen of Gravesend were some years since hired by a Grasier to carry him down to Tilbury Hope for he intended to go to a certain Fayr in Essex to buy Cattle These villains perceiving he had Money conspired to take away his life and accordingly as they went one of them cut his Throat and the other taking his Money threw him over-board This murther was conceal'd divers years but this Summer 1656. those Murderers as they were drinking together fell out and one of them in his passion accused the other of murder and he again accused him upon which being apprehended and examined they confess'd the fact were condemn'd at Maidstone Aslizes and are hang'd in chains at Gravesend 15. Anno 1656. A Woman in Westphalia being near the time of her travel went to the next village to confess her self in her confession she told the Priest she had newly found a purse â—ull of Money and therefore desired him that he would speak of it publickly that it might be restor'd to the right owner The Priest told her it was sent to her from Heaven that she should reserve it to her self and enjoy it the woman thus inform'd kept the Purse to her self In her return home she was to pass thorow a Grove into which she was no sooner come but the pains of Travel came upon her In the mean time a Noble Person who had lost the Purse rode up to her and demanded if she had not found one she beseeches him That for the Love of God he would ride to the next Village for some woman to assist her in her labour and that she would restore him the Purse he sought after the Nobleman rode as fast as he could to call some woman In which time of his absence came the wicked Priest cuts off the womans head and seises upon the purse The Nobleman returning with the women are witnesses of this Tragical Spectacle but who had done it was unknown It was a time when
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
hair in a peculiar manner not uniformly chang'd but here and there certain peculiar tusts and locks of it whose bases might be about an inch in diameter were suddenly turn'd white all over the rest of his hair whereof the Irish use to wear good store retaining its former reddish colour 13. Don Diego Osorius a Spaniard of a Noble Family being in love with a young Lady of the Court had prevail'd with her â—or a private conference under the shady boughs of a Tree that grew within the Gardens of the King of Spain but by the unfortunate barking of a little Dog their privacy was betray'd the young Gentleman seis'd by some of the Kings Guard and imprison'd It was capital to be found in that place and therefore he was condemn'd to dye He was so terrifi'd at the hearing of his sentence that one and the same night saw the same person young and all turn'd grey as in age The Jaylor mov'd at the sight related the accident to King Ferdinand as a Prodigy who thereupon pardon'd him saying he had been sufficiently punish'd for his fault seeing he had exchang'd the flower of his Youth into the too early hoary hairs of age 14. There was a young Nobleman in the Emperours Court that had violated the chastity of a young Lady there though by the small resistance she made she seem'd to give a tacite consent yet he was cast into prison on the morrow after to lose his head He pass'd that night in such fearful apprehensions of death that on the morrow Caesar sitting on the Tribunal he appear'd so unlike himself that he was known to none that were present no not the Emperour himself All the comliness and beauty of his face was vanish'd his countenance was grown like to that of a carcase his hair and beard turn'd grey and in all respects so chang'd that the Emperour suspected some counterfeit was substituted in his room He caus'd him therefore to be examin'd if he were the same and tryal to be made if his hair and beard were not thus chang'd by application of some Medicine to them But finding nothing so astonish'd with the countenance and vilage of the man and thereby mov'd to pitty and mercy he gave him his pardon for the fault he had committed 15. The like hapâ—ed to the Father of Martinus Delrio being then a Boy of scarce fifteen years of age while he lay sick on his bed and heard all the Physicians despairing of his life what with watching and the fear of death all the hair of his head turn'd grey in the compass of one night 16. Apollonia the Wife of Schenckius being about 40 years of age and near the time of her delivery was exceedingly frighted with the cry of fire at midnight and beholding the flames not far off she presently complain'd of an extraordinary commotion of the Infant in her Womb she went to bed and slept but e'er long was taken with a strange and horrible kind of convulsion of which she dy'd within twelve hours after her fright 17. A Religious Woman falling into the hands of rude Soldiers and they with drawn Swords threatning to kill her was seis'd with such an extreme fear that the blood brake out from all the open passages of her body and so being become bloodless in the sight of the Enemies she speedily dy'd amongst them 18. The Persian Navy being in the heat of fight near to the City of Michael there went a rumour amongst them without any certain Author that the Land Army under Mardonius was overthrown in Boeotia whereupon such a sudden fear and consternation of mind seis'd them that they were neither able to â—ight nor to fly so that being prepar'd for neither they were every man taken or slain 19. As Perseus King of Macedon was washing before Supper word was brought him that the enemy was near at hand upon which he was so possess'd and astonish'd with fear that suddenly leaping from his Throne without expecting the sight of the Enemy he cry'd he was overcome and betook himself to slight whereas unless he had been infatuated he might have shut up the Romans and compell'd them to fight at a very great disadvantage 20. Miltiades with only ten thousand Athenians and a thousand Plateans set upon 300000 of the Persians when there were such terrible noises in the Air and such Spectres appeared that struck such fear into the Persians as casting off all hope of the Victory they betook themselves to a shameful â—light so that all the forces of Miltiades had to do was to pursue and slay them 21. Rhadagisus with 200000 Goths descended into Italy devoting the blood of all the Roman Stock to his Gods they wanting sufficient strength to encounter him in great fear kept themselves close within the Wals of the City when a panick fear from Heaven fell upon the Army of Rhadagisus so that he leading them into the Mountains of Fesulae they were consum'd with famine and thirst and overcome without battle the greatest part of them were taken bound and sold for a crown a man and soon after dy'd in the hands of them that bought them 22. Heraclianus had a design to seise upon the Roman Empire to which purpose with a Navy of 4000 and 70 Ships which he had prepared in Affrica he set sail for Rome landed and marched on with his Army but supposing that by his celerity he had prevented the news of his coming and contrary to his expectation finding the Romans prepared to receive him he took thereupon such a fear that turning his back and getting into the first Ship that chance offer'd with that alone he sailed to Carthage where he was slain by his Soldiery 23. Ierusalem being taken by the Christians and Godfry of Bullen made King of it the Souldan of Egypt had prepared a great Army either to besiege it or fight the Christians who perceiving them unable to cope with so great a power with great earnestness besought the assistance of Almighty God and then full of courage went to meet the enemy The Barbarians seeing them approach and come on so couragiously who they thought would not have the confidence so much as to look them in the face astonish'd with a sudden fear they never so much as thought of fighting but running on headlong in a disorder'd flight they were slain by the Christians as so many beasts to the number of an hundred thousand 24. At Granson the Burgundian Army consisting of 40000 was to fight the Swissers consisting of scarce 2000 and finding the Swissers to begin the battle with great courage and alacrity they in the front began leisurely to retire towards the Camp Those in the rear seeing them in the retreat and suspecting they were beaten streight fled out of the Field and so great and sudden a consternation and fear fell upon them that notwithstanding all the Commanders could say they strove who
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
Litter and being so met upon the way by a Herdsman of Venusina the poor man ignorant who it was that was so carried asked by way of jest if they carried a dead man The Legate was so offended herewith that causing the Litter to be set down he made his servants with the Thongs wherewith his Litter was fastened to beat the fellow in such manner that he died under their hands 11. Vladislaus the Second King of Poland and Peter Dunius Earl of Shrine having been late a hunting were inforced to lodge in a poor Cottage When they went to Bed Vladislaus told the Earl in jest that his Lady lay softer with the Abbot of Shrine than they were this night likely to lie The Earl not able to contain replyed Et tua cum Dabesso And so does your Queen with Dabessus a a gallant young man in the Court whom Christina the Queen loved Tetigit id dictum Principis animum These words struck so deep into the very heart of the King that for many months after he was extreme pensive and thoughtful but they were the Earl's utter undoing for when Christina heard of it she persecuted him to death 12. Cassius Cherea was the Tribune of the Pretorian Cohort under Caius Caligula and he being now far stepped into years Caius was wont to flout and frump in most opprobrious terms scoffing at him as if he was a wanton and effemiâ—ate person so that when he came to him for the Watch Word he would one while give him Priapus and at another Venus If at any time he came to him to give him thanks he would offer him his hand to kiss framed and fashioned in an obscene manner These and other indignities were the occasion that Cassius was the Foreman in that conspiracy against him which brought him his death and was the man who gave him the first blow upon the Neck with his Sword which was followed by Sabinus and others till they had made an end of him with thirty wounds 13. The Citizens of Alexandria when the Emperour Bassiâ—nus Caracalla came amongst them taunted both him and his Mother-in-law Iulia with divers stouting and reproachful words amongst others they called him Oedipus and his Mother they said was Iocasta bitterly alluding to the incestuous marriage he had made The Emperour was extremely exasperated herewith so that pretending he would raise a Legion of Soldiers from amongst the Youth and Citizens of their City he set upon a mighty number of them and his Soldiers slew the unarmed Citizens with so great a cruelty that the River Nilus was discoloured with the blood of them 14. Iulian the Apostate took away the Revenues from the Churches that so neither the Teachers nor the taught might be provided for adding also this bitter and sarcastical scoff that hereby he had better fitted the Christians for the Kingdom of Heaven since the Galilean their Master so he called Christ had taught them That blâ—ssed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven But the Justiâ—e of God soon repayd him for not long after wounded by an unknown hand he threw up his blood towards Heaven saying Vicisti Galileae O Galilean thou hast overcome me CHAP. XVII Of the Envious Nature and Disposition of some men PLutarch compares envious persons to cupping Glasses which ever draw the worst humours of the body to them they are like unto Flies which resort only to the raw and corrupt parts of the body or if they light on a sound part never leave blowing upon it till they have disposed it to putrefaction When Momus could find no fault with the face in the picture of Venus he picked a quarrel with her Slippers and so these malevolent persons when they cannot blame the substance will yet represent the circumstances of mens best actions with prejudice This black shadow is still observed to wait upon those that have been the most illustrious for virtue or remarkable for some kind of perfection and to excel in either has been made a crime unpardonable 1. Cambyses King of Persia seeing his Brother Smerdis draw a stronger Bow than any of the Soldiers in his Army was able to do was so enflamed with Envy against him that he caused him to be slain 2. In the Reign of Tiberius Caesar there was a Portico at Rome that bowed outwards on one side very much a certain Architect undertook to set it right and straight he underprop'd it every way on the upper part and bound it about with thick cloaths and the skins and sleeces of Sheep and then with the help of many Engines and a multitude of hands he restored it to its former uprightness contrary to the opinion of all men Tiberius admired the fact and envied the man so that though he gave him money he caused his name to be unremembred in the Annals and afterwards banished him the City This famous Artificer afterwards presented himself in the presence of Tiberius with a Glass he had privily about him and while he implored the pardon of Tiberius he threw the Glass against the Ground which bruised and crushed together but not broke he straight put again into its first form hoping by this act to have gain'd his good favour and Grace But Tiberius his Envy with this also encreased so that he caused him forthwith to be slain adding that if this art of Malleable Glass should be practised it would make Gold and Silver but cheap and inconsiderable things nor would he suffer his name to be put into the Records 3. Maximianus the Tyrant through envy of the honours conferred on Constantine and attributed to him by the people he contributed all that a desperate envy could invent and a great virtue surmount He â—irst made him a General of an Army which he sent against the Sarmatians a people extremely furious supposing he there should lose his life The young Prince went thither return'd victorious leading along with him the Barbarian King in Chains It is added that this direful Prince excited by a most ardent frenzy in his return from this Battel engaged him in a perilous Encounter with a Lion which he purposely had caused to be let loose upon him But Constantine victorious over Lions as well as men slew this fell Beast with his own hand and impressed an incomparable opinion in the minds of his Soldiers which easily gave him passage to the Throne by the same degrees which were prepared for his ruine 4. Alexander the Great both envied and hated Perdiccas because he was warlike Lysimachus because he was skillful in the arts of a General Seleucus because he was of great courage he was offended with the liberality of Antigonus the Imperial Dignity and Authority of Attalus and the prosperous felicity and good fortune of Ptolemaeus 5. Alexander the Great being recovered of a wound he had received made a great feast for his Friends amongst which was Coragus a Macedonian a man of
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
the Second â—irst Emperour of the Turks was no sooner possessed of his Father's Throne but as a young Tyrant forgetting the Laws of Nature was presently in person himself about to have murdered with his own hands his youngest Brother then but eighteen months old begotten on the fair Daughter of Sponderbeius which unnatural part Moses one of his Bassas and a man greatly in his savour perceiving requested him not to embrue his own hands in the blood of his Brother but rather to commit the execution thereof to some other which thing Mahomet commanded him the author of that counsel forthwith to do so Moses taking the Child from the Nurse strangled it with pouring water down the throat thereof The young Lady understanding of the death of her child as a woman whom fury had made past fear came and in her rage reviled the Tyrant to his House shamefully upbraiding him for his inhumane cruelty when Mahomet to appease her fury requested her to be content for that it stood with the policy of his State and willed her for her better contentment to ask whatsoever she pleased and she should forthwith have it But she desiring nothing more but in some sort to be revenged desired to have Moses the Executioner of her Son delivered unto her bound which when she had obtained she presently struck him into the Brest with a knife crying in vain upon his unthankful Master for help and proceeding in her cruel execution cut an hole in his right side and by piece-meal cut out his Liver and cast it to the Dogs to eat to that extremity did she resent the death of her beloved Son 12. Scilunus had eighty Sons and when he lay upon his Death-bed he called them all before him and presented them with a Bundle or Sheaf of Arrows and bade each of them try whether with all his strength he was able to break that Sheaf they all of them having attempted it in vain he then drew out a single arrow and bade one of them break that which he easily did intimating to them thereby that unity and compacted strength is the bond which preserves Families and Kingdoms which bond if it be once broken all runs quickly into ruines 13. Monica the Mother of S. Austin while her Son was a Manichee and addicted over-much to a life of sensuality and voluptuousness out of her dear and tender affection to him ceased not to make continual prayers with abundance of tears in his behalf which occasioned S. Ambrose one time to comfort her with these words Impossibile est ut filius tantarum Lachrymarum periret It's impossible that a Son of so many prayers and tears should miscarry 14. Octavius Balbus was proscribed by the Triumvirate whereupon he fled away and was now got out of danger when hearing that his Son was slain by them he returned of his own accord and offered his Throat to the Executioners 15. Cesetius was importun'd by Caesar to renounce and expel from his House one of his Sons who in the time of his Tribuneship had given him matter of offence the old man was so great a lover of his children that he boldly told him that he should sooner deprive him of all his children at once by violence than he should perswade him to send one of them away with any mark of his displeasure 16. Pericles though he had buried his Sister and divers others of his near Relations yet bare all this with great constancy and an unbroken mind But when his Son Paraclus died though he endeavoured with all his might to digest so great a grief and to suppress any appearance thereof yet he was not able to do it but burst out into tears and lamentations crying out The Gods preserve to me the poor and little Camillus the only Son I have now left unto me 17. Aegeus stood upon a high Rock whence he might see a great way upon the Sea in expectation of the return of his Son Theseus from Creet having made him promise at his departure that if all things went well with him at his return his Ship should be set forth with Sails and Streamers of white colour to express the joyfulness of his return The old man after his long watching at last did discern the Ship making homewards but it seems they had forgot to advance the White Colours as they had promised when therefore Aegeus saw nothing but black concluding that his Son had miscarried in his journey and was dead not able to endure the grief he had conceived hereof he threw himself headlong into the Sea from the top of the Rock whereon he stood and so died 18. Gordianus the Elder the Proconsul of Africa was made choice of by them of Africa and the Soldiers in his Army to be their Emperour against the cruelty of the Maximini but as soon as he understood that his Son was slain by the Maximines he was not able to support himself under the great weight of his grief but hanged himself in his own Bed-chamber 19. Socrates one day was surprised by Alcibiades childishly sporting with his Son Lamproclus and when he was sufficiently derided by Alcibiades upon that account You have not said he such reason as you imagine to laugh so profusely at a Father playing with his child seeing you know nothing of that affection which Parents have to their children contain your self then till you come to be a Father your self when perhaps you will be found as ridiculous as I now seem to you to be CHAP. X. Of the Reverence and Piety of some Children to their Parents UPon a Marble Chair in Scone where the Kings of Scotland were used to be Crowned and which King Edward the First caused to be carried to Westminster was written this Distich Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Inveniant lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Vnless unalterable fate do feign Where e're they find this Stone the Scots shall reign We may say it and perhaps with more assurance that where ever we find that Piety and Reverence that is due to Parents there is a kind of earnest given of a worthy and prosperous person for having this way entituled himself to the promise of God whatsoever become of the Fates it shall be surely perform'd to him as may be seen in divers of the following examples 1 Boleslaus the fourth King of Poland had the picture of his Father which he carried hanging about his Neck in a Plate of Gold and when he was to speak or do any thing of importance he took this picture and kissing it used to say Dear Father I wish I may not do any thing remisly or unworthy of thy name 2. Pomponius Atticus making the Funeral Oration at the death of his Mother protested that having lived with her sixty and seven years he was never reconciled to her because added he in all that time there never happened the least jar
undertaken against Parus and wherein he had been unfortunate was condemn'd by the Athenians in a fine of fifty Talents which mighty sum when he was not able to pay and was dead in Prison of a wound in his Thigh received in that â—oyage and therefore was denyed Burial his Son Cimon doubted not to resign himself voluntarily into Prison till himself had made payment of the debt But Cimon himself being not able to make satisfaction it happened that Callias one of the richest men in the City married Elpenice his Sister who paid the fine of Miltiades now become Cimons by which means Cimon being set free received at once the great glory and reward of his piety to his Father 21. Darius invaded Scythia with all the forces of his Empire the Scythians retreated by little and little till they came to the uttermost desarts of Asia Darius sent his Ambassadors to them to demand what end they intended to make of their flying and where it was that they would begin to fight They returned him for answer that they had no Cities nor cultivated fields for which they should give him battle but when once he was come to the place of their fathers monuments he should then understand after what manner the Scythians did use to fight so great a reverence had even that barbarous Nation to their dead Ancestors 22. When Scipio the Consul fought unprosperously with Hannibal at the River Ticinum and was sore wounded his Son Scipio afterwards called Affricanus the Elder though he was scarce out of the years of his Childhood yet did he deliver his father by his seasonable valorous interposition Neither did the infirmity of his Age nor his want of experience in military affairs nor the unhappy event of an infortunate Battle so appal him enough to do it to an old Soldier but that he deserved a double and illustrious Crown for having at once sav'd a Father and a General 23. No man saw a guilded Statue neither in the City of Rome nor throughout all Italy before such time as M. Acilius Glabrio a Knight placed one in the Temple of Piety to the honour of his Father The Son himself dedicated that Temple in the Consulship of P. Cornelius Lentulus and M. Bebius Tamphilus for that his father had obtained his desire and had overcome Antiochus at the straits of Thermopolae 24. When Edward the First heard of the death of his only Son he took it grievously as a Father but patiently as a wise man but when he under stood shortly after of the death of King Henry the Third his Father he was wholly dejected and comfortless Whereat when Charles King of Sicily with whom he then sojourned in his return from the holy Land greatly marvelled he satisfied him with this God may send me more Sons but the death of a father is irrecoverable 25. In the time of Pedro the cruel there was a Citizen of eâ—ghty years old condemned by him to death a Son of his of eighteen years age offered willingly to be put to death to excuse the old man his Father which the cruel Tyrant instead of pardoning him for his rare piety accepted of and put him to death accordingly 26. When the City of Troy was taken the Greeks did as became gallant men for pitying the misfortune of their Captives they caused it to be proclaim'd that every free Citizen had liberty to take away along with him any one thing that he desired Aeneas therefore neglecting all other things carried out with him his houshold Gods The Grecians delighted with the piety of the man gave him a further permission to carry out with him any one other thing from his House whereupon he took upon his Shoulders his Father who was grown old and decrepit and carried him forth The Grecians were not lightly affected with this sight and deed of his and thereupon gave him all that was his confessing that nature it selâ— would not suffer them to be enemies but friends to such as preserved so great piety towards the Gods and so great a Reverence to their Parents 27. Sertorius that Gallant Roman was a great lover of his Mother in so much that being General in Spain he desired that he might have liberty to come home from so noble and gainful an employment that he might enjoy her company and when afterwards he heard of her death he was so smitten to the heart with that unwelcome tydings that little wanted but that he had dyed by reason of his excessive sorrow For he lay seven days altogether upon the ground in all which time he never gave his Soldiers the watchword nor would suffer himself to be seen by any of his most familiar friends 28. â—The Emperour Decimus had a purpose and â—arnest desire to set the Crown upon the head of his Son Decius but he utterly refused it saying I fear lest being made an Emperour I should forget that I am a Son I had rather be no Emperour and a dutiful Son than an Emperour and such a Son as hath forsaken his due obedience Let then my Father bear the Rule and let this be my Empire to obey with all humility whatsoever he shall command me By this means the solemnity was put off and the young man was not crowned unless you will say that his signal piety towards his Parent was a more glorious Crown to him than that which consisted of Gold and Jewels CHAP. XI Of the singular Love of some Brethren to each other IT is not only a rare thing to see Brethren to live together in a mutual love and agreement with each other but withal it is observed that when they have fallen out they have managed their enmities and Animosities with greater rancour and bitterness than if they had been the greatest strangers to each other in the world On the other side where this fraternal Love has rightly seated it self in the Soul it hath used to shew it self in as great a reality and fervency as any other sort of Love whatsoever 1. Lucius Lucullus a Senator of Rome though he was elder than his Brother Marcus yet had so great a Love to him that though the Roman custom was otherwise he could never be perswaded to stand for any place of Magistracy till his Brother was at a lawful age to enter upon one also This was understood by the people who therefore created them both Aediles in their absence 2. There was a report though a false one that Eumenes King of Asia was slain by the fraud of Perseus his Brother Attalus upon the news seiz'd upon the Diadem and married the Wife of his Brother but being informed of Eumenes his return he went forth to meet him not withouâ— apprehensions of fear in regard of what he had done in his absence Eumenes made no shew of his displeasure only whispered him in the ear that before he married another mans wife he should be sure her
drawn thither with his Fleet Being agreed upon the terms the Captains must mutually entertain one another and the â—irst lot fell upon Sextus who received them in his Ship there they supp'd and discoursed with all freedom and mirth when Mâ—nas the freed man of Sextus and Admiral of the Navy came and thus whispered Sextus in the Ear Wilt thou said he that I sâ—all cut the Cables put off the Ship and make thee Lord not only of Sicily and Sardinia but of the whole World it self He said it and it was easie to do it there was only a Bridge which joyn'd the Ship and Shore together and that remov'd the other fell in and who could hinder or oppose the design and upon those two whom he had in his hand all the Roman welfare relyed but Sextus valued his faith given And said he thou Menas perhaps oughtest to have done it and unknown to me But since they are here let us think no more of it for Perjury is none of my property 12. Fabius had agreed with Hannibal for the exchange of Captives and he that had the most in number should receive money for the over-plus Fabius certifies the Senate of this agreement and that Hannibal having two hundred and forty more Captives the money might be sent to reduce them The Senate refused it and withal twitted Fabius that he had not done rightly and orderly nor for the honour of the Republick to endeavour to free those men whose Cowardise had made them the prey of their enemies Fabius took patiently this anger of the Senate but when he had not money and purposed not to deceive Hannibal he sent his Son to Rome with command to sell his Lands and to return with the money to the Camp He did so and speedily came back he sent Hannibal the money and received the Prisoners many of whom would afterwards have repaid him but he freely forgave them 13. Guy Earl of Flanders and his Son were freed from Prison by Philip the fair King of France upon their saith given that in case they could not return the Flemings to their obedience who rebelled and with the English molested Philip that then they should reuurn themselves to their wonted durance They were not able to effect the one and therefore perform'd the other and in that prison Guy shortly after dyed 14. Ferdinand the first King of Spain left three Sons behind him Sanctius Alphonsus and Garcius amongst whom he had also divided his Kingdoms but they lived not long in mutual peace for soon after the death of their Father Sanctius who was of a fierce and violent disposition made war upon his Brother Alphonsus overcame und took him Prisoner and thrust him into a Monastery constrained Religion lasts not long and therefore he privily deserted his Cloyster and in company with Petrus Ansurius an Earl he fled for protection to Almenon King of Toledo He was a Moor and an enemy to the others Religion but there had been friendship and peace betwixt him and Ferdinand the Father of this distressed Prince and upon this account he chose to commit himself unto his faith and was chearfully received by him Long he had not been with him when in the presence of the King the hair of this Prince was observed to stand up an end in such manner that being several times stroked down with the hand they still continued in their upright posture The Moorish Southsayers interpreted this to be a prodigy of evil abodement and told the King that this was the man that should be advanced to the Throne of Toledo and thereupon perswaded to put him to death The King would not do it but preferred his faith given to the fear he might apprehend and thought it sufficient to make him swear that during his life he should not invade his Kingdom A while after King Sanctius was slain by Conspirators at Zamora and his Sister Vrrata being well affected to this her Brother sent him a messenger with letters to invite him to the Kingdom advising him by some craft and with celerity to quit the borders of the Barbarians where he was Alphonsus bearing a grateful mind would not relinquish his Patron in this manner but coming to Almâ—â—on acquainted him with the matter And now said he noble Prince compleat your Royal savours to me by sending me to my Kingdom That as I have hitherto had my liâ—e I may also have my Scepter of your generosity The King embraced him and wished him all happiness But said he you had lost both Life and Crown if with an ungrateful mind you had fled without my privity for I knew of the death of Sanctius and silâ—ntly I awaited whaâ— course you would take and had dispos'd upon the way such as should have return'd you back from your â—light had it been attempted But no more of this all I shall require of you is that during life you shall be a true friend to me and my elder Son Hissemus and so sent him away with money and an honourable retinue This Alphonsus did afterwards take the City and Kingdom of Toledo but it was after the death of Almenon and his Son 15. Iohn the first King of France was overthrown in battle and made prisoner by Edward the black Prince and afterwards brought over into England Here he remained four years and was then suffered to return unto France upon certain conditions which if he could make his Subjects submit to he should be free if otherwise he gave his faith to return He could not prevail to make them accept of the hard terms that were proffered whereupon he returned into England and there dyed 16. Renatus Duke of Berry and Lorrain was taken in Battle by the Soldiers of Philip Duke of Burgundy and was set at liberty upon this condition that as oft as he should be summon'd he should return himself into the power of the Duke while he was thus at liberty it fell out that upon the death of his Brother Lewis King of Naples he was called to succeed him in that Kingdom and at this time it was that the Duke of Burgundy demanded his return according to his oath Renatus well understood that this came to pass by the means of Alphonsus of Arragon who gaped after Naples and he was also proffered by Eugenius the fourth to be dispensed with in his oath notwithstanding all which he determin'd to keep his faith inviolate and so return'd to the Duke by him he was put in safe custody yet at last he was again set at liberty but not before such time as that through this his constrained delay the enemy had secured the Kingdom to himself 17. Antaâ—f King of some part of Ireland warring against King Ethelstan disguised himself like a Harper and came into Ethelstans Tent whence being gone a Soldier that knew him discovered it to the King who being offended with the Soldier for not declaring it sooner the Soldier made this
Frescobald would have refused but the other forced them upon him This done he caused him to give him the names of all his debtors and the sums they owed The Schedule he delivered to one of his Servants with charge to search out the men if within any part of the Realm and straitly to charge them to make payment within fifteen days or else to abide the hazard of his displeasure The Servant so well performed the command of his Master that in very short time the whole Sum was paid in During all this time Frescobald lodged in the Lord Chancellors house who gave him the entertainment he deserved and oftentimes moved him to abide in England offering him the Loan of sixty thousand Ducats for the space oâ— four years if he would continue and make his bank at London But he desiâ—ed to return into his own Country which he did with the great favour oâ— the Lord Cromwel and there richly arrived but he enjoyed his wealth but a small time for in the first year of his return he dyed 13. Franciscus Dandalus was sent Embassador from the Venetians to Pope Clement into France wheâ—e he then was to deprecate his anger and to take off the publick ignominy which he was resolved to â—xpose them to long did he lye in Chains prostrate at the Popes Table in mourning and great humility beâ—ore he could any way appease that indignation which the Pope had conceived against his People at the last he returned well acquit of his chaâ—â—e when such was the gratitude of his fellow Citizens that by a mighty and universal consent they elected him Duke of Venice that he who but laâ—â—ly had been in such despicable state for his Couâ—triâ—s sake might now be beheld as conspicuous on the other side in Gold and Purple 14. Antonius Muâ—a was Physician to Augustus Caesar and being one time delivered by him from a disâ—ase that was believed would prove deadly to him the people of Rome were so joyed with the unexpected recovery of their Prince that to express their gratitude to his Physician they passed a decree that his Statue should be erected and placed next unto that of Aesculapius 15. Hippocrates the Physician perceiving the Plague from Illyricum to begin to grow upon the parts adjacent sent some of his Scholars into divers Cities of Greece to assist and to administer to such as were seised with it upon which in token of their gratitude they decreed to him the same honour which they had had used to give to Hercules 16. Iunius Brutus did notably revenge the Rape done upon Lucretia by one of the Tarquins with the expulsion of them all and delivering Rome from the bondage of their Tyranny when therefore this grand Patron of Feminine Chastity was dead the Roman Matrons lamented the death of him in mourning for a year entire 17. A War was commenced betwixt the Athenians and the Dorians these last consulting the Oracle were told they should carry the victory unless they killed the King of the Athenians they there fore gave charge to their Soldiers concerning the safety of the King Codrus was at that time King of the Athenians who having understood the answer of the Oraâ—le in Love to his Country he disguised himself in mean Apparel and entred the enemies Camp with a sythe upon his Shoulder with this he wounded one of the Soldiers by whom he was immediately slain The body of the King being known the Dorians departed without fighting and the Athenians in gratitude to their Prince who had devoted his life for the common safety would never after suffer themselves to be ruled by a King doing their departed Prince this honour that they declared they thought no man worthy to succeed him CHAP. XXI Of the Meekness Humanity Clemency and Mercy of some Men. THe abundant Trade pleasant Scituation and other considerable advantages did occasion one to say of Ormus a City in Persia. Si Terrarum Orbis quaqua patet annulus esset Illius Ormusium gemma decusque foret If all the World were made into a Ring Ormus the Gemm and grace thereof should bring And were I to set the Crown upon some one particular virtue amongst all those that have been conspicuous in man I know none that I should be more prone to favour than that of mercy and I must confess I was well pleased when I read what followeth 1. Photius the learned Patriarch of Constantinople observeth in his Bibliotheke a wonderful judgment given in the City of Athens He saith the Senate of the Areopagites being assembled together in a Mountain without any Roof but Heaven the Senators perceived a Bird of prey which pursued a little Sparrow that came to save it self in the bosom of one of their Company This man who naturally was harsh threw it from him so roughly that he killed it whereat the Court was offended and a decree was made by which he was condemned and banished from the Senate Where the Judicious observe that this company which was at that time one of the gravest in the world did it not for the care they had to make a law concerning Sparrows but it was to shew that clemency and merciful inclination was a virtue so necessary in a State that a man destitute of it was not worthy to hold any place in Government he having as it were renounced humanity 2. Agesilaus the Spartan was of that humanity and clemency towards those whom he had overcome in Battel that he often gave publick admonitions to his Soldiers that they should not treat their Prisoners with insolence but should consider that those who were thus subdued and reduced to this condition were men and when any of these at the removal of his Camp were left behind by his Soldiers as unable to follow through sickness or age he took care to order some persons to receive and take care of them lest being destitute of all assistance they should perish with hunger or become a prey to the wild Beasts 3. Titus Vespasian the Emperour was deservedly called the Darling of Mankind he professed that he thereupon took upon him the supreme Pontisicate that in so high a Priesthood he might be obliged to keep his hands pure from the blood of all men which he also performed and saith Suetonius from that time forth he never was the Author of or consenting to the death of any man although sometimes there were offered him just causes of revenge but he still used to say he had rather perish himself than be the ruine of another When two Patricians stood convicted of high Treason and affectation of the Empire he thought it sufficient to admonish them in words to desist such designs that Princes were ordained by sate that if they would any other thing of him they might ask it and have it Soon after the Mother of one of them living far off lest she should be aâ—â—righted with some sad news he sent
oftentimes to fits of Frenzy and because he wisheth him well he had tried divers means to cure him but all world not do therefore he would try whether keeping him close in Bedlam for some days would do him any good The next day the Duke came with a rusâ—ling Train of Captains after him amongst whom was the said Provost very shining brave being entred into the house about the Duke's Person Captain Bolea told the Warden pointing at the Provost that 's the man so he took him aside into a dark Lobby where he had placed some of his men who muffled him in his Cloak seized upon his Sword and so hurried him down into a Dungeon My Provost had lain there two nights and a day and afterwards it hapned that a Gentleman comming out of curiosity to see the house peep'd into a small grate where the Provost was The Provost conjured him as he was a Christian to go and tell the Duke of Alva his Provost was there clap'd up nor could he imagine why The Gentleman did his Errand and the Duke being astonished sent for the Warden with his Prisoner So he brought the Provost in cuerpo full of Straws and Feathers mad-man like before the Duke Who at the sight of him breaking into laughter asked the Warden why he had made him Prisoner Sir said the Warden it was by vertue of your Excellencies Commission brought me by Captain Bolea Bolea step'd forth and told the Duke Sir you have asked me oft how these hairs of mine grew so suddenly grey I have not revealed it to any soul breathing but now I 'll tell your Excellency and so fell a relating the passage in Flanders and Sir I have been ever since beating my brains how to get an equal revenge of him for making me old before my time The Duke was so well pleased with the Story and the wittiness of the revenge that he made them both Friends and the Gentleman who told me this Passage said that the said Captain Bolea is now alive so that he could not be lesâ— than ninety years of Age. 14. Thrasippus was present at a great Feast in the house of Pisistratus the Athenian Tyrant where he fell into intemperate Speeches and not only reviled Pisistratus but spit in his face Yet went he the next Morning betimes to the house of Thrasippus and contenting himself to let him know what he had done he not only entreated him not to kill himself but forgave and still used him as his Friend The Pope that he might congratulate Charles Cardinal of Lorrain for the great zeal against the Lutherans sent him his Letters of Thanks and withal the Picture of the Virgin with Christ in her Arms being Michael Angelo his most curious Master-piece The Messenger in his Journey fell sick and lighting upon a Merchant of Lucca who pretended himself a retainer to the Cardinal delivers the Pope's Letter and Present to him to convey to the Cardinal who undertook it This Merchant was a bitter Enemy to the Cardinal for divers injuries from him received and therefore determined at this time to have upon him at least a moderate and bloodless revenge Being therefore arrived at Paris he gets a Limner who also owed ill will to the Cardinal to draw a Picture of equal bigness in which in stead of the Virgin Mary were portracted the Cardinal the Queen his Neece the Queen Mother and the Duke of Guise his Wife all stark naked their Arms about his Neck and their Legs twisted in his This being put in the Case of the other with the Pope's Letters were delivered to one of the Cardinal's Secretaries while he was with the King in Council At his return the Cardinal having read the Letter reserved the opening of the Case till the next day where having invited those Ladies and many Nobles and Cardinals they found themselves miserably deceived disappointed and exceedingly confounded and ashamed An Astrologer predicted the death of King Henry the Seventh such a Year the King sent for him and asked if he could tell Fortunes He said yes The King then asked if he did not forsee some eminent danger that much about that time should hang over his own head He said no. Then said the King thou art a foolish Figure-caster and I ammore skilful than thou for as soon as I saw thee I instantly prophecied thou shouldst be in prison before night which thou shalt find true and sent him thither He had not been long in custody but the King sent for him again to know if he could cast a Figure to know how long he should be in prison He still answered no. Then said the King thou art an illiterate fellow that canst not foretell either good or bad that shall befall thy self therefore I will conclude thou canst not tell of mine and so set him at liberty CHAP. XXIII Of the Sobriety and Temperance of some Men in their Meat and Drink and other things WHen Leotychidas was asked the reason why the Spartans did use to eat and drink most sparingly It is said he because we had rather consult for others than that others should do so for us Tartly implying that luxurious and intemperate men were utterly indisposed and unfit for Counsel and that Temperance and Sobriety are wont to be the proper Parents of the most wholesom advice Indeed all other Virtues are obscured by the want of this as both the body and mind are wonderfully improved by it which is the reason why so many great persons have made choice of it for their Achates 1. Carus the Roman Emperour was upon his expedition into Persia who being arrived upon the Consines of Armenia there came Ambassadors to him from the enemy they expected not a speedy admittance to his presence but after a day or two to be presented to him by some of the Nobles about him But he informed of their coming caused them to be brought before him When they came they found this great Emperour at his dinner in the open field lying upon the grass with a number of Soldiers about him nothing of Gold or Silver to be seen Carus himself was in a plain purple Cloak and the feast that was prepared for him was only a kind of ancient black broth and therein a piece of salted Hogsslesh to which he also invited the Embassadors 2. Augustus Caesar the Master of the World was a person of a very sparing dyet and as abstemious in his drinking he would feed of course bread and small fishes Cheese made of Cows milk and the same pressed with the hand green Figgs and the like He drank not above a Sextant at once and but thrice at one Supper his Supper consisted mostly of three and when he desired to exceed but of six dishes he delighted most in Rhetian Wine and seldom drunk he in the day time but instead of drink he took a sop of bread soaked in cold water or a slice of Cucumber or a young
Lettuce head or else some new gathered sharp and tart Apple that had a kind of winish liquor in it Thus lived this great person after a fashion that some Coblers and Botchers would almost be loth to be obliged unto 3. Ludovicus Cornarius a Venetian and a learned man wrote a book of the benefit of a sober life and produceth himself as a testimony hereof saying Vnto the fortieth year of my Age I was continually vexed with variety of infirmities I was sick at Stomach of a Fever a Plurisie and lay ill of the Oout At last this man by the perswasion of Physicians took up a way of living with such temperance that in the space of one year he was freed almost of all his diseases In the seventieth year of his Age he had a â—all whereby he brake his Arm and his Leg so that upon the Third day nothing but death was expected yet he recovered without Physick for his abstinence was to him instead of all other means and that was it which hindred a recurrency of malignant humours to the parts affected In the eighty third year of his Age he was so sound and chearful so vegete and so entire in his strength that he could climb hils leap upon his horse from the even ground write Comedies and do most of those things he used to do when he was young If you ask how much meat and drink this man took his daily allowance for bread and all manner of other â—ood was twelve ounces and his drink for a day was fourteen ounces This was his usual measure and the said Coraraius did seriously affirm that if he chanced to exceed but a few ounces he was thereby apâ— to relapse into his former diseases All this he hath set down of himself in writing and it is aâ—â—â—xed to the book of Leonardus Lessius a Physician which was Printed at Amsterdam Anno Dom. 1631. 4. Philippus Nerius at Nineteen years of Age made it a law to himself that he would refresh his body but once a day and that only with bread and water and sometimes he would abstain even from these cold delights unto the third day Being made Priest his manner was to eat some small thing in the morning and then abstain till Supper which never consisted of more than two poched Eggs or instead of these some pulse or herbs He would not suffer more dishes than one to be set upon his Table he seldom eat of Flesh or Fish and of white Meats he never tasted his Wine was little and that much diluted with water and which is most wonderful he never seemed to be delighted with one dish more than another 5. Cardinal Carolus Borromaeus was of that abstinence that he kept a daily fast with bread and water Sundays and Holy-days only excepted and this manner of life he continued till his death He kept even festivals with that frugality that he usually fed upon Pulse Apples or Herbs Pope Gregory the Thirteenth sent to him not only to advise but to command him to moderate these rigours But the Cardinal wrote back to him that he was most ready to obey but that withal he had learned by experience that his spare eating was conducting to health and that it was subservient to the drying up of that Flegm and humours wherewith his body did abound whereupon the Pope left him to his pleasure He persisted therein therefore with so rigid a constancy that even in the heat of Summer and when he had drawn out his labours beyond his accustomed time he would not indulge himself so far as to tast of a little wine nor allow his thirst so much as a drop of water 6. The Aegyptian Kings fed upon simple diet nor was any thing brought to their Tables besides a Calf and a Goose for Wine they had a stated measure such as would neither fill the belly nor intoxicate the head and their whole life was managed with that modesty and sobriety that a man would think it was not ordered by a Lawgiver but a most skilful Physician for the preservation of health 7. Cato the younger marching with his Army through the hot sands of Lybia when by the burning heats of the Sun and their own labour they were pressed with an immoderate thirst a Soldier brought him his Helmet full of water which he had difficultly found that he might quench his thirst with it But Cato poured out the water in the sight of all his Army and seeing he had not enough for them all he would not tast it alone By this example of his temperance and tolerance he taught his Soldiers the better to endure their hardship 8. When Pausanias had overcome Mardonius in Battel and beheld the splendid Utensils and Vessels of Gold and Silver belonging to the Barbarian he commanded the Bakers and Cooks c. to prepare him such a Supper as they used to do for Mardonius which when they had done and Pausanias had viewed the Beds of Gold and Silver the Tables Dishes and other magnificent preparations to his amazement he then ordered his own servants to prepare him such a Supper as was usual in Sparta which was a course repast with their black broth and the like When they had done it and the difference appeared to be very strange he then sent for the Grecian Commanders and shewed them both Suppers And laughing O ye Greeks said he I have called you together for this purpose that I might shew you the madness of the Median General who when he lived such a life as this must needs come to invade us who eat after this homely and mean manner 9. Alphonsus the Elder King of Sicily had suddenly drawn out his forces to oppose the passage of Iacobus Caudolus over the River Vulturnus he had forced his Troops back again but being necessitated to stay there all day with his Army unrefreshed A Soldier towards evening brought him a piece of Bread a Radish and a piece of Cheese a mighty Present at that time But Alphonsus commending the Soldiers liberality refused his offer and said it was not seemly for him to feast while his Army fasted 10. Iulian the Emperour first a Deacon then a wretched Apostate yet was otherwise highly to be commended for his many good qualities so temperate that he never had any war with his Belly so chast that after the death of his Wife he never regarded women and would not see the Persian Captive Ladies nor suffer Cooks nor Barbers in his Army as being Ministers of intemperance As for Stage-Plays he never but once a year permitted them in his Court and then he saith of himself that he was more like to one that detested than one that was a spectator of them 11. Agesilaus King of Sparta was sent for into Aegypt to assist that King against his enemiess at his arrival all the Kings great Captains Nobles and an infinite number of people went to see
yearly for ever foâ—ty two pounds for a Lecture in St. Michael Bassings-Hall yearly ten pounds to the poor of Newgate twenty pounds to the two Compters to Ludgate and Bethlehem to each of them ten pounds to the four prisons in Southwark twenty pounds thirteen shillings four pence to the poor of Bassingshall ten pounds to Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge to buy lands to maintain two Follows and two Scholars six hundred pounds to the building of the Colledge fifty pounds to be lent unto poor Merchants â—ive hundred pounds to the Hospitals of St. Bartholomew and St. Thomas each of â—hem â—iâ—ty pounds to the Poor of Bridewel twenty pounds to poor Maids marriages one hundred pounds to poor Strangers of the Dutch and French Churches fifty pounds towards the building of the Pesthouse two hundrad pounds The sum of these gifts in money amounteth to more than seventeen hundred pounds and the yearly Annuities to seventy two pounds 11 Sir Iohn Gresham Mercer and Mayor of London Anno 1548. in the Second year of King Edward the sixth gave ten pounds to the poor to every ward in London which are twenty four within the City And to one hundred and twenty poor men and women to every one of them three yards of Cloth for a Gown of eight or nine shillings a yard to Maids marriages and the Hospitals in London above two hundred pounds He also founded a Free School at Holt a Market Town in Norfolk 12. Mr. Thomas Ridge Grocer gave to charitable uses one thousand one hundred sixty three pounds six shillings and eight pence viz. To the company of Grocers to be lent to two young men free of the company an hundred pound to his men and maid servants sixty three pounds six shillings eight pence unto the Hospitals about London one hundred pounds unto Preachers four hundred pounds to poor Tradesmen in and about London three hundred pounds for a Lecture in Grace-Church one hundred pounds and in Gowns for poor men one hundred pounds 13. Mr. Robert Offley Haberdasher gave six hundrâ—d pounds to the Mayor and Commonalty of Chester to be lent to young Tradesmen and for the relief of poor and Prisons and other such charitable uses two hundred pounds he gave to the company of the Haberdashers to be lent to freemen gratis two hundred pounds more to pay ten pound yearly to the poor of the company two hundred pounds more to give ten pounds per annum to two Scholars in each University one to Bethlehem one hundred pounds to other Hospitals Prisons and poor one hundred and sixty pounds more in toto one thousand four hundred and sixty pounds 14. The Lady Mary Ramsey who in the life time of Sir Thomas Ramsey joyning with him and after his death assured in Land two hundred forty three pounds per annum to Christs Hospital in London to these uses following to the Schoolmaster of Hawstead annually twenty pounds to the Master and Usher in Christs Church by the year twenty pounds to ten poor Widows besides apparel and houses yearly twenty pounds to two poor a man and a woman during life to each â—ifty three shillings four pence to two fellows in Peter-house in Cambridge and four Scholars yearly forty pouuds to St. Bartholomews Hospital ten pounds to Newgate Ludgate Compters ten pounds to Christs Hospital after the expiration of certain Leases there will come per annum one hundred and twenty pound to St. Peters the poor in London St. Andrews Vnder-shaft St. Mary Woolnoth ten pounds to six Scholars in Cambridâ—e twenty pounds to six Scholars in Oxford twenty pounds to ten maimed Soldiers twenty pounds for two Sermons â—orty shillings to the poor of Christs Church Parish â—iâ—ty shillings to the poor of the company of Drapers yearly ten pounds ten poor womens Gowns ten poor Soldiers Coats Shooes and Caps All these gifts aforesaid are to continue yearly 15. Mr. George Blundel Clothier of London by his last Will and Testament Anno 1599. bequeathed as followeth To Christs Hospital five hundred pounds to St. Bartholomews two hundred and fifty pounds to St. Thomas Hospital two hundred and fifty pounds to Bridewel yearly eight pounds towards Tiverton Church fifty pounds to mend the high ways there one hundred pounds to the twelve chief Companies in London to each one hundred and fifty pounds towards the releiving of poor prisoners and other charitable uses in toto one thousand eight hundred pounds For poor Maids marriages in Tiverton four hundred pounds to the City of Exeter to be lent unto poor Artificers nine hundred pounds towards the building of the free Grammar School in Tiverton two thousand four hundred pounds laid out since by his Executors Sir William Craven and others one thousand pounds to the Schoolmaster yearly fifty pounds to the Usher thirteen pounds six shillings eight pence to the Clark â—orty shillings for reparations eight pounds to place four boys Apprentices in Husbandry yearly twenty pounds to maintain six Scholars three in Cambridge and three in Oxford the sum of two thousand pounds The sum of all counting the yearly pensions at a valuable rate together with the legacies of money maketh twelve thousand pounds or thereabouts 16. Mr. Rogers of the company of Leather-sellers gave by his Will as followeth to the Prisons about London twelve pounds to the poor of two towns in the West Country thirteen pounds six shillings eight pence to the poor of the town of Pool where he was born ten pounds to build Alms-houses there three hundred thirty three pounds to relieve poor Prisoners being neither Papists nor Atheists that may be set free â—or twenty nobles a man one hundred and fifty pounds to poor Preachers ten pounds a man one hundred pounds to poor decayed Artificers that have Wife and Children one hundred pounds to the Company of Merchant Adventurers to relieve poor decayed people and for young Freemen four hundred pounds to Christs Hospital to purchase Land for the relief of that house five hundred pounds to erect Alms-houses about London and to maintain twelve poor People threescore pounds to the Parish where he dwelt ten pounds and for two dozen of Bread every Lords day to be distributed one hundred pounds to Christs-Church Parish fifteen pounds to the Poor in divers Parishes without Newgate Cripplegate Bishopsgate and St. Georges in Southwark twenty six pounds thirteen shillings four pence to each alike To St. Georges Parish in Southwark St. Sepulchres St. Olavâ—s St. Gileâ— St. Leonards to each thirty pounds one hundred and fifty pounds to St. Botolphs without Aldgate and Bishopsgate to each twenty pounds forty pounds Given to maintain two Scholars in Oxford two in Cambridge Students in Divinity to the Company of Leather-sellers which is carefully by them employed and augmented four hundred pounds The whole Sum amounteth to two thousand nine hundred and sixty pounds six shillings eight pence 17. Mr. George Palyn by his last Will and Testament gave unto
annuity of twenty two pound will amount to two thousand three hundred twenty pound or thereabout All this she did though at her death she had twenty two Children and Childrens Children amongst their parts finding a portion for Christ's poor Members 24. To all this as a most exemplary Charity may be added that Act of Parliament held Anno 39. of the Queen Chapter the third for the relief of the Poor in every Parish and setting of them to work by vertue of which Act there cannot be less gathered yearly for the aforesaid charitable uses throughout the Land then thirty or forty thousand pounds yearly a National and perpetual Charity the like whereof perhaps there is no Nation under Heaven that hath yet and possibly may not hereafter perform CHAP. XXIX Of such as were Lovers of Iustice and Impartial Administrators of it THose people in India that are called Pedalii when they make their solemn sacrifices to their gods use to crave nothing at their hands but that they may have Justice continued and preserved amongst them as supposing in the enjoyment of that they should have little reason to complain of the want of any other thing And it was the saying of Maximilian the Emperour fiat Iustitia ruat coelum let us have Iustice whatsoever befalls us The Persons hereafter mentioned were great Lovers and observers of this excellent virtue which is of so great advantage to Mankind 1. The Chronicle of Alexandria relateth an admirable passage of Theodorick King of the Romans Iuvenalis a Widow made her complaint that a suit of hers in Court was drawn out for the space of three years which might have been dispatch'd in few days The King demanded who were her Judges she named them they were sent unto and commanded to give all the speedy expedition that was possible to this Womans cause which they did and in two days determined it to her good liking Which done Theodorick called them again they supposing it had been to applaud their excellent Justice now done hastned thither full of joy Being come the King asked of them how cometh it to pass you have performed that in two days which had not been done in three years They answered The recommendation of your Majesty made us finish it How replieth the King when I put you into Office did I not consign all Pleas and proceedings to you and particularly those of widows you deserve death so to have spun out a business in length three years space which required but two days dispatch and at that instant commanded their heads to be struck off 2. The Emperor Trajan had done many brave and eminent Acts but none of his Atcheivements were so resplendent as the Justice he readily afforded to a vertuous Widow Her son had been slain and she not being able to obtain â—ustice had the courage to accost the Emperor in the midst of the City of Rome amongst an infinite number of people and flourishing legions which followed him to the Wars he was then going to make War in Valachia At her request Trajan notwithstanding he was much pressed with the affairs of a most urgent War alighted from his horse heard her comforted her and did her Justice This Act of his was afterwards represented on Trajan's pillars as one of his greatest wonders 3. When Sisamnes one of the chiefest of the Persian Judges had given an unjust judgment Cambyses the King caused him to be â—â—ey'd alive and his skin to be hung over the Judgment-feat and having bestowed the Office of the dead Father upon Otanes the Son he willed him to remember that the same partiality and injustice would deserve the same punishment 4. It is reported of the Emperor Maximilian the first that when he passed by the places of Execution belonging to Cities and Signiories where the bodies of Maleâ—actors are hung up as Spectacles of terror he would vail his Bonnet and say aloud Salve Iustitia as who should say God maintain Justice 5. In the fourth year of Queen Mary exemplary Justice was done upon a great Person For the Lord Sturton a man much in favour with the Queen as being an earnest Papist was for a murder committed by him arraign'd and condemn'd carry'd to Salisbury and there in the Market-place was hang'd having this only favor to be hang'd in a Silken halter Four of his servants were also executed in places near adjoyning to that where the murder was committed 6. In the Reign of King Iames Ann. 1612. Iune 25. the Lord Sanquer a Nobleman of Scotland having in a private revenge suborned Robert Carlile to murther Iohn Turner a Master of Fence thought by his greatness to have born it out But the King respecting nothing so much as Justice would not suffer Nobility to be a shelter for villany but according to the Law the 29th of Iune the said Lord Sanquer having been arraign'd and condemn'd by the name of Iohn Creighton Esq was executed before Westminster-hall-gate where he died very penitent 7. Artaxerxes Longimanus King of Persia had of his Bed-chamber one Satybarsanes whom he much favour'd this man earnestly importuned the King in an affair which the King himself knew to be unjust and having understood that Satybarsanes was to receive 30000 Daricks to bring the business to a desirable conclusion he caused his Treasurer openly to pay that sum to him as his gift adding withal that by the gift of that sum he should be never the poorer but should he grant what he desired he should deservedly be accounted the less just 8. Henry the second commanded that an Italian Lackey should he laid in Prison without telling why The Judges set him at liberty having first delivered their opinion to the King who again commanded that he should be put to death having as he said taken him tardy in a foul and heinous offence which he would not have to be divulged the Judges for all that would not condemn him but set open the prison doors to let him forth It is true that the King caused him to be taken afterwards and thrown into the River Seine without any form of Law to avoid tumult but the Judges would not condemn a Person where no proof was made that he was guilty 9. King Lewis the Eleventh minding to Cajole the Court Parliament of Paris if it should refuse to publish certain new Ordinances by him made The Masters of that Court understanding the drifâ— went all to the King in their Robes The King asked them what they would Sir Answers the President La Vaquery We are come with a full purpose to loose our lives every one of us rather than we will suffer that by our connivance any unjust Ordinance should take place The King amazed at this answer of La Vaquery and at the constancy of the Parliament gave them gracious entertainment and Commanded that the Edicts which he would have had published should be cancelled in his presence swearing
then present and an ear witness hath related thus much of that great Prince 14. It is reported of Magdalene Queen of France and wife to Lewis the Eleventh by birth a Scottish Woman that walking forth in an Evening with her Ladies she espied M. Alanus one of the Kings Chaplains an old hard favored man lying fast asleep in an Arbor she went to him and kissed him sweetly When the young Ladies laught at her for it she reply'd that it was not his person that she did bear that Reverence and respect unto but the Divine beauty of his soul. 15. The Great Theodosius used frequently to sit by his Children Arcadius and Honorius whilest Arsenius taught them he commanded them to give their Master the same respects as they would unto himself and surprizing them once sitting and Arsenius standing he took from them their Princely Robes and restored them not till a long time after nor without much entreaty 16. Marcus Aurelius shewed great piety and respect to his teachers and instructers he made Proculus Proconsul and took Iunius Rusticus with him in all his expeditions advised with him in all his publick and private business saluted him before Praefâ—cti praetorio designed him to be second time Consul and after his death obtained of the Senate publickly to erect his Statue 17. Claudius Tacitus the Emperor a great favourer of Learned Men commanded the works of Tacitus the Historian to be carefully preserved in every Library throughout the Empire and ten times every year to be transcribed at the publick cost notwithstanding which many of his works are lost CHAP. XLI Of the exceeding intentness of some men upon their Meditations and Studies THe Greek Writers extol to the heavens the Gallantry of one Cynaegirus an Athenian who in the famous battel at Salamine against the Persians laid hold upon one of their Ships with his right hand and that cut off with his left when that also was lost he endeavoured to retain it with his teeth No less is the constancy of these illustrious persons to be wondred at some of whom no consideration whatsoever unless the indispensable laws of necessity or death it self could be able to divorce from their dear studies 1. Thuanus tells of a Countryman of his called Franciscus Vieta a very learned man who was so bent upon his studies that sometimes for three days together he would sit close at it sine cibo somno nisi quem cubito innixus nec se loco movens capiebat Without meat or sleep more than what for mere necessity of nature he took leaning on his Elbow without moving out of his place 2. Dr. Reynoâ—ds when the Heads of the University of Oxford came to visit him in his last sickness which he had contracted merely by his exceeding pains in his studies whereby he brought his withered body to be a very Sckeleton they earnestly perswaded him that he would not perdere substantiam propter accidentia loose his life for learning he with a smile answered out of the Poet Nec propter vitam vivendi perdere causas Nor to save life lose that for which I live 3. Chaerephon the familiar Friend of Socrates was sirnamed Nycteris sor that he was grown pale with nocturnal Lucubrations and was so exceedingly emaciated and made lean thereby 4. Thomas Aquinas sitting at Dinner with Philip or as Campanus saith with Lewis King of France was on the sudden so transported in his mind that he struck the board with his hand and cryed out Adversus Manichaeos conclusum est The Manichees are confuted At which when the King admired Thomas blushing besought his pardon saying That an Argument was just then come into his mind by which he could utterly overthrow the opinion of the Manichees 5. Bernardus Abbot of Claravalla had made a dayes journey by the side of the Lake Lausanna and now at Sun setting being come to his Inne and hearing the Fryers that accompanied him discoursing amongst themselves of the Lake he asked where that Lake was When he heard he wondred professing that he had not so much as seen it being all the time of his Journey so intent upon his meditations 6. Archimedes who by his Machines and various Engines had much and long impeded the victory of M. Marcellus in the Siege of Syracuse when the City was taken was describing Mathematical figures upon the earth so intent upon them both with his eye and mind that when a Soldier who had broke into the house came to him with his drawn Sword and asked him who he was He out of an earnest desire to preserve his figure entire which he had drawn in the Dust told not his name but only desired him not to break and interrupt his Circle The Soldier conceiving himself scorn'd ran him through and so confounded the draught and lineaments of his Art with his own blood He lost his life by not minding to tell his name for Marcellus had given special order for his safety 7. I remember I have often heard it from Ioseph Scaligers own mouth that he being then at Paris when the horrible Butchery and Massacre was there sate so intent upon the study of the Hebrew tongue that he did not so much as hear the clashing of Arms the cryes of Children the lamentations of Women nor the Clamours or Groans of Men. 8. St. Augustine had retired himself into a solitary place and was there sate down with his mind wholly intent upon divine meditations concerning the mystery of the sacred Trinity when a poor woman desirous to consult him upon a weighty matter presented her self before him but he took no notice of her the woman spake to him but neither yet did he observe her upon which the woman departs angry both with the Bishop and her self supposing that it was her poverty that had occasioned him to treat her with such neglect Afterwards being at Church where he preached she was wrap'd up in Spirit and in a kind of Trance she thought she heard St. Austin discoursing concerning the Trinity and was informed by a private voice that she was not neglected as she thought by the humble Bishop but not observed by him at all who was otherwise busied upon which she went again to him and was resolved by him according to her desire 9. Thomas Aquinas was so very intent upon his meditations and in his readings that he saw not such as stood before him he heard not the voices of such as spake to him so that the Corporeal Senses seemed to have relinquished their proper Offices to attend upon the Soul or at the least were not able to perform them when the Soul was determined to be throughly employed 10. Mr. Iohn Gregory of Christs-Church by the relation of that Friend and Chamber-fellow of his who hath published a short account of his life and death did study sixteen of every twenty four hours for divers years together
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
divorce he had remarried and brought home his wife he was not ashamed to say openly That she was called to his Pulvinar a bed whereon the Statues of the gods are laid during the solemn Games exhibited to them And upon the day when he made a great Feast unto the people he was well pleased to hear their acclamations throughout the Amphitheatre in these words All happiness to our Lord and Lady When in the name of his Procurators he endited any formal Letters thus he began Our Lord and God thus commandeth Whereupon afterwards this custom was taken up that neither in the writing nor speech of any man he should be otherwise called 9. After Diocletian had settled the affairs of the East when he had subdued the Scythians Sarmatians the Alani and Basternae and had brought the necks of divers other Nations under the Roman yoke he then grown proud and puffed up with the glory of his Victories commanded that divine honours should be given to the Roman Emperours And therefore in the first place he himself would be adored as if there was in him some Celestial Majesty And whereas the Emperours before him were wont to give their hands to the Nobility to kiss and then raised them with their own hands to kiss them on the mouth and that the manner of the vulgar was to kiss the knees of their Emperour Diocletian sent forth his Edict that all men without distinction should prostrate kiss his feet in the mean time his Shooes or Sandals were set with pretious Stones and Pearls and enrich'd with Gold In like manner his garments yea his very Chariot was adorned that he might seem more august and be look'd upon by all men as a god 10. Lysander the Lacedemonian General having taken Athens as he had arrived to a greater power than any Grecian had hitherto obtained so his pride was greater than the power he had gotten For of the Athenian spoils he caused a brazen Statue of himself to be made which he erected at Delphos He was the first amongst all the Greeks that had Altars built to him by the Cities as a God and Sacrifices that were appointed in honour of him He was also the first of the Greeks who had Paeana's sung to him the Samians changed the name of their Temple of Iuno and called it Lysandria One of the Paeana's that were sung to him had this beginning Nos Graeciae inclytae ducem Lacedaemone ampla natum Celebremus Io Paean 11. C. Iulius Caesar had the honours of a continued Consulship the perpetual Dictatorship the Censor of manners had the titles of Emperour and father of his Country his Statue was erected amongst those of Kings his Seat in the Senate-house was of Gold and yet not content with these he suffered such further honours to be decreed to him as were beyond the condition of a man such as Temples and Altars a Priest a Couch and other Ensigns of Divinity 12. Empedocles the Philosopher had cured Panthias of Agrigentum of a deplorable disease and perceiving that thereupon he was reverenced in a manner as if he had been a god he became so enâ—lamed with a desire of immortality and glory and that he might be supposed to have been translated into the number of the gods that he cast himself head-long into the midst of the flames of Mount Aetna CHAP. VII Of unnatural Husbands to their Wives IT is reported of the cruel Beast called the Hyâ—na that by his exact imitation of a humane voice he trains the unwary Shepherds out of their Cottages till he hath brought them within the compass of his danger and then he falls upon them with all his fierceness and devours them Thus there are some bruitish and evil natured men who by pretences of Generosity Love and Vertue inveagle the hearts of poor innocent Virgins till they are become the masters of their Fortunes and Honour which done death it self is more desirable than that bitterness and indignity they are wont to treat them with 1. Anno Dom. 1652. in the Isle of Thanet in Kent lived one Adam Sprackling Esquire who about twenty years before had marryed Katherine the daughter of Sir Robert Leukner of Kent This Sprackling had a fair Estate but had exhausted it by drinking gaming c. At last Executions were out against him and he forced to keep home and make his house his Prison this filled him full of rage so that his Wife was constrained many times to lock her self â—rom him But upon Saturday night Dec. 11. 1652. as it seems he resolved to mischief her and being at ten a Clock at night in his Kitchin he sent for one Martin a poor old man out of his bed to him so that there were in the Kitchin Sprackling and his wife one Ewell and this Martin Sprackling commanded Martin to bind Ewells legs which the one did and the other suffered thinking it had only been a ranting humour of their Master Then began he to rage against his wife who sat quietly by and though she gave him none but loving and sweet words yet he drew his Dagger and struck her over the face with it which she bore patiently though she was hurt in the Jaw He still continuing to rage at her she weary and in great fear rose up and went to the door her Husband followed her with a Chopping-knife in his hand with which he struck at her wrist and cut the bone in sunder so that her hand hung down only by the sinews and skin no help was near Ewell was bound and Martin being old and weak durst not interpose fearing his own life only prayed his Mistress to stay and be quiet hoping all should be well and so getting a Napkin bound up her hand with it After this towards morning still railing and raging at his wife he dashed her on the forehead with the Iron Cleaver whereupon she fell down bleeding but recovering her self on her knees she cried and prayed unto God for the pardon of her own and her husbands sins praying God to forgive him as she did but as she was thus praying her bloody husband chopt her head into the midst of the very brains so that she fell down and died immediately Then did he kill six Dogs four of which he threw by his wife and after she was dead chopping her twice into the leggs compelled Martin to wash Ewells face with her blood himself also dipping linnen in her blood washed Martin's face and bloodied his own face with it For all which being apprehended and carried to Sandwich layle at the Sessions following which were April 22. 1653. he was arraigned condemned and hanged on the 27 day dying very desperately and not suffering any either Ministers or Gentlemen to speak with him after his condemnation 2. Elavius or Phaulius a Sooth-sayer had a wife who used secretly to drink wine and as oft as she was therein surprized and taken in the manner by her husband
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
6. Anno 1584. there was one at Leige who was most addicted to daily drunkenness and in his Cups as oâ—t as he had emptied his Pockets of his mony by playing at Cards he used to swear he would be the death of his Wives Unkle because he refused to furnish him with more mony to play with This Uncle was a Canon a good and honest man especially a person of great hospitality One night when he entertained a Letter-carrier he was murdered by him together with a Neece and a little Nephew of his All men admiring that the Canon was not present at Mattins who never used to absent himself having long knocked at his doors in vain this Drunkard of ours having scarce digested his yesterdayes Ale set up a Ladder to the Windows and with others entred the House Spying there three dead Corpse they raise the Neighbourhood with a lamentable cry amongst the whispers of whom when some said that the Drunkard was the murderer he was laid hold on cast into Prison and thrown upon the Rack where he saith that he doth not think that he did it that by reason of his daily and continual drunkenness he could affirm nothing of a certainty that he had sometime a will or rather a velleity to kill the Canon but that he should never have touched his Neece or young Nephew Well he was condemned and the innocent wretch even in the presence of this execrable Letter-carrier was long wearied with exquisite torments and at last dyed an unheard of death The Letter-carrier being again returned to Leige and not able to endure the hourly tortures of a revenging God inflicted upon his soul of his own accord presented himself before the Judges beseeching them that by a speedy death he might be freed from that Hell he felt here alive affirming that when he was awake though seldom when asleep the Image of the little Babe whom he had strangled presented it self to his eyes shaking the Furies Whips at him with such Flames as the Drunkard had perished in When he spake this at the Tribunal he continually fanned his face with his hands as if to discuss the flames The thing being evident by the Goods taken and other discoveries he also the same year upon the 23d of August was hanged till dead and then burnt at a stake 7. The Son of Cyrillus a Citizen of Hippo being given to a riotous way of life in one of his drunken sits committed violent incest with his Mother then big with Child and endeavoured to violate the Chastity of one of his Sisters wounded two other of them and slew his Father almost So that St. Augustine writing about it saith Accidit hodie terribilis casus a dreadful accident fell out 8. Aristotle speaking of the luxury of the Syracusans adds that Dionysius the younger continued drunk sometimes for the space of ninety dayes together and thereby brought himself to purblind sight and bad eyes Clarks Mir. cap. 91. p. 404. 9. The Emperour Zeno had made himself odious by the death of many Illustrious Persons and besides led a life sufficiently corrupted and debauched which was followed by a violent death For say some being much addicted to gluttony and drunkenness he woâ—ld fall down void of all sense and reason little differing from a dead man and being also hated by his Wife Ariadna she caused him to be taken up in one of those drunken sits and carried out as dead into one of the Imperial Monuments which she ordered to be closed upon him and covered with a massy stone afterwards being returned to sobriety he sent forth lamentable cryes but the Empress commanded none should regard him and so he miserably perished Kornman de mirac mort lib. 7. cap. 59. p. 43. 10. One Medius a Thessalian keeping a Genial Feast in Babylon earnestly besought Alexander the Great that he would not refuse his presence amongst them he came and loaded himself with Wine sufficiently At last when he bad drank off the Great Cup oâ— Hercules to the bottom on the sudden as if he had been struck with some mighty blow he gave a shriek and fetched a deep sigh he was taken thence by the hands of his Friends who were near him Physicians were called who sate by him with all diligent attendance but thâ— distemper increasing and they perceiving that notwithstanding all their care he was tortured with most acute pains they cast off all hopes of his life as also he himself did so that taking off his Ring from his finger he gave it unto Perdiccas and being asked whom he would should succeed him he answered The Best this was his last word for soon after he dyed being the seventh month of the twelfth year of his reign 11. Lyciscus was one of the Captains whom Agathocles had invited to Supper in the War of Africa this man being heated with Wine fell into railing and contumelious language against the Prince himself Agathocles himself bore with him and because he was a person oâ— good use to him in the War he put off his bitter speeches with a jest but the Prince Archagathus his Son was extreamly incensed and reproved Lyciscus with threats Supper ended and the Commanders going to Archagathus his Tent Lyciscus began to reproach the Prince also and with no less a matter than adultery with his Mother-in-Law that is to say Alcia the Wife of Agathocles Archagathus was so vehemently offended herewith that snatching a Spear out of the hands of one of the Guard he ran him therewith into the side in such manner that he presently fell dead at his foot Thus his intemperance in Wine brought on another of the tongue and both ended in an untimely death 12. In the year 1446. there was a Wedding near Zeghebnic celebrated as it appears with such an unheard of intemperance and dissolute doings that there dyed of extream surfeiting by excessive drinking no less than ninescore persons as well Women as Men. 13. Arcesilaus the Son of Scythus an Academick Philosopher being of the age of seventy and five drank so much Wine that the intemperate liberty he then took brought him first into madness and from thence to death it self 14. There was in Salisbury not long since one who in a Tavern in the midst of his carowsing and healths drank also a health to the Devil saying That if the Devil would not come and pledge him he would not believe that there was either God or Devil whereupon his Companions stricken with horror hastned out of the Room and presently after hearing an hideous noise and smelling a stinking favour the Vintner ran up into the Chamber and coming in he missed his Guest found the Window broken the iron bar in it bowed and all bloody but the man was never more heard of 13. At the Plow in Barnwel near Cambridge a lusty young man with two of his neighbours and one woman in their company agreed to drink up a barrel
of her Friends to receive the Kings Oath which he immediately gave them in an ancient Temple touching the Altar and Images of the gods cursing himself with horrid and utmost execrations if he did not sincerely desire the marriage of his Sister if he did not make her his Queen and her Children his Heirs and no other Arsinoe now full of hopes comes to an enterview and conference with him who in his countenance and eyes carried nothing but love he marries her sets the Diadem upon her head in sight of the People and Souldiery and calls her Queen Arsinoe overjoyed went before to Cassandrea a well fortified City where her Treasures and her Chilren were this was the only thing he sought she brings in her Husband to receive and feast him there the Wayes Temples and Houses were adorned sacrifices offered her Son Lysimachus of sixteen and Philip of thirteen years old were commanded to go meet their Unkle whom he met and greedily embraced without the Gates and brought along with him Being entred the Gate and Castle he layes aside his Mask and resumes his own countenance and affections having brought in his Souldiers he immediately commands the Royal youths to be slain and that in the lap of their Mother whither they had fled she the more miserable in this that she might not dye with them having in vain interposed her self betwixt them and the Swords of their Executioners was driven into exile with the allowance only of two Maids to attend her there But Ptolomy did not long triumph in his victory for an inundation of Gauls breaking into Macedonia overcame and took him cut off his head and fixing it at the end of a Spear carried it about to strike terrour into others 6. In the raign of Queen Elizabeth there was in the City of London one Ann Averies Widow who forswore her self for a little mony that she should have paid for six pound of Flax at a shop in Woodstreet upon which she was suddenly surprised with the justice of God and fell down immediately speechless casting up at her mouth what nature had ordained to pass another way and in this agony died 7. Mclech Bahamen a King that commanded many Hills and Dales in Gelack and Taurus was looked upon by the Covetous and ambitious eye of Shaw Abbas King of Persia he sent therefore Methicuculi Beg with an Army of Cooselbashawes to perfect his designs upon him commanding his General not to descend thence without victory Bahaman having intelligence hereof after he had like an experienced Souldier performed all other things requisite put Himself his Queen two Sons and ten thousand able men in a large and impregnable Castle victualled for many years not fearing any thing the Persian could attempt against him Methicuculi having viewed this inaccessible Fortress and finding force not valuable turns Politician summons them to a Parlee which granted he assaults them with protestations of truce and friendship entreating the King to descend and taste a Banquet swearing by Mortis Alli the head of Shaw Abbas by Paradise by eight Transparent Orbes he should have Royal quarter come and go as pleased him By these Paynim attestations and rich presents he so allured the peaceful King that was unused to deceit that at last he trained the King and his two Sons to his treacherous Banquet whereat upon a sign given three Cooselbashes standing by at one instant with their slicing Scimitars whipt off their heads e're this villany was spred abroad by vertue of their Seals he caused the men above to descend and yield up the Castle unto him some receiving mercy others destruction By this detested policy he yoked in slavery this late thought indomitable Nation 8. Stigand thrust himself into the Archbishoprick of Canterbury and with it held Winchester he raised the Kentish men against William the Conqueror who thereupon bore a grudge against him underhand procured Legates from Rome to deprive him and he was likewise clapt up in the Castle of Winchester and hardly used even well near famished which usage was to make him confess where his treasure lay But he protested with Oaths that he had no mony yet after his death a little Key was found about his neck the lock whereof being carefully sought out shewed a note or direction of infinite treasures hid under ground in divers places he dyed in the year 1069. 9. Elfrid a Noble man intending to have put out the eyes of King Ethelstan his treason being known was apprehended and sent to Rome where at the Altar of St. Peter and before Pope Iohn the tenth he abjured the fact and thereupon immediately fell down to the earth so that his Servants bore him to the English School where within three dayes after he dyed the Pope denying him Christian buryal till he knew King Ethelstan's pleasure 10. From Basham in Sussex Earle Harold for his pleasure putting to Sea in a small Boat was driven upon the Coast of Normandy where by Duke William he was detained till he had sworn to make him King of England after Edward the Confessors death he afterwards without any regard to his oath placed himself in the Throne Duke William thereupon arrived at Pensey and with his Sword revenged the perjury of Harold at Battel in the same County and with such severity that there fell that day King Harold himself with sixty seven thousand nine hundred seventy and four English men the Conquerour thereby putting himself into full possession 11. Ludovicus King of Burgundy made war upon the Emperour and being taken prisoner by him the Emperour gave him his liberty having first made him swear that he should never more make war upon him Ludovicus was no sooner free in his person but as if he had been free of his oath too he came upon the Emperour with greater preparations and a stronger Army than before But he was overcome the second time and lost all his eyes also were plucked out and upon his forehead from ear to ear were these words imprinted with a hot Iron This man was saved by Clemency and lost by Perjury 12. In the reign of the Emperour Ludovicus the Son of Arnulphus Adelbert Palatine of the Oriental France was accused of having slain the Emperours Son and thereupon was closely besieged by the Emperour in the Castle of Aldenburg near Pabeberg but the Castle was so well fortified both by Art and Nature that the Emperour despaired of forcing it or prevailing with the defenders of it to surrender themselves Hatto the Bishop of Mentz goes to Adelbert who was his near Kinsman and therefore the more liable to be overreached by his fraud and invites him to treat with the Emperour and that if things should not prove to his own mind he swore to him that he would see him safe returned into his Castle of Strength Adelbert accepts of the motion the Bishop and he went out of the Gates when the Bishop looking upon the Sun
Lord Thomas Seymour Admiral of England the other was the Dutchess of Sommerset Wife to the Lord Protector of England Brother to the Admiral These two Ladies falling at variance for precedence which either of them challenged the one as Queen Dowager the other as Wife to the Protector who then governed the King and all the Realme drew their Husbands into the quarrel and so incensed the one of them against the other that the Protector procured the death of the Admiral his Brother Whereupon also followed his own destruction shortly after For being deprived of the assistance and support of his Brother he was easily overthrown by the Duke of Northumberland who caused him to be convicted of Felony and beheaded 9. A famous and pernicious faction in Italy began by the occasion of a quarrel betwixt two Boys whereof the one gave the other a box on the Ear in revenge whereof the Father of the Boy that was stricken cut off the hand of the other that gave the blow whose Father making thereupon the quarrel his own sought the revenge of the injury done to his Son and began the Faction of the Neri and Bianchi that is to say Black and White which presently spread it self through Italy and was the occasion of spilling much Christian blood 10. A poor distressed wretch upon some business bestowed a long and tedious Pilgrimage from Cabul in India to Asharaff in Hircania where e're he knew how the success would be he rested his weary limbs upon a Field Carpet choosing to refresh himself rather upon the cool Grass than be tormented by those merciless vermine of Gnats and Muskettos within the Town but poor man he fell à malo in pejus from ill to worse for lying asleep upon the way at such time as Sha Abbas the Persian Monarch set forth to hunt and many Nobles with him his pampered Jade winded and startled at him the King examines not the cause but sent an eternal Arrow of sleep into the poor mans heart jesting as Iphicrates did when he slew his sleepy Sentinel I did the man no wrong I found him sleeping and asleep I left him The Courtiers also to applaud his Justice made the poor man their common mark killing him an hundred times over if so many lives could have been forfeiâ—ed 11. Anno 1568. the King of Sian had a white Elephant which when the King of Pegu understood he had an opinion of I know not what holiness that was in the Elephant and accordingly prayed unto it He sent his Ambassadors to the King of Sian offering him whatsoever he would desire if he would send the Elephant unto him but the King of Sian would not part with him either for love mony or any other consideration Whereupon he of Pegu was so moved to wrath that with all the power he could make he invaded the other of Sian Many hundred thousand men were brought into the field and a bloody Battle was fought wherein the King of Sian was overthrown his white Elephant taken and he himself made tributary to the Monarch of Pegu. 12. A needy Souldier under Abbas King of Persia draws up a Catalogue of his good services and closing it in his pressing wants humbly intreats the favour and some stipend from his god of war for such and such his exploits The poor man for his sawciness with many terrible bastinadoes on the soles of his feet was almost drubbed to death Besides Abbas enquires who it was that wrote it the Clerk made his apology but the King quarrelled at his scurvy writing and that he should never write worse makes his hand to be cut off CHAP. XLIII Of such as have been too fearful of death and over desirous of Life A Weak mind complains before it is overtaken with evil and as Birds are affrighted with the noise of the Sling so the infirm soul anticipates its troubles by its own fearful apprehensions and falls under them before they are yet arrived But what greater madness is there than to be tormented with futurities and not so much to reserve our selves to miseries against they come as to invite and hasten them towards us of our own accord The best remedy against this tottering state of the soul is a good and clear Conscience which if a man want he will tremble in the midst of all his armed guards 1. What a miserable life Tyrants have by reason of their continual fears of death we have exemplified in Dionysius the Syracusan who finished his thirty eight years Rule on this manner Removing his Friends he gave the custody of his body to some strangers and Barbarians and being in fear of Barbers he taught his Daughters to shave him and when they were grown up he durst not trust them with a Rasor but taught them how they should burn off his hair and Beard with the white filmes of Wallnut kernels Whereas he had two Wives Aristomache and Doris he came not to them in the night before the place was throughly searched and though he had drawn a large and deep Moat about the Room and had made a passage by a wooden Bridge himself drew it up after him when he went in Not daring to speak to the people out of the common Rostrum or Pulpit for that purpose he used to make Orations to them from the top of a Tower When he played at Ball he used to give his Sword and Cloak to a Boy whom he loved and when one of his familiar Friends had jestingly said You now put your life into his hands and that the Boy smiled he commanded them both to be slain one for shewing the way how he might be killed and the other for approving it with a smile At last overcome in Battle by the Carthaginians he perished by the treason of his own Subjects 2. Heraclides Ponticus writes of one Artemon a very skilful Engineer but withal saith of him that he was of a very timerous disposition and foolishly afraid of his own shadow so that for the most part of his time he never stirred out of his House That he had always two of his men by him that held a Brazen Target over his head for fear lest any thing should fall upon him and if upon any occasion he was forced to go from home he would be carryed in a Litter hanging near to the ground for fear of falling 3. The Cardinal of Winchester Henry Beaufort commonly called the Rich Cardinal who procured the death of the good Duke of Gloucester in the reign of King Henry the sixth was soon after struck with an incurable disease and understanding by his Physicians that he could not live murmuring and repining thereat as Doctor Iohn Baker his Chaplain and Privy-councellor writes he fell into such speeches as these Fye will not death be hired Will mony do nothing Must I dye that have so great Riches If the whole Realm of England would save my life I am able either
and will and that his pleasure once known none durst oppose it The King therefore appointed his Chair of State to be set upon the Sands when the Sea began to â—low and in the presence of his Courtiers he said unto it Thou art part of my Dominion and the ground on which I sit is mine neither was there ever any that durst disobey my commaud that went away with impunity wherefore I charge thee that thou come not upon my Land neither that thou presume to wet the Clothes or Body of me thy Lord. But the Sea according to its usual course flowing more and more wet his Feet Whereupon the King rising up said Let all the Inhabitants of the world know that vain and frivolous is the power of Kings and that none is worthy the name of a King but he to whose command the Heaven Earth and Sea by the bond of an everlasting Law are subject and obedient After this it is said that the King would never more wear his Crown 6. Damocles was the Flatterer of Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracuse crying up his Riches and Majesty and the like affirming that no man was ever more happy than himself Wilt thou then said the Tyrant taste and make tryal of my fortune Damocles said he was very desirous of it He caused him therefore to be placed upon a Bed of Gold the most exquisite delights to be presented to him the Table covered with the most exquisite and far fetched dainties And now when Damocles thought himself very fortunate in the midst of all this preparation he pointed him to a bright and drawn Sword that hanged from the top of the Room directly over his head was the point of it and it tyed only with a Horâ—e hair Damocles therefore not daring to put his hand to any of the Dishes besought the Tyrant that he might have liberty to depart By this he convicted this Flatterer and shewed him that they were not happy that lived in perpetual dangers and fears 7. When Agrippa had raigned three whole years over all Iudea in the City of Cesaria which was formerly called the Tower of Straton he set forth publick shews in honour of Caesar to which resorted a multitude of the Nobles and great Persons throughout the Realm Upon the second day of this solemnity in the morning Agrippa entred the Theatre cloathed in a Garment all of Silver framed with a wonderful Art which glanced upon by the Beams of the rising Sun and sending forth a kind of divine fulgor begat a kind of veneration and honour in the beholders Whereupon there were a sort of pernicious Flatterers that saluted him as a god humbly beseeching him that he would be propitious to them saying that heretofore they had revered him as a man but now they did confess that thâ—re was something in him more excellent than humane nature This prophane kind of Flattery he neither rejected nor reproved them for soon after he beheld an Owl sitting upon a Rope which before had been to him a presage of good and of which it had been predicted that when he saw the like sight again it should be to him the sign of evil fortune at which he was exceedingly perplexed immediately he was taken with extream torments in his belly and pressures at his heart upon which he said to his Friends Behold I that am your God as you said am now ready to depart this life and he who you said was immortal is now haled away by death While he was speaking these things spent with pain he was carried into his Palace where having wrestled with his intolerable pains for â—ive dayes he departed this life aged fifty four and having reigned seven years four under Caiâ—s and three under Claudius 8. The Athenians were the first that gave to Demetrius and Antigonus the title of Kings they caused them to be set down in their publick records for Saviour Gods They put down their ancient Magistracy of the Archontes from whom they denominated the year and yearly elected a Priest to these Saviours whose name they prefixed to their decrees and contracts In the place where Demetrius dismounted from his Chariot they erected an Altar which they dedicated to Demetrius the dismounter They added two Tribes to the rest which they called Demetrias and Antigonis Above all that of Stratocles is to be remembred who was a known designer of the grandest flattery this man was author of a decree that those who by the people were publickly sent unto Demetrius and Antigonus should not be calâ—ed Embassadors but Theoroi or Speakers to the gods 9. Valerius Maximus in the dedication of his book of memorable examples to Tiberius the Emperour thus flatteringly bespeaks him Thee O Caesar do I invoke in this my undertaking who art the most certain safety of our Country in whose hands is the power of Sea and Land by an equal consent of gods and men and by whose celestial providence all those virtues of which I am to speak are benignely cherished and the vices severely punished For if the ancient Oratours did happily take their Exordiums from the great and best Iupiter if the most excellent Poets did use to commence their Writings by the invocation of some one or other deity by how much the more justice ought my meanness to have recourse unto your favour seeing that all other divinity is collected by opinion but yours by present evidence appears equal unto your Grandfathers and Fathers Star by the admirable brightness of which there is an accession of a glorious splendour to our Ceremonies For as for all other gods we have indeed received them but the Caesars are made and acknowledged by our selves 10. Tiberius Caesar coming into the Senate one of them stood up and said that it was fit the words of free men should be free also and that nothing which was proâ—itable should be dissembled or concealed All men were attentive to an Oration with such a Preface there was a deep silence and Tiberius himself listned when the Flatterer proceeds thus Hear O Caesar what it is that we are displeased with in thee whereof yet no man dare openly make mention you neglect your self and have no regard to your own person you wast your body with continual cares and travails for our sakes taking no rest or repose either day or night CHAP. XLV Of such as have been found guilty of that which they have reprehended or disliked in others AMongst others who came to be Spectators of the Olympick games there was an old man of Athens he passed to and fro but no man afforded him a seat room when he came where the Spartan Ambassadours sate they who had been taught to reverence age rose up and gave him place amongst them Well said the old man the Grecians know well enough what they ought to do but the Spartans alone are they who do it The following examples afford too many too near allied to the Grecians
according to his sentence 7. Cicero flying for his life was pursued by Herennius and Popilius Lena this latter at the request of M. Caelius he defended with equal care and eloquence and from a hazardous and doubtful cause sent him home in safety This Popilius afterwards not provoked by Cicero in word or deed of his own accord asked Antonius to be sent after Cicero then proscribed to kill him Having obtained licence for this detestable employment with great joy he speeded to Cajeta and there commands that person to stretch out his throat who was not to mention his dignity the Author of his safety and in private to be entertained by him with little less than veneration There did he with great unconcernedness cut off the head of the Roman Eloquence and the renowned right-hand of peace With that burden he returned to the City nor while he was laden with that execrable portage did it ever come into his thoughts that he carried in his Arms that head which had heretofore pleaded for the safety of his 8. Parmenio had served with great fidelity Philip the father of Alexander as well as himself for whom he had first opened the way into Asia He had depressed Attalus the Kings enenemy he had alwaies and in all hazards the leading of the Kings Vanguard he was no less prudent in counsel than fortunate in all attempts a man beloved of the men of War and to say the truth that had made the purchase for the King of the Empire of the East and of all the glory and fame he had After he had lost two of his sons in the Kings Wars Hector and Nicanor and the other lost in torments upon a suspicion of Treason This great Parmenio Alexander resolved to deprive of life by the hands of murderers without so much as acquainting him with the cause and would choose out no other to expedite this unworthy business but the greatest of Parmenio's friends which was Polydamus whom he trusted most and loved best and would alwaies have to stand at his side in every fight He and Cleander dispatched this great man as he was reading the Kings Letter in his Garden in Media So fell Parmenio who had performed many notable things without the King but the King without him did never effect any thing worthy of praise 9. Philip King of Macedon had sent one of his Court to Sea to dispatch something he had given him in command but a storm came and he was shipwrack'd but saved by one that lived there about the Shore in a little Boat wherein he was taken up He was brought to his Farm and there entertained with all civility and humanity and at thirty daies end dismissed by him and furnished with somewhat to bear his charges At his return he tells the King of his Wrack and dangers but nothing of the benefits he had received The King told him he would not be unmindful of his fidelity and dangers undergone in his behalf He taking the occasion told the King he had observed a little Farm on the Snore and besought him he would bestow that on him as a monument of his escape and reward of his Service The King orders Pausanias the Governour to assign him the Farm to be possessed by him The poor man being thus turned out applied himself to the King told him what humanity he had treated the Courtier with and what ungrateful injury he had returned him in lieu of it The King upon hearing of the Cause in great anger commanded the Courtier presently to be seised and to be branded in the sorehead with these Letters Hospes ingratus The ungrateful Guest restoring the Farm to its proper owner 10. When the Enmity brake out betwixt Caesar and Pompey Marcellinus a Senatour and one of them whom Pompey had raised estranged himself so far from his party unto that of Caesars that he spake many things in Senate against Pompey who thus took him up Art thou not ashamed Marcellinus to speak evil of him through whose bounty of a mute thou art become eloquent and of one half starved art brought to such a plenty as that thou art not able to â—orbear vomiting Notably taxing his ingratitude who had attained to all his Dignity Authority and Eloquence through his favour and yet abused them all against him 11. Henry Keeble Lord Major of London 1511. besides other Benefactions in his life-time rebuilded Aldermary Church run to very ruines and bequeathed at his death one thousand pounds for the finishing of it yet within sixty years after his bones were unkindly yea inhumanely cast out of the Vault wherein they were buried his Monument plucked down for some wealthy Person of the present times to be buried therein Upon which occasion saith Dr. Fuller I could not but rub up my old Poetry which is this Fuller to the Church Vngrateful Church o'rerun with rust Lately bury'd in the Dust Vtterly thou hadst been lost If not preserv'd by Keeble's cost A thousand pounds might it not buy Six foot in length for him to lye But outed of his quiet Tomb For later Corpse he must make room Tell me where his dust is cast Though 't be late yet now at last All his bones with scorn ejected I will see them recollected Who fain my self would Kinsman prove To all that did Gods Temples love The Churches Answer Alas my innocence excuse My Wardens they did me abuse Whose Avarice his Ashes sold That goodness might give place to gold As for his Reliques all the Town They are scatt'red up and down Seest a Church repaired well There a sprinkling of them sell. Seest a new Church lately built Thicker there his Ashes spilt Oh that all the Land throughout Keeble's dust wâ—re thrown about Places scatt'red with that sâ—ed Would a crop of Churches breed 12. Anno 1565. upon the fifth of February one Paulus Sutor of the Village of Breswâ—il near the City of Basil came into the house of Andreas Hager a Bookseller he was then old and sick and had been the others Godfather at the Font and performed to him all the good offices that could be expected from a father Being entred his house he told him he was come to visit him as one that esteemed him as his father But as soon as the Maid was gone out of the Parlor that attended upon the sick man he caught up a hammer gave him some blows and then thrust him through with his knife As soon as the Maid returned with the same fury he did the like to her and then sâ—ising the Keys he searched for the prey intended he found eight pieces of plate which afterwards in want of money he pawned to a Priest of St. Blasms who suspecting the man sent the plate to the Senate at Basil by which means the Author of the detestable murder was known he was searched after taken at the Village of Hagenstall brought prisoner to Basil where he had his legs and arms broken
a numerous crowd of them that sled he was known to his enemies by nothing so much as the odour of his Unguents and sweetness of his perfumes thus betrayed he was brought back and had his eyes put out by his sons command 8. The City Sybaris is seated two hundred furlongs from Crotona betwixt the two Rivers of Crathis and Sybaris built by Iseliceus the affaires of it were grown to that prosperity that it commanded four Neighbour Nations and had twenty five Cities subservient to its pleasure they led out three hundred thousand men against them of Crotona all which power and prosperity were utterly overturned by means of their luxury They had taught their Horses at a certain tune to rise on their hinder feet and with their fore-feet to keep a kind of time with the Musick a Minstril who had been ill used amongst them fled to Crotona and told them If they would make him their Captain he would put all the enemies horse their chief strength into their hands it was agreed he taught the known Tune to all the Minstrels in the City and when the Sybarites came up to a close charge at a signal given all the Minstrels played and all the Horses fell to dancing by which being unserviceable both they and their Riders were easily taken by the enemy 9. The old Inhabitants of Byzantium were so addicted to a voluptuous life that they hired out their own houses familiarly and went with their Wives to live in Taverns they were men greedy of Wine and extremely delighted with Musick but the first sound of a Trumpet was sufficient almost to put them besides themselves for they had no disposition at all to War and even when their City was besieged they left the defence of their Walls that they might steal into a Tavern CHAP. L. Of the libidinous and unchaste life of some Persons and what Tragedies have been occasioned by Adulteries IN an ancient Embleme pertaining to Iohn Duke of Burgundy there was to be seen a Pillar which two hands sought to overthrow the one had Wings and the other was figured with a Tortoise the word Vtcunque as much as to say by one way or other There are Amourists who take the same course in their prohibited amours some strike down the Pillars of Chastity by the sudden and impetuous violence of great promises and unexpected presents others proceed therein with a Tortoises pace with long patience continual services and profound submissions yet when the Fort is taken whether by storm or long siege there is brought in an unâ—â—pected reckoning sometimes that drenches all their sweets in blood and closes up their unlawful pleasures in the â—ables of death Thus 1. A certain Merchant of Iapan who had some reason to suspect his Wife pretended to go into the Country but returning soon after surprized her in the very act The Adulterer he killed and having tyed his Wife to a Ladder he left her in that half hanging posture all night The next day he invited all the Relations on both sides as well Men as Women to dine with him at his own house sending word that the importance of the business he had to communicate to them excused his non-observance of the custom they have to make entertainments for the women distinct from those of the men They all came and asking for his Wife were told that she was busie in the Kitchen but Dinner being well nigh past they entreated the Husband to send for her which he promised to do Whereupon rising from the Table and going into the room where she was tyed to the Ladder he unbound her put a Shrowd upon her and into her hands a Box wherein were the privy Members of her Gallant covered with Flowers and saying to her go and present this Box to our common Relations and see whether I may upon their mediation grant you your life She came in that equipage into the Hall where they sate at Dinner and falling on her knees presented the Box with the precious reliques in it to the kindred but as soon as they had opened it she swounded her Husband perceiving that it went to her heart and to prevent her returning again now she was going cut off her head which raised such an horrour in the Friends that they immediately left the room and went to their several homes 2. Schach Abbas King of Persia coming to understand that one of his menial servants who was called Iacupzanbeg Kurtzi Tirkenan that is to say he whose Office it was to carry the Kings Bow and Arrows had a light Wife sent him notice of it with this message that if he hoped to continue at Court in his employment it was expected he should cleanse his House This message and the affliction he conceived at the baseness of his Wife and his reflection that it was known all about the Court put him into such a fury that going immediately to his House which was in the Province of Lenkeran he cut in pieces not only his Wife but also her two Sons four Daughters and five Chamber-maids and so cleansed his House by the blood of twelve persons most of them innocent 3. The Egyptians do not presently deliver the dead bodies of the Wives of eminent persons to Conditure and embalming nor the bodies of such women who in their life-time were very beautiful but detain them after death at least three or four dayes and that upon this reason There was once one of these Embalmers empeached by his Companion that he had carnal knowledge of a dead body committed to his care to be Salted and Embalmed Dr. Brown in his Vulgar Errors speaking of the like villanies used by these Pollinctors elegantly writes Deformity needeth not now complain nor shall the eldest hopes be ever superannuated since Death hath Spurs and Carcases have been Courted 4. After King Edred not any of his Sons but his Nephew Edwin the eldest Son of King Edmund succeeded and was anointed and Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Otho Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the year 955. This Prince though scarce fourteen years old and in age but a Child yet was able to commit sin as a man for on the very day of his Coronation and in sight of his Lords as they sate in Council he shamefully abused a Lady of great estate and his near Kins-woman and to mend the matter shortly after slew her Husband the more freely to enjoy his incestuous pleasure For this and other infamous acts a great part of his Subjects hearts were so turned against him that the Mercians and Northumbrians revolted and swore fealty to his younger Brother Edgar with grief whereof after four years reign he ended his life and was buried in the Church of the New Abbey of Hide at Winchester 6. Eugenius the third King of Scotland made a beastly Act which appointed the first night of the new married Woman to appertain to the Lord of the Soil
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
sided with the Popes of Rome called the second Council of Nice for support of Images In her time Charles the Great was by the Pope and People of Rome created Emperour of the West whereby the Greek Emperours became much weakened her Motto was Vive ut vivas 32. Nicephorus made Emperour by the Souldiers perswaded that Irene had made choice of him to be her Successour he was slain in a pitch'd Field against the Bulgarians a bad man he was and Reigned nine years 33. Michael Sirnamed Cyropalates i. e. Major of the Palace his former Office assumed the Empire but finding his own weakness he soon relinquished it and betook himself to a Monastery having Reigned but two years 34. Leo the fifth Sirnamed Armenius from his Country General of the Horse to Michael demolished the Images his Predecessours had set up and was slain in the Church during the time of Divine Service having Reigned seven years and five Months 35. Michael the second Sirnamed Balbus having murdered Leo assumed the Empire unfortunate in his Government and died of madness a great enemy to all Learning he Reigned eight years and nine months 36. Theophilus his son an enemy of Images as his Father and as unfortunate as he losing many Battels to the Saracens at last died of melancholy having Reigned twelve years and three months 37. Michael the third his son ruled first with his Mother Theodora after himself alone his Mother being made a Nun he was a Prince of great prodigality and slain in a drunken fit having Reigned twenty five years 38. Basilius Sirnamed Macedo from his birth-place being made Consort in the Empire by the former Michael he basely murdered him and was himself casually killed by a Stag having Reigned twenty years 39. Leo the sixth for his Learning Sirnamed Philosophus a vigilant and provident Prince most of his time with variable success he spent in War with the Bulgarians he Reigned twenty five years three months 40. Constantine the sixth son of Leo Governed the Empire under Romanus Lacopenus under whom he was so miserably depressed that he was fain to get his livelihood by Painting but Lacopenus being deposed and turned into a Monastery by his own sons he obtained his rights and restored Learning unto Greece and Reigned fifteen years after 41. Romanus the son of Constantine having abused the Empire for three years died as some think of poyson 42. Nicephorus Sirnamed Phocas Protector to the former young Emperour upon his death was elected he recovered the greatest part of Asia Minor from the Saracens and was slain in the night by Iohn Zimisces his Wife Theophania being privy to it he then aged fifty seven years having then Reigned six years six months 43. Iohn Zimisces Governed the Empire better than he obtained it vanquishing the Bulgarians Rosses and other barbarous Nations rescinded the acts of his Predecessour died by poyson having Reigned six years six months 44. Basilius the second subdued the Bulgarians and made them Homagers to the Empire Reigned alone above fifty years 45. Constantinus the seventh his brother did nothing memorable a man of sloth and pleasure he Reigned three years 46. Romanus the second for his prodigality Sirnamed Argyropolus husband of Zoe was drowned in a Bath by the Treason of his Wife and her Adulterer as was thought having Reigned five years and a half 47. Michaâ—â— the fourth Sirnamed Paphlago from his Country â—irst the Adulterer and then the Husband of Zoe but died very penitent having Reigned with equity and clemency seven years some say more 48. Michael the fiâ—th Sirnamed Calaphates a man of obscure birth adopted by Zoe whom he deposed and put into a Monastery out of which being again taken in a popular Tumult she recovered the Government and put out the eyes of Calaphates Reigning with her Sister Theodora until that 49. Constantine the eighth married Zoe then sixty years of age and had the Empire with her Reigned twelve years and eight months 50. Theodora Sister to Zoe after the death of Constantine managed for two years the affairs of the Empire with great contentment to all people but grown aged surrendred it by perswasion of the Nobles to 51. Michael the sixth Sirnamed Stratioticus an old but Military man who kept it two years and was then deposed Demanding what reward he should have for resigning the Crown it was replied a heavenly one 52. Isaacius of the Noble Family of the Comneni a valiant man of great courage and diligent in his affairs which having managed for two years he left it at his dâ—ath by consent of the Senate and People to another he was no Scholar yet a great lover of Learning 53. Constantine the ninth Sirnamed Ducas a great Justicer and very devout but exceeding covetous whereby he became hated of his Subjects and contemned by his enemies he Reigned seven years and somewhat more 54. Romanus the third Sirnamed Diogenes married Eudoxia the late Empress and with her the Empire took Prisoner by the Turks and sent home again he found a Faction made against him by which Eudoxia was expell'd himself deposed and he died in Exile having both his eyes put out he Reigned three years eight months 55. Michael the seventh Sirnamed Parapinacius by reason of the Famine that fell in his time in a Tumult was made Emperour but found unfit was deposed and put into a Monastery having Reigned six years six months 56. Nicephorus Sirnamed Belionates of the House of Phocas succeeded but deposed within three years by the Comneni he put on the habit of a Monk in the Monastery of Periblepta 57. Alexius Comnenus son of the Emperour Isaacius Comnenus obtain'd the Empire in whose time the Western Christians with great Forces prepared for the recovery of the Holy Land he jealous of them denied them passage through his Country but was forced to find them Victuals c. he died having Reigned thirty seven years some months 58. Calo Iohannes his son had a good hand against the Turks vanquished the Tartars passing over the Ister conquered the Servians and Bulgarians transporting many oâ— them into Bythinia he died by a poysoned Arrow of his own that had rased the skin but could not be cured 59. Manuel his younger Son was an underhand enemy to the Western Christians and an open enemy to the Turks by whom intrapped in the straights of Cilicia and his Army miserably cut off he was on honourable terms permitted to return again he Reigned thirty eight years within three months 60. Alexius the second his son was deposed and barbarously murdered by Andronicus the Cousin German of his Father his Wife and Mother were also made away by him when the young man had Reigned but three years 61. Andronicus Comnenus by ambitious practices and pretence of reformation got the Empire but not long after cruelly torn in pieces in a popular Tumult his dead Corpse used with all manner of contumely 62. Isaacius Angelus a Noble man of the same race designed to
three years ten months and eleven dayes 35. Marcus the first a Roman brought in the singing of the Nicene Creed and the giving of the Pall to the Bishop of Ostia which when others have since fetched there they have paid sweetly for he sate two years eight months and twenty dayes â—6 Iulius the first a Roman Athanasius made hiâ— Creed in his time at Rome which was then aproved by Iulius and his Clergy He ordained Prothonotaries to Register the passages of the Chrch and sate fifteen years two months and six dayes 37. Liberius the first a Roman either through fer or ambition subscribed to Arrianism and Aâ—anasius his condemnation but recovered himself and sate six years three months and for dayes 38. Foelix the second a Roman condescended to communicate with the Arrians though he wâ—re none of them but afterwards in a tumâ—lt was made away by them he sate one yâ—â—r four months and two dayes 39. Damasus the first a Spaniard a friend to Sâ— Ierome who by his procurement much amendeâ— the Vulgar Latine edition He accursed Uâ—urers and appointed Gloria Patri c. to câ—ose up every Psalm he sate nineteen years three months and eleven dayes 40. Syricius the first a Roman he excluded tâ—ose that were twice marryed and admitted Monks into Holy Orders In his time the Tempe of Serapis was demolished and the Idol broken he sate fifteen years eleven months twenty five dayes 41. Anastasius the first a Roman he was carefuâ— to repress the errours of Origen was the first that brought in the standing up at the reading of the Gospel he sate three years and ten dayes 42. Innocentius the first an Albane a great sticklet against the Pelagians in his time Alaricus plundered Rome Innocentius being then at Ravenna he sate fifteen years two months and twenty five dayes 43. Zosinues brought the use of Tapers into the Church forbad Priests to drink in publick or servants to be received into the Priesthood he sate one year three months and twelve dayes 44. Bonifacius the first a Roman the son of Iocundus a Priest he was chosen in a hubub and sedition of the Clergy was shrewdly opposed by Eulalius the Deacon but at last carryed it against him he sate three years eight months and seven dayes To whom there succeeded 45. Coelestinus the first a Campanian he it was that sent Germanus and Lupus hither into England Paladius into Scotland and Patrick into Ireland he first caused the Psalms to be sung in Antiphony he sate eight years ten months 46. Sixtus the third he was accused by one Bassus for getting a Nun with Child but was acquitted by the Synod and his accuser sent into Exile he built much and therefore had the title of Inrichâ—r of the Church he sate eight years 47. Leo the first disswaded Attila from sacking Rome Peter and Paul terrifying the Hunno while Leo spake to him In his time the Venetians setled themselves in the Gulph now so famous he sate twenty one years one month and thirteen dayes 48. Hilarius the first in his time was the rectifying of the Golden Number by Victorinus of Aquitaine and the bringing in of the Letany by Mamerius Claudius of Vienna he sate seven years three months and ten dayes 49. Simplicius the first a Tiburtine he took upon him the jurisdiction of the Church of Ravenna decreed that none of the Clergy should hold a Benefice of any Lay-man he sate fifteen years one month and seven dayes 50. Foelix the third Son of a Roman Priest decreed that no Church should be consecrated but by a Bishop opposed the proposal of Union by the Emperour Zeno to the great confusion of the Eastern and Western Churches sate eight years 51. Gelasius the first an African ordered the Canon of Scripture branding counterfeit books that before passed â—or Canonical or Authentical banished the Manichees and burnt their Books he sate four years eight months and seventeen dayes 52. Anastasius the second a Roman excommunicated Anastasius the Greek Emperour for favouring the Heretick Acatius whose heresie afterwards himself favoured he sate one year ten months and twenty four dayes 53. Symmachus the first a Sardinian carryed it against Laurentius his Competitor he was a Lover of the poor and bountiful to the exiled Bishops and Clergy he sate fifteen years six months and twenty two dayes 54. Hormisda the first the Emperour Iustinus sent him his Embassadours with the confirmation of the authority of the Apostolick seat he condemned the Eutychians in a provincial Synod and sate nine years and eighteen dayes 55. Iohannes the first a Tuscan a man of great learning and piety was cast into prison by Theodorick and there killed with the stench and filth of it he sate two years and eight months 56. Foelix the fourth a Samnite excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople divided the Chancel from the Church commanded extream Unction to be used to dying men he sate four years two months and thirteen dayes 57. Bonifacius the second a Roman decreed that no Bishop should choose his Successor and that the Pope if it might be should be chosen within three dayes after his Predecessors death he sate two years two dayes 58. Iohannes the second a Roman condemned Anthemius the Patriarch of Constantinople was sirnamed Mercury for his eloquence Writers say no more of him but that he sate two years and four months 59. Agapetus the first a Roman sent Embassador by King Theodatus to pacifie Iustinian the Emperour for the death of the Noble and Learned Queen Amalasuntha he sate eleven months and nineteen dayes 60. Sylverius a Campanian was deposed by the Empress for refusing to put out Menna and restore Anthemius her Favourite he dyed in exile having sate one year five months and twelve dayes 61. Vigilius the â—irst for breach of promise to the Empress was fetched to Constantinople there with a halter about his neck drawn about the streets and banished he sate seventeen years seven months and twenty dayes 62. Pelagius the first ordained that Hereticks and Schismaticks should be punished with temporal death that no man for mony should be admitted into Orders he sate eleven years ten months and twenty eight dayes 63. Iohannes the third in his time the Armenians did receive the faith of Christ he was setled in his Chair by Narses and sate twelve years eleven months and twenty six dayes 64. Benedictus the first a Roman in his time the Lombards forraged Italy the grief of this and other the Calamities of Italy was the death of this Pope when he had sate four years one month and twenty eight dayes 65. Pelagius the second a Roman was made Pope in the siege of the City by the Lombards without the Emperours consent which election he sent Gregory to excuse he sate ten years two months and ten dayes 66. Gregorius the first sirnamed the Great called himself Servus servorum Dei sent Austin into England to convert the Eastern Saxons withstood the claim of Universal
his Popedom 125. Landus the first a Roman his life is so obscure that some will not allow him any place amongst the Popes nothing is said of him but that he died in his sixth month and on the twenty first day of it and buried in St. Peters 126. Iohannes the eleventh the Bastard of Pope Sergius overthrew the Saracens in a Sedition he was taken and put in bonds where he was stiâ—led by a Pillow having sat thirteen years two month and three daies 127. Leo the sixth a Roman a modest and honest man who took care of the Service of God as much as the corruption of that time would bear but died on the fifteenth day of his seventh month much lamented by the Romans 128. Stephanus the seventh a Roman in his time Spireneus Duke of Bohemia received the Christian Faith the Pope himself was a man of much meekness and Religion and died having sat two years one month and twelve daies 129. Iohannes the twelfth a wicked cruel and libidinous man was taken in Adultery and slain by the husband of the woman was supposed to have poysoned Leo and Stephen his Predecessours he sat four years ten months 130. Leo the seventh a Roman in his time Boson Bishop of Placentia and Theobald Bishop of Millaine and another great Prelate were all Bastards of King Hugh by his Concubines Bezola Rosa and Stephana he sat three years six months and ten daies 131. Stephanus the eight a German vexed with Seditions and in them so deformed with wounds that he was ashamed to be seen in publick so that nothing being done by him of any note he died in the third year the fourth month and twelfth day of his Papacy 132. Martinus the third a Roman gave himself to peace and piety rebuilded ruinous Churches and gave great Alms to the poor nothing else is remembred of him but that he died in the third year sixth month and tenth day of his Papacy 133. Agapetus the second a Roman in his time the Hungarians brake into Italy and were overcome in two set Battels by Henry Duke of Bavaria this Pope was a man of great innocence and died in the ninth year seventh month and tenth day of his Papacy 134. Iohannes the thirteenth a man from his youth polluted with all kind of villany and dishonesty he was deposed by Otho in a Council and slain in the act of Adultery after he had arrived to the ninth year the third month and fifth day of his Papacy 135. Benedictus the fifth a Roman from a Deacon advanced to the Papacy but the Emperour approved not the Election took the Pope with him into Germany who died of grief at Hamburg his place of banishment having sat only six months and five daies 136. Leo the eighth Crowned Otho Emperour remits unto him the right of choosing Popes before in the hands of the Clergy and people for which was ratified unto the Papacy Constantines or rather Pipin's Donation he died in his first year and fourth month 137. Iohannes the fourteenth Bishop of Narnia was also wearied with Seditions and imprisoned but freed by the Emperour Otho in his time Bells began to be Baptized and had names given them he died in the eleventh month of his sixth year 138. Benedictus the sixth a Roman by Cintius a potent Citizen first imprisoned and then strangled in the Castle of St. Angelo Platina fears Benedict deserved all he suffered because none stirred in his quarrel he died in the sixth month of his first year 139. Donus the second a man of that modesty that though he did not any thing much worthy of praise yet he received no injury nor had any infamous note upon him he died in the first year of his Papacy and was buried in St. Peters 140. Bonifacius the seventh the Citizens opposed him so he stole away the Church ornaments and treasure and fled to Constantinople he returns and recovers his place but soon after dies of an Apoplexy having sat only seven months and five daies 141. Benedictus the seventh a Roman he turned out Gilbert the Conjurer from the Archbishoprick of Rhemes and restored Arnulphus he was a good man saith Platina and died in the sixth month of his eighth year 142. Iohannes the fifteenth was taken by the Romans imprisoned and there made to die with famine grief of mind and the filth of his Prison by Ferrucius the father of Boniface he died in his third month 143. Iohannes the sixteenth a hater of the Clergy and hated by them he was all for the enriching of his Kindred and his example therein hath been ever since followed he died saith Platina by the Will of God in his eighth month 144. Iohannes the seventeenth reputed a great Scholar he was driven from Rome into Hetruria by Crescentius the Roman Consul but he submitting himself Iohn returned and died in the sixth month and tenth year of his Papacy 145. Gregorius the fifth projected the Election of the future Emperours by the Princes of Germany by which the Germans were distracted into Factions the Romans weakened and way made that the Popes might the better have their ends upon them 146. Iohannes the eighteenth a Thief and a Robber saith Platina who entred not in by the door having bribed Crescentius and others to receive him but he died with ignominy in the tenth month of his Papacy 147. Sylvester the second a French man first called Gerebertus a Magician and who contracted with the Devil for the Papacy whereof he is said to have repented he died having sat three years and ten daies 148. Iohannes the nineteenth was given to Magick took off the choice of the Popes from the people appointed the Feast of All Souls and died the twentieth day of the fourth month of his Papacy 149. Iohannes the twentieth Crowned the Emperour Conrade and was alwaies protected by him he did nothing worthy of memory but died in the fourth month of his fourth year 150. Sergius the fourth was the first that on Christmas night consecrated Swords Roses or the like to be sent as tokens of love and honour to such Princes as deserved best and whom he desired to oblige 151. Benedictus the eighth a Tuscan is said to be seen upon a black Horse after his death he Crowned the Emperour Henry also in his time there was such a Plague as the living scarce sufficed to bury the dead he died in the first month of his eleventh year 152. Iohannes the twenty first a Roman son to the Bishop of Portua some say not in Orders before he took the Popedom Platina saith He was a man of excellent life and died upon the ninth day in the eleventh year of his Papacy 153. Benedictus the ninth a Conjurer wont with Lawrence and Gratian the Conjurers whom he made Cardinals to wander in the Woods to invocate Devils and bewitch women to follow them he sat ten years four months and nine daies 154. Sylvester the third made Pope while Benedict
the building of the City His first eleven Books are all that are extant in which he reaches to the two hundred and twelfth year of the City He â—lourished in the time of Augustus Caesar and is said to have lived in the Family of M. Varro 10. Polybius of Megalopolis was the Master Councellour and daily Companion of Scipio the younger who in the year of the World 3800. razed Carthage he begins his Roman History from the first Punick War and of the Greek Nation the Achaeans from the fortieth year after the death of Alexander the Great of forty Books he wrote but five are left and the Epitomes of twelve other in which he reaches to the Battel at Cynoscephale betwixt King Philip of Macedon and the Romans 11. Salustius wrote many Parts of the Roman History in a pure and quaint brevity of all which little is left besides the Conspiracy of Catiline oppressed by the Consul Cicero sixty years before the birth of Christ and the War of Iugurth managed by C. Marius the Consul in the forty fourth year before the Conspiracy aforesaid 12. Iulius Caesar hath wrote the History of his own Acts in the Gallick and Civil Wars from the 696 year ab V. C. to the 706. and comprized them in Commentaries upon every year in such a purity and beautiful propriety of expression and such a native candour that nothing is more terse polite more useful and accommodate to the framing of a right and perspicuous expression of our selves in the Latin Tongue 13. Velleius Paterculus in a pure and sweet kind of speech hath composed an Epitome of the Roman History and brought it down as far as the thirty second year after the birth of Christ that is the sixteenth year of Tiberius under whom he flourished and was Questor 14. Cornelius Tacitus under Adrian the Emperour was Praefect of the Belgick Gaul he wrote a History from the death of Augustus to the Reign of Trajan in thirty Books of which the five first contain the History of Tiberius the last eleven Books from the eleventh to the twenty first which are all that are extant reach from the eighth year of Claudius to the beginning of Vespasian and the besieging of Ierusalem by Titus which was Anno Dom. 72. He hath comprised much in a little is proper neat quick and apposite in his stile and adorns his discourse with variety of Sentences 15. Suetonius was Secretary to Adrian the Emperour and in a proper and concise stile hath wrote the Lives of the twelve first Emperours to the death of Domitian and the ninety eighth year of Christ he hath therein exactly kept to that first and chief Law of History which is That the Historian should not dare to set down any thing that is false and on the other side That he have courage enough to set down what is true It is said of this Historian That he wrote the Lives of those Emperours with the same liberty as they lived 16. Dion Cassius was born at Nice in Bythinia he wroâ—e the History of nine hundred eighty one years from the building of Rome to Ann. Dom. 231. in which year he was Consul with Alexander Severus the Emperour and finished his History in eighty Books of all which scarce twenty â—ive Books from the thirty sixth to the sixty first and the beginning of Nero are at this time extant 17. Herodianus wrote the History of his own time from the death of M. Antoninus the Philosopher or the year of Christ 181. to the murder of the Gordiani in Africa Ann. Dom. 241. which is rendred purely into Latin by Angelus Politianus 18. Iohannes Zonaras of Byzantium wrote a History from Augustus to his own times and the year of our Lord 1117. the chief of the Oriental Affairs and Emperours he hath digested in the second and third Tomes of his Annals from whence Cuspinianus and others borrow almost all that they have Zonaras is continued by Nicaetas Gregoras and he by Chalcâ—ndylas 19. Eutropius wrote the Epitome of the Roman History in ten Books to the death of Iovinian Anno Dom. 368. He was present in the Expedition of Iulian into Persia and flourished in the Reign of Valens the Emperour 20. Ammianus Marcellinus a Grecian by birth War'd many years under Iulian in Gallia and Germany and wrote the History of the Romans in thirty one Books the fourteenth to the thirty first are all that are extant wherein at large and handsomely he describes the acts of Constantius Iulian Iovinian Valentinian and Valens the Emperours unto the year of Christ 382. 21. Iornandes a Goth hath wrote the History of the Original Eruptions Families of their Kings and principal Wars of the Goths which he hath continued to his own time that is the year of our Lord 550. 22. Procopius born at Caesarea in Palestine and Chancellour to Belisarius the General to Iustinian the Emperour being also his Councellour and constant companion in seven Books wrote the Wars of Belisarius with the Persians Vandals and Goths wherein he also was present 23. Agathias of Smyrna continues Procopius from the twenty seventh of Iustinian Anno Dom. 554. to the end of his Reign Anno Dom. 566. the Wars of Narses with the Goths and Franks with the Persians at Cholchiâ— wherein he recites the Succession of the Persian Kings from Artaxerxes who Anno Dom. 230. seised on the Parthian Empire to the Reign of Iustinian Anno Dom. 530. and in the end treats of the irruption of the Hunnes into Thrace and Greece and their repression by Belisarius now grown old 24. Paulus Diaconus of Aquileia Chancellour to Desiderius King of the Lombards Writes the entire History of the Lombards to Ann. Dom. 773. in which Charles the Great took Desiderius the last King and brought Lombardy under his own power 25. Haithonus an Armenian many years a Souldier in his own Country afterwards a Monk at Cyprus coming into France about the year of Christ 1307. was commanded by Pope Clement the fifth to write the Empire of the Tartars in Asia and the Description of other oriental Kingdoms 26. Laonicus Chalchondylas an Athenian wrote the History of the Turks in ten Books from Ottoman Anno 1300. to Mahomet the second who took Constantinople Anno Dom. 1453. and afterwards continued his History to Ann. 1464. 27. Luiâ—prandus of Ticinum wrote the History of the principal Affairs in all the Kingdoms of Europe in his time at most of which he himself was present his History is comprised in six Books and commencing from Anno Dom. 891. extends to Ann. Dom. 963. 28. Sigebert a Monk in a Abby in Brabant wrote his Chronicon from the death of Valens the Emperour or Anno Dom. 381. to the Empire of Henry the fifth Anno Dom. 1112. wherein he hath digested much of the French and British Affairs and acts of the German Emperours 29. Saxo Grammaticus Bishop of the Church of Rotschilden wrote the Danish History from utmost Antiquity to his
own time and King Canutus the sixth almost to the year of Christ 1200. but more like a Poet than Historian commonly also omitting an account of the time 30. Conradus Abbot of Vrsperga a Monastery in Suevia as worthy of reading as any of the German Writers hath described the Affairs of Germany beginning two hundred years after the Flood and carrying on his relation to the twentieth year of Frederick the second that is Anno Dom. 1230. 31. Iohannes Aventinus wrote the Annals of the Boii and memorable matters of the Germans in seven Books beginning from the Flood and continuing his History to Ann. 1460. 32. Iohannes Nauclerus born not far from Tubinga hath an intire Chronicon from the beginning of the World to his own time and the year of our Lord 1500. in two Volums 33. Albertus Crantzius hath brought down the History of the Saxons Vandals and the Northern Kingdoms of Denmark Sweden Gothland and Norway to Ann. 1504. 34. Iohannes Sleidanus hath faithfully and plainly written the History of Luther especially and the contests about matters of Religion in the Empire of Germany the Election and Affairs of Charles the fifth Emperour and other of divers of the Kings of Europe from Anno Dom. 1517. to Ann. 1556. 35. Philippus Comineus wrote five Books of the Expedition of Charles the eighth into Italy and Naples and eight Books of the Acts of Lâ—wis the eleventh and Charles Duke of Burgundy worthy to be read of the greatest Princes 36. Froisardus wrote the sharp Wars betwixt the French and English from Anno 1335. to Ann. 1400. 37. Hiâ—ronymus Osorius wrote the Navigation of the Portugals round Africa into India and the Acts of Emanuel King of Portugal from Anno 1497. to his death in twelve Books 38. Antonius Bonfinius in four Decades and an half hath wrote the History of the Hungarian Kings to the death of Matthias the son of Huniades and the beginning of the Reign of Vladislaus 39. Polydor Virgil hath wrote the History of England in twenty six Books to the death of Henry the seventh 40. Iustinus flourished Anno Christi 150. and wrote a compendious History of most Nations from Ninus the Assyrian King to the twenty fifth year of Augustus compiled out of forty four Books of Trogus Pompeius a Roman Ecclesiastical Writers I have here no room for but am content to have traced thus far the steps of David Chytraeus in his Chronology whose help I have had in the setting down of this Catalogue CHAP. IX Of the most famous and ancient Greek and Latin Poets THE Reader hath here a short account of some of the most eminent of Apollo's old Courtiers as they succeeded one another in the favour of the Muses not but that those bright Ladies have been I was about to say equally propitious to others in after-times nor is it that we have given these only a place here as if our own Land were barren of such Worthies Our famous Spencer if he was not equal to any was superiour to most of them of whom Mr. Brown thus He sung th' Heroick Knights of Fairy Land In lines so elegant and such command That had the Thracian plaid but half so well He had not left Eurydice in Hell But it is fit we allow a due reverence to Antiquity at least be so ingenuous as to acknowledge at whose Torches we have lighted our own The first of these Lights 1. Orpheus was born in Libethris a City of Thrace the most ancient of all Poets he wrote the Expedition of the Argonauts into Colchis in Greek Verse at which he was also present this Work of his is yet extant together with his Hymns and a Book of Stones The Poets make him to be the Prince of the Lyricks of whom Horace in his Book De Arte Poeticâ Sylvestres homines sacer interpresque deorum Caedibus foedo victu deterruit Orpheus Dictus ob hoc lenire Tygres rabidosque leones His Father was Oeagrus his Mother Caliopea and his Master was Linus a Poet and Philosopher Orpheus is said to have flourished Anno Mundi 2737. Vid. Quenstedt Dial. de Patr. vir illustr p. 453. Voss. de Nat. Constit. artis Poet. cap. 13. sect 3. p. 78. Patrit de Instit. reipub l. 2. tâ— 6. p. 83. 2. Homerus the Prince of Poets born at Colophon as Cluverius doubts not to affirm but more Cities besides that strove for the honour according to that in Gellius Septem urbes certant de stirpe illustris Homeri Smyrna Rhodos Colophon Salamis Ios Argos Athenae Many are the Encomiums he hath found amongst learned men as The Captain of Philosophy The first Parent of Antiquity and Learning of all sorts The original of all rich Invention The Fountain of the more abstruse Wisdom and the father of all other Poets à quo cen fonte perenni Vatum Pieriis ora rigantur aquis Of him this is part of Quintilians Charaâ—ter In great things no man excelled him in sublimity nor in small matters in propriety In whom saith Paterculus this is an especial thing that before him there was none whom he could imitate and after him none is found that is able to imitate him He flourished Anno Mund. 3000. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 483. Gell. Noct. Attic. lib. 3. cap. 11. p. 104. Quintil. instit orator lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. 3. Hesiodus was born at Cuma a City in Aeolia bred up at Ascra a Town in Boeotia a Poet of a most elegant genius memorable for the soft sweetness of his Verse called the son of the Muses by Lipsius the purest Writer and whose labours contain the best Precepts of Vertue saith Heinsuis Some think he was contemporary with Homer others that he lived an hundred years after him I find him said to flourish Anno Mundi 3140. Vid. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. Vell. Pâ—tercul hist. lib. 1. ...... Voss. de Poet. Graec. cap. 2. p. 9. Quenstedt dial p. 478. 4. Alcaeus a famous Lyrick Poet was born in the Isle of Lesbos in the City of Miâ—ylene whence now the whole Isle hath its name what Verses of his are left are set forth by Henricus Stephanus with those of the rest of the Lyricks Quintilian saith of him That he is short and magnificent in his way of speaking diligent and for the most part like Homer he flourished Olymp. 45. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 433. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 468. 5. Sappho an excellent Poetress was born in the Isle of Lesbos and in the City of Eraesus there she was called the ninth Lyrick and the tenth Muse she wrote Epigrams Elegies Iamâ—icks Monodies and nine Books of Lyrick Verses and was the Invetress of that kind of Verse which from her is called the Sapphick she attained to no small applause in her contention first with Stesichorus and then with Alcaeus she is said to flourish about the 46 Olympiad Voss. Instâ—t Poet. lib. 3. cap. 15. p.
29. Pythagoras the Son of Mnesarchus a Ring-maker or Marmacus a Samian when young being desirous to improve himself he travelled Greece Egypt to Epimenides in Creet and to the Magi in Chaldaea thence he returned to Samos which being oppressed under the Tyrannie of Polycrates he forsook and setled at Crotona in Italy He held the transmigration of souls his Scholars possessed all things in common and kept silence for five years The Philosopher himself had great command over his passions lived inoffensively permitted no bloody sacrifices nor to swear by the gods used Divination himself and permitted it to his whom yet he interdicted from feeding upon Beans he held all things to be ruled by fate that there are Antipodes that the Sun Moon and Stars are gods and that all the Air is full of Souls that all things even God himself do consist of Harmony He forbad to taste of that which fell from the Table whether as belonging to the dead or to use men to temperate eating is uncertain Sitting in the house of Mylo it was set on fire supposed by them of Crotona fearing to fall under Tyrannie the Philosopher running away was pursued and killed having lived eighty some say ninety years he flourished in the sixtieth Olympiad the form of his Discipline remained for nineteen ages Laert. lib. 8. p. 214. 30. Empedocles of Agrigentum was the Son of Meton and Scholar of Pythagoras of noble birth a great Rhetorician and Physician he is said to have refused a Kingdom when profered him having cured one of a disease that seemed incurable he was sacrificed to as a god whence he went to Aetna and to beget an opinion that he was a god he cast himself into the midst of the flames that he might not be found but one of his Shoos detected the matter for it was cast up again being of Brass as he used to wear them others say he went into Peloponnesus and returned not which makes the time of his death uncertain In his way to Messana he fell and broke his Leg of which falling sick he dyed saith Aristotle in the sixtieth year of his age others in the seventy and seventh his Sepulchre was at Megaris Laert. lib. 8. p. 226. 31. Heraclitus an Ephesian he used to play with the Boys in the Temples of Diana and to the Ephesians that stood about him O ye worst of men what saith he do you wonder at is not this better than to have to deal with you in the Common-wealth He declined the society of men lived in the mountains and fed upon Grass and Herbs He heard no man but learned all of himself He held that all things came of fire and should be destroyed by it that all places are full of Devils and Souls Darius the King was desirous of his society as appears by his Letter to him to come to him which he refused to do some say he dyed of a Dropsie others that being covered with Cow-dung he was worried with Dogs he flourished in the sixty ninth Olympiad Laert. lib. 9. p. 237. 32. Democritus of Abdera when young heard the Magi and Chaldeans afterwards Anaxagoras dividing the Patrimony with two other Brothers his part came to an hundred Talents with which he travelled to Egypt to Aethiopia and India say some he had great knowledge in natural and moral things great experience in the Mathematicks and all the liberal Sciences and lived solitarily amongst the Tombs and so poor that he was maintained by his Brother Damasus afterwards he became very famous for his predictions of future things was honoured with great Presents and Statues and buried at the publick charges he held that all things came of Atoms that there are infinite Worlds he protracted his death three days by smelling to hot Bread dyed near the eightieth Olympiad having lived to an hundred and nine years Laert. lib. 9. p. 245. 33. Anaxarchus of Abdera lived in great honour with Alexander the great Nicocreon the Tyrant of Cyprus was his mortal enemy being taken by him he was pounded in a Mortar he spat his Tongue into the Tyrants Face he flourished in the one hundred and tenth Olympiad Laert. lib. 9. p. 251. 34. Pyrrhon followed Anaxarchus he held all things indifferent that only Custome and the Laws made them otherwise to us accordingly he led his life and did all things indifferently he endeavoured to live free from perturbations and bare torments with invincible patience his followers were called Scepticks he himself liv'd much in solitudes yet honoured in his Country he lived to ninety years Laert. lib. 9. p. 253. 35. Timon the son of Timarchus a Phliasian lived mostly at Athens had but one eye was a lover of Gardens equally acute in Invention and for derision of others he himself loved a quiet life was well known to Antigonus and Ptolomaeus Philadelphus Laert. lib. 9. p. 264. 36. Epicurus was the son of Neocles an Athenian he is charged by Timocrates as a man of pleasure a Glutton and a Lecher but the honours he had in his Country the number of his friends the continuance of his discipline when that of others was extinct his Piety to his Parents love and bounty to his Brethren and mildness to his servants are luculent testimonies of an excellent person he lived upon bread and water and when he fared sumptuously he required a little Cheese he lay sick of the Stone fourteen daies died in the hundred and seventh Olympiad leaving Hermachus as his successour in his School he ordained by his will the Annual celebration of his birth-day the first ten daies of the month Gamelion and that on the twentieth day of every month all his Scholars should be feasted at his charges and he and Metrodorus should then be remembred he lived seventy and two years Laert. lib. 10. p. 267. CHAP. XVII Of the most famous Printers in several places THe Art of Printing doth with wonderful celerity convey Learning from one Country and Age unto another so that the Verse is not altogether untrue Imprimit ille die quantum vix scribitur Anno. The Press transfers within a day or near All that which can be written in a year 1. This worthy Science was brought into Italy by two Brethren named Conrades They Printed at Rome in the house of the Maximes where the first Book that was ever Printed there was Augustinus de civitate Dei and next the Divine Institutions of Lactantius Firmianus 2. An Invention of this merit could not be concealed but it succeeded in divers Countries and by divers worthy men who besides their Art of Printing were Learned and judicious Correctors of Errours and falsifications easily over-slip'd by unskilful work-men Amongst these men of note are especially commended Aldus Manutius at Venice a great restorer of the Latin Tongue Francis Priscianez at Rome Baldus Colinetus Frobenius and Oporinus at Basil Sebastian Gryphius at Lyons Robert Stephanus at Paris and Antwerp and William Caxton at London 3.
began to spread about the beginning of Domitians Reign after Christ fifty two years 2. Corinthus was a Jew by birth and circumcised taught that all Christians ought to be so also he taught that it was Jesus that died and rose again but not Christ he denied the Article of eternal life and taught that the Saints should enjoy in Ierusalem carnal delights for one thousand years he denied the divinity of Christ he owned no other Gospel but that of St. Matthew rejected Paul as an Apostate from the Law of Moses and Worshipped Iudas the Traytor in most things they agreed with the Ebionites so called from Ebion a Samaritan St. Iohn would not enter the same bath with the pernicious Heretick Corinthus but against his and the Heresie of Ebion he wrote his Gospel he spread his Heresie in Domitian's time about sixty two years after Christ. 3. Carpocrates of whom came the Carpocratians was born at Alexandria in Aegypt he flourished about the year of Christ 109. in the time of Antoninus Pius Eusebius accounts him the father of the Gnosticks and saith That his followers gloried of charmed love-drinks of devilish and drunken dreams of assistant and associate Spirits and taught That he who would attain to perfection in their mysteries must commit the most filthy acts nor could they but by doing evil avoid the rage of evil Spirits They said that Christ was a meer man and that only his soul ascended into Heaven They held Pythagorean transmigration but denied the Resurrection They said not God but Satan made this World And that their Disciples should not publish their abominable mysteries they bored their right ear with a Bodkin 4. Valentinus an Aegyptian lived in the time of Antoninus Pius When Hyginus was Bishop of Rome he began to spread his Heresie He held that there were many gods and that he that made the World was the author of death That Christ took flesh from Heaven and passed through the Virgin as water through a Pipe or Conduit He said there were thirty Ages or Worlds the last of which produced the Heaven Earth and Sea Out of the imperfections of this Creator were procreated divers evils as darkness from his fear evil Spirits out of his ignorance out of his tears springs and rivers and out of his laughter light They have Wives in common and say that both Christ and the Angels have Wives They celebrated the heathenish Festivals were addicted to Magick and what not This Heretick was of great reputation in Rome from whence he went to Cyprus and thence into Aegypt 5. Marcion of whom came the Marcionites was of Sinope a City of Pontus or Paphlagonia being driven from Ephesus by S. Iohn he went to Rome he was the son of a Bishop in Pontus and by his father exiled for Fornication being not received by the Brethren in Rome he fell in with Cerdon maintained his Heresie and became his successour in the time of Marcus Antoninus Philosophus one hundred thirty three years after Christ. He held three gods a visible invisible and a middle one that the body of Christ was only a Phantasm that Christ by his descent into hell delivered thence Cain and the Sodomites and other Reprobates He condemned the eating of flesh and the married life he held that souls only were saved permitted women to baptize and condemned all War as unlawful Polycarpus called him the first begotten of the Devil Iustin Martyr wrote a Book against him 6. Tatianus whence come the Tatiani was a Syrian by birth an Orator and familiar with Iustin Martyr under whom he wrote a profitable Book against the Gentiles he flourished one hundred forty two years after Christ his Disciples were also called Encratit◠from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperance or continence for they abstain from Wine Flesh and Marriage When Iustin Martyr was dead he composed his Tenents out of divers others He held that Adam after his Fall was never restored to mercy that all men are damned besides his Disciples that women were made by the Devil he condemned the Law of Moses made use of water instead of wine in the Sacrament and denied that Christ was the seed of David he wrote a Gospel of his own which he called Diatessaron and spread his Heresie through Pisidia and Cilicia 7. Montanus Father of the Montanists his Heresie began about one hundred forty five years after Christ by Nation he was a Phrygian and carried about with him two Strumpets Prisca and Maximilla who sled from their husbands to follow him These took upon them to Prophesie and their dictate were held by Montanus for Oracles but at last he and they for company hanged themselves his Disciples ashamed either of his life or ignominious death called themselves Cataphrygians he confounded the Persons in the Trinity saying That the father suffered he held Christ to be meer man and gave out that he himself was the Holy Ghost his Disciples baptized the dead denied repentance and marriage yet allowed of Incest they trusted to Revelations and Enthusiasms and not to the Scripture In the Eucharist they mingled the bread with the blood of an Infant of a year old In Phrygia this Heresie began and spread it self over all Cappadocia 8. Origen gave name to the Origenists whose errours began to spread Anno Dom. 247. under Aurelian the Emperour and continued above three hundred thirty four years They were condemned first in the Council of Alexandria two hundred years after his death and again in the fifth General Council at Constantinople under Iustinian the first They held a revolution of souls from their estate and condition after death into the bodies again They held the Devils and Reprobates after one thousand years should be saved That Christ and the Holy Ghost do no more see the Father than we see the Angels That the son is co-essential with the Father but not co-eternal Because say they the Father created both Him and the Spirit That souls were created long before this World and for sinning in Heaven were sent down into their bodies as into prisons They did also overthrow the whole Historical truth of Scripture by their Allegories 9. Paulus Samosatenus so called from Samosata near Euphrates where he was born a man of infinite pride commanding himself to be received as an Angel his Heresie brake out two hundred thirty two years after Christ and hath continued in the Eastern parts ever since He held that Christ was meerly man and had no being till his Incarnation that the God-head dwelt not in Christ bodily but as in the Prophets of old by grace and efficacy and that he was only the external not the internal Word of God Therefore they did not baptize in his name for which the Council of Nice rejected their Baptism as none and ordered they should be rebaptized who were baptized by them he denied the divinity of the Holy Ghost allowed Circumcision took away such Psalms as
he never swam out again as is affirmed by them that saw it 19. Clemens Romanus saith of Simon Magus that he framed a man out of air that he became invisible as oft as he pleased he animated Statues stood unhurt in the midst of slames sometimes he would appear with two faces as another Ianus change himself into the shape of a Sheep or Goat and at other times would fly in the air That he commanded a Syth to go mow oâ— it s own accord and that it mowed down ten times more than any other When Selene the Harlot was shut up in a Tower and thousands of people went to see her and had compassed the castle about for that end he caused that her face seemed to shew it self out at every Window in the Castle at the same time to which Anastasius Nicenus adds that he would seem all made of Gold sometimes a Serpent or other beast in Feasts he shewed all kind of Spectres made Dishes come to the Table without any visible Servitor and he caused many shadows to go before him which he gave out were the Souls of Persons deceased 20. Pasetes had many Magical pranks he would cause the appearance of a sumptuous Feast to be upon the sudden and at his pleasure all should immediately vanish out of sight he would also buy several things and pay down the just price but then the mony would soon after return to him again 21. Iohannes Teutonicus a Canon of Halberstadht in Germany after he had performed a number of prestigious Feats almost incredible was transported by the Devil in the likeness of a black Horse and was both seen and heard upon one and the same Christmas-day to say Mass in Halberstadht in Mentzâ— and in Collen CHAP. XXI Of the Primitive Fathers and Doctors of the Church LIpsius in an Epistle of his to Thuanus tells him that these new things did little please his Palate that for his part he was a lover of the ancient both manners and men and then goes on Hos utinam inter Heroas natum tellus me prima tulisset Would I with ancient Heroes had been born He could not wish to be born amongst greater Heroes than some of these that follow who for their Learning and Piety Christian Courage and Fortitude are more renowned than Alexander the Great for all his Victories 1. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch in the reign of Trajan the Emperour he was the Scholar of the Apostle St. Iohn when he had sate nine years in Antioch he was by ten Souldiers brought to Rome to be devoured by wild Beasts when his martyrdom drew near he said Let me be ground in the Teeth of wild Beasts that I may be found fine â—lower in the House of my Father he was thrown to the Lions Anno 110. 2. Polycarpus was also the Scholar of St. Iohn and by him constituted Bishop of Smyrna he went to Rome probably to compose the controversie about Easter Three dayes before he was apprehended by his Persâ—cutors he dreamed that his Bed was set on fire and hastily consumed which he took for a Divine advertisement that he should glorifie God by suffering in the fire Being urged to deny Christ by the Roman Deputy he said that he had served him fourscore years and received no injury by him and therefore could not now renounce him He refused to swear by the fortune of Caesar and so patiently suffered death at Smyrna being aged eighty six years 3. Iustinus Martyr was a Philosopher afterwards converted to Christianity by an old man who counselled him to be a diligent Reader of the Prophets and Apostles who spake by Divine inspiration who knew the truth were neither covetous of vain glory nor awed by fear whose Doctrine also was confirmed with miraculous works which God wrought by their hands This Iustinus wrote two Books of Apology for Christians to the Emperour Antoninus Pius and to his Sons and the Senate of Rome In the second Book of his Apology he declareth that Christians were put to death not for any crime they had committed but only for their Profession in witness whereof if any of them would deny his Christian Profession he was straightway absolved he was beheaded at Rome Anno Dom. 166. 4. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France a Disciple of Polycarpus in his Youth his meek Conversation and peaceable carriage answered to his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Peaceable and made his name to be in great account amongst Christianâ— yet he lacked not his infirmities in Doctrin◠〈◊〉 was entangled with the error of the Chiliasts and he supposed that Christ was fifty years of age when he suffered he flourished in the raign of Commodus suffered Martyrdom in the raign of Severus Anno Dom. 176. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus was the Disciple of Pantenus these two seem to be the Authors of Universities and Colledges for they taught the people the grounds of Religion not by Sermons and Homilies to the people but by Catechetical Doctrine to the Learned in the Schools he flourished in the reign of Commodus 6. Tertullianus a learned Preacher of the City of Carthage in Africk a man of a quick pregnant wit coming to Rome he was envyed and reproached by the Roman Clergy whereat moved with anger he declined to the Opinion of the Heretick Montanus He wrote learned Apologies for the Christians and mightily confuted the error of Marcion he flourished in the reign of the Emperour Severus Anno Christi 197. 7. Origen the Son of Leonidas an Egyptian he was so pregnant in his youth and so capable of all good instruction that his Father would often uncover his Breast when he was asleep and kiss it giving thanks to God who had made him the Father of so happy a Son He was very learned yet had he failings he took the words of Matth. 19. 12. in a literal sense and guelded himself he held many worlds successive to one another and that the pains of men and Devils after long torments should be finished he offered to Idols rather than suffer his chast body to be abused he dyed in Tyrus and was there buried in the sixty ninth year of his age having lived until the days of Gallus and Volusianus 8. Cyprianus Bishop of Carthage in his youth altogether given to the study and practice of Magical Arts his conversion was by the means of Cecilius a Preacher and hearing of the History of the Prophet Ionah after his Conversion he distributed all his substance to the Poor he was a man full of love and modesty was banished in the persecution of Decius and Martyred under Valerian he held that erroneous opinion that such as had been baptized by Hereticks should be rebaptized he â—lourished Anno Dom. 250. 9. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria he duelled with the whole world when it was become Arrian and stood for the Truth with an undaunted resolution amidst all oppositions and after
he had governed the Church of Alexandria forty six years full of dayes he dyed in peace in the reign of Valens though an Arrian persecutor 10. Eusebius Pamphili Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine lived and was familiar with Constantine the Emperour he refused the Chair of Antioch tumultuously made void by the Arrians for which the Emperour commended his modesty and counted him worthy to be Bishop of the whole world yet he was not altogether free of the heresie of Arrius before the Nicene Council he dyed about the year of our Lord 342. 11. Gregorius Nazianzenus born in a Town of Cappadocia called Nazianzum he was trained up in learning at Alexandria and Athens where his familiarity with Bazil began He detected the Heresie of Apollinaris and the abominations of Heathenish Idolatry under Iulian more than any other had done so peaceable that like another Ionas he was content te be thrust out of his place to procure unity and concord amongst his Brethren He had excellent gifts and flourished under Constantius Iulian and Theodosius 12. Basilius Magnus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia he repented he spent so much time in searching out the deepness of humane learning as things not necessary to eternal life The Arrians and Eunomians who seemed excellently learned when they encountred with him and Nazianzenus were like men altogether destitute of learning when the Emperours Deputy threatned him with banishment or death he astonished him with his resolute answer The Emperors Son Galaces fell sick and the Empress sent him word she had suffered many things in her dream for the Bishop Basilius whereupon he was dismissed and suffered to return to Caesarea 13. Gregorius Nysse was Brother of Basilius and Bishop of Nyssa a City in Mysia in the second General Council the oversight of the Country of Cappadocia was committed to him Though his works are not extant yet he is renowned in the mouths of the Learned as a man of Note and remark 14. Epiphanius was born at Barsanduce a Village in Palestine was Bishop of Salamina the Metropolis of the Island Cyprus he refuted the heresies preceding his time in his Book called Panarium He had so great a regard to the poor that he was called Oeconomus Pauperum He opposed St. Chrysosthom in Constantinople and returning to Cyprus dyed in the way 15. Lactantius Firmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius in Eloquence nothing inferiour to his Master yet it is thought that he opposed errors with greater dexterity than he confirmed the Doctrine of the Truth 16. Hilarius Bishop of Poictiers in France a man constant in Religion in Manners meek and courteous he was banished to Phrygia he took great pains to purge France from the poyson of the Arrian heresie whereof he there saw both the growth and decay he dyed in the reign of Valentinian 17. Ambrosius the Son of Symmachus was Governour of Lyguria under Valentinian appeasing a Sedition at Millain he was there chosen Bishop and confirmed therein by the Emperour He lived also under the Emperour Theodosius whom he sharply reproved and excommunicated for the slaughter of the innocent people at Thessalonica and dyed in the third year of the reign of Honorius having sate at Millain twenty two years 18. Ierome was born at Stridona Town of Dalmatia instructed in the rudiments of Learning at Rome where he acquainted himself with honourable women such as Marcella Sophronia Principia Paula and Eustochium to whom he expounded places of holy Scripture His great gifts were envyed at Rome wherefore he left it and went for Palestine and there chose Bethlehem the place of our Lords Nativity to be the place of his death he there guided a Monastery of Monks he was a man of a stern disposition he dyed in the ninety first year of his age in the twelfth year of the reign of Honorius 19. Iohn Chrysosthome had been an helper to Flavianus Bishop of Antioch thence he was called by the Emperour Arcadius to be Bishop of Constantinople In Oratory he had profited in the School of Libanius and in Philosophy in that of Andragathius above his fellows His liberty in reproving sin both in Court and Clergy procured red him the hatred of Eudoxia the Empress and of the whole Clergy Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria was his great enemy by whose malice and that of Eudoxia he was deposed then banished and journeyed to death he governed the Church in Constantinople seven years 20. Augustinus in his young years was infected with the error of the Manicheans his Mother Monica with prayers and tears begged of God his conversion to the truth and God heard her for being sent to Millain to be a Teacher of Rhetorick by the Preaching of Ambrose the Bishop and the devout behaviour of the People in singing Psalms to the praise of God he was much affected Also by reading the life of Antonius the Hermit he was wonderfully moved to dislike his former Conversation He went then to a Garden where with his friend Alypius he bewailed the insolency of his past life wishing the time to be now that his soul should be watered with the dew of the converting grace of God As he was pouring out the grief of his wounded heart to God with a flood of tears he heard a voice saying Tolle lege take up and read at first he thought it to be the voice of Boyes and Girles in their sport but seeing no body he received it as a Celestial admonition he took up then the Bible he had there with him and in the opening of the Book the first place he met with was Rom. 13.13 14. Not in Gluttony nor Drunkenness not in Chambering nor Wantonness not in Strife or Envying but put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it At the reading hereof he was fully resolved to become a Christian and was baptized by Ambrose Bishop of Millain Thence he returned into Asrick and there was an Assistant to Valerius Bishop of Hippo whom he succeeded being incessant in teaching the people and confuting Hereticks the Donatists Pelagians and Manichees when he had lived seventy six years he rested from his labours 21. Gregorius the first sirnamed the Great was chosen Bishop of Rome both by the Clergy and people which Office he sought by all means to avoid he brought into the Roman Church the form of the Greek Liturgies He first stiled himself servus servorum Dei and whereas Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople called himself Universal Bishop he said of him that he was the forerunner of Antichrist he sate in Rome thirteen years six months and ten days 22. Bernardus Abbot of Claraval born in Burgundy was respected in his Country above others though he lived in a most corrupt age yet he was found in the point of Justification He detested the corruption of manners that abounded in his time He subdued his body by
very time he was carried out in a Cart towards the gate all covered with dung The man overcome with these entreaties of his friend â—mmediately runs out to the gate where he finds the Cart he had seen in his dream he seiâ—es and searches it finds there the body of his friend and drags the Inn-keeper to his deserved punishment 23. Upon a Sally made upon some of the Forces of Alexander the Great out of Harmata a City of the Brachmans many of his Souldiers were wounded with empoysoned Darts and as well those that were lightly as those that were deeper wounded daily perished Amongst the wounded was Ptolomy a great Captain and exceeding dear to Alexander when therefore in the night he had been solicitous about his welfare as one whom he tenderly loved he seemed in his sleep to see a Dragon holding a certain herb in his mouth and withal informing him both of the virtue it had and of the place where it grew He rises finds the herb bruises it and applies it to Ptolomy's Wound and by this means that great Ancestor of the Royal Family in Egypt was speedily restored 24. A rich Vessel of Gold being stolen out of the Temple of Hercules Sophocles by a Genius was shewed the resemblance and name of the Thief in his sleep which for the first and second time he neglected but being troubled a third night he went to the Areopagi to whom he made relation of what had passed They upon no other evidence summoned the party before them who after strict examination confessed the fact and made restitution of the Vessel For which discovery the Temple was ever after called Templum Herculis Indicis The Temple of Hercules the Discoverer 25. When Marcus Cicero was forced into Exile by an opposite Faction while he abode at a Village in the fields of Atinas in his sleep he thought that while he wandred through desert places and unknown Countries he met with C. Marius in all his Consular Ornaments and that he asked him wherefore his countenance was so sad and whither he intended that uncertain journey of his And when he had told him of his misfortune he took him by the right hand and gave him to the next Lictor with command to lead him into his Monument in as much as there was reserved for him a more happy Fortune and change of his condition Nor did it otherwise come to pass For in the Temple of Iupiter erected by Marius there it was that the Senate passed the Decree for the return of Cicero from his Exile 26. In the year of our Redemption 1553. Nicholas Wotton Dean of Canterbury being then Embassador in France dreamed that his Nephew Thomas Wotton was inclined to be a party in such a project as if he were not suddenly prevented would turn to the loss of his life and ruine of his family The night following he dreamed the same again and knowing that it had no dependence upon his waking thoughts much less on the desires of his heart he did then more seriously consider it and resolved to use so prudent a remedy by way of prevention as might introduce no great inconvenience to either party And to this end he wrote to the Queen it was Queen Mary and besought her that she would cause his Nephew Thomas Wotton to be sent for out of Kent and that the Lords of her Council might interrogate him in some such feigned questions as might give a colour for his Commitment into a favourable Prison declaring that he would acquaint Her Majesty with the true reason of his request when he should next become so happy as to see and speak with Her Majesty It was done as the Dean desired and Mr. Wotton sent to Prison At this time a Marriage was concluded betwixt our Queen Mary and Philip King of Spain which divers persons did not only declare against but raised Forces to oppose of this number Sir Thomas Wyat of Bexley Abbey in Kent betwixt whose Family and that of the Wottons there had been an ancient and entire friendship was the principal Actor who having perswaded many of the Nobility and Gentry especially of Kent to side with him and being defeated and taken Prisoner was arraigned condemned and lost his life so did the Duke of Suffolk and divers others especially many of the Gentry of Kent who were then in several places executed as Wyats assistants And of this number in all probability had Mr. Wotton been if he had not been confined For though he was not ignorant that another mans treason is made mine by concealing it yet he durst confess to his Uncle when he returned into England and came to visit him in Prison that he had more than an intimation of Wyats intentions and thought he had not continued actually innocent if his Uncle had not so happily dreamed him into a Prison 27. This forementioned Thomas Wotton also a little before his death dreamed that the University Treasury was rob'd by Townsmen and poor Scholars and that the number was five and being that day to write to his Son Henry at Oxford he thought it was worth so much pains as by a Postcript in his Letter to make a slight inquiry of it The Letter which was writ out of Kent came to his Sons hands the very morning after the night in which the robbery was committed and when the City and University were both in a perplexed inquest after the Thieves then did Sir Henry Wotton shew his Fathers Letter and by it such light was given of this work of darkness that the five guilty persons were presently discovered and apprehended without putting the University to so much trouble as the casting of a figure 28. Aristotle writeth of one Eudemus his familiar Friend who travelling to Macedonia came to the noble City of Phaecas in Thessaly then groaning under the immanity of the barbarous Tyrant Alexander In which place falling sick and being forsaken of all the Physicians as one desperate of recovery he thought he saw a young man in his dream who told him that in a short space he should be restored to his health that within a few days the Tyrant should be removed by death and that at the end of five years he himself should return home into his Country The two first happened accordingly but in the fifth year when encouraged by his dream he had hope to return from Sicily into Cyprus he was engaged by the way in a Battel fought against the Syracusans and there slain It seems the soul parting from the body is said to return into its own Country 29. Actia the Mother of Augustus the day before she was delivered of him dreamed that her bowels were carried up as high as Heaven it self and that there they were spread out in such manner that they covered the whole Earth a notable presignification of the mighty Empire and Grandeur which her Son afterwards attained unto 30. When Themistocles lived
in Exile far from his own Country he made his abode in a City the name of which was Lions-head one night as he lay in his bed he dreamed that he saw the Goddess Cybele who advised him to flee the Lions head unless he intended to fall into the Lions mouth he rose therefore and immediately pack'd up and went his way he was no sooner gone but there came some to the place where he had lodged with a purpose to kill him being stirred up thereto by Epixia the Persian 31. When Flavius Vespasianus was yet a private man and was with Nero in Achaia he dreamed one night that a person unknown to him told him that then his good Fortune should begin when Nero should have a tooth drawn Being awaked and risen from his bed the first he afterwards met with was a Pysician who shewed him a tooth that he had newly taken out of Nero's mouth Not long after followed the death of Nero and that of Galba as also the discord betwixt Otho and Vitellius which was no mean furtherance to Vespasian in his attainment of the Empire 32. When Archelaus had reigned ten years in Iudaea he was accused by his Subjects at the Tribunal of Caesar of Cruelty and Tyranny by him he was immediately sent forth and the Cause being heard his Wealth was seised upon and he himself sent into Banishment This event and sorrowful issue of his affairs was before declared to him in a dream he saw ten Ears of Corn strong full and fruitful which were eaten up of Oxen. This dream of his was diversly interpreted by divers but Simon an Essaean told him that thereby was portended to him a change and that an unhappy one For Oxen are the embleme of misery as being a creature that is burdened with work and they signified mutation and change because in ploughing the earth is turned up by them The ten Ears did signifie so many years in which space the harvest should be and those compleated there should be an end of the Principality of Archelaus 33. His Wife Glaphyra had also a notable dream she had first been married to Alexander the Brother of this Archelaus he dead she married to Iuba King of Libya who had newly divorced his Wife Marianne afterwards to Archelaus though she had children by his Brother This Princess did one night dream that Alexander her first Husband stood by her bed side and said to her Glaphyra thou hast eminently confirmed the truth of that saying That Wives are unfaithful to their Husbands For whereas thou wert married to me in thy Virginity and also hadst children with me thou didst yet make tryal of a second Match and not content to do me that afâ—ront thou hast gone into bed with a third Husband and he my Brother but I will free thee from this reproach and e're long challenge thee for mine only Glaphyra was troubled with this dream told it to the Ladies of her acquaintance that were near her and not long after she departed this World 34. While as yet St. Austin was a Manichee his Mother Monica dreamed that she stood upon a wooden Rule and being sad was by a glorious young man asked the cause when she declared that it was for her Son who now was in the ready way to destruction he bad her be of good chear and observe that she should see her Son upon the same Rule with her self and so she saw him standing All this was confirmed by the after Conversion of her Son 35. Famous Salmasius intending to see Rome was admonished in his dream that if he went he should not return alive and had he gone probably he had not as being one that had so much provoked the Papists by his learned labours especially in his care of publishing and polishing Nilus and Barlaam two eager Enemies of the Papal Monarchy 36. Pope Innocent the Fourth dreamed that Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln came to him and with his staff struck him on the side and said Surge miser veni ad Iudicium Rise Wretch and come to Judgment after which dream within a few days the Pope ended his life 37. Alcibiades a little before his death by Tismenias and Bagoas dreamed that he was covered with his Mistresses Mantle his murdered body being cast out into the streets of the City naked his Lover covered it with her Mantle to preserve him from the derision and scorn of his barbarous enemies CHAP. II. Of such Presages as have been to divers persons and places of their good or evil Fortune also of Presages by men to themselves or others by casual Words or Actions SEldom were there any remarkable revolutions in the Fortunes of considerable places or persons whether for the better or for the worse but that Historians have taken notice of certain previous Presages and Presignifications thereof Some of these may seem to be casual and afterwards adapted to the occasion by the ingenuity of others but there want not familiar instances of such as may seem to be sent on purpose from above with no obscure intimations of what Providence was about to bring to pass in the places where they happened 1. Iosephus sets down this as a Prodigy presaging the destruction of the Jews There was saith he one Iesus Son of Ananias a Country-man of mean birth four years before the War against the Jews at a time when all was in deep peace and tranquillity who coming up to the Feast of Tabernacles according to the custom began on a sudden to cry out and say A voice from the East a voice from the West a voice from the four Winds a voice against Ierusalem and the Temple a voice against Bridegrooms and Brides a voice against all the people Thus he went about all the narrow lanes crying night and day and being apprehended and scourged he still continued the same language under the blows without any other word And they upon this supposing as it was that it was some divine motion brought him to the Roman Prefect and by his appointment being by Whips wounded and his flesh torn to the bones he neither entreated nor shed tear but to every blow in a most lamentable mournful note cryed out Wo wo to Ierusalem This he continued to do till the time of the siege seven years together and at last to his ordinary note of Wo to the City the People the Temple adding Wo also to me a stone from the Battlements fell down upon him and killed him 2. Henrietta Maria Her Majesty of Great Britain at the death of her Father Henry the Fourth was a Cradle infant and Barberino at that time Nuntio in France and afterwards created Pope by the name of Vrban VIII coming to congratulate her Birth and finding that the Queen-Mother had been better pleased if she had born a Male he told her Madam I hope to see this though your youngest Daughter a great Queen before I dye the
Queen answered And I hope to see your Pope both which prophetick Complements proved true and within a short time one of another 3. I have spent some inquiry saith Sir Henry Wotton whether the Duke of Buckingham had any ominous presagement before his end wherein though ancient and modern stories have been infected with much vanity yet oftentimes things fall out of that kind which may bear a sober construction whereof I will glean two or three in the Dukes case Being to take his leave of my Lord his Grace of Canterbury then Bishop of London after courtesies of course had passed betwixt them My Lord says the Duke I know your Lordship hath very worthily good successes unto the King our Soveraign let me pray you to put His Majesty in mind to be good as I no ways distrust unto my poor Wife and Children At which words or at his countenance in the delivery or at both my Lord Bishop being somewhat troubled took the freedom to ask him if he had never any secret abodement in his mind No replied the Duke but I think some adventure may kill me as well as another man The very day before he was slain feeling some indisposition of body the King was pleased to give him the honour of a visit and found him in his bed where and after much serious and private conference the Duke at His Majesties departing embraced him in a very unusual and passionate manner and in like sort his Friend the Earl of Holland as if his soul had divined he should see them no more which infusions towards fatal ends have been observed by some Authors of no light Authority On the very day of his death the Countess of Denbigh received a Letter from him whereunto all the while she was writing her Answer she bedewed the paper with her tears and after a bitter passion whereof she could yield no reason but that her dearest Brother was to be gone she fell down in a swound her said Letter ended thus I will pray for your happy return which I look at with a great cloud over my head too heavy for my poor heart to bear without torment but I hope the great God of Heaven will bless you The day following the Bishop of Ely her devoted Friend who was thought the fittest preparer of her mind to receive such a doleful accident came to visit her but hearing she was at rest he attended till she should awake of her self which she did with the affrightment of a dream Her Brother seeming to pass through a field with her in her Coach where hearing a sudden shout of the people and asking the reason it was answered to have been for joy that the Duke of Buckingham was sick which natural impression she scarce had related to her Gentlewoman before the Bishop was entred into her Bed-chamber for a chosen Messenger of the Dukes death 4. Before and at the Birth of William the Conqueror there wanted not forerunning tokens which presaged his future Greatness His Mother Arlotte great with him dreamed her bowels were extended over all Normandy and England Also assoon as he was born being laid on the Chamber-floor with both his hands he took up rushes and shutting his little fists held them very fast which gave occasion to the gossipping Wives to congratulate Arlotte in the birth of such a Boy and the Midwife cryed out The Boy will prove a King 5. Not long before C. Iulius Caesar was slain in the Senate house by the Iulian Law there was a Colony sent to be planted in Capua and some Monuments were demolished for the laying of the foundations of new Houses In the Tomb of Capys who is said to be the Founder of Capua there was found a brazen Table in which was engraven in Greek Letters that whensoever the bones of Capys should be uncovered one of the Iulian Family should be slain by the hands of his own party and that his blood should be revenged to the great damage of all Italy At the same time also those Horses which Caesar had consecrated after his passage over Rubicon did abstain from all kind of food and were observed with drops falling from their eyes after such manner as if they had shed tears Also the Bird called Regulus having a little branch of Laurel in her mouth flew with it into Pompey's Court where she was torn in pieces by sundry other birds that had her in pursuit where also Caesar himself was soon after slain with twenty and three wounds by Brutus Cassius and others 6. As these were the presages of the personal end of the great Caesar so there wanted not those of the end of his whole Family whether natural or adopted which was concluded in Nero and it was thus Livia was newly married to Augustus when as she went to her Villa of Veientum an Eagle gently let fall a white Hen with a branch of Laurel in her mouth into her lap She received this as a fortunate presage and causing the Hen to be carefully looked after there came of her abundance of white Pullets The branch of Laurel too was planted of which sprang up a number of the like Trees from which afterward he that was to triumph gathered that branch of Laurel which during his Triumph he carried in his hand The Triumph finished he used to plant that branch also when it did wither it was observed to presage the death of that Triumpheâ— that had planted it But in the last year of Nero both all the stock of white Hens and Pullets dyed and the little wood of Laurel was withered to the very root the heads also of the Statues of the Caesars were struck off by Lightning and by the same way the Scepter was thrown out of the hands of the Statue of Augustus 7. Before the death of Augustus in Rome where his Statue was set up there was a flash of Lightning that from his name Caesar took away the first Letter C. and left the rest standing The Aruspices and Soothsayers consulted upon this and concluded that within an hundred days Augustus should change this life for AESAR in the Hetrurian Tongue signifies a God and the Letter C. amongst the Romans stands for an hundred and therefore the hundredth day following Caesar should dye and be made a God as they used to deiâ—ie their dead Emperours 8. While the Grandfather of Sergius Galba was sacrificing an Eagle snatched the bowels of the Sacrifice out of his hand and left them upon the branches of an Oak that grew near to the place Upon which the Augurs pronounced that the Empire though late was certainly portended thereby to his Family He to express the great improbability he conceived of such a thing replied That it would then come to pass when a Mule should bring forth Nor did any thing more confirm Galba in the hope of the Empire upon his Revolt from Nero than the news brought him of a Mule that
at Lambeth were dasht one against another and were broke to pieces the snafts of two Chimneys were blown down upon the roof of his Chamber and beat down both the Lead and Rafters upon his Bed in which ruine he must needs have perished if the roughness of the water had not forced him to keep his Chamber at Whitehall The same night at Croyden a retiring place belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury one of the Pinnacles fell from the Steeple beat down the Lead and Roof of the Church above twenty foot square The same night too at the Metropolitical Church in the City of Canterbury one of the Pinnacles upon the Belfrey Tower which carried a Vane with this Archbishops Arms upon it was violently struck down but born a good distance from the Steeple and fell upon the Roof of the Cloister under which the Arms of the Archiepiscopal See it self were engraven in stone which Arms being broken in pieces by the former gave occasion to one that loved him not to collect this inference That the Arms of the present Archbishop of Canterbury breaking down the Arms of the See of Canterbury not only portended his own fall but the ruine of the Metropolitical Dignity by the weight thereof Of these he took not so much notice as he did of an accident which happened on St. Simon and Iude's Eve not above a week before the beginning of the late long Parliament which drew him to his final ruine On which day going to his upper Study to send some Manuscripts to Oxon he found his Picture at full length and taken as near unto the life as the Pencil was able to express it to be fallen on the floor and lying flat upon its face the string being broke by which it was hanged against the Wall At the sight whereof he took such a sudden apprehension that he began to fear it as an Omen of that ruine which was coming towards him and which every day began to be threatned to him as the Parliament grew nearer and nearer to consult about it These things occasioned him to look back on a former misfortune which chanced on the 19. of Septemb. 1633. being the very day of his translation to the See of Canterbury when the Ferry-boat transporting his Coach and Horses with many of his Servants in it sunk to the bottom of the Thames CHAP. III. Of the famous Predictions of some men and how the Event has been conformable thereunto SOcrates had a Genius that was ever present with him which by an audible voice gave him warning of approaching evils to himself or friends by dehorting as it always did when it was heard from this or that counsel or design by which he many times saved himself and such as would not be ruled by his counsel when he had this voice found the truth of the admonition by the evil success of their affairs as amongst other Charmides did I know not whether by such way as this or some other as extraordinary the ministry of good or evil Spirits some men have come to the knowledge of future events and have been able to foretel them long before they came to pass 1. Anno Christi 1279. there lived in Scotland one Thomas Lermouth a man very greatly admired for his foretelling of things to come He may justly be wondred at for foretelling so many ages before the union of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland in the ninth degree of the Bruces blood with the succession of Bruce himself to the Crown being yet a Child and many other things which the event hath made good The day before the death of King Alexander he told the Earl of March that before the next day at noon such a tempest should blow as Scotland had not felt many years before The next morning proving a clear day the Earl challenged Thomas as an Impostor he replied that noon was not yet past about which time a Post came to inform the Earl of the Kings sudden death and then said Thomas this is the tempest I foretold and so it shall prove to Scotland as indeed it did 2. Duncan King of the Scots had two principal men whom he employed in all matters of importance Mackbeth and Banquho these two travelling together through a Forest were met by three Witches Weirds as the Scots call them whereof the first making obeysance unto Mackbeth saluted him Thane that is Earl of Glammis the second Thane of Cauder and the third King of Scotland This is unequal dealing said Banquho to give my friend all the honours and none unto me to which one of the Weirds made answer That he indeed should not be King but out of his loins should come a Race of Kings that should for ever rule the Scots And having thus said they all vanished Upon their arrival to the Court Mackbeth was immediately created Thane of Glammis and not long after some new service requiring new recompence he was honoured with the Title of Thane of Cawder Seeing then how happily the prediction of the three Weirds fell out in the two former he resolved not to be wanting to himself in fulfilling the third He therefore first killed the King and after by reason of his Command amongst the Souldiers he succeeded in his Throne Being scarce warm in his seat he called to mind the prediction given to his Companion Banquho whom hereupon suspecting as his Supplanter he caused to be killed together with his whole posterity only Fleance one of his Sons escaping with no small difficulty into Wales freed as he thought of all fear of Banquho and his issue he built Dunsinan Castle and made it his ordinary Seat afterwards on some new fears consulting with his Wizards concerning his future estate he was told by one of them that he should never be overcome till Bernane Wood being some miles distant came to Dunsinan Castle and by another that he should never be slain by any man which was born of a Woman secure then as he thought from all future dangers he omitted no kind of libidinous cruelty for the space of eighteen years for so long he tyrannized over Scotland But having then made up the measure of his iniquities Mackduffe the Governour of Fife with some other good Patriots privily met one evening at Bernane Wood and taking every one of them a bough in his hand the better to keep them from discovery marched early in the morning towards Dunsinan Castle which they took by storm Mackbeth escaping was pursued by Mackduffe who having overtaken him urged him to the Cambat to whom the Tyrant half in scorn returned that in vain he attempted to kill him it being his destiny never to be slain by any that was born of a Woman Now then said Mackduffe is thy fatal end drawing fast upon thee for I was never born of a Woman but violently cut out of my mothers belly which so daunted the Tyrant though otherwise a valiant man that he
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
poverty and miserable want that Prince as he was he was forced to learn the Art of a Turner and Joiner whereby he got his living 9. My Father hath told me from the mouth of Sir Robert Cotton how that worthy Knight met in a morning a true and undoubted Plantagenet holding the Plough in the Country Thus gentile blood fetcheth a circuit in the body of a Nation running from Yeomanry through Gentry to Nobility and so retrograde returning through Gentry to Yeomanry again 10. â— Philip King of Macedon after many famous Exploits by him performed and being chosen by all Greece as their General in the Asian Expedition an honour he had long thirsted after conâ—ulted the Oracle of Apollo and from thence received as he did interpret it a very favourable Answer touching his success against the Persian He therefore ordains great and solemn Sacrifices to the Gods marries his Daughter Cleopatra to Alexander King of Epirus and that he might appear amongst the Greeks in his greatest glory and magnificence he invites throughout all Greece divers great persons to this nuptial Feast and desires them to bring with them as many as they pleased whom he would also entertain as his Guests There was therefore a marvellous confluence of people from all parts to these Royal Nuptials and the musical contests which he had also ordained At Aegis a City in Macedonia was this great Solemnity where he then received divers Crowns of Gold from several illustrious persons as also others that were sent to him in his honour from the most famous Cities in Greece even from Athens it self Now was the Feast over and the musical concertation deferred to the next day a multitude of people were assembled in the Theatre while it was yet night and at the first appearance of day then began the Pomp to set forth in which besides other glorious preparations there were twelve Statues of the Gods carried upon huge and triumphant Arches and together with these a thirteenth which was the Statue of Philip himself adorned with divine Habit by which he would it should be understood that he was in Dignity equal with the Gods themselves The Theatre being now crowded Philip himself appears all clothed in white having ordered his Guards to keep at a distance from him that the Greeks might know he thought himself sufficiently guarded with their love At this his glorious appearance he was openly extolled and looked upon as the happiest person amongst all other mortals But this his dazelling brightness was soon over-cast with a black cloud and all the Pageant of his Glory wrapt up in the â—ables of death For while his Guards kept at their commanded distance there ran up to him one Pausanias one of those that had the nearest charge of his body and with a short Gallick Sword he had hid about him for that purpose â—mote him into the side and laid him dead at his foot in the sight of thousands of his Souldiers and Friends 11. Polycrates the Tyrant of Samos was so fortunate that not so much as a light touch of adversity had for a long time befallen him he was allied with Amasis King of Egypt who hearing of the great prosperity of his friend feared like a wiâ—e Prince that it would not continue long wherefore he wrote unto him to this effect I am glad to understand that my friend fareth so well nevertheless I have this great felicity in suspicion knowing how envious Fortune is For my part I had rather that my affairs and the affairs of my friends went in â—uch sort as that some adversity might cross them in this life than that they should go always to our liking If herein thou wilt believe me carry thy self in thy prosperity as followeth Look what thou hast about thee that thou holdest most dear and wouldst be most sorry to lose cast that away so far and in such sort as none may ever see it If thy prosperity change not for all that apply thereunto from time to time for thy easâ— some such remedy as this is which I have propounded to thee Polycrates liked this counsel and having a gold Ring set with an Emerauld engraven which he used for his Seal he cast it into the Sea but within a while after this Ring was found in a fishes belly and brought again to Polycrates Of which when Amasis heard he renounced by an express message the right of friendship and hospitality which he had contracted with Polycrates alledging for his reason that he feared he should be forced to sorrow and lamentation because of his friend overwhelmed with misery It happened that after certain days Oraetes Lieutenant of Cyrus in the City of Sardis drew unto him by crafty means this Minion of Fortune Polycrates whom he caused to be hanged upon a Gibbet and his body there left to the heats of the day and the dews of the night 12. Henry Holland Duke of Exeter and Earl of Huntingdon who married the Sister of Edward the Fourth was driven to such want that passing into Flanders Philip de Comines saith that he saw him run on foot bare-leg'd after the Duke of Burgundy's Train begging his bread for Gods sake whom the Duke of Burgundy at that time not knowing though they had married two Sisters but hearing afterwards who it was allotted him a small pension to maintain him till not long after he was found dead upon the shore of Dover and stripped all naked but how he came to his death could never by any inquiry be brought to light This was about the thirteenth year of the Reign of Edward the Fourth 13. In the Reign of King Iames the Lord Cobham was condemned for high Treason but yet reprieved by the King though notwithstanding he came to a miserable end For before his death he was extremely lousie for want of apparel and linen and had perished for hunger had not a Trencher-scraper at Court sometimes his Servant relieved him with such scraps as he could spare In this mans house he dyed being so poor a place that he was forced to creep up a Ladder through a little hole into his Chamber which was a strange change he having been a man of 7000 l. per annum and of a personal Estate of 30000 l. his Lady also being rich who yet in this his extremity of misery would not give him of the crums that fell from her table 14. Hugolin Giradesca of Pisa was the Chief of the Faction of the Guelphs that stuck to the Pope having foiled a part of the Gibbellines who affected the Emperour and stricken a fear into the rest became so great amongst those of his party that he commanded with a white Wand was both in name and in deed Lord of his City a rich and noble Personage learned magnificent married to a great Lady had goodly Children and Grandchildren abounding in all manner of wealth more than he could wish living happy in all pleasure both
Coelius where they hid themselves in a Cave and though diligently sought after could not be found at last animating themselves to undergo Martyrdom after they had taken meat by the Providence of God they fell asleep and slept to the thirtieth year of Theodosius the younger which was for the continued space of 196 years from their entrance into the Cave Then which was upon the day of the Resurrection being awaked they went as they were wont to the City as if they had slept only for one day where the whole matter was discovered by the different habit and speech of the men and the monies they had about them of a different stamp c. 8. In the utmost Bounds of Circium the Northern parts of Germany in the very shore of the Ocean under a steep Rock there is a Cave to be seen where as Methodius and Paulus Diaconus in the beginning of his History of Lombardy do testifie there are five men uncertain from what time who rest seised with a long sleep so indemnified as to their bodies or garments that upon this very account they are worshipped by the Barbarians These for as much as appears by their habit are discovered to be Romans and they say that when one out of a covetous desire would needs strip one of them both his arms dryed up the punishment of whom so terrified the rest that no man from thenceforth hath been so bold as to touch them 9. That is beyond all exception which was witnessed to Henry the Third when he was in Poland by several Princes most worthy of credit there were present at the same time divers Nobles of France many Physicians of the Court amongst whom was D. Iohannes Piduxius famous not only for his skill in Physick but his knowledge in all kind of natural History The story is also related by Alexander Guagninus of Verona Colonel of Foot in the Castle of Vitebska in the Frontiers of Moscovy he in his Description of Moscovy writes thus There is a certain people that inhabit Lucomoria a Country of the further Sarmatia who yearly upon the 27. day of the month November after the manner of Swallows and Frogs by reason of the intenseness of the Winters cold seem to dye Afterwards at the return of the Spring upon the 24. day of April they again awake and arise These are said to have commerce with the Grustentzians and the Sperponoâ—ntzians people that border upon them in this manner When they find their approaching death or sleep ready to seise upon them they then stow up their Commodities in certain places which the Grustentzians and Sperponountzians fetch away leaving an equal value of their own behind them in their stead The Lucomorians upon their return to life if they are pleased with the change they keep them if otherwise they redemand their own of their neighbours By this means much strife and war doth arise amongst them Thus Guagninus and the very same History hath Sigismundus Liber a Baron in Heiberstein which is also set down by Citesius 10. Fernelius speaks of one who lived without sleep fourteen months but this man was possest with madness and his brain it should seem being heated with melancholy did beget animal spirits without much wasting of them 11. Arsenius the Tutor to Arcadius and Honorius the Emperours being made a Monk did satisfie Nature with so sâ—ort a sleep that he was used to say that for a Monk it was enough if he slept but one hour in a night 12. Augustus Caesar after supper betook himself to his Closet where he used to remain till the night was far spent and then went to bed when he slept most it was not above seven hours and those also not so continued but in that space he usually waked three or four times and to provoke sleep had water poured long and constantly by his Beds head into a Cistern 13. George Castriot commonly called Scanderbeg the same who forsook Amurath King of the Turks and seised upon the Kingdom of Epirus as his own by right of Inheritance This Prince was a person contented with so little sleep that it is reported of him that from the time that he entred into Epirus to the day of his death he never slept above two hours in one night yet he died in his climacterical year of 63. 14. A Woman at Padua lived fifteen days without sleep nor could by any means be brought to it through the weakness of the Ventricle and penury of vapours for she eat no supper only contented her self with a dinner at last using to eat a Toast steeped in Malmesey towards night she returned to her wonted sleep 15. Seneca reports of Mccaenas that great Favourite of Augustus that he lived three years entire without any sleep and was at last cured of his distemper with sweet and soft Musick 16. It is reported of Nizolius that painful Treasurer of Cicero's Words and Phrases that he lived ten years without sleep 17. We read of a noble Lady that for thirty and five years lived without harm and in good health as both her Husband and whole Family could and did witness without sleep 18. Some young men in Athens having made themselves drunk in the Apatarian Feasts are said to have out-slept four days of that Solemnity as Simplicius recites out of Eudemus 19. Smyndyrides the Sybarite was used to say That for more than twenty years he had never seen the Sun either rising or setting which also Histieus Ponticus was used to report of himself saith Athenaeus 20. Publius Scipio is said to be over-much devoted to sleep so that the people of Rome were used to upbraid him with his somnolency as Plutarch saith in his Politicks 21. C. Caligula was exceedingly troubled with want of sleep for he slept not above three hours in a night and in those he seldom took any quiet repose but was scared with fearful and strange illusions and fantastical imaginations as who once dreamed that he saw the form and resemblance of the Sea talking with him Hereupon for the greatest part of the night what with tedious watching and weariness of lying one while sitting up in his Bed another while roaming and wandring to and fro in his Galleries which were of an exceeding length he was wont to call upon and wish for the morning light 22. Perseus King of Macedon being taken Prisoner by Aemylius and led Captive to Rome was guarded by some Souldiers who kept him from sleep watching him narrowly when he was overtaken therewith not suffering him so much as to shut his eye-lids or to take the least rest till such time as Nature being exhausted by this strange cruelty he gave up the ghost CHAP. XVIII Of such as have fallen into Trances and Ecstasies and their manner of behaviour therein SInce the Soul is the instrument and means by which we come to the knowledge of all those things
Olympick devised by Hercules in honour of Iupiter The Exercises were much the same and the reward no other than a Garland of Oaken boughs yet drawing yearly a mighty confluence of people to them These Games were first celebrated by Sisyphus in honour of Melicerta and the Masteries were performed in the night but being intermitted through the robberies of Scyron and Sinnis for fear of whom all strangers feared to come they were renewed and restored by Theseus who had overcome the Robbers by him they were ordered to be in the day They were celebrated every fifth year say Pliny and Solinus but Pindar himself saith they were kept every third year 4. The Pythian Games were instituted in honour of Apollo and celebrated not only at Delphos but also amongst the Magnetes Sicyonians and others They were of great reputation amongst the Greeks more ancient than the Isthmian and not so old as the Olympick The death of the Serpent Python is supposed to administer the first occasion of them The Assembly to them was in the beginning of the Spring at first every ninth year and afterwards every fifth The same Exercises were here as in the Olympick the reward various at first a Laurel Theseus made it a Garland of Palm Eurylochus appointed it should be of Money 5. The Scenick Plays at Rome so called from Scena The first institution of them was occasioned by reason of a great pestilence which by no medicinal help could be removed The Romans then superstitiously conceiting that some new Games or Sports being found out the wrath of the Gods would thereby be averted They thereupon about the 400. year from the building of Rome sent for certain Stage-players out of Hetruria which they call Histriones from the Hetrurian word Hister which signifies such a Player 6. The Ludi Compitales in Rome were such as usually were solemnized in Compitis that is in the croâ—s-ways and streets Servius Tullus who succeeded Tarquin in the Kingdom was the first that instituted these solemn Games in honour of the Houshold-Gods or familiar Spirits he himself being thought to be begotten by one of these Genii or Goblins 7. The old Romans at the expulsion of their Kings annually solemnized the Fugalia according to which pattern the joyful English having cleared their Country of the Danes instituted the annual Sports of Hock-Tide the word in their old Tongue the Saxon importing the time of scorning or triumphing This Solemnity consisted of the merry Meetings of the Neighbours in those days during which the Festival lasted and were celebrated by the younger sort of both sexes with all manner of Exercises and Pastimes in the streets even as Shrove-Tide yet is But now time hath so corrupted it that the name excepted there remaineth no sign of the first institution 8. Lactantius speaking of the Plays called Floralia They are made saith he with all dissoluteness and fitly correspond with the memory of the infamous Harlot that erected them For besides the lasciviousness of words in which all villany overfloweth at the request of the people the common Harlots are stript stark naked and brought upon the Stage where in open view they exercise all the wanton gestures and motions of their Trade till the beholders have glutted their lustful eyes with such shews 9. The Athenians having overcome the Persians under the Conduct of Themistocles did ordain by a particular Law that from thenceforth annually upon a certain day there should be a fighting of Cocks exhibited in the publick Theatre the occasion of which was this When Themistocles had drawn out the City-forces to fight against the Barbarians he saw two Cocks fighting which he beheld with earnâ—stness and having shewed them to his whole Army Yet these said he do not undergo this danger either for their Houshold-Gods or for the Monuments of their Ancestors they â—ight neither for glory nor for liberty nor the safety of their children but only because the one will not be inferiour or give place to the other By this means he mightily confirmed the minds of the Athenians and thereupon what had once been to them so strong an incitement to vertue they would preserve the memorial of against the like occasions 10. The Argives had certain solemn Games in their City called Sthenia where there was Wrastling and their Musick was that of Hautboys These Games were by report instituted at first in honour and mâ—mory of their King Danaus and were afterwards consecrated to the honour of Iupiter sirnamed Sthenius 11. The Ludi Seculares were so called because they were to be exhibited but once in an Age at the proclaiming of which the Cryer used to invite Spectators in such terms as these Come to those Plays which no man now living hath yet seen or shall see again Claudius Caesar pretending that Octavianus Augustus had anticipated the time and had celebrated them before the just return of them resolved to exhibit them himself He therefore placed in the great Cirque for the Racers Pillars of Marble from whence they were to set out and the Goals or ending places of their Races were gilt over He appointed proper places for all the Senators where they might behold what was done whereas before they sate intermixed with the Commons Besides the contentions of Charioteers he exhibited the Games of Troy There were also appointed Thessalian Horse-men who hunted wild Bulls all along the Cirque who leaped upon their backs when they were weary and by their horns drew them down to the earth Besides these there was a Troop of Pretorian Horse-men who had Tribunes for their Leaders and these hunted and killed a number of Panthers and Leopards This sort of Play was also celebrated by Philip the Emperour at his return from the Persian Expedition 1000 years after the building of Rome there was then a notable Hunting performed and there were given to be killed thirty two Elephants twenty Tygers sixty tame Lions an hundred Hyenae one Rhinocerote ten Archoleontes ten Camelopards forty wild Horses thirty tame Leopards and besides all this theâ—e were appointed a thousand pair of Fencers or Sword-players at sharps to delight the câ—uel eyes of the people with their blood and wounds 12. The Quinquennalia Decennalia Vicennalia and Tricennalia were solemn Games Plays and Spectacles exhibited by the Roman Emperours in honour of their arrival to the fifth tenth twentieth and thirtieth year of their Reign All these were performed with great magnificenceâ— and vast expences and that successively by the Emperour Constantine the Great CHAP. XXVI Of such persons as have made their Appeals to God in case of injury and injustice from men and what hath followed thereupon IT was the Saying of the Emperour Maximilian Fiat justitia ruat coelum Let Justice be done and it matters not what shall come after The Tribunals of men may sometimes fail in the distribution of Justice through such intricacy of the Cause want of discerning
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
that Cardinal Franciotto Vrsin being put by Clement mounted to the See Apostolick After Clement was Pope Pompeius obtained of him many graces and honours but assuring himself that nothing could be denied him he was one time importunate in some such matter which the Pope judged to be unjust and inconsistent with his Holiness honour to grant so that Pompey failing of his expectation herein began to reproach the Pope and to tell him that it was by his means that he was Pope His Holiness answered him that it was true and prayed him to suffer him to be Pope and that he would not be it himself for in proceeding in this manner he took that from him which he had given him 2. Robert Winchelsea Archbishop of Canterbury was banished by King Edward the First but afterwards restored again by him and all the Rents that had been sequestred during his absence repaid him whereby he became the richest Archbishop that had been in that Seat before Wherefore often recording his troubles he would say Adversity never hurteth where no iniquity over-ruleth 3. The Emperour Frederick the Third when he heard of the death of a great Noble man of Austria who lived ninety three years most wickedly in fleshly pleasures and yet never once in all that time afflicted with grief or sickness he said This proveth that which Divines teach That after death there is some place where we receive reward or punishment when we see often in this World neither the just rewarded nor the wicked punished 4. When Theopompus was King of Sparta one was saying in his presence That it now went well with their City because their Kings had learned how to govern The King prudently replied That it rather came to pass because their people had learned to obey shewing thereby that popular Cities are most injurious to themselves by their factious disobedience which while they are addicted to they are not easily well governed by the best of Magistrates 5. Dionysius the Elder reproving his Son for that he had forcibly violated the chastity of the Wife of one of the Citizens of Syracuse asked him amongst other things If he had ever heard that any such thing had been done by him No said the Son but that was because you had not a King to your Father Neither said Dionysius will you ever have a King to your Son unless you give over such pranks as these The event proved that he then said the truth For when this young man succeeded his Father he was expelled the Kingdom of Syracuse for his evil behaviour and manner of life 6. Aristippus having lost all his Goods by shipwrack was cast naked upon the shore of Rhodes where yet by reason of his Learning he found such estimation that neither he nor his Companions were suffered to want any thing that was convenient for them When therefore some of his company were about to return home they asked him if he would command them any thing Yes said he tell my relations from me that I advise them to procure such riches for their children as a tempest at Sea has no power over shewing thereby how precious Learning is which no storms of adverse Fortune can take away from us 7. Cineas was in great honour with Pyrrhus King of Epirus and he made use of him in all his weighty affairs professing to have won more Cities by his Eloquence than by his own Arms. He perceiving Pyrrhus earnestly bent upon his Expedition into Italy one time when he was at leisure and alone Cineas spake thus to him The Romans O Pyrrhus have the reputation of a warlike people and command divers Nations that are so and if God shall grant us to overcome them what fruit shall we have of the Victory That 's a plain thing said Pyrrhus for then saith he no City will presume to oppose us and we shall speedily be Masters of all Italy the greatness vertue and riches of which is well known to you Cineas was silent a while and then having said he made Italy our own what shall we then do Sicily said he is near reaching out its hand to us a rich and populous Island and easie to be taken It is probable said Cineas but having subdued Sicily will that put an end to the War If God said Pyrrhus give us this success these will be but the Praeludia to greater matters for who can refrain from Africa and Carthage which will soon be at our beck And these overcome you will easily grant that none of those that now provoke us will be able to resist us That 's true said Cineas for it is easie to believe that with such Forces we may recover Macedon and give the Law to all Greece But being thus become Lords of all what then Pyrrhus smiling Then said he good man we will live at our ease and enjoy our selves in compotations and mutual discourses When Cineas had brought him thus far And what hinders said he but that we may now do all these seeing they are in our power without the expence of so much sweat and blood and such infinite calamities as we go about to bring upon our selves and others 8. He was a wise man that said Delay hath undone many for the other World Haste hath undone more for this Time well managed saves all in both 9. A Christian Matron being imprisoned by the Persecutors fell in labour there the extremity of her pains enforced her to cry out extremely whereupon the Keeper of the Prison reproached her and said he If you are not able to bear the pains of child-birth to day what will you do to morrow when you come to burn in the flames Today said she I suffer as a miserable Woman under those sorrows that are laid upon my sex for sin but to morrow I shall suffer as a Christian for the Faith of Christ. 10. Sir Francis Walsingham Secretary of State in Queen Elizabeths Reign towards the latter end of his life wrote to the Lord Treasurer Burleigh to this purpose We have lived enough to our Country to our Fortunes and to our Soveraign it is high time we begin to live to our selves and to our God In the multitude of affairs that passed through our hands there must be some miscarriages for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our peace And being observed to be more melancholy than usual some Court-humorists were sent to divert him Ah! said Sir Francis while we laugh all things are serious about us God is serious when he preserveth us and hath patience towards us Christ is serious when he dyeth for us the Holy Ghost is serious when he striveth with us the holy Scripture is serious when it is read before us Sacraments are serious when they are administred to us the whole Creation is serious in serving God and us they are serious in Hell and Heaven and shall a man that hath one foot in the grave jest and