mouth nostrils ears and all open passages of his body with unslaked lime this was the only embalming and conditure he required and that for this purpose that his body might by this eating and consuming thing be the sooner resolved into its earth 2. Saladine that great Conquerour of the East after he had taken Ierusalem perceiving he drew near unto death by his last Will forbad all funeral pomp and commanded that only an old and black Cassock fastned at the end of a Lance should be born before his body and that a Priest going before the people should aloud sing these verses as they are remembred by Boccace Vixi divitiis regno tumidusque trophaeis Sed pannum heu nigrum nil nisi morte tuli Great Saladine the Conqu'rour of the East Of all the State and Glory he possess'd O frail and transitory good no more Hath born away than that poor Shirt he wore 3. The Emperour Severus after many wars growing old and about to dye called for an Urn in which after the ancient manner the ashes of their burnt bodies were to be bestowed and after he had long looked upon it and held it in his hands he uttered these words Thou said he shalt contain that man whom all the world was too narrow to confine Mors sola fatetur Quantula sint hominum Corpuscula 'T is only death that tells How small he is that swells 4. Philip King of Macedon had a fall and after he was risen perceiving the impression of his body upon the sand Good Gods said he what a small parcel of earth will contain us who aspire to the possession of the whole world 5. Luther after he had successfully opposed the Pope and was gazed and admired at by all the world as the invincible Champion of the true Christian faith not long before his death sent a fair Glass to Dr. Iustus Ionas his friend and therewith these following verses Dat vitrum vitro Jonae vitrum ipse Lutherus Se similem ut fragili noscat uterque vitro Luther a Glass to Jonah Glass a Glass doth send That both may know our selves to be but Glass my Friend 6. Antigonus lay sick a long time of a lingring disease and afterwards when he was recovered and well again We have gotten no harm said he by this long sickness for it hath taught me not to be so proud by putting me in mind that I am but a mortal man And when Hermodorus the Poet in certain Poems which he wrote had stiled him the Son of the Sun he to check that unadvised speech of his He who useth to empty my Close-Stool said he knoweth as well as I that it is nothing so 7. Croesus that rich King of Lydia shewed unto Solon his vast riches and asked of him who it was that he could esteem of as an happier man than he Solon told him that riches were not to be confided in and that the state of a man in this life was so transitory and liable to alteration and change that no certain judgment could be made of the felicity of any man till such time as he came to dye Croesus thought himself contemned and despised by Solon while he spake to him in this manner and being in his great prosperity at that time thought there was little in his speech that concerned him But afterwards being overthrown by King Cyrus in a pitcht battle his City of Sardis taken and himself made prisoner when he was bound and laid upon a pile of wood to be publickly burnt to death in the sight of Cyrus and the Persians then it was that he began to see more deep into that conference he heretofore had with Solon And therefore being now sensible of the truch of what he had heard he cryed out three times O Solon Solon Solon Cyrus admired hereat and demanded the reason hereof and what that Solon was Croesus told him who he was and what he had said to him about the frailty of man and the change of condition he is subject to in this life Cyrus at the hearing of this like a wise Prince began to think that the height of his own fortune could as little excuse from partaking in this fragility as that of Croesus had done and therefore in a just sense and apprehension of those sudden turns which the destinies do usually allot to mankind he pardoned Croesus set him at liberty and gave him an honourable place about him 8. Antiochus at the first stood mute and as one amazed and afterwards he burst out into tears when he saw Achaeus the Son of Andromachus who had married Laodice the Daughter of Mithridates and who also was the Lord of all that Country about the Mountain Taurus brought before him bound and lying prostrate upon the earth That which gave the occasion to these tears of his was the consideration of the great suddenness of these blows which Fortune gives and how impossible it is to guard our selves from them or prevent them 9. Sesostris was a Potent King of Aegypt and had subdued under him divers nations which done he caused to be made for him a Chariot of gold and richly set with several sorts of precious Stones Four Kings by his appointment were yoked together herein that they instead of Beasts might draw this Conquerour as oft as he desired to appear in his glory The Chariot was thus drawn upon a great Festival when Sesostris observed that one of the Kings had his eyes continually fixed upon the wheel of the Chariot that was next him He then demanded the reason thereof the King told him that he did wonder and was amazed at the unstable motion of the wheel that rowled up and down so that one while this and next that part was uppermost and the highest of all immediately became the lowest King Sesostris did so consider of this saying and thereby conceived such apprehensions of the frailty and uncertainty of humane affairs that he would no more be drawn in that proud manner 10. Xerxes Son of Darius and Nephew to Cyrus after five years preparation came against the Grecians to revenge his Fathers disgraceful repulse by Miltiades with such an Army that his men and Cattel dried up whole Rivers he made a Bridge over the Hellespont where looking back on such a multitude considering mans mortality he wept knowing as he said that no one of all those should be alive after an hundred years CHAP. LII Of such as were of unusual Fortune and Felicity MEn in a Dream find themselves much delighted with the variety of those images of things which are presented to their waking fancies that felicity and happiness which most men count so and please their thoughts with is more of imaginary than real more of shadow than substance and hath so little of solidity and stableness in it that it may be â—itly looked upon as a dream All about us is so liable to the blows of fortune
the Snow lay thick upon the ground and finding some footsteps he pursued them till he overtook the Priest whom he seis'd and found his purse upon him he ty'd him therefore to the tail of his Horse and so drag'd him to the Magistrate to be punished his sentence was to be thrown into a Caldron of boyling Oyl which was accordingly executed on Ianuary 20. 1656. 16. A Soldier in the Army of King Pyrrhus being slain a Dog which he had could by no means be enticed from the dead body but the King passing by he fawn'd upon him as it were craving help at his hands whereupon the King caused all his Army to march by in order and when the Murderers came the Dog slew fiercely upon them and then fawn'd upon the King those Souldiers being hereupon examined confessed the fact and were hang'd 17. A Locksmith young and given to luxury kill'd both his Parents with Pistols out of a desire to enjoy their Money and Estate having committed this horrible murder he went presently to a Cobler and there bought him a pair of Shooes leaving behind his old and torn one which the Cobler's Boy threw under his seat which he sate upon Some hours after the door of the house where the slain were was commanded by the Magistrate to be open'd where were â—ound the dead bodies which the son so lively lamented that no man had the least suspicion of him to be the author of so great a villany But it fell out by accident that the Cobler had observed some spots of blood upon the Shooes left with him and it was noted that the son had more Money about him than he us'd to have the Magistrates mov'd with these things put the man into prison who soon confessed the fact and received the punishment worthy of his crime This was by the relation of Luther at Regimont in Borussia Anno 1450. 18. In Mets a City of Lorain the Executioner of the City in the night and absence of the Master got privily into the Cellar of a Merchants House where he first slew the Maid who was sent by her Mistress to fetch some Wine in the same manner he slew the Mistress who wondring at her Maids stay came to see what was the reason This done he fell to rifling Chests and Cabinets The Merchant upon his return finding the horrible murder and plunder of his House with a soul full of trouble and grief complains to the Senate and when there were divers discourses about the murder the Executioner had also put himself in the Court with the crowd and murmur'd out such words as these That seeing there had been frequent brawls betwixt the Merchant and his Wife there was no doubt but he was the author of that Tragedy in his House and said he were he in my hands I would soon extort as much from him By these and the like words it came to pass that the Merchant was cast into prison and being in a most cruel manner tortured by this Executioner though innocent confessed himself the murderer and so was condemned to a horrible death which he suffer'd accordingly Now was the Executioner secure and seemed to be freed of all danger when the wakeful Justice of God discovered his villany For he wanting Money had pawn'd a Silver Bowl to a Jew who finding upon it the Coat of Arms of the Merchant newly executed sent it to the Magistrate and with notice that the Merchants Coat was upon it Whereupon the Executioner was immediately cast into Prison and examined by torture how he came by that Cup he there confessed all as it had been done by him and that he was the only murderer Thus the innocency of the Merchant was discover'd and the Executioner had the due punishment of his wickedness 19. Ibycus the Poet was set upon by Thieves in hope of prey and seeing their Knives at his Throat he call'd to some Cranes which he saw then flying over his head that they would revenge his death These Murderers afterwards sitting in the Market-place a Flock of Cranes again flew over them upon which saith one of them Behold the revengers of Ibycus This saying was catch'd up by some present they were suspected of his murder examined by torture confessed the fact and were executed 20. Certain Gentlemen in Denmark being on an Evening together in a Stove fell out amongst themselves and from words fell to blows the Candles being put out in this blind fray one of them was stab'd by a Poynard Now the Deed-doer was unknown by reason of the number although the Gentleman accused a Pursevant of the Kings for it who was one of them in the Stove Christernus the Second then King to find out the Homicide caus'd them all to come together in the Stove and standing round about the dead Corps he commanded that they should one after another lay their right hand on the slain Gentlemans naked brest swearing they had not kill'd him The Gentlemen did so and no sign appeared to witness against them the Pursevant only remain'd who condemned before in his own conscience went first of all and kissed the dead mans â—eet but as soon as he laid his hand on his brest the blood gushed forth in great abundance both out of his Wound and Nostrils so that urg'd by this evident accusation he confessed the murder and by the Kings own sentence was immediately beheaded Hereupon arose that practice which is now ordinary in many places of finding out unknown murders which by the admirable Power of God are for the most part reveal'd either by the bleeding of the Corps or the opening of its Eye or some other extraordinary sign as daily experience teaches 21. Sir Walter Smyth of Shirford in Warwickshire being grown an aged man at the death of his Wife consider'd of a Marriage â—or Richard his Son and Heir then at mans estate to that end made his mind known to Mr. Thomas Chetwin of Ingestre in Staffordshire who entertaining the motion in the behalf of Dorothy his Daughter was contented to give 500 l. with her But no sooner had the old Knight seen the young Lady but he became a Suiter for himself proâ—ering 500 l. for her besides as good a Joynture as she should have by his Son had the match gone forward this so wrought upon Chetwin that he effectually perswaded his Daughter and the Marriage ensued accordingly It was not long e'er her affections wandring she gave entertainment to one William Robinson of Drayton Basset a Gentleman of twenty two years of age And being impatient of all that might hinder her full enjoyment of him she contriv'd how to be rid of her Husband Having corrupted her waiting Gentlewoman and a Groom of the Stable she resolv'd by their help and the assistance of Robinson to strangle him in his bed and though Robinson came not the designed night she no whit stagger'd in her resolutions for watching her Husband till he was
life But when his Brother return'd from Sicily he caught and committed this pleasant person to the care of Physicians by whom he was cured yet affirming that he never liv'd so happily and pleasingly as being altogether freed of trouble and yet in the mean time enjoyed many pleasures 19. A young man troubled with Hypochondriack melancholy had a strong imagination that he was dead and did not only abstain from meat and drink but importun'd his Parents that he might be carried unto his Grave and buried before his â—lesh was quite putrefied By the counsel of Physicians he was wrapped in a winding sheet laid upon a Bier and so carried upon mens Shoulders towards the Church But upon the way two or three pleasant Fellows suborned to that purpose meeting the Herse demanded aloud of them that followed it whose body it was that was there coffin'd aud carried to burial They said it was a young man's and told them his name Surely replyed one of them the world is well rid of him for he was a man of a very bad and vicious life and his Friends have cause to rejoyce that he hath rather ended his days thus than at the Gallows The young man hearing this and vexed to be thus injured rowsed himself upon the Bier and told them that they were wicked men to do him that wrong which he had never deserved that if he was alive as he is not he would teach them to speak better of the dead But they proceeding to deprave him and to give him much more disgraceful and reproachful language he not able longer to endure it leaped from the Herse and fell about their ears with such rage and fury that he ceased not buffeting with them till he was quite wearied and by this his violent agitation the humours of his body altered he awakened as out of a sleep or trance and being brought home and comâ—orted with wholsome diet he within a few days recovered both his pristine health strength and understanding 20. In our memory saith Lemnius a noble person fell into this fancy that he verily believ'd he was dead and had departed out of this life insomuch that when his Friends and Familiars besought him to â—at or urged him with threats he still refus'd all saying it was in vain to the dead But when they doubted not but that this obstinacy would prove his death and this being the seventh day from whence he had continued it they bethought themselves of this device They brought into his room which on purpose was made dark some personated fellows wrappâ—d in their sheets and such grave cloaths as the dead have these bringing in meat and drink began liberally to treat themselves The sick man sees this and asks them who they are and what about They told him they were dead persons What then said he do the dead eat Yes yes say they and if you will sit down with us you shall find it so Straight he springs from oâ—t his Bed and falls too with the rest Supper â—nded he â—alls into a sleep by vertue oâ— a liquor given him for that purpose Nor are such persons restored by any thing sooner than sleep 21. A noble woman though both her Husband and her self were white was yet delivered of a child of the colour of an Aethiopian whom when she was like to suffer as an Adulteress Hippocrates is said to have delivered by explaining the causes of such things and by shewing the picture of an Aethiop in the Chamber where she and her Husband lay and with which it seem'd the â—ancy of the woman had been strongly affected 22. Horace tells of a Noble Argive who in an empty Theatre believ'd he saw and heard I know not what rare Tragedians But that being cured by the care of his Friends he complain'd that they had extorted from him a mosâ— delightful pleasure and had taken from him a grateful errour of his mind Fuit haâ—d ignâ—bilis Argis c. saith the Poet. Who though he heard rare Tragedies of Wit And in an empty Theatre did sit And give applause in other things express'd All well good Neighbour kind man to his Guest A courteous Husband and one who would not Be raging mad at the breaking of a pot Knew hâ—w to shun a prâ—cipice had wit To 'scape a Well and pâ—ss an open pit This man recovered by the helps of art And care of Friends us'd sadly to complain Friends I 'm not sav'd by this your love but slain Robbed of that sweet delight I then did find In the so grateful errour of my mind 23. There was a Lady a Kinswoman of mine who used much to wear black patches upon her face as was the â—ashion amongst young women which I to put her from used to tell her in jest that the next child she should go with whiles the solicitude and care of those patches were so strong in her fancy should come into the world with a great black spot in the midst of its forehead and this apprehension was so lively in her imagination at 〈◊〉 time she proved with child that her Daughter was born marked just as the Mother had fancied which there are at hand witnesses enough to confirm but none more pregnant than the young Lady her self upon whom the mark is yet remaining 24. Pisander a Rhodian Historian laboured under such a melancholy fancy that he was in continual fears lest he should meet his own Ghost for he verily believ'd even while he was alive that his soul had deserted his body Such another person as this was in Ferrara saith Giraldus who could by no means be perswaded by Nicholaus Leonicenus his Physician that it was impossible â—or bodies to walk up and down without their souls he approv'd of such reasons as was propounded granting all the premises but ever when they went about to infer the conclusion he would then cry out he denied the whole of it 25. Menedemus a Cynick Philosopher fell into that degree of melancholy that he went up and down in the dress of a fury saying he was sent as a messenger from Hell to bring the Devils an account of the sins of all Mortals CHAP. II. Of the Comprehensiveness and Fidelity of the Memories of some Men. NExt unto that of Reason man is not endowed with a choicer and more necessary faculty than that of memory the treasury and safe repository of all the Arts and Sciences of all the Axioms and Rules which we have heaped up and with great study labour and long experience laid together for the better conduct and Government of life in this our mortal state It is confessed it is a delicate and frailer part of the soul and first of all others that receives the injurious impressions of age yet how long it hath been retained in some in its wonted vigour how heightned and improved in others see in the following instances 1. Avicenna an excellent Physician and Philosopher read over
Republick with great prudence and justice he had also encreased their Dominion in a small time by the addition of Brixia Bergomum Crema and Ravenna When he was now arrived to the eighty fourth year of his age and the thirty fourth of his Dukedom they accused his decrepit age as a mighty impediment to the right administration of their Affairs and thereupon compelled him to depart from his Ducal Dignity and give way to another This open and unreasonable injury struck the old man with so vehement a grief that he died thereof in a day or two CHAP. XIV Of Desire and what have been the Wishes of some Men for themselves or upon their Enemies WE read of the Athenians that they set up a Pillar wherein they published him to be an Enemy of their City who should bring Gold out of Media as an instrument to corrupt them If once we see better things we are wont not only to desire them but to be discontented with what we had before of our own However the greatest of men have a wish or two to make as appears by what follows 1. Solyman Emperour of the Turks is said to have wished three things for himself That he might live to see the Mosque or Temple finished which he had begun in a glorious and most sumptuous manner That he might finish the Repairs of the ancient Aquaeducts that thereby Constantinople might have a plentiful and easie supply of water And that he might get the City of Vienna into his power The two former he lived to see but not himself the Master of Vienna which he used to call by no other name than his Infamy and Reproach 2. The Emperour Hadrian being angry with the Aegyptians wrote thus in a Letter of his I wish nothing more to befal them than that â—hey may feed upon their own Pullets which how they hatch is a shame to speak Alluding to their way of hatching Chickens in Gran Cairo by putrefied Dung in a Furnace S. Augustine used to wish that he might have seen three things which were Rome in its Glory the Apostle Paul in the Pulpit and Christ Jesus in the Flesh. 4. Eudoxus wished to know the nature of the Sun upon that condition that he should afterwards be burnt to death in the body of it 5. Philoxenus whether he was a Glutton as some say or a Musician as others is said to have wished his Neck as long as that of a Crane that so he might swallow his meat with the more delight or send out his Notes with greater variety and more pleasing sound although 't is a question whether if he had had his wish it would have helped him in either 6. The Spartans wished to their Enemies that they might be seised with an humour of building keep a Race of Horses and that their Wives might be false to their Beds 7. The Cretans when they wished the worst might befal their worst Enemies that they could possibly wish to them used to wish them this that they might be delighted with some evil custom 8. When King Iames came first to the publick Library at Oxford seeing the little Chains wherewith the Books were fastened to their places wished that if ever it should be his destiny to be made a prisoner that Library might be his prison those Books his Fellow-Prisoners and those Chains his Fetters 9. Cashan is a lovely City in Persia extremely hot when the Sun is in Cancer but Scorpio rages there in no less violence not that in the Zodiack but real stinging Scorpions which in great numbers engender here It is a little Serpent a finger long but of great terrour in the sting inflaming such as they prick with their inflamed Arrow so highly that some die none avoid madness a whole day and from hence grows that much used Persian Wish or Curse to them they are incensed against May a Scorpion of Cashan sting thee 10. Alexander the Great when he had got into the Ocean with his Navy he came to an Island which he called Scillustis others Psiltusis where having landed he viewed as he could the Sea-Coasts and considered the nature of that Sea which done he sacrificed to the Gods and prayed That no mortal man after him might ever pass further that way than he himself had done and so returned back 11. Pyrrhus the King of Epirus who next aâ—ter Alexander the Great was the most skilled in all military Affairs when he went to the Temples of the Gods to offer Sacrifices it was observed of him that he never importun'd the Gods about a more spacious Empire or a signal Victory over hâ—s Enemies no nor about any encrease of his Glory Riches or any such thing whereof most mortal men are so excessively desirous but all he asked of the Gods was that they would grant him good health as if in the enjoyment of this all other things would succeed the better And indeed though Fortune should pour out all her Bounties into our Bosoms yet if health be absent nothing of all these can much please or delight us 12. Lanfrancus Archbishop of Canterbury a man of great Learning and in high favour with William the Conquerour as Ranulphus writeth of him often wished to conclude his life either by a Fever or Dysentery because in these sicknesses the use of a man's tongue often continues to the last breath Having enjoyed his Prelacy nineteen years he died in the third year of King Rufus and of a Fever as as he desired 13. Critias who was one of the thirty Tyrants in Athens is said by himself to have wished for himself Divitias Scopadum prolixè facta Cimonis Spartani palmas fortis Agesilai The Wealth of Scopas Heart as Cimon's free And Great Agesilaus victory 14. C. Caligula was one that was desirous of nothing so much as doing that which was thought impossible to be done and therefore laid the foundations of Palaces on Piles where the Sea was most raging and deep he hewed Rocks of most hard Flint and Ragstones Plains he raised even with Mountains and by digging down the tops of Hills he levelled them to an equality with the Plains All these with incredible celerity as punishing the neglect or sloth of his Workmen with no less than death 15. Augustus Caesar as oft as he heard of any person that had departed this life quietly and without those painful pangs that are usual towards death his manner was to pray unto the Gods and desire of them that he and his might have the like Euthanasia that was the word he used by which he meant an easie passage or quiet death and indeed he had that for which he had so often wished For upon the day wherein he died enquiring often if there was yet any stir or tumult abroad as touching him he called for a Glass and commanded the hair of his head to be combed and his jaws
to be composed and set right which did hang and were ready to fall for weakness Then having admitted his Friends to come to him he asked them whether they thought he had acted well in this enterlude of life and withal added this as a Plaudite Now clap your hands and all with joy shout out After this he dismissed them all and whiles he questioned with some that were new come from the City concerning the Daughter of Drusus then sick suddenly amongst the kisses of Livia and in these words he gave up the Ghost Live mindful of our wedlock Livia and so farewel 16. Albertus Magnus five years before his death desired of God that he might forget all that he had learned in the studies of humanity and prophane Authors that he might give up himself entirely to devotion and the practice of piety The Lord Cordes a French Commander so sore longed to gain Calice from the English that he would commonly wish that he might lie seven years in Hell so that Calis were in the possession of the French 18. Aelfred King of the West Saxons being naturally inclined â—o incontinency desired that God would send him such a Disease as might repress and hinder his lust but not unsit him for the managing the Affairs of his Kingdom and he accordingly had the Disease called the Ficus the Hemorrhoids or Piles 19. When Darius was informed that Sardis was set on â—ire by the Ionians and Athenians he contemned the Ionians because he thought he might easily be revenged of their Rebellion but he called â—or a Bow and shot up an Arrow towards Heaven and in so doing O Jupiter said he grant it may come to pass that I may be avenged of the Atheninians And so mortal a hatred did he conceive against them that whensoever he sate down to eat he had one of those that ministred unto him who was ordered to say My Lord remember the Athenians 20. When Augustus Caesar was fifty four years of age he is said to have prayed to the Gods that he might have the valour of Scipio the favour of Pompey and the fortune of Caius Caesar Which said he is the overcomer in all great matters CHAP. XII Of Hope how great some have entertained and how some have been disappointed in theirs THe Poet Hesiod tells us that the miseries and calamities of mankind were included in a great Tun that Pandora took off the Lid of it sent them abroad and they spread themselves in great quantities over all Lands and Seas but that at this time Hope only did remain behind and slew not all abroad But underneaâ—h the upmost Brim and Ledge it still abode And this is that which is our principal Antidote which keeps our hearts from bursting under the pressure of evils and that slattering mirrour that gives us a prospect of I know not what greater good 1. When Alexander was resolved upon his Expedition into Persia he parted his Patrimony in Macedonia amongst his Friends to one he gave a Field to another a Village to a third a Town and to a â—ourth a Port and when on this manner he had distributed his Revenues and consigned them over to several persons by Patent What is it O King said Perdiceas that you have reserved for your self My Hopes replyed Alexander Of those hopes then said he we who are your followers will also be partakâ—rs And thereupon refused that which the King had before assured unâ—o him and his example therein was followed by divers there present 2. A certain Rhodian for his over freedom in speech was cast by a Tyrant into a Cage and there kept up as a wild Beast to his great pain and shame at once for his Hands were cut off his Nostrils slit and his Face deformed by several wounds upon it In this his extremity he was advised by some of his Friends to shorten his life by a voluntary abstinence from all food But he rejected their counsel with great indignation and told them while a man is alive all things are to be hoped for by him 3 Aristippus a Socratick Philosopher by shipwrack was cast upon the Rhodian Shore having lost all that he had walking alone upon the Shore he found certain Geometrical Figures that were traced upon the Sands upon sight of which he returned to his company and required them with a cheerful countenance to hope the best For said he even here I have met with the footsteps of men C. Marius was a man of obscure Parentage and Birth and having merited commendation in military affairs he purposed by that way to advance himself in the State and Republick And first he sought for the place of the Aedileship but he soon perceived that his hope in that matter was altogeger frustrate He therefore petitioned sor the minor Aedileship upon the same day but though he was refused in that also yet he laid not his hope aside but was so far from despairing that he gave out that for all this he hoped to appear one day the chief and principal person in all that great City The same person being driven out of the City by Sylla proscribed and his head set to sale for a great sum of money when he being now in his sixth Consulship was compelled to wander up and down from place to place in great hazards and almost continual perils he at this time chieâ—ly supported himself with the hope he had in a kind of Oracle he had received that told him he should be Consul the seventh time Nor did this hope of his prove in vain for by a strange turn of fortune in his Affairs he was again received into the City and elected Consul therein 5. C. Iulius Caesar the Dictator after the Civil Wars were ended had great things in his design and which he hoped to accomplish he intended to make war with the Parthians and hoped to overcome this done his purpose was through Hircania by the Caspian Sea and Mount Caucasus and by the way of Pontus to invade the Scythians then having conquered all the Nations about Germany and Germany it self to return through France into Italy and so to leave the Roman Empire on all sides surrounded with the Sea In the mean time while preparation was made for this Expidition he endeavoured to dig through the Corinthian Isthmus After this he had determined to receive the Rivers Anien and Tiber in vast Ditches and turning them towards Circeium to bring them near Tarracina into the Sea that there might be thence a secure and ready passage for Merchants to the City Besides this he hoped to drain the Fens and Marish Grounds in Nomentana and thereabouts and make them firm lands and pasture capable of receiving many thousands of Husbandmen and withal to make Havens in the Sea nearest to the City by framing Moles to cleanse the foul and hazardous Shores of Ostia and to make Ports and Block-Houses and places of receipt
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
in a schedule that by the instigation of Satan mov'd with false suspicions he had murdered his innocent Wife and having tied this Note to his Left Arm he threw himself headlong from the top of his House into the Street by which â—all he died 8. Ionuses a great Bassa of the Turks upon an overthrow of the Christians beheld amongst other Captives then taken the Lady Manto a most beautiful Greek as much surpassing all other the companions of her misfortune in loveliness as the Sun doth the lesser Stars Ionuses with this one view was himself taken prisoner and finding her outward perfections no less graced with inward virtues and her honourable mind answerable to her rare â—eatures he took her to his Wife honouring her far above all the rest of his Wives and Concubines and she again in all dutiful Loyalty seeking to please him for a space she lived in all worldly felicity and bliss not much inferiour to one of the great Sultanesses But not long after the Bassa more amorous of her person than secured in her virtues and aster the manner of sensual men still fearing lest that which so much pleased himself gave no less contentment to others also began to have her in distrust although he saw no great cause more than his own conceit not grounded upon any her evil demeanour but upon the excess of his own liking which mad humour of it self still more and more encreasing in him he became so froward and imperious that nothing she could say or do could now so please to content him but he still thought some one or other to be partakers with him Thus he tormented himself and her with his own passionate distrust until at length the fair Lady grieved to see her self thus without cause suspected and wearied with the insolent pride of her peevish Husband determined secretly to depart from him and so return again into her own Country Her purpose she discovered to one of her Eunuchs to whom she had also delivered certain Letters to be by him conveyed unto such of her Friends whose help she was to use in her intended slight These Letters the false Eunuch opened and so for the more clear manifestration of the matter delivered them unto the Bassa his Master who therewith enraged and calling her unto him forthwith in his fury with a Dagger stabbed her to the heart and slew her and so together with the death of his love cured himself of so tormenting a jealousie 9. Leontius an Athenian Philosopher had a Daughter called Athenais of admirable beauty and a singular wit the Father with a secret presage of her good fortune had left his whole estate and at his death only bequeathed to her an hundred Crowns saying that her fortune would be sufficient for her Upon this occasion she falls out with them and was thereupon by them forced to Constantinople Then it was that she insinuated her self and commended her cause to Pulcheria the Emperour's Sister whom she so much pleased that hearing she was a Virgin she caused her to be baptized nam'd her Eudoxia and married her to her Brother Theodosius the Emperour with whom she could do all things This was her ascent now hear her fall Upon the day of Epiphany as the Emperour return'd from Church with great pomp and magnificence a certain Countryman a Stranger brake through the press accosteth Theodosius who was of most easie access and presented him with an Apple of an extraordinary size esteem'd at that time a rare fruit the Emperour receiveth it gratefully and commanded to give the good man presently to the value of an hundred and fifty Crowns As soon as he was return'd to the Palace he goes to visit the Empress and full of joy gave her the fair present for a great rarity The good Empress having understood that Paulinus a great Favourite of Theodosius kept his Bed sick of the Gout to please and comfort him had sent him the Apple not mentioning from whom she had received it Paulinus was seised with so great a joy at such a favour from a person so eminent that the contentment he received charm'd at that time the pain of his Gout He so admired this goodly fruit that he judged it worthy of Imperial Hands and forthwith he sent it to the Emperour excusing himself through his indisposition that he was not himself the messenger Theodosius knew the Apple which he had very lately put into the Empress's hands whereupon a furious jealousie began to lay hold on his gentle spirit he instantly sends for Eudoxia and to sound her heart demanded what was become of the â—air Apple he had given her The poor Princess was overtaken something appeared on the brow of her Husband whereby she perceived thaâ— his â—air Soul was not in its ordinary situation she therefore declin'd entreaty and thinking to underprop her innocenâ—y with a lie said she had eaten the Apple The Emperour urged her upon this answer she who already was involv'd tumbled her self further into the snare and that she might not seem a Liar sware by the life and health of her Husband she had eaten it He to convince her of this impudence drew the fatal Fruit out of his Cabinet The Empress at the sight of it turn'd pale and was so confounded she had not courage eâ—ough to speak one only word Theodosius retireth in an instant with his heart drenched in Gall and Bitterness the poor Eudoxia on the other side poureth her self into tears without comfort The Prince Paulinus who knew nothing of that which passed was that night put to death without any form of process When the Empress understood of his sudden and unexpected death she then well saw that the Emperour was tainted with the venom of most cruel jealousie Eudoxia was remov'd from councel and manage of affairs deprived of the Imperial Bed and so went a voyage to Palestine to satisfie her Devotion 10. Theodebert King of France married Deutera she was a Widow before and had by her former Husband a most beautiful Daughter which she took along with her It was not long ere the Queen suspected that her Daughter had stollen the heart of her Husband from her and although there was no such thing yet so strong was her jealousie that her maternal affection gave place to it and without admitting of any leisure wherein a discovery of the truth might be made she caused the young Lady to be slain 11. Hippocrates the Physician had a smack of this disease for when he was to go from home as far as Abdera and some other remote Cities of Greece he wrote to his Friend Dionysius to oversee his Wife in his absence although she lived in his House with her Father and Mother who he knew would have a care of her yet that would not satisfie his jâ—alousie he would have his especial Friend Dionysius to dwell in his House with her all the time of his peregrination and to observe her
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
soever the execution of them be At the first sign or intimation by gesture of their King they will immediately cast themselves headlong from Rocks and Towers leap into the Waves throw themselves into the fire or being sent by him to kill any such Prince whose death he desires they set themselves about it despising all the tortures they must endure after they have performed the murther or discovery of their intention When once Henry Earl of Campania passed from Antioch towards Tyrus having obtained a safe conduct the Prince of this people called Vâ—tus gave him a strange assurance of his people's obedience for he shewed him several persons standing upon the top of a high Tower one of these he called out by name who no sooner understood his command but without any delay he cast himself down from thence in their sight and broken in pieces with the fall he immediately died The King would have called out others to the like trial and was difficultly diverted from his designs by the earnest entreaties of the Earl who was astonished with wonder and horrour of the experiment The Sâ—lsidas of the Sâ—quimar of Arabia the Happy perform the same at their Prince's command When Hannibal made war against the Romans in Italy he at that time had under his Standards Carthaginians Numidians Mâ—ors Spaniards Baleares Gauls Ligurians and a number of Italian people and yet the General was of that authority amongst them that though his Army consisted of so many and different Nations and that the War was drawn out into so long a continuance and that there was such variety of events therein yet in all that time there was never known that there was any stir tumult or sedition mov'd amongst them 8. The Inhabitants of those Islands that lie over against the Coast of Florida are in great subjection to their Lords and Masters in such manner as that if they should command them to throw themselves headlong from off a high Hill or do any other thing whatsoever they will not refuse to do it whatsoever danger there may be in the performance not once asking wherefore they should do it but only because their Master commandeth it 9. Instead of Crowns and Scepters the Ornaments of the Kings of Peru whereby they shew their Majesty are these They wear certain Tassels of Red Wool bound about their Heads hanging down upon their Shoulders almost covering their eyes whereat there hang other Threads which they use when they will have any thing done or executed They give that Thread unto one of their Lords that attend upon them by this token they command in all their Provinces and the King hath done whatsoever he doth desire At the sight of this Thread his pleasure is by his Subjects with so great diligence and dutiful obedience fulfilled that the like is not known in any place of the world for if by this way he chance to command that a whole Province shall be clean destroyed and utterly lest desolate both of men and all living creatures whatsoever both young and old it is done If he send but one of his Servants to execute the severest of his commands although he send no other power or aid of men nor other commission than one of the Threads of his Quispel it is sufficient and they willingly yield themselves to all dangers even to death and destruction 10. Xerxes flying out of Greece the Ship or Boat was so over-pressed with the numbers of such as were got within her that a Tempest arising they were all brought to the hazard of their lives here it was that Xerxes bespake them in this manner Since upon you O Persians depends the safety of your King let me now understand how far you take your selves to be concerned therein He had no sooner spoken these words but that having first adored him most of them leaped into the Sea and by their death freed their King of his present danger CHAP. XV. Of the Generosity of some Persons and the Noble Actions by them performed AS amongst those Starry Lights wherewith the arched Roof of Heaven is beautified and bespangled there are some more conspicuous for their extraordinary brightness and lustre and draw the eyes of men with greater admiration towards them so amongst the race of mankind there are some found to shine with that advantage in point of Generosity and true Nobleness of Mind above the common Standard of Humaniry that we fix our eyes with equal wonder and delight upon those actions which we know to be the effects whereof the vulgar are uncapable 1. Cardinal Petrus Damianus relateth how being a Student at Faenza one told him of an act of Charity and Generosity that happened of which he made more account than of all the Wonders of the World it was this a man whose eyes another had most traiterously pulled out was by this accident confined in a Monastery where he liv'd an unspotted life performing all offices of charity according to the ability of his body It fell out this cruel creature who had done this mischievous act sickened of a languishing malady and was enforced to be carried to that same place where he was whom he had bereaved of sight his heart said within him he could never endure him but for revenge would put out his eyes on the contrary the blind man made earnest suit to have the charge of him as if he had sought some great fortune from the hand of a Prince he prevailed and was deputed to the service of the sick man and he dedicated to him all the functions of his body except the eyes which the other had pulled out Notwithstanding saith the Cardinal he wanted not eyes you would say the blind man was all Eyes all Arms all Hands all Heart to attend the sick man so much consideration vigour diligence and affection he used 2. In the Cathedral Church of Roan in Normandy is the Sepulchre of Iohn Duke of Bedford and Regent of France for King Henry the Sixth an envious Courtier perswaded Charles the Eighth to deface it God forbid said he that I should wrong him being dead whom living all the power of France was not able to withstand adding withal that he deserved a better Monument than the English had bestowed upon him 3. Conrade succeeding Henry in the Empire by this Henry Wenceslaus the Duke of Poland was overcome in Battel and made a Tributary of the Empire he afterwards rebelled and took upon him the Title of a King to whom succeeded Mysias in both the Kingdom and contumacy towards the Empire Conrade therefore by the help of his Brother had enforced him to quit Poland and flie to Vlrick Duke of Bohemia who at that time was also an Enemy to the Empire Vlrick despising all the Laws of Hospitality gives Conrade to understand that in case he would compound the difference betwixt them two he would send him Mysias as his prisoner to dispose of him as he
variously and cruelly tormented by the Tyrant Nicocreon and yet by all his crueltiâ—s could never be restrained from urging of him with opprobrious terms and the most reproachful language At last the Tyrant being highly provok'd threatned that he would cause his tongue to be cut out of his mouth Effeminate yong man said Anaxarchus neither shall that part of my body be at thy disposal And while the Tyrant for very rage stood gaping before him he immediately bit off his Tongue with his Teeth and spat it into his mouth A Tongue that had heretofore bred admiration in the ears of many but especially of Alexander the Great at such time as it had discours'd of the State of the earth the properties of the Seas the motion of the Stars and indeed the Nature of the whole World in a most prudent and eloquent manner 12. William Colingborn Esq being condemned for making this Rhime on King Richard the third The Cat the Rat and Lovel our Dog Rule all England under the Hog was put to a most cruel death for being hang'd and cut down alive his bowels rip 't out and cast into the fire when the executioner put his hand into the bulk of his body to pull out his heart he said Lord Iesus yet more trouble and so dy'd to the great sorrow of much people 13. Amongst the Indians the meditation of patience is adhered to with that obstinacy that there are some who pass their whole life in nakedness one while hardning their bodies in the frozen rigours and piercing colds of Mount Caucasus and at others exposing themselves to the â—lames without so much as a sigh or groan Nor is it a small glory that they acquire to themselves by this contempt of pain for they gain thereby the reputation and Title of Wise Men. 14. Such Examples as I have already recited I have furnished my self with either by reading or by the relation of such as have seen them but there now comes into my mind a most eminent one whereof I can affirm that I my self was an eye witness and it was this Hieronymus Olgiatus was a Citizen of Millain and he was one of those four that did Assassinate Galeatius Sforza Duke of Millain Being taken he was thrust into Prison and put to bitter tortures now although he was not above two and twenty years of age and of such a delicacy and softness in his habit of body that was more like to that of a Virgin than a man though never accustomed to the bearing of Arms by which it is usual for men to acquire vigour and strength yet being fastned to that rope upon which he was tormented he seemed as if he sat upon some Tribunal free from any expression of grief with a clear voyce and an undaunted mind he commended the exploit of himself and his Companions nor did he ever shew the least sign of repentance In the times of the intermissions of his torments both in Prose and Verse he celebrated the praises of himself and his Confederates Being at last brought to the place of Execution beholding Carolus and Francion two of his associats to stand as if they were almost dead with fear he exhorted them to be couragious and requested the Executioners that they would begin with him that his fellow sufferers might learn patience by his example Being therefore laid naked and at full length upon the hurdle and his feet and Arms bound fast down unto it when others that stood by were terrified with the shew and horror of that death that was prepared for him he with specious words and assured voyce extolled the gallantry of their action and appeared unconcerned with that cruel kind of death he was speedily to undergo yea when by the Executioners knife he was cut from the shoulder to the middle of the breast he neither changed his countenance nor his voyce but with a Prayer to God he ended his life 15. Caius Marius the Roman Consul having the chief veins of his legs swelled a Disease of those Times he stretched out one leg to be cut off by the hand of the Chirurgeon and not only did he refuse to be bound as 't is customary with such Patients or to be held by any man but not so much as by any word or sign did he bewray any sence of pain all the time of the operation no more than if the incision had been made in any other body or that he himself had been utterly voyd of all sence But afterwards when his Chirurgeon propounded to him the same method of cure for his other leg in regard the Disease was rather deforming than extreamly dangerous Marius told him that the matter seemed not to him of that importance as that upon the account thereof he should undergo such tormenting pain By which words he discovered that during the time of the incision of his leg he had indured very great pain but that through the strength and tollerance of his mind he had dissembled and supprest what he felt 16. This was also an Example of great patience in this kind which Strabo mentions in his Geography from the Authority of Nicholaus Damascenus viz. that Zarmonochaga the Ambassador from the Indian King having finished his Negotiation with Augustus to his mind and thereof sent account to his Master because he would have no further trouble for the remaining part of his life after the manner of the Indians he burnt himself alive preserving all the while the countenance of a man that smiled CHAP. XXXVI Of the Fortitude and Personal Valour of some Famous Men. THere is a Precious Stone by the Greeks called Ceraunia as one would say the Thunderstone for it is bred among Thunders and is found in places where Heaven all swollen with anger hath cleft the Master-pieces of the Worlds Magazine saith Caussine such is the valiant man bred up so long in dangers till he hath learned to contemn them And if the Poet be a Prophet you shall hear him say He that smiling can gaze on Styx and black wav'd Acheron That dares brave his ruine he To Kings to Gods shall equal be At least if he fall in a Noble Cause he dies a Martyr and the Brazen Trumpet of Fame shall proclaim this glorious memorial to late Posterity as it hath done for those that follow 1. Sapores the Persian King beseiged Caesaria in Cappadocia a Captive Physician shewed him a weak place of the City where he might enter at which the Persians gaining entrance put all indifferently to the Sword Demosthenes the Governour of the City hearing the Tumult speedily mounted and perceiving all lost sought to get out but in the way fell upon a Squadron of the Enemy that gathered about him to take him alive but he setting Spurs to his Horse and stoutly laying about him with his Sword slew many and opening himself a way through the midst of them escaped 2. When L. Sylla beheld his
of Poplicola who had long waited at the door for this occasion spake aloud Consul thy Son is dead of a Disease in the Army The Assistants were perplexed at this news but Horatius not moved in the least Dispose then said he of his Carcass as you please I shall not mourn at this time and so performed the rest of his dedication His news was not true but merely feigned by Marcus to divert Horatius from the Dedication in favour of his Brother But however the constancy of the man is memorable whether he in a moment discerned the fraud or whether though he believed it yet was unmoved 3. Pomponius a Knight of Rome was in the Army of Lucullus against Mithridates where upon some engagement he was sorely wounded and made a prisoner being brought into the presence of that King he was asked by him whether when he had taken care for the cure of his wounds he would be his friend Pomponius with the constancy worthy of a Roman replyed That if he would be a friend to the people of Rome he would then be his otherwise not 4. Sylla had seized upon the City of Rome had driven out his enemies thence and 〈◊〉 in Arms had called the Senate togâ—ther for this purpose that by them he might speedily have C. Mâ—rius adjâ—â—ged the enemy of the people of Rome Therâ— was no man amongst them found who had the courage to oppose him in this matter only Q. Sâ—aevola the Augur being asked his opinion herein would not declare his assent with the resâ— And when Sylla began to threaten him in a terrible manner Though said he you shew me all these armed Troops wherewith you have surrounded this Court and though you threaten me with death it self yet shall you never bring it to pass that to save a little old blood I should judge Marius an enemy by whom this City and all Italy it self hath been preserved 5. It was the saying of Xantippe concerning Socrates her Husband that although there were a thousand perturbations in the Common-Wealth yet did Socrates always appear with the same manner of countenance both going oâ—t and returning into his house For he had a mind equally prepared for all things and so well and moderately composed that it was far remote from grief and above all kind of fears 6. C. Mevius was a Centurion in the Army of Augustus in his war against Anthony wherein after he had done many gallant things he was at last circumvented by an unexpected ambush of the enemy taken prisoner and carried to Alexandria Being in the presence of Antonius he was by him asked how he should deal with him Cause said he my Throat to be cut for neither by the obligations of saving my life nor by the punishment of any kind of death can I ever be brought to cease from being Caesars Soldier and begin to be thine But by how much the greater constancy he shewed a contempt of lifeâ— by so much the more easily did he obtain it for Antonius in the admiration of his vertue preserved him 7. Modestus the Deputy of Valens the Emperour sought to draw S. Basil after many other Bishops into the heresie of Arrius he attempted it first with caresses and all the sugar'd words that might be expected from one that was not uneloquent Disappointed in his first essay he reinforced his former perswasions with threats of exile and torments yea and death it self but finding all these equally in vain he returned to his Lord with this character of the man Firmior est quam ut verbis praestantior quam ut minis fortior quam ut blanditiis vinci possit That is he is so solid that words cannot overcome him so resolute that threats cannot move him and so strong that Allurements cannot alter him 8. Dion the Son of Hyparinus and Scholar of Plato was busied in the dispatch of publick affairs when it was told him that one of his Sons was fallen out of the window into the Court-Yard and was dead of the fall Dion seemed to be nothing moved herewith but with great constancy continued in the dispatch of what he was about 9. Antigonus the second beheld when his Son was born dead upon the shoulders of some Soldiers that had thus brought him from the Battle he looked upon him without change of countenance or shedding a tear and having praised him that he dyed like a brave Soldier and a valiant man he commanded to bury him 10. When the aged Polycarpus was urged to reproach Christ he tells the pro-Consul Herod that fourscore and six years he had served him and never was harmed by him with what conscience then could he blaspheme his King that was his Saviour And being threatned on with fire if he would not swear by Caesars fortune he tells him that it was his ignorance that made him expect it For said he if you know not who I am hear me telling you that I am a Christian And when at the fire they would have fastned him to the Stake the brave Bishop cryes out to let him alone as he was for that God who had enabled him to endure the fire would enable him also without any chains of theirs to stand unmoved in the midst of flames so with his hands behind him unstirred he took his Crown 11. Valens an Arrian Emperour coming to the City of Edessa perceived that the Christions did keep their Assemblies in the fields for their Churches were demolished whereat he was so enraged that he gave the President Methodius a box on the ear for suffering such their meetings commanding him to take along with him a cohort of Soldiers and to scourge with Rods and knock down with Clubs as many as he should find of them This his order being divulged there was a Christian woman who with her Child in her Arms ran with all speed towards the place and was got amongst the ranks of those Soldiers that were sent out against the Christians and being by them asked whither she went and what she would have She told them that she made such hast lest she and her little Infant should come too late to be partakers of the Crown of Christ amongst the rest of those that were to suffer When the Emperour heard this he was confounded desisted from his enterprize and turned all his fury against the Priests and Clergy 12. Henry Prince of Saxony when his Brother Georgâ— sent to him that if he would forsake his faith and turn Papist he would leave him his Heir But he made him this answer Rather than I will do so and deny my Saviour Iesus Christ I and my Kate each of us with a staff in one hand will beg our bread out of his Countryes 13. Quintus Metellus Numidicus when he perceived whereunto the dangerous endeavours of Saturninus the Tribune of the people tended and of what mischievous consequence they would prove to the Common-Wealth unless
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
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
recreate your eyes with the sweet pleasures of the Spring The Germans replied That they were not at all moved or affected with these feminine Ornaments that the time was now come wherein the Greeks must change their Gold for Iron for unless they should succeed in the Embassage they must expect to fight with men that do not glitter with Jewels as the Meadows with Flowers nor glory in their embroidered Garments as Peacocks in their Plumage but who as the true Sons of Mars in the fight would carry sparkles in their eyes and whose sweat-drops as they fell from them should resemble Oriental Pearls Thus they frighted these effeminate ones with their words and had done it much more with their blows but that the death of the Emperour Henry which soon after followed put a period to those purposes This was about Anno 1197. 9. Sir Walter Raleigh in great favour with Queen Elizabeth was observed in her Court to wear his Shoos so set with Pearls and Precious Stones that they were estimated to exceed the value of six thousand and six hundred Crowns 10. C. Caligula the Emperour in his Apparel Shoos and other habit did not alwayes wear what was according to the guise of his Country what was Civil Manlike no nor what was suiting with a mortal man He went sometimes attired in Cloaks of Needle-work embroidered with divers colours and set out with Precious Stones at others in a Coat with long Sleeves and with bracelets sometimes you should see him in Silks veiled all over in a loose Mantle of Tiffanie or transparent Linnen one while in Greekish Slippers or Buskins otherwhiles in a simple pair of Brogues or high Shoos now and then also in Womens Pantofles and Pumps For the most part he shewed himself abroad with a golden Beard carrying in his hand a Thunderbolt or three-forked Mace and Trident or else a Warder or Rod called Caduceus all of them the Ensigns and Ornaments of the Gods yea sometimes he went in the attire of Venus His triumphal Robes and Ensignes he always wore even before he made his Expedition or else the Cuirace of Alexander the Great which he had caused to be fetched out of his Sepulchre 11. Heliogabalus the Emperour excelled all others in his prodigious Luxury in this kind for his upper Garments were ever either of Gold or Purple or else the richest Silks that were procurable nay sometimes all beset with Jewels and Pearls which habit he was the first that brought up at Rome his Shoos were bedecked with Precious Stones and Pearle he never wore any Suit of Apparel twice He thought of wearing a Diadem made up with Jewels wherewith to set off his face and render his aspect more effeminate He sate commonly amongst Flowers or the most precious odours his excrements he discharged into Gold Vessels and Urined in Vessels of Onyx or Myrrhine pots He never swimmed but in Fishpools that were before hand replete with the Nobler Unguents and tinged with Saffron His Houshold-stuff was Gold or Silver his Bedsteads Tables and Chests of Massy Silver and so were his Cauldrons and other Pots and even these and the most part of his other Vessels had lascivious engravings represented on the sides of them 12. Anno 1582. the seventh of May a rich Merchants Daughter of Antwerp came to a fearful and lamentable end she being invited to a Wedding and intending to shew her self in her greatest gallantry sent for two Landresses to dress her Ruffs then greatly in fashion who bringing them home as well dressed as possibly they could yet not to the satisfaction of her foolish curiosity she in a great rage began to curse and swear and throwing the Ruffs on the ground wished the Devil might take her when she wore any of them again In which time by Gods permission the Devil in the shape of a Gallant her Suitor came to her and questioning the cause of her rage she told him how she was abused in setting her Ruffs He undertook to please her drest them she liking them put them on and looking in the Glass was very well pleased But while she was so doing the Devil kissed her and writhing her neck killed her Great preparations were made for her Burial and when four men went to move the Coffin they could not they opened the Coffin and instead of the Body which was gone there was seen sitting therein a black Cat very lean and deformed setting to great Ruffs and frizling of Hair to the great fear and wonder of the beholders CHAP. XIX Of Gaming and some mens expensiveness therein together with the wofull and dreadfull consequences of it ALexander the Great set a fine upon some of his Friends for that when they were playing at Dice he perceived they did not play for there are many who are concerned in this sport as if it was the most serious and weighty affair in the world We cannot say that they play who permit their whole fortunes yea sometimes their Wives and Children to the disposal of the Dice and great pity it is that such should be played with but rather that some exemplary punishment should be imposed upon so bold a prodigality 1. A Famous Gamester called Pimentel an Italian in the year 1603. came into France It is said and it is perfectly true that this Cavalier hearing what a humour of play reigned at the French Court caused a great number of false Dice to be made of which he himself only knew the high and the low runners hiring men to carry them into France where after they had bought up and conveyed away all that were in Paris he supplyed all the Shops with his own By which means having subjected the Spirit of Play and tyed the hands of Fortune he arrived at last in France where insinuating himself into the Court he was by some of his own Nation who had great interest there soon brought acquainted with the King and admitted as a Gamester Amongst others the Duke of Espernon was one from whom he drew considerable sums he got all his ready mony and many of his Jewels and after these wan of him a piece of Ambergriese to the value of twenty thousand Crowns the greatest that ever was seen in Europe and which the Republick of Venice to whom it was afterwards sold preserve to this day in their Treasury as a great rarity 2. Henry Cheney created by Queen Elizabeth Baron of Tuddington in Bedfordshire in his youth was very wild and venturous he played at Dice with Henry the Second King of France from whom he wan a Diamond of great price at one cast and being demanded by the King what shift he would have made to repair himself in case he had lost the cast I have said young Cheney in an Hyberbolical brave sheeps tails enough in Kent with their wool to buy a better Diamond than this 3. The Emperour Nero as he was excessively prodigal in his gifts so was he
of Arms. And because they were to go against a King who was no less mighty and puissant than warlike as was the King of France there ought to be a time to make necessary provision for a War of so great importance The Embassador presently to no purpose or reason added these words Anchio hodetto piâ— volte questo medesimo à sua sanctita which is to say And I have oftentimes said the same to his Holiness these words which shewed the will of the Embassadour to be different from that of his Prince gave great doubt and suspicion to the Kings Council and they began to doubt that the Embassadour was rather inclined to favour the King of France than the Pope his Master and setting secret Spies about him to observe his behaviour it was perceived that by night he spake secretly with the French Embassadour by which means he was undone and if he had fallen into the hands of the Pope he had peradventure put him to death However by his imprudent answer he both wronged himself and was the occasion that the King of England was constrained to begin the War sooner than he would who in deferring the succours had possibly accorded the controversie betwixt the Pope and the French King 7. Demaratus which should have succeeded in the Kingdom of Sparta was deprived thereof by Ariston his father for one only imprudent word uttered without consideration in the Senate Which was that news being brought unto him that he had a son born he counted upon his fingers how long his Wife had been with him and seeing that there were no more than sâ—ven Months and that usually women are delivered at nine he said It is not possible that he should be my son these words turned to the great damage of Demaratus for after the death of Ariston his father the Spartans refused to give him the Kingdom because the Ephori bare record that Ariston had said that it was not possible that Demaratus born at the end of seven Months should be his son and that he had bound it with an Oath 8. Renzo de Ceri a most honourable Captain in hâ—s time was in the pay and â—ervice of Lawrence de Medici against Francis Maria Duke of Vrbin This Captain was advertised that certain Spanish Captains had plotted a Treason to deliver the Duke of Vrbin into the hands of the Duke of Florence wherefore the said Renzo talking with a Drum demanded of him in jest and laughing but with great inconsideration When will these Spaniards deliver your Duke Prisoner The Drum made no answer but being returned to the Camp he reported to his Duke the words which Renzo had used to him without any necessity or reason wherefore the Duke of Vrbin having engraven them in his heart stood upon his guard and marked the behaviour of the Spanish Captains In the end through certain Letters and writings found amongst their Baggage the truth appeared and the Conspirators against Duke Francis were known who were committed to Prison and convict of Treason Thus Renzo was the cause why the Treason took no effect the Captains were dispatched and that Lawrence his Master made not so soon an end of the Wars as otherwise he might probably have done 9. Famous was the Contention between Chrysostom on the one part and Thâ—ophilus Cyril and Epiphanius on the other about the burning or not burning of Origens Books all good and great men yet they grow so hot that because Chrysostom would not consent to the burning Theophilus and Cyril would hardly acknowledge him a lawful Bishop and Epiphanius in bitter chiding fell to such choler as he said he hoped he should not die a Bishop To whom Chrysostom answered as eagerly again That he trusted he should never return alive into his own Country of Cyprus which chiding words were not so bitter in sound as afterwards they proved true indeed For both Epiphanius died before he gat home to Cyprus and Chrysostom being put out of his Bishoprick ended his life in banishment CHAP. XXI Of the dangerous and destructive curiosity of some men VEssalius was busied in the dissection of the body of a Person of Quality meaning to find out the root of that distemper which was supposed to have given him his death when to his grief he found that which he looked not for The heart panted and there appeared other convincing signs that the unfortunate Noble-man might have lived had not he been so unseasonably Butchered this cost the Anatomist much trouble and disgrace and it hath fallen out with many others in the like maâ—ner who while they have been gratifying their curiosity have occasioned irreparable injuries to themselves or others 1. Cornelius Agrippa living in Lorrain had a young man who Tabled with him one day being to go abroad he left the Keys of his Study with his Wife but with great charge to keep them safe and trust them to no man The youth over-curious of Novelty never ceased to importune the woman till â—he had lent him the Key to take view of his Library he entred it and light upon a Book of Conjurations wherein reading he straight hears a great bouncing at the door but not minding that he reads on the knocking grew greater and louder but he making no answer the Devil breaks open the door and enters enquires what he commands him to have done or why he was called the youth amazed and through extreme fear not able to answer the Devil â—eises upon him and wriths his neck in sunder Agrippa returns and finds the young man dead and the Devils insulting over the Corpse he retires to his Art and calls his Devil to an account of what had been done who told him all that had passed then he commanded the Homicide to enter the body and walk with him into the Market-place where the Students were frequent and after two or three turns there to forsake the body he did so the body falls down dead before the Scholars all judge the reason of it some sudden fit of an Apoplexy but the marks about his neck and jaws rendred it somewhat suspicious Agrippa concealed this story in Lorrain but being banished thence he afterwards feared not to publish it in Lorrain 2. The Emperour Carracalla had a curiosity to know the name of him who was most like to succeed him and employed one Maternianus to enquire amongst the Magicians of the Empire by whom accordingly he was advertised that Macrinus was to be the man the Letters being brought unto Carracalla as he was in his Charriot were by him delivered with the rest of his Pacquets to the hands of Macrinus who was Captain of his Guard and by his oâ—fice to attend upon the person of the Emperour that he might open them and signifie unto him the contents thereof at his better leisure Macrinus finding by these the danger in which he stood resolved to strike the first blow and to that end entrusted
by policy to get it or by riches to buy it But the king of Terrors is not to be bribed by the Gold of Ophir it is a pleasure to him to mix the Brains of Princes and Politicians with common dust and how loth soever he was to depart yet go he must for he dyed of that disease as little lamented as desired 4. C. Mecaenas the great Friend and Favourite of Augustus was so soft and effeminate a person that he was commonly called Malcinus He was so much afraid of death that saith Seneca he had often in his mouth All things are to be endured so long as life is continued of which those Verses are to be read Debilem facito mami Debilem pede coxa Tuber adstrue gibberum Lubricos quate dentes Vita dum superest bene est Make me lame on either hand And of neither foot to stand Raise a bunch upon my back And make all my teeth to shake Nothing comes amiss to me So that life remaining be 5. The Emperour Domitian was in such fear of receiving death by the hands of his Followers and in such a strong suspicion of treason against him that he caused the Walls of the Galleries wherein he used to walk to be set and garnished with the stone Phengites to the end that by the light thereof he might see all that was done behind him 6. Lewis the eleventh King of France when he found himself sick sent for one Fryer Robert out of Calabria to come to him to Toures the man was a Hermit and famous for his sanctity and while in his last sickness this holy man lay at Plessis the King sent continually to him saying that if he pleased he could prolong his life He had reposed his whole confidence in Monsieur Iames Cothier his Physician to whom he gave monthly ten thousand Crowns in hope he would prolong his life Never man saith Comines feared death more than he nor sought so many wayes to avoid it as he did Moreover as he adds in all his life time he had given commandment to all his Servants as well to my self as others that when we should see him in danger of death we should only move him to confess himself and dispose of his Conscience not sounding in his ear this dreadful word Death knowing that he should not be able patiently to hear that cruel sentence His Physician aforesaid used him so roughly that a man could not have given his Servant so sharp language as he usually gave the King and yet the King so much feared him that he durst not command him out of his Presence For notwithstanding that he complained to divers of him yet durst he not change him as he did all his other servants because this Physician said once thus boldly to him I know that one day you will command me away as you do all your other Servants but you shall not live eight days after it binding it with a great Oath which word put the King in such fear that ever after he flattered him and bestowed such gifts upon him that he received from him in five months time fifty four thousand Crowns besides the Bishoprick of Amiens for his Nephew and other Offices and Lands for him and his Friends 7. Rhodius being through his unseasonable liberty of speech cast into a Den by a Tyrant was there nourished and kept as a hurtful beast with great torment and ignominy his hands were cut off and his face disfigured with wounds In this wretched case when some of his Friends gave him advice by voluntary abstinence to put an end to his miseries by the end of his days he replied that while a man lives all things are to be hoped for by him 8. Cn. Carbo in his third Consulship being by Pompeys order sent into Sicily to be punished begged of the Souldiers with great humility and with tears in his eyes that they would permit him to attend the necessity of nature before he dyed and this only that he might for a small space protract his stay in a miserable life He delayed the time so long till such time as his head was severed from his body as he sate in a nasty place 9. D. Iunius Brutus bought a small and unhappy moment of his life with great infamy for Antonius having sent Furius to kill him when he was taken he not only did withdraw his Neck from the Sword but being also exhorted to lay it down with more constancy he swore he would in these words As I live I will give but some wretched delay to my fate 10. A certain King of Hungary being on a time very sad his Brother a jolly Courtier would needs know of him what ailed him Oh Brother said he I have been a great sinner against God and I fear to dye and to appear before his Tribunal These are said his Brother melancholy thoughts and withal made a jest of them The King replyed nothing for the present but the custome of the Country was that if the Executioner came and sounded a Trumpet before any mans door he was presently to be led to execution The King in the dead time of the night sends the Headsman to sound his Trumpet before his Brothers door who hearing it and seeing the messenger of death springs in pale and trembling into his Brothers presence beseeching him to tell him wherein he had offended Oh Brother replyed the King you have never offended me but is the sight of my Executioner so dreadful and shall not I that have greatly and grievously offended God fear that of his that must carry me before his Judgement-Seat 11. Theophrastus the Philosopher is said at his death to have accused nature that she had indulged a long life to Stags and Crows to whom it was of no advantage but had given to man a short one to whom yet the length of it was of great concern for thereby the life of man would be more excellent being perfected with all Arts and adorned with all kind of Learning he complained therefore that as soon as he had begun to perceive these things he was forced to expire yet he lived to the eighty fifth year of his age 12. Mycerinus the Son of Cleops King of Egypt set open the Temples of the Gods which his Father Cleops and Uncle Cephrenes had caused to be shut up he gave liberty to the people who were before oppressed and reduced to extremity of â—alamity He was also a lover and doer of Justice above all the Kings of his time and was exceedingly beloved of his people But from the Oracle of the City Buti there was this prediction sent him that he should live but six years and dye in the seventh He resented this message ill and sent back to the Oracle reproaches and complaints expostulating that whereas his Father and his Uncle had been unmindful of the gods and great oppressors of men yet had they enjoyed a long
being once all together one of them stole from his Fellows and finding this Staff at the Door accused his Sister to his Father of adultery whereof by discovery of the truth she was cleared 9. Bassianus Caracalla the Emperour after he had slain the Son of Iulia his Mother-in-law did also take her to his Wife upon this occasion Iulia was a most beautiful woman and she one day as if through negligence or accident having discovered a great part of her body naked to the eyes of her Son Bassianus sighing said thereupon I would if I might Iulia replyed If you please you may know you not that you are Emperour and that it is your part to give and not to receive Laws Hearing this he publickly marryed her and kept her as his Wife Not long after being slain by the hand of Martialis Macrinus having burnt his body sent the reliques thereof in an Vrn to Iulia his Wife and Mother then at Antioch in Syria who casting her self upon the Urn slew her self and this was the end of this incestuous copulation 10. Artaxerxes Mnemon King of Persia fell in love with his own Daughter a beautiful Virgin called Atossa which his own Mother Parysatis perceiving perswaded him to marry her and so to take her for his Wife and though the Persian Laws forbad such incestuous Marriages yet by the counsel of his wicked Mother and his own lust he had her for his Wife after which time he never prospered in any thing he took in hand 11. Lucretia the Daughter of Pope Alexander the sixth not only lay with the Pope her Father but also with her Bother the Duke of Candy which Duke was also slain by Caesar Borgia for being his Rival in his Sisters Bed Of this Lucretia is this Epitaph extant Hic jacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine sed re Thais Alexandri Filia Sponsa Nurus Here Lucrece lies a Thais in her life Pope Sixtus Daughter Daughter-in-law and Wife 12. When we came to the Court of the King of Queda we found that with a great deal of Pomp excellent Musick Dancing and largess to the poor he was solemnizing the Funerals of his Father whom he himself had stabbed on purpose to marry his own Mother after he had already gotten her with Child As a remedy in these evils he made proclamation that on pain of a most rigorous death no person whatsoever should be so daring as to speak a word of that which had passed and it was told us how for that cause he had already put to death divers principal personages of his Kingdom and a number of Merchants CHAP. LII Of such as have been warned of their approaching death who yet were not able to avoid it WHen Alexander the Great then in India had been told by an Oracle that he should dye by Poyson at Babylon and that within the compass of the next eight months he was importunate to know further who was the person that should give him that Poyson But he had no other answer than this That the Fates cannot be deceived So it seems for when the appointed time is come 't is easie to observe how some push on themselves by a wilful and presumptuous foolhardiness and to others their very caution and circumspection hath proved as fatal to them as any other thing 1. Advâ—rtisements were come from all parts both within and without the Realm from Spain Rome Lorrain and Savoy to give notice to Henry of Lorrain Duke of Guise in the reign of Henry the third of France that a bloody catastrophe would dissolve that assembly he had then occasioned of the Estates The Almanacks had well observed it it was generally bruited in the Estates that the execution should be on St. Thomas day the very Eve before the Dukes death the Duke himself sitting down to Dinner found a scrole under his Napkin advertising him of a secret ambush of the King and his but he writ underneath with his own hand They dare not and threw it under the Tabâ—e seeing therefore that no warning would abate his confidence nor awake his security his murder was performed on this manner Upon December 23. 1588. the King assembles his Council having before prepared seven of his Gentlemen that were near his person to execute his will The Duke of Guise came and attending the beginning of the Council sends for an Handkerchief Pericart his Secretary not daring to commit this new advertisement to any mans report tyes a note to one of the corners thereof saying Come forth and save your self else you are but a dead man But Larchant the Captain of the Kings Guard staid the Page that carried it and caused another to be given to him by St. Prix the chief Groom of the Kings Chamber The spirit of man doth often prophesie the mischief that doth pursue him the Duke in the Council feels strange alterations and extraordinary distemperatures and amidst his distrust a great fainting of his heart St. Prix presents unto him some Prunes of Brignolles and Raysins of the Sun he eats and thereupon the King calls him into his Cabinet by Revol one of the Secretaries of State as it were to confer with him about some secret of importance the Duke leaves the Council to pass into the Cabinet and as he lift up the Tapestry with one hand to enter they charge him with Swords Daggers and Partisanes and so he was slain 2. Certain it is that some good while before the Duke of Buckinghams death by the Knife of Felton Sir Clement Throckmorton a Gentleman then living advised him to wear a privy Coat whâ—se Council the Duke received very kindly but gave him this answer That against any popular fury a Shirt of Male would be but a silly defence and as for any single mans assault he took hiâ—self to be in no danger so dark is destiny 3. The night before King William the second was killed a certain Monk dreamed that he saw the King gnaw the Image of Christ cruciâ—ied with his teeth and that as he was about to bite away the legs of the same Image Christ with his feet spurned him down to the ground and that as he lay on the earth there came out of his mouth a flame of fire with abundance of smoak this being related to the King by Robert Fitz Mammon he made a jest of it saying This Monk would sain have something for his dream go give him an hundred Shillings but bid him look that he dream more auspicious dreams hereafter Also the same night the King himself dreamed that the veins of his arms were broken and that the blood issued out in great abundance and many other like passages there were by which it seems he had Friends somewhere as well as Iulius Caesar that did all they could to give him warning but that as Caesars to his malus Genius would not suffer him to take it for King William notwithstanding forewarned by many signs
amongst them that was stirred up by vision whose name was Cangius and it was on this manner There appeared to him in a dream a certain person in Armour sitting upon a white Horse who thus spake to him Cangius it is the will of the Eternal God that thou shortly shalt be the King and Ruler of the Tartars that are called Malgotz thou shalt free them from that servitude under which they have long groaned and the neighbour Nations shall be subjected to them Cangius in the morning before the seven Princes and Elders of the Malgotz rehearses what he had dreamed which they all at the first looked upon as ridiculous but the next night all of them in their sleep seemed to behold the same person he had told them of and to hear him commanding them to obey Cangius Whereupon summoning all the people together they commanded them the same and the Princes themselves in the first place took the Oath of Allegiance to him and intituled him the first Emperour in their language Chan which signifies King or Emperour All such as succeeded him were aâ—ter called by the same name of Chan and were of great Fame and Power This Emperour freed his people subdued Georgia and the greater Armenia and afterwards wasted Polonia and Hungary 5. Antigonus dreamed that he had sowed Gold in a large and wide field that the seed sprang up flourished and grew ripe but that streight after he saw all this golden harvest was reaped and nothing left but the worthless stubble and stalks and then he seemed to hear a voice that Mithridates was fled into the Euxine Pontus carrying along with him all the golden harvest This Mithridates was descended of the Persian Magi and was at this time in the Retinue of this Antigonus King of Macedonia his Country of Persia being conquered and his own Fortunes ruined in that of the publick The dream was not obscure neither yet the signification of it The King therefore being awaked and exceedingly terrified resolves to cut off Mithridates and communicates the matter with his own Son Demetrius exacting of him a previous oath for his silence Demetrius was the Friend of Mithridates as being of the same age and by accident he encounters him as he came from the King The young Prince pities his Friend and would willingly assist him but he is restrained by the reverence of his oath Well he takes him aside and with the point of his Spear writes in the sand Fly Mithridates which he looking upon and admonished at once with those words and the countenance of Demetrius he privily flies into Cappadocia and not long after founded the famous and potent Kingdom of Pontus which continued from this man to the eighth descent that other Mithridates being very difficulty overthrown by all the Power and Forces of the Romans 6. The night before the Battel at Philippi Artorius or as others M. Antonius Musa Physician to Octavianus had a dream wherein he thought he saw Minerva who commanded him to tell Octavianus that though he was very sick he should not therefore decline his being present at the Battel which when Caesar understood he commanded himself to be carried in his Litter to the Army where he had not long remained before his Tents were seised upon by Brutus and himself also had been had he not so timely removed 7. Quintus Catulus a noble Roman saw as he thought in his depth of rest Iupiter delivering into the hand of a child the Ensign of the Roman People and the next night after he saw the same child hug'd in the bosome of the same God Whom Catulus offering to pluck from thence Iupiter charged him to lay no violent hands on him who was born for the Weal and preservation of the Roman Empire The very next morning when Q. Catulus espy'd by chance in the street Octavianus then a child afterwards Augustus Caesar and perceiving him to be the same he ran unto him and with a loud acclamation said Yes this is he whom the last night I beheld hug'd in the bosome of Iupiter 8. Iulius Caesar was excited to large hopes this way for he dreamed that he had carnal knowledge of his Mother and being confounded with the uncouthness of it he was told by the Interpreters that the Empire of the World was thereby presaged unto him for the Mother which he beheld subject unto him was no other than that of the Earth which is the common Parent of all men 9. Arlotte the Mother of William the Conquerour being great with him had a dream like that of Mandane the Mother of Cyrus the first Persian Monarch namely that her bowels were extended and dilated over all Normandy and England 10. Whilst I lived at Prague saith an English Gentleman and one night had sate up very late drinking at a Feast early in the morning the Sun-beams glancing on my face as I lay in my bed I dreamed that a shadow passing by told me that father was dead At which awaking all in a sweat and affected with this dream I rose and wrote the day and hour and all circumstances thereof in a Paper-book which Book with many other things I put into a Barrel and sent it from Prague to Stode thence to be conveyed into England And now being at Nuremberg a Merchant of a noble Family well acquainted with me and my Relations arrived there who told me that my father dyed some two months past I list not to write any lies but that which I write is as true as strange when I returned into England some four years after I would not open the Barrel I sent from Prague nor look into the Paper-book in which I had written this dream till I had called my Sisters and some other Friends to be witnesses where my self and they were astonished to see my written dream answer the very day of my fathers death 11. The same Gentleman saith thus also I may lawfully swear that which my Kinsmen have heard witnessed by my Brother Henry whilst he lived that in my youth at Cambridge I had the like dream of my mothers death where my Brother Henry lying with me early in the morning I dreamed that my mother passed by with a sad countenance and told me that she could not come to my Commencement I being within five months to proceed Master of Arts and she having promised at that time to come to Cambridge when I related this dream to my Brother both of us awaking together in a sweat he protested to me that he had dreamed the very same and when we had not the least knowledge of our mothers sickness neither in our youthful affections were any whit affected with the strangeness of this dream yet the next Carrier brought us word of our mothers death 12. Doctor Ioseph Hall then Bishop of Exeter since of Norwich speaking of the good offices which Angels do to Gods servants Of this kind saith he was that
was sirnamed the Ape because he was able to express any thing by a most ingenious imitation 10. Alexander the Great carried his neck somewhat awry and thereupon all the Courtiers and Great men took up the same as a fashion and framed themselves to his manner though in so mall a matter 11. The luxury of the Romans was exceeding great in their Feasts Cloaths Houshold-stuff and whole Families unto the time of Vespasian and it was so confirmed amongst them that it could not be restrained by the force of those many Laws that were made against it But when he came to be Emperour of it self it streight became out of fashion for while he himself observed the ancient manner both in his diet and attire the love and fear of the Prince swayed more with the people than the Law it self 12. It is said of the Emperour Titus Vespasian That he could write in Cyphers and Characters most swiftly striving by way of sport and mirth with his own Secretaries and Clerks whether he or they could write fastest also he could imitate and express exactly any hand-writing whatsoever he had once seen so that he would often profess he could have made a notable Forger and Counterfeiter of Writings 13. When King Henry the Eighth of England about the year 1521. did cut his hair short immediately all the English were so moved with his example that they were all shorn whereas before they used to wear long hair 14. Lewis the Eleventh King of France used to say he would have his Son Charles understand nothing of the Latine Language further than this Qui nescit dissimulare nescit reguare He that knows not how to dissemble knows not how to reign This advice of King Lewis was so evil interpreted by the Nobles of France that thereupon they began to despise all kind of learning On the contrary when Francis the First shewed himself a mighty Favourer of learning and learned men most men in imitation of his example did the like 15. Ernestus Prince of Lunenburg complaining to Luther of the immeasurable drinking that was at Courts Luther replied That Princes ought to look thereunto Ah! Sir said he we that are Princes do so our selves otherwise it would long since have gone down Manent exempla regentum In vulgus When the Abbot throweth the Dice the whole Covent will play 16. Queen Anne the Wife of King Iames had a Wen in her neck to hide which she used to wear a Ruff and this they say was the original and first occasion of that fashion which soon after spread it self over the most part of England 17. A certain Duke of Bavaria before he went to his Diet or Council used to call his Servant to bring him water in a Bason in the bottom whereof was stamped in Gold the Image of Cato Major that so he might fix the impression of his Image in his mind the imitation of whose vertues he had prudently proposed for his practice 18. The Emperour Charles the Fifth having resigned his Kingdom and betaken himself to a Monastery laboured to wash out the stains of his defiled Conscience by Confession to a Priest and with a Discipline of platted Cords he put himself to a constant and sharp Penance for his former wicked life This Discipline his Son King Philip ever had in great veneration and a little before his death commanded it to be brought unto him as it was stained in the blood of Charles his Father Afterwards he sent it to his Son Philip the Third to be kept by him as a Relique and a sacred Monument 19. Antoninus Caracalla being come to Troy visited the Tomb of Achilles adorning it with a Crown and dressing it with flowers and framing himself to the imitation of Achilles he called Festus his best beloved Freed-man by the name of Patroclus While he was there Festus died made away on purpose as it was supposed by him that so he might bury him with the same Solemnities as Achilles did his Friend Indeed he buried him honourably using all the same Rites as Achilles had done in the Funerals of Patroclus In this performance when he sought for hair to cast upon the funeral Pile and that he had but thin hair he was laughed at by all men yet he caused that little he had to be cast into the fire being clipped off for that purpose He also was a studious Imitator of Alexander the Great he went in the Macedonian Habit chose out a Band of young men whom he called the Macedonian Phalanx causing them to use such Arms as were used when Alexander was alive and commanded the Leaders of the Roman Legions to take upon themselves the names of such Captains as served Alexander in his Wars CHAP. XXII Of the Authority of some persons amongst their Souldiers and Country-men and Seditions appeased by them divers ways NEar Assos there are stones which in few days not only consume the flesh of dead bodies but the very bones too and there is in Palestine an Earth of the same operation and quality Thus there are some men who by their singular prudence and authority are able not only to cease the present tumult and disorder of a people but to take such effectual course that the very seeds and causes of their fermentation and distemper should be utterly consumed and removed Of what force the presence of some and the eloquence of others hath been in this matter see in the Chapter following 1. Caius Caesar the Dictator intending to transfer the War into Africa his Legionaries at Rome rose up in a general mutiny desiring to be disbanded and discharged from the War Caesar though otherwise perswaded by all his friends went out to them and shewed himself amongst the enraged multitude He called them Quirites that is Commoners of Rome by which one word he so shamed and subdued them that they made answer they were Souldiers and not Commoners and being then by him publickly discharged they did not without difficulty obtain of him to be restored to their Commissions and places 2. Arcagathus the Son of Agathocles had slain Lycifcus a great Captain for some intemperate words whereupon the friends of the dead put the Army into such a commotion that they demanded Arcagathus to death and threatned the same punishment to Agathocles himself unless he did yield up his Son Besides this divers Captains with their Companies spake of passing over to the Enemy Agathocles fearing to be delivered into the hands of the Enemy and so to be put to some ignominious death thought in case he must suffer he had better die by the hands of his own Souldiers so laying aside the Royal Purple and putting on a vile garment he came forth to them silence was made and all ran together to behold the novelty of the thing when he made a Speech to them agreeable to the present state of things he told them of the great
to bear these his last words to the Prelate That being too weak to contend though the Law was on his side he gave place and was also departing this life but that God would be the Judge unto whom he made his appeal that therefore both of them should prepare to order their Cause before his Tribunal where favour and power set aside only Justice should prevail Not long after the Abbot died of a Feaver and soon after him the Bishop also for one time as he was mounting his Horse he fell down as one stricken with a Thunderbolt and his last words were That he was hurried away to the Judgment-seat of God there to be judged 8. The Genoways sent out their Gallies against the Pirates and in the way took a small Ship of Sicily together with the Master of it whom in contempt of the Sicilians they hanged up The poor man said he suffered unjustly since he had never done any thing of injury to them but perceiving all his plaints to be in vain he appealed unto God for Justice and cited the Admiral of the Genoways to make his appearance at his Bar within six months within which time he that was thus cited died 9. Amphilothius a Tribune was accused to have conspired against the life of Constantius the Emperour but seeing the thing could not be made out by sufficient proof Constantius bad his accusers to create him no further trouble but to remit the Tribune to the tortures of his own conscience for if he was really guilty they should behold even in his presence the evident tokens thereof The next day therefore while they beheld the Plays the Seat where the Tribune sate over against the Emperour fell down to the ground those that sate therein were but lightly hurt only the Tribune himself was taken up dead 10. Patrick Hamilton studied at Marpurge and afterwards returning into his Country was informed against by Aâ—ex Cambel with whom he had conferred about matters of Religion oppressed by the Priests he was burnt by the Church of St. Andrew An. 1527. in the twenty fourth year of his age As he was leading towards his death he thus spake unto Cambel Thou wicked Wretch who now condemnest those things which thou knowest to be true as thou hast confessed unto me but a few days since I do summon thee to appear before the Tribunal of the living God Cambel was troubled at these words and from that very day was never in his right mind but soon after died mad 11. There was one Agrestius who reproached and calumniated Columbanus when he was dead Eustachius the Abbot who had been Scholar to Columbanus a man famous for patience and great knowledge boldly sets upon this slanderer in this manner Thou Agrestius said he I am the Disciple and Successour of him whose doctrine and discipline thou thus rashly condemnest and before these Priests I do invite thee to the divine Judgment and within this year see that thou there make thine appearance thou shalt then know from the most just Judge whose vertue thou hast slandered Agrestius looked upon these as vain and ridiculous threats and also refused the place of the Penitents often proffered to him but the words of Eustachius had a mighty weight for upon the thirtieth day before the year was at an end Agrestius by a Servant of his whom he had bought for a Slave was stricken with an Ax that he died 12. In Sweden Iohannes Turso gave sentence upon a certain man that he should lose his head who when all other defence was denied him fell down upon his knees Behold said he I die unjustly and I cite thee unjust Judge to Gods Tribunal there to answer for my head within this hour These were looked upon as frivolous words but scarce was the man beheaded by the Executioner when the Judge himself fell down dead from his Horse 13. An. 1013. Menwercus Bishop of the Paderbonensian Church determined to restore the decayed Discipline in the Monastery of Corbeia he began this his reformation first in point of Manners but Walo the Abbot stoutly opposed him as one that would not admit of any greater strictness The Cause was brought before the Emperour and at last it came to this that the Abbot was put out of his place Whereupon the Bishop constant to his purpose again sets upon the reformation he first intended and designed to begin the work with the celebration of Divine Service in that Church But one Boso a Monk of that Monastery and Sacrist of the place denied him the holy Garments and threw those off from the Altar which the Prelate had brought thither He was admonished again and again and still he persisted in his contumacy The Bishop moved with so great an injury cited the Monk to the divine Judgment who thus contemned all humane Laws in these words Thou shalt render said he an account of this deed to the most High The Monk slighted this menace and derided the Bishop but the success was that in the very same hour wherein the Bishop departed this life the Monk Boso being at that time under the Barbers hand to be shaved suddenly fell down and died 14. Benno was Bishop of Misnia and forty years together had he sate in that See presiding there with vigilance and sanctity that he was famous for many miraculous works amongst which the following was one Otho the Marquess of Misnia a covetous man against all Justice seised upon the Goods of that Church The vigilant Pastor Benno supposing so great an injury was not to be dissembled admonished the Marquess with all mildness and told him he should do well of his own accord to restore the Church of Misnia her rights if not there was a most just Judge to be appealed to in the case who not only did take notice of all injuries but in a convenient season would exactly revenge them And said he to this Tribunal in case all other help fail this present controversie is to be referred The Marquess being a furious man and not able to bear this liberty of speaking though delivered with sincerity and humanity gave Benno the Bishop a box on the ear who inspired from above told him That God should revenge this injury also at the same time in the following year The Marquess scoffed at this prophecy And who Bishop said he made thee the chief Secretary of Heaven Art thou then of Ioves Privy Council so the thing seemed to have passed away in a jest Not long after Benno fell sick and died An. 1106. The Marquess when the time of the year and the day designed by Benno was come Behold said he this is the day that Bishop Benno foretold should be so fatal to me He is gone and his prediction with him and there is nothing that we should need to fear Scarce had he spoke the words when a sudden consternation fell upon him he called for help but death executing his
many others also went in to behold the remains of his body and this is certain that his ribs were found to be not distinct as those of other men but from the shoulder to those that are called the short ribs there was only one continued and entire bone instead of the greater ribs 21. Some are born with bones concrete and solid and thâ—se they say neither sweat nor thirst such a one was Lygdamus the Syracusan who in the 33. Olympiad had the first Crown of Wrastling his bones were found to be of a solid substance throughout without any marrow in them or place for it 22. A certain Gentleman hath lived many years without any ejection of excrements by stool more than at his eyes a little before noon he sits down at his table commonly inviting divers Noble persons about one a clock he rises from table after he hath eat and drunk after the manner of other persons then he vomits up the dinner he had eaten the day before exactly retaining all that he hath newly eaten being to return that by vomiting the day following as he did that he had eaten the day before he ejects it putrid and filthy not differing from other excrements In his vomits he raises it with ease without delay at once casting up a great quantity from his stomach then washing his mouth with sweet waters he returns to the table and there eats as much as will suffice till the nâ—xt day at noon he eats no break-fasts nor suppers contented with a dinner only He hath thus continued about twenty years It often comes into my mind that this Gentleman may have two ventricles as those Creatures have that chew the cud the one of which being newly filled provokes the other to empty it self by vomit but the truth of this conjecture will be cleared only by Anatomy if it will be permitted 23. A noble Matron in our City for this six years space about ten of the clock in the morning every day â—ills a Bason containing two of our pints by vomit sometimes clear at others black with an acour that stupifies the teeth sometimes yellow with an extremity of bitterness sometimes intensely green with a loathsom smell at other times white and frothy yet doth she never vomit up any thing of what she eat at supper over-night in other respects she is of good health and in that six years hath been delivered of five children she is now almost thirty years of age 24. I saw at Genoa saith Cardanus one Antonius Benzus of the Town of Port Maurice he was thirty four years of age his complexion was pale his beard grew thin as to the habit of his body he was fat out of the paps of this man â—lowed so much of milk as was almost sufficient to have suckled a child and not only did it run out but he would spirt it out with a great force Such as have seen the new World affirm that most of the men have abundance of milk 25. Neubrigensis and also Huntingdon report of one Raynerus a wicked Minister of a more wicked Abbot that crossing the Seas with his Wife he with his iniquity so over-weighed the Ship that in the midst of the stream it was not able to stir at which the Mariners astonished cast lots and the lot fell upon Raynerus and lest this should be thought to happen by chance they cast the lots again and again and still the lot fell upon the same Raynerus whereupon they put him out of the Ship and presently the Ship as eased of her burden sailed away certainly a great Judgment of God and a great Miracle but yet recorded by one that is no fabulous Author saith Sir Richard Baker 26. In the time of King Stephen there appeared two children a Boy and a Girl clad in green in a stuff unknown of a strange language and of a strange diet whereof the Boy being baptized died shortly after but the Girl lived to be very old and being asked from whence they were she answered they were of the Land of St. Martyn where there are Christian Churches erected but that no Sun did ever rise unto them but where that Land is or how she came hither she her self knew not This I the rather write saith mine Author that we may know there are other parts of this World than those which to us are known and this story I should not have believed if it were not testified by so many and so credible Witnesses as it is 27. Hugo a child of five years old was constituted Archbishop of Rhemes to possess the Seat of the great Remigius which was to parallel the â—oot of Hercules with the leg of a Fly 28. At Hammel a Town in the Dutchy of Brunswick in the year of Christ 1284. upon the 26. day of Iune the Town being grievously troubled with Rats and Mice there came to them a Piper who promised upon a certain rate to free them from them all it was agreed he went from street to street and playing upon his Pipe drew after him out of the Town all that kind of Vermine and then demanding his wages was denied it Whereupon he began another tune and there followed him one hundred and thirty Boys to a Hill called Koppen situate on the North by the Road where they perished and werâ— never seen after This Piper was called the pyed Piper because his cloaths were of several colours This story is writ and religiously kept by them in their Annals at Hammel read in their Books and painted in their Windows and in their Churches of which I am a witness by my own sight Their elder Magistrates for the confirmation of the truth of this are wont to write in conjunction in their publick Books such a year of Christ and such a year of the Transmigration of the children c. It 's also observed in the memory of it that in the street he passed out of no Piper be admitted to this day The street is called Burgelosestrasse if a Bride be in that street till she is gone out of it there is no dancing to be suffered 29. Ptolomaeus the Son of Lagus intending to erect a Library at Alexandria and to furnish it with all such good Books as were extant requested of the Jews inhabiting Ierusalem that they would send him their Books translated into the Greek Tongue they forasmuch as they were yet subject unto the Macedonians sent unto Ptolomaeus seventy Elders from amongst them very skilful in their Books and both the Tongues Ptolomaeus fearing if they conferred together they would conceal the truth revealed in their Books commanded them severally every man by himself to write his Translation and this in every Book throughout the Old Testament When as they all came together in presence of Ptolomaeus and compared their Translations one with another from the very beginning to the ending they had expressed the same thing with the same words and
in the same sentences so that the Gentiles then present pronounced those Scriptures to have been translated by the inspiration of the holy Spirit of God 30. When Anterus had sate Bishop of Rome for one month only he died after whose death it was that Fabianus came from the Country together with certain others to dwell at Rome when such a thing as never was seen before at the Election of a Bishop happened then by the divine and celestial Grace of God For when all the Brethren had gathered themselves together for to make choice of a Bishop and many thought upon divers notable and famous men Fabianus being there present with others when as every one thought least nay nothing at all of him suddenly from above there came a Dove and rested upon his head after the example of the Holy Ghost which in likeness of a Dove descended upon our Saviour and so the whole multitude being moved thereat with one and the same Spirit of God cryed out chearfully with one accord that he was worthy of the Bishoprick and immediately he was taken and installed Bishop 31. Constantine the Emperour going against the Tyrant Maxentius had a certain Vision It was about noon the day somewhat declining when he saw in the Sky a lightsom Pillar in form of a Cross wherein these words were engraven In hoc vince i.e. In this overcome This so amazed the Emperour that he mistrusting his own sight demanded of them that were present whether they perceived the Vision which when all with one consent had affirmed the wavering mind of the Emperour understand it of Religion whether he should become a Christian or not was setled with that divine and wonderful sight The night following he dreamed that Christ came unto him and said Frame to thy self the form of a Cross after the example of the sign which appeared unto thee and bear the same against the enemies as a fit Banner or token of Victory which he accordingly did and was victorious 32. That was a rare instance of propitious Fortune which befel Thomas Serranus who in one and the same year was consecrated Bishop elected Cardinal and also attained to the Popedom by the name of Nicholas the Fifth 33. Franciscus Trovillon was a man of a middle stature a full body bald except in the hinder part of the head which had a few hairs upon it his temper was morose and his demeanour altogether rustick he was born in a little Village called Mezieres and bred up in the Woods amongst the Charcoal men About the seventh year of his age he began to have a swelling in his forehead so that about the seventeenth year of his age he had a horn there as big as a mans finger end which afterwards did admit of that growth and increase that when he came to be thirty five years old this horn had both the bigness and resemblance of a Rams horn It grew upon the midst of his forehead and then bended backward as far as the coronal â—uture where the other end of it did sometimes so stick in the skin that to avoid much pain he was constrained to cut off some part of the end of it whether this horn had its roots in the skin or forehead I know not but probably being of that weight and bigness it grew from the skull it self nor am I certain whether this man had any of those teeth which we call Grinders For two months together the man was exposed to shew in Paris where saith Vrstitius in the year 1598. I in company with Dr. Iacobus Faeschius the publick Professor at Basil and Mr. Iohannes Eckenstenius did see and handle this horn From Paris he was carried to Orleance where as I am informed he died soon after he came 34. In the time of a grievous Persecution Felix Presbyter of the City of Nola by a divine instinct hid himself in the corner of a ruined Wall and before the Persecutors had pursued him thither a Spider had drawn her web at the mouth of the hole whereinto the Presbyter had put himself His enemies told them that Felix was crept in at that very place but they beholding the Spiders web could not be perswaded that any man could enter and lurk there where the Spiders lived and laboured so securely and thereupon by their departure Felix escaped Paulinus once Bishop of that City hath these Verses upon this occasion which I will also try to English Eccubi Christus adest tenuissima aranea muro est At ubi Christus abest murus aranea fiet Where God is present Spiders spin a wall He gone our Bulwarks like to cobwebs fall 35. In the Reign of King Henry the Eighth there was one Mr. Gresham a Merchant of London who was sailing homewards from Paâ—ermo a City in Sicily wherein was dwelling at that time one Antonio sirnamed the Rich who had at one time two Kingdoms mortgaged to him by the King of Spain Mr. Gresham crossed by contrary winds was constrained to anchor under the Lee of the Island of Strombulo where was a burning Mountain Now about the mid-day when for a certain space the Mountain used to forbear sending forth flames he with eight of the Sailors ascended the Mountain approaching as near the vent as they durst where amongst other noises they heard a voice cry aloud Dispatch dispatch the Rich Antonio is a coming Terrified herewith they hasted their return and the Mountain presently vomited out fire but from so dismal a place they made all the haste they could and desiring to know more of this matter since the winds still thwarted their course they returned to Palermo and forthwith inquiring for Antonio they found that he was dead about the instant so near as they could compute when that voice was heard by them Mr. Gresham at his return into England reported this to the King and the Marinâ—â—s being called before him confirmed the same by their Oaths Upon Gresham this wrought so deep an impression that he gave over all merchandizing distributed his Estate partly to his Kindred and partly to good uses retaining only a competency for himself and so spent the rest of his days in a solitary devotion 36. That is much to be admired at as being little less than a Miracle which is related of Xenophilus a Musician who lived to the age of an hundred and five years without any manner of disease or indisposition of body throughout his whole life 37. The Governour of Mountmarine besieged by Augustus the base Son of the Prince of Salucia was called forth as it were to parley and then held Prisoner he was threatned with death if he yielded not up the place and was so frighted with the apprehensions of this undeserved death that he sweat blood over all his body CHAP. XX. Of matters of importance and high Designs either promoted or made to miscarry by small matters or strange accidents PLutarch tells us of a