soon as the Veins of his Head were swollen with blood the string would burst asunder 4. The diligent Bartholinus tells of a Religious Person of forty years of Age who had the hinder part of his skull so firm and compact though Hippocrates affirm it to be the weakest thereabouts that he was able to endure a Coach-wheel to pass over it without any sensible damage to him 5. Amongst the rarities of Pope Paul the Fourth there is to be seen saith Columbus the Head of a Gyant for it is the biggest that I ever beheld in which the lower Jaw is so connate and conjoyned to the Head that it utterly wants all motion and could not but do so when the Person was living for I saw with these eyes the first joynt of the Neck so fastned to the hinder part of the Head that it is impossible it should ever move 6. In the County of Transtagana in Portugal near the Town call'd Villa Amaena there liv'd a Rich Man whose Wife was brought to bed of a Man-child which at his birth had a broad and hard knot upon his Fore-head his Parents by the advice of the Physicians made little of it the child being arriv'd â—o five years of Age it also was in that time much grown out so that the Physicians betook themselves to frequent purgations but all in vain for the knot without any pain grew out into a Pyramidical Horn of the length of a Span broad at the root of it and at the point the thickness of a Man's thumb end being grown to Man's estate he would not suffer it to be cut off though both Physicians and Surgeons affirm'd it might be done without danger he addicted himself to his studies and made singular progress therein 7. Hildanus reports he saw a Man who came into the World with a horn in the midst of his Fore-head it was inverted like to that of a Rams and turn'd upwards to the coronel â—uture or the top of his head 8. Twenty eight years after the death of Cardinal Ximenes the Grave wherein his body lay was digg'd up his bones taken out and his Head once the Palace of the greatest Judgement that ever appear'd in Spain his skull was found to be all of a piece without any â—uture the mark of a strong brain but withal the cause of the continual Head-achs he was so very subject unto in his Life the vapours that ascended into the head wanting that vent which is so usual in others 9. The Aegyptians have skulls generally of that hardness that hardly can they be broken with a stone that is flung at them on the contrary the skulls of the Persians are so very weak that they are broken with a small and inconsiderable force The cause of this is believed to be that the Aegyptians from their Boyage are used to cut their hair and their skulls are thus hardned by the heat of the Sun which also is the reason that few of them are bald on the other side the Persians do not cut their hair from their infancy and are accustomed to have their heads always cover'd with their Shasnes or Turbants 10. Albertus the Marquess of Brandenburgh who was born the 24 th of November Anno Dom. 1414. and had the sirname of the German Achilles had no junctures or sutures in his Skull as is yet to be seen at Heilbronna where it is kept 11. Nicholo de Conti saith that in his time the Sumatrians were all Gentiles and the Man-eaters amongst them used the skulls of their eaten enemies instead of Money exchanging the same for their necessaries and he was accounted the richest Man who had most of those skulls in his house 12. In Thebet amongst the Tartarians the people in times past bestowed on their Parents no other Sepulcher then their own Bowels and yet in part retain it making fine cups of their deceased Fathers skulls that drinking out of them in the midst of their jollity they may not forget their Progenitors 13. The Men of the Province of Dariene paint themselves when they go to the Wars and they stand in need of no Helmet or Head piece for their skulls have such natural hardness upon them that they will break a Sword that is let drive upon them 14. Iohannes Pfeil liv'd at Lipsia and while he practis'd Physick there a Citizen was his Patient who was so vehemently troubled with a daily and intollerable pain in his head that by reason of it he could take no rest either night nor day the Physician prescribed to him all things that might seem convenient for him and procure other Medicines at his own charges but all to no purpose for the sick Man over-powred with the extremity of his pain and want of rest gave up the Ghost Pfeil his Physician with leave of his Friends dissected the Head of the Deceased and in the brain found a stone of the magnitude and figure of a Mulberry by eating of which fruit the Patient had said he had contracted his Disease this stone was of an Ash colour and he afterwards shewed it unto many as matter of singular admiration 15. Pericles the Athenian was of a decent composure in respect of the other parts of his body but his Head was extraordinary great and very long in the figure and shape of it no way answering to the other lineaments of his body Hereupon it is that almost all the Statues that remain to be seen of him have Helmets upon the heads of them The Artificers taking that course to hide that natural deformity that was in â—â— Illustrious a Person 20. Philocles a Comical Poet was Aeschylus his Sisters Son this Man had a Head that was sharp raised and pointed in the Crown of it like a Sugar-loaf 21. Mahomet that great impostor and the framer of the Alcoran is said to have a head of an unusual and extraordinary bigness CHAP. XII Of the Hair of the Head how worn and other particularities about it APuleius thought the hair of the Head to be so great and necessary an Ornament that saith he the most beautiful Woman is nothing without it though she came from Heaven be born of the Sea brought up in the Waves as another Venus though surrounded with the Graces and attended with all the Troops of little Cupids though Venus girdle be about her and she breath Cinamon and sweet Balsom yet if she be bald she cannot please no not so much as her own Vulcan As a Beast without Horus a Tree without Leaves and a Field without Grass such saith Ovid is one without Hair It is without doubt a considerable ornament and additional beauty how some have worn it and concerning other accidents about it see the following examples 1. Cardanus relates of a Carmelâ—te that as oâ—t as he kemb'd his head sparks of fire were seen to â—ly out of his Haiâ— and that thereupon he was invited to feasts that
could not be drawn to Sacrifice these he kept with him and both commended and honoured his Motto was Virtus dum patitur vincit 43. Flavius Constantinus son of Chlorus sirnamed Magnus or the Great the first Emperour who countenanced the Gospel and embraced it publickly which he is said to have done on this occasion At the same time that he was saluted Emperour in Britain Maxentius was chosen at Rome by the Praetorian Souldiers and Licinius named successour by Maximus the Associate of his Father Chlorus Being pensive and solicitous upon these distractions he cast his eyes upwards towards Heaven where he saw in the Air a lightsom Pillar in the form of a Cross whereon he read these words In hoc vince in this overcome The next night our Saviour appeared to him in a Vision commanded him to bear that Figure in his Standard and he should overcome all his enemies this he performed and was accordingly Victorious From this time he not only favoured the Christians but became a zealous Professour of the Faith and Gospel his Motto was Immedicabile vulnus Ense rescindendum he died aged sixty five having Reigned thirty one years 44. Constans the youngest son of Constantinus the Great his brother Constantine being dead in the third year of his Reign remained sole Emperour of the West his Motto was Crescente superbia decrescit Fortuna 45. Constantius the other of Constantines sons succeeded Constans in his part after his decease uniting the divided Empire into one Estate He turned Arian Persecuted the Orthodox and died of a bloody Flux in the forty fifth year of his age and twenty fifth of his Reign 46. Valentinian Emperour of the West his brother Valens Ruling in Constantinople and the Eastern parts a good and vertuous Prince restored to the Church her Liberties and Possessions his Motto was Princeps servator justus 47. Valentinian the second youngest son of the former Valentinian 48. Honorius the second son of Theodosius the Emperour in his time Alarick with the Goths invaded Italy Sack'd Rome and made themselves Masters of the Country his Motto was Male partum male disperit 49. Valentinian the third during his time Atila and the Hunnes made foul work in Italy and the Vandals seised upon Africk as they did on Italy and Rome also after his decease He was murdered by Maximinus a Roman whose Wife he had trained to the Court and ravished his Motto was Omnia mea mecum porto 50. Maximinus having slain Valentinian the third succeeded in the Empire but on the coming of the Vandals whom Eudoxia the former Empress lâ—ad drawn into Italy he was stoned to death by his own Souldiers 51. Avitus chosen Emperour in a Military Tumult 52. Majoranus 53. Severus 54. Anthemius at the end of five years was slain by Recimer a Suevian born the chief Commander of the Army this man had an aim at the Empire himself but he died as soon as he had vanquished and slain Anthemius 55. Olybrius an Emperour of four Months only 56. Glictrius another of as little note 57. Iulius Nepos deposed by Orestes a Noble Roman who gave the Empire to his son called at first Momillus but after his assuming the Imperial Title he was called as in contempt 58. Augustulus the last of the Emperours who resided in Italy vanquished by Odoacer King of the Heruli and Turingians Thus an Augustus raised this Empire and an Augustulus ruined it After this the Goths and Lombards and other Nations obtained the Dominion of the West yet notwithstanding their prevailing power for about three hundred years they all of them abstained from the Name Dignity and Stile of Emperours till at length 59. Carolus Magnus was Anointed and Crowned Emperour by Leo the third in Rome a prudent and Godly Emperour favoured the Christians died in the seventy first year of his age and was buried at Aken 60. Ludovicus Pius so called for his gentle and meek behaviour he gave away that right That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour and thereby open'd a door to all mischief which after followed he Reigned twenty six years his Motto was Omnium rerum vicissitudo 61. Ludovicus the second Sirnamed the Ancient Reigned twenty one years and dying without Children his brother 62. Carolus Calvus King of France by gifts obtained at the hands of the Bishop of Rome to be anointed Emperour he enjoy'd the Title but two years and was poysoned by one Zedechias a Jew his Physician 63. Carolus Crassus son of Lewis the Ancient he Reigned ten years in his time the Normans made desolations in France Crassus for his negligence and evil Government was deposed his Motto was Os garrulum intricat omnia 64. Arnulphus Nephew of the former Crowned Emperour by Pope Formosus besieging the Wife of Guido Duke of Spoleto she hired some of his Servants who gave him a cup of poyson which brought him into a Lethargy and three daies sleeping continually after this he arose sick left the Siege and died his Motto was Facilis descensus averni 65. Lewis the third his son succeeded in his time the Hungars invaded Italy France and Germany as the Saracens did Calabria and Apulia he Reigned ten years his Motto was Multorum manus paucorum consilium 66. Conrade the son of Conrade the brother of Lewis the third he was the last of the Off-spring of Charles the Great who had enjoyed the Empire of the West one hundred and twelve years after whom the Empire was transferred to the Saxons his Motto was Fortuna cum blanditur fallit 67. Henricus Auceps or the Fowler Duke of Saxony for wisdom and magnanimity worthy of so high a place he vanquished the Hungars made the Slavonians and Bohemians Tributaries to him and purged his Dominions from Simony an universal fault almost in those daies his Motto was Piger ad poenas ad praemia velox 68. Otho the first his son succeeded was molested with many Foreign and Domestick Wars his son Lyndolphus Rebelled against him but was by him overcome Otho prospering in all his Enterprizes had the Sirname of Great after he had declared his son to be Emperour he died and was buried at Magdeburg in a Church himself had builded his Motto was Aut mors aut vita decora 69. Otho the second son of the former succeeded a vertuous Prince he prevailed against Henry Duke of Bavaria who contended with him for the Empire he died at Rome was buried in the Church of St. Peter his Motto was Pacem cum hominibus cum vitiis bellum 70. Otho the third but eleven years of age when his Father died he was wise above his years and therefore called Mirabile mundi or the wonder of the World by his advice Gregory the fifth instituted the seven Electors of the Empire Unhappy in his Wife Mary of Arragon a barren Harlot A pair of empoysoned Gloves sent him by the Widow of Crescentius procured his death he was buried
the building of the City His first eleven Books are all that are extant in which he reaches to the two hundred and twelfth year of the City He â—lourished in the time of Augustus Caesar and is said to have lived in the Family of M. Varro 10. Polybius of Megalopolis was the Master Councellour and daily Companion of Scipio the younger who in the year of the World 3800. razed Carthage he begins his Roman History from the first Punick War and of the Greek Nation the Achaeans from the fortieth year after the death of Alexander the Great of forty Books he wrote but five are left and the Epitomes of twelve other in which he reaches to the Battel at Cynoscephale betwixt King Philip of Macedon and the Romans 11. Salustius wrote many Parts of the Roman History in a pure and quaint brevity of all which little is left besides the Conspiracy of Catiline oppressed by the Consul Cicero sixty years before the birth of Christ and the War of Iugurth managed by C. Marius the Consul in the forty fourth year before the Conspiracy aforesaid 12. Iulius Caesar hath wrote the History of his own Acts in the Gallick and Civil Wars from the 696 year ab V. C. to the 706. and comprized them in Commentaries upon every year in such a purity and beautiful propriety of expression and such a native candour that nothing is more terse polite more useful and accommodate to the framing of a right and perspicuous expression of our selves in the Latin Tongue 13. Velleius Paterculus in a pure and sweet kind of speech hath composed an Epitome of the Roman History and brought it down as far as the thirty second year after the birth of Christ that is the sixteenth year of Tiberius under whom he flourished and was Questor 14. Cornelius Tacitus under Adrian the Emperour was Praefect of the Belgick Gaul he wrote a History from the death of Augustus to the Reign of Trajan in thirty Books of which the five first contain the History of Tiberius the last eleven Books from the eleventh to the twenty first which are all that are extant reach from the eighth year of Claudius to the beginning of Vespasian and the besieging of Ierusalem by Titus which was Anno Dom. 72. He hath comprised much in a little is proper neat quick and apposite in his stile and adorns his discourse with variety of Sentences 15. Suetonius was Secretary to Adrian the Emperour and in a proper and concise stile hath wrote the Lives of the twelve first Emperours to the death of Domitian and the ninety eighth year of Christ he hath therein exactly kept to that first and chief Law of History which is That the Historian should not dare to set down any thing that is false and on the other side That he have courage enough to set down what is true It is said of this Historian That he wrote the Lives of those Emperours with the same liberty as they lived 16. Dion Cassius was born at Nice in Bythinia he wroâ—e the History of nine hundred eighty one years from the building of Rome to Ann. Dom. 231. in which year he was Consul with Alexander Severus the Emperour and finished his History in eighty Books of all which scarce twenty â—ive Books from the thirty sixth to the sixty first and the beginning of Nero are at this time extant 17. Herodianus wrote the History of his own time from the death of M. Antoninus the Philosopher or the year of Christ 181. to the murder of the Gordiani in Africa Ann. Dom. 241. which is rendred purely into Latin by Angelus Politianus 18. Iohannes Zonaras of Byzantium wrote a History from Augustus to his own times and the year of our Lord 1117. the chief of the Oriental Affairs and Emperours he hath digested in the second and third Tomes of his Annals from whence Cuspinianus and others borrow almost all that they have Zonaras is continued by Nicaetas Gregoras and he by Chalcâ—ndylas 19. Eutropius wrote the Epitome of the Roman History in ten Books to the death of Iovinian Anno Dom. 368. He was present in the Expedition of Iulian into Persia and flourished in the Reign of Valens the Emperour 20. Ammianus Marcellinus a Grecian by birth War'd many years under Iulian in Gallia and Germany and wrote the History of the Romans in thirty one Books the fourteenth to the thirty first are all that are extant wherein at large and handsomely he describes the acts of Constantius Iulian Iovinian Valentinian and Valens the Emperours unto the year of Christ 382. 21. Iornandes a Goth hath wrote the History of the Original Eruptions Families of their Kings and principal Wars of the Goths which he hath continued to his own time that is the year of our Lord 550. 22. Procopius born at Caesarea in Palestine and Chancellour to Belisarius the General to Iustinian the Emperour being also his Councellour and constant companion in seven Books wrote the Wars of Belisarius with the Persians Vandals and Goths wherein he also was present 23. Agathias of Smyrna continues Procopius from the twenty seventh of Iustinian Anno Dom. 554. to the end of his Reign Anno Dom. 566. the Wars of Narses with the Goths and Franks with the Persians at Cholchiâ— wherein he recites the Succession of the Persian Kings from Artaxerxes who Anno Dom. 230. seised on the Parthian Empire to the Reign of Iustinian Anno Dom. 530. and in the end treats of the irruption of the Hunnes into Thrace and Greece and their repression by Belisarius now grown old 24. Paulus Diaconus of Aquileia Chancellour to Desiderius King of the Lombards Writes the entire History of the Lombards to Ann. Dom. 773. in which Charles the Great took Desiderius the last King and brought Lombardy under his own power 25. Haithonus an Armenian many years a Souldier in his own Country afterwards a Monk at Cyprus coming into France about the year of Christ 1307. was commanded by Pope Clement the fifth to write the Empire of the Tartars in Asia and the Description of other oriental Kingdoms 26. Laonicus Chalchondylas an Athenian wrote the History of the Turks in ten Books from Ottoman Anno 1300. to Mahomet the second who took Constantinople Anno Dom. 1453. and afterwards continued his History to Ann. 1464. 27. Luiâ—prandus of Ticinum wrote the History of the principal Affairs in all the Kingdoms of Europe in his time at most of which he himself was present his History is comprised in six Books and commencing from Anno Dom. 891. extends to Ann. Dom. 963. 28. Sigebert a Monk in a Abby in Brabant wrote his Chronicon from the death of Valens the Emperour or Anno Dom. 381. to the Empire of Henry the fifth Anno Dom. 1112. wherein he hath digested much of the French and British Affairs and acts of the German Emperours 29. Saxo Grammaticus Bishop of the Church of Rotschilden wrote the Danish History from utmost Antiquity to his
were sung in honour of Christ and instead thereof ordered some in honour of himself to be sung in Churches by women In the Synod of Antioch he was convicted by Malchion a Presbyter and condemned Anno 273. This Heresie was also embraced by Photinus a Galatian Bishop of Syrmium and propagated by him Anno 323. and thence they took the name of Photinians 10. Manes a Persian by birth and a Servant by condition was father of the Manichaean Sect he was flea'd alive for poysoning the King of Persia's son yet his wicked opinions raged in the World for three hundred and forty years after his death He held two principles or Gods one good one bad condemned eating of flesh eggs and milk held that God had members and was substantially in every thing how base soever but was separate from them by Christs coming and the elect Manichaeans He rejected the Old Testament and curtailed the New by excluding Christs Genealogy He held Christ was the Serpent which deceived our first Parents denied the divinity and humanity of Christ saying That he feigned to die and rise again and that it was really the Devil who truely was Crucified He denied the Resurrection and held Transmigration He affirmed that he was the Comforter whom Christ promised to send they Worshipped the Sun and Moon and other Idols They condemned Marriages and permitted promiscuous copulation they rejected Baptism as needless and all works of Charity they taught that our will to sin is natural and not acquired by the Fall that sin is a substance and not a quality communicated from Parents to Children they say they cannot sin deny the last Judgement and affirm that their souls shall be taken up into the Globe of the Moon 11. Arrius whence sprang the Arrians was a Libyan by birth by profession a Presbyter of Alexandria his Heresie brake out two hundred and ninety years after Christ and over-ran a great part of the Christian World They held Christ to be a Creature that he had a mans body but no humane soul the divinity supplying the room thereof they also held the Holy Ghost a Creature proceeding from a creature that is Christ their Doxology was Glory be to the Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost they re-baptized the Orthodox Christians This Heresie was condemned by the Council of Nice under Constantine And Arrius himself in the midst of his Pomp seised with a Dysentery voided his Guts in the draught and so died 12. Macedonius Bishop of Constantinople gave name to the Macedonians they held that the Holy Ghost was a creature and the servant of God and that by the Holy Spirit was meant only a power created by God and communicated to the creatures This Heresie sprung up or rather was stiffly maintained under Constantius the son of Constantine three hundred and twelve years after Christ and was condemn'd in the second Oecumenical Council at Constantinople under Theodosius the Great The Hereticks were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macedonius himself being deprived by the Arrian Bishops died private at Pylas 13. The Aerians so called from Aerius the Presbyter who lived under Valentinian the first three hundred and forty years after Christ he held that there was no difference betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter that Bishops could not ordain that there should be no set or Anniversary Fasts and they admitted none to their communion but such as were continent and had renounced the World they were also called Syllabici as standing captiously upon words and syllables The occasion of his maintaining his Heresie was his resentment that Eustathius was preferred before him to the Bishoprick 10. Florinus or Florianus a Roman Presbyter lived under Commodus the Roman Emperour one hundred fifty three years after Christ hence came the Floriani they held that God made evil and was the Author of sin whereas Moses tells us that all things which he made were very good They retained also the Jewish manner of keeping Easter and their other Ceremonies 15. Lucifer Bishop of Caralitanum in Sardinia gave name to the Luciferians he lived under Iulian the Apostate three hundred thirty three years after Christ. He taught that this World was made by the Devil that mens souls are corporeal and have their being by propagation or traduction they denied to the Clergy that fell any place for repentance neither did they restore Bishops or inferiour Clarks to their dignities if they fell into Heresie though they afterwards repented 16. Tertullianus that famous Lawyer and Divine was the leader of the Tertullianists he lived under Severus the Emperour about one hundred and seventy years after Christ. Being Excommunicated by the Roman Clergy as a Montanist he fell into these heretical Tenets That God was corporeal but without delineation of members that mens souls were not only corporeal but also distinguish'd into members and have corporeal dimensions and increase and decrease with the body that the original of souls is by traduction that souls of wicked men after death are converted into Devils that the Virgin Mary after Christ's birth did marry once they bragged much of the Paraclete or Spirit which they said was poured on them in greater measure than on the Apostles they condemned War amongst Christians and rejected second Marriages as no better than Adultery 17. Nestorius born in Germany and by fraud made Patriarch of Constantinople was the head of the Nestorians he broached his Heresie under Theodosius the younger four hundred years after Christ he taught that in Christ were two distinct Persons the Son of God and the Son of Mary that the Son of God in Christ's Baptism descended into the son of Mary and dwelt there as a lodger in a House he made the humanity of Christ equal with his divinity and so confounded their properties and operations A great part of the Eastern Bishops were of his perswasion his Heresie was condemned in the Council of Ephesus under Theodosius the younger in which Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria was President and the Author Nestorius deposed and banished into the Thebean Desarts where his blasphemous Tongue was eaten out with Worms Zeno the Emperour razed to the ground the School in Edessa called Persica where the Nestorian Heresie was taught 18. Eutyches Abbot of Constantinople from whence came the Eutychians in the year after Christ 413. set forth his Heresie holding opinions quite contrary to Nestorius to wit That Christ before the Union had two distinct natures but after the Union only one to wit the divinity which swallowed up the humanity so confounding the properties of the two natures affirming That the divine nature suffered and died and that God the Word did not take from the Virgin humane nature This Heresie condemned first in a Provincial Synod at Constantinople was set up again by Dioscurus Bishop of Alexandria at last condemned in the General Council of Chalcedon under Marcian the Emperour 19. Eunomius Bishop of Cyzicum embraced the
there was a very considerable number of the enemy slain there fell not so much as one man of the Spartans When they of Sparta heard this it is said of them that first Agesilaus and the ancient Ephori and then all the body of the people fell a weeping So far are tears in common the expressions both of Joy and Sorrow 24. Ptolomeus Philadelphus had received the sacred Volumes of the Law of God newly brought out of Iudaea and while he held them with great reverence in his hands praising God upon that account all that were present made a joyful acclamation and the King himself was so joyed thereat that he brake out into tears Nature as it seems having so ordered it that the expressions of sorrow should also be the followers of extraordinary Joys 25. When Philip King of Macedon was overcome and that all Greece was assembled to behold the Isthmian Games T. Q. Flaminius having caused silence to be made by the sound of the Trumpet he commanded these words to be proclaimed by the mouth of the Cryer The Senate and people of Rome and Titus Quinctius Flaminius their General do give liberty and immunity to all the Cities of Greece that were under the jurisdiction of King Philip. At the hearing of this there was first a confounded silence amongst the people as if they had heard nothing The Cryer having repeated the same words they set up such a strong and universal shout of Joy that it is certain that the Birds that flew over their heads fell down amazed amongst them Livy saith that the joy was greater than the minds of men were able to comprehend so that they scarce believed what they heard they gazed upon one another as if they thought themselves deluded by a dream And the Games afterwards were so neglected that no man's either mind or eye was intent upon them So far had this one joy preoccupied the sense of all other pleasures CHAP. XIII Of the Passion of Grief and how it hath acted upon some men WHilst the great Genius of Physick Hippocrates drave away maladies by his precepts and almost snatched bodies out of the hands of death one Antiphon arose in Greece who envious of his Glory promised to do upon Souls what the other did on mortal members and proposed the sublime invention which Plutarch calls the Art of curing all Sadnesses where we may truly say he used more vanity promises and ostent of words than he wrought effects Certainly it were to be wished that all ages which are abundant in miseries should likewise produce great comforts to sweeten the acerbities of humane life Another Helena were needful to mingle the divine drug of Nepenthe in the meat of so many afflicted persons as the world affords but as the expectation is vain so there are some sorrows that fall with that impetuous force upon souls and withal with that sudden surprisal that they let in death to anticipate all the hopes of recovery 1. When the Turks came to raise the Siege of Buda there was amongst the German Captains a Nobleman called Ecckius Rayschachius whose Son a valiant young Gentleman having got out of the Army without his Father's knowledge bare himself so gallantly in sight against the Enemy in the sight of his Father and of the Army that he was highly commended of all men and especially of his Father who knew him not at all yet before he could clear himself he was compassed in by the Enemy and valiantly fighting slain Rayschachichius exceedingly moved with the death of so brave a man ignorant how near it touched himself turning about to the other Captains said This worthy Gentleman whatsoever he be is worthy of eternal commendation and to be most honourably buryed by the whole Army As the rest of the Captains were with like compassion approving his speech the dead body of the unfortunate Son rescued was presented to the most miserable Father which caused all them that were present to shed tears but such a sudden and inward grief surprised the aged Father and struck so to his heart that after he had stood a while speechless with his eyes set in his head he suddenly fell down dead 2. Homer had sailed out of Chios to Io with a purpose to visit Athens here it was that being old he fell sick and so remain'd upon the shore where there landed certain Fishermen whom he asked if they had taken any thing They replyed what we caught we left behind us and what we could not catch we have brought with us meaning that when they could not catch any Fish they had lowsed themselves upon the Shore killing what they took and carrying with them such as they could not find When Homer was not able to solve this Riddle it is reported that he died with grief of mind Yet Herodotus denies it saying that the Fishermenn themselves explain'd their Aenigma and that Homer died of sickness and disease 3. Excessive was the sorrow of King Richard the Second beseeming him neither as a King Man or Christian who so fervently loved Anna of Bohemia his Queen that when she died at Sheane in Surâ—ey he both cursed the place and also out of madness overthrew the whole House 4. Vvipertus elected Bishop of Raceburg went to Rome to receive the confirmation thereof from the Pope where â—inding himself neglected and rejected by him upon the account of his youth the next night for very grief and too near an apprehension thereof all the Hair of his Head was turned grey whereupon he was received 5. Hostratus the Friar resented that Book so ill which Reuclinus had writ against him under the name of Epistolae obscurorum virorum and took it so very much to the heart that for grief he made himself away 6. Alexander a Prince of a most invincible courage after the death of his dear Ephestion lay three days together upon the ground with an obstinate resolution to die with him and thereupon would neither eat drink nor sleep such was the excess of his grief that he commanded Battlements of Houses to be pulled down Mules and Horses to have their Manes shorn off some thousands of common Soldiers to be slain to attend him in the other world and the whole Nation of the Cusseans to be rooted out 7. At Nancy in Lorrain when Claudia Valesia the Dukes Wife and Sister to Henry the Second King of France deceased the Temples for forty days were all shut up no Prayers nor Masses said but only in the Room where she was The Senators were all covered with Mourning Blacks and for a twelve Months space throughout the City they were forbid to sing or dance 8. Roger that rich Bishop of Salisbury the same that built the De Vizes and divers other strong Castles in this Kingdom being spoiled of his Goods and thrown out of all his Castles was so swallowed up with over-much grief that he ran mad and
with the Army thou submit to his Dominion and acknowledge him as Emperour my life depends upon thy answer Consider what thou owest to him that gave thee life To this his Son Vsanguincus return'd He that is not faithful to his Soveraign will never be so to me and if you forget your duty and â—idelity to our Emperour no man will blame me if I forget my duty and obedience to such a Father I will rather dye than serve a Thief and immediately sent an Ambassador to call in their aid to subdue this usurper of the Empire 7. Gelon the Tyrant of Sicilia as soon as he heard the Persians under Xerxes had passed the Hellespont sent Cadmus the Son of Scythes who had before been the Tyrant of Coos and voluntarily resign'd it to Coos with three Ships a mighty Summ of money and instructed with a pleasing Embassy giving him in charge to observe which way the victory should fall that if the Persian should prevail he should then deliver him the Money and earth and water for such places as were under the dominion of Gelon but if the Greeks prov'd victorious he should return back with the money This Cadmus although it was in his power to have perverted this vast sum to his own use yet would he not do it but after the Greeks had obtain'd a Naval Victory he returned back into Sicily and restored all the money 8. Sanctius King of Castile had taken Tariffa from the Moors but was doubtful of keeping it by reason both of the Neighbourhood of the enemy and the great cost it would put him to there was with him at that time Alphonsus Peresius Guzman a noble and rich person a great man both in peace and war he of his own accord offered to take the care of it and to be at part of the charge himself and the King in the mean time might attend other affairs A while after the Kings Brother Iohn revolted to the Moors and with Forces of theirs suddenly sate down before Tariffa the besieged feared him not but relyed upon their own and their Governours valour only one thing unhappily fell out the Son and only Son of Alphonsus was casually taken by them in the fields him they shewed before the Walls and threatned to put him to a cruel death unless they speedily yielded the Town the hearts of all men were mov'd only that of Alphonsus who cryed with a loud voice that had they a hundred of his Sons in their power he should not thereupon depart with his Faith and Loyalty And saith he Since you are so thirsty of blood there is a Sword for you throwing his own over the wall to them away he went and prepared himself to go to dinner when upon the sudden there was a confused noise and cry that recalled him he again repairs to the wall and asking the reason of their amazement they told him that his Son had been done to death with barbarous cruelty Was it that then said he I thought the City had been taken by the Enemy and so with his former tranquillity return'd to his Wife and his Dinner The Enemies astonished at the greatness of his Spirit departed without any further attempt upon the place 9. Flectius a noble man was made Goveâ—nour of the City and Castle of Conimbra in Portugal by King Sanctius Anno 1243. This Sanctius was too much swayed by his Wise Mencia and over addicted to some Court Minions by reason of which there was a conspiracy of the Nobles against him and the matter was so far gone that they had got leave of Pope Innocent to translate the Government of the Kingdom to Alphonsus the Brother of Sanctius Hereupon follow'd a War the minds of most men were alienated from their natural Prince but Flectius was still constant enduring the Siege and arms of Alphonsus and the whole Nation nor could he any way be swayed till he heard that Sanctius was dead in Banishment at Toletum â—or whom now should he fight or preserve his faith they advised him therefore to â—ollow fortune yield himself and not to change a just praise for the Title of a desperado and a madman Flectius heard but believed them not he therefore beg'd leave of Alphonsus that he himself might go to Toletum and satisfie himself It was granted and he there found that the King was indeed dead and buried and therefore that he might as well be free in his own conscience as in the opinion of men he opened the Sepulchre and with sighs and tears he delivers the very keys of Conimbra into the Kings hands with those words As long O King as I did judge thee to be alive I endured all extremiâ—ies I fed upon Skins and Leather and quenched my thirst with Vrine I quieted or repressed the minds of the Câ—tizens that were enclining to Sedition and whatsoever could be expected from a faithful man and one sworn to thy interest that I perform'd and persisted in Only one thing remains that having delivered the Keys of the City to thine own hands I may return freed of my oath and to tell the Citizens their King is dead God send thee well ia another and a better Kingdom This said he departed acknowledg'd Alphonsus for his Lawful Prince and was ever faithful to him 10. When the Portugals came first into the East Indies the King of Cochin called Trimumpara made Peace and a League of Amity with them Soon after there was a conspiracy against a new and suspected Nation especially the King of Calecut who was rich and strong in Soldiers he drew his forces and friends together and sent to him of Cochin in the first place that he would deliver up those few Portugals and himself from â—ault and all them from fear But he replied that he would lose all rather than falsifie his Faith When any of his subjects perswaded him to yield them up he said he esteemed them worse enemies than the King of Calecut for he did endeavour to take away only his Kingdom or Life but they would take from him the choicest virtues That his life was a short and definite space but the brand of perfidiousness would remain for ever In the mean time the King of Calecut wars with him overcomes drives him from his Kingdom and enforces his retreat unto an Island not far off In his flight he took no greater care for any thing then to preserve those few Portugals nay when thrust out though his enemy offered him his Kingdom again upon condition he would surrender them he constantly refused it and said that his Kingdom and Scepter might be taken from him but not his faith 11. Sextus Pompeius had seiz'd upon Sicilia and Sardinia and made a hot war upon the Trium-Virate and people of Rome and having pressed them with want and scarcity had reduced them to treat with him of peace Octaviâ—nus Caesar therefore and Antonius met him about Misenum with their Land Forces he being
he esteemed the Common-Wealth more dearly than any other person or thing he was suspicious and jealous of any thing that was beyond measure as dreading an excess of power in any upon the score of the Republick He sided with the people in any thing for their advantage and would freely deliver his opinion in things that were just let the hazard and danger of doing it be as great as it would 10. Asclepiodorus went on Pilgrimage from the City of Athens into Syria and visited most Cities as he went along This he undertook for this only purpose that he might observe the manners of men and their way of life His journey being ended he said that in all his perambulation he had not met with more than three men that lived with modesty and according to the Rules of Honesty and Justice These three were Ilapius a Philosopher in Antioch Mares of Laodicea the honestest man of that Age and Domninus the Philosopher so that it should seem Heraclitus had reason for his Tears who is said to weep as oft as he came abroad in consideration of so many thousands of evil livers as he beheld about him 11. Biblius as we read of him was a man of that integrity and singular abstinence in respect of what was anothers right that if he casually light upon any thing as he passed upon the way he would depart without offering to take it up saying It was a kind of blossom of injustice to seise upon what was so sound Agreeable to which practice of his was that Law of Stagira Quod non posuisti ne tollas Take not that up which you never laid down 12. When the Senate of Rome was in debate about the Election of a Censour and that Valerianus was in nomination Trebellius Pollio writes that the Universal Acclamation of the Senators was The life of Valerianus is a Censourship let him be the judge of us all who is better than all of us let him judge of the Senate who cannot be charged with any crime let him pass sentence upon our life against whom nothing is to be objected Valerianus was almost a Censour from his Cradle Valerianus is a Censour in his whole life A prudent Senator modest grave a friend to good men an enemy to Tyrants an enemy to the vicious but a greater unto vice We receive this man for our Censour him we will all imitate he is the most noble amongst us the best in blood of exemplary life of excellent learning of choice manners and the example of Antiquity This was a glorious Character of a man given by so honourable an assembly and yet to see after what manner virtue is sometimes afflicted in the world it is remembred of so great a person that having attained to the Empire he was unfortunately taken by Sapores King of Persia and made his Footstool 13. Upon the death of Iulian the Emperour by the unanimous consent of the Army Salustius the Prefect of the Praetorian Soldiers was elected but he excused himself pretending his Age and the infirmities of his body so that Ioviniaâ—â—us was thereupon chosen when he also was dead by the means of this Salustius Valentinianus a Tribune was elected as Emperour of this Salustius the Prefect Suidas saith that he was a person of that integrity that when Valentinian was Emperour he commanded any that had ever received any injury from him that they should go to the Emperour to complain of him but there was no man found that had any such complaint to prefer against him 14. Richard the Second King of England was deposed and Henry Bullinbrook Crowned King in his stead it was also enacted in Parliament that the inheritance of the Crown and Realm of England should be united and remain in the person of King Henry and in the heirs of his Body lawfully begotten a motion was likewise made in the same Parliament what should be done with the deposed King Then it was that Thomas Merks Bishop of Carlisle shewed at once his great loyalty and integrity he rose up and with extraordinary freedom and constancy he made an honest and learned Oration wherein by Scripture reason and other Arguments he stoutly maintained the right of his deposed Soveraign resolutely opposed the usurpation of his Supplanter concluding that the Parliament had neither power nor policy to depose King Richard or in his place to elect Duke Henry and howsoever this first cost the good Prelate a Prison and then the loss of his life yet the memory of so gallant an action shall never dye so long as fidelity and loyalty shall have any respect amongst men CHAP. XIX Of the Choicest Instances of the most intire friendship THe Ancients had a most excellent Emblem whereby they used to express a true and sincere Friendship they pictured it in the shape of a young man very fair bare-headed meanly attired on the outside of his Garment was written VIVERE ET MORI to live and die and in his Forehead AESTATE ET HYEME In Summer and Winter his Brest was open so that his Heart might be seen and with his Finger he pointed to his Heart where was written PROPE LONGE Far and Near. But such faithful Friends saith Bishop Morton are in this age all for the most part gone in Pilgrimage and their return is uncertain we must therefore for the present be content to borrow instances from the Histories of former Ages 1. One Mesippus relates in Lucian how that he one day seeing a man comely and of eminent condition passing along in a Coach with a woman extremely unhandsome he was much amazed and said he could not understand why a man of prime quality and so brave a presence should be seen to stir abroad in the company of a Monster Hereupon one that followed the Coach over-hearing him said Sir you seem to wonder at what you now see but if I tell you the causes and and circumstances thereof you will much more admire Know this Gentleman whom you see in the Coach is called Zenothemis and born in the City of Marseilles where he heretofore contracted a firm amity with a Neighbour of his named Menecrates who was at that time one of the chief men of the City as well in wealth as Dignities But as all things in the world are exposed to the inconstancy of fortune it happened that as 't is thought having given a false sentence he was degraded of honour and all his Goods were confiscated every man avoyded him as a Monster in this change of Fortune but Zenothemis his good friend as if he had loved miseries not men more esteemed him in his adversity than he had done in prosperity and bringing him to his house shewed him huge treasures conjured him to share them with him since such were the Laws of Amity the other weeping for joy to see himself thus entertained in such sharp necessities said he was not so apprehensive of the want of worldly
wealth as of the burthen he had in a Daughter ripe for marriage and willing enough but blemished with many deformities She was saith the History but half a woman a body mishapen limping and blear-eyed a Face disfigured and besides she had the Falling-sickness with horrible Convulsions Nevertheless this noble heart said unto him trouble not your self about the marriage of your Daughter for I will be her Husband The other astonished at such goodness God forbid said he that I should lay such a burden upon you No no replyed the other she shall be mine And instantly he married her making great Feasts at the Nuptials being married he honoureth her with much regard and makes it his Glory to shew her in the best company as a Trophy of his Friendship In the end she brought him a Son who restored his Grandfather to his Estate and was the honour of his Family 2. At Rome saith Camerarius there are to be be seen these Verses engraven about an Urn. D. D. S. Vrna brevis geminum quamvis tenet ista cadaver Attamen in Coelo spiritus unus adest Viximus unanimes Luciusque Flavius idem Sensus amor studium vita duobus erat Though both our ashes this Vrn doth enclose Yet as one Soul in Heaven we repose Lucius and Flavius living were one mind One will love and to one course enclin'd 3. Damon and Pythias two Pythagorean Philosophers had betwixt them so firm a friendship that when Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracuse had resolv'd the death of one of them and that he only besought he might have liberty first to go home and set his affairs in order the other doubted not to be surety in the mean time to the Tyrant for his return The Tyrant granted it intent upon what this new and strange action would come to in the event a day had passed and he came not then all began to condemn the rashness of the surety but he told them he doubted not of the constancy of his Friend At the same hour as was agreed with Dionysius came he that was condemned thereby freeing the other The Tyrant admiring the courage and fidelity of them both remitted the punishment and entreated that he himself might be admitted as a third person into the society of â—o admirable a Friendship 4. Pylades and Orestes were famous of old for their friendship Orestes being very desirous to ease himself of that grief which he had conceived for the death of his Motherâ— consulted the Oracle and understood thereby that he should forthwith take the way to the Temple of Diana in the Country of Taurica thither he went in the company of Pylades his friend Now it was the cruel custom of Thoas the then King of that Country to put to death every Tenth Stranger that came into his Dominions This unfortunate Lot fell upon Orestes the King at last asked which was that Orestes Pylades readily stepped forth and told him he was the man who had that name Orestes denyed it he again affirm'd so that the King was in doubt which of them he should kill 5. Eudamidas the Corinthian had Aretaeâ—s the Corinthian and Charixenus the Sycionian for his friends they were both rich whereas he was exceeding poor he departing this life left a will ridiculous perhaps to some wherein was thus written I give and bequeath to Aretaeus my Mother to be kept and foster'd in her Old Age as also my Daughter to Charixenus to be married with a Dowry as great as he can afferd but if any thing in the mean time fall out to any of these men my Will is that the other shall perform that which he should have done had he lived This Testament being read they who knew the poverty of Eudamidas but not his friendship with these men accounted of it all as mere jest and sport no man that was present but departed laughing at the Legacies which Aretaeus and Charixenus were to receive But those whose the Bequests were as soon as they heard of it came forthwith acknowledging and ratifying what was commanded in the Will Charixenus died within five days after Aretaeus his excellent Successor took upon him borh the one and the others charge kept the Mother of Eudamidas and soon as might be disposed of his Daughter in marriage of five Talents which his estate amounted to two of them he gave in Dowry with his own Daughter and two more with the Daughter of his Friend and would needs have their Nuptials solemnized in one and the same day 6. Alexander the Great was so true a Lover of Ephestion that in his life time he had him always near him made him acquainted with the nearest and weightiest of his secrets and when he was dead bewailed him with inconsolable tears he hanged up Glaucus his Physician for being absent when he took that which hastened his end In token of heavy Mourning he caused the Battlements of City Walls to be pulled down and the Manes of Mules and Horses to be cut off he bestowed ten thousand Talents upon his Funerals and that he might not want Attendants to wait upon him in the other world he caused some thousands of men to be slain even the whole Cussean Nation at once 7. Pelopidas and Epaminondas were singularly noted and commended for the perfect love and friendship that was ever inviolably kept betwixt them to the day of their deaths They went both together to Mantinea in assistance of the Lacedemonians then in league with the Thebans their place in Battel fell near together for they were appointed to oppose the Arcadians and to fight on foot It fell out that the Spartan wing wherein they were was enforced to retreat and some â—led outright but those two gallant young spirits were resolved to prefer death before slight and so standing close together with great courage they sustained the many enemies that came upon them till such time as Pelopidas having received seven dangerous wounds fell upon a heap of dead bodies Here it was that the brave Epaminondas though he thought he was slain stept before him defended his body and armour with invincible courage and resolution at last he was thrust through the Breast with a Pike and receiving a deep wound with a Sword on his Arm he was ready to sink when Agesipolis King of Sparta came in with the other wing and saved the lives of these incomparable friends 8. Lucilius was one of the friends of Brutus and a good man he when Brutus was overthrown at Philippi perceiving a Troop of the Barbarians careless in the pursuit of others but with loose Reins following hard after Brutus resolved to take off their eagerness with the hazard of his own life and being left somewhat behind he told them that he was Brutus They gave the more credit to him because he desired to be presented to Anthony as if he feared Caesar and reposed some confidence in the other They glad of
Sword and with force enough let drive at the place the Virgin had design'd him the sword entred so far into her throat that with one and the same blow he cut off his hopes of enjoying the Virgin and her fears of loosing her Virginty 19. Timoclea was a Lady of Thebes and at the sack of it was forcibly ravish'd by a Thracian Prince and she revenged the injury in this manner dissembling the extream hatred which she bare to her ravisher she told him she knew a place wherein much Treasure and store of Gold was conceal'd she led him to an out-place belonging to the house where there was a deep well while the over covetous Thracian lean'd over to look into it She tripp'd up his heels and sent him headlong to the bottom of it with a quantity of stones after him to hinder his resurrection from thence for ever to the world being afterwards brought before Alexander and charged with the death of this Captain of his she confessed the fact and when he asked who she was I am said she the Sister of that Theagenes who died sighting valiantly against thy Father in the Fields of Cheronaea the generous Prince freely dismiss'd her 20. There was a Maid called Lucia who lived a Virgin amongst many others and whose exquisite beauty was sought unto with vehement solicitation by a powerful Lord who having Command and Authority in his hands sent messengers to seise on this innocent Lamb and whilst they were at the gate menacing to kill her and set all on fire if this poor creature was not delivered into their hands the Maid came forth what is it said she you demand I beseech you tell me whether there be any thing in my power to purchase your Lord and Masters Love yea answered they in a flouting manner your eyes have gained him nor ever can he have rest tell he enjoy them Well go then said she only suffer me to go to my Chamber and I will give satisfaction in this point The poor maid seeing her self betwixt the Hammer and the Anvil she spake to her eyes and said how my eyes are you then guilty I know the reservedness and simplicity of your glances nor have I in that kind any remorse of conscience But howsoever it be you appear to me not innocent enough since you have kindled fire in the heart of a man whose hatred I have ever more esteemed than his love Quench with your blood the flames you have raised Whereupon with a hand piously cruel She digged out her eyes and sent the torn reliques embrewed in her blood to him who sought her adding Behold what you love He seized with horror hastned to hide himself in a Monastery where he remained the rest of his days 21. The Consul Manlius having overthrown the Army of Gallogrecians in Mount Olympus part were slain and part made prisoners amongst others was the Wife of Prince Orgiagon a woman of surpassing beauty who was committed to the custody of a Centurion and by him forcibly ravished Her ransome was afterwards agreed upon and the place appointed to receive it from the hands of her friends when they came thither and that the Centurion was intent both with his eyes and mind upon the weighing of the Gold she in her Language gave command to them that were present that they should kill him When his head was cut off she took it up in her hands went with it to her husband and having thrown it at his feet she related the manner of the injury she had received and the revenge she had taken who will say that any thing besides the body of this woman was in the power of her enemies for neither could her mind be overcome nor the chastity of it violated 22. I will shut up this Chapter with the illustrious Example of Thomas Aquinas this great person had determined with himself to consecrate the flower of his age to God and the desirable vertue of Chastity his Parents opposed this Noble resolution of his by flatteries and threats and such other Arts as they supposed might be of use to them upon this occasion but without any success their Son remained constant to his purpose in despite of all their endeavors Whereupon they took this other course When Thomas was one day in his Chamber all alone they sent in to him a young Damosel of an admirable beauty who with a countenance composed to lasciviousness began with various allurements and feminine flatteries to invite him to wickedness All things seemed to speak in her her voice and form her eyes and clothes her gestures and perfumes the youth perceived the delightful poison began to slide into his heart and therefore turning himself Lord Jesus said he suffer me not to commit this filthy wickedness in thy sight or for the sake of carnal lust to loose the joys of Eternal Life this said he catch'd up a burning brand out of the fire with which he drave out this Syren before him and shut his Chamber door upon her happily by this means escaping the snare that was spread before him and by which he was so near to have been entangled CHAP. XXXI Of Patience and what power some men have had over their Passion EVery man knows how to row in a calm and an indifferet Pilot will serve to direct the course of a Ship when the season is quiet and serene but the conduct of that Governor is most praise worthy who knows how to steer his vessel aright when the winds are enraged and some furious tempest has put the tumultuous waves into a vehement commotion In like manner it is a small commendation to appear mild when nothing is said or done to displease us but to repress our rising passions and to keep down our resentments in the midst of injurious provocations so noble a victory deserves an Elogy which perhaps the greatest of Conquerors never merited 1. King Robert was one of the greatest Kings that ever wore Crown of France on a time he surpriz'd a Rogue who had cut away half of his Cloak Furred with Ermins to whom yet so taken and in an act of that insufferable presumption he did no further evil but only said mildly to him save thy self and leave the rest for another who may have need of it 2. King Henry the sixth of England was of that admirable patience that to one who struck him when he was taken Prisoner he only said forsooth you wrong your self more then me to strike the Lords Anointed 3. It s said that Philip the second King of Spain having written a letter with his own hand with much study and labor to be sent to the Pope when he asked for sand to be cast upon it his Secretary half a sleep powred the Ink in the Standish upon it in stead of the former this would have put most into a fury yet behold a person of this eminency bare it without speaking one angry word to
him with implacable violence his hair was torn off his beard pull'd away his teeth were knocked out and not so much as women but ran upon his wretched body to torture and torment it whilst he replyed not a word some days after his eyes being digg'd out and his face disfigured with blows they set him on an old botchy Camel without ought else to cover him then an old shirt this Spectacle so full of horror nothing mollify'd the peoples hearts but desperate men rush'd upon him as thick as â—lies in Autumn some covered him all over with dirt and â—ilth others squeez'd spunges filled with ordure on his face others gave him blows with clubs on the head others prick'd him with Awls and Bodkins and divers threw stones at him calling him mad Dog A wicked woman of the dregs of the vulgar threw a pail of scalding water upon his head that his skin pilled off Lastly they hastned to hang him on a gibbet by the feet exposing him to a shameful nakedness in sight of all the world and they tormented him to the last instant of death at which time he received a blow from a hand which thrust a Sword through his mouth into his bowels all these and greater inhumanities the aged Emperor underwent with that invincible patience that he was heard to say no other thing then Lord have mercy on me and why do ye break a bruised reed 3. Ianus Anceps a wicked person lived in a lone house by the way side without the East-gate of Copenhagen this man in the night had murdered divers persons and knock'd them on the head with an Ax. At last he was discovered taken and condemned to a terrible death He was drawn upon a sledge through the City he had pieces of â—lesh pulled off from his body with burning Pincers his legs and arms were broken his tongue was pulled out of his mouth thongs of his skin were cut out of his back his brest was opened by the speedy hand of the Executioner his heart pulled out and thrown at his face All this the stout hearted man bare with an invincible courage and when his heart lay panting by his side in the midst of such torments as he yet underwent he moved his head and looked upon the by standers with a frowning aspect and seem'd with curiosity to contemplate his own heart till such time as his head was cut off 4. Mutius Scaevola having resolv'd to kill Porsena King of the Hetruscans who at that time was the enemy of Rome he came into his Camp and Tent with a purpose to Execute his design but by mistake instead of the King be slew his Secretary or Captain of the Guard being taken and adjudged to death to punish this error of his Arm he thrust his right hand into the â—ire and without change of countenance held it therein till it was quite burnt off At which invincible patience and constancy of his King Porsena was so amazed that he raised his Siege before Rome and also made peace with the Romans 5. When Xerxes was arrived at the Cape of Artemisium with above 500000 fighting men the Athenians sent out Agesilaus the brother of Themistocles to discover his Army He coming in the habit of a Persian into the Camp of the Barbarians slew Mardonius one of the Captains of the guard of the Kings body supposing he had been Xerxes himself whereupon being taken he was fettred and brought before the King who was then offring sacrifice upon the Altar of the Sun into the fire whereof Agesilaus thrusting his hand and there enduring the torment without sigh or groan Xerxes commanded to loose him All we Athenians said Agesilaus are of the like courage and if thou wilt not believe it I will put also my left hand into the fire the King amazed at his resolute Speech Commanded him to be carefully kept and looked too 6. Isabella wife of Ferdinand King of Spain was a woman of that firm temper of mind that not only in the times of her sickness but also in the sharpest pains of her travail she ever supprest both voice and sighs A most incredible thing but that Marinaeus Siculus affirms that he was assured of the truth hereof by Ladies of unquestionable verity who attended upon her in her Chamber 7. The Lord Verulame mentions a certain tradition of a man who being under the Executioners hand for High Treason after his heart was plucked out of his body and in the hand of the Executioner was yet heard to utter three or four words of Prayer and Purchas speaking of the humane sacrifices in New Spain where the heart is offered to the Sun saith thus there happened a strange accident in one of these sacrifices reported by men of worthy credit That the Spaniards beholding the solemnity a young man whose heart was newly plucked out and himself turned down the stairs when he came to the bottom he said to the Spaniards in his Language Knights they have slain me 8. Gregorius Nazianzenus tells of the Pontick Monks that some of them torture themselves with chains of Iron some as if they were wild beasts shut up themselves in narrow and strait Cells and see no body remain in silence and fasting for the space of twenty days and nights together O Christ goes he on be thou propitious to those souls that are Pious and devout I confess but not so prudent and advised as they might be 9. This is a notable Example of Tollerance which happened in our times in a certain Burgundian who was the Murderer of the Prince of Orange this man though he was scourged with Rods of Iron though his flesh was torn off with red hot and burning Pincers yet be gave not so much as a single sigh or groan Nay further when part of a broken Scaâ—fold fell upon the head of one that stood by as a spectator this burned villain in the midst of all his torments laughed at that accident although not long before the same man had wept when he saw the curls of his hair cut off 10. After the Ancient custom of the Macedonians there were certain Noble youths that ministred unto Alexander the Great at such time as he sacrificed to the gods one of which having a Censer in his hand stood before the King it chanced that a burning coal fell upon his Arm and although he was so burnt by it that the smell of his burnt flesh was in the Noses of them that stood by yet he suppressed his pain with silence and held his Arm immoveable least by shaking the Censer he should interrupt the sacrifice or least by his groaning he should give Alexander any disturbance The King also delighted with this patience of the youth that he might make the more certain experiment of his tollerance on set purpose continued and protracted his sacrifice and yet for all this the youth persisted in his resolute intention 11. Anaxarohus was
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
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
she was by him well beaten with Myrtle Rods. And for that reason the women when they dress up and adorn the Chapel or Shrine of their goddess Bona they never bring home for that purpose any branches of the Myrtle Tree and yet otherwise take pleasure to make use of all sorts of branches and flowers in that solemnity 3. At Argos there were two of the principal Citizens who were the heads of opposite Factions one to another in the Government oâ— the City the one was named Nicostratus and the other Phaulius Now when King Philip came to the City it was generally thought that Phaulius plotted and practised to attained unto some absolute principality and soveraignty in the City by the means of his wife who was a young and beautiful Lady in case he could once bring her to the Kings bed and that she might lie with him Nicostratus was aware of as much and smelling his design walked before Phaulius his door and about his house on purpose to discover his intentions and what he would do therein He soon found that the base Phaulius had furnished his wife with a pair of high Shooes had cast about her a mantle and set upon her head a Chaplet after the Macedonian fashion Having thus accoutred her after the manner of the Kings Pages he sent her secretly in that habit and attire unto the Kings lodging as a Sacrifice to his lust and an agrument of an unparallel'd villany in himself who could endure to be the Pander in the prostitution of his own Wife 4. Periander the Corinthian in a high sit of passion trod his Wife under-foot and although she was at that time with child of a boy yet he never desisted from his injurious treatment of her till such time as he had killed her upon the place Afterwards when he was come to himself and was sensible that what he had done was through the calumniating instigation of his Concubines he caused them all to be burnt alive and banished his son Lycophron as far as Corcyra upon no other occasion than that he lamented the death of his Mother with tears and outcryes 5. Nero the Emperour being once incensed against his Wife Poppaea Sabina gave her such a kick with his foot upon the belly that she thereupon departed this life But though he was a man that seemed to be born to cruelty and blood yet he afterwards so repented himself of this act that he would not suffer her body to be burnt after the Roman manner but built the funeral pile for her of odours and perfumes and so ordered her to be brought into the Iulian monument 6. Herod the Sophist being offended with his Wife Rhegilâ—a for some slight fault of hers commanded his freed man Alcimedon to beat her She was at that time eight months gone with Child or near upon so that by the imprudence of him who was imployed to chastise her She received some blows upon her belly which occasioned first her miscarriage and soon after her death Her Brother Bradeas a person of great nobility cited her Husband Herodes to answer the death of his Sister before the Senate of Rome where if he had not it is pity but he should have received a condign punishment 7. When M. Antonius was overcome at Actium Herod King of Iudaea believing that he was in danger to lose his Kingdom because he had been a fast friend to Antonius determined to meet Caesar Augustus at Rhodes and there endeavour to assure his favour to him Having resolved upon his journey he committed the care and custody of his Wiâ—e to Sohemus his friendâ— giving him withall thus much in command That in case he should hear of his death by the way or at the place wither he was intended that then he should not fail forthwith to kill Mariamne his Wife yielding this only reason of his injunction that it might not be in the power of any man to enjoy so great a beauty after his decease Mariamne had extorted this secret from Sohemus and at Herod's return twitted him with it Herod caused Sohemus unheard to be immediately put to death and not long after he also beheaded Mariamne his beloved Queen and Wife 8. Amalasuenta had raised Theodahitus at once to be her Husband and King of the Goths but upon this proviso that he should make oath that he would rest contented with the title of a King and leave all matters of Government to her sole dispose But no sooner was he accepted as King but he forgat his Wife and benefactress recalled her enemies from banishment put her friends and relations many of them to death banished her self unto an Island in the Vulsiner lake and there set a strong guard upon her At last he thought himself not sufficiently safe so long as Amalasumha was alive and thereupon he dispatched certain of his instruments to the place of her exile with order to put her to death who â—inding her in a bath gave her no further time but strangled her there CHAP. VIII Of such Wives as were unnatural to their Husbands or evil deported towards them IN Italy there grows an herb they call it the Basilisco it is sweet scented enough but withal it hath this strange property that being laid under a stone in a moist place in a few dayes it produces a scorpion Thus though the Woman in her first creation was intended as a meet help for man the partner of his joyes and cares the sweet perfume and relish of his dayes throughout his whole pilgrimage yet there are some so far degenerated from their primitive institution though otherwise of exteriour beauty and perfection enough that they have proved more intolerable than Scorpions not only tormenting the life but hastning the death of their too indulgent Husbands 1. Ioan Gandchild to Robert King of Naples by Charles his son succeeded her Grandfather in the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily Anno 1343. a woman of a beautiful body and rare endowments of nature She was first married to her Cousin Andrew a prince of Royal extraction and of a sweet and loving disposition but he being not able to satisfie her wantonness She kept company with lewd persons at last she grew weary of him complaining of his insufficiency and caused him in the City of Aversa to be hung upon a beam and strangled in the night time and then threw out his Corpse into a Garden where it lay some dayes unburied It is said that this Andrew on a day coming into the Queens chamber and finding her twisting a thick string of silk and silver demanded of her for what purpose she made it she answered to hang you in which he then little believed the rather because those who intend such mischief use not to speak of it before-hand but it seems she was as good as her word 2. Cicero put away his wife Terentia for divers reasons as because she had made small
other denial This is not all There was in Rome one Cajus Silius the most beautiful of all the Roman youth him she enticed enjoyed and openly loved as his reward she made him Consul and transferred the Riches and Ornaments of the Court to his House so that he was now revered as the Prince and yet not satisfied with this she must have a new sawce to her languishing pleasure she therefore openly marries him while her Husband had retired to Hostia the Nuptials were celebrated with all kind of pomp the flower of both orders in Rome were invited a great Feast was made the genial bed prepared and all usual solemnities performed the Bride lay in the lap of her new marryed Husband and treated him openly with all conjugal freedom this is strange her Husband being living and also Emperour but it was done and had passed untaken notice of for him but that his freed-men about him fearing such novelties would tend to a change and so hazzard their fortunes excited him to revenge at last therefore he gave order for his Wifes death but with so little concern and memory of what he had done that he often asked his Servants why their Lady came not to Dinner as if she had been still alive 5. When Valerianus the Emperour was taken prisoner by Sapores the Persian and by him made his footstool as oft as he mounted his horse His Son Gallienus succeeded him at Rome who no way solicitous what became of his Father or the Empire gave up himself to all manner of debauchery and voluptuousness ever and anon saying to those that were about him What have we for Dinner what pleasures are prepared for us what shall we have for Supper to morrow what Plays what Sports in the Cirque what sword-fights and what Scenick pastimes So far was he dissolved by his luxury into stupidity and insensibleness that when report was brought him of his Fathers death his answer was That he knew his Father was mortal When he heard Egypt was revolted What said he jesting can we not be without the flax of Egypt When he was told that Asia was wasted Can we not live said he without the delights of Asia When news came that Gallia was lost Cannot said he the state be safe without trabeated Cassocks Thus in his loss from all the parts of the world he jested as if he were only deprived of that which furnished him with some inconsiderable trifle So that in contempt of him not only foraign Nations rent away the Roman Provinces but also in divers parts of the world so many aspired unto the Empire that no less than thirty such pretenders are named from the time of his Fathers and his reign to his death 6. Polydorus by the Comick Poets is said to be a man of extraordinary dulness and stupidity of mind and he had also a skin of that hardness that a pin would not enter into it 7. Sivardus hearing of the death of his Father Regnerus King of the Danes and how he had been thrown amongst Serpents to be poysoned and eaten up by them at the command of Hella King of the Britains was so stupified with the grief he received thereat that while he stood full of thoughts leaning upon a Spear he held in his hand the point of his Spear ran quite through his foot and remained insensible of the wound he had received by it 8. Charles the eighth having conquered the Kingdom of Naples was upon his return into France when the Venetians Pope Alexander the sixth Maximilian the Emperour and Lewis Duke of Millaine entred into a league with that silence that Philip the King of France his Embassadour then at Venice though he was daily in the Court and called to by the other Embassadours yet could know nothing of it The next day when the League was ingrossed he was called into the Senate by the Duke and when he understood the League and the names of them that had entred into it he was almost quite bereâ—t of his understanding the Duke told him that the League was not made with purpose to war upon any but to defend themselves if they were warred upon Then Philip a little coming to himself What then said he shall not my King return into France Yes said the Duke if he will return in a friendly manner and we will assist him in all things With this answer Philip departed out of the Senate and being come into the Court-yard he turned to a Secretary of the Senates that had been with him all the while And for the love of God said he tell me over again all that the Duke said to me for at this time I do not remember one word of it CHAP. XXV Of the treacherous and infirm Memories of some men and what injuries have been done thereunto through Age diseases or other accidents THe Lynx is the sharpest sighted of all other beasts yet it is also observed of him that if he chance to look behind him he forgets all that was before him and his mind loses whatsoever it is that his eyes have ceased to see There are some indeed whose forgetfulness may be imputed to the stupidity of their natures but there are others also of extraordinary acuteness and ingenuity who are so unhappy as to be attended with a miserable frailty in their memory and some very learned men have been so unfortuâ—ate as through Age disease the vehement surprisal of some passion or other accident to have utterly lost all that their industry had gained 1. Pliny tells of one that with the stroke of a Stone fell presently to forget his Letters only in such manner as he could read no more otherwise his memory served him well enough Another saith he with a fall from the roof a very high house lost the remembrance of his own Mother his next Kinsfolks Friends and Neighbours and a third in a sickness of his forgat his own servants and upon the like occasion Messala Corvinus the great Orator forgat his own proper name though he remembred other things well enough 2. Franciscus Barbarus the friend of Hermolaus in his old age lost all memory of his Greek learning wherein before he was excellently skilled and the same thing befel Georgius Trapezuntius who in his extream age forgat all kind of Learning both Greek and Latine 3. Apollonius tells of Artemidoruâ— the Grammarian who having as he walked espied a Crocodile lying on the Sands and perceiving him to move was so smitten with the apprehension of fear that he verily believed that his left Leg and Hand were already devoured by the Serpent and utterly losâ— all the memory of his Learning 4. Seneca writes of Calvisâ—â— Sabinus a rich man that he had so slender a memory thaâ— sometimes he forgat the name of Vlyssâ—â— at others that of Achillâ—s and so of Priamus whose names yet he knew as well as we do those of our Schoolâ— masters and
amongst his Writings he found a Roll of one hundred and twenty men who had Petitioned Otho for a reward as having been present or assisting in the murder of Galba but though Vitellius was Galba's enemy yet he thought it unfit not only that such men should receive a reward but that they should be suffered to live seeing that they had set the life of their Prince to sale He therefore caused diligent searâ—h to be made for them and as many as he could lay hands upon he caused to be slain 18. Guntramus King of the Burgundians when he Warred against Gondoaldus who under a false name as if he were his Brother had seised upon part of Burgundy and Usurped the Title of a King contracted with Sagittarius and Monnialus two Bishops whom Gondoaldus used as his entire Friends about the slaying of Gondoaldus which done he caused the Bishops also who had been his Ministers therein to be slain lest a villanous Example should remain upon which any man should presume to betray him whom he had once owned and acknowledged for his Lord. 19. The City of Sfetigrade defended against Amurath the second was then watered but with one great Well in the midst of the City into which a Trayterous person who had contracted for a mighty reward to cause the City to be yielded up unto the Turks had cast a dead Dog this had been no great matter to other men but he well knew that the Garrison consisted of the Souldiers of Dibra who as they were the most valorous of all Epirus so were they more superstitious than the Jews about things clean and unclean and he knew these would starve die any manner of death or yield up the City rather than drink of that polluted drink nor was he deceived for it was straight yielded up on certain conditions He that corrupted the water was rewarded with three Suits of rich Apparel fifty thousand Aspers and a yearly Pension of two thousand Duckats but short was his joy for after he had a few daies vainly triumphed in the midst of Amurath his favours he was suddenly gone and never afterwards seen or heard of being secretly made away as was supposed by the commandment of Amurath whose noble heart could not but detest the Traytour although the Treason served well for his purpose 20. Luther was once asked Whether if one had committed a murder and confessed it to the Priest in case the Magistrate should otherwise hear of it and cite the Priest for a Witness the Priest was bound to reveal what he had learned by confession Luther answered no and added this Example At Venice a woman had privily killed one that had lain with her and thrown his body into the Sea and then having confessed all to a Monk received from him a Schedule in testimony of her Absolution Afterwards corrupted with money he betrayed her the woman produces the Schedule of the Monks Absolution and thereby would excuse her self The Senate therefore gave sentence That the Monk should be burnt and the woman banished this Judgement of the prudent Senate Luther did highly applaud CHAP. XLIX Of Voluptuous and Effeminate Persons TIberius the Emperour is said to have instituted a new Office at Rome for the invention of new pleasures over whom he appointed as their Prefect T. Caesonius Priscus had he wanted Officers he might have been more than sufficiently supplied out of these that follow 1. The Kings of Persia were so addicted to pleasure that their manner was to spend their Winter at Susa their summer at Ecbatana their Autumn in Persepolis and the rest of the year in Babylon 2. Plotius the brother of L. Plotius twice Consul was proscribed by the Triumvirate and in his place at Salernum where he lay hid he was betrayed to his murderers by the smell of his sweet unguents and perfumes which he had upon him 3. Sinyndirides the Sybarite was of that softness and effeminacy that he excelled therein all those of his Nation though the world it self had not a more luxuâ—ious generation than they this man upon a time had cast himself upon a bed prepared for him of the leaves of Roses and having there taken a sleep at his rising complained that he had Pustules made upon his body by reason of the hardness of his bed The same person was moreover so addicted to his belly that when he went to Sicyone as a servant to Agarista the daughter of Clisthenes he took along with him a thousand Cooks a thousand Fowlers and as many Fishers 4. Demetrius Poliorcetes when he had taken divers Cities by Siege exacted yearly from them one thousand two hundred Talents the least part of which went to his Army the greatest he consumed in all kinds of Luxury both himself and the Pavements where he resided slow'd with Unguents and throughout every part of the year the fresh leaves of Flowers were strow'd for him to walk upon A man immoderate and excessive in his loves both of women and young men and his great endeavour was to seem beautiful and to that purpose studiously composed his hair into curles and sought by artifice to have it of a Golden colour 5. Straton of Sidon and Nicocles the Cypriot strave not only to excel all other men in luxury and effeminate pleasures but there was also an emulation betwixt themselves enkindled by the relations they heard of each other their Feasts were attended with musical women and Harlots of selected faces for beauty were to Sing and Dance before them while they Feasted but they could not long indulge themselves in these kind of delights for both of them perished by a violent death 6. Sardanapalus King of Assyria was the most effeminate of all men he was continually hid in the apartments of the women and there sat disguised amongst them in a habit like unto theirs where he also was busied with the Distaff as they Upon his Sepulcher he caused a Statue to be cut attired like a woman holding her right hand over her head with some of the fingers close after the manner of one that is ready to give a fillip and by it these words were engraven Sardanapalus the son of Anacyndaraxes hath builded Anchiala and Tarsus in one day Eat drink and be merry the rest is not worth the fillip of a finger Cicero saith That Aristotle lighting upon this Tomb and Inscription said it should have been written upon the grave of a Beast not upon the Tomb of a King 7. Muleasses King of Tunis was a man of pleasure it 's said of him That his manner was to vail his eyes that he might catch the harmony of Musick more deliciously as having learned that two Senses are not at once to be gratified in the highest manner Ioviâ—â— saies of him That having fought but unfortunately with his son Amida for the recovery of his Kingdom being all disfigured with dust and sweat and his own blood amongst
This infamous Law was repealed by King Malcolme Anno 1057. granting the Husband liberty to redeem the same by payment of an half mark of Silver which Portion they call marchetas Mulierum and is yet disponed by Superiours in the Charters they give to their Vassals 6. Augustus though of so great a fame for a good Emperour was yet so lustfully given that if he saw any beautiful Lady he caused her to be privately brought to him without all respect of Nobility Dignity or Honesty The Philosopher Athenodorus was very inward with him yet not acquainted with his libidinous practises but one day understanding that Augustus had sent a Litter closed with his Seal for a certain Noble Lady whose Husband lamented exceedingly and the Chast Woman was also moved extreamly thereat He besought them both to be patient and forthwith conveyed himself secretly into the Litter in place of the Lady with a Sword in his hand when the Litter was brought Augustus coming as his manner was to open it himself Athenodorus rushed forth upon him with his drawn Sword in his hand and said he Art thou not afraid that some one should kill thee in this manner Augustus much amazed at this unexpected accident yet gently bore with the boldness of the Philosopher thanking him afterwards and making good use of so good a warning 7. There was a Chirurgion of no mean City who neglecting his own followed the wife of another man and when on a time he had mounted his Horse with a purpose to ride to her his Wife asked him whither he went who in derision replyed to a Brothel House These words spoken in such a petulant levity were not unheard by Divine Justice for when he had performed with the Adulteress what he intended and was mounting his Horse to return one of his feet catched and was entangled in the Reins which the Horse frighted at ran away as if mad shook him off the Saddle one of his feet hanging in the Stirrup he drew him in such manner along the way that his Brains were beat out upon the Stones nor could he be stopped till he had dragged him into a Brothel House and made good those words that before he had spoken with an inconsiderate perverseness 8. Hostius was a man of a most prostigate baseness after what manner he abused himself with both Sexes and what Glasses he caused to be made on purpose to enlarge the imagination of his impurities by the delusion of his eyes I had rather should be declared by the Pen of Seneca than mine but it is even pleasant to remember that the villanies of this monster had a due recompence even in this world for when he was slain by his own Servants Augustus the Emperor judged his death unworthy of revenge 9. The Duke of Anjou coming to assist the Netherlanders against the Spaniards while his Army was yet upon the Frontiers to enter into Henault it hapned that one Captain Pont was lodged in the House of a rich Farmer named Iohn Mills of whom he demanded his Daughter Mary to Wife but being denyed he chased the whole Family out of the House keeping only this poor Virgin whom he ravished and caused three or four of his Souldiers to do the like which done he set her at the Table by him and flouted her with â—ilthy and dissolute speeches She big with revenge as the Captain turned his head to speak with a Corporal catched up a Knife and stabbed him therewith to the heart so that he fell down presently dead the Souldiers took and bound her to a Tree and shot her to death 10. Paulina was the Wife of Saturninus illustrious as well for the chastity of her life as the Nobility of her birth Decius Mundus none of the meanest of the Knights of Rome was inflamed with her incomparable beauty so that he offered her two hundred thousand Drachmes for a single night she despising his gifts he determined to famish himself Ide the Freed-woman of his Father was aware of this and told him that for fifty thousand Drachmes she would procure him the embraces of Paulina which having received and knowing Paulina vehemently addicted to the worship of Isis she delivers twenty five thousand Drachmes to some of the Priests declares the love of Decâ—â—s solicits their help and that done she promised to deliver them as much more in Gold The elder of these Priests thus corrupted gets to Paulina and admitted to private conference tells her that the god Anubis was taken with her beauty and commanded that she should repair to him she obtained leave of her Husband to go the more easily for that he knew she was of approved chastity To the Temple she went and when it was time to rest she was locked in by the Priests and there in the dark was encountred by Mundus whose pleasure that night she obeyed supposing that she had gratified the god He went thence before the Priests that were conscious of the abuse were risen Paulina magnified her happiness to her Husband and Equals Upon the third day after Mundus met her It was well done Paulina said he to save me two hundred thousand Drachmes and yet withal to fulfill what I desired for I am not ill satisfied that you despised Mundus and yet embraced him under the pretext of Anubis and so departed Paulina now first apprehending the abuse tare her Garments and Hair discovered all to her Husband conjuring him not to suffer so great a Villany to pass unpunished Her Husband informed the Emperor Tiberius of the matter who having caused strict examination to be had of all persons concerned he commanded all those Impostor Priests to be crucified together with Ide the Inventrix and Contriver of this mischief He ordered the Temple to be pulled down and the Statue of Isis to be cast into the River Tyber As for Mundus he condemn'd him to perpetual banishment in part as he said excusing him because of the rage of his loves 11. That is a prodigious example in Athenaeus The Tarentines having spoiled Carbinas a Town of the Iapyges they gathered all the boyes Virgins and Women of the most flourishing years into the Temples of the Town and there exposed them naked in the broad day to all comers giving liberty to all sorts to satisfie their Lust as they pleased and that in open view thus was the miserable people oppressed by an unheard of wickedness in contempt of the Divinity But God was so offended therewith that as many of the Tarentines as had committed this Villany were struck dead with lightning from Heaven and their own friends were so far from pitying them that they made Sacrifices to Thundering Iupiter CHAP. LI. Of the Incestuous Loves and Marriages of some Men. IT is the saying of St. Augustine that the commixture of Brothers and Sisters the more ancient it is in respect of the compulsion of necessity the more damnable it is now afterwards become through
may see thee end thy Race Death is a Nown yet not declin'd in any Case No certainly we cannot decline it for we run into the Jaws of death by the very same ways we endeavour to avoid it The Sons of Esculapius sometimes dig our graves even then while they are contriving for our health rather than fail we bespeak our Coffins with our own tongues not knowing what we do as in the following Examples 1. King Francis of France had resolved upon the murder of the chief Lords of the Hugonots this secret of Council had been imparted by the Duke of Anjou to Ligneroles his familiar friend he being one time in the Kings Chamber observed some tokens of the Kings displeasure at the insolent demands of some Hugonot Lord whom he had newly dismissed with shew of favour Ligneroles either moved with the lightness incident to Youth which often over-shoots discretion or moved with ambition not to be ignorant of the nearest secrets told the King in his ear That his Majesty ought to quiet his mind with patience and laugh at their insolence for within a few days by that meeting which was almost ripe they would be all in his Net and punished at his pleasure with which words the Kings mind being struck in the most tender sensible part of it he made shew not to understand his meaning and retired to his private Lodgings where full of anger grief and trouble he sent to call the Duke of Anjou charged him with the revealing of this weighty secret he confessed he had imparted the business to Ligneroles but assured him he need not fear he would ever open his Lips to discover it no more he shall answered the King for I will take order that he shall be dispatched before he have time to publish it he then sent for George de Villequier Viscount of Guerchy who he knew bare a grudge against Ligneroles and commanded him to endeavour by all means to kill him that day which was accordingly executed by him and Count Charles of Mansfield as he hunted in the field 2. Candaules the Son of Myrsus and King of Lydia doted so much upon the beauty of his own Wife that he could not be content to enjoy her but would needs enforce one Gyges the Son of Dascylus to behold her naked body and placed the unwilling man secretly in her Chamber where he might see her preparing to bedward This was not so closely carried but that the Queen perceived Gyges at his going forth and understanding the matter took it in such high disdain that she forced him the next day to requite the Kings folly with treason so Gyges being brought again into the same Chamber by the Queen slew Candaules and was rewarded not only with his Wife but the Kingdom of Lydia also wherein he reigned thirty eight years 3. Fredegundis was a woman of admirable beauty and for that reason entertained by Chilperick King of France over whose heart she had gained such an empire that she procured the banishment of his Queen Andovera and the death of his Mother Galsuinda yet neither was she faithful to him but prostituted her body to Landric de la Tour Duke of France and Mayor of the Palace Upon a day the King being to go a hunting came up first into her Chamber and found her dressing her Head with her Back towards him he therefore went softly and struck her gently on the backpart with the hinder end of his hunting Spear she not looking back What dost thou do my Landrick said she it is the part of a good Knight to charge a Lady before rather than behind By this means the King found her falshood and went to his purposed hunting but she perceiving her self discovered sent for Landrick told him what had hapned and therefore enjoyned him to kill the King for his and her safety which he undertook and effected that night as the King returned late from his hunting 4. Muleasses the King of Tunis was skilled in Astrology and had found that by a fatal influx of the Stars he was to lose his Kingdom and also to perish by a cruel death when therefore he heard that Barbarossa was preparing a Navy at Constantinople concluding it was against himself to withdraw from the danger he departed Africa and transported himself into Italy to crave aid of Charles the Emperour against the Turks who he thought had a design upon him In the mean time he had committed the government of his Kingdom to Amida his Son who like an ungrateful Traytor assumed to himself the name and power of the King and having taken his Father upon his return put out his eyes Thus Muleasses drew upon himself that fate he expected by those very means by which he hoped to have avoided it 5. There was an Astrologer who had often and truly predicted the event of divers weighty affairs who having intentively fixed his eyes upon the face of Ioannes Galeacius and contemplated the same Dispose Sir said he of your affairs with what speed you may for it is impossible that you should live long in this world Why so said Galeacius Because replyed the other the Stars whose sight and position on your birth-day I have well observed do threaten you and that not obscurely with death before such time as you shall attain to maturity Well said Galeacius you who believe in these positions of the birth-day-stars as if they were so many Gods how long are you to live through the bounty of the Fates said he I have a sufficient tract of time allotted for my life But said Galeacius that for the future out of a foolish belief of the bounty and clemency of the Fates thou maist not presume further upon the continuance of life than perhaps it is fit thou shalt dye forthwith contrary to thy opinion nor shall the combined force of all the Stars in Heaven be able to save thee from destruction who presumest in this manner to dally with the destiny of Illustrious persons and thereupon commanded him to be carryed to Prison and there strangled 6. Some persons at Syracuse discoursing in a Barbers shop concerning Dionysius they said his tyranny was adamantine and utterly inâ—â—â—ugnable What said the Barber do we speak thus of Dionysius under whose throat I ever and anon hold a Rasor As soon as Dionysius was informed of this he caused his Barber to be crucified and so he paid for his folly at the price of his life 7. Though the Mushroom was suspected yet was it Wine wherein Claudius the Emperour first took his Poyson for being Maudlin-cupped he grew to lament the destiny of his Marriages which he said were ordained to be all unchast yet should not pass unpunished This threat being understood by Agrippina she thought it high time to look about her and by securing him with a ready poyson she provided to secure her self so Claudius stands indebted to his unwary tongue for his
29. Pythagoras the Son of Mnesarchus a Ring-maker or Marmacus a Samian when young being desirous to improve himself he travelled Greece Egypt to Epimenides in Creet and to the Magi in Chaldaea thence he returned to Samos which being oppressed under the Tyrannie of Polycrates he forsook and setled at Crotona in Italy He held the transmigration of souls his Scholars possessed all things in common and kept silence for five years The Philosopher himself had great command over his passions lived inoffensively permitted no bloody sacrifices nor to swear by the gods used Divination himself and permitted it to his whom yet he interdicted from feeding upon Beans he held all things to be ruled by fate that there are Antipodes that the Sun Moon and Stars are gods and that all the Air is full of Souls that all things even God himself do consist of Harmony He forbad to taste of that which fell from the Table whether as belonging to the dead or to use men to temperate eating is uncertain Sitting in the house of Mylo it was set on fire supposed by them of Crotona fearing to fall under Tyrannie the Philosopher running away was pursued and killed having lived eighty some say ninety years he flourished in the sixtieth Olympiad the form of his Discipline remained for nineteen ages Laert. lib. 8. p. 214. 30. Empedocles of Agrigentum was the Son of Meton and Scholar of Pythagoras of noble birth a great Rhetorician and Physician he is said to have refused a Kingdom when profered him having cured one of a disease that seemed incurable he was sacrificed to as a god whence he went to Aetna and to beget an opinion that he was a god he cast himself into the midst of the flames that he might not be found but one of his Shoos detected the matter for it was cast up again being of Brass as he used to wear them others say he went into Peloponnesus and returned not which makes the time of his death uncertain In his way to Messana he fell and broke his Leg of which falling sick he dyed saith Aristotle in the sixtieth year of his age others in the seventy and seventh his Sepulchre was at Megaris Laert. lib. 8. p. 226. 31. Heraclitus an Ephesian he used to play with the Boys in the Temples of Diana and to the Ephesians that stood about him O ye worst of men what saith he do you wonder at is not this better than to have to deal with you in the Common-wealth He declined the society of men lived in the mountains and fed upon Grass and Herbs He heard no man but learned all of himself He held that all things came of fire and should be destroyed by it that all places are full of Devils and Souls Darius the King was desirous of his society as appears by his Letter to him to come to him which he refused to do some say he dyed of a Dropsie others that being covered with Cow-dung he was worried with Dogs he flourished in the sixty ninth Olympiad Laert. lib. 9. p. 237. 32. Democritus of Abdera when young heard the Magi and Chaldeans afterwards Anaxagoras dividing the Patrimony with two other Brothers his part came to an hundred Talents with which he travelled to Egypt to Aethiopia and India say some he had great knowledge in natural and moral things great experience in the Mathematicks and all the liberal Sciences and lived solitarily amongst the Tombs and so poor that he was maintained by his Brother Damasus afterwards he became very famous for his predictions of future things was honoured with great Presents and Statues and buried at the publick charges he held that all things came of Atoms that there are infinite Worlds he protracted his death three days by smelling to hot Bread dyed near the eightieth Olympiad having lived to an hundred and nine years Laert. lib. 9. p. 245. 33. Anaxarchus of Abdera lived in great honour with Alexander the great Nicocreon the Tyrant of Cyprus was his mortal enemy being taken by him he was pounded in a Mortar he spat his Tongue into the Tyrants Face he flourished in the one hundred and tenth Olympiad Laert. lib. 9. p. 251. 34. Pyrrhon followed Anaxarchus he held all things indifferent that only Custome and the Laws made them otherwise to us accordingly he led his life and did all things indifferently he endeavoured to live free from perturbations and bare torments with invincible patience his followers were called Scepticks he himself liv'd much in solitudes yet honoured in his Country he lived to ninety years Laert. lib. 9. p. 253. 35. Timon the son of Timarchus a Phliasian lived mostly at Athens had but one eye was a lover of Gardens equally acute in Invention and for derision of others he himself loved a quiet life was well known to Antigonus and Ptolomaeus Philadelphus Laert. lib. 9. p. 264. 36. Epicurus was the son of Neocles an Athenian he is charged by Timocrates as a man of pleasure a Glutton and a Lecher but the honours he had in his Country the number of his friends the continuance of his discipline when that of others was extinct his Piety to his Parents love and bounty to his Brethren and mildness to his servants are luculent testimonies of an excellent person he lived upon bread and water and when he fared sumptuously he required a little Cheese he lay sick of the Stone fourteen daies died in the hundred and seventh Olympiad leaving Hermachus as his successour in his School he ordained by his will the Annual celebration of his birth-day the first ten daies of the month Gamelion and that on the twentieth day of every month all his Scholars should be feasted at his charges and he and Metrodorus should then be remembred he lived seventy and two years Laert. lib. 10. p. 267. CHAP. XVII Of the most famous Printers in several places THe Art of Printing doth with wonderful celerity convey Learning from one Country and Age unto another so that the Verse is not altogether untrue Imprimit ille die quantum vix scribitur Anno. The Press transfers within a day or near All that which can be written in a year 1. This worthy Science was brought into Italy by two Brethren named Conrades They Printed at Rome in the house of the Maximes where the first Book that was ever Printed there was Augustinus de civitate Dei and next the Divine Institutions of Lactantius Firmianus 2. An Invention of this merit could not be concealed but it succeeded in divers Countries and by divers worthy men who besides their Art of Printing were Learned and judicious Correctors of Errours and falsifications easily over-slip'd by unskilful work-men Amongst these men of note are especially commended Aldus Manutius at Venice a great restorer of the Latin Tongue Francis Priscianez at Rome Baldus Colinetus Frobenius and Oporinus at Basil Sebastian Gryphius at Lyons Robert Stephanus at Paris and Antwerp and William Caxton at London 3.
began to spread about the beginning of Domitians Reign after Christ fifty two years 2. Corinthus was a Jew by birth and circumcised taught that all Christians ought to be so also he taught that it was Jesus that died and rose again but not Christ he denied the Article of eternal life and taught that the Saints should enjoy in Ierusalem carnal delights for one thousand years he denied the divinity of Christ he owned no other Gospel but that of St. Matthew rejected Paul as an Apostate from the Law of Moses and Worshipped Iudas the Traytor in most things they agreed with the Ebionites so called from Ebion a Samaritan St. Iohn would not enter the same bath with the pernicious Heretick Corinthus but against his and the Heresie of Ebion he wrote his Gospel he spread his Heresie in Domitian's time about sixty two years after Christ. 3. Carpocrates of whom came the Carpocratians was born at Alexandria in Aegypt he flourished about the year of Christ 109. in the time of Antoninus Pius Eusebius accounts him the father of the Gnosticks and saith That his followers gloried of charmed love-drinks of devilish and drunken dreams of assistant and associate Spirits and taught That he who would attain to perfection in their mysteries must commit the most filthy acts nor could they but by doing evil avoid the rage of evil Spirits They said that Christ was a meer man and that only his soul ascended into Heaven They held Pythagorean transmigration but denied the Resurrection They said not God but Satan made this World And that their Disciples should not publish their abominable mysteries they bored their right ear with a Bodkin 4. Valentinus an Aegyptian lived in the time of Antoninus Pius When Hyginus was Bishop of Rome he began to spread his Heresie He held that there were many gods and that he that made the World was the author of death That Christ took flesh from Heaven and passed through the Virgin as water through a Pipe or Conduit He said there were thirty Ages or Worlds the last of which produced the Heaven Earth and Sea Out of the imperfections of this Creator were procreated divers evils as darkness from his fear evil Spirits out of his ignorance out of his tears springs and rivers and out of his laughter light They have Wives in common and say that both Christ and the Angels have Wives They celebrated the heathenish Festivals were addicted to Magick and what not This Heretick was of great reputation in Rome from whence he went to Cyprus and thence into Aegypt 5. Marcion of whom came the Marcionites was of Sinope a City of Pontus or Paphlagonia being driven from Ephesus by S. Iohn he went to Rome he was the son of a Bishop in Pontus and by his father exiled for Fornication being not received by the Brethren in Rome he fell in with Cerdon maintained his Heresie and became his successour in the time of Marcus Antoninus Philosophus one hundred thirty three years after Christ. He held three gods a visible invisible and a middle one that the body of Christ was only a Phantasm that Christ by his descent into hell delivered thence Cain and the Sodomites and other Reprobates He condemned the eating of flesh and the married life he held that souls only were saved permitted women to baptize and condemned all War as unlawful Polycarpus called him the first begotten of the Devil Iustin Martyr wrote a Book against him 6. Tatianus whence come the Tatiani was a Syrian by birth an Orator and familiar with Iustin Martyr under whom he wrote a profitable Book against the Gentiles he flourished one hundred forty two years after Christ his Disciples were also called Encratit◠from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperance or continence for they abstain from Wine Flesh and Marriage When Iustin Martyr was dead he composed his Tenents out of divers others He held that Adam after his Fall was never restored to mercy that all men are damned besides his Disciples that women were made by the Devil he condemned the Law of Moses made use of water instead of wine in the Sacrament and denied that Christ was the seed of David he wrote a Gospel of his own which he called Diatessaron and spread his Heresie through Pisidia and Cilicia 7. Montanus Father of the Montanists his Heresie began about one hundred forty five years after Christ by Nation he was a Phrygian and carried about with him two Strumpets Prisca and Maximilla who sled from their husbands to follow him These took upon them to Prophesie and their dictate were held by Montanus for Oracles but at last he and they for company hanged themselves his Disciples ashamed either of his life or ignominious death called themselves Cataphrygians he confounded the Persons in the Trinity saying That the father suffered he held Christ to be meer man and gave out that he himself was the Holy Ghost his Disciples baptized the dead denied repentance and marriage yet allowed of Incest they trusted to Revelations and Enthusiasms and not to the Scripture In the Eucharist they mingled the bread with the blood of an Infant of a year old In Phrygia this Heresie began and spread it self over all Cappadocia 8. Origen gave name to the Origenists whose errours began to spread Anno Dom. 247. under Aurelian the Emperour and continued above three hundred thirty four years They were condemned first in the Council of Alexandria two hundred years after his death and again in the fifth General Council at Constantinople under Iustinian the first They held a revolution of souls from their estate and condition after death into the bodies again They held the Devils and Reprobates after one thousand years should be saved That Christ and the Holy Ghost do no more see the Father than we see the Angels That the son is co-essential with the Father but not co-eternal Because say they the Father created both Him and the Spirit That souls were created long before this World and for sinning in Heaven were sent down into their bodies as into prisons They did also overthrow the whole Historical truth of Scripture by their Allegories 9. Paulus Samosatenus so called from Samosata near Euphrates where he was born a man of infinite pride commanding himself to be received as an Angel his Heresie brake out two hundred thirty two years after Christ and hath continued in the Eastern parts ever since He held that Christ was meerly man and had no being till his Incarnation that the God-head dwelt not in Christ bodily but as in the Prophets of old by grace and efficacy and that he was only the external not the internal Word of God Therefore they did not baptize in his name for which the Council of Nice rejected their Baptism as none and ordered they should be rebaptized who were baptized by them he denied the divinity of the Holy Ghost allowed Circumcision took away such Psalms as
Queen answered And I hope to see your Pope both which prophetick Complements proved true and within a short time one of another 3. I have spent some inquiry saith Sir Henry Wotton whether the Duke of Buckingham had any ominous presagement before his end wherein though ancient and modern stories have been infected with much vanity yet oftentimes things fall out of that kind which may bear a sober construction whereof I will glean two or three in the Dukes case Being to take his leave of my Lord his Grace of Canterbury then Bishop of London after courtesies of course had passed betwixt them My Lord says the Duke I know your Lordship hath very worthily good successes unto the King our Soveraign let me pray you to put His Majesty in mind to be good as I no ways distrust unto my poor Wife and Children At which words or at his countenance in the delivery or at both my Lord Bishop being somewhat troubled took the freedom to ask him if he had never any secret abodement in his mind No replied the Duke but I think some adventure may kill me as well as another man The very day before he was slain feeling some indisposition of body the King was pleased to give him the honour of a visit and found him in his bed where and after much serious and private conference the Duke at His Majesties departing embraced him in a very unusual and passionate manner and in like sort his Friend the Earl of Holland as if his soul had divined he should see them no more which infusions towards fatal ends have been observed by some Authors of no light Authority On the very day of his death the Countess of Denbigh received a Letter from him whereunto all the while she was writing her Answer she bedewed the paper with her tears and after a bitter passion whereof she could yield no reason but that her dearest Brother was to be gone she fell down in a swound her said Letter ended thus I will pray for your happy return which I look at with a great cloud over my head too heavy for my poor heart to bear without torment but I hope the great God of Heaven will bless you The day following the Bishop of Ely her devoted Friend who was thought the fittest preparer of her mind to receive such a doleful accident came to visit her but hearing she was at rest he attended till she should awake of her self which she did with the affrightment of a dream Her Brother seeming to pass through a field with her in her Coach where hearing a sudden shout of the people and asking the reason it was answered to have been for joy that the Duke of Buckingham was sick which natural impression she scarce had related to her Gentlewoman before the Bishop was entred into her Bed-chamber for a chosen Messenger of the Dukes death 4. Before and at the Birth of William the Conqueror there wanted not forerunning tokens which presaged his future Greatness His Mother Arlotte great with him dreamed her bowels were extended over all Normandy and England Also assoon as he was born being laid on the Chamber-floor with both his hands he took up rushes and shutting his little fists held them very fast which gave occasion to the gossipping Wives to congratulate Arlotte in the birth of such a Boy and the Midwife cryed out The Boy will prove a King 5. Not long before C. Iulius Caesar was slain in the Senate house by the Iulian Law there was a Colony sent to be planted in Capua and some Monuments were demolished for the laying of the foundations of new Houses In the Tomb of Capys who is said to be the Founder of Capua there was found a brazen Table in which was engraven in Greek Letters that whensoever the bones of Capys should be uncovered one of the Iulian Family should be slain by the hands of his own party and that his blood should be revenged to the great damage of all Italy At the same time also those Horses which Caesar had consecrated after his passage over Rubicon did abstain from all kind of food and were observed with drops falling from their eyes after such manner as if they had shed tears Also the Bird called Regulus having a little branch of Laurel in her mouth flew with it into Pompey's Court where she was torn in pieces by sundry other birds that had her in pursuit where also Caesar himself was soon after slain with twenty and three wounds by Brutus Cassius and others 6. As these were the presages of the personal end of the great Caesar so there wanted not those of the end of his whole Family whether natural or adopted which was concluded in Nero and it was thus Livia was newly married to Augustus when as she went to her Villa of Veientum an Eagle gently let fall a white Hen with a branch of Laurel in her mouth into her lap She received this as a fortunate presage and causing the Hen to be carefully looked after there came of her abundance of white Pullets The branch of Laurel too was planted of which sprang up a number of the like Trees from which afterward he that was to triumph gathered that branch of Laurel which during his Triumph he carried in his hand The Triumph finished he used to plant that branch also when it did wither it was observed to presage the death of that Triumpheâ— that had planted it But in the last year of Nero both all the stock of white Hens and Pullets dyed and the little wood of Laurel was withered to the very root the heads also of the Statues of the Caesars were struck off by Lightning and by the same way the Scepter was thrown out of the hands of the Statue of Augustus 7. Before the death of Augustus in Rome where his Statue was set up there was a flash of Lightning that from his name Caesar took away the first Letter C. and left the rest standing The Aruspices and Soothsayers consulted upon this and concluded that within an hundred days Augustus should change this life for AESAR in the Hetrurian Tongue signifies a God and the Letter C. amongst the Romans stands for an hundred and therefore the hundredth day following Caesar should dye and be made a God as they used to deiâ—ie their dead Emperours 8. While the Grandfather of Sergius Galba was sacrificing an Eagle snatched the bowels of the Sacrifice out of his hand and left them upon the branches of an Oak that grew near to the place Upon which the Augurs pronounced that the Empire though late was certainly portended thereby to his Family He to express the great improbability he conceived of such a thing replied That it would then come to pass when a Mule should bring forth Nor did any thing more confirm Galba in the hope of the Empire upon his Revolt from Nero than the news brought him of a Mule that
great Founder of it was Sir Thomas Bodley formerly a Fellow of Merton Colledge he began to furnish it with Desks and Books about the year 1598. after which it met with the liberality of divers of the Nobility Prelacy and Gentry William Earl of Pembroke procured a great number of Greek Manuscripts out of Italy and gave them to this Library William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury bestowed 1300 choice Manuscripts upon it most of them in the Oriental Tongues At last to compleat this stately and plentiful mansion of the Muses there was an accession to it of above eight thousand Books being the Library of that most learned Antiquary Mr. Iohn Selden By the bounty of these noble Benefactors and many others it is improved in such manner that it is a question whether it is exceeded by the Vatican it self or any other Library in the World CHAP. VII Of such persons who being of mean and low Birth have yet attained to great Dignity and considerable Fortunes IT was the dream of some of the Followers of Epicurus that if there were any Gods they were so taken up with the fruition of their own happiness that they mind not the affairs or miseries of poor mortality here below no more than we are wont to concern our selves with the business of Ants and Pismires in their little Mole-hills But when we see on the one side pompous Greatness laid low as contempt it self and on the other hand baseness and obscurity raised up to amazing and prodigious heights even these to a considering mind are sufficient proofs of a superiour and divine Power which visibly exerts it self amongst us and disposes of men as it pleases beyond either their fears or hopes 1. The great Cardinal Mazarini who not long since sate at the Stern of the French Affairs was by birth a Sicilian by extraction scarce a Gentleman his education so mean as that he might have wrote man before he could write but being in Natures debt for a handsome face a stout heart and a stirring spirit he no sooner knew that Sicily was not all the World but he left it for Italy where his debonaire behaviour preferred him to the service of a German Knight who plaid as deep as he drank while his skill in the one maintained his debauches in the other The young Sicilian deemed this shaking of the elbow a lesson worth his learning and practised his art with such success amongst his Companions that he was become the master of a thousand Crowns Hereupon he began to entertain some aspiring thoughts so that his Master taking leave of Rome he took leave of his Master after which being grown intimate with some Gentlemen that attended the Cardinal who steered the Helm of the Papal interest he found means to be made known to him and was by him received with affection into his service after his Cardinal had worn him a year or two at his ear and distilled his State-maxims into his fertile Soul he thought fit the World should take notice of his pregnant abilities He was therefore sent Coadjutor to a Nuntio who was then dispatched to one of the Princes of Italy whence he gave his Cardinal a weekly account of his transactions here the Nuntio's sudden death let fall the whole weight of the business upon his shoulders which he managed with that dextrous solidity that his Cardinal wrought with his Holiness to declare him Nuntio His Commission expired and the Affairs that begot it happily concluded he returns to Rome where he received besides a general grand repute the caresses of his Cardinal and the plausive benedictions of St. Peter's Successour About this time Cardinal Richelieu had gotten so much glory by making his Master Lewis the Thirteenth of a weak man a mighty Prince as he grew formidable to all Christendom and contracted suspicion and envy from Rome it self this made the Conclave resolve upon the dispatch of some able Instrument to countermine and give check to the cariere of his dangerous and prodigious successes This resolved they generally concurred in the choice of Mazarini as the fittest Head-piece to give their fears death in the others destruction To fit him for this great employment the Pope gives him a Cardinals Hat and sends him into France with a large Legantine Commission where being arrived and first complying with that grand Fox the better to get a clue to his Labyrinth he began to screw himself into Intelligence but when he came to sound his Plots and perceive he could find no bottom and knowing the other never used to take a less vengeance than ruine for such doings he began to look from the top of the Enterprise as people do from Precipices with a frighted eye then withal considering his retreat to Rome would neither be honourable nor safe without attempting something he resolves to declare himself Richelieu's Creature and to win the more confidence unrips the bosome of all Rome's designs against him This made the other take him to his breast and acquainted him with the secret contrivance of all his Dedalaean Policies and when he left the World declared him his Successor and this was that great Cardinal that umpired almost all Christendom and that shined but a while since in the Gallick Court with so proud a Pomp. 2. There was a young man in the City of Naples about twenty four years old he wore linen Slops a blue Wastcoat and went bare-foot with a Mariners Cap upon his head his profession was to angle for little fish with a Cane Line and Hook and also to buy fish and to carry and retail them to some that dwelt in his quarter His name was Tomaso Anello but vulgarly called Masaniello by contraction yet was this despicable creature the man that subjugated all Naples Naples the Head of such a Kingdom the Metropolis of so many Provinces the Queen of so many Cities the Mother of so many glorious Hero's the Rendezvous of so many Princes the Nurse of so many valiant Champions and sprightful Cavaliers This Naples by the impenetrable Judgment of God though having six hundred thousand Souls in her saw her self commanded by a poor abject Fisher-boy who was attended by a numerous Army amounting in few hours to one hundred and fifty thousand men He made Trenches set Sentinels gave signs chastised the Banditi condemned the guilty viewed the Squadrons ranked their Files comforted the fearful confirmed the stout encouraged the bold promised rewards threatned the suspected reproached the coward applauded the valiant and marvellously incited the minds of men by many degrees his superiours to battel to burnings to spoil to blood to death He awed the Nobility terrified the Viceroy disposed of the Clergy cut off the heads of Princes burnt Palaces rifled houses at his pleasure freed Napâ—es from all sorts of Gabels restored it to its ancient Priviledges and lest not until he had converted his blue Wastcoat into Cloth of Silver and made himself a more absolute Lord of
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
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
the heavenly Orbs sitting amongst the celestial company of blessed Souls and withal decreed that an Embassy should be sent unto Constantius his Son that he would send unto them the Corps of his Father and that he would honour the City of Rome with the Remainders and Funerals of a most noble and illustrious Prince 15. The death of Titus Vespasian the Emperour being made known in the evening the Senate rushed into the Curia as to bewail the loss oâ— the Worlds perpetual Guardian they then heaped upon him such honours as they had never voted him either present or alive and so decreed he should be numbred amongst the Gods CHAP. XXXIII Of the strange and different ways whereby some persons have been saved from death HE that thinks himself at the remotest distance from death is many times the nearest to it all of us indeed so neighbour upon it that the Poet has most truly said The Gods so favour none that they can say We will live this and then another day Yet as some men who have received the sentence of condemnation in themselves have met with an unlooked for pardon so others have miraculously escaped when to all humane reason they might be numbred amongst the dead 1. Four Christian Slaves being in the Ship of an Algier Pirate resolved to make their escape in a Boat which one of them who was a Carpenter undertook to build the Carpenter set himself on work making wooden Pins and other pieces necessary for the fastning of the boards whereof the Boat was to consist Having appointed a time for the execution of their design they took off five board â— from the room where the provision was kept whereof they used two for the bottom two others for the sides and the third for the Prow and Poop and so made up somewhat that was more like a Trough than a Boat their Quilt served them for Tow and having pitched the Boat well they set it into the water but when they would have got into it they found that two men loaded it so that being in danger of sinking two of the four desisted from that enterprise so that only two an English and a Dutch man adventured in it all the Tackling they had was two Oars and a little Sail all their provision a little bread and fresh water and so they put to Sea without either Compass or Astrolabe The first day a tempest at every wave filled their Boat they were forced to go as the wind drove they were continually imployed in casting out the water the Sea had spoiled their bread and they were almost quite spent when they were cast upon the Coasts of Barbary There they found a little wood wherewith they somewhat enlarged their Boat but narrowly escaping death by the Moors they got to Sea again Thirst troubled them most in which some shift they made with the blood of some Tortoises they took at last after ten days floating up and down they arrived upon the Coast of Spain at the Cape of St. Martin between Alicante and Valencia Those of the Country seeing them at a distance sent a Boat to meet them carried them bread and wine treated them very civilly and found them passage for England this was An. Dom. 1640. 2. An. Dom. 1357. there was a great plague at Coâ—en amongst many others who were infected with it was a noble Lady her name was Reichmut Adolch she lived in the new Market where her house is yet to be seen she being supposed to dye of it was accordingly buried The Sextons knew that she was buried with a Ring upon her finger and therefore the night following they came privily to the Grave and digged up the Coffin and opened it upon which the buried Lady raised up her self the Sextons ran away in a terrible fright and left their Lanthorn behind them which she took up and made haste to the house of her Husband she was known by him and received in afterwards being attended with all care and diligence she perfectly recovered and lived to have three Sons by her Husband all which she devoted to the ministerial Function The truth of all this is confirmed by a publick monumental Inscription erected in memory of so strange a thing and is yet to be seen in the entrance of the Church of the holy Apostles 3. I cannot but ponder that prodigy so loudly proclaimed in the Greek Anthology There was a Father and a Son in a certain Ship which as it fortuned was split upon the Rocks The Fathers age not able to grapple with the waves was soon overwhelmed and drowned The Son labouring to save his life saw a carcass floating upon the water and mistrusting his own strength mounted himself upon it and by this help reached the shore in safety he was no sooner free of his danger but he knew the Corps to be that of his dead Father who gave him life by his death as he had afforded him birth by his life 4. I read in the Relations of Muscovia set out by the Ambassador Demetrius of the memorable Fortune of a Country Boor the man seeking for honey leapt down into a hollow tree where he light into such plenty of it that it sucked him in up to the breast he had lived two days upon honey only and finding that his voice was not heard in that solitary Wood he despaired of freeing himself from his licorish captivity but he was saved by a strange chance A huge Bear came to the same tree to eat of the honey whereof these beasts are very greedy he descended into the tree as a man would do with his hinder parts forward which observed the poor forlorn Creature catched hold of his loins the Bear in a lamentable fright laboured with all his power to get out and thereby drew out the Peasant from his sweet prison which otherwise had proved his tomb 5. Aristomenes General of the Messenians had with too much courage adventured to set upon both the Kings of Sparta and being in that fight wounded and fallen to the ground was taken up senseless and carried away Prisoner with fifty of his Companions There was a deep natural Cave into which the Spartans used to cast head-long such as were condemned to dye for the greatest offences to this punishment were Aristomenes and his Companions adjudged All the rest of these poor men dyed with their falls Aristomenes howsoever it came to pass took no harm yet it was harm enough to be imprisoned in a deep Dungeon among dead carcasses where he was likely to perish with hunger and stench But a while after he perceived by some small glimmering of light which perhaps came in at the top a Fox that was gnawing upon a dead body hereupon he bethought himself that this beast must needs know some way to enter the place and get out for which cause he made shift to lay hold upon it and catching it by the tail with one hand saved
number of Serpents to be gathered and inclosed in earthen pots these he ordered to be thrown into the Roman Vessels in the heat of the fight in great plenty the Romans amused and terrified with these unlooked for enemies began first to abate their vigour in fighting and their fears increasing upon them soon after betook themselves to plain flight 2. Mithridates King of Pontus was overcome by Lucullus in a great Battel and enforced to quit the field to save himself by a hasty flight the pursuers followed close after him when he caused great quantities of gold to be scattered whereby the edge of the pursuit was taken off and though the Romans thereby had a great prey yet they suffered a more noble one to escape their hands by the only fault of their inconsiderate covetousness 3. The Island of Sark joyning to Garnesey and of that Government was surprized by the French and could never have been recovered again by strong hand having Corn and Cattel enough upon the place to feed so many as would serve to defend it and being every way so inaccessible as it might be held against the great Turk yet in Q. Mary's time by the industry of a Gentleman of the Netherlands it was in this sort regained He anchored in the Road with one Ship of small burden and pretending the death of his Merchant besought the French being some thirty in number that they might bury their Merchant in hallowed ground and in the Chappel of that Isle offering a present to the French of such Commodities as they had aboard whereunto the French yielded upon condition they should not come ashore with any weapon no not so much as a knife Then did the Flemmings put a Coffin into their Boat not filled with a dead carcass but with Swords Targets and Harquebusses The French receiving them at the landing and searching every of them so narrowly as they could not hide a Penknife gave them leave to draw their Coffin up the Rocks with great difficulty some part of the French took the Flemish Boat and rowed aboard the Ship to fetch the Commodities promised and what else they pleased but being entred they were taken and bound The Flemmings on Land when they had carried their Coffin into the Chappel shut the door to them and taking their weapons out of the Coffin set upon the French they run to the cliff and cry to their company aboard the Flemming to come to succour but finding the Boat chaâ—ged with Flemmings yielded themselves and the place 4. The Stratagem by which Philip the Father of Perseus King of Macedon won Prinassus is worthy of noting saith Sir Walter Raleigh He attempted it by a Mine and finding the earth so stony that it resisted his work he nevertheless commanded the Pioneers to make a noise under ground and secretly in the night time he raised great mounts about the entrance of the Mine to breed an opinion in the besieged that the work went marvellously forward At length he sent word to the Townsmen that by his undermining two Acres of their Wall stood upon wooden Props to which if he gave fire and entred by a breach they should expect no mercy The Prinassians little thought that he had fetched all his earth and rubbish by night a great way off to raise up those heaps which they saw but rather that all had been extracted out of the Mines wherefore they suffered themselves to be out-fac'd and gave up the Town as lost which the Enemy had no hope to win by force 5. When Kiangus had declared himself a Subject to the Empire of China the Tartars sent a great Army against him Kiangus feigned to â—ly but in the reer he placed very many Carts and Waggons which were all covered carefully as if they had carried the richest Treasures they possessed but in real truth they carried nothing but many great and lesser pieces of Artillery with their mouths turned upon their enemies The Tartars intending to rifle their Carriages hastily pursue fight without order and fall upon the prey with all the greediness imaginable but those that accompanied the Waggons firing the Artillery took off a great part of the Army and withal Kiangus wheeling about came upon them and made a strange carnage amongst them 6. Xerxes his Navy was come to Phalericum and lay upon the neighbouring shores of the Athenian Territories he had also drawn his Land-army to the Sea-coasts that so he might be in the sight of the Grecians with all his Forces at once then did the Peloponnesians resolve of retiring to the Isthmus and would hear no propositions to the contrary They intended therefore to set sail in the night and all the Captains of the Ships had orders to be accordingly prepared Themistocles perceiving the Greeks would by this means lose the Commodities of the Streights and the conveniency of their present station dispersing themselves into their particular Towns bethought himself of this Stratagem He had with him one Sicinus a Persian Captive of whose fidelity he did not dâ—â—bt as being the Instructor of his children him he sends privately to Xerxes with this message That Themistocles the General of the Athenians was of his party and that in the first place he gave him to understand that the Grecians were preparing for flight that he advised him not to suffer their escape but that forthwith he would set upon them while in disorder and before their Land-army was with them that by this means he should be sure to overthrow all their naval Forces at once Xerxes received this advice with great thanks as from a friend and immediately gave order to the Admirals of his Navy that they should silently prepare all the Ships for sight and send two hundred of them to shut up all passages and surround the Islands that there might be no way of escape for the Enemy It was done and thus the Greeks were forced to fight where they would not though the most convenient place for themselves and by this prudenâ— management of Themistocles they obtained a naval Victory such as had not been before amongst the Greeks on Barbarians After which Xerxes still intending to press upon them with his Land-forces and such others as he had yet unbroken at Sea Themistocles found amongst the Captives Arnaces one of Xerxes his Eunuchs him he â—ends to the King to leâ— him know that the Greeks being now Masters at Sea had decreed to sail with their Navy to the Hellespont to cut down the Bridge he had there built to hinder his return home that he being solicitous for his safety would advise him with all speed to retire thitherward and to pass over his Army while in the mean time he would contrive delays to hinder the Greeks from the pursuit of him The Barbarian terrified with this message hastily retired and by this sleight the Greeks eased themselves of a heavy burden 7. The Persian War with Greece being over