good reputat on in the countrie touching his grave with the hand Where the new-yeares gifts that Kings send vnto Princes their vassals euery yeare is some fire which when it is brought all the old fire is cleane put out of which new fire all the neighbouring people are bound vpon paine laesae matestatis to fetch for their vses Where when the King which often commeth to passe wholy to give himselfe vnto devotion giveth over his charge his next successor is bound to doe like and convaieth the right of the kingdome vnto the third heire Where they diversifie the forme of policie according as their affaires seeme to require and where they depose their Kings when they thinke good and appoint them certaine ancient grave men to vndertake and wealde the kingdoms government which sometimes is also committed to the communaltie Where both men and women are equally circumcised and alike baptised Where the Souldier that in one or divers combate hath presented his King with seven enemies heads is made noble Where somelive vnder that so raâ—e and vnsociable opinion of the mortalitie of soules Where women are brought a bed without paine of griefe Where women on both their legs weare greavs of Copper and if a louse bite them they are bound by duty of magnanimitie to bite it againe and no maide dare marrie except she have first made offer of her Virginitie to the King Where they salute one another laying the forefinger on the ground and then lifting it vp toward heaven where all men beare burthens vpon their head and women on their shoulders Where women pisse standing and men cowring Where in signe of true friendshippe they send one another some of their owne bloud and offer insense to men which they intend to honour as they doe to their Gods where not onely kindred and consanguinitie in the fourth degree but in any furthest off can by no meanes be tolerated in marriages where children sucke till they be foure and sometimes twelve yeares olde in which place they deme it a dismall thing to give a childe sucke the first day of his birth Where fathers have the charge to punish their male-children and mothers only maide-children and whose punishment is to hang them vp by the feete and so to smoke them Where women are circumcised where they eat all manner of hearbes without other distinction but to refuse those that have ill savour where all things are open and how faire and rich soever their houses be they have neither doores nor windowes nor any chests to locke yet are all theeves much more severely punished there than any where else where as monkies doe they kill lice with their teeth and thinke it a horrible matter to see them crusht between their naâ—les where men so long as they live never cut their haire nor paire their nales another place where they only paire the nailes of their right hand and those of the left are never cut but very curiously maintained where they indevour to cherish all the haire growing on the right side as long as it wil grow and very often shave away that of the left side where in some Provinces neere vnto vs some women cherish their haire before and othersome that behinde and shave the contrarie where fathers lend their children and husbands their wives to their guests so that they pay ready mony where men may lawfully get their mothers with childe where fathers may lie with their daughters and with their sonnes where in solemne assemblies and banquets without any distinction of bloud or alliance men will lend one another their children In some places men feede vpon humane flesh and in others where it is deemed an office of pietie in children to kill their fathers at a certaine age in other places fathers appoint what children shall live and be preserved and which die and be cast out whilest they are yet in their mothers wombe where old husbands lend their wives to yong men for what vse soever they please In other places where all women are common without sinne or offence yea in some places where for a badge of honour they weare as many frienged tasâ—els fastened to the skirt of their garment as they have laine with severall men Hath not custome also made a severall common-wealth of women hath it not taught them to manage Armes to leavie Armies to marshall men and to deliver battles And that which strickt-searching Philosophie could never perswade the wisest doth she not of her owne naturall instinct teach it to the grofest headed vulgare For we know whole nations where death is not only condemned but cherished where children of seven yeares of age without changing of countenance or shewing any â—igne of dismay endured to be whipped to death where riches and worldly pelfe was so despised and holden so contemptible that the miserablest and need est wretch of a Citie would have scorned to stoope for a pursefull of gold Have we not heard of divers most fertile regions plenteously yeelding al maner of necessary victuals where neverthelesse the most ordinary cates and daintiest dishes were but bread water-cresses water Did not custome worke this wonder in Chios that during the space of seven hundred yeres it was never found or heard of that any woman or maiden had her honor or honestie called in question And to conclude there is nothing in mine opinion that either she doth not or can not and with reason doth Pindarus as I have heard say Call her the Queene and Empresse of all the world He that was met beating of his father answered It was the custome of his house that his father had so beaten his grandfather and he his great-grandfather and pointing to his sonne said this child shall also beate mee when he shall come to my age And the father whom the sonne haled and dragged through thicke and thinne in the streete commanded him to stay at a certaine doore for himselfe had dragged his father no further which were the bounds of the hereditarie and iniurious demeanours the children of that family were wont to shew their fathers By custome saith Aristotle as often as by sicknesse doe we see women tug and teare their haires bite their nailes and eate cole and earth and more by custome then by nature doe men meddle and abuse themselves with men The lawes of conscience which we say to proceede from nature rise and proceede of custome every man holding in speciall regard and inward veneration the opinions approved and customes received about him can not without remorse leave them nor without applause applie himselfe vnto them when those of Creete would informer ages curse any man they besought the Gods to engage him in some bad custome But the chiefest effect of her power is to seize vpon vs and so to entangle vs that it shall hardly lie in vs to free our selves from her holde-fast and come into our wits againe to discourse and reason of her ordinances verily
submission to move them to commiseration and pitty Nouerthelesse courage constancie and resolution meanes altogether opposite have sometimes wrought the same effect Edward the blacke Prince of Wales who so long governed our Countrie of Guienne a man whose conditions and fortune were accompanied with many notable parts of worth and magnanimity having bin grievously offended by the Limosins though he by main forcetooke entred their Citie could by no means be appeased nor by the wailefull out cries of all sorts of people as of men women and children be moved to any pittie they prostrating themselues to the common slaughter crying for mercie and humbly submitting themselues at his feete vntill such time as in triumphant manner passing through their citie he perceiued three French gentlemen who alone with an incredible vndaunted boldnes gainstood the enraged violence and made head against the furie of his victorious army The consideration and respect of so notable a vertue did first abate the dint of his wrath and from those three began to relent and shew mercie to all the other inhabitants of the said towne Scanderbeg Prince of Epirus following one of his soldiers with purpose to kill him who by all means of humilitie submisse entreatie had first assaied to pacifie him in such an vnavoidable extremity resolved at last resolutely to encounter him with his sword in his hand This resolution did immediatly stay his Captaines fury who seeing him vndertake so honorable an attempt not only forgave but received him into grace favour This example may happily of such as have not knowne the prodigious force and matchlesse valor of the said Prince admit an other interpretation The Emperor Couradâ—â— third of that name having besieged Gâ—elphe Duke of Bavaria what vile or base satisfaction soever was offred him would yeeld to no other milder conditions but only to suffer such gentle women as were with the Duke in the citie their honors safe to issue out of the towne aâ—oot with such things as they could carry about them The 〈…〉 an vnrelenting courage advised and resolved themselves neglecting all other riches or jewels to carrie their husbands their children and the Duke himselfe on their backes The Emperor perceiving the quaintnes of their devise tooke so great pleasure at it that he wept for joy forthwith converted that former inexorable rage mortall hatred he bare the Duke into so milde a relenting and gentle 〈…〉 ther of these waies might easily perswade me for I am much inclined to mercie and affected to mildnesse So it is that in mine opinion I should more naturally stoop vnto compassion than bend to estimation Yet is pitie held a vicious passion among the Stoickes They would have vs aide the afflicted but not to faint and cosuffer with them These examples seeme fittest for mee forsomuch as these mindes are seene to be assaulted and environed by these two meanes in vndauntedly suffering the one and stooping vnder the other It may peraduentvre be said that to yeelde ones heart vnto commiseration is an effect of facilitie tendernesse and meekenesse whence it proceedeth that the weakest natures as of women children and the vulgar sort are more subject vnto it But having contemned teares and wailings to yeeld vnto the onely reverence of the sacred Image of vertue is the effect of a couragious and imployable minde holding a masculine and constant vigor in honour and affection Notwithstanding amazement and admiration may in lesse generous mindes worke the like effect Witnesse the Thebanes who having accused and indited their captaines as of a capitall crime forsomuch as they had continued their charge beyond the time prescribed them absolved and quit Pelopidas of all punishment because he submissiuely yeelded vnder the burden of such objections and to save himselfe imployed no other meanes but suing-requests and demisse entreaties where on the contrary Epaminondas boldely relating the exploits atchieved by him and with a fierce and arrogant manner vpbraiding the people with them had not the heart so much as to take their lots into his hands but went his way and was freely absolved the assembly much commending the stoutnesse of his courage Dionysius the elder after long-lingering and extreame difficulties having taken the Citie of Reggio and in it the Captaine Phyton a worthy honest man who had so obstinately defended the same would needes shew a tragicall example of revenge First he tolde him how the day before he had caused his sonne and all his kinsfolkes to be drowned To whom Phyâ—on stoutly out-staring him answered nothing but that they were more happy than himselfe by the space of one day Afterward hee caused him to be stripped and by his executioners to be taken and dragged through the Citie most ignominiously and cruelly whipping him charging him besides with outragious and contumelâ—ous speeches All which notwithstanding as one no whit dismaied hee ever shewed a constant and resolute heart And with a cheerefull and bold countenance went on still lowdly recounting the honourable and glorious cause of his death which was that hee would never consent to yeeld his Countrie into the handes of a cruell tyrant menacing him with an imminent punishment of the Gods Dionysius plainely reading in his Souldiers lookes that in liew of animating them with braving his conquered enemie they in contempt of him and skorne of his triumph seemed by the astonishment of so rare a vertue to be mooved with compassion and enclined to mutinie yea and to free Phyâ—on from out the hands of his Sergeanâ—s or Guard caused his torture to cease and secretly sent him to be drowned in the Sea Surely man is a wonderfull vain diuerse and wavering subject it is very hard to ground any directly-constant and vniforme judgement vpon him Behold Pompey who freely pardoned all the Citie of the Mamertines against which hee was grievously enraged for the love of the magnanimitie and considederation of the exceeding vertue of Zeno one of their fellow-citizens who tooke the publike fault wholy vpon himselfe and desired no other favor but alone to beare the punishment thereof whereas Syllaes hoste having vsed the like vertue in the Citie of Perugia obtained nothing neither for himselfe nor for others And directly against my first example the hardiest amongst men and so gracious to the vanquished Alexander the great after many strange difficulties forcing the Citie of Gaza encountred by chaunce with Betis that commanded therein of whose valour during the siege hee had felt woonderfull and strange exploites beeing then alone forsaken of all his followers his armes all-broken all-besmeared with blood and wounds fighting amongst a number of Macedonians who pell-mell laid still vpon him provoked by so deere a victorie for among other mishappes hee had newly received two hurts in his body said thus vnto him Betis thou shalt not die as thou wouldest for make account thou must indure all the torments may possibly bee devised or inflicted vpon a caitife wretch as thou art But he
for all his enemies threates without speaking one word returned onely an assured sterne and disdainefull countenance vpon him which silent obstinacie Alexander noting said thus vnto himselfe What would hee not bend his knee could he not vtter one suppliant voyce I will assuredly vanquish his silence and if I can not wrest a word from him I will at least make him to sobbe or groane And converting his anger into rage commanded his heeles to bee through-pierced and so all alive with a cord through them to be torne maâ—gled and dismembred at a carts taile May it be the force of his courage was so naturall and peculiar vnto him that because he would no-whit admire him he respected him the lesse or deemed he it so proper vnto himselfe that in his height he could not without the spight of an envious passion endure to see it in an other or was the naturall violence of his rage incapable of any opposition surely had it received any restraint it may be supposed that in the ransacking and desolation of the Citie of Thebes it should have felt the same in seeing so many Worthies lost and valiant men put to the sword as having no meanes of publike defence for aboue six thousand were slaine and massacred of which not one was seene either to runne away or beg for grace But on the contrary some here and there seeking to affront and endevouring to check their victorious enemies vrging and provoking them to force them die an honourable death Not one was seene to yeelde and that to his last gaspe did not attempt to revenge himselfe and with all weapons of dispaire with the death of some enemie comfort and sweeten his owne miserie Yet could not the affliction of their vertue find any ruth or pitie nor might one day suâ—â—ice to glut or asswage his revengefull wrath This burcherous slaughter continued vnto the last drop of any remaining blood where none were spared but the vnarmed and naked the aged and impotent the women and children that so from amongst them they might get thirtie thousand slaves The second Chapter Of Sadnesse or Sorrowe NO man is more free from this passion than I for I neither love nor regard it albeit the world hath vndertaken as it were vpon covenant to grace it with a particular favour Therewith they adorne age vertue and conscience Oh foolish and base ornament The Italians have more properly with it's name entitled malignitie for it is a qualitie ever hurtfull ever sottisâ— and as ever base and coward the Stoikes inhibit their Elders and Sages to be therewith tainted or have any feeling of it But the Storie saith that Psamneâ—icus king of Aegypt hauing been defeated and taken by Cambises king of Persia seeing his owne daughter passe before him in base and vile aray being sent to draw water from a well his friends weeping wailing about him he with his eies fixed on the ground could not be mooved to vtter one word and shortly after beholding his sonne led to execution held still the same vndaunted countenance but perceiving a familiar friend of his haled amongst the captives he began to beat his head and burst forth into extreame sorrow This might well be compared to that which one of our Princes was lately seene to doe who being at Trent and receiving newes of his elder brothers death but such a brother as on him lay all the burthen and honour of his house and shortly after tidings of his yonger brothers decease who was his second hope and having with an vnmatched countenance and exemplar constancie endured these two affronts it fortuned not long after that one of his servants dying he by this latter accident suffered himselfe to be so far transported that quitting and forgetting his former resolution he so abandoned himselfe to all maner of sorrow and griefe that some argued only this last mischance had toucht him to the quicke but verily the reason was that being otherwise full and over plunged in sorrow the least surcharge brake the bounds and barres of patience The like might I say be judged of our storie were it not it followeth that Cambises inquiring of Psamneticus why he was nothing distempered at the misfortune of his sonne and daughter he did so impatiently beare the disaster of his friend It is answered he Because this last displeasure may be manifested by weeping whereas the two former exceede by much all meanes and compasse to bee expressed by teares The invention of that ancient Painter might happily fitte this purpose who in the sacrifice of Iphigenia being to represent the griefe of the by-standers according to the qualitie and interest each one bare for the death of so faire so yong and innocent a Lady having ransacked the vtmost skill and effects of his art when he came to the Virgins father as if no countenance were able to represent that degree of sorrow he drew him with availe over his face And that is the reason why our Poets faine miserable Niobe who first having lost seaven sonnes and immediately as many daughters as one over-burthened with their losses to have beene transformed into a stone Diriguisse malis And grew as hard as stone By miserie and moane Thereby to expresse this mournfull silent stupiditie which so doth pierce vs when accidents surpassing our strength orewhelme vs. Verily the violence of a griefe being extreame must needs astonie the mind hinder the liberty of her actions As it hapneth at the sudden alarum of some bad tidings when wee shall feele ourselves surprised benummed and as it were deprived of al motion so that the soule bursting afterward forth into teares and complaints seemeth at more ease and libertie to loose to cleare and dilate it selfe Et via vix tandem voci laxata dolore est And scarse at last for speach By griefe was made a breach In the warres which king Ferdinando made against the widow of Iohn king of Hungaria about Buda a man at armes was particularly noted of all men forsomuch as in a certaine skirmish he had shewed exceeding prowesse of his body and though vnknowne beeing slaine was highly commended and much bemoaned of all but yet of none so greatly as of a Germane Lord called Raisciac as he that was amased at so rare vertue his body being recovered and had off this Lord led by a common curiositie drew neere vnto it to see who it might be and having caused him to be disarmed perceived him to be his owne sonne which knowne did greatly augment the compassion of all the camp he only without framing word or closing his eyes but earnestly viewing the dead body of his sonne stood still vpright till the vehemencie of his sad sorrow having suppressed and choaked his vitall spirits fell'd him starke dead to the ground Chipuo dir com'egli arde è in piâ—ciâ—l fâ—oÌ„co He that can say how he doth frie In pettie-gentle flames doth lie say those Lovers that would liuely
side By which termes it hapneth that some have so great an opinion of themselves and their meanes and deeming it vnreasonable any thing should be woorthie to make head against them that so long as their fortune continueth they overpasse what hill or difficultie soever they finde to withstand or resist them As is seene by the formes of sommonings and challenges that the Princes of the East and their successors yet remaining have in vse so fierce so haughtie and so full of a barbarous kinde of commandement And in those places where the Portugales abated the pride of the Indians they found some states observing this vniuersall and inviolable law that what enemie soever he be that is overcome by the King in person or by his Lieutenant is exempted from all composition of ransome or mercie So above all a man who is able should take heed lest he fall into the hands of an enemie-judge that is victorious and armed The fifteenth Chapter Of the punishment of cowardise I Have heretofore heard a Prince who was a very great Captaine hold opinion that a souldier might not for cowardise of heart be condemned to death who sitting at his table heard report of the Lord of Veruins sentence who for yeelding vp of Bollein was doomed to loose his head Verily there is reason a man should make a difference betweene faultes proceeding from our weakenesse and those that grow from our malice For in the latter we are directly bandied against the rules of reason which nature hath imprinted in vs and in the former it seemeth we may call the same nature as a warrant because it hath left-vs in such imperfection and defect So as divers nations have judged that no man should blame vs for any thing we doe against our conscience And the opinion of those which condemne heretikes and miscreants vnto capitall punishments is partly grounded vpon this rule and the same which establisheth that a Iudge or an advocate may not be called to account for any matter committed in their charge through oversight or ignorance But touching cowardise it is certain the common fashion is to punish the same with ignominie and shame And some hold that this rule was first put in practise by the Law-giver Charondas and that before him the lawes of Greece were woont to punish those with death who for feare did runne away from a Battell where he onely ordained that for three daies together clad in womens attire they should be made to sit in the market-place hoping yet to have some service at their hands and by meanes of this reproch they might recover their courage againe Suffundere malis hominis sanguinem quà m effundere Rather moove a mans bloud to blush in his face than remoove it by bleeding from his body It appeareth also that the Romane lawes did in former times punish such as had runaway by death For Animianus Marcellinus reporteth that Iulian the Emperor condemned tenne of his Souldiers who in a charge against the Parthians had but turned their backes from it first to be degraded then to suffer death as he saith according to the ancient lawes who neverthelesse condemneth others for a like fault vnder the ensigne of bag and baggage to be kept amongst the common prisoners The sharp punishment of the Romanes against those Souldiers that escaped from Cannae and in the same warre against those that accompanied Ca. Fuluius in his defeate reached not vnto death yet may a man feare such open shame may make them dispaire and not only prove faint and cold friends but cruell and sharp enemies In the time of our forefathers the Lord of Franget Whilom Lieutenant of the Marshall of Chastillions companie having by the Marshall of Chabanes been placed Governor of Fontarabie instead of the Earle of Lude and having yeelded the same vnto the Spaniards was condemned to be degraded of all Nobilitie and not only himselfe but all his succeding posteritie declared villains and clownes taxable and incapable to beare armes which seuere sentence was put in execution at Lyons The like punishment did afterward al the Gentlemen suffer that were within Guise when the Earle of Nansaw entred the town and others since Neuerthelesse if there were so grosse an ignorance and so apparant cowardise as that it should exceede all ordinarie it were reason it should be taken for a sufficient proofe of inexcusable treacherie and knaverie and for such to be punished The sixteenth Chapter A tricke of certaine Ambassadors IN all my trauels I did ever observe this custome that is alwaies to learne something by the communication of others which is one of the bests schooles that may be to reduce those I confer withall to speake of that wherein they are most conversant and skilfull Basti al nochiero ragionar de'venti Albifolco de'â—ori lesue piaghe Conti il guerrier conti il pastor gl' armenti Sailers of windes plow-men of beastes take keep Let Souldiers count their wounds sheepheards their sheep For commonly we see the contrary that many chuse rather to discourse of any other trade than their own supposing it to be so much new reputation gotten witnes the quip Archidamus gaue Periander saying that he forsooke the credit of a good Phisitian to become a paltry Poet. Note but how Caesar displaieth his invention at large when he would have vs conceive his inventions how to build bridges and devises how to frame other war-like engins and in respect of that how close and succinct he writes when he speaketh of the offices belonging to his profession of his valour and of the conduct of his warre-fare His exploits prove him a most excellent Captain but he would be known for a skilfull Ingenier a qualitie somewhat strange in him Dionysius the elder was a very great chieftaine and Leader in warre as a thing best sitting his fortune but he greatly labored by meanes of Poetrie to assume high commendation vnto himselfe howbeit he had but little skill in it A certain Lawier was not long since brought to see a studie stored with all manner of bookes both of his owne and of all other faculties wherein he found no occasion to entertaine himselfe withall but like a fond cunning clarke earnestly busied himselfe to glosse and censure a fence or barricado placed over the screw of the studie which a hundred Captaines and Souldiers see every day without observing or taking offence at them Optat ephippia bâ—s piger optat arare caballus The Oxe would trappings weare The Horse ploughs-yoake would beare By this course you never come to perfection or bring any thing to good passe Thus must a man indevor to induce the Architect the Painter the Shoomaker to speake of their owne trade and so of the rest everie man in his vocation And to this purpose am I wont in reading of histories which is the subject of most men to consider who are the writers If they be such as professe nothing but bare learning the
the lasting of mountaines rivers stars and trees or any other living creature is no lesse ridiculous But nature compels vs to it Depart saith she out of this world even as you came into it The same way you came from death to life returne without passion or amazement from life to death your death is but a peece of the worlds order and but a parcell of the worlds life inter se mortales mutua vivunt Et quasi cursores vitai lampada tradunt Mortall men live by mutuall entercourse And yeeld their life-torch as men in a course Shal I not change this goodly contexture of things for you It is the condition of your creation death is a part of your selves you flie from your selves The being you enjoy is equally shared between life and death The first day of your birth doth aswell addresse you to-die as to live Prima quae vitam dedit hora carpsit The first houre that to men Gave life strait cropt it then Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet As we are borne we die the end Doth of th' originall depend All the time you liue you steale it from death it is at her charge The continuall work of your life is to contrive death you are in death during the time you continue in life for you are after death when you are no longer living Or if you had rather have it so you are dead after life but during life you are still dying death doth more rudely touch the dying then the dead and more lively and essentially If you haue profited by life you haue also beene fed thereby depart then satisfied Cur non vt plenus vitae conviva recedis Why like a full-fed guest Depart you not to rest If you have not knowne how to make vse of it if it were vnprofitable to you what neede you care to have lost it to what end would you enioy it longer cur amplius addere quaris Rursum quod pereat malè ingratum occidat omne Why seeke you more to gaine what must againe All perish ill and passe with griefe or paine Life in it selfe is neither good nor euill it is the place of good or evill according as you prepare it for them And if you have liued one day you have seene all one day is equal to all other daies There is no other light there is no other night This Sunne this Moone these Starres and this disposition is the very same which your forefathers enjoyed and which shall also entertaine your posteritie Non alium â—idâ—re patres aliúmue nepotes Aspicient No other saw our Sires of old No other shall their sonnes behold And if the worst happen the distribution and varietie of all the acts of my comedie is performed in one yeare If you have observed the course of my foure seasons they containe the infancie the youth the virilitie the old age of the world He hath plaied his part he knowes no other wilinesse belonging to it but to begin againe it will ever be the same and no other Versamur ibidem atque insumus vsque We still in one place turne about Still there we are now in now out Atque inse sua per vestigia volvitur annus The yeare into it selfe is cast By those same steps that it hath past I am not purposed to devise you other new sports Nam tibi praeterea quod machiner inveniámque Quod placeat nihil est eadem sunt omnia semper Else nothing that I can devise or frame Can please thee for all things are still the same Make roome for others as others have done for you Equalitie is the chiefe ground-worke of equitie who can complaine to be comprehended where all are contained So may you live long-enough you shall never diminish any thing from the time you have to die it is bootelesse so long shall you continue in that state which you feare as if you had died being in your swathing-clothes and when you were sucking licet quot vis vivendo vincere secla Mors aeterna tamen nihil ominus illa manebit Though yeares you live as many as you will Death is eternall death remaineth still And I will so please you that you shall have no discontent In vera nescis nullum fore morte alium te Qui possit vivus tibi te lugere peremptum Stánsque iacnetem Thou know'st no there shall be not other thou When thou art dead indeede that can tell how Alive to waile thee dying Standing to waile thee lying Nor shall you wish for life which you so much desire Nec sibi enim quisquam tum se vitámque requirit Nec desiderium nostri nos afficit vllum For then none for himselfe himselfe or life requires Nor are we of our selves affected with desires Death is lesse to be feared than nothing if there were any thing lesse than nothing multo mortem minus ad nos esse putandum Si minus esse potest quám quod nihil esse videmus Death is much lesse to vs we ought esteeme If lesse may be then what doth nothing seeme Nor alive nor dead it doth concerne you nothing Alive because you are Dead because you are no more Moreover no man dies before his houre The time you leave behinde was no more yours then that which was before your birth and concerneth you no more Respice enim quà m nil ad nos anteacta vetustas Temporis aeterni fuerit For marke how all antiquitie fore-gone Of all time e're we were to vs was none Wheresoever your life endeth there is it all The profit of life consistes not in the space but rather in the vse Some man hath lived long that hath had a short life Follow it whilest you have time It consists not in number of yeeres but in your will that you have lived long enough Did you thinke you should never come to the place where you were still going There is no way but hath an end And if company may solace you doth not the whole world walke the same path Omnia te vita perfuncta sequenter Life past all things at last Shall follow thee as thou hast past Doe not all things moove as you doe or keepe your course Is there any thing grows not old togither with your selfe A thousand men a thousand beasts and a thousand other creatures die in the very instance that you die Nam nox nulla diem neque noctem aurora sequuta est Quae non audierit mistos vagitibus aegris Ploratus mortis comites funeris atri No night ensued day light no morning followed night Which heard not moaning mixt with sick-mens groaning With deaths and funerals joyned was that moaning To what end recoile you from it if you cannot goe backe You have seene many who have found good in death ending thereby many many miseries But have you seene any that hath received hurt
evils and mischiefe then they vnder-tooke not this maner of revenge without cause and that consequently it was more smartfull and cruell then theirs and therevpon began to leave their old fashion to follow this I am not sorie we note the barbarous horror of such an action but grieved that prying so narrowly into their faults we are so blinded in ours I thinke there is more barbarisme in eating men alive then to feed vpon them being dead to mangle by tortures and torments a body full of lively sense to roast him in peeces to make dogges and swine to gnawe and teare him in mammockes as wee have not onely read but seene very lately yea and in our owne memorie not amongst ancient enemies but our neighbours and fellow-citizens and which is woorse vnder pretence of pietie and religion then to roast and eate him after he is dead Chrysippus and Zeno arch pillers of the Stoicke sect have supposed that it was no hurte at all in time of need and to what end soever to make vse of our carrion bodies and to seed vpon them as did our forefathers who being besieged by Caesar in the Citie of Alexia resolved to sustaine the famine of the siege with the bodies of old men women other persons vnserviceable and vnfit to fight Vascones fama est alimentis talibus vsi Produxere animas Gascoynes as same reports Liu'd with meates of such sorts And Phisitians feare not in all kindes of compositions availefull to our health to make vse of it be it for outward or inward applications But there was never any opinion found so vnnaturall and immodest that would excuse treason treacherie disloialty tyrannie crueltie and such like which are our ordinarie faults We may then well call them barbarous in regard of reasons rules but not in respect of vâ—â—â— at exceed them in all kinde of barbarisme Their warres are noble and generous and have as much excuse and beautie as this humane infirmitie may admit they ayme at nought so much and have no other foundation amongst them but the meere jelousie of vertue They contend not for the gaining of new landes for to this day they yet enjoy that naturall vbertie and fruitesulnesse which without labouring toyle doth in such plenteous aboundance furnish them with all necessary things that they neede not enlarge their limits They are yet in that happy estate as they desire no more then what their naturall necessities direct them whatsoever is beyond it is to them fuperfluous Those that are much about one age doe generally enter-call one another brethren and such as are yoonger they call children and the aged are esteemed as fathers to all the rest These leave this full possession of goods in common and without division to their heires without other claime or title but that which nature doth plainely impart vnto all creatures even as shee brings them into the world If their neighbours chance to come over the mountaines to assaile or invade them and that they get the victory over them the Victors conquest is glorie and the advantage to be and remaine superior in valour and vertue else have they nothing to doe with the goods and spoyles of the vanquished and so returne into their countrie where they neither want any necessarie thing nor lacke this great port on to know how to enioy their condition happily and are contented with what nature affoordâ—th them So doe these when their turne commeth They require no other ransome of their prisoners but an acknowledgement and confession that they are vanquished And in a whole age a man shall not finde one that doth not rather embrace death then either by word or countenance remissely to yeeld one jot of an invincible courage There is none seene that would not rather be slaine and devoured then sue for life or shew any feare They vse their prisoners with all libertie that they may so much the more holde their lives deare and precious and commonly entertaine them with threats of future death with the torments they shall endure with the preparations intended for that purpose with mangling and slicing of their members and with the feast that shall be kept at their charge All which is done to wrest some remisse and exact some faint-yeelding speech of submission from them or to possesse them with a desire to escape or runne away that so they may have the advantage to have danted and made them afraid and to have forced their constancie For certainly true victory consisteth in that onely point Victoria nulla est Quà m quae confessos animo quoque subingat hostes No conquest such as to suppresse Foes hearts the conquest to confesse The Hungarians a most warre-like nation were whilome woont to pursue their pray no longer then they had forced their enemie to yeeld vnto their mercie For having wrested this confession from-him they set him at libertie without offence or ransome except it were to make him sweare never after to beare armes against them Wee get many advantages of our enemies that are but borrowed and not ours It is the qualitie of porterly-rascall and not of vertue to have stronger armes and sturdier legs Disposition is a dead and corporall qualitie It is a tricke of fortune to make our enemie stoope and to bleare his eies with the Sunnes-light It is a pranke of skill and knowledge to be cunning in the arte of fencing and which may happen vnto a base and woorthlesse man The reputation and woorth of a man consisteth in his heart and will therein consists true honor Constancie is valour not of armes and legs but of minde and courage it consisteth not in the spirit and courage of our horse nor of our armes but in ours He that obstinately faileth in his courage Si succiderit de genu pugnat If hee slip or fall he fights vpon his knee He that in danger of imminent death is no whit danted in his assurednesse he that in yeelding vp his ghost be holding his enemie with a scornefull and fierce looke he is vanquished not by vs but by fortune he is slaine but not conquered The most valiant are often the most vnfortunate So are there triumphant losses in envie of victories Not those foure-sister-victories the fairest that ever the Sunne beheld with his all-seeing eie of Salamis of Plateae of Micale and of Sicilia durst ever dare to oppose all their glorie together to the glory of the King Lâ—onidas his discomsiture and of his men at the passage of Thermopylae what man did ever runne with so glorious an envie or more ambitious desire to the goale of a combat then Captaine Ischolas to an evident losse and overthrow who so ingeniously or more politikely did ever assure him-selfe of his welfare then he of his ruine He was appointed to defend a certaine passage of Peloponesus against the Arcadians which finding himselfe altogether vnable to performe seeing the nature of the place and inequalitie of the forces and
so much ground which I guessed to be about 4. or 5. thousand men moreover I demanded if when warres were ended all his authoritie expired he answered that hee had onely this left him which was that when he went on progresse and visited the villages depending of him the inhabitants prepared paths and high-waies athwart the hedges of their woods for him to passe through at ease All that is not very ill but what of that They weare no kinde of breeches nor hosen The one and thirtieth Chapter That a man ought soberly to meddle with iudging of divine lawes THings vnknowne are the true scope of imposture and subject of Legerdemaine forasmuch as strangenesse it selfe doth first giue credite vnto matters and not being subject to our ordinarie discourses they deprive vs of meanes to withstand them To this purpose said Plato it is an easie matter to please speaking of the nature of the Gods then of mens For the Auditors ignorance lends a faire and large cariere and free libertie to the handling of secret hidden matters Whence it followeth that nothing is so firmly beleeued as that which a man knoweth least nor are there people more assured in their reports then such as tell vs fables as Alâ—humists Prognosticators Fortune-tellers Palmesters Phisitians idgenus omne and such like To which if I durst I would joyne a rable of men that are ordinarie interpreters and controulers of Gods secret desseignes presuming to finde out the causes of every accident and to prie into the secrets of Gods divine will the incomprehensible motives of his works And howbeit the continuall varietie and discordance of events drive them from one corner to another and from East to West they will not leave to follow their bowle and with one small penâ—ill drawe both white and blacke There is this commendable observance in a certaine Indian nation who if they chance to be discomfited in any skirmish or battle they publikely beg pardon of the Sunne who is their God as for an vnjust action referring their good or ill fortune to divine reason submitting their judgement and discourses vnto it It suffiseth a Christian to beleeve that all things come from God to receive them from his divine and inscrutable wisedome with thanksgiving and in what manner soever they are sent him to take them in good part But I vtterly disalow a common custome amongst vs which is to ground and establish our religion vpon the prosperitie of our enterprises Our beleefe hath other sufficient foundations and need not be authorized by events For the people accustomed to these plausible arguments agreeing with his taste when events sort contrarie and disadvantageous to their expectation they are in hazard to waver in their faith As in the civill warres wherein we are now for religions sake those which got the advantage at the conflict of Rochâ—labeâ—lle making great ioy and bone-fires for that accident and vsing that fortune as an assured approbation of their faction when afterward they come to excuse their disaster of Mort-contour and Iarnac which are scourges and fatherly chastisements if they have not a people wholy at their mercy they will easily make him perceive what it is to take two kinds of corne out of one saâ—ke from one and the same mouth to blow both hot and cold It were better to entertaine it with the true foundations of veritie It was a notable Sea-battle which was lately gained against the Turkes vnder the conduct of Don Iohn of Austria But it hath pleased God to make vs at other times both see and feele otheâ— such to our no small losse and detriment To conclude it is no easie matter to reduce divine things vnto our ballance so they suffer no impeachment And he that would yeeld a reason why Arrius and Leo his Pope chiefe Principals and maine supporters of this hereâ—ie died both at severall times of so semblable and so strange deaths for being forced through a violent bellie-ach to goe from their disputations to their close-stoole both suddenly yeelded vp their ghosts on them exaggerate that divine vengeance by the circumstance of the place might also adde the death of Helâ—ogabalus vnto it who likewise was slaine vpon a privie But what Ireneus is found to be engaged in like fortune Gods intent being to teach vs that the good have some thing else to hope for and the wicked somewhat else to feare then the good or bad fortune of this world He manageth and applieth them according to his secret disposition and depriveth vs of the meanes thereby foolishly to make our profit And those that according to humane reason will thereby prevaile doe but mocke themselves They never give one touch of it that they receive not two for it S. Augustine giveth a notable triall of it vpon his adversaries It is a conflict no more decided by the armes of memorie than by the weapons of reason A man should be satisfied with the light which it pleaseth the Sunne to communicate vnto vs by vertue of his beames and he that shal lift vp his eies to take a greater within his bodie let him not thinke it strange if for a reward of his over-weening and arrogancie he looseth his sight Quis hominum potest scire consilium Deâ—â— aut quis poterit cogitare quid velit dominus Who amongst men can know Gods counsell or who can thinke what God will doe The two and thirtieth Chapter To avoide voluptuousnesse in regard of life I Have noted the greatest part of ancient opinions to agree in this That when our life affords more evill than good it is then time to die and to preserve our life to our torment and incommoditie is to spurre and shocke the very rules of nature as say the old rules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or live without distresse Or die with happinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T' is good for them to die Whom life bring 's infamie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T' is better not to live Then whetchedly not thrive But to drive off the contempt of death to such a degree as to imploy it to distract and remoovâ— himselfe from honours riches greatnesse and other goods and favours which wee call the goods of fortune as if reason had not enough to doe to perswade vs to forgoe and leave them without adding this new surcharge vnto it I had neither seene the same commanded nor practised vntill such time as one place of Seneca came to my hands wherein counselling Lucilius a man mightie and in great authoritie about the Emperour to change this voluptuous and pompous life and to withdraw himselfe from this ambition of the world to some solitarie quiet and philosophicall life about which Lucilius alleaged some difficulties My advise is saith he that either thou leave and quit that life or thy life altogether But I perswade thee to follow the gentler way and rather to vntie than breake what thou hast so ill â—â—it alwaies provided
thou breake it if thou canst not otherwise vntie the same There is no man so base minded that loveth not rather to fall once then ever to remaine in feare of falling I should have deemed this counsel agreeing with the Stoickes â—udenes But it is more strange it should be borrowed of Epicurus who to that purpose writeth this consonant vnto Idomeneus Yet thinke I to have noted some such like thing amongst our owne people but with christian moderation Saint Hilarie Bishop of Poitiers a famous enemie of the Arrian heresie being in Syria was advertised that Abra his onely daughter whom hee had left athome with her mother was by the greatest Lords of the countrie solicited and sued vnto for marriage as a damosell very well brought vp faire rich and in the prime of her age he writ vnto her as we see that she should remoove her affections from all the pleasures and advantages might be presented her for in his voyage he had found a greater and worthier match or husband of far higher power and magnificence who should present and endowe hir with roabes and jewels of vnvaluable price His purpose was to make hir loose the appetite and vse of worldly pleasures and wholie to wed hir vnto God To which deeming his daughters death the shortest and most assured way he never ceased by vowes prayers and orisons humbly to beseech God to take her out of this world and to call her to his mercie as it came to passe for â—â—ee deceased soone after his returne whereof he shewed manifest tokens of singular gladnesse This man seemeth to endeere himselfe above others in that at first â—ight he addresseth himselfe to this meane which they never embrace but subsidiarily and sithence it is towards his onely daughter But I will omit the successe of this storie although it be not to my purpose Saint Hilaries wife having vnderstood by him how her daughters death succeeded with his intent and will and how much more happy it was for hir to be dislodged from out this world then still to abide therein conceived so lively an apprehension of the eternall and heavenly blessednesse that with importunate instancie she solicited her husband to do as much for her And God at their earnest entreatie and joynt-common prayers having soone after taken her vnto himselfe it was a death embraced with singular and mutuall contentment to both The three and thirtieth Chapter That fortune is oftentimes met withall in pursuite of reason THe inconstancie of Fortunes diverse wavering is the cause shee should present vs with all sortes of visages Is there any action of justice more manifest then this Caesar Borâ—â—â— Duke of Valâ—ntinoâ—s having resolved to poison Adrian Cardinall of Cornetto with whom Pope Alexander the â—â—xt his father and he were to sup that night in Vaticane sent certaine bottles of empoysoned wine before and gave his Butler great charge to have a special care of it The Pope comming thither before his sonne and calling for some drinke the butler supposing the Wine had been so carefully commended vnto him for the goodnesse of it immediately presented some vnto the Pope who whilest he was drinking his sonne came in and never imagining his bottles had beene toucht tooke the cup and pledged his father so that the Pope died presently and the sonne after he had long time beene tormented with sicknesse recovered to another woorse fortune It somtimes seemeth that when we least think on her shee is pleased to sporte with vs. The Lord of Estree the guidon to the Lord of Vandâ—sme and the Lord of Liques Lieutenant to the Duke of Ascot both servants to the Lord of Founguesellâ—s sister albeit of contrarie factions as it happneth among neighboring bordurers the Lord of Liques got her to wife But even vpon his wedding day and which is woorse before his going to bed the bridegroome desiring to breake a staffe in favour of his new Bride and Mistris went out to skirmish neere to Saint Omer where the Lord of Estree being the stronger tooke him prisoner and to endeare his advantage the Lady her selfe was faine Coniâ—gis antâ—â—â—actanâ—vi dimittere collum Quà m veniens vna atque altera rursus hyems Noctibus in longis auidum saturasset amorem Her new feeres necke for'st was she to forgoe Ere winters one and two returning sloe In long nights had ful-fil'd Her love so eager wil'd in courtesie to sue vnto him for the deliverie of his prisoner which he granted the French Nobilitie never refusing Ladies any kindnesse Seemeth she not to be a right artist Constantine the sonne of Hâ—len â—ounded the Empire of Constantinople and so many ages after Constantinâ— the sonne of Hâ—len ended the same She is sometimes pleased to envie our miracles we hold an opinion that King Clovis besieging Aâ—goulesme the wals by a divine favour â—eâ—l of themselves And Bouchet borroweth of some author that King Robert beleagring a Citie and having secretly stolne away from the siege to Orleans there to solemnize the feasts of Saint Aignan as he was in his earnest devotion vpon a certaine passage of the Masse the walles of the towne besieged without any batterie fell flat to the ground She did altogether contrarie in our warres of Millane For Captaine Rensâ— beleagring the Citie of Eronna for vs and having caused a forcible mine to be wrought vnder a great curtine of the walles by force whereof it being violently flowne vp from out the ground did notwithstanding whole and vnbroken fall so right into his foundation againe that the besieged found no inconvenience at all by it She sometimes playeth the Phisitian Iason Therius being vtterly forsaken of all Phisitians by reason of an impostume he had'm his breast and desirous to be rid of it though it were by death as one of the forlorne hope rusht into a battel amongst the thickest throâ—g of his enemies where he was so rightly wounded acrosse the bodie that his impostume brake and he was cured Did shee not exceed the Painter Protogenes in the skill of his trade who having perfected the image of a wearie and panting dog and in all parts over-tired to his content but being vnable as he desired hvely to represent the drivel or slaver of his mouth vexed against his owne worke took his spunge and moist as it was with divers colours thrâ—â—â—t at the picture with purpose to blot and deface all hee had done fortune did so fitly and rightly carrie the same toward the dogs chaps that there it perfectly finished what his arte could never attaine vnto Doth she not sometimes addresse and correct our counsels Isahell Queene of England being to repasse from Zeland into her kingdome with an armie in favour of her sonne against her husband had vtterly beene cast away had she come vnto the Port intended being there expected by her enemies But fortune against her will brought her to another place where shee safely landed And that ancient fellow who hurling a stone
hearty cheerefulnesse defie all evils and scornefully despising lesse sharpe griefes disdayning to grapple with them he blithely desireth and calleth for sharper more forcible and worthy of him Spumantémque dari pecora inter inereiâ— votis Optat aprum aut fulvum descendere monte leonem He wisht mongst hartlesse beasts some foming Bore Or mountaine-Lyon would come downe and rore Who would not judge them to be prankes of a courage remooved from his wonted seate Our minde cannot out of hir place attaine so high She must quit it and raise hir selfe a loft and taking the bridle in hir teeth carry and transport hir man so farre that afterward hee wonder at himselfe and rest amazed at his actions As in exploites of warre the heat and earnestnesse of the fight doth often provoke the noble-minded-souldiers to adventure on so dangerous passages that afterward being better advised they are the first to wonder at it As also Poets are often surprised and rapt with admiration at their owne labours and forget the trace by which they past so happy a career It is that which some terme a fury or madnesse in them And as Plato saith that a setled and reposed man doth in vaine knocke at Poesies gate Aristotle likewise saith that no excellent minde is freely exempted from some or other entermixture of folly And he hath reason to call any starting or extraordinarie conceit how commendable soever and which exceedeth our judgement and discourse folly Forsomuch as wisedome is an orderly and regular managing of the minde and which she addresseth with measure and conducteth with proportion And take hir owne word for-it Plato disputeth thus that the facultie of prophesiyng and divination is far above-vs and that when wee treate it we must be besides our selves our wisdome must be darkened and ouer shadowed by sleepe by sickenesse or by drowzinesse or by some celestiall fury ravished from hir owne seat The third Chapter A custome of the I le of Cea IF as some say to philosophate be to doubt with much more reason to rave and fantastiquize as I doe must necessarily be to doubt For to enquire and debate belongeth to a scholler and to resolve appertaines to a cathedrall master But know my cathedrall it is the authoritie of Gods divine will that without any contradiction doth sway-vs and hath hir ranke beyond these humane and vaine contestations Philip being with an armed hand entred the Countrie of Peloponnesus some one told Damidas the Lacedemonians were like to endure much if they sought not to reobtaine his lost favour Oh varlet as thou art answered he And what can they suffer who have no feare at all of death Agis being demanded how a man might do to live free answered Despising and contemning to die These and a thousand like propositions which concurre in this purpose do evidently inferre some thing beyond the patient expecting of death it selfe to be suffered in this life witnesse the Lacedemonian child taken by Antigonus and sold for a slave who vrged by his master to performe some abject service Thou shalt see said he whom thou hast bought for it were a shame for me to serve having libertie so neere at hand and therewithall threw himselfe headlong downe from the top of the house Antipater sharply threatning the Lacedemonians to make them yeeld to a certaine request of his they answered shouldest thou menace vs worse then death we will rather die And to Philip who having written vnto them that he would hinder all their enterprises What say they wilt thou also hinder vs from dying That is the reason why some say that the wiseman liveth as long as he ought and not so long as he can And that the favourablest gift nature hath bequeathed-vs and which removeth all meanes from-vs to complaine of our condition is that she hath left-vs the key of the fieldes She hath appointed but one entrance vnto life but many a thousand wayes out of it Well may we want ground to live vpon but never ground to die in As Boiocatus answered the Romanes Why doost thou complaine against this world It doth not containe thee If thou livest in paine and sorrow thy base courage is the cause of-it To die there wanteth but will Vbique mors est optimè hoc cavit Deus Eripere vitam nemo non homini potest At nemo mortem mille ad hanc aditus patent Each where death is God did this well purvay No man but can from man life take away But none barr's death to it lies many'a way And it is not a receipt to one maladie alone Death is a remedie against all evils It is a most assured haven never to be feared and often to be sought All comes to one period whether man make an end of himselfe or whether he endure it whether he run before his day or whether he expect it whence soever it come it is ever his owne where ever the threed be broken it is all there it 's the end of the web The voluntariest death is the fairest Life dependeth on the will of others death on ours In nothing should we so much accommodate our selves to our humors as in that Reputation doth nothing concerne such an enterprise it is follie to have any respect vnto it To live is to serve if the libertie to die be wanting The common course of curing any infirmitie is ever directed at the charge of life we have incisions made into vs we are cauterized we have limbes cut and mangled we are let blood we are diâ—ted Go we but one step further we need no more phisicke we are perfectly whole Why is not our jugular or throat veine as much at our commaund as the mediane To extreame sicknesses extreame remedies Servius the Gramarian being troubled with the gowt found no better meanes to be rid of it then to applie poison to mortifie his legs He cared not whether they were Podagrees or no so they were insensible God giveth vs sufficient priviledge when he placeth vs in such an estate as life is worse then death vnto vs. It is weaknesse to yeeld to evils but follie to foster them The Stoikes say it is a convenient naturall life for a wiseman to forgoe life although he abound in all happinesse if he do it opportunely And for a foole to prolong his life albeit he be most miserable provided he be in most part of things which they say to be according vnto nature As I offend not the lawes made against theeves when I cut mine owne purse and carrie away mine owne goods nor of destroyers when I burne mine owne wood so am I nothing tied vnto lawes made against murtherers if I deprive my selfe of mine owne life Hegesias was wont to say that even as the condition of life so should the qualitie of death depend on our election And Diogenes meeting with the Philosopher Speufippus long time afflicted with the dropsie and therefore carried in a litter who cried out
as one reporteth that was in his companie that a woman of great authoritie having first yeelded an accompt vnto her Citizens and shewed good reasons why she was resolved to end her life earnestly entreated Pompey to be an assistant at her death that so it might be esteemed more honourable which he assented vnto and having long time in vaine sought by vertue of his eloquence wherein he was exceeding ready and force of perswasion to alter her intent and remove her from her purpose in the end yeelded to her request She had lived foure score and ten yeares in a most happie estate of minde and bodie but then lying on her bed better adorned then before she was accustomed to have-it and leaning on her elbow thus she bespake The Gods Oh Sextus Pompeius and rather those I forgo then those I go vnto reward and appay thee for that thou hast vouchsafed to be both a counseller of my life and a witnesse of my death As for my part having hitherto ever tasted the favourable visage of fortune for feare the desire of living overlong should make me taste of her frownes with an happie an successefull end I will now depart and licence the remainder of my soule leaving behind me two daughters of mine with a legion of grand-children and nephewes That done having preached vnto and exhorted all her people and kinsfolks to an vnitie and peace and divided her goods amongst them and recommended her houshold Gods vnto her eldest daughter with an assuredly-staide hand she tooke the cup wherein the poyson was and having made her vowes vnto Mercurie and praiers to conduct her vnto some happie place in the other world roundly swallowed that mortall potion which done she intertained the companie with the progresse of her behaviour and as the parts of her bodie were one after another possessed with the cold operation of that venome vntill such time as shee said shee felt-it worke at the heart and in her entrals shee called her daughter to doe her the last office and close her eyes Plinie reporteth of a certaine Hiperborean nation wherein by reason of the milde temperature of the aire the inhabitants thereof commonly never die but when they please to make themselves away and that being wearie and tired with living they are accustomed at the end of a long-long age having first made merrie and good cheare with their friends from the top of an heigh-steedie rocke appointed for that purpose to cast themselves headlong into the Sea Grieving-smart and a worse death seeme to me the most excusable incitations The fourth Chapter To Morrow is a new day I Doe with some reason as me seemeth give pricke and praise vnto Iaques Amiot above all our French writers not only for his naturall puritie and pure elegancy of the tongue wherin he excelleth all others nor for his indefatigable constancie of so long and toyle-some a labour nor for the vnsearchable depth of his knowledge having so successefully-happy been able to explaine an Authour so close and thornie and vnfold a writer so mysterious and entangled for let any man tell me what he list I have no skill of the Greeke but I see through out all his translation a sense so closely-joynted and so pithily-continued that either he hath assuredly vnderstood and inned the verie imagination and the true conceit of the Authour or having through a long and continuall conversion lively planted in his minde a generall Idea of that of Plutarke he hath at least lent him nothing that doth beâ—â—e him or mis seeme him but aboue all I kon him thanks that he hath had the hap to chuse and knowledge to cull out so worthy a worke and a booke so fit to the purpose therewith to make so vnvaluable a present vnto his Countrie We that are in the number of the ignorant had been vtterly confounded had not his booke raised vs from out the dust of ignorance God-a-mercy his endevours we dare not both speak and write Even Ladies are therewith able to confront Masters of arts It is our breviarie If so good a man chance to live I bequeath Xenophon vnto him to doe as much It is an easier piece of worke and so much the more agreeing with his age Moreover I wot not how me seemeth although he roundly and clearly disinâ—angle himselfe from hard passages that notwithstanding his stile is more close and neerer it selfe when it is not laboured and wrested and that it glideth smoothly at his pleasure I was even now reading of that place where Plutarke speaketh of himselfe that Rusticus being present at a declamation of his in Rome received a packet from the Emperour which he temporized to open vntill he had made an end wherein saith he all the assistants did singularly commend the gravitie of the man Verily being on the instance of curiositie and on the greedie and insatiate passion of newes which with such indiscreet impatience and impatient indiscretion induceth vs to neglect all things for to entertaine a new-come guest and forget all respect and countenance wheresoever we be suddainly to break-vp such letters as are brought-vs he had reason to commend the gravitie of Rusticus to which he might also have added the commendation of his civilitie and curtesie for that he would not interrupt the course of his declamation But I make a question whether he might be commended for his wisedome for receiving vnexpected letters and especially from an Emperour it might verie well have fortuned that his deferring to read them might have caused some notable inconvenience Rechlesnesse is the vice contrarie vnto curiositie towards which I am naturally enclined and wherein I have seen many men so extreamly plunged that three or foure daies after the receiving of letters which hath been sent them they have been found in their pockets yet vnopened I never opened any not onely of such as had been committed to my keeping but of such as by any fortune came to my hands And I make a conscience standing neare some great person if mine eyes chance at vnwares to steal some knowledge of any letters of importance that he readeth Never was man lesse inquisitive or pryed lesse into other mens affaires then I. In our fathers time the Lord of Boâ—â—ieres was like to have lost Turwin forsomuch as being one night at supper in verie good companie he deferred the reading of an advertisement which was delivered him of the treasons that were practised and complotted against that Citie where he commanded And Plutarke himselfe hath taught me that Iulius Caesar had escaped death if going to the Senate-house that day wherein he was murthered by the Conspirators he had read a memoriall which was presented vnto him Who likewise reporteth the storie of Archias the Tyrant of Thebes how the night fore-going the execution of the enterprise that Pelopidas had complotted to kill him thereby to set his Countrie at libertie another Archias of Athens writ him a letter wherein he particularly related vnto
termed ours For to make them ours a man must wholy be engaged vnto them And the paines that our feete or handes feele whilest we sleepe are not ours When I came neere my house where the tidings of my fall was alreadie come and those of my housholde met me with such outcries as are vsed in like times I did not onely answere some words to what I was demanded but some tell me I had the memory to commaund my men to give my wife a horse whom I perceived to be over-tired and labouring in the way which is very hilly fowle and rugged It seemeth this consideration proceeded from a vigilant soule yet was I cleane distracted from-it they were but vaine conceits and as in a cloud onely moved by the sense of the eyes and eares They came not from my selfe All which notwithstanding I knew neither whence I came nor whither I went nor could I vnderstand or consider what was spoken vnto me They were but light effects that my senses produced of themselves as it were of custome Whatsoever the soule did assist-it with was but a dreame being lightly touched and only sprinkled by the soft impression of the senses In the meane time my state was verily most pleasant and easefull I felt no maner of care or affliction nither for my selfe nor others It was a slumbering langushing and extreame weaknesse without anie paine at all I saw mine owne house and knew it not when I was laide in my bedde I felt great ease in my rest For I had beene vilely hurred and haled by those poore men which had taken the paines to carry me vpon their armes a long and wearysome way and to say truth they had all beene wearied twice or thrice over and were faine to shift severall times Many remedies were presently offerd me but I tooke none supposing verily I had beene deadly hurt in the head To say truth it had beene a very happy death For the weakenesse of my discourse hinderd me from judging of it and the feeblenes of my body from feeling the same Me-thought I was yeelding vp the ghost so gently and after so easie and indolent a maner that I feele no other action lesse burthensome then that was But when I beganne to come to life againe and recover my former strength Vt tandem sensus convaluere mei At last when all the sprites I beare Recall'd and recollected were which was within two or three houres after I presently felt my selfe full of aches and paines all my body over for each part thereof was with the violence of the fall much brused and tainted and for two or three nights after I found my selfe so ill that I verily supposed I should have had another fit of death But that a more lively and sensible one and to speak plaine I feel my bruâ—â—â— yet and feare me shall doe while I live I will not forget to tell you that the last thing I could rightly fall into againe was the remembrance of this accident and I made my men many times to repeat me over and over againe whither I was going whence I came and at what houre that chance befell me before I could throughly conceive it Concerning the maner of my falling they in favor of him who had bin the cause of it concealed the truth from me and told me other flim flam tales But a while after and the morrow next when my memorie beganne to come to it selfe againe and represent the state vnto me wherein I was at the instant when I perceived the horse riding over me for being at my heeles I chanced to espie him and helde my selfe for dead yet was the conceite so sodaine that feare had no leasure to enter my thoughts me seemed it was a flashing or lightning that smote my soule with shaking and that I came from another world This discourse of so slight an accident is but vaine and frivolous were not the instructions I have drawne from thence for my vse For truly for a man to acquaint himselfe with death I finde no better way then to approch vnto it Now as Plinie saith every man is a good discipline vnto himselfe alwayes provided he be able to prie into himselfe This is not my doctrine it is but my studie And not another mans lesson but mine owne Yet ought no man to blame me if I impart the same What serves my turne may happily serve another mans otherwise I marre nothing what I make vse of is mine owne And if I play the foole it is at mine owne cost and without any other bodies interest For it is but a kind of folly that dies in me and hath no traine We have notice but of two or three former ancients that have trodden this path yet can we not say whether altogether like vnto this of mine for we know but their names No man since hath followed their steppes it is a thorny and crabbed enterprise and more then it makes shew of to follow so strange and vagabond a path as that of our spirit to penetrate the shady and enter the thicke-covered depths of these internall winding crankes To chuse so many and settle so severall aires of his agitations And t is a new extraordinary ammusing that distracts vs from the common occupation of the world yea and from the most recommended Many yeares are past since I have no other aime whereto my thoughts bend but my selfe and that I controule and study nothing but my selfe And if I study any thing else it is imediatly to place it vpon or to say better in my selfe And me thinkes I erre not as commonly men doe in other sciences without all comparison lesse profitable I impart what I have learn't by this although I greatly conâ—ent not my selfe with the progresse I have made therein There is no description so hard nor so profitable as is the description of a mans owne life Yet must a man handsomely trimme vp yea and dispose and range himselfe to appeare on the Theatre of this world Now I continually tricke vp my selfe for I vncessantly describe my selfe Custome hath made a mans speech of himselfe vicious And obstinately forbids it in hatred of boasting which ever seemeth closely to follow ones selfe witnesses whereas a man should wipe a childes nose that is now called to vn nose himselfe In vicium ducis culpae fuga Some shunning of some sinne Doe draw some further in I finde more evill then good by this remedie But suppose it were true that for a man to entertaine the company with talking of himselfe were necessarily presumption I ought not following my generall intent to refuse an action that publisheth this crazed quality since I have it in my selfe and I should not conceale this fault which I have not onely in vse but in profession Neverthelesse to speake my opinion of it this custome to condemne wine is much to blame because many are therewith made drunke Onely good things may be abvsed
and consuming fire There were neither meanes enough or matter sufficient of crueltie vnlesse we had entermingled amongst them things which nature hath exempted from all sense and sufferance as reputation and the inventions of our minde and except we communicated corporall mischiefes vnto disciplines and monuments of the Muses Which losse Labienus could not endure nor brooke to survive those his deare and highly-esteemed issues And therefore caused himselfe to be carried and shut vp alive within his auncestors monument where with a dreadlesse resolution he at once provided both to kill himselfe and be buried together It is hard to shew any more vehement fatherly affection than that Cassius Severus a most eloquent man and his familiar friend seeing his Bookes burnt exclamed that by the same sentence hee should therewithall be condemned to be burned alive for hee still bare and kept in minde what they contained in them A like accident happened to Geruntius Cordâ—â—s who was accused to have commended Brutus and Cassius in his Bookes That base servile and corrupted Senate and worthie of a farre worse maister then Tiberius adjudged his writings to be consumed by fire And he was pleased to accompany them in their death for he pined away by abstaining from all manner of meat That notable man Lucane being adjudged by that lewd varlet Nero to death at the latter end of his life when al his bloud was well nigh spent from out the veines of his arme which by his Phisitian he had caused to be opened to hasten his death and that a chilling cold began to seize the vttermost parts of his limbes and approch his vitale spirits the last thing he had in memory was some of his owne verses written in his booke of the Pharsalian warres which with a distinct voice hee repeated and so yeelded vp the ghost having those last words in his mouth What was that but a kinde tender and fatherly farwell which he tooke of his children representing the last adewes and parting imbracements which at our death we give vnto our deerest issues And an effect of that naturall inclination which in that last extremity puts vs in minde of those things which in our life-time we have held dearest and most precious Shall we imagine that Epâ—curus who as himselfe said dying tormented with the extreame paine of the chollike had all his comfort in the beauty of the doctrine which he left behinde him in the world would have received as much contentment of a number of well-borne and better-bred children if he had had any as he did of the production of his rich compositions And if it had beene in his choise to leave behind him either a counterfeit deformed or ill-borne childe or a foolish triviall and idle booke not onely he but all men in the world besides of like learning and sufficiency would much rather have chosen to incurre the former then the latter mischiefe It might peradventure be deemed impiety in Saint Augustine for example-sake if on the one part one should propose vnto him to bury all his bookes whence our religion receiveth so much good or to interre his children if in case he had any that he would not rather chuse to bury his children or the issue of his loynes then the fruits of of his minde And I wot not well whether my selfe should not much rather desire to beget and produce a perfectly-well-shaped and excellently-qualited infant by the acquaintance of the Muses then by the copulation of my wife Whatsoever I give to this let the world allow of it as it please I give it as purely and irrevocable as any man can give to his corporal children That little good which I have done him is no longer in my disposition He may know many things that my selfe know no longer and hold of me what I could not hold my selfe and which if neede should require I must borrow of him as of a stranger If I be wiser then he he is richer then I. There are few men given vnto Poesie that would not esteeme it for a greater honour to be the fathers of Virgils Aeneidos then of the goodliest boy in Rome and that would not rather endure the losse of the one then the perishing of the other For according to Aristotle Of all workemen the Poet is principally the most amorous of his productions and conceited of his Labours It is not easie to be believed that Epaminondas who vanted to leave some daughters behind him which vnto all posterity should one day highly honour their father they were the two famous victories which he had gained of the Lacedemonians would ever have given his free consent to change them with the best-borne most gorgeous and goodliest damsels of all Greece or that Alexander and Caesar did ever wish to be deprived of the greatnesse of their glorious deedes of warre for the commodity to have children and heires of their owne bodies how absolutely-perfect and well accomplished so ever they might be Nay I make a great question whether Phidtas or any other excellent statuary would as highly esteeme and dearely love the preservation and successefull continuance of his naturall children as he would an exquisite and match-lesse-wrought Image that with long study and diligent care he had perfected according vnto arte And as concerning those vicious and furious passions which sometimes have inflamed some fathers to the love of their daughters or mothers towards their sonnes the very same and more partially-earnest is also found in this other kinde of childe-bearing and aliance Witnesse that which is reported of Pigmalion who having curiously framed a goodly statue of a most singularly-beauteous woman was so strange-fondly and passionately surprised with the lustfull love of his owne workmanship that the Gods through his raging importunity were faine in favour of him to give it life Tentatum mollescit ebur positoque rigore Subsidit digitis As he assaid it th'yvorie softned much And hardnesse left did yeeld to fingers touch The ninth Chapter Of the Parthians Armes IT is a vitious fond fashion of the Nobility and gentry of our age and full of nice-tendernesse never to betake themselves to armes except vpon some vrgent and extreame necessity and to quit them as soone as they perceive the least hope or apparance that the danger is past Whence ensue many disorders and inconveniences For every one running and calling for his armes when the alarum is given some have not yet buckled their cuirace when their fellowes are already defeated Indeede our forefathers would have their Caske Lance Gantlets and Shields carried but so long as the service lasted themselves would never leave-off their other pieces Our troopes are now all confounded and disordered by reason of bag and baggage of carriages of lackies and foote-boies which because of their masters armes they carry can never leave them Titus Livius speaking of the French saith Intolerantissima laboris corpora vix arma humer is gerebant Their bodies most
the diversities wherewith they are moved I plainely perceive we lend nothing vnto devotion but the offices that flatter our passions There is no hostilitie so excellent as that which is absolutly Christian Our zeale worketh wonders when ever it secondeth our inclination toward hatred crueltie ambition avarice detraction or rebellion Towards goodnes benignitie or temperance it goeth but slowly and against the haire except miraculously some rare complexion leade him vnto it it neither runnes nor flieth to it Our religion was ordained to root out vices but it shrowdeth fostreth and provoketh them As commonly wee say We must not make a foole of God Did wee believe in him I say not through faith but with a simple beliefe yea I speake it to our confusion did we but believe and know him as wee doe another storie or as one of our companions we should then love him aboue all other things by reason of the infinite goodnes and vnspeakable beauty that is and shines in him Had he but the same place in our affections that riches pleasures glory and our friends have The best of vs doth not so much feare to wrong him as he doth to injurie his neighbour his kinsman or his maister Is there so simple a minde who on the one side having before him the obiect of one of our vicious pleasures and on the other to his full viewe perfect knowledge and assured perswasion the state of an immortall glorie that would enter into contention of one for the other And if we often refuse it through meere contempt for what drawes vsto blaspheming vnlesse it be at all adventures the desire itselfe of the offence The Philosopher Antisthenes when he was initiated in the mysteries of Orpheus the priest saying vnto him that such as vowed themselves to that religion should after death receive eternall and perfect felicities replied if thou believe-it why dost thou not die thy self Diogenes more roughly as his manner was and further from our purpose answered the priest who perswaded him to be one of his order that so he might come vnto and attaine the happinesse of the other world Wilt thou have me believe that those famous men Agesilaus and Epaminondas shall be miserable and that thou who art but an asse and dost nothing of any worth shalt be happy because thou art a Priest Did we but receive these large promises of everlasting blessednes with like authoritie as we do a philosophicall discourse we should not then have death in that horror as we have Non iamse moriens dissolvi conquereretur Sed magis ire foras vestemque relinquere vt anâ—uis Gauderet praelonga senex aut cornua cervus He would not now complaine to be dissolved dying But rather more rejoice that now he is forth-flying Or as a Snake his coate out-worne Or as old Harts doth cast his horne I will be dissolved should we say and be with Iesus Christ. The forcible power of Platoes discourse of the immortality of the soule provoked diverse of his Schollers vnto death that so they might more speedily enjoy the hopes he told them of All which is a most evident token that we receive our religion but according to our fashion and by our owne hands and no otherwise than other religions are received We are placed in the country where it was in vse where we regard hir antiquity or the authority of those who have maintained hir where we feare the menaces wherewith she threatneth all mis-beleevers or follow hir promises The considerations ought to be applied and employed to our beleefe but as Subsidiaries they be humane bondes Another Country other Testimonies equall promises alike menaces mighe semblably imprint a cleane contrary religion in vs weare christians by the same title as we are either Perigordins or Germans And as Plato saith There are â—ew so confirmed in Atheisme but some great danger will bring vnto the knowledge of Gods divine power The parte doth not touch or concernea good Christian It is for mortall and worldly religions to be received by a humane convoy What faith is that like to be which cowardice of heart doth plant and weaknesse establish in vs A goodly faith that believes that which it beleeveth onely because it wanteth the courage not to beleeve the same A vicious passion as that of inconstancie and astonishment is can it possibly ground any regular production in our mindes or soules They establish saith he by the reason of their judgement that whatsoever is reported of hell or of after-comming paines is but a fiction but the occasions to make triall of it offering it selfe at what time age or sickenes doth sommon them to death the errour of the same through the horrour of their future condition doth then replenish them with an other kinde of beleefe And because such impressions make mens hearts fearefull hee by his lawes inhibiteth all instruction of such threats and the perswasion that any evill may come vnto man from the Gods except for his greater good and for a medicinable effect whensoever he falleth into-it The report of Bion that being infected with the Athiesmes of Theodorus he had for along time made but a mockerie of religious men but when death did once seize vpon him he yeelded vnto the extreamest superstions As if the Gods would either be remooved or come againe according to Bions businesse Plato and these examples conclude that wee are brought to beleeve in God either by reason or by compulsion Atheisme being a proposition as vnnaturall and monstrous as it is harde and vneasie to be established in any mans minde how insolent and vnruly soever hee may be Many have beene seene to have conceived either through vanitie or fiercenesse strange and seld-knowne opinions as if they would become reformers of the world by affecting a profession onely in countenaunce who though they be sufficiently foolish yet are they not powerfull enough to ground or settle it in their consciences Yet will not such leave to list-vp their joyned hands to heaven give them but a sâ—occado on their breast and when feare shall have supprest or sickenesse vanquished this licentious fervour of a wavering minde then will they suffer themselves gently to be reclaimed and discreetly to be perswaded to give credite vnto true beliefe and publike examples A decree seriously digested is one thing and these shallow and superficiall impressions another which bred by the dissolutnesse of a loose spirit do rashly and vncertainely floate vp and downe the fantasie of a man Oh men most braine-sicke and miserable that endevour to be worse than they can The errour of Paganisme and the ignorance of our sacred trueth was the cause of this great soules-fall but onely great in worldly greatnes also in this next abuse which is that children and olde men are found to be more susceptible or capable of religion as if it were bredde and had her credite from our imbecilitie The bond which should binde our iudgement tie our
prevaile with it All things produced by our owne discourse and sufficiencie as well true as false are subiect to vncertaintie and disputation It is for the punishment of our temeritie and instruction of our miserie and incapacitie that God caused the trouble downefall and confusion of Babels Tower Whatsoever we attempt without his assistance whatever we see without the lampe of his grace is but vanitie and follie With our weaknesse we corrupt and adulterate the verie essence of truth which is vniforme and constant when fortune giveth vs the possession of it What course soever man taketh of himselfe it is Gods permission that he ever commeth to that confusion whose image he so lively representeth vnto vs by the just punishment wherewith he framed the presumptuous over-weening of Nembroth and brought to nothing the frivolous enterprises of the building of his high-towring Pyramis or Heaven-menacing tower Perdam sapientiam sapientium prudentiam prudentium reprobabo I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and reprove the providence of them that are most prudent The diversitie of tongues and languages wherewith he disturbed that worke and overthrew that proudly-raisd Pile what else is it but this infinit altercation and perpetuall discordance of opinions and reasons which accompanieth and entangleth the frivolous frame of mans learning or vaine building of humane science Which he doth most profitably Who might containe vs had we but one graine of knowledge This Saint hath done me much pleasure Ipsa vtilitatis occultatio aut humilitatis exercitatio est aut elationis attritio The verie concealing of the profit is either an exercise of humilitie or a beating downe of arrogancie Vnto what point of presumption and insolencie doe we not carrie our blindnesse foolishnesse But to returne to my purpose Verily there was great reason that we should be beholding to God alone and to the benefit of his grace for the truth of so noble a beliefe since from his liberalitie alone we receive the fruit of immortalitie which consisteth in enjoying of eternall blessednesse Let vs ingenuously confesse that onely God and Faith hath told it vs For it is no lesson of Nature nor comming from our reason And he that shall both within and without narrowly sift and curiously sound his being and his forces without this divine priviledge he that shall view and consider man without flattering him shall nor finde nor see either efficacie or facultie in him that tasteth of any other thing but death and earth The more we give the more we owe and the more we yeeld vnto God the more Christian-like doe we That which the Stoike Philosopher said he held by the casuall consent of the peoples voice had it not been better he had held it of God Cùm de animorum aeternitate disserimus non leue momentum apud nos habet consensus hominum aut timentium inferos aut coleutium Vtor hâc publicâ persuasione When we discourse of the immortalitie of soules in my conceit the consent of those men is of no small authoritie who either feare or adore the infernall powers This publike perswasion I make vse-of Now the weaknesse of humane Arguments vpon this subject is verie manifestly knowne by the fabulous circumstances they have added vnto the traine of this opinion to finde out what condition this our immortalitie was of Let vs omit the Stoickes Vsuram nobis largiuntur tanquam cornicibus di◠mansures aiunt animos semper negant They grant vs vse of life as it vnto Ravens they say our soules shall long continue but they deny they shall last ever Who gives vnto soules a life beyond this but finite The most vniversall and received fantasie and which endureth to this day hath been that whereof Pythagoras is made Authour not that he was the first inventor of it but because it received much force and credite by the authoritie of his approbation Which is that soules at their departure from vs did but passe and roule from one to an other bodie from a Lyon to a Horse from a Horse to a King vncessantly wandring vp and downe from House to Mansion And himselfe said that he remembred to have been Aethaledes then Euphorbus afterward Hermotimus at last from Pyrrhus to have passed into Pythagoras having memorie of himselfe the space of two hundred and six yeares some added more that the same soules do sometimes ascend vp to haven and come downe againe O Pater ánne aliquas ad coelum hinc ire putandum est Sublimes animas iterumque ad tarda reverti Corpora Quae lucis miseris tam dira cupido Must we thinke Father some soules hence doe go Raized to heav'n thence turne to bodies slow Whence doth so dyre desire of light on wretches grow Origen makes them eternally to go and come from a good to a bad estate The opinion that Varro reporteth is that in the revolution of foure hundred and fortie yeares they reconjoine themselves vnto their first bodies Chrysippus that that must come to passe after a certaine space of time vnknowne and not limitted Plato who saith that he holds this opinion from Pindarus and from ancient Poesie of infinite Vicissitudes of alteration to which the soule is prepared having no paines nor rewards in the other World but temporall as her life in this is but temporall concludeth in her a singular knowledge of the affaires of Heaven of Hell and heer below where she hath passed repassed and sojourned in many voyages a matter in his remembrance Behold her progresse else-where He that hath lived well reconjoineth himselfe vnto that Star or Planet to which he is assigned Who evill passeth into a Woman And if then he amend not himselfe he transchangeth himselfe into a beast of condition agreeing to his vicious customes and shall never see an end of his Punishments vntill he returne to his naturall condition and by vertue of reason he have deprived himselfe of those grose stupide and elementarie qualities that were in him But I will not forget the objection which the Epicureans make vnto this transmigration from one bodie to another Which is verie pleasant They demaund what order there should be if the throng of the dying should be greater then that of such as be borne For the soules removed from their abode would throng and strive together who should get the best seat in this new case And demaund besides what they would passe their time about whilst they should stay vntill any other mansion were made readie for them Or contrary-wise if more creatures were borne then should die they say bodies should be in an ill taking expecting the infusion of their soule it would come to passe that some of them should die before they had ever bin living Denique connubia ad veneris partúsque ferarum Esse animas praesto deridiculum esse videtur Et spectare immortales mortalia membra Innumero numero certaréque praeproperanter Inter se quae prima
advanced in his dominions And was exceedingly grieved that for want of a litle longer life and a substitute to manage the Warre and affaires or so troubled a state he was enforced to seeke a bloody and hazardous battell having another pure and vndoubted victory in hand He notwithstanding managed the continuance of his sicknes so miraculously that he consumed his enemy diverted him from his Sea-Fleete and Maritime places he helde along the Coaste of Affricke even vntill the last day of his life which by designe he reserved and emploied for so great and renowmed a fight He ranged his battell in a round on ev'ry side besieging the Portugals army which bending round and comming to close did not onely hinder them in the conflict which through the valour of that yong-assailant King was very furious since they were to turne their faces on all sides but also hindred them from running away after the rowte And finding all issewes seized and all passages closed they were constrained to turne vpon themselves coacervantúrque non solum caede sed etiam fugâ— They fall on heapes not only by slaughter but by flight And so pel-mell to heape one on anothers neck preparing a most murthrous and compleat victory to the Conquerours When he was even dying hee caused himselfe to be carryed and haled where-ever neede called for him and passing along the files hee exhorted the Captaines and animated the Souldiers one after another And seeing one wing of the fight to have the worst and in some danger no man could hold him but he would needs with his naked-sword in hand get on hors-backe striving by all possible meanes to enter the throng his men holding him some by the Bridle some by the Gowne and some by the Stirrops This toyle and straining of himselfe made an end of that litle remainder of his life Then was he laid on his bed But comming to himselfe again starting vp as out of a swowne each other faculty failing him he gave them warning to conceale his death which was the necessariest commandement he could give his servaunts lest the souldiers hearing of his death might fal into dispaire and so yeelded the Ghost holding his fore-fingers vpon his mouth an ordinary signall to impose silence What man ever lived so long and so neere death Who ever died so vpright and vndaunted The extreamest degree and most naturall couragiously to manage death is to see or front the same not only without amazement but without care the course of life continuing free even in death As Cato who ammuzed himselfe to studie and sleepe having a violent and bloudy death present in his hart and as it were holding it in his hand The two and twentieth Chapter Of running Posts or Curriers I Have beene none of the weakest in this exercise which is proper vnto men of my stature well-trust short and tough but now I have given it over It toyles vs over-much to holde out long I was even-now reading how King Cyrus that he might more speedily receave newes from all parts of his Empire which was of exceeding great length would needs have it tried how farre a horse could in a day goe out-right without baiting at which distance hee caused Stations to be set and men to have fresh horses ready for al such as came to him And some report this swift kinde of running answereth the flight of Cranes Caesar saith that Luâ—ius Vibulus Rufus making haste to bring Pompey an advertisement rode day and night and to make more speed shifted many horses And himselfe as Suetonius writeth would vpon an hyred coache runne a hundred miles a day And sure he was a rancke-runner for where any river hindred his way he swam it over and never went out of his way to seeke for a bridge or foarde Tib erius Nero going to visite his brother Drusus who lay sicke in Germanie having three coaches in his companie ranne two hundred miles in foure and twenty hours In the Romane warres against King Antiochus Titus Sempronius Gracchus saiâ—h Titus Livius per dispositos equos propè incredibili celeritae ab Amphisa tertio dic Pellam pervenit By horse laide poste with incredible speede within three dayes he past from Amphisa to Pella And viewing the place it seemeth they were set Stations for Postes and not newly appointed for that race The inuention of Cecinna in sending newes to those of his house had much more speede he carried certaine swallowes with him and having occasion to send newes home he let them flie toward their nests first marking them with some colour proper to signifie what he meant as before he had agreed vpon with his friends In the Theatres of Rome the houshold Masters carried Pigeons in their bosomes vnder whose wings they fastened letters when they would send any word home which were also taught to bring back an answer D. Brutus vsed some being besieged in Mutina and otherselfe-where In Peru they went poste vpon mens backes who tooke their Masters vpon their shoulders sitting vpon certaine beares or chaires with such agilitie that in full running speede the first porters without any stay cast their loade vpon others who vpon the way waited for them and so they to others I vnderstand that the Valachians which are messengers vnto the great Turk vse extreame diligence in their businesse forasmuch as they have authoritie to dis-mount the first passenger they meete vpon the high-way and give him their tyred Horse And bicause they shall not be weary they are wont to swathe themselves hard about the bodie with a broade Swathe or Seare cloath as diverse others doe with vs I could never finde ease or good by it The three and twentieth Chapter Of bad meanes emploied to a good end THere is a woonderfull relation and correspondencie found in this vniversall pollicie of Natures workes which manifestly sheweth it is neither casuall nor directed by diverse masters The infirmities and conditions of our bodies are likewise seene in states and goverments Kingdomes and Commowealths as well as we are borne florish and fade through age We are subject vnto a repleatnesse of humours hurtfull and vnprofitable yea be it of good humours for even Phisitians feare that and because there is nothing constant in vs they say that perfection of health over joyfull and strong must by arte be abated and diminished lest our nature vnable to settle it selfe in any certaine place and for hir amendment to ascend higher should over-violently recoile backe into disorder and therefore they prescrib vnto Wrestlers purging and phlebotomie to substract that superabundance of health from them or of bad which is the ordinarie cause of sickenesse Of such like repletion are States often seene to be sicke and diverse purgations are wont to be vsed to purge them As wee have seene some to dismisse a great number of families chiefly to disburthen the Countrey which else where goe to seeke where they may at others charge seare themselves In this
Warre That which is aleaged as an example on the contrary side of Ladislaâ—s King of Naples is very well worth the noting who though he were an excellent couragious and ambitious Captaine proposed vnto himselfe as the principall scope of his ambition the execution of his sensuality and enjoyning of some rare and vnmatched beauty So was his death Having by a continuall tedious siege brought the Citty of Florence to so narrow a pinch that the inhabitantes were ready to yeeld him the victory he yeelded the same to them vpon condition they would deliver into his hands a wench of excellent beauty that was in the city of whom he had heard great commendations which they were enforced to graunt him and so by a private injury to warrant the publike ruine of the Citty Shee was the Daughter of a notable rare Phisicion and whilest he lived chiefe of his profession Who seeing himfelie engaged in so stuprous a necessity resolved vpon an haughtie enterprize Whilest all were busie adorning his daughter and besetting her with costly jeweles that shee might the more delight and please this new Kingly lover he also gave her an exquisitely-wrought and sweetly-perfumed handkircher to vse in their first approaches and embracements a thing commonly in vse amongst the Women of that Country This Handkercher strongly empoysoned according to the cunning skill of his Art comming to wipe both their enflamed secret parts and open pores did so readily convay and disperse it's poyson that having sodainely changed their heate into colde they immediately deceased one in anothers aimes But I will now returne to Caesar His pleasures could never make him loose one minute of an houre nor turne one step from the occasions that might any way further his advancement This passion did so soveraignly oversway all others and possessed his minde with so vncontrouled an authority that she carryed him whither she list Truely I am grieued when in other things I consider this mans greatnesse and the wondrous partes that were in him so great sufficiencie in all maner of knowledge and learning as there is almost no science wherein he hath not written He was so good an Orator that diverse have preferred his eloquence before Ciceroes And himselfe in mine opinion in that facultie thought himselfe nothing short of him And his two Anti-Catoes were especially written to over-ballance the eloquence which Cicero had emploied in his Cato And for all other matters was ever minde so vigilant so active and so patient of labour as his And doubtlesse it was also embellished with sundry rare seedes of vertue I meane lively natural and not countersets He was exceeding sober and so homely in his feeding that Oppius reporteth how vppon a time through a certaine Cookes negligence his meat being dressed with a kinde of medicinable Oyle in stead of Olive-oyle and so brought to the boorde although he found it yet he fed hartily of it only because hee would not shame his Hoste Another time he caused his Baker to bee whipped because hee had served him with other than common houshold bread Cato himselfe was wont to say of him that hee was the first sober man had addrest himself to the ruine of his country And wheras the same Cato called him one day drunkard it hapned in this maner Being both together in the Senate house where Catilines conspiracie was much spoken of wherein Caesar was greatly suspected to have a hand a note was by a friend of his brought in very secret sort delivered him which Cato perceiving supposing it might be something that the Conspiratours advertized him of instantly summoned him to shew it which Caesar to avoide a greater suspition refused not It was by chance an amorous letter which Servilia Catoes sister writ to him Cato having read-it threw it at him saying hold it againe thou drunkard I say it was rather a word of disdaine and anger than an expresse reproch of this vice as often we nicke-name those that anger vs with the first nicke-names of reproaches that come into our mouth though meerly impertinent to those with whom we fall out Considering that the vice wherewith Cato charged him hath neare coherencie vnto that wherein he had surprised Caesar for Venus and Bacchus as the vulgar Proverb saith agree well together but with me Venus is much more blithe and game-some being accompanied with sobrietie The examples of his mildnesse and clemencie towards such as had offended him are infinite I meane besides those he shewed during the civill warres which as by his owne writings may plainely appeare he vsed to blandish and allurehis enemies to make them feare his future domination and victorie the lesse But if any shall say those examples are not of validitie to witnes his genuine and naturall affabilitie we may lawfully answere that at least they shew vs a wonderfull confidence and greatnesse of courage to have beene in him It hath often befalne him to send whole armies backe againe to his enemies after he had vanquished them without dayning to binde them so much as with an oth if not to favour at least not to beare armes against him He hath three or foure times taken some of Pompeys chiefe Captaines prisoners and as often set them at libertie againe Pompey declared all such as would not follow and accompanie him in his wars to be his enemies and he caused those to be proclamed as friends who either would not stirre at all or not effectually arme themselves against him To such of his Captaines as fled from him to procure other conditions he sent them their weapons their horses and all other furniture The Citties he had taken by maine force he freed to follow what faction they would giving them no other garison then the memorie of his clemencie and mildnes In the day of his great battaile of Pharsalia he expresly inhibited that vnlesse they were driven to vnavoidable extremitie no man should lay hands vpon any Romane cittizen In my judgement these are very hazardous partes and it is no wonder if in the civill warres or tumultuous broiles we have now on foote those that fight for the ancient lawes and state of their countrie as he did doe not follow and imitate the example They are extraordinarie meanes and which onelye belongs to Caesars fortune and to his admirable fore-sight succesfully to direct and happily to conduct them When I consider the incomparable greatnesse and vnvaluable worth of his minde I excuse Victorie in that shee could not well give him over in this most vnjust and vnnaturall cause But to returne to his clemencie wee have divers genuine and lively examples even in the time of his al-swaying gouernment when all things were reduced into his handes and hee needed no longer to dissemble Caius Memmius had written certaine detracting and railing orations against him which hee at full and most sharpely had answered neverthelesse hee shortly after helped to make him Consull Caius Calvus who had composed divers most
towards it I have found after I had made diligent inquiry among such as were wont to open such beasts that it was a seld-seene and vnheard of accident It is very likely they were such stones as ours be and cozen-germanes to them which if it be it is but vaine for such as be troubled with the stone or gravell to hope to be cured by meanes of a beasts-blood that was drawing neere vnto death and suffered the same disease For to aleadge the blood cannot participate of that contagion ' and doth no whit thereby alter his accustomed vertue it may rather be inferred that nothing ingendreth in a body but by consent and communication of all the parts The whole masse doth worke and the whole frame agitate altogether although one part according to the diversitie of operations doth contribute more or lesse than another whereby it manifestly appeareth that in all parts of this bucke-goate there was some grettie or petrificant qualitie It was not so much for feare of any future chaunce or in regard of my selfe that I was so curious of this experiment as in respect that as well in mine owne house as else-where in sundry other places it commeth to passe that many women doe often gather and lay vp in store divers such kindes of slight drugges to help their neighbours and other people with them in time of necessitie applying one same remedy to an hundred severall diseases yea many times such as they would be very loath to take themselves with which they often have good lucke and well thrives it with them As for mee I honour Physitions not according to the common-received rule for necessitie sake for to this passage another of the Prophet may be alleaged who reprooved King Asa because hee had recourse vnto Physitions but rather for love I beare vnto themselves having seene some and knowne diverse honest men amongst them and worthy all love and esteeme It is not them I blame but their Arte yet doe I not greatly condemne them for seeking to profit by our foolishnesse for most men doe so and it is a thing common to all worldlings Diverse professious and many vacations both more and lesse worthie than theirs subsist and are grounded onely vpon publike abuses and popular errours I send for them when I am sicke if they may conveniently be found and love to be entertained by them rewarding them as other men doe I give them authoritie to enjoyne me to keepe my selfe warme if I love it better so than otherwise They may chuse be it either leekes or lettuce what my broth shall be made withall and appoynt mee either white or clarer to drinke and so of other things else indifferent to my taste humor or custome I know well it is nothing to them forsomuch as Sharpenesse and Strangenesse are accidents of Physickes proper essence Lycurgus allowed and appoynted the sicke men of Sparta to drinke wine Why did he so Because being in health they hated the vse of it Even as a Gentleman who dwelleth not farre from mee vseth wine as a soveraigne remedie againg agews because being in perfect health he hateth the taste thereof as death How many of them see wee to be of my humour That is to disdaine all Physicke for their owne behoofe and live a kinde of formall free life and altogether contrarie to that which they prescribe to others And what is that but a manifest abusing of our simplicitie For they holde their life as deare and esteeme their health as pretious as wee doe ours and would apply their effects to their skill if themselves knew not the vncertaintie and falsehood of it It is the feare of paine and death the impatience of the disease and griefe and indiscreete desire and headlong thirst of health that so blindeth them and vs. It is meere faintnes that makes our conceit and pusillanimitie forceth our credulitie to bee so yeelding and pliable The greater parte of whome doe notwithstanding not beleeve so much as they endure and suffer of others For I heare them complaine and speake of it no otherwise than wee doe Yet in the ende are they resolved What should I doe then As if impatience were in itselfe a better remedie than patience Is there any of them that hath yeelded to this miserable subjection that doth not likewise yeelde to all manner of impostures or dooth not subject himselfe to the mercie of whomsoever hath the impudencie to promise him recoverie and warrant him health The Babilonians were wont to carry their sicke people into the open streetes the common sort were their physitions where all such as passed by were by humanitie and civilitie to enquire of their state and maladie and according to their skill or experience give them some â—ound aduise and good counsell We differ not greatly from them There is no poore Woman so simple whose mumbling and muttering whose slibber-slabbers and drenches wee doe not employ And as for mee were I to buy any medicine I would rather spend my money in this kinde of physicke than in any other because therein is no danger or hurt to be feared What Homer and Plato said of the Aegyptians that they were all Physitions may well be said of all people There is neither Man nor Woman that vanteth not himselfe to have some receipt or other and doth not hazard the same vpon his neighbour if he will but give credite vnto him I was not long since in a company where I wot not who of my fraternity brought newes of a kinde of pilles by true accompt composed of a hundered and odde severall ingredients Whereat we laughed very heartily and made our selves good sport For what rocke so hard were able to resist the shocke or withstand the force of so thicke and numerous a battery I vnderstand neverthelesse of such as tooke of them that the least graine gravell dained not to stirre at all I cannot so soone give over writing of this subject but I must needes say a word or two concerning the experience they have made of their prescriptions which they would have vs take as a warrantize or assurance of the certainty of their drugges and potions The greatest number and as I deeme more than the two thirds of medicinable vertues consist in the quintessence or secret propriety of simples whereof we can have no other instruction but vse and custome For Quintessence is no other thing than a quality whereof we cannot with our reason finde out the cause In such trials or experiments those which they affirme to have acquired by the inspiration of some Daemon I am contented to receive and allow of them for touching myracles I meddle not with them or be it the experiments drawne from things which for other respects fall often in vse with vs As if in Wooll wherewith we wont to cloth our selves some secret exsiccating or drying quality have by accident beene found that cureth kibes or chilblaines in the heeles and if in reddishes
of the worlde by the fond arguments wee drawe from our owne weakenesse drooping and declination Iamque adeo affecta est â—tas affectaque tellus And now both age and land So sicke affected stand And as vainly did another conclude it's birth and youth by the vigour he perceived in the wits of his time abounding in novelties and invention of divers Arts Verùm vt opinor habet novitatem summa recensque Natura est mundi neque pridem exordia cepit Quare etiam quaedam nunc artes expoliuntur Nunc etiam augescunt nunc addita navigijs sunt Multae But all this world is new as I suppose Worlds nature fresh nor lately it arose Whereby some arts refined are in fashion And many things now to our navigation Are added daily growne to augmentation Our world hath of late discovered another and who can warrant vs whether it be the last of his brethren since both the Daemons the Sybilles and all we have hitherto beene ignorant of this no lesse large fully-peopled all-things-yeelding and mighty in strength than ours neverthelesse so new and infantine that he is yet to learne his A. B. C. It is not yet full fifty yeeres that he knew neither letters nor waight nor measures nor apparell nor corne nor vines But was all naked simply-pure in Natures lappe and lived but with such meanes and food as his mother-nurce affoorded him If wee conclude aright of our end and the foresaid Poet of the infancie of his age this late-world shall but come to light when ours shall fall into darknesse The whole Vniverse shall fall into a palsey or convulsion of sinnowes one member shall bee maimed or shrunken another nimble and in good plight I feare that by our contagion wee shall directly have furthered his declination and hastened his ruine and that wee shall too dearely have sold him our opinions our new-fangles and our Arts. It was an vnpolluted harmelesse infant world yet have wee not whipped and submitted the same vnto our discipline or schooled him by the advantage of our valour or naturall forces nor have wee instructed him by our justice and integritie nor subdued by our magnanimitie Most of their answers and a number of the negotiations wee have had with them witnesse that they were nothing short of vs nor beholding to vs for any excellencie of naturall wit or perspicuitie concerning pertinencie The woonderfull or as I may call it amazement-breeding magnificence of the never-like seene Cities of Cusco and Mexico and amongst infinite such like things the admirable Garden of that King where all the Trees the Fruits the Hearbes and Plants according to the order and greatnesse they have in a Garden were most artificially framed in golde as also in his Cabinet all the living creatures that his Countrey or his Seas produced were cast in gold and the exquisite beautie of their workes in precious Stones in Feathers in Cotton and in Painting shew that they yeelded as little vnto vs in cunning and industrie But concerning vnfained devotion awefull observance of lawes vnspotted integritie bounteous liberalitie due loyaltie and free libertie it hath greatly availed vs that wee had not so much as they By which advantage they have lost cast-away sold vndone and betraied themselves Touching hardinesse and vndaunted courage and as for matchlesse constancie vnmooved assurednesse and vndismaied resolution against paine smarting famine and death it selfe I will not feare to oppose the examples which I may easily finde amongst them to the most famous ancient examples wee may with all our industrie discover in all the Annalles and memories of our knowen old World For as for those which have subdued them let them lay aside the wiles the policies and stratagems which they have emploied to cozen to cunny-catch and to circumvent them and the iust astonishment which those nations might iustly conceive by seeing so vnexpected an arrivall of bearded men divers in language in habite in religion in behaviour in forme in countenance and from a part of the world so distant and where they never heard any habitation was mounted vpon great and vnknowen monsters against those who had never so much as seene any horse and lesse any beast whatsoever apt to beare or taught to carry either man or burden covered with a shining and hard skinne and armed with slicing-keene weapons and glittering armour against them who for the wonder of the glistring of a looking-glasse or of a plaine knife would have changed or given inestimable riches in Gold Precious Stones and Pearles and who had neither the skill nor the matter wherewith at any leasure they could haue pierced our steele to which you may adde the flashing-fire and thundring roare ofshotte and Harguebuses able to quell and daunt even Caesar himselfe had hee beene so sodainely surprised and as little experienced as they were and thus to come vnto and assault silly-naked people sauing where the inuention of weauing of Cotton cloath was knowne and vsed for the most altogether vnarmed except some bowes stones staues and wodden bucklers vnsuspecting poore people surprised vnder colour of amity and well-meaning faith over-taken by the curiosity to see strange and vnknowne things I say take this disparity from the conquerors and you depriue them of all the occasions and cause of so many vnexpected victories When I consider that sterne-vntamed obstinacy and vndanted vehemence wherewith so many thousandes of men of women and children doe so infinite times present themselves vnto inevitable dangers for the defence of their Gods and liberty This generous obstinacie to endure all extremities all difficulties and death more easily and willingly then basely to yeelde vnto their domination of whome they haue so abhominably beene abvsed some of them choosing rather to starue with hunger and fasting being taken then to accept foode at their enemies hands so basely victorious I perceaue that whosoeuer had vndertaken them man to man without ods of armes of experience or of number should haue had as dangerous a warre or perhaps more as any we see amongst vs. Why did not so glorious a conquest happen vnder Alexander or during the time of the ancient Greekes and Romanes or why befell not so great a change and alteration of Empires and people vnder such handes as would gently haue polished reformed and incivilized what in them they deemed to be barbarous and rude or would haue nourished and fostered those good seedes which nature had there brought foorth adding not onely to the manuring of their grounds and ornaments of their citties such artes as wee had and that no further then had beene necessary for them but therewithall ioy ning vnto the originall vertues of the country those of the ancient Grecians and Romanes What reputation and what reformation would all that farre-spredding worlde haue found if the examples demeanors and pollicies wherewith wee first presented them had called and allured those vncorrupted nations to the admiration and imitation of vertue and had