satis The meanning is that if we should allow three leaves to every day of his life from his very Birth there would be some to spare yet withal he wrote so exactly that Ximenes his Scholar attempting to contract his Commentaries upon St. Matthew could not well bring it to less than a thousand leaves in Folio and that in a very small Print Others also have attempted the like in his other Works but with the same success 3. Iulius Caesar Scaliger was thirty years old before he fell to study yet was a singular Philosopher and an excellent Greek and Latin Poet. Vossius calls him The Miracle of Nature the chief Censor of the Ancients and the Darling of all those that are concerned to attend upon the Muses Lipsius highly admires him There are three saith he whom I use chiefly to wonder at as persons who though amongst men seem yet to have transcended all humane Attainments Homar Hippocrates and Aristotle but I shall add to them this fourth that is Julius Scaliger that was born to be the Miracle and the Glory of our Age. He verily thinks there was no such acute and capacious Wit as his since the Age of Iulius Caesar. Meibomiuâ— calls him a man of stupendious Learning and than whom the Sun hath scarce shined upon a more learned Thuanus saith Antiquity had scarcely his Superior 't is certain his own Age had not the like 4. Amongst the great Heroes and Miracles of Learning most renowned in this latter Age Ioseph Scaliger hath merited a more than ordinary place The learned Causabon hath given this Character of him There is nothing saith he that any man could desire to learn but that he was able to teach He had read nothing and yet whâ—t had he not read but what he did readily remember There was nothing in any Latin Greek or Hebrew Author that was so obscure or abstruse but that being consulted about it he would forthwith resolve He was throughly versed in the Histories of all Nations in all Ages in the successive Revolutions of all Empires and in all the Affairs of the ancient Churches he was able to recount all the Ancient and Modern Names Differences and Proprieties of living Creatures Plants Metals and all other Natural things He was accurately skill'd in the scituation of Places the bounds of Provinces and their various Divisions according to the diversity of Times There was none of the Arts and Sciences so difficult that he had left uâ—touched He knew so many Languages so exactly that if he had made that one thing his business throughout the whole compass of his life it might have been worthily reputed a miracle Hereunto may be annexed the Testimony of Iulius Caesar Bulengerus a Doctor of the Sorbon and Professor at Pisa who in the twelfth Book of the History of his time thus writes of the same Scaliger There followed the Year 1609. an unfortunate Year in respect of the death of Ioseph Scaliger than whom this Age of ours hath not brought forth any of so great a Genius or ingenuity as to Learning and possibly the fore-past Ages have not had his Equal in all kinds of Learning 5. That which Pasquier hath observed out of Monshclet is yet more memorable touching a young man who being not above twenty years old came to Paris in the Year 1445. and shewed himself so admirably excellent in all Arts and Sciences and Languages that if a man of an ordinary good Wit and sound Constitution should live one hundred years and during that time should study incessantly without eating drinking and sleeping or any recreation he could hardly attain to that perfection Insomuch that some were of opinion that he was Antichrist begotten of the Devil or at least somewhat above Humane Condition Castellanus who lived at the same time and saw this Miracle of Wit made these Verses on him his are in French but may be thus Englished A young man have I seen At twenty years so skill'd That ev'ry Art he had and all In â—ll degrees excell'd Whatever yet was writ He vaunted to pronounce Likâ— a young Anti-Christ if he Did read the same but once 6 Beda was born in the Kingdom of Northumberland at Girroy now Yarrow in the Bishoprick of Durham brought up by St. Cuthbert and was the profoundest Scholar of his Age for Latin Greek Philosophy History Divinity Mathematicks Musick and what not Homilies of his making were read in his life time in the Christian Churches a dignity afforded him alone whence some say his Title of Venerable Beda was given him It being a middle betwixt plain Beda which they thought too little and St Beda which they thought too much while he was yet alive 7. Roger Bacon was a famous Mathematician and most skilful in other Sciences accurately vers'd in the Latin Greek and Hebrew of whom Selden thus Roger Bacon of Oxford a Minoriâ—e an excellent Mathematician and a person of more learning than any of his age could aâ—ford 8. Richard Pacie Dean of Pauls and Secretary for the Latin Tongue to King Henry the Eighth he was of great ripeness of wit learning and eloquence and also expert in foreign languages Pitsaeus gives him this Character A man endowed with most excellent gifts of mind adorned with great variety of leâ—â—â—ing he had a sharp wit a mature judgment a constant and firm memory a prompt and ready tongue and such a one as might deservedly contâ—nd with the most learned men of his age for â—kill in the Latin Greek and Hebrew languages 9. Anicius Mâ—â—liâ—s Soverinus Boeâ—hius â—â—ourished Anno Dom. 520. He was very famous in his days being Consul at Rome and a man of rare gifts and abilities Some say that in prose he came not behind Cicero himself and had none that exceeded him in Poetry A great Philosopher Musician and Mathematician Polit. saith of him thus Than Boethius in Logick who more acute in Mathematicks more subtile in Philosophy more copious and rich or in Divinity more sublime He was put to death by Theodoricus King of the Goths and after he was slain Peripatetick Philosophy decayed and almost all Learning in Italy Barbarism wholly invaded it and expelled good Arts and Philosophy out of its Borders saith Hereboord of Verona 10. St. Augustine in his Epistle to Cyril Bishop of Ierusalem writes concerning St. Ierome that he understood the Hebrew Greek Chaldee Persian Median and Arabick tongues and that he was skill'd in almost all the learning and languages of all Nations The same St. Augustine saith of him no man knows that which St. Ierome is ignorant of 11. Mithridates the great King of Pontus had no less than twenty and two Countries under his Government yet was he used to answer all these Ambassadors in the same language of his Country that he spake to him in without the help of any Interpreter A wonderful evidence of a very singular memory that could so distinctly lay up
the building of the City His first eleven Books are all that are extant in which he reaches to the two hundred and twelfth year of the City He â—lourished in the time of Augustus Caesar and is said to have lived in the Family of M. Varro 10. Polybius of Megalopolis was the Master Councellour and daily Companion of Scipio the younger who in the year of the World 3800. razed Carthage he begins his Roman History from the first Punick War and of the Greek Nation the Achaeans from the fortieth year after the death of Alexander the Great of forty Books he wrote but five are left and the Epitomes of twelve other in which he reaches to the Battel at Cynoscephale betwixt King Philip of Macedon and the Romans 11. Salustius wrote many Parts of the Roman History in a pure and quaint brevity of all which little is left besides the Conspiracy of Catiline oppressed by the Consul Cicero sixty years before the birth of Christ and the War of Iugurth managed by C. Marius the Consul in the forty fourth year before the Conspiracy aforesaid 12. Iulius Caesar hath wrote the History of his own Acts in the Gallick and Civil Wars from the 696 year ab V. C. to the 706. and comprized them in Commentaries upon every year in such a purity and beautiful propriety of expression and such a native candour that nothing is more terse polite more useful and accommodate to the framing of a right and perspicuous expression of our selves in the Latin Tongue 13. Velleius Paterculus in a pure and sweet kind of speech hath composed an Epitome of the Roman History and brought it down as far as the thirty second year after the birth of Christ that is the sixteenth year of Tiberius under whom he flourished and was Questor 14. Cornelius Tacitus under Adrian the Emperour was Praefect of the Belgick Gaul he wrote a History from the death of Augustus to the Reign of Trajan in thirty Books of which the five first contain the History of Tiberius the last eleven Books from the eleventh to the twenty first which are all that are extant reach from the eighth year of Claudius to the beginning of Vespasian and the besieging of Ierusalem by Titus which was Anno Dom. 72. He hath comprised much in a little is proper neat quick and apposite in his stile and adorns his discourse with variety of Sentences 15. Suetonius was Secretary to Adrian the Emperour and in a proper and concise stile hath wrote the Lives of the twelve first Emperours to the death of Domitian and the ninety eighth year of Christ he hath therein exactly kept to that first and chief Law of History which is That the Historian should not dare to set down any thing that is false and on the other side That he have courage enough to set down what is true It is said of this Historian That he wrote the Lives of those Emperours with the same liberty as they lived 16. Dion Cassius was born at Nice in Bythinia he wroâ—e the History of nine hundred eighty one years from the building of Rome to Ann. Dom. 231. in which year he was Consul with Alexander Severus the Emperour and finished his History in eighty Books of all which scarce twenty â—ive Books from the thirty sixth to the sixty first and the beginning of Nero are at this time extant 17. Herodianus wrote the History of his own time from the death of M. Antoninus the Philosopher or the year of Christ 181. to the murder of the Gordiani in Africa Ann. Dom. 241. which is rendred purely into Latin by Angelus Politianus 18. Iohannes Zonaras of Byzantium wrote a History from Augustus to his own times and the year of our Lord 1117. the chief of the Oriental Affairs and Emperours he hath digested in the second and third Tomes of his Annals from whence Cuspinianus and others borrow almost all that they have Zonaras is continued by Nicaetas Gregoras and he by Chalcâ—ndylas 19. Eutropius wrote the Epitome of the Roman History in ten Books to the death of Iovinian Anno Dom. 368. He was present in the Expedition of Iulian into Persia and flourished in the Reign of Valens the Emperour 20. Ammianus Marcellinus a Grecian by birth War'd many years under Iulian in Gallia and Germany and wrote the History of the Romans in thirty one Books the fourteenth to the thirty first are all that are extant wherein at large and handsomely he describes the acts of Constantius Iulian Iovinian Valentinian and Valens the Emperours unto the year of Christ 382. 21. Iornandes a Goth hath wrote the History of the Original Eruptions Families of their Kings and principal Wars of the Goths which he hath continued to his own time that is the year of our Lord 550. 22. Procopius born at Caesarea in Palestine and Chancellour to Belisarius the General to Iustinian the Emperour being also his Councellour and constant companion in seven Books wrote the Wars of Belisarius with the Persians Vandals and Goths wherein he also was present 23. Agathias of Smyrna continues Procopius from the twenty seventh of Iustinian Anno Dom. 554. to the end of his Reign Anno Dom. 566. the Wars of Narses with the Goths and Franks with the Persians at Cholchiâ— wherein he recites the Succession of the Persian Kings from Artaxerxes who Anno Dom. 230. seised on the Parthian Empire to the Reign of Iustinian Anno Dom. 530. and in the end treats of the irruption of the Hunnes into Thrace and Greece and their repression by Belisarius now grown old 24. Paulus Diaconus of Aquileia Chancellour to Desiderius King of the Lombards Writes the entire History of the Lombards to Ann. Dom. 773. in which Charles the Great took Desiderius the last King and brought Lombardy under his own power 25. Haithonus an Armenian many years a Souldier in his own Country afterwards a Monk at Cyprus coming into France about the year of Christ 1307. was commanded by Pope Clement the fifth to write the Empire of the Tartars in Asia and the Description of other oriental Kingdoms 26. Laonicus Chalchondylas an Athenian wrote the History of the Turks in ten Books from Ottoman Anno 1300. to Mahomet the second who took Constantinople Anno Dom. 1453. and afterwards continued his History to Ann. 1464. 27. Luiâ—prandus of Ticinum wrote the History of the principal Affairs in all the Kingdoms of Europe in his time at most of which he himself was present his History is comprised in six Books and commencing from Anno Dom. 891. extends to Ann. Dom. 963. 28. Sigebert a Monk in a Abby in Brabant wrote his Chronicon from the death of Valens the Emperour or Anno Dom. 381. to the Empire of Henry the fifth Anno Dom. 1112. wherein he hath digested much of the French and British Affairs and acts of the German Emperours 29. Saxo Grammaticus Bishop of the Church of Rotschilden wrote the Danish History from utmost Antiquity to his
the houses of rich men but rich men went not to theirs Because replied he those know what they want but these do not One asked him what difference there was betwixt one wise and another not so Send said he both naked where they are not known and you will soon discover it Having entreated Dionysius in the behalf of his friend and in vain he threw himself at his feet and being blamed for so doing Not I said he but Dionysius is in fault who hath his ears in his feet Many were his witty and acute sayings and replies a number of which may be found whence these were borrowed that is from Laert. lib. 2. p. 49 50. 15. Stilpon of Megara so far surpassed all others in Learning and a copious way of speaking that little wanted but that all Greece fixing its eye upon him had passed over unto the Megarick Sect. He had an unchast Daughter and when one told him that she was a dishonour to him Not so much said he as I am an honour to her He was in great favour with Ptolomaeus Soter and when Demetrius the Son of Antigonus had taken Megara he gave express order for the saving his House and caused all his goods to be restored He was commanded immediately to depart Athens by the Areopagites for having spoken slightingly of Minerva the work of Phidias certain it is that he was in such honour at Athens that the Trades-men would run out of their Shops to see him and when one said they wonder at thee Stilpon as at a wild Beast No said the other but as a True man Laert. lib. 2. p. 61 62. 16. Plato an Athenian was the Son of Ariston and descended from Solon by his Mother Perictione In matters of Philosophy that fall under sense he followed Heraclitus in things only comprehended by the mind Pythagoras and in Politicks Socrates He was of that reputation that when he went up to the Olympick Games the eyes of all the Grecians were bent upon him He got the name of Plato say some from the breadth of his Forehead Aristotle saith the manner of his Speech was a middle sort betwixt Verse and Prose He professed Philosophy in the Academy whence that Sect of Philosophers that came from him were called by him Academicks He said the soul is immortal that the seat of Reason is in the head of Anger in the heart of Love in the Liver That Matter and God are the two Principles of all things he dyed in the first year of the one hundredth Olympiad aged eighty one and was buryed in the Academy Laert. lib. 3. p. 70 71 c. 17. Spetisippus Son of Eurymedon the Athenian succeeded Plato he set up the Images of the Graces in his School he held the same Opinions with his Master Plato but was inferiour to him in his manners as one that was passionate and a lover of pleasures In his age he fell into the Palsey and then with grief being made weary of life he willingly exchanged it for death Laert. lib. 4. p. 96. 18. Xenocrates Son of Agathenor was born at Chalcedon the Scholar of Plato he was naturally dull and of a sad countenance but of singular chastity and so famous for his veracity that the Athenians received his testimony without an oath being sent with others Ambassadors from Athens to King Philip he alone returned uncorrupted with mony yet this so great a man the Athenians caused to be sold because he was not able to pay the tribute of an Inhabitant Demetrius Phalareus bought him paid the Tribute and set him at liberty He succeeded Speusippus and taught in the Academy twenty five years and dyed in the night by a fall in the second year of the one hundred and tenth Olympiad being at that time aged eighty two years Laert. lib. 4. p. 98 99. 19. Bion the Son of a Publican about Borysthenes was a man of a quick wit being asked whether a man should do well to marry If said he she be fair she will be common and if foul a torment He said old age was the haven of evils and that thereupon all things hastned unto it that it was a great evil that we are not able to bear evils that the way to the grave was easie as being found by us when our eyes are shut He was so vain-glorious that at Rhodes he perswaded Seamen to follow him in the habit of Scholars He sucked in Atheism from Theodorus and having lived impiously no wonder he was so loth and afraid to dye He fell sick and dyed at Chalcis Laert. lib. 4. p. 110. 20. Aristoteles the Son of Nicomachus was born at Stagira he stammered in his speech his legs were small and his eyes little his habit was commonly rich and he wore Rings upon his fingers he fell off from his Master Plato while yet alive and finding Xenocrates to succeed him in the Academy he walked in the Lyceum and there discoursed Philosophy daily to his Scholars from whence he had the name of Peripatetick He went thence to Philip of Macedon and became Tutor to his Son Alexander he loved Hermeas a Harlot to that degree that he composed a Hymn in honour of her and sacrificed to her after the same manner as the Athenians did to the Eleusinian Ceres for which accused of impiety he fled from Athens to Calchis and there drank Poyson or as some say dyed of a disease aged sixty three years His sayings were such as these being asked what a Lyar gains he answered Not to be believed when he speaks truth being upbraided for shewing mercy to a bad man I pitied said he not the manners but the man being asked what Hope was he replyed The dream of a waking man being told of one that spake ill of him behind his back Let him beat me too when I am absent He said the roots of learning were bitter but the fruit sweet being asked what a friend was Two souls said he dwelling in one body and what he had gained by Philosophy he answered To do that freely which others do only out of fear of the Laws he dyed in the third year of the one hundred and fourteenth Olympiad Laert lib. 5. p. 116 117. 21. Theophrastus the Son of Melanta an Eresian Fuller he succeeded Aristotle in his School he was a studious and a learned manâ— of that esteem at Athens that he had almost two thousand Scholars and accused by Agonides of impiety little wanted but that the Athenians had fined his accuser He used to say that the loss of time is the greatest expence that an ungoverned tongue is less to be trusted than an unbridled Horse that for the love of glory man proudly loses many of the pleasures of life that we then dye when we begin to live He wrote many Books and dyed at eighty five years of age having remitted something of the former course of his studies he is conceived thereby to have hastned his death Laert. lib. 5. p. 122
and thirtieth year of his age 4. In Devonshire there is a stone call'd the Hanging Stones being one of the bound-Stones which parteth Comb-Martin from the next Parish It got the name from a Thief who having stoln a Sheep and ty'd it about his own Neck to carry it home at his Back he rested himself for a while upon this Stone which is about a foot high until the Sheep strugling slid over the Stone on the other side and so strangl'd the Man 4. Dr. Andrew Perne though very facetious was at last heart-broken with a Jest as I have been most credibly inform'd from excellent hands He is tax'd much for altering his Religion four times in twelve years from the last of King Henry the Eighth to the first of Queen Elizabeth a Papist a Protestant a Papist a Protestant but still Andrew Perne now it fortun'd he was at Court with his Pupil Archbishop Whitgift in a rainy afternoon when the Queen was I dare not say willfully but really resolv'd to ride abroad contrary to the mind of her Ladies who were on horseback Coaches as yet being not common to attend her Now one Clod the Queens Jester was employ'd by the Courtiers to laugh the Queen out of so convenient a Journey Heaven saith he Madam disswades you this heavenly minded man Archbishop Whitgift and Earth disswades you your Fool Clod such a lump of clay as my self and if neither will prevail with you here is one that is neither Heaven nor Earth but hangs betwixt both Dr. Perne and he also disswades you Hereat the Queen and the Courtiers laugh'd heartily whilst the Doctor look'd sadly and going over with his Grace to Lambeth soon saw the last of his life 5. Anastasius the Emperor was slain with Lightning so was Strabo the Father of Pompey the Great so was also Garus the Emperour who succeeded Probus whilst he lodged with his Army upon the River Tigris 6. Child his Christian name is unknown was a Gentleman the last of his Family being of ancient Extraction at Plimstook in Devonshire and had great Possessions It hapned that he hunting in Dartmore lost both his company and way in a bitter snow having kill'd his Horse he crept into his bowels for warmth and wrote this with his blood He that finds and brings me to my tomb The land at Plimstook shall be his doom That Night he was frozen to death and being first found by the Monks of Tavistock they interr'd him in their own Abbey and sure it is that the Abbot of Tavistock got that rich Manor into his possession 7. Arrius who deny'd the Divinity of Christ was sent for by the Emperour Constantine to make recantation of his former heresies but he first wrote out a copy of his own opinions which he hid in his bosome and then writing out the recantation expected from him took oath that he did really mean as he had writen which words the Emperour reserr'd to the recantation he to the paper in his bosome but God would not be so cozened though the Emperour was for as he pass'd in triumph through the Streets of Constantinople he drew aside into a private house of ease where he voided his guts into the draught and so dyed 8. Alexander the Elean Philosopher swimming over the River Alpheus light with his breast upon a sharp reed which lay hid under the water and receiv'd such a wound thereby that he dy'd upon it 9. Heraclius the Ephesian fell into a Dropsie and was thereupon advertis'd by the Physicians to anoint himself all over with Cow-dung and so to sit in the warm Sun his servant had left him alone and the Dogs supposing him to be a wild Beast fell upon him and killed him 10. Milo the Crotonian being upon his journey beheld an Oak in the Field which some body had attempted to cleave with Wedges conscious to himself of his great strength he came to it and seising it with both his hands endeavoured to wrest it in sunder but the Tree the Wedges being fallen out returning to it self caught him by the hands in the cleft of it and there detain'd him to be devour'd with wild Beasts after his so many and so famous exploits 11. Polydamas the famous wrestler was forc'd by a tempest into a cave which being ready to fall into ruines by the violent and sudden incursion of the waters though others fled at the signs of the dangers approach yet he alone would remain as one that would bear up the whole heap and weight of the falling Earth with his shoulders but he found it above all humane strength and so was crush'd in pieces by it 12. Attila King of the Hunns having marryed a Wife in Hungary and upon his Wedding Night surcharg'd himself with Meat and Drink as he slept his Nose fell a bleeding and through his Mouth found the way into his Throat by which he was choak'd and kill'd before any person was apprehensive of the danger 13. Calo-Iohannes Emperour of Constantinople drew a Bow against a Boar in Cilicia with that strength that he shot the Arrow through his own hand that held the Bow the Pile of it was dipt in poyson as 't is usual in huntings and of that wound he dyed in a few days and left the Empire to his Son Emanuel Anno 1130. 14. Giachetus Geneva a man of great reputation amongst the Salucians though he was stricken in years and had had some Children by his Wife yet being addicted to Venus he privily let in a Girl at the back door and when one night he delay'd his coming to bed longer than he was accustomed to do after they had knock and call'd in vain at his Study door his Wife caused it to be broken open and there was Giachetus and the Girl found both dead in mutual imbraces and in a shameful and base posture 15. In the nineteenth year of Queen Elizabeth at the Assize held at Oxford Iuly 1577. one Rowland Ienks a Popish Bookseller for dispersing scandalous Pamphlets defamatory to the Queen and State was arreigned and condemned but on the sudden there arose such a damp that almost all present were endanger'd to be smothered The Jurors dyed that instant Soon after dyed Sir Robert Bell Lord Chief Baron Sir Robert de Oly Sir William Babington Mr. de Oly high Sheriff Mr. Wearnam Mr. Danvers Mr. Fettiplace Mr. Harcourt Justices Mr. Kerle Mr. Nash Mr. Greenwood Mr. Foster Gentlemen of good account Serjeant Barham an excellent Pleader three hundred other persons presently sickned and dyed within the Town and two hundred more sickning there dyed in other places amongst all whom there was neither Woman nor Child 16. Anacreon the Poet had exceeded the stated term of humane life yet while he was endeavouring to cherish the poor remainders of his strength by the juyce of Raisins the stone of one of them stuck so fast in his dry and parched
there was a very considerable number of the enemy slain there fell not so much as one man of the Spartans When they of Sparta heard this it is said of them that first Agesilaus and the ancient Ephori and then all the body of the people fell a weeping So far are tears in common the expressions both of Joy and Sorrow 24. Ptolomeus Philadelphus had received the sacred Volumes of the Law of God newly brought out of Iudaea and while he held them with great reverence in his hands praising God upon that account all that were present made a joyful acclamation and the King himself was so joyed thereat that he brake out into tears Nature as it seems having so ordered it that the expressions of sorrow should also be the followers of extraordinary Joys 25. When Philip King of Macedon was overcome and that all Greece was assembled to behold the Isthmian Games T. Q. Flaminius having caused silence to be made by the sound of the Trumpet he commanded these words to be proclaimed by the mouth of the Cryer The Senate and people of Rome and Titus Quinctius Flaminius their General do give liberty and immunity to all the Cities of Greece that were under the jurisdiction of King Philip. At the hearing of this there was first a confounded silence amongst the people as if they had heard nothing The Cryer having repeated the same words they set up such a strong and universal shout of Joy that it is certain that the Birds that flew over their heads fell down amazed amongst them Livy saith that the joy was greater than the minds of men were able to comprehend so that they scarce believed what they heard they gazed upon one another as if they thought themselves deluded by a dream And the Games afterwards were so neglected that no man's either mind or eye was intent upon them So far had this one joy preoccupied the sense of all other pleasures CHAP. XIII Of the Passion of Grief and how it hath acted upon some men WHilst the great Genius of Physick Hippocrates drave away maladies by his precepts and almost snatched bodies out of the hands of death one Antiphon arose in Greece who envious of his Glory promised to do upon Souls what the other did on mortal members and proposed the sublime invention which Plutarch calls the Art of curing all Sadnesses where we may truly say he used more vanity promises and ostent of words than he wrought effects Certainly it were to be wished that all ages which are abundant in miseries should likewise produce great comforts to sweeten the acerbities of humane life Another Helena were needful to mingle the divine drug of Nepenthe in the meat of so many afflicted persons as the world affords but as the expectation is vain so there are some sorrows that fall with that impetuous force upon souls and withal with that sudden surprisal that they let in death to anticipate all the hopes of recovery 1. When the Turks came to raise the Siege of Buda there was amongst the German Captains a Nobleman called Ecckius Rayschachius whose Son a valiant young Gentleman having got out of the Army without his Father's knowledge bare himself so gallantly in sight against the Enemy in the sight of his Father and of the Army that he was highly commended of all men and especially of his Father who knew him not at all yet before he could clear himself he was compassed in by the Enemy and valiantly fighting slain Rayschachichius exceedingly moved with the death of so brave a man ignorant how near it touched himself turning about to the other Captains said This worthy Gentleman whatsoever he be is worthy of eternal commendation and to be most honourably buryed by the whole Army As the rest of the Captains were with like compassion approving his speech the dead body of the unfortunate Son rescued was presented to the most miserable Father which caused all them that were present to shed tears but such a sudden and inward grief surprised the aged Father and struck so to his heart that after he had stood a while speechless with his eyes set in his head he suddenly fell down dead 2. Homer had sailed out of Chios to Io with a purpose to visit Athens here it was that being old he fell sick and so remain'd upon the shore where there landed certain Fishermen whom he asked if they had taken any thing They replyed what we caught we left behind us and what we could not catch we have brought with us meaning that when they could not catch any Fish they had lowsed themselves upon the Shore killing what they took and carrying with them such as they could not find When Homer was not able to solve this Riddle it is reported that he died with grief of mind Yet Herodotus denies it saying that the Fishermenn themselves explain'd their Aenigma and that Homer died of sickness and disease 3. Excessive was the sorrow of King Richard the Second beseeming him neither as a King Man or Christian who so fervently loved Anna of Bohemia his Queen that when she died at Sheane in Surâ—ey he both cursed the place and also out of madness overthrew the whole House 4. Vvipertus elected Bishop of Raceburg went to Rome to receive the confirmation thereof from the Pope where â—inding himself neglected and rejected by him upon the account of his youth the next night for very grief and too near an apprehension thereof all the Hair of his Head was turned grey whereupon he was received 5. Hostratus the Friar resented that Book so ill which Reuclinus had writ against him under the name of Epistolae obscurorum virorum and took it so very much to the heart that for grief he made himself away 6. Alexander a Prince of a most invincible courage after the death of his dear Ephestion lay three days together upon the ground with an obstinate resolution to die with him and thereupon would neither eat drink nor sleep such was the excess of his grief that he commanded Battlements of Houses to be pulled down Mules and Horses to have their Manes shorn off some thousands of common Soldiers to be slain to attend him in the other world and the whole Nation of the Cusseans to be rooted out 7. At Nancy in Lorrain when Claudia Valesia the Dukes Wife and Sister to Henry the Second King of France deceased the Temples for forty days were all shut up no Prayers nor Masses said but only in the Room where she was The Senators were all covered with Mourning Blacks and for a twelve Months space throughout the City they were forbid to sing or dance 8. Roger that rich Bishop of Salisbury the same that built the De Vizes and divers other strong Castles in this Kingdom being spoiled of his Goods and thrown out of all his Castles was so swallowed up with over-much grief that he ran mad and
the Gentlewoman perceiving the Prince began to be warm in his wine in hopes of enjoying her promise she desired liberty to withdraw into an adjoyning Gallery to take the Air but as soon as she was come into it she cast her self headlong down in the presence of the Prince and all her dead Husbands Relations 2. Cedrenus observeth in his History that Constantine the Ninth exercising tyranny as well in matters of Love as within his Empire caused the Roman Argyropulus to be sought out and commanded him to repudiate his Wife whom he had lawfully married to take his daughter on condition that he would make him Caesar and associate him with himself in his dignity But if he condescended not to his will he threatned to pull out his eyes and to make him all the days of his life miserable The Lady who was present seeing her Husband involv'd in all the perplexities that might be and ignorant what answer to give unto the Emperour Ah Sir said she I see you are much hindred in a brave way if it only rest in your Wife that you be not great and happy I freely deprive my self of all yea of your company which is more precious to me than all the Empires of the world rather than prejudice your fortune For know I love you better than my self And saying this she cut oâ—f her hair and voluntarily entred into a Monastery which the other was willing enough to suffer preferring Ambition before Love a matter very ordinary amongst great ones 3. The Emperour Conrad the Third besieged Guelphus Duke of Bavaria in the City of Wensberg in Germany the Women perceiving that the Town could not possibly hold out long petitioned the Emperour that they might depart only with so much as each of them could carry on their Backs which the Emperour condescended to expecting they would have loaden themselves with Silver and Gold c. But they came all forth with every one her Husband on her back whereat the Emperour was so mov'd that he wept received the Duke into his favour gave all the men their lives and extol'd the women with deserved praises Bodinus says that Laurentius Medices was restored to his health by the only reading of this Story when he had long in vain expected it from the endeavours of his Physicians 4. Hota was the Wife of Rahi Benxamut a valiant Captain and of great reputation amongst the Alarbes she had been bravely rescued out of the hands of the Portugals who were carrying her away Prisoner by the exceeding courage and valour of Benxamut her Husband She shewed her thankfulness to him by the ready performances of all the oâ—â—ices of love and duty Some time after Benxamut was slain in a conâ—lict and Hota perform'd her Husbands Funeral Obsequies with infinite lamentations laid his Body in a stately Tomb and then for Nine days together she would neither eat nor drink whereof she died and was buried as she had ordain'd in her last Will by the side of her beloved Husband Of her I may say as Sir Henry Wotton wrote upon Sir Albert Mortons Lady He first deceas'd She for a few days try'd To live without him lik'd it not and dy'd 5. Arria the Wife of Cecinna Paetus understanding that her Husband was condemn'd to dye and that he was permitted to chuse what manner of death lik'd him best she went to him and having exhorted him to depart this life couragiously and bidding him farewel gave her self a stab into the Breast with a Knife she had hid for that purpose under her Cloaths Then drawing the Knife out of the wound and reaching it to Paetus she said Vulnus quod feci Paete non dolet sed quod tu facies The wound I have made Pâ—etus smarts not but that only which thou art about to give thy self Whereupon Martial hath an Epigram to this purpose When Arria to her Husband gave the Knife Which made the wound whereby she lost her Life This wound dear Paetus grieves me not quoth she But that which thou must give thy self grieves me 6. King Edward the First while Prince warr'd in the Holy Land where he rescued the great City of Acon from being surrendred to the Souldan after which one Anzazim a desperate Sarazen who had often been employed to him from the Generalâ— being one time upon pretence of some secret message admitted alone into his Chamber he with an empoyson'd Knife gave him three wounds in the Body two in the Arm and one near the Arm-Pit which were thought to be mortal and had perhaps been so if out of unspeakable love the Lady Elianor his Wife had not suck'd out the poyson of his wounds with her mouth and thereby effected a cure which otherwise had been incurable Thus it is no wonder that Love should do wonders seeing it is it self a wonder 7. Sulpitia was the Wife of Lentulus a person proscrib'd by the Trium-Virate in Rome he being fled into Sicily she was narrowly watch'd by Iulia her Mother lest she should follow her Husband thither but she disguising her self in the habit of a Servant taking with her two maids and as many men by a secret flight she got thither not refusing to be proscrib'd her self to approve her fidelity and Love to her Husband 8. Artemisia the Queen of Caria bare so true a love to her Husband Maâ—solus that when he was dead she prepared his Funeral in a sumptuous manner she sent for the chiefest and most eloquent Orators out of all Greece to speak Orations in his Praise upon the chief day of the solemnity When the Body was burnt she had the Ashes carefully preserv'd and by degrees in her drink she took down those last remainders of her Husband into her own body and as a further testimony of her Love to his Memory she built him a Sepulchre with such magnificence that it was numbred amongst the seven wonders of the World 9. Learchus by poyson cut off Archelaus King of the Cyrenians and his friend and seiz'd upon his Kingdom in hopes of enjoying his Queen Eryxona She pretending not to be displeas'd with the proposals invited Learchus to come alone in the night and confer with her about it who in the strength of his affection and fearing nothing of treachery went unaccompanied to her Palace where he was slain by two whom Eryxona had there hid for that purpose and his body she caused to be thrown out at the Window 10. Camma the Wife of Sinatus the Priestess of Diana was a person of most rare beauty and no less virtue Erasinorix to enjoy her had treacherously slain her Husband he had often attempted in vain to perswade her to his embraces by fair speeches and gifts and she fearing he would add force to these feigned her self to be overcome with his importunity To the Temple they went and standing
with some pleasure in the perusal of them 1. Charles the Great was so great a Lover of his Sons and Daughters that he never dined or supped without them he went no whither upon any journey but he took them along with him and when he was asked why he did not marry his Daughters and send his children abroad to see the world his reply was That he was not able to bear their absence 2. Nero Domitius the Son of Domitius Aenobarbus and Agrippina by the subtlety of his Mother obtained the Empire She once enquired of the Chaldeans if her Son should reign they told her that they had found he should but that withal he should be the death of his Mother Occidat modo imperet said she let him kill me provided he live to be Emperour And she had her wish 3. Solon was a person famous throughout all Grecce as having given Laws to the Athenians being in his Travels came to Miletum to converse with Thales who was one of the seven wise men of Greece these two walking together upon the Market place one comes to Solon and told him that his Son was dead aâ—flicted with this unexpected as well as unwelcome news he fell to tearing of his Beard Hair and Cloaths and fouling of his face in the dust immediately a mighty conâ—lux of people was about him whom he entertained with howlings and tears when he had lain long upon the ground and delivered himself up to all manner of expressions of grief unworthy the person he sustain'd so renowned for gravity and wisdom Thales bade him be of good courage for the whole was but a contrivance of his who by this artifice had desired to make experiment whether it was convenient for a wise man to marry and have children as he had pressed them to do bur that now he was sufficiently satisfied it was no way conducible seeing he perceived that the loss of a child might occasion a person famous for wisdom to discover all the signs of a mad man 4. Seleucus King of Syria was inform'd by Erasistratus his Physician that his Son Antiochus his languishment proceeded from a vehement love he had taken to the Queen Stratonice his beautiful and beloved Wife and that his modest suppression of this secret which he had found out by his art was like to cost the life of the young Prince The tender and indulgent Father resigned her up unto his Son by a marvellous example overcoming himself to consult the life and contentment of his Son 5. M. Tullius Cicero was so great a Lover of his Daughter Tulliola that when she was dead he laboured with great anxiety and his utmost endeavour to consecrate her memory to posterity he says he would take care that by all the monuments of the most excellent wits both of Greek and Latine she would be reputed a Goddess how solicitously doth he write to Atticus that a piece of ground should be purchased in some eminent place wherein he might cause a Temple to be erected and dedicated to Tulliola He also wrote two Books concerning the death of his Daughter wherein it is probable that he made use of all that riches of wit and eloquence wherein he was so great a master to perswade the people that Tulliola was a Goddess 6. The elder Cato was never so taken up with employment in any aâ—â—air whatsoever but that he would always be present at the washing of his Son Cato who was but newly born and when he came to such age as to be capable of Learning he would not suffer him to have any other Master besides himself Being advised to resign up his Son to the Tutorage of some learned servant he said he could not bear it that a servant should pull his Son by the ears nor that his Son should be indebted for his Learning and Education to any besides himself 7. Agesilaus was above measure indulgent to his children the Spartans reproached him that for love of his Son Archidamus he had concerned himself so far as to impede a just judgment and by his intercession for the Malefactors had involv'd the City in the guilt of being injurious to Greece He used also at home to ride upon the Hobby-horse with his little children and being once by a friend of his found so doing he entreated him not to discover that act of his to any man till such time as he himself was become the Father of Children 8. Antigonus resented not the Debauches Luxury and drunken Bouts of his Son Demetrius to which that Prince in times of peace was overmuch addicted though in time of war he carried himself with much sobriety When the publick fame went that Demetrius was highly enamoured of Lamia the Courtisan and that at his return from abroad he kissed his Father What said Antigonus you think you are kissing of Lamia Another time when he had spent many days in drinking and pretended he was much troubled with Rheum I have heard as much said Antigonus but is it Thasian or Chian Rheum Having heard that his Son was ill he went to visit him and met with a beautiful Boy at the door being entred the Chamber and sate down he felt of his pulse and when Demetrius said that his Feaver had newly left him Not unlike Son said he for I met it going out at the door just as I came hither Thus gently he dealt with him in all these his miscarriages in consideration of divers other excellent qualities he was master of 9. Syrophanes a rich Aegyptian so doted on a Son of his yet living that he kept the Image of him in his House and if it so fell out that any of the servants had displeased their Master thither they were to flie as to a Sanctuary and adorning that Image with Flowers and Garlands they that way recovered the favour of their Master 10. Artobarzanes resign'd the Kingdom of Cappadocia to his Son in the presence of Pompey the Great the Father had ascended the Tribunal of Pompey and was invited to sit with him in the Curule Seat but as soon as he observ'd his Son to sit with the Secretary in a lower place than his fortune deserved he could not endure to see him placed below himself but descending from his Seat he placed the Diadem upon his Sons head and bade him go and sit in that place from whence he was lately risen tears fell from the eyes of the young man his body trembled the Diadem fell â—rom his head nor could he endure to go thither where he was commanded And which is almost beyond all credit he was glad who gave up his Crown and he was sorrowful to whom it was given nor had this glorious strife come to any end unless Pompeys authority had joyned it self to the Father's will for he pronounced the Son a King commanded him to take the Diadem and compelled him to sit with him in the Curule Seat 11. Mahomet
with the Army thou submit to his Dominion and acknowledge him as Emperour my life depends upon thy answer Consider what thou owest to him that gave thee life To this his Son Vsanguincus return'd He that is not faithful to his Soveraign will never be so to me and if you forget your duty and â—idelity to our Emperour no man will blame me if I forget my duty and obedience to such a Father I will rather dye than serve a Thief and immediately sent an Ambassador to call in their aid to subdue this usurper of the Empire 7. Gelon the Tyrant of Sicilia as soon as he heard the Persians under Xerxes had passed the Hellespont sent Cadmus the Son of Scythes who had before been the Tyrant of Coos and voluntarily resign'd it to Coos with three Ships a mighty Summ of money and instructed with a pleasing Embassy giving him in charge to observe which way the victory should fall that if the Persian should prevail he should then deliver him the Money and earth and water for such places as were under the dominion of Gelon but if the Greeks prov'd victorious he should return back with the money This Cadmus although it was in his power to have perverted this vast sum to his own use yet would he not do it but after the Greeks had obtain'd a Naval Victory he returned back into Sicily and restored all the money 8. Sanctius King of Castile had taken Tariffa from the Moors but was doubtful of keeping it by reason both of the Neighbourhood of the enemy and the great cost it would put him to there was with him at that time Alphonsus Peresius Guzman a noble and rich person a great man both in peace and war he of his own accord offered to take the care of it and to be at part of the charge himself and the King in the mean time might attend other affairs A while after the Kings Brother Iohn revolted to the Moors and with Forces of theirs suddenly sate down before Tariffa the besieged feared him not but relyed upon their own and their Governours valour only one thing unhappily fell out the Son and only Son of Alphonsus was casually taken by them in the fields him they shewed before the Walls and threatned to put him to a cruel death unless they speedily yielded the Town the hearts of all men were mov'd only that of Alphonsus who cryed with a loud voice that had they a hundred of his Sons in their power he should not thereupon depart with his Faith and Loyalty And saith he Since you are so thirsty of blood there is a Sword for you throwing his own over the wall to them away he went and prepared himself to go to dinner when upon the sudden there was a confused noise and cry that recalled him he again repairs to the wall and asking the reason of their amazement they told him that his Son had been done to death with barbarous cruelty Was it that then said he I thought the City had been taken by the Enemy and so with his former tranquillity return'd to his Wife and his Dinner The Enemies astonished at the greatness of his Spirit departed without any further attempt upon the place 9. Flectius a noble man was made Goveâ—nour of the City and Castle of Conimbra in Portugal by King Sanctius Anno 1243. This Sanctius was too much swayed by his Wise Mencia and over addicted to some Court Minions by reason of which there was a conspiracy of the Nobles against him and the matter was so far gone that they had got leave of Pope Innocent to translate the Government of the Kingdom to Alphonsus the Brother of Sanctius Hereupon follow'd a War the minds of most men were alienated from their natural Prince but Flectius was still constant enduring the Siege and arms of Alphonsus and the whole Nation nor could he any way be swayed till he heard that Sanctius was dead in Banishment at Toletum â—or whom now should he fight or preserve his faith they advised him therefore to â—ollow fortune yield himself and not to change a just praise for the Title of a desperado and a madman Flectius heard but believed them not he therefore beg'd leave of Alphonsus that he himself might go to Toletum and satisfie himself It was granted and he there found that the King was indeed dead and buried and therefore that he might as well be free in his own conscience as in the opinion of men he opened the Sepulchre and with sighs and tears he delivers the very keys of Conimbra into the Kings hands with those words As long O King as I did judge thee to be alive I endured all extremiâ—ies I fed upon Skins and Leather and quenched my thirst with Vrine I quieted or repressed the minds of the Câ—tizens that were enclining to Sedition and whatsoever could be expected from a faithful man and one sworn to thy interest that I perform'd and persisted in Only one thing remains that having delivered the Keys of the City to thine own hands I may return freed of my oath and to tell the Citizens their King is dead God send thee well ia another and a better Kingdom This said he departed acknowledg'd Alphonsus for his Lawful Prince and was ever faithful to him 10. When the Portugals came first into the East Indies the King of Cochin called Trimumpara made Peace and a League of Amity with them Soon after there was a conspiracy against a new and suspected Nation especially the King of Calecut who was rich and strong in Soldiers he drew his forces and friends together and sent to him of Cochin in the first place that he would deliver up those few Portugals and himself from â—ault and all them from fear But he replied that he would lose all rather than falsifie his Faith When any of his subjects perswaded him to yield them up he said he esteemed them worse enemies than the King of Calecut for he did endeavour to take away only his Kingdom or Life but they would take from him the choicest virtues That his life was a short and definite space but the brand of perfidiousness would remain for ever In the mean time the King of Calecut wars with him overcomes drives him from his Kingdom and enforces his retreat unto an Island not far off In his flight he took no greater care for any thing then to preserve those few Portugals nay when thrust out though his enemy offered him his Kingdom again upon condition he would surrender them he constantly refused it and said that his Kingdom and Scepter might be taken from him but not his faith 11. Sextus Pompeius had seiz'd upon Sicilia and Sardinia and made a hot war upon the Trium-Virate and people of Rome and having pressed them with want and scarcity had reduced them to treat with him of peace Octaviâ—nus Caesar therefore and Antonius met him about Misenum with their Land Forces he being
Tribune to be found to intercede for his life at last he escaped by anothers mediation the fury of his adversary whom in his Censorship he had removed from the Senate And yet though there were so many of the family of the Mâ—telli in great authority and power in the state the villany of this Tribune was overpassed both by him that was injured and all the rest of his Relations CHAP. XXXIV Of such as have patiently taken free Speeches and Reprehensions from their Inferiors THe fair speeches of others commonly delight us although we are at the same time sensible they are no more than flatteries and falshoods nor is this the only weakness and vanity of our nature but withal it is very seldom that we can take down the pill of Reproof without an inward resentment especially from any thing below us though convinced of the necessity and justice of it Great therefore was the wisdom of those men who could so easily dispense with any mans freedom in speaking when once they discern'd it was meant for their reformation and improvement 1. A senior Fellow of St. Iohn's College in Cambridge of the opposite faction to the Master in the presence of Dr. Whitaker in a common place fell upon this subject what requisites should qualifie a Scholar for a Fellowship concluded that Religion and Learning were of the Quorum for that purpose hence he proceeded to put the case if one of these qualities alone did appear whether a Religious Dunce were to be chosen before a Learned Rake-Hell and resolv'd it in favour of the Latter This he endeavoured to prove with two arguments First because Religion may but Learning cannot be counterfeited He that chuseth a Learned Rake-Hell is sure of something but who electeth a Religious Dunce may have nothing worthy of his choice seeing the same may prove both Dunce and Hypocrite His second was there is more probability of a Rake-Hells improvement to Temperance than of a Dunces conversion into a Learned Man Common place being ended Dr. Whitaker desired the company of this Fellow and in his Closet thus accosted him Sir I hope I may say without offence as once Isaac to Abraham here is wood and a knife but where is the Lamb for a burnt offering you have discovered much keenness of language and fervency of affection but who is the person you aim at who hath offered abuse to this Society The other answered If I may presume to follow your Metaphor know Sir though I am a true admirer of your most eminent worth you are the sacrifice I reflected at in my discourse for whilst you follow your studies and remit matters to be managed by others a company is chosen into the College of more zeal than knowledge whose judgments we certainly know to be bad though others charitably believe the goodness of their affections and hence of late there is a general decay of Learning in the College The Dr. turn'd his anger into thankfulness and expressed the same both in loving his person and practising his advice promising his own presence hereafter in all elections and that none should be admitted without his own examination which quickly recovered the credit of the house being replenished with hopeful Plants before his death which fell out in the 38th of Q. Eliz. Anno 1593. 2. Augustus Caesar sitting in judgment Mecaenas was present and perceiving that he was about to condemn divers persons he endeavoured to get up to him but being hindred by the Crowd he wrote in a Schedule Tandem aliquando surge Carnifex Rise Hangman and then as if he had wrote some other thing threw the Note into Caesars Lap Caesar immediately arose and came down without condemning any person to death and so far was he from taking this reprehension ill that he was much troubled he had given such cause 3. A poor old Woman came to Philip King of Macedon intreated him to take cognisance of her cause when she had often interrupted him with her clamors in this manner the King at last told her he was not at leisure to hear her No said she be not then at leisure to be King the King for sometime considered of the Speech and presently he heard both her and others that came with their complaints to him 4. One of the Servants of Prince Henry Son to Henry the fourth whom he favored was arraigned at the Kings Bench for Fellony whereof the Prince being informed and incensed by lewd persons about him in a rage he came hastily to the Bar where his servant stood as Prisoner and Commanded him to be unfettred and set at liberty whereat all men were amazed only the Chief Justice who at that time was William Gascoign who exhorted the Prince to be ordered according to the Ancient Laws of the Kingdom or if he would have his servant exempted from the rigour of the Law that he should obtain if he could the gracious Pardon of the King his Father which would be no derogation to Law or Justice The Prince no way appeased with this answer but rather inflamed endeavoured himself to take away the Prisoner The Judge considering the perilous Example and inconveniency that might thereupon ensue with a bold Spirit and Courage Commanded the Prince upon his Allegiance to leave the Prisoner and to depart the place At this Commandment the Prince all in a fury and chafed in a terrible manner came up to the place of Judgment men thinking that he would have slain the Judge or at least done him some harm But the Judge sitting still without moving declaring the Majesty of the Kings place of Judgement and with an assured bold countenance said thus to the Prince Sir Remember your self I keep here the place of the King your Sovereign Lord and Father to whom you owe double Allegiance and therefore in his name I charge you to desist from your wilfulness and unlawful enterprize and from henceforth give good example to those which hereafter shall be your own Subjects and now for your contempt and disobedience go you to the prison of the Kings Bench whereunto I commit you until the pleasure of the King your Father be further known The Prince amazed with the words and gravity of that worshipful Justice laying his Sword aside the doing reverence departed and went to the Kings Bench as he was commanded When the King heard of this action he blessed God that had given him a Judge who feared not to minister Justice and also a Son who could patiently suffer and shew his obedience thereunto 5. Fridericus was consecrated Bishop of Vtrecht and at the feast the Emperour Ludovicus Pius sitting at his right hand admonished him that being mindful of the profession he had newly taken upon him he would deal justly and as in the sight of God in the way of his Vocation without respect of persons Your Majesty gives me good advice said he but will you please to tell me whether I
she was by him well beaten with Myrtle Rods. And for that reason the women when they dress up and adorn the Chapel or Shrine of their goddess Bona they never bring home for that purpose any branches of the Myrtle Tree and yet otherwise take pleasure to make use of all sorts of branches and flowers in that solemnity 3. At Argos there were two of the principal Citizens who were the heads of opposite Factions one to another in the Government oâ— the City the one was named Nicostratus and the other Phaulius Now when King Philip came to the City it was generally thought that Phaulius plotted and practised to attained unto some absolute principality and soveraignty in the City by the means of his wife who was a young and beautiful Lady in case he could once bring her to the Kings bed and that she might lie with him Nicostratus was aware of as much and smelling his design walked before Phaulius his door and about his house on purpose to discover his intentions and what he would do therein He soon found that the base Phaulius had furnished his wife with a pair of high Shooes had cast about her a mantle and set upon her head a Chaplet after the Macedonian fashion Having thus accoutred her after the manner of the Kings Pages he sent her secretly in that habit and attire unto the Kings lodging as a Sacrifice to his lust and an agrument of an unparallel'd villany in himself who could endure to be the Pander in the prostitution of his own Wife 4. Periander the Corinthian in a high sit of passion trod his Wife under-foot and although she was at that time with child of a boy yet he never desisted from his injurious treatment of her till such time as he had killed her upon the place Afterwards when he was come to himself and was sensible that what he had done was through the calumniating instigation of his Concubines he caused them all to be burnt alive and banished his son Lycophron as far as Corcyra upon no other occasion than that he lamented the death of his Mother with tears and outcryes 5. Nero the Emperour being once incensed against his Wife Poppaea Sabina gave her such a kick with his foot upon the belly that she thereupon departed this life But though he was a man that seemed to be born to cruelty and blood yet he afterwards so repented himself of this act that he would not suffer her body to be burnt after the Roman manner but built the funeral pile for her of odours and perfumes and so ordered her to be brought into the Iulian monument 6. Herod the Sophist being offended with his Wife Rhegilâ—a for some slight fault of hers commanded his freed man Alcimedon to beat her She was at that time eight months gone with Child or near upon so that by the imprudence of him who was imployed to chastise her She received some blows upon her belly which occasioned first her miscarriage and soon after her death Her Brother Bradeas a person of great nobility cited her Husband Herodes to answer the death of his Sister before the Senate of Rome where if he had not it is pity but he should have received a condign punishment 7. When M. Antonius was overcome at Actium Herod King of Iudaea believing that he was in danger to lose his Kingdom because he had been a fast friend to Antonius determined to meet Caesar Augustus at Rhodes and there endeavour to assure his favour to him Having resolved upon his journey he committed the care and custody of his Wiâ—e to Sohemus his friendâ— giving him withall thus much in command That in case he should hear of his death by the way or at the place wither he was intended that then he should not fail forthwith to kill Mariamne his Wife yielding this only reason of his injunction that it might not be in the power of any man to enjoy so great a beauty after his decease Mariamne had extorted this secret from Sohemus and at Herod's return twitted him with it Herod caused Sohemus unheard to be immediately put to death and not long after he also beheaded Mariamne his beloved Queen and Wife 8. Amalasuenta had raised Theodahitus at once to be her Husband and King of the Goths but upon this proviso that he should make oath that he would rest contented with the title of a King and leave all matters of Government to her sole dispose But no sooner was he accepted as King but he forgat his Wife and benefactress recalled her enemies from banishment put her friends and relations many of them to death banished her self unto an Island in the Vulsiner lake and there set a strong guard upon her At last he thought himself not sufficiently safe so long as Amalasumha was alive and thereupon he dispatched certain of his instruments to the place of her exile with order to put her to death who â—inding her in a bath gave her no further time but strangled her there CHAP. VIII Of such Wives as were unnatural to their Husbands or evil deported towards them IN Italy there grows an herb they call it the Basilisco it is sweet scented enough but withal it hath this strange property that being laid under a stone in a moist place in a few dayes it produces a scorpion Thus though the Woman in her first creation was intended as a meet help for man the partner of his joyes and cares the sweet perfume and relish of his dayes throughout his whole pilgrimage yet there are some so far degenerated from their primitive institution though otherwise of exteriour beauty and perfection enough that they have proved more intolerable than Scorpions not only tormenting the life but hastning the death of their too indulgent Husbands 1. Ioan Gandchild to Robert King of Naples by Charles his son succeeded her Grandfather in the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily Anno 1343. a woman of a beautiful body and rare endowments of nature She was first married to her Cousin Andrew a prince of Royal extraction and of a sweet and loving disposition but he being not able to satisfie her wantonness She kept company with lewd persons at last she grew weary of him complaining of his insufficiency and caused him in the City of Aversa to be hung upon a beam and strangled in the night time and then threw out his Corpse into a Garden where it lay some dayes unburied It is said that this Andrew on a day coming into the Queens chamber and finding her twisting a thick string of silk and silver demanded of her for what purpose she made it she answered to hang you in which he then little believed the rather because those who intend such mischief use not to speak of it before-hand but it seems she was as good as her word 2. Cicero put away his wife Terentia for divers reasons as because she had made small
Lord Thomas Seymour Admiral of England the other was the Dutchess of Sommerset Wife to the Lord Protector of England Brother to the Admiral These two Ladies falling at variance for precedence which either of them challenged the one as Queen Dowager the other as Wife to the Protector who then governed the King and all the Realme drew their Husbands into the quarrel and so incensed the one of them against the other that the Protector procured the death of the Admiral his Brother Whereupon also followed his own destruction shortly after For being deprived of the assistance and support of his Brother he was easily overthrown by the Duke of Northumberland who caused him to be convicted of Felony and beheaded 9. A famous and pernicious faction in Italy began by the occasion of a quarrel betwixt two Boys whereof the one gave the other a box on the Ear in revenge whereof the Father of the Boy that was stricken cut off the hand of the other that gave the blow whose Father making thereupon the quarrel his own sought the revenge of the injury done to his Son and began the Faction of the Neri and Bianchi that is to say Black and White which presently spread it self through Italy and was the occasion of spilling much Christian blood 10. A poor distressed wretch upon some business bestowed a long and tedious Pilgrimage from Cabul in India to Asharaff in Hircania where e're he knew how the success would be he rested his weary limbs upon a Field Carpet choosing to refresh himself rather upon the cool Grass than be tormented by those merciless vermine of Gnats and Muskettos within the Town but poor man he fell à malo in pejus from ill to worse for lying asleep upon the way at such time as Sha Abbas the Persian Monarch set forth to hunt and many Nobles with him his pampered Jade winded and startled at him the King examines not the cause but sent an eternal Arrow of sleep into the poor mans heart jesting as Iphicrates did when he slew his sleepy Sentinel I did the man no wrong I found him sleeping and asleep I left him The Courtiers also to applaud his Justice made the poor man their common mark killing him an hundred times over if so many lives could have been forfeiâ—ed 11. Anno 1568. the King of Sian had a white Elephant which when the King of Pegu understood he had an opinion of I know not what holiness that was in the Elephant and accordingly prayed unto it He sent his Ambassadors to the King of Sian offering him whatsoever he would desire if he would send the Elephant unto him but the King of Sian would not part with him either for love mony or any other consideration Whereupon he of Pegu was so moved to wrath that with all the power he could make he invaded the other of Sian Many hundred thousand men were brought into the field and a bloody Battle was fought wherein the King of Sian was overthrown his white Elephant taken and he himself made tributary to the Monarch of Pegu. 12. A needy Souldier under Abbas King of Persia draws up a Catalogue of his good services and closing it in his pressing wants humbly intreats the favour and some stipend from his god of war for such and such his exploits The poor man for his sawciness with many terrible bastinadoes on the soles of his feet was almost drubbed to death Besides Abbas enquires who it was that wrote it the Clerk made his apology but the King quarrelled at his scurvy writing and that he should never write worse makes his hand to be cut off CHAP. XLIII Of such as have been too fearful of death and over desirous of Life A Weak mind complains before it is overtaken with evil and as Birds are affrighted with the noise of the Sling so the infirm soul anticipates its troubles by its own fearful apprehensions and falls under them before they are yet arrived But what greater madness is there than to be tormented with futurities and not so much to reserve our selves to miseries against they come as to invite and hasten them towards us of our own accord The best remedy against this tottering state of the soul is a good and clear Conscience which if a man want he will tremble in the midst of all his armed guards 1. What a miserable life Tyrants have by reason of their continual fears of death we have exemplified in Dionysius the Syracusan who finished his thirty eight years Rule on this manner Removing his Friends he gave the custody of his body to some strangers and Barbarians and being in fear of Barbers he taught his Daughters to shave him and when they were grown up he durst not trust them with a Rasor but taught them how they should burn off his hair and Beard with the white filmes of Wallnut kernels Whereas he had two Wives Aristomache and Doris he came not to them in the night before the place was throughly searched and though he had drawn a large and deep Moat about the Room and had made a passage by a wooden Bridge himself drew it up after him when he went in Not daring to speak to the people out of the common Rostrum or Pulpit for that purpose he used to make Orations to them from the top of a Tower When he played at Ball he used to give his Sword and Cloak to a Boy whom he loved and when one of his familiar Friends had jestingly said You now put your life into his hands and that the Boy smiled he commanded them both to be slain one for shewing the way how he might be killed and the other for approving it with a smile At last overcome in Battle by the Carthaginians he perished by the treason of his own Subjects 2. Heraclides Ponticus writes of one Artemon a very skilful Engineer but withal saith of him that he was of a very timerous disposition and foolishly afraid of his own shadow so that for the most part of his time he never stirred out of his House That he had always two of his men by him that held a Brazen Target over his head for fear lest any thing should fall upon him and if upon any occasion he was forced to go from home he would be carryed in a Litter hanging near to the ground for fear of falling 3. The Cardinal of Winchester Henry Beaufort commonly called the Rich Cardinal who procured the death of the good Duke of Gloucester in the reign of King Henry the sixth was soon after struck with an incurable disease and understanding by his Physicians that he could not live murmuring and repining thereat as Doctor Iohn Baker his Chaplain and Privy-councellor writes he fell into such speeches as these Fye will not death be hired Will mony do nothing Must I dye that have so great Riches If the whole Realm of England would save my life I am able either
amongst his Writings he found a Roll of one hundred and twenty men who had Petitioned Otho for a reward as having been present or assisting in the murder of Galba but though Vitellius was Galba's enemy yet he thought it unfit not only that such men should receive a reward but that they should be suffered to live seeing that they had set the life of their Prince to sale He therefore caused diligent searâ—h to be made for them and as many as he could lay hands upon he caused to be slain 18. Guntramus King of the Burgundians when he Warred against Gondoaldus who under a false name as if he were his Brother had seised upon part of Burgundy and Usurped the Title of a King contracted with Sagittarius and Monnialus two Bishops whom Gondoaldus used as his entire Friends about the slaying of Gondoaldus which done he caused the Bishops also who had been his Ministers therein to be slain lest a villanous Example should remain upon which any man should presume to betray him whom he had once owned and acknowledged for his Lord. 19. The City of Sfetigrade defended against Amurath the second was then watered but with one great Well in the midst of the City into which a Trayterous person who had contracted for a mighty reward to cause the City to be yielded up unto the Turks had cast a dead Dog this had been no great matter to other men but he well knew that the Garrison consisted of the Souldiers of Dibra who as they were the most valorous of all Epirus so were they more superstitious than the Jews about things clean and unclean and he knew these would starve die any manner of death or yield up the City rather than drink of that polluted drink nor was he deceived for it was straight yielded up on certain conditions He that corrupted the water was rewarded with three Suits of rich Apparel fifty thousand Aspers and a yearly Pension of two thousand Duckats but short was his joy for after he had a few daies vainly triumphed in the midst of Amurath his favours he was suddenly gone and never afterwards seen or heard of being secretly made away as was supposed by the commandment of Amurath whose noble heart could not but detest the Traytour although the Treason served well for his purpose 20. Luther was once asked Whether if one had committed a murder and confessed it to the Priest in case the Magistrate should otherwise hear of it and cite the Priest for a Witness the Priest was bound to reveal what he had learned by confession Luther answered no and added this Example At Venice a woman had privily killed one that had lain with her and thrown his body into the Sea and then having confessed all to a Monk received from him a Schedule in testimony of her Absolution Afterwards corrupted with money he betrayed her the woman produces the Schedule of the Monks Absolution and thereby would excuse her self The Senate therefore gave sentence That the Monk should be burnt and the woman banished this Judgement of the prudent Senate Luther did highly applaud CHAP. XLIX Of Voluptuous and Effeminate Persons TIberius the Emperour is said to have instituted a new Office at Rome for the invention of new pleasures over whom he appointed as their Prefect T. Caesonius Priscus had he wanted Officers he might have been more than sufficiently supplied out of these that follow 1. The Kings of Persia were so addicted to pleasure that their manner was to spend their Winter at Susa their summer at Ecbatana their Autumn in Persepolis and the rest of the year in Babylon 2. Plotius the brother of L. Plotius twice Consul was proscribed by the Triumvirate and in his place at Salernum where he lay hid he was betrayed to his murderers by the smell of his sweet unguents and perfumes which he had upon him 3. Sinyndirides the Sybarite was of that softness and effeminacy that he excelled therein all those of his Nation though the world it self had not a more luxuâ—ious generation than they this man upon a time had cast himself upon a bed prepared for him of the leaves of Roses and having there taken a sleep at his rising complained that he had Pustules made upon his body by reason of the hardness of his bed The same person was moreover so addicted to his belly that when he went to Sicyone as a servant to Agarista the daughter of Clisthenes he took along with him a thousand Cooks a thousand Fowlers and as many Fishers 4. Demetrius Poliorcetes when he had taken divers Cities by Siege exacted yearly from them one thousand two hundred Talents the least part of which went to his Army the greatest he consumed in all kinds of Luxury both himself and the Pavements where he resided slow'd with Unguents and throughout every part of the year the fresh leaves of Flowers were strow'd for him to walk upon A man immoderate and excessive in his loves both of women and young men and his great endeavour was to seem beautiful and to that purpose studiously composed his hair into curles and sought by artifice to have it of a Golden colour 5. Straton of Sidon and Nicocles the Cypriot strave not only to excel all other men in luxury and effeminate pleasures but there was also an emulation betwixt themselves enkindled by the relations they heard of each other their Feasts were attended with musical women and Harlots of selected faces for beauty were to Sing and Dance before them while they Feasted but they could not long indulge themselves in these kind of delights for both of them perished by a violent death 6. Sardanapalus King of Assyria was the most effeminate of all men he was continually hid in the apartments of the women and there sat disguised amongst them in a habit like unto theirs where he also was busied with the Distaff as they Upon his Sepulcher he caused a Statue to be cut attired like a woman holding her right hand over her head with some of the fingers close after the manner of one that is ready to give a fillip and by it these words were engraven Sardanapalus the son of Anacyndaraxes hath builded Anchiala and Tarsus in one day Eat drink and be merry the rest is not worth the fillip of a finger Cicero saith That Aristotle lighting upon this Tomb and Inscription said it should have been written upon the grave of a Beast not upon the Tomb of a King 7. Muleasses King of Tunis was a man of pleasure it 's said of him That his manner was to vail his eyes that he might catch the harmony of Musick more deliciously as having learned that two Senses are not at once to be gratified in the highest manner Ioviâ—â— saies of him That having fought but unfortunately with his son Amida for the recovery of his Kingdom being all disfigured with dust and sweat and his own blood amongst
a numerous crowd of them that sled he was known to his enemies by nothing so much as the odour of his Unguents and sweetness of his perfumes thus betrayed he was brought back and had his eyes put out by his sons command 8. The City Sybaris is seated two hundred furlongs from Crotona betwixt the two Rivers of Crathis and Sybaris built by Iseliceus the affaires of it were grown to that prosperity that it commanded four Neighbour Nations and had twenty five Cities subservient to its pleasure they led out three hundred thousand men against them of Crotona all which power and prosperity were utterly overturned by means of their luxury They had taught their Horses at a certain tune to rise on their hinder feet and with their fore-feet to keep a kind of time with the Musick a Minstril who had been ill used amongst them fled to Crotona and told them If they would make him their Captain he would put all the enemies horse their chief strength into their hands it was agreed he taught the known Tune to all the Minstrels in the City and when the Sybarites came up to a close charge at a signal given all the Minstrels played and all the Horses fell to dancing by which being unserviceable both they and their Riders were easily taken by the enemy 9. The old Inhabitants of Byzantium were so addicted to a voluptuous life that they hired out their own houses familiarly and went with their Wives to live in Taverns they were men greedy of Wine and extremely delighted with Musick but the first sound of a Trumpet was sufficient almost to put them besides themselves for they had no disposition at all to War and even when their City was besieged they left the defence of their Walls that they might steal into a Tavern CHAP. L. Of the libidinous and unchaste life of some Persons and what Tragedies have been occasioned by Adulteries IN an ancient Embleme pertaining to Iohn Duke of Burgundy there was to be seen a Pillar which two hands sought to overthrow the one had Wings and the other was figured with a Tortoise the word Vtcunque as much as to say by one way or other There are Amourists who take the same course in their prohibited amours some strike down the Pillars of Chastity by the sudden and impetuous violence of great promises and unexpected presents others proceed therein with a Tortoises pace with long patience continual services and profound submissions yet when the Fort is taken whether by storm or long siege there is brought in an unâ—â—pected reckoning sometimes that drenches all their sweets in blood and closes up their unlawful pleasures in the â—ables of death Thus 1. A certain Merchant of Iapan who had some reason to suspect his Wife pretended to go into the Country but returning soon after surprized her in the very act The Adulterer he killed and having tyed his Wife to a Ladder he left her in that half hanging posture all night The next day he invited all the Relations on both sides as well Men as Women to dine with him at his own house sending word that the importance of the business he had to communicate to them excused his non-observance of the custom they have to make entertainments for the women distinct from those of the men They all came and asking for his Wife were told that she was busie in the Kitchen but Dinner being well nigh past they entreated the Husband to send for her which he promised to do Whereupon rising from the Table and going into the room where she was tyed to the Ladder he unbound her put a Shrowd upon her and into her hands a Box wherein were the privy Members of her Gallant covered with Flowers and saying to her go and present this Box to our common Relations and see whether I may upon their mediation grant you your life She came in that equipage into the Hall where they sate at Dinner and falling on her knees presented the Box with the precious reliques in it to the kindred but as soon as they had opened it she swounded her Husband perceiving that it went to her heart and to prevent her returning again now she was going cut off her head which raised such an horrour in the Friends that they immediately left the room and went to their several homes 2. Schach Abbas King of Persia coming to understand that one of his menial servants who was called Iacupzanbeg Kurtzi Tirkenan that is to say he whose Office it was to carry the Kings Bow and Arrows had a light Wife sent him notice of it with this message that if he hoped to continue at Court in his employment it was expected he should cleanse his House This message and the affliction he conceived at the baseness of his Wife and his reflection that it was known all about the Court put him into such a fury that going immediately to his House which was in the Province of Lenkeran he cut in pieces not only his Wife but also her two Sons four Daughters and five Chamber-maids and so cleansed his House by the blood of twelve persons most of them innocent 3. The Egyptians do not presently deliver the dead bodies of the Wives of eminent persons to Conditure and embalming nor the bodies of such women who in their life-time were very beautiful but detain them after death at least three or four dayes and that upon this reason There was once one of these Embalmers empeached by his Companion that he had carnal knowledge of a dead body committed to his care to be Salted and Embalmed Dr. Brown in his Vulgar Errors speaking of the like villanies used by these Pollinctors elegantly writes Deformity needeth not now complain nor shall the eldest hopes be ever superannuated since Death hath Spurs and Carcases have been Courted 4. After King Edred not any of his Sons but his Nephew Edwin the eldest Son of King Edmund succeeded and was anointed and Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Otho Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the year 955. This Prince though scarce fourteen years old and in age but a Child yet was able to commit sin as a man for on the very day of his Coronation and in sight of his Lords as they sate in Council he shamefully abused a Lady of great estate and his near Kins-woman and to mend the matter shortly after slew her Husband the more freely to enjoy his incestuous pleasure For this and other infamous acts a great part of his Subjects hearts were so turned against him that the Mercians and Northumbrians revolted and swore fealty to his younger Brother Edgar with grief whereof after four years reign he ended his life and was buried in the Church of the New Abbey of Hide at Winchester 6. Eugenius the third King of Scotland made a beastly Act which appointed the first night of the new married Woman to appertain to the Lord of the Soil
in any thing to violate and infringe them 3. Draco was also before him a Law-giver at Athens whose Laws were antiquated by Solon by reason oâ— their severity and rigour for he punished all sorts of faults almost with death He that was convicted of Idleness died for it and he that had stolen an Apple or handful of Herbs was to abide the same sentence as iâ— hâ— had committed Sacriledge So that Demades afterwards said wittily That Draco's Laws were not written with Ink but blood They say that Draco himself being ask'd Why he punished even petty Larcenies with death made this answer That the smallest of them did deserve that and that there was not a greater punishment he could find out for greater Crimes 4. Zâ—molxis was the Law-giver of Thrace a Native of that Country who having been brought up under Pythagoras and returning home prescribed them good and wholsom Laws assuring them That if they did observe the same they should go unto a place when they left this World in which they should enjoy all manner of pleasure and contentment By this means having gotten some opinion of a Divinity amongst them he absented himself and was afterwards worshipped by them as a god 5. Diocles was the Law-giver of the Syracusans he punished offences with inexorable severity and for such as transgressed there was no hope of pardon Amongst others of his Laws this was one That no man should presume to enter armed into the Forum and Assembly of the people in case any should he should suffer death no exception being made in case of imprudence or any kind of necessity One day when the news was That the enemy had broke into their Fields Diocles hasted out against them with his Sword by his side Upon the way as he went it sell out That there was a Sedition and tumult amongst the people in their Assembly whither he imprudently diverts armed as he was when presently a private person that had observed him began to cry out That he had broken the Laws which himself had made Diocles turning towards his Accuser No said he with a loud voice but they shall now have their Sanction which said he drew out his Sword and thrust it through his own throat that he died 6. Zalencus was the Law-giver of the Locrians he made a Law That the Adulterer should be punished with the loss of both his eyes his own son happened to be the first offender in that kind therefore to shew the love of a Father and the sincerity of a Judge he put out one of his sons eyes and one of his own He also provided by his Laws That no woman should be attended in the Street with more than one Maid but when she was drunk That no woman should go abroad at night but when she went to play the Harlot That none should wear Gold or embroidered apparel but when they meant to set themselves to open sale And that men should not wear Rings and Tissues but when they went about some act of uncleanness and many others of this mould By means whereof both men and women were restrained from all extraordinary trains of attendance and excess of apparel the common consequents of a long and prosperous tranquillity 7. Charondas the Law-giver of the Thurians in Greece amongst others of his Laws had made this against civil factions and for prevention of sudden and tumultuary slaughters That it should be Capital for any man to enter the Assembly of the people armed with any weapon about him It fell out that as he returned from abroad he appointed a Convention of the people and like unto the forementioned Diocles appeared therein armed as he was When his opposers told him That he had openly broken the Law of his own making by entring the place in such manner as he did It is very true said he but withal I will make the first sanction of it and thereupon drawing his Sword he fell upon it so that he died in the place 8. Pharamond was the first King of the French and a Law-giver amongst them it is said That he was the Maker of the Law called the Salick Law by which the Crown of France may not descend unto the Females or as their saying is fall from the Lance to the Distaff Whence this Law had its name of Salique is uncertain some say from the words Si aliqua so often used in it others because it was proposed by the Priests called Salii or that it was decreed in the Fields which take their name from the River Sala But Haillan one of their best Writers affirms That it was never heard of in France till the time of Philip the long Anno 1315. Others say it was made by Charles the Great after the Conquest of Germany where the incontinent lives of the women living about the River Salae in the modern Misâ—ia gave both the occasion and the name De terrâ vero Salicâ nullae portio haereditatis mulieri veniat sed ad virilem sexum tota terrâ— haereditas perveniat are the words of the Law This terra Salica the Learned Selden in his Titles of Honour Englishes Knights Fee or Land holden by Knights Service and proves his Interpretation by a Record of the Parliament of Bourdeaux cited by Bodinus 9. King Richard the first of England as Lord paramount of the Seas immediately on his return from the Holy Land the Island of Oleron being then in his possession as a member of his Dukedom of Aquitaine did there declare and establish those Maritime Laws which for near five hundred years have generally been received by all the States of the Christian World which frequent the Ocean for the regulating of Sea affairs and deciding of Maritime Controversies From thence they are called the Laws of Oleron Quae quidem leges Statuta per Dominum Richardum quondam Regem Angliae in reditu à terrâ Sanctâ correcta fuerunt interpretata declarata in Insula de Oleron publicata nominata in Gallica Lingua la Loy d' Oleron c. saith an old Record which I â—ind cited in a Manuscript discourse of Sir Iohn Burroughs intituled the Soveraignty of the British Seas 10. Nicodorus was a famous Wrastler and Champion in his younger time but having taken leave of those youthful exercises and grown into years he became the Law-giver of the Mantineans amongst whom he lived and by the prudent composure of his Laws he brought much greater honour to his Country than when he was publickly proclaimed Victor in his former Atchievements It is said That the body of his Laws were framed for him by Diagoras Melius 11. Pittacus made Laws for the Mitylenians and having ten years presided amongst them after he had well setled the affairs of their Republick he voluntarily resigned up his power Amongst other his Laws this was one That he who committed a fault in his Drunkenness should undergo a double
own time and King Canutus the sixth almost to the year of Christ 1200. but more like a Poet than Historian commonly also omitting an account of the time 30. Conradus Abbot of Vrsperga a Monastery in Suevia as worthy of reading as any of the German Writers hath described the Affairs of Germany beginning two hundred years after the Flood and carrying on his relation to the twentieth year of Frederick the second that is Anno Dom. 1230. 31. Iohannes Aventinus wrote the Annals of the Boii and memorable matters of the Germans in seven Books beginning from the Flood and continuing his History to Ann. 1460. 32. Iohannes Nauclerus born not far from Tubinga hath an intire Chronicon from the beginning of the World to his own time and the year of our Lord 1500. in two Volums 33. Albertus Crantzius hath brought down the History of the Saxons Vandals and the Northern Kingdoms of Denmark Sweden Gothland and Norway to Ann. 1504. 34. Iohannes Sleidanus hath faithfully and plainly written the History of Luther especially and the contests about matters of Religion in the Empire of Germany the Election and Affairs of Charles the fifth Emperour and other of divers of the Kings of Europe from Anno Dom. 1517. to Ann. 1556. 35. Philippus Comineus wrote five Books of the Expedition of Charles the eighth into Italy and Naples and eight Books of the Acts of Lâ—wis the eleventh and Charles Duke of Burgundy worthy to be read of the greatest Princes 36. Froisardus wrote the sharp Wars betwixt the French and English from Anno 1335. to Ann. 1400. 37. Hiâ—ronymus Osorius wrote the Navigation of the Portugals round Africa into India and the Acts of Emanuel King of Portugal from Anno 1497. to his death in twelve Books 38. Antonius Bonfinius in four Decades and an half hath wrote the History of the Hungarian Kings to the death of Matthias the son of Huniades and the beginning of the Reign of Vladislaus 39. Polydor Virgil hath wrote the History of England in twenty six Books to the death of Henry the seventh 40. Iustinus flourished Anno Christi 150. and wrote a compendious History of most Nations from Ninus the Assyrian King to the twenty fifth year of Augustus compiled out of forty four Books of Trogus Pompeius a Roman Ecclesiastical Writers I have here no room for but am content to have traced thus far the steps of David Chytraeus in his Chronology whose help I have had in the setting down of this Catalogue CHAP. IX Of the most famous and ancient Greek and Latin Poets THE Reader hath here a short account of some of the most eminent of Apollo's old Courtiers as they succeeded one another in the favour of the Muses not but that those bright Ladies have been I was about to say equally propitious to others in after-times nor is it that we have given these only a place here as if our own Land were barren of such Worthies Our famous Spencer if he was not equal to any was superiour to most of them of whom Mr. Brown thus He sung th' Heroick Knights of Fairy Land In lines so elegant and such command That had the Thracian plaid but half so well He had not left Eurydice in Hell But it is fit we allow a due reverence to Antiquity at least be so ingenuous as to acknowledge at whose Torches we have lighted our own The first of these Lights 1. Orpheus was born in Libethris a City of Thrace the most ancient of all Poets he wrote the Expedition of the Argonauts into Colchis in Greek Verse at which he was also present this Work of his is yet extant together with his Hymns and a Book of Stones The Poets make him to be the Prince of the Lyricks of whom Horace in his Book De Arte Poeticâ Sylvestres homines sacer interpresque deorum Caedibus foedo victu deterruit Orpheus Dictus ob hoc lenire Tygres rabidosque leones His Father was Oeagrus his Mother Caliopea and his Master was Linus a Poet and Philosopher Orpheus is said to have flourished Anno Mundi 2737. Vid. Quenstedt Dial. de Patr. vir illustr p. 453. Voss. de Nat. Constit. artis Poet. cap. 13. sect 3. p. 78. Patrit de Instit. reipub l. 2. tâ— 6. p. 83. 2. Homerus the Prince of Poets born at Colophon as Cluverius doubts not to affirm but more Cities besides that strove for the honour according to that in Gellius Septem urbes certant de stirpe illustris Homeri Smyrna Rhodos Colophon Salamis Ios Argos Athenae Many are the Encomiums he hath found amongst learned men as The Captain of Philosophy The first Parent of Antiquity and Learning of all sorts The original of all rich Invention The Fountain of the more abstruse Wisdom and the father of all other Poets à quo cen fonte perenni Vatum Pieriis ora rigantur aquis Of him this is part of Quintilians Charaâ—ter In great things no man excelled him in sublimity nor in small matters in propriety In whom saith Paterculus this is an especial thing that before him there was none whom he could imitate and after him none is found that is able to imitate him He flourished Anno Mund. 3000. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 483. Gell. Noct. Attic. lib. 3. cap. 11. p. 104. Quintil. instit orator lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. 3. Hesiodus was born at Cuma a City in Aeolia bred up at Ascra a Town in Boeotia a Poet of a most elegant genius memorable for the soft sweetness of his Verse called the son of the Muses by Lipsius the purest Writer and whose labours contain the best Precepts of Vertue saith Heinsuis Some think he was contemporary with Homer others that he lived an hundred years after him I find him said to flourish Anno Mundi 3140. Vid. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. Vell. Pâ—tercul hist. lib. 1. ...... Voss. de Poet. Graec. cap. 2. p. 9. Quenstedt dial p. 478. 4. Alcaeus a famous Lyrick Poet was born in the Isle of Lesbos in the City of Miâ—ylene whence now the whole Isle hath its name what Verses of his are left are set forth by Henricus Stephanus with those of the rest of the Lyricks Quintilian saith of him That he is short and magnificent in his way of speaking diligent and for the most part like Homer he flourished Olymp. 45. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 433. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 468. 5. Sappho an excellent Poetress was born in the Isle of Lesbos and in the City of Eraesus there she was called the ninth Lyrick and the tenth Muse she wrote Epigrams Elegies Iamâ—icks Monodies and nine Books of Lyrick Verses and was the Invetress of that kind of Verse which from her is called the Sapphick she attained to no small applause in her contention first with Stesichorus and then with Alcaeus she is said to flourish about the 46 Olympiad Voss. Instâ—t Poet. lib. 3. cap. 15. p.
he never swam out again as is affirmed by them that saw it 19. Clemens Romanus saith of Simon Magus that he framed a man out of air that he became invisible as oft as he pleased he animated Statues stood unhurt in the midst of slames sometimes he would appear with two faces as another Ianus change himself into the shape of a Sheep or Goat and at other times would fly in the air That he commanded a Syth to go mow oâ— it s own accord and that it mowed down ten times more than any other When Selene the Harlot was shut up in a Tower and thousands of people went to see her and had compassed the castle about for that end he caused that her face seemed to shew it self out at every Window in the Castle at the same time to which Anastasius Nicenus adds that he would seem all made of Gold sometimes a Serpent or other beast in Feasts he shewed all kind of Spectres made Dishes come to the Table without any visible Servitor and he caused many shadows to go before him which he gave out were the Souls of Persons deceased 20. Pasetes had many Magical pranks he would cause the appearance of a sumptuous Feast to be upon the sudden and at his pleasure all should immediately vanish out of sight he would also buy several things and pay down the just price but then the mony would soon after return to him again 21. Iohannes Teutonicus a Canon of Halberstadht in Germany after he had performed a number of prestigious Feats almost incredible was transported by the Devil in the likeness of a black Horse and was both seen and heard upon one and the same Christmas-day to say Mass in Halberstadht in Mentzâ— and in Collen CHAP. XXI Of the Primitive Fathers and Doctors of the Church LIpsius in an Epistle of his to Thuanus tells him that these new things did little please his Palate that for his part he was a lover of the ancient both manners and men and then goes on Hos utinam inter Heroas natum tellus me prima tulisset Would I with ancient Heroes had been born He could not wish to be born amongst greater Heroes than some of these that follow who for their Learning and Piety Christian Courage and Fortitude are more renowned than Alexander the Great for all his Victories 1. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch in the reign of Trajan the Emperour he was the Scholar of the Apostle St. Iohn when he had sate nine years in Antioch he was by ten Souldiers brought to Rome to be devoured by wild Beasts when his martyrdom drew near he said Let me be ground in the Teeth of wild Beasts that I may be found fine â—lower in the House of my Father he was thrown to the Lions Anno 110. 2. Polycarpus was also the Scholar of St. Iohn and by him constituted Bishop of Smyrna he went to Rome probably to compose the controversie about Easter Three dayes before he was apprehended by his Persâ—cutors he dreamed that his Bed was set on fire and hastily consumed which he took for a Divine advertisement that he should glorifie God by suffering in the fire Being urged to deny Christ by the Roman Deputy he said that he had served him fourscore years and received no injury by him and therefore could not now renounce him He refused to swear by the fortune of Caesar and so patiently suffered death at Smyrna being aged eighty six years 3. Iustinus Martyr was a Philosopher afterwards converted to Christianity by an old man who counselled him to be a diligent Reader of the Prophets and Apostles who spake by Divine inspiration who knew the truth were neither covetous of vain glory nor awed by fear whose Doctrine also was confirmed with miraculous works which God wrought by their hands This Iustinus wrote two Books of Apology for Christians to the Emperour Antoninus Pius and to his Sons and the Senate of Rome In the second Book of his Apology he declareth that Christians were put to death not for any crime they had committed but only for their Profession in witness whereof if any of them would deny his Christian Profession he was straightway absolved he was beheaded at Rome Anno Dom. 166. 4. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France a Disciple of Polycarpus in his Youth his meek Conversation and peaceable carriage answered to his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Peaceable and made his name to be in great account amongst Christianâ— yet he lacked not his infirmities in Doctrin◠〈◊〉 was entangled with the error of the Chiliasts and he supposed that Christ was fifty years of age when he suffered he flourished in the raign of Commodus suffered Martyrdom in the raign of Severus Anno Dom. 176. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus was the Disciple of Pantenus these two seem to be the Authors of Universities and Colledges for they taught the people the grounds of Religion not by Sermons and Homilies to the people but by Catechetical Doctrine to the Learned in the Schools he flourished in the reign of Commodus 6. Tertullianus a learned Preacher of the City of Carthage in Africk a man of a quick pregnant wit coming to Rome he was envyed and reproached by the Roman Clergy whereat moved with anger he declined to the Opinion of the Heretick Montanus He wrote learned Apologies for the Christians and mightily confuted the error of Marcion he flourished in the reign of the Emperour Severus Anno Christi 197. 7. Origen the Son of Leonidas an Egyptian he was so pregnant in his youth and so capable of all good instruction that his Father would often uncover his Breast when he was asleep and kiss it giving thanks to God who had made him the Father of so happy a Son He was very learned yet had he failings he took the words of Matth. 19. 12. in a literal sense and guelded himself he held many worlds successive to one another and that the pains of men and Devils after long torments should be finished he offered to Idols rather than suffer his chast body to be abused he dyed in Tyrus and was there buried in the sixty ninth year of his age having lived until the days of Gallus and Volusianus 8. Cyprianus Bishop of Carthage in his youth altogether given to the study and practice of Magical Arts his conversion was by the means of Cecilius a Preacher and hearing of the History of the Prophet Ionah after his Conversion he distributed all his substance to the Poor he was a man full of love and modesty was banished in the persecution of Decius and Martyred under Valerian he held that erroneous opinion that such as had been baptized by Hereticks should be rebaptized he â—lourished Anno Dom. 250. 9. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria he duelled with the whole world when it was become Arrian and stood for the Truth with an undaunted resolution amidst all oppositions and after
amongst them that was stirred up by vision whose name was Cangius and it was on this manner There appeared to him in a dream a certain person in Armour sitting upon a white Horse who thus spake to him Cangius it is the will of the Eternal God that thou shortly shalt be the King and Ruler of the Tartars that are called Malgotz thou shalt free them from that servitude under which they have long groaned and the neighbour Nations shall be subjected to them Cangius in the morning before the seven Princes and Elders of the Malgotz rehearses what he had dreamed which they all at the first looked upon as ridiculous but the next night all of them in their sleep seemed to behold the same person he had told them of and to hear him commanding them to obey Cangius Whereupon summoning all the people together they commanded them the same and the Princes themselves in the first place took the Oath of Allegiance to him and intituled him the first Emperour in their language Chan which signifies King or Emperour All such as succeeded him were aâ—ter called by the same name of Chan and were of great Fame and Power This Emperour freed his people subdued Georgia and the greater Armenia and afterwards wasted Polonia and Hungary 5. Antigonus dreamed that he had sowed Gold in a large and wide field that the seed sprang up flourished and grew ripe but that streight after he saw all this golden harvest was reaped and nothing left but the worthless stubble and stalks and then he seemed to hear a voice that Mithridates was fled into the Euxine Pontus carrying along with him all the golden harvest This Mithridates was descended of the Persian Magi and was at this time in the Retinue of this Antigonus King of Macedonia his Country of Persia being conquered and his own Fortunes ruined in that of the publick The dream was not obscure neither yet the signification of it The King therefore being awaked and exceedingly terrified resolves to cut off Mithridates and communicates the matter with his own Son Demetrius exacting of him a previous oath for his silence Demetrius was the Friend of Mithridates as being of the same age and by accident he encounters him as he came from the King The young Prince pities his Friend and would willingly assist him but he is restrained by the reverence of his oath Well he takes him aside and with the point of his Spear writes in the sand Fly Mithridates which he looking upon and admonished at once with those words and the countenance of Demetrius he privily flies into Cappadocia and not long after founded the famous and potent Kingdom of Pontus which continued from this man to the eighth descent that other Mithridates being very difficulty overthrown by all the Power and Forces of the Romans 6. The night before the Battel at Philippi Artorius or as others M. Antonius Musa Physician to Octavianus had a dream wherein he thought he saw Minerva who commanded him to tell Octavianus that though he was very sick he should not therefore decline his being present at the Battel which when Caesar understood he commanded himself to be carried in his Litter to the Army where he had not long remained before his Tents were seised upon by Brutus and himself also had been had he not so timely removed 7. Quintus Catulus a noble Roman saw as he thought in his depth of rest Iupiter delivering into the hand of a child the Ensign of the Roman People and the next night after he saw the same child hug'd in the bosome of the same God Whom Catulus offering to pluck from thence Iupiter charged him to lay no violent hands on him who was born for the Weal and preservation of the Roman Empire The very next morning when Q. Catulus espy'd by chance in the street Octavianus then a child afterwards Augustus Caesar and perceiving him to be the same he ran unto him and with a loud acclamation said Yes this is he whom the last night I beheld hug'd in the bosome of Iupiter 8. Iulius Caesar was excited to large hopes this way for he dreamed that he had carnal knowledge of his Mother and being confounded with the uncouthness of it he was told by the Interpreters that the Empire of the World was thereby presaged unto him for the Mother which he beheld subject unto him was no other than that of the Earth which is the common Parent of all men 9. Arlotte the Mother of William the Conquerour being great with him had a dream like that of Mandane the Mother of Cyrus the first Persian Monarch namely that her bowels were extended and dilated over all Normandy and England 10. Whilst I lived at Prague saith an English Gentleman and one night had sate up very late drinking at a Feast early in the morning the Sun-beams glancing on my face as I lay in my bed I dreamed that a shadow passing by told me that father was dead At which awaking all in a sweat and affected with this dream I rose and wrote the day and hour and all circumstances thereof in a Paper-book which Book with many other things I put into a Barrel and sent it from Prague to Stode thence to be conveyed into England And now being at Nuremberg a Merchant of a noble Family well acquainted with me and my Relations arrived there who told me that my father dyed some two months past I list not to write any lies but that which I write is as true as strange when I returned into England some four years after I would not open the Barrel I sent from Prague nor look into the Paper-book in which I had written this dream till I had called my Sisters and some other Friends to be witnesses where my self and they were astonished to see my written dream answer the very day of my fathers death 11. The same Gentleman saith thus also I may lawfully swear that which my Kinsmen have heard witnessed by my Brother Henry whilst he lived that in my youth at Cambridge I had the like dream of my mothers death where my Brother Henry lying with me early in the morning I dreamed that my mother passed by with a sad countenance and told me that she could not come to my Commencement I being within five months to proceed Master of Arts and she having promised at that time to come to Cambridge when I related this dream to my Brother both of us awaking together in a sweat he protested to me that he had dreamed the very same and when we had not the least knowledge of our mothers sickness neither in our youthful affections were any whit affected with the strangeness of this dream yet the next Carrier brought us word of our mothers death 12. Doctor Ioseph Hall then Bishop of Exeter since of Norwich speaking of the good offices which Angels do to Gods servants Of this kind saith he was that
Queen answered And I hope to see your Pope both which prophetick Complements proved true and within a short time one of another 3. I have spent some inquiry saith Sir Henry Wotton whether the Duke of Buckingham had any ominous presagement before his end wherein though ancient and modern stories have been infected with much vanity yet oftentimes things fall out of that kind which may bear a sober construction whereof I will glean two or three in the Dukes case Being to take his leave of my Lord his Grace of Canterbury then Bishop of London after courtesies of course had passed betwixt them My Lord says the Duke I know your Lordship hath very worthily good successes unto the King our Soveraign let me pray you to put His Majesty in mind to be good as I no ways distrust unto my poor Wife and Children At which words or at his countenance in the delivery or at both my Lord Bishop being somewhat troubled took the freedom to ask him if he had never any secret abodement in his mind No replied the Duke but I think some adventure may kill me as well as another man The very day before he was slain feeling some indisposition of body the King was pleased to give him the honour of a visit and found him in his bed where and after much serious and private conference the Duke at His Majesties departing embraced him in a very unusual and passionate manner and in like sort his Friend the Earl of Holland as if his soul had divined he should see them no more which infusions towards fatal ends have been observed by some Authors of no light Authority On the very day of his death the Countess of Denbigh received a Letter from him whereunto all the while she was writing her Answer she bedewed the paper with her tears and after a bitter passion whereof she could yield no reason but that her dearest Brother was to be gone she fell down in a swound her said Letter ended thus I will pray for your happy return which I look at with a great cloud over my head too heavy for my poor heart to bear without torment but I hope the great God of Heaven will bless you The day following the Bishop of Ely her devoted Friend who was thought the fittest preparer of her mind to receive such a doleful accident came to visit her but hearing she was at rest he attended till she should awake of her self which she did with the affrightment of a dream Her Brother seeming to pass through a field with her in her Coach where hearing a sudden shout of the people and asking the reason it was answered to have been for joy that the Duke of Buckingham was sick which natural impression she scarce had related to her Gentlewoman before the Bishop was entred into her Bed-chamber for a chosen Messenger of the Dukes death 4. Before and at the Birth of William the Conqueror there wanted not forerunning tokens which presaged his future Greatness His Mother Arlotte great with him dreamed her bowels were extended over all Normandy and England Also assoon as he was born being laid on the Chamber-floor with both his hands he took up rushes and shutting his little fists held them very fast which gave occasion to the gossipping Wives to congratulate Arlotte in the birth of such a Boy and the Midwife cryed out The Boy will prove a King 5. Not long before C. Iulius Caesar was slain in the Senate house by the Iulian Law there was a Colony sent to be planted in Capua and some Monuments were demolished for the laying of the foundations of new Houses In the Tomb of Capys who is said to be the Founder of Capua there was found a brazen Table in which was engraven in Greek Letters that whensoever the bones of Capys should be uncovered one of the Iulian Family should be slain by the hands of his own party and that his blood should be revenged to the great damage of all Italy At the same time also those Horses which Caesar had consecrated after his passage over Rubicon did abstain from all kind of food and were observed with drops falling from their eyes after such manner as if they had shed tears Also the Bird called Regulus having a little branch of Laurel in her mouth flew with it into Pompey's Court where she was torn in pieces by sundry other birds that had her in pursuit where also Caesar himself was soon after slain with twenty and three wounds by Brutus Cassius and others 6. As these were the presages of the personal end of the great Caesar so there wanted not those of the end of his whole Family whether natural or adopted which was concluded in Nero and it was thus Livia was newly married to Augustus when as she went to her Villa of Veientum an Eagle gently let fall a white Hen with a branch of Laurel in her mouth into her lap She received this as a fortunate presage and causing the Hen to be carefully looked after there came of her abundance of white Pullets The branch of Laurel too was planted of which sprang up a number of the like Trees from which afterward he that was to triumph gathered that branch of Laurel which during his Triumph he carried in his hand The Triumph finished he used to plant that branch also when it did wither it was observed to presage the death of that Triumpheâ— that had planted it But in the last year of Nero both all the stock of white Hens and Pullets dyed and the little wood of Laurel was withered to the very root the heads also of the Statues of the Caesars were struck off by Lightning and by the same way the Scepter was thrown out of the hands of the Statue of Augustus 7. Before the death of Augustus in Rome where his Statue was set up there was a flash of Lightning that from his name Caesar took away the first Letter C. and left the rest standing The Aruspices and Soothsayers consulted upon this and concluded that within an hundred days Augustus should change this life for AESAR in the Hetrurian Tongue signifies a God and the Letter C. amongst the Romans stands for an hundred and therefore the hundredth day following Caesar should dye and be made a God as they used to deiâ—ie their dead Emperours 8. While the Grandfather of Sergius Galba was sacrificing an Eagle snatched the bowels of the Sacrifice out of his hand and left them upon the branches of an Oak that grew near to the place Upon which the Augurs pronounced that the Empire though late was certainly portended thereby to his Family He to express the great improbability he conceived of such a thing replied That it would then come to pass when a Mule should bring forth Nor did any thing more confirm Galba in the hope of the Empire upon his Revolt from Nero than the news brought him of a Mule that
in the same sentences so that the Gentiles then present pronounced those Scriptures to have been translated by the inspiration of the holy Spirit of God 30. When Anterus had sate Bishop of Rome for one month only he died after whose death it was that Fabianus came from the Country together with certain others to dwell at Rome when such a thing as never was seen before at the Election of a Bishop happened then by the divine and celestial Grace of God For when all the Brethren had gathered themselves together for to make choice of a Bishop and many thought upon divers notable and famous men Fabianus being there present with others when as every one thought least nay nothing at all of him suddenly from above there came a Dove and rested upon his head after the example of the Holy Ghost which in likeness of a Dove descended upon our Saviour and so the whole multitude being moved thereat with one and the same Spirit of God cryed out chearfully with one accord that he was worthy of the Bishoprick and immediately he was taken and installed Bishop 31. Constantine the Emperour going against the Tyrant Maxentius had a certain Vision It was about noon the day somewhat declining when he saw in the Sky a lightsom Pillar in form of a Cross wherein these words were engraven In hoc vince i.e. In this overcome This so amazed the Emperour that he mistrusting his own sight demanded of them that were present whether they perceived the Vision which when all with one consent had affirmed the wavering mind of the Emperour understand it of Religion whether he should become a Christian or not was setled with that divine and wonderful sight The night following he dreamed that Christ came unto him and said Frame to thy self the form of a Cross after the example of the sign which appeared unto thee and bear the same against the enemies as a fit Banner or token of Victory which he accordingly did and was victorious 32. That was a rare instance of propitious Fortune which befel Thomas Serranus who in one and the same year was consecrated Bishop elected Cardinal and also attained to the Popedom by the name of Nicholas the Fifth 33. Franciscus Trovillon was a man of a middle stature a full body bald except in the hinder part of the head which had a few hairs upon it his temper was morose and his demeanour altogether rustick he was born in a little Village called Mezieres and bred up in the Woods amongst the Charcoal men About the seventh year of his age he began to have a swelling in his forehead so that about the seventeenth year of his age he had a horn there as big as a mans finger end which afterwards did admit of that growth and increase that when he came to be thirty five years old this horn had both the bigness and resemblance of a Rams horn It grew upon the midst of his forehead and then bended backward as far as the coronal â—uture where the other end of it did sometimes so stick in the skin that to avoid much pain he was constrained to cut off some part of the end of it whether this horn had its roots in the skin or forehead I know not but probably being of that weight and bigness it grew from the skull it self nor am I certain whether this man had any of those teeth which we call Grinders For two months together the man was exposed to shew in Paris where saith Vrstitius in the year 1598. I in company with Dr. Iacobus Faeschius the publick Professor at Basil and Mr. Iohannes Eckenstenius did see and handle this horn From Paris he was carried to Orleance where as I am informed he died soon after he came 34. In the time of a grievous Persecution Felix Presbyter of the City of Nola by a divine instinct hid himself in the corner of a ruined Wall and before the Persecutors had pursued him thither a Spider had drawn her web at the mouth of the hole whereinto the Presbyter had put himself His enemies told them that Felix was crept in at that very place but they beholding the Spiders web could not be perswaded that any man could enter and lurk there where the Spiders lived and laboured so securely and thereupon by their departure Felix escaped Paulinus once Bishop of that City hath these Verses upon this occasion which I will also try to English Eccubi Christus adest tenuissima aranea muro est At ubi Christus abest murus aranea fiet Where God is present Spiders spin a wall He gone our Bulwarks like to cobwebs fall 35. In the Reign of King Henry the Eighth there was one Mr. Gresham a Merchant of London who was sailing homewards from Paâ—ermo a City in Sicily wherein was dwelling at that time one Antonio sirnamed the Rich who had at one time two Kingdoms mortgaged to him by the King of Spain Mr. Gresham crossed by contrary winds was constrained to anchor under the Lee of the Island of Strombulo where was a burning Mountain Now about the mid-day when for a certain space the Mountain used to forbear sending forth flames he with eight of the Sailors ascended the Mountain approaching as near the vent as they durst where amongst other noises they heard a voice cry aloud Dispatch dispatch the Rich Antonio is a coming Terrified herewith they hasted their return and the Mountain presently vomited out fire but from so dismal a place they made all the haste they could and desiring to know more of this matter since the winds still thwarted their course they returned to Palermo and forthwith inquiring for Antonio they found that he was dead about the instant so near as they could compute when that voice was heard by them Mr. Gresham at his return into England reported this to the King and the Marinâ—â—s being called before him confirmed the same by their Oaths Upon Gresham this wrought so deep an impression that he gave over all merchandizing distributed his Estate partly to his Kindred and partly to good uses retaining only a competency for himself and so spent the rest of his days in a solitary devotion 36. That is much to be admired at as being little less than a Miracle which is related of Xenophilus a Musician who lived to the age of an hundred and five years without any manner of disease or indisposition of body throughout his whole life 37. The Governour of Mountmarine besieged by Augustus the base Son of the Prince of Salucia was called forth as it were to parley and then held Prisoner he was threatned with death if he yielded not up the place and was so frighted with the apprehensions of this undeserved death that he sweat blood over all his body CHAP. XX. Of matters of importance and high Designs either promoted or made to miscarry by small matters or strange accidents PLutarch tells us of a
was sirnamed the Ape because he was able to express any thing by a most ingenious imitation 10. Alexander the Great carried his neck somewhat awry and thereupon all the Courtiers and Great men took up the same as a fashion and framed themselves to his manner though in so mall a matter 11. The luxury of the Romans was exceeding great in their Feasts Cloaths Houshold-stuff and whole Families unto the time of Vespasian and it was so confirmed amongst them that it could not be restrained by the force of those many Laws that were made against it But when he came to be Emperour of it self it streight became out of fashion for while he himself observed the ancient manner both in his diet and attire the love and fear of the Prince swayed more with the people than the Law it self 12. It is said of the Emperour Titus Vespasian That he could write in Cyphers and Characters most swiftly striving by way of sport and mirth with his own Secretaries and Clerks whether he or they could write fastest also he could imitate and express exactly any hand-writing whatsoever he had once seen so that he would often profess he could have made a notable Forger and Counterfeiter of Writings 13. When King Henry the Eighth of England about the year 1521. did cut his hair short immediately all the English were so moved with his example that they were all shorn whereas before they used to wear long hair 14. Lewis the Eleventh King of France used to say he would have his Son Charles understand nothing of the Latine Language further than this Qui nescit dissimulare nescit reguare He that knows not how to dissemble knows not how to reign This advice of King Lewis was so evil interpreted by the Nobles of France that thereupon they began to despise all kind of learning On the contrary when Francis the First shewed himself a mighty Favourer of learning and learned men most men in imitation of his example did the like 15. Ernestus Prince of Lunenburg complaining to Luther of the immeasurable drinking that was at Courts Luther replied That Princes ought to look thereunto Ah! Sir said he we that are Princes do so our selves otherwise it would long since have gone down Manent exempla regentum In vulgus When the Abbot throweth the Dice the whole Covent will play 16. Queen Anne the Wife of King Iames had a Wen in her neck to hide which she used to wear a Ruff and this they say was the original and first occasion of that fashion which soon after spread it self over the most part of England 17. A certain Duke of Bavaria before he went to his Diet or Council used to call his Servant to bring him water in a Bason in the bottom whereof was stamped in Gold the Image of Cato Major that so he might fix the impression of his Image in his mind the imitation of whose vertues he had prudently proposed for his practice 18. The Emperour Charles the Fifth having resigned his Kingdom and betaken himself to a Monastery laboured to wash out the stains of his defiled Conscience by Confession to a Priest and with a Discipline of platted Cords he put himself to a constant and sharp Penance for his former wicked life This Discipline his Son King Philip ever had in great veneration and a little before his death commanded it to be brought unto him as it was stained in the blood of Charles his Father Afterwards he sent it to his Son Philip the Third to be kept by him as a Relique and a sacred Monument 19. Antoninus Caracalla being come to Troy visited the Tomb of Achilles adorning it with a Crown and dressing it with flowers and framing himself to the imitation of Achilles he called Festus his best beloved Freed-man by the name of Patroclus While he was there Festus died made away on purpose as it was supposed by him that so he might bury him with the same Solemnities as Achilles did his Friend Indeed he buried him honourably using all the same Rites as Achilles had done in the Funerals of Patroclus In this performance when he sought for hair to cast upon the funeral Pile and that he had but thin hair he was laughed at by all men yet he caused that little he had to be cast into the fire being clipped off for that purpose He also was a studious Imitator of Alexander the Great he went in the Macedonian Habit chose out a Band of young men whom he called the Macedonian Phalanx causing them to use such Arms as were used when Alexander was alive and commanded the Leaders of the Roman Legions to take upon themselves the names of such Captains as served Alexander in his Wars CHAP. XXII Of the Authority of some persons amongst their Souldiers and Country-men and Seditions appeased by them divers ways NEar Assos there are stones which in few days not only consume the flesh of dead bodies but the very bones too and there is in Palestine an Earth of the same operation and quality Thus there are some men who by their singular prudence and authority are able not only to cease the present tumult and disorder of a people but to take such effectual course that the very seeds and causes of their fermentation and distemper should be utterly consumed and removed Of what force the presence of some and the eloquence of others hath been in this matter see in the Chapter following 1. Caius Caesar the Dictator intending to transfer the War into Africa his Legionaries at Rome rose up in a general mutiny desiring to be disbanded and discharged from the War Caesar though otherwise perswaded by all his friends went out to them and shewed himself amongst the enraged multitude He called them Quirites that is Commoners of Rome by which one word he so shamed and subdued them that they made answer they were Souldiers and not Commoners and being then by him publickly discharged they did not without difficulty obtain of him to be restored to their Commissions and places 2. Arcagathus the Son of Agathocles had slain Lycifcus a great Captain for some intemperate words whereupon the friends of the dead put the Army into such a commotion that they demanded Arcagathus to death and threatned the same punishment to Agathocles himself unless he did yield up his Son Besides this divers Captains with their Companies spake of passing over to the Enemy Agathocles fearing to be delivered into the hands of the Enemy and so to be put to some ignominious death thought in case he must suffer he had better die by the hands of his own Souldiers so laying aside the Royal Purple and putting on a vile garment he came forth to them silence was made and all ran together to behold the novelty of the thing when he made a Speech to them agreeable to the present state of things he told them of the great
overthrown the pernicious plot and design of the wicked Tyrant and preserved Timoleon but had also at the same time executed its Justice upon a Murderer 22. An. Dom. 1552. about the Nones of February Franciscus Pelusius one of sixty years of age while in the Mannor of Lewis Dheiraeus and in the Hill of St. Sebastian he was digging a Well forty foot deep the earth above fell in upon him to thirty five foot depth He was somewhat sensible before of what was coming and opposed a plank which by chance he had by him against the ruines himself lying under it By this means he was protected from the huge weight of the earth and retained some air and breath to himself by which he lived seven days and nights without food or sleep supporting his stomach only with his own urine without any pain or sorrow being full of hope in God in whom alone he had placed it Ever and anon he called for help as being yet safe but was heard by none though he could hear the motion noise and words of those that were above him and could count the hours as the Clock went After the seventh day he being all the while given for dead they brought a Bier for his Corps and when a good part of the Well was digged up on a sudden they heard the voice of one crying from the bottom At first they were afraid as if it had been the voice of a subterranean Spirit the voice continuing they had some hope of his life and hastned to dig to him till at last after he had drunk a cup of wine they drew him up living and well his strength so entire that to lift him out he would not suffer himself to be bound nor would use any help of another of so sound sense that jesting he drew out his purse gave them money saying he had been with such good Hosts that for seven days it had not cost him a farthing Soon after he returned to his work again and was then alive when I wrote this saith Bartholomaeus Anulus 23. A certain Woman saith Iordanus had given her Husband poyson and it seems impatient of all delay gave him afterwards a quantity of Quick-silver to hasten his death the sooner but that slippery substance carried along with it the poyson that lay in the Ventricle and had not yet spread it self to the heart through the bowels away from him by stool by which means he escaped Ausonius hath the story in an Epigram of his the conclusion of which is to this purpose The Gods send health by a most cruel wife And when Fates will two poysons save a life 24. At Tibur An. Dom. 1583. two years before I wrote this Book there was one who diging in a subterranean Aquaduct by a sudden fall of the earth which store of ruine had caused he was overwhelmed and buried alive yet such was the vigour of his spirit that night and day though he could not distinguish either working with hands feet head and back he hollowed the earth that lay about him and dug as it were a Coney-hole so that working as a Mole into the part of the Aquaduct that was beyond the place where the earth fell he at last reached it and from thence upon the seventh day he had scratched himself out and was safe and sound though all the time without meat and drink only his fingers ends bruised and wore away CHAP. XXXIV Of such persons as have taken poyson and quantities of other dangerous things without damage thereby PVrchas tells of the herb Addad that it is bitter and the root of it so exceedingly venemous that a single drop of the juyce of it will kill a man in the space of one hour This nimble Messenger of death makes its approaches to the Fortress of life so speedy and withal so sure that it is not easie for the virtue of any Antidote to make haste enough to overtake it or to over-power and counterwork it yet of the like dangerous drugs taken without sensible harm see the following Histories 1. Mithridates that warlike King of Pontus and Bithynia when in the War with the Romans he was overcome in Battel by Pompey determined to finish his life by poyson and therefore drank a draught of it himself and gave others to his Daughters who would needs accompany their Father in death They overcome by the force of the poyson fell down dead at his foot but the King himself having formerly accustomed his body to the use of Antidotes found that the poyson he had taken was of no use to him in this his last extremity and therefore gave his throat to be cut by his Friend Bystocus who with his Sword gave him that death which he in vain expected from the poysonous draught he had swallowed 2. Conradus Bishop of Constance at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper drank off a Spider that had fallen into the cup of wine while he was busied in the Consecration of the Elements yet did he not receive the least hurt or damage thereby 3. While I was a Boy saith Fallopius and was sick of the Colick I took a scruple of Scammony and yet had not one stool by it And I saw a German Scholar at Ferrara who took at once a whole ounce of Scammony I say of Scammony not Diagridium and yet was no way stirred by it 4. Theophrastus tells of Thrasyas who was most excellently skilled in all sorts of Herbs that yet he would often eat whole handfuls of the roots of Hellebore without harm and he also tells of one Eudemus a Chian that in one day he took two and twenty Potions of Hellebore and yet was not purged thereby and that supping the same night as he used he did not return any thing he had taken by Vomit 5. Schenckius relates the History of a Woman from an eye-witness of the truth of it that she intending to procure abortion to her self swallowed down half a pound weight of Quick-silver in substance and though she had done this more than once or twice yet it always passed through her assoon almost as she had taken it and that without hurt 6. A certain man condemned for a capital crime was set free by Pope Leo the Tenth of that name for that without taking any previous Antidote he had swallowed down almost an ounce of Arsenick and received no hurt thereby 7. The weight of thirty grains of Antimonial glass prepared hath been taken without any harm as Schenckius reports from Albertus Wimpinaeus 8. I knew a man saith Garsias ab Horto who was Councellor to Nizamoxa he would daily eat three shivers of Opium which weighed ten drams and more and though he seemed always to be stupid and as one ready to sleep yet would he very aptly and learnedly discourse of any thing propounded to him so much is custom able to perform 9. Albertus Magnus saith he hath seen
number of Serpents to be gathered and inclosed in earthen pots these he ordered to be thrown into the Roman Vessels in the heat of the fight in great plenty the Romans amused and terrified with these unlooked for enemies began first to abate their vigour in fighting and their fears increasing upon them soon after betook themselves to plain flight 2. Mithridates King of Pontus was overcome by Lucullus in a great Battel and enforced to quit the field to save himself by a hasty flight the pursuers followed close after him when he caused great quantities of gold to be scattered whereby the edge of the pursuit was taken off and though the Romans thereby had a great prey yet they suffered a more noble one to escape their hands by the only fault of their inconsiderate covetousness 3. The Island of Sark joyning to Garnesey and of that Government was surprized by the French and could never have been recovered again by strong hand having Corn and Cattel enough upon the place to feed so many as would serve to defend it and being every way so inaccessible as it might be held against the great Turk yet in Q. Mary's time by the industry of a Gentleman of the Netherlands it was in this sort regained He anchored in the Road with one Ship of small burden and pretending the death of his Merchant besought the French being some thirty in number that they might bury their Merchant in hallowed ground and in the Chappel of that Isle offering a present to the French of such Commodities as they had aboard whereunto the French yielded upon condition they should not come ashore with any weapon no not so much as a knife Then did the Flemmings put a Coffin into their Boat not filled with a dead carcass but with Swords Targets and Harquebusses The French receiving them at the landing and searching every of them so narrowly as they could not hide a Penknife gave them leave to draw their Coffin up the Rocks with great difficulty some part of the French took the Flemish Boat and rowed aboard the Ship to fetch the Commodities promised and what else they pleased but being entred they were taken and bound The Flemmings on Land when they had carried their Coffin into the Chappel shut the door to them and taking their weapons out of the Coffin set upon the French they run to the cliff and cry to their company aboard the Flemming to come to succour but finding the Boat chaâ—ged with Flemmings yielded themselves and the place 4. The Stratagem by which Philip the Father of Perseus King of Macedon won Prinassus is worthy of noting saith Sir Walter Raleigh He attempted it by a Mine and finding the earth so stony that it resisted his work he nevertheless commanded the Pioneers to make a noise under ground and secretly in the night time he raised great mounts about the entrance of the Mine to breed an opinion in the besieged that the work went marvellously forward At length he sent word to the Townsmen that by his undermining two Acres of their Wall stood upon wooden Props to which if he gave fire and entred by a breach they should expect no mercy The Prinassians little thought that he had fetched all his earth and rubbish by night a great way off to raise up those heaps which they saw but rather that all had been extracted out of the Mines wherefore they suffered themselves to be out-fac'd and gave up the Town as lost which the Enemy had no hope to win by force 5. When Kiangus had declared himself a Subject to the Empire of China the Tartars sent a great Army against him Kiangus feigned to â—ly but in the reer he placed very many Carts and Waggons which were all covered carefully as if they had carried the richest Treasures they possessed but in real truth they carried nothing but many great and lesser pieces of Artillery with their mouths turned upon their enemies The Tartars intending to rifle their Carriages hastily pursue fight without order and fall upon the prey with all the greediness imaginable but those that accompanied the Waggons firing the Artillery took off a great part of the Army and withal Kiangus wheeling about came upon them and made a strange carnage amongst them 6. Xerxes his Navy was come to Phalericum and lay upon the neighbouring shores of the Athenian Territories he had also drawn his Land-army to the Sea-coasts that so he might be in the sight of the Grecians with all his Forces at once then did the Peloponnesians resolve of retiring to the Isthmus and would hear no propositions to the contrary They intended therefore to set sail in the night and all the Captains of the Ships had orders to be accordingly prepared Themistocles perceiving the Greeks would by this means lose the Commodities of the Streights and the conveniency of their present station dispersing themselves into their particular Towns bethought himself of this Stratagem He had with him one Sicinus a Persian Captive of whose fidelity he did not dâ—â—bt as being the Instructor of his children him he sends privately to Xerxes with this message That Themistocles the General of the Athenians was of his party and that in the first place he gave him to understand that the Grecians were preparing for flight that he advised him not to suffer their escape but that forthwith he would set upon them while in disorder and before their Land-army was with them that by this means he should be sure to overthrow all their naval Forces at once Xerxes received this advice with great thanks as from a friend and immediately gave order to the Admirals of his Navy that they should silently prepare all the Ships for sight and send two hundred of them to shut up all passages and surround the Islands that there might be no way of escape for the Enemy It was done and thus the Greeks were forced to fight where they would not though the most convenient place for themselves and by this prudenâ— management of Themistocles they obtained a naval Victory such as had not been before amongst the Greeks on Barbarians After which Xerxes still intending to press upon them with his Land-forces and such others as he had yet unbroken at Sea Themistocles found amongst the Captives Arnaces one of Xerxes his Eunuchs him he â—ends to the King to leâ— him know that the Greeks being now Masters at Sea had decreed to sail with their Navy to the Hellespont to cut down the Bridge he had there built to hinder his return home that he being solicitous for his safety would advise him with all speed to retire thitherward and to pass over his Army while in the mean time he would contrive delays to hinder the Greeks from the pursuit of him The Barbarian terrified with this message hastily retired and by this sleight the Greeks eased themselves of a heavy burden 7. The Persian War with Greece being over