portended to men either prosperous successe and good fortune or else some great hurt and detriment so by the gouernment of a newe prince in a common weale either abundance of felicitie or finall destruction followeth therevpon Prosper vterque mari Both appearing together vpon the sea is a a signe of good lucke When two fires which our elders called by the name of Castor and Pollux doe appeare together they foreshew a prosperous voyage and good luck but if one alone doth appeare it is a signe and token of euill lucke to insue In like manner if the loue betwixte the husband and the wife doeth flourish in a house it is a certaine signe of tranquilitie and domesticall happines But vppon the other side if thorough the frowardnes of either of them they be diuided it fore sheweth ruine and destruction to be at hand Furthermore vnder the solitude or onelie appearnace of one of them may bee vnderstoode howe petillous a thing it is to haue riches and authority without wisdome to gouerne well Sic spectanda fides So is faith to be tried The goodnes of gold is not onely tryed by ringing but also by the touchstone so the triall of godlines and faith is to bee made not of wordes onely but also by the action performance of the deedes Sic violenta So violent Iangling and prating out of time and to small purpose is very wel compared to the blasâ—ering noise of a whisking winde Terror error Feare and terror It is to bee counted one of the chiefest pointes of a valiant Captaine if he know to alter and chaunge daunger into vertue As for example If hee bee inferiour vnto his enemie in regarde of time and place to conueigh awaie both himselfe and his arme from their violence and force by some kinde of deuice or pollicie and making himselfe seeme terrible to his foes as Hannibâ—l that noble Captaine did once whâ—n to feare his enemies withall he tied firebrandes to the heads of his oxen in the night season Poco à poco By little and little The grasse groweth and increaseth vppon the ground and yet no man can perceiue his increase so honestie and vertue cannot easilie be perceiued but by example practise Aemula naturae And enuious imitator of nature Diligence and continuall exercise doubtlesse is of such great force that at the length it imitateth and matcheth nature her her selfe which thing is verified in Domitianus the Emperour who had such singular skil and dexteritie in throwing the dart that casting two at a wilde beast hit him vppon the forehead so cunningly that the beast seemed to stande as though he had had two naturall hornes growing vpon his head Renouata iuuentus Youth is to be renued The Goushauke is wont to prune her selfe set her fethers in order against the beames of the Sunne so hee that will come to Christ our Lord it behoueth him to put off all wickednes and sinne and tobe clothed with new apparell and amendement of life Praepete penna With a speedie wing The picture of the spread Eagle after the common opinion began to be carried in insignes and standardes after this manner There happened division in the Empire and therefore was it translated in Charles the great his daies into the East and Wâ—st parts as Wolfangus Lazius historiographer to the king of the Romanes saith in the dayes of Constantine the great who of the common weale of Rome being one made two the one the Romane Empire the other the Constantinopolitane Empire Attendite vobis Take heed to your selues To establish the state of christian religion Act. 20. and to preserue the soundnes and integritie of the same it shall be necessarie that the faithfull preachers of Gods word by their examples and liuing doe exercise thâ—ir dutie of preaching the worde diligently without ceasing Viuit ad extremum The notch burneth to the last peece thereof Euerie ones loue and faithfulnes towards his prince ought to be most constant firme and such as may not bee shaken ot extinguished through anie force of winds or tempests rushing in to wit because we seeme to keepe our watch rounde that the more the windes blowe the surer it keepeth fire burning still Captiue libertè A captiue or seruile libertie The conspirators of the death of Iulius Caesar dissoluing the Senate Appian carried through the streetes in Rome a hat or cap vpon the point of a speare which was a token of libertie and freedome because then it was a custome to giue to Saints a cap or a hat to make them free by this deuice stirring vp the people of Rome against the ciuill magistrates promising them vndoubted libertie But it fell out farre otherwise for the same yeare all they were put to the sword that were of that conspiracie Hereby it appeareth that that licentious libertie to sinne which some suppose to be libertie is mere seruitude and bondage Police souueraine A perfect common wealth To a perfect common wealth these two things be required the pen and the swoorde that is councell and good letters in deliberating of affaires and the sworde in the execution of the same Superstitio religioni proxima Superstition is next to religion This is the studie practise of our ancient enemie the deuil that as often as hee coÌ„meth to spred abroad any pestileÌ„t errors or impiety into the world such is his craft peruersitie hee couereth it vnder the shadowe or name of truth albeit his intent be nothing else but meere deceit a counterfet iangling and as it were a bewitching of men Which thing he notablie brought to passe â—it Liuius when hee brought in the horrible superstition of diuination and south saying perswading Priscus Tarquinius the king and the Romanes that Decius Nauius the augurer diuided into two partes a great rocke with a little knife Demal mepaists I am nourished in him that is euill The boxing glasse that Phisitions vse which are said to be windie do suck vp and exhaust the corrupt bloud Plutarch but the minde that is wickedly inclined seeketh after nothing but that which is euill Fons inuocantis The fountaine of inuocation Sampson sometimes troubled or verie hard bestead with a meruailous great thirst called for helpe at Gods hands who presently perceiued comfort or ease of water that issued out of the iawe bone of an asse Iudg. 15. wherwith not long before he had slain a thousand men By which miracle wee are to learne that anie thing whatsoeuer be it neuer so simple is capable of the grace of God so that it be implored and desired by his diuine worde which is the true and liuely fountaine Et l'vn et l'autre As well the one as the other When two men are fighting or contending together in what contention or exercise so euer it cannot be with what excellencie or strength or equitie either of them striue but that one side or other catcheth some vexation or trouble if not
his citty out of any singular daÌ„ger in battel had preserued it in safety he was rewarded by another with a crown or garland platted with Oke leaues because in old time men liued of such meats as the Okes yeelded Excidij turribus honos The honor done to him had scaled the walles of his enimies A crowne of gold representing the forme of a wall with pinacles and turrets vpon it was giuen by the Emperor or gouernour or gouernor of the armie to him that by force and armes should first clâ—mbe vp vpon the wals of his enimies or any way enter into their cittie Hoc valli insigne recepti This was the reward of him that tooke the valley of his enimie A crowne of gold also made in forme of a valey was giuen of the Emperor or president of the host to him that could take the valley from his enimies Classis monumenta subactae The reward of him that boorded his enimies shippe In the sea fight whosoeuer could first giue charge vpon his enimies nauie or fleete and enter his shippe armed was crowned with a crowne of gold made like to the forepart of a shippe In hunc intuens Looke vpon this image The Egyptians were accustomed in their banquets and feastes to haue carried about with theÌ„ an image or picture of death shewing it to euerie one repeating these verses Marke and behold what thing you see a grimly ghost and fell Like vnto which you once shall be in darkesome caue of hell Isidorus reporteth also that at Constantinople there was a custome Isidorus to put the Emperor in mind of his departure hence The first day that he was to be crowned a certaine Mason should bring vnto him three or foure forts of stones saying vnto him these words Oh noble Caesar puissant king choose thou here presently Of which stone shall thy graue be made wherein thou once shalt lie Victoria limes Victorie is the end Epictetus the Philosopher being asked vpon a time of Adrianus the Emperor wherfore the deade were crowned with garlands answered that they might declare how that by death they had ouercome the labors sorrows and imminent heape of the cares of this life Plinie also speaketh of the same crowning of the dead witnessing that they were accustomed to be offred vp after the same manner Spes alter a vitae Hope of another life Corne graine and seeds of sundrie sorts being dead and cast into the ground do reuiue and spring againe So mans bodie falling into the ground shall rise againe in glory in the last and general day of the resurrection of the flesh THE PVRTRATVRES OR Emblemes of Gabriel Simeon a Florentine Huc cursus fuit This was the marke he shot at HVC CVRSVS FVIT As a man is greatly to loue and esteeme him of whom he is deliuered from the danger of shipwracke and brought into the quiet and safe hauen so as I coniecture the inuentor of this simbole would signifie hereby how fortunate and happie he thought himselfe for that he was receiued into the seruice of the most famous Prince Emanuel Philibertus duke of Sauoy Quis dicere laudes Who can expresse his praises EL This picture or signe of the crosse an argument of Gods loue and fauour towards vs being the proper ensigne of the duke of Sauoy with this sillable E L in Hebrue signifying God included in a ring of Margarits and sundrie precious stones fetched from the East and the Princes crowne vpon the top therof doth aptly signifie the princely wisedome and names of Emanuell duke of Sauoy and the dutchesse Margaret which Princes for their diuine gifts no man can sufficiently praise or commend Festina lentè Make hast but flowly Augustus Caesar a man farre from that headlong precipitancie credulitie whereby many Princes and Magistrates giuing credite at the first assalt to the false suggestions of thei parasites and flatterers haue manie times done that which hath bene most impious and wicked protesting to obserue a temperance and iust moderation in the gouernement of his common wealth amongst other monuments commanded a butterflie cleaning to a sea crabbe to be ingrauen in gold insinuating by the slownesse of the one a kind of temperancie and cold deliberation and by the fast flying of the other a certaine rashnesse or headlong fury By both which ioyned togither he signified that a certaine meane or temperature in all things is verie needfull for a prince Festina lentè Make flowe hast Insteed of the sea crab and the butterflie of Augustus Vespasian the emperour commanded a Dolphin and an Ankor in such sort as here thou seest expressed to be purtraied Pacatum ipsa regam auitis vertutibus orbem I will rule the world thorow the vertue of my ancestors By this ripe or figure of a Dolphin bearing the sphere or globe of the world vpon his backe in the forme of a ring or circle marked with a diamant being the peculiar armes of the house of Medicis with the purtrature of the moone increasing being the ensigne of king Henrie wherout two braÌ„ches do bud one of a palme in token of victory gotten the other of an Oliue in hope of peace with this egloge or pofie Pacatum ipse regam auitis virtutibus orbem That is I will gouerne the whole world in peace thorow the vertue and valour of my progenitors is signified the famous progenie of king Dolphin as well on his fathers fide as also on his mothers both their armes being reduced into one Insinuating by the moone increasing the soueraigntie and excellencie of the kings blood by the diamant his inuincible vertue Finally by the sphere or globe of the world his inexpugnable power and might After which manner the ancient Romaines in times past did signifie the same thing Fato prudentia maior Wisedome is of greater force then destonie I haue consecrated the starre inclosed with an adder or snake crowned biting her taile with this inscription Fato prudentia maior Wisdome is of greater force then destenie it selfe to the queene of France in token of honor that to signifie that albeit fortune hath aduanced her highnesse greatly as being the daughter of such noble parents to wit duke Vrbin and dutchesse of Bologne the nephew of such a noble bishoppe as was Clement the seuenth and wife of the high and mightie Prince Henrie the second king of France Finally the mother of such and so many noble children yet notwithstanding by her admirable vertue modestie clemencie she hath brought to passe that she may worthely chalenge the greatest praise of all the queenes of France that euer were Mirandum natura opus Nature is wonderfull in her worker No purtrature in my opinion can better be ascribed to the two Margarets the one queene of Nauarre the other of France than the picture of a lillie crowned with two Marigolds sprouting out of the sides thereof with these words Mirandum naturae opus Nature is wonderfull in her
armie that haue solâ— thee into thy enimies hands When the king heard these words he was maruellously terrified so moued withall that he was as paâ—â— as ashes as they say with fear with horroâ— thereof did euen grate with his teeth as it were and as ill happe was he was a very yong man and therefore vnskilfull of matial fears besides he had a bodie of such a constitution that it was alwayes subiect to sicknesse and agues But when the captaines of his armie saw him in that case they labored to establish and confirme his minde that yet was doubtful what was best to be done and so they went boldly forward They were no sooner gon out of the wood but two of the kings pages were hard at their horse heeles puffing and blowing as comming about some waightie matter whereof the one ware the kings helmet and the other a common souldiers speare It chanced that whilest the one of them slept the king speare fell out of his hand vpon his head which ware the helmet The king heating a sodaine noise and looking aside saw a man at his heeles whom as yet he know not so he was maruellousty troubled and in a great rage leaped downe from his horse and as one that had bene besides himselfe drew his sword and neither regarding the order of his owne men neither vsing the aduise of reason laid about him as if he had bene in the thickest of his enimies vsing these words Bestirre you play the men dispatch me these traitors When the kings pages heard him say so they made all the hast they could to saue their liues by running away But the kings own brother who was captain of the Aurelians riding by the kings side 〈◊〉 the brunt of his furie for the king so forcibâ—ranne vpon him with his naked sword in 〈◊〉 hand that had not the Duke speedily fledâ—â— away he had bene in danger of his life 〈◊〉 the last the king was euen tyred with laboâ—â— and the horse wearied with many and greâ—â— courses that he made it chanced that oncâ— the kings horsemen met him and by faâ—â— meanes brought both the king and his hoâ—â— backe to the Caemonians But the king was 〈◊〉 mad and so angrie in his minde that whoâ—â— saw him thought he would neuer recoueâ— And so it fel out that there was an end of thâ—â— intended voyage and the armie broke vp aâ—â— returned But after that the king came hoâ—â— to his palace he became far weaker than before he had bene and was so subiect to a kiâ—â— of phrensie that sometimes would leaue hâ—â— and then come to him againe that he wâ—â— brought to great miserie and extremitie theâ— by Yea the best thing that he got by that 〈◊〉 happie voyage was a verie great mishap aâ—â— euill fortune that chanced to his whole kingdome for euen to this day it feeleth thâ— wounds and bruses of so great a calamitie Colligauit nemo Hitherto no man hath conquered me There is vsed to this day certaine brasen money with the image of Augustus Caesar on it vpon the one side wherof is the portraiture of a Crocodile chained fast to a palme tree with this inscription Col. Nem. which is No man hath euer bound me before By which signe Caesar would signifie that none before him did euer subdue Egypt and triumphed ouer it For the Crocodile representeth Egipt which is to be found onely in the riuer Nilus by the commodie whereof all Egypt is made fruitfull Besides the Crocodile is fastened to the Palme tree that thereby the beholders might be admonished that the godly Prince Augustus triumphed ouer all Egypt by getting of which victorie and peace he was recreated and refreshed as a drie and thirstie ground is with a showre of raine Finally this simbole signifieth that Augustus got the victorie and preuailed against Autonius and Cleopatra of famous memorie Latet anguis in herba The adder lurketh priuilie in the grasse In gathering of flowers and strawberies that grow low vpon the ground we must be verie carefull for the adder and snake that lieth lurking in the grasse for looke whomsoeuer she stingeth they hardly recouer after So in reading of authors and bookes which carrie a faire shew to the eye and yeelding small delight to the eare we must be carefull that we runne not into absurd and wrong iudgements and opinions by that meanes make shipwracke of our soules Labuntur nitidis scabrisque tenatiùs haerent Flies do fall downe from slipperie place but stick fast vpon the hard and rough As flies cannot stay themselues on slippery places Plutar. as vpon glasse and such like but fall downe whereas they rest well vpon such places as be rough and hollow so it fareth with vs when we are in prosperitie and haue all things at will we vse quickly to fall into diuerse and sundrie sinnes whereas on the otherside being touched sometimes with crosses and afflictions we stay our selues in some measure Testante virebo While thou standest I shall florish As the Cardinall of Lorraine should lately enter into his Abbey of Clunie his armies were set vp before the gates of the house to wit a great foure squared piller brode beneath sharpe on the toppe hauing on the higher end the new moone blased and from the bottome vpward compassed about with greene berries and garnished with these verses which were engrauen round about O Reader tell what thing is ment Ouid. By tombes in Memphis towne Which on the top doth beare on high The bright beames of the moone The moone which doth continually Increase in light so bright Till that night come wherin her shine From world doth take her flight And what doth meane the sacred Iuy Which creepes and binds about This tomb to whose high top he climbs Although it be full stout And what new fashion is this also That leaning to it stickes Making his stay about the same That greenely ouer creepes This tombe it is that mightie king Whose maiestie honor craues For he in heauen triumphes for vs To sathan that were slaues And the Iuie a bishop signifies Euen thee most famous prince Who in a godly life doest yeeld Not to the best an inch For though thy bodie lie in graue Yet such thy vertue was That it beares vp our laud and praise That neuer away shall passe Inter eclipses exorior I shine in the darke That great and mightie cup of gold of iâ— princely Dolphin seemeth to me to represent that ancient standing peece of Apolloes Rauen whom the Poets do faine to be placed amongst the starres but the inscription or apothegme which is written aboue it may rather be drawne to his happie birth day And such is the interpretation that Paradinus giueth of it But in my iudgement he would thereby allude to his fathers interpretation which is Donec totum impleat orbem vntill he fulfill the whole compasse of the world Fiducia concors We trust or hope all one thing
est nec posse reor It is neither law nor can be I suppose Not whosoeuer is in bands or prison Actes 12. but he that is intangled in vices and sinne is to be iudged a bondslaue For albeit Peter the Apostle was kept in Herod his prison bound with two chaines yet by the ministerie of an Angel his chaines fell from his hands and he escaped passing thorow the iron gates which by the wil of God which by no mans deuise neither can nor ought to be impugned opened of their owne accord and gaue him passage Semine ab aethereo From the heauenly seede The same earth which swallowed vp Core Dathan Abiron with the rest of the troublers of the priesthood ministery of AaroÌ„ approued the same thing in the Leuitical tribe Numb 16. and 17. and that not without a misterie whilest that amongst the rods of the Israelites erected in the tabernacle of the Lord the second day the rod of Aaron onely budded bare fruit or Almons Ventura desuper vrbi To fall vpon the crue The miserable destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes after the passion of Christ Ioseph Egesipp was foreshewed before by manie wonders signes especially by a firie commet appearing in forme of a sword and hanging ouer the steeple for the space of a whole yeare togither shewing as it were by this signe that the iustice of God would take punishment of the wicked nation of the Iewes by fire and blood for their great impietie and wickednesse which thing not onely came to passe but also most raging famine tormenting them there was found one who killed and cate her owne child In vtrumque paratus Readie to both The Israelites after their returne from the captiuitie of Babilon 2. Esd 4. taking in the one hand a trowell in the other a sword such were the continuall troubles of their enimies built vp the wals of Ierusalem Which thing in a misterie did represeÌ„t the ministers of the church of Christ who are bound to instruct the ignorant and to bring againe those that do erre in the faith which are very ruines in deed to fight manfully with the sword of Gods word against the enimies thereof which are vices and sinne Vindice fato Destenie being reuenger Dauid being a little child but armed with grace from aboue 2. King 17 feared not to enter combate with the great and fearefull giant Goliah neither would he put on the armor of Saul but contenting himselfe with a sling and fiue flint stones ouerthrew this monster and triumphed ouer him In like manner that we may ouercome that fearefull and dangerous enimie of mankind the diuell the onely weapons of a stable faith firme hope and constant affiance in the merites of Christs passion and death are enough Nil solidum Nothing is firme or continuall in this life At the time of the creation of the bishops of Rome when according to the custome he that is nominate Pope entreth into S. Gregories church wherein many of the Romish bishops are buried the master of the ceremonies goeth before him carrying in his hands two reedes tying to the top of the one a burning candle which flaming he putteth to the other whereto are tyed hurds or flaxe and so burneth them both saying these words three times togither Oh holy fathers so passeth the glorie of this world Vtrum lubet Whether pleaseth him Clubbes or battes compassed about with Oliue branches being a signe as wel of peace A. Gelliuâ— as of warre may be giuen to those to whom we giue the choise as well of the one as of the other Which thing our ancesters portrayed with a white wand such as Ambassadors vse to carrie that intreat for peace and a speare adioyned as the Romanes did to the Carthaginians or else with two speares the one whereof had his point tipped with steele the other blunted with a knobbe of wood on the end Agere pati fortiae To do and suffer great things C. Mutius when in steede of Porsena King of the Hetruscans who had besieged Rome Liuius lib. 2. Valerius he had slaine the kings secretarie was so angrie with himselfe that he thrust his right hand into the fire which he had made to sacrifice withall Lex exlex The law or ouâ— law Anacharsis the Philosopher compared lawes to cobwebbes Valerius the great because they troubled oppressed the little flies and such small volatiles but neuer touched the great ones Which thing we see to be too true in iudgements now adayes whilest the mightie are sauoured and the poore and meaner sort taxed and seuerely handled Tutus ab igne sacer Being holy I was safe from the violence of the fire Plutarch Valerius the great Lituns being a crooked staffe whereupon the southsayers sate when they deuined of things to come which Romulus vsed insteede of an Iuorie scepter perished not in the middest of the flame at Rome but was found safe and sound in the middest of the same Parce Imperator Pardon me most noble Emperor M. Sceua a most valiant knight of Iulius Caesats Appian in that battaile which he fought against Pompey lost one of his eyes and had his body thrust thorow seuen times his shield was found also to be pearced with a hundred and twentie darts Caesar And as Caesar himselfe reporteth notwithstanding that his shield was strooke thorow 230. places Sueton. Valerius yet he kept the gate still and the entrance which he had taken vpon him to defend And whilest he went in the foreward of the battell in France and fought hand to hand with his enimies his hippe being sore hurt and his face brused with great stones his helmet and his shield broken and fallen out of his hand and his sword shiuered in diuerse peeces and being armed with a double brest plate with great holdnesse cast himselfe into the sea and by swimming thorow the waters which he had made redde with the bloud of his enimies he came to his owne men Whither when he was come as soone as he perceiued himselfe to be vnarmed which by the law of armes was forbidden he cried out to the Prince for he trusted not yet to so many dangers which he had ouercome Oh noble Emperour forgiue me I come to thee vnarmed This was the vertue and manly prowesse of Sceua wherefore for a reward he was preferred to the dignitie of a Centurion Euertit aequat It breaketh in peeces and maketh euen or smooth things that be rough William of Heâ—ant Earle of Ostreueant Frossard sonne of Albert duke Rauaâ—iâ— Earle of Haâ—auâ— Holland and Zelâ—nâ— about the yeare of our Lord 1390 carried in his frandart the picture of a harrow of golde which he shewed in the warres and host of the christians to the city of Barbarie called Aphrodisin For euen as the harrow doth breake in sunder the hard clods of the fieldes so doth a good prince with the
harme and so it fareth in euerie point with those that contend in the place of exercise and in the handling of the staffe wherein they contend for strength where no not the ouercommet himselfe carrieth awaie the victorie without greate forcing and strayning of his members Consultori pessimum Iuill councell is worst to the councell giuer It is most certaine that the punishment which another deserueth by committing of offence doth alwaies returne vpon the head of the first counceller Wee may daille see this in standards Ensignes of warre whereby we muster or gather souldiers together to their voiage and in battell arme our selues by them as our guides against the enemie for they abide the first onset and renting in peeces Nay rather the authors of battels and strife in al dissensions and variances are worthier of the sorer punishment and the lawes themselues command that seuerer punishment be inflicted vppon them than vpon the fighters themselues And to the present purpose belongeth that which Aulus Gellius writeth of the wicked dealing of the Hetrurian southsaiers Au. Gel. For they beeing called vpon by the Romanes that they should in open assemblie consulte about Horatius Cocles image that was striken with lightning as they were priuie enemies of the Romanes after that they had decreed that the image should be carried into a more desert place where the Sunne could not come to it at al to benefit it When accusation of this their deuice was made and their falshood and trecherie in this case made knowen they were killed the image it selfe was translated with a great deale more honor into Vulcans court or hall Wherfore the young youth turning this false diuination into a more plausible interpretation for the common wealth because as good lucke woulde haue it it fell out happilie for the common wealth went crying vp down the Citie and in great choler as it were broke forth into these speeches Euill councell is worst to the councell giuer Vis nescia vinci Force that cannot bee ouercome with force Plutarch writeth that Scylurus of Chaeroâ—ea lying vpon his deathbed Plutar. offred to his 80. sonnes one by one a bundle of dartes or arrowes to be broken in peeces The which when they went about to do and could not preuaile and had answered that it was vnpossible their father vntied the bundle and taking them euerie one out one after another broke them with great facilitie and ease teaching them thereby that they were inuincible vnable to be ouercome as long as they continued in peaceable league and quietnes togither but if they were once drawne one from another by dissention and sedition they would easily fall into captiuitie and into their enimies hands That which Plinie noteth not much vnilke to this might hither be adduced Plinie of the stones of Scyrus lying in one of the Cyclades which being whole swome vpon the toppe of the water but being broken they suncke by and by Therefore let this simbole of darts fast ioyned togither in a bundle and also of the forenamed stones signifie thus much that leagues of what couenants soeuer are inuincible if you vse prudence for the band of the same Quis contra nos If God be with vs who can be against vs. Saint Paul when he was in the Iland of Malta a Viper light vpon his hand Acts. 28. yet receiued he no hurt thereby although the Barbarians thought otherwise but shooke off the Viper into the middest of the fire whereof we may see that they to whom Gods mercie is readie at hand nothing can hurt or annoy Maturè Speedily Looke for what reason Titus Vespasian the Emperor in times past vsed an Anker with a Dolphin fish for his cognizance or armes for the same as I thinke Pope Paul the third vsed a Camelion with a Dolphin Meaning thereby that the like slow celerity or hast making is alwayes to be kept in any manner of thing Lex publica Principis ignes A publike law is the fire of the Prince The burning firebrands which the Romaines were wont to carrie before their princes as we may see in most of the monuments and coynes of ancient kings whereof Herodian maketh mention Herodian where he writeth of the diuination of Gordianus Caesar do plainly signifie that Princes Emperors captaines and pretors vnto whom authoritie vnder the king was committed to determine causes ought to shine before all others in the brightnesse of vertue and equitie In se contexta recurrit Being platted togither it cleaueth fast The Psalmist making mention of the vnmeasurable bountifulnesse and liberalitie of Gods grace pietie clemencie and prouidence saith Benedices coronae anni benignitatis tuae Psal 64. thou crownest the yeare with thy goodnesse and thy steppes droppe fatnes Whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that a yearely renuing and a successiue and continuall returning of plentiousnesse of all commodities and yearely profites is giuen vs from the Lord in all abundance where also by the figure of a serpent the yeare is to be vnderstood according to the monuments of the Egyptians which they vsed in steed of letters Pythone peremto The serpent being slaine The power of the Romaine empire began then to decay when the honor that the souldiers were wont to haue by the authoritie of ancient lawes decreased by little and little in so much that the Egle in their martiall ensignes yeelded to the Woolfe to the minotaure to the horse and to the wild bore The Dragon had the last place whom Claudianus famously setteth forth in many of his verses Claud. the similitude whereof signifieth continuall watchfulnesse Caelo imperium iouis extulit ales The Egle hath lifted vp the gouernment of the Empire to the heauens The Egle hath alwayes bene the chiefest ensigne amongst the Romaines the which euen at this day belongeth to the holy Empire And this Caius Marius after that he had attained to the honour of the second Consulship dedicating an Egle altogither to his legions or armies according to Plinie his relation preferred before all other ensignes Plinie And the Egle because she is formidable and to be feared before all other birds and as though as it is commonly said she is counted for the king of all birds was chosen for a simbole or ensigne to signifie a people or nation which hath subdued all other whatsoeuer But this also is true that in the Romanes ensignes the Egle was wont to carrie the similitude of lightning either as a bird dedicated to Iupiter or as carrying his armes and ensignes formost or finally because as Plinie saith she is neuer touched with lightning Infestis tutamen aquis A defence or safegard in the dangerous waters Seruius Galba the Emperor signified by this simbole Dion as wel his own actâ—s as his ancestorâ— Therfore he purtrayed a dogge bowing himselfe downe from the forepart of the ship like as though he would leape downe wherby he declared great vigilancie
wicked and vncleane As the Bittle is bred and nourished in the excrements and dong of a horse but beeing in the middest of roses dieth so these youths that are so nice giuen ouer to carnall pleasure the studie of godlinesse and other good vertues delighteth them not desiring rather to be polluted with the filthie dong of carnall pleasure and wickednes in a martiall Ensigne is a perpetuall monument of the protection of the kingdome of France Eng. de Monst Etiam fortunam Yea fortune too M. Sergius a Romane knight after that hee had many times fought with Hannibal Plinie and being taken captiue by subtitltie had escaped his hands at last in a skirmish lost his right hand whereupon hee was constrained to fight with his lefte hande in foure other battels But when hee perceiued that hee coulde not vse the one hand so aptly as the other he caused an yron hand to bee made and set fast to his right arme The which he so luckilie valiantly vsed after in field that he ouercame discomfited twelue armies in France that were sworne enemies to the Romanes For which cause Plinie writeth that hee knoweth not anie other that is to bee preferred before Sergius in prowes and manhoode who vanquishing the violence of his fortune made himselfe worthie of all the praise and honor of those victories Sic sopor irrepat So sleepe came vpon him Wee reade it written in the French Chronicles that one Gontranus king of Burgundie being vppon a time wearie with hunting Annals of France and falling on sleepe his seruants watching by him in a certain field by a riuer side running hard by there came out of the kings mouth a little beast and assaied to passe ouer the riuer VVhich when the kinges seruant sawe he drew out his sword whervpon as on a bridge the little beast passed ouer the riuer went into a hole or caue that was in a hill ouer against it From whence she came foorth againe by and by and going ouer againe by the sword as by a bridge went againe into the kings mouth VVhen the king awaked he told his man the like dreime that he had seene to wit that he went ouer a riuer vpon an yron bridge and so into a caue vnder a hill where he sawe great treasure hidde When his man heard that he tolde him in order what had happened when he was on sleepe So the king caused the inner parte of the hill to bee opened whereout he digged abundance of golde and siluer which he bestowed vpon the poore and needie and also gaue much to the vse of diuerse Churches And also with the same treasure he caused the coffine of Saint Marcell neere to Chalon at Saona where he was thought to be buried Caecus amor prolis Loue of parents to their children is blind or voide of reason The Ape is sayde to loue his young ones so vnmeasurablie Plinie that whilest hee clippeth them in his armes more then reason would hee after killeth them with griping them so fast to him In like manner many parents are wont to be so lauish in the nice education of their children that with their too much cockering of them at the last they bring them to naught Supplicio laus tuta semel Hee that was worthie of praise was one free from punishment It is recorded of a certaine Indian that was of such dexteritie in throwing of a dart that he could cast it a great way off thoâ—ugh a ring of small compasse VVherefore â—hen he was commanded by king Alexander to shew his cunning before him hee coulde not by anie meanes bee perswaded to doe it For the which cause hee was condemned by the kings sentence to die And beeing asked therefore he would not do so small a matter for the kings pleasure answered that hee feaâ—ed least hee should happilie misse of his vsuâ—all custome of throwing When Alexander sawe that he did it not so much for rebellion â—s for feare and shame hee commanded the condemned man to be set at libertie wondering at his disposition which was verie desirous of glorie desiring rather to die than to diminish or discredit the fame and excellenti of his knowledge and cunning Omnis caro foenum All flesh is grasse If this people which before all other nations vainely vexed and troubled the whole world that they might still increase and adâ—ance their owne power and glorie make immortall as it were had at the last vsed â—ome good and wholesome councell and looâ—ed into their own state that they might earnestly and deeply at the length haue weighed that the symbole and author and father as it â—ere Ouid. Seruius Romulus which was a bundell of haie â—anged vpon a pik or lance meant they had â—euer sustained so many and so great vexation both of bodie and minde especially beholding so sodaine an alteration of humane affaires and most of all of those things which belong properly to this fleshly and earthlie â—ody whose mutabilitie and inconstancie the Prophet compareth to greene grasse and faâ—â—ing floures Esay 40 Tolle vpluptatum stimulos Take awaie the prickes of pleasures As we are wont to vse a flap made of the eied or starred feathers of a pecocke to beate awaie Iâ—â—s S. Ierome so wee ought to driue from vs to purge our selues of pleasure and all kinde of fleshly lust with great watchfulnes c re Paix outragée se rend vengée Foolish peace is wont alwaies to render vengeance The Persians in the daies of Zeno the Emperour suffered due punishment for their deserts for the host of the Persians had thought by subtiltie to rushe headlong vpon Caesars Ensignes where vppon conditions of peace concluded of betwixte both the nations Procop. did hang and was shewed and to rende them in peeces But ere they were aware the Persian king with his children and the chiefe of his armie were taken in a trench which the Romanes had prepared And also not long after all the rest of the armie that were left by policie were discomfited and not one left which was not destroied Rerum Sapientia custos Wisdome the preseruer of all things The most gracious Dutches of Berie Margaret by name expressed the singular affection her hart in this Embleme of two serpents putting foorth both their heades out of the boughes of an Oliue tree shewing that the true gouernment of all things is best helde fast and holden vp by the mast of wisedome and pollicie Discite iustitiam moniti Learne iustice by admonition Whither so euer Basanus king of the Scicambrians Diocles sonne went he commanded alwaies a sword to be carried before him on the top wherof was fastned a rope or halter and that for a testimonie of inuiolate iustice For he was a king besides that hee was famous in all other vertues that was also a diligent censor and keeper of iudgement and equitie insomuch that hee spared not in his owne sonne