father was somewhat ashamed of him had thoughts of creating another Successour to himself and for the benefit of the Common-Wealth to have taken at once from his son both the title of Caesar and his life it self but the evil fortune of the Roman Empire at this time intercepted all his purposes by a sudden death 9. Saladine who left so great a name behind him left also the Kingdom of Syria to his son Noradine whose sloth and unprincely qualities were such that he was driven out by the people and his Uncle Saphadine set up in his stead after which he had so exhausted his own Patrimony that he was fain to subsist upon the mercy and charity of his brothers and at last died with the just reproaches of all men 10. Iohannes Galleacius who first had the title of Duke of Millaine was a Prince of a great and liberal mind and adorn'd with all other vertues that were to be required in a great person he was belov'd at home and fear'd abroad He was possessed of a great part of Italy which he had gain'd with much honour so that he was thought superiour rather than equal to some Christian Kings This man left his son Iohn to succeed him than whom Phalaris himself was not more cruel what his father had got by blood and valour and sweat this mad-man lost at least the greater part thereof laughing so that at last growing hateful and contemptible to his own people he was flain by them And his other son Gabriel having lost Pisa whereof he was possessed was openly beheaded at Genoa 11. Although Cassander through his equity and industry in his affairs had many who voluntarily became the followers of his greatness yet he made war upon divers Cities of Greece the destruction of which as a neighbouring fire struck such terror into the Spartans that they then first surrounded their City with Walls which before they only defended with their arms So far were they degenerated from the vertue of their Ancestors that whereas for many Ages the valour of the Citizens had been the only Wall of their City the Citizens now thought they could not be safe unless they lay hid behind the Walls of their City 12. Franciscus Sfortia Duke of Millaine amongst Christian Princes excelled in all kind of vertues he was not inferiour to Trajan for humanity and to the degree of his fortune was reputed as liberal as Alexander the Great But his sons did mightily degenerate from the so great vertue of their father Galeacius the Elder was ambitious and lustful proud of the least successes and extreamly dejected when any adversity befell him Philip the second son was corpulent foolish and a coward Ludovicus was prophane saying That Religion and Justice were fictions invented to keep the people in order he was of a haughty mind covetous lustful broken in adversity and unfortunate if not cowardly for though he had greater forces than his enemy he lost that Dukedom to Lewis the 12. King of France in sixteen daies which his father had gain'd by arms and kept with the singular love and benevolence of all men to the day of his death 13. Phocion was an excellent person but his son Phocus was so dissolute and resigned up to intemperance and excessive drinking that he could not be reclaimed by the Spartan discipline it self When Menyllus had presented Phocion with a great gift and he had refused it he requested that he would at least permit his son Phocus to receive it If said he my son Phocus reform himself he will have a Patrimony sufficient to maintain him but as he now behaves himself there is nothing that can be enough for him 14. Marcus Tullius Cicero the famous Orator had a son of the same name but of a very different nature for whereas his father was a temperate and abstemious person his son was so addicted to Wine that he would swallow down two Gallons at once and in one of his drunken fits he so far forgot himself that he struck M. Agrippa upon the head with a Pot. 15. Theodosius the great was a most happy and fortunate Emperour but in this one thing unfortunate for he left behind him two sons Honorius in the West and Arcadius in the East both Emperours but both so slothful and unlike their father that partly by that and partly by the treachery of Ruffinus and Stilichon the Empire was miserably and foully dilacerated by the Goths Hunnes and Vandalls 16. The sons of the Emperour Constantine the Great were as much below the Genius of their father in all praise worthy things as he did surpass all other Princes in piety and true greatness of mind For in respect of the Government of his life no man was more heedless than his son Constantinus Constans the second son was a man much addicted to unseemly pleasures And Constantius the third son was yet more intollerable by reason of his inconstancy and arrogance 17. Casimirus was fetcht out of a Monastery and made King of Poland a man of great vertue but his son Boleslaus who succeeded him in the Kingdom did much degenerate from the noble example of his father For he was a despiser and contemner of Religion a neglecter of the administration of Justice and of a cruel nature and disposition He slew Sanctus Stanisiaus the Arch-bishop of Cracovia and at last died himself an exile from his Country 18. Herodes Atticus the Sophist in respect of his wit and eloquence was second to none of his time yet had he a son of his called also Atticus who was of so dull and stupid a nature that he could never be made capable of understanding the first rudiments and elements of learning CHAP. V. Of undutiful and unnatural Children to their Parents SOlon would never establish any Law against Parricides or Parent-killers saying The gods forbid that a Monster should ever come into our Common-Wealth and certain it is that six hundred years from the building of Rome were over-past before so much as the name of that crime was known amongst them The first that killed his Father and stained his hands in the blood of him that gave him life was Lucius Ostius a person afterwards detested throughout all Ages P. Malleolus was the first saith Livy amongst the Romans who was known to have killed his Mother and who underwent that punishment which was by the institution of the Ancients in that case They ordained that the Parricide should be first scourged to blood then sown up in a Sack together with a Dog a Cock a Viper and an Ape and so thrown head-long into the bottom of the Sea But notwithstanding the severity of this Law and those of other Nations against a crime of this nature there are too many Instances of unnatural children as in part will appear by what follows 1. Antiochus a Jew accus'd his own Father and some other Jews then living at Antioch that
at Lambeth were dasht one against another and were broke to pieces the snafts of two Chimneys were blown down upon the roof of his Chamber and beat down both the Lead and Rafters upon his Bed in which ruine he must needs have perished if the roughness of the water had not forced him to keep his Chamber at Whitehall The same night at Croyden a retiring place belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury one of the Pinnacles fell from the Steeple beat down the Lead and Roof of the Church above twenty foot square The same night too at the Metropolitical Church in the City of Canterbury one of the Pinnacles upon the Belfrey Tower which carried a Vane with this Archbishops Arms upon it was violently struck down but born a good distance from the Steeple and fell upon the Roof of the Cloister under which the Arms of the Archiepiscopal See it self were engraven in stone which Arms being broken in pieces by the former gave occasion to one that loved him not to collect this inference That the Arms of the present Archbishop of Canterbury breaking down the Arms of the See of Canterbury not only portended his own fall but the ruine of the Metropolitical Dignity by the weight thereof Of these he took not so much notice as he did of an accident which happened on St. Simon and Iude's Eve not above a week before the beginning of the late long Parliament which drew him to his final ruine On which day going to his upper Study to send some Manuscripts to Oxon he found his Picture at full length and taken as near unto the life as the Pencil was able to express it to be fallen on the floor and lying flat upon its face the string being broke by which it was hanged against the Wall At the sight whereof he took such a sudden apprehension that he began to fear it as an Omen of that ruine which was coming towards him and which every day began to be threatned to him as the Parliament grew nearer and nearer to consult about it These things occasioned him to look back on a former misfortune which chanced on the 19. of Septemb. 1633. being the very day of his translation to the See of Canterbury when the Ferry-boat transporting his Coach and Horses with many of his Servants in it sunk to the bottom of the Thames CHAP. III. Of the famous Predictions of some men and how the Event has been conformable thereunto SOcrates had a Genius that was ever present with him which by an audible voice gave him warning of approaching evils to himself or friends by dehorting as it always did when it was heard from this or that counsel or design by which he many times saved himself and such as would not be ruled by his counsel when he had this voice found the truth of the admonition by the evil success of their affairs as amongst other Charmides did I know not whether by such way as this or some other as extraordinary the ministry of good or evil Spirits some men have come to the knowledge of future events and have been able to foretel them long before they came to pass 1. Anno Christi 1279. there lived in Scotland one Thomas Lermouth a man very greatly admired for his foretelling of things to come He may justly be wondred at for foretelling so many ages before the union of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland in the ninth degree of the Bruces blood with the succession of Bruce himself to the Crown being yet a Child and many other things which the event hath made good The day before the death of King Alexander he told the Earl of March that before the next day at noon such a tempest should blow as Scotland had not felt many years before The next morning proving a clear day the Earl challenged Thomas as an Impostor he replied that noon was not yet past about which time a Post came to inform the Earl of the Kings sudden death and then said Thomas this is the tempest I foretold and so it shall prove to Scotland as indeed it did 2. Duncan King of the Scots had two principal men whom he employed in all matters of importance Mackbeth and Banquho these two travelling together through a Forest were met by three Witches Weirds as the Scots call them whereof the first making obeysance unto Mackbeth saluted him Thane that is Earl of Glammis the second Thane of Cauder and the third King of Scotland This is unequal dealing said Banquho to give my friend all the honours and none unto me to which one of the Weirds made answer That he indeed should not be King but out of his loins should come a Race of Kings that should for ever rule the Scots And having thus said they all vanished Upon their arrival to the Court Mackbeth was immediately created Thane of Glammis and not long after some new service requiring new recompence he was honoured with the Title of Thane of Cawder Seeing then how happily the prediction of the three Weirds fell out in the two former he resolved not to be wanting to himself in fulfilling the third He therefore first killed the King and after by reason of his Command amongst the Souldiers he succeeded in his Throne Being scarce warm in his seat he called to mind the prediction given to his Companion Banquho whom hereupon suspecting as his Supplanter he caused to be killed together with his whole posterity only Fleance one of his Sons escaping with no small difficulty into Wales freed as he thought of all fear of Banquho and his issue he built Dunsinan Castle and made it his ordinary Seat afterwards on some new fears consulting with his Wizards concerning his future estate he was told by one of them that he should never be overcome till Bernane Wood being some miles distant came to Dunsinan Castle and by another that he should never be slain by any man which was born of a Woman secure then as he thought from all future dangers he omitted no kind of libidinous cruelty for the space of eighteen years for so long he tyrannized over Scotland But having then made up the measure of his iniquities Mackduffe the Governour of Fife with some other good Patriots privily met one evening at Bernane Wood and taking every one of them a bough in his hand the better to keep them from discovery marched early in the morning towards Dunsinan Castle which they took by storm Mackbeth escaping was pursued by Mackduffe who having overtaken him urged him to the Cambat to whom the Tyrant half in scorn returned that in vain he attempted to kill him it being his destiny never to be slain by any that was born of a Woman Now then said Mackduffe is thy fatal end drawing fast upon thee for I was never born of a Woman but violently cut out of my mothers belly which so daunted the Tyrant though otherwise a valiant man that he
was easily slain In the mean time Fleance so prospered in Wales that he gained the affection of the Princes Daughter of the Country and by her had a Son called Walter who â—lying Wales returned into Scotland where his descent known he was restored to the Honors and Lands of his House and preferred to be Steward of the House of Edgar the Son of Malcolme the Third sirnamed Conmer King of Scotland the name of Steward growing hence hereditary unto his Posterity From this Walter descended that Robert Steward who succeeded David Bruce in the Kingdom of Scotland the Progenitor of nine Kings of the name of Stewart which have reigned successively in that Kingdom 3. Oliver a Benedictine Monk of Malmesbury was much addicted to the Mathematicks and to Judicial Astrology a great Comet happened to appear in his â—â—e which he entertained with these expressions Venisti Venistâ— multis matribus lugendum malum Dudum te vidi sed multò jam terribilius Anglicae minans prorsus excidium Art thou come Art thou come thou evil to be lamented by many mothers I saw thee long since but now thou art much more terrible threatning the English with utter destruction Nor did he much miss his mark herein for soon after the coming in of the Norman Conqueror deprived many English of their lives more of their Laws and Liberties This Oliver dyed 1060. five years before the Norman Invasion and so prevented by death saw not his own prediction performed 4. Agrippa the Son of Aristobulus was accused to Tiberius Caesar and by his command cast into bonds standing thus bound amongst others before the Palace gates by reason of grief he leaned against a Tree upon which there sate an Owl A certain German that was also in bonds beholding the Bird inquired of a Souldier what Noble man that was who told him that it was Agrippa a Prince of the Jews The German desired he might be permitted to come nearer to him it was granted when he thus said Young man this sudden and unexpected mutation of Fortune doth torment and perplex thee but in a short time thou shalt be freed of these bonds and raised to a dignity and power that shall be the envy of all these who now look upon thee as a miserable person know also that whensoever thou shalt see an Owl pearch over thy head after the manner of this now present it shall betoken to thee that thy fatal end draweth nigh All this was fulfilled for soon after Tiberius dyed Caius succeeded who loosed the bonds of Agrippa and placed the Crown of Iudaea on his head there he reigned in great splendour when one day having ended a Royal Oration he had made to the people with great acclamation and applause turning back his head he spyed the fatal Owl sitting over his head whereupon he was seised with torments of the belly carried away and in few days dyed 5. When Flavius Vespasianus made War in Iudaea amongst the noble Captives there was one called Ioseph who being cast into bonds by his order did nevertheless constantly affirm that those shackles of his should in a short time be taken off by the same person who had commanded them to be put on but by that time he should of a private man become Emperour which soon after fâ—ll out for Nero Galba Otho and Vitellius the Emperors being slain in a short space Vespasian succeeded and commanded Iosephs setters not to be unlocked but for the greater honour to be broken off 6. Manahem a Jew an Essaean beholding on a time Herod the Ascalonite at School amongst the rest of the youth saluted him King of the Jews Herod supposing he either mocked or knew him not told him he was one of the meanâ—r sort Manahem smiling and giving him a gentle blow or two Thou shalt reign said he and prosperously too for so is the pleasure of God and remember then these blows of Manahem which may admonish thee of mutable Fortune but I foresee thou wilt be unmindful both of the Laws of God and man though otherwise most fortunate and illustrious Herod lived to fulfil all this 7. Iudas of the Sect of the Essaeans amongst the Jews being not used to fail in his predictions when he beheld Antigonus the Brother of Aristobulus the Brother of Aristobulus to pass by the Temple of Ierusalem of whom he had predicted that he should that day be slain in the Tower of Strato he turned to his friends wishing that himself might dye since he was alive The Tower of Strato said he is six hundred furlongs off so that my prediction is not possible to be fulfilled on this day as I pronounced but scarce had he finished his discourse when news comes that Antigonus was slain in a Cave that was called the Tower of Strato and thus the prediction was fulfilled though not well understood by him who was the Author of it 8. While Iulius Caesar was sacrificing Spurina a Soothsayer advised him to beware of the Ides of March when therefore they were come and that there was no visible appearance of danger Caesar sent for Spurina Well said he the Ides of March are come and I see nothing in them so formidable as thy caution to me would seem to import They are come indeed said Spurina but they are not past that unhappy accident which was threatned may yet fall out nor was he mistaken for upon the same day Iulius was slain in the Senate house by Brutus and Cassius and the rest of their Complices 9. When Vitellius the Emperour had set forth an Edict that the Mathematicians should at a certain day depart the City and Italy it self there was a Paper affixed to a publick place wherein was writ that the Cha daeans did predict good Fortune for before the day appointed for their departure Vitellius should no where be found nor did it miscarry in the event Vitellius being slain before the day came 10. Proclus Larginus having in Germany predicted that Domitian the Emperour should dye upon such a day was laid hold upon and for that cause sent to Rome where when before Domitian himself he had affirmed the very same he was sentenced to death with order to keep him till the day of his prediction was past and then that on the next he should dye in case what he had foretold of the Emperour proved false but Domitian was slain by Stephanus upon the very day as he had said whereupon the Soothsayer escaped and was enlarged with great honour 11. Ascletarion was one singularly skilled in Astrology and he also had predicted the day and hour of Domitians death and being asked by the Emperour what kind of death he himself should dye I shall shortly said he be torn in pieces by Dogs the Emperour therefore commands that he should be slain forthwith publickly burnt and to mock the vanity and temerity of his Art he ordered that the ashes of his body should be
he could not take from them He yielded Neustria to them by his own Authority without privity of the Estates so these Normans called it Normandy By this and some other things he fell into a deep hatred with the French upon which Charles fell sick and that sickness was accompanied with a distemper of the mind through jealousie conceived against his Queen Richarda After this the French and Germans dispossess him of the Empire and give it to Arnoul and the French reject him from the Regency of that Realm substituting in his room Eudes or Odo Duke of Angiers This poor Prince deposed from all his Dignities abandoned by every man in his prosperity had so ill provided from himself that he had not a house wherein to shrowd him banished the Court he was driven to a poor Village in Suevia where he lived some days in extreme want without any means of his own or relief â—rom any man In the end he dyed neither pitied nor lamented of any man in a corner unknown save for this to have been the Theatre of so extraordinary a Tragedy And surely for one of the greatest Monarchs of the World thus to dye without house without bread without honour without mourning and without memory is a signal instance of the Worlds vanity and inconstancy 18. Valerianus the Roman Emperour after he had reigned fifteen years commenced a War against Sapores King of Persia of which such was the unfortunate success That the Emperour was not only overthrown but also was brought alive into the hands of his Enemy Sapores carried him about with him in chains as a common Slave and joining derision to his adversity he made him his Footstool for as oft as he mounted his Horse he caused the miserable Emperour to bow down that he might tread upon his back for his more commodious ascent into the Saddle and after to be flead alive 19. Bajazet King of the Turks for his fierceness was sirnamed Gilderun that is Lightning a Prince of great Spirit and who for ten years space had been exceeding fortunate in his great Enterprises This great Monarch was invaded by Tamerlane the great Chan of Tartary overthrown in the Battel his Son Mustapha slain and he himself made Prisoner At the first the Victor gave him a civil reception and sitting together he thus said to him O Chan we are each of us exceedingly indebted to the Divine bounty I that thus lame have received thence an Empire extending from the Borders of India to Sebaste and thou who from the same hand hast another reaching from the same Sebaste to the Confines of Hungary so that we almost part the World it self betwixt us we owe therefore our praises to Heaven which I both have and will always be ready to render accordingly thou possibly hast been less mindful and of a more ungrateful disposition and therefore thou art brought into this calamity But let that pass and now my Chan tell me freely and truly what thou wouldst have done with me in case I had fallen under thy power Bajazet who was of a â—ierce and â—aughty Spirit is said thus to reply Had the Gods given unto me the Victory I would have inclosed thee in an â—ron Cage and carried thee about with me as a spectacle of derision to all men Tamerlane hearing this passed the same Sentence upon him three years almost the miserable Creature lived inclosed in this manner at last hearing he must be carried into Tartary despairing then to obtain his freedom he struck his head with that violence against the bars of his Cage that he beat his brains out 20. Iugurtha was a great and powerful King of Numidia had long withstood all the power of the Roman Arms but at last was taken by C. Marius and led in Triumph wherewith he was so affected that he began to dote and turn foolish After the Triumph was ended he was thrust into prison and when some had tore off his cloaths and shirt others snatched at the rich Ear-ring he had with that insolence and violence that they tore off together with it the tip of his ear that it hung by At last thus naked he was thrust into a Dungeon all stupid discovering his teeth as one betwixt grinning and laughing Iupiter said he how cold is your Bath There he lived six days till he was starved to death in a miserable manner 21. Never was there a more notable example of the vanity and inconstancy of all earthly things than in the Earl of Morton An. 1581. who was Regent of Scotland in the Minority of our King Iames and was reverenced of all men feared as a King abounding in wealth honour and multitude of friends and followers whereas not long after he was forsaken of all and made the very scorn of all men and being by the malice of his adversaries accused condemned and executed at Edenburgh had his Corps left on the Scaffold from the hour of Execution to Sun-setting covered with a beggerly Cloak every man fearing to shew any kindness or so much as to express a sign of sorrow His Corps was afterwards carried by some base Fellows to the common place of Burial and his Head fixed on the Toll-booth 22. Belisarius a noble and famous General under the Emperour Iustinian having with great success fought many Battels against the Persians Goths and Vandals in his old age by the malice and cruelty of the Empress had his eyes put out and fell into such extreme want that he was forced to beg by the Higy-way side Date obolum Belisario Give a half-penny to poor Belisarius whom vertue raised and envy hath thus made blind 23. King William the Second on the morrow after Lammas-day hunting in the New Forest of Hampshire in a place called Chorengham was unhappily slain in the midst of his sport For Sir Walter Tyrel shooting at a Deer his Arrow glanced upon a tree and hit the King full in the breast who hastily taking hold of so much of the Arrow as stuck out of his body brake it off and with one only groan fell down and dyed Whereupon the Knight and most of the Kings Followers hasted away and those few that remained laid his body in a Colliers Cart which being drawn by one silly lean beast in a foul and filthy way the Cart broke where lay the spectacle of worldly glory both pitifully goared and filthily bemired till thus drawn into the City of Winchester on the morrow after his death he was buried under a plain Marble stone 24. King Edward II. sirnamed Carnarvan being deprived of his Royal Crown and Dignity remained with Henry Earl of Leicester his Kinsman but the Queen suspecting his escape wrought so with her Son King Edward the Third that by his commandment the King was delivered thence into the hands of Thomas of Gurney and Iohn Maltravers Knights who brought him from Kenelworth to the Castle of Corffe from thence to Bristol
a Maid at Collen who at three years of age would search about the walls of the house hunting for Spiders which she would not only eat but delighted in that feeding and yet continued in good habit of body thereby 10. The Ethiopians that dwell near unto the River Hydaspis do familiarly feed upon Serpents and Scorpions without any harm by such food which certainly proceeds from no other thing than a secret and wonderful constitution of the body saith Mercurialiâ— 11. Rondeletius an excellent Physician and Regius Professor at the University of Montpeâ—er saith he saw a Spaniard in a very hot season who swallowed down half an ounce of Opium without discernible alteration in him 12. Scaliger tells of the King of Cambaia's son that he was fed with poyson from his infancy and that although himself continued in health yet at last his flesh became so venemous that the flies and such insects as sucked any of his blood swelled and dyed his very breath was dangerous to those that spake with him and those women whom he used for his lust were never the subjects of a second dalliance but passed from his bed to their burial 13. Aristotle relates it of a Girl who began by little and little to be nourished by poysons and that at last custom passed into nature for she was as well fed and nourished by those poysonous things as by any other kind of common food He adds further that the heart of this Girl had but little heat in it and the passages very small so that by the strength of the digestive faculty the poyson was exceedingly changed and altered before it could reach to the heart The Girl her self through this her education became so poysonous that with her spittle or any other moisture which came from her she would kill such as came near her as also they who had to do with her dyed immediately 14. Avicenna writes that in his time there lived a man whom all poysonous things would flye from if any of them had accidentally bitten him they all dyed forthwith while he himself received no hurt by them At last there set upon him a larger sort of Serpent which having bitten him the man was cast into a Feaver for two days but the Serpent dyed presently upon it 15. Sabinus was Bishop of Canusium he was far gone in years and blind but famous for the gift of Prophecy which he was known to have His Archdeacon thinking he lived too long and hoping for the Bishoprick after his decease had a wicked design upon his life and to that purpose had dealt with his Butler to mix some poyson with the Bishops drink and to give it him when he called for it The Butler had consented and brought the cup accordingly when the Old man refused to receive it at his hand saying withal Do you drink off that which you now offer to me to drink of The Butler in fear of that just punishment which he had merited by his treachery was about to drink off the poysonous cup when Sabinus hindred him and withal Go said he to the Author of this Treason and tell him from me that I will drink up this poysonous draught but for all that he shall never enjoy the Bishoprick Sabinus drank it all off and received no hurt thereby but the Archdeacon dyed the same hour though he had tasted of no poyson CHAP. XXXV Of such as have been happily cured of divers very dangerous diseases and wounds c. PHysicians amongst the Indians were of that honour that excepting only their Brachmanni they had no sort of men whom they received with equal veneration and reverence They deservedly accounted that a noble study that was conversant about the preservation of the body of man in its due soundness of constitution and health The frailty of it they knew was assaultable by a thousand accidents to meet with which no acquirable wisdom and experience can be thought too much in them who have taken upon them so worthy a profession and thereupon they suited the honour to the difficulty of the employment wherein some have happily succeeded though to some Patients chance hath proved the best Physician 1. Sebastianus King of Portugal passing from Conimbrica to Lisbon was received in his way at a Sea-Port-Town with all possible expressions of joy the streets were clean swept and strowed with sweet flowers every house breathed out sweet odours from the precious Spices and Gums burnt therein a numerous multitude filled the streets to behold the King as he passed attended with Troops of Lords and Ladies amongst the rest that came to gaze was a poor Fisher-man who had grown old upon the Sea who was no sooner in the street but he grew giddy and as one that was Planet-struck fell down and as the King passed was carried in a swound to a house near at hand two Physicians were sent to attend him who supposed he was taken with an Apoplexy but finding no success left him for dead Three days after the King returned inquired of his condition and being informed sent Thomas à Veiga to him a most excellent Physician he first inquires of the life and profession of the man and being instructed therein he perswaded himself that the sweet Perfumes whereunto he had been unaccustomed had given the occasion of his distemper he caused him to be carried to the Sea-side and to be covered with Sedge Sea-weeds and Mud here the man taking in the scent and air he had been used to after four hours opened his eyes began to know them that were about him and after a days time was perfectly well as before Such is the extraordinary force of custom 2. An. 1602. I saw at Prague a Bohemian Rustick named Matthew he was aged about thirty six this man for two years together with a strange and unheard of dexterity in his throat used often in the company of such as sate drinking to take an iron Knife of the usual bigness with a haft of horn and this after the manner of a Jugler he would put down his throat and drink a good draught of Ale after it the price of his bold attempt But he could recover it at his pleasure and with a singular Art take it by the point and draw it out But by I know not what misfortune the day after Easter of the same year he swallowed the same Knife so far that it descended into his very stomach and by no artifice of his could be drawn back any more He was half dead through the apprehension of death that would undoubtedly follow but after he had retained the Knife in manner aforesaid for the space of seven weeks and two days entire by the use and means of attractive Plaisters made up with Loadstone and other things the Knife-point by a natural impulse began to make its way out near to the orifice of the stomach which perceived the Patient though many disswaded him because
they write of him that he was never seen to have laughed in his whole life before and thereupon had the sirname of Agelastus 9. Artaxerxes King of Persia receiv'd the banished Themistocles with great humanity and though he had done him so much mischief was so overjoyed that he was come to his Court that he congratulated his own good fortune with his Friends he sacrific'd to the Gods afterwards made a Royal Feast and for extreme joy in the night and in his sleep he was heard to cry out thrice I have Themistocles the Athenian 10. Zeuxis Heracleotes the most excellent Painter of his age had drawn out in colours upon a Tablet an old woman which he had express'd to the life when he had finished the piece he set himself to consider of his work as 't is usual for Artists to do he was delighted with that ridiculous aspect which he had fram'd and while he intentively viewed that short dry toothless bloodless thing with hollow eyes hanging cheeks her chin bearing out and her mouth bending inwards her Nose fallen and flowing at the end of it he fell into a sudden laughter and that so violent that his breath failing he died upon the place 11. Diagoras the Rhodian had three young men to his Sons all which he saw victorious in several masteries at the Olympick Games in one and the same day and publickly crown'd his Sons came and embraced their aged Father and each of them placed his wreath upon his head at all which the old man was so overjoyed that overcome with an excess of delight he sank down in theiir Arms and died Ptolomaeus Philometor had overcome Alexander King of Syria in Battel but withal himself was so grievously woâ—nded in that Fight that for four days together he lay without any manner of sense when he was come to himself he was presented with the head of Alexander sent him by Zabdiâ—l the Arabian which when he had looked upon with a great deal of Joy he himself immediately expired 13. Sophocles the Son of Theophilus a Tragick Poet died at ninety years of age after he had obtain'd nineteen Victories They say that when he acted his last Tragedy and had gain'd the Palm he was seis'd with so extraordinary a joy that he died in the midst of the congratulations of his Friends 14. Pope Leo the Tenth being certainly inform'd that Millain was recovered and the French ejected through over-much joy at the news he fell into a Fever and died of it 15. Anno 825 upon the death of the Duke of Spoleto Lotharius the Emperour put Adelardus Count of the Palace in his stead and whereas he died of a Fever within five months after his arrival it pleased the Emperour to confer that Dignity upon Mauringus Earl of Brixia who was then famous for his Justice the Earl was no sooner certified of his new Dignity but that he took his Bed and by his over-much joy prevented the honour that was intended him for he died within a few days 16. Chilon the Lacedemonian and the same who was reputed one of the seven wise men of Greece died at Pisa saith Hermippus embracing a Son of his that was newly return'd victorious from the Olympick Games 17. Philippides a Comick Poet in Athens being arrived to a great age when in the contest and trial of Poets he beyond all his hope had the victory adjudged to him not able to bear that great joy it excited in him he suddenly fell down and died 18. M. Iuventius Thalna Colleague of Tiberius Gracchus the Consul being sacrificing in Corsica which he had newly subdued and subjected he there received Letters from Rome that the Senate had decreed him supplications he read these Letters with great intentness and a mist coming before his eyes he fell down to the ground stark dead before the fire as he sate Now what can we think but that he died with an excess of joy See here a man fit to be trusted with the raising of Numantia or Carthage 19. When the Romans were overcome by Hannibal at the Battel of Thrasymene and that the news of that calamity was brought to Rome the anxious and solicitous multitude â—locked to the Gates as well men as women to hear what became of their Friends various were the affections of enquirers according as they were certified of the life or death of their Relations but both the sorrow and joy of the women exceeded that of the men Here it was that one woman meeting at the Gate with her Son in safety whom she had given up for dead died in his Arms as she embrac'd him Another hearing though falsly that her Son was slain kept her self within doors in great sorrow and perplexity when unexpectedly she saw him come in this first sight of him made her joys swell up to that height as to over-top life it self for she fell down and died 20. Polycrite was an honourable Lady of the Island of Maxos when her City was besieged by the Ethreans and menaced with all the calamities might be expected from a Siege she was entreated by the prime men thereof to undertake an Embassage for the pacifying of troubles which she willingly did and being one of the most beautiful women of her time and a very good speaker she had so much power upon the Prince Diognetes the General in this Siege that she disposed his heart to what she pleased in such sort that going forth in the fear and confusion of all the people she return'd with peace and assurance of quiet This made them all to come out to receive her at the City Gates with loud acclamations some throwing Flowers others Garlands and all rendring thanks to her as their Sovereign Preserveress She apprehended so much joy therewith that in the very instant she expired in her honours at the City Gate and instead of being carried to the Throne was brought to her Tomb with the infinite sorrow of all her Country 21. Cardanus in his fifth Book of Wisdom gives an instance of the danger of this passion when it exceeds its due bounds in a Smith of Millain a Fellow Citizen of his one Galeus de Rubeis who being highly commended for refinding of an instrument called the Coclea heretofore made use of by Archimedes out of extreme joy ran mad 22. Wolfius relates of a Country Fellow called Brunsellius who being by chance at a Sermon saw a woman fall off from a Form half asleep at which object most of the company laughed but he for his part was so much moved that for three whole days after he did nothing but laugh by which means he was much weakened and continued in an infirm state of body for a long time after 23. Archidamus the Spartan King being victorious as soon as he had erected a Trophy he immediately sent home Demoteles to certifie the greatness of the victory in which though
of so great a number of Ships as he thought might ply thereabouts 6. The melancholy Searchers after the Philosophers Stone never dote so much upon their project as then when it hath deluded them and never slatter themselves with stronger hopes to be enriched by their art than when it hath brought them unto Beggary CHAP. XVI Of the Scoffing aâ—d Scornful Dispositions of some men and how they have been rewarded AT Boghar a City of the Zagathian Tartars there is a River which causeth to them that drink thereof a Worm in the Leg which if not pulled out or pared away procures a certain death to him that hath it The intemperate use of the Tongue though it be but a little member hath been and ever will be the occasion of drawing down danger and death upon the heads of inconsiderate persons Some men dig their Graves with their tongues as effectually as others do with their Teeth and which is worst of all not only their own but others also while the petulant speeches and provocations of one man have involved thousands in a destiny as undeserved as unexpected 1. King William the First of England when he was in years was very corpulent and by that means much distempered in his body Once he had retired himself to Roan in Normandy upon that occasion the French King hearing of his Sickness scoffingly said That he lay in Child-bed of his great Belly which so incensed King William that he swore by God's Resurrection and his Brightness his usual Oath that as soon as he should be Churched of that Child he would offer a thousand Lights in France And indeed he performed it for he entred France in Arms and set many Towns and Corn Fields in fire 2. Henry the Fifth King of England had sent his Embassadours to France to demand the surrender of that Crown and to signifie that if he was denied he would endeavour to regain it by Fire and Sword It 's said that about that time the Dauphin who in the King of France's sickness managed the State sent to King Henry a Tun of Tennis Balls in derision of this youth as fitter to play with them than to manage Arms which King Henry took in such scorn that he promised with an Oath it should not be long ere he would toss such Iron Balls amongst them that the best in France should not be able to hold a Racket to return them Nor was he worse than his word as the Histories of that time do manifest at large 3. Antigonus a potent King of Macedonia had lost one of his eyes it fell out on a time that Theocritus the Chian was by some dragged along that he might come before the King his Friends to comfort him told him that no doubt but he would experience the King's clemency and mercy as soon as he should come before his eyes What then said he you tell me it is impossible I should be saved alluding to the King's misfortune Antigonus being informed of this his bitter as well as unseasonable scoff caused him to be slain although he had before sworn he would spare him 4. Narses the Eunuch was of the Bed-chamber to Iustinus the Emperour and from a Seller of Paper and Books arrived to the honour to succeed the famous Belisarius in the place of Generalissimo after he had renowned himself by a thousand gallant actions at last whether through envy or his ill fortune or the accusation of the people he fell into the hatred of the Emperour Iustinus and his Empress insomuch that the Emperour sent him Letters full of disgrace and reproach advising him also therein that he should return to the Spindle and Distaff Narses was so incensed hereat that he swore he would weave them such a Web as that they should not easily undo again and thereupon to revenge the injury he conceived to be done him he called in the Lombards to the invasion of the Roman Territories which they had been long desirous of but had hitherto been restrain'd by himself and was the occasion of many miseries 5. When the Flemmings revolted from Philip de Valois they out of derision called him the found King and advanc'd a great Cock on their principal Standard the device whereof was that when he should crow the found King should enter into their City This so exasperated the great courage of Philip that he waged them war gave them Battel and defeated them with such fury that Froysard assureth us that of a huge Army of Rebels there was not one left who became not a Victime of his vengeance 6. When Romulus had set up some part of the Walls of Rome his Brother Remus in derision of his Brother's Works and the lowness of those his Fortifications leaped over them whereat Romulus was so incensed that he made his life the price of that which he supposed so great an insolence 9. P. Scipio Nasica the same who being Consul decreed a war against Iugurth who with most holy hands received Mother Idaea passing from the Phrygian Seats to our Altars who oppressed both many and pestilent Seditions with the strength of his authority who for divers years was the Prince of the Senate this man when he was young was a petitioner for the office of the Edileship and as the manner of the Candidates is griping the hand of one who had hardened it with labour in the Country he jestingly asked him if he was accustomed to walk upon his Feet this scoff being heard by them that stood near was carried amongst the people and was the cause of Scipio's repulse for all the Rural Tribes judging they were upbraided with poverty by him discharged their anger upon him in refusing to give him their Votes 8. Tigranes King of Armenia came against Lucullus with so great Forces that when he saw the Romans marching up by way of scorn and derision he said to them about him that if they came to make war they were to few if as Embassadors they were to many yet those few Romans so distressed him and his numerous Army that he was glad to cut off his Tiara and cast it away lest thereby he should be known in his flight it was found by a Soldier and brought to Lucullus who soon after took Tigranocerâ—a it self from him 9. Monica afterwards the Mother of S. Augustin in her younger years began by degrees to sip and drink Wine lesser draughts by wedges widening her Throat for greater till at last she could fetch off her whole ones Now it happened that a young Maid formerly her partner in potting fell at variance with her and as malice when she shoots draws her Arrow to the head called her Toss-pot and Drunkard whereupon Monica reform'd her self and turn'd temperate Thus bitter Taunts and Scoffs sometimes make wholesome Physick and the malice of Enemies performs the office of good will 10. A Roman Legate returning out of Asia was carried in his
Frescobald would have refused but the other forced them upon him This done he caused him to give him the names of all his debtors and the sums they owed The Schedule he delivered to one of his Servants with charge to search out the men if within any part of the Realm and straitly to charge them to make payment within fifteen days or else to abide the hazard of his displeasure The Servant so well performed the command of his Master that in very short time the whole Sum was paid in During all this time Frescobald lodged in the Lord Chancellors house who gave him the entertainment he deserved and oftentimes moved him to abide in England offering him the Loan of sixty thousand Ducats for the space oâ— four years if he would continue and make his bank at London But he desiâ—ed to return into his own Country which he did with the great favour oâ— the Lord Cromwel and there richly arrived but he enjoyed his wealth but a small time for in the first year of his return he dyed 13. Franciscus Dandalus was sent Embassador from the Venetians to Pope Clement into France wheâ—e he then was to deprecate his anger and to take off the publick ignominy which he was resolved to â—xpose them to long did he lye in Chains prostrate at the Popes Table in mourning and great humility beâ—ore he could any way appease that indignation which the Pope had conceived against his People at the last he returned well acquit of his chaâ—â—e when such was the gratitude of his fellow Citizens that by a mighty and universal consent they elected him Duke of Venice that he who but laâ—â—ly had been in such despicable state for his Couâ—triâ—s sake might now be beheld as conspicuous on the other side in Gold and Purple 14. Antonius Muâ—a was Physician to Augustus Caesar and being one time delivered by him from a disâ—ase that was believed would prove deadly to him the people of Rome were so joyed with the unexpected recovery of their Prince that to express their gratitude to his Physician they passed a decree that his Statue should be erected and placed next unto that of Aesculapius 15. Hippocrates the Physician perceiving the Plague from Illyricum to begin to grow upon the parts adjacent sent some of his Scholars into divers Cities of Greece to assist and to administer to such as were seised with it upon which in token of their gratitude they decreed to him the same honour which they had had used to give to Hercules 16. Iunius Brutus did notably revenge the Rape done upon Lucretia by one of the Tarquins with the expulsion of them all and delivering Rome from the bondage of their Tyranny when therefore this grand Patron of Feminine Chastity was dead the Roman Matrons lamented the death of him in mourning for a year entire 17. A War was commenced betwixt the Athenians and the Dorians these last consulting the Oracle were told they should carry the victory unless they killed the King of the Athenians they there fore gave charge to their Soldiers concerning the safety of the King Codrus was at that time King of the Athenians who having understood the answer of the Oraâ—le in Love to his Country he disguised himself in mean Apparel and entred the enemies Camp with a sythe upon his Shoulder with this he wounded one of the Soldiers by whom he was immediately slain The body of the King being known the Dorians departed without fighting and the Athenians in gratitude to their Prince who had devoted his life for the common safety would never after suffer themselves to be ruled by a King doing their departed Prince this honour that they declared they thought no man worthy to succeed him CHAP. XXI Of the Meekness Humanity Clemency and Mercy of some Men. THe abundant Trade pleasant Scituation and other considerable advantages did occasion one to say of Ormus a City in Persia. Si Terrarum Orbis quaqua patet annulus esset Illius Ormusium gemma decusque foret If all the World were made into a Ring Ormus the Gemm and grace thereof should bring And were I to set the Crown upon some one particular virtue amongst all those that have been conspicuous in man I know none that I should be more prone to favour than that of mercy and I must confess I was well pleased when I read what followeth 1. Photius the learned Patriarch of Constantinople observeth in his Bibliotheke a wonderful judgment given in the City of Athens He saith the Senate of the Areopagites being assembled together in a Mountain without any Roof but Heaven the Senators perceived a Bird of prey which pursued a little Sparrow that came to save it self in the bosom of one of their Company This man who naturally was harsh threw it from him so roughly that he killed it whereat the Court was offended and a decree was made by which he was condemned and banished from the Senate Where the Judicious observe that this company which was at that time one of the gravest in the world did it not for the care they had to make a law concerning Sparrows but it was to shew that clemency and merciful inclination was a virtue so necessary in a State that a man destitute of it was not worthy to hold any place in Government he having as it were renounced humanity 2. Agesilaus the Spartan was of that humanity and clemency towards those whom he had overcome in Battel that he often gave publick admonitions to his Soldiers that they should not treat their Prisoners with insolence but should consider that those who were thus subdued and reduced to this condition were men and when any of these at the removal of his Camp were left behind by his Soldiers as unable to follow through sickness or age he took care to order some persons to receive and take care of them lest being destitute of all assistance they should perish with hunger or become a prey to the wild Beasts 3. Titus Vespasian the Emperour was deservedly called the Darling of Mankind he professed that he thereupon took upon him the supreme Pontisicate that in so high a Priesthood he might be obliged to keep his hands pure from the blood of all men which he also performed and saith Suetonius from that time forth he never was the Author of or consenting to the death of any man although sometimes there were offered him just causes of revenge but he still used to say he had rather perish himself than be the ruine of another When two Patricians stood convicted of high Treason and affectation of the Empire he thought it sufficient to admonish them in words to desist such designs that Princes were ordained by sate that if they would any other thing of him they might ask it and have it Soon after the Mother of one of them living far off lest she should be aâ—â—righted with some sad news he sent
Clime temperate as scituate under the Aequator Here making advantage of the difference betwixt two Kings contending with each other having strengthned himself but especially by the terrour of his Guns and Horses he overcame Montezuma the most potent of all the Kings made himself Master of the great City Temistitana and took possession of that rich and fertile Country in the Name of his Master But long he did not enjoy it for the same of these great actions drew the envy of the Court upon him so that he was sent for back having as a reward of his virtue received the Town of Vallium from Charles the Emperour to him and his Posterity for ever He afterwards followed Caesar in his African Expedition to Algier where he lost his precious Furniture by Shipwrack Of a mean mans Son of the poor Town of Medelinum Caesar raised him to the degree of a Noble-man some few years after which he dyed at home not as yet aged 5. Sir Francis Drake was born nigh South Tavestock in Devonshire and brought up in Kent being the Son of a Minister who fled into Kent for fear of the six Articles and bound his Son to the Master of a small Bark which traded into France and Zealand his Master dying unmarried bequeathed his Bark to him which he sold and put himself into farther employment at first with Sir Iohn Hawkins afterwards upon his own account Anno 1577. upon the thirteenth of December with a fleet of five Ships and Barks and one hundred seventy four men Gentlemen and Saylers he began that famous Navigation of his wherein he sayled round about the world with great vicissitude of Fortune he finished that Voyage arriving in England November the third 1580. the third year of his setting out having in the whole Voyage though a curious searcher after the time lost one day through the variation of several climates He feasted the Queen in his Ship at Dartford who Knighted him for his service being the first that had accomplished so great a design He is therefore said to have given for his device a Globe with this Motto Tu primus circumdedisti me Thou first didst Sayl round me A Poet then living directed to him this Epigram Drake pererrati novit quem terminus Orbis Quemque simul Mundi vidit uterque Polus Si Taceant homines facient te sydera notum Sol nescit comitis non memor esse sui Drake whom th'encompast Earth so fully knew And whom at once both Poles of Heav'n did view Should Men forget thee Sol could not forbear To Chronicle his fellow Travailer 6. Sebastian Cabot a Venetian rigged up two Ships at the cost of Henry the seventh King of England Anno 1496. intending to the Land of Cathai and from thence to turn towards India to this purpose he aimed at a passage by the Northwest but after certain dayes he found the Land ran towards the North he followed the Continent to the fifty sixth degree under our Pole and there finding the Coast to turn towards the East and the Sea covered with Ice he turned back again sayling down by the Coast of that Land towards the Aequinoctial which he called Baccalaos from the number of fishes found in that Sea like Tunnies which the Inhabitants call Baccalaos Afterwards he sayled along the Coast unto thirty eight degrees and provisions failing he returned into England was made Grand Pilot of England by King Edward the sixth with the allowance of a large pension of one hundred sixty six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence during life 7. Mr. Thomas Candish of Trimley in the County of Suffolk Esquire departed out of Plimouth Thursday the twenty first of Iuly 1586. with the Desire a Ship of one hundred and twenty Tun the Content of sixty Tun and the Hugh-gallant a Bark of forty Tun with one hundred twenty three Persons of all sorts with these he made an admirable and successful Voyage into the South Sea and from thence about the circumference of the whole Earth and the ninth of September 1588. after a terrible Tempest which carried away most part of their Sayls they recovered their long wished for Port of Plimouth in England whence they set forth in the beginning of their Voyage CHAP. VII Of the Eloquence of some men and the wonderful power of perswasion that hath been in their Speeches and Orations AMongst the Heathen Mercury was accounted the God of Eloquence and with the rest of his Furniture they allotted him a Rod or Wand by virtue of which he had the power of conducting some souls to Hell and â—reeing others from thence By which they would signifie that the power of Eloquence is such as it frees from death such as the Hangman waited for and as often exposes innocence to the utmost severity of the Law See something of the force of it in the following Examples 1. Hegesias a Cyrenean Philosopher and Oratour did so lively represent the miseries of humane life in his Orations and fixed the Images of them so deep in the minds and hearts of his Auditors that many of them sought their freedom thence by a voluntary death Insomuch that King Ptolomaeus was enforced to send him a command that he should forbear to make any publick Orations upon that Subject for the future 2. Pericles the Athenian was said to thunder and lighten and to carry a dreadful thunderbolt in his tongue by reason of his Eloquence Thucydides the Milesian one of the Nobles and long his enemy in respect of State matters being asked by Archidamus the Spartan King which was the best Wrastler of Pericles or him As soon saith he as wrastling with him I have cast him to the ground he denies it and perswades that he had not the fall and withall so efficaciously that he makes all the Spectators to believe it Whensoever Pericles was to make an Oration he was very solicitous in the composure of it and whensoever he was to speak in any cause he ever used â—irst to pray to the gods that no single word might fall from his lips which was not agreeable to the present matter in hand 3. Many were famous amongst the Romans for Eloquence but this was never an hereditary priviledge save only in the family of the Curio's in which there were three Oratours in immediate succession to each other 4. Iohn Tiptoft Earl of Worcester was bred in Baliol Colledge he was the â—irst English person of honour that graced Learning with the study thereof in the dayes of King Edward the fourth both at home and in foreign Universities He made so eloquent an Oration in the Vatican in the presence of Pope Pius the second one of the least bad and most learned of his Order that his Holiness was divided betwixt weeping and wondring thereat 5. Demades was the Son of Demaeas a Mariner and from a Porter betook himself to the Commonwealth in the City of Athens all men