own time and King Canutus the sixth almost to the year of Christ 1200. but more like a Poet than Historian commonly also omitting an account of the time 30. Conradus Abbot of Vrsperga a Monastery in Suevia as worthy of reading as any of the German Writers hath described the Affairs of Germany beginning two hundred years after the Flood and carrying on his relation to the twentieth year of Frederick the second that is Anno Dom. 1230. 31. Iohannes Aventinus wrote the Annals of the Boii and memorable matters of the Germans in seven Books beginning from the Flood and continuing his History to Ann. 1460. 32. Iohannes Nauclerus born not far from Tubinga hath an intire Chronicon from the beginning of the World to his own time and the year of our Lord 1500. in two Volums 33. Albertus Crantzius hath brought down the History of the Saxons Vandals and the Northern Kingdoms of Denmark Sweden Gothland and Norway to Ann. 1504. 34. Iohannes Sleidanus hath faithfully and plainly written the History of Luther especially and the contests about matters of Religion in the Empire of Germany the Election and Affairs of Charles the fifth Emperour and other of divers of the Kings of Europe from Anno Dom. 1517. to Ann. 1556. 35. Philippus Comineus wrote five Books of the Expedition of Charles the eighth into Italy and Naples and eight Books of the Acts of Lâ—wis the eleventh and Charles Duke of Burgundy worthy to be read of the greatest Princes 36. Froisardus wrote the sharp Wars betwixt the French and English from Anno 1335. to Ann. 1400. 37. Hiâ—ronymus Osorius wrote the Navigation of the Portugals round Africa into India and the Acts of Emanuel King of Portugal from Anno 1497. to his death in twelve Books 38. Antonius Bonfinius in four Decades and an half hath wrote the History of the Hungarian Kings to the death of Matthias the son of Huniades and the beginning of the Reign of Vladislaus 39. Polydor Virgil hath wrote the History of England in twenty six Books to the death of Henry the seventh 40. Iustinus flourished Anno Christi 150. and wrote a compendious History of most Nations from Ninus the Assyrian King to the twenty fifth year of Augustus compiled out of forty four Books of Trogus Pompeius a Roman Ecclesiastical Writers I have here no room for but am content to have traced thus far the steps of David Chytraeus in his Chronology whose help I have had in the setting down of this Catalogue CHAP. IX Of the most famous and ancient Greek and Latin Poets THE Reader hath here a short account of some of the most eminent of Apollo's old Courtiers as they succeeded one another in the favour of the Muses not but that those bright Ladies have been I was about to say equally propitious to others in after-times nor is it that we have given these only a place here as if our own Land were barren of such Worthies Our famous Spencer if he was not equal to any was superiour to most of them of whom Mr. Brown thus He sung th' Heroick Knights of Fairy Land In lines so elegant and such command That had the Thracian plaid but half so well He had not left Eurydice in Hell But it is fit we allow a due reverence to Antiquity at least be so ingenuous as to acknowledge at whose Torches we have lighted our own The first of these Lights 1. Orpheus was born in Libethris a City of Thrace the most ancient of all Poets he wrote the Expedition of the Argonauts into Colchis in Greek Verse at which he was also present this Work of his is yet extant together with his Hymns and a Book of Stones The Poets make him to be the Prince of the Lyricks of whom Horace in his Book De Arte Poeticâ Sylvestres homines sacer interpresque deorum Caedibus foedo victu deterruit Orpheus Dictus ob hoc lenire Tygres rabidosque leones His Father was Oeagrus his Mother Caliopea and his Master was Linus a Poet and Philosopher Orpheus is said to have flourished Anno Mundi 2737. Vid. Quenstedt Dial. de Patr. vir illustr p. 453. Voss. de Nat. Constit. artis Poet. cap. 13. sect 3. p. 78. Patrit de Instit. reipub l. 2. tâ— 6. p. 83. 2. Homerus the Prince of Poets born at Colophon as Cluverius doubts not to affirm but more Cities besides that strove for the honour according to that in Gellius Septem urbes certant de stirpe illustris Homeri Smyrna Rhodos Colophon Salamis Ios Argos Athenae Many are the Encomiums he hath found amongst learned men as The Captain of Philosophy The first Parent of Antiquity and Learning of all sorts The original of all rich Invention The Fountain of the more abstruse Wisdom and the father of all other Poets à quo cen fonte perenni Vatum Pieriis ora rigantur aquis Of him this is part of Quintilians Charaâ—ter In great things no man excelled him in sublimity nor in small matters in propriety In whom saith Paterculus this is an especial thing that before him there was none whom he could imitate and after him none is found that is able to imitate him He flourished Anno Mund. 3000. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 483. Gell. Noct. Attic. lib. 3. cap. 11. p. 104. Quintil. instit orator lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. 3. Hesiodus was born at Cuma a City in Aeolia bred up at Ascra a Town in Boeotia a Poet of a most elegant genius memorable for the soft sweetness of his Verse called the son of the Muses by Lipsius the purest Writer and whose labours contain the best Precepts of Vertue saith Heinsuis Some think he was contemporary with Homer others that he lived an hundred years after him I find him said to flourish Anno Mundi 3140. Vid. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. Vell. Pâ—tercul hist. lib. 1. ...... Voss. de Poet. Graec. cap. 2. p. 9. Quenstedt dial p. 478. 4. Alcaeus a famous Lyrick Poet was born in the Isle of Lesbos in the City of Miâ—ylene whence now the whole Isle hath its name what Verses of his are left are set forth by Henricus Stephanus with those of the rest of the Lyricks Quintilian saith of him That he is short and magnificent in his way of speaking diligent and for the most part like Homer he flourished Olymp. 45. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 433. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 468. 5. Sappho an excellent Poetress was born in the Isle of Lesbos and in the City of Eraesus there she was called the ninth Lyrick and the tenth Muse she wrote Epigrams Elegies Iamâ—icks Monodies and nine Books of Lyrick Verses and was the Invetress of that kind of Verse which from her is called the Sapphick she attained to no small applause in her contention first with Stesichorus and then with Alcaeus she is said to flourish about the 46 Olympiad Voss. Instâ—t Poet. lib. 3. cap. 15. p.
day of his Nativity which was the 13 th of the Calends of May. 13. The Emperour Charles the Fifth was born on the day of Matthias the Apostle on which day also in the course of his Life was King Francis taken by him in battel and the Victory likewise won at Biccoque he was also Elected and Crowned Emperour on the same day and many other great Fortunes befel him still on that day 14. M. Ofilius Hilarus an Actor of Comedies after he had highly pleas'd the people upon his birth-day kept a Feast at home in his own house and when Supper was set forth upon the Table he call'd for a mess of hot broth to sup off and withal casting his eye upon the Visor he had worn that day in the play he fitted it again to his face and taking off the Garland which he wore upon his bare head he set it thereupon in this posture disguized as he sat he was stark dead and cold too before any person in the company perceived any such thing 15. Augustus Caesar had certain Anniversary sicknesses and such as did return at a stated and certain time he commonly languished about the time of his birth-day which was the ninth of the Calends of October a little before Sun-rise M. Tullius Cicero and Antonius being Consuls 16. On the contrary the birth-days of some Men have been very fortunate to them as was that of the great Captain Timoleon general of the Syracusans who obtained for them the chiefest of his Victories upon the day of his birth which thereupon was annually and Universally celebrated by the Syracusans as a day of good and happy fortune to them 17. It is said of Iulius Caesar that he had often found the Ides of Iuly to be very happy and auspicious to him at which time he was also born 18. King Philip of Macedon us'd to celebrate the day of his birth with extraordinary joy as the most favourable and fortunate to him of all other for once upon that day he had a triplicity of good tydings that he was Victor in the Chariot race in the Olympicks that Parmenio his General had gain'd a most important victory and that the Queen Olympias was delivered of his Son Alexander 19. Ophioneus was one amongst the Messenians had the gift of Prophecy and Pausanias says of him that immediately after his birth-day he was annually stricken with blindness nor is that less wonderful in the same person that after a vehement fit of the Head-ach he would begin to see and then presently fall from thence into his former blindness 20. It is a note worthy to be remembred that Thursday was observ'd to be a day fatal to King Henry the Eight and to all his Posterity for he himself died on Thursday the 28 th of Ianuary King Edward the Sixth on Thursday the sixth of Iuly Queen Mary on Thursday the seventeenth of November and Queen Elizabeth on Thursday the four and twentyeth of March 21. Franciscus Baudinus an Abbot a Citizen of Florence and well known in the Court of Rome died upon the Anniversary return of his birth-day which was upon the 19 th day of December he was buried in the Church of St. Silvester in Rome and it was the observation of him that made his Funeral Elegy that the number nine did four times happen remarkably in his affairs he was born on the 19 th day and died on the same being aged twenty nine and the year of our Lord being at that time 1579. 22. Wednesday is said to have been fortunate to Pope Sixtus the Fifth for on that day he was born on the same day made a Monk on that day created General of his Order on the same made Cardinal then chosen Pope and finally on the same inaugurated 23. Friday was observ'd to be very lucky to the great Captain Gensalvo on that day having given the French many notable overthrows Saturday was as fortunate to Henry the Seventh King of England CHAP. VII Of the Signatures and natural marks upon the bodies of some Men. IN Sicily there have been often digg'd up bones of a monstrous and prodigious bigness in all appearance resembling those of a humane body but whether they were the Skeletons of deceased Gyants whether bred and form'd in the Earth by some peculiar influx of the Stars and secret propriety of the Mould whether made by the Artifice of Man and there buried to beget wonder in after times or by the Devils to promote some of their malicious ends is yet variously disputed So concerning the causes of those impressions which some bodies bring upon them from the Womb and carry with them to their Graves there is not so great a clearness as not to leave us in some doubts For if the most of them are occasion'd through the strength of the Mothers imagination there have been others of so peculiar a Form so remote from being thought to leave such lively touches upon a Womans fancy so continued to the Descendants of the same Family and so agreeable with the after fortunes of the person so signed as may possibly encline unto farther enquiries Marinus Barletius reports of Scanderbeg Prince of Epirus that most terrible enemy of the Turks that from his Mothers Womb he brought with him into the World a notable mark of Warlike Glory for he had upon his right Arm a Sword so well set on as if it had been drawn with the pencil of the most curious and skilful Painter in the World 2. Among the people called the Dakes the Children usually have the Moles and Marks of them from whom they are descended imprinted upon them even to the fourth generation 3. Laodice the Wife of Antiochus dream'd that she received a Ring from Apollo with an Anchor engraven upon it Seleucus the Child that she then went with who afterwards was remarkable for his famous exploits was born with an Anchor impress'd upon his Thigh and so also his Sons and Grand-children carry'd the same mark upon the same place from the time of their birth 4. In the Race and Family of the Lepidi it is said there were three of them not successively one after another but out of order and after some intermission who had each of them when thâ—â— were born a little pannicle or thin skin growing over the eye 5. It is observ'd by Plutarch that the resemblance of the Natural properties or corporal marks of some Parents are continued in their Families for many Descents yea and sometimes not appearing in the second or third generation do nevertheless shew themselves in the fourth or fifth or others ensuing some Ages after whereof he brings an example of one in his time call'd Python who being descended of the Spartiatae the Founders of Thebes and being the last of that Race was born with the figure of a Lance upon his body which had been in former Ages a natural
mark of those of that Family and discontinued in them for many years 6. I have heard saith Camerarius when I was young and it is at this day the common report and publick Fame although I have not met with it in any Authour that the Counts of Habspurg have each of them from the Womb a golden Cross upon the back that is to say certain white hairs after a wonderful manner formed into the figure of a Cross. 7. Marcus Venetus who for forty five years travell'd up and down in the Countries of Asia reports in his Itinerary that he came into the Kingdom of the Corzani the Kings of which place though subject to the Tartarian boast themselves of a Nobility beyond that of all other Kings of of the Earth and upon this account they are born into the World with the impress of a black Eagle upon their Shoulder which continues with them to the last day of their lives 8. I have received it from the Relations of Persons worthy to be believed that the most potent King of Great Britain now reigning that was King Iames brought with him from his Mothers Womb certain Royal and those not obscure signatures for as soon as he was born there was beheld imprinted upon his body a Lyon and Crown and some also add a Sword which impressions do undoubtedly portend great things and would require a further explication 9. That is a memorable thing and worthy of observation which is set down by Abrahamus Bucholtzerus Iohn Frederick saith he Elector of Saxony the Son of Iohn was born the 30 th of Iune Anno 1503. and brought with him from his Mothers Womb an omen of his future fate For as I had it from persons of unquestionable credit he was born with a Cross of a splendid and golden colour upon his back upon the sight of which a pious and very ancient Priest was sent for by the Ladies of the Court who thereupon said This Child shall carry a Cross Conspicuous to all the World the Emblem of which is thus apparent in his birth The truth is his Mother Sophia dy'd upon the twelfth day after his birth I have noted this the rather saith the fore-cited Authour because no Man hath done it before though worthy to be transcribed to Posterity and withal because the event did declare and confirm the truth of the presage 10. A Sister of mine saith Gaffarel had the figure of a Fish upon her left Leg caus'd by the desire my Mother had to eat fish when she was great and it is represented with so much perfection and rarity that you would take it to be drawn by some excellent Master and the wonder is that when ever the Girl eat any Fish that upon her Leg puts her to a sensible pain 11. That which I now relate to the same purpose is very well known to all Paris that are curious enquirers into these things The Hostess of the Inn in the Suburbs of St. Michael at Bois de Vincenne who dy'd about two years since had a Mulberry growing upon her nether Lip which was smooth and plain all the year long till the time that Mulberries began to ripen at which time hers also began to be red and began to swell more and more observing exactly the season and nature of other Mulberries and coming at length to the just bigness and redness of other ripe Mulberries 12. A Woman in the seventh Month of her being with Child long'd to eat Rose-buds in a time when they were diâ—ficultly to be procur'd She had passed two days thus when after much search there was a bough of them found in a private Garden she greedily devour'd the green buds of two Roses and kept the rest in her bosom In the ninth month she was happily deliver'd of a fair babe upon the Ribs of which there appear'd the representations of three Roses very red upon his Forehead and on either Cheek he had also depainted three other exact resemblances of a Red Rose so that he was commonly call'd the Rosie boy 13. Octavius Augustus the Emperour was all spotted on his body his Moles being dispers'd upon his Brest and Belly in the manner order and number with the Stars of the Celestial Bear CHAP. VIII Of the strange Constitution and marvellous properties of some humane Bodies THat the original of Man's body is nothing else besides the dust of the ground is a certain and unquestionable truth Yet as out of that dust there springs such variety of Trees Plants Flowers with different Forms Colours Vertues as may reasonably solicite a considering mind to a just veneration of the Wisdom and Bounty of the Creator so though all humane bodies are fram'd of the same course materials yet some of them are endow'd with such peculiar proprieties and qualities so remov'd from the Constitution of others that Man need travel no further then himself for a sufficient theme wherein he may at once inlarge his thoughts to the praises of his Maker and admiration of his own wonderful composure Every Man is a moving miracle but there are some that may justly move the wonder of all the rest For 1. Saint Austin saith he knew a Man who could sweat of his own accord as often as he pleas'd 2. Avicenna writes of one that when he pleas'd could put himself into a Palsie nor was he hurt by any venemous creature but when he forc'd and provok'd them to it of which notwithstanding themselves would die so poysonous was his body 3. I knew one saith Maranta who was of that strange constitution of body that he was made loose by asbringent simples and on the contrary bound up by those that were of a loosening Nature 4. There are some Families of that marvellous constitution that no Serpent will hurt them but instead of that they fly their presence the spittle of these Men or their sucking the place is Medicinable to such as have been bitten or stung with them of this kind are the Psylli and Marsi those also in the Island of Cyprus whom they call Ophiogenes and of this Race and house there came one Exagon Embassadour from that Island who by the commandment of the Roman Consul was put into a great Tun or Pipe wherein were many Serpents on purpose to make experiment and tryal of the truth The issue was the Serpents lick'd his body in all parts gently with their Tongues as if they had been little dogs and he remain'd unhurt to the great wonder of them who beheld the manner of it 5. Those Men that are bred in Tentyrus an Island lying within the River Nilus are so terrible to the Crocodiles that they will not abide so much as their voice but fly from them as soon as they hear it 6. When Pyrrhus King of Epirus was dead and all the rest of his body consum'd in the Funeral Fire the great Toe of his right Foot
somewhat black and that of his left was grey 9. Olo the Son of Syward King of Norway by the Sister of Harold King of the Danes had so truculent an Aspect that what others did with Weapons that did he with his Eye upon his Enemies frighting the most valiant amongst them with the brandishes of his Eye 10. Apollonides tells that in Scythia there are a sort of Women which are call'd Bythiae that these have two sights in each Eye and that with the Eye they kill as many as they look upon when they are throughly angry 11. Theodorus Beza as was observ'd in him by those of his Family had Eyes of such a brightness that in the night time when it was dark they sent out such a light as form'd an outward Circle of it about the rounds of his Eyes 12. Mamertinus in his Panegyrick Orations saith thus of Iulian the Emperour while he warr'd upon the Barbarians Old men saith he have seen the Emperour not without astonishment pass a long life under the weight of Arms they have beheld large and frequent sweats trickle from his gallant Neck and in the midst of that horror of dust which had loaded both his Hair and Beard they saw his Eyes shining with a Star-like light 13. The Soldiers of Aquileia by a private sally set upon Attila being at that time attended with a small company they knew not then that Attila was there but they afterwards confess'd that nothing was so great a terrour to them as those fiery sparkles that seemed to break from his Eyes when he look'd upon them in the fury of the sight 14. It may seem incredible that there should be found a Nation that are born with one Eye alone And yet St. Augustine seems not to doubt of it but saith That he himself did behold such persons I was now saith he Bishop of Hippo when accompanied with certain of the Servants of Christ I went as far as Aethiopia that I might preach the holy Gospel of Christ to that people and in the lower parts of Aethiopia we saw men that had but one Eye and that placed in the midst of their Foreheads 15. Iulio de Este bad such a peculiar sweetness and alluring force in his Eyes that Cardinal Hypolito de Este his own Brother caused them to be put out because he had observed that they had been overpleasing to his Mistress 16. Maximus the Sophist a great Magician and of whom it was that Iulian the Emperour learn'd Magick at Ephesus Of this man it is reported that the Apples of his Eyes were voluble and turning and the vigor and agility of his swift and ready wit did seem to shine out of his Eyes whether he was seen or heard both ways he strangely affected such as had conversation with him while they were neither able to bear the sparkling motion of his Eyes nor the course and torrrent of his Speech so that even amongst eloquent persons and such as were improv'd by long practice and experience there was not one found that did dare to oppose him when he had conference with any of them 17. Edward the First King of England is describ'd by Polydor Virgil to be a Prince of a beautiful countenance his Eyes were inclining to black which when he was inflamed with anger would appear of a reddish colour and sparks of fire seemed to fly out of them CHAP. XVII Of the Face and Visage and admirable Beauty plac'd therein both in Men and Women THe Ancieâ—ts were so great admirers of Beauty that whereas Gorgon had such a loveliness imprinted upon her Face that she ravish'd the Eyes of her Spectators with it and made them stand as men amazed and astonished They hereupon fain'd in their Fable that she convertted Men into Stone with the sight of her The barbarous Nations had also such veneration for it that they thought no Man capable of any extraordinary action unless his person was thus digniâ—ied by Nature And further the accidental meeting of a beautiful person was held as a special passage of some future good whereas the sight of one deformed was reputed a most unlucky Omen Thus Beauty hath found its favourers amongst all sorts of persons it hath done so too in all places not excepting such as are the very Theatre of Blood and Death For 1. Parthenopaeus one of the seven Princes of the Argives was so exceeding beautiful that when he was in Battel if his Helmet was up no man would offer to hurt him or to strike at him 2. Tenidates the Eunuch was the most beautiful of all the Youth in Asia when Artaxerxes King of Persia heard that he was dead he commanded by his Edict that all Asia should mourn for him and he himself was difficultly comforted for his death 3. Antinous of Claudiopolis in Bythinia was a young Man exâ—eedingly dâ—ar to Adrian the Emperour for the perfection of his Beauty so that when he was dead the Emperour in honour of him built a Temple at Mantinea and another at Ierusalem he also built a City near the River Nilus and call'd it by his name he caus'd his Coyn too to be stamp'd with his Essigies 4. Alcibiades the Athenian was a person of incomparable Beauty and which is remarkable the loveliness of his form continued constant to him both in his Youth Manhood and Age It seldom falls out that the Autumn of a Man should remain â—lourishing as his Spring a thing which was peculiar to him with few others through the excellent temper of his constitution 5. Xerxes Army which he lead to Thermopylae against the Grecians is computed by Herodotus to amount to the number of five hundred twenty eight Myriad three thousand and twenty eight fighting men amongst all which almost incredible number of Mortals there was none found who could compare with Xerxes himself for extraordinary handsomeness in person or elevated Stature of Body nor any who in respect of Majestick port and meen seemed more worthy of that command than he 6. Dometrius Poliorcetes Son of Antigonus King of Asia was tall of Stature and of that excellent and wonderful Beauty in his Face that no Painter or Sratuary was able to express the singugar Graces of it there was Beauty and Gravity Terror And amiableness so intermingled a young and fierce Aspect was so happily confounded with an almost invincible heroick and kingly Majesty that he was the admiration of all strangers and was followed wheresoever he went on purpose to behold 7. Maximinus the younger was a most beautiful Prince In the Letter of Maximinus the Father to the Senate concerning him is thus written I have suffered my Son Maximinus to be saluted Emperour as in respect of the natural affection I bear him So also that the people of Rome and the Honourable Senate may swear they never had a more beautiful Emperour His Face had such Beauty in it that when it
was black and discolour'd with Death and slow'd with corrupt flesh yet even then there was a loveliness upon it To conclude when the Head of the Father being fastned to a Spear was carry'd about and there was a mighty rejoycing at the sight there was almost an equal sorrow at the beholding of that of the Son when it was born about in like manner 8. Conradus Son to the Emperour Frederick the Second King of Sicily and Naples was so beautiful that he was commonly call'd Absolon but of a slothful disposition and very degenerate from the Virtue of his Father 9. Frederick Duke of Austria in respect of the elegancy of his form had the sirname of the Beautiful he was made Prisoner in Battle by Lewis of Bavaria and detained for some time in safe custody being afterwards set at liberty he returned to Vienna with his Beard horridly overgrown and with a squallid Aspect who in time past excell'd all the Princes of his age in the Beauty of his Face and Lineaments of his Body 10 Maximilianus the first Emperour of that name was of a just stature a person in whom shin'd the Imperial Majesty there was no stranger but who knew him to be the Emperour amongst thirty great Princes though he had never seen him before something there was in his countenance so great and so august that serv'd to distinguish him from others 11. Spurina a young Man of Hetruria was of exquisite beauty by this means he allured the eyes of very many Illustrious Ladies though without design of his own at length finding he was suspected by their Parents and Husbands he destroy'd all the beauties of his Face by the wounds he made in it chusing rather that his deformity should be the evidence of his innocence than that any comeliness of his should incite others to unchastity 12. Abdalmuralis an Arabian the Grandfather of Mahomet so excelled in the beauty and lineaments of his face and body that all sorts of Women who beheld him fell in love with him 13. King Richard the Second was the goodliest Personage of all the Kings of England that had been since the Conquest tall of stature of straight and strong Limbs fair and amiable of Countenance and such a one as might well be the Son of a most beautiful Mother 14. Owen Tudor an Esquire of Wales after the death of Henry the Fifth married Katherine his Widow the meanness of his Estate was recompenced with the delicacy of his Personage so absolute in all the lineaments of his body that the only contemplation of it might well make the Queen forget all other circumstances 15. King Edward the Fourth saith Comines was the goodliest Personage that ever mine eyes beheld exceeding tall of stature fair of complexion and of most Princely presence When in the 14. year of his Reign a benevolence was devised towards his Wars in France amongst others a rich Widow was call'd before him whom he merrily ask'd what she would willingly give him towards his great charges By my troth quoth she for thy lovely countenance thou shalt have even twenty pounds The King looking for scarce half that sum thank'd her and lovingly kissed her which so wrought with the old Widow that she presently swore he should have twenty pounds more and paid it willingly 16. Tigranas was left by Xerxes with sixty thousand Men for the defence of Ionia and was the most commendable Person for beauty and stature of all that multitude of Persians 17. Ephestion was preferred by Alexander above all the rest of his Commanders he was of that noble Presence that when the King and he first entred the Tent of the Captive Princesses of Persia he was by them adored instead of Alexander himself 18. Queen Suavilda is said to be of that excelling beauty that when she was bound with thongs and laid on purpose to be trodden in pieces under the feet of Horses the delicacy of her Limbs was such that the Horses feared to tread upon her nor could be induced to hurt her 19. Anatis the Wife of Bagazus and Sister to Xerxes by the same Father was the most beautiful and also the most intemperate of all the Women of Asia 20. Zenobia Queen of the Palmyrenians was of singular beauty her eyes black and sparkling with an extraordinary vigour her voice clear and she had Teeth of that whiteness that divers suspected she had placed something else in their stead 21. Cleopatra was the most beautiful of all the Women in Aegypt and that beauty set off with such an eloquence and peculiar grace in speaking that the great heart of Iulius Caesar was subjected by her after he had subdued Pompey And after both were dead when Augustus and Anthony had shared the Roman Empire betwixt them she had charms enough left to engage the latter so firmly in her service that his loves were the only cause that he lost his Kingdoms his Honour and his Life 22. Aspasia the Daughter of Hermotimus the Phocensian surpass'd all the Virgins of her Age in the elegancy of her form Aelian describes her thus her Hair was yellow and had a natural curle her Eyes large and full her Ears small and her Nose a gentle rise in the middle her Skin was smooth and her countenance of a Rose colour for which cause the Phocenses while she was yet a Girl gave her the Name of Milâ—o Her Lips were red and her Teeth white as snow her Foot was small and her Voice had in it something so smooth and sweet that while she spake it was like the musick of the Syrens She used no Feminine Arts to render her beauties more advantageous as being born and brought up by poor Parents she was as chast as lovely so that allured by both Cyrus the younger King of Persia made her his Wife and after him she was married to Artaxerxes 23. Agarista the Daughter of Clisthenes the Sicyonian Tyrant was so beautiful that to obtain her as a Bride there were instituted several solemnities wherein all sorts of Masteries were to be try'd amongst her Suitors that so he who was adjudg'd the most worthy Person might carry her away and to this kind of trial the most Illustrious youths in Greece submitted themselves 24. Timosa the Concubine of Oxgartes is said to have excelled all other Women in respect of her incomparable beauties and for that reason was sent by the King of Aegypt as a present to Statira Wife to the great King of Persia. 25. In the Feast of Ceres Eleusina near the River Alpheus there is a contest about beauty in which it is said the Women of Tenedos used to excel and to bear away the prize in this kind from all the rest of the Women of Asia some admire most the Hypepae and Homer will have the most beautiful Women to be in Hellas 26. Iane Shore Concubine to King Edward the Fourth
do 12. In the Person of the great Sfortia all other things did so answer to that military reputation and glory he did acquir'd that being oftentimes in the same habit with many of his Attendants and at other times alone without any retinue yet was he easily discern'd and saluted as the chief and Prince of the rest by the Countrey-men and such Rusticks as had never before seen him 13. Alexander the Great though he took little care of his body is yet reported to be very beautiful he is said to have yellow haâ—r and his locks fell into natural Rings and curles besides which in the composure of his Face there was something so great and august as begat a fear in them that look'd upon him 14. Caius Marius being cast into the depth and extremity of misery and in great hazard of his life was saved by the Majesty of his Person for while he liv'd in a private house at Minturn there was a publick Officer a Cimbrian by Nation that was sent to be his Executioner he came to this unarmed and at that time squallid old Man with his Sword drawn but astonish'd at the noble presence of so great a Man he cast away his Sword and ran away trembling and amazed Marius had conquer'd the Cimbrian Nation and perhaps it was this that help'd to break the courage of him that came to kill him or possibly the gods thought it unworthy that he should fall by a single person of that Nation who had broke and triumphed over the whole strength of it at once The Minturnians also themselves when they had taken and bound him yet moved with something they saw of extraordinary in him suffered him to go at liberty though the late Victory of Sylla was enough to make them fear they should e're long repent it 15. Ludovicus Pius King of France had many virtues worthy of a King and Heroe This is also remembred of him that upon the taking of Damiata he was circumvented and taken by Melaxala the Sultan of Aegypt when unequal terms were proposed unto him he refused them with great constancy and although he was in great danger amongst such as had slain their own Sultan and though while he lay sick they rush'd upon him with their drawn Swords either to kill him or force him to subscribe to unequal conditions yet with the Majesty of his Face and that Dignity that was in his countenance he restrained their fierceness so that they desisted to afford him further trouble 16. Alphonsus King of Arragon is famous for the like Majesty and Princely constancy of whom after in a Naval fight he was taken Prisoner by the Genoans Panulphus Collenutius thus relates that he bare such a countenance was of that Majesty and constancy that as well by Sea as Land at Millain and in all other places he commanded and was obeyed in no other manner than if he had been free and a Conquerour For to omit other things when he was brought before Ischia and the Captain of the Ship wherein he was spake to him that he should command that City to submit it self to the Genoeses he gallantly reply'd that he would not do it and that he hoped they should not gain a stone of his jurisdiction without Arms and blood for he well knew that none of his Subjects would obey any such command while he remained a Captive he so confounded the Captain that Blasius the Admiral was constrained to appease him with fair words and to declare that the Captain had not spoken this by any order from him but that it was the effect of his own imprudence So that it was commonly said that Alphonsus alone in whatsoever fortune he was was deservedly a King and ought so to be called 17. Philippus Arabs having obtained the Empire in his Journey towards Rome made his Son C. Iulius Saturnius co-partner with him in that honour Of this young Prince it is said that he was of so severe and grave a countenance and disposition that from five years of Age he was never observed to laugh and thereupon was call'd Agelastus nothing how ridiculous soever could provoke him to a smile and when the Emperour in the secular Plays brake out into an effuse laughter he as one that was ashamed or displeased thereat turned away his face from him 18. Cassander having made Olympias the Mother of Alexander the Great his Prisoner and fearing the inconstancy of the Macedonians that they would one time or other create him some trouble in favour of her sent Soldiers with express command to kill her immediately She seeing them come towards her obstinate and armed in a Royal Robe and leaning upon two Maids of her own accord she set forward to meet them At sight of her her intended Murtherers stood astonish'd revering the Majesty of her former fortune and the names of many of their Kings that were so nearly related to her They therefore stood still but the Kindred of those whom Olympias had formerly put to death that at once they might gratifie Cassander and revenge the dead these slew the Queen while she neither declin'd the Sword nor wounds nor made any feminine out-cry but after the manner of gallant Men and agreeable to the glory of her ancient stock receiv'd her death That Alexander himself might seem to be seen to die in the person of his Mother 19. When Alexander the Great was dead his Soldiers were in expectation of Riches and his Friends to succeed him in the Empire and they might seem the less vain in such expectation seeing they were Men of that virtue and Princely port that you would have thought each of them a King such Majesty and beauty in the countenance such stature and talness of body so great strength and wisdom was conspicuous in all of them that they who knew them not would have concluded they had been chosen not out of any one Nation but out of all the parts of the World And certainly before that time neither Macedon nor any other Nation could ever boast of the production of so many gallant and Illustrious persons at once whom Philip first and after him his Son Alexander had selected with that care that they seemed to be made choice of not so much to assist in the Wars as to succeed in the Government What wonder is it then that the whole World was subdued by such able Ministers when the Army of the Macedonians was conducted by as many Kings as Captains who had never found their equals unless they had fallen out amongst themselves and Macedon instead of one had had many Alexanders unless Fortune in emulation of one another's virtue had armed them to their mutual destruction 20. Guntherus Bishop of Babenberg died in the year of our Lord 1064. in his journey as he was travelling towards Ierusalem and the Holy Land This Prince besides the composedness of his Life and the riches of his mind was also
in Miletum to Diana he sent his Wife and Daughter Pieria to obtain leave that he might be present at it Now of all the Sons of Nelcus â—hrygius was the most most powerful he being enflamed with the love of Pieria thought of nothing more than doing something that would be acceptable to her and when she had said nothing could be more grateful to her than to procure her liberty of coming oâ—ten to Miletum in the company of many Virgins he understood by that speech that peace was desired and friendship sought with the Milesians he therefore concluded the war and thence was it that the names of these two Lovers were so dear to both people 5. Eginaraus was Secretary of State to Charlemaign and having placed his affections much higher than his condition admitted made love to one of his Daughters who seeing this man of a brave spirit and a Grace suitable thought not him too low for her whom merit had so eminently raised above his birth she affected him and gave him too free access to her person so far as to suffer him to have recourse unto her to laugh and sport in her Chamber on Evenings which ought to have been kept as a Sanctuary where Reliques are preserved It happened on a Winters night Eginardus ever hastening his approaches and being negligent in his returns had somewhat too much slackened his departure in the mean time a Snow had fallen which troubled them both when he thought to go out he feared to be known by his feet and the Lady was unwilling that such prints of steps should be found at her door They being much perplexed Love which taketh the Diadem of Majesty from Queens made her do an act for a Lover very unusual for the Daughter of one of the greatest men upon earth she took the Gentleman upon her Shoulders and carried him all the length of the Court to his Chamber he never setting foot to the ground that so the next day no impression might be seen of his footing It fell out that Charlemain watched at his Study this night and hearing a noise opened the window and perceived this pretty prank at which he could not tell whether he were best to be angry or to laugh The next day in a great Assembly of Lords and in the presence of his Daughter and Eginardus he asked what punishment that servant might seeem worthy of who made use of a King's Daughter as of a Mule and caused himself to be carried on her Shoulders in the midst of Winter through Night Snow and all the sharpness of the Seasons every one gave his opinion and not one but condemn'd that insolent man to death The Princess and Secretary changed colour thinking nothing remain'd for them but to be fleyed alive But the Emperour looking on his Secretary with a smooth brow said Eginardus hadst thou loved the Princess my Daughter thou oughtest to have come to her Father the disposer of her liberty thou art worthy of death and I give thee two lives at this present take thy fair Portress in marriage fear God and love one another These Lovers thought they were in an instant drawn out of the depth of Hell to ascend to Heaven 6. There was amongst the Grecians a company of Soldiers consisting of three hundred that was called the holy Band erected by Gorgidas and chosen out of such as heartily loved one another whereby it came to pass that they could never be broken or overcome for their love and hearty affection would not suffer them to forsake one another what danger soever came But at the Battel of Cheronaea they were all slain after the Fight King Philip taking view of the dead bodies staid in that place where all these three hundred men lay slain thrust through with Pikes on their Breasts whereat he much wondred and being told that it was the Lovers Band he fell a weeping saying Wo be to them that think these men did or suffered any evil or dishonest thing 7. Under the seventh Persecution Theodora a Christian Virgin was condemned to the Stewes where her chastity was to be a prey to all comers the sentence being executed and she carried thither divers wanton young men were ready to press into the House but one of her Lovers called Didymus putting on a Soldiers habit said he would have the first turn and ranted so high that the other gave him way He went in to her perswaded her to change Garments with him and so she in the Soldiers habit escaped Didymus being found a man was carried before the President to whom he confessed the whole matter and so was condemned Theodora hearing of it thinking to excuse him came and presented her self as the guilty party desiring that she might die and the other be excused but the merciless Judge caused them both to be put to death 8. Gobrias a Captain when he had espyed Rodanthe a fair Captive Maid he fell upon his knees before Mystilus the General with tears vows and all the Rhetorick he could by the scars he had formerly received the good services he had done or whatsoever else was dear unto him he besought his General that he might have the fair prisoner to his Wife Virtutis suae spolium as a reward of his Valour moreover he would forgive to him all his Arrears I ask said he no part of the Booty no other thing but Rodanthe to be my Wife and when he could not compass her by fair means he fell to treachery force and villany and at last set his life at stake to accomplish his desire CHAP. IX Of the extreme Hatred in some persons towards others AS amongst the kinds of living creatures there are certain enmities and dissentions whereof there is no apparent reason to be given As of that betwixt the Spider and the Serpent the Ant and Wesel the Trochilus and Eagle and the like so amongst men implacable hatreds are conceived many times upon undiscernible more upon unjustifiable grounds 1. Calvin was so odious to the Papists that they would not name him Hence in their Spanish expurgatory Index p. 204. they give this direction Let the name of Calvin be suppress'd and instead of it put Studiosus quidam And one of their Proselytes went from Mentz to Rome to change his Christian name of Calvinus into the adopted one of Baronius 2. A deadly Hatred it was which Hannibal bare to the Romans and a private and hereditary desire that carried him violently against them For his Father Amilcar at a Sacrifice he made a little before his journey into Spain had solemnly bound him by oath to pursue them with an immortal hatred and as soon as he should be grown up to be a man to work them all the mischief he was able Hannibal was thâ—n about nine years of age when his Father caused him to lay his hand upon the Altar and to make this oath so that it was no marvel if the
where sate the Lacedemonian Embassadours who mov'd with the age of the man in reverence to his years and hoary hairs rose up and placed him in an honourable Seat amongst them which when the people beheld with a loud applause approv'd the modesty of another City At which it is reported that one of the Embassadours should say It appears that the Athenians do understand what is â—it to be done but withal they neglect the doing of it 13. Diodorus Cronus abiding in the Court of Ptolemaeus Soter had some Logick Questions and Fallacies propounded to him by Stilpon which when he could not answer upon the sudden the King reproached him both for that and other things he then also heard himself called Cronus by way of jeer aâ—d abuse whereupon he rose from the Feast and when he had wrote an Oration upon that question whereat he had been most stumbled he died through an excess of modesty and shame 14 C. Terentius Varro had almost ruined the Republick by his rash Fight with Hannibal at Cannas but the same man when his Dictatorship was proffered him both by the Senate and people did absolutely refuse it by the modesty of which act of his he seem'd to redeem his former miscarriage and caused men to transfer that calamity to the anger of the Gods but to impute his modesty to himself 15. C. Iulius Caesar assaulted in the Senate by many Swords and having received by the hands of the Parricides twenty three wounds upon his body yet even in death it self had a respect to modesty for he pulled down his Gown on both sides with his hand that so he might fall the more decently 16. Cassander gave command for the slaying of Olympias the Mother of Alexander the Great which so soon as the Executioner had acquainted her with she took special care so to wrap up her self in her cloaths that when she should fall no part of her body might be â—een uncovered but what did become the modesty of a Matron And thus died the Wife of Panthcus the Lacedemonian when ordered to be slain by â—tolâ—maeus King of Aegypt 17. Michael Emperour of Constantinople having been ever victorious in war yet being once beaten in Battel by the Bulgarians was so exceedingly ashamed of that his disgrace that in meer modesty he resign'd up the Empire and bâ—took himself to a private and solitary life for the remainder of his days 18. That was a modesty worthy of eternal praise in Godfrey of Bulloign by the universal consent of the whole Army he was saluted King of Ierusalem upon the taking of it out of the hands of the Saracens there was also brought him a Crown of Gold sparkling with Jewels to set upon his head but he put it by saying it was most unsit for him who was a mortal man a servant and a sinner to be there crowned with Gems and Gold where Christ the Son of God who made Heaven and Earth was crowned with Thorns 19. M. Scaurus was the Light and Glory of his Country he at such time as the Cimbrians had beat the Romans at the River Athesis and that his Son was amongst them who â—led towards the City sent his Son this word that he should much more willingly meet with his Bones after he had been killed in Fight than to see him guilty of such horrible cowardise in flight And therefore that if he had any kind of modesty remaining in him degenerate Son as he was he should shun the sight of his displeased Father for the memory of his own youth did admonish him what a kind of Son M. Scaurus should esteem of or despise Upon this news from the Father the Son's modesty was such that not presuming to shew himself in his sight he was constrain'd to be more valiant against himself than the Enemy and slew himself with his own Sword 20. Cornelius a Senator shed many tears in a full Senate when Corbulo called him bald Ostridge Seneca admireth that such a man who in all things else had shewed himself so most courageously opposite against other injuries lost his constancy for one ridiculous saying which might have been smothered in laughter but this blow was rather given him by imagination and a deep appâ—eâ—ension of shame than by the tongue of his Enemy 21. Archytas did ever preserve a singular modesty in his speech as well as in all other his behaviour he shunned all kind of obscenity in words and when there was a necessity sometimes of speaking more absurdly he was ever silent he wrote upon the Wall what should have been said but he himself could never be perswaded to pronounce it 22. We read of divers who through modesty and fear when they were to speak publickly have been so disappointed that they were fain to hold their tongues Thus Cicero writes of Curio that being to plead in a cause before the Senate he utterly forgot what to say Also Theophrastus being to speak before the people of Athens was on the sudden so deprived of memory that he remained silent The same happened to the famous Demosthenes in the presence of King Philip to Herodes Aâ—ticus before M. Amonius and to Lysias the Sophist being to make an Oration to Severus the Emperour Nor are we ignorant that the like misfortune hath befallen divers excellent persons in our times and amongst others to Bartholomaeus Sozzinus who went from Rome in the name of Pope Alexander to congratulate the Republick of Siena but was not able to speak what he had premeditated 23. Martia Daughter of Varro was one of the rarest wits in her time was skillful in all Arts but in Painting she had a peculiar excellency notwithstanding which she could never be drawn to paint a man naked lest she might offend against the rules of Modesty 24. A grave and learned Minister and Ordinary Preacher at Alcmar in Holland was one day as he walked in the Fields for his recreation suddenly taken with a Lask or Loosness and thereupon compelled to retire to the next Ditch but being surprised at unawares by some Gentlewomen of his Parish wandring that way he was so abashed that he did never after shew his head in publick or come into the Pulpit but pined away with melancholy CHAP. XIX Of Impudence and the Shameless Behaviour of divers Persons AS many are deterred from some kind of praise-worthy Actions through a natural Modesty and Bashfulness that attends them so on the other side some persons of evil inclinations are by the same means restrain'd from dishonest and unseemly things but when once the Soul is deserted of this Guardian and as I may call it a kind of Tutelar Angel to it there is nothing so uncomely or justly reprovable but the man of a Brazen Fore-head will adventure upon 1. This year 1407 saith Doctor Fuller a strange accident if true happened take it as an Oxford Antiquary is pleased to relate it to us One
Lord Buckhurst was bred in Oxford took the degree of Barister in the Temple afterwards travelled into foreign parts was detained a time prisoner at Rome when his liberty was procured for his return into England he possessed the vâ—st inheritance left him by his Father whereof in a short time by his magnificent prodigality he spent the greatest part till he seasonably began to spare growing near to the bottom of his estate The story goes that this young Gentleman coming to an Alderman of London who had gained great pennyworths by his former purchases of him was made being now in the wane of his wealth to wait the coming down of the Alderman so long that his generous humour being sensible of the incivility of such attendance resolved to be no more beholding to wealthy pride and presently turn'd a thrifty improver of the remainder of his estate Others make him the Convert of Queen Elizabeth who by her frequent admonitions diverted the torrent of his profusion indeed she would not know him till he began to know himself and then heaped places of honour and trust upon him creating him Baron of Buckhurst in Sussex anno Dom. 1566 sent him Embassador into France 1571 into the Low Countries 1576 made him Knight of the Order of the Garter 1589 Treasurer of England 1599 he was also Chancellour of the University of Oxford Thus having made amends to his House for his mispent time both in encrease of estate and honour being created Earl of Dorset by King Iames he died April 19 1608. 10. Henry the Fifth while Prince was extremely wild the companion of riotous persons and did many things to the grief of the King his Father as well as to the injury of himself in his reputation with the subject but no sooner was he come to the Crown but the first thing that he did was to banish all his old companions ten miles from his Court and presence and reform'd himself in that manner that he became a most worthy and victorious King as perhaps ever reigned in England 11. S. Augustine in his younger time was a Manichee and of incontinent life he reports of himself that he prayed for continency but was not willing to be heard too soon for saith he I had rather have my lust satisfied than extinguished But being afterwards converted by the Ministry of S. Ambrose he proved a most excellent person as well in Learning as in all sorts of Virtues 12. The Ancients in old time attributed unto King Cecrops a double nature and form and that upon this ground not for that as some said of a good clement and gracious Prince be became a rigorous fell and cruel Tyrant but on the contrary because having been at first and in his youth perverse passionate and terrible he proved afterwards a mild and gentle Lord. 13. Gelon and Hiero in Sicily and Pisistratus the Son of Hippocrates were all Usurpers and such as attained to their Tyrannical Dominion by violent and indirect means yet they used the same virtuously and howsoever they attained the Sovereign Command and for some time in their younger years managed it injuriously enough yet they grew in time to be good Governours loving and profitable to the Common-wealth and likewise beloved and dear unto their Subjects for some of them having brought in and established excellent Laws in their Country and causing their Subjects to be industrious and painful in tilling the ground made them to be civil sober and discreet whereas before they were noted for a tatling playful and idle sort of people 14. Lydiades was a Tyrant in the City of Megalapolis but in the midst of his usurped Dominion he repented of his Tyranny and making conscience thereof he detested that wrongful oppression wherein he had held his Subjects in such sort that he restored his Citizens to their ancient Laws and Liberties yea and aâ—terwards died gloriously fighting manfully in the Field against the enemy in defence of his Country 15. Ceno Valchius King of the Western Saxons in the beginning of his Reign was an impious and debauched Prince whereupon he was expelled from his Kingdom and Government but at last being become a reformed man he was readmitted to his former command and he then ruled his Kingdom with great prudence justice and moderation 16. Offa King of the Mercians in the first flower of his age was immeasurable in his desires of acquiring wealth extreme ambitious of enlarging his Territories and highly delighted with the art of War and Military Discipline he was also all this while a contemner of all moral virtue but when he came to be of maturer and riper years he became famous and renowned for the integrity and modesty of his manners and the singular innocency of his life 17. Iohannes Picus Mirandula visited the most famous Universities of France and Italy and was so great a Proficient that while as yet he had no Beard he was reputed a perfect Philosopher and Divine Being ambitious and desirous of Glory he went to Rome where he proposed nine hundred Questions in all Arts and Sciences to dispute upon which he challenged all the Scholars of all Nations with a new kind of liberality promising to defray the charges of any such as should come from remote parts to dispute with him at Rome He stayed at Rome upon this occasion a whole year In the mean time there wanted not some that privily detracted from him and gave out that thirteen of his Questions were heretical so that he was constrain'd to set forth an Apology and while he studied to excuse himself of errours that were falsly objected to him he fell into others that were greater and worse for he entangled himself in the love of fair rich and noble women and at last was so engaged in quarrels upon this account that he thought it high time to forsake those youthful vanities whereupon he threw into the fire his Books of Love which he had writ both in the Latine and Hetruscan Languages and relinquishing the Dreams of prophane Philosophy he wholly devoted himself to the study of the sacred and holy Scriptures CHAP. III. Of punctual observation in matters of Religion and the great regard some men have had to it THe Athenians consulted the Oracle of Apollo demanding what Rites they should make use of in matters of their Religion The answer was the Rites of their Ancestors Returning thither again they said the manner of their Forefathers had been often changed they therefore enquired what custom they should make choice of in so great a variety Apollo replyed the best This constancy and strictness of the Heathens had been â—ighly commendable had their Devotions been better directed In the mean time they shame us by being more zealous in their Superstition than we are in the true Religion 1. Paulus Aemilius being about to give Battel to Perses King of Macedon at the first Break of Day made a Sacrifice to
the Second â—irst Emperour of the Turks was no sooner possessed of his Father's Throne but as a young Tyrant forgetting the Laws of Nature was presently in person himself about to have murdered with his own hands his youngest Brother then but eighteen months old begotten on the fair Daughter of Sponderbeius which unnatural part Moses one of his Bassas and a man greatly in his savour perceiving requested him not to embrue his own hands in the blood of his Brother but rather to commit the execution thereof to some other which thing Mahomet commanded him the author of that counsel forthwith to do so Moses taking the Child from the Nurse strangled it with pouring water down the throat thereof The young Lady understanding of the death of her child as a woman whom fury had made past fear came and in her rage reviled the Tyrant to his House shamefully upbraiding him for his inhumane cruelty when Mahomet to appease her fury requested her to be content for that it stood with the policy of his State and willed her for her better contentment to ask whatsoever she pleased and she should forthwith have it But she desiring nothing more but in some sort to be revenged desired to have Moses the Executioner of her Son delivered unto her bound which when she had obtained she presently struck him into the Brest with a knife crying in vain upon his unthankful Master for help and proceeding in her cruel execution cut an hole in his right side and by piece-meal cut out his Liver and cast it to the Dogs to eat to that extremity did she resent the death of her beloved Son 12. Scilunus had eighty Sons and when he lay upon his Death-bed he called them all before him and presented them with a Bundle or Sheaf of Arrows and bade each of them try whether with all his strength he was able to break that Sheaf they all of them having attempted it in vain he then drew out a single arrow and bade one of them break that which he easily did intimating to them thereby that unity and compacted strength is the bond which preserves Families and Kingdoms which bond if it be once broken all runs quickly into ruines 13. Monica the Mother of S. Austin while her Son was a Manichee and addicted over-much to a life of sensuality and voluptuousness out of her dear and tender affection to him ceased not to make continual prayers with abundance of tears in his behalf which occasioned S. Ambrose one time to comfort her with these words Impossibile est ut filius tantarum Lachrymarum periret It's impossible that a Son of so many prayers and tears should miscarry 14. Octavius Balbus was proscribed by the Triumvirate whereupon he fled away and was now got out of danger when hearing that his Son was slain by them he returned of his own accord and offered his Throat to the Executioners 15. Cesetius was importun'd by Caesar to renounce and expel from his House one of his Sons who in the time of his Tribuneship had given him matter of offence the old man was so great a lover of his children that he boldly told him that he should sooner deprive him of all his children at once by violence than he should perswade him to send one of them away with any mark of his displeasure 16. Pericles though he had buried his Sister and divers others of his near Relations yet bare all this with great constancy and an unbroken mind But when his Son Paraclus died though he endeavoured with all his might to digest so great a grief and to suppress any appearance thereof yet he was not able to do it but burst out into tears and lamentations crying out The Gods preserve to me the poor and little Camillus the only Son I have now left unto me 17. Aegeus stood upon a high Rock whence he might see a great way upon the Sea in expectation of the return of his Son Theseus from Creet having made him promise at his departure that if all things went well with him at his return his Ship should be set forth with Sails and Streamers of white colour to express the joyfulness of his return The old man after his long watching at last did discern the Ship making homewards but it seems they had forgot to advance the White Colours as they had promised when therefore Aegeus saw nothing but black concluding that his Son had miscarried in his journey and was dead not able to endure the grief he had conceived hereof he threw himself headlong into the Sea from the top of the Rock whereon he stood and so died 18. Gordianus the Elder the Proconsul of Africa was made choice of by them of Africa and the Soldiers in his Army to be their Emperour against the cruelty of the Maximini but as soon as he understood that his Son was slain by the Maximines he was not able to support himself under the great weight of his grief but hanged himself in his own Bed-chamber 19. Socrates one day was surprised by Alcibiades childishly sporting with his Son Lamproclus and when he was sufficiently derided by Alcibiades upon that account You have not said he such reason as you imagine to laugh so profusely at a Father playing with his child seeing you know nothing of that affection which Parents have to their children contain your self then till you come to be a Father your self when perhaps you will be found as ridiculous as I now seem to you to be CHAP. X. Of the Reverence and Piety of some Children to their Parents UPon a Marble Chair in Scone where the Kings of Scotland were used to be Crowned and which King Edward the First caused to be carried to Westminster was written this Distich Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Inveniant lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Vnless unalterable fate do feign Where e're they find this Stone the Scots shall reign We may say it and perhaps with more assurance that where ever we find that Piety and Reverence that is due to Parents there is a kind of earnest given of a worthy and prosperous person for having this way entituled himself to the promise of God whatsoever become of the Fates it shall be surely perform'd to him as may be seen in divers of the following examples 1 Boleslaus the fourth King of Poland had the picture of his Father which he carried hanging about his Neck in a Plate of Gold and when he was to speak or do any thing of importance he took this picture and kissing it used to say Dear Father I wish I may not do any thing remisly or unworthy of thy name 2. Pomponius Atticus making the Funeral Oration at the death of his Mother protested that having lived with her sixty and seven years he was never reconciled to her because added he in all that time there never happened the least jar
mind that with so true a generosity had preserved and yielded up the Kingdom to his Nephew 15. Titus Pomponius Atticus a Patrician of Rome would contribute nothing amongst those of his rank to Brutus and Cassius in their war upon Augustus but after that Brutus was forcibly driven from Rome he sent him one hundred thousand Sesterces for a present and took care that he should be furnished with as many more in Epirus contrary to the custom oâ— most other men while Brutus was fortunate he gave him no assistance but after he was expell'd and laboured under adverse fortune he administred to his wants with a bounty to be wondred at 16. Tancred the Norman was in Syria with Boemund his Uncle Prince of Antioch it fortun'd that Boemund was taken Prisoner in a fight with the Infidels Three Years Tancred governed his principality in his behalf in which time having enlarged his Territories and augmented his Treasure with a great sum he ransom'd his Uncle and resign'd up all into his hands 17. Ferdinand King of Leon by the instigation of some slanderous Informers was brought to make war upon Pontius Count of Minerba an old friend of his Fathers and had already taken divers places from him Sanctius the Third King of Castile and Brother to Ferdinand being inform'd hereof gathered a mighty Army and marched out with them against his Brother Ferdinand that least of any thing expected any such matter and terrified with the coming of so sudden and unlook'd for an Enemy mounting his Horse with a few of his followers came into the Camp of his Brother and told him he put himself into his hands to deal with him as he saw good as one whose only hope it was this way to preserve his Kingdom to himself but Sanctius that was a just King and a good Brother despising all the proffers he made him told him that he had not taken up arms for any desire he had to wrest his Kingdom out of his hands and annex it to his own but his sole design was that whatever had been taken away from Count Pontius should be restored him seeing he had been a great friend to their common Parent and had most valorously assisted him against the Moors This was gladly yielded to by Ferdinand and as soon as it was done Sanctius returned to his own Territories 18. Emanuel the first King of Portugal levied a most puissant Army with a design to pass into Africa where victory seemed to attend him when as being upon his march and just ready to transport his Army over those straits which divide Spain and Mauritania the Venetians dispatch Embassadors to intreat succours from him as their Ally against the Turk who had now declared war against them This generous Prince resolutely suspended his hopes of conquest to assist his ancient friends suddenly altered his design and sent his Army entirely to them deferring his enterprise upon Algiers to another season 19. The Venetians had leagu'd themselves with the Turks against the Hungarians they aided them to the ruine of that Kingdom and reduced that Country almost to a desolation and having been the cause of the death of two of their Kings of which the great Hunniades was the last yet notwithstanding seeing themselves afterwards all in flames by the Turks their Allies They sent Ambassadors to Hungary to implore succours from the famous Matthias Corvinus Son to Hunniades who after he had afforded them an honourable Audience and reproach'd them with their unworthy and hateful proceedings did yet grant them the succours which they had sought at his hands 20. Renatus Duke of Lorrain with fire and sword was driven out of his Dukedom by Charles the last Duke of Burgundy afterwards by the help of the Swissers he overcame and slew in Battel him from whom he had received so great a calamity With great industry he sought out the body of Charles amongst the multitude of the slain not to savage upon his Corps or to expose it to mockery but to bury it as he did at S. Georges in the Town of Nancy he and his whole Court followed it in mourning with as many Priests and Torches as could be procured discovering as many signs of grief at the funeral of his enemy as if it had been that of his own Father CHAP. XVI Of the Frugality and Thriftiness of some men in their Apparel Furniture and other things THe Kings of India used to dry the bodies of their Ancestors which done they caused them to be hung up at the Roof of their Palace in precious Cords they adorned them with Gold and Jewels of all sorts and so preserved them with a care and reverence little short of veneration it self of the like ridiculous superstition are they guilty who make over-careful and costly provisions for those bodies of theirs which will ere long be breathless and stinking carkasses They are usually souls of an over delicate and voluptuous constitution and temper that are so delighted with this kind of luxury whereas the most worthy men and persons of the greatest improvements by reason and experience have expressed such a moderation herein as may almost seem a kind of carelesness and neglect of themselves 1. Of Lewis the Eleventh King of France there is found in the Chamber of Accounts Anno 1461. Two Shillings for Fustian to new Sleeve his Majesties old Doublet and Three Half-Pence for Liquor to grease his Boots I chuse rather to call it his Frugality than Covetousness in as much as no man was more liberal of his Coin than himself where occasion did require as Comine who wrote his History and was also of his Council doth frequently witness 2. Charles the Fifth Emperour of Germany was very frugal especially once being to make a Royal Entrance into the City of Millain there was great preparation for his entertainment the Houses and Streets were beautified and adorned The Citizens dress'd in their richest Ornaments a golden Canopy was prepared to be carried over his head and great expectation there was to see a great and glorious Emperour But when he entred the City he came in a plain Black Cloth Cloak with an old Hat on his Head so that they who saw him not believing their eyes asked which was he laughing at themselves for being so deceived in their expectations 3. The meanness of the Emperour Augustus his furniture and houshold stuff doth appear to this day in the Beds and Tables that are left the most of which are scarce so costly as those of a private person It is said he used not to lye in any bed but such as was low and moderately covered and for his wearing Apparel it was rarely any other than such as was home spun and such as was made up by his Wife Sister Daughter and Grand-Children 4. Though the Ornament of the Body is almost a peculiarity to the Female Sex yet not only one woman but the whole family of
pound To the repairs of St. Hellens in Bishopsgate-street where he was buried five hundred Marks to the repairing of London Wall one hundred pounds to the repairing of Rochester Bridge ten Pounds to the Wardens and Commonalty of the Grocers in London two large Pots of Silver Chased half guilded and other Legacies 3. In the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and in the year 1596. Ralph Rokeby one of her Majesties Masters of Requests then dying gave by his Will to Christs Hospital in London one hundred pounds to the Colledge of the poor of Queen Elizabeth one hundred Pounds to the poor Scholars in Cambridge one hundred pounds to the poor Scholars in Oxford one hundred pounds to the Prisoners in the two Compters in London one hundred pounds to the Prisoners in the Fleâ—t one hundred pounds to the Prisoners in Ludgate one hundred pounds to the Prisoners in Newgate one hundred pounds to the Prisoners in the Kings Bench one hundred pounds to the Prisoners of the Marshalsea one hundred pounds to the Prisoners in the White Lyon twenty pounds A liberal and pious Legacy and not worthy to be forgotten 4. Richard Sutton Esquire born of Gentile Parentage at Knaith in Lincolnshire sole founder of Charter-House Hospital which he called the Hospital of King Iames for the maintenance thereof he setled these mannors in several Counties Basham mannor in Cambridgshire 2. Bastingthorp manner in Lincolnshire 3. Blackgrove mannor in Wiltshire 4. Broadhinton land in Wiltshire 5. Castlecamps mannor in Cambridgshire 6. Chilton mannor in Wiltshire 7. Dunby mannor in Lincolnshire 8. Elcomb mannor and Park in Wiltshire 9. Hackney land in Middlesex 10. Hallinburg Bouchiers mannor in Essex 11. Missunden mannor in Wiltshire 12. Much Stanbridge mannor in Essex 13. Norton mannor in Essex 14. Salthrope mannor in Wiltshire 15. Southminster mannor in Essex 16. Tottenham land in Middlesex 17. Vfford mannor in Wiltshire 18. Watalescote mannor in Wiltshire 19. Westcot mannor in Wiltshire 20. Wroughton munnor in Wiltshire It was founded finished and endowed by himself alone disbursing thirteen thousand pounds paid down before the ensealing of the conveyance for the ground whereon it stood with some other appurtenances besides six thousand expended in the building thereof and that vast yearly endowment whereof heretofore not to mention the large sums bequeathed by him to the poor to Prisons to Colledges to mending high ways to the Chamber of London besides twenty thousand pounds left to the discretion of his Executors He dyed 1611. in the ninth year of King Iames his Reign 5. Anno Dom. 1552. King Edward the sixth in the sixth year of his Reign founded the Hospitals of Christ-Church in London and of St. Thomas in Southwark and the next year of Bridewel for the maintenance of three sorts of poor the first for the education of poor children the second for impotent and lame persons the third for idle persons to imploy and set them on work A Princely gift whereby provision was made for all sorts of poor people such as were poor either by birth or casualtie or else willfully poor Besides by the said vertuous Prince were founded two Free Schools in Louth in Lincolnshire with liberal maintenance for a Schoolmaster and Usher in them both Likewise Christs Colledge in the University of Cambridge enjoyeth a fellowship and three Schollars by the gift of the said excellent Prince 6. Sir William Cecil not long since Lord Treasurer in his life time gave thirty Pounds a year to St. Johns Colledge in Cambridge he founded also an Hospital at Stamford for twelve poor people allowing to each of them six pounds per Annum he also left great sums of money in trust in the hands of Mr. Iohn Billet one of his Executors who as carefully performed that trust and partly by this means and partly out of his own estate hath done those excellent works He repaired at the expence of divers hundred pounds the great Church in the City of Bath he enlarged the hot and cross Bath there walling them about he built an Hospital there to entertain twelve poor people for a month at the Spring and three months at the fall of the leaf with allowance of four pence a day he gave two hundred pounds to the repairs of St. Martins Church an hundred marks to St. Clements to build a window five pounds to each of the four Parishes in Westminster for twelve years Upon the building of the Market house there he bestowed three hundred pounds whereof is made ten pounds a year for the benefit of the poor He also gave twenty pounds per Annum to Christs Hospital till two hundred pounds came out 7. Robert Earl of Dorchester Anno 1609. by his last Will and Testament ordained an Hospital to be built in East Greenstead in Sussex allowing to the building thereof a thousand pounds to the which the Executors have added a thousand pounds more and three hundred and thirty pound of yearly revenue to maintain twenty poor men and ten poor women to each of them ten pounds by the year and besides to a Warden twenty pounds and to two Assistants out oâ— the Town to be chosen three pounds six shillings eight pence a piece per Annum 8. Iohn Whitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury at his own proper charge caused an Hospital to be built at Croyden for the maintenance of thirty poor people with a free School having a Master and an Usher and laid unto it two hundred pounds per Annum besides the charge of the building which is supposed to have cost two thousand pounds more 9. William Lamb Clothworker gave to these charitable uses following he built the Conduit near Holborn with the Cock at Holborn-Bridge bringing the water more than two thousand yards in pipes of lead at the charge of fifteen hundred pounds he gave also to these uses following to twelve poor people of St. Faiths Parish weekly two pence a piece To the company of Clothworkers four pounds per Annum for reading divine service in St. Iames Church Sundays Wednesdays and Fridays and for four yearly Sermons and for twelve poor men and twelve poor women so many Gowns Shirts Smocks Shooes he gave Lands to the yearly value of thirty pounds to each of the Towns of Ludlow and Bridgnorth one hundred pounds to Christs Hospital yearly six pounds and to purchase lands ten pounds to St. Thomas Hospital yearly four pounds to the Savoy to buy bedding ten pounds He erected a Free School at Sutton Valens in Kent with allowance to the Master of twenty pounds to the Usher eight pounds He built six Alms-houses there with the yearly maintenance of ten pound He gave also toward the Free School at Maidstone in Kent to set the poor Clothiers on work in Suffolk he gave one hundred pounds 10. Sir Wolston Dixy Mayor free of the Skinners gave as followeth To the maintenance of a Free School in Bosworth yearly twenty pound to Christs Hospital in London
wears out by time so the King's affection being changed towards the Admiral had charged him with some offences which he had formerly committed The Admiral presuming upon the great good Services he had done the King in Pieâ—ont and in the defence of Marseilles against the Emperor gave the King other language than became him and desired nothing so much as a publick Trial. Hereupon the King gave Commission to the Chancellor Poyet as President and other Judges upon an information of the King's Advocate to question the Admiral 's life The Chancellor an ambitious man and of a large Conscience hoping to content the King wrought with some of the Judges with so great cunning others with so sharp threats and the rest with so fair promises that though nothing could be proved against the Admiral worthy of the King's displeasure yet the Chancellor subscribed and got others to subscribe to the forfeiture of his Estate Offices and Liberty though not able to prevail against his life But the King hating falshood in so great a Magistrate and though to any that should bewail the Admiral 's calamity it might have been answered that he was tryed according to his own desire by the Laws of his Country and by the Judges of Parliament yet I say the King made his Justice surmount all his other Passions and gave back the Admiral his Honour his Offices his Estate his Liberty and caused the wicked Poyet his Chancellor to be indicted arraigned degraded and condemned 16. Totilus King of the Goths was complained to by a Calabrian that one of his Life-guard had ravished his Daughter upon which the Accused was immediately sent to Prison the King resolving to punish him as his fact deserved but the Soldiers trooped about him desiring that their fellow Soldier a man of known valour might be given back to them Totilus sharply reproved them what would ye said he know ye not that without Iustice neither any Civil or Military Government is able to subsist can ye not remember what slaughters and calamities the Nation of the Goths underwent through the injustice of Theodahadas I am now your King and in the maintenance of that we have regained our ancient Fortune and Glory would you now lose all for the sake of one single Villain See you to your selves Soldiers but for my part I proclaim it aloud careless of the event that I will not suffer it and if you are resolved you will then strike at me behold a body and breast ready for the stroke The Soldiers were moved with this speech deserted their Client The King sent for the man from Prison condemned him to death and gave his Estate to the injured and violated person 17. The Emperor Leo Armâ—nus going out of his Palace was informed by a mean person that a Senator had ravished his Wife and that he had complained of his injury to the Perfect but as yet could have no redress The Emperor commanded that both the Prefect and Senator should be sent for and wait his return in his Palace together with their Accuser being come back he examined the matter and finding it true as the man had represented he displaced the Prefect from his Dignity for his negligence and punish'd the crime of the Senator with death 18. Charles the bold Duke of Burgundy and Earl of Flaunders had a Noble Man in special favour with him to whom he had committed the Government of a Town in Zealand where living in a great deal of case he fell in love with a woman of a beautiful body and a mind and manners no whit inferior He passed and repassed by her door soon after grew bolder entred into conference with her discovers his flame and beseeches a compassionate resentment of it he makes large promises and uses all the ways by which he hoped to gain her but all in vain Her chastity was proof against all the batteries he could make against it Falling therefore into despair he converts himself unto Villany He was as I said a Governour and Duke Charles was busied in War he causes therefore the Husband of his Mistress to be accused of Treachery and forthwith commits him to Prison to the end that by fear or threats he might draw her to his pleasure or at least quit himself of her Husband the only Rival with him in his Loves The woman as one that loves her Husband goes to the Goal and thence to the Governor to entreat for him and if she was able to obtain his liberty Dost thou come O my Dear to entreat me said the Governor You are certainly ignorant of the Empire you have over me Render me only a mutual affection and I am ready to restore you your Husband for we are both under a restraint he is in my Prison and I am in yours Ah how easily may you give lâ—berty to us both wâ—y do you refuse As a Lover I beseech you and as you tender my life as the Governor I ask you and as you tender the life of your Husband both are at stake and if I must perish I will not fall alone The woman blush'd at what she heard and withal being in fear for her Husband trembled and turned pale He perceiving she was moved and supposing that some force should be used to her modesty they were alone throws her upon the bed and enjoys the fruit which will shortly prove bitter to them both The woman departed confounded and all in tears thinking of nothing more than revenge which was also the more inflamed by a barbarous aâ—t of the Governor for he having obtained his desire and hoping hereafter freely to enjoy her took care that her Husband and his Rival should be beheaded in the Goal and there was the body put into a Coffin ready for Burial This done he sent for her and in an affable manner What said he do you seek for your Husband you shall have him and pointing to the Prison you shall find him there take him along with you The woman suspecting nothing went her way when there she sees and is astonished she falls upon the dead Corps and having long lamented over it she returns to the Governor with a fierce countenance and tone It is true said she you have restored me my Husband I owe you thanks for the favour and will pay you He endeavours to retain and appease her yet in vain but hasting home she calls about her her most faithful friends recounts to them all that had passed All agree that she should make her case known to the Duke who amongst other his excellent Virtues was a singular Lover of Justice To him she went was heard but scarce believed The Duke is angry and grieved that any of his and in his Dominions should presume so far He commands her to withdraw into the next Room till he sent for the Governor who by chance was then at Court being come do you know said the Duke this woman the man changed
to play with him and lasciviously to touch and solicit him The noble youth rejected him and that frequently the Lover at last determined to obtain by force what he could not compass by flatteries which the other perceiving moved with a generous anger he gave the King a blow upon the Face with his Fist And Dog said he take my life foom me but my chastity thou shalt never extort from me The Barbarian was so incens'd with this indignity that he caused him to be put into a military sling and by that to be thrown forcibly over the River Boetis and dashed upon those Rocks that were on the other side 5. Spurina was a young man of Hetruria of admirable beauty so that he drew the eyes of all the women and virgins that beheld him and not only so but of the men also the former sighed and either openly or in private wished the enjoyment of him the men were touched with jealousie each living in suspicion of his Wife by reason of this so powerful a temptation Spurina the best of young men perceiving how matters went that he might at once free both himself and others from fear or trouble did so deform with bruises and scars that most lovely face of his that afterwards he lived rather the mockery than the temptation of others 6. Baldwine Earl of Flanders afterwards made Emperour of Constanoinople being about thirty two years of age was yet in that flourish and heat of youth of such singular chastity and all the time of his absence from his Wife did so contain himself that he never cast a lustful glance or looked upon any woman with unchast eyes Nicetas who was otherwise his enemy has wrote down thus much of him in his history and withal adds that he did exact the like chastity in all others and therefore twice a week about evening ho caused it to be proclaimed that no man whatsoever that had had to do with a strange woman should presume to lye down within the compass of his Palace 7. Zenocrates the Son of Agathenor born in Chalcedon the Scholar of Plato and a great Philosopher was of a tryed and approved chastity it is said that the beautiful Strumpet Phryne intended one time to make experiment of his continency and pretending she was pursued by some persons of ill intentions towards her desired to be received into his house She was and seeing there was but one bed she desired to lye with him which he also granted there she made tryal of her arts to subdue the vertue of this excellent person but she departed withont having obtained her desires and gave out that she had lain by the side of some statue and not a man His Scholars also laid the famous Harlot Lais in his bed upon a wager she was not able to subvert his constancy which was also lost on her part though such was her beauty that the flower of Greece doted upon and purâ—hased the enjoyments of at excessive rates 8. Xenophon writes of Cyrus that when Panthea a most beautiful Lady was taken Captive by him and was now about to be bâ—ought into his presence he expressly forbad it lest he should violate his own and her chastity though but with his eyes When Araspes one of his familiar friends perswaded him to go to her Tent and confer with her alledging that she was of incomparable excellency and a Lady worthy of a Kings eye Vpon that account replied he there is the greater reason I should forbear for should I now make her a visit while I am at leisure she may peradventure so order the matter as to occasion my return to her when I have business enough 9. King Antiochus the third of that name came to his City of Ephesus soon after his arrival he there beheld tht Priestess of Diana a Virgin of unmatchable beauty and such perfections as he had not seen before He departed from thence immediately and that for this reason lest that love which began to kindle in his breast growing stronger and bolder by frequâ—nt â—ight of the person should enforce him so far that he who came thither virtuous and chast should return from thence with the shipwrack of both 10. Scipio had taken the City of New Carthage where besides the rest of the Spoil there were found a â—umber of Boys and Girls the children of the Nobility Amongst the rest one Virgin was brought and presented to Scipio whose marvellous beauty attracted the eyes of all men which way soever she went it was supposed this would be no unacceptable present to a young General but as soon as he had looked upon her I would said he accept and enjoy this Virgin were I a private person and not in such command as now I am As it is the Republick keeps this mind of mine sufficiently employed yet I receive her as a kind of Pledge to be by me restored and returned where reason and humanity shall perswade Thereupon he asked the young Lady of what Country she was what her Birth and who her Parents by whom he understood that she was a Princess and contracted to Luceius a young Prince of her Nation The General therefore sent both for him and her Parents and when come setting the Virgin Lady by him spake thus to her Spouse As soon as this Virgin was by my Soldiers brought and presented to me I did willingly behold the excellency of her form and I praised the other accomplishments of her body and mind for nature hath not brought us forth blind and altogether ignorant of such things Love can reach even this Brest of mine but then it must be an honest one and such as the time and my affairs will permit Though therefore she is mine in the right of War I am not desirous in the midst of arms to play at this kind of Game nor perhaps is it comely to detain from a valiant person one that is already contracted to him I have learn't thus much from her and have therefore sent for thee that I might see thee and that I heaven is my witness a chast man might deliver this chast Virgin to thee She hath liv'd with me in â—hat caution and reservedness as if she â—ad bin with her own parents nor was it a gift worthy either of my self or thee if either force or private fraud had bin any diminution to her vertue receive her inviolate and enjoy her nor will we have any other recompence besides thy self that is a cordial respect to Scipio and the Romans The young Prince was astonished for joy the Parents fell down at the feet of Scipio and laying there a considerable weight of Gold offered it as her ransome but he bid the young Prince take it as part of her Dowry from himself above that which her Parents should give Thus did he overcome at once his lust and his covetousness and by this one noble act of his drew a great part of Spain to
such a diversity of stores and so faithfully as that he could call for them at his pleasure 12. Hugo Grotius was born at Dâ—lph in the Low-Countries Anno 1583. Vossius saith oâ— him that he was the most knowing as well in Divine as Humane things The greatest of men saith Meibomius the Light and Columen of Learning of whom nothing so magnifick can be either said or writ but that his vertue and erudition hath exceeded it 13. Claudius Salmasius a Learned French Critick of whom Rivet thus that Incomparable Person the Great Salmasius hath wrote of the Primacy of the Pope after which Homer if any shall write an Iliad he will spend his pains to no purpose C. Salmasius saith Vossius a man never enough to be praised nor usually to be named without praise The Miracle of our Age and the Promus Condus of Antiquity saith Guil. Riveâ— The Great Ornament not only of his own Country France but also of these Netherlands and indeed the Bulwark of the whole Commonwealth of Learning saith Vossius 14. Hieronymus Alâ—ander did most perfectly speak and write the Latine Greek and Hebrew with many other Exotick and Forreign Languages He first taught Greek at Paris soon after he was called to Rome by Pope Leo the Tenth and sent Ambassador into Germany By Pope Clement the Seventh made Bishop of Brundusium and by Pope Paul the Third he was made Cardinal 15. Andreas Masius was a great Linguist for besides the Italian French Spanish and the rest of the Languages of Europe he was also famous for no mean skill in the Latin Greek Hebrew and Syriack Thuanus gives him this Character a man of a sincere candid and open disposition endowed with rare and abstruse Learning and who to the knowledge of the Hebrew Chaldee and the rest of the Oriental Tongues had added exceeding piety and a diligent study of the Holy Scriptures as appears by his Commentary He wrote learnedly on Ioshua and assisted Aâ—ias Montanus in the Edition of the King of Spain's Bible and first of all illustrated the Syriac Idiom with Grammatical Precepts and a Lexicon 16. Carolus Clusius had an exact skill in Seven Languages Latin Greek Italian French Spanish Portugal and Low Dutch a most acute both Writer and Censor of Histories that are not commonly known As also most Learned in Cosmograpâ—y saith Melchior Adam in his Lives of the German Physicians Lipsius thus sported on him Omnia naturae dum Clusi arcana râ—cludis Clusius haud ultra sis sed aperta mihi 17. Gulielmus Canterus born 1542. besides his own Belgick Tongue was skill'd in Latin Greek Hebrew the German French and Italian so that one saith of him If any would desire the Specimen of a Studious Person and one who had wholly devoted himself to the advancement of Learning he may find it exactly expressed in the Person of this Gulielmus Canterus 18. Lancelot Andrews born at All-Hallows-Barking in London Scholar Fellow and Master of Pembrook-hall in Cambridge then Dean of Westminster Bishop of Chichester Ely and at last of Winchester The World wanted Learning to hear how learned this man was so skill'd in all especially the Oriental Languages that some conceive he might if then living almost have served as an Interpreter General at the confusion of Tongues He dyed in the first year of the Reign of King Charles the First and lies buried in the Chappel of Saint Mary Overies having on his Monument a large elegant and true Epitaph 19. Gerhardus Iohannes Vossius Professor of Eloquence Chronology and the Greek Tongue at Lâ—yden and Prebend of Canterbury in England an Excellent Grammarian and General Scholar one of the greatest Lights in Holland He hath written learnedly of almost all the Arts. Bâ—chartus saith thus of his Book De Historicis Graecis a work of wonderful Learning by the reading of which I ingeniously profess my self to have been not a little profited 20. Isaac Causabone a great Linguist but a singular Grecian and an excellent Philologer Salmasius no mean Scholar himself calls him that Incomparable Person the Immortal Honour of his Age never to be named without praise and never enough to be praysed He had a rare knowledge in the Oriental Tongues in the Greek scarce his Second much less his equal saith Capellus 21. Iames Vsher the Hundredth Archbishop from St. Patrick of Aâ—magh A divine saith Voetius of vast reading and erudition and most skilful in Ecclesiastical Antiquity The great Merits saith Vossius of that great and every way learned Person in the Church and of the whole Republick of Learning will never suffer but that there will be a grateful celebration of his memory for ever by all the Lovers of Learning Fitz Simonds the Jesuitâ— with whom he disputed though then very young in one of his Books gives him this Title Acatholicorum Doctissimus the most Learned of all the Protestants 22. Iohn Selden a Learned Lawyer of the Inner Temple he had great knowledge in Antiquity and the Oriental Languages which he got after he fell to the Study of the Law He is honourably mentioned by many Outlandish men He wrote in all his Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all Liberty To shew that he would examine things and not take them upon trust Dr. Duck saith thus of him to the exact knowledge of the Laws of his Country he also added that of the Moâ—aical and the Laws of other Nations as also all other Learning not only Latin Greek and Hebrew but also a singular understanding and knowledge of the Oriental Nations 23. Iohn Gregory born at Amersham in the County of Buckingham 1607. He was bred in Christ-church in Oxford where he so applied his Book that he studied sixteen hours in the four and twenty for many years together He attained to singular skill in Civil Historical Ritual and Oriental Learning in the Saxon French Italian Spanish and all Eastern Languages through which he miraculously travelled without any Guide except that of Mr. Dod the Decalogist for the Hebrew Tongue whose Society and direction therein he enjoyed one Vacation near Banbury As he was an excellent Linguist and general Scholar so his modesty set a greater lustre upon his Learning He was first Chaplain of Christ-church and thence preferred Prebendary of Chichester and Sarum and indeed no Church Preserment compatible with his Age was above his Desertâ— After twenty years trouble with an Hereditary Gout improved by immoderate study it at last invaded his Stomach and thereof he died Anno 1646. at the Age of thirty nine years He died at Kidlington and was buried at Christ-church in Oxford This Epitaph was made by a Friend on his Memory Ne premas cineres hosce Viator Nescis quot sub hoc jacent Lapillo Graeculus Hebraeus Syrus Et qui te quovis vincet Idâ—omate At ne molestus sis Ausculâ—a causam auribus tuis imbibe Templo exclusus Et
and there be the Statues of the seven Planets upon a round piece of Iron lying flat so that every day the Statue of that Planet that rules the day comes forth the rest being hid withâ—n the Frames till they come out by course at their day as the Sun upon Sunday and so for all the Week And there is a Terrestial Globe and the quarter and the half hour and the minutes are shewed there There is also the Skull of a dead man and two Statues of two Boys whereof one turns the Hour glass when the Clock hath strucken the other puts forth the Rod in his hand at each stroke of the Clock Moreover there be the Statues of the Spring Summer Autumn and Winter and many observations of the Moon In the upper Part of the Clock are four old mens Statues which strike the quarters of the hour the Statue of Death coming out at each quarter to strike but being driven back by the Statue of Christ with a Spear in his hand for three quarters but in fourth quarter that of Christ goeth back and that of Death striketh the hour with a bone in his hand and then the Chimes sound On the top of the Clock is an Image of a Cock which twice in the day croweth aloud and clappeth his Wings Besides this Clock is decked with many rare Pictures and being on the inside of the Church carrieth another Frame to the outside of the Wall wherein the hours of the Sun the courses of the Moon the length of the day and such other things are set out with great Art 32. In the Duke of Florence his Garden at Pratoline is the Statue of Pan sitting on a Stool with a wreathed pipe in his hand and that of Syrinx beckning him to play on his Pipe Pan putting away his Stool and standing up plays on his Pipe this done he looks on his Mistress as if he expected thanks from her takes the Stool again and sits down with a sad countenance There is also the Statue of a Landress beating a Buck and turning the Cloths up and down with her hand and battledor wherewith she beats them in the water There is the Statue of Fame lowdly sounding her Trumpet an Artificial Toad creeping to and fro a Dragon bowing down his head to drink water and then vomiting it up again with divers other Pieces of Art that administer wonder and delight to the beholders 33. At Tibur or Tivoli near Rome in the Gardens of Hippolitus d' Este Cardinal of Ferrara there are the Representations of sundry Birds sitting on the tops of Trees which by Hydraulick Art and secret conveyances of water through the trunks and branches of the trees are made to sing and clap their wings but at the sudden appearance of an Owl out of a Bush of the same Artifice they immediatly become all mute and silent iâ— was the work of Claudius Gallus as Possevine informs us 34. At Dantzick in Poland there was set up a rare invention for weaving of four or five Webs at a time without any human help It was an Engine that moved of it self and would work night and day This Invention was suppressed because it would have ruined the poor people of the Town and the Artificer was secretly made away as Lancelorâ—i the Italian Abbot relates from the mouth of M. Muller a Polonian who had seen the device 35. That Plicatilis domus or portable Palace made of Wood which King Henry the Eighth carried with him into France to that famous enterview that he had with Francis the First was a work of great Art and Magnificence and much spoken of by Forreign Writers especially Paulus Iovius and amongst our own by my Lord of Cherbury in his History of that Prince The Model of this Famous Piece was preserved and saith he to be â—een of late years in the Tower of London 36. In Florida and other places of the West Indies the Inhabitants made garments of Feathers with marvellous Art and Curiosity as also rare and exquisite pictures for in those Countries there are birds of rare and exquisite Plumage of very gay and gaudy colours such as put down all the pride of the Peacock they mingle variety of colours in such an admirable medley that they make a very glorious shew Fernando Cortez the Spaniard found abundance of these curious works in the Palace of Montezuma the Emperour of Mexico which were such and so excellent that none could make in Silk Wax or Needle-work any thing comparable to them Nay he adds that they were so artificial and neat that they cannot be described in writing or presented to the imagination except a man sees them These admired pieces put down not only those of Zeuxis and Apâ—lles but those two of Michael Angelo and Raphael Vrbin the Plumes of these birds do seem to surpass all their colours not only for Lustre and beauty but also for duration and lasting 37. Keneth King of Scotland had slain Câ—uthlintus the Son and Malcolmus Duffus the King and Kinsmen of Fenella she to be revenged of the murtherer caused a Statue to be framed with admirable Art in one of the hands of it was an Apple of Gold set full of precious stones which whosoever touched was immediately slain with many darts which the Statue threw or shot at him Keneth suspecting nothing was invited to this place and being slain in this manner Fenella escaped over into Ireland 38. Hadrianus Iunius saw at Mâ—cklin in Brabant a Cherrystone cut in the form of a Basket wherein were fourteen pair of Dice distinct each with their spots and number easily to be discerned with a good eye and Anno 1524. the City of Colonia Agrippina was painted with much exactness yet in so little that a fly might cover it 39. Proclus a famous Mathematician in the Reign of Anastasius Dicorus made burning glasses with that skill and admirable force that therewith he burnt at a great distance the Ships of the Mysians and Thracians that had block'd up the City of Constantinople CHAP. XLV Of the Industry and pains of some men and their hatred of Idleness THat of the Areopagites is the most honourable Court in the City of Athens and there it was most diligently inquired into after what manner each of the Athenians lived what kind of income and revenue he had and by what means it was that he sustain'd himself and his family They were taught to follow some honest course of life as knowing they were to give a publick account thereof and if any man was convicted of idleness or a reprovable way of living he had a note of infamy upon him or else was ejected the City as an unprofitable member thereof No doubt but by this procedure of theirs they put slothfulness out of all countenance and filled their City with examples of every kind of industry without fear of incurring the danger of a publick accusation as 1. Pliny
CHAP. VI. Of the affectation of Divine Honours and the desire of some men to be reputed Gods POwer is a liquour of so strong a Fermentation that few vessels are fit to be intrusted with any extraordinary measure of it it swells up men to an immeasurable pride and such a degree of immodesty as to believe themselves above the condition of mortality Death is the only remedy against this otherwise incurable madness and this it is that laies down these Magnifico's in the same nakedness and noysomeness with others O Eloquent just and mighty Death saith Sir Walter Raleigh whom none could advise thou hast perswaded what none hath dared thou hast done and whom all the world hath flattered thou hast cast out of the world and despised Thou hast drawn together all the far stretch'd greatness all the pride and cruelty and ambition of man and cover'd it all over with these two narrow words Hic jacet All these reputed gods have died like other men only perhaps more untimely and less lamented 1. Amulius King of the Latines was a proud man and at last grew up to that degree of arrogant impudence that he sought amongst his people to have the reputation of a god and to that purpose he had certain Machines by the help of which he imitated Thunders made an appearance of Lightnings by sudden ejaculations of flames and cast out Thunder-bolts but by a sudden inundation of waters near the place where he dwelt both he and his Palace were over-born and drowned 2. Agrippa King of the Jews had Reign'd over all Iudaea three years when he appointed Royal Shews in Caesarea upon the second day of which in the morning he entred the Theatre rob'd in a Vest of Silver the Silver irradiated with the beams of the Rising-sun shone with such a luster as bred a kind of horrour and aweful dread in the Spectators His flatterers therefore straight cried out from this and that other place That he was a god and besought him to be propitious to them They said That they had hitherto revered him only as a man but hereafter should acknowledge that he was above the nature of mortality The King though he heard did not reprehend these speeches nor reject so impious an Adulation but a while after when he had raised up himself he spy'd an Owl sitting over his head he had seen the like at Rome before in his calamity and was told it was the token of a change of his forlorn estate to great honours but when he should see the Bird in that posture the second time it should be the messenger of his death surpriz'd then with that unpleasing sight he fell into pains of the heart and stomach when turning to his friends Behold I your god said he am ceasing to live and he whom you but now called immortal is dragg'd unto death While he said this oppressed with torture he was straight carryed back to his Palace and in five daies was taken out of the World in the 54. of his age and seventh year of his Reign 3. Alexander the Great was very desirous to be accounted and taken as a god and boasted amongst the Barbarians that he was the son of Iupiter Ammon so that Olympiaâ— his mother used to say that Alexander never ceased to calumniate her to Iuno Being once wounded This said he is blood not that Ichor which Homer saies is wont to slow from the gods It is reported that finding himself near unto death he would privily have cast himself into the River Euphrates that being suddenly out of sight he might breed an opinion in men that he was not departed as one over-pressed with the weight of a disease but that he was ascended to the gods from whence he first came But when Roxane having understood his mind went about to hinder him he sighing said Woman dost thou envy me the glory of immortality and divinity 4. There was in Libya a man called Psaphon to whom Nature had been sufficiently indulgent in bestowing upon him extraordinary accomplishments the inward magnificence of his mind expanding it self and prompting him to it he used this subtil artifice to possess the Inhabitants about him with an opinion of his divinity Having therefore taking a number of such Birds as are capable of the imitation of humane speech he taught them to pronounce these words distinctly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psaphon is a great god this done he set them all at liberty who fill'd the Woods and places about with this ditty which the Inhabitants hearing and supposing this to fall out by divine power they fell to adoration of him 5. Caligula caused the Statues of the gods amongst which was that of Iupiter Olympius to be brought out of Greece and taking off their heads commanded his own to be set on instead thereof and standing betwixt Castor and Pollux exhibited himself to be worshipped of such as resorted thither He farther erected a Temple and instituted both Priests and most exquisite Sacrifices to the service of himself In his Temple stood his Image of Gold taken to the life which every day was clad with the same attire as was himself his Sacrifices were Phaenicopters Peacocks Bustards Turkeys Pheasants and all these were daily offered 6. Philip King of Macedon though a great contemner of the gods had yet a great desire to be reputed one himself and that also not inferiour to any of the rest for in that celebrious Pomp in which he caused twelve Statues of the gods to be carried he added his own for a thirteenth and would that it should be carried the first in order but he was at that time stabb'd and slain by the hand of Pausanias one of his own Guard 7. Menecrates the Physician having successfully cured divers persons of deplorable diseases was called Iupiter and he himself was not ashamed to take that name upon him insomuch that in the front of his Letter he wrote on this manner Menecrates Iupiter sends to King Agesilaus health who on the other side to meet with his intolerable pride and vanity returned King Agesilaus wisheth to Menecrates soundness The Greek Writers affirm of him that he took an Oath of such as he cured of the Falling-sickness that they should follow and attend upon him as his servants and they did follow him some in the habit of Hercules and others in that of Mercury Philip of Macedon observing the vanity of this man invited him with his own gods to supper when he came he was placed at a higher and more sumptuous Table whereon was a fairer Altar than on the rest on this Altar while the dishes were carryed up to other Tables were made divers â—ibations and suffumigations with incense till such time as this new Iupiter perceiving in what manner he was derided and abused went his way being well laughed at by all that were present 8. Flavius Domitianus being mounted to the Imperial Seat when after
perfumes of the East she would not wash her self but in the dews of Heaven which must be preserved for her with much skill her Garments were so pompous that nothing remained but to seek for new stuffes in Heaven for she had exhausted the Treasures of Earth her Viands so dainty that all the mouths of Kings tasted none so exquisite nor would she touch her meat but with Golden Forks and precious stones God to punish this cursed Pride and superfluity cast her on a bed and assailed her with a malady so hideous so stinking and frightful that all her nearest Kindred were enforced to abandon her none stayed about her but a poor old woman throughly accustomed to stench and death the delicate Seniora was infected with her own persumes in such manner that from all her body there began to drop a most stinking humour and a kind of matter so filthy to behold and so noysom to the smell that every man plainly perceived that her dissolute and excessive daintiness had caused this infection in her 2. Tigranes King of Armenia had ever in his Court divers Kings that waited upon him four of which alwaies attended upon his Person as his Foot-men and when he rode abroad they ran by his Stirrup in their Shirts when he sat in the Chair of State they stood about him holding their hands together with countenances that shewed the greatest bondage and subjection imaginable shewing thereby that they resigned all their liberty and offered thâ—â—r bodies to him as their Lord and Master and wâ—â—e persons more ready to suffer than to do any thing 3. Sesostris King of Aegypt though otherwise a Prince of great vertues was yet of a most intolerable Pride For he caused â—our of his Captive Kings instead of Horses to draw his Chariot when he was disposeâ— to be seen and to ride in Triumph One of these â—our at such time as Sesostris was carried out to take the air cast his head continually back upon the two formost Wheels next him which Sesostris obsâ—rving asked him What he found worthy of his admiration in that motion To whom the Captive King answered That in those he beheld the mutability of all worldly things for that both the lowest part of the Wheel was suddenly carried above and becamâ— the highest and the uppermost part was as suddenly turned downwards and under all Which when Sesostris had judiciously weighed it helped to prick the blister of his Pride and he dismissed those Kings and all other from the like servitude in the future 4. Aldred Arch-bishop of York had a certain suit to William the Conquerour and having a râ—pulse therein the Arch-bishop in great discontent offered to depart The King standing in awe of his displeasure stayed him fell down at his feet desired pardon and promised to grant his suit The King all this while being down at the Arch-bishops feet the Noble-men that were present put him in mind that he should cause the King to arise Nay saith the Prelate let him alone let him find what it is to anger St. Peter 5. Anibal was so exalted with the Victory he had got at Cannas that aâ—â—erwards he admitted not any of his Citizens of Carthage into his Camp nor gave answer to any but by an Interpreter Also when Maherbal said at his Tent door That he had found out a way whereby in a few daies if he pleased he might sup in the Capitol he despised him So hard is it for felicity and moderation to keep company together 6. King Henry the second of England Anno Dom. 1170. caused his son Prince Henry at seventeen years of age to be Crowned King that he might in his own life-time participate in the Government with him And on his Coronation day for honours sake placed the first dish on the Table himself while the new King was sate down Whereupon the Arch-bishop of York said pleasantly to him Be merry my best Son for there is not another Prince in the whole World that hath such a Servitor at his Table To whom the young King scornfully answered Why do you wonder at this my Father doth not think that he doth more than becomes him for he being a King only by the Mothers side serveth me who have a King to my Father and a Queen to my Mother 7. Frederick the first Sirnamed Barbarossa in prosecution of Pope Alexander the third had sent his son Otho to pursue him with seventy five Galleys The Pope had saved himself at Venice and Otho was made Prisoner and carried to Venice by Cian the Venetian Admiral Whereupon Frederick grew more mild and accepted conditions of Peace prescribed by Alexander as that he should crave absolution on his knees and in his own person should lead his Army into Asia So Frederick comes to Venice and being prostrate at the Popes feet in a solemn Assembly he asketh pardon The Pope sets his foot on his neck and cries with a loud voice Super Aspidem Basiliscum ambulabis The Emperour moved with this disgrace answers Non tibi sed Petro The Pope replyed Et mihi Petro. This happened at Venice Anno 1171. in the presence of the Embassadours of the Kings and Princes and of the greatest States in Europe 8. Simon Thurway born in Cornwall bred in our English Universities until he went over unto Paris where he became so eminent a Logician that all his Auditors were his Admirers Most â—irm his memory and fluent his expression and was knowing in all things save in himself For prophanely he advanced Aristotle above Moses and himself above both But his Pride had a great and sudden fall losing at the same instant both language and memory becoming compleatly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Reason or Speech Polydor Virgil saith of him Iuvene nihil acutius sene nihil obtusius whilst others add That he made an inarticulate sound like unto lowing This great Judgement befell him about the year of our Lord 1201. 9. Iulius Caesar after he had overcome Pompey was created Dictatour in the Month of Iuly whereupon he gave it his name whereas before it was called Quintilis The Dictatorship which was a Dignity only of six Months he took upon him for perpetuity He greedily accepted of the Title of Imperatour given him by the Senate He challenged to himself the Title of Pater Patriae he placed his own Statua amongst those of the Kings In the Senate he used a Seat of Gold to sit in he also permitted divine honours to be given to him Nay he was arrived to that excess of pride that he would have whatever he spake to be received as Law nor would he give the least respect unto any that came to him Through this insolency he fell into an inexpiable hatred and was slain in the Senate-house with twenty three wounds in the fifty sixth year of his age 10. The felicity and vertue of Alexander the Great was obscured by three
and will and that his pleasure once known none durst oppose it The King therefore appointed his Chair of State to be set upon the Sands when the Sea began to â—low and in the presence of his Courtiers he said unto it Thou art part of my Dominion and the ground on which I sit is mine neither was there ever any that durst disobey my commaud that went away with impunity wherefore I charge thee that thou come not upon my Land neither that thou presume to wet the Clothes or Body of me thy Lord. But the Sea according to its usual course flowing more and more wet his Feet Whereupon the King rising up said Let all the Inhabitants of the world know that vain and frivolous is the power of Kings and that none is worthy the name of a King but he to whose command the Heaven Earth and Sea by the bond of an everlasting Law are subject and obedient After this it is said that the King would never more wear his Crown 6. Damocles was the Flatterer of Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracuse crying up his Riches and Majesty and the like affirming that no man was ever more happy than himself Wilt thou then said the Tyrant taste and make tryal of my fortune Damocles said he was very desirous of it He caused him therefore to be placed upon a Bed of Gold the most exquisite delights to be presented to him the Table covered with the most exquisite and far fetched dainties And now when Damocles thought himself very fortunate in the midst of all this preparation he pointed him to a bright and drawn Sword that hanged from the top of the Room directly over his head was the point of it and it tyed only with a Horâ—e hair Damocles therefore not daring to put his hand to any of the Dishes besought the Tyrant that he might have liberty to depart By this he convicted this Flatterer and shewed him that they were not happy that lived in perpetual dangers and fears 7. When Agrippa had raigned three whole years over all Iudea in the City of Cesaria which was formerly called the Tower of Straton he set forth publick shews in honour of Caesar to which resorted a multitude of the Nobles and great Persons throughout the Realm Upon the second day of this solemnity in the morning Agrippa entred the Theatre cloathed in a Garment all of Silver framed with a wonderful Art which glanced upon by the Beams of the rising Sun and sending forth a kind of divine fulgor begat a kind of veneration and honour in the beholders Whereupon there were a sort of pernicious Flatterers that saluted him as a god humbly beseeching him that he would be propitious to them saying that heretofore they had revered him as a man but now they did confess that thâ—re was something in him more excellent than humane nature This prophane kind of Flattery he neither rejected nor reproved them for soon after he beheld an Owl sitting upon a Rope which before had been to him a presage of good and of which it had been predicted that when he saw the like sight again it should be to him the sign of evil fortune at which he was exceedingly perplexed immediately he was taken with extream torments in his belly and pressures at his heart upon which he said to his Friends Behold I that am your God as you said am now ready to depart this life and he who you said was immortal is now haled away by death While he was speaking these things spent with pain he was carried into his Palace where having wrestled with his intolerable pains for â—ive dayes he departed this life aged fifty four and having reigned seven years four under Caiâ—s and three under Claudius 8. The Athenians were the first that gave to Demetrius and Antigonus the title of Kings they caused them to be set down in their publick records for Saviour Gods They put down their ancient Magistracy of the Archontes from whom they denominated the year and yearly elected a Priest to these Saviours whose name they prefixed to their decrees and contracts In the place where Demetrius dismounted from his Chariot they erected an Altar which they dedicated to Demetrius the dismounter They added two Tribes to the rest which they called Demetrias and Antigonis Above all that of Stratocles is to be remembred who was a known designer of the grandest flattery this man was author of a decree that those who by the people were publickly sent unto Demetrius and Antigonus should not be calâ—ed Embassadors but Theoroi or Speakers to the gods 9. Valerius Maximus in the dedication of his book of memorable examples to Tiberius the Emperour thus flatteringly bespeaks him Thee O Caesar do I invoke in this my undertaking who art the most certain safety of our Country in whose hands is the power of Sea and Land by an equal consent of gods and men and by whose celestial providence all those virtues of which I am to speak are benignely cherished and the vices severely punished For if the ancient Oratours did happily take their Exordiums from the great and best Iupiter if the most excellent Poets did use to commence their Writings by the invocation of some one or other deity by how much the more justice ought my meanness to have recourse unto your favour seeing that all other divinity is collected by opinion but yours by present evidence appears equal unto your Grandfathers and Fathers Star by the admirable brightness of which there is an accession of a glorious splendour to our Ceremonies For as for all other gods we have indeed received them but the Caesars are made and acknowledged by our selves 10. Tiberius Caesar coming into the Senate one of them stood up and said that it was fit the words of free men should be free also and that nothing which was proâ—itable should be dissembled or concealed All men were attentive to an Oration with such a Preface there was a deep silence and Tiberius himself listned when the Flatterer proceeds thus Hear O Caesar what it is that we are displeased with in thee whereof yet no man dare openly make mention you neglect your self and have no regard to your own person you wast your body with continual cares and travails for our sakes taking no rest or repose either day or night CHAP. XLV Of such as have been found guilty of that which they have reprehended or disliked in others AMongst others who came to be Spectators of the Olympick games there was an old man of Athens he passed to and fro but no man afforded him a seat room when he came where the Spartan Ambassadours sate they who had been taught to reverence age rose up and gave him place amongst them Well said the old man the Grecians know well enough what they ought to do but the Spartans alone are they who do it The following examples afford too many too near allied to the Grecians
according to his sentence 7. Cicero flying for his life was pursued by Herennius and Popilius Lena this latter at the request of M. Caelius he defended with equal care and eloquence and from a hazardous and doubtful cause sent him home in safety This Popilius afterwards not provoked by Cicero in word or deed of his own accord asked Antonius to be sent after Cicero then proscribed to kill him Having obtained licence for this detestable employment with great joy he speeded to Cajeta and there commands that person to stretch out his throat who was not to mention his dignity the Author of his safety and in private to be entertained by him with little less than veneration There did he with great unconcernedness cut off the head of the Roman Eloquence and the renowned right-hand of peace With that burden he returned to the City nor while he was laden with that execrable portage did it ever come into his thoughts that he carried in his Arms that head which had heretofore pleaded for the safety of his 8. Parmenio had served with great fidelity Philip the father of Alexander as well as himself for whom he had first opened the way into Asia He had depressed Attalus the Kings enenemy he had alwaies and in all hazards the leading of the Kings Vanguard he was no less prudent in counsel than fortunate in all attempts a man beloved of the men of War and to say the truth that had made the purchase for the King of the Empire of the East and of all the glory and fame he had After he had lost two of his sons in the Kings Wars Hector and Nicanor and the other lost in torments upon a suspicion of Treason This great Parmenio Alexander resolved to deprive of life by the hands of murderers without so much as acquainting him with the cause and would choose out no other to expedite this unworthy business but the greatest of Parmenio's friends which was Polydamus whom he trusted most and loved best and would alwaies have to stand at his side in every fight He and Cleander dispatched this great man as he was reading the Kings Letter in his Garden in Media So fell Parmenio who had performed many notable things without the King but the King without him did never effect any thing worthy of praise 9. Philip King of Macedon had sent one of his Court to Sea to dispatch something he had given him in command but a storm came and he was shipwrack'd but saved by one that lived there about the Shore in a little Boat wherein he was taken up He was brought to his Farm and there entertained with all civility and humanity and at thirty daies end dismissed by him and furnished with somewhat to bear his charges At his return he tells the King of his Wrack and dangers but nothing of the benefits he had received The King told him he would not be unmindful of his fidelity and dangers undergone in his behalf He taking the occasion told the King he had observed a little Farm on the Snore and besought him he would bestow that on him as a monument of his escape and reward of his Service The King orders Pausanias the Governour to assign him the Farm to be possessed by him The poor man being thus turned out applied himself to the King told him what humanity he had treated the Courtier with and what ungrateful injury he had returned him in lieu of it The King upon hearing of the Cause in great anger commanded the Courtier presently to be seised and to be branded in the sorehead with these Letters Hospes ingratus The ungrateful Guest restoring the Farm to its proper owner 10. When the Enmity brake out betwixt Caesar and Pompey Marcellinus a Senatour and one of them whom Pompey had raised estranged himself so far from his party unto that of Caesars that he spake many things in Senate against Pompey who thus took him up Art thou not ashamed Marcellinus to speak evil of him through whose bounty of a mute thou art become eloquent and of one half starved art brought to such a plenty as that thou art not able to â—orbear vomiting Notably taxing his ingratitude who had attained to all his Dignity Authority and Eloquence through his favour and yet abused them all against him 11. Henry Keeble Lord Major of London 1511. besides other Benefactions in his life-time rebuilded Aldermary Church run to very ruines and bequeathed at his death one thousand pounds for the finishing of it yet within sixty years after his bones were unkindly yea inhumanely cast out of the Vault wherein they were buried his Monument plucked down for some wealthy Person of the present times to be buried therein Upon which occasion saith Dr. Fuller I could not but rub up my old Poetry which is this Fuller to the Church Vngrateful Church o'rerun with rust Lately bury'd in the Dust Vtterly thou hadst been lost If not preserv'd by Keeble's cost A thousand pounds might it not buy Six foot in length for him to lye But outed of his quiet Tomb For later Corpse he must make room Tell me where his dust is cast Though 't be late yet now at last All his bones with scorn ejected I will see them recollected Who fain my self would Kinsman prove To all that did Gods Temples love The Churches Answer Alas my innocence excuse My Wardens they did me abuse Whose Avarice his Ashes sold That goodness might give place to gold As for his Reliques all the Town They are scatt'red up and down Seest a Church repaired well There a sprinkling of them sell. Seest a new Church lately built Thicker there his Ashes spilt Oh that all the Land throughout Keeble's dust wâ—re thrown about Places scatt'red with that sâ—ed Would a crop of Churches breed 12. Anno 1565. upon the fifth of February one Paulus Sutor of the Village of Breswâ—il near the City of Basil came into the house of Andreas Hager a Bookseller he was then old and sick and had been the others Godfather at the Font and performed to him all the good offices that could be expected from a father Being entred his house he told him he was come to visit him as one that esteemed him as his father But as soon as the Maid was gone out of the Parlor that attended upon the sick man he caught up a hammer gave him some blows and then thrust him through with his knife As soon as the Maid returned with the same fury he did the like to her and then sâ—ising the Keys he searched for the prey intended he found eight pieces of plate which afterwards in want of money he pawned to a Priest of St. Blasms who suspecting the man sent the plate to the Senate at Basil by which means the Author of the detestable murder was known he was searched after taken at the Village of Hagenstall brought prisoner to Basil where he had his legs and arms broken
would go a hunting in the New Forest yet something moved with the many presages he staid within all the Forenoon but about Dinner time an Artificer caâ—e and brought him six Crossbow Arrows very strong and sharp whereof four he kept himself and the other two he delivered to Sir Walter Tyrrel a Knight of Normandy his Bow-bearer saying Here Tyrrel take you two for you know how to shoot them to purpose and so having at Dinner drank more liberally than his custom as it were in contempt of presages out he rides to the New Forrest where Sir Walter Tyrrel shooting at a Deer at a place called Charingham the Arrow glanced against a Tree or as some say grazed upon the back of the Deer and flying forward hit the King upon the Breast with which he inâ—tantly fell down dead Thus dyed William Rufus in the forty third year of his age and twelfth and some months of his reign his Body was drawn in a Colliers Cart with one Horse to the City of Winchester where the day following he was buryed in the Cathedral Church of St. Swithin 4. The Lord Hastings by Richard the third the then Protector was arrested of high Treason who wished him to make hast to be confessed â—or he swore by St. Paul his usual Oath that he would not touch bread nor drink till his Head was off so he was led forth unto the Green before the Chapel within the Tower where his Head was laid down upon a Log of Timber and there stricken off In this mans death we may see how inevitable the blows of destiny are for the very night before his death the Lord Standley sent a secret messenger to him at Midnight in all haste to acquaint him with a dream he had in which he thought that a Boar with his Tushes so goared them both in the heads that the blood ran about their shoulders and forasmuch as the Protector gave the Boar for his Cognizance the dream made so fearful an impression upon his heart that he was throughly resolved to stay no longer and had made his Horse ready requiring the Lord Hastings to go with him and that presently to be out of danger before it should be day But the Lord Hastings answered the Messenger Good Lord leaneth your Master so much to such trifles to put such faith in dreams which either his own fear fantasieth or else do rise in the nights rest by reason of the days thoughts Go back therefore to thy Master and commend me to him and pray him to be merry and have no fear for I assure him I am as sure of the man he woteth of as of mine own hand the man he meant was one Catesby who deceived him and was himself the first mover to rid him out of the way Another warning he had the same morning in which he was beheaded his Horse twice or thrice stumbled with him almost to falling which though it often happen to such to whom no mischance is toward yet hath it of old been observed as a token foregoing some great misfortune 5. The night before Henry the second King of France was slain Queen Margaret his Wife dreamed that she saw her Husbands eye put out there were Justs and Turnaments at that time into which the Queen besought her Husband not to enter because of her dream but he was resolved and there did things worthy of himself when almost all was now done he would needs run at Tilt with a Knight who refused him his name was Montgomery the King was bent upon it they shivered their Launces in the course and a splinter of one of them took the King so full into the eye that he thereby received his deadly wound 6. There was one who dreamed that he was bitten to death by a Lion of Marble that was set at the entrance of the Temple being in the morning to go to that Temple aâ—d beholding the Marble Statue of the Lion laughing he told his dream to them that went with him he put his hand into the Lions mouth and jestingly said Bite now my valiant enemy and if thou canst kill me he had scarce spoken the words when he was deadly stung by a Scorpion that there lay hid and thereby unexpectedly found the truth of his dream 7. Croesus King of Lydia had two Sons the one dumb and of little use the other a person of excellent accomplishments above all the rest of his Companions his name was Atys concerning this Son Croesus dreamed that he was transfixed with a Javelin headed with Iron being awake and having considered of it he takes a Wife for his Son and whereas he was before General of all the Lydian forces he would not suffer him thenceforth to head them all Spears Javelins Lances and such like he removed from the Walls into inward Chambers lest any should fall upon his Son and kill him About this time near the mount Olympus in Mysia there was a wild Boar of extraordinary bigness destroying the labours of the Mysians and though they had divers times assaulted him yet were they destroyed and he no way endamaged They therefore sent Embassadors to Croesus to beseech him to send them his Son with a party of select young men together with some Dogs that the Boar might be slain Croesus remembring his dream refused to send his Son but granted all the rest His Son hearing their Embassy and his refusal expostulated with him the cause why he would not suffer him to go with the rest He thereupon tells him his dream the young man replyed That seeing it was upon the point of a weapon that he should dye he need not fear to send him to the Mysians for his dream was not that he should dye by Teeth Tushes or the like Croesus hereupon changed his determination and having resolved his Son should go this expedition he called for Adrastus a valiant person who had â—led out of Phrygia to him and told him that to his care he would entrust his Son in case they should be suddenly set upon by Robbers in the way To Mysia they went found out the Boar and having enclosed him round cast Darts and Javelins at him here Adrastus threw a Javelin at the Boar but missing his aim he unfortunately therewith so wounded the Prince that he presently dyed and Adrastus unable to bear the grief of his error slew himself 8. Alexander the Great was admonished by the Chaldeans that he should not enter Babylon as being a place fatal to him and not only so but he had in his sleep the Image of Cassander his Murtherer presented to him he thought he was killed by him and that he was advised to be a more careful preserver of his own life afterwards when Cassander came first into his sight for he had never before seen him he enquired whose Son he was when he was told it was the Son of Antipater though he knew it was that face whose image had
his Tiara and Robe of State for the Bishops Miter But his Courtiers prevented him saying that he was a meer Impostor and Enchanter instead of an Ambassador All Greece made vows for his safe return from thence but he never came back again 17. C. Iulius Caesar learned of Apollonius Molon at Rhodes he is said to be admirably fitted for the City Eloquence and had so improved his parts by his diligence that without all question he merited the second place in point of Eloquence the â—irst he would not have as one that intended rather to be the first in Power and Armes Cicero himself writes to Brutus that he knew not any to whom Caesar should give place as one that had an Elegant Splendid Magnificent and Generous way of Speaking And to Cornelius Nepos Whom saith he will ye prefer before this man even of those who have made Oratory their busineCâ—ess who is more acute or frequent than he in sentences who more Ornate or Elegant in words He is said to have pronounced his Orations with a sharp voice and earnest motion and gesture which yet was not without its comliness CHAP. VIII Of the most famous Greek and Latine Historians BY the singular providence of God and his great goodness it was that where the prophetick history of the Holy Scriptures breaks off there we should have an immediate supply from elsewhere and we may almost say that in the very moment where they have left there it was that 1. Herodotus the Halicarnassian began his History who relates the Acts of Cyrus and the affairs of the Persian Monarchy even unto the War of Xerxes the Histories of the Kingdoms of Lydia Media and especially of Aegypt are set down by him An account he gives of the Ionians the City of Athens and the Spartan and Corinthian Kings excelling all prophane Writers of History both in the Antiquity of the things he treats of the multitude of Examples and the purity and sweetness of his Stile His History is continued for the series of two hundred and thirty years from Gyges the King of Lydia the contemporary with Manasses King oâ— Iudah to the flight of Xerxes and Persians out of Greece which was in the year of the world 3485. Herodotus himself flourished in the beginning of the Peloponnesian war which was about the year of the world 3540. 2. Thucydides the Athenian immediately succeeds him who imbraceth in his History the space of seventy years that is from the flight of Xerxes unto the twenty first year of the Peloponnesian war for although he professedly describes only that war betwixt the Athenians and Peloponnesians wherein himself was a General yet by way of digression he hath inserted an account of those fifty years that are betwixt the end of Herodotus his History and the beginning of this war Here he explains the affairs of Cities as the former had done of Monarchies and hath framed so illustrious and express an Image of all those things that usually happen in the government of a Common-wealth hath so lively represented the miseries that attend upon war especially a civil and intestine one hath composed his many Orations with that artifice and care that nothing can be thought more sinewy and agreeable unto all times in the world than his History 3. Xenophon the Attick Bee whose unaffected sweetness and elegancy of Stile is such that Antiquity admiring thereat said the Graces had framed and directed his Speech He beginning at the end of Thucydides hath in seven Books comprehended the events of forty years wars betwixt the principal Cities of Greece as far as to the battle of Mantinea and the year of the world 3600. 4. Diodorus Siculus hath set forth his Bibliotheque or an universal history of almost all the habitable world accurately distinguished by times and years in forty Books In the five first of which he discourses the original of the world the Egyptian Assyrian Libyan Greek Antiquities and the affairs of other Nations before the Trojan War The other thirty five contain a Series of years no less than 1138. from the Trojan War to Iulius Caesar of all these there are but fifteen Books extant his sixteenth Book almost immediately follows Xenophon in which he treats of Philip of Macedon who began to Reign Anno Mumd 3604. From thence he passes to Alexander and his Successours and in the end of his twentieth Book which is the last of his extant he reaches to the year of the World 3664. which year falls directly into the tenth Book of Livy and upon the four hundred fifty second year from the building of Rome 5. Titus Livius born at Padua was the Prince of the Latin History excelling all Latin Writers in the admirable gravity copiousness and beauty of his Speech He hath written a continued History of seven hundred forty six years from the building of Rome in the year of the World 3212. to the fourth year before the birth of Christ which was the thirty seventh year of Augustus Now although of fourteen Decades or one hundred and forty Books of Livy there are only three Decades and half a fifth left yet the Arguments of the rest of the Books and the Series of the principal Histories may easily be observed from Florus his Epitome Livy died the twenty first year after the birth of Christ. 6. Câ—esias Gâ—idius a famous Historian of the Assyrian and Persian Affairs about the year of the World 3564. in the Expedition of Cyrus the younger against his brother Artaxerxes was taken Prisoner and for his skill in Physick was received into the Kings House and Family where out of the Royal Commentaries and Records he composed the ancient History of the Kings of Assyria Babylon and Persia in twenty Books having brought it down from Ninus as far as the seventh year after the taking of Athens by Lysander 7. Plutarchus of Cheronaea flourished about the year of our Lord 100. the ample Treasury of the Greek and Latin History he wrote about fifty Lives of the principal men amongst the Greeks and Romans full of the best matter wise sentences and choice rules of life The Greek Lives he begins with Theseus King of Athens and ends with Philopoemenes General of the Achaeans who died one hundred and eighty years before the birth of Christ. The Roman Captains he describes from Romulus as far as to Galba and Otho who contended for the Empire in the seventeenth year after the birth of Christ. 8. Arrianus of Nicomedia flourished Anno Christi 140. and in eight Books wrote the Life and Acts of Alexander the Great his Affairs in India are handled most copiously by him of all other the whole is wrote in a singular sweetness and elegancy of stile 9. Dionysius Halicarnassaeus wrote accurately the Roman History the Original of the City Magistracy Ceremonies and Laws are faithfully related by him and his History continued to the beginning of the first Punick War and the four hundred eighty ninth year from
poverty and miserable want that Prince as he was he was forced to learn the Art of a Turner and Joiner whereby he got his living 9. My Father hath told me from the mouth of Sir Robert Cotton how that worthy Knight met in a morning a true and undoubted Plantagenet holding the Plough in the Country Thus gentile blood fetcheth a circuit in the body of a Nation running from Yeomanry through Gentry to Nobility and so retrograde returning through Gentry to Yeomanry again 10. â— Philip King of Macedon after many famous Exploits by him performed and being chosen by all Greece as their General in the Asian Expedition an honour he had long thirsted after conâ—ulted the Oracle of Apollo and from thence received as he did interpret it a very favourable Answer touching his success against the Persian He therefore ordains great and solemn Sacrifices to the Gods marries his Daughter Cleopatra to Alexander King of Epirus and that he might appear amongst the Greeks in his greatest glory and magnificence he invites throughout all Greece divers great persons to this nuptial Feast and desires them to bring with them as many as they pleased whom he would also entertain as his Guests There was therefore a marvellous confluence of people from all parts to these Royal Nuptials and the musical contests which he had also ordained At Aegis a City in Macedonia was this great Solemnity where he then received divers Crowns of Gold from several illustrious persons as also others that were sent to him in his honour from the most famous Cities in Greece even from Athens it self Now was the Feast over and the musical concertation deferred to the next day a multitude of people were assembled in the Theatre while it was yet night and at the first appearance of day then began the Pomp to set forth in which besides other glorious preparations there were twelve Statues of the Gods carried upon huge and triumphant Arches and together with these a thirteenth which was the Statue of Philip himself adorned with divine Habit by which he would it should be understood that he was in Dignity equal with the Gods themselves The Theatre being now crowded Philip himself appears all clothed in white having ordered his Guards to keep at a distance from him that the Greeks might know he thought himself sufficiently guarded with their love At this his glorious appearance he was openly extolled and looked upon as the happiest person amongst all other mortals But this his dazelling brightness was soon over-cast with a black cloud and all the Pageant of his Glory wrapt up in the â—ables of death For while his Guards kept at their commanded distance there ran up to him one Pausanias one of those that had the nearest charge of his body and with a short Gallick Sword he had hid about him for that purpose â—mote him into the side and laid him dead at his foot in the sight of thousands of his Souldiers and Friends 11. Polycrates the Tyrant of Samos was so fortunate that not so much as a light touch of adversity had for a long time befallen him he was allied with Amasis King of Egypt who hearing of the great prosperity of his friend feared like a wiâ—e Prince that it would not continue long wherefore he wrote unto him to this effect I am glad to understand that my friend fareth so well nevertheless I have this great felicity in suspicion knowing how envious Fortune is For my part I had rather that my affairs and the affairs of my friends went in â—uch sort as that some adversity might cross them in this life than that they should go always to our liking If herein thou wilt believe me carry thy self in thy prosperity as followeth Look what thou hast about thee that thou holdest most dear and wouldst be most sorry to lose cast that away so far and in such sort as none may ever see it If thy prosperity change not for all that apply thereunto from time to time for thy easâ— some such remedy as this is which I have propounded to thee Polycrates liked this counsel and having a gold Ring set with an Emerauld engraven which he used for his Seal he cast it into the Sea but within a while after this Ring was found in a fishes belly and brought again to Polycrates Of which when Amasis heard he renounced by an express message the right of friendship and hospitality which he had contracted with Polycrates alledging for his reason that he feared he should be forced to sorrow and lamentation because of his friend overwhelmed with misery It happened that after certain days Oraetes Lieutenant of Cyrus in the City of Sardis drew unto him by crafty means this Minion of Fortune Polycrates whom he caused to be hanged upon a Gibbet and his body there left to the heats of the day and the dews of the night 12. Henry Holland Duke of Exeter and Earl of Huntingdon who married the Sister of Edward the Fourth was driven to such want that passing into Flanders Philip de Comines saith that he saw him run on foot bare-leg'd after the Duke of Burgundy's Train begging his bread for Gods sake whom the Duke of Burgundy at that time not knowing though they had married two Sisters but hearing afterwards who it was allotted him a small pension to maintain him till not long after he was found dead upon the shore of Dover and stripped all naked but how he came to his death could never by any inquiry be brought to light This was about the thirteenth year of the Reign of Edward the Fourth 13. In the Reign of King Iames the Lord Cobham was condemned for high Treason but yet reprieved by the King though notwithstanding he came to a miserable end For before his death he was extremely lousie for want of apparel and linen and had perished for hunger had not a Trencher-scraper at Court sometimes his Servant relieved him with such scraps as he could spare In this mans house he dyed being so poor a place that he was forced to creep up a Ladder through a little hole into his Chamber which was a strange change he having been a man of 7000 l. per annum and of a personal Estate of 30000 l. his Lady also being rich who yet in this his extremity of misery would not give him of the crums that fell from her table 14. Hugolin Giradesca of Pisa was the Chief of the Faction of the Guelphs that stuck to the Pope having foiled a part of the Gibbellines who affected the Emperour and stricken a fear into the rest became so great amongst those of his party that he commanded with a white Wand was both in name and in deed Lord of his City a rich and noble Personage learned magnificent married to a great Lady had goodly Children and Grandchildren abounding in all manner of wealth more than he could wish living happy in all pleasure both
that stood near him This young man will be the occasion that no man hereafter will resign a Dictatorship 7. When Sir Henry Wotton returned from his last Embassie into England at all those houses where he rested or lodged he left his Coat of Arms with this Inscription under them Henricus Wottonius Anglo-cantianus Thomae optimi viri filius natu minimus à Serenissimo Iacobo Primo Mag. Brit. Rege in Equestrem titulum adscitus ejusdemque ter ad Rempubâ—icam Venetam Legatus Ordinarius semel ad Confoederatorum Provinciarum Ordines in Iuliacensi Negotio bis ad Carolum Emanuel Subaudiae Ducem semel ad Vnitos Superiorie Germaniae Principes in Conventu Heilbrunensi postremò ad Archiducem Leopoldum Ducem Wittembergensem Civitates Imperiales Argentinam Vlmamque ipsum Romanorum Imperatorem Ferdinandum Secundum Legatus Extraordinarius tandem hoc didicit Animas fieri sapientiores quiescendo 8. Ramirus lived a Monk in a Monastery from whence upon the death of his Brother he was called by the Nobles and people of Arragon to succeed his Brother in the Kingdom the Pope also dispensed with his Vow and he had his allowance to accept of the Kingdom Ramirus therefore left the Monastery married a Wife of whom he had Daughter called Vrraca after which neither conjugal affection nor the desire of a Kingdom two of the strongest bonds amongst men were able to retain him but that he would return unto that Ecclesiastical humility which he had experienced in the Convent where he formerly had lived 9. The Parthians by civil discords had ejected Artabanus their King who endeavoured his Restauration to his Kingdom by the Arms of Iazates King of the Adiabeni The Parthians not only upon the account of an imminent War but moved also with other reasons repented that they had expelled Artabanus They sent therefore Ambassadors both to him and to Iazates giving them to understand that they would most willingly do what they did require them but that upon the expulsion of Artabanus they had set up Cynamus in his stead and having sworn Allegiance unto him as their King they durst not recede from their Oath Which when Cynamus understood he wrote to Artabanus and Iazates that they should come for he would resign up the Kingdom of Parthia to Artabanus When they were come Cynamus went forth to meet them adorned in Royal Robes and the Diadem upon his head assoon as he drew near to Artabanus dismounting from his Horse he thus spake When the Parthians had driven thee Artabanus from the Kingdom and were resolved to confer it on another at their intreaty I received it but so soon as I knew it was their desire to restore it to thee their true and lawful King and that the only hindrance of it was that they should do it without my consent I not only forbare to oppose them but as thou seest of mine own accord and without any other respect I restore it to thee And having so said he took the Diadem from his own head with his own hands he fitted it to that of Artabanus and freely returned to his former privacy 10. Albertus was a Dominick Fryer and for his great Learning sirnamed Magnus he was made Bishop of Ratisbone by Pope Alexander the Fourth but he freely left his Bishoprick and returned home again to Colen that he might retire himself and enjoy the greater quiet for reading and writing 11. In the year of our Lord 1179. and the Reign of King Henry the Second Richard de Lucy Lord Chief Justice of England resigned his Office and became a Canon in the Abbey of Westwood And in the Reign of King Henry III. upon the 29. of Iune An. 1276. Walter Maleclarke Bishop of Carlisle renounced the Pomp of the World and took upon him the Habit of a preaching Fryer 12. In a preliminary Discourse before the Monasticon Anglicanum we have an account of divers Kings in this our Island who for devotions sake left their Crowns and took upon them the Habit and Profession of Monks Such were Pertocus King of Cambria Constantinus King of Cornwal Sebby King of the East Saxons Offa King of the East Saxons Sigebert King of the East Angles Etheldredus King of the Mercians Kynred King of the Mercians Ceolwulphus King of the North Humbers and Edbricthus King of the North Humbers Whereupon one hath wrote these metrical Verses Nomina Sanctorum rutilant cum laude piorum Stemmate regali cum vestitu Monachali Qui Reges facti spreverunt culmina regni Electi Monachi sunt coeli munere digni 13. Prince Lewis the eldest Son of Charles King of Naples at the age of twenty one years and just when he should have been married to the youthful Princess of Majorica did suddenly at Barcellona put on the rough and severe Habit of the Franciscans The Queens and Princesses there met to solemnize the Marriage of his Sister Blanch with Iames King of Arragon employed their Rhetorick to disswade him from it but to no purpose he loved his Sackcloth more than their Silks and as Monsieur Mathieu alluding to the young Princess speaks of him lâ—â—t Roses to make a Conserve of Thorns 14. King Agrippa took the High Priesthood from Simon Canthara and gave it again to Ionathan the Son of Anani whom he esteemed more worthy than the other But Ionathan declared that he was not worthy of this Dignity and refused it saying O King I most willingly acknowledge the honour you are pleased to bestow upon me and know you offer me this Dignity of your fâ—ee will notwithstanding which God judgeth me unworthy It sufficeth that I have once been invested with the sacred Habit for at that time I wore it with more holiness than I can now receive it at this present yet notwithstanding if it please you to know one that is more worthy of this honour than my self I â—ave a Brother who towards God and you is pure and innocent whom I dare recommend to you for a most fit man for that Dignity The King took great pleasure in these words and leaving Ionathan he bestowed the Priesthood on Mathias his Brother as Ionathan had desired and advised 15. Constantine the Third King of Scotland being wearied with the troubles of a publick life renounced his temporal Dignities and Kingdom and betook himself to a private life amongst the Culdees in St. Andrews with whom he spent his five last years and there dyed about the year 904. 16. Celestine the Fifth an Italian and foâ—merly an Anchorite was chosen Pope was a man of pious simplicity though unskilful in the managâ—mâ—nâ— of Affairs this man was easily perswaded by his Cardinals that the employment he had was too great for his capacity so that he had thoughts of resigning and was furthered therein by the crafty device of Boniface who succeeded him For this man feigning himself to be an Angel spake through a Trunk
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