the mortification of vaine pleasure vvhich I haue read A conceited speech spoken to king Ferdinand THe king Ferdinand of Naples was very malecontent and could not endure to see men walke together two or three in a company or to talke together of their priuate affaires A certaine Courtier seeing the King in this passion to currie fauour with him said vnto him Sir you ought to shunne and take away this vsage that is so troublesome vnto you or else to make your benefite of it and in my aduice it were good that you imposed a tribute vpon them that vse to walke in this maner vp and downe for it would yeeld you a greater reuenue then the customes which you leauie vpon the merchandizes of all your Realme and Dominions Of a pretie quippe giuen by Anthony of Panorâ—e to a certaine Knight THe king Alphponsus of whome we haue before spoken beeing aboue all things well affected to the exercise of hunting did very earnestly enquire of Anthony of Panorme what Gentlemen of Naples were the greatest louers of that game of venerie and whether any of them had written of the nature of dogges and hounds Why sir quoth the Panormitan how is it that you demaund of me this question Haue you not a person in your company euery day which hath conuersed with this kind of creatures for these forty yeares together and night by night hath lien by a brach he I trow is sufficiently able to write of the nature of hounds and the manner how to keepe and cherish them Now the partie of whoÌ„ the Panormitan spake was a certaine Knight who was in very good grace and fauour in Court which made the king immediatly to fall on laughing knowing that the said Panormitan vnder the name of a brach did meane the Gentlemans wife because she was a woman that did vse to be very loud and clamoursom in her speech and was the most subiect to furiousnesse and outragious passions of any woman liuing A contentious and quarelsome wife is an incurable disease The letters of the Earle of Aniovv to the king of Fraunce LEvvis king of France the sonne of king Charles the simple being in the church of S. Martin of Tours at diuine seruice diuerse of his Gentlemen young Courtiers shewed him how Fovvkes the good Earle of Aniovv was set amongst the singing men and did sing with them for the which they mocked and contemned him Whereof the Countie being informed he sent letters vnto the king wherein was nothing written saue these words only To the king of Fraunce the Earle of Aniovv sendeth greeting Sir knovv you that a King vnlearned is but an asse crovvned The counsell of the Earle of Aniovv to his brother at the time of his death MAurice Erle of Aniou at the time of his decease giuing some instructions to his brother Fouques Nerra that succeeded him in his Earledome said vnto him My brother I pray remember how in all my life time I haue laboured to get me friends knowing that this is great riches and that the house which hath many friends ought not to be reputed poore nor destitute And therefore I aduise thee in any case to hold them deare vnto thee who haue heretofore bene faithfull and trustie vnto vs. A friend hath no greater treasure then a true friend in time of necessitie A Christian Act of the Earle of Aniou FOuques the fifth of that name earle of Aniou hauing gained the victorie in a battell foughten against Henrie king of England neare the towne of Sees where the Angeuins and Manceaux tooke a great number of prisoners whom they bound enchained together and lodged in an Abbey church neare the campe On a morning early the Count being disposed to go heare a Masse in the same church and being not able to enter into it for the multitude of prisoners there enchained he was very much discontented at it and turning him to his men at armes he said My companions and friends what haue you done Do you not know that the church is the house of God and of prayer and haue you turned it into a prison Do you not feare the wrath of God in that you execute crueltie in his temple You ought to know that the church is our mother and we are her children this place is a Sanctuarie and a place of priuiledge but you haue made it a place of seruitude This said he caused the prisoners to be vnbound hauing made them to eate drink he set theÌ„ at liberty without paying of any ransom The same Earle on a time said that to support or cherish the wicked was to do iniurie to the good A Sentence of the duke of Brittaine IOhn duke of Brittaine the fifth of that name being willing to make a mariage betweene his sonne the Lord Frauncis and the Ladie Izabel daughter to the Scottish king the young Prince Francis enquired what kind of Ladie that Izabel was to whoÌ„ answer was made that she was a very goodly Gentlewoman wise and discreet and one that was likely to haue faire issue of her bodie sauing that she had some impediment in her speech Then is she such a one as I desire quoth the Duke For I hold a woman wise enough that knoweth how to put a difference between the wastcote and shirt of her husband The haughtie courage of the duke of Burgundie PHilip the hardie duke of Burgundie was wont to say That kingdomes Lordships and Dominions did of right appertaine vnto theÌ„ that could by conquest get and purchase them he got the name of hardie because at a certaine banquet he leaped ouer the table onely to haue the chiefest place next to the person of king Charles the sixth he had both the courage and the speech of Alexander the Great An act of Galeace duke of Millain GAleace duke of Millain was giuen to vnderstand that there was a certaine Aduocate in that citie so subtill and cunning that he could prolong sutes in law and so draw theÌ„ out in length as he would make theÌ„ almost endlesse whensoeuer he listed to vndertake to do it either for loue or for money The Duke willing to make proofe thereof enquired of the chiefe steward of his house if there were not some debt due and owing by him to those that were to serue him with prouisions for his house In the end it appeared that there was owing to a certain Baker an hundred pounds in whose name he caused himselfe to be summoned and a day to be set downe for his appearance before the Senate to answer for the paiment of this debt vnto the said Baker In the meane time he sent to this Aduocate and demaunded his counsell how he might make delaies and not be enforced to make paiment of this money The Aduocate promised him to find the means and to deuise such sleights as the Baker should not finger a peny for one yeare at least or not for two yeares if he listed The action being
your sacred Maiestie to make and create me a Gentleman For I haue wealth sufficient to maintaine the state and degree of a Gentleman The Emperor answered him I can make thee much more rich theÌ„ thou art but it is not in my power to make thee noble For that is an honour which thou must purchase by thy owne proper vertue An answer of Maximilian to one that demaunded an almes of him A Certaine poore man very ill appointed entred into the Pallace of the Emperour and required that he might haue accesse to his Maiestie to speake with him which being denyed him he continued notwithstanding so to importune the Vshers that the Emperour willed the poore man to be brought vnto him to whom he said Most sacred Emperour you and I are brothers borne of one Father Adam and of one Mother Eue and you see my pouertie may it therefore please your Excellencie to enlarge my estate and to bestow some wealth vpon me as ech brother is bound to do one for another The Emperour noting the rashnesse and follie of this fellow caused a small peece of money to be giuen him where at the poore man making shew but of small contentment because he found his hope frustrate in regard of that great liberalitie which he expected The Emperour said vnto him me thinkes thou sholdest hold thy self contented with that which I haue giuen thee For true it is as thou saidest we are all brothers and if all the rest of our brethren would giue thee as much as I haue done thou wouldest be much more rich and a greater Lord then I am The wish of the same Maximilian AS he was one day deuising with his familiar friends and discoursing of Empires Realmes and Seignories If it were possible for a man to be God and my selfe were so hauing two sonnes I would desire that the eldest might be God after me that the second might be king of Fraunce Of the act of the Emperour Charles the fifth when he was to make a voyage into Barbarie CHarles the fifth Emperor of that name being in a readinesse to depart vpon his first voyage into Barbarie to the kingdome of Thunis against Barbarossa and desirous to prouide a Generall for the armie and finding none whom he held sufficient he tooke the image of the Crucifixe and in a generall assembly of his whole armie liâ—ting the same as high as he could said Our Lord â—esus Christ shall be Chieftaâ—e Captaine Generall of this enterprize being so glorious so holy and so honourable A notable sentence of Constantine the Emperour COnstantine Ducas the son of Andronicus Emperour of Constantinople was not in any sort himselfe learned and yet he did so exceedingly loue both learning and men of knowledge that he was wont to say I hold it farre better to be made noble and excellent by learning then by the possession of the Empire A speech of the Emperour Henry touching his contentment THe Emperour Henry the first of that name of the house of Saxonie before that he came to be crowned in Italy or to receiue the ceremonious Titles of the Empire Howbeit that the Pope had offered him the Imperiall Crowne and Diademe and to annoint him Emperour yet he neither accepted nor refused it saying vnto his people It sufficeth me that by the gâ—ace of God and you I haue the name of Emperour None of my predecessors and auncestours hauing euer had the honour to attaine thereunto The Charitie of the Emperour Tiberius THe Emperour Tiberius Constantine a Thracian borne being reprehended by his wife Sophia Augusta because he distributed in great abundance to the poore all the treasures which she and her first husband Iustin had gathered together in many yeares he answered her My trust is in God that our treasure shall be neuer a whit the lesse for being distributed to the releefe of the poore and the redeeming of captiues and prisoners For in so doing we gather that great treasure whereof our Lord Iesus Christ spake in the sixt chapter of Saint Mathevv his Gospell saying Lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where neither mothes nor wormes can corrupt theÌ„ nor theeues can do you any dammage by stealing them The saying of the same Tiberius at the time of his deaeh to his son in law THe same Tiberius perceiuing the time of his death to approch by the connsell and aduice of the Empresse Sophia pronounced for his successour to the Empire Mauritius one borne in Cappadocia and giuing vnto him in mariage his daughter with the Imperiall vestures and ornaments he said Here I deliuer vnto thee both my Empire and this maiden for thy wife wishing thee to serue thee of her so as may be for thy good and benefite and that aboue all things thou remember to maintaine equitie and iustice The fairest flower of a Princes Crowne is iustice by which Kings do raigne Of a duke of Freeze vvhich vvould not be baptized ROboald duke of Freezeland at the preaching of VValâ—â—â—n Archbishop of Sens had determined to haue bene baptized to which end being stripped out of his garments as he stood naked and had put one foot into the water he bethought himselfe and asked the standers by what was become of his parents and friends deceased wheâ—her they were in Paradise or in hel Answer was made him that doubtlesse they were all damned in hell and that not any of them was in Paradise because they were not Christians At this speech he suddenly drew backe his foote and contrarie to the expectation of all the assembly said aloft That he would not be baptized but that he would goe after his death where he knew he should find most of his friends And the same day he dyed suddenly The revvard vvhich Clouis king of Fraunce gaue to those vvhich had betrayed their maister CLouis the first Christian king of Fraunce hauing warres with Richer duke of Cambray a man of very bad conditions and lewd life the Barrons of the said Duke promised the King that if he would come and deliuer battell to their Lord they would betake themselues to flight leaue their Lord to be taken prisoner The king Clouis for the effecting of this enterprize sent vnto the traitors a number of Corcelets of Copper very richly guilt And the plot being executed according to the agreement Richer was taken and put to death After which the traitors being aggrieued that the presents which the King had sent them were of so small valure They complained vnto him saying that they were but badly recompenced to whome the king answered not without discretioÌ„ Do you not konw how sufficiently I haue rewarded you in giuing you your liues In your own iudgements thinke with what torments they deserue to be punished which haue betrayed their Lord and maister Wherefore hold it for no small benefite and fauour that I suffer you to liue and get you hence speedily if you be not wearie of your liues Where at the traitors
go vnto the Empresse and to say this vnto her from him I had leifer haue a wife that is barren then one that is subiect to drinking of wine The Empresse returned to the messenger this answer During my life I shall euer be obedient to the wil and commaundement of my Lord husband neuerthelesse if the Emperour should commaund me to vse wine I had rather dye then therein obey him A Sentence of Pope Clement the seuenth POpe Clement the seuenth speaking of the retaining of Princes in peace and amitie for the quiet and tranquilitie of the ChristiaÌ„ common-weale vsed to say that it was a daungerous and most perillous thing to be in amitie with some particulars onely but to entertaine it with diuerse it was well befitting and beseeming the dutie and dignitie of the Papall See which ought to declare it selfe the common father and wel willer of all in generall The allusion of the Lantgraue of Hesse THe Lantgraue Philip of Hesse making warres against the king Ferdinand brother to the Emperour Charles the fifth for the restoring of Vtrich duke of VVittenberg to his right being entred into the country and and territories of the said Duchy there he encountred with his enemies whom he rudely put to the repulse And as he made his infanterie to march on he demaunded of the aduaunteourrers where they had left their enemies Answer was made him that they were at Loffen Well said my good souldiers quoth he I take this your answer for a prognostication of our victorie at hand seeing it seemeth to bring vs tidings that our enemies are in flying Loffen in Dutch signifieth flight vvhich made the Lantgraue by the allusion of the vvord to take it for a presage of their flight A pleasant conceipt of a French Gentleman COmmunication being moued in the presence of the lord Claude Duke of Guizâ— touching a certaine battell giuen by Frauncis the French king against the Emperour Charles the fifth the duke of Guize began to vse some speech vnto a French Gentleman who had bene seene in the armie gorgiously attired and well armed at all points and exceedingly well mounted howbeit that he was not seene in the battell By my faith Sir answered the Gentleman I was there and I can bring good proofe thereof yea in such a place as you durst not haue bene seene The duke tooke this speech very ill and supposed himselfe highly touched and therfore grew greatly offended with the answer but the Gentleman laughing very pleasantly appeased him in saying vnto him My Lord I was with the baggage where I am sure your Lordship would not haue vouchsafed to haue stayed as I did Sometimes a man that hath lost his honour by his deedes may recouer the same againe by gracing it vvith good speeches An Apothegme of the Seneshall of Campaigne IOhn lord of Ionuille hauing giuen counsel vnto the aforesaid French king Saint Levvis not to return back into Fraunce till he had ended his warres in the holy land was iniured by som of the great lords Nobles neare about the Kings person who desired to depart from thence in somuch as they called him Colt which at that time was held a word of great disgrace amongst the pesants of Frâ—unce but he very gently replyed vnto them I had rather be a kicking Colt then a wincing Iade His meaning vvas that a young Colt might helpe both himselfe and his master out of dannger but an old horse endangereth both himself his rider The fidelitie of the French king Saint Levvis AFter that the Saracens had bene paid the summe of two hundred thousand pounds for the raunsome of the Earle of Poitiers brother to the king Saint Lewis who had bene taken prisoner by them in the holy land Monsieur Philip de Monâ—fort made report to the king that the Saracens were misreckened in their receipt of tenne thousand Franks wherupon the king presently made him sweare and to giue his faith that he should see them paid which he did accordingly and the king wold not depart out of harbour nor set saile to sea where he was readie embarked for his returne till the said summe of ten thousand Frankes were deliuered them The speech of the Lady of Heluin A Councell being held within the citie of Gaunt for the mariage of the Ladie Mary Princesse of Burgundie the daughter of duke Charles which dyed before Nancie with the Prince Dolphin of Fraunce sonne of king Lewis the eleuenth who was afterwards called Charles the eighth of that name king of Fraunce who was then very young in yeares the ladie of Heluin chiefe Lady of Honour to the Princesse said We haue need of a man and not of an infant or child for my mistresse is a woman sufficient to beare such a child as our countrey hath great need of This vvord to beare a child hath tvvo interpretations either to be married to a man of prudence and vvisedome or that by the mariage there may issue a child of a good and vertuous disposition according to that sentence of Salomon The land is in weake estate of which a child is Prince that is a child in vnderstanding A pleasant conceipt of the Duke of Millain his Cooke THe duke of Millain being besieged in a Castell by the Florentinâ—s one day as he sate at dinner he could not away but fell in mislike with the tast of all his meate set before him insomuch as he checked his Cooke and was very angry with him But the Cooke readâ—e enough to iustifie free himself from blame after many excuses made said vnto the Duke My lord your me at is well enough dressed but the Florentines haue put your mouth out of tast To that man vvhich in vvarres is timerous all things proue tedious and troublesome The persvvasion of the Lord Talbot to his sonne THe French vnder king Charles the seuenth hauing laid siege before the town of Chastillon which was possessed by the English in the yeare 1453. the Lord Talbot then Lieutenant General for the king of England in Aquitaine issued out of Burdeaux to raise the siege of the French Battell being ioyned between them and the losse likely to fall to the English the lord Talbot said vnto his son Son I would wish thee to prouide for thy safetie and to reserue thy self to some other time as for me it will be for my honour to die here after so many victories by me obtained in times past but if thou shouldest miscarie in this fight litle honour wold it be vnto thee who by sauing thy selfe now maist augment it in time to come in reseruing thy selfe for more haughtie enterprises and for the benefit of Enland thy natiue countrie This was a speech well beseeming a true and noble Gentleman and one that was a louer of his conntrey how beit his sonne would not yeeld vnto that motion but both father and sonne there lost their liues An Apothegme of a certaine Englishman THe English being chased
MEMORABLE CONCEITS OF DIVERS NOble and famous personages of Christendome of this our moderne time LONDON Printed for Iames Shaw 1602. TO THE TOWARDLY YOVNG Gentleman Maister Walter Rawleigh sonne and heire apparant to the honourable Sir Walter Ravvleigh Knight Lord VVarden of the Stanneries Captaine of her Maiesties Guard Lieutenant of the Countie of Cornevvell and Gouernour of the Isle of Iarsey SIr hauing a great desire by some meanes to signifie my affection vnto you I thought I could not better do it nor find a more readie meane thereunto then by preferring and dedicating this little Pamphlet vnto you the which containing most rare and excellent examples of wise and wittie sayings and notable instructions to vertue and vertuous actions I suppose cannot more fitly be presented then vnto you in whose young yeares doth alreadie appeare a most towardly inclination and hopefull expectation both of wit and vertue such as your riper yeares I doubt not will bring to an excellency of perfection To the furtherance wherof albeit this smal Treatise shall perhaps be able to adde little accesse in regard of the plentiful helpes wherewith you are alreadie furnished to that effect yet it may be that both the pleasure and the profite thereof may in some sort proue worthie both of your labour in reading and perusing of it and of my affection in offering it vnto you Not doubting therefore but it shall be accepted as pleasingly as I haue presented it willingly most humbly I take my leaue Your Worships euer to be commaunded I. S. The names of the Popes Emperours Kings Lords and others mentioned in this Booke A ABbot of Baigne 20 Adrian Pope 21 Albert Emperour 32 Alexander Seuerus Emperour 38 Alexander the third Pope 1. 2 Alexander the fift Pope 11 Alexander the sixt Pope 215 Alfonsus ksng of Naples 104. vnto 119 Anna Queene of Fraunce 92 Anthony Panormitane 112. 132 Anthony du Prat Chancelor of France 196. Anthony Agnello and his interpretation 204. Apothegme of an Englishman 186 Archbishop of Collaine 18 Attila king of the Gothes 51 Aulilie 46 Ayme duke of Sauoy 144 B BAiazet the great Turke 125 Barba widow to Sigismond the Emperour 31 Bartholomew of Aluian 156 Battels at Guingate and Fornoue 161 Bayard Captaine 163 Bertrand Guesclin Constable of Fraunce 152. Benedict the twelfth Pope 103 Bishop elect of Senlis 162 Bishop of Seruia 213 By-word of three Nations 199 Blanch Dutchesse of Orleance 70 Borso duke of Ferrara 143 Boniface the eight Pope 6. 7. 8 C CAesar Borgias duke of Vrbin 146 Calixt Pope 11 Cardinall Cossa 10 Charles Martell 119 Charles the Great Emperour 23 Charles the bald Emperour 25 Charles the fift Emperour 41. 220 Charles the sixt king of France 75 Charles the eight king of France 90. 91 Charles duke of Burgundy 199 Chabanes great maister of Fraunce 227 Chiniton or Kniton king of England 203. Clement the fourth Pope 5 Clement the seuenth Pope 179 Clouis king of Fraunce 45 Clotair the first king of Fraunce 51 Columna Ascanius 158 Columna Prosper 158 Conrade king of Naples 130 Constantine Ducas Emperour 42 D DAnt the Italian Poet. 165 Duke of Millaines cooke 184 Dutchesse 218 Dutchesse of Burbon 217 E EArle of Arminacke 272 Earle of Lazaran 126 Earle of Nassaw 215 Earle of Petillan 142 Edward king of England 67. 68. 71. 72 Elenor Countesse of Foix. 173 Elizabeth of Bâ—heme 188 Emanuell king of Portugal 21 Embassadours of Sicily 128 Embassadours of Venice 192 Englishmens oath 75 F FErdinand king of Naples 132 Flemings mocke 103 Foole to king Alphonsus 202 Foole to the duke of Austrich 189 Foole to the Marquesse of Guast 221 Foole to the duke of Millain 233 Foâ—ques the fifth Earle of Aniow 134. 135. Frauncis the first king of Fraunce 101. 102. Frauncis Phaebus king of Nauarre 174 Francis of Burbon Earle of Anguien 220 Fredericke the Emperour 178 Fredericke the first Emperour 23 Fredericke the second Emperour 3 Fredericke the third Emperour 32. 35 Fredericke Marquesse of Mantua 208 French Gentleman 180 French Gentlemen 165 French Knights 162 G GEin Ottoman a Turke 207 Gentleman of Genoa 160 Gordian the younger Emperour 38 Godfrey of Bollogne 125 Gonnor Dutchesse of Normandie 187 Great Captaine 206. 207 Gregorie Pope 9 H HEnry the first Emperour 42 Henry of Lancaster king of England 73. Hire a French Captaine 155 I IAmes of Genouillay Lord of Assier 192. Iohn king of Fraunce 71 Iohn duke of Brittaine 137 Iohn Galeas duke of Millain 138. 150 Iohn of Ionuille 181 Iohn de Maingre Marshall of Fraunce 147. Iohn of Saintré 148 Iohn Gonzaga 209 Iohn of Menu a Poet. 225 Ierome an Italian 140 Innocent the fourth Pope 3 Innocent the eighth Pope 14 Iouian Pontanus 174 Iulius the second Pope 14. 15 Iulius Cardinall of S. Angell 17 K KAtherine Queene of England â—00 King of England 231 L LAdie of Heluin 183 Lamorabaquin king of Tartaria 126 Lewis king of Fraunce 58 Lewis the grosse king of Fraunce 56. 57. Lewis the 4. king of France 61. 62. 63. Lewis the 11. king of Fraunce 76. vnto 87. and 182. 227. Lewis the 12. king of Fraunce 92. vnto 100. Lewis sonne to king Philip. 169 Lewis duke of Orleance 73 Lewis Sforza 213 Lord Sforza 197. 198 Lord of Trimouille 216 M MAreschals Antrehan and Cleremont 166 Margaret Dolphinesse of France 229 Marcus Barbaricus duke of Venice 143. Martian the Emperour 37 Maurice Earle of Aniow 135 Maximilian the Emperour 38. 39 Medices Cosme 212 Medices Lawrence 211 Miles bishop of Chartres 19. 20 N NArses 151 O OTho de Varis 17 Otho the third Emperour 37 P PAnormitans 5 Parmesan 223 Peter of Bresay Seneschall of Normandy 88. 89 Peter Earle of Sauoy 148 Philip the first king of Fraunce 53 Philip Augustus king of France 60. 170 Philip the faire king of Fraunce 65 Philip of Valois king of Fraunce 66. 70 Philip duke of Burgundy 142 Philip the hardie duke of Burgundy 137 Philip of Villars great Master of Râ—â—odes 144 Philip of Moruiller President 200 Philip Lantgraue of Hessen 179 Pius the second Pope his sentences 12 Prochetta Archbishop of Genes 6. R RAimier king of Arragon 124 Raphael a painter of Vrbin 210 Rene king of Sicily 131 Robert king of Sicily 177 Roboald duke of Frize 44 Rodericke Gonthier 141 Rodolph the Emperour 31 Roger king of Naples 122 S SAladine king of Asia 123 Sanctius brother to the king of Spain 175. Septimius Seuerus Emperour 37 Sico Chauncellor of Millaine 213 Sigismond Emperour 27. 29. Souldier of Nauarre 166. Soliman the great Turke 121. 145 Sophia the Empresse 191. T TAlbot an English captaine 156. 185 Theodosian Emperour 191 Theodosius Emperour 25. 26 Thierry captaine 47. 48 Thomas Caraffa Earle of Mathalon 146 Tiberius Constantine Emperour 43 Tiphamy wife to Bertrand Guesclin 167 V VAquery President of Paris 230 Venetians and their opinion 186 Vladislaus king of Hungary 129 Vrban the fifth Pope 170 VV VVAlaque Dracocles 129 VVilliam duke of Normandy 54. 55.
beasts of the field iudging them to be void of vnderstanding The French men he termed winepissers Wherupon it happened that once a certaine Norman one of his tasters merily said vnto him Holy Father then are you a right Frenchman Wherfore said the Pope Because quoth he you are the greatest winepisser of all others if all the FreÌ„ch of the world were together The speech of Pope Iulius the second touching his deuise in warres THis Pope was a man that delighted greatly in warres the which he did ordinarily nourish mainetaine betweene many Princes and in especiall against the king of Fraunce On a time some of his court said vnto him Holy Father many great personages do thinke it straunge that you shold be so desirous to entertain warres considering the dignities of that calling wherein God hath placed you which ought to be an estate of peace and quietnesse and seeing God hath committed vnto you the keyes by which you should shut vp the way to discord and open it to peace and amitie but you do quite contrarie Whereunto the Pope gaue them this answer They which vsed those speeches vnto you say they know not what Haue you not heard how S. Peter and S. Paul were companions and had but one Church betweene them My predecessours vsed â—aint Peters key and now will I helpe my selfe with S. Pauls sword One of the parties replyed vnto him You know holy Father that our Lord said vnto Saint Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath The Pope answered true but that was after Saint Peter had first striken with the sword This shâ—vvâ—th that the said Pope vvas altogether a martialist Of a Cardinall that had his vvhole delight in siudâ—e Oâ—to de Varis seeing Iulian the Cardinall of S. Angel who was President in the Councel of Basil to spend most of his time in the reading of ancient bookes he said vnto him Sir why do you liue so solitarie and spend your time amongst the dead of former ages Come I pray and passe your daies with vs that are aliue The Cardinal answered you mistake the matter cleane contrarie For these Auncients do now liue by their learning and rare knowledge wheras you liue not but be as dead men both in your name and in your works and passe away your life time according to the nature of bruite beastes The life of the spirit consisteth in conteÌ„plation of learned vvritings vvhich are the true Monuments Reliques and testimonies of such as haue forâ—gone vs in vertue and knovvledge Of the Archbishop of Colaine and a countrey pesant A Certaine old man a poore laborer of the countrey seeing the Archbishop of Coiaine to ride throgh the fields armed and accompanied with armed forces fell out of a loud laughing whereupon being demanded wherefore he laughed he answered Because he wondered that S. Peter Christs Vicar in the Church being exceeding poore had left his successors so rich and wealthie and that their traines should be more furnished with men at armes then with Church men The Archbishop desirous that the fellow should haue better knowledge of him in his place dignitie told him that he was not onely an Archbishop but a Duke also and that as a Duke he rode so accompanied with a traine of men at armes Howbeit when he was in his Church then he was attended on as an Archbishop Sir said the labourer I pray tell me when my Lord the Duke shall be with the Diuell what shall then become of the Archbishop Tvvo heads vpon one bodie is a thing monstrous in nature Of the Bishop of Chartres and the French King Levvis the eleuenth KIng Levvis the eleuenth seeing on a time Miles Bishop of Chartres mounted vpoÌ„ a Mule with trappings of veluet and his bridle richly gilded told him that the Bishops of elder ages were content to ride on an Asse and with a simple collar O quoth the Bishop that was when Kings were shepheards and did keep sheepe The King replyed I speake not of the Bishops of the old Testament but of those vnder the new The Bishop answered I but that was when Kings were great giuers of almes and did vse to set poore Lazers with them at their tables and to wash the feet of the poore Of the same Bishop and certaine Priests vvhich he met THe same Bishop encountring with two or three Priests passing through the fields said vnto them God saue you my maisters and Clerkes the Priests answered we are not Clerkes sir we are Priestes The Bishop replyed then God saue you my maisters and Priestes no Clerkes A conceipted speech of the Abbot of Baigne KIng Lâ—vvis the eleuenth demanded of the Abbot of Baigne to haue his Abbey for some small recompence but the Abbot being wily said vnto the King Sir I haue spent almost forty yeares in learning the two first letters of the Alphabet A. B. and I shall neede as long time to learne the two next letters C. D. By the equiuocation of these foure letters in alluding A. B. to the vvord Abbey and C. D. to the Latin vvord cede vvhich signifieth to yeeld vp his meaning vvas that as he had bene fortie yeares ere he attained to the dignitie of an Abbot so he vvould vvillingly keepe it other fortie yeares cre he vvould yeeld it vp A saying of Pope Adrian the fifth POpe Adrian being demaunded what was the greatest plague which he would wish to his enemie and not wish him dead He answered The greatest mischiefe I would wish him is that he were Pope because I hold that to be a maruellous affliction and vexation of spirit All kind of authoritie vvherein a man hath a care and conscience to do his dutie should be rather refused for the charge then desired for hope of gaine The Absolution of the king of Portugal EManuel king of Portugal withheld from a Bishop of his kingdome the reuenues of his bishoprick whereof the Bishop complained to the Pope who in fauour of the Bishop sent a Legate to the King to cause him to make restitution or to excommunicate him The Legate vpon the matter hauing denounced sentence of excommunication and being on his way to returne the King enraged at the censure mounted on horsebacke to follow the Legate and hauing ouertaken him he drew out his sword and threatned to kill him vnlesse he would absolue him which the Legate hauing done the King retired to his Court and the Legate went on to Rome where being come and hauing made report vnto the Pope of the successe of his iourney the Pope reproued him very sharpely for yeelding to absolue the king The Legate answered most holy Father if you had bene in daunger of your life as I was you would haue giuen the king absolution double and treble Feare of death may make a man sometimes do do that vvhich he ought not vvithout regard both of honour and dutie Of Charles the Great and his Edicts THe Emperour Charlemaine did vse to weare his seale of armes
prosecuted and iudgement ready to be giuen the Duke then demaunded of the Aduocate if it were not possible yet longer to protract it where unto the Aduocate answered that he wold so handle the cause as it should not be ended for two yeares Oh notable iniustice quoth the Duke to the Aduocate Thou wicked man diddest thou not know nay did not I tell thee that I owed him an hundred pounds and yet wouldest thou euen against thy owne conscience mine also frustrate the poore man of his due Is there any reason to hold plea against a iust debt Take the wretch said he to his Officers and let him be presently hanged and his bodie quartered to the intent from hencefoorth the commonweale may not by him be any more corrupted And according as the duke had pronounced this sentence so with the consent of the Senate was the Aduocate executed The resolution of a Gentleman of Millaine at his death THe same duke Galeace was murthered within the church of Saint Stephen in Millain as he was hearing of deuine Seruice One of the conspiratours and murtherers was slaine instantly in the place where the murder was committed the other named Ierome hauing bene hidden for three daies vnder a Merchants shoppe in the streete was constrained by famine to come foorth and being apprehended was adiudged to be quartered aliue The execution being to be done and he stretched out on a table at the end wherof his head hanged downe as his belly was ripped open with pure strength he lifted vp his head to see his intrails taken out of his bodie and therewithall vttered these words Collige te Ieronyme Vita breuis Mors acerba Laus perpetua That is Plucke vp thy heart Ierome life is but short death is bitter but the renowne will be perpetuall And so saying he gaue vp the ghost The cunning of Count Rodericke THe Count Radericke Gonthier hauing bene taken prisoner in a battell by Ferdinand king of Catelonia in the which Aluara the brother of the said Countie was slaine the Count himselfe was set at libertie vpon his faith giuen to returne again after he had caused his brother to be interred Which promise the said Rodericke being willing to performe and yet withall desirous to keepe his libertie he caused the dead bodie of his said brother to be embaulmed to be put in a Coffin the which he made to be caryed with him wheresoeuer he went and he would neuer suffer it to be buried till after the decease of king Ferdinand And by this pollicie he thought his oath sufficiently obserued which he had formerly sworne to the King A sentence of the Count Pitilan THe Count Pitilan in discoursing of warres was wont to vse this saying VVhen thine enemie is vvilling to flie make him vvay though it vvere vvith a bridge of gold The opinion of the duke of Burgoine PHilip duke of Burgoine hearing say how they of Gaunt did exceedingly loue the Count Charolois his sonne he said Oh they practise the common Prouerbe which is this The Gauntois do euer loue the yong Prince the sonne and heire of their Lord but afterwards when he commeth to inherite the Duchie and to raigne then they hate him A Sentence of the duke of Venice MArke Barbaricâ— duke of Venice being vnwilling to take reuenge of certaine iniuries that had bene offered him said That a good Prince and such a one as was not inclined to crueltie had a sufficient reuenge of his enemies when he made it knowne to others that he had the power to worke reuenge if he listed and that he would not do it vpon priuate persons though he did sharpely punish the publike offences A Sentence of the duke of Ferrara BOrso the first duke of Ferrara was wont to say That the hearts and affections of men were sooner gained by benefites and good deedes then by force constraint of Armes The charity of the duke of Sauoy AYme the second of that name duke of Sauoy being demaunded by certain Ambassadours where were his hounds with which he vsed to hunt and desiring to haue a sight of them he told them that if they would come againe to his Court the next morning they should see them The day after they came and the Duke led them into a Hal where was a great number of poore people and beggars eating and drinking at a table Behold said he to the Ambassadours the dogges which I keepe and nourish and with which I purpose to purchase and to lay hold on the heauenly glorie A memorable speech of the great maister of Rhodes PHilip de Villiers great maister of the knights of the Rhodes being be sieged in the said citie by Solyman the grand Seigneur of the Turkes hauing lost so many of his people that he had very few left said oftentimes That it was much better to saue one of his owne men then to kil a thousand of his enemies The speech of the great Turke to the said great Maister AT what time the said Villiers was constrained to render the same towne of Rhodes to the said Sultan Soliman and that he came to the presence of the said grand Seigneur to confirme the rendring of the place whereunto he had bene forced and to take his leaue of him for his departure towards Christendome the grand Seigneur vsed a speech vnto him worthy of so great a Prince which was this To loose townes Lordships and Dominions is a thing so vsuall and accustomable amongst men that it is a sufficient testimony how we are all of vs subiect to infiâ—t miseries The deuice of the duke of Vrbin CAesar Borgias duke of Valentinois and Vrbin the son of Pope Alexander the sixth gaue for his deuice this Mot O Caesar ô nulloâ— that is E ther I will be Emperour or nothing And so fell it out in the end accordingly or ere he came to that he aspired his wicked conditions brought him to an vnhappie end for he dyed prisoner in Spaine The brauado of the Count de Mathalon THomas Carafa Count de MataloÌ„ Generall of the Armie of Ferdinand against the French in the realme of Naples after the returne of king Charles the eighth into France being aduised disswaded by many Captaines of his Armie froÌ„ ioyning battell with the French that were marching to Salerno he reprouing their counsell said out aloud Tut these Frenchmen now adaies be not those auncient Peeres of Fraunce that haue bin so renowned in the fabulous Histories of the Romaines neither are we women furnished and armed in the forme of men as were of old the Amazons By this speech he encouraged his souldiers howbeit notwithstanding this braue oration he lost the honour of the battell A sage speech of a Marshall of Fraunce IOhn le Maingre called Bouciâ—ualt Marshall of Fraunce and Lieutenant for king Charles the sixt at Genes as he was riding one day through the streetes of that citie encountred two curtizans richly apparelled after the fashion of
to the king of Fraunce Charles the seuenth to shew him in what estate the affairs of the warres then stoode and that for default of victuals money and other necessaries the French had lost certaine townes battels to the English The king willing to entertain the Captaine in good familiar sort shewed him all his delicate preparations of his pleasures and delights the sports the Ladies and the banquets wherewith he recreated himselfe and withall demaunded of him how he liked them The Hire very freely and liberally answered him saying Sir I neuer in my life saw Prince that lost his patrimonie more pleasantly then you do That man is to be reputed mad senselesse that vvill sit playing vvhilest his house is a burning A prompt and readie ansvver of an English Captaine the Lord Talbot TAlbot an English Captaine hauing besieged the citie of Orleance in the time of king Charles the seuenth the citizens fell to practise with the duke of Burgundie to yeeld themselues vnder his obeissance whereupon the Duke wrote to the said lord Talbot wishing him to leaue the siege and the rather for that his long abode before that place might be a great dammage and preiudice vnto him The lord Talbot suspecting the practise then in hand would not coÌ„sent to the Dukes motion but sent him this answer I do not meane to beat the bush and that another shall haue the birds This speech in some histories is attributed to the duke of Bedford RegeÌ„t of France vnder Henry the 6. king of England The ansvver of Bartholomâ—w Aluiano to king Levvis the tvvelfth BArthelmâ—w Aluiano a Captaine of the Venetians and Generall of their armie at the battell of Agnadell was there taken prisoner by the French and presented to king Lewis the twelfth who demanding of him vpon what ground or reason he bore armes against him the said Barthelmevv made this answer Sir I haue vndertaken the warre against you for two speciall reasons The first is for discharge of my dutie to my countrie The second is for that hauing to deale against so great and puissant a Prince as you are if I had obtained the victorie my renowne and fame had bene eternall and being vanquished I shall haue neuer the lesse honour and reputation with them of my countrey when they shall enter into due consideration of your greatnesse and excellencie for the hardinesse couragious boldnesse which I had to resist against you shall turne to my glorie and honour Men of haughtie courage do not attempt other then great actions the issue vvhereof cannot but turne to their honour A tyrannicall Sentence of Prospero Colonna PRospero Colonna being Colonel of the Italian men at armes which were within Millain a citizen of Millain came to complaine vnto him of the exactions and pillaging of his soldiers vnto whom he said Millain is like vnto a bird from which if one pull away the feathers she bringeth foorth others much more faire and beautifull The ansvver of an Italian to Ascanio Colonna AScanio Colonna hauing many goodly liuings and possessions in Romania arriued in a certaine towne of his own where all the chief men came vnto him to salute him to do him reuerence onely one citizen excepted who being very rich yet no Gentleman had one only son an honest faire conditioned young man who being singularly endued with all the gifts and graces wherewith nature cold enrich him was not inferiour but rather excelled all others there inhabiting Seigneur Ascanieo inuited that same citizen to supper at the end whereof he demaunded of him to haue his sonne to serue him promising to preferre him and aduaunce him highly The citizen said vnto him no sir I will not that he shall serue you for I remember me of an old Prouerbe which withholdeth me from condescending hereunto What Prouerbe is that said Seigneur Ascanio The citizen answered Hearken sir and I will repeate it vnto you Male è chi gli serue Peggio è chi gli disserue Beato è chi non gli conosse That is to say Ill is he that serueth Worse is he that cannot please But happy is he that knoweth neither An excellent comparison made by a Gâ—ntleman of Genua LEwis Sforce being determined to exact a great summe of money by compulsion vpon the citie of Genes sent an Ambassadour thither to negotiate this businesse who being inuited by a chiefe personage of the Citie to dine with him and walking into the garden of that citizen his house there they two fell into communication of that matter the Gentleman Geneuois seeing the herbe Basell said vnto the Ambassadour My lord Ambassadour stroke your hand along vpon and after smell vnto it which he did and confessed that the sauour of it was most sweete and odoriferous My Lord quoth the Geneuois againe straine the herbe in your hand and then smell to it which he did likewise and said that it yeelded a very bad and lothsome sent WherupoÌ„ the Geneuois said vnto him My lord if the duke Lewis wil gently stroke the hand of his puissance ouer this citie without any violent dealing he shall find it to yeeld a good sauor very obedient vnto him but if he come to oppresse it to force it by compulsion surely it will yeeld but a sharpe and ill tast by disobedience and rebellion The admonition of certaine French Captaines giuen to their souldiers IN the battell of Fornoue giuen by the potestates of Italy to king Charles the eight at his returne from the conquest of Naples the French Knights passing by the rankes of the battels as they were doing their deuoit in the thickest presse of their enemies and fearing lest the couetousnesse of the souldiers might make the French loose the victorie they cryed vnto their souldiers Remember the battell of Guinegare This was a battell foughten in the time of king Levvis the eleuenth against Maximilian king of the Romanes the which the French lost by giuing themselues to the pillage Of a French Knight vvhich taxed the Normans RAault the Dane who was afterwards the first duke of Normandy comming into Fraunce with a great armie there was sent against him Robert Earle of Aniou Marshall of Fraunce who demaunded of one Hastingue a Dane likewise being then Countie de Chartres whether he thought best to giue battell vnto Raault or not and what was his aduice therein Hastingue for some reasons disswaded him But a certaine noble Knight which caried the Banner of Fraunce perswaded the Marshall to the contrary saying My Lord did you euer see a wolfe seize vpon a wolfe or one foxe make war against another foxe Inferring hereby that they were both of one nation and that therefore it was very vnlikely that the one would hurt the other THe Elect of Senlis encouraging the French men at armes against the Flemings in the battell of Bouines vnder the king Philip Augustus amongst other words said It is not the part of any noble and valiant Knight to make the
audience they 〈◊〉 to know the cause vnderstood 〈◊〉 it was the custome to send on Ambassade to the Emperour men that were aged and of good yeares and not young beardlesse men such as they were Whereupon they humbly besought the Emperour that he would giue them leaue to speake a word vnto him nothing concerning their Ambassade which being granted them they said vnto the Emperour Sacred Maiestie If the Seignorie of Venice had thought that knowledge and prudence had onely had his abiding in beards they would haue sent vnto your Highnesse two Goates for Ambassadours The truth is that the speeches of an Ambassadour are of much more respect authoritie vvhen they are accompanied with aged yeares prudence and experience and these young Ambassadours did shâ—vv by their speech that the conceipt and opinion of the Emperour vvas true vvhich he had ronceiued of them A pleasaâ—â— speech of Dant the Italian Poet. THe Poet Dant demaunded of a citizen of Florence what houre it was who answered him very rudely that it was the houre in which horses go to be watered Dant suddenly replyed What doest thou here then that goest not with them Of a cause decided by a French Gentleman Two French Gentlemen discoursing of single fight and combat whether it be lawfull or not the one of them said That there was no agreement between learning and the sword the other answered We which liue in the Latine Church as Christians are bound to obserue those lawes which it ordaineth and to protect defend them with the sword which ought not to be drawne but for that cause onely The lavv of man permitteth single combate but the lavv of God prohibiteth it A sentence of the Chauncelor of Fraunce SPeech being had in the presence of Anthony de Prat Chauncelor of Fraunce touching the warre of king Frauncis for the recouerie of Millain and some affirming that it were good that Millaine were vtterly destroied and ruinated in regard of the dammage that it had brought vnto the French he answered It is very necessarie that Millaine should stand in state as it is because it serueth as a purgation to the realme of France to take away and remoue the ill humours of idle and ill disposed persons which otherwise might corrupt and destroy it This was the sentence vvhich Scipio Africanus vsed in his speech to the Romanes concerning the preseruation of Carthage from being ruinated The patience of Seigneur Sforce A Knight of Nola came to tell Seigneur Sforce how a Gentleman one Tartaglia had spoken very badly of him at a certain banquet where he had reproched him with all kind of villanie and he affirmed his report with many great oathes to the intent he might the better be beleeued The Lord Sforce said vnto him My friend thou needest not paine thy self so much to make me beleeue that which thou tellest me because that Tartaglia doth vse neuer to speak of any but euill and it is very likely that he would not make spare of his ill speech with all kind of violence licentiousnesse and libertie euen to his vttermost especially being in place fit and conuenient for such a purpose By this answer he gaue the talebearer to vnderstand that Tartaglia was not much to be regarded both in respect he vvas reputed a common backebiter and in regard of his drunkennesse whereunto he noted him to be subiect An Apotheg of the same Sforce THe said Sforce being in doubt of the ambushes forces of Paule Vrsin forsooke the citie of Rome where he was abiding and went to encampe himselfe in the forrest of Aglio The Cardinall of Saint Angâ—ll the Popes Legate went vnto him to perswade him to returne to Rome with promise and assurance of saâ—etie during his being there and amongst other speeches vsed vnto him he said Seigneur Sforce will you be afraid of a Beare being vnder the protection and assurance of a strong Colonne or pillar to defend you for then was the Pope of the house of the Colonnois which in Italian signifieth a pillar but Sforce made him this answer My lord Cardinall you might thinke me a very foole if I would rely or trust vpon the succours and defence of a deafe and dead peece of Marble and not be afraid of a great monstrous beast who being armed with terrible teeth and nailes doth walke notwithstanding as men vse to do By this allusion he shewed that the succours of the Pope were slow and long in comming and he discouered the high courage and great forces of Paul Vâ—sin his enemie The Epitaph of Charles duke of BurguÌ„dy vvho vvas slaine before Nancie in Lorain in the yeare 1477. Te piguit pacis vita taeduitq quietis Hîc iaces Charole iamque quiesce tibi Vnpleasing to thee in thy life vvas peace and quietnes But Charles here novv doest thou lye now therefore take thy rest Philip of Commines in his hostorie testifieth that this Charles duke of Burgundie was of so turbulent a spirit delighting in warres as he had neuer one houre of rest in all his life The properties of three Nations taxed A Great Lord was wont to say that three sorts of men were to be taken heede of namely A red Italian a white French man and a blacke Germaine A notable sentence of the Queene of England KAtherine of Spaine the wife of Henry the eight king of England said That she loued better a temperate and meane fortune then that which was either too easie and prosperous or too sharpe and aduerse Neuerthelesse that if she should be put to her choise which of the two last she would accept she had rather haue the aduerse then the prosperous because said she commonly they which are vnfortunate are not altogether destitute of some consolation and comfort but they which liue in prosperitie for the most part do want the true vse of vnderstanding reason and iudgement Of the President Moruillier PHilip de Moruillier President of the Parliament of Paris in the time of king Charles the 7. for some enuie and malice conceiued against him by the Councellours of the Court was greatly disliked of them insomuch as he retired himselfe to the kings Court who assoone as occasion was offered preferred him to the dignitie of chief President Within a while after being come into the Parliament there to take possession of his new place and dignitie and being set in the chiefe and principall seat he began very aptly his Oration in this manner with a place of the Scripture Lapidem queÌ„ reprobauerunt aedificantes hîc factus est in caput anguli The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone in the corner Monsieur de S. Romain at that time Procurer generall for the king answered him with another text of the Psalmist as fit as the former saying A Domino factum est istud est mirabile in oculis nostris This is the Lords doing and it is maruellous in our eyes A merrie conceipt of king
Alphonsus ALphonsus king of Naples had in his Court a foole or iester who did vse to put downe in a booke or paire of writing tables all the follies at least those which he thought such of all the Lords Gentlemen and others of his time which he knew to frequent the Court. It happened that the king Alphonsus hauing a Moore in his house sent him into the LeuaÌ„t with ten thousand duckets there to buy him horses the foole set downe in his booke this act of the king as a tricke of folly A few daies after the king Alphonsus called to his foole to see his booke hauing not seene it of a good time before In reading within it in the end thereof he found the historie of himselfe and his Moore and the 10000. duckets which he had deliuered him whereat the king being offended and growing into choler demaunded of the foole wherefore he had put him in his booke Because quoth the foole you did a very foolish act in giuing your money to a straunger whome you are like to see no more But how if he come backe againe said the king and bring the horses with him where is my folly then Marrie replyed the foole whensoeuer he commeth againe I will then blot your name out of my booke and will put in his in stead of yours for then I shall hold him the more foole of the two The magnificence of a king of England CHiniton or Chinite king of England who raigned about the yeare of Christ 1025. was of so haughtie and so great a mind that he caused a royal throne to be prepared and erected for him neare the sea side and seeing the tide to beat with the waues against his seat he spake out aloud vnto the sea Thou art my subiect and the land whereon I am set is mine and therefore I forbid thee to rise against my land or to wet the bodie and apparell of thy Lord and maister the sea notwithstanding holding on his course in flowing came to wet his feete which he seeing presently gaue backe and said Now may all men know that all humane power is but meere vanitie and no mortall man is worthy to beare the name of a king but he only to whose commaund the heauens the earth and the sea by a perpetuall decree are subiect and obedient A pleasant conceipt of an Italian Gentleman vpon the interpretation of the names of two Popes AFter the death of Pope Alexander the sixt Nicholas the fifth being created Pope certain Italian Gentlemen walking in the Popes hall deuised together of the death of the one and the creation of the other and of the conditions of theÌ„ both Amongst them was maister Antonio Agnello who with a good grace said vnto the rest of the company My maisters you need not much to trouble your selues in giuing your iudgements of the two Popes for I beleeue that these two inscriptions will easily resolue vs of our doubts and so saying he cast his eye vpon one of the two portals of the hall and standing still shewed them with his finger this inscription Alexander PP VI. which signifieth Alexander Pope the sixth of that name See said he what this inscription doth import Is it not as much as to say that Alexander was made Pope by force Let vs see now if we can vnderstand any thing touching the new Pope then turning himselfe as if it had bene at aduentures to the other portall he shewed them this inscription N. PP V. which signifieth Nicholas Pope the fifth O Lord God quoth he see here is ill newes Nihil Papa valet that in English is The Pope is nothing woorth An honourable act of an Italian Lord. AN Italian Nobleman surnamed the grand Captaine being set at his table and seeing two Gentlemen who had serued very valiantly in the warres to stand below in his hall because the seates at the table were all filled he immediatly arose and caused all the rest of his guests to make place for these two saying Make place I pray for these two Gentlemen to dine for if they had not bene in our company elsewhere we should not haue had at this time whereof to eate Of a mocke which he gaue to another Gentleman THe same Captaine seeing a Gentleman of his own come before him in good order and richly armed after the battell of Serignolle and when all things were safe and in quiet he said vnto his company We neede not now feare any storme for Saint Hermes hath appeared vnto vs. By this quippe he taxed the Gentleman to be of small valour for comming to the field after al daunger of fight was past for the common opinion is that Saint Hermes doth vse to appeare at sea to the Mariners after that the furie of a tempest at sea is gone past A speech of the same Captaine to a Gentleman touching himselfe DIego Garsia Spanish Gentleman counselled the grand Captaine Gonsaluo to withdraw himselfe from a place of great daunger where the Artillerie of the enemie did play vpoÌ„ them O quoth he seeing that God hath not put any feare in thy courage do not thou seeke to put any in mine Of the brother of the great Turke GEin Ottoman brother vnto the great Turke being prisoner at Rome and seeing the Gentlemen of Italy to iust aâ—d tilt together he said That that manner of turney in his opinion seemed too much to be done in sport and too little to be done in earnest It happened on a time that one in the presence of this Turke highly commended the young king Ferdinand of Naples in regard he was a man of excellent agility and actiue of his person for running vaulting leaping and other corporall exercises of that kind whereof he tooke occasioÌ„ to say That in his countrey those were the exercises of slaues and that the young Gentlemen and Noblemen did learne to practise bountie and liberalitie and that by such vertues they made themselues the more commendable Liberalitie is a vertue whereby Princes do purchase and entertaine the loue both of their subiects and of strangers A pleasant quip giuen to a Gentleman by the Marquesse of Mantua THe Marquesse Frederick of Mantua sitting at the table in companie of many Gentlemen one of them after he had eaten vp all the broth tooke his porenger with that little that remained and threw it on the ground saying withall as it were by way of excuse my Lord I pray pardon me whereupon the Marquesse suddenly answered Demand pardoÌ„ of the swine for if there be any harm done it is to them and not to me A comparison made by Iohn Gonzaga THe lord Iohn de Gonzaga playing and loosing his money at dice saw that his sonne Alexander did grieue at his losse whereupon he said vnto some Gentlemen there present It is written of Alexander the Great that when he heard of a victorie gotten by his father Philip king of Macedon and of a realme which he had conquered
the head of a Bull and the other the head of a Cow This sentence was vvorthie to be commended both in that it sauoured of a pleasant and vvittie conceipt and 〈◊〉 them also from proceeding to the combate vpon so trifling an occasion A similitude of the foole of the Duke of Millain IT happened that there fell a pleasant controuersie in the presence of the duke Sforce of Millain whether was to be preferred as most worthie of honour either the Aduocate or the Phisition For said one the Aduocat pleadeth causes for the conseruation of right and equitie and for the augmentation both of the priuate and publicke good The Phisition said another by his skill and knowledge keepeth man in health and freeth him from sicknes and diseases Vpon this debate the Dukes foole being in place began to speake and said If it please my lord the Duke that I shall shew my conceipt vpon this point I shall soone end the controuersie Marry and good reason quoth the duke speake on hardly and let vs heare thy opinion My lord said the foole you see ordinarily that when a felon is led to the gallowes to be hanged commonly the theefe goeth before and the hangman followeth after By the theefe be vnderstood the Aduocat and by the hangman the Phisition because the one often robbeth his Clients of their money and the other killeth his patients with his Phisicke FINIS NOTABLE AND excellent Sentences of ancient Authors both Hebrewes Greekes and Latines inducing euery man to liue well and vertuously FIRST and aboue all things shew thy selfe religious towards God not onely by thy oblations and sacrifices but also in keeping the vowes promises which thou swearest vnto him the one will be an argument of thy wealth and abilitie by the other is knowne thy faith and honestie 2 Honour God daily but principally after the manner and fashion instituted and ordained by thy countrey wherin thou liuest to the intent thou maist be esteemed both deuout in thy religion and obedient also to the lawes both together and at one instant 3 Be thou such a one in thy behauiour towards thy parents as thou wouldest that thy owne children when thou hast any should be towards thee 4 Vse thy bodie to labour and exercise not onely to make it strong and able but also healthfull and well disposed the which thou maist well do if thou vse to make an end of thy labour whilest thou art able to continue and endure labour 5 Be not immoderate in thy laughter nor too audacious in thy speech for the one is a signe of folly and the other is an argument of pride and arrogancie 6 That which is dishonest in the doing do not thou thinke honest to be spoken 7 Accustome thy self to a countenance not too much addicted to sorrow or sadnesse for that will be imputed to a proud and loftie spirit but shew thy selfe imaginatiue and secret for that is an office well beseeming a mā of wisdom prudēce 8 There is nothing more beseeming a man then to be neat proper modest iust and temperate all which things are maruellously fitte for young men 9 Thinke not in the doing of any ill deed that thou canst conceale it for albeit it neuer come to be knowne of others yet thou shalt alwaies find it in the remorce of thy owne conscience 10 Feare God honour thy parents reuerence thy friends obey the lawes 11 Embrace in all honest and good sort thy pleasure and delectation for honest recreation is good though the contrarie therof be most pernicious 12 Shun the calumniations of men to the vttermost of thy power yea though they be false and vndeserued for the most part of the world is ignorant of the truth of matters is guided by opiniō not by iudgmēt 13 Whatsoeuer thou dost enterprize and vndertake so do it as if it were to come to the knowledge of all men for albeit for a time thou maist keepe it secret yet in the end thou shalt be sure to be discouered 14 It is a most sure and readie way for a man to get credite and estimation not to cōmit those things which he shall reprehend in others that do the same 15 If thou be greedie and desirous of knowledge thou shalt be sure to attaine to knowledge 16 The best way for a man to retaine in memorie that which he knoweth is to exercise himselfe continually to the often remembrance of it 17 That whereof thou art ignorant learne of them that are skilfull for it is as shamefull and foule a thing not to learne a good thing when thou hearest it as it is to reiect his friend in an honest gift when he presenteth it 18 Lay hold of time whilst thou hast leasure and time to learne and be diligent to giue eare vnto those that are wise and learned for by this meane thou shalt easily get vnderstanding and knowledge of that which others haue inuented with great difficultie 19 Preferre knowledge before wealth and riches the one soone fadeth the other abideth for euer For amongst all the goods of this life only wisedome is immortall 20 Be not slacke or negligent to go into farre and forraine countries to learne of those that are famous for their skill and knowledge in any good thing or science for it must needes be a shame vnto thee to see that Merchants will aduenture their liues to the daunger and hazard of the seas to enrich themselues that thou being lustie young and able shouldest not trauell throughout the world to better thy mind and vnderstanding 21 Be thou in thy manners curteous and full of humanitie and in thy speeches affable and friendly The courteous person will salute those whom he meeteth gladly and the affable will discourse with them familiarly 22 Make thy selfe pleasing and agreable to euery man if it be possible and acquaint thy selfe onely with such as are good and vertuous for in so doing thou shalt shunne the hatred of the one and shalt be sure to get the fauour of the other 23 Frequent not the companie of one and the same sort of men too often nor vse not to discourse too long of one and the same matter for there is nothing but it may be tedious and wearisome 24 Accustome thy selfe gladly and willingly to endure things with patience to the intent thou maist the better do it when thou shalt be forced to sufferance 25 Abstain from all such things wherein thou shalt haue little or no honestie to be exercised as to be too greedie and couetous of gaine to be cholericke voluptuous or melancholie which thou shalt easily do if thou esteeme it gaine to get honour rather then riches if thou vse choler against those that offend thee as thou wouldest that others should vse it towards thee if thou shouldest offend them and as thou iudgest it not seemely to be commaunded of thy seruants so is it not fit that thou sholdest be subiect to thy affections And
being abashed they soone withdrew themselues froÌ„ his presence Of the shame which Aulilia did vnto her sonne Thierrie whereby she was a cause of his victorie THierry being Generall for the Emperour Zenon in Italy and hauing bene defeated by Odoâ—cer king of the Herules fled towards Rauenna On the way being met by his mother Aulilia and she perswading him to returne againe to the field and to renue the battell and seeing him to make a difficultie so to do She said vnto him my sonne beleeue me and assure thyself thou hast neither castle nor fortres where thou canst be safe except I take vp my clothes and suffer thee to returne againe into my belly from whence thou hadst thy first being Thierry being both ashamed and enflamed at this speech of his mother reassembled his armie returned to the place of battell and finding his enemies in disorder by reason of their first victorie he charged in vpon them and defeated them Fevv vvords vvell spoken and vvell taken cause great matters be put in execution Of the good counsell which a Gentleman gaue vnto the same Thierry Lieutenant to Zenon the Emperour vnder the couerture of a Fable by meanes whereof Thiâ—â—â—y made himselfe king of Italy THierry was accused vnto the Emperour Zenon by some enuious persons that he affected the Empire whereupon the Emperour sent for him home to Constantinople there held him prisoner till such time as being put to his triall he purged him selfe Within a while after he was againe accused for the same matter being commaunded by the Emperour to make his repaire vnto him who was purposed to put him to death he sent a messenger to the Emperours Court vnto one Tolomee his great friend and familiar to vnderstand his opinion if he held it good for him to come to the Court or not Tolomee in regard of his oath made vnto the Emperour durst not reueale the secret of the Emperours purpose vnto the messenger of Thierry but appointing him to attend the Emperor at dinner time he streightly charged him to marke well what he should heare him there say to the intent he might rehearse the same vnto his maister that sent him The next day the Emperour sitting at his table and keeping open state Tolomee who was one of his nearest fauorities deuising with him of many things as they were at meate let fall this fable of set purpose The Lion quoth he being chosen king by the other beasts they all came to do him reuerence the Hart which is a goodly beast approching to salute him with the rest and bending himselfe before him the Lion tooke him by the hornes purposing to deuoure him but the Hart drew away his head with that strength and force as he escaped and saued himselfe The Reinard seeing the Lion to frown to grow in a great rage because the Hart had escaped him did promise the Lion to cause the Hart to come backe againe And vpon the matter he did so flatter the Hart with so many sweet and sugred words that he drew him backe againe to the Lion to whom he doing reuerence as before the Lion seized vpon his horns and the other beasts falling also vpon him so as he was soone deuoured The Reinard pulling out his heart did secretly eate it Each of the beasts sought very earnestly for his heart to make a present of it to the king but the same not being to be found the blame was laid vpon the Renard with great threats and stripes Alas quoth the Reinard I am wrongfully punished for the Hart had no hart at all for if he had had any he would neuer haue returned to be slain and deuoured This tale being marked and vnderstood by the messenger he returned to Thieâ—â—y to whom he recited what he had heard whereby he was aduertized not to returne any more to the Emperour and within a while after he made himselfe king of Italy A sentence of king Attila and his titles ATtila king of the Gothes was wont to say That the griefe which he had conceiued in loosing of riches was greater then al the pleasure that he euer took in possessing of them Amongst many other titles which he esteemed excellent he chiefly bore this to be called The feare of the world and the scourge of God The words of Clotarius king of Fraunce at the time of his death CLotarius the first of that name king of Fraunce at the time of his death fell into these speeches saying often Vuach Auach How great is this King of heauen that thus killeth and causeth to dye the most great and mightie Kings and Princes of the world To men that are too much in loue with the world the tast of death is very bitter The sentence of Pope Zacharie concerning the electing of the King of Fraunce PEpin Maister of the Pallace of the king of Fraunce sent his Ambassadours to Pope Zacharie to haue his aduice whom he held to be most worthie to be King either him who for the profite and common good of the Realme did expose himselfe to all turmoile and trauell or him that liuing in idlenesse and slouth had no care or regard of the Common-wealth neither to augment it nor to defend it The Pope returned him in writing this answer That he was the fittest person to raigne and to be entitled King which tooke vpon him the charge and managing of the publique affaires both for the defence of the Realme and for the maintaining of iustice The French being informed of this answer deposed their king Childericke and thrusting him into a Monasterie elected Pepin king of Fraunce in his stead The pleasant message of Philip king of France to VVilliam duke of Normandy and king of England with his answer PHilip the first of that name kâ—ng of Fraunce being resolued to make warre against VVilliam the baâ—stard Duke of Normandie that conquered England who had lien long sicke of a great swelling in his belly sent him word That he neuer before heard of any woman in Normandie that lay so long in childbed as he had done and that if he might vnderstaÌ„d the time of his vprisâ—ng he would prouide him of lights against his Churching The Duke returned him this answer That he would not faile to let him vnderstand of his vprising and that he meant to come in person into Fraunce where himselfe would cause a solemne Masse to be song at his Churching and that for lights he would prouide a thousand Torches without waxe whose sâ—aues shold be of wood and a thousand launces tipt with steel to giue fire to those torcheâ— By the Torches without waxe and of wood he meant houses tovvnes villages vvhich he vvould set on fire and by the launces he meant men at armes Of the letters of promise which the same William Duke of Normandie sent vnto the Earle of Flanders THe same VVilliam Duke of Normandie hauing a determinatioÌ„ to make a conquest of England as being his right in