Iohn Argentine a Scholar of Oxferd came and challenged the whole University of Cambridge to dispute with him What his fortune in this immodest attempt was is not remembred nor himself after found advanced either in Church or Common-wealth Also in 1531 and the twenty fourth of King Henry the Eight came two Oxford men George Threckmorton and Iohn Aschwell to Cambridge challenging all that University to dispute with them on these Questions An Ius Civile sit praestantius Medicinâ An Mulier morti condemnata bis suspensa ruptis laqueis tertio suspendi debeat Five Cambridge-men undertook the Disputation viz. Iohn Redman Nicolas Ridley Iohn Rokesby Elizaeus Price and Grissith Tregarn repairing to the School these Disputants so pressed Throckmorton that finding him to fail they followed their advantage and would never suffer him to recover himself Wherefore Aschwell his partner who was to answer on the second Question declined it by dissembling himself sick who had he not been sick of a conceited soul had never come thither on that occasion 2. A Sultan's Wife or Concubine if you please to â—all her having â—ed too high in a lustâ—ul Bravado petitioned the King that was Sha Abbas of Persia for help her good man proving too weak to conquer her a dangerous Impudence the King finds it to reflect upon himself old at that time and Master of four thousand Concubines he promises her a present satisfaction he calls his Physicians and when Phlebotomy was held too mean a remedy they give an Assinego an opiate lustful potion which enrages the Beast who by a forced connexion basely glutted her and withal deprived her of her life 3. Philip Melancthon had given unto him many pieces of ancient Coin in Silver and Gold divers of which he used to part with to such as came to view them One time he had got together a great heap of them which for the Impression inscriptions and Images were most pleasing to him These he shewed to a Foreigner that came to visit him and perceiving that he was much delighted with the contemplation and sight of them he bade him chuse out one or two of those he was most taken with and did most chiefly desire I desire them all said the Stranger Now although Philip was offended with so immodest and impudent a desire yet he parted with them all that he might satisfie the covetousness of a Shameless Spectator C. Caligula the Roman Emperour did encrease the immanity of his Actions by the atrocity of his words He used to say that there was nothing in his nature that he did so much approve of and for which he esteemed himself so praise-worthy as his Shamelesness 5. The Mosynaei a people in Pontus used to lie with their women in the broad and open sight of the day and in the presence of as many as would make themselves the Spectators of such a Scene of Immodesty 6. C. Fimbria was a man of a profligate Boldness and Impudence and ready upon all occasions for any mischievous design He slew Crassus and in the Funerals of Caius Marius he procured that Q. Scaevola a worthy and most religious person should be wounded and when he understood that the weapon had not made a deep entrance into his body he appointed him a day wherein he would accuse him before the people All men admired whereof he would accuse the Chief Priest and the most worthy Citizen amongst them expecting to hear his crime he said he accused him that he had not received the whole Sword into his body 7. It was concluded by Richard the Third then Protector and his Council that Doctor Shaw should in a Sermon at Pauls-Cross signifie to the people that neither King Edward himself nor the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begotten nor the children of the Duke of York but begotten in adultery upon the Dutchess their Mother And also that the Lady Lucy was verily the Wife of King Edward and so the Prince and the rest of the King's Children were all Bastards Accordingly this shameless Doctor next Sunday took for his Text Bastard Slips shall not take deep root and thence proceeded as he was directed It was also ordered that the Protector should come in as by accident when he was to say these words following But the Lord Protector the very noble Prince the special pattern of Knightly Prowess as well in all Princely Behaviour as in the lineaments and favour of his visage representeth the very face of the noble Duke his Father this is the Father 's own figure this is his own countenance the very print of his visage the very sure undoubted Image the plain express likeness of that noble Duke But it fell out that through overmuch haste he had spoken all this before the Protector came in yet beholding him coming he suddenly left the matter in hand and without any deduction thereto out of all order and frame he began to repeat those words again This is the very noble Prince and soon But the people were so far from crying King Richard that they stood as if they had been turned into stones for wonder of this shameful Sermon But the Preacher that had so little shame at the present had enough of it after for Sermon ended he gate him home and never after durst look out but kept him out of sight like an Owl and enquiring of an old Friend what people talked of him he was answered that every mouth spake him much shame which so struck him to the heart that within few days after he withered and consumed away 8. The Argive women fell into a general madness the men in this extremity sent to Melampus a Physician desiring that he would undertake the cure of that strange Disease the Physician said he would undertake the cure but withal demanded one half of the Kingdom for himself as soon as he had completed it The Argives refused these hard conditions but the Frenzy of their Wives continuing they again sent unto him but then this impudent Physician blushed not to require of them over and besides a third part of the Kingdom for his Brother which insolent terms they were constrained to yield to in this their perplexity 9. L. Antoninus Commodus the Emperour was of that impudent and shameless Behaviour that he doubted not to sit and drink in the very Senate House and in presence of the Senators cloathed in womens apparel and renouncing his own name he called himself Hercules and the Son of Iupiter 10. Walter Bishop of Hereford in the days of William the Conquerour attempting to force the chastity of a woman who being a Sempstross was out of pretence of cutting out work brought up into his Chamber was by her with her Scissars thrust into the Belly with which he died 11. Luther relates that Carolastad was promoted Doctor of Divinity eight years before he had any of the Bible and that afterwards conferring the
his Servant 4. There was a base uncivil fellow that did nothing all the day long but rail upon Pericles that famous Athenian in the Market-place and before all the people though he was at that time the Publick Magistrate yet did he take no notice of it but all the while dispatched sundry matters of importance till night came and then with a sober pace went home towards his house this lewd Varlet following him all the way with open defamation Pericles when he came to his house it being dark called to his man and bade him light the fellow home lest it being night he should loose his way 5. The Athenians sending Embassadors to Philip King of Macedon to request some favors of him he entertained them courteously granted their desire and being about to dismiss them he asked if there was any thing further wherein he might gratifie the Athenians To which one of them call'd Demochares reply'd yes truly that thou wouldst hang thy self This Currish reply did exceedingly enrage the Friends and Courtiers of King Philip inciting him to revenge but be without being moved sent them away courteously only wishing them to tell the Athenians that they who spake such things were much weaker then they that could hear and bear them patiently 6. Casimir was Duke of the Sendominians a Potent Prince and afterwards King of Poland being on a time in a purpose to divert himself he called to him one Ioannes Cornarius a Knight and his Domestick Servant inviting to play with him at Dice they did so and fortune was favorable one while to one and then to the other so that having spent much time in gaining little upon each other and it being grown far in the night it was agreed to set the whole sum in controversie upon one single cast of the Dice Casimire prov'd the more fortunate and drew all the mony to to him Ioannes displeased and incensed with his bad fortune in the heat of his impatience falls upon the Prince and with his fist lays him over the mouth It was a capital crime for the servant to strike his Lord and the same also his Prince bâ—t though all present were incensed at this insufferable Action yet he escaped by the benefit of the night though not so but that he was seis'd in the morning brought back and set in the presence of Casimire to receive his sentence He having well weighed the matter brake into this wise Speech My friends This man is less guilty than my self Nay what ever is ill done is on my part heat and sudden passion which sometimes oversways even wise men did transport him and moved both his mind and hand to do as he did But why did I give the cause Why unmindful of my place and dignity did I play with him as my equal And therefore Joannes take not only my pardon but my thanks too by a profitable correction thou hast taught me that hereafter I should do nothing that is unworthy of a Prince but retain my self within the just limits of decency and gravity this said he freely dismissed him 7. Memorable is the Example of Iohâ—nnes Gualbertus a Knight of Florence who returning out of the Field into the City attended with a numerous retinue met with that very person who not long before had kill'd his brother his only brother nor could the other escape him Ioannes presently drew his Sword that with one blow he might revenge the death of his beloved brother When the other falling prostrate on the ground at his foot humbly besought him for the sake of the Crucified Christ to spare his life Ioannes suppressing his anger let him depart and offered up his Sword drawn as it was before the Image of Christ Crucified in the next Church he came to 8. The Wife of Cowper Bishop of Lincoln burnt all those notes which he had been eight years in gathering out of a certain tenderness and fear she had lest he should kill himself with over-much study so that he was forced to fall to work again and was other eight years in gathering the same notes wherewith he composed that useful and learned book which at this day is called his Dictionary though a greater vexation then this could very hardly befal a Scholar yet he received it with that patience as not to give his Wife an unkind word upon that account 9. When Xenocrates came one time to the house of Plato to visit him he prayed him that he would beat his Servant for him in regard he himself was not at present so sit to do it because he was in passion Another time he said to one of his servants that he would beat him sufficiently but that he was angry 10. Polemon by his patience cured the distempered passion of another in this manner There was a person of quality an excessive lover of precious stones who even doted upon fair and costly Rings and such like curious Jewels this man one day did rail at Polemon in a most outragious manner and gave him very uncivil and provoking language To all which the Philosopher answered not one word but looked very earnestly upon one of the Signets the other had on his hand well considering the fashion and workmanship thereof which when the party perceived taking as it should seem no small contentment and being very well-pleased that he so perused his Jewel quite forgetting his anger not so Polemon quoth he but look upon the stone thus between you and the light and you will think it much more beautiful 11. Aristippus fell out upon a time I know not how with Aeschines his friend and was at that time in a great Choler and sit of Anger How now Aristippus quoth one who heard him so high and at such hot words where is your Amity and Friendship all this while Why asleep said he but I will waken it anon With that he stepped close to Aeschines and said Do you think me every way so unhappy and incurable that I did not deserve one single admonition at your hands No marvel said Aeschines again if I thought you who for natural wit in all things else excel me to see better in this case also than I what is meet and expedient to be done And thus their strife ended 12. Arcadius an Argive never gave over reviling of King Philip of Macedon abusing him with the most reproachful terms and arrived at last to that bold impudence as to give him this kind of publick warning So far to fly until he thither came Where no man knew or heard of Philip's name This man was afterwards seen in Macedonia then the Friends and Courtiers of King Philip gave him information thereof moving him to inflict some severe punishment upon him and in no case suffer him to escape his hands But Philip on the contrary having this Railer in his power spake gently unto him used him courteously and familiarly sent unto him in his Lodging
shewed the testimonies of his presence A Iew that was but lately become a Christian there denied that it was any miracle saying it was not likely that out of a dry piece of Wood there should come such a light Now albeit many of the standers by doubted of the miracle yet hearing a Jew deny it they began to murmure calling him wicked Apostate a detestable enemy to Jesus Christ and after they had sufficiently revileâ— him with words all the multitude foaming with anger fall upon him pluck off the hair of his head and beard tread upon him trail him into the Church-yard beat him to death and kindling a great fire cast the dead body into it All the residue of the people ran to this mutinous Company there a certain Fryer made a Sermon wherein he vehemently egged on his auditors to revenge the injury that our Lord had received The people mad enough of themselves were clean cast off of the hinges by this Exhortation besides this two other Fryers took and held up a Cross as high as they could cryed out Revenge Heresie Heresie down with wicked Heresie and destroy the wicked Nation Then like hungry Dogs they fall upon the miserable Jews cut the throats of a great number and drag them half dead to the fires many of which they made for the purpose They regarded not Age or Sex but murdered Men Women and Children they brake open doors rush into rooms dash out Childrens brains against the walls they went insolently into Churches to pluck out thence the little Children old Men and young Maids that had taken hold of the Altars the Crosses and Images of Saints crying misericordia mercy mercy there they either so murdered them presently or threw them out alive into the fire Many that carried the port and shew of Jews found themselves in great danger and some were killed and others wounded before they could make proof that they had no relation to them Some that bare a grudge to others as they met them did but cry Jews and they were presently beaten down without having any liberty or leasure to answer for themselves The Magistrates were not so hardy as to oppose themselves against the fury of the people so that in three dayes the Cut-throats killed above two thousand Jewish persons The King understanding the news of this horrible hurly burly was extreamly wroth and suddenly dispatched away Iaques Almeida and Iaques Lopez with full power to punish so great offences who caused a great number of the seditious to be executed The Fryers that had lift up the Cross and animated the people to murder were degraded and afterwards hanged and burnt The Magistrates that had been slack to repress this riot were some put out of Office and others fined the City also was disfranchized of many priviledges and honours 2. In the 1281 year since the birth of our Saviour when Charles of Anjoy reigned in Sicily his Souldiers all French men lying in Garisons in the Cities grew so odious to the Sicilians that they studied of nothing so much as how to be revenged and to free themselves from the yoke of the French The fittest and most resolute in this business was a Gentleman called Iohn Prochyto This Gentleman being justly provoked by the French who had forced his Wife and finding himself much favoured by the Sicilian Lords and Gentlemen begins by their counsel and support to build a strange design for the entrapping of all the French at once and abolishing for ever their memory in Sicilia All which was so secretly carried for eighteen months that ever since it hath been looked upon as a prodigious thing that a design of that nature could possibly be so long and safely concealed by so many people and so different in humour The watch-word or signal was that upon Easter-day when the Bell should begin to toll to Even-song all the Sicilians should presently run to arms and joyning together with one accord should fall upon all the French throughout Sicilia Accordingly all the Inhabitants of the Iâ—le were gathered together at the appointed hour and armed ran upon the French cut all their throats without taking so much as one prisoner or sparing the Children or Women gotten with Child by the French that they might utterly extinguish the whole race of them There were slain eight thousand at that time and there escaped but a very small number who fled into a Fort called Sperling where for want of victuals they were all starved to death This bloody Massacre is to this day called the Sicilian Even-song 3. Anno 1572. was the bloody Parisian Mattins wherein was spilt so much Christian blood that it flowed through the streets like rain water in great abundance and this butchery of Men Women and Children continued so long that the principal Rivers of the Kingdom were seen covered with murdered bodies and their streams so dyed and stained with humane blood that they who dwelt far from the place where this barbarous act was committed abhorred the waters of those Rivers and refused to use either it or to eat of the fish taken therein for a long time after This Tragedie was thus cunningly plotted A peace was made with the Protestants for assurance whereof a marriage was solemnized between Henry of Navarre chief of the Protestant party and the Lady Margaret the Kings Sister At this Wedding there assembled the Prince of Conde the Admiral Coligni and divers others of chief note but there was not so much Wine drank as blood shed at it At midnight the Watch-bell rung the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde are taken prisoners the Admiral murdered in his bed and thirty thousand at the least of the most potent men of the Religion sent by the way of the Red Sea to find the nearest passage to the Land of Canaan 4. In the year 1311. and in the time of Pope Clement the fifth all the order of the Knights Templars being condemned at the Council of Vienna and adjudged to dye Philip the Fair King of France urged by the Pope and out of a covetous desire of store of Confications gave way for men to charge them with crimes and so these Innocents were put to death The Great Master of the Order together with two other of the principal Persons one whereof was Brother to the Dolphin of Viennois were publickly burnt together 5. Mithridates King of Pomus once a friend and confederate of the Romans and took their part against Aristonicus who would not consent to the admission of the Romans unto Pergamus according to the last will of King Attalus yet afterwards conceiving an ambitious hope to obtain the Monarchy of all Asia in one night he plotted and effected the death of all the Roman Souldiers dispersed in Anatolia to the number of one hundred and fifty thousand 6. The Massacre of the Frâ—nch Protestants at Merindol and Chabriers happened in the year 1545. the instrument of it being
Embassadours from Darius declaring that their Master would give him ten thousand Talents if he would set at liberty his Mother Wife and Children that were taken by him moreover if he would marry the daughter of Darius he would give with her in Dowry all the Land that lay betwixt Euphrates and the Hellespont The Contents of this Embassage were discussed in Alexanders Council when Parmenio said That for his part were he in Alexanders stead he would accept of those conditions and put an end to the War Alexander on the other side answered That were he Parmenio he would do so too but whereas he was Alexander he would return such answer as should be worthy of himself which was this That they should tell their Master that he stood in no need of his money neither would he accept of a part for the whole that all his money and Country was his own that he could marry the daughter of Darius if he pleased and could do it without his consent that if he would experience the humanity of Alexander he should speedily come in to him After this he sent other Embassadours with these offers Thanks for his civilities to his captive Relations the greater part of his Kingdom his daughter for his Wife and thirty thousand Talents for the rest of the Captives to which he replyed that he would do what he desired if he would content himself with the second place and not pretend to equality with him but as the World would not endure two Suns neither could the earth endure two Soveraign Emperours without permutation of the state of all things that therefore he should either yield up himself to day or prepare for War to morrow 5. Solon the Athenian Law-giver said it of one of his prime Citizens called Pisistratus That if he could but pluck out of his head the worm of Ambition and heal him of his greedy desire to Rule that then there could not be a man of more vertue than he 6. Richard Duke of Gloucester afterwards King of England by the name of Richard the third stopped at nothing how impious or villainous soever to remove all obstructions between him and the Crown He is said to have murthered King Henry the sixth in the Tower and his son Prince Edward at Tewksbury he caused his own brother George Duke of Clarence to be drown'd in a Butt of Malmsey he was suspected to have made away Edward the fourth his brother and King by poyson he beheaded Rivers Vaughan Grey and the Lord Hastings as the known impediments of his Usurpation and the Duke of Buckingham his old friend when he saw he declined his service in the murder of his Nephews which yet he got performed upon the bodies of those two innocent Princes But the just judgement of God overtook him for the spilling of all this innocent blood His only son was taken away by death his own conscience was so disquieted that he was in continual fears in the day and his sleeps disturb'd and broken with frightful Visions and Dreams At last he was slain in Bosworth Field his Carkass was found naked amongst the slain filthily polluted with blood and dirt trussed upon an Horse behind a Pursivant at Arms his head and arms hanging down on the one side of the Horse and his leggs on the other like a Calf and so he was interred at Leicester with as base a Funeral as he formerly bestowed upon his Nephews in the Tower 7. Caesar Borgia the son of Pope Alexander was a most ambitious man he caused his brother Candianus then General over the Popes Forces to be murdered in the Streets and his dead body to be cast into the River Tyber and then casting off his Priestly Robes and Cardinals habit he took upon him the leading of his Fathers Army and with exceeding prodigality he bound fast to him many desperate Ruffians for the execution of his horrible devices Having thus strengthened himself he became a terrour to all the Nobility of Rome he first drave out the honourable Family of the Columnii and then by execrable treachery poysoned or killed the chief Personages of the great Houses of the Vrsini and Cajetani seizing upon their Lands and Estates He strangled at once four Noble men of the Camertes drave Guido Feltrius out of Vrbin took the City of Faventia from Astor Manfredus whom he first beastly abused and then strangled In his thoughts he had now made himself Master of all Latium when he was cast down when he least feared Being at supper with his Father prepared on purpose for the death of certain rich Cardinals by the mistake of a Servant he and his father were empoysoned by deadly Wine prepared for the Guests CHAP. XXXVI Of the great desire of Glory in some Noble and other ignoble Persons PLiny considering with himself the Nature of the Element of fire how rapacious and devouring a thing it is and quickly consumes whatsoever it laies hold on what store of it is in the World how 't is in every House under every foot in Pebbles and Flints above us in fiery Meteors and beneath us in subterranean passages begins to marvel that all the World was not consumed with fire When I consider that almost every soul is wrapt about with this ardent desire of Glory how far a man is liable to be transported thereby and that as Tacitus hath well observed it is the last Garment that man parts with and denudes himself of I cannot sufficiently wonder that it hath done no more mischief in the World and that it hath burnt though destructively in some yet so harmlesly in others as some of the following Examples will declare 1. The Tower of Pharos had the reputation of the Worlds seventh wonder it was built by King Ptolomy Philadelphus but Sostratus who was employed therein as the chief Architect engraved upon it this Inscription Sostratus of Gnydos the son of Dexiphanes to the Gods Protectors for the safety of Sailers this Writing he covered with Plaister and upon the Plaister he inscribed the Name and Title of the King he knew that would soon waste away and then his own name written in Marble he hoped would as he had desired be celebrated to Eternity 2. We read of one who published a Book of his the Title whereof was Of the Contempt of Glory in this his work he endeavoured to shew by many and notable arguments that it was a vanity unworthy of a man to hunt for popular applause by any of his performances Yet this very person was afterwards convinced of the same errour he had so severely reproved in others in as much as he had set his name in the Frontispiece of his Book 3. Cicero accounted it so great a matter to speak eloquently and laboured therein with that anxiety that being to plead a Cause before the Centumviri when the day was come before he was prepared so fully as he desired and that his Servant Eros brought
That the Scythians did yield themselves together with the Earth and Water upon this reason That the Mouse is bred in the Earth and seeds upon the same food with man the Frog lives in the Water the Bird might represent the Horse and that by sending Arrows they seemed to deliver up themselves But Gobryas one of the seven Princes that had ejected the Magi was of opinion That those Presents intimated thus much O ye Persians unless as Birds ye fly in the Air or as Mice ye retreat under the Earth or as Froggs ye swim in the Water ye shall not return whence ye came but shall be slain by these Arrows The Persians interpreted it according to his opinion and had it not been by very accident neither Darius nor any of his Army had ever seen Persia more being glad to fly and happy that he found a way of escape for the Scythians though in pursuit missed of him as thinking he had taken another way 3. Alexander the Great was vehemently incensed against the Lampsacenians who sent Anaximenes as their Embassadour to appease him Alexander at the first sight of him that he might cut off all occasion of being prevailed with as to any favour in their behalf solemnly swore That although Anaximenes was his Master yet he would not either grant or do any of those things that he should desire of him Then said the other I desire of thee O King that thou wouldest utterly destroy the Country of Anaximenes thy Master Alexander for his Oaths sake was thus constrained though otherwise much against his mind to pardon the Lampsacenians 4. Nicholaus de Book a Knight was sent by Valdemarus the Marquess of Brandenburg as his Embassadour to Franckfurt in his Princes name about the Election of a King of the Romans The Competitors were Philippus Pulcher Duke of Austria and Lewis Duke of Bavaria the Marquess had sent his Letters in favour of Frederick that he might be King but his Embassadour expecting to receive nothing from Fredederick and perceiving that most mens minds were inclinable to Lewis he scraped out the name of Frederick out of all his Princes Parchments and contrary to his mind instead thereof put in the name of Lewis for which Inâ—idelity the Marquess upon his return kept him in Prison and suffered him there to dye of Famine 5. The people of Florence sent one Franciscus a Lawyer but indeed an unlearned Person as their Embassadour to Ioan Queen of Naples At his coming he was informed by a Courtier That it was her Majesties pleasure that he should return on the morrow In the mean time he had heard that the Queen had no aversion to a handsom man and therefore upon his return having had his Audience and discoursed with her about many things at last he told her That he had something to deliver to her in private The Queen withdrew with him into a Privy Chamber supposing that he had something to impart to her which was not fit to communicate with others here it was that the fool prepossessed with an opinion of his own handsomness desired the Queen that he might be admitted to her bed the Queen without alteration of her Countenance looking him in the face demanded if the Florentines had made that part of his Commission And while the Embassadour remained silent and covered with blushes she bad him return and caused it to be entred with the rest of his instructions and dismissed him without any other sign of her Anger 6. Arnald Whitfeild Chancellour of the Realm of Denmark with Christian Barmkan his Assistant came Embassadour from the King of Denmark to Queen Elizabeth His request was That the King his Master might make a motion of Peace betwixt her Majesty and the King of Spain and proceed farther therein if he found both Parties addicted thereto he also desired open Traffick with Spain and that Goods might not be stayed on the Narrow Seas as it had been heretofore And having Audience upon the day that her Majesty was born he took occasion to say That since it had pleased God on that day which he was informed was her Majesties birth-day to glorifie the World with so gracious a Creature who had brought so great happiness to the Realm and the Neighbour Kingdoms he doubted not but that the King his Master should in that happy day have an happy Answer of his request c. I blame you not said the Queen to expect a reasonable and sufficient Answer but you may think it a great Miracle that a Child born at four a clock this morning should be able to Answer so wise and learned a man as you are sent from so great a Prince as you be about so great and weighty Affairs you speak of and in an unknown Tongue by three of the clock in the afternoon and with like prudent and gracious words she gave him leave to depart 7. There was a Treaty on the part of Spain for a Marriage with our Prince Henry wherein Salisbury then Secretary a little man but a great Statesman instantly discovered the jugling before any other did think of any For although it went forward cunningly yet did Salisbury so put the Duke of Lerma unto it that either it must be so or they must confess their jugling The Duke of Lerma denied that there ever had been any treaty or any intention from that State Salisbury sent for the Embassadour to a â—ull Council told him how he had abused the King and State about a Treaty for Marriage which he had no Commission for that therefore he was liable to the Laws of our Kingdom for when any Embassadour doth abuse a State by their Masters Commission then the servant was freed but without Commission was culpable and liable to be punished by the Laws of that State as being disavowed to be Servant to the King his Master The Embassadour answered gravely He did not understand the cause of his coming therefore was then unprepared to give any answer but on Munday he would come again this being Saturday and give his Answer On Munday he comes begins with these words My Soul is my God's my Life my Master's my Reputation my own I will not forfeit the first and last to preserve the second then laies down his Commission and Letters of Instruction under the Kings own hand he acquitted himself honestly to this State but was lost to his own being instantly sent â—or home where he lived and died in disgrace 8. The Spartans sent their Embassadours to Athens who declared in the open Senate That they came from their State with full power to comprimise all matters of difference betwixt them and to put an end to all Controversie Alcibiades that in emulation to Nicias had a desire to continue the rupture was terrified with this Declaration of theirs and thereupon made means for a private conference with the Embassadours when he came What mean you my Lords said he have
should do thus than deliver them all bound into my hands Indeed it proved little less for by this means at this Battel Hanibal obtained the greatest and entirest Victory that ever he got of the Romans and had he made use of it accordingly he had made himself Master of Rome it self 9. Lartes Tolumnius King of the Veientines playing at Dice and having a prosperous Cast said jestingly to his Companion Occide meaning no more than kill or beat me now if you can It fortuned that the Roman Ambassadors came in at the instant and his Guard mistaking the intention of the word slew the Ambassadors taking that for a word of command to them which was only spoken in sport to him that was played with 10. Cleonce a Virgin of Byzantium had promised in the night to come to the bed of Paufanias the Lacedemonian General she came somewhat later than the agreement was and had received a candle of the Guard to direct her to his Chamber but stumbling by chance at the door of the Chamber she fell and the light was put out Pausanias was asleep but awaking with the noise leaped out of bed and doubting some treachery directed himself as well as he could in the dark to the Chamber door and ran his Sword through the body of her who did not look for so bloody an entertainment 12. Tiberius Caesar being busted in the examination of some men by torments to find out the Authors of his Son Drâ—sus his death it was told him that a Rhodian was come who apprehending it of one that could tell something of the matter commanded that they should presently put him to the Rack soon after it appeared that this Rhodian was his Friend and one whom Tiberius himself had invited to him from Rhodes by his own Letters The mistake being cleared Tiberius commanded to strangle the man that so the villany might be concealed 12. Baptista Zenus a Cardinal in the time of Pope Paul the Second having called often for the Groom of his Chamber and he at that time obeying the necessities of Nature and so returning no answer the furious Cardinal hid himself behind the Chamber door that he might punish him to purpose as he came in In the mean time came the Secretary of another Cardinal and finding the door open entred the Chamber Baptista caught him by the hair and laid on him with his fists the passion he was in not suffering him for some time to discern his mistake 13. Gildo rebelling in Africa against the Emperour Honorius Mastelzeres the Brother of Gildo was sent against him Gildo's Army was far the more numerous and when Mastelzeres drew near the forefront of the Enemy he began to speak mildly to the Souldiers The Standard-bearer of Gildo replying roughly upon him he with his Sword smote off the arm he bore the Ensign with that both it and the Ensign fell together to the ground The hinder-part of the Army having seen Mastelzeres in Treaty and perceiving the Ensign inclined a sign of submission amongst them and thinking that the Front which consisted of Roman Legions had submitted themselves to Mastelzeres as Honorius his General and so they were deserted of the greatest part of the Army these Africans wheeled off and did what they imagined the rest had done Gildo beholding the whole Army at the point of yielding and fearing his life fled hastily away and left an unbloody Victory to his Brother by virtue of this odd mistake 14. Mullus Cropellus was sent by Maâ—heus Vicecomes who then bore the chief Rule in Millain to seise upon Cremona who approaching the City in the night had digged through the Wall unperceived Pontionus an Exile of Cremona had entred the breach followed only with an hundred men and supposing that Mullus followed him forthwith seised upon the Palace A great tumult and cry being raised Gregorius Summus a Citizen of Cremona took Arms flew to the Walls and soon stopped up the entrance against them that were without Mullus therefore thinking that Pontionus was oppressed in the City drew off in great fear and Gregorius Summus being informed that the Palace was lost supposing that a far greater number of Enemies had entred the City than indeed there had though he was in the head of a great Party of valiant men with which he might easily have cut off Pontionus and all his yet he fled out of Cremona Thus the darkness of the night had led both Parties into errour in the same place and so as that those which were most in number did still slye from and were afraid of those that were not so many 15. Caicoscroes the Sultan of Iconium having received some injury from Alexius Angelus the Greek Emperour intending to be revenged made a sudden incursion and had taken Antioch had it not been for an accidental chance and a mistake of his own thereupon It fell out that the same night he hastned towards Antioch to take it that there was a Noble person in the City that celebrated the Nuptials of his Daughter and as 't is usual in such solemnities there was a great noise of the Feasters a sound of Cymbals and Timbrels of Dancing and Women singing up and down these made a great stir in the City all night Assoon as Caicoscroes drew near the City hearing the noise of Instruments and a concourse of men not apprehending the thing as indeed it was but conceiving it a military notice one to another that his coming was discerned he forsook his design and drew off to Lampe 16. Iohannes Gorraeus a Physician in Paris the same person who wrote the excellent Physical Lexicon being sent for to the house of a Bishop who at that time was sick to prevent all danger that might happen to him upon the account of his Religion for at that time all France was on fire with it he determined to make his return home in the Bishops Litter he was upon his way about twilight when certain Parisians to whom the Bishop was indebted and that had long in vain waited for satisfaction assaulted the Litter in hope to find some of the Bishops goods conveyed in it that way This struck such a fear into Gorraus that supposing he was taken upon the account of his Religion he fell iâ—to a distemper of mind and was not restored to his perfect health till a long time after 17. Ferdinand King of Arragon and Naples setting forward with his Army towards Canusium the Scouts he sent out beholding a great Herd of Deer feeding in the night wherewith that Country doth very much abound by a signal mistake they returned to the King and reported that Nicholaus Picininus with Iohn Duke of Anjoâ— who affected the Kingdom had joyned themselves with the Prince of Tarentum and that they had found them all in Arms in such a place Ferdinand fearing that he should no way be able to match with so great Enemies
the one was born in Asia and the other beyond the Alps But when Antonius came after to the knowledge thereof and that the fraud was bewray'd by the Language of the Boys he sell into a furious sit of choler rating Toranius that he had made him pay two hundred Sesterces as for Twins and they were none such The wily Merchant answer'd that it was the cause why he held and sold them at so dear a rate For said he it is no marvel if two brethren Twins who lay in the same Womb resemble one another but that there should be any sound born as these were in divers Countries so like in all respects as they he held it as a most rare and wonderful thing Antonius at this was appeased and well contented with his Bargain 10. Anno 1598. There were with us at Basil two Twin-brothers who were born at one Birth in the seventh Month 1538. they were so like to one another in the features of the Body that I have often spoke to the one instead of the other though both were very well known to me and that they had been frequently conversant with me Nay they were so like in their natural inclinations that as they often have told me what the one thought has secretly come into the mind of the other at the same time if the one was sick the other was not well as it fell out when one was absent and sick in Campania the other at the same time was sick at Basil. 11. Martinus Guerre and Arnoldus Tillius in features and lineaments of the Face were so exceedingly alike that when Martinus was gone abroad to the Wars Tillius by the near resemblance of his form betray'd the chastity of Martinus his Wife and not only so but impos'd upon four of his Sisters and divers others both Neighbours and Kindred who were not able to discover the difference betwixt them and which is the strangest of all he liv'd with this Woman as her Husband for some years together the companion both of her board and bed 12. Sporus the freed-man of Nero the Emperour was very like unto Sabina a most beautiful Lady beloved also by the same Emperour he so resembled her in all lineaments that Nero caused him to be cut that so instead of Sabina he might filthily use him as his beloved Lady 13. Medardus and Gerardus were Twin-brothers and French men they were not only born one and the same day but also both of them in one day preferred to Episcopal Dignity the one to the See of Rhotomage and the other to that of Noviodunum and lest any thing should be wanting to this admirable parity they also both deceased in one and the same day So that the Philosophers Hypoclides and Polystratus are no way to be preferred before these remarkable Twins one of these Twins instead of Gerhardus is call'd Chiladius by Kornmannus 14. Lucius Otho the Father of Otho the Emperour one of very Noble Blood by the Mothers side and of many great Relations was so dear unto and not so unlike unto Tiberius the Emperour that most men did verily believe he was begotten by him 15. Even in our days we have heard of two young Children which were Brothers at Riez an Episcopal City of Provence in France who being perâ—ectly like one another if one of them was sick the other was so too if one began to have pain in the Head the other would presently feel it if one of them was asleep or sad the other could not hold up his Head or be merry and so in other things as I have been assured by Mr. Poitevin a very honest man and a Native of that City 16. At Mechlin there were two Twin-brothers the Sons of Petrus Apostolius a Prâ—dent Senator of that place and at whose House Vives had friendly entertainment the Boys were both lovely to look upon and so like that not only strangers but the Mother her self often erred in the distinction of them whilst she liv'd and the Father as often by a pleasing errour calling Peter for Iohn and Iohn for Peter 17. Babyrtus a Messenian was a man of the meanest degree and of a lewd and silthy life but was so like unto Dorymachus both in the countenance all the lineaments of the Body and the very voice it self that if any had taken the Diadem and Robe of State and put it upon him it would not have been easie to discover which was which whence it came to pass that when Dorymachus after many injuries to the Messenians had also added threats to the rest of his insolence Sciron one of the Ephori there a bold man and lover of his Country said openly to him Dost thou Babyrtus suppose that we matter either thee or thy threats at which he was so nettled that he rested not till he had rais'd a War against the Messenians 18. That in the two Gordiani is a most memorable thing that the Elder of them was so very like unto Augustus that he not only resembled him in the Face but also in Speech behaviour and stature The Son of this man was exceeding like unto Pompey the Great and the third of the Gordiani begotten by him immediately before mention'd had as near a resemblance to Scipio Asiaticus the Brother of Scipio Affricanus the Elder so that in one Family there were the lively pourtraiture of three illustrious persons dead long before 19. I have seen saith Fulgosus amongst the Soldiers of Franciscus Sfortia the Duke of Millain a young man who did so resemble that countenance of his then which nothing was more amiable to look upon nor more worthy of a Prince that by the general consent of the whole Court he was call'd the Prince Franciscus himself as he was most courteous in all things not without pleasure did sometimes contemplate his own Image in him as in a Glass and in most things beheld and acknowledged his own gestures and voice 20. Io. Oporinus the Printer at Basil was so like unto Henry the Eighth King of England in the Face but especially to Albertus the Marquess of Brandenburgh that they might well seem to be natural Brothers there was also this further similitude betwixt them that as one fill'd all Germany with Wars so the other replensh'd all the Christian World with Books 21. Sigismundus Malatesta Prince of Ariminum was so very like in all the features of his Face to Marchesinus the Mimick that when he went to Millain this Marchesinus was sent away elsewhere by Franciscus Sfortia Duke of Millain and Father-in-law to Sigismundus as being ashamed of him for Marchesinus in his prattle by reason of this resemblance used to call Sigismond his Son 22. A certain young Man came to Rome in the shape of his body so like unto Augustus that he set all the people at gaze upon that sight Augustus hearing of it sent for the young man who being come into
colour do you know too added he the complaints she makes of you they are sad ones and such as I would not thâ—y should be true he shakes faulters in his speech says and unsays being urged home he confesses all frees the woman from any fault and casting himself at the Dukes feet said he placed all his refuge and comfort in the good grace and mercy of his Prince and that he might the better obtain it he offered to make amends for his unlawful lust by a lawful Marriage of the person whom he had injured The Duke as one that inclined to what he said and now somewhat milder you woman said he since it is gone thus far are you willing to have this man for your Husband she refuses but fearing the Duke's displeasure and prompted by the Courtiers that he was Noble Rich and in favour with his Prince overcome at last she yields The Duke causes both to joyn hands and the Marriage to be lawfully made which done You Mr. Bridegroom said he you must now grant me this that if you die first without Children of your body that then this Wife of yours shall be the Heir of all that you have he willingly granted it it is writ down by a Notary and Witness is to it Thus done the Duke turning to the woman Tell me said he is there enouâ—h done for your satisfaction There is said she But there is noâ— to mine said he And sending the woman away he commands the Governor to be led away to that very Prison in which the Husband was slain and dead to be laid in a Coffin headless as he was This done he then sent the woman thither ignorant of what had passed who frighted with that second unthought of misfortune of two Husbands almost at one and the same time lost by one and the same punishment fell speedily sick and in a short time died having gained this only by her last Marriage that she left her Children by her former Husband very rich by the accesâ—ion of this new and great Inheritance 19. Sir Iohn Markham was Knighted by King Edward the fourth and by him made Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench at which time one Sir Thomus Cooke late Lord Major of London and Knight of the Bath a man of a great Estate was agreed upon to be accused of high Treason and a Commission granted forth to try him in Guild-Hall The King by private instructions to the Judge appeared so far that Cooke though he was not must be found guilty and if the Law were too short the Judge must stretch it to the purpose The fault laid to his charge was for lending Moneys to Queen Murgaret the proof was the Confession of one Hawkins who was wracked in the Tower Sir Thomas Cooke pleaded that Hawkins came indeed to request him to lend a thousand Marks upon good Security but that understanding who it was for he had sent him away with a refusal the Judge shewed the proof reached not the charge of high Treason that Misprision of Treason was the highest it could amount to and intimated to the Jury to be tender in matter of life and discharge good Consciences they found it accordingly For which the Judge was outed of his place and lived privately the rest of his days and gloried in this that though the King could make him no Judge he could not make him no upright Judge CHAP. XXX Of such persons as were illustrious for their singular Chastity both Men and Women THere is no Vice whatsoever that is very easie to overcome but that of the Lusts of the Flesh seems to have a peculiar difficulty in the Conquest of it for whereas Covetousness hath its seat in the mind alone this seises upon the mind and body also whereas other Vices use to grow upon us only through our loosing the Reins unto desire this is ingenerate born with us and accompanies us all along from our Cradles to the Tomb for the most part having fixed its roots so deep within us through long indulgence that not one of many is able to prevail against it By how much the more strong therefore the enemy is and the more intimate and familiar he is with us the more noble is the Victory and the Conquest more glorious 1. St. Ierome Relates a Story of one Nicetas a young man of invincible Courage who when by all sorâ—s of threatnings he was not to be frighted into idolatry his enemies resolved upon another course They brought him into a Garden â—lowing with all manner of sensual pleasures and delights there they laid him in a bed of Down safely enwrapped in a Net of Silk amongst the Lilies and Roses with the delicious murmur of the Rivulets and the sweet whistling of the winds amongst the Leaves and then all departed There was then immediately sent unto him a young and most beautiful Strumpet who used all the abominable tricks of her impure art and whorish villanies to draw him to her desire The youth now fearing that he should be conquered with folly who had â—riumphed over fury resolutely bit off a piece of his own tongue with his teeth spitting it in the face of the whore and so by the smart of his wound extinguished the rebellion of his flesh 2. While King Demetrius was at Athens there was a young boy of so lovely a Countenance that he was commonly called Democles the fair him did Demetrius send for and court with fair speeches large promises and great gifts at other times he sought to terrifie him by threats and all thaâ— he might gain the use of his body But the chast Lad was proof against all these and to avoid the importunity of the King he resorted not to the publick places of exercise or to the Baths with his companions as before but used to wash himself in private and alone Demetrius was inform'd of it and finding his time rushed in upon him being alone the boy perceiving he could not now avoid the lust of this Royal Ravisher though he had infinite horrors at the apprehension of it he snatched off the cover of the Cauldron where the water was boyling and leaping into it soon choaked himself chusing rather to dye than to outlive the violation of his Chastity 3. Thomas Arch-Bishop of York in the Reign of Henry the first falling sick his Physicians told him that nothing would do him good but to company with a woman to whom he replied that the reamedy was worse than the disease and so dyed a Virgin 4. Anno â—421 Pelagius was in Spain and after the terrible slaughter received in the Battel of Iuncaria under King Ordonius he was given as hostage to the Moors for his Uncle Hermogius the Bishop Abderamine King of the Moors was surprised and strangely taken with the beauty of this Prisoner of his for he was a lovely youth to look upon and therefore determined to reserve this flower for himself accordingly he began
father was somewhat ashamed of him had thoughts of creating another Successour to himself and for the benefit of the Common-Wealth to have taken at once from his son both the title of Caesar and his life it self but the evil fortune of the Roman Empire at this time intercepted all his purposes by a sudden death 9. Saladine who left so great a name behind him left also the Kingdom of Syria to his son Noradine whose sloth and unprincely qualities were such that he was driven out by the people and his Uncle Saphadine set up in his stead after which he had so exhausted his own Patrimony that he was fain to subsist upon the mercy and charity of his brothers and at last died with the just reproaches of all men 10. Iohannes Galleacius who first had the title of Duke of Millaine was a Prince of a great and liberal mind and adorn'd with all other vertues that were to be required in a great person he was belov'd at home and fear'd abroad He was possessed of a great part of Italy which he had gain'd with much honour so that he was thought superiour rather than equal to some Christian Kings This man left his son Iohn to succeed him than whom Phalaris himself was not more cruel what his father had got by blood and valour and sweat this mad-man lost at least the greater part thereof laughing so that at last growing hateful and contemptible to his own people he was flain by them And his other son Gabriel having lost Pisa whereof he was possessed was openly beheaded at Genoa 11. Although Cassander through his equity and industry in his affairs had many who voluntarily became the followers of his greatness yet he made war upon divers Cities of Greece the destruction of which as a neighbouring fire struck such terror into the Spartans that they then first surrounded their City with Walls which before they only defended with their arms So far were they degenerated from the vertue of their Ancestors that whereas for many Ages the valour of the Citizens had been the only Wall of their City the Citizens now thought they could not be safe unless they lay hid behind the Walls of their City 12. Franciscus Sfortia Duke of Millaine amongst Christian Princes excelled in all kind of vertues he was not inferiour to Trajan for humanity and to the degree of his fortune was reputed as liberal as Alexander the Great But his sons did mightily degenerate from the so great vertue of their father Galeacius the Elder was ambitious and lustful proud of the least successes and extreamly dejected when any adversity befell him Philip the second son was corpulent foolish and a coward Ludovicus was prophane saying That Religion and Justice were fictions invented to keep the people in order he was of a haughty mind covetous lustful broken in adversity and unfortunate if not cowardly for though he had greater forces than his enemy he lost that Dukedom to Lewis the 12. King of France in sixteen daies which his father had gain'd by arms and kept with the singular love and benevolence of all men to the day of his death 13. Phocion was an excellent person but his son Phocus was so dissolute and resigned up to intemperance and excessive drinking that he could not be reclaimed by the Spartan discipline it self When Menyllus had presented Phocion with a great gift and he had refused it he requested that he would at least permit his son Phocus to receive it If said he my son Phocus reform himself he will have a Patrimony sufficient to maintain him but as he now behaves himself there is nothing that can be enough for him 14. Marcus Tullius Cicero the famous Orator had a son of the same name but of a very different nature for whereas his father was a temperate and abstemious person his son was so addicted to Wine that he would swallow down two Gallons at once and in one of his drunken fits he so far forgot himself that he struck M. Agrippa upon the head with a Pot. 15. Theodosius the great was a most happy and fortunate Emperour but in this one thing unfortunate for he left behind him two sons Honorius in the West and Arcadius in the East both Emperours but both so slothful and unlike their father that partly by that and partly by the treachery of Ruffinus and Stilichon the Empire was miserably and foully dilacerated by the Goths Hunnes and Vandalls 16. The sons of the Emperour Constantine the Great were as much below the Genius of their father in all praise worthy things as he did surpass all other Princes in piety and true greatness of mind For in respect of the Government of his life no man was more heedless than his son Constantinus Constans the second son was a man much addicted to unseemly pleasures And Constantius the third son was yet more intollerable by reason of his inconstancy and arrogance 17. Casimirus was fetcht out of a Monastery and made King of Poland a man of great vertue but his son Boleslaus who succeeded him in the Kingdom did much degenerate from the noble example of his father For he was a despiser and contemner of Religion a neglecter of the administration of Justice and of a cruel nature and disposition He slew Sanctus Stanisiaus the Arch-bishop of Cracovia and at last died himself an exile from his Country 18. Herodes Atticus the Sophist in respect of his wit and eloquence was second to none of his time yet had he a son of his called also Atticus who was of so dull and stupid a nature that he could never be made capable of understanding the first rudiments and elements of learning CHAP. V. Of undutiful and unnatural Children to their Parents SOlon would never establish any Law against Parricides or Parent-killers saying The gods forbid that a Monster should ever come into our Common-Wealth and certain it is that six hundred years from the building of Rome were over-past before so much as the name of that crime was known amongst them The first that killed his Father and stained his hands in the blood of him that gave him life was Lucius Ostius a person afterwards detested throughout all Ages P. Malleolus was the first saith Livy amongst the Romans who was known to have killed his Mother and who underwent that punishment which was by the institution of the Ancients in that case They ordained that the Parricide should be first scourged to blood then sown up in a Sack together with a Dog a Cock a Viper and an Ape and so thrown head-long into the bottom of the Sea But notwithstanding the severity of this Law and those of other Nations against a crime of this nature there are too many Instances of unnatural children as in part will appear by what follows 1. Antiochus a Jew accus'd his own Father and some other Jews then living at Antioch that
the next Assize there to be set on the Pillory with the like Paper and his other ear to be there cut off also to stand in the Pillory one Market-day at Canterbury another at Rochester and in all these places his offence to be openly read which sentence was accordingly executed CHAP. XXIX Of Perjured persons and how they have been punished AN Oath is the most solemn and Sacred security that one man can possibly give to another notwithstanding which there are a multitude of men who bear no more regard to what they have sworn than if they had been words which had never been said Nemesis is in pursuit of all these sons of falshood and fraud and having once overtaken them will no doubt inflict a vengeance upon them agreeable to their merit 1. Vladislaus King of Poland and Hungary had fortunately fought against the Turks at the Mountain Haemus and taken Carambey the General of their Army by means of this Victory he occasioned Amurath the Turkish King to sue to him for Peace the terms of it were both honourable and every way advantageous it was mutally sworn to by the King upon the holy Evangelists and Amurath by his Embassadours upon the Turkish Alcoran This known to the Pope and other Christian Princes they spake of it as unseasonable unprofitable and dishonourable whereupon the Cardinal Iulian is sent by the Pope as his Legate to break the Peace and to absolve the King from his Oath The young King therefore at their instance breaks the League and undertakes the War with greater preparations and vigour than his former he advances with his Army to Varna a City upon the Pontick Shore doing all the mischief he was able to the Enemies Country which so soon as the Turk had knowledge of he returns out of Cilicia and enters battel with the Christians where at first the Turks were made to retire by the King and Huniades with great slaughter and almost to flye Amurath seeing all brought into extreme danger beholding the Picture of the Crucifix in the displayed Ensigns of the voluntary Christians pluck'd the writing out of his bosom wherein the late League was comprized and holding it up in his hand with his eyes cast up to Heaven said Behold thou Crucified Christ this is the League thy Christians in thy name made with me which they have without cause violated now if thou be a God as they say thou art and as we dream revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name and me and shew thy power upon thy Perjured people who in their deeds deny thee their God It was not long e're the battel turned Vladislaus was slain his head cut off by Ferizes an old Ianizary and fastened on the end of a Launce Proclamation was made that it was head of the Christian King by which the rest were so daunted that they fled the Legate also who exhorted to this War was slain and his dead Corpse laden with the outrage and contumelies of the Infidels for that being a Priest he had contrary to the Law of Nations advised and perswaded to break the Peace This battel was fought Anno 1444. 2. Ibraim Bassa Grand Vizier the Minion and darling favorite of Solyman the Magnificent upon a time in familiar conference with his Lord and Master besought him that he would not persist to accumulate so many honours upon him lest flourishing and being improved to an unbecoming height his Majesty e're long should think it fit to tumble him headlong from that high Pinacle of honour whereunto he had raised him by putting him to death Solyman then assured him with an Oath That so long as he lived he should never be put to death by his order Afterwards this so fortunate Ibraim grew into dislike with his Master and Solyman having purposed his death was yet somewhat troubled about the Oath that he had before made him when one of the Priests told him That when a man is asleep he cannot be said to live seeing that life is a continual Vigil and Watch that therefore opportunity should be sought to find the Bassa asleep and then he might be conveniently sent out of the World without breach of the Princes Oath Solyman liked well of this base and fradulent device and one time when the Vizier was sleeping sent an Eunuch with a Razour to cut his Throat as accordingly he did 3. Ludovicus the son of Boso King of Burgundy came into Italy against the Emperour Berengarius the second where he was by him overcome in Battel and taken but as a singular instancâ— of humanity in Berengarius he was by him set free having first received his Oath That during his life he should no more return into Italy but the ungrateful Prince unmindful both of his own Oath and the others benefits not long after enters Italy a second time with mighty Forces and about Verona was again made Prisoner and had his eyes put out by the Victor as a punishment of his ingratitude and breach of Faith 4. Anno 1070. or thereabouts so great a feud arose betwixt the Emperour Henry the fourth and Pope Gregory the seventh that the Pope excommunicated him and depriving him of his Imperial Dignity caused that Rodulphus Duke of Suevia should be as he was by some of the German Princes substituted in his stead there was therefore a great Battel betwixt them at the River Ellester where the Emperour Henry had the Victory Rodulphus by a terrible blow had his right arm struck off from his body at which he cryed out Behold O ye Nobles that right hand of mine which I gave to Lord Henry in confirmation of the fidelity I had sworn to him which Oath notwithstanding contrary to all Justice and Equity I have violated and am now thus justly punished 5. Ptolomaeus one of the Successours of Alexander the Great having driven out Anâ—igonus had seized upon Macedonia made Peace with Antiochus and a League with affinity with Pyrrhus So that now he was secure on all hands except his own Sister and the Children she had It was Arsinoe who had been the Wife of Lysimachus King of Macedon he therefore bent his mind and used all his arts to take her together with her Children but finding her cautious advised and fearing all things he made use of the strongest engine with the weaker sex which is Love she was his Sister but that was nothing in the East where such relation is rather an incentive than otherwise He therefore sent his Embassadours with presents and letters he offers her the society of the Kingdom and the inheritance of it to her Children and professes that he had employed his Arms upon it for no other end than that he might leave it to them the truth of this he was ready to depose upon oath whereever she pleased to appoint even at the holiest Altars and Temples she should make choice of In short Arsinoe is perswaded she sends the most faithful
to be men of a turbulent and contentious nature it was brought before King Philip that he might determine thereof according to his pleasure who is said to have passed this Sentence You said he to one of them I command immediately to run out of Macedon and you said he to the other see that you make all imaginable haste after him A good riddance of such Salamanders as delight to live in the fire of contention who commence quarrels upon trivial accounts and withall know no time wherein to end them 1. Gloucestershire did breed a Plaintiff and Defendant which betwixt them with many alternations traversed the longest suit that ever I read of in England For a suit was commenced betwixt the Heirs of Sir Thomas Talbot Viscount Lisâ—e on the one part and the Heirs of Lord Barkely on the other about certain possessions lying in this County not far from Woton Vnder-edge which suit began in the end of the reign of King Edward the fourth was depending untill the beginning of King Iames when and was it not high time it was finally compounded 2. There was in Padua an ancient House called de Limino two Brothers of this Family being in the Country on a Summers day went abroad after Supper talking of divers things together As they were standing and gazing upon the Stars that twinkled in the Firmament being then very clear one of them began in merriment to say to the other Would I had as many Oxen as I see Stars in that Skie The other presently returns And would I had a Pasture as wide as the Firmament and therewith turning towards his Brother where then said he wouldst thou feed thine Oxen marry in thy Pasture said his Brother But how if I would not suffer thee said the other I would said he whether thou wouldst or not What said he in despight of my teeth yea said the other whatsoever thou couldst do to the contrary Hereupon their sport turned to outragious words and at last to fuâ—y in the end they drew their Swords and sell to it so hotly that in the turn of a hand they ran one the other through the body so that one fell one and the other the other way both weltring in their blood The people in the House hearing the bustle ran in to them but came too late they carried them into the House where both soon after gave up the Ghost 3. An extraordinary accident hath of late happened saith Iustinianus in the Confines of Tuscany Iohn Cardinal de Medices Son to Cosmo Duke of Florence a young Prince of Great estimation got on Horseback to ride on hunting accompanied with two of his Brethren Fernand and Cartia attended with some others their Dogs having followed a Hare a long time in the Plains at last killed her The Brothers thereupon began to debate about the first hold each of them attributing the honour thereof to his Dog one speech drew on another and from bare words they fell at last to taunts the Cardinal not enduring to be set light by and being of a haughty nature gave his Brother Cartia who expostulated with him a box on the Ear Cartia carried away with his choler drew his Sword and gave such a thrust into his brother Cardinals thigh that he presently dyed A Servant of the Cardinals in revenge of his Master gave Cartia a sore wound so that with the Venison they carried home to Duke Cosmo one of his Sons dead and for Cartia his wound was also such as within a while after he dyed of it thus for a matter of nothing the Father lost two of his Sons in a deplorable sort 4. Sigebert was King of Essex and the restorer of Religion in his Kingdom which had formerly apostatized after the departure of Mellitus a Valiant and Pious Prince but murdered by two Villains who being demanded the cause of their cruelty why they killed so harmless and innocent a Prince had nothing to say for themselves but they did it because his goodness had done the Kingdom hurt that such was his proneness to pardon offenders on their though but seeming submission that his meekness made many Malefactors The great quarrel they had with him it seems was only his being too good 5. The Chancellour of Theodoricus Arch-bishop of Magdeburg was attending upon the Duke of Saxony and was sate down with him at his Table in the City of Berlin when the Citizens brake in upon them drew out the Chancellour by a multitude of Lictors into the Market place of the City and there sever his head from his Shoulders with the Sword of the publick Executioner and all this for no other cause but that a few dayes before going to the Bath he met a Matron courteously saluted her and jesting asked her if she would go into the Bath with him which when she had refused he laughing dismissed her but this was ground sufficient for the mad multitude to proceed to such extremities upon 6. In the reign of Claudius Caesar Cumanus being then President in Iewry the Jews came up from all parts to Ierusalem for the celebration of the Passover there were then certain Cohorts of the Roman Souldiers that lay about the Temple as a guard whereof one discovered his privy parts perhaps for no other reason than to ease himself of his Urine but the Jews supposing that the uncircumcised Idolater had done this in abuse of the Iewish Nation and Religion were so incensed against the Souldiers that they immediately fell upon them with Clubs and Stones the Souldiers on the other side defended themselves with their arms till at last the Jews oppressed with their own multitudes and the wounds they received were enforced to give over the conflict but not before there were twenty thousand persons of them slain upon the place 7. Fabius Ambustus had two Daughters the elder he married to Servius Sulpitius then Consul the younger to Licinius Stolo a gallant man but of the Plebeian order It fell out that the younger Fabia sitting at her Sisters House upon a visit to her in the interim came the Lictors and smote upon the door of the Consul as the manner was when the Consul came home The younger Fabia was affrighted at the noise as being ignorant of the custom for which reason she was mocked at and derided by her Sister as one ignorant of the City affairs This contempt of her was afterwards an occasion of great troubles in Rome For the Father vehemently importuned by his young Daughter ceased not though contrary to the Law and the mind of the greater part of the Senate till he had made his Son Stolo Consul though a Plebeian and extorted a Decree through his practise with the people that from thenceforth Plebeians might be Consuls 8. In the reign of King Edward the sixth there were two Sisters in Law the one was Queen Katharine Parre late Wife to King Henry the eighth and then marryed to the
best man of War and the most expert Captain amongst the Turks Bajazet made him the General of his Army against his brother Zemes where the conduct and valour of the General brought Bajazet the Victory At his return to Court this great Captain was invited to a Royal supper with divers of the principal Bassa's where the Emperour in token they were welcom and stood in his good grace caused a garment of pleasing colour to be cast upon every one of his Guests and a gilt Bowl full of Gold to be given each of them but upon Achmetes was cast a Gown of black Velvet all the rest rose and departed but Achmetes who had on him the Mantle of death amongst the Turks was commanded to sit still for the Emperour had to talk with him in private The Executioners of the Emperours wrath came stripped and tortured him hoping that way to gain from him what he never knew of for Bassa Isaac his great enemy had secretly accused him of an intelligence with Zemes but he was delivered by the Ianizaries who would no doubt have slain Bajazet and rifled the Court at his least word of command but though he scaped with his life at the present he not long after was thrust through the body as he sat at supper in the Court and there slain This was that great Achmetes by whom Mahomet the father of this Bajazet had subverted the Empire of Trapezond took the great City of Caffa with all the Country of Taurica Chersonesus the impregnable City of Croja Scodra and all the Kingdom of Epirus a great part of Dalmatia and at last Otranto to the terrour of all Italy CHAP. XLVIII Of the Perfidiousness and Treachery of some men and their just rewards THere is nothing under the Sun that is more detestable than a Traytor who is commonly followed with the execrations and curses of those very men to whom his Treason hath been most useful All men being apt to believe that he who hath once exposed his Faith to sale stands ready for any Chapman as soon as any occasion shall present it self It is seldom that these perfidious ones do not meet with their just rewards from the hands of their own Patrons however the vengeance of Heaven where the justice of men fails doth visibly fall upon them 1. Charles Duke of Burgundy gave safe conduct to the Constable the Earl of St. Paul and yet notwithstanding after he found that Lewis the eleventh King of France had taken St. Quintins and that he did solicite him either to send him Prisoner to him or else to kill him within eight daies after his taking according to the agreement heretofore made betwixt them he basely delivered him up to Lewis whom he knew to be his mortal enemy by whom he was beheaded But the Duke who heretofore was great and mighty with the greatest Princes in Christendom who had been very fortunate and successful in his affairs from thenceforth never prospered in any thing he undertook but was betrayed himself by one whom he trusted most the Earl of Campobrach lost his Souldiers his formerly gained glory Riches and Jewels and finally his life by the Swissers after he had lived to see himself deserted of all that had entred into any league with him 2. The Emperour Charles the fourth made War upon Philip Duke of Austria and both Armies were got near together with a resolution to fight but the Emperour perceiving he was far surmounted in force by the enemy determined to do that by subtilty which he could not by strength He caused three of the Dukes Captains to be sent for agrees with them to strike a fear into their Master that might cause him in all hast to retire Upon their return they tell the Duke That they had been out and particularly viewed the power of the Emperour and found it thrice as great as his own that all would be lost if he did not speedily retreat and that he had no long time to deliberate Then said the Duke Let us provide for our selves waiting for some better opportunity It is no shame for us to leave the place to a stronger than our selves So Philip fled away by night no man pursuing him The Traytors step aside to the Emperour to receive their reward who had made provision of golden Ducats all counterfeit the best not worth six-pence and caused great bags of the same to be delivered to them and they merrily departed But when employing their Ducats they found them to be false they return to the Emperour complain of the Treasurer and Master of the Mint The Emperour looking on them with a frowning countenance said to them Knaves as you are get ye to the Gallows there to receive the reward of your Treason false work false wages an evil end befall you They wholly confounded withdrew themselves suddenly but whither is not known 3. The Bohemians having gotten the Victory and slain Vratislaus they set his Country on fire and after finding a young son of his they put him into the hands of Gresomislas the Prince called also Neclas who pitying the child his Cousin committed him to the keeping of the Earl Duringus whose Possessions lay along by the River Egra and a person who a-fore-time had been much favoured by Vratislaus This Earl thinking to insinuate himself into the favour and good liking of Neclas as the child was one day sporting himself upon the Ice came upon him and with one blow of his Scimitar smote off his head and speeding presently to Prague presents it to Neclas all bloody saying I have this day made your Throne sure to you for either this Child or you must have died you may sleep henceforth with security since your Competitour to the Crown is disposed of The Prince retaining his usual gravity and just indignation at so cruel a Spectacle said thus unto him Treason cannot be mitigated by any good turns I committed this Child to thee to keep not to kill Could neither my command nor the memory of thy friend Vratislaus nor the compassion thou oughtest to have had of this Innocent turn away thy thoughts from so mischievous a deed What was thy pretence to procure me rest Good reason I should reward thee for thy pains of three punishments therefore chuse which thou wilt Kill thy self with a Poynard hang thy self with an Halter or cast thy self headlong from the Rock of Visgrade Duringus forced to accept of this Decree hang'd himself in an Halter upon an Elder tree not far off which ever after so long as it stood was called Duringus his Elder tree 4. In the War with the Falisci Camillus had besieged the Falerians but they secure in the Fortifications of their City were so regardless of the Siege that they walked Gowned as before up and down the Streets and often-times without the Walls After the manner of Greece they sent their Children to a common School and the treacherous Master of them used
to walk with them day by day without the Walls he did it often and by degrees trained them so far onwards that he brought them unawares into the danger of the Roman Stations where they were all taken He bids them lead him to Camillus he was brought into his Tent where standing in the middle I am said he the Master of these Boyes and having a greater respect to thee than to my relation I am come to deliver thee the City in the pledges of these Children Camillus heard him and looking upon it as a base action he turned to them about him War said he is a cruel thing and draws along with it a multitude of injuries and wrongs yet to good men there are certain Laws of War nor ought we so to thirst after Victory as to purchase it at the price of unworthy and impious actions A great Captain should relye upon his own vertue and not attain his ends by the treachery of another Then he commands his Lictours to strip the School-master and having tyed his hands behind him to deliver rods into the hands of his Scholars to whip and scourge the Traytor back into the City The Faliscans had before perceived the Treason and there was an universal mourning and out-cry within the City for so great a Calamity so that a concourse of Noble persons both men and women like so many mad creatures were running to and fro upon the Walls when came the Children driving with lashes their Master before them calling Camillus their Preserver and Father The Parents and the rest of the Citizens were astonished at what they beheld and having the justice of Camillus in great admiration they called an Assembly and sent Embassadours to let him know That subdu'd by his vertue they rendred up themselves and theirs freely into his hands 5. Agathocles was very prosperous in Africk had taken all the rest of the Cities and shut up his enemies in Carthage alone about which he lay when he invited Ophellas the Cyrenian to join with him promising that the Crown of Africk should be his Ophellas won with this hope came to him with great Forces and was together with his Army chearfully received and provided for by Agathocles but soon after a great part of his power being gone forth to Forage and Ophellas but weak in the Camp he was fallen upon and slain in the fight and his whole Army by vast promises won to the Colours of Agathocles But observe how successful this treachery proved It was not long e're Agathocles was forced to fly out of Africa his Army lost and two of his sons slain by the fury of the mutinous Souldiers and which is worthy of observation this was done by the hands of them that came with Ophellas and in the same Month and day of the Month that he had treacherously slain Ophellas both his friend and his Guest 6. Ladislaus Kerezin a Hungarian trayterously delivered up Hiula a strong place to the Turks and when he looked to receive many and great Presents for this his notable piece of Service certain Witnesses were produced against him by the command of Sâ—lymus himself who deposed That the said Ladislaus had cruelly handled certain Musulmans that had been Prisoners with him Whereupon he was delivered to some friends of theirs to do with him as they should think good They inclosed this Traytor stark-naked in a Tun or Hogâ—head set full of long sharp nails within side and rolled it from the top of a high Mountain full of steepy downfals to the very bottom where being run through every part of the body with those sharp nails he ended his wretched life 7. Leo Armenius Emperour of Constantinople was slain by some Conspiratours in the Temple there and Michael Balbus set up to succeed in his room He also dead Theophilus his son was advanced to the Imperial place of his father who was no sooner confirmed in his Empire but he called together the whole Senate into his Palace and bids those of them that assisted his father in the slaughter of Leo to separate themselves from the rest which when they had chearfully done turning to the Prefect over Capital offences he commanded him to seise and carry them away and to execute condigne punishment upon them 8. When the Emperour Aurelian marched against Thyana and found the Gates of the City shut against him he swore he would make such a slaughter that he would not leave a Dog alive in the whole City The Souldiers enticed with the hope of spoil did all they were able to take it which one Heracleon perceiving and fearing to perish with the rest betrayed the City into their hands Aurelian having taken it caused all the Dogs in the City to be slain But gave to all the Citizens a free pardon as to life except only the treacherous Heracleon whom he caused to be slain saying He would never prove faithful to him that had been the betrayer of his own Country 9. Solyman the magnificent employed one in the Conquest of the Isle of Rhodes promising the Traytor to give him for his wife one of his daughters with a very great Dowry He after his service done demanding that which was promised Solyman caused his daughter to be brought in most Royal Pomp assigning him the Marriage of her according to his desert The Traytour could not keep his Countenance he was so transported with joy Thou seest said Solyman I am a man of my word but for as much as thou art a Christian and my daughter thy Wife that shall be is a Mahumetan by birth and profession you cannot so live in quietness and I am loth to have a Son-in-law that is a not Musulman both within and without and therefore it is not enough that thou abjure Christianity in word as many of thy Sect are wont to do but thou must forthwith doff thy skin which is Baptized and uncircumcised Having so said he commanded some that stood by to flea alive the pretended Son-in-law and that afterwards they should lay him upon a bed of Salt ordaining That if any Mahumetan skin came over him again in place of the Christian that then and not before his promised Spouse should be brought unto him to be marryed the wretched Traytor thus shamefully and cruelly sâ—outed died in most horrible torments 10. The Venetians put to death Marinus Falierus their Duke for having conspired against the State and whereas the Pictures of their Dukes from the first to him that now liveth are represented and drawn according to the order of their times in the great Hall of the General Council yet to the end that the Picture of Falier a pernicious Prince might not be seen amongst other of those Illustrious Dukes they caused an empty Chair to be drawn and covered over with a black Veil as believing that those who carryed themselves disloyally to the Common-wealth cannot be more severely punished than if their names be covered
at Aken and his Motto was Vnita virtus valet 71. Henry the second Duke of Bavaria declared to be Emperour by the Princes Electors a wise valiant and good Emperour he subdued all his Rebels and expelled the Saracens out of Italy In his time Swaine King of Denmark invaded England and subdued it to his obedience he Reigned twenty two years say some eighteen saith Platina his Motto is Ne quid nimis 72. Conrade the second Duke of Franconia elected three years after the death of Henry in the interregnum many Cities of Italy desirous of Liberty deserted their subjection to the Emperour but Conrade was a wise and valiant Warriour and soon reduced them to their wonted obedience his Symbol was Omnium mores tuos imprimis obserâ—a he was buried at Spires 73. Henry the third Sirnamed Niger he removed three seditious Antipopes and appointed for the true Pope Clemens the second he married the daughter of Canutus the Dane then King of England Reigned seventeen years and died in the thirty fifth year of his age his Motto was Qui litem aufert execrationem in benedictionem mutat 74. Henry the fourth son of the former in whose daies the Popes began to usurp Authority over the Emperours insomuch that Leo the ninth having received the Popedom at the Emperours hands repented himself of it put off his Papal Vestments went to Rome a private person and was there new chosen by the Clergy This was done by the perswasion of a Monk called Hildebrand who being afterwards made Pope by the name of Gregory the seventh Excommunicated this Henry the first Prince that was ever Excommunicated by a Pope of Rome he was valiant wise and eloquent his son being stirred up against him he died partly of sickness and partly of sorrow his Motto Multi multa sciunt se autem nemo 75. Henry the fifth succeeded his Father went to Rome to be Crowned Emperour by Pope Paschalis the second The Pope would not consent to his Coronation except he did first give over all right of Election of the Pope and all right of investment of Bishops by Staff and Ring the Emperour griev'd with the proud carriage of the Pope laid hands upon him and his Cardinals and compelled them to perfect his Coronation and to confirm his Priviledges of Electing Popes and investiture of Bishops But the Emperour once returned into Germany the Pope revok'd all he had done and Cursed the Emperour who hearing what was done march'd to Rome with an Army the Pope fled into Apulia the Emperour departed into Germany again when wearied with his seditious Bishops over affectionate to the Pope he bought some Peace by yielding up his rights and was the last Emperour of the House of Franconia his Motto was Mortem optare malum timere pejus 76. Lotharius Duke of Bavaria seised on the Empire without any Election was reconciled to the German Princes by the means of St. Bernard Contention being betwixt Innocentius and Anacletus for the Popedom the Emperour with an Army established Innocentius he Reigned thirteen years his Motto was Audi alteram partem 77. Conrade the third Duke of Sueve and Sisters son to the Emperour Henry the fifth was Elected Emperour The Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria Rebelled against him whom he easily subdu'd After which he led an Army against the Turks and Saracens but was betrayed by the deceitful promises of Emanuel the Greek Emperour who sent him to the Siege of Iconium Meal mingled with Lime whereby the Army was empoysoned huge numbers of them died so that Conrade left the Siege of Iconium and went back to Thracia He Reigned fifteen years his Motto Pauca cum aliis tecum multa 78. Frederick the first Sirnamed Barbarossa Duke of Sueve Crowned at Rome by Adrian the fourth and not long after Excommunicated by Pope Alexander the third to whom he was fain at last to submit himself the Pope insolently treading on his neck and abusing the words of Scripture Super Aspidem Basiliscum ambulabis conculcabis leonem draconem the Emperour answered Non tibi sed Petro the proud Pope reply'd Et mihi Petro. The Emperour not willing to give any further occasion of offence held his peace and so was absolv'd and his son then Prisoner at Venice for love of whom he had done all this set at Liberty He went after to the Holy Land where he discomfited the Turks in three great Battels there he died being drown'd in a River into which he went to bathe himself he Reigned thirty and nine years was buried at Tyrus his Motto was Qui neseit dissimulare nescit regnare 79. Henry the sixth his son was declared Emperour Crowned by Pope Celestine the second who took Constantia the daughter of Rogerius out of a Monastery and gave her to him in Marriage with both Sicilyes in a way of Dowry Whereupon Henry took Tancredus the young King of Sicily put out his eyes thrust him into a Monastery and used great cruelty against the Bishops and other Inhabitants of Sicily the Pope did Excommunicate him for this but he went to Rome acknowledged his fault and obtained his pardon together with a confirmation of the Kingdom of Sicily After this the Pope solicited him to the holy War in his Journey towards Asia he died at Messina his Motto was Qui nescit tacere nescit loqui 80. Philip Duke of Sueve brother of Henry the sixth took on him the Imperial Title contrary to the mind of Innocentius the then Pope For this the Pope did Excommunicate him and caused the Bishop of Colen and other Electors to make Otho Duke of Saxony Emperour between whom and Philip were fought divers Battels but Philip so defended himself that he held the Crown Imperial all his life-time in despite of both In the end Peace was made betwixt the Emperour and the Pope not long after which the Emperour was cruelly murdered in his own Chamber by Otho Count Palatine he Reigned ten years his Motto was Satius est currere quam malè currere 81. Otho the fourth Duke of Saxony and Bavaria who married the daughter of Philip and was appointed his Successour was Crowned Emperour by Pope Innocent the third he neglecting the usual largess at his Coronation the Romans abused his Servants whereupon he departed Rome in great discontent fell upon certain Towns belonging to the Pope for whiâ—h he was Excommunicated and vanquished in Brabant by the Faction raised up against him he relinquished the Empire to his Competitor he Reigned nineteen years his Motto was Anser strepit inter olores 82. Frederick the second King of Sicily and Naples son to Henry the sixth was consecrated and called Augustus by Pope Honorius the third where he admitted what constitutions the Pope would who notwithstanding supported his Rebels against him The Emperour did expostulate the unseemliness of the deed with him who thereupon was so chafed that he Cursed and Excommunicated the Emperour but they were reconciled Then
he added the Estates thereof to the house of Austria He was coursely used in the Low Countries by a company of rude Mechanicks detained in Prison which he endured with patience and after nine Months freed himself with admirable prudence He was joined Emperour with his Father in his Fathers life-time with whom he Reigned seven years and after his decease he Reigned alone twenty five years more his Motto was Tene mensuram respice finem 97. Charles the â—iâ—th this man was the glory of the House of Austria a Puissant Prince he liked three Books especially Polybius's History Machiavel's Prince and Castalion's Courtier In fifteen Wars which he waged for the most part he was successful the last of which was by Cortez and Pizarro in the newly discovered parts of America where in twenty eight Battels he beâ—ame Master of so many Kingdoms Near home he took Rome by the Duke of Burbon captivated the French King Francis in the Battel of Pavia frighted Solyman the Turk from Vienna setled Muly Hassen in his Kingdom in Africk he defeated Barbarossa that formidable Pirat and took Tunis By the Popes continual instigations he carried a hard hand towards the Protestants whose patience and perseverance with intervenient crosses abated his edge at last Wearied at length with the Worlds incessant troubles he devested himself of all Imperial Authority and retired to a Monastery his Motto was Plus Vltra opposite to that of Hercules He Reigned thirty and seven years 98. Ferdinand the first Arch-Duke of Austria the brother of Charles King of Hungary and Bohemia elected King of the Romans by the procurement of Charles Anno 1531. upon whose resignation he was chosen Emperour Anno 1558. a compleat and judicious Prince Under him in the treaty of Passaw was granted Liberty of Conscience to the Professours of the Augustane Confession which much startled the Fathers of the Trent Council as also did the grant to the Bohemians for receiving the Supper in both kinds He subdued Iohn Sepusius Vaywode of Transylvania and strongly kept back the Turk from encroachments upon his Dominions his Motto was Fiat Iustitia pereat mundus 99. Maximilian the second the son of Frederick elected King of the Romans in the life of his Father Anno 1562. succeeded in the Empire after his decease He was constant to the Tenent that mens Consciences are not to be forced in matters of Religion In his time began the Wars in the Low Countryes chiefly occasioned by the Spanish cruelty executed by the Duke of Alva the Civil Wars in France the Massacre of the Protestants began at Paris the famous defeat was given to the Turks in the Sea-sight at Lepanto he Reigned twelve years married his two daughters to two Puissant Princes Elizabeth to Charles the ninth King of France and Anna his eldest to Philip King of Spain his Motto was Dominus providebit 100. Rodolphus the second the eldest son of Maximilian a Prince much addicted to Chymistry he granted liberty of Religion to the Protestants had great Wars against the Turks with whom in the year 1600. he concluded a Peace but being undermined by his brother Matthias was forced to surrender to him the Kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia and to content himself with Austria and the Empire only In his time Henry the fourth King of France was stab'd by Ravilliac and the Gunpowder Treason was hatched here in England his Motto was Omnia ex voluntate Dei 101. Matthias brother of Rodolphus King of Hungary Bohemia and Arch-Duke of Austria succeeded in whose time were sown the seeds of that terrible War which had almost destroy'd the Empire the Protestants standing for their Priviledges in Bohemia were withstood by some of the Emperours Council of whom they threw Slabata and Fabritius Smesantius with a Secretary out of a Window at Prague his Motto was Concordia lumine major Having no children he declared 102. Ferdinand the second of the House of Gratz to be Emperour this Prince was more zealously affected to the See of Rome than any of his Predecessours and a great enemy of the Protestant Religion occasioning thereby that long and bloody War in the Empire of Germany The King and Queen of Bohemia forsaken of their States are forced to â—ly he is proscribed and put out of his Elâ—ctâ—rship Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden like a tempest falls upon Germany and frâ—es divers oppressed Princes but at last was slain in the Battel at Lutzen uncertain whether by the â—nemy or the Treason of his own his Motto was Legitime certantibus 103. Ferdinand the third son of Ferdinand the second broke the great power of the Swedes who were called in for the support of the German liberty against the violent resolutions of Ferdinand the second For he overthrew them at the Battel of Norlingen This Prince is the twelfth Emperour of the House of Hapsburg anâ— the ninth of the House of Austria without intermission The cause of which is to be attributed to Charles the fifth who procured in his life-time that his brothâ—r might be chosen King of the Romans as his Successour in the Empire A Policy which hath ever since been continued by his Successours and the Germans are the more willing to hâ—arken to it because the Austrian Princes are not only Natives but also better able to back the Empire in its compleat Majesty than any other of the Nation The Motto of this Emperour is Pietate Iustitia In the Collection of these Emperours I have made use of Suetonius Zonaras Carion ....... Heylen Sympson Prideaux and others CHAP. II. Of the Eastern Greek and Turkish Emperours 1. COnstantinus aged thirty one in the year 306. took upon him the care of the Empire he overcame Maxentius and Licinius restored Peace to the Church took Byzantium and having enlarged it called it Constantinople and New Rome He died in Nicomedia Anno 337. aged sixty five Gault tab Chronogr p. 279. 2. Constantius his son succeeded him in the East he favoured the Arrians hearing that Iulianus his Kinsman conspired against him he made Peace with Sapores the Persian King and moved towards him but in his march seised with a Fevor he died Anno 361. Gaulter tab Chron. p. 283. 3. Iulianus succeeded Sirnamed the Apostate son of Constantius the brother of Constantine the Great at first a Christian afterwards a professed enemy of the Gospel fortunate in his Wars against the Almanes Franks and other Transalpine Nations whilest he was a Christian. Prodigiously slain in the Persian War when become a Persecutor aged thirty eight his Motto was Pennis suis perire grave he Reigned but one year and eight months dying he threw his blood up into the Air saying Satiare Nazarene Zon. tom 3. fol. 119. 4. Iovian or Iovinian chosen by the Army a Religious Prince made Peace with the Persian setled the affairs of the Church who being dead Valentinian one of mean birth but great abilities in War was elected Emperour he Reigned
own time and King Canutus the sixth almost to the year of Christ 1200. but more like a Poet than Historian commonly also omitting an account of the time 30. Conradus Abbot of Vrsperga a Monastery in Suevia as worthy of reading as any of the German Writers hath described the Affairs of Germany beginning two hundred years after the Flood and carrying on his relation to the twentieth year of Frederick the second that is Anno Dom. 1230. 31. Iohannes Aventinus wrote the Annals of the Boii and memorable matters of the Germans in seven Books beginning from the Flood and continuing his History to Ann. 1460. 32. Iohannes Nauclerus born not far from Tubinga hath an intire Chronicon from the beginning of the World to his own time and the year of our Lord 1500. in two Volums 33. Albertus Crantzius hath brought down the History of the Saxons Vandals and the Northern Kingdoms of Denmark Sweden Gothland and Norway to Ann. 1504. 34. Iohannes Sleidanus hath faithfully and plainly written the History of Luther especially and the contests about matters of Religion in the Empire of Germany the Election and Affairs of Charles the fifth Emperour and other of divers of the Kings of Europe from Anno Dom. 1517. to Ann. 1556. 35. Philippus Comineus wrote five Books of the Expedition of Charles the eighth into Italy and Naples and eight Books of the Acts of Lâ—wis the eleventh and Charles Duke of Burgundy worthy to be read of the greatest Princes 36. Froisardus wrote the sharp Wars betwixt the French and English from Anno 1335. to Ann. 1400. 37. Hiâ—ronymus Osorius wrote the Navigation of the Portugals round Africa into India and the Acts of Emanuel King of Portugal from Anno 1497. to his death in twelve Books 38. Antonius Bonfinius in four Decades and an half hath wrote the History of the Hungarian Kings to the death of Matthias the son of Huniades and the beginning of the Reign of Vladislaus 39. Polydor Virgil hath wrote the History of England in twenty six Books to the death of Henry the seventh 40. Iustinus flourished Anno Christi 150. and wrote a compendious History of most Nations from Ninus the Assyrian King to the twenty fifth year of Augustus compiled out of forty four Books of Trogus Pompeius a Roman Ecclesiastical Writers I have here no room for but am content to have traced thus far the steps of David Chytraeus in his Chronology whose help I have had in the setting down of this Catalogue CHAP. IX Of the most famous and ancient Greek and Latin Poets THE Reader hath here a short account of some of the most eminent of Apollo's old Courtiers as they succeeded one another in the favour of the Muses not but that those bright Ladies have been I was about to say equally propitious to others in after-times nor is it that we have given these only a place here as if our own Land were barren of such Worthies Our famous Spencer if he was not equal to any was superiour to most of them of whom Mr. Brown thus He sung th' Heroick Knights of Fairy Land In lines so elegant and such command That had the Thracian plaid but half so well He had not left Eurydice in Hell But it is fit we allow a due reverence to Antiquity at least be so ingenuous as to acknowledge at whose Torches we have lighted our own The first of these Lights 1. Orpheus was born in Libethris a City of Thrace the most ancient of all Poets he wrote the Expedition of the Argonauts into Colchis in Greek Verse at which he was also present this Work of his is yet extant together with his Hymns and a Book of Stones The Poets make him to be the Prince of the Lyricks of whom Horace in his Book De Arte Poeticâ Sylvestres homines sacer interpresque deorum Caedibus foedo victu deterruit Orpheus Dictus ob hoc lenire Tygres rabidosque leones His Father was Oeagrus his Mother Caliopea and his Master was Linus a Poet and Philosopher Orpheus is said to have flourished Anno Mundi 2737. Vid. Quenstedt Dial. de Patr. vir illustr p. 453. Voss. de Nat. Constit. artis Poet. cap. 13. sect 3. p. 78. Patrit de Instit. reipub l. 2. tâ— 6. p. 83. 2. Homerus the Prince of Poets born at Colophon as Cluverius doubts not to affirm but more Cities besides that strove for the honour according to that in Gellius Septem urbes certant de stirpe illustris Homeri Smyrna Rhodos Colophon Salamis Ios Argos Athenae Many are the Encomiums he hath found amongst learned men as The Captain of Philosophy The first Parent of Antiquity and Learning of all sorts The original of all rich Invention The Fountain of the more abstruse Wisdom and the father of all other Poets à quo cen fonte perenni Vatum Pieriis ora rigantur aquis Of him this is part of Quintilians Charaâ—ter In great things no man excelled him in sublimity nor in small matters in propriety In whom saith Paterculus this is an especial thing that before him there was none whom he could imitate and after him none is found that is able to imitate him He flourished Anno Mund. 3000. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 483. Gell. Noct. Attic. lib. 3. cap. 11. p. 104. Quintil. instit orator lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. 3. Hesiodus was born at Cuma a City in Aeolia bred up at Ascra a Town in Boeotia a Poet of a most elegant genius memorable for the soft sweetness of his Verse called the son of the Muses by Lipsius the purest Writer and whose labours contain the best Precepts of Vertue saith Heinsuis Some think he was contemporary with Homer others that he lived an hundred years after him I find him said to flourish Anno Mundi 3140. Vid. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 466. Vell. Pâ—tercul hist. lib. 1. ...... Voss. de Poet. Graec. cap. 2. p. 9. Quenstedt dial p. 478. 4. Alcaeus a famous Lyrick Poet was born in the Isle of Lesbos in the City of Miâ—ylene whence now the whole Isle hath its name what Verses of his are left are set forth by Henricus Stephanus with those of the rest of the Lyricks Quintilian saith of him That he is short and magnificent in his way of speaking diligent and for the most part like Homer he flourished Olymp. 45. Vid. Quenstedt dialog p. 433. Quintil. instit orat lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 468. 5. Sappho an excellent Poetress was born in the Isle of Lesbos and in the City of Eraesus there she was called the ninth Lyrick and the tenth Muse she wrote Epigrams Elegies Iamâ—icks Monodies and nine Books of Lyrick Verses and was the Invetress of that kind of Verse which from her is called the Sapphick she attained to no small applause in her contention first with Stesichorus and then with Alcaeus she is said to flourish about the 46 Olympiad Voss. Instâ—t Poet. lib. 3. cap. 15. p.
he could not take from them He yielded Neustria to them by his own Authority without privity of the Estates so these Normans called it Normandy By this and some other things he fell into a deep hatred with the French upon which Charles fell sick and that sickness was accompanied with a distemper of the mind through jealousie conceived against his Queen Richarda After this the French and Germans dispossess him of the Empire and give it to Arnoul and the French reject him from the Regency of that Realm substituting in his room Eudes or Odo Duke of Angiers This poor Prince deposed from all his Dignities abandoned by every man in his prosperity had so ill provided from himself that he had not a house wherein to shrowd him banished the Court he was driven to a poor Village in Suevia where he lived some days in extreme want without any means of his own or relief â—rom any man In the end he dyed neither pitied nor lamented of any man in a corner unknown save for this to have been the Theatre of so extraordinary a Tragedy And surely for one of the greatest Monarchs of the World thus to dye without house without bread without honour without mourning and without memory is a signal instance of the Worlds vanity and inconstancy 18. Valerianus the Roman Emperour after he had reigned fifteen years commenced a War against Sapores King of Persia of which such was the unfortunate success That the Emperour was not only overthrown but also was brought alive into the hands of his Enemy Sapores carried him about with him in chains as a common Slave and joining derision to his adversity he made him his Footstool for as oft as he mounted his Horse he caused the miserable Emperour to bow down that he might tread upon his back for his more commodious ascent into the Saddle and after to be flead alive 19. Bajazet King of the Turks for his fierceness was sirnamed Gilderun that is Lightning a Prince of great Spirit and who for ten years space had been exceeding fortunate in his great Enterprises This great Monarch was invaded by Tamerlane the great Chan of Tartary overthrown in the Battel his Son Mustapha slain and he himself made Prisoner At the first the Victor gave him a civil reception and sitting together he thus said to him O Chan we are each of us exceedingly indebted to the Divine bounty I that thus lame have received thence an Empire extending from the Borders of India to Sebaste and thou who from the same hand hast another reaching from the same Sebaste to the Confines of Hungary so that we almost part the World it self betwixt us we owe therefore our praises to Heaven which I both have and will always be ready to render accordingly thou possibly hast been less mindful and of a more ungrateful disposition and therefore thou art brought into this calamity But let that pass and now my Chan tell me freely and truly what thou wouldst have done with me in case I had fallen under thy power Bajazet who was of a â—ierce and â—aughty Spirit is said thus to reply Had the Gods given unto me the Victory I would have inclosed thee in an â—ron Cage and carried thee about with me as a spectacle of derision to all men Tamerlane hearing this passed the same Sentence upon him three years almost the miserable Creature lived inclosed in this manner at last hearing he must be carried into Tartary despairing then to obtain his freedom he struck his head with that violence against the bars of his Cage that he beat his brains out 20. Iugurtha was a great and powerful King of Numidia had long withstood all the power of the Roman Arms but at last was taken by C. Marius and led in Triumph wherewith he was so affected that he began to dote and turn foolish After the Triumph was ended he was thrust into prison and when some had tore off his cloaths and shirt others snatched at the rich Ear-ring he had with that insolence and violence that they tore off together with it the tip of his ear that it hung by At last thus naked he was thrust into a Dungeon all stupid discovering his teeth as one betwixt grinning and laughing Iupiter said he how cold is your Bath There he lived six days till he was starved to death in a miserable manner 21. Never was there a more notable example of the vanity and inconstancy of all earthly things than in the Earl of Morton An. 1581. who was Regent of Scotland in the Minority of our King Iames and was reverenced of all men feared as a King abounding in wealth honour and multitude of friends and followers whereas not long after he was forsaken of all and made the very scorn of all men and being by the malice of his adversaries accused condemned and executed at Edenburgh had his Corps left on the Scaffold from the hour of Execution to Sun-setting covered with a beggerly Cloak every man fearing to shew any kindness or so much as to express a sign of sorrow His Corps was afterwards carried by some base Fellows to the common place of Burial and his Head fixed on the Toll-booth 22. Belisarius a noble and famous General under the Emperour Iustinian having with great success fought many Battels against the Persians Goths and Vandals in his old age by the malice and cruelty of the Empress had his eyes put out and fell into such extreme want that he was forced to beg by the Higy-way side Date obolum Belisario Give a half-penny to poor Belisarius whom vertue raised and envy hath thus made blind 23. King William the Second on the morrow after Lammas-day hunting in the New Forest of Hampshire in a place called Chorengham was unhappily slain in the midst of his sport For Sir Walter Tyrel shooting at a Deer his Arrow glanced upon a tree and hit the King full in the breast who hastily taking hold of so much of the Arrow as stuck out of his body brake it off and with one only groan fell down and dyed Whereupon the Knight and most of the Kings Followers hasted away and those few that remained laid his body in a Colliers Cart which being drawn by one silly lean beast in a foul and filthy way the Cart broke where lay the spectacle of worldly glory both pitifully goared and filthily bemired till thus drawn into the City of Winchester on the morrow after his death he was buried under a plain Marble stone 24. King Edward II. sirnamed Carnarvan being deprived of his Royal Crown and Dignity remained with Henry Earl of Leicester his Kinsman but the Queen suspecting his escape wrought so with her Son King Edward the Third that by his commandment the King was delivered thence into the hands of Thomas of Gurney and Iohn Maltravers Knights who brought him from Kenelworth to the Castle of Corffe from thence to Bristol
that Ceremony and Solemnity as they conceive may best conduce to establish his Authority and beget a due reverence to his person without which he can do them little service 1. Contarenus describes the Election of the Duke of Venice on this manner Presently upon the Vacancy all the Gentry above thirty years of age do assemble so many as meet cast their names into a Pot and in another are just so many Balls whereof thirty only are gilt then a child draweth for each till the thirty gilt ones be drawn for which thirty the child draweth again a second time out of another Pot that hath only nine gilt Balls The nine so drawn nominate forty out of which forty twelve are again selected by the same kind of Lot these twelve nominate twenty five out of whom nine are again by Lot set apart these nine nominate forty five who are by Lot reduced again to eleven these eleven chuse forty one of the Senate of the best and principal rank These forty one after every one hath tyed himself by solemn Oath to chuse whom they shall think most worthy the scrolls are mingled together and then drawn the fitness of the persons thus drawn is discussed and he who hath most Voices above twenty five is the man whom they pronounce to be elected and adjudge him to be created Duke with all solemnities 2. It is a strange custom which the Archdukes of Austria use when they first enter upon the possession of the Dukedom of Carinthia for not far from the Town of St. Vitus in a Valley where there are yet seen the ruines of a great City the name of which is now lost to the memory of man there is a great stone upon the day that the Duke comes to take possession of that Dutchy a Country-man chosen by Lot mounts the stone and stands betwixt a lean Cow and a Mare surrounded with a multitude of Rusticks The Duke of Austria descends into the Valley cloathed in Country-habit whom very many of the Princes of that Country resort unto armed and with Ensigns amongst whom the Earl of Goritia has the chief place The Country-man perceiving at a great distance the coming of the Prince as one that was seised with wonder in the Liburnian Tongue which they use demands of the Rusticks about him who that is that with so proud a port walk and equipage is coming towards him They tell him that it is the Prince of the Country The Country-man demands again if he be a just Judge if he have a care of the common safety of the Country if he be a Servant or Free-man if worthy of that honour and if he be a true Christian Which when they that are about him have affirmed he again asks by what right he will drive him from that stone Then the Earl of Goritia being now come near replies He will drive thee away by the gift of sixty Crowns and of those Cattel that are by thee he will free thee and thy family from all publick burdens and besides thou shalt have those Princely Robes which he hath laid by The Country-man at the hearing of this giving the Prince a gentle blow upon the cheek admonishes him that he be just and taking the Cattel that were by him returns home The Prince leaps upon the stone and brandishes his drawn Sword and promises that he will administer Justice to all that desire it and so descending he goes to the Temple and takes upon him his Princely Robes and Office After he hath feasted he ascends a Tribunal that is placed for him in the fields and there hears all the complaints of the people 3. The Election of the Pope is made most commonly in this manner In the Popes Palace on the Hill Vatican are amongst other Buildings five Halls two Chappels and a Gallery seventy foot long the Gallery is appointed for Conference one Chappel for the Mass and for the Election the other with the Halls are for the Cardinals Lodgings every Hall hath two rows of Chambers which are purposely for the time made of green or Violet Cloth To each Cardinal is allowed four Servants to lie in his Chamber They that are once within are compelled unless they be sick still to continue there and such as are once out are no more permitted to go in lest by that means the Cardinals should maintain Intelligence with any foreign Princes To this Conclave for by this name the place of the Election is called is but one door to which belongeth four Locks and as many Keys one Key is in the keeping of the Cardinals one of the City-Bishops one of the Roman Nobility and one of the Master of the Ceremonies There is in this door a Wicket or Hatch which is opened only at dinners and suppers whereof the Master of the Ceremonies keepeth the key At this hole the Cardinals Servants receive their meat every dish being first diligently searched lest any Letters should be conveyed in them As for the Lodgings they have neither holes nor windows to give light so that there they make day of Wax-candles And lest the Pope should be made by force both the City and Conclave are strongly guarded When the Cardinals are going to Election the Priviledges of the Cardinals are recited which every one sweareth to observe in case he be chosen Pope Then the Master of the Ceremonies ringing a Bell calleth them to Mass which ended there is brought to every Cardinal a Chair and therein a scroll of all the Cardinals names Before the Altar it self is set a Table covered with a purple Cloth whereupon is set a Chalice and a silver Bell and about it six stools on which sit two Cardinal-Bishops two Cardinal-Priests and two Cardinal-Deacons Every Cardinal writeth his voice in a piece of paper goeth to the Altar prayeth God to guide him in the Election putteth his voice into the Chalice and departeth to his seat The first Bishop taketh out all the papers and delivereth them to the first Deacon who unfoldeth each of them readeth without mentioning the name of the Elector the name of the Elected and every Cardinal in his particular scroll noteth how many voices every one hath The account being made the first Priest having the like scroll pronounceth who hath most voices which done the Priest ringeth a silver Bell at which call the Master of the Ceremonies bringeth in a Pan of coals and burneth all the little papers wherein the names of the elected were written He that hath the most voices so that his voices exceed the proportion of two parts of three is acknowledged Pope and adored by the rest of the Cardinals but if they exceed not this number they must begin all anew If in the space of thirty days the Election be not fully ended then must the Cardinals be kept from fire light and victuals till they are fully agreed The Wicket which wo before mentioned is called the golden Gate at which stand an infinite
himself from biting with the other hand by thrusting his Coat into the mouth of it so letting it creep whither it would he followed holding it as his guide until the way was too streight for him and then dismissed it The Fox being loose ran through an hole at which came a little light and there did Aristomenes delve so long with his nails that at last he clawed out his passage and so got home in safety as both the Corinthians and Spartans after found to their cost 6. An. Dom. 1568. upon the Eve of All-Saints by the swelling of the Sea there was so great a deluge as covered certain Islands of Zealand a great part of the Sea coast of Holland and almost all Frizland In Frizland alone there were 2000 persons drowned many men who had climbed to the tops of Hills and Trees were ready to give up the ghost for hunger but were in time saved by Boats Amongst the rest upon an Hill by Sneace they found an Infant carried thither by the water in its Cradle with a Cart lying by it the poor Babe was soundly sleeping without any fear and then happily saved 7. William of Nassau Prince of Orange as he lay in Camp near to the Duke de Alva's Army some Spaniards in the night broke into his Camp and some of them ran as far as the Prince of Orange his Tent where he lay fast asleep He had a Dog lying by him on the bed that never left barking and scratching him by the face till he had waked him and by this means he escaped the danger 8. In that horrible Earthquake at Antioch it 's said by Dion that the Emperour Trajan was saved by miracle for by one of greater than humane stature in the ruine of the houses he was snatched out at the window After which for fear he abode some days in the open Air and in the publick Tents of the Hippodrome 9. An. Dom. 1045. the Emperour Henry the Third travelling toward Hungary upon the River Danubius Richilda the Widow of Albert Earl of Ebersberg entertained and lodged him very sumptuously and as she was making her supplication to the Emperour that Bosenburg and some other Lands in the Earls possession might be given to her Nephew Welpho while the Emperour in token of his Grant reached her his hand the Chamber-floor suddenly broke under them The Emperour fell into a bathing Vessel that was in the Stove underneath the same room and had no harm but Bruno the Bishop of Wirtzburg Cousin to the Emperour Alemanus the Bishop of Ebersberg and Richilda lighting upon the brinks of the Vessel were so sore hurt and bruised that they died some few days after A little before saith Aventine there appeared to Bruno as he was aboard the Barque with the Emperour a certain Ghost like an Ethiop who stood upon an high Rock and having called Bruno vanished 10. In the Earthquake of Apulia that happened in the year 1627. on the last day of Iuly one writeth That in the City of St. Severine alone ten thousand souls were taken out of the world that in the horrour of such infinite ruines and sepulchre of so many mortals a great Bell thrown out of a Steeple by the Earthquake fell so fitly over a child that it inclosed him and doing no harm made a Bulwark for him against any other danger Who balanced the motion of this metal but the same fingers that distended the Heavens 11. In Edge-hill Fight Sir Gervase Scroop fighting valiantly for his King received twenty six wounds and was left on the ground amongst the dead next day his Son Adrian obtained leave of the King to find and fetch off his Fathers Corps and his hopes pretended no higher than a decent Interrement thereof such a search was thought in vain amongst many naked bodies with wounds disguised from themselves and where pale death had confounded all complexions together However ever he having some general hint of the place where his Father fell did light upon his body which had some heat left therein the heat was with rubbing within a few minutes improved to motion that motion within some hours into sense that sense within a day into speech that speech within certain weeks into a perfect recovery living more than ten years after a monument of Gods mercy and his Sons affection The effect of this story I received from his own mouth in Lincoln Colledge 12. Pomponius was one of the number of those who were proscribed by the Triumvirate at Rome but he escaped death by a notable shift He takes to him the Ensigns of the Pretorship he in his Robe his Servants as so many Lictors with their Fasces kept close about their Master lest he should be known by such as they met in this order they passed undiscovered through the midst of the City At the Gate as Pretor he took and got up into a publick Chariot and so passed through all Italy pretending to be an Ambassador from the Triumvirate to Sextus Pompeius and was thereupon also furnished with a publick Barge with which he passed over into Sicily at that time the securest Sanctuary for the distrossed No small wonder it is that amongst so many men in so many places upon divers occasions he should not meet with any person that did betray him to those who sought after his life 13. Strange was that escape of Caesar in Egypt having hither pursued Pompey and discontented Ptolomy the King by demanding pay for his Souldiers he had his Navy which lay near the Pharos at Anchor assaulted by Achillas one of young Ptolomy's Courtiers Caesar himself was then at Alexandria and hearing of the Skirmish he hastned to the Pharos meaning to succour his Navy in person But the Egyptians making towards him on all sides he was compelled to leap into the Sea and swim for his life and though to avoid their Darts he sometimes dived under water yet held he still his left hand above and in it divers Books he drew after him his Generals Coat called Paludamentum with his teeth that his Enemies might not enjoy it as a Spoil and having swam thus 200 paces he got safe to his Ships where animating his Souldiers he also gained the Victory 14. Sir Richard Edgecomb Knight being zealous in the Cause of Henry Earl of Richmond afterwards King Henry the Seventh was in the time of King Richard the Third so hotly pursued and narrowly searched for that he was forced to hide himself in his thick Woods at his house at Cuttail in Cornwal Here extremity taught him a sudden policy to put a stone in his Cap and tumble the same into the water while these Rangers were fast at his heels who looking down after the noise and seeing his Cap swimming thereon supposed that he had desperately drowned himself and deluded by this honest fraud gave over their farther pursuit leaving him at liberty to shift over into Brittaigne 15.