honestate quà m sol à cursu suo averti potest It's easier to turne the Sun out of his course then Fabricius from his honesty Eutropius Marcus Attilius Regulus a Romane Consull fighting in Affrica against the Carthaginians was at last by subtility taken prisoner Yet was sent to Rome for the exchange of prisoners upon his oath that in case he prevailed not he should return and yield up himself prisoner to them again when he came to Rome he made a speech in the Senate-house to disswade them from accepting of the conditions and so without respecting his wife and children he returned to Carthage where he was grievously tormented in a Little-Ease knocked full of nailes that he could neither leane sit nor lie till he died Cicero When the Corps of Thomas Howard second Duke of Norfolk was carried to be interred in the Abbey of Thetford Anno 1524. No person could demand of him one groat for debt or restitution for any injury done by him Weav Fun. Mon. p. 839. It was said of the famous Lawyer Andreas Taraquillus that singulis annis singulos libros liberos Reipublicae dedit Thuanus Obit Doct. vir anno 1558. In the dayes of Queen Mary Judge Morgan chief Justice of the Common Pleas refusing to admit any witnesse to speak or any other matter to be heard in favour of the adversary her Majesty being party the Queen declared that her pleasure was that whatsoever could be brought in favour of the Subject should be admitted and heard Qui pro veritate est pro Rege est Holinsh. in Q. Mary p. 1112. A certaine Lawyer in France was so much delighted in Law-sport that when Lewis the King offered to ease him of a number of suits he earnestly besought his Highnesse to leave him some twenty or thirty behinde wherewith he might merrily passe away the time we have too many such that love to fish in troubled waters Bassanus King of the Sicambrians was so severe in the execution of his laws that he executed his own sonne for adultery and being reviled by his wife for it he put her away sending her back to her father who was King of the Orcades Isac Chron. p. 152. Henry the fourth King of England when his eldest sonne the Prince of Wales was by the Lord chief Justice committed to prison for affronting him on the bench gave thanks to God for that he had a Judge so impartial in executing justice and a sonne so obedient as to submit to such a punishment Speed A Judge in Germany aggravating the fault of a murtherer that was before him told him that he deserved no favour for that he had killed six men No my Lerd said an Advocate that stood by he killed but one and you are guilty of the blood of the other five because you let him escape upon the murther of the first The Egyptian Kings usually and solemnly presented this oath to their Judges Not to swarve from their consciences no though they should receive a command from themselves to the contrary It 's a principle in moral policy That an ill executor of the Laws is worse in a State then a great breaker of them Pericles a famous Oratour of Greece who for the excellency of his speech and mightinesse of his eloquence was said to thunder and lighten at the Barre from the Principles of nature ever before he pleaded a cause intreated his gods that not a word should fall from him besides his cause An old woman complaining to the Emperour Adrian of some wrong that was done her her he told her that he was not at leasure to heare her suit to whom she plainly replied That then he ought not to be at leasure to be Emperour which came so to the quick that he was ever after more facile to suitours Fulgâ— Lewis the first King of France used three dayes in the week publickly to hear the complaints and grievances of his people and to right their wrongs A Macedonian Gentleman called Pausanias ran at King Philip and slew him because he had refused to do him justice when he complained against a Peer of the Realme Some of the kindred of Tatius King of the Romans robbed and murthered certain Ambassadours that were going to Rome for which their â—â—â—â—olk demanded justice of Tatius but he connâ—ving at the wrong because of his relation to them the kindred of the slaine watched their opportunity and slew him as he was sacrificing to his gods Plut. Lewis called Saint Lewis of France having given a pardon to a Malefactor upon second thoughts revoked it again saying That he would give no pardon where the Law did not pardon For that it was a work of mercy and charity to punish an offendor and not to punish crimes was as much as to commit them A certaine husbandman coming to Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne challenged kindred of him and thereupon desired him to preferre him to such an office Cousen quoth the Bishop if your cart be broken I will mend it If your plâ—ugh be old I will give you a new one or seed to sowe your land But an husbandman I found you and an husbandman I will leave you Domitius the Emperour used to say that he had rather seem cruel in punishing then to be dissolute in sparing It was said of Chilperick King of France that he was Titularis non Tutelaris Rex Defuit Reipublicae non praefuit Cambyses King of Persia dying without issue his Nobles agreed that his horse that should first neigh at the place where they appointed to meet the next morning he should be their King Whereupon Ocbares Gentleman of the horse to Darius led his horse over-night to that place and let him there cover a Mare and the next morning when they were all met Darius his horse knowing the place and missing the Mare neighed and so Darius was presently saluted for King Herod l. 5. St. Bernards counsel to Eugenius was that he should so rule the people as that they might prosper and grow rich under him and not he be wealthy by the people It was observed of Varus Governour of Syria that he came poore into the Countrey and found it rich but departed thence rich and left the Countrey poore Ptolomaeus Lagi though a great King yet never had but little of his own and his usual saying was That it was fit for a King rather to make others rich then to be rich himselfe Plut. Tiberius Caesar being solicited by the Governours of his Provinces to lay greater taxes and subsidies upon his people answered That a good shepherd ought to sheare his sheep not flay them St. Lewis King of France on his death-bed advised his sonne never to lay any taxe upon his subjects but when necessity urged him and when there was just cause for it Otherwise saith he you will not be reputed for a King but a Tyrant The Emperour Theodosius was wont to say That he accounted it a greater honour to be a member
condemne him to death Theramenes hearing it fled to the Altar saying I flie to this Altar not that I think it will save my life but that I may shew that these Tyrants are not onely cruel towards men but prophane and wicked towards the gods Critias commanded armed men to fetch him away to his death and as they led him through the City he cried out against the Tyrants cruelty whereupon one of their Captaines said to him Flebis si non silebis Thou shalt weep if thou wile not hold thy peace to whom he answered Annon fleba si tacebo Shall I not weep if I do hold my peace when they put the cup of poison into his hand he drank it off and throwing away the bottome he said I drink this to faire Critias After his death they raged more extremely filling all places with rapines and slaughter and not suffering the friends of the murthered to interre their dead bodies Having amongst others slaine one Phidon they at their feast sent for his daughters to come and dance naked upon the floore that was defiled with their fathers blood but the maides abominating such immanity threw themselves down from an high place and brake their necks And to fill up the measure of the Athenians miseries whereas many thousands of them were â—led or banished into all the neighbouring countreys of Greece their proud insulting adversaries the Lacedemonians forbade all persons to entertaine any of these miserable exiles but to returne them to the Tyrants again and that upon the paine of forfeitting three thousand crowns Diod. Sic. Lysander King of Sparta when the Argives came to Lacedemon to dispute about the borders of their country pleading that they had ajuster cause then the Lacedemonians he drew his sword and said They that can hold this best can best dispute about their coasts Xenoph. Alexander the Tyrant of Thessaly was of such a cruel nature that he buried many of his Subjects alive others he sowed up in the skins of boares and beares and worried them with his dogs others he thrust through with darts and that not for any offences that they had done but meerely to make himself sport and when he had gathered the inhabitants of two confederate Cities about him as if he had something to impart to them he caused his guard to fall upon them and murther them all without distinction of Sex age or condition He slew his own uncle Polyphron and then consecrated the speare wherewith he did it to the gods But not long aâ—ter himself was slaine by the conspiracy of his own wife Plut. Euphron the Lacedemonian having made himself a Tyrant in the City of Cicyon was shortly after murthered by the Senators as he sat in counsel with them who defended themselves by this Apology quòd qui manifesti sceleris proditionis tyrannidis rei sunt non sententiâ âliqua dammandi videantur sed ab omnibus hominibus jam antè dammati sunt quòd nulla Graecorum lex ostendi possit quae proditionibus aut Tyrannis securitatem praestet That those which are guilty of Treason and Tyranny need not to be proceeded against in a legal way for that they are before-hand condemned in all mens judgements neither was there any law amongst the Grecians that gave security to traitours and Tyrants Plut Ochus King of Persia succeeding his father Artaxeâ—xes Mnemon presently after his getting the Kingdome filled and defiled all his palace with blood murthered all the Princes and Royal seed without any respect of age or sex and yet through Gods patience he lived ninety three years and reigned fourty three years Diod. Sic. But in the end growing odious and burthensome to all by reason of his bloodshed and cruelty one of his Eunuches called Bagoas poisoned him and threw his dead body to be devoured of cats AElian Lib. 6. Alexander M. after his great victories grew proud and tyrannical and upon bare suspition he cruelly tortured Philotas one of his brave captaines the sonne of Parmenio who had a chief hand in all his victories and after grievous torments caused him to be slaine and not content therewith thinking that his father might seek to revenge the wrong he caused him to be murthered also Qu. Cur. See Alexander M. also in Anger Alexander M. as he was rowing upon a lake in his galley neer Babylon a sudden tempest arising blew off his hat and crown fastened upon it into the lake whereupon one of his Mariners leaping into the lake swam and fetched it to him and to keep it the drier he put it upon his own head Alexander rewarded him with a talent for saving his Crown but withall caused his head to be cut off for presuming to put his Crown upon it Plut. Dionysius the Sicillian Tyrant was so suspicious of every one that he durst not suffer a Barber to trim him but caused his daughters to do it neither when they were grown to womans estate durst he suffer them to use any sizers or rasour about him but caused them to burn his haire with burning walnut-shells He had two wives and when he lodged with either of them he carefully searched all the chamber before he went to bed He durst not come amongst them when he was to speak to the people but spake out of an high Tower to them When he was going to play at tennis he gave his cloke and sword to a boy that waited on him whereupon one said to him Sir you have now put your life into his hands at which the boy smiled whereupon Dionysius caused them both to be slaine the man for teaching the boy how to kill him and the boy for laughing at it There was one Damocles a great slatterer of his who told him what an happy man he was that did so abound in riches Majesty Power c. affirming that there was never any man more happy then himselfe Well said Dionysius wilt thou O Damocles try how happy a man I am seeing thou doest so admire my condition Yea said Damocles with all my heart Hereupon Dionysius caused him to be cloathed in Kingly apparel to be set upon a golden seat in a room richly hung and curiously adorned with pictures then a table to be furnished with all sorts of dainty dishes with a company of beautifull boyes to waite upon him He had also precious ointments Crownes musick and what not So that Domacles thought himselfe a woundroâ—s happy man But presently Dionysius caused a sharp glittering sword tied in an horse-haire to be hung just over his head the terrour whereof so afflicted Damocles lest it should fall on his head that he durst not stirre nor enjoy any of those felicities whereupon he sent to the Tyrant desiring him to give him leave to go away for he desired that happinesse no longer Citero Antiochus Epiphanes warring against Egypt Ptolomy the King of Egypt sent to the Senate at Rome to make them his Guardians and to desire their help against Antiochus
his enemies Lipsius Portius Cato was of such an honest and blamelesse life that though he was often accused by his adversaries and forced to plead his cause fifty times yet he alwaies came off with credit and that not by favour friends or bribes but against all these And being again accused in his old age he desired that Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus who was his adversary might be made his Judge which being done he so cleared himself before him that Gracchus acquitted him Lipsius Godlinesse with contentment is great gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. CHAP. LXXXVII Prediction Prophecies THe same day that Alexander the Great was born in Macedonia Diana's Temple at Ephesus in Asia was burned down at which time divers Magicians being present they ran up and down tearing their hair and crying out that that day was born the great plague and Pest of Asia Diod. Sic. The same day that Philip King of Macedon had the City of Potidaea surrendred to him three Messengers one after another brought him word first of a great Victory that Parmenio his General had obtained over the Illyrians Secondly of a victory or prize that his horse had gotten at the Olympick Games Thirdly of the birth of his son Alexander whereupon his Southsayers told him that his son which was born at that tiwe wherein he had gotten three such victories should prove unconquerable Justin Domitius AEnobarbus when his son Nero was born his friends coming to congratulate him for the birth of his son said unto them There can be nothing born to me and Agrippina but that which is detestable and that which is born for the publick hurt Pez Mel. Hist. Nero sending to the Oracle at Delphos to know his final fortune received this ambiguous answer Beware of the 73 year which he understood to be meant of his own ages date but it proved Galba's who dethroned him Superstition is worthily fed with illusion and irreligion as worthily punished with credulity Suet. Learned Gerard tells us of a certain woman called Thoda in Suevia in Germany who Anno Christi 848. Prophesied that that year the world should end which as she said was revealed to her by an Angel Anno Christi 1526. there was an Anabaptist that ran up and down the streets in the City of St. Gallus in Helvetia crying with horrid gestures that the day of the Lord was come that it was present And Anno Christi 1530. upon the like Prophecie another so strongly prevailed with some that he perswaded them the last year of the world was come whereupon they grew prodigal of their goods and substance fearing that they should scarcely spend them in so short a time as the world was to continue An unknown woman came to Tarquinius Superbus in Rome and proffered him the nine books of the Sybils Prophecies at a very great rate which he refused to give her She burned three of them and offered him the other six at the same rate but he refused again whereupon she burnt other three and asked him the same rate for the three remaining which he then bought and layed them up in the Capitol where they continued as Oracles till both Temple and books were burnt Dionys. CHAP. LXXXVIII Examples of the power and prevalency of Prayer IS any sick amongst you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Elias was a man subject to the like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six moneths And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Jam. 5 14 c. Fervent prayers are effectual Psal. 34. 4 6 15 17. Matth. 7. 8. Mar. 11. 24. Jam. 1. 5 6. 5. 16. Psal. 3. 4. 107. 6 13. God is a Prayer-hearing God Psal. 65. 2. Delighting in it Cant. 2. 14. It 's as incense to him Psal. 141. 2. Promising to give if we ask Luk. 11. 10. Rom. 10. 12. which promise is sealed with the blood of Christ and back'd with an oath Mich. 7. 20. Joh. 15. 7. Commanding to ask in full â—ssurance Heb. 10. 22. Jam. 1. 6. Encouraging by Parables Luk. 11. 8 9 11 c. 18. 2 c. Sighs and groanes are prayers Exod. 2. 23 24. Psal 79. 11. 12. 5. 39. 12. 56. 8. Rom. 8. 26. Isa. 38. 5. Christ perfumes our prayers with his merits Rev. 8. 3 4. It obtains temporal blessings 1 King 18. 42 c. Zach. 10. 1. God will be sought to Ezek. 36. 37. We shall not seek him in vain Esay 45. 19. It must be tendered in the hand of a Mediatour Matth. 3. 17. Joh 14. 13 14. We must see that we belong to God if we will prevail Psal. 34. 17. 73. 1. Before we ask God heares Isa. 65. 24. Dan. 9. 23. Scriptural Examples of the efficacy of Prayer Abraham praying for Ishmael Gen. 17. 20. For Sodom Ch. 18. 23 c. For Abimelech Ch. 20. 17. Jacob Gen. 32. 24 c. Hose 12. 4. Moses Exod. 14. 15. 15. 25. 17. 11 c. Numb 14. 12 c. Exod. 32. 10. Numb 12. 13. 21. 7. Samuel 1 Sam. 7. 9. Josuah Ch. 10. 12. Elijah 1 King 17. 20. Elisha 2 King 4. 33. Solomon 1 King 3. 11. 9. 3 c. Asa 2 Chron. 14. 11. Hezekiah Isa. 37. 15 c. Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 3 c. Amos Ch. 7. 2 c. the Syrophoenician woman Matth. 15. 22 c. Importunate widow Luk. 18. 2 c. Isaiah Ch. 62. 1 6 7. The persons of Saints are like secret pledges of common quiet and their mediations are a shield to the earth against the wrath of heaven Gregory Nazianzen reports of his sister Gorgonia that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth by reason of her often prayiag And Gregory of his aunt Trucilla that her elbow was as hard as an horn by often leaning upon a desk when she prayed And Eusebius of James Justus that his knees were as hard as a Camels knees bereaved of sense by often praying One reports of Joachim the father of the Virgin Mary that he used to say Cibus Potus mihi est Oratio Prayer is my meat and drink A Gentlewoman being in her Parlour exercised in meditation and prayer cryed out O that I might ever enjoy this sweet Communion with God The Queen-Mother of Scotland in her Warres against the first Reformers confessed openly That she feared more the fasting and Prayers of that man of God John Knox and his Disciples then an Army of twenty thousand men Looking-Glasse of the Holy War Leelin Prince of Wales being perswaded by some about him to make war against our King Henry
seemeth to hang whereof it 's commonly called Stone-henge Camb. Brit. In Westmer land hard by Shape there be huge stones in form of Pyramids some of them nine foot high and fourteen foot thick ranged directly as it were in a row for a mile in length with equal distance almost between them Camb. Brit. p. 762. CHAP. CVIII The Temple of Diana described THe Temple of Diana at Ephesus was one of the Worlds Wonders Two hundred and twenty years were spent in the building of it It was built upon a Marish to prevent hurt by earthquakes which were very common in those parts the first foundation was laid upon Coles the second upon Wooll It was four hundred and twenty five foot long two hundred broad There were in it one hundred and twenty seven Pillars sixty foot in height and thirty six of them curiously wrought the works of so many Kings The doores of the Temple were of Cypresse which after four hundred years were as fresh as if they had been new made The roof was of Cedar The Image which superstition supposed to have come down from Jupiter was made by one Canesia some say of Ebonie others of the vine which had many holes made and filled with Spikenard the moisture whereof closed up the rifts It was enriched and adorned with gifts beyond value Herod The Hill Amara in AEthiopia described In Ethiopia under Prete Janny commonly called Prester or Presbyter John is an hill called Amara situated in the navill of the Ethiopian body under the Equinoctial line adorned with all variety of fruits wholsome air pleasant aspect and prospect yea Heaven and Earth Nature and Industry have all been corrivals to present their riches to it It stands in a great plain having no other hill near it by thirty leagues the form of it is round the rock is cut so smooth without any unequal swelling that to him that stands beneath it 's like an high wall the top is overhanged with rocks jutting forth for the space of a mile It 's above twenty leagues in the circuit compassed with a wall on the top well wrought that so neither man nor beast in chase may fall down The top is a level onely towards the South is a rising hill beautifying this plain whence issueth a pleasant Spring which passeth thorow all that plain and paying its tribute to every Garden that will exact it and making a Lake at length whence issueth a River that from thence runneth into Nilus The way up to it is cut out of the rock not with staires but by an easie ascent so that one may ride up with ease at the foot whereof is a fair Gate with a Corps du Guard Half way up is a fair and spacious Hall cut out of the rock with three large windowes to it and at the top is another gate with the like Guard The air above is wholsome and delectable so that they live long there without sicknesse There are upon it thirty four Palaces standing by themselves spacious sumptuous and beautifull where the Princes of the Royall blood have their abode with their Families There are two Temples also the most beautifull in all Ethiopia There are many flourishing and fruitfull Gardens curiously made and plentifully furnished with European fruits as Pears Pippins c. and of their own as Oranges Citrons Lemons c. It 's also adorned with Cedars Palm-trees c. as also with variety of herbs and flowers to delight the sight taste and sent There are also Cubaio Trees pleasant in taste beyond all comparison and great store of Balm-trees There is plenty of all sorts of Grain and Corn and such charms of Birds as delight the ear with their melodious warbling notes and pleasing the eye with their variety of colours and other creatures that adorn this Paradise The aforenamed Churches have their Pillars and Roofes of stone richly and cunningly wrought the matter and workmanship contending for magnificence That of Jasper Alabaster Marble Porphyrie This of printing gilding and much curiosity To these are adjoyning two stately Monasteries in one whereof are two rare pieces whereon wonder may justly fasten both her eyes The Treasury and the Library of the Emperour neither of which is thought to be matchable in the world neither that of Constantinople wherein were one hundred and twenty thousand Books nor that of Alexandria wherein were seven hundred thousand Books For the number in this Library is numberlesse their price inestimable There are three great Halls each above two hundred paces large with Books of all Sciences written in fine Parchment with much curiosity of golden Letters and other works and cost in writing binding and covers There are all the Greek Fathers The Writers of Syria Egypt Africa and the Latine Fathers with others innumerable in Greek Hebrew Arabick Abyssine Egyptian Syrian and Chaldee There are Poets Philosophers Physicians Rabbins Talmudists Cabalists Hieroglyphicks c. The Treasury leaves them of all other Princes behind it It 's a Sea that every year receiveth new Rivers which never run out every Emperour yearly laying up part of his revenue there The Jewels here kept are incomparable Topazes Amethists Saphires Diamonds c. He hath one Jewel that was found in the River Niger that brings forth more Gemmes then any other in the world which is one piece diversified with a thousand variety of stones It 's about two spanâ— and an half square there are in it one hundred and sixty Diamonds one as large as the Palm of ones hand It hath in it above three hundred Emeralds Rubies the greatest in the world Above fifty Saphires Turqueses Balazes Amethists Spinâ—ls Topazes Jacinths Chrysolites c. Nature here playing the Jeweller and representing a Mapp of the worlds Gemmes in this one Jewel without and infinitely beyond all Art of Man Bernardo de Vecheti a Jeweller being sent thither by Francis de Medicis Duke of Florence to see it accounted it beyond all estimation and value The Emperour also hath made him Tables with thousands of stones set in them In this hill are kept the Princes of the Blood Royal as in a prison and never return thence except they be chosen Emperours Anno Christi 1608. there were six of them These meet altogether when they please to recreate themselves by hauking hunting c. and they have grave persons to instruct them in learning and virtue Purchas Pilgrimage p. 677 c. The admirable High-waies in Peru described In Peru in the West-Indies are two admirable High-waies made by the Ingas or Emperours The one is by the Andes or Forrests from Pasto unto Chile being nine hundred Leagues long the Cawsey five and twenty foot broad and every four leagues hath a stately house where was provision of victuals and apparel and every half League men that stood ready to carry messages and orders from hand to hand The other Way was thorow the Plaines along the coast of twenty five foot broad and on each side