Emperour repented and being fore put to it by the Pope who had caused Germany fall off from Him begg'd the Advice of his â—…inded old Favourite how He should come by Money to levy an Army sufficient to oppose his Enemies this blind Devil inwardly glad of the Occasion of Revengâ—… answered that a Tree is best cloven with a Wedge of its own Timber and since said he it 's a Church-Man that hath so straitned You and impoverished You with a long lasting War It 's my opinion that You may lawfully seize upon all the Utensils of all the Churches of Naples meaning the golden and siâ—…ver Chalices Ewers c. and make ready money of them but how soon as He was certainly inform'd that this hellish Counsell was put in Practice then He solemnly declared that now He was sufficiently avenged for his two eyes because he was sure GOD would not fail to inflict some extraordinary Judgement on Him that had robbed his God so frequently Thus this wicked Councelour directly acted the part of the Devil by first tempting then accusing yet he did not live to hear the Event of his Prediction for He had no sooner uttered his insernal Io Paeaâ—… but he dashed his Head against the Wall to prevent a more tormenting Deaâ—…h But what He foretold shortly came to pass for the Emperour became very despicable and was at last most unnaturaly poysoned by a Bastard of his own His sad Destiny was much to be pitied for He was a Prince of extraordinary Knowledge and a great Justiciary and like another Iuâ—…nian He made many excellent Laws which are subjoined to the Corpus Iuris Civilis as for any exorbitances he committed during his most troublesom time I belâ—…eve iâ—… Solomon had been his Contemporary and seen how He had been vexed and perplexed with diverse very ill natured Popes He would thus have apologized for Him that Oppression makes a wise Man mad FAB LXXIV Page 7â—… Here He might have told that Vitellius the Roman Emperour was a greater Fool in the other extreme for He prohibited and that uâ—…der the Pain of Death any at â—…me to say that Vâ—…an was advancing toward the City with a formidable Army so that His uâ—…e Negligence and most foolish Security even when the Enemy was at the Gâ—…s brought that sensual Eâ—…re to an unpitied tho' a most ignominious Death FAB LXXV Page 74. Here he might have mentioned the pertinent Answer of the School-Master who would not dispute his best with Him who commanded 〈◊〉 for it was the Emperour Adrian who was â—…o vain as to fancie an Excellency in all the liberal Arts and in Grammar among the rest neither in my Judgement was that in â—…irect reproof which a Musician gave to Philip of Macedon for contending with him in his own Art void of Prudence when He thus spoke to the Father of the great Alexander The Gods â—…orbid that your Maâ—…esty should ever be brought so low as to know these triffleing maters better than I do Sure I am that the Master Carvâ—…r of K. Iâ—…mes the 〈◊〉 of great Britan was more pedantick than they both for haveing enquired of his Majesty if He would have the Wing of a Rabbet The K. merrily answered Did you ever see a â—…abbet flee To which the Carvâ—…r most foolishly replyed that the Wing oâ—… a Rabbet was as proper language in England as the â—…arther Legg of a Capon in Scotland for which sawcie Competition the King never rested till He turned him out of his Office Here the â—…esentment was greater tho' the Crime less than that of a School-Master at Alexandria in Aegypt who being demandâ—…d by Ptolomens Lagus who was Socrates's Father The impertinent Pedant enquired of the King who was Lagus's Father which embosomed a tacit Reflection on the meanness of his Decent for which Insolencie the Courtiers advised to hang him But the mild Prince answered that he who will jest must resolve to be jested withall As for that Secreâ—…ary to Emmanuel K. of Portugal I think his Royal Master was very injurious to him for the King having receaved a Letter from the Pope concerning a weighty Affair He called for His Secretary and ordained him to frame an answer so well as He could against the next morning and I will said the King draw up an Answer too and what We both judge to be fittest shall be sent the Secretary obey'd but when the King read his Draught He threw His own into the Fire because it was so far exceeded by the other and meâ—…rly for this threw His Secretary out of his Place which without all peradventure was male judicatum for the King ought to have considered that His Secretary was bound to be faithful to his Prince as one of His Subjects and that it was no part of the Regal Office but only of a Clerk to be a good Formalist and if he had consulted the Prince of the Latin Poets he would have taught Him more Prudence in these excellent Verses Exeudent alij spirantia mollius Aera c. Tu regere Imperio Populos Romane memento Hae Tibi erunt Artes c. FAB LXXVI Page 75. This Fable minds Me of the Perverseness of the Tartars who being contiguous to diverse Parcels of good Land which also border either on Polâ—… or Muscovy they like the Dog in the Manger will not suffer their Nighbours to cultivat that interjacent earth nor will they be at the pains to labour it themselves FAB LXXVIII LXXIX LXXX Page 77. Here he had Occasion to mention that blasphemous expression of Alphonsus the Xth of that Name K. of Castile He vvas accounted a great Astronomer at least it was by his Authority and on his expence that the â—…amous Tabulae ALPHONSINAE were framed and published to the World his parasitical Subjects gave him the Epithete of ALPHONSUS the WISE but Mariana was more just to Him in writing that He was more Knowing than Wise neither judge I it an Act of Injustice to aver that he was a most insolent FOOL in presumeing to say that if He had been at God's Elbow when He made the World He would forsooth have suggested a much wiser Contrivance But in his blasphemous Folly disastrous Fate We may see how dangerous it is to be handling edged Tools for after that most impious Expression He never prospered more in this World but became despicable both abroad and at Home for going to take Possession of the German-Empire to which diverse of the Electors had cal'd Him He found another placed upon the Throne before He came the length Yea like the Dog snatching at the Shaddow oâ—… Flesh in his Teeth in seeking a Crown abroad He left his own Diadem at home for his unnatural Son had taken possession of the Throne of Castile before his Father return'd to Spain tho he had gone no further than to Avinion in France FAB LXXXIV Page 81. Here He might have mentioned that witty reproof which Demoratus of Corinth gave
both in the Election and by his male Administration For His Father Charles IV. counteracted to his own Golden BULL in bribeing the Electors so palpably to make choise of such a Calf to be their Caesar but such monstrous Births are very seldom seen at Francfort in Germany or Cracow in Poland as for hereditary Kingdoms People must be content to receave what the Hand of Nature reacheth to them whether it be bountifull or hydebound and that without Remedy unless they serve a Breve of Idiotrie against their Prince when he becomes another Nebuchadâ—…ezar so that they are constrain'd to give Him an Administrator or Protector as it fared with Charles VI. of France or if He be an incorrigible Fool to turn Him off as was done in this present Age to one of the Kings of Portugal FAB CXVIII Page 110. They have infallibly the more generous Spirits who glory in being The Sons of their own right Arm as the Spaniards phrase it for that sober Acknowledgement of their own base Original embosomes this Insinuation allways in it that they owe their Rise either in Church or State rather to their own Vertue then to the Gifts of Fortune Thus Sixtus V. as smart a Pope as ever had the Honour to sit in that Chair of S. Peter usually vaunted that he was Oriundus Domo illustri alluding to his Fathers house which was so poor a Cottage that the Roof of it was not totalie covered Likewise one Willegese who was Arch-Bishop of Mentz and one of the Prince Electors caused paint Cart Wheels on all the walls of his Palace to mind Him that his father had been but a poor Cart-Wright and who hath not heard of Agathocles K. of Sicily tho' otherwise a most cruel Tyrant but in one thing he was generous for whereas he might have been served in Go'd and Silver Vessels he would use none himself but earthen ones to mind him said he of his original because his Father had been but a poor Potter and in his younger Days he had practised that Trade himself but there was another Potter's Son of far greater Vertue than Agaâ—…ocles and that was the gallant Eumenes who was not ashamed to own his original even then when He was opposeing with great Courage and Conduct that great K. of Asia Antigonus who was another of the Captains of Alexander the Great FAB CXXI Page 113. Why may not a Beast lust after a Woman as well as a Woman after a Beast For not to speak of the Golden Ass of Apuleius the common Story of Pasiphaâ—… wife to King Minos with her beloved Bull is sufficient evidence that wee may beleeve the same was literaly practicable Martial that obscene latine poet and of a kin it seems to the greek Anacreon hath an Epigram to this same purpose Iunâ—…am Pasiphae c. for I will not honour it with a repetition yet there he plainly tells us that he saw this brutish pageantrie reacted before the beastly Emperour Domitian in the Amphiâ—…eatre at Rome And that Love serves to mollify most cruel natures may appear from Polyphemus his wooing of Galataea if wee may beleeve the amorous poet Ovid or Knoles his turkish historie who tels us that Mahomet the great was softned by the fair Irene almost to the degree of Effâ—…minacie but after a 1â—… month his fiercenes returned and that butcherlie Tyger with his own hand cut off her Head In fine the most admirable Influence I read of this passion was the transforming as it were of a Brute into a Man I mean the eldest son of a Roman Senatour who was so stupid from his Infancie that he was accounted by all that knew him but a two legged beast so that His father being ashamed to have him seen in the City confined him to a country house and the fields thereabout it being his good fortune to espy a verie beautifull young Lady who with some of her attenders was lying sleeping in a Wood this beautiful object which he still gazed upon till she awaked was so far from Inhauncing his stupidity lyke a Gorgons head that it may be said this sight put instantly a new Spirit into that most simple youth for from that day forward he so speedily increased in knowledge virtue that within a short time he was accounted one of the greatest Wits Gallants yea the greatest Virtuoso in all Rome so that all who knew him judged Him most worthy of the greatest Beauty in the world and the reader needs not doubt but that she who had wrought such a Wonderful happy alteration upon him with all Her friends were very glad of the honour of such an alliance FAB CXXIV Page 116. He might here have instanced that of Medaea in the Tragoedy who when she was about to murder her own Children because her husband Iason was ready to marrie Creusa daughter to the King of Corinth the poet introduceth her speaking thus against that most unnatural design Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor FAB CXXVIII Page 119. A parallel Deportment to this honest Carpenter did happen at Rome not long agoe which is most worthy of the recording and noticeing A good Cardinall lived there who was verie famous for his Charitable deeds in the time of a great dearth a poor Widow resorted to him and made her moan that for diverse years by gone she and her daughter had lived honestly upon their domestical Vertue without being burthensome to any but now said she there is such scarcity of all things necessarie for Humane life that wee have enough adoe to hold in our lives by our handie work so that the Chamber-Rent is unpayed and the Lands-Lord is threatning to cast me out but subjoyned she that which anguisheth my spirit most of all Me feares meer penury shall make my daughter run into a brothel-House the Cardinal demanded what the Chamber mail amounted to she answered 5. Crowns he gave her a precept to his Chamberlain who lived in the City to give her the Mony for upon the production of the Cardinal's precepts he sitted his accounts at the years end the Chamberlain told down 50. Crowns to the poor widow she told him he was mistaken for she sought but 5. O! said the Chamberlain here is the express Order of my Master which I dare not disobey neither said she dare I disobey my Conscience for I sought no more from his Eminence and I know he appointed me to get no more therefore I will have no more well subjoyned the Chamberlain I find few supplicants of your Kidney but since everie Man is the best Interpreter of his own orders let Us go both to the Cardinal that we may hear himself when the mater was thus represented to him the good Cardinall declared that he designed no more when he signed that order but only the litle summ the Widow had sought but when he saw the cypher added to the fifth figure either said he some extraordinarie providence hath conducted my hand
without my knowledge or a much better hand hath added that Fair cypher whereupon he call'd again for pen and ink and added a new cypher which made the same 500 Crowns Now said he to the poor Widow go and receive all this money and pay your Chamber Rent in the first place and see if yow can provide some honest Match to your daughter by giving her the Residue that she may not become a whore FAB CXXXI Page 121. It may also afford this Morality That some times favor is sâ—…owen where no good is exspected for who would have looked for any good at the hands of a serpent thus a barbarous Prince restored King Lysimachus after he had yeelded himselfe and Kingdome for want of Water and a turkish Prince long afterwards did no less to a Greek Emperour FAB CXXXIII Page 123. Here he might have mentioned that poeticall storie of Hippomenes Atalanta for the cunning Man did out witt the swist-running Maid by throwing three golden Apples out of the way at several times which she stepping a side to take up thinking for all that to overtake him and as it were flee before him yet his policy at last obtaineth the prize For Tardus in via prâ—…venit Cursoreni extra viam FAB CXXXVIII Page 126. Here it might have been told that a man gave admirable good Counsel one day in the Senat of Sparta in a very weighty mater which concerned the honour of the state but in regard he was a verie profligat person it was adviâ—…ed that one of the gravest of the Senatours should the next day propose the same expedient in other words that it might not reflect any dishonour oâ—… the state that such a vile person as the first suggester had been so much regarded FAB XLII Page 12â—… Here he might have mentioned the exclamation of Lysimachus that great King of Thrace and one of the Captaines of Alexander the great O! what an excellent Kingdom have I lost for a litle fleshly pleasure this he spoke when being straitned by a barbarous Prince he was forced to yeeld himself with His whole Armie because they were like to pyne with thrist where they were couped in no doubt the intrinsick value of a Cup of water is farr below that of a Kingdome yet as Necessity hath no Law so the Belly hath no Ears FAB CLVI Page 141. The Tragâ—…dy of Zeno Emperour of the East may be termed a parallel to this fable but with disadvantage to the Imperiall husband whose wife caused burie him alive in on of his fitts of the Epilepsie which befel him frequently by his excessive drinking so that his Unnaturall spouse suffered him to starve to death in His sepulcher for want both of meat and drink and though he cryed most ruthfully to be releived from that dark prison when he came to a sense of himselfe yet the Inhumane Hagg would not permit it that a younger and much handsomer Man might succeed him both in his bed and Throne and that was Anastasius the principall Secretarie of State FAB CLVIII Page 142. This Fable is grounded on a Fable viz. That Swans sing especially before their Death But who soever desires to see the Nullity of this common Tradition let them consult Dr. Brown in his Vulgar Errors FAB CLXIII Page * I follow the Mistake of the Printer 137. A generous Man is so far from insulting over the miserable suppose he be a dead Enemy that He is rather prone to water the Adversaries Horse with his Tears Therefore I am apt to believe that Lucan in His Poems was both uncharitable and Injurious to the great Caesar by insinuating it was for joy he weeped over Pompey the great 's head when it was presented unto him Iâ—… Caesar being one of the most clement Princes that ever reigned in this world givs us reason to conclude that the serious consideration of the sudden fall of Pompey from so great glorie into the power of some base slaves did draw abundance of Tears of real grief from the eyes of his Father-in-Law and I find it one of the greatest Reflections upon the honour of his grand Nephew Augustus Caesar that he should have caused cutt off the head of Brutus to be sent to Rome and laid at the feet of his uncles Statua even after Marc Antony had covered his dead Body with his own Purple Garment yet the same Augustus weept amain for the Death of Marc Antony if we believe Plutarch tho' He had been more injurious to his Family than ever Pompey had been to that of Iulius But Antigonus of Macedon the Son of K. Demetrius was much more generous than Augustus for when that restless spirit Pyrrhus the Epirot came to his 〈◊〉 and at 〈◊〉 tho' he had once dispossessed 〈◊〉 of his Kingdome and even at the time of his death was in war against him yet when the head of the famous 〈◊〉 was presented to him he was so farr from insulting over a dead enemie that he sharply rebuked some of his nearest relations for their insolencie and ordered both the hâ—…nd and body of his enemie to be given to his son that he might give his father honourable buriall Thus when Marcus Aâ—…relius surnamed the Philosopher heard that his army had defeated the enemy and killed his rival and tho' he was apparently his competitor for the empire yet this meek and most clement Prince regrated unfeignedly that they had not brought him alive unto him that he might have tasted of his mercie The best parallel I find to this benign disposition was that of the royall Martyr K. Charles I. of great Britain who had the same mercifull sentiments in reference to The fate of the Hothames as we may perceive from a section of his incomparable Book so entituled But all the Roman Emperours were not so generous as this Antoniâ—… or Aurelius the Philosopher for long before his time Vitellins manifested a great deal of baseness in his deportment in reference to the dead souldiers of the defeated Armie of the Emperour Otho whose unburied and naked bodies he would needs fee and when it was told him that he would never be able to endure the noysome stench of them for they had been kill'd in the plains of Lombardy before Vetellius himselfe had crossed the Alpes that vile beast most ingenerously answered That there 〈◊〉 nothing so savoury to him as the smell of a dead enemy but especially of a Citizen notwithstanding his rivall Otho had cast hiâ—… a much fairer copy for tho' he might easily have recruited again yet he did voluntarily dispatch himselfe that he might obâ—… the Effusion of any more Roman Blood suppose it were wholy of his enemy But 〈◊〉 Severus neither learned this generosity from Otho nor Marens ' Aurelius tho' they were both before him for having politicaly given the Title of 〈◊〉 to Calhinus in the North that he might not interrupt his Progress against Pescenius Niger in the East how soon he had
but the elder being killed in the civil Warrs by the Martiall Conduct of Henry King of Navarr The younger brother was constrayned by the Pope for the good of the Catholick Cause which in their opinion justifies a dispensation for any thing not only to succeed his brother in his estate but also in his office of Generall under Henrie III. Thus we find the honest Capuchine transformed into a Duke and Peer of France and into a man of war But how soon it pleased the LORD of Hosts to restore Peace to France by the settlement of Henry IV. in the capital city the new Duke instantly abandoned all the pleasures of the court with all his great Estate and Tiâ—…les of Honour and returned to his old order of Capuchine and it was on the streets of Parâ—…s in a cold winter day that a liceâ—…tious droll a modern Dei â—… or to say better a reall Atheist rancountred this religious father bare legged and bare footed save only that he had sandalls under his soles But the duply of that truly religious noble Soul ought not to be forgot As I beleeve those regions of Bless and marâ—…sions of eternall Glorie to which I hope GOD of his infinite Mercie and for the infinit merits of holy Iesus will bring me when it 's his good pleasure that I be delivered from a vain a sinfull and miserable life so if there be a â—…ell where incorrigible sinners shall be eternally tormented whereof I am fully perswaded because the Justice of GOD requires it then Sir you will be found to be the greatest fool of the two FAB CCCCLII Page 428. Rondelitius a French Physitian hath a story somewhat to this Purpose of a cheating Rogue in France who gained no little money by countersitting that strange Disease named the Catalepsy whose real stupefaction doâ—…h so resemble the Insensibility of a dead Body that the People of Cullen buried the Subtile Doctor alive but Rondelitius having good ground to suspect the counterfit Cataleptic as an Impostor He said that He had cured many oâ—… that Disease by a very easie remedie yet so effectual that they never relapsed into it again and that was only to bastinado them soundly from head to foot 〈◊〉 how soon the Eck statick Cheat heard this he gat up and away and â—…o the Disease was cured FAB CCCCLVIII Page 434. Plutarch in his Moralls reports a Parallel storie to this Miser with his rotten Apples Of a Merchant in Chios who had many sorts of Greek Wines to traffick with Yea the Isle of Chios is famous for produceing naturally very generous wines this merchant was a great miser and having bought a slave in the morning he ordered him to tast his serveral sorts of wine and to 〈◊〉 by themselves any bottles which contained sour or vappid wine but when the Slave perceived His Mister to make Use of those and of â—…one 〈◊〉 at his Meat he shewed Him a fair Pair of Heels after Dinner but being brought back again and told that it was death by the Law for a slave to become Fugitive I know no less replied he for I would rather choose death than serve a Fool a Fool said his overtakers He is accounted a very wise man who is your master he must either be a fool or a madman said the slave who having many good Wines in his Possession and the Propriety of them also that will still take the worst to his own Use. FAB CCCCLXIV Page 〈◊〉 The most lamentable Story that ever I read of an Outrage of this Nature commited in cold blood not on a beast but on a man not on a stranger but the mans own Son and the eldest too was perpetrated by Sha Abâ—…as K. of Persia who lived not long agoe he was a Prince of great parts but very Tyrannicall as generally the Asiatick monarchs are and when their people come to a general grudging and a murmuring against the Goverment it 's an infallible evidence that it 's highly Tyrannical for it 's well known to Historians that the Asiaticks have been generally slaves since the dayes of Nimrod tho' some of their Princes are less severe than others We need no other Evidence of their being so inured to slaverie that they affected these chaines than the proffer which the Romans made to the Cappadocians even to set them at liberty that they might become a Common-Wealth since their Kings had so tyrannized over them but their Answer was surprising to the Romans who expected great Thanks for tendering that to them which is acounted the greatest Blessing upon earth next to bodily Health We have been so accust â—…med to Kingly Government said the Cappadocians that We will choose rather to have a King let him be never so great a Tyrant than to have none at all But let Us return to Sha Abbas who had a Son and his first born too that was a Prince of great Vertue and greatly beloved by all Ranks of People and never a Son honoured his Parents more than He did His Royall Father He was also arrived at such an Age as to have Wife and Children This unfortunate Prince found one day a little Schedule of Paper lying in his chamber unsealed and unsubscribed with very odd contents the sum thereof was this that if he were willing he should be put in present possession of the administration of the government since neither the nobility nor body of the people could any longer endure the intolerable Tyrannie of his Father We may easily imagine how surprising this paper was to an innocent Soul who had never harboured such unnatural thoughts Yea abhorred them as he did the Devil and Hell it self so that in a true filial rage he was once resolved to throw that treasonable paper into the fire as most worthy of Hell fire till he began to reflect on two things 1. that it might be a politick Fetch of his Father to try how he would behave for he knew Him to be of as Jealous a temper as any man living Or supposeing it to be a reall effect of the conspiracie of the nobles against his father yet he judged it probable that some pick thank among them or a timerous Soul might reveale the combination to the King with the circumstance of that dropped paper so that the Maxime of Law might be applyed to himself Qui tacet consentire videtur Therefore he finaly determined to acquaint the King with that unhappy emergencie and withall to make infinite protestatons of his own ignorance of the matter and His fitter Abhorrence of so vile a Designe The father was well pleased with the prudent Conduct of his Son and throughly convinced of his innocencie Yet that fatal paper had raised such suspicions of the Nobles in his head and such sinistrous suppositions concerning His own Son that it was possible he might yet be prevailed upon to comply with that treasonable designe since a great Crown is a great temptation or that it would
〈◊〉 a Graâ—… of that Tree on which an ill natured wiâ—…e had hanged herself in Hopes as he alledged that it would bear Fruit of that same Kind SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE FABLES OF AESOP FABLE I. Page 1. AESOP's Cock in preferring a Barley Grain to a Diamond is an Emblem of such Fools as Midâ—…s who valued the Pipe oâ—… Pan above the Harp oâ—… Apollo and of these much greater Idiots who prefer the Profits Pleâ—…ures and Glory of this World to that Pearle of inestimable Value I mean all the Blessings of the blessed Gospel The same may be said of the Dog and the Shadow in the 8th Fable There being a better Demonstration than that of a Circle in a Triangle for as Mathematical as it is that there is nothing hereaway which can throughly satisfy the Soul of Man and consequently cannot make him perfectly happy and that is Carentia entitatis debitae or the want of the due Ingredient for there must be a proportion betwixt the Ingredient and the Recipient the stuffing and the Capacity otherwise a thing cannot properly be said to be filled Thus a Well is termed empty though it be full of Air because there is no water in it as also the heads of some Men are said to be empty though they be filled with vapours because they have very little or no wit in them Even so though the World were set into the heart of Man as Solomon phraseth it it could not fill the heart because there is carentia entitatis debitâ—… For we may as rationally attempt to fill a Glass-bottle with vertue as the heart of Man with wealth it being GOD alone who made it who can fill it because He is infinite for nothing less can satisfie it's infinite Desires But let us for once make â—…n impossible Supposition viz That the blessings of this Life could fully satisfie the Soul of Mâ—…n yet they could not possibly make him eternally happy it being most obvious to the Eye of Reason that whatsoever pretends to make another thing happy it must be commensurable in its Duration to the Existence of that Object But who knows not that all the imaginary Felicities of this World are vain and frail like to the Mortal Body Whereas the Soul is an Immortal Substance whose â—…ate must be either everlasting Happiness or endless Misery in another World FAB IX Page 8. The Ingratitude of the Snake teacheth us That it 's very dangerous to trust one of an ill Nature or that is come of an ill kind Iugurtha the Son oâ—… a Concuâ—…ine is a sufficient instance for both he being so ingrate to â—…is Uncle the King of Numidia who had adopted him that he never rested till he had murthered both his Sons to get the Kingdom entirely to himself as is expressed at great length by Salust de Bello Iugurthino But the most â—…inable Monster of Ingratitude and who directly resembles the Snake was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ceraâ—…s he being chased away by his Father Ptolemens Lagus for his â—…ll Nature and his younger Brother Ptolomens Philadelpâ—…us preferred to the Kingdom of 〈◊〉 This abdicated Prince was not only shelteâ—…d by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last of Alexander's Captains who made any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the World but also assisted by him to seize upon the Kingdom of 〈◊〉 Yet this Prodigie of Ingratitude murthered his Beneâ—…or that he might forsooth become his Haeres ex asse But the Judgement of GOD did shortly overtake him Neither could this wretched Criminal possibly dâ—…e a worse death than he deserved suppose he had not been guilty of any other Villany than the Câ—…eatry of 〈◊〉 and Murder of his Nephews I mean his Sisters Children who should have been Heirs of the 〈◊〉 Kingdom FAB X. Page 9. Illustrated by Non â—…ignus Caesariâ—…ira For such was the Asâ—… in the eyes of the 〈◊〉 Thus Caâ—…o the Cenâ—…or having receiv'd a Blow even in Publick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not honour him so â—…ar as to let him know that he needed a Pardon FAB XI Page 10. The Epiâ—…urean Sect had been tolerable if their Master had taught the Wor'd no worse Doctrine than Qui clam vixit benâ—… viâ—…it which is the sole Import of this Fable and of many other of these Apologues For we may find that the solidest and wittiest of all the Roman Poets viâ—… Virgâ—… 〈◊〉 Horace Iuvenal Martial do frequently exâ—…oll a privat Countrey Life far above the Contentment of Cities and Courts Who then can doubt of Seneca's Applause of itâ—… since he so often approves that Maxime of Epiâ—…urus though himself had not the good luck to retire in time from the Inhumanity of a most ingrate Pupil he also magnifyes that freedom of Diogenes Aristotle dines when Alexander pleases but Diogenes dines when Diogenes pleaseth There is also to this purpose a celebrated Expression of the Emperor Trajan That if a Man saw the Cares and fears wherewith the Crowns of this World are lined within suppose one of them were lying at his foot for all the outward Splendour of it he would not be at the pains to stoop down and take it up And that this is not a meer politick Fetch of great Men to shun the envy of the World as some imagine may be easily confuted by Experience For during the Saxon Heptarchy many Princes in Britain abandoned their Thrones that they might enjoy GOD and themselves the more in a private Life and in a Monastick Cell This Charity is due also to Christian Emperors such as Charles the Vth. But I am sure it was not our holy Religion which was Dioclesian's Prompter and yet to enjoy himself in his Gardens at Salonae in Dalmaâ—…ia he willingly resigned the Roman Scepter Not to speak of that cruel Sylla who by a voluntary Resignation of his perpetual Dictatorship did no less long before him FAB XIII Page 13. It was a wise saying of one of the seven wise Men of Greece besides Diogenes the the Cynick That the worst of â—…ame beasts is â—… Flatterer because a persidious Friend is the worst of Enemies And such is a base Parasite who like a Proâ—…us or Vertumnus transforms himself into aâ—…l shapes thâ—… he may betray his mishapen Confident to all his Lusts yet sometimes it may do well with a well natur'd Prince who hath some Principles of Goodness in him for â—…audanda praecipimus But whosoever hath the Curiosity to know a Fâ—…atterer from a true Friend let him read that excellent Treatise of Pluâ—…arch so entitled in his Morals FAB XIV Page 14. This might have been illustrated by Dionysius the Younger Sejanus once the great Favourite oâ—… Tiberâ—…us and by the miserable sate oâ—… Andronieus the Elder Emperour of the East and by many other Princes whose Exits were no leâ—…s Tragical But when our Author mentions the grateful Sacrifice to the Rage and Scorn of the Common People which is made of those who have raised themselves on the spoils of the Publick I wonder that an English Man should have forgot Eâ—…pson
and Dudley who were the great Instruments of the Extortion and Avarice of Henry the Seventh in his old Age whom therefore his Son in the very beginning of his Reign put to death not only to gratifie his People whom they had so cruelly oppressed under the pretence of Law but also to squeeze these Spunges for his own Interest by their Forfeitures as if they had been Turkish-Bassa's for they were very rich FAB XVI Pag. 16. Here he had Occasion by the Foretop to have illustrated that fable by that gratefull Lyon to Androgeus the Roman Slave who was termed by the people of Rome The Lyons Physitian but this Storie is so well known that We need not insist upon it FAB XVIII Pag. 18. The true Moral is this Distich Principtis obâ—…a sero Medicina paratur Cum mala per longâ—…s invaluere morâ—…s Or that other single verse Fronte capillaâ—…a post est Occasio calva FAB XX. Pag. 21. Here He had a fair Opportunity to have shown the great Danger of calling in too powerfull Auxiliarys to the Aid of a prince either against his own Subjects or Strangers which may be exemplified from the Disaster of the old Brittons who being opprest by the Scots and Picts invited the Saxons to the Ruin of themselves So it fared with the Irish when the K. of Leinster implored the succour of Henry Il. of England against the K. of Meath Naples experimented this Folly in the End by employing the Normans but the implored succour of Ferdinand the Catholick against the French was more fatal to the Neapolitans for that â—…ly Fox who had allways a catholick Appetite for his Neighbours dominions under Pretence of aiding an oppressed Cadee of the House of Aragon basely betrayed his Cusin under Trust and at last took all to himself Likewise some kings of Indostan or Hither India by calling in the Mongull against their Neighbours made the whole Country a Prey to the Tortarian Race And in this same Age the Chineses by inviting the Tartars to assist them against their own masterfull Robbers paved the way to their own Ruine for now the Tartar is their Lord and Master FAB XXIV XXV Page 24. Here He might have taxed as many Historians do Cato the Censor who for all his great pretences to Morality did most ingenerously turn off his old Servants and labouring Beasts to shift for themselves if He could get no money for them and that meerely because they were old and could not work as formerly 〈◊〉 that needed such a superiour as 〈◊〉 Prince of Calabria who ordered under the pain of his highest Displeasure one of his Captains who had turned off his old horse to shift for himself in Frost and Snow to afford him sufficient Provender so long as he lived for said the Prince to the Captain You are prodigiously ingrate even to that dumb beast for I was Witness to his saving of your Life under GOD when you was hotly pursu'd by a multitude of Enemys FAB XXX Page 29. Here he had Occasion to admire but not to approve the too great Confidence of the famous Marishal Les Digâ—…erres who having a Valet de Chambre for many years whom he used as a friend and trusted alone in his Chamber all Night yet having certainly found that he had been hyred by the Papists to murder his Master when he was sleeping for the Marischal was then Protestant he not only pardoned him but trusted him again just as he had done formerly He may be said to have acted the part oâ—… a good Christian in giving him a Remission but not of a prudent Man in remanding him to his former Charge for he who was once guilty of so much baseness ought not to have been trusted with any life which was much more valuable than his own FAB XXXI Page 30 Non patitur ludum Fama Fides Oculus It 's nothing to the advantage of the English what some strangers have observed of them that they will loose their Friend before they will loose their Jest which accords not well with one of their own Maxims play with me but hurt me not Iest with Me but shame me not FAB XXXIII Page 32. He might have added that there be some Plagiarys who steal so unhandson lie that they have not the Sense to alter the Dress i. e. They retain both the Mater and Words of a borrowed Author and vent all for their own These are little better then they who father other mens Books as if they had been the intire Work of their own braines prefixing their Names to them like a mans putting his Mark upon anothers Horse Thus a pious Minister in Wales having composed that Treatise so well known under the Name of The practise of Piety and having given it in to his own Bishop named Lewis Baâ—…ly to be revised the said Bishop who was far from practical Pietie set it furth in his own Name whereupon the true Author dyed of Melancholy as his Wife complained to the long long Parliament if we believe Râ—…shworths Collections But as for these who only cut large thongs of other mens Leather and adopt them for their own Me thinks for Reputations â—…ake they should be very sure that none in the World save themselves have ever seen these Founds of their The t yea and that it were in their Power to destroy them all that they might not be traced in them as is alledged of Polydore Vergil that after he had compyled his English History he burnt all those Books which had furnished him Materials as for the Destruction of 2000. volumes of Law made by Tribonâ—…anus Dorotheus and Theophilus after they had compyled the Corpus Iur's Civilis out of them it was done by Order of the great Iustinian that young Students might not be deterred from the Study of the Civil Law by such a vast number of bulksome Books otherwise it were more ingenously and generously done to â—…mply with that oâ—… the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—…cloris est faâ—…eri per qâ—…em proseceris But of all the Plagiarian Work that ever I saw and I have met with eneugh in my time that of Thomas Aquinas raised the greatest Admiration who was certainly a great Soul of a most solid judgement copious Invention who may be said to have gathered all the scatered limbs of Absyrtus together I mean he reduced that monstruous bulk of Popery into one body yet his Secunda Secundae which is unquestionably the best Parcel of al his â—…umms is found to be transcrived Verbatim out of Vincentius Bellovacensis his Speculem Morale Bellarmine makes a vain attempt for his vindication Lâ—…b de Script Ecclesiaâ—… but it 's certain that Vineâ—…ntius was out of the World before the Angelical Doâ—…tor had passed the first Age of human Nature and he must needs be a Call who can imagine that he should have penned that excellent piece of Morality in his Infancie who was nick-named Bos by his Condisciples he appearing to them tho' not to
Legislator to make all his Laws subservient to Mars and Bellona But the main Scope of this Fable is to shew us that the cunning Imposturs of men put a Necessity upon the injured to appeal to the Justice of an omniscient GOD who sees the Thoughts of the Heart afar off even long before they are thought no doubt Atheists both in Judgement Practice are apt to deride that Appellation as to a very long Day and questionless that general Judgement must needs be very far off in the Eys of these faithless souls who do not believe that ever such a Day will come neither do they consider how nigh they are by such Provocations to a particular Judgement of which I shall subjoine one or two Instances in Lieu of many When the grand Master of the Knights Templars was tyed to the Stake in France to be burnt alive with diverse of his Order He first crav'd Pardon of God of the Brethren of his Order for the wrong He had done them in confessing those Crimes to be true which were charged upon the Order in general and that thro' the Vehemency of Torment for being shortly to appear before the righteous Judge of the World He not only appealed to Him for their Innocency but also cited Pope Clement V. and Philip the Fair then K. of France for it was mainly by the Authority of those two great men with their Influence on other Princes that this horrid Massacre was carryed on thro all Europe He summoned them I say to appear within a Year before the impartial Tribunal of GOD there to answer for the great Injustice done to his Order And it 's most certain that both these summoned Pannels dyed within the prefixed Time which induced many to believe that the Templars were not guiltie of these execrable Crimes which were laid to their Charge The Iews have a Proverb Cum Elias venerit solvet nodos and Me fears this is one of the Mysterys which the Day of Judgement shall fully unriddle There was indeed some little discovery made of that Intrigue even in the Age wherein it was acted For some Historians report that Philip of France would have all the Templars destroyed per fas aut nefas that his German Brother might enjoy the Forfeitry of the whole Order and no doubt he had become one of the greatest Princes of the Western World as to Revenue if that Design had taken effect For the Templars had great possessions almost in every Kingdom of Europe But tho' King Philip thought he had the Pope upon his Finger ends for he was indeed his Creature yet his Ghostly Father with his Council at Vienna disappointed him by making a Gift of all the Temple Lands to the Knights Hospitallers called otherwise The Order of St. Iohn at Hierusalem I hope the Reader will pardon this small Digression if any so account it to give my Sentiments concerning that cruel Method practised in some parts of the World in order to the finding out of an obscure Truth as is pretended the same being usually termed Torture And that either by the formidable Rack Boots Thumbikins Water Oyl or any other manner of way whereby human Nature is tormented I joyn issue with the great St. Augustine That it is the greatest Injustice to inflict the greatest bodily Torment imaginable upon an innocent Person for such are all in the Construction of Law till they be proven guilty It being an approved Maxime both of the Civil and Canon Law and of Divinity also praesumitur esse bonus qui non probatur esse malus And I must needs say it they who iudge such an Extorted Confession a sufficient probation have never sufficiently considered the Frailty of human Nature So that I think Torture should never be admitted in any Case except the Confession can instantly verifie it self e g. Suppose there were great Presumptions against a Man that He were guilty of Crimen Peculatus by robbing the publick Treasury of a vast sum of money I would lay no stress on his tortured Confession till he had brought the Judge to the place where he had laid that stollen Treasure then the Ocular Inspection justifies the Confession This had been the case of that bold Caudiot who alone pilfer'd one of the richest Treasures in the World I mean that of Venice laid up in the Church of St. Mark if his new Confident had not made the Indication for him Therefore such a Case should be reduced to that Maxime of Law concerning the Examination of Witnesses who are subleâ—…lae fidei That if it be done at all it should be done ad eruendam Veritatem sed non ad faciendam fidem There remains yet a more admirable instance of these Appeals to Heaven from unjust Sentences on Earth which may be found in the Spanish History penn'd by Mariana There was a Nobleman of Spain found privatly murthered neither was it known who had done that villanous Act the King was the more diligent in making Inquisition for that Blood because the murdered Person had been his principal Minion At last it was suggested that there were two Castilian Bretheren who were picked at this Nobleman so that it was very probable they were the Malefactors and meerly upon this presumption they were sentenced to be thrown down from the top of an high Rock that by their Death they might expiate their Crime The Brethren indeed confessed that they were sensible of a great wrong done them by that Nobleman but withal appealed to the Omniscient GOD that they had no hand in his death neither directly nor indirectly They further declared that as Christians they would never have been so wicked and as Persons of Honour for they were Gentlemen well descended they could not have been so base to murther any Man of what Quality soever But when all their Proteâ—…cations were made in vain one of them upon the top of that Fatallock in the Audience of many thousands of People cited the King to appear before the Tribunal of the King of kings and Lord of lords there to abide the just Sentence of that unerring Judge for the great Injustice he had done both to him and his Brother and that within the space of thirty days No doubt many of the Spectators deem'd him no less than mad to prefix so short a time to the King who was but a Young Man and in good Health at the time neither was there at that time any fear of Intestine Commotion or Forraign Invasions Yet it is a most certain Truth that the King dyed of a Fever within the 30 dayes which Providential Dispensation was judged by many a more weighty presumption of the young Mens Innocencie than that whereon the King had founded their Guilt FAB LIX Page 59. To his Adages he might have added that other Diverb That few are wise before the hand like Prometheus but too many resemble his Brother Epimetheus in being wise behind the hand for so fareth it with
discussed that Syrian Competitor he immediatly turned his Forces against his other Rival Albinus who being killed in Battle Septimius gave an apparent Demonstration to his whole Army that He was a Native of Africa they being generally Vindictive and most cruel in their Revenge for he did tread again and again with his Horse Feet upon the dead Body of his new slain Competitor Many other Instances of this Nature might be given but I shall shut up the Point with an Observation of the great Historian Thuan in reference to the famous Duke of Guise who was the great Promoter of that pretended Holy League of France He was reputed saith the Historian a very generous Prince especially in his Behaviour towards the Captivated Prince of Conde but his Deportment in reference to the no less famous Admiral Coligni sullied his Memory exceedingly for that Admiral being trepanned by that perfidious Prince Charles IX He was basely and barbarously murdered by His supposts in his own Lodging notwithstanding of the safe Conduct the King had given Him and of all His pretended great Resentments for the shooting of Him thro' the Arm his dead Body being thrown out of the Window the Duke of Guise walking in the Court having viewed it with Torch-Light that He might not be mistaken in His Insulting He most basely struck the dead man in the Face with his Foot which had been too insolent saith Thuan suppose He had been upon the Plot of killing the Duke's Father at Orleance by Poltrot from which Fact He had frequently vindicated himself by Oath and to his Son in particular But little was the Duke then dreaming how His own murdered Body would afterwards be abused at Blois notwithstanding tâ—…e â—…afe Conduct He had from K. Henry III. and that the infinite Wisedom and Justice would make Him read his Sin in his Iudgement in that same Place where Himself had first contriv'd that execrable Massacre at Paris so that they are the wisest and best of Men be they never so great who in their Prosperity mind frequently and seriously that of the chief of the Roman Orators Homo qui in Homine calamitoso misericors est meminit Sâ—…i And that notable Diâ—…h of the Prince of the Latine Poets Nâ—…scia Mers Hominum Fati Sortisque futurâ—… Et servare Modum Rebus sublata secundis FAB CLXIX Page 141. Here he might have told the ridiculous answer of that vaunting Traveller who pretended to have been in all the cities of Italy in Venice among the rest and being desired by one to give a Description of the famous Church of S. Mark The return He made was That he had not stayed at Venice no not one Night but galloped thro' the City at Night so that e're the Morning Light He had rode thro' all the streets and was gone a good way from it FAB CLXX Page 142. The vain curiosity of Mercury minds me of Cicero the famous Orator whose Vanity may be said to have gone pari passu with his Oratory and consequently it was great enough especially after the Disappointment of the Conâ—…piracie of Cataline against the State because He had been Consul then and had managed that Affair pretty dextrously I dare say He imagined there was never so wiâ—…e nor so good a Patriot of Rome before nor would any such arise after Him for allmost in all the Orations that He made to the People after that Exploit He fail'd not to harp upon that string Usque ad Nauseam Yea before he was Consul being sent Quaestor to Sicily where He abode above a twelve Month in his return thro' Italy before he reached the City he rancountred an old cquaintance and almost the first Quaerie He proposed to Him was what Talk had been at Rome concerning his Government in Sicilie never doubtiog but that He should instantly hear that all the Senatours all the Knights aud Body of the People were frequently magnifying his wise Conduct and great Atchievements in that Granâ—…rie of Rome But I believe there could not an Answer imaginable be more mortifying to a man of so vain a Temper than the return which was made in these words Sir said his acquaintance You have prevented my Apology for not paying a visit to you this twelve months bygone at your own house at Rome for this is the first time that I did hear of your removall from our City FAB CLXXXVIII Page 158. The Metamorphoses mentioned so frequently both by the Greek and Latine poets whereby the Witch Circe transformed Men into Beasts by the Touch of her inchanâ—…ing Rod ought to be expounded in that same sense as judicious Commentators interpret the dissaster of Nebuchadnezzar for as that great King lost not his shape when he became obnoxious to that pitifull disease physicians term Lycanthropia but only his Understanding in imâ—…gining himselfe to be a Wolf so all these men on whom their brutish affections have a mighty predominancy are justly said to be transformed into Beasts tho' thy are still two Legâ—…ed beasts and only symbolize too much with the noted predominant bad qualities of diverse wild creatures and by the Moly which Mercurie gave to Ulysses as an Antidote or countercharm to all the â—…rceries of Circe wee may understand the strength of Reason and divine Grace which have sufficient power if sufficiently improved to subjugâ—…t aâ—…l our extrav agant Passions and exorbitant Affections FAB CXCIV Page 164. Here he might have pertinently celebrated the due praise of the Roman Consul Fabricius who was so generous as to hate the Treason no less than the Traitor for when the persidious Physician of King Pyrrhus sent a missive leâ—…ter to the Consul proffering to poyson his master for a certain summ of money notwithstanding Pyrrhus had alreadie prevailed much over the Romans they being unacquanted with Elephants at that time yet the noble Fabricius sent the letter to Pyrrhus and in the cover of it upbraided him that He knew neither his friends nor his enemies for you may perceive said He from the inclosed that you are sostering snakes in your bosom and know it not whereas you have declared enmity against those who never did you any wrong but as for Us Romans we judge it just enough to kill a malicious Enemie in the open field if he will not hearken unto reason but wee deem it the height of baseness to take away the life of any man by Treacherie Would to God all Princes whither Inâ—…ideles or Christians were indued with such true generosity But we must know that this was the Age wherein the true Roman Gallantrie I mean their excellency in all the four Cardinall Virtues was in its 〈◊〉 or Zenith FAB CXCV. Page 165. It would be tedious to the reader to enumerat all the Examples of those unfortunate Princes who have in a maner hatch'd snakes to sting themselves to death thus the gigantick Tyrant Maximinus deâ—…lt with Alexander Severus and Philip with the Emperour young Gordianus and that
villanous Father-in-law Arrius Aper with that excellently learned prince Numerianus so that the mnrderer was most deservedly stabbed to death by Dioclesâ—… for He was the Boar meant by one of the Drâ—…des in France and that two or three Ages agoe Charles the warlick that restless Duke of Burgundy nourished suâ—…h a snake in his bosom when he entertained in his service that persidious Italian Count named 〈◊〉 Basso and who hath not heard that the Maâ—…or Doâ—…o in France overturned his Masters house that the Mâ—…rovingian Race might give place to the Carolovingian which within two or three Ages became a preparative to the Capaetian familie But whoâ—…o desires variety of Instances to this purpose let them cross the Mediterranean Sâ—… to Africa and there they will find many deleterious snakes fostered in their masters bosome to their utter ruine at last Neither need wee goe so fâ—…rr back to the bastard Iugurtâ—…a who ruined the two sons of his Uâ—…kle and adoptive â—…ather Hiempsall the King of Numidia noâ—… to retrograd so fâ—…rr as to thâ—… Caliphs of Aegypt for the Kings of Fez and Moroâ—…co without speaking one word of the Mamalues of Aegypt who came after the Caliphs afford us abundant instances to this purpose even of these that have ruined their Foster Fathers with the whole Royall Family under the pretence of Religion I mean that damnable Superstition of Maâ—…omet to which that of 〈◊〉 Poet Lucretius may both truly and pertinently be applyed Taâ—…um Reâ—…gio potuit 〈◊〉 malorum FAB CXCVII Page 168. They who are destitute of Children I mean who had never any if they want the Comfort of them so do they the Cross and it s a most certain Truth that children are uncertain Comforts but certain Troubles it being verie rare to find a numerous Issue without some Viper either among the Males or Females who is ready to tear out the bowells of the parents Contentment and they who have many and find no more but one such have great reason to bless Heaven for it for the greatest of Saints recorded in H. Scripture were not priviledged from that Cross and some of them had their patience exerciz'd by more than one Viper whom they had fostered in their bosomes as is evident from the respective stories of Noah Abraham Isaac and Iacob old Eli the High-Priest Samuel the Prophet and David the King the generality of the last three being undutifull both to their Heavenly and Earthly GODS for Grace goes nor by Generation but by Re-Generation otherwise it may be supposed that so Gracious Kings Priests and Prophets would have entailed some drams of goodness upon their posterity And that domesticall Crosses are justly accounted amongst the most anguishing Afflictions of this World We may perceave from the Concern of one of the greatest that ever reigned in it and that was Augustus Caesar who enjoyed all the Comforts of this Life in great Aboundance yet He was so affected with the shameless Prostitution of his daughter Iulia and her no less lâ—…bidinous Brats that the great Emperour oâ—…en wished either he had never Marryed or never Begotten Children yea He would not â—…erm them his legitimat Issue but the Impostumes of his Body or â—…res Vomiâ—…as and tria Carâ—…inomata Marcus Aurelius was as morall a Prince as ever saâ—…e upon the Roman Throne and having but one Son who was that Incommodioâ—…s naughty Commodus the Father declared on his death bed that He would have dyed a happy Man if he had not begotten such a Phaeton to the 〈◊〉 Empire Lewis the Godly the first of that name who was King of France and Emperour of Germanâ—…e had verie uâ—…godly Children who often rebelled against their Lord and Father so had Henry the Il. of England undoubtedly a gallant man tho' never honoured with the Epither of Pious for he dyed Cursing all his male Children and there was a visible Curse followed them even in this life which is the usuall fate of a stubborne and perverse progeny whether their parents Curse them or not for either they dye young as is insiuuated in the fifth Precept of the Decalogue or if they enjoy a longer life they live in great miserie and die at lasâ—… of a loathsome disease FAB CC. Page 170. Some good men have sometimes found reason to bless God as cordially for their disappointments as for their enjoyments because he hears them in mercy when he seemeâ—… not to hear them as he heares the wicked in wrath when their desires are granted for there have been many in the world who have been necessitated to unwish a thing more fervently than they formerly desired it that Covetous King of Phrygia is a notable Emblem of this tho' it is but a Poeticall or Romantick Storie for iâ—… the foolish Wish of Midas had not been seasonably â—…etrived he would shortly have dyed of mere hunger for all his meat and drink became Gold and for all the talking of Aurum Potabile I take it to be a much better Cordiall in the Purse than in the Stomach But it s the fate of some unhappy creatures to râ—…semble Seâ—…ele the mother of Baccâ—… â—…ven to be consumed in the first instant of the fruition of their rash and inconsiderate desires FAB CCIII Page 174. The author tells us he hath seen a tame Sâ—…ider but I beleeve he never saw nor any mâ—…n â—…or him a tame 〈◊〉 tho' the same is given as the Symbol of Impudence FAB CCV Page 176. This impertinâ—…nt Doctor minds me of the English Proverb When I am dead makâ—… Me a Caddell But it 's a more rational Apology as many Doctors have Reason to complain that the Patient was not obedient enough nor the attenders so circumspect as they ought to have been in observing his orders which were neither excentrick Unnecessary nor Tyrannicall but throughly consonant to the most approved rules of Art and for this they have the authority of the great Hippocrates in the latter part of his first Aphonisâ—… Nequâ—… enim Medicus ita se comparare debet ut faciat quod factu Opus est sâ—…d Aeger astantes quae foras incidâ—…nt But the most relevant of all these Excuses is the unseasonable Call of the Doctor for the best Physician under Heaven is but the Minister of Nature so that when the natural strength is quite gone all attempts to restore it are in vain without a miarculous power so that the Doctor who consulâ—…s his own reputation ought not in such a case to medle let the patient be never so wealthy unless it be to aleviat the great pain of the dying person and to preserve a man from a tomenting death is undoubtedly a verie good office and worthy of a great Honorarium Now let us suppose a Physitian to have sufficient ground to undertake the cure yet if He would not have it said that the patient dyed of the Doctor rather than of the Disease let him in all dangerous distempers trust his own eyeâ—… above
minds me of the Canniballs in the Caribee Islands who sed their captivated enemies deliciously and most plentifully but it was only to fatten them for the shambles and thus prosperous villanie is but a faâ—…ing of them like a fedd Ox for the slaughter or if we transferr the Morall to some Court favourites the poet hath given us their destiny in few words Tolluntur in altum Ut Lapsu graviore ruant FAB CCLIII Page 219. There is a storie to the same purpose and uttered upon such an occasion by that Prince of Greek Orators Demosthenes for when the people were not attentive to a very serious matter which he was insisting upon one day in his oration he told them the storie of the contest betwixt a Man who had hired an Ass to ride a journey and the Owner thereof who would also be payed for the Benefit of the Asse's Shddow which the Rider made use of when he was scorch'd with the heat of the Meridian Sun and all this hot debate said the Oratour was about the shaddow of an Ass and with that silly parable He brought the inadvertent Mob to due attention FAB CCLIV Page 220. The storie of Pacuvius his policy in rescuing the Senatours of Capua from the fury of a discontented People falls in here very pertinently but it s so well known that we need not insist upon it FAB CCLV. Page 220. The Laplander who preferred his own countrey to France tho' there can hardly be a worse found in the whole Terraqueal Globe may be said to have outvyed this Mouse in contentment even in the change of places yet it still remaines a true Maxime Omne solum Fortiest patria FAB CCLXII Page 228. It s well observed by P. Heylen in his Cosmography that the Mesopotamians were always adjunctives but never substantives save once when GOD raised them up to be a plague and the first forrain scourge too unto his own ingrate people in the Land of Canaan The Metaphor is patt enough to the purpose Tho' somewhat pedantick for they were frequently overrun overcome by the Persians the Romans the Saracens the Turks and Tartars by all these and from all these they have been Conquered and reconquered the Natives as it were sitting still like Spectators beholding the Gladiators in the Amphitheatre and litle concerned what side had the better because they were sure to become slaves in the end who ever were Masters and that the Ass could not bear a greater burden than had been formerly laid upon him such was the case of their Neighbours the Syrians frequently easily subdued by other Nations but especially by the Seleucidae in Asia and the Ptolomees in Egypt for no sooner did any of those respective Princes advance towards them with an Armie but up slew all the Gates of their Cities to wellcome the new Comer rather than the new Conquerour or if it may be in propriety of speech called a new conquest sure it had not age to become old For it may be within a Moneth or less the other party totally prevailed without any opposition made by the inhabitants who sett their mind at rest to be Asses and Slaves still who ever prevailed As for Aegypt since the days of their Pharaohs the Persians the Greeks the Romans the Saracens the Turks the Mamalues and Turks again made an easy prey of those tame slaves who from the time of Ham and Mizraim have been inured to bear Burdens and for the same reason the fertile isle of Sicily not to speak of their many intestine Tyrants or of Pyrrhus the Epirot was frequently overrun by the Greeks the Carthaginians the Romans the French and the Spaniard And how easily upon the same account was the Kingdom of Naples with the Dutchie of Millan taken and retaken by the French and Spaniard is well knowen to those who are not strangers to the histories of the two preceeding ages FAB CCLXX. Page 236. There be many restless and impudent Souls like this Fly in the fable who are bussie bodies in other mens maters but supinely negligent in their own yet have the vanitie to arrogate that to themselves wherein they had neither head nor hand I mean Deliberation and Execution such an Imaginarie pragmaticall Fly was at Florence in the time of the famous Cosmo the D. thereof who coming one day after Dinner to the Palace of this Prince of the House of Medicis upon some pretended hastie business He found this renowned Potentate lying upon the top of a Bed O! said this pragmatical Animal Who would think that the great Witt of Italy would be found in Bed this Time of Day when other Men are walking in the Streets about their Business Away said the D. You feiking Fool I can do more here in half an Hour than You can do in half an Year for all Your traversing the Streets of the City both Day and Night for the Character of the Echo doth fitly belongto suchas You Vox est praetereaque nihil There be also many such Court-Flys even vain and empty Minions Ministers rather of Pleasure than of State that impute all the prosperous State Politicks to their own wise Suggestions and what outward Respect they meet with from People for their Place Sake and Master's Cauâ—…e they instantly ascribe it to their own great Merits not considering that no Man will regard a Dyal how soon the Sun ceaseth to shine upon it FAB CCLXXI. Page 237. Veterem ferendo Injuriam invitas novam is mostly verified as to those Briars and Thorns which prick and scratch because they cannot do otherwise till the Law pair their Nails but to a generous Soul there is no greater Pacifick than a patient Sufferer The God of Peace having also promised to all those that truly fear Him that He will make their Enemies to be at Peace with them FAB CCLXXII Page 237. The Commentator writes strong Sense in few Words whereby He sufficiently discovers the Folly of that unwarrantable practice which trencheth too nigh upon Idolatry I mean the Adoration of Saints and Images which is a mighty Stumbling-Block to the Iews Mahumetans and Pagans but whoso desires a much larger Discovery of that Scandalous Impiety let them consult the Profoundly Learned IOSEPH MEDE in His Apostacy of the latter Times founded on that Doctrine of Daemons foretold by S. Paul 1 Tim. 4 at the beginning where He makes â—…uch a copious and judicious Detection of those damnable practical Errors that Defiance may be given to all the Idolaters in the World to answer Him in Reason FAB CCLXXIII Page 238. Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire is most fitly applyed to those most miserable desperat Wretches who dispatch themselves that they may be ridd of the sting of an evil Conscience not considering that in all probability they hurrie their Souls into that most deplorable Region where the Worm dyes not and the Fire shal never be quenched That eminent Pattern of Divine Iustiâ—… Francis Spira who for seven Years
congratulate with Him as a Darling of Heaven he answered verie modestly Nescitis O Amici ad quae Fata Dij me reservarunt Neither was he disappointed of his feares for within few dayes he was tortured to death by his cruell Associats whose tyrannie he thought to have dissolved by restoring the antient liberty to his People but his good designe was thus disappointed providence having reserved that Glorious work for another patriot named Thrasybulus The next instance is more wonderfull both as to the preservation and destruction of the person concerned who could not be taxed with any Immorality because he was not come to the years of discretion and that was the grandchild of that famous Saracen Prince named Almansor whom not one that ever reigned in this world exceded for morality if we believe S. Walter Raleigh in the Historie of his life which that judicious Historian says that He compyled out of two verie antient Arabian Manuscripts This renowned grandfather recommended the infant successour to the Tuition of one that he judged a verie trusty friend and servant but the old villain having a designe upon that great Empire for himself thought to have dispatched His Pupill most subtily by a most gorgeous coat that he had tinctured inwardly with Poyson which had certainly taken effect had it not been for a dream of the mother of this young Prince who was so fond of that splendid Vesture that He was just ready to put it on when she made a shift to put it upon another by whose death the Treason was discovered but tho' the Prince was wonderfully preserved at this time Yet within few dayes the infant lying in his bed in good Health there descendeda Spider one morning from the Top of it and did bite his Lipp which so inflamed that it produced a Feaver and a speedy Death and with Him ended the Glorie of the Saracen Empire which was then at the Height By an exact Geographical Computation it will be found that there was never anie Monarchy in the World preferable to it for Vastness of Dominion no not the Roman in the days of Augustus For they had a considerable Interest in Europe beside the Continent of Spain a farr greater Portion of Africa than ever the Romans had and the whole Kingdom of Persia which the Romans never subdued The former Instance verifies that of the H. Scripture that GOD's Judgements are a very great Depth tho' always just but there is no man who hath the Use of Reason but will be ready to justifie the Judgement of God in the succeeding story which concerns a wicked Robber and Murderer in France This villanous 〈◊〉 having bereaved many Innocents of their Lives did fall asleep one Summers Night at the Foot of an old Wall when He dreamed that a reverend Old Man came to Him and bid Him instantly remove from the Place otherways the ruinous old wall would fall on Him which He had no sooner done than the wal did fall but the impious wretch was so far from making a good use of that wonderfull mercie that He did blasphemously imagine that the infinite Justice did approve his wicked Courses so that He went about His old Trade and the very next Night murdered a Man then falling asleep tho' not under a wall He dreamed again that his old Monitor came to him and said to him Ah you ingrate wicked Wretch is this the thank You give GOD Almighty for your late wonderful Deliverance to return again to that inhumane trade of murdering of men made after rhe Image of GOD But now know for your terrour that it was out of no kindness to You that I warned You of Your danger but that your preservation might be a reservation to a greater Judgment even an ignominious Death before the World which within few Hours wil be inflicted upon You This profligat Villain was scarce well awakned from this terrible Night-Vision when the Officers of Iustice seized upon Him so that the very next Day he was publickly broken upon the Row as he well deserved FAB CCCCI Page 375. The exactest Parallel I know to this Cobling Doctor with the discoverie of the cheat is that remarkable storie which fell out in this same age concerning a Iew named Sabbatai Sevi who became such a grand Impostor that I believe the like of him did not arise since the days of Mahomet that Prodigy of Impostors for He had so deluded that long obdured Nation with a pretence of Miracles and divine Revelation that they verily believed He was their promised MESSIAH whom they had so long expected so that the generality of the Iews became perfectly mad for they sold all their effects here and there at very easy rates and were all upon wing for Ierusalem in expectation of that universall monarchy but when the Grand Seignior Mahomet IV. was informed that Sabbatai gave out he would lead the great Turk in Chaines to Ierusalem and upon his ruins begin the erection of his new Empire he caused bring him chained to Adrianople and then told Him that He behooved to stand naked within a very smal distance from six of his guard who were to discharge their Harquebuzes upon him and if said the Grand Seignior You catch no harm I will then believe that you can work mirrcles otherwise you must instantly be circumcised and turned Mussleman for there is no other safety for you The poor fellowes faith failed so that he made as ingenious a confession as the Cobler did to the Governour and instantly became Turk and here is an end of that noysie pageantrie of which I have given but a verie brief extract but whoso desires to see it at large he will find it in a particular treatise made by Paul Ricaut for that effect or in the addition to Mr. Knall's Turks Historie composed by that same Authour FAB CCCCVIII Page 384. In the life of Thales Milesius one of the seven sages of Greece there is a true storie almost to the same purpose This Philosopher had an Ass which from a certain place used to carrie a load of Salt for the Masters behove now there being a river in the way she once stumbled and fell therein so that a large quantity of the salt was dissolved by the water she finding her burden to be thereby considerably lightned had so much of a bruâ—…ish sagacity as to commence a spontaneous falling more than once for her own ease but to her Masters disadvantage which being observed by that wise Philosopher He caused load her with a great pack of wool so that finding her burden once and again augmented by her plunging she was afterwards very carefull to keep her feet straight when she entered into the water And that there be some old resty Jades call it policy or what you will who counterfit the Spavin or Halting that the ryder may spare his spurs a litle is well known by the experience of the world FAB CCCCXIII Page 388. Here might have