repaired by sauing the life of a wicked caitife for that is no satisfaction but rather a double offence vnto the Commonwealth Moreouer those children which should bee borne by the marriage of a rauisher would serue but for witnesses of their fathers shame and the wrong done vnto our stocke the which ought not to bee increased by him that had doublie wronged them hauing not onelie iniuriouslie assailed the house of an exile although the affliction of the afflicted ought not to bee increased but also after hee had wronged him without anie shame at all comming before him he first made him priuie to the iniurie and in a manner both constrained him to consent vnto it and to allow thereof wherein then haue I offended By complaining of the iniurie done to my absent father I cannot be either forsakeÌ„ or disherited becaus I haue done but according vnto law Likewise my father who was so far off from the place where the wrong was committed could not well iudge thereof seeing that his griefe being absent could not be like ours that were present and also thee state wherein he was together with his age made him to indure wrong better then I could Furthermore the adulterer knowing the horriblenesse of his crime went to make his agreement with him who was ignorant of the truth and returning hether hee renued the iniurie prowdly commanding vs to like of his marriages by vertue of certain letters that it may be he either obtained by force or at the least gained by frawd No man is vndone too late at anie time but a manifest vndoing is it to giue ones daughter vnto such a one as with the helpe of such wicked impes as himselfe hath both defloured her and dishonoured her breaking into our house by force of armes I beleeue he would neuer tell you all this father or if he did tell you and you were content therewith or that you bewaile his death anie more you are no lesse faultie then he Declamation 55. Of him who gaue ouer his betrothed wife vnto his sicke son A Certaine man had two sonnes neuerthelesse hee was betrothed or made sure vnto a yoong maiden with whom one of his sonnes became so far in loue that he fell sicke and no doubt he had died if the Phisition had not told his father that his sonnes disease proceeded of loue wherevpon the father came vnto his son praied him coniured him and lastly threatned not only to curse him but also to kill him holding his sword in his hand if he would not manifest vnto him the cause of his sicknesse and what she was whom he loued wherfore the sonne seeing himselfe in such an extremitie trembling and weeping confessed that hee was in loue with his mother in law the father to saue his sonnes life yeelded her whom he had betrothed vnto him and caused them to be married together The other sonne who was enuious against his brother accused his father to haue lost his wits the which the father denied saying IT is thou that hast lost thy wits or at the least art vtterlie blinded with passion and ill will so that thou wilt be the cause that euerie man will bee amased at such an act as was neuer seene that a mother in law should bee more pittifull vnto her sonne in law then thou art vnto thine owne brother Callest thou that want of vnderstanding when by my wisedome I saue my son in granting him her who in no sort was aggreeable for me I say that in keeping her from him I should haue lost my wits seeing that she might haue done ill I might not haue done well and my sonne should haue died I am sure that he loued her better and more feruently then I did therefore is she due vnto him what wrong do I thee Art thou angrie to haue thy brother and not a mother in law I did draw the sword before his face the which no man could take foorth of my hands but only himselfe in confessing the truth Lastlie all that a father doth to saue his sonnes life is not onlie very excusable but to be accounted for exceeding great wisdome and iust pittie The Answere IT had been better for my brother to haue died then to haue caused his concupiscence so apparently to be disclosed Seeing the best that can bee said of him is that hee was healed by adulterie that you haue saued him by execration and she hath holpen him by abhomination Why may not that bee tearmed worse then adulterie which is done chieflie by the commandemeÌ„t of the husband I know not whether you haue shewed your selfe more mad in betrothing this woman or in forsaking her or els in marrieng her againe with your sonne But how farre besides himselfe is hee that thinketh it a good deed or a good turne to commit whoredome A wise man no doubt that drew his sword not to punish adulterie or to eschew the slander thereof but rather to inforce his wife and sonne to commit adulterie together My brother ought rather to haue perished then to bee cured so perniciouslie but suppose that if he had lusted after his sister or his mother ought hee to haue had either of them These remedies are more dangerous and more greeuous then danger mischiefe or death it selfe But all this hath ben compacted betwixt the son the betrothed woman and the Phisition who likewise claimed an interest therein And thus the disease the cure and the adulteries proceeded of your follie Declamation 56. Of a man that is found dead in his bed his wife wounded and the accusations together with the witnesse of a child IT chanced that a certaine man being a widdower that had a sonne married his second wife by whom hee had another son and because his first sonne did but badly agree with his mother in law the father gaue him part of his house which was neuerthelesse diuided with a wall so that they were seuerall likewise this old man had a receauer or factor which was a yoong man and a faire so that this man was somewhat suspicious that he loued his wife which iealousie was not a little increased by the sonnes persuasions so that therby oftentimes there chanced such braules betweene them that his â—actor and he were vpon tearmes of parting Wherevpon it happened that shortly after the nieghbors through the wiues exclamatioÌ„s ran into the house where they found the goodman slaine in his bed his wife wounded and so much of the common wall broken downe that a man migh teasily passe thorow it wherefore not only the sonne but also the factor was suspected to be guiltie of this murther and hauing apprehended them both they brought them before the child being of three yeares old who did lie in the same bed and asked him which of them it was that had beate his father the child pointed with his singer vnto the factor wherefore the son accused him for murthering his master but the factor through the breaking of the
wall accused the son for murthering his father saying O How wicked this world of ours is seeing that it hath brought foorth so cursed a man that hath at one instant both murthered his father would haue don the like to his mother in law so that I beleeue the feare of missing did in some sort hinder or stay his murtherous hand from giuing so great a stroke as hee intended and she fained her selfe dead least his purpose should haue been effected or to saue her husbands life whom this traitor hath murthered least he should haue been a witnesse against him for the fact as also because he did most vnnaturallie hate him for the kind and honest loue the man did beare vnto his wife and therfore he sought the means to expell me from hence that hee might better accomplish his wicked enterprise for two are more easilie slaine then three and it may be that he did put on such like apparell as mine to abuse this poor infant and to corrupt his innocencie by false testimonie but what witnesse can be more manifest then the breaking of the wall the which is likewise pulled down for the desire he had to murther his mother in law The Answere IT is verie apparent that thou commest neither vnprouided of sophistical arguments long before premeditated nor that thou art anie whit abashed of this murther seeing that the horror there of doth nothing hinder thy tongue from babling O miserable man that I am hearing the noise I ranne thether thinking to haue seene the adulterers taken but alasse I found my father killed which doth astonish me in such sort as I will onely answere that I doe not onely rest vpō the childs demonstration but vpon his further affirmation although thou hast of long time kept him in awe so that in pointing to thee with his finger hee hath both declared thee to bee the murtherer and also that thou hast oftentimes forbidden him to accuse thee for the lasciuious kisses proffered in his presence there is not anie witnesse more sufficient then the pointing of this innocent child who is of sufficient age to be able to know and discerne although not subtile inough to deceiue faine or lie If thou saiest that one witnesse is not sufficient then wil I stand vnto the peoples censure and will not refuse that thou she and I may bee all three examined by torments for God the right and fortitude shall be for the innocent Declamation 57. Of him that would compell his sonne to marry with his sister in law that was by him accused of adultery A Man had two sonnes to the one whereof hee gaue a wife who being married made a certain very long voiage into a far countrie during his absence his brother tooke such an hatred against his sister in law that hee accused her of adultery but yet not before the Iudges wherevpon her husband being returned took a bondwoman that was his wiues seruant and caused her to bee tortured so extreamely to know the truth that shee died with the torment not confessing anie thing wherefore his father that loued his daughter in law did sharpely reprooue him that hee would so lightly conceiue an ill opinion of her He as well for greefe that he had wrongfully suspected his wiues honestie and vniustly killed her bondwoman as also to perceiue his brothers malice and to haue procured his fathers displeasure did dispaire and either hanged or killed himselfe wherfore the father willed that according to the Iewish law the other sonne should marrie his brothers widdow or if otherwise he refused hee would vtterly forsake him and renounce him for his heire against the which his sonne pleaded in this sort YOu would haue me to marrie with my brothers widdow whom I haue accused for an adultresse as in sooth she is who caused both my brother to kill himselfe for griefe and compelleth you to disherit me I beleeue that you tempt me to take her to trie whether I did accuse her wrongfully or no for you your selfe would neuer giue mee an adultresse to wife but you might thinke if I did take her that she is chast and I am false truly if you could make mee to marrie her that both hateth me mortallie and I know to bee a dishonest woman one might then assuredlie beleeue that nothing would bee euer impossible for you to effect But why would you compell me to make her my bedfellow that hath made mee brotherlesse Her I say that is the cause of her husbands death of the discord twixt you and me of the scandale to our linage and of the peoples murmuring I haue alreadie chosen a wife that loueth me that will follow me if I will that wil neuer forsake me either in aduersitie or prosperitie and finallie that will bee such a one vnto me as a wife ought to be vnto her husband which will be more worth vnto me then a most great inheritance whereas if on the contrary I should marrie this woman euery one might suppose that I loued my brother but little to wed her that was the cause of his losse The Answere THere is nothing more reasonable seeing thy brother was desirous by his death to acquite the wrong which he had don vnto his wise by giuing credit to thy false accusation then that thou by marrying her mightest also declare her innocencie for the shortest follies are best wherefore it were better for thee to confesse and blot out thy fault by doing well then in perseuering alwaies in thine obstinacie to shew thy selfe in a double fault for thou art the onely cause of all these chances and slanders which thou obiectest therefore in not making amends for thy fault I may lawfully disinherit thee for thy follie Declamation 58. Of the sorceresse which poysoned her son in law and accused her owne daughter to haue ben consenting therevnto THe law appointeth that euery woman which vseth poysoh being conuinced of the crime should be tortured vntill she accused such as were partakers or consenting vnto her wicked act Whervpon it happened that a man hauing but one sonne married a second wife of whom hee had one daughter who being of reasonable yeares the sonne died of poyson and the mother in law is not onely suspected for his death but accused and conuinced thereof wherefore she being laied vpon the racke to make her confesse such as were consenting to her fact she accused her owne daughter so that shee was adiudged to bee burned with her mother but the poor father gainsaid it thus AH miserable child seeing thy mother hateth thee as much as thy father loueth thee O mischeeuous woman that euen vnto thine owne daughter thou art worse then a stepdame art thou not sufficiently glutted with thy passed murthers but thou must further gorge thee with thy daughters massacre But who knoweth not that such kind of people desire not to die without slaughter Wherefore amongst the fencers or souldiors that combat is most cruell which is fought
comming to redeeme me at the beginning of my captiuitie what man is so old that could not saile so small a way as I was from you wherefore seeing you did it not you ought to thinke well both of him and me for he hath restored me vnto you and I would also make him yours If you disherited him because hee was wicked hee is no such man seeing that he hath ben so charitable towards his father brother and vnto all those that loue vs. Lastly as I cannot compell you to giue me more then the law appointeth so cannot you take that from me which you giue me not but it appertaineth vnto me presently after your death euen as you receiued it from our grandfathers seeing that I neuer offended you in anie sort vnlesse you will account the dutie which I vse towards your sonne and my brother for an offence The fathers Answere I Am constrained against my will to disherit you both twaine seeing that you both take pleasure in displeasing me wherefore I must imitate the phisitions who in extreamest diseases vse most dangerous remedies and as the Chirurgions do oftentimes cut off the members to preserue the rest of the bodie so must I seperate my sonnes from me who are agreed together to anger me thou wouldest haue mee take him for my heire who hath tried the law against his father for his patrimonie what will not hee attempt then to abridge my life for the rest of my goods But thou must consider that the law doth allow thee only for a minister or administrator of the patrimonie but not for lord thereof and therefore thou canst not adopt thy brother For the same law which condemned me to giue him his part restraineth thee to adopt him seeing that hee is aboue the age of thirtie yeares for children also and such as are in their minoritie ought to be adopted moreouer he is thy brother no more seeing he hath let to bee my sonne But how canst thou adopt anie one for thine heire seeing thou art yet belonging to me Or if thou art not mine how canst thou inherit my goods How wouldest thou haue power ouer thy brother seeing thou wilt not suffer mee to haue the like ouer thee If he haue deserued anie good at thy hands thou oughtst to intreat me for him and not to vse your owne authoritie Want of means and oportunitie hath hindred me from redeeming thee and thou wouldest against my will giue that vnto mine enemie which in spight of his teeth he was inforced to leaue me O worthie Iudges I beseech you see vnto what extremity I am brought seeing that one hath taken away part of my patrimonie and the other would that hee should haue the whole Declamation 42. Of the husband who gaue two children vnto his wife without telling her which of them was her owne A Certaine woman died in childbirth of a sonne whom the father sent to nurse into the countrie and within a few daies after hee married a yoong wench which he had alreadie got with child shee about a month after did also beare him a son whome he in like sort did send abroad to be nursed handling the matter so well that not any besides himselfe did know which was the first or the last child About three yeares after he made the children to be brought home to his house and would not tell his wife which of them was hers Moreouer they were both of them so like the father and so little like the mothers that shee could not that way discerne them whereupon she accused her husband of bad vsage who denied it thus saying WHerefore doest thou weepe for thy child seeing thou art sure to kisse him and see him euery day if thou wilt I would long since haue tould thee which of them is thine if I had not knowne that thou art as desirous to shew thy selfe a stepdame to the one as a mother to the other Consider only that the one is thy son and the other is his brother and thy husbands son loue them then for their owne sakes or els neither loue nor hate them but I perceiue that whilest thou desirest to be a mother to the one thou art a stepdame to them both If thou doest constraine me to tell thee neuer imagine that I will tell thee the troth wherefore I will not deceiue thee as a mother but as a stepdame Nature her self determined that they should be like each other to the end that they should be both thy children Thou mightest very well know which of them is thine if the desire which thou hast to hate the one did not hinder thee wherefore behold the one or the other with the eie of a mother in law and it may bee the same will bee thine owne Long since should I haue told thee the troth if thou hadst ben lesse importunate to enquire it I will that thou alone shouldst inioy this benefit either to haue one sonne in law without being a mother in law or els to haue two children without hauing suffered for the birth of more then one of them When they are of more age marke which of them will be more obedient vnto thee and the same shall bee thy sonne or at the least shall deserue that thou shouldest so account him and giue ouer henceforth to bewaile thy sonne seeng thou art not onely certaine that thou hast him but also that thou canst not lose him vnlesse they doe both die The wiues answere YOu doe me great wrong for how can my son loue honor and obey me aright if hee be not sure that I am his mother so that desiring to make me a mother of two you make both the one the other to be my sons in law You doe well know both your children haue the ioy thereof but you depriue me of mine or rather make me partaker of nothing but greefe and sorrow and being willing to giue a mother to your owne you depriue me of mine You say well that I am a stepdame to them both but you are the cause thereof and are worse then a stepfather vnto mine seeing that you take his mother from him or at the least will not suffer him to know her Declamation 43. Of him who drunke poyson with his wife wherwith she died and he made claime vnto hir heritage by her Testament WHen Octauius Marc Anthonie and Lepidas did part the Romane Empire betweene them many of the Nobles were slaine others fled and were banished or els fined in a great summe of money paiable vnto those which were appointed to kill them Amongst whom there was a Roman exile who was followed by his wife that was verie rich whose chance was that vpon a certaine time she found her husband in a secret place holding a cup in his hand she asked him what he had in the cup he answered that it was poison and that he wold poyson himselfe because he desired to liue no longer in this miserie the
women is such as they must be pure chast and free from all crime but the Abbesse must be the chastest of all the rest Wherevpon it chanced that a certaine yoong Nunne of Naples was to saile into Sicilie to be an Abbesse there but her misfortune was such that she was taken vpon the sea by Pyrats they sould her vnto a bawd in Barbarie who put the said Nunne into a Brothelhouse to get monie by her but she declaring her misfortune vnto such men as came to take their pleasure of her did so win them by her persuasions that they giuing her the accustomed reward left her a virgin vntill that on a time there came vnto her an insolent souldior who would in no sort regard her speech but hauing paied his monie would by force haue had his will of her and as he was striuing with her she drew his dagger forth of his sheath and slue him for the which she was put in prison but being before the Iudges shee was not onely acquited of the murther but also they sent her back vnto Sicilie vnto the place whether shee was determined to goe She being there arriued they would not receiue her for Abbesse but said THis woman here which would be an Abbesse should yet haue ben in the Brothelhouse if she had not murthered a man but can she be chast comming from such a place Nay let vs see whether it be lawfull to receiue such into monasteries whom the stewes and the prison forsaketh Seeing the order of religion may very lawfully be denied euen vnto those as doe but onely passe by such places she saith fortune constrained mee vnto these inconueniences therefore ought euery one to haue compassion vpon me but wee say that those which are worthie of pittie are vnworthie of a prelateship neither is it a custome amongst vs that such places as are of greatest honours should be bestowed in recompence of sustained harms seeing that the only freeing them from their said harms may serue for a sufficient recompence of their passed miseries Likewise we may consider how smally she deserued by the little care her parents took of her distresse not onely in suffering her to be lost or taken away but being taken neuer sought either to recouer her or once to seeke her out and what did the Pyrats see in her that they rather sold her vnto a pandor then to a Princesse or to some other honourable ladie If she knew how to persuade so manie men to leaue her a Virgine as she saith wherefore could she not persuade her mistresse to suffer her to gaine her liuing by some other means rather then to put her forth to so vild a vse or els why did she not as Hippo the faire Grecian did who leaped into the sea so soone as she perceiued that she was taken by Pyrats Alasse if this woman obtaine the Abbesseship greatlie are the Nunnes of this order to be pittied if amongst them there cannot bee found one more chast then an harlot or more innocent then a murtherer She cannot be chast inough to rule ouer vs especiallie seeing she saith I knew how to persuade all those that came vnto me the which sheweth a certain token of her immodestie for otherwise how could she haue pratled so well in that place where such as were modest would haue burst into teares and without being able to speake one onlie word would haue died for shame Let vs then take the case thus that in her there are three do claime to be Abbesse the first is one taken by Pyrats the second such a one as hath liued in the stewes the third she that murthered a man of whom the best is farre vnworthie of anie honour The Answere GOd herein was minded to shew his power by making this woman free in bondage chast in a dishonest place and most innocent in committing murther to defend her chastitie I know not whether anie did euer deserue the place of Abbesse so well as she but I am sure there would bee somewhat to doe to depose all the Abbesses that are lesse worthie then shee How chast she is the blood of the slaine souldior doth testifie how innocent she is the Iudges doe declare how happie she is her returne doth shew Wherefore it is verie manifest that God would neuer haue preserued her from so manie perrils if it had not ben to serue him in some worthie place Therefore the same God which hath protected her is himselfe alone a further testimonie of her chastitie and he onely is able to comprehend her admirable valor Declamation 54. Of him who against his fathers mind persuaded his sister to cause him to die that had forced her THe law is that whosoeuer killeth a man by chance he should be banished or put to exile for fiue yeares likewise euerie maid that is forced or rauished may chuse whether she will haue the ranisher die or whether she will haue him to be her husband Wherevpon it chanced that a certaine man which had a son and a daughter was exiled for the cause aforesaid his daughter that remained with her brother in the house was rauished by another yong man who after his fault committed fled vnto the maidens father with whom hee so much preuailed that he obtained letters from him wherein he commanded his daughter to chuse her said rauisher for her husband and not to require his death the father likewise writ vnto his sonne intreating him to persuade his sister to consent therevnto who on the contrarie constrained his sister to demand his death so that the father at his returne did cast off and disherit his sonne saying A Lasse my misfortune is intollerable seeing that I being as alwaies I haue been a louer of the Commonwealth haue notwithstanding bereaued her of two men and both against my will yet not without being culpable therefore in the one manslaughter I was abused by fortune in the other by him who is in name yet not indeed my sonne that hath inforced his sister to disobey her father as well as he in a iust commandement and caused her to obey him in a cruell reuenge some may say that it is incident vnto man to offend it had ben a sufficient excuse if I had not both aduertised and intreated him the contrarie and also if hee had not knowne the griefe which I alreadie sustained for being the cause of a mans death and that I did therefore owe a citizen vnto the commonwealth whom I might haue satisfied in sauing the life of this same man by whom manie others might haue ben begotten so that hauing slaine the other vnaduisedly I might haue saued this circumspectly but thou because thou wouldst haue no nephewes by thy sister and that thou mightest cause me die with sorrow hast broken my purpose wherefore I iudge thee vnworthie of the heritage which so plainlie thou seekest to obtain by so many vnreasonable means The Answere THe death of a good Citizen cannot be
nature of louers is to thinke euerie minute a month and fearing to lose the good so much of them desired they can hardlie beleeue that which they both see and touch I will willinglie submit my selfe to the law but I will not that thou shouldest haue the credit to compel me in anie sort Thou hast no cause to complaine of thy shipwracke seeing that from the same two holie actions haue proceeded that is to say hospitalitie and mariage I offered thee the one and intreated thee for the other Thou art deceiued if thou thinkest that I will loue thee or thy daughter anie whit the more my life hauing ben once in your power the loue which I doe beare vnto her is great inough without bringing me vnto such an ouergreat extremitie far better is a free and voluntarie loue then is that which proceedeth from anie bond my affection cannot be increased because it is alreadie perfect My marriage declareth that I neither rauished nor constrained thy daughter at all vnlesse it be because I married her without anie substance at all if thou art not content that I haue so done giue mee her portion and I will accept it If thou hast no goods vse mine as the goods of thy daughter and let vs liue in peace Declamation 83. Of a blind woman that would haue detained her sonne from redeeming his father out of prison THe law appointeth that euery child which was old inough to serue and releeue his father or mother and would not indeuour himselfe so to doe ought to bee imprisoned or kept in bonds as a bondslaue Wherevpon it chanced that a man made a long voiage by sea leauing his wife and sonne at home being vpon the sea he fortuned to be taken by Pyrats so that he was constrained to write vnto his wife and son that they might find the means to ransome him out of captiuitie The wife wept so much as she became blind therewith the sonne would needes depart to redeeme his father but his mother would detain him demanding that seruice at his hands wherevnto the law did bind him and would haue caused him to be laid in bonds because he would not tarrie the sonne pleaded against her thus IT is sufficient that two remaine in bondage without desiring that the third should likewise bee laid in bonds the prison detaineth my father in thraldome and your bondage mother is your blindnesse Wherefore will you heape miserie vpon calamitie in bringing me also in captiuitie what wrong doe I vnto you in leauing you a little while for so good an intent as to releiue my father Will you haue the world to doubt that you are not so louing a wife towards your husband as alwaies hetherto they haue esteemed you Will you that for your sake a man may say that all women are in their extremities Doe you not know that vertue consisteth in a meane Will you haue me to forsake my father do you not perceiue that his captiuitie summoneth mee to trauell for his libertie Doe you not consider that the chiefest part belongeth to the father and the second vnto the mother He is abroad you are at home he is in bondage you are free you are amongst pittifull Cittizens hee in the hands of pittilesse Pirats his feet are fettered but thanks to God yours are at libertie true it is that you are blind but alasse he is farre more miserable then you for your blindnesse hindereth you from beholding an infinite number of things which would vex you but he continuallie seeth his enemies vieweth his chaines whippes and bastinadoes which he often feeleth and hourly feareth and looketh vpon the oare and other instruments wherewith he is euermore tired You say the voiage is too dangerous for me how manie are there that to win the loue of some gay ladie will not sticke to aduenture anie daunger whatsoeuer Why then should I feare to deliuer my father Consider that such as hinder others from well doing doe amisse themselues and that hee which giueth not all the aid he can vnto those that are afflicted may be well said to bee the onlie cause of their affliction Wherefore deare mother I beseech you not to be one of that number or if you will needs bee yet suffer me not so to be The mothers Answere IT is thou that desirest vnto my husbands losse to ad my sonnes lacke and so finallie to procure my vtter desolation leauing mee here alone blind and poore If thy father being old subtle could not escape from being taken by Pirats How wilt thou being yong and simple shun the like perils Doest thou say that thou shalt leaue me for a small time when I know thou canst neuer return If thy father had beleeued me he should not now haue ben in that calamitie wherein he remaineth and into that which thou wouldest cast thy selfe neither yet should I haue beene constrained to haue brought that loue in question which thou saiest thou bearest vnto vs both in that which I require there is no extremitie at all for being bound vnto twaine he or she that is present may command as being the nearest thy death or thy losse will not anie whit deminish but rather double thy fathers miserie when he shal know it if he be not dead alreadie as I fear he is For yong men may die too soone but old men cannot liue anie long time if he were aduertised of my blindnesse I am sure he would command thee not to forsake me how wouldest thou then haue thy voiage to prosper when thou vndertakest it contrarie to thy fatherrs meaning and against thy mothers mind Where is thy true obedience Is this the recompence for my bringing thee forth with so great pain And for nursing and bringing thee vp with such exceeding care In seruing me thou doest well in leauing me thou doest ill so that thou canst not saie that I hinder thee from well doing But I would rather persuade and compell thee therevnto if I could likewise I haue as much need of helpe as thy father hath who did himself command thee not to forsake me when he departed from hence and then being not blind I had no such need of thee as now I haue Neuer imagine that God will euer fauour thee if thou now forsakest me Declamation 84. Of a rich man who thinking to burne the tree of a poore man did also burne his house THe law appointeth that whosoeuer harmeth another man vnaduisedly he must but onely recompence the hurt that is done but if anie doe a mischiefe of set purpose or maliciously hee must make satisfaction for the same fourefold Wherevpon it happened that a rich man dwelt next house vnto a poore man that had in his small garden a great tree growing which did take away a great part of the prospect from the rich mans house who did oftentimes intreat the poore man to sell him the said tree but hee would in no sort consent therevnto affirming that it ought
child Wherevpon he made the said Leideric knight and created him Earle of Flanders Now saith the historie that the eldest sonne of the said Earle being old inough to court ladies did meet before the court gates with a woman that had a small basket of fruit to sell which he tooke from her and carried vp vnto the gentlewomen The poore woman staied for money for her said fruit so long vntill it grew towards night and then departing homeward she lost her selfe in the forrest so as she could not find her house vntill the next morning when comming home she found her child dead for want of the teat Wherevpon she complained vnto the Earle he fained to carrie his said sonne abroad to tourney but passing thorow the forrest he caused him to be hanged Wherefore let vs suppose that the people accused the Earle vnto the king in this sort EVery cruelty if it may please your Maiestie is assuredly very odious but that which the father committeth against his owne child is most execrable for the father his kindnesse ought to exceed all other loue imitating therein the loue which God did beare vnto man for the saluation of whom he hath not spared his only begotten son our Lord and Redeemer whose example they are more bound to follow that are chosen to rule others then those which are more base in condition because the people for the most part doe conforme themselues to immitate their actions which command and especially the bad before the good Wherevpon it followeth that he which commandeth ouer a Commonwealth or prouince cannot offend in any meane sort especially if his offence be publike more if the cause be not ouer great but most of all if it be such a vice as degenerateth from the nature of man all which said faults are found in this detestable deed of our Earle hauing wrongfullie put to death his owne son and what sonne Euen his eldest sonne and the same which should haue succeeded him and bene our Earle But what offence can bee more publike then to cause his sonne to die by the most shamefull death in the world For by the halter are theeues executed and yet he had no such cause to put him to death seeing that notwithstanding his fault was remedilesse moreouer there is no â—ice thought more vnbeseeming a man then crueltie and there is no greater cruelty theÌ„ that which is committed against a mans owne blood the which crueltie is not only done against himselfe against his sonne and against vs in putting our Prince to death but also against the mother and brethren of the Prince and that which worst is against your Maiestie hauing executed the sonne of your daughter your nephew and your subiect who in processe of time might haue done good seruice vnto your crowne and state Wherefore this tyrant hath not only shewed crueltie vnto all these aboue named but he hath further manifested his ingratitude vnto his king and soueraigne vnto your Maiestie I say who hath made him noble by knighting him creating him Earle of this countrie and accepting him for your sonne in law What punishment deserueth not a crime so manifest committed against the person of such a monarch But who is so ignorant that will not affirme that in this action froward fortune hath rather beene the cause of the mischeife happened vnto this woman than the prince himselfe or els it was her negligence or ill hap or the desteny of the infant What meant she to stay so long Did not she know where to haue found the Prince the next day Had she lost her money by staying for it But to be short this woman did shew her selfe to be both cruell and obstinate as their sex are for the most part and it may be she staied so long tatling with some of her gossips and boasting that the Prince had bought her fruit as night ouertooke her before she was aware for the prattle of a woman is oftentimes without measure But were it that the Prince his fault were farre more manifest and hainous then it is yet is the cause to be iudged by none but by the king only or by such as should by his Maiestie be deputed and appointed for iudges and it is more vnfit that the father should be iudge of his child then any other because either too exceeding loue or too extreame rage may ouerrule him for when he is angry with those whome he loueth his anger proueth more vehement and dangerous towards them then against others Likewise no iudgement ought to be pronounced without counsell and due informations But what proofes was brought against our prince Where are those which were called to consult vpon iudgement or to giue aduice that he ought to die Alas the father and the hangman were both Iurie Iudge and Executioner Well God graunt this mischiefe proceed not from some other ground that is to say least some old malice long since conceiued hath not made the father to find this occasion to destroy his son it may be chiefely to aduance his second sonne whom he loued better I passe ouer in silence how hee hath secretly endeuoured to haue the world suppose that the same was none of his son therby meaning to slander your daughter for those which know themselues inferiour to their wiues doe neuer loue them heartily but seeke all the meanes they can to make them lesse esteemed and especially such as are ingratefull of whom this Tyrant sheweth himselfe to be the chiefest It may be said that it is not lawfull to accuse any man by coniecture but what vilenesse may not a man imagine by such a one seeing that like as vertues are knit together so do vices follow one another To conclude dread soueraigne we doe better feele this wrong done to your Maiestie to your daughter to her children and to our selues then we are able to expresse the same in words but our iust teares together with our silence demand iustice of your highnesse The answere of the Earle AS nothing surely can be more odious or degenerating from the nature of man then crueltie so also is nothing more necessarie for humane conuersation then iustice ioined with wisedome for indeed without it iustice seemeth to bee no better then crueltie as wisedome also without iustice is esteemed no other then meere malice yet holding these two vertues linked together a man may put his owne child to death and not be taxed of crueltie but rather praised for his pietie and loue towards them and Common-wealth And such were the Numantines accounted for slaying their children rather then they would leaue them for slaues So was Virginius who killed his daughter to saue her chastitie I passe ouer Manlius Torquatus Posthumius and diuers others who put their owne children to death onely for the zeale they had vnto the obseruation of militarie discipline yet for all that not any of all these haue beene iudged to be cruell or worthy of blame but on the
and especially because the witnesse of a father against his sonne is more sufficient then all other testimonies according to the reasons aboue said and sauing my dutie vnto his roiall maiestie and this noble assistance this is most false which you obiect against me touching my ladie the Countesse who hath thought me worthie to bee her husband and the king accepting me for his son inlaw I haue euermore loued and honored and so far am I from causing her to bee ill accounted of as with the price of my life I would seeke to defend and increase her honour which being so it may please his highnes not to suffer him to be vnpunished who hath spoken so slanderously as thou hast done as if any person liuing might doubt of her chastitie In saying that I thinke my selfe to be inferiour vnto her thou doest therein also shew thy ignorance together with thy malice for besides the difference of the sex which maketh euery man better then a woman it is most manifest that loue and marriage doth alwaies make the man and the wife equall It is likewise to bee considered that they are no lesse noble which attaine therevnto by desert then those which come vnto it by descent for which the heires are the more beholding vnto their ancestors and to say that I deserue not the dignitie which I enioy it should be a reproch vnto the king who of his grace respecting my deserts hath himselfe thought me worthy of what he hath bestowed vpon me Lastly I appeale vnto your maiestie for the wrong which my subiects doe offer me in accusing and slanderidg me vniustly and consequently I demand iustice vpon the same Declamation 3. Of Pacuuius who hauing by his subtilty saued the Senators of Capua is accused of Treason AFter the ouerthrow of Cannas many cities yeelded vnto Hanniball and in some of them the people rebelled against the Senators as those of Capua did where the Senate were in great danger to be cut in peeces by the communaltie the which Pacuuius foreseeing being a subtile man and of the number of the Senators but better beloued and esteemed amongst the people then with the Senat he determined to appease the people by a wile Whereof consulting with the rest of the Senators and they finding no better meanes for their safeties they consented therevnto Wherevpon Pacuuius fained to detaine all the Senators as prisoners in the pallace appointing certaine Ploebeians there to guard them then he said vnto the people which were already assembled before the pallace I haue the Senators our enemies in prison and am of the opinion that all of them should be put to death but to the end that the citie may not be destitute of Magistrates it behooueth that you your selues doe chuse amongst you new Senators in the steed of the others which we shal kill to the end that we may not be surprised vnawares either by the Romans or any other of our enemies and haue not such as may command and gouerne vs. Then hauing a Catalogue in writing of the names of all the Senators he said First such a one must be killed who was a mā of great authoritie name one amongst you who may be thought worthy to succeed in his place Then the people began to looke one vpon another and there was not found any that was deemed sufficient to take that charge vpon him Wherefore they began to accuse Pacuuius of crueltie and in the end they confessed that there was not men enough to be found amongst them worthie to be Senators and therefore they concluded to leaue the Senate euen as it was Wherevpon the Senators were both deliuered and confirmed in their former authoritie Yet let vs suppose that it happened that one amongst the Senat no lesse enuious of Pacuuius his authoritie then ioifull that he was saued by his subtiltie did long time after accuse him at Rome affirming that hee onely induced the people vnto this sedition and that his intention was not to saue but rather to slay the Senators and began his accusation in this manner VNdoubtedly such as suffer a wicked or vicious man to liue in a citie doe either first or last repent it yet is it rather commonly too late How much more then ought they to be sorrie that suffer such men to obtaine the gouernement of the Commonwealth and the honors only due to righteous and vertuous men who for the most part doe shun such authorities because it is a hard matter to execute so waightie a charge well For since the weaknesse of man is such as euen the wisest doe mistake bad things for good and good things for bad vntill the effect of that which afterward happeneth doth make thē know their error How can vitious or wicked men be able to doe any thing that is good Surely honours are the true touchstone whereby the vertue or goodnesse of a man is knowne for in authority vertuous men do manifest their goodnesse as wicked men do lay open their badnesse as Aristides Epaminundus Licurgus and others in all their authority did shew that vertue was incorruptible And Periander Pisistratus Lisander and others declared how much ambition preuaileth ouer such as are not perfectly vertuous whose example Pacuuius was desirous to imitate for being born in Capua a wicked man and seeing that he was there in such sort suffered to remaine he durst wel make claime vnto dignities and obtaining the same did afterwards aspire to be tyrant For by how much they which are vnworthie of authoritie and yet doe attaine there vnto by so much the more doth their insolencie thereby increase and that in such sort as they not only doe presume the same to be due vnto them but also that there is no gouernement great inough for them and therefore such oppresse euen those who haue most fauoured them which truly is a iust punishment which the Gods sendeth vpon those who fauour the wicked that euen by the same themselues are oftentimes destroied And so is it iustly fallen vpon our Senators who knowing the vices of this man haue not only permitted him to attaine the most principall honors but also by their negligence haue suffered him to tirannise ouer the Senate and people euen to the danger of the liues of the said Senators being so audacious as to affirme vnto them that he only was able to defend them from being hewed in peeces by the people and afterwards by his rashnesse put all their liues in danger of the peoples insolencie But what had it bene if the people had resolued to doe that which he counselled them vnto what assurance had he that such his folly should haue come vnto a good end Truly that was euen the least of his caro seeing that it could not happen amisse vnto him for if the people slew the Senat he should remaine the prince of the people and the matter falling out as it did hee should remaine lord of the people and Senat together
shall newly come forth of their office The Answere WE do confesse that the Dictator should be such a man as you say but you did not or at the least would not tell what els was requisit for him to doe which is that he ought also to consider to what end he was created whether to represse the Tuscans or to abolish or abridge the authority of the officers appointed by the Senat and people as if he alone were wiser then all the rest There was neuer any Dictator made vnlesse it were to withstand those casualties which could not otherwise be redressed We doe not stand vpon the necessity of this abridgement but doe onely demand if it could not be done vnlesse a Dictator should by this deed embolden the people euery day to attempt new matters And giue an example vnto the succeeding Dictators to do other things thē those for which they are ordained for of all things as well good as bad the beginning is the chiefe point so that it is most dangerous to be the ringleader vnto others to doe amisse because suddainly they alleage the example of him that went before them For the greater his authoritie is that was the first inuenter of any such matter so much the more pernicious is the same vnto the Commonwealth therfore we haue not done amisse if that should happen which you say because those which would follow his example should also remember that such presumptuous acts do not so greatly profit as they are supposed But we haue not burthened him for this cause but only because it was our dutie so to doe and we are no more bounden to giue an account of our actions then he is of his the which seeme no lesse contrary to the Senat then fauourable to the people who are ouer insolent of themselues already and although we will not say that Mamercus entendeth by this popular fauour to performe some bad act yet who shal hinder some to thinke that by such like means a man may imagine to aspire vnto some such vniust matter I will not say to be tyrant for there is more then one way to attaine vnto the same as there are many sorts of tyrannies Wherefore it is the duetie of a good Citizen to shew that he doth quite detest euery act that may breed any suspition Therefore it were no wisdome to come vnto this extremitie of the deserts either of his or our actions for the disputation thereof would be no lesse difficult then dangerous so that it were better to deferre that vntill you haue obtained as you say that we must be adiudged and corrected by our predecessors in the meane season let vs now pretend that our authoritie is more then your vnderstanding doth allow it We are not ignotant of Mamercus his vertue neither can we but know what fauour kindred and meanes he hath nor hath he offended vs but rather the Magistrat and the Common-wealth for hauing abridged the office he taketh away the men euen then when they might doe most good therein for there is no man so perfect that at the first committeth not some faults or at the least wise doth not execute a charge better after he hath beene exercised in the same some years then when he first began to vse the same the which neither he himselfe nor you can with reason denie neuertheles there is no malice in vs but rather in you that doe not only accuse vs but threaten vs aswell with the future authoritie of Mamercus as also that we must answere our actions vnto those that supplied this office before vs but considering that threatned men doe liue long and such as do most fear do sorest threaten and because threatnings are for the most part sure weapons to defend the threatned we will make no account thereof and the rather because they come not from him whom you pretend to haue the greatest wrong who is ouer wise to vse such speeches and though he should yet could we answere him well inough no man knoweth better then himselfe whether his wealth be increased and whether his imposition be ouer burdenous or no if he doe either affirme it or you doe prooue it we will answere you and if we haue heretofore spared him it was because the time did so require it and for some other respects wherewith we are not to acquaint you Finally Mamercus during his office did that which he thought good and we during ours neither haue nor will doe any thing but that which is good honest and reasonable and we are not to answer you for our actions God graunt that the people doe not beleeue that Mamercus hath abridged the office of Censors for the same end and purpose as Spurius Melius extended his liberality of corne vnto them Declamation 9. Of the husband that slew his wife for hauing lost two of his children the one by fire the other by water A Certaine woman as she was washing and wiping her little sonne did see her yong daughter fal into the fire wherevpon being ouer hastie to helpe it she let her sonne fall into the boule of water wherein he was drowned herevpon her husband happened to come in who presently slew her The womans kindred apprehended him accused him vnto the iustice saying THis wicked fellow not being content with two mischances would needs ad therevnto a third mischiefe O what griefe ought ours to be that hauing not only lost our yoong nephew and his mother but being iustly prouoked thervnto by this damned deed we must likewise procure the death of this wretch which in an vnluckie houre was our kinsman seeing that he alone must be the dishonor of all our linage dying as a publique spectacle by the hands of a hangman according to his deserts because he hath ben worse then a hangman to his poor wife whose only company he deserued not being so chast honest and vertuous as she was bearing a sincere and deuout loue vnto him who was her butcher so as I dare say and beleeue that this soule of hers no lesse louing then innocent dooth yet lament in another world not only in that she was martired by him who ought to haue loued cherished and defended her from all others that would haue burther but also taketh pittie vpon the most iust miserie of this murther and as whiles she liued she alwaies preferred his contentment before her own so now she would thinke her selfe happy if it were possible that she might once more die to saue his life as did the charitable Alcest to saue her most deare Admetus but I would demand of this wicked man wherein his wife had deserued to die by the hands of him who had sworne to keep and defend her from all iniurie Alasse an ouer vehement charitie made her commit a fault which as it fell out was great but to be blamed for it she is not For a motherly loue and a naturall charity seeing her daughter fallen into the fire made her
those which euen now called him their God and preseruer of their liues a matter illbeseeming the Citizens of Rome who ought rather to reward me for hauing rooted from amongst them such a one who like vnto the fisher and fouler that with a little bait deceaueth both the fish and birds depriuining the one of their libertie the other of their liues would also doe the like by them but it is commonly seen that as the belly hath no eares so also hath the stomacke no discretion the which is apparently prooued by the confederats of Spurius wherefore it belongeth to you noble citizens that are not bounden vnto him and which haue not sold your libertie for a morcell of bread to you I say it belongeth to consider what I haue deserued hauing slaine him who with the helpe of a few faint hearted fooles would captiuate your sweet libertie as for that which the Tribun saith of the peoples mourning against the Senat if he himselfe be not the inuenter thereof yet it is a signe at the least that the people which vse such conference with him doe very well know that he taketh pleasure therein for if there were no eares that delighted in hearing slanderous speeches there would be few slanderous tongues but how could I bring him aliue seeing the people do yet so greatly affect him because time which changeth all thinges hath not as yet changed their minds but rather increased the same If that be true which the Tribun doth rashly say against the Senat A man may easily tearme Spurius another manner of man then you say he is although the crime had beene lesse dangerous then it is but when the matter concerneth the preseruation of our libertie seeing there was no respect had vnto the sonnes of Brutus being faultie nor vnto Collatin being innocent and partly the author of the said freedome why should Spurius be respected And as you say that the Dictator is not chosen but in great extremitie his election doth sufficiently witnesse the extremity wherein the Commonwealth remained true it is that I told him wherein he was accused to the end that if he were guiltlesse he might be lesse afraid to appeare before the Dictator and being guiltie haue the better meanes to thinke vpon his excuse but he had no desire to take the benefit of my aduertisement but as one alreadie condemned by his owne conscience he endeuoured to flie away for a true signe that he is a malefactor which distrusteth as much in himselfe as in the iudges if he had not beene faultie why was he so fearefull Seeing that innocencie dooth alwaies assure those that imbrace her but we may see by him that Tyrannie is like vnto a faire and pleasant pallace that is high enough but yet without staires or steps to come downe without breaking ones necke euen so those which by pride and ambition thinke to attain vnto honour and profit doe for the most part meet with shame and confusion he needed not to feare that he should not haue had time and place to excuse himselfe seeing that there was neuer anie Citizen condemned in Rome if his cause were but only doubtful if his meaning were good in distributing the corne why did he not come to declare the same vnto the Dictator Finally if he had beene as innocent as he was culpable I am not in any sort to be blamed seeing the Dictator hath not only allowed but also publickely lauded my deed I list not therefore further to dispute of his innocencie or his offence but rather the accuser that did accuse him And it appertaineth vnto the Dictator to defend me hauing performed my charge according to his commandements seeing that euen when I had done it he allowed my fact to be good and worthie for a maister of the knights as I was But who will any more obey the Dictators if when after their authoritie is expired it may be lawfull for any man to sue those which doe accomplish their commandements Declamation 11. Of the wife of a Tyrant who hauing slaine her husband required his sonne for a recompence THe law appointed that whosoeuer killed a Tyrant should obtaine of the Commonwealth whatsoeuer he demandeth except onely the gouernement thereof Moreouer the same law saith that after the death of the Tyrant all such as were neerest of kinne vnto him must likewise die although they be nothing culpaple Whervpon it happened that the wife of the Tyrant not knowing any cause why did slay her husband and required for recompence of her fact that her sonnes life might be saued and exempted from the foresaid law but the Citizens declared that the same could not bee done saying THe same law that promiseth you a reward doth denie you him whom you demand seeing that it commandeth expressely that all the kindred of the Tyrant should die wherefore if any other then your selfe had slaine him you should haue beene one of the same number yea and the first of all as she that was neerer vnto him then any other of his kinne and so consequently the chiefest partaker of his Tyrannie but yet to fauour you we will not now dispute vpon the cause of your killing of him whether the same was done through hate anger or for some other particular reason without anie regard at all of the common good for although no act be it neuer so good is to be performed by any wicked meanes yet do we allow your fact for good and laudable and you may induce vs to beleeue that you haue done it in a good zeale and for our benefit so that you will not desire to saue the Tyrants sonnes life for in preseruing it you shall not haue slaine but reuiued the Tyrant neither yet ended but prolonged the Tyrannie because it is more likely that a yoong man will liue longer then an old for surely although the Tyrants sonne be neuer so well disposed yet shall we alwaies suspect him can there be anie greater tyrannie then to stand in doubt of it continually seeing that of all euils feare is the cruellest part for without it death it selfe should be a soueraigne good Truly a knowne Tirannie were farre lesse greeuous then a daily feare to fall into it would be for the Prouerb saith That much better is a knowne mischiefe then a doubtfull pleasure how much then ought we to preferre a certaine good before a manifest euill of the which good we can neuer be assured so long as the tyrants sonne doth liue for the desire of reuenge is so whot and the couetousnesse to commaund and rule so vehement that hardly may he forget who was his father also it is to be feared that you would neuer haue slaine the fire if you had not thereby hoped one day to see the sonne in his seat which would be worse for vs then if the father were yet liuing You will say that the banishment of him whom we feare might very well put vs out of doubt the which can
in no sort be so because our enemies which might helpe him with their fauour and counsell are abroad Coriolanus being banished would haue destroied Rome had not his mother by her wise persuasions preuented him so also would this our enemie not be the first that of an exile would aspire to be king for such as are farre from their countrie experience and want maketh them much more industrious and resolute so that so long as he liueth wee shall be like him that holdeth the wolfe by the eares who no sooner is let lose but he doth mischiefe and to hold him still is both ircksome and dangerous for as the wolfe hurteth those whom he seeth before he be spied euen so this race of aspiring Tirants infect the righteous minds of those which are not well acquainted with their nature But would you willingly incurre this blame to haue slaine your husband for some other cause rather then for the good of the Commonwealth we haue no such bad opinion of you yet let your good deed then be sound and without spot rather then to demand such a thing whereof vnto you there would come exceeding mischiefe and vnto vs most great danger like as you know that the law saith that the Tyrant killer should be rewarded so you may remember as wel as the reward that it also saith that all the Tirants kindred ought to be put to death If you haue slaine your husband neither for loue of the law nor for the good of the land you are greatly to be blamed and to be punished for murthering your husband but if your zeale be good suffer then that good may come therof You will say my sonne is yoong true it is and therefore he may the more easily grow worse then better as those doe who are by nature borne vicious and they are such for the most part as are borne of tyrannous parents as his father hath ben prooued and so shall you likewise be if you obey not the law Finally the father and the mother haue ben both very resolute the one to vsurpe the other either to suppresse or desirous to renue the tirannie vntill now we doe not know whether of the twain was meant but we know very well how dangerous the preseruing of a son borne of such parents is whose qualities he may very well follow resolue you then to put vs out of doubt in asking such a reward as may be graunted that to a good and vertuous end you murthered the tirant or els prepare you to receiue such punishment as a woman deserueth that for her owne particular passions hath slaine her husband The Answere HOw now my good lords and friends Are you desirous that in you this detestable Prouerbe should bee verefied which saith That there is nothing more vnconstant vnthankful and more exceeding insolent then the common people so soon as they perceiue themselues free from feare It should seeme then by this that tyrannie keeping you in awe and so consequently in obedience would be more profitable for you then libertie but God forbid that so it should be said of my countriemen I had rather die a thousand times if it were possible and seeing I haue not spared mine owne husband for the good of the Common-wealth neuer thinke that I would spare my sonnes life yea or mine owne vnto your preiudice But I feare that we thinking to doe well both you and I shall be blamed I of crueltie and you of crueltie and ingratitude together for greater crueltie is it to slay an innocent then to pardon an hundred offenders consider then that her sonne who hath set you at libertie hath neuer offended the Common-wealth but as yoong as he is he hath alwaies seemed to abhorre the cruelties of his father who being put to death by my hands the child hath verie constantly showne himselfe to be more glad for the benefit of the Commonwealth then sorrie for the death of his father and with a great contentment hath he left off his gorgeous apparell and his accustomed delicacie to conforme himselfe after my will like vnto the rest of the Citizens Why then my very good lords doe you desire the death of an innocent which sheweth himselfe so affectioned towards you And such a one as may one day do you good seruice wherfore doe you not as well consider the good which he may doe vnto you as the mischiefe which you imagine to be done alreadie by him But the hate which you did beare vnto the father you turn vpon the son when you say that he is the sonne of a Tirant why doe you not as well say that he is her sonne that slew the tirant If you wil not loue him for my sake at the least let your hate be as little as your loue and condemne him not before he haue offended let him liue a while and if he commit the least offence in the world punish him with death loe then the gift which I doe craue for the reward of my desert not the life of my sonne but the delay of his death you say that it is not you but the law which requireth his death it is to be considered that all the interpretations or gloses of the laws ought rather to tend vnto clemencie then vnto rigour and principally when the effect thereof tendeth vnto crueltie for this law which saith that all the kinne and adherents of the tirant must die ought to be vnderstood of those which haue aided and assisted him to exercise his tirannie or that haue beene his partakers therein but wherein might this poor innocent haue offended who knoweth not as yet what tirannie meaneth you must then remember my lords that he is her son who hath made the zeale of her countrie striue and triumph ouer the name of a Princesse ouer the delights of the world ouer soueraigntie so greatly desired of women the which they themselues are vnapt to obtaine ouer wealth the which they so much esteeme and finally ouer a husbands loue and a vowed faith and that which is not the least esteeming all impartial pleasures as base in respect of your generall profit Remember that I haue depriued my self of my husband that I haue slain my child his father what zeale would you haue more great towards our fellow countrymen But if there were the least shew in the world that he would euer be preiudiciall vnto you I would not let for any thing to sacrifice him by and by for your safetie but seeing I am certaine that he will become a very good Citizen and a faithfull louer of his countrie following the same example which I haue giuen beleeue me sirs that I had rather die then he should as also I will not liue any longer after his death Will you iustlie deserue this infamie O you Citizens not onelie to haue beene vnwilling to giue the promised reward vnto her that redeemed you But also to haue ben the cause that she suffered a death more
sorrowfull then the miserable Hecuba Alas alas why doe you not as well beleeue that he may prooue good as his mother which is the surer side and that he may not be so bad as the father of whome you haue beene reuenged by the hands of her who more then any other was bounden vnto you You must beleeue that the gods are iust and pittifull and in this onlie point of pittie men may follow them and make themselues almost like vnto them as the Prouerb saith That one man is a god vnto another and sometimes a wolfe vnto a man take you thē that part which is most commendable O courteous lords beware that you incurre not the anger of the gods the reproch of men and that which is worst of al take heed least your ingratitude or your ouer great desire of reuenge be not the cause to make you lose the good wils of such who in some other vrgent affairs may aid or doe you some worthie seruice For ingratitude and crueltie are abhominable both before God and men Declamation 12. Of him who vnder coulor of obeying his father displeased the priest that administred the sacraments vnto him A Certaine honourable ladie being at the point of death made her last will and testament after the desire of her curate who had more respect vnto his owne particular profit and the commodity of the church then to any the benefite of her kindred wherevpon so long as the ladie was able to say I he alwaies added something or other vnto the will when neither any of the sonnes nor the father himselfe either would or durst gainsay him in any thing he did for feare of troubling the mind of the sicke woman but after her death and that the funerals were inded there was some motion made to haue the said will reformed wherevnto the curate would in no sort consent but compelled the heires and executors to performe the same vnto their great griefe Some small time after the husband of the deceassed chanced to fall into the like sicknesse and the curat handeled him after the same sort as he vsed his wife euen vnto his last gaspe so that the poore man because he would leaue the world in peace did still answere I the which the eldest sonne perceiuing who but a little before was returned from the warres he began to bee exceeding angrie and imagined which way he might be reuenged of the Priest Wherefore comming neere vnto the bed he also began to increase the number of the masses and dirges wherevnto the pacient stil answered then in the end he said alowd Is it your will that the curate be presently throwne down the staires the sicke man said I againe not vnderstanding what his sonne said the same was no sooner spoken but the sonne tooke the Priest by the neck and throwing him downe the staires brake one of his armes The curate accused him and protested that he had wronged him saying WHat treason may be more execrable then this being committed vnder the coulor of pittie I was called to comfort the sicke to administer vnto him the holy sacraments to admonish him of his souls health when this vngodly fellow approched neere vnto the bed and faining to assist my deuout intention did wickedly betray me as is manifestly of be seene by the maiming of my limmes The deriding of the sacred reliques and abusing of the patients will might well haue sufficed without further adding therevnto this outrage Who shal henceforth be the pastor that dare instruct the diseased to haue a care of their saluation Seeing the thanks which they haue and the recompence which they receiue therefore is the assaying to breake their necke Verie true is that which is commonly spoken of such as follow warres which is that they neuer take pleasure in anie thing but in doing mischiefe and that they as much despise those things which are sacred and holie as they doe esteeme such as are prophane This lewd fellow hath not only sticked to slander his owne father at the houre of his death but also careth not although he be damned for euer O child of perdition doest thou not know that at the last gaspe consisteth either the saluation or damnation of men How manie are there who hauing alwaies liued godlie doe damne themselues at the last houre and others hauing bene wicked that by their end haue been saued The good Dismas who was crucified at the right hand of our Lord sheweth vs an example of the one and Iudas an Apostle of the same Christ is a figure of the other how durst thou thē trouble the last thoughts of thy father by thy insolencie Especially outraging him whom with all thy might thou oughtest to defend seeing that we doe here represent the Diuinitie for the Pope representeth God the Archbishop the Pope the Bishop the Archbishop and the Curate the bishop I require then that the wrongs done vnto God the Pope the Archbishop the Bishop and to my person may be repaired and that he which hath committed it may be punished according to his deserts to the end that all such insolent persons that will not bridle their affects for the reuerence which they owe vnto God and his Church may by his example beware that they incurre not the like punishment The Answere DO you call that Treason to performe the same thing the which you heretofore by law compelled vs to doe That is to fulfill the testators last Will Now it is to be considered that in al things we doe we must begin at one end as for me I began first with the last and the rather because the same not being set downe in writing I feared that it might haue ben forgotten or least by deferring of time which is verie often the losse of occasion I might be hindered from effecting the last commandement of my father as also because he long before made a signe vnto me that I should rid him from your companie who had no other talke with him but of temporall matters that he might wholie apply his mind vnto God and therefore he graunted vnto euerie thing which you demaunded thinking that the best way to dispatch him from your importunities but had you had your owne will I beleeue you had ben there yet to trouble him wherefore I am not to be blamed if I had a desire to doe this last seruice for my father vnto whom I am more bounden then to you for I remember verie well that you your selfe at such times as in my youth I came vnto you to shrieue did alwaies inioine me to doe whatsoeuer my father and mother commanded me without exception of anie thing and if otherwise I did I should be damned thinke not then maister Parson that for respecting you ouermuch I will be damned Moreouer you haue so manie times preached vnto vs that a man must honour his lather and mother and that it is the first commandement that hath anie reward promised vpon the
mightest also acknowledge my liberalitie but as for the Iudges they are too righteous to force the laws and to alter the last Will of our father Declamation 36. Of Simon who put himselfe into prison to redeem his father thence being dead afterwards how he slew his wife being daughter vnto him that had made him his heire and paied his debt THe law saith that if anie man take his wife in adulterie hee may kill them both and not offend the law Wherevpon it chanced that a noble Senator named Milciades a man of honest reputation was through malice accused for some offence and condemned to a great fine of monie so as not hauing wherewith to pay the same hee was imprisoned and there dieth and because the law commanded that those which died in prison should not be buried els where but in the same prison vnlesse anie man paied his debts Simon the sonne of the deceassed Milciades yeelded himselfe a prisoner in his fathers place to the end that hee might bee buried with his ancestors Hee remaining in that sort a prisoner without anie means or hope euer to come foorth one named Callies a man verie rich but of bad reputation offered to pay his debt and to make him his heire if he would take his only daughter in marriage Simon consented thervnto he was deliuered and married with the daughter of Callias within a while after hee tooke her in adulterie he therefore causeth Callias to be called who intreateth for his daughter that could not denie her fault Simon slew her in the presence of Callias who afterwards acused him of ingratitude which amongst the Athenians was a punishable vice The accusation of Callias I Had made thee double bounden vnto me therefore is thy ingratitude the more manifest I did redeeme thee from prison where thou shouldest haue rotted and being poore I made thee both my sonne in law and mine heire I do affirme that thou hast induced thy thy wife to commit adulterie that therby thou mightst haue an occasion to kill her wherefore thou hast not kept her as thou oughtest and thou hast not onlie suffered her to fall from her former manners vnto vice but thou hast likewise furthered her therein and when occasion serued thou hast not failed to rid thy selfe from her to our great preiudice and dishonor and thou hast further showne thy crueltie in calling to the father to behold the slaughter of his daughter to the end that he might alwaies carrie this greefe that he had been both an eie witnesse of her miserie and that he was reiected or refused of his request by him whom he had succored and redeemed from extreame miserie before he was therevnto intreated and neuerthelesse being ashamed to bee sonne in law vnto the man that had so greatlie bounden thee vnto him hast caused the bodie soule and renoune of his daughter to be lost if then one alone ingratitude is punishable what punishment shall be worthie for thy infinit vnthankfulnesse ioined with an extreame crueltie Simons Answere THe shame of thy daughters adulterie was more ircksome vnto me then anie prison wherefore I haue likewise vsed that instrument which hath by the law beene giuen vnto me not for anie desire that I had to displease thee to rid me from thy kindred or to kill thy daughter but to reuenge her shamelesse immodestie to diminish my discredit If thou hast released me from prison to the end that I should be base minded thou hast lost thy monie because thou diddest not aduise me thereof before hand for I should surely haue told thee that as a noble heart could neuer be changed so also could it neuer endure a reproch alasse the difference betwixt my fathers disgrace and mine is that his ended in comming dead out of prison and mine but began in comming aliue forth of the same Milciades hath had the onlie honour in the Common-wealth to haue beene redeemed being dead by his sonne liuing who afterwards being redeemed aliue by another to his great misfortune was constrained to displease his redeemer because he required an vnlawfull matter I will neuer be vnthankfull when thou shalt request a good turne as honest as that which I haue receiued of thee but thou intreatest me to let the adulterers escape what could I do more if I had had my hands yet bound fast in prison where at the least the dishonour should neuer haue ben imputed vnto me Wouldst thou then thinke to keepe me so bound as I should be therby hindered from doing but my dutie Both of vs in doing a good turne haue receiued a farre greater I in taking my father foorth of prison dead and thou in fetching me forth aliue for the same hath beene vnto vs a great honour and it would not bee lawfull for vs to suffer adulters without the losse of that honor which we haue gotten moreouer it behoueth him that hath ben a true and a faithfull sonne vnto his father to haue the like children my father was trulie worthie to haue such a sonne as I was so also was I not vnworthie to haue the like which I could neuer haue had by thy daughter for whom thou hast bought me Thou saist I haue brought thee forth of prison I answere that I willinglie put my selfe therein and I will neuer beleeue that euer I got so great credit by being redeemed from thence by thee as I haue gained honour by entring therein for my father of mine owne accord I dare say that thou diddest neuer redeeme me thence for mine owne sake but onely to honour thee and thy daughter double vnworthy of so great honor which was the cause also that she could not long continue in the same wherein I desired not to imitate her likewise I can neither be reprooued condemned nor punished hauing done nothing against the law That is a good turne or a fauour which tendeth onlie to the profit of him that receiueth it but when he that doth it looketh also for some commoditie thereby the fauour loseth both his force and name euen so is thine so that I am in no sort beholding vnto thee and so consequentlie thou canst not twit me with ingratitude If Virginius slew his daughter because hee would not see her forced to bee vnchast what oughtest thou to do vnto thine who had neuer anie desire to be chast at all Declamation 37. Of him who is forsaken of his father for relieuing his ouncle who also doth afterwards forsake him for succouring his father TWo brethren are enemies the one hath a sonne the other hath no children neuerthe lesse by misfortune he becommeth poore his nephew taketh his fathers goods secretly and releiueth his ouncle therewith the father perceiueth it and forbiddeth him to doe so any more yet he ceassing not from releeuing him his father disheriteth him and driues him out of his house he goeth vnto his poore ouncle who adopteth him for his son and at the last chansing by succession to be
to be robbed by him but seeing the contrarie wee haue iudged that it is no lesse fit to reuenge the wrongs done vnto the gods then it is to pay their seruices Wee are not the cause that Phidias hath lost his hands but it is his offence and the law require of them then your amends or els complaine of them and not of vs who haue in all thinges done what we ought or if you will vexe vs wrongfullie for Phidias we will call vpon those gods whom hee hath offended to helpe vs hoping by their aid to destroy those which would hurt vs. Declamation 39. Of the son that defended his mothers cause who being distraught did wrongfully accuse her selfe to be guilty of sacrilodge THe law saith that whosoeuer doth voluntarilie confesse to haue offended the law without anie other witnesse is worthie of punishment Whervpon it chanced that a certaine woman hauing in one day lost her husband and two of her sonnes by some violent death did fall into such dispaire therefore that she hanged her selfe but her third sonne happened to come before she was throughly strangled who cut the rope asunder and after he had gotten her to life againe hee carried her vnto the Temple to the end that the respect of a place so holy might keepe her from doing her selfe anie hurt then he went forth to buy some sustenance to comfort her In the meane season it happened that the officer came in there to search for church robbers this woman being desperate confessed that she had robbed the Temple wherevpon the Magistrate according to the law would haue her punished but the sonne in the meane time happened to come who gaiinsaied it thus THat which is fallen out in our house ought to protect my mother being cōdemned here wherefore I knowing the matter it is lawfull for me to examine her my selfe of the offence in your presence which she wrongfullie taketh vpon her moreouer it ought to bee considered that the law saith that those which confesse a crime shall be condemned Now to confesse is to aduouch the accusation for feare of the racke or other tortures but to accuse her selfe is not onlie a doubtfull confession but a sure euident and most manifest desperation and that it is so it must be known of her how and when shee commited this sacriledge Or where she hath bestowed that which she stole Trulie she cannot prooue her saying but she thinketh that she committeth sacriledge in suruiuing after the violent death of her husband and children and no other crime can be found in her wherefore in her own opinion her saying is true but by the law she is not punishable seeing that if I had not ben she had been dead alreadie by her owne hands It behooueth me to beseech the iudges to be mercifull to the offenders but I had need not onlie to intreat but also to compell my mother to take pittie vpon her selfe what need you to doubt if a woman ouercome with sorrow desireth death when a number with ouer exceeding ioy haue died suddainly Whereby it plainelie appeareth what weakenesse remaineth in the female sex who therefore are not to be beleeued nor receiued for witnesses But tell me good mother Why doe you not beare your losse patiently seeing that you see the gods themselues doe lose that which is consecrated vnto them in their Temple Alas worthie iudges you doe well know that the afflicted doe more feare honour and reuerence the gods then those that are in prosperitie How then should this woman more wofull then any other presume to offend them with sacriledge What need hath she of riches that desireth to liue no longer Neither hath anie children to leaue them vnto but me who would redeeme my father and brethren from death with those which I haue yet of mine own me I say who haue and do loue my mothers life better then her wealth Alasse no want of riches but want of heires to possesse them is cause of her miserie You may say that she being angry against the gods for her losse desirous to be reuenged hath committed this sacriledge there is nothing more vnlikelie for her courage is abated with griefe and she attributeth her mishap vnto her selfe and not vnto the gods neither is it the least mischiefe that fortune doth vnto vs when being our greatest enemie she doth not onlie make vs miserable but also supersticious in such sort then we beare the greatest reuerence not vnto the gods alone but chieflie vnto inconstant fortune all this is prooued by her because she had rather hurt her selfe then offend the gods but if otherwise it were far more easie had it ben for her to haue burned the Temple thē to haue stollen the treasure locked vp vnder so manie keies wherefore you ought to waigh al the circumstances together and to be verie carefull that the law and the penaltie thereof which serueth for a terror vnto the wicked and malefactors bee not inflicted vpon the innocent For he committeth a greater offence which punisheth the innocent then he doth that pardoneth the malefactor The Iudge answereth THere was neuer anie sacriledge that could be hidden for euerie tongue and especiallie the malefactors owne toung is readie to reueale it as by this woman it appeareth that accuseth her selfe prouoked thervnto by the wrath of the gods who for her offence doe pursue her wherefore it is reason that I appoint her to be punished vpon whom the gods disdaine to shew their miracle in consuming her with lightening as if she were vnworthie to die by the hands of any god but they all together doe pursue and driue her to worke her owne confusion by a most shamefull death the which by her being perceiued she rather desired to die by her owne hands but they haue not suffered her to the end that the wrong done vnto their Deitie might be publickly reuenged and that she might serue for an example vnto all the world so that thou wert sent by them to cut the cord asunder but doest thou thinke that a church robber may die anie other way then by iustice She hath done as much as in her lay to conceal and not to confesse her offence yea and that by the making of her selfe away yet she could not but in spight of her she was constrained to be her owne accuser and to require her deserued punishment which is no small miracle Therefore if thou desirest to know her offence It may onlie be answered that she hath committed sacriledge the which she confesseth and aduoucheth If thou demandest why she did it I say that if she committed it before the death of her children it was to enrich them if it were after their death it was because she would be reuenged of the gods Where thou saiest that it had ben more easie for her to haue burned the Temple in that thou shewest thy selfe to be her son but farre more wicked then she if it were not rage and ouergreat
desire of reuenge that staied her from making her choise according to her wicked intention Thou wouldest know where she hath bestowed that which she stole I beleeue that shee hath giuen it thee and that thou wouldst saue her life to haue some more by the like means Neuerthelesse we will punish her alone that confesseth the fact vntill that thy sinnes doe induce thee vnto the like confession or that thou bee conuinced by more apparent testimonie and in so doing we shall appease the gods fulfill the laws performe our duties and cleare our consciences which commandeth vs to root out the wicked forth of the Common-wealth by publike punishmēt because there is nothing that doth better maintaine the world in equitie then rewarding the good and punishing the bad Declamation 40. Of the wife that would not forsake her husband although he went about to procure her death IT happened that a man and his wife made an oath vnto each other that if one of them chanced to die the other should not suruiue aboue three daies after Vpon a certaine time the man went vpon a long iourney and being on his way he sent a false message vnto his wife which certified her that her husband was dead she to keepe her promise threw her selfe downe from the top of her house neuerthelesse she died not with the fall wherefore her father caused her hurts to be healed and kept her vntill certaine newes came how her husband was not dead but had sent her word of his death only because he was desirous of his wiues death Whereupon her father would haue cōpelled her to forsake her husband she would not he renounceth her for his child and disheriteth her for which she complaineth saying O Immortall God which by thy prouidence gouernest all mankind thou hast not permitted that this fact should be for our hurt or destruction but onelie for a triall and proofe of the loue which I beare vnto my husband yet my father would seperate those whom death could not put asunder neither is that which I haue done to be thought strange seeing that I had both cause to doe it the example of diuers women which haue done the like to allow it for some haue burned themselues with the dead bodies of their husbands others haue by their death redeemed their husbands life I am therefore happie to bee accounted one of the same number being yet liuing and my husband safe and sound who it may be would trie whether I were worthy to be beloued of him and now knowing it he will loue me better then euer he did The loue which is ouergreat is cause of suspitions and iealousies and therefore my husband was desirous not onelie to trie whether I did not loue some other but also whether he was beloued of me and I am verie glad that with the danger of my life hee hath found me such a one as he desired What wrong shall I then both doe vnto my selfe and vnto him if when I should reape the fruit of my loialtie and most constant loue I should depart from him God forbid I should so doe Moreouer I should neuer bee well able to liue without him for it was partlie the cause that I threw my selfe headlong down because I would not languish without the hope and comfort of his presence which I shall now possesse with more pleasure then euer I did To conclude I cannot leaue him and if I could I would not wherefore it is lost labour to speake any more thereof The fathers Answere IT cannot be denied but that he which went about to procure my daughters death is mine enemie wherefore there is no reason that she which loueth mine enemie better then her owne father should be my heire thou saiest I cannot nor I ought not to forsake him Why cannot or may not she so doe that cannot onely determine to die but to be her owne butcher Hauing no sooner heard a fained report of the death of thine enemie thou soughtest thine owne death in good earnest if thou couldest endure his abscence being gone on a long voiage when thou haddest occasion to loue him why canst thou not now doe the like hauing iust cause to hate him Thou art quite freed from all former oath or promise which thou hast made him in shewing the desire which thou hadst to accomplish that which he caused thee to sweare thereby not onely to abuse thee but to make thee die Thou saiest that all is fallen out for the best I know not how that should bee for as no bad act can be tearmed the author of any good so ought we not to iudge things by the euent but by the intent hardlie can hee euer loue thee who as oft as hee seeth thee shall be either ashamed of his fact or aggreeued that it tooke not such successe as he wished likewise the triall of loue is not made by a danger so euident Declamation 41. Of the prodigall sonne who being forsaken of his father redeemeth his brother whom his father had neglected THe law was such that when the children were thirtie yeares of age they might require their father to giue them their portion Wherevpon it chanced that a man had two sonnes the one of them was prodigall and the other a good husband He gaue the prodigall sonne his portion who demanded the same by vertue of the law and did wholy disherit him from anie of the rest of his lands or goods the other who was the good husband made a voiage by sea and fell into the hands of Pyrats he writ vnto his father for his ransome his father was deafe and could not heare on that side Wherevpon his prodigall brother redeemed him who when hee was returned home made his said brother his heire in recompence of his release by him wherewith the father being displeased disinheriteth the thirstie son of his patrimonie who withstandeth him thus ALl those which doe know what I haue done doe praise me for it except you How true an example of pittie and brotherly loue hath my brother shewed when sailing to seeke me hee hath aduentured great dangers trauailing ouer many lands and seas neuer giuing ouer his enterprise vntill he had brought mee home againe vnto my fathers house wherefore if you did loue me as both my obedience and seruices deserue and as nature doth bind you you could not denie but to haue receiued at his hands seruice most acceptable And in recompence thereof to haue acknowledged him for your heir as I haue done for if for his prodigalitie you did disherit him he hath shewed himselfe both towards you and me not to bee prodigall but indeed verie liberall If you did disher it him because he was vnprofitable hee cannot now bee tearmed so Seeing he could make so long a voiage and when all fatherly loue was in you forgottē he yet could performe the dutie both of a good sonne and a better brother You say that age hindered you from
together they were both left or lost together because I knew that being twinnes the one could not liue without the other thou foundest them together thou hast fostered them vp together and I haue found them together againe wherfore then in the restoring should they be sundred especially seeing fortune which once seperated them from their Parents would neuer sunder them one from another how could I chuse the one and leaue the other seeing that because I could not chuse I did leaue them both if the martiall law which is the cruellest doth not suffer that two brethren being taken in the warre should bee sundred how doth the Ciuil law allow it in these here who are not onelie brethren but may well bee tearmed the halfe of one another each of them loseth his grace and worth if he be absent from the other I should doe a wrong in desiring thy children but not in retaining mine why wouldest thou haue acquaintance to sunder that which abandoning to the world could not seperate I would giue al for my child except my child onely I made the bargain weeping and trembling as much as when I departed from them for I was constrained by force and necessitie because I could not find the one without promising the other It is inough of the first wrong that I did vnto my children in expulsing and leauing them through necessitie without adding thereunto a second iniurie which would bee in seperating them willinglie seeing the law my dutie and the equitie of the iudges may be my warrantise for euery agreement made by feare or force is nothing worth but only those which are willingly made or according to the lawes The Answere IF thou wilt not seperate them reason commandeth thee to leaue me both twain seeing thou haddest not onely the heart to leaue them at all aduentures but further also thou hast beene accustomed to liue without them but I leauing the one shall neuer be but in perpetuall greefe and anguish for the other seeing I haue ben accustomed to haue them both doest thou thinke that he vseth force or constraint that maketh thee a father when thou neuer hopedst to be one I haue freed them from the danger to be deuoured of brute beasts or to die with hunger I haue nursed and fostered them I doe restore one vnto thee yea and giue thee thy choice wherefore no man is a loser but I although the iudges should be neuer so righteous and fauorable to my most iust demand Declamation 45. Of him which stroke his father by the compulsion of a Tyrant whom he afterwards did slay and requireth a reward therefore THe law appointed that whosoeuer did strike his father should haue his hands cut off Wherevpon it chanced that the King being a Tyrant caused a man and his two sonnes to be sent for vnto his pallace and hauing brought them vp vnto the top of a high tower hee commanded the sonnes vpon paine to be throwne headlong downe to strike their father and he would defend them from the punishment which by the law was appointed one of them because he would not strike his father threw himselfe downe the other did giue his father a blow with his fist wherevpon the Tyrant who did greatly fancie and daily sought such men as were wicked entertained him into his seruiâ—e and loued him so deerely as he wholy put his trust in him but as Treason doth oftentimes spring of too much trust so this man took an occasion to slay the Tyrant as well to reuenge his brothers death and the iniurie done vnto his father and him as also to winne honour and gaine the reward promised secretly by the Citizens to him that should kill the Tyrant who hauing slaine him demanded the said reward but the ingratefull people accused him for striking his father for the which they wold haue his hands chopt of Whervnto the poore father would in no sort consent but gainsaied him thus I Should be more happie if I did rather defend many malefactors then one onely innocent will you cut off those hands which hath slaine the Tyrant restored you your libertie what doe you meane why did you not cut off the Tyrants hands that constrained my son to transgresse our laws so that it was as necessarie for him to strike his father as it was lawfull for others to rob Temples and to rauish the Virgins and wiues O how much doe we owe vnto those hands by the which such crueltie is brought vnto an end the tyrant did trust that by the same hands he might shame some and slay others but they haue depriued him of the means to performe either the one or the other but how much more am I indebted vnto this my sonne then vnto the other that brake his owne necke For he did not that to spare his father but himselfe because hee cared not though I had died with sorrow which no doubt I should haue done if this here had done as much and in smiting me hath he not onlie saued my life so much as hee hath afterwards likewise preserued the Commonwealth Alasse my poore children what great extremitie haue you both endured by the crueltie of a Tyrant The one hath broken his necke and the other to his most great griefe too was inforced to beat his father but farre greater praises doth he deserue that hath slaine the Tyrant then the other doth which did murther himselfe What offence hath this my son and your protector committed Saue only that in lifting vp his fist and gently letting it fall againe he fained to strike his father who in like sort seemed as though he were aggreeued therewith but both the one and the other did it to escape a worser mischiefe and to performe a greater good necessitie in all doth greatly excuse humane weakenesse and therefore the Saguntines were not only excused but exalted for slaying their fathers which is more then a light stroke His brother in leauing me at the Tyrants mercie did worse then he who without hurting me hath saued me You say that hee had no respect vnto the law I know well that the law is strict but the interpretation is large if one being mad chance to strike another he is not punished Neither yet is the little child which striketh his father condemned For the mad man hath more need of pittie then punishment and is rather to bee holpen then hurt and the child hath neither strength nor vnderstanding to offend these two points in such an extremitie are found in my sonne for in striking me hee endured a greater paine then I if those women who were defloured by the Tyrant are not esteemed vnchast Nor those Priests which through force or feare haue brought the treasures of the Temple vnto the tyrant are not deemed culpable Wherfore then should my sonne bee blamed who fained to strike his father Thereby not only to saue his life but to kill the Tyrant reuenge the rauished women and to restore both
would faine find out some small occasion of quarrell like as they sought to condemne Brutus who did afterwards recouer their libertie and so did they accuse Manlius of inhumanity Silla of crueltie Marius of ambition Lucullus of superfluitie and manie others of couetousnesse But touching my deed what art thou more theÌ„ the other Censors that haue ben euer since the fault which thou chargest me withall who haue neuer accused me therfore not that they are any whit thy inferiors in wisdome or equitie or that they are lesse louers of the Common-wealth then thou but because they could better then thou consider that it was not lawfull and lesse reasonable to blemish so many worthie actions of our linage for a small vanitie of one alone who cannot yet bee said to haue done any act either contrarie to dutie or against iustice Declamation 60. Of a man without hands that renounced his sonne because he would not kill his mother being found in adulterie THe law saith that if any man doe take his wife committing adulterie it is lawfull for him to slay them both her and the adulterer but yet it must be without deceit likewise it saith that the sonne may reuenge the adulterie for his father Whervpon it happened that a martiall man lost his two hands in the wars and as one mischance doth neuer happen alone within a small time after he surprised his wife in adulterie and finding himselfe vnable he commanded his sonne to slay them the sonne would not wherevpon hee renounced him for his heire saying I Shall then by thy fault amongst all men bee he alone that hath neither pardoned nor punished adulterie but who in this case will not imagine that either I had no sonne or that my sonne had no hands Yet my greatest griefe consisteth in this that I know the contrary Alasse in finding the adulterers I felt in good earnest how great a misse I had of my hands alacke I lost them in the warres and my sonne could not find his in the house wherefore I may say that he stood mee in as little stead as my sword which I could not vse How shall he either vanquish the enemy or defend his countrie which hath denied the helpe of his hands vnto his father When will he sight for vs that could not fight for himselfe Get thee packing then with the adulterers whom thou hast suffred to escape and leaue me rather alone then so badly accompanied Thou saiest thy heart would neuer serue thee to kill thy mother why doest thou not also say that the adulterer is thy father as I doe verily beleeue and thou doest shew he is Seeing thou soughtest rather to please him in a matter vniust and execrable then me in that wherin by the gods law and reason thou wert commanded Wherefore it cannot bee said that I doe either renounce or disinherit thee without a cause A very notable answere of the sonne ALas me thought it was in a maner all one to murther my father as to kill my mother in his presence and as it was neuer allowable in a reasonable man to be cruell so were rigorous laws made more to terrifie all theÌ„ to torment anie for if the law be strict the interpretation thereof is large and they ought to tend rather vnto clemencie then crueltie a great mischiefe can neuer be appeased in coÌ„mitting two others Moreouer the pleasure of reuenge doth suddainlie vanish but the contentment of mercie dooth neuer vade so likewise dooth euery pittifull heart melt in thinking vpon the horriblenesse of murther wherefore with the spectacle of a misfortune so suddaine all my bodie became sencelesse You good father did lacke your hands but before I could recouer my spirits I lost al my members yet was the mischiefe which you commanded more great then all the miserie which had happened was greeuous pardon me then if I did not accomplish your commandement in a thing which farre exceeded my strength and courage A father pardoneth his son if he refuse to faile because hee cannot brooke the seas that his heart doth faint as mine did the like happeneth if his heareserueth not to goe vnto the warres although he bee the sonne of a warlike father for euerie man is not borne to manage armes And it is to be considered for what intent the law saith that it is lawful for the father or the sonne to slay the adulterers Truly it was because the lawmakers were not ignoraÌ„t that there were some men which either could not or would not kill one another what can I doe with all if we are both of the same number you made by the warre vnapt and I by nature vnable wherein then can you blame me sauing that the adulterers are escaped because you were maimed and I amased or almost in a swound If the fault then be common why should I for the same bee onely condemned Declamation 61. Of two maidens rauished by one man for the which the one required his death and the other desired him for her husband THe law permitteth a maiden that is rauished to chuse either the death of the rauisher or to take him for her husband Wherevpon it chanced that one man defloured two maidens in one night so that the next morning the one required that he might die and the other requested to haue him for her husband wherfore she that desired his death said thus VVHo did euer see anie man saued for one offence by the meanes of another fault farre more hainous For if sinne proceed from humane frailtie to perseuere in the â—anâ—e is a diuelish obstinacie one defloured maid accuseth him the other defendeth him reuenge you our cause then O you iudges let the seueritie of your discipline bee redoubled seeing the crime is double the people doe already secretly desire it for he hath not onlie forced or rauished twaine but I alone haue ben defloured by twaine that is to say by him that did the deed by her that would preserue him from death must he be suffred to liue that hath deserued to die twise Had hee but deserued one death onlie he should not liue anie longer because no bodie would haue defended him but this woman would vnto our shame verifie the Prouerb which men do impose vpon our sex saying That women are selfe-willed and that they do alwaies chuse the worst If thou haddest ben the first that had ben forced I doe hardlie beleeue that thou wouldest haue desired him for thy husband To conclude as thou canst not sue anie further in his behalfe saue onely that thou maiest not bee depriued of thy choice so also canst thou not abridge me of my request it is in thy choice to saue his life for the fault he hath coÌ„mitted against thee but thou canst not command his life for the iniurie done against mee seeing that I was first wronged let me be first reuenged and afterwards thou shalt wed him if thou wilt The Answere THou saiest that thou wert
sleightlie regarded there is no reason that thy pettie losse should be in anie sort recōpenced especially because thou canst not say that thy hurt came by me but by the Tirant and no way better canst thou excuse thy fault then in accusing thine owne hard fortune which was the onely cause of thy harme by bringing the tyrant vnto thy house The Answere HE which hath all the profit and honor ought likewise to be partaker of the hurt as I doe not vniustlie reprooue thee for the wrong which thou hast done me so also dare I aduouch that thou hast not killed the Tyrant seeing thou diddest neither see him nor once touch him but my house was it that slew him therefore it is not against reason if for the losse thereof I doe at the least demand some part of the reward The tyrant did not make anie speciall choise of my house much lesse was it offered or prepared for him but as he could he entered therein because I was not at home to hinder him likewise thou mightedst as wel haue follow him in and killed him but thy heart serued thee not and therefore thou didst rather chuse to fire my house then otherwise to slay him and in danger thy selfe to be hurt thou then hast the reward but deseruedst it not and yet thou wouldest haue mee lose my house which was his ouerthrow Who can tel but that he might well haue escaped if therein he had not entered If then my house did keepe him and receiue the fire that burned him why ought it not as I haue said bee likewise partaker of the reward Declamation 70. Of the grandfather that did secretly steale away his deceased daughters child for feare least it should be poysoned by the stepmother as two other before had ben wherevpon the said childs father accused his father in law of violence IT happened that a man had three children whereof two died not without suspition that the stepmother had beene the cause of their death The father of the said childrens mother did secretly steale away the third child least it might come to the like end as the rest did Neither had the said grandfather visited the other children during their sickenesse because he could not be suffered to come in but was kept out of dores The father caused his child to be cried the grandfather said that he had him wherevpon the father accused the grandfather of violence saying that he had stolen his child the good old man made his excuse saying SEeing that this is all the sonnes that my daughter hath aliue suffer me to bring him vp What doest thou feare That I will not let thee enter in when thou commest to visit him as I was serued at thy house thou art deceiued I am not so ingratefull fond foolish man as thou art thou seekest not those two children which thou hast lost nor once hearkenest after them which haue ben wilfullie made away but seekest him that is not lost that he might likewise be lost as the rest were Thou askest one of me whose life I will charilie protect and I doe require two of thee whom thou hast careleslie suffered to perish Why is not a grandfather better to be trusted then a stepmother I came to visite my little nephewes being sick yet might not see them that was violence and not this which I haue done For therein hath neither beene vsed weapons combat resistance nor force but such as was too friendly Let al the assistance bee iudge of this controuersie which is between a yoong man and an old Thou saiest that I haue stolen thy sonne I answere that I doe keepe my daughters sonne thou saiest that I haue taken him away from thee and I denie it but true it is that when hee came vnto mee I would not driue him away from me and I am the cause that he is yet liuing So doe the Phisitions and Chirurgions oftentimes bind vs and whether wee will or no applie such medicines as are most needfull for the recuring of our maladies That which I haue done is no strangers deed Nature hath her right this difference is there betwixt the father and the grandfather that it is lawfull for the grandfather to preserue his children in safetie but not for the father to suffer his to be slaine Whence proceedeth this thy ouerlate pittie to begin to seek thy lost sons of this which is here in safetie Seest thou not that all those that fauor the child do desire that thou mightest not find him The Answere HE hath not taken away the child to keepe him or for anie feare he had of his safetie but onelie to slander my wife with sorcerie and to make mee suspected to be therevnto consenting What haue I to do with this man O you Iudges who while his daughter liued did neuer beare me anie loue and now after her deceasse dooth hate me deadlie and hauing scantlie visited my children when they were sound he came crieng out and lamenting during their sicknesse prophesieng that which hath since happened and would but haue increased their griefe to haue heard it He was kept foorth because his comming was well knowne to be more hurtfull to all then helpfull to anie and that he should neither by his needlesse exclamations shorten the liues of the poor infants nor steale this other child which now appeareth was his onlie intent Declamation 71. Of him that being accused for intending his fathers death is thervpon renounced of him although that in open Iudgement he was clearely acquited by equall sentence YOu must consider tbat in times past when in iudgement there were as many voices on the one side as on the other in any criminall cause the partie accused was acquited because that iustice ought to regard clemency more then cruelty Whervpon it happened that a father accused his sonne of paricide saying that hee intended to murther him wherefore he being imprisoned and the informations made on either side the proofe was found so vncertaine that the partie accused had as manie voices in iudgement on his side as the accuser whereby the accused is acquited Notwithstanding the father being displeased forsaketh and disheriteth his sonne though hee were acquited by iustice saying My request is now lesse then it was for I doe not desire to be reuenged of thee but only that I may be rid of him that would haue slaine me I do no more accuse him but shun him Do you thinke that hee will spare me being his foe that would not spare me being his father No surely For because hee would no difference betweene my testament and my death He is not acquited of his offence but onlie freed of his punishment because the sentences were alike To prooue him innocent hee ought to haue had manie voices but to condemne him there needed no more then one The Iudges haue not found him faultlesse but onlie spared the punishing of his fault wonderfull is the mercie of the law of this
thou diddest loue thy maister very well but rather that thou diddest loue thy selfe too much for those which do loue intirely do seeke all the meanes they can to please those whō they loue but not to force or constraine them to anie thing against their liking whereby it may be prooued that thou onely diddest mischief Lucullus in going about to take from him his libertie hauing thereby depriued him of his sences And there is not any that pretended any profit by his hurt but onelie thou seeing that all the wealth which Lucullus had was ours and his friends more then his owne for hee was neuer borne but for the profit of the Commonwealth and to pleasure his friends Therfore we doe also require no other thing but that the innocent may be acquited the guiltie not onely sought out for he is found in thee but also punished as well to giue an example vnto all other seruants not to enterprise any thing against their maisters as to reuenge the Commonwealth and Lucullus himselfe for this iniurie Declamation 78. Of a woman who slew hir daughter that had through childishnesse killed her little brother THe law appointeth that euery woman which killeth her child should bee burned Wherevpon it chanced in Orleans that a poor woman which got her liuing partly by washing of bucks and somtime with carrying of fagots about the cittie to sell had one daughter about the age of foure yeares and a sonne about one yeare old with the which children she was left a widdow by her husband So that shee oftentimes being forced to shift the little child she said vnto him as the most part of mothers and nources vse to say that if hee pissed his clothes any more she would cut off his prick the which the little girle hearing many times shee forgot it not but one day when her mother was gone vnto the wood she began to vnswaddle her brother and seeing that hee had pissed his clothes she tooke a knife and cut off his yard wherewith he lost so much bloud that he died afterwards shee told her mother at her returne home what she had done who seeing her child dead shee was so surprised with anger that she tooke vp a little stoole and strooke so great a blow therewithall vpon the girles head that she presently died For the which she was caried to prison hir husbands brother suing her to death accused her saying THis woman hath both slaine her daughter and in like sort was the cause of her sonnes death not onlie in that she left it to the keeping and discretion of a little girle but also because shee had oftentimes spoken fondly and threatned the child foolishly did she not know that whatsoeuer was ill to bee done was not good to be spoken vpon what occasion or intent soeuer it be And that as euery word that is spoken is easily imprinted in the yoong and tender hearts of little children so will they like apes imitate all that they see and as children doe whatsoeuer they heare spoken why then did she say before this child anie thing which should not be done And chiefly a matter so dangerous and so vnfitting Did she not know that children as being humane creatures and subiect naturally vnto vices doe keepe and remember the bad sooner then the good And especially the females as being more vicious then the males Some may say that it was a mischiefe which shee nor any other would euer haue thought vpon but I answere that they ought to bee cut of which are the cause of such misfortunes to the end that they may no more commit the like mischiefs or at the least by their occasion there doe not happen some other greater mischances If she haue liued so badly that she had no neighbour or friend so fauourable vnto her with whom she might haue left her little son in her absence shee is not worthy to liue any longer and if she had any vnto whom she might haue recommended the same she is likewise worthy of death for not doing the same Of what thing ought a mother to be more tender and charie then of her child Why then could shee suffer the one to die by her negligence and heaping mischiefe vpon mischiefe murther the other by her malice What Tigre Wolfe or other wild beast though neuer so cruell which will not onely bee carefull of her yoong ones but also will euen vnto the death defend them from those that seeke to hurt or harme them in anie sort How much lesse then will they themselues be so cruell as to kill them Wherefore must I be the only speaker in this case when as with iust griefe I can hardlie speak anie more If no punishment shall be vsed when women who ought to bee true examples or perfect patternes of kindnesse and pittie are more cruell thē sauage beasts I know not what I should say Sauing onelie that they are happy which either liued before vs or that shall be born after vs without beholding this our most vnhappie age if such a woman may be suffered to liue anie longer therein who after she hath ben the cause of her sonnes death hath yet further ben the author of her daughters destruction The Answere of a friend for the woman VVHerefore doe you procure the death of such a one who desireth nothing so much as to die Doe you thinke that this poore woman is not sufficientlie afflicted but that you must further seeke to aggrauate her sorrow Alasse wee may by her example verie wel perceiue that a mischiefe neuer commeth alone seeing that first we haue euer known her to be poore next she hath lost her husband the onlie stay of her poore life then her sonne and afterwards her daughter and that which is worst she is not onlie a prisoner in danger to lose her life but also he which ought to releiue her and procure her deliuerie seeketh her destruction Surelie the least of so manie miseries wherein she is on all sides cōpassed is sufficient inough to make her worthie of compassion and free her from punishment Whereof doe you accuse her Do you not know that it is not in our power to bridle the first motions of a iust anger Know you not that the griefe which she suffereth because she hath killed her daughter exceedeth all the tortures that may bee inuented to torment her For more harme doth a mischiefe that tormenteth the heart then all the tortures which may wound the bodie are able to hurt Whereas you accuse her of follie the follie is your own when you would find in a silie woman that which may hardlie be found in those that gouerne monarchies or Prouinces Doe you not know that there is no vertue which is not by pouertie neglected And that necessitie hath no law Wherein then hath a poore woman offended who hauing no other means did leaue her children at home whilst she went abroad to get her liuing You speake of friends
accused his brother of ambition and Treason saying SEeing that all the warlike men of Greece haue done you this honour aboue so manie other noble and worthie men to chuse you onlie for their Generall why will you like a most iniurious and periured man so wickedlie betray them Doe you not yet know that the gods wil neuer permit a treason so great and manifest to be hidden and especiallie when they themselues are interessed therein Know you not that Diana requireth your daughter for sacrifice it may be to punish your ambition or to chastise the pride of your wife or rather to extirpate the presumption of the same your daughter Trulie I beleeue if none of all these three reasons doe prouoke the chast Goddesse vnto iust punishment yet all these three together doe stir her vp vnto a iust reuenge iust I say because that the gods doe neuer anie thing vniustlie but who knoweth if the goddesse foreseeing the future lasciuiousnesse of your daughter be determined to haue her before she be stained or els that she desireth to haue an vnspotted virgine to be offered vp vnto her that she might be the more fauorable vnto vs and make vs conquerors ouer the rauisher of the chastitie of Helena for whose defence you and all the nobilitie of Greece were bounden before she did chuse me for her lord and husband and yet whilest I was absent you suffered her to be rauished caried away which maketh me to thinke that the Goddesse being displeased with you is desirous to haue the same fault purged in the presence of all the Grecians by the death of your daughter Finallie the iudgements of the gods are secret but when their wils are manifest they ought to be accomplished The goddesse requireth Iphiginia you haue promised her we doe looke for her therefore we ought to haue her especiallie seeing all the skill that man hath is notable to prolong her life one onlie minute against the will of the gods and although you might saue her yet ought you not to preferre her life either before so manie worthie Grecians or before the honour of all Greece But why should all the rest of Priams sonnes or anie other Barbarian feare to enterprise anie thing against vs If it shal be reported that for to saue or thinking to prolong a maidens life the whole armie of the Grecians assembled together at such an infinit charge and with so great trauel should of it self be so suddainlie dissolued What ambition can be then more great then to vsurpe the title of a Generall and not to performe the dutie therof And what Treason is more manifest then to goe about to defraud all Greece of the honour obtained by the blood of our ancestors If it was thought a strange matter that Vlisses fained himself mad because he would not goe vnto the warres and if for the same cause the parents of Achilles were dispised hauing concealed him in the habite of a woman What shall wee say of you who would not onlie deceiue our armie of one or two men but would if our selues wee will not giue it ouer that all of vs should bee swallowed vp in the waues of the sea Doe you not consider that the greatnesse of your charge bindeth you to bee more couragious and righteous then all the rest Who then will iudge you to be such a one if you repugne against the will of the gods If you contrarie the desire of al men and without anie shame at all performe not your promise If it be so I dare say the Grecians are vnhappie in chusing such a Generall and you an vnhappie Generall seeing that by your default the Grecians shal lose their ancient reputation You may say that a fathers loue is great I agree therevnto so ought such as are highest in authoritie as you would be condiscend vnto great things especiallie when as reason requireth consider then for whom you doe giue your daughter it is for the honour of your brother to recouer your sister in law for beautie the onlie paragon of all the world It is to be reuenged of our enemies for the safetie of our countrie to confirme the ancient valor of our nation to winne vnto your selfe an immortall glorie and that which is more then all the rest to fulfill the good pleasure of the gods of whō one alone is able to destroy all mankind Consent thē as you are bound to obey their diuine power to performe your dutie to pleasure your brother to recouer your sister in law to saue the Grecians to mainetaine their ancient reputation and especiallie to shun the name of a traitor That your daughter my niece may bee offered vp a pleasing sacrifice vnto the gods who do neuer request any thing hurtful vnto their creatures and it may bee that they will saue her as well to manifest their mercie as to prouoke vs ioifullie to obey their commandements from the which wee can in no sort excuse our selues Agamemnons Answere HE can neuer be tearmed ambitious who neither by force tyrannie nor subtiltie attaineth vnto anie rule or dignitie but onlie by vertue and the election of manie which in direct means there is none can say that I haue vsed As concerning the pleasure of the gods that mine innocent daughter should be sacrificed what certaintie haue wee thereof but onelie the word of the priest Chalcas whose priestlie dignitie I do not contemne but rather his humane person being as readie to erre as the worst man in our troupes But I would faine know what pittie could remain in the gods if they delighted or tooke pleasure to behold the sheading of innocent blood I cannot beleeue that the same is to preuent the losse of her chastity for as great power hath the goddesse to maintain her virginitie as to shorten her daies Moreouer of extreames not onelie the gods but also euerie vertuous man doth alwaies endeuour to chuse the best whereby it appeareth that they by the death of an innocent virgine will neither recure lasciuiousnesse nor your owne negligence wherevnto neither the Grecians I nor my daughter are in no sort bound For you needed not to haue receiued Paris the sonne of a barbarous king into your house much lesse to entertaine him there a long time and least of all to leaue him at your departure all alone with your wife Do you not know that it is verie dangerous to leaue fire and flax together Are you such a foole that you know not how yoong men are lasciuious and women light But who knoweth not that ambition and lust respect no law Haue not you tried that loues poison creepeth in by the eies and eares Did you not thinke that the same beautie which not onlie inflamed you but all Greece was as able to set a yoong Barbarian on fire who was by nature lasciuious I confesse that the iudgements of the gods are secret and therefore ought we first to bee thorowlie assured of their wils before