being abashed they soone withdrew themselues froÌ„ his presence Of the shame which Aulilia did vnto her sonne Thierrie whereby she was a cause of his victorie THierry being Generall for the Emperour Zenon in Italy and hauing bene defeated by Odoâ—cer king of the Herules fled towards Rauenna On the way being met by his mother Aulilia and she perswading him to returne againe to the field and to renue the battell and seeing him to make a difficultie so to do She said vnto him my sonne beleeue me and assure thyself thou hast neither castle nor fortres where thou canst be safe except I take vp my clothes and suffer thee to returne againe into my belly from whence thou hadst thy first being Thierry being both ashamed and enflamed at this speech of his mother reassembled his armie returned to the place of battell and finding his enemies in disorder by reason of their first victorie he charged in vpon them and defeated them Fevv vvords vvell spoken and vvell taken cause great matters be put in execution Of the good counsell which a Gentleman gaue vnto the same Thierry Lieutenant to Zenon the Emperour vnder the couerture of a Fable by meanes whereof Thiâ—â—â—y made himselfe king of Italy THierry was accused vnto the Emperour Zenon by some enuious persons that he affected the Empire whereupon the Emperour sent for him home to Constantinople there held him prisoner till such time as being put to his triall he purged him selfe Within a while after he was againe accused for the same matter being commaunded by the Emperour to make his repaire vnto him who was purposed to put him to death he sent a messenger to the Emperours Court vnto one Tolomee his great friend and familiar to vnderstand his opinion if he held it good for him to come to the Court or not Tolomee in regard of his oath made vnto the Emperour durst not reueale the secret of the Emperours purpose vnto the messenger of Thierry but appointing him to attend the Emperor at dinner time he streightly charged him to marke well what he should heare him there say to the intent he might rehearse the same vnto his maister that sent him The next day the Emperour sitting at his table and keeping open state Tolomee who was one of his nearest fauorities deuising with him of many things as they were at meate let fall this fable of set purpose The Lion quoth he being chosen king by the other beasts they all came to do him reuerence the Hart which is a goodly beast approching to salute him with the rest and bending himselfe before him the Lion tooke him by the hornes purposing to deuoure him but the Hart drew away his head with that strength and force as he escaped and saued himselfe The Reinard seeing the Lion to frown to grow in a great rage because the Hart had escaped him did promise the Lion to cause the Hart to come backe againe And vpon the matter he did so flatter the Hart with so many sweet and sugred words that he drew him backe againe to the Lion to whom he doing reuerence as before the Lion seized vpon his horns and the other beasts falling also vpon him so as he was soone deuoured The Reinard pulling out his heart did secretly eate it Each of the beasts sought very earnestly for his heart to make a present of it to the king but the same not being to be found the blame was laid vpon the Renard with great threats and stripes Alas quoth the Reinard I am wrongfully punished for the Hart had no hart at all for if he had had any he would neuer haue returned to be slain and deuoured This tale being marked and vnderstood by the messenger he returned to Thieâ—â—y to whom he recited what he had heard whereby he was aduertized not to returne any more to the Emperour and within a while after he made himselfe king of Italy A sentence of king Attila and his titles ATtila king of the Gothes was wont to say That the griefe which he had conceiued in loosing of riches was greater then al the pleasure that he euer took in possessing of them Amongst many other titles which he esteemed excellent he chiefly bore this to be called The feare of the world and the scourge of God The words of Clotarius king of Fraunce at the time of his death CLotarius the first of that name king of Fraunce at the time of his death fell into these speeches saying often Vuach Auach How great is this King of heauen that thus killeth and causeth to dye the most great and mightie Kings and Princes of the world To men that are too much in loue with the world the tast of death is very bitter The sentence of Pope Zacharie concerning the electing of the King of Fraunce PEpin Maister of the Pallace of the king of Fraunce sent his Ambassadours to Pope Zacharie to haue his aduice whom he held to be most worthie to be King either him who for the profite and common good of the Realme did expose himselfe to all turmoile and trauell or him that liuing in idlenesse and slouth had no care or regard of the Common-wealth neither to augment it nor to defend it The Pope returned him in writing this answer That he was the fittest person to raigne and to be entitled King which tooke vpon him the charge and managing of the publique affaires both for the defence of the Realme and for the maintaining of iustice The French being informed of this answer deposed their king Childericke and thrusting him into a Monasterie elected Pepin king of Fraunce in his stead The pleasant message of Philip king of France to VVilliam duke of Normandy and king of England with his answer PHilip the first of that name kâ—ng of Fraunce being resolued to make warre against VVilliam the baâ—stard Duke of Normandie that conquered England who had lien long sicke of a great swelling in his belly sent him word That he neuer before heard of any woman in Normandie that lay so long in childbed as he had done and that if he might vnderstaÌ„d the time of his vprisâ—ng he would prouide him of lights against his Churching The Duke returned him this answer That he would not faile to let him vnderstand of his vprising and that he meant to come in person into Fraunce where himselfe would cause a solemne Masse to be song at his Churching and that for lights he would prouide a thousand Torches without waxe whose sâ—aues shold be of wood and a thousand launces tipt with steel to giue fire to those torcheâ— By the Torches without waxe and of wood he meant houses tovvnes villages vvhich he vvould set on fire and by the launces he meant men at armes Of the letters of promise which the same William Duke of Normandie sent vnto the Earle of Flanders THe same VVilliam Duke of Normandie hauing a determinatioÌ„ to make a conquest of England as being his right in
to the king of Fraunce Charles the seuenth to shew him in what estate the affairs of the warres then stoode and that for default of victuals money and other necessaries the French had lost certaine townes battels to the English The king willing to entertain the Captaine in good familiar sort shewed him all his delicate preparations of his pleasures and delights the sports the Ladies and the banquets wherewith he recreated himselfe and withall demaunded of him how he liked them The Hire very freely and liberally answered him saying Sir I neuer in my life saw Prince that lost his patrimonie more pleasantly then you do That man is to be reputed mad senselesse that vvill sit playing vvhilest his house is a burning A prompt and readie ansvver of an English Captaine the Lord Talbot TAlbot an English Captaine hauing besieged the citie of Orleance in the time of king Charles the seuenth the citizens fell to practise with the duke of Burgundie to yeeld themselues vnder his obeissance whereupon the Duke wrote to the said lord Talbot wishing him to leaue the siege and the rather for that his long abode before that place might be a great dammage and preiudice vnto him The lord Talbot suspecting the practise then in hand would not coÌ„sent to the Dukes motion but sent him this answer I do not meane to beat the bush and that another shall haue the birds This speech in some histories is attributed to the duke of Bedford RegeÌ„t of France vnder Henry the 6. king of England The ansvver of Bartholomâ—w Aluiano to king Levvis the tvvelfth BArthelmâ—w Aluiano a Captaine of the Venetians and Generall of their armie at the battell of Agnadell was there taken prisoner by the French and presented to king Lewis the twelfth who demanding of him vpon what ground or reason he bore armes against him the said Barthelmevv made this answer Sir I haue vndertaken the warre against you for two speciall reasons The first is for discharge of my dutie to my countrie The second is for that hauing to deale against so great and puissant a Prince as you are if I had obtained the victorie my renowne and fame had bene eternall and being vanquished I shall haue neuer the lesse honour and reputation with them of my countrey when they shall enter into due consideration of your greatnesse and excellencie for the hardinesse couragious boldnesse which I had to resist against you shall turne to my glorie and honour Men of haughtie courage do not attempt other then great actions the issue vvhereof cannot but turne to their honour A tyrannicall Sentence of Prospero Colonna PRospero Colonna being Colonel of the Italian men at armes which were within Millain a citizen of Millain came to complaine vnto him of the exactions and pillaging of his soldiers vnto whom he said Millain is like vnto a bird from which if one pull away the feathers she bringeth foorth others much more faire and beautifull The ansvver of an Italian to Ascanio Colonna AScanio Colonna hauing many goodly liuings and possessions in Romania arriued in a certaine towne of his own where all the chief men came vnto him to salute him to do him reuerence onely one citizen excepted who being very rich yet no Gentleman had one only son an honest faire conditioned young man who being singularly endued with all the gifts and graces wherewith nature cold enrich him was not inferiour but rather excelled all others there inhabiting Seigneur Ascanieo inuited that same citizen to supper at the end whereof he demaunded of him to haue his sonne to serue him promising to preferre him and aduaunce him highly The citizen said vnto him no sir I will not that he shall serue you for I remember me of an old Prouerbe which withholdeth me from condescending hereunto What Prouerbe is that said Seigneur Ascanio The citizen answered Hearken sir and I will repeate it vnto you Male è chi gli serue Peggio è chi gli disserue Beato è chi non gli conosse That is to say Ill is he that serueth Worse is he that cannot please But happy is he that knoweth neither An excellent comparison made by a Gâ—ntleman of Genua LEwis Sforce being determined to exact a great summe of money by compulsion vpon the citie of Genes sent an Ambassadour thither to negotiate this businesse who being inuited by a chiefe personage of the Citie to dine with him and walking into the garden of that citizen his house there they two fell into communication of that matter the Gentleman Geneuois seeing the herbe Basell said vnto the Ambassadour My lord Ambassadour stroke your hand along vpon and after smell vnto it which he did and confessed that the sauour of it was most sweete and odoriferous My Lord quoth the Geneuois againe straine the herbe in your hand and then smell to it which he did likewise and said that it yeelded a very bad and lothsome sent WherupoÌ„ the Geneuois said vnto him My lord if the duke Lewis wil gently stroke the hand of his puissance ouer this citie without any violent dealing he shall find it to yeeld a good sauor very obedient vnto him but if he come to oppresse it to force it by compulsion surely it will yeeld but a sharpe and ill tast by disobedience and rebellion The admonition of certaine French Captaines giuen to their souldiers IN the battell of Fornoue giuen by the potestates of Italy to king Charles the eight at his returne from the conquest of Naples the French Knights passing by the rankes of the battels as they were doing their deuoit in the thickest presse of their enemies and fearing lest the couetousnesse of the souldiers might make the French loose the victorie they cryed vnto their souldiers Remember the battell of Guinegare This was a battell foughten in the time of king Levvis the eleuenth against Maximilian king of the Romanes the which the French lost by giuing themselues to the pillage Of a French Knight vvhich taxed the Normans RAault the Dane who was afterwards the first duke of Normandy comming into Fraunce with a great armie there was sent against him Robert Earle of Aniou Marshall of Fraunce who demaunded of one Hastingue a Dane likewise being then Countie de Chartres whether he thought best to giue battell vnto Raault or not and what was his aduice therein Hastingue for some reasons disswaded him But a certaine noble Knight which caried the Banner of Fraunce perswaded the Marshall to the contrary saying My Lord did you euer see a wolfe seize vpon a wolfe or one foxe make war against another foxe Inferring hereby that they were both of one nation and that therefore it was very vnlikely that the one would hurt the other THe Elect of Senlis encouraging the French men at armes against the Flemings in the battell of Bouines vnder the king Philip Augustus amongst other words said It is not the part of any noble and valiant Knight to make the
prosecuted and iudgement ready to be giuen the Duke then demaunded of the Aduocate if it were not possible yet longer to protract it where unto the Aduocate answered that he wold so handle the cause as it should not be ended for two yeares Oh notable iniustice quoth the Duke to the Aduocate Thou wicked man diddest thou not know nay did not I tell thee that I owed him an hundred pounds and yet wouldest thou euen against thy owne conscience mine also frustrate the poore man of his due Is there any reason to hold plea against a iust debt Take the wretch said he to his Officers and let him be presently hanged and his bodie quartered to the intent from hencefoorth the commonweale may not by him be any more corrupted And according as the duke had pronounced this sentence so with the consent of the Senate was the Aduocate executed The resolution of a Gentleman of Millaine at his death THe same duke Galeace was murthered within the church of Saint Stephen in Millain as he was hearing of deuine Seruice One of the conspiratours and murtherers was slaine instantly in the place where the murder was committed the other named Ierome hauing bene hidden for three daies vnder a Merchants shoppe in the streete was constrained by famine to come foorth and being apprehended was adiudged to be quartered aliue The execution being to be done and he stretched out on a table at the end wherof his head hanged downe as his belly was ripped open with pure strength he lifted vp his head to see his intrails taken out of his bodie and therewithall vttered these words Collige te Ieronyme Vita breuis Mors acerba Laus perpetua That is Plucke vp thy heart Ierome life is but short death is bitter but the renowne will be perpetuall And so saying he gaue vp the ghost The cunning of Count Rodericke THe Count Radericke Gonthier hauing bene taken prisoner in a battell by Ferdinand king of Catelonia in the which Aluara the brother of the said Countie was slaine the Count himselfe was set at libertie vpon his faith giuen to returne again after he had caused his brother to be interred Which promise the said Rodericke being willing to performe and yet withall desirous to keepe his libertie he caused the dead bodie of his said brother to be embaulmed to be put in a Coffin the which he made to be caryed with him wheresoeuer he went and he would neuer suffer it to be buried till after the decease of king Ferdinand And by this pollicie he thought his oath sufficiently obserued which he had formerly sworne to the King A sentence of the Count Pitilan THe Count Pitilan in discoursing of warres was wont to vse this saying VVhen thine enemie is vvilling to flie make him vvay though it vvere vvith a bridge of gold The opinion of the duke of Burgoine PHilip duke of Burgoine hearing say how they of Gaunt did exceedingly loue the Count Charolois his sonne he said Oh they practise the common Prouerbe which is this The Gauntois do euer loue the yong Prince the sonne and heire of their Lord but afterwards when he commeth to inherite the Duchie and to raigne then they hate him A Sentence of the duke of Venice MArke Barbaricâ— duke of Venice being vnwilling to take reuenge of certaine iniuries that had bene offered him said That a good Prince and such a one as was not inclined to crueltie had a sufficient reuenge of his enemies when he made it knowne to others that he had the power to worke reuenge if he listed and that he would not do it vpon priuate persons though he did sharpely punish the publike offences A Sentence of the duke of Ferrara BOrso the first duke of Ferrara was wont to say That the hearts and affections of men were sooner gained by benefites and good deedes then by force constraint of Armes The charity of the duke of Sauoy AYme the second of that name duke of Sauoy being demaunded by certain Ambassadours where were his hounds with which he vsed to hunt and desiring to haue a sight of them he told them that if they would come againe to his Court the next morning they should see them The day after they came and the Duke led them into a Hal where was a great number of poore people and beggars eating and drinking at a table Behold said he to the Ambassadours the dogges which I keepe and nourish and with which I purpose to purchase and to lay hold on the heauenly glorie A memorable speech of the great maister of Rhodes PHilip de Villiers great maister of the knights of the Rhodes being be sieged in the said citie by Solyman the grand Seigneur of the Turkes hauing lost so many of his people that he had very few left said oftentimes That it was much better to saue one of his owne men then to kil a thousand of his enemies The speech of the great Turke to the said great Maister AT what time the said Villiers was constrained to render the same towne of Rhodes to the said Sultan Soliman and that he came to the presence of the said grand Seigneur to confirme the rendring of the place whereunto he had bene forced and to take his leaue of him for his departure towards Christendome the grand Seigneur vsed a speech vnto him worthy of so great a Prince which was this To loose townes Lordships and Dominions is a thing so vsuall and accustomable amongst men that it is a sufficient testimony how we are all of vs subiect to infiâ—t miseries The deuice of the duke of Vrbin CAesar Borgias duke of Valentinois and Vrbin the son of Pope Alexander the sixth gaue for his deuice this Mot O Caesar ô nulloâ— that is E ther I will be Emperour or nothing And so fell it out in the end accordingly or ere he came to that he aspired his wicked conditions brought him to an vnhappie end for he dyed prisoner in Spaine The brauado of the Count de Mathalon THomas Carafa Count de MataloÌ„ Generall of the Armie of Ferdinand against the French in the realme of Naples after the returne of king Charles the eighth into France being aduised disswaded by many Captaines of his Armie froÌ„ ioyning battell with the French that were marching to Salerno he reprouing their counsell said out aloud Tut these Frenchmen now adaies be not those auncient Peeres of Fraunce that haue bin so renowned in the fabulous Histories of the Romaines neither are we women furnished and armed in the forme of men as were of old the Amazons By this speech he encouraged his souldiers howbeit notwithstanding this braue oration he lost the honour of the battell A sage speech of a Marshall of Fraunce IOhn le Maingre called Bouciâ—ualt Marshall of Fraunce and Lieutenant for king Charles the sixt at Genes as he was riding one day through the streetes of that citie encountred two curtizans richly apparelled after the fashion of