vision warned to make himselfe readie to die at Philippos where hée was enforced in the wars betwéene Augustus Caesar and him to kill himselfe Thus â–ª were they alured and entised by shifting dreames to order and rule all their dooings for as the Poet Aeneus sayth what they studied and pondered in the daye time the same dreamed they in night time Dreames mooued them vnto tyranny for L. Silla the firebrande of Italy his owne countrey was warned in sléepe by Bellona the goddesse of warres to murther kill and destroye all that euer hée might finde in his waye giuing him in his hande fire in token he shoulde burne and ouercome Rome and Italy Likewise Eumanes King of the Lacedemonians hauing warres with Antipater King of Macedonia was fully perswaded by a dreame to obtaine victory for hée dreamed that two Alexanders were with great host and armie of men readie in fielde to fight the one hauing the goddesse Minerua as a leader the other hauing the goddesse Ceres as their Capitaine which after long conflictes and much murther of both parties hée thought that the souldiours of Ceres had the victory and that they were crowned with the eares of corne in the honor of Ceres which is the goddesse of corne and bicause the countrie of Lacedemonia was more fertill than Mocedonia the wise sages opened the dreame said that Eumenes should haue the victory ouer Macedonia Besides these dreames they had a kind of credite in Fowles of the ayre in beastes of the fielde in winde and weather and in diuers other things where soothsaying oracles and consultations were had When Zerxes the great king of Persea with so many miriades of men had purposed and decréed with him selfe to destroy all Gréece vntyll a Mare a stout and a proude beast had brought foorth a Hare the fearefullest thing out whereby it presaged the flight of Zerxes from Greece with shame and reproche And afterwarde purposing againe before hée woulde lay siege vnto Athens to destroy Sparta and all the countrey of Lacedemon a straunge warning hapned vnto this Prince at supper for his wine before his face was conuerted vnto blood as it was filled in the Cuppes not once but twise or thrise Whereat hée being amazed consulted with wise men of whom hée was then admonished to forsake his first entent and to geue ouer the enterprise which hée tooke in hande against the Gréekes Midas being yet in his cradle the Antes were séene to carye greynes and victuals to féede him withall whose parentes being desirous to know the effect therof were certified by the soothsayers that hée should bée the wealthiest and richest man in all the worlde hée shoulde bée the most monyed Prince that euer shoulde raigne in India Plato that noble and diuine Philosopher while hée was an infant in lyke sort in his cradle the Bées with hony fed his sugred and swéete lippes signifiyng the eloquence and learning in time to come of Plato They were not Bées of mount Himettum where honye as writers thinke was first founde but rather of Helicon where the Muses and Ladyes of learnyng delighted to dwell This was that Plato of whom his maister Socrates before hée knew him dreamed of that hée helde fast in his hande a young Swanne which fledde from him away and mounted the Skies whose swéete voyce and songes as a woonderfull melody and harmony replenished the whole Skies They thought it a sufficient admonition to sée any thing happen betwéene birdes or beastes as a sure and certaine shewe of their owne fortune to come M. Brutus when he was in campe against Caesar and Antonius and sawe two Eagles fighting togither the one comming from Caesars tent the other from his owne Hée knewe well when his Eagle tooke flight and was vanquished that he should loose the victorie Cicero vnderstanding well ynough his death to be at hand when the Rauen heald him fast by the hem of his gowne and made a noyse and euer pluckt at hym vntill the souldiers of M. Antonius came vnto the very place where he at that time was beheaded by Herennius and Popilius For in the night before Cicero dreamed being banished from Rome that he wandred diuers straunge countries where Caius Marius a noble Romaine as he thought mette him demaunding of Cicero why and what was the cause of his sadde countenaunce and wherfore he trauailed such straunge countries the cause being knowne vnto Marius hée tooke him fast by the right hande and brought him to the next officer where hée thought in his sléepe hée should haue died So that Zerxes by a Hare hadde warning King Mydas was by Antes admonished Plato by Bées Brutus by an Eagle Cicero by a Rauen Themistocles by an Owle of death Pericles by the head of a Ramme was fully perswaded taught by the soothsayers that hée should win the people of Athens from Thucidides with whome then he was in controuersie And was not Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus with all the Princes of Gréece certefied by the Dragon that climmed a trée where hée slue a shée Sparrowe and eyght young ones beside signifiying that they shoulde be nine yeares in wars with the Troyans and that the tenth they should destroye and quite vanquish Ihon. And was not Iulius Caesar admonished of his wife Calphurnia by a dreame that if he woulde vnto the Senate that daye hée should dye And was not that mightie Monarch Alexander warned by a vision to take more regarde vnto hys life then he did to take héede of Antipater who afterward poysoned him And was not Alcibiades that noble Gréeke certified by a dreame of his miserable death howe he and his hoore Timandra might diuers times sée before what after folowed if they had had so great a desire in folowing good things as they were bent and prone to séeke euyll Such prodigious sightes such straunge miracles were séene that might well allure them to more perfect life The Sunne the Moone the starres and all the hostes of heauen wrought great miracles to reduce Princes from euill enterprises and to giue warning vnto others to auoyde the tyranny of wicked Princes For the heauens appeared blouddy at that time when Philip king of Macedonia with tiranny inuaded Gréece At what time Augustus Caesar after his vncle Iulius was murthered â—ame vnto Rome as the second Emperor there were séene starers wandering about the circle of the Sunne great lightnings strange impressioÌ„s like men fighting in the skies yea and birdes fell downe deade in the Citty of Rome and Liuius writeth that an Oxe spake vnder plowgh these woordes vnto the plowman that not only corne should want â–ª but also men should perish and therefore said the Oxe thou â—egest me in vaine to trauell and his horse abstayned from foode When that wicked tyraunt Nero began his Empire in Rome trées pastures medowes and certen grounde about the Citie a straunge miracle altered places
briefly that magnanimitie was in Hercules that hée neuer offended iuste men hée neuer hurted innocent men hée preserued diuers kinges and countreys he neuer spoyled good countrey nor subdued a iust king therefore wholy addicted to merite fame In destroying the Serpent Hydra the Dâ—agon Priapus the Lion the wild Bore and terrible Bull. In conqueryng Gereon Cerberus and Diomedes cruell Tyrauntes In takyng the gylted Hart in vanquishing the Centaures and the rauenyng Birdes named Stymphalides was there any tyranny or cruel attempts in this his .xij. enterprices Well let Hercules passe who was as they say more ayded of the gods then helped of man With these princely actes renowmed feates of Hercules was noble Thesius much enamored insomuch he aemulated the vertuous life of Hercules that he tamed wylde beastes slue monsters ouercame cruell Creonâ— tyraunt of Thebes went downe as the Poet saith vnto hell to imitate Hercules feates to resemble Hercules magnanimitie to augment Theseus fame creating alters appointyng sacrifice in memorie of Hercules hoping that others woulde doe vnto Theseus as Theseus dyd vnto Hercules Next vnto Theseus for antiquitie of time that valiaunte and renowmed Gréeke Achilles the onely stay and comfort of his countrey the verye hope of all Gréece whose magnanimitie valiaunt courage worthy actes and famous life is at large set foorth in Homers Iliades which Homer Alexander the great by the reading of the manhood of Achilles being yet in his fathers dayes brought vp in schoole with that learned Philosopher Aristotle so estéemed that hée neuer went to bed but that he had Homer vnder his pillowe and there fell in loue with the prowesse of Achilles honoured his life and magnified his death in so much hée went vnto Ilion in Phrygia where that famous Citie of Troy sometime stoode to sée the graue of Achilles where when hée came and sawe the worthye monumentes his marshall chiualrie his famous feates and renowmed lyfe depaynted aboute the Temple enuironed and compassed about his sumptuous tombe he brake out in gushing teares beholding the tombe saying O happie Achilles to happen on suche a Homer that so well coulde aduaunce thy fame And thus Alexander being mooued by Homer to imitate Achilles wayed nothing else but magnanimitie and courage of minde as Curtius and Diodorus Siculus can well testifie whose lyfe though it was but short was a mirrour vnto all the world that being but twentie yeares when he began to enuie the actes feates of Achilles that in twelue yeres more which were his whole time of life he became King ouer Kings a conquerour ouer conquerours that he was named an other Hercules for his prosperous successe in his enterprises insomuch that Iulius Caesar the first and most valiaunt Emperor that euer was in Rome at his great coÌ„quests entering into the Temple of Hercules in Gades reading the lyfe of Alexander printed rounde about the Temple hys worthie fame depainted his noble déedes set foorth hys victories and conquestes in euery place described suche monumentes and myrrours in memorye of his noble life that Caesar fell vnto the like teares for Alexander as Alexander did for Achilles Thus one in loue with the other for magnanimitie sake eche one desirous of others fame as Caesar thought him selfe happie if he might bee counted Alexander Alexander iudged himselfe renowmed if he might be named Achilles Achilles sought no greater fame then Theseus Theseus euer desired the name of Hercules Therefore Agesilaus King of the Lacedemonians wondering muche at the singuler magnanimitie and force of Epaminondas Prince sometime of Thebes who with one little City coulde subdue all Gréece This Epaminondas hauing warres with the Lacedemonians people no lesse renowmed by warre then iustlye feared by Epaminondas after great victories and triumphes had by this Prince was after this sort preuented by Agesilaus in the wars of Mantinia that al the people of Sparta were counceled eyther to kill Epaminondas or to be kilde by Epaminondas whereby the whole force and power of Lacedemonia were fully bent by commaundement gyuen by Agesilaus their King to fall vpon Epaminondas where that valiaunt and noble Prince by to much pollicy was wounded to death to the spoyle and murther of all the people of Thebes and yet a liue caried vnto his tent demaunded of his souldiours the state of the fielde whether Thebes or Sparta was conquered being certified that the Lacedemonians fledde and that he had the victorye he foorthwith charged the ende of the speare to be taken out of his side and wounde saying Nowe your Prince Epaminondas beginneth to liue for that he dyeth a Conquerour wée reade not skant of Epaminondas mate which being compared vnto Agamemnon for his magnanimitie was angrie therewith saying Agamemnon with all Gréece with him was .x. yeres about one towne the Citie of Troye Epaminondas with little Thebes in one yeare conquered all Gréece This order was amongst the Lacedemonians before they shoulde go vnto warres they were by lawe charged to make solemne sacrifice vnto the Muses and being demaunded why they so did sith Mars hath no societie with the Muses Eudamidas then their King aunswered for that we might attaine aswell of the Muses how to vse victorie gently as of Mars to become victors manfully These Lacedemonians were so valiant that hauing banished their King Cleonimus for his passing pride and great violence making Areus to raigne as a King This Areus being in Créete ayding the people of Corcyra in warres with the most part of the Citizens of Sparta this Cleonimus their exiled King consulted with Pirrhus King of Epyre perswading then or neuer to conquere Sparta considering Areus was in Créete that Sparta was not populus to defende any strength came both and pitcht thir fielde in open face of Sparta assuring themselues both to be at supper in Cleonimus house The Citizens perceyuing the great army of Pirrhus thought good by night to sende their women vnto Créete to Areus making themselues ready to die manfully in resisting the hoast of the enimie and being thus in the Senate agréeing that the womankinde shoulde passe awaye that night least theyr nation at that time shoulde be quite destroyed by Pirrhus then rushed a great number of women in harnesse of the which Archidamia made an Oration to the menne of Sparta much blaming their entent and quite confounded their purpose saying Thinke you O Citizens of Sparta that your wiues and daughters woulde liue if they might after the death of their husbandes and destruction of Sparta beholde howe readye we are howe willing the women of Sparta will die and liue with theyr husbandes Pirrhus shall well féele it and knowe this daye No maruayle that the broode of these women shoulde be valiaunt and stoute If Demosthenes who so muche was estéemed in Athens had sayde in Sparta that which he wrote in Athens that they which sometime ranne awaye shoulde fight againe he shoulde haue the like rewarde
as by experience we see all things to haue a care of his owne life The Lion when he feeleth hym self sicke he neuer ceaseth vntil he féedeth vpon an Ape whereby he maie recouer former health The Gotes of Creet féedyng on high vpon the mountaines when any of them is shot through with an Arrowe as the people of that countrey are most excellent archers they seeke Dictamum and hearbe assone as they eate any thyng of the same the arrowe faleth downe and the wound waxeth whole incontinent There are certen kyndes of Frogges in Aegypt about the floud of Nilus that haue this perseueraunce that when by chaunce they happen to come where a fishe called Varus is whiche is a greate mourtherer and a spoyler of Frogges they vse to beare in their mouthes ouerthwart a long réede which groweth about the bankes at Nilus whiche when this fishe doth gape thinkyng to feede vpon the Frog the réede is so long that by no meanes can he swallowe vp the Frogge and so saue their liues If the Gotes of Creet If the frogges of Aegypt haue this vnderstanding to auoide their enemies how muche more ought men to be circumspect of his life which hath I saie millions of enemies nether séen nor knowen We reade in the first boke of Aelian that the rude swine if at any tyme by chaunce they eate of that hearbe called Hioscyamus which draweth by by the vaines together that skant thei can stirre yet they striue for remedie sake to goe vnto the water where they feede vppon yong Crabbes to recouer health In the same booke ye maie reede of a Sea Snaill whiche from the water doth come vnto lande to breede and after she hath egged she diggeth the yearth and hideth her egges and retourneth vnto the sea again and there continueth .xl. daies and after .xl. daies she commeth vnto the same self place where she hidde her egges and perceiueth that thei are ready to come out of the shell she openeth the shell and taketh her yong ones with her vnto the sea And thus haue they care charge not onely of their owne states and liues but also of others and by some shewe of sence thei amende that which is most daungerous and hurtfull for the sely and simple mise haue this kynde of fore knowledge that when any howse waxeth olde and ruinous they forsake their olde dwellyng and creepyng holes they flee and seeke refuge in an other place The little Antes haue foresightes that when penury and want of relife draweth nier they waxe so painefull and laborious toilyng and trauailyng in gatheryng together victualles as maie serue them duryng the tyme of famine If these smale crepyng wormes seely and simple beastes prouide for them selues what shall wee saie of man the kyng and ruler ouer all beastes who hath not onely a bodie to prouide for but also a soule to saue More happie are these wormes and beastes in their kinde then a nomber of Princes are For that they by nature onely are taught their foes to auoide neither we by nature neither by God the cause of all goodnes can loue our frendes Therefore verie well it is saide of the wise man that either not to be borne or els beyng borne streight to die is the happiest state that can chaunce vnto man For liuyng in this vale of miserie wee sée the Pilgrimages and trauell of life to be such that better farre it were be a poore quiet man then a busie proude Prince And sith death is the last line of life aswell appointed for princes as for poore men who in reading the liues of Emperours Kinges and Princes the nobles of the worlde seeth not their vnhappie states whiche commyng vnto the worlde naked and departyng from the same naked yet like proude pilgrimes busie one to destroye another not coÌ„tented with countries and kingdomes go from one place vnto another from one couÌ„trie vnto another like Pilgrimes to bee acquainted with miserie and to seeke death Alexander the great conquerour takyng his voiage from his kyngdome of Macedonia vnto India to destroie all the worlde hee was in the citie of Babilon preueÌ„ted by Antipater and Iola his taster and kinsman with poison and there he died Philopomen a greate Emperour sometyme in Greece beyng in prison in Messena taken in the warres and beyng so cruelly handled that he besought Dinocrates whiche then was Prince of that countrie and conquerour ouer hym one draught of poison he coulde not be coÌ„tent to be Emperour and ruler of Greece but moued to seeke death in a straunge countrie amongest his foes Ladislaus kyng of Apulia endeuouryng to subdue the Florentines and séekyng to bee kyng ouer the Florentines he loste the kingdome of Apulia For by them was hee at length poisoned and so berefte from his owne kingdome and life with this vnhappie kinde of death wer many princes preuented no lesse thretened are these princes of their owne houshold frendes then of foren foes no lesse do their childreÌ„ their wiues brethren and kinsmen studie to destroie them sometyme for the kingdomes sake some tyme for hatered hidden and most ofteÌ„ prouoked of these to spoile them as it is written that Claudius Caesar an Emperour of Rome was poisoned of his owne wife Agrippina Antiochus king of Siria was poisoned of his Queene Laodice for that hee was in loue with Berenices Kynge Ptholomeus sister Constantine the Emperour the soonne of Heraclius beeyng but one yere a ruler of his empire was poisoned by his mother in lawe named Martina The verie cause of the Emperour Conradus death whiche was Frederikes soonne was the Empire and rule of Rome whiche Manfredus his successour made the phisicions for money to poison him that then hee beyng the successour of the empire might beare rule O vnhappie state of Princes whose liues are desired of frende and foe How sore was L. Vectius set on of Caesar to betraie Pompeius the greate whiche for the loue and zeale that Pompeius had in Rome Caesar began to malice Lucullus Curio Cato and Cicero for their priuate loue towarde Pompeius no lesse daunger it is to be in fauour with princes sometime then perilous to bee princes wee reade of a Quéene named Rosimunda the doughter of kyng Cunimunda of Gepida after that she poisoned Albonius king of Longobardes hir first housebande she maried a prince of Rauenâ—a named Helinges which likewise she thought to poison but beyng warned in y e middest of his draught he caused his wife to drinke the reste whiche drinke was the cause of both their death howe manie noble Princes in the middest of their Pilgrimages died that death as Diocletian the Emperour of Rome Lotarius kyng of France Carolus the eight of that name with diuers others as Hanibal prince of Carthage Aristobolus king of Iuda and Lucullus Emperour of Rome Princes and noble men doe sometyme poyson theimselues lest they should
he supposed slaine through deceipt euen so was Alebas chief gouernour of Larissa a citie in Thessalie murthered of his owne souldiors The desire that men beare vnto honour and dignitie is suche that accompaneth with death as Spu Cassius and Spu Melus for the gredines vnto the Empire of Rome wer bothe worthely beheaded God hath shewed iuste vengeance vpon princes for their iniquitie with plagues Pestilences whiche spoiled the Emperor Constantine the Empresse his wife Zoae and by this was Marcus Antonius Alphonsius and Domitius iustly and worthely punished God hath wonderfully punished the pride of princes euen with shamefull and horrible death that Lice and Uermine consumed their bodies a liue As Maximilian the Emperoure Arnulphus Honorificus kyng of the Vandoles and Herode kyng of Iewrie wer eaten vp a liue with vermines and wormes Plini and Plutarche saieth that proude Silla whiche sore plagued Rome and Italie was conuerted all his fleshe vnto lice and so died Herodotus dooeth like wise reporte of one Pheretrina a Quéene of Barcaeans that of this filthie and horrible death died GOD gaue theim ouer in the middeste of their pleasure euen eatyng and drinkyng as Septimus and Valentianus twoo famous Emperours died of surfette for wante of disgestion Archesilaus died presently with one draught of wine What is the life of Princes but an vncertaine Pilgrimages whiche scante seeth his daies fully by nature graunted as we see how and after what sort thei die daiely euery where There was greate difference betwene the Pilgrimage of Vlixes and his felowes whiche Cirses the Witche did chaunge theim vnto diuers kindes of beastes for that thei knewe not what Pilgrimage meante and Vlixes hym self kepte his naturatl shape and frame And for that in his pilgrimage he was wise and painfull in his life he did learne of Aeolus Phisick of Cirses Magicke of Calipso Astronomie and that vnder couler of fables That pilgrimage is onely appointed vnto manne to knowe hym self and to serue his God diuers learned Philosophers as Pithagoras Democritus Anaxogaras trauailed from Grece vnto Aegypte vnto Persia vnto Caldea and to diuers other countries for knowledge sake Anachassis from colde Scythia made his voiage to Athens for learnyng Appolonius from Rome went ouer Caucasus vnto India vnto Assiria to knowe more Philosophie Yea womeÌ„ are famous for their pilgrimage therein as Saba came from Aethiope the farthest part of the worlde to heare Salamons witte and to learne wisedome Cornelia froÌ„ Rome beyng a noble woman wente vnto Palaestina to heare saincte Hierome teache Christians The Pilgrimage that Solon made for AtheÌ„s that Lycurgus made for the Lacedemonians that Architas made for Tarentum are commended The trauaile that Pittacus tooke for the people of Myâ—tilaena that that Cleobulus tooke for the Rhodians that Bias and Thales tooke for the people of Ionia are praised Wee are borne not for our selues but for our countrey and frendes for them wee ought to trauaile For this cause became Plato from a famous oratour in Athens to bée a renoumed souldior at the besiegyng of Corinth and Tenagra For this wente Socrates Platoes maister to Amphipolis and Potidaea a twoo greate cities in Delos to fight for their Countrey Philosophers were not alwaies occupied with bookes but when tyme serued thei were seen in armes as Architas was sixe tymes generall emongest the Tarentines Tyrtaeus elected gyaunde Capitaine emongest the Lacedemonians Xenophon whiche Thucidides highly aduaunce one of the chief Souldiours of kyng Cirus What caused the Philosopher Zeno to resist the princely power of king Antigonus What moued Bias to withstande the force of kyng Aliates In fine what made Phocion Aristides Themistocles and others to become souldiours to stand in armes against their enemies the loue of Athens The pilgrimage of this our life is nothing els but a continuall trauaill vntill we come to our last iourney whiche is death then is the ende of all pilgrimage and iuste accoumpt to bee made for the same ¶ Of Dissimulation and Crafte of Subtiltie and Deceipte DIogenes that Cinike Philosopher makyng hym self ignoraunt somtyme in that which he knewe beste was wont in banquettes and feastes to say if any manne had demaunded what kind of meate wer ther I can not name but I caÌ„ eate it and so would passe to aunswer any thing truely with dissimulatioÌ„s in so muche that Sigismonde the Emperour would saie that he that could not dissemble could not rule At what tyme Galba a Citizein of Rome had bidden a gentleman named Mecaenas vnto Supper perceiuyng the gentleman to bee in loue with his wife fained hym a sleepe for that Mecaenas might shewe some part of his will and loue in the meane season while his wife and Mecaena were in talke and he hym self in dissemblyng slept came one of his seruauntes to take some thinges awaie from the table supposyng his maister had been a sleepe vnto whom his maister saied well you varlet though I see not Mercaenas yet I see to you I sleepe vnto hym and not vnto you The like dissimulation was betwene Demosthenes and Archias at what tyme he fledde Athens for feare of Antipaters displeasure and went vnto the Isle Calauria where in the Temple of Neptune he hid hym self vntill Archias came and promised hym what honour and dignitie he should haue if he could come vnto Antipater and with faire wordes he dissembled with Demosthenes that he came for the purpose from the kyng vnto him Demosthenes perceiuyng his dissimulations and craftie meanes answered plainly to moue hym vnto anger where truthe is oftentimes opened and saied Thou of all men couldest neuer play vpoÌ„ the stages plaiyng thy parte then and now at this tyme thou canst not bee an Oratour to perswade me whereat Archias waxed angrie and threatned to hale him out of the Temple vnto whom Demosthenes answered Nowe perforce thy dissimulation is chaunsed vnto truthe I might hereon staie to note the greate dissimulations betwene Metellus and Scipio whiche was so greate that Metellus faigned that Rome was happie that Scipio was borne therin and yet his mortall enemie all the daies of his life and therefore Fredericke an Emperour sometyme of Rome at what tyme the Senatours would goe sitte aboute the state of the citie would saie before you go vnto the Senate house caste awaie from you twoo thynges that you cary with you and beeyng demaunded of the Senatours what twoo thynges were thei he saied Simulations and Dissimulations In this Philippe of Macedon did differ muche from his soonne Alexander in so muche that Alexander would consente to nothyng but to magnimitie and truthe and his father to all kinde of falshood as seen by subduyng of the Sarunsians and the Cities of Thracia who vnder coulour of peace commaunded his Souldiours to bryng vnder their clokes euery one a coarde that at what tyme kyng Philippe
poore and therefore I feare no manne who séeth not the daunger of the one and the surenesse of the other for Arison was wont to saie that pouertie was as it were a Lantarne to beholde the wickednes of the worlde for pouertie is the true Nourse of all good vertues Licurgus beyng demaunded of certaine Citizins of Sparta howe might men auoide their enemies hee answered by pouertie wherefore Licurgus made lawes and decrees amongest the Lacedemonians that no Soldiers should spoile the enemies though they were dead in the filde for he feared lest wealthe should bee the distruction of Sparta For wealthy men are enuied at and hated and euery where sought by snares to be destroied whiche pouertie escapeth That wise Greke Solon was wont to saie that wealthe was the mother of excesse excesse the mother of luste luste the mother of violence and violence the mother of tyrannie Therefore saieth Pithagoras that wealth muste bee ruled with wisedome as the wild horse is tamed by the bridle Simonides when he was demaunded which was better wealth or wisedome he saide after this sorte I doubte muche said he for I sée so manie wise men frequentyng the riche mannes companie that I knowe not whiche ¶ Of Death DEATH is the laste line of all thyng the discharge of all couenauntes the ende of all liuyng Creatures the onelie wishe of the good and the verie terrour of the wicked And for that the life of man is diuers so is Death variable of sonderie sortes and fashions as by experience seen and knowen in all Countries Nothyng is surer then death nothyng more variable then Death For Pindarus that wise and sage kyng of the Liricans beeyng demaunded of certaine Beotians what might beste happen vnto manne in this worlde euen that saied he whiche chaunced vnto Trophoniuâ— and Agamedes meanyng Death For these men after thei had builded a newe temple vnto Apollo demaunded of God Apollo the beste reward that he could giue vnto them thei thinkyng to speede of some dignitie or some worldly substaunce were rewarded within seueÌ„ daies after with death The like we reade in the firste booke of Herodote where the mother of Biton and Cleobes twâ—o yong menne of Argos kneelyng before the Image of Iuno besoughte the Goddesse to bestowe some excellent good thyng vpon her twoo soonnes for their paine and trauaill that thei shewed toward their naturall mother in drawyng the Chariot tenne miles in steade of horses but the Goddesse willyng to shewe the beste thyng that could bee giuen vnto manne the nexte night followyng quietly in bedde as thei slepte died Wherefore very well did Aristippus aunswere a certaine manne whiche asked how Socrates died Euen in that order that I wishe my self to die â–ª Giuing to vnderstande that any death is better then life That noble Philosopher Plato a little before he died as Sabellicus doeth write did thanke nature for thre causes the firste that he was borne a manne and not a beast the seconde that he was borne in Greece and not in Barbarie The thirde that he was borne in Socrates tyme who taught hym to die well Hermes that great Philosopher of Egipte euen diyng so embraced death that he called vpon that diuine spirite whiche ruled all the heauens to take mercie vpoÌ„ hym beyng right glad that he passed this toilyng life Suche is the snare of death that some in halfe their daies in middest of their fame and glorie die As Alexander the greate in Babilon Pompeius in Egipte and Marcellus whiche beyng a yonge man of greate towardnesse and soonne by adoptioÌ„ to the Empire of Rome died Euen Albius a Romaine knight in flourishyng yeres ended his race And M. Caelius one of Ciceros scholers a very eloqueÌ„t Oratour and of greate fame beyng in a maner a boie died It is straunge to see the shiftes of death in how diuers and sondrie fassions it happened vnto Princes alwaies that some merie in their bankettes and drinkyng wer slaine As Clitus of Alexander the greate beyng his sisters brother and his chief frende Ammon of Absalon being bidden vnto a banquette was slaine of his owne brother yea all the Embassadours of Persia were coÌ„maunded to bee slaine euen drinkyng at the Table by kyng Amintas soonne of Macedonia Some ende their liues wantonnyng with women and plaiyng in chambers as that renoumed Greke Alcibiades beeyng taken in Uenerie with Timandra was slaine of Lisander EueÌ„ so Phaon Speusippus the Philosopher died likewise Some bathyng theim self were choked by their owne wiues As Agamemnon that famous Greke by his wife Clitemnestra And Argirus Emperoure of Rome by his wife Zoe Diuers in prison as Captiues died as Aristobulus Emnenes Aristonicus Marius Cleomenes Iugurth Siphax famous and renowmed Princes Diuers in Iacques slain as that beast Heliogabolus whom Rome so hated that he fledde vnto a Iaques and there was killed and after drawen thorowe the streates and throwen vnto the Riuer Tiber Gneus Carbo a manne of great dignitie and power of Rome was commaunded that he should bee slaine as he was sitting on his stoole of ease by Pompeius in the thirde tyme of his Consulshippe in Rome Thus shamfull diuers died and thus famously others died The snares of death the hookes of tyme the ende of manne was alwaies vnknowen Patroclus knewe not that he should bee slaine of Hector Hector neuer thoughte he should bee killed of Achilles Achilles neuer doubted his death by Paris Paris neuer iudged that he should be vanquished by Pirrhus Neither Pirrhus was certaine that he should bee ouercomed by Orestes so that no manne knoweth his ende where howe and when he dieth and yet all menne are certaine and sure that thei haue an ende that thei muste needes die The feare of death hath muche ouercome the stoutest and worthiest souldiour â–ª Wee reade that Asdrubal of Carthage a noble and a famous Capitaine a longe tyme and yet at length beyng conuicted by Scipio he for feare of death kneled before Scipio embracyng his feete and so fearefull that his owne wife was ashamed of his doynges Yet had this noble Capitaine rather bee a laughyng stocke vnto the Romains a bonde manne vnto Scipio runnyng a foote like a lackie before his triumph then to die manfully in the behalfe of his Countrie whiche valiauntly for a tyme he defended Perpenna likewise a famous Romaine beyng taken in Spaine after Sertorius was deade by the Souldiours of Pompeius in a wooddie place full of Groues fearyng leste at that instante he should be slaine by Pompeius souldiors made them beleue that he had diuers thinges to speake vnto Pompeius that the enemies had in hande to bryng to passe against Pompeius rather had Perpenna betraied his frendes and his fellowes yea and all his Countrie vnto his enemie PoÌ„peius then that he should bée in the feare of death A greater feare of death we read in that booke of
Fulgosius of that noble Vitellius who after he had vanquished and slaine diuers nobles and shewed greate wronges vnto the Emperour Otho and vnto Sabinus brother vnto Vespasian the Emperour beyng in feare of his life by Vespasian and being taken by the souldiors he besought leste he should die presently he might bee kepte saufe in prison vntill he might sée and speake with Vespasian the Emperour Suche was his feare that he did hide hym self in a chest like a wretch leste vpon a sodaine he should die So fearfull was Caligula and Caesar of death euery where that he would neuer goe abroade at any Lightenynges or Thonder but with his heade couered with all kinde of thynges whiche mighte resiste the violence of Thounders and Lightenynges Misa kyng of the Moabites and Ioram kyng of Iewrie beyng besieged by the enemies and in daunger of death thei inuented all giles all policies and inuentions right or wronge to saue life thei sacrificed their children to mitigate the rage of the Goddes leste thei should die The loue that diuers had vnto life and the feare the same self had vnto death were to bee noted worthily consideryng howe sore men are vexed with the fear of death ▪ Antemō was so desirous to liue and so fearfull to die that skante would he trauaill out of his house abrode any where and if he wer compelled to goe abrode he would haue twoo of his seruauntes to beare ouer his heade a greate brasen Targatte to defende hym from any thyng whiche mighte happen to doe hym hurte Theagenes in like sorte would not goe out of his house without he had consulted with the Image of Hecates to knowe what should happen to him that daie and to vnderstande whether he might escape death or no Commodus the Emperoure would neuer truste any Barbour to shaue his bearde lest his throte should bee cutte of Masinissa kyng of Numidia would rather committe his state and life vnto Dogges then vnto men as his garde to keepe and defende hym from death To speake of Bion of Domitianus of Dionisius of Pisander of thousandes more whiche so feared death that their chief care and studie was how thei might auoide the same The feare of death causeth the soonne to forsake the father the mother to renoūce the doughter the one brother to deny an other and one frende to forsake the other In so muche Christ himself was forsaken of his Disciples for feare of death Peter denied him and all the reste fledde from hym and all for feare of death Behold therefore how fearfull some are how ioyfull others are How lothsome some how willyng others haue been to die Some desperately die beyng wearie of life As Sabinus Iuba Cleomenes some hangyng thē self some burnyng them selues some drouning thē selues thus with one desperat ende or other thei died But fith euery man muste die it were reason that euerie man should prepare to die for to die wel is nothing els but to liue again Wherfore certen Philosophers of India called Gymnosophistae beyng of Alexander the great cōmaunded to certain hard questiōs whiche if thei could absolue they should liue otherwise thei should die the eldeste of their cōpanie was made a iudge in that matter by the said Alexander The first question was demaunded to know whether there wer more liuing or dead to the whiche the first philosopher saied that the quicke are more in nomber for that the dead haue no being no place no nōber The second question was whether the lande engendered more or the Sea to this answered the second philosopher and said the Land did engender more for that the Sea was but a portion of the Lande The thirde question was to knowe what beast was most subtill that beast answered the thirde Philosopher that man can not discerne Fourthly it was demaunded why they beeyng Philosophers were so induced to perswade the Sabians to rebellion bicause saide the Philosopher it is better to die manfully then to liue miserablie The fifte question was whether the daie was made before the night or the night before the day to the which it was answered the daie The sixte was to vnderstande howe Alexander the greate hym selfe might get good will of the people in shewyng saied the sixte Philosopher thy self not terrible vnto the people The seuenth to aske was whether life or death wer stronger and it was answered life The eight was to knowe howe longe a manne should liue vntill saied the eight Philosopher a manne thinketh death better then life The last question was proposed of Alexander to knowe how might a mortall man be accompted in the nomber of the Gods In dooyng greater thynges saide all the Philosophers then man is able to dooe For that they knewe this proude Prince would be a GOD and that he would learne of the sage Philosophers how he might voide mortalitie he was answered sharpely for that hee should knowe hym to be a man and beyng a manne he should make himself readie to die for death is the rewarde of sinne and death is the beginnyng of life againe vnto the good as Aulus Posthumius in an Oration whiche he made vnto his Souldiours said It is geuen both to good and bad to die but to die Godly and gloriously is onely geuen vnto good men For so Hector speaking in Homer said vnto his wife Andromacha that she should not be sory for his death sith all men must die Though some with the Galathians dooe contempne death that thei fighte naked and are perswaded with the Pythagoreans that they shall neuer die but passyng from one bodie vnto another yet some die ioyfully as the brethren of Policrita beyng taken captiue by Diognitus ▪ Emperour of Milesia she beyng vsed verie ill at the Emperours hands did sende Letters to Naxus vnto hir brethren at what tyme the people of Milesia were Feastyng Drinkyng and Banquetyng at their greate solemne feast Then the brethren of Policrita came and found the Emperour drinkyng and all his people ouer charged with wine slue the most parte of theim prisoned a nomber and brought their sister home to Naxus where assone as they came home died for Ioye of the victorie Euen as Philarchus somtime in his great triūphe criyng out O happie howres and ioifull daies was taken in suche a Feuer that brake his vaines at that verie instaunt for gladnes He is coumpted moste wise that knoweth hymself To ioye to muche in prosperitie to be aduaunced and extolled when fortune fauours without all feare of ill happes to come is follie To be vanquished and subdued in aduersite without hope of solace and goodnes to come is méere madnesse Therefore the Sages and Wisemen knowyng that death was the last line of life did endeuour in their liues how they might die well briefly for examples of liues I meanes to note fewe sentences of these wisemen whiche they vsed as their Poesies and thought good to shewe
The pilgrimage of Princes penned out of sundry Greeke and Latine aucthours by Lodovvicke Lloid Gent. At London Printed by VVilliam Iones and are to be solde at his nevve long Shop at the VVest doore of Povvles C Call on God vvith CICERO craue thy countrie good to vvish H Haue PHOCION learned Greke in mind that ioyed of AtheÌ„s blisse R Remember CAESARS saying in Rome ech day to vvinne a friende I In vvorde and deede most DAMON like that vvill endure the ende S Seeke vvith care serue vvith faith think PLATOES saying on earth T To serue thy God thy Prince thy soyle did nature poynt thy birth O Offende no man deserue due prayse the poore doe not denie F Forget not PHILIPS Page that sayd O PHILIP thou must die O Obay the lavves hurt no man hate not the siely Groome R Right so in Englande shalt thou haue as POMPE had in Rome O Of CVRTIVS fayth of CODRVS care of Roman SCIPIO think S Shun subtill SINONS savvcie sleyght flee cursed CACVS linke H Hat ' on eche vice eche vertue loue thy state vvith CHILO knovve â–ª A Auoyd raging vvrath vvith pacieÌ„ce mild PERIANDER teacheth so T Time doth BIAS vvise affirme to make most men offende T Time SOLON sayth doth trie al things and time doth iudge the end O Order must vvith measuâ—e rule ech state sayth PYTTACVS playne N Nothing must abounde to much CLEOBVLVS biddes agayne V Vertue buildes hir blasing bovver in sacred breast to breede S Such prayse as shall aduaunce your fame if sages sayings you reade ¶ TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVL and his singuler good M. Maister Christofor Hatton Esquier Capitaine of the Queenes Maiesties Garde and Gentleman of her highnesse priuie Chamber THAT NOBLE PHIlosopher Plato right VVorshipfull had not attempted so often the seas from Athens to Sicilia had it not beene for his friende Dion neyther hadde learned Apollonius sustayned the heate of Ripheus nor the cold of Caucasus to trauell from Rome vnto India had it not beene for his companion Hiarchus Suche is the force of affection the attempt of friendeshippe and the secret search of nature that vvere it possible that the same sayth Cicero might ascende the skies to vevve the glorie of the Sunne the state of the Starres and to beholde the beauty of the heauens vnsvveete vvere the admiration thereof vnlesse it might bee imparted to friendes Such is the violence of hidden loue after long lurcking in the intrailes of the heart that by force seeketh meanes by some outvvard shevv of seruice to reueale the fostered flames therof to his professed friende by vvhose continuall mocions and restlesse rage I vvas more alured by good vvill than by vvit or learning persvvaded to manifest the fruite thereof vnto your VVorshippe as to the onely Mecaenas chosen Patron of this my enterprise vvhich though more bolde than vvise more rash than learned yet I hope more vvilling than able of your vvorship adiudged vvhich like a Greeke Demetrius or a Romane Scipio by some secret sleight of vertue mooued in me most ardent loue incredible desire and singuler affection to accomplish some charge as a publicke pleadge of my true and faythfull heart So for the clemencie of countenaunce the facility of speach the excellencie of nature vvhich in some are more apparaunt than in others doe euen as the Adamant dravve vp the heauie and lumpishe yron enflame the barren and luntish braineman to a farre further charge than other learning maye suffice good vvill therein â–ª Most vvilling to auoyde the gulfe of Charibdis perforâ— hee slideth in Scilla and seeking to shunne Semphlagades he sincketh in Syrtes Hovvbeit good vvill the vvorthiest revvarde the chiefest treasure and the greatest gift that the seruaunt can yeelde vnto his maister the subiect vnto his Prince or one man vnto another vvhich as Demosthenes sayth ought as keis of treasures bulvvarkes of Cities defence of countries and staye of states bee vvaied and esteemed Suche did Phocion onely accept in Athens vvhen hee refused the offered treasures of the great Alexander Such did Epaminondas require in Thebes vvhen he renounced the princelie giftes of Artaxerxes Suche did Fabritius craue in Rome vvhen he denied the vvelthye revvardes of King Pirrhus And suche I trust your vvorshippe doe vvaye of your vvell vviller though of others better are tendered for more holesome it is sayth Plini for some to drinke small vvine out of Samos earthen vessell than strong poyson out of the golden cuppe of Nero better it is to drinke Ciâ—us colde vvater out of faythfull Sinaetes hand than svveete Nectar out of the infected cuppe of Cirses and farre more sure is the good vvill of the faythfull than the tendered treasure of the flatterer vvhich like a Melitian dogge fauning on euery man altering himselfe vnto all kinde of coulers vvith the Camaelien and shifting himselfe vnto sundrie shapes vvith Protheus vvill hault vvith Clisophus before Phillippe dissemble vvith Aristodemus beefore Antigonus flâ—tter vvith Aristippus before Dionisius and in â—ine deceyue Caesar vvith Curio These rauening Harpeis these tame Tigers these sucking Serpentes deceyued the vvise ouercame the mightie and deuoured the quicke they vvill depraue Homer of his verses vvith flattery they vvill spoyle Hercules of his clubbe vvith flattery and they vvill dispossesse Iupiter of his thunder and lightnings vvith flattrey O had noble natures in leau of false flaterers suche faythfull friendes as Agamemnon had of Nestor Telemachus of Menelaus Achilles of Chiron Hector of Polidamus Vlisses of Alcinus or hadde Princes suche councellers as Alexander had of Aristotle as Augustus hadde of Athenedorus Antigonus of Zeno Alcibiades of Socrates and Cicero of Apollonius flatterie shoulde bee espied deceytes auoyded enuie preuented and death often escaped then had not Sinon vvith flatterie vanquished Troye Zopirus vvith dissimulation destroyed Babilon neyther Lasthenes vvith fayre vvordes ouercome Olinthus But in examining the state of Princes vvaying their pilgrimages in this toyling Labyrinthus vve see their fortune as variable as they themselues are mutable VVee reade that some from base birth vvere aduaunced vnto emperiall dignitie as Gordius from the Plough became King in Phrigia and Giges from a Shepheard vvas made King in Lidia So vve read that some from regall seates vvere exiled their kingdom as Torquinius Superbus from Rome and Dionisius from Sicilia It is not straunge to the learned that Tullius Hostilius from keeping of Cattell became a King in Rome and that famous Zerxes the great King of Persea vvas vanquished by that simple manne Artabanus VVhat vvoonder is it if Cirus vvas nourished by a Bytche to be a King in Persea sith Prutias from a king in Bithinia beecame a begger in Asia If Romulus from an abiect brought vp by a vvoolfe vvas buried so princely in Rome vvhat meruayle is it that Pompeius being so renovvmed shoulde be buried in the sandes of Egypt If Alexander the great Iulius Caesar Hanibal Iugurth vvith infinite moe vvere suppressed and deiected from their high thrones vnto miserie
that cunning workman Memnon made might bée iustly numbred with these worthy and famous workes But to procéede to other sumptuous buildinges though not counted of the seuē woonders yet allowed amongst the best for the stately work of the same of no inferiour fame as Labirinthus made by Dedalus in Créete of such difficulte worke that he that came in coulde not without guide come out againe Thrée others were made lyke vnto them the one in Egypt which Smilus made the other in Lemnos which Rholus wrought and the thirde in Italy which Theodorus made These .4 Labirinthes were so curiously wrought that Porsenna king of Hetruria toke hence example to make him a monument after death to bury him selfe Againe after these there were other woonderfull workes made by the Kinges of Egypt called Obelisci famous and renowmed buildings that when Cambyses King of Persea at the siege of the citie of Sienna sawe but one of them he was in such an admiration that he thought them inuincible Phyus made one of fortie cubits King Ptholomeo made another of fourescore Cubites in Alexandria and diuers others which for their fame were then counted as marueylous as any of the seuen woonders But let vs speake of sundry buildings aswell of Cities and Townes as also of Temples Houses and Pallaices whose fame thereby long flourished as Romulus by building of Rome Cadmus by building of Thebes a Citie of Beotia in Gréece And Ogdous by the buildyng of the famous Citie of Memphis in Egypt Neither may I escape any sith I tooke vpon me to recite all whose renowmes and names by these their workes do yet liue I must not escape Alexander the great which in his businesse and great warres made a Citie of his name named Alexandria I must not forget King Darius which likewise builded vp Susa a citie in Persea These two Kings though they destroyed thousandes of cities yet they builded some cities Neither may I omit Caesar Augustus which made a famous Citie in memorie of the great victory ouer Antonius and Cleopatra and named it Nicopolis that is in english the city of victory King Ninus an auncient King made the Citie of Niniue within two hundred yeres after the flood of Noah Sichem made Sidon Agenor made Tire Then the worlde waxed populus and Kings began to builde euerye where for the furtheraunce of ciuilitie and encrease of pollicie and wit which the worlde in the beginnyng was very rawe for as the worlde grewe vnto ciuile order and perseueraunce of things so with all Cities and Townes were builded Castles fortified and hye walles raysed for a Bulwarke and a defence vnto the same so by litle and litle the world was full of Cities Then Siracusa was made by Archias The Citie of Argos was made by Phoroneus Laodicea by King Antiochus And so briefely to recite them ouer the noble and famous Citie of Troy in Phrygia was made by Dardanus Arpos a Towne in Apuleia was built by Diomides and so Telegonus builded Tusce in Italy being the sonne of Vlixes a Gréeke Capis likewise made the Citie Capua which Hanniball layde long siege at but lest I might be to long in rehearsing the builders of famous Cities hauing iust occasions to respect the time I wyll ende with Cities and Townes alwayes consydered that women ought not to be forgotten as Semiramis Quéene of Persea whiche builded vp the Citie of Babylon Queene Dido which made the warlyke citie of Carthage King Acrisius daughter Danaes which builded in Italy a great Towne called Arde. Diuers Quéenes and noble women are for the lyke no lesse famous then men were Now pausing a while we will repeate those that encreased the cōmon wealthes and beautified with other kinde of buildinges Amongst other myracles and woonderous workes Mount Atho◠was made of Zerxes Nauigable euen vnto the sea eleuen yeres hée kept thirtie thousande men to bryng his minde to passe Caesar made in one day two famous Bridges the one ouer the riuer called Rheum and the other ouer the riuer called Ara in one day which was almost vncredible Alexander the great made such a Tabernacle at the maryages of the nobles of Macedonia with the women of Persea as Alianus doth witnesse that a thousande Perseans and a thousande Macedonians and fiue hundred with swordes and siluer Targets lodged in that house while the mariages continued Trayan the Emperour made such a Bridge in Danubia that for length breadth and height all the worlde coulde not shewe the like What shoulde I rehearse the Temple which Salamon made in Hierusalem vnto the whiche muste néedes the Ephesians with the Temple of Diana and the Carthagineans with the Temple of Iuno créepe and geue place for princely pallaices and royal dwellyng néedes must Alexander for all his brauery and Clodius house which was the spectacle of of Rome yéelde vnto the golden Hall of Nero but yf finenesse of workes if the rarenesse of skill if I say the worthinesse of woonders might claime place and chalenge iustly fame I shoulde praise Spintharus for the making of y e Temple of Apollo in Delphos or Meleagenes for his worke in Prienna in making y e Temple of Minerua Shoulde I commende Epeus for his cunning about the brasen horse in Troy Shoulde I commende Perillus for his brasē Bull in Agrigentū yea or Vulcanus whom the Poets faine for his skil and knowledge in working he was appointed by Iupiter to work onely for the celestiall gods or the image of Diana in Chios who was so skilfully made that vnto those that came vnto the Temple she séemed glad and ioyful and vnto those that went out of the Temple she séemed sad and angrye Shoulde I prayse the artificiall golden birdes made by y e Sages of Persea or the curious work of Pallas Temple in Ilion No certainly but the worke and inuention of noble nature vnto the which nothing is harde It pierceth the Cloudes it vadeth the Seas it compasseth the whole worlde that is the cunnyng workman the skilfull Carpenter which saith Cicero guideth euery man as a Captayne I might here haue occasion in this place to speake of the worke of nature but that it is néedelesse consyderyng howe familiarly she instructeth any man vnto her workes which is most straunge and marueylous ¶ Of Painting HOrace that learned Poet affirmeth that the like power and dignitie is geuen vnto a Poete as vnto a Painter naming the one a speakyng picture and the other dumbe poesie For painting vnto the ignoraunt was as printyng vnto the learned Where the one vewed with the eye the other read with y e tongue Paintyng and grauing were the auncient monuments of Gréece and so much estéemed that Phydias waxt so famous amongst the Gréekes as Plini doth witnes for that he made the Image of Minerua in Athence so artificially and so subtilly with a great Target in her hande wherein were grauen the warres
black garments at the buriall of their fréendes but I burne candle in the day time to write of such infinite ceremonies that the Gentiles had at their burials Therfore better to ende with few examples then to wéery the reader with too many histories for this cause sith all men knowe that all people haue their seuerall maners as well liuyng as dying for coÌ„tinuaunce of time and distaunce of ground alter the same ¶ Of Spirites and visions SUndrye and many thinges happen by courses of nature which timorous and fearfull men for want of perfection in their sences suppose to bée spirites Some so féeble of sight that they iudge shadowes beastes bushes and such like to bée spirites Some so fearefull of hearing that they thinke any sounde noyse whistlings and so foorth to bée some bugges or deuyls Hereby first spread so many fables of spirites of gobblins of bugges of hagges and of so many monstrous visions that olde women and aged men schooled their families to beléeue such things who iudged it sufficient aucthorities to aleadge the olde tales tolde by their parentes in their aged yeres The Gentiles because they were giuen much vnto idolatry and superstition did credite vaine and foolish visions which oftentimes by suggestion of deuils and by fonde fantasies conceaued did leade their liues by perswasion of spirites either in attemptyng any thing or in auoyding any thing for Suetonius doth write that when Iulius Caesar stayed in a maze at the riuer Rubico in Italy with waueryng mind musing what were best to passe the water or no there appeared a comely tall man piping on a Réede vnto whome the souldiours of Caesar flocked about to heare him and specially the trumpetters of whom hée sodainely snatched one of their trumpettes and leapt foorthwith into the riuer Rubico and straight sounded out with a lustie blast a larum wherewith Caesar was mooued and sayde good lucke mates let vs go where the Goddes doe warne vs. It is written in Plutarch where Brutus was determined to transport his armie out of Asia vnto Europe being in his tent about midnight he saw a terrible monster standing fast by him without anye wordes wherewith he being sore afrayde ventured bouldelye and demaunded of hym what hée was vnto whome he aunswered and sayde I am thy euill ghost which at Philippos thou shalt sée againe where when Brutus came being vanquished by Augustus Caesar remembring the wordes of his forséene vision to auoyde the hands of his enimies slue himselfe to verifie the same The like happened vnto C. Cassius which by the like sight was enforced to kill himselfe for he was warned that the murther of Caesar shoulde bée reuenged by Augustus his Nephew Sightes were so séene amongst the Gentiles and so feared and estéemed that all the actions of their liues were thereby ordered Tacitus as Fla. Vapiscus reporteth when it was tolde him that his fathers grâ—â—e opened of it selfe and seing as he thought his mother appering vnto him as though she had bene aliue knew well that he should shortly after die made himselfe redy thervnto There appeared vnto one Pertinax as I. Capitolinê° â–ª reporteth thrée dayes before hée was slaine by a thrust a certen shadow in one of his fishepondes with a naked sword in hand thretning to kill him Neyther may we so little estéeme the authoritie of graue and learned men in diuers of their assertions concerning sightes and visions though diuers fables be aleaged aduouched for truth with simple and ignorant men We reade in the sacred scriptures diuers sights séene diuers visions appearing and sundrie voyces hearde Wée reade that King Balthasar being in his princely banquettes sawe a hande writing vpon the wall ouer against where he sat at table what his ende shoulde be It is reade in the thirde chapter of the seconde of the Machabes that a horse appeared vnto Heliodorus which was seruaunt vnto Seloucus king of Assyria as hée was about to destroye the temple at Ierusalem and vpon the horse séemed to bée a terrible man which made towards him to ouercome hym and on eche side of him were two young men of excellent beautie which with whippes scourged Heliodorus The like appeared vnto Machabeus a horseman in shining armoure all of golde shaking his speare to signifie the famous victorye that Macabeus shoulde obtain Many such like visions in scriptures we reade of but lette vs returne vnto the Athenians who thought when Miltiades addressed his people against y e Perseans hearing terrible noyse with sight of certen spirites before the battayle to haue victorie ouer the Perseans iudging those sightes and visions to be the shadowe of Par. Likewise the Lacedemonians before they were vanquished in the battayle at Leuctris their armour mooued and made excéeding great noyse in the Temple of Hector so that at that time the doores of the Temple of Hercules being faste shutte with barres opened sodaynely of theyr owne accorde and the armour which hong fastened on the wall were founde lying vppon the grounde Plini writeth in the warres of the Danes and Appianus affirmeth in the warres at Rome what signes and woonders what miserable cryes of men clashing of armour running of horses were harde in so much that the same day that Caesar fought this battayle with Cn. Pompeius the crye of armie the sounde of trumpets were hearde at Antioch in Syria but I wyll omit to speake of such things and take in hande to entreate of spirites which were both séene and hearde of wise and learned men and of visions supposed of the wisest to be the soules of dead men for Plutarch writeth in the life of Theseus that diuers and sundry men which were in the battayle of Marathonia against the Medians affirmed that they saw the soule of Theseus armed before the host of Gréekes as chéefe generall and captaine running and setting on the barbarous Medians which the Athenias afterward for that cause onely honoured him as a God It is reported by historiographers that Castor and Pollux haue béene séene often in battayles after death ridyng on white Horses and fightyng against their enemies in campe in so much Plutarch testifieth that they were séene of manye in the battayle againste Torquinius Hector besought Achilles after hée was slaine by him not to throw his carkasse to bée deuoured of dogges but rather to deliuer his body to bée buried vnto his olde father Priamus and his mother Hecuba Euen so King Patroclus appearing in like maner after death vnto Achilles desired him to bestow vpon his body all funeral solemnities Virgil testifieth how Palinurus and Deiphobus appeared vnto Aeneas the one being his shipman the other his brother in law There wandryng ghostes neuer ceassed vntyll suche exequies were done vnto them as Aeneas had promised It is thought that the Witch Phetonissa of Endor raised the soule of Samuel at the commaundement of King Saul to foreshew the successe
is written in the liues of the fathers that a young man seruing an Hermet being sent of his maister vnto a village harde by where a certen great Usurer and a vicious man being dead was caryed honorably and buried with solempnitie with the Bishop of that Diocesse which when the boy saw hée wept out that so euyll a man so wicked an Usurer should haue such solemne buriall and returning whom hée founde his maister deuoured of a Lion which so mooued him almost to bée beside him selfe saying The wicked Usurer dieth with greate honour and is buried with great pompe that liued all the dayes of his life in sinne and wickednesse My maister being fifty yeres in the wildernesse an Hermet is eaten vp and deuoured of a Lion whiche studied and traueyled to fight with sinne and with the deuyll An angel appeared vnto the boy saying The deuyll can no more hurt thy maister for hée hath done his worst and now thy maister hath conquered the deuyll The deuyll spared the Usurer in his life time that hée might possesse him after his death SOcrates therefore dying héeing constrayned for that hée refused their gods and sayd that hée would rather worship a Dogge than the gods of Athens and to drinke his last draught perceyuing that his wife wept demaunded the cause of her wéeping his wife aunswered and sayd the innocencie of Socrates death is the cause of my wéeping Nay rather sayde Socrates laugh and reioyce at that and wéepe at him that deserued death The like examples haue wée of King Antigonus and Anaxagoras the Philosopher hearing both that their sonnes dyed in the warres the one sayd I knowe I hadde my sonne borne to die the other without vexation or chaunge of countenaunce made him be buried out of hand saying It is no straunge thing to heare of death aswell vnto Princes as vnto poore men happened A Great King being admonished by his Phisitions of death began to lament much his state saying Alasse Myser that I am howe many princelye Pallaces regall Courtes howe manye Kingdomes and countries must I depart from and go vnto those quarters I know not where Howe manye Princes coulde I commaunde to come with mée anye where Howe many Noble men might I cause to go before to prouide my places and seates and nowe not one poore man in all the worlde will beare mée company to my graue saying thou worlde enimie of my soule ¶ THE DEATHES OF CERTEN Noble Princes in english verse ¶ Alexander the great his death WHat sounde assurance is of man what certaine lotte of life When Atrop cuts which Lachese spinnes with cruell cursed knife Hée yesterday renowmed Prince and King of Kinges so braue To daye in mouldred mossie mire layde in his fatall graue Yesterdaye the sonne of Ioue might all commaunde at will To day starcke naked in the earth with wormes his belly full ¶ Iulius Caesars death I Long that ruled Rome at will in middest of Rome am spilde And in the Senate house amongst the Senators I am kilde Who Countries Kingdomes Castles strong who Europe all did quell To Brutus hande and Cassius snares vnwares I Caesar fell With Bodkins Daggers Swordes and Staues I Caesar there was slaine Of fostered foes which friendeshippe fainde as Abel was of Cain ¶ Cirus King of Persea his death WHat Kesar King or Prince thou art that passes here this way Suffer Cirus seauen foote to rest his Corpes in clay Whose gréedie minde and raging race whose fortune frowning wild That Cirus shoulde be in Scithia slaine by Tomyris Quéene in fielde Whose heade was off and bathed in bloode to whome the Quéene spake first Drinke cruell Cirus bloode ynough that long for bloode did thirst ¶ Agamemnon his death WHome tenne yeares warres in Phrigian fieldes nor Troyans force subdue Who me winde nor Seas nor tempest hurt this Clitemnestra slue This famous Prince and Capitaine graunde of all the Géekes in fielde Whome fame in Phrigia so aduaunced his onely spouse him kilde Thus fortune friendly flowed fast and fauored fame to sounde Till frowning fortune foylde the state which fawning fortune founde ¶ King Pirrhus his death HEre Pirrhus Prince of Epire lyes whose force Tarentum knew At Argos was by a woman slaine with a Tilestoone that shée threw ▪ Whom thousande Princes coulde not hurt nor Romanes all annoy Whom shot of Gunnes ne dreadfull dart might Pirrhus Prince destroy This seconde souldier counted was to Alexander King A sielie Argiue woman lo to graue did Pirrhus bring ¶ Hanibal his death THe fostered fame the glory great that was in Carthage coast The honour long that Lybia had againe in time was lost He that was the scurge of Rome and Romanes oft offend He that saued his natiue zoile and Carthage did defende The same at last to Siria fled to craue Antiochus ayde Unto Bithinia thence he went to Prusias King dismayde And there to voyde Flaminius force he poyson dranke did die Thus hauty Hanibal ended life and there his bones do lye ¶ Pompeius death POmpeius fléeing Pharsalia fieldes from Caesar life to saue Whome then Photinus fayned friende to Egypt soyle did laue And there by slaightes of faythlesse frindes for golde and siluer loe Pompeius heade was sent to Rome to Caesar for to shoe His bodie left vnburied lieth in Egypt slimy sandes Who sometime King of Pontus prest and all Armenia landes ¶ Cicero his death WHome Cicero saued off from death the same did Cicero kill Pompilius prowde to please the rage of Mar. Antonius will Whos 's heade was sette in sight to sée Antonius minde to please Whose tongue did Fuluia pricke with pinnes Hir stony heart to ease Who when hée was for Clodius sake exiled Rome to raunge Twentie thousande Romanes mournde in mourning wéedes the chaunge Hée thrée times Consul was in Rome now in Caieta slaine Whose noble name and lasting fame shall styll on earth remaine ¶ Demosthenes death THe sugred sappe the solace long the guyde of Athens then That stoute withstoode king Philips force in spite of Philips men Of whome king Philip in his warres was forcde to say at length Hée feared more Demosthenes tongue then all the Athinians strength Such is the ende of mortall wightes such is the miserie of men That howe to die the time the place he knoweth not where nor when ¶ Achilles his death THe hope of Gréece and countries care Achilles strong of force Like stoute Alcides fought on foote like Mars himselfe on horse But last that ruled Goddes sometimes did then Achilles mooue To walke to Troye to féede desire for Priamus daughters loue Who by a Dart that Paris driude Achilles had his ende Whose worthy actes and marshall feates in Homer well is pende ¶ Hectors death HEctor stoute whose strokes full sterne the Gréekes did girde so grim And foyled foes in Phrigian fieldes death happened thus to him In spoyling of Patroclus king Achilles faythfull friende Came strong Achilles to the place to sée Patroclus ende Then
Marcus Antonius was conuicted by Augustus Caesar the Emperour she had rather to bee ouercomed with Serpentes then subdued by Caesar. With this death was Opheltes Lycurgus sonne kyng of Menea vanquished Again some of wilde Bores and ragyng Lions perished as Anceus kyng of Sâ—mos and Paphages kyng of Ambracia perished in the like miserie the one by a Boore the other by a Lion Some by Dogges as Linus Apollos sonne Plini in his seuenth booke maketh mention of a Quéene in Bythinia named Cosinges kyng Nicomedes wife whom her owne dogges slue and tare in péeces Euripides that learned Greeke commyng in the nighte tyme from Archelaus kyng of Macedonia with whom he had béen at supper was by an ill willer of his mette named Promerus whiche set his dogges to mangle hym vnto death EueÌ„ so were Heraclitus and Diogines bothe Philosophers by dogges likewise deade I maie not forget so greate a Prince as Basilius the Emperour of Macedon which in huntyng emongest his lordes and nobles yea emoÌ„gest thousandes of his Commons he onely meetyng a Harte in the chase was prickt in the legge and so died As for Seleucus kyng of Siriae soone vnto Antiocus surnamed the GOD and Bela kyng of Pannonia thei were bothe throwen by their horses and so died If these mischaunces happen vnto princes in the middest of their glorie and state what is it then but miserie of mortalitie and pilgrimages of Princes sithe nothyng expelleth fate nor can auoide death Some so wearie of life some so fearfull of death that thei threwe them self vnto waters to be drouned others for all diligente feare watchyng for death were moste shamfully notwithstandyng by death preuented Fredericke the Emperour marchyng towardes Ierusalem after that he had taken Cities and Tounes in Armenia in passyng through a little riuer he was drouned Decius that noble and stoute Kyng enforced to take his flighte from the Gothes with whom he then was in warres was drouned in the Marishe grounde Marcus Marcellus after that he had been a Consull in Rome three tymes before the thirde warres betwixte the Romains and the Carthagians was likewise by a shipwracke cast awaie Howe many noble Princes were drouned with Pharo kyng of Aegypte in the redde sea we rede in the sacred scriptures How many again that seas and waters spoiled from life wee reade of whiche altered the names of the seas and waters when thei were drouned with their owne names As by Aegeus kyng of Athens death the sea Aegeum was called By Tirrhenus death king of Lidia the sea was called Tirrhen And so kyng Tyberinus altered the riuer named Aelbula by his death to be the Riuer of Tiber. Againe the Sea HellespoÌ„t by a woman named Helle. The sea Hesperides by the maides called Hesperides So by Icarus and Myrtilus the sea of Icarus and the Sea Myrton were spoken To many wer by waters spoiled as we se daily by experience As for honger diuers Princes againe died yea compelled to eate their owne fleshe as Erisicthon and Neocles a Tyraunt of Scycioma whiche for his cruell tyrannie vnto Athens he tasted of the same feaste hym self It is written in Curtius that Queene SysigaÌ„bis kyng Darius mother died of honger Who so readeth Chronicles shall finde diuers mischauÌ„ces happen vnto princes from tyme to tyme for that thei bee enuied at for Vlixes the Greke leste any ofspryng of Hector should rise in Phrigia to reuenge the falle of Troye and his countrey caste Hectors sonne Astianax ouer the walles a liue EueÌ„ as somtime Lycurgus king of Thracia was of his owne Subiectes throwen headlong vnto the sea for that he first mingled water with wine How many famous and noble princes were stoned and by stones deade as valiaunte Pyrrhus kyng of the Epirotes beyng in warres with Antigonus was slaine by an olde woman with a Tile stone at Argos PyraÌ„der at what tyme the Athenians warred against Eumolpus for that he feared famine hidden the wheat from his souldiours was therefore of theim stoned to death Euen so was Cinna the Romain at the warres betwixte the FreÌ„chemen and Rome for the like thing stoned vnto death stoute Cebrion king Priamus sonne was slaine by a stone of Patroclus at the siege of Troy so was Cignus of Achilles at the same time O vnstedfaste Fortune that little stones should ende so many famous liues of Princes O vnprudente Princes that knowe not how nigh alwaies ye are vnto death How many did God punishe and plague with sodaine death for their offences and misliuyng as Mythridates kyng of Pontus Nicanor the soonne of Parmenio kyng of Macedonia as Curtius in his v. booke dooe write died sodainly Sertorius was slaine sodainly at a banquette by Vpenna The Emperour Heliogabalus was killed vpon his stoole at his easemente and throwen vnto Tiber Carbo a noble Romaine after that sorte while he was easyng hym self vpon his stall was commaunded to bee murthered by Pompeius That renowmed and famous Conquerour Iulius Caesar was in the middest of the Citie of Rome where he was Emperour yea in the Senate house murthered and maÌ„gled of Brutus and Cassius Diuers Consuls in Rome died this death as Fabius Maximus Gurges the Senatour and Manlius Torquatus eueÌ„ at his supper died presently Thus some with Thunderboltes did God likewise punishe as Prince Capaneus slaine at the warres of Thebes Tullius Hostilus kyng of Rome was with a Thunderbolt for his insolencie and pride â—laine Zoroastes king of the Bactrians the firste inuentour of Magique was likewise by that kinde of death ouer taken Pride in princes was the onely cause of their falles in so muche the Poetes faine that the greate monstrous and huge Giaunt named Euceladus for his proude enterprise againste Iuppiter was throwen with a Thunderbolte vnto the bottome of Aetna a fierie and flamyng Mountaine The vncertaine state of Princes the flattrie before and the enuie behinde is seen and tried by their death Who liueth so shorte a tyme as a Prince Who dieth so straunge a death as a prince Who liueth in care Who dieth liuyng but a prince was not Sergius Galba and Commodus the sonne of Marcus surnamed Anbilius twoo Emperours of Rome the one by Otho strangled in the Markette place of Rome the other by Marcia his owne Concubine after he ruled Rome xiij yeres Was not I saie Lentulus beeyng taken in conspiracie with that wicked Cateline slaine and mangled at the commaundement of Cicero who then was CoÌ„sull at Rome Likewise Cethegus Gabinius Ceparius and Stabilius for that thei rebelled with Catelin were appoincted by the Senatours to bée strangled in prison Nothyng so vncertaine as the state of princes nothing more deceiptfull then princes again as well proued by histories For Minoes kyng of Crete trauailyng after Daedalus vnto Sicilia was there of his great freÌ„de kyng Cocalus as
reuenged her old loue and requited his seruice then after this sorte She threwe a greate stone after hym and there killed hym and straight for sorowe callyng to minde the old amitie and hidden loue betwene them hāged her self The reuengement y t Cleonimus that noble famous Lacedemonian who hauing his owne wife in suche admiration of impacient loue that he was as muche hated of her as she of hym was honoured and estemed for she loued onely kyng Acrotatus sonne so deare that her housebande Cleonimus vnderstandyng the same went to Epire to kyng Pirrhus perswadyng hym earnestly to come to Peloponesus and to moue warres against kyng Acrotatus wherby he might reuenge the spite doen of his wife in killyng hym whom she loued beste a greate reuengemente as he thought vnto her then to reuenge vpon her owne persone to spoile hym whom she loue better then her self Valerius Torquatus for that he might haue Tuscus doughter in mariage moued warres out of hande and reuenged the same with bloud For what cause did Progne king Pandions doughter of Athens kill her owne sonne Itis and gaue hym to bee eaten vnto his father and her housebande kyng Tereus of Thrace nothyng but to reuenge her sister Philomela whom her housebande defloured her Why did Nero that cruell Emperour kille Seneca his maister and teacher in all his youth for nothyng but to reuenge olde stripes whiche he receiued at his maister beyng a boie For what purpose did Cateline Silla Damasippus Marius and other take quarelles to plage Rome to punishe all Italie to destroie the coūtrey for nothyng but for that thei could not abide one aboue an other Darius after that he had taken the Citie of Babilon he reuenged his old malice after this sort as Herodot in his third booke affirmeth He made thre thousande of the beste within the Citie bee hanged Attila Kyng of Pannonia slue a leuen thousande virgines at the besiegyng of Colonia So diuers wer reuengemēt emongest menne so cruell yea so foolishe that Xerxes and Cirus twoo greate kynges of Persia that when the water of Hellespont molested Xerxes and troubled his soldiours he forth with commaunded that the sea Helespont should haue three hundred stripes and willed three hundred paire of Featters to bee throwen vnto Hellespont to binde the sea Euen so did Cirus for that the riuer Gindes did droune one of Cirus beste geldynges he made his souldiours to deuide the riuer vnto a hundred and fower score small partes to reuenge Gindes rage towarde Cirus thinkyng that by breaking of the greate rage of so greate a streame that he well and worthely requited the iniuries of Gindes These are cruell reuengers too many are of these in so muche that women reuenge their malice after this sorte As Tomiris Queene of Scithia who to reuenge her soonne Mergabites death slue kyng Cirus and twoo thousandes of his soldiours Too great a slaughter for one mannes death and not yet satisfied vntill she bathed Cirus heade in a greate vessell full of bloudde This Beronice Pollia and diuers cruell women beside could dooe the one is dooen with anger and synne the other is dooen with vertue and aduisemente For princes muste vse aduisement in reuenging must vse wisedome in sufferaunce For as Frederick the Emperour was often wonte to saie that Princes that reuenge hastely and specially wrongfully are like faire markes for good archers to shoote at High towers and loftie buildynges are soner fiered with lightenynges then lowe houses and small cottages For Tiberius Caesar Emperoure of Rome beyng in the Senate house to punishe those euills and to reuenge those harmes that were by some of the citie threatened toward his estate God forbidde saied he that Tiberius should haue so muche idle tyme to heare euill spoken muche lesse to reuēge euill doen. Antigonus kyng of Macedonia besiegyng a Castle in Grece wherein a nomber of bolde Greekes vsed for their pastyme and sporte to scoffe this kyng knowyng the situation of the Castle to bee in suche a place that might not bee subdued Thei therefore laughyng hym to scorne as well for his enterprice therein ▪ as also for his slender persone and croked nose whiche kyng Antigonus had saied he would reuenge all their doynges with sufferaunce and hoped thereby to moleste the enemies double Diuers Heathen princes wer acquainted with this reuengement as Lisander Agesilaus and others for vnto God onely belongeth vengeaunce I will not speake here of suche reuengyng of Princes of Countreis of frendes that al men knowe But of rare reuengement whiche Philosophie taught vnto Socrates towarde Xantippe who beyng at supper hauyng a straunge geste named Enthidemum his wife Xantippe beganne to take her housbande vp with tauntyng and opprobrious wordes whiche because he would not auswere and be moued by her chidinges she ouerthrewe the table with all the meate and the Cuppes whiche whē Enthidemum sawe he was amazed at the ragyng of Xantippe beholdyng Socrates in the face to see how he thought of the matter but Socrates vnderstandyng that his geste did maruaile at his wife saied haue not you sometyme at home a Henne that will after longe clockyng with a sodaine flight throwe doune your cuppes with her wyng wherewith Enthidemum was fully satisfied with the wise aunswere of Socrates in reuengyng so greate a faulte Phocion a learned man of Athens was wont to saie that he had rather suffer iniurie wrongfully then to reuenge iniurie sometyme rightfully This man Phocion by whom Athens long flourished at what tyme he was putte to death moste wrongfully of the Athenians euen a little before he should die beyng demaunded whether he would commaunde any thyng vnto his soonne standyng thereby to see his father ende Spake vnto his sonne after this sorte My sonne saied he this I charge and require thée and moreouer beseche that thou will neuer reuenge the wrongfull death of thy father Phocion vpon the Athenians Solon a noble learned Athenian was wont to reuenge his wronges with these wordes If the fissherman suffer the salte water of the Sea to sprinkle vpon his face and vpon his clothes to weate hym for to take Fishe how muche more ought Solon suffer to speake to winne thē to be frendes Surely these three Philosophers deserue more praise and commendation I meane Socrates Phocion and Solon for the reuengyng of the euill with goodnes and vertue Then euer Alexander the Greate or Iulius Caesar or Theseus whiche reuenged euill with euill Wherefore Chilon the Lacedemonian beyng one of the officers called Ephori in the Citie of Sparta his brother demaundyng why he might not bee likewise one of the fiue Ephori as well as his brother saied vnto his brother because I can suffer wronge and thou canste not Therefore princes ought not to doe wrong nor yet reuenge wrōg with wrong but with paciente sufferaunce and goodnesse and doyng good for euill thei shall
weepyng and sobbyng before Antonius requiryng on his knees one graunt at Antonius hand to sende his Souldiours to kyll hym vpon the graue of his frende Lucullus and beyng dead to open Lucullus graue and to laie hym by his frend Which beyng denied of the emperour then went and wrote vpon a little peece of paper caried it in his hande vntill he came wher Lucullus was buried and there holdyng fast the paper in one hand and with his dagger in the other hande slue hym self vpon the graue holdyng the paper close beyng dead where this sentence he wrote Thou that kneweste the faithefull freÌ„dship betwixt Volumnius Lucullus ioyne our bodies together being dead as our mindes were alwaies one beyng a liue The like historie is written of Nisus when his faithfull frende Eurialus was slaine in the warres betwixt Turnus and Aeneas he hauyng vnderstandyng therof vnknowen vnto Aeneas and vnto the reste of the Troians wente vp and doune the fielde tomblyng and tossyng dead carkeses vntill he founde out Eurialus bodie whiche after longe lookyng and embrasyng of his deade frende drewe out his swearde and heald it in his hande a little while saiyng as my bodie shall neuer departe from thy bodie so shall I neuer feare to folowe thy ghoost and laiyng the Pommel of his swearde on the grounde fell vpon his swearde hauyng the bodie of his frende Eurialus betwixt his armes This loue was greate betwixt Princes whiche might liue honorably to die willingly A strange thing for men that so loue their frendes to waie their deaths more then their one liues Orestes faithe and frendship towarde Pylades was suche that beeyng come vnto a straunge Region named Taurica to diminishe the dolors to asswage the grief and to mitigate the furious flames of Orestes bicause he slue his mother Clitemnestra and beyng suspected that they came only to take awaie the Image of Pallas their goddesse in that countrey The kyng vnderstandyng the matter made Orestes to be sente for to be brought before hym to haue iudgement of death For Pylades was not mencioned nor spoken of but onely Orestes he it was that should steale their Goddes awaie vnto Gréece Orestes therefore beyng brought and his felowe Pylades with him The king demaunded whiche of theÌ„ both was Orestes Pylades that knewe his frende Orestes should die sodainly steapt forth and said I am he Orestes denied it and said he was Orestes Pylades again denied that and saide that it was euen hee that was accused vnto the kyng thus the one deniyng and the prouyng either of theim moste willyng to die for the other The kynge dismaide at their greate amitie loue pardoned their faultes muche extemed their companie and greatlye honoured their naturall loue and faithe so many like histories vnto this there be that then Princes woulde die for their frendes euen that greate conquerour Alexander would haue died then presently with his frend Haephaestion had not his counsell letted hym he loued aliue so well that he was called of all men an other Axander in so muche so estemed his frende when SisigaÌ„bis king Darius mother had saluted HaephaestioÌ„ in stede of Alex. being therewith angrie with her error he said blushe not to honour Haephaestion as an other Alexander What was it that Anaxogoras waÌ„ted that prince Pericles could get for him Whether went Aeneas that Troian duke at any tyme without Achates with him was ther nothing that Pomponius had but Cicero had part of it Scipios freÌ„dship neuer wanted vnto Cloelius Though Rome could alter state though fortune could change honor yet could neither Rome nor fortune alter faithe or chaunge frendes After the Senators had iudged Tib. Gracchus for diuers seditions in the citie to die his frend Blosius hauyng knowledge thereof came and kneled before the Senators besought Laelius whose counsaill the Senators in all thinges folowed to be his frende saiyng vnto the reste after this sorte O sacred Senate and noble counsailers if yet remaine in the citie of Rome any sparcle of iustice if there be regard vnto equitie let me craue that by lawe which you iniuriously applie vnto an other and sithe I haue committed the offences and factes of Gracchus whose coÌ„maundement I neuer resisted whose will to accomplish I will duryng life obaie lette me die for Gracchus worthely whiche am moste willyng so to do let him liue iustly whiche so ought moste truly Thus with vehement inuectiues against him self crauing death most earnestly vnto Blosius and life worthely vnto Gracchus made the Senatours astonied with his rare desire of death saiyng the Capitoll had béen burned by Blosius if Gracchus had so commaunded but I knowe that Grachus thought nothyng in harte but that whiche he spake by tongue vnto Blosius and that which hée spake by tongue vnto Blosius that Blosius neuer doubted to doe and therefore I deserue rather death than hée The faith and loue betwixt Damon and Pythyas was so woondered at of King Dionisius that though hée was a cruell Tiraunt in appoynting Damon to die yet was he most amazed to sée the desire of Pithias the constant fayth the loue and friendeship professed in Damons behalfe striuing one with an other to die enforced in spite of tiranny to pardon Damon for Pythyas sake Theseus and Perithous became such faythfull friendes that they made seuerall othes one vnto an other neuer during life to be departed neyther in affliction paine punishement plague toyle or trauayle to be disseuered insomuch the Poetes faine that they went vnto the kindome and region of Pluto togither I will not speake of the great loue of that noble Gréeke Achilles toward King Patroâ—lusâ— Neyther will I recite the Historie of that worthy Romane Titus towarde Gisippus In fine I will not report Palemon and Arceit Alexander and Lodowicke whose ende and conclusion in loue were such as are worthy of memorie famous in writing ¶ Of enuie and malice and so of tiranny AS malice drinketh the most part of her owne poyson so enuie saith Aristotle hurteth more the enuious it selfe than the thing that it enuieth Like as the slouthfull in warre or Darnell amongst Wheate so is the enuious in a Cittie not so sad of his owne miseries and calamities as hée lamenteth the hap and felicitie of others Wherfore the wise Philosopher Socrates calleth enuie serram animae the sawce of the soule for that it cutteth the hart of the enuious to see the prosperitie of others For as it is a greefe to the good and vertuous man to see euyll men rule so contrarily to the euil most harme is it to sée the goodman liue Therfore the first disturber of common wealth and last destroyer of good states the beginning of all sorowes the ende of all ioyes the cause of all euyll and the onely let of all goodnesse is enuie How prospered Gréece how florished Rome how quiet was the whole world before enuie began to
daughter Sempronius Ceruius Sulpitia Plini lib. 7. cap. 35. Claudia Hippo. Timoclea Teutonica The fiftie virgins of Sparta Patritius lib. â—â— Aspasia Isis. Numa Pompilius Alexander Cato Dauid Gellius lib. 2. cap. 4. Zeno. Egyptianâ— Romanes Persea Lacedemonians Athenians Themistocles Sparta Pythagoras Messius lib. 28. cap. â— zeno Alexander Plutarch in vita Alex. 〈◊〉 Plutarch in Caesars life Calisthenâ—s Seneca Neuius Chius Phocion 39. Linus Brusonius lib. 1. cap. 5. Secundus Papyrius Demetius the philosopher Euripides Cato Leaena Anaxarchus Pompeius Val. lib. 3. cap. 3. Isocrates Tiberius Metellus Tantalus Agesilaus Phocion Zenocrates Fabritius M. Curio Pompeius Atticus The Senate â–ª Val. lib. 5. Fabius M. Alphonsus Alexander Erasmus lib. 4. Aroth Antilochus Lisander Artaxerxes Sinaetes Cirilus Alexander A Student of Paris Epaminondas P. Aemilius M. Agrippa Affricanus Cirus Curtius in vita Alexander Alexander Iustinus lib. 20. Phryne Rhodope Aâ—talus Antigonus Artaxerxes Plutarch in vita eius Iulius Caesar Alexander Ihero Ninus Cimon Flaminius Aelianus lib. 10. Aristides Zelopidaâ— Aelianus lib. 11. Epaminondas â–ª Diogines Aelianus lib. 9. Archelaus Agesilaus Frederike Romans Perseans Heraclid in Polit. Indians Egypt Herod lib. 2 Agesilaâ—â— Masinissa Ihero Gorgias Cirus Sophocles Crassus Agesis Scaeuola Considius Solon Alexander Valerius Cor. Mettellus Appius Clau. Pollio Epimonides Dandon Naestor Plato Isocrates Gorgias Zeno. Pythagoras Democritus Themistocles Aristides Solon Appelles Socrates Cicero M. Cato Paulus Scipio Fabius Curius Fabritius Coruncanus Appius Epeij Lictorius Hyperboreij Noah Sem. Tithonius C. Fabritius Cineas Egypt Aeâ—hiopia Sythiaâ— Amazis Parthians Arabia BabiloniaÌ„s Lesbians Sibarites Arcadia Boetians Bactrians Agragentins Lacedemostians Minerua Lydia Thracia Psilli Certa Pigmaei Ophiophagi Anthropophagi Monopods Arimaspi Pandorae Selenetidae Sorbotae Trogloditâ— Massagetes Carthaginean BabiloniaÌ„s Caspians Lesbians Corinthians T. Hostilius An. Martius Tor. Priscus Tul. Seruius Appius Cladius Plini lib. 21 Cap. 103. Auernus Salmacis Maeander Melas Cephisus Silia Apustidamus Auaria â–ª Albula Cydnus Euphrates Ganges Nilus Tigris Tagus Hermus Pactolus Idaspes Arimaspus Styx Phlegeton Lethes Acheron Cocytus Gabiensis Charecena Hirpinis Iheropolis Ciborus Sipilis Nea a town of Phâ—gia Thrasimenos Egnatia Pithagoras Thales Democritus Empedocleâ— Crates Anaxagoras Aristotle Herophilus Strato Empedocles Epicurus Pithagoras Essâ—i Aegiptians Stoiks Pagans Nine mansions for soules in hell The Planets placed in mannes bodye Diagoras Thales Clâ—anthes Numa â–ª Vesta Mars Bona Dea. Floâ—â— Ceres Minera Berecynthia Valesius Calabria â–ª Sibilla L. Pâ—â—â—liâ—s Valerius lib. 1. Caius Fabius Val. lib. 1. Perseans Athenians Phidias Apollo Brennus Zerxes Asculapius Turulius Ceres Proserpina Hercules Masinissa Pleminius Numa Licurgus Zaleucus Pisistratus Minoes Sertorius L. Silla Scipio Astric Reg. 4 Reg. â—2 Nabuchodonosor Salamon Antiochus Some honour their bellies as Goddes Darius The Peacock vnto Iuno Sparta Athens Thracia Argiui The Greekâ— Parmenio Plini Lib. 7 Cap. 59 Maxies â–ª Anases Maca. Euboians Caligula Sparta Demonax Aristippus â–ª Rhetus Panis Midas Diodorus â–ª Lib. 2 Pyramides Ceopes Cephus Micerinus The orders of the Aegiptians buriâ—â— Ethiopians Scythians Romans Merodianus Lib. 4 Assirians Indeans Thracians Athinians Massagetes Tibareni Albans Nabathaei Parthians Nasomones Caspians Hircanians Issidones Hiperborei Triton appeared vnto Caesar. Plutarch in the life of Brutus Brutus slue himâ—selfe Cassius slue him selfe Tacitus maketh himselfe redy to die by the sight of his mother Pertinax Balthasar savv a hand vvriting in a vvall Heliodorus savv a horseman thretning him Athenians Lacedemonians Theseus appeared after death Castor and Pollux appeâ—ared after death Hector appeared after death Patroclus Palinurus Deiphobus Phetonissa supposed to rayse the soule of Samuell Pausanias Theodoricus vvas ouer coâ—â—py a 〈◊〉 Bessus vvas betraied by Svvallovvâ—â— â–ª Paulina Mundus Tyrannus Numâ— Pompilius Romulus a God after death Cicero lib. 1 de legibus Remus canonized a God Silla and Marius seene after death Caligula Bruso lib. 6 Cap. 8. Pirrhus Plutarch lib. 27 Alexander Hannibal Caesar. Themistocles Brutus L. Silla Eumenes Zerxes Midas Plato Brutus Agamemnon Caesar. Alexander Alcipiades Philip. Au Caesar. Plutarch lib. 38. Nero. Dionisius Darius Tiberius Hanibal Vaspasianus Agrippa zoroastres Telephus Romulus Cirus Alexander Iupiter Ammonius Nicippus Cossicius Tiresias Ceneus Iphis. Anaxogoras ZenophaÌ„tus L. Pomponius Antonia Mermecides Aegiptians Indians Thracians Scithians Perseans Barbarians Massagets Libians Arabians Meedes Magi. Antropophagi Ethiopians Arabians Poeni Scottes Assirians Babilonians Lidians Ciprians Rome Moises Catullus Athens Rome Boetia Locrecia Lusitania Sparta Galatia Carmenia â—aeotis Socrates Pompeius Romulus Theseus Numa Licurgus Hanibal Scipio Alcibiades Martius Macoriolanus Pericles Fabius Maxcimus Silla Lysander Pompeius Agesilaus Alexander Caesar. Nicias and Crassus Demosthenes and Cicero Augustus Orpheus Amphion Dionisius Apollo Tubal Lirus Themistocles Socrates â—lianus 12. Agesilaus Architas Hercules Lidians Creeâ— Parthians Cimbrians Dircaeus Sparta â—â—st lib. 4 Olimpia Pithij Isthmia Nemaea Pirrhus Plini lib. 7. Licaon The Lidians inuented Diceplayâ— Zerxâ—eâ— game Luparcalia Circenses Saturnalia Gladiatoria The Lion feareth the Cock. Anthonius Pius Marcus Placius Cyanippus â—milius Antimachus Orpheus Alcestes Iulia. Artimesia Laodamia Ipsicratea Paulina Portia Sulpitia Valerig lib 6. Cap. 7 Aemilia Penelope Lucrecia Tomyris Ageus Panopion Caparus Durides Alexanders horse Caesars horse Antiochus horse Romulus Cirus Porus. Merthes Lib. 10. Cap. 29. Stesicorus Themistocles Simonides Seneca â–ª Aeliâ—s â–ª Ciâ—us Scipio Caesar. Horâ—ensius Carmidâ—s Cineas Hermonius Mythridates Lucullus Esdras Portius Orbilius Messala Caluisius Atticus Bamba Thracians Demosthenes Heraclitus Hipparchion Ruffinus Cassius Seuerus Lion The Goates of Creete Frogges of Aegypts Swine â— sea Snaill Mise Auntes Alexander Philopomen Ladislaus Antiochus ConstantinÌ„us Conradus L. Vectius Rosimunda Carolus Aâ—istobulus Hanibal Themistocles Aratus Iugurtha Syphax Henaicus Aristonicus Phalaris Perillus. Alcibiades Achaeus Bomilchar Iusti â–ª lib. 2. Policrates Leonides Hanno â–ª Diomedes Licinius Neocles Metius Hippolitus Laocon Cleopatra Opheltes Linus Cosinges Euripides Basilius Seleucus Bela. Fredericke â–ª Decius Marcellus Aegeus Tirrheus Tyberinuâ— â–ª Icarus Myrtilus Erisicthon Sisigania Pyrrhus Pyrander Cebrion Cygnus Mythridates Nicanor Sertorius Heliogabalus Carbo Caesar. Gurges Manlius Capaneus Tullius Hostilius Galba Commodus Lentulus Minoes Alebas Spu â–ª Constantine Alphonsius Arnulphus Honirificus Silla Pitha Apollo Saba Cornelia Pittacus Plato Socrates Architas Tirtaeus Xenophon Diogenes Galba Mecaenas Demosthenes Archias Metellus disâ—imulation Alexander Philippe Alcibiades Tarquinius Conon Antigonus Lysander Sardanapalis Hercules Clodius Euclides Semiramis Iusti. lib. i. Pelagia Marina Euphrosina Clisthenes Phliasia Chiron Thetis Achilles Vlixes Dissimulation Aristotle Hortenfius Darius Ciceronis lib. â— Tusc. Artaxerxes Brusonius lib. ii Cap. xli Lisimachus Ptholemie Iulius Caesar. Cambyses Saguntus Vespasian Cap. 57. Athens Alexander Doda Perusia Hymmi The fieldes of Piceni Stratonicus Alphonsus Gnefactus Hanibals sleightes Cirus craft Sicyonius Pysistratus Darius The lion The Elephant The Panther The Harte The Beare The Rauen. The Ducke The Doue The Swallow The Cranes of Cicilia Agesilaus Dion Socrates Socrates Alexander Brutus Antheus Cleoboea Cleonimus Valerius Torquatus Progne Nero. Darius Attila Xerxes Herodotusâ— lib. 7. Tomiris Beronice Poll. a. Tiberius Antigonus Socrates Phocioâ— Solon Ninus
many thinges whiche when he came vnto kyng Pirrhus his master whom from Rome he recited not onely his doynges and orations but also their aunsweres and replies euery woorde by woorde as then was spoken doen or written by the Senators This Cyneas was not so excellent of Memorie but also of passyng eloquence of whom kyng Pyrrhus was wonte to saie that he gotte more cities tounes and kyngdomes by the eloquence of Cineas then with all the force and strength of al the Epyrotes beside It is writteÌ„ in Laertius lib. 8. that Pythagoras had charge of God Mercurie to aske what he would sauyng immortalitie and he should haue it and he willed to kepe in Memorie all thinges that he heard and sawe and to forgette nothyng beyng deade of that whiche he sawe beyng a liue whiche beyng graunted the soule of Athalides beyng slaine of Menelaus entered in Euphorbâ—â— Secondly tooke place in Hermonius thirdly in Pyrrhus and fourthly in Pithagoras whiche had suche Memorie thereby that he could describe the state of the liue and the dead Diuers were famous for Memorie emongst the Greekes as Archippus Lysiades Metrodorus Carneades Theodectes and others Many emongst the Romains were renoumed for their Memories as Iulius Caesar L. Scipio Portius Claudius Hortensius with infinite nomber What greate fame had Mythridates kyng of Pontus that hauyng as Plini and Gelius bothe reporte .xxij. straunge Nations that were souldiours alwaies in warres vnder him against the Romains that he could speake xxij languages with out interpreter to open his minde vnto theÌ„ A straunge thyng it is nowe to finde a man in this our ripe yeres that can speake half a dosen speaches If a man can but smatter in sixe or seuen languages he is noted to bee a rare felowe and yet king Mythridates had .xxij. A note of greate Memorie for some there be in learnyng one speache that thei knowe not thei forget an other that thei knowe That worthie man Lucullus is remembred of Cicero in his fourth booke of Achademicall questions for his passyng and noble Memorie The Aegiptians vsed notes and figures for their Memorie in so muche thei marked the well memoried man with the figure of a Hare or a Foxe for that the Hare heare beste and the Foxe of greateste Memorie and if any waÌ„ted Memorie thei compared hym to the Crocodâ—le We reade of Esdras a Prieste that had all the lawes of the Hebrues vpon his fingers ende We read of Portius that he neuer forgot any thyng that he once read before He againe would neuer read that whiche once he wrote but straighte out of hande his Memorie was suche would speake it and pronounce it in order euen as he wrote it before Memorie therfore is likened vnto a Nette whiche taketh and staieth greate fishe and letteth through the little fishe and euen as bookes that be not occupied waxe rustie and cleaue together so memorie whiche is not occupied saieth Seneca waxe dull and obliuious as wee oftentymes see howe forgetfull men waxe either with sicknes age or suche like that letteth the Memorie of man to be occupied as Orbilius by extremitie of age forgot his alphabetes and letters Hermolaus had a freÌ„de whiche in his youth was a perfecte Grecian and yet in his latter yeres waxed so obliuious that he could not read Greke Plini saieth Messala surnamed Coruinus waxed so forgetfull by longe sicknesse that he forgotte his owne name And Seneca doeth write of one Caluisius that was so weake of memorie that he did forgette the names of those that he was daiely in companie as Achilles Vlixes and Priamus whom he knewe verie well What is it els for a manne to wante Memorie but to wante the name of his knowen frende for he is no man that knoweth not that man as Augustus Caesar somtyme Emperour of Rome his beade is verie obliuious wheÌ„ he should come vnto the Senate he demaunded of the Emperor whether he would commaunde hym to doe any thyng that he could doe why saied the Emperour take this letter with thee that men maie knowe thee for thou knowest no man for thou wantest memorie Cicero doeth make mention of one Curio that was so obliuious beyng a iudge that he forgotte the case whiche he should giue iudgement vpon Likewise Atticus the soonne of Sophista was of fraile Memorie that he could neuer keepe in mynde the names of the fower Elementes Bamba a certaine kyng of the Gotes by a draughte of drinke giuen by Heringius his successour loste his Memorie it maie well be that drinke cutteth of Memorie For the Poetes faine that there is a riuer in helle named Lethes whose water if any man taste thereof he forgetteth any thyng doen or past before In this were the Thracians so dulle of Memorie that thei could not compte aboue the nomber of fower Now that memorie is praised in some and obliuiousnes dispraised in others that there wante no testimonie therein what maie bee spoken of those that then were compted the famous clearkes and the renowmest Oratours in all the worlde whiche did not onely staie in their oratioÌ„s but also quite wer beside their matters as Demosthenes and Cicero two noble Oratours vpon whoÌ„ depended the state of Athens and Rome suche imperfection was in them â–ª notwithstanding that Demosthenes was dismaied at the presence of Philip kyng of Macedonia and Cicero astonied at the presence of the Senatours that bothe tongue and countenaunce failed these noble clearkes Likewise Theophrastus that graue Philosopher successour vnto Aristotle many tymes was put to silence in the middest of his Oration before the people of Athens So was Heraclitus Seuerus doÌ„be before the Emperour Herodes Atticus before M. Antonius quite out of countenaunce so that the presence of princes the dignitie of places the maiestie of states abate and chaunge the worthinesse of the persone Some againe chalenge vnto theim selues whiche altogether thei are as voide of as Hipparchion when he would haue contended with Ruffinus he had not a woorde to speake in so muche that a prouerbe grewe by hym applied vnto hym that is more talkatiue then wise Hipparchion is dooen Some againe with Cassius Seuerus whiche though all his bookes were burned by the Senatours saied that he caried all his learnyng in minde and Memorie whiche could not bee taken awaie vnlesse his life likewise should bee taken awaie For my lernyng said he is in my mynde and not printed in bookes The greatest excellencie that can be in man is Memorie the beste iuell that manne hath is Memorie and the nexte thing that approcheth immortalitie is Memorie and so nigh that if a man could but remember the ende of thinges he should neuer taste death but he should liue for euer ¶ Of the pilgrimages of Princes and miserie of mortalitie THere is no beast vpon earth no foule in the eare no fishe in the Sea that séeketh his owne decaie but man