seeme to you happy or vnhappy I know not because I was neuer conuersant with him but what if you had had his company would you then know him Can you take knowledge of his felicity by no other meanes No truly Then it seemeth ô Socrates that you will say likewise I cannot tell whether the great King of Persia bee happy or not and so it is true for I know not how he is instructed with learning or with iustice Doth all felicity consists in this Truly by mine opinion for I account that man or woman that is honest and good to be happy and him that is vniust and vnhonest vnhappy Then according to your words Archelaus is vnhappy Yea surely if he be vniust and vnhonest Thus much of Socrates Yet negligence is to be auoided and prouidence without ouermuch care and possession without feare is necessary and requisite It is a wise mans part to put aside dangerous things before they come to do hurt for the losse or harme a man receiueth by his own fault is more grieuous then that which happeneth to him by another man Thucidides saith It is no shame for a man to confesse his pouerty but it is a shame to fall into it by his owne fault He must haue all things premeditate that happeneth to men and thinke the same may fall vpon him for the things that are foreseene before pierce not so deepely as that which commeth suddenly and taketh a man vnwares He that will make his life pleasant must not take ouermuch care to prouide for it neither can any man take full pleasure of any thing except he haue a minde prepared for the losse of it One proâ—…steth by long study to haue learned this to contemne mortall things and not to bee ignorant of his ignorance Death is to all men by nature terrible but to a Christian that knoweth with how great an aduantage hee changeth his estate it ought to bee had in contempt whereof the heathens that knew not God nor what should become of them made little account who for friuolous causes would offer themselues voluntarily to die whose examples though they be not to be followed but auoyded as an vnlawfull and vnnaturall act yet they may serue to perswade men the rather to discharge themselues of all feare of death that haue an assured hope certaine knowledge to possesse the vnspeakable ioyes of heauen when the Infidels through a vaine hope of a better life wherein neuerthelesse they were deceiued would often make choise of a voluntary death CleoÌ„brotus hauing read Plato his booke of the immortality of the Soule wherein he disswadeth men from the ouermuch loue of this life thinking he had found the ready way to deliuer his soule out of prison cast himselfe downe headlong from a high wall and brake his necke They haue a custome in Narsinga that when the men die their wiues be buried aliue with them that with great solemnity and ioy when the king is dead there is a pile of wood of a most pleasant sauour set on fire the kings carkeise carried into it and then all his concubines whereof he hath great store and all his familiar friends and fauourites and such of his seruants as were in estimation with him are likewise carried into that pile of wood to which place they go with such haste ioy to be burnt that to accompany their king in that kind of death they seeme to esteeme it the greatest honour and felicity that can happen to them The Indians by custome doe marry many wiues and when the husband is dead there is great contention among his wiues which of them he loued best that she may be buried with him then she that hath iudgement with her with great ioy merry countenance is led by her friends to the place and casting her selfe into the fire vpon her husband is burnt with him as a most happy woman the rest remaining leading a sorrowfull life There hath been a people dwelling by the mountaines called Rifei who hold this for a custome when they come to the age of 50 They make great piles of wood and put fire to them there burne themselues aliue and sacrifice to their gods and the same day the kinsfolke children make a great feast and do eate their flesh halfe burnt and drinke with wine the dust of their bones How much lesse then should Christians feare death when it pleaseth God to send for them that hope for a crowne of glory after this life They make a good bargaine that with the death of the body seeke the saluation of their Soule Plato saith All the life of wise men is the meditation vpon death that men ought not to be carefull to liue long but to liue well For the honourable age saith Saâ—…mon is not that which is of long time neither that which is measured by the number of yeeres but wisedome is the gray haire an vndefiled life is the old age And Euripides saith This life is life by name but in very deed labour Death is not a torment but a rest and end of all mans miseries and labours And Seneca Before old age come a man should learne to liue well and in old age to die well But the day of our death saith Gregory our Creator would not haue knowne to vs that the same being alwayes vnknown may be alwayes thought to be at hand and that euery man should be so much the more feruent in operation by how much hee is vncertaine of his vocation that whilest we be vncertaine when we shall die wee may alwayes come prepared to death And because that is so certaine a thing that no man can escape it shall bee good alwayes to thinke vpon death especially in the time of prosperity â—…or the thinking often thereof will bridle and restraine all other cuill thoughts and desires of worldly vanities for in prosperity we forget humane srailty It is reported that the Emperour Charles the fift fiue yeeres before he died euen when he was occupied in his greatest affaires caused a sepulcher to be made with all things appertaining to it that was necessary for his buriall being dead and that secretly lest it might be taken for ostentation or hypocrisie which things he had closely carried with him whithersoeuer he went fiue yeeres together some thinking there had been some great treasure in it some other that there had been bookes of old stories some thought one thing some another but the Emperour smiling said that he carried it about with him for the vse of a thing to him aboue all others most precious In that sort he seemed to set death alwayes before his eyes that the coÌ„tinuall remeÌ„brance therof might driue from his heart the vaine pompe pride of this world Let vs imagine that we see a maÌ„ of mean estate whose mind is cleansed from all perturbations vnquietnes that hath
bull being placed not far off hearing his voyce came running to him through the presse of peoply overthrowing divers of them and layd his head in Mahomets lap having the book tyed between his horns wherein the law was written called Alcoran the people beleeving the rather by Sergius perswaâ—… that God had sent the bull with the booke of the law because about the pigeoÌ„s necke they had fastned a little schedule wherein was written in golden letters he that can put a yoke upon the buls neck let him be king Sergius fetched a yoke and delivered it to Mahomet who put it â—…fily upon the buls nocke and was of the foolish people called King and sergius a Prophet By these kind of devices hee seduced the people and after hee had reigned tenne yeare being about foure or fiâ—… and thirtie yeares old it happened that one of his 〈◊〉 proofe whether or not whether he would 〈◊〉 againe the third day after his death and 〈◊〉 up to heaven as he had ofâ—…old told them he would doe after he had reigned ten yeares he 〈◊〉 gave him poyson to 〈◊〉 which when Mahomet had drunke his colour began to change and the poyson went presently to his heart and dispatched him as hee had well deserved A just judgement of God to punish the wicked by the wicked His body was diligently watched by his disciples looking for his reâ—…rre the third day as he had said But when the third day was past and that they saw he would not rise againe that his body began to stinke they let him lye 〈◊〉 and departed And the eleventh day after his death 〈◊〉 that poysoned him came againe to see how he lay and as one Lucas reporteth hee found his body eaten with dogges And gathering his bones together he tooke them with him and buryed them in a towne called Madinaraziell When the Arabians and others perceived how he had deceived them and that he rose not againe according to his promise many of them fell from him and would no longer hold of his religion But in his life annexed to his Alcoran some of his disciples 〈◊〉 strange things of his death and resurrection and 〈◊〉 that his body of himselfe after a miraculous fort hangeth on high under a vault of the Church at 〈◊〉 where indeed it is done by art a Load-stone 〈◊〉 up the Iron Coffen wherein his body or bones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it did hang in the ayre But the Turkes and â—…hough of his sect beleeving that he hangeth there by â—…vine power goe thither yearely in pilgrimage as Christians doe to Ierusalem to the Sepulcher This was 〈◊〉 beginning and end of this glorious Apostle of 〈◊〉 whose holinesse was in his youth such that the Citiâ—… of Mecha condemned him to death for these whom now they adore for a high Prophet of God Such fruits the desire of glory wherein he put his felicity brought forth to the perpetuall torments of his owne soule and of infinite thousands besides But such an Epitaph had bin more meete for him than to be so exalted as was engraven upon the tombe of a Vice-roy of Sicilia by the people of that countrey in revenge of his tyrrannous governement Qâ—…i propter nos homines Et propter nostram salutem Descendit adinferos That is Who for us men And for our salvation Is gone downe into hell Salmoxes device to perswade the Gothes that the soule was immortall was more tolerable being done with better meaning Hee taught those people that neither himselfe nor any that lived nor they which were to be borne should dye for ever if they lived vertuously but they should goe into such a place where they should alwayes live and enjoy all good things and leade for ever a most happy life And when he had thus perswaded his followers he conveyed him secretly out of their sight into a building under the ground which he had before prepared for the purpose where hee remained three yeares leaving his followers lamenting sorrowing as if he had bin dead the fourth yere he returned to them againe they being sufficiently satisfied of the eternitie of the soule and the perpetuall reward of vertue By which device hee wan to himselfe such reputation and glory that he was accounted equall with the king who made him his companion in the governement of his kingdome But the death of Mahomet was not the end of much troubles and mischiefe that arose through his false doctrine in divers parts of the world For thereof ensued sundry sects according to the severall inclinations of the fantasticall heads of his disciples and followers in whom the Divell stirred up such a desire of glory that imitating their masters example and treading in his path some of them became little inferiour to him in riches and dominion Among the rest in our age Affrica that according to the old proverbe is accustomed alwayes to bring forth some new and strange thing raised up one of Mahomets disciples from a poore Hermit to be a Monarch of many goodly kingdomes and countries This man was borne among the famous mountaines of Atlas of very base poore parentage and became an Hermit which the Affricans call Morabuth that is a holy man This fellow began to preach his vaine doctrine in the yeare of Grace one thousand five hundred fourteene and would admit no glosse or interpreter of the Alcoran but followed simply the text He playd the hypocrite so kindly that by a counterfeit shew of holinesse and simplicity and austerity of life he was greatly esteemed and honoured And when hee saw himselfe well followed of the people of Fez Maroque where he made himselfe strong and that the multitude depended upon his word hee told them whom he best favoured that he had a desire to visit the King of Taphilletta because hee lived not according to the sinceritie of their law The cause 〈◊〉 he desired this kingdome was that if his deviâ—… tooke not that effect hee looked for it might serve him for a place of retreyt As hee travelled towards Taphilletta there was no village that hee passed by but he preached his doctrine into the great townes they would not suffer him to enter because of his 〈◊〉 and for feare of some tumult His travell was alwayes by the sea coast because that countrey was well peopled insomuch that within short time his traine resembled a huge army of above threescore thousand men strong The simple king of Taphistetta would needs heare this Hermit and talke with him of matter touching his conscience who was not so intentive in his Sermon as he was circumspect in viewing the kings forces and the meanes he had to defend himself At length he told his followers God had revealed to him that he must expell this king out of his kingdome as unworthy to reigne For confirmation whereof hee shewed them certaine false miracles By meane whereof they slue the king and made the Hermit
eye-lyddes and put him into an engine that was sticked round about full of verie sharpe nailes and suffered him there with continuall watch and paine to dye a most grievous death Decius another noble Romane and one of the Consols being in the field with the Romanes forces against the Latins and perceiving his men to shrinke and give place to their enemies hee by the advice of their Priests made his prayers to their false gods for their helpe and offering himselfe to a voluntary death for his countrey put the spurres to his horse and thrust himselfe into the middest of his enemies by whom after hee had slaine many of them he was himselfe at last overthrowne and slaine But the courage of Decius so daunted them and emboldened his owne men that they carried away the victorie with the destruction of the greater part of their enemies The like love to his countrey to which men owe the greatest dutie next unto God wrought the like effect in Codsus king of Athens For as the Docrians came with their forces to besiege Athens Codsus having intelligence that his enemies had sent to Delphos to aske counsel of Apollo what would be the event of their warres and that answer was made them by the Oracle that the Docrians should have the victory except they killed the king of the Athenians Codsus apparelled himselfe like a common souldier left if he should bee like a noble man hee might be taken prisoner and liveâ—… and went out of the City with a burden of wood upon his shoulders into his enemies campe and quarselling of purpose with a common souldier wounded him and was slain himselfe The Docrians hearing that the King of the Athenians was slaine raised their siege and returned home againe As Tubero was sitting in judgement in Rome a Pye alighted upon his head and iâ—…te so still that hee tooke her with his hand And when the Soothsayers answered that if the Pye were let go it bâ—…tokened destruction to the Empue if she were killed then the same would fallupon himselfe hee pretening the good of his countrey before his own life killed the Pye and not long after fulfilled the propheci with his death There want not some such like examples 〈◊〉 Christians of later yeares When Callâ—… had been besieged eleven months by King I dwâ—…d he third and the inhabitants driven to that extrmine that they must yeeld to the Kings mercie or peâ—… hee refusir 〈◊〉 offers would accept no other conditions out that 〈◊〉 the best of the towne should suffer death the 〈◊〉 depart When the matter was had in consolation in the Councell house among the pune pall men at the towne who considering that â—…yther sixe of 〈◊〉 must dye or else the whole must beedest reved hee that sate in the first seat â—…ole up and said that he would offer himselfe to the wrath of the enemy and give his life to his country which example wrought such emulation of piety to their countrey in the rest that the second riseth likewise and then the third and so the rest one after another untill they had made up the number of six required by the King who all willingly suffered death for their Countrey There happened at Rome in the middest of the market place by meanes of an earthquake and other causes the earth to open and a very deepe hole to bee made which would not bee filled with all the earth that could bee throwne into it the Romanes caused their Priests to use their accustomed ceremonies to their Gods to understand their pleasure about this matter when they had finished their sacrifices answer was made them that if they would have their Common-wealth perpetuall they must sacrifice into this hole something wherein the Romanes power did most consist And as this matter was published and consultations daily had what manner of thing this should bee Marcus Curtius a Noble young Gentleman and a valiant souldier meditating upon the interpretation of this answer told them that the thing wherein the power of the Romanes most rested was the vertue and valour and armes of the Gentlemen and offered himselfe willingly for the benefit and prosperitie of his Countrey to cast himselfe alive into that hole And when he had armed himselfe and attired his horse very richly hee putteth his spurres to him and kapeth into the midst of the hole which immediately closed together Xerxes King of Sparta having intelligence that Xerxes King of Persia who brought into Greece an army of a 1000000. men after some writers besides his navie had found out a way to assaile him and the rest of the Grecians armie at their backs that were desending his passage through a straight hee perswaded the Grecians to retire and preserve themselves for a better time and when they were departed to their owne Cities he with five hundred men who were all resolute to dye with him for the honour of their Countrey in the night assayled Xerxes campe such an enterprise as never before nor since hath beene heard of The enemies being dismayed with their bold and furious charge an accident unlooked for and terrified by the darkenesse of the night suspecting that all the force of Greece had beene assembled together flâ—…d to save themselves and gave Lconidas and his company leave to kill them at their pleasure without any great resistance And as Lconidas having promised before to kill the king with his owne hand if fortune favoured him pressed into the Kings pavillion killing all that guarded the place and made search for him in every corner hee understood that Xerxes had convayed himselfe away in the beginning of the tumult who otherwise was like to have drunke of the same cup as the other did And when they had wearied themselves with killing their enemies and the day beganne to shew the Persians that were fled up to the toppe of an hill looking backe and perceiving the small number that pursued them turned againe and put them all to the sword Thus Leonidas and his company for the love of their Countrey sacrificed themselves to a voluntary death without any hope or meaning to escape whose courage and valiant enterprise made such an impression of feare in the hearts of the Persians that Xerxes left his Lieutenant to prosecute the warres and returned backe againe into his countrey an enterprise worthy of perp suâ—…ll memory five hundred men to put to slighean 〈◊〉 that dranke the rivers drie as they passed CHAP. II. Of Law-maker the Law-maker And of Charondas A remarkeable Iustice in Solyman Strange Iustice amongst the Sw ZZers I he Iustice of the Emperors Frajan Antoninus Plus and Alexander Severus Of Antonius Valentinian Theodosius Augustus Marcus Aurelius c. Of Sâ—…s Lewis the French king Of Favourites to Princes Constantine the Great Of Alexander Severus his commendable Iustice upon Vetorius Turinus Belon c. Of their great vices observed by Historians Impietie Injustice and Luxurie c.
friends which agreeth with Plinie that in the courts of Princes the idle and vaine name of friendship onely remamth In the courts of Princes I do confesse there is a conuersation of persons but no confederation of will For enmitie is holden for naturall and amitie for a stranger In Court the manner is whom they deprave in secret the better to deceive to praise them openly The Court is of such nature that they that doe most visit them the worse they intreat them and such as speake best to them the more evill they wish them They which haunt the Courts of Princes if they will be curious and no fooles shall finde many things whereat to wonder and much more whereof to beware And to another question whether the Court be deare or good cheape he answered Some things in the Court are at a good price or to say it better very good cheape that is cruell lies false newes unhonest women fained friendship continuall enmities double malice vaine words and false hopes of which eight things we have such abundance in this Court that they may set out Boothes and proclaime Faires In the Court saith he there be few that liue contented and many that be abhorred In the Court none hath desire there to die and yet wee see not any that will depart from thence In the Court we see many doe what they list but very few what is meete In the Court all dispraise the Court and yet all follow the Court and the fashion of the Court is if a man be in fauour he knoweth not himselfe and if the same man be out of fauour no man will know him This life at Court is no other thing then a languishing death a certaine vnquiet life without peace and principally without money and a certaine purchase of dammage and offence to the body and of hell to the soule which mooued one to say Excat aula qui vult esse pius It may be wished that the Spanish Court which he meaneth had a priviledge or speciall prerogatiue to vse these manners alone An Italian compareth the life of Courtiers with that of Sea-faring men saving that there is in them this difference that the Sea-man commeth to the end of his purpose by sayling well and the Courtier to his by doing ill Zenobia the noble Queene of Palmerines is reported to haue had a well ordered Court as appeared also by her answer made to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius who making warre vpon her offered her conditions of peace and demaunded her sonne to bee sent to him for a pledge I meane not to satisfie thy request said she for I heare thy Court is replenished with many vices where my Palace is furnished with sundrie Philosophers from whom my children draw doctrine one part of the day and erercife the knowledge of Armes the other part Of such men one thus noteth their nicenesse Horum aliquis vest is operosa tegmine cultus Molliter alivedem flectit sparsamque renodat Casariem laxos patitur flaitare capillos If these men would haue more respect to inward vertue and lesse to externe vanity and not be so curious in decking their bodies that they neglect to adome their minds nor to effeminate themselues to the delicitenesse of tender women but rather to foâ—…me themselues to the comelinesse of manly men for the outward habit of the body for the most part discouereth the inward disposition of the mind they might better find the way to felicity To him that slike is as cloth and gold as brasse it is no matter what vesture he hath so as accoram be observed for it is the minde and not the habite that giveth grace to a man and yet there may be betweene them and others a difference in habite and a respect had to the dignitie of the place and person pride and vaine-glory may be as well covered with base apparell as with gorgeous attire as appeared by the taunt which Socrates gave to Antisthenes the Philosopher for this man used to weare bare apparell as it were in contempt of the vanitie of gay garments and when he walked in the streets as he chanced to meete men hee would set out to the shew a hole in his cloke whose manner when Socrates had observed I see quoth he thy pride and vanitie thorow the hole of thy cloke Let us leave Courtiers entertaining their Ladies and follow other mens pathes in examining a little the estate of Princes for whom only in the judgement of men it seemeth Felicitie was created for he that considereth what the things be that bring a man to a quiet contented and happie life will thinke that fortune hath provided for them above all others most plentifully What maketh a man more had in admiration in this world then riches dignities dominions libertie to doe well or evill without controlment abilitie to exercise liberality to have the fruition of all manner of pleasures both of body and mind They have all things that may be desired for a mans contentment whether it be in sumptuous apparell and ornaments of the body or in the varfelicitie and happinesse which whosoever will onely consider superficially must needs confesse that they alone triumph ouer all those things which are the cause of other mens sorrow and trouble But if we will behold the matter neere hand weigh it in equall ballance we shall find that the same things which we think to be the meanes to attaine to felicity and to make them happie is the cause to many of their infelicitie and unhappinesse The danger they are in by the greatnesse of their estate and malice of their enemies seemeth to detract from their felicitie and giueth them just cause of suspition and feare It appeareth by histories that there were Emperours that durst not goe to bed untill they first caused their beds corners of their chamber to be searched for feare lest they should be slaine when they were asleep Were it not better said Inlius Caesar to die once then to liue in such continuall feare and suspition They command all and yet many of them seeme as though they were gouerned by one or two which is much disallowed of diuers State men And it is said in the Prouerbs that safetie commeth of many Counsellers and that good counsell commeth of God And the Philosopher aduiseth Princes not to commit all their matters to any one Counseller alone for no man can alwaies of himselfe rightly consider and know all things and in reasons that are contrary one to another discerne which is best and therefore he that followeth his owne opinion alone is rather accounted proud then wise Through such an opinion of his owne wisedome Lautrec is reported to haue lost the kingdome of Naples from the King his Master and all that he had in Italie because he would not aske nor follow the aduice of them that were wiser then himselfe The ordinary guard of
assembly of people going backward of purpose and seeing euery one laughing him to scorne asked them alowd if they were not ashamed to mocke him for going backward when hee walked whereas they did so all the daies of their life As if hee should say that no man followed the right course of life but rather that all liued contrary to that they ought For all men desire to be in a happy estate Hecopus hic labor est But few take the right course to attaine to it It is commonly said that wise men differ from fooles in this that they set vp a marke to shoot at these shoot their arrows vp into the ayre at random without any certain marke And again that good men differ in this from the wicked that some propose to themselues a good end others an euill end some that which is good indeed others that which is good in shew only Many set vp no marke or end at all to which they should direct the course of their life but fall from one kinde of life into another as chance offereth without any certaine end or purpose Some direct the course of their life to some end as to a marke but because they mistake one thing for another they neuer attaine to that they desire Others though they see what the marke or end is to which they should direct the course of their life which is felicitie yet as men who vse to take vpon them blind-folded to finde out a post or hillocke or such like wander vp and down without finding that they secke so they being made blinde by their affections which as Plato saith bee very euill counsellers and clogged with worldly cares and carried away with vnsatiable desires bestow their labour in vaine and can neuer finde that they seeke for And though all men desire one thing that is a happy estate yet the great difference we see in the course of their liues argueth their mistaking some other thing for that they secke after by meane whereof they can neuer attaine to the end of their desires Let vs looke into mens labours and consider what the things bee for the obtaining whereof they imploy all their trauell and study for that seemeth the thing which they take for felicitie or a great meane to the attaining of it For euery man naturally desireth that which he thinketh to be good Three things I obserue that the most part of men greedily hunt after and leaue no stone vnturned as the prouerbe is to attaine to them Some desire to liue in pleasure many seeke for riches others labour for honour and glory in these things according to their seuerall inclinations they put their felicitie But how farre they are from the true felicitie shall hereafter if God will appeare rather by the common iudgment of men that will vse reason for their guide than by Logicall arguments and by examples of them whose miserable estate and vnfortunate end hath discouered the error of their disordered and licentious life that by seeking felicitie where it was not they found in felicitie where it was By whose example after Diogenes counsell wee may become wise by another mans harme for he is wise very late that is made wise by his own harme For as Seneca saith Longum iter per praecepta brene efficax per exempla The way by precepts is long by examples short and pithy And first to beginne with Pleasure wherein some learned men of account among the ancient Philosophers as Epicurus and others seeing how willingly men are drawne to pleasures held that felicitie or soueraigne good should consist They reasoned thus That action is the end or felicitie of man to which by nature of his own accord he is most willingly ledde But all men of their owne accord are most willingly led to pleasures Therefore Pleasure is the end or felicitie of man But the Epicures were in this greatly deceiued for man as in the substance of his body participateth with brute beasts so in his spirituall essence which is a reasonable soule hee participateth with Angels And though hee be by the worst part of his nature giuen to pleasure yet reason reprehendeth and blameth his brutish affections But the cause of this dissention in mans nature the Philosophers saw not only Christian Religion sheweth why his affections are repugnant to reason If felicitie as the Philosophers affirme bee the proper action of man then can it not bee in Pleasure for that is common with him and brute beasts but after them it must bee an action peculiar and proper to him alone And seeing that man is made of two distinct natures though by the great wisedome of the Creatour wonderfully vnited together it is more reason that his felicitie should bee agreeable with the best part of his nature which is a reasonable soule and resembleth the Angels that are made after the image of God than with the worst part of his nature which resembleth and is of the like substance to brute beasts But he that will enter into the due consideration of mans felicitie must haue respect to both his natures the body and the soule both which it must in a sort touch yet according to the proportion and difference of excellencie that is betweene them the one representing the image of God being immortall the other participating with brute beasts being subiect to death and corruption Such a felicitie as consisteth in the momentany pleasures of this life the Indian captiues may challenge The Indians haue a manner when they haue taken one of their enemies prisoner whom they meane not presently to cate not to imprison him as the vse is in these parts of the world but they bring him with great triumph into the village where hee dwelleth that hath taken him and there place him in a house of some man that was lately slaine in the warres as it were to re-celebrate his funerals and giue vnto him his wiues or sisters to attend vpon him and to vse at his pleasure They apparel him gorgeously after their manner and feede him with all the daintie meats that may be had and giue him all the pleasures that can be deuised When hee hath passed certaine moneths in all manner of pleasures like an Epicure and is made fat with daintie and delicate fare like a Capon they assemble themselues together at some festiuall day and in great pompe bring him to the place of execution where they kill him and eate him This is the end of this poore captiues pleasures and the beginning of his miseries whose case is nothing inferiour to theirs who enioying the pleasures of this life for a small time wherein they put their felicitie are rewarded with death and perpetuall torments For as he was taken prisoner by his enemies so are they captiued by the Diuell who feedeth their humours with variety of pleasures that he may at length deuoure and destroy them both body and soule Many examples are
campe caused to bee published that hee that would give them most money they would make him Emperour A proud and presumptuous offer for a handfull of men inclosed within a wall of a little circuit to set the world to sale A notable example and worthy of deep meditation whereby we may plainely see how feeble and weake the things are which wee so greatly esteeme in this life and what small reckoning and account wee ought to make of worldly power and dominion and all other riches and possessions which wee call the goods of the world and how far they are from felicitie that thinke themselves to live in securitie and happinesse by possessing worldly wealth and dominion when three or foure hundred men shall be sufficient to take away the life and dominion from a grave and wise Emperour of Rome a man of great vertue and experience well beloved of his people master commander of the world in the middest of the Citie of Rome head of the Romane Empire And they to carry the matter away without punishment or called to answer their Princes death What reason have we so much to esteeme and desire any worldly wealth and power with the hazzard many times of our soules when so mighty a Monarchie representing such a majestie the terrour of Princes Nations and as it were the throne of the earth shall be by proclamation set out to sale for a little money When this newes was published in Rome that the Empire should be sold word therof was brought to Didius Iulianus a very rich man as he sate at supper in the middest of his pleasures Who being perswaded by his friends to hearken to this offer went presently to the campe where he found another chapman whose offer the souldiers durst not accept fearing lest hee would revenge the Emperours death whose kinsman he was But receiving the large promises of Iulianus they put downe a ladder over the wall of their camp took him to them where after they had sworn him to performe his promise for the money agreed upon they saluted him by the name of Emperour and marched with him in order of battell well armed through the Citie to the Palace The People in stead of salutations cursing him bitterly and cast stones at him out of their windowes And when the Armie had entituled him Pater patriae they found early the next morning these Latine letters written upon the gate P.V.E.P. sounding thus Proditor Venditor Emptor patria In English thus Traytor seller buyer of thy Country And after he had reigned seven moneths in which time he suffered a great many indignities being odious to all men and to the souldiers also because hee performed not his promise the Senate sent a Gentleman to kill Iulianus who declaring the sorrowful Embassage which hee brought him with many teares Inlianus desired that he might not be slaine before he had seene Severus who was then at the gates of Rome with an armie elected Emperour but the Gentleman durst doe no other than cut off his head These and the like examples whereof histories are full fraught argue the imbecillitie and frailtie of humane power and riches which may bee likened to the rattles and toyes which children use to play with suddenly they come and quickely they are gone no where stable nor settled but with every blast and mutabilitie of fortune tossed hither and thither He that now is lifted upon high is throwne downe againe into the gulfe of miseries Saepius ventis agitatur ingens Pinus celsae graviore casu Decidunt turres ferunt que summos fulmina montes The mighty Pine that growes aloft Is shaken by the windes more oft The higher that the Turrets be The greater is their fall we see The nearer Heaven the Mountaines looke The sooner they are thunder-strooke Unworthy are they to bee esteemed and called good things that double the bitterness of griefe with the desire of them when they are lost Which seemed to bee gravely considered of king Iohn of France when he was taken P◅soner by the blacke Prince For being moved with the sudden alteration of his fortune that in a moment of a mighty Prince was become a captive in the power of his enemies he was very sad and pensive But when he was brought to the presence of King Edward after he had considered of the vanitie and uncertainetie of worldly things hee looked with a very cheerfull countenance as though no such thing had happened to him At which change King Edward hearing before of his penfivenesse much marvelling demanded of him the cause of his sudden alteration I was quoth King Iohn the last day as you know a mightie King and now I am fallen into your hands a captive at your disposition Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas Vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie To which saying an English Poet seemed to allude No wight in this world that wealth can attaine Vnlesse he beleeve that all is but vaine And looke how it commeth so leave it to goe As tydes finde their times to ◅bbc and to slow The like is reported to bee spoken by Gilimer King of the Vandales when hee was overthrowne in battell by Bellisarius and led in the triumph very richly apparelled set out with gold and precious stones the king was at that time very sad and pensive untill he came before the Emperour Iustinian and then being commanded to adore him sitting in his chaire of State he fell into great laughing pronounced these words Vanitas vanitatū omnia vanitas And when all men thought by the greatnesse of his sorrow sudden alteration of his estate that he was falne mad that would laugh at such an unseasonable time the Emperour asked him why being before so long sorrowfull hee fell so suddenly into such a laughing He answered that he laughed at the variable unconstant estate and condition of men that he who was even now a king is now become a slave The King Sesostris was aptly taught the uncertainety of humane things by the example of foure Kings whom when he had taken prisoners he caused them to draw him in a Chariot one of the Kings turned his face alwaies backeward and being demanded the cause hee answered that as hee beheld the wheeles of the Chariot that the same which was on high came downe below hee called to minde the condition of men Which answer made Sesist◅is more milde and gentle Ecclesiastes saith one commeth out of prison and is made a King and another which is borne in the Kingdome falleth into povertie And whosoever shall enter into the due consideration of these things with an upright judgement shall finde that there is nothing in this life better than a meane estate which hee that can attaine and keep is of all other neer◅st to this part of felicitie For when ambition and desire of having hath possessed a mans minde whatsoever is sweet and pleasant in this
knew that body He answered that he knew him wel to be the body of his most deare brother and Lord with whom he wished presently to be in the same world he was Assure your selfe said the king I will bring it to passe that you shall have your desire and that shortly The next day the king caused the Cardinall to bee brought into the place where his brother lay and to be slaine When the death of the Duke his brother was knowne the Duchesse their mother and the late wife of the Duke made sute to the king for the bodies of the two brethren W th being denied the mother expostulates bitterly with the King accusing him of infidelitie chargeth him with the breach of his oath of his promise of his agreement pucceth him in minde of the benefits which hee and his realme had received of the Duke and also of his father for which so great ingratitude and barbarous crueltie shee asketh vengeance of God upon him and his The king being moved with her bold speech commandeth her to prison And as shee was going away Madame quoth he be of good comfort the same kinde of death is happened to your sonne the Duke that chanced in times past to Iulius Casar who was killed in the Senate But when the wife or widow of the Duke saw that shee could not obtaine her sute of the king shee lifting up her eyes and hands to heaven shedding abundance of reares complaineth with a lamentable voyce upon the uncertaintie and unconstancie of humane matters that nothing was to be found any where certaine but onely with God who I hope saith she as a most just Iudge will not suffer mee to dye though nothing would bee more pleasant to mee than to dye and to enjoy the company of my most deare husband untill I see so barbarous and beastly a butchery of my Lord and husband revenged the like example whereof was never heard before And when she had reckoned up his vertue and valour and the great service he had done to the king and his countrey Is this O king sayd she the crowne of Lawrell which is due to them that regard not the danger of their estate and of their life for the safetie of their king Is this the 〈◊〉 that ought to be granted to him who hath not only defended France from strangers but also hath often overthrown and destroyed whosoever were enemies to his country Then turning to her husband O my Lord sayd shee how happy and fortunate had I beene if after thy prayeâ—… offered to God thou haddest been slaine giving charge upon thine enemies thy death in that sort taken would have beene to me much more tolerable nor would have wounded my mind so greatly so should you also have taken away all emulation from them that envie that honour And after shee had reprehended his emulâ—…tors and set forth his merits yea sayth she he had so great confidence in the king but I would to God hee had not done so that he feared not to come unarmed to him being armed of whom in steede of reward he was slaine Oh how great a wickednesse is this that he who hath so often defended the kings life shold by the kings commandement have his life taken from himâ—… That he who with so great perill of his life all his goods 〈◊〉 possessions hath kept the crowne upon the kings 〈◊〉 should be falsly suspected to affect the crowne himâ—… and without any kind of law or justice without 〈◊〉 of the cause so great a Prince should be so cruelly murdered O how great an injury is this to him that hath bestowed all his care for the preservation of his countrey safety of the kingâ—… But why doe I call him king ought hee to bee called a king who commanded him to be murdered in whom all his felicity and safety consisted O my God the most just revenger of wicked acts I â—…ye unto thee it is thy part to judge justly 〈◊〉 not the wicked slanders devised of his enemies to darken the perpetuall glory of my husband nor let not that villanous act committed upon him remaine 〈◊〉 Then she speaketh to her kinsfolkes and friends will ye behold with equall eyes minds the glory and fame of so great a chiefetaine and an invincible souldiour to be extinguished so quickly Will ye that I as it were alwayes for saken dye at last without any hope of revenge will ye that the revenge of so foule an act be deferred untill these my children yet voyd of reason come to be men O my little sons and daughters how happy had ye been if so soone as ye had been borne ye had presently changed life with death O king do you thinke that they be slaine that be yet alive You have taken the bread out of the hands of the little ones you would have buried the remembrance of an excellent Prince in oblivion for ever ye have in some sort your desire but the vengeance of God you shall not escape neither shall so barbarous an act go unpunished which your enemies do detest your friends bewaile O king who will hereafter beleeve you who will put his trust in you to whom will not your fidelity be suspected Do you thinke that your friends do commend you for this your fact especially seeing they see your mouth speaketh one thing and your heart thinketh another As for my selfe O King I will not hereafter call you my King but ye shall be in that place with me as they upon whom the judgement of God will assuredly fall that whereas yâ—…e ought to have protected widowes and orphanes ye have made me a widow and my children orphanes by taking away the life of my most dearely beloved husband In this mourning lamentation of this sorrowfull Duchesse in place of two brethren that were slaine shee was delivered of two sonnes To these extreme passions and miserable estate ambition and desire of dominion brought the Duke of Guise and his friends which not long after cost the king also his life and great trouble to the kingdome of France These be the fruits of worldly glory Vaine glorious men are not only hurtfull to themselves but also to others Solon saith To name a vaine glorious man in right termeâ—… is to call him a foole Whosoever escapeth best that is desirous of honour and glory he is sure not to strike the 〈◊〉 he shooteth at any thing the rather by that meanes that is felicitie or Summum bonum or soveraigne good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Genua by treason or cowardlinesse let Mahâ—…met the great Turke enter into Constantinople upon his promise to make him king And when Mahomet was gotten into the towne he made him king according to his promise and after three dayes he put him to death A short reigne with no long glory yet worthy of such a wretch by whose meanes the Emperour the Pâ—…triark and almost all the Christians in the towne were cruelly
beauty of the flesh that as a flowre in May sheweth it selfe to day and to morrow withereth away and returneth to the earth againe from whence it came Vaine is beauty saith the wiseman deceivable is the grace of countenance Histories both divine and profane are full of many mischiefes that beauty hath brought to men Beauty is compared by holy men to a painted snake that is faire without and full of poyson within But what estimation should we have of that which a little scratch or scarre disfigureth a short sicknesse altereth a small blemish disgraceth a few years withereth and wrinckleth To all these and a great many more the most beautifull â—…ace that hath beene is subject The Prophet compareth man to a shadow that is nothing but an appearance which deceiveth the sight a false figure without substance which sometime sheweth great by and by little So happeneth it to a man which sometime seemeth to be great and yet hee is nothing but when hee is lifted up on high and placed in the highest degree of honour even then he perisheth suddenly and no man knoweth what is become of him no otherwise than a shadow when night is come Likewise the Psalmist saith I saw the wicked man mightie and flourishing like a greene bay tree I passed by him and he was no more there I sought for him but he was not to be found Likewise the glory we take in gorgeous apparell is vaine yea and more foolish than the rest The wife man saith See thou never glory in apparell And yet wherein doe men that are able to have it take more pleasure or pride than in gay apparell which was devised to cover our shame of nakednesse and other infirmities contracted by the fall of our first parent Adam And that which was invented for our necessitie is now used for pride and glory We rob almost all the creatures in the world to deck our bodies withall Neither are they sufficient that are upon the earth but we must borrow feathers of the fowles of the ayre and we must goe into the sea to rob the fishes of their pearle the sands of their precious stones And then we must dig into the ground for gold and silver as the Poet sayth Effediuntar opes irritament a malorum Wealth is digged up the incitement to all evill And all this forsooth to make our selves in our owne eyes shew to bee more goodly creatures by our vaine devices and fantasticall toyes than God hath made us by his great wisedome and specially to allure love and liking to bad intents and purposes And when they have attired themselves with the ornaments that God hath given to the creatures of the earth to the birds of the ayre to the fishes of the sea for their necessitie and beautie and with the stones and scurfe of the earth it selfe they jet it up and down be holding themselves and others in great bravery as though all this counterfeit beautie came naturally from their own persons yet all is not gold that glistereth their mindes be soyled with foule and filthy vices It is a strange thing to see the blindnesse of men that will not consider the great difference of excellencie that is between the body and the minde by the one of which we resemble and are like to the Angels that are immortall yea and to God himselfe and by the other to brute beasts that live after the motion of their senses and are subject to death and corruption And yet how carefull men are to decke the body that is but a lump of clay and to provide for his pleasures and how negligent to provide for the minde or soule that is immortall and of an Angelicall nature â—…an the Emperour was wont to say that it was unseemely for a wise man seeing he had a minde to hunt after praise from his body Saint Bernard speaking of the vaine curiositie of men to adorne and cherish their bodies saith Thou takest great paine to decke and nourish this body that is but a vessell of dung and a sepulchre of wormes and leavest thy poore soule which is the imaâ—…e of God hunger-starved and forsaken Kings in eldâ—… time made no great account of their outward habits making no difference betweene them and the common people by their apparell but by their minde and inâ—…rd furniture When Alphonsâ—… King of Arragon was admonished to weare more costly apparell I had rather said he excell my subjects in manners and authoritie than in a Diademe and purple Socrates being asked which was the most beautifull creature in the world A man quoth hee adorned with learning Plato being asked what difference was between the learned and the ignorant answered As much as is between the Physitian and the diseased And Aristotle to the same question said That there was as great difference between the learned and the unlearned as was between the living and the dead And as the sight receiveth light from the ayre that is round about it so doth the minde from learning And Ennius likeneth a wise man without learning to an uncleane glasse that is fit for nothing yet not he that knoweth many things but he that knoweth things fruitfull is wise When Alphonsus king of Arragon heard that a King of Castile should say that learning was not meete for noblemen and gentlemen hee exclamed and said These are the words of an oxe and not of a man That man saith Marcus Aurelius that taketh upon him to be a man and hath no learning what difference is there betweene him and a beast When the people of Mitylene were become masters of the sea they inflicted this punishment upon their colleagues that were revolted from them That they should not teach their children to reade nor the liberall sciences esteeming that to be of all kind of punishment the most grievous to passe their life in want of knowledge and the liberall sciences There is nothing more unjust than a man unlearned because hee thinketh nothing to bee right but what he doth himself Pythagoras engraved in a stone with his owne hand these words set it before his Acadâ—…my He that knows not that which he should know is a beast among men hee that knoweth no more than hee must needes is a man among beasts hee that knoweth all that may be knowne is a God among men If the gallants of the world were so carefull to adorne their mindes with vertue and learning as they are curious to garnish and set out their bodies with gay garments and new â—…angled fashions and vaine toyes to please their senses there would be no place for the Poets saying that speaketh thus of Courtiers Scorta placent fracti curvique é corporegressus Et 〈◊〉 crines tot nova nomina vestis The Congees Cringees and affected pace Of common strumpets are in most request And now the loose locks dangling 'bout the face With the new names of
whether it bee of poverty of heate of cold of whippes of stripes even before he can utter his conceit what other messenger or better t◅ouchman can he have of his miseries then his weepings cryings and sighes when hee hath disgested so many evils and come to bee seven yeeres old hee must presently have tutors and masters to instruct him in learning when hee is further growne and become a young man hee must haue reformers and masters more severe and sterne the better to tame and accustome the heate of these young folkes to labours that being done haire beginneth to cover his face and then he is come to be a man and yet this is the time that hee entreth into his trouble and vnquietnesse of minde Then he must frequent publike places he must haunt companies that be as touch-stones to know both good and euill If he be honourably descended from any Noble house he must take vpon him a thousand enterprises in the warres offer himselfe to an infinite number of perils hazard his life shead his blood to die in the bed of honour otherwise hee shall be accounted a carpet knight an effeminate man and had in contempt If he be of base condition and called to the exercise of handicraft hee must then also runne into a thousand labours trauels and perturbations both of bodie and minde hee must labour day and night to get wherewith to liue with the sweate of his browes and for the most part howsoeuer he imploy his labour and diligence hee can hardly provide for his necessitie But let us runne over briefely some of the principall estates or trades of life and see what opinion is holden of them and proue whether we can find any that are content with their estate but rather hath sometime or other found fault with it and hath beene weary thereof and wished for some other which is so farre from felicity that it ought rather to be accounted miserie Let vs beginne with sea-faring men who be in continuall perill both day and night their habitation is as a prison their manner of life is not much vnlike to the same they are alwaies as vagarants in continual exile for the most part without rest tossed vp and down with the wind and weather in danger of ◅ockes and to bee buried in fishes bellies Byas one of the sages of Greece doubted whether he should account these kinde of men among the dead or among the hu◅g and Anacharsis said that there was but two or three fingers breadth betweene them and their death meaning the thicknesse of the boords And though some become Masters of many shippes and are accounted happy by reason of their riches that way gotten yet that happinesse is not much to be regarded that hangeth vpon ropes And if we looke into the life of husbandmen which at the first sight seemeth pleasant quiet simple without guile and happy and such as Patriarkes and Prophets have made choise of as that which hath in it least fraud deceit and also great Emperours have forsaken their stately Palaces their Pompe and Dominion to give themselves to the planting of gardens and orchards yet he that will looke throughly into the matter shall find that among these roses there be many thornes for whē God cast man out of Paradise hee sent him abroad as an exile saying The earth shall be cursed for thy sake thou shalt eate thereof with travell all the dayes of thy life for it shall bring forth thornes and thistles and thou shalt eate the hearbes of the earth with the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread vntill thou returne to the earth againe from whence thou camest and who hath more experience of that the Lord spake then those poore soules who after they have laboured in the fields day after day tilled sowed their ground endured the rigour of the heat and cold and sweat as it were water and blood in the middest of their hope to gather the fruites of their travell there happeneth vnseasonable weather ouermuch plentie or want of raine frost and snowe mildewes and such like Some lose their cattell other suffer spoile of their corne and all that they have long travelled for in a moment by men of warre even as they are labouring in the fields so that in place of comfort and rest he returneth home sorrowing where he findeth his wife and children weeping and lamenting for feare of famine so that this kind of life is full of trouble and vnquietnes alwaies in feare of some thing or other But let vs leaue the husbandmen in their labours and see what goodnes is in the trafficke of merchandize this trade of life if we looke into it superficially will seeme to bee exempt from all manner of miserie and vnhappinesse and to promise quietnesse and ease because of riches wherein it aboundeth a trade invented for the necessity of our life which many wise men as Thales Solon Hippocrates and others haue exercised and which nourisheth amitie and loue betweene Princes transporting their commodities from one countrey to another yet notwithstanding that trade cānot so be disguised with faire shewes but it will easily appeare to him that will enter further into the view of the matter how full of vnquietnesse and troubles their life is as the Poet saith Impiger extremos currit mercator ad Indos Per mare pauperiem fugiens per saxa per ignes To how many dangers they are continually subiect either in their own persons or in the losse of their goods both by sea and by land by tempests by pyrates and theeues and how great a part of their life many of them spend in strange countries differing nothing from exiles sauing that their banishments are voluntary and all this through an excessive desire of gaine which maketh them leave the pleasure and comfort of their wives and children of their friends and native countrey and what craft an epytheton peculiar to them in time past but now growne more generall and deceit is vsed of many of that trade their owne countrey proverbe seemeth to discover That there needeth nothing but to turne their backe to God a fewe yeeres and a little to inlarge the entrie into their conscience to make themselves rich and to overcome fortune But we will passe over many things that bee written and may bee said of them conclude with the words of Saint Augustine and Saint Augustine That it is hard for them to please God or duly and rightly to repent them of their sinnes But let us leave the Marchants in their accounts and see what happinesse is in the men of Warre who thinke themselves to exceede all others in worthinesse and honourable estate and therefore have this epytheton aptly given them Gloriosi milites glorious souldiers and yet not he saith one which leadeth his life in the warres but he that endeth his life well in peace winneth both honour in this life and also
perpetuall memory after his death these men lead a very painefull and dangerous life not onely by their enemies but by an infinite number of diseases that follow the campe they must suffer hunger thirst heate and cold winde and weather frost and snow they watch and ward and wake almost continually and when they sleepe they must take vp their lodging in the plaine fields at the signe of the Moone And this paines they take to embrue their hands in the blood of them for whose preservation Christ was contented to shead his own blood Lyons Beares Wolves and all other kinde of wilde beasts spare to exercise their fury vpon their owne kinde but these vse extreme cruelty and utter all their rage upon men that Christ dyed for as wel as for them not vpon the Heathens onely which were more tolerable And what be the fruits of these mens profession Beside their owne miseries which are many as the effusion of their owne blood and that of infinite numbers of innocents men women and children burning and sacking of goodly cities and townes spoyling and 〈◊〉 mens goods wasting territories and fields rapes upon matrones and virgins prophaning Temples and sacred places making men captives and slaues and to end in one word all manner of impieties and outrages that men can commit which is confirmed by the Poet Nulla fidesx pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur Venalesque manus ibi fas vbi maxima merces No faith no piety's in those That are of Mars his traine Their servile hands hold all as iust Where they can rub to gaine And when they returne from the warres many of the common sort that liued honestly before by want of discipline and good example get such licentiousnesse and dissolutenesse of manners that they become beggers or theeues and so lead end their liues in myserie of whom the Italian hath a prouerb Warres make theeues and Peace hangeth them vp The better souldier saith one the worse man but that wee may the better see what fruits spring out of this profession let vs produce some examples of the miseries and calamities that men haue suffered by the warres yet not of the great number of thousands of men that haue beene slaine in the field with the sword at one battayle or the goodly cities that have beene vtterly destroyed and made desolate for those examples be infinite but of some few that be more strange and not so common Iosephus reporteth that when Ierusalem was besieged by the Emperour Titus besides wonderfull things that the people suffred by the extremitie of famine as the eating of the leather of their girdles shooes targets and also of their old hay There was a rich woman had gathered together her goods into a house within the Citie and lived sparingly upon that she had left but the souldiers in short time tooke all away and she could no sooner begge a morsell of meat to helpe to relieue her but they would take it from her and deuoure it themselues at last seeing her selfe ready to famish she committed a horrible Act against nature shee tooke her childe that she had sucking vpon her brests O vnhappie child quoth shee but much more vnhappie is thy mother what shall I doe with thee in this Warre in this famine and among these seditious people If I should save thy life thou shalt live in perpetuall servitude with the Romanes come hither therefore my little wretch and serve thy mother for meat to relieue her and for a terrour to the Souldiers that haue left me nothing and for a perpetuall memorie of the miseries of mans life which onely wanteth to the calamities of the Iewes after shee had spoken these words shee killed the poore infant and put him vpon the broach and roasted him and ate the one halfe and laid vp the rest which was no sooner done but the Souldiers came into the house againe who smelling the sauour of the roasted meat threatned to kill her except shee brought it foorth Content your selves my friends quoth shee I have dealt well with you looke how I haue reserved the one moitie for you and therewith shee set the rest of her childe vpon the table before them The souldiers being amazed with the horrour of this lothsome spectacle stood silent unable to speake a word but the woman contrariwise beholding them with a sterne and sturdie countenance What now my friends quoth she this is my fruit this is my childe this is my fact why eate yee not I have eaten before you are ye more daintie or scrupulous then the mother that brought him foorth doe yee disdaine the meate that I have tasted before you and will eate the rest if yee leave it The souldiers were not able any longer to endure this lamentable sight but went trembling away leaving her alone with the rest of her childe In the time of Traiane the Emperour the Iewes rebelled in which Warres the Iewes not content to have slaine the Romanes but brought also their dead bodies to the shambles and there quartered cut them in pieces and sold them by weight and ate them with as good appetite as if they had beene Hens or Feasants and further adding one crueltie to another they brought foorth certaine Romanes which they had in prison and made wagers one with another a denier or a point to strike off the head of a Romane at a blow They would flay the Romanes quicke and tanne their skinnes for leather and further to disgrace them they would cut off their privie members and tosse them as a ball in the market place The Greekes and Romanes that were in all places slaine in these Warres were reported to bee fiue hundred thousand which cost the Iewes so deare that if the dead had beene living they would have thought themselves sufficiently revenged After the Emperour 〈◊〉 had killed his brother Geta and was in possession of the Empire the Praetorian souldiers finding themselves rich by the rewards of Bassianus and their enemies subdued went into Rome and entering into the houses slew all persons with whom they had any vnkindnesse and vpon wagers would kill a whole kindred vntill they had left no person in whom any remembrance might remaine The people of Numantia in Spaine were driven to such extremitie when Scipio besieged the Citie that they would hunt after the Romanes as men doe use to hunt after a Hare or Deare and eate their flesh and drinke their blood as hungerly as if it had beene Beefe or Mutton they would vowe to their Gods not to breake their fast but with the flesh of a Romane nor to drinke wine or water untill they had tasted of the blood of their enemies which they should kill so that none of the Romanes were taken prisoners but when they had killed any of them they would flay him quarter him wey him in the shambles and sell him more deare being dead then his ransome would yeeld being alive When
am vnwillingly drawne in respect of the dignitie of their place and profession to say so much which neuerthelesse is very little to that may be truly said and is written by others because I must examine the principall states of life whereof theirs is accounted among the highest and are esteemed the happiest men that also pretend to giue happinesse to others In examination whereof I was driuen to discouer the worst parts of them and their estate as I haue done of all the rest the better to prooue my subiect and how much they are deceiued that thinke felicitie to be in their estate But because the examples before produced seeme to testifie their infelicitie whereof the estates next to them in degree are partakers wee must passe from them to the inferiour members of the Church The charge of these men also is so great that hardly they can finde that quietnesse either in body or minde whereby they may attaine to the felicitie of this life and so much the more exactly they performe their function so much the further they seeme to be from it They must wake whilest others sleepe they must be the Watch of the world there is no intermission of their trauels but all the houres of their life they must employ their labours for the common safegard of men for feare lest Satan should seduce their flocke Saint Chrysostome saith that he which hath the charge of one onely Church with difficultie can bee saued so great is their charge What may wee thinke then of that sort that haue corrupted the Word of God and in place thereof haue foysted in their owne traditions as Monkes Fryers and that crue of Cloyster-men if it be so hard for good Pastors to attaine to the blessednesse of the other life without which there is no felicitie in this world as hath beene said But where the light of the Gospell hath dispersed the darke clouds of their divinitie arise daily such is the depravation of this time to the great slander and prejudice of true Religion new Sects and Schismes many times rather to expell or insert superficiall ceremonies and to alter and innovate orders already set and established for decencie then for substance of matter wherein saith Vrsinus they offend God because they disobey the Magistrate They can strayne Gnats and swallow Camels as Bernard saith of the Prelates of his time Whilest they make shew to treat of great matters they handle trifles notable estimators of things who in the least matters use great diligence in the greatest matters little or none at all Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata We alwayes strive for things untride And covet what is most denide The authors whereof doe not with due providence consider the dangerous fruits that may thereof arise and that it were better to suffer some inconvenience then to disturbe the peace of the Church for feare lest by falling from one Sect to another never being settled that happen to many which was spoken by Menedemus of them that went to Athens to study Many saith he goe to Athens for learning sake who first become Wise-men then Philosophers that is louers of Wisedome after that Rhetoricians and last of all in processe of time they become starke fooles Such fruits it may be doubted if God of his mercy prevent it not the new Sects and Schismes of these latter daics will bring foorth that by falling from one Sect into another many will become Atheists that is staâ—… fooles For so the Psalmist calleth them The foole saith in his heart There is no God There was written in golden letters vpon the doore of the Church in Collen these verses Deficit Ecclesia virtus pariterque facultas Whil'st Discipline doth cease to be And privatemalice raignes The vertue of the Church doth faile And power with it containes This function is growne to that disorder that there is hardly to be found so meane a Clarke that will not take vpon him to expound the Scriptures after his owne fancie And if their want of learning be objected their answer is ready that such Christ chose to be his Apostles neither Scribes nor Doctors of the Law but out of this or that Trade that were never brought up in Synagogues or Schooles As though Christ were now to begin his Church againe and lay a new foundation with miracles Now that wee have passed thorow the principall estates of life and cannot finde that happinesse in any of them wee looke for let us see whether wee can finde it in the estate of marriage which is both an honourable and necessarie estate ordained by God for the comfort of mans life and preservation of his kinde which hee sanctified and made an holy thing with his blessing And if wee will in our owne conceits fayne to our selues the forme and image of a perfect and excellent marriage as Plato or Sir Thomas Moore did their Common-wealths there is nothing in the world that may be compared to marriage for a consummation of pleasures and delights All things with them are common both prosperitie and adversitie riches and povertie one bed the same children so as it seemeth by the unitie and conformitie of their bodies and minds that two are transformed into one 〈◊〉 boni sine socio iucunda est possessio One can possesse no good thing pleasantly without a companion The wife is a companion in all manner of fortunes If the husband be rich and liuc in prosperitie shee is partaker of it and maketh men enjoy it with greater pleasure If he be poore and in adversitie shee beareth halfe the burthen and comfortcth and assisteth him There be divers notable examples of the loue betweene the husband and his wife which helpeth to the commendation of marriage Baptista Fregosa reporteth of a Neapolitane whose wife being taken on the Sea-coast by the Moores hee presently cast himselfe into the Sea and following their Barke desired them to take him also which they did and brought them both to the King of Thunes who being mooued with their faithfull loue and affection deliuered them both Tiberian Gracchus hauing two Snakes taken in his house the one a male the other a female and being aduertised by a South-sayer that if he let goe the male his wife must die if the female present death must fall vpon himselfe he loued his-wife so dearely that preferring her life before his owne hee let goe the female and killed the male and within a while after hee dyed Which maketh it a doubtfull question saith Valerius whether Cornelia his wife were more happie by hauing such a husband or vnhappie by the losse of him Women haue beene nothing inferiour to their husbands in this kinde of dutie When Rhabbi Beuxamut a Moore was slaine his wife called Hota celebrated his funerals with abundance of teares and lamentable cryes and buried his body very sumptuously And after shee had abstained from meate and drinke
of this disease was so great that there was no roome in the Church-yards to bury the dead and many finding themselues infected with this disease being out of all hope of recouery would presently sow themselues in sheetes looking when death would come to separate the soule from the body These were the whips that God vsed in a generalitie for punishment of sinnes But what would we speake of diseases when Plinie and others write that in two thousand yeeres to their time they haue discouered aboue three hundred diseases to which men are subiect we may say with the Poet Optima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus 〈◊〉 Prima fugii subeunt morbi tristisque senectus Et labor durae rapit inclementia mortis The best dayes of vs miserable men The first are that make haste from vs and then Diseases come with sorrowfull old age Labour and lust Deaths implacable rage Let vs descend to some particular matter which hath happened to men either by the secret iudgement of God or by some rare accidents Popyelus King of Polonia a man of euil life would often wish that he might be deuoured of mice At last as he was sitting at dinner banquetting and 〈◊〉 a company of great mice set vpon him which came from the carkasses of his vncles which he and the Queene his wife had killed with poyson These mice in great heapes assaulted him his wife and children as they sate feasting and neuer left gnawing vpon them day and night though his guard and souldiers did all they could to driue them away great fires were made and the King his wife and children placed in the middest yet notwithstanding the Mice ran thorow the fire and fell to their gnawing againe Then they went into a ship and prooued what the water would doe the Mice followed them and gnawing continually vpon the Ship the Mariners seeing themselues in danger of drowning the water comming in at the holes which the Mice made brought the Ship to land where another companie of Mice ioyned with these and molested them more then before when his followers saw these things perceiuing it to be the Iudgement of God they all fled The King seeing himselfe left alone and those departed that should defend him he went vp into an high tower but the Mice climbed vp and deuoured him his wife and two sonnes By which it appeareth that there is no policie nor power to be vsed against God The Emperour Arnolphus was likewise eaten vp with Lice his Physicions being vnable to giue him any remedy Hotto Bishop of Ments in Germanie perceiuing the poore people in great lacke of victuals by the scarcitie of corne gathered a great many of them together and shut them into a barne and burnt them saying That they differed little from Mice that consumed corne and were profitable to nothing But God left not so great a crueltie vnreuenged for he made Mice assault him in great heapes which neuer left gnawing vpon him night nor day he fled into a Tower which was in the midst of the Riuâ—…r of Rhyne which to this day is called the Tower of Mice of that euent supposing hee should be safe from them in the midst of the Riuer But an innumerable companie of Mice swam ouer the riuer to execute the iust Iudgement of God and deuoured him The like happened to a Bishop of Strasbrough who was also deuoured with mice When Harold King of Denmarke made warre vpon Harquinus and was ready to ioyne battell there was a dart seene in the aire flying this way and that way as though it sought vpon whom to light And when all men stood wondering what would become of this strange matter euery man fearing himselfe at last the dart fell vpon Harquinus head and slew him An Italian Gentleman being vniustly condemned to die as it was thought by Pope Clement the fift at the request of Philip the faire King of France seeing them both out of a window speaketh to them aloud in this sort Thou cruell Clement for as much as there is no iudge in the world before whom a man may appeale from that vniust sentence which thou hast pronounced against me I appeale from thee as from an vniust Iudge to the iust Iudge Iesus Christ before whom I summon thee and likewise thee King Philip at whose suite thou hast giuen iudgement of death vpon me within one yeere to appeare before the Tribunall seat of God where I shall plead my cause which shall be determined without couetousnesse or any other passion as yee haue done It chanced that about the end of the time by him prefixed both the Pope and the King dyed The like happened to Ferdinando the fourth King of Castile who puttìng to death two knights rather through anger then iustice whose fauour could not be obtained neither by weeping and lamenting nor by any petitions they summoned the King to appeare before the Tribunall seat of Christ within thirtie daies the last of which the King died A Captaine likewise of the Gallies of the Genowayes tooke a vessell the Captaine whereof neuer did harme to the Genowayes yet for the hatred that the Captaine of the Genowayes did beare to his Nation he commanded him to be hanged And when no petitions nor prayers would be heard nor excuses allowed nor any mercy would be found hee said to this cruell Captaine that he did appeale to God that punisheth the vniust and summoned him to appeare at a certaine day appointed to render account before God of the wrong he had done him the very same day that he appointed the Captain of the Genowayes dyed of like went to yeeld his account A strange example likewise by a false accusation of an Archbishop of Mentz called Henry This man was indued with many vertues and had great care of his flocke and would punish seuerely publike sinners which procured the hatred of many wicked persons who accused him to the Pope as a man insufficient for his charge laying many faults against him The Pope holding a good opinion of the Bishop aduertised him of it who to purge himselfe and to declare his innocency made choise among all his friends of one Arnand whom he loued dearely and aduanced to many dignities to go to Rome This man being rich intending to depriue his master and to occupie his place suborned two wicked Cardinals with a great summe of money to fauour his practice when he came to answer for his master hee confessed how much bound he was to him yet he was more bound to God and to the truth then to men and said that the accusations laid against the Bishop were true By meanes whereof the Pope sent the two corrupted Cardinals to heate determine the Bishops cause when they came into Germanie they sent for the Archbishop and vpon hearing of his cause depriued him of his dignities and placed Arnand in his roome The Bishop being present at
in pleasures which is common to brute beasts neither in riches which are sought for some other thing rather than for it selfe as reputation honour such like nor in honour glory which is but a vaine admiration of the people by whom it is many times given taken away and is also desired for an opinion of vertue but that wherin felicity consisteth is the last end to which all other ends are referred to which end whosoever hath attained hee proceedeth no further but resteth settled And it is peculiar and proper to men alone neyther is it in vertue nor in the action of vertue after the Academickes and Peripaâ—…tikes nor in the power of a wise man But vertue may be a helpe to the attaining of felicity especially that of this life for no man is able to endure the things that happen to men though hee bee armed with all manner of vertues with that minde that hee may neverthelesse bee accounted happy For felicity in one part and contentation may not be dissevered and the end or true felicity of man which is all one consisteth not in morall vertues as hath beene said but his end and proper action is the glory of God to know and worship him We shewed before that in seeking for felicity respect must be had to the body and soule to this life and to the life to come For Christ saith What avayleth it a man to have all the world and to lose his soule And because there seemeth to be a kind of happinesse in the world and men are said to live happily we called the happinesse of this life felicity and that of the heavenly life beatitude or blessednesse and soveraigne good But when we had examined all the estates of life and could find none worthy to be called felicity all being subject to troubles and unquietnesse and full of misery wee were driven to use violence to the word and to call that happinesse of life felicity wherein is least infelicity in the managing of which discourse it appeareth how little power is in men to the attaining of felicity and that all commeth from God and therefore we call Felicity the contentation of a faithfull mind in a godly life and death which commeth by the enjoying of Gods benefits and graces yet neverthelesse our owne endeavour must bee thereto imployed with the meanes which hee hath given us and continuall praiers that he will blesse our labors according to his good will and pleasure which if it succeed not to the happinesse wee looke for in this life yet to take all things patiently and be thankefull and say with the Poet Forti animo mala fer nec bis miser esto dolare Nec citò ventur is pramoriare bonis Beare evils boldly let not griefe Twice wretched make thee Nor in despaire of future good Death overtake thee And thinke that he doth all for our good and hath reserved for us the true felicitie and blessedness of the life to come in respect wherof al the pleasures that can happen to men in this world are nothing and therefore all our actions and labors to the attaining of felicity in this life must have relation to the true felicity and beatitude in the life to come whereof this is but a shadow and the way to come by the other for the right way that leadeth to the happinesse of this life is also the way to the happinesse and blessednesse of the heavenly life that is to live in the feare of God and returne to him again from whom wee are fallen by faith in Iesus Christ our Mediatour and Redeemer whereof ensueth peace of conscience and quietnesse of minde and call with humility to him for his graces to contemne honour and glorie riches reputation with all the pride and pompe and vanities of the world which men so greedily hunt after that are as pins and pibble stones with such like toyes for children to play with to purge his mind of all manner pâ—…rrurbations and unquietnesse to think nothing greatly to bee esteemed but a cleare conscience and undefiled soule to bee content with that which is sufficient and to measure that sufficiency with a sound upright judgement not after the common custome of men whose minds are corrupted overcome with covetousnes ambition unsatiable desires So that none can attaine to this felicitie but he upon whom God bestoweth his graces as faith health and liberty of body a sufficiency of worldly goods to sustain his life with a quiet possession of them a minde inclined to vertue with such like good things necessary to happines of life And if men would advisedly consider of this matter suffer themselves to bee perswaded as the truth is that the way to the happinesse of this life is not contrary to the true felicity and happinesse of the life to come nor any hinderance but rather a â—…urtherance the way to the same they would be more carefullin following the right path that leadeth to the felicity of this life and not so negligent in seeking for the blessednesse of the other life But so long as they hold this erronous opinion that they can hardly enjoy the felicity of this life that of the life to come as repugnant one to the other because the things wherein they put their felicity as riches pleasures honour and glory puffeth them up in pride and vaine glorie and ministreth much occasion to the increase of fin and the happines of the other life is promised to the meeke and poore in spirit Many rather than they wilâ—…orsake and leave to hunt after things wherein consisteth their false reputed 〈◊〉 to which men are by the corruption of their nature strongly addicted wil hazzard the losse of the true felicity and happinesse of the heavenly life But if they were perswaded that they mistake the mark they shoot at when they 〈◊〉 for felicity or happines among riches pleasure honour or reputation of the world which are rather hindrances to felicity and have brought many to infelicity and extreme misery that the end â—…rue felicity of man is in this world the knowledge worship of God to which is joined the fruition of him in heaven that such happinesse as is in this life which we improperly call felicity consisteth in a contented mind which must come by the enjoying of Gods graces and giâ—…es joyned without endeavour in cleansing our mindes from all maner of perturbations and passions that bring forth unquietnesse and are hinderance to felicity these worldly vanities and false shewes of happinesse would not withdraw men from the true felicity of the life to come nor from the happiness that may be found in this life Plato could say to one that asked him who was happy Hee that knoweth God and loveth him so that the felicity of both worlds dependth upon Gods grace in this life to be of a godly minde to have sufficient to the necessity of nature to bee content
worldly wealth reputation all other vanities for which men are called happy in coÌ„tempt that is resolute void of all feare euen of death it selfe that esteemeth nothing to be greatly regarded or cared for but a vertuous mind that taketh all things that happen to him either as Gods blessing or his crosse and all for his good whose mind is alwaies quiet cleere that holdeth this opinion as the sentence of an Oracle That no man can be hurt except he be hurt of himself who would not reuerence that maÌ„ in his heart think him equall with the Emperour Nay who if he be of a right iudgement would not preferre him before all Emperours and Kings in the World as more happie then them all He is accounted a great estate that hath dominion and power ouer others but he is a great estate indeede that hath himselfe in his owne power And therefore if thou desire to be great and to make all things subiect to thee make thy selfe subiect to reason thou shalt rule much if reason rule thee But if such a man as we speak of be not or hardly to be found that is able among so many assaults and afflictions to which men are subiect to make sufficient resistance as without Gods especiall grace ioyned to his endeuour it is not possible yet let vs set such a man before our eyes in our conceit to giue vs aime the better to direct our leuell and though we strike not the marke yet let vs labour to shoot as neere it as we can And if we cannot attaine to that which is answerable to the name of felicity yet we shall the rather by that means auoid many parts of infelicity For he that laboureth not to erre saith Plato misseth narrowly We are troublous many times to our selues by desiring and coueting those things that bee not worth the hauing as abundance of riches reputation such like But Plato saith not the rich but the wise and prudent auoid misery We are often vnquieted with feare of the losse of those things the lacke whereof if wee looke thorowly into the matter is not hurtfull to vs but an opinion of harme We feare many things that haue in them nothing that is dreadfull but the feare it selfe Put away ioyes feare hope be not sorrowfull the mind is cloudy and bridled where these things raigne Demetrius said that he accounted none more vnhappy then he that neuer tasted of aduersity which to a vertuous man is an exercise of his vertue which otherwise would wither lose his force brightnâ—… as iron with rest gathereth rust but with vse and occupying it shineth bright The best thing in worldly things is to contemne the things of this world A man by nature is subiect to sickenesse and by losse of his goods may fall into pouerty and by the displeasure of the Prince or people may lose his reputation but to make him vicious that is vertuous wicked that is honest a coward that is valiant base minded that is of noble courage is neither in the power of nature of men nor of fortune therefore to a man endued with vertue nothing can happen that can greatly distemper him who only triumpheth ouer all those things that make other men happy Ille sapit solus volitant alij vclut vmbrâ—… He is only wise whilest others fly like shaddowes When vertue is present men take example thereat saith Salomon and if it go away yet they desire it it is alwayes crowned triuÌ„pheth and winneth the battell and the vndefiled rewards He standeth as a tree well rooted which though it be shaken with diuers winds yet none caÌ„ make it fall He knoweth his body his lands and goods be subiect to the power of men but so long as his mind is free to himselfe at liberty he maketh no great account of the rest he can moderate prosperity beare stoutly and asswage the sharp stings of aduersity and despise those things which other men wonder at It is the property of a great mind to contemne great things to desire rather mean matters then ouergreat If there be any happy man in this world said Socrates it is he that hath a cleane vndefiled soule a cleare conscience stained with nothing for in him onely the misteries of â—…od may bebeheld seen The most pleasant and sweet thing in mans life said he is learning vertue the history of vnknowne things and quietnes of life free from worldly affaires and troubles void of cupidities desires which distemper the traÌ„quillity of the mind he preferreth before all that a man can possesse for he is happy that hath no need and desireth no more TraÌ„quillity of conscience security of innocency maketh a happy life for nothing bringeth more labor trouble to this life then to boyle with earthly desires and nothing causeth more quietnes then to desire nothing of these worldly matters Seneca affiâ—…meth this by his owne experience Rebus paruis alta prastaâ—… quies The wise Emperour Marcus Aurelius seemeth to be of the same opinioÌ„ when he taxeth the folly of mâ—…n that forsake a quiet life they might finde at home to seek with trouble for aduancement and credit abroad here be saith he many men wise but more fooles and the greatest foole of all is he who being at râ—…st in his house searcheth with diligence elsewhere troubles trauels peâ—…plexities for that for the most part he 〈◊〉 no other fruit of the offices and â—…states for which he searcheth abroad then to suffer coÌ„tinual paine care and griefe at home If men inferiour to this noble Empâ—…rour in wisdom and knowledge would rely vpon his â—…dgement counsell and learne to fly opinion grounded vpon a common custome of the multitude they should find better means to attaine to a happy life with loâ—…e quietnes then by hunting so earnestly after credit reputation to make them enuied and hated of others with trauell vexation both of body and mind to themselues And though officers functioÌ„s must of necessity be in cueâ—…y coÌ„monwealth cueâ—…y one must feâ—…ue employ his trauel in the same yet they should expect â—…he time of their calling not preuent it by intruding themselues before their vocation The Venetians haue Magistrates called Pragadi of the word because in the first foundation of their city men were prayed to take the office and to helpe to gouerne the estate But in these dayes there is no need to pray men to take offices of gouernment but men themselues will pray and with great labour and other meanes sue with shame enough for offices of rule though meane and themselues insufficient and of little worth Euery man now will bee a Magistrate and beare rule ouer others though he cannot well gouerne himselfe which hath brought things that were heretofore had in regard almost in contempt as Saint Hierome saith Things of