vnexamined in his Exposition of Youtke and Age hathe to this pourpose sutche woordes as folowe For twoo causes was Man formed righte beholdinge Heauen The one for that he shoulde be the perfectest of other Creatures and sutche as shoulde taste or sauer of all Celestial qualities The other for that in the proportion and temperature of his bodye he is more hoate then any other Creature and that the nature of heate is euermore to mounte and ascende vpwardes Other Creatures as far inferiour as also lesse perfecte lesse participate in these Celestiall qualities and lesse naturall heate haue they in any sorte to aduaunce them For whiche cause neither are they of the same frame or proportion with man It séemeth that in this place S. Thomas folowed the opinion of the Platonistes who affirmed that naturall heate with sundrie the Vitall Spirites in Man in whiche he more aboundeth then any other liuinge Creature are the onely causes that he marcheth vprightly aduaunced in manner so perfect and so séemely for that by the force and vigor of the foresaide powres and bloudde he addresseth him selfe vpwardes That which his indeuour more perfectly to accomplishe he further againe is ayded by the true proportion and mixture of the Elementes of whiche he borroweth his firste springe and beginninge with sutche equalitie and conueniente weighte that he fitly and commodiously walketh addressing him selfe to looke on the marueilous frame of Heauen Nowe then sith Man of parte by the perfection of his Soule as also of parte by the excellent feauture of his Bodye is beroughte with the loue and cōtemplation of Heauen he should only woorke thinke and deuise thinges Heauenly Spirituall disdeininge the Earthe with all thinges thereon transitorye But wée be in sutch sorte enamoured with the vile consideration of worldly pleasures that for the most part hauing our eies and countenaunce bente to Heauen the harte lyeth soylde belowe vpon the Earthe Againe concerning Man of whom wée haue here spoken Pline remembreth an other thinge whiche thoughe it be not of sutche importance as are the others yet may it of somme parte contente and please the Reader especially to whome experience hathe not reuealed it founde notwithstanding daily to be true of all sutche as please carefully to experimente it He saithe that Man dead poyseth more then when he liued that whiche he also affirmeth in all other kinde of Creatures Againe he saithe that Man hauing eaten in the morninge poyseth lesse then when he was before fastinge Whiche thinge is by Erasmus in a certaine Probleame of his confirmed Who also in the same remembreth other somme things not vnwoorthy of readinge yéeldinge the same reasons with Pline for the confirmation thereof grounded on the consideration of the Vitall Spirites and Ayre as is aboue rehearsed Whereas the contrarye séemeth to haue somme shewe of truth for that who so shal take at any time his refection layeth vp within him selfe the poyse and weight therof Notwithstandinge it is euident that the refection alwaies increaseth the vitall Spirites whiche solace and comforte man increasinge and multiplyinge naturall heate within him Hence cometh it that when one man from the grounde assayeth to lifte an other the lifted is then more weighty when he dothe breathe or conuaye his winde out not redrawinge it agayne for the small time of that practise the whiche when he retayneth in his body kéepeth in is founde by meane thereof more light then he was before Againe who so faste runneth neither maye he for that time either breathe or blowe mutche for restrayning his breathe he findeth him selfe more agile and quicke for that the Ayre beinge an Element very lighte desireth to rise vp and to mounte alofte where his naturall place is of reste or aboade as experience may learne vs in a skinne or bladder whiche empty not pufte vp throwne into the water sinketh continually resteth on the bottome but full of winde or blowne out swimmeth still on highe Pline in the same place againe recordeth that mans body in the water drowned and after a time risinge from the bottome on highe if it be a man he euermore hath his face turned from the Earthe vpwardes but if it be a woman shée continually floteth in manner and sorte contrary which thinge Nature hath onely in sutche wise prouided to couer the partes of woomen whiche alwaies should be secrete Againe also an other reason maye be geuen for that wooman before by meane of her pappes or breastes is founde more weighty but man behinde bicause of his shoulders more grosse or greater then are those of woomen ¶ Of the excellency of the Heade aboue all other members of the Body and that it is not good to haue a little Heade or strayte Breaste as also whence it is that wee accompte it courtesie to take of the Cappe or Hatte in salutinge an other Chap. 8. IF it be an especiall Prerogatiue amonge all other Creatures graunted vnto man that he shoulde haue his body of sutche perfect and sutche desired shape his face aduaunced of Heauen euermore heauenly things to aduice him Then assuredly the Heade which in man farre surpasseth bothe all and euery parte which also is the highest among the others all ought by reasons lawe the aduauntage to haue and preeminence in eche respect and case As in déede eche parte imployeth his skilfull payne loyally to garde kéepe the Heade from harme in sutche sorte that when so it is in daunger or any perill els forthwith the Foote the Hande the Arme with the others all toyle to defende the Heade from all griefe and annoye for in the Heade consisteth the well beinge of them al and the Heade if it be pained eche parte complaineth forthwith S. Ambrose especially commendyng that parte of the body saythe That the frame or composition of man representeth of somme parte the face or countenance of the World and as Heauen thereof is the chiefe portion most eminent and bewtiful the Fyre the Ayre with the other Elementes to it inferiour so the Heade in respecte surmounteth eche other parte in Man as Quéene Mistresse or Empresse all alone whiche as a holde or Castle in the middle of a Citie builte on somme Rocke alofte wherein bothe Counsell and aduise continually doo lodge them where power and authoritie haue chosen to them their beinge And Salomon the eies of the sage are in the inner partes of his Heade Lactantius Firmianus saithe that God hath geuen to man his Head in place aboue to the intent he shoulde haue rule Empire ouer Beastes Galene to it attributeth principalitie ouer all other partes in man and Plato in Timeo in consideration of the prerogatiue thereof termeth it the whole body It beinge then of so greate importance the Fountaine also and chiefe springe of eche the powers in man it is of necessitie that it shoulde be of fitte proportion and forme conuenable Whence it commeth that Paulus Eginetus in his first Booke De
dombe shall speake and laude his name freely and againe somwhat before with fiue loaues and twoo fishes he shall fede fiue thousande menne in the deserte and that whiche shall remaine shall also refreashe the hungerie nede of others The seconde by report was borne in Libya of whom mention is made by Euripides in his Prologue of Lamia The thirde hight Themis and was surnamed Delphica for that she was borne in the Citée Delphos of whom remembreth Chrysippus in his booke of Diuination Vnto this woman the Romaines erected an Image whiche was as recordeth Plinie before the destruction of Troie so that Homere in his workes hath sundrie and diuers of her vearses as is euident Diodorus Siculus saith that this was Daphne the doughter of Tiresias whoÌ„ when the Grekes had subdued Thebes thei sent her foorthe immediately and without staie to Delphos where she after became a prophetesse in the Oracle of Apollo so that she thence as he supposeth and not otherwise gatte the name of Delphica The fowerth had to name Cumea or Italienna and not Cumana Amaltea she was borne in Cimeria a toune of Campania adioinyng vnto Cumae whose prophesies are written as well by Neuyus in his bookes Punici as also by Pison in his annalies and briefly remembred by Lactantius by Virgil also in his Eglogue this beginning Scicilides musae The first was that famous Erythrea whiche by the especiall grace of God so plainly prophesied of the greateste misteries of our religion wherefore as hath Lactantius the Gentiles in the ages paste supposyng it impossible that a virgine should heare a childe as also other thynges supernaturall whiche thei in like sorte wrote remembred as well by old Poetes as also in aunciente histories accompted of these vearses none otherwise theÌ„ of light vain and fonde matters Apolodorus writeth of this Sibyll that she fore saied to the Grekes that thei assuredly should sacke and ouer runne Troie whence moste suppose she was before the destruction thereof How be it Eusebius contrariwise thinketh that she liued in the tyme of Romulus Strabo againe in the daies of Alexander Of this Erythrea were these woordes recited by Eusebius whiche in order translated sounde in Englishe this muche Iesus Christe the soonne of God and Sauiour Whiche was in deede no lesse straunge then meruailous Others also wrote she whiche Sainct Augustine gathereth in his eightenth De ciuitate dei which dooen by hym into Latine maie in our tongue saie this muche The yearth shall sweate an assured signe of iudgemente from heauen shall come a kyng whiche shal be kyng continually but cladde in mannes fleshe to the intente he maie iudge the worlde so shall the incredulous see aswell as shall the faithfull and with their iyes shall boholde God hymself aduaunced in the middle of his angelles and in the ende of this worlde the soules of men shall appeare with their owne proper bodies whiche all hym self shall iudge presente then in persone at whiche tyme the yearth shall bee brused and disordered Menne shall then destroie bothe Images and Idolles their iuels eke and treasures shall thei not accompte of he shall goe doune into helle and breake vp the infernall gates then to the iuste shall ioye and peace bee lotted and fire shall tormente still the reprobate and impious All secretes shall in this daie bee discouered euery man shall knowe the thoughtes of an other God then shall laie open the hartes and consciences of all fleshe there shall bee weepyng and gnashyng of teethe the Sunne and the Starres in that daie shall bee darkened the heauens them selues shall breake and the Moone shall lose her lighte the mountaines shall fall doune and the valies shall lie euen with the swellyng hilles nothyng in the whole worlde shall higher bee then other bothe mountaines and valaies shall be reduced into plaines eche thyng hauyng in that daie his endyng the yearth shall be skorchte vp and brought then to pouder bothe riuers and sprynges shall in that daie burne and with that fire also the yearth it self the sea and the aire shall be consumed a trumpette then from heauen moste terriblie shall sounde at which voice the yearth incontinentely shall open discoueryng the obscure and disordered face of helle the paines eke and the smartes of the damned soules therein By this Sibyll these and many others were written at large in vearse plainly declaryng Christe hym selfe incarnate with the resurrection of the dedde and the finall iudgemente But these thynges before thei came to passe in déede of fewe might or could in any wise bee vnderstode reputed for meare follie of the Panimes and the Gentiles Notwithstandyng Erithrea well knowyng what was to come lefte not this muche to saie in like sorte of her self vaine shall thei accoumpte me a light and liyng dame But when these thynges shall bee accomplished then shall thei remember me againe not as a detyng or as a senslis wight but as a true southsaier or prophetisse of the higheste From this Sibyl Erithrea the Romaines at tymes receiued many vearses whiche Fenestella with silence passeth not in his fiftene Forces saiyng that by ordinaunce of the Senate thei sente Ambassadours vnto her onely to haue if it so might please her of her prophesies whiche froÌ„ her brought backe papers in greate number whiche were bothe carefully and curiously reserued in the Capitoll emongste others some whiche thei also had receiued before This womaÌ„ was of Erithrea a toune of Ionyum in the Prouince of the lesse Asia adioinyng vnto Caria whiche I would the reader should certainlie vnderstande for that many other tounes are also of this name as one in Libia an other in Boecia the third in Locris the fowerth in Cyprus but to assure vs that she was of this Erithrea in IonyuÌ„ Strabo maie onely in this place suffice The sixt Sibyll was of PhytoÌ„ a toune in the Isle of Samos inuironed with the sea Egeum borderyng on Thrace or as others some suppose in that other Isle of Samos coÌ„passed with the saied sea right against Ephesus for which cause she had to name Silia Samia of which remembreth Eâ—atosthenes The seuenth was Cumana otherwise Amaltea how bee it some others gaue her to name Demophila Suidas termeth her Hierophila neuer the lesse Cumana was she called for that she bothe dwelt and prophesied in the toune of Cumas in Italie not farre of from Baias Of this woman writeth Dyonisius Halicarnasleus Solinus Aulus Gellius Seruius she brought to be sold to Tarquine the proude kyng of the Romaines nine bookes though Suidas otherwise suppose that it was to Tarquimus Priscus for whiche she demaunded three hundred Crounes or other peeces of golde suche as might be or was in Rome at that tyme moste currante but for that the kyng thought her therein vnreasonable he refused vtterly these her offered marchaundises by meanes whereof incontinently she did three of theim in his presence to be burned not leauyng therefore to aske
Aegyptians they entered the fielde onely with Pikes and Iauelins and after that by litle and litle it came within fewe dayes to sutche passe and ende that menne were prouided of sutche straunge kindes of Armes and Armoures that it was rare to beholde the one still to kill and murther the other Of the inuentours of these thinges wée finde diuerse opinions The Poetes in their Fables attribute the inuention of these Weapons vnto Mars Pline reporteth that the Etoliens were the first that euer bare Launce in fielde and addeth also that the Lacedemonians firste founde the Pertisan the Sworde for defence also the Headpéece But Herodotus saith that the Aegyptians firste framed the Tergotte and Sallette As also Midas of Misena the Coate of Maale and the Breaste plate and finally one of Etolia the firste Darte that was vsed It is saide that Pantasilia Quéene of the Ammasones firste fought in fielde with Gleaue or Halbarte And Scythus Sonne of Iupiter firste founde how to vse the Darte or Arrowe but others somme thinke the contrarie attributinge it to Persea And Diodorus not alone asscribeth it to Apollo The inhabitantes of the Iles Baleares called nowe in our time Maiorque and Minorque as hath Vigetius in his Booke of the Arte of Warre were they that firste founde to caste Stoanes with the Slinge So that men accordinge to the time their affayres and varietie of inuention haue searchte and founde out sundrie sortes of Weapons And this hath it chaunced in my phantasie eftsoones that in one and the same time in places farre distant the same kinde of weapons haue benne framed by diuerse not one at all wetinge of others deuise or practise Wherefore the lesse to annoye the Reader I leaue to geather more variable opinions whiche well might serue here not impertinent to our pourpose as to recoumpte in like sorte who were the inuentours of so many straunge instrumentes and deuises of Warre to shake and ouerthrowe greate Walles and Fortresses Eusebius affirmeth that Moyses was inuentour of these huge and straunge Engins Plutarche addeth that Archilas Tarentinus and Eudoxus were the firste that reduced this Arte to a perfection and that thei deuised sundrie instrumentes to weaken walles and great houses The Beliers as hathe also Pline founde the vse of the Swoorde at the siege of Troye but as Vitruuius reporteth it rather was at the siege of Athens The Scorpion wherewith they vsed to throwe huge and greate Stoanes as againe hath Pline was firste deuised by the inhabitantes of Crete and Syria The Phoenicians firste aduantaged them selues with the sharpe and pearsinge Rebute but these al were trifles of little weight and importaunce farre surpassed in crueltie by the inuention of Shotte in diuerse sortes and Artillerie The first inuention of whiche somme attribute vnto an Almayne whose name wée finde nowhere as vnwoorthy of memorye As reporte Blondus and R. Volateranus the first that vsed shotte to theire behoofe and profite were the Venetians againste the Inhabitantes of Genua in the yéere of our Lorde a thousande thrée hundred and foure scoare Howbeit in my iudgement this inuention was yet more Auncient for that wée Reade in the Cronicle of Alphonsus the eleuenth Kinge by iuste accompte of Castille who at the Conqueste of the Citie Algazare found while he besieged the Towne in the yéere of our redemption a thousand thrée hundred fortie and thrée that the Moores from within threw out among the enimies certaine thunders through longe Morters or Troughes of yron and this was almost fortie yéeres before that that Blondus recordeth Againe before that it is reported by the saide Alphonsus whiche semblably conquered Toletum in Spayne that one Petrus Bishop of Logio writeth that in a certaine Battayle donne on the Sea betwixt the Kinge of Tunnye and Morus Kinge of Sibilia whose faction Alphonsus fauoured that the Tunnigeniens threwe on their enemies certaine Bōbardes or Tunnes of fire whiche by all likelihoode might be déemed Artillerie although it were not in sutche perfection as now and that was foure hundred yéeres before and more ¶ For what cause Man goeth vpright as also why fastinge then when he hath Eaten he euermore is founde more weighty and poysant and why in conclusion he poyseth more dead then liuinge with others sutche not impleasant Accidents Chap. 7. OF the Composition of man sundry are the considerations of whiche Lactantius Firmianus a parte as also somme others haue written large wery volumes in whiche one thinge amonge others many requireth somme exact particuler examination Which is that it hath pleased God to frame al Creatures Man onely excepted with the heade hanginge and stoupinge forewarde their eies still fixte or for the moste parte on the Earthe and not only brute Beastes but al Plantes and Bodyes vegetable As is séene in trées whiche haue their heades or rootes faste lockte or hidde in the earthe the bowes or braunches mounting into the ayre on highe But Man he hathe created with eies bente towardes Heauen his body straighte and righte his face aduaunst on highe Goddes woorkes still to contēplate consider And althoughe for this matter it mighte suffice to alleage the onely prouidence of God yet séemeth it to sauour of somme Mysterie or Secrete and therefore woorthy of somme further consideration Our Disposition then moste assuredly learneth vs yea by moste plaine and euidente signe that wée are not created and framed for the Earthe to haue in admyration thinges base and transitorie but to be busied in things on highe heauenly Of whiche with Man no other Creature maye communicate vnwoorthy and incapable of sutche and so great benefites Man only for them euen from the firste ordeined God hathe created all creatures with heade hanginge and bente still to the grounde to shewe that he to Man hathe geuen ouer them all kinde of Rule and Authoritie to order them Whiche thinge is well noted of Lactantius Firmianus who saithe That God hauinge determined to create Man for Heauen al other Creatures vnreasonable onely for the Earthe he made Man a creature capable of aduice righte and straighte naturally ordeined and instituted to Celestial Contemplation to the intente he onely mighte reuerence him that he mighte honour the place of his firste springe and beginninge that he mighte acknowledge the Countrie that he is borne to shapinge other Creatures bowinge and stoopinge as hauinge no parte or participation of Heauen Aristotle who had of the true faithe no féelinge saithe That onely Man emonge other Creatures marcheth vprighte for that him selfe and his Countrye are not Terreane but Celestiall And further That the office of Diuine mindes is to vnderstande and perceiue in which function neither shoulde Man haue knowen how skilfully to haue ordered him selfe had he bene of a lumpishe heauye or vnfittinge shape for that the weightie masse and huge lumpe of the bodye yéeldeth the memorie and recordation with other partes of the Soule insensible S. Thomas who leafte no matter vntouched or
whiche was shortly after the passion of Christe men perceiued that these Oracles began to fainte and faile neither allegaeth he for it in his treatise any other reason but that there should be dead as he supposed some spirites whiche he spake as a man voide or lesse skilled in the faithe for that he vnderstode not that the deuilles or spirites were immortall Notwithstandyng straunge is it and worthie of consideration to sée how euidently the deuill shewed hym self to bée conquered and subdued and that after the death of our sauiour he so remained discomforted that he neuer again was able to frame in any suche sort an aunswer and that the Gentiles also not able in déede to yelde any cause or reason why had some féelyng of this default and surceassyng from his function By meane whereof Plutarche tooke on hym to write this treatise in which emong others in effecte he hath these wordes of which Eusebius maketh mention writyng to Theodorus as of a moste notable and meruailous matter I remember that I haue heard saie saieth he of Emilian the oratour a man prudente and wise and well knowen to many of you that his father on a tyme commyng by the sea towardes Italie and passyng on a night by a certaine Isle called Paraxis euen when all in the Shippe were then still and quiete thei heard a greate and dreadfull voice whiche srom the Isle called to them Ataman Ataman suche was the pilotes name of the shippe an Egiptian borne although this voice were ones and againe vnderstoode by Ataman yet was he not so hardie to frame to it an annswere vntill the third time whē he said who is there what is it that calleth me what wouldest thou haue To whō this voice again more louder thē before saied Ataman my will is that when thou passest by the goulfe which hath to name Laguna that thou there remember to crie out and certifie the said goulfe that the greate God Pan is deade Whiche vnderstoode all those that were in the shippe feared counsailyng the saied pilote to leaue vndooen his charge neither any thyng to arreste or staie at the goulfe especially if the winde would serue them to passe further but approchyng nigh the place of whiche this voice admonished hym the ship arrested and the sea waxte calme not hauyng winde to passe presently any farther by meanes whereof thei generally concluded that Atman should there dooe his legation or imbacie whiche the better to doe he mounteth vp into the poupe or hinder parte of the ship where he crieth as loude as he could possible saiyng I will that ye knowe that the greate God Pan is deade whiche woorde as sone as he ones had vttered thei heard incontinently suche terrible lamentations and cries houling and complainyng aboue that maie be saied in suche sort that the sea it self resounded these complaintes whiche continued moste dolorous and lamētable a great while by meanes whereof the Mariners though meruailously afraied hauyng the winde good againe followed their course arriuyng at Rome made rehearsal of this their aduenture Whereof the Emperour Tiberius aduertised and desirous to be certified of the truthe and none other founde to conclude as is aboue rehearsed Whence it is euident that the deuilles euery where sorowed the natiuitie of our Sauiour and redemer Christe for that he was onely their ruine and destruction For by iuste and true supputation of tyme we finde that this happened at the tyme of his Passion or perhaps some thyng before then I meane whe he banished and exiled them out of the worlde It is to be presupposed that this great God Pan accordyng to the immitation of Pan the God of Shepherdes whiche thei saied was deade was some capitaine and maister deuill whiche at that tyme loste his Empire as did also the others Besides all these Iosephus writeth that at the same tyme was heard in the temple of Hierusalem a voice though in déede ther was no liuyng creature with in whiche lamentably cried and saied thus let vs goe hence and leaue this countrie in haste as who would saie thei truely knewe that the tyme of their paine and persecution was at hande and that it drewe on faste euen by the death of hym that gaue life vnto others In the Gospell of the Nazarites it is reade that in the daie of his Passion that sumptuous gate of their Temple whiche thei neuer lefte for any coste to adorne and beautifie fell doune to the grounde and was vtterly defaced Consider now in that daie what straunge and meruailous thynges happened though the Euangelistes haue paste theim as thynges lesse worthie memorie The eclipce also of the Sunne whiche continued thrée howers the full space in deede that Christ was on the crosse was not naturall as are the others whiche by th' onely coniunction of the Sunne and Moone chaunce vs but was miraculous and contrary to the course and order of nature Suche therefore as lesse knowe how the Sunne is eclipsed must vnderstande that it onely happeneth by coniunction of the aboue saied bodies the Mooue passyng or goyng betwixt the Sunne and the yearth neuer the lesse this eclipse happened in th' opposition of these planettes the Moone then full and hundred and eightie degrées distant frō the Sūne in the vnder hemisphere then at the citée of Hierusalem for proofe whereof besides the testimonies of infinite good writers the scriptures them selues record it manifestly for certain it is that the lambe was neuer Sacrificed but in the .xiiij. of the Moone whiche Lambe was eaten by Christ and his disciples but one daie onely before his death as is commaunded in the .xij. of Exodus in Leuiticus also the xxiij And the nexte daie followyng whiche was the daie of vnleauened bread Christ the Lambe vnspotted was vnkindly crucified the Moon then of necessitie in her full and opposite to the Sunne whiche then could no more eclipse the Sunne then any other Planete It then was to conclude miraculous and contrary to the order of nature doen onely by the onmipotente and sole power of GOD whiche depriued the Sunne of light for that thrée howers space By occasion whereof that worthie personage Denis Areopagita beyng at the time presente at Athens and beholding in this sorte the Sunne to be obscured and knowyng on the other side as a learned Astrologian that this eclipse was contrary to the order of natue saied openly with a loude voice to bée heard of all menne either the frame of the worlde shall bée dissolued either the God of nature presently suffereth For whiche cause as one reporteth the sages of Athens straungely disturbed did to bee builte incontinently an aulter to the God vnknowen whether afterward saincte Paule arriuyng learned theim who was that God vnknowne and that he was Jesus Christ God and man our redemer whiche then and at that tyme suffered for our saluation by meanes whereof he conuerted greate numbers to the faithe Some neuer the lesse haue doubted
scatteryngly a loofe and farre of followed hym Whiche thyng Elanicus perceiuyng and thinkyng that occasion was then well offered not giuyng the signe betwixt them appoincted lifted vp his handes to the heauēs and with a loude voice said what longer abide you ye valiaunte and couragious Why shewe you not your prowes in the middle here of your Citée Then Cilon immediately draweth out his sworde and slue one of theim that in haste was come to waite on the tyranne out of the palace And on the other side Aristotimes seyng bothe Trasibolus and Lampidus assailyng hym and supposyng to escape theim fled to the Temple of Iupiter where he was slaine by the multitude pursuyug hym and his bodie drawen out thence in the sight of all men libertie beyng proclaimed throughout the whole Citee The multitude in heapes incontinently then assēbled but fewe yet came to see or behold that lothsome carrion before these women were deliuered whiche hastenyng to that place ioiously honoured them that by the death of the tyrāne had deliuered their countrie In the meane tyme the people running in hast to the palace where the Queene aduertised of the death of her housebande dreadyng muche that whiche in déede insued lockte her self vp in her closet secretly where she strangeled herself without the helpyng hande of any Now had this tyranne twoo very faire doughters bothe of ripe yeres and readie to bee married whiche vnderstādyng of the faule of their father withdrewe theimselues in all haste aparte into their cabinette whence thei incontinentely were drawen out by force of the people and diuers readie violently and without more to haue slaine theim Megestena with the reste of the imprisoned women skilfully appeased that their ragyng furie hesechyng theim to abstaine from the yonge gentle women consideryng the tyranne though other wise fell and cruell had neuer yet thei all beyng his prisoners imbrued hymself in the bloud of any one of thē At the request thē of these dames eche weight was sone appeased whiche after cōsultation resolued on this poinct that with their owne handes thei should doe themselues to dye chusyng what death so euer was to theim beste likyng Then were thei bothe shutte into a chamber togither the elder neither in gesture nor in woorde shewyng any kinde of sorrowe tooke from her waste her girdle fastenyng it to a poaste and beyng readie therein to dye exhorted her sister with manly courage to doe also the semblable but the yongest then taking her sister by the hande besought her moste humblie that she might dye first to whom the other aunswered euen as since our cradles hauyng still liued and continued togither I neuer yet denied you any your demaunde so am I contented to accorde you againe this your laste and fatall sute whiche is that I liue vntill you bee dedde although of all others this assuredly will goe nighest me to see thee myne owne sister to bee strangled here before me Now tooke then the youngest in hande her girdle whiche with trēblyng fingers moste pitifully she knotted the other aduisyng her well to fasten it aboute her necke that she more quickly and more easily might paie the tribute due vnto nature ▪ which she sone after her fare well giuen to her sister dolefullie accomplished When she now was this paste and gone the other stretched foorthe her bodie in moste reuerent maner possible semblablie coueryng it as appertaineth to the dedde After which she tourneth about to Megestena moste humblie intreatyng her that after her death she would not permitte her bodie to lie naked on the yearth whiche her requeste being easily graunted she tourning strangleth herself in the same girdle of her sister ¶ Why and for what causes men rarely aspire to the assured perfection of thynges in this life Chapt. 9. FIue principall thynges are there that distourne manne from the ripe and mature cognition of thynges in this life whiche if he well knewe he then might repute himself for perfecte and wise The firste is the ignorauncie or not knowyng of his ende to wette his not knowyng to what ende he is borne For assuredly if he well knewe it he would no thyng lesse pain hym self to attaine there vnto then he presently doeth to aspire to pompe and honour in whiche appetite rulyng hym his onely felicitie semeth to consiste But in this case I maie compare manne to a kynges soonne in his infancie of whom if you will aske whiche he loueth better the succession of a kyngdome or els an aple or a cherie whiche presently you shall offer hym it maie not bee doubted but he will refuse to bee kyng to plaie with or tast of the aple or cherie and that for that tofore he percase thereof hath tasted So fareth it with manne who if he be demaunded whiche he moste affecteth or riches or learnyng he at firste will desire to be maister of money ignoraunt and lesse wetyng that the learned onely and he alone is riche and father that it also is necessarie that the sage still order and gouerne his countrie and that also without knowledge honour is not honoured but rather becometh a note of ignominie and slaūder and that greate wealthe also without good letters is the true pathe to senslis brutalitie the roote of presumption and accomplishemente of rusticitie but the wise sufficeth to directe hymself and others posseste of these threasures that neuer maie faile hym But this all happeneth vnto manne for not knowyng to what ende he is borne The second is the immoderate vse of pleasures of the minde as well as also of the bodie whiche bothe annoye and droune no lesse the exteriour motions to vertue then the interiour also and these of the spirite So that manne so folded in the filthe of this worlde maie well bee resembled to the doughter of a Prince faire and beautifull to whom also appertained after her father the kyngdome but for hauyng committed fornication with a bond man deformed and odious is depriued thereof to her eternall infamie The thirde issueth of the euill disposition in mānes bodie whence manne of learnyng and good letters for the moste parte is incapable and this some tymes is caused by the place of his birthe whence he taketh to be of an imperfecte and impure complexion as in certaine countries in the East where as in partes of Africa men are borne so senslis and bestiall by meane of the extremitie of heate in these soiles that thei liue as brute beastes incapable of reason and on the other side in the coūtries Septentrionall or Northe in other some places by extreame coldnes are menne borne so wilde and sauage that some of them refuse not to feede on mannes fleshe suche are the Gothes and Ostrogothes with others And these people maie be compared to an Egle in whose foote there is fastened a stone of some waight whiche letteth her there to flie where by nature she desireth to wete aboue the cloudes in the supreme and higheste region of the aire