the Germanes language and to be called by Barbarian names He also commaunded that the galleyes in whom he had entered the Ocean sea should for a great part of them be carryed to Rome by lande but especially all the shelles for lacke of kinges capteines plate money counterfeites of townes wonne to be shewed in his triumph the which he wrote vnto orgents they shoulde prepare with a greate magnificence as euer any had bene bycause he sayde they had right and power ouer all mens goods But althoughe as you heare he slue not one of his enimies as he that only fought with his owne fancies yet he administered not the Prouince without great effusion of bloud for as sayes Dion he lost a great parte of his owne armie through murthering many of them man by man and other by whole troupes and rankes And one daye séeing a great number of men standing together he commaunded them to be all slaine vsing this by worde from bald man to bald man. And before he departed out of the Prouince he thought to haue slaine all the legions of the countrie bycause that they mutining after the death of Augustus had besieged his father Germanicus their capteine and him selfe then being an infant And being hardly reuoked frō so great a frensie he could by no meanes be stayed but that he would néeds tythe them slaying euery tenth man Wherfore he calling them vnarmed to a concion or oration enuironed them about with weaponed men and armed horsemen But when that he sawe that many of the souldiours suspecting the matter did slide away to take their weapons if that any violence should be offered this dastardly God ranne away out of the concion and incontinently hasted to the citie turning al his malice on the Senate whom he openly threatened that he woulde punish for the rumours of so great dishonours spreade of him complaining also among other thinges that he was defrauded by them of his iust and due triumphe when as in déede he him selfe had a litle before inioyned them vnder paine of death that they should decrée nothing concerning his honour Lo nowe ye haue hearde the summe of his noble martiall actes and certes nothing else was there in him whereof hée should be proude but only his large Empire and the felicitie to haue the worthie Germanicus his Father vnto whome sayes Suetonius there happened all the vertues bothe of bodie and minde and they also so great as it is manifest neuer chaunced vnto any other man A goodly personage and a beautiful great strength and courage a witte farre excelling in the eloquence of both the Gréeke and the Latine and in all kinde of learning in bothe the tounges singularly wel was he beloued one that had a wonderful and very effectuall indeuour and way to get the fauour of al men and to winne their loue bothe at home and also abroade very ciuil and so courteous that he would go vnto the frée townes and suche as were in league with the Romanes without his sergeantes and wheresoeuer he vnderstoode that famous men were intumbed he woulde kéepe their obsequies The olde and dispersed reliques of the Romans that were slaine in Germanie with Varus he first began to gather vppe with his owne hands and to bring into one heape and to burie them togeather And also so milde and harmelesse was he vnto his obtrectours backebiters and enuiers whatsoeuer they were and wherfore soeuer they did it that he would not be angrie no not with Piso who had disanulled all his decrées and ordinaunces and a long time vexed his clientes before that he certainely knewe and had found that he went about to worke his death by poisonings and solemne cursings neither then went he any farther thē according to the auncient manner of their forefathers renounced his friendshippe that is solemnly tolde him that he woulde not take him for his fréende and willed them of his house to be reuenged if that any ill happened vnto him He was also chaste of bodie that it is recorded of him as a miracle in that lewde age that he neuer knew woman besides his wife Of the which vertues he reaped moste aboundant fruite for he was singularly liked and loued of al men and so fauoured of the people in all countries that whensoeuer he came vnto any greate towne or departed from thence suche a number of people did either goe foorthe to méete him or to bring him going that he was very oftentimes in daunger of death with the greate thronge of the louing people But when he returned out of Germanie vnto Rome after he had quieted the sedition the whiche I spake off euen nowe all the Pretorian bandes wente foorth to méete him althoughe that proclamation had béene made that there should but two goe but of the people of Rome all sexe age and order ranne foorthe against him yea twenite miles Yet greater and surer signes of vnutterable loue towardes him did appeare at and after his death The day that he died the Temples were battered with stones the altars of the Gods were ouerthrowen and some threwe their housholde Gods into the stréete and did cast away the children that their wiues had lately brought forth yea and they write that the Barbarians that had either warres betwéene themselues or with the Romanes did as in a Domesticall and common heauinesse consent vnto truce and certaine kings did shaue their beardes and their wiues heades for to shewe as great a mourning as might be And also the Parthian who called him selfe the king of kinges absteined from hunting kéeping of companie the which the Parthians call Megistanum being like vnto the Iustitium among the Romanes But when at the firste bruite that was brought to Rome of his sickenesse the dismaide and sorrowful citie looked for the messengers that followed and soudenly after the euening was shut it had béene noised without any certaine authors that hee was recouered the people ranne hudling from all partes of the citie vppe into the Capitol with lightes and sacrifices and they had almost pulled off the doores of the temple that they should not any while stay the reioycing people from perfourming of their vowes Tyberius the Emperour was waked out of his sléepe with the voices of them that reioyced and sang in euery place Salua Roma Salua Patria saluus est Germanicus Rome is well our Countrie is well Germanicus is well But afterward when it was certeinly knowen he was deade the publique mourning coulde not be inhibited by any comfortes nor proclamations but lasted yea also all the festiuall dayes of December being the same among them that the twelue dayes be with vs After that this dearling of mankinde was traiterously poysoned by Piso who at his returne vnto Rome was therfore néere hand torne into péeces by the people put to death by the Senate but at the instigation of his vnkinde vncle Tyberius whome Augustus had made to adopte Germanicus ill requiting his loyaltie
shadowes of the Sunne the length of the dayes and nightes He added moreouer vnto his tumbe a porticus or walking place of a thousand foote long and gardens of pleasure with wonderfull beautifull and goodly groues yet coulde not the sumptuousnesse thereof cause it to continue fiue hundreth yeares for Theodorite affirmes that in his time it was not to be seene this tumbe he called Mausoleum by the name of a famous tumbe built in Syria by Quéene Arthemisia for her husband Mausolus accounted among one of the wonders of the world The whiche monument was from the South to the North sixtie thrée foote but shorter in the frontes The whole compasse of it about was 411. foote and 25. cubites highe inuironed round with 36. pillers The east part was ingrauen and cut by Scopas the south by Timotheus the north by Bryxaxis the west by Leochares Before they had finished it the Quéene dyed yet they departed not before it was done iudging that it would be a monument of their glory and cunning and at this day sayes Plinie the handes contend and no man can iudge which péece is best wrought There came vnto them also the fift workeman for a Pyramis drawing it selfe in stil lesse and lesse with xxiiij stayres like vnto a stéeple being built vpon the vnder side wall the whiche they called Pteron doth make it equall with the rest of the worke Vpon the very top of all is there a chariot drawen with foure horses of marble whiche Pythis made the whiche being sixe score foote highe dothe inclose the whole worke I reade in Paulus Venetus of a sumptuous tumbe made by a king of Mien whiche countrie is nowe vnder the great Cham which was couered all ouer with plates of gold and siluer and at the heade of it a Pyramis of marble 70. foote high and as thicke on the toppe whereof was a sphere all the whole pyramis or sphere was couered with plates of golde a finger thicke so that a man coulde sée nothing but golde The sphere had a great number of belles hanging on it whiche when the winde blew did ring Such an other like pyramis was there also erected at the féet which was couered al ouer with plates of siluer Ye haue heard before of the tumb of Porsena and also of the labyrinthes and pyramides were the tumbes of their builders Yet I can not moderate my selfe but that I must néedes relate vnto you out of Diodorus Siculus who sawe it the tumbe of Symandius king of Egypt At the comming in thereof was there a porche or gate built of speckle stone the lengthe whereof was two acres and the height 45. cubites After this was there a square roome set round with pillers of square stone euery side of it conteining foure acres In it for pillers were there set vp beastes made of one stone a péece of sixtene cubites built after the auncient fourme The roofe aboue was made of stones two paces broade and garnished with diuers blewe starres Out of this roome was there an other entrie in and at that a gate like vnto the first but with greater store of carued worke At the comming in were thrée mightie statuies set of one stone a péece made by Memnon One of whom be made fitting with a foote aboue seuen cubites and did in greatnesse excéede all the statuies of Egypt The other two were as her daughters lesse then the mother and came vp but to her knées one standing on the right hande the other on the left This péece of worke was not onely worthy to be séene for the greatenesse but also was excellent for the wonderfull arte and nature of the stones bycause in so mightie a masse and pyle there was neyther clift nor spot There was written in it I am Simandius the King of Kings if any man would knowe what maner of man I was and where I lye let him excell one of my workes They say that there was also an other statuie of the mother of twentie cubites made of one stone hauing ouer her heade thrée Quéenes to signifie that she had bene daughter wife and mother of a king After this gate was there an other quadrant more excellent then the former with diuers ingrauings among the which was the warres kept against the reuolted Bactrians ouer whome the kings sonnes reigned In this armie whiche he diuided into foure hostes was there foure hundreth thousande footemen and twentie thousande horsmen The first part of the wall did conteine ingrauen the siege of the citie on that side where the riuer ranne close by the wall Afterward the king encoūtering with a part of his enimies a Lyon also entering with him the field and they fighting together did put the enimies to flight Some writers say it was a true historie that the king was wont to vse in fight the help of a lion that he had brought vp at home Other that he woulde by the likenesse of a Lyon shewe his singular strength of body and mynde The second wall was cut and ingrauen with prisoners without priuities and handes led by the king whiche was a marke that they were vile in mynde and weake in body The thirde side adorned with diuers ingrauings and gorgeous pictures did conteine the sacrifices of the kings and his triumph of his conquered enimies At the middle side of the square roome lay two mightie statuies made of two stones eyther of them being of seuen and twentie cubites at the which Images there were thrée wayes out of the quadrant Neare vnto these statuies there was a house whiche stoode vpon pillers euery side whereof conteined two acres In it were there set vp statuies of wood not fewe in number representing both them whiche went to lawe as also the Iudges which should giue sentence They being thirtie in number were ingrauen at one part of the wall and in the middle of them was the chiefe Iustice on whose necke there hanged downe trueth and the Iudge was pictured with his eyes halfe shut and with a great heap of bookes lying about him These Images did shew that Iudges ought to be vpright that the chiefe Iustice ought to looke vpon trueth only After this there was a walking place ful of houses and in them were diuers kinds of fine fishes very pleasant in taste prepared Then was there the king ingrauen sitting on highe in diuers kinds of colours offring vnto God gold siluer cōming out of the mines of gold siluer which he yerely receiued There was engraued the summe of the whole béeing reduced into siluer which was thirtie hundreth pounds and two hundreth thousand thousandes Then folowed a sacred librarie wherein was ingrauen these wordes the medicine of the soule In this librarie were the images of all the Gods of Egypt also of the king bearing vnto euery one of the Gods such giftes as were conuenient for them and moreouer shewing that both Osiris the kinges after him had
almost in euery conflicte but yet neuerthelesse was sore vexed with lack of victuals and also pasture and forage for his horses as he that trauelled through countries that were not his fréendes and to make vp the mischiefe he lost a great part of his armie in the passing ouer of the riuer of Lycus they missing the forde and being drowned in the deapth So that what by this infortunate chaunce and also through famine and pestilence about eight thousand of his souldiers being lost he turned his course into Cilicia where he staied the furie of his souldiours from spoyling of Tharsus lest that he should haue incurred the displeasure of Seleucus vnder whome Cilicia was where he hardly obteined of Seleucus for to winter there Agathocles hauing taken the streights whiche he should passe But Seleucus remained not long in his good minde but béeing persuaded by certaine of his counsellours that he did vnwisely to foster in the middes of his Realme the armie of so martial and vnquiet a Prince came downe with a strong armie into Cilicia Then Demetrius when he coulde obteine no friendeshippe of him by intreatie and prayers like vnto a wilde beast inclosed in a toile with men weapons and snares turned his lenitie into furie and with souden violence sacked certaine Cities of Cilicia and anon after taking harte of grace fought with Seleucus and ouerthrowing his chariots and putting to flight the rest of his armie he obteined a notable victorie and opened the streightes of Cilicia expelling the garisons of Seleucus in euery place And by this luckie successe was he come into great hope of better fortune when he fell into an vnfortunate sicknesse wherwith he beeing long time afflicted lost a great parte of his armie many reuolting vnto the enimie and starting some this way and some that as euery mannes soudein force carried him a great part of whome wandering they wyst not where and missing their way through ignorance of the countrie perished by diuerse chaunces But when he was recouered of his sickenesse he marched with those that had remained in their dutiful obedience within the sight of his enimie hauing spoyled no small part of Cilicia And then passing ouer Amanus he came wasting and spoiling vnto Cyrrestes where thinking to haue set vpon Seleucus who nowe was at his backe in the night time he missed of his purpose and also being foiled in fight was forced to flie backe againe amaine vnto the portes of Amanus and there to hide himselfe and those fewe that he had about him in the thicke wooddes and assayed to goe thorough the desart and blinde wayes vnto Caunus where he hoped to finde a fléete But when that the streightes of the countrie were kept and set with armed men and of his small traine many hourely dropped away he by the adhortation of his fréendes sent certaine vnto Seleucus to yéelde vppe vnto him his life and afflicted state Men reporte that Seleucus had commaunded a roial pauilion to be set vp for him and that he had minded to enterteine him in all respectes not as a prisoner but as a guest being in his most florishing state yea many noblemen thinking that he should in short time haue béen in greate fauour authoritie with Seleucus rode foorthe for duties sake to méete him But in the meane space before he coulde come Seleucus being chaunged thorough suspicions put into his head by his counsell hée sent Pausanias with 1000. horse against him who should take him and carrie him into the Chersonesus of Syria and there should diligently kéepe him it being a countrie of a small compasse Wherewithall Demetrius being dismaid although by Seleucus his cōmaundement he was in all points intreated like a king with singular honour and courtesie handeled of his kéeper yet he sent one vnto his sonne Antigonus to tell him that he should take his Father for a dead man and neuer after giue any credit to letter or seale of his Antigonus dolefully lamented at this heauie newes and incessantly commended vnto all Princes by letters the life and safetie of his Father yea and offered vnto Seleucus that he and all that euer cruel fortune had left him shoulde remaine pledges with him if that he woulde vouchesafe to set his Father at libertie But for all this earnest sute Seleucus perseuered still in kéeping of Demetrius who hauing alwayes vsed from his childehode to hunt and to ride muche and also to exercise his bodie with great trauel and labour nowe as one wearie of this present life drowned himself in gourmandise and drunkennesse and so died within thrée yeares after his captiuitie being of the age of lxiiij yeares and one that in all that long time after that he came to mans state neuer remained thrée yeares in one state before his captiuitie when doubtlesse for tranquillitie and rest if his proude hart coulde haue béene contented therewithall he did drawe néerest vnto the quiet and restful order of the Gods as Horace termes it The xxiij Chapter Of Iulius Caesars greatnesse and also his great mishappes and troubles and of a worthie saying of Charles the fift DEmetrius doth Iulius Caesar succéede a verie martial Gentleman and also fortunate in warres suche an one as wel deserued to be a GOD after the manner of the Romane Deification for he had slaine of his enimies eleuen hundreth and lxxxij thousande besides them that he had killed in the ciuil warres the whiche were doubtlesse a mightie number of whome he was ashamed to boaste as he might also haue béene of the other to be accounted so cruel an enimie to mankinde But although fortune was fréendly vnto him yet did she often make him féele her ficklenesse For in his youth he being accounted one of the Marian faction was depriued by Sylla of his office of flamen Dialis his wiues dowrie and all his owne landes yea and moreouer forced to hide himselfe from the tyrante who sought his death yea and to chaunge his lodging euery night although he were very ill molested with a quartane and yet all this would not haue saued his life if that he had not often corrupted with money those that were sent to search for him vntil at the length through the earnest and incessaunt suite of the vestall virgines and certaine of his fréendes great fauourers of Sylla his pardon was hardly obteined the tyraunt being so exasperated against him that when he was ouercome by the importunate prayers of thē who would haue no nay he brake out into this loude spéeche take him to you who will one day be the destruction of the nobilitie whome ye so muche fauour For in this one boy be there many Marij But after he had escaped this daunger within fewe yeares after fell into an other almost as great being taken by pyrates as he sayled to Rhodes out of whose hands he redéemed himselfe when they knewe him not for 50. talents that is 9375. pounds After this when he was Pretor was he
hée wold not only be very curiously clipped shauen but also would haue diuerse haires pulled out But as the prouerbe saith pride must néedes haue a fal so he in the middes of his maiestie was slaine in the Senate house with 23. woundes yea in the Courte of his enimie Pompey to aggrauate the griefe of his dolefull death which was foretolde vnto him by many sundrie prodigies also the conspiracie was disclosed all vnto him which he contemned as one that was werie of life séeing that he could not inioy his olde wonted health nor securitie frō deadly conspiracies The xxiiij Chapter Of Marcus Antonius THE fourth in order of time is Marcus Antonius an other Bacchus a méete potcompanion for the two Gréeke Gods as he that being Magister Equitum dranke so hard ouer night at Hippias his marriage that the next daye at an assembly of the people he ouerflowed all the stately benche with vomited wine and gobbets of fishe In his youth he was so vnthriftie and so giuen both to suffer and doe all vncleannesse that he brought him selfe in debt sexagies that is sixe and fourtie thousande eight hundreth thrée score and fiftéene pounde wherefore his father did forbid him his house the which forced him to follow the warres in Syria and Egypt vnder Gabinius And afterward being made Tribune of the commons he stubbernely held Caesars part against the Senate both for that he was of kinne vnto him by his mother and also bycause he was moued by him For this pertinacie he was commaunded to auoyde the court or senate house or else to stand vnto his aduentures whervpon he fled out of the citie contrarie vnto the auncient Romane lawes the which did forbid the tribune of the commōs to lodge one night out of the citie and hasted vnto Caesar who was glad to take this slender occasion of inuading his countrie bycause the Senate had violated the inuiolable maiestie of the Tribune In the which wars Caesar obteining the victory aduaunced Antonius who had neuer before that time come vnto the honour of being Pretor to the office of maister of the horsmen the next dignitie vnto him selfe the Dictator and the very same yeare contrarie vnto the auncient ordinaunces made him Consul in the which yeare Caesar was slaine whiche did so amase Antonius that he casting away his Consularie robes and ensignes hid him selfe vntill such time as he hearde that Marcus Lepidus the maister of the horsmen had taken the forum or market place with a great power of souldiers and then came Antonius abroade againe as bragge as a body louse and he and Lepidus made this atonement with the murtherers of Caesar that all should be well and that nothing before time done eyther by the one or the other faction should euer be called into question but al quite forgiuē forgotten Wherby Antonius grew into great fauor with the senat and anon after into farre greater with the people for the duetifull funerals of Caesar and his seditious Oration in his prayse and hatred of his murtherers so that he obteined as a popular man a guard of sixe thousand to defend him against the awaites of the Senate And then at pleasure he solde immunities to cities and Prouinces he remitted Tributes he nominated Kinges and alies he gaue liberties and priuileges but to no man any thing fréely and all these thinges he sayde he did by Caesars Commentaries the whiche being confirmed by the Senate no man had but him selfe He also obteined to haue Macedonie allotted for his Prouince with a goodly armie with the which he besieged all Mutina Decius Brutus the lieftenant of Gallia Cisalpina the which he against all right and order would of selfe will and force haue Wherefore he was proclamed enimie by the Senate and the two Consuls with Octauian Caesars heire whose authoritie was very greate with his vncles souldiers were sent against him who gaue him two ouerthrowes and forced him to rayse his siege and brought him and his armie into great miserie For when they marched on the Alpes to ioine with Lepidus they fell into such lacke of victuals that Antonius him selfe did eate the barke of trées and dranke corrupt and foule stinking water and rode in miserable and filthy habite his heade and beard all vntrimmed and let to growe long like vnto a wilde man vnto Lepidus his campe who had a great power whome Antonius with his teares and wretched habite wonne to receiue him when that his olde friend Lepidus had commaunded the trumpets to be blowne that the souldiers shoulde not heare the lamentable oration of poore Antonius least he might moue them to compassion as he did in very déed with them incontinently after ioyned Plancus and Pollio with both their armies and then also Octauian being feared with the great power that the murtherers of Caesar had then in Asia and Greece Whereof ensued that proude and cruell Triumuirate the which aduaunced Antonius vnto the dignitie of a god But this brittle blisse of his was crased the next yeare with the siege of his brother and deare wife at Perusium by Octauian and they forced to yeald vnto him But who can number vp the manifold daungers difficulties that he susteined when he inuaded the Parthians with 15. legions suche an armie as before that time the Romanes neuer led the euent whereof was nothing but dishonour and shame hauing lost aboue 20000. footmen and 4000. horsmen yea and if he had not for the space of a great number of dayes vsed singular wisedome vigilancie paines and courage he had neuer brought one man backe and also if that a Parthian had not friendly warned him to kéepe the hard hilles and not to come downe into the plaine countrie they had bene slaine euerie mothers sonne One night there was suche an vprore in the campe that Antonius had surely thought the enimie had inclosed them and that he and all the whole armie should haue perished with the sword of the einmie who woulde graunt them no rest neither day nor night Wherefore being in vtter desperation he sware one of his libertes that he should thrust his sworde into him when so euer he woulde commaunde him and then cut off his heade and conuey it away that he might not be a laughing stock vnto his enimies as Crassus had bin I doe thinke there was neuer God euer brought into such an agonie Not many yeares after this brake out that fatall warres betwéene Octauian and him wherein he was discomfited by sea and besieged in Alexandria whether he fled And to augment his sorrowe he sayling out of the citie with a great power took a hil to beholde the fight betwéene his nauie and Octauians sawe his men friendly to ioyne with Octauians immediatly the armie also that he him selfe conducted reuolted to Octauian and he was forced fearefully to flée into the citie being forsaken of all men But hereof also grewe a greater griefe for he thought that
speck by fishing with nettes of golde twyne and ropes of purple and scarlet by neuer wearing one garment twise by neuer traueling with fewer then a 1000 wagons a great number of whome were of siluer and finally by his madde buildings and works had brought himselfe bare and quite without money that he was not able no not to pay the souldiers their wages nor the Veteranes their rewards and pensions he bent his minde to false accusations robberies First of al he decréed that he should for halfe haue thrée partes of all the goods of suche libertes as without probable cause were called by the name of any family or stocke that was of kin or aliance vnto him the Caesars Furthermore that the Testaments of all men vnthankfull vnto the Emperour should apperteine vnto the Eschequer of the Prince And neyther that those whiche had written them or tolde other what they should write shoulde escape scotfrée and also that all actes wordes to whom there was any promooter should be within the compasse of the statute of highe treason the penaltie wherof is agréeable to ours And when that he had forbidden the vse of purple colour and hadde suborned a verlotte vppon a markette day to sell of it two or thrée ounces he imprisoned all the merchauntes of the citie forcing them to fine at his pleasure Moreouer as he was busie in singing he espying out of the spectacles a matrone appairelled in purple which was forbidden he shewed her vnto his atturneis and agentes and turned her not only out of her gowne but also out of all the goods she had He reuoked also al the rewards of crownes which the cities had giuen him before at any time at playes and games He neuer gaue office vnto any man but he said vnto him thou knowest what I lacke and let vs this do that no man may haue any thing Hée robbed a great number of Temples of their giftes he melted their Images of golde and siluer and among them also the Images of the housholde Gods of Rome whom Galba afterward made againe Finally when he had wilfully set on fire the citie which burnt seuen dais and seuen nightes continually consuming beside an immeasurable number of faire palaces the houses of the auncient captaines which yet at that time were adorned with the spoiles of their enimies the Temples of the Goddes built by the kings ye and those which were afterward vowed and dedicated in the warres with the Carthaginians and Galles and to be shorte all that had remained of the antiquitie worthe either the séeing or memorie and the people for feare of being burnt had forsaken their houses he woulde suffer no man to come againe vnto his goodes whiche was saued and with subsidies and collections almoste quite beggered bothe the Prouinces and also all priuate men ye and murdered most of the citie which were of any notorious wealthe But leauing Nero these are Suetonius his woordes of Domitian that he beeing brought quite out of money through the charges of his workes and games and the augmenting of his souldiours wages attempted to abate the charges of the warres diminishing the number of the souldiers But when he perceiued that by so dooing he was obnoxious to the Barbarians neither was he in lesse difficultie to dispatche other charges he had no regarde but by all sinister meanes tooke the goodes in all places aswel of the dead as the liuing at euery varlots accusation for euery light offence were men put to death and their goodes escheated But of the tygerlyke tyrannie of Caesar Borgia bastard vnto Pope Alexander the sixt the daily proportion of whose tables was 200. ducates that gaue 1000 sutes of apparell to Parasites that continually kept in wages 8000. souldiours I shal haue occasion to speake hereafter Yet nothing that I haue rehearsed doth more euidently set foorth vnto vs the tormentes of riot then doth the example of Cheopes king of Egypt who lacking money to finishe his follie begon in building a pyramis and being destitute of all other meanes beastly against nature abandoned the beautifull bodie of his deare daughter and the kings childe to the filthy and shameful abuse of euery slaue that would giue her a stone readie hewed to helpe builde the Pyramis I reade also in Seneca and Albidian that when Apitius had spent in reueling and buried in his bellie millies sestertium 781250. l. and vnderstoode that he had but centies sestertium 78125. poundes left then perceiuing that he must néedes appaire his port for extreeme gréefe poisoned himselfe The eleuenth Chapter The tormentes of loue the inordinate lust of man both before after and against nature of an harlotte that saide she neuer remembred that she was a maide how Salomon and Achaz begat children at eleuen yeares of age of a Camel that killed his keeper for deceiuing him in horsing his damme of a man in Germanie in one daye that begat a childe vppon his mother which childe he afterward married of an horse that killed himselfe after that he perceiued that he had serued his damme of diuerse that burned in the loue of them whom they neuer sawe of diuerse that raged in lust vpon statuies of stone With no fewer nor lesse tormentes is man torne by that daughter and as all men do holde companion of riot and her lackey loue in whom sayes the schoolmaister of that wicked art there be as many sorrowes gréefes as there be heires vpon Athon bées on Hiblus berries on the Oliue trée and shelles on the Sea shoare No liuing thing doth rage so inordinately in loue as doth a man not onely naturally but also before nature after nature and against nature Well knowen is the saying of the harlot in Arbiter Petronius who sware déepely that she coulde not remember that euer shée was a maide And I would to God we had not rife examples daily of suche lecherie in both sexe Wée reade in the scriptures that Salomon and Achaz begat their heires at the age of eleuen yeares But that as Iuuenal saies the lust and lecherie of those aged persons is worthily suspected that attempt venerie without abilitie to do it it hath euer béene and also is also nowe in our dayes alas to to common The abhominable glasse also of Horace whiche with false representation augmented the deuelishe delight of his beastly maister may they that list finde in Seneca but it shall not come in my booke who vnwillingly write the man spareth not his sister his daughter no nor his mother which Aristotle the diligent sercher of the nature of things affirmeth the camel to do and telleth of a camel that hauing horsed his mother or damme his kéeper hauing couered her with a cloth that the stallion should not knowe her but after he had serued her knowing by the falling off of the clothe that it was his damme for iust anger killed his kéeper with his teethe Any auncient example of this beastlike lust wil I rehearse
alone with about a fiftie men who yet kept the citie Yea this foolish feare makes men to affirme stedfastly that they hearde and sawe that whiche they neuer did As when the Turke besieged the mightie rich citie of Argos assaulting it on two sides they whiche were in the one parte of the citie immagined that they hearde one say that the towne was taken in the other side wherefore they all ranne thether leauing at their owne part an easie entrie for the enimie When that the Dukes of Berry and Britaine the Earle of Charolois and the rest of the league whiche called them selues the publike good or the common wealth were incamped against Lewes the eleuenth before Paris in the dead time of the night the watch of the camp hearde the voyce of one that sayde that he was sent by certaine of the citie that fauoured the confederates and willed it to be shewed vnto them that the king had determined in the very dawning of the next daye to assault their campe with all his power being diuided into thrée battelles or companies that the watchmen should with all possible spéede certifie the Dukes that they were not oppressed vnwares Incontinently all the whole armie is raysed vp the souldiers commaunded to arme them selues Before it was day all things were in a readinesse both to defende the campe and also to fight the battell and the scoutes that were sente foorth when the Sunne was vp brought newes backe that they had séene a mightie number of pikes speare men The light was somewhat troubled and not good by reason of a thick mist which arose that morning againe the horsmen being sent foorth confirme the first newes Now was the enimie looked for as though they woulde euen at that very instant salie out but there was not one man in very déede for the scoutes had conceiued a vaine and false sight both feare and also the voyce and mocking vsed in the night representing vnto their eyes false things for true At the length when it was farre foorth dayes a clearer light opened the errour and it was merily iested among them that the thistles with whom the fieldes about the citie are clothed séemed vnto the fearefull to be pikes and speares But Iouius will match this historie with an other more ridiculous Anno. 153 S. Charles the Emperour Frauncis the french and Paulus Tertius the byshop of Rome were appointed to méete at Nicea a towne belonging vnto the Duke of Sauoy and during the colloquie there the Emperour lying at Villafrancha whither Andrewe Doria had brought him out of Hispanie one after noone the idle Courtiers and Mariners walked along the sea side and on the high hilles that runne along there and chaunced to sée beside a farme house built with towers a great thicke smoke to ascend euer and anon incontinently the foolish multitude imagined that it was Barbarosha the Turks high Admirall with a great fléete traiterously procured to come thether by the French king to take the Emperour and the Byshoppe and with this fearefull newes they came running into the citie Immediately was there a mightie vprore in all the whole towne with Out alas we be all betrayd Barbarossa is at hande with a mightie nauie The tale was so credited that the valiant and prudent Marques of Guasto who lay in camp on a hill aboue the citie with a band of souldiers for the Emperours safegard in all haste clapped on his heade péece caught his target commaunded all his souldiers with all spéede to be in a readinesse and with all his power descended downe into the towne vnto the Emperour appointing euery man where he should stande on the cliffes and higher places to beate downe with shot and stones the landing Turkes Andrew Dori also an other Neptune with great tumult makes the mariners to wey vp their anchors to turne about their galleyes and with all spéede sendes out foistes to certeinly espie where their enimies are and in what number They went foorth and not one galley or ship could they sée at length they sayled vnto the towred farme house where this fléete was reported to haue bene séene and there could learne of neuer a ship but vnderstoode that the good husbande that dwelt there had that day béene making cleane and fanning of his beans in diuers places the dust of whome flying vp nowe and then with a space betwéene as ye know hapneth in making cleane of al corne was taken not only of the rude multitude but also of the expert souldiers and skilful mariners for to be 36. galleys for so many times they had marked the dust to flye vp and all men trembled and shoke for feare except only the Emperour him self such was his hardy courage and yet could no man of them al sée from the highe houses and mightie mounteines in that verie open broade sea eyther mast sayle or sayle yard And least I should be tedious I omit in this place how that the olde expert capteine Iames de Caldora with greate vprore aranged his battels in Puglia against a greate heard of déere whome he did take for a mightie hoast of his enimies and how within fewe yeares after Ferdinand the first king of Naples retyred backe with his whole armie to the walles of Barletta for feare of an hearde of déere which was supposed by the fearefull to be a great armie of armed men a thousande such like examples Of this foolish vaine fearefulnesse of men came the prouerbe I thinke among all nations he is afraide of his owne shadowe and among the Gréekes more fearfull thē Pysander who was continually afraid that he shuld méete with his owne soule that he dreamed it had forsaken him while he was yet liuing and more feareful then he that looked out of the caue which prouerb arose of a man who being strucken with great terrour of the same of Hercules who men sayd would come that way hid him selfe in a caue and popping out and in his head as it is the maner of the feareful to sée if he could espy him chaunced vnluckily to sée him in very déede passing by wherwithal he was so affrighted that he dyed presently I read also of one Artemon a man so fearfull if he be not to be accounted madde that as long as he liued two of his seruaunts did continually holde ouer his heade a target of brasse that nothing should fall downe vppon him and if he happened to go foorth any whether out of the doores he was carried in an horslitter séeled ouer thereof was surnamed Periphoretes And in our dayes S. Vallier Duke of Valentinois in Fraunce being condemned to dye for not disclosing the treason of Charles the duke of Burbon the king sent him his pardon at that very instant that the executioner was about to strike of his head but the kinges pardon could not saue his life For the vehement feare of death conceiued brought him into a
boasted of their felicitie and finally no other notable conquerour or fondling of fortune hathe deserued iustly to be accounted happie but that they often felt the roughnesse of frowning fortunes bitte and had often admonitions of their miserable mortalitie And firste speaking of my Gods I wil beginne with Alexander the great both for the honour of his antiquitie and also for the largenesse of his Empire the surpassing greatnesse of his conquestes and the rare felicitie in them The xxi Chapter A discourse of the brittle blisse of Alexander the great AS it was singular in Alexander neuer to besiege citie which he wonne not neuer to fight battel wherein he vanquished not neuer to inuade countrie whiche he conquered not so I think was it singular vnto him of all kinges to be often wounded and endaungered of life by his enimies neuer liuing long without perill of death His owne father had nailed him to the wall with a iauelin if that he had not happely auoided the deadly stroke with swift leaping aside Euen almost at his first entrie into Asia had he béen doubtlesse slaine in the first battel with Darius his power at Granike if that Clitus running vnto his reskue had not fortunately warded the blowe And anon after into how great danger of death fell he by bathing himselfe in the riuer of Sydnus when his enimie Darius was euen at hande with a mightie host the liuely heate was so mortified in all partes of his bodie that his seruants tooke him vppe and carried him being senselesse at the extreeme point of death Neither were his paines afterward any lesse nor his danger séemed to be abated when he woulde néedes desperately take a medicine whiche should presently vpon a souden ridde him of his sickenesse being at the first more like to haue bereft him of his life was he not twise woūded at Gaza and at the first time so sore that he fainted and fell downe and was taken vp by his souldiers and carried into his tent Howe long time I pray you passed but that he was like to be murthered by Dimnus vnder colour of whiche conspiracie he put to death the moste approued captein that euer serued Prince Parmenio with his valiant sonne Philotas About the riuer of Oxus was he stricken in the legge with an arrow which being pulled out the head was left behinde the anguish whereof was such that he was forced to forsake the fielde and to be carried on his souldiours backes vnto his tent He had also suche a blowe in the necke with a stone at the siege of the citie of the Memacenes that his sight failing him he fel downe and was taken vp senselesse for dead all the whole host making loude lamentation for him as thoughe he had surely béen slaine I can not with words expresse the agonie he was in when the Scythians went about to destroy his newe citie of Alexandria built by him vppon the Riuer of Tanais as Curtius saieth or more truely on Oxus or Ochus as Plutarche and Strabo haue and Ptolomey maketh mention of Alexandria vppon Oxus but not of any by that name vppon Tanais and to destroy his fortifications on the Riuers side to remoue from thence the Macedons When he sawe that he was to enter into a wars for the which he was not prouided his enimies to ride vp and downe in his sight he himselfe so grieued with the paine of the wound of his necke and also through long abstinence that his spéeche failed him called his fréendes to counsel to whō he declared that he was not troubled with any feare of his enimies but with the iniquitie of the time the Bactrians rebelling and the Scythians prouoking him when he was neither able to stand on the ground nor strong inough to ride on horsebacke nor in case to giue aduise or exhortation vnto his souldiours Therefore in consideration of the doubtfull danger he saw himselfe wrapped in he blamed the Gods complaining that he was inforced to lye along like a blocke whose swiftnesse before time none was able to escape The matter grewe so greate that his owne fréendes beléeued that he had counterfeited his sicknesse for feare And therefore hée who thinking himselfe a God had euer since the ouerthrow of Darius left consultation with the Diuinours and Propheciers feare made religious and them commaunded his southsayers to trie out by sacrifices what his successe should be But who can worthily vtter the anguish sorrow and grief that griped him for the drunken murthering on his ale benche of Clitus his foster brother an olde souldier of his Father a valiant Capteine of his and the sauiour of his life and a selly olde man yea for praysing of his father for the which duetie woulde he shoulde haue commended and rewarded him He pluckt out the bloudy speare out of the guiltlesse corps and iustly would haue thrust it into his own guiltie hart if the standers by had not letted him and wroung it out of his hande That done they tooke him vppe and carried him vnto his lodging where he fell flatte downe vpon the floure filling all the Court ful of the pitifull noise of his howling and lamentation hée tare his face with his nayles and desired such as stoode about him that they woulde not suffer him to liue in suche shame and dishonour In these complaintes and requestes was all that night spent Then another toye toye came into his head to aggrauate his gréefe hée thought that his fréendes being astonied at his cruelty would not resort vnto him and talke familiarly with him as they were wont to doe and that then he should liue like vnto a wilde beast in a wildernesse bothe making other afraide and being also afraide himselfe He commaunded diligent searche to be made whither it were the yre of the Gods that had caused him to commit so heynous an outrage and nothing so muche asswaged his sorrowe sayes Plutache and brake off his wilful refusall of al kinde of nutriment wherein he had continued thrée dayes shut vp in his chamber continually lamenting wéeping as that Aristander the chiefe soothsaier affirmed that this mischéef happened because that the yerely sacrifices feastes vnto Bacchus were not done kept at their due time manifestly bewraying Alexanders weake Godhead that was not able to resiste that drunken God. And howe néere was this counterfeite GOD vnto deathe anone after his vngodly practise at a banquet with his flatterers Hagis and Cleon to be adored of the Macedons for a God for if he had not very deuoutly serued his brother Bacchus with drinking euē vntil two houres after the dawning was broken he had lost both life and Godhead by a great conspiracie made by Hermolaus his felowes At the first citie of the Indians that he assaulted was he hurt with an arrowe Afterward at the siege of Mazace was he stricken in the thigh with a dart which he pulled out without wrapping of the wound called for
THe next of these proud Gods in aunciencie of yeares is Demetrius sonne vnto Antigonus a capteine of Alexander the great one whom I am not able to charge to be so ambitious for Godlike honor as was Alexander yet doe I blame him for accepting of those diuine honours whiche the flattering Atheniens prodigally heaped on him whereby he beganne to fall into all incontinencie ryot and pryde in so muche that he ware garments wouen of purple and golde a rare thing in those dayes and golden shoes Very hard accesse was there vnto him and very rough were his answeres The Legates of the Atheniens who might doe most with him followed him and daunced attendance two yeares and then at the last he dismissed them home not once hearing their message There was neuer man with whom fortune sported more and shewed her mutabilitie that worthily that sentence of Aeschylus was often heard in his mouth Thou fortune exaltedst me thou also doest cast me downe full lowe When he was but 22. yeares of age he fought a field with greater courage then cunning with the auncient politike capteine long practised in Alexanders warres Ptolomey where he lost 13000. mē of whom 3000. were slaine and the rest taken with the campe also But hauing the royal tent with all the furniture thereof and also the prisoners princely restored vnto him without raunsome by Ptolomey who sayd that princes ought not to contend for al things at once but only for empire and glory he repayred his power and inuaded Mesopotamia then being subiect vnto Scleucus the which he conquered with one halfe also of mightie Babylon the riuer of Euphrates runneth in the midst of the citie parteth it in two but douting that he was not able to abide the force of Seleucus who hasted homeward out of India to the rescuse of Mesopotamia he brake vp his siege tooke the sea sayled vnto Halicarnassus where he remoued by force the siege o◠Ptolomey fortune still fauouring he entered Greece to set them at libertie who were then in subiection vnto Cassander his fathers and his enimie At his first arriual at Athens all the citizens reuolted vnto him only there remained a garrison of Cassanders in a part of the citie called Munichia From thence he marched to Megara where the intemperate young man leauing his armie went vnto a famous harlot called Cratesipolis giuen by Alexander vnto Polypercon the whiche woman it was tolde him was in loue with him But being come to the place appointed he had neare ben taken by his enimies who had intelligence therof with his minion being together in a tent the whiche he had caused to be set vp a little out of the sight of his armie that he might couer the more cleanly the accesse of his harlot Yet as it hapned he escaped by shewing a faire paire of héeles and returned in safetie vnto his armie wan the town of Megara and returning vnto Athens tooke Munichia razed the castle restoring vnto the Atheniens their auncient liberties and lawes Whervpon ensued that impudent flatterie that I spake of before But before he could finishe his exploite purpose of setting of all Greece at libertie he was sent for from thence by his father to aide Cyprius the which Ptolomey had inuaded In his voyage thetherward he discomfited Menelaus brother vnto Ptolomey afterward in Cyprus before Salamina Ptolomey him selfe who had a mightie fleet of 150. ships also a great army by land He tooke 60 ships drowned al the rest only 8. escaping with Ptolomey Demetrius hauing thus won the victory wherby he got all the kings retinue with a mightie masse of monie warlike furniture had also shortly after Menelaus with the citie of Salamina the fléet and 1200. horsmen 12000 footemen yealding vnto him all which prisoners he sent home without raunsome also honourably buried the dead This notable victorie did set Antigonus in such a pride that he with his son would be called kings from the which name the capteines of Alexander had absteined vntil that time But to pul downe their puffed pride whē that Demetrius after the victory at Salamina sailed about to strike terrour into the harts of his enimies by souden tempest he lost the greatest part of his shippes and Antigonus who led a flourishing army along the sea cost fel into such difficulties that he returned home like vnto a vanquished man hauing lost almost his whole army Yet after this Demetrius besieged Rhodes where he lay vntill he was wearie and could do no good and to saue his honour there was ioyfull newes brought him that he should hast to the succour of Athens then streightly besieged by Cassander whome he repelled persuing him euen vnto Thermopile and going yet farther he wanne Heraclea and being from thence returned into Gréece he made almost all Peloponesus frée expelling the garrisons of Cassander Wherefore in the memorie of this benefite he was in a parliament of the Gréeks elected and proclamed the capteine or Duke of Gréece as Philip king of Macedone had in time before ben Immediately vpon this was he sent for to repaire into Asia to aide his father against Seleucus his confederates who led a mightie armie of 40000. footemen 10000. horsmen 400. Elephants and 1200. hooked chariots with whome they incountring with no lesse power were ouerthrowne and Antigonus slaine and Demetrius forced to flée vnto Ephesus with onely 5000 footemen and 4000. horsmen with whome being there imbarked he directed his course vnto Athens his only refuge But when he was come vnto the Islandes Cyclades the ambassadours of the Athenians met him requesting him in the name of the whole citie that he would not sayle vnto Athens for the citie had made a decrée that he who had bene lately expelled out of a kingdome should in no case be receiued into a frée citie Although this vnlooked for message did inwardly sore chafe him yet séeing that presently to be reuenged neyther time nor power wold serue him he gaue them fayre wordes and desired that he might haue the ships that he had left in their hauen the which being gently deliuered with his wife and all his royall furniture of houshold he sayled into Peloponesus But when he sawe that his faction in those quarters waxed woorse and woorse the cities dayly reuolting vnto his enimies he leauing there Pyrrhus sonne to Aeacus to kéepe the cities in their obedience sayled into the Thracian Chersonese to inuade Lysimachus kingdom where his affaires prosperously succéeding he maruellously increased his nauie and armie And not long after he marryed his daughter vnto Seleucus and he him selfe hauing buryed his first wife married Ptolomeyes daughter Wherby he being againe recouered besieged Athens and forced them for famine to yealde the citie vnto him The famin was so great that the father and the sonne fought with bloudie swordes for a mouse that fell downe from an house and men diuided beanes into
commaunded for to cease to execute his office because he so stubbernly stoode with Metellus the troublesome tribune who obstinately went about to set foorth seditious lawes against the wil of all his Colleges yea and of all good men But when that Caesar notwithstanding this iniunction persisted stil in hearing of matters and administering of thinges apperteining vnto his office the Senate sent armed men to represse his insolencie for feare of whome he sent away his sergeants and casting off the robes of his office priuily stole home And vppon the necke of this was he accused by Cato to be one of the conspiracie with Catiline the whiche was confessed by two of the same coniuration but he very well escaping this daunger was made Pretor of the farther Hispaine where he was driuen to suche pouertie that he shamefully begged money of the Proconsul and the Alies of the people of Rome in those partes to pay his debtes at home At his returne out of Hispaine gotte he the Consulshippe and by confirming of all those thinges whiche Pompey had done in these the which the Senate would not before assent vnto he wonne his good wil and then they two and Crassus conspired together to haue the gouernment of the whole common wealth of al the men of warre hauing the greatest Prouinces allotted vnto them first for fiue yeares and then for other fiue Caesar hauing both Gallia cisalpina and also Comata with Illyrium Pompey the Hispaines and Crassus Syria this was the foundation of his Godhead but the infirmities of his humane frailtie was the incontinencie of his wife for the which he did put her away such a cruel corosiue vnto some men that it makes them for impatience therof to murder them selues but more did the feare of due punishmēt for his demeanour in his Consulship molest him to escape the which he began to raise the ciuil wars and to inuade his countrie in the which wars in what difficulties and woes was he often wrapt and firste in Hispaine before Ilerda when that the riuer of Sicoris had ouerflowen all the countrie about and brake downe the bridges built by him vpon it whereby not only many of his men were intercepted by the enimie but also his whole host for the space of many daies was brought into extréeme penurie of all victuals almoste quite starued vp In so muche it was bruted at Rome that the ciuil warres were happily ended Caesar and his armie being quite tamed with sword and famine Yet when that he had afterward become vanquisher in Hispaine his trustie fréend Cicero was slain with all his whole power in Africa and an other of his Lieueftenants C. Antonius discomfited and taken with his fléete by Sea vpon the coast of Illyria he himself with his armie brought into pincheing penurie before Dyrrachium so that a long time they susteined their starued bodies with onely bread made of an hearbe called Lapsana whereof came the prouerb afterward Lapsana viuere to liue hardly But yet here staied not fortune her frowning for Pompey gaue him such a foule ouerthrow in fight that by Caesars own confession if he had vsed the victorie he had that day ended the wars And so great was Caesars foile that he was forced to prouide for his safetie by shameful dislodging flight Neither was his danger lesse when that he persued his discomfited fléeing enimie the great Pompey in to Egypt where he was soudenly quite contrary vnto his expectation circumuented with the whole power of that mightie and riche kingdome he hauing not there aboue 800 horsemen 3200. footemen wherfore when that his sword would not saue him he procured his safety by fire burning the kings palace with that famous librarie of the world of 700000. books And although for breuities sake I omitt his manifolde perils in those wars yet can I not passe ouer in silence when at a conflict by sea betwéene his nauie the Alexandrines he standing vpon the bridge could not by adhortation nor threttes stay the flight of his men he leaped off from the bridge to haue lighted into one of his shippes but was forced to leape short through the violence of his enimies who shot all of them thicke and thréefolde at him being notorious for his purple mantle and to swim 200. paces vnto the next ship among so many thousand shot of his enimies also being clogged oppressed with his wet clothes he holding vp his left hand aboue the water that he might kéep drie certaine libels which he held therein also with the drawing of his coate armour after him with his téeth that the enimie shoulde not get his spoile But hauing fortunately tamed the Egyptians and also the king of Pontus quieted al the East discomfited the Pompeians in Africa with Iuba king of Mauritania and returned victor to Rome where he triumphed foure times within one moneth at the battel of Munda in Hispaine against the two young Pompeyes he was in suche an agonie of minde that when he coulde not make his souldiers to go forth to fight neither by adhortation and intreatie nor yet by thundering threttes he woulde haue murdered him selfe and in that madde moode to die desperately hee gaue the charge himselfe alone vppon the whole Pompeyan battelles crying vnto his Souldiours here shal be the ende of my life and of your warres But then all his armie either moued with their Generalles daunger or their owne shame did couragiously sette forward and vanquished their enimies They do write that by Caesars only impression the Pompeyan battels gaue backe ten foote of ground and within a shorte space 100. shot lighted on him the greatest part of whom he receiued on his target Then straight after his returne out of Hispaine and those godly honours giuen him at Rome that I spake of before the shameful and terrible disease of the falling sicknesse tooke him wherby he was admonished of his fall who fell so often and of his death who séemed so often to be dead In this place I can not omitte that golden saying of Charles the fift who when certaine of his familiars tolde him that they came from a noble man that was so extréeme sicke that he had giuen ouer the world and thought that he must needs die answered what did he not knowe that before nowe I thank my God quoth this good Emperour that he hath sent me store of diseases the whiche do daily admonishe me of my mortalitie But to returne vnto Caesar I wold be ashamed to alledge his boldenesse and the disorderly growing of hayres as infortunities and incōmodities if that they had not so muche vexed his vaine minde that of al the honours that the impudent flattering Romanes heaped on him he had reioyced so muche at none as that they had granted him to weare cōtinually on his head a garland of bayes the which did couer his deformitie also that he was so wayward in trimming of himselfe that
suffering no man longer to inioy the gladsome gale of good fortune then he doeth humbly acknowledge God to be the giuer thereof not glorying therein but thinking lowely of him selfe as a player doth not take to him any Princely pride because he beareth some times the person of a Monarche as he the knoweth he shall soone after lay it downe If that the French King himselfe had béene ignoraunt of all antiquities me thinkes his learned confessours who had taken on them the charge of his soule might haue tolde him that when Philip king of Macedonie heard that vpon one day his seruant Tetrippo was victor at the games of all Greece helde at Olympus and his capteine Parmenio had discomfited in battell the Dardarences and his wife Olympias had brought him foorth a sonne lifted vp his handes vnto heauen and saide And O fortune for these so many and so great good happes strike me with some light mishappe The wise Prince did not insolently exulte for this rare successe of thinges but had the fawning of fortune in suspicion whose nature he knewe to be to fleare vppon them a litle before with a flattering face of vnwoonted prosperitie of things when she intended incontinently to destroy them they might also haue rehersed vnto him out of Liuie that when Paulus Aemilius had taken prisoner Perseus the mightie king of Macedonie who fell downe at his féete with aboundant teares desiring him to take compassion on his afflicted state after he had curteously comforted the king he vsed this spéech vnto the Romanes ye sée here presently before your eyes a notable example of the mutabilitie of mannes state I speake this specially vnto you young men and therefore it doeth not become vs to do any thing in our prosperitie violently and proudly against any man nor to giue credit vnto present fortune séeing that it is vncertaine what the euening may bring He shal be a man in déede whose minde neither prosperitie shall with her brittle blast lift vppe nor aduersitie breake And also that when he had buried the one of his sonnes fiue dayes before he triumphed of Perseus and the other thrée dayes after he spake among other these graue wordes vnto the people of Rome at the burial of the yonger Nothing did I feare more déere coūtrie men from the beginning of this most prosperous course of mine actes then some vnthought of chaunce of insidious and false fortune neither did my feare for the publique weale cease before that the violent seas of her cruelly raging had priuately inuaded me the whiche thing I had oftentimes before hartily desired of almightie God eftsoons praying that if any cursed mishappe did hang ouer the people of Rome for this felicitie that he would vouchesafe to turne it al wholy vpon me and mine house My two most sweete sonnes whome I had appointed to be mine heires and successours haue I buried with almoste continuated funerals so that nowe I seeme to be deliuered out of all daunger and doe put my selfe in good hope that the fortune of the people of Rome wil abide still without all staine séeing that shee hathe inflicted hatred enoughe on mée and mine by these two incomparable incommodities and losses Who nowe will maruell that Philip firste brought the kingdome of the Macedons to great power and renoune and that Aemylius ouerthrew and destroyed it that doth cōsider how warie and circumspect they were against all priuie awaites of false Fortune Furthermore they should not haue left vntold how that Camillus when he had taken the mightie and riche citie of Veij and sawe that the spoyle and praye was farre greater then any man thought with trickling teares besought the Gods that if the fortune of the people of Rome did séem to be greater then could be corrected without some great mishap that what so euer incommoditie did for that enuie hang ouer the Romane name that it might be wholy turned vppon his head and then not long after Camillus the capteine was banished by the vnthankfull people and also the citie of Rome the conquerour taken sacked and burnt by the Galles Morouer they might haue shewed him that it was the auncient vsage of the Romanes at their triumphes that a slaue a physician of enuie sayes Plinie should ride behinde in the chariot with the triumpher least he should like him selfe to wel as writeth Iuuenal and holding ouer his heade a great crowne of golde set with precious stones did often cal to the triumphant to looke behind him also by Zomoras his report a whip a bell were hanged at his chariot to admonish him that he might for all that present proude pompe fall into so greate calamities that he might be scourged with a whip and put to death for all that were executed at Rome did vse to weare belles least any man as they went to executiō might defile him self as they thought by touching them But if that the negligent friers had fayled to admonishe him of a thing that did so greatly apperteine vnto his soules health and also to his long felicitie on the earth whereof some are farre more carefull then for their euerlasting blisse yet might he haue bene put in mynde of his dutie by that rare example of moderation of mynd in Charles the fift his perpetuall enimie Who neither when newes was brought him that Frauncis the mightie and flourishing king of France was taken prisoner by his capteines before Pauia in a bloudy battell where a great parte of the nobilitie of France were eyther slaine or taken neither when he vnderstoode that his souldiers had sacked that proude citie of Rome the which had in time past ruled and reuiled the whole world and that they besieged in the castle of S. Angelo the which could not for lacke of victuals holde out yea a fewe dayes his bitter enimie Clemens the 7 byshop of that See who was not contented spitefully to haue laboured to set all the princes of Christendome in his top but also had earnestly incessantly solicitated his subiects and renouned capteines namely the valiant Marques of Pescara to reuolt from him at neither newes I say of such rare felicitie did he giue either publikely or priuately any signe of reioycing but onely commaunded for the firste deuout supplications vnto God to be holden seuen dayes fortie for the Pope that he might escape the cruell handes of his souldiers without any bodily harm misusage I read also in Manlius his common places that the citizens of Antwerp long after presented him with a very faire péece of Arras wherin was set foorth very sumptuously liuely the battel of Pauie where the french king was taken prisoner by the Emperials There was also expressed the names of Frauncis the king of Fraunce of all the noble men that were taken or slaine at that battel But when this modest Emperour had viewed it he refused to accept it least he should séeme
newe Emperour Augusto felicior melior Traiano God make thée more fortunate then Augustus and a better Prince then Traiane In Augustus sayes Plinie whome all men do call happie if that all thinges in him be rightly estéemed shal great ficklenesse of Fortune be found First his repulse in the office of the maister of the horssemen vnto his vncle Iulius Caesar and against his will Lepidus preferred thereunto The enuie and hatred of all men yea and of the posteritie for the proscribing of Cicero his aduauncer and college in the Consulship that he had to bee his colleges in the Triumuirate verie naughtie men Neither was his portion equall for Antonius had farre the greater At the battell of Philippi his sicknesse and discomfiture by Cassius and running awaye and hiding of him selfe being sicke thrée dayes and hyding of him selfe in a marrish thrée dayes being sore sicke The cares that he was wrapped in after his returne from Philppi to Rome where going about to allot landes throughout all Italie vnto the souldiours the auncient possessours with great exclamations and complaintes repined thereat wherein they had their earnest fauourer Lucius Antonius the Consul and brother vnto Antonius the Triumuir who would haue the souldiours paid out of the goods of those that were proscribed and did also put them in hope of the spoyle of riche Asia the which did make their téeth to water Octauian being thus besett on all sides with troubles coueted to please bothe the Senate and people and also the souldiours but in verie déede he offended them both in so muche that he had béene almost slaine by the souldiours for commaunding at a playe a common souldiour to be taken vpp that sate vppon one of the xiiii greeces where by the law no man might sitt vnder the degrée of an horseman of Rome Hereunto addeth Plinie the famine that was in Italie by reason that Sextus Pompeyus and Domitius woulde suffer nothing to be brought thether by Sea. Then Lucius Antonius and Fuluia wife vnto Marcus fell out with Octauian and wrote vehement letters vnto Antonius the Triumuir against him as though he had attempted to murder his children Lucius had seuentéene legions the amitie aide of Ventidius Asinius Pollio Calenus who had either of thē a great power on the other side Octauian had the il wil of the Senate of al Italie for his diuision of the lāds among the souldiours the which brought him into this agonie and extremitie that debaseing him selfe he earnestly sued to haue the olde souldiours to sit in iudgement and heare the controuersies betwéene Antonius and him and afterwarde when for all his labouring to haue the matter taken vp the warres brake out he was almost intercepted at the siege of Perugia by a band of sword players that sallied out while he was sacrificeing vnto the Gods. After this followed two incomparable losses of two mightie fléetes by tempest in the Sicylian warres against Sextus Pompeyus and then another hyding of him selfe in a caue And also he being vanquished by fight on the Sea his enimies so egerly pursued him that for feare he should be taken he earnestly desired Proculeus to slea him Also Pompeyus capteines Demochares and Appolophanes soudenly oppressed him from whome he hardly escaped at the last with one only shippe and afterwarde walking on foote from Locrie to Rhegium he sawe certeine brigantines of Pompeyus dragging along the shoare then he thinking them to be his owne went downe vnto the water side vnto them and was almost taken and forced to séeke his safetie by flying thorough blinde pathes where hée was welnéere slayne by a bondman of Aemylius who thought that he had then good occasion offered him now he was alone to reuenge the death of his maister vniustly proscribed by Octauian and his fellowes In his Dalmatian warres was he twice wounded once in fight on the right knée with a stone and at the siege of a towne on both his armes and legges with the fall of a bridge Twice also was he greately endaungered by tempest all the tacklinges of the shipp wherein he was béeing broken all into péeces and the rudder cleane strucken off And two great foiles had he in Germanie one vnder Lollius the which was more shamefull then hurtfull and the other vnder Varus the which was almost pernicious thrée legions with the General and the capteines and all the ayde of the strangers being slaine When newes was brought him of this great ouerthrowe hée commaunded watche and warde to be kept in the citie that no tumult should arise therein and proroged vnto the Presidents of the prouinces the time of their gouernment that the alies might be kept in their obedience by men of experience and them that the Prouinces knew He also vowed playes which were called the great vnto Iupiter Optimus Maximus to turne the cōmon wealth into a better state as it had béene done before at Rome in the Cymbrian and Sociall warres when the citie stoode in great daunger of sacke and destruction For he was so dismayed that for the space of many moneths after he letting the haires of his head and beard growe long would euer and anon crie out Quintili Vare redde legiones Quintilius Varus render thy legions and that day did he euer afterward kéepe for an heauie and mournefull day Plinie rehearseth also for incommodities and infortunities lack of monie to pay his souldiours their wages and lacke of able men to serue in the warres and therfore was he forced contrarie vnto the auncient orders to presse foorth 20000. bondmen a great pestilence in the citie and sundrie defacinges thereof by fire a great famine and thirste throughout all Italie often dangerous mutinies of the souldiours the foule scorning and scoffing of the people at his Maiestie the incomparable losse of his good and noble adopted sonnes the valiaunt Drusus and Marcus Agrippa and the towardly yonge gentleman Marcus Marcellus his sisters sonne and Caius and Iulius his daughters sonnes by Agrippa but greater griefe for the lewde disposition of other of his children his onely naturall child Iulia conspiring his death and openly playing the harlot wherfore he banished her but her infamous life was such a shame vnto him that he brake the matter touching her punishment vnto the Senate by libell being absent and a long time after absteyned from al companie and oftentimes was hee minded to put her to death but continued still so seuere against her that hee could neuer be entreated to reuoke her although that many great men made great sute for her and also the whole people of Rome did oftentimes request it but being at one time very importunate they so chafed him that in his choler he wished them all such wiues such daughters The like rigour also did hee vse towardes her daughter Iulia who followed her mothers steppes gaue comaundement that the child wherof she was deliuered after her condemnation should be destroyed and also
Argier a longe iourney by lande thorough the Alarbes and Africanes who beeinge his cruell enimies woulde neuer haue suffered him to haue come to Argier longe time after to trouble and spoile the Christians The xlvi Chapter Of Tamerleyne the Tartar. AMounge these roge kinges will I inrolle Tamerlaine the Tartar. This man whome Theuet calles Tamirrhan and Tamerlanque Sigismundus Liber Themirasscke and Chalcondilas Temer was sonne vnto a poore man called Sangalis a Massaget sayes Chalcondilas but a Parthian affirmes Theuet borne at Samerchanden At the first he was the heardeman of a towne for horses but after warde conspireing together with other heardmen he became a strong théefe stealinge horses and other cattell But climinge one nighte a wall to enter into a stable and beeing espied of the good man of the house he was forced to leape downe from the wall and brake his legge Campofulgoso sayes that he brake his thighe whereof hee had his name for in his countrie language Temer is a thigh and Lang is lame or maymed the which two wordes beeing put together make Temerlang but the Latines keeping the proprietie of their owne tounge corruptly call him Tamerlan But Sigismundus Lyber saies that one whose shéepe he was aboute to steale brake his legge with a greate stone and because hee bounde the bones together with a hoope of yron he was called Themerassacke of yron and halting for Themer in the Tartarian tounge is yron and Assacke halting But whether hee had his name of the one thing or the other herein they do both agree that hee could not when hee came to be Lorde of all the Orient and a terrour vnto the whole worlde steppe foorth one foote but that he felt his infirmitie nor record his owne name but that he was put in minde of his infortunitie But after this mishappe he waxing wiser fortified a place where he and his might haue safe refuge when that they were persued At length he being meruailously enriched by robbing of all men that trauailed within his walke and also by stealing of all kinde of cattell hee gathered together a faire bande of Souldiours and associatinge him selfe with two capteines called Chardares and Myrxes did set vpon a power of the enimies whiche spoyled the countrie and gaue them a greate ouerthrowe the like whereunto he also often times did afterwarde whereby he became so famous that the king of the Massagetes made him capteine generall ouer his armies the which office he administred both valiantly and fortunately and namely a little before the kinges death hauing driuen his enimies into the cities of Babylon and Samarchen and then the king dying he marryed the Quéene and tooke Samarchen or Semerchanda and enioyed that mightie kingdome and also Babylon yea and then with continued course conquered Hiberia Albania Persia Media both Armeniaes Mesopotamia Syria Damascus Aegypt euen vnto Nilus and Capha vppon the coast of the Euxine Sea Cilicia Asia the lesse where hee discomfited in battell Baiazett the Turke with tenne hundreth thousande Turkes neither was his owne ordinarie armie any thing inferiour in number But while he was busied in those partes about taking of the Turkishe townes heauie newes was brought him that one of his confederates a kinge of India called the kinge of Tzachataa passing ouer the riuer Araxis had subdued a greate parte of the countrie thereaboutes which were subiect vnto Tamerlane And amonge all other manifolde detrimentes had miserably defaced the citie of Cheria and had taken Tamerlanes his treasure and returned home but yet so that hee still threatened that hee woulde bee his confederate no longer This sorrowfull message did put Tamerlane in greate feare least that the kinge of India woulde returne againe and sweepe him out of all his dominions at hoame while hee was busied abroade with forreigne warres and herewithall the cursed condition also of humaine affaires and mannes tickle state the which doeth not suffer any man long to enioye here on earth the blisful blast of friendly Fortune appalled his hearte wherefore hee hasted homewarde and whereas before hee iniuried al men nowe did hee not onely put vpp cowardly the Indian wrong but also made greate sute to recouer his auncient friendshippe But after that Tamerlane had thus recouered his countries loste and quieted them and buylt that renowned citie of the worlde Samarchanden in the village where hee was borne whiche hee beautified and enriched with the spoyles of the whole Orient and had throughly peopled it hee prepared a voyage against the Turkes and Christians from the goyng forwarde wherewith hee was stayed bothe by a mightie Earthquake and also two celestiall signes and prodigies the one of a man appearinge in the ayre holdinge in his hande a Lauâ—â—â— and the other of a blasinge Starre terrible for his greatenesse the whiche stoode directly ouer the citie by the space of fiftéene dayes Hee consultinge with the Southsayers and Astrologians about these wounders was tolde by them and namely by one Bene-iaacam a man of greatest authoritie and credite amonge them that they were tokens either of his owne death shortlye after to ensue or else of the vtter ruine and bringinge to naught of his Empire But muche more was he in short time after amazed by a vision that hee had one night the whiche was the cause of his fatall sickenesse and in the ende of his death For hee dreamed one night that Baiazeth the Turke whome hee had made to die miserably in an yron cage came vnto him or else the diuell in his likenesse with a countenaunce sterne and terrible to beholde and saide vnto him nowe it shall not be long villaine but that thou shalt worthilye bee payde for thy manifolde outrages and I too shall be reuenged for the werisome wrong that thou diddest vnto mee making mee to die like vnto a beast in mine own doung And when hee had thus sayed Tamerlane thought that Baiazeth did beate him verye grieuously and troade and trampled vppon him with his féete sore brusing his belly and bowelles in so muche that the nexte morninge when hee had thought to haue risen hee remained still attainted with the apprehension conceiued in his sleape the whiche did néere quite bereue him of his wittes and so rauinge al wayes vppon Baiazeth dyed leauynge his large Empire vnto his two sonnes begotten of diuers venters who consuming them selues with ciuill wars one vppon another left an easie way for all those princes and countries whome their father had spoyled and conquered to recouer all that which they had before lost The xliiii Chapter Of Mahumet the second the greate Turke MAhumet the seconde the greate seigniour of the Turkes that wanne Constantinople Pera Capha and the Empire of Trapezonda the kingdome of Cilicia or Caramania and Bosna and pierced Illyria or Slauonia euen vnto Forum Iulij nowe Friali where he discomfited the Venetians with the flower of al Italie began his reigne with the murthering of two infants his brothers so fearefull was he of
citie of Mauus out of the whiche hée fearefully fledde and left that citie which of all other he best loued to be won with Toures by his fierce enimies for which he was cast into such a chafe that he opeÌ„ly said that he would for euer after wholly withdraw his heart froÌ„ God séeing that he had suffered his delight to be taken and deformed with fire but anon after he came vnto him selfe and acknowledged his errour and wickednesse and suppliantly sued vnto the Frenche king for peace the which he could by no meanes obteine Wherfore despairing of the safetie of his estate hee died rather oppressed by this cruell concourse of calamities then worne with sickenesse The li. Chapter Of Edwarde the thirde AS Fortune was vnto Edwarde the thirde a louing and cocklinge mother in his youth in giuing him the famous victories at Sluse Cressey Poyters and Durham with the taking prisoners of the Frenche and Scottishe kinges and the restoring of Peter king of Castill and augmenting his dominions with the towne of Calaice and the Earledome of Guisnes and sending of him so many valiant sonnes and to so long life to haue proofe of their prowesse so was shée no lesse cruell stepdame vnto him in his age for the reuolting of the Earles of Armeniacke and Petiagors whiche brought the losse of Ponthiew Poitou Caoars Limosin Xantoigne Perrigort and finally almost all Gascoigne except Baron and Burdeaux and all Britaine vnlesse it were Brest and the discomfiture and taking of Iohn Earle of Penbruche and his greate Fléete comming to the rescuse of Rochell the vncourteous disobedient deniall of subsidie by Parliament in that his greate necessitie and the licentious complaint against him in open Parliament for kéeping of Alice Piers and the proude appointing of him Tutors as though he had béene a pupil who in his nonage was thought méete to hurle his father from the helme of the common wealth and rule the rudder him selfe and finally the vntimely deathes of his two valiant sonnes Leonell and the onely staye and staffe whereon his worne age did leane and holde vpp it selfe Prince Edwarde the sorrowe wherof quite brake the heart of the wofull father which was before sore wasted with age and the griefe conceiued for his vnwonted froward Fortune And to make vp the mischiefe hee left the realme to be ruled by an vnthriftie pupill who could neuer learne lesse all the dayes of his life then howe hee shoulde rule him selfe This worthie Prince doeth proue that to be true that Paulus Aemilius noteth in Charles the great that Fortune doth thinke it a goodly thing to shewe vnto men both her powers in kings of long life and that those Capteines which are saide neuer to haue found Fortune but fauourable in great attemptes lightely dyed young men for so saith hee I do thinke it hath séemed good vnto God lest that humane thinges may séeme to bee able to giue true and sound felicitie The lii Chapter Of Henrie the fift IN that perfect patterne of prowesse Henrie the fift I blame his vnthriftie youth and his being committed to the kinges benche by the Lorde chiefe Iustice for his misdemeanour such a president as I think is hardly to be founde in all the recordes of antiquities his wounding at the battell of Shrewesburie the daungerous conspiracie to murther him made by the Earle of Cambridge and other in his first voyage into Fraunce his greate hofulnesse for Agincourt fielde and almost vtter despaire of escape the disfomfiture in fight and also the death of his brother the duke of Clarence and last of all his owne vntimely death the which did not onely corrupt all his former victories and lost the duchie of Guian whereof his auncestours had béene possessed euer since Henrie the seconde but also did so wrappe the realme in such ciuil discorde that it is almost a miracle that it was not quite destroyed for euer So that if wee do duely consider the euent it had béene much better for this land that he had neuer béene borne then to haue prouoked the Frenche men and not to haue quite subdued and tamed them and to haue begotten to succéede him one so vnfit to gouerne although he were otherwise a Prince of singular pietie and godlinesse But as for Henrie the fourth Edwarde the fourth and Henrie the seuenth who gott the crowne by the swoorde they kept it with so much and so greate trouble that I thinke no wise man would take vpp the crowne if it laye vpon a dounghill to weare it in such continuall perils and molestations as Antigonus did vse to saye The Conclusion THEN séeinge that the miseries of mankinde are so manye and so greate and with so manifolde and grieuous calamities haue all they béene oppressed whome fickle Fortune hath seemed moste to fauoure what maye they promise vnto them selues that doe thinke that they are now carried with the most blisfull blast of worldly felicitie Let them like wise men persuade themselues that they are made of the same lamentable lump that other men are and also as much subiect vnto sondeine sorrowes as they that haue béene before them Wherfore let them thinke moderately of them selues let them make accompt of the guylefull giftes of false Fortune as though they should be incontinently taken from them let them not proudly despise the wretched whome lowring lott hath laide lowe séeing that the vnstablenesse of their owne tottering state maye shortly cast them into the same sincke of shame as they do thinke it finally let them attribute all honour and glorie vnto God the onely author and also conseruer of their brittle blisse whome let them serue moste lowly if that they desire to continue aloft in the ruling of other FINIS Symonides his wise answere Plato his opinion of God. The Persians brake downe all Images of God. What wordes doe best declare Gods essence God is no essence de Diui. No. In one sense God is moste properly an essence Hier. ad Marcel Aug. super Ioan. tract 99. Why bodily limmes and affectes are attributed vnto God. God onely vnchaungeable The singlenesse of Gods essence August de tri lib. 6. No qualitie in God. We do speake vnproperly of God by adiectiues Scal. de subti exâ—r 365. God is comprehended in none of the predicamentes August de Trinit lib. 5. The omnipotencie of God wherein it doth consist August lib 15. de Trinitate August lib. 1. de symbolo Cap. 10. Com in Psal. 7 Lib. 2. de Stil laud. Of Psapho A worthy order taken by Philip. Of horsmen Of Commodas Of Alexander A wittie decree of the Lacedemonians A woorthie saying of Antigonus Of Caligula The free speeche of a Botcher The impudent flattery of Vitellius Vitellius his wittie answer The constant pietie of the Iewes Caligula his great hatred vnto mankind Of Domitian Lact. de fals relig The Original of worshipping of false Gods. The first cause why the Gentiles did make men Gods. Lact. de fals