upon her and them And when they saw no hope of favour in this cruell man they called upon the gods and men for help wherwith hee fell into such a rage seeing hee could not have his will that hee drew his sword and thrust it through the young woman as she held her fathers legges in her armes But this beastly fact so little offended the Tyrant that such as shewed any mislike to the matter hee eyther put to death or banished which purchased him such hatred of all men that certaine of his subjects not willing any longer to endure his tyranny conspired together and slue him His wife hearing of the tumult of the people shut her into her chamber and strangled her selfe The like death suffered two yong women his daughters marriage-able having libertie to make choice of their own death But the love of Antiochus sonne to King Seleucus was much more commendable and used with greater modestie For being extremely in love with his mother in law his fathers second wife yet shame fastnesse and modesty made him so dissemble his vehement passion that he made choice rather to die than to discover his affection suffring himselfe by little and little to pine away untill his body was almost dryed up And as hee lay languishing in manner like a dead body his father lamenting the pitifull estate of his onely sonne desired Erasistratus an excellent Physician to use all his skill to find out what his sons disease should be with large promises of reward This man sitting by the yong Prince observed that ever as the Queene came to visit him his bloud would rise in his face his pulse would beat with more force and all his body would seem to quicken revive and as she departed from him he would waxe pale his pulse would beat weakly and would returne to his former state againe which when he had diligently observed two or three times hee perceived that his discase was the passion of love And comming to the king who was desirous to heare whether hee had found the cause of his sonnes sicknesse he told him that his son was in love with a woman but such an one as hee could by no means have which was the only cause of his sicknesse Then he being glad it was no worse hoping that whosoever she was he would by some meanes obtaine her for him though it cost him a great part of his kingdome desired to know who it was that his sonne was in love with It is my wife quoth he And will you said the King whom I have favoured so greatly deny her to my onely sonne and lesser him to perish that is my only comfort and useth such modestie that he had rather dye than bewray his affection by which it appeareth he is violently carried against his will and then making carnest petition to him to save his sonnes life with promise of great reward Your request said the Physitian is not reasonable make the case your owne Would you be content if it were your wife he were in love with whom you affect so tenderly to leave her to him Yea quoth the King with all my heart I would it were in my power so to save his life It is even your wife said he with whom your sonne is in love Then the King greatly rejoycing that it was in him to restore his sonne to health married his wife to his son his fatherly affection prevailing more than the tender love of his wife Saint bernard lamenting the miserable estate and condition of men that gave themselves to the pleasures and delights of this world O man quoth he naked and blinde that art made of humane flesh and a reasonable soule be mindfull of thy miserable condition why departest thou from thy selfe and troublest thy selfe with externe things and art lulled asleepe in the vanities of the earth and drownest thy selfe in the transitorie pleasures of the world Doest thou not consider that the nearer thou approachest to it the farther thou departest from thy God the more thou thinkest to winne without the more thou losest within that is thy self which is or greater price the more careful thou art of temporall things the more want thou hast of spirituall things Thou settest all things in good order and makest none account of thy selfe There is not a beast but thou tamest and thy selfe remainest without a bridle thou art vigilant in all things but in thine owne matters thou art fast asleepe The desire of base things hoyleth in thy heart and in the meane while heavenly things lyeth quenched The nearer thou commest to thy death the sarther thou goest from thy salvation Wee should take heed lest that curse fall upon us that the Prophet Isay speaking of the carelesse nobilitie and gentrie of the Iewes that gave themselves to banquetting and pastimes without consideration of their duties towards God a matter usuall enough and too much in these dayes The lute and harpe saith hee and timbrell and shalme and good wine aboundeth in your banquets but the workes of God you respect not nor have any consideration of his dâ—…gs Then followeth Therefore hath Hell enlarged his soule and opened his mouth without all measure or limitation and the stout and high and glorious of this people shall goe down into it And that it may appeare how many that give their delight to pleasures and vaine pastimes through their owne vanitie and foolishnesse are brought strangely to their ends when they are in the midst of their jollitie The French King Charles the sixth his minde being distempered committed the governement of his Realme to others and gave himselfe to pastimes there chanced a marriage to bee solemnized in his Court where the King was disposed to make himselfe and others merrie he put off all his apparell and disguised his face like a Lion annointing his body with pitch and flatned staxe so artificially to it that he represented a monster rough and covered with haire When he was thus attired and five others as wise as himselfe they came into the chamber among the Lords and Ladies dauncing and singing in a strange tune all the Court beholding them The Duke of Orleance whether that hee might better see or for some other toy snatched a torch out of a mans hand held it so neare the king that a spark falling upon him set them all on a flaming fire two of the five companions were miserably burnt in the place crying and howling most pitifully without any remedie other two dyed in great torment two daies after the fifth running speedily into a place where was water and wine to wafh himselfe was saved the King having more helpe than the rest before the flame had compassed his body round about was saved by a Lady that cast her traine and gowne about him and quenched the fire The Emperour Commodus among other his vain toyes pleasures when he beheld the Goddesse Ifis painted with
together great abundance of riches being odious and in contempt with all men his sonnes as wicked and covetous as hee seazed upon all his treasure and set fire on his house and burnt their father and all his family One sayth Vpon whom God pleaseth not throughly to bestow good things hee giveth plenty of money and scarcitic of wisedome and so one being taken away hee bereaveth him of both At the sicge of Ierusalem under Vespasian there was gold found in the entrals of a Iew that was flaine which being knowne to the rest of Vespasians souldiers they supposing that the other Iewes had also hidden gold in their bellies slew in a moment above twentie thousand of them which they had taken prisoners and against all humanitie and the law of nations opened their bellies to seeke for gold CHAP. II. The desperate attempt of Captaine Damianus against Solyman the Grand-Seigniour Of Caesar Borgias sonne to Pope Alexander the sixth first Cardinall and after Duke Of Croesus and Candaules two kings of Lydia and rich Crassus the Romane Of strange Fride and insufferable Avarice in the Clergy Of Pope Sixtus the fourth and an Archbishop of Collen The rare Temperance of Origen with an excellent Oration made by him to Alexander Severus c. THere was a notable enterprise intended to bee attempted through the desire of riches chiefly and glory by the mountain-men upon Solyman the great Turke in our age if the successe had not beene interrupted by sinister fortune Solyman the Emperour of the Turkes intending to make warre upon the Venetians brought a great Armie to the Adriaticall sea coast where he encamped himselfe There were a kinde of rude people inhabiting the craggie mountaines adjoyning to his camp that lived upon theft and spoile without knowledge of God or lawes of men These fellowes living in great penurie want amoung those barren rockes and mountaines allured with the greatnesse of the spoile glory determined to kill the great Turk in his pavillion to take the spoile of all his treasure And though the attempt were ful of perill yet the hope of such a masse of treasure beingso neare them and the fame and glory of so notable an enterprise to kill the mightiest Monarch of the world in his pavillion in the midst of his campe made them lay aside all feare of a certaine and almost an inevitable death Vsque adeo solus ferrum mortemque tâ—…ere Auri nesâ—…it amor Onely the thirst of gold makes us not feele Or feare deaths terror nor the rage of steele And resolving in the dead of the night to steale secretly upon the watch Daâ—…anus their Captaine and chiefe authour of the enterprise stole forth secretly to view the situation of the campe and the maner of the watch And as he climbed up to a tree to looke into the campe a bough chanced to breake the noyse whereof discovered him and his intent to the Ianizaries that were the watch of that quarter So being espyed and taken by them and put to torment he confessed the pretended enterprise and by commandement of the Emperour he was like a wild beast torne in pecces and the rest so earnestly pursued that they were almost all destroyed Pope Alexander the sixth had a sonne called Casar Borgias made by his father first Cardinall and afterward weary of that estate as not agreeable with his ambitious head was deprived thereof and made Duke and commonly called Duke Valentine Machiavels paragon This Pope and his sonne as it was a common practice with them to procure the death of many for their riches so they conspired together to take away the life of divers of the Senators and nobilitie of Rome some for malice but chiefly that they might be masters of their goods They thought there was no better meanes to bring their purpose to passe than to invite them in friendly manner to a supper The place was appointed as the maner is in Italy under a vine to avoyd the bear Duke Valentine had poysoned two pots of wine which he prepared for his guests delivered them to his servant that knew nothing of the matter to be carried to the vine for supper with straight charge that he should give of that wine to no man untill his comming The Pope commeth to the place before his guests and being thirsty with the heat hee calleth for wine The Dukes servant supposing by the straight charge his master had given him that the wine he brought was especiall good wine and preserved for the Popes own mouth powred out of that wine and brought it to the Pope who had no sooner drunke but in commeth his southe Duke to whom he gave the cup to drinke He thinking nothing lesse than that it was the poysoned wine by meane of his commandement to his servant pledged his father The Pope presently was carried away halfe dead and languishing a little while in great torment dyed Sic percent qui â—…ri tâ—… a pergent So may they perish and all such as endevour the like The sonne by reason of his youth and strength after certaine moneths grievous sicknesse escaped The guests perceiâ—…ing this treachery absented themselves from the feast This was no doubt the just judgement of God Dum pestem parant alijs labuntâ—… in illam Whilest they digge pits for others they fal into them themselves The Epitaph that was set upon senâ—…cheribs tombe who was killed by his owne sonnes might aptly have served this Pope In me qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pius effe he that looketh upon me let him leaâ—…e to live in the feare of God The â—…ther the sonne besides their other good conditions were so deepe dissemblers that there went a common proverbe of them One never spake what hee did the other never did what he spake Croesus king of the Lydians was an exceeding rich Prince presuming upon his riches prepared to make war upon Cyrus king of the Persians But to be more assured of the event hee sent to Delphos to aske counsell as the manner then was what the successe would be of that war answer was made him by the Oracle of Apollo that when Croesus should passe over the river of Halie which was the â—…termost confines of his realm he shold destroy a great kingdom Croesus supposing the meaning of the oracle had bin that he should destroy Cyrus kingdome proceeded in his enterprise with a more assured hope encountering with Cyrus he was overthrowne with his whole army And as a souldier was about to kil him his son that was born dumbe never spake word before the vehement love affection of his father prevailing more than the natural defect and impediment of his tongue cryed out to the souldier Hold thy hands it is king Croesus my father by meanes whereof he saved his life tooke him prisoner And when by Cyrus commandement he was brought to the stake to be burnt he cryed out with a loude and lamentable
life But if we cleanse our minds of our corrupt affections and passions and looke into the matter with a sound and vpright iudgement we shall see that either there is no felicitie in this life that answereth to that name or else that affliction and such crosses as God will lay vpon us detracteth not any thing from our felicitie For seeing the difference of greatnesse and distance of space that is betweene things that are circumferiptible and have end can make the lesse seeme nothing and beare no proportion to the greater then à fortiori that which is temporall and comprehended within time and hath end seemeth nothing nor beareth any proportion to that which is without time perpetuall and infinite The globe of the earth which for his shew of greatnesse we call sometime improperly the world â—…nd is after the Mathematicians computation one and twentie thousand miles in compasse and aboue yet being compared to the greatnes of the circumference of the eighth sphere or starrie skie it is but as a center or little pricke to the circle to which it beareth no proportion much lesse the afflictions and troubles of this temporall life in respect of the perpetuitie of the ioyes in the life to come beareth any proportion but is to be accounted nothing And who will call him a sickly man that in the whole course of his life hath neuer felt any sickenesse but onely one little short fit of an ague but rather will call him a healthfull man much lesse can the afflictions or troubles of this life bee called infelicitie or withdraw any thing from the name of felicitie because betweene the other there is some proportion betweene this life and the life to come none at all But yet because the life wee lead in this world is something in respect of time let us see whether wee can finde any thing in it worthie to be called felicitie And because there is a great difference not onely in continuance but also in greatnesse betweene the happinesse of this life and the life to come wee will distinguish betweene the words and call the happinesse of this life Felicitie and that of the heauenly life Beatitude or blessednesse and Summum Bonum or Soveraigne good In the sundry and manifold things created by God with such variety some things he made with a simple essence some things with life some other with sense To man he gaue all these together with vnderstanding of whom he would be knowne and worshipped he made him also good after his owne Image and adorned him with many goodly gifts and gaue him dominion ouer all other creatures and made the world for him and gaue him the vse of all things contained therein esteeming him not as his creature but rather as his sonne and discouered to him his will which when hee disobeyed preferring his owne appetite before Gods commandement by the fraud and subtiltie of the diâ—…ell he cast him out of his fauour and bereaued him of many of these goodly gifts and ornaments wherewith he had indowed him and where before his life and estate was most happie and blessed his nature was then altogether corrupted and altered his goodnesse was turned into sinne wickednesse his vnderstanding darke and as it were couered with a cloud All which imperfections descend from the first man vnto vs but Christ the Son of God through the speciall loue and fauour he did beare to mankinde hath reconciled vs againe to his Father though without recovery of those goodly ornaments by taking vpon him the burden of our sinnes and satisfying his justice in his owne person Now therefore the onely meanes we haue to attaine to blessednesse or Summum Bonum againe which we lost by the fall of our first parents is by the merits and mercie of Christ to returne to God againe and seeing that God is the greatest and chiefest good of all things from whom all things haue their being and goodnesse in him is to be sought that Summum Bonum and blessednesse or Beatitude we looke for and no otherwhere And for as much as he made us to his owne glory and that we might know and worship him the end and true Felicitie of man in this world is to know God to magnifie and worship him to which end is ioyned the fruition and enioying of him in the world to come which is the Beatitude or blessednesse and Summum Bonum we seeke for But because men are commonly called happy or vnhappy according to the course of life they leade let us examine the estate and condition of this life and see whether wee can finde any thing in it other then that last aboue spoken worthy of the name of Felicitie Many ancient Philosophers and Wise-men having diligently observed the nature and manner of life of all sorts of creatures of the world and compared them with the estate and condition of men cryed out that of all the creatures that breathed and went vpon the earth There was not any more miserable theÌ„ man Heraclttâ—… moved with the like consideration neuer went foorth into the streets among the people but he wept bewayling continually the calamities of men being perswaded that all that we can see under the uppermost heaven is nothing else but a very Theatre of misery worthy of continual complaints compassion Democritus for the like cause neuer went forth of his house in the sight of men but he would fall into a great laughing esteeming all mens actions labors meere vanities Another company there were of a more strange dispositioÌ„ that would not onely murmur and grudge at the nature and condition of men but were as hatefull enemies to their owne kinde supposing that nature had set vp man as a Butt or marke against which she would discharge all the bullets of her wrath indignation among which sort of men was one called Tymon a Philosopher of Athens who professed himselfe openly an enemy of mankind performed it in effect For he would neuer dwell or keepe company among men but withdraw himselfe into the Defaâ—…ts and leade his life among beasts that he might not be seene of men and passing his time in this solitary sort he would speake with no man saving onely with Alcibiades a valiant Gentleman of Athens neither with him for any loue hee had to the man but for that he did foresee he would be one day a plague scourge to men and specially to the Athenians And it was not sufficient for him to abhorre and detest the company of men as furious wilde beasts but hee sought also all the meanes he could if it had bin possible to destroy mankinde and for that purpose he set vp a great many gibbets in his garden that desperate folkes and such as were weary of their liues might hang themselues and after certaine yeeres meaning to inlarge his little Cottage where he dwelt hee determined to cut downe those gibbets for his building and
things maketh wearinesse The last day he said was good because by the wiues death the husband was made free and deliuered from seruitude In consideration whereof they that hold this opinion produced an historie of a noble Roman who the next day after his marriage being very sad was asked of his friends the cause of his pensiuenes hauing matched with a wife that was faire rich and of noble parentage he shewed them his foot Why friends quoth he ye see that my shoo is new handsome and well made but ye know not in what part of my foote it pincheth me Is there any thing saith Plutarke more light then the tongue of an vnbridled woman more byting then her outrages more rash then her boldnesse more execrable then her spitefull disposition more perillous then her fury If thou haue children by her thou hast much trouble and charge by the care of their education if they proue vntowardly and giuen to lewdnesse what greater griefe can happen to a man It cannot be denied but the fathers felicitie is diminished by the childrens vntowardlinesse and how many are occasioned by the vntowardlinesse or vndutifulnesse of their children with deepe sighes to pronounce often within themselues this verse of Homer Coniuge non ductâ natis vtinam carâ—…ssem Not being married I would I had had no children If they be towardly and given to vertue the losse of them is as grieuous which affection is of such force that the wisest men many times are not able to bridle as appeareth by this example of Sâ—…lon one of the seuen Sages or wise men of Greece There was a disputation on a time betweene this Solon who was married and had one onely sonne a towardly young man and Thales another of the Sages that was vnmarried which estate was better Marriage or a single life Solon commended matrimony Thales preferred the other and when he perceiued that he could not perswade Solon by reason and argument to be of his opinion he practised this deuice When their talke was ended being both at Thales his house Thales went forth and caused one to faine an errand to him and say as he had instructed him as though hee came from Athens where Solons dwelling was this man like a stranger as these two wise men were talking together within the house knocketh at the doore Thales letteth him in the man faineth a message to him from a friend of his at Athens Solon hearing him say that hee came from Athens went foorth of the next roome to him and asked what newes at Athens Little newes quoth he but as I came forth of the city I saw the Senatours and principall men of Athens going to the buriall of a young man Solon going into the other roome againe and musing who this should bee being in some doubt lest peraduenture it should bee his sonne commeth forth to him againe and asked him whether he knew who it should be that was dead He answered that he had forgotten his name but it was the onely sonne of a notable man in Athens and that for the reverence and loue that they did beare to his father all the Nobilitie principal men of the city went to his buriall Then Solon greatly confused and troubled in minde goeth from him againe fearing his owne sonne and being farre 〈◊〉 of quiet returneth to aske him whether he could not call to remembrance the name of this young mans father if he heard it reckoned He answered that he thought he could remember his name if he might heare it againe And after Solon had reckoned vp the names of a great many of the principall men of the City and the other denying them to be the man he came at last to his owne name and asked whether he were not called Solon And when the other affirmed that to be the name of the father of this young man that was dead Solon cryeth out vpon his onely sonne and maketh great lamentation he teareth his haire and beateth his head against the wal and doth all things that men vse to do in calamitie When Thales had beheld him a while in this passion Be of good comfort Solon saith he thy sonne liueth but now yee see by your owne example what cuill things are incident to marriage A Philosopher being demanded why he married not Because quoth he if the woman whom I take to wife be good I shall spill her if she be euill I must support her if she be poore I must maintaine her if she be rich I must suffer her if she be foule I shall abhorre her if she be faire then I must watch her and that which is worst of all I giue my liberty for euer to her that will neuer shew her selfe gratefull Riches breeds care pouerty sorrow sayling feare eating heauinesse going wearinesse all which trauels we see deuided amongst many except amongst them that bee married where they ioyne all together for seldome we see the married man goe without care sorrow wearied heauy and comfortlesse as though he were alwaies in feare of some thing that may happen If thou shut thy wife within doore she neuer ceaseth to complaine if thou giue her leaue to walke at liberty she ministreth occasion for thy neighbour to talke and thy selfe to suspect if thou chide she will looke sowrely and if so be that thou say nothing then will she be more angry if thou stay much at home she will thinke thee suspitious if thou goe much abroad she will doubt all is not well when her feete be cold at home if thou shew thy selfe louing she will haue thee in contempt and if thou shew no signes of loue she will suspect thee to be in loue with some other if thou deny what she craueth she will lay to thy charge thou louest her not This Thales being asked in his youth why he married not answered that it was too rathe and afterward being asked the same question againe when he was old he said that it was too late With the like passion of Solâ—…n Euphrates a Philosopher seemed to be touched for wheâ—… his wife was dead whom he loued dearely O tyrannous Philosophie quoth he thou commandest to loue and if we lose the things beloued thou forbiddest vs to be sorry for them what should I then doe in this miserable estate When there chanced a tempest to arise on the sea and the Master of the ship commanded all men to cast the heauiest things into the sea a married man took his wife presently in his armes and cast her ouer the ship saying that he had nothing more heauy then she A man of Perugia wept bitterly because his wife had hanged her selfe vpon a fig-tree and being reprehended of one of his neighbours that wondered how in so great prosperity hee could finde teares to shead Giue me I pray thee quoth he a graffe of that fig-tree to plant in my garden that I may see whether it will bring foorth
pleasures bringeth forth Quippe nec ira Deüm tantum nec tela nec hostes Quantum sola noces animis illapsa voluptas Not the gods wrath steele nor the enemy can Doe so much hurt as only lust to man Many lewd devices have beene invented by them to effectuate their purpose that have given themselves to satisfie their lusts with the pleasures of the flesh In a village not farre from the mountaines of Savoy inhabited with a rude and ignorant kinde of people there was one chosen to bee their Parish Priest only because hee could reade more meete to drive the cart than to serve in the Ministerie This man grew in such favour with those rude people that almost all the women used to make him their gossip with whom by that means he became very familiar but especially above all the rest he was in favour with a poor mans wife called Lisetta This man was much troubled in minde to see his wife so great with the Parish Priest and being jealous not without cause hee forbade his wife all Priests companie Sir Morice for so hee was called being much out of quiet for lacke of his gossips companie sent an old Witch to consult with her how they might come together againe after their accustomed manner My daughter quoth she I see your minde is much troubled your friend is in the like perplexitic because hee cannot enjoy your companie as hee hath done and I my selfe having felt the like passions in my youth seeme to feele in my selfe the paines of your sorrow But now the matter standing upon these termes some remedy must be found Dare you faine that you are possessed with a spirit O my mother said the young woman I could willingly play that part artificially enough if I thought that could bring our purpose to passe When the old Witch had instructed her what to doe Lisetta at the time the Priest was at Masse began to stare with her eies to wring her hands to fome at the mouth and to howle like a wolfe The foolish people beholding this unwonted sight ranne to wonder at her supposing she had been possessed with a spirit Her husband likewise lamenting her miserable estate supposing her to suffer great torment laid aside all suspicion and ran like one that had beene out of his right minde to the Priests house desiring him to take the paines by his exorcismes to drive this wicked spirit out of his wife Sir Morice counterfeiting great sorrow for her torments and paine O my Gossip quoth he your over-much frowardnesse to your wife and jealousie without cause hath brought her to this the like whereof happeneth somtimes to women of greatest honesty and so taking his stole and other instruments for his conjuration with him to the sicke woman hee goeth and after hee had mumbled softly to himselfe many prayers he asked the spirit who he was Lisetta being sufficiently instructed by the old bawde answered with a low hoarse voyce I am the spirit of this young womans father condemned to this penance for ten yeares to passe out of one bodie into another The husband hearing him to bee the spirit of his father in law besought himearnestly to depart out of his wife to torment her no more The spirit answered him I wil go forth of this woman and I wil change my lodging and enter into thee Then the poore man terrified with this hard sentence embraceth the Priest about the neck and lamentably desired him to shew whether he knew any way how hee might avoyde this severe sentence by prayers by fasting by almes or by any other good deeds Lisetta being glad to see this matter frame so well to her purpose My friend said she your poverty will not suffer you to doe that were requisite to avoyd this sentence and therefore in place thereof you must visit forty Churches and say many prayers in every of them with good devotion by which meanes you shall obtaine pardon of God for your sins otherwise you can never escape Gods ordinance This penance Lisetta layd upon her husband that by reason of the farre distance of those Churches one from another in that pilgrimage there might bee time enough to quench the furie of the spirit But that all things might be done without feare and suspicion in her counterfeit voyce shee blameth him for the wrong hee hath done his gossip suspecting him without a cause a holy man whose prayers were greatly acceptable before God and advised him whilest he was in his pilgrimage to commit the charge of his wife to this holy man The poore fellow hoping in this sort to bee released from the paines of Purgatory desired forgivenesse upon his knees of the Priest which being without great difficultie obtained hee proceedeth on his pilgrimage lest some worse matter might happen to him In the meane time Sir Morice imployed all his diligence both day and night that this spirit being chased out of her another might supply his roome Which being turned into the forme of a young living childe her silly husband thought himselfe after his returne from his pilgrimage to bee thereof the naturall father that had least interest in it Thus are they carried away from all respects and duties both to God and men that give themselves to satisfie their lusts with fleshly pleasures Saint Gregorie saith Momentaneum est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat That which delighteth is momentanie but that which tormenteth is eternall Aristotimus under the favour of King Antigonus exercised tyrannie over the Eleusiens and as hee was evill given such choyce hee made of his favorites Among the rest there was one Lucius extremely enamored upon a faire young maiden daughter to a man of good account and that hee might have his pleasure of her hee procured the tyrant to command her parents to send her to him The father fearing the displeasure of the tyrant he his wife used perswasions to his daughter to goe to him The young virgin that had bin vertuously brought up fell downe at her fathers feete and in lamentable wise embracing his legges besought him with teares that hee would not suffer her to bee dishonoured She would preferre her honour before her life and would rather chuse to suffer any kinde of death than to bee so shamefully dishonoured The father and mother being greatly moved with the lamentation of their daughter wept bitterly and made some stay of their resolution Lucius perceiving her not to come unpatient of any delay to fulfill his beastly lust went to her fathers house where hee found her upon her knees holding her fathers legges fast in her armes and with great threatnings he commanded her to arise and to follow him but the young maiden renewing her lamentable complaints and refusing to goe with him hee tare her clothes in pieces and stripped her naked and beat her cruelly The parents beholding this wofull sight besought him upon their knees that hee would have compassion
to what passe this matter would come the other fearing the rash presumption of their King because they could perceive by no reason how the knot should be undone The King also was doubtfull lest if hee should faile of his purpose it would bee taken for a token of his future evill fortune After he had considered the thing What matter is it quoth hee which way it bee undone and strived no longer to unknit it but presently drew his sword and cut the cord asunder thereby either illuding or fulfilling the 〈◊〉 of the Prophecie So happened it to the Philosophers in searching for the felicitie of man wherin they could find no beginning nor end but used reason as a sword to decide the difficulty of the question which was not the right way to find it out For in all their arguments and discourses there is no mention made of the will of God nothing spoken of the feare of God nor of the trust and confidence we ought to have in him In whom they that wil find true felicity must secke the beginning and end of the knot wherby to dissolve the difficulty of the question the right way and not by the sword of reason as the Philosophers did There is a great difference betweene the end and felicitie which is shewed to us by God and that which reason is able to comprehend For Christ sayth This is everlasting life to know God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent that is to beleeve that for Christs sake the father forgiveth us and loveth us that he preserveth and justifieth us Therefore true felicitie consisteth not in any civill action but in faith and the knowledge of God through his holy spirit For we can doe nothing of our selves that is good in the sight of God but it must come by his holy spirit Saint Augustine sayth 〈◊〉 hee hath written some where that a man is just if hee live according to his best part but hee recanteth that againe and sayth that a man is not yet just if he onely live according to his â—…est part but if he bee governed by the holy Ghost For that sheweth us the corruption of our nature and by what actions and meaâ—… we may attaine to the true felicitie which by our power and reason we are not able to comprehend We may therefore reject the Philosophers opinions of felicitie which consisteth in morall vertues and civill actions of this life onely which small part of felicity men neverthelesse by those meanes are not able to attaine to For how can the Stoickes wise man account himself in happy estate though he be indued with a consummation of morall vertues if he live in torment and paine Seneca sayth Non sentire malasua non est hominis non ferre non est viri And in another place silence can not command pain sorrow They are goodly perswasions to excite men to vertue and to have the unfortunate accidents of the world in contempt But men are not made of iron or steele but of flesh and bloud which must feele of necessity the paines of torments except they be assisted by the spirit of God as was Sydrach Mysach and Abedâ—…ego in the firie furnace And they that live in paine cannot be sayd to be in felicitie for the happy man desireth not to change his estate with any man otherwise hee is not to bee accounted happy which is a thing in the highest degree of perfection But hee that suffereth pain and griefe would willingly exchange for another mans health and ease For if there be no pleasure nor delight in life but continuall paine and griefe death were to be preferred before it and to be desired more than life as the Poet sayth Vitacst quà m proxima letho Quà m meritò spernenda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 que 〈◊〉 solasia nulla 〈◊〉 How neere is life to death and with what ease To be despised Did no vaine pleasure cease On our affections and no solace might Make these our grievous labours to seeme light But though the felicitie of man consisteth not in vertue nor in the action of vertue yet morall vertues so farre forth as they disagree not with Christian vertues may serve as instruments and means to helpe to the attaining that part of felicitie that is to be enjoyed in this life For by them the extremâ—…y of affections that would grow to an evill habit and be great hinderance to felicitie are qualified and reduced to a meane They either extinguish or suppresse or at least moderate by the rule of reason all vehement passions and perturbations of the minde by which men are as it were violently carried to the desire of sensuall pleasures of vaine glory of riches and such like capitall enemies to felicity By them men are taught to have all pompe and worldly vanities in contempt to have small estimation of those things which the common sort have in great admiration and to be content with that which is sufficient to supply the necessitie of nature Vertue sayth 〈◊〉 if there bee any at all hath all things under him that may happen to a man and despising them all he contemneth whatsoever chanceth to men and being unspotted he judgeth nothing to appertaine to him but himselfe It is a pleasant thing to behold and consider how reason hath found out what an excellent thing vertue is and how it is to be preferred before all pleasure and profit and that men ought not to digresse from vertue for any gaine or commodity whatsoever These perswasions were in the heathens that knew not God which wrought in them great effects Plato sayth if the sorme and beautie of vertue might bee seene with the eyes men would be wonderfully in love with her 〈◊〉 sayth vertue is more liberall than fortune She denieth nothing but that which would bee hurtfull being granted profitable being denied nor taketh any thing away but that which would be hurtfull to have profitable to lose Seneca to him that would know what vertues be in a man giveth this counsell When thou art desirous to looke into a man saith hee and to know what is in him strip him naked let him lay aside his patrimony his honour and other false shewes of fortune let him put off his body and behold his minde what manner of man and how great hee is whether hee bee great by his own or by borrowed ware Riches honor power and such like which in our opinion are of great price but of themselves vile and little worth seduce us from discerning the truth they have in them no great nor glorious matter whereby to draw our mindes to them saving that we have gotten a custome to wonder at them Whatsoever the common sort prayseth that for the most part is worthy of disprayse Aristotle likeneth the minde of a man to a smooth table that is not garnished with any figure but prepared by the painter and made apt to receive any kinde of picture eyther monsters
the Angelicall and brutish nature 631 Of friendship and divers tenents held by 〈◊〉 634 The Commodities of poverty 635 True friendship doubleth prosperity 636 〈◊〉 fable of the Larke 637 No friendship to be made with covetous men 640 Corruption of these times 641 Of learned Emperours and of Q. Emperours 642 These times compared with the former 643 Prophane Schismaticks 644 A fearefull eclipse 645 Equivocation of the Divell 646 The wickednes of these times 647 Of Hypocrisie 649 Chasticement necessary 650 The way to injoy happinesse 651 The counsell of 〈◊〉 653 Gods service brings felicity 654 The Contents of the sixth Booke 〈◊〉 MAn the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods Creation pag. 656 Mans estate before his fall 657 〈◊〉 alteration after his fall 658 The soule opposite to the flesh 661 Man only declineth from his originall nature 665 Why God suffereth evill 666 God the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 668 Mans 〈◊〉 to escape the 〈◊〉 into which he is fallen 669 God the end of his own work 670 Two Simitirudes 671 672 Of the vegetive sensible faculty of the understanding 674 675 Of the dangerous effects which the world breedeth 676 CHAP. II. Mans greatest knowledge meere ignorance 678 Opinions of beatitude 679 Christian considerations 680 Of invocation c. 682 All nations acknowledg a Ged 683 3. marks of true Religion 684. c One true God and one true Religion 687 Religion 〈◊〉 all men to the reading of the Scriptures 690 The necessity of a 〈◊〉 691 Who that Mediator is 692 All Oracles struck dumb 〈◊〉 the comming of Christ 693 Tâ—…erins would have erected a Temple unto Christ 694 Strange prodigies hapning at the birth of Christ 695 The means to get pardon 696 Custome of sinne taketh away the sense of sinne 697 Crosses the way to Heaven 704 Examples to confirme our Resurrection 706 The conclusion of the worke worke The Authours Apologie 714 FINIS The Creation of Angels and Men. The fall of the Angels The sell of 〈◊〉 The Mercy of Christ. The maâ—…ce of the Dâ—…well No feheâ—… but in Christ. How good distict slow wicked Three things in which men imagine selicitie to consist Of Pleasure A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Application 〈◊〉 Mistery of Sardanapalus The end of the first Monarchie The history of Heliogabalus His 〈◊〉 His Ryot Curiosity Gurmundise Pride Excesse Disorder Prodigality Vanity â—…eliy Defpaire His infamous end Of Nero. His Palace Ridiculous prodigality His luxury Repeatance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Despaire His cowardize His wretched end A costly 〈◊〉 Frâ—… tastings Ruine followeâ—… 〈◊〉 Against immoderace drinking A limitation of drinking A remarkeable example A pretty experiment The Ierffe an Embleme of gluttony A memento mori A counterfeit spirit Drunkennesse the roote of other viccs Of luxury Of 〈◊〉 Of Murder Herodocus A uniferable end Old Drunkards The Romanes imitated the Grecians 〈◊〉 5.11 Drunkennes the lelle of 〈◊〉 Examples of tempetance But one mcale a day used of old Vanitie and excesse cannot bee hid Alexander Medices A politick 〈◊〉 Against immoderate dauncing Rape the subversion of kingdomes A looking glatle for Ladies A masculine Spirit His name was 〈◊〉 Called Claudius An unjust iudge A cruell pitty The end of the 〈◊〉 Octivian 〈◊〉 and Lepidus 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Pride in in death A 〈◊〉 Cardinall An 〈◊〉 brother A foolish lover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A ridiculous lover No 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 Love captives conquerours The like we reade of Rygnialion Prop. Lecherous Friers Horrible blasphemy A wicked imposture Silly men soone fool'd Lust turnes to Tyranny Tyranny rewarded Incestuoâ—… love An indulgent father An holy medication Carriage not becoming a King A miraculous accident Vaine curlositie Excellent observations In voluptuousnesse there can be no felt That age was called the golden The Commodities of temperance Hunger the best lauce Nature contented with little Cicero Soneca Modest poverty preferr'd before superfluous plenty The Divell carefull to maintaine his owne Tyrants mocke at sacriledge A commendable cunning Whicâ—… now 〈◊〉 Tunis A cruell cunning â—…phus Heaven Iustice. The 〈◊〉 of the Dâ—…vell The blessednesse of peace Salust Wilfull 〈◊〉 The Luciâ—… pride of Church-men A 〈◊〉 resort Reverence cannot bee 〈◊〉 in ragâ—… Installable prooâ—…es Which was in those dayes not now This may â—…ly be 〈◊〉 upon these times salust A wonderfull modesty in the 〈◊〉 of Greâ—… Aâ—… excellent reproofs of 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 Cardinall A necessary Law Money beslowed as i ought to be An ominou dreame A Tâ—…ant murderer first gave Rome the Supâ—… macie over other â—…shope 〈◊〉 No Guie Guev Great â—…perance A resolute answer Magicians punished Mercur. The boly Text against Coâ—… Examples of avaricious men Examples of men continent Few such Popes Charitie rewarded Answers worthy observation Imitable examples Wise men not free from avarice Killing 〈◊〉 Adâ—…rable Continency Honâ—… change mâ—… Saâ—… Lâ—… â—…r A disoâ—… worth observâ—… Plaine but to purpose An excellent answer of a Hethen No felicity can be in richer Vertue to be preferred before honour The end of â—…bition Ambition hath no limit Of 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 beggar Aâ—… Queâ—… The effects of lust and 〈◊〉 No predictions can prevent â—…ate But three out of 〈◊〉 three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their beâ—…s A charitable wish of an Ethnick The Empire â—…et to sale Gold that bought the 〈◊〉 would not save his life Clances and chanâ—…es 〈◊〉 war Nothing in this life 〈◊〉 No crown to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many miserable that seeâ—… happy Danger 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A cunning 〈◊〉 The speech of a worthy friend The modesty of 〈◊〉 The troubles of pitâ—… A Kingdom and a wife two hard things to governe The greatest 〈◊〉 iâ—… in a mean 〈◊〉 The cares that attends on 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Richard 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 in the time of Henry the sixth A remarkeable modefâ—…ie â—…ange ambition in 〈◊〉 Tyranny A disputable 〈◊〉 A kingly conâ—…ction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—…ude in death Curtefie 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 reward The death of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the death of the Pâ—…e A kings â—…diculous solly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of a Prâ—…eft A prety jugâ—…g Their 〈◊〉 found out by the beaâ—…ten A witty saying of Erasmus A â—…est of some Papists These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his governoâ—…ent A â—…refull â—…lling off Gods great mercy Simplicity in buâ—…ility Vaine cutioâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An in 〈◊〉 of that Taâ—…e did to 〈◊〉 A pâ—…y construction A peremptory letter A prince like answere A 〈◊〉 answere A woman 〈◊〉 That 〈◊〉 is called the 〈◊〉 Pride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The craft of the Divell to those that speake to him Ambition in men of base condition The Conjurer conjured Needlesse cuâ—… Quick cookeâ—…y A 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the best wits Strange superstition Cnustin His parents His countrey His bringing up Mahomet an horse driver A prophecy of Mahomet Prodigies Fearefull blasphemy His marriage Mahomet becomes a monarch The ground of his religion lust liberty Meere imposture Mahomet poysoned The meaning good though the course indirect Thevet 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 for murder Brave 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Turkes Diabolicall