from idlenesse the seminary of all wickednesse * 27. Dignitates immoderatè exercuit Hee exercised the dignities which hee purchased with excessive usury It is a principle amongst hucksters and such as have dealings in the World that they that buy deare must sell deare It holds in spirituall preferments hee that emptieth his bags in buying of dignities will fill them againe in selling of Benefices and poling of under Officers it was so in the dayes of Richard the First when William Longshampe Bishop of Ely lived and long before him in the dayes of William Rufus when the munke of Malmsbury exclaimed proh dolor Ecclesiae nummis venduntur aere and it will ever bee so Aristotle seems to uphold the trade Consentaneum est saith hee ut ij qui emunt magistratus quaestui habere assuescant remp cum â—d eos largitionibus ascenderunt it is good reason that hee that buyes authority should make some profit of his authority but let us take heed how wee follow Aristotles consentaneum lest wee partake of the Bishop of Ely his supplicium Of the excessive pride and oppression and of the fall of the Bishop of Ely vid. Mat. Paris Anno 1190. in R. 7. Polid l. 14. * 28 Quidam comes Warwicensis ab Ed. 4 An Earle of Warwick raised to such a heighth of power by King Edw. the 4. This is the great Earle of Warwick that set up and pul'd down Kings Richard Nevill the son of Richard Nevill Lord Chancellour and Earle of Salisbury he was Lord high Chamberlain Constable of Dover Castle Lord Warden of the Cinqueâ—orts and Admirall and indeed had the whole power of the Kingdome in his hands I may well say the whole power for he had not only the command of the Ports and Navy but hee had the command of the hearts of the people insomuch that they that knew him say quocunque ille inclinaret populus aut saltem major pars populi inclinabat which way soever hee went as a torrent hee drew the people along with him and to give him his due fuit verè nobilis quasi prae aliis notabilis nam ab ineunte aetate as Historians report of him non solum veris virtutibus mirabilis sed etiam artâ— quadam in ostentatione earum virtutum compositus hee was truly noble for from his childhood hee had not only rare and admirable gifts of nature but hee had art and eloquence to expresse them by meanes whereof hee grew gracious in the sight of the people amongst other his vertues he had two most eminent Magnanimity and Liberality which will win the heart of an enemy his Liberality he dayly shewed in his hospitality his Magnanimity and valour as at divers other times so especially at the first battell at St. Albons Anno. 1455. ubi ille primus omnium regios milites praelio lacessit as my Authour saith where hee himselfe made the first assault against the Kings Army and after a doubtfull warlike dispute which continued for the space of three or foure houres prevailed and slew Henry Lord Piercy the second Earle of Northumberland the Lord Clifford and the Duke of Sommerset Edmond Beauford that Duke of Somerset qui tot annos pro patria strenâ—è pugnasset adversus Francos that adventured himselfe many yeares against the French in the behalfe of his Country miserabile sanè spectaculum quod à suis civibus occideretur as that Authour saith a sad spectacle that he that so often adventured himself for his country should be killed by his country men but in abattell when all parties are in the higth of fury there is no distinction the Earle buried him nobly which was as much honour as hee could doe to one that fought against him the Earle married Anne the Sister and Heire of Henry Duke of Warwick King of the Isle of Wight and the favorite of King Henry the sixt who dyed at Hanly where hee was borne being now the Inheritance of the (g) Sir Iohn Russel of Strencham was Mr. of the Horse to Rich. the Second and many descâ—nts before him was there one Tho. Russel of Strencham the Family quarters many Coates but the paternall Coat as I take it is argent a Cheurom between three Crosses Crosses Sables Russels of Strensham I cannot say the most eminent house of that name but this I say that I cannot finde others peradventure may any family of that name more ancient I will not except the most eminent in whose right hee was Earle of Warwick and had a massy estate by her hee had issue two daughters Isabell and Ann whom hee married into the Royall blood Isabell to George Duke of Clarence the brother of King Edward the fourth the eldest sonne of King Henry the sixt who was slaine after the battell at Tewxbury and afterwards to Richard e This honour is aptly compared to Sejanus his horse Tho. of Woodst Duke of Gloucest was strangled at Callis An. 1397. Tho. L. Spencer Earle of Gloucest was beeheaded at Bristoll An. 1400. Humfrey Duke of Gloucest was strangled in the Abby of St Edinbury An. 1446. Richard Duke of Glou. was slaine at Bosw an 1485. Duke of Gloucester who was slaine at Bosworth this man notwithstanding hee had been thus advanced fell off from the King and the cause of his revolt was for that he being sent into France to treat of a marriage for the King the King in the meane while married with the Lady Grey which the Earle taking to heart conceiving it to be a great wrong unto him to bee so deluded confederated with George Duke of Clarence his sonne in law to set King Henry the sixt at liberty being then in the Tower of London but it is conceived that this was but a pretence and that their intention was to settle the Crown upon the Duke for it is not probable or credible that the Duke would ever agree to settle the Crown out of his owne house upon the house of Lancaster and hereupon there was a bloody battell fought at Danes-moore not farr from Banbury and was called Edgcote field where the Kings Army was defeated and not long after the King taken prisoner at Wolney a village neare to Northampton and conveyed to Warwick Castle and from thence to Middlenam Castle in Yorkshire out of which hee escaped gathered new forces and at Stamford in Lincolneshire encountred and overcame the Earle and made him fly for succour into France but not long after the Earle returned and having assistance from the King of France put the King to the worst made him forsake the Kingdom and fly for reliefe to the Duke of Burgondy which Commines imputes to the Kings credulity in relying too much upon the Marquesse Mountacute who when hee had most need of him revolted to his brother but not long after the King returned and upon an Easter day after a bloody fight at Barnet the King prevailed and slew both the brothers the Earle and the Marquesse which
ended the controversy and as the losse of the other battell was the revolting of the Marquesse Mountacute from the King to his brother so the losse of this was the revolt of the Duke of Clarence the Earle to the King his brother Some say that after the battell was ended Richard then Duke of Gloucester slew King Henry the sixth in the field with his own hands but that is a mistaking for Richard Duke of Gloucester did not kill Henry the sixth after the battell at Barnet but he killed Edward the fifth his eldest sonne after the battell at Tewxbury with his own hands for without doubt Henry the sixth was murdered in the Tower of London whose death was much lamented for hee was a good man though not so good a King fuit vir miti simplici ingenio qui pacem bello honestum utili anteponebat quo nemo probiùs nemo castiùs nemo sanctiùs vixit non inhiabat opes nec sitiebat honores ast animae tantûm saluti studebat he was a plaine dealing man one that preferred peacâ— before warre and honesty before profit that was honest chaste and religious beyond comparison that was neither coveteous or ambitious but addicted himself wholly to the study of Divinity as the Historians that write of those times say but in another manner do they speak of his Wife they say that shee was bello metuenda virago as Ovid speakes of Pallas foemina virilium operum plena gloria appetens that she had a manly courage and was thirsty after soveraignty that she was the cause of all her husbands troubles that shee was taken at the battell at Teuxbury that shee was ransomed by her Father and dyed in her own Country beyond the Seas vid. Commin lib. 3. Polid. lib. 23. * 29. Wolsaeus apud Henricum octavum Tho. Wolsey very gracious with the King Thomas Wolsey was the sonne of a meane man in Ipswich in the County of Suffolke ubi magnificae structurae fundamentae postea locavit he was bred up in Magdalen Colledge in Oxon and was a Schoole-Master after of the Schoole there who having the Tutelage of three of the Marquesse Dorsets Sonnes the Marquesse gratified him with the Benefice of Lymminghton which was his first preferment afterwards hee made in to (k) The posterity of Sir Richard Namphant remaines to this day in Worcestershire The family quarters 5. Coates The First Sables a Cheveron Ermine between three dexter-wings argent The Second argent 3. Foxes passant a zure The Third Checkie or and Sables a chiefe argent Gutty The Fourth argent a Lyon Rampant Gules between a bordure Sables Besanty The Fifth parted per Pale Argent and Gules by the name of Fleet. Sir Richard Nanphant then Treasurer of Callis a man in great account with King Henry the seventh and became his Chaplaine who finding his abilities being grown in yeares committed a great part of the burthen of his office to his care and at last for the good service that he did him preferred him to be one of the Kings Chaplaines not long after by meanes of the Lord Lovell and Doctor Fox then Bishop of Winchester who were the most potent men with the King hee was sent Ambassadour into Flanders to Maximilian the Emperour in which Ambassage he behaved himself so discreetly that the King at his returne rewarded him with the Deanery of Lincoln and afterwards made him his Almoner which were as I conceive all the preferments that he had in the dayes of King Henry the Seventh but soone after in the dayes of King Henry the Eighth hee became to bee one of the Privy Councell and to be so gracious with him that he sent him twice into Flanders upon Embassages to Charles the Fift and once into France to Francis the First After hee made him Bishop of Turney Bishop of Lincolne Arch-Bishop of Yorke Abbot of Saint Albones Chancellour of England and the receiver of the profits of the Bishoprick of Bathe and Wels Worcester and Hereford and as if all these preferments had not been sufficient to support the magnificence of a Priest hee being legate a latere by expresse Authority from the Pope got into his hands opes praedia quadraginta monasteriorum ut eorum emolumenta in collegiis extruendis impenderet of which the King took advantage for seeing the Crowes were gone corvorum nidos penitus distruendos esse curavit ne iterum ad cohabitandum convolent hee took care to have their nests thrown downe that they might never come thither againe to take up their residence and so pull'd downe the monasteries which might have stood a great deale ' longer had not the Pope and Cardinall opened that gap and shewed the King the way by which mean which Polydore termes singulare nefas hee obtained so great a revennue that they which were most intimate with him and best knew his estate report quod annui proventus plures fuerant quam fi omnes hujus regni Episcoporum atque etiam Decanorum possessiones hodiernae in unum aliquem conferrentur that his yearly commings in did amount unto more then the revennues of all the Bishopricks and Deaneries in England but how did hee imploy this great revennue hee was no miser or hoorder nec erat tam studiosus in rebus comparandis quam liberalis in clargiendis neither was hee so carefull to get as willing to disburse for having got this immense estate into his hands immediately his thoughts run how to dispose of it and first the Muses came into his minde the advancement of Learning and therefore his first designe was to build two famous Colledges one in Ipswick the other in Oxford the one being the place where hee was borne the other where hee was bred he aid the foundation but I know not why he was prevented so that he could not finish them the one continues the other is demolisht That in Oxford he Christned with his owne name and nam'd it the Cardinals Colledge but that name continued not long but it received another name and was called Regium Collegium Kings Colledge yet that name continued not long for the King not willing to assume the honour to himselfe to be the founder of a Colledge which was founded by another entituled it Aedes Christi Christ Church which name it still retaines This the Cardinall intended to have made a Colledge beyond comparison for had he had his liberty to have gone on and finished the other parts of it proportionable to the Kitching which rather resembles Vnde fuit quod quidam satyriceÌ„ scripsit quod animus erat in patinis popinam â—â—erfecit Collegium incoepit dinastae habitationem quam obsonatorum apothecam there is no Colledge in Christendome that would have been comparable to it for magnificence but one thing unhappily fell out upon the Tower in the great Quadrangle where the Ensignes both of the King and Cardinall were engraven in stone the Cardinals had the precedencie as
performe and left his Office of Legate à latere which he executed a yeare and a halfe to the great prejudice of the Church of England and the sea of Rome at last he put off his accustomed habit and in a womans apparell hee determined to crosse the Seas but at Dover his dalliance with a wench being discovered by a Marriner he was hill at beaten and afterwards drag'd through the streets to prison from whence as soon as he was fully delivered he most ignominiously and basely stole into Normandy his end was the more miserable by how much his fortunes were the greater Afterwards there * 28 Fuit quidam Comes Warwicensis qui à Rege E. 4. â—summam potestatem erectus oral 28 was an Earle of Warwick in the same Kingdome that was raised to such a height both of power and Estate by King Edward the fourth that he was not afraid to lay violent hands upon the Queenes Father and with many of his children and nearest friends to put him to death he placed such Officers about the King as he thought would do him best service and in the end took him Prisoner But not longe after the King escaping into Burgondy being assisted by Charles the then Duke he returned home overcame the Earle and made him fly for succour into France the Earle thence returning being assisted with divers Attendants put the King to the worst and made him fly into Holland for succour A second time the King returning being assisted by the aforesaid Duke set upon him overcame him and slew him with his Brother and many others In the Raign of King Henrâ— the eighth there was one named * 29 Tho. Wolsâ—us sub H. 8. 29 Thomas Wolsey that was very great with the King a man meanly descended but so proud and haughty that he became an eyesore not only to the Peeres and Nobility but even the King himselfe By the Kings speciall grace and favour he was promoted to the highest dignities to be Arch-Bishoh of York Bishop of Winchester to be a Cardinall to be sent Ambassadour and indeed next to the King to beare the greatest sway in the Kingdom but amongst other acts of his this was not the least that brought him in disgrace when King Henry began to distast Queene Catherine and to dote upon Anne of Boloyne this man undertook to procure a dispensation from the Pope which taking not so well as the King and he thought it would have done by degrees he fell out of the Kings favour and being apprehended by Thomas Duke of Norfolk was banished the Court and confined to his Bishoprick of Winchester which hee taking to heart with very griefe dyed The Kingdome of France will afford us many Examples in this kinde and amongst those it is reported of the Earle of S. Paul that having been advanced by Lewis the eleventh to bee Constable of France and to many other honours and preferments out of which he raised a very great revenue that in the end he somuch forgate himselfe that he studyed how to make the King stand in awe of him and for that purpose * 30 Mediocriter se gessit inter tres principes 30 he ever carried himselfe indifferently between the King his Master the King of England and the Duke of Burgondy one while standing for the one another while for the other ever desiring to keepe them at variance that so the one or the other might still stand in need of him And so it happened that the King his Master desiring to speak with him hee would not come unto him but with a power able to withstand him if occasion were offered he met him upon a Bridg where he talked with him as sawsily as if he had been his equall and familiar supposing that to be the way to preserve and increase the power he had obtained but he was deceived for all men seeing his malepertnesse and insolency were offended at him and studyed how to pull him down And it so happened that coming to the Duke of Burgondy upon safe conduct the Duke apprehended him and sent him to the King his Master with all such Letters as he had formerly written to him against the King Vpon which being araigned as also upon such Letters as he had written unto the King of England was thereupon condemned his estate confiscated and he put to death In the same Kingdome under Philip the faire one Taggerrandus Marrianus attained to so much power that nothing was done in the Kingdome without his approbation * 31 Peculatus accusatus suspendio affectus est 31 yet this man for robbing the Kings Treasures was accused condemned and hang'd * 32 Petrus Landaicus apud ducem Britaniae potens 32 Peter Landais likewise with the Duke of Brittaine attained to the like favour yet by the violence of the multitude he was taken from the Duke and judicially condemned and hanged as Paulus Aemilius in his History of France relates the story To passe over into Spaine in the Kingdom of Castile there was * 33 Alvarus de Lunâ 33 Alvarus de Luna borne in Arragon of a Noble house but a Bastard borne out of Wedlocke that grew to such a heighth of power with King John that no man in the Kingdome was so powerfull as he he tooke armes against John King of Navarre and used all meanes to oppresse Henry Knight of the order of Saint James but it so fell out that the Queen opposing him by the assistance of the second King of Navarre and Henry Knight of the order they surprized the King and compelled Alvarus to live upon his owne possessions and happy had hee beene if hee could have so contented himselfe but hee that once tasted of the sweetnesse of Soveraignty can hardly finde contentment in a private life hee begins then a second time to bethink himselfe how hee might attaine to his former height from which hee was throwne downe hee sets the King at liberty installs him in the Kingdome sits at the sterne keeps under his Enemies and incenses the King against them but this prosperity continued not and brought him to an untimely death for when as by the Kings speciall Commandement one of the Nobility delivered a message unto him which was not pleasing he caused the Messenger to be throwne out of the window for the which the King did afterwards ever more hate him then he did formerly love him for caused him to be apprehended and being judicially condemned to be put to death Vnto the former I will adde the Example of a Germane out of the seventh book of the Annals of Aventinus With Rudolfe Palsgrave of Rheyne and Duke of Bavaria there was Ortho Crondorser in the greatest grace and favour he came of meane Parentage and comming to Court by his double diligence in readily observing and gravely executing whatsoever was committed to his charge within a very short time became very gracious in the eyes of the Prince by
Prince and them Such Councellours had Rehoboam King of the Jews who when hls Subjects complained unto him of heavy burthens laid upon them by his Father by the advise of his Councell answered them that his little finger should lie more heavy upon them then all his Fathers body my Father chastned you with whips but I will chasten you with Scorpions such a kinde of fellow was Nicholas Gara a Count Palatine of the Kingdome of Hungarie who being exceeding powerfull with Queene Mary the daughter of Lewis the first gave his Counsell that she should not suffer her Peers to become too powerfull as wee hear'd before but how his Counsell took effect I have before remembred and what befell to the Councellours of Rehoboam every one can tell Sleidan reports that William Poyets the French Kings Chancellour was by the Kings speciall command taken out of his bed and cast into Prison with the generall applause of the people for that during the foure yeares that hee held his office he had offended all sorts of people Such is generally the end of these sort of people for when the Prince is once fully informed of their conditions to satisfie the people they punish them to their ruine and destruction Examples hereof wee have in Cleander Peter Lindais George Peiras and others concerning whom Philip Comines demands this queston and gives this answer who dares saith hee enquire into the actions of these Grandees who dare call them in question who dare bee the Iudge to execute judgement upon them if they offend the answer is the inquisition will bee the lamentation and cries of the people whom they have mercilesly opprest and trampled upon in every kind the teares of the Widowes and Orphans whose Husbands and Fathers they have put to death and generally all they whom they have persecuted either in their Bodies or Estates these will bring in an inquisition against them and deliver them over to receive their doom of him who is the onely true judge that will not peradvanture expect any other evidence but will punish them in this life so much hath Philip Comines * 50 Lex talionis 50 the Law of Talio is justly inflicted upon them It is good justice that they who have despised and contumeliously behaved themselves to wards others should be despised and contumeliously handled by others that they who proudly insulted over others should be reproachfully spoken of by others that they who by rapine and fraud have gotten the Estates of others should suddainly have their Estates by others taken from them that they that shewed no mercy should expect no mercy that they that commanded others to bee dragg'd to execution should bee dragg'd themselves that they that caused others that stood for the Church to be put to death should in the Church bee put to death themselves that they that endeavoured to deprive the Subject of his rights and priviledges should not onely lose the benefit of them but the benefit of the Law of Nations that they that caused others to bee put to death against the Law should before they bee heard or accused be put to death themselves that they which caused the rigour of the Law to be inflicted upon others should have the same measure measured unto them as is reported of * 51 Perillus. 51 Perillus who was the first that felt the punishment of the torment that hee himselfe invented These punishments doe not onely belong unto them that attaine unto their greatnesse by undue meanes but likewise unto them who being deservedly preferred do in the due execution of their places misbehave themselves for * 52 Non sufficet bene coepisse 52 it is not sufficient to begin well but wee must prosecute our good beginnings with sutable proceedings which is a very hard thing for him to do who hath attained to a great fortune for * 53 Fortuna est coena eos efficet caecos quoâ—om plexa est 53 fortune being blind her selfe makes them blinde likewise for the most part whom shee doteth upon and favoureth for while we are lulled asleep in her lap we grow carelesse and give occasion to such as love us not to circumvent us so as when there is no other cause yet too too great prosperity willl finde in it selfe sufficient cause to bring us to our graves with shame and ignorance Therefore it is no wonder if such as have power to doe what they will standing in feare of none become proud and insolent and have their imperfections made knowne unto the world for being on high they can do nothing but notice is taken of it whereas if they lived in a mean rank their faults would passe unregarded our nature is such there is no good thing in the world but it abuseth but most of all the prosperity and good fortunes wee injoy And why because our wils being prone to all wickednesse our prosperity adds spurs unto it and doth not onely move but continually administer occasion unto us to satisfie our unbridled lusts and affections Such as have attained to the greatest favour with their Princes by reason of their daily familiarity with them have in the end become most odious and contemptible in their height Sejanus Tiberius onely minion for the time for that he stiled himselfe Emperour and Tiberius governour of a poore Island Tiberius hated and detested the servant that hath beene delicately brought up from a Childe will challenge to himselfe the priviledge of a sonne at last saith Solomon For presuming upon the favour of their Princes they make them the subject of laughter neglect their commands vilifie them and mocke them assuming the honour of what is done to themselves attributing nothing to the power of the Prince So Joab slew Absalom the sonne of King David with his owne hand of his owne accord without the Kings approbation And though it was told him when hee was about to doe the deed that it was the Kings will to have his life saved and that he would call him to an account for it yet hee went on grieving the perplext King with most unbeseeming and unmannerly tearms but such things as these Princes forget not but keep them in a Register Tacitus reports how that Pallas through his pride exceeding the bounds of a free man drew hatred upon himselfe and how that Narcissus for that hee slew Messalina the Wife of Claudius without his consent put Claudius into a kinde of a phrensie and made him in passion say that Narcissus durst never attempt those things upon his Wife though she had deserved it unlesse that hee had first despised her Husband Such another was the Earle of St. Paul that was Constable of France of whom I have spoken before who upon all occasions relying on the favour of the Duke of Burgondy and the King of England would rise in rebellion against his Prince and that his power and greatnesse might still continue together with his stipends from the King
was not ignorant when he gave that in charge to his sonnes upon his death-bed to undertake noble atchievements and therby erect to themselves Monuments more durable then the iron and adamant Pulchrum est eminere inter viros illustres * 88. Displicent civilia ingenia filiorum That is distastfull to Princes to see their sonnes have popular wits As the greatnesse of Subjects is the Glory of Princes so popularity in Subjects is distastfull to them When the people began to honour Sejanus in the same degree as they did Tiberius then did Tiberius abhorre Sejanus the glory of the Sunne is not eclipsed by the Moones being in her Complement but by her Interposition the greatnesse of Subjects is no eclipse of Soveraignty but when the Subject shall stand betweene the Prince and the people and divert the affections of the people from him that causeth an eclipse wherefore it is distastfull to Princes to see their sonnes have popular wits * 89. Pertinax memoria verborum acerborum Bitter words make a deepe impression in the minds of great persons The use of speech and reason is proper unto mankinde onely other Creatures expresse themselves in confused sounds the Lyon roares the Horse neighes the Deare brayes the Cow lowes man onely being indued with reason either delights the hearer with the melody of his speech or offends him with the harshnesse of it Speech by the Graecians is aptly termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of the minde for as by the light of the Sunne which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of life wee see the superficies of the earth So by the light of our words are our intellectualls discerned If they are milde and gentle they are Ensignes of contentment in the mind and prevaile much if bitter and harsh they are Ensignes of discontentment in the minde and provoke much Johannes Salisburiensis hath a Tale of a Lion lib. 5. c. 17. who being set apart to devoure Andronicus instead of devouring him licked and kissed him and why because hee spake milde unto him and when time was pull'd a Thorne out of his foot this Appion sayes hee saw amongst other sights which he saw at Rome As courteous entertainments allay the fury of great spirits so sharp reproofes kindle and inflame them and though for a time they may seeme to bury the fire in the ashes of oblivion yet in the end it will breake forth and burne the incendiaries witnesse those bold speeches of Gallus to Tiberius Tac. lib. 1. Annal. when the Senate was pleased in all humility after the death of Augustus to intreat Tiberius to take upon him the charge of the Empire and when as he modestly answered that the charge of the whole would be too great a burthen to him and that hee would willingly accept of any one part of it Gallus malepertly and sawcily stands up and would needs know of him quam partem reip mandari voluit of which though Tiberius took no notice for the present yet he conceived implacable hatred against him and although afterwards Gallus would have excused it and magnified Tiberius for the noble acts which hee did in the dayes of Augustus Gallus verificatum invenit illud Virgilii Iudicium Paridis maâ—et alta mente repostum proverbum facilius est evocare daemoneÌ„ qua abigere yet he could never win his favour againe Witnesse likewise those speeches which the Constable of France used to the Earle of Embercourt when the Ambassadors of the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy met together to conclude a peace between them the Constable with others being assigned for the King and the Chancellour of Burgundy and the Earle of Embercourt for the Duke it fell out that in the parly the Constable gave the Earle of Embercourt the lye which as Comines sayes Summam extremam perniciem ei attulit for when the Duke of Burgundy had notice of it taking it as it was ndeed as a wrong done to himselfe the Earle representing his person he revived the agreement at Bonvines concerning the death of thâ— Constable and put that in execution witnesse likewise those speeches which Enguerande gave to Charles the brother of Philip the fair there being some difference betweene two Peeres of France Enguerande standing for the one and Charles for the other in debating of the matter both being in the height of choler Enguerande gave Charles the lye which as Paulus Aemilius sayes Nobilitati omni vulnere gravius and which in the dayes of Lewis Hutin cost him his life for though that was not urged against him yet that did incense Charles and occasioned him to accuse him de crimine peculatus wherefore Comines gives this Caveat Lib. 3. lib. 5. Qui sunt in magno loco apud principem cavere debent ne quid atrocius dicant And Lipsius this Cavete vos caniculae periculosum est leonem vellicare beware how yee awake a sleeping Lyon especially yee that serve your Prince in any high places * 90. Commemoratio meritorum gravis It was fatall to Clitus and Philotas that Alexander heard that they boasted of the good service which they had done him It is observed of yong children quò celerius loquuntur tardius gradiuntur that the sooner their speech comes to them the longer it is before they goe And of the Cedars quo magìs florent eo minus fructus ferunt that the more gloriously they appeare to the eye the lesse fruit they beare the Frenchman sayes les grand diseurs sont sovent les petit faisours the greatest praters are for the most part the least actors as the greatest barkers are the worst biters Dolia plena cient nullum pulsata fragorem At digito tactum vas quod inane sonat The emptiest vessels and shallowest currents make the greatest noyse The Mousecatcher with his traps Altissima flumina minimo sono labuÌ„tur Curt. and the Carman with his coales will make the streets ring of them when the Merchant deales in silence without any noyse Wise men doe and say little Fooles brag and babble and doe little * Ostentatio est certum signum levitatis stultitiae nam quo quisque minus valet magis se dilatat ostentatione Cicero Res ipsa loquatur nobis tacentibus saith Seneca a servant of a Prince should be no Rodomontado for by talking too much hee loseth the honour due unto him What a shame was it to Terentius Varro to give forth at the Battell of Cannas that the same day that he displayed his Ensigne against the Carthaginians hee would utterly defeat them and to suffer himselfe to be shamefully beaten by them Liv. lib. 2. dec 3. as Livy hath it And what a dishonour was it to the Lord Tremoile to write unto Lewis the 12. that hee would deliver Maximilian la Sforza into his hands as before he had delivered Ludovick his Father in the end to be beaten by him with
see some Notes and Observations of mine in the end which have Relation unto it whereby the Authours meaning as well in point of History as Morality may be better understood Acatius Evenkellius his Advertisement to such as are in grace and favour with their Princes WHen of late wee met together and had some conference of the present affaires of the State but specially of the fall of Philodoxos you did seeme to wonder that I should be so confident that his end should bee no other then it fell out to be and although I did confirme the same unto you as well by Reason as by Authority taken out of the Histories both of antient and moderne times yet you were still of opinion that Philodoxos was so deeply scrued in his Princes favour that misfortune could not shake him and did desire me to shew you some Presidents of such as had tasted of the like grace and favour as hee did and that came to the like end as he did and withall what the causes were why I should bee so confident that Ruine and Destruction must needes be the end of him of which your request or command rather being ever mindfull I will first shew unto you out of the Treasuries of times both ancient and moderne some Examples of such as have been highly honoured by their Princes how they â—egan how they went on and how they ended In the next place as you desired I will shew you the causes of so suddaine a change and alteration and lastly play the part of a Physitian prescribe remedyes both to Prince and People that both the one and the other as farr forth as lieth in the power of man to doe may avoyd those dangers CHAP. I. Of Examples That I may begin with the Examples of the sacred Histories * 1 Ioab Davidis regis in utraque fortuna individuus diu comes 1 Ioab who was for a long time King Davids bosome friend in both fortunes the Captaine of his Guard and one well seene aswell in Militarie discipline as in Civill government and not ignorant of the fashion of the Court by which meanes hee grew gratious in the eyes of King and people who to give the King contentment put Vriah to death having neither law nor reason for his warant and to the end he might endear himselfe more and more unto him cunningly * 2 Rabbathae Ammoniorum urbis captionem regi suo reservavit 2 he ascribed the taking of Rabbath a Citie of the Ammonites unto him by reason of which his service hee grew so infinitly proud that not considering how odious such kinde of persons are in the sight of God and men hee was so bold * 3 Absalonem contra expressum Regis mandatum confodit 3 contrary to the expresse command of the King to lay violent hands upon Absalom the Kings son in hostilitie hee was with his Father and by consequence by the lawes of armes worthy of death yet hee had no Warrant to doe what hee did and for that the King tooke his death very heavily hee was so presumptuous as malepertly to upbraid him and to stir up the people to revolt and quit their allegiance nay it so fell out that not long before by a most barbarous trechery * 4 Abnerem ducem Israelitarum Amasam ducem Iudaeorum per summam perfidiam occiderat 4 hee slew Abner a Captaine of the Israelites and Amasa a Captaine of the Iewes that stood in competition with him and were upon the point to bee admitted into his place by the King to conclude which is worthy of observation hee seditiously * 5 Adoniam juvat 5 assisted Adonijah the Kings son to usurp his fathers territories in his life time for the which * 6 Iussu Regis interemptus 6 by the Kings Command hee was put to death by King Solomon his son before the altar Haman the son of Amadathus of the tribe of Agge Ahasuerus raised and set above all the Peares of his Kingdome and commanded that all his servants should honour and reverence him which gratious favour of his hee abused to satisfie his intolerable pride and cruelty when as * 7 TotoÌ„ gentem Iudaeorum propter odium unius Mardochaei 7 for the hatred he bare to Mordochee he obtained licence of the King that he might sacrifice the whole Nation of the Iewes but fortune turning of her wheele as God would have it he by the Kings command was hanged on the same tree which hee had prepared for Mordochee To come unto the Romane Histories which will shew unto us which is strange that the most flourishing times of the Empire will afford us most Examples in this kinde I will begin with Aelius Seianus a notable patterne of humane frailty hee was come of a Noble house and by his policie so wond himselfe into the favor of * 8 Illum tam superbum tam saevum tam violentum impeâ—atorem 8 Tiberius Caesar that proud licentious cruell inconstant ambitions Emperour that though he were reserved and close unto all others yet to him he was open and free hee had a body indefatigable a bold spirit close in any thing that concerned himselfe but a deep searcher in other mens secrets openly modest and shamefast but within full of flatterie pride and ambition and to accomplish his ambitious designes hee did very often use briberie and entertainments in excesse but more often Industry and vigilancy by his Industry and cunniâ—g hee insinuated himselfe into the affections of the pretorian company * 9 Cohortibus praetoriis praefectus 9 for hee being Cheife â—ommander of them hee summoned them very often to come together and by coming amongst them and * 10 Irrepere caepit in militaâ—es animos adeundo appellando 10 calling them by their names he won their hearts and the hearts of the Centurions and Tribunes neither did he forbeare to come among the Senators and to gratifie some with honors others with authoritie for Tiberius did so much honor him that hee made him not only privie to his Councells * 11 Per theatra effigies ejus inter Principes legionum coli statuit and actions but upon all occasions graced him in the presence of the Elders and the people 11 hee suffered his statues to be adored in the Courts and theater among the statues of the Princes Sejanus weighed all things diligently and duely considered of things before they happened and therefore that hee might not lose the power which hee had with the multitude and such as dayly did resorte unto him hee never absented himselfe long from his owne howse but came home to entertaine them where he received them curteously ever shewing his readines to procure pardon for such as were delinquents and that hee might the better bring to passe his designes * 12 Vitam procul Româ â—maenis locis ducere persuasit 12 he prevailed with Tiberius to
est 23 Plautianus was apprehended and being convicted by the Command of Anthony in the presence of Severus was put to death Vnto these Roman examples I will add one of the Graecians with Philip of Macedon the last King of that name There was a young man called Apelles that was so powerfull that hee might more properly bee called a King then a Favorite for that every City in Greece more observed and feared him then they did the King the King therefore by the advice of Aratus taking it to heart that this man looked after nothing more then the Empire * 24 Authoritatem omnem momento ademit 24 on a suddaine cast him off whereupon hee was thrown into Prison and shortly after put to death Polybius writing this History takes occasion to shew how happy and unhappy they that live in Princes Courts may be in a very moment of time he compares them unto suffrages which are accustomed to be given in Common-councells for as in Counsells saith hee it is in the power of the Senators to give Brasse or Silver so in the Courts of Princes it is in the power of the Prince to give honor or dishonor to make their servants either happy or miserable Hiero King of Syracuse in Sicilie when he dyed left his Kingdome to Hieronymo his Nephew and for that he was a child hee appoynted fifteene to see him vertuously educated amongst whom was Andronorus his sonne in law but the King was scant laid in his grave but Andronorus ambitious of Command eased the rest of that office of trust which was committed unto them affirming that Hieronymo was old and able enough himselfe to governe the Kingdome but by waving of the office which to him with others was joyntly committed hee got all the power into his own hand Hieronymo being young and vitiously addicted fell into all manner of evill courses and suddainly came to an untimely end Vpon whose death Andronorus possessed himselfe of the Tower and a great part of the City and fortified it with Garrisons for he he thought it more safe to run with the current and to yeild himselfe into the hands of the Senate though his Wife the daughter of King Hiero mad after Soveraignty often put him in minde to the end to encourage him to proceede in the course hee was in of what Dionysius was used to say that a man needed not to saddle a horse to leave a Kingdome hee might doe it well enough on foot intimating that it is an easie thing when a man will to part with a fortune but not easie to attaine unto it yet I say he thought it more safe for the present to submit o the Senate who made him one of their pretors but * 25 Nulla quies inâ—st animo dominandi Iibidine capto 5 his thoughts bein once possessed with a desire of Soveraignty he could not finde contentment in any thing else * 29 Vxore illum praesertim instigante 26 his wife principally animating him thereunto t lling him that now is the time if ever to stirr in it whilst the waters are troubled whilst the Souldiers are ready to accept of better pay then the Kings and whilst Hannibals Captaines are there ready to further his designe Which perswasion so prevailed with him that a second time hee took it into consideration how he might attaine to the Kingdome which being discovered he together with Themistius to whom hee had disclosed the whole matter was in the Senate house put to death Wee will passe from hence to the Historyes of other Countreyes and Ages Richard the first King of England reposed so much trust in William Bishop of Ely as that hee made him Chancellour of England Keeper of his great seale and Lieuetenant of the Tower of London at the same time hee prevailed with the Pope to make him Legat à Latere of England France and Jreland and when hee was to passe the Seas to wage Warr with the Saracens he left the Government of the Kingdome wholly to him and gave this charge to his Subjects that as they loved him and his Kingdome and as they desired to live in peace and prosperity and to enjoy their Possessions in safety that they would shew themselves obedient to his trusty and well-beloved Chancellour in all things that he should direct them that did concern him as if that hee were personally present so this man is now the greatest man in all the Western parts being in the Kings absence the Metropolitan of all England * 27 Dignitates quas pretio com paraverat immodetatè exercuit 27 hee executed the Diginities which hee purchased at deare rates with excessive cruelty and oppression and all respect of honesty set apart bent his thoughts only how he might fill the baggs again which hee had emptied to attain unto them he turned Vsurer and executed the office of Legat à latere which cost him a thousand pound with such cruelty that he became a burthen and eyesore to all the clergy of England he seldome rid with a lesse number then fifteene hundred of the Clergy to attend him and a band of Souldiers as if he had been a King as my Author saith and not a Bishop he was attended by the Sons of the Nobility whom he married to his kindred and happy did he think himselfe that could be gracious in his eyes there was no Land to be sold which he bought not no Church or Dignity void which he did not either bestow upon his friends or himselfe the keeping of all Castles and Townes by one meanes or other he engrossed and prevail'd so by his power that hee did what he would and no man durst once open his mouth to contradict him in any thing But it so happened that Iohn Earle of Mortaigne the Kings Brother calling the Peeres together to consult of the affaires of the State sent for this man likewise assuring him that he should safely come and goe but he suspecting them instead of coming unto them betooke himselfe for refuge to the Tower of London whereupon it was agreed by the Lords that he by whom the Church of God and People had received so much detriment should no longer govern in the Kingdom This Chancellour and his Adherents had so deceived the Kingdom of the Treasury that there was scarce any man that wore a girdle that had any silver in it any woman a chaine any Noble man a ring or any Iew had mony and indeed scarce any thing of worth was left in the Kingdome The Kings Treasury was emptied and nothing but the keyes and empty vessells found there The State of the Kingdome standing thus it was decreed that he should take an oath to relinquish all the power he had not to beare any sway any longer in the Government of the Common-wealth and to yeild up all the Castles that were committed to his charge especially the Tower of London These things hee put in pledges to
little and little he attained to Honour and in the end became to be the Kings Vicegerent being the greatest officer in Court This man now relying upon grace and favour which he was in with Rudolphus began to grow insolent to talke wantonly of Rudolphus and his Mother and to sow dissention between them which drew the hatred of them both upon him and caused them to make him an Example for by Rudolphus he was taken and cast into Irons and by his Mother his eyes were pulled out and his tongue that had talked so freely of her was cut out of his head The next Example is of Hungary * 34 Ludovicus primus porentissimus Rex Hungariae 34 Lewis the first of that name being the most powerfull King of Hungary left behinde him one onely daughter named Maria whom by his last Will and Testament with the consent of his Counsell he bequeatheth unto Sigismond Marquesse of Brandenburgh the sonne of the Emperour Charles the fourth being but of tender yeares yet so that untill she came to full age she should not marry him but afterwards should admit him her Companion in Soveraignty and Conjugall society but in the meane time she should be sole Commander and crowned with the title of King in this time lived her Mother Elizabeth the Wife of King Lewis who during her minority had a hand over her with both whom there was one Nicholas Gara whom Lewis had formerly advanced to be a Count Palatine that was nobly descended and exceeding rich on whom both the Mother the Daughter so much relied that what hee said was a Law they would doe nothing without him hee now attaining to such Grace and Favour did many ill offices advised the young Queen not to suffer her Peers to grow too great for thereby shee should diminish her own soveraignty and give them encouragement to attempt new designes but so to handle them that they might have no power to hurt her To take from such as were growen popular and potent all offices of command and authority and to bestow them on such as were men of known Integrity To conclude hee was a man gotten into so great favour with the Queen that what he spoke was a Law and what he advised onely was put in execution at which the Peers were highly offended and did conceive unplacable wrath not onely against Gara but against the Queen and laid their heads together how they might take from him all government in the Common-wealth for that much troubled them that she should so much dote upon that one man that to give him contentment shee should neglect and oppresse all the rest of the Nobility whereupon they sent for * 35 Carolus parvus 35. Carolus Parvus out of Apuleia and in the presence both of the Mother and the Daughter set the Crowne upon his head and proclaimed him King But they being greedy of Revenge and thirsting to be restored againe to the Kingdome by the councell of Gara they procured on Plasius Forgace de Chyines to kill Charles in the conclave and so by his meanes they attained their former government and this they did for the most part by the consent of the people for after that Charles was once crowned the people fell from him and repented themselves of what they had done but see what followes the troubled waters being well setled and they going for their recreation to see some of the lower parts of the Kingdome attended on by Gara and some others of the Court Ilion the governour of Croatia a friend and favorour of Carolus parvus who had beene formerly slaine by Gara's procurement desirous to revenge his untimely death boldly set upon them and whilst many run away Gara stood stoutly to it and defended both himselfe and the Ladies but in the end neare unto their Charriot was hee vanquished and slaine Pippo or Pippus alias Philippus Florentinus as Aenaeas Sylvius saith of the family of the Strozzi having behaved himselfe oftentimes very bravely in the Warres attained to such grace and favour with Sigismond the Emperour of Hungary that all men accounted him the second many men the first in the Kingdome insomuch that Sigismond said that if Pippo will it were an easie matter for him to send him with a staffe in his hand out of the Kingdome Bonfinus writes That he prevailed twenty times against the Turkes but afterwards being made Generall in the Venetian Warre and having bravely there carried himselfe for a long time was in the end by the Venetians corrupted with Gold to quit the Country and to returne into Hungary which being discovered to Sigismond hee caused Gold to be melted and to be powred downe his throat and so he came to his death Ericus King of Sweden being ill advised committed many cruell and enormous offences he contracted Matrimony with Catherine his Concubine and crowned her equally wth great solemnity a principall furtherer of his wicked enterprises was Georgius Peirus his Secretary whom he had exceedingly enrich'd with the confiscate goods of the Nobility at which his proceedings John and Charles his two Brothers being much offended and assisted with many of the Peers of the Nobility raised Armes against him besieged him and would not be satisfied untill they had George delivered unto them the King to pacifie them yielded unto their demand who after they had cruelly tormented him divided him into foure parts and so hee sustained condigne punishment for his many offences I might produce many Examples more and as Iustus Lipsius saith I should never make an end if I shoud reckon up all Examples in this kinde which every Age doth afford for this one Age afford us many Examples of note as Wolfgange Rinuphius who was advanced by Rodolfe Caesar M. Euzlius by Frederick Duke of Wittinburgh in France Charles Duke of Guyse Biron and of late yeares Marquesse D' Anchre CHAP. II. Of Causes IN the next place shall be shewed the Causes wherefore the prosperity of these men is but momentary and why ruine is for the most part the end of them The causes wherefore they continue not in prosperity that I may briefly summe them up are one or both of these Either because they doe obtaine their greatnesse by wicked practises and divises or that having duly attained unto it they doe dishonorably carry themselves in the execution of such offices as are committed to their charge The Counsels of men and the courses of their lives are different and have different successe according to the counsell of him that adviseth and perswadeth if hee adviseth good things to a good end the successe is good if contrarywise it is bad so in the world there are divers callings according to the diversitie of degrees sexes and professions and every calling different from another some of us are men some women some are fathers others children some Lords and free men other servants and Ministers some rule and governe others serve and obey some are separate for
wherefore hee must bee watchfull and use the remedy which I have before prescribed and such others as I shall now acquaint him withall For this purpose the Counsell which Moecenas gave unto Augustus Caesar is not to bee neglected touching his Officers that hee might without danger to himselfe or prejudice to the Common-wealth suffer such as had no power to hurt him to hold their places in perpetuity but not such as had Command of Armyes or Provinces for when they shall consider that within a short time they may bee private men they will be more carefull how they offer any wrong to any man of whose opinion was Seneca who affirmes that there is nothing so profitable to the Common-wealth as * 62 Nihil tam utile Reipub quaÌ„ brevem esse potestatem quae magna est 62 that great offices should ever be at the disposall of the Prince wherefore Mumercus Aemylius being a dictator in the Romane Common-wealth for that hee saw the Censors to continue in their places for the space of five yeares and not without prejudice to the whole Commonwealth called a Councell together to advise touching the liberty of the people where he affirmes that nothing was so prejudiciall to the Common-wealth as to permit Governours that had great power committed unto them to hold their places without any limitation of time that other officers hold their places but for a yeare the Censors for five yeares during the greatest part of which time they gave themseluer wholly to licentiousnesse wherfore hee thought it fit that the office of Dictator should not continue for a longer time then a yeare and six Moneths and so by a generall consent there was a Law made to that purpose and that hee himselfe might bee an example unto them hee spake after this manner that ye may know ye Noble Romans how distastfull a thing it is unto me to see Magistrates continue long in their offices I quit my selfe of my Dictatorship With Aemylius and the others before named accords Nicholas Machiavell in opinion who positively affirmes that it is a most dangerous thing to suffer any one to have a perpetuity in any great place for that hee hath thereby opportunity to effect his designes and this was the cause why the * 63 Decemviri 63 decemviri in Rome did abuse their authority when being * 64 Dictatores 64 Dictators they did not because they had time enough to worke their designes therefore hee saith if wee looke diligently into the form of government of the Romane Common-Wealth wee shall see that the chiefe cause of the ruine of that famous Common Wealth was by reason of the contention that arose among the common people concerning division of grounds and prorogation of magistracie for although that few or none took notice that the prorogation of magistracy was the cause of seditioÌ„ in that Common-Wealth yet it is most manifest that they that continued any long time in magistracy attained to so much power that it became fatall to the Common-wealth it was this alone that administred to Marius to Sylla to Caesar to turne topsie turvy the state of the Common-Wealth Wherefore we learne this of Caesar who after that he had ended the Warres in Affrica made a law that no praetor should hold his office above a yeare or Consul above two years having learn'd ad unguem a lesson which Dion hath in his three and fourtieth book and this hee did by his own example for that hee having had a Command in France for the space of many yeares together he found in himself an ambition to continue that coÌ„manding power still for the attaining of which swelling honor * 65 Atheniensibus inventus est Ostracismus 65 among the Athenians the punishment of Ostracisme and among the Syracusans the punishment of Petalisme was devised which Aristotle and Diodorus Siculus condemne as a remedy too violent and pernicious * 66 Syracusanis Petalismns for it is one thing to make a Law to keep a Subject within a meane that he get no further then the Prince will have him and another thing to banish him his Countrey for no reason but only for that hee excells in vertue and riches therefore both in Prince and People the golden meane is ever requisite Hence a Prince may learn by the eâ—amples of the Majors in France that if at any time he shall be so farr enamoured with any one man as that hee shall commit all power into his hands yet by * 67 Periculosum est ut authoritas in filios descendat 67 no meanes to let that power descend and be hereditary to his Posterity for there is no such inducement to make a man forget himselfe and to raise his thoughts beyond the ordinary pitch as the hope of propagating of honours by his owne witt and industry unto Posterity therefore let a Prince ever use the assistance of many in managing of his affaires and not commit all things to one nor listen to that only which one man can tell him for if any one of a Kings Subjects shall be so great that all the rest shall stand in awe of him hee indeed as Philip Commines observes is very King and Lord therefore * 68 Necessarium est ut Princeps plures oculos plures manus sibi faciat 68 Aristotle admonisheth Princes to use many eyes and many hands in the governing of their affaires which they then do when they use many Councellours for therefore are Princes said to have long hands not that their hands are longer then other mens but because they have many servants by whose help and assistance they can see and heare and manage the affairs in the most remote places of their Dominions for many eyes see more then one and most often that which one man understands not another will and many hands will with more celerity and dexterity dispatch a businesse wherefore Mecenas againe told Augustus that it was the best course to use the helpe of many in the mannageing of the affaires of the Common-Wealth that so the profit might redound unto many and many gaine experience thereby and be enabled to doe him service by which meanes hee should not onely gaine the good will of his Subjects but he should ever have able men at hand to doe him service in every kinde The selfe same counsell doth James King of great Brittaine give unto his sonne that he should not rely wholly upon the counsell of any one man in every thing for such a man in the end will not only be a burthen to his Lord and Master but be subject to the envy and displeasure of all men else as is before shewed againe it is impossible for one man to be able to undergo all businesses as Scipio Amiratus hath at large discovered and before him Aristotle who affirmes * 69 Possimum est unum plures magistratus obire 69 that it is most inconvenient to
Agrippa Seneca Maecenas Byrrhus whom we have before remembred did hee will doe his uttermost endeavour to perswade the Prince above and before all things in the world to look after that which tends to his own honour and the good of the Common-Wealth for as it is no way profitable to the stomack if at one meale it shall be so glutted that it be ready to burst or in a few daies so much meate be thrown into it as will serve for six months so it is no way profitable to a Prince at once to take all mens estates to himselfe and to care more that hee may have much then well to have gotten it and to enjoy it long therefore if thou wouldst well consider of it thou shalt finde that there are none that do more endammage the Prince then they that do advise him to intend his own private good and indeed if thou wouldst search into it thou shalt see that those men doe not look so much after his private good as the good of themselves and therefore by all manner of meanes they seek his favour but they that seek not somuch their owne good as the good of the Commonwealth have ever a care that as well the people as the Prince without whom he is but a single man may flourish and prosper for the head cannot be perfect if the other members of the body be impotent and not able to performe their proper office Of this Seneca in his Tragedy entituled Octavia takes notice saying * 87 Pulchrum est eminere intervâ—ros illustres 87 It is a famous worthy thing Amidst renowned Lords alone to ring And wisely to care your Country for to save And well your selfe to captive folke behave From cruell brutish slaughter to abstaine And void of mood to wreake your angry paine And to the world a quiet calm to give That all your age the people in peace may live This is a worthy praise without all crime This is the path to Heaven whereby we clime This then is the scope of all that a Princes servant ought so indifferently to carry himselfe between him and his people that as he honours and loves the Prince so he should the people yet not for their sakes but for his therefore let him alwayes be carefull that he may not justly be taxed as Seneca was that he drew the hearts of the Citizens fron the Prince to himselfe for as it * 88 Civilia in genia filiorum regnantibus displicent 88 is distastfull to Princes to see their sonnes have popular wits so it is to see their servants and this he shall bee sure to doe and keep himselfe from all suspition if he follow the Example of Agrippa and so honour his Prince that he may be sure that he studies nothing more then his safety and honour and above all things let him have a special care that he do not provoke him in word or deed for * 89 Pertinax memoria est verborum acerborum 89 bitter words take a deep impression in the mindes of great persons and the deeds which ensue thereupon strike more deep into them and though they doe not for the present either take notice of them or at least revenge them yet when any small occasion is given they are called to remembrance and when they little dream of it they are severely punished for them Joab slew Absalon contrary to the command of the King his father and afterwards seeing him condole his death sharply with menaces upbraided him which the King took very ill and although hee did not at that time inflict any punishment upon him yet upon his death-bed he commanded his sonne to punish him and without doubt for that cause though he did not then expresse it The same doth Alexander the great confesse in the case of Philotas this man saith hee when I writ unto him out of love and familiarity to acquaint him what fortune had befallen me by the oracle of Jupiter Hammon he was so bold as to answer my Letter that he was glad to heare that the gods had accepted me to be one of their company but yet I must have compassion of them that live under me the gods doe not as men doe they give and take nothing from any man these are markes of a minde long ago estranged from me and of a man that envies to see my prosperity which griefe my Souldiers so long as they could for the love they bore unto Philotas prevailed with me to conceal The very same thing doth Chalchas testifie in Homer now saith he doth Jupiter give reines unto his power and now doth hee persecute with eagernesse the man of low degree and though for a time he concealed his wrath and made a faire shew yet afterwards it returned into his bosome againe and would not be satisfied untill it had revenged it selfe Therefore I say he must have a speciall care that hee doe not provoke his Prince with any harsh language especially that hee doe not carry himselfe so that his Prince shall stand in feare of him which wee have before observed to be a great fault in the Earle of St. Paullont of Commines and in Joab that threatned the King that unlesse hee would observe him the people would renounce their Allegiance unto him therefore Philip Commines saith that if that he had a friend he would advise him to carry himselfe so that his Master might love him not feare him for that he never knew man of whom his Master stood in feare that sped not ill in the end Examples whereof wee have very many This presumtion oftentimes proceedeth of the good service he hath done for he thinks his experience so great that hee cannot bee spared and his deserts such that his Master ought to bear all things at his hands but Princes on the contrary side both say and think that hee is bound to doe him service and desire nothing more then to be rid of such malepert fellows and he alledgeth a saying of the King his Master that good servicâ—s sometimes undoe a man and are recompenced with great ingratitude not alwayes by the Masters forgetfulnesse but sometimes by the servants owne fault who presuming upon their good service behave themselves arrogantly either towards their Masters or their fellowes and further touching those that come to court this was his opinion that he is more hapier that receiveth a benefit of the Prince he serveth without any great desert wherby he standeth bound to his Prince then he that hath done so great service that his Prince seemeth indebted to him adding that hee for his part loved those better that were bound to him then they to whom hee was bound Againe let not the servant of a Prince opprobriously be bragging and boasting of his owne merits nor in other affaires be troublesome to him but let him containe himselfe within the bounds of modesty and assume rather too little then too much unto himselfe Quintus Curtius
affirmes that it * 90 Commemoratio meritoruÌ„ suorum in ministro gravis est principi 90 was fatall unto Clitus and Philotas that Alexander heard that they boasted what they had done in his service and therefore did suspect them both of dishonesty and disloyalty to him Againe * 91 Ne praemiorum petitione sit gravis 91 let not a servant be ever craving and begging of his soveraign for of such kinde of people a Prince desires to be freed especially if they be proud with all or malepertly upbraid him for what they have done for him Againe * 92 Injurias principis hilari valtu ferat 92 if thy Prince shall offer thee any hard measure as thou conceivest undergo it with all alacrity and by no meanes muâ—mur and repine at it for as Seneca well observeth they will doe it againe if they conceive they have done it before for men of great fortunes have this property that they will hardly be reconciled and whom they once distaste they will ever hate The answer of him is well known who being demanded how he did continue til his old age so gracious in Court wheÌ„ many others were cast off answered by passing by and taking no notice of injuries offered him so Prexaspes whom wee have before remembred being asked by Cambises King of Persia that shot his Sonne to the heart with an arrow whether any man had a more stedfast hand then hee answered Apollo himself did not shoote more stedfastly so Harpagus when the King of Persia feasted him being asked how hee liked his entertainment answered that the Table of Princes is the mirour of mirth so when Christophorus sent Morus a special Ambassadour after the death of Sebastian King of Portugall to congratulate with him that was to succeed in the Kingdom John Silvius that was Leiger Ambassadour there before seeing himselfe neglected and hearing divers rumours raised of him hee interpreted all to the best and took it as a speciall favour because he saw there was no remedy Wherefore whosoever thou art if thou desirest to bee powerfull thou must patiently endure whatsoever befals thee Againe if thy Prince hath been beneficiall unto thee as it must needs be if thou hast served long in any high place make it knowne unto to all the world and to himselfe when occasion is offered so did Seneca speake of Nero that hee had been exceeding gracious unto him in conferring upon him much Treasure so that hee oftentimes took it into his consideration why he that descended not of any noble Familie should be ranked among the Peeres of the City Againe let him be carefull that hee never assume the honor of any achievements to himself especially if they be of any great consequence for so the most prudent of all Nations have ever done Ioab a Generall of King Davids Army when he besieged Rabba a City of the Ammonites and was upon point to have it delivered unto him he sent unto the King that hee would be pleased to come in Person thither least the honour thereof might be attributed unto him so did Craterus a chiefe Commander under Alexander when he besieged Artacena after all Articles were agreed upon betweene them he staid only the Kings comming as iâ— was fit that hee might have the honour of it In the acting of this part Agrippa was most expert for although hee atchieved many great and famous enterprises and obtained many glorious victories unto Augustus yet never did hee assume the glory of them to himself and whatsoever he bestowed upon him hee imployed it not to his owne private profit but for the good of Augustus and the Common-Wealth when hee had overcome the Cantabrians he did not somuch as write to the Senate of it or triumphed according to the Decree of Augustus hee brought the water which is called Virginalis at his own charge into the City and named it Augusta which Augustus took very kindely from him againe when he returned home out of France where he bravely quitted himselfe having subdued his enemies hee forbare to ride in Triumph because not long before his Master had been in a fight at Sea by Sextus Pompey and hee thought it would not become him to ride in Triumph his Master having had such ill successe for it is reported of him that hee was used to say that very many Princes will not endure that any man should bee accounted more excellent then themselves and therefore they doe usually goe themselves in person upon designes wherein there is small difficulty and danger but upon desperate attempts they ever put others and if at any time they are compelled to commiâ— the charge of any enterprise to others wherein there is little danger yet they will not endure that they shouid have the Honour of the businesse for as they do not desire to â—eare of their ill successe so they will not have the honour of the day to be ascribed â—o â—hem Antipater was well experienced in this and herefore when hee obtained a famous victory against tâ—e Spartans and their confederates knowing the fame thereof would but draw envy upon him being greater then did belong to a Generall and withall well knowing that though Alexander had a desire to have his enemies vanquisht yet hee would not have Antipater to bee the man to have the honor of it for that he supposed it would bee derogotary to his honour therefore I say Antipater well knowing the minde of Alexander would not presume to hazard the glory of the day upon his own judgement but advised with the Graecians what was best to be done for he thought it more safe to himself for a stranger to have the honour of it then a Citizen because the Citizens would envy his greatnesse and study how to levell it with the dust the selfe same doth Cornelius Tacitus commend in Agricola that hee never gloried in any thing that hee did but as a servant hee ever ascribed the honour to the chief Captaine and Commander by which his humble and modest carriage he lived without envy but not without fame and reputation It is reported that after that hee had obtained a famous victory against the Britaines and thereby raised an immortall fame to himself that Domitian began to be jealous and afraid of him that hee being but a private man his glory and fame should be greater then the Emperours whereupon Agricola having delivered up his charge returned home unto Rome and that hee might avoyd the concourse of the people and his friends that would have met him came secretly to the Emperours Palace in the night as he was commanded where he was received with a short complement and not so much as a word used to any of his followers and now being at home among peaceable men unto whom the name of a Souldier was distastfull hee so tempered his military vertues with others * 93 Otium penites auxit 93 that as before he advanced Warre so now hee
King Ios l. 7. de ant Iud. c. 7. 2 Sam. c. 12.29 * 3. Absalonem contra expressum regis mandatum confodit Ioab contrary to the Kings expresse command slew Absolon Ios lib. 7 de ant Iud. 2 Sam. c. 18.14 * 4. Ioab Abnerem ducem Israelitarum et Amasam ducem Iudaeorum occiderat Ioab slew Abner a Captaine of the Israelites and Amasa a Captaine of the Iewes Abner was the Generall of Sauls Army as Ioab was of Davids and was beloved of the people who for that he was reproved by Isbosheth for the keeping of Rispa Sauls Concubine revolted from him to King David and used his best endeavour to settle the Crowne upon him but Ioab fearing that if hee should come in favour with the King his greatnesse would be eclipsed buzzed into the Kings eares that what he did was in Policy and that when hee had his end hee would revolt unto King Saul and seeing hee could not divert the affections of the King from him most treacherously under colour of parle ran his sword through him and slew him Ios lib. 7. de ant Iud. c. 11. Amasa was a Generall whom Ioab slew for no other cause but because the King had given the same power unto him as he had done unto Ioab Ios lib. 7. de ant Iud. c. 10. * 5. Ioab Adoniam patre vivente regnum invadentem aperte juvat Ioab treacherously assisted Adonijah against the King Adonijah was the sonne of King David by his Wife Agge for David had six sonnes before the birth of Solomon by six severall women Ammon by Achymas Daniel by Abigal Absolon by Machima Adonijah by Agge and Gerthesa and Gala by others the chiefe men that did adhere unto Adonijah were Ioab and Abiathar the high Priest the chiefe men that did oppose him were Zadock the Priest Nathan the Prophet and Benaiah the Captaine of the Guard Ios lib. 7. de ant Iud. c. 11. * 6. Ioab jussu Davidis a Solomone ad ipsam aram interemptus est Ioab by the Kings command by Solomon was put to death before the Altar Among other things King David gave this in charge unto Solomon at his death remember the iniquity of Ioab who through aemulation slew two good Generals Abner the sonne of Ner and Amasa the sonne of Iethram Ios l. 7. c. 11. * 7. Haman totam gentem Iudaeorum propter unius Mardochaei odium excindere parabat Haman for the hatred which he bore unto Mardochee would have sacrificed the whole Nation of the Iews In the dayes of Cyrus by the Graecians called Artaxerxes the whole Nation of the Iewes were in danger to bee extirpated for Haman being in favour with the King obtained a decree that all the Iewes together with their Wives on such a day should be put to death and for no other reason but because Mardechee the Queens Uncle would not adore him as the Persians did yet many other things were buzzed into the Kings eares against the Iewes as that they were a rebellious people of corrupt manners and enemies to all goodnesse of which decree Mardochee being given to understand betook himselfe to fasting and prayer and it pleased God so to work upon the affection of the King the Queene mediating for the Jewes that the punishment intended to Mardochee was inflicted upon Haman Jos lib. 11. de Ant. Iud. * 8. Tiberium illum tam superbum tam vinolentum tam crudelem Imperatorem That proud licentious and cruell Emperour It it is reported by a Tac. l. 6. Annal. Tacitus that the saying of Passienus the Orator went currant of Tiberius neque meliorem unquam servum neque deteriorem unquam dominum fuisse that there was never a better servant nor a worse master then Tiberius egregiè vixit privatus insons whilst hee was a private man yea and in the beginning of his raign he carried himselfe b Sue in Tib. c. 27. Dion Cas lib. 57 Tac. Annal lib. 1. very moderately vetat Templa sibi erigi erigique sibi statuam multa praeclara gessit de veste serica non utenda de vasis aureis non adhibendis nisi in sacris hee prohibited Temples to be dedicated ro him and his Statues to be erected hee regulated the excesse of superfluous apparell and commanded that vessels of gold should not bee used but onely in the Temples mox ubi regna petivit totas vitiis laxavit habenas but when hee got the reines of the Empire into his hands c Tac. lib. 6. Annal. there was no vice that hee was free from cruell hee was in a most barbarous manner omnis sexus omnis aetas illustres ignobiles dispersi aggregati d Ille nec aetati tenerae nec parcit anili every sex age and degree men and woemen old and young bond and free noble and ignoble tasted of his cruelty and given to Wine he was in excesse insomuch that instead of e Suet. in Tiber. Tiberius he was called Biberius and of Nero Mero certare peculis hilarescere vino erat illi quotidianum it was a familiar thing with him to spend two or three daies together in Polyphagia polypotia in gluttony and drunknesse Cum Pomponio Flocco L. Pisone noctem biduumque epulando potandoque consumpsit jucundissimos omnium horarum amicos hos esse affirmans with Floccus and Pyso hee spent two whole dayes and a night in drinking affirming they were the best companions that ever hee met withall Historians report that his nurse was a great drinker of Wine and that she ordinarily whilst hee was in his tender yeares fed him with sops dipt in wine whence it came to passe that when hee came to full growth hee delighted in nothing more then debosching and gurmondizing the Italian saith that it is a rule infallible che de latte che poppianio nella infantia dependata tutta la salute della vita nostra that of the milk that wee suck in whilst wee are in our cradles depends our health and welfare all our life time if that be unwholesome our bodies will be crasie and subject to diseases and the reason is because quod nova testa capit inveterata sapit the vessell will ever rellish of the liquour with which it is first seasoned Titus the sonne of the good Emperour Vespasian had all his life time a weak and crasy body and no other reason is given che per haver poppato nella infantia latte di balla mal sana but because in his tender yeares he was nurst by a woman that was not sound The cruelty of Caligula is not imputed to Germanicus that begot him or to his Mother that brought him forth but to the nurse that gave him suck of whom Dion sayes that she had haire on her brests as thick as men have on their beards So likewise the inhumanity of Pyrrhus is imputed to a Tigre of whom Homer sayes that he was borne in Greece bred up in Arcadia and nurst
by a tigre Durius had a daughter whose nurse fed upon nothing but venemous things whence it came to passe che a capo di tre anni quando la fauciulla fu dispoppata non mangiava se non animali venenosi as soone as she was weaned she would digest an adder or serpent as familiarly as another would doe the brawn of a capon Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople was so much troubled with melancholy that for three parts of the yeare hee was in a manner frantick for hee that is in a deep melancholy differs little from a mad man as the word signifies being derived à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insanio and this is attributed to his nurse that did abound with that humour of whom this tale passeth that the empresse meeting with an old woman discovered unto her her husbands infirmity who did advise her to chide him and to fall foule upon him twice every week at the least because he that lulls a melancholy man asleep with musick doth but foster the humour whos 's counseil the Empresse taking into consideration non solo due volte di septimana as my Authour sayes mai quattro volie il giorno il dava qualche dispiacere not only twice a week but foure times a day vext and perplext him and in the end with her bitter potion cured him thus the nurse oftentimes causeth the childe to degenerate from the nature and disposition of his Parents whereof both the Romanes and the Graecians taking speciall notice in the daies of old used their best endeavours to regulate the abuses in this kinde M. Portius that was so famous amongst the Romanes in a speech which hee made in the Senate house bitterly enveighs against the Senators for suffering their children to be delivered into the hands of strangers saying O padri conscriti mi paere gran monstruosità vedere huomini havere falconi nelle mane e vedere le doÌ„ne creare caguolini nelle bracchie lâ—asciando stare i proprâ—i figlivoli nelle altrui braccie it seemes to me a monstrous thing in nature to see men carry hawks on their hands and women dogs betweene their armes and to see them deliver over their children into the hands and armes of others crudeles certè parentes they are cruell fathers and mothers that mue up their hawks and keep their dogs in their houses for their delight and cast their children out of the doores whom they are bound by the law of God and nature to keep at home non pate l'honore non lo promitte la conscienza non concedde la legge divina ne humana che Coloro che Jddio ha fatta padri e madre di huomini divengono balie di falconi e cani as saith my Authour in some bitternesse it is not allowed in point of honour in point of conscience or by the lawes of God or men that they whom God hath made the fathers and mothers of children should make themselves the nurses of hawks and dogs if wee have a jewell which wee doe value wee will not willingly deliver it out of our hands and if we doe it shall bee into the hands of such whom wee dare trust as boldly as ourselves now what jewell can be compared to the flesh of our flesh and to the bone of our bone and how carefull ought wee to be into whose hands wee commend them not without cause therefore Plato gave in charge to the Graecians and Lycurgus to the Lacedemonians that every woman of low degree should nurse all her children and every woman of quality her first begotten Ortomistus the sixt King of the Lacedemonians lest two sonnes behinde him at the time of his death the youngest of which inherited his Possessions and for no other reason but because he was nurst by his mother and his elder brother by a stranger whence arose a custome throughout all Asia che il figlivolo che non pappana il latte della madre non hereditassero la robba della padre that the sonne that suckt not the milke of his mother should not inherit the Possessions of his father giamai fu madre simile di delicatezza ne mai sara alla madre del redemtore nostro as my Authour saith There was never so delicate a creature in the world nor ever will bee as was the Mother of our Saviour who by her own example hath taught us that there is nothing more naturall then for a Mother to afford milke out of her owne breasts to the issue engendered of her owne bowels the naturalists send us to the Sow to schoole who though she bring forth many yet nurseth them all if children then sometimes neglect their Parents in their age it is no wonder being they were so carelesse of them in their minority When the bastard brother of the two famous Gracchi returned home from the Wars hee brought with him two girdles the one of gold the other of silver the golden girdle hee gave to his nurse the silver one to his Mother with which his Mother being offended hee spake thus unto her Mother marvell not at it percioche tu mi portasti Solamente nel ventre nove mese e ella mi nutrico nella suo petto tre anni e quando esecudo io piccolo tu mi cacciasti da tuo occho ella mi raccolse nella sue braccie because that you bare me but nine months in your belly and shee hath fed mee three years with her breasts and when you cast me from your eyes she embraced mee in her armes Cornelius Scipio after his returne home from the Warres between him and Antiochus condemned to dye two valiant Gentlemen nobly descended for that they had unadvisedly spoiled the Temple of the Vestall Virgins to whom his brother Scipio Africanus became an earnest suitor for their pardon but could not by any meanes prevaile whereupon they made use of another that was to Cornelius a foster-Sister the Daughter of his Nurse who presently obtained their release which Scipio taking to heart Cornelius spake thus unto him Sappi frtaello che io reputa piui per madre colei che mi nutrie non mi partori che colei che mi partori e poi mi abandono know thou my Brother that I thinke her rather to bee my Mother that nurst me and did not beare me t en she that bare me and after cast me off as a Childe hath no excuse for his disobedience so a Parent hath none for his neglect of him Vpon a time there arose a great controversie betwee a Father and a Sonne which was referred to Solon to determine before whom both parties appearing the Sonne complained that his Father had done him much wrong in disinheriting him being his only Sonne the Father answered that hee had done him none for that hee had not onely been a disobedient Childe but a cruell Enemy opposing him in every thing which hee undertooke which gave him just occasion to
and wisht them to remember that they were not made to rule but to obey that they were inferiour to men in every respect that by reason of them men undergoe all the misery in the World that they are of themselves unperfect Creatures and for that cause every woman desires to bee a man that they are cold and timorous and therefore not fit to undergoe the offices of the Common-Wealth that if they should bee admitted to any places of Command and should but once transgresse the bounds of chastity they would dishonour themselves and their places in perpetuity when as the same offence in men is many times past by and soone forgotten that men accompanying them become imperfect and for that cause hate them most that had their virginity and that women accompanying men become more perfect and for that cause love them best that had theirs which Philogynes hearing began to grow in choler and plainly told him hee was in an errour and that hee would make it plainly appeare unto him and all the World that women according to the naturalists are no way inferiour unto men for if they be said he it is either in respect of their substance or their accidents but in respect of their substance it cannot be because they are both of the same substance and according to the Logicians are a species comprehended under one and the same genus and in respect of their accidents it is not because it must be either in respect of the accidents belonging to the body or the accidents belonging to the minde if by reason of the accidents belonging to the body it is because men are more strong more agile and more laborious then women but that 's no reason for that among men the strongest are not in most esteeme but the wisest if by reason of the endowments belonging to the minde it is because men are more wise more valiant more temperate and more just then women but that is no reason for that we may reade of many women that have governed Kingdomes with as great wisedome as men to have been as excellent Philosophers and Poets as men to have led on Armies in the field as couragiously as men to have decided controversies in the Courts of justice as judiciously as men and to have been as sober and temperate in the whole course of their lives as men yea which is more if any preheminence bee to bee given concerning the endowments of the minde the woman is to have it because her flesh is more delicate and tender and according to Philosophy the more delicate the constitution of the body is the more excellent are the endowments of the minde for that the form followes the temperature of the body and where you alledge that a woman is an imperfect creature without a man you might as well say a man is imperfect without a woman for being that God made man and woman to encrease and multiply humane generation upon the face of the earth both are imperfect without each other and to speake the truth the woman in that case is the more perfect of the two and is to have the preheminence if any preheminence bee to bee given because that man engenders with delight without any trouble but the woman brings forth with sorrow and not without hazzard of life and where you alledge that every woman desires to bee a man to the end she may be more perfect certainly you are deceived in the end for they do not desire it to the end they may be more perfect but to the end they may avoid that tyranny which men have usurp't over them and where you say that man is hot and woman cold and by how much heat is to bee preferred before cold by so much is a man to bee preferted before a woman it is true heat is the more noble quality of the two if we consider it in the elements as they are simple but consider it in the mixt bodies there it is otherwise for if cold cause women to bee timorous and fearefull which is a defect heat causeth men to bee furious and frantick which is an excesse and it cannot bee maintained that a man that is a foole because hee hath more heat then a woman ought to be preferred because a wary distrust in a woman which proceeds of cold is to bee preferred before a rash and giddy forwardnesse in a man which proceeds of heate and where you say that had it not been for a woman man had never tasted of misery you might as well have remembred had it not been for a woman man had never tasted of felicity and where you say if women should bee advanced to any places of Command and should but once transgresse the bounds of chastity they would dishonour themselves and their places in perpetuity when men do often transgresse in that kinde and no notice taken of it certainly that is the fault folly of the times that doe not lay the burthen upon the right horse the man deserves to be condemned and the woman pitied for being that the hardest stone is in time worn by the soft drops of rain the strongest fort with often batteries levelled with the dust the gravest judge with bribes flatteries corrupted why should a poore weak woman if after a long seige shee yield her selfe captive bee condemned and not rather he that made the breach and where you say that man hates the woman most that had his virginity because thereby hee becomes more imperfect and the woman loves the man best that had hers because thereby shee becomes most perfect I confesse there is such a probleme but you are mistaken in the reason of the problematist it is not because the man becomes more imperfect the women more perfect but because the man is fickle whom he loves to day he hates to morrow and the woman constant in her first love to her first lover that I may fully stop your mouth I will tell you of some women whom you shall hardly finde me men to paralell there was one Mirte the first Queen of the Lydians who was of so low a stature that shee seemed to be a Dwarfe yet of so great a spirit that shee led on Armies in the field and decided causes in courts of justice insomuch that the Lydians thought it no dishonour to them to give her the precedency amongst their Kings Cornelia the Mother of the Gracchi was more honoured in Rome for the Lectures which she read then her sonnes were for the Victories which they obteined of whom Cicero gave this testimony that hee never knew out of so weak a body to proceed so strong a wit Arete the daughter of Aristippus read the Naturall and Morall Philosophy Lecture 35 years in Athens whom the Athenians honoured with this Epitaph here lies Arete il splendore di Grecia la quale hebbe la bellezza d' Helena l'honesta di Tirma la penna d' Aristippo l'anima di
too high a pitch but had confined himselfe within a meane if one man might have deserved so mâ—ch as he had hee might have deserved it for that I cannot finde that ever hee reflected his thoughts upon himselfe to rayse any house of his name but ever sent forth his Treasure in handfulls that came in in spoonesulls and what he had the King knew the Kingdome knew because he exposed it daily to view hee that diligently reades this story will find that the King from the beginning used the Cardinall but as a sponge vid. Godw. de Epis Angl. G. Cavend in vita Wolsaei Polyd. lib. 27. m. H. S. Thu. lib. 1. * 30 Inter tres Principes Hee carried himselfe indifferently between the King his Master the King of England and the Duke of Burgondy Never did the Kingdome of France produce a more turbulent spirit then this Constable hee was the only Incendiary between the King his Master the King of England and the Duke of Burgondy and his ambition ever was rather to bee feared then loved for which hee grew a Odimus accipitrem qui semper vivit in armis contemptible and his death often threatned before it happened Commines writing of the tumultuous broyles that hapned between these Princes shews that there were two principall motives that occasioned the Constable and the Duke of Guyen to kindle the fire one was their own safety for they did conceive if there were a peace concluded that either the one or the other would fall fowle upon them the other was to compell the Duke of Burgondy by a War if they could not otherwise prevaile to marry his daughter being his daughter and heire to the Duke of Guyen and these designes were manifested to the Duke of Burgondy upon the delivering up of St. Quintins and Amiens to the King for the Duke beeng much troubled for the losse of these townes in a friendly manner writ unto the Constable not to presse a Warr being that there was no defiance offered unto whom the Constable perceiving that hee stood in feare of him which was the thing hee aymed at returned a peremptory answer to this effect that there was but one way for him to help himselfe which was to bestow his daughter upon the Duke of Guyen which if hee would doe not onely the said Duke but divers other Lords would declare themselves for him against the King and hee would redeliver St. Quintins and Amiens unto him and assist him with all his power otherwise hee would pursue the War which answere the Duke having received resolved to undergoe any misery rather then to have his daughter taken from him in that way and thereupon forthwith acquainted the King with those and the like letters which he had sent to the King of England who immediately revived the agreement made at Bonvines concerning the death of the Constable Of the letters which the Constable sent to the Duke of Burgondy and the King of England see Commines lib. 4. c. how the agreement at Bonvines was afterwards ratified and hee delivered by the Duke of Burgondy comming to him upon safe conduct see Commin lib. 4. See more of the Constable in the generall History of France in Lewis the 11. * 31. Peculasus accusatus suspendio affectus Enguerrande for robbing the Kings Treasure was accused and hanged Enguerrande was Earle of Longuevill and Superintendent of the Treasure under Philip the fourth called the fair and did him good service but Charles the Kings brother conceiving inplacable hatred against him in the beginning of the raign of Lewis Hutin accused him for robbing the Kings Treasure and gave this in evidence against him rerum vires nervusque pecunia est te interrogo Enguerranâ— cujusnam pecunia arcaque recondita clausaque cupiditati tuae fuerit non interrogo quam amplum patrimonium relictam tibi a Parentibus fuit tu te creasti tu te genuisti ingredere fiscum Regis inopiam invenies ingredere aedes istius gurgitis gazam Persicam invenies an virtute parta quae virtus in tali monstro potest esse and upon this evidence prevailed to have him hanged upon a gallowes set up at Mountfalcon See Paul Aemil. lib. 8. * 32. Petrus Laudoicus apud ducem Britaniae Peter Landais was in the like favour with the Duke of Britaine Peter Landais was the sonne of a very meane man of Vitry in Britanny and came to the Court very poore whom the Duke at the first imployed to carry his amorous Letters to his Ladies after made him the Master of his Wardresse then his Treasurer and in the end his power was so great that he did in a manner what he would hee was the man that caused the Duke to suffer Chauvin his Chancellour to dye miserably in prison of hunger and cold which so incensed the Nobility that they resolved to ease the Duke of him whereupon John of Chalon Prince of Orange and son to one of the Dukes Sisters and John of Rieux Marshall of Britanny and one of the greatest men in Court together with the Nobility resolved to surprise him in the Castle of Naâ—â—s or wheresoever they could finde him though in the Dukes presence which they performed And so Peter was arraigned condemned and hanged priusquam causam sciret dux as Paulus Aemilius hath it Vid Paul Aemil. l. 10. c. 8. supplem ad lib. 6. Com. Observations There is no man so vile and contemptible in the world but is good to some body this Peter that was thus hanged did one of the greatest curtesies to King Hen. the 7th that ever was done to him When King Edw. the Fourth sent unto Francis Duke of Brittany Doctor Stillington with others-laden with Gold to request him to deliver unto them the Earle of Richmond being his Prisoner upon pretence to unite the two houses by an alliance the Duke conceiving that hee intended to marry Elizabeth his Eldest Daughter unto him without any scruple took their Gold and delivered him but being informed afterwards by Peter his favourite that it was but a pretence and that hee meant to cut off his head sent him post after them who finding them at Saint Mallo staying for a winde took a course to have the Earle conveyed into the Sanctuary there yet possessed the Doctor and his fellowes that hee had no hand in it but that hee escaped of himselfe and when they prest to have him redelivered hee told them it could not be without his Masters consent and that they should very speedily know his minde therein So Peter sent to the Duke and the Duke sent a peremptory answer that hee had once delivered him and being that through their negligence they had suffred him to take Sanctuary hee would not take him out but would keep him there or in his own Palace for them so Peter cosened them of their mony and adventure as he had cosened his Master all his life time and sent them home without either
charitable I think it a high point of wisdome in him Dum tacet indoctus poterit cordatus haberi Is morbos animi namque tacendo tegit This Cosmo de medicis knew well who being askt by a great Burgomaster how hee should carry himselfe in his place answered Vesti di rosato e parla poco put thy selfe into the habit of a Senator and say little and this the old Romanes knew well at that time when they desired of the Grâ—cians a transcript of their Lawes upon a time the Romans became earnest suitors to the Graecians to send them a transcript of their lawes which the Graecians taking into consideration after a long debate resolved to yeild unto their request and to send one of the wisest men amongst them with it with a Commission to deliver it if hee found them learned and capable of them if ignorant then to bring them back again of which their resolution the Romanes having notice having no man within their Dominion that was able to compare in learning with the wise man of Greece they resolved to attire a foole in the habit of a Senatour to encounter him and gave it in charge to him that he should look gravely and say nothing for that they thought it would bee no dishonour to their Nation to have the wisest man in Greece to gravell and put to a nonplus the veriest foole in Rome whereas if they should imploy one of their wisemen and hee should bee foiled it would be a great dishonour to them the wiseman of Greece arriving at Rome the foole in his Senators habit with a low congy salutes him the wiseman thereupon held up one of his fingers intimating thereby that he was sent by God the Father which the foole misconstruing conceiving that he intended to put out one of his eyes with his finger held up three of his fingers intimating unto him that if he went about with his one finger to put out one of his eyes hee would with two of his fingers pUt out both his and with the third disfigure his face which the Graecian interpreted that hee was sent by the three Persons in the Trinity God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost the Graecian then opened his hand intimating therby that God being the fountaine of goodnesse had sent him with their lawes unto them which the foole misconstruing thinking that by the opening of his hand hee meant to give him a blow on the eare clutcht his fist intending to requite him with a bloody nose which the Graecian interpreted that hee meant that God in his hand was able to hold the universe and so esteeming of the Romanes by the gestures of the foole to bee a wise generation hee left his transcript with them Ecco saith my Authour come questo savio filosofo Greeeo futacendo vinto da vn pazzo Romano behold how a wise man of Greece was deceived by a foole of Rome that held his peace Silence by the ancients hath ever been held a commendable vertue and therefore did they oftentimes expresse themselves in silent and dumb shewes Sartorius having a desire to disanimate the Portugals from fighting with the Romanes whilst their Army was united caused to be delivered to a weak old man a stout and warlike horse and to a lusty young man a poore weak jade commanding them both to pull off their tayles the young man pull'd and pull'd and pull'd again and often pull'd downe the jade yet could not pull off his tayle the old man took another course hee did not attempt to pull off his taile at once but pelo a pelo haire by haire by little and little hee pull'd it off intimating unto them that it was but lost labour to set upon the Romanes whilst their Army was united but if they could divide it they might doe some good upon them the like is reported of Scilurus King of the Scythians who drawing neare unto his end called for his quiver of arrowes and in the presence of his Sonnes being eighty in number hee caused one of his servants to trie whether hee could break them in the quiver or no who made many attempts but in vaine then hee commanded him to take them out one by one and then hee broke them without any difficulty thereby intimating unto them that so long as they were united and lived in Peace one with another no power was able to hurt them but if they fell to discord they would all by degrees come to nothing In like manner did Tarquine discover himselfe to his sonne Sextus Sextus having taken many captives sent to his Father to know what hee should doe with them who not willing to discover himselfe by his speech to the Messenger took him aside into his Garden and with his knife cut off the tops of the herbes and cast them on the ground whereby hee gathered that Tarquin would either have them banish'd or put to death in the same manner did Agesilaus reprove the Sophister Agesilaus upon a time hearing a Sophister making a great flourish in a businesse of small consequence shewed him a great shooe and a little foot thereby intimating unto him how unseemly it was for a man to exceed a meane Thus did the Ancients oftentimes by signes and mutes expresse themselves non tacuisse nocet nocet esse loquutum sayes the Poet the over-flowing of the tongue doth often bring shame and dishonour to a man but seldome doth the ebbing any harme wherefore the wiseman in Apelles shop was pictured with his finger on his mouth and with wide eares to shew that a man should hear much and say little * 46. Fastus hujus species maximè hodiè usitata This kinde of Pride is come into fashion in our dayes Solomon in the first of Ecclesiastes asketh this question estnè aliquid de quo dicitur aspice hoc novum est is there any new thing under the Sunne is there any thing now that hath not been in times past or was there any thing in times past that shall not bee againe in time to come ut pedem primò intra domum ponas as Seneca hath it in his sixt Book de beneficiâ—s the wall and the first entrance into the house was much stood upon in the dayes of old and is it not come againe in fashion in our dayes stellarum decursus quicquid praeteriit repetit observa orbem rerum saith hee in his 36 Epistle in se remeantium videbis nihil extingui sed vicibus descendere acresurgere there is a kinde of revolution of things in the World and no fashion now that hath not been in the dayes of old * 47. Avaritia bellua immanis intolleranda Avarice is a Beast insufferable The naturalists doe distinguish the Beasts of the field to be either Beasts of prey or milde and gentle Beasts if they are Beasts of prey they are of a ravenous nature live upon the spoile of harmlesse creatures and are unprofitable both in
reason of his justice and integrity to have him banisht by the sentence of Ostracisme Plutarch hath a pretty Tale of a Countryman who going to Market with his shell met with Aristides and not knowing him wisht him to write downe Aristides name upon it Aristides then demanding of him whether the man whose name hee would have written downe ever did him wrong answered no Neque est mihi notus verùm valdè stomachor quod passim justum dici audiam Neither is hee knowne unto me but it troubles me much that he is a most just man This punishment was not inflicted upon Malefactors but upon such as were growne popular by reason of their vertues Plut. in Pericle Nicea Cymon underwent it that had so often enricht Athens with the spoiles of their enemies and because it was inflicted upon so meane a man as Hiperbolus to whom it was accounted rather an honor then a punishment it was utterly aoblisht in the Athenian Common-wealth * 66 Syracusanis Petalismus Among the Syracusans the punishment of Petalisme Petalisme was a banishment for five yeares which was first induced into the City of Syracuse upon this occasion Plut. in Dionys the government being Aristocraticall there was one Tyndaris that endeavoured to reduce the power into his owne hands which the other Lords perceiving made this Law that if any one should attempt to make himselfe absolute Lord of the City that his name should bee written in an Olive Leafe and delivered unto him and without any other Ceremony he should be banisht for five yeares by which meanes the Government in time came to be changed the Lords banisht one another and the Common people came to be Governours So the Common-wealth from an Aristocratie became a Democratie Nam destitutis bonis viris rep pessimus quisque sibi Magistratus poscere caepit * 67. Periculosum est ut authoritas in filios descendat It is a dangerous thing to suffer authority to descend It is a Maxime in the Law that if a man do enter into another mans possessions and hold them peaceably all his lifetime and dye seized of them that the true owner cannot regain them by his entry but must bring his action and in a legall way recover them because by the continuance of possession without interruption and the dying seised the Law doth suppose untill the contrary doe appeare that he hath a right due to them In Eclesiasticall cases nothing is more frequent then for Parishioners to plead a Prescription per modum decimandi after two or three Successions and so debarre the present Incumbent to demand his Tithes in kinde whereas the Composition in the beginning was voluntary It holds in Cases of Honours and Dignities if a Prince shall gratiously conferre any great office upon any of his Peeres during his life and after suffer his heire to enjoy it during his the next heire will not stick to claime it as his inheritance so did the Majors of the Kings Palace in France to the utter extirpation of the Royall bloud wherefore Q. Fabius Maximus whose Father Grandfather and great Grandfather had been consuls and hee himselfe five times seeing the Senate fully determined to conferre that honour upon his Sonne tendring more the welfare of the Commonwealth then his owne private family earnestly desired them us Fabiae genti consulatus non amplius deferretur that they would not settle that honour upon his house or make choice of his sonne not because hee thought him unworthy or lesse deserving then any of his ancesters but because hee thought it a thing of dangerous consequence ut summum imperium in una domo continuaretur Nobile quidem dictum tali viro dignum utinam Germani imperatores summum imperium tanquam jus haereditarum sibi vindicantes illud in memoriam revocent * 68. Necessarium est ut princeps plures oculos c. Aristotle admonisheth Princes to use many eyes and hands c. It is fabled of Juno that in revenge of the wrong which Iupiter did her in bringing forth Pallas without her assistance shee petitioned the Gods that shee might conceive and bring forth a Childe without him and that the gods granted her request and shee brought forth the Monster Typhon who unnaturally rebelled against Iupiter such as seek with the strength of their owne braine to mannage the affaires of a State bring forth Children like unto Typhon that disturbe the peace and tranquility thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the burthen of a Kingdome is too heavy for one man to beare Tiberius being tendred it at the first modestly refused it Tacit. l. 1. Annal. because of the weight of it if Thales himselfe saith Livy were King Liv. l. 44. and would undertake to mannage all affaires with the strength of his own braine superbum potius quam sapientem judicarem I should judge him rather to bee presumptuous then wise Moses the wise Lawgiver Numb 11. considering the weaknesse of humane frailty and his owne infirmity acknowledged non possum solus sustinere hunc populum quia gravis est mihi Pericles is commended because hee ever used the assistance of skilfull men in the mannaging of the affaires committed to his charge Amirat l. 5. dissect polit in rebus forensibus the assistance of Maenippus in rebus domesticis of Esialtes Metiochus is condemned and the fidlers sang it every where Metiochus est dux aedilis omnia pereat wherefore as that Merchant cannot bee said to bee provident that adventures his whole estate in one bottome so hee shall never deserve those attributes that have beene given to the most renowned Princes that relies wholly upon his owne braine or the judgement of any one else Quid gravis Antenor Prianus quid suadeat ipse Consule queis aetas long a magistra fuit Is good Councell and not to be neglected by such as sit at the sterne and governe the Commonwealth magna negotia magnis adjutoribus indigent many weighty affaires doe need the assestance of many ablemen let a man search into all ages and hee shall finde that great States did ever use divers Councellours one man may see some few things at esse debent as Xenophon hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes ought to use many eyes King James in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Prince gives him this advertisement ne uno eodemque homine in omnibus negotiis utaris Xenoph. l. 8. de Paedia and Xenophon gives this testimony of Cyrus quòd numerando honorando that by his liberality and heaping of honours on such as did him faithfull service hee purchased to himselfe many eyes and ears so as nothing could be said or done that tended to his dishonour or the hurt of the State but he had suddainly notice of it Arist l. 3. pol. c. 12. wherefore Aristotle wisely admonisheth Princes to use many eyes and eares * 69. Pessimum est unum magistratus plurimos
cogita sanctè item Spartam nactus hanc orna * 80. Cogitet multa sibi non licere It is not lawfull for him to do many things Omnia non pariter rerum sunt omnibus apta saith the Poet Prop. lib. 3. Non omnia omnibus decora as saith the Orator As there are severall Estates and degrees in the world so there are severall and particular actions incident to each degree and those things which may be done by men of one degree with praise and commendation cannot bee done by men of another degree without disparagement When the Duke of Orleans Lewis the 12. came to bee King of France Amiâ—at lib. 5 polit disseâ—t certain ill-disposed Courtiers told him that now hee had opportunity to revenge the many wrongs which were done unto him when hee was Duke of Orleans to whom hee most Princely answered non decet Galloâ—um Regem injurias ducis Aureliensum vinâ—icare that it was not fit for the King of France to revenge the wrongs done to the Duke of Orleans When as Aristides sate as judge between two Plut. in Aristides one of the parties to incense him against his adversary told him that hee had not only wronged him but Aristides also to whom Aristides like himselfe answered that hee came not thither to revenge any wrong done to himselfe but to do him right When Parmenio would have had Alexander to have done something which was more fit for a private man to do then a Prince he gave him this answer ego id agerem si essem Parmenio I would do it if I were Parmenio but being that I am Alexander it stands not with my honour to doe it Plut. in praecept polit Themistocles after that he had obtained a famous victory against his enemies walking up and down amongst the dead corps espied a chaine of gold about one of their necks and wished him that was not Themistocles to take it of Polybius being in a dump Seneca to rouse up his spirits set upon him thus remember your selfe I pray you doe not shew your selfe so indiscreete as to hurt your selfe to no purpose quid tam humile aut tam muliebre quam dolore consumere Senec. ad Polib it is sufficient that you loved your friend whilst hee lived and performed all friendly offices for him and exprest as much at his death the World hath a great opinion of you for you worth and valour and exspects that you should shew your selfe more manly a common Souldier may quit the field having receiv'd but a scar and no notice taken of him but for you to shew your self so pusillanimous for so light a wound will be a great dishonor to you nam multa tibi non licent quae hominibus in angulo jacentibus licent * 81. Non ob propriam virtutem Thou shouldst never think that thou art raised for any worth of thine When the Painter saw a Phantastick admiring his owne Picture and preferring the workmanship thereof before the workmanship of all his other pictures told him that hee did much wonder that it being so excellent a piece did not sell better that Alexanders picture did usually bring him so much mony Hectors so much Ajax so much but as for his no man would give any thing for it there is nothiâ—g so prejudiciall to the servants of Princes as an over weaning opinion of their own worth nam quantum sibi ipsissimi videntur tantum a Rege vilissimi tenentur for the more highly they doe esteeme of themselves the more vilely do they appeare in their Princes eyes for that they generally as Commines hath it do more affect them on whom they have conferred honours without any desert then they who having deserved well think them bound to reward them Lewis the eleventh took great delight to make himselfe merry with these kinde of men who having at one time received a great Summe of mony was pleased to the end to stirre them up to ask what hee should doe with all that mony and where are now all my servants and followers to whom I owe any thing it were good for them to come whilst I have it in my Treasury of which his words the alarum being given the Courtiers came in as the hawk to the lure every one hoping to get something and when the King beheld one above the rest max mè hiautem quasi oculis pecuniam devorantem looking upon his mony as if he would have devoured it with his eyes askt him what hast thou to say Sir an 't please you quoth he I have been your Falchoner so long and the hawks that have been commended to my charge have been as good as any Prince in Christendome ever had but they cost me a great deale of mony and a great deale of paines another shewed what service hee had done and a third what hee had done extolling themselves to the highest the King having heard them all his Chancellour standing by him askt him what saist thou my Chancellour truly Sir quoth hee plùs recepi quam promeruerim nec ulla de re magis sollicitus sum quam ut regiae tuae munificentiae responderem I have received more of your highnesse then I have deserved neither doth any thing in the World more trouble me then that I cannot tell how to deserve so much as I have received well quoth the King do thou take the mony as for these fellowes erit alia exspectanda occasio they shall stay untill another time Here wee finde that verified in the fable of Narcissus who admiring his owne shadow pined away wherefore Amiratus most religiously admonisheth them upon whom the Prince hath cast a more gracious aspect then upon their fellowes never to ascribe any thing to themselves or their owne merit but to the providence of God who hath been pleased to encline the affections of the Prince more towards them then towards other men * 82. Tametsi Burrhus Though Burrhus had promised yet hee did not performe Melius est vota stultae promissionis non implere quam crimen admittere though Nero had commanded and Burrhus had promised to kill Agrippina yet hee did not performe Castilio puts the case whether a servant bee bound to obey his Master in all his commands and the answer is negative cum jubet ea quae in prima tabula vetat deus aut vetat ea quaejubet deus non est observandus if he commands those things which by the law of God are prohibited or prohibite those things which by the law of God are commanded hee is not to bee obeyed so did the Mid wives refuse to kill the Children of the Hebrews according to the command of King Pharaoh Exod. the 1. so did the three children refuse to worship the golden Image which Nebuchadnezar had set up so did Obadiah refuse to obey the Command of Jezabell in killing of the Prophets 1 Kings 18. and so did Mathias refuse to obey the
to trample upon the world and to neglect it especially that frothy windy honour which consists in popular applause Who have been more renowned in all ages since their time throughout the Christian world then the Patriarkes Prophets and Evangelists and then they who when they were in the world were not of the world but lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Deserts Heb. 11.38 in Mountaines in dens and caves of the earth who are at this day more honoured throughout the Christian world then S. Peter and S. Paul the way unto honor is humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that humbleth himself shall be exalted Luk. 18.14 and hee that out of the pride of his heart thinketh himself worthy of honour for that very reason he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that exalteth himlsefe shall be brought low Who more humble then old Father Abraham the Father of the Faithfull then S. Paul one of the chiefe Apostles then the Prophet David a man after Gods owne heart then S John Shall I saith that good old Father speak unto my Lord that am but dust and ashes Gen. 18 27 S. Paul of himselfe acknowledgeth 1 Cor. 15.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that was not worthy to be called an Apostle David not worthy to be a doore-keeper in the house of God Luk. 3.16 S. Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am not worthy to loose the shooe latchet of my Sâ—viour Yet of these men that were so lowly in their owne eyes the Christian world hath taken more notice then of all the Nobles of the earth God in the dust shewes his power and Majesty hee ever preferres the humble before the proud the youngest oftentimes before the eldest he raised Abel above Cain his elder brother Isaack above Ismael Jacob above Esau Joseph above his brethren and David above his because they were more humble because they were more worthy because they were more vertuous in their conversations then their elder brethren the same stock that brings forth the Rose bring forth the Bryar the same Father that begot Abel begot Cain both were alike nobly-descended but because the one pursued the wayes of honour and the other desisted it therefore was the one enobled and the other a runnagate upon the face of the earth honour is the reward of vertue and hee that will be honourable must first bee vertuous that is the foundation and if that faile the Fabrick cannot stand there may be a resemblance and an imaginary honour without it but no true honour Thersites may peradventure act the part of Achilles in a Comedy an ignoble man of a noble but it is but honos titulo tenus an honour that extends no further then the bare title for when the Comedy is ended hee is Thersites still and no better a man then hee was before it began I have seene saith the Prophet David the wicked in great prosperity flourishing and spreading himselfe like a green Bay tree Psa 3â— 3â— but he suddenly vanished and I sought him but he could not be found Baruc 3.16 17 18. Baruck makes an enquiry where are the Princes of the people that tooke so much pleasure in hunting after the beasts of the earth Where are they that spent their time in hawking after the birds of the ayre And where are they that hoarded up gold and silver Deleti sunt in sepulchrum descenderunt they are in the dust and cleane forgotten The memory of the licentious man is like unto ashes as Job saith and unto chaffe as the Prophet David saith which the wind drives from the face of the earth Iob. 13.12 Psal 1.4 but the memory of Iosias shall be tanquam mel in ore instrumenta musica in convivio Eccl. 49.1 Psal 11â— 6 as a sweet perfume in an Apothecaries shop as Honey in the mouth and as Musick at a Banquet The just shall be had in perpetuall remembrance the meanes then to have thy memory to smell sweetly in the nostrils of posterity is to live justly in this present world this is that one thing that is necessary direct the Compasse of thy affections to this port here thou shalt finde true honour and here thou shalt finde wisdome and knowledge that will so temper and regulate thy prosperity and worldly blessings which God hath given thee that though they bee instruments of shame and confusion as the Wiseman saith to the foole Pro. 1.32 yet to thee they shall bee instruments of honour of praise and of glory Beauty which is to him a stumbling blocke and a meanes to lead captive silly women Gratior est virtus veniens è corpore pulchro shall make thy vertues more transparent through which as through Chrystall they shall appeare more gloriously to the world Riches which to him are like the plague of Flyes to the Aegyptians to thee shal be servants and hand-maids and instruments of Charity and Hospitality Honour which is to him as a phrenzie to make him run hither and thither he knowes not whither like a mad man to thee shall be quasi Chiara lampa che manifesta l'opere buone as the Italian saith as a Lampe to shew others the way to vertue and as his shame shall bee the greater by how much he hath been the occasion by his example to lead others unto ruine and destruction so thy honour shall be the greater by how much thou by thy good example hast beene the meanes to shew others the way to vertue pursue then the wayes of honour yee whom God hath honoured and set above your brethren and spend that short time that is allotted you in that way so shall you have your Coates of Armes beautified and adorned with additaments of Honour and smell like Iosias in the nostrils of posterity otherwise you must expect to heare that of your selves which I have before remembred out of the nine and fortieth Psalme and to have your armes defaced by posterity with gores and gussets Posteritas suum cuique rependet Taâ— l. 4. Ann. which diminutions and abatements incident to such as addict themselves to dishonourable courses So now being at a period I must needs acknowledge with the holy Father Saint Bernard who was used to say Se nullos habuisse magistros praeter quercus fagos intimating that by prayer and meditation among the Trees in the Desart hee composed the greatest part of his Workes that this Meditation of mine upon this Psalme was hatcht amongst his Masters in the Parke of the good old Gentlewoman my worthy Aunt by alliance Mistris Anne Fleete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose great Grandfather was High-Sheriffe of the County of Warwicke Anno 1485. and was slaine at the Battell at Bosworth that yeare Conclusio Quà m vana momentanea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit magnatum potentia opulentia utinam Deus optimus maximus voluisset ut aliundè potiùs quà m domi ex intestinis dissentionibus disceremus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Errors in the Printing PAg. 19. lin 22. r. yet p. 23. l. 13. r. drayned p. 25. l. 28. r. Enguerande p. 29. l. 13. r. but. l. 21. r. and. p. 33. l. 17 r. Iohn p 42. l. 7. r. shame p. 45. l. 5. r. dung p. 49. l. 13. r. supercilious p. 60. l. 22. r. ignominy p. 63. l. 13. r. of a molehill a mountaine p. 77. l. 5. r. yet p. 111. l. 9. r Vopiscus p. 253. l. 8. r. Isabell and Anne whom he married into the royall bloud Isabell to George Duke of Clarence the brother of King Edw. the fourth who was drownd in a butt of Malmsy and Anne first to Edw. the fift In the Margine r. Edmondsbury