the Senatours vnto the market or common Hall of Rome Then the seconde day hée should bée caried by certen young noble men vnto Martius fielde where a Tabernacle was made much like a Towre all of drie Wood and there after much solemnity and ceremonies done hée that succéeded him as an Emperour shoulde first put fire in that worke and then all men busie to sée the body burned And when they had burned him vnto ashes they woulde let an Eagle flée from the top of some high Towre which as they supposed shoulde cary his soule into heauen The Assyrians did vse to annoynt the dead bodyes with honye and waxe and with studie and care to reserue it from any putrifaction Such straunge order of buriall was in India that the women of that countrey thought no greater fame nor worthier renowme then to bée burned and buried togither with their husbandes The Thracians are much to bee commended herein which at the birth of any of their fréendes children they wéepe and waile the misery of and calamity that hée is borne vnto and at the death of any of their fréendes they so reioyce with such mirth and gladnes that they past these werldly miseries that at the buriall therof euen when the corps doth go out of the house they altogither say with one voyce Farre well fréende go before and we folow after And so the corps goeth before and all his fréendes folow after him with trumpets musicke and great mirth for ioy that hée is gone out of this vale of misery Plato that deuine Gréeke and noble Philosopher made the like lawes in Athens that when any of the chéefe officers shoulde die hée appointed that no mournyng wéedes shoulde bée there but all in white apparell and that fiftéene young maides and fiftéene young boyes shoulde stande rounde about the corps in white garmentes while the Priestes commended his life vnto the people in an open Oration then he shoulde bée brought very orderly to the graue all the young children singing their countrey Hymnes they with the auncient men folowyng and the graue shoulde be couered with faire broade stones where the name of the dead with his vertuous commendations and great praise were set vpon the stone The like graue the Italians vse at this day and diuers other countreys And as these others had the like ceremonies to the praise and commendations of the dead So others litle estéemed and regarded such things in so muche that the Perseans were neuer buried vntyll Fowles of the ayre and Dogges should eate some part therof The Massagetes thought it most infamous that any of their fréends should die by sicknesse but if the parentes waxed olde the children and the next kinsmen they had should kyll them and being kylled to eate them vp supposing that their fleshe was more méete for them to eate than of wormes or any other beastes to bée deuoured The people called Tibareni those that they loued best in youth those woulde they hang in age Euen so the Albans certaine inhabitants about mount Caucasus thought it vnlawfull for any to care for the deade but straight buried them as the Nabathaeans doe burie their kinges and and rulers in dunghilles The buriall of the Parthians was nothing else but to commend them vnto beastes of the fielde and foules of the ayre The Nasomones when they burie their friendes they sette them in the graue sitting But of all cruell dealings the Caspians and the Hircanians wich kil their parents their wiues their brethren their kinsemen friends and put them in the hie waye halfe quicke halfe deade for to be deuoured of birdes and beastes The fashion custome with the Issidones rude people of some part of Scithia as Plini in his fourth booke affirmeth is to call their neyghbours and friendes togither where the dead lie and there merili◠singing and banqueting they eate the fleshe of the deade and make the skull of the deade a drinking cuppe all couered with golde to drink with all Againe the people called Hyperborei thinke no better graue for their friendes when they be olde then to bring them to some hie banke of water or great rocke and thence after much feasting eating and drinking in the middest of their mirth their owne friends throw them downe vnto the water headlong To séeke and to search histories to manye such burials might be founde amongst such rude and beastly nations Notwithstanding in diuers regions so estéemed that the greatest infamie the seuerest punishment was for any offender was not to be buried this the Athenians vsed towarde those that were traytours to theyr countrey And the Egiptians if any lyued a misse he shoulde be caried dead to the wildernesse to be deuoured of wild beastes The Perseās likewise brought y e bodies of men condemned to be eaten of dogges The Lybians thinke them most worthy of solemne buriall that died eyther in warrs or were kyld by wyld beastes The Macedonians had great care in burning the dead souldiers that died in fielde Amongst the Gentiles there were certaine daies appointed for mourning after the death of their frends Licurgus lawe amongst the Lacedemonians was that they shoulde mourne but eleuen daies Numa Pompilius decréed that the children after their parentes death the wiues their husbands c. shoulde mourne tenne monethes though by the Senatours it was enacted at the warres in Canna that the Romans shoulde mourne but thirtie dayes Amongst the Egiptians they had a custome to mourne after theyr kinges thréescore and twelue dayes but generallye the most custome was to bewayle the dead nine daies In some places mourning was forbidden at their buriall as at Athens by the lawe of Solon in Locretia in Thracia in Cous in Libia and in diuers other places The diuersitie of mourning was such that amongst the Gréekes they shaued their heades and beardes and threwe it to the graue with the deade Amongst the Lacedemonians when the kinges of Sparta died certaine horsemen were appoynted to trauayle ouer all the whole kingdome certefiyng the death of the king and the women in euery cittie doe beate their brasen pottes and make great heauye noyse for the same The Egyptians doe mourne after this sort they rent their clothes they shut their temples they eate no meate they sméere theyr faces with dirt and thus abstaining from washing their faces thrée score and twelue dayes they lament and bewayle the death of their kinges and friendes The Carthagineans cut their heares of mangle their faces beate their breastes The Macedonians likewise shaue their heares to mourne the death of their fréendes as wée reade of Archelaus king of Macedonia who shaued his heares at the buriall of his friende Euripides The Argiues the Siracusans accompany the dead to the graue in white clothes be spotted with watter and claie The Matrones of Rome threw of their fine apparell their ringes and cheynes and did weare
The pilgrimage of Princes penned out of sundry Greeke and Latine aucthours by Lodovvicke Lloid Gent. At London Printed by VVilliam Iones and are to be solde at his nevve long Shop at the VVest doore of Povvles C Call on God vvith CICERO craue thy countrie good to vvish H Haue PHOCION learned Greke in mind that ioyed of AtheÌ„s blisse R Remember CAESARS saying in Rome ech day to vvinne a friende I In vvorde and deede most DAMON like that vvill endure the ende S Seeke vvith care serue vvith faith think PLATOES saying on earth T To serue thy God thy Prince thy soyle did nature poynt thy birth O Offende no man deserue due prayse the poore doe not denie F Forget not PHILIPS Page that sayd O PHILIP thou must die O Obay the lavves hurt no man hate not the siely Groome R Right so in Englande shalt thou haue as POMPE had in Rome O Of CVRTIVS fayth of CODRVS care of Roman SCIPIO think S Shun subtill SINONS savvcie sleyght flee cursed CACVS linke H Hat ' on eche vice eche vertue loue thy state vvith CHILO knovve â–ª A Auoyd raging vvrath vvith pacieÌ„ce mild PERIANDER teacheth so T Time doth BIAS vvise affirme to make most men offende T Time SOLON sayth doth trie al things and time doth iudge the end O Order must vvith measuâ—e rule ech state sayth PYTTACVS playne N Nothing must abounde to much CLEOBVLVS biddes agayne V Vertue buildes hir blasing bovver in sacred breast to breede S Such prayse as shall aduaunce your fame if sages sayings you reade ¶ TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVL and his singuler good M. Maister Christofor Hatton Esquier Capitaine of the Queenes Maiesties Garde and Gentleman of her highnesse priuie Chamber THAT NOBLE PHIlosopher Plato right VVorshipfull had not attempted so often the seas from Athens to Sicilia had it not beene for his friende Dion neyther hadde learned Apollonius sustayned the heate of Ripheus nor the cold of Caucasus to trauell from Rome vnto India had it not beene for his companion Hiarchus Suche is the force of affection the attempt of friendeshippe and the secret search of nature that vvere it possible that the same sayth Cicero might ascende the skies to vevve the glorie of the Sunne the state of the Starres and to beholde the beauty of the heauens vnsvveete vvere the admiration thereof vnlesse it might bee imparted to friendes Such is the violence of hidden loue after long lurcking in the intrailes of the heart that by force seeketh meanes by some outvvard shevv of seruice to reueale the fostered flames therof to his professed friende by vvhose continuall mocions and restlesse rage I vvas more alured by good vvill than by vvit or learning persvvaded to manifest the fruite thereof vnto your VVorshippe as to the onely Mecaenas chosen Patron of this my enterprise vvhich though more bolde than vvise more rash than learned yet I hope more vvilling than able of your vvorship adiudged vvhich like a Greeke Demetrius or a Romane Scipio by some secret sleight of vertue mooued in me most ardent loue incredible desire and singuler affection to accomplish some charge as a publicke pleadge of my true and faythfull heart So for the clemencie of countenaunce the facility of speach the excellencie of nature vvhich in some are more apparaunt than in others doe euen as the Adamant dravve vp the heauie and lumpishe yron enflame the barren and luntish braineman to a farre further charge than other learning maye suffice good vvill therein â–ª Most vvilling to auoyde the gulfe of Charibdis perforâ— hee slideth in Scilla and seeking to shunne Semphlagades he sincketh in Syrtes Hovvbeit good vvill the vvorthiest revvarde the chiefest treasure and the greatest gift that the seruaunt can yeelde vnto his maister the subiect vnto his Prince or one man vnto another vvhich as Demosthenes sayth ought as keis of treasures bulvvarkes of Cities defence of countries and staye of states bee vvaied and esteemed Suche did Phocion onely accept in Athens vvhen hee refused the offered treasures of the great Alexander Such did Epaminondas require in Thebes vvhen he renounced the princelie giftes of Artaxerxes Suche did Fabritius craue in Rome vvhen he denied the vvelthye revvardes of King Pirrhus And suche I trust your vvorshippe doe vvaye of your vvell vviller though of others better are tendered for more holesome it is sayth Plini for some to drinke small vvine out of Samos earthen vessell than strong poyson out of the golden cuppe of Nero better it is to drinke Ciâ—us colde vvater out of faythfull Sinaetes hand than svveete Nectar out of the infected cuppe of Cirses and farre more sure is the good vvill of the faythfull than the tendered treasure of the flatterer vvhich like a Melitian dogge fauning on euery man altering himselfe vnto all kinde of coulers vvith the Camaelien and shifting himselfe vnto sundrie shapes vvith Protheus vvill hault vvith Clisophus before Phillippe dissemble vvith Aristodemus beefore Antigonus flâ—tter vvith Aristippus before Dionisius and in â—ine deceyue Caesar vvith Curio These rauening Harpeis these tame Tigers these sucking Serpentes deceyued the vvise ouercame the mightie and deuoured the quicke they vvill depraue Homer of his verses vvith flattery they vvill spoyle Hercules of his clubbe vvith flattery and they vvill dispossesse Iupiter of his thunder and lightnings vvith flattrey O had noble natures in leau of false flaterers suche faythfull friendes as Agamemnon had of Nestor Telemachus of Menelaus Achilles of Chiron Hector of Polidamus Vlisses of Alcinus or hadde Princes suche councellers as Alexander had of Aristotle as Augustus hadde of Athenedorus Antigonus of Zeno Alcibiades of Socrates and Cicero of Apollonius flatterie shoulde bee espied deceytes auoyded enuie preuented and death often escaped then had not Sinon vvith flatterie vanquished Troye Zopirus vvith dissimulation destroyed Babilon neyther Lasthenes vvith fayre vvordes ouercome Olinthus But in examining the state of Princes vvaying their pilgrimages in this toyling Labyrinthus vve see their fortune as variable as they themselues are mutable VVee reade that some from base birth vvere aduaunced vnto emperiall dignitie as Gordius from the Plough became King in Phrigia and Giges from a Shepheard vvas made King in Lidia So vve read that some from regall seates vvere exiled their kingdom as Torquinius Superbus from Rome and Dionisius from Sicilia It is not straunge to the learned that Tullius Hostilius from keeping of Cattell became a King in Rome and that famous Zerxes the great King of Persea vvas vanquished by that simple manne Artabanus VVhat vvoonder is it if Cirus vvas nourished by a Bytche to be a King in Persea sith Prutias from a king in Bithinia beecame a begger in Asia If Romulus from an abiect brought vp by a vvoolfe vvas buried so princely in Rome vvhat meruayle is it that Pompeius being so renovvmed shoulde be buried in the sandes of Egypt If Alexander the great Iulius Caesar Hanibal Iugurth vvith infinite moe vvere suppressed and deiected from their high thrones vnto miserie
that they make that dovvne their feathers fell For if at verteous actes their vices vainely striue The good shall grovv the bad shall quayle sure the best shall thriue I meane such men as this that vvell doth vvorke and vvill And labours for his countries gaine and so hee shall doe still Shall vvere a garlande gaye of flovvers that florish fayre VVhen painted vveedes that vvants good sap shal perish in the ayre Thus as my cunning serues and cause requires in deede I prayse the vvorke and like the man that giues you this to reede ¶ Of the slipperie state of fortune and vvhat Princes and vvhere they vvere aduaunced one vvay and hovve they vvere oppressed another vvay FOrtune the Treasurer of the worlde that ruleth realmes ouercommeth kingdomes oppresseth kinges exalteth Tyrauntes and doth to whom she will giue lyfe and to whom she hateth appoint death She calleth some to renowne some to shame What honour she gaue to some what honour she tooke from others How she exalted base mē how she oppressed proude Princes Histories do recorde All the Kings that euer raigned in Rome almost from base birth and slender progenie were aduaunced by fortune to sit in royall Rome and enioy princely Scepters Romulus the first King and builder of Rome borne of Rhea a Uestall Uirgine and daughter vnto Amulius left as a pray vnto beastes forsaken of all Rome hated of his owne grandfather that he founde more friendship in a shée Woolfe then hée had at his grandfather Amulius more kindnesse of the Woolfe for his nourishment then loue of his mother though he was borne of her Notwithstanding contrary to the expectation of Amulius not thought of in Rome by fortunes fauour he was by the Woolfe preserued and by a poore shéepe brought vp to be a King of Rome The like happened vnto Cyrus at thrée dayes olde when hée was commaunded by his grandfather king Astiages to be drowned and deliuered vnto Harpagus chiefe officer about Astiages by King Astiages owne hande to be killed and destroyed yet by fortune a Bitche being likewise left as Romulus was fed him and mylkt him gaue him life whē his parentes appointed death for him brought vp by a Bitche beyng a banished infant to be the firste and most renowmed King that euer raigned in Persia. Euen so of Paris King Priamus sonne called likewise Alexander the like commaunded he shoulde in all haste being borne bée killed which being preserued by fortune was brought vp by a beare to be a famous Phrigian Prince Thus Cirus by fortune found friendship more in a bitch thē in his own mother Romulus more loue in a Woolfe then in all Rome Alexander more kindnesse in a Beare then in his father Priamus To speake of Telephus the sonne of Hercules fostered by a Hart. To speake of Camilla and Semyramis the one brought vp by a Mare the other by birdes of the ayre to be such famous Quéenes as the one ruled the Volskans the other y e Babylonians How fortune appointed litle Antes to féede King Midas and Bées to féede Plato the wealth of the one the eloquence of the other did certifie the same but to declare first the extolling and aduauncement of simple and base men vnto princely seates Torquinus Priscus a straunger borne in Corinth the sonne of one named Demaratus a banished marchāt from his country became a famous King in Rome yea so famous I say that he enlarged the confines of Italy amplified the wealth and state of Rome augmented the number of the Senatours encreased the order of Knighthood and left Rome so happy at his death that the Citizens thereof would twise haue trauailde as farre as Corinth to spéede of so noble a Prince Tullius Seruius a poore straunger likewise aduaunced vnto the same place by fortune and Tullius Hostilius a shéepheard and from féeding of beastes extolled to be likewise King of Rome Thus fortune to shewe her might exalteth the poore and oppresseth the proude Thus from banished straungers from simple shéepheardes appointed she famous Princes and noble Kinges fortune elected Senatours appointed Consuls made Tribunes Censors Fortune as Seneca saith from lowe birth and base condicions made Princes Fortune had them from the Plough to sitte in seate of Kinges Fortune tooke Gordius from his Plough to be a King in Phrygia Fortune tooke Agathocles from his fathers Shop being a Potter and made him King in Sycilia she brought Darius from the Stable of Cyrus to be a King in Persia she brought Giges from a shéepehearde to be the welthiest king that euer raigned in Lydia She spared no place without respect to any man Iustinus a swineheard from féeding of his swine became a mightie Emperour of Constantinople And Carpenters likewise may bragge of Telephanes which fortune aduaunced to the kingdome of Lydia Shall not husbandmen extoll fortune which made Valentianus Emperour in Rome Howe much fortune fauoured learning howe she brought the greatest Princes in the worlde to honour simple men and caused the cruell tyrauntes to estéeme and reuerence the same That king Dionisius the wicked tyraunt of Sycilia when he heard that diuine and noble Philosopher Plato was comming vnto Sycilia made certen of his Nobles to go méete him on the Sea in a Ship so brauely appointed so gorgeously dressed with sayles of purple silke to bring him a lande where Dionisius him selfe taryed his comming in his golden Chariot with foure white Horses trapped ouer with gold tooke him vnto his owne Chariot princly talked vnto him reuerently vsed him honourably so entertained him that if Iupiter had descended from Skie greater honour coulde hée not get in Créete then Plato a poore philosopher Aristons sonne of Athence got in Sicilia Aristotle borne in Stagira a poore Phisitions sonne named Nichomacus merited suche fame by fortune that not onely Philip King of Macedonia thanked God that his sonne Alexander was borne in his time vnder whose tuition Alexander fiue yeres learned Philosophie but also Alexander the great conquerer of the worlde honoured and saluted him as his Maister vnto whom he sayde that he was no lesse bounde for his learning vnto Alexander and vertuous education then he was vnto king Philip his father for his birth he shewed the same being in India a countrey farre from Gréece and in the middest of his great warres vnto his maister writing the state of India the successe of his iourneys the prodigious and monstrous sightes that Alexander sawe vnto Aristotle That mightie Artaxerxes king of Persia hearing of the fame of that learned Hippocrates did sende vnto the chiefe gouernour of Hellespont earnest letters for Hippocrates promising in writing great honours equalitie to the chiefe rulers of Persea fellowe and friende to myghtie Artaxerxes Thus fortune was not onely honoured as a goddesse in Antium but also worshipped in all the worlde thus euery man toyleth for fortune goeth
with infamie and moste true it was spoken vnto one of the thirtie tyrauntes which being in banquet with diuers nobles gentles when the house fell and slue them all yet he this tyraunt escaped braggyng much of his fortune that he so saued him selfe a simple man sayde vnto him Neuer boast of fortune at any tyme for that she spareth thée nowe she wyll the next time more sharply plague thée which so came to passe that his fleshe was made a foode vnto his horses and his bloodde drincke appointed for them that in sparyng his death then when the house fell hée was afterwarde requited as you hearde If fortune whose waueryng steppes are neuer certayne were as little trusted of the most part as shée is most deceitfull and false vnto all men then Cicero woulde not haue spoken that they that seke fortune are blinder then fortune shée neuer aduaunced any to dignitie but shée suppressed the same againe vnto misery as Tarquinius the prowde a King that fortune made famous diuers wayes of princely progenye of passing parsonage of incredible beautie and of all noble qualities to whome shée presented Lucrecia Collatinâ—s wyfe as the onelye snare to catche him and to take him by whome he was depriued from hys gouernement left his kingdome and banished out of Rome to raunge countries in miserie and payne after long felicitie and pleasure euen so Dionisius king of Siracusa after many princely pleasures renowned fame great glory yet in the ende banished his countrie and driuen to kéepe schoole in Italie In the lyke sort shée deceyued that noble and valiaunt Scipio Affricanus whose prowesse and magnanimitie augmented muche the fame of Romanes by conquering of Affrike and Carthage and notwithstanding driuen to exilement and miserye where he dyed after many triumphes and victories like a poore begger O vncertaine state and slippery whéelâ— of fortune And bicause fame followeth fortune and proceedeth from fortune as the smoke commeth from the fire for as fortune is variable so is fame diuers If we séeke histories we finde the fame of poore men for theyr pouertie aswell as the riche for all their riches poore Codrus and ragged Irus are as famous in respect béeing beggers with Poetes â–ª as Mydas or Cressus two famous and welthie Kinges of India are mencioned of Plutarch Doth not Aristophanes make as much meÌ„tion of Cleonimus the Coward as Homer doth make of Achylles the stoute Poliphemus and Enceladus two huge monstrous Giaunts are not so famous in Virgill for their bignesse as Conopas or Molon two little dwarfes of two foote length are renowmed in Plini for their smalnesse Iuuenall and Claudian report no lesse of the little Pigmeis than Ouid or Maro of the huge Ciclopes If fame procéede of poore men for pouertie of dwarfes for their smalenesse of cowardes for their cowardenesse as muche as it doeth flowe of riche men for their wealth of Giauntes for theyr bignesse and of stoute men for their courage What is it but a pilgrimage we liue and trauayle here for fortune and fame runne togither as diuers as they are vncertaine Plini that famous Histographer writeth of one named Messala which was so forgetfull and weake of memory that he forgat his owne name and yet as famous for his obliuiosnesse as Hortensius was renowmed for that he coulde pronounce out of hande with his tongue that which he wrote with his penne Seneca the philosopher commendeth one called Caluisius that hée likewise was so obliuious that he could not often name those daylye friendes that hée vsed companye withall What greater fame coulde Cyneas haue for all his memorie when hee was sent from King Pirrhus as Embassadour vnto Rome where the seconde day in the Senate house before all the people of Rome he named all the Senatours by name What greater renowme coulde King Cirus haue for his noble memory for naming euery souldier of his by name beyng in y e Campe What fame hath King Mithradates for his diuers and sundry languages whiche without an interpretour coulde speake vnto .xxij. nations being his souldiers but onely that they are recorded in bookes where likewise Caluisius Messala and suche obliuious men that forget their owne names are put in writing Doth not Homer the Trunpettour of fame write of Melitides an Idiote that woulde after the destruction of Troy and after King Priamus all his were slaine yet he then would come to succour y e Troyans Homer I say doth not forget Melitides no more then he doth Agamemnon What shoulde I speake of siely and simple Herostratis whiche for burnyng of the Temple of Diana is euerlastingly remembred and myllyons more of the lyke whiche are mentioned of auncient writers What is fame then but a memorie of thinges past ¶ Of magnanimitie of Princes and fortitude of minde vvhere and vvhen it vvas most esteemd EUen as Iustice without temperaunce is often counted iniurie so magnanimitie without respect vnto prudence is tirannye This vertue procéedeth from a valiaunt and a sober minde ioyning both the body and minde togither that wisedome and pollicye of the one the strength and courage of the other bée alwayes redye to defende the cause of his countrey the quarell of his Prince and societie of fréendship vnto this therefore vnto his Prince countrey and fréendes any good man is borne preferryng common commodities before priuate wealthe Hercules being yet a young man musing muche what he myght best do thus studiyng and pondering to what he shoulde applye his noble minde appeared vnto hym two taule goodly women the one as Zenophon doth describe very gorgeous and braue ringes of golde on her fingers a chaine of golde about her necke her heares set and frisled with Pearles and Diamondes hangyng at her eares the other in sober and comely apparell of modest behauiour of shamefaste countenaunce stoode before him The first saide Hercules if thou wilt serue me thou shalt haue golde and siluer enough thou shalt féede daintily thou shalt liue princely thou shalt enioye pleasures possesse mirth In fine thou shalt haue all things at thy wyll to liue with ease and rest The other sayde with comely countenaunce if thou wilt serue me Hercules thou shalt be a victor of conquerers thou shalt subdue kingdomes and ouerthrowe kinges thou shalt be aduaunâ—ed vnto fame renowmed in all the worlde and shalt deserue praise of men and women Whiche when Hercules sawe and hearde the offers of these two launcing Ladyes vnderstandyng the idle seruice of the firste and the exercise of the seconde tooke her as his maistrisse to whome hée wyllyng became her man Whereby according vnto promise made enioyed fully the fame and praise by due desertes That magnanimitie had Hercules that ouercame Lions Dragons Beares and such monstrous huge wilde beastes that dyd destroy kingdomes and countreys That fortitude of minde had Hercules that conquered Giauntes and subdued Tyraunts enlarged liberties set frée captiues and prisoners and
want than that they shoulde not shewe mercie according vnto his custome to the comfortlesse Zerxes the great King of Persea with lenitie and gentlenesse towardes his brother Arimenes with whome before he was a great enimie made his foe his friende brought his enimie before to be his naturall brother then Porus a famous Prince of India being conquered by Alexander the great fearing that pittie might not haue place in the heart of such a great conquerour sought nothing else of Alexander which willed him to aske any thing and he shoulde haue it but clemencie this vertue long wayted vpon Alexander vntill pride the roote of al mischiefe corrupted his gentle heart vntill he was by the Medes and Perseans perswaded to be the sonne of Iupiter So gentle before that King Darius did wishe eyther to conquer Alexander bicause he might shewe curtesie vnto Alexander or else to be conquered by Alexander Aeneas Siluius was woont to saye the saying of Sigismonde the Emperour that happie are those Princes that foster vp clemencie in Court and prudent is those Princes that vseth humanitie in their cities It was no small proofe of humanitie in the Senatours of Rome at the buriall of Siphax King of Numidia which being taken by the Romanes and kept in Tiberius house according to marshall lawe and before he was raunsomed by the Numedians dyed at Rome where suche solemnitie honour pompe was shewed at his funerall such giftes giuen such liberalitie vsed as if Siphax had died amongst his owne subiects hée might haue wanted to haue such glorious buriall in Numantia being their king as he had in Rome being their Prisoner That is worthy humanity that is shewed vnto meÌ„ in aduersity and that is méere clemencie that is done vnto those banished straungers as the Romaines sometime did vnto Prusias king of Bithinia who being driuen to exile by hys sonne Nicomedes came vnto Rome where humanitie and clemencie were fostered and nourished in the Senate being mette at Capua a Citie sometime by Hannibal conquered of Scipio and Cornelius and brought vnto Rome not like a banished man but lyke a noble Prince with such triumphes and honour done vnto him with such passing curtesie and liberality of Senators that though he was banished Bithinia his kingdome and by Nicomedes his owne sonne yet was he receyued vnto Rome of straungers and that to the fame of Rome Thereby the Romanes grewe to that admiration with all people that for their lenitie and surmounting curtesie they were of all men beloued and for their valiauntnesse and magnanimity they likewise were of all the worlde feared For as vnto Siphax and Prusias woonderfull clemencie and humanity were by the Romanes tendered so vnto Ptholome King of Egypt being of his owne brother banished and by the Romanes receyued and restored againe vnto his kingdome the like was shewed Rome then was called the hauen of succour the Anker of trust the keye of curtesie where all succourlesse Princes and noble Cappitaines fledde Rome florished then while pittie and mercy continued Rome prospered while humanitie and clemencie were fostered Rome excelled all men in gentlenesse and pittie When Marcellus and Matellus the one Capitaine of Siracusa the other in Celuberia The noble Capitaine Marcellus was so pittifull that after his souldiours had conquered Siracusa with great slaughter and murther of men women and children he mounted vp into a high Tower of the Castle and there with wéeping and lamenting the ruefull sight of Siracusa more like to one conquered than a conquerer to a Prisoner than a Prince that anye that sawe him theÌ„ might rather iudge Marcellus a Siracusan captiue than a Romane Capitaine Happie was Siracusa sith fortune was no better to happen on such a gentle conquerour which was so glad for his owne victorie as he was sorrowfull for the fall of Siracusa That renowmed Romane Maetellus besieging the great City Centobrica in the countrie of Celtiberia wheÌ„ he perceyued theyr bulwarkâ—s broken theyr walles ready to faâ—l and victorie nigh at hande hée began to be mooued with pittie and mercie possest chiefe place in his heart that when the women of the Citie brought their children on theyr armes to craue mercy at Maetellus hand he auoyded the calamitie and misery that was redy to fall on Centobrica spared the Citie remooued his campe being with pittie and mercie of the ruthfull women and innocent children quite conquered Thus gentle Maetellus where he might haue bene a Conquerour ouer men he suffered himselfe to be conquered by little infantes O Rome happie were those golden dayes wherin through clemencie and gentlenesse thou wast as much loued and honored as thou hast béene by valyaunt Capitaines trembled and feared at Pompeius the greate when Tigranes King of Armenia being by him conquered had knéeled before Pompeius face yéelding his crowne and scepter at Pompeius his foote and himselfe vnto his gentlenesse as a captiue Tooke him in his armes embraced him put his Crowne on his heade and restored him to the kingdome of Armenia againe The like courtesie vsed he towarde Mithridates King of Pontus being deade for his royall buriall though the knewe well the great hatred that Mithridates had fortie yeares against the Romanes yet in stéede of iust reuengement Pompeius vsed princely clemencie The gentlenesse that was then vsed in Rome yea betwixt foes was such that Iulius Ceasar that valiaunt Emperour and Conquerour was as willing to reuenge the death of his great enimy Pompeius vpon Photina and Bassus who slue Pompeius and sent his heade vnto Caesar as L. Paulus was courteous and fauorable to his most mortall foe Persen Hanniball though he was counted the most and greatest enemye that euer Rome felt yet mooued with that clemencie that he won more commendations for the buriall of P. Aemilius Gracchus Marcellus these noble Romanes then he wan fame by ouercoming thrée thousande Romanes in fielde The chiefe fame that Hanibal was worthy of was for humanity and gentlenesse as proued by these two noble Romanes before mentioned which Hanibal caused their carkasses diligently to bée sought for in the feelde and solempnely to bée buryed with honour and renowme though they were his enimies and as Hanibal was much commended in Rome and wel-beloued of the Romanes onely for humanity so was he feared much in Rome for his prowisse and valiaunt déedes of armes Polycrates that tiraunt of Samos was chéefely commended for his gentlenesse and curtesie shewed towardes women which were the wiues and mothers of the dead souldiers in restoring them vnto libertie in geuing them wealth to liue great charge that no man shoulde do them any wrong Augustus the Emperour when hée behelde in the Citie Alexandria the sworde wherewith Marcus Antonius slewe him selfe coulde not refraine teares to shewe his humanitye in opening his clemency of nature vnto his enemie commaunded he should be honourably buryed with his deare fréende Cleopatra in one graue
kingdomes and countries in life The greatest Prince in his time Cirus the first king that brought the Monarchy vnto Persea slayne by Tomyris hadde on his graue an Epitaph made being buried in Scithia in no gorgeous Temble hauing no sumptuous tombe but in an open fielde and a stone vpon his graue with this Epitaph Here lyeth Cirus the great King of Persea contented nowe with seauen foote which coulde not be satisfied some time with seauen kingdomes what Kesar King or Prince so euer thou art spare this place vnto Cirus Which when Alexander the great passing with his armie vnto Scithia and India had read this Epitaph and perceyuing the slipperie state of Princes the vncertaintie of lyfe and mutabilitie of fortune he muche doubted the state of his owne life howbeit at that voyage he quite forgat by meanes of Mars the Epitaph of King Cirus vntill he returned from India from hys warres vnto Babilon where he maried Statyra King Darius daughter whome before he conquered where such liberallitie was shewed such magnificencie done such giftes giuen such banquettes kept that Alexander vpon his owne charges maried the most part of the nobles of Macedonia vnto the Ladies of Persea the feastes during fiue dayes surmounted vnto the some of thrée and twentie thousande Talentes euery Talent valued at fourescore poundes repeating oft the Epitaph of Cirus woulde suffer none though diuers Princes were present to bée at any charges but him selfe onely saying that which fortune giueth vnto Alexander the same will Alexander giue vnto his friendes for Cirus graue is appoynted vnto Alexander in this Alexander passed all Princes in taking all and giuing all Priuate faultes may not depriue open vertues euery man hath a fault Alexander was knoweÌ„ to be a drunkard Iulius Caesar was noted to be ambicious Antiochus the great King of Siria blamed for lecherie Alcibiades of pride Pirrhus of incredulitie Hanniball of falshoode Dionisius of tyranny and so of infinite Princes which for one vice maye not be forgotten for their diuers vertues Uertue must not be hidden for that vice is manifest Phrine a Courtezaune sometime of Gréece though of hir slaunderous lyfe worthie reprehention yet for her liberalitye ought she well to be remembred for after Alexander the great had subdued that famous Citie of Thebes and made the walles thereof euen with the grounde shée offered to redifie the same vpon this condicion that vpon euery gate of the Cittie this sentence shoulde be sette This Citie Alexander the great threvve dovvne and this Citie Phrine the Curteizaune builded vp againe The like of Quéene Rhodope sometime a Curtezaune and a lewd woman made vp a braue and sumteous worke called Piramides in Egypt where such liberalitie she vsed suche franke and frée dealing of money that for hir noble liberalitie she was well worthy to be commended though for vicious liuing otherwaies shée was to be blamed Men and women were desirous then to be liberall Then Princes were as liberall and benefitiall with suche lenitie and humanitie vnto the poore as they grewe afterwarde to be harde and couetous with seuerity and cruelnesse Therefore Anaxilaus a liberall Prince was often woont to saye that the chiefest commendacions and noblest vertue coulde be in a Prince was not to be ouercommed in beneficiall doings Attalus King of Asia languishing in sicknesse and readie to die bequeathed his Kingdome and Scepture of Asia vnto the noble Romanes by testament for that they were so liberall and benefitiall somtime towardes him while yet fortune fauoured hym not fully and fréely to bestowe to whome hée woulde A liberall Prince can not be voyde of loue Antigonus was wont to aunswere Aristodemus one of his councel brought vp of a boye in his Kitchine when he spake any thing against princely giftes and found faulte with Antigonus liberalitie that his talke did smell of the Kitchin a méete reprehension for suche a sawsie seruaunt who lette Kinges to doe good and moue Princes to doe euill I woulde suche Sycophantes shoulde be so aunswered of Princes as Aristodemus was of King Antigonus Worthy of perpetuall memorie was Artaxerxes for his passing liberalitie towardes the poore souldiours that came from Lacedemonia to warre with him he made them that came a foote vnto him to goe home a horsebacke he that came a horsebacke he did sende him home in a Chariot and he that had a village before hée came vnto him hée gaue a Cittie at his going away from him A Prince worthie of subiectes and a Capitaine most fitte for fitte Souldiours What made Iulius Caesar beloued of his souldiours What caused Alexander to be honored of all men magnificencie and liberalitie The one in the great warres at Pharsalia at what time hée conquered Pompeius the great hauing all the treasures and substaunce of Pompeius brought before him tooke nothing from the souldiers but Pompeius letters The other after he had vanquished King Darius hauing a great chest full of treasure where hee founde in present coyne two hundred thousande pound beside other inestimable treasures and iuels tooke nothing from his souldiours but a little booke named the Iliades of Homer wherin hée delighted more in reading the noble actes of Gréekes the worthy feates of Troianes than in all the wealthes of Persea This liberalitie maintayned their fame Thus their magnificente benefites spredde forth their noble names that happie was he that coulde be a souldiour vnto Caesar or to Alexander I remember me of a certaine King in Siracusa named Ihero vnderstanding the liberalitie of the Romanes and perceyuing the penurye of victuales which then the Romanes sustayned in the warres of Thrasimenos did sende thrée hundred thousand bushels of wheate two hundred thousande of barly with great sommes of golde and siluer to ease the Romane souldidours and fearing that his giftes woulde not be taken nor his presentes receyued considering the nature and liberalitie of the Romanes hée willed the Embassaders to saye that it was an homage and seruice of good wyll sent to honor the Romanes from Ihero King of Siracuâ—a O passing pollicie to practice beneficence with manifest examples of a liberall heart O Rome howe happy hast thou béene that through thy liberalitie haste wonne the heartes and good will of all kingdomes and countries Untyll Ninus time all thinges were common no diuision of grounde no hurding of money no couetousnesse knowne no gréedinesse of kingdomes no desire of welthes in fine for the space of two hundred and fifty yeres for the simplicitie innocencie true dealing of people worthily called the goulden worlde and then a man coulde not find a couetous person and now a man can not finde a liberall friende then no manne knâ—we to doe euill and nowe no man knoweth to doe good then no man did take and nowe no manne doth giue in fine then one for another nowe all for themselues What made Cimon a liberall gentleman of Athens
make foes to become frendes euill men to become good by preuentyng euill with lenitie and gentlenes It behoueth not a wiseman to reuenge iniuries neither doth it become a prince to requite euil with the like but ouercome rather the euill with good Therefore was it truely spoken of the wiseman Sapit qui sustinet he that can suffer is verie wise ¶ Of Thefte and Sacrilege AFTER that gréedie desire vnto wealth had possest a place in mans harte and after that the world was altered from a wealth in common vnto a priuate wealth euerie man with studie and industrie to augment his owne with the spoile of others And bicause Princes began one to suppresse an other to spoile and destroie either others dominion mouyng firste noble men to imitate them in stealyng and takyng awaie perforce others wealth thought it be not an apt epitheton for princes to be called theues and spoylers yet truely by Princes it began by nobles imitated and by all the world at length practised that some became Pirates vpon the Seas some Sacriledges of Temples and some graunde Théeues of countries and kyngdomes For after the deluge of Noah there was neither thefte or sacriledge knowen almost 300. yeres vntill Ninus the third king of the Assirians who first began to plaie the Theif in Asia Dionisius kyng of Sicilia and tyraunt of all the worlde the greatest robber that euer raigned vpon yearth beeyng not satisfied with spoile and theft vpon Landes and Seas but also became a Sacrilege in the Temples of the gods whiche he so neglected that after hee robbed the Temple of Iuppiter in Olimpia he passed foorth vnto Locris to spoile the Temple of Proserpina and from thens vnto Epidaurus to steale the golden beard of Aesculapius This Tyraunte kyng would not suffice hym self vntil he worthily had merited the name of a thief a pirate and a sacrilege Xerxes spared not emongeste others wicked spoiles to sende fower thousande of his soldiours to Delphos to robbe the Temple of Apollo Spartacus a greate prince and a maintainer of thieues gathered a whole armie of fugitiue persones vagaboundes thieues and robbers and marched towarde Rome with warres either to conquere Rome or to be conquered by Rome but there was he and all roges vanquished by Pu. Crassus The Citie of Rome was often in perill by Thieues and robbers as by Silla Catilin and Marius famous spoilers of Italie And as Cercion did robbe and spoile after the Countrey of Athēs so Tittigias in Arcadia was renoumed For theft I might in this place speake of the robbery of the Emperour Nero of the spoile and waste of that beastlie Emperour Heliogabalus and of the sacrilege and theft of Caligula These thrée Emperours stale alwais spoiled and tooke from Rome more then euer thei gaue to Rome Marcellinus writeth that there was somtyme a Kyng of the Parthians named Arsaces which in the beginnyng of his raigne was then named the maister of théeues a teacher and a schoolemaister vnto all robbers and spoilers whiche afterward he subdued Seleucus Alexanders successoure he became famous and renoumed in marshall feates and ciuill policie Herodotus likewise doeth report of one Amazis a Kyng of Egipte who when at any tyme money wanted he was wonte to spoile waste and take a waie all that euer he might either by stealthe or force Thus the names of Princes firste was corrupted that the Poetes iudged well and worthily Mercurie to be the God of Theeues And for the antiquitie of thefte it is thought that Prometheus Duealions Father as Poetes dooe faigue by the aide of Minerua stoole firste fire from Phoebus for the whiche facte was punished in mounte Caucasus after this sorte he was bounde faste by all the Goddes and an Egle appoincted to eate vp his harte and to hale his puddynges a long in furtheraunce and memorie of his theft Hercules and Iason twoo of the moste famous princes that euer Grece fostered went vnto Cholcus to steale the golden Fléece Theseus and Perithus wēt vnto the kyngdome of Pluto to steale Proserpina awaie But I will not speake of suche Thefte for too many examples should bee reade in that behalfe If I might vse suche scope of writyng but I will briefly passe ouer and speake onely of aunciente and famous Théeues whiche for that the nomber is infinite I omittyng tediousnesse speake of fewe for a proofe of my matter There was dwellyng in a rocke nigh Athens ▪ a famous Théefe named Sciron whiche was wonte to throwe headlong straungers that were gestes ouer a rocke vnto the sea and after that he had continewed a long tyme in spoilyng and murtheryng of menne that passed by in takyng their gooddes and liues awaie he was in the same sorte of Theseus putte to death on the rockes vnto the Seas as he was wonte to doe with others Cacus whom Virgil maketh mention the sonne of Vulcanus was so craftie a théefe that hauyng a den in mounte Auentine he vsed to drawe any thyng bacwarde by the taile vnto his caue where he spoiled it whether it were manne or beaste there should he bee broughte by sleight of Cacus to bee destroied vntill he attempted to spoile Hercules by stealthe whiche after long wrastlyng in his denne Hercules with his clubbe slue hym The famous Theefe Scinius vsed suche feates and theftes about Corinth that he would binde any passer by or straungers vnto trees and there would hewe them vnto small gobbettes for their money and substaunce These thrée laste renoumed Théeues are muche mētioned of writers for euen as Capiton kepte hym self fiftie yeres in a denne as a common robber to steale and to spoile so did thei consume their tyme seuerally and in sondery countries as graund Théeues The Argiues were menne moste noted infamous for this faulte in so muche that a Prouerbe grewe of the Argiues Argiuifures that is Argiues are Theeues With the Persians there wer certaine théeues called Cardaces permitted without punishment to steale and to robbe The old Germaines and auncient Egiptians might somtime by lawe and libertie of their countrie likewise steale Lycurgus made lawes in Sparta emōgest the Lacedemoniās that he which did steale without reprehentions or takyng with the theft should be free and he whiche could not artificially steale and attempte Thefte beyng taken should bée punished in so muche Brusonius in his seconde booke doeth intreate of a yong man that stole a yong Foxe the owner therof followyng after demaundyng whether the younge man sawe any where a little Foxe he denied chidyng the Foxe vnder his cloke but the Foxe a subtile beast willyng to shewe hym self vnto his maister did bite and scratche the yongman so sore that his puddynges gusshed out of his side because he suffered hym self so to die by reason that he would not manifest his theft The yongman then deniyng aunswered and saied I had rather die then to bee taken with thefte Wherefore Theophrastus a noble Philosopher
weepyng and sobbyng before Antonius requiryng on his knees one graunt at Antonius hand to sende his Souldiours to kyll hym vpon the graue of his frende Lucullus and beyng dead to open Lucullus graue and to laie hym by his frend Which beyng denied of the emperour then went and wrote vpon a little peece of paper caried it in his hande vntill he came wher Lucullus was buried and there holdyng fast the paper in one hand and with his dagger in the other hande slue hym self vpon the graue holdyng the paper close beyng dead where this sentence he wrote Thou that kneweste the faithefull freÌ„dship betwixt Volumnius Lucullus ioyne our bodies together being dead as our mindes were alwaies one beyng a liue The like historie is written of Nisus when his faithfull frende Eurialus was slaine in the warres betwixt Turnus and Aeneas he hauyng vnderstandyng therof vnknowen vnto Aeneas and vnto the reste of the Troians wente vp and doune the fielde tomblyng and tossyng dead carkeses vntill he founde out Eurialus bodie whiche after longe lookyng and embrasyng of his deade frende drewe out his swearde and heald it in his hande a little while saiyng as my bodie shall neuer departe from thy bodie so shall I neuer feare to folowe thy ghoost and laiyng the Pommel of his swearde on the grounde fell vpon his swearde hauyng the bodie of his frende Eurialus betwixt his armes This loue was greate betwixt Princes whiche might liue honorably to die willingly A strange thing for men that so loue their frendes to waie their deaths more then their one liues Orestes faithe and frendship towarde Pylades was suche that beeyng come vnto a straunge Region named Taurica to diminishe the dolors to asswage the grief and to mitigate the furious flames of Orestes bicause he slue his mother Clitemnestra and beyng suspected that they came only to take awaie the Image of Pallas their goddesse in that countrey The kyng vnderstandyng the matter made Orestes to be sente for to be brought before hym to haue iudgement of death For Pylades was not mencioned nor spoken of but onely Orestes he it was that should steale their Goddes awaie vnto Gréece Orestes therefore beyng brought and his felowe Pylades with him The king demaunded whiche of theÌ„ both was Orestes Pylades that knewe his frende Orestes should die sodainly steapt forth and said I am he Orestes denied it and said he was Orestes Pylades again denied that and saide that it was euen hee that was accused vnto the kyng thus the one deniyng and the prouyng either of theim moste willyng to die for the other The kynge dismaide at their greate amitie loue pardoned their faultes muche extemed their companie and greatlye honoured their naturall loue and faithe so many like histories vnto this there be that then Princes woulde die for their frendes euen that greate conquerour Alexander would haue died then presently with his frend Haephaestion had not his counsell letted hym he loued aliue so well that he was called of all men an other Axander in so muche so estemed his frende when SisigaÌ„bis king Darius mother had saluted HaephaestioÌ„ in stede of Alex. being therewith angrie with her error he said blushe not to honour Haephaestion as an other Alexander What was it that Anaxogoras waÌ„ted that prince Pericles could get for him Whether went Aeneas that Troian duke at any tyme without Achates with him was ther nothing that Pomponius had but Cicero had part of it Scipios freÌ„dship neuer wanted vnto Cloelius Though Rome could alter state though fortune could change honor yet could neither Rome nor fortune alter faithe or chaunge frendes After the Senators had iudged Tib. Gracchus for diuers seditions in the citie to die his frend Blosius hauyng knowledge thereof came and kneled before the Senators besought Laelius whose counsaill the Senators in all thinges folowed to be his frende saiyng vnto the reste after this sorte O sacred Senate and noble counsailers if yet remaine in the citie of Rome any sparcle of iustice if there be regard vnto equitie let me craue that by lawe which you iniuriously applie vnto an other and sithe I haue committed the offences and factes of Gracchus whose coÌ„maundement I neuer resisted whose will to accomplish I will duryng life obaie lette me die for Gracchus worthely whiche am moste willyng so to do let him liue iustly whiche so ought moste truly Thus with vehement inuectiues against him self crauing death most earnestly vnto Blosius and life worthely vnto Gracchus made the Senatours astonied with his rare desire of death saiyng the Capitoll had béen burned by Blosius if Gracchus had so commaunded but I knowe that Grachus thought nothyng in harte but that whiche he spake by tongue vnto Blosius and that which hée spake by tongue vnto Blosius that Blosius neuer doubted to doe and therefore I deserue rather death than hée The faith and loue betwixt Damon and Pythyas was so woondered at of King Dionisius that though hée was a cruell Tiraunt in appoynting Damon to die yet was he most amazed to sée the desire of Pithias the constant fayth the loue and friendeship professed in Damons behalfe striuing one with an other to die enforced in spite of tiranny to pardon Damon for Pythyas sake Theseus and Perithous became such faythfull friendes that they made seuerall othes one vnto an other neuer during life to be departed neyther in affliction paine punishement plague toyle or trauayle to be disseuered insomuch the Poetes faine that they went vnto the kindome and region of Pluto togither I will not speake of the great loue of that noble Gréeke Achilles toward King Patroâ—lusâ— Neyther will I recite the Historie of that worthy Romane Titus towarde Gisippus In fine I will not report Palemon and Arceit Alexander and Lodowicke whose ende and conclusion in loue were such as are worthy of memorie famous in writing ¶ Of enuie and malice and so of tiranny AS malice drinketh the most part of her owne poyson so enuie saith Aristotle hurteth more the enuious it selfe than the thing that it enuieth Like as the slouthfull in warre or Darnell amongst Wheate so is the enuious in a Cittie not so sad of his owne miseries and calamities as hée lamenteth the hap and felicitie of others Wherfore the wise Philosopher Socrates calleth enuie serram animae the sawce of the soule for that it cutteth the hart of the enuious to see the prosperitie of others For as it is a greefe to the good and vertuous man to see euyll men rule so contrarily to the euil most harme is it to sée the goodman liue Therfore the first disturber of common wealth and last destroyer of good states the beginning of all sorowes the ende of all ioyes the cause of all euyll and the onely let of all goodnesse is enuie How prospered Gréece how florished Rome how quiet was the whole world before enuie began to
haue to suffice his mynde vntill at length he was consumed with lice hym self as his money was corrupted with Mothes Thei enioye nothing though thei haue all things thei possesse nothyng though thei be Lordes of Countreis true is that golden sentence of the Stoickes that the wise manne is onely riche for contentation is perfecte wealthe That wiseman Bias at what tyme the Citie of Prienna was besieged and subdued by the enemies the Citizeins thereof commaunded and suffered with bagges of their treasures to departe euery manne loded hym self with siluer and golde but Bias who tooke nothyng but a booke in his hande and beyng demaunded of the enemies why he carried not his goodes with hym he saied that all his wealthe and richesse was in his harte meanyng knowledge and wisedome a place moste fitte to laie and to kepe treasure saiyng I haue all my wealthe aboute me whiche you can not spoile me of Herodotus a noble Historiographer writeth a noble historie of one Alcmaeon whiche because he was wonte to welcome often the Embassadours of Cressus kyng of Lidia as thei went to Delphos to consult with the Oracles of Apollo was thus rewarded of Kyng Cressus for his clemencie therein that AlcmeoÌ„ should haue as muche golde and siluer by the kynges treasurer as he would bee able to carrie or beare awaie whiche delited so muche the coueteous mynde of Alcmaeon that he was as willyng to take al the substance of the Kyng had he been able and beyng so heauie loded that his bodily strength failed to suffice his gredie mynde would in no wise deminishe any part of his desire thoughe he coulde augmente the habilitie of his strength by any meanes and so to satisfie his auarous mynde he could neuer lode hym self with a fitte burthen either to heauie that he could not carrie or els to lighte that he would not carrie and thus as one not so able in strength as he was willyng in minde could not prescribe measure to his desire Had Alcmaeon learned of Plato howe to deminishe rather desire to encrease his strengthe then to studie for riches he had been able to carrie a good burthen of golde from kyng Cressus Hadde Demonica learned that lesson of Socrates that money and desire of wealthe is daungerous At what tyme Brennus the Capitaine and Prince ouer Senona laiyng siege to Ephesus she had not straight consented as one more couetous vnto money theÌ„ faithfull to her countrey betraied the Citie for money who according vnto promise demaunded of Brennus her deserued reward brought her to a greate heape of golde and waiyng her importunate desire vnto money loaded her so heauie with golde that she died vnder her burthen for wante of equall strength to her coueteous mynde The golden Sandes of Tagus all the glisteryng gemmes of Ganges all the treasures of Hydanspes can not suffice coueteous Princes Suche inordinate desire of wealth of glorie of fame raignyng in Princes from tyme to tyme that diuers dreamed in their sleape howe thei mighte satisfie their greedie guttes in the daie tyme toumblyng and tossyng their braine how thei mighte possesse kyngdomes and Countreis For Darius dreamed that al Macedonia should be at his becke and that Alexander the Greate should serue hym in suche homage and clothes as he some tyme did serue kyng CaÌ„bises Alexander dreamed that Hercules appeared to hym euery where and commaunded hym to passe vnto Tyre and to the Isle of Pharo promisyng helpe and assistaunce to haue wealthe and honour aboue al men Hanibali was so coueteous and desirous of Rome that a young manne of wounderfull beautie appeared vnto hym in his sleape commaundyng hym to make his armie rieadie to passe vnto Italie assuryng him to become lorde of Rome and Italie Thus in slepe did thei studie how to feede coueteousnesse Thus by dreames did thei coniecture how thei might bee famous glorious and renoumed Thus through fonde phantasies of visions did at lengthe become murtherers and tyrantes of the worlde What was the onely death of that noble Troian Hector the greedie desire to spoile kyng Patroclus â–ª What was the ende of that renoumed Gréeke Achilles his auarous dealyng with kyng Priamus for his soonne Hectors auarice neuer lodgeth but with princes noble menne and riche menne the poore of necessitie is enforced to seeke his liuyng Kyng Midas was not contented with all the kyngdom of Lidia made his desire and wishe of GOD Bacchus to bee a meane vnto Iupiter that what so euer he touched should be golde whiche beyng graunted euen at diner his breade that he touched became golde his drinke he tooke in hande conuerted vnto golde and beyng priuie to his miserie and wretchednesse that he was in almoste famishâ—e hymself for that he could not digeste golde as well as meate and drinke whiche could not perceiue his estate before and suffice him with al thinges beyng the wealthiest kyng that euer was in Lidia now through his coueteousnes enforced by hunger to die O hongrie panches of golde O cursed desire of money What hath not been doen by thee What place was not soughte by thee Euriphiles was so coueteous that she betraied her owne housebande Amphiraus to Adrastus kyng of the Argiues for a bracelet of golde that the kyng did weare aboute his arme If Ochus kyng somtyme of Persia had obserued the rule of noble Plato whiche said that a kyng whiche deliteth in auarice can not prospere He had not staied from the Citie of Babilon for sparing of some siluer which he should giue to the poore women of the citie for it was a Lawe made by kyng Cirus that what kyng so euer of Persia had comen vnto Babilon he should giue a peece of gold vnto euery poore woman in the toune for the whiche cause kyng Ochus would neuer come vnto Babilon These commodities followe coueteousnesse toile and trauaill in gettyng care and thoughtes in keping Had Euclio thought of that saiyng of Plutarchus that riches for the mooste parte are hurtfull to those chiefly that doe desire moste he had not hidden vnder the grounde suche Treasure and wealth of golde and siluer that he durste not goe out of his house for feare of robbing nor yet as Plautus saieth abide in his house for feare of killyng Uerie well is it described of wisemen the chariotte of coueteousnes the fower wheéles named faint courage contempt of God forgetfulnesse of death and vngentlenesse the twoo horses that drewe the Chariot are named rauine and nigardshippe the driuer of the horses is called desire the twoo cordes that rule the horses are appetite to gette and feare to forgette A whole volume might bee written vpon these names but sithe the moste parte knowe well the maner and motion of auarice superfluous it is to commente or glose to the smalleste noumber The Princes are not ignoraunce for slaughter murther and tyrannie teacheth them the order of this chariotte The noble man desireth alwaies to ascende
vnto higher honours and dignities by sundrie studie and seache of coueteous desire The gentleman in heauyng his rentes in spoiling his tenauntes in takyng all from and giuyng nothing vnto The marchauntes attempt the slipperie Sandes of Sirtes thei saile ouer Charibdus and Silla through surgyng seas to hasarde life for the Pearles of India and thus all for money O wicked worlde what profited Cirus to be kyng of Persia of greate fame and glorie and then by coueteousnesse to bee vanquished by a woman Tomiris Queene of Scithiae and twoo hundred thousande souldiors beside hym his heade beyng smitten of and caste vnto a barell of bloud to drinke that whiche auarice compelled hym to attempte What did it auaile kyng Antigonus to name hym self the Rasor of Asia the Shauer of Macedonia preferryng his own vnsatiate desire before Alexander the Greate vpon a bragge of his auarice boastyng Alexander to bee but a Reaper of Asia and Antigonus the sharpe shauer and spoiler thereof the one poisoned in Babilon in the middest of his triumphes and lefte thirtie daies vnburied without regarde or honour yea without any to putte in the grounde The other slaine and cutte in peeces emongeste his mortall foes Alexander kyng Pirrhus soonne What shoulde I recite sondrie Princes priuate persones wholie addicted to this vile auarice but Kyngdomes and Countries altogether drowned in this miserable Coueteousnesse The Lacedemonians the renowmed people of the whole worlde after their long banishemente of money and manly contempte of wealth at length corrupted by Lisander to embrace coueteousnes in Athens the sacred aucthor of learnyng the Well of Philosophie after they had despised Kyng Philip of Macedonia and all his wealthes in fine brought in subiection by money valiaunt Thebes while Spaminondas liued subiect to no desire desirous of no riches but yet allured to yelde to money in so muche they waxed so couetous they beganne one to warre against another that in séeking to be Lords and chief one ouer another they became slaues and subiectes to forren princes whiche all the while they were not moued by couetousnes they resisted the violence of their enemies but euen as Aesopes dogge was not contented with the meate that he had in his mouth but beyng gréedie to snatche at the shadowe thereof he lost that whiche he caried in his mouth Had not Hanniball been couetous of Rome and Italie he had not loste Carthage and Libia Had not Pirrhus been desirous to possesse Macedonia he had not been dispossessed of Epyre. If Mithridates had béen contented with y e whole kingdome of Pontus If the greate kyng Antiochus had not thursted for Aegipt he had not been banished from Assiria Such coueitousnes grewe on a sodden in the citie of Rome that Iugurth kyng of Numidia woulde often saie that Rome woulde haue been sould for money If Biers and Sellers could haue happened to mée So couetous waxed Rome that all thynges were soulde for money in so muche that when Antiochus had prepared a greate armie sumptuously appointed with Helmets Speares Targats of Siluer and demaūdyng of Hanniball whether he was well appointed to fight against the Romaines Haninball vnderstandyng the wealth and substance of the Souldiours of Antiochus one waie and not ignorant of Romains force for that he .xvj. yeares had famous warres against them perceauyng the desire and gréedines of the Romaines to substaunce another waie answered kynge Antiochus after this sorte There is sufficient at this tyme for the Romaines though they be euer so coueitous O Rome the Lampe and Lantarne of the worlde while money was not knowen O Sparta most renowmed while yet the lawes of Licurgus was obserued when harde Iron was coined for money then Rome florished then Sparta prospered then Romaines were feared and Lacedemonians dréeded O golden worlde before the coine of Iron when shamefastnes ruled the people and iustice gouerned princes It is seldome seen whē wealth encreaseth that auarice abateth for as the world grew vnto wealth so it grewe vnto couetousnes when gold was found firste by Cadmus in Mounte Pangaeum as both Plinie and Herodotus affirme then was no earth digged no Seas saild no countreis trauailed vnto for money but now they haue digged vnto the verie bottome of Caucasus vnto the depest parte of the yearth and like to digge Pluto out of hell if thei continue saith Phalerius There is no dangerous Ile on yearth no gapyng Gulfe in Seas but money hath sought it out Would to GOD some ofspringes of kyng Agis who sometime in Sparta commaunded al the riche Citizins to bryng their Bookes and Billes of accoumptes vnto the common Haull where and when he perceiued the Lacedemonians to bee muche geuen vnto auarice the Citie of Sparta vnto vsury he called for all the billes of deptes the creditours assuryng themselues of paimēt was rewarded after this sort al their billes and bookes of deptes burned before their face with a full sentence of the kyng and the wisemenne Ephori Agesilaus was wont to speake that kyng Agis fire was the best that euer was in Sparta farre better then Neros fire who burned and would haue often flamed the noble citie of Rome where hee was Emperour and gouernour of Agis burned the scroules of Usurie and coueitousnes in respecte of his tender loue towarde the people of Sparta Nero set afire the whole Citie in consideratiōs of his hatred towardes his owne Subiectes trustyng more the spoile and the wealth of Rome then readie to gouerne the state of the Empire with wisedome and vertue Kynge Agis exclamed with famous Maro against money and coueitousnes the Emperour Nero did alwaies crie out and procure that verse of Horace saiyng O Citizins first séeke money and then trauaill for vertue There should no straunger inhabite Sparta that was either riche or desirous of riches but when they began to embrace wealth to loue money to wear Golden Ringes on finger Pearles hangyng at their eares Bracelettes aboute their armes Chaines about their neckes at length they weare Gold and precious stones on their showes then wantonnes and lecherie were firste chambered then glotonie and dronkennes were fostered then vices and wickednes began to preuaile Uertue and Godlines beganne to be oppressed Thus Auarice first began by princes and maintained by all sorte of men then of couetousnes sprong vp desire of fame and glory not only in Kesars and Kinges but in meane and simple persons how simple a slaue a vile abiect most desirous of fame Herostratus by name burned the greate Temple of Diana coumpted one of the seuen wonders for hir monstrous and huge buildinges detected himself of the crime to become famous Pausanias a meane man in respect demaundyng of his frende Hermocles how he might be famous was councelled to kill kyng Philip kyng of Macedonia father vnto Alexander the greate whiche as willyng he did accomplishe as hee was
notorious and spoken of for that either of them hadde but one eye These renowmed Princes and singuler souldiers excelled all men in wisedome and prowisse as prooued is in Plutrarch by their liues Phillip for temperaunce of lyfe Antigonus for fayth and constancie vnto his friende Hanniball for truth and pacience for his countrie Sertorius for his clemencie and gentlenesse towardes his enimies which for theyr passing courage inuinsible stoutnesse and worthy enterprises happened to be depriued of their eyes as Philip lost his eye at the siege of the Citie of Methon Antigonus at Perinthia Hanibal in Hetruria Sertorius in Pontus Whē the people of Thasius had erected alters appointed sacrifices for to honour Agesilaus in their Temples for his fame of fortitude they send Embassadors to certifie the king therof which say y t as Apollo was in Delphos honored as a god so Agesilaus was in Thasius but the King as he was valiaunt so he was wise much detesting assentations and flatterie of people demaunded of the Embassadours and required them if that their countrey coulde make gods to make some firste of their owne countrey saying Agesilaus had rather be king in Sparta then to be a god in Thasius O renowned Sparta O famous Greece While hidden hatred was exempted while ciuill warres were not knowen while Athence sought no supremacie ouer Sparta while Sparta sought no maisterie ouer Thebes then all the power of Persea the force of Macedonia might not staine one lyttle towne in Greece but the insolencie of princes the desire of fame the felicitie of renowme the honour of glorie was such as Alexander the great aunswered King Darius Embassadours who comming from Persea vnto Macedonia to entreate of peace tendering vnto Alexander the daughter of Darius in maryage with all the countrey of Mesopotamia and twelue thousande talentes yerely beside with such princely promising of the kingdome of Persea after Darius dayes as there wanted no princely liberalitie in Darius offeryng nor princely stoutnes in Alexanders answere saying vnto y e Embassadors Tell your master Darius king of Persea that as two Sunnes may not be in y e firmament so two Alexanders maye not rule the earth Such valiant mindes coulde be subiect in no wise neither Darius vnto Alexander nor Alexander vnto Darius Such stoutnesse raigned in Princes to mainteyne states that as Archestratus the Athenian was woont to say that in the Citie of Athence two Alcibiades myghte not rule so Ethocles the Lacedemonian dyd lykewise speake that two Lisanders might not agrée in Sparta So contrarye and diuers were Princes so high and loftie of courage so valiaunt of heart so noble of minde that though fortune coulde not so often fawne and fauour the states of Princes but that she which is most vncertaine coulde vndoe in a day that which was gotten in a yere yet in no wise could fortune take valiaunt mindes from men nor spoyle magnanimitie of Princes nor diminishe courage of olde men as that worthy and most auncient souldier Mithridates King of Pontus after he had plagued the Romanes with fortie yeres long warres during the which time he shewed him selfe no lesse hardie and stoute in resistyng the strong force of Romanes and valiaunt and couragious in attemptyng the fortitude of Romanes And though by fortune forsaken in his latter dayes and spoyled of all health fréendes children countreys kingdomes and all worldly wealth yet to spite fortune his mortall foe went to Celta thinking with them to passe ouer vnto Italy to let the Romanes vnderstande that though fréendes countreys by fortune were spoyled yet neither fortune with her spite nor all y e Romanes with their force could subdue King Mithridates valiaunt heart In this ioyed Princes only then not to be conquered In this onely triumphed they because they might not bée vanquished In this gloried they most in that they were frée from subiectiō Cercylidas being one of the wise men named Ephori in Sparta hearyng the thundring threatnings of King Pirrhus Embassadours the slaughter and murther tha◠King Pirrhus entended vpon men women children the cruell destruction and last confusions of the Lacedemonians aunswered no lesse stoutly then wisely the Embassadours of the King saying If Pirrhus your Maister be a god we haue not offended him therefore we doubt him not but if Pirrhus be but a man tel your Maister that the Lacedemonians be mē likewise therfore we nothing feare him at all This valiaunt Pirrhus thought so wel of him selfe felt him so ready iudged al men inferiour in enterprices vnto him that being at the victorie of that noble Cittie Tarentum where he sawe such feates attempted such actes done such stoutnesse shewed by the Romanes that he being dismayde at the manhoode and boldenesse of Romanes thought if magnanimitie were lost the moulde thereof shoulde be founde in a Romanes heart insomuch that long looking vewing of Romanes he cryed out and sayd O howe soone woulde Pirrhus conquere all the worlde if eyther he were King in Rome or Romane souldiours subiect vnto Pirrhus Of these Romanes was Haniball wont to saye to King Antiochus of Siria being enforced to forsake Carthage that Rome might not suffer equalitie either Prince ouer all or subiect vnto all Rome was compared vnto Hidra of Lerna that hauing so many heades when one was cut off an other sprang vp insomuch that all the world might not destroye Rome being iniured or ouercommed of the enimies as fortune often permitted they were not to be entreated before the like fortune happened vnto them as happened against them as Licinius Emperour hauing lost diuers of his souldiours vnto Perseus king of Macedonia which aftewarde was subdued by that valiaunt Romane Pompeius the great this Perseus hauing taken diuers of Licinius souldiours did sende certaine Orators to speake for peace which eloquently perswaded with Licinius to consent thereto after long talke learned councell pithy perswasions by the Orators it was aunswered as briefely plainelie and simplye by Licinius that the best waye for king Perseus to craue peace at the Romanes was first to restore the prisoners of King Perseus which were Romaines home againe and then to sende his Ambassadors to the Emperour Licinius otherwise the whole countrie of Macedonia shoulde féele the force and magnanimitie of the Romanes To speake of the conquest and victories of Iulius Caesar of the audacitie of Metellus of the fortune of Silla of the sharpe dealing of Marcellus being thereby the spurre of Rome called of Fabius likewise named the Tergat of Rome of diuers more valiaunt Romanes it were infinite the reading thereof but I meane not to molest the reader and yet one little historie to proue the renowmed Romanes most worthie of this valiaunt vertue magnanimitie writtē in Claudian of one Camillus a noble Romane who hauing a long time layde siege at Philiscus and coulde not preuayle The Shoolemayster of the Cittie hauing his Scholers vnder pretence of walking
Cicero in his first booke of Tusculan commendeth much the clemency of Cleobulus and Biton in shewing such loue and obedience to their mother which being in her Chariot redy to go to the solempne feast of the goddesse Iuno the horses sodainly dyed hauing no other remedy lest their mother should go a foote yoked themselues to drawe the Chariot tenne miles to their immortall praise and commendations I remember of a history in Patritius of one Simonides which for that hée was mooued with pittie to bury a dead corps left in the way where no man woulde put him vnto the earth as hée was passing with his felowes ouer Seas that night before they should saile in the morning appeared vnto Simonides the selfe same man which he had buried vpon the way warning him that day not to go to Sea which when hée shoulde take shipping he remembring his dreame tolde it vnto his felowes desiring them to stay that day but his company laughing him to scorne leauing Simonides on the shoores sayled vnto the Seas where in sight of Simonides the Shippe and all his felowes were lost The lyke pitie séene in Simon the son of that valiaunt Greeke Miltiades who being elected Generall ouer the Athenians against the great mighâ— and force of puissaunt Zerxes in the warres of Marathon which was nothing inferiour vnto his renowmed father in prowesse but farre passed him in clemencye and curtesie A young man for his lenitie pitie ioyned with valiauntnesse appoynted by the people of Athens to encouÌ„ter with Zerxes whom his father Miltiades often plaged he then at the first time of his magnanimity tried enforced Zerxes after spoyle of souldiours and victorie of fielde to flye vnto Persea So pitifull that hée payde a great some of money to haue his father buried Milciades which after many conquestes and fawning fortune in victories died in prison whose death and buriall prooued no lesse loue and faythfulnesse towardes his father in Simon then it shewed euidentlye the pittie and mercy he had in redéeming his fathers corpes to be buried Wherefore that pittifull Emperour Alexander Seuerus being demaunded what is that which is chiefe felicitie in this worlde sayde to foster friendes with benifites and gentlenesse and to reconcile foes with pitty and rewardes Alphonsus at what time certen dogges barked at him tooke a toaste out of his cuppe and cast it to the Dogge then saying gentlenesse and clemencye shall make foes friendes I knowe not what greater humanitie coulde be in Vaspasianus the emperour after that Vitellus had kilde his brother Sabinus and had long persecuted Vaspasians sonne yet he being subdued spared not to shew gentlenes to Vitellius his daughter with a great some of money towarde hir mariage Aegesilaus King of the Lacedemonians after he had the victorie of Corinth was not so glad of his conquest as he lamented the deathes of so many Athenians and Corinthians sayde as Plutarch doth witnesse wéeping O Gréece thou spillest more men with ciuil warâ—es by discorde than woulde defende thy state against all the worlde with courage To vse victorie gently is more famous than to conquer cruellye As that Emperour Adrian was woont to saye that Princes ought rather with Pittie to saye this I can doe then with tirannye to saye this I will doe Augustus that most pittifull Prince after he had conquered that famous Cittie Alexandria which the great conquerour Alexander had made and named it according to his owne name béeing mooued with pittie stirred with mercy in sight of the Citizens which hoped to haue nothing but death sayde for the beautie of your Citie and memorie of Alexander for the loue I haue vnto Prius your Philosopher and for the pittie I beare vnto you all I spare vnto you your Cittie and graunt you life O swéete sounding wordes from a pittifull Prince not muche vnlike his predicessor Iulius Caesar his owne mothers brother who after vanquishing of Pompeius at Pharsalia sent letters vnto Rome of loue professed of suche friendshippe promised that though Pompeius was the onely ioye of Rome the long delight of Romanes the defender and meintainer of theyr name and fame yet being conuicted they receyued Caesar as an other Pompeius for that he vsed humanitie and shewed gentlenesse euen vnto his enimies for noble heartes ought to coÌ„temne cruelty princes mindes ought to abhor tirannye A simple sparow which to auoyd y e griping pawes of a hungry Sparhaucke that woulde haue prayed vppon him fledde vnto Artaxerxes bosome being in campe where after long panting aswell for feare as for wearinesse in Artaxerxes bosome he sayd It is as litle masterie vnto a Prince or commendation to a valiant Capitaine to destroye that which of it selfe doth yéelde as it is a fame vnto Artaxerxes to kyll this poore Sparow that fled for succour saying againe beholding the Sparrowe As I will not betraye thée thou little Sparrowe for that thou hast fledde for helpe vnto Artaxerxes so will I neuer deceyue anye man that will haue confidence in me If this pittie of Artaxerxes was shewed vnto a Sparrowe how much ought Princes to shewe the same vnto men Antigonus though he was a great enimie vnto Pirrhus as Princes bée during the time of warre being slayne of a silye woman in Argos and hys heade brought by Alcyoneus vnto his father King Antigonus thinking to please his father much to bring King Pirrhus head which long had molested Antigonus aliue but the king perceauing the cruell tiranny of his sonne to delite in dead mens heades tooke the staffe whereon his sonne Alcioneus caried the head in stéede of thankes which hée looked for at his fathers handes hée was well and worthily rewarded with stripes tooke Pirrhus head very honourably deckt and couered it and after long looking theron hée coÌ„maunded his son Helenus to cary it vnto the kingdome of Epire where Pirrhus in life time was King there to bée buried according vnto the custome of y e Epirotes by king AlexaÌ„der his own brother The like history is writteÌ„ in Herodotê° of King Darius which yéelded thankes vnto those that brought Histeus head as Antigonus did vnto his sonne Alcioneus saying I do as litle ioy to sée Histeus head being dead as I do lament much such tiranny and cruelnesse to bée in you who neuer sawe King Darius so cruell to any man aliue as you are cruell vnto Histeus being dead As Darius was gentle of him selfe so hée greatly estéemed those that were gentle insomuch hée being at the point of death euen at that time when hée was so weake that hée knew not Polistratus that gaue a litle water to refreshe his heart sayde Whosoeuer thou bée I knowe thée not and for that I am not able to thanke thée Alexander shall and wyll requite thy gentlenesse and the gods shall thanke Alexander for his clemency and humanity towarde my mother my wife and children and with that hée stretched
forgetfulnesse To auoyde therefore gluttonie and dronkennesse which are often tendered vnto Princes Constantius that most temperate Emperour kept him alwayes so hungrie that he woulde take of a poore woman a crust of breade to satisfie hunger It was Licurgus lawe in Sparta and Zaleucus rule in Locresia to abstaine from fine meate and swéete wine as from an enimie vnto Princes for wisemen were woont to say that meate is onely good to expell hunger and drinke to breake thirst King Cirus in warres béeing demaunded of his hoste what he would haue prouided against dinner breade sayde Cirus for drinke wée shall not want meaning as Amianus sayth water This vertue of abstinence was so honoured then that Princes which were giuen to wine were odious vnâ—â— the worlde A great shame it were in Thebes in Leonidas time to make banquetes for when Epaminondas that passing Prince of temperaunce was willed of a rich Citizen being his friende to come to a supper where he founde such superfluous chéere such excesse of meate and drinke that he sayde being much offended with his friende that he thought he was willed to come to eate like a man and not to féede lyke a beast This Prince knew the inconuenience of féeding and againe knewe the commoditie of abstinence A number of excellent vertues do follow abstinence as continencie chastitie sobrietie and wisedome A heape of vices waite on pampering Princes as glotonye lecherie dronkennesse and suche others Such was the temperaunce of great King Porus of India that breade and water was his accustomed chéere Suche was the abstinence of Massinissa King of Numidia béeing foure score yeares olde that he fed hungerly alwayes and not daintily at anytime Suche was the temperaunce of that noble Pericles and of that Gréeke Tymon that Aelianus in his booke of diuers histories commendeth the abstinence of the one and Cicero in his booke of friendeshippe extolleth the temperaunce of the other and so ioyntly these two noble Gréekes did auoyde alwaye banqueting and belly chéere forsooke and fledde the companye of drinkers as thinges more noysome than profitable more daungerous then helthie more filthily than friendly Demetrius king sometime of Macedonia and sonne vnto Antigonus being much giuen to féeding and pampering of him selfe grewe to that lust and lecherie that being not sufficed with diuers stately strumpetes and curious Curtezaunce as with that renowmed Lamia famous Crisidies diamonde Dama and such other daintie dames fell to lust of a young Gentleman of Gréece of amorous countenaunce of passing beautie and of such a princely porte with séemly shamefastenesse endued that then comming from Athens vnto Macedonia to serue as a souldiour vnto king Demetrius sought diuers meanes to accomplishe his inordinate lust by eating and drinking with this young Democles and with diuers attemptes to haue his purpose folowed him priuily where Democles went a bathing vnto a close chamber where Demetrius hid himselfe vntill the young man was naked and then on a sodaine enterprised his lust which when Democles sawe the King and perceyued his wicked entent to auoyde the shamefull acte and filthy luste of the king and to maintaine temperaunce of life and euerlasting fame of abstinence he lept naked into a great séething vessel of whote boyling water and finished his noble lyfe with famous death O renowmed Democles O vile and shamefull Demetrius thy death is famous his life is infamous thy temperaunce and vertue commended his lust and wickednesse iustly of all men condemned The like historie doth Plutarch write of Trebonius a young souldiour of a younger Capitaine named Lucius and Nephew vnto that noble Romaine Caius Marius This Lucius hauing a charge ouer certaine souldiours appoynted of his Uncle Marius then Generall hauing a long while deuised meanes to bring hys purpose to passe in accomplishing his luste with Trebonius happened on such a season that he found Trebonius by him selfe alone and offering violence vnto him Trebonius vnderstanding his Capitaines desire made as though he shoulde spéede came imbracing him and thrust him to the heart with Lucius owne dagger and so slue his Capitaine to auoyde infamie which when it came to Marius his eare that his nephew was slaine by Trebonius the cause thereof being demaunded by Marius being orderly declared by Trebonius where as it was thought he shoulde be hanged drawne and quartered and suffer most ignominious death he was rewarded with a crowne of Golde vpon his heade written about with this sentence This crowne and garlande wonne Trebonius by temperauance Had Demetrius King of Macedonia embraced sobrietye of féeding Democles had not bene so famous by abstinence as Demetrius might haue bene renowmed with temperaunce Had that Romane Lucius loued continencie as Trebonius honored chastitie Trebonius had not had of Marius his Uncle Luciê° the prayse the garlande of commendacions and he so vilde and shamefull a death Certainely when the people of Athens fed with figges the Arcadians with Acornes or with Walnuts the Argiues with Pearsley the Terinthians with Peares the Scithians with herbes the inhabitauntes of Carmenia and Meotica with poore fare yea before corne was sowne the whole worlde fedde with fruites which our olde mother the earth naturally brought foorth Then kingdomes and nations were ruled by lawe of Nature to embrace temperauncie to honor abstinencie and to obserue chastitie which since grewe to that aboundancie and excesse that the lawe of God which was first the lawe of nature which was the seconde and the lawe of Princes which was the last coulde not kéepe men from excesse of meate which onely was the cause of the sinking of Sodom and Gomorrhe the often plague of Israelites the iust confusion of gluttons and drunkardes When the Gymnosophistes of India fedde only with Apples when the Priestes of Egypt abstayned from fleshe and wine fedde with breade and Oyle when the sages of Persea fed with fruites and hearbes Then temperance beare rule then sobrietie gouerned then abstinence was honoured then Egypt florished through temperaunce and now spoyled with gluttonye Then India prospered through continencie and sobrietie and now vanquished by dronkennesse and temeriâ—y Then Persea was famous and conquered kingdomes by abstinence and now conuicted and conquered by aboundancie and excesse Where is learned Athens famous Sparta sttately Thebes while temperaunce dyd rule feared of all Kinges and after by meanes of excesse hated and destroyed of all Princes All the while that the Lacedemonians obserued the lawe of Licurgus in abstayning from braue banquettes and excesse of chéere yea when they might not passe vnto Asia for feare they shoulde be alured and entised with the sight of the iunkets of Asia then saith Cicero were the people of Sparta so temperate that the men did neuer sitte with women nor the women with the menne When the Milesians had made a lawe as Theophratus doth witnesse that neyther theyr wiues theyr daughters nor theyr maydes might taste wine
is written in the liues of the fathers that a young man seruing an Hermet being sent of his maister vnto a village harde by where a certen great Usurer and a vicious man being dead was caryed honorably and buried with solempnitie with the Bishop of that Diocesse which when the boy saw hée wept out that so euyll a man so wicked an Usurer should haue such solemne buriall and returning whom hée founde his maister deuoured of a Lion which so mooued him almost to bée beside him selfe saying The wicked Usurer dieth with greate honour and is buried with great pompe that liued all the dayes of his life in sinne and wickednesse My maister being fifty yeres in the wildernesse an Hermet is eaten vp and deuoured of a Lion whiche studied and traueyled to fight with sinne and with the deuyll An angel appeared vnto the boy saying The deuyll can no more hurt thy maister for hée hath done his worst and now thy maister hath conquered the deuyll The deuyll spared the Usurer in his life time that hée might possesse him after his death SOcrates therefore dying héeing constrayned for that hée refused their gods and sayd that hée would rather worship a Dogge than the gods of Athens and to drinke his last draught perceyuing that his wife wept demaunded the cause of her wéeping his wife aunswered and sayd the innocencie of Socrates death is the cause of my wéeping Nay rather sayde Socrates laugh and reioyce at that and wéepe at him that deserued death The like examples haue wée of King Antigonus and Anaxagoras the Philosopher hearing both that their sonnes dyed in the warres the one sayd I knowe I hadde my sonne borne to die the other without vexation or chaunge of countenaunce made him be buried out of hand saying It is no straunge thing to heare of death aswell vnto Princes as vnto poore men happened A Great King being admonished by his Phisitions of death began to lament much his state saying Alasse Myser that I am howe many princelye Pallaces regall Courtes howe manye Kingdomes and countries must I depart from and go vnto those quarters I know not where Howe manye Princes coulde I commaunde to come with mée anye where Howe many Noble men might I cause to go before to prouide my places and seates and nowe not one poore man in all the worlde will beare mée company to my graue saying thou worlde enimie of my soule ¶ THE DEATHES OF CERTEN Noble Princes in english verse ¶ Alexander the great his death WHat sounde assurance is of man what certaine lotte of life When Atrop cuts which Lachese spinnes with cruell cursed knife Hée yesterday renowmed Prince and King of Kinges so braue To daye in mouldred mossie mire layde in his fatall graue Yesterdaye the sonne of Ioue might all commaunde at will To day starcke naked in the earth with wormes his belly full ¶ Iulius Caesars death I Long that ruled Rome at will in middest of Rome am spilde And in the Senate house amongst the Senators I am kilde Who Countries Kingdomes Castles strong who Europe all did quell To Brutus hande and Cassius snares vnwares I Caesar fell With Bodkins Daggers Swordes and Staues I Caesar there was slaine Of fostered foes which friendeshippe fainde as Abel was of Cain ¶ Cirus King of Persea his death WHat Kesar King or Prince thou art that passes here this way Suffer Cirus seauen foote to rest his Corpes in clay Whose gréedie minde and raging race whose fortune frowning wild That Cirus shoulde be in Scithia slaine by Tomyris Quéene in fielde Whose heade was off and bathed in bloode to whome the Quéene spake first Drinke cruell Cirus bloode ynough that long for bloode did thirst ¶ Agamemnon his death WHome tenne yeares warres in Phrigian fieldes nor Troyans force subdue Who me winde nor Seas nor tempest hurt this Clitemnestra slue This famous Prince and Capitaine graunde of all the Géekes in fielde Whome fame in Phrigia so aduaunced his onely spouse him kilde Thus fortune friendly flowed fast and fauored fame to sounde Till frowning fortune foylde the state which fawning fortune founde ¶ King Pirrhus his death HEre Pirrhus Prince of Epire lyes whose force Tarentum knew At Argos was by a woman slaine with a Tilestoone that shée threw ▪ Whom thousande Princes coulde not hurt nor Romanes all annoy Whom shot of Gunnes ne dreadfull dart might Pirrhus Prince destroy This seconde souldier counted was to Alexander King A sielie Argiue woman lo to graue did Pirrhus bring ¶ Hanibal his death THe fostered fame the glory great that was in Carthage coast The honour long that Lybia had againe in time was lost He that was the scurge of Rome and Romanes oft offend He that saued his natiue zoile and Carthage did defende The same at last to Siria fled to craue Antiochus ayde Unto Bithinia thence he went to Prusias King dismayde And there to voyde Flaminius force he poyson dranke did die Thus hauty Hanibal ended life and there his bones do lye ¶ Pompeius death POmpeius fléeing Pharsalia fieldes from Caesar life to saue Whome then Photinus fayned friende to Egypt soyle did laue And there by slaightes of faythlesse frindes for golde and siluer loe Pompeius heade was sent to Rome to Caesar for to shoe His bodie left vnburied lieth in Egypt slimy sandes Who sometime King of Pontus prest and all Armenia landes ¶ Cicero his death WHome Cicero saued off from death the same did Cicero kill Pompilius prowde to please the rage of Mar. Antonius will Whos 's heade was sette in sight to sée Antonius minde to please Whose tongue did Fuluia pricke with pinnes Hir stony heart to ease Who when hée was for Clodius sake exiled Rome to raunge Twentie thousande Romanes mournde in mourning wéedes the chaunge Hée thrée times Consul was in Rome now in Caieta slaine Whose noble name and lasting fame shall styll on earth remaine ¶ Demosthenes death THe sugred sappe the solace long the guyde of Athens then That stoute withstoode king Philips force in spite of Philips men Of whome king Philip in his warres was forcde to say at length Hée feared more Demosthenes tongue then all the Athinians strength Such is the ende of mortall wightes such is the miserie of men That howe to die the time the place he knoweth not where nor when ¶ Achilles his death THe hope of Gréece and countries care Achilles strong of force Like stoute Alcides fought on foote like Mars himselfe on horse But last that ruled Goddes sometimes did then Achilles mooue To walke to Troye to féede desire for Priamus daughters loue Who by a Dart that Paris driude Achilles had his ende Whose worthy actes and marshall feates in Homer well is pende ¶ Hectors death HEctor stoute whose strokes full sterne the Gréekes did girde so grim And foyled foes in Phrigian fieldes death happened thus to him In spoyling of Patroclus king Achilles faythfull friende Came strong Achilles to the place to sée Patroclus ende Then
as by experience we see all things to haue a care of his owne life The Lion when he feeleth hym self sicke he neuer ceaseth vntil he féedeth vpon an Ape whereby he maie recouer former health The Gotes of Creet féedyng on high vpon the mountaines when any of them is shot through with an Arrowe as the people of that countrey are most excellent archers they seeke Dictamum and hearbe assone as they eate any thyng of the same the arrowe faleth downe and the wound waxeth whole incontinent There are certen kyndes of Frogges in Aegypt about the floud of Nilus that haue this perseueraunce that when by chaunce they happen to come where a fishe called Varus is whiche is a greate mourtherer and a spoyler of Frogges they vse to beare in their mouthes ouerthwart a long réede which groweth about the bankes at Nilus whiche when this fishe doth gape thinkyng to feede vpon the Frog the réede is so long that by no meanes can he swallowe vp the Frogge and so saue their liues If the Gotes of Creet If the frogges of Aegypt haue this vnderstanding to auoide their enemies how muche more ought men to be circumspect of his life which hath I saie millions of enemies nether séen nor knowen We reade in the first boke of Aelian that the rude swine if at any tyme by chaunce they eate of that hearbe called Hioscyamus which draweth by by the vaines together that skant thei can stirre yet they striue for remedie sake to goe vnto the water where they feede vppon yong Crabbes to recouer health In the same booke ye maie reede of a Sea Snaill whiche from the water doth come vnto lande to breede and after she hath egged she diggeth the yearth and hideth her egges and retourneth vnto the sea again and there continueth .xl. daies and after .xl. daies she commeth vnto the same self place where she hidde her egges and perceiueth that thei are ready to come out of the shell she openeth the shell and taketh her yong ones with her vnto the sea And thus haue they care charge not onely of their owne states and liues but also of others and by some shewe of sence thei amende that which is most daungerous and hurtfull for the sely and simple mise haue this kynde of fore knowledge that when any howse waxeth olde and ruinous they forsake their olde dwellyng and creepyng holes they flee and seeke refuge in an other place The little Antes haue foresightes that when penury and want of relife draweth nier they waxe so painefull and laborious toilyng and trauailyng in gatheryng together victualles as maie serue them duryng the tyme of famine If these smale crepyng wormes seely and simple beastes prouide for them selues what shall wee saie of man the kyng and ruler ouer all beastes who hath not onely a bodie to prouide for but also a soule to saue More happie are these wormes and beastes in their kinde then a nomber of Princes are For that they by nature onely are taught their foes to auoide neither we by nature neither by God the cause of all goodnes can loue our frendes Therefore verie well it is saide of the wise man that either not to be borne or els beyng borne streight to die is the happiest state that can chaunce vnto man For liuyng in this vale of miserie wee sée the Pilgrimages and trauell of life to be such that better farre it were be a poore quiet man then a busie proude Prince And sith death is the last line of life aswell appointed for princes as for poore men who in reading the liues of Emperours Kinges and Princes the nobles of the worlde seeth not their vnhappie states whiche commyng vnto the worlde naked and departyng from the same naked yet like proude pilgrimes busie one to destroye another not coÌ„tented with countries and kingdomes go from one place vnto another from one couÌ„trie vnto another like Pilgrimes to bee acquainted with miserie and to seeke death Alexander the great conquerour takyng his voiage from his kyngdome of Macedonia vnto India to destroie all the worlde hee was in the citie of Babilon preueÌ„ted by Antipater and Iola his taster and kinsman with poison and there he died Philopomen a greate Emperour sometyme in Greece beyng in prison in Messena taken in the warres and beyng so cruelly handled that he besought Dinocrates whiche then was Prince of that countrie and conquerour ouer hym one draught of poison he coulde not be coÌ„tent to be Emperour and ruler of Greece but moued to seeke death in a straunge countrie amongest his foes Ladislaus kyng of Apulia endeuouryng to subdue the Florentines and séekyng to bee kyng ouer the Florentines he loste the kingdome of Apulia For by them was hee at length poisoned and so berefte from his owne kingdome and life with this vnhappie kinde of death wer many princes preuented no lesse thretened are these princes of their owne houshold frendes then of foren foes no lesse do their childreÌ„ their wiues brethren and kinsmen studie to destroie them sometyme for the kingdomes sake some tyme for hatered hidden and most ofteÌ„ prouoked of these to spoile them as it is written that Claudius Caesar an Emperour of Rome was poisoned of his owne wife Agrippina Antiochus king of Siria was poisoned of his Queene Laodice for that hee was in loue with Berenices Kynge Ptholomeus sister Constantine the Emperour the soonne of Heraclius beeyng but one yere a ruler of his empire was poisoned by his mother in lawe named Martina The verie cause of the Emperour Conradus death whiche was Frederikes soonne was the Empire and rule of Rome whiche Manfredus his successour made the phisicions for money to poison him that then hee beyng the successour of the empire might beare rule O vnhappie state of Princes whose liues are desired of frende and foe How sore was L. Vectius set on of Caesar to betraie Pompeius the greate whiche for the loue and zeale that Pompeius had in Rome Caesar began to malice Lucullus Curio Cato and Cicero for their priuate loue towarde Pompeius no lesse daunger it is to be in fauour with princes sometime then perilous to bee princes wee reade of a Quéene named Rosimunda the doughter of kyng Cunimunda of Gepida after that she poisoned Albonius king of Longobardes hir first housebande she maried a prince of Rauenâ—a named Helinges which likewise she thought to poison but beyng warned in y e middest of his draught he caused his wife to drinke the reste whiche drinke was the cause of both their death howe manie noble Princes in the middest of their Pilgrimages died that death as Diocletian the Emperour of Rome Lotarius kyng of France Carolus the eight of that name with diuers others as Hanibal prince of Carthage Aristobolus king of Iuda and Lucullus Emperour of Rome Princes and noble men doe sometyme poyson theimselues lest they should
be enforced of their foes to doe what thei would as Themistocles beyng banished froÌ„ his countrie Athens when he did deserue wel life and honor beyng in seruice with Artaxerxes kyng of Persia poisoned hym self with the bloud of a Bulle in presence of all the Persians lest he should be compelled to fight in warres againste Grece his countrey Euen so Aratus Prince of Sicionia perceiuyng Philip the yonger should banishe and exile hym out of his countrey was enforced to drinke his owne death out of his one hande Euen after this sort after long administration of common wealth after greate honour had and after Princely dignities possessed with worthie renowme and same receiued did noble Socrates learned Anaxagoras worthie Seneca famous Demosthenes poison them selues Thus their pilgrimages were ended and their liues finished their honor and dignitie their fame and renoume did purchase them death Happie theÌ„ are those whom the worlde knowe not ne yet desire to be acquainted with the worlde but quiete and contented doe trauaile their Pilgrimage Had not Iugurtha thrusted for the kyngdome of Numidia he had not slain his two brethren Adherbales and Hiemphales which wer partakers of the croune for the whiche vengeance sell vpon hym he had not comen vnto cruell Marius hande to bee subdued neither had he died in prison Had not king Syphax thursted the Empire of Rome he had neuer been taken captiue and prisoner with Tyburus where he at lengthe out of his kyngdome died in prisone Henry the thirde was of his owne soonne named Henry again putte in prison where he died Aristonicus for all his businesse and greate doynges was vanquished by the Consull Aquilus and put in prison where likewise he died In prison diuers princes ended life in foreine countries diuers kindes of deathes sondrie plagues happen vpon princes more then vpon man els as orderly I meane to proue by their Pilgrimages and liues Some by fire as the Emperour Phalaris of Agrigentin who was burned with all his children and his wife in the brasen Bulle whiche Perillus made for others and when Perillus firste assaied this newe inuented worke before all others and after him the Emperour hym self was put therein By fire was the Emperour Valentine burned of the Gothes by fire was that famous Gréeke Alcibiades destroied in Phrigia burned in bedde with his woman Tymandra after he had ruled Athens and all Grece a longe while thus was his ende Sardanapalus that greate kyng and laste prince of Assiria fearyng to fal vnto the handes of Arbactus and detestyng to die by his enemies made a solempne fire where he after long leude life wantoning in luste and followyng his desire burned hym self it was the ende of that renoumed man Hercules whiche conquered Monsters subdued Serpentes Lions Dragons and wilde beastes to dye by wearyng of Nessus therte the Centaur whiche burned hym a liue To speake of Prince Boges the deare frende sometyme of kyng Xerxes which when he knewe that he could not escape the hande of Cimon and the power of Athens he made greate fire where he caused his wife and concubins his children and familie to be burned and then his gold siluer and treasure and last of all burned him self Empedocles Catulus Luctatius Asdrubal and Portia died this death I maie not be tedious in recityng to many names but some to shewe and to write that did take a part of sondrie plagues diuers deathes So desirous wer men alwaies to become princes so ambitious of honour so gready of wealthe that hauyng the name of a king thei thought to auoide and escape that whiche alwaies waâ—teth harde at the heeles of Princes I meane death were not Princes hanged of their owne subiectes whiche is the vilest and moste ignomious death that can bee Achaeus kyng of Lidia for that he troubled his subiectes with newe taskes and Subsidies he was hanged of his owne Subiectes ouer the riuer Pactolus Bomilchar a Prince of Libia beyng suspected of his owne countrey men the Carthaginians that he had conspired with Agathocles vnto the annoyaunce of the subiectes was hanged in the citie of Carthage in the middest of the Markette Policrates who was supposed to bée the happiest Prince that euer reigned in Samos who neuer sustained any losse by Fortune at length was by Oroetes the Persian kyng Darius generall hanged in open sight of Samos Herodotus dooeth affirme that Leonides that famous kyng of Sparta that long ruled the Lacedemonians with great fame and renowme was by Xerxes kyng of Persia after his heade was smitten of commaunded notwithstandyng to be hanged Trogus dooth write of Hanno a Prince of Carthage whiche flourished in the tyme of kyng Philippe father to Alexander the greate whiche for his prosperous successe Fortune and lucke that he had in all his attemptes he waxed to be suche a tyrauÌ„t that his owne people firste bounde hym with coardes whipt hym with roddes pluckt out his eyes brake his legges cutte of his handes and at laste to recompence his Tyrannie thei hanged hym vp in Carthage These were no meane men that thus were hanged in their owne Countrey of their owne people But honoure which is alwaies ambitious doeth bryng this to passe euery where These Princes were in the middeste of life arrested by death and by diuers kindes of death Some as you haue heard with poison some with fire some with hangyng haue ended their Pilgrimages some againe were deuoured of their owne horses as Diomedes kyng of Thracia was foode hym self vnto those beastes whiche before he fedde with mennes bodies The kyng of Eubaea for his tyrannie in Boaetia was giuen by Hercules to be eaten of his owne horses Lucinius the Emperour at what tyme he had appointed his doughter Herina should bée giuen vnto his horses to be eaten he hym self ministryng her as fode vnto theim was torne in péeces It happened that Neocles the sonne of that noble Greeke Themistocles was by a horse likewise deuoured This plague was not straunge vnto Princes for thei were alwaies subiecte vnto all kinde of deathes After that famous Prince Metius Capitaine of the Libians had broken with the Romains promise of truce and amitie he was afterward as Liui doeth witnesse taken and drawen of fower greate horses a liue at the commaundemente of Tullus Hostilus beyng then kyng of Rome Kyng Theseus soonne Hippolitus beeyng then falsely of his Mother in lawe Quéene Phaedra accused fliyng to auoide the furie and rage of his Father at the requeste of the Quéene was torne in peeces of wilde horses But let vs passe further and then we shall reade that some againe euen as thei afore saied Princes were deuoured of horses were of Serpentes stonged vnto death as Laocon that worthie Troian was in open sighte of twoo Serpentes destroied yea that famous and warlike woman Cleopatra Queene of Aegypt after her louer and frende
and seyng hym with diuers of his felowes like to be murthered flewe vnto the very faces of the thieues and so strongly fought with theim that some the Dragon flue some sore hurt and some constrained to flie saued him and his felowes in recompence of his former courtesie Surely I iudge it a better benefite bestowed vpon suche a Dragon then vpon some vngratefull persones that be in the worlde ¶ Of reuengemente THe best waie to reuenge any iniury offered is to suffer quietly the same and to shewe vertue toward vice goodnesse toward euil honestie toward scurrilitie which is the onely poison vnto the enemy as for an example Laertius dooeth manifest the same by comparisons of thynges Who is he that seeth his enemies fieldes greene his pastures well grassed his house furnished and all thynges in comely order but he is a greeued therewith howe muche more saied he when the enuious seeth his foe adorned with all vertuous compassed with all pacience yea prosperyng in all goodnes he is therewith molested And in that place of his sixte booke he reciteth a worthie historie and a noble example of due reuengement by Diogines the Cinicke Philosopher who by chaunce came where diuers yonge men were at banquet makyng merie his heade beyng balde by reason of age he was so flouted and scoft of moste part of the companie that with stripes and strokes thei threwe hym out of the house the poore old Philosopher reuenged his wrong in this wise He tooke a peece of white Chalke and wrote the names of all those that so vsed hym vpon his cloke and so opened his cloke that all menne might reade their names and knowe how wickedly thei had vsed hym and what scoffes and floutes he had suffered of those persones whose names were to be read vpon his cloke and so brought them in suche blame with all men that thei wished in harte that thei neuer had seen Diogenes that made al the world to se their foly that afterward thei were noted as ridiculous persones not worthy of honeste companie and so were thei excluded from the good men banished from ciuile men and quite forsakē of all honeste and vertuous men Agesilaus kyng of the Lacedemonians when he had heard of certaine foes of his that alwaies spake ill of his person and of his state he after this sorte reuenged hym he chused and elected them chief capitanes ouer his men of armes and committed all the charge of his hooste vnto his enemies whereby he made his foes to become his frendes yea his seruauntes and slaues to doe what he would commande theim For so Demosthenes did when he was prouoked and iniuriously handled of hym that was in a banquet disposed to fall out and fighte with hym no saied Demosthenes I will neuer take that in hande which the victor thereof thereby sustaineth shame O worthie sentence and moste aptly aplied vnto a wiseman Wee reade in Brusonius of Dion of Alexandria who with silence reuenged more his foes then with woordes for beyng prouoked vnto anger by a vilaine and abiecte whiche folowed hym through the streate chidyng threatenyng him answered not one worde but bade hym good nighte when he came vnto the verie doore of Dion whiche when the enemie sawe he would not bee moued vnto anger to dooe hym hurte whereby he might dooe the like vnto hym againe he went vnto the nexte tree and hanged hym self Thus did Socrates beyng blamed of his frende for his silence in that he was iniuriously handled of his foe answered and saied that his enemies saiyng could not damage hym sith he was not that manne that the wordes did importe hym to bee and beyng striken and spurned by the same man Socrates was coūsailed to call the same vnto the Lawe before the Iudges vnto the whiche he aunswered whiche of you if an Asse strike hym will call that Asse before any iudges sith he is no better that thus vseth me For by this am I knowen to be Socrates and he knowen to be an Asse The greatest reuengemente vnto a foole is to lette euery man knowe his folie and the greateste hurte vnto a wiseman is to reuenge folie for it was all the reuengemente of Socrates when any man spake ill of hym to saie thus he neuer was taught to speake wel So courteous was that Fabius Maximus that when he had heard that one of his chief souldiers was about to betraie hym vnto his enemies he called the partie before hym not makyng hym priuie what he knewe of hym but demaundyng of Marsius what he wāted and willyng hym to aske any thing he should haue and so made him chief capitain of the armie By this meanes he became moste true vnto Fabius beyng before moste false This was farre from suche reuengementes as Alexander the Greate did who after he hadde subdued diuers Kyngdomes and Countreis he wente vnto the Temple of Ammon to knowe by the Oracles of Iupiter whether yet any were a liue that slue his father kyng Philip wherby he might shew more tyranny and practise murther further This was farre from M. Brutus rage whiche beyng not contente to vsurpe Caesar yea to kill hym in the Senate house but also when power failed when souldiers decaied and he almoste vanquished made his praiers vnto Iupiter and vnto the hoste of heauen to plage Caesar and his posterities This I saie was farre from Liuius Salinator who beeyng warned of Fabius Maximus not to reuenge malice vpon Hasdruball before he knewe the state of the matter the power of the fielde and the ende of the victorie where it should happen But he more rashely to reuenge then wise in sufferyng saied that either out of hande kill or bee killed And in this place I will recite 3. or 4. histories fitte for this purpose With Antheus a noble gentleman of Halicarnassus beyng in pledge lefte with Phobius chief Ruler then of Millesia fell Phobius wife in loue vsyng all meanes possible to allure Antheus in loue with her But he partely for feare and partely for loue of Phobius her housebande would in no wise consente to any filthye desire of this Cleoboea Phobius wife whiche she tooke in so euill parte that she beganne mortally to hate hym inuentyng what waie beste she mighte reuenge his cruell incurtesie in refusyng her loue She fained on a tyme that she had quite forgotten her old loue towardes hym and thanked Antheus very muche for the loue and greate zeale that he bare vnto her housbande Phobius in not consentyng to her follie then when she was in loue with hym Thus talkyng with hym Cleoboea broughte her old louer Antheus ouer a Welle where for that purpose onely she threwe a tame Partriche desiryng hym to aide her to haue her Partriche out of the Welle the young gentleman misdoubtyng her in nothing as one willyng to pleasure his frende and old louer went doune into the Well to haue the Partriche out but she
deuill he could chaunge hym selfe to what forme and frame he would so the proude women likewise vsyng as many names of vertues vnto vices I might well thinke them to be of the broode of Metra the doughter of Erisithon whiche the Poetes faine she would alter hir self sometime vnto an Oxe sometime vnto a Mare somtyme vnto a Harte and sometime vnto a fliyng foule but the true shewe the naturall Metamorphosis of Pride is to chaunge vnto a deuill the father and grand aucthour of pride Pride would faine climbe vnto the skies the nature of the proude manne is to bee exalted though he neuer be so simple for poore Temison a Gardiner would bee called Hercules and Menecrates the proude Phisition would be called Iupiter we ought to reioice in nothyng but the Crosse of Christe But wee reioice of the disguised shewes of this wicked worlde So proude was Cressus kyng of Lidia of his wealthe that he went to Delphos to know of Apollo whether any man were so happie as hee was in all the worlde but for al his pride and wealth pore and simple Aglaus of Arcadia was preferred before kyng Cressus by Apollo and in the middest of his pride destroied he was by Cirus kyng of Persea So proude was king Caudales of the bewtie of his wife that he to whom he shewed his Queene naked and bragged of hir bewtie I meane Giges the same spoiled hym from his wife and from his pride slue hym and maried his wife afterwarde euen so Alexander Phaereus for the pride he had in tyrannie was slaine of his owne wife whom often vnto all he bragged of hir bewtie Fabia a woman sometime of Rome waxed so proud of a yong man that loued hir named Petronis that she slue hir owne housbande Fabritianus Pride in any thyng prouoketh vengeaunce in all men The Pride that Alexander the greate had after his tyrannie in Persea kyng Darius beeyng vanquished was seen and proued in the Mariages of the nobles of Macedonia vnto the women of Persea wher he maried firste Stratonica the doughter of kyng Darius and made .lxxx. and ten mariages in the same daie when he was maried hymself where suche pride was vsed that hundred tables wrought with Golde of Arabia with engins of Barbary and euery table hauing siluer Trestles and Alexanders table had Trestles of golde This the wealth of Darius caused first pride and then tyrannie in Alexander What is it but the proud man thinketh he maie doe Antiochus was so proude that he had that admiration of hymselfe that he iudged hym able to saile on the yearth and to go on the Seas Nicanor likewise saide of his insolente and arrogante pride that as God was mightie in heauen so Nicanor was mightie on yearth pride is neuer seen long vnreuenged for Nabuchodonosor that mightie and proude prince commaunding hym self to be called a God was made a beaste to eate grasse seuen yeres for his pride he would ascende vp vnto heauen and bee made like the height and he was thrust doune vnto Hell moste like a beaste Herod shinyng in his roiall Robes preached with suche pride vnto the people claimyng vnto hym the due honour and glorie belongyng vnto God in the middest of his pride while yet the people saide this is the voice of God and not man beholde the Angell of the Lorde stroke hym that with wormes he was consumed and with lice eaten to death Chore Dathan and Abiron for their proude insurrection against Moises were swalowed vp vnto the bothom of the yearth The proude Philistian Golias bragging out his owne strength trustyng in his owne power was conuicted by little Dauid a boie at that tyme kepyng shepe God doeth detest pride that by the mouthe of his Prophete Esaie he treadeth doune the pride of the doughters of Syon for that they walke in their owne waies for hee hath no pleasure in mans legges nor in anie outward painted shewe but in the roote of the humble mennes harte is his dwellyng Atchidemus the sonne of Agesilaus beyng conuicted by Philip kyng of Macedonia vnderstandyng that he waxed proude thereof and gloried muche of the victorie wrote an Epistle vnto Philippe saiyng If thou measure thy shadowe now being a victour with thy shadowe in tyme paste when thou waste conuicted thou shalte finde no lenger nowe then in those daies this Prince was wonte alwaies to taunte Pride in so muche he estemed a proude manne as a Gorgon or a Ciclop or deformed Monster who perceiuyng an olde man named Ceus commyng vnto Lacedemonia to bee verie proude in his apparell gesture countenaunce aidyng Nature and settyng foorthe hym self vnto the vttermoste his heade beyng white he could not tell how to help it but to satisfie his proude desire he died his heares yellowe vnto whom Archedamus said O Ceus art thou not contented that thy mynde is infected with false colours but thou must haue the heares of thy heade also ¶ Gf Coueteousnesse COuetousnesse the priuie searcher of hidden gaines the gredie gulfe of ill gotten goodes moste painfull in sekyng and mooste carefull in keepyng whose one daie of death is better thā al the daies of his life The onely misers and wretches of the worlde are thei whom neither shame can reproue for that thei are impudent neither reason rule in that thei are vnsatiate neither death maie feare in that thei thinke to liue for euer For euen as the infected member of man is vexed with an itche is alwaies clawyng so saieth Plutarche is the couetous mynde restlesse in seekyng As fire is neuer sufficed with woode nor yearth with water so the auarous is neuer satisfied with money Like as the graue is open to receiue dead Carkases euen as helle is neuer ful so is the coffer of the couetous neuer contented After that Alexander the Greate had conquered all Persia Grece India Scithia all Asia almoste all the worlde broughte vnto subiection And hauyng a cause to come to the Schoole of Anaxarchus the Philosopher who affirmed by the aucthoritie of Democritus that there were diuers worldes whiche when Alexander heard he began to wéepe beyng demaunded the cause thereof of his counsailers answered O Anaxarchus are ther so many worldes to be had I skant haue half one worlde yet O vnsatiate desire that could not suffice him with all the kyngdomes of Macedonia nor satisfied with all the worlde but wepte and cried out because he might not possesse more worldes then one The like historie of Pirrhus kyng of Epire after diuers good successe of fortune could not suffice his gredie desire with a kyngdom This prince had an excellēt orator named Cineas which for his eloquence and wit kyng Pirrhus did often vse to sende as Embassadour to the Romaines to the Macedonians and to other countreis with whom he had then warres By this Orator the kyng was wont to speake that he
gotte more couÌ„treis cities and triumphes by the eloquence of Cineas then euer he wanne by his force of warres This Cineas perceiuyng the king to be verie couetous and moste desirous of wealthe in so muche that he longed sore for the spoile of the citie of Rome consideryng the wealth of the Romaines he saied to kyng Pirrhus after this sort What if Fortune would sende God permit you to be king of Rome What would you theÌ„ doe Pirrhus saied Italie is a fertile countrey and full of wealth I should sone subdue Italie if I were kyng of Rome Then Cineas demaunded againe what after you had Rome and all Italie would you doe Pirrhus aunswered there is a famous Isle called Sicilia adioynyng harde vnto Italie verie populous and riche meete for the kyng of Rome Cineas asked the third tyme what then will you doe Pirrhus saied beyng kyng of Rome of Italie and of Sicilia I would sone subdue Carthage and then mighte I well conquere all Libia Cineas beyng almoste wearie in demaundyng this coueteous Prince the ende of his desire asked the fowerth tyme what would kyng Pirrhus doe then The kyng answered all Grece then should be at my commaundement Cineas vnderstandyng that there was no ende of his vnsatiate and greedie mynde asked of Kyng Pirrhus what if you were lorde ouer all the world Pirrhus said then I and thou would bee merie and would liue at reste So there is no ende prescribed to the desire of the auarous vntill he hath all hym self Proued by Marcus Crassus the wealthiest and the coueteous Romaine that euer dwelte in Rome so wealthy was this man that he adiudged no man riche but he that might with money keepe an armie of souldiors in the fielde so couetous was this Romaine again that he was not sufficed with all his huge wealthe and monstrous riches but thursted for more in so muche that after he was slaine emongest the Parthians people of greate wealth hauyng knowledge of his greedinesse to gooddes thei melted golde in reproche of his auarice vpon his head and willed hym to drinke his bealie full of that which he long thursted for Euen as the heade of Galba a coueteous Emperour sometyme of Rome was smitten of and filled full of golde and offered at the Sepulchre of Nero in obloquie and slaunder of their filthie and greedie liues bothe for that whiche the couetous man doeth honour a liue the same dishonoureth hym being deade The Subiecte that is auarous is perilous to a Prince And the prince that is couetous is odious to his subiectes Acheus a wealthie kyng in Lidia taryng molestyng â–ª and alwaies moste cruelly vexyng his subiectes waxed so hatefull to his owne subiectes that through his auarous dealyng by popular sedition was murthered and hanged ouer the Riuer Pactolus with his heade douneward where golde was so plentie that the waues thereof offered Sandes of gold in token he could not moderate his desire a liue he was sette beyng deade ouer the golden Riuer Pactolus to féede his auarice What greater infamie can happen to a Prince then coueteousnesse Kyng Darius hauyng obtained the Citie of Babilon through the falshode of Zopirus possessyng all the wealthe substaunce and treasures of the kyngdome of Persia hauyng all the spoile of the citie readyng the Epitaph of Quene Semiramis whiche she caused to bee sette on her graue to trie onely coueteous Princes that should succede her she made to bee written this little sentence What Kyng or Prince so euer thou art wantyng golde or siluer open my tombe and thou shalâ—e finde to suffice thee Darius I saie not contented with all the kyngdome of Persia caused the graue to be opened sought and searched euery where within the tuÌ„be vntill he sawe written in the inside of the stone this verse O thou wicked wretched prince if thou haddest not been moste coueteous thou haddest neuer opened Graues to come to deade folkes for money The like repulse had this Xerxes Kyng Darius soonne after he made the graue of kyng Belus to bee opened for money and finding nothyng but the like sentence written on a shorte Table as his father kyng Darius founde before in the tombe of Semiramis which sentence saied that he whiche should open kyng Belus graue and would not fill that glasse with oile whiche was in his graue should haue an euill ende which happened to kyng Xerxes afterwarde for that he was coueteous to spoile quicke and deade for money and not so liberall as beyng a Prince as to fill vp kyng Belus glasse with oile Thus auarous princes sought for money with dead men There is no respecte to place with the coueteous man sithe he hath no regard to any persone for money sake What respect had L. Septumilius to his assured and deare frende C. Gracchus when Opimius then Consull in Rome and greate enemie vnto Gracchus allured hym with money to betray him his manifest faithe before vnto his frend by couetousnes was altered vnto open enemitie for money he sold his frende for money he murthered his frende for money he lugged his frendes bodie rounde about the streates of Rome O howe infamous art thou Septumilius for thy auarice What respecte had Ptolomeus to his singulare and often approued frende Pompeius the great who to auoide the force of Caesar the Emperour fledde for succour vnto Egipte where the kyng his supposed frende caused one named Bustus to strike of his heade and made his officer Photinus to sell Pompeius heade for money vnto Caesar. What regard had Polimnestor kyng of Thracia to his frende and nigh kinsman Polidor At what tyme Polidors Father kyng Priamus sente hym in trust to his cousin Polimnestor for old acquaintaunce and affinitie with greate substaunce and wealthe of Troie to kéepe to the vse of kyng Priamus who perceiuyng the state of Ilion and roiall sceptor of Phrigia readie to yelde the fatall flames Coueteous Polimnester without regard of frendshippe before or respect of kindrede either vnto kyng Priamus or to his sonne Polidor slue his frende and kinsman to possesse the wealthe whiche Polidor had Oh vnhappie metall that thus moue menne to tyrannie O wicked money that make men murther frendes O moste cruell coueteous to perswade men to betraie men to kille father and mother to deceiue Cities and Countries to forsake faithe to subuert kyngdomes L. Silla a moste wicked and coueteous farre to bee hated and lothed before Crassus that wicked and auarous Impe of Rome passyng all menne bothe in wealthe and coueteousnesse that in so muche he became through gréedie desire of his vsuall mynde so cruell that he was called an other fire brande of Italie suche tyrannie proceadeth from his coueteousnesse that not onely in forraine Countries became a cruell enemie in spoilyng and robbing but also in Rome and Italie his natiue zoile a terrible tyraunte burnyng and murtheryng bothe Countries and the people This Silla could neuer
that comparisons bee odious emongeste equalles and certaine more odious is it emongst vnequalles as betwene the riche and the poore But sithe the state of man is so diuers that some is contented with little and some neuer with muche Some toilyng and tramplyng hauing all thinges as though thei had nothing And some againe quiete and carelesse hauyng nothyng as though thei had all thynges consideryng that contentation of mynde and quietnesse of harte is the chief felicitie and soueraigne good of the worlde waiyng beside that pouertie is sure and saufe euery where and riches vnsure and dangerous at all tymes And that pouertie is carelesse and wealthe carefull I see not but by comparyng of the liues of Emperours Kynges and Princes of the worlde vnto selie poore menne But the state of the poore is better then the state of the riche as by Apollos Oracle proued of one Aglaus a poore manne in Arcadia preferred for his contentation before Kyng Cressus of Lidia whiche tooke hym self the happiest manne in the worlde for his wealth What profited kyng Darius to vanquishe the Persians and to be Kyng of Babilon and to haue out of Asia fiue hundred thre score and fiftene thousande Talentes yerely paied of tribute for he loste not onely all his wealthe but also his life for his wealthes sake by Alexander the great What profited Alexander again after that to haue the wealth of Persia the substaunce of Macedonia yea to haue all India and Asia and almoste the whole worlde in subiection and yet to bée poisoned of Antipater and lefte vnburied without regarde thirtie daies in Babilon for wealth was the chief cause of his death Was not poore Plautus and simple Cleanthes more happie in life then these two famous Kynges thei quietely with bakyng and bruing and appliyng their bokes liued a long tyme saufe and sounde These Princes were neuer at reste vntill one destroied an other in their youth and prime tyme. Kyng Xerxeâ— and Cirus gotte suche aboundance of wealthe by warres suche substaunce suche treasures that beeyng thereby disquietted and puffed vnto Pride to take enterprises in hande through perswasion of wealthe that the one after he thoughte to spoile and robbe all Grece was slaine by Artabanus the other thinkyng to subdue all Scithia was vanquished by Tomiris Queene of Scithia a woman and so bothe these proude Princes of wealth loste wealthe life and gooddes Was not Philemon and poore Acaetes which liued vnto the laste course of Nature quiete at reste more wise happie then thei If quietnesse of mynde if longe yeres if sauftie and soundnesse of life if perpetuall healthe maie perswade felicitie of life â–ª If poore Faustulus a Shepherd whiche somtyme founde in Romulus lefte of all men forsaken of his parentes hated of his freindes and nourished hym This Faustulus liued more mery yeres in keping of his Shepe a Shepherd then Iulius Caesar did in rulyng of Rome an Emperor For this Shepherde ended his life in old age this Emperour was murthered in the Senate house within fower yeres after he was elected Emperoure Was not Codrus a poore Poete and his wife Procula more luckie and happie to ende their daies after long life quietly then kyng Ninus and his wealthie Quene Semiramis that killed her housebande for the kyngdome of Assiria and after she likewise was slaine by her owne soonne Ninus for the obtainyng of the wealthe and substaunce thei had lefte was loste Examples are to many for the proofe hereof Solon a wiseman of Grece did preferre before riche and wealthie kyng Cressus Biton and Cleobis brethren twoo poore menne of Argiâ—e The poore familie of one Aelius in Rome where there were seuentene brethren hauyng but one poore fielde for their heritage liued longer proued happier and died more godly and liued more coÌ„tentiuely then the familie of Caesar. What was the cause that the Indians Babilonians Arabians and Lidians were spoiled destroied and murthered their greate substauÌ„ce â–ª treasures and wealthes of the Countreis If we examine well the doubtes and daungers of wealthe and waigh likewise the sauftie and surenesse of pouertie we must nedes preferre the quiete state of poore menne if thei be wise before the state and Fortune of Princes The worste lucke that can happen vnto a poore manne is to become riche for then he commeth from sure life to hasarde him with death And the beste that can happen vnto a riche manne is to become poore thereby is his life saued though his wealthe bee spoiled Howe Fortune dealeth in this poincte it is in diuers places of this booke mencioned The worst thyng that could happen vnto Demosthenes and Cicero was that they were aduaunced from their sounde state vnto honour and dignitie Wherby their liues wer lost the one beyng a consul of Rome the other the patron of Athens The worst thyng that could happen vnto Tullius Hostilius and vnto Torquinius Priscus was that thei wer aduaunced the one from a Sheparde the other from a banished straunger to be kynges of Rome If I should rehearse in this place howe many poore menne by callyng theim vnto wealth and honour haue been banished afterward slaine and imprisoned both in Rome in Gréece and in all the world I might séeme well vnto the reader more tedious then delectable If on the other side I should repeate how many Princes haue escaped death by loosing their Crownes and Scepters I were no lesse werie then fruictlesse Therfore I saie there is care and daunger in wealth and ther is quietnesse and safetie in pouertie The pleasure that Lucanus had in this worlde was nothyng elles but a poore Garden wher alwaies in his life he vsed to solace him selfe and when he died he commaunded his Graue to be made there where beyng dead he was buried Mecoenas had suche a Garden in Rome where all his feli-Citie was the Emperour Octauius might in no wise allure Mecoenas out of his Garden no more then Alexander the greate could moue Diogenes to forsake his Tunne to become wealthy here againe might bee brought those wise men that refused wealth and substaunce fled from honour and dignitie to liue quietly in pouertie but bicause I meane to be brief in all thinges I will omitte prolixitie Plinie doeth reporte that Protogenes a poore Painter was content to liue al the daies of his life in a little cottage that he made hym in his garden Plutarche likewise in the lief of Nicia doth write that Lamachus was so poore that when the people of Athens would make hym their king he wanted I saie Shues on his feete and yet had rather be poore Lamachus in safetie then to be kyng of Athens in danger For when a poore man named Hilarion met with certen Robbers and Theues and being demaunded of the Theues how chaunced that he feared not to walke alone in the night bicause saied hee I am
briefly that magnanimitie was in Hercules that hée neuer offended iuste men hée neuer hurted innocent men hée preserued diuers kinges and countreys he neuer spoyled good countrey nor subdued a iust king therefore wholy addicted to merite fame In destroying the Serpent Hydra the Dâ—agon Priapus the Lion the wild Bore and terrible Bull. In conqueryng Gereon Cerberus and Diomedes cruell Tyrauntes In takyng the gylted Hart in vanquishing the Centaures and the rauenyng Birdes named Stymphalides was there any tyranny or cruel attempts in this his .xij. enterprices Well let Hercules passe who was as they say more ayded of the gods then helped of man With these princely actes renowmed feates of Hercules was noble Thesius much enamored insomuch he aemulated the vertuous life of Hercules that he tamed wylde beastes slue monsters ouercame cruell Creonâ— tyraunt of Thebes went downe as the Poet saith vnto hell to imitate Hercules feates to resemble Hercules magnanimitie to augment Theseus fame creating alters appointyng sacrifice in memorie of Hercules hoping that others woulde doe vnto Theseus as Theseus dyd vnto Hercules Next vnto Theseus for antiquitie of time that valiaunte and renowmed Gréeke Achilles the onely stay and comfort of his countrey the verye hope of all Gréece whose magnanimitie valiaunt courage worthy actes and famous life is at large set foorth in Homers Iliades which Homer Alexander the great by the reading of the manhood of Achilles being yet in his fathers dayes brought vp in schoole with that learned Philosopher Aristotle so estéemed that hée neuer went to bed but that he had Homer vnder his pillowe and there fell in loue with the prowesse of Achilles honoured his life and magnified his death in so much hée went vnto Ilion in Phrygia where that famous Citie of Troy sometime stoode to sée the graue of Achilles where when hée came and sawe the worthye monumentes his marshall chiualrie his famous feates and renowmed lyfe depaynted aboute the Temple enuironed and compassed about his sumptuous tombe he brake out in gushing teares beholding the tombe saying O happie Achilles to happen on suche a Homer that so well coulde aduaunce thy fame And thus Alexander being mooued by Homer to imitate Achilles wayed nothing else but magnanimitie and courage of minde as Curtius and Diodorus Siculus can well testifie whose lyfe though it was but short was a mirrour vnto all the world that being but twentie yeares when he began to enuie the actes feates of Achilles that in twelue yeres more which were his whole time of life he became King ouer Kings a conquerour ouer conquerours that he was named an other Hercules for his prosperous successe in his enterprises insomuch that Iulius Caesar the first and most valiaunt Emperor that euer was in Rome at his great coÌ„quests entering into the Temple of Hercules in Gades reading the lyfe of Alexander printed rounde about the Temple hys worthie fame depainted his noble déedes set foorth hys victories and conquestes in euery place described suche monumentes and myrrours in memorye of his noble life that Caesar fell vnto the like teares for Alexander as Alexander did for Achilles Thus one in loue with the other for magnanimitie sake eche one desirous of others fame as Caesar thought him selfe happie if he might bee counted Alexander Alexander iudged himselfe renowmed if he might be named Achilles Achilles sought no greater fame then Theseus Theseus euer desired the name of Hercules Therefore Agesilaus King of the Lacedemonians wondering muche at the singuler magnanimitie and force of Epaminondas Prince sometime of Thebes who with one little City coulde subdue all Gréece This Epaminondas hauing warres with the Lacedemonians people no lesse renowmed by warre then iustlye feared by Epaminondas after great victories and triumphes had by this Prince was after this sort preuented by Agesilaus in the wars of Mantinia that al the people of Sparta were counceled eyther to kill Epaminondas or to be kilde by Epaminondas whereby the whole force and power of Lacedemonia were fully bent by commaundement gyuen by Agesilaus their King to fall vpon Epaminondas where that valiaunt and noble Prince by to much pollicy was wounded to death to the spoyle and murther of all the people of Thebes and yet a liue caried vnto his tent demaunded of his souldiours the state of the fielde whether Thebes or Sparta was conquered being certified that the Lacedemonians fledde and that he had the victorye he foorthwith charged the ende of the speare to be taken out of his side and wounde saying Nowe your Prince Epaminondas beginneth to liue for that he dyeth a Conquerour wée reade not skant of Epaminondas mate which being compared vnto Agamemnon for his magnanimitie was angrie therewith saying Agamemnon with all Gréece with him was .x. yeres about one towne the Citie of Troye Epaminondas with little Thebes in one yeare conquered all Gréece This order was amongst the Lacedemonians before they shoulde go vnto warres they were by lawe charged to make solemne sacrifice vnto the Muses and being demaunded why they so did sith Mars hath no societie with the Muses Eudamidas then their King aunswered for that we might attaine aswell of the Muses how to vse victorie gently as of Mars to become victors manfully These Lacedemonians were so valiant that hauing banished their King Cleonimus for his passing pride and great violence making Areus to raigne as a King This Areus being in Créete ayding the people of Corcyra in warres with the most part of the Citizens of Sparta this Cleonimus their exiled King consulted with Pirrhus King of Epyre perswading then or neuer to conquere Sparta considering Areus was in Créete that Sparta was not populus to defende any strength came both and pitcht thir fielde in open face of Sparta assuring themselues both to be at supper in Cleonimus house The Citizens perceyuing the great army of Pirrhus thought good by night to sende their women vnto Créete to Areus making themselues ready to die manfully in resisting the hoast of the enimie and being thus in the Senate agréeing that the womankinde shoulde passe awaye that night least theyr nation at that time shoulde be quite destroyed by Pirrhus then rushed a great number of women in harnesse of the which Archidamia made an Oration to the menne of Sparta much blaming their entent and quite confounded their purpose saying Thinke you O Citizens of Sparta that your wiues and daughters woulde liue if they might after the death of their husbandes and destruction of Sparta beholde howe readye we are howe willing the women of Sparta will die and liue with theyr husbandes Pirrhus shall well féele it and knowe this daye No maruayle that the broode of these women shoulde be valiaunt and stoute If Demosthenes who so muche was estéemed in Athens had sayde in Sparta that which he wrote in Athens that they which sometime ranne awaye shoulde fight againe he shoulde haue the like rewarde
vision warned to make himselfe readie to die at Philippos where hée was enforced in the wars betwéene Augustus Caesar and him to kill himselfe Thus â–ª were they alured and entised by shifting dreames to order and rule all their dooings for as the Poet Aeneus sayth what they studied and pondered in the daye time the same dreamed they in night time Dreames mooued them vnto tyranny for L. Silla the firebrande of Italy his owne countrey was warned in sléepe by Bellona the goddesse of warres to murther kill and destroye all that euer hée might finde in his waye giuing him in his hande fire in token he shoulde burne and ouercome Rome and Italy Likewise Eumanes King of the Lacedemonians hauing warres with Antipater King of Macedonia was fully perswaded by a dreame to obtaine victory for hée dreamed that two Alexanders were with great host and armie of men readie in fielde to fight the one hauing the goddesse Minerua as a leader the other hauing the goddesse Ceres as their Capitaine which after long conflictes and much murther of both parties hée thought that the souldiours of Ceres had the victory and that they were crowned with the eares of corne in the honor of Ceres which is the goddesse of corne and bicause the countrie of Lacedemonia was more fertill than Mocedonia the wise sages opened the dreame said that Eumenes should haue the victory ouer Macedonia Besides these dreames they had a kind of credite in Fowles of the ayre in beastes of the fielde in winde and weather and in diuers other things where soothsaying oracles and consultations were had When Zerxes the great king of Persea with so many miriades of men had purposed and decréed with him selfe to destroy all Gréece vntyll a Mare a stout and a proude beast had brought foorth a Hare the fearefullest thing out whereby it presaged the flight of Zerxes from Greece with shame and reproche And afterwarde purposing againe before hée woulde lay siege vnto Athens to destroy Sparta and all the countrey of Lacedemon a straunge warning hapned vnto this Prince at supper for his wine before his face was conuerted vnto blood as it was filled in the Cuppes not once but twise or thrise Whereat hée being amazed consulted with wise men of whom hée was then admonished to forsake his first entent and to geue ouer the enterprise which hée tooke in hande against the Gréekes Midas being yet in his cradle the Antes were séene to carye greynes and victuals to féede him withall whose parentes being desirous to know the effect therof were certified by the soothsayers that hée should bée the wealthiest and richest man in all the worlde hée shoulde bée the most monyed Prince that euer shoulde raigne in India Plato that noble and diuine Philosopher while hée was an infant in lyke sort in his cradle the Bées with hony fed his sugred and swéete lippes signifiyng the eloquence and learning in time to come of Plato They were not Bées of mount Himettum where honye as writers thinke was first founde but rather of Helicon where the Muses and Ladyes of learnyng delighted to dwell This was that Plato of whom his maister Socrates before hée knew him dreamed of that hée helde fast in his hande a young Swanne which fledde from him away and mounted the Skies whose swéete voyce and songes as a woonderfull melody and harmony replenished the whole Skies They thought it a sufficient admonition to sée any thing happen betwéene birdes or beastes as a sure and certaine shewe of their owne fortune to come M. Brutus when he was in campe against Caesar and Antonius and sawe two Eagles fighting togither the one comming from Caesars tent the other from his owne Hée knewe well when his Eagle tooke flight and was vanquished that he should loose the victorie Cicero vnderstanding well ynough his death to be at hand when the Rauen heald him fast by the hem of his gowne and made a noyse and euer pluckt at hym vntill the souldiers of M. Antonius came vnto the very place where he at that time was beheaded by Herennius and Popilius For in the night before Cicero dreamed being banished from Rome that he wandred diuers straunge countries where Caius Marius a noble Romaine as he thought mette him demaunding of Cicero why and what was the cause of his sadde countenaunce and wherfore he trauailed such straunge countries the cause being knowne vnto Marius hée tooke him fast by the right hande and brought him to the next officer where hée thought in his sléepe hée should haue died So that Zerxes by a Hare hadde warning King Mydas was by Antes admonished Plato by Bées Brutus by an Eagle Cicero by a Rauen Themistocles by an Owle of death Pericles by the head of a Ramme was fully perswaded taught by the soothsayers that hée should win the people of Athens from Thucidides with whome then he was in controuersie And was not Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus with all the Princes of Gréece certefied by the Dragon that climmed a trée where hée slue a shée Sparrowe and eyght young ones beside signifiying that they shoulde be nine yeares in wars with the Troyans and that the tenth they should destroye and quite vanquish Ihon. And was not Iulius Caesar admonished of his wife Calphurnia by a dreame that if he woulde vnto the Senate that daye hée should dye And was not that mightie Monarch Alexander warned by a vision to take more regarde vnto hys life then he did to take héede of Antipater who afterward poysoned him And was not Alcibiades that noble Gréeke certified by a dreame of his miserable death howe he and his hoore Timandra might diuers times sée before what after folowed if they had had so great a desire in folowing good things as they were bent and prone to séeke euyll Such prodigious sightes such straunge miracles were séene that might well allure them to more perfect life The Sunne the Moone the starres and all the hostes of heauen wrought great miracles to reduce Princes from euill enterprises and to giue warning vnto others to auoyde the tyranny of wicked Princes For the heauens appeared blouddy at that time when Philip king of Macedonia with tiranny inuaded Gréece At what time Augustus Caesar after his vncle Iulius was murthered â—ame vnto Rome as the second Emperor there were séene starers wandering about the circle of the Sunne great lightnings strange impressioÌ„s like men fighting in the skies yea and birdes fell downe deade in the Citty of Rome and Liuius writeth that an Oxe spake vnder plowgh these woordes vnto the plowman that not only corne should want â–ª but also men should perish and therefore said the Oxe thou â—egest me in vaine to trauell and his horse abstayned from foode When that wicked tyraunt Nero began his Empire in Rome trées pastures medowes and certen grounde about the Citie a straunge miracle altered places
and chaunged seates one with an other the grounde moouing from one place vnto an other Euen so it happened at the exilement of King Dionisius after much tirannye and bloodsheding when hée was banished from his kingdome the salt Sea the same day that he was driuen from Corinth altered his saltenesse vnto swéetenesse These two tyrauntes Nero and Dionisius the one comming vnto his Empire what woonders the earth it selfe shewed the other departing from his kingdome what miracles the Sea shewed When Darius besieged the Citie of Babilon a voyce was heard out of the strong walles of Semiramis that Babilon shoulde be conquered at what time a Mâ—le shoulde engender at the which the souldiours of Darius were discomfited vntill Zopyrus Mule accomplished the forshewed Oracle Likewise when Pompeius was vanquished of Caesar a gréene bowe grewe in the temple of victorie vnder the ymage of Caesar and Hiues of Bées darckened the ancient of Pompeius foreshewing hée shoulde be subdued at Pharsalica The cittie of Rome had these warnings a little before the first ciuill warres there were séene fire shining sodainely about men Spiders Mise and Wormes consumed the golde and substaunce of their Temples Rauons deuoured and did eate their young ones the noyse and sounde of trumpettes were hearde in the ayre with such other terible warnings as might well mooue amendement Againe before the seconde warres of Carthage an Oxe spake and sayde Rome take héede of thy selfe It is noted likewise when Torquiniê° the last king of the Romanes was driuen awaye from Rome and banished the kingdome that a dogge then spake and a Serpent barked To many are of these to be reade if wée reade histories for signes and tokens were séene and marked in the heauens according vnto the natures and doings of Princes for when Tiberius came vnto the Empire of Rome there happened such great earthquakes that twelue famous Citties of Asia fell prostrate vnto the grounde two mountaines mooued ranne and fought togither in a place by Rome called Mutinenses fielde in the time of L. Martius and Sextus Iulius Consulshippe It is written that in the Citie called Sagunthus before it was conquered by Hanniball a childe borne entered againe vnto his mothers wombe And in Plini Clepidus beareth witnesse that trées spake and though it séeme fabulus vnto diuers that enuie things by nature shoulde speake yet wée sée the tryall of this cleane contrary to sette foorth the woonderfull workes of GOD whereby he might the more be magnified by these his creatures for we reade in the sacred scriptures that an Asse spake whereby the more credite may be gyuen vnto Plutarch Pini and Liui which mention that dogs trées Oxen Serpentes and other creatures of God dyd speake for a woonder and warning aswell of things to come as thinges past For before the famous Citie of Ierusalem was destroyed by Vespasian the Emperour there appeared a starre in maner of a sworde in the skie there were likewise séene Chariettes running vp and downe the skies and men in harnesse fighting in the clowdes right ouer the Cittie Diuers woonders by nature wrought which for the rarenesse thereof are worthy to be noted as Caecilius Agrippa the first daye that he was borne of his mother hée went a â—oote without helpe Likewise Zoroastres where all children cry at their birth he the selfe same daye laught It was straunge that Telephus the sonne of Hercules was nourished of a Harte Romulus the first king of Rome fostered vp of a Woolfe Cirus the first King of the Perseans brought vp by a Bitch Alexander and king Priamus of a beare Iupiter of a Goate Midas of Antes And Plato of Bées and so diuers other But certayne more straunge it was that little beastes yea small créeping wormes shoulde be able to vanquishe and destroy famous Citties and countries as in Spaine a Cittie was ouerwhelmed by Coneyes In Fraunce a Citie destroyed by Frogs In Thessalia a Cittie ouerthrowne of Mouldewarys In Affrica a Cittie spoyled of Locustes Gyara an I le of twelue miles coÌ„quered of Mise and Abdera a Citie in Thracia of Mice likewise and Amyclas of Serpents Peraduenture these séeme scant credible vnto diuers readers the learned may reade the same in the eight bookes of Plini and twentie and ninth chap. where he may bée satisfied The workes of nature were so woonderfull in all places at all times that learned writers for memory of the same diuers where recite the effect thereof It is written that Ammonius the Philosopher had an Asse frequenting his schoole with Porphirius to heare his lectures In the Isle called Cos in the grounde of a certen tyraunt named Nicippus a Shéepe brought foorth a Lyon in stéede of a Lambe Plini doth witnesse that he saw in a Cittie of Affrica a man chaunged vnto a woman in the same day hée was maryed whose name was Cossicius a citizen of Tisdria Pontanus and diuers aucthours affirme that Tiresias the Theban Ceneus and Iphis were chaunged from men vnto women from males vnto females by alteration of kinde Againe some thinke that as Anaxogoras neuer laught Zenophantes neuer wept thinges woonderfull and straunge vnto nature And as L. Pomponius neuer helcht so Antonia neuer spit There was a Poet sometime dwelling in Cous of such small growing and slender body that leade was put in the sole of his Shoes lest the winde should beare him from the grounde and blowe him vnto the ayre And as hée was small and light of substaunce by nature so by the selfe same nature was founde in a certen hyll of Créete the body of Orion which was fourtie and sixe cubites in length What Albertus Magnus wrote of the woonders and secretes of nature I wyll omit better it is I suppose to bée ignoraunt in some things then to be skilful in all things He saith amongst other things that there was a woman in Germany that had thréescore sonnes fiue euery time at a burthen and there was another woman named Agrippina in Colonia that did neither eate nor drinke for the space of thirty dayes Besides these there was a man named Philinus that neuer ate nor dranke all the dayes of his life but mylke onely Cicero saith that all the Iliades of Homer was written and placed within the shell of a Nut. Plini reporteth that there was an hearbe called Acheminis if it coulde or were throwne amongst the enimies they straight woulde take their flight thervpon Mermecides made a Wagon so artificially and so small that a Flée might couer it with her wing Strabo did sée so well that he coulde sée the ships that departed from Carthage from a promutory in Cicilia which was aboue a hundred thirtie miles Cornelius Agrippa in his first booke of hidden Philosophie writeth a historie of one Cippus King in Italy who being in sléepe dreamed of Bulles fighting all night that in the mornyng he had two hornes