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
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
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
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
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
cause is the Greeke virgine Marina and Euphrosina a maide of Alexandria worthy preferred before Cleocritus Clisthenes for that they wente in the apparell of men to liue in the wildernesse to auoide luste and sensualitie the others wente in the apparel of women to begile women Caelius doeth report certaine women as Mantinea Lasthenia Axiothea and Phliasia would come in their apparell like men to heare Plato reade Philosophie in schoole The cause of their dissimulations was vertue and honeste life The cause of the others craftes and dissembling feates was vice and ill life so that dissimulation is either good or bad For wee reade at what tyme the launcyng laddes of Grece had determined to fetche home againe faire Helene Menelaus wife from Troie where she was rauished by Paris kyng Priamus soonne that then Achilles the stoutest and worthieste of all the Greekes while yet he slepte in the tente of Chiron his mother Thetis which the poetes fain to be a Goddesse sodainly tooke hym frō Chirons house chaunged his apparel like a woman appoincted where he should hide hym self with the doughters of kyng Lycomedes where he got of one of theim with childe whiche was Pyrrhus which was Deidamia soonne and commaunded hym to betraie him to no man for she knewe that her sonne Achilles should die in Troie if he would goe thether There Achilles a long while at the commaundement of his mother Thetis was vntill the oracle was giuen that the citie of Troie should neuer bée destroied without the helpe of Achilles Vlixes beyng moste subtile and craftie tooke vpon hym to seeke out Achilles tooke a little coffer full of fine wares meete for women and a strong bowe and arrowes which when Vlixes came vnto kyng Lycomedes doughters knowyng Achilles to bee there but because he was in the apparaill of a woman he knewe hym not and therefore shewed his fine ware vnto the kynges doughters a stronge bowe bente by hym while Deidamia and the reste of her sisters viewed the glisteryng ware of Vlixes Achilles stepte by and tooke Vlixes bowe in hande and drewe it whereby Vlixes straight perceiued by the drawing of so strong a bowe that he was Achilles and thus one crafte beguileth an other one deceipte deceiueth an other and one dissemblyng manne findeth out an other for by this meanes of craftie Vlixes was the dissimulation of Achilles knowen I might haue iuste occasion here to speake of those that were muche giuen vnto softe clothyng gaie apparaill and delicate fare as Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers delited to go braue in gorgious apparell with chaines and ringes and had herein greate felicitie Demosthenes and Hortenfius twoo famous and noble Oratours the one of Athens the other of Rome went so trimme and fine in their clothes with suche neate and wanton gesture that L. Torquatus would often call Hortensius Dionisias soonne for that she had greate pleasure in dauncyng and gestures of bodies but I will omitte suche and speake of dissemblyng persons whiche thought to hurt others destroied theim selues as that stronge Golias contempnyng all Israell in force and strength Iudith a selie woman ouercame hym Hammon was hanged vpon that galowes that he prepared for Mardocheus euen Absalon goyng about to destroie his father kyng Dauid hanged by the heares of his heade by Gods appoinctement ¶ Of Famine CICERO in his firste booke of Tuscilane questions doeth note the saiyng of Socrates that hounger was the beste sauce for meate and thurste the beste occasion to drinke Wherefore Kyng Dionisius the tyraunt hearyng muche report of the Lacedemoniās fare and specially of their Poddage whiche was called Ius nigrum the blacke Poddage bought a Cooke of the countrey as her seruaunt to diet hym in the ordinarie fare of the Lacedemonians whiche after muche paine taken of the Cooke in makyng these foresaid Poddage was had he broughte a measse thereof vnto the kyng whiche sore longed for it whiche assone as he tasted of it he powred it againe out of his mouthe verie angrie vnto the Cooke saiyng Is this the famous fare and Princely Poddage that the Lacedemonians so muche bragge of my dog should not said Dionisius eate this the Cooke perceiuyng the glottonie and excesse fare of the kyng saied O Dionisius when so euer thou eate of this Poddage thou must bring fit sauce for this meate whiche is Lacedemonians stomacke for the Princes of Sparta haue more pleasure in this kinde of fare then euer kyng Midas had in his golden banquettes What maketh any meate sweete hounger Or what causeth man to féede pleasauntly hounger What causeth any drinke pleasaunte thurste For at what tyme Darius enforced of meere thurste to drinke of a lake all defiled with stinkyng carkases of deade souldiors beyng then in warres and cōpelled then to take his flight he saied after his draught that he neuer dranke sweter drinke in his life Though this king was a proude prince ouer the Persians and had all kinde of wines at commaundement yet his excesse and aboundance then his want and penurie now his small stomacke then his thurstie stomacke nowe was the onely cause of this noble drinke whiche he so muche commended and preferred before all the wine that euer he dranke before Euen so reported kyng Artaxerxes in his warres when his victuales and all were spoiled by the enemies of fewe drie Figges of a peece of a Barley loffe vpon whiche he fedde so hongerly that he spake after this sorte O good Lorde of how greate a pleasure haue I been this while ignoraunte Lisimachus like wise beyng in warres in Thracia Domicianus the Emperoure where he and all his souldiours were kepte so longe without drinke vntill he was so thurstie that he was enforced and all his hoste to yelde as captiues to the Emperour Domitianus and nowe beyng in captiuitie hauyng a draught of drinke of the Emperour he saied O GOD that I should make my self from a king to be a captiue from a noble prince of Grece to bee a bonde slaue vnto the Romains for one draught of drinke Se what honger and thurste is how it hath made kynges to yelde princes to be vāquished Yea hath made Kyng Ptholomie in his owne kingdome and countrey kingdom of Aegipte to cōmende a peece of bread which was giuen him in a poore cottage to saie that he neuer eate better meate nor more comfortable cheare in his life thou that peece of bread was It was the very order of that noble Emperoure Iulius Caesar in all his warres more with famine then with sworde to vanquishe his enemies For this famous warrier would often saie that euen as the Phisicion would vse his paciētes so would he vse the enemies The rule of y e phisicion is to make his paciente faste to recouer his healthe The order of Caesar was to kepe the enemies from victuall to make theim yelde
that he neuer went a liue vnto Rome againe for moste cruelly and falsely was he slaine by Haniball In this falshed and periurie was Haniball muche defamed not as muche corrupted by vilenesse of his owne nature which alwaies in this was not to bee trusted but by the falshode and corruption of the Countrey of whiche it is prouerbially spoken Poeni perfidi false Carthaginians for the people of Carthage delited in falshode â–ª practized periurie and vsed all kind of craftes as the people of Sarmatha were moste false in wordes moste deceiptfull in deedes and moste cruell one towardes an other The Scithians beyng muche molested with warres and driuen to leaue their wiues at home in the custodie of the slaues seruauntes thei hauyng occasion to bee absent iiij yeres whose wiues married the seruauntes brake their former Faithe with their owne housbandes vntill with force and power their seruauntes were slain and so recouered their countreis wiues again Apollonius the chief gouernour of Samâ—os whom the commons of the Countrey from lowe estate had exalted vnto dignitie vnto whom thei committed the gouernment and state of Samios was so false of his faithe towardes his subiectes that hauyng their goodes landes liuynges and liues in his owne hand he betraied theim vnto Philip king of Macedonia their moste mortall enemie That proude periurer Cocalus king of Sicilia slue kyng Minoes of Crete though vnder colour of frendshippe and pretence of talke he had sente for hym Cleomenes brake promise with the Argiues with whom he tooke truce for certaine daies craftely betraied them in the night slue them being sleping and emprisoned against his former faith and promise made before Euen so did the false Thracians with the Boetians brake promise violated faithe destroied their countries depopulated their cities and of professed frendes and vowed faithe became wicked foes and false traitors But of all false periurers and vnnaturall foes shal Zopirus emongest the Persians and Lasthenes emongest the Olinthians to their perpetuall slaunder and reproche bee mentioned of the one borne in the famous citie of Babilon deformed hym self in suche sort with suche dissimulation of forged faithe that hauyng the rule and gouernment in his hande he brought kyng Darius to enioye that through his periurie and falshode that with long warres in many yeres he might not vaÌ„quishe nor subdue The other as falsly I beyng y e onely trust of the citizeÌ„s deliuered Olinthus their citie vnto the handes of their long and greate enemie Philippe kyng of Macedonia What fraude hath been founde alwaies in frendship What falshode in faithe What deceipte in truste the murtheryng of Princes the betraiyng of kyngdomes the oppressyng of innocentes from tyme to tyme in al places can well witnesse the same When Romulus had appoincted Spu Tarpeius to be chief capitaine of the Capitoll the chamber of Rome where the substaunce wealth of Rome did remain Tarpeia Spurius doughter whiche in the night tyme as she wente for water out of the citie metyng Tatius kyng of y e Sabins though he was then mortall enemie vnto Rome in coÌ„tinual warres with Romulus yet by false Tarpeia brought to be lord of the Capitoll thus Tarpeia beyng as false vnto Rome as king Tatius was likewise false vnto Tarpeia for she loking to haue promise kept of Tatius fouÌ„d him as Rome founde her She was buried a liue of Tatius by the Capitoll whiche was called Saturnus mouÌ„t and by her death buriall there named Tarpeius rocke vntill Torquinus Superbus tyme whiche first named it the Capitoll by findyng a mans heade in that place There was neuer in Rome suche falshode shewed by any man as was of Sergius Galba whiche caused there famous cities of Lusitania to appere before him promising them great coÌ„modities and diuers pleasures concernyng the states and gouernment of their citie yeldyng his faith and truth for the accomplishment of the same whose professed faithe allured to y e noÌ„ber of ix M. yong menne piked and elected for some enterprises for the profite of their countrey whiche when false Galba had spoiled these thrée cities of al flowers of their youthes against all promise and faithe slue the moste parte of theim sould and enprisoned the rest whereby he most easely might conquire their Cities men are neuer certen nor trustie in doing when thei are fautie in faithâ— For as the Sunne lighteneth the Moone so faithe maketh man in all thinges perfect for prudence without faith is vaine glorie and pride Temperaunce without faithe and trueth is shamefastnes or sadnes Iustice without faith is turned vnto iniurie and fortitude vnto slouthfulnes The orders in diuers countreis for the obseruation of frendship and for maintenaunce of certen and sure loue one towarde an other were diuers othes The noble Romains at what tyme thei sweare had this order he or she to take a flint ston in his right hand saiyng these wordes If I be gilty or offende any man betraie my countrey or deceiue my frende willingly I wishe to be cast awaie out of Rome by great Iupiter as I cast this stoan out of my hand and withall threwe the stoan awaie The auncient Scithians to obserue amitie and loue had this law They powred a greate quantity of wine in a greate Boule or a Cup and with their kniues launced some parte of their bodies letting their bloud to runne likewise one after an other vnto that cup and then minglyng the wine and blood together tipt the ende of their Speares â–ª and ther Arrowes in the wine takyng the boule in hand drank one vnto another professing by that draught faith and loue The Arabians when they would become faithful to anie to maintaine loue thereby had this custome one should stande with a sharpe stoan in his hande betwixt two and let blood in the palme of their handes and takyng of either of theim a péece of their garment to receiue their blood anointyng and diyng seauen stones in the blood callyng Vrania and Dyonisius their Gods to witnesse and kéepyng the stoanes in memory of frendship would depart one from an other The like lawe amongest the Barctians goyng vnto a diche and standyng thereby saiyng as Herodotus affirmeth as long as that holowe place or diche were not of it selfe filde vp so long desired the Barcians amitie and loue In readyng of histories we finde more certentie to haue been in theim by prophane othes then trueth often in vs by Euangelist and Gospell othes lesse periurie in those Gentiles swearyng by Iupiter or Apollo then in Christians swearyng by the true and liuynge God more amitie and frendship amongest them with drinkyng either of others blood then in vs by acknowledgyng and professyng Chistes blood When Marcus Antonius had the gouernemeÌ„t of Rome after Caesar was murthered by Brutus and Cassius and hauyng put to death Lucullus for his consente therein Volumnius hearyng of his frende Lucullus death came
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
and penurie It is not straunge that Agathocles the potter Iustinius the svvinehearde yea Archilaus borne of a bond-vvoman shoulde be aduaunced vnto regall seate That sage Greke therfore Pittachê° in the temples of Mittilena depainted a brode ladder vvhere some did ascend and some discend to notifie the state of fortune Some hongry feeding at the Table of Tantalê° Some toyling to rol the stone of Sisiphê° Some striuing vvith the burthen of Atlas Some busie to fill the empty buckets of Belides and some carefull to turne the vvheele of Ixion vvhereat I knovve not vvhether the vvise may laugh rather at the folly of the same vvith Democritus or vveepe at the miserie of the same vvith Heraclitê° Hovv happy is he that sayleth by Scilla vvithout daunger that passeth by Ciclops dennes vvithout perill that goeth vnto Lotophagos and not hindered that drinketh vvith Cirses and not infected that heareth the Cirenes and not allured In fine that entereth vnto hell and not conuicted yea tvvise happye is that contented man vvho hauing nothing possesseth all thinges and hauing all thinges possesseth nothing By this onely Biton the siely argiue vvas preferred before Cirus king of Persea by Solon By this Aglaus the poore Arcadian vvas aduaunced before Cressus King of Lidia by Apollo And by this onely vvas Gangeticus vvoont to say that hauing but bread and vvater he vvoulde not chaunge life vvith Iupiter for had that renovvmed Pirrhus beene contented vvith the kingdome of Epire he had neuer beene slaine by a simple vvoman at Argos Had Siphax beene satisfied vvith all the dominion of Numidia he had neuer died a captiue in Rome And had that great conquerour Alexander beene sufficed vvith one vvorld he had neuer vvept vvhen he heard that there vvere diuers vvorlds Such gredy desire of vvealth such vaine ostentation of life that al Athens coulde not abide tvvo Alcibiades All Sparta might not suffer tvvo Lisanders nor all the vvorld might maintaine tvvo Alexanders Such vaine glorye of selfe loue such felicitie in the vvorlde yea such ambition of honour vvith men that poore Temison a Gardener vvoulde be called Hercules in Cipris simple Menecrates a Phisition vvould be called Iupiter in Greece and foolish Hanno a Citizen vvoulde be called a God in Carthage So that some put their cheefe felicitie vvith Crisippus in the vvorlde some vvith Antisthenes in fame after death Many vvith Themistocles in descending froÌ„ a hie linage A number vvith Simonides to be vvell beloued of the people Diuers vvith Palemon in eloquence others vvith Euripedes in a faire vvoman and others vvith Sophocles in getting of children Seely Herostratê° burned the temple of Diana to become famous Pausanias slue Philip King of Macedonia to be spoken of Desire vnto fame made Iuliê° Caesar to enuy the marshall monumentes of Alexander in Gades made Alexander vveepe at the fame of Achilles in Phrigia made Achilles crie out at the renovvme of Theseê° in Greece and made Theseê° starke mad at the enterprises of Hercules in al places VVherfore that learned Philosopher Plato termed enuy Serra animae VVhy vvas Perdicca enuied for his noble magnanimitie VVhy vvas Lysimachê° hated for his approued experience And vvhy vvas Antigonê° disdained for his politick vvisdome so that Plini saith most true that there is no light vvithout shadovve nor no vertue vvithout enuy VVhich if your vvorship sometime bestovv your selfe to reade some booke or other you shall in reading diuers bookes knovv and perceaue the causes thereof for as the Bee gathereth of some hearbe Gumme of another the refuse of VVaxe of an other Honye so in reading diuers bookes diuers profites of Rethoricke the vvaye of persvvation of Logicke the sleight of reason of histories the orders of countreys of Philosophy the secretes of nature and of diuinitie the path of life vvherefore Alphonsus the great King of Aragon being a long time sicke in Capua geuing him selfe to reade Titus Liuius of the marshall feates of Romans and Q. Curtiê° of the noble actes of Alexander the great hauing thereby recouered his health vvas vvoont to say that he neuer hearde better Musicke then he hearde in Liuie nor neuer had better Phisick then he had in Curtius Augustê° Caesar therfore vvould neuer be vvithout Virgil in hande nor Alexander the great vvithout Homer vnder his Pillovv Happy vvas Pompeius vvhen hee had Cicero in his bosome and glad vvas Scipio vvhen he had Enneus in his sight yea Dionisius the tiraunt vvoulde honour Plato and Antigonus the cruell geue place to Zeno. So as Alphonsus saide there is no svveeter Musicke then in reading there is no better Phisicke then in reading and there is no sounder counsell then in reading There is mirth there is sadnesse there is vvisedome and knovvledge there is persvvasion and there is vvarning vvhich if your vvorship do folovve but Appelles sayinges vnto his schollers that no day shoulde passe vvithout the reading of one line or to imitate Hortensius â–ª sometime of the day either to reade aske or to learne something I knovve you vvill say vvith Solon Indies senesco multa discens trusting to call to minde that short and svveete sentence of Epaminondas vnto his friende Pelopidas that no good nature ought to go out of his house in the morning but before he returneth home he vvill vvinne one friende or other forgetting not the saying of Tiberius the Emperour vvho thought that day yll spent in the vvhich he did good to no body or profited no man Thus doing your vvorship shall encrease in knovvledge multiply your freendes aduaunce your fame and enioy felicitie of life ¶ Your seruaunt Lodovvicke Lloide TO THE READER VNvvise much vvere I beeing base and barren if I thought to escape that which Homer that sweete and sugred Mecaenas of Greece might in no wise auoyde Simple were I to seeke to auoyde that which the wisest and the learnedst Socrates and Architas coulde not shunne therefore euen as the Rhodians and the Lacedemonians in the games of Olimpia were taunted of Diogenes the one for their brauerie the other for their raggednesse so these Cinikes sortes finde faulte with the good aswell as the badde Lucullus a noble Romane demaunded of the Philosopher Seneca what best he might doe to please Nero the Emperour and not to offende the common people had in aunswere to doe much seruice vnto Princes and to vse little taulke and to shewe humanitie vnto the commons Knowing well gentle Reader how ready the most part are to accuse the learned and hovv fewe are willing to excuse the ignorant I am contented rather to be reprehended for my good will in penning this pilgrimage of Princes than to be commended by that vvhich may prooue my ydle lyfe by silence Being mindefull of the youth of Egypt how they shoulde make account vnto their magistrates of paine and trauell most willing to accomplish something that might discharge the same I tooke this laboure in hande in that that I coulde to the vttermost to
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
a pilgrimage for fortune I remember of a worthy Historie of one Rhodope a faire and a gorgeous strumpet in Egypt which fortune so fauoured for her beautie that she being a washing her selfe in a well an Eagle fled with one of her shoes vnto the famous City of Memphis where then the king of Egypt kept his Courte named Psamnetichus before whom the Eagle let the shoe fall The king dismaide at the beautie of the shoe amazed of the working thereof musing muche howe nature myght frame so fine a foote made open proclamation throughout all Egypt to séeke suche a woman whose foote serued that shoe and being found to bring her to the king and being brought to the king she was maryed vnto the king Thus from a cōmon woman fortune appointed an Eagle to make her a Quéene in Egypt If fortune fauoured suche that was naught of life slaunderous of report ignominious and infamous in all Egypt to be a Quéene in that kingdome where she was a queane who should make much of suche a dame in whom neither constancie was euer founde or trueth euer tryed I iudge that man most fortunate that is of all least fortunate and sith fortune is deceitfull to her owne friendes she can not be true vnto her foes therefore very learnedly did wise Bion aunswere being demaunded what was most daungerous in the worlde to be most fortunate Phocion that learned Athenian was woont to say that better it were to lie carelesse vpon the grounde safe and sounde then to lie carefully vnder cloth of states in daunger and perill A certen wise prince before he should be crowned king tooke the Crowne firste as Valerius saieth in his hande saying after looking musing a while O Crowne more noble than happy whose peryll to enioye if men knew no man woulde take thée vp from the grounde though thou diddest offer thy selfe What felicitie happened vnto Alexander the great which fortune so aduaunced to be a King of kinges a conquerour of conquerours yea to be worshipped as a god and to be called the sonne of Iupiter whose fame compassed the whole earth in so muche that Thalestris Quéene of the Amazons came from Sythia vnto Hircania with thrée hundred thousand women to lye with Alexander thirtie dayes to be with childe by him and yet in Babylon that fortune that so exalted him did likewise oppresse him being in his chief fame but thirtie two yeres poysoned by his kinsmen and friendes left and forsaken of all men that he was thirtie dayes vnburied as a begger not as a king as a beast not like Iupiters sonne The lyke fortune serued Iulius Caesar whiche after thundring clang of the lyke fame was in his owne Citie of Rome and in the Senate house amiddest his Councellours slayne and murthered so tyrannouslye with Bodkins and Daggers of his most trustie friendes Brutus and Cassius that he had twentie and thrée woundes in his body Thus was the misfortunate end of so fortunate a beginning How did fortune deale with famous Zerxes whose huge armies dryed vp riuers whose infinite numbers of Nauayes couered ouer the Ocean Seas whose power and force all Gréece trembled at fortune that promised al Gréece vnto him at a becke she I saye gaue him ouer to the handes of Pericles his enimie to bée vanquished vnto the force of Artabanus to bée slaine A litle better she vsed Mithridates King of Pontus after many victories in diuers countreyes noble tryumphes sundry times which fortie yeres and moe she mainteyned against the inuincible Romanes to the great detriment and losse of Rome and at length to his great discomfort after he had lost wife children and all his friendes lefte him in his olde age a pray vnto Pompeius This is the friendship of fortune to plague to punish those which oftentimes she sheweth her selfe most curteous vnto Therfore was Plato woont to thank God that he was borne a man not a beast in Gréece not in Barbary thanked fortune that he was a scholler vnto Socrates which wayes despised fortune and her force for fortune neuer doth a good déede but she requiteth y e same with an euill turne Pyrrhus that valiant king of Epyres whom so famously fortune guided that he was counted by Hanibal the seconde souldier and Prince for his magnanitie and courage vnto Alexander the great whose ende by fortune was such that a siely simple argiue woman kilde hym with a litle Tilestone Hanibal whose name was so terrible vnto Rome by fortune .xvj. yeres was by the same driuen to exile a banished abiect from his coūtrey and wéery of his life ended his dayes with poyson in Bithinia Alcibiades which fortune so fauoured one way that hée excelled all men in personage and birth in wisdome and honour in strength and wealth and in all kinde of vertues surmounting all Gréece againe was brought to suche banishment and penurie to suche infamie and reproche that hée was compassed and taken of his enimies burned in his bed with his whore called Timandra Cambises and Nero whose cruell and vnhappy dayes both Rome and Persia long time felt their fawning fortune after much tyranny bloodshed of others was such that beyng wéery in murtheryng others they siue them selues that was the ende of their fortune Polycrates who euer sayled with prosperous windes of fortune that hée was taken and named fortunate Polycrates at length so serued of fortune as other Princes were he was hanged by one Orontes an officer of king Darius in open sight of Samos where he a long time florished and in the ende hanged on a high hyll named Mycalensis mount These euyls happen by fortune yet wée sée them not she gripes vs with her handes yet we féele not she treadeth vs downe vnder her féete and yet we wyll not know it Happy is he that accompanieth not with fortune though diuers thinke them selues happy that be fortunate as Giges Cressus two Kinges of Lydia so wealthy that they iudged no man as happye as they were and yet was Aglaus the poorest in all Arcadie Byton the simplest of all Gréece the one by the sentence of Solon the other by the oracle of Apollo iudged farre more happy then they The very tyraunt Dionisius being banished from his kingdome of Corinth woulde often say in his miserie that happy twise were they that neuer knew fortune whose fawning face in the beginning doth purchase cruell death in y ◠end◠Wherfore a certaine Lacedemonian saide Diagoras who being in the games of Olimpia in Gréece hauing his children his childrens children crowned with Garlandes of fame for their vertuous actes and qualities that time that it were great happe vnto him to dye presently at such a sight of his childrens fortune and being asked the cause he sayde that fortune neuer pleased that man so much with fame but she woulde in time displease the same as muche
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
sayd Alphonsus had rather saue many by lenitie and gentlenesse then loose any by cruelnesse and tyranny This King being mooued to warres against the Uenetians and Florentines people very stout in Italy and redie from Naples to marche forwarde to méete his enemies certen Embassadours in that tyme commyng from the Florentines to entreate of peace with Alphonsus vpon humble suites and conditions No conditions sayde Alphonsus that noble prince but to them that séeke peace But frankly and fréely to graunt the same his humanitie was such that the Embassadours were not so redie to aske peace but he was as redy to graunt peace Herodotus doth write that there was a lawe amongst the Perseans that no man shoulde be punished for one 〈◊〉 but first they woulde examine whether his good deâ—des were to bée rewarded or his euill life to bée punished The clemencie of a prince the singuler wisedome of a noble minde doth foresée the cause that sometime subiectes offende their prince therein Nicanor the Macedonian after hée vsed yll speache euerywhere against Philip Alexanders Father hée was complayned of vnto the King When the King knewe thereof hée aunswered gently that pouertie caused Nicanor to speake that against King Philip therefore hée did sende him money to ease his minde and pardoned withall his offences How worthy of memory is Theodosius Iunior after hée was perswaded by his fréendes to reuenge those backbiters that spake yll of him to aunswere in this sort A Prince ought not to bende him selfe to reuenge faults but redy to pardon offences saying moreouer Woulde God that Theodosius were able to make his enemies alyue againe And to prooue that a Prince ought not to reuenge Adrian the Emperour shewed a noble example thereof he hauing great enimitie with a certen worthy Romane and being in great hatred towardes this man before he became Emperour the selfe same day that Adrian was made Emperour of Rome méeting his enemie in the stréete sayde loude to him before all the people Euasisti thou hast wonne the victory meanyng that he then being a Prince elected might in no point reuenge the wronges that he receaued before O passing humanity and clemency in Princes It was Alexander the greate his saying â–ª as Pontanus in his firste booke affirmeth It was more méete for a Prince to do good for euil then to adde euyll for euyll Wée reade that cruell Nero in the beginnyng of his Empire was so gentle that hée wished often that hée coulde not reade because hée shoulde not put his hande according vnto the custome of Rome to the libels for the punishment of the offendours And Domitianus in the beginnyng dyd so abhorre tyranny cruelnes that hée woulde forbyd to kyll any beast for sacrifice though they in the latter yeres forget this natural clemency What a noble vertue is humanity in a Prince what excellency in a noble man what an ornament in a gentleman what commendation in all men insomuch that the Snakes of Syria the Serpents of Terinthia the Scorpions in Arcadia want no due deserued praise of Plini for their gentlenesse and sparyng of their natiue soyle though they waxe cruell in others What humanity was in Scipio hauyng taken captiue Hasdrubal King Masinissa his nigh kinsman to restore him whom againe without raÌ„some What clemency vsed Demetriê° to Cilla a Captaine of King Ptolome euen as before Ptolome shewed to Demetriê° him selfe being taken prisoner y e like shewed hée to Cilla Such hath béen y e lenitie of some princes y t therby they augmented fame purchased great honor won victories such hath béen the tiranny of others that thei haue defamed them selues won hatred lost their estates in fine destroyed themselues For this purpose was Philip king of Macedonia woont to instruct his sonne Alexander to behaue him curteously with the Macedonians to vse lenitie and clemencie vnto his equales and to shewe him gentle vnto all men while his father Philip yet liued that he might the better in that season winne fauour and finde friendeshippe with his subiectes for then some came by heritage some by the sworde and the most came by election Nothing sayth Plutarch doth stablishe the state of a common wealth as the clemencie of a Prince towardes his subiectes and the loue of the subiectes towardes their Prince the one is neuer séene without the other King Darius therefore vnderstanding that his subiectes were taxed sore with Subsedies blamed his councell reuoked their lawe and made an open Oration vnto his commons to signifie howe loth he was to molest his subiectes and that hée was as loth to take any from his poore commons as hée knew them to be willing in giuing all that they had to pleasure theyr prince his care therein shewed his spéech so affable his good will so opened with suche curtesie and lenitie tendered vnto his subiectes enflamed such beneuolence kindled such a loue caused such a redinesse and made them through gentlenesse so benificiall that both goods landes and liues were at Darius commaundement Plutarchus in the life of king Antigonus doth recite a famous historie concerning the alteration and chaunge of Antigonus who with tiranny a long while fomed in bloode delighted in murther giuen altogither to wickednesse of lyfe spoyling at all times euery where sparing no place at anye time that at length hauing obtayned the kingdome of Macedonia became so gentle so méeke so liberall so quiet towardes his subiectes that being of all men woondered at for his sodaine chaunge from so cruell a Tirant to be so gentle a Prince from a spoyler of all places to be a sparer nowe of his subiectes Being demaunded the cause thereof aunswered Then I trauayled for the Kingdome of Macedonia which was to be wonne with warres and tiranny and nowe I labour to get the good will of my subiectes which is to be gotten with gentlenesse The onelye remedie the sure waye to winne good will at the subiectes is alwayes for Princes to be curteous and gentle Pittie in a Prince causeth loue in the subiectes Such pittie was founde in that gentle Emperour Aurelian when hée woulde haue entered vnto the Citie called Tiaena the gates being shut against him he did send his Herauldes to signifie vnlesse the gates should be opened he would not leaue one dogge aliue within the Cittie The Citie more stoute then wise refused to open theyr gates vntill with force of warres the walles were battered downe and the Citie in the hande of the Emperour to doe what it lyked him The souldiours gréedie of the spoyle were by the gentle and mercifull Emperour charged not to meddle with any within the Citie vntill they had licence The Emperour being charged by the souldiers of promise to kill and to spoyle all and not to leaue a dogge aliue Kept promise being a Prince destroyed all the dogges of the Cittie and restored againe the Citie vnto the inhabitauntes thereof This noble Aurelian had rather his souldiours shoulde
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
and so long that King Gentius wondred no lesse at his pacience than he honored him for his silence O rare silence O passing patience and that in a Prince Isocrates an excellent Orator sometime of Athens lest he should be ashamed of his schollers by their spéeche and talke for tongues bewraye the heart hée woulde neuer receyue vnto hys schoole but those that woulde pay double hyre first to learne silence and then to learne to speake and to speak nothing but that whiche they knewe moste certaine and that which of necessitie must be spoken this was the order of Isocrates Schoole If silence was of suche dignity of such estimation that it possest place in princes heartes that Tiberius Caesar Emperour of Rome woulde often saye that Princes ought not to import their secretes nor to make any priuie to their councell considering how harde is silence to be obserued If silence was of such credite of such force that Metellus vsed to be so close in the warres of Macedonia that if he knewe his owne coate to be priuie of his secretes hée woulde strayght cast of his coate and burne it for in him to whome secretes of life are reuealed in the same also is daunger of death for in committing secrete is lyfe and death also committed Had not that famous Hercules the impe of great Iupiter and ofspring of Goddes reuealed hys counsayle and opened hys heart vnto his wife Dianira Hadde not that mightie Sampson so greatly in Gods fauour that he was a Iudge in Israell shewed his secrets vnto his wife Dalida they had not béene conquered by two women which Serpentes Dragons Lyons yea all the whole worlde coulde not annoye The iust punishement of Princes for tongue talking Conquerours of the world of kingdomes of countries and yet conquered by a woman yea by a lesser thing than a woman a litle member neuer séene but alasse two often hearde the tongue onely Tantalus is punished in hel for that he opened the councell of the goddes after this sort Daintie meates pleasaunt wines before his face and yet maye not touche them hauing sight of all things and yet tasting nothing the hungrier he is the better and brauer his banquet before him shines the more desirous he is to eate the further hée is from his victualles Ixion for his telling of tales vppon Iuno is no lesse tormented in turnyng of his whéele in Hell than is Sisiphus in rowlyng of his stone or Danaus daughters in fillyng of their emptie Tubbes The paine of Prometheus in Caucasus the punishment of Titius is duely appoynted and of the Goddes saye the Poetes prouided truelye to those that be braggers and boasters of secrettes I must in this place not forget a worthy historie of King Demetrius Antigonus sonne ▪ which being sent by hys father vnto Pontus where Mithridates was king being sworne by his father to kéepe councell of that which◠vision mooued him that he sowed golde in Pontus and that Mythridates shoulde reape it and therefore commaunding him with his armie to passe vnto the kingdome of Pontus and without any worde to kill Mythridates His sonne Demetrius verye sorrye for the great friendeship which was of late sprong betwixt Mithridates and him obeying his father went vnto Pontus commaunded his people to staye vntill he went to knowe where Mithridates was who when he came in place he wrote with the ende of his speare vpon the earth in dust Flee Mithridates straight turned vnto his souldiours spake nothing vnto the King according to hys othe for kéeping silence but wrote a warning to flée whereby he kept his fathers councell one way maintayned faythfull friendeship towardes king Mithridates another way A young man of Helespont prating much in presence of Guathena a strumpet in Gréece shée demaunded of him whether he knewe the chiefe citie of Helespont to the which the young man sayde Yea forsooth What me thinketh you knowe not the name of it for it is Sigaeum which is the Citie of silence a méete taunt for such tongue talkers Aelianus doth write when the Cranes from Sicila take their flight to flée ouer mount Caucasus they stop their mouthes with stones to passe with silence the daungers of the Eagles ¶ Of liberalitie and liberall Princes TO deface further the vice of auarice I meane to shewe the vertue of liberalitie To put the churlishe couetous out of countenaunce I will extoll the liberall which in taking is shamefast in gyuing ioyfull for a measure in taking and in giuing is the true nature of liberalitye Neither can hée that taketh all thinges though he giue much be named liberal in nothing Agesilaus King of the Lacedemonians so obserued the lawes and rules of Licurgus that he was wont to speake vnto the Citizens of Sparta that giftes are more daungerous sometime to be receyued than hurtefull to be refused Which Phocion the whole credite of Athens at what time Alexander the great hadde sent him great giftes welthie presentes Iuels and treasures from Persea did shewe an Example thereof in refusing the same saying I will not learne to take least I forget to giue The like aunswered Zenocrates the Philosopher to the selfe same Alexander when that he did sende great sommes of gould and siluer for loue and affection vnto Zenocrates he sayde he wanted neyther golde nor siluer which when it was toulde vnto Alexander hée sayde hath Zenocrates no friendes that want money Alexander hath more friendes then eyther the substaunce of Darius or the welth of Persea can suffice A question to be demaunded whether of them both was most liberall the Prince in giuing or the Philosopher in refusing When certaine Embassadours of the Samnites came vnto Rome and being at Eabritius house at soiourne they perceyuing the liberalitie of Fabritius to be such as shoulde want welth to so noble and franke a Gentleman at their retourne from Rome vnto their countrie not forgetting the frée dealing of Fabritius at Rome these Embassadors thought to gratifie Fabritius with the goulde of Samnites did sende giftes and presentes very riche vnto Rome for their noble entertainement which being refused with an aunswere that Fabritius had rather rule and gouerne them that were ruled by goulde then to be subiect vnto goulde alleaging the aunswere of M. Curius vnto the Embassadours of Macedonia offering large giftes and treasurs after the like sort that to possesse much is no welth but couetousnesse to desire nothing and to giue is perfect wealth and liberalitie A sounde proofe of two liberall gentlemen When such ruled Rome then the Romaines excelled all the worlde franke frée vnto most beneficiall vnto all couetous vnto none When L. Lucullus house was a common hospitall to all the poore Gréekes that trauayled from Athens Sparta Thebes yea from all Gréece vnto Rome Then Rome was liberall When Pompeius Atticus did send vnto Cicero béeing banished two hundred thousande sesters vnto Volumnius
Testament that Adam our first father liued nine hundred and thirtie yeres and Eua his wife as many Seth nine hundred and twelue yeres Seth his sonne called Enos nine hundred and fiue Cainan the sonne of Enos nine hundred and tenne Malalehell the sonne of Cainan right hundred fourscore and fiftéene So Enoch the son of Iared liued nine hundred théescore and fiue yeres Enoch his sonne named Mathusalem liued nine hundred thréescore and nine with diuers of the first age I meane vntill Noahs time which began the seconde world after the floode and liued as we reade nine hundred and fiue yeres His sonne Sem sixe hundred yeres and so lineally from father vnto son as from Sem vnto Arphaxad froÌ„ Arphaxad vnto Sala from Sala vnto Heber the least liued aboue thrée hundred yeres This I thought for better credite and greater proofe of olde age to drawe out of the olde testameÌ„t that other prophane autorities might be beléeued as Tithonius whom the Poetes faine that he was so oulde that he desired to become a Grashopper But bicause age hath no pleasure in the worlde frequenteth no banquets abhorreth lust loueth no wantonnes which sayth Plato is the only bayte that deceyue young men so much the happier age is that age doth loath that in tyme which young men neyther with knowledge with wit nor yet with councell can auoyde What harme hath happened from time to time by young men ouer whom lust so ruled that euersion of common wealthes treason of Princes friends betrayed countries ouerthrowne kingdomes vanquished all y e world almost through pleasure perished Therfore Cicero sayth in his booke entituled of olde age at what time he was in the citie of Tarâ—ntuÌ„ being a young man with F. Maximê° that hée bare one lesson from TarentuÌ„ vnto the youth of Rome where Architas the Tarentine saide that nature bestowed nothing vpon man so hurtfull vnto him selfe so dangerous vnto his countrie as luste or pleasure For when C. Fabritius was sent as an Embassador from Rome vnto Pirrhê° king of Epire being then the Gouerner of the citie Tarentum a certaine man named Cineas a ThessaliaÌ„ borne being in disputation with Fabritius about pleasure saying that he heard a Philosopher of Athens affirming that all which we doe is to be referred vnto pleasure which when M. Curius and Titus Coruncanus hearde they desired Cineas to perswade the King Pirrhus in that to yéelde vnto pleasure and make the Samnits beléeue that pleasure ought to be estéemed whereby they knew if that King Pirrhus or the Samnites being then great enimies vnto the Romanes were adicted vnto lust or pleasure that then soone they myght be subdued and destroyed For that nothing hindereth magnanimitie or resisteth vertuous enterprises so much as pleasure as in the treatise of pleasure it shall at large more appeare Why then how happie is olde age to dispise and contemne that which youth by no meanes can auoyde yea to loath and abhor that which is most hurtfull vnto it selfe For Cecellius contemned Caesar with all his force saying vnto the Emperour that two thinges made him nothing to estéeme the power of the Emperour Age and witte Castritius wayed nothing at al the threatning of C. Carbo being then Consull at Rome which though hée sayd hée had many friendes at commaundement yet Castritius aunswered and sayde that he had likewise many yeres which his friendes might not feare Therfore a wiseman sometime wept for that man dieth within fewe yeres and hauing but little experience in his olde age he is then depriued thereof For the Crowe liueth thrise as long as the man doth The Harte liueth foure times longer than the Crow The Rauen thrise againe liueth longer than the Hart. The Phaenix nine times longer than the Rauen And therefore bicause birdes doe liue longer time than man doth in whome there is no vnderstanding of their yeres But man vnto whom reason is ioyned before he commeth vnto any grounde of experience when hée beginneth to haue knowledge in thinges hée dieth and thus endeth hée his toyling pilgrimages and trauayle in fewer yeres than diuers beastes or birdes doe ¶ Of the maners of sundrie people and of their strange life THe sundrie fashion and varitie of maners the straunge lyfe of people euerye where through the worlde dispersed are so depainted and set foorth amongst the writers that in shewing the same by naming eche countrey and the people therof orderly their custome their maners their kinde of liuing something to signifie howe diuers the maners of men bée Therefore I thought briefely to touch and to note euery countrey in their due order of liuing and to beginne with the Egyptians people most auncient and most expert in all sciences that Macrobius the writer calleth the countrey of Egypt the nourse and mother of all Artes for all the learned Gréekes haue had their beginning from Egypt euen as Rome had from Gréece This people obserue their dayes by accouÌ„t of houres from midnight vnto midnight They honour the Sunne and the moone for theyr Goddes for they name the Sunne Osiris and the Moone Isis Their féeding was of fishe broyled in the heate of the Sunne with hearbes and with certaine foules of the ayre They lyue a thousande yeares but it is to be vnderstanded that they number their yeares by the Moone The men beare burthens vppon theyr heades and the women vpon their breastes and shoulders The men make water sitting the women standing The Crocodill is that beast which they moste estéeme that being deade they burie him A Sowe is that beast which they most detest that if anye part of their clothes touche a Sowe they straight will pull of their clothes and washe them ouer They are blacke people most commonly slender and very hastie Curtius call them sedicious vaine very subtill in inuention of thinges and much giuen to wine The Aethiopians people that liue without lawes and reason seruauntes and slaues vnto al men selling their children vnto merchauntes for corne their héere long with knottes and curled The Indians people of two muche libertie as Herodot sayth accompanying their women in open sight neyther sowe they nor builde neyther kill they any liuing beast but féede of barly breade and hearbes They hange at their eares small pearles and they decke their armes wrestes and neckes with golde Kinges of India are much honoured when they come abroade their wayes set and deckt with fresh flowers swéete odours and men in armes folowing their Chariots made of Margarits stones and men méeting with frankinsence And when their king goeth to bed their harlottes bring them with songues and mirth making their prayers vnto their Goddes of darckenesse for the good rising of their King Againe the children kill theyr parentes when they waxe olde Their maydes and young damoselles of India are brought abroade amongst the young men to choose them their husbandes When any man dieth his wife wil dresse hir selfe most brauest for
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
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
many thinges whiche when he came vnto kyng Pirrhus his master whom from Rome he recited not onely his doynges and orations but also their aunsweres and replies euery woorde by woorde as then was spoken doen or written by the Senators This Cyneas was not so excellent of Memorie but also of passyng eloquence of whom kyng Pyrrhus was wonte to saie that he gotte more cities tounes and kyngdomes by the eloquence of Cineas then with all the force and strength of al the Epyrotes beside It is writteÌ„ in Laertius lib. 8. that Pythagoras had charge of God Mercurie to aske what he would sauyng immortalitie and he should haue it and he willed to kepe in Memorie all thinges that he heard and sawe and to forgette nothyng beyng deade of that whiche he sawe beyng a liue whiche beyng graunted the soule of Athalides beyng slaine of Menelaus entered in Euphorbâ—â— Secondly tooke place in Hermonius thirdly in Pyrrhus and fourthly in Pithagoras whiche had suche Memorie thereby that he could describe the state of the liue and the dead Diuers were famous for Memorie emongst the Greekes as Archippus Lysiades Metrodorus Carneades Theodectes and others Many emongst the Romains were renoumed for their Memories as Iulius Caesar L. Scipio Portius Claudius Hortensius with infinite nomber What greate fame had Mythridates kyng of Pontus that hauyng as Plini and Gelius bothe reporte .xxij. straunge Nations that were souldiours alwaies in warres vnder him against the Romains that he could speake xxij languages with out interpreter to open his minde vnto theÌ„ A straunge thyng it is nowe to finde a man in this our ripe yeres that can speake half a dosen speaches If a man can but smatter in sixe or seuen languages he is noted to bee a rare felowe and yet king Mythridates had .xxij. A note of greate Memorie for some there be in learnyng one speache that thei knowe not thei forget an other that thei knowe That worthie man Lucullus is remembred of Cicero in his fourth booke of Achademicall questions for his passyng and noble Memorie The Aegiptians vsed notes and figures for their Memorie in so muche thei marked the well memoried man with the figure of a Hare or a Foxe for that the Hare heare beste and the Foxe of greateste Memorie and if any waÌ„ted Memorie thei compared hym to the Crocodâ—le We reade of Esdras a Prieste that had all the lawes of the Hebrues vpon his fingers ende We read of Portius that he neuer forgot any thyng that he once read before He againe would neuer read that whiche once he wrote but straighte out of hande his Memorie was suche would speake it and pronounce it in order euen as he wrote it before Memorie therfore is likened vnto a Nette whiche taketh and staieth greate fishe and letteth through the little fishe and euen as bookes that be not occupied waxe rustie and cleaue together so memorie whiche is not occupied saieth Seneca waxe dull and obliuious as wee oftentymes see howe forgetfull men waxe either with sicknes age or suche like that letteth the Memorie of man to be occupied as Orbilius by extremitie of age forgot his alphabetes and letters Hermolaus had a freÌ„de whiche in his youth was a perfecte Grecian and yet in his latter yeres waxed so obliuious that he could not read Greke Plini saieth Messala surnamed Coruinus waxed so forgetfull by longe sicknesse that he forgotte his owne name And Seneca doeth write of one Caluisius that was so weake of memorie that he did forgette the names of those that he was daiely in companie as Achilles Vlixes and Priamus whom he knewe verie well What is it els for a manne to wante Memorie but to wante the name of his knowen frende for he is no man that knoweth not that man as Augustus Caesar somtyme Emperour of Rome his beade is verie obliuious wheÌ„ he should come vnto the Senate he demaunded of the Emperor whether he would commaunde hym to doe any thyng that he could doe why saied the Emperour take this letter with thee that men maie knowe thee for thou knowest no man for thou wantest memorie Cicero doeth make mention of one Curio that was so obliuious beyng a iudge that he forgotte the case whiche he should giue iudgement vpon Likewise Atticus the soonne of Sophista was of fraile Memorie that he could neuer keepe in mynde the names of the fower Elementes Bamba a certaine kyng of the Gotes by a draughte of drinke giuen by Heringius his successour loste his Memorie it maie well be that drinke cutteth of Memorie For the Poetes faine that there is a riuer in helle named Lethes whose water if any man taste thereof he forgetteth any thyng doen or past before In this were the Thracians so dulle of Memorie that thei could not compte aboue the nomber of fower Now that memorie is praised in some and obliuiousnes dispraised in others that there wante no testimonie therein what maie bee spoken of those that then were compted the famous clearkes and the renowmest Oratours in all the worlde whiche did not onely staie in their oratioÌ„s but also quite wer beside their matters as Demosthenes and Cicero two noble Oratours vpon whoÌ„ depended the state of Athens and Rome suche imperfection was in them â–ª notwithstanding that Demosthenes was dismaied at the presence of Philip kyng of Macedonia and Cicero astonied at the presence of the Senatours that bothe tongue and countenaunce failed these noble clearkes Likewise Theophrastus that graue Philosopher successour vnto Aristotle many tymes was put to silence in the middest of his Oration before the people of Athens So was Heraclitus Seuerus doÌ„be before the Emperour Herodes Atticus before M. Antonius quite out of countenaunce so that the presence of princes the dignitie of places the maiestie of states abate and chaunge the worthinesse of the persone Some againe chalenge vnto theim selues whiche altogether thei are as voide of as Hipparchion when he would haue contended with Ruffinus he had not a woorde to speake in so muche that a prouerbe grewe by hym applied vnto hym that is more talkatiue then wise Hipparchion is dooen Some againe with Cassius Seuerus whiche though all his bookes were burned by the Senatours saied that he caried all his learnyng in minde and Memorie whiche could not bee taken awaie vnlesse his life likewise should bee taken awaie For my lernyng said he is in my mynde and not printed in bookes The greatest excellencie that can be in man is Memorie the beste iuell that manne hath is Memorie and the nexte thing that approcheth immortalitie is Memorie and so nigh that if a man could but remember the ende of thinges he should neuer taste death but he should liue for euer ¶ Of the pilgrimages of Princes and miserie of mortalitie THere is no beast vpon earth no foule in the eare no fishe in the Sea that séeketh his owne decaie but man
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
made silence to speake the enemies being attentife to heare he retched for the his right hande for a watche woorde to his Souldiours sodainly to binde with their coardes their enemies and to bryng theim captiues to Macedonia The like craft vsed Alcibiades emongest the Agrigentines fainyng that he hadde to speake for the common profite as well of Athens as of AgrigentuÌ„ callyng theÌ„ in place as though he would open some thyng necessarie vnto them had the Grekes ready in the meane time to take the citie and to possesse their substaunce by this crafte Suche crafte vsed Thrasillus to take the Citie Byzantium suche deceipte vsed Zopirus to ouercome Babilon Suche did Tarquinius the soonne of Sextus Tarquinius practise against the Gabians who when he perceiued that his father might by no meanes subdue them he imitated Zopirus craft makyng the enemies to beleue that he was ill handeled and cruelly vsed of his father and that he knewe well how to deceiue his father and to betraie hym vnto them thei beyng readie to beleue Tarquinius made hym chief of their companie he straight sente to his father messengers to signifie vnto hym that he might doe his pleasure with his enemies The olde Tarquinius vnderstandyng the crafte and subtiltie of his soonne brought the messenger vnto a faire garden mistrustyng like a wise prince the matter gaue this subtile warning vnto his sonnes embassador Walkyng vp and doune the Garden with diuers noble menne he with his staffe beate the chief flowers of the Garden saiyng vnto the messenger fare well tell my soonne what I dooe and bid hym doe accordyngly whiche yong Tarquinius perceiuyng his fathers minde slue the best of the enemies oppressed the chief men and betraied the Citie vnto his father By this meanes the crafte that Conon the Athenian deceiued the Persians in Ciprus The subtiltie that Pysistratus vsed to begile the people of Megaera Haniball in Italy are of like effecte that subdued Tarentum in so muche that Hanibal was woÌ„t to saie wheÌ„ the Romains had again wonne TarentuÌ„ Eadem arte qua prius â—aepimus Tarentum amifimus For by crafte Hanibal vanquished the Tarentines and by crafte did the Romains win the same againe Antigonus deceiued the Citizeins of Corinth vnder the coulour of mariage betwixt his soonne Demetrius and Alexanders wife who then was a widowe and a Queene in Corinth that in the middest of triumphes and preparations to the mariage Antigonus by deceipte tooke the Castle commaunded his soldiours in armes and proclaimed hym self kyng in Corinth In the same booke of Poliaenus the like historie is writteÌ„ of Lysander of Sparta and Nearchus of Crete the one promisyng to the inhabitauntes of Miletum his aide and helpe in defending their liberties the people giuyng credite vnto a kynges promise trusted to haue Lisander their speciall frende thei founde hym their mortall foe for he deceiued theim thereby and tooke the citie of Miletum vnto hym self The other sailyng vnto the Hauen of Telmessus to renue frendship with Antipatridas who then gouerned the citie of Telmessus vnder the colour of frendshippe he had his men of armes ready on the Sea to destroye his frende to take the citie vnto him self This deceipt was not onely seen in warres where muche falshoode and periurie are practized but in all thynges men vse crafte accordyng to the prouerbe There is crafte in daubyng To speake of Theodectes crafte towarde his maister Aristotle to spoile hym priuily of his glory To speake of Sertorius deceipte in winnyng aucthoritie emong the common people To describe the means that Dionisius vsed to gette money emongest the Siracusans or howe Pythius deceiued Cannius in his bargaine of Fishe Or how Darius became king of Persia by nisyng of a Mare and a million more suche deceiptes and craftes I will that the reader reade Poliaenus when he shall haue enough of falshode because crafte is vsed diuersly I wil somewhat touche those that vsed crafte in altering theÌ„ selues in forme and shape of women some for filthie luste some for vertue sake some for vice What kinde of dissimulation was in Sardanapalus Kyng of Siâ—ia to forsake the Empire to forgo his kyngdome to become from a Prince like a woman to spinne and carde with his concubines and so from the shape of a man to dessemble hym to be a woman What kinde of dissimulation did that renowmed euen the ofspryng of Goddes and soonne vnto Iupiter that mightie Hercules after that he tamed monsters slue Giantes ouercame Dragons Lions wilde beastes and yet to translate hym from a champion and a conquerour in a womans apparell formed hym self a woman with suche cautell and craftie dissimulations that he serued Omphale Quene of Lidia like a woman in the apparell of a woman at the whele at the cardes at Omphales coÌ„maundement What kinde of crafte vsed Clodius to bryng his purpose to passe with Pompeia Caesars wife likewise dissemblyng hym self to bee a woman as Cicero tanteth him in an epistle that he writeth vnto Lentulus where he saieth that Clodius dissembled with the Nimph Bona dea as he was wonte to vse the three sisters Thus Clodius would at all tymes goe vnto Pompeia in the apparel of a woman to vse suche feates that made Caesar to deuorse his wife Pompeia Dissimulations cautelles craftes as thei are most euill to practise wicked thynges so are thei of the contrary moste necessary to doe good as Euclides whiche vsed the like crafte as before but to the better purpose where thei practised this feate to feede luste to pleasure affection he vsed it to see Socrates reade Philosophie and to learne wisedome for there was a Lawe betwene Athens and the Megaris for the greate hatered that the one bare vnto the other that who so euer came from Athens vnto Megaris should die And who so euer would goe from Megaris vnto Athens should likewise die This death feared not Euclides so much from his purpose but loue that he bare vnto Socrates vnto Philosophie and vnto wisedome was asmuche that he would in the night trauaile from Megaris vnto Athens In the apparel of a woman lest he should bee knowen and retourne before daie from Athens vnto Megaris again This dissimulation and crafte of Euclides was farre better and more to bee commended then the doynges of the fore renowmed Princes Better is Semiramis Quéene of Babilon thought of that she perceiuing her yong sonne Ninus to bee too tender to gouerne the stoute Babilonians and Assirians knowyng the nature of the people to bée impaciente of a womans gouernemente she became in apparell like a man and rule the kyngdome vntill her sonne came vnto ripe age More praise ought Pelagia haue a woman of Antioch though she fained hym self to bee a man and dissembled with the worlde in that case yet this was to auoide pleasure and luste and to liue chastly and solitarie without the companie of men For this
the King in talke at his returne hée was beheaded â–ª Euen so Euagoras for that hée called Alexander the sonne of Iupiter was punished vnto death The Lacedemonians feared flattery so much that they banished Archilogus onlye for his eloquence in a Booke that he made Flatterie was so odious in Rome that Cato the Censor gaue coÌ„maundement to expell certen fine Oratours of Athens out of Rome least with fayre speache and flattery they might annoy the state of Rome what is it but flatterie can compasse what may not sugred Oratours mooue what coulde not Demosthenes doe in Athens what might not Cicero perswade in Rome King Pirrhus was woont to saye of Cineas his Philosopher that hée won more Citties Townes and countries through the flattering stile of Cineas than he euer subdued with the strength and force of all the kingdome of Epire. But to auoyd two much iarring of one string which as Plutarch sayth is tedious to the reader for nature is desirous sayth Plantus of nouelties Leauing flatterye as counsaylour vnto Princes hayle fâ—llowe with noble men chamberlaine with Ladies chiefe gouernour of the common people To speake a little of those that fledde flatterie it was the onely cause that Pithagoras that noble Philosopher forsooke his countrie Samos the whole occasion that worthy and learned Solon fledde from Athens the chiefe matter that made Licurgus to renounce Lacedemonia and the onely cause that made Scipio Nasica forsake Rome for where flattery is estéemed there truth is banished where flatterie is aduanced and honored there truth is oppressed and vanquished In fine flatterie findeth frindeshippe when truth getteth hatred as prooued in the histories of Senica and Calisthenes two famous Philosophers the one Maister vnto Nero Emperour of Rome â–ª the other appoynted by Aristotle to attende vppon Alexander the great King of Macedonia which Philosophers bycause they would not féede the corrupt natures insolent mindes of these prowde Princes with adulation and flatterye they were both put to death Seneca by Nero for his paine and trauell taken with the Emperour in reading him philosophie while Nero was young Calisthenes by Alexander for that he inueyed against the Meedes and Perseans who vsed suche flatterie that Alexander commaunded all men to call him the sonne of Iupiter Euen so of Cicero and Demosthenes the one the soueraigne Orator and Phaenix of Rome the onelye bulwarke of all Italie the other the sugred Anker the patron of Athens and protector of all Gréece After they hadde sundrie and diuers times saued these two famous Cities Rome and Athens the one from the pernicious coniurations and priuie conspiracie of that wicked Catelin and his adherentes the other from the prowde attemptes and long warres of that most renowned warriour Phillip King of Macedonia yet were they after many vertuous actes done in their countries and for their countries from their countries quite banished and exiled Cicero for Clodius sake Demosthenes for Harpalus which the Romans tooke so heauily that twentie thousande ware mourning apparell with no lesse heauinesse in Rome than teares for Demostenes in Athens Flatterye then was of some so hated that noble Phoceon and learned Athinian was woont to say to his fréende Antipater that he woulde take no man to be his fréende that hée knew to bée a flatterer And most certen it is that hée at this day that can not flatter can get no fréendship according vnto that saying of Terence obsequium amicos c. For euen as Aristides of Athens for his manifolde benefitâ—s vnto the Athenians was by flattery preuented and for trueth banished so likewise was Thucidides being sent as an Embassadour from Athens vnto Amphipolis a Cittie betwixt Thracia and Macedonia whiche King Philip kept by force by flattery preuented and exiled True seruice is often rewarded with anger and wrath of Princes as Thrasibulus a noble captaine and famous for his truth was banished out of Athens Lentulus the defender of Italy exiled from Rome Dion of Siracusa hunted out of his countrey by Dionisius euen that renowmed Hanibal the long protector of Carthage compelled after long seruice to range abrode like a pilgrime euery where to séeke some safegarde of his life Too many examples might be brought of Gréeke and Latin histories for the proofe hereof The chéefest Ancker and the strongest bulwark of common wealth saith Demosthenes is assured faith without flattery and good wyll tryed in the Commons plainnesse without deceit boldnesse and trust in the nobles Flattery is the only snare that wisemen are deceyued withall and that the Pharisées knew well when that they woulde take our Sauiour Christe tardie in his talke they began to flatter him with faire wordes saying Maister wée know that thou art iust and true and that thou camest from God Euen so Herode willyng to please the Iewes in kyllyng Iames the brother of Iohn in prisoning Peter in pleasing the people with flatterie that when Herode spake any flattering phrase the people straight cryed out saying this is the voyce of God and not the voyce of man so swéete was flatterie amongst the Iewes The flattering frindes of Ammon knowing the wickednesse of his minde and his peruerse dealing toward Mardocheus did not perswade Ammon from his tiranny but flattered with fayre wordes and made him prepare a huge Gallowes for Mardocheus where Ammon and hys children were hanged Likewise the young man that came to flatter king Dauid saying Saul and his children are deade was by Dauid for his flatterie commaunded to die Tertullius wheÌ„ he was brought to dispute with Paul first he flattered Faelix the President of the Iewes because with flatterie he thought to win the heartes of the hearers In fine flatteres will as the false prophetes sometime that did perswade Achab king of Israell of great fame and luck in the warres to come I saye they euen so will flatter their friendes of all good successe to come and passe with silence the truth present ¶ Of Pride PRide is the roote of all euill the sinke of all sinne the cause of all wickednesse the auncient enemy to the seate of GOD before man was made it did attempt the angels The outwarde pompe and vaine ostentations of shiftyng shewes from tyme to tyme from age to age maie be a suffient profe how prone howe bent and howe willyng we bee to honour pride Eusebius doth reporte that Domitianus the Emperour by an order of lawe charged al men to call him Dominum Deum Domitianum That is to name hym Lorde and GOD Domitian certenlie to heigh a stile though he was an Emperour to be called a God Likewise wee reade of a certen king in India named Sapor whiche would be called kyng of kynges brother vnto the Sunne and Moone felowe vnto the starres Aelianus a Gréeke historiographer in his 14. boke entituled of diuers histories doeth write of one Hanno borne in
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
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
desirous of fame Xenophon a noble and a wise Philosopher perceauing his wife named Aspasia more geuen to auarice more alured with gourgeous sightes then others were hauyng oportunitie demaunded of his wife if hir neighbour had better apparell then she had whiche would she haue if she might change his wife saide hir â—eigbours Againe Xenophon merilie disposed woulde knowe of his wife if hir neighbour had more Golde Siluer Treasure or wealth would she chaunge if she might to whom shee answered most willing shee would what saide Xenophon if your neighbour hath a finer felowe to hir housbands then you haue would you chaunge with hir silence with shame was hir answere Thus Xenephon tauntyng his wife with suche nippes bringeth mee in memorie of one Pythius borne in Lidia and commoraunt in a Citie of Phrigia called Caeleius a notable riche manne and not so riche as coueitous toilyng and tramplyng all the daie tyme in paine and trauaile séekyng and searchyng money tomblyng and tossyng all the night tyme restles without sleape thinkyng alwaies on money his wife vnderstanding his grief and want of rest At what time Pithius hir housbande had appointed certen straungers to come to dinner to proue whether thei might beyng his gestes make him merie or no caused and willed his wife to make suche good cheare for hym as woulde make hym merie and his gestes his wife vnderstanding that nothing might make hir housebande merie but money prepared the Tables readie furnished them ouer all with Gold and Siluer his house hanged with clothe of Arreis euerie place settled with wealthie treasures which when the Gestes came they were amazed of so muche Gold and siluer dismaied quite at the gorgeous sight and wealthy Tables Pithius féedyng hymself a long while with the sight thereof enamored with the portly shewes of Golde and Siluer called for meate his wife before all the straungers beyng bidden Gestes by hir houseband answered hir housbaÌ„d that she prouided for no meate Pithius being angrie with his wife said vnto his wife what haue I willed you this mornyng to do to prouide saide she suche cheare as could make you merie where is it saide Pythius beholde saide his wife on the tables there is kyng Midas dinner these thinges housebande doe make you most mearie and nothyng elles doe you extéeme Certen Xenopon the great Philosopher tanted no better his wife Aspasia then this séelie and simple woman nipped hir housebande Pithius Gold is the delite of the auarous manne spoile and catching still is the desire of the couetous All is fishe that commeth in his Net as by that auarous Adrian surnamed Sophista proued when a gentleman a neighbour of his had sente hym a fewe daintie fishes for a presente couered verie faire on a greate siluer dishe he tooke both the siluer dishe and the fishes saiyng to the messenger thank thy maister and tell hym I take his fishe for nouelties and dainties and that I take his siluer dishe for a gifte and a present Suche impudencie raigned in couetousnesse that like rauening Harpeis thei spoile robbe and catche euerie where suche greedines lurke in auarice that like hongrie dogges they deuour anie thyng The poetes faine that Iupiter though he be king of kinges is yet contented with the Skies Neptune with the Seas Eolus with the Landes Pluto with Hell If the Poetes affirme that immortal Gods liue by measure contented with Lottes agrée with Fortune why are Kynges not sufficed with Kingdomes Lordes with Lordshippes menne mortall neuer satisfied with anie thyng how gréedie of Golde howe desirous of Siluer how couetous of countries the wealth of some the penury of others can wel declare it This priuate wealth applie the place where auarice is honored the blood of the couetous is his money to séeke to borowe or to aske money of the couetous man is nothyng elles but to craue bloud out of his bodie for sooner saieth Plato shall a manne haue talke of a dead man then receiue benefites of the couetous man The Purse of the couetous is shut vp and sealed his hande is readie to take his Cofer to receiue Simonides at what time any man would demaunde him to write to reade or to pleasure the poore any waie for thankes hee woulde aunswere that hee had in his house two Cofers the one shut vp for thankes the other open alwaies for money in the one saide Simonides I finde somethyng alwaies in the other I finde nothyng at all tymes he heald his handes redie to take with Vespasianus sometime in Rome an Emperor when he had hard by his frends that a siluer Image of greate substaunce should bee made for a monument of his worthines in memory of his chiualrie he straight healde out hande saiyng beholde here is a place ready to sette the Image a sure foundation from fallyng The coueteous Prince was more greedie to haue the money vnto his owne purse then to thanke his frendes for their loue and good will in honouryng hym with a perpetuall monument How happie iudge thei them selues to be that are wealthie and how contemteously despise thei others that be poore We read that Craesus a wealthie kyng sometyme in Lidia ioyed so muche of his substaunce and riches that he thought no man so happie as he was This kyng to bragge and to boste of his golde and siluer thought good to sende for Solon the Sage and wise Lawe maker of Athens to shewe vnto Solon his fortunate estate whiche beeyng demaunded of Craesus wheÌ„ he came to Lidia whether any manne in the worlde was in better estate then he was aunswered that a poore Gréeke called Cleobes was farre more fortune then he was Cresus beyng dismaied and halfe angerie with Solon Demaunded againe who was of like Fortune or whether any man was coequall in wealthe vnto hym Solon preferred before hym againe for Fortune and wealthe one Biton The third tyme he asked the like and Solon commended before hym one Tellus Then kyng Caesus commaunded Solon to departe his presence with greate wrathe and anger and where he had thoughte to giue hym plentie of golde and siluer if Solon had preferred his fortune he gaue hym greate checkes shewed hym hidden hatered that he despised his estate and wealth But at laste this worthie and riche kyng beyng conuicted and taken in warres by Cirus when that he should die at the solempnitie of his funerall he thrise called Solon happie for that Solon despised moste whiche he honored chief That name which I had thought to claime to my self happie by my wealthe I surrender it to him moste worthily by dispraisyng of the same commended me vnto Solon saied he a little before he died and tell hym that now I am satisfied with death whiche could neuer be content in life The like historie of braggyng Giges who onely for suche a purpose weÌ„t vnto Apollo to Delphos to knowe by Oracles whether any manne in all the
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