weepyng and sobbyng before Antonius requiryng on his knees one graunt at Antonius hand to sende his Souldiours to kyll hym vpon the graue of his frende Lucullus and beyng dead to open Lucullus graue and to laie hym by his frend Which beyng denied of the emperour then went and wrote vpon a little peece of paper caried it in his hande vntill he came wher Lucullus was buried and there holdyng fast the paper in one hand and with his dagger in the other hande slue hym self vpon the graue holdyng the paper close beyng dead where this sentence he wrote Thou that kneweste the faithefull freÌ„dship betwixt Volumnius Lucullus ioyne our bodies together being dead as our mindes were alwaies one beyng a liue The like historie is written of Nisus when his faithfull frende Eurialus was slaine in the warres betwixt Turnus and Aeneas he hauyng vnderstandyng therof vnknowen vnto Aeneas and vnto the reste of the Troians wente vp and doune the fielde tomblyng and tossyng dead carkeses vntill he founde out Eurialus bodie whiche after longe lookyng and embrasyng of his deade frende drewe out his swearde and heald it in his hande a little while saiyng as my bodie shall neuer departe from thy bodie so shall I neuer feare to folowe thy ghoost and laiyng the Pommel of his swearde on the grounde fell vpon his swearde hauyng the bodie of his frende Eurialus betwixt his armes This loue was greate betwixt Princes whiche might liue honorably to die willingly A strange thing for men that so loue their frendes to waie their deaths more then their one liues Orestes faithe and frendship towarde Pylades was suche that beeyng come vnto a straunge Region named Taurica to diminishe the dolors to asswage the grief and to mitigate the furious flames of Orestes bicause he slue his mother Clitemnestra and beyng suspected that they came only to take awaie the Image of Pallas their goddesse in that countrey The kyng vnderstandyng the matter made Orestes to be sente for to be brought before hym to haue iudgement of death For Pylades was not mencioned nor spoken of but onely Orestes he it was that should steale their Goddes awaie vnto Gréece Orestes therefore beyng brought and his felowe Pylades with him The king demaunded whiche of theÌ„ both was Orestes Pylades that knewe his frende Orestes should die sodainly steapt forth and said I am he Orestes denied it and said he was Orestes Pylades again denied that and saide that it was euen hee that was accused vnto the kyng thus the one deniyng and the prouyng either of theim moste willyng to die for the other The kynge dismaide at their greate amitie loue pardoned their faultes muche extemed their companie and greatlye honoured their naturall loue and faithe so many like histories vnto this there be that then Princes woulde die for their frendes euen that greate conquerour Alexander would haue died then presently with his frend Haephaestion had not his counsell letted hym he loued aliue so well that he was called of all men an other Axander in so muche so estemed his frende when SisigaÌ„bis king Darius mother had saluted HaephaestioÌ„ in stede of Alex. being therewith angrie with her error he said blushe not to honour Haephaestion as an other Alexander What was it that Anaxogoras waÌ„ted that prince Pericles could get for him Whether went Aeneas that Troian duke at any tyme without Achates with him was ther nothing that Pomponius had but Cicero had part of it Scipios freÌ„dship neuer wanted vnto Cloelius Though Rome could alter state though fortune could change honor yet could neither Rome nor fortune alter faithe or chaunge frendes After the Senators had iudged Tib. Gracchus for diuers seditions in the citie to die his frend Blosius hauyng knowledge thereof came and kneled before the Senators besought Laelius whose counsaill the Senators in all thinges folowed to be his frende saiyng vnto the reste after this sorte O sacred Senate and noble counsailers if yet remaine in the citie of Rome any sparcle of iustice if there be regard vnto equitie let me craue that by lawe which you iniuriously applie vnto an other and sithe I haue committed the offences and factes of Gracchus whose coÌ„maundement I neuer resisted whose will to accomplish I will duryng life obaie lette me die for Gracchus worthely whiche am moste willyng so to do let him liue iustly whiche so ought moste truly Thus with vehement inuectiues against him self crauing death most earnestly vnto Blosius and life worthely vnto Gracchus made the Senatours astonied with his rare desire of death saiyng the Capitoll had béen burned by Blosius if Gracchus had so commaunded but I knowe that Grachus thought nothyng in harte but that whiche he spake by tongue vnto Blosius and that which hée spake by tongue vnto Blosius that Blosius neuer doubted to doe and therefore I deserue rather death than hée The faith and loue betwixt Damon and Pythyas was so woondered at of King Dionisius that though hée was a cruell Tiraunt in appoynting Damon to die yet was he most amazed to sée the desire of Pithias the constant fayth the loue and friendeship professed in Damons behalfe striuing one with an other to die enforced in spite of tiranny to pardon Damon for Pythyas sake Theseus and Perithous became such faythfull friendes that they made seuerall othes one vnto an other neuer during life to be departed neyther in affliction paine punishement plague toyle or trauayle to be disseuered insomuch the Poetes faine that they went vnto the kindome and region of Pluto togither I will not speake of the great loue of that noble Gréeke Achilles toward King Patroâ—lusâ— Neyther will I recite the Historie of that worthy Romane Titus towarde Gisippus In fine I will not report Palemon and Arceit Alexander and Lodowicke whose ende and conclusion in loue were such as are worthy of memorie famous in writing ¶ Of enuie and malice and so of tiranny AS malice drinketh the most part of her owne poyson so enuie saith Aristotle hurteth more the enuious it selfe than the thing that it enuieth Like as the slouthfull in warre or Darnell amongst Wheate so is the enuious in a Cittie not so sad of his owne miseries and calamities as hée lamenteth the hap and felicitie of others Wherfore the wise Philosopher Socrates calleth enuie serram animae the sawce of the soule for that it cutteth the hart of the enuious to see the prosperitie of others For as it is a greefe to the good and vertuous man to see euyll men rule so contrarily to the euil most harme is it to sée the goodman liue Therfore the first disturber of common wealth and last destroyer of good states the beginning of all sorowes the ende of all ioyes the cause of all euyll and the onely let of all goodnesse is enuie How prospered Gréece how florished Rome how quiet was the whole world before enuie began to
and ende of the battayle of the Philistines It is read in Lucan the Poet of a Witch named Erictho dwelling in Thessalia that reuiued and restored to life a late souldiour dead at the request of Sextus Pompeius to know the ende of the warres at Pharsalia One History I must repeat which Plutarch reciteth in the life of Cimon that one Pausanias after hée had taken the Citie of Bizance being in loue with a fayre damosell named Cleonices a mayde of noble parentage he commaundyng her father whiche durst not resist him to sende his daughter vnto him to vse at his pleasure which when the mayde came hée being fast a sléepe in his bed the Uirgin being shamefast and fearefull putting out the candle commyng in the darcke towarde Pausanias stumbled at the stoole which with the fall sodenly waked Pausanias from sléepe thinking some foe or mortall enemie of his to bée there hauing his sword harde by slue the Uirgine but she being so slaine woulde neuer after suffer Pausanias to take any quiet rest but appearing vnto him alwayes saying Recompence the iniurie and wrong thou diddest vnto me by equity and iustice folowing him as he fled from place to place from Bizance vnto Thracia from Thracia againe vnto Heraclea from Heraclea vnto Sparta where he famished for hunger Matthaewe in his seuentéene Chapt. beareth recorde that Moyses and Elias after they were dead many hundred yeres before Christes incarnation yet appeared bodyly and ghostly in mount Tabor vnto Christe where they spake and communed with our Lorde and Sauiour The soule of Lazarus did not onely appeare as Iohn saith in his second chap. but came againe both body and soule in a true token of our sure resurrection but as the appearing of those sightes at Gods appointment were most true so it is most horrible to geue credite that the soules of men after death do either by visions or by bodyly apparaunce but the deuyll is well beaten in experience of thinges knoweth best how he may deceaue the wisest sometime for he is subtill and crafty If the Mariner know when stormes and tempest arise if the Phisition iudge of one by the Urine the state daunger of the patient if the skilfull Astronomer can many yeres before exactly foretel the Eclipse of the Sunne moone if in fine the practized souldiour knoweth straight where the victory shall happen No maruaile it is that the deuill an olde souldiour can forshew things to come And make thinges apparant of nothing What made Theodoricus to espie the terible and threatning countenance of Symmachus which hée slue before in a fishes heade being brought before him on the table at supper at the which sight he fell for feare in a grieuous sickenesse and so died the Diuell What caused one Bessus of whome Plutarch maketh mention in his booke de sera muminis vindicta after that he had kild his owne father and a long while hyding himselfe as a murtherer at last being by the Deuill mooued to throw downe a swallowes neast with his speare and killing the young swallowes hée was of the company about him misliked for his cruelnesse vnto poore birdes and taunted of his companions for his tyranny therein but he aunswered and excused himsefe saying why shoulde I not kill those that accused me of my fathers death and cryed out vppon me a long while that I shoulde kill my father They which were present being amazed at his taulke toulde the king thereof which caused him to be apprehended and examined by that euidence he confessed the murther These are the driftes of diuelles the shiftes of Satan at all times and in all countries Paulina the chast wife of Saturnius a Romane was of such excellent beautie of such noble parentage and of such godlye life that when Decius Mundus a young knight of Rome who being so enamored with hir beautie with diuers compassions a long time to none effect for neyther golde nor treasure coulde alure this sober and chast Paulina to consent to sinne he perceauing how shée was bent to temperancye and to renounce all filthy lust gaue him selfe willing to die in the meane time the deuill practised a feat with Ide a mayde which dwelt in house with Mundus father to bring this purpose to passe this mayde knowing well the constancie and honest life of Paulina and how religious shée was to serue the Goddesse Isis inuented this fraude shée went and talkt with some of Isis Priestes opening the whole matter in secret vnto them promising a great rewarde to faine that their God Anubis had sent for Paulina to lie and to accomplishe loue with him This being done by the elder Priestes hir husbande Saturnius was verye ioyfull that the great God Anubis had vouchsafed to sende for his wife shee being as glad boasted and bragged of the same amongest her neighbours vnto the temple of Isis where likewise Anubis was worshipped Paulina was sent by hir husbande very braue and gorgeous where the young and lustie knight Mundus by the aduice of the Priestes hidde himselfe vntill Paulina came which embrasing hir in the darcke accompanied with hir till hee had satisfied lust all the night Then in the morning the matter being knowne she rent hir heares and clothes and tolde hir husband Saturnius how shée was delt withall hir husbande then declareth the whole matter vnto the Emperor Tiberiê° who hauing through knowledge by diligent examination did hang the Priestes the mother of y e mischiefe Ide coÌ„maunded the ymage of Isis to be â—unke in the riuer of Tiber and banished Mundus out of Rome so that vnder the couler and pretence of holinesse diuers Matrones and maydes were deâ—â—owred mens wiues and daughters as Ruffinus testifieth of a certaine Priest in Alexandria in Egypt named Tirannus who vsed such shiftes and practised such feats to haue his desire accomplished his lust satisfied with such women and maidens as he thought good saying that the great God Saturne whose Priest he was sent for them to come vnto the temple to Saturnus and there vntill his wickednesse was knowne he vsed vnder pretence of the great Saturne which was honoured in that Citie his filthy lust horible life Wée read the like almost of Numa Pompilius that he bare the people of Rome in hand that he had familiar company with y e Goddesse Aegeria bicause he might purchase y e more credite auctority vnto his lawes orders These are the workes and shiftes of wicked men which deceaued alwayes the rude people with vaine religion and superstitious holinesse which the deuyll the father of lyes did bewitch and allure them to beléeue fantasticall visions to be the soules of dead men the deuyls appearing them selues like men letting them to vnderstand that they were the soules of such men as they appeared like vnto as Romulus the first King and founder of Rome appeared after his death walkyng vp and downe by Atticus house
at the long Speare the long Sworde the staffe and such as then they vsed in fight for to embolden them selues in that play being naked without armes against they came to fight with their armed enemies Thus by this play were the Romanes taught boldly to fight with their enemies and hardned at home litle to estéeme woundes and strokes abrode Thus games and playes were chéefely estéemed of the Romanes though diuers others as Cicero in his office affirmeth the Romones had in Martius féelde harde by Rome to exercize the youngmen to practize feates to become redy and prompt in marshall offayres which they onely most estéemed A comparison betweene the loue of men and beastes IF men bée diuers in affection one towardes another as wée dayly sée and trye by experience howe much ought the siely and simple beast which wanteth vse of speach to bée commended that so careth and prouideth for him his And though as Cicero saith that it is common vnto all liuing creatures to multiplie and to be carefull ouer those that nature procreated to differ in no part from a beast therin yet by reason we are to excell all kinde of beastes all things in subiection vnto man aswell the heauens aboue and all that shineth therin as earth beneath and all that liue thereon And hence I maruayle much though thd secrete working of nature in fearce and raging beastes bée tollerable yet in a reasonable man in whom saith the Philosopher nature onely mooueth vnto the beast suche enimitie variaunce and discorde shoulde procéede It is thought that the Eagle and the Swanne be not fréendes the Dolphin and the Whale can not agrée the Woolfe and the Foxe at variaunce so of the Dogge and the Cat of the Crowe and the Kite may be spoken but it is well knowen that man is most odious vnto man and though it be spoken Homo homini Deus yet is it prooued Homo homini Daemon If nature made the mighty Lion the most valiaunt beast in the worlde to feare the little crowyng Cock If nature do cause the huge and monstrous Elephant to tremble at the sight of a sielie simple Shéepe And if nature mooue the Panther a strong and a straunge beaste to quake at the presence of a Hinde If nature worke so subtilly that the strongest mightiest and valiauntest beast shoulde feare the most innocent and most simple beast howe much more might reason rule in vs to feare our God and his mightie workes which wée altogether either forget his glory or despise his power Though in beasts the heauens haue dominion yet saide Dauid man by reason and feare of God ruleth the heauens But I wyll omit to speake further of that and wyl returne to that which I meane a litle to discusse I wil not speake of the loue and affection of men generall but of the loue mutuall betwixt man and wife betwixt brother and brother And as it is a vertue not to be forgotten so is it a vertue most rare to finde for euerye thing in his owne kinde is most to bée accepted And first to entreate of the excéeding loue of the woonderful affection that men bare towarde their wiues Wée reade of that noble Romane Anthonius Pius who loued so well his wife Faustine that when shée died he caused her picture to be made and to be set vp before his face in his bed chamber to ease some part of his gréefe with the sight therof M. Plaucius sayling with his wife vnto Asia with thréescore Nauayes came very gorgeously vnto the citie of Tarentum where in the middest of his pompe and great glory for that his wife Orestella by sicknesse dyed he slue him selfe with one dagger saying Two bodyes shall possesse one graue The like wée reade of two young men in Plutarch the one named Aemilius the other Cianippus which for méere affection and passing loue towardes their wiues after long tormentes panges and paynes conceyued by inwarde griefes that their wiues were dead to solace their sadnes and to ende their woofull hap offered their pined bodyes a sacrifice vnto death for a pledge of their true and faithfull loue What meanes doth loue séeke to saue it selfe to auoyde gréefe and lastyng paine and to bée acquainted with ease and pleasure to embrace death How rufully the Gréeke Poet Antimachus bewayled the death of his wife Lisidides in such mourning verses woofull plaintes that whosoeuer read them hée should bée as redy to wéepe in reading the dolefull Epitaph of Lisidides as was Antimachus her husband sorowfull of hir death Pericles was so louing vnto his wife being a noble capitaine of Athens and so chaste that when Sophocles spied a marueylous beautifull young man saying Behold a passing fayre young man Pericles aunswered and saide Not onely the heart and the handes of a Magistrate must bée chaste but also his eyes must refuse the sight of any but his wife It is read that Pericles being at Athens hée was founde kissing and making much of his wife and being from Athens he was found more sad to depart from his wife then vnwilling to die for his countrie Orpheus loued so well his wife Euridices that as the Poettes faine he feared not the power of King Pluto to redéeme his wife with hazarde and daunger of his owne bodie Innumerable are they that deserue the like fame so that these fewe maye bée a sufficient proofe of others And now a fewe examples to prooue the like good will and loue from the wiues shewed towarde their husbandes as hithervnto you heard the great loue of husbandes toward their wiues Alcestes a noble Quéene of Tessalie at what time King Admetus hir husbande shoulde die hauing by an Oracle giuen an aunswere that if any woulde die for the King he should liue which when all refused his wyfe Quéene Alcestes offred hir selfe to die to saue hir husbandes life Iulia the wife of Pompeius the great and onely daughter to that famous and renowmed ▪ Iulius Caesar Emperour of Rome shée was no lesse obedient vnto hir father Caesar then shée was louing vnto hir husbande Pompeius who though they both were enimies one vnto an other yet shée shewed hir a louing daughter vnto hir father and a true wife vnto hir husbande and so true that when shée sawe hir owne Pompeius comming blouddy from the fielde as his apparell made a shewe a great way of shée supposing that hir husband was slaine béeing great wyth childe trauayled straight and died before Pompeius hadde yet come in The loue of Artimesia Quéene of Caria towarde hir husbande king Mausolus is as well declared by the sumptuous Tombe and gorgeous glistering graue which she made for him when hée died compted for the excelencie therof one of the seauen woonders as also truelye verified by cerimonies at his death in making the skull of hys heade hir drinking cuppe in drinking all the ashes of his bodie as suger vnto
Fulgosius of that noble Vitellius who after he had vanquished and slaine diuers nobles and shewed greate wronges vnto the Emperour Otho and vnto Sabinus brother vnto Vespasian the Emperour beyng in feare of his life by Vespasian and being taken by the souldiors he besought leste he should die presently he might bee kepte saufe in prison vntill he might sée and speake with Vespasian the Emperour Suche was his feare that he did hide hym self in a chest like a wretch leste vpon a sodaine he should die So fearfull was Caligula and Caesar of death euery where that he would neuer goe abroade at any Lightenynges or Thonder but with his heade couered with all kinde of thynges whiche mighte resiste the violence of Thounders and Lightenynges Misa kyng of the Moabites and Ioram kyng of Iewrie beyng besieged by the enemies and in daunger of death thei inuented all giles all policies and inuentions right or wronge to saue life thei sacrificed their children to mitigate the rage of the Goddes leste thei should die The loue that diuers had vnto life and the feare the same self had vnto death were to bee noted worthily consideryng howe sore men are vexed with the fear of death ▪ Antemō was so desirous to liue and so fearfull to die that skante would he trauaill out of his house abrode any where and if he wer compelled to goe abrode he would haue twoo of his seruauntes to beare ouer his heade a greate brasen Targatte to defende hym from any thyng whiche mighte happen to doe hym hurte Theagenes in like sorte would not goe out of his house without he had consulted with the Image of Hecates to knowe what should happen to him that daie and to vnderstande whether he might escape death or no Commodus the Emperoure would neuer truste any Barbour to shaue his bearde lest his throte should bee cutte of Masinissa kyng of Numidia would rather committe his state and life vnto Dogges then vnto men as his garde to keepe and defende hym from death To speake of Bion of Domitianus of Dionisius of Pisander of thousandes more whiche so feared death that their chief care and studie was how thei might auoide the same The feare of death causeth the soonne to forsake the father the mother to renoūce the doughter the one brother to deny an other and one frende to forsake the other In so muche Christ himself was forsaken of his Disciples for feare of death Peter denied him and all the reste fledde from hym and all for feare of death Behold therefore how fearfull some are how ioyfull others are How lothsome some how willyng others haue been to die Some desperately die beyng wearie of life As Sabinus Iuba Cleomenes some hangyng thē self some burnyng them selues some drouning thē selues thus with one desperat ende or other thei died But fith euery man muste die it were reason that euerie man should prepare to die for to die wel is nothing els but to liue again Wherfore certen Philosophers of India called Gymnosophistae beyng of Alexander the great cōmaunded to certain hard questiōs whiche if thei could absolue they should liue otherwise thei should die the eldeste of their cōpanie was made a iudge in that matter by the said Alexander The first question was demaunded to know whether there wer more liuing or dead to the whiche the first philosopher saied that the quicke are more in nomber for that the dead haue no being no place no nōber The second question was whether the lande engendered more or the Sea to this answered the second philosopher and said the Land did engender more for that the Sea was but a portion of the Lande The thirde question was to knowe what beast was most subtill that beast answered the thirde Philosopher that man can not discerne Fourthly it was demaunded why they beeyng Philosophers were so induced to perswade the Sabians to rebellion bicause saide the Philosopher it is better to die manfully then to liue miserablie The fifte question was whether the daie was made before the night or the night before the day to the which it was answered the daie The sixte was to vnderstande howe Alexander the greate hym selfe might get good will of the people in shewyng saied the sixte Philosopher thy self not terrible vnto the people The seuenth to aske was whether life or death wer stronger and it was answered life The eight was to knowe howe longe a manne should liue vntill saied the eight Philosopher a manne thinketh death better then life The last question was proposed of Alexander to knowe how might a mortall man be accompted in the nomber of the Gods In dooyng greater thynges saide all the Philosophers then man is able to dooe For that they knewe this proude Prince would be a GOD and that he would learne of the sage Philosophers how he might voide mortalitie he was answered sharpely for that hee should knowe hym to be a man and beyng a manne he should make himself readie to die for death is the rewarde of sinne and death is the beginnyng of life againe vnto the good as Aulus Posthumius in an Oration whiche he made vnto his Souldiours said It is geuen both to good and bad to die but to die Godly and gloriously is onely geuen vnto good men For so Hector speaking in Homer said vnto his wife Andromacha that she should not be sory for his death sith all men must die Though some with the Galathians dooe contempne death that thei fighte naked and are perswaded with the Pythagoreans that they shall neuer die but passyng from one bodie vnto another yet some die ioyfully as the brethren of Policrita beyng taken captiue by Diognitus ▪ Emperour of Milesia she beyng vsed verie ill at the Emperours hands did sende Letters to Naxus vnto hir brethren at what tyme the people of Milesia were Feastyng Drinkyng and Banquetyng at their greate solemne feast Then the brethren of Policrita came and found the Emperour drinkyng and all his people ouer charged with wine slue the most parte of theim prisoned a nomber and brought their sister home to Naxus where assone as they came home died for Ioye of the victorie Euen as Philarchus somtime in his great triūphe criyng out O happie howres and ioifull daies was taken in suche a Feuer that brake his vaines at that verie instaunt for gladnes He is coumpted moste wise that knoweth hymself To ioye to muche in prosperitie to be aduaunced and extolled when fortune fauours without all feare of ill happes to come is follie To be vanquished and subdued in aduersite without hope of solace and goodnes to come is méere madnesse Therefore the Sages and Wisemen knowyng that death was the last line of life did endeuour in their liues how they might die well briefly for examples of liues I meanes to note fewe sentences of these wisemen whiche they vsed as their Poesies and thought good to shewe
such sonnes as Cicero and Homer the one the lampe and lanterne of Rome the other the sugred and sweete Mecenace of al Gréece Thus diligence trauell brought them to fame that being poore men were honoured of riche men being base men were exalted of Princes O happie countries of suche women Oh happie women of such children O wise happie children of suche learning and knowledge The poore smith which was Demosthenes Father and the sillie Potter which was Virgils Father are more renowmed by theyr children this daye being deade then knowne by their owne wealth being aliue Thus muche happened vnto the sillie Smith and vnto the poore potter theyr names shall neuer die while eyther Demosthenes is read or Virgill hearde What might be spoken of that poore Phisition Nichomachus son I meane that famous and learned Philosopher Aristotle which King Phillippe of Macedonia so estéemed that he counted him selfe happie to haue his sonne Alexander the greate borne in Aristotles time whose diligence and studie were such that he had the garde and tuition of that renowmed conquerour Alexander fiue yeres togither which was honored of Alexander and so estéemed of King Phillip that Athens being destroyed by Alexander was restored by Aristotle Suche was the diligence of men their care and industries that their large volumes and infinite bookes are witnesse of their well occupied mindes Howe became Plutarchus maister vnto Traian the Emperour Howe was Seneca appoynted the Tutor and Schoolmaister of the Emperor Nero Howe came Zeno vnto suche fauour with King Antigonus by diligence and not by ydlenesse by trauayle and not by slouthfulnesse by learning and not by ignoraunce Why did that great and famous Romane Scipio surnamed Affricanus estéeme so much the poore Poet Aennaeus aliue that being dead he caused his picture to be set before his eyes as pledge of his great loue and earnest good will Forsooth for paine and trauaile that Aennaeus tooke with Scipio Why did Augustus Caesar that wise and godlye Emperour make so much of Maros bookes but bicause he was in his time y e lampe of Rome he honored no lesse his bookes after he was deade than Octauian embraced him aliue The great King Artaxerxes thought him selfe halfe deade without the company of Hippocrates Pomponius Atti. thought him happy when either Cicero was in his â—ight or some of his bookes in his bosome Alexander neuer went to bedde without Homer vnder his pillowe Who will not prayse the diligence of poore Cleanthes the Philosopher Who will not commende the trauaile of Plautus y e Historiographer the one with a Baker the other with a Bruer brought vp with suche care and paine in the daye time that they might studie in the night time Suche was their pouertie and necessitie that they were vrged to trauayle in the night time such was their desire and affection vnto learning that they were willing to studie in the daye time Who will not extoll Euclides to take such paine and to encur suche daunger to go in the night time in the apparell of a woman because he might not be knowne to heare Socrates reade Philosophie Oh paineful men oh worthye members of their countrie that so sought by diligence that so trauayled by studie and industrye and in fine so founde by witte and reason the redresse of thinges to disperse that defused Chaos which time then sayde Cicero had skant opened the doore therevnto Then after priuate paine and speciail studie of sundrie men in seuerall countries it came to that perfection that from one man in one place diuers grewe learned and pollitickâ— by diligence and trauayle that from Romulus the first builder and King of the Romanes Rome in short time had wise and discréete Councelles to gouerne the Citie From Solon the first law setter after Dracog amongst the Athenians by and by learned and eloquent Oraratours flowed in Athens From Licurgus amongst the Lacedemonians straight grewe modest and graue Senators called Ephori And thus from one in the beginning diuers procéeded foorth in the ende as the Prophets amongst the Egyptians the Gimnosophistes amongst the Indians the Chaldeans amongst the Babilonians the Sages called Magi amongst the Perseans And so of others in other countries And thus by diligence first commended were all men by pilgrimage and labour of life and well recorded in memorie for the payne and studie that eche famous man in life did for his countrey his Prince and his friendes that hauing finished his pilgrimage of lyfe meriteth such fame as shall be to his perpetuall memorie after death Of the first inuentours of artes and of the vse of Soothsaying THE worlde beyng raw and not ripe ignoraunt and not learned rude and barbarous without all ciuile pollicie Nature of it selfe mooued first men to mende maners instructed y e ignorauÌ„t to seeke and search things vnknoweÌ„ which nature wrought in diuers men in sundry countreys a desire to knowledge whereby men practized therwith to the aduauncement and commendation of their Countreys imitatyng as Cicero saith nature as a good guide and a Captaine to finde out which was not knowen And because nature was alwayes desirous to be acquainted with arte as a thing to exornate and beautifie her selfe with knowledge she first inuented letters as the foundation and the grounde whence all learnyng do procéede After first letters were inuented amongst the Hebrues by Philo brought vnto Gréece by Cadmus practised first in Egypt by Mennon from Egypt vnto Phrygia brought by one named Hercules an Egyptian borne Againe amongst the Hetruscans letters were first inueÌ„ted and written by Demaratus a Corinthian Amongst the Romaines as both Plutarchus and Solinus do affirme the Pilagians brought letters and first founde the vse thereof And some aucthours of great credite affirme that Nicostrata the mother of Euander the ArcadiaÌ„ inuented letters first in Rome So Radamanthus in Syria and so others in diuers places of the worlde were studious and carefull to search a way by reason to practise the â—ame by wyt to dispearce that lumpish Chaos which yet for want of knowledge had no perfect forme And now letters beyng inuented came Grammer worthyly to claime the seconde seate of fame Whose begynnyng and enteraunce was celebrated by Epicurus vnto Rome brought by one Crates beyng sent as Embassador from king Attalus vnto the Senators at the tyme of the seconde wars of Carthage This beyng the Well whence flow all other sciences for from the facultie of writyng and the arte of speakyng do the rest procéede Marcobius preferreth Dydimus for his excellency herein Cicero commendeth one named Antonius Enipho whose schole and reading Cicero long frequented The force of Grammer chéefely consisteth in histories and poetry for poetry is so commended that both Moyses that mighty ruler of the Hebrues and Dauid that wise prince of Israel the one in reducyng his
foorth his hande and sayde Haue mée recommended vnto Alexander and bryng him this my right hande and tell him that Bessus kylled Darius whom thou didst sée dying Which when it was tolde by Polystratus vnto Alexander hée much lamented his death caused his body to bée brought with great honour and precious clothes and with all solempnitie that might bée made vnto his mother named Sisigambis Thus worketh clemency and humanity that those two famous Princes Alexander and Darius two mortall enemies alwayes and yet not forgetting eche others courtesie at deathes doore either of them in loue with the other For their humanitie one to another Darius at his death repeating Alexanders gentlenesse towardes him and Alexander requiting Darius gentlenesse being dead The greatest fame or commendation that may happen vnto any man is to bée counted gentle and curteous therein are diuers vertues knitted and ioyned in fréendship as pitie mercy wisedome and affability with others so that the property of those men are alwayes though they can hurt yet neuer to hinder It is proper to an euill man to offende so is the nature of the good and gentle to forgiue Pisistratus shewed both wisedome and curtesie vnto certaine dronkardes who hauing in theyr drinke vsed wanton spéech vnto his wife and being sober the next morning came to Pisistratus to aske him forgiuenesse for theyr lewde talke vnto his wife hée gently sayde learne to be more sober another time I knowe my wife was not out of hir house yesterdaye excusing his wife wisely and pardoning them gently Howe gently dyd Alexander Seuerus vse Camillus though he rebelled against him and by sleight thought to be Emperour of Rome and for that being condemned to die by the Senate yet he was pardoned by Alexander Howe courteous was Fabius Maximus to forgiue Marsius one of his chiefe Capitaines his treasons and snares that he vsed against his mayster Fabius with the enimies Such gentlenesse did Zerxes the great shewe vnto certaine Gréekes who were as espialles to vew the hoste and power of King Zerxes sent from Athens and being taken and brought before the king he not only gently dismissed them without any punishment but shewed them courteously all his hoste and force of souldiours The greatest victorie is lightly alwayes gotten by gentlenesse as Alphonsus King of Aragon by gentlenesse wonne Careta Marcellus wonne Siracusa Metellus Seluberia as you haue hearde before mencioned Plutarch resiteth a passing historie of great curtesie and humanity in king Belenus towarde his sonne Antigonus who being maried to a fayre woman fell in loue with his fathers wife for his mother was deade and his father maried the daughter of Demetriê° King of Macedonia named Estrabonica a younge woman of excellent beautie for this therefore the Kings sonne languished in loue that he was lyke to die vnknowne vnto his father which when his fâ—ther knewe of hée caused his owne wife to be maried vnto his sonne Antigonus rare clemencie and great gentlenesse for a manne to giue his wife to please his friends Pittie accompanieth this excellent vertue clemencie that we reade in holy scriptures that diuers good men ceassed not to bewayle and wéepe euer the state of their enimies I néede not here to recite Pericles the Athenian who willed that the deade souldiours shoulde be buried in the warres of Peloponesus nor of Hanibals curtesie in the warres of Carthage for the buriall of Romane enimies But Moyses that man of God brought with him from Egypt the boanes of Ioseph Tobias and Machabeus mercifull men commended likewise solemne buriall for the deade souldiours And Iehu King of Israell caused his enimie Iezabelem to be honorably buried but as white is better discerned by the blacke than by any colour else so shall humanitie and gentlenesse most appéere excellent in reading the title of tyranny where by conferring both togither the excellencie of the one is manifest the terrour of the other is odious The gentlenesse and pittie that our Sauiour Iesus Christ shewed vnto Marie Magdelen the lewde woman vnto the prodigall childe vnto Peter that denied him vnto the Théefe that hanged with him vnto Daniell in the denne to Susanna in the fire to Ionas in the water was nothing else but examples left for our learning â–ª to be gentle one vnto another euen as Iesus Christ was vnto vs all thus ending as Cicero sayde of Caesar that Caesar extolling Pompeius being deade and setting vp his pictures did extoll his owne name so that the clemencie that menne vse to shewe vnto others doth aduance their owne fame ¶ Of sober and temperate Princes and where temperaunce and sobrietie vvere most vsed SO much was this noble vertue of temperaunce estéemed with auntient people that they thought the greatest plesure the happiest life was to abstaine from desired meate and drinke So muche was this sobrietie of life commended of learned Philosophers that Anacharsis that famous Scithian was woont to write about the painted pictures of Princes this little lesson Rule lust Temper tongue And bridle the bellie Whereby the Philosopher diligentlye perswaded Princes to be temperate of life to be sober in talke and to abstaine from filthy féeding For to subdue appetites to vanquishe luste to suppresse pleasure is a worthie conquest He is a worthie Uictour a famous conquerour a puissaunt Prince that can ouercome his owne affections for euen as Fishes are taken with hookes so men sayth Plato are alured with pleasure It is the greatest vertue that can be in man sayth the Poet to abstaine from pleasure To auoyde these baytes these swéete pleasures wise Princes haue lothed banquetting and drinking in so much that Iulius Caesar that famous Emperour of Rome for his singuler sobrietye and passing temperaunce the verye lampe and lantorne of Europe for his abstinence the onely mirrour of Italy who by ouercomming of himselfe ouercame all Europe Of this Emperour woulde Cato of Vtica say though he was a mortall enemie vnto Caesar for that Caesar vsed the companie of Cato sister Seruâ—lia that one sober Caesar should subdue Rome his abstinence was such sayth Plim that most rare or neuer woulde this Emperour drinke wine Agesilaus king of the Lacedemonians passing through the countrey of Thasius being met with the nobles and saluted the people with diuers dainties and rare banquets to welcome the king vnto the countrie notwithstanding he touched not their daineties fedde onely with breade and drinke to satisfie the expectations of the Thasians And being earnestly requested and humblye sought and in maner enforced least he shoulde séeme vngratefull not to eate their meates he commaunded his footemen and slaues Helotes to féede if they woulde on suche â–ª chéere saying that princes might not so pamper theÌ„ selues with damtie chéere and wines but with abstinence and temperancie The one is incident sayde he vnto vice and shame the other a nource vnto vertue and fame for in eating and drinking lyeth hidden that sucking Serpent named
and Brutus as much then Rome was beneficiall When the Senatours restored Faucula and Oppia two poore women of Campania not onelye vnto their auncient libertie but dubled their wealth and richesse for their true meaning and seruice to the Romanes the one praying and sacrificing for their good successe the other toyling and trauailing about the souldiours businesse at the siege of Capua where Fulinus was Capitaine then Rome was mercifull Liberalitie in noble persons is most commended for in liberall giuing and beneficiall doings are princes compared vnto Goddes Fabius Maximus hauing certaine of hys souldiours taken by Hannibal in the wars of Carthage dyd sende vnto the Senatours of Rome for money to déeme from Hannibal according vnto Marshall lawes the Romane souldiers which being denied of his suite commaunded his sonne straight to go to Rome to sell all the landes and liuings that he then possest about the Citie of Rome and to bring him monie The money being brought payd Hannibal redéemed his souldiers brought them franke and frée vnto Rome vppon his owne charges and being blamed of the Senatours that he soulde his land aunswered that hée had rather want patrimonie in his countrie than loue towardes hys countrimen hée had rather be without liuing in Rome than to want good will vnto the poore souldiours Alphonsus the great king of Arrogon was wont to reioice more of one litle sentence that Titus Vespasianê° would often saye than of all the reading hée did all the daies of his lyfe This Emperours goulden sentence was that daye to be vnhappie in the which he neyther gaue or graunted any thing to no man saying that no manne ought to depart from a Prince sadde He iudged time lost when no body fared the better by him and thought no time shoulde escape without some benefites doone or giftes giuen to some or others Liberalitie doth purchase to the Prince fayth and loue to the noble man seruice and homage vnto all men benefittes and good tournes Wherfore Alexander y e great not so desirous to take as willing to giue was woont to say to any that demaunded where his treasures wealthes and substaunce that he got in the warres were kept hée poynting with his finger his friendes it is hidden sayde hée in the hartes of my subiectes What can be more commended in a subiect towardes his Prince than fayth and truth what may be more praysed in a Prince towarde his subiectes than liberalitie and lenitie The liberalitie of the poore is good will A poore scholler somtime of Gréece bring in Rome thought good to salute Caesar the Emperour comming from the Capitoll towarde his pallace in a fewe Gréeke Uerses thinking thereby his penurie shoulde be somewhat lookt vnto of Caesar but Caesar surnamed Augustus aunswered the scholler in writing againe the like in Gréeke Uerses which when it was deliuered to the poore Gréeke hée delighted much in the reading commended highlye the verses and approched vnto Caesar where he was in his Chariot opened his purse gaue vnto the Emperor .iiij. single halfepence saying Hold not according to thy dignitie and calling but according vnto my abilitie and pouertie I giue this rewarde Certaine the poore scholler was more commended for his small gift to the Emperour then the Emperour himselfe was praysed for his liberalitie of all people in Rome The poore Poet Antilochus was as liberall in his power for his Uerses made vnto King Lisander as Lisander was in his calling to giue him his hatte full of siluer Simple Sinaetes was as liberall in offering a handefull of water of the riuer Cirus vnto the great King Artaxerxes of Persea for want of better abilitie as Artaxerxes was princely in giftes benefitiall vnto Sinaetes in rewarding liberally the liberalitie of Sinaetes with Phiala aurea cum mille Daricis Chirilus had no better present for a proofe of his liberalitie towarde Alexander the great than to shew his good will vnto him in writing whereby hée shewed him selfe more willing than able which being accepted and liberally rewarded for euery seuerall verse a péece of goulde What greater gift can any man giue than that which procéedeth from the heart Of all treasure sayth Aristotle the minde of a man ought most to bée estéemed the Mite of the poore woman offered vnto Christ was no lesse made of and estéemed than the goulde Mirre and Frankencense of the great Sages of the worlde for the gift maketh not the giuer liberall but the giuer maketh the gift liberall Wherefore a poore Student of Paris going home to his countrey Sicilia and being vrged through penurye wanting monye to go to a great learned mans house as though he might go to some of the Bishops of Englande tarying there a long while without either meate or drinke perceyuing the house to be gorgeous fayre and braue without and full of hunger thirst coulde within wrote with a coale on the waule a sentence of Cicero Non domo Dominus fed domus Domino honestanda est As though he might say fayre buildings want more liberall dwellers then liberall Lordâ—e fayre houses for the house is praysed by the man and not the man by the house Fayre houses and welth doe scant make men liberall It is sayde that fayre thinges are coupled with pride and welth ioyned with couetousnesse In the beginning all men were liberall vntill priuate wealth began to practise with money coueteousnesse was not knowne for as money did encrease so couetousnesse grewe In Rome sayth Plini money was not séene foure hundred yeares and more after the building of Rome Then was Rome true and benefitiall by reason of liberalitâ— which after waxed welthye and false by meanes of couetousnesse That Cittie was most famous chiefelye for hir liberalitie wherein Rome excelled all the world If the death of Princes of noble men yea of all men can sufficiently beare witnesse of their lyues considering vertue and fame shall prooue that by death which lyfe scant may vtter for no man is well knowne during lyfe The death of Epaminondas that most renowmed Prince of Thebes and Conquerer of all Gréece was a sure and a certaine show of his liberall lyfe The laste days of P. Aemilius which triumphed in life time ouer the proude Macedonians and â—igurians was a true token of his franke and frée dealing in life In like maner of Maenenius Agrippa Scipio Affricanus the one victor ouer the Saminites the other triumpher ouer Carthage and Numantia whose renowmed liues made their deaths famous whose worthy deathes doe reuiue their noble liues Their beneficiall dealing and liberalitie in life was well knowne by their deathes so liberally they liued that their friendes founde no money hidden no goulde kept no treasure preserued no Iuell in store no hurded muck in Coffers In fine no wealth at all though diuers times by victorie and triumphes by conquest and fortune they possessed
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