soever the execution of them be At the first sign or intimation by gesture of their King they will immediately cast themselves headlong from Rocks and Towers leap into the Waves throw themselves into the fire or being sent by him to kill any such Prince whose death he desires they set themselves about it despising all the tortures they must endure after they have performed the murther or discovery of their intention When once Henry Earl of Campania passed from Antioch towards Tyrus having obtained a safe conduct the Prince of this people called Vâ—tus gave him a strange assurance of his people's obedience for he shewed him several persons standing upon the top of a high Tower one of these he called out by name who no sooner understood his command but without any delay he cast himself down from thence in their sight and broken in pieces with the fall he immediately died The King would have called out others to the like trial and was difficultly diverted from his designs by the earnest entreaties of the Earl who was astonished with wonder and horrour of the experiment The Sâ—lsidas of the Sâ—quimar of Arabia the Happy perform the same at their Prince's command When Hannibal made war against the Romans in Italy he at that time had under his Standards Carthaginians Numidians Mâ—ors Spaniards Baleares Gauls Ligurians and a number of Italian people and yet the General was of that authority amongst them that though his Army consisted of so many and different Nations and that the War was drawn out into so long a continuance and that there was such variety of events therein yet in all that time there was never known that there was any stir tumult or sedition mov'd amongst them 8. The Inhabitants of those Islands that lie over against the Coast of Florida are in great subjection to their Lords and Masters in such manner as that if they should command them to throw themselves headlong from off a high Hill or do any other thing whatsoever they will not refuse to do it whatsoever danger there may be in the performance not once asking wherefore they should do it but only because their Master commandeth it 9. Instead of Crowns and Scepters the Ornaments of the Kings of Peru whereby they shew their Majesty are these They wear certain Tassels of Red Wool bound about their Heads hanging down upon their Shoulders almost covering their eyes whereat there hang other Threads which they use when they will have any thing done or executed They give that Thread unto one of their Lords that attend upon them by this token they command in all their Provinces and the King hath done whatsoever he doth desire At the sight of this Thread his pleasure is by his Subjects with so great diligence and dutiful obedience fulfilled that the like is not known in any place of the world for if by this way he chance to command that a whole Province shall be clean destroyed and utterly lest desolate both of men and all living creatures whatsoever both young and old it is done If he send but one of his Servants to execute the severest of his commands although he send no other power or aid of men nor other commission than one of the Threads of his Quispel it is sufficient and they willingly yield themselves to all dangers even to death and destruction 10. Xerxes flying out of Greece the Ship or Boat was so over-pressed with the numbers of such as were got within her that a Tempest arising they were all brought to the hazard of their lives here it was that Xerxes bespake them in this manner Since upon you O Persians depends the safety of your King let me now understand how far you take your selves to be concerned therein He had no sooner spoken these words but that having first adored him most of them leaped into the Sea and by their death freed their King of his present danger CHAP. XV. Of the Generosity of some Persons and the Noble Actions by them performed AS amongst those Starry Lights wherewith the arched Roof of Heaven is beautified and bespangled there are some more conspicuous for their extraordinary brightness and lustre and draw the eyes of men with greater admiration towards them so amongst the race of mankind there are some found to shine with that advantage in point of Generosity and true Nobleness of Mind above the common Standard of Humaniry that we fix our eyes with equal wonder and delight upon those actions which we know to be the effects whereof the vulgar are uncapable 1. Cardinal Petrus Damianus relateth how being a Student at Faenza one told him of an act of Charity and Generosity that happened of which he made more account than of all the Wonders of the World it was this a man whose eyes another had most traiterously pulled out was by this accident confined in a Monastery where he liv'd an unspotted life performing all offices of charity according to the ability of his body It fell out this cruel creature who had done this mischievous act sickened of a languishing malady and was enforced to be carried to that same place where he was whom he had bereaved of sight his heart said within him he could never endure him but for revenge would put out his eyes on the contrary the blind man made earnest suit to have the charge of him as if he had sought some great fortune from the hand of a Prince he prevailed and was deputed to the service of the sick man and he dedicated to him all the functions of his body except the eyes which the other had pulled out Notwithstanding saith the Cardinal he wanted not eyes you would say the blind man was all Eyes all Arms all Hands all Heart to attend the sick man so much consideration vigour diligence and affection he used 2. In the Cathedral Church of Roan in Normandy is the Sepulchre of Iohn Duke of Bedford and Regent of France for King Henry the Sixth an envious Courtier perswaded Charles the Eighth to deface it God forbid said he that I should wrong him being dead whom living all the power of France was not able to withstand adding withal that he deserved a better Monument than the English had bestowed upon him 3. Conrade succeeding Henry in the Empire by this Henry Wenceslaus the Duke of Poland was overcome in Battel and made a Tributary of the Empire he afterwards rebelled and took upon him the Title of a King to whom succeeded Mysias in both the Kingdom and contumacy towards the Empire Conrade therefore by the help of his Brother had enforced him to quit Poland and flie to Vlrick Duke of Bohemia who at that time was also an Enemy to the Empire Vlrick despising all the Laws of Hospitality gives Conrade to understand that in case he would compound the difference betwixt them two he would send him Mysias as his prisoner to dispose of him as he
at Aken and his Motto was Vnita virtus valet 71. Henry the second Duke of Bavaria declared to be Emperour by the Princes Electors a wise valiant and good Emperour he subdued all his Rebels and expelled the Saracens out of Italy In his time Swaine King of Denmark invaded England and subdued it to his obedience he Reigned twenty two years say some eighteen saith Platina his Motto is Ne quid nimis 72. Conrade the second Duke of Franconia elected three years after the death of Henry in the interregnum many Cities of Italy desirous of Liberty deserted their subjection to the Emperour but Conrade was a wise and valiant Warriour and soon reduced them to their wonted obedience his Symbol was Omnium mores tuos imprimis obserâ—a he was buried at Spires 73. Henry the third Sirnamed Niger he removed three seditious Antipopes and appointed for the true Pope Clemens the second he married the daughter of Canutus the Dane then King of England Reigned seventeen years and died in the thirty fifth year of his age his Motto was Qui litem aufert execrationem in benedictionem mutat 74. Henry the fourth son of the former in whose daies the Popes began to usurp Authority over the Emperours insomuch that Leo the ninth having received the Popedom at the Emperours hands repented himself of it put off his Papal Vestments went to Rome a private person and was there new chosen by the Clergy This was done by the perswasion of a Monk called Hildebrand who being afterwards made Pope by the name of Gregory the seventh Excommunicated this Henry the first Prince that was ever Excommunicated by a Pope of Rome he was valiant wise and eloquent his son being stirred up against him he died partly of sickness and partly of sorrow his Motto Multi multa sciunt se autem nemo 75. Henry the fifth succeeded his Father went to Rome to be Crowned Emperour by Pope Paschalis the second The Pope would not consent to his Coronation except he did first give over all right of Election of the Pope and all right of investment of Bishops by Staff and Ring the Emperour griev'd with the proud carriage of the Pope laid hands upon him and his Cardinals and compelled them to perfect his Coronation and to confirm his Priviledges of Electing Popes and investiture of Bishops But the Emperour once returned into Germany the Pope revok'd all he had done and Cursed the Emperour who hearing what was done march'd to Rome with an Army the Pope fled into Apulia the Emperour departed into Germany again when wearied with his seditious Bishops over affectionate to the Pope he bought some Peace by yielding up his rights and was the last Emperour of the House of Franconia his Motto was Mortem optare malum timere pejus 76. Lotharius Duke of Bavaria seised on the Empire without any Election was reconciled to the German Princes by the means of St. Bernard Contention being betwixt Innocentius and Anacletus for the Popedom the Emperour with an Army established Innocentius he Reigned thirteen years his Motto was Audi alteram partem 77. Conrade the third Duke of Sueve and Sisters son to the Emperour Henry the fifth was Elected Emperour The Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria Rebelled against him whom he easily subdu'd After which he led an Army against the Turks and Saracens but was betrayed by the deceitful promises of Emanuel the Greek Emperour who sent him to the Siege of Iconium Meal mingled with Lime whereby the Army was empoysoned huge numbers of them died so that Conrade left the Siege of Iconium and went back to Thracia He Reigned fifteen years his Motto Pauca cum aliis tecum multa 78. Frederick the first Sirnamed Barbarossa Duke of Sueve Crowned at Rome by Adrian the fourth and not long after Excommunicated by Pope Alexander the third to whom he was fain at last to submit himself the Pope insolently treading on his neck and abusing the words of Scripture Super Aspidem Basiliscum ambulabis conculcabis leonem draconem the Emperour answered Non tibi sed Petro the proud Pope reply'd Et mihi Petro. The Emperour not willing to give any further occasion of offence held his peace and so was absolv'd and his son then Prisoner at Venice for love of whom he had done all this set at Liberty He went after to the Holy Land where he discomfited the Turks in three great Battels there he died being drown'd in a River into which he went to bathe himself he Reigned thirty and nine years was buried at Tyrus his Motto was Qui neseit dissimulare nescit regnare 79. Henry the sixth his son was declared Emperour Crowned by Pope Celestine the second who took Constantia the daughter of Rogerius out of a Monastery and gave her to him in Marriage with both Sicilyes in a way of Dowry Whereupon Henry took Tancredus the young King of Sicily put out his eyes thrust him into a Monastery and used great cruelty against the Bishops and other Inhabitants of Sicily the Pope did Excommunicate him for this but he went to Rome acknowledged his fault and obtained his pardon together with a confirmation of the Kingdom of Sicily After this the Pope solicited him to the holy War in his Journey towards Asia he died at Messina his Motto was Qui nescit tacere nescit loqui 80. Philip Duke of Sueve brother of Henry the sixth took on him the Imperial Title contrary to the mind of Innocentius the then Pope For this the Pope did Excommunicate him and caused the Bishop of Colen and other Electors to make Otho Duke of Saxony Emperour between whom and Philip were fought divers Battels but Philip so defended himself that he held the Crown Imperial all his life-time in despite of both In the end Peace was made betwixt the Emperour and the Pope not long after which the Emperour was cruelly murdered in his own Chamber by Otho Count Palatine he Reigned ten years his Motto was Satius est currere quam malè currere 81. Otho the fourth Duke of Saxony and Bavaria who married the daughter of Philip and was appointed his Successour was Crowned Emperour by Pope Innocent the third he neglecting the usual largess at his Coronation the Romans abused his Servants whereupon he departed Rome in great discontent fell upon certain Towns belonging to the Pope for whiâ—h he was Excommunicated and vanquished in Brabant by the Faction raised up against him he relinquished the Empire to his Competitor he Reigned nineteen years his Motto was Anser strepit inter olores 82. Frederick the second King of Sicily and Naples son to Henry the sixth was consecrated and called Augustus by Pope Honorius the third where he admitted what constitutions the Pope would who notwithstanding supported his Rebels against him The Emperour did expostulate the unseemliness of the deed with him who thereupon was so chafed that he Cursed and Excommunicated the Emperour but they were reconciled Then
death by Andronicus was in a popular election proclaimed his Successour deposed by Alexius his own brother and his eyes put out 63. Alexius Angelus deprived his brother and excluded his Nephew from the Empire but it held not long 64. Alexius Angelus the second the son of Isaac Angelus being unjustly thrust out of his Empire by his Uncle Alexius had recourse to Philip the Western Emperour whose daughter he had married so an Army was prepared to restore him On the approach whereof Alexius the Usurper fled and the young Emperour seated in his Throne was not long after slain by Alexius Ducas in revenge whereof the Latins assault and win Constantinople make themselves Masters of the Empire share it amongst them the main body of the Empire with the Title of Emperour was given to 65. Baldwin Earl of Flanders first Emperour of the Latines Reigning in Constantinople was taken in Fight by Iohn King of Bulgaria and sent Prisoner to Ternova where he was cruelly put to death 66. Henry the brother of Baldwin repelled the Bulgarians out of Greece and died a Conquerour 67. Peter Count of Auxerre in France succeeded in the Empire after his decease was cunningly entrapped by Theodorus Angelus a great Prince in Epirus whom he had besieged in Dyracchium but of an enemy being perswaded to become his Guest was there murdered by him 68. Robert the son of Peter having seen the miserable usage of his beautiful Empress whom a young Burgundian formerly contracted to her had most despitefully mangled cutting off both her Nose and Ears died of hearts grief as he was coming back from Rome whither his melancholy had carried him to consult the Pope in his Affairs 69. Baldwin the second son of Robert by a former Wife under the protection of Iohn de Brenne the Titulary King of Ierusalem succeeded in his Fathers Throne which having held for the space of thirty three years he was forced to leave it the City of Constantinople being regained by the Greeks and the poor Prince compelled in vain to sue for succours to the French Venetians and other Princes of the West When Constantinople was lost to the Latines the Empire of the Greeks was transferred unto Nice a City of Bythinia by Theodorus Lascaris Son-in-law to Alexius the Usurper there it continued till the Empire was restored to the Greeks in the person of 70. Michael the eighth Sirnamed Palaeologus extracted from the Comnenian Emperours most fortunately recovered Constantinople the City being taken by a Party of fifty men secretly put into it by some Country Labourers under the ruines of a Mine This Prince was present in person at the Council of Lyons at the perswasion of the Pope he admitted the Latin Ceremonies into the Churches of Greece for which he was greatly hated by his Subjects and denied the honour of Christian burial 71. Andronicus the second vexed with unnatural Wars by his Nephew Andronicus who rebelled against him 72. Andronicus the third first Partner with his Grandfather afterwards sole Emperour 73. Iohn Pelaeologus son of Andronicus the third in whose minority Contacuzenus his Protector usurped the Empire and held it sometimes from him and sometimes with him till the year 1357. and then retired unto a Monastery leaving the Empire unto Iohn during whose Reign the Turks first planted themselves in Europe 74. Andronicus the fourth the son of Iohannes Palaeologus 75. Emanuel Palaeologus brother of Andronicus the fourth in his time Bajazet King of the Turks did besiege Constantinople but found such notable resistance that he could not force it 76. Iohn the second son of Andronicus the fourth 77. Iohn the third son of Emanuel Palaeologus was in person at the Council of Florence for reconciling of the Churches in hope thereby to get some aid from the Western Christians but it would not be 78. Constantinus Palaeologus the brother of Iohn the third in his time the famous City of Constantinople was taken by Mahomet the Great Anno Dom. 1452. The miserable Emperour being lamentably trod to death in the Throng who had in vain gone from door to door to beg or borrow money to pay his Souldiers which the Turks found in great abundance when they took the City It had in vain been besieged by King Philip of Macedon siding with Niger in his War against Severus the Emperour it endured a Siege of three years against all the Forces of the Romans The Caliph Zulciman had besieged it and was forced to desist with the loss of three hundred thousand men but now it stooped under the weighty Scepter of 79. Mahomet the second Sirnamed the Great and first Emperour of the Turks he Conquered the two Empires of Constantinople and Trebisond twelve Kingdoms and two hundred Cities He had mighty Wars with the two renowned Captains Huniades and Scanderbeg in Hungary and Epirus from whom he received divers overthrows He left the Siege of Belgrade with dishonour as he also was compelled to do that of the Rhodes By Achmetes Bassa he Landed an Army in Apulia foraged all the Country took the City of Otranto by assault to the terrour of Sixtus the fourth then Pope and of all Italy Being passed over into Asia to go against the Caramanian King a daies journey short of Nicomedia a City in Bythinia at a place called Geivisen he fell sick and died as some say of the Cholick as others of poyson having lived about fifty two years and thereof Reigned thirty one in the year of our Lord 1481. He was of an exceeding courage and strength of a sharp wit and thereunto very fortunate but withal he was faithless and cruel in his time the death of eight hundred thousand men 80. Bajazet the second subdued the Caramanian Kingdom and part of Armenia and drove the Venetians from Moraea and their part of Dalmatia Invaded Caitbeius the Sultan of Aegypt by whom the Arabians and Mountainers of Aladeules his subjects he was divers times shamefully overthrown and enforced by his Embassadours to conclude a Peace He bribed the Bishop of Rome to the empoysoning of his brother Zemes thither fled for security This Prince by nature was given to the study of Philosophy and conference with learned men more than to the Wars which gave encouragement to his son Selymus to raise himself to the Throne as he by the Treason of the great Bassa's of the Court shortly did and then caused his father to be poysoned by his Physician a Jew when he had Reigned thirty years this Prince died in the year of our Lord 1512. 81. Selymus having poysoned his father subverted the Mamalukes of Aegypt bringing it with Palestine Syria and Arabia under the yoke of the Turks He invaded the Kingdom of Persia subdued and slew Aladelues the Mountainous King of Armenia reducing his Kingdom into the form of a Turkish Province He repressed the Forces of the Hungarians by a double invasion and intending to turn all his Forces upon the Christians he was suddenly seised with a Cancer
somewhat black and that of his left was grey 9. Olo the Son of Syward King of Norway by the Sister of Harold King of the Danes had so truculent an Aspect that what others did with Weapons that did he with his Eye upon his Enemies frighting the most valiant amongst them with the brandishes of his Eye 10. Apollonides tells that in Scythia there are a sort of Women which are call'd Bythiae that these have two sights in each Eye and that with the Eye they kill as many as they look upon when they are throughly angry 11. Theodorus Beza as was observ'd in him by those of his Family had Eyes of such a brightness that in the night time when it was dark they sent out such a light as form'd an outward Circle of it about the rounds of his Eyes 12. Mamertinus in his Panegyrick Orations saith thus of Iulian the Emperour while he warr'd upon the Barbarians Old men saith he have seen the Emperour not without astonishment pass a long life under the weight of Arms they have beheld large and frequent sweats trickle from his gallant Neck and in the midst of that horror of dust which had loaded both his Hair and Beard they saw his Eyes shining with a Star-like light 13. The Soldiers of Aquileia by a private sally set upon Attila being at that time attended with a small company they knew not then that Attila was there but they afterwards confess'd that nothing was so great a terrour to them as those fiery sparkles that seemed to break from his Eyes when he look'd upon them in the fury of the sight 14. It may seem incredible that there should be found a Nation that are born with one Eye alone And yet St. Augustine seems not to doubt of it but saith That he himself did behold such persons I was now saith he Bishop of Hippo when accompanied with certain of the Servants of Christ I went as far as Aethiopia that I might preach the holy Gospel of Christ to that people and in the lower parts of Aethiopia we saw men that had but one Eye and that placed in the midst of their Foreheads 15. Iulio de Este bad such a peculiar sweetness and alluring force in his Eyes that Cardinal Hypolito de Este his own Brother caused them to be put out because he had observed that they had been overpleasing to his Mistress 16. Maximus the Sophist a great Magician and of whom it was that Iulian the Emperour learn'd Magick at Ephesus Of this man it is reported that the Apples of his Eyes were voluble and turning and the vigor and agility of his swift and ready wit did seem to shine out of his Eyes whether he was seen or heard both ways he strangely affected such as had conversation with him while they were neither able to bear the sparkling motion of his Eyes nor the course and torrrent of his Speech so that even amongst eloquent persons and such as were improv'd by long practice and experience there was not one found that did dare to oppose him when he had conference with any of them 17. Edward the First King of England is describ'd by Polydor Virgil to be a Prince of a beautiful countenance his Eyes were inclining to black which when he was inflamed with anger would appear of a reddish colour and sparks of fire seemed to fly out of them CHAP. XVII Of the Face and Visage and admirable Beauty plac'd therein both in Men and Women THe Ancieâ—ts were so great admirers of Beauty that whereas Gorgon had such a loveliness imprinted upon her Face that she ravish'd the Eyes of her Spectators with it and made them stand as men amazed and astonished They hereupon fain'd in their Fable that she convertted Men into Stone with the sight of her The barbarous Nations had also such veneration for it that they thought no Man capable of any extraordinary action unless his person was thus digniâ—ied by Nature And further the accidental meeting of a beautiful person was held as a special passage of some future good whereas the sight of one deformed was reputed a most unlucky Omen Thus Beauty hath found its favourers amongst all sorts of persons it hath done so too in all places not excepting such as are the very Theatre of Blood and Death For 1. Parthenopaeus one of the seven Princes of the Argives was so exceeding beautiful that when he was in Battel if his Helmet was up no man would offer to hurt him or to strike at him 2. Tenidates the Eunuch was the most beautiful of all the Youth in Asia when Artaxerxes King of Persia heard that he was dead he commanded by his Edict that all Asia should mourn for him and he himself was difficultly comforted for his death 3. Antinous of Claudiopolis in Bythinia was a young Man exâ—eedingly dâ—ar to Adrian the Emperour for the perfection of his Beauty so that when he was dead the Emperour in honour of him built a Temple at Mantinea and another at Ierusalem he also built a City near the River Nilus and call'd it by his name he caus'd his Coyn too to be stamp'd with his Essigies 4. Alcibiades the Athenian was a person of incomparable Beauty and which is remarkable the loveliness of his form continued constant to him both in his Youth Manhood and Age It seldom falls out that the Autumn of a Man should remain â—lourishing as his Spring a thing which was peculiar to him with few others through the excellent temper of his constitution 5. Xerxes Army which he lead to Thermopylae against the Grecians is computed by Herodotus to amount to the number of five hundred twenty eight Myriad three thousand and twenty eight fighting men amongst all which almost incredible number of Mortals there was none found who could compare with Xerxes himself for extraordinary handsomeness in person or elevated Stature of Body nor any who in respect of Majestick port and meen seemed more worthy of that command than he 6. Dometrius Poliorcetes Son of Antigonus King of Asia was tall of Stature and of that excellent and wonderful Beauty in his Face that no Painter or Sratuary was able to express the singugar Graces of it there was Beauty and Gravity Terror And amiableness so intermingled a young and fierce Aspect was so happily confounded with an almost invincible heroick and kingly Majesty that he was the admiration of all strangers and was followed wheresoever he went on purpose to behold 7. Maximinus the younger was a most beautiful Prince In the Letter of Maximinus the Father to the Senate concerning him is thus written I have suffered my Son Maximinus to be saluted Emperour as in respect of the natural affection I bear him So also that the people of Rome and the Honourable Senate may swear they never had a more beautiful Emperour His Face had such Beauty in it that when it
spake and did he knew not what 9. Upon Thursday the twenty fourth of March 1602 about two of the Clock in the Morning deceased Queen Elizabeth at her Mannour of Richmond in Surrey she then being aged seventy years of which she had reigned forty four five Months and odd days Her Corps were privily conveighed to White-Hall and there remained till the twenty eight of April following and was then buried at Westminster at which time the City of Westminster was surcharged with multitudes of all sorts of people in the Streets Houses Windows Leads and Gutters that came to see the Obsequie and when they beheld her Statue lying in Royal Robes with a Crown upon the Head there was such a general sighing groaning and weeping as the like hath not been seen or known in the memory of man neither doth any History mention any people time or state to make the like lamentation for the death of their Sovereign 10. Secundus the Philosopher had been many years absent from home so that he was unknown to the Family by face and upon his return he was very desirous to make some experiment of the chastity of his Mother he courted her as a strangeâ— and so far prevailed that he was admitted to her Bed where he revealed to her who he was at the hearing of which the Mother was so over-born with shame and grief that she gave up the Ghost 11. Peter Alvarado the Governour of Guatimala married the Lady Beatrice Della Culva and he being dead by a mischance his Wife abandoned her self to all the excesses of grief and not only painted her House with sorrows black Livery and abstained from meat and sleep but in a mad impiety said God could now do her no greater evil Soon after anno 1582 happened an extraordinary inundation of waters which on the sudden first assailed the Governour 's House and caused this impotent and impatient Lady now to bethink her self of her devotion and betake her to her Chappel with eleven of her Maids where leaping on the Altar and clasping about an Image the force of the water ruined the Chappel and she with her Maids found their death therein 12. Gormo Father of one Câ—nute slain before Dublin so exceedingly lov'd this Son of his that he sware to kill him that brought him news of his death which when Thira his Mother heard she used this way to make it known to him she prepared Mourning Apparel and laid aside all Princely State which the old man perceiving he concluded his Son dead and with excessive grief that he conceived thereat he speedily ended his days 13. Cardanus relates of a man in Milan who in sixty years having never been without the Walls of the City yet when the Duke hearing thereof sent him a peremptory command never to go out of the Gates during life he that before had no inclination to do so died of very grief to be denied the liberty of doing it 14. King Eâ—helstan being jealous of Edwin his Brother caused him to be put into a little Pinnace without tackling or Oars one only Page accompanying of him that his death might be imputed to the Waves the young Prince overcome with the grief of this his Brother's unkindness cast himself over-board headlong into the Sea 15. When Queen Mary was informed of the loss of Calis in France she was so affected therewith that she took no pleasure in any thing She would often say that the loss of Calis was written in her heart and might there be read when her body should be opened and indeed the grief she took thereupon shortned her days so that she but a while outlived that news that was so unacceptable to her 16. Margaret Daughter to Iames the Fourth King of Scotland married to Lâ—wis the Dauphin of France was of so nasty a complexion and stinking breath that her Husband after the first night loathed her company for grief of which she soon after died 17. Charles Duke of Burgundy being discomfited at the Battle of Nancy passing over a River was overthrown by his Horse and in that estate was assaulted by a Gentleman of whom he craved quarter but the Gentleman being deaf slew him immediately yet afterwards when he knew whom he had slain he died within few days of grief and melancholy 18. Aâ—urath the sixth Emperour of the Turks at his â—irst ascent to the Throne to free himself of Competitors caused his five Brethren Mustapha Solyman Abdâ—lla Osman and Tzihanger to be all strangled in his presence The Mother of Solyman pierced through with the cruel death of her young Son as a woman overcome with grief and sorrow struck her self to the heart with a Dagger and so died 19. Amurath the Second having long lain before the Walls of Croja and assaulted it in vain and being no way able either by force or â—lattery to bring Scanderbeg to terms of submission or agreement angry that his Presents and Propositions were refused he resolved to make a terrible assault upon Croja from all Quarters but this by the Christian Valour proving greater loss to him than before not able to behold the endless slaughter of his men he gave over the assault and return'd into his Camp as if he had been a man half frantick or distract of his wits and there sate down in his Tent all that day full of melancholy passions sometimes violently pulling his hoary Beard and white Locks complaining of his hard and disastrous fortune that he had lived so long to see those days of disgrace wherein all his â—ormer Glory and triumphant Victories were obscured by one base Town of Epirus His Bassas and grave Counsellours by long discourses sought to comfort him but dark and heavy conceits had so overwhelmed the melancholy old Tyrant that nothing could content his wayward mind or revive his dying spirits so that the little remainder of natural heat which was left in his aged body now oppressed and almost extinguished with melancholy conceits and his body it self dryed up with sorrow he became sick for pure grief Feeling his sickness dayly to encrease so that he could not longer live lying upon a Pallet in his Pavilion he sadly complained to his Bassas that the destinies had blemished all the former course of his life with such an obscure death That he who had so often repressed the fury of the Hungarians and almost brought to nought the pride of the Grecians together with their name should now be enforced to give up the Ghost under the Walls of an obscure Castle as he termed it and that in the sight of his contemptible enemy Shortly aâ—ter he became speechless and striving with the pangs of death half a day he then expired This was anno 1450 when he had lived eighty five years and thereof reigned thirty 20. Franciscus Foscarus according to the manner of Venice was elected Duke thereof during his life and long did he govern that
Sea and his Wife at some distance from him the woman was seised upon by some Moorish Pyrates who came on shore to prey upon all they could find Upon his return not finding his Wiâ—e and perceiving a Ship that lay at anchor not far off conjecturing the matter as it was he threw himself into the Sea and swam up to the Ship when calling to the Captain he told him that he was therefore come because he must needs follow his Wife He feared not the Barbarism of the Enemies of the Christian Faith nor the miseries those Slaves endure that are thrust into places where they must tug at the Oar his love overcame all these The Moors were full of admiration at the carriage of the man for they had seen some of his Country-men rather chuse death than to endure so hard a loss of their liberty and at their return they told the whole of this Story to the King of Tunis who moved with the Relation of so great a love gave him and his Wife their freedom and the man was made by his command one of the Soldiers of his Life Guard 10. Gratianus the Emperour was so great and known a Lover of his Wife that his enemies had hereby an occasion administred to them to ensnare his life which was on this manner Maximus the Usurper caâ—sed a Report to be â—pread that the Empress with certain Troops was come to see her Husband and to go with him into Italy and sent a messenger with counterfeit Letters to the Emperour to give him advice thereof After this he sent one Andragathius a subtile Captain to the end he should put himself into a Horse Litter with some chosen Soldiers and go to meet the Emperour feigning himself to be the Empress and so to surprise and kill him The cunning Champion perform'd his business for at Lyons in France the Emperour came forth to meet his Wife and coming to the Horse-Litter was taken and killed 11. Ferdinand King of Spain married Elizabeth the Sister of Ferdinand Son of Iohn King of Arragon Great were the virtues of this admirable Princess whereby she gained so much upon the heart of her Husband a valiant and fortunate Prince that he admitted her to an equal share in the Government of the Kingdom with himself wherein they lived with such mutual agreement as the like hath not been known amongst any of the Kings and Queens of that Country There was nothing done in the affairs of State but what was debated ordained and subscribed by both The Kingdom of Spain was a name common to them both Embassadors were sent abroad in both their names Armies and Soldiers were levied and formed in both their names and so was the whole wars and all civil affairs that King Ferdinand did not challenge to himself an authority in any thing or in any respect greater than that whereunto he had admitted this his beloved Wife Bajazet the first after the great victory obtain'd against him by Tamberlain to his other great misfortunes and disgraces had this one added of having his beautiful Wife Despina whom he dearly loved to fall into the hands of the Conquerour whose ignominious and undecent treatment before the eyes of her Husband was a matter of more dishonour and sorrow than all the rest of his afflictions for when he beheld this he resolved to live no longer but knock'd out his Brains against the iron bars of that Cage wherein he was enclosed 13. Dion was driven from Sicily into Exile by Dionysius but his Wife Aristomache was detained and by him was compelled to marry with Polycrates one of his beloved Courtiers Dion afrerwards return'd took Syracuse and expelled Dionysius his Sister Arete came and spoke to him his Wife Aristomache stood behind her but conscious to her self in what manner she had wrong'd his Bed shame would not permit her to speak His Sister Arete then pleaded her cause and told her Brother that what his Wife had done she was enforced to by necessity and the Command of Dionysius whereupon the kind Husband received her to his House as before Meleager challenged to himself the chief glory and honour of slaying the Calidonian Boar but this being denied him he sate in his Chamber so angry and discontented that when the Curetes were assaulting the City where he lived he would not stir out to lend his Citizens the least of his assistance The Elders Magistrates the chief of the City and the Priests came to him with their humble supplications but he would not move they propounded a great reward he despised at once both it and them His Father Oenaeus came to him and embracing his knees sought to make him relent but all in vain His Mother came and try'd all ways but was refused his Sisters and his most familiar friends were sent to him and begg'd he would not forsake them in their last extremity but neither this way was his fierce mind to be wrought upon In the mean time the enemy had broken into the City and then came his wife Cleopatra trembling O my dearest Love said she help us or we are lost the Enemy is already entred The Hero was moved with this voice alone and rous'd himself at the apprehension of the danger of his beloved Wife He arm'd himself went forth and left not till he had repulsed the Enemy and put the City in its wonted safety and security CHAP. VIII Of the singular Love of some Wives to their Husbands THough the Female be the weaker Sex yet some have so superseded the fidelity of their nature by an incredible strength of affection that being born up with that they have oftentimes performed as great things as we could expect from the courage and constancy of the most generous amongst men They have despised death let it appear to them in what shape it would and made all sorts of difficulties give way before the force of that invincible Love which seemed proud to shew it self most strong in the greatest extremity of their Husbands 1. The Prince of the Province of Fingo in the Empire of Iapan hearing that a Gentleman of the Country had a very beautiful woman to his Wife got him dispatch'd and having sent for the widow some days after her Husbands death acquainted her with his desires She told him she had much reason to think her self happy in being honour'd with the friendship of so great a Prince yet she was resolved to bite off her Tongue and murther her self if he proffer'd her any violence But if he would grant her the favour to spend one Month in bewailing her Husband and then give her the liberty to make an entertainment for the Relations of the deceased to take her leave of them he should find how much she was his servant and how far she would comply with his Affections It was easily granted a very great dinner was provided whither came all the kinred of the deceased
answer that the Bayliff was a rich man which the King not knowing how to believe considering the wretched Country his House was seated in he immediately sent for him and said unto him these words Come on Bayliff and tell me why you did not build your fine House in some place where the Country was good and fertile Sir answered the Bayliff I was born in this Country and find it very good for me Are you so rich said the King as they tell me you are I am not poor replyed the other I have blessed be God wherewithal to live The King then asked him how it was possible he should grow so rich in so pitiful a barren Country Why very easily replyed the Bayliff Tell me which way then said the King Marry Sir replyed the other because I have ever had more care to do my own business than that of my Masters or my Neighbours The Devil refuse me said the King for that was always his oath thy reason is very good for doing so and rising betimes thou couldst not chuse but thrive CHAP. XIII Of the Faithfulness of some men to their engagement and trust reposed in them THe Syrians were looked upon as men of no faith not fit to be trusted by any man and that besides their curiosity in keeping their Gardens they had scarce any thing in them that was commendable The Greeks also laboured under this imputation of being as false as they were luxurious and voluptuous It is strange that those who were so covetous after all other kinds of improvement in learning and knowledge should in the mean time neglect that which sets a fuller value upon man than a thousand other accomplishments I mean his fidelity to his promise and trust 1. Those of Iapan are very punctual in the performance of what they have promised those who desire their protection or assistance For no Iaponese but will promise it any one that desires it of him and spend his life for the person who hath desired him to do it and this without any consideration of his family or the misery whereto his Wife and Children may be thereby reduced hence it comes that it is never seen a malefactor will betray or discover his complices But on the contrary there are infinite examples of such who have chosen rather to dye with the greatest torment imaginable than bring their complices into any inconvenience by their confession 2. Micithus Servant to Anaxilaus Tyrant of the Rhegini was left by his dying Master to govern his Kingdom and children during their minority In the time of this his Viceroy-ship he behaved himself with that clemency and justice that the people saw themselves govern'd by a person of quality neither unmeet to rule nor too mean for the place yet when his children were come to age he resign'd over his power into their hands and therewithal the treasures by his providence he had heaped up accounting himself but their steward As for his part he was content with a small pittance with which he retired to Olympia and there lived very privately but with great content respect and serenity 3. Henry King of Arragon and Sicily was deceas'd and left Iohn his Son a child of twenty two months age behind him entrusted to the care and fidelity of Ferdinand the Brother of the deceased King and Uncle to the Infant He was a man of great vertue and merit and therefore the eyes of the nobles and people were upon him and not only in private discourses but in the publick assembly he had the general voice and mutual consent to be chosen King of Arragon But he was deaf to these proffers alledged the right of his infant Nephew and the custom of the Country which they were bound the rather to maintain by how much the weaker the young Prince was to do it He could not prevail yet the assembly was adjourn'd for that time They meet again in hopes that having had time to consider of it he would now accept it who not ignorant of their purpose had caused the little Child to be clothed in Royal Robes and having hid him under his Garment went and sate in the Assembly There Paralus Master of the Horse by common consent did again ask him Whom O Ferdinand is it your pleasure to have declared our King He with a sharp look and tone replied Whom but John the Son of my Brother and withal took forth the Child from under his Robe and lifting him upon his shoulders cryed out God save King John commanded the Banners to be displayed cast himself first to the ground before him and then all the rest moved by his example did the like 4. King Iohn had left Hubert Burgh Governour of Dover Castle and when King Lewis of France came to take the Town and found it difficult to be taken by force he sent to Hubert whose Brother Thomas he had taken Prisoner a little before that unless he would surrender the Castle he should presently see his Brother Thomas put to death with exquisite torments before his eyes But this threatning mov'd not Hubâ—rt at all who more regarded his own loyalty than his Brothers life Then Prince Lewis sent again offering him a great sum of money neither did this move him but he kept his loyalty as inexpugnable as his Castle 5. Boges the Persian was besieged in the City Etona by Cimon Son of Miltiades the General of the Athenians and when he was proffered safely to depart into Asia upon delivery of the City he constantly refused it lest he should be thought unfaithful to his Prince Being therefore resolved he bore all the inconveniencies of a Siege till his provisions being now almost utterly spent and seeing there was no way to break forth he made a great fire and cast himself and his whole Family into the Flames of it concluding he had not sufficiently acquitted himself of his trust to his Prince unless he also laid down his life in his cause 6. Licungzus the conductor of the Rebel Thieves had seiz'd the Empire of China taken the Metropolis Peking and upon the death of the Emperour had seated himself in the Imperial Throne He displac'd and imprison'd what great officers he pleased Amongst the rest was one Vs a venerable person whose Son Vsanguâ—jus lead the Army of China in the confines of Leatung against the Tartars The Tyrant threatned this old man with a cruel death if by his paternal power he did not reduce him with his whole Army to the acknowledgment of his power promising great rewards to them both if he should prevail wherefore the poor old man wrote thus to his Son Know my Son that the Emperour Zunchinius and the whole Family of Taimingus are perished the Heavens have cast the fortune of it upon Licungzus we must observe the times and by making a vertue of necessity avoid his Tyranny and experience his liberality He promiseth to thee a Royal dignity if
drawn thither with his Fleet Being agreed upon the terms the Captains must mutually entertain one another and the â—irst lot fell upon Sextus who received them in his Ship there they supp'd and discoursed with all freedom and mirth when Mâ—nas the freed man of Sextus and Admiral of the Navy came and thus whispered Sextus in the Ear Wilt thou said he that I sâ—all cut the Cables put off the Ship and make thee Lord not only of Sicily and Sardinia but of the whole World it self He said it and it was easie to do it there was only a Bridge which joyn'd the Ship and Shore together and that remov'd the other fell in and who could hinder or oppose the design and upon those two whom he had in his hand all the Roman welfare relyed but Sextus valued his faith given And said he thou Menas perhaps oughtest to have done it and unknown to me But since they are here let us think no more of it for Perjury is none of my property 12. Fabius had agreed with Hannibal for the exchange of Captives and he that had the most in number should receive money for the over-plus Fabius certifies the Senate of this agreement and that Hannibal having two hundred and forty more Captives the money might be sent to reduce them The Senate refused it and withal twitted Fabius that he had not done rightly and orderly nor for the honour of the Republick to endeavour to free those men whose Cowardise had made them the prey of their enemies Fabius took patiently this anger of the Senate but when he had not money and purposed not to deceive Hannibal he sent his Son to Rome with command to sell his Lands and to return with the money to the Camp He did so and speedily came back he sent Hannibal the money and received the Prisoners many of whom would afterwards have repaid him but he freely forgave them 13. Guy Earl of Flanders and his Son were freed from Prison by Philip the fair King of France upon their saith given that in case they could not return the Flemings to their obedience who rebelled and with the English molested Philip that then they should reuurn themselves to their wonted durance They were not able to effect the one and therefore perform'd the other and in that prison Guy shortly after dyed 14. Ferdinand the first King of Spain left three Sons behind him Sanctius Alphonsus and Garcius amongst whom he had also divided his Kingdoms but they lived not long in mutual peace for soon after the death of their Father Sanctius who was of a fierce and violent disposition made war upon his Brother Alphonsus overcame und took him Prisoner and thrust him into a Monastery constrained Religion lasts not long and therefore he privily deserted his Cloyster and in company with Petrus Ansurius an Earl he fled for protection to Almenon King of Toledo He was a Moor and an enemy to the others Religion but there had been friendship and peace betwixt him and Ferdinand the Father of this distressed Prince and upon this account he chose to commit himself unto his faith and was chearfully received by him Long he had not been with him when in the presence of the King the hair of this Prince was observed to stand up an end in such manner that being several times stroked down with the hand they still continued in their upright posture The Moorish Southsayers interpreted this to be a prodigy of evil abodement and told the King that this was the man that should be advanced to the Throne of Toledo and thereupon perswaded to put him to death The King would not do it but preferred his faith given to the fear he might apprehend and thought it sufficient to make him swear that during his life he should not invade his Kingdom A while after King Sanctius was slain by Conspirators at Zamora and his Sister Vrrata being well affected to this her Brother sent him a messenger with letters to invite him to the Kingdom advising him by some craft and with celerity to quit the borders of the Barbarians where he was Alphonsus bearing a grateful mind would not relinquish his Patron in this manner but coming to Almâ—â—on acquainted him with the matter And now said he noble Prince compleat your Royal savours to me by sending me to my Kingdom That as I have hitherto had my liâ—e I may also have my Scepter of your generosity The King embraced him and wished him all happiness But said he you had lost both Life and Crown if with an ungrateful mind you had fled without my privity for I knew of the death of Sanctius and silâ—ntly I awaited whaâ— course you would take and had dispos'd upon the way such as should have return'd you back from your â—light had it been attempted But no more of this all I shall require of you is that during life you shall be a true friend to me and my elder Son Hissemus and so sent him away with money and an honourable retinue This Alphonsus did afterwards take the City and Kingdom of Toledo but it was after the death of Almenon and his Son 15. Iohn the first King of France was overthrown in battle and made prisoner by Edward the black Prince and afterwards brought over into England Here he remained four years and was then suffered to return unto France upon certain conditions which if he could make his Subjects submit to he should be free if otherwise he gave his faith to return He could not prevail to make them accept of the hard terms that were proffered whereupon he returned into England and there dyed 16. Renatus Duke of Berry and Lorrain was taken in Battle by the Soldiers of Philip Duke of Burgundy and was set at liberty upon this condition that as oft as he should be summon'd he should return himself into the power of the Duke while he was thus at liberty it fell out that upon the death of his Brother Lewis King of Naples he was called to succeed him in that Kingdom and at this time it was that the Duke of Burgundy demanded his return according to his oath Renatus well understood that this came to pass by the means of Alphonsus of Arragon who gaped after Naples and he was also proffered by Eugenius the fourth to be dispensed with in his oath notwithstanding all which he determin'd to keep his faith inviolate and so return'd to the Duke by him he was put in safe custody yet at last he was again set at liberty but not before such time as that through this his constrained delay the enemy had secured the Kingdom to himself 17. Antaâ—f King of some part of Ireland warring against King Ethelstan disguised himself like a Harper and came into Ethelstans Tent whence being gone a Soldier that knew him discovered it to the King who being offended with the Soldier for not declaring it sooner the Soldier made this
Sword and with force enough let drive at the place the Virgin had design'd him the sword entred so far into her throat that with one and the same blow he cut off his hopes of enjoying the Virgin and her fears of loosing her Virginty 19. Timoclea was a Lady of Thebes and at the sack of it was forcibly ravish'd by a Thracian Prince and she revenged the injury in this manner dissembling the extream hatred which she bare to her ravisher she told him she knew a place wherein much Treasure and store of Gold was conceal'd she led him to an out-place belonging to the house where there was a deep well while the over covetous Thracian lean'd over to look into it She tripp'd up his heels and sent him headlong to the bottom of it with a quantity of stones after him to hinder his resurrection from thence for ever to the world being afterwards brought before Alexander and charged with the death of this Captain of his she confessed the fact and when he asked who she was I am said she the Sister of that Theagenes who died sighting valiantly against thy Father in the Fields of Cheronaea the generous Prince freely dismiss'd her 20. There was a Maid called Lucia who lived a Virgin amongst many others and whose exquisite beauty was sought unto with vehement solicitation by a powerful Lord who having Command and Authority in his hands sent messengers to seise on this innocent Lamb and whilst they were at the gate menacing to kill her and set all on fire if this poor creature was not delivered into their hands the Maid came forth what is it said she you demand I beseech you tell me whether there be any thing in my power to purchase your Lord and Masters Love yea answered they in a flouting manner your eyes have gained him nor ever can he have rest tell he enjoy them Well go then said she only suffer me to go to my Chamber and I will give satisfaction in this point The poor maid seeing her self betwixt the Hammer and the Anvil she spake to her eyes and said how my eyes are you then guilty I know the reservedness and simplicity of your glances nor have I in that kind any remorse of conscience But howsoever it be you appear to me not innocent enough since you have kindled fire in the heart of a man whose hatred I have ever more esteemed than his love Quench with your blood the flames you have raised Whereupon with a hand piously cruel She digged out her eyes and sent the torn reliques embrewed in her blood to him who sought her adding Behold what you love He seized with horror hastned to hide himself in a Monastery where he remained the rest of his days 21. The Consul Manlius having overthrown the Army of Gallogrecians in Mount Olympus part were slain and part made prisoners amongst others was the Wife of Prince Orgiagon a woman of surpassing beauty who was committed to the custody of a Centurion and by him forcibly ravished Her ransome was afterwards agreed upon and the place appointed to receive it from the hands of her friends when they came thither and that the Centurion was intent both with his eyes and mind upon the weighing of the Gold she in her Language gave command to them that were present that they should kill him When his head was cut off she took it up in her hands went with it to her husband and having thrown it at his feet she related the manner of the injury she had received and the revenge she had taken who will say that any thing besides the body of this woman was in the power of her enemies for neither could her mind be overcome nor the chastity of it violated 22. I will shut up this Chapter with the illustrious Example of Thomas Aquinas this great person had determined with himself to consecrate the flower of his age to God and the desirable vertue of Chastity his Parents opposed this Noble resolution of his by flatteries and threats and such other Arts as they supposed might be of use to them upon this occasion but without any success their Son remained constant to his purpose in despite of all their endeavors Whereupon they took this other course When Thomas was one day in his Chamber all alone they sent in to him a young Damosel of an admirable beauty who with a countenance composed to lasciviousness began with various allurements and feminine flatteries to invite him to wickedness All things seemed to speak in her her voice and form her eyes and clothes her gestures and perfumes the youth perceived the delightful poison began to slide into his heart and therefore turning himself Lord Jesus said he suffer me not to commit this filthy wickedness in thy sight or for the sake of carnal lust to loose the joys of Eternal Life this said he catch'd up a burning brand out of the fire with which he drave out this Syren before him and shut his Chamber door upon her happily by this means escaping the snare that was spread before him and by which he was so near to have been entangled CHAP. XXXI Of Patience and what power some men have had over their Passion EVery man knows how to row in a calm and an indifferet Pilot will serve to direct the course of a Ship when the season is quiet and serene but the conduct of that Governor is most praise worthy who knows how to steer his vessel aright when the winds are enraged and some furious tempest has put the tumultuous waves into a vehement commotion In like manner it is a small commendation to appear mild when nothing is said or done to displease us but to repress our rising passions and to keep down our resentments in the midst of injurious provocations so noble a victory deserves an Elogy which perhaps the greatest of Conquerors never merited 1. King Robert was one of the greatest Kings that ever wore Crown of France on a time he surpriz'd a Rogue who had cut away half of his Cloak Furred with Ermins to whom yet so taken and in an act of that insufferable presumption he did no further evil but only said mildly to him save thy self and leave the rest for another who may have need of it 2. King Henry the sixth of England was of that admirable patience that to one who struck him when he was taken Prisoner he only said forsooth you wrong your self more then me to strike the Lords Anointed 3. It s said that Philip the second King of Spain having written a letter with his own hand with much study and labor to be sent to the Pope when he asked for sand to be cast upon it his Secretary half a sleep powred the Ink in the Standish upon it in stead of the former this would have put most into a fury yet behold a person of this eminency bare it without speaking one angry word to
God to take care of heavenly things and not to cross him in his worldly actions He kept no promise further than for his advantage and took all occasions to satisfie his lust 18. Philomelus Onomarchus and Phaillus had spoil'd the Temple of Delphos and had their punishment divinely allotted to them For whereas the ordained punishment of sacrilegious persons is this That they shall die by being thrown head-long from some high place or by being choak'd in the water or burnt to ashes in the fire Not long after this plunder of theirs one of them was burnt alive another drowned and the third was thrown head-long from an high and steep place so that by these kinds of deaths they suffered according to that Law which amongst the Grecians was made against such as are found guilty of Sacriledge 19. Agathocles without any provocation came upon the Liparenses with a Fleet and exacted of them fifty Talents of Silver The Liparenses desired a further time for the payment of some part of the money saying they could not at present furnish so great a summ unless they should make bold with such gifts as had been devoted to the gods and which they had never used to abuse Agathocles forc'd them to pay all down forthwith though part of the money was inscribed with the names of Aeolus and Vulcan so having received it he set sail from them but a mighty wind and storm arose whereby the ten Ships that carryed the money were all dasht in pieces Whereupon it was said that Aeolus who is said thereabouts to be the god of the Winds had taken immediate revenge upon him and that Vulcan remitted his to his death for Agathocles was afterwards burnt alive in his own Country 20. Cambyses sent fifty thousand Souldiers to pull down the Temple of Iupiter Ammon but all that number having taken their repast betwixt Oasis and the Ammonians before they came to the place perished under the vast heaps of sand that the wind blew upon them so that not so much as one of them escaped and the news of their calamity was only made known by the neighbouring Nations 21. When those bloody wars in France for matters of Religion saith Richard Dinoth were so violently pursued between the Hugonots and Papists there were divers found that laughed them all to scorn as being a sort of superstitious fools to lose their lives and fortunes upon such slender accounts accounting Faith Religion immortality of the Soul meer fopperies and illusions And as Mercennus thinks there are fifty thousand Atheists in Paris at this day 22. Bulco Opiliensis sometimes Duke of Silesia was a perfect Atheist he lived saith Aeneas Sylvius at Vratislavia and was so mad to satisfie his lust that he believed neither Heaven nor Hell or that the Soul was immortal but married Wives and sent them away as he thought good did murder and mischief and whatsoever he himself took pleasure to do 23. Frederick the Emperour saith Matthew Paris is reported to have said that there were three principal Impostors Moses Christ and Mahomet who that they might rule the world had seduced all those that liv'd in their times And Henry the Lantgrave of Hesse heard him speak it That if the Princes of the Empire would adhere to his institutions he would ordain and set forth another and better way both for Faith and Manners CHAP. II. Of such as were exceeding hopeful in Youth but afterwards improv'd to the worse THere is nothing saith Montaigne at this day more lovely to behold than the French Children but for the most part they deceive the hope that was fore-apprehended of them for when they once become men there is no excellency at all in them Thus as many a bright and fair morning has been followed with dark and black Clouds before Sun-set so not a few have out-liv'd their own vertues and utterly frustrated the good hopes that were conceived of them 1. Dionysius the younger the Tyrant of Sicily upon the death of his father shew'd himself exceeding merciful and of a Princely liberality he set at liberty three thousand persons that were under restraint for debt making satisfaction to the Creditors himself He remitted his ordinary Tributes for the space of three years and did several other things whereby he gain'd the favour and universal applause of the people But having once established himself in the Government he re-assumed that disposition which as it appears he had only laid aside for a time He caused his Uncles to be put to death whom he was aw'd by or stood in fear of he slew his own Brethren that he might have no Rival in the Soveraignty and soon after he raged against all sorts with a promiscuous cruelty in such manner that he deserved to be called not so much the Tyrant as Tyranny it self 2. Philip the last King of the Macedonians but one and who made war upon the Romans was as Polybius saith of him who saw and knew him a Prince adorned with most of the gifts and perfections both of body and mind he had a comely visage a straight and proper body a ready eloquence a strong memory comprehensive wit a facetious ingenuity in his speeches and replyes accompanyed with a Royal gravity and majesty he was well seen in matters of Peace and War he had a great spirit and a liberal mind and in a word he was a King of that promising and fair hope as scarcely had Macedon or Greece it self seen any other his like But behold in a moment all this noble building was overturn'd whether by the fault of Fortune that was adverse to him in his dispute with the Romans brake his spirit and courage and wheel'd him back from his determined course unto Glory or whether it was by the fault of Informers or his own who gave too easie and inconsiderate an ear to them however it came to pass he laid aside the better sort of men poysoned some and slew others not sparing his own blood at length for he put to death his own son Demetrius To conclude that Philip concerning whom there were such goodly hopes and in the beginning of whose Reign there had been such happy and auspicious discoveries declin'd unto all kind of evil prov'd a bad Prince hated and unfortunate 3. Herod King of Iudea in the six first years of his Reign was as gallant mild and magnificent a Prince as any other whatsoever but during the rest of his Rule which was one and thirty years he was fierce and cruel both to others and to his own friends and family to that degree that at one time he caused seventy Senators of the Royal blood to be put to death he slew his Wife and three of his own sons and at the last when he saw that he himself was at the point to die he sent for all the Nobles from every part of Iudea upon the pretence of some weighty occasion and when they were
the Nobles conspired against him enters his Castle and Chamber by night and advised him to yield himself but he refused and fought it out till such time as he was killed by the Conspirator There was then with the Count one of Hardvicus his own sons who waited upon him him also Hardvicus did kill at that time with his own hands and this he did as he said that none might suspect his son as being privy to the Treason intended against his Master 12. Deiotarus had a great number of sons but he caused them all to be slain save only that one whom he intended for his Successour and he did this for his sake that the surviver might be the greater both in power and security 13. Pausanias was a great Captain of the Spartans but being convicted by the Ephori of a Conspiracy with the Persians against his Country he fled to the Temple of Minerva for Sanctuary it being unlawful to force him thence the Magistrates gave order to build a Wall about it that being guarded and kept in he might be pin'd to death As soon as his mother Alcithea understood this though he was her only son yet she brought the first stone to make there a Prisoner till his death one that was so nearly related to her 14. Antonius Venereus Duke of Venice caus'd his son Ludovicus to die in Prison for that being incensed with his Mistress he had caused divers pairs of Horns to be fastened to the doors of her Husband 15. Robert de Beliasme delighted in cruelty an Example whereof he shewed on his own son who being but a child and playing with him the father for a pastime put his thumbs in his childs eyes and crush'd out the balls thereof CHAP. IV. Of the degenerate Sons of Illustrious Parents WHen Aristippus shewed himself altogether mindless of his Children who liv'd in a different manner from his Instruction and Example one blaming his severity remembred him that his Children came of him and yet said he we cast away from us Phlegme and Vermin though one is bred in us and the other upon us Augustus too look'd upon his but as Ulcers and Wens certain excrescencies that were fit to be cut away and forbad the two Iulia's to be buried in the same Monument with him such a one was 1. Scipio the son of Scipio Africanus who suffered himself to be taken by a small Party of Antiochus at such time as the glory of his Family went so high that Africa was already subjected by his father and the greater part of Asia subdued by his Uncle Lucius Scipio the same man being Candidate for the Pretorship had been rejected by the people but that he was assisted by Cicereius who had been formerly the Secretary of his father when he had obtained that Office his debauchery was such that his relations would not suffer him to execute it but pull'd off from his finger a Ring wherein was engraven the Effigies of his father what a darkness was this that sprang from so glorious a light 2. How base a life did the son of Quintus Fabius Maximus live and although all the rest of his Villanies were obliterated this one thing was enough to make discovery of his manners that Quintus Pompeius the City Pretor prohibited him from intermeddling with his fathers Estate nor was there found one man in so great a City that went about to oppose that decree all men resenting it that that money which ought to be subservient to the glory of the Fabian Family should be expended in debauchery so that him who through the fathers indulgence was left his heir the publick severity disinherited 3. Hortensius Corbio was the Grandchild of Quintus Hortensius who for Estate and admirable eloquence was comparable with the Citizens that were of the greatest rank yet this wretched young man led a more base and abject life than the vilest obscene persons in Rome and at the last put his tongue to the vile use of more persons in Brothel-houses than his Grandfather had made good use of his for the safety of the Citizens 4. Cresippus was the son of Chabrias the Athenian a person equally famous for his great vertues and victories and who had been much more happy had he died without issue for this son of his was so degenerate from the vertue of his father that he often occasioned Phocion his Tutor though otherwise a most patient man to say that what he endured through the folly of Cresippus was more than enough to compensate all that his father had merited of him 5. Caligula was as infamous for his sloth lust and folly as his father Germanicus was famous for his vigour of mind prudence and integrity and although fortune advanced this degenerate son to the Empire yet most of the Romans desired rather the vertue of Germanicus in the fortune of a private man than an Emperour of so flagitious a life Add to this that the people of Rome the confederate Nations yea and barbarous Princes bewailed the death of Germanicus as the loss of a common Parent but Caligula the son was not thought worthy of tears or honour or so much as a publick funeral at his death 6. Valerianus Augustus for the greatness of his vertues deserves a memorial amongst the most Illustrious of Princes at least if his fortune had been equal to his vertue But his son Galienus was of a disposition so unlike to his father that by reason of his impious behaviour his unchastity and sloth he not only occasioned his fathers Captains to rebell against him but which was never before seen he encouraged Zenobia and Victoria weak women to aspire to the Crown so that the great and peaceable Empire which he received of his father he left diminished and torn in a miserable manner 7. Marcus Antonius Philosophus Emperour of Rome was a singular example of vertue and left Commodus his son the heir of his Empire but of no kind of alliance to him in any other respect The people of Rome saw the goodness of one exchang'd for the malice of the other and the sharpest cruelty to succeed in the room of an incomparable clemency weary of this they were compelled to rid their hands of Commodus it being openly bruited in the City that he was not the son of Marcus but a Gladiatour for they thought it impossible that so much wickedness should arise from the vertue of him that was deceased so that there seemed nothing wanting to the glory of Marcus but that he did not die without issue 8. Carus the Emperour succeeded Probus both in his Empire and good qualities he had extended the limits of the Roman Empire and governed it with great equity but he left his son Carinus his successour that resembled his father in no one thing for whereas Carus was of great Courage Justice Moderation and Continence this other was an unchast and unjust and a coward his
on him and hang him on the next Tree At this the Fellow cried out That he was not the Miller but the Millers man Nay Sir said the Provost I will take you at your word If thou beest the Miller thou art a busie knave if thou art not thou art a false lying knave and howsoever thou can'st never do thy Master better service than to hang for him and so without more ado he was dispatched 12. Vladus Dracula so soon as he had gained the Soveraignty of Moldavia chose out a multitude of Spear-men as the Guard of his body that done inviting to him as many as were eminent in authority in that Country he singled out from them all that he thought had any inclination to a change All these together with their whole Families he empaled upon sharp Stakes sparing neither the innocent age of young Children the weak Sex of women nor the obscure condition of servants The Stakes and place where they were set took up the space of seventeen Furlongs in length and seven furlongs in breadth and the number of those that were thus murdered and in this cruel manner is said to be no less than twenty thousand 13. Nabis the Tyrant of Lacedaemon did utterly extinguish the Spartan name forcing into exile as many as were eminent for Riches or the renown of their Ancestors and dividing their wealth and Wives amongst the mercenary Souldiers he had hired Withal he sent murderers after such as he had banished not suffering any place of retreat to be safe to them He had also framed an Engine or rather an Image of his Wife which after her name he called Apega with admirable art it was fashioned to her resemblance and was arrayed in such costly garments as she used her self to wear As oft as the Tyrant cited before him any of the rich Citizens with a purpose to milk them of their money he first with a long and very civil speech used to represent to them the danger Sparta stood in of the Achaeans the number of Mercenaries he kept about him for their safety and the great charge he was at in sacred and civil affairs If they were wrought upon by this means it sufficed but if otherwise and that they were tenacious of their money he used then to say Possibly I am not able to perswade you yet it is likely that Apega may and with a shew of familiarity takes the man by the hand and leads him to this Image which rises and embraces him with both arms draws him to her breasts in which and her arms were sharp iron Nails though hidden with her cloathes herewith she grip'd the poor wretch to the pleasure of the Tyrant who laugh'd at his cruel death 14. Iohannes Basilides Emperour of Russia used for his recreation to cause noble and well deserving persons to be sew'd up in the Skins of Bears and then himself set Mastives upon them which cruelly tore them in pieces He often invited his Father-in-law Michael Temrucovins to Banguet with him and then sent him home to his Family through the Snow having first caused him to be stript stark naked sometimes he shut him up in a room in his own house till he was almost famished causing four Bears of extraordinary bigness to be tyed at the door to keep all provisions from him These Bears at other times he would let loose amongst the people especially when they were going to Church and when any were killed by them he said his sons had taken great pleasure in the sport that they were happy that perished in this manner since it was no small diversion to himself 15. Changhien Chunghus no better than a Thief at first thrived so fast that after he had vexed the Provinces of Huquang and Honan in China and part of that of Nanâ—â—ng and Kiangsi he entred the Province of Suchuen in the year 1644. and having taken the principal City called Chingtu in the heat of his fury he killed a King of the Tamingian race as also several Princes of that Family but these slaughters were but the Preludes of those execrable cruelties he afterwards practised For he had certain violent and sudden motions of cruelty and Maximes drawn from the very bowels of vengeance it self For one single mans fault he often destroy'd all the Family without respect to Infants or women with child Nay many times he cut off the whole Street where the offender liv'd involving in the slaughter the innocent with the guilty He once sent a man Post into the Country of Xensi who glad he was out of the Tyrants hands returned no more to revenge this imaginary injury he destroyed all thâ— quarter of the City where he liv'd and thought he much bridled his fierceness that he did not extinguish the whole City He had an Executioner whom he loved above all the rest for his natural inclinations to cruelty this man dying of a disease he caused his Physician to be killed and not content with this he sacrificed an hundred more of the same Profession to the Ghost of his deceased Officer If walking out he saw a Souldier ill clad or whose manner of gate and walking was not so vigorous and masculine as he desired he presently commanded him to be killed He once gave a Souldier a piece of Silk who complained to his fellow of the poorness of the piece of which he being informed by one of his Spies he presently commanded him and his whole Legion which were two thousand men to be all Massacred at once He had in his Royal City six hundred Praefects and in three years space there were scarce twenty of them left having put all the rest to several kinds of deaths for slight causes He had five hundred Eunuchs taken from the Princes of the Tamingian Family after he had put all their Lords to death one of these presuming to stile him not with the title of King but the bare name of Changhien Chungus he caused them all to be slain One of his chief Priests was apprehended for some words let fall against him and he having got together about twenty thousand of the same Profession put them all to the sword and then applauded himself as if he had done an Heroical action He levied an hundred and fourscore thousand all Natives of the Province of Suchuen Anno 1645. these he sent before him to take the City of Nanchung in the Country of Xensi they finding it difficult forty thousand of them revolted to the enemy and so the rest were forced to return without effecting the design The Tyrant enrag'd to see them retire commanded the rest of his Army that had alwaies marched with him to cut in pieces these one hundred and forty thousand of the new raised Suchuens this horrible butchery lasted four daies in which slaughter he commanded some to have their skins pull'd off and filled with straw and having sow'd on the head to be carried in the Towns
Martialis one of his Centurions with the Execution by whom the Emperour was slain at Edessa as he was going to make water 3. Natholicus King of Scotland sent a great favorite of his to enquire of a famous Witch what should be the success of a War which he had in hand and other things concerning his person and estate to whom she answered That Natholicus should not live long and that he should be killed by one of his own servants and being further urged to tell by whom She said that the Messenger himself should kill him who though he departed from her with great disdain and reviled her protesting that first he woâ—ld suffer ten thousand deaths yet thinking better upon the matter in his return and imagining that the King might come to know of the Witches answer by some means or other and hold him ever after suspected or perhaps make him away resolved to kill him which he presently after performed Thus was that Prince punished for his wicked curiosity in seeking by such unlawful means to know the secret determinations of God 4. Such was the fatally venturous curiosity of the elder Pliny that as the younger relates he could not be deterred by the formidableness of the destructive flames vomited by Vâ—suvius from endeavouring by their light to read the nature of such Vulcanian Hills but in spight of all the disswasions of his friends and the affrighting eruptions of that hideous place he resolved that flaming wonder should rather kill him than escape him and thereupon approached so near that he lost his life to satisfie his curiosity and fell if I may so speak a Martyr to Physiologie 5. Alipius the intimate friend of St. Augustine went to Rome to improve himself in the study of the Law and one day was unwillingly drawn to accompany them to a sword-Play Though saith he you may compel my body yet my eyes and mind you can lay no force upon And therefore when he came to the Theatre he sat with his eyes closed but hearing a mighty shout of the people overcome with curiosity and trusting to himself that he was able both to see and despise whatsoever it should be he opened his eyes and saw the blood that was drawn drinking up with the sight the same immanity wherewith it was shed and beheld by others so that falling into a present delight and approbation of that bloody pleasure he not only returned thither often himself but drew others to the same place upon the like occasion 6. Nero the Emperour about the sixty sixth year of Christ possessed at once with a mad spirit of cruelty and I know not what kind of foolish curiosity that he might have the lively representation of the burning of Troy caused a great part of the City of Rome to be set on fire and afterwards to conceal himself from being thought the author of so great a villany by an unparalleled slander he cast the guilt of so horrid a fact upon the Christians whereupon an innumerable company of those Innocents were accused and put to death with variety of most cruel tortures 7. In the Land of Transiane there was a Prince tributary to the King of Pegu and his near Kinsman named Alfonge who married a sister of the Prince of Tazatay her name was Abelara one of the greatest beauties in the Eastern parts they lived a sweet and happy life with intire affection and for their greater felicity they had two Twin sons who in their under-growth discovered something of great and lofty and appeared singularly hopeful for the future These Infants having attained their ten years loved so cordially they could not live asunder and the ones desire still met with the others consent in all things but the Devil the enemy of concord inspires a curiosity into the minds of the father and mother to know their fates and to their grief they were told the time should come when these two Brothers that now loved so fondly should cut one anothers throats which much astonished the poor Princes and filled them with fearful apprehensions The two Princes being come to their fifteen years one said to the other Brother it must needs be you that must murther me for I will sooner die a hundred deaths than do you the least imaginable harm The other replied Believe it not good brother I desire you for you are as dear and dearer to me than my self But the father to prevent the misfortune resolved to separate them whereupon they grew so troubled and melancholy that he was constrained to protract his design till an occasion happened that invited all three the father and two sons to a War betwixt the Kings of Narsinga and Pegu upon title of Territories but by the mediation of Bramins a peace was concluded upon condition these two young Princes should espouse the two daughters of the King of Narsinga and that the King of Pegu on him that married the elder should confer all the Countries he took in the last War with the Kingdom of Martaban and the other brother besides the Kingdom of Tazatay should have that of Verma the Nuptials consummated each departed to his Territory Lands spaciously divided Now it fell out that the King of Tazatay was engaged in a sharp War with the King of Mandranella and sent to the two brother Princes for aid who both hastened unknown to each other with great strength to his assistance He from Verma came secretly to Town to visit a Lady once their ancient Mistress and the other brother being on the same design they met at the Ladies gate by night not knowing one another where furious with jealousie after some words they drew and killed each other One of them dying gave humble thanks to God that he had prevented the direful Destiny of his Horoscope not being the Assasine of his brother as 't was prejudicated hereupon the other â—inding him by his voice and discourse drawing near his end himself crept to him and embraced him with tears and lamentations and so both dolefully ended their daies together The father being advertised of it seeing his white hairs led by his own fault to so hard fortune over-born with grief and despair came and slew himself upon the bodies of his sons and with the grief and tears of all the people were buried all three in one Monument which shews us the danger of too great curiosity CHAP. XXII Of the Ignorance of the Ancients and others THere never was nor is there ever like to be in this World a beauty of that absolute compleatness and perfection but there was some Mole to be discerned upon it â—r at least some such thing as might have been wished away It is not therefore the design of this Chapter to uncover the nakedness of our Fathers so as to expose it to the petulancy of any but rather to congratulate those further accessions of light and improvements in knowledge which these latter Ages have attained unto
a numerous crowd of them that sled he was known to his enemies by nothing so much as the odour of his Unguents and sweetness of his perfumes thus betrayed he was brought back and had his eyes put out by his sons command 8. The City Sybaris is seated two hundred furlongs from Crotona betwixt the two Rivers of Crathis and Sybaris built by Iseliceus the affaires of it were grown to that prosperity that it commanded four Neighbour Nations and had twenty five Cities subservient to its pleasure they led out three hundred thousand men against them of Crotona all which power and prosperity were utterly overturned by means of their luxury They had taught their Horses at a certain tune to rise on their hinder feet and with their fore-feet to keep a kind of time with the Musick a Minstril who had been ill used amongst them fled to Crotona and told them If they would make him their Captain he would put all the enemies horse their chief strength into their hands it was agreed he taught the known Tune to all the Minstrels in the City and when the Sybarites came up to a close charge at a signal given all the Minstrels played and all the Horses fell to dancing by which being unserviceable both they and their Riders were easily taken by the enemy 9. The old Inhabitants of Byzantium were so addicted to a voluptuous life that they hired out their own houses familiarly and went with their Wives to live in Taverns they were men greedy of Wine and extremely delighted with Musick but the first sound of a Trumpet was sufficient almost to put them besides themselves for they had no disposition at all to War and even when their City was besieged they left the defence of their Walls that they might steal into a Tavern CHAP. L. Of the libidinous and unchaste life of some Persons and what Tragedies have been occasioned by Adulteries IN an ancient Embleme pertaining to Iohn Duke of Burgundy there was to be seen a Pillar which two hands sought to overthrow the one had Wings and the other was figured with a Tortoise the word Vtcunque as much as to say by one way or other There are Amourists who take the same course in their prohibited amours some strike down the Pillars of Chastity by the sudden and impetuous violence of great promises and unexpected presents others proceed therein with a Tortoises pace with long patience continual services and profound submissions yet when the Fort is taken whether by storm or long siege there is brought in an unâ—â—pected reckoning sometimes that drenches all their sweets in blood and closes up their unlawful pleasures in the â—ables of death Thus 1. A certain Merchant of Iapan who had some reason to suspect his Wife pretended to go into the Country but returning soon after surprized her in the very act The Adulterer he killed and having tyed his Wife to a Ladder he left her in that half hanging posture all night The next day he invited all the Relations on both sides as well Men as Women to dine with him at his own house sending word that the importance of the business he had to communicate to them excused his non-observance of the custom they have to make entertainments for the women distinct from those of the men They all came and asking for his Wife were told that she was busie in the Kitchen but Dinner being well nigh past they entreated the Husband to send for her which he promised to do Whereupon rising from the Table and going into the room where she was tyed to the Ladder he unbound her put a Shrowd upon her and into her hands a Box wherein were the privy Members of her Gallant covered with Flowers and saying to her go and present this Box to our common Relations and see whether I may upon their mediation grant you your life She came in that equipage into the Hall where they sate at Dinner and falling on her knees presented the Box with the precious reliques in it to the kindred but as soon as they had opened it she swounded her Husband perceiving that it went to her heart and to prevent her returning again now she was going cut off her head which raised such an horrour in the Friends that they immediately left the room and went to their several homes 2. Schach Abbas King of Persia coming to understand that one of his menial servants who was called Iacupzanbeg Kurtzi Tirkenan that is to say he whose Office it was to carry the Kings Bow and Arrows had a light Wife sent him notice of it with this message that if he hoped to continue at Court in his employment it was expected he should cleanse his House This message and the affliction he conceived at the baseness of his Wife and his reflection that it was known all about the Court put him into such a fury that going immediately to his House which was in the Province of Lenkeran he cut in pieces not only his Wife but also her two Sons four Daughters and five Chamber-maids and so cleansed his House by the blood of twelve persons most of them innocent 3. The Egyptians do not presently deliver the dead bodies of the Wives of eminent persons to Conditure and embalming nor the bodies of such women who in their life-time were very beautiful but detain them after death at least three or four dayes and that upon this reason There was once one of these Embalmers empeached by his Companion that he had carnal knowledge of a dead body committed to his care to be Salted and Embalmed Dr. Brown in his Vulgar Errors speaking of the like villanies used by these Pollinctors elegantly writes Deformity needeth not now complain nor shall the eldest hopes be ever superannuated since Death hath Spurs and Carcases have been Courted 4. After King Edred not any of his Sons but his Nephew Edwin the eldest Son of King Edmund succeeded and was anointed and Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Otho Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the year 955. This Prince though scarce fourteen years old and in age but a Child yet was able to commit sin as a man for on the very day of his Coronation and in sight of his Lords as they sate in Council he shamefully abused a Lady of great estate and his near Kins-woman and to mend the matter shortly after slew her Husband the more freely to enjoy his incestuous pleasure For this and other infamous acts a great part of his Subjects hearts were so turned against him that the Mercians and Northumbrians revolted and swore fealty to his younger Brother Edgar with grief whereof after four years reign he ended his life and was buried in the Church of the New Abbey of Hide at Winchester 6. Eugenius the third King of Scotland made a beastly Act which appointed the first night of the new married Woman to appertain to the Lord of the Soil
untimely death 8. Herod overcome with pain troubled with a vehement Cough and almost pined with fasting was determined to hasten his own death and taking an Apple in his hand he called for a Knife and then looking about him lest any stander by should hinder him he lifted up his Arm to strike himself But Achiabus his Cousin ran hastily unto him and stayed his hand and presently there was great lamentation made throughout all the Kings Palace as if the King had been dead His Son Antipater then in Prison having speedy news hereof was glad and promised the Keepers a piece of money to let him go but the chiefest of them did not only deny to do it but also went and immediately acquainted the King with it Herod hearing this commanded his guard to go and kill Antipater and bury him in the Castle called Hircanium Thus was that wicked man cast away by his own temerity and imprudence who had he had more patience and discretion might probably have secured both his life and the Kingdom to himself for Herod out-lived his death but five dayes 9. Anthony being at Laodicea sent for King Herod to answer what was objected against him touching the death of Young Aristobulus He was an impotent Lover of his Wife Mariamne and suspecting that her beauty was one cause of his danger before he went he committed the care of his Kingdom to Ioseph his Unkle withall leaving him order to kill Mariamne his Wiâ—e in case he should hear that any thing evil had befallen him He had taken his journey and Ioseph in Conversation with the Queen as an argument of the great love the King bare her acquainted her with the order he had left with him Herod having appeased Anthony returâ—ed with honour and speaking to the Queen of the truth and greatness of his love in the midst of Embraces Mariamne said to him It was not the part of a Lover to give commandment that if any thing should befall thee otherwise than well with Anthony I should presently be done to death No sooner were these words out of her mouth but the King entred into a strange passion and giving over his embraces he cryed out with a loud voice and tore his hair saying that he had a most evident proof that Ioseph had committed adultery with her for that he would not have discovered those things which had been spoke to him in secret except they had greatly trusted the one the other and in this emotion or rage of Jealousie hardly contained he from killing his Wife yet he gave order that Ioseph should be slain without admitting him audience or justification of his Innocency Thus Ioseph by his imprudent revealing of a dangerous secret unwarily procured his own death 10. The Emperour Probus a great and excellent Prince having well nigh brought the Empire into a quiet and peaceable from a troublesome and turbulent posture was heard to say that he would speedily take such a course that there should be no more need of Men of War This Speech was so distasted by the Souldiers that they conspired against him and procured his death CHAP. LIV. Men of unusual misfortune in their Affairs Persons or Families THe Ancients accounted him for a fool who being himself but a man would yet upbraid another of his kind with his calamity or misfortune For what reason can any man have to boast of his own estate or to insult over anothers unhappiness when how pleasant a time soever he hath for the present he hath yet no assurance that it shall so continue with him until the evening and though he be never so near unto good fortune yet he may possibly miss it as did the three Princes in the following Example 1. Anastasius Emperour of Constantinople being greatly hated and foreseeing he could not make much longer abode in the world he began to reflect on his Successours desiring to transfer to the Throne one of his three Nephewes whom he had bred up having no male issue to succeed him There was difficulty in the choice and he having a soul very superstitious put that to the lot which he could not resolve by reason for he caused three Beds to be prepared in the Royal Chamber and made his Crown to be hanged within the Tester of one of these Beds being resolved to give it to him who by lot should place himself under it this done he sent for his Nephews and after he had magnificently entertained them commanded them to repose themselves each one chusing one of the Beds prepared for them The eldest accommodated himself according to his fancy and he hit upon nothing the second did the same he then expected the youngest should go directly to the Crowned Bed but he prayed the Emperour he might be permitted to lye with one of his Brothers and by this means not any of them took the way of the Empire which was so easie to be had that it was not above a pace distant Anastasius amazed well saw God would transfer the Diadem from his Race and indeed Iustin succeeded a stranger to his blood 2. Anne Momorancy was a man of an exquisite wit and mature wisdom accompanied with a long experience in the changes of the World by which Arts he acquired happily for himself and for his Posterity exceeding great wealth and the chief dignities of the Kingdom himself having attained to be Constable of France But this man in his military commands had alwayes such ill fortune that in all the wars of which he had the Government he ever remained either a loser or grievously wounded or a Prisoner which misfortunes were the occasion that many times his fidelity was questioned even in that last action where fighting he lost his life he wanted not accusers 3. Thomas Tusser while as yet a Boy lived in many Schools Wallingford St. Pauls and Eaton whence he went to Trinity-hall in Cambridge when a man he lived in Staffordshire Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgeshire and where not He was successively a Musician Schoolmaster Serving-man Husbandman Grasier and Poet more skilful in all than thriving in any Vocation he traded at large in Oxen Sheep Dairies Grain of all kinds to no profit whether he bought or sold he lost and when a Renter impoverished himself and never enriched his Landlord yet hath he laid down excellent Rules of Husbandry and Huswifery so that the observer thereof must be rich in his own defence He spread his Bread with all sorts of Butter yet none would stick thereon yet I hear no man charge him with any vicious extravagancy or visible carelesness but imputing his ill success to some occult cause in Gods Counsel 4. The Emperour Sigismumd passing a River his Horse stood still and pissed in it which when one of his Servants perceived that rode not far before him he said jestingly the Horse had directly the same quality with his Master Caesar heard him and bade him explain the meaning of what
Arch-bishop of Beneventum Printed a Book in defence of Sodomy England reconciled to the Mother Church in Queen Maries daies 230. Marcellus the second an Hetruscan he esteemed the Lutherans worse than Turks and perswaded Charles the fifth and Ferdinand rather to turn their Forces against them he was Pope but twenty three daies 231. Paulus the fourth the Neapolitane a great Patron of the Jesuites and Inquisition in which had been made away one hundred and fifty thousand persons for Religion being hated for his cruelty after his death his Statue was cast into Tyber 232. Pius the fourth continued the Council at Trent and brought it to an end and thereby setled and confirmed the interest of the Church of Rome caused it to be received as Oecumenical his Legates forbid footing in England by Queen Elizabeth Venery and Luxury shortned this Popes daies and then succeeded 233. Pius the fifth a Lombard commanded the Whores in Rome to be married or whipt He had a hand in the death of Prince Charles of Spain and of our King Iames his Father and in most of the Treasons against Queen Elizabeth whom he Excommunicated by Bull he left his Seat to 234. Gregorius the thirteenth a Bononian the Massacre at Paris was by this mans procurement He altered the Kalender to his New Stile which anticipates ten daies the old account he Excommunicated and outed the Archbishop of Collen because he married would have disposed of the Kingdom of Portugal but was prevented 235. Sixtus the fifth of Marca Anconae Excommunicates and praises the Murder of Henry the third of France by Iaquez Clement blesseth the Banner of Spain against England in 88. quarrels with Spain for Naples and wiped the Jesuites of a great mass of money The Cardinal Bellarmine Dedicates his Controversies to him yet being asked his judgement of him when dead said He thought he was damned 236. Vrbanus the seventh a Genoway ascended the Chair aâ—ter him oâ— whom there is the less to be said in that he enjoyed his Popedom but a fourteenth night and then he left it to who should come after dying before his inauguration The Seat not long empty was supplied by 237. Gregorius the fourteenth of Millaine he held a Jubilee and exhausted the Treasury of the Church which Sixtus before had sealed by an Oath to be employed in the recovery of the Holy Land he cursed King Henry of Navarre as a relapsed Heretick his Bulls were burnt by the hands of the Hangman he died of the Stone before he had sat one year out 238. Innocentius the ninth a Bononian for the two months he was in he expressed an hatred against the King of Navarre and a good liking of the Jesuites one year four months and three daies made an end of four Popes and then came 239. Clemens the eighth made Henry of France turn Papist to be quiet much troubled with the Gout but eased as he saith when the Arch-duke Maximilian had kissed his gouty Toes 240. Leo the eleventh came in with this Motto over his Arch-triumphal Pageant Dignus est Leo in virtute Agni accipere librum solvere septem signacula ejus but a Fevor ended him before he had sat twenty eight daies 241. Paulus the fifth an Italian promoted the Powder-plot interdicted the State of Venice whereupon the Jesuites were banished the Oath of Allegiance to King Iames forbidden by Breves from this Pope 242. Gregorius the fifteenth a Bononian Elected by way of Adoration he instigates the French against the Protestants Saints Ignat-Loyola and quarrels with the Venetians after two years was chosen 243. Vrbanus the eighth a Florentine he advances his Kindred in his time the Arch-bishop of Spalato turned from Papist to Protestant and thence to Papist again he was a politer Scholar than most of them 244. Innocentius the tenth 245. Alexander the seventh CHAP. IV. Of such men as have been the Framers and Composers of Bodies of Laws for divers Nations and Countries IT was the saying of Plato That there was a necessity that Laws should be made for men and that they should be obliged to live according to them or otherwise men would differ but very little from the Beasts themselves The reason of this is That no man is naturally so well composed as rightly to understand what things do best conduce to the publick good of humane life or if he do yet he either cannot or will not alwaies act according to that which in his judgement is the best Hence it is that so many Nations have submitted to the wisdom of some one that hath been eminent amongst them and contended to live by the rules they have prescribed 1. Lycurgus was the Law-giver to the Lacedemonians and when by his Institutions he had brought Sparta to that form of a Republick which he had desired He then Assembled them all where he told them that in most parts the Common-wealth was so framed as it might rightly serve to the improvement both of their vertue and felicity But that there was now behind the chiefest and most important head of all which he should not take upon him to impart unto them till such time as he had consulted the Oracle That they should therefore firmly cleave to the present Laws nor should deviate from nor change any thing therein till such time as he should return from Delphos They all promised him and having taken an Oath of the Kings Senate and People to that purpose he went to Delphos where when he came he enquired of Apollo if the frame and model of his Laws were such as that his Citizens might in the observation of them be made vertuous and prosperous Apollo made answer that all was well done and that so long as they lived thereby they should be most famous This answer he sent back to Sparta which done he resolved that the Spartans should never be freed from their Oath they had given him and to that purpose he underwent a voluntary banishment and death in Crcet saith Aristocrates having before-hand besought his Host and entertainer That as soon as he was dead he should cause his body to be burnt and the ashes thereof cast into the Sea that so no remainder of him might be brought to Sparta lest they thereby pretending he was returned should disengage themselves from their Oath and attempt any change in the Common-wealth 2. Solon was the Law-giver to the Athenians and when Anacharsis did deride his endeavours in this kind that went about to repress the injuries and extravagancies of his Citizens with a few written words Which said he are no better than Spiders Webs and which the stronger will break at their pleasure Solon return'd that men will be sure to stand to those Covenants which will bring manifest disadvantages to the infringers of them Adding that he had so framed and tempered his Laws for Athens that it should manifestly appear to all of them That it was more for their concern strictly to observe than
had brought forth as being mindful of the speech of his Grandfather 9. In the Villa of Sabinus not far from the City of Rome there was an huge Oak which as Vespasia his Wife successively brought forth three Children so did this Oak put forth at the root of it three young ones the last of which did flourish and prosper exceedingly Upon which Sabinus told his Mother that his Wife had brought her a Grandchild who in time would be Emperour She smiling replied That she wondred the Grandfather should have his perfect senses and that yet his Son should be in his dotage But the vertue of Vespasian the younger Son of Sabinus served to confirm the truth of this presage for he succeeded Vitellius in the Empire 10. L. Septimius Severus when he was but a Child would play at no other sport with the Boys his equals but that of Judges then with his counterfeit Fasces and Ax carried before him would be ascend the Tribunal with a multitude of children about him and thence he gave the Law to them Not long after the sport was turned into earnest and he performed amongst men what he had begun amongst children for he was advanced to the Empire of Rome 11. Marcianus when a private Souldier and the Legion wherein he was sent upon an Expedition fell sick in Lycia and being there left by his fellow Souldiers he abode with two Brothers Iulius and Tatianus Upon the recovery of his health he went out with them one day a hunting and having wearied themselves they laid themselves upon the ground about noon to sleep a little Tatianus waking first saw an Eagle that with extended wings made a shade for Marcianus and kept off the heat of the Sun from his face he softly awaked his Brother and shewing him that unusual thing they both admired believing that thereby the Empire was portended to Marcianus which when he awaked they told him desiring that when he had attained it he would think of them and having given him two hundred Crowns they sent him away Afterwards warring under Aspar against the Vandals he was taken with many others and kept Prisoner in a certain Court The Prince of the Vandals looking out at a Window upon the Prisoners he beheld an Eagle balancing her self with her wings so as to make a shade for Marcianus whereupon he also conjectured that the Empire was thereby presaged to him He therefore sent for him and having agreed with him in case he should prove Emperour that he should make no War upon the Vandals he gave him his liberty Now when the Emperour Theodosius was dead his Sister Pulcheria sent for this man and told him that if he would solemnly swear he would not assault her Virginity which she had consecrated to God she would accept of him for her Husband and he should have the Empire with her in Dowry It was agreed and he made Emperour whereupon he speedily sent for the two Brothers with whom he had before lodged created Tatianus Prefect of the City of Constantinople and to Iulianus he gave the Province of Illiricum 12. Timoleon by the Corinthians was declared their General against the Sicilians and while he consulted the Oracle at Delphos from amongst the consecrated things and offerings that were fixt on high in the Temple there fell down a Garland so exactly upon his head as if it had been studiously placed there with some hand which was then interpreted that he should carry away the Victory in that War as it accordingly came to pass A light shined before him also all night upon the Sea as he sailed towards the Enemy And a little before the fight whereas there was an nourable controversie betwixt two Centurions which of them should first lead up his men against the Enemy He to determine the matter called for both their seals and that which he drew out first had a Trophy engraven upon it His Army encouraged by these things fell fiercely upon the Army of Icetes that marched against them and overcame it 13. The Dignity of a Bishop was presignified to Athanasius In a childish sport upon a Festival day many of his equals of like age with himself playing upon the shores of Alexandria in sport created him Bishop and then brought to him some young children as yet unbaptized who sprinkled them with water exactly observing all the Rites of the Church Alexander the then Bishop of Alexandria had observed this sport and it disliked him from the beginning he caused therefore the children to be brought before him and understanding the whole matter pronounced the children to be rightly baptized and that it should not be reiterated only such prayers to be added as was usual to be performed by the Priest in that mystery Athanasius was the Successor of this Alexander in that See 14. Paulinus the Bishop of Nola writes of St. Ambrose that while as yet he was a little Boy he would as in jest give his hands to his Sisters to kiss perceiving they gave that honour to the Priests for said he I shall be a Bishop He was afterwards contrary to his expectation chosen Bishop of Millain and the choice confirmed by the Emperour 15. When Caius Marius was yet an Infant seven young Eagles are said to have fallen into his lap about which the Augurs being consulted answered That he should seven times undergo the chief Magistracy in Rome his seventh Consulship gave a clear proof of the truth of that presage 16. There was an Apparition saith Mr. Rosse to Mr. Nicholas Smith my dear Friend immediately before he fell sick of that Feaver that killed him Having been late abroad in London as he was going up the stairs into his Chamber he was embraced as he thought by a Woman all in white at which he cryed out nothing appearing he presently sickneth goeth to bed and within a week or ten days dyed 17. Alexius Angelus having deprieved his Brother of the Empire and coming forth of the Temple of Sophia where the custom was to be crowned the Solemnity being over he was to mount a gallant Arabian Horse but the Horse bounded and rear'd and by no means would suffer him to get upon his back but after many times stroking of his neck and with like arts he had appeased him he then gets upon his back and takes the reins into his hand The Horse as if he found himself deceived in his Rider grew fierce as before with loud neighings he raises his fore-feet into the air nor did he cease bounding and corvetting till he had first shaken off the double Crown from his head which was broken in the fall and soon after had cast himself to the ground This was looked upon by most as an unfortunate Omen for after many Civil and Foreign Wars he was deposed and his Brother restored 18. The three Sons of Eustachius the Earl of Bononia were playing together and ran and hid themselves under
great Founder of it was Sir Thomas Bodley formerly a Fellow of Merton Colledge he began to furnish it with Desks and Books about the year 1598. after which it met with the liberality of divers of the Nobility Prelacy and Gentry William Earl of Pembroke procured a great number of Greek Manuscripts out of Italy and gave them to this Library William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury bestowed 1300 choice Manuscripts upon it most of them in the Oriental Tongues At last to compleat this stately and plentiful mansion of the Muses there was an accession to it of above eight thousand Books being the Library of that most learned Antiquary Mr. Iohn Selden By the bounty of these noble Benefactors and many others it is improved in such manner that it is a question whether it is exceeded by the Vatican it self or any other Library in the World CHAP. VII Of such persons who being of mean and low Birth have yet attained to great Dignity and considerable Fortunes IT was the dream of some of the Followers of Epicurus that if there were any Gods they were so taken up with the fruition of their own happiness that they mind not the affairs or miseries of poor mortality here below no more than we are wont to concern our selves with the business of Ants and Pismires in their little Mole-hills But when we see on the one side pompous Greatness laid low as contempt it self and on the other hand baseness and obscurity raised up to amazing and prodigious heights even these to a considering mind are sufficient proofs of a superiour and divine Power which visibly exerts it self amongst us and disposes of men as it pleases beyond either their fears or hopes 1. The great Cardinal Mazarini who not long since sate at the Stern of the French Affairs was by birth a Sicilian by extraction scarce a Gentleman his education so mean as that he might have wrote man before he could write but being in Natures debt for a handsome face a stout heart and a stirring spirit he no sooner knew that Sicily was not all the World but he left it for Italy where his debonaire behaviour preferred him to the service of a German Knight who plaid as deep as he drank while his skill in the one maintained his debauches in the other The young Sicilian deemed this shaking of the elbow a lesson worth his learning and practised his art with such success amongst his Companions that he was become the master of a thousand Crowns Hereupon he began to entertain some aspiring thoughts so that his Master taking leave of Rome he took leave of his Master after which being grown intimate with some Gentlemen that attended the Cardinal who steered the Helm of the Papal interest he found means to be made known to him and was by him received with affection into his service after his Cardinal had worn him a year or two at his ear and distilled his State-maxims into his fertile Soul he thought fit the World should take notice of his pregnant abilities He was therefore sent Coadjutor to a Nuntio who was then dispatched to one of the Princes of Italy whence he gave his Cardinal a weekly account of his transactions here the Nuntio's sudden death let fall the whole weight of the business upon his shoulders which he managed with that dextrous solidity that his Cardinal wrought with his Holiness to declare him Nuntio His Commission expired and the Affairs that begot it happily concluded he returns to Rome where he received besides a general grand repute the caresses of his Cardinal and the plausive benedictions of St. Peter's Successour About this time Cardinal Richelieu had gotten so much glory by making his Master Lewis the Thirteenth of a weak man a mighty Prince as he grew formidable to all Christendom and contracted suspicion and envy from Rome it self this made the Conclave resolve upon the dispatch of some able Instrument to countermine and give check to the cariere of his dangerous and prodigious successes This resolved they generally concurred in the choice of Mazarini as the fittest Head-piece to give their fears death in the others destruction To fit him for this great employment the Pope gives him a Cardinals Hat and sends him into France with a large Legantine Commission where being arrived and first complying with that grand Fox the better to get a clue to his Labyrinth he began to screw himself into Intelligence but when he came to sound his Plots and perceive he could find no bottom and knowing the other never used to take a less vengeance than ruine for such doings he began to look from the top of the Enterprise as people do from Precipices with a frighted eye then withal considering his retreat to Rome would neither be honourable nor safe without attempting something he resolves to declare himself Richelieu's Creature and to win the more confidence unrips the bosome of all Rome's designs against him This made the other take him to his breast and acquainted him with the secret contrivance of all his Dedalaean Policies and when he left the World declared him his Successor and this was that great Cardinal that umpired almost all Christendom and that shined but a while since in the Gallick Court with so proud a Pomp. 2. There was a young man in the City of Naples about twenty four years old he wore linen Slops a blue Wastcoat and went bare-foot with a Mariners Cap upon his head his profession was to angle for little fish with a Cane Line and Hook and also to buy fish and to carry and retail them to some that dwelt in his quarter His name was Tomaso Anello but vulgarly called Masaniello by contraction yet was this despicable creature the man that subjugated all Naples Naples the Head of such a Kingdom the Metropolis of so many Provinces the Queen of so many Cities the Mother of so many glorious Hero's the Rendezvous of so many Princes the Nurse of so many valiant Champions and sprightful Cavaliers This Naples by the impenetrable Judgment of God though having six hundred thousand Souls in her saw her self commanded by a poor abject Fisher-boy who was attended by a numerous Army amounting in few hours to one hundred and fifty thousand men He made Trenches set Sentinels gave signs chastised the Banditi condemned the guilty viewed the Squadrons ranked their Files comforted the fearful confirmed the stout encouraged the bold promised rewards threatned the suspected reproached the coward applauded the valiant and marvellously incited the minds of men by many degrees his superiours to battel to burnings to spoil to blood to death He awed the Nobility terrified the Viceroy disposed of the Clergy cut off the heads of Princes burnt Palaces rifled houses at his pleasure freed Napâ—es from all sorts of Gabels restored it to its ancient Priviledges and lest not until he had converted his blue Wastcoat into Cloth of Silver and made himself a more absolute Lord of
Emperour of the Turks there were preparations for War An. 1526. dining in the Castle of Buda with the doors shut as the manner of Princes is there stood at the Gate a person of humane form but lame crooked and as to the rest of his habit and array very â—ordid he cryed out with a sharp and shrieking voice desiring to confer with the King He was neglected at first as being thought to be some mendicant person But when he persisted with greater earnestness that he must speak with the King himself and no other it was â—old the King who sent one of his most splendid Courtiers with command to take upon him his person and name and to understand what the matter was He came and asked the lame Fellow what secret he had to impart The other looked upon him and told him he was not the King adding For as much as the King despises to hear me himself go your way and tell him that in a short time he shall assuredly perish which when he had said he streight vanished from the sight of the Attendants His threat proved but too true the King near to the City Mohatz was overthrown in a Battel and flying fell into a Bog whence while he strove to free himself his Horse fell upon him and he was there suffocated in the twenty first year of his age 19. Melancthon relates that there came a Monk to Luthers house and with great violence knocked at the door the Servant opened it and inquired what he would he asked if Luther was at home Luther informed bad he should come in for he had not seen a Monk of a long time He told him that he had some Papistical Errours about which he desired some Conference with him and propounded some Syllogisms which Luther having â—olved with ease he offered others that were not so easily answered Luther somewhat angry broke into these words You give me a great deal of trouble for I have other business in hand that I should dispatch and withal rising from his seat he shewed the explication of that place which was urged by the Monk and in this Conference perceiving that the Monks hands were like the claws of a bird Art thou he then said he listen to that sentence which is pronounced against thee and straight shews him that place in Genesis The seed of the woman shall break the head of the serpent and then added Nor shalt thou devour them all The Devil overcome with this saying angry and murmuring to himself departed letting a huge fart the stink of which nasty smell continued in the room for some days after 20. At Danbury Church in Essex the Devil appeared in the habit of a Minorite to the incredible astonishment of the Parishioners and at that time there was such a terrible Tempest with Lightnings and Thunder and Fire-balls that the Vault of the Church was broken and half the Chancel was carried away CHAP. XXVIII Of the Imprecations of some men upon themselves or others and how they have accordingly come upon them THough Justice and Judgment is called the strange work of God and that his Mercy as more connatural to him is said to rejoyce against Judgment yet these his Attributes have their alternate courses for the presumptuous boldness of man grows often to that excessive height as to extort a vengeance from his unwilling hands which yet would not be but that by this his wholesom severity he might caution the rest from secure sinning upon the foolish confidence of Heavens either inadvertence or impotency 1. On the 26. of April 1611. a Turk having lent a good sum of money to a Christian to be paid at a certain day he came before the appointed day with another Turk and willed the Christian to pay the money to that other Turk when the day came which the Christian promised to do and performed it accordingly But the Turk denied the receipt thereof whereupon he to whom the money was properly due came and demanded it to whom the Christian answered that he had paid it to that party to whom he had assigned it whereunto the Turk replied that if it were so he was satisfied but yet the other Turk denied it Whereupon the matter was brought before the Judge and the Turk who had received the money taking an Oath to the contrary the Christian according to the Turkish Justice was enforced to pay the money again the which he did but withal he prayed God to shew some publick sign which of them had done the wrong and thereupon the Turk going forth to repair unto his house fell down dead in the street 2. Narcissus Bishop of Ierusalem though a man famous for his vertues and faithfulness in the reproof and correction of vice was yet maliciously and falsely accused of incontinency There were three of these wicked and suborned Varlets who bound their accusations with oaths and fearful imprecations upon themselves The first of these at the close of his testimony added If I say not the truth I pray God I may perish by fire The second said If I speak any thing of falshood I pray God I may be consumed by some filthy and cruel disease And said the third If I accuse him falsely I pray God I may lose my sight and become blind This wicked charge although it was not believed by such as knew the great integrity of the Bishop yet the good man partly for grief to lye under such a scandal and partly to retire himself from worldly affairs left his Bishoprick and lived privately But his forsworn accusers escaped not the all-seeing Justice of Heaven For the first according to his imprecation had his house set on fire it is unknown how and was therein himself together with his family burnt to ashes The second languished away under a foul and loathsom disease The third seeing the woful ends of his Companions confessed all the complotted villany and lamenting his case and crime he continued weeping so long till he utterly lost his sight And thus God said Amen to all that they had wickedly and presumptuously wished upon themselves Godwin Earl of Kent in the Reign of King Edward the Confessor as he sate at table with the King on Easter-Monday was speaking as to the justification of himself from the death of Prince Alfred and said he If I be any way guilty of it I pray God I may never swallow down one morsel of bread and thereupon was choaked by the first morsel he offered to take 4. The Emperour Frederick the First being in St. Peters Cloister in the City of Erford had occasion to go to the Privy whither he was followed by some of the Nobles when suddenly the floor that was under them began to sink the Emperour immediately took hold of the Iron Grates of a window whereat he hung by the hands till some came and succoured him Some Gentlemen fell to the bottom where they perished And it is most
help him he told his friends about him of that terrible resemblance of Symmachus which he had seen and deploring his wicked cruelty he soon after gave up the ghost 2. A certain Jesuit in Lancashire as he was walking by the way lost his Glove and one that came after him finding it followed him apace with an intention to restore it but he fearing the worst and being pursued with a guilty conscience ran away and hastily leaping over an hedge fell into a Marl-pit on the other side in which he was drowned 3. A Pythagorean Philosopher had bought a pair of Shoes of a Cobler but having no mâ—ney at present desired him to stay for it till the morrow and then he would return and pay him He came with his money according to agreement and then heard that the Cobler was newly dead he therefore without mention of the money departed with a secret joy for the unexpected gain he had made that day but finding that his conscience would not suffer him to be quiet he takes the money goes to the Coblers shop and casting in the money there Go thy ways said he for though he is dead to all the World besides yet he is alive to me 4. Thomas Curson Armourer dwelt without Bishopsgate London it happened that a Stage-player borrowed a rusty Musket of him that had long lain leiger in his shop now though his part was comical he therewith acted an unexpected Tragedy killing one of the standers by the Gun casually going off on the Stage which he suspected not to be charged Oh the difference in tenderness of conscience This poor Armourer was highly afflicted therewith though done against his will yea without his knowledge in his absence by another out of meer chance Hereupon he resolved to give all his Estate to pious uses no sooner had he gotten a round sum but presently he posted with it in his Apron to the Court of Aldermen and was in pain till by their direction he had setled it for the relief of the poor in his own and other Parishes and he disposed of some hundred pounds accordingly as I was credibly informed by the then Church-wardens of the said Parish 5. The wretched estate of King Richard the Third after he had murdered his Nephews is thus described by Sir Thomas Moor I have heard saith he by credible report of such as were secret with his Chamberers that after this his abominable deed done he never had quiet in his mind he never thought himself sure When he went abroad his eyes whirled about his body was privily fenced his hand ever on his Dagger his countenance and manner like one that was ever ready to strike he took no rest a nights lay long waking and musing sore wearied with care and watching rather slumbred than slept troubled with fearful dreams suddenly sometimes started up leapt out of his bed ran about the Chamber so was his restless heart tossed and tumbled with the tedious impression and stormy remembrance of his horrid and abominable deeds 6. Attalus King of Pergamus had slain his Mother and also Beronice his Wife for which he was so pursued with divine vengeance that he never after had a joyful day laying aside his Royal Ornaments he put upon him a poor and sordid garment he suffered the hair of his head and beard to grow he came not to shew himself in publick to the people there was nothing of mirth or feasting at his Court nor did he discover any signs of a found man To conclude he was so terrified with his conscience that yielding up the government of his Kingdom he betook himself to the imployment of a Gardiner digging up the earth and sowing seeds therein from this he passed to the Art of graving in Brass and therein he spent his time At last he purposed to make a Sepulchre for his Mother and being intent upon the work through the vehement heat of the Sun he contracted a Feaver and upon the seventh day following he dyed 7. After the Emperour Nero had slain his Mother Agrippina by the ministry of Anicetus although he was confirmed by the gratulations of the Souldiers and loud applauses of the Senate yet neither presently nor ever after was he able to bear the conscience of so great a guilt He often confessed that he was vexed with the Apparition of his Mother with the scourges of Furies and burning Torches insomuch that by certain horrid Sacrifices by the Magicians he attempted to call up and to appease her Ghost Being once present at the Eleusinian Solemnities and Ceremonies wherein the Cryer as the manner was proclaimed That all impious and wicked persons should depart he had not the confidence and assurance to remain In the day time he was terrified with the noise of Trumpets that sounded an Alarm and certain tumultuous noises that were heard in the place where the bones of his Mother rested For this reason he quitted that quarter and when notwithstanding he was pursued with the same noises he passed from one place to another never thinking himself secure from the contrivances of his enemies 8. Kenneth the Third King of Scotland was a wise and valiant Prince and might have been reckoned amongst the best if he had not stained his Fame with the Murder of Prince Malcolme his Nephew whom he made away by poyson the ambitious desire he had to settle the Succession in his own Posterity put him upon this villany which he carried in so covert a manner as no man did so much as suspect him thereof the opinion of his integrity being universally great but as wicked facts can never be assured though possibly they may be concealed his mind was never after that time quiet the conscience of the crime vexing him day and night with continual fears In the end whether it was so in effect or that his perplexed mind did form to it self such an imagination whilst he lay aâ—leep he heard a voice speaking to him on this sort Dost thou think that the death of Malcolme that innocent Prince treacherously murdered by thee is hidden from me or that thou shalt pass â—ny longer unpunished No there is a Plot laid for thy life which thou shalt not escape and whereas thou didst think to transmit the Crown firm and stable to thy Posterity thou shalt leave the Kingdom broken distracted and full of trouble The King awaked with the voice was stricken with great terrour and calling Moveanus his Confessor laid open to him the grief of his mind who advised him to bestow alms on the poor visit the Graves of holy men have the Clergy in greater regard than he accustomed and perform such other external satisfactions as were used in those times The King did thus and as he was visiting the Grave of Palladius he was invited to lodge in the Castle of Fettercarne where he was treacherously murdered 9. Constans the Emperour being offended with his Brother-in-law by
could not be drawn to Sacrifice these he kept with him and both commended and honoured his Motto was Virtus dum patitur vincit 43. Flavius Constantinus son of Chlorus sirnamed Magnus or the Great the first Emperour who countenanced the Gospel and embraced it publickly which he is said to have done on this occasion At the same time that he was saluted Emperour in Britain Maxentius was chosen at Rome by the Praetorian Souldiers and Licinius named successour by Maximus the Associate of his Father Chlorus Being pensive and solicitous upon these distractions he cast his eyes upwards towards Heaven where he saw in the Air a lightsom Pillar in the form of a Cross whereon he read these words In hoc vince in this overcome The next night our Saviour appeared to him in a Vision commanded him to bear that Figure in his Standard and he should overcome all his enemies this he performed and was accordingly Victorious From this time he not only favoured the Christians but became a zealous Professour of the Faith and Gospel his Motto was Immedicabile vulnus Ense rescindendum he died aged sixty five having Reigned thirty one years 44. Constans the youngest son of Constantinus the Great his brother Constantine being dead in the third year of his Reign remained sole Emperour of the West his Motto was Crescente superbia decrescit Fortuna 45. Constantius the other of Constantines sons succeeded Constans in his part after his decease uniting the divided Empire into one Estate He turned Arian Persecuted the Orthodox and died of a bloody Flux in the forty fifth year of his age and twenty fifth of his Reign 46. Valentinian Emperour of the West his brother Valens Ruling in Constantinople and the Eastern parts a good and vertuous Prince restored to the Church her Liberties and Possessions his Motto was Princeps servator justus 47. Valentinian the second youngest son of the former Valentinian 48. Honorius the second son of Theodosius the Emperour in his time Alarick with the Goths invaded Italy Sack'd Rome and made themselves Masters of the Country his Motto was Male partum male disperit 49. Valentinian the third during his time Atila and the Hunnes made foul work in Italy and the Vandals seised upon Africk as they did on Italy and Rome also after his decease He was murdered by Maximinus a Roman whose Wife he had trained to the Court and ravished his Motto was Omnia mea mecum porto 50. Maximinus having slain Valentinian the third succeeded in the Empire but on the coming of the Vandals whom Eudoxia the former Empress lâ—ad drawn into Italy he was stoned to death by his own Souldiers 51. Avitus chosen Emperour in a Military Tumult 52. Majoranus 53. Severus 54. Anthemius at the end of five years was slain by Recimer a Suevian born the chief Commander of the Army this man had an aim at the Empire himself but he died as soon as he had vanquished and slain Anthemius 55. Olybrius an Emperour of four Months only 56. Glictrius another of as little note 57. Iulius Nepos deposed by Orestes a Noble Roman who gave the Empire to his son called at first Momillus but after his assuming the Imperial Title he was called as in contempt 58. Augustulus the last of the Emperours who resided in Italy vanquished by Odoacer King of the Heruli and Turingians Thus an Augustus raised this Empire and an Augustulus ruined it After this the Goths and Lombards and other Nations obtained the Dominion of the West yet notwithstanding their prevailing power for about three hundred years they all of them abstained from the Name Dignity and Stile of Emperours till at length 59. Carolus Magnus was Anointed and Crowned Emperour by Leo the third in Rome a prudent and Godly Emperour favoured the Christians died in the seventy first year of his age and was buried at Aken 60. Ludovicus Pius so called for his gentle and meek behaviour he gave away that right That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour and thereby open'd a door to all mischief which after followed he Reigned twenty six years his Motto was Omnium rerum vicissitudo 61. Ludovicus the second Sirnamed the Ancient Reigned twenty one years and dying without Children his brother 62. Carolus Calvus King of France by gifts obtained at the hands of the Bishop of Rome to be anointed Emperour he enjoy'd the Title but two years and was poysoned by one Zedechias a Jew his Physician 63. Carolus Crassus son of Lewis the Ancient he Reigned ten years in his time the Normans made desolations in France Crassus for his negligence and evil Government was deposed his Motto was Os garrulum intricat omnia 64. Arnulphus Nephew of the former Crowned Emperour by Pope Formosus besieging the Wife of Guido Duke of Spoleto she hired some of his Servants who gave him a cup of poyson which brought him into a Lethargy and three daies sleeping continually after this he arose sick left the Siege and died his Motto was Facilis descensus averni 65. Lewis the third his son succeeded in his time the Hungars invaded Italy France and Germany as the Saracens did Calabria and Apulia he Reigned ten years his Motto was Multorum manus paucorum consilium 66. Conrade the son of Conrade the brother of Lewis the third he was the last of the Off-spring of Charles the Great who had enjoyed the Empire of the West one hundred and twelve years after whom the Empire was transferred to the Saxons his Motto was Fortuna cum blanditur fallit 67. Henricus Auceps or the Fowler Duke of Saxony for wisdom and magnanimity worthy of so high a place he vanquished the Hungars made the Slavonians and Bohemians Tributaries to him and purged his Dominions from Simony an universal fault almost in those daies his Motto was Piger ad poenas ad praemia velox 68. Otho the first his son succeeded was molested with many Foreign and Domestick Wars his son Lyndolphus Rebelled against him but was by him overcome Otho prospering in all his Enterprizes had the Sirname of Great after he had declared his son to be Emperour he died and was buried at Magdeburg in a Church himself had builded his Motto was Aut mors aut vita decora 69. Otho the second son of the former succeeded a vertuous Prince he prevailed against Henry Duke of Bavaria who contended with him for the Empire he died at Rome was buried in the Church of St. Peter his Motto was Pacem cum hominibus cum vitiis bellum 70. Otho the third but eleven years of age when his Father died he was wise above his years and therefore called Mirabile mundi or the wonder of the World by his advice Gregory the fifth instituted the seven Electors of the Empire Unhappy in his Wife Mary of Arragon a barren Harlot A pair of empoysoned Gloves sent him by the Widow of Crescentius procured his death he was buried