named Sipians The meruellous effectes of fire are most woonderous and most straungest ¶ Of the worlde and of the soule of man with diuers and sundrie opinions of the Philosophers about the same AMongst diuers Philosophers and learned men grewe a great controuersie of the beginning of the worlde some of the best affirming that it had no beginning nor can haue ende as Aristotle and and Plato applying incorruption and perpetuall reuolution to the same Some with Epicurus thought the world shoulde be consumed Of this opinion was Empedocles and Heraclitus Some of the other side did iudge with Pithagoras that so much of the worlde shoulde be destroyed as was of his owne nature Thus helde they seuerall opinions concerning the making the beginning the ending and the numbers of the worlde Thales sayde there was but one worlde agréeing with Empedocles Democritus affirmeth infinite worldes and so iudged Metrodorus the Philosopher worldes to be innumerable What child is of this age but smileth at their folly reasoning largly one against another in applying the cause and the effect of thinges vnto their owne inuentions And as they haue iudged diuersly of the worlde concerning the frame and nature thereof so were they as farre from the true vnderstanding of the creation of man Some grosly thought that mankinde had no beginning Some iudged that it had a beginning by the superiour bodyes And for the antiquity of mankind some iudge Egypt to be the first people some Scythia some Thracia some this countrey and some that countrey with such phantasticall inuentions as may well appeare vnto the most ignoraunt an errour And alas howe simple are they in finding out the substaunce of the soule what it shoulde bée where it shoulde be and by what it shoulde bée some say that there is no soule but a naturall moouing as Crates the Theban some iudge the soule to bée nothing else but fire or heate betwéene the vndeuidible partes Others thought it an ayre receyued into the mouth tempered in the heart boyled in the lights and dispersed through the body Of this opinion was Anaxagoras and also Anaximenes Hippias iudged the soule of man to be water Thales and Heliodorus affirme it to be earth Empedocles is of opinion that it is hote blood about the heart so that they varye in sundry opinions attributing the cause thereof eyther to the fire or else vnto water eyther vnto the earth or vnto the ayre and some vnto the complexion of the foure Elementes others of earth and fire others of water and fire Some againe reason that the substaunce of the soule is of fire and of the ayre And thus of approued Philosophers they shewe themselues simple innocentes How ignoraunt were they in defining the soule of man so far disagréeing one with an other that Zenocrates thinketh againe the soule to be but a number that mooues it selfe which all the Egyptians sometime consented vnto Aristotle himselfe the Prince of all Philosophers and his maister Plato shewed in this their shifting reason which both agrée that the soule is a substaunce which mooueth it selfe Some so rude and so farre from perfection in this poynt that they thought the heart to bée the soule some the braine Howe ridiculous and foolishe séemeth their assertion vnto this age concerning the soule and as childishly they dispute reason againe about the placing of the same where and in what place of the bodie the soule resteth For Democritus iudgeth the heade to be his seat Parmenides in the breast Herophilus in the ventricles of the braine Strato doth thinke that the soule was in the space betwéene the eie browe yea some were so foolishe to iudge it to be the eare as Zerxes king of Persea did Epicurus in all the breast Diogines supposed it to be in a hollowe vaine of the heart Empedocles in the bloode Plato Aristotle and other that were of the best and truest philosophers iudged the soule to be indifferent in all partes of the bodye Some supposed of the wisest that euery péece and parcell of the bodie hadde his proper soule In this againe they were much in séeking a proper seate for the soule deceyued euen as before they erred shamefully and lied manifesty about the essence and substaunce of the soule so now were they most simplye beguiled in placing the soule as you haue hearde And now after I haue opened their seuerall opinions concerning what the soule is and where the soule is you shall here likewise heare whither the soule shall go after death according vnto the Philosophers which as diuersly vary and disagrée in this as you before hearde their diuersitie of opinions concerning the substance the place And first to begin with Democritê° who iudgeth y e soule to be mortall that it shall perish with the body to this agrée Epicurê° Plini Pythagoras iudged that the soule is immortall and when the body dieth it fléeth vnto his kinde Aristotle is in this that some partes of the soule which haue corporall seates must dye with the body but that the vnderstanding of the soule which is no instrument of the body is perpetuall The people called Drynda were of this iudgement that soules should not discende vnto Hell but shoulde passe vnto another worlde as the Philosophers called Essei which suppose that the soules of the dead do liue in great felicity beyonde the Ocean Seas The Egyptians auntient people iudged with Pythagoras that the soules of men shoulde passe from one place vnto another and then to enter vnto another man againe The Stoicks are of that opinion that the soule forsaketh the body in such sort that the soule which is diseased in this life and aduaunced by so vertuous death together with the body but they iudge it if it bée adurned with noble and heroicall vertues that it bée accompanied with euerlasting natures Diuers of the Pagans holde that the soule is immortal but yet they suppose that reasonable soules enter into vnreasonable bodyes as into Plantes or Trées for a certen space There were againe some friuolous Philosophers as Euripides and Archelaus which say that men first grew out of the earth in maner of Hearbes lyke vnto the fables of Poets which faine that men grew of the sowen téeth of Serpentes Some againe very childishly affirme that there bée nine degrées of punishment or rather nine Mansions in Hell appointed and prepared for the soule The first seate is appointed for young Infantes The seconde for idiotes and fooles I feare that place wyll bée well filled The thirde for them that kyll them selues The fourth for them that bée tormented with loue The fift for those that were founde gyltie before Iudges The sixt appointed for strong men and champions The seuenth is a place where the soules bee purged The eight seate is where the soules beyng purged do rest The ninth and last is the pleasaunt fielde Elisâ—us And to
ioyne these Legendes of lyes of olde women with friuolous figmentes of Poets which likewise affirme the like folly of fiery Phlegeton of frostye Cocytus of the water of Stygia of the flood Lethes and of Acheronta with other such when all Paganicall rites and fonde foolishe obseruations first grewe I meane of fables of the Poets and not by the reading of the holy Scriptures O blinde baiardes in séeking that which they coulde neuer finde so And as they coulde prooue and say that the body came out of the earth the moysture out of the water â—he breath of man by the ayre and the heate of man by the fire so coulde they not know the worker thereof how wit and wisedome came from God how all things was made by him of nothing This knew they not not that they wanted learnyng but that they wanted grace They could appoint planets in their seuerall places in their due seates and iust Mansions as Iupiter in the liuer Saturne in the splene Mars in blood Sol in the heart the Moone in the stomacke and Venus in the reynes but they coulde not agrée in appointing a place for the soule They coulde likewise appoint seates for the bodies superiour in man as the Ramme in the head the Bull in the necke and the Crab in the heart the Lion in the breast and the fishe in the foote and so of others but they coulde in no wise find a seate for the soule True is it saide that God reuealeth wisedome vnto babes and hideth the same vnto the sages of the worlde â–ª Hence groweth the beginning of all heresies according vnto the prouerb The greatest Philosophers the greatest Heretickes Hereby I say grewe almost the inuention of Philosophie coequall vnto the veritie of the gospell from the which Paule the Apostle crieth vpon all men to take héede of flattering Philosophers If in this place I shoulde shewe their opinions concerning our God and Creatour I should séeme tedious For Diagoras and Theodorus affirme that there is no God Epicurus iudged that there is a God but that he had no care ouer earthly things Thales sayd that God was a minde which made all things of water Cleanthes supposed God to be the ayre onely Alcineon iudged the Sunne the Moone and the stars to be onely God Parmenides maketh God to be a continuall circle of light which is called Stephanen Crisippus nameth God a deuine necessitie Anaxagoras supposeth God to be an infinite minde mooueable by it selfe so doth Pythagoras likewise iudge Yea Aristotle imagined God to be of proper nature as the worlde or the heate of the Heauens or the diuinitie of the minde which eyther of these three he nameth God and so infinite are they that so simply conceaue the maiesty of Godhead that farre wiser had they séemd vnto vs by silence therin then by vttering of suche fonde phantasticall opinions where too much errour and folly are vnto all men euident ¶ Of vvorshipping of gods and religion of Gentyles NVma Pompilius the seconde king of Rome being studious to drawe the ignoraunt and rude people to some profession of religion was the first that appointed sacrifices vnto Iupiter and vnto Mars In Rome euen hée elected viâ—gines vnto Vesta and appointed certen orders in choosing of the same None by the lawe of Numa might bée taken vnder sixe-yeres olde and none aboue terme to bée a Vestal virgin which virgines should bée thirty â—eâ—eâ— religious and vowed vnto Vesta of the which thirtâ— yeres the first tenne yeres â–ª they shoulde learne the orâ—â—der and fashion of the sacrifices and religion of the goddesse Vesta The seconde tenne yeres they shoulde sacrifice and employ the ceremonies with rites and â—onours belonging vnto Vesta â–ª The thirde tenne yeres they shoulde as graue Matrones learne the others 〈◊〉 chosen to bée perfect in the rites ceremonies of Vesta â–ª Then if any of them woulde marry they might after thirty yeres continuaunce so do If any of these Vestal virgines were conuicted of whordome the law was â–ª in open sight of the City of Rome she shoulde bée brought vnto the gate called Collina and there aliue be burned Againe if the fire at any time in the Temple had gone out by any meanes their kepers with scurges shoulde whip and scurge them almost vnto death The same Numa to make the people more religious appointed twelue men called Salij with painted garmentes singing verses in the praise commendations of God Mars with solempne dauncing and playing rounde about the City Amongst other sacred orders hée made certen Priestes called Feciales these punished offendours these reuenged the wronges of Legates these redressed all iniuries offered and committed within the City of Rome these Priestes appointed rites and ceremonies made sacrifices vnto the goddesse Bona Dea in a Temple erected vnto their goddesse vppon mount Auentine here might no men come to do sacrifice but all women Of this goddesse Bona Dea doth Cicero make oft mention in diuers of his orations and inuectiuos made against diuers pernicious and wicked of the City as Cutelin Clodius and others There was in Rome another kinde of religion dedicated vnto Flora the sacrifice whereof was called Floralia This Flora as both Liuius and Dionisius do report was a common strumpet which for that she made the whole citie of Rome her hâ—yre â–ª being wealthy at her death she was therefore thought to bée of the Romanes the goddesse of fruites and was honoured of all the lewde women in braue garlandes decked with all of flowres in gorgeous apparell and this was done in the moneth of May. The goddesse Ceres began then to bée famous for she had hir feasâ—es and sacrifices named Cerealia by the Priestes appointed she was thus honored the Priestes in white garments and with lanternes and firebrands in the night time woulde come vnto the Temple they abstayned from Wine and auoyded venery for a certen time they had appointed euery fift yere a great fasting Minerua likewise began to haue such honour in Rome that she had thrée seueral kindes of sacrifices one of a Bull the seconde of a Crane the thirde of a Weather The Romanes did celebrate in the beginning of the spring such feastes and sacrifices vnto Berecynthia called the mother of the goddesse that euery man did offer of the chiefest thing that hée did possesse to pleasure their goddesse There were diuers other kindes of sacrifices and vaine supersticious ceremonies obserued then in Rome whose beginninges procéeded from the inuention of deuyls which of long time were honoured as gods for then men sought no helpe but of their gods which were rather deuyls as Polidorus in his fourth booke affirmeth of a certen rich man in Rome which had thrée of his sonnes sore sicke of the plague this man was named Valesius who euerye night at whome in his house besought his housholde goddes called Penates to saue his children
Euboians euen so let their heares growe behinde vpon their backes very long and yet enforced of necessitie to cut it before for feare of the enimies It séemed that eyther Barbers were skant or not known in those dayes or else heares much set by and estéemed of all men for Suetonius that writ the liues of Emperours doth report that the Emperour Caligula was woont for enuie to those he met to shaue their heares of behinde knowing wel that nothing might molest them so much as to haue their heares of for he was so enuious that if he sawe anye that had fayre golden heares hée woulde haue it of streight with his owne handes Beards were so set by and so estéemed were heares in those dayes that women kinde were so forbidden by the lawe of the twelue tables to shaue anye part of the face to prooue whether heares might growe or no. Occasions were ministed vnto them sayde they by their long heares and beardes to knowe them selues and the state of their body for of an olde man in the citie of Sparta being asked why he ware his bearde so long hée aunswered that in behoulding the graye heares in my bearde I maye doe nothing vnséemely nor vnworthy of such graye heares for a good man is alwayes prickt with stinges to lyue verteously Demonax was known by his beard to be some graue Philosopher of him that demaunded him what kind of Philosophie he professed not knowing him otherwise than by his bearde The tyraunt Dionisius to spite the Citizens of Epidaurus tooke the goulden beard of Aesculapius away out of the temple to mooue them to greater displeasure At what tyme Aristippus was brought vnto Sinius house the Phrigian which was so dressed with cloth of Arras and precious hangings that the very flowers so gorgiously shined that he coulde not finde in the house a place to spitte without some offence he spit in his handenapkin and thrue it into Simus face who was all bearded hée being angrie therewith demaunded the cause why hée so little estéemed him for that sayde Aristippus that I sawe not in all the house so foule a place as that which shoulde haue béene most cleane meaning hys bearde and though it was merilye done of Aristippus yet it was not so merily thought of Simus which more estéemed his bearde than Aristippus estéemed all his precious clothes and goulden hangings The like dyd Ieronimus surnamed Rhetus make of his bearde for when I sée sayd hée my beard than I know right well that I am a man and not a woman and then knowing my selfe to bée a man I am ashamed to doe any thing lyke a woman eyther in word or déede Much more might bée héere alleaged for the actorities of beardes and for estéeming of long heares for there is no country be it euer so ciuyll but it is addicted vnto some peculiar qualities neither is there any man be hée euer so wise but doth glory in one thing more then in another as the wise man in his wisedome the learned man in his knowledge the ignoraunt man in his folly the proude man in his person the selfe louer in some place more than in other either in his face body legge middle foote yea in hande and héere and specially many do make much account of their beards kembing decking handlyng and settyng it in order alwayes But bicause people are mutable full of chaunge and that time altereth all things we wyll no further procéede in this though menne maye misiudge of others concerning their long héere 's and beardes yet I say iudgement is not safe in this poynt for it may bée that they preferre the rustye rude countrey Poet Hesiodus before the warlike and eloquent Homer as Panis king of Calcides or as Midas did iudge Pan the Piper before Apollo the god of Musicke Harde it is to iudge of men whether the bearded man or the beardlesse man is to be preferred the long heare or the short heare to bée estéemed for vnder straunge habite lurcke hidden qualities for vnder a ragged cloake as the Gréeke prouerbe is lyeth wisedome secretely as vnder a Ueluet Gowne ¶ Of diuers kindes and sundry fashions of buriall amongst the Gentiles THE aunciente Egyptians waying the shortnes of mans life litle estéeming the time doth prouide such sepulchrées against they die that they account their graues an euerlasting habitation Wherfore in life time they studied howe to make them such gorgeous graues as shoulde bée perpetuall monumentes after death In so much that thrée hundred and thréescore thousande workmen were twentie yeres in building a huge and a monstruous worke to bury their bodies which for the bignesse thereof was counted one of the seuen woonders named at this day the Pyramides of Egypt Plini saith that thrée Piramides were made in Egypt betwixt the Citie of Memphis and Delta which king Ceopes as Herodotus affirmeth began to make the first and as Diodorus saith his brother Cephus began the seconde and the thirde by king Mycerinus as both Herodotus and Diodorus agrée Some say that Rhodope a harlot and a strumpet but being married vnto king Psamnetichus and left a widowe shée made as Strabo saith the thirde Pyramides but to this effect they were made as common sepulchrées to receaue dead men as gestes to dwell alwayes therein with such ceremonies first that being dead they fyll the scull of his head with swéete odours and then they rip his body with a sharpe stone of Aethiop which the Egyptians haue for the purpose and pourge his bodie and then being stopt with fragrant odours and sweete spices they sewe vp the body which being done they put him in fine sindon cloth hauyng his likenesse made vpon a holow worke wherein they put the body with many other such ceremonies onely to saue the bodye from any putrifaction for they thinke as the Stoicks do So long say they shall the soule florish and liue as the body is vnputrified for as the bodyes perish so doth the Egyptians beléeue that the soules decay The Aethiopians haue such care of the dead that being dressed with all kinde of odours they put them in such sumptuous tombes and gorgeous graues that the sepulchrées are compassed and made ouer with fine glasse The Scythians when their kings noble men die they must haue to beare them company vnto the graue one of their concubines one of their chiéefe seruauntes and one of their frends that loued them best aliue they I say must accompany and folow them vnto the graue being dead The Romanes had this custome that if any man of countenaunce and credite shoulde die his sonnes and daughters his nigh kinsmen and best beloued fréendes as Cicero doth write of Metellus shoulde put him in the fire made for that effect and purpose vnlesse hée were one of the Emperours whose funerall pompe was much more sumptuous for then his body shoulde bée caryed by
the Senatours vnto the market or common Hall of Rome Then the seconde day hée should bée caried by certen young noble men vnto Martius fielde where a Tabernacle was made much like a Towre all of drie Wood and there after much solemnity and ceremonies done hée that succéeded him as an Emperour shoulde first put fire in that worke and then all men busie to sée the body burned And when they had burned him vnto ashes they woulde let an Eagle flée from the top of some high Towre which as they supposed shoulde cary his soule into heauen The Assyrians did vse to annoynt the dead bodyes with honye and waxe and with studie and care to reserue it from any putrifaction Such straunge order of buriall was in India that the women of that countrey thought no greater fame nor worthier renowme then to bée burned and buried togither with their husbandes The Thracians are much to bee commended herein which at the birth of any of their fréendes children they wéepe and waile the misery of and calamity that hée is borne vnto and at the death of any of their fréendes they so reioyce with such mirth and gladnes that they past these werldly miseries that at the buriall therof euen when the corps doth go out of the house they altogither say with one voyce Farre well fréende go before and we folow after And so the corps goeth before and all his fréendes folow after him with trumpets musicke and great mirth for ioy that hée is gone out of this vale of misery Plato that deuine Gréeke and noble Philosopher made the like lawes in Athens that when any of the chéefe officers shoulde die hée appointed that no mournyng wéedes shoulde bée there but all in white apparell and that fiftéene young maides and fiftéene young boyes shoulde stande rounde about the corps in white garmentes while the Priestes commended his life vnto the people in an open Oration then he shoulde bée brought very orderly to the graue all the young children singing their countrey Hymnes they with the auncient men folowyng and the graue shoulde be couered with faire broade stones where the name of the dead with his vertuous commendations and great praise were set vpon the stone The like graue the Italians vse at this day and diuers other countreys And as these others had the like ceremonies to the praise and commendations of the dead So others litle estéemed and regarded such things in so muche that the Perseans were neuer buried vntyll Fowles of the ayre and Dogges should eate some part therof The Massagetes thought it most infamous that any of their fréends should die by sicknesse but if the parentes waxed olde the children and the next kinsmen they had should kyll them and being kylled to eate them vp supposing that their fleshe was more méete for them to eate than of wormes or any other beastes to bée deuoured The people called Tibareni those that they loued best in youth those woulde they hang in age Euen so the Albans certaine inhabitants about mount Caucasus thought it vnlawfull for any to care for the deade but straight buried them as the Nabathaeans doe burie their kinges and and rulers in dunghilles The buriall of the Parthians was nothing else but to commend them vnto beastes of the fielde and foules of the ayre The Nasomones when they burie their friendes they sette them in the graue sitting But of all cruell dealings the Caspians and the Hircanians wich kil their parents their wiues their brethren their kinsemen friends and put them in the hie waye halfe quicke halfe deade for to be deuoured of birdes and beastes The fashion custome with the Issidones rude people of some part of Scithia as Plini in his fourth booke affirmeth is to call their neyghbours and friendes togither where the dead lie and there merili◠singing and banqueting they eate the fleshe of the deade and make the skull of the deade a drinking cuppe all couered with golde to drink with all Againe the people called Hyperborei thinke no better graue for their friendes when they be olde then to bring them to some hie banke of water or great rocke and thence after much feasting eating and drinking in the middest of their mirth their owne friends throw them downe vnto the water headlong To séeke and to search histories to manye such burials might be founde amongst such rude and beastly nations Notwithstanding in diuers regions so estéemed that the greatest infamie the seuerest punishment was for any offender was not to be buried this the Athenians vsed towarde those that were traytours to theyr countrey And the Egiptians if any lyued a misse he shoulde be caried dead to the wildernesse to be deuoured of wild beastes The Perseās likewise brought y e bodies of men condemned to be eaten of dogges The Lybians thinke them most worthy of solemne buriall that died eyther in warrs or were kyld by wyld beastes The Macedonians had great care in burning the dead souldiers that died in fielde Amongst the Gentiles there were certaine daies appointed for mourning after the death of their frends Licurgus lawe amongst the Lacedemonians was that they shoulde mourne but eleuen daies Numa Pompilius decréed that the children after their parentes death the wiues their husbands c. shoulde mourne tenne monethes though by the Senatours it was enacted at the warres in Canna that the Romans shoulde mourne but thirtie dayes Amongst the Egiptians they had a custome to mourne after theyr kinges thréescore and twelue dayes but generallye the most custome was to bewayle the dead nine daies In some places mourning was forbidden at their buriall as at Athens by the lawe of Solon in Locretia in Thracia in Cous in Libia and in diuers other places The diuersitie of mourning was such that amongst the Gréekes they shaued their heades and beardes and threwe it to the graue with the deade Amongst the Lacedemonians when the kinges of Sparta died certaine horsemen were appoynted to trauayle ouer all the whole kingdome certefiyng the death of the king and the women in euery cittie doe beate their brasen pottes and make great heauye noyse for the same The Egyptians doe mourne after this sort they rent their clothes they shut their temples they eate no meate they sméere theyr faces with dirt and thus abstaining from washing their faces thrée score and twelue dayes they lament and bewayle the death of their kinges and friendes The Carthagineans cut their heares of mangle their faces beate their breastes The Macedonians likewise shaue their heares to mourne the death of their fréendes as wée reade of Archelaus king of Macedonia who shaued his heares at the buriall of his friende Euripides The Argiues the Siracusans accompany the dead to the graue in white clothes be spotted with watter and claie The Matrones of Rome threw of their fine apparell their ringes and cheynes and did weare
and ende of the battayle of the Philistines It is read in Lucan the Poet of a Witch named Erictho dwelling in Thessalia that reuiued and restored to life a late souldiour dead at the request of Sextus Pompeius to know the ende of the warres at Pharsalia One History I must repeat which Plutarch reciteth in the life of Cimon that one Pausanias after hée had taken the Citie of Bizance being in loue with a fayre damosell named Cleonices a mayde of noble parentage he commaundyng her father whiche durst not resist him to sende his daughter vnto him to vse at his pleasure which when the mayde came hée being fast a sléepe in his bed the Uirgin being shamefast and fearefull putting out the candle commyng in the darcke towarde Pausanias stumbled at the stoole which with the fall sodenly waked Pausanias from sléepe thinking some foe or mortall enemie of his to bée there hauing his sword harde by slue the Uirgine but she being so slaine woulde neuer after suffer Pausanias to take any quiet rest but appearing vnto him alwayes saying Recompence the iniurie and wrong thou diddest vnto me by equity and iustice folowing him as he fled from place to place from Bizance vnto Thracia from Thracia againe vnto Heraclea from Heraclea vnto Sparta where he famished for hunger Matthaewe in his seuentéene Chapt. beareth recorde that Moyses and Elias after they were dead many hundred yeres before Christes incarnation yet appeared bodyly and ghostly in mount Tabor vnto Christe where they spake and communed with our Lorde and Sauiour The soule of Lazarus did not onely appeare as Iohn saith in his second chap. but came againe both body and soule in a true token of our sure resurrection but as the appearing of those sightes at Gods appointment were most true so it is most horrible to geue credite that the soules of men after death do either by visions or by bodyly apparaunce but the deuyll is well beaten in experience of thinges knoweth best how he may deceaue the wisest sometime for he is subtill and crafty If the Mariner know when stormes and tempest arise if the Phisition iudge of one by the Urine the state daunger of the patient if the skilfull Astronomer can many yeres before exactly foretel the Eclipse of the Sunne moone if in fine the practized souldiour knoweth straight where the victory shall happen No maruaile it is that the deuill an olde souldiour can forshew things to come And make thinges apparant of nothing What made Theodoricus to espie the terible and threatning countenance of Symmachus which hée slue before in a fishes heade being brought before him on the table at supper at the which sight he fell for feare in a grieuous sickenesse and so died the Diuell What caused one Bessus of whome Plutarch maketh mention in his booke de sera muminis vindicta after that he had kild his owne father and a long while hyding himselfe as a murtherer at last being by the Deuill mooued to throw downe a swallowes neast with his speare and killing the young swallowes hée was of the company about him misliked for his cruelnesse vnto poore birdes and taunted of his companions for his tyranny therein but he aunswered and excused himsefe saying why shoulde I not kill those that accused me of my fathers death and cryed out vppon me a long while that I shoulde kill my father They which were present being amazed at his taulke toulde the king thereof which caused him to be apprehended and examined by that euidence he confessed the murther These are the driftes of diuelles the shiftes of Satan at all times and in all countries Paulina the chast wife of Saturnius a Romane was of such excellent beautie of such noble parentage and of such godlye life that when Decius Mundus a young knight of Rome who being so enamored with hir beautie with diuers compassions a long time to none effect for neyther golde nor treasure coulde alure this sober and chast Paulina to consent to sinne he perceauing how shée was bent to temperancye and to renounce all filthy lust gaue him selfe willing to die in the meane time the deuill practised a feat with Ide a mayde which dwelt in house with Mundus father to bring this purpose to passe this mayde knowing well the constancie and honest life of Paulina and how religious shée was to serue the Goddesse Isis inuented this fraude shée went and talkt with some of Isis Priestes opening the whole matter in secret vnto them promising a great rewarde to faine that their God Anubis had sent for Paulina to lie and to accomplishe loue with him This being done by the elder Priestes hir husbande Saturnius was verye ioyfull that the great God Anubis had vouchsafed to sende for his wife shee being as glad boasted and bragged of the same amongest her neighbours vnto the temple of Isis where likewise Anubis was worshipped Paulina was sent by hir husbande very braue and gorgeous where the young and lustie knight Mundus by the aduice of the Priestes hidde himselfe vntill Paulina came which embrasing hir in the darcke accompanied with hir till hee had satisfied lust all the night Then in the morning the matter being knowne she rent hir heares and clothes and tolde hir husband Saturnius how shée was delt withall hir husbande then declareth the whole matter vnto the Emperor Tiberiê° who hauing through knowledge by diligent examination did hang the Priestes the mother of y e mischiefe Ide coÌ„maunded the ymage of Isis to be â—unke in the riuer of Tiber and banished Mundus out of Rome so that vnder the couler and pretence of holinesse diuers Matrones and maydes were deâ—â—owred mens wiues and daughters as Ruffinus testifieth of a certaine Priest in Alexandria in Egypt named Tirannus who vsed such shiftes and practised such feats to haue his desire accomplished his lust satisfied with such women and maidens as he thought good saying that the great God Saturne whose Priest he was sent for them to come vnto the temple to Saturnus and there vntill his wickednesse was knowne he vsed vnder pretence of the great Saturne which was honoured in that Citie his filthy lust horible life Wée read the like almost of Numa Pompilius that he bare the people of Rome in hand that he had familiar company with y e Goddesse Aegeria bicause he might purchase y e more credite auctority vnto his lawes orders These are the workes and shiftes of wicked men which deceaued alwayes the rude people with vaine religion and superstitious holinesse which the deuyll the father of lyes did bewitch and allure them to beléeue fantasticall visions to be the soules of dead men the deuyls appearing them selues like men letting them to vnderstand that they were the soules of such men as they appeared like vnto as Romulus the first King and founder of Rome appeared after his death walkyng vp and downe by Atticus house
vnto Iulius proculus charging him to erect him vp a Temple in that place where hée walked saying that hée was now a god and that his name was Quirinus Remus likewise king Romulus his brother appearing vnto Faustulus and to his wife Laurentia somtime his nource complayning of his miserable death desiring them to make labour that the same day wherin hée was slaine might bée accompted amongst their Holydayes for that hée was canonized amongst the goddes Wée reade in Lucan how that the soules of Silla and Marius two famous and renowmed Romanes were alwayes walking and appearing vnto men before they were purged by sacrifice for the deuyls made the people beléeue when the bodies shoulde bée buryed with all funerall due therevnto belonging the soules shoulde haue rest to practise superstition amongst them as you hearde a little before What complaint made Hector and King Patroclus vnto Achilles What request made Palinurus and Deiphobus vnto Aneas which Homer and Vergil write of for the buriall of their bodies Suetonius writyng of the liues of Emperours sheweth how Caligula sometime Emperour in Rome after he was dead being halfe burned and buried for that hée wanted due solempnity of buriall appeared in the Gardens of Rome called Lauriani to the kéepers troublyng and molestyng them very much vntyll his sisters caused him to be taken vp and commaunded he shoulde bée throughly burned and solemnly buried There was in Athens by report an excellent faire house to sale for that no man durst dwell within it for about midnight continuallye there was hearde sounde noyse clashing of armour and clattering of chaines and there appeared an image or shape like an olde man leane and lothsome to beholde with a long bearde staring heares and feattered legges This house hauyng a péece of paper vppon the doore written of the sale therof for that no man woulde venture to dwell Athenodorus a Philosopher returnyng from Rome where hée aboode a long time with the Emperour Augustus Caesar vnto Athens and reading the writing vpon the doore hée hired the house and commaunded his seruaunt to make his bed in the highest chaumber in the house where hée setleth him selfe to marke and beholde things that woulde happen being thus in study first hée hearde the sounde and ratling of chaines and then hée an olde man begging towarde him to folow the Philosopher went after him with his candle in his hande into an inner court where the image left him alone and vanished Athenodorus tâ—e next morning caused the rulers of the Citie to digge vp that place where they founde diuers bones of dead men these were commaunded by the Philosopher to bee burned solemnly which afterwarde was quiet and styll without either noyse or sight Thus the deuyll soweth the séede of supersticion and maketh oftentimes his aungels to worke miracles What straunge workes did that coniurer Bileam bring to passe by the meanes of deuyls What woonders wrought that wicked Appolonius by the helpe of Satan What maruayles showes and sightes did Simon Magus vse by the industry of false spirites What did not Pharoes sorcerers oftentimes attempt by perswasion of deuils marke their ende and iudge of their life the one breaking his necke the other drowned in the red Sea and so the rest ended their liues miserably To many haue béene and I feare are yet that geue credite vnto such vaine illusions and phantasticall sightes ¶ Of dreames and warnings AMongst the Gentiles dreames were so obserued that the vaine superstition noting of the same was the whole trust and hope of their countries friendes and liues that when the kings of India take theyr rest they are brought to bead with all kinde of melodie and harmonie euerye man knéeling vpon his knées beséeching Morpheus the God of sléepe to reueale those thinges vnto their King that shoulde be commodious and profitable vnto the subiectes They thought themselues well instructed when eyther by Oracles they were perswaded or else by visions suggested King Pirrhus knewe well that hys dying daye was at hande when hée besieged the Citie of Argos and sawe in the market place a brasen Woolfe and a Bull which the Argyues for memory of thinges past and auncient monumentes had put vp for he by an Oracle had to vnderstande at what time he shoulde sée a Bull and a Woolfe fighting togither hée shoulde then prepare himselfe to die Alexander the great after that the Oracle of Iupiter Ammonius was pronounced that hée shoulde be vnconquered hée doubted not but to subdue the whole worlde and so trusted more vnto the Oracle of Iupiter than he mistrusted the mutability of Fortune tooke vpon him the conquest of all the world attempting nothing at al without some Oracle or dreame hadde warned him therevnto for before the great conquerour Alexander had séene Hercules in his sléepe reaching out of the wall his hand promising hym his ayde and helpe in his warres hée had not so boldely attempted so hye an enterprise without feare and dreade of his enimies Unto Hanibal after long perturbation of minde with great industrie and studie how he might annoye and destroye the Romane Empire appeared a young man of woonderfull beawtie who warned him that Iupiter sent him as a Capitaine before Hanibal into Italy whereby straight hée was encouraged the rather to take the charge in hande hoping thereby to enioye triumphant victorie ouer hys enimies Caesar that mightie Prince and Monarch and the first Emperour that euer possessed Rome thought in his sléepe that hée committed fornication with his mother which when it was opened by Southsayers that it was the earth that was his mother and that hée shoulde suppresse all the Princes of the earth vnder him euen as he thought in his sléepe of hys mother he was hée was enflamed thereby to rayse warres and most cruelly allured to murther eyther perswading himselfe to be subiect vnto all men or else a conquerer ouer all the worlde After that noble and renowmed Gréeke Themistocles was exiled from Athens and banished quite the confines of Gréece hauing doone such seruice and honour vnto his countrie as Plutarch worthilye mentioneth for the subduing of prowde Zerxes king of Persea the great enimie of all Gréece béeing in great perill and daunger of life in straunge countrie hée séemed to sée in his sléepe a Dragon creaping vpward from his belly towarde his face which assone as the Dragon touched his face he was chaunged as he thought vnto an Eagle and caried by the Eagle a great way thorough the ayre vnto a strange countrie where the Eagle gaue him a goldeÌ„ staffe in hand so left him wherby streight he was enformed that he was not onely deliuered from all daungers but also shoulde be sought for of all Gréece to the encrease of fame and augmentation of honour Brutus cleane contrarie after much good successe and prosperous fortune after he murthered Caesar at length he was in his slepe by a
which his predicessor had hidde made his prayer vnto God that he might neuer die before he hadde spent all that money which he founde The Couetous gathereth not for him selfe but for an other which he knoweth not A Couetous man musing and studying alwaies how he might liue being constrayned to mooue from one bedde vnto another for payne and toyle hée tooke in mind his wife demaunding the cause of his restlesse state to whome he sayd Wife I studie how I maye ende this yeare and I sée that I haue sufficient for all the yeare sauing for one daye and for that daye onely I vexe and molest my selfe to know how I may discharge that day his wife comforted him with all meanes shée coulde but he coulde not be at reste At length he founde this sleight calling his wife vp vnto him priuily sayde what I haue determined to doe thou shalt vnderstande wife that daye which I haue tolde you of I will take vpon mée to die that thereby with wéeping and sadnesse without meate and drinke we will escape the charges thereof which being done of his wife and layde vnder the Table the seruauntes and the familie comming fro the fielde astonied at the sodaine chaunce saying their Pater noster after long sadnesse at length called for meate the wife wéeping aunswered them that they shoulde mourne that daye for their mayster but hungrie seruauntes gréedie of vittayles woulde néedes haue meate the man heauing his heade vp and putting by the Carpet to sée whether they were at meate one of the seruauntes espied him and supposing him to be the Deuill that was with his Maysters corpes hée tooke a great staffe and brainde his Mayster in stéede of the Diuell the good wife cryed and sayde that he had killed hir husbande he denied and saide it was the diuell The matter being brought before the Iudge who vnderstanding the life of that couetous man was perswaded that the Diuell watcht with the bodie and that the good wife was deceyued ANother being sicke of the palsey and like to die was admonished of his kinsmen and fréendes to receyue the sacrament and to thinke of his soule the sicke man being so weake coulde not speake nor make no signes vnto his freendes for all that they could do At length one of the house which well knew his nature sayde that if any life were in him hée woulde make him either speake or geue signes tooke the Keye from his beddes head and went about to open his Coffer which stoode at his beddes foote full of money the couetous sicke man with head féete and with all his body made tokens and signes that his soule was there and that if his money shoulde be taken away hée shoulde presently dye THe like examples of another couetous man whiche when the priest according vnto the custome in those dayes woulde annoint him being sicke and like to dye he perceyuing scant that hee was touched for his imbecilitie and weaknesse his minde more occupied on his purse then on his sicknesse was woont to say féeling the Priestes hande Who toucheth my purse ANother great Prince was so couetous that being besieged in a certen Citie called Baldac of a strong King hauing money sufficient wealth substaunce abundant within the Cittie for very desire hée had to kéepe the money he lost the Citie and being taken captiue was demaunded of the King why he suffred his citie to be subdued his souldiours slaine and himselfe to be taken hauing so much wealth within the Citie as might defende the Cittie saue the men and kéepe himselfe from Captiuitie he being not able to aunswere the cause helde his peace The King perceyuing hys couetous minde to be the cause of all destruction sayde Come tell me where thy money is and being brought to a huge tower where he caried his money to saue shewed the King where the money was The King tooke the keye and lockt him fast with his money in the hie Tower saying I will neuer do thée that iniurie to take thée away from that which thou louest better than thy life commaunding no man vppon paine of death to beare him eyther meate or drinke and so most wretchedly suffred him to die for hunger hauing golde and siluer ynough lying by him Examples of hearing VAlerius reciteth a History of a certen young man of Athens named Polemus giuen much to â—anqueting and drinking being allured vnto all pleasures hauing his felicitie in eating and drinking and fine clothing comming vnto the schoole of Anaxagoras being so well charged with Wine and so braue in apparell that the schollers of Anaxagoras stomaked him for his dronkennesse to come there but Anaxagoras perceyuing the case of Polemus left to speake of that which he then hadde in hande and turned his talke to speake of that temperancie and sobrietie which when Polemus hearde so learnedly and skilfullye hée threwe downe his Garlande from his heade hée chaunged hys countenaunce wayled his former life and from that time forewarde Polemus liued honestly VLisses willing to auoyde the swéete songs of flattering Cirses fearing lest the like shoulde happen vnto him as it did vnto diuers others stopt his eares and his seruauntes with waxe and so auoyded the danger thereof So to heare good and holsome things with Polemus it is fruitefull and to heare flatterie lette all men stoppe their eares with Vlisses ¶ Examples of discorde IN a certen I le there dwelt some Hermettes which for discorde and inwarde contention the Mise of the I le consumed their victualles that they were enforced to make agréement of them selues in so much Apollonius willing to trauell in making some friendes that were foes one of the parties sayde that hée had rather die than to be made friendes Well sayde Apollonius and die thou shalt and thy graue shall be the bellies of wilde beastes and flying foules and euen that night hée died sodainely and was deuoured of beastes as Apollonius sayde for his Tigrishe and cruell minde ¶ Examples of friendshippe THere were two friendes the one an Egyptian the other a Citizen of Baldac this Egyptian making much of his friende and so well loued him that nothing which he hadde wanted him By fortune this Egiptian waxed poore and so néedie that he was enforced to come vnto the Cittie Baldac to knowe what his friende woulde doe for him and being ashamed of his poore estate watching a conuenient time to present him vnto his friende went all night vnto a Barne to sléepe that night a murther was committed and a man slaine caried by chaunce into the Barne where being founde in the morning this poore Egyptian was accused before the Iudges that hée murthered the man and being iudged to die his friende being on the bench calling to minde that it was hée that made much of him in Egypt forthwith rose and sayde that it was not that man that slue the man but euen hée himselfe The other denayed affirming that he was iustly condemned and that
as by experience we see all things to haue a care of his owne life The Lion when he feeleth hym self sicke he neuer ceaseth vntil he féedeth vpon an Ape whereby he maie recouer former health The Gotes of Creet féedyng on high vpon the mountaines when any of them is shot through with an Arrowe as the people of that countrey are most excellent archers they seeke Dictamum and hearbe assone as they eate any thyng of the same the arrowe faleth downe and the wound waxeth whole incontinent There are certen kyndes of Frogges in Aegypt about the floud of Nilus that haue this perseueraunce that when by chaunce they happen to come where a fishe called Varus is whiche is a greate mourtherer and a spoyler of Frogges they vse to beare in their mouthes ouerthwart a long réede which groweth about the bankes at Nilus whiche when this fishe doth gape thinkyng to feede vpon the Frog the réede is so long that by no meanes can he swallowe vp the Frogge and so saue their liues If the Gotes of Creet If the frogges of Aegypt haue this vnderstanding to auoide their enemies how muche more ought men to be circumspect of his life which hath I saie millions of enemies nether séen nor knowen We reade in the first boke of Aelian that the rude swine if at any tyme by chaunce they eate of that hearbe called Hioscyamus which draweth by by the vaines together that skant thei can stirre yet they striue for remedie sake to goe vnto the water where they feede vppon yong Crabbes to recouer health In the same booke ye maie reede of a Sea Snaill whiche from the water doth come vnto lande to breede and after she hath egged she diggeth the yearth and hideth her egges and retourneth vnto the sea again and there continueth .xl. daies and after .xl. daies she commeth vnto the same self place where she hidde her egges and perceiueth that thei are ready to come out of the shell she openeth the shell and taketh her yong ones with her vnto the sea And thus haue they care charge not onely of their owne states and liues but also of others and by some shewe of sence thei amende that which is most daungerous and hurtfull for the sely and simple mise haue this kynde of fore knowledge that when any howse waxeth olde and ruinous they forsake their olde dwellyng and creepyng holes they flee and seeke refuge in an other place The little Antes haue foresightes that when penury and want of relife draweth nier they waxe so painefull and laborious toilyng and trauailyng in gatheryng together victualles as maie serue them duryng the tyme of famine If these smale crepyng wormes seely and simple beastes prouide for them selues what shall wee saie of man the kyng and ruler ouer all beastes who hath not onely a bodie to prouide for but also a soule to saue More happie are these wormes and beastes in their kinde then a nomber of Princes are For that they by nature onely are taught their foes to auoide neither we by nature neither by God the cause of all goodnes can loue our frendes Therefore verie well it is saide of the wise man that either not to be borne or els beyng borne streight to die is the happiest state that can chaunce vnto man For liuyng in this vale of miserie wee sée the Pilgrimages and trauell of life to be such that better farre it were be a poore quiet man then a busie proude Prince And sith death is the last line of life aswell appointed for princes as for poore men who in reading the liues of Emperours Kinges and Princes the nobles of the worlde seeth not their vnhappie states whiche commyng vnto the worlde naked and departyng from the same naked yet like proude pilgrimes busie one to destroye another not coÌ„tented with countries and kingdomes go from one place vnto another from one couÌ„trie vnto another like Pilgrimes to bee acquainted with miserie and to seeke death Alexander the great conquerour takyng his voiage from his kyngdome of Macedonia vnto India to destroie all the worlde hee was in the citie of Babilon preueÌ„ted by Antipater and Iola his taster and kinsman with poison and there he died Philopomen a greate Emperour sometyme in Greece beyng in prison in Messena taken in the warres and beyng so cruelly handled that he besought Dinocrates whiche then was Prince of that countrie and conquerour ouer hym one draught of poison he coulde not be coÌ„tent to be Emperour and ruler of Greece but moued to seeke death in a straunge countrie amongest his foes Ladislaus kyng of Apulia endeuouryng to subdue the Florentines and séekyng to bee kyng ouer the Florentines he loste the kingdome of Apulia For by them was hee at length poisoned and so berefte from his owne kingdome and life with this vnhappie kinde of death wer many princes preuented no lesse thretened are these princes of their owne houshold frendes then of foren foes no lesse do their childreÌ„ their wiues brethren and kinsmen studie to destroie them sometyme for the kingdomes sake some tyme for hatered hidden and most ofteÌ„ prouoked of these to spoile them as it is written that Claudius Caesar an Emperour of Rome was poisoned of his owne wife Agrippina Antiochus king of Siria was poisoned of his Queene Laodice for that hee was in loue with Berenices Kynge Ptholomeus sister Constantine the Emperour the soonne of Heraclius beeyng but one yere a ruler of his empire was poisoned by his mother in lawe named Martina The verie cause of the Emperour Conradus death whiche was Frederikes soonne was the Empire and rule of Rome whiche Manfredus his successour made the phisicions for money to poison him that then hee beyng the successour of the empire might beare rule O vnhappie state of Princes whose liues are desired of frende and foe How sore was L. Vectius set on of Caesar to betraie Pompeius the greate whiche for the loue and zeale that Pompeius had in Rome Caesar began to malice Lucullus Curio Cato and Cicero for their priuate loue towarde Pompeius no lesse daunger it is to be in fauour with princes sometime then perilous to bee princes wee reade of a Quéene named Rosimunda the doughter of kyng Cunimunda of Gepida after that she poisoned Albonius king of Longobardes hir first housebande she maried a prince of Rauenâ—a named Helinges which likewise she thought to poison but beyng warned in y e middest of his draught he caused his wife to drinke the reste whiche drinke was the cause of both their death howe manie noble Princes in the middest of their Pilgrimages died that death as Diocletian the Emperour of Rome Lotarius kyng of France Carolus the eight of that name with diuers others as Hanibal prince of Carthage Aristobolus king of Iuda and Lucullus Emperour of Rome Princes and noble men doe sometyme poyson theimselues lest they should
verye terrible to trust if it might be knowne with as many heades as Hidra to inuent wickednesse with as many handes as Briareus to commit euill with as many eyes as Argos to beholde vengeaunce with as swift legges as Thalus to go to naughtinesse entering into euerye mans house with a tongue as swéete as honey hyding in euery mans hart as bitter as gall of whome the olde poeme is spoken Mel in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis Of whome Antisthenes that learned Athinian was woont to saye that he had rather haue Rauens in house with him than flatterers for Rauens sayd hée deuoure but the carkasse being deade but the flatterer eateth vp the body and soule aliue For euen as tyranny is hidden in the secret bowels of enuie so is enuie cloked vnder filed phrase of flattery and very wel compared to the Crocodils of Nilus or to the Cirenes of y e seas the one wéeping mourning the other singing laughing the one with mone the other with mirth study how to annoy y e poore Mariner The flattering Parasite as Ouid saith denyeth with the negatiue and affirmeth with the affirmatiue wéepeth with him that is sad and laugheth with him that is mery as sometime Clisophus when his maister Philip King of Macedonia and Father vnto Alexander the great woulde hault bicause hée had the gout he would hault likewise when the king would be mery at his drinke Clisophus woulde not be sad In fine what soeuer Philip tooke in hande the same Clisophus did maintaine Aristippus the Philosopher coulde better please King Dionisius with adulation then Dion the Syracusan coulde pleasure him with trueth Cleo coulde better accomplish the desire lust of Alexander with forged flattery then Calisthenes his Counsellour coulde satisfie him with Philosophy and trueth Who might mooue Caesar to do any thing asmuch as Curio the Parasite not Pompeius his sonne in lawe nor yet his onely daughter Iulia nor all the Senators of Rome might make Caesar friende or foe as muche as Curio Flatterers are daungerous vnto the most part hurtful vnto all profitable vnto none and yet of Princes most accepted In Court like furious Centaures by formed Scilles huge Ciclops grime Gorgons fretting Furies and monstrous Harpeis yea with thousande more deformities vnder the shape of humanitie the swaye and rule For who is more made of than hée that ought least to bée estéemed who is trusted more than hée that deceyueth sonest who is hearde more at all times than hée that ought least to come in sight at any time who hath more of all men than hée that deserueth least of all men In fine who is more beloued any where than he that ought most to be hated euery where The common people of the Meedes and Perseans for that they knéeled vnto Alexander and made him the sonne of Iupiter were more estéemed for their flatterie therein than the nobles of Macedonia for their truth and plaine dealing What is it but flattery bringeth to passe That which the famous and renowned Prince Agamemnon with all the force power of Gréece could not with ten yeres siege subdue I meane Ilion in Phrigia that noble city of Troy one suttell Sinon a simple a sillye Gréeke allured the minde of King Priamus deceyued with flattery the nobles and entised the Citizens through adulations to their vtter destruction last confusion That auncient and renowmed Citie of Babylon which King Darius with all the power of Persea with long warres and losse of men yea when all his strength fayled him and all his force neuer able to vanquish any part of that noble Citie one Zopirus a Citizen borne in Babylon through forged faith and fyled flattery I say betrayed his natiue Citie vnto King Darius That famous citie of Olinthus which the valiaunt Conquerour and puisaunt Prince Philip king of Macedonia coulde neuer destroy with his great armie and strong hoast yet one dessembling Lasthenes with flattery conquered them and gaue them vnto the enimies hande king Philip. To speak of the auncient Lacedemonians the most famous and worthiest people in the whole world for their wars whome neyther Meedes Perseans Macedonians nor all Gréece againe might vanquishe before Phrinicus with flattery deceyued them The people of Samos were deceyued by false Apollonius Menelaus was beguiled with the flatterie of Paris Dion of Sirecusa was slaine by his flattering friende Calicrates O sucking serpent of cancred malice whose small fruict is terrible death If King Antigonus hadde knowne the flatterye of his fained friende Apollophanes he had not béene deceyued as he was If king Astiages hadde throughly knowne Harpagus his seruaunt hee had not béene slaine of king Cirus If that noble famous Romaine Crassus had not wayed the flattery of Carenus he had not bene so shamfully murthered amongst the Perthians What flatterie was betwéene Iason and Medea what deceit followed what adulation was betwixt Theseus and Ariadne what falshood ensued the one king Oetes daughter of the land of Cholcos helping Iason vnto the golden fléece the other king Minos daughter of Créete deliuering Theseus out of the dreadfull dennes of Labirinthus from the monster Mynotaurus but both deceyued by flattery howe the Troyan Prince Aeneas deceyued Quéene Dido with flatterie how the Grecian Demophon beguiled Quéene Phillis with adulation howe diuers such Quéenes Ladies and others haue béene allured and entised by fayre spéech the daylye experience with pollicie and practise therein is a certaine and sure proofe of the same which bicause they are common histories I will omitte to speake of But passe we forwarde in the pilgrimages and affayres of Princes Who murthered Caesar that worthy Emperour in the Senate house of Rome Brutus and Cassius those flatterers that Caesar loued most who poysoned that mightie Conquerer Alexander in the midst of his triumphs at Babilon those that flattered him most his owne cup taster Iolla and his kinseman Antipater Who betraied that famous Romaine Cicero vnto his méere enimie Marcus Antonius euen hée whome Cicero before defended and saued from death Pompilius Finallye who betrayed Christ both God and man vnto the Scribes and Pharisées his pursebearer that flattering Iudas with fayre spéech saying Aue rabbi embracing and Kissing him as flatterers vse to doe Where is their greater tiranny shewed then where flattery is most vsed Where is there greater deceyt practized than where curtezie is most tendered Where is more falshoode tryed then where trust is most reposed The first thing that deceyued man was flatterie which the Diuell the serpent put in vre to deceyue Eue flattering hir saying if thou eate of this fruite thou shalt know good and euill and you shall be as Goddes on earth As the Diuell is the only aucthor of all lies so is hée the only father of flatterie attempting alwayes the best and not the worst accompanying the hiest and not