¶ Agasicles.

AGasicles kynge of Lacedemon beyng demaūded by what meanes a prynce or ruler, maye saufly rule withoute any garde of men, to de fende his bodye, Answered: If the prynce so ruleth his subiettes, as a father his chyldren. What thynge coulde be spoken of a panym more ehrystianly? Certes this sayenge to be true pueth thexperience at this day of the most excellent prince our soueraigne lord Kyng Henrie the eyght. Lord god w^t what inward ioy, with what hartie loue &, reuerēce do al [Page] his liege subiettes imbrace the maie­stie of his gracis person, and not only his liege subiettes, but also euen the very ranke traytours, whiche inten­ded nothyng elles but sedicion, yet the incomparable maiestie of his owne person they coulde not, but haue in wonderous reuerence? Wherof shuld this come, but by reasō that his grace beareth hym so benignely, so gentilly, so louyngly to all his subiettes, that he may very well be called pater patriae, the father of the countrye, or (to vse the terme of the prophete Esaye) the noursynge father. Do ye not thynke, that this so excellent a prince, so entier ly beloued of his subiettes, yf it were not rather for feare of foreyn enmies, then of his owne subiettes, myghte ryde & go, whereso euer his hyghnes wolde, without any garde?

¶ Agesilaus.

[Page] AGesilaus that great kyng of the Lacedemonians, when he was asked, by what meanes a manne myghte attayne to haue an honeste name amonges men, Aunswered: If he speake that is beste, and do that is most honeste. What thynge coulde be spoken more briefly? and agayn, what more absolutely?

He was accustomed to say, that the office of a capytayne is agaynst rebei­les to vse hardynes, and agaynste his liege subiettes gentylnes,

When a certayne vnshame fast su­ter heng styll vpon hym crauyng and sayenge euermore vnto hym: Syr ye haue promysed me, ye haue promysed me. In dede, ꝙ the kyng, I haue pro­mysed the, yf the thyng be lawful that thou askest, but yf not, I sayd it, but I promysed the not. With this propre answere he shoke of, the malapettnes of the suter: But when the felow wold [Page] not yet cease crauyng, but aunswered agayne: It becommeth kynges to per fourme what so euer they graūt euen with a becke of theyr hedde. Neuer a whyt more (ꝙ the kyng) then it becom meth such as come to kynges, to aske and speake that is lawfull.

One praysed a rhetoricien, bycause he made tryûynge matiers and thyn­ges of smal importaūce to seme weigh tie & great matters. I, ꝙ Agesilaus, wolde not iudge hym a good shooma­ker, whiche for a lyttell fote maketh a great payre of shoes. Undoubtedly in speakyng, the trouth is moste alowed, and he speaketh beste, whose tale is a­greable to the matier.

Agesilaus was wont very often to warne his sowldiours, that they tor­ment not theyr prisoners as felōs, but saue them as men. Also for chyldren ta ken in the warres he prouyded, that they shulde be brought togyther into [Page] one place, to thintent that they peris­shed not at the remouinge of the oost. The same prouisyon and care he had for the decrepite & very aged persons, whiche were taken prysoners, lest (by­cause they were not hable to folowe) they myght be torne in pecis of dog­ges and wylde beastis. And this hu­manitie gatte hym a wonderful bene­uolence, not onely of others, but also euen of captiues and prysoners. It is to be feared lest this Panym kynge shall ryse at the great day, & cōdemne a great nombre of christian prynces & capitayns, whiche spare neyther vir­gyn, wydow, suckyng infantes, ne de­crepit persōs, but rauysh, kyll all, bren all, more like Turkes then christians.

¶ Agis.

AGis kynge of the Lacedemoniās was wont to saye, that the Lace­demonians oughte not to aske, how many the ennemies be, but where [Page] they be. Signifieng, that the victorie hangeth not vpon the nombre of sowl diours, but vppon theyr hardynesse, courage, readynes and celeritie in set­tynge vppon theyr ennemies. I truste in lyke wise that Englyshemen, when so euer the defence of our coūtrey shal call vs to warre against our enemies, woll not cowardely aske, howe many they be, but lyke fyerse & hardy cham­pyons, where be they that dare mayn­teyne any false quarell agaynste oure moste drad soueraigne lorde, and his people? in full a readines at a becke to runne, whether so euer his maiestie shall commaunde.

When a certayne rhetoricien pray­sed his science of rhetoryke with hygh wordes, sayeng, that nothyng is more excellent, then an eloquent oration. Then, ꝙ Agis, when thou holdest thy peace, thou arte nothynge worthe. Meanyng that it is moche more excel [Page] lent & gloriouse for a man to do wor­thy thynges, then to haue a tonge rea­dy and swyfte to talke of worthy thyn ges.

¶ Lycurgus.

Lycurgus, he that made lawes for the Lacedemoniās, when he was very desyrous to brynge his coū ­treymen from theyr corrupt and vicy­ouse maners, vnto a more temperate fascion of liuyng, brought vp. u. whel pes of one kynde, of whiche the one he suffered at home to eate deyntye mea­tes, the other he vsed to lede out in to the fyldes, and to exercyse hym in hun rynge. Afterwarde he brought theym bothe forthe into the Gyldhall before all the citizens, and caused to be layde there certayne delycate meates, & also by them thornes and breres: forthwith he put forth an hare. So when eyther of the whelpes ran to that he was ac­customed [Page] vnto, the one ot the meate, the other vpon the hare: Se ye not, o frendes, ꝙ Lycurgus, these two whel­pes, that where as they be of one kind, yet bycause of theyr dyuers bryngyng vp, they be now waxen and are becom farre vnlyke one an other, and howe exercyse is of moche more strength vn to honesty, then is nature? Assuredly, the thynge that Lycurgus dyd in his citye, is of euery howsholder to be done in his house, and of euery gouer­noure in his flocke. Nature (I woll well) is a thynge of great myght and efficacye, but surely institution or brin gynge vp, is moche myghtier, whiche is hable to amende, reforme & streygh­ten a croked and euyll nature, and to turne the same into a good nature. What maner children shalbe borne, ly eth in no mās powre, but that by right bryngyng vp, they maye proue good, lyeth in our powre.

[Page] Suche citizens as abhorred ma­ryage, and hadde leuer lyue as bache­lers, Lycurgus forbad to be presente ta sightes and enterludes, and added also other shames and reproches vnto them, by this crafte dylygently prouy­dynge, that the citizens shuld imploye them selfes to begette chyldren. For where as it was an vsage and lawe a­monges the Lacedemonians, that the yongers sholde gyue moche honoure and reuerence to theyr elders, this ho­nour he plukt from theym, whiche by wedlock wolde not encreace the nom­bre of the citizens.

Lycurgꝰ beyng demaūded, why he made a law y^t nothyng shuld be gyuen w^t a mayde in maryage, answered: Bi cause neither for pouertie none might be lefte vnmaryed, nor for ryches any desyred, but y^t euery yong mā hauyng respect to y^e maners of y^e mayde, might chose her only by her vtuous cōditiōs [Page] For this same cause he remeued oute of the citye all paynted colours and or namentes, wherwith other women be wont eyther to set forth or to fashyon theyr beutie.

The same Lycurgus, where as he appoynted a certayn age for maydens and also for yong men to marye at, be­ynge demaunded, why he dyd so, aun­swered: To the intent that the yssue born of full growen parentes, & which be of perfyte age, may be stronge and talle.

Demaunded also why he forbadde the man to slepe all nyghte with his wife, but ordeyned that eyther of them shulde the most parte of the daye kepe companye with theyr lyke, the manne with men, and the woman with womē and with them also shulde reste all the hole nyghtes, but with his spowse he shulde not haue to do, but by steithe, and shamefastly. Fyrst, ꝙ he, that they [Page] myght be stronge in bodyes, accompa nyenge togyther but seldome. Secōd ly, that loue betwen them may alweys abyde freshe and newe. Thyrdly that they may engendre the stonger issue.

Furthermore in those tymes y^e cha­stytie of maried women was so greate and they so farre of, frome the lite de­meanour, whiche afterwarde they fell to, that at begynnynge the synne of aduoutrie was thougth impossyble euer to haue chaūced amonges them. And therfore when a certayne auncyent Lacedemonian named Geradas, was as­ked of a straunger, what punyshment aduoutrers shuld haue amōges them, for he coulde se no lawe made by Ly­curgus in this behalfe: He answered: O frende there is none aduowtrer a­monges vs. When the other went fur ther & asked, what yf there were any? Then, ꝙ he, he shall gyue so great an ore, as shal streache his necke ouer the [Page] mountaygne of Taygette, and drynk of the floude of Eurota. When the o­ther smyled and sayde, it was impossy­ble to fynde so great an oxe, And is it not, ꝙ Geradas, as moche impossyble that in our citie shulde be founde any aduowterer, wherin ryches, delytes, pleasures, and all curiouse deckyn­ges of the bodye be hadde in hyghe re­proche: and agayne shamefastnes, de murenes, and due obedyence to pub­lyque officers in hygh estymacion and worshyppe? This Geradas full pru­dently vnderstode, that vyces coulde not there growe, where no beddes to so we vices in, were suffred ne admyt­ted, and that those thynges lye as ded & despyced, whiche in stede of honour be had in despyte and skorne.

When one requyred hym, that he wolde make and ordeyne in the citie a Democracie, that is to saye, a gouer­naunce [Page] of the people or commons, in stede of the gouernaūce of the lordes: Ordeyne thou, ꝙ he, fyrste a Demo­racie in thy house. In fewe wordes he taught, that that fascyon of common weale is not profytable to the citye, which no man wold haue in his owne familie. Certes, a citye or a realme is nothynge elles, then in effecte a great howse.

Demaunded why he inacted a law that in tymes of warres, they shulde oftentymes chaunge theyr tentes and pauylyons: To the entent, ꝙ he, we maye hurte oure ennemies the more. The Lacedemonians bycause they were nymble and lite, remeued with no great busynes theyr oost: where as theyr enemies coulde not do the same, without theyr great incōmoditie, and also with longer respyte: for as moche as they caryed about with them so ma my baggages and burthens.

[Page] Demaunded why he ordeyned that the Lacedemonians shuld make their sacryfyce and oblation with small and chepe thinges. Bicause, ꝙ he, we shuld neuer want wherwith to honour god. Who wolde not saye, but that in so­lemne worshyppynges of god, all roy­altie and sumptuouse magnyficence is lyttell ynough? But this prudente panym vnderstode that god delyteth rather in frugalytie, then in fatte sa­cryfices, lest vnder pretence of religiō (as in our dayes it was come to passe) all abomination shulde be mayntey­ned.

The same Lycurgus beyng asked why he forbadde that the citie shulde be fensed with walles, Aunswered: Bycause that citye wanteth no wal­les, whiche is fensed not with stones but with men.

¶ Socrates.

[Page] SOcrates the Atheniense a great philosopher, and of moste pure liuynge, was wont to teache, y^t men oughte to absteyne from meates that wolde prouoke the man not hun­grie to eate, & from drynkes that wold allure, the not thurstye to dryncke.

He sayd, the veste sawce is hungre, for as moch as it bothe best sweteneth all thynges, and is of no coste. And therfore he him selfe dyd euer eate and dryncke with swetnes, bycause he byd neyther of them, but when he hungred and thursted.

Moreouer he accustomed him selfe to beare hungre and thurste. For at what tymes other men coueted moste to dryncke, then wold he neuer drynke of the fyrst cuppe that was fylled. And when he was demaunded, why he dyd so, he aunswered, bycause he wold not accustome hym selfe to folow his affec tions and Iustes. [Page] He sayd, those that excercysed them selfes to chastnes of liuyng, and sobre diette, had both farre more pleasure & lesse sorowe, then they that with moste a doo sought all the pleasures of the worlde: for as moch as the pleasures of intemperate persons, besydes the torment of theyr conscience, besydes theyr euyll name and pouertie, where vnto they be at lengthe broughte, do bryng for the most parte euen to their bodies also more peyne then pleasure. On the contrarie parte, the thynges that be beste, y^e same be made also most pleasaunt, if thou acquayntest thy self with them.

He sayde, it was an hyghe reproche for a man by seruynge and obeynge wylfully his inordinate pleasures, to make hym selfe suche one as no man wolde be glad to haue for the drudge or slaue of his house.

When he was admonyshed by his [Page] frend, y^t for the feastyng of his gestes, he made very sklender prouysyon: he answered, yf they be good men, it shall be ynough, yf not, more then ynough.

The same Socrates when he was asked, why he hym selfe dyd not go­uerne the comon welth, syth he knewe beste howe to gouerne it, answered, that he is more profytable to his coū ­trie that maketh many good gouer­nours of the same, then he whiche go­uerneth it well hym selfe.

Demaūded by what meanes a man myght attayne to an honest fame, If, ꝙ he, thou studie to be such one in dede as thou wolde be counted in name.

He sayde it was farre vnfyttynge, that where as no man professeth or practyseth any handy craft w^t out his great shame, onles he hath lerned it a­fore, yet to the gouernaūce of a cōmon weale, men be admytted & appoynted which neuer employed their wyttes to lernyng.

[Page] He was accustomed to saye, that no possessyon is more precyouse, then a trewe and good frende to a man, nor that no greatter frute or pleasure can be any other where taken. And ther­fore he sayde, that many men do ouer­thwartly and clene out of ordre, which beare more greuously the losse of mo­ney, then the losse of theyr frende, and whiche crye they haue loste the bene­fite that they haue conferred and gy­uen for nothynge, where as in dede they haue with the same gotten them a frende better than any golde.

He was wont to saye, that he moste resembleth god, whiche nedeth fewest thynges, for as moche as god nedeth nothynge at all.

He sayde, many lyued to eate and drynke, but he contrarily dyd eate and drynke to lyue, for as moch as he vsed these thynges not for pleasure, but for the necessitie of nature.

[Page] Suche as bought dearly thynges ouer tymely rype, he sayde despayred, that they shulde not lyue tyll the accu­stomed tyme of y^e rypenes of thynges were come. Elles it were great folye to bye thynges bothe worse, and also dearer, where as shortly after, a man may bye the same bothe better and for lesse price. Thus he euermore called backe agayne y^e desyres of men voyde of reason, vnto sobre iugement.

Also he vsed to saye, he that hath begon a thyng hath halfe done: mea­nynge halfe the worke is done of hym, that hath ones set vpon it. For there be many that in taryenge and takyng a breath, what is best to do, spende all theyr lyfe vaynly.

Demaunded of a certayne yonge man, whether he iudged it better for hym to marye a wyfe, or not to marye. He answered: Whether so euer thou dost, thou shalte surely repente. Syg­nifieng, [Page] that bothe syngle life and al­so wedlocke haue theyr incommodi­ties and displeasures, whiche to beare a manne, muste fyrste arme and pre­pare hym selfe. Syngle lyfe hathe these incommodyties, solitarinesse, lacke of chyldren, extinguyshement of bloude, a straunger to be thyne heire. Wedlocke agayn hath these, contynuall care, dayly complayntes, vpbraydynge of that she broughte, the heuy lookes of her kynsfolke, the pratlyng tonge of thy mother in lawe, Cukkoldemakynge, the vncertayne proufe of thy chyldren, and other innu merable incōmodities. Wherfore here is no such choyse, as is betwene good and euyll, but suche as is betwene the heuyer and the lyter incōmodities.

He wolde haue menne craue of god nothynge but good thynges without further addition, where as the people [Page] cōmonly craue ryche maryages, trea­sures, honoures, kyngdomes, longe life, as thoughe they wolde appoynte god what he oughte to do. But god knoweth beste what is good for vs, & what not.

He wolde that mennes sacryfices, shulde stande them in very lytell or no thynge, bycause god as he nedeth not mennes thynges, so he wayeth rather the myndes of the offerers, then the ry ches. For ellys where as the naughty­este persons do moste flowe in riches, it were very euyll with mankynde, yf god delyted more in the sacryfyces of the euyll personnes, then in the sacry­fyces of good men.

Lyke as we commytte the makyng of pyctures or ymages, sayde So­crates, vnto them whome alredye we knowe to haue made verye godly pyc­tures, so we oughte to admytte none [Page] into our amitie & familiare acquayn­taunce, but such as we haue espyed to haue borne them selues faythfull & profytable frendes towardes other.

Walkyng about through the mar ket, when he espyed the great multy­tude of merchaundyse, and thynges y^t there were solde / he thus was wonte to saye with hym selfe. Oh how many thynges be here, that I haue no nede of, but other men be vexed in mynde, thynkyng thus: howe many thynges do I lacke. Socrates reioysed with hym selfe, that lyuynge accordynge to nature, and accustomynge hym selfe to fewe thynges, he neyther coueted nor yet neded gold, purpull, precyouse stones, gorgyouse hanginges, and the reste of ryche mens delytes, whyche, he was wont to saye, were more neces­sarye for the playenge of tragedies or enterludes, then for the behoufe of mans lyfe.

[Page] He sayde, knowledge was the beste thynge a man coulde haue, & agayne ignoraunce the worste thynge, for as moche as who so euer dothe any vn­ryghtuose thynge, dothe the same by­cause he knoweth not what his duytie is towarde euery man. And they that be stronge of harte, be therfore so, by­cause they knowe that suche thynges ought to be done, whiche the common sorte of people iuge to be eschued, and they that be intemperate personnes, are herein deceyued, that they thynke those thynges to be swete, pleasaunt, and combly, whiche be nothynge so in dede. Wherfore the beste thyng in the world (he sayd) is the knowlege what thynges ought be desyred, and what to be eschued.

To such as maruayled, why he di­sputed of good maners euer, & neuer of the planetes and heuenly bodyes, as the other philosophers were accu­stomed, [Page] he answered. Those thynges that be aboue vs, perteyne nothynge vnto vs.

When on a tyme as he went in the stretes, a lewde felowe gaue hym a blowe on the cheke, he answered no­thynge elles but that men knewe not, when they shulde come out with theyr salettes on theyr heddes.

The same Socrates, when a ver­let spurned hym on the shynnes as he walked, & his frendes that were with hym meruayled he suffred the iniurie so pacyently. What wolde ye haue me do ꝙ he, they mouynge hym to haue the felowe to the lawe. It were a mad nesse ꝙ he, yf when an asse shuld hytte me on the shynnes, ye wolde saye vnto me, haue hym vnto the lawe. He put no dyfference betwene an asse and a brutyshe man furnysshed with no ver­tue, and he thought it a great shame, man not to suffre that thynge of man [Page] whyche he wolde suffre of abrute beast.

He was wont to monishe his frend Eschines, whiche was pressed with po uertie, that he shulde borowe of his owne selfe, and shewed hym the waye how, by withdrawyng from hym selfe superfluouse meates and other thyn­ges, accordyng to the cōmon prouerbe Magnum uectigal parsimonia, Sparyng is great rentes or reuenues. Certes, the moste redy waye to encrease a man­nes substaunce is, to abate his ex­penses.

Socrates whenne he hadde suffe­red his wyfe Xantippa a longe season skowldynge within the house, and at laste for werynesse wente and satte hym before the dore, she beynge more out of pacyence by his quyetnes and gentle sufferaunce, streyghte out of the wyndowe powred downe a pysse­bowle vppon his hedde. [Page] At whiche thynge, whenne the neygh­bours and the passers by hadde good game, Socrates also hym selfe smy­led, sayenge. I easyly gessed that af­ter so great thunderynges, we shulde haue rayne.

When his frende Alcibiades mar­ueyled y^t he coulde suffre in his house so shrewed and skouldynge a woman, as was his wyfe, Xantippa, I ꝙ he, am longe sithens so accustomed here­with all, that I am no more greued; than whenne I heare the noyse of the whele, that draweth the water vp out of the welle. For this noyse is very paynfull to suche as be not vsed there vnto, but he y^t is wont dayly to heare the same, is so lyttell dysquyeted ther­with, that he knoweth not whether he herde it or not.

Demaunded the same questyon at an other tyme, he aunswered: She teacheth me at home pacyence, that I [Page] maye vse when I come abrode. For beynge well practised and vsed to her maners, I shall be the meeter, to suf­fre other mens fascyons.

Socrates mette Xenophon in a cer tayne lane, and whenne he behelde the yonge man to be of a verye good natu rall disposition and wytte, he held out his staffe and stopped hym, that he coulde not passe / wherat when y^e yong man steyed, he asked hym where sun­drye merchaundyse were made & sold, whiche comonly men do vse. Where vnto when Xenophon had redily an­swered, he demaunded, where menne were made good. When the yongmā made answere, that he knewe not. Fo­lowe me then ꝙ Socrates, that thou mayste lerne this. From that tyme Xenophon beganne to be the heater of Socrates.

Socrates rebukynge very sharpe­ly his familiar frend at the table, Pla [Page] to greued her with, sayd to his mayster Socrates. Syr had it not ben better to haue chalenged hym of this betwen you and hym secretly? To whom an­swered Socrates. And hadde it not ben better Plato, that thou also had deste shewed me of this, betwene the and me secretly? Thus moste wit­tyly he repreued hym of the same fault in hym selfe, that he founde in an other.

Demaunded what was the pryn­cypall vertue of yonge men. Truely ꝙ he, that they attempte nothynge o­uer moche. Signifieng that the heate of youth can vnnethes suffre them to kepe measure in thynges.

Lettres which comenly men thinke were inuented to helpe the memorye, he sayde, by occasyon dyd moch hurte the memorye. For in olde tyme menne when they harde a thynge woorthy to [Page] be knowen wrote it not in bokes, but in the mynde, by reason of whiche ex­ercyse, theyr memorye beynge esta­blysshed and confermed, they casyly helde faste, what so euer they wolde, and what soo euer any man knewe, he hadde it in a redynesse. But after that the vse of lettres was founde oute, whyle they truste to theyr bokes, they haue not soo greattely studyed to im­prynte the thynges in theyr mynde, whiche they haue lerued. Thus it commeth to passe, that the exercyse of the memorye set aparte, the knowlege of thynges is not so fresshe and redy, as it hath ben, and euery man know­eth nowe moche lesse then in the olde tyme they dyd, sythe that so moche we knowe, as we beare in mynde.

He sayde, that men oughte to obey the lawes of the realme or cytte, but women oughte too obey the rytes, [Page] vsages and maners of theyr husban­des with whome they lyue. Certes, the rule of the wedded woman is the hus­bande, and she liueth ryghtly yf he be obedyent to the publique lawes.

Unto Euclides who was very stu dyouse of sophisticall subtilties, he fayde. O Euclides, thou mayste well vse the companye of Sophisters, but the companye of men thou canste not vse. Meanynge that sophistrie is vn­profytable vnto publique affayres & to the comen felawshyppe of man, in whiche who so euer desyreth to be con uersaunt must not playe with his so­phemes and quyddities, but fascyon hym selfe to the maners of men.

It was enformed hym of a certayn person that spake euyl of hym behynd his backe. By lyklyhode, ꝙ Socrates the man hath not lerned to speke well. Imputynge the vice of his tonge not to malyce, but to rudenes, neyther iud [Page] ged he that it perteyned any thynge vnto hym what other menne spake of hym, whiche spake not of iudgement but of ignoraunce.

ARISTIPPVS.

ARistippus disciple vnto Socra­tes, a man surely of a very sharp iudgement and pleasaunt wytte, when he was demaūded what profyte he toke by the studie of wisdom, This profyte, ꝙ he, that with all sortes of men I can frankly and boldly speake. For he neyther feared the mightie, ney ther yet thought skorne of the basest sorte. Bycause he bare a mynde indyf­ferently free, as well from hope as frō feare: for he serued noman, ne yet flat tered any person otherwyse, then his harte gaue hym.

Dionisius kyng of Sicill in who­se court this Aristippus was of longe [Page] season, asked him how it chaūced, that philosophers do hawnt the houses of ryche men, but the ryche men hawnte not y^e philosophers houses: To whom Aristippꝰ made answere in this wyse. Bycause philosophers knowe what they lacke, and ryche men know not. The lerned men knowe they can not lyue without money, and therfore they seke vpon the riche men, which be able to gyue them the thyng that they haue nede of. But yf the rych men knew as well y^t they neded wisdom, they wolde moch rather hawnt y^e houses of lerned men, For the pouertie of the mynd is moch more wretched then is the pouer tie & necessitie of the body, & so moche the more beggerly be the riche men, by cause they vnderstande not, how preci ous & how necessary a thig they want.

When on a tyme a certayne person rayled vpō him, he sayd neuer a word, but went his waye. But when the ray [Page] ler styll poursued him, sayenge, Why dost thou flee? Bicause, ꝙ he, thou hast powre to speake euyll, & I haue powre not to heare the. Most wyttyly he no­ted the mans vnshamfastnes, whiche where as he toke libertie vnto him self to rayle vpon others, he wolde not yet graūt this libertie vnto them to with­draw them selfs, to thentēt they might not heare suche shamfull raylynges.

Demaūded, wherin the wyse man differeth from the vnlerned: Sende them bothe, ꝙ he, naked vnto men vn knowen, & thou shalt se. Signifienge that the wyse man caryeth about with him in his breast the thyng that shall cōmend hym where so euer he goeth. Wherfore yf ye send y^e lerned & the vn lerned togithers naked into a straūge coūtrey where eyther of them be a like vnknowen, the wise man vtterynge his treasures shall fynde forthwith both liuynges and frendes, the other [Page] naked person shalbe scorned for a mad man, and shall be in ieopardye to pe­ryshe for hungre.

It is skase credyble that Bion re­porteth of hym, when his seruaūt bea­rynge a great summe of money in his iourney, was sore pressed with the but then: Cast away, ꝙ he, that is to moch, and beare that thou cannest.

On a tyme as this Aristippus say­led in the sees, and perceyued that the shyppe wherin he was caryed was a pyrates shyppe, he drewe forthe his golde, and began to tell it, and forth w^t threwe it in to the see, and greuously sighed makynge as though it had fall from hym vnwares, and agaynst his wyll. By this deuyse he saued his lyfe takynge from the pyrates the occasyō of sleynge or byndynge hym.

When Aristippus and Eschines were fallen out, one asked Aristippus Where is now your frendshyp? Tru­ly [Page] it slepeth, ꝙ he, but I wyl awake it. So espyenge a conueniente tyme, he came of his owne mynde to Elchines and sayde: Shall we not incontynent be frendes agayne, and leaue our try­felyng? Or shall we rather abyde that we may gyue men occasyon to speake of vs two at alchouses & tauerners? To whom when Eschines made aun­swere, that with all his harte he was contented to be at one agayne. Remē ­bre then, ꝙ Aristippus, that where as I am elder then thou, yet I came fyrst to the. Then sayd Eschines: Surely, thou arte a man farre better thenne I am. For of me began our fallyng out, and of the our fallyng in agayne. By this meanes amitie was renewed be­twene them.

On a tyme when he sayled vpō the sees with certayne of his owne coun­trymen, the shyppe brake & they were caste vpon lande. And when he espyed [Page] vpon the shoore certayne mathemati­call figures drawn forth in the sande. Frendes, ꝙ he, be of good comforte I see the steppes of men, and enterynge into the nexte cytie, he enquyred out what lerned men were there abydyng, with whom after he had there a lytle whyle talked, they perceyuyng his ex­cellent lernynge and wysdom, with all courtesie entreated not him onely but his companye also, and moreouer vi­tayled them for theyr retourne. At last when they that came with Aristippus dressed them selfes homewarde, and asked hym whether he wold any thing to his frendes and citezens: Bydde them, ꝙ he, that they studye to gette them suche ryches, as can not peryshe by shypwrecke, but escapeth all haser des with the owner.

¶ Philip kynge of Macedonie.

[Page] PHilip kynge of Macedonie, fa­ther to Alexander the greate, a manne of no small wytte, and a greate conquerour, When on a tyme he had purposed to take a stronge ca­stle and holde, and his espyes hadde shewed hym that it was very hard for hym to brynge to passe, yea and impos syble: He asked them whether it were so harde, that an asse laden with golde myght not come vnto it. Meanynge that there is nothynge so stronge, but with golde it maye be wonne.

There were some of his foreyn sub giettes whom he hadde founde not ve ry trustie, which complayned and toke the matier heuely, that his seruaūtes called them traytours. To whom Phi lip made this answere. Truly my coū trye men the Macedonians be very homly men and rudely brought vppe, whiche can call a mattok nothyng els but a mattoke, and a spade a spade. [Page] Meanyng that in very dede they were traytours. Uplandyshe and homely persons can not qualifie, but call eue­ry thyng by the proper name.

He counsayled his son Alexander, that such as were of any authoryte in the common weale, as well the good as the euyll, he shuld make them his fren des, and that he shulde vse the good, and abuse the euyll. Certes, the chiefe feate of kynges is to reiecte none, but to applye all mens seruyces to the co­mon profyte.

Sinicythus accused Nicanor to y^e kynge, that without ende he contynu­ed raylynge vpon hym, when the kyn­ges frendes moued hym to sende for the felowe, and to punyshe hym in ex­ample of other, Philyp thus aunswe­red: Nicanor is not the worste of the Macedonians. It is good therfore to se, whether we haue done our dutye in all thynges or not. So when he had [Page] serched out, that Nicanor was great­ly impouerished, and yet not rewarded for the seruyce he had done hym in ty­mes past, he cōmaūded a certayn gyft to be borne hym home. This done, when agayne Smicythus enformed the kynge, that Nicanor now without ceasynge praysed hym aboue all mea­sure, ye se therfore, ꝙ the kynge, that it lyeth in vs to be well spoken of, or euyll spoken of.

He oftentymes exhorted his sonne Alexandre to gyue good eare to Ari­stotle his scholemayster, & to employe hym selfe to lernynge and wysdome, lest, ꝙ he, thou myghtest chaunce to do many thynges, which that I haue done, nowe repenteth me. The noble prynce perceyued, that no man with­oute lernynge is mete to gouerne a realme, and he was not ashamed to confesse, that through errour he dyd many thynges a mysse, bycause from [Page] his chyldhode he was not ryghtly in­structed with lernynge.

Syttynge in iugement he had the hearyng of one Machetas mater, but beyng somwhat heuie of slepe, he was not very attentyfe to the equitie of the lawe, and so gaue sentence agaynste Macheta. But when Macheta cryed out and sayde, I appele from this iu­gemēt. The kynge angerly (for it was straunge to appeale frome a kynge) sayde, to whom doest thou appeale? Truly ꝙ Macheta, euen vnto thy self o kyng, yf thou wolt awake and heare the matter more attentifly. Then the kynge arose, and after he had wayed better with hym selfe the matter, and vnderstode that Macheta had wrong, the iugemente whiche was gyuen he wolde not reuerse, but the money that Macheta was condempned in, he hym selfe payed.

When on a tyme he was at debate [Page] with his wyfe and with his son, a cer­tayne Corynthiane came vnto hym, whom he asked how the Grekes agre­ed togyther. In dede, ꝙ the Corynthi­an, thou carest moche how the Grekes agree togyther, when those persones that be most nere vnto the, heare such myndes towardes the. Here the kynge beynge nothynge offended with the Corynthians free tonge, framed hym selfe to his sharpe checke, and layeng downe his angre, felle in agayne with his wyfe and son.

¶ Alexander the great.

ALexander the great, kynge of Ma cedony, and son to the foresayde Philip beynge demaūded, where he layd vp his treasurs, With my frē des, ꝙ he: Signifieng that a manne can laye vp his goodes no where so sauely, as with his frendes: for when nede reqyreth, he is sure to haue them agayne with gaynes.

[Page] When he was enformed that a cer tayne person had rayled vpon hym. Truly, ꝙ he, it is kyngly, when a mā doth well, to be reported euyll.

Porus a kyng beyng vaynguished by Alexander, when Alexander after the fylde wonne, sayd vnto hym. How shall I intreate the, Porus? kyngly, ꝙ he. Agayne Alexander demaūdyng hym whether he desyred any thynge elles. All tohyther, ꝙ Porus, is com­prysed in this worde kyngly. Alexan­der marueylynge both at the wysdom and at the noble stomake of the man, enlarged his dominion ouer that it was before.

A certayne Indian whiche was noy­sed to be so cunnynge an archer, that he coulde shote thorough a ryng, was taken prysoner in y^e warres, & brought to Alexander. Alexāder bad hym shew a proufe of his connynge afore hym. Whiche thynge bycause he refused to [Page] do, the kynge beynge angrye, cōmaun ded he shulde be put to death. As he was ledde awaye, he say de to suche as led hun, that he had not vsed his feate of shotynge many dayes, and therfore he feared leste he shulde haue fayled. When Alexander was enformed her­of, that he refused not for spite, but for feare of disworshyp, wonderyng at the mans wytte so desyrous of glorye, he lette hym goo not without a great re­warde, bycause he wolde rather haue dyed, then to haue loste his renoume.

The same Alexāder, when at the be gynnynge he satte as iudge in causes concernyng lyfe and deth, stopped one of his eares agaynst the accuser, De­maūded why he did so, The other eare ꝙ he, I kepe hole for the partye defendaunt.

ANTIGONVS KYNG

ANtigonus kynge of Macedonie, when one sayd that vnto kynges all thynges be honest and iuste, Trouth, ꝙ he, vnto Barbarouse kyn­ges, but vnto vs those thynges be on­ly honest whiche be honeste, and those only ryghtefull whiche be ryghtfull. He grauely reproued the flaterours sayeng, which wolde that all thynges sholde be lefull for kynges. For vn­doubtedly the kynge is not the rule of honestye and iustice, but the ministre of honesty and iustice. And wold god the eares of chrystian rulers were not tykled with lyke tales, and yf they be, that they wolde with lyke seueritie re­iecte them. For what other thynge saye they, which synge them this note, Quod principi placuit legis, habet uigorem: that is to saye: That lyketh the prynce hath the strengthe of lawe? Whiche saye that the prynce is not bounde to [Page] lawes, whiche gyue hym two maner powers, an ordinarie power, and an absolute powre, whereof the one can do what the lawes, pactes, and leages demaunde, the other what so euer it lusteth.

When he harde saye, that certayn kynges conspyred to muade hym and putte hym to deeth: He aunswered, that he wolde dryue them all awaye, as byrdes that pycke vp seedes in the fylde with one stone, and one showte. So lyttell the valyaunte prynce este­med the malyce of his ennemyes.

Thrasyllus a phylosopher of the secte of Cynikes (whyche were not moche vnlyke to the fryers of oure tyme) asked an halfepenny of the kynge. That were not gyfte for a kynge, ꝙ Antigonus. Then gyue me an hundred pownde, ꝙ the Cy­nike. Naye, ꝙ the kynge, it is not for a Cynike to take suche a gyfte. [Page] Thus bothe wayes he shoke hym of, whome he estemed worthy of noo be­nefyte.

After he was recouered of a gre­uous syckenesse, we are neuer a whyt the worse, ꝙ he, now. For this sycknes hath monyshed vs that we be mortall. How taught the Panym kynge this phylosophye worthy for a chrystyane harte?

Marsyas the kynges brother had an action at the lawe. He requyred the kynge that the matier myght be hard secretly at home. To whome Antigo­nus gaue answere in this wyse. If we do nothynge besyde the lawe, it shalbe done moche better in open court, and in the face of all the worlde, thanne in hugger mugger. For yf thou knewest thy mater to be naughte, why seweste thou? yf thou knowest it to be good, why fleest thou the hearynge of the people, and woldest brynge a mater [Page] of open court into a secrete chambre.

¶ Augustus.

OCtauius Cesar Augustus em­perour of Rome, when he herde saye, that kynge Alexander, be­ynge of the age of. xxxii. when he had conquered the most parte of the coun­treys of the world, doubted what he shulde do all the reste of his life, Won dered if Alexander iuged it not a grea ter worke, well to gouerne an empyre or lordshyd that is gotten, then to get a great lordshyp. He ryghtly noted the insacyable ambicyon of Alexander, whiche estemed nont other function worthy for a kyng, then to enlarge the limittes of his dominion, where as it is farre, both better and harder to fur nyshe the kyngdome that is fallen to a man, with ryghte lawes and good maners, thā by force of armes to ioyn [Page] kyngdom vnto kyngdome.

When the rumour of Herodes cruelte cam to Augustus eare, that he had cōmaunded all the chyldren of Jewrie of thage of two yeares and vnder, to be slayne, and amonges them that his owne son was slayne. It is better, ꝙ Augustus, to be Herodes swyne then son. Herode was a Jewe, and Jewes absteyne from eatyng of swyne fleshe.

When one Paci [...]us asked a re­warde of Augustus and sayde it was reapported of euery man that them­perour had gyuen hym money. But thou, ꝙ themperour, beleue it not. With a mery ieste signifienge that he wolde gyue hym nothyng. The other wayted that themperour wolde reme­die his shame, lest if it were knowen y^t the reapport were vntrew, he shuld be lawghed to skorne. But Augustus shewed an other remedie.

Augustus made a lawe for aduow­trers, [Page] how they shulde be iuged. After warde when a yong man was accused and brought before hym, that he shuld haue to do with Julia themperours doughter, he was in suche fume that he ran vpon the yonge man, to haue beaten hym. But when the yong man cŕyed out, Thou haste made a lawe, o Cesar, the emperour was so sorye, for that he hadde done, that he wolde eate no meate that daye. So sory he was that he obeyed not in all poyntes the lawe, whiche he had made to other.

Aeertayne Greke was wont thus to seke the fauour of the emperoure Augustus, when he cam downe of his palace, he wold present vnto him som excellent verses. Whiche thyng when he had oftentymes done in vayne, and the emperour sawe he wolde not leaue hym, hym selfe wrote with his owne hande, verye neate verses in greake: [Page] and when he esyyed y^e Greke cōmyng agaynst hym, he sente it vnto hym by one of his seruaūtes. The Greke toke and redde it, and not only with voyce, but also with countenaunce and ge­sture of body, praysed the verses with great admiracyon. And forthwith ap­prochynge nere vnto themperour, dyd put his hand into his purse, and pluc­ked out a fewe grotes, & offred them vnto themperour with these wordes: It is no rewarde for your estate, O emperour, but yf I had more, more wold I gyue. At which wordes, when all themperours company lawghed ex cedyngly, themperour called his purse bearer, and commaunded a thousand markes forthwith to be diliuered him.

One whiche was mayster of the horse, whome themperour had putte out of office, begged a great fee of him vnder this colour: not for the lucre of the money, ꝙ he, I desire this, but that [Page] it maye be thoughte I gaue ouer the office of myne own mynde, you beyng other wayes my good and gracyouse lorde. Tell euery man, ꝙ Augustus, that thou hast receyued this fee of me, and I wyl not denye it. Thus pratily he coulde shake of, suche worldly sha­mes chyldren.

Herennius a ryottouse yongman, souldiour in his warres, he cōmaūded to departe the tentes. The yongman besought hym with moche lamenta­tion and wepynge sayeng: How shall I dare go home agayne, what shall I saye to my father? Shewe thy father ꝙ themperour, that I haue displeased the. Bicause the yong man was asha­med to cōfesse, that themperoure was displeased w^t hym, he gaue hym leaue to turne the tale and lay ali the blame on hym.

When Augustus was now fourty and aboue, Cinna a yong man of no­ble [Page] byrth and nephue to Pompey, was appeached of hyghe treason, y^t he laye in a wayte with his complices to kylle the emperour. It was tolde where, when, and howe they wolde haue exe­cuted theyr felonye. For they purpo­sed to haue murthered hym, as he shulde haue sacryficed. The sentence of condemnation was made ready: but in the meane season, while Augu­stus themperour ꝑplexly spake nowe this now that, his wife Liuia, cōming in, & seyng the case, Do, ꝙ she, that the phisicians be wont to do, which when y^e accustomed remedies wol not helpe, do assay the cōtraries. With sharpe ex ecution, thou hast hitherunto done no good, forgiue, Cinna now bewreyed, can not hurt thy lief, thy fame he may helpe. Forthwith he sent for Cinna a­lone to come speake with hym, & when he was come, he cōmaunded an other chayre to be set for him. Cinna (sayd y^e emperour) this fyrst I requyre of the, [Page] that y^u interruptest me not in my tale, a tyme shalbe gyuen y^e to speake. Here when Augustus themperour had re­hersed his manifold benefites towar­des Cinna, how he had saued his life, when at his cōquest he was founde a­monges his enmies, how he had giuē him agayn al his enheritaūce & patri­monie, how moreouer he had promo­ted him to an highe rowine. he demaū ded of hym, why he purposed to haue slayne him. Cinna beyng therw^t sore troubled, themperour thus ended his cōmunicatiō. I giue the thy life, Cin­na, agayn, afore myn enmye, now a cō spirour of my deth & a traitour. From this day let amitie begyn betwene vs, let vs cōtende whether I more fayth­fully haue gyuen the thy life, or thou dost owe it me. And he offred hym the consulshyp of Rome. Woll ye knowe the ende of this mater? Cinna euet af ter loued Augustus best of al men: he made hym his sole heire & executour. [Page] Neuer after that tyme any man con­spired his death.

¶ Phocion.

PHociō a noble cytizen of Athens was of suche constancie and per fection, that he neuer was seen of any man, eyther to lawghe or wepe. When Demosthenes on a tyme sayd vnto hym: The men of Athens, o Pho cion wol surely kyll the, yf they begyn ones to rage: He answered in this wise In dede, they woll kyll me, if they be­gyn to rage, but the, they woll kyll, yf they ones become sage, and in theyr ryghte wyttes. For Demosthenes spake for the moste parte to currye fa­uour of the people, and his wordes were more sugered then salted, more delectable then profytable.

Alexander the worthy conquerour de­maunded of the Athens men, certayn [Page] shyppes to be gyuen hym. Forthwith they asked Phocion his aduyse and counsell in this behalfe: Surely, ꝙ Phocion, my counsell is, that eyther by force of armes ye vaynquyshe him, or be the frendes of the vaynquysher. Brefly he aduysed them to denye no­thynge vnto Alexander, vnlesse they trusted to withstande his malyce with force of armes.

¶ Demosthenes.

DEmosthenes the renowmed ora­tour of Athens, whenne he was spitefully rayled vpon of a cer­tayne felowe: Loo, ꝙ he, I am put in to a contention and stryfe; in whiche he that is superiour is inferiour, and he that ouercōmeth is ouercommen. Undoutedly in knauerye he that hath the vpper hande declareth hym selfe the worste man.

[Page] A pore woman had receyued of two straungers money to kepe with this condicion, that she shuld not deliuer it agayn to the one without the other. One of them within a while after fay nynge his felowe to be dead, came in mournynge clothes to the woman, & requyred the money. She thinkynge his felowe to haue ben dead in dede, deliuered it. Forthwith commeth the other felowe and begynneth to sue the woman at the lawe. She beynge now put in vttter despayre, Demosthenes cōmeth to the barre, and thus defen­deth the womans cause agaynste the demaundant. This woman, good fe­lowe, is redy to deliuer the money that ye delyuered her to kepe, but oneles thou brynge thy felowe, she can not do it, for as thou alledgest thy selfe, this condition was agreed vpon betwene you, that the money shulde not be re­bayled to the one without the other. [Page] By this witty answere he saued y^e sely woman, & eluded the conspiracie of the fals harlottes, whose purpose was to receyue the same money twyse.

Demosthenes on a tyme sayled to Corinthe, where was Lais the fairest harlot then coūted of al women in the world. He desyred to lye w^t her a night But when she demaūded an excedyng great sōme of money for one nyghtes lodgynge, he beynge therat astonyed chaunged his mynde, sayenge: I bye not repentaunce so dere. Signifieng, that after dishonest pleasures, repen­taunce foloweth at hande.

Dionisius.

DIonisius kynge of the Syracu­sans, when he perceiued that his son, whom he intended to leaue kyng after hym, had defiled a citezens wyfe: Beyng therwith sore angry, as­ked his son, whether cuer he founde anye suche thynge in his father. [Page] Trouth, ꝙ the yonge manne, for thou haddeste not a kynge to thy father: Neyther thou ꝙ Dionisius, shalt ha­ue a kynge to thy sonne, onles thou leaue these pagiauntes.

When he perceyued that his mo­ther wel striken in age, coueted to ma­rye agayne, He sayd: The lawes of a realme, o mother, maye be broken, but the lawes of nature can not. Signi­fienge, it is ageynste nature an olde woman past chyld berynge to marye agayne.

A certayne straunger came to his courte, and sayd, he wolde secretly cō ­mon with Dionisius, for he coulde shewe hym, how he myghte knowe a­fore, when any went about to conspire treason agaynst hym. The kyng toke the man vnto hym, and (all the com­panye voided) bad hym say on. Now, ꝙ the felowe, gyue me syr kynge an hundreth pound, that thou mayste be [Page] thought to haue lerned the feate of me. He gaue the money and made as though he had lerned it: meruaylyng at the mans subtyll deuyse. For this faynynge was not a lytell profytable to feare his subgettes from conspy­rynge his death.

Demaunded of a certayne persone whether he were ydle. God forbyd, ꝙ he, that this thynge shuld euer chaūce vnto me: Meanynge that it was a ryght fowle thynge for heddes and mi nisters of cōmon weales, not to exe­cute diligently theyr office. But assu­redly herin our moste drad soueraygn̄ lorde kynge Henry the eyght, maye be a myrrour and spectacle to all prynces and other inferiour officers. For who euer eyther more prudently, or more vigilauntly hath gouerned a common weale?

When he harde that one of his sub gettes had hyd his gold in the groūd, [Page] he commaunded, it shulde be brought vnto hym. But after that the man un beselyng a lytle porcyon of the golde went and dwelt in an other citie and there had bought a pece of grounde, the kynge called hym home agayne, and restored vnto hym al his golde by cause now he began to vse his ryches and lefte to make a thynge profytable vnprofytable.

An excellent player vpon instru­mentes he allured with greate pro­myses vnto hym, & bad hym syng and play in the best wyse he coude, For the more coningly he played and sang, the greater reward he shuld haue. When he had played before the kyng a good sort of dayes very curyously, and the kyng gaue hym nothyng, he began to aske his rewarde. Why ꝙ Dionisius, the rewarde that I promysed the, I haue faythfully payd. How so, ꝙ the felowe? there was not one peny gyuen [Page] me. yes I haue gyuen the, ꝙ the king, pleasur for pleasur, For I haue no les delited the with hope, then thou me with syngyng.

The same Dionisius wonderynge at the excedyng faythfulnes of Da­mon and Pithias: I praye you, ꝙ he, receyue me also in to your frendshyp. For Dionisius had sette vnto the one a daye of death, and when he desyred leue for a fewe dayes to goo home to his house to sette all thinges in ordre, the other becam his pledge vpon this cōditiō, yf he retourned not at the day sette, his felaw shulde dye for hym. He cam agayne, desyryng rather to dye, then to deceyue his frende. The kynge not onely pardoned the man whome before he had condempned, but also with greate wonder desyred to be the thyrde frend amonges them. [Page] Dionisius this mans son was expul sed his realme: So when one sayd vn to hym: What doth thy lernynge now helpe the? Truly, ꝙ he, thus moche it helpeth me, that I can easyly beare so great a chaunge of fortune. He dyed not for thought, he kylled not hym self, as other men be wont in this case but went to Corynth, & there taughte a grammer schole.

Agathocles.

AGathocles hadde a potter to his father. Now when he had cōque­red Sicile, and was proclaymed kynge: he was wont vpon his table by his golden pottes to set erthen pot tes, and shewyng them vnto the yong men, to saye: Where before I made such pottes (shewyng the erthen) now by my vigilaunce & prowesse, I make suche pottes, poyntyng to the golden. [Page] He was not ashamed of his former state, but thought it more gloriouse, by vertue to wynne a kyngdom, then by inheritaūce to receyue that is leaft.

Archelaus.

KIng Archelaus, when at a feast one of his familiars, but some­what vnshamefast, begged a cer tayne cuppe of hym, cōmaunded his seruaunt forthwith, to gyue it to Eu­ripides, which also was there present. When the other wōdered at this dede Thou, ꝙ the kynge, arte worthy to aske, and not to receyue: but this man is worthy to receyue without askyng.

Themistocles.

THemistocles that noble capitain of the Athenienses, beynge re­quired of Simonides the poete, that in a certeyne mater he wold gyue [Page] for his sake a false iugement, answe­red. Neyther thou shalt be a good po­ete, yf besyde the measures of musyke thou makest thy verses, neyther I a good ruler, yf I pronounce any thing agaynst the lawes.

His doughter had sundry wooers, but he preferred an honeste man of smal substaunce before a great ryche yong mā. His frēdes meruelyng why he dyd so: I had rather haue, ꝙ he, a man withoute moneye, then moneye without a man.

Aristides.

ARistides for his iust and true dea lyng surnamed the rightuouse, administred the common weale, alwayes trustyng to hym self onely, not sekyug eyther counsayle or ayde of any other. He moche abhorred fe­laushyps, leste he myghte be at anye tyme inuegled by the force and po­wer [Page] of frendes to do any thing other­wyse, then the tenour of iustyce and honestie requyred. Lorde god howe greately dyd this man flee all parcy­alytie and factions, whiche for none other thynge eshued frendshyps, but bycause he wolde not by them be en­forced to do any thyng that were not ryght, or be constreyned to absteyne from that which he iuged auailable to the common wealth.

He was at variaunce with The­mistocles, with whome on a tyme whē he was coupled to go in embassage in to a straunge countrey, as they were goyng: Wylt thou, o Themistocles, ꝙ he, that in these moūtaynes we laye down our malyce & displeasure? For yf thou wylt, at our retourne we shall take it agayne. He preferred the com mon vtilitie afore his priuate affec­cyons. For of theyse commonly spryn geth all the destruccyon of mans lyfe.

[Page] When the men of Athens, were so sore styred agaynst hym, y^t they wente about to banyshe hym, by a certayne kynde of cōdemnation, which they cal led Ostracismus, bycause euery man shulde wryte in a shell, the name of hym, whome they wolde haue exiled (for so comonly were men of great au thorytie amonges them banyshed) a certayne man of the countrey vnlet­tered brought him his shelle, and desy red him to wryte Aristides name in it: To whom Aristides sayd: Why good felowe, knowest thou Aristides? Whē he aunswered no, but that it greued hym, y^t he shuld be called rightuouse, Aristides helde his peace, and wrote his name in the shell, and so delyuered it the felowe agayne. So myldly he bare his imuste cōdemnation. Certes, it was a ryght graue testimonie of an innocent life, that of so great a multi­tude, there was none, whiche coulde [Page] laye to his charge, any other thynge, then the surname of a rightuouse mā, which name yet he gaue not hym self, but his frendes, yea the people them selfes gaue him it.

When he shulde go into exile, he helde vp his handes to the goddes, & besought them that they wolde so pro spere the maters of the men of Athens that Aristides shulde neuer come in theyr myndes. For in thynges afflict and troublesom, the people be wonte to flee, vnto excellent wyse and renou med men: which thynge came to passe. For the thyrde yere after his outlaw­rie, when Xerxes went about to inua­dē Athens, Aristides was called home agayne from his exile.

At a certeyn assemble, wherin Ari­stides withstode, but in vayne, the rea sons of Themistocles, departynge a­waye, with an open and cleare voyce he testyfied, that the matiers and af­fayres [Page] of the Athenienses shulde ne­uer well prospere, ne go forwarde, on­les bothe he and Chemistocles were cast in to preson. He desyred rather to go to preson, then that for the debate and stryfe of two, the common weale shulde be hyndered.

What tyme he sat as iudge to de­termyn a certayn mater, betwene par tie and partie, and the one partie to the enten he wolde kyndle Aristides agaynst his aduersary, made rehersal besyde his matier of many thynges, whiche thother had spoken agaynste Aristides, Aristides interrupting him sayd, Good felowe, let these matiers alone now, & if he hath any thyng hur ted the, speke: For at this present time I sytte as iudge to the and not to my selfe.

Chemistocles sayd in a certayne as semble where the citizens were gathe­red togyder, that he had found out a [Page] counsayll, whiche hyghly perteyned to the honour & dignitie of the citie, but the thyng was of such sorte that it myght not be publyshed and declared before them all. Here y^e people agreed, that he shulde disclose it to Aristides, and yf he alowed it, they all wolde a­lowe it. Nowe whenne Chemistocles had declared vnto Aristides that he thoughte of burnyng the place where the Grekes shyppes stode (for so shuld it come to passe, that the Athenienses shulde be rulers and lordes ouer all Grece) Aristides commynge forth to the people, sayde, Undoubtedly no­thynge is more profitable, then the coūsayle of Chemistocles, but agayn, nothynge is more vnhonest then the same. Whiche voyce when the peo­ple harde, they forbad Chemistocles to make any mo wordes herof. Assu­redly here the citizens of Athens (for in them then was the gouernaunce of [Page] the same) shewed them selfes to be of a wonderfull noble courage, in that they abandoned, and vtterly refused profite ioyned with disworshvp, and therwithall declared also, howe great the authoritie of renowmed vertue is in that they doubted not to commytte the fortune of the hole comen weale, to the iugement of one man.

Aristides was choson on a tyme, to be tresaurour of the citie, which office when he hadde executed very purely and vncorruptly, yet he was accused of Themistocles, and condemned of extorcion. But through fauour of the most worshypfull and honest citezens, he was not onely released of the amer ciament, which was assesed vpon him, but was appoynted also agayn to the same office. Whiche by simulation e­uen for the nones, he so administred that omyttynge his former seueritie and rowghnes, he showed hym selfe [Page] gentle and facyle, to such as loued to waxe ryche with the detryment of the comon wealth. By whose laboure it came to passe, that the people y^e thyrde tyme with high fauours assigned eft sones the same office to Aristides.

Then spake he and sayd: For the well executyng of myne office ye condem­ned me, and now bycause contrarie to equite I haue graunted many thyn­ges to the spoylers of the citye, ye ha­ue iudged me worthy of honour. Cer­tes, this man knew, by what meanes he myghte growe in fauour with the people, saue y^t he had rather be ryghtu ouse, then gloriouse.

When Aristides beynge wrongful ly condemned to dye, was ledde to exe cution, one of his enmyes spat on his face: He dyd nothyng elles but wyped his face, and smilyng sayd to the offi­cer that wente with hym. Admonishe this person, that hereafter he gape not [Page] so vnmanetly.

Pericles.

PEricles the Atheniense, to his frend requyrynge hym to beare false witnesse for hym, wherun­to was knytte an othe, that is to saye, a perturye, aunswered: he wolde be his frende but vnto the aultre. Sig­nifieng, that so farre forth a man may do pleasure to his frende, as he go not beyonde the boundes of religion and honestye.

When the eclyps of the sonne so­deynly chaūced, Pericles seyng other very many, but in especyall the gouer nour of the nauie dismaid and sore a­stomed therat, with his cloke couered the gouernours face, and asked hym, whyther he thought this to be a straū ­ge token: when he answered no. what differēce then is there, ꝙ he, saue that the thynge that nowe causeth this dat kenesse is greatter then my clooke. [Page] Meanynge full prudently, that by the comynge betwene of the moone, the sonne is hydde frome vs, euen as the clooke beynge caste betwene, let­ted the other mens syghte, and that the thynge whiche naturally is done, is no straunge token, or suche mon­struouse thynge, as men shuld feare.

Diogenes.

DIogenes a philosopher of the secte of Cynickes, vnto one whi­che counsayled hym, that nowe in his age he shulde repose hym selfe, and cease from labour, aunswered: If I ranne in a runnynge place for the maystrie, shulde I when I were now nere the gowle, flacke my run­nynge, or rather increase it? Rightly he iudged that the studye of vertue the nerer one draweth to his ende, [Page] is so moch the more to be inforced and hasted, bycause it is a greatte shame, then to ware faynt and colde from an honeste purpose.

He dysalowed the madnes of men, that wolde bye and sell thynges pre­cyouse for least, and agayne the vilest thynges for moost: For an ymage or picture, he sayde, whiche was a very vile thynge, was solde for moche mo­ney, where as a busshel of meale, whi­che was a ryght precyouse thyng, was bowght for very litle money. The ymage is nothyng necessarye to mans lyfe, but without meale we can not ly­ue. Wherfore, ꝙ he, it were more con­uenient that meale were moche derer thē ymages or pyctures. The philoso pher estemed the pryses of thynges by theyr naturall vse, where as the peo­ple estemeth them by folyshe persua­syon.

Alexāder the great on a tyme came [Page] to Diogenes to se hym, and thus he spake vnto hym: I am come, o Dio­genes, to helpe the, bycause I se thou lackest many thynges. To whom Dio genes made answere: Whether of vs two is more nedye, I which besyde my scryppe and clooke desyre nothyng, or thou whiche not contented with thyn owne realme, that thy father lefte the, casteste thy selfe in to so many hasar­des, to get the a larger dominion, in so moche that the hole worlde semethe skase ynough for thy insacyable coue tyse?

The superstytion of men that were feared with dreames, he thus mocked: The thynges, ꝙ he, that ye do waking ye nothinge regarde, but the thynges that slepynge ye dreame, ye carefully and busyly serche out.

A certayne rych man vnlerned, but royally cladde, he called a shepe with a golden fleese.

[Page] When Diogenes sawe the officers lede one, taken for stelynge a cuppe, out of the treasorie: Lo, ꝙ he, the great theues leade the lyttell thefe. Wolde god this coulde not be truely spoken vpon some christen officers, by whom otherwyles he is broughte to the ga­lowes, whiche haue stolen the value of twenty pens, where they waxe riche with great theftes or pyllages rather and extortions, without punishment.

What tyme Philyp kynge of the Macedonians hadde an armye lyeng at Cheronia, Diogenes came thither, anone he was takē of the sowldiours, & brought to the kyng, which as sone as he sawe Diogenes (who was vn­knowen vnto hym) cryed out angerly a spye, a spye. To whome Diogenes forthwith aunswered: In dede Phy­lyp, I am a spye, for I am come hy­ther to espye thy madnes, whiche not [Page] beyng cōtented w^t the realme of Ma­cedonie, by thy incrochynge of other mens realmes, puttest thy selfe in daunger to lose both thyn own kynge dome & also thy lyfe. The kyng won­derynge at the mans franke speche, & boulde language, commaunded he shulde escape without any hurte to be done vnto hym.

He said, loue is the busynes of ydell personnes: forasmoche as this affec­tion cōmonly assayleth those that be giuen to ydelnes and ease. So it cō ­meth to passe, that whyles they loyter in ydelnesse, they falle in to a thynge mooste full of busynes, and yet in the meane season they do no good thynge at all.

He sayde, good men be the ymages of god: For as god is beste, so it is his ꝓpertie to do wel to all men, & to hurte no man. This ymage shyneth and is espted moch better in wise & good men [Page] then in carued or grauen stockes and stones. For as moche as god is with­out bodye.

He sayde couetyse is the mother ci­tie, and hedde of all euyls. Not moche swaruynge from Salomon whiche calleth it the rote of all euylles.

Demaunded, what beast hath the moste venemouse bytyng. If of wyld beastes, ꝙ he, thy questyon be, a back­byter, yf of tame beastes, a flaterer. For a backbyter outwardly pretēdeth hatred, but the flatterer inwardly vn­der the personage of a frend, hurteth moche more greuously.

Demaunded, what countryman he was, he aunswered, a worldly man. Signyfienge that a wyse man, where so euer in the worlde he be, liueth in his owne countrey.

Diogenes was asked how he wold be buryed, Cast my dead bodye, ꝙ he, in the fyldes without pompe of bury­alles. [Page] What, ꝙ his frendes, to the fowles of the ayre and to wylde bea­stes? No not so, ꝙ Diogenes, but lay my staffe by me, wherwith I may dry ue them awaye. Howe can that be? ꝙ they, thou shalt haue no feelyng A, nd how, ꝙ he, then shall theyr pyckynge and tearyng hurte me, yf I fele them not?

To the redresse of mannes lyfe he sayde, be requysite eyther feythfull frendes or sharpe ennemyes, bycause the one do aduertyse, and the other re preue vs: So eyther of them by dy­uerse wayes but a lyke be profytable, whyle we lerne by them our defaultes and vices.

Aristotle.

ARistotle the phylosopher mayster to Alexāder the great, was wont to saye, that the rotes of lernyng were bytter, but the fruytes swete & [Page] very pleasaunt.

Demaunded, what thynge waxeth sone olde, he answered, thanke. Mea­nyng that the remembraunce of iniu­rye sticketh very fast, but the memorie of a good turne is gone anone.

He was accustomed to saye, that thre thynges be moste necessarie for the obteynynge of wysdome, nature, doctryne, and exercyse.

When Aristotle was informed that certayne lewde felawes hadde rayled vpon hym. As longe, ꝙ he, as I am not with them, let them bete me with whyppes, yf that can do them good. Signifienge y^t those thynges oughte vtterly to be despised of a wyse man, which do nothynge hurte hym at all, onles he thinketh him selfe hurted.

Demaūded, what a frend is, One soule, ꝙ he, in two bodyes.

He sayd that some men so spare, as thoughe they shuld lyue euer, agayn, [Page] other some so spende and lashe out, as though they shuld dye w^tin an houre after.

When Aristotle was asked howe moche the wyse and lerned do dyffer from the vnlerned & ydiotes, he aun­swered, so moche as the quycke dyffre from the dead. Meanynge that a man without knowlege is a blocke rather then a man.

He sayd, bewtie is of more strength & efficacie then any epystle or letters to set forth or cōmend a person.

He had this often in his mouth. O frendes, there is no frend. Meanyng that there be many frendes in name, but fewe or none in dede.

He sayd, nomā shuld eyther prayse hym selfe or dysprayse hym selfe, by­cause the one vttereth a mans vayne glorie, & the other bewreyeth his foly.

The same Aristotle aducrtysed mē to consydre and marke pleasours not [Page] commynge but departynge, that is to saye, not before, but behynde. For when pleasures be commynge, with theyr peynted faces they flatter vs, but when they departe, they leue be­hynde them repentaunce and sorowe.

When one blamed hym bycause he gaue his almoyse to an euyll man. I pytyed, ꝙ he, not the maners, but the man. Assuredly a good man succour­reth also the wycked in necessitie: For this duetie we owe, thoughe not to the merites of hym that is holpen, yet to nature. Also it is possyble he maye be good, which now is euyll.

Thales.

THales beyng demaunded what is oldest of all, aunswered, God, why so? bycause he was without begynnyng. Demaunded what is fayrest of all, he aunswered, the world, for it is the worke of god, and nothing [Page] can be fayrer than it. What greatest? place, for it receiueth al: what swiftest? the mynde, for it runneth through all the thoughtes of mā: what strongest? necessitie or destyney, for it passeth all: what wisest? time, for it findeth out al.

He sayde there is no difference be­twene lyfe and deathe, bycause they be bothe naturall alyke, and death is no more euyll then is the byrthe of man. And whē one asked hym, why he then dyed not? he answered agayne, euen bicause there is no difference. For if I shulde rather desyre the one then the other, so shulde I make a difference.

Demaunded what thynge were harde, He answered, a man to knowe him selfe. Undoubtedly the people iud geth nothyng easyer then this. For we see other mennes thynges better then oure owne, & euery man is a flatterer of hym selfe. Agayne whan Thales was demaūded what thynge is easye, [Page] he aunswered, to gyue good counsell to an other man.

When he was asked howe a man myght most easyly beare his mysfor­tune. If, ꝙ he, he wolde behold his en myes pressed with greater mysfortu­nes. For many men by the contempla cyon of other mens felicite and welth make theyr calamytie more greuouse vnto them.

When Thales was demaunded how a mā myght best and most iustly lyue: If, ꝙ he, the thynges which he rebuketh in others, he commytteth not the same hymselfe.

Solon.

SOlon the sage was wont to say that tyrauntes frendes be very lyke vnto castynge counters, whiche be sette at the pleasure of the caster of accōptes, otherwhyles worth many thousandes, otherwhyles very [Page] lytle, other whyles nothyng.

Demaunded how it myght be that least wronge myghte be doone amon­ges men: If, ꝙ he, they that suffere not the wronge woll be as sore greued therwith, as they that suffred it in ded for vndoubtedly who so euer trans­gresseth the lawes, hurteth not one cō moner nor subiecte, but the commone weale, as moch as in hym is. But now while whē other be hurted, we (though we be common officers appoynted to se due corretion for vices) eyther sytte styll or reioyse also therat, withoute doubt we gyue audacitie and boldnes to very many to commytte all kynde of myschyef, because eyther for folysh pytie or for lacke of christyan charitie thynkyng the mater apperteyneth no­thyng to vs, we woll not see the good lawes of good princes executed vpon offenders.

Pittacus.

[Page] PIttacus made a lawe, that they whiche commytted any cryme in theyr dronckenesse, shulde haue double punishment.

He allowed victories gotten with­out shedynge of bloude. For suche as were gotten with moche bloude of the citesens he iudged no victories.

He was wont to saye to suche as went about to be maryed. Equalem tibi ducito, Marie thy matche or felowe. For he had lerned by experyence what incommodities cōmonly chaunce by ouer hyghe mariages.

Antisthenes.

ANtisthenes the Atheniense being demaunded what maner lernyng is moste necessarye, aunswered, to vnlerne euylles. For that thyng is not onely fyrst, but also moste harde.

He sayd that vertue is a thynge of [Page] workes and that it nedeth not many wordes nor moche lernynge.

He sayd a wyse man lyued not after the lawes ordeyned of men, but after the rule of vertue. Meanynge that thynges be not therfore to be done or eschued, bycause the lawes bydde or forbydde the same, but bycause the self rayson telleth, that this is honest, this dishonest. Agayne the lawes pre scrybe not all thynges, but the rule of vertue techeth euerywhere what is ho nest, and what otherwyse. Certes, a cō streyned vertue is no vertue.

¶ Anacharsis.

ANathacsis the Scythian sayde, that a vine beareth thre cloisters, one of pleasure, an other of dron­kenes, the thyrde of displeasure. Sig­nifyenge, that a moderate vsynge of wyne is pleasaunt, bicause it slaketh [Page] the thyrste, a larger vsynge gendreth dronkennes, & most large vse of wyne causeth stryfe, murther, and dyseases.

A certayne man of Athens vpbray ded him, bycause he was a Scythian borne. My countrey, ꝙ he, is to me a reproche, but thou arte a reproche to thy countrey.

Demaunded what in a man is the worst thyng, and what the best, he an­swered, the tonge. Meanyng that the selfe same parte of a man bryngeth most vtilitie, if it be with ryght reason gouerned, and agayne is most peryl­louse and hurtfull, yf otherwyse.

This Anacharsis was accustomed to saye, that it were better for a man to haue one frend moche worth, then ma ny frendes nothynge worth.

He was also wont to say, that lawes be lyke spyders webbes, wherin the weakest and most feble beastes be chat ched and stycke faste, but the strongest [Page] breake out. So lawes do by nde the poore and meane persons, but the ry­che cobbes escape vnpunysshed.

¶ zeno.

ZEno Cittieus to a certayn yong mā which was alwayes pratlyng, sayd, I trowe (good felowe) thy eares be fallen into thy tonge. Declaryng her­by, that it shulde be a yong mans pro­pertie to heare moche & speake lytell.

Demaunded what is a frende, he aunswered an other I. Signifyenge that an entier and hartie frende no les loueth his frend then hym selfe.

Kynge Antigonus to such as won dered why he made so moche of zeno, aunswered, bycause where as he hath receyued moch of me, yet he lyueth ne­uer the softer a lyfe. When he harde that he was dead, he syghed, sayeng: What a loker and examiner of my life haue I now lost? Forzeno was a man of most sharpe tugement, & most farre from all flatterie. [Page] Zeno was a man of moste sharpe iud­gement, and most farre from all flatte rie.

Zeno had a bond man which imbe­seled awey certaine thinges from him: he commaūded he shulde be whypped: When the bond man excused him self vnder this colour sayeng, It was his destiney that he shulde steale: whiche destyney it laye not in hym to with­stande. It is also, ꝙ zeno, thy destiney to be whypped. The seruaunt alled­ged the necessitie of destyney to the ex­cuse of his fault, zeno retourned that necessitie also to his punishment, that that was also his destyney.

A yonge man whose tongue neuer stinted babblyng, he toke vp with this propre sayenge: For this purpose we haue two eares & but one tonge, that we shuld heare very moch, and speake very lytle.

¶ Cleanthes.

[Page] CLeanthes was so desyrous of ler nyng, beynge a very poore man that he was gladde to drawe wa ter & carye tankerdes at nightes and marninges, to thintent he might get wherwith to fynde hym selfe to schole in the dayes. In so moche that on a tyme he sayde to his familiars, when he had gotten a lyttell money, by such occupations, and throwynge it down. Loo Cleanthes is hable to fynde at schole an other Cleanthes, yf hym lu­steth.

When one dyd hytte in his teath, that he was very fearfull. Therfore, ꝙ he, I synne very lyttel. Undoubted ly suche fearfulnesse is good, whiche frayeth men from fowle thynges, and maketh them ware and circumspecte.

When he reasoned with a certayn yonge man, whome he sawe, was not very attent, ne ready to heare hym: He asked, whether he perceyued what he [Page] sayd, when the yonge man sayd, yea, why then, ꝙ he, perceyue not I howe thou doste perceyue.

¶ Isocrates.

ISocrates the Rhetoricien, who was so fearefull and tymorouse of nature, y^t he durste neuer make oration openly in presence of the peo­ple, beynge demaunded why, sythe he hym selfe was not able to make air o­ration in an assemble of people, he yet taught other: Bycause whetstones, ꝙ he, them selfes can not cutte, yet they make knyfes and weapons sharpe & able to cut other thynges.

Demaunded, what maner thynge is rhetorike, he aunswered, To make of lytell thynges great, and of great thynges lytle.

When Isocrates sawe one Sopho cles the wryter of Tragedies folow­ynge [Page] after a very fayre person, with whose beutye he was taken in loue: he sayde. O Sophocles, a man oughte not onely to kepe his handes cōtinēt, but also his eyes. A sayenge, truely, not vnworthie for a chrysten man.

Philoxenus.

PHiloxenus on a tyme beynge at supper with kynge Dionisius, when he espyed that a Mullette fyshe of an excedynge bygnes, was set at the kynges mease, where as a very lytle mullette was set before hym, he toke the litle mullet and layde it to his eares. At which dede when Dionisius the kyng had great meruayle, and de­maunded the cause, why he so dyd: Iu my handes, ꝙ he, is Galatea, concer­nynge whome, I fayne wolde haue asked certaine quetyons of this fyshe. [Page] And he sayth, he knoweth as yet lytle or nothynge, by reason of his tender age, but he hath a great graundfather he sayth, whiche lyeth nowe in youre dysche, who can tell very moche of the mater, yf I myghte talke w^t hym. The kynge beyng her­with delyted, and made mery, sente hym his Mullet.