Sectio. 2.

SERVIVS GALBA, vnder pretence Oroſ. lib. 5 cap. 21. of doing of ſome great good vnto the Luſitanians, aſſēbled the chiefeſt men, & the gallanteſt Youths of three great Cities, to the nomber of ſeuen thouſand, whome hee moſt trecherouſly and falſly ſlewe: which mooued great Sedition and tumult in Spaine againſt the Romanes.

Haſtrubal, intending, vnder the colour of hunting, to inuade Numidia, being reſiſted by the Numidians, told them hee came but to hunt Elephants.

By the like policy of hunting, Hanibal got Tarentū.

Such a hunter was Nymrod, that hunted kings and kingdomes, and therefore he was called, The mighty Gen. 10. Hunter.

Ninus was a great hunter of kingdoms & countries.

So may it be ſaid of Cyrus and of Alexander: ſo great hunters were they, that they died in their hunting out of their kingdomes.

Hunting is a military exerciſe, which made Sertorius Plut. in Serto. to vſe hunting, and to trauaile the hard rockes of Affrica; and that he and his ſoldiers thereby might better indure labour and payne againſt the Romanes, hee acquainted them ſo much with hunting, that they were able to ſuſtayne any hardneſſe.

The cauſe therefore why Braſidas compared hunting to warre, was, for that the like ſtratagems are often inuented and executed in warres againſt ſoldiers, as the Hunter doeth againſt diuers kindes of beaſts, ſpecially in Venatione Circenſi, at Rome; or in hunting of Elephants, Lyons, Tigers, and ſuch other wilde beaſtes, where the policy and ſtratagems of the Hunter, as the force and courage of the ſoldiers, muſt be.

Mithridates, King of Pontus, to auoyd the ſnares Iuſt. li. 37. & dangers of the enemy, gaue himſelfe ſo to hunting, that hee neither vſed City, Towne, or any houſes for ſeuen yeres together, ſo that by ſuch paynefull exerciſe he held tack with the Romanes for forty yeres. That was the cauſe why Cato preferred hunters and laborers Cato de re ruſt. lib. 1. fit for warres, Ex venatoribus & agricolis milites ſtrenui gignuntur.

We read in Xenophon, that young Gentlemen were brought vp, firſt in hunting, to make them more ſtrong and more able to indure the warres.

Plato maketh mention of three kindes of hunting, Pla. de leg. Aquatilia, volatilia, ac terreſtria; but he much commendeth the laſt, Quadrupedia venari.

This kind of hunting, Adrian the Emperor ſo loued in his youth, that hee could ſpare no time about his owne buſineſſe, vntill he was better perſwaded by his counſell.

So lawdable was this excerciſe, and very neceſſary to ſouldiers, that Maximinus the Emperour vſed Romane Legions to hunting.

Domitianus a great Hunter, is much praiſed in Suetonius, and for nothing elſe, but for hunting; and yet he Suet. in Dom. ca. 4. hunted in Rome, as Haſtrubal did in Numidia, that all Rome might be his Fermors & Tenants, and ſo to bee called Colonia Domitiana: that was the ſecret practice of Domitianus hunting.

Probus the Emperour, is reported to cauſe his ſoldiers to plucke vp yong Okes by the roote, and to make the Theaters ſo large and wide, ſet and compaſſed with branches and boughes, that it ſeemed rather a Forreſt, or a Parke, then a Theater, that ſometime a thouſand Eſtriches, a thouſand Harts, a thouſand Lyons, a hundred Stagges, & ſuch other fierce beaſts of Libia, were there hunted: ſo that ſuch hunting was called, Circences venationes, & often vſed of the Emperors of Romes Suet. in Oct. ca. 4. 5 inſomuch as they made Theaters round before, to ſee playes: and afterward, the Romans made them Amphitheaters long & wyde, to ſee hunting; that by hunting with beaſts, they might the more bolder, and with leſſe feare, fight with the enemy.

Xenophon wrote a whole Booke in praiſe of Hunting, wherin he named the greateſt Kings and warriers of the world, as Achilles, Cyrus, Alexander, and others.

But many of late, practiſed the like policy, not onely to hunt Elephants, but Lions and Vnicornes.

In Mount Parthenius, there was a Temple dedicated to Pan, and therein was a place named Aula, as it were a Sanctuary to all kinde of Beaſtes being hunted eyther by Lyons, Beares, or Wolues: if they could recouer this place AVLA, they were ſafe: and no further might they be folowed by thoſe Lyons, Beares, or Wolues. Such credit had they in their god Pan, that he could ſaue all Beaſtes that fled for ſuccour thyther, whether they came from Spaine, Italy, or from any where elſe.

In Aetolia, there was a Wood conſecrated to Diana, Alex. lib. 4. cap. 2. that Dogges hunting after any Beaſt, when they came ad lucum Dianae, the ſacred wood of Diana, they ſtaid and could hunt no further.

Ariſtotle writes of the lyke place in the Mountaine, which the Greekes call Menalus, to which place if any wilde Beaſtes were hunted by Dogges, and could recouer 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ▪ this moūtaine, they were ſafe as though they were in Sanctuary; the Dogges neyther could nor would follow any further.

Some kinde of Dogges there are more bloudy, that will ſo follow their game, that neither the Temple of Pan, nor the ſacred wood of Diana, nor the mountayne Menalus, nor yet Aula Regia, can ſtop their eagernes, like the Dogges of Actaeon, that wil deuoure their owne Maſter.

Theſe be the ſeede of Caligula, that ſeeke not onely to cut off the necke of Rome at one blowe, as Caligula wiſhed, but the necke and head of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Theſe be the broode of Centaures, that dippe their weapons in the bloud of Neſſus: Theſe are they that conceiue miſchiefe, and bring ſoorth iniquity.

Theſe be they (ſayth the Prophet) that hatch Cockatrice Eſay 59. egges, and hee that eateth of their egges, dyeth, and that which is trodden vpon, breaketh out vnto a Serpent, and becommeth a more deadly Serpent, then the Serpents of Arabia or Affrica, whatſoeuer is come from them, is poyſon, and bringeth death.

Theſe wicked ones, are like the raging ſeas that can not reſt, whoſe waues caſt vp nothing but myre and Eſay 59. durt.

Theſe wicked men be they that weaue the Spiders webbe, and yet ſhall not they couer themſelues with garments of their owne labour.

Their Lawes, their peace, their fayre words, & their fowle hearts, are nothing els but Ius ſine Iure in Armis: and therfore, it was the wiſh of Apollonius Thianaeus, to know good men and to auoyde euyll men, who can not change their accuſtomed wickednes, no more then the Blacke-more can change his ſkynne, or the Leopard his ſpottes. Iorem. 13.

Next Hunting is Swimming, accounted for a Military exerciſe, both to ſwymme to the enemy, as alſo to eſcape from the enemy by ſwymming, as Caeſar did in Vig. lib. 1. cap. 10. Diodor. lib. 17. the Watres at Alexādria, whē he followed after Pompey.

Alexander, at the Riuer Acinaſes, when there was no hope of helpe to ſaue his life, put off his Armour vnto his ſhirt, and made himſelfe ready to ſaue his life by ſwymming.

Great ouerthrowes haue bene giuen to thoſe that could not ſwymme; as Niceas the Generall of the Athenians, at the Riuer Aſinarus, where many of his ſouldiers, for want of skill to ſwimme, were ſlayne in the Ryuer by the Siracuſans. And this want of skill in ſwymming, often hindered Cyrus and his ſouldiers in many enterpriſes, as Xenophon ſayth.

Sectio 3.

PVBLIVS SCIPIO in Lidia, after contynuall fowle weather day and night, and Antiochus, when he thought to relieue his wearied and wet ſouldiours, were then ſet vpon and ouerthrowen by Scipio and his Army.

We read that Hanibal, after that he was dryuen out Vid. Hanibal lib 1. cap 5. of Affrica vnto Aſia by the Romanes, taught the kings of Aſia all policyes and ſtratagems, and counſayled Antiochus the great, in his Counſelles againſt the Romanes, to throw great veſſelles full of quicke Vipers into the ſhips of the enemyes, that the Romanes, being frighted with theſe Vipers, might be hindered of their fight, and daunted of their courage.

So did Antiochus, who imitated Hanibals counſel, but to no effect.

So did Pruſias king of Bythinia, but to no effect; for victory commeth from the Lord.

I commend both Antiochus and Pruſias, in following Hanibals directions againſt the Romanes, being their enemies: for theſe were lawfull ſtratagems to bee vſed againſt enemies: but to throw theſe Vipers into the faces of our friends, yea, into the faces of Kings & Princes, vnto the deſtruction of our country, this is the practiſe of Sathan and of his ſouldiers, who euer haue bene moſt ſeditious in all good common wealths, farre worſe then the Snakes of Syria, which will not bite The ſnakes of Syria. their countrymen in Syria, though they find them out ſleeping: but better & fitter to be likened to the Scorpions in the mountaine Altenius in Caria, who are pernitious & moſt perillous to their countrymen, ſparing none, yet to ſtraungers neuer hurtfull.

As in Alexandria, between the Iewes and the Graecians, Sedition betweene the Iewes, and the Grecians in Alexandria. ſuch ſeditions grewe firſt by priuate men, that it came to publike warres after. Between the Samaritans and the Galileans grew ſuch ſedition, for that the Samaritans wold not ſuffer the Galileās to paſſe through their territories vnto the feaſt at Ieruſalem, according to the cuſtome of the Iewes. Such ſlaughter and murther grew between the Iewes and the Samaritans, that neither Camaus the Romane Preſident, neither Numidius Quadratus the Preſident of Syria, might quēch this furious rage & ſedition between the Iewes and the Samaritans. One ſparkle of fire burneth a whole Citie: & one ſeditious man is dangerous in a cōmonwealth.

And therfore, the Athenians vſed lawfull policy, to preuent their enemyes the Lacedemonians, arming a certen nomber of men in Garments like women, vpon a ſolemne feaſt day which the Athenians kept to Minerua, out of Athens: the Lacedemonians ſuppoſing to find them for their ſlaughter, were preuented with this ſtratagē, for women, they found men, armed with weapons, Front. lib. 4. cap. 7. vnder the forme and ſhape of women, and were thereby ouerthrowen by the Athenians, and forced to returne with ſtrokes to Lacedemon. A lawfull practice of policy to preuent knowen enemyes.

God taught the Iſraelites a ſtratagem, after they were ouerthrowne twiſe, the third time to ouerthrow the Iud. 20. Beniamites.

So with the like policy, was Sempronius Gracchus with his Romane Legion by Vaccei, a people in Spaine, put to flight, by putting the moſt valianteſt men they had, in womens apparell, in Chariots and Coaches; the Romanes imagining them to be women, ſuppoſing to haue a great prey thereby, came as though they ſhould eaſely take thē away into their campe: but the Romans were forced to retyre to their Campe with loſſe, & not with gayne, which they looked to haue. Such practiſes are often vſed, & often preuēted by the enemies: but to practiſe any policy againſt our coūtry, was euer odious.

Phocion, a man of good eſtate, & of beſt deſert among the Athenians, who had bin in times paſt Generall for the Athenians, yet being condemned of ſome ſuſpected treaſon, might not bee buryed in Athens, but was carryed out of Attica terra to be buryed. It was not hard in Greece to finde out ſuch practiſers, for that all Val. lib. 5. cap. 3. the Cities in Greece were ſo enuious one vnto another, that they practiſed nothing elſe, but to deſtroy one another.

Milciade, the Athenian, who wan ſuch great fame by killing many thouſand Perſiās at the battel of Marathō, yet being dead in priſon, ſuſpected of treaſon, his ſonne Cymon, that renowned Grecian, became moſt willingly a priſoner for his father, to haue his buriall in Athens: of which, Cymon would often brag, that he obtained his fathers Patrimony, Carcerem et Catenas: for there was a Law in Athens, that if there were any, Qui de Repub. malè meriti ſunt, which might not bee found true vnto their Countrey, they ſhould dye in Athens, but not be buried (according to the Law) at Athens. So horrible is treaſon, and ſo odious were Traytors in Athens.

Such a Law was in Egypt againſt their kings, that if they ſhould offend in any great capitall cryme againſt the publike ſtate, they ſhould giue accompt before the thirty Iudges of Egypt, before they ſhould bee buried in Pyramides: which was the moſt odious thing in Egypt, for their Kings to want burial, and therefore, Simandius, an ancient king, had a rich Tablet hangd vpō his breſt, whereon was ſet the picture of Iuſtice; which Diod. lib. 2. cap. 1. Monument, after his time, Simandius left to his poſterity, the kings of Egypt, that they might be put in mind, by looking vpon the picture of Iuſtice, to do iuſtice.

Wicked Iſhmael, practiſing treaſon, came to Godolia, whom the king of Babylon made Gouernour ouer the Cities of Iuda, and Iſhmael did eate, and was feaſted at • ere. 40. Godolias table, and after ſlewe him with the ſword, and al the Iewes that were with Godolia at Miſpha, of meere enuy, which is the cauſe of all reuenge.

So the two Porters of king Ahaſhueroſh, that kept his gate, conſpired againſt their Maſter, and both conſented Heſter 2. to kill the king, had not Mardocheus the Iew preuented it.

Haman, ſo enuying Mardocheus, that he could not abide the ſight of him, practiſed policy, firſt with the king, againſt the Iewes, and after, he conſulted with his wife, how he might deſtroy Mardocheus.

Caeſar, with the like enuy, after long doubting of his marching in armes as an enemy vnto Rome, his owne countrey, yet at length being ouercome with deſire of reuenge, ſayd, Iacta eſt alea, being reſolued to reuenge his malice againſt Pompey, to plague Rome, and to puniſh his Countrey. A man (ſayth Salomon) deuiſeth Pro. 16. a way in his heart: but it is the Lord that ordereth his doings: the lottes are caſt into the lappe: but the ordering thereof ſtandeth in the Lord.

Sectio 4.

WHen Achior had ſaid, that great was the power of the God of Iſrael, Holophernes Iudeth 5. and his Captaynes would haue ſlayne him, like the Scribes and Phariſees, who fretted and fumed to heare the people cry, Hoſanna to the Math. 21. King of kings the Sonne of God. But the Lord findeth out the policy & practice of ſuch wicked men: for ſo he found out the practice & policy of Cain (who vnder colour Gen. 4. of walking vnto the field, did kill his brother Abel) by aſking a queſtion: Where is thy brother Abel?

The Lord alſo found out the practice and policy of Eſau towards his brother Iacob, who ſaid in his heart: Occidam fratrem meum Iacob. Gen. 27.

Ioſeph, demaunding of his brethren, what became of their other two brethren, made Ruben confeſſe to his brethren, that the Lord had found out their wicked practice.

What treaſon, what murther, though long kept ſecret by men, but was eyther by Byrdes of the ayre, or Stones of the ſtreete found out and deſcribed?

Achilles, very craftily practiſing policy to hide himſelf in a womans garment in Greece, leſt he ſhould go with Agamemnon to the warres in Phrygia, was foūd out by the policie and craft of Vliſſes.

Vliſſes likewiſe fayning himſelfe mad (through the like policy to ſtay in Ithaca, with his fayre wife Penelope) his practice was found out by Palamedes. Sic Ars deluditur arte among men.

If practices of men by men are found out, where ſhall the Traytour or the murtherer hide his practice & wicked policy from the knowledge of God?

Adam could not hide it in Paradiſe, nor Lucifer in Heauen, nor Ionas in the bottome of the Sea: Where ſhall a man flye from the preſence of God, that is of a guilty Conſcience?

Gen. 4. 〈◊〉 1.It made Cain to ſay: Omnis qui inuenerit me, occidet me. It made Ionas to ſay to the Saylers to Tharſis: Tollite & mittite me in mare: And it made Iudas to ſay, Tradidi ſanguinem iuſtum, and to hang himſelfe.

It makes a number to hang, to drowne, and to kill thēſelues, prouoked therto by a tormented conſcience.

For we reade both in Diuine and prophane Hyſtories, that more lewd and wicked men come from good men, then good men from the wicked: So that, of one Cateline, being a wicked man in Rome, became ſo many wicked Catelines, that Rome had too many Catelines, ſo full of ſpite and enuy vnto Rome, that they were (as Saluſt ſaith) Impuri animi Dijs hominibuſ que infeſti. And ſo likewiſe, in Athens, of one hatefull Tymon, ſurnamed Miſantropos, grew ſo many odious Tymons, that there were too many Tymōs in Athēs. But we leaue theſe Catelines in Rome, & theſe Tymons in Athens, and we wiſh that there were neither Catelines nor Tymons in Englād.

There were at Rome in S. Ieromes time, certayne S. Ieromes ſaying of Engliſhmen in Rome. Engliſhmen, of good conſtitution and faire complexion: whom when S. Ierom ſaw, he ſaid, Iſti Angli Angeli dici poſſunt. How ſtrange is it, that of that Nation, then called in Rome Angels, by St. Ierome, there ſhould be now ſome in England, which might be called Deuils, in whome are ſuch wicked practices, and ſuch lewd polycies, as neyther Philip of Macedon, againſt the Graecians, nor Hannibal of Carthage, againſt the Romanes, could exceede them with their Military ſtratagems, which was lawfull againſt forreigne enemyes?

The cauſe, ſayth Lactantius, of ſuch rebellious minds in ſuch men, was, Non noſce ſupremum numen, & Lact. lib. 3 luſt. li. 30. illud non venerari.

Therefore, the chiefeſt care of a good Prince, ought to bee firſt vigilant about Gods Seruice. So could Ariſtotle, the Heathen Phyloſopher ſay, Res 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ariſt. 5. Polit. c. 11 diuinas, &c. For as Cicero ſayeth, The Romans euer ſuppoſed the ſeruing of their gods, to be rather the cauſe of their Victories and Tryumphes ouer Affrica and Aſia, then their ſtrength and courage: and therefore, Maecenas wrote to Auguſtus the Emperor, to keepe and defend the Romane Religion, and the ſacred Ceremonies of their countrey to their gods, and not to imitate the Egyptians, Qui variam et mixtam religionem coluerunt, which accept of al kind of Religion, and neuer cōſent in one: for ſaith Cicero, Maiorū inſtituta tueri, &c. It is wiſedome to defend the Lawes and decrees of the Elders, and the Religion of their Countrey: which to neglect, is ſacrilege.

The Egyptians, though moſt ſuperſtitious and idolatrous people, yet had they in their Temples in Greek written vpon the walles, Deus eſt quae ſunt, et quae non ſunt, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Her. in Pom. 5. not much diſagreeing with the ſaying of the Apoſtle, Rom. 11. that God was he, by whom all things were done, and in whome, and from whom all good things proceed, and without him, nothing.

It is not the Iuory Maces of the Romanes, nor the Ebony maces of the Indians, nor the Lyons & Beares of the Babylonian, neyther the Dragons and Serpents of the Egyptian maces, that hold vp a kingdome: but the Scepter of Iuſtice. (Per me Reges regnant, ſayth the Lord.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

The Ethiopian Kings had their Scepter made in ancient time, in forme like a plough, in ſigne of huſbandry, which ought to be maintayned by the king vnto his people: for their kings were put in mind by their Scepters, to be carefull of their ſubiects, which are the ſtrength of the king.

And ſo the old Perſian kings had their maces made Diodor. li. 4. cap. 1. like a ſpade, as the Ethiopians the plough, to put their kings in memory, that the plough & the ſpade are the two onely Inſtruments moſt neceſſary in a common-wealth to enrich a king.

Some other Heathen kings had vpon the tops of their maces, the figure of a Storke, to ſignifie piety and lenity in a Prince to be neceſſary; and vpon the nether end of the mace, the likeneſſe of Hippopotamus, that a Hippopotamus, a Sea-horſe. Plut. in Alex. Prince ſhould auoid fiercenes and wrath. Which had Alexander lookt vnto, as the Hiſtory ſayth, Nec Lyſimachus Leoni obiectus, nec Clytus haſta traiectus, nec Caliſthenes mori iuſſus. Theſe three great murthers dimmed and obſcured his three great victories ouer Aſia, Europe, and Affricke, not then thinking of Caſſanders draught.

For when Alexander would know of Calanus, the Indian Philoſopher, at his death, what hee would haue Alexander to do for him? Nothing, ſayd Calanus: and anſwered him, as the ſhaddow of Samuel anſwered Phetoniſsa for Saul, I ſhall ſhortly ſee you. So in Homer, doth Hector ſay, that Achilles ſhould be the next of the Greeke Captains that ſhould follow him. To be ignorant therefore in things to come, ſayd Cicero, is much better then to know them.

Alexander would haue bene moſt ſorrowfull, after he had wonne ſo many kingdomes, if he had knowne that he ſhould haue bene poyſoned in Babylon, before he had come to Macedonia. Achilles had no cauſe to reioyce, after his victories in Troy, if he had knowne, that he ſhould dye in Troy, and not in Greece. Neyther Caeſar, after hee had ſubdued Pompey, if hee had knowen that he ſhould be ſlayne before the Image of Pompey in Rome.

Cicero being baniſhed from Rome, by M. Antonius, & Cicero his dreame. De diui. lib. 1. being very penſiue & ſad, the Image of C. Marius with the Sergeants before him, appeared as he was, whē he was laſt Conſull, enquiring of Cicero why he was ſo ſad, & how he did. Cicero told Marius, for that he was forced to forſake Rome, by meanes of M. Antonius. The Image tooke Cicero by the right hand, & deliuered him to one of the Sergeants, and willed him to bring Cicero to his tombe, & ſayd, that there he ſhould be comforted and relieued with great welcome. Theſe dreaming Practiſers, are often inſtructed by dreames, viſions, and Idolatrous ſeruing of Images, which ſome haue in their houſes in England, as Alexander Seuerus Alex. lib. 6. cap. 13 had in his gallery at Rome, the Images of Orpheus, of Apollonius, of Abraham, and of Chriſt: and yet theſe Images profit nothing, but to bring ſuch men to Marius graue.

Tyberius, perceiuing that the whole Empire of Rome was weary of his life, hauing children of his owne, fearing his tyranny (by his conſcience moued) ſhould be the cauſe, that none of them ſhould ſucceed him in the Empire, conſulted with auguratiō, wherin himſelfe was welſeene, & made ſupplication to his coū trey gods, as the maner & rites of the Romans were, to giue him ſome certein ſigne, who ſhuld ſucceed him in the Empire: being aduertiſed, that the firſt that would come and ſalute him the next morning, ſhould ſucceed him in the Empire, cauſed preſently Euodus his Chamberlain to cal all his ſonnes to come in to him, to preuēt others: but as Euodus went out of the chamber, came in Caeius, the ſonne of Germanicus his brother, and ſaluted the Emperour: whereby he knew, that his diuination Tiberlus deceiued by his diuination. failed him, that none of his children ſhould ſucceede, but Caius, his brothers ſonne, according to Salomons ſaying, Man determineth, God diſpoſeth.

Many in this age would faineknow the ſucceſſions of Empyres & kingdoms: but they are not of wiſe mens opinions: Animi morbus eſt de his quaerere: That which is onely in God to know, is not fit for man to ſearch: for Hermes. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . ambitious men want no boughs to clime.

Hannibal, perſwading king Pruſias to commence warre againſt the Romanes, anſwered Hannibal, that hee would enterpriſe nothing, before hee had conſulted with a Sooth-ſayer. To whome (ſaid Hannibal) Carunculae vitulinae mauis, quàm veteri Imperatori credere? De diui. lib. 2. Canſt thou beleeue, king Pruſias, rather the lyuer of a beaſt, or the flying of a Fowle, then beleeue an olde Captaine, who had bin Generall againſt the Romanes 17. yeeres, who (to my loſſe) haue learned to be a Soldiour, & can better counſell thee, then the Soothſayer?

The likeſaying is tepbrted of king Mithridates, that in ſpite of fortune, after ſhe had done what ſhe could, ſayd, I can counſel others not to truſt Fortune, though it be often true, Rara eſt Virtus, quam Fortuna non gubernat. But what is it but Superſtition wil do? Which made Cato to ſay and to wonder,Lib. 2. de Diui. Quod non rideret Aruſpex, Aruſpicem cum videret, that one Soothſayer would not laugh when he ſaw another.

Pub. Claudius, in the firſt Punicke watre, ieſting at ſo many Augurers, commaunded ſome Chickens that would eate nothing out of their Cage or Coupe, to be drowned in water, for that they might drinke, becauſe they would not eat, in contempt of their Diuination: but he was condemned to death by the people, for not eſteeming Auguration.

Lib. 2. de nat. Deo.For the like cauſe, his fellow Conſull Lu. Iunius, to eſcape the danger and wrath of the people, ſlew him ſelfe. Athens more ſuperſtitious then Rome, where Diagoras, was baniſhed, Socrates poyſoned, and Timagoras impriſoned.

Such Augurations and Soothſayings had bene in honor and worſhip in old time, and of ſuch credit, that it was death among the Romanes and the Perſians, to ieſt at it for their Magicke among the Perſians, and Auguration among the Romanes, without which their kings could not be in times paſt elected.

Scipio and Figulus, becauſe they were elected & became Magiſtrates, and not allowed by the Augurers 2. Diuin. Lawes, being wrongfully created, they both refuſed & forſooke their Offices, and were alſo reiected of the people.

Paul and Barnabas, after the reſtoring of an impotent cripple, being ſo borne of his mother, the people Acts 3. in Lyſtra cryed out, that Gods are come downe in the likeneſſe of men. And they called Paul, Mereurius, and Barnabas, Iupiter; and the Prieſts of Iupiter brought Bulles trymmed with Flowers and Garlands vnto the gates, where Paul and Barnabas lodged, and there would haue ſacrificed with the people.

In like maner, one Demetrius, a Syluer-Smyth vnto Diana, ſtirred vp ſedition among the ſuperſtitious people, ſaying, that Paul perſwaded the people, not onely Acts 19. at Epheſus, but throughout all Aſia, that they bee not Gods which are made with hands: ſo that the Temple of the great Goddeſſe Diana, and the Image that came downe from Iupiter, ſhould be nothing eſteemed, and that her magnificence, which all Aſia and the whole world worſhipped, ſhould be deſtroyed.

In Ieruſalem, their ſuperſtitious Idolatry was the onely cauſe of the ouerthrow of both the kingdomes of Iudah and of Iſrael, euery one worſhipping ſeuerall gods of ſtrange nations. And therefore the Prophet ſayd, That the Plummet of the houſe of Ahab, & the Line of Samaria, ſhould be ſtretched ouer Ieruſalem, that as Samaria was deſtroyed with her Idols, ſo ſhuld Ieruſalem with her Images.

Cicero doth report of certeine Chaldean Phyloſophers, being in his time at Rome, who ſhewed their cū ning Cic. de Diuin. 2. vpon three of the greateſt men of Rome, of equall fortune and greatnes, and therfore, one enuying the other, much doubting one of another, cōſulted with certein Chaldeans then at Rome, by whom they were certified in the preſence of Cicero, that eche one of theſe 3. viz, Craſſus, Pompey, & Caeſar, ſhould liue to be very old, they ſhould dye in their houſes, & ſhould with honor and fame accompliſh all their actions, wheras in truth, they dyed afterwards otherwiſe, and that out of their countrey: Craſius firſt was ſlaine among the Parthians, and his head ſent by Surena to Pacorus, king of the Parthians. Pompey was ſlaine in Egypt, and his head ſent by Ptolomy to Caeſar: And laſtly, Caeſar was ſlaine in the Senate houſe, among the Senators.

Their dumme ſtratagems muſt be preuented, as Iehu did by the meſſenger of King Ioram, who came to Iehu, 4. Reg. 9. ſaying, Thus ſaith the king: Is it peace, Iehu? What haſt thou to do with peace, ſayth Iehu? come behind me & follow me. What peace ſhould be, when factious and ſeditious men beareſway? or what peace can be, ſayd Iehu to king Iorā, whiles the whoredome of thy mother Iezabel, & her witchcrafts are yet in great nomber; whē Iuda & Iſrael agree not in one religion? When Achab and Baeals prieſts rule Iſrael, they muſt bee preuented, as Philip of Macedon did the Embaſſadors of the Etoliās, Front. lib. 1. cap. 4. who comming to entreat for peace, were kept in talking of peace, vntill king Philip had won Thermopyla, and placed his garriſon there.

Theſe rebellious Practitioners haue, and alſo had their Embaſſadours alwayes abroade, to knowe if it bee peace, for them to come there, if they fayled of their purpoſe, which ſhould more feare God in their countrey, then feare their enemies out of their countrey. But as Benhadad coūſayled Iehoram, that he ſhould make ſtreets in Damaſco for him & his people to dwel, 3. Reg 20 as his father made ſtreets in Samaria for the Aſſyrians to dwel, ſaying, My people ſhal be thy people: So Rebelles were promiſed Townes and Citties to dwell in, and therfore ſaid they: Litet, ſilibet, to practiſe treaſon, murther and ſacriledge.

There were many Antigonies in Greece: one Antigonus Many Antigonies in Greece. ſurnamed Gonatus, for that one knee was bigger thē another: all his care was to make both his knees of equall proportion, that it might ſeeme vnto the people but of one quantitie.

Another Antigonus, ſurnamed Polyorcetes, for that he was alwayes practiſed buſily to ouerthrow townes and cities, and to triumph in his tyranny: hee would euer boaſt and bragge what euill hee had done, reioycing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. much in titles of violence and of his conqueſts, as many of the Greekes were wont to do, but none of equity and iuſtice, but onely Ariſtides.

Another Antigonus, ſurnamed Doſan, for that he wold promiſe any thing, but as Plutarch ſayth, would performe nothing. This Antigonus left more heires behinde him in Courts and in Countreyes.

And there was another Antigonus, ſurnamed Euargetes, for that he was a beneficiall Prince & a benefactor in all Greece, and therfore his Statue was carried at Athens in the Banner of Peplon, with the Statues of Iupiter and Mars, in memorie of his benefits to the Grecians. Such is the continuance of a good Prince for vertues ſake, and the decay of euyll Princes for their wickednes.

Cyrus, being relieued of the rude and barbarous nation, Diodor. lib. 17. called Arimaſpi, being in much want and great extremytie of victualles, for their friendſhip & liberality, chāged the name of Arimaſpi, & called them Euargetes.

Among many Emperours of Rome, called Antonines, one onely Antoninus, ſurnamed Pius, for his zeale and loue towards his coūtry, in baniſhing of Vſury, & puniſhing Vſurers in Rome: one Alexander, called Seuerus, for his vertuous ſeuerity. The reſt, as Heliogabalus, Comodus, Caracalla & others, were rather Monſters, then good Emperours.

So much might bee ſpoken of the kings of Egypt, among Many Ptolomies in Egypt. ſo many Ptolomies, fewe good, ſauing Ptolo▪ ſurnamed Euargetes, a benefactor to his countrey, and Ptol. Philodelphos, for his ſingular loue & zeale to his Countrey, in prouiding the Bible to bee tranſlated from Hebrew to Greek: yet had the other kings of Egypt, of ſuch louing names, one ſurnamed Ptol. Philopater, another Philometor, as though they ſhould reuerence and loue their parents, when in trueth, they were no otherwiſe but paracides and murtherers of their parents, and deſtroyers of their Countreyes.

The old kings of Egypt, which were in nomber 330. were called Pharaones, whoſe names, Herodot doth not recite, becauſe they were all called Pharaones, which in the Egyptian tongue, are called kings, frō Mineus time that builded Memphis, vntil Salomons time: for his father in lawe was the laſt Pharao in Egypt.

Then reigned Nicaule, the Q. of Egypt and Ethiopia, Ioſeph. lib. 8. cap. 2. How long the name of Pharaoes continued. who came to Ieruſalem to heare & to ſee Salomon, with Camelles laden with gold, ſiluer and precious ſtones. After this Queene, the name of Pharaoes ended; which had continued 1300. yeres, from the firſt vnto the laſt, whoſe daughter, Salomon maried.

Sectio. 5.

ANaxarchus, the Philoſopher, flattered Alexander The flattery of Anaxarchus. the great, when he ſaw him make much mourning for Clytus, whom in his fury he ſlue. Art thou ignorant, Alexander, ſaid Anaxarchus, that anciēt wiſe men haue placed the Image of Iuſtice hard by Iupiter, that whatſoeuer Iupiter doeth, that Iuſtice doeth alwayes allowe? A ſmall matter for Diodor. lib. 17. Gel. lib. 3. cap. 8. Alexander the great, to kil Clitus, Parmenio, and Philotas his ſonne; when other meaner men then Alexander, do practiſe their policy, not onely to kill, but alſo to poyſon kings & princes: ſo was Alexander, that killed ſo many kings & princes, poyſoned by his ſeruant Caſſander. So ſhould Pyrrhus haue bin, by his Phiſicion & ſeruant Timochares, who offered Fabritius to poyſon Pirrhus, if Fabritius would. But the Romane Conſull ſent word to Pirrhus, Vrbem noſtram a filio Martis conditam, non venenis, Cic. 3. Offic. ſed armis bellum gerere: That Rome was builded by Mars his ſonne, to wat with weapons, and not with poyſon; concealing the name of Timochares, and yet warned Pirrhus to looke better to himſelfe.

Antiochus the great had a Paraſite in court, named Minio, who flattering Antiochus, as Anaxarchus did Alexander, counſelled him to moue warres againſt the Romanes, as Hanibal did before him, whereby he loſt the name of Antiochus the great, in Aſia and in Syria, Antiochus the great. and was driuen by the Romanes, to liue within the precinct of mount Taurus: ſo that the Romane Scipio wan Aſia frō Antiochus, and was named Scipio Aſiaticus, and not Magnus: for the Romanes could not abide the name of Magnus: So that by following of ill coūſel, Antiochus the Great loſt his Greatneſſe in Aſia: and Alexander the Great loſt his life in Babylon.

The like is hiſtoried of one Alexander Acarnan, that contrarywiſe, neuer tooke counſell to take warres in hand, for that he neuer doubted of the victory, but cō ſulted where & how he might haue money, by practiſing of policy.

Liui. 33.Many do imitate this raſh felow, who to accompliſh their trecherous purpoſe, make more haſte then good ſpeed, without regard of that which doth follow: for delayes are dangerous for ſeditious men to practiſe Policy. Malum naſcens, facile opprimitur. Rebelles may not delay as Fab. Maximus did to weary Hanibal. Sedition is Tacit. 11. full of feare, one fearing another, leſt the one bee betrayed by the other: all the practiſes of the ſeditious is to ſowe Diſcord, no hope reſteth vnto them, but by diſcord: and therefore ſaid Cicero againſt that ſeditious Romane Cateline, Qui honores quieta Repub. deſperant, perturbata ſe conſequi poſſe arbitrantur. Many Catelines were in Rome, which, vnder pretence of liberty, practiſed all the policyes they could, to ouerthrow the Commonwealth: Tumultum ex tumultu, et bellum ex bello ſerunt. Neuer quiet, vntil they ſee the ſtate of a kingdome vnquiet: and many ſay in their hearts, as Cateline ſpake of Rome, Aut incendio aut ruina extinguam.

Attilius Regulus was a man of great credit and authority, and of more truth and fayth towards his countrey, Front. lib. 4. cap. 3. then Cateline: hauing runne ouer ſo many great Offices in Rome and out of Rome, that at his death he wrote nothing to the Senators, but de Succeſſore, of a Succeſſor, which was hard for the Senators to find in Rome, the like to ſucceed him. So iuſt and faythfull a man was Attilius found in Rome.

The like is hiſtoried of Luc. Mummius, after he had ſubdued many townes and Cities; but eſpecially Corinthus, Luc. Mummius. the richeſt and chiefeſt City in all Greece, that he filled all Italy with Tablets, Statues, and Images, & all other rich ornaments: and though Mummius might haue bin Lord of Corinthus, yet had he rather dye a poore man in his countrey at Rome.

Attalus, ſurnamed Philometor, had great delight to plant venemous hearbs, as Hemlocke, Wolfeband, Eleborum, & others: and being required of one of his Nobles, why he planted ſuch venemous hearbs, he anſwered, To practiſe policy.

Such policy practiſed Dalila againſt Samſon: Pharaoes daughter againſt Salomon: & Tullia, Tarquins wife Iudg. 14. 3. Reg. 11. practiſed ſuch policy againſt the king Seruius Tullus, her father. Some plow with Samſons heyfar, to their owne ouerthrow: and ſome with Minoes Cowe, to breed many monſtrous Minotaures, to deuoure their country. And too many plow againſt the law of Moſes, with an Oxe and an Aſſe; and all this to practiſe policy.

Sectio 6.

IN Greece were two generall factions, the Doreans, and Ionians: the Lacedemonians tooke part with the Doreans; and the Athenians, with the Ionians. From theſe two Factions Two generall factiōs in Greece. grew in Greece, ſuch ſeditions, that the Boetians, the Argiues, Elians, Mantineans, and others, ſome affecting the Doreans with the Lacedemonians, ſome affecting the Ionians with the Athenians, that it brake out into ciuil warres, which continued 27. yeres, to the deſtructiō of the Empire of Greece, which ſomtyme gaue ſo many ouerthrowes to the Perſians, ſo many victories at Marathō, at Artimeſium, at Salamina, & other-where, that now, by meanes of their factions & ſeditions, Philip of Macedon ſaw ſuch oportunity to ſubdue the Graecians, which hee long thirſted for, that he ouercame Greece with Greekes; for ſo it is written, Graeci Graecorum manibus mactabantur, by meanes chiefly of their ciuil ſeditions and factions: he wan more townes in Greece by Greeks, then by the Macedonians.

The like of the ciuill warres among the Romanes: the Danes thought it the fitteſt time to winne Rome Front. lib. 1. cap. 10 Scorylo. in ſuch a ſeditious time, as Philip did Greece: yet Scorylo their Generall at that time appoynted, doubting much of this enterpriſe, cauſed two great maſtiue dogs to fight eagerly before the people, that both were wel wearied: then Scorylo brought in a Wolfe in the ſight of theſe maſtiue dogs, & ſtraight wayes both the dogs left off fighting, & both of them ran fiercely, & fought egerly with the Wolfe. The fierce ciuill warres and fighting of the Romanes at home, ſayd Scorylo, will euen ſo do, when they ſee a Wolfe, I meane, a forrayne enemy, to commence warre againſt them.

There was alſo in Athens, two factions, Pericles being the authour of one, and Cymon, the ſonne of Milciades Two factions in Athens. the other. Pericles affected the cōmon people; and Cimon preferred the Nobility, and fauoured their proceedings, in ſuch ſort, that Athens was neuer quiet, but when it was diſquieted with it ſelfe by meanes of factions, which do nouriſh ſeditions, hauing their buſie-brayned Oratours to force the Athenians to fight with their tongues, conſilio, calamis, & linguâ: for it was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Ariſtoph. the diſpoſition of that City, neuer to conſult, as Demoſthenes ſayd, but too late: euery towne in Greece, was ſo factious, that the glory of Greece, by meanes of factions and ſeditions, continued but 50. yeeres, and ſome odde in any greatneſſe.

And in Sparta, for all Lycurgus care, and his lawes, he could not free Sparta from factions; and yet he deuided Two factions in Spartae. Obas and Philas. them all into 2. factions, whom Lycurgus himſelfe named Obas & Philas: which lawes & decrees of Lycurgus were ſo kept for 500. yeres without violating them, for none in Greece durſt breake Lycurgus lawes, but Ageſilaus, and that but once vpon great neceſſity, to puniſh ſeditions.

In Carthage alſo they had two factions, the one faction followed Hamilcar, Hanibals father, and after him his ſon Hanibals the other followed Hanno & his friēds: ſo that in kingdoms and coūtries, factious men moued ſuch ſedition, wherby no greater harmes happened to kingdomes and countries, then by practiſing ſeditions and factions.

Hamilcar, Hannibals father ſo hated the Romans, that hauing 4. young youthes to his ſonnes, ſayd, that hee would haue 4. Lion whelps nouriſhed & brought vp with his 4. ſonnes, as mortall enemies to the Romanes; and ſware Hannibal his eldeſt ſon, being of 9. yeres old, Polib. 2. to continue an enemy to the Romanes during his life: and further, to ſhew his malice & enuy towards the Romanes, he raiſed vp the duſt frō the earth with his foot, and ſaid, that then ſhould be the end of the warres between Rome & Carthage, when one of both thoſe Cities ſhould be brought to nothing but ſuch duſt.

In Rome, before Fab. Max. time, they had but foure Foure factions in Rome. factions, which were deuided by Tullus Hoſtilius the third king of Rome, and by him named Palatina, Colina, Exquilina, and Suburrana, after the name of the foure gates of Rome, at that time being the Infancy of Rome: But after, it grew from foure factions to be fiue and thirty Tribes, that euery Tribe was full of diuers factions, and the Romane Empire waxed ſo mighty, that Fabius Maximus, when he was Cenſor in Rome, for that he brought all forraine factions within Rome, to be one of theſe foure, which Seruius Tullus named Fab. named Max. Vrbanas factiones, was ſo gratefull to the Citizens of Rome, that they named him Fabius Maximus, which was the firſt time that he was called Maximus, for abridging the multitude of factions, that then would haue growen in Rome, vnto infinite numbers, if Fabius had not brought them vnder one of theſe foure.

But in the time of Sylla and Marius, factions began ſo to multiply in Rome, as it did in Greece, that likewiſe The ciuill wartes of the Romās. it brake out into ciuill warres, which continued from Sillaes time, vnto the laſt ouerthrow of Mar. Antonius, welnigh fourty yeeres, to the deſtruction of the whole Empire, ſome following the fury of Marius, as Sertorius, Cynna, Carbo: and others followers of Sylla, as Metellus, Pompey, and others, that none might dwell in Rome, but thoſe that eyther ſhould bee on Marius ſide, or on Syllaes.

Thus was the Empire deuided by factions, from Sylla to Caeſar, from Caeſar to Auguſtus, ſometime running from Caeſar to Pompey, and from Pompey to Caeſar, vntill they and their factions were ſlayn by the ſword, and their countrey welnigh deſtroyed.

Of all miſeries, ciuill warres is moſt miſerable, and a very Ocean ſea of all miſeries, in which, Nobilitas cum plebe perit, wherof Homer exclaimed, & ſaid, Let him be curſed as an vnnatural monſter & no man, that ſeeketh 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Iliad. 1. Cic. Phil. 12. his countries harme. And Cicero in like ſort cryed out vpon him, Quem caedes ciuium, quem bellum ciuile delectat, and wiſhed ſuch to be caſt out of the ſociety of men, and to weed them out of the bounds of nature.

Factions among great men, are more dangerous & hard to be quenched, for that theſe potentates draw the people and moue them, which are compared to the ſea vnmoueable, vntill a tempeſt riſe: and therfore Plato thought good to ioyne Ariſtides, ſurnamed the iuſt, for his iuſtice, trueth and conſtancy, with Themiſtocles, being haughty and ſomewhat ambitious. And Lycurgus much commended the policy of Agamemnon, Lycurgus. to put Vliſses forward to clayme Achilles armour, as wel as Aiax, who iudged himſelfe moſt worthy, in reſpect of his valor, to be next Achilles, throughout al Greece. This diſcord was tempred by Agamemnon, by giuing Achilles armour to Vliſſes, that wiſe and politike men might be eſtemed as well for counſell, as valiant men for valour.

Auguſtus the Emperour, was written vnto by his deare friend Maecenas, that if hee would haue a quiet Empire, and his ſubiects to loue him, he ſhould cut off faction, the chiefe cauſe of ſedition, and that the name of factions, or any other new name, tending to moue quarrels and debate, might be quite excluded out of Rome. And ſo doth Ariſtotle exhort, that Magiſtratuum & potentum contentiones, the beginning of brawles Ariſt. pol. 5. and contentions, ſhould be ſtayed and ſtopt by lawes: if not by lawes, by the ſword, Adulta ſeditio melioribus conſilijs flectetur, ſayth Cicero.

What ſlaughter came of the cynders and aſhes of Pompey the great, of Cato, of Scipio, and of others, to reuenge their death vpon Caeſar and his friends? What murther, what warre, was, to reuenge the murthering of Caeſar, vpon Brutus, Caſsius, and others? The Lawe of Thraſybulus, which curbed the thirty Tyrants in Athens, could doe no good in Rome, though Cicero did what he could, in perſwading Thraſybulus law to take 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 place with the people: For then euery man in Rome ſeemed as a Serpent one to another, ready in armes one to kill another. Oroſius hereupon induceth a Fable of Medea, of a Serpent ſlayne, of whoſe teeth ſet in Oroſ. li. 6. cap. 17. the ground by Medea, grew ſo many armed men, who preſently fought ſo within themſelues, that one deſtroied another. Such was the ſlaughter by the ciuill warres at Rome.

Sectio. 7.

THeopompus being demaunded, why did Sparta flouriſh? Is it for that their kings gouerne their ſubiects wiſely, or that their ſubiects obey their kings faithfully? Theopompus anſwered, We practiſe in Sparta, but to indure labour Theopom. ſaying of Sparta. No ſeditiō in Sparta. to ouercome our enemies, and to obey our kings, howſoeuer kings gouerne, the commaundement is giuen to ſubiects frō God, to vſe their ſhield, & not the ſword. The law in Sparta was therefore, that the ſouldier that loſt his ſhield in the field among the enemies, ſhould dye for it. The ſword is put into the hands of princes, to puniſh offendors, and to cut off diſobedient and ſeditious ſubiects. Chirurgians cut off rotten & putrified members, from the ſound members; which may be well likened to Gangraena, which muſt of neceſſity be cut off, leſt the whole body periſh. God vſed to ſhew ſuch ſeuerity to thoſe factious Rebells the Iewes, for their diſobedience, that fire came from heauen aboue and burned them, and the earth belowe ſwallovved them for their factious diſobedience, which of all other Nations were moſt factious to Moſes in the wilderneſſe, to Ioſua at Iericho, and from time to time, to the Iudges in Iſrael.

It was euer the wonted practice of policy among the ſeditious and factious people, to taunt Magiſtrates, or to ſpeake ſome whiſpering ſpeech againſt a prince, to feele and to heare, who will ioyne with them to moue ſeditiō. Theſe be the Vipers that bite men priuily: theſe be the domeſticall Serpents, the ſecret brue-bates of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Commonwealths, in whō there is no fayth found, nor othes to be beleeued, as Ariſtophanes ſayth.

Auguſtus Caeſar hearing that a ſlaunderous fellow, one Elianus, ſpake vnreuerent words of the Emperour, the Magiſtrates willing to puniſh him; Auguſtus commaunded Suet. in Aug. thoſe that accuſed him, to goe and tell Elianus, Sciat Elianus, Auguſtum habere linguam, that Auguſtus had alſo a tongue, both to puniſh and to pardon.

Philip of Macedon, in like ſort to his friends that perſwaded him to baniſh the like lewd fellowes, for their ſpeach, out of his court and countrey, ſayd, God Plut. in Apotheg. forbid, leſt they ſhould ſpeake of mee more in another Country then in Macedonia. But theſe were dilatory plees to looke further vnto thē, & to find more fellowes of the like practice.

The example of Raymerus is much more commended, which looked vnto the diſpoſition of his Noble men, and ſaw them vntractable, little waying the care and loue the king had vnto them, contemning & deſpiſing both him and his lawes, giuing eare to ſeditious men, vntill the king ſaw their practice, waxed angry, perceiuing that they eſteemed him not as their king, cauſed 11. of theſe, whom he ſaw moſt contentious, to Lipſ. lib. 3 be put to the ſword in the City of Oſca, giuing them this taunt withall, Neſcit Vulpecula cum quo ludat. A caueat, not to pluck haires from Lions, as the prouerb is, Lecnem vellicare. To ſerue a king, ſaith Braſidas, conſiſteth in three precepts: Velle, obedire, & vereri. Braſida • precepts.

A certayne king in Perſia, vſed in like ſort as Raimerus did in Spayne, but of meaner perſons, which for ſome reprochfull taunting wordes, that they ſpake of the king, he cauſed thoſe ſcoffers noſtrils, quite on both ſides to be cut off, ſaying, Ecce ſigillum Regis in conuitiatores, Behold the kings ſeale againſt ſcoffers. This ſeuerity is more commended in theſe princes, then the clemency of Philip or of Auguſtus.

What became of the taunt which the Egyptiās gaue to Ochus K. of Perſia, naming the K. the Aſſe of Perſia? King Ochus taunt to the Egyptians. ſaid Ochus, Faciam vt hic aſinus veſtrū bouem depaſcat. I wil make the Aſſe of Perſia eate your Oxe of Egypt: for the Egyptians worſhipped an Oxe, which they called Apis, as one of their chiefe gods, which within a while after, Ochus, ſurnamed Artaxerxes, marched with a great Oroſ. li. 3. cap. 7. army and ſubdued Egypt, and ſacrificed their Oxe and their god Apis, according to his promiſe.

Cotis, a Thracian K. anſwered one, that ſaid his ſeuere gouernmēt was rather fury then clemency towards his Cotis. ſubiects. Yea, ſaid Cotis, hic furor meus ſanos reddit ſubditós. Clemency muſt be ioyned with ſeuerity. This my ſeuerity, ſaid Cotis, ſhall make my ſubiects both to loue me and to feare me: Nimia clementia nocet.

Had Artabanus obſerued the rule of Raymerus, or the ſeuerity of Cotis, he needed not to haue fled ſecretly Artabanus. from Parthia to king Izetes, beyond Armenia, a far meaner king then himſelfe; neither to feare the ſnares and trappes of his ſubiects, being ſo great a king, called the king of kings; for ſo the kings of Parthia are called; but hee was reſtored to his kingdome, by this meane king Izetes.

A thouſand miſhaps may happen to princes, which ſubiects are free of. Examples may be found of Iugurth king of Numidia, and of Perſius, king of Perſia, who were taken Captiues in their owne kingdomes, and dyed priſoners in Rome.

Charles, ſurnamed ſapiens, the French king, ſaw the king his father taken captiue in his owne kingdome, and caried into England; and the whole kingdome of Fraunce poſſeſt of Engliſhmen.

The Romane Hiſtories are full of theſe horrible examples, that by ſeditions and factions, the whole Empire was welnigh deſtroyed, that I need not declare of Tomoembeus, the great Soldan of Egypt and Affricke, king and Lord of ſo many Nations, in his owne kingdome Tomoembeus. Lip. lib. 2. how cruelly and ſtrangely he was both depriued of his kingdome and of his life: And how the great king, de nouo orbe, Mexicanus, after infinite good Mexicanus ſucceſſe of great fame and fortune, loſt ſuddenly both fame and fortune.

I need not confirme theſe hiſtories with authority, as of Achab, Zedechias, & other, who felt the iuſt Iudgemēt of God; neyther of Manaſſes and Nabuchadnezar, one 2. Reg. 10 confeſſing the Lord to bee God, being a king among beaſtes; the other a captiue and a priſoner out of his owne kingdome, of whom the Greeke Prouerbe is verified, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Miſery, captiuity and want, make kings to know thēſelues. It is a true ſaying, Miſeria bona mater prudētiae.

Auguſtus Caeſar would know of his friend Aſinius Pollio, if he would come with him to the battell of Actium, betweene Mar. Antonius and him. He anſwered the Emperour, In ciuil warre I wil take no part, but Vell. 11. I will reſt and be a pray to the Conquerour. Tit. Atticus, though Pompey by a Decree pronounced him a Rebel that would forſake his Senators, the Conſuls and the ſtate of the Common-wealth in ſo troubleſome a time, yet Atticus was of the like opiniō as Q. Hortenſius Hortenſius ſaying. was, who often vſed to brag that he had neuer byn in any ciuill warres. Cicero wrote his Epiſtle to them being his deere frends, that ſcattered cattel wil come to their flocke: how much more ſhould ſuch wiſe men be a cō fort Cic. ad Att. to their afflicted countrey and follow the beſt ſort, ſeing Cato himſelfe, Viua virtutis Imago, was a Captaine in theſe warres.

Obſerue the nature of factions in the beſt men. Cicero and Cato went out of Rome, as men determyned and reſolute to take part with the beſt men, and with the ſtate of the Empyre to abide what ſo euer came of it.

Pomp. Atticus, & Q. Hortenſius, men of no leſſe iudgement and credit in Rome then they were, forſooke to be factious or to take part with eyther Pompey or Caeſar: at that time ſpake Cato to Pompey to ſtrike the ground according to his promiſe, yet Solon in Athens, decreed a law, that they which would be neuters in ciuil warres, Gel. li. 11. cap. 12. and ſeperate themſelues in their Countries calamities, they ſhould be baniſhed igne & aqua.

The Prophet Elizeus ſpake to Ioas king of Iſrael being in ſuch diſtreſſe as Rome was, and bade Ioas ſmite the ground with his foot: and Ioas ſmote the ground three times and ceaſed. Elizeus was angry and ſayd, Thou ſhouldeſt haue ſmitten fiue, ſixe, or ſeuen times, and ſo 4. Reg. 13. many victories ſhouldeſt thou haue had ouer the Aſſyrians, as thou ſtrookeſt the ground.

So Pompey alſo ſayd to Cato, If he ſhould but ſtrike the ground of Italy with his foot, hee ſhould want no men Plut. in Pomp. on his ſide to fight againſt Caeſar: But Pompey could not keepe promiſe with Cato, as Elizeus did with Ioas. Many promiſe more then they can performe, and doe deceiue themſelues and others.

I could well compare theſe ſeditious people to Balaam, who being ſent for by king Balac, promiſing him great rewardes to come and curſe Iſrael: as Balaam rode on his iorney, an Angel with a drawen ſword in his hand ſtood in his way, which the Aſſe ſawe and ſtarted, but Balaam ſawe not the Angell, vntill his Aſſe ſpake to him, and aſked Balaam why he ſtrake him?

Theſe Aſſes cary ſome falſe Balaam or other, not on their backs, but in their bellyes, that had rather go with Balaam to Balak to curſe Iſrael, and to conſpire againſt their owne natiue countrey, and if they can not preuaile Num. 22. by curſing & banning, they will practiſe another way by policy and counſell, as Balaam did to deceiue Iſrael.

But theſe practiſers doe as Benhadad did, when hee was ouerthrowen in the mountaines, he ſaid, that the The blaſphemy of Benhadad. 3. Reg. 20. Gods of the mountaynes were againſt him, and therfore Benhadad would haue a battell in the Valley with the Iſraelites: ſo theſe Balaams Aſſes euer haue done and will do, if they faile of their practice in the mountaine, they wil practize in the valley: if they fayle in the valley, they will practiſe their policy in Kings Courts.

Rebelles haue their ſnares layd downe, how treaſon may be wrought, and their places appointed where their treaſon may be performed, and their time when to execute their treaſon: So did Pauſanias kill Philip of Pauſanias. Chaerea. Macedon at a Marriage: So did Chaerea kill Claudius the Emperour going to the Theaters: So did the fryer of Fraunce murther the King at his confeſſion. What dare not practiſers of policy do, if they dare kill Emperours, Kings and princes?

Claudius Nero ſound no better way to feare Hannibal his great enemy, then to throw Haſdrubals head into the Tent of his brother Hannibal, which ſo amazed Hannibal and his army, that they made haſte from Carthage to Italy.

That Hanibal had nothing to comfort him, but to nippe the Romanes of ſo many heads of Senators, of Conſuls, of Praetors, and of Romane Magiſtrates at the battell of Canna, of Trebeia, and of Thraſimena, that requited his brothers head. But theſe nippes were betweene Hanibal and Scipio.

For it was Sillaes practice, to put Italy in fright, and to make Rome amazed at his tyranny againſt his countrey, that Cato wondred much to ſee ſo many heads of Magiſtrates and of Roman Citizens vpon poles, hanged Plut. in Caton. Oroſ. li. 5. cap. 21. on euery gate at Rome, about the Capitoll, and in the market place, and that no Romane for Romes ſake, had killed Silla.

When Golias head was caried by Dauid to Saul, the Philiſtines fled, and they were followed vnto Geth, and vnto Acaron, and the ſlaughter was great of the Philiſtians, and their terrour was more to ſee their Captaine Golias without a head, and therefore was the Sword of Golias hanged in the Temple at Ieruſalē as a Trophey of victorie, as the picture of the Sun 1. Reg. 17 was vpon Ioſhuas Tombe for his victory at Gibeon.

When Holophernes head was brought frō the campe to Bethulia, by Iudyth, a womā, the ſlaughter was great of the Aſſyrians, and much more were they aſtoniſhed Inaith 14 and aſhamed, to find their General Holophernes without a head, and that by a woman.

It was great policy in Alexander the great, to commaund all his ſouldiers to ſhoote their pieces and their arrowes together toward king Perus, in India, perceyuing Ore. lib. 3. cap. 19. Dioder. lib. 17. that the ſoldiers would fly if the king were ſlaine. And therefore diuers great Captaines did practiſe ſuch policy afterward to their ſoldiers: as Leuinus the Conſul perſwaded his ſouldiers, and ſhewed them a naked bloudy ſword in his hand, ſaying, that hee had killed Pirrhus. The like policy practiſed Iugurth, ſaying to his Numidian ſoldiers, that hee had ſlayne Caius Marius with his owne hand.

It is the onely marke, that euery trecherous ſoldier in the field, and euery ſeditious ſubiect in the country ſhoot at, I meane, the head: for if the head be off, the body muſt needs fall. Theſe be the very home-Vipers and ſecret Serpents that deuoure their natiue ſoyle.

Theſe practiſing Vipers are often troubled with the like monſtrous Image which Hanibal ſaw & was aſtoniſhed in his dreame, & asking what he was, the Image Cic. de diuinat. 1. ſaid: Vaſtitas Italiae. Theſe Vipers ſee nothing waking nor ſleeping, but the image of Hanibal, vaſtitatem patria, the ſpoyle of their countrey.

Sectio. 8.

THeophraſtus the Philoſopher, and the ſucceſſour of Ariſtotle his maſter, in Athens, faith, that the playing vpon a Harp, Lute, or any other inſtrument, doth heale the biting of ſome Vipers; Alex. lib. 2. cap. 17. which Aſclepiades the Phiſician doth confirme, that frantike people that are not well ſettled in their wittes, can by no meanes better recouer their health, quàm ſymphonia & vocum conſenſu, then by the conſent of harmony and the voyce of a man: for Iſmenias the Theban healed many Boetians his country mē, that were troubled with phrenſie and madneſſe, with ſymphony and harmony of muſike.

It is to bee beleeued, that Iſmenias with his Flute could eaſe the Boetians, and Aſclepiades with his phiſike heale the frantike. Such practiſes were neceſſary to be in many places, to preuent lunatike policies.

Dauid with his Harpe did often mitigate the fury of king Saul, & aſſwaged oftentimes the phrenetical ſpirit 4. Reg. ca. 3. of Saul. Againe, Elizeus, whē both Iehoſaphat K. of Iuda, and Ieboram king of Iſrael, would know the euent of the warres betweene them and Meſa, king of Moab, Elizeus called for a Minſtrel, & whē the Minſtrel plaid, the hand of the Lord came vpon Elizeus, and then he told the kings of the victory they ſhould haue ouer Moab.

Harmony, ſaith Cicero, doth incitare languentes, et languefacere Cic. de leg. 2. excitates, nothing quickneth mans mind more the ſuch muſike: & I doubt, ſuch frantik men be likewiſe in many places abroad, ready like Saul with their ſpeares in their hands, that neyther Dauid with his Harpe, nor Elizeus with his Minſtreles can heale theſe men of their frenzy.

Theſe be the Vipers that ſting their friendes worſe in England, then Hanibals Vipers ſtinged the Romans their enemies in Italy.

Theſe Vipers are ſo ful of poyſō, that if they might kill with their ſight, like the Cockatrice: or if they might infect with their breath, as the Viper of Affricke doth; and as they ſay of ſome kind of wolues, which if they come within their breath, they would kill ſome men both with ſight and breath. And therefore we haue a Caueat to take heed of ſuch infected wolues that haue daungerous and ſtinking breath, and be in ſheepes clothing, which liue as wolues, & dye as ſwine, they liue in all common-wealths, & they dwel together in cities, in towns, and in houſes: we muſt be as ſubtill as Serpents againſt Serpents.

Yet the Egiptians think themſelues moſt happy and fortunate, and in great fauour with their gods, when The ſuperſtition of Egypt. they are bitten with Serpents, Vipers and Crocadiles, becauſe they worſhip thoſe kind of Serpents as their gods; and truly fit gods for ſuch a ſuperſtitious nation, for that they worſhipped no other gods, but Serpents and beaſts: wherein they were reprehended of the ſuperſtitious Grecians: for you ſhall not read, that Crocadiles, Cic. lib. 1. de Natur. Cats, and Dogs, and for that Wolues are like Dogs, and ſuch other like, were ſlayn or kild in Egypt; for they haue ſuch beaſts in reuerence, and worſhip them as gods.

So ſuperſtitious were they in Egypt, that it was coū ted an abomination among them to eate with the Hebrewes: Can. 43. for the nature of ſuperſtition is, to condemne all other men in reſpect of themſelues. So Ioſeph vſed the Hebrewes his brethren by themſelues.

So did the Samaritans hate the Iewes, that they might not eate or conuerſe with the lewes: for ſo did the woman of Samaria take vp Chriſt at Iacobs Well, Ioh. 4. hee being a Iewe, to aske water at a Samaritans hand: but wee haue Iewes, and Samaritans, Hebrues, and Egyptians, ſo mingled, that wee know not one another.

What will not blinde ſuperſtition cauſe to doo?

It made Nabuchadnezar and all Babel to ſay and confeſſe: Great art thou God Bel. Dar. 14.

It made the Epheſians ſay: Great art thou Diana among the Epheſians. Acts. 19.

It made Charles the ſe uenth, the French king, with the conſent of all his Counſell, to beleeue the ſuperſtitious ſpeech of Ioanna Lotharinga, a woman, that ſhee was ſent from God, to driue the Engliſhmen Ioſeph. lib. 18. cap. 4 out of Fraunce, in the great Warres betweene England and Fraunce. It is thus hiſtoried, Arma gerebat, viris preibat: But ſhee was taken by Engliſhmen, and burned at Rhotomagium.

It made Pallina, the onely fayreſt and chaſte Gentlewoman of Rome, to refuſe two hundred thouſand Drachmes of Decius Mundus, a yong Romane knight, for one nights lodging, and yet ſhee came moſt ioyfully with the conſent of all her friendes and of her husband Saturninus, to lye with God Anubis in the Temple of Iſis, for nothing, by the meanes of Iſis Prieſts.

But this practize being found out by Pallina, ſhe cō playned to her huſband Saturninus, and her huſband to the Emperour Tiberius, who firſt cauſed the prieſts of Iſis to be ſlaine with the ſword, the Idoll of Iſis to be drownd in Tyber, the great God Anubis to be burned with fire, and Decius Mundus the yong knight for euer to bee baniſhed from Rome.

Nabuchadnezar deſtroyed the prieſts of Baal in Babylon, as Tiberius deſtroyed the prieſts of Iſis in Rome: And ſo God ſtirred vp Iehu, to deſtroy the houſe of Achab in Iſrael.

All dangerous and rebellious ſeditions grow of Idolatrous ſuperſtition: therefore the Lord reprehended Ochoſia, becauſe he maried the daughter of Achab.

So Iehoſaphat was reprehended of the Prophet Elizeus, & in danger of his life, for that he ioyned in friendſhip 4. Reg. 1. with the ſame Idolatrous Achab.

Salomon, by growing in friendſhip with Pharaoes daughter, loſt his kingdome: and Sampſon, by marying 3. Reg. 11 with Dalila a Philiſtine, loſt his life.

Sara complayned vnto Abraham, that Iſmael ſhould not be in one houſe with Iſaac her ſonne; which words though they were grieuous vnto Abraham, yet God commaunded him to doe what Sara ſayd; for in Iſaac Gen. 21. ſhall thy ſeed be bleſſed.

We muſt not only auoyd euill mens company, but alſo depart from the place where they bee, and where they dwell. For God commaunded Abraham to depart from Vt, his owne countrey, being an Idolatrous Gen. 12. place. So God commaunded Iacob to ſhun Meſopotamia Gen. 31. & the company of his brother Eſau, a wicked man.

Whileſtany of the ſeditious houſe of Saul liued amongſt the Iewes, the plague neuer ceaſed in Iſrael: but when at the requeſt and petition of the Gibionites, 2. Sam. 21. Dauid hanged them vp, the Plague ceaſed.

The like is hiſtoryed of Phinees, that, for killing of Numb. 25 Zymri and Coſbi for their whoredome in the camp, the Plague ceaſed.

Elizeus being asked of Hazael why he wept? I weep, ſaid the Prophet, knowing the euill thou ſhalt do to the children of Iſrael, in burning their houſes and Cities, 4. Reg. 8. ſlaying their yong men with the ſword, & in that thou ſhalt daſh out the braines of their ſucking children, and all to teare their women with child.

Such factious and ſeditious men, qui ex fraude, fallaciis et mendaciis, &c. as ſayth Cicero, haue diuers tymes the like intent, as Hazael had to Iſrael. A ſeditious perſon ſeeketh miſchiefe in his heart. Pro. 17.

There was a letter writtē vnto Caeſar, climing for the Empire of Rome, raging in his fury againſt his countrey, willing him not to giue too much care to ſuch as are greedy ſeditious men, & deſirous of ſlaughters, and neuer ſatisfied with bloud, who coūſelled Caeſar to that purpoſe, that the City of Rome being taken, they might take rape and ſpoyle, and vſe their luſt for a Law.

Againſt theſe & ſuch like, the Prophet Ezechiel doth pronounce famyne, plague, warre & deuouring beaſts, Ezech. 7. to try (if it be poſſible) whether ill and wicked people wil mend and become ſeruants to God, and ſubiects to their King: for (ſayth Salomon of ſuch men) if they had Pro. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . called for knowledge, and ſought for wiſdome, as they ſought after money; or had they digged for celeſtial wiſdome, as they did for earthly treaſure: then ſhould they vnderſtand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God: but ſuch ſeeke ſpoyles and prayes, they onely muſe how they might come by money, vita et ſanguis eorum pecunia.

Yet Dioniſins, after hee had robbed the Temple of Proſerpina among the Locreſians, and robbed Iupiter Olympius of his golden Garment in Peloponeſus, and robbed Aeſculapius of his golden beard in Epidaurus, Cic. lib. 3. de Natur. without any reſiſting of him, for that the people thought that he ſhould be puniſhed as Xerxes was once in Greece, that eyther Proſerpina would haue plucked out his eyes, or Iupiter would haue kild him with thunderbolts, or Eſculapius would haue tortured him with plagues and long ſickenes, ſuppoſing Dioniſius ſhould not haue ſo eſcaped free for his ſacriledge, no more thē Xerxes, who for burning their gods and their Temples in Greece, their gods haue ſo plagued him, that three hundred thouſand Perſians were ſlaine in Greece, and Cic. de leg. 3. Xerxes himſelfe murthered by his Nephew Artabanus, and therfore went they to the Temple of Eumenides, which were Vltrices et vindices facinorum et ſcelerum, to yeeld thankes to theſe Furyes for the reuenging of the violating of their Temples, their Altars & their gods.

Sectio 9.

THEAGINES leading an Army againſt the Magarians, his army would know of him whē he would put them to martch in order of battell. Theagines anſwered, at Megara, and in the mean ſeaſon, ſent ſecretly certein Horſmen, like the enemyes to ſet vpon them on the ſodaine and to aſſault the Athenians: which being done, Theagines marked how euery ſouldier was forward & took place to fight. I promiſed you, ſaid Theagines, this morning to put you in array at Megara; march now forward, and be as ready for the enemy at al times as now, and ſeeke not to know the ſecret purpoſe of your Captaine, but be ready at a becke: for as Clearchus the Lacedemonian ſaid: good Souldiers ought to be more carefull of their Captaine then of their enemies. Now Theagines did this, to finde out falſe and ſeditious Souldiers from the true.

Licinius Craſsus, being asked when he would remoue his Tents, anſwered: Doeſt thou meane to ſleepe, that thou wouldſt know whē they remoue? Vereris ne tubam Front. lib. 1. cap. 1. exaudeas? So Metellus anſwered the like queſtion, being asked what he thought to do the next morning: I wold burne my Coate, ſayd Metellus, if I thought my Coate could tell it.

How many thinke you are of Metellus mind, which would that none ſhould know their policy, neither the time of their practiſe? they will not onely burne their coates and their ſhyrts, but their ſkinnes and their fleſh, and yet often times their practiſes are deſcryed.

In Egipt, ſuch ſeditious and trecherous men, for their ſecret practiſe, doe worſhip and alſo ſacrifice vnto the dumbe Image of Harpocrates, that all ſecret practiſes might be kept cloſe.

In Rome they do ſacrifice vnto Angerona, whoſe finger is alwayes on her mouth, in token of ſilence.

In Perſia, they offer alſo ſacrifice vnto that Image of ſilence, whoſe lippe is ſealed vp with a ſignet, with the which the Perſiās vſe at the chuſing of any of the kings Counſell, to lay the kings ſignet on their lips. But to whom doe they ſacrifice their tongue? To the dumbe Deuill that ſtoppeth their tongues from praying vnto So did Alex. to Epheſtion. God: and to the deafe Deuill they ſacrifice their eares, becauſe they will not heare the Word of God; for thereby ſhould their policy and practice bee knowne.

The Romanes, to preuent theſe ſecret practiſers, brought vp Dogges, which are quicke of ſent, in high Arneb. li. 6. aduerſ. gentes. Towers, & fed Geeſe in the Capitoll, which are quicke of hearing, that by the barking of the Dogges, warning might be giuen of the enemies comming, and by the gaggling of the geeſe, men might be waked out of their ſleepe, as Manlius was, to ſaue both Rome and the Capitoll from the Gaules. So did Maſiniſſa, king of Numidia, bind great dogges in his bed-chamber, to watch practiſers.

But Chriſt gaue vs a better leſſon, and a ſounder watch, Vigilate & orate, Watch and pray: the Deuill is that Dogge that commeth in through the windowe. Our Sentinel is our conſcience, which ſhould bee a brydle to curbe wicked men from trechery, from ſedition, and from conſpiracy.

The ſeditious man, ſayth Cicero, Panam ſemper ante eculos verſari vidit.

Paulus Emilius commaunded his ſoldiers to be vnarmed in their watch, for that they ſhould not ſleepe, and be more carefull of their watch. Xenoph, in Paed.

So Cyrus would not haue his ſoldiers to be idle, leſt they ſhould become quarrellous and ſeditious.

I may not omit a rare example, of Manlius the father, to correct his yong ſonne Manlius, who fought a battell againſt the enemies with good ſucceſſe of victory, yet againſt his fathers rule, and therfore was to be Front. li. 4 cap. 1. puniſhed with ſtripes, and by his father to be ſlaine according to the military diſcipline, vntill the ſouldiers tooke part with young Manlius againſt the father. Sedition grew hereby in the eampe, that young Manlius, to auoyd this ſedition, made meanes to the army that he might be puniſhed, to ſatiſfy the law and his fathers commaundement.

This was a rare example: but we ſpeake of ſuch as neither eſteemed parents nor Prince, neither King nor countrey: ſuch a one was Iudas Galilaeus, ſo ſeditious, Iudea plagued by ſedition. that he brought a multitude of the Iewes, like himſelf, to follow him, and promiſed them that the Romanes ſhould be by him fully vanquiſhed. But Felix the Romane Preſident made ready certayne Romane ſoldiers to ouerthrow them, and put them all to the ſword in the wildernes.

Straight after this ouerthrow, another ſeditious prophet came from Egypt to Ieruſalem, profeſſing the name of a Prophet, promiſing the people, if they would follow him to moūt Oliuet, fiue furlongs from the City, they ſhould ſee the walles of Ieruſalem, at his commaundement to fall downe, as the walles of Iericho did at the blowing of Rammes hornes, by the Ioſh. 6. commaundement of Ioſua, that thereby they might eaſily enter the City.

Theſe were ſuch priuate ſeditious men, as Atonges, a Shepheard, and after him Barcoſbe, who kept the people in hand, and made the Rabbins themſelues to beleeue, that by his policy and practice, they would make an end of the Romane warres.

Thus from one ſeditious man to another, the multitude was led like a Flocke of ſheepe to the ſlaughter, that when Feſtus ſucceeded Felix, he found all Iudaea full of ſuch Robbers, Cooſeners, Magicians, yea Coniurers and deceyuers of the people, that Feſtus cut them off by degrees, as Felix did before Feſtus, who met with Ioſeph. lib. 20. cap. 6. this Egyptian and his fellowes, & ſlew foure hundred and tooke foure hundred aliue, yet theſe being deſtroyed and cut off, like Hydraes head they ſtill multiplyed: ſo ſeditious were the Iewes.

In the time of Antiochus, many wicked men went out of Ieruſalem, and moued much people, ſaying:

Eamus et diſponamus teſtamentum Gentibus: Let vs go & make couenant with the Heathen. This practiſe pleaſed the people well, ſo that at Ieruſalem was an open Schole of the Heathen, againſt whom Amos the Prophet cryed, Vae qui opulenti eſtis in Sion, et conſiditis in Amos. 6. montibus Samariae: Wo be vnto you which are rich in Sion, and truſt to the mountaines of Samaria: wo be vnto them that depart from Bethel to Bethauen, from God to the Deuill, from their friends to their foes.

Another Magician named Theudas, profeſſed him ſelfe to be a Prophet, and for proofe therof willed the Iewes to follow him to Iordan, & they ſhould ſee him do as much with a word at Iordan, as either Elizeus did with Elias mantle, or as Moyſes did with a white ſticke at the red Sea, that as the red ſea deuided it ſelfe and gaue place to Moyſes to paſſe through dry, ſo ſhould Iordan do to Theudas. But Feſtus the Roman Preſident, hauing knowledge of Theudas practice, armed certein Romanes, ſlue the ſeditious, and brought Theudas head vpon a long pole from Iordan to Ieruſalem.

Such ſeditious men and the like euer practiſed policy, to mooue the people to tumults & mutinyes, they are neuer quiet but when they practiſe ſuch policies, then they thinke they haue Gyges ring in their hands, that no men ſee them, and they ſuppoſe them ſelues as fortunate, if they effect their purpoſe, as Polycrates did of his Ring that hee threw into the ſea and found it againe: yet Polycrates fortune was to hang afterward, as Iudas and Theudas were ſlaine.

There is another kind of politike practiſers, euen with kings in Court, called Syrenes aulae, much made of and eſteemed: but they alſo practiſe in a glaſſe, ſo fickle, that ſlattery endureth no longer then the glaſſe wherein it is practiſed; for when the glaſſe of any wicked practice is broken, the practicer is alſo betrayed.

But Cicero gaue a caueat to the Senators, that they ſhould bee carefull whome to beleeue, Nihil ſubito credendo, ſed ſemper omnia cauendo, and ſo writes to his friēd Atticus, Take heede whome you beleeue, Niſi vultu & fronte.

Another cryeth out aloud from Greece, that nothing is more profitable to many men then diffidence, as ſayth Euripides, Few can be excuſed, if accuſation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 will ſerue: Auris non fides prabenda, ſaid Maecenas to Auguſtus.

It is written of the Emperour Conſtantine, amongſt Conſtant. many vertues, hee had this fault, that hee permitted pickthanks alwayes to haue acceſſe vnto him. Of ſuch men Nero was called Princeps delatorum, who allowed the fourth part of the goods of thē that were accuſed, to the accuſers, and therfore were theſe accuſers called in ſcorne, Quadruplateres.

Tyberius the Emperor, when the Senators thought good to abrogate theſe great rewards graunted to accuſers, Tiberius his ſaying. ſayd, Iuraſubuerti, ſi cuſtodes legum amouerentur.

So did Vitellius puniſh certain Mathematicians with death, by meanes of ſuch ſecret & dangerous accuſers, without licence to anſwere the accuſers.

Domitianus gaue attentiue eare to ſuch as would accuſe ſecret faults of men, being true or otherwiſe; inſomuch as one accuſer accuſed another, being ſo many, that Rome was full of theſe pickthanks, while theſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ariſt poli. 5. cap. 15. Emperours reigned; no better then Dioniſius the Tyrant, who appoynted certaine men, whom he himſelfe named Sagogidas, to inform him what euery man ſpake and did.

Benhadad the king of Syria was much vexed in his mind, and ſuſpected ſome of his chiefe ſeruants, & ſayd vnto them, Who betrayeth mee to the king of Iſrael? It was anſwered by one of his chamber, that king Benhadad could neither ſpeake nor doe any thing in his 4. Reg. 6. priuy chamber, but Elizeus the man of God knew it at Dothan.

It is a true ſaying, that he that is God and Man, doth he are our wicked blaſphemies, and ſeeth our trecherous practiſes: which if he ſay, Quis decipiet Achab vt cadat? there ſhall want no lying ſpirits to practiſe policy and to deceiue ſuch. 3. Reg. 22

But againe to pick-thanks. Veſpaſianus, and after him his ſon, Titus, ſo hated ſuch Promoters, that they cauſed theſe fellowes to be ſcourged and whipped round about the Theaters in the ſight of the people. Antonius, ſurnamed Pius, decreed that priuy and ſecret accuſers that could not prooue euidently their accuſation to be true, ſhould dye for it, and if their accuſation were prooued, they had what the law permitted them, and ſo diſmiſſed them cum ignominia.

The like is ſayd of the Emperour Opilius Macrinus, that he could not abide to heare the name of a Pick. Alex. lib. 4 cap. 22. thanke. Such buſy ſecret accuſers are like Crates the Theban, who was ſurnamed, the Dore-opener, for that hee would ruſh into euery mans company to heare what was ſayd, and to ſee what was done: Many ſuch are both in Courts and Countreyes. Placida loquentes, praua ſtruentes, ſuch haue ouerthrowne many kings and princes.

It had bene better for Alexander to haue Epicharmus ſentence euery where in his mouth, Memento diffidere, then to haue Darius ſignet vpon his finger in Babylon. And it had bin better for Caeſar to haue followed Ciceroes counſel before he came to Pharſalia, then to weare Pompeyes Ring vpon his finger in Affricke. But ſuch is the force of flattery in Courts and Countreyes, that the flatterer carries the earth vpon his backe, as Atlas (as Poets faigne) carries the heauens vpon his ſhoulders.

The Perſiās and the Medes were ſuch flatterers, & that not only to their kings, whom they adore & worſhip as The flattery of the Perſians. gods, but in ſaluting one another, they would bend & bow them ſelues vnto the ground: Alexander the great was contented in Macedonia, to be the ſonne of his father king Philip, but in Perſia they made him the ſonne of Iupiter.

His father Philip in like ſort was in Macedonia, but when he came & conquered Greece, in any great aſſē bly whē they elected new Magiſtrates, they prayed vnto Iupiter, Apollo and Hercules, to giue good ſucceſſe to theſe Officers and Magiſtrates: the Argiues ſo flattered Philip, that they wrote his name, & named him next after Hercules, to be the fourth in their petition and ſupplication to their gods.

The people ſo flattered Herod a wicked king, after he had ſlaine Iames, and impriſoned Peter, that at his laſt Oration which he made to the Iewes, the people cried out: Vox dei, non hominis, but Herod preſently fel down Acts 12. dead and was eaten with wormes.

So the falſe Prophets flattered the king of Iſrael Achab, that he ſhould haue victory ouer the Syriās: theſe flattering prophets ſo practiſed with ſuch ſtrāge ſpirits, that Achab was ſlaine by the Syrians, & was brought 3. Reg. 22 dead to be buryed in Samatia.

The Atheniās ſo flattered Demetrius, that his Image was caryed and borne with Iupiter, Minerua & Mars Demetrius much ſlattered in Athens. in the Banner of Peplon, and Demetrius was the fourth, but he died in priſon.

The Athenians lodged and entertained ſtrangers to ſee, to heare, and to learne ſome newes; any lying flatterer might be welcome to Athens.

But others loue not to be ſo flattered, as Octauius Auguſtus and Alexander Seuerus, who ſo hated Flatterers, that they had ſpies abroad, to finde them out: and if Elattery hated of Auguſtus. any ſeemed eyther with words or outward behauiour to be like Flatterers, they ſhould bee ſtreight baniſhed the Courts of theſe two Emperours.

Caſſander, ſaluted of all men as a king, and ſo called, hee loued not to be flattered, nor to vſurpe the name of a king, and though he was written vnto by the name of a king, yet he refuſed to be ſo called. Neyther would Porus. Diodor. lib. 17. Porus K. of India, after he was conquered by Alexander the great, ſuffer any man to cal him king. This ſeemed to be great modeſty, to refuſe the names of kings being offred thē. Yet many Tyrants vſurp the names of kings, and many make meanes to become kings, Emperours, and Princes, practiſing many policyes by trecherie, by murther, by poyſoning and killing: & many practiſe meanes to become Officers and Magiſtrates, and yet would not be ſeene practiſers therein.

Sectio 10.

IN Rome ſuch polycies were practiſed, ſuch ſutes were made to become eyther The election of Magiſtrats in Rome. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Thucid. lib. 3. Conſull, Pretor, Tribune, Cenſor or Aedile, that the 35. Tribes were ſo flattered and followed in Martius field with money, with friends, and with all meanes poſſible to become Magiſtrates and officers within the City of Rome, and at that time the Arte of Flattery was there to bee taught and learned.

There, they that were to be elected, ſtood before the Senators and Conſuls, clothed all in white garments, without gownes, for that was a garment ſuſpicious, and not at any time to be ſuffred by the law, leſt they might eary ſome rewards to corrupt the people vnder them; and after they were thus choſen, they were accompanyed from Martius field, when they had flattered the Alex. lib. 4. cap. 3. people with thankes for their election: then they went vnto the Capitoll, and from the Capitoll they were brought vnto their houſes.

This kinde of election continued but a ſhort time, yet flattery endured longer, and was practiſed at any change of Magiſtrates or Officers, yet Lu. Craſſus could not be brought before Q. Scauola to giue thankes vnto the people, leſt hee ſhould ſeeme to haue the name of a flatterer.

Paulus Aemilius, when he was choſen Conſul to goe with an army into Perſia, and was for to come vnto Paul. Aemilius ſaying. the Capitoll to thank the people, according to the Romane cuſtome, he refuſed, & ſayd, If they could find a fitter man to go againſt king Perſeus, he was wel contē ted to yeeld againe his new Conſulſhip vnto the people, and to make their election of another: he thought it not fit to flatter the people with faire wordes.

Such was Phocion in Athens, hee would make no meanes vnto the people, neither would Phocion be preſent at any time of election of newe Officers or Magiſtrates: he would neyther ſend nor ſpeake for any Office Phocion. in Athens: the Athenians vſed ſo often to corrupt people for Offices and Honors to become Magiſtrates, that Demosthenes cryed out, that Populus et pecunia were the Monſters of Athens, as Capitolium and Forum were in Rome.

Such was Ariſtides, a man moſt iuſt and moſt quiet among the Athenians: but theſe were rare men to bee found. But Cliſophus could halt in Macedonia with king Philip, & ſaid, he had alſo the Gowt aſwel as King Philip.

Cleo could better pleaſe Alexander with his flattery, thē Caliſthenes could do with his philoſophy. That Prince Cleo, a great flatterer. ought not to be called a Prince, where trueth dare not be ſpoken, & in whoſe Court men are often conſumed more by flatterers in the time of peace, then by the enemies in the warres: ſo Q. Curtius ſaith, Regum opes ſaepius aſſentatio, quàm hoſtis euertit.

There is a people in ſome parte of Ethiopia, called Diodor. li. 4. cap. 1. Cathaei, that if their king do halt or be lame in any part of his body, his houſhold ſeruants muſt likewiſe halt and be lame in the ſelfeſame place where the King is lame.

Alcamenes was much praiſed in Athens, for that he made the halting Image of Vulcan to ſtand vpright in ſuch garments that hid the deformity of his halting; And yet for all the skill of Alcamenes, ſayd Cicero, Claudum Cic. de diuinat. 2. habebant deum, the Athenians had but a lame god. I feare, that many beſide the Athenians, with Vulcans garments, would fayne hide their halting, and would ſeeme to goe vpright, though they halt with Vulcan for all Alcamenes skill.

Pilate had a better garment that hid his faults before Tib. Caeſar; for, being accuſed that he put an innocent man to death, which was Chriſt, hee put on Chriſtes vnſeamed coate before he came to Caeſar: to whō when Math. Weſtmin. Pilate came, Caeſar ſo imbraced him, that men muſed much thereat; but after Pilate departed out of Caeſars ſight, Caeſar being as before incenſed againſt him, ſent in haſte for him againe, and he hauing Chriſts coat on, was in like ſort embraced and entertayned of the Emperour as before: for he could finde no fault in Pilate while Chriſtes coat was on him: a farre better garment then Vulcans garment: yet more ſeek Vulcans Garment to hide their halting, then do ſeeke Chriſtes coate to learne to go vpright: but theſe Practiſers, if they may not be helped with Vulcans garment, they will vſe Timantes policy.

At the ſacrificing of Iphigenia, Timantes practiſed his beſt ſkill to paint the lamentation of Menelaus, the ſadnes of Vliſſes, the ſobbes and ſighes of Aiax, but ſuch was the extreme paſſion and penſiueneſſe of Agamemnon Plin. 35. cap. 10. for his daughter, that Timantes could not ſet it downe in colours, but was forced to throw a Veile ouer Agamemnons head, to excuſe the defect of his ſkill in ſo tragicall a ſight. Many do practiſe the like policy, Vel. lib. 8. cap. 11. that if they can not effect their ſkill to their purpoſe, then they practiſe how they may hide their defect, and couer it as Timantes did couer Agamemnons head.

There be many ſicke of the ſickenes called Tarantula which if men would looke vpon them, they ſeemed Alex. lib 2. cap. 17 as men halfe dead. No remedy was found for this Tarātula in Apulia, but ſuch as was in Greece vſed againſt phrenſie and lunacie, which was the playing of Minſtrels. Many are ſicke of this ſicknes Tarantula.

Sectio. 11.

SALOMON, a man indued with ſingular wiſdome, taught how mē ſhould be cured that were poſſeſſed with Deuils, and taught alſo how Deuils might bee driuen away, which the Iewes for a long time vſed after Salomon: Deuils adiured before Veſpaſian. Ioſeph. li. 8 cap. 2. This is that which Ioſephus ſaw being in place himſelfe, one Eleazarus healing diuers that were violently tormented and vexed with euill ſpirits in preſence of Veſpaſian the Emperour and his ſonne Titus, Tribunes, and diuers Captaines, by laying vnto the noſtrilles of the man poſſeſſed a Ring, hauing in the ſignet of the Ring a roote which Salomon ſhewed, that by the ſmell of that roote, the euill ſpirit ſhould come out through the ſicke mans noſe, whom the Iew Eleazarus adiured neuer to returne to that man againe, making mention of Salomons name vnto the ſpirit.

And for that the Emperor Veſpaſian being then preſent with his ſouldiers, might know that theſe men tormented in this ſort were healed, Eleazarus ſet a Baſon full of water in their ſight, and charged the euill ſpirit at his departing out from the man, to ſhewe a certeine ſigne in the water to the beholders, that by the ſight thereof, they might beleeue the Arte of Eleazarus.

The like is written in Tobias, of the ſpirit Aſmodeus, Tob. 8. which was commaunded to come out of Sara Raguels daughter, by the Lyuer of a Fiſh.

So diuers are vexed with deuils, that ſome carry douils in their pokes in glaſſes, ſome in Images in their chambers, and ſome haue them in their Temples worſhipped and adored, and vſe to aske counſell of them: for they are poſſeſt with deuils, that aske counſell of deuils.

To ſuch went Achab, when he went for counſell to Baals Prophets, to know the euents of his warres betweene 3. Reg. 22 him and Meſa king of Moab.

To ſuch went Saul, when he went to Phaetoniſſa the witch at Endor, to aske counſel for the like purpoſe, as 1. Sam. 18 Ahab did, to know how hee ſhould ſpeed againſt the Philiſtines.

And to ſuch went Ahazia, when he went to Beelzebub the god of Accaron, to know if he might recouer 4. Reg. 1. his health.

Many goe to Beelzebub the god of Accaron, and to Baals, Prophets and the like, to learne how they may practiſe policy, as Hazael did when he went to Elizeus, pretending to knowe if king Benhadad his Maſter ſhould recouer his health: but Hazael practiſed ſuch polycies, beſides the ſtrangling of the king his Maſter, that it made Elizeus to weep, knowing the tyranny that Hazael would practiſe againſt Iſrael.

Many ſuch ſeditious perſons practiſe the like miſchief in their hearts, as Hazael did, which if men might ſee into, as Elizeus did, or might open their hearts & make an Anatomy of their bodies, as the Athenians did by Ariſthomenes the Meſſenian, which being taken captiue by the Athenians, they bowelled him, and found his heart full of hayres, Cer piloſum (as Plinie ſayth) no doubt, many would bee found to haue cordapiloſa, as Ariſthomenes Plin. 11. cap. 37. was among the Athenians.

Some Emperours of Rome had the Image of Fortune made of glaſſe, & placed it in their gallery, which The image of fortune made of glaſſe. ſtood alwayes there from one Emperour to another, to ſignifie the vncertaynety of mans life, and to put them in remembrance how frayle and fickle mans ſtate is.

And therefore one of the Emperors hauing a glaſſe in his hand, after hee dranke, threw the glaſſe againſt the walles, and ſaid, This reſembleth the ſtate of an Emperour in Rome. Such was the continuance of the Emperors of Rome, that ſome were ſlaine in the fields, ſome in the towne, ſome in their chambers, and ſome in their beds: Such was their practice to come to the Empire, and ſuch was the policy vſed in like maner, to deſtroy and to murther them in their Empires.

Of theſe and ſuch like men Diogenes the Cinick ſaid, that they were thrice moſt miſerable men, to aske coū ſell 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . of deuils, and go to the glaſſe of Iannes and Iambres the Sorcerers of Egypt.

Others there bee, that practiſe their policy in the glaſſe of vſury, much frequēted amongſt Citizens; for it is a maxime with them, Nihil turpe cum lucro, any kind of gayne is good with the vſurer, they loue it as they 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . loue themſelues, Sanguis, vita & eorum anima pecunia, It is as deare vnto them as the bloud of their bodies, or the life of their ſoules, whoſe heauen is the world, like Vliſses, who preferred his country of Ithaca before eternity, whoſe bellie is their god with the Epicure, and whoſe harts are ſo hardned, that neither the late plague, nor the Peſtilence, nor any puniſhment which God doth inflict vpon them, can mollify their ſtony hearts.

Vſurers were baniſhed from Athens by the Law of Solon, and their Tables of Vſurie burned in Athens, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . which was the pureſt fire that euer Ageſilaus ſaw, as he him ſelfe ſaid.

And in Sparta, by the Lawe of Licurgus, no Vſurer might dwell within the Confines of Lacedemonia. Such Vſurers and Monopolies were alſo baniſhed from all Aſia, by Lucullus: and for that the name of an Vſurer ſhould not be named within Aſia, hee vſed the lawe of Amneſtia by Thraſibulus made in Athens. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

So did Cate then Conſull, cleare all Sicilia from Vſurers and Monopolies: theſe be Sorices Reip. the Rats of a Common wealth: theſe be the Moths that eate mens clothes on their backs: theſe be the Wormes that breed in the Bee-hiues, that deuoure all the hony.

There be others that be ambitious practiſers, more dangerous, which hunt for to become Magiſtrates and Officers: againſt theſe, the law of Ostraciſmos was put 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in execution in Athens, and the law Petaliſmes in Syracuſa, and euery where ſuch were baniſhed Igne & aqua; theſe be clymers and practiſers how to be mighty, and to be aduaunced vnto greatnes: theſe were of the monſters of Athens, Noctua, populus, & Draco, of whom Demoſthenes ſpeaketh.

In the time of Alexander the great, none would he ſuffer great beſides himſelfe in all the earth. In the time of Antiochus, none great in all Aſia but hee. And amongſt the Romanes, none but one Pompey the great. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . But in theſe dayes many practiſe their policy to become great, againſt the rule of the Philoſopher, who ſaith, Neminem vnum magnum facere, &c.

The Lawyers alſo haue their glaſſe, where they may ſee Balaam ryding on his Aſſe: Balac attended on The Images of kīgs of Iudges, and of Iuſtice. with Moabites & Madianites, with bribes and rewards in their hands to haue Balaams counſell, which might put them in remembrance of corrupt Iudges, and greedy Lawyers. In this glaſſe, they ſhall ſee alſo Moloc with a reaching hand: But there is a better ſight in this Glaſſe, the Images of Iudges without hands: the Images of Kings, without eyes: and Iuſtice it ſelfe pictured without a head, to ſignify, that Kings ſhould be without affection, and Iudges without corruption: Ne gratia, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 precio, odio vel timore eludi poſſit Iuſtitia.

The vſe of Glaſſes were made to this purpoſe, to reforme and to inſtruct men of outward and inward faults.

Such a Glaſſe had Plato, to reforme Drunkards, and furious haſty men, that by beholding of themſelues Platoes glaſſe. in Platoes Glaſſe, they might ſee how they were depryued of all their ſences, and left without any humane part that ſhould be in reaſonable men, and that by looking in this Glaſſe, they might reforme themſelues: Ad hoc vtile eſt nobis Speculum: A Glaſſe is neceſſary herein.

Such a Glaſſe had Socrates to ſhew his Schollers, that they which were moſt beautifull and goodly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Plu, in Timokon. wanting no comely forme of body, might learne by Socrates Glaſſe, not to deface that Beauty, or deforme that body with any foule vice, or filthy fault of the minde: And if they were lame, crooked, or any way deformed, in the ſame Glaſſe, Socrates taught them how to amend and to counteruaile the deformity of the body, with wiſdome, knowledge, and vertue of the mind: Ingenii cultu morum que probitate penſarent.

This was the vſe of the Glaſſe, ſayd Seneca, to amend faults, and not to learne faults; not to learne Idolatry, as Neſtorius did, to make Mirrors of men; or like Narciſſus, to flatter our ſelues. Narciſſus glaſse.

Archimedes Glaſſe was much more commended in Syracuſa to deceiue the Romanes his enemyes by his Glaſſe, then we by our owne Glaſſes to deceyue Archimedes glaſſe. our ſelues.

It was lawfull for Archimedes to practiſe policy, to burne Townes, Cyties and Shippes by his Glaſſe, to deſtroy the enemyes of Syracuſa.

Next this Glaſſe of flattery, commeth in the practiſing Glaſse of Idolatry.

If Neſtorius and Narciſſus deceiued themſelues & others, what wonder is it that Zeuxes painted a Bitch on a Table ſo liuely, that Dogges at the ſight thereof barked? Or that Parrhaſius painted a Mare in ſuch ſort, that Horſes neighed at the lookng on it?

Neither of that picture which Praxiteles made, which was the Image of a beautifull comely woman of Marble, to ſtand in a Temple at Gnydos, that ſome youth Aelian. 2. de var. hiſt Plin. li. 36 cap. 5. of that citie ſuppoſed the Image to bee no leſſe a woman, then the Dogges that barked at Xeuxes Bitch, or the Horſes that neighed at Parrhaſius Mare, or the Bull that lowed at the braſen cow in Syracuſa: but I thinke not ſo of the woodden Cow of Creet, the mother of Monſters.

But theſe are things naturall and eaſie to be beleeued in Beaſts, becauſe they are beaſts: but for people of reaſon and vnderſtanding, to loue Images and pictures, & to honour & worſhip them, is more beaſtly then beaſts them ſelues, becauſe they ſhould not be beaſts.

Rome, of all kingdoms and countries, was beholden to Images: for when Camillus had ouercome the Veients, Plut. in Camil. one of Camillus Soldiers asked Iunoes image, Vis migrare Romam? Who anſwered, Libenter velo.

So the Image of Fortune in Coriolianus time, at the dedication of her Temple, gaue great thankes vnto Plut. in Camil. the Matrones of Rome, and ſayd, Recte me dedicaſtis Matronae.

The citie of Rome being vexed with a long plague, was admoniſhed by Sybillaes books, to ſend to Epidaurus for Aeſculapius image, who followed the Ambaſſadours Oro. lib. 3. cap. 22. in forma Serpentis, from Epidaurus to Rome, and healed the Romane plague, ſo that Rome was ſo full of Images, that Cicero ſayd, Quot linguae hominum Romae, tot nomina Deorum.

In Athens were but fewe leſſe in number then in Rome, they had as many Images in Athens, as they had Poets to faine thē, or Painters to paint them, they had ſo many Images, that they had an Altar ignoto deo, that ſome Philoſophers thought good to baniſh all Poets and Painters out of Athens.

In Egypt, the mother of Idolatry, were the Images of all kinde of Beaſts, of Serpents, of Fowles & of fiſhes worſhipped as gods, O ſeculum Daemoniorum, non Deorum!

And therefore Iehu vſing this ſtratagem to deſtroy theſe Idols, fayned a day of great ſolemnity and ſacrifice The ſtratagem of Iehu. 4. Reg. 10 to Baal, and called al the prophets, prieſts & frends of king Achab to this ſolemnity, ſaying, that he would, as Achab had done before, ſacrifice to Baal: and hauing them all within the Temple, commaunded certayne ſoldiers to inuade and kill them.

So God taught Moſes ſuch ſtratagems in Egipt againſt Pharao, and to Ioſua at Iericho, and at Ai, to deſtroy the enemies of God.

Ergamenes, king of Ethiope, vſing the like policy as Iehu did, to make an end of all the prieſts of Ethiope, who by their Lawe had authority to elect a King, ſo Dioder. 〈◊〉 4. cap. 1. long to raigne as pleaſed thoſe prieſts to ſuffer him, diſſembled the like policy as Iehu did, to ſolemnize a ſacrifice to their gods, where he ſlue them euery one.

So is diſſimulation lawfull in ſuch and like actions. So Chuſa diſſembled with Abſolom, and ſaid, God ſaue 2. Sam. 17 King Abſolom, as though he had refuſed and forſaken king Dauid, and was become an obedient ſeruant to Abſolom. By this meanes he ouerthrew Achitophel and his counſell, and afterward Abſolom.

Samuel diſſembled his comming to Bethlehem to anoynt Dauid king ouer Iſrael, pretending that he came 1. Sam. 16 to do ſacrifice, as the Lord commaunded.

So Dauid fayned himſelfe madde, leſt he ſhould go 1. Sam. 21 with king Achiſh to fight againſt Iſrael.

Diſſimulation therefore may be vſed, yea euen in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Plat. de Rep. 5. Courts, as Plato ſayd, that Princes may diſſemble, to preuent greater harmes to their ſubiects, and may vſe ſuch policies as the Phiſician doeth to his patients, to put poyſon in his drugges, to heale his patients.

Yet I remember Auguſtines ſaying of diſſimulation, that there be many kinds of diſſimulatiō, & in ſome of theſe ſaith Auguſtin, Non magna culpa, non tamen ſine culpa. Aug. in 5. Pſal.

Likewiſe Licurgus held it neceſſary, that both diſſimulation and ambition ſhould be ſometimes vſed to offend in the leaſt Iuſtice, to performe a greater Iuſtice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . &c. Plu. in Pol. and yet not allowing that, but palliata Iuſtitia, and that for neceſſities ſake.

So Cato diſsembled and ſuffred ſedition in his houſe among his ſeruants.

Where the Lyons skin, ſaith Lyſander, reacheth not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Plu. in Cat. it muſt be ſowed to the Fox skyn: So that Princes muſt be of the nature of the Lyon, and yet be as wiſe and as wary as the Fox.

So Hanibal, by a flattering ſtratagem ſaid, that thoſe that would go to the enemyes to learne and to know Front. lib. 3. cap. 3. the counſell and ſeruice of the enemyes, were not to be called Traytors, but the onely expert Soldiers, & moſt worthy to be eſteemed. Then were they more bold, and went the next night as they had appointed. The Romanes hauing often times vnderſtanding of the ſubtilty of Hanibal, tooke them and cut off their hands, and ſent them to Hannibal without hands.

Diodorus hauing a garryſon in Amphipolis, ſuſpecting Diodorus garriſon at Amphip. two thouſand Thracians which were ſeditious in the towne, fearing ſome conſpiracy againſt Amphypolis, fayned that certayne ſhips of the enemy ſayled at the next ſhore, which ſhould be a great ſpoyle to the Thracians, and moſt eaſie to obtayne. The Thracians being greedy and ſeditious Souldiers, gathered their company together, and ſet out of Amphipolis with great hope of a good pray, who as ſoone as they were out of the City, the Captain commaunded the Gates to be ſhut and kept them out, & ſo they cleered Amphypolis: Such policyes muſt be vſed againſt falſe ſeditious people, to finde them out, to ryd and cleere them from honeſt people.

By ſuch diſſimulation through ſedition, Hanibal got Tarentum. So Marcellus, by corrupting of Soſiſtratus, wanne Syracuſa. So Philip of Macedon, by the Cic. do diuinat. 2 like, got Samos of Apollonius. He could ſo Philippizin with Pythia, as Demoſtenes ſayth, that none might haue acceſſe to Apollo, but Philip of Macedon.

But Philip being admoniſhed by the ſelfe ſame Pythia, to take heed and to looke to Quadriga, though hee Cic. de Fate. cauſed ſtreight all the Coaches, waggons, and Chariottes within Macedonia, to be taken aſunder, and with all care ſhunned & auoyded the place in Booetia, called Quadriga, yet Philip could not auoyd that Quadriga, which was written vpon the hylt of Pauſanias ſword, with the which Philip was ſlayne.

Iulius Caeſar practiſed no ſuch policy, for he quieted a Legion of ſeditious Souldiers with one word, Num vos pudeat, Quirites? Are ye not aſhamed, you Romans, of your ſeditious practice? They ſuſpecting that Caeſar had intelligence of their practice, they were preſently reconciled and pacified with that word, & with the ſight of Caeſar.

With the like word, Demades an Orator of Athens, being taken captiue by Philip of Macedon, with many more poore captiue Greekes, ouer which Philip ſo tryumphed, daūcing & feaſting with Garlands & Crowns and taunting them with ſpitefull words, Demades ſpake boldly vnto him: Nonne te pudeat Philippe, cùm fortuna tuate Agamemnonem fecit, tein tuis opprobriis eſſe Tharſitem? The ſaying of Demaedes. Art not thou aſhamed, king Philip, whom Fortune made equall with Agamemnon, thou to make thy ſelfe in ſcoffing equall to Tharſites? Vpon which words, Philip diſmiſſed the poore Captiues, and entred in league with the Athenians.

But Alex, Seuerus clean contrary to Caeſar, perceiuing as Caeſar did, many ſeditious ſouldiers conſpyring together, diſmiſſed them out of the Army, cleered his Campe, and ſaid, Diſcedite Quirites, deponite arma: for he was as glad to be ryd of ſuch Souldiers, as they were glad to be ryd of ſo ſeuere a Captaine.

Cornelius Gracchus, a very eloquent Romane, but alwayes ſo factious & ſo ſeditious, that he was euer wont to haue ſecretly behind him, one of his ſeruants, a Muſician with an Iuory Flute, to mooue, to ſtirre, and to Cic. de Orat. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . &c. Plat. de leg. giue life to his Maſters ſpeach to mooue ſedition. This Gracchus little eſteemed Platoes lawes, who iudged euery way a ſeditious man worthy of death, as the law was: Si quis priuatim pacem bellumue fecerit, capitale eſto: yet had Gracchus rather be ſlain among ſeditious men, him ſelfe being chiefe ſeditious, then to liue in peace, and to mayntaine peace in his country at Rome.

How much better was Egeſias a Phyloſopher in Cyraena, who not onely perſwaded againſt factious and ſeditious men, but alſo inueyed againſtal wickednes of life, exhorting to abhorre vice and to loue vertue.

Such counſell gaue Egeſias to the Cyraenians, as Solon gaue to the Athenians, whoſe precept was alwaies 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Laere. 〈◊〉 Sole. Conſule quae optima, non quae ſuauiſſima.

By which perſwaſion, he ſo mortified the Cyraenians that they thought it better to dye, then to lyue. But that good practiſe of this Phyloſopher, was by Ptholomei king of Egypt put to ſilence, leſt too many became honeſt and vertuous.

Such a Phyloſopher to perſwade, and ſuch a Preacher to teach mortification, were wel worthy of a golden Laert. in Ariſtip. Image, were it not that ſom kind of people would eſteeme more of the Image then of the man, as Dioniſius made more of Iupiters golden Garment, then of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Iupiter, more of Aeſculepius golden beard, then of Aeſculapius: It was euer his ſpeach for money.

Seditious men euer eſteemed the golde of the Temple, more then the Temple; the gold of the Altar, more then the Altar: they be like the Moabites, alwaies 4. Reg. 3. ready for the ſpoyle.

Theſe bee they which Iohn Baptiſt calles Prognies Math. 3 Viperarum.

It may be ſayd of theſe wicked Practiſers, that they know not of what ſpirit they are, as Chriſt ſayd to Iames and Iohn, when they would haue fire from heauen to burne Samaria. Neſcitis cuius Spiritus eſtis. Luc. 9.

Many practiſe ſuch policyes with ſuch furyes as the Syrians that went from Damaſco with two eyes to kyll Elizeus at Dothan, but they were brought blinde 4. Reg. 6. from Dothan to Samaria among their enemies.

Others practiſe the like policy with Gehezi, and run after Naaman the Syrian for gifts & rewards, vntill the 4. Reg. 5. leproſy of Naaman come vpon them and their houſes for euer.

Some truſting to their ſtrength, put their hands to many dangers, like Milo Cretoniates, who drew a great yron wedge out of a ſtrong clouē oake with one hand, Gel. li. 15. cap. 16. & thruſt the other hand into the cleft where the wedge was, but the oake faſtned vpon his hand, and held him vntill wild beaſts came to deuoure him.

Hermes the Egyptian ſayd, that vngodlines is a very 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ▪ Hermes. cap. 12. heauy ſicknes to the ſoule of man, who is neuer quiet, nor reſteth, but in actions of vngodlines.

Antiochus was ſo vngodly a king, that he was wont to ſay, that he would make Ieruſalem a graue to bury the Iewes. 2. Mac. 9.

Benhadad would bragge, that the duſt of Samaria would not ſuffice, that euery one of his ſoldiers ſhould 3. Reg. 20 haue a handfull.

Sennacherib was wont to bragge of king Ezechias, that neyther God nor man might deliuer him out of 4. Reg. 19 his hands.

Dripetine, Mithidrates daughter, Queene of Laodicea, had double teeth ſet in a rowe, one row beſide another, in ſuch deformed ſort, that it loathed any man to looke vpon her: and yet not ſo lothſome to behold, as to heare the brags and blaſphemies of theſe blaſphemers.

The Greekes yeelded diuine honours to them that would kill a Tyrant, neyther can it bee a greater ſacrifice Alawe againſt Tyrants in Greece. to the gods, ſaith Seneca, then the death of a Tyrant, Spolia opima Ioui, A rich ſpoyle vnto Iupiter. Wherefore Hermodius and Ariſtogiton, two Citizens of Athens, for killing of Piſiſtratus the Tyrant, had graunted them for honour, that no man ſhould euer be called after their names in Athens, for that they were much plagued by Tyrants.

In Greece, a Lawe was made, that Tyrannorum filii conſcii parentum ſceleris, haud ſecus morte et exilio mulctentur: that Tyrants Children ſhould be banyſhed or dye with their parents.

Sectio. 12.

DARIVS Signet vpon Alexanders hand mooued much the Macedonians to doubt Darius Signet. of their kings fauour.

Pompeyes Signet vpon Caeſars finger, much ſpited the Romanes that were Pompeyes friends.

The Signet of Marcellus the Conſull vpon Hanibals finger, being ſlain in an ambuſh, ſo aſtoniſhed the Army, Marcellus Signet. that Criſpinus in great haſte ſent Letters to Salapia and to other ports and townes about Apulia, that they ſhould not giue credit vnto Hanibals Letters, though they were ſealed with Marcellus Signet.

It was the maner of Alexander, after hee had conquered Darius, when hee wrote his Leters to Perſia, to ſeale them with the Signet of Darius, and when he wrote to Macedonia, he vſed his owne Signet.

So Iulius Caeſar (after king Mithridates was ſubdued by Pompey,) ſoone vanquiſhed king Pharnaces, Mithridates ſonne, without any great warres, but by yeelding of his Crown and his Signet vnto Caeſar: ſo he wrote to his friend Anitus to Rome, but theſe three words, Veni, vidi, vici: No Nation reſiſted Caeſar after he had conquered the Gaules, but his owne nation the Romanes.

Diuiſions ouerthrew kingdomes and Empyres, ſo was Greece by Graecians, and not by Philip of Macedon: ſo were the Iſraelites after their diuiſion into two kingdomes, ouerthrowen within them ſelues by their owne nation the Iſraelites.

The Romanes, though not equall in number to the Spaniards, nor in ſtrength to the French men, nor in ſubtilty to the Affricans, nor in knowledge to the Grecians, yet in time the Romanes maſtered all theſe, and many more nations, Armis et viribus, ſayth Vigetius, Pietate et religione, ſayth Cicero: but moſt writers affirme, Viget. lib. 1. cap. 28 that the Romanes became Conquerours Humanitate et vnitate: which is the onely cauſe of all Conqueſts.

Cotys of Thracia ſeemed herein to imitate the Romanes, who was certified that the Athenians had graunted him to bee free Denizin of Athens: and I will (ſayd Cotys) make all the Athenians free in Thracia, Val. Max. li. 3. cap. 7 and wil make Athens and Thracia all one, Sic Thraciam Athenis aequauit Cotys.

The ſower of all diſcord is Sathan the Serpent, that ſoweth Tares amongſt good Wheat, while we ſleepe, Math. 13. We haue no helpe againſt this Serpent, but watching and praying.

The Hebrues that were bitten by Serpents in the wildernes, were healed by looking vpon the brazen Numb. 21 Serpent in that wildernes.

The Egyptians could ſaue themſelues from Serpents of Ethiopia, by their Birds Ibides.

The Arabians had remedies againſt their venemous red Serpents, by eating of an Arabiā fruit, where thoſe Diodor. Serpents bred.

The Graecians by the counſell of Theophraſtus, and practice of Iſmenias, had their remedies againſt the ſtinging of Vipers.

The Apulians had their ſalue to ſaue them from the Alex. li. 2. cap. 17 biting of Tarantula, by muſike.

The Romans found meanes to mitigate the plague in Rome, as you haue heard clauo fixo.

But a greater plague ceaſed in Iſrael by Iaels knocking Iud. 4. a great naile into Siſeraes temples.

Yet againſt the Serpents teeth which Medea ſowed, whence ſprang armed men out of the earth, who deuoured one another, no helpe, no remedy, was found againſt theſe Serpents.

The viperous biting of ſeditious treacherous men that bite a great way off, that no man ſhall ſee them, nor know them before they haue bitten, Non prius intelligas proditorem, quàm proditus ſis, ſayth Seneca. How then ſhal we preuēt ſuch with all the wiſdom we haue, or puniſh 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . ſuch with all the Lawes wee haue? For ſayth Cicero, Crimen conceptum aut cogitatum, paenam non meretur. Faultes conceyued and thought on, which no man knoweth but God himſelfe, ought not to be puniſhed: for (ſayth Cato) Voluntates non ſunt legibus obnoxiae: A mans thought is vnder no law, but vnder Gods lawe.

But yet in another place Cicero vrged before the Senators, that Clodius ſeruant, for that he thought to kyll Pompey the great, being then a ſole Conſull of Rome, which was the father of the countrey, and as a king of the Romans, thought no leſſe in his heart, then Caligula did, that wiſhed Rome to haue but one neck, becauſe he might cut it off with one ſtroke: but that ſtroke fell vpon Caligulas necke: ſo ſuch cruell Tygers are often Curt. lib. 7 made foode to feede fowles. Nothing is ſo ſtrong (ſaith Curtius) but ſometime the weakeſt may ouerthrowe it. We ſee the long & great trees, that long were in growing, in one howre to be cut downe.

All Countreyes ought to bee purged and purifyed of theſe factious and ſeditious men, not as Naaman the Syrian was purifyed by waſhing in I ordan: neyther as Ezechias purifyed the Temple of Ieruſalem, but by a Militaty purification, and to ſacrifice ſuch fellowes by decimation, as Tamberlaine and Xerxes did.

It is in Homer written of three kindes of purification: the one by fire, the other by water, the third by ayre: where mention is made of Vliſses, how hee commaunded Odeſſ. 21. that offences and great faultes ſhould bee purified with Brimſtone and fire, and with the ſlaughter of hogges, for a ſacrifice to the Gods.

The like is of Oreſtes, who, after hee ſlew his mother Clitemneſtra, was ſo vexed with furies, that hee wandred like a madde man, vntill he was purified with water ſent for from the Tracenians, and had from ſeuen ſeuerall riuers, and being put all together into a veſſell and waſhed ouer his body with that water, to purifie & clenſe him, ex materna caede, of his mothers murthering. It ſhould ſeeme that Homer was acquainted with the cleanſing of Naaman the Syrian, in the floud Iordan, of his leproſie; for they liued almoſt in one age.

In purification and purging of falſe, deceitfull, and ſeditious Souldiers, the Generall, the Coronelles, the Captaines, and all the ſouldiers, all crowned with Laurell, The purging of Campes. ſhould in Martius field make ſuch ſupplications & ſacrifices, as Ser. Tullius the third King of Rome had then conſtituted, which was a ſheepe, a Goate, a Sowe, and a Bull, at which time the Army ſhould haue a certaine portion of corne, pro cuiuſque contubernio, for euery tenne Souldiers being of one company, and euery one ſhould haue a peece of money, called Drachma, with other ſuch military rewards, as were fit for euery company to offer ioyntly their oblation & ſacrifice for the purifying of their Army.

In like ſort, if any great earthquake, lightning or thū dring were, for the purifying & purging of their Countries from ſeditious and mutinous people, either in the field amongſt Soldiers, or in their Cities amongſt Citizens, or in their Nauies vpon the Sea, they vſed many ceremonies.

The baniſhing and purging of ſuch trecherous and ſeditious people, in Nauies on Seas, differed nothing, The purifying of Sea-Souldiers. but in ſome ceremonies, which was, that many altars ſhould be made vpon the ſhore, and that altar which the water of the Sea had ſprinkled, the Prieſtes vpon that altar ſhould ſacrifice the offenders: then part of the ſacrifice ſhould be throwne into the Sea, the other burned vpon the ſhore: this was the olde maner of the Romans in purifying and purging of wicked falſe men, from good men.

They were ſo carefull, or rather ſuperſtitious, that if either an Owle, or a Wolfe had bin within the Tēple of Iupiter in the Capitoll, ſacrificium peculare ſhould bee vſed. Many ſuch night-Owles, and many day-walking Wolues, come not onely into our Temples, but into our houſes.

Scipio Emilianus, at what time hee was Cenſor, made Scipio Emilianus. no other ſupplication to the gods, but only for the proſperity of the city of Rome, and for purging of ſeditious men out of the city of Rome.

But Nero in his ſactifice & ſupplication to the gods, made only mention of himſelfe and of the people, but not of the Senators and Magiſtrates. Too many are Nero. of Neroes nature, which would faine feed the peoples humours, to moue ſedition and mutinies, but generally they haue the like end as Nero had.

Supplications and prayers were made amongſt the Pagans, for any victories or good ſucceſſe to any kingdome Alex. lib. 5. cap. 27 or countrey. A decree was made in Rome, that the Citizens for fifteene dayes ſhould offer ſacrifice and ſupplications to the gods for the good ſucceſſe, that Iulius Caeſar had in his warres againſt the Gaules.

So did Cicero being then Conſull, cauſe all the Senators, Patricians, Tribes, with all the Citizens of Rome, Matrons, wiues, young and old, by themſelues crowned, to offer ſupplications and ſactifices in their The purification of good ſucceſſe and victories. Temples, celebrating ſolemne feaſtes, in token of great ioy and triumph, that the conſpiracy of Cateline was found out by Cicero, and his confederats vanquiſhed by Luc. Antonius, then Conſull with Cicero.

The like did Cicero for the victories and happy ſucceſſe of Oct. Caeſar. So did Dec. Brutus for the ioy and gladnes of the ouerthrow of Marc. Antonius at the battell at Mutina.

The Grecians commonly neuer vſed ſupplication for any happines or fortunate ſucceſse, but playes and feaſts, but if it were ſome great victory ouer the enemy, or ſauing of their city from the enemy, thē they would with great pompe & ſolemnity in their Temples offer ſacrifice and oblations, ſing Hymnes and Meeters, in yeelding thankes to their gods.

The Athenians had alſo, ſaith Theopompus, euery fifth yere, as the Romans had their L 〈…〉 , ſo had they their The •• ro • of 〈…〉 i 〈◊〉 in Athens. Panegyrys, their meeting in a Seſſion to giue thankes to their gods, with one cōſent, for the defending of Athēs againſt the enemy: at which time, they made ſupplication for the people of Platea, their next neighbors, and of Chios, to the gods, to maintain the proſperous eſtate of their countrey, with banning and curſing of Philip and all his countrey Macedonia, with ſupplications to deſtroy his Nauies on the ſea, his Army vpon the land, Alex 〈◊〉 . 5. cap. 77 his children and his family, as moſt deteſtable enemies vnto Greece: See the cate and loue the Heathens had of their countrey.

The Greekes had alſo inſtructions of Epimenides, to purify their Cities in this ſort; to let two ſheepe, the one blacke, the other white, out of the townes end, and ſome man appointed to follow them, and where they would ſtay or lye, there would the Greekes offer oblations and ſacrifice to their gods: this was their care for their countrey, and ſuch ſhould be the care of all good men towards their Countrey, to purge, to purify, and to weed all trecherous and ſeditious men as are neuer well, but either inuenting or doing ſome euill to their Country; not much vnlike to the purification of Moſes, which you ſhall read hereafter.

When the old Gaules purified or cleanſed their Cyties or Townes, their cuſtome was to feed one man Of purification among the Gaules. moſt daintily for one whole yeere, and being full ſed and fat, they led him round about the Citie or Towne vpon a ſolemne feaſt day, and after brought him without the City, and ſtoned him with ſtones to death, as a ſacrifice to purify their people.

Such a cuſtome, as it ſeemeth, had the Iewes, when Pilate would haue had Chriſt deliuered, and let Barrabas the murtherer dye according to their Lawes, the Iewes cried, Crucify Chriſt: they had rather haue Barrabas a murtherer, then Chriſt a Sauiour.

It ſeemed by Xerxes, which by lot of Decimation ſlue that Souldier, and deuided his bodie vnto two parts, to purify the army, that the Perſians vſed that kind of purging and cleanſing of their people which the Gaules did, and the Macedonians. The like law obſerued the Iewes, that one yeerely ſhould dye, to purify the people, as it ſeemed by Pilates ſpeach, when Barrabas was ſet free, and Chriſt died.

So Elizeus the Prophet willed Naaman the Aſſyrian to goe and waſh himſelfe ſeuen times in the riuer Iordan, Elizeus. and ſo he ſhould be clenſed of his Leproſy: but ſome practiſe with Gehezi, to deceyue their maſters. What ſhalbe their reward? The reward of Gehezi, the leproſy of Naaman for euer.

Moyſes was commanded from God, to put his owne ſiſter Miriam out of the hoſt for ſeuen dayes, vnul ſhe Moyſes. was purifyed by the Lawe, before ſhe ſhould be receiued againe into the army.

In another place Moyſes was commaunded, that the Iſraelites ſhould abſtayne frō their wines, their clothes waſhed, before they ſhould approach neere the hill. So Chriſt in the new Teſtament willed the ten Lepers to goe and ſhew themſelues vnto the Prieſt, according to the law of Moſes: but as they went, they were healed, and one came only to giue thanks vnto Chriſt.

I doubt much, that neither Elizeus, Moyſes, nor Chriſt himſelfe can heale a nomber of their leproſy, where men are ſo falſe, that they can neither be true to their Prince, nor to their Country. Where ſhall men finde faith? What fire, what water can do good, when the fyre of heauen can not purify, and the water of life can not waſh them?

The maner of purification by Moſes, was to kill a liue Moſes purification. Sparrow ouer a fountaine of water, & the Prieſt ſhould take Caedar wood, a Scarlet lace and Hyſſop, & ſhould dip them with the liuing Sparrow in the bloud of the ſlaine Sparrow, and ſprinkle vpon him that was vncleane, and ſo to bee purified. He that was cleanſed and purified by Moſes Law, ſhould waſh his clothes, and ſhaue off al his haire of his head, of his beard, and of his browes, and waſh himſelfe in water, and waſh his clothes, and be kept ſeuen dayes from the Camp. But concerning purification by the Law of Moſes, of blacke ſpottes, ſcabbes, and vncleane iſſues, you may read the Leuiticall Lawes, how God would haue his people cleane, pure and ſound, both outward and inward. Leuit. 14.

The Heathen were ſo ſuperſtitious in their ceremonies of purifycation & purging, that if any great earthquake, thunder, lightnings, or any monſtrous kind of births of men or of beaſts were in Rome, they ſhould be throwne into Tyber, or ſhould be ſlaine to be ſacrificed, to appeaſe their countrey gods.

There are many monſtrous births in diuers places and countries, that might be as well throwne into their owne country Riuers, as the Romanes did into Tiber, and ought farre better to bee drowned in their owne countryes, then the children of the Hebrues out of their countrie, by the Egyptians in Nylus.

Where I leaue, vntill I haue further time to write.