Page images
PDF
EPUB

195. The ambassadors of Asia Minor came to Antonius, after he had imposed upon them a double tax, and said plainly to him; "That if he would have two tributes in one year, he must give them "two seed-times and two harvests."

196. Plato was wont to say of his master Socrates, that he was like the apothecaries' gally-pots; that had on the out-side apes, and owls, and satyrs; but within, precious drugs.

197. Lamia the courtezan had all power with Demetrius king of Macedon, and by her instigations he did many unjust and cruel acts; whereupon Lysimachus said, "that it was the first time that ever he knew a whore play in tragedy."

66

198. Themistocles would say of himself,

"That

" he was like a plane-tree, that in tempests men fled "to him, and in fair weather men were ever cropping "his leaves."

199. Themistocles said of speech, "That it was "like arras, that spread abroad shews fair images, "but contracted is but like packs."

200. Bresquet, jester to Francis the first of France, did keep a calendar of fools, wherewith he did use to make the king sport; telling him ever the reason why he put any one into his calendar. When Charles the fifth, emperor, upon confidence of the noble nature of Francis, passed through France, for the appeasing of the rebellion of Gaunt, Bresquet put him into his calendar. The king asked him the He answered, "Because you have suffered "at the hands of Charles the greatest bitterness that

cause.

66

"ever prince did from another, nevertheless he "would trust his person into your hands.” "Why, Bresquet," said the king, "what wilt thou say, if thou seest him pass back in as great safety, as if he "marched through the midst of Spain ?" Saith Bresquet; "Why then I will put him out, and "put you in."

201. Lewis the eleventh of France, having much abated the greatness and power of the peers, nobility, and court of parliament, would say, “That he had brought the crown out of ward."

202. Sir Fulk Grevil, in parliament, when the lower house, in a great business of the queen's, stood much upon precedents, said unto them, "Why do

you stand so much upon precedents? The times "hereafter will be good or bad. If good, precedents "will do no harm; if bad, power will make a way " where it finds none."

203. When peace was renewed with the French in England, divers of the great counsellors were presented from the French with jewels: the lord Henry Howard, being then earl of Northampton, and a counsellor, was omitted. Whereupon the king said to him," My lord, how happens it that you have not a jewel as well as the rest ?" My lord answered, according to the fable in Æsop; "Non sum Gallus,

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

205. Alexander sent to Phocion a great present of money. Phocion said to the messenger, "Why "doth the king send to me, and to none else?" The messenger answered, “Because he takes you to be "the only good man in Athens." Phocion replied, "If he thinks so, pray let him suffer me to be so "still."

206. Cosmus duke of Florence was wont to say of perfidious friends, "that we read, that we ought "to forgive onr enemies; but we do not read that "we ought to forgive our friends."

207. Æneas Sylvius, that was pope Pius Secundus, was wont to say; that the former popes did wisely set the lawyers on work to debate, whether the donation of Constantine the great to Sylvester, of St. Peter's patrimony, were good and valid in law or no? the better to skip over the matter in fact, whether there were ever any such thing at all or no.

208. At a banquet where those that were called the seven wise men of Greece were invited by the ambassador of a barbarous king; the ambassador related that there was a neighbour mightier than his master, picked quarrels with him, by making impossible demands, otherwise threatening war; and now at that present had demanded of him, to drink up the sea. Whereunto one of the wise men said, "I "would have him undertake it." 66 Why," saith the ambassador," how shall he come off?" "Thus," saith the wise man: "let that king first stop the "rivers which run into the sea, which are no part of

"the bargain, and then your master will "form it."

per

209. At the same banquet, the ambassador desired the seven, and some other wise men that were at the banquet, to deliver every one of them some sentence or parable, that he might report to his king the wisdom of Græcia, which they did; only one was silent; which the ambassador perceiving, said to him," Sir, let it not displease you; why do not you say somewhat that I may report?" He answered, “Report to your lord, that there are of "the Grecians that can hold their peace."

210. One of the Romans said to his friend, "What think you of one who was taken in the act "and manner of adultery?" The other answered, Marry, I think he was slow at dispatch." :

211. Lycurgus would say of divers of the heroes of the heathen, "That he wondered that men should "mourn upon their days for them as mortal men, "and yet sacrifice to them as gods."

212. A papist being opposed by a protestant, "that they had no Scripture for images," answered, Yes; for you read that the people laid their sick "in the streets, that the shadow of saint Peter might " come upon them; and that a shadow was an image, " and the obscurest of all images."

213. There is an ecclesiastical writer of the Papists, to prove antiquity of confession in the form that it now is, doth note, in very ancient times, even in the primitive times, amongst other foul slanders spread

against the Christians, one was, "That they did "adore the genitories of their priests. Which, he "saith, grew from the posture of the confessant, and "the priest in confession: which is, that the con❝fessant kneels down, before the priest sitting in a "raised chair above him."

214. Epaminondas, when his great friend and colleague in war was suitor to him to pardon an offender, denied him; afterwards, when a concubine of his made the same suit, he granted it to her; which when Pelopidas seemed to take unkindly, he said; "Such suits are to be granted to whores, but "not to personages of worth."

215. The Lacedæmonians had in custom to speak very short, which being an empire, they might do at pleasure but after their defeat at Leuctra, in an assembly of the Grecians, they made a long invective against Epaminondas; who stood up, and said no more than this; "I am glad we have taught you "to speak long."

216. Fabricius, in conference with Pyrrhus, was tempted to revolt to him; Pyrrhus telling him, that he should be partner of his fortunes, and second person to him. But Fabricius answered, in a scorn, to such a motion, 66 Sir, that would not be good for "yourself: for if the Epirotes once knew me, they "will rather desire to be governed by me than 'by you."

[ocr errors]

217. Fabius Maximus being resolved to draw the war in length, still waited upon Hannibal's pro

« PreviousContinue »