stir not or evade, which is noted also by the Divine Philosopher, Eccl. xii. 11: “Verba sapientum," saith he, "sunt tanquam aculei et veluti clavi in altum defixi." The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails driven far in.

Moreover, all science seems to be placed in steep and high mountains; as being thought to be a lofty and high thing, looking down upon ignorance with a scornful eye. It may be observed and seen also a great way, and far in compass, as things set on the tops of mountains.

Furthermore, science may well be feigned to beset the highways, because which way soever we turn in this progress and pilgrimage of human life, we meet with some matter or occasion offered for contemplation.

“Tu regere imperio populos, Romane memento
Hæ tibi erunt artes-

Roman remember, that with sceptre's awe

Thy realms thou rul'st. These arts let be thy rule. It was, therefore, very apposite, that Augustus Cæsar, whether by premeditation, or by a chance, bare a sphynx in his signet; for he, if ever any, was famous not only in political government, but in all the course of his life; he happily discovered many new enigmas concerning the nature of man, which if he had not done with dexterity and promptness, he had oftentimes fallen into imminent danger and destruction.

Moreover, it is added in the fable, that the body of Sphynx, when she was overcome, was laid upon an ass; which indeed is an elegant fiction, seeing there is nothing so acute and abstruse, but, being well understood and divulged, may be apprehended by a slow capacity.

Neither is it to be omitted, that Sphynx was overcome by a man lame in his feet; for when men are too swift of foot, and too speedy of pace in hasting to Sphynx's enigmas, it comes to pass, that, she getting the upper hand, their wits and minds are rather distracted by disputations, than that ever they come to command by works and effects.

Sphynx is said to have received from the muses divers difficult questions and riddles, and to propound them unto men, which remaining with the muses, are free, it may be from savage cruelty; for so long as there is no other end of study and meditation, than to know, the understanding is not racked and imprisoned, but enjoys freedom and liberty, and even in doubts and variety finds a kind of pleasure and delectation; but when once these enigmas are delivered by the muses to Sphynx, that is, to practice, so that it be solicited and urged by action, and election, and determination, then they begin to be troublesome and raging; and unless they be resolved and expedited, they do wonderfully torment and vex the minds of men, distracting, and in a man-nal dominions, by that memorable division, was ner rending them into sundry parts.

Moreover, there is always a twofold condition propounded with Sphynx's enigmas: to him that doth not expound them, distraction of mind; and to him that doth, a kingdom; for he that knows that which he sought to know, hath attained the end he aimed at, and every artificer also commands over his work.

Of Sphynx's riddles, they are generally two kinds; some concerning the nature of things, others touching the nature of man. So also there are two kinds of empires, as rewards to those that resolve them. The one over nature, the other over men; for the proper and chief end of true natural philosophy is to command and sway over natural beings; as bodies, medicines, mechanical works, and infinite other things; although the school, being content with such things as are offered, and priding itself with speeches, doth neglect realities and works, treading them as it were under foot. But that enigma propounded to Edipus, by means of which he obtained the Theban empire, belonged to the nature of man: for whosoever doth thoroughly consider the nature of man, may be in a manner the contriver of his own fortune, and is born to command, which is well spoken of the Roman

arts.

PROSERPINA, OR SPIRIT.

PLUTO, they say, being made king of the infer

in despair of ever attaining any one of the superior goddesses in marriage, especially if he should venture to court them, either with words, or with any amorous behaviour; so that of necessity he was to lay some plot to get one of them by rapine: taking, therefore, the benefit of opportunity, he caught up Proserpina, the daughter of Ceres, a beautiful virgin, as she was gathering Narcissus flowers in the meadows of Sicily, and carried her away with him in his coach to the subterranean dominions, where she was welcomed with such respect, as that she was styled the Lady of Dis. But Ceres, her mother, when in no place she should find this her only beloved daughter, in a sorrowful humour and distracted beyond measure, went compassing the whole earth with a burning torch in her hand, to seek and recover this her lost child. But when she saw that all was in vain, supposing peradventure that she was carried to hell, she importuned Jupiter with many tears and lamentations, that she might be restored unto her again: and at length prevailed thus far, that if she had tasted of nothing in hell, she should have leave to bring her from thence. Which condition was as good as a denial to her petition, Proserpina having already eaten three grains of a pomegranate. And yet for all this, Ceres gave not over her suit, but fell to prayers and moans

afresh; wherefore it was at last granted that, the | and get again: for that brand or burning torch year being divided, Proserpina should, by alternate of æther which Ceres carried in her hand, doth courses, remain one six months with her husband, doubtless signify the sun, which enlighteneth the and other six months with her mother. Not long whole circuit of the earth, and would be of the after this, Theseus and Perithous, in an over- greatest moment to recover Proserpina, if poshardy adventure, attempted to fetch her from sibly it might be. Pluto's bed, who, being weary with travel and sitting down upon a stone in hell to rest themselves, had not the power to rise again, but sat there forever. Proserpina therefore remained queen of hell, in whose honour there was this great privilege granted; that, although it were enacted that none that went down to hell should have the power ever to return from thence; yet was this singular exception annexed to this law, that if any presented Proserpina with a golden bough, it should be lawful for him to go and come at his pleasure. Now there was but one only such a bough in a spacious and shady grove, which was not a plant neither of itself, but budded from a tree of another kind, like a rope of gum, which being plucked off, another would instantly spring out.

But Proserpina abides still, the reason of which is accurately and excellently propounded in the condition between Jupiter and Ceres: for first it is most certain there are two ways to keep spirit in solid and terrestrial matter: the one by constipation and obstruction, which is mere imprisonment and constraint; the other by administration or proportionable nutriment, which it receives willingly and of its own accord; for after that the included spirit begins to feed and nourish itself, it makes no haste to be gone, but is, as it were, linked to its earth: and this is pointed at by Proserpina her eating of pomegranate; which, if she had not done, she had long since been recovered by Ceres with her torch, compassing the earth. Now, as concerning that spirit which is in metals and minerals, it is chiefly perchance restrained by soThis fable seems to pertain to nature, and to lidity of mass: but that which is in plants and dive into that rich and plentiful efficacy and va- animals inhabits a porous body, and hath open riety of subalternal creatures, from whom what-passage to be gone in a manner as it lists, were it soever we have is derived, and to them doth again return.

not that it willingly abides of its own accord, by reason of the relish it finds in its entertainment. The second condition concerning the six months' custom, it is no other than an elegant description of the division of the year, seeing this spirit mixed

By Proserpina, the ancients meant that ethereal spirit, which being separated from the upper globe, is shut up and detained under the earth, represented by Pluto, which the poet well express-with the earth appears above ground in vegetable ed thus:

"Sive recens tellus, seductaque nuper ab alto
Æthere, cognati retinebat semina cœli."
Whether the youngling Tellus (that of late
Was from the high-rear'd æther separate)
Did yet contain her teeming womb within
The living seeds of heaven, her nearest kin.

This spirit is feigned to be rapted by the earth, because nothing can withhold it, when it hath time and leisure to escape. It is therefore caught and stayed by a sudden contraction, no otherwise than if a man should go about to mix air with water, which can be done by no means, but by a speedy and rapid agitation, as may be seen in froth, wherein the air is rapted by the water.

Neither is it inelegantly added that Proserpina was rapt as she was gathering Narcissus flowers in the valleys, because Narcissus hath his name from slowness or stupidity: for, indeed, then is this spirit most prepared and fitted to be snatched by terrestrial matter, when it begins to be coagulated, and become as it were slow.

Rightly is Proserpina honoured more than any of the other god's bed-fellows, in being styled the Lady of Dis, because this spirit doth rule and sway all things in those lower regions, Pluto abiding stupid and ignorant.

This spirit, the power celestial, shadowed by Ceres, strives with infinite sedulity, to recover

bodies during the summer months, and in the winter sinks down again.

Now as concerning Theseus and Perithous, and their attempt to bring Proserpina quite away; the meaning of it is, that it oftentimes comes to pass that some more subtle spirits descending with divers bodies to the earth, never come to suck of any subalteran spirit, whereby to unite it unto them, and so to bring it away. But, on the contrary, are coagulated themselves, and never rise more, that Proserpina should be by that means augmented with inhabitants and dominion.

All that we can say concerning that sprig of gold is hardly able to defend us from the violence of the chymists, if in this regard they set upon us, seeing they promise by that their elixir to effect golden mountains, and the restoring of natural bodies, as it were from the portal of hell. But, concerning chymistry, and those perpetual suitors for that philosophical elixir, we know certainly that their theory is without grounds, and we suspect that their practice also is without certain reward. And therefore, omiting these, of this last part of the parable, this is my opinion, I am induced to believe by many figures of the ancients, that the conservation and restoration of natural bodies, in some sort, was not esteemed by them as a thing impossible to be attained, but as a thing abstruse and full of difficulties, and so they seem

to intimate in this place, when they report that this one only sprig was found among infinite other trees in a huge and thick wood, which they feigned to be of gold, because gold is the badge of perpetuity, and to be artificially as it were inserted, because this effect is to be rather hoped for from art, than from any medicine, or simple or natural means.

METIS, OR COUNSEL.

THE ancient poets report that Jupiter took Metis to wife, whose name doth plainly signify counsel, and that she by him conceived. Which when he found, not tarrying the time of her deliverance, devours both her and that which she went withal, by which means Jupiter himself became with child, and was delivered of a wondrous birth; for out of his head r brain came forth Pallas armed.

like the grapes ill pressed; from which, though some liquor were drawn, yet the best was left behind. These Sirens are said to be the daughters of Achelous and Terpsichore one of the muses, who in their first being were winged, but after rashly entering into contention with the muses, were by them vanquished and deprived of their wings: of whose plucked out feathers the muses made themselves coronets, so as ever since that time all the muses have attired themselves with plumed heads, except Terpsichore only, that was mother to the Sirens. The habitation of the Sirens was in certain pleasant islands, from whence as soon as out of their watch-tower they discovered any ships approaching, with their sweet tunes they would first entice and stay them, and having them in their power would destroy them. Neither was their song plain and single, but consisting of such variety of melodious tunes, so fitting and delighting the ears that heard them, as that it The sense of this fable, which at first appre- ravished and betrayed all passengers: and so hension may seem monstrous and absurd, con- great were the mischiefs they did, that these isles tains in it a secret of state, to wit, with what po- of the Sirens, even as far off as man can ken licy kings are wont to carry themselves towards them, appeared all over white with the bones of their counsellors, whereby they may not only pre-unburied carcasses. For the remedying of this serve their authority and majesty free and entire, misery a double means was at last found out, the but also that it may be the more extolled and dig-one by Ulysses, the other by Orpheus. Ulysses, nified of the people: for kings being as it were tied and coupled in a nuptial bond to their counsellors, do truly conceive that communicating with them about the affairs of greatest importance, do yet detract nothing from their own majesty. But when any matter comes to be censured or decreed, which is a birth, there do they confine and restrain the liberty of their counsellors; lest that which is done should seem to be hatched by their wisdom and judgment. So as at last kings, except it be in such matters as are distasteful and maligned, which they always will be sure to put off from themselves, do assume the honour and praise of all matters that are ruminated in council, and as it were, formed in the womb, whereby the resolution and execution, which, because it proceeds from power and implies necessity, is elegantly shadowed under the figure of Pallas armed, shall seem to proceed wholly from themselves. Neither sufficeth it, that it is done by the authority of the king, by his mere will and free applause, except withal, this be added and appropriated as to issue out of his own head or brain, intimating, that out of his own judgment, wisdom, and ordinance, it was only invented and derived.

to make experiment of his device, caused all the ears of his company to be stopped with wax, and made himself to be bound to the mainmast, with special commandment to his mariners not to be loosed, albeit himself should require them so to do. But Orpheus neglected and disdained to be so bound, with a shrill and sweet voice singing praises of the gods to his harp, suppressed the songs of the Sirens, and so freed himself from their danger.

This fable hath relation to men's manners, and contains in it a manifest and most excellent parable for pleasures do for the most proceed out of the abundance and superfluity of all things, and also out of the delights and jovial contentments of the mind: the which are wont suddenly, as it were with winged enticements to ravish and rap mortal men. But learning and education brings it so to pass, as that it restrains and bridles man's mind, making it so to consider the ends and events of things, as that it clips the wings of pleasure. And this was greatly to the honour and renown of the muses; for after that, by some example, it was made manifest that by the power of philosophy vain pleasures might grow contempt ible; it presently grew to great esteem, as a thing that could raise and elevate the mind aloft, that seemed to be base and fixed to the earth, make the cogitations of the men, which do ever reside in the

THE SIRENS, OR PLEASURES. THE fable of the Sirens seems rightly to have been applied to the pernicious allurements of plea-head, to be æthereal, and as it were winged. But sure, but in a very vulgar and gross manner. that the mother of the Sirens was left to her And, therefore, to me it appears, that the wisdom feet, and without wings, that no doubt is no otherof the ancients have, with a farther reach or in- wise meant than of light and superficial learning, sight, strained deeper matter out of them, not un-appropriated and defined only to pleasures, as

were those which Petronius devoted himself unto | philosophy, and one from religion. The first after he had received his fatal sentence; and, having his foot as it were upon the threshold of death, sought to give himself all delightful contentments; insomuch, as when he had caused consolatory letters to be sent him, he would peruse none of them, as Tacitus reports, that should give him courage and constancy, but only read fantastical verses such as these are.

CIVIL HISTORY.

HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF KING HENRY VII.

To the Most Illustrious and Most Excellent PRINCE CHARLES, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester, &c.

IT MAY PLEASE YOUR HIGHNESS,

In part of my acknowledgment to your highness, I have endeavoured to do honour to the memory of the last King of England that was ancestor to the king your father and yourself: and was that king to whom both unions may in a sort refer, that of the roses being in him consummate, and that of the kingdoms by him begun: besides, his times deserve it. For he was a wise man and an excellent king and yet the times were rough, and full of mutations, and rare accidents. And it is with times as it is with ways; some are more up-hill and down-hill, and some are more flat and plain; and the one is better for the liver, and the other for the writer. I have not flattered him, but took him to life as well as I could, sitting so far off, and having no better light. It is true your highness hath a living pattern, incomparable, of the king your father: but it is not amiss for you also to see one of these ancient pieces. God preserve your highness. Your highness's most humble and devoted servant,

FRANCIS ST. Alban.

AFTER that Richard, the third of that name, king | ignominy or contumely unworthy of him that had in fact only, but tyrant both in title and regiment, and so commonly termed and reputed in all times since, was, by the divine revenge favouring the design of an exiled man, overthrown and slain at Bosworthfield; there succeeded in the kingdom the Earl of Richmond, thenceforth styled Henry the Seventh. The king, immediately after the victory, as one that had been bred under a devout mother, and was in his nature a great observer of religious forms, caused "Te Deum laudamus" to be solemnly sung in the presence of the whole army upon the place, and was himself, with general applause and great cries of joy, in a kind of military election or recognition, saluted king. Meanwhile the body of Richard, after many indignities and reproaches, the "diriges" and obsequies of the common people towards tyrants, was obscurely buried. For though the king of his nobleness gave charge unto the friars of Leicester to see an honourable interment to be given to it, yet the religious people themselves, being not free from the humours of the vulgar, neglected it; wherein nevertheless they did not then incur any man's blame or censure: no man thinking any

been the executioner of King Henry the Sixth, that innocent prince, with his own hands; the contriver of the death of the Duke of Clarence, his brother; the murderer of his two nephews, one of them his lawful king in the present, and the other in the future, failing of him; and vehemently sus pected to have been the impoisoner of his wife, thereby to make vacant his bed, for a marriage within the degrees forbidden. And although he were a prince in military virtue approved, jealous of the honour of the English nation, and likewise a good law-maker, for the ease and solace of the common people; yet his cruelties and parricide, in the opinion of all men, weighed down his virtues and merits; and, in the opinion of wise men, even those virtues themselves were conceived to be rather feigned and affected things to serve his ambition, than true qualities ingenerate in his judg. ment or nature. And therefore it was noted by men of great understanding, who seeing his afteracts looked back upon his former proceedings, that even in the time of King Edward his brother. he was not without secret trains and mines to turn envy and hatred upon his brother's govern