"Ye Spartans are unlearned;" said again, "True, | goes to the sick, any that meets with it turns back for we have learned no evil vice of you."

185. There was a friar in earnest dispute about the law Salique, that would needs prove it by Scripture; citing that verse of the gospel, “Lilia agri non laborant neque nent;" the lilies of the field do neither labour nor spin; applying it thus: 177. There was one that found a great mass That the flower-de-luces of France cannot deof money digging under ground in his grand-scend, neither to the distaff nor to the spade: that father's house and being somewhat doubtful of the case, signified it to the emperor that he had found such treasure. The emperor made a rescript thus: "Use it." He writ back again, that the sum was greater than his estate or condition could use. The emperor writ a new rescript thus: "Abuse it."

lon his great treasures of gold, Solon said to him, I would have two tributes in one year, he must "If another king come that hath better iron than give them two seed-times and two harvests." you, he will be master of all this gold."

188. There was a gentleman that came to the tilt all in orange-tawny, and ran very ill. The next day he came again all in green, and ran worse. There was one of the lookers on asked another; "What is the reason that this gentleman changeth his colours ?" The other answered, "Sure, because it may be reported, that the gentleman in the green ran worse than the gentleman in the orange-tawny."

189. Aristippus said; "That those that studied particular sciences, and neglected philosophy, were like Penelope's wooers, that made love to the waiting woman.'

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190. Plato reprehended severely a young man for entering into a dissolute house. The young man said to him, "Why do you reprehend so sharply for so small a matter?" Plato replied, "But custom is no small matter."

191. There was a law made by the Romans against the bribery and extortion of the governors of provinces. Cicero saith in a speech of his to the people, "That he thought the provinces would petition to the state of Rome to have that law repealed. For," saith he, “before, the governors did bribe and extort as much as was sufficient for themselves; but now they bribe and extort as much as may be enough not only for themselves, but for the judges, and jurors, and magistrates."

192. Archidamus, King of Lacedæmon, having received from Philip, King of Macedon, after Philip had won the victory of Chæronea upon the Athenians, proud letters, writ back to him, "That if he measured his own shadow, he would find it no longer than it was before his victory."

193. Pyrrhus, when his friends congratulated to him his victory over the Romans, under the conduct of Fabricius, but with great slaughter of his own side, said to them again, “Yes, but if we have such another victory, we are undone."

196. Plato was wont to say of his master Socrates, that he was like the apothecaries' gallipots; that had on the outside 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 he ever knew a whore to play in tragedy."

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 shows 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 the rebellion of Gaunt, Bresquet put him into his calendar. The king asked him the cause. He answered, "Because you have suffered at the hands of Charles the greatest bitterness that 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."

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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."

194. Cineas was an excellent orator and statesman, and principal friend and counsellor to Pyrrhus, and falling in inward talk with him, and discerning the king's endless ambition; Pyrrhus opened himself unto him, that he intended first a war upon Italy, and hoped to achieve it; Cineas asked him, "Sir, what will you do then?" "Then," saith he, "we will attempt Sicily." Cineas said, "Well, sir, what then ?" Saith Pyrrhus, "If the gods favour us, we may conquer Africa and Carthage." "What then, sir ?" saith Cineas. "Nay then," saith Pyrrhus, "we may take our rest, and sacrifice and feast every day, and make merry with our friends." "Alas, sir," said Cineas, "may we not do so now with-"The Athenians will kill you if they wax mad." out all this ado?"

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

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, itaque non reperi gemmam.' 204. An orator of Athens said to Demosthenes;

Demosthenes replied, " And they will kill you if they be in good sense."

205. Alexander sent to Phocion a great present of money. Phocion said to the messenger,

206. Cosmus, Duke of Florence, was wont to say of perfidious friends, "that we read that we ought to forgive our enemies; but we do not read that we ought to forgive our friends." 207. Æneas Sylvius, that was Pope Pius Se-her; which when Pelopidas seemed to take uncundus, 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.

219. Hanno the Carthaginian was sent commissioner by the state, after the second Carthaginian war to Rome, to supplicate for peace, and in the end obtained it: yet one of the sharper senators said, "You have often broken with us the peaces where212. A Papist being opposed by a Protestant, unto you have been sworn; I pray, by what gods that they had no Scripture for images," answer-will you swear?" Hanno answered, “By the same ed, "Yes; for you read that the people laid their gods that have punished the former perjury so sesick in the streets, that the shadow of saint Peter verely." might come upon them; and that a shadow was an image, and the obscurest of all images."

Pompey being fled, offered to enter the sacred treasury to take the moneys that were there stored; and Metellus, tribune of the people, did forbid him and when Metellus was violent in it, and would not desist, Cæsar turned to him, and said; Presume no farther, or I will lay you dead." And when Metellus was with those words somewhat astonished, Cæsar added, "Young man, it had been easier for me to do this than to speak it."

223. An Ægyptian priest having conference with Solon, said to him: "You Grecians are ever children; you have no knowledge of antiquity, nor antiquity of knowledge."

but fulfilled the Scripture; the first shall be last, and the last first.'"

230. Simonides being asked of Hiero, "what he thought of God?" asked a seven-night's time to consider of it; and at the seven-night's end he asked a fortnight's time; at the fortnight's end, a month. At which Hiero marvelling, Simonides answered; "that the longer he thought upon the matter, the more difficult he found it."

231. Anacharsis, would say, concerning the popular estates of Græcia, that "he wondered how at Athens wise men did propose, and fools did dispose."

232. Solon compared the people unto the sea, and orators to the winds: for that the sea would be calm and quiet, if the winds did not trouble it.

224. The council did make remonstrance unto Queen Elizabeth of the continual conspiracies against her life; and namely of a late one: and showed her a rapier taken from a conspirator that 233. Socrates was pronounced by the oracle of had a false shape, being of brown paper, but gilt Delphos to be the wisest man of Greece, which over as it could not be known from a shape of he would put from himself ironically, saying, metal, which was devised to the end that, with- there would be nothing in him to verify the out drawing it, the rapier might give a stab; and oracle, except this; that he was not wise and upon this occasion advised her that she should knew it; and others were not wise, and knew it go less abroad to take the air weekly, unaccompanied, as she used. But the queen answered; 234. Cato the elder, what time many of the That she had rather be dead, than put in cus-Romans had statues erected in their honour, was tody."

225. Chilon would say, "That gold was tried with the touchstone, and men with gold."

226. Zelim was the first of the Ottomans that did shave his beard, whereas his predecessors wore it long. One of his bashaws asked him, Why he altered the custom of his predecessors? He answered, "Because you bashaws may not lead me by the beard, as you did them."

227. Diogenes was one day in the marketplace with a candle in his hand; and being asked, "What he sought?" he said, " He sought

228. Bias being asked, how a man should order his life, answered, "As if a man should live long, or die quickly."

229. Queen Elizabeth was entertained by my Lord Burleigh at Theobald's: and at her going away, my lord obtained of the queen to make seven knights. They were gentlemen of the country, of my lord's friends and neighbours. They were placed in a rank, as the queen should pass by the hall, and to win antiquity of knighthood, in order, as my lord favoured; though indeed the more principal gentlemen were placed lowest. The queen was told of it, and said nothing: but when she went along, she passed them all by, as far as the screen, as if she had forgot it; and when she came to the screen, she seemed to take herself with the manner, and said, “I had almost forgot what I promised." With that she turned back, and knighted the lowest first, and so upward. Whereupon Mr. Stanhope, of the privy-chamber, a while after told her; "Your majesty was too fine for my Lord Burleigh." She answered; "I have

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not."

asked by one in a kind of wonder, "Why he had none ?" He answered, “He had much rather men should ask and wonder why he had no statue, than why he had a statue."

235. Sir Fulke Grevil had much private access to Queen Elizabeth, which he used honourably, and did many men good; yet he would say merrily of himself, "That he was like Robin Goodfellow; for when the maids spilt the milkpans, or kept any racket, they would lay it upon Robin; so what tales the ladies about the queen told her, or other bad offices that they did, they would put it upon him."

236. Socrates, when there was showed him the book of Heraclitus the Obscure, and was asked his opinion of it, answered, "Those things that I understood were excellent, I imagine so were those that I understood not; but they require a diver of Delos."

237. Bion asked an envious man that was very sad, "What harm had befallen unto him, or what good had befallen unto another man?"

238. Stilpo the philosopher, when the people flocked about him, and that one said to him, "The people come wondering about you as if it were to see some strange beast!" "No," saith he, "it is to see a man which Diogenes sought with his lantern."

239. Antisthenes being asked of one what learning was most necessary for man's life? answered; "To unlearn that which is naught."

240. There was a politic sermon, that had no divinity in it, was preached before the king. The king, as he came forth, said to Bishop Andrews; "Call you this a sermon?" The bishop an

swered, "And it please your majesty, by a cha- | of what condition he was? Pythagoras answered, ritable construction, it may be a sermon."

242. Caius Marius was general of the Romans against the Cimbers, who came with such a sea of multitude upon Italy. In the fight there was a band of the Cadurcians of a thousand, that did notable service; whereupon, after the fight, Marius did denison them all for citizens of Rome, though there was no law to warrant it. One of ❘ his friends did represent it unto him, that he had transgressed the law, because that privilege was not to be granted but by the people. Whereto Marius answered, "That for the noise of arms he could not hear the laws."

243. Æneas Sylvius would say, that the Christian faith and law, though it had not been confirmed by miracles, yet was worthy to be received for the honesty thereof.

"Sir, I know you have been at the Olympian games." "Yes," saith Hiero. "Thither," saith Pythagoras, "come some to win the prizes. Some come to sell their merchandise, because it is a kind of mart of all Greece. Some come to meet their friends, and to make merry; because of the great confluence of all sorts. Others come only to look on. I am one of them that come to look on." Meaning it, of philosophy, and the contemplative life.

252. Mr. Bettenham used to say, that riches were like muck; when it lay in a heap it gave but a stench and ill odour, but when it was spread upon the ground, then it was cause of much fruit.

253. The same Mr. Bettenham said that virtuous men were like some herbs and spices, that give not their sweet smell, till they be broken and crushed.

254. There was a painter became a physician; whereupon one said to him, "You have done well; for before the faults of your work were seen; but now they are unseen."

255. One of the philosophers was asked,

244. Henry Noel would say, "That courtiers were like fasting-days; they were next the holy-"what a wise man differed from a fool?" He days, but in themselves they were the most meager days of the week."

245. Mr. Bacon would say, that it was in business, as it is frequently in ways: that the next way is commonly the foulest; and that if a man will go the fairest way, he must go somewhat about.

246. Augustus Cæsar, out of great indignation against his two daughters, and Posthumus Agrippa, his grandchild; whereof the first two were infamous, and the last otherwise unworthy, would say, "That they were not his seed, but some imposthumes that had broken from him."

answered, "Send them both naked to those that know them not, and you shall perceive."

256. Cæsar, in his book that he made against Cato, which is lost, did write, to show the force of opinion and reverence of a man that had once obtained a popular reputation: "That there were some that found Cato drunk, and they were ashamed instead of Cato."

257. Aristippus, sailing in a tempest, showed signs of fear. One of the seamen said to him, in an insulting manner, "We that are plebeians are not troubled; you that are a philosopher are afraid." Aristippus answered, "that there is not the like wager upon it, for me to perish and you."

258. There was an orator that defended a cause of Aristippus, and prevailed. Afterwards he asked Aristippus, "Now, in your distress, what did Socrates do you good?" Aristippus answered, "Thus, in making true that good which

247. Cato said, "The best way to keep good acts in memory, was to refresh them with new." 248. Pompey did consummate the war against Sertorius, when Metellus had brought the enemy somewhat low. He did also consummate the war against the fugitives, whom Crassus had before defeated in a great battle. So when Lucullus had had great and glorious victories against Mithri-you said of me." dates and Tigranes; yet Pompey, by means his friends made, was sent to put an end to that war. Whereupon Lucullus taking indignation, as a disgrace offered to himself, said, " that Pompey was a carrion crow: when others had strucken down bodies, then he came to prey upon them."

249. Diogenes when mice came about him as he was eating, said, "I see, that even Diogenes nourisheth parasites."

259. Aristippus said, "He took money of his friends, not so much to use it himself, as to teach them how to bestow their money."

260. A strumpet said to Aristippus, "That she was with child by him:" he answered, "You know that no more than if you went through a hedge of thorns, you could say, This thorn pricked me."

261. The Lady Paget, that was very private with Queen Elizabeth, declared herself much against her match with Monsieur. After Monsieur's death, the queen took extreme grief, at least as she made show, and kept within her bedchamber and one ante-chamber for three weeks'

250. Epictetus used to say, "That one of the vulgar, in any ill that happens to him, blames others; a novice in philosophy blames himself; and a philosopher blames neither the one nor the other," 251. Hiero visited by Pythagoras, asked him, space, in token of mourning; at last she came VOL. I.-16

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