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observed in their effects; especially in their respec- | east and west have no certain points of heaven; and tive effects: that is, what kind of comet, for magnitude, colour, version of the beams, placing in the region of heaven, or lasting, produceth what kinds of effects.

There is a toy, which I have heard, and I would not have it given over, but waited upon a little. They say it is observed in the Low Countries, I know not in what part, that every five and thirty years, the same kind and suit of years and weathers comes about again; as great frost, great wet, great droughts, warm winters, summers with little heat, and the like; and they call it the prime. It is a thing I do the rather mention, because, computing backwards, I have found some concurrence.

But to leave these points of nature, and to come to men. The greatest vicissitude of things amongst men is the vicissitude of sects and religions; for taose orbs rule in men's minds most. The true religion is built upon the rock; the rest are tossed apon the waves of time. To speak therefore of the causes of new sects, and to give some counsel concerning them, as far as the weakness of human judgment can give stay to so great revolutions :

no more have the wars, either from the east or west, any certainty of observation. But north and south are fixed: and it hath seldom or never been seen, that the far southern people have invaded the northern, but contrariwise; whereby it is manifest, that the northern tract of the world is in nature the more martial region; be it in respect of the stars of that hemisphere, or of the great continents that are upon the north; whereas the south part, for ought that is known, is almost all sea; or (which is most apparent) of the cold of the northern parts; which is that which, without aid of discipline, doth make the bodies hardest, and the courages warmest.

Upon the breaking and shivering of a great state and empire, you may be sure to have wars. For great empires, while they stand, do enervate and destroy the forces of the natives which they have subdued, resting upon their own protecting forces; and then when they fail also, all goes to ruin, and they become a prey. So was it in the decay of the Roman empire, and likewise in the empire of Almaigne, after Charles the Great, every bird taking a feather; and were not unlike to befall to Spain, if it should break. The great accessions and unions of kingdoms do likewise stir up wars. For when a state grows to an over-power, it is like a great flood, that

where at this day, except Tartary, there is no danger of inundations of people: but when there be great shoals of people which go on to populate, without foreseeing means of life and sustentation, it is of necessity that once in an age or two they discharge a portion of their people upon other nations; which the ancient northern people were wont to do by lot; casting lots what part should stay at home, and what should seek their fortunes. When a warlike state grows soft and effeminate, they may be sure of a war. For commonly such states are grown rich in the time of their degenerating; and so the prey inviteth, and their decay in valour encourageth a war.

When the religion formerly received is rent by discords; and when the holiness of the professors of religion is decayed and full of scandal; and withal the times be stupid, ignorant, and barbar-will be sure to overflow. As it hath been seen in the ous, you may doubt the springing up of a new states of Rome, Turkey, Spain, and others. Look, sect; if then also there should arise any extrava- when the world hath fewest barbarous people, but gant and strange spirit to make himself author such as commonly will not marry or generate, exthereof: all which points held when Mahomet pub-cept they know means to live, as it is almost every lished his law. If a new sect have not two properties, fear it not; for it will not spread. The one is the supplanting, or the opposing of authority estabhshed; for nothing is more popular than that. The other is the giving licence to pleasures and a voluptuous life. For as for speculative heresies, such as were in ancient times the Arians, and now the Arminians, though they work mightily upon men's wits, yet they do not produce any great alterations in states; except it be by the help of civil occasions. There be three manner of plantations of new sects: by the power of signs and miracles; by the eloquence and wisdom of speech and persuasion; and by the sword. For martyrdoms, I reckon them amongst miracles; because they seem to exceed the strength of human nature; and I may do the like of superlative and admirable holiness of life. Surely there is no better way to stop the rising of new sects and schisms, than to reform abuses; to compound the smaller differences; to proceed mildly, and not with sanguinary persecutions; and rather to take off the principal authors, by winning and advancing them, than to enrage them by violence and bitterness. The changes and vicissitudes in wars are many; but chiefly in three things: in the seats or stages of the war; in the weapons; and in the manner of the conduct. Wars, in ancient time, seemed more to move from east to west: for the Persians, Assyrians, Arabians, Tartars, which were the invaders, were all eastern people. It is true, the Gauls were western; but we read but of two incursions of theirs; the one to Gallo-Græcia, the other to Rome. But

As for the weapons, it hardly falleth under rule and observation; yet we see, even they have returns and vicissitudes. For certain it is, that ordnance was known in the city of the Oxidraces in India; and was that which the Macedonians called thunder and lightning, and magic. And it is well known, that the use of ordnance have been in China above

two thousand years. The conditions of weapons, and their improvements, are, first, the fetching afar off; for that outruns the danger; as it is seen in ordnance and muskets. Secondly, the strength of the percussion; wherein likewise ordnance do exceed all arietations and ancient inventions. The third is, the commodious use of them; as that they may serve in all weathers; that the carriage may be light and manageable; and the like.

For the conduct of the war: at the first, men rested extremely upon number; they did put the

wars likewise upon main force and valour, pointing | damental laws of a kingdom, thinketh there is no days for pitched fields, and so trying it out upon an good title to a crown, but by conquest. even match and they were more ignorant in ranging and arraying their battles. After, they grew to rest upon number rather competent than vast; they grew to advantages of place, cunning diversions, and the like; and they grew more skilful in the ordering of their battles.

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In the youth of a state, arms do flourish; in the middle age of a state, learning; and then both of them together for a time in the declining age of a state, mechanical arts and merchandise. Learning hath its infancy, when it is but beginning and almost childish: then its youth, when it is luxuriant and juvenile: then its strength of years, when it is solid and reduced: and lastly, its old age, when it waxeth dry and exhaust. But it is not good to look too long upon these turning wheels of vicissitude, lest we become giddy. As for the philology of them, that is but a circle of tales, and therefore not fit for 1 this writing.

OF A KING.

1. A king is a mortal god on earth, unto whom the living God hath lent his own name as a great honour; but withal told him, he should die like a man, lest he should be proud and flatter himself, that God hath with his name imparted unto him his nature also.

2. Of all kind of men, God is the least beholden unto them; for he doth most for them, and they do ordinarily least for him.

3. A king that would not feel his crown too heavy for him, must wear it every day; but if he think it too light, he knoweth not of what metal it is made.

4. He must make religion the rule of government, and not to balance the scale; for he that casteth in religion only to make the scales even, his own weight is contained in those characters," Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin," "He is found too light, his kingdom shall be taken from him."

5. And that king that holds not religion the best reason of state, is void of all piety and justice, the supporters of a king.

6. He must be able to give counsel himself, but not rely thereupon; for though happy events justify their counsels, yet it is better that the evil event of good advice be rather imputed to a subject than a sovereign.

7. He is the fountain of honour, which should not run with a waste pipe, lest the courtiers sell the water, and then, as papists say of their holy wells, it loses the virtue.

8. He is the life of the law, not only as he is lex loquens himself, but because he animateth the dead letter, making it active towards all his subjects promio et pæna.

9. A wise king must do less in altering his laws than he may; for new government is ever dangerous. It being true in the body politic, as in the corporal, that" omnis subita immutatio est periculosa ;" and though it be for the better, yet it is not without a fearful apprehension; for he that changeth the fun

10. A king that setteth to sale seats of justice, oppresseth the people; for he teacheth his judges to sell justice; and "pretio parata pretio venditur justitia."

11. Bounty and magnificence are virtues very regal, but a prodigal king is nearer a tyrant than a parsimonious; for store at home draweth not his contemplations abroad: but want supplieth itself of what is next, and many times the next way: a king herein must be wise, and know what he may justly do.

12. That king which is not feared, is not loved; and he that is well seen in his craft, must as well study to be feared as loved; yet not loved for fear, but feared for love.

13. Therefore, as he must always resemble Him whose great name he beareth, and that as in manifesting the sweet influence of his mercy on the severe stroke of his justice sometimes, so in this not to suffer a man of death to live; for besides that the land doth mourn, the restraint of justice towards sin doth more retard the affection of love, than the extent of mercy doth inflame it: and sure where love is [ill] bestowed, fear is quite lost.

14. His greatest enemies are his flatterers; for though they ever speak on his side, yet their words still make against him.

15. The love which a king oweth to a weal public, should not be over-strained to any one particular; yet that his more special favour do reflect upon some worthy ones, is somewhat necessary, because there are few of that capacity.

16. He must have a special care of five things, if he would not have his crown to be but to him infelix felicitas.

First, that simulata sanctitas be not in the church; for that is duplex iniquitas.

Secondly, that inutilis æquitas sit not in the chancery; for that is inepta misericordia.

Thirdly, that utilis iniquitas keep not the exchequer; for that is crudele latrocinium.

Fourthly, that fidelis temeritas be not his general; for that will bring but seram pœnitentiam.

Fifthly, that infidelis prudentia be not his secretary; for that is anguis sub viridi herba.

To conclude; as he is of the greatest power, so he is subject to the greatest cares, made the servant of his people, or else he were without a calling at all.

He then that honoureth him not is next an atheist, wanting the fear of God in his heart.

A FRAGMENT OF AN ESSAY OF FAME.

The poets make Fame a monster. They describe her in part finely and elegantly; and in part gravely and sententiously. They say, Look, how many feathers she hath, so many eyes she hath underneath, so many tongues, so many voices, she pricks up so many ears.

This is a flourish: there follow excellent parables: as, that she gathereth strength in going; that she

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goeth upon the ground, and yet hideth her head in | lius had in purpose to remove the legions of Syria the clouds; that in the day-time she sitteth in a into Germany, and the legions of Germany into watch-tower, and flieth most by night; that she | Syria; whereupon the legions of Syria were infimingleth things done with things not done; and that nitely inflamed. Julius Cæsar took Pompey unshe is a terror to great cities. But that which pass- provided, and laid asleep his industry and preparaeth all the rest is, they do recount that the Earth, tions, by a fame that he cunningly gave out, how mother of the giants, that made war against Jupiter, Cæsar's own soldiers loved him not; and being and were by him destroyed, thereupon in anger wearied with the wars, and laden with the spoils of brought forth Fame; for certain it is that rebels, Gaul, would forsake him as soon as he came into figured by the giants, and seditious fames and libels, Italy. Livia settled all things for the succession of are but brothers and sisters, masculine and femi- her son Tiberius, by continual giving out that her nine. But now if a man can tame this monster, and husband Augustus was upon recovery and amendbring her to feed at the hand, and govern her, and ment. And it is a usual thing with the bashaws, with her fly other ravening fowl, and kill them, it to conceal the death of the Great Turk from the is somewhat worth. But we are infected with the janizaries and men of war, to save the sacking of style of the poets. To speak now in a sad and a Constantinople and other towns, as their manner is. serious manner; there is not in all the politics a place Themistocles made Xerxes, king of Persia, post less handled, and more worthy to be handled, than apace out of Grecia, by giving out that the Grecians this of fame. We will therefore speak of these had a purpose to break his bridge of ships which points: what are false fames; and what are true he had made athwart the Hellespont. There be a fames; and how they may be best discerned; how thousand such like examples, and the more they are fames may be sown and raised; how they may be the less they need to be repeated, because a man spread and multiplied; and how they may be meeteth with them every where: therefore let all checked and laid dead. And other things concerning wise governors have as great a watch and care the nature of fame. Fame is of that force, as there over fames, as they have of the actions and designs is scarcely any great action wherein it hath not a themselves. great part, especially in the war. Mucianus undid Vitellius, by a fame that he scattered, that Vitel

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COLLECTION OF APOPHTHEGMS,

NEW AND OLD.

HIS LORDSHIP'S PREFACE.

JULIUS CESAR did write a collection of apophthegms, as appears in an epistle of Cicero; so did Macrobius, a consular man. I need say no more for the worth of a writing of that nature. It is pity Cæsar's book is lost; for I imagine they were collected with judgment and choice; whereas that of Plutarch and Stobæus, and much more the modern ones, draw much of the dregs. Certainly they are of excellent use. They are mucrones verborum, pointed speeches. "The words of the wise are as goads," saith Solomon. Cicero prettily calleth them salinas, salt-pits, that you may extract salt out of, and sprinkle it where you will. They serve to be interlaced in continued speech. They serve to be recited upon occasion of themselves. They serve if you take out the kernel of them, and make them your own. I have, for my recreation amongst more serious studies, collected some few of them: therein fanning the old; not omitting any because they are vulgar, for many vulgar ones are excellent good; not for the meanness of the person, but because they are dull and flat; and adding many new, that otherwise would have died.

1. QUEEN ELIZABETH, the morrow of her coronation, it being the custom to release prisoners at the inauguration of a prince, went to the chapel; and in the great chamber, one of her courtiers, who was well known to her, either out of his own motion, or by the instigation of a wiser man, presented her with a petition; and before a great number of courtiers, besought her with a loud voice, "That now this good time, there might be four or five principal prisoners more released: those were the four evangelists and the apostle St. Paul, who had been long shut up in an unknown tongue, as it were in prison; so as they could not converse with the common people. The Queen answered very gravely, “That it was best first to inquire of them, whether they would be released or no."

2. Queen Ann Bullen, at the time when she was led to be beheaded in the Tower, called one of the king's privy chamber to her, and said unto him, "Commend me to the king, and tell him, that he hath been ever constant in his course of advancing me: from a private gentlewoman he made me a marchioness, and from a marchioness a queen; and now, that he hath left no higher degree of earthly honour, he intends to crown my innocency with the glory of martyrdom."

3. His majesty James the first, king of Great Britain, having made unto his parliament an excellent and large declaration, concluded thus; "I have now given you a clear mirrour of my mind; use it therefore like a mirrour, and take heed how you let it fall, or how you soil it with your breath."

4. A great officer in France was in danger to have lost his place; but his wife, by her suit and means making, made his peace; whereupon a pleasant fellow said, "That he had been crushed, but that he saved himself upon his horns."

5. His majesty said to his parliament at another time, finding there were some causeless jealousies sown amongst them; "That the king and his people, whereof the parliament is the representative body, were as husband and wife; and therefore that of all other things jealousy was between them most pernicious."

6. His majesty, when he thought his council might note in him some variety in businesses, though indeed he remained constant, would say, "That the sun many times shineth watery; but it is not the sun which causeth it, but some cloud rising betwixt us and the sun and when that is scattered, the sun is as it was, and comes to his former brightness." 7. His majesty, in his answer to the book of the

*This collection his lordship made out of his memory, without turning any book.-Rawley.

cardinal Evereux, who had in a grave argument of | less abroad to take the air, weakly attended, as she divinity sprinkled many witty ornaments of poesy used. But the queen answered; "That she had and humanity, saith; "That these flowers were rather be dead, than put in custody." like blue, and yellow, and red flowers in the corn, which make a pleasant show to those that look on, but they hurt the corn."

8. Sir Edward Coke being vehement against the two provincial councils of Wales, and the north, said to the king; "There was nothing there but a kind of confusion and hotch-potch of justice: one while they were a star-chamber; another while a king's bench; another, a common pleas; another, a commission of oyer and terminer." His majesty answered; "Why, Sir Edward Coke, they be like houses in progress, where I have not, nor can have, such distinct rooms of state, as I have here at Whitehall, or at Hampton-court."

9. The commissioners of the treasury moved the king, for the relief of his estate, to disafforest some forests of his, explaining themselves of such forests as lay out of the way, not near any of the king's houses, nor in the course of his progress; whereof he should never have use nor pleasure. "Why," saith the king," do you think that Solomon had use and pleasure of all his three hundred concubines ?" 10. His majesty, when the committees of both houses of parliament presented unto him the instrument of union of England and Scotland, was merry with them; and amongst other pleasant speeches, showed unto them the laird of Lawreston, a Scotchman, who was the tallest and greatest man that was to be seen, and said, "Well, now we are all one, yet none of you will say but here is one Scotchman greater than any Englishman;" which was an ambiguous speech; but it was thought he meant it of himself.

11. His majesty would say to the lords of his council, when they sat upon any great matter, and came from council in to him, "Well, you have sat, but what have you hatched ?"

12. When the archduke did raise his siege from the Grave, the then secretary came to queen Elizabeth. The queen, having first intelligence thereof, said to the secretary, "Wot you what; The archduke has risen from the Grave." He answered, "What, without the trumpet of the archangel ?" The queen replied, "Yes, without the sound of trumpet."

13. Queen Elizabeth was importuned much by my lord of Essex, to supply divers great offices that had been long void; the queen answered nothing to the matter; but rose up on a sudden, and said, "I am sure my office will not be long void." And yet at that time there was much speech of troubles, and divisions about the crown, to be after her decease; but they all vanished; and king James came in, in a profound peace.

14. The council did make remonstrance unto queen Elizabeth of the continual conspiracies against her life; and namely, that a man was lately taken, who stood ready in a very dangerous and suspicious manner to do the deed: and they showed her the weapon wherewith he thought to have acted it. And therefore they advised her that she should go

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15. The lady Paget, that was very private with | queen Elizabeth, declared herself much against the match with Monsieur. After Monsieur's death, the queen took extreme grief, at least as she made show, and kept in within her bed-chamber and one ante-chamber for three weeks space, in token of mourning: at last she came forth into the privychamber, and admitted her ladies to have access unto her; and amongst the rest my lady Paget presented herself, and came to her with a smiling countenance. The queen bent her brows, and seemed to be highly displeased, and said to her, Madam, you are not ignorant of my extreme grief, and do you come to me with a countenance of joy ?" My lady Paget answered, "Alas, if it please your majesty, it is impossible for me to be absent from you three weeks, but that when I see you, I must look cheerfully." "No, no," said the queen, not forgetting her former averseness to the match, you have some other conceit in it, tell me plainly." My lady answered, "I must obey you; it is this. I was thinking how happy your majesty was, you married not Monsieur; for seeing you take such thought for his death, being but your friend; if he had been your husband, sure it would have cost you your life."

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16. Henry the Fourth of France his queen was young with child; count Soissons, that had his expectation upon the crown, when it was twice or thrice thought that the queen was with child before, said to some of his friends, "That it was but with a pillow." This had someways come to the king's ear; who kept it till such time as the queen waxed great: then he called the count of Soissons to him, and said, laying his hand upon the queen's belly; "Come, cousin, is this a pillow ?"-The count of Soissons answered, "Yes, sir, it is a pillow for all France to sleep upon."

17. King Henry the fourth of France was so punctual of his word, after it was once passed, that they called him "The king of the faith."

18. The said king Henry the fourth was moved by his parliament to a war against the protestants: he answered, "Yes, I mean it; I will make every one of you captains; you shall have companies assigned you." The parliament observing whereunto his speech tended, gave over, and deserted his motion.

19. Queen Elizabeth was wont to say, upon the commission of sales, "That the commissioners used her like strawberry wives, that laid two or three great strawberries at the mouth of their pot, and all the rest were little ones; so they made her two or three good prizes of the first particulars, but fell straightways."

20. Queen Elizabeth used to say of her instructions to great officers, "That they were like to garments, strait at the first putting on, but did by and by wear loose enough."

21. A great officer at court, when my lord of Essex was first in trouble; and that he and those

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