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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, " 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."

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

gress to curb him; and for that purpose he encamped upon the high ground; but Terentius his colleague fought with Hannibal, and was in great peril of overthrow; but then Fabius came down from the high grounds, and got the day. Whereupon Hannibal said, "that he did ever think that that "same cloud that hanged upon the hills, would at one time or other give a tempest."

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218. There was a cowardly Spanish soldier, that in a defeat the Moors gave, ran away with the foremost. Afterwards, when the army generally fled, the soldier was missing. Whereupon it was said by

some, that he was slain.

"No sure," said one," he "is alive; for the Moors eat no hare's flesh."

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 where "unto you have been sworn; I pray, by what gods "will you swear?" Hanno answered, "By the same "gods that have punished the former perjury so severely.

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220. Thales being asked when a man should marry, said; "Young men not yet, old men not "at all."

221. Thales said; "that life and death were all "one." One that was present asked him; Why "do not you die then?" Thales said again; "Because 'they are all one."

222. Cæsar after first he had possessed Rome,

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."

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

224. The council did make remonstrance unto queen Elizabeth of the continual conspiracies against her life; and namely of a late one: and shewed her a rapier taken from a conspirator that had a false shape, being of brown paper, but gilt over as it could not be known from a shape of metal, which was devised to the end, that without drawing it, the rapier might give a stab; and upon this occasion advised her that she should go less abroad to take the air, weakly unaccompanied, as she used. But the queen answered; "That she had rather be dead, "than put in custody."

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 market-place with a candle in his hand; and being asked, " What "he sought?" he said, "He sought a man.”

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 Theobalds: 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 skreen, as if she had forgot it and when she came to the skreen, 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 privychamber, a while after told her: "Your majesty was "too fine for my lord Burleigh." She answered; "I have 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."

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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.

233. Socrates was pronounced by the oracle of Delphos to be the wisest man of Greece, which he would put from himself ironically, saying, "there "would be nothing in him to verify the oracle, "except this; that he was not wise, and knew it; "and others were not wise, and knew it not."

234. Cato the elder, what time many of the Romans had statues erected in their honour, was 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 Grevill 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 milk pans, or kept any

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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,"