A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 52
CHAP. LII. Vanity of all earthly things.
SPoken of, Eccles. 1. 2, 14. Isa. 40. 17, 23. & 41. 29. Eccles. 2. 11. & 3. 19. & 5. 10. & 4. 8. Psal. 39. 5. & 41. 9.
Scriptural Examples: Adonibezek under whose table seventy Kings, with their thumbs, and great toes cut off, gathered their meat, was shortly after served in the same sort, and died a captive, Jud. 1. 6, 7. Iosua's Captains put their feet upon the necks of five Kings, and slew them. Ios. 10. 24. King Eglon slaine in his Parlour. Iudg. 3. 21. Si…era s…aine by Jael, Judg. 4. 21. Zeba, and Zalmunna, Judg. 8. 21. Abimelech, Iudg. 9. 53. Goliah, 1 Sam. 17. 49. Saul, 1 Sam. 31. 4. Ishbosheth, 2 Sam. 4. 7. Absolon, 2 Sam. 18. 9. Benhadad, 1 King. 20. 32. Sennacherib, 2 King. 19. 37. Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4. 31, &c. Belshazzer; Dan. 5. 5, &c. Herod, Act. 12. 23.
Other examples: Croesus a rich and mighty King of Lydia, being overcome by Cyrus the Persian was by him condemned to be burnt: and when he was laid upon the Pile of wood, he cried out, O Solon, Solon, Solon: which being told to Cyrus, he sent for him to know what he meant by it: Croesus answered, that having once entertained wise Solon into his house: he told him that no man ought to be accounted happy so long as he lived: which, said he, I never understood till now. Cyrus laying this to heart, and considering the mutability of all earthly things, did not only give him his life, but made him his friend, and chief Counsellour in all his affaires. Herod.
Not long after Cyrus being to make warre against the Massages, Croesus disswaded him from it, saying, foreign mea sunt foreign, If thou wert immortal thy selfe, and haddest an Army of immortal souldiers thou needest not my counsel, but seeing thou art mortal thy self, and the like are thy souldiers, consider that all humane affaires are like a wheele: that spoke that is up to day may be down to morrow, and think not that thou wilt alwayes be fortunate: but Cyrus not taking his advice went against them, where himself with twenty thousand of his souldiers were slaine. Justi.
See in Friendship the Example of Psammenitus King of Egypt.
Xerxes which a little before had led an Army of above a million of men into Greece, wherewith he thought himself able to conquer the whole world, within a little space saw his Navy destroyed on the sea, and multitudes of his souldiers by an handful of the Grecians slaine upon the land, and himselfe in great fear accompanied with some few servants fled back to get into Asia again; but when he came to the Hellespont, he found his great bridge, over which he should have passed, broken with a tempest: so that he was forced to enter into a poore fisher boat, in which with much danger h…gat into Asia: For being encountred with a great storme, in great fear he asked the Pilot if there were any hope of safety? No Sir, said he, except the boate be eased of some of the passengers: whereupon Xerxes cried out, O ye Persians, now I shall see whether you have any care of the safety of your King or no? for in you it lies to save, or to destroy my life: which when they heard, some of them leaped over-board, & drowned themselves to preserve their King: But like a Tyrant, when he came to land, he gave the Pilot a Crowne of gold for saving his life, but because he had drowned some of his servants, he caused his head to be …ut off. Herod.
After the battel of Plataea, wherein the Grecians had given a mighty overthrow to the Army of Xerxes: Pausanias King of Sparta being the Grecian General was exceedingly elated with the glory of that victory, and afterwards at a feast in a scorneful manner he bade Simonides a wise man, to give him some wholesome counsell; Simonides answered: Take heed of forgetting that thou wert but a mortal man, which though he laughed at for the present, yet shortly after he remembred it, when being immured in Pallas's Temple, he was pined to death. Plut. See it in Treachery.
Solon told Croesus that considering how the life of man is subject to infinite changes, wisdome therefore forbids us to trust, or glory in worldly riches honours, or any outward things, or to account any man happy before his death. And therefore, said he, I account Tellus a happier man then thy self in the middest of all thy affluence; for he being a Citizen of Athens was a very honest man, and left his children in good esteeme: and himself died honourably in the field, fighting in the defence of his countrey. Plut.
Artaxeroees Mnemon in that great battel which he fought against his brother Cyrus, being wounded in the breast by Cyrus, retired out of the battel, and at night the weather being hot, he was extreme thirsty, and could get nothing to drink; whereupon his Eunuches ran up, and down to seeke him some water, and at last they met with a poore fellow that had gotten some stinking puddle water in a fi…thy vessel, this they took and carried to the King, who drank it all off, and when one of them asked him whether that filthy water did not offend him? he swore that he never drank such a sweet draught either of wine or water in his life before; and therefore he prayed the gods that if he could not reward the poore man that brought it, yet that they would make him both blessed, and rich for his labour. Plut.
Philip King of Macedon in the midst of all his glory, when he had conquered divers Kingdomes, and was chosen by all Greece Captaine General against the Persians; upon a festival day at the marriage of his daughter, and the Coronation of his sonne Alexander was suddenly stabbed by Pausanias, to whom he had formerly denied Justice. Diod. Sic. See more of it in Sodomy.
Alexander M. having overcome Darius, went to Babylon where he had the City, and Castle delivered up to him, and there in infinite treasures: from thence he went to Susa, which being also surrendred to him, he found there fifty thousand Talents in bullion, and such abundance of riches as the Persian Kings had for a long time heaped up together, leaving it from father to son, all which in one houre came into his hands that never cared for it. From thence he went to Persepolis which had in it a farre greater Masse of treasure, it being the richest City then under the Sunne: there he found one hundred and twenty thousand Talents of money, and as much other treasures as twenty thousand Mules, and ten thousand Camels could carry away, much whereof had been reserved there from Cyrus his time; Alexander setting himselfe down in the Kings throne it was so high that his feet could not reach the ground, whereupon one brough a little table; and set under his feet: and one of Darius his Eunuches standing by, sighed and weeped grievously, which Alexander taking notice of, asked him what was the cause of it? to whom the Eunuch answered, I weep to see that table that was so highly prized by my Master Darius, to be now made thy footstoole. Q. Cur.
This Darius flying out of the battel, who a little before was Lord of so many Kingdomes, and people, of so much treasure, and riches, and was adored as a god by his Subjects, was now taken by some of his own servants, put into a base waggon covered with hides of beasts, and so carried hither, and thither as they pleased, and to fill up the measure of his wretchednesse, they bound him in golden setters, and drave all his attendants from him: and when they heard that Alexander pursued, and was now come neere to them, these villaines, Bessus, Artabazus, and others took Darius, wounded him in many places, and wounded the beasts that drew him, and so fled themselves into Bactria: In the mean time the beasts that drew Darius being weary, hot, and wounded, turned out of the way into a certaine valley, whither one of Alexanders men called Polystratus coming to seek for water, as he was drinking out of his helmet, he spied the waggon and mangled beasts, and going, & looking into it, he spied a man halfe dead with many wounds: Darius lifting up his eyes, and seeing him, said, This comfort I have in my present fortune, that I shall breath out my last words to one that can understand them: therefore, saith he, I pray thee tell Alexander that though I never deserved any favour at his hands, yet I shall die his debtour: giving him many thanks for his kindnesse to my mother, wife, and children. Tell him that as he hath shewed favour to them, so on the contrary my servants, and kinsmen that received their lives, and livelihood from me, have basely betrayed, and murthered me. Tell him that I pray that he may Conquer all the World, and desire him to revenge this wickednesse both for his own, and for the sake of all Kings, it being of evil example that such treachery should go unpunished: and so fainting he desired a little water, which when he had drunk, he said to Polystratus: Whosoever thou art that hast shewed me this kindnesse in my extreme misery, the gods requite thee for so great a benefit, and the gods requite Alexander also for all his humanity, and clemency: and so he gave up the ghost. Quin. Cur.
Perseus King of Macedon, a brave warriour, and one who was a terrour to the Romane Empire, yet at last being overcome, and taken by AEmilius, was led in Triumph with his children into Rome, where after some four yeeres imprisonment, he died, and his eldest sonne was in that want, that he was forced to learne the occupation of a Smith to get his living. Ursp.
Basiliseus Emperour of Constantinople, being overcome by Zeno, (who was formerly deposed for his riotou…nesse) was together with his wife and children banished into Cappadocia, and a strict command given that none should relieve them; whereupon they miserably perished for want of food, each in others armes. Suid.
Cyrus King of Persia caused this Motto to be engraven upon his tombe: O man, whosoever thou art that shalt come hither, know that I am great Cyrus, that first erected the Persian Monarchy: Therefore envy me not this little earth, that now covers my body. This tombe was afterwards defaced by some of Alexander M. his followers, which when Alexander saw, he was much troubled at it, considering the vicissitude, and incertainty of all earthly things. Qu. Cur.
Alexander M. after all his great conquests returning to Babylon, had Ambassadours that came to him almost from all Countreys, some to congratulate his victories, others to tender their homage, all bringing great and rich presents: but whil'st in the midst of his glory he was feasting of them, he caught a surfeit with inordinate drinking, which turned to a mortal feavour; and a little before his death being asked by his friends, to whom he would leave his Kingdome? he answered, To the most worthy man; and he being asked, When they should do Divine honours to him? he answered, When they themselves were happy, which were his last words, and so he died, having lived not thirty three years, nor reigned thirteen, and assoon as he was dead, his great Captaines sought to enrich themselves by his spoiles, and whil'st they were contonding to share the world amongst them, his dead body lay many dayes in that hot Countrey unburied, stinking above ground, a notable Embleme of the vanity of all earthly greatnesse. Plut. Qu. Cur. Besides this his vast Empire was divided amongst his great Captaines, to Ptolomaeus Lagi was allotted Egypt, and Affrica: To Lao…don, Syria, and Phoenicia: To Philotas, Cilicia: To Python, Media: To Eumenes, Paphlagonia and Cappadocia: To Antigonus, Pamphilia, Lycia, and Phrygia the great: To Cassander, Caria: To Menander, Lydia: To Leonatus, Phrygia the lesse: To Lysimachus, Thracia, with the neighbouring Countreys. To Antipater, Macedonia, and the neighbouring Nations. But these men not contented with their shares, fell presently to warres amongst themselves: Perdiccas warring upon Egypt was slaine by his own souldiers. Antipater died. Eumenes was betrayed by his own souldiers, and slaine by Antigonus. Python was treacherously slaine by Antigonus. Olympias the mother of Alexander, was slaine by Cassander. Cleopatra sister to Alexander, was slaine by the treachery of Antigonus. Antigonus himselfe was slaine in battel by Cassander, and Lysimachus. Rhoxane the beloved wife of Alexander, together with her sonne Alexander & Barsine another of his wives, which was the daughter of Darius, were all slaine by Cassander. Presently after the whole family of Cassander was rooted out. Ptolomaeus died in Egypt. Lysimachus was slaine by Seleucus. And Seleucus himselfe presently after by Ptolomaeus. So that all the family of Alexander within a few years after his death, was wholly extirpated: And all his friends and great Captaines by their mutuall contentions came most of them to untimely ends. Diod. Si…. Justin.
Pempey the Great, who had been three times Consul of Rome, and had three times triumphed after his famous victories, and was exalted to that height of honour, that the world could afford no greater, yet being overcome by Caesar in the Pharsalian plaines, he was forced to fly into Egypt in a little fisher-boat, where he had deserved well of the King Ptolomy, and therefore expected all kinde entertainment: but the King on the contrary, hearing of his coming, sent out some to meet him at the Sea-side, who treacherously cut off his head, and so he whom the world a little before could not containe, now wanted a grave for his burial, so that Caesar pursuing him, when three dayes after he found him lying on the sand, could not forbear weeping. Plut.
The same Caesar also after all his great victories, being adored like a god, and loaded with all the honours that possibly could be invented, was slaine in the Senate-house, with twenty three wounds. Plut.
Nero who a little before wallowed in all manner of excesse of riot, being condemned by the Senate, was suddenly forsaken by all his friends, and was faine to flie barefooted, and muffled upon a sorry jade, with only foure persons, the small remaines of many thousands: these were Phaon his freed-man: Epaphroditus Master of requests: Sporus his male-concubine, and Neophitus. When he came to a place of safety (as he thought) he was faine like a beast to creep on all foure, through under woods, and briars to hide himselfe, in such extream want of all things, that for quenching his thirst, he was driven to lade water with his hand, out of a dirty plash, saying, This is Nero's Beverege. But those men who were sent after him for his execution, were outstripped by swifter means, which warned him of the nearnesse, and inevitablenesse of his approaching danger: for the Senate had proclaimed him the publick enemy, and to die More majorum, or after the ancient manner, which was this: to have his body stript starke naked, his hands fast bo…nd behinde him, his head stockt under a fork, and so in open view to be whipt to death with rods. Nero hereupon after many timerous delayes, and abject lamentations, puts a poinard to his throat, which Epaphroditus did help to drive home, lest he should fall alive into his enemies hands. Suet▪ Plinie. Thus was Nero's voice, and fiddling marred, and his last words were: O what an artist I die! Dio.
Sultan Saladine Emperour of the Turks, lying upon his death-bed, Anno Christi 1193. commanded that no solemnity should be used at his burial, but only his shirt in manner of an ensigne, fastened upon the point of a speare to be carried before his dead body, a simple Priest going before and crying aloud to the people in this sort: Saladine Conquerour of the East, of all the greatnesse, and riches that he had in this life, carried nothing away with him but his shirt. Hoveden.
And poore Eumenes of a Potters son,
By fickle Fortunes help a Kingdome wonne:
But she for him such diet did provide,
That he of hunger shortly after died.
Mahomet the Great, the first Emperour of the Turks, after the winning of Constantinople fell in love with a most Beautiful Greekish Lady, called Irene, upon whose rare perfections he so much doated, that he gave himself wholly over to her love: But when he heard that his Captaines, and Officers murmured at it: he appointed them all to attend him in his great Hall, and commanding Irene to dresse, and adorne her self in all her gorgeous appare…, he brought her in his hand into the midst of them, who seeing her incomparable perfections acknowledged their errour, saying, That their Emperour had just cause to passe his time in sol…cing himself with such a peerelesse Paragon: But he on a sudden caught her by the haire with one of his hands, and with the other drawing his Fauchion, at one blow struck off her head, thereby shewing them that he was not such a slave to his affections, but that he preferred his honour before them. Turk. Hist.
Gillimer King of the Vandals in Affrica having lived in all manner of affluence, and prosperity for many years together, was at the last in agreat battel overcome by that famous Captaine Billisarius, and having lost the greatest part of his Army, with a few of his servants was forced to flie into a high, and inaccessible mountaine for refuge, where being besieged by one of Billisarius his Captaines he was brought to such straits, that he sent to a special friend requesting him to send him a Spunge, an Harp, and a Loafe of bread: A Spunge to dry up his teares: an Harp to solace him in his sorrows, and a Loafe of bread to satisfie his hunger. Pez. Mel. Hist.
The Caliph of Babylon (being taken together with his City by Haalon the Tartarian,) was by him shut up in the midst of his infinite treasure, which he, and his predecessors had with much care and paines scraped togeher, who bade him take, and eate what he pleased of gold and silver, or precious stones: for (said he) it's fit that so gaineful a guest should be fed with the best, and therefore make no spare of any thing. The miserable caitiffe being so kept for certaine dayes, died of hunger in the middest of those things whereof he thought that he should never have had enough, and whereby he thought to have secured himself against any dearth, or danger. Turk. Hist.
The Heathenish Romanes had for a difference in their Nobility a little ornament in the forme of a Moone, to shew that all worldly honours were mutable, and they wore it upon their shooes, to shew that they trod it under their feete as base and bootlesse.
No sooner had the soul of that victorious Prince William the Conquerour left his body, but that his dead Corps was abandoned by all his Nobles, and followers: and by his meaner servants, he was dispoiled of Armour, Vessels, Apparel, and all Princely furniture, and his naked body left upon the floore, his Funeral wholly neglected, till one Harluins, a poore countrey Knight, undertook the carriage of his Corps to Caen in Normandy to Saint Stevens Church, which this dead King had formerly founded: At his entrance into Caen, the Covent of Monks came forth to meet him, but at the same instant, there happened a great fire, so that, as his Corps before, so now his Hearse was of all men forsaken, every one running to quench the fire; which done, his body being at last carried to the Church, and the Funeral Sermon ended, and the stone Coffin set into the earth in the Chancel, as the body was ready to be laid therein, one Ascelinus Fitz-Arthur, stood up and forb…de the burial, alleadging that that very place was the floore of his fathers house, which this dead Duke violently took from him to build this Church upon: Therefore (saith he) I challenge this ground, and in the Name of God forbid that the body of this dispoiler be covered in my earth: so that they were enforced to compound with him for one hundred pounds: But when the body came to be laid in the Tombe, it proved too little for it, so that being pressed, the belly, not bowelled, brake and with an intolerable stench so annoyed the by-standers, that all their Gums, and spices …uming in their Censers could not relieve them, whereupon all with great amazement hasting away, left the Monks only to shuffle up the burial, which they did in haste, and so gat them to their Cells. Speeds Chron.
William Rufus King of England, as he was hunting in the new Forrest was by the glance of an arrow against a tree, shot in the breast: he hastily taking hold of so much of the arrow as stuck out of his body, brake it off, and with one only groane fell down, and died: whereupon most of his followers hasted away, and those few which remained, laid his body basely into a Colliers cart, which being drawn with one silly lean beast, in a very foul and filthy way, the cart brake, where lay the spectacle of wordly glory, both pitifully goared, and filthily bemired, till being conveyed to Winchester, he was buried under a plain Marble-stone. Sp. Chron. page 449.
Pithias pined away for lack of bread, who formerly was able to entertain, and feast Xerxes and his whole Army.
Bajazet the Great Turke being overcome and taken prisoner by Tamerlane, was carried about in an Iron Cage, and fed with scraps from Tamerlanes Table.
Sir Edward de Sancto Mauro, commonly Seimor being advanced by King Edward the sixth was most powerfull, honourable, and loaden with titles, being Duke of Summerset, Earle of Hartford, Vicount Beauchamp, Baron Seimor, Uncle to the King, Governour of the King, Protector of his Realmes, Dominions, and Subjects: Leiutenant of all his Forces, by Land, and Sea: Lord High Treasurer, and Marshal of England: Captaine of the Isles of Garnsey, and Jarsey, &c. Yet this great man was suddenly overwhelmed, and for a small crime, and that upon a nice point subtilly devised, and packed by his enemies, was bereaved both of his dignities, and life also. Camb. Brit. p. 240.
Henry Holland Duke of Exeter, and Earle of Huntington, who married the sister of King Edward the fourth, was driven to such want, that Philip Comines saith, that he saw him runne on foot bare-legged after the Duke of Burgundies traine, begging his bread for Gods sake, concealing himselfe, but afterwards being known what he was, Burgundy gave him a small pension to maintaine his estate.
The Duke of Buckingham, who had been a chief instrument of advancing Richard the third to the Crown, and the chiefest man of power in the Kingdome, falling into the displeasure of the King, and forced to hide himselfe at a servants house of his, called Humphrey Banister, was betrayed by him, and apprehended, disguised like a poor countrey-man, and digging in a grove near to Banisters house, and being carried to Salisbury where the King was, without arraignment, or judgement, there lost his head. Speed. Chron. page 927.
Queen Elizabeth in the life of her sister Mary being kept prisoner at Woodstock, chanced to see a maid milking of Kine in the Parke, and singing merrily over her paile: which struck this pensive prisoner into a deep meditation, preferring the maides fortunes farre above her own, heartily wishing that her selfe were a Milk-maide. Sp. Chron. p. 1120.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanitie,
Eccles. 1. 2.