A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 55 – Chapter 56
CHAP. LV. Examples of Fattery, Parasites.
It's proper to the wicked, Psal. 5. 9. & 78. 36. & 36. 2. & 12. 2, 3.
To the whore, Prov. 2. 16. & 7. 5, 21.
Such are to be shunned, Prov. 20. 19. & 29. 5.
Are hateful, Prov. 28. 23. Hence, Job 32. 21, 22.
The mischief of it, Prov. 26. 28. Job. 17. 5.
Scriptural examples: The young men, 1 King. 10. 1…. the Princes of Judah, 2 Cron. 24. 17. A King, Dan. 11. 21. Others, Dan. 1…. 32, 34. False Apostles, 1 Thes. 2. 5. False Prophets, Ezek. 12. 24. & 13. 10, &c. & 22. 28. The people, Herod, Act. 12. 22.
Alexander M. used to carry his head on one side inclining to the left shoulder, wherein his Cou…t-Parasites to …tiate themselves with him, imitated him. Justin.
Alexander also having in his fury slaine Clitus his faithful servant that had saved his life, he was afterwards so grieved for it, that he would have slaine himself, but being restrained from that, …he would neither eate, nor drink for three dayes; whereupon his friends brought Anaxarchus the Philosopher to comfort him, who in a flattering manner told him: that the ancients used to place the Image of Justice by Jupiter, to shew that whatsoever Jupiter did must needs be Just: and therefore said he, Whatsoever so great a King as thou art doest, it ougbt to be esteemed just, first by thee, and then by all others. Q. Cur.
The Athenians did so basely flatter King Demetrius the sonne of Antigonus, that they made this decree publickly: that whatsoever King Demetrius commanded, it should be accounted holy amongst the gods, and just amongst men. Plut.
Severus the Emperour caused one Tyrinus a notable flatterer to be tied to a stake in the Market-place, and there to be killed with smoake: An Herauld in the meane time standing by, and crying, Smoak he sold, and with smoak he is punished.
The Courtiers of Meroe (a Kingdome in India) to flatter and ingratiate themselves with their King, limped, and halted as their King did.
Canutus King of England, and Denmark being told by a flatterer that all things in his Realme were at his command, and will: appointed his Chaire to be set upon the sands when the sea began to flowe, and in the presence of his Courtiers he said unto it: Thou art part of my dominion, and the ground on which I sit is mine, neither was there ever any that durst disobey my command, that went away with impunity: wherefore I charge thee that thou come not upon my land, neither that thou wet the clothes or body of me thy Lord. Yet the sea, according to its usual course, flowing more, and more wet his feet: whereupon the King rising up said: Let all the inhabitants of the world know that vaine, and frivolous is the power of Kings: and that none is worthy the name of King, but he to whose command the heaven, earth, and sea, by the bond of an everlasting Law are subject, and obedient. And never after that time would he suffer his crown to come upon his head▪ Hen. of Hunt.
See the example of Damocles in Tyrants.
The Athenians fined Demagoras ten Talents for that he had by way of flattery called Alexander a god. Ravisius.
Nicesias a flatterer about Alexander, when he saw him wounded, cried out in the words of Homer: O what precious blood flowes from the bodies of the gods.
When Iulius Caesar was going against the Senate, and Pompey, one of his souldiers, said flatteringly:
Jussa sequi tam velle mihi. quàm posse necesse est: Nec civis meus est, in quem tua classica, Caesar, Audiero.——Lucan.
Publius Afranius a notable flatterer at Rome, hearing that Caligula the Emperour was sick, went to him, and professed that he would willingly die, so that the Emperour might recover; the Emperour told him that he did not beleeve him, whereupon he confirmed it with an oath: and the Emperour shortly after recovering, caused him to be slaine that he might not be forsworne. Xiphilinus.
Teridates King of Armenia, when he was overcome by Corbulo, and brought prisoner to Rome to Nero…, falling down on his knees, he said: I am nephew to the great Lord Arsacus, brother to the two great Kings Vologeses, and Pacorus, and yet thy servant, and I come to worship thee no otherwise then I worship my god the Sun: Truly I will be such an one as thou shalt please to make me, for thou art my Fate, and Fortune: which flattery so pleased Nero that he restored him to his Kingdome, and gave him besides an hundred thousand peeces of gold. X…pil.
Ant. Caracalla the Romane Emperour gave all those vaste summes of money that he raised by taxes, and exactions upon his subjects, amongst his Parasites, and flatterers. Idem.
Timagoras the Athenians being sent upon an Embassie to Darius King of Persia in a flattering manner, worshipped him after the Persian manner: For which he lost his head at his returne home. Ravis.
Clitosophus, King Philip of Macedons Parasite, feigned himself lame because Philip had broke his leg, and used to writhe his eyes, and his mouth after the same manner as his Master used to do. Idem.
A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it: and a flattering tongue worketh ruine,
Prov. 26. 28.
CHAP. LVI. Strange Examples of Deafe, and Dumb Persons.
WE have (saith Camerarius) in Noremberg a young man, and a young maid, both born of one father, and mother, and of a good house, who though they be deafe, and dumb, yet have they a singular quick conceit: they can both of them reade very well, write, cipher, and cast an account: they are quick, and cunning at Cards, Dice, and all games: The maid is excellent at Sempstry, Tapestry, Embrodery, &c. And by the motion of a mans lips, they know his meaning.
Platerus mentions one deafe, and dumb born, yet could expresse his minde in a table-book, and could understand what others wrote therein. He hearing O…colampadius preaching by the motions of his lips, and gesture understood many things.
One Gennet Lowes a Scottish woman dwelling in Edenburg, being deafe, and dumb by nature, could understand any one in her house, meerly by the moving of their lips: so that by their motions alone without a voice, she could exactly know their meaning.
Master Crisp, brother to Sir Nicholas Crisp, his dexterity in knowing the meaning of men by the motions of their lips is very well known to Merchants upon the Exchange, and is yet fresh in every ones memory. At the time when Sir Alexander Carey was beheaded at Tower-hill, this Master Crisp (having been deafe long before) pressed to stand neer to the Scaffold, whereupon Master Hurst, an officer in the train-bands that kept the guard spake to him to forbear, who not hearing him, continued to labour to get a convenient place, till Master Hurst being told by some who he was, suffered him to place himself right against the front of the Scaffold, and when Sir Alexander turned himself to speak to the people, Master▪ Crisp fixed his eyes upon his lips, during all the time of his speech, which he so perfectly understood, and carried away, that relating it to his friends, they much wondred at the way of his perception.
There was a Nobleman in Spaine, the younger brother of the Constable of Castile, born so deafe that he could not hear a gun shot off by his eare, and consequently dumb: yet the lovlinesse of his face, and exceeding vivacity of his eyes, the comlinesse of his person, and the whole composure of his body, were pregnant signes of a well tempered minde: Physicians and Chyrurgions had long imployed their skill to help him, but all in vaine: At last a certain Priest undertook to teach him to understand others when they spake, and to speak himselfe that others might understand him: This attempt was at first laughed at: but after some yeares with great paines he taught this young Lord to speak as distinctly as any man, and to understand so perfectly what others said, that he could understandingly converse all day with them. Prince Charles when he was wooing the Infanta of Spaine, saw him, and oft made trial of him, not only with English words, but making some Welchmen in his traine to speak words of their language, all which he perfectly repeated, only for want of his hearing, his tone was rather vehement, and shrill, then pleasing. This many were witnesses of.
Pausanias reports that one Balthus a dumb man, wandring in a desert, met with a Lion, and was struck with such exceeding fear, and trepidation that thereupon the strings of his tongue were loosed, and he spake ever after.