A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 98 – Chapter 101
CHAP. XCVIII. Stratagems.
SCriptural Examples: Jacob, Gen. 30. 37. Josua, Chap. 8. 2. Gibeonites, Josu. 9. 4, &c. Gideon, Judg. 7. 19, &c. Israel, Judg. 20. 29.
After the death of Cambyses there being none of the Royal seed left, and the chief Persian Nobles, or Magi being all so potent, that none would give place to others, they at last agreed, That meeting all together in such a place the next morning, he whose horse first neighed, should be acknowledged King: one of these was Darius, whose Master of his horse hearing what was determined, over night took Darius his horse to the place, and caused him to cover a Mare; the next morning when they came all to the place, Darius his horse remembring the Mare presently fell a neighing, whereupon all the rest of the Nobles alighted, and saluted him for their King. Herod.
Darius besieging the impregnable City of Babylon which had revolted from him, after many waies and means assayed knew not how to prevail; at last one of his chief Colonels called Zopyrus, caused himself to be beaten black, and blew, his nose, and lips, and eares to be cut off, and acquainting Darius with his purpose, he went to Babylon, into which being admitted, he shewed the people his dismembred, and torn body, complains of the cruelty of Darius, and proffereth his best assistance to them against him: the Citizens knowing the worth of the man, and not suspecting his fraud, made him their Captain, and in some skirmishes he beat the Persians: at last having drawn forth all the strength of the City, he betrayed them to Darius, and so delivered up Babylon into his hands. After which Darius used to say, That he had rather have one Zopyrus then twenty Cities of Babylon. Pez. Mel. Hist.
When the Grecian Navy understood that the Army of Xerxes was entred into Peloponesus, every one being solicitous for his own home, they resolved to divide themselves, and to provide for the safety of their own Countrey: This Themistocles mainly opposed, as foreseeing that the division of the Grecian Navie would be their ruine, and therefore when he could no otherwise prevail, he sent a trusty person about him privately to Xerxes to inform him, that the Grecian Navy was intended to fly away, and that therefore he should presently with his Navie set upon them, if he desired a glorious Victory. Xerxes being glad of this intelligence, thinking that Themistocles had done it out of respect to him, he presently caused his Navie to environ the Grecians on every side, so that they were forced to fight whether they would or no, and so after a terrible battel they gave the Persians a great overthrow, destroying two hundred of their ships, besides those which they took in the battel. Herod.
Xerxes seeing his great losses both by Sea, and Land, was resolved to leave his Army with Mardonius, and himself with some small party to return into Asia: the Grecian Generals understanding this, resolved to go with their Navie to Abydos to break down the Bridge which Xerxes had made, and left there over the Sea for his return at his pleasure, thinking by this meanes either to destroy his whole Army thus shut up in Greece, or to force him to good tearms of agreement: Themistocles thinking that it was fitter to make a golden bridge to a flying enemy, then to take away all hopes of escaping from them which might make them fight more desperately, gave contrary counsel; and when he saw that he could not prevail, he sent privately to Xerxes, acquainting him with the Grecians purpose of breaking down his bridge, and therefore advised him to hasten his return before they had put their counsel into action. Xerxes being affrighted with this message, left his Captains to bring after him those Forces which he intended to take back into Asia, and himself with a few attendants posted back to the Bridge for his own safety. Herod.
After the final overthrow of the Persian Army, the Athenians began to build their City anew, which had been burned by the Persians, and to compasse it about with strong Walls, which the Lacedaemonians hearing of, and suspecting the Athenian power, they sent Ambassadours to them to disswade them from the work, telling them how dangerous it might be if the Persians should again come into Greece, &c. Themistocles perceiving that they did it out of envy, told them that the Athenians would themselves send Ambassadours of their own to satisfie the Lacedemonians about that matter: and so dismissing them, he exhorted the Athenians to hasten their work all that possibly they could; and after a while himself goes as their Ambassadour to Sparta, but by the way pretends sicknesse, and other impediments to hinder: yet at length he comes to Sparta, but then tells them that he could do nothing effectually till his Colleagues were come to him: In the mean time the Lacedemenians hearing that the Walls went forward apace, sent new Ambassadours to know the truth of the businesse: Themistocles therefore dispeeds away his man to Athens, writing to the Magistrates, that when the Ambassadours came they should cast them into prison, and keep them as pledges that the Lacedemonians should act nothing against them: and at last he makes an Oration to the Lacedemonians, and tells them, that now Athens wa… fortified, whereby they were able to repel war both by their Armes, and Walls: and so having out-witted the Lacedemonians by this stratagem, he returned home with great applause. Justin.
Cimon, General of the Athenians triumphed over the Persians twice in one day: for first he fought a great Battel with them by Sea upon the Confines of Asia, wherein he gave them a great overthrow; and then taking the Persian Ships, he put all his valiantest Souldiers into them, and dressed them in the Persians apparel, and so sailing to the place where their Land-Army lay, they took them for Persians returning in triumph from the slaughter of the Athenians: Cimon therefore by this stratagem landing his men, brake suddenly into the Camp of the Persians, whom they quickly overthrew with a great slaughter, and took twenty thousand prisoners, together with an infinite masse of treasure, the tenth part whereof the Athenians dedicated to their gods. Diod. Sic.
Wheu the Grecians had taken the City of Bizantium, the Grecian Captains referred to Cimon the dividing of the spoyl: whereupon he set all the Captives of one side, and all the plunder of the City on the other; and then bade the other Grecians choose which they would have: they chose the plunder, leaving the naked persons to the Athenians, and withal, laughed Cimon to scorn for his foolish division. But shortly after the friends, and kinsfolk of the Captives came, and brought great sums of money to redeem the captives, whereby the Athenians gat more then all the other Grecians; with which Cimon defrayed the whole charges of the Navy for four moneths. Plut.
Another Stratagem of Cimons was this, whereas other Generals had been burthensome to the friends and confederates of the Athenians by forcing them to serve in the Wars; Cimon on the contrary, suffered them to commute their personal service for a summe of money, and they that had shipping if they would deliver him their ships, he would excuse them from going in them themselves, and so suffered them to follow their Trades, and husbandry: in the mean time he hired his Athenians to serve in all the wars both by Sea, and Land, and so made them expert, and excellent Souldiers, whilest their confederates spent their time in ease, or contrary affaires, and so put the opportunity into the Athenians hands of being Lords over all their neighbours. Plut.
In the wars between the Lacedemonians, and the Athenians, when Archidamus the Lacedemonian General entred with his Army into the Confines of Attiea, and laid all waste before him; Pericles the Athenian General suspecting that he would spare his houses, and Lands, sent to Athens, and bestowed them all upon the Common-Wealth▪ that so he might free himself from the envy, and suspition of his Citizens. The like Stratagem did Fabius Max. the Roman use, who when as Hanibal had spared his lands, he presently sent his son to Rome to sell them, and employed the money for the redeeming of Captives from Hanibal. Pez. Mel. Hist.
Lycurgus commanded his Spartans that they should never make war often with one enemy, lest in processe of time they should grow more expert, and valiant then themselves. Plut.
A little before the Grecian Navie joyned battel with the Persians, Themistocles as he went along the Sea, and passed by those places where the enemies Navy must needs come, caused to be engraven in great letters upon the rocks, and stones an Exhortation to the Ionians to desert the Persians, and to take part with the Grecians, who were their ancestours, and founders, and such as fought for their liberty, hoping by this stratagem either to bring the Ionians to take part with him, or at least to make the Persians jealous, and distrustfull of them, and so render them the lesse useful. See the Example of Straton in Servants.
Sertorius the Roman General in his passage into Spain was fain to pay tribute to certain barbarous people that inhabited the Pyrenaean Mountains over which he was to passe. At this some of his Souldiers muttered, saying, That it was an act very dishonourable for the Romans: but he told them that he onelyonly bought time, a commodity which such as aspire to haughty enterprises must take up at any rate.
CHAP. XCIX. Education of Children, Schoolmasters.
LYcurgus the Lacedemonian Law-giver commanded all his Citizens to eat their meat in publick at a Common-Hall, whither all young children went daily as to a School to learn gravity, and temperance, where they heard no vain, or unseemly speeches, but grave, and wise discourses about the Government of a Common-Wealth; there they learned to sport upon words, and to give, and take jests without offence. Plut.
One asking Agesilaus King of Sparta, what should be especially taught unto children? he answered, That which they are most like to make use of when they come to be men. Xenoph.
Philip King of Macedon seeing the hopefulnesse of his son Alexander, chose Aristotle to be his Master, who carefully instructed him in most of the liberal Sciences, in the study whereof he took such delight, that he used to say; I had rather have knowledge then to excell in power. Just. He so prized Homer's Iliads, that in all his wars he carried it in his pocket, and laid it under his pillow anights. How much more should we prize, and carry about us the Sacred Scriptures? He loved his Master Aristotle as if he had been his Father, and used to say; That as we have our being from our Parents, so we have our well-being from our School Masters. Quint. Curtius.
Seneca the Master of Nero, offering to quit his fortunes to save his life; Nero refused to accept thereof, and acknowledging his immortal debt for the benefit of his instructions, he said; He had cause to blush, that he who for the reason of his learned merits was of all men dearest to …im, was not by his meanes in so long a time become the richest also. Nero's Life.
The Brachmans in India so soon as their children were capable of instruction used to place them forth to good School-Masters, that by them they might be instructed in learning, and good manners, and might be taught subjection to their Superiours, and be trained up by good Examples. Alex. ab Alex.
The Persians so soon as their children could begin to speak used to place them forth to Schoolmasters to be taught virtue, temperance, frugality, and obedience, and would not meddle with them for seven years after, left by their indulgence they should do them hurt. Xenoph.
Amongst the Lacedemonians there was a custome that boyes, and youths should never sup but in the company of their Masters, from whom they might learn examples of frugality, and abstinence. Alex.
The Inhabitants of Mitylene when they were Lords of the Seas about them, if any of their associates revolted from them, they inflicted this punishment: By forbiddiug them to teach their children letters, or the knowledge of the liberal Arts: Judging it the greatest punishment that could be to passe their lives in ignorance without learning. AElian.
Julian the Apostate when he perceived that the Christians by reason of their learning easily confuted, and overthrew the Idolatries of the Gentiles, he enacted a Law, That no Christian should train up his sonnes in humane learning: thereby judging, that if he could bring them to ignorance, he could quickly bring them to Idolatry.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it,
Prov. 22. 6.
The rod, and reproof give wisdome, but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame,
Prov: 29. 15.
CHAP. C. Examples about the Memory.
BEza being above fourscore yeares of age could perfectly say by heart any Greek Chapter in Paul's Epistles, or any thing else that he had learned before, but forgat whatsoever was newly told him: Thuan. obit. Doctorum vir. p. 384. His memory was like an Inne retaining old guests, but having no room to entertain new.
S. Augustine tells us of his friend Simplicius, who being asked, could tell all Virgils Verses backwards, and forwards, and yet he protested, that he knew not that he could do it till they tried him. Aug. Tom. 7. de anima, et ejus Orig. cap. 7.
Staupitius, who was Tutor to Luther, and a godly man, in a vain ostentation of his memory, repeated Christs Genealogie, Matth. 1. by heart in his Sermon, but being out about the Captivity of Babylon: I see (saith he) God resisteth the proud, and so betook himself to his book for help. Mel. Adam. in vit. Stau. p. 20.
The Memory of our Bishop Juel was raised by Art to the highest pitch of humane possibility: For he could readily repeat any thing that he penned after once reading it; and therefore usually at the ringing of the Bell he began to commit his Sermons to heart; and kept what he learned so firmly, that he used to say; That if he were to make a speech premeditated before a thousand Auditors shouting or fighting all the while, yet could he say whatsoever he had provided to speak. Many barbarous, and hard names out of a Calender, and fourty strange words, Welch, Irish, &c. after once or twice reading at the most, and short meditation he could repeat both forwards, and backwards without hesitation. Sir Francis Bacon reading to him onelyonly the last clauses of ten lines in Erasmus his Paraphrase in a confused, and dismembred manner; he after a small pause rehearsed all those broken parcels of sentences the right way, and the contrary without stumbling. See his Life in my first Part of the Marrow of Eccles. Hist.
Anthony Wallaeus by the help of the Art of Memory in six weeks space learned by heart the whole Epitome of Pagnine with such excellent successe, that thereby he was enabled well to interpret any place of the holy Scriptures, and to give a fit reason of it. Idem. p. 943.
Themistocles had such an excellent memory, that he knew all the Citizens of Athens, and when he met them could salute them by name. Plut.
CHAP. CI. The Qualities of sundry people.
IT's said of the Italians, that they are in their lusts unnatural; in their malice unappeasable; in their actions deceitful. They will blaspheme sooner then swear: and murther a man rather then slander, him. Of their women it's said; That they are Magpies at the door; Saints in the Church; Goats in the garden; Devils in the house; Angels in the streets; and Syrenes in the windowes.
The Noble-men of Naples of all men under heaven live the most idle, and carelesse lives; having (like the Tyrant Polycrates) nothing to trouble them, but that they are troubled with nothing.
As the French in their language want one proper word to expresse Stand; so naturally they mislike a setled, and fixed posture, and delight in motion. It's said of them, that Primus impetus est major quàm virorum, secundus minor quàm foeminarum: That they come on like Powder: But end in smoke. That they have these three Properties; They neither read as they write; nor sing as they prick; nor speak as they think.
The Germans are compared to an heavy Bell, which is long in raising; but being once up, it makes a great sound.
The Low-Countreys had wont to be called the best stable of woodden Horses, because of their potency in shipping: though now the English have out-shot them in their own Bowe.
England was wont to be accounted the Popes Pack-horse; for indeed she seldome rested in the stable when any work was to be done.
The Italians are said to be wise before-hand: The Germans in the action: and the French after it is done.
Mr. Asch…m thanks God that he was but nine daies in Italy, where in one City [Venice] he saw more liberty co sin, then in London he ever heard of in nine years. Preface to his School.
The Neaepolitane Gentry are observed to stand so much upon the puntilio's of their honour, that they prefer robbery before industry, and will rather suffer their daughter to make merchandise of her chastity, then marry the richest Merchant. Sr. W. Segar in his honors.
The earth in Italy yields five harvests in a year: 1. In June that of Silks. 2. In July of divers Fruits. 3. In August that of Corn, which afterwards they sowe with Millio, Rice, Turkey Wheat, or the like grain, and within two moneths have another Crop. 4. In September that of their Wines. 5. In October that of Oyl.
Englands Priviledges.
The first Christian King that ever was in the world was Lucius King of the Britans that built Peter's Church in Cornhill London: The first Christian Emperour that was in the world was Constantine the Great born in England of Helena an English woman. The first King that shook off subjection to Antichrist, was our King Henry the eighth: And the first Christian King that ever wrote that the Pope was Antichrist was our King James.