The Holy State, Book 3 · Chapter 23
CHAP. 23. Of Fame.
FAme is the echo of actions, resounding them to the world, save that the echo repeats onelyonly the last part, but Fame relates all and often more then all.
Fame sometimes hath created something of nothing. Maxime 1She hath made whole countreys more then ever Nature did, especially near the Poles, and then hath peopled them likewise with inhabitants of her own invention, Pygmies, Giants, and Amazons: Yea Fame is sometimes like unto a kind of Mushrom, which *In miraculi… vel max…mum est … & vivere sine ulla …adice, Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 19. cap. 2.Pliny recounts to be the greatest miracle in nature, because growing and having no root, as Fame no ground of her reports.
Fame often makes a great deal of a little. 2Absalom kill'd one of Davids sonnes, and *2. Sam. 13.30.Fame kill'd all the rest; and generally she magnifies and multiplies matters. Loud was that lie which that bell told hanging in a clock-house at Westminster, and usually rung at the Coronation and Funeralls of Princes, having this inscription about it,
King Edward made me
thirty thousand and three,
Take me down and weigh me
and more shall you find me.
But when this bell was taken down at the doomsday of Abbeys, this and two more were found not to weigh *Stowes survey of London, pag. 528.twenty thousand. Many relations of Fame are found to shrink accordingly.
Some Fames are most difficult to trace home to their form:3 and those who have sought to track them, have gone rather in a circle then forward, and oftentimes through the doubling of reports have return'd back again where they began. Fame being a bastard or filia populi, 'tis very hard to find her father, and ofttimes she hath rather all then any for her first Authours.
4Politicians sometimes raise Fames on purpose. As that such things are done already, which they mean to do afterwards. By the light of those false fires they see into mens hearts, and these false rumours are true scouts to discover mens dispositions. Besides, the deed (though strange in it self) is done afterwards with the lesse noise, men having vented their wonder beforehand, and the strangenesse of the action is abated, because formerly made stale in report. But if the rumour startles men extremely, and draws with it dangerous consequences, then they can presently confute it, let their intentions fall and prosecute it no further.
5The Papall side of all Fame-merchants drive the most gainfull trade, as that worthy *S. Edward Sandys view of the West Religions, pag. 100.Knight hath given us an exact survey thereof. But long before them, strange was that plot of Stratocles, who gave it out that he had gotten a victory, and the constant report thereof continued three dayes, and then was confuted; and Stratocles being charged with abusing his people with a lie, Why (said *Plutarchs foreign.he) are ye angry with me for making you passe three dayes in mirth and jollity more then otherwise you should?
6Incredible is the swiftnesse of Fame in carrying reports. First she creeps thorow a village, then she goes thorow a town, then she runs thorow a city, then she flyes thorow a countrey, still the farther the faster. Yea Christ who made the dumbe speak, made not tell-tale Fame silent, though charging those he cured to hold their peace, *Luke 5.15.but so much the more went there a Fame abroad of him. Yea some things have been reported soon as ever they were done at impossible distance. The overthrow of Perseus was brought out of Macedon to Rome in *Livy. lib. 45. juxta princip.foure dayes. And in Domitians time a report was brought two thousand five hundred miles in one day. In which accidents,
1 Fame takes post on some other advantage. Thus the overthrow of the Sabines was known at Rome prius pene quam nunciari possit, by the means of the *Livy. lib. 1.arms of the Sabines drowned in the river of Tiber, and carried down by the tide to Rome. And thus Anno *Famian. Strada de Bello Belgic. l…b. 5. pag. 456.1568 the overthrow which the Spaniards gave the Dutch at the river of Ems was known at Grunning before any horseman could reach thither, by the multitude of the Dutch caps which the river brought down into the city. But these conveiances are but slugs to make such miraculous speed: wherefore sometimes reports are carried,
2 By the ministration of Spirits. The devils are well at leisure to play such pranks, and may do it in a frolick. And yet they would scarce be the carriers except they were well payed for the portage, getting some profit thereby (doing of mischief is all the profit they are capable of) and do harm to some by the suddennesse of those reports. Or else
3 The Fame is antedated and rais'd before the fact, being related at guesse before 'twas acted. Thus some have been causlessely commended for early rising in the morning, who indeed came to their journeys end over night. If such foremade reports prove true, they are admired and registred; if false, neglected and forgotten: as those onelyonly which escaped shipwrack hung up votivas tabulas, tablets with their names in those Haven-towns where they came ashore. But as for those who are drowned, their memorialls are drowned with them.
Generall reports are seldome false. 7Vox populi vox Dei. A body of that greatnesse hath an eye of like clearnesse, and it is impossible that a wanderer with a counterfeit passe should passe undiscovered.
A fond Fame is best confuted by neglecting it. 8By Fond understand such a report as is rather ridiculous then dangerous if believed. It is not worth the making a Schisme betwixt News-mongers to set up an antifame against it. Yea seriously and studiously to endeavour to confute it, will grace the rumour too much, and give suspicion that indeed there is some reality in it. What madnesse were it to plant a piece of ordinance to beat down an aspen leaf, which having alwayes the palsie, will at last fall down of it self. And Fame hath much of the scold in her; the best way to silence her is to be silent, and then at last she will be out of breath with blowing her own trumpet.
9Fame sometimes reports things lesse then they are. Pardon her for offending herein, she is guilty so seldome. For one kingdome of Scotland, which (they say) Geographers describe an hundred miles too short, most Northern countreys are made too large. Fame generally overdoes, underdoes but in some particulars. The Italian proverb hath it, There is lesse honesty, wisdome, and money in men then is counted on: yet sometimes a close churl, who locks his coffers so fast Fame could never peep into them, dyeth richer then he was reported when alive. None could come near to feel his estate; it might therefore cut fatter in his purse, then was expected. But Fame falls most short in those Transcendents, which are above her Predicaments; as in *1 Kings. 10.7.Solomons wisdome: And behold one half was not told me: thy wisdome and prosperity exceedeth the Fame that I heard. But chiefly in fore-reporting the Happinesse in heaven, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive.