Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/245

 "Ye Spartans are unlearned;" said again, "True, for we have learned no evil vice of you."

171. Alexander, when his father wished him to run for the prize of the race at the Olympian games, for he was very swift, answered; "He would, if he might run with kings."

172. When Alexander passed into Asia, he gave large donatives to his captains, and other principal men of virtue; insomuch as Parmenio asked him, "Sir, what do you keep for yourself?" He answered, "Hope."

173. Antigonus used to often go disguised, and to listen at the tents of his soldiers; and at a time heard some that spoke very ill of him. Whereupon he opened the tent a little, and said to them, "If you would speak ill of me, you should go a little farther off."

174. Vespasian set a tribute upon urine; Titus his son emboldened himself to speak to his father of it: and represented it as a thing indign and sordid. Vespasian said nothing for the time: but a while after, when it was forgotten, sent for a piece of silver out of the tribute money, and called to his son, bidding him to smell it; and asked him, whether he found any offence. Who said, "No." "Why sol" saith Vespasian again; "yet this comes out of urine."

175. There were two gentlemen otherwise of equal degree, save that the one was of the ancienter house. The other in courtesy asked his hand to kiss: which he gave him; and he kissed it; but said withal, to right himself by way of friendship, "Well, I and you, against any two of them:" putting himself first.

176. Nerva the emperor succeeded Domitian, who had been tymnnical; and in his time many noble houses were overthrown by false accusations; the instruments whereof were chiefly Marcellus and Regulus. The Emperor Nerva one night supped privately with six or seven: amongst whom there was one that was a dangerous man; and began to take the like courses as Marcellus and Regulus had done. The emperor fell into discourse of the injustice and tyranny of the former time, and by name of the two accusers; and said, "What should we do with them, if we had them now?" One of them that was at supper, and was a free-spoken senator, said, "Marry, they should sup with us."

177. There was one that found a great mass of money digging under ground in his grandfather's house: and being somewhat doubtful of the case, signified it to the emperor that he had found such treasure. The emperor made a rescript thus: "Use it." He writ back again, that the sum was greater than his estate or condition could use. The emperor writ a new rescript thus: "Abuse it."

178. A Spaniard was censuring to a French gentleman the want of devotion amongst the French; in that, whereas in Spain, when the sacrament goes to the sick, any that meets with it turns back and waits upon it to the house whither it goes: but in France they only do reverence, and pass by. But the French gentleman answered him, "There is reason for it; for here with us, Christ is secure amongst his friends; but in Spain there be so many Jews and Maranos that it is not amiss for him to have a convoy."

179. Coranus, the Spaniard, at a table at dinner, fell into an extolling of his own father, saying, "If he could have wished of God, he could not have chosen amongst men a better father." Sir Henry Savil said, "What, not Abraham?" Now Coranus was doubted to descend of a race of Jews.

180. Consalvo would say, "The honour of a soldier ought to be of a strong web;" meaning, that it should not be so fine and curious that every little disgrace should catch and stick in it.

181. One of the Seven was wont to say; "That laws were like cobwebs; where the small flies were caught, and the great brake through."

182. Bias gave in precept, "Love as if you should hereafter hate; and hate as if you should hereafter love."

183. Aristippus, being reprehended of luxury by one that was not rich, for that he gave six crowns for a small fish, answered, "Why, what would you have given?" The other said, "Some twelve-pence." Aristippus said again, "And six crowns are no more with me."

184. There was a French gentleman speaking with an English, of the law Salique; that women were excluded from inheriting the crown of France. The English said, "Yes; but that was meant of the women themselves, not of such males as claimed by women." The French gentleman said, "Where do you find that gloss?" The English answered, "I'll tell you, sir: look on the back side of the record of the law Salique, and there you shall find it endorsed:" implying there was no such thing as the law Salique, but that it is a mere fiction.

185. There was a friar in earnest dispute about the law Salique, that would needs prove it by Scripture; citing that verse of the gospel, "Lilia agri non laborant neque nent;" the lilies of the field do neither labour nor spin; applying it thus: That the flower-de-luces of France cannot descend, neither to the distaff nor to the spade: that is, not to a woman nor to a peasant.

186. Julius Cæsar, as he passed by, was, by acclamation of some that stood in the way, termed King, to try how the people would take it. The people showed great murmur and distaste at it. Cæsar, finding where the wind stood, slighted it, and said, "I am not king, but Cæsar;" as if they had mistaken his name. For Rex was a surname amongst the Romans as King is with us.

187. When Crœsus, for his glory, showed