i6B 



TliefevendiBooke of 



v«as able to call every fouldior that he had through his whole armiCjby his owne name. L Jdph G 

 could doe the like by all the citizens of Rome. Semblably,C/»^<«^3Embairador of king VjYrhm^ 

 the very next day th at he came to RomCsboth knew and alfo fainted by name all the Senate,and 

 the whole degrees of Gentlemen and Cavallerie in thecittie* Muh iciates the kingjteigned over 

 two and twcntic nations of diverfe languages, and in fo many tongues gave lawes and miniftred 

 juftice unto them^withouttruchman: and when hee was to make fpeechunto them in publicke 

 affemblie refpedtively to every nation^he did performe it in their owne tongue^without interpre- 

 CrfrnMifw.ac- tor.One charmidas or Carmadas^z, GreciaUjWas of fo lingular a memorie^that he was able to dc- 

 cordiog CO cu liver by heart the contents word for word of allthebookes that a man would call for out of any 

 Iibrarie,as if he read the fame prefently within booke. At length the pradife hereof was reduced 

 into an art of Memorie : devifed and invented firft by Simontdes Mehcm^m^ afterwards brought j-| 

 to perfection and confummatc by LMctrodcms Scepfim : by which a man might Ifearne to re- 

 hearfe againe the fame words of any difcourfe whatfoever5aftcr once hearing. And yet there is not 

 a thing in man ft) fraile and brittle againe as itjwhether it be occafioned by difeafc^by cafual in- 

 juries and occurrents^or by feare,through which it failethfometime in partjandothefwhilcs de- 

 caicth generally ,and is clcane loft. One with the ftroke of a ftone/e^l prefently to forget his let- 

 ters onely^and could read no more: otherwifc his memorie ferved him well ynough. Another, 

 with a fall from the roufe of a very high houfcjloft the remembrance of his own mother^bis next 

 kinsfolke/riends^and neighbours. Another,in a fickneife of his forgot his owne fer\'ants about 

 him : and McfJkU Corvtnm the great Oratour, upon the like occafion, forgot his owne proper 

 name. So fickle andflipperie is mans memorie : that oftentimes it affaieth and goeth about to I 

 leefe it felfcjevcn whiles a mans bodie is otherwife quiet and in health. But let fleep crccpe at any 

 time upon usjit feemeth to be vanquifhed/o as our poorefpirit wandereth up and down to fecke 

 where it island to recover it againe. 



Chap, XXV. 



^ Theprji/eofCJttljf^Cafar. 



]""^ Or vigor and quickneffe of fpirit,! take it, that C.C^y7?r Diclatour^went beyond all men bc- 

 fides.l fpcake not now of his vertue and conf^ancie^ neither of his high reach and deep wit, 

 whereby he apprehended the knowledge of all-things under the cope of heaven but of that K 

 agiliticof mind;, thatprom.pt and rcadie conceit of his, as nimble and adtive as the very fire. I 

 have heard it reported of him, that hee was wont to writc^^to read jto enditeletterSjandwithall to 

 give audience unto fuiters and hcare their caufes^all atone inftant. And being emploied,as yon 

 know he was^in fo great and important affaires^hee ordinarily endited letters to foure fccretaiies 

 or clearkes at once : and when he was free from other greater bufinefle^he would otherwhiles find 

 (even of them worke at one timc.The fame man in his daies fought fiftie fet battels with banners 

 difplaied againft his enemies : in which pointjhe alone outwent MM^rccllm^ who was feene for- 

 tie times fave one in the field. Befides the carnage ofcitizens that heemadcin the civile warres 

 when he obtained vidorie^ he put to the fword i ipzooo of his enemies^in one battell or other. 

 And ccrtes for mine owne parrel hold this for nofpeciall glorie and commendation of his^coh- L 

 fidering fo great injurie done to mankind by this effufion of bloud : which in feme part he hath 

 confefTed himfelfe^ in that he hath forborne' to fctdowne the overthrowes and bloudflied of his 

 adverfaries (fellow-citizens) during the civile wars. Yet Fompey the great deferveth honor more 

 juftly for fcouring the feas^and takingfrom the rovers 84^ faile of fhips.But to returne againe to 

 CdjArpszi and above the qualities ot worth before rehearfedjan cfpeciall propertie of his owne 

 he hadj for clemencie and inerciejwherein he fo farre forth furmounted ail other men, that hee 

 repented therofin the end. As for his magnanimiticjit was inccmparablejand he left fuch a prc- 

 {ident behind him, as I forbid all men to match or fecond it. For to fpeake of hisfumpniofities, 

 of his largeflcsj of the magnificent fhewcs exliibitcd to the people, the exceeding coft & char- 

 ges therein bcftowed, with all the (lately furniture thereto belonging, were a point of him that M 

 favoured fuch lavifh expence and fuperfluities. But herein appeared his true hautineffc of mind 

 indeedjand that unmatchable fpirit of his,That when upon the battell at Phaifalia,as wcl the co- 

 fers and caskets with letters & other writings of Pomfty^ as alfo thofe of S c 'tpots before ThapfoPj 

 came into his hands^e was moft tEue unto them,& burnt al,withoU£ reading one fcript or fcmIL 

 ■ " ^ ■ " - ' Chap* 



