Plinies Maturall Hiftoriei af / 



A manjthc dowagicr of an Emperour^in what glorie fhe fitteth at the bourd 5 would not he mfh ra- 

 therjthat they had been pulled out of their chariots^and never triumphed jthan that by their vi^ 

 Ctories the ftate ofRome fhould have growne to this waftfull excelTe and intollerable pridc?And 

 yet this is not the greateft example that can be produced of excellive riot and prodigalitie. 



Two onely Pearles there were together^the faireft and richeft that ever have bcene knowne in 

 the world : and thofe poflefled at one time by Cleopatra the laft queehe of -^gyptjwhieh came in- 



. to her hands by the means of the great kings of the Eaft^and were left unto her by deicenr.This 

 princeflcjwhen M, dntonim had ftrained himfclfe to doe her all the pleafure hee poflibly could^ 

 and had feafted her day by day moft fumptuouflyj^ fpared for no coft: in the heigth of herpride 

 and wanton braverie(as being a noble curtczan, and a queei-te withall) began to debafe thb ex- 



B pence and provifion of Antonie^mA made no reckoning of all his coftly fare. When he thereat 

 demaunded againe how it was polllble to goe beyond this magnificence of his : flie anfwered a^ 

 gainejthat fhe would fpend upon him in one fupper "^i 00 hundred thoufand Scftertij; Antonie^ * io Miilians. 

 whowouldneeds know how that might bee (for hee thoughtitwasunpoffible) laid agreat wa- 

 ger with her about it, and fhe bound it againe, and made it good. The morrow after,when this 

 was to be triedjand the wager either to bee won or lo^Cleopatra made Antome a fupper(becaufe 

 llic would not make defaultjand let the day appointed to pafle) which was fumptuous and roiall 

 y nough : howbeit, there was no extraordinarie fervice fecne upon the bourd : whereat K^nto- 

 laughed her to fcornejand by way of mockerie required to fee a billwith the account of the 

 particulars.She againe faidjthat whatfoever had becn ferved up alreadie^was but the overplus a- 



C bove the rate and proportion in queflion, affirming ftill, that fhee would yet in that fupper make 

 upthefullfumme thacfTieewasfeazcdatryea, her felfe alone would eat above that reckonings 

 and her owne fupper fliouldcoft^5oo hundred thoufand Seflcrtij: and with that commaunded ^ j^ij^Qj, 

 the (econd fervice to bee brought in. The fervitours that waited at her trencher (as they had in 

 charge before)ret before her one onely crewet of lliarpe Yineger,the ftrength whereof is ableto 

 lefolve pearles. Now ilie had at her eares hanging thole two molf precious pearles, the fingular 

 and onely jewels of the world^and even Natiircs'wonder. As oi^»r<?»/> looked Vviftly upon her, 

 and expeded what fhee would doe^fhee tookeoneof them from her eare_,i\eepcd it in rhe vine- 

 gcrjand fo foon as it was liquefied,dranke it off. And as fhe was about to do the like by the other, 

 L,Plancm the judge of that wager, laid faft hpld upon it with his hand,and pronounced withall j 



D That Antome had loft the wager. VVhci eat the uian fell into a paffion of anger.Therc was an end 

 of one pearle : but the fame of the fellow diereof may goe with it : for after that this bravequeeri 

 the winner of fo great a wager, was taken prifoner and deprived of her roiall ei^ate, that other 

 pearle wascutintwaine,thatinmemoriallof that one haife fupper of theirs, itfhould remains 

 unto poftedtie, hanging at both the eares of Fenm ^tKomt^ m the temple Pantheon. And 

 yet as prodigail as thefc were, they fhall not goe away with the prize in this kind,but fhall loofe 

 the name of thecheefeand principall,infuperfluitie of expenc^ For long before their timCj 

 the fonne of \^efo^e the Tragedian Poet, the only heire of his f atherj who died excee- 

 ding wealthie, pradifed the femblablc in two pearles of great price : fo that A»toKie needeth 

 not to bee over prowd of his Triumvirate , feeing that hee hath to match him in all his-magni- 



E ficence, one little better than a ftage-plaier: who upon no wager at all laid, (and that was more 

 princelyjand done like a king)but only in a braverie^and to know what taft pearles had, mortified 

 them in vinegre^and drunke them up. And finding them to content his palat wonderous well, 

 becaufe hee would not have all the pleafure byhimfelfe, and know the goodnefle thereof alone^ 

 he gave to every gueft at his table one pearle apeece to drinke in like manner. ' ' i ' > 



i^m^d'//4 vvritethjthat after Alexandria was conquered and brought under obedience to the 

 Romans,Pearles were rife at Rome,and commonly u(ed of every man : alfojthat about thetrou- 

 blefome time of Sylla they began firft to be in r^ queft ; and tHofe were but fiftall ones, and of no 

 price. Ho wbeit, he is groflety deceived,and'in a great error ^For Mm Siild doth report in^ his 

 Chronicle,that inthe timeof thevyarreagainft //z^^r/^^ia thefaire and goodly great Pearles be- 



F gan to be named Vnioncs. • ' t»*-"-'>^ :v^Vi««o^ f ot'iiirUoi: /; rw^^l^i^i 

 Thefe Pearles (to fay a truth) arc of jhc nature(in a martner)ofan inheritance to defcendby 

 perpetuitie. They follow commonly in right the next heires. When they pafle in fale^thcy goe 

 with warrantize,in as folemne manner as a good lord{hip. ^ ^ ^ '• 



As for the rich Purplesj and the precious Conchyles, every eoaft is full of thera. And yctto 



Z iij lhat 



