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APOPHTHEGMES

NEW AND OLD.

COLLECTED BY

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

FRANCIS LO. VERULAM VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN.

LONDON.

Printed for Hanna-Barret and Richard Whittaker, and are to be sold at the King's

Head in Paul's Church-yard.

1625.

APOPHTHEGMS NEW AND OLD.

His Lordship's Preface.1

2

JULIUS CESAR did write a Collection of Apophthegms, as appears in an epistle of Cicero. I need say no more for the worth of a writing of that nature. It is pity his book is lost: for I imagine they were collected with judgment and choice; whereas that of Plutarch and Stobæus, and much more the modern ones, draw much of the dregs. Certainly they are of excellent use. They are mucrones verborum, pointed speeches. Cicero prettily calls them salinas, saltpits; that you may extract salt out of, and sprinkle it where you will. They serve to be interlaced in continued speech. They serve to be recited upon. occasion of themselves. They serve if you take out the kernel of them, and make them your own. I have, for my recreation in my sickness, fanned the old"; not omitting any because they are vulgar, (for many vulgar ones are excellent good,) nor for the meanness of the person, but because they are dull and flat; and added many new, that otherwise would have died."

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So R. There is no heading in the original.

? So did Macrobius, a Consular man. R.

3 Cæsar's book. R.

The words of the wise are as goods, saith Solomon. (Added in R.)

I have for my recreation, amongst more serious studies, collected some few of them; therein fanning the old. R.

• adding. R.

This collection his LP made out of his memory, without turning any book. R. (Note in margin.)

APOPHTHEGMS NEW AND OLD.

†1. WHEN Queen Elizabeth had advanced Ralegh, she was one day playing on the virginals, and my Lo. of Oxford and another nobleman stood by. It fell out so, that the ledge before the jacks was taken away, so as the jacks were seen: My Lo. of Oxford and the other nobleman smiled, and a little whispered: The Queen marked it, and would needs know What the matter was? My Lo. of Oxford answered; That they smiled to see that when Jacks went up Heads went down.

2. (16.) Henry the Fourth of France his Queen was great1 with child. Count Soissons, that had his expectation upon the crown, when it was twice or thrice thought that the Queen was with child before, said to some of his friends, That it was but with a pillow. This had some ways come to the King's ear; who kept it till when the Queen waxed great; called3 the Count Soissons to him, and said, laying his hand upon the Queen's belly, Come, cousin, it is no pillow. Yes, Sir, (answered the Count of Soissons,)5 it is a pillow for all France to sleep upon.

3. (26.) There was a conference in Parliament between the Upper house and the Lower 6, about a Bill of Accountants, which came down from the Lords to the Commons; which bill prayed, that the lands of accountants, whereof they were seized when they entered upon their office, mought be liable to their arrears to the Queen. But the Commons desired that the bill mought not look back to accountants that were already, but extend only to accountants hereafter. But the Lo. Treasurer said, Why, I pray', if you had lost your purse by the way, would you look forwards, or would you look back? The Queen hath lost her purse. 4. (1.) Queen Elizabeth, the morrow of her coronation, went to the chapel; and in the great chamber, Sir John Rainsford, set on by wiser men, (a knight that had the liberty of a buffone,)

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young.

R.

4 is this a pillow?

R.

2 such time as. R. Then he called. The C. of S. answered, Yes Sir, &c. between the Lords' House and the House of Commons. R.

R.
R.

"I pray you. R.

besought the Queen aloud; That now this good time when prisoners were delivered, four prisoners amongst the rest mought likewise have their liberty, who were like enough to be kept still in hold. The Queen asked; Who they were? And he said; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, who had long been imprisoned in the Latin tongue; and now he desired they mought go abroad among the people in English. The Queen answered, with a grave countenance; It were good (Rainsford) they were spoken with themselves, to know of them whether they would be set at liberty?1

5. (29.) The Lo. Keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon, was asked his opinion by Queen Elizabeth of one of these Monopoly Licences. And he answered; Will you have me speak truth, Madam? Licentiâ omnes deteriores sumus: We are all the worse for a licence.2

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6. (206.) Pace, the bitter Fool, was not suffered to come at the Queen3, because of his bitter humour. Yet at one time some persuaded the Queen that he should come to her; undertaking for him that he should keep compass. So he was brought to her, and the Queen said: Come on, Pace; now we shall hear of our faults. Saith Pace; I do not use to talk of that that all the town talks of.

7. (30.) My Lo. of Essex, at the succour of Rhoan, made twenty-four knights, which at that time was a great matter.5 Divers of those gentlemen were of weak and small means; which when Queen Elizabeth heard, she said, My Lo. mought have done well to have built his alms-house before he made his knights.

18. A great officer in France was in danger to have lost his place; but his wife, by her suit and means making, made his peace; whereupon a pleasant fellow said, That he had been crushed, but that he saved himself upon his horns.

9. (2.) Queen Anne Bullen, at the time when she was led to

1 Queen Elizabeth, the morrow of her coronation; (it being the custom to release prisoners at the inauguration of a prince ;) went to the Chapel; and in the Great Chamber, one of her courtiers who was well known to her, either out of his own motion, or by the instigation of a wiser man, presented her with a petition; and before a great number of courtiers besought her with a loud voice; That now this good time there might be four or five principal prisoners more released; those were the four Evangelists and the Apostle Saint Paul, who had been long shut up in an unknown tongue, as it were in prison; so as they could not converse with the common people. The Queen answered very gravely; That it was best first to enquire of them, whether they would be released or no. R.

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