fareth thus in the constitution of the State, betwixt your power and our prosperity: whilst both agree, they support one another; but if they fall out about mastery, even that which overcomes will be destroyed in a general confusion. And if you should betray your trust, though we bow, and bear, and sigh, and sob, armed with prayers and tears; yet know that our sad mournings will mount into that court, where lie the appeals of subjects, and the censures of sovereigns, which will heavily be inflicted by Him whom you represent. I speak not this out of any distrust of your justice, but out of earnest desire of your happiness, wishing that the greatness of Constantine, founder of this place, the goodness of Jovian, the success of Honorius, the long life of Valens, the quiet death of Manuel, the immortal fame of Justinian, and whatsoever good was singled on them, may jointly be heaped upon you and your posterity." 14. Hereupon followed snch a shout of the people, as the oldest man present had not heard the like; and all interpreted it as a token presaging the future felicity of the new emperor. And thus we have presented the reader with the remarkable intricacy and perplexity of success, (as if Fortune were like to lose herself in a labyrinth of her own making,) winding backward and forward, within the compass of five years, with more strange varieties than can easily be paralleled in so short a continuance of time : (1.) First, Alexius, no Andronicus. Thus few strings, curiously played upon by the cunning fingers of a skilful artist, may make much music: and Divine Providence made here a miraculous harmony by these oddexpected transpositions, tuning all to his own glory. 15. Here I intended to end our History, save that I cannot discharge my trust, and be faithful to the truth, without taking some special observation of Basilius. We cannot forget how active an instrument he had been to serve the cruelty of Andronicus and when first I looked wishly [wistfully] upon his hands, (so busied in wicked employments,) I presently read his fortune, that he should come to a violent death. The old hermit seemed to me a prophet, to confirm me in my opinion, Sect. 4, par. 13, page 433. when reproving him for stickling in temporal matters; and my conjectures grew confident, that this patriarch in process of time would either shake off his mitre from his head, or his head from his shoulders. And, perchance, if the ingenuous reader would be pleased freely to confess his thoughts therein, he was possessed with the same expectation. 16. How wide were we from the mark! How blind is man in future contingents! How wise is God in crossing our conceits, leaving the world amused with his ways, that men, finding themselves at a loss, may learn more to adore what they cannot understand! See Basilius as brave and as bright as ever; and whilst all his fellow-servants had their wages paid them by Andronicus, some made longer in their necks, others shorter by their heads, he alone survives in health and honour: which made most to admire what peculiar antidote of sovereign virtue he had gotten, to preserve himself from the infectious fury of that tyrant. 17. But that which advanceth this wonder into the marks of a miracle, is, that this cunning pilot should so quickly "tack about" when the wind changed, and ingratiate himself with Isaacius. When times suddenly turn from extremes, those persons who formerly were first in favour, are cast farthest behind; and they must be very active and industrious to recover themselves. But Basilius, by a strange dexterity, was instantly in the front of favourites, and, without any abatement, carried it in as high a strain as ever before; and, although (being weary already!) I am loath to travel further into the reign of this new emperor, to see, in the sequel thereof, what became of Basilius at last; yet, so far as I can from the best-chosen advantage discern and discover his success, no signal punishment, above the ordinary standard of casualties, did befall him; and, for aught [which] appears to the contrary, he died in his bed. 18. Of such as seriously consider this accident, some, perchance, may be so well stocked with charity as to conceive, that he repented of his former impiety, and thereupon was pardoned by Heaven, and came to a peaceable end. Others may conceive, that as, when a whole forest of trees is felled, some aged, eminent oak by the highway's side may be suffered to survive, as useless for timber, because decayed, yet useful for a landmark, for the direction of travellers; so Basilius, being now aged, and past dangerous activity, was preserved for the information of posterity; and, when all others were cut down by cruel deaths, he [was] left alone to instruct the ensuing age of the tra But the gical passage which had happened in his remembrance. most solid and judicious will express themselves in the language of the apostle: "Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men's follow after." (1 Tim. v. 24.) All notorious offenders are not publicly branded in the world with an infamous character of shame or pain; but some carry their sins concealed, and receive the reward for them in another world. 19. It only remaineth, that we now give the personal description of Andronicus, so far forth as it may be collected from the few extant authors who have written thereof. I. HIS STATURE. He was seven He was higher than the ordinary sort of men. full feet in length, if there be no mistake in the difference of the measure. And whereas often the cock-loft is empty, in those whom nature hath built many stories high; his head was sufficiently stored with all abilities. II. HIS TEMPER. Of a most healthful constitution, of a lively colour, and vigorous limbs; so that he was used to say, that he could endure the violence of any disease for a twelvemonth together, by his sole natural strength, without being beholden to art, or any assistance of physic. III. HIS LEARNING. He had a quick apprehension and solid judgment; and was able, on any emergent occasion, to speak rationally on any controversy in divinity. He would not abide to hear any fundamental point of religion brought into question; insomuch that, when once two bishops began to contend about the meaning of that noted place, "My Father is greater than I am," Andronicus, suspecting that they would fall foul upon the Arian heresy, vowed to throw them both into the river, except they would be quiet a way to quench the hottest disputation, by an in-artificial answer drawn from such authority. IV. HIS WIVES. First, Theodora Comnenia, daughter of Isaacius SebastoCrator, his nearest kinswoman; so that the marriage was most incestuous. The second, Anna, daughter to the king of France; of whom largely before. V. HIS LAWFUL ISSUE, BOTH BY HIS FIRST WIFE. John Comnenius, his eldest son. It seems, he was much deformed, and his soul as cruel as his body ugly. He assisted Hagio-Christophorites Stephanus in the stifling of Xene. Manuel, his second son, of a most virtuous disposition. Let those that undertake the ensuing history, show how both had their eyes bored out by Isaacius. VI. HIS NATURAL ISSUE. I meet with none of their names: and though he lived wantonly with many harlots and concubines, yet, (what a Father observeth,) Πολυγαμία ποιεῖ ἀτεκνίαν· “ Many wives make few children." And it may be imputed to the providence of nature, that monsters (such as Andronicus) in this particular are happy,-that they are barren. VII. HIS BURIAL. By public edict it was prohibited, that any should bury his body. However, some were found, who bestowed, though not a solemn grave, yet an obscure hole, upon him, not out of pity to him, but out of love to themselves; except any will say, that his corpse, by extraordinary stench, provided its own burial, to avoid a general annoyance. G G CHAPTER XIX. THE LIFE OF DUKE D'ALVA. FERDINAND ALVAREZ DE TOLEDO, duke of Alva, one bred abroad in the world in several wars, (whom Charles V. more employed than affected, using his churlish nature to hew knotty service,) was by Philip II., king of Spain, appointed governor of the Netherlands. At his first arrival there, the loyalty of the Netherlanders to the king of Spain was rather out of joint, than broken off, as not being weary of his government, but their own grievances. The wound was rather painful than deadly: only the skirts of their lungs were tainted, sending out discontented not rebellious breath; much regretting that their privileges, civil and ecclesiastical, were infringed, and they grinded with exactions against their laws and liberties. But now duke D'Alva coming amongst them, he intended to cancel all their charters with his sword, and to reduce them to absolute obedience. And whereas every city was fenced not only with several walls, but different local liberties and municipal immunities, he meant to lay all their privileges level, and, casting them into a flat, to stretch a line of absolute command over them. He accounted them a nation rather stubborn than valiant, and that not from stoutness of nature, but want of correction, through the long indulgence of their late governors. He secretly accused Margaret duchess of Parma, the last governess, for too much gentleness towards them, as if she meant to cure a gangrened arm with a lenitive plaster; and affirmed that a lady's hands were too soft to pluck up such thistles by the root. Wherefore the said duchess, soon after D'Alva's arrival, (counting it less shame to set than to be outshined,) petitioned to resign her regency, and returned into Italy. To welcome the duke at his entrance, (anno Domini 1568,) he was entertained with prodigies and monstrous births, which • FAMIANUS STRADA De Bello Belgico, p. 430. |