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248. Democritus said; That truth did lie in profound pits, and when it was got, it needed much refining.

249. Diogenes said of a young man that danced daintily, and was much commended; The better, the worse.

250. There was a nobleman that was lean of visage, but immediately after his marriage he grew pretty plump and fat. One said to him; Your lordship doth contrary to other married men; for they at the first wax lean, and you wax fat. Sir Walter Raleigh stood by, and said; Why, there is no beast, that if you take him from the common, and put him into the several, but he will wax fat.

251. Diogenes seeing one that was a bastard, casting stones among the people, bad him take heed, he hit not his father.

252. Plutarch said well, it is otherwise in a common-wealth of men than of bees: The hive of a city or kingdom is in best condition, when there is least of noise or buz in it.

253. The same Plutarch said, of men of weak abilities set in great place, that they were like little statues set on great bases, made to appear the less by their advancement.

254. He said again; good fame is like fire. When you have kindled it, you may easily preserve it; but if once you extinguish it, you will not

easily kindle it again; at least, not make it burn as bright as it did.

255. Queen Elizabeth seeing Sir Edward

in her garden, look'd out at her window, and asked him in Italian, what does a man think of when he thinks of nothing? Sir Edward (who had not had the effect of some of the queen's grants so soon as he had hoped and desired) paused a little, and then made answer, Madam, he thinks of a woman's promise. The queen shrunk in her head, but was heard to say, Well, Sir Edward, I must not confute you. Anger makes dull men witty, but it keeps them poor.

256. When any great officer, ecclesiastical or civil, was to be made, the queen would inquire after the piety, integrity, learning of the man. And when she was satisfied in these qualifications, she would consider of his personage. And upon such an occasion she pleas'd once to say to me, Bacon, how can the magistrate maintain his authority when the man is despis'd?

257. In eighty-eight, when the queen went from Temple-bar along Fleet-street, the lawyers were rank'd on one side, and the companies of the city on the other; said master Bacon to a lawyer that stood next him: Do but observe the courtiers; if they bow first to the citizens, they are in debt; if first to us, they are in law.

258. When Sir Thomas More was lord chancellor, he did use, at mass, to sit in the chancel; and his lady in a pew. And because the pew stood out of sight, his gentleman usher, ever after service came to the lady's pew, and said; madam, my lord is gone. So when the chancellor's place was taken from him, the next time they went to church, Sir Thomas himself came to the lady's pew, and said; Madam, my lord is gone.

259. A Grecian captain advising the confederates, that were united against the Lacedamonians, touching their enterprise, gave opinion, that they should go directly upon Sparta, saying; That the state of Sparta was like rivers; strong when they had run a great way, and weak toward their head.

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⚫ 260. One was examined, upon certain scandalous words spoken against the king. He confessed· them, and said; it is true, I spake them, and if the wine had not failed, I had said much more.

261. Trajan would say, That the king's exchequer was like the spleen; for when that did swell the whole body did pine.

262. Charles the bald, allowed one, whose name was Scottus, to sit at the table with him for his pleasure. Scottus sate on the other side of the table. One time the king being merry with him, said to him; What is there between Scot and Sot? Scot-. tus answered; The table only.

263. There was a marriage made between a widow of great wealth, and a gentleman of great house, that had no estate or means. Jack Roberts said; That marriage was like a black pudding; the one brought blood, and the other brought sewet and oatmeal.

264. Groesus said to Cambyses, That peace was better than war; because in peace the sons did bury their fathers, but in wars the fathers did bury their sons.

265. Carjaval, when he was drawn to execution, being fourscore and five years old, and laid upon the hurdle, said; What! young in cradle, old in cradle !

266. Diogenes was asked in a kind of scorn; What was the matter, that philosophers haunted rich men, and not rich men philosophers? he answered; Because the one knew what they wanted, the other did not.

267. Demetrius, king of Macedon, had a petition offered him divers times by an old woman, and answered; he had no leisure. Whereupon, the woman said aloud; Why then give over to be king.

268. There were two gentlemen, otherwise of equal degree, save that the one was of the ancienter house. The other, in courtesy, asked his which he gave him; and he kiss'd

hand to kiss

it: but said withal, to right himself, by way of friendship, Well, I and you, against any two of them: putting himself first.

269. Themistocles would say of himself; That he was like a plane-tree, that in tempests men fled to him, and in fair weather, men were ever cropping his leaves.

270. Themistocles said of speech; That it was like Arras, that spread abroad shews fair images, but contracted is but like packs.

271. When king Edward the second was amongst his torturers, who hurried him to and fro, that no man should know where he was, they sat him down upon a bank : and one time the more to disguise his face, shaved him, and washed him with cold water of a ditch by: the king said; Well, yet I will have warm water for my beard: and so shed abundance of tears.

272. King James was wont to be very earnest with the country gentlemen to go from London to their country houses. And sometimes he would say thus to them; Gentlemen, at London, you are like ships at sea, which shew like nothing; but in your country villages, you are like ships in a river, which look like great things.

273. Soon after the death of a great officer, who was judged no advancer of the king's matters; the king said to his solicitor Bacon, who was his kins

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