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again, that they may have Inftruments in a readiness, if at any time there should need either Severity of Execution, or Acerbity of Exaction. These fervile Creatures being by Nature Cruel, and by their former Fortune exafperated, and perceiving well what is expected at their Hands, do fhew themselves wonderful Officious in fuch kind of Employments; but being too Rash, and precipitate in feeking Countenance, and creeping into Favour, do sometimes take occasion from the secret Beckonings, and ambiguous Commands of their Prince, to perform some hateful Execution. But Princes (abhorring the Fact, and knowing well, that they shall never want fuch kind of Inftruments,) do utterly forfake them, turning them over to the Friends and Allies of the wronged, to their Accufations and Revenge, and to the general Hatred of the People; fo that with great Applause, and profperous Wishes and Acclamations towards the Prince, they are brought, rather too late, than undeservedly, to a miserable End.

IV. Narciffus; or, Self-Love.

HEY fay, That Narciffus was exceeding Fair and Beautiful, but wonderful Proud and Difdainful; wherefore defpifing all others in refpect of himself, he leads a folitary Life in the Woods and Chafes, with a few Followers, to whom he alone was all

in all; amongst the reft, there follows him the Nymph Echo. During his Course of Life, it fatally fo chanced, that he came to a clear Fountain, upon the Bank whereof he lay down to repofe himself in the Heat of the Day. And having efpied the fhadow of his own Face in the Water, was fo befotted, and ravished with the Contemplation and Admiration thereof, that he by no means poffible could be drawn from beholding his Image in this Glafs; infomuch, that by continual gazing thereupon, he pined away to nothing, and was at laft turned into a Flower of his own Name, which appears in the beginning of the Spring and is facred to the infernal Powers, Pluto, Proferpina, and the Furies.

This Fable feems to fhew the Dispositions, and Fortunes of thofe, who in refpect either of their Beauty, or other Gift wherewith they are adorned, and graced by Nature, without the help of Industry, are fo far befotted in themselves, as that they prove the Cause of their own Destruction. For it is the property of Men infected with this Humour, not to come much abroad, or to be Converfant in Civil Affairs, especially seeing those that are in publick Place, muft of neceffity encounter with many Contempts, and Scorns, which may much deject, and trouble their Minds; and therefore they lead for the most part a folitary, private, and obscure Life, attended on with a few Followers, and those, such as will adore, and admire them, like an Echo flatter them in all their Sayings, and applaud them in all their Words. So that being by this Cuftom.

feduced and puffed up, and as it were, ftupified with the Admiration of themselves, they are poffeffed with so strange a Sloth and Idleness, that they grow in a manner benumbed, and defective of all Vigour and Alacrity. Elegantly doth this Flower, appearing in the beginning of the Spring, represent the likeness of these Men's Difpofitions, who, in their Youth do flourish, and wax famous; but being come to ripenefs of Years, they deceive and fruftrate the good Hope that is conceived of them. Neither is it impertinent that this Flower is faid to be confecrated to the infernal Deities, because Men of this Difpofition become unprofitable to all Human Things: For whatfoever produceth no Fruit of itself, but paffeth, and vanisheth as if it had never been, (like the way of a Ship in the Sea,) that the Ancients were wont to dedicate to the Ghofts, and Powers below.

v. Styx, or Leagues.

HE Oath by which the Gods were wont to oblige themselves, (when they meant to ratify any Thing fo firmly as never to revoke it,) is a Thing well

known to the Vulgar, as being mentioned almoft in every Fable, which was when they did not invoke or call to witness any Celestial Majefty, or Divine Power, but only the River Styx, that with crooked and Meandry Turnings encircleth the

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Palace of the infernal Dis. This was held as the only manner of their Sacrament; and befides it, not any other Vow to be accounted firm, and inviolable; and therefore the Punishment to be inflicted, (if any did Perjure themselves,) was, that for certain Years they should be put out of Commons, and not to be admitted to the Table of the Gods.

This Fable feems to point at the Leagues and Pacts of Princes, of which, more truly, than opportunely, may be said, That be they never so strongly confirmed with the Solemnity and Religion of an Oath, yet are for the most part, of no validity; infomuch that they are made rather with an Eye to Reputation, and Report, and Ceremony; than to Faith, Security, and Effect. Moreover, add to these the Bond of Affinity, as the Sacraments of Nature, and mutual Deferts of each Part, and you fhall obferve, that with a great many, all these Things are placed a degree under Ambition and Profit, and the licentious defire of Domination; and fo much the rather, because it is an eafy Thing for Princes to defend and cover their unlawful Defires and unfaithful Vows, with many outwardly seeming fair Pretexts, especially seeing there is no Umpire or Moderator of Matters concluded upon to whom a Reafon fhould be tendered. Therefore there is no true and proper Thing made choice of, for the confirmation of Faith, and that no celeftial Power neither, but is indeed Neceffity, (a great God to great Potentates,) the Peril alfo of State, and the Communication of Profit. As for Necef

fity, it is elegantly reprefented by Styx, that fatal and irremeable River; and this Godhead did Iphicrates, the Athenian, call to the Confirmation of a League; who because he alone is found to speak plainly that which many hide covertly in their Breafts, it would not be amifs to relate his Words. He observing how the Lacedæmonians had thought upon, and propounded divers Cautions, Sanctions, Confirmations and Bonds, pertaining to Leagues, interposed thus: Unum Lacedæmonii, nobis vobifcum vinculum et fecuritatis ratio effe poffit; fi plane demonftretis, vos ea nobis conceffiffe, et inter manus pofuiffe, ut vobis facultas lædendi nos, fi maxime velletis, minime fuppetere poffit. There is one Thing (O Lacedæmonians) that would link us unto you in the Bond of Amity, and be the occafion of Peace and Security; which is, if you would plainly demonstrate, that you have yielded up, and put into our Hands, fuch Things as that, would you Hurt us never so fain, you fhould yet be disfurnished of Means to do it. If therefore the Power of Hurting be taken away, or if by breach of League there follow the danger of the Ruin or Diminution. of the State or Tribute; then indeed the Leagues may seem to be ratified and established, and as it were confirmed by the Sacrament of the Stygian Lake; seeing that it includes the fear of Prohibition and Sufpenfion from the Table of the Gods, under which Name the Laws and Prerogatives, the Plenty and Felicity of a Kingdom were signified by the Ancients.

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