The vvisedome of the ancients, written in Latine by the Right Honourable Sir Francis Bacon Knight, Baron of Verulam, and Lord Chancelor or England. Done into English by Sir Arthur Gorges Knight

8

ENDYMION, or a Fauorite.

IT is saide that Luna was in loue with the Shepheard Endymion, and in a strange and vnwonted man∣ner bewrayed her affection: for he lying in a Caue framed by nature vnder the mountaine Latmus, shee oftentimes descended from her sphere to enioy his companie as he slept, and after shee had kissed him ascended vp againe. Yet notwith∣standing this his idlenes and sleepie security did not any way impaire his estate or fortune; for Luna brought it so to passe that hee alone (of all the rest of the Shepheards) had his flocke in best plight, and most fruitfull.

This Fable may haue reference to the nature and disposition of Princes: for they beeing full of doubts and prone to iealousie, doe not easily acquaint men of prying and curious eyes, and as it were of

vigilant and wakefull dispositions, with the secret humours and man∣ners of their life: but such rather as are of quiet and obseruant natures, suffering them to doe what they list without further scanning, making as if they were ignorant and percei∣uing nothing, but of a stupid dispo∣sition and possest with sleepe, yeel∣ding vnto them simple obedience, rather then slie complements: for it pleaseth Princes now and then to descend from their thrones of Maie∣stie (like Luna from the superiour orbe) and laying aside their Robes of dignity (which alwaies to bee cumbred with, would seeme a kinde of burthen) familiarly to conuerse with men of this condition, which they thinke may bee done without danger; a quality chiefly noted in Tiberius Caesar, who (of all others) was a Prince most seuere, yet such onely were gracious in his fauour, as being well acquainted with his disposition, did yet constantly dis∣semble as if they knew nothing.

This was the custome also of Lewis the eleuenth king of France, a cau∣tious and wily Prince.

Neither is it without elegancy, that the caue of Endymion is mentio∣ned in the Fable, because it is a thing vsuall with such as are the fauorites of Princes, to haue certaine pleasant retyring places whither to inuite them for recreation both of body and mind, and that without hurt or preiudice to their fortunes also. And indeed these kind of fauorites are men commonly well to passe: for Princes although peraduenture they promote them not euer to pla∣ces of honour, yet doe they ad∣uance them sufficiently by their fa∣vour and countenance: neither doe they affect them thus onely to serue their owne turne, but are wont to enrich them now and then with great dignities and bounties.