The prouerbes of the noble and woorthy souldier Sir Iames Lopez de Mendoza Marques of Santillana with the paraphrase of D. Peter Diaz of Toledo: wherin is contained whatsoeuer is necessarie to the leading of an honest and vertuous life. Translated out of Spanishe by Barnabe Googe.

8.

Assuerus, if he had not heard, eche part with equall eare: Had greatly abusde the sword, that he for iustice due did beare. And into errour fallen, which straight he would haue wisht vndone: So had the guiltlesse creature died, that no offence had doone.

The Paraphrase of the Marques.

ASsuerus was a man of so great pow∣er amongst the heathen, that he was accounted for a Monarch, or ruler of the world: and as it is written in the Booke of Hester, Haman beeing in speciall fauour with the King, taking a displeasure against the Iewes (who liued vnder the gouernmēt of Assuerus) procured the Kings displea∣sure greately against them, but especially against Mardocheus, so as hee appointed him to be hanged. And as it was a custome that Assuerus alwayes vsed, to haue many times read vnto him a Booke, wherein was contained the seruices that any of his sub∣iects or any other had done vnto him, where happely he chaunced to heare a speciall ser∣uice

that Mardocheus had done vnto him, (what seruice it was I leaue here to speake off, beeing a matter commonly knowne to all such as haue beene studious in the scrip∣tures). This being vnderstood of the king, and at the earnest request of Hester, hee commaunded that Haman should bee trus∣sed vppe vpon the same Gallowes that hee had prepared for Mardocheus, whereby according to the saying of Dauid, Hee fell into the same pitte, that hee had digged for other. With this Prouerbe agreeth the saying of Solon, That euery well guy∣ded common wealth, standeth vppon twoo feete, the one & the right foote, is the boun∣tifull rewarding of those that haue doone good seruice: the other the left foote, is the punishment and correction of all disorde∣red persons and offenders. What Prince soeuer wanteth either this bountie in re∣warding, or iustice in punishing, his com∣mon wealth shall alwayes be lame and hal∣ting, and the good deedes and seruice of the subiectes, ought euermore to bee recorded, and many times read to the Prince, and the parties them selues continually to bee examined.

The Doctour.

IN this prouerbe the Marques sheweth by examples, that which he hath taught in the prouerbe before, and to this intent he bringeth in y^e story of king Assuerus, which story is written at large in the Booke of Hester, which is one of the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture. Of which to make you here a shorte relation, you shall vnderstand, that this Assuerus was one of the greatest & mightiest Princes that was in the world, and as it is written, was Lord of an hundred and xxvii. Prouinces, who toke to wife Hester, a Iewish woman, and of the linage of the Iewes, whom hee very entirely loued. This Queene had an vncle with whom shee had been brought vp, cal∣led Mardocheus, who vsed to come dayly to the Court, to learne and vnderstande how the world wēt with the Queene his Neece: and as the story telleth, the Que••ne beeing so aduised by Mardocheus, did not discouer what country man he was, neither was it knowen that he was her vncle. This King Assuerus had one that was very great about him, called Haman, who bare all the sway

in the Kings house, and as the whole com∣pany, aswell the greatest as the meanest, gaue honor and reuerence to Haman, bee∣ing so commanded by the King, only Mar∣docheus would neither honor him, nor doe him any reuerence, notwithstanding that the Kings seruaunts had many times bla∣med him, for not honouring of Haman, nor making obeisance to him, as the rest of the Court' both did, and the king had comman∣ded: and because they sawe, that he would take no warning, they complained to Ha∣man of him: who casting his eye vpon the Iewe, and perceiuing plainely, that he vsed no reuerence towardes him, conceiued a great hatred against him, and for the dis∣pleasure that he bare him, deuised howe he might procure the destruction, aswell of all the Iewes, as of Mardocheus, and there∣vpon tolde the King, that throughout all his dominions, there swarmed a lewde and a contemptuous kinde of people, beeing authors of new sects and Ceremonyes, and dispisers of his Maiesties lawes and ordi∣naunces, which was a thing not before seene, that such a kinde of people should be suffered to liue within his dominions, made

humble request to the King, that hee might haue licence and authoritie from him, to destroy them, promising thereby, to bring to the Kings cofers, an infinite masse of treasure. The King answeared him, that he freely gaue him the treasure that he spake off, and for the people, hee bad him doe with them what he thought good, and gaue him his ring from his finger, that he might send out letters, for the execution of his com∣maundement. Whervpon Haman in great haste caused letters to be directed to all the Prouinces and Cities within the Kinges dominions, y^t they should at a day appoin∣ted, set vpon the Iewes, and destroy them, taking all their goods, and not leauing one of thē aliue: which newes, when they came to the eares of Mardocheus, were not very pleasant vnto him: whereupon he hied to the Queene, and perswaded her to goe w^t great spede to the King, and to sue for pardon for her woful countrymen: which at the first she refused to doe, by reason of a law, that if any should presume to enter the Kinges cham∣ber, without licence or speciall commaun∣dement (except the King did holde out, in signe of clemencie, the goldē scepter that he

held in his hand) should presently dye for it. Notwithstanding, at the earnest request of Mardocheus, after that she & al the Iewes in the Citie had fasted three dayes & three nights, she got her to the king, whom when the King perceiued, in token of his fauoure towards her, he held foorth his golden scep∣ter, and saide vnto her, Queene Hester, What haue you to say to mee? Demaunde the one halfe of mine Empire, and I will giue it thee? Who humbly beseeched the King that it would please him & Haman, to come to a Banquet that she had prepa∣red for him, at which banquet she would de∣clare what petition she had vnto him. At the later end of the banquet, when the king had well fed, and demaunded of Hester what her petition was, promising that if it were the halfe of his kingdome, hee would pre∣sently graunt it: She aunsweared, O King if I haue found fauour in thy sight, graunt me my life, & the life of my people, for both I and my people are betrayed and ap∣pointed to dye: if it had so been, that wee shoulde haue been solde for slaues, it had been farre more tollerable, and with my sorrowe I shoulde haue satisfied my selfe.

when the King had hearde her, hee was greately disquieted, and asked who it was that durst presume to attempte so great a matter, and what authoritie he had. The Queene aunswered this great enemye. Of me and my nation, is this Haman that is heere present. Which when Haman heard, he was suddainely nipped in the head, and as the King flang foorth in a fury, towards the garden, Haman came to the bed where the Queene sat, to beseech her to haue mer∣cy vpon him, because he perceiued that the King was determined that hee should dye. The King returning from the Garden, and finding Haman vppon the bed, where the Queene sat, supposing that he had been too familiar with her, began to conceaue a great hatred against him, and then some that were aboute him, tolde him that Ha∣man had made a paire of Gallowes for Mardocheus: wherfore he commaunded, that both he and his sonnes should bee han∣ged therevpon. Which shortly set downe, sheweth the meaning of this prouerbe, that if Assuerus had not giuen eare to Hester, shewing him, y^t Haman against all order of iustice had determined to destroy the people

of the Iewes, he had vndoutedly abused the sword, that he for iustice due did beare: & which he was bound as a King and a good Iusticer wel to vse. And into error had he fallen, & wished it streight vndone: so had the guiltles creature died, that no offence had done. Which had been a great blotte vnto him. For as the ciuill law sayeth: It is a better deed to leaue a fault vnpunished, then to punish an innocent.