the King, a Prince too much subiect to wine, was admonished by Prexaspes, who was one of his Minions, to drinke lesse, saying, That drunkennesse was a loathsome thing in a King, who was followed by all mens eares and eyes. To this he answered, To the end thou mayest know (said he) that I am neuer out of temper, I will presently ap∣proue that after wine both mine handes and eyes can doe their office. Hereupon hee began to drinke more freely then otherwise he was accustomed, and in greater cups, and being thus loaden and drunke with wine, hee commanded his sonne who had reproued, to get without the doore of the Pallace, and laying his left hand on his head, to stand there vprightly; then bent he his Bow, and with the Arrow he shot, diuided he the young mans heart, as he had protested to do, and opening his breast he shewed him the head of the Arrow sticking in his heart, and looking backe vpon the father, he said, Now Sir, is not my hand steddy? who denied that Apollo could haue shot with better leuell. The gods confound him, more slauish in mind then in condition; for praysing such an action wher∣unto it was ouermuch for him to be an assistant. He thought he had gotten a good occasion to flatter, when his sonnes breast was diuided into two parts, and the heart as yet panted vnder the wound: he should haue contested for glorie against Cambyses, and challenged him to a second proofe, whether he could as rightly hit the heart of the father, as he had don•• of his sonne. O cruell King, worthy that all his subiects bowes should be bent against him. When we haue cursed him that ended his banquet•• with punishments and funerals, we cannot but detest Praxaspes for his vnnatural commendation of the shot•• as well as Cam∣byses for shooting it. We see how the father should haue demeaned himselfe, being vpon the dead bodie of his sonne, and witnesse of the murther whereof he was the cause. That which is now in question appeareth that choler may be suppressed. He cursed not the King, neyther vttered he one word of compassi∣on, although his heart were as much wounded as that of his sonnes. It may be said, that he deseruedly deuoured his words, for had he spoken any thing as if he had beene displeased, he could haue done nothing that became a father. It may seeme, saith he, that he behaued himselfe more considerately in that case, then when he reproued Cambyses for his immoderate drinking; and it had been better for him to haue suffered him to drink wine then bloud, who hauing the cup in his hand, and being occupied in drinking, suffered others to liue in peace: he was therefore to be numbred for one of those, who to their great miseries haue made it manifest, how deare good counsailes cost them who are Kings fa∣uourites.