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* 1.1ARchitarentinus in the sixt booke, writeth, that when on a time Aristippus the Socration Philosopher being throwē into the sea by shipwrack was cast a lande at the shoare of Rodes, and found there certain Geometricall figures and de∣monstracions
drawne in the sandes: hee cried aloud ioyfully vnto his Mates, let vs bée of good cheere Mates (quod hee) for I see heere the foote steppes of men. And foorthwith hee en∣tred into the citie of Rhods, where disputing in their scholes with professours of Philosophy, hee was rewarded with ma∣ny costly gyftes, wherwith hee not onely appayrelled him∣selfe, but also al that were with him, and bore their charges sufficiently for meat and drinke. And when his Mates, being willing to returne into their owne cuntrey, demaunded of him what seruice hee would commaunde them home: tell my cuntrey men (quod hée) that I wish they should prepare sutch possessions and inheritances for their children, as if they chā∣ced to escape shipwrack, might escape with them, and not be taken awaye neither by violence of conquest, neither by change of fortune, nor by any other aduersitie. Behold héere a Philosophicall and holsome document, moouing men more to the study of learning and wisdome, then to heaping vp of Monye. In the olde time when cities weare in peace, sayth Eustacius vpon the first booke of the Ethickes, the noblemen and politick gouerners, prouided of the common charge,* 1.2 for sutch as were studentes in Philosophy, that they should bee voide of all cares and troubles, and onely applye themselues vnto contemplacion.* 1.3 Hermes surnamed Trismegistus in his second booke of Constellacions, reporteth that Politinus the Philosopher, béeing, as it were, made vnto all ornamentes of vertue, to the intent hee might expresse that which he taught by his owne example, and not by any others, and to a void all the insultes of Fortune: chose him a secret place of rest, where hée was far from the trouble of humane conuersation onely béestowing his time in diuine contemplacions. And first hee contemned all titles of honour, accoumpting those to bée the true honours which by perfection of wisdome hée had gotten. Hee coueted after no worldly thing, but iudged that to bee the true ritches, namely whereby a garnished minde may finde out the originall of it owne aucthoritye.* 1.4 Aristotle in the Secrets of secrets, asketh th•••• question, what (sayth hee)
hath so aduaunced the Empire of the Gréekes to bée perpetu∣ally renowmed ouer all the world? Surely that did the dily∣gence of students, and the vertue of the wisemen which lo∣ued knowledge, and science aboue all measure.
* 1.5Aulus Gellius in his booke of the Nightes of Athens, wri∣teth, that it is one of the greatest poincts of commendacion which was in Phillip kinge of Macedonia, father vnto Alex∣ander the Great, that hée caused him whom hée thought should bée his heier, to bee deliuered in charge vnto the most excel∣lent Philosopher Aristotle, to bee instructed in wisdome, and learning. And, saith Seneca, in that world, which men cōmon∣ly call the golden world, Posidonius affirmeth that wise men gouerned kingdomes, these contayned their handes from o∣thermens goodes, and defended the weake from the more mighty, they perswaded men from dishonesty vnto honesty, and through their wisdome they declared what was profita∣ble, and what otherwise.
Archita∣rentinus.
Eustacius.
Hermes.
Aristotle.
Aulus. Gellius.