§ 3. A Pageant of one and more madmen.
This connivence of the Governour shall I call it, or his toleration, or his setting on, or his folly, or what you will, you may well presume that it added boldness and impudency enough to the outragious multitude, which commonly in such mischievousness need small incourage∣ment: Their madness among other things shewed it self in this Pageant, whether more senseless or spleenatick, if not both alike, let the Reader judge. There was a poor mad man or distracted wretch in the City whose name was Charabas, that used to walk up and down stark naked night and day, heat and cold, the common fool as it were of boys and young men, with whom they used to make sport. The riotous rout (now set on mischief) bring this silly wretch to one of their publick meeting places, and there setting him on high in a seat above all the people that he might be seen of all, they put a Diadem of Paper about his head, and mat of sedge about his body in stead of his robes, and a piece of Reed for a Scepter in his hand: and thus have they solemnly and suddainly made him a King, and one indeed that had been fit enough for themselves; and one that was indeed but a fit Emblem of their Governour Flaccus, that suffered such a thing. Their mimi∣cal King being thus accoutred with his robes and royalty, they bring him forth in a so∣lemn state: Before and about him went youths with poles upon their shoulders for his guard, by the way as he went some come to do him homage, others to petition for justice, others to advise him concerning affairs of State, and at last they all of them All hail him* 1.1 with the title of Mare, which in the Syrian rongue, the Language of the Country of Agrip∣pa, (whom by this very word they shewed that they mocked) betokeneth Lord and Master,. And now let the Reader but look upon this rout of Alexandrians, and let him judge who was the madder, the poor Lunatick that was so used, or they that so used him. For was it not mere madness in them thus to taunt and revile so great a King, so greatly respected by the Roman Senate, and so great a favorite of their Lord and Emperour? But Flaccus the maddest of all that beheld all this, and yet did permit it. And on the other hand let him look upon the Jews to whom this sportful mum∣mery is the preface to misery in good earnest, and if this mockage of their first King with a Crown, Robes, and Scepter of derision, put not the Reader in the mind of