Unparalleld varieties: or, The matchless actions and passions of mankind.: Displayed in near four hundred notable instances and examples. Discovering the transcendent effects; I. Of love, friendship, and gratitude. II. Of magnanimity, courage, and fidelity. III. Of chastity, temperance, and humility. And on the contrary the tremendous consequences, IV. Of hatred, revenge, and ingratitude. V. Of cowardice, barbarity, treachery. VI. Of unchastity, intemperance, and ambition. : Imbellished with proper figures. / By R.B. ...

XXXIX. Philip, King of Macedon, had one Nicanor, that went about rayling against him, whereupon his Courtiers, persuaded him to punish him severely for it, to whom Philip answered, Nicanor is none of the worst of my Subjects, I must rather therefore observe and see whether I have not committed any evil whereby I have gi∣ven him cause to speak so evil of me; And making serious inquiry, he found, that there was a certain poor man, who had deserved well of him, to whom he had never given a reward, whereupon he made him large satis∣faction, and the poor man did every where extol his goodness and bounty; then said Philip to his Attendants, You see my Friends, it is in our own power either to be spoken well or ill of. The Peleponesians, who had received many and great favours from King Philip, yet hated him, spoke evil of him, and when he came to the Olympick Games, hissed at him, whereupon his Friends stirred him up to revenge, but he mildly answered them, saying, If they do thus when I do them good, what would they do, if I should do them hurt. At another time the Athenians sending Ambassadors to request some favours of him, he enter∣tained them courteously, and granted their requests, asking them if there were any thing else wherein he might gratify the Athenians, to which one of them an∣swered, Yes truly, if thou wilt hang thy self This exceed∣ingly inraged Philips Courtiers; but he without being moved, sent them away courteously, only bidding them

tell the Athenians, That they who spake such things, were far weaker than those who could hear, and bear them patiently. He used to say, That he was beholding to the Athenian Orators, who by their reproaches made him better, whilst he was forced by his Actions to confute their slanders, and make them Lyars. As King Philip besieged the City of Methon, and was walking about to view the Walls, one shot an Ar∣row at him from thence; whereby he put out his right Eye, which yet he took so patiently, that when the Citi∣zens a few days after sent out to treat with him about the surrender, he gave them honourable terms, and af∣ter they had put the City into his hands, took no re∣venge on them for the loss of his Eye. In one Battle having taken a considerable number of Prisoners, he was himself in Person to see them sold; as he sate in his Chair, his Cloths were turned up, or tucked up higher than was decent or seemly, when one of the Prisoners, who was upon sale, cryed out unto him; Good my Lord, I beseech you parden me, and suffer me not to be sold amongst the rest, for I am a Friend of yours, and so I was to your Father before you; I pray thee, good Fellow, said Pri∣lip, whence grew this great Friendship betwixt us; and how comes it about? Sir, said the Prisoner, I would gladly give you an account of that privately in your Ear; Then Philip commanded he should be brought unto him, who thus whispered in his Ear; Sir, I pray you let down your Maritle a little lower before, for sitting thus in the posture as you do, you discover that which is not meet to be seen; hereupon Philip spake aloud to his Officers, Let this man, said he, he set at liberty, for in truth he is one of our good Friends, and wisheth us well, though I either knew it not before, or at least had for∣gotten it. A poor old Woman came to him one time, and desired him to take notice of her Cause, & when she had often interrupted him with her clamours in this man∣ner, the King at last told her; he was not at leisure to hear her, No, said she, be not then at leisure to be King; Philip for some time considered of the Speech, and pre∣sently he heard both her and others, that came with complaints to him. Plutarchs Morals.