am improbam et praeruptam licentiam, et effrenatam audaciam_, &c.,
what will not lust effect in such persons? For commonly princes and great
men make no scruple at all of such matters, but with that whore in
Spartian, _quicquid libet licet_, they think they may do what they list,
profess it publicly, and rather brag with Proculus (that writ to a friend
of his in Rome, [4777]what famous exploits he had done in that kind) than
any way be abashed at it. [4778]Nicholas Sanders relates of Henry VIII. (I
know not how truly) _Quod paucas vidit pulchriores quas non concupierit, et
paucissimas non concupierit quas non violarit_, "He saw very few maids that
he did not desire, and desired fewer whom he did not enjoy:" nothing so
familiar amongst them, 'tis most of their business: Sardanapalus,
Messalina, and Joan of Naples, are not comparable to [4779]meaner men and
women; Solomon of old had a thousand concubines; Ahasuerus his eunuchs and
keepers; Nero his Tigillinus panders, and bawds; the Turks, [4780]
Muscovites, Mogors, Xeriffs of Barbary, and Persian Sophies, are no whit
inferior to them in our times. _Delectus fit omnium puellarum toto regno
forma praestantiorum_ (saith Jovius) _pro imperatore; et quas ille linquit,
nobiles habent_; they press and muster up wenches as we do soldiers, and
have their choice of the rarest beauties their countries can afford, and
yet all this cannot keep them from adultery, incest, sodomy, buggery, and
such prodigious lusts. We may conclude, that if they be young, fortunate,
rich, high-fed, and idle withal, it is almost impossible that they should
live honest, not rage, and precipitate themselves into these inconveniences
of burning lust.

[4781] "Otium et reges prius et beatas
Perdidit urbes."

Idleness overthrows all, _Vacuo pectore regnat amor_, love tyranniseth in
an idle person. _Amore abundas Antiphio_. If thou hast nothing to do,[4782]
_Invidia vel amore miser torquebere_--Thou shalt be haled in pieces with
envy, lust, some passion or other. _Homines nihil agendo male agere
discunt_; 'tis Aristotle's simile, [4783]"as match or touchwood takes fire,
so doth an idle person love." _Quaeritur Aegistus quare sit factus
adulter_, &c., why was Aegistus a whoremaster? You need not ask a reason of
it. Ismenedora stole Baccho, a woman forced a man, as [4784]Aurora did
Cephalus: no marvel, saith [4785]Plutarch, _Luxurians opibus more hominum
mulier agit_: she was rich, fortunate and