y t be enhansed to be lette for the olde rente and the common pastures that be taken in by gentlemen to be layd open agayne and to se that iustice be executed in all partes where as nowe moneye only as thei saye maketh a mans matter eyther good or badde whosoeuer wyll spede hys suite must giue large rewardes so that the poore manne be his cause neuer so iust shall haue a fall They tell them besyde that euerye man is bounde to loue his countrye and to seke for the preseruation thereof y t the good state of it do not decaye by meanes of euil rulers counseylours As for their Prince they saye they wyll dye and lyue with him they meane no more harme to him then they doe to their owne soules Be not these I praye you goodly paynted wordes to blynde the symple people withall yea and able to make men thynke and saye to that suche folke meane well are faythfull Englishe menne and tenderly loue their contrye But it shalbe wisdome for euerye one of vs herein to folowe the example of the great wise man Vlysses who saylynge by a daungerous sea wherin were certayne mōsters called Sirenes whych were wont with their swete pleasaunte songes to allure the passengers to approche vnto them and then to drowne them their shyppes to both caused hym selfe to be fast bounde to the maste of the shyppe also with waxe stopped y e eares of all his felowes that were in companye wyth him to thintent that neyther he nor they should fall in anye peril by hearing of their swete voyces For yf we suffer oure eares to be open and let suche gaye glosynge wordes enter thereat we shall surely be deceaued as they be that heare the sugered voyces of the Sirenes shall runne or we beware into extreame daunger bothe of bodye and soule For these folkes because they haue caste away the feare of God which worketh in mens hartes humble dewe obedience to god their Prince and also are eyther so desirous of honour or so farre forth gone in obstinat heresye that they passe not what wickednes they attēpt they runne forth headlyng to all kynde of mischiefe and because they loue well to haue company they trauayle by all meanes to drawe other wyth them to make thē as madde as they them selfes be And to thintent they may more easelye wynne them they fall to flatter thē so as the cōmon prouerbe is with fayre woordes wold make fooles fayne tel thē one thing whē they intend another saye they seke their welth whē in dede they seke their destructiō for it hath bene a cōmon practise alwayes amōges y e captaynes of rebels to giue the simple people gaye wordes w t subtile driftes to entyce thē to myschiefe Therfore let al subiectes whē soeuer they are by anye suche cursed counseyle prouoked to rebellion and that they heare y e authors thereof vtter suche goodlye fayre wordes to perswade them thynke verelye that those men are the deuyls ministers and that they mind nothyng els but the destruction bothe of their Prince ▪ and their contrye to But here let vs consider yf their purpose were good as thei wold make menne beleue whether they ought to go aboute by force rebellion to bringe it to passe or rather to suffer theyr wronges patiently and praye God hartely to reuenge them yea and with an humble hart confesse that such plages are iustlye fallen vpon them for theyr offēces and earnestly beseche God to pardon them and to delyuer them from miserye when his wyll is for our lord God sayeth vnto all suche as are wrongfully oppressed that they muste referre their wronges vnto him and he wyll reuenge them And call vpon him in their tribulation and he wyll ayde and comfort them But of this I purpose hereafter to speake more at large And nowe wyll I first brieflye note both in what poyntes rebellion consisteth and also the causes that moue men specially to rebellion then se whether there be any cause at all that oughte to moue them in anye wyse thereto There are three poyntes wherein rebellion agaynste a Prince chiefly dothe consiste murmur and grudge of mind malitiouse and sclaunderous wordes and open force of armes and violence Of the first growe priuie conspiracies misconstruing of all matters of the seconde false rumours and raylynge libelles of the third mortall warre and cruel bloudeshed The causes that specially moue men to rebellion as the excellent and greate learned Philosopher Aristotell writeth are lucre losse of goodes honoure dishonoure welth feare contempt and diuersite of maners or contryes where vnto we may very well adde the diuersitie of opinions and religion And nowe to beginne with the first cause and so to come to the rest in order those that for lucre and gayne make rebellion are of two sortes eyther they be poore and desyre to waxe riche or els they be riche and are not cōtented but still wold haue more thinke them happiest y t are richest so that theyr myndes are alway vnquiete care not by what meanes they get goodes so they may be satisfyed Suche folkes oftentymes do make sedition thinkinge therby to come to theyr purpose For the poore trust to be made riche by the spoile of the welthye wherevpon a great nombre of late yeres not only in forreyne realmes but also here at home amonge vs beinge blindely persuaded that all mens goodes ought to be common which is an opinion most wicked and damnable thought they shulde do god highe seruice if they ridded al gentlemen out of the waye robbed them of theyr riches and made euery man equall with other The riche likewise whose hartes the vncurable disease of couetousnes hath so sore infected because they can no otherwise comme by more ryches laye theyr heades together and with folye so flatter them selfe that they thynke with a litle money to make so many men that none shalbe able to resiste theyr pestilent purpose and so shall they get more richesse vpon one daye ▪ then they had gathered all theyr life before Other there be y t for losse of godes as for that thei haue bene or are with taxes and tributes sore oppressed do desperatly aduenture to make rebellion and will eyther by force ease them selfes of suche oppression and wynne theyr libertye that they hope for or elles loose all that they haue and theyr lyues to Some folkes are so ambitiouse y t all be it percase they be worthye no honoure yet will they seke alwayes possible to comme by honour and whē no way els can be found whereby they maye acheue theyr deuelishe desire runne they headlyng to rebellion eyther with wickednes will they wynne the horse as the prouerbe is or els loose bothe the horse and the sadle to to theyr vtter confusion Agayne manye there be that
to see euerye man to haue his righte and doubteth not by Goddes helpe yf God sende her life to redresse thinges that are out of order and so to prouide that all her louynge subiectes shall haue a prosperous and happie life vnder her me thynke euery one of vs shuld most hartelye loue her wyshe her longe lyfe and good helthe â–ª praye God to assiste her and to sende her strength to vanquishe her enemies and not to hate her not to wishe her death not to rebell agaynste her not to seke her bloud as men of late haue done For then might a man â–ª that hartely loueth bothe her grace and vs say thus very well in her behalfe vnto vs. Most dearly beloued country men what cause haue we to hate our most lawfull ladye maystresse placed by god in the gouernement of this realme and by all our consentes established in the same What goeth she aboute that shulde so agreue vs Doth she not as much as lyeth in her labour to auaunce the glory of god whiche is the especyall office of euery good Christen prince Doth she not trauayle to defend Christes true fayth whereby euerye one of vs trusteth to be saued Doth she not maynteyne the Catholike churche of god and the laudable ordinaunces therof Doth she not seke alwayes possible to bringe al those that be infected wyth heresye to their deare mother agayne y â— spouse of Christ whome they had of late vtterly forsaken Doth she not study all that she can to saue vs both body and soule Yea and she hartelye wisheth euerye one of vs as well to fare â–ª as she would her selfe And suche is her goodnesse that she prouideth rather for our profyte â–ª then for her owne Besyde this she by all meanes seeth the good lawes of this Realme to be duely obserued She gyueth also most straight charge to al her officers to execute iustice She monisheth all them that be in aucthoritie to beware of briberye taking of reward And she exhorteth all the clargie of this Realme to be diligent in doynge their dueties She moueth the nobilitie y â— they be gentle vnto vs that they by no meanes go aboute to hurte vs or with fines in coÌ„mes empouerish vs What wold we haue her highnes to do She laboreth for vs she lyueth for vs and she ruleth for vs. For elles why shoulde her grace take the vntolerable paynes that she dothe but for vs She breaketh many a slepe that we may slepe quiet lye She taketh muche care anguishe to auoyde vs from care She tosseth and turmoyleth her selfe to set vs at ease She taketh no pleasure in thys lyfe but only for oure coÌ„moditie For what cause shuld she desire to lyue â–ª seynge she hath suche a paynfull lyfe but onelye to saue our lyues Or why should she not wishe to be gone out of thys miserye and to be at rest wyth our Lord sauiour Iesu Christe â–ª but that she woulde fayne or she wente hence deliuer vs from misery Her highnes is appoynted by almightye God to gouerne vs. For what purpose I praye you To seke her owne pleasure to satisfie her owne lustes to studye for her owne priuate welthe No no she knoweth that God requireth of her and of all Princes likewise that they fede the people that they norish them that they promote the good and punishe the badde That they loue their subiectes and loke diligently to them If we dyd considre what greuouse cares what broken slepes what fearfull dreames what doubtefull counseylles what stormes and troubles she hath for our sakes we shoulde haue iust cause hartelye to thanke her grace that she wold leaue the quiete state of lyfe that she was in before and take thys vnquiete state vpon her that she nowe lyueth in There was a king in olde tyme that cast downe his crowne vpon the grounde and sayde these wordes to those that were present with hym If a man perfectly knew and with al wel consydered what sorowful cares are vnder that royall crowne he wold neuer take the paynes ones to take it vp Therfore thinke this that the paynes be hers and the pleasure is ours Then how vnkinde or rather how hard harted are we if we go aboute to rewarde her kyndnesse wyth displeasure and to be vngentle to her that is so geÌ„tle to vs to fight agaynste her that laboreth to defende vs to seke her death when she seketh our life to coÌ„triue like cruel wretches to destroy her seing y â— her highnes so earnestly trauaileth to saue vs. Of late we were in boÌ„dage and god hath delyuered vs by her We were oppressed with all kinde of misery and god hath most gratiously loked vpon vs. We shulde haue bene made lyke pesauntes of Fraunce y t is to say velaynes and slaues if god had not had compassion vpon vs through her And yet doth her highnes chalenge no part of the prayse but referreth it all to god who specyally deserueth it We were before euery day afearde to loose all y t we had and stode in daunger therof but nowe maye we quietlye rest and thinke that we shallbe assured to enioy our owne For oppression is banished by iustice and ryght taketh place by the lawe What cause haue we then to grudge at her grace to coÌ„spire agaynst her to lyfte vppe our swordes as cruell wretches to murder her Alas what a deadly malice haue we in our hartes to desyre her bloude seinge that she sore sygheth and lamenteth if any of vs miscarye But some wil say perhappes that her marriage doth displease them Why so I beseche you Doth not she entende to enriche vs therby Doth not she trauayle as you haue heard before to get muche honor to this oure countrye agayne Whych hath as Dauid sayeth bene a mockinge stocke to all other countries aboute it If her grace knewe that any displeasure shuld come to this realme by her marriage for so heâ— grace sayd openly in y e guylde hall in London she wolde rather neuer marry whyle she liued For God did marrye her sayd she to this region wheÌ„ she was anoynted and crowned our Quene And as he is an euyll husâ—ande that seketh the wiues displeasure so is he an euill ruler that worketh the wo of hys subiectes Therfore be we well assured that she neyther doth nor entendeth to do that that is like lye to hurt this realme or to hinder the commoditie of any inhabitant thereof but muche to auaunce it and by Goddes helpe to reduce it to the olde estate â–ª and honorable estimation agayne As for straungers we nede not to feare For yf they do any iniury to any subiecte of hers they shalbe punyshed by the lawes of thys realme as we be And yf they behaue them selfe gentlye as it is very lyke that they will we shall haue cause to loue theÌ„ to ioyne frendship with them and to make muche of them For so shall we deserue thankes both of them
they refused to do hys coÌ„maundement yet neuertheles wold they not by force withstand or rebel agaynst him but went made humble suite vnto hym â–ª and sayde We come to make request vnto your grace most noble Emperour and not to fyght with you As for death or punyshmente we feare not but we humbly beseche youre hyghnes to be good vnto vs. Thus to do sayeth Saynte Ambrose is mete for christen men to thintente that bothe peace may be soughte for and also the coÌ„stant mayntenauÌ„ce of fayth and trueth shall not for daunger of death be giuen ouer Thus wryteth Saynt Ambrose Lykewyse dyd the souldiars that were of Iuliane themperours garde of whome a great nombre amoÌ„ges whyche were Iouiniane Ualentiniane and Ualens who were Emperours afterward when as they were coÌ„maunded eyther to forsake their fayth and to do sacrifice to Idols or els to leaue their â—owmes and get them oute of the courte were not onelye contented to loose their rowmes but also all their goodes and lyues to for the defence of their fayth And not ones dyd they murmur or grudge at the matter nor wente not aboute to rebell agaynste Iulian beynge a wretched tyraunte but were ryghte glad to suffer wronge for Christes sake And thus all godlye and blessed folkes vse to obeye rather God then man and are well contented to dye for the mayntenaunce of their fayth whyche rule euery good christen man oughte alwaye to obserue For when the prince commaundeth him to forsake hys fayth then muste he prepare hym selfe to suffre all kynde of tormentes rather then to fall from God and his fayth But yf the deuyll do moue hym to rebell and fyght agaynste hys Prince and tell him that so he shal obeye God do hym good seruice and defende hys fayth then lette hym remembre that he is coÌ„maunded by the holye worde of God to be obediente not onely to good princes but to noughtie princes to and then let him tell the deuill y t he lyeth because al men are bidden to be obedient by expresse and plaine wordes of y e scripture And our Sauiour Christe him self hath giuen vs a playn example thereof For when saynt Peter woulde haue defended hym with the sworde agaynst his enemyes he sayd to hym thus Doste thou not thynke that I can make requeste to my father and that he wyll sende me mo then xiâ— legions of Aungels to helpe me Therfore to be obedient and to suffer for oure fayth is Gods holy wyl and pleasure But we neuer reade neyther in Scripture nor in no holye wryter that we shoulde eyther for our fayth or for anye other cause ryse and rebell agaynst oure prince nor arme oâ—r selfe to fyght wyth him in the open fielde For whosoeuer do so they as witnesseth saynt Paule seke theyr owne damnation Yet notwythstandynge yf the prince commaunde any thyng contrarye to the wyll of GOD neyther must we do it lest we highlye displease God nor we muste not by force of armes resiste the Prince lest we damne our owne soules but bothe we must obeye God in styckynge fast to our fayth and we must obeye the Prince to I meane not in doing hys commaundement whych is damnable but in patient suffryng of paynful tormentes that he will putte vs to by reason we refuse to do that that he biddeth vs. For thus wylleth y â— scripture vs to do and thus hathe all good godly men done in time paste and wyll do styll euen to the worldes ende Yet lette men be well ware and take good hede whether their fayth that they wil suffre for be sounde or no. For manye due hath herein bene sore deceaued We read in Eusebius storye of Montanus a pestilent heretike that when he and his adherentes were conuycâ—ed of theyr heresie and so confounded that they had nothing to saye they began to boast that they hadde many martyrs of their secte that that was a sure argument that they had y e spirite of god Unto whome it was aunswered y t that was not alwayes true For certeyn other sectes of heretikes there be that haue their false martyrs but yet for all that we will not agree with them and saye that they haue the trueth of their side For the Marcionites which do denie Christ saye that they haue verye manye martyrs Thus wryteth Eusebius Lykewyse now of late yeares since Wicliffe here in Englande Hus in Boheme â–ª Luther in Germany and Occolampadius amoÌ„ges the Swichers began their he resâ—es many haue there bene in England Fraunce Germany and in other countries to that stiflye standynge in their fond opinions haue bene burned at a stake By reasoÌ„ wher of amonge them that fauored such false doctrine they were taken for martyrs But suche folkes lytle consider what saynte Augustyne sayeth in an epistle that he wryteth to Festus as touchyng the Heretykes called Donatistes in thys wyse What is more wretched or more peruerse then that menne as the Donaristes do whyche boaste themselfes that they suffre persecution wyll when they be punyshed for their wickednesse not only not be ashamed thereof but loke to be praysed therfore Who truelye are so enueygled eyther with a meruelous blindnes or with a daÌ„nable presumption that they wyll not knowe or elles they make as they dyd not know that the paynes that the martyrs do suffre do not make them true martyrs but the cause wherfore they suffre For what thanke shall menne haue as saynt Peter sayeth yf they suffre as synners and be well buffeted and beaten therfore Then what reward shall those haue that beynge infected with heresye wyll rather dye then reuoke y e same But many y â— see the outward conuersation of diuerse of theÌ„ the pretensed vertue and holynesse the zeale y t they seme to beare to Gods trueth the simplenesse that appeareth in theyr life the contempt of the worlde in apparence the stedfast sticking in their opinions euen to then duryng of moste greuouse tormentes do not onlye saye but thinke to that they be very saynctes and wil not let openly so to call them Yet shall it be very necessarye for those folkes to take diligent hede leste they be not by suche hipocrisie farre deceaued For it is not y e outwarde vertuous behauiour onlye y t maketh a man perfect and holye nor it is not his stiffe sticking in errour and blindnesse that maketh him a martyr Wherefore suche men as pretende such holinesse are most of al other to be taken hede of by reason y t they seming holy to the world most easelye deceaue y e people For Origen in an homelie vpoÌ„ the .xvi. chap. of Ezechiel sayeth thus In my iudgement an heretike of honest life is muche more perillous noysome and his doctrine hath much more authoritie then his whose noughty life dothe defile his doctrine For he that leadeth his life in vice can not easelye allure the people to heresie â–ª nor can not
another in an Apostles style after this sorte Grace and peace be with you from god our father and the Lord Iesus Christe nor lette them not exhort one another to sticke fast in theyr fonde opinion and say good brother in the lordes name shewe youre selfe nowe to be the true minister of god in maynteyning his holy word nor let them not craftly couer theyr contagiouse heresye with suche a gaye coloured cloke lest they both deceaue them selfes and a great many mo to for whose soules they shall make aunswere but let them call to remembraunce the wordes of saynte Paule that he wryteth to the Corinthians whiche be these Such false apostles are crafty workemen and fashion them selfes to be like Christes apostels and no marueyle is it For sataÌ„ chaunseth hym selfe into the forme of an Aungell of lyghte Therefore it is no greate wonder then yf hys ministers fashion them selfes lyke to the ministers of Iustice. And when they haue throughlye weyed these wordes let them marke well whether they be not such like them selfes as saynt Paule speaketh of and so spying at length theyr wrong fayth let them neuer stand longer in it nor thinke that they are wiser then all the worlde beside but like good children with weping teares returne to their mother the church humblie aske hir spouse mercy desire hym to pardon their folie For excepte they do thus let them neuer looke to be Gods chyldren Because that as saynt Cyprian sayeth no manne can haue god his father excepâ— he take the Churche for his mother Now then seing that for such a fond fayth no man ought to put him selfe in anye trouble muche lesse ought he to make rebellion for the maynteynaunce of it For yf it be true as we haue proued before y â— for the syncere and true fayth of Christ no man maye withoute daunger of damnation adueÌ„ture to rebell â–ª then much lesse ought he for a false fayth to rebell and ryse agaynst his prince Wherfore when as for anye cause that can be ymagined our aduersary the deuil the aucthor of discord moueth vs to rebellion let vs then remeÌ„bre that no cause is there â–ª as we haue declared before for which a man may make rebellion so shall we alwayes vanquishe the deuyll be obedient to our prince and therin obey god to and finally eschewe the deuelishe and detestable crime of rebellioÌ„ which bringeth all those that auenture vpon it to vtter destruction and ruine Now moste dearly beloued contrye men seyng that hetherto we haue both opened the causes that commonly moue men to rebellion and also proued that for none of them nor no other beside them men must rebell it shall be well done hereafter to coÌ„sider likewise the causes which haue now of late made men to rebell agaynste oure mooste gratiouse soueraygne Ladye the Queene and to gyue all men warnynge to take hede from hence forth of suche a wicked and cruell enterprise Wise men that haue well weyed this matter reken two causes specially that made men this last time make rebellion One to delyuer our countrie from the oppression of straungers as it was reported and another to restore agayne Luthers lewde religion which god and the Queenes highnes had lately banished out of the realme Which two causes may be wel referred to the causes declared heretofore seing y â— in effect they be included in them Yet forasmuche as it is necessary at this present particularly to speake of them I shall hereafter set them forthe at large to thinteÌ„t that al mens hartes may be the better quieted in that behalfe The fyrst cause was only a cause pretensed and was thought to many men somewhat reasonable and therby was not a few deceaued with the goodly colowre therof For when the simple people heard that the head capitayne of this rebellion intended nothing els but to stoppe the Spanyardes from entringe into this realme and to bring to passe that no foreyne prince shuld mary with the queenes highnes lest we shuld by that meanes as he sayde be made bondemen and slaues contrary to the nature of all English menne and that he loued the Queenes grace all her subiectes as his owne lyfe and sought nothing but y t shoulde be to her honour and the commoditie welth of the whole realme they thought it was a good godlye purpose were by by persuaded therewith and sayde that there was no man that was faythful and louynge to his countrie but he would be gladde to spend his bloude in such a good quarel Thus were the sely folke that knew not the very cause why this rebellion was made by this subtyll pretense foulye deceaued And like poore birdes â–ª that in a great snowe can get no meate with this bayte were or euer they wiste catched to their great confusion But putte the case that this had bene their intent in dede â–ª shuld they therfore haue gone aboute to make rebellion and where as they be commaunded by GOD to obeye the Queene their mooste lawfull heade and gouernesse shulde they rule her and in a matter wherin euery bodye bothe by Goddes lawe and mans hath free libertie to do as hym lyketh shulde they by force lyke rigorouse tyrauntes coÌ„strayn her to satisfie their fantasies in that behalfe and to marry whome they would appoynte her Who hath so muche aucthoritie I praye you in making other folkes marriages as the pareÌ„tes haue in marryinge of their owne children And yet for al that they may not compell them to marrye whome they lyste but they must haue their consent therin For so dyd Laban and Bathâ—ell when their doughter Rebecca shuld be sent with Abraams seruauÌ„t to be married to Isaac saying thus Let vs cal the gyrle and aske her minde And when she came they asked her Wilt thou go with this man who aunswered I am well contented to go Therefore seing the children which ought to be at the parentes coÌ„maundement muste agree and consent to their owne marriage shall not princes then to whome al subiectes are bound to be obedient be at libertie to appoynt their owne marriages And agayne because y e marriage is a ioyninge together of a man and a womanne freely and lawfullye made for the bryngyng forth of childreÌ„ howe can it freelye be made when eyther the man or the woman is by force constrayned therevnto And lawfull matrimonye can it not be except it freelye be made by the full consent of bothe parties For S. Chrysostome sayeth â–ª that carnall copulatioÌ„ maketh not matrimony but the wyl consent of the parties Then forasmuche as bothe by Gods lawe and mans it playnly appeareth that matrimony can not be good except it be made by the free consent of the parties let no true subiect thinke muche that the Quenes highnes hathe bestowed her selfe where she lyketh and loueth No no euery one that loueth her grace hartely wil be glad that she marieth suche one as
the .v. was named Maximilian and the .vj. Charles that nowe reygneth Or what â—an be more comfortable to vs then that the Queenes highnes shuld haue a Prince to her husband that cometh of such a noble stocke Who although he was borne in a straunge countrie yet to vs because he cometh of the royall bloude of England as I sayd before neyther is nor ought to be taken as a straunger And yf any man doubt of this let him peruse the cronicles of Englande Spayne and he shall finde my wordes true Agayne yf we feare him because he was borne in Spayne let vs cal to remeÌ„braunce the two most famous and notable Emperours of Rome Traian and Theodosius the greate both Spaniardes borne Who beynge promoted to the Empeyre so whyle they raygned dyd gouerne the same as euer since of al men in al ages they haue bene moste highlye commended â–ª Lette vs besyde reade the lyues of the Kynges of Spayne and we shall perceaue verye manye of them to haue bene of suche wysedome and vertue and of so synguler good qualytyes â–ª as they maye be thoughte able too matche the Princes and rulers of anye other countreye besyde But now some do say that the Spaniardes be so proude and hyghe mynded y t no man can well awaye wyth their behauiour And y e same reporte oftentymes in other countryes hath gone vpoÌ„ vs that we were both proude stubborne But put the case that diuers of them and of vs to were such in dede shall we by and by iudge al the reste to be of the same sort Such perhappes of bothe twayne as lacke wisdome be for the most parte of that condition But surely they that be wyse be al so sobre discrete and gentle For wisdome alway worketh suche effectes in those that hath it As for the prince hym selfe he is not only wise and sobre but also of a very geÌ„tle behauiour And good cause surely hath he to be so For bothe hath he an excellent wyt of nature also a father of singuler wisdom to learne at â–ª yea graue counseylours continually about hym whose sage and sober aduise he is alway readie and willing to folowe And nothing is there that more declareth a man to be wyse then that he wyll stycke to much to his owne fantasie but gladly both heare those that be wyse and also folowe their counseyll Now that he is of gentle behauiour well appeareth in that that all his subiectes so harth loue him are very loth to lacke his preseÌ„ce which thing they haue of late wel declared For wheÌ„ it was knowen amonge them y t he shoulde come to marrye oure quene albeit they much reioysed in the marriage yet they much lamented toke great sorowe for his departinge by reason y t he hathe at all times in all poyntes so gently behaued him selfe toward them therfore thei had rather haue dyed then y t he shuld haue departed from them And thre special vertues god hath gyueÌ„ him to winne mens hartes withal liberalitie mercy and patience For both to noble meane men to gentle and simple to ryche and poore he is so liberall that all that haue to do with hym haue greate cause to beare hym good wyl And agayne yf any man offende hym yf he be sory therfore he is readie to pardoÌ„ him and mercyfully to deale with hym And in these pointes he is very like to our moste graous Soueraygne the quene As for his patience that is so singuler that for the same he may well be compared with the sage and famouse philosopher Socrates For those that perfitely know hym reporte y t no displeasure misfortune or aduersitye can moue hym and that no man hath for any cause sene hym at any time angrie And although that al other vertues are in a Prince very commendable yet none is there that is so much to be estemed in him as godly patience Wherfore seing this noble Prince of Spayne is garnished with suche goodlye vertues as y e Spaniardes haue good cause to lament for hys departing so we English men haue iuste occasion to reioyse for his comming By meanes whereof we shalbe ioyned in sure amitie with two or three noble countryes â–ª Spayne Flaunders the rest of lowe Germany And greate commodities hath thys realme alwayes receaued by trafike hadde with these countries as al they y t vse the trade of marchaundise beyonde the seas can very well shewe vs. For what a benefite is it for thys realme to haue free libertie to coÌ„ueye suche thinges from hence thither as we haue plentye of to bring in those agayne from thence hyther that we haue nede of Ouer thys our countrye hereby shall greatlye be strengthed and well fortified agaynst our aunciente enemies who are very sore displeased with this noble marriage because they feare that from henceforth they shall not be so able to worke vs displeasure â–ª but that we shall be more able on thother syde alwayes by Gods helpe not onelye to defende oure selfes but also to giue them an ouerthrowe to reuenge theyr malyce agaynst vs. Wherefore seynge that our enemies are so sore a greued with this marriage it is our partes yf we loue oure countrie to be very glad of it For oure enemyes euermore are sorye for our commoditie because y t whatsoeuer is hurtfull to vs they muche reioyse thereat For men for the most part are naturally enclined to be glad of their enemies harmes Then let vs not be sorye for that that our enemies are sory for leste we seme to haue the same affection that they haue and so to hate our countrye but because they be sory let vs be gladde therby declaring that we hartely loue our countrye Let vs folowe the Spaniardes example in reioysing for thys marriage Who at suche tyme as sure tydynges were broughte into Spayne as touchynge the same they were all so gladde of it as thoughe they hadde receaued some ioyefull tydynges from heauen Whyche theyr great gladnesse they well declared at the commynge thyther of oure Embassadours whome they receaued wyth suche greate honoure wyth so singuler gentlenes and wonder full ioye as the lyke heretofore hath bene verye seldome heard of Why then do not we the same and shewe our selfes ready with as glad hartes to receaue them If perhappes oure loue toward them be so colde that it doth nothing moue vs thereto yet let eyther the honoure of our owne countreye which we owe speciallye to regarde or elles the commodities â–ª that we shal receaue by them some thynge moue vs in thys behalfe And suche as at the fyrste can not frame their fantasyes so frely to do it as it wolde be done let them yet at the leste dissemble beare them fayre countenaunce vnto such time as they shal haue cause by reason of their gentle behauiour bothe to like and loue them Agayne sythen that the frendship and amytie of their countrye is so
and learne a newe lesson And agayne whensoeuer they see one of his cote walke by the strete they wolde whistell and hemme at him say go walke in a mischiefe you bald headed knaue Yea as yet thys maliciouse mockers cease not in many places wheÌ„ they can spie a prieste to playe the like part But thinke you that suche mockers shal not at length be plaged for their tauÌ„tinge of Gods ministers euen as the children were that mocked Heliseus the Prophete These children that I speake of as Heliseus the anoynted Prophete of God went to Bethell came forth of the citie mocked him saying walke vp you bald headed horson walke vp Who loking backe seyng them cursed theÌ„ in the name of GOD and by and by came two beeres oute of the foreste and tore in peces two fourtye of them Therefore let all men take hede as they mocke the priestes and ministers of God whome they are bounde to reuereÌ„ce both for Christes sake which sayth Whosoeuer dispiseth you dispiseth me and also for their office sake which is so necessarye for al mens helth and saluation And let them remeÌ„bre no more but this one example of Chrysostome who wryteth thus If a greate prince wold giue this aucthoritie to one of his seruauntes that he shuld deliuer out of prison whome he lyste whome he lyste shutte vppe in prison wolde not all menne and that not wythout good cause both feare him and reuerence hym to Howe then shuld men honour the priestes which hath aucthoritie by Christ kyng of all kynges committed vnto them to lowse mens sowles out of the fetters of sinne and agayne to bynd them as they see occasioÌ„ And the same writer sayeth in the same worke that we can neyther at our comyng into the worlde become Christen wythoute them nor at oure departynge out of the worlde receaue the blessed sacramentes of the aulter and aneyling without theÌ„ Whych thynges considered lette no man y e eyther loueth Christe whiche is the hyghe Prieste of all and the authour of priest hode or loueth hys owne soules helth and purposeth to be saued mocke the priestes leste they be worthelye punyshed therfore but reuerence them as Gods shepeherdes here in â—arth to whose cure mens soules are committed And although they see some of them eyther lacke good knowledge and learnynge or to be lyghte and lewde of behauioure yet muste they not contemne the office for the mens euyll lyuynge For yf the officers vnder a Prince be of noughtye conuersation we may not for that say their office is nought and disobeye the officers but as the princes officers humblye obeye them and as euyll lyuers hartely praye God to amende them But to returne to the Lutherans libertie y â— we talked of before was not al thinges through it brought so farre out of order that vice ruled vertue folishnes ruled wisdome lightnesse ruled grauitie and youth ruled age So that the olde mens saying was herein verified that when Antichrist shulde come the rootes of the trees shulde growe vpwarde Was there not beside such deadly dissention for our diuersitie in opinions that euen amoÌ„ges those that were mooste verye deare frendes arose moste greuouse hatred For the sonne hated hys owne father the sister her brother the wyfe her husband the seruaunte hys mayster the subiect the ruler And in euery house at euery mans table in euery corner in euery strete at euerye tauerne and inne at all tymes was there suche vnreuerent reasonynge of Gods highe mysteries that those that mette together freÌ„des departed enemyes and sometymes were at daggers drawyng for the matter And then you shulde haue hearde thou Papiste and thou heretike And in a small number of yeares it came to passe that no neyghbour could loue another no man do for another no one agree wyth another Thus was the membres of Christes Churche by such deuelishe discorde miserably rent a sonder Which thinge deepely to thinke vpon wold make anye charitable mans harte to blede For if we shuld se before our eyes a mans bodye first to haue the heade cut of then the fingers and toes then the handes and fete after the legges and armes then the bowelles piteouslye pulled oute of the belye and last of all the rest of the bodye being thus mangled and maimed cut in small gobbets and peces woulde we not thinke it a sorowfull and lamentable spectable to behold and count these folkes very cruell butchers that thus cruelly had handled it How muche then ought we to lament when we se y e churche which S. Paule calleth y e bodie of Christ â–ª thus by debate strife rufully rent so maÌ„gled with mischeuous heresye that the beauty therof is in maner vtterly defaced Might not we well say thus with the holy prophete Hieremye Let our eyes neuer cease from wepinge night nor daye because the virgin and doughter of my people is wonderfully brused and al to broken in peces and a mooste miserable plage fallen vpon her But now to make a brefe rehersal of the other noughty fruytes y t came of thys loose libertye begon not the authours of it first with the basest ceremonies in the Churche and abolished them they coulde not tell why and after went forth still euen to the greatest mistery of our fayth and at length made vp their mischiefe with the takinge away of those For first they dyd forbyd holy bread and holy water to be vsed any longer two very godly and liuely ceremonyes thone to put vs in remembraunce that as those peces of breade be all of one loafe so we be all meÌ„bers of one body y e is to say of the catholike churche and kniâ—â—e together in one fayth and one charitie the other to cause vs to call to mynde the passion of Christ with whose blessed bloud we are sprinckled wasshed from the fylthines of synne And then they commaunded Images to be plucked downe in euery churche which put vs in memorye of the holy lyues of confessours martyrs and virgins yea and they were not so contented but they would haue the Image of our sauiour Iesus Christ likewise spitefully to be hurled downe and eyther with fire to be burned or with instrumentes broken all in peces And some sinfull wretches were there that digged vp and ouerthrewe the crosses in highe wayes whiche were sette vp partly to make men that passed by remember Christes death and passion and partly to shewe them the right way that knew not the same Who I pray you would thinke that these folkes bare any good affection to our sauiour Christ which could neither abide his Image nor the holsome Signe of hys crosse For like as if a man shuld come into the kinges palaice and first rashelye pull downe the kinges armes then breake them in peces and after tread them vnder his fete no man woulde suppose that such one loued
he hadde not sene hym nowe the space of syxe monethes he aunswered ▪ that he hadde not as yet in dede learned y t verse of y e Psalme Agayne along time after ▪ one of his familiar frendes demaunded of hym whether he had learned his verse and he sayde Now or .xix. yeares passed and truely as yet I haue scarcely learned to practise it Wherby it well appeareth that a man maye learne as much vpon one day at one sermon as he can well learne perfytly to practise in a whole yeare Wherfore I haue oftentymes muche maruayled at vs Englishe men of late that we came to the churche at the tyme of our English seruice to heare only and not to pray our selfes By meanes wherof many folkes are so inured that they can hardlye frame them selfes as yet to pray in the churche which as our sauiour sayth is the house of prayer And moste mete were it for folkes comming to the churche to pray earnestly them selfes and both to think vpon their synnes wherewith they haue offended their lorde god and to be sory for them and to desire god to forgyue them yea and beside to gyue hym harty thankes for all his benefites bestowed vpon them and to beseche hym to assiste them with his grace agaynst the assaultes of their aduersary the deuil For thus ought men to spende the holy daye and thus ought they to bestow their tyme in the churche of God when they come thyther For what dyd Anna the doughter of Phanuell who had lyued with her husbande .vij. yeares and after his death continued widowe tyll she was foure score and foure yeares old and so died is it not written of her by S. Luke that she departed not from the temple but serued God there nyght and daye in fastyng and praying The Euāgelist telleth not that there she was occupied in hearynge but that she was occupied in praying Many heare and eyther they shortly forget what they haue hearde or elles yf they remembre it ▪ yet they do not practise it and one howre spente in practisynge is more worthe to vs then twentye spent in hearynge Therefore when they come to Churche and heare the priestes who sayeth common prayer for all the whole multitude albeit they vnderstand them not yet yf they be occupied in godlye prayer them selfes it is sufficient for them And lette them not so greatly passe for vnderstandynge what the priestes saye but trauayle them selfes in feruent praying and so shal they hyghly please God Yea and experience hath playnlye taught vs that it is much better for them not to vnderstande the common seruice of the Churche then to vnderstande it because that when they heare other prayinge with a lowde voyce in the language that they vnderstand they are letted from prayer them selfe and so come they to suche a slacknes and negligence in prayinge that they at lengthe as we haue well sene of late dayes in maner pray not at al. And let thē first thynke thys for it is vndoubtedly true that the diuine seruice here in Englande hath euer bene in Latyn synce the first tyme that the fayth was among vs receaued saue onlye this .vi. or .vij. yeares laste passed And then how godly the people all that while were disposed how many vertuous and holy men women haue bene within this realme and howe God dyd in all thinges prosper vs. And reade who so lyste the godly ecclesiastical story of sayncte Bede and he shall fynde my sayinges herein moste true By whych story he shal learne besyde how the same fayth the same forme of religion the same rites and ceremonies that we now vse in the churche haue bene since kynge Lucius dayes in whose reygne the fayth was firste receaued in Englande continuallye vsed And eyther muste we graunte thys that there was neuer any godly men in thys realme neuer one sowle saued neuer any grace of God among vs neuer the assistence of the holye gooste wyth vs whych no good nor reasonable manne eyther can or wyll graunte yf thys be not the true fayth and belefe wherby mens soules shalbe saued that nowe is amonges vs. For where true belefe is not there is not God nor none of hys grace nor no parte of his holy spirite And therefore yf thys be a false fayth and belefe that we nowe haue then god both is and hath bene most vnkynde not onlye to vs but to all Christendome besyde whiche is in the same belefe that we be seyng that he hath not before these .vij. yeares laste passed reuealed opened hys trueth vnto vs but suffered bothe vs and all our progenitours and elders to yea and all Christendome euer synce Christes incarnation euen to these latter dayes to lyue in blyndnes and to let vs continue styll in daunger of damnation But God forbydde that any man myght iustly eyther thynke or saye thus For then myght we commynge before our sauiour Christ at the day of iudgement yf we shulde for our belefe be there condēned aunswere that we were not to blame nor worthie of dānatiō therfore because that hys blessed spouse the Catholike churche hadde from tyme to tyme taught vs thys belefe that he hadde promised to be with his churche to the worldes ende Whyche promyse caused vs alwaye to giue credence to hys holye Churche whiche we thought could not erre nor be deceaued in anye matter concerning our fayth Therfore no man hathe cause to iudge thys religion that we nowe haue to be noughte and so to thinke that the worshyppynge of Christes blessed body in the sacrament is Idolatrye as manye of late haue most wyckedlye both beleued and taught and by that meanes condemne all oure fathers grandfathers and the reste of oure elders whyche haue so beleued but verye good cause hath he to suspect the religion that hathe bene brought in of late yea and vtterlye to abhorre it bothe for that he seeth so playnly before his eyes y e abhominable fruytes that it hath brought forth in this realme and also that he knoweth that it was neuer receaued in thys realme before these laste .vij. yeares paste saue onelye that wycked Wyclyffe hadde in corners taught the same in kinge Edward the thirdes dayes whiche his doctrine ended in notable treason euen as this did that was latelye receaued among vs as after I shal more playnly declare But some say that they woulde haue vs beleue and lyue accordynge as menne dydde in the primitiue churche Howe was that I praye you was it as we haue bene taughte of late in beleuing ▪ that Christes blessed bodye in the sacrament is but a pece of breade to abolish the Masse to cast awaye praying and fastyng No no Heare I praye you what saynct Bede sayeth concernynge the state of the primitiue churche Whē as S. Augustyne hys felowes that were sent by saynct Gregorye hyther into Englande to preache had gotten thē a place in kent to soiourne in they folowed the
conclusion perishe but that euery man cast away his couetouse harte betyme and begynne to care for his ende and searche the bottome of his brest whether he perfitly beleue that both his bodye his soule shal eyther euer liue in ioye inestimable or euer dye abiding moste bitter and paynful tormentes And remeÌ„bre as he came naked into this worlde as Iob sayeth so shal he naked depart out of it Agayne amonges these thre sortes of men the nobles the â—eomen the poore coÌ„mons since the time they had sole or onlye fayth preached amonge theÌ„ they haue had such a selâ—e simple fayth y t not one in maner could trust another For as in old tyme a mans worde was as sure as an obligation so of late dayes wordes were but wind writinges to werby some meÌ„ not much weyâ—d Insomuche y t when fayth toward god was in manÌ„er vtterly abolished fayth toward maÌ„ was banished therw t al good workes was throughe lewde preachyng cleane layd apart Wherfore our fayth aswel to god as to maÌ„ was so naked single y t it might be very well called a faythles fayth likened to a broken staffe y t deceaueth al theÌ„ that leane vpon it And as oure fayth was verye badde so our workes were no whit better For there was neuer sene such malice hatred such deceyte subteltie suche pride ambition so y t the vnsaciable desire of honor was in conclusion so roted in mens hartes y t it brought forth such notable treason as y â— like hath not ben heard of in this realme before And beside it hath stuffed diuerse folkes hartes w t so deadlye malice y t the wycked works y t are wrought by such wel declare y t it is no doctrine come froÌ„ god y e father of light as I said before but it as S. Iames sayth is ful of carâ—al affections of deuelishe For seing that such tumultes and suche sedition among our selfes such grudginge against our prince â–ª suche blasphemye agaynst god suche raylinge and suche vile wordes vsed agaynst his ministers are growen of it as to cal them foxes in the pulpit yea sometimes while they be godly occupyed in preachinge to hurle daggers and to shote gonnes at theÌ„ it is a playne argumente that it cometh from the deuil the authour of malice and is as it were some contagiouse veneme spitte out of his brest to poysen mens soules withal Agayne the bookes that be made by y e mainteyners of it are altogether farsed wyth lyes as it well appeareth by a litle peuishe boke conteynyng the disputation made in the conuocation house wherin are scarcely two lines true together as al the learned men that were there present can euidently testifye What shuld I speake of the false rumours that haue bene of late by the fauorers therof spred abroad in this realme to prouoke the people to grudge agaynst the Quenes highnes What pestilente libelles agaynste certayne of the Quenes most honorable counseyll yea and agaynst her graces owne person haue bene cast in corners to sowe sedition Beside what mischeuouse misconstruyng is there of actes lawes and statutes and of all thinges in maner that be set forth by the Quenes highnes and her counsayle yea and will they not say that when we haue any euyll wether â–ª as to much rayne or to muche drought that it commeth because the worde of god wherby they meane their heresye is suppressed among vs they wyll neuer say as all good folkes vse to say that it commeth by reason of our synne and wickednesse But truth is it that God plageth this realme and hath done â–ª yea and yet wyll do partly for our wretched liues and partly for that suche as be infected with heresye wil not acknowledge theyr erroure and maliciouse blindnes and turne to the churche agayne Ouer this are there not diuerse that for verye stubbornes wyll in hucker mucker agaynste the lawes of thys realme yea and agaynst gods will vse the pernitiouse boke of the last Communion and teache the Englishe catechisme to grafte in chyldrens hartes their blasphemouse and abhominable heresye If men wel consider these folkes wicked malyce they haue good cause to hate such deuelishe doctrine while they lyue and whensoeuer they heare any parte of it to stoppe their eares â–ª that no such cursed blasphemye enter in at them But to say very truth it was in maner necessarye that it shuld be reuealed opened in this realme For no man woulde haue thought that euer anye such incomuenience woulde haue come of it if they had not sene it present before their eyes So that whosoeuer shal hereafter heare of the abhomination of it shall haue iuste cause with all their hart to abhorre it Many mo noughty fruites could I reken vp that haue sprong out of this newe fonde doctrine but these are sufficient for my purpose wherby euery man that is not starke blynde may clearely se that yf there were anye cause that shuld moue a man to rebellion as there is none in dede this were the worst of all other For seinge that not onelye almighty god hateth this doctrine because it is contrary to his holy worde contrary to his blessed spouse the churâ—he coÌ„trary to the writinges and authorities of al his blessed martyrs and confessours and of all holy men besyde and contrary to y e whole consent of Christendome but also that is the vtter destructioÌ„ of al commen welthes whersoeuer it commeth it is no mannes parte to fight for it to aduenture his life in the defence of it but rather to trauayle earnestly to abolishe it and to exhorte all men euermore to beware of it Wherfore whensoeuer the deuyll who is the only authour of rebellion goeth about to persuade any man that suche doctrine is goddes word and that there is no other truthe but it and that he ought to sticke faste to it and feare not to suffre death for it if nede be to rayse vp rebellion and boldely steppe forth and fight stoutly agaynst his prince in the maynteinance of it Then may he well know that it is neyther the worde of god nor no truth is there in it because the deuill who is the deadlye enemye both of goddes holy worde and of all truth not only moueth hym to sticke to it but also with the sworde against his prince manfully to defend it But if he be by y e deuyll throughly persuaded to rebell agaynste his prince rather then to forsake it yet let hym loke or he lepe and cal to remembraunce the wretched ende of all such as hathe for the like quarrel made rebellion And first let hym wel consider the rebellions that hath bene made in Boheme for the same religioÌ„ When Wicliffes wicked doctrine was conueyed out of Englande into Boheme and there by Iohn Hus translated into theyr vulgare tounge preached there by the same Hus and one Hierome de Prage a great numbre at lengthe
that were on the brydge where was sene a lamentable spectakle to behold For some flying the daunger of the fyre ranne vpon the drawen swordes of theyr enemies Some piteouslye cryinge for helpe were choked vppe wyth the smoke Some that coulde not escape oute of the houses were miserablye burned Some to auoide y e perillouse flame lept downe headling into y e middest of Temes there were drowned Somwere oppressed with the fal of the houses O what a miserable sighte was it to see yonge children sprauling in the middest of the fyre to heare theÌ„ crye out so rufully Or what a cruel wretche was he y t had bene y e cause of suche a cruell tragedy Then the king seing that these rebelles could not by force be vanquished â–ª made a proclamation that all that would depart quietly home to their houses shulde haue their pardon saue only Iacke Cade y e author of al y e misery WhervpoÌ„ y e rebels departed so was Iacke Cade taken shortly after put to death as he had wel deserued Further more what was y e ende of the greate rebellion y t was in the North in the time of king HeÌ„ry y e eyght Were not a great nuÌ„bre of y e rebels in conclusion hanged vp Had not also y e rebels in Northfolke Deuonshiere in the reygne of kynge Edward the .vj. such like successe were not an infinite nuÌ„bre of them slayne and manye after the battayle was ended put to a vile shameful death Therfore let no man of what degree soeuer he be that aduentureth to worke such wickednes thinke that he shall escape such lyke punyshment as these foresayd rebels haue suffred for God which is the author of peace concorde by whome all princes haue their rule gouernement will not suffer to escape vnpunished suche as agaynst his expresse will and commaundemente do make rebellyon Ouer this seinge that a Prince as god said to Dauid is appoynted to fede nourishe the people what an vnkynde subiecte is that whiche trauayleth to destroye the prince who by al meanes seketh to fede nourishe him And if a man be neuer so high in honor being no prince yet let hym take hym selfe but as a subiecte and let hym behaue hym selfe as an obediente subiecte to and alway be well ware that ambition crepynge into hys brest moue hym not to couet the crowne leste therefore he be crowned at lengthe with an hatched And let hym contynually remember this wittye and wise sentence of Sayncte Gregorye Nazianzene Why goeste thou aboute to make thy selfe a shepeherde beynge but a shepe Or why laborest thou to be a heade seing thou art but a fote Or why wilte thou become a captayn where as thou art but a souldyar That is a very vngeÌ„tle shepe that will go aboute to destroy y e shepeherd who doth so carefully prouide for it and saueth it from the daunger of the wolfe And so is that a wretched fote that will labour to cut of the heade to thintent it may become a monstruouse heade it selfe seing y t the true head doth study so diligently to kepe it from all harme and incoÌ„moditie Yea and an vnkynde souldyar is he that wil trauayle to put downe his captayne by whose polycye wisdome and force he hath at all tymes escaped the handes of his enemyes And as the shepeherde is the defence of the shepe the head of the fote the captayne of the souldyar so in very dede the Prince is the tuition and safegard of all his subiectes And our prince and gouernesse the Quene requireth nothing of vs agayne but gentle obedient hartes which if we shewe vnfeynedly towarde her grace we shall saue our soules our bodyes our goodes our couÌ„try therby For as disobedence damneth our soules killeth our bodies spoyleth vs of oure goodes destroyeth our couÌ„trie So obedience is the helthe safegarde thereof What mischiefe disobedience rebellioÌ„ worketh in euerye countrye where it coÌ„meth we may easelye learne by y e exaÌ„ples before recited For wheÌ„ rebellioÌ„ reigneth then peace which is cause of plenty is broken Then all concorde and vnitie whiche byndeth the felowship of men together is cleane takeÌ„ away Then all charitie whiche is mother of all godly vertue is banished out of mens hartes Then all lawes wherwith the commen welthe is gouerned is vtterly disanulled For then as Seneca sayth law standeth onelye in force of armes Then all officers that cause good order to be kept and do minister iustice are displaced Then graue wysedome and policye whereby holesome counseyle is gyuen are thrust out of the doores and rashe foly and headynesse take their pâ—aces Then all good order which is the beautye of euerye commen welthe is troden vnder fote and misrule and confusion haue the vpper hande Then foloweth spoylinge of mens goodes burnyng of theyr houses cruell murder and bloudshed rauishinge of mens wyues deflowring of their doughters rape incest all beastlye vice TheÌ„ fal they to set at nought al religion to contemne God and to blaspheme his holye name in conclusion destroye they them selfes their countrye to For when men are by spoyle sore impouerished and their strength and courage by ciuill dissension greatly abated then shall they be a preye for theyr enemyes And then shall it so come to passe as Horace sayth by Rome that that noble citie whyche no foreyne enemies coulde ouercome is nowe by ciuill warre and sedition come to vtter ruine For lyke as in a mans body yf the foâ—e shuld fight with the hand the heade with the necke the backe with the belye and euery part with other the bodye shuld vtterly perishe so a contrye where the inhabitauÌ„tes make warre one agaynst another one seketh to destroye another must nedes come to vtter confusion For the holye scripture can not be false whiche sayeth That euerye kyngedome diuided within it selfe shalbe destroyed And Gregorye Nazianzene asketh â–ª what is y e worst thinge most noysome in the world and by and by he aunswered discorde And then asketh he agayne What is the best and streight he aunswereth peace And Democritus a wise Philosopher sayeth that ciuill dissension is daungerouse and noysome for both parties For it is the destruction as well of those that get the victory as of those that lese it For then commeth foreyne enemyes and inuade the countrye and easelye vanquyshe it For like as when two dogges fyghte for a bone as the prouerbe is oftentymes the thirde commeth and catcheth it from them bothe So when two partes of a realme stryue for the gouernmeÌ„t their enemies enter and take it from them For howe wanne Willyam duke of Normandy this contrye of ours but only through the sore dissension of two bretherne whose names were Haralde and Tosto that contended for the crowne For the ciuill warre sore bloudeshed that they made by reason therof so abated the force and strength
that GOD hadde promysed before that Saul should be geuen into his handes wente to Saul and didde no more but priuelye cut away the edge of hys cloke And yet hys conscience was so agreued for that dede that he sayde to his men GOD be mercifull to me and suffre me neuer to laye handes vpon my Lorde Saul the anoynted of God For I sweare that as surely as God lyueth that I wyll neuer laye my hande vpon hym beâ—ng the anoynted of God But he shall for me dye eyther by the plage of God or by naturall death when hys daye cometh or be kylled in battayle God forbydde that euer I shoulde ones stretche forthe my hande to hurte hym beyng Gods anoynted Suche a conscience hadde Dauid and so he ynouse an offence thoughte he it to laye handes vpon hym that cruellye persecuted him and was hys deadly enemye But alas what a sore troubled conscience oughte suche folkes to haue as mynded cruellye to murder their moste gratiouse soueraygne Lady the quene who so hartelye loued them who was alwayes so carefull for them and tendereth their welthe and coÌ„moditie no lesse then her owne How vnkind folkes be those that hateth her that loueth them and goeth about to reward kindnes wyth kyllyng and to destroye her that studieth alwayes possible to saue them These men remember lytle the wordes â–ª that God sayd to Cain when he hadde kylled hys brother The bloud of thy brother crieth vp to me froÌ„ the earth Wherfore thou shalbe accursed vpoÌ„ the earth which is opened and hath dronke vp thy brothers bloud And in another place he sayeth Whosoeuer shedeth mans bloude vpon earth his bloude shalbe shedde And albeit that the killyng of euery priuate person is horrible in the syght of god and is neuer fusfred vnpunished yet the killing of a prince is much more detestable those that aduenture that wicked acte escape not at length some miserable wretched ende For what became of Abimelecke y e to thintent that he might be king him selfe killed his threscore tenne bretherne that shoulde haue ruled and reygned in SicheÌ„ with him Was he not at the last miserablely killed by a woman For when he assaulted a towre came to the gate therof to set it on fyre a woman hauinge in her hande a pece of a broken milstone hurled it downe at his head and therwith dashed out his braynes Thus was this wretche rewarded for hys wretched enterprise Came not the like punishment vpon those that killed Isboseth the king of Irael vpon his bedde as he was slepinge whose head afterward they brought to Dauid thinking therby to get thankes at his hande because then he shulde be kinge ouer all Israell But Dauid highlye displeased wyth the murder coÌ„maunded his men streight way to kyl them and to cut of their handes and fete and hange them ouer a ponde in Hebron What nede I here to recite you the storye of Achitophell who when Absalon rebelled agaynst his father Kyng Dauyd sayd vnto Absalon thus I wyll appoynte my selfe .xij. thowsand men and this nyght wyll I pursewe thy father Kinge Dauid and I wyll set vpon hym nowe being â—ore weried and faynte And when all his men are sledde from hym and he left alone then will I kyll hym But to what conclusyon came this coursed counseil and cruel entent of his when as Dauid had escaped this daunger by meanes of pryuye messengers that were sent by certayne secrete frendes of hys Achitophel perceauing that his counseyle was not done gotte him home to his howse and like a miserable wretche hanged him selfe And so was he moste iustly plaged for hys rebelliouse and cruel diuise Or what shall I nede here to call to memorye a story wrytten in oure owne cronicles of kinge Richarde the thirde Who when he was Duke of Glocestre because he woulde be king him selfe put the children of Edward the .iiij. whiche were the true and lawfull heyres of this realme into the towre and after lyke a moste cruel tyraunt caused them to be smored betwixt two fether beddes But what became of him after Was he not within short space slayne in the fielde by king Henry the seuenthe so iustly rewarded for the cruell bloudeshedde of those innocent children Therfore lette no manne that eyther kylleth the anoynted of God or elles purposeth to kyll him thinke that he shall escape vnpunyshed but lette hym assure hym felfe that thoughe he auoyde daunger for a season yet shall he at lengthe be payed home with double punishmente And let him learne by these examples to eschewe suche an heynouse offence whensoeuer he is by the deuil prouoked thereto lette hym praye to God as Dauid dyd and saye Lord be merciful to me and suffer me neuer to laye handes vpon my Soueraygne nor to contriue any trayterous diuises agaynste the anoynted of God For so shal he disappoynt the deuil of his purpose and saue him selfe from peryll of perishinge And yf the deuil wil not thus cease most louyng countrye men but still stirre vp oure hartes to make rebellion yet lette vs consider that what cause soeuer he putteth in our heades and laboreth to make vs beleue that it is a good cause we oughte neuer to beleue hym both because that whatsoeuer he telleth vs â–ª it is but a lye by reason that he is the father of lyinge and also that no cause is there at all for whyche we maye iustelye make commotion Yea and thys wil I saye that yf euer we Englyshe men had cause to be quiete and to loue oure heade and ruler nowe is the tyme. For those that be poore yf they be by anye manne wrongfully oppressed the Queenes pleasure is that they shall haue iustice and recouer their right Or if they be riche she is gladde of it and wisheth that they so that it be by honest meanes waxe more riche If they be gentlemen or men of honour â–ª they may be assured to continue in their state and degre so that they do their duetye to godwarde and beare alwayes a faythfull hart to their prince But some percase wil say that iustice is not so dewly executed as it oughte to be And that moneye and frendshippe maketh of a badde matter a good and of a good matter a badde And that there is as much bribery and takynge of rewardes which is a pitifull hearyng vsed nowe a dayes as euer was All thys maye be true and yet the Prince nothing to be blamed therfore For seynge y t her grace hath so often exhorted all suche as be in aucthoritie office to minister iustice without partialitie and to beware alwaye of takynge of bribes yf any cause be vniustly determined or any bribes taken for anye matter â–ª she is discharged thereof and the burden lyeth vpon their backes that is the ministers of iustice and whose handes are replenyshed wyth brybes and rewardes Therefore sithen that her hyghnesse trauayleth by all meanes