God knoweth how that Pontificall chayer of estate might worke in man as he is man Mercurie sublimed is some what a coy and stout fellow and I beleeue those high and mighty Peeres would not sticke to looke for a low and humble legge Euery man must haue his due in his place and honour aliably belongeth to redoubted Seniours That is their proper title at Geneua Now if it seeme as cleere a case in Pollicie as in Diuinitie that one and the same Discipline may serue diuers and contrarie formes of regiment and be as fitt for the head of England as for the soote of Geneua the worst is Aristotles Politiques must be burned for heretiques But how happie is the age that in stead of a thousand Positiue Lawes and Lesbian Canons hath founde one standing Canon of Polycletus an immutable Law of sacred gouernement And what a blissefull destinie had the Commonwealth that must be the Modell of all other Commonwealthes and the very Center of the Christian world Let it be so for euer and euer if that Pamflet of the Lawes and Statutes of Geneua aswell concerning Ecclesiasticall Discipline as Ciuill regiment deserue any such singular or extraordinarie estimation either for the one or for the other If not are they not busie men that will needes beare a rule and strike a maine stroke where they haue nothing to doe or are to be ruled It were a good hearing in my eare that some of them could gouerne themselues but in reasonable wise sort that are so forward to swey kingdomes and to swing Churches after their new fashion and can stande vpon no grounde but their owne If certaine of them be godlyer or learneder then many other according to their fauorablest reputation it is the better for them I would also they were wiser then some of them whom they impugne Surely I feare they will be founde more peremptorie in Censure then sounde in Iudgement and more smart in reproofe then sharpe in proofe And may it not be a probable doubt how they haue compared togither the Law of Gods people and the Gospell of Christes Church in the Bible or how they haue studdied Iosephus Philo Egesippus of the Iewish affaires or Sigonius of the Hebrue Commonwealth or Freigius his Mosaicus or their owne Bonauentura of the Iudaicall Pollicy that fetch their Iurisdiction from the Sanedrim corrupted and ground their Reformation vpon the Iewes Thalmud the next neighbour to the Turkes Alcoran Had Ramus Treatise of Discipline come to light they would long-ere-this haue beene ashamed of their Sanedrim and haue blushed to foist-in the Thalmud in steede of the Bible God helpe poore Discipline if the water bee like the Conduit the Oile like the Lampe and the Plant like the Tree Abraham was the beginning Dauid the middest and Christ the ende of the Hebrue history his Gospell not his ennemies Thalmud the pure fountaine of reformation and the onely cleere resplendishing Sunne that giueth light to the starres of heauen earth vnto which the Church his most deere and sweete spouse is more deepely and more incomprehensibly bounden then the day vnto the Sunne that shineth from his glistering chariot It is not for a Pontificall Seniory or a Mechanicall Eldership to stopp the course of any riuer that successiuely floweth from that liquid fountaine or to putt-out any Candle that was originally lighted at that inextinguible Lampe The Church hath small cause to dote vppon the Coosen-germane of Tyranny and the Commonwealth hath no great affection to the Sworn-brother of Anarchy Certainely States neede not long to interteine tumultuous and neuer-satisfied Innouation Good my masters either make it an euident and infallible case without sophisticall wrangling or personall brawling that your vnexperienced Discipline not the order approoued is the pure well of that diuine Spring and the cleere light of that heauenly Sunne or I beseech you pacifie yourselues and surcease to endaunger kingdomes with vnneedefull vprores Crooked proceedings would be rectified by a right not a crooked line and Abuses reformed not by abuling the persons but by well-vsing the things thēselues I spare my auncients aswell at home as abroade yet Beza might haue bene good to some Doctours of the Church and better then he is to Ramus Erastus Kemnitius and sundry other excellent men of this age neither can it sufficiently appeare that the two famous Lawyers Gribaldus and Baldwinus were such monstrous Apostataes or poysonous Heretiques as he reporteth and whither some other neerer hand haue not bene too-familiarly bold with their Superiours of approoued learning and wisedome meete for their reuerend and honorable calling my betters Iudge Modesty is a Ciuil Vertue and Humility a Christian quality surely Martin is too too-malapert to be discreet and Barrow too too-hoat to bee wise if they bee godly God help Charity but in my opiniō they little wot what a Chaos of disorders confusions absurdities they breed that sweat to build a reformation in a monarchy vpon a popular foundation or a mechanicall plott will needes be as fiery in execution euen to wring the Clubb out-of Hercules hand as they were aëry in resolution Alas that wise men and reformers of states I know not a weightier Prouince should once imagine to finde it a matter of as light consequence to seniorise in a realme ouer the greatest Lordes and euen ouer the highnesse of Maiestie as in a towne ouer a company of meane marchantes and meaner artificers I will not sticke to make the best of it M. Caluin the founder of the plott whome Beza stileth the great Caluin had reason to establish his ministery against Inconstancy and to fortify himselfe against Faction as he could best deuise and compasse with the assistance of his French party and other fauorites by encroaching vpon a mechanicall and mutinous people from whose variable and fickle mutability he could no otherwise assecure himselfe As he sensibly found not onely by dayly experiences of their giddy and factious nature but also by his owne expulsion and banishment whome after a little triall as it were for a dainety nouelty or sly experiment they could be content to vse as kindly and loyally as they had vsed the old Bishopp their lawfull Prince Could M. Cartwright or M. Trauerse seaze vpon such a Citty or any like popular towne Heluetian or other where Democraty ruleth the rost they should haue some-bodies good leaue to prouide for their owne fecurity and to take their best aduauntage vppon tickle Cantons Some one peraduenture in time would canton them well-enough giue a shrewd pull at a Metropolitan Sea as soueraine as the old Bishoprike of Geneua It were not the first time that a Democraty by degrees hath prooued an Aristocraty an Aristocraty degenerated into an Oligarchy an Oligarchy amounted to a Tyranny or Principality No Rhetorique Climax so artificiall as that Politique Gradation But in a iust kingdome where is other good assuraunce for Ministers and meeter Councels for Princes then such
Neuer such a Colledge or fraternitie vpon Earth if that be their inuiolable order But God helpe Conceit that buildeth Churches in the Ayer and platformeth Disciplines without stayne or spott They complaine of corruptions and worthily where Corruptions encroche I am no Patron of corruptions but what a surging sea of corruptiōs would ouerflow within few yeares in case the sword of so great and ample autoritie as that at Ierusalem most capitall or this at Geneua most redoubted were putt into the hand of so little capacitie in gouernement so little discretion in Discipline so little iudgement in causes so little moderation in liuing so little constancie in saying or dooing so little grauitie in behauiour or so little whatsoeuer should procure reuerence in a Magistrate or establish good order in a Cōmon-wealth Trauaile thorough ten thousand Parishes in England and when you haue taken a fauourable vew of their substantiallest and sufficientest Aldermen tell me in good sooth what a comely showe they would make in a Consistorie or with how solemne a presence they would furnish a Councell Table I beleeue Grimaldus did little thinke of any such Senatours whē he writ de Optimo Senatore or did Doctour Bartholmen Philip in his Perfect Counsellour euer dreame of any such Coūsellours Petty Principalities petty Tyrants such Senats such Senatours Witt might deuise a pleasurable Dialogue betwixt the Leather Pilch and the Veluet Coate and helpe to persuade the better to deale neighbourly with the other the other to cōtēt himselfe with his owne calling I deny not but the short apron may be as honest a man or as good a Christian as the long gowne but methinkes he should scantly be so good a Iudge or Assistant in doubtfull causes and I suppose Ne Sutor vltrà crepidam is as fitt a Prouerbe now as euer it was since that excellent Painter rebuked that sawcie Cobler Euery subiect is not borne to be a Magistrate or Officer and who knoweth not whose creature Superiour Power is They are very-wise that are wiser then he by whose diuine permission euery one is that he is The Laconicall Ephory hath lately borne a great swing in some resolute Discourses of Princes and Magistrates that thought they saued the world from the abhomination of desolatiō when they found-out a bridle or yoke for Princes but old Aristotle was a deepe Politician in diebus illis and his Reasons against that Ephorie for Aristotle confuted the Ephorie with sounder arguments then euer it was confirmed to this day would not yet perhaps be altogither contemned That so great iudiciall causes were committed to men indued with so little or no Vertue That the poore Plebeians for very penurie were easely bribed and corrupted That there ensued an alteration of the state the good Kinges being fayne to currie fauour with their great Masters and to become Popular Whither this would be the end and may be the marke of those or our Populars I offer it to their consideration that are most interessed in such motions of Ephoryes and Senioryes The world is beholding to braue and heroicall myndes that like Hercules would practise meanes to pull-downe Tyrannie smal or great and reforme whole Empires and Churches like the three victorious Emperours surnamed Magni Constantine Theodosius and Charles Thankes were an vnsufficient recompense for so noble intentions It must be a guerdon of value that should counteruaile their desert that pretend so fatherly and Patronly a care of reedifying Commonwealthes and Churches Some voluntarie Counsellours doe well in a State and men of extraordinary vocation singularly qualified for the purpose are worth their double weight in gold When other sleepe they watch when other play they worke when other feast they fast when other laugh they sigh whiles other are content to be lulled in securitie and nusled in abuse they occupie themselues in deuising pregnant bondes of assurance and exquisite models of Reformation Which must presently be aduaunced without further consultatiō or they haue courage and will vse it in maintenaunce of so diuine abstractes Melancholie is peremptory in resolution and Choler an aeger Executioner Were it not for those two inuincible arguments there might still be order taken with other reasons and autorities whatsoeuer They do well to presupppose the best of their owne deseignes and to giue-out Cardes of Fortunate Ilandes artificially drawen but as I neuer read or heard of any people that committed swordes into such hands but bought their experience with losse and had a hard penyworth of their soft cushion so in my simple consideration I cannot conceiue how Ignoraunce should become a meeter Officer then Knowledge Affection a more incorrupt Magistrate then Reason headlong Rashnesse or wilfull Stubbernesse a more vpright Iudge then mature Deliberation base Occupations enact and establish better orders then liberall Sciences or honorable Professions any traffique howsoeuer current or aduantageous hath bene iudged vndecent for a Senatour tagg ragg administer all things absolutely-well with due prouision against whatsoeuer possible inconueniences where so many faults are found with persons of better qualitie that incomparablie haue more skil in the administration of publique affaires more knowledge and experience in causes more respect in proceeding more regard of their credit more sense of daungerous enormities or contagious abuses more care of the floorishing and durable estate of the Prince the Common-wealth and the Church Na I can see no reason according to the best groundes of Pollicie that euer I read but for euery Ciuill tyranny or Pettie misdemeanour that can possiblie happen now the gouernemēt standing as it doth there must needes Vpstart a hundred and a hundred barbarous tyrannies and huge outrages were the new platformes Actes of Parlament and the Complotters such high Commissioners as are described in their owne proiects the floorishes of Vnexperienced wittes When they haue nothing else to alledge that should make them superiour or equall to the present Officers Conscience must be their Text their Glosse their Sanctuarie their Tenure and their strong hold Indeede Conscience grounded vpon Science is a double Ancher that neither deceiueth nor is deceiued and no better rule then a regular or publique Conscience in diuinitie ruled by Diuinitie in law by Law in art by Art in reason by Reason in experience by Experience Other irregular or priuate Conscience in Publique functions will fall-out to be but a lawlesse Church a ship-mans hose a iugglers sticke a phantasticall freehold and a conceited Tenure in Capite as interchaungeable as the Moone and as fallible as the winde How barratous and mutinous at euery puffe of Suggestion lett the world iudge I would there lacked a present Example as hoat as fresh but hoat looue soone cold and the fittes of youth like the showers of Aprill There goeth a prettie Fable of the Moone that on a time she earnestly besought her moother to prouide her a comely garment fitt and handsome for her boddy How can that be sweet daughter quoth the moother
learne a new Art to kill cow men with peremptorie termes and bugges-wordes of certaine death Pore I must needes be plagued plagued na brayed squised to nothing that am matched with such a Gargātuist as can deuoure me quicke in a sallat and thundreth more direfull threatnings against me that onely touched him then huge Polyphemus rored against Vlysses that blinded him or banning Virgill reared against Arius that spoiled him Genus irritabile Vatum The generation of rauing Poets is a swarme of gad-bees and the anger of a moodie rimester the furie of a Waspe A mad Tiger not like a mad Waspe and a chafed Wildbore not comparable to a chafed gad-bee Take heede of the man whom Nature hath marked with a gag-tooth Art furnished with a gag-tongue and Exercise armed with a gagpenne as cruell and murdrous weapons as euer drewe bloud The best is who hath time hath life He meaneth not to come vpon me with a cowardly stratageme of Scarborough warning he vseth a certaine gallant Homericall Figure called Hysteron-proteron or the Cart before the horse with a resolution menaceth the effect before the Causes be begotten When the iron Cart is made and the fierie horses foled they shall bring the mightie Battringram of termes and the great Ordinance of miracles to towne aske not then how he will plague me In the meane season it is a woonder to see how courageously he taketh-on with his hostisses needles and his botchers bodkins Indeede a good Souldiour will make a shrewd shift with any weapons but it is a maruelous hart that threatneth Ruine ruine ruine with the dint of a bodkin and the blade of an awle Where such an other Rodomont so furious so valorous so redoutable There is a peece of a good old Song peraduenture as auncient as the noble Legende of Syr Beuis or Sir Launcelot du Lake Dubba-dubba-dubb kill him with a clubb And he will not dye kill him with a flye He that made that Ryme in iest little considered what a gad-fly may doe in earnest It is small wisedome to contemne the smallest enemy the gad-fly is a little creature but some little creatures be stingers neuer fauchon better managed then some tidy penneknifes and what will he do when he rusheth vpon me with the tempestuous Engins of his owne wit that keepeth such a horrible coile with his Schoole-fellowes poinado An Ape is neuer to seeke of a good face to set vpon the matter Blessed Euphues thou onely happy that hast a traine of such good countenances in thy floorishing greene-motley liuery miserable I the vnhappiest on earth that am left desolate Ah but that might be endured euery mā is not borne to be the leader of a bande euery birde carrieth not Argus eyes displayed in her taile Fame is not euery boddies Sainct to be forsaken is no great matter to be vtterly vndone is miserable That and the Vnmercifullest persecution that may be inuented is cruelly proclaimed against quiet him that was once thronged and pestred with followers but when he began to giue-ouer that greene haunt and betooke himselfe to a riper Profession Diomedes companions were changed into birdes Times alter and as Fortune hath more sectaries then Vertue so Pleasure hath more adherents then Proffit I had no sooner shaken of my yoūg troupe whō I could not associate as before but they were festiually reinterteined by some nimble wightes that could take the aduantage of opportunitie with good visages you may be suer and had purposely lyne in waite to climbe in Print by the fall of their Seniours like ambitious Planets that enhaunse their owne dignities by the combustion or retrogradation of their fellow-Planettes Much good may that aduauncement doe them and many daintie webbs may I see of those fine Spiders but although I dote vpon curious workemanship yet I looue not artificiall poyson and am almost angrie with the trimmest Spinners when they extort venom out-of flowers and will needes defile their friends Libraries with those encroching cobwebbs I wis it were purer Euphuisme to winne hoony out-of the thistle to sweeten Alöe with sugar to perfume the stinking Sagapenum with muske and to mitigate the heat of Euforbium with the 〈◊〉 of the lilly Tush you are a silly humanitian of the old world that was the simplicitie of the age that loued frendship more then gold esteemed euery thing fine that was neat holesom all was pure that was seasoned with a litle salt all trimme that was besprinkled with a fewe flowers now the fiercest Gunpouder and the rankest pikesawce are the brauest figures of Rhetorique in esse and he the onely man at the Scriueners Pistoll that will so incessantlie haunt the Ciuilian and Deuine that to auoide the hoat chase of his fierie quill they shal be constrained to ensconse themselues in an old Vrinall case Giue me such a Bonifacius Now well-worth some termes of Aqua fortis at a pinch and wellcome Vrinall case a fit sconse for such valiant termes and a meet Bulwarke against that fierie quill I haue already felt his pulse and cannot well cast his water without an Vrinall either old or new but an old Vrinall will not so handsomly serue the turne it would be as new as the Capcase of Straunge Newes but a pure mirrour of an impure stale neither grose the clearer to represent a grose substāce nor green the liuelyer to expresse some greene colours other wanton accidents nor anyway a harlot the trulyer to discoouer the state of a harlatrie I haue seene as hoat an Agent made a tame Patient and gladd to ensconse the dregges of his shame in an old Vrinall It is a blabb but not euery mans blabb that casteth a sheepes-eye out of a Calues-head but a blabb with iudgement but a blabb that can make excrements blush and teach Chawcer to retell a Canterbury Tale. But such great Iudicials requier some little studdie and S. Fame is disposed to make it Hallyday She hath already put-on her wispen garland ouer her powting Cros-cloth and behold with what an Imperiall Maiestie she commeth riding in the ducking-chariot of her Triumphe I was neuer so sicke of the milt but I could laugh at him that would seeme a merry man cannot for his life keepe-in the breath of a fumish foole Phy long Megg of Westminster would haue bene ashamed to disgrace her Sonday bonet with her Satterday witt She knew some rules of Dccorum and although she were a lustie bounsing rampe somewhat like Gallemella or maide Marian yet was she not such a roinish rannell or such a dissolute gillian-flurtes as this wainscot-faced Tomboy that will needes be Danters Maulkin and the onely hagge of the Presse I was not wont to endight in this stile but for terming his fellow Greene as he was notoriously knowen the Scriuener of Crosbiters the founder of vgly othes the greene master of the blacke art the mocker of the simple world et caetera see how the daggletaild rampalion bustleth for the
may endure but vnsuspected accidents are hardly remedied and in the fayrest weather of security to offer the fowlest play of hostility is an incredible aduantage So Caesar Borgia the souerain Type of Macchiauels Prince wan the Dukedome of Vrbin in one day So the Emperour Charles the Fiftes Army passing thorough Roome occursiuely sacked the Citty and enriched themselues exceedingly So many inuincible states haue bene suddainly ruinated and many puissant personages easely vanquished Braue exploites where the Cause as honorable as the Effect admirable But honorable or dishonorable Pollicy was euer a priuy Councell whose Posie Dolus an Virtus Glory a rauâ—…shing Oration Ambition a Courser Looue a hoat-spurre Anger a fierbrand Hope a graine of mustard-seede Courage an errant Knight Couetice a marchant VeÌ„turer Fury a fierce executioner whose word the sword and whose Law Non quà sed quò As Monarchies Principalities and Conquestes so Pety-gouernements Segniories Lieutenantships Magistracies Masterships Felowships haue their coolerable practises and nothing is cunning that is apparent The Fox preacheth Pax vobis to the Capons and geese and neuer worse intended then when the best pretended Horaces or rather Borgiaes Astutaingenuum Vulpes imitata Leonem the deepest grounde of highest pollicies and the very Stratageme of Strategemes The glorious Indian Conquestes are famously knowen to the world and what was the Valorous Duke of Parma in his brauest Victories but Vulpes imitata Leonem and a new compounde of old Stratagemes Iouius Fox in his militar and amorous Empreses may call himselfe a Fox but some learned Clarkes and iudicious Censours profound Politiques like Macehiauell or Perne for Macchiauell neuer discoursed with his pen as Perne deuised with his minde would go very-nigh to call him a goose that gaue for his mott Simul astu et dentibus vtor And his Griphen in some opinions was neuer awhit the more terrible for that lusty Posie a iolly heroicall verse in a Grammar Schoole Vnguibus et rostro atque alis armatus in hostem I neuer read that Alexanders Bucephalus or Caesars couragious horse had any such or such glorious Posies and I beleeue Beuisses Arundell was no great braggard with motts The Troian Horse or rather the Grecian Horse was not such an Asse to aduaunce himselfe with any such prowde Imprese as Scandit fatalis machina muros but ministred ruthfull and tragicall matter of that hawty Posie to the stately Poet. Did the flying Pegasus of the redoubted Bellerophon before his aduenturous expedition against the hideous Lion-dragon Chimaera that is against the fierce sauages which inhabited that fier-vomiting mountaine in Lycia prouide to arme himselfe with a braue Posie or boast of his horrible mother Medusa or of his owne Gorgonean winges Did the fiery horses of the Sunne that is of the hoattest East-countryes threaten Prince Phaeton or the world with a dreadfull Verse Tune sciet ignipedum Vires expertus Equorum May not peraduenture the prowdest horse be countermotted with a poore fragment of Statius Seruiet asper Equus Or may not haply the dowtiest Asse be emblemed with a good old deuise insulso tribulus sapit asper asello The rowghest nett is not the best catcher of birdes nor the finest pollicy a professed TermagaÌ„t Although Lysanders oxen said nothing yet the Fox Lysander could tell which of them was a sluggarde and which laborious It is not the Verball mott but the actuall Imprese that argueth a generous or noble minde Children and fooles vse to crake Action the onely Embleme of Iugurth and the notablest fellowes whose manner is Plurimum facere minimum de se loqui the honorablest deuise that worthy Valour can inuent The Tree is knowen by the fruite and needeth no other Posie the gallantest mott of a good Apple-tree is a good apple of a good warden-tree a good warden of a good limon-tree a good limon of a good palme a good date of a good Vine a good grape and so fourth their leaues their PrognosticatioÌ„s their blossomes their boasts their braunches and boughes their brauery their fruite their armes their emblemes their nobility their glory I dare not say that Pittacus was as wise as he that beginneth like front-tufted Occasion for Occasion is balde behinde and endeth like Ouids loouer for Ouids loouer must not attempt but where he will conquer few resoluter mottes then Aut nunc aut nunquam and what Valianter Posie then Aut nunquam tentes aut perfice but Pittacus was one of the seuen famous Masters and in his sage wisedome thought it a sober lesson Foretel not what thou intendest to atcheiue lesse peraduenture being frustrate thou be laughed to scorne and made a notable flowtingstocke Perhaps he was an Asse and speaketh like a Foole for who is not an Asse a foole with this Thomas Wisedome but some plaine men are of his opinion and will hardly beleeue that the fraÌ„kest braggards are the doubtiest dooers Were I a collectour of witty Apothegs like Plutarch or of pithy Gnomes like Theognis or of dainty Emblemes like Alciat suerly Pittacus should not be the last at the least in that Rhapsody Meane-while it is nothing out-of my way to prayse the close or suspicious Asse that will not trouble any other with his priuy Counsell but can be content to be his owne Secretary There be more queint experiments in an Vniuersitie then many a politique head would imagine I could nominate the man that could teach the Delphicall Oracle and the Aegiptian Crocodile to play their parts His Ciuill toungue was a riddle his Ecclesiasticall toungue a Hieroglyphique his face a visard his eyes cormorants his eares martyrs his witt a maze his hart a iuggling sticke his minde a mist his reason a vayle his affection a curbe his conscience a maske his Religion a triangle in Geometry his Charity a Syllogisme in Celarent his hospitality aleuen monethes in the yeare as good as good Friday for one moneth or very neere he was resident vpoÌ„ his Deanry kept opeÌ„ house in the I le like Ember weeke Of an other mans noman more liberall of his owne noman more frugall He deeply considered as he did all thinges that good Oeconomy was good Pollicy that it was more wisedome to borrow theÌ„ to lend gratis that the rauens croking looseth him many a fatt pray that the forstalling engrosing of priuy coÌ„modities was a pretty supply of priuy Tithes that many a little by little little maketh a mickle that often returne of gaine amounteth that the Fox neuer fareth better then wheÌ„ he is cursed most that a siluer picklocke was good at a pinch and a golden hooke a cunning fisher of men that euery man was neerest to himselfe and the skinne neerer then the shirt that there were many principles and preceptes in Art but one principall maxime or souerain cauteil in practise Si non castè tamen cautè that there was no security in the world without Epicharmus incredulity Dions Apistie or Heywoods Fast binde fast finde that