they ioyfully obey Iulye the author of war no man scacely obeied Leo prouoking to peace concord Yf the Popes authoritie be most holy Certes it ought than to be most in force as ofte as he prouoketh to that that christ dyd teache mooste speciallye But they whome Iulius coulde styrre vnto mortall war whan Leo that mooste holye Pope prouoking theÌ„ by so many menes to christian religion could not do y e same do declare that vnder the pretence of the Churche they haue seruyd their owne lustes and cupidities so that I saye nothinge more sharpely Yf euen from the hearte ye doo hate war I shall counsell you howe ye may defend concord Perfect peace doth not consiste in affinites nor in y e confederations of men of thee which we do ofteÌ„times perceiue and se y e wares do rise spring The fountens wher out this euil dothe breke muste be purgid euil cupidities desires doo engeÌ„der these debates and tumultes And whilst euery maÌ„ doth serue please hys affectioÌ„s y e coÌ„meÌ„ wele in y e mene seson is afflictyd and troubled and yet noo man attaineth the things y e he by euil menes and wayes doth desyre Let princes be wyse for the profit of the people and not for their owne profite and let theÌ„ truely be wyse that they maye mesure their maiestie their felicitie their riches their glory wyth those thynges that truelye and in dede make men greate and excellent Let them be of sâ—che a mynde towardes the commen weale as a father is towardes his familye A kynge shall esteme and iudge hym selfe greate and noble yf he commaunde and rule those that be good and happy yf he make his fortunate and welthy and noble yf he commaunde and gouerne those that are free and rych yf he haue rych subiects And floryshyng yf he haue Cities that floryshe with perpetuall Peace And y e noble men and magistrates shall ensue and folowe the mynd of the prince and shall measure all thinges with the coÌ„moditie and profite of the commeÌ„ wele and by this wayes meanes they shall far more iustly prouide for their owne commodities Shall a kynge that is of this minde besone mouid to extort monye of his subiectes to geue it vnto a barbarus and a straung souldier Shal he driue his to famyne and hunger to enriche certeÌ„ wickid Capitaines Shall he obiecte and cast his subiectes liues to so many daungers I thincke no. Lette him thus far exercyse his empeire that he beyng a man remember that he ruleth men a freman fre men and at lest a christen man christen meÌ„ And in like maner the people shal so far forth honor hym as it shall seme profitable for thee commen welth nor a good prince shuld aske nor exacte no nother thinge The consent and agremente of the citizens shal diminishe the cupidities of an euyl Prince Let the cause of priuate commoditie be farre of from them bothe Lette great honor be shewed vnto those that exclude warre and that by wyt or counsell shall restore concord and that goth aboute by all meanes not to gather to gether a greate strengthe and force of men and munition but that there be no nede of them The which most goodlye act and dede we rede that Dioclitianus one among so many empereurs in hys minde and thought conceyued But yf warre cannot be auoydyd yet let it be so vsyd that the myschyfe thereof maye fall vpon their heddes that gaue the occasion and causes thereof Nowe the princes make war in sauegard the captens encrece thereby the greteste parte of the euills and losses is powryd vpon the husband men and commen people vnto whom the warre pertayneth not nor that gaue no cause nor occasion ther of Where is the wisedome of the prince yf he waye not these thynges There must a mene be founde wherby it maye be appoynted that Empeirs chaung not nor as it were walke not vp downe so often for the renouation and renuynge of thinges dothe engender tumultes tumultes warre And this may easelye be done yf kinges children were maryed within the borders of their dominyon or if it so like him to marye theÌ„ to the borderers for so the hope of succession is cut of froÌ„ theÌ„ al. Nor let it not be lawful for the prince to alienate or to sell anye part of his dominion asthough free cyties were priuate lande For the cities which are rulid by kinges are fre cities and they which tyrannes ouerpresse doo serue Nowe by the alteration of suche mariages it chaunsith that he that is borne among Iryshe men shal sodenlye rule those of Inde or else he that rulid y e Syrians shal sodenly be kyng of England so it chaunseth that neither of thee realmes hath a prince for whilst he leauith the fyrst of the last he is not knowen and vnto them he is as a man borne in a nother worlde And in the mene seson that he purchaseth y e whylst he ouer coÌ„meth it whles he stablisheth it he coÌ„sumeth destroith the other sometime whylst he stodeth to embrace bothe he scacelye mete to rule one leseth both These princes wil once agre what eche of theÌ„ ought to rule and gouerne y â— no affinitie shal eâ—ther extend or diminishe the borders of their dominion once geueÌ„ delyuerd vnto theÌ„ nor no confederations exstirpe nor destroy theÌ„ And euery one of them shal labour and trauell asmuche as he may possible to adurne his part portioÌ„ geuing al his stody diligence vnto that parte onelye shall trauayle to leaue it enryched with al goodnes and ryches vnto his chyldren And by this menes it shal come to passe that in all places all thynges shall floryshe But amonge them selfes they muste be coupled and confederated not with affynytes nor with factious socyetes but with pure and syncere amytie cheyfly with coÌ„men and lyke stody of forderyng and encresyng the common welthe Let him succede the kyng that is eyther next of kyn or iudged most meete by the suffrages and voyces of the people and let it suffyce other to be reputed and counted noble amonge those that be honest It is a kyngly thynge not to know pryuate affections but to esteme al things for the publyke and common vtylytie Forthermore a Prynce shall exchewe longe peregrenacions yea he shulde neuer wyll ne desyre to passe beynge thee boundes and borders of his kyngdome and he shal remembre the saying approued by the longe coÌ„sent of worlds The forhed is more excellent than is y e hinder part A Prince shal esteme him self to be enryched not by the takyng awaye of other mens but yf he encrease his owne Whan warre must be entreted spoken of let hym not call yonge men to counsayle vnto whome warre is pleasaunte and swete because they are vnexperte how muche euyll and myscheyfe it hath and conteyneth nor those vnto whome it is profytable that
of debate and dyuysyon they dyuyde Fraunce and those thynges wyth vocables the whyche nother sea mountens nor true names of regions diuide Of French men they make Germaines that throughe the felowshyppe of the name amitie shoulde not growe and encrece Yf a Iudge in odious actions as of diuorse doth not lightlye receyue theyr controuersies nor admit euery probation why do these men in a thinge of all other most odious admit euery vayne and lighte cause But let them rather thinke and take the mater as it is that thys worlde is the commen countrye of all men Yf the tytle of the countrye do reconcile all men borne of the selfe same elders yf affynytye of bloude makethe frendes yf the churche be one famyly and equallye commen to al men yf the selfe same house do couple and ioygne frendshyppe it is mete that wyse and witty men should hange and cleue to thys parte Thou sufferest and berist sume thynges with thy father in lawe and for noo nother cause but because he is thy wyues father and beryst thou nothynge wyth hym that in feloweshyppe of relygyon is thy brother Thou forgeueste many thinges for the propinquintie and nighnes of kindred and forgeuest thou nothing for the affinite of religion Truely ther is no baÌ„d that bindeth more streyghtlye than the sodalitie and felowship of Christ. Why is that thing onely before our eies that doth exulcerate and hurte the harte Yf thou fauer peace thinke thus rether in thys he hath hurtyd me but at other tymes he hath often profited me or by some other mans impulsioÌ„ he hath hindred and hurted me And as they that call men to concorde laye the causes of dissention that were betwene AgameÌ„non Achilles as Homere doth write to the Godes Aten so let those thinges that at no time can be excusyd be imputyd to desteny or yf ye will to some euyl God and let hatred be translatyd from men into these thinges Why are they wyser to their owne destruction than to defende felicitie why are they more quicker of sighte to euill than to good They that are sumwhat more wyse doo or euer they go aboute any priuate mater delyuer consyder and loke aboute them but they theyr eies beynge closid and shut vp cast them selues hedling into warre namely whan it is once begunne it cannot be auoydyd yea of a litle it is made great and of one many and of an vnbluddy a bluddy and chefely whan that thys tempest doth not afflicte and punyshe one or two but in lyke maner incloseth al men Yf the coÌ„men people do lyghtly waye these thinges yet it is the princes and the nobilyties parte to ponder and way them It is the preistes parte by al meanes to stablyshe these thinges and to laye them vnto the wyllynge and vnwyllynge they wyll cleue and take place yf they be harde in all places But doste thou make warre Fyrste beholde what maner a thing peace is and what war is What profytte Peace bryngeth and what â—uyll and disprofite warre bryngeth and so shalte thou perceaue whether it be expediente to permytte and chaunge peace for war Yf it be a thing to be marueylde at a kyngedome floryshynge euerye where with all thynges with cities wel builded with feldes wel â—anerid tild with verye good lawes with moste honest disciplines w t moste holy maners thinke with thy selfe yf I make war this felicitie shalbe troubled by me On the other syde if thou at any time hast sene the ruine of Cityes thestretes decayed broken the churches consumyd with fire the feldes desolate and this miserable spectacle and syghte as it is is sene thinke this to be y â— frute of warre and battell Yf thou thinke it greuous to bring into thy country such a scelerate and fylthy company of hiryd souldiours to nouryshe fede theÌ„ with the dammage losse of thy Citizins to serue them to slatter them yea and to commit thy selfe thy helth to theyr arbytriment loke that thou thinke this to be the condition of war Yf thou abho thefte warre dothe teache it yf thou detest paracide that is learnt in war For howe shal he feare beyng moued to sley one that hyrid for so light a stipend doth sleye and murder soo manye Yf the neglectynge of the lawes be mooste presente pestilence of a coÌ„men wele the lawes in y t time of war shal kepe sileÌ„ce yf thou esteme adultery incest filthier thinges than those to be fylthye war is the mayster of all these thinges Yf impietie and the neglecting of religion be the spring of al euills these thyngâ—s by the tempestes of war are ouerthrownâ— Yf thou iudge the state of that comenwele to be euill wher they that ar worst may doo most in war they that are most scelerate and most euyll do reygne And theyr workes whome in time of Peace thou woulst crucify and hange vppe in war are chefest and most regardid For who canne better lede an armye be by-wayes than an exercised thefe whoo shall more strongelye robbe other mens houses or spoyle Churches than a breaker downe of walles or a sacrilegious person Whoo shall more coragiouslye smyte hys enemye or with his swerde drawe oute hys bowells than a swerd player or a paracide Who is so meete to set Cities a fyerâ— or ingentes of war than he that is a burner of houses who shall so wel contemne the perils of fludes and seas as a pirate exercised with long robbery Wilte thou manifestlye knowe see howe wicked a thâ—ng that warre is marke and consider those wel that doth make it Yf vnto a religious prince nothing should be more acceptid than the helth and welfayre of his subiectes this man most speciallye shoulde hate war Yf it be a princes felicitie to rule gouerne his daughters he muste most chefely embrace peace Yf we shuld principally wyshe vnto a good prince that he might rule those that were best he must nedes detest warre where outeflo with the pumpe of all impietie Yf he thinke al y t his citizins do possese to be hys he be all menes must nedes auoide war y e which so that it chauÌ„ce happely doth consume all mens substaunce and the thing that hath bene purchasid and gotten by honest artes and menes must be spent vpon a cruel sorte of hang meÌ„ Now they most diligeÌ„tly must way this thinge that euery mans one cause doth flatter hym and that euery mans hope doth please hym and whan it is moste often very euil yet vnto him that is mouyd it semeth most right and equal and this doth often times deceiue theÌ„ But faine the cause to be most iust faine the ende of the war to be moste profitable prosperous cast with thy selfe the incoÌ„modities wher with the war was made and the coÌ„modities the which thou hast obtaynyd and gotten by the victory and marke whether to wynne be of so gret a valure An vnbludlye victorye
coÌ„meth of these it commeth froÌ„ the self same founten equally it is commeÌ„ vnto all We haue al but one church the self same reward shall all meÌ„ haue And the celestial IherusaleÌ„ wher vnto christeÌ„ meÌ„ do suspire breth is namid of y e vision of peace wher of y e church in the mene while doth sustayne bere the figurâ— And how chaunsith â—t thaÌ„ that this doth so gretlye differ froÌ„ y t ensaÌ„ple Hath diligent nature profitid so litle hath Christe him selfe w t all hys coÌ„maundemenâ—s with so many misteries signes made nothing perfect yea euilthinges as the prouerbe saieth reconcile those y t be euill What is more frayle that the lyfe of maÌ„ what is shorter vnto how many infirmities chauÌ„ches is it subiect And yet seinge it hath more euylls of it selfe than it can well beare or suffer yet they as mad menne call vnto them selfes the greatest partâ— of all euylles So greate blyndnes dothe occupye the myndes of men that they see nothing of all these thynges they are soo dryuen that hedlyng that they breke and cutte of al the bandes of nature and of Christ and of confederations They fyghte in all places and often nor ther is no measure nor no ende Nation with natyon Citie with Citie Faction with Faction Prince with Prince is hurt and destroyed and for the folyshenes or ambition of two men the which shal shortly as it were with a feuer peryshe humayne maters are troubled and torned vpsyde downe But I wyll leue of the tragydies of the olde warre Let vs repete the Actes of a tenne yeares sense Among what nation dyd they not fight both by sea and by land moost cruellye What region whas not moysted wet with christen bloud What ryuer what sea was not infectid and dyed with humayne bloude O shame they fyghte more cruellye than Iewes than Ethnyckes than wyld beastes What war soeuer the Iewes hadde it was made agaynst straungers the which christen men should make against vice with the which there is now agrement warre is made againste men And yet Gods commaundement led the Iewes to battell But ambition yf thou Iudge thee thinge truely all cullers set apart dothe violently hale christen men clene ouerwarth and anger a very euyll counseyler doth dryue them and vnsaciate cupiditie of hauing doth drawe theÌ„ They were busy with foriners christen men are in leage with Turkes and amonge them selues they haue warre The desyre of glorye most commonly did stirre the Ethnicke tyranes to warre and yet they dyd soo subdue the Barbarus and wylde nations that it was expedyent for them to be subdude and that the victor should stody to be fauerd of those that were subdude And they labord asmuch as was possible that the victorye might be with out bloud that an honest fame and renome mighte be vnto hym that wanne and the victors benignitye a solace to those that were subdued But I am shamyd to remember for howe lyght and vayne causes christen princes prouoke the woâ—ld to war This prince doth finde out or fayneth some olde or currupte title asthoughe it wâ—re some great mater who should gouerne rule the kingdâ—me so that the commoditie profit of the comeÌ„ wele were sene vnto He findethe a faute that some what I cannot well tell you what is omyttyd in the confederation and leage of a hundred tiâ—les and articles Thys man is priuatelye offendyd with hym for hys spouse deceytfullye câ—nueyed away or for some lyght worde or mery scoffe frely spoken And ther be the which thing of all other is most scelerate and wickid that through a tyrannicall deceyte because the fele and perceiue their powre by the concord of the people to decaye by their dissention to be stablyshyd doo subourne and apoynt them that of purpose shall moue war that they may dyâ—ide those that be ioyned and the more licentiously and frely robbe and spoyle the vnfortunate people Other there be most nocent the whiche are nouryshed with the damages and losse of the people and in the tyme of peace haue lytle to do in the commen wele What infernall furis could send in such poysen into a christen hart Who hath taught christen men this tyranny The which neither any Dionisius nor any Mezentius hath knowne They are rather bestes than men and onely noble by tyranny nor no wheres noble nor wyse but to doo hurte and mischefe nor neuer in accorde and agrement but to oppresse the commen welth And they that do these thynges are taken and acceptid for christians and euery where thus pollutyd approche and come to the holye churches and Aulters O mooste pestylente personnes worthye to be into thee extreme Ilands exiled Yf chrysten men be the members of one body why dothe not euerye man reioyce of other mens felicitie and fortune Now yf that kingdome whiche bordereth vpon a nother doo floryshe in welth it is thoughte in a maner to be a iuste and a laweful cause to make warre For what other thinge yf we wyll speake the truthe hathe mouyd or shall moue soo manye to teare the kingdome of Fraunce with armes but because it is the most floryshynge of all other There is no kyngdome more ample and wyde nor noo wheres a more noble Senate no whers a more famous vnyuersitie no wheres more greater concorde and for y e cause most hyghest in power The lawes floryshe no wheres so greatlye Religyon no wheres more vntouchyd nor with y e inter medlyng of Iewes as among the Italions coâ—ruptid nor infectid with y e neygâ—bered of Turkes or Mores as among the Spanierdes and the Hugariens Germanye so that I speake nothynge of the Bohemes is into soo many kynges diuided that there is no maner a face of anye kyngdome Fraunce onely is as it were an vndesiled flowre of the christian dominion and as a most sure castell yf perchaunce anye tempest should aryse is many wayes inuadyd and with so many craftes and deceites molestyd nor for noo not her cause but that they should be yf there were in theÌ„ any vayne of a christian mynde mooste fayne and glad of And vnto these wyâ—kyd dedes they pretende a good and a iust title thus they past make awaye to amplyfy and to enlarge the empeirâ— of Chryst. O monstruous thinge they thinke that the commen wele of chrystendome is not wel counseylid nor prouided for excepte they ouerthrowe thee most beutifull and most fortunate parte of christendome What that intreating and doing of those thynges they passe the wyld beastes in cruelnes All kinde of beastes fyght not nor the conflictes of beastes ar not as we haue said before and it is more often to be repetyd spoken of that they maye the better remeÌ„ber it but agaynst a contrarye kynde of beastes An Adder doth not byte an Adder nor a Lynxe doth not teare a Lynxe in pecys And agayne whan
they fight they fighte with their owne weapons Nature hath armid them meÌ„ are borne vnarmyd O GOD immortall with what weapens doth anger arme a maÌ„ Christians doo inuade christen men w t the ingines of hell Who canne beleue that gounes were the inuention of maÌ„ Nor they runne not with so thicke nor with a multitude soo harde closyd together to their mutuall destruction Who euer sawe tenne lyons fyghte with ten bulles But howe often doo twentye thousand chrystyans fyghte with weapons with soo manye chrysten menne So muche pleasâ—re it is to hurte and so much pleasure to offende and to drawe oute the bloude of their Brethren Nor beastes for the most parte fyght not but whaÌ„ hunger or the care of their yonglinges do cause them to rage But what iniury is there so light vnto christen meÌ„ that semeth not a sufficient and a mete cause and occasyon of warre Yf thee comminaitye shoulde doo these thinges they myghte pretende ignoraunce yf they were youngemen lacke of knowledge might excuse them if they be prophayne personnes the qualitie of thee personne woulde alienate the cruelnes of the dede But nowe we see that the seede of warre dothe mooste cheyfelye sprynge of those by whose counsell and moderatyon it was meete and conuenient the motions of the people shuld be swagyd The ignoble and contemnyd bulgar people doo buylde excellent Cytyes and edifyed ciuylye they doo rule them and gouernynge them they inryche them Gouernours and rulers krepe into those Cytyes and as waspes and dorres they secretelye doo conueye and stele that that by other mens industrye and laboure is prouyded and gotten and that that of manye is wel hepyd together of a fewe is ill spente and that that is well buylded is most cruellye broughte to ruyne Yf they remember not the olde lette who so wyll remember with him selfe the battels warres that haue bene foughtenne and made thys tenne yeare and wayinge the causes he shall fynde that they for the prynces causes haue bene begoune and endyd with the greate dammage and losse of the people vnto whome they nothynge pertaynyd And that that in tymes paste amonge the Ethnickes and gentylles was estemyd fylthy an hore hedde as he sayth to were an helmette that is nowe laudable and praise worthy among christen men An olde souldyer vnto Naso is a fylthye thing and vnto these a warrier of three â—core and tenne is an excellent thynge Yea nor preistes truelye are not ashamed whome in time paste God in that bluddye and vnmeke lawe of Moyses would not they should be defiled wyth anye bloude Diuines the masters of the christian lyfe are not ashamyd the professours of the absolute religion are not a shamyd Byshoppes are not ashamyd Cardinals and the vicars of Chryst are not a shamyd to be the authors and fyre brandes of that thing the which Christ so greatly hath derestyd How doo myters and helmetes agree what hathe a crosyer or a shepe hooke to doo wyth a swerde what hath the gospell boke to do with a shylde Howe doth it agre to salute the people with peace and to stir and prouoke the worlde to mooste trobelous battells to geue peace with the tounge and in dede to sende in warre Doste thou with the selfe same mouthe where wyth thou preacheste peasable Chryste laude and prayse warre Syngest thou wyth the selfe same trumpet GOD and Satan Doste thou couerid with a coule incite at the holy Sermon the symple vnto murder the whyche of thy mouth lokydde for the Euangelycall doctryne Doste thou occupyinge the place of the Apostles teache that that is contrarye to the preceptes of the Apostles Arte thou not aferde leaste that that was sayde and spoken of Chrystes messengers howe goodlye be the fete of those that shewe forthe Peace good tydynges and helthe be turnyd cleane contrarye Howe fylthy is the tounge of preystes exhorting vnto warre incytynge to euyll prouokynge to death and murder Amonge the Romaynes as yet wyckedly religious he that toke vpon hym to be thee hygh Byshop dyd assure with an othe as the custome was to kepe hys handes clene and pure from bloude and so that beinge hurte he shoulde not be reuengyd And Tytus Uaspacyan an Ethnycke Emperour kept and performyd the faythe of thys othe constantlye and it is praysyd of the Ethnycke wryters But O shamefastnes vtterlye taken from manne preystes dedycated amonge Chrysten men vnto GOD and Mounckes the whiche pretende a further holynes than these inflame meÌ„ to murders and slaughters And they make of the trumpette of the Gospell Mars trumpet and forgettynge theyr dignytie they curse and runne vppâ— and downe and suffer all thynges so they maye styrre vppe warre and throughe these men Princes the whiche peraduentre woulde be quyte arâ— inflamed to warre by whose auctorytie it was meete and conuenyente that they beynge in tumultes and stryfe shoulde haue bene quyet Yea they them selfes the whiche thynge is more prodygyous and wonderfull doo fyghte and euen for thee selfe same thynges that the Phylosophers amonge the wycked contemned the contempt whereof is peculyer and proper vnto menne apostolycall A fewe yeares synce whan the worlde was violentlye drawen by a certayne fatall sore and dysease vnto warre the euangelycall preachers that is the gray and the blacke Fryers song and blewe vp theyr trumpets and kindled them more and more that of theyr owne accorde were inclyned to furiousnes Among Englyshe men they encoraged them agaynst the Frenchemen and amoge the Frenchmen they hartoned them agaynste thee Englyshemen they instygated and prouoked al men to warre No man prouoked to peace except one or two for me to haue named them was vnto them in a maner death The holy Byshoppes forgettyng theyr dignitie and professyon ran hether and thether sharpening and troubling most diligently the publyke sores plages of the world And on y e one part they pricte forwardes Pope Iuly on the otherside Kings as though they were not madde ynoughe of them selfes to haste to set forwards the warre yet we cloke this manifest madnes w t magnificent tytles To this point a lytel we wrest y e lawes the wâ—itings of good men the wâ—râ—es of Scripture most shamefully I wil not say wickedli Yea y e thing is almost come to this point y t it is folishnes wickednes too once to opeÌ„ thy mouth against war and to prayse that that is onely praysed by the mouth of Chryste He semeth to counsell the people very slenderly and to fauer the prince very litle that counseleth the thing of all other most helthsome and disswadeth from the thynge of al thinges most pestilent Now preistes doo folowe the Hostes. Byshoppes bere a rule in the Hostes and leuynge their churches they do Bellonas busynesses Yea warre doth nowe ingender and make preistes it maketh Byshops it maketh Cardinales of the which honorable tytles the legate of the campe is
had and estemid worthye of the successours of the Apostles And it is the lesse to be marueld at yf they whome Mars engendred doo desyre warre And to thentent the sore should be the worse to be helyd they culler such wickednes with the figure and face of pietie The ensignes and standardes haue câ—osses The wicked souldier and hyryd for monie to teare murdre men doth bere before hym the sygne of the crosse that that onely is able to disswade warre is the sygne of war O thou wicked souldiour what hast thou to do with y e crosse with these and such mindes and dedes Dragons Tigers and Woules drawe together Thys signe is his that hathe wonne not by war but by death which sauid and lost not the whych thing the enemies with whome thou hast to doo yf soo be thou be a chrysten man maye most chefely warne the how y e maiste obtayne the vpper hand Thou making hast to destroye thy brother dost bere y e ensygne of helthe and with the crosse dost lese and destroye him that is sauyd by the crosse What a thing is this that men euen from those secrete and reuerent Sacramentes runne to warre for these also are brought into the hoste in the which most specially is representyd the chefest concord of christen men and drawe theyr nakyd swerdes agaynste their brethren and make Chryst a loker one yf he vouchesafe there to be presente of suche a wycked dede as of all other is mooste acceptable and gratious vâ—to the wycked spyrites Fynallye the Crosse of Chryste whych thyng is most absurde and not to be harde dothe shyne and is secrete and holy in both the hostes and battells What a monstrus thynge is thys Dothe the Crosse fight againste the Crosse Doth Chryst make war against Christ Thys sygne of a chrysten name is wont to feare the enemies Why doo they fight against that that they adore and worshyppe I besâ—che you what dothe the souldyer pray in these Sacryfyces Oure Father O vnshamefaste face darste thou call hym father that goest aboute to sleye thy Brother Halowid be thy name Howe canne the name of GOD be more dishonestyd than wyth these tumultes that are amonge you Thy kyngedome come Prayste thou soo that wyth suche aboundaunce of bloud goest aboute tyrannye Thy wyll be fulfyllyd in Earthe as it is in Heauen Hys wyll is to haue Peace and preparest thou warre Thou of oure commen father desyrest dayly bred and yet thou dost burne thy Brothers corne and haddest rather it shoulde peryshe as concernynge thy selfe than profyt hym Now w t what mouth shalte y u say thys And forgeue vs oure â—respasses as we forgeue those that trespasse agaynst vs that dost make hast to sley thy Brother Thou that with thy owne peryll doste drawe thy brother into peryl and daunger dost praye that thou mayst auoyde the daunger of tentation Thou desyrest to be deliueryd from euyl by whose instincte and motion thou craâ—tly gâ—ste about to do thy brother al euil misâ—hif Plato denide it to be calde war that y e Gretians shuld moue agaynst y e grekes it is seditioÌ„ saith he And vnto these war is sacrete and holy the which a christyan for euery light cause w t such sâ—â—ldiours armur maketh agaynste another The lawes of y e Ethnickes do cast him sowde in a bagge of leather into a ryuer that doth moyst or wet his swerd with the bloud of his brother Are they lesse brethren whom Christ hath coplid than they whome consanguinitie hath ioygned And yet here is a rewarde for the paracyde O the myserable chaunce of those that war He y t ouercuÌ„meth is a paracyde he that is ouerthrowne doth peryshe and yet that notwithstandyng he because he went about to murder his parents is culpable of paracide And after all this they detest and curse the Turkes as wycked personnes and alienate from Chryste euen asthoughe that they whan they do these thynges were chrystyans or asthoughe a more pleasaunte spectable coulde be exhybytyd vnto the Turkes than yf they sawe them wyth mutuall and lyke weapens kyll them selues The Turkes doo sacryfyce vnto deuylles but whan there is noo sacryfyce more acceptable vnto them than yf one chrystyan sley another what other thynge dost thou then but that that they doo Furthermore the wycked sprytes whan that he in lyke maner that kylleth and he that is kyllyd are made a sacrifice haue a doble sacrifyce who so fauerth the Turkes or is a frend vnto deuylls doth ofteÌ„tymes offer suche lyke sacrifices But I longe sense do here what excusys witty and wyse meÌ„ shal make to their owne destructioÌ„ They coÌ„plaine that they are compellyd and drawne vnto warre agaynst theyr wylles Laye of thys vyser and excuse awaye wyth thesâ— coulers counsell with thy owne breste and conscience thou shalte fynde that anger ambition folyshenes do drawe the hether and no necessitie except paraduenture thou vnto this ende dost mesure necessitie yf in all poyntes it satisfyth not thy mynde Carrye these fayre wordes vnto the people god is not derided nor with cullers deceyuyd And in the mene whyle solem supplications processions are made peace is desirid prayd for with gret and loude clamurs we crye oute with marueilous gret lowinges graunt vs peace we praye thee here vs. Shall not god iustly annswere these Why do ye laugh me to scorne ye praye me to put of that wyllynglye ye do call vnto you ye refuse by prayerâ— that ye are authors of Yf euery offence causeth warre who hath not a cause to complayne hym Mannye thynges chaunce betwene the husbande and the wyfe the whyche must be wynckydde at excepte thou hadst rather that beneuolence and loue shuld be broken And yf there be anye such sprunge amonge prynces what nede is there by and by to be drawne to warre There be lawes there be lerned men there be worshyppefull Abbotes there be reuerent Bâ—shoppes by whose helthesume counsell the tumultes of thynges may be composyd and swagyd Why doo they not rather make these men arbytrers the whyche they cannet obtayne to be soo vniust vnto them but that they shall departe with lesse hurt than they shoulde by the experience and profe of war There is scacely any peace so euiâ— but that it is better than the most equal war First ponder euery singuler thing that requyreth or that bringeth in war and thou shalt perceiue how gret gaine thou shalte haue The auctoritie of the Pope is mooste excellent but whan naâ—ions and princes do striue tumultuously with wicked warre and that manye yeares where is then the Popes auctoritie where is the powre than next â—nto Chryste In thys thynge â—ertaynelye it shoulde be shewed yf they were not bâ—wnde with like cupidities The pope calleth to war men doo obeye the selfe same calleth to peace why doo they noâ— obey in like maner Yf they rather desir peace why did
publyke tranquilytie be troubled nor those the whiche are nouryshed and made fat with the calamyties of thee people He shall call wyttye auncient and olde men whose mercy and beneuolence is knowen vnto the countrye Nor let not war be moued for the pleasure or lust of one or two the whiche once begonne is not easelye ended It is a moste peryllous a daungerous thing except it be taken in hand by the consent of all the people The occasyons and causes of warre muste euen oute of hande beforetolde and declared But yet certayne must be wynked at for gentylnes shall inuyte and prouoke gentylnes Some tymes peace muste be boughte And yf thou caste what warre shall consume and waste and that thou shalte kepe thy Cytizyns from destruction it shall seme although thou dyddest bye it full dearelye to be boughte for lytell And whan a greate dâ—ale moore besydes the bloude of thye Cytizyns shoulde haue bene spente in warre thou shalte reken howe greate and manyfolde euylles thou exchuidst and howe muche goodnes thou defendidst so shalt thou not repente the of thy expenses and charges In the meane tyme lette Byshoppes doo theyr offyce and dueties Lette Preystes be truelye Preystes Lette Monkes remembre theyr professyon Let Dyuynes teache that is worthye and meete for Chryste Let all menne conspyre agaynst warre Let all menne barke agaynst it Lette all menne preache extole and inculcate peace pryuatelye and apertlye Then yf they cannot brynge it to passe that it be not ended by the swerde yet certes they shall not approue it nor be present thereat nor that any honoure by theyr aucthorytie be hadde or gyuen too suche a wycked or to suche a suspecte thynge Let it be suffycyente for those that be slayne in battell to be buryed in Prophayne and vnhallowed grounde And yf there be any good in this kynd the whiche surelye are very fewe they shall not for these thynges be defrauded or lease theyr rewarde But the euyll and wycked the whyche are manye shall not be pleased that thys honours be taken from theym I speake of these warres that commonlye Chrysten men make agaynst Chrysten men Nor I meane nor thynke not soo of those that with a symple and a relygyous stodye and dylygence doo repell thee vyolente incâ—rcyons of thee Barbaryens and with theyr owne peryll defende the publyke and common tranquylytie Nowe the Trophees and sygnes of theyr victoryes dyed and stayned with the bloud of those for whose saluacyon Chryste shedde his bloude are auaunced and set vp in temples among the Images of the Apostles and Martyres as thoughe that hereafter it be a Relygious worke not to be made Martyres but too make Martyres It were suffycyente ynoughe that these thynges were kepte in a place of iudgement or in an armary for it is not conuenient y t any thing defylyd with bloude shoulde be receuid into the holy churche the which oughte to be most clene and pure Preistes consecratid vnto God shuld not be presente but to destroye and disanull warre for if they consent and agre vnto these thynges and euery where inculke and repete the same it wylbe of greate force strength But if this be a fatall disese of mans wyr that be no meanes it cannot endure with out war yet let this euyll then rether be shed against the Turkes althoughe it were better to alure them by doctrine good dedes and by the innocency of lyfe to Christes religion theÌ„ to inuade them with war But if war as I haue sayde cannot in no wyse be auoided yet that were a liter an â—esier harme than that christen men should so wickedly make war and be hurt and destrâ—yde among them selfes And if mutuall charitie doâ— not vnite them some commen enemye by some meanes or other shall ioygne them soo that there shalbe as it were a certayne concorde althoughe that true concord be absente and lackynge Finally it is a great part of peace from the hart to wyll Peace All such vnto whom peace is plesaunt do receaue al occasioÌ„s of peace y â— things which do withstande it either they neglecte them or ells they remoue them suffer manye thinges so thaâ— soo greate goodnes may be safe and sounde They searche the begynnynge and causes of war the thinges that pertaine to peace they prayse them or else they dissemble them but that that doth tende towards warre they encrese and make it worse I am a shamyd to open for howe vayne tryflynge maters they exciâ—e and stirre greate tragedies aâ—d howe great tempestes doo ryse of so smale sparcles TheÌ„ that greate multitude of iniuryes is remembred and euerye man dothe heape on hys owne euills and iniuryes done vnto him but in the mene space of good dedes there is noo remembraunce but depe forgetfulnes soo that thou shalte truelye swere that they desyre and couette warre And oftentimes their are pryuet matters of princes the which coÌ„pel y e world to war But the cause why that warre shuld be takeÌ„ in hand should be publike and more thaÌ„ euident But whaÌ„ ther is no cause they faine causes of dissentioÌ„ abusing y e vocables of couÌ„tris regions to y e nourishmeÌ„t of hatreds noble men do nourishe encrese this error of y e folyshe people abuse it to their owne profyte and commoditie certeÌ„ preistes also doo nourishe these things The englishe maÌ„ is enemi vnto y e french maÌ„ for no nother cause but y t he is a french maÌ„ The englyshe maÌ„ for no nother cause doth hate a Scot but bicause he is a Scot. The Germaine is at debate with the frenchman the Spaniarde w t them bothe O ouerwartnes The vaine vocable of y e place disioyneth men Why shuld not so many thinges rather reconcile theÌ„ Thou Englishe man dost hate a french man why dost not thou a man rether be welwillyng vnto maÌ„ a christian man vnto a christian Why can so voyde and soo lyght a matter do more with these men than so manye bandes of nature or of Chryst The place doth seperate and diuide mens bodies but not theyr mindsâ— In times past the Rhene separatyd the french man from the Germaine but the Rhene doth not separate a christian froÌ„ a christian The mountens pyrines dyuide the Spaniardes from the Italiens but the same diuide not the communion of the Churche The Sea diuideth englyshe men from frenche men but it dyuideth not the societie and felowshyppe of relygyon Paule the Apostle disdayneth to here these voyces among christeÌ„ men I am Apollos I am Cephas I am Paules disciple Nor he suffereth not wycked names to diuide Chryste reconcylynge all thynges and we iudge the commen vocable and name of a country to be a graue and a wayghty cause why one nation should bende towardes the destruction of a nother Nor thys surely vnto somme mennes myndes is not suffycyente for thou doste here that shrewdelye and of purpose they doo seke occasyons