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
in daunger wyllyngly to cast out some of hys goodes but that he had leuer loose some parte for sauynge of the reste then loose altogether and hym selfe to Wherfore all suche as feare punishment it is better for theÌ„ with a shorte punishmente to paye their raunsom then w t vnlawful eschewinge thereof fall in daunger of perpetual punishmeÌ„t Cause then haue they none yf they well consider to make rebellion for feare of punyshement Some there hath bene in the world that by reason they did see their prince lacke good qualities or for that he was croked or deformed or that he was a noughty vicious liuer haue rebelled because they thoughte by y â— meanes to get theÌ„ another But such litle remeÌ„bred the sayinges of Salomon Iob y t I recited before of whyche the one telleth vs that kynges and rulers be appoynted by God and the other that God oftentimes sendeth a noughtye dissemblyng Prince for the synnes of the people For yf the prince lacke good qualities it is not oure part to fynde faute with him but to desire GOD to sende him better Or yf he be deformed we blame the worke of God yf we disprayse him For he made not him selfe but god made him Or yf he lyue vitiouslye we be bounde to praye God hartely that he wil vouchesafe to amende him and to send him good counseyle that maye and wyll earnestlye admonyshe him As for to rebell agaynst him because Goddes lawe and the lawes of manne to do expresselye forbydde it we oughte euermore to auoyde But now let vs well weye the cause of those that rebell for religion sake whyche is thought to some a mooste vrgent weyghtye cause Here men wyll saye that yf they be constreyned by superiour poweâ—s to forsake anye parte of their fayth by which they are wel assured to be saued that then they must rather obeye God then man and put their lyues in ieoperdie rather theÌ„ they wil leaue their religion This is verye wel sayde and euerye Christen man must so do But howe shuld we obeye rather God then man or howe ought we to put our lyues in ieoperdie Must we take the sworde in oure handes and playe the part that Peter did at the takyng of oure Sauiour shall it not be sayde then vnto vs as it was sayd to S. Peter at the same time Put vp your swordes For whosoeuer taketh a sword intending to smite therwyth shall peryshe by the sworde â–ª Had not Peter think you as good cause to defend his mayster Christ as anye man hath to defende his fayth and religion Yes truelye For yf we haue any cause to defend our fayth by the sworde then as good cause had saynte Peter therewyth to defende our sauioure the author of fayth Why dyd not the holy Apostles when they were commauÌ„ded that they shulde preache no more in Christes name that they were beaten for the same defende them selfes by stronge hande and fight with their enemyes in such a good quarell Or why did they patiently suffre persecution and went their waye much reioysyng that they were thought worthye to suffre rebuke and displeasure for the name of Iesu It is not in thys warre y t menne make for their Lorde Christ as it is in the warre betwixte prince and prince For in the warre of worldly princes suche alway gette the victory as eyther by force beate downe their enemyes or by policye putte them to flyght But in Christes warre those wynne the fielde that beare awaye the strokes he that suffreth most getteth y e moste noble victory For the blessed martyr Ignatius when he was conueyed out of Syria to Rome by tenne rigorous and rough souldyars whome for theyr crueltye he calleth tenne leopardes and was miserablye torne in peaces by wylde beastes â–ª got a more excellent victorye then euer dyd eyther Scipio Africanus or Pompeius Magnus two of the mooste noble captaynes of the Romaynes And yet dyd he neuer eyther grudge at the matter or giue them euil wordes or lyfte vp hys hande to smyte eyther man or beast but most feruently desyred to be beateÌ„ buffeted to be assaulted him selfe tormented For by that meanes was he assured that he shoulde receaue at Christes hande the victorious crowne in martyrdome as it doth wel appeare by his owne wordes in an epystle that he wrote to y e Romaynes wherin he saith thus Wolde to god I had y e beastes y t are prepared to deuoure me whome shortlye to find out is mine earnest desire whome I shall flatter make muche of to thintente they may out of hand deuoure me For I wolde not they shulde so handle me as they haue done other whome for feare thei did not ones touche But if so be they be lothe to medle with me I shal prouoke them to teare me PardoÌ„ me good frendes I praye you for I know whâ—t is expediente for me Nowe begynne I to be Christes So surely it fareth in a coÌ„mon welth when as the people grudge y t their heades gouernours lyue at ease and eate vp al as they thinke that they wyth muche toyle and trauayle haue gotten iudging him to be an ydle and an vnnecessarye membre therfore do they coÌ„spire rebel agaynst him So y t therby it cometh to passe y â— with miserable spoyle cruel bloudshede y e members of all the common welthe are in short space most miserably coÌ„sumed wasted Therfore lette no man that eyther loueth god his contry or hym selfe when as he is oppressed go aboute to seke remedy by rebellion seinge y t both his cause is very nought and that therby he shall not only prouoke Goddes wrath agaynst hym but also put his contry and hym selfe to in ieopardye of destroynge But nowe there be an other sort that are so sore inflamed with ambition desire of honor y t thei think euery howre a day and euery day a yeare vntyll they may winne their wicked purpose They be like to men that be sicke of a feruent burninge feuer whiche drinke styl and euer are drye and the more that they drink the more they desier to drink Euen so it fareth wyth ambitiouse folke whiche yf they come to anye worshippefull estate are not so contented but labour by al maner of meanes still to clyme higher when neyther by flattery nor frindshippe nor liberall rewardes they caÌ„ satisfie their wretched desier then fall they to conspiracy folow the steppes of cursed Catiline whiche made men wene that he mynded to reforme the common welthe of Rome restore y e libertie therof when he intended nothinge elles but to put downe the noble and wise rulers of y e citie and place him selfe his complices in their honorable rowines But he was shortly spied out and by the wyse policye of Cicero cleane disappoynted of hys purpose What made Caesar and Pompeye the great to make ciuil warre but
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
An exhortation to all menne to take hede and beware of rebellion wherein are set forth the causes that commonlye moue men to rebellion and that no cause is there that ought to moue any man therevnto with a discourse of the miserable effectes that ensue thereof and of the wretched ende that all rebelles comme to moste necessary to be redde in this seditiouse troublesome tyme made by Iohn Christoferson ¶ At the ende whereof are ioyned two godlye Prayers one for the Quenes highnes verye conuenient to be sayd dayly of all her louing and faythfull Subiectes and an other for the good quiete estate of the whole realme ¶ Reade the whole and then Iudge ¶ To the mooste excellent and vertuouse Queene Marye by the grace of GOD Quene of England Fraunce and Irelande and defendour of the fayth Iohn Christoferson her graces Chapleyne dayly oratour wisheth a long a quiete and a prosperous reygne with the daylye encrease of al godly vertue LYke as there be manye and sondrye diseases most gratious Soueraigne which chaunsing to a mans body so sore manye times trouble and vexe the same that they not onlye put it in great perill and daunger of death but also at lengthe kill and destroye it altogether So in a realme or common welth whiche maye well be compared to a mans bodye there are manye sore sicknesses that oftentimes so greuously noye the same that yf remedye be not founde out betime they not only put it in great daunger of perishynge but also in conclusion worke the vtter ruine and destruction thereof And as when the bodye is sicke Phisitions by frendes are diligently sought for and medicines to cure the sicknes be with all spede prepared So in a realme or common welth that is with anye sore sicknes infected euerye one that fauoureth the same is bounden to seke remedye therfore For yf frendes for a priuate mans sake wil when his bodye is diseased gladlye take paynes bothe to learne what disease he is troubled with and also to gette â—ome good Physycke for him to thintent he may be deliuered from his disease and restored to his helth agayne muche more all those that loue their countrye the coÌ„mon welthe thereof whensoeuer it is with anye troublesome sicknesse anoyed ought earnestly to trauayle first to know what the sicknes is and then to prouide some holsome medicines to put it away yea and to seke al meanes possible clearely to delâ—uer their countrye from all perill daunger thereof We reade in the excellent Historiographer Herodotus howe that the Babilonians made a lawe that whensoeuer anye man fell sicke amonges them he shuld be caried into y e market place and there lye to thintent that he might demaunde of euerye one that repayred thither whether they hadde bene troubled with the like disease how they were cured made hole so that the sicke man lying there might by the same meanes that they had vsed be deliuered froÌ„ his sicknesse and recouer his helth agayne And by that lawe also euery man that came thither was bounde bothe to aske the man what sicknes he had and also to shewe him yf he knewe any remedye that were good for it By the example whereof euery one that hartelye loueth his countrie earnestly tendereth the helth welthe of the same whensoeuer he seeth the body thereof which lieth open before al mens eyes with any kind of disease infected â–ª hathe learned what the sicknesse is and eyther by experience or otherwise can tel what is good for it is bound in conscience to declare it to thende that his couÌ„try which is so vexed may find some reliefe and fare the better by it For he muste consider that in relieuing the whole bodye he relieueth him selfe to beyng a membre thereof For lyke as when the body is sicke all the members be partakers of the griefe and payne that it suffreth So agayne when the body findeth any ease the meÌ„bres to find great reliefe therin Wherfore I for my parte because I playnlye se that the bodye of my countrye which I do greatlye lamente hathe bene lately sore troubled with y e greuâ—us sicknes of rebellioÌ„ and as yet perhappes hathe some seditiouse folkes in it thought it my moste bounden duetie to set forth in writynge suche a poore medicine for the relieuing of the same disease as I iudged mete coÌ„uenient therefore And albeit there be many remedies â–ª which be noted of learned men good writers whereby this grieuouse disease is wont to be cured as diligent inquisition that no vnlawful assembles be gathered as graue and wise counseile that when such are made they may be shortly by policie dissolued as reasonable coÌ„ditions for the dissoluing therof to be offred as force of armes when as no other meanes wil serue as due execution of iustice vpon all such as be offenders therin as taking awaye of the causes whereof rebellion commonlye groweth and as that al suche as haue rebelled be spoyled of theyr harnesse wherewith they defended themselfes in the time of rebellion with diuerse other suche lyke remedies yet in mine opinion no more fitter remedye can there be founde then that seditiouse mens hartes by gentle exhortatioÌ„ maye be throughly persuaded firste that in rebellyng they mooste grieuously offende their lord God so putte their soules in ieopardie secondarely y t they go aboute thereby to destroye theyr bodies which shal therfore be put to a moste vyle and shamefull death thirdly that they shall loose al y t they haue by meanes therof vndo theyr wiues and children disfame all their posteritie laste of all that they shal be occasion that their countrie shalbe most miserablye spoyled and come to vtter ruine For no man is so farre from al reason I truste or so blinded with malice that will not eyther with the feare of Gods plages or with the daunger of his soule or wyth the death of his body or wyth the care that he taketh for his wyfe and children or with the losse of his goodes his good name to or with the destruction of his countrie be moued to take hede alwaye and be well ware that he neuer auenture for any cause at all to rebell agaynste his prince whome he is by God coÌ„maunded mooste huÌ„bly to obeye And we reade in good writers that many rebellioÌ„s haue bene appeased by the good discrete exhortations of wise and learned men For the people of Rome wheÌ„ they were gathered together in a hyll called the holye hyll neare vnto y e riuer of Aniene thre myle froÌ„ the citie were fully minded to make rebellion agaynst their rulers Marcus Valerius by a wise an eloquent oration that he made brought so to passe that theyr heartes were by by so well pacified that they quietly departed euerye one home to theyr houses The lyke dyd Lucius Valerius Potitus at such tyme as the people of Rome had coÌ„spired
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
they haue For he were a very foolishe marchaunt me thynke that when he passeth by the sea hath a fayre wind to driue him to the coÌ„mon hauen where he shoulde arriue wold leaue his coÌ„mon course and trustyng that by saylyng throughe a certeyne daungerous sea he shuld come to a coÌ„trye where he shoulde fynde muche riches and althoughe he were in maner assured that in that peryllous passage he shulde drowne his shyppe and hym selfe to yet wold he adueÌ„ture and so loose all the substaunce that wyth great trauayle he had gotten before Wherfore all they that by rebellion seke to be riche seke in dede to be poore Insomuche that suche haue no cause why they shoulde rebell but greate cause haue they why they shuld by all meanes auoyde rebellioÌ„ both for that they most greuously offende theyr lord God therby also that when soeuer it chaunseth they stand in daunger of loosyng all that they haue and theyr lyues to And as for ryches seynge it oftentimes hurteth manye y t haue it and that it is a greate care both safely to kepe it and godlye to bestowe it I meruayle that men eyther make so muche of it or wyll by vnlawfull meanes go aboute to get it For saynte Augustyne sayeth That yf we lacke worldly ryches let vs not by wycked wayes seke it here in this worlde and yf we haue it let vs by good dedes doyng lay it vp in heauen Whych thyng consydered let all riche men contente them selfes with that y â— they haue and care more for the well bestowynge of it then for the gettynge of more and alway beware that neyther by rebellion nor by no other vnlawfull meanes they seke for ryches But nowe let vs see what cause they haue to rebell that be sore oppressed with taxes and tributes with pollynge pilling with rentes raysed and with pastures enclosed such perhappes haue cause to complayne but no cause at all to make rebellion but put the cace that y â— prince be a noughty man and so sore infected w e the sinne of couetousnes that he passeth not howe he come by money so that he haue it so polleth the people with sore subsidies to satisfie hys vnsaciable auarice withal must men therfore being thus piteously pylled reuenge their owne quarell and rebell agaynste hym and goo aboute so to set theÌ„ selfes at libertie or rather putte their whole matter to god pray to hym earnestlye to be their succoure For it is wrytten of the children of Israell when they were in Aegypte and were w t intollerable laboure and trauayle very sore afflicted by Pharao king of that contry howe that thei went vnto hym complained of their grefe made humble requeste that they myght be more easely delt with but nothinge got they at his hande but a frowarde answere And albeit that they coulde haue no remedy yet wold they not rebell agaynst him but went to Moyses and AaroÌ„ made their coÌ„playnt to them said Oure lorde loke vpon vs. and iudge our cause by reason wherof Moyses sayd to god why lorde dâ—ste thou suffre thy people thus to be troubled Then sayde oure lorde god to hym agayne Tell the children of Israell that I wyll both leade them oute of the paynfull prison of the AegyptiaÌ„s wherin they be so sore afflicted and also deliuer them oute of their thaldome and bondage â–ª If men that be vnder an euill prince wolde earnestly weye this storye they might learne two profytable lessoÌ„s of it one to make their complaynt to y e prince and humbly desire him to relieue them and not by force to resist him and rashely to rebel agaynst him another to committe their matter to god and complayne to hym and truste suerly that he will at lengthe deliuer them from their trouble as he dydde the children of Israell Agayne y e chyldren of Israel when they were made slaues to Chusan Rasathaun the kyng of Mesopotamia and lyued vnder hym in sore seruitude the space of viij yeare they went not about to ryse agaynst hym and so to deliuer them selfes oute of bondage but called to GOD for helpe and succoure and he deliuered them by the helpe of Othoniel And after that likewise wheÌ„ they were brought into bondage by Eglon the kyng of Moab and lyued vnder hym in great thraldome misery .xviij. whole yeares together they made no insurrection agaynste hym that by that meanes they myghte be deliuered but humblye suited to God for ayde who mercifully lokyng vpon them delyuered them by the handes of Aod the sonne of Gera. Wherfore yf it chaunce at any time that an euil Prince hath the gouernement of a realme let the people first make theyr humble petition to the prince and beseche hym to be fauourable to them and yf that wyl not auayle them to seke then to his counseyle and coÌ„playne vnto them desyryng them to gyue him good aduertisemeÌ„t and entreate hym to be good to hys subiectes for oftentymes good counseyle maye do muche in suche a cace And let them neuer contrary to gods wyll pleasure eyther iudge of their Princes coÌ„ditions because God is his iudge nor seditiously lyfte vy theyr swordes agaynste hym but folowynge the example of the chyldren of Israel let them wholy referre their cause to God make their humble petition to hym to be relieued and they shal vndoubâ—edlye at his handes haue remedye Furthermore it were wysedome too thinke yea we must neades beleue it to that Princes are appoynted by God for Salomon sayth in the person of wisdome which is God him selfe That by me kynges haue their rule And then to ponder wel with our selfes for what purpose God hath sent vs suche a wicked prince whether through our noughtye lyfe we haue deserued to haue such a noughtye ruler or y t God hathe suffred him to reygne ouer vs for a trial of oure patience If we haue deserued by our noughtye demeanour to haue suche one as it may well be that we haue for Iob sayth â–ª that god sendeth a noughty dissembling ruler for the synnes of the people then let vs do penaunce betyme and by feruent prayer aske God hartely of pardon desyre hym that wheÌ„ he hath wel punished vs to be merciful vnto vs and deliuer vs from our misery alway earnestly beseche hym to giue y â— prince grace to amend for so shal we both helpe to saue him our selfes to Agayn if such one be suffred to rule ouer vs for a trial of oure patience theÌ„ leest we loose our patience the reward therof w t al let vs patieÌ„tly beare him by patient suffringe encrease our patience Furthermore yf be that we be by him so sore afflicted that we can not possibly beare suche a burden anye longer then muste we call to God for helpe and comfort â–ª At whych tyme wythout doubte he wyll saye thus For the misery that the neady
bounde his handes behynde hym That done he made his feruente prayer to GOD. Whyche ones ended they set the stacke of woode on fyre where was sene a wōderful miracle For y e flame of fire lyke to a sayle clothe puffed ful of winde compassed his body much like a vaulte and his fleshe within was like burnynge golde And there was felt a swete odour commynge from hym lyke frankensence lye killed and the other by a conspiracye murdred in the common counseyle house of Rome Therefore ambition may be wel compared to a viper whose bely the yonge vipers that she hath conceaued eate oute and so destroye her For euery ambitious wretche that seketh by sedition to obteyne his purpose when he hathe conceaued his trayterouse diuises goeth aboute to put them in practise he accordyng to the vipers example is by the same broughte to his destruction So dyd it happen to Absalon in old time whych hauyng a very ambitious mynde sought by al meanes possible to withdrawe the hartes of the people from his good godlye father king Dauid And standynge at the entrynge in of his fathers gate said vnto euery one that came thither as a suiter of what citie arte thou or what is thy matter Whych when he had hearde me thinke quod he thou sayest good reason but alas that I were a iudge that al men that haue anye matter in suite might come vnto me to thintent that I might giue iust iudgement in his behalf And vnto euerye one y t came vnto hym and hayist hym he put forth his hand and not only louingly embraced him but kyndely kyssed hym to supposing by that meanes to winne the heartes of the people Whyche done he gathered a great armye and made rebellion agaynste his owne naturall and most louynge father thereby to dispossesse him of his crowne But in the fielde a great nombre of his menne were slayne and he hym selfe rydynge throughe a thycke woode was taken betwixt y e bowes of a tree and piteously hanged by the heere of hys heade So that through hys presumptuouse ambitiō whiche he thoughte to satisfye by rebellion he came to a miserable wretched end Wherfore all ambitiouse folkes that auenture suche cursed enterprises let thē loke for the lyke yf they take not hede beware betyme For what broughte the wretched tyraunte Maximus to vtter ruine but that in the Emperoure Theodosius dayes when Valentinian to whom thēpire of the West partes apperteyned was but a childe he made a sore rebellion was in good hope by force of armes to obteyne themperiall crowne But Theodosius themperour being at the same time in the Easte partes sore agreued with those newes gathered a great power to fyght agaynst this rebelliouse tyraūt Maximus And came in al haste to Melane where the tyraunte was Then the souldiars of Maximus hearyng of the cōming of themperour Theodosius were sore affrayed of the matter streyght waye toke Maximus amonge them bounde him and ledde him by and by to Theodosi◠us Who anone after receaued the rewarde of his rebellion vnto whyche his ambitious heart had broughte hym Agayne what a wretched end had Andragathius an ambitiouse wretche who by a priuie conspiracie kylled Gratianus themperour Dyd he not in conclusion as sone as he hearde that Maximus his mayster was putte to death lepe into a riuer and drowned him selfe We reade also of one Eugenius a tyraunte that in the sayde Emperours dayes blinded with ambition aduentured too conspyre the yonge Emperoure Ualentinians death And that he might more easelye brynge hys matter to passe he vsed the counseyle and ayde of Arbogastus a man mete for suche a purpose These two together wanne wyth fayre wordes and large promises themperours chamberlaynes and made them kil their owne lord and mayster Which done Eugenius obteyned thempire of all the West partes Wherfore Theodosius assone as he was certified hereof takyng the matter very greuouslye as he hadde good cause streyght way prepared an armye agaynste hym and made as muche haste toward hym as he could possibly And whē the armyes mette together and that Theodosius hoste was in the field sore discomfited Theodosius fallyng downe vpon hys knees in the middest of the armye prayed God most hartely to ayde and succoure him in that daungerous conflicte And by and by all the dartes that were caste and the arrowes that were shotte by Eugenius souldyars agaynst Theodosius men were with a vehemente wynde dryuen backe agayne vpon them selfes and the arrowes of Theodosius souldyars came also vpon thē with much more violence wherewyth when Eugenius see his men sore endaungered runnyng wyth all spede to Theodosius fel downe at hys fete most humbly besechyng hym of pardon But or euer he had made an ende of hys tale ▪ he was miserablye slayne of the souldyars Many mo stories could I recite for the proue hereof but these at this present shall suffice ▪ seing that by these onlye euery man may playnlye perceaue that all those y t seke for honor by rebellion come at lengthe to a miserable and a wretched ende And therby it well appeareth y t their cause is moste wycked damnable For cōmonly whēsoeuer men take any enterprise on hande ▪ yf their cause be iust God will prosper them therein but yf their cause be noughte ▪ then shal they spede accordinglye For as Salomon wryteth Wycked men shalbe catched in their owne cursed diuises and fast fettred in the boundes of their offences Putte the case y t honor wolde make a man good as it manye tymes doth the contrary shuld thou then labour to be good by vnlawfull meanes or rather be good before y t thou mighte be better when thou comeste to honor Fro◠we must not as saynt Paule writeth do euill that good may come thereof but we must as y e holy Prophete Dauid monisheth vs eschue euil and do good euery daye ware better better thinke y t when we are best of al we be bad ynoughe Moreouer me think we shuld rather wisely despise worldly honor then wretchedly desire it both because y t those y t haue it manye times yf they vsed not wel are in daunger bothe of body soule throughe it also y t whosoeuer commeth to it by reason of their shorte transitory lyfe they shall not long enioy it and beside this as Seneca saith Riches honor authoritie suche lyke which be in our conceite muche estemed and yet of them selfes be very vile do wythdrawe vs from that thinge whiche is certaine and yet haue they nothinge in them so gay and preciouse that shulde allure oure myndes so to esteme thē but only because we vse to set muche by them For they are not praysed because they be desyred but they are desyred because they be praysed Nowe yf so be we be desyrous of honoure in thys worlde then seynge as we reade in Aristotle that honor is the
reward of vertue lette vs earnestly studie for vertue vndoubtedlye we shalbe rewarded with honour Let vs feare god whych is the roote of wysdome and vertue and honour shalbe giuen vs without our seking But yf we wil walke in the pathes of vnrighteousnes go about to winne vs honour by wicked wayes we shall at length haue shame therby and great dishonour For the Scripture sayth that the sede of men that feare God shalbe honoured and such as transgresse gods commaundementes shall haue dishonor and shame And who I pray the transgresse and breake the coÌ„maundement of GOD more then rebelles seynge that all men are strayghtly commaunded to honour their Prince obeye him Thus we see that honor ought to cause no man to make rebellion but all those that desire it muste go the ryghte waye to it that is to say by vertue There were in olde time at Rome iâ— temples thone called the temple of honoure and thother the temple of vertue and no man coulde comme to the Temple of honor except he passed thoroughe the temple of vertue And Saluste sayeth y t a good man goeth the right waye to honor but a wretche because he lacketh good qualities trauayleth to gette it by subtyll dryftes and crafty deuises Therfore whosoeuer longeth to gette honoure lette hym practsie him selfe in the schole of vertue and he shal not fayle to come by his purpose The same is to be considered of all suche as throughe theyr owne demerytes or otherwyse are put from theyr honoure For yf they be iustlye depryued then no cause haue they to grudge or complayne And yf they be wrongfullye lette them commytte theyr matter wholy to God and he wyll surelye reuenge them For GOD reuengeth the quarell of all those that suffre iniurye and as Dauid sayeth sheweth them mercye and ryghteouslye iudgeth theyr cause If they haue iustlye deserued suche a fall then the beste is to thanke God hartelye for it to thinke that therby thei shal learne to feare God to acknowledge his iustice and to knowe them selfes to whiche they percase wold neuer haue done yf suche a chaunce had not happened And if they patiently beare their aduersitie become better by it both god wil promot them to honoure agayne and euery good man will haue pitie vpon them will loue them muche esteme them and be glad to do for them So that no cause haue they to be sory for suche a prâ—fytable and lucky losse for as muche as by the losse of transitorye honor they haue wonne them gods fauoure and therby sure to haue eternall honoure yea whereas before by their misdemeanour they were so hated and vtterly dispised now thei are hartelye loued of all men and muche estemed for albeit that euerye man y t is in aduersitie if he patiently suffer y e same is muche pitied yet men of honour in such like case are muche more lamented And therfore Cicero sayth that the misery and heauy chaunses of princes and noble men moste of al other moue mens hartes to pitye Why will then suche folkes seke any other remedy to recouer their honour then patience seinge that therby they shall gette them selfes very honoure in dede whereas they had but the shadowe of honour before For although that men be honored y t haue great possessions and landes be they neuer so bad yet those only deserue honour y t lyue a godly lyfe and embrace all kinde of vertue In whiche poynte if a man be surely persuaded bothe will he be contente wyth a meane estate what honoure soeuer he haue had and thinke to that he lacketh no honour if he haue the fauoure of god whiche farre passeth all worldlye honoure But when a man is put from honour eyther that he hath deserued it or elles that y e rulers vniustlye so order hym can in no wise patieÌ„tly beare it but sekethe to reuenge hys quarell by rebellion then men that somethinge perhappes estemed hym before beginne to abhorre hym all y e worlde excepte those that be his complices crye out vpon hym So that if he be neuer so noble a man borne he shalbe from thence forth of all menne dispised and his house familye wyth all his posteritie therby much desteyned For wheÌ„ any of his children after his death falleth at wordes with anye person of estimation he shalbe called by and by a traytours soÌ„ne Whych word wil pearce him to y e very hart because he perceaueth his stocke so sore dishonored Whyche thinges depely coÌ„sidered these y t be in suche case yf they haue anye regarde eyther to their bounden duetie to Godward or to the safegarde of them selfes or to the estimation of theyr stocke muste neades quiete theyr myndes and contente theÌ„ selfes with the state that God hath sent them As for those that fall to rebellioÌ„ through welth I neade not to speake of them because that eyther some of the foresaid causes or els som of those y t folowe do coÌ„monlye muche more moue theÌ„ theÌ„ their welthe so y t with those lessons y t partly go before partli come after they maye I trust be satisfied Nowe as for suche as make rebellion for to auoyde any daunger or punyshment when they labour to eschewe the lesser daunger or euer they beware they fall into the greater For yf they haue coÌ„mitted any offence that deserueth punishment yf so be thei patientlye suffre the punyshment and thynke that they are worthelye punyshed then men wyl pitie them thanke god for them and wishe them wel and wel report them In somuche that by their punishment they shall please God recouer their estimation agayne But suche as for feare of punyshmente whyche they haue most iustly deserued wil spurne agaynst it to auoyde it wyll make rebellion where as by patiente suffrynge they myghte easelye haue made amendes â—o saued theÌ„ selfes and their estimation to nowe most worthely shal loose both prouoke the indignation wrath of God agaynst them But yf so be they did remeÌ„bre y t men ought not to leaâ—e theÌ„ that haue power to kill only y e body but him â–ª that maye caste both body and soule into the paynful pitte of hel they wold neuer for the sauing of y e one put in aduenture the loosinge oâ— both Were not he I praye you a very foole y t woulde rather then he would loose one poore peny loose al y t he hath and for the auoydynge of one dayes punishment and y t with out any daunger of his lyfe at all wold lye lingeryng all the dayes y t he hathe to lyue in a most greuous and paynful prison Or were not he wel worthye to be sicke that rather then he wold take a medicine whyche shoulde putte hym to payne but for a whyle continue in hys sicknesse styll and at lengthe put hys lyfe in ieoperdy therby What causeth a wyse mayster of a shyppe when he is
only ambition For as y e good historiographer Dion sayeth â–ª albeit that manye other causes of that sedition were rekened to be yet the verye cause in dede was their greate desire of honoure For the same wryter reporteth that Pompeye would be inferiour to no man and Caesar desired to be aboue al men Therfore caring nothing what became of their noble countrye they thought to trye their manhode in ciuil warre And so was law layde downe and might was made ryght and a roughe souldiar was more estemed then a graue counseyler But bothe twayne had an euyl ende For the one Pompeye I meane was miserably at lengthe put to flight in conclusion cruellye kensence At lengthe when the officers see that the fyre woulde not burne hym they commaunded the hangeman to thrust hym through with a sword Out of which wounde there issued so muche bloude that it quenched all the fyre insomuche that it made the people greatlye to merueyle Thus thys gloriouse martyr by his patient suffring wonne the fielde and gotte a mooste glorious victory Lykewyse a blessed Martyr whose name was Sanctus when he was wyth all kynde of tormentes by the wycked paynems assaulted to thintente that he shoulde denye CHRIST and forsake his fayth and that he ioyfullye suffred all constantlye stode in his profession and therevpon at length had hoate burnyng plates of brasse layed to hys bare naked body wherewyth hys skynne was so sore blistered and bowned vp that no man could knowe him and after that because his enemies purposed to vanquish him was tormented a freshe wheÌ„ his body as yet was all full of blysters thys blessed martyr I saye gladlye suffrynge all these bitter bruntes gotte a more glorious victorye then euer dyd the great conqueror Alexander For Alexander got onlye a worldly estimation y e shortly dothe fade fall But Sanctus wyth hys paynefull passion wonne himself such renowne and glorye as neuer shall perishe Alexander by sheddynge of other mennes bloude became a conqueroure But Sanctus by sheddyng of hys owne bloude gotte thys noble victory Alexander had alwaye wyth him in his warres a greate and hughe hoste of men But Sanctus armed wyth sure affâ—aunce in God foughte the fielde alone withoute ayde and helpe of any man Alexander ouercame only his worldlye enemyes but Sanctus ouercame both worldly and goostly So that such as valiantlye fyghte in Christes warre gette a more glorious victory in suffryng theÌ„ selfes then the most couragious captayne of all the worlde getteth in beatynge of other Wherefore whosoeuer wyll fyghte for hys fayth muste fyght after this sort He must not by moneye or fayre wordes gather together an hoste of men and so make his partie good but he muste by feruent prayer seke for helpe and ayde at Goddes hande and so prepare him to the battayle He must not put vpon him an helmet of steele but he must put vpon him the helmet of helth He must not arme him selfe with an habergeon of yron or syluer but he must arme him with the habergeon of fayth and charitie He muste not take a sworde in his hande of mans makyng but he muste take the sworde of Gods spirite whyche is the worde of GOD. And when he is thus armed he muste not rashelye vncalled steppe forth and offer strokes to his enemyes but he muste fyrste eyther moued by the spirite of God offer him selfe as many martyrs haue done to suffer death or elles be called forthe for the trial of hys fayth and then gladly go and abyde mooste greuouse and bitter tormentes rather then he wyll denye anye parte of hys fayth Thus the blessed and holy martyrs of Christe dydde alwayes in suche a lyke case For those that suffred persecution in the two cruell tyrauntes dayes Decius and Valerian when the paynems went aboute by violence to destroy the fayth of CHRIST they made no conspiraces or rebellions agaynst those wycked princes nor putte no harnes vpoÌ„ their backes to fight openly in the field with them nor intended not by force to withstande their deuelishe diuises but mekely offred them selfes to dye for oure Sauiours sake and besides they so embraced theyr enemies that tormented them that they prayed God most earnestly to pardon them So dyd also y e godly martirs that were cruelly persecuted by Diocletian Maximine two most fearce frantike emperours For when they did se not only their churches pulled downe to the grounde but also many christen men violently hayled and pulled to worshyp Idols albeit that they were sore dismayed with the matter yet woulde they not gather them selfes together and make rebellion and by that meanes defende bothe their fayth and theÌ„ selfes to leste they might so loose the gloriouse crowne of martirdome y t christe their head capitayne had prepared for theÌ„ But when time came y t they shuld be examined coÌ„cernynge their fayth they frelye confessynge the same offered them selfes to be put to paynfull tormentrye whyche they were farre more glade to goo to then any man is to go to a feast We read also a very notable story of the inhabitauÌ„tes of Edessa It chaunsed on a time that the Emperoure Valens which was an heretike of the Arrians seâ—te bare deadlye hatred agaynsâ—e all catholike folke came thether and commaunded all the folkes of that cytye because they were very catholike and hated his opinion that they shulde not vpoÌ„ payne of death come together to praye Yet they not wythstandinge his coÌ„maundement the nexte daye after came to y e churche as they were wonte to do And when theÌ„perours lieuetenaunt accompanied w t a great nomber of souldiars mynded vpon the emperours coÌ„maundement to put theÌ„ to death a pore woman with her childe braste throughe the middest of the souldyars purposing posinge to go to the churche Wherewith the lieuetenaunt being sore offended called her to hym asked her whither she ranne so faste And she answered to y e churche whervnto other folke resorted Then the lieuetenaunte sayde haste thou not hearde y t the Emperours lieuetenaunt wil kil al y t he shal find there Yes verely sayd y e woman therefore I make hast y t I may be fouÌ„de among theÌ„ Whiche when the lieuetenaunt heard he muche maruayled at the madnes as he thought of those y t so notwithstaÌ„ding themperours coÌ„maundement repayred together to y e churche Whervpon he came to theÌ„perour tolde him that they were all verye ready willing to die for their faith These folkes albeit they were a great noÌ„bre yet would they make no resistence but mekely offred them selfes to suffre death for their faythe so to declare their obedience both to god and to the prince to Saynte Ambrose likewise writeth of the citâ—zins of Melane where he was byshoppe â–ª that when themperor yonge Ualentiniane wold haue had them to haue delyuered vp their churches into the haÌ„des of Auxentius an Heretyke and y e rest of his adherentes
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
she maye hereafter take pleasure and comforte in If her grace shuld haue married one that she could not haue fantasied it shuld so sore haue agreued her that she woulde haue wished to be out of the world And besydes that it shoulde haue bene occasion of contention betwixte them whereby God shuld haue bene hyghlye displeased For wheresoeuer as witnesseth saynt Iames is enuye and contention there is vnstablenes and all wycked workes Ouer thys yf we woulde throughly weye howe thys marriage hath bene broughte to passe we should haue cause muche to meruayle at it and not to grudge agaynst it For when as the Queenes hyghnes was by the Parliamente house most humblye sued vnto that it woulde please her grace for the quietnes and coÌ„forte of the whole Realme to take an husbande she was in wonderfull doubte wyth her selfe what she myghte do in y â— behalfe And great payne had she to applye her mynde and fantasie that waye seyng that her grace had nowe so manye yeares lyued a pure virgine and had great pleasure to liue so styll and so wold haue continued had it not bene that by Gods goodnesse she myght in lawfull marriage haue issue for which it is our bounden duetie earnestlye to praye to thintent y t all her louyng subiectes therby myght be satisfied the whole realme preserued in peace and quietnes And therfore seing it was a thing most expedient for vs that her highnes shuld marri she forced her selfe contrary to hyr owne fantasye thervnto And to thende that God myght assiste her godly intent fell to prayer and most feruently called vpon god seing that for our sakes she shuld marrye that it wolde please hym to put her in mynde of suche one as his glory might be anaunced by and all her subiectes haue good cause to reioyce in For as for worldly pleasure whice folkes commonly take in marriage she nothinge passed but her care was only to marry with such one as myght throughe his singuler vertue please god through his greate wisdome helpe well to gouerne this realme and for his noble lynage be occasion of muche honour and quietnesse to our countrye As for beautye strengthe of body talnes of personage and suche like to those had her highnes no respecte at all Therfore while her grace made this godly humble petition to almightye god came there into her remeÌ„braunce this noble prince of Spayne And sone after were embassadors sent from the emperours maiestye for that selfe purpose So that it well appeareth that the first motioÌ„ of this marriage came of god without the counseyle or aduise of any man And we must also consider that the hartes of princes as we read in the Prouerbes of Salomon be in the hande of god and that he moueth the same that way that hym liketh And then howsoeuer the matter seme in oure syghte we oughte to iudge the beste and thynke that God by his heauenly wysdome hath done it for the best â–ª and we must hartely praye hym that hys wyll alwaye maye be done in all suche matters For as he is the gyuer of all other good thynges so is he most specially of a good marriage And that may we learne of Salomon where he sayeth An house ryches are gyuen vs of our parentes but a wyse wyfe is giuen of GOD. Therefore it is euerye good mans parte earnestly to pray to almyghtye God that seing that by his prouidence as we verelye trust thys noble marriage is made betwixte suche two princelye personages it maye please hys goodnesse so to worke in that behalfe as maye be to the aduauncemeÌ„te of hys glorye to both their honours and hartes ease and to the commoditie and quietnes of oure countrye But it was maliciously and falsely reported not longe ago by the rebelles as I told you before that the Queenes Highnesse wold haue marryed a straunger of set purpose to make vs slaues And they dyd not let to say beside after this sorte Shall men suffer this or shal we haue our heades thrust vnder a straungers girdle become his bondmen Or shal we suffer our wiues doughters to be rauyshed by vyle velaynes What true English hart can abide this And beyng thus vaynely persuaded rashely without any further delyberation fell they to open rebellion did muche like as the Iewes did in olde tyme â–ª which through y e counseyle of Iudas Gaulanites rebelled agaynste the emperoure of Rome at such tyme as Quiâ—inus a senator was sent by theÌ„perour into Syria Iudaea to sesse these couÌ„tries For this Iudas Gaulanites as Iosephus telleth hauinge a companyoÌ„ muche lyke hym selfe ioyned with him moued the Iewes to rebellion and told theÌ„ that this sessinge was for no other purpose but that they shulde graunt them selfes to become bondemen slaues and therfore he exhorted al his contrymen to defende maynteyne their libertie For so sayd he shuld it come to passe y t yf they had good lucke they shoulde not onelye enioye their owne goodes in muche prosperitie but also beynge establyshed in their possessions gette great prayse for their manhode And that they must not looke to be helped at Gods hande except that withall they wold studye to helpe them selfes The rascold people were glad to heare thys insomuch that therby they were muche moued to aduenture thys their wretched enterprise Who for desyre of lucre vnder the pretense of defendynge their libertie so much troubled their whole countreye as it is not wel able to be told For where soeuer they came they murdered men and robbed them and wythoute respect kylled as well frendes as enemyes and al such as were noble and notable men they rydded out of the way And whyle as in a furious rage one slewe another amonges them selfes foreyne enemies dydde inuade them and greate dearth and famine befell amonge them Thys telleth Iosephus So that whosoeuer wyll coÌ„pare these two rebellions together shal easelye perceaue howe bothe they them selfes by their detestable enterpryse wroughte theyr owne destruction and God sent his vengeaunce vpoÌ„ them besyde as a scourge for their frantike madnes Wherfore yf we wyl saue our soules from damning saue our bodies from killing saue our countrye from spoyling and auoyd the great vengeaunce of god let vs froÌ„ henceforth beware of rebellion And surelye persuade our selfes that our gratiouse Lady maystresse the Quene because she is the humble hande mayde of God elected and chosen by him to rule and reforme this realme whiche was so farre oute of order and â—rame will go aboute nothyng but that shalbe to gods glorye and the welth of all vs her louynge subiectes For all her delyte and pleasure is to see gods glory auaunced and this her Realme recouer the honorable state that it hathe bene in time past Nowe then consideringe her godlye purpose in this behalfe it shalbe euerye good mans duetie euerye daye to praye hartely for her that she may longe liue
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
necessary for vs me thinke that we should both be ryghte glad of them and also muche reioyse in that whyche is cause thereof And trueth is it as Herodotus wryteth that no one region or countrye is there that hath not oftentimes nede both of the ayde of any other and also of the commodities thereof Wherfore suche folkes as are not contented with suche a noble marriage may be rekened litle to consider eyther y e welth of their countrie or the Queenes honoure Agayne the conditions of the marriage whych be expressed in an Acte of Parliament made onlye for that purpose are so honorable and so commodious for Englande as all Englyshemen that fauoure their countrye are greatlye bounded to gyue God hartye thankes for suche a marriage And there be also suche prouisions in the conditions thereof for y e good and quiete behauioure of all those that shall come in wyth the sayd noble Prince that no man hath cause to feare anye trouble at their handes Lette vs then behaue our selfes towarde them as it becommeth vs And no doubt but that we shall fynde suche gentle frendship in them ▪ that we shal haue iust cause to loue them and gently to entertein them And besydes this no straunge thinge is it that the quene marrieth wyth a foren prince For it is the common practise of all princes of the worlde in a maner to ioyne marriage for the moste parte with foreyne princes bothe for to make sure frendship betwixt realme and realme and also for the cōmodities that comonlye ensue thereof Yea and good stories make mention that the like case that the Quenes Highnes marriage standeth in hath oftētimes in other realmes bene sene For Isabell doughter too Iohn king of Castell that was brother to Henry when as her brother Henry died withoute yssue and that she was crowned Queene of Castle by by was ioyned in marriage with Ferdinand y e .v. king of Arragō so was those .ij. kingdōs that marriage made all one Whyche Ferdinande so well and wiselye gouerned those countries that al menne both hartely loued him and greatly also commended hym Besyde he expulsed out of that part of Spayne whiche is called Granade the Mores that had by force holden that countrye seuen hundreth yeares And ouer y t he thrust out a great numbre of Saracenes and Turkes and banished with thē their false fayth and after buylded goodlye churches to the glory and honoure of God Marye also doughter to Charles Duke of Burgundie being heyre to her father was married to Maximilian themperor a forreyne prince Who was for his excellente wisedome and vertue muche renoumed and for his noble actes wanne him selfe in the worlde great honour Isabell lykewyse doughter to Ferdinande king of Castle and Arragone after her brother Iohns and her eldest sister Isabels death beyng the heyre to the crowne of Castle and Arragone was married to Philip Arch. Duke of Austria a forreyn prince to Who so noblely gouerned those coūtries that all the people thereof dyd greatlye honoure him hartely loue him and mooste humbly obeye hym And many other suche lyke marriages haue bene made in the worlde whyche haue had so prosperouse successe that not onelye the parties that made them toke muche comfortes therein but also the coūtries wherin thei were made receaued alwayes muche honour and commoditie therby Therfore this marriage of the Queenes highnes ought not to seme straunge to any man because the like in other realmes hathe oftentymes bene made before Agayne manye marriages haue bene made at sondrye times as both oure owne cronicles and the cronitles of Spayne do testifie betwixte the noble countrye of Spayne and vs good successe haue they had and much frendshyp by meanes thereof hath growen betwixt vs and them And bothe the realmes haue muche reioysed therin waxed riche and welthie therby insomuch that al good men and suche as earnestly tender y e good prosperous estate of our countrie these causes wel considered ▪ wyll reken vs happie that only God as it appeareth hath thus honorably prouided for vs and hath by this meanes renewed the olde amitie and frendshippe that hath bene betwixte Englande and Spayne But nowe as for those that rebelled of late albeit y t they pretended that all theyr grefe came of this marriage gotte them a Spanishe cloke to couer their cursed deuyse withall and so shewed them selfes disobedient to God and vnkynde to theyr prince yet meaned they nothing lesse For a man may be bolde to say this y t yf the prince of Spayn had bene a fauorer of heresye and giuen to suche fonde fantasies as these folkes were thēselfes howesoeuer he had bene qualified otherwise thei would neuer haue made rebellion for the matter but wyth most glad hartes haue receaued him hopynge thereby to haue recouered their abhominable and blasphemouse heresye agayne But because he is a catholike prince a fauorer defendour of Christes church and sonne to the Emperours maiestie who alwayes hathe moste earnestlye maynteyned the catholike faith they could not abyde hym nor in no wise heare of hys commynge fearyng that thereby theyr wicked heresye shoulde be banyshed oute of this realme and all the preachers therof from thenceforth myghte putte vp theyr pypes wherewith they had as Mercurye did wyth Argos not only brought the people a slepe but also afterward put out theyr eyes and made them starke blynde Therfore the verye cause of this last commotion was religion nowe by God and the Queenes highnes broughte agayne to the olde aunciente order and state appoynted by Christes catholike Churche agaynst whych these rebelles dare so deadlye hatred that they hadde rather haue loste their liues as manye of them haue done then to be brought to receaue it And because they mynded to mayntayne theyr wicked heresye still they purposed like most miserable and cruel wretches by force of armes firste to putte doune the Queenes Highnes to depriue her of her crowne to ridde her and all her faythfull counseylours out of the waye and then to haue set vp suche rulers and counseylours as wolde haue set forthe heresye a freshe And after that all the dispersed bretherne that be of heresyes guylde and fraternitie shulde haue repayred together agayne and broched the dregges of their deuelish doctrine to the people as they had done before But god whose glory they mynded vtterlye to desace whose handmayden they had contriued cruelly to kyl whose true seruauntes they fully purposed with fire and sworde to persecute suffred them to runne forth headlyng to their owne destruction for when as they hoped surelye to haue their purpose and came euen to the very poynt sodenly god or euer they were aware lift vp hys myghtye hande agaynst them and in a very moment vanquished them and gaue them into the handes of his faythfull seruante oure souerayne ladye the Quene Who while the field was in fyghtynge was feruentlye occupied in prayinge And when
as tidinges was brought her that by treason all was loste she like a valiaunt Champion of Christe nothynge abashed therewith sayd that she doubted not at al but her captayne meanyng thereby oure sauiour Christe woulde haue the victory at lengthe and falling to her prayers agayne anone after had she worde broughte her that her men had wonne the field and that Wyate her enemies Capitayne was taken So that hereby euery man maye euidently see that God woulde not suffer eyther such a vertuouse Lady and a pure virgine to be destroyed or his catholike fayth whych he had of late by her so gratiously restored to be by thenemyes of his church with violent force ouerthrowen Whych thinge he well declared lykewyse in the wonderfull fall of the late Duke of Northumberlande who rebelled bothe agaynste the Queenes hyghnesse and also agaynste Christes catholike Churche Which two miraculouse victories are sufficient to make al men take hede as they rebell eyther to destroye the true fayth of our sauiour Christ or agaynst suche a godly heade ruler whose greate godlye vertue maye wel be perceaued in that that she neuer goeth aboute any weyghty matter or attempteth any great enterprise but first entreth she into her pryuye closet ▪ and there vpon her knees prayeth god most hartelye that he wyl of his goodnesse assiste her in that she entendeth and so bring her purpose to passe that the same may be to his glory and the welthe of all her subiectes And whensoeuer she falleth into any trouble or daunger she fayleth not to do the lyke ▪ so that men may wel thynke that hauing god on her syde as both she most earnestly prayeth to haue and also it plainly appeareth that she hath she shalbe alwayes able to gyue her enemies an ouerthrow saye wyth the holy prophete Dauid myne enemyes that troubled me are discomfited and hath catched a fall But alas what harde hartes haue those that if she were but a priuate woman being so gentle of nature so vertuouse and so merciful coulde drawe theyr sworde agaynste her ▪ and go aboute to shedde such innocente bloude For albeit that all bloudeshedde is cruel and horrible in the syght of god yet the sheddynge of so a pure virgyns bloude is of all other moste cruell and detestable For bothe mennes eares vtterli abhorre to heare it and god hym selfe is moste greuouslye offended with it Do we not reade of cruell paynems that when they had gotten the vpperhande of their enemyes in battayl and murdered many men therin alwaies had compassion of the the women and virgins specially vpon whome they wold lay no violent handes As it is written of Alexander the great who when he had ouercomme Darius in the fielde and taken two doughters of his because they were virgyns he had pitye vpon them and very mercyfully and gentelye entreated them and wyth most frendly wordes greate honour enterteyned them What shuld christen men then do with suche as be virgyns shuld they if they were their dedly enemyes go aboute to shed theyr bloud No no they shuld spare them and for pure pitye they shuld pardon them to For the Children of Israel were commaūded that when they beseged anye citie they shulde firste offer peace to the inhabitauntes thereof And if they refused it then shuld thei kill all the menne that were founde within it the women and yonge tender babes alwayes excepted So that seing al women were excepted the virgins by this commaundemente in the daungers of warre were alwayes kepte harmelesse Then forasmuche as virgins that be our enemies children muste haue mercye shewed them how shuld men vse those virgins that neuer offēded them that be their frendes yea that most hartly loue thē Or after what sort shuld we behaue our selfes toward our gratiouse Ladye maystresse a most pure and perfite virgine who loueth euerye one of vs as her owne life who most carefullye trauayleth to enriche vs set vs at quiete Who desireth to liue onlye for oure welth and commoditie For to dye were muche more acceptable to her as she saith oftentimes then to lyue in this miserable and wretched world Whiche earnestlye considered great cause haue we to aduenture oure goodes lyues and landes in her highnes defence and to do as one Ethai Getheus dydde to kinge Dauid when his sonne Absalon rebelled agaynste hym Thys Ethai when he hearde of Dauids trouble repayred to hym wyth spede To whome Dauid sayde Why commest thou from thy place and mansion Thou comeste but nowe and arte constreyned to go forthe with vs. But it is best for thee to returne home and take thy retinewe wyth thee And for thy gentlenes and fidelitye towarde me I praye GOD requite thee To whome aunswered Ethai As true as God lyueth and as true as your grace lyueth wheresoeuer you shall become there wyll I your seruaunte be and take such parte as you shall do and wyth you to dye and liue Such hartes ought al faythfull subiectes to beare to their Prince ▪ that they vncalled shulde most gladly offer theyr seruice when occasion serueth and be well contented to aduenture theyr lyues in such a good quarell and so to tender theyr head and gouernour as the childe is bounde to tender his mother And were not he to be counted a cruel wretche that woulde kill his owne mother ▪ as dydde Orestes Then seyng that our noble Quene is to euery one of vs as a most tender and louing mother how miserable a man shuld he be that wold ones lift vp his hand to destroye her For albeit that it is a most heynous and detestable acte for a man to shedde hys owne priuate natural mothers bloude yet much more heynous horrible is it for one to go aboute the destruction of her that is y e mother of a whole realme And we shulde herein folowe thexample of the simple bees whych so tender their king gouernoure that yf he haue missed his waye they wil diligently seke for him smell hym out and folowe him to suche time as they haue found him And when he waxeth old and is not able to flye they beare him vpon their backes and yf he dye then depart they al frō that place Dothe not nature herein teache all subiectes to tender loue their prince as the poore bees do their king And besides thys we oughte to consider that she is the anoynted of God as all lawfull Princes and gouernours be and that we are commaunded in scripture that we laye no violent handes vpon thē that be anoynted And herein ought we to folowe thexample of the holye Prophete Dauid Who when he was persecuted by kynge Saul and cōstrayned for safegarde of his life to flye to rockes and there to hyde hym all hys retinewe in a denne and that Saule entred into the same denne to do hys naturall easement and that Dauids menne sayd to him that nowe the day was come
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
god thankeful to her grace and very profitable for our selfes to Nowe then moste deare louing contrye men seing that we are wel assured that our most gratiouse lady the Quene by reason of her godlye vertue wherin she excelleth and for the greate ferueÌ„t loue that she beareth to eueri one of vs she wil throughly performe these thinges we haue great cause to gyue god most hartely thankes â–ª y â— sente her vnto vs hath so gratiously delte with vs for her sake For it semeth that as God sayd to the children of Israell in Kynge Dauids tyme I wyll by the hande of my seruaunt Dauid saue my people of Israell from the handes of the Philistians and all their enemyes so sayeth he nowe to I wyll by the hande of myne humble handemayde Marye saue my people of Englande from the assaultes of their enemyes If we were oppressed by her if we were spoyled throughe her meanes or yf we were cruellye handled at her hand then might men haue somthing to say But no suche matter is there For her grace is so gentle so buxome so merciful so liberal of so god lye conuersation excellente vertue y t if she were amonge Turkes Saracenes or Iewes she woulde vndoubtedly winne their harts cause theÌ„ both hartly to loue her also to be ready to defeÌ„d her How vngentle then maye we be thought y t can not loue such a gratious lady with gladde hartes be obedient to her But the very matter of al our grudge is as we were tolde a lytle before her catholike religion Whych howe good and godly it is we may easely perceaue yf we compare it with that that hathe bene nowe of late yeares amonge vs. It is grounded vpon the consent of al christes catholike church which is the sure fouÌ„dation of truth Thother is grounded only vpon the consent of a few in corners and yet neuer one of theÌ„ agreeth with another The religion y t the Queenes grace maynteyneth is fiftenne huÌ„dreth yeare olde thys new religion is scarcelye twoo hundreth yeares olde The catholike religion is and hath bene vniuersallye receaued througheoute the whole world This of theyrs hath bene receaued but here and there in a few places and of all the worlde besyde condemned And Vincentius a good holy writer thinketh that these be the speciall poyntes to trye religion that is to say the auncientnes of tyme the vniuersall receauinge of it and the whole consent of the churche For thus he writeth In the catholike church we muste take diligent hede that we stycke to that which is in euery place alwaies and of all men beleued For this in dede is catholike â–ª as the worde it selfe dothe playnely declare which verely conteyneth al vniuersally But this shall we do if we folowe the vniuersall faythe and beleue the auncientnesse of tyme and the whole consent of Christes churche And nowe for the vniuersall beleue that shal we folowe after this sorte If we thynke that fayth to be true whyche all Christes Churche throughout the worlde dothe confesse As for auncientnesse of time that shall we folowe if we in no wyse go from the senses interpretations of scripture that we manifestli know to haue bene commonlye vsed and allowed of the holye and aunciente fathers The whole consent of Christes Churche shall we folowe yf we submit our selfes to the auncient determinations and sentences eyther of all bisshops priestes and doctours or elles at the lest of al most al. And the same writer a litle after teacheth vs how to know a true christen Catholike man thus He is a true catholike man in dede whiche loueth goddes truth his churche and the bodye of Christe which also preferreth nothing that is to say â–ª nether any one mans authoritie nor loue â–ª nor witte nor eloquence nor knowledge of philosophy before godly religion and the fayth catholike but dispising all these and stickinge sted fastly and surely to his fayth thinketh that he is bounden to hold and beleue only that y e he knoweth the catholike church of olde vniuersallye to haue holden and maynteyned And let hym suppose surely that what new and straunge doctrine or order soeuer is couertly and craftly brought in by any one man eyther beside the mindes of al holy and godly men or els vtterly coÌ„trary to them is brought in not for to encrease mennes deuotion religion but only to tempte them with all Thus by the wordes of this godly author who wrote aboue a thowsand yeares ago we may easely perceaue what sorte of religion men ought to folowe Againe the authors of the catholike religion are the apostles and their successors As Ireneus Iustinus martyr â–ª Cyprian Clemens Alexandrinus Origene S. Hierom S. Ambrose S. Augustyne S. Chrisostom Basil Gregorius Nazianzene Cyrill with infinite many mo The authors of this new sect are Wicâ—ffe Hus Luther Oecolampadius Zuinglius Bucer Bullinger Caluine and a greate rable beside The authours of Christes true religion were Martyrs confessors and holi sayntes all The authours of this new religion were Apostatas that is to say such as had bene monkes and frears whiche broke their vowes cast of their cootes became like lay men marryed nonnes called them wiues and so lyued in abhominable inceste The authors of the catholike religion were â—â—ke gentle lowly full of vertue and godlye conuersation despicers of the worlde and the vanities thereof chast auoyde of ambition and couetousnes gyuen all to fastyng prayer and almose dedes The authours of oure newe doctrine were prowde stubborne presumptuous of smal vertue and that only in apparence louers of the world and muche delited wyth the pleasures thereof lecherous and carnal gready of honour and of gettyng of goodes slacke in praying â–ª more slacke in fastynge and altogether negligent in good dedes doynge For they thought fasting was Poperye and prayer superstition good dedes to auayle vs nothynge at all The authors of the catholike fayth and religion were careful for peace desirous of vnitie fauorers of obedience and maynteyners of all good order The authours of our late religion were causers of warre not onely bitwixt prince and prince â–ª but also bitwixte princes their subiects breakers of the vnitie of Christes catholike churche sowers of sedition workers of disobedience and bryngers in of al confusioÌ„ disorder captaynes of carnal libertie defendors of the same Of these .ii. sortes of meÌ„ whome ought we gyue more credite to trowe you Shall we better trust Wicliffe that because he could not come by the Bisshoprike of Worcester forsoke Christe his churche and became an heretike or holy Ireneus who for the mainteynaunce of Christes fayth and his churche forsoke both his Bisshoprike and hys lyfe to Or shall we better beleue Hus that was a professed frear and had vowed chastitie obedience and wilfull pouertie and after brake all became a married manne and preached heresye in Boheme Or S. Cyprian that when he was a
yonge man was taken in loue wyth a yonge woman and after most earnestly repentyng hym thereof liued chastlye all his dayes and ended hys life by martyrdome What shal we saye to Luther that lewde lyinge frear who because he could not obteyne the prefermente of a pardon whych he would haue hadde thorderynge of layde awaye his cote and his honestye to passed not a pinne for y e breche of hys vowe And then began he to bable and rayle agaynst the aucthoritie of the church and the Sacramentes thereof â–ª And anone got he him selfe a 〈◊〉 Nonne so that men loked that Antichrist shoulde haue ben borne betwixt those twayne because that it hadde bene sayde of olde that Antichrist shuld be borne betwixt a frear and a Nonne And here in folkes were not muche deceaued For albeit that Antichrist him selfe was not borne betwixt theÌ„ yet they brought forth a forerider of his called false doctrine which hath poysoned a great many and prepared their hartes to receaue their mayster Antichriste Shall we then truste better this licentiouse limitour then S. Hierome that commendeth vnto vs chaste lyfe and virginitie and lyued him selfe all hys life time in perfite chastitie But to compare them one by one â–ª it were to longe and yet not necessarye For you may learne by these what the rest be Loke vpon the lyues of bothe sortes and you shall fynde the one to be corrupt sensuall and vitious the other to be pure sobre vertuouse Consider their doctrine The one is perniciouse lewde and carnall the other is holsome substantiall and godly Reade their bokes and you shall perceaue in the one blasphemye for blessing rayling for reasonyng and malice for modesty And in the other reuerente speaking sound knowledge and an humble spirite And this is certayne that whatsoeuer this new erroniouse writers haue that is good they haue taken it out of the olde writers And whatsoeuer is nought as the most parte is that is their owne Therfore if a man purpose to learne vertue to learne good knowledge to learne the trueth let hym read the old writers and he shalbe satisfyed For as Plantus sayth that old wine and old comedies be best so may we well say that old writers farre excelleth the new by reason that the one sort are as it were pure fountaynes oute of whiche these other beynge like riuers are deriued and drawen And Cicero writeth y â— it is great foly for a man that may come to the fountaynes to 〈◊〉 to the ryuers But scarcely may we compare these new noughty writers to ryuers because they be more like to standing pooles For the longer they contynue the more corrupted they seme and moo foâ—kes they infecte But a ryuer the loÌ„ger that it runneth the better is it purged and purgeth other thinges withall Now then seing that this late religion and sect came out of these new fangled writers I much maruayle why men that mynde to be saued will so muche esteme it and put their lyues in ieopardy for it If a man wold well way it he shuld easely perceaue it to be nought by reason of y e noughty fruites that are sprong out of it Let our owne countrye only be taken as an example herin When sensual lust of the bodye and selfe will two mete mates for it had ones brought it into this realme the first thing that he toke in hande was to cutte vs of and diuide vs from the whole vniuersall churche of god And where as we were in dede but a member before it wolde make vs a whole bodye and ioyne thervnto suche a head as the lyke in all the worlde hath neuer bene hearde of in so muche that our churche became as monstrouse as euer was eyther Chimera or Centaurus that the Poetes speake of Which ones done euery man as Esaye sayeth waxed wise in his owne conceyte and so presumed to searche for the secrete misteries of GOD. For as sone as they had the scripture traÌ„slated into Englyshe albeit very vntruly as it well appeareth in a great number of places then begon they as the Arrians did in Constantius dayes to reason and dispute euery man thought his owne iudgement best and euery daye in a maner would he haue a newe iudgemente and contemne al other folkes iudgemente besyde and saye that the holy fathers and writers aucthorities was but mennes traditions and that they all were oftentimes deceaued As for to seke anye doctrine of God at their handes it shuld be but foly For euery manne was taughte by the spirite of God sayde they And so rekened they them selfes that they were well ynoughe learned that they were able to expounde the holy scriptures of God of theyr owne braynes And when they were ones thus persuaded they were called men of a good iudgement which was a great commendation at that tyme a goodly title to cloke their noughty purpose withall But how good a iudgement was it I praye you that iudged badde to be good vice to be vertue and contagiouse heresye to be holsome doctrine It is an old saying and a true that blinde men can iudge no colours But verely this is as true that blind ignoraunce can not iudge of sounde learninge Wolde we not call him a Phisition of a noughtye iudgement that wold when he had sene a sicke mans water that were sore sycke in dede saye that this man is not sicke but he is I warrant you hole and sounde So when we hearde in tyme paste a newe brother saye that a presumptuouse ignoraunt felow was a learned man and of a good iudgemeÌ„t myghte we not well saye agayne that suche a mans iudgement was to be muche mistrusted For he that wold tell me that a man that had a pockye face had a goodly fayre visaâ—e might not I saye to him that he were foule deceaued But what yf he wold brynge another as blynd as him selfe to saye the same then had I good cause to saye as a good homelye seruaunt sayde ones to his mayster that wolde nedes beare him downe in a false matter well mayster well I will not saye you lye because it be cometh me not but neuer the lesse I wote what I wote If a man had gotte hym selfe this goodly tytle that he was of a good iudgemente then yf he were verye ignoraunte he shulde be called learned yf he were but a foole he shuld be taken for a wise man yf he were but a verye babler in dede he shuld be taken for a ready witted felowe were he neuer so lewde in behauiour yet shuld he be couÌ„ted a right honest maÌ„ For this good iudgement y t I spoke of was a cloke to couer all noughtie coÌ„ditions More ouer a watcheword had they y t they might be knowen from other For then wold they not say our lord saue vs as al christen men vse to saye but y e lord saue vs. Wherby thei wold be knowen to
haue a seueral lord of their owne And albeit that S. Paul very ofte vseth this speakynge our Lorde to declare that all we Christen men do serue one Lorde and mayster that we be of one household y t is to say of one church insomuche that we may moste conueniently saye our Lord because we be all chyldren of one father and seruauntes of one mayster and knytte together with the bounde of charitie yet woulde these folkes neuer saye oure Lord which they sayde was a papisticall terme but the Lord whiche declared thē to be fauorers of gods word as they thought And this terme was so vniuersallye vsed that the poore beggers hadde gotte it by the ende by reason that begginge thus for the lordes sake haue pitie vpon the poore they thoughte the soner to spede you shall heare it of manye of their mouthes as yet Neuerthelesse the terme of it selfe is good and godly if it be not abused for such a noughty purpose For the holy Scripture both in the old testament and the new to verye often speaketh so But surely for all christen men whē they speake of god it is most conueniente to say our lorde which is a terme of mutual loue concord and vnitie When they had ones learned this wacheword then beganne they to talke of the libertye of the gospell and to exhort men earnestly to embrace the same But what was this same libertye of the Gospell was it ought elles but the libertie of the fleshe For the deuyll their mayster had taught them this lesson that they shuld gyue to wicked diuises godlye names as to call carnall libertie the libertie of the Gospell abhominable heresye true doctrine scripture falselye interpreted ▪ Goddes worde an◠arrogant spirite the spirite of God bold presumption a godlye zeale a blasphemouse raylour a worthye preacher bookes full of heresye good godlye bookes And what folowed thys licentiouse libertye Was not thē al fasting abolished Wold not men then as Eustathius dyd an heretike condemned in a generall counsayle holden at Gāgris breake all fastynge dayes appoynted by the church and some would fast vpon the sondaye and vpon fridaye which hath euer since Christes time bene duelye kepte in stede of fasting they fell to delicate fedyng and in stede of chastising the bodye nourished it with deynteouse meates and so made it well at ease And yf they had had but meane simple cheare all the weke before that day wold they haue their capons coneys ▪ chekins and such fine meates to tame their bodies withall And whosoeuer wold not thus do he fauored not Gods worde as they sayde but was enemye to the truth a papiste to And they wold bidde men to dinner vpō the fridaye to thintente that they might allure thē to eate fleshe For yf they coulde ones bring them to y t they thought they wold waxe shortly fauourers of Gods worde as they termed it that is to saye of their heresye Was not thys trowe you a goodly memory of Christes payniull passion y t he vpon the friday suffred for vs were not these folkes wel cōtented to subdue their carnal lustes as y t day and to offer vp to god the swete sacrifice of fasting and prayer thereby to giue him most hartie thankes for the greuouse tormentes sorowfull death that he suffered as that daye for oure redemption for whiche ende the catholike churche of god hath moste godlye appoynted that day alwayes to be fasted No no where suche good cheare was kept there was smal remembraunce I feare me of Christes holy passion For to thinke thervpō was to sowre and bytter sawce for suche swete and pleasaunt meates Was not this a goodly meanes to make the fleshe obedient to the spirite and to prepare mens hartes humbly and reuerently to serue their lorde god Herof came it to passe that lecherous priestes that loued no fastinge sayd they must nedes haue women which they called wyues For it is not possible sayd they for a man to lyue chaste That myght be truely sayd in dede of them that soughte not the meanes wherby to lyue chast For seyng that fast they wold not and for prayer they cared not and for studye they much passed not whiche be speciall helpes to lyue chaste no meruayle was it thoughe they were prouoked to leaue theyr chaste lyfe and fall to wiuing But yf so be they had tamed theyr tykkell lustes with ofte fastyng and called vpon God by earnest praying they shuld neuer haue fallen to such fond folye for whych they are now at Gods hande most iustly plaged And I pray god as they be worthelye plaged so they maye humblye acknowledge the same and with wepynge eyes aske God mercy betime that a greater plage fall not vpon them at lengthe Lette them consider their wycked acte in marrying and their abhominable inceste and aduoutrye therin beside that their noughtie doctrine which thei haue taught since they hadde women and howe that they wold not let to preache what men wold haue them because they had nowe gotten their purpose And men that were thē in greatest authority perceauing their folie thoughte they shuld get thē to say what they wold when as ones they had giuen them licence to marrye And because these lewde priestes shulde not lacke companye the deuyl moued suche religious folkes as were of an vngodly conuersation y t when they were ones set abroade had caste of their cowles they shulde seke al meanes possible to satisfie their synfull lustes Whervpon many of them became preachers of this newe doctrine and made the people beleue that licentious liuinge as I sayd before was the libertye of the Gospell to thintent that the breaking of their solemne vowes whiche they had made to god their taking of women whome they named wiued their voluptuouse pleasure which thei most earnestly soughte for myghte be well lyked and alowed of the people For like as those that be delyted wyth cardyng and dysing much trauayle in persuading other that they intende nothing but honest pastyme and that pastime is necessarie for al men to dryue away fantasies withall so these religiouse that I speake of when they had tasted of the cuppe of carnall concupiscence they told men that they sought nothynge but the libertie of the Gospell and folowynge the fotesteppes of their mayster Martin Luther became as stowte and stubborne Apostatas as euer he was him selfe And these were the great pillours of our newe English churche wherevpon menne grounded their fayth and vpon whose backes they hange their saluation whose names I could rehearse yf it were necessarye whose licentiouse lyuynge I coulde easelye describe But both twayne euery man in maner knoweth without any tellyng And I praye GOD as they know them so they may take hede of them and as S. Paule warneth vtterlye flye from them yea and as they haue good cause sore repent that euer they knewe them When these folkes
had gottē this fleshly libertie then heresye went forward apace But yf they well weye howe many haue bene deceaued by them and how sore except they repent they shalbe punished for euery of them they me think shulde haue good cause to put sacke cloth vpon them and to lye them downe at the church dore as one Grebolius dyd and praye all menne that entre in there to treade vpon them as being vnsauery salte And after in open audience to cōfesse their false doctrine that they haue preached and willingly to recante the same and giue all men warning to beware of it and to returne to their mother the Catholike Churche agayne And thus both to pacifie Goddes wrath agaynste them and also to brynge all suche to the sure and sounde fayth of the Churche as they haue throughe theyr wycked preachynges vtterly diuided therefro Moreouer hath not this carnall libertie broughte to passe likewise that menne that abhorred fasting beynge delicately fedde wold to satisfie their wanton lustes be diuorced from their wiues yea and after marry agayne their wyues beynge as yet alyue And had they not maysters that wolde teache them this and preache the same openly and make bookes in maynteynaunce of suche abhomination Whyche maysters tolde them that there were two sortes of fornication for whiche men or women might be diuorced one carnal another spiritual Carnall as whē the wise had commited aduoutry with another man or the husbande with another woman Spiritual when the woman ▪ or man was a papist and an enemye to Goddes worde as they called it For which two kindes of fornication men and women to might lawfulli sayd these iolye maysters be diuorced and marry agayne So that both the husband whensoeuer hym lyste might at his pleasure cast of his wife and take another and also the wyfe in lyke maner take another husbande Was not this very holsome doctrine I pray you and mete to be preached in pulpittes set forth in bookes and the authours therof worthy to be compared with Saynt Paule as they were of many for theyr famouse preaching God gyue grace to all christen people to beware of such maysters lest by them they be ledde or euer they be aware ▪ streight to the deuyll the great mayster of al such mischeuouse doctrine of which as he is the first father and founder so all they that eyther teache it or embrace it shall in conclusion except they earnestly repent be partakers with hym of the painfull pitte of hell Besides this it wold pitie anye good mans hart to thinke what disorder disobedience came of this liberty Wold not the seruauntes controll their maysters and tel them when they were chekked for leauing their busines vndone y t they had bene occupied eyther in readynge gods word or in hearing some sermon yea so godly lessons hadde they learned since they had tasted of this newe doctrine y e very few of their maysters could after truste them And if y e mayster were a catholike mā one that feared god then wold his seruaunte if he were of a contrary iudgemēt handel hym like awarde and in maner make a loute of him and do his busynesse as he list and when he lyste and lette it be vndone if he list For the mayster fearing that he shuld haue displeasure by him durst neyther put hym away from hym nor ones asmuch as rebuke hym for any matter After the same sorte dyd children order their parentes wyues their husbandes and subiectes their magystrates So that the fete ruled the head and the cart was set before y e horse For childrē when they had bene brought vp in schole a while with some lewd Lutherane ▪ then would they write letters to their catholike parentes and exhorte them in the lordes name to leaue their papistry and blind ignoraunce that they were in and fall at lenght to folow goddes worde and gladly to receaue the truth And if the parentes would not folowe this their childishe aduise streight way would they not let to talke with their companyons and tell them that their parentes were blinde papistes Yea and make a mery mockinge stocke of them lay my father is an old doting foole ▪ and will fast vpon the fryday and my mother goeth alwayes mumblinge on her beades But you shall se me of another sorte I warraunt you For I will neuer folowe no suche superstitiouse folye nor walke in the Papisticall pathes of my parentes Were not men well at ease trow you when they had bestowed a great deale of money vpon suche graceles graftes who neyther feared god nor reuerenced their parentes Thus did mens wyues to that were become systers of the new fraternitye order their husbandes For where as the husbande dyd not fauoure their secte then would the wyfe no longer go to schole with hym in silence as Saynt Paule byddeth her but would boldlye fall to teache hym and tell hym of his duety And many of them were offended with Saynte Paule that hadde commaunded them that they shuld holde their peace in the churches For gladly would they haue preached if they might haue bene suffred as some of thē neuertheles did in corners At which tyme also y e deuil for y e better furtheraūce of heresy piked out two sorts of people that shuld in tauernes and innes at commentables and in open stretes set forwarde his purpose as wel as false preachers dyd in the pulpet that is to say minstrels and players of enterludes The one to singe pestilente and abhominable songes and the other to set forth openly before mens eyes the wicked blasphemye that they had cōtriued for the defacing of all rites ceremonies and all the whole order vsed in the administration of the beissed Sacramentes Then the scripture being in suche folkes handes was sore studied not for amendement of life which they neuer mynded but partly to mayntayne their loude heresye wherwith they were infected partelye to controll the priestes whome they had in great derision and partlye to find faulte with other whē they had anye occasion at all For yf a man were a good vertuous priest he had bene better a great deale to haue liued amonge Turkes and Saracenes then amonge this kind of folke by reason that whensoeuer they mette with him in anye place they woulde aske him Nowe syr Iohn where fynde you your Masse in scripture or who gaue you aucthoritie to make god As though the prieste by his owne power had made Christes blessed body in the holye Sacramente of the aultare and not the holye worde of God And then woulde they saye beside it is pitie that anye suche popishe wretches lyues y e thus haue deceaued Christes flocke But nowe I warrante you must you turne your tippet laye away your olde mumpsimus and shutte vp youre portesse and your Masse boke to and putte awaye cleane your purgatory Masses You must nowe olde foole go to schole agayne
the kinge but that he were a ranke traytoure and worthy to suffer a most shame full death so yf a man shuld entre into a churche whiche is as it were Goddes palaice in earth and there pluckedowne violentlye Christes owne Image and eyther breake it or burne it and sette vp the kinges armes in stede thereof because he woulde make him a God as Caius themperoure did in the holy temple of Hierusalem where he caused his owne Image to be set vp and would be called a God that the temple there shulde be named the temple of the goodly newe Iuppiter Caius I beleue that no good Christen man woulde iudge hym to be Christes frende but a wretched heretike and an arrende traytour both to our sauiour Iesus Christ and also to hys blessed spouse the Catholyke Churche But truelye greate merueyle is it that suche folkes are not so plaged for their abhomination as was Iulianus Apostata whyche pulled downe the Image of oure Sauioure Christ set his owne Image in the place where it stode Whych Image of hys was anone after wyth a thunder bolte cut in sonder euen by the myddel and hurled downe to the grounde and he hym selfe to sor his wickednes came at lengthe to a miserable and cursed ende But for what purpose was thys done trowe you of oure goodlye Gospellers Was it not done onlye to put Christe all his holye saynctes cleane out of memorye as they were in dede more pitie is it wyth a great manye For why doth many men desyre to haue the Images of their deare frendes paynted in tables and honge vp in their chambers but because they woulde not forget theÌ„ eyther when they be absent or els when they be dead Doth not a liuely ymage I beseche you make folkes remeÌ„ber the man that is represented by it better then a bare naked white wall or when a man cometh into a house and â—yndeth the Image of Kinge Edwarde whether doth he then more remember hym or when he goeth into another house and findeth no Image of hym at all It was wonte to be sayd that suche as were the kinges very freÌ„des wold haue y e kinges Image in their howses bothe to make them remember their dueties toward hym and also to declare their good wil that they bare him But oure Image breakers be lyke the Iewes the deadly enemies of our Sauiour whych can by no meanes abyde anye Image eyther of Christ or hys Saynctes but they bable and rayle agaynst them because they wold haue Christe and all hys blessed Saynctes cleane put oute of memorye After thys was procession abolished which is a common prayer for the whole churche and by which is signified that we be all Christes souldyars and hauynge Christes crosse as a banner goyng before vs do fyghte together by prayer agaynste oure goostlye enemye the deuil And here withall were censynge â–ª candelles asshes and palmes cleane taken awaye whyche be not domme ceremonies as the deuils ministers call them but very lyuely godlye ceremonies For censinge signifieth y e offring vp of the pleasaunt odour of godly prayer thereat the prieste desireth of God that the prayers of all that be present maye ascende vp into his syght as the swete odour of frankensence And bryghte burnyng candels betokeneth Christ hym selfe whych as S. Iohn sayeth is the trewe lyghtes that illumineth euery man that cometh into the worlde And so the good godlye manne Simeon vpon Candelmasse daye when he mette Christe in the temple toke him in his armes sayde Nowe Lorde thou lettest thy seruaunte accordynge to thy promise departe in peace Because myne eyes hath sene the sauioure of the world sent from thee Whome thou hast prepared in the â—ight of all people to be a lyght to the gentils and paynems and greate glorye and renowne to the people of Israell So that by oure candels bearyng we declare that our verye lyght Christe is come to lyghten oure soules â–ª whyche were darkened with y e blacke cloudes of fowle fylthye sinne before Agayne when we are marked wyth asshes in the foreheade we are playnlye tolde therbi what we be That is to wete nothing els but as Abraham sayd verye duste and asshes And remembrynge the same haue good cause to laye away oure pryde to become humble and meke and euerye daye to thynke vpon oure ende when as oure bodyes shall become vyle wormes meate and all our goodly beautie be turned into dust Nowe as for bearynge of palmes that is to put vs in remembraunce of Christes comming to Hierusalem when as the people cutte bowes of the trees cast them in the way where he shoulde passe that as we be glad to strawe palmes in the way â–ª where Christes most blessed bodye is presented so we ought to garnish the house of oure soules wyth swete floures firste washe it cleane with y e cleare water of holsom penauÌ„ce then straw the pleasaunt Psalmes of perfite fayth charitie in it with a sure hope of gods promisses so prepare it y t it may please our sauior to say as he sayd to zacheus this day must â— rest in your houses Withal they toke away creping to the crosse vpoÌ„ good friday â–ª wherby euery man declareth hys huÌ„ble obeysaunce to Christ as Christ our sauiour as y e day humbled him selfe to y e death of the crosse as S. Paule sayth so euery christen man in remeÌ„braunce therof doth huÌ„bly crepe vpoÌ„ his knees to the Image and signe of the crosse there to do worship to Christ y e died for him vpon the crosse to giue him most harty thaÌ„kes for the redeÌ„ption of al maÌ„kind which was done by him vpoÌ„ the crosse Then was forbidden also the halowing of y e font which euen froÌ„ the Apostles time had alwayes bene as it appeareth by Tertullian Basile other good wryters w t great reuerence obserued because it is so necessari in y e churche of god And therewithall went away all the other rites and ceremonies that are vsed vpoÌ„ Easter euen When al these godly ceremonies were ridded out of the waye then in a furiouse rage lyke menne besyde theyr wittes fell they to pul downe the holy aulters where oure Sauiours blessed bodye was wonte to be consecrated and the same there offred vp as a mooste pleasaunte sacrifice to God the father And to make vp their maliciouse mischiefe withal plucked they downe the pixe wherin the very body of our lord and sauiour was reserued kept And some vyle verlettes to thintente they might do the Deuyll their mayster better seruice hurled the same blessed sacrameÌ„t vnder their fete certayne of them would not let to say as the Iewes sayd to our sauiour hangyng vpon the crosse It thou be god saue thy selfe But suche shalbe wel assured to be at length moste miserably plaged as the Iewes were except they
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
were so handled as would make anye good mans hearte sore to lament therefore Ouer thys muche pratinge made they of onelye fayth that thereby we were â—ustified whereof they talked so longe that at length a great many had no fayth at al. And in these matters were they so well practised y t when they talked of them in a pulpit they semed to the people very eloquent But yf they at anye tyme toke occasion as they dydde verye seldome to speake of deathe or deadlye sinne or of the feare of God and his terrible iudgemente or of good workes as of prayer fastinge and almose they were so baren in their talke that their auditours thought theÌ„ altogyther vnlearned as they were without fayle For so haue many of them comming to their triall well declared of late And althoughe they lacked sounde learninge yet lacked they no arrogant presuÌ„ption For some of them woulde not lette to boaste that they were singulerly learned in Latine greke hebrew and say y t thei had red ouer all the ecclesiasticall writers and often tymes alledge theÌ„ for their purpose But how I pray you Eyther dyd they misconstrue and vntruely expounde the places that they alledged or at lest wise falsely alledged theÌ„ or elles cut the sentence in the middest that it mighte seme to make for their purpose and all that made agaynste them left they clean out And so like wise haÌ„dled they y e holy scripture to as it well appeareth in sondrye of their detestable and deuilishe bokes whosoeuer list to searche them But they were not the firste that thus went aboute to depraue both the scripture and also the old auncient writers For Asclepiades Theodotus Hermophilus and Apollonius olde heretikes of Artemones sect trauayled much in corruptinge the examples of holy scripture to the intent that they might bringe scriptures to coÌ„firme their abhominable opinions wythall And Denyse the byshop of Corinthe writeth thus of suche like men At the request of certayne bretherne I wrote certayne epistles which y e deuils Apostles haue filled ful of cockel darnil For some wordes haue they put out of them and some added vnto them for whom the wofull curse of Christe at the day of iudgemeÌ„t is reserued And no maruaile is it though they wente aboute to falsifye the scriptures of our lord and sauiour Iesus seing that they haue corrupted these pore simple writinges of mine whiche are not of such weight as those be Many authors could I alledge to declare y t heretikes haue alwayes played the like part both with the scriptures the good interpretors therof but here it nedeth not Som other were there of our new preachers whose presuÌ„ptuouse arrogancie myght also be well knowen in that that many of them would preache and were neuer sent And a great meany that had in maner no learninge and as litle wit wold start vp into y e pulpet and tell the people that the spyrite moued them and then would they blaspheme and rayle as though they had bene possessed with an euil spirite as in dede it is very likely they were Such are wel described of Saint Peter after this sorte These be welles without water and mystes tossed with whorle wyndes for whome is reserued euerlastinge darkenesse For by vtteringe their presumptuouse bablinge they allure and catche such as through the coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh are fallen in dede to folowe wanton pleasures and contynue in error And they promise other men liberty wheras they theÌ„ selfes are y e very slaues of filthye corruptioÌ„ Such godly maysters because they ranne and were not sent as the prophete saith came into the shepefold of Christ not by the dore but an other way so that Saynt Iohn the euangeliste if he had bene alyue would haue called them theues And a thefe as the same euangelist writeth commeth for no other purpose but to steale to kyll and to distroye For first dyd they steale Christes shepe out of the folde that is to say out of the Catholike churche by carnall libertye whiche as I sayde before they craftlye named y e libertye of the gospell Then killed they their soules with pestilence doctrine and so at lengthe by their deuelishe diuises so blinded theÌ„ that they destroyed them all together And when they had thus miserably handled them they gloried in their graceles acte â–ª as though they had done god good seruyce But if they would remember what Oâ—igene sayth concernyng suche men as they them selfes be and well wey his sayinge they shoulde haue good cause to leaue their glorying in malice and blindnes and fall to bewayle the miserable murder that they in Christes flocke haue committed For he sayth that the daÌ„nation of al those that haue eyther preached or wrytten heresye doth styll increase to the daye of iudgement that is to saye as longe as the contagion of theyr heresye dothe remayne and infect any man For the mo that perish through their doctrine the more greuouse shall their punishement be Which sentence I beseche our lord god y â— betime they maye earnestlie consider and y t eyther by reason learning and gentle exhortation or otherwise they may be brought to acknowledge their error and blindenes to detest it and to persuade other that haue bene deceaued by them to forsake it And let them heare what S. Cyprian writeth to Maximus and Nicostratus after this sorte Thynke not sayeth he that you defende Christes gospell while as you diuide your selfes from the flocke of Christe and from the peace and concorde thereof sithen that it is more fitte for the valiant and gloriouse souldiars of Christe to be wythin theyr owne tentes there abiding to do and prouide for those thynges togyther wyth other that are to be done and prouided for because that oure vnitie and concorde ought in no wyse to be cut asonder As for vs we can not forsake the Churche go forthe of it come to you Therfore we in al that we possible can exhort and pray you that you wyl returne to your mother the churche agayne Whych exhortation of saynte Cyprian God giue grace that those that haue by heresy diuided themselfes from Christes catholike churche maye gladlye heare and thereby be persuaded to come home and embrace the holesom doctrine of their deare mother y e blessed spouse of Christ. For what a comfort shuld it be for them selfes yea and what a greate ioye for all good Christen folkes yf they would forsake the synagoge of heresie repayre to Christes holye Churche agayne For sayncte Cyprian writeth that seing that Christ sayeth in the Gospell y t there is in heauen the greatest ioye that canne be for one synner that doeth penaunce howe much more ioye is there then both in heauen and in earthe for suche â–ª as with glorye and prayse returne to the churche of God agayne and by their example by their fayth and trial giue
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
may euidently perceaue that suche as haue made rebellion for this noughty doctrine haue euer bene miserably plaged at the ende But to let passe thexamples of foreyne realmes and to come home to our owne as sone as the fauorers of Wicliffes wicked heresye heard that Hus and Hierome of Prage two of Wiclifs chief scholers were condemned at Constance and there burned for their heresie they fell therfore into a â—uryouse rage And first conspired agaynste the byshoppes and priestes then like vile traytours agaynst their liege lord and soueraygne kyng Henry the .v. because he was a catholike Prince and a vertuouse And streyght way made they open assembles and determined to maynteine their cursed doctrine by force of armes Then gotte they them two mete Capitaynes for suche a purpose Iohn Oldcastell and Roger Acton and wyth a desperate company which were assembled wyth them made they hast to London to thintent they myghte take the citie and so there encrease their army with men much like theÌ„selfes and in coÌ„clusion by that meanes put downe the kyng But the kyng being certified of the matter thoughte it necessary to preuente them and to be readye to set vpon them before they shoulde enter into the citie Who when he was well prepared for them pytched hys teÌ„tes in a place mete for the purpose and taried for their comming But the wretches assone as they hearde of the kynges coÌ„myng streyght waye as thoughe they hadde lost the fielde ronne away as fast â–ª as their fete wolde beare them Of whome some were taken in the flight and by and by committed to the fyre and burned Anone after their two captaynes were taken cast in prison Beside this the tragicall ende of our last rebellion made by captayne Wiat hys complices for the same religion may be a sufficient warnyng for all men as longe as the worlde continueth to beware both of such a detestable and deuelishe enterprise and also of the peruerse doctrine that droue them vnto it And let euerye man that is infected wyth the same doctrine loketh for a daye as a great meanye do be well assured that whensoeuer he aduentureth the like acte he shal haue a lyke daye that is to saye a daye of his vtter confusion For God is al one and fayleth not to defende all those that put their sure trust in him as our most gratious soueraigne Ladye the Queene doth and punisheth all such as fighteth agaynste his churche and agaynst princes whiche be hys ministers And whatsoeuer the matter be that moueth hym to rebellioÌ„ let him thinke surely that the deuyll that seketh to destroye him both bodye and soule hath putte it in his mynde And let him waxe wise betime thoroughe other mens harmes And yf he wyl call to memorye the wordes that certayne of our rebelles sayde at their death he shall haue good cause to beware by theyr example For diuerse of them as it is reported said to the people that were presente when they were putte to execution after this sort Good people seyng that god for my most greuouse offence commytted agaynst the Quenes highnes hath thus worthely plaged me and punished me with this vile and shamefull death I beseche you al for your owne sauegarde learne by myne example euermore to beware of rebellion And specially agaynste your moste vertuouse most gratiouse soueraygne Lady y t now reygneth ouer you whom god as it wel appeareth hath elected and chosen to gouerne you whom he ceaseth not dayly w t his myghty hand to defend agaynst al her enemyes Wherfore all they that goeth about to resiste her or to worke any treason agaynst her noble person wittingly worketh their owne destructioÌ„ For there is no deceyptful driftes or force of armes that can preuayle agaynst the faythful seruauÌ„tes of god Therfore may I most miserably bewayle my misfortune that it was my chaunce to be one of that number that contrary to Goddes wyll and pleasure dyd rebell agaynste suche a gracious prince And well maye I saye wyth a sighinge hearte alas that euer I was so madde as to folow the pestilent persuasion of such as moued me thereto But nowe the acte is paste and it is not possible to call agayne yesterdaye But notwythstandyng that to late it is to amend the matter yet it is not to late to repent And remedy fynde I none but only to be sory for it and hartely to beseche both almyghtye God to be mercifull vnto me and the Queenes hyghnes of her goodnesse to pardon me And I exhorte all you that be present to beware by me and that my plage may be a plaster for all them whose heartes be wounded wyth wycked rebellion And I praye God that all Englyshe menne maye take hede by me â–ª and learne to obeye theyr Prince by mine example and waxe wise throughe my folie Suche like wordes sayde diuerse of the late rebelles at theyr death But to be shorte there was neuer rebellion yet for what cause soeuer it was made that euer hadde prosperouse ende And yf a manne woulde recite foreyne rebellions that haue bene done in other realmes he shoulde be very longe in the matter But lette vs at thys presente go no further but to oure owne countrye and we shall fynde thys that I haue sayde to be vndoubtedlye true For Iacke Strawe Watt Tyler Captaines of the commotion that was in Kente in kynge Richarde the secondes dayes when they had taken South warke spoyled it broken vp the prysons lette out the prisoners and after robbed the whole citye of London and kylled meanye both straungers and citezins and ioyned to them all ruffians theues slaues and vile velaynes that were within the citie at laste the Lord Maior whose name was William Walworth and all the Aldermen of the citye sore moued wyth the matter gathered a coÌ„panye together well armed and the sayd lord Maior whyle all men prepared them selfes to go agaynst these rebelles hauyng a companye wyth hym at the kynges commaundement wente into Smithfielde where the rebelles were At whose comming the rebelles being some what abashed â—uffred hym to entre in amonges theÌ„ wythout any harme Then the lord Maior toke aparte Iacke Strawe pretendyng that he woulde be glad to make peace wyth hym But assone as he had gotte him aside in a great rage drewe he hys dagger kylled hym out of hande Whych when the rebels ones perceaued they fledde awaye apace and in the flight many were taken and manye were slayne and so for their outragious acte receaued they worthy punishment The lyke ende had the great captayne of the Kentyshe rebelles called Iacke Cade Whyche Iacke in the reygne of kynge Henrye the .vj. toke Southwarke and when he was assaulted of one Mathew Goth at mydnyght stoutly resisted him and droue him back to the bridge and so hard pursued hym that he fledde into the citie agayne Then Iacke wyth hys men sette fire vpon the houses
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