not folow his malyce and withstand goddis pleasure Peter and Paule toke vppon theym a power and yet they graunted it to be cancelled within certayne lymyttes they wente not oute of theyr bondes they wolde not passe theyr rayles but sayde they had power to exhorte men power to edifie to reconcyle but no power to scatter to spoyle to dystroy This good father is of an nother schole a student of Rome taught in the consistorie of Cardynals where though there be fewe good made yet there commeth fewer good thither but they depart as euyll as they that be theyr readers It is with them a gay schole poynte without any drede of god to breake that louely bonde whiche god hath ordeyned and sette in nature to holde togyther to preserue and maynteyne a thynge in this worlde for mans welth and safetie moste nedefull ciuyle ordinauuce obeysaunce of the membres to the heed of the subiectes to theyr souerayne What thynge is more beneficiall vnto mannes lyfe then polytike order then mutuall socyetie of men knitte together in iustice temperācie modestie and honest lybertie one to helpe and comforte an other oone to instruct and teache an other in al thinges but in especiall in matters belongyng to god and suche as maynteyne this socyetie God ordeyned kynges magistrates and rulers commaundynge theym to be honoured euen as fathers are of theym chyldren This is the fyrste precepte of the seconde table wherin god setteth a polycie and teacheth the workes necessarye vnto mannes lyfe He shewethe of all thynges this to be the firste that some rule and some obeye Obedyence vndoubtedly is the knotte of al common weales this broken they muste nedes runne al heedlonge to vtter destruction God woll in any case subiectes owe this obedience to theyr rulers he woll they be dettours of this and neuer to cease the payenge of it He requireth not onely seruice of our bodyes to be at our prynces commaundemente but that our hartes honour and serue his hyghnes with all loue and feythfulnes Marke howe this good Romishe vicar supplieth his masters office he giueth remission of sinnes to theym that offende depeste in this precepte and curseth all theym that hate not goddes commandment Good cause he can not haue to do so and yet he knoweth his thryft is paste if goddes commaundementes be kepte and his curses not set by Who wolde thynke that goddes vycar coulde call prynces that were goinge ayenste the turke to tourne theyr force vpon christen princes Who wolde thinke that he him selfe coulde be of any good belefe beinge farder in loue with turkes whiche seke nothynge more then the vtter ruyne of Chrystes faythe then with vs that refuse with our moneye to maintayne his pryde ayenst god and his holy worde Errors haue set his cheyre alofte he seeth trouthe muste nedes abase hym He wryteth he sendeth he calleth he cryeth for helpe vnto all prynces If some of them sedused by false persuasiō shal set vpō vs bicause we haue left Idolatry dryuen away deceytful Hypocrisy that thus many yeres haue lyen lurkyng in celles kepynge by force and crafte the place of Chrystes relygyon Whan euer had Englande so good a cause to fyghte as nowe Whan euer myghte we goo to fielde with better hope of victorye then nowe Were it possyble that they shulde haue better hartes fyghtynge ayenst religyon ayenste goddes worde and so ayenst god hym selfe then we that fyghte for the mayntenaunce of all thre Canne they haue better wylles to lose bodyes and soules then we to saue bothe shall they take payne to come so farre to seke theyr owne sorowe and we not step oute of our doores to defende our welth our countrey our selues haue they yea can they haue greater causes to hate Englande then we to loue it If they passe not of goddes wrothe and vengiaunce so that they may brynge vs into captiuity and bondage shall not we beinge assured of goddes fauour as longe as we fauour his worde his name his glorye mete with these not so moche oures as goddes ennemies I muste here saye a thynge that I thynke woll make a good sorte of vs angry at the leaste Certes if we be not as one reported vs it myghte make vs vpon oceasion not only ready but very desyreful to spende yea though it were a good quantitie of bloude in so honest a quarell ¶ Not longe sithens a ientil ientilman I myght saye he was an ambassatour but then percase men wolde go nyghe to gesse whome I meane made at his retorne home this reporte of vs Thactyuitie of Englyshmen hath ben greate if histories be true but if I maye iudge by any coniectures it is nothynge so nowe I se neyther harneyes ne weapons of manhode amonges them they haue ben of good hartes couragyouse bolde valiant in marciall feates But those Englyshe men are deade ¶ If we had none other cause to fyghte beinge prouoked with the assaulte of our enemies wolde not this contumely this spytefull tale make vs shewe vnto suche reporters that as long as Englyshe bodies remayn in Englande they shal also fynde Englyshe stomackes Englysshe handes Englysshe hartes We see verye cowardes can euyll abyde to be so called and taken and are Englysshe men nothynge stirred to be thus counted and of them that are in dede but verye dastardes What thynge had Englande euer that it now lacketh bōdage of the proude tyrant of Rome layde apart Were there euer at any tyme in Englande goodlyer bodies cleaner made mē than there be at this day Were there euer mo thinges to set hartes in courage thā there be at this houre were there euer mo rewacdes for vertue mo nay halfe so many as there be nowe sythens Englande was England were there at any tyme mo euydent sygnes of goddes fauour towardes vs than haue ben these many yeres ¶ We many nowe see if we be not blynder than betels why god suffered suche a nomber to rise in the North and after to do no hurte to this realme but rather excedynge moche good For besydes that suche were wieded away as myght haue done hurte if our enemies had come betymes how dyd that cōmotion furnisshe almooste all Englande with weapons with harneys and other thynges necessarye for warre howe sone were both the Sotherne and Northern men in a redynesse wantynge nothynge fytte eyther for men that intended hurte to other eyther for theym that purposed theyr owne safetie Howe many yonge Ientylmen that than were ashamed they coulde ryde no better ryde wel now how many that than lacked almoste all thynge mete for a warry our be nowe furnyshed for all assayes God vndoubted dydde moche for vs that of so euyll a thyng we receyued so many commodities Harneys bowes bylles gunnes with the rest of the furnitures for soudiours were prepared than See the goodnes of god that wold them all to be prepared than and all to be preserued hole sounde vnhurte for a better season They were commynge whether they dare come
battayle of Alroye in Britayne maye not be forgotten our countreye wanne there no small honour For albeit the frenche men Britons ordered them selfe in theyr aray wonderful prudently in theyr fight verye manfully yet were they all slayne or dyscomfyted We haue also sometyme soughte honour in Spayne and founde it very fortunatly Dyd not noble prynce Edwarde discomfet kynge Henriche vsurper of the crowne of Spayne vanquyshe there bothe the frenche men and Spaniardes and settle kynge Peter in his right and roume ageine Where dyd the hardye hartes and manly couragies of the Englyshe men better appere than in the battayle on the see before Sluse in Flaunders the fight was fierce and terrible and our men sore matched for there were .iiii. of them to one englysshe man and they very experte men of warre vppon the see There was no place to flee none to recule to without losse of all Here the noble Englyshemen bare them selfe so valyantly that they got the vyctorie vtterly discomfetynge and sleinge all the frenche men and Normans We may forget the battayle of Agingcourt but they woll remember and are lyke neuer to forget with howe small an army that most prudent and victorious kynge Henry the fyfte vanquysshed that huge host of french men How moche to al our comfortes may we reioyse in the memory of the battayle whiche most noble and vyctorious kynge Henry the eyghte called the fielde Des esprons that is the fielde of spurres bycause both the french men as that daye lefte all theyr defence and vsed nothynge but their spurres fleinge one in an others necke and we also compelled to vse nothynge soo moche as our spurres in pursuing them that so swiftly fledde in folowynge them that in no case wolde abyde in rydynge after them that so fast ran away His hyghnes was than almost with al the nobilitie of Englande yea with al the flowre and force of our nation in Fraunce and yet the kyng of Scottes founde ynough at home to defende lytel Englande He came whan our strength was oute of the realme he came vnloked for with great prouisyon with a puisant army His chance might teache other pryncis rather to gouerne well that they haue thanne to seke that they can not come by We that haue thus ben vsed to victories ofte beaten our ennemies of what nation soo euer they be can we now loke for lesse than great and hygh honour at theyr handes haue not they as good cause to be afrayde of vs of whome they haue receyued soo manye damages as we to go with all courage ayenst them whom we haue so oft put to flyght so ofte shamed so ofte put to the worse had we then stomackes shal we lacke now had we than cause to do valiantly and fynde we none now was there euer prince that dyd or coulde better rewarde the seruyce of his subiectes than our moste bountifull soueraygne haue not all we that be Sotherne men good cause to shewe our selfe harty courragious valyaunte seinge that we knowe the Northen men woll do what they can to make a large mendes for theyr laate faute I doubt not but they haue moche desyred some suche occasyon to testyfye their hartes and fydelytie to the kynges hyghnes They haue sene howe mercyfully his grace gaue theym theyr lyues whiche the lawes chalenged as forfayte and loste We may all truste they wolle well declare to his hyghnesse that he rather lente them lyues than gaue them any And that they haue them in store redy to render theym whan so euer his honoure his cause his commandemente shall require theym They beinge thus set can we Sothern men come any fote behynde them Shall they be gladder to wype away suche blemyshe as tell vpon them by the crafty seducemente of suche as are nowe worthyly deade than we desyrefull to encrease his gracis beneuolence towarde vs I trust as we be one realme so our enemies shall fynde vs of one harte one fydelitie one allegiance As god helpe me euen in the tyme of the insurrection I halfe wyshed that some our enemies had set vpon vs. I dyd not alone lament that whan bothe parties were so furnyshed to battayle there was so vnmete a matche for men to shew thē selfe hardy I had red and ofte remembred the wyse answere of Scorio to his souldiours His hoste harde that the Romains were at dissention and wolde nedes haue hadde hym to set vpon theym whyle they were soo at variance Naye not so sayth Scorio this were euen the nexte waye to make theym agreed And whan his souldiors wolde make no ende of desyrynge him to go towardes Rome he caused a couple of mastiues to be sette to gether by the eares and euen whanne they were hardest at it he in the syght of all his hoste shewed vnto the dogges a wolfe whiche as soone as the dogges sawe they straight way were at one and both folowed the wolfe Men ofte tymes fayle of theyr purpose and turne thinges quyte contrarye to that they intended There was a good wyfe for soo we call them that be maryed whiche beinge very wery of her husband thoughte to dispatche hym by poyson This woman a frayde leste one poyson wolde not serue her torne toke two thynkynge she therby shoulde quyckelye and spedelye haue wroughte her feate She was deceyued for where th one poyson alone had slayne hym the stryfe of the one with the other saued hym alyue If her cruelty had ben lesse she had surely broughte her purpose to effecte Poyson hath put me in minde here to tell a story done in our tyme not longe sythens by a noble man of Rome I shall lyttell digresse from my purpose for ye maye also lerne by this storye that men ofte tymes haue great hurte where they loke for great pleasure There is in Italye a ientil man whome for his vertue and noble qualities the holy college of Cardinals by intretie of Paule theyr bysshoppe haue made capyteyne of the churche his name is Petrus Aloisius a braunche commen of a good stocke as ye shal wel perceiue by his fruites This great capitayne by chaunce had to passe by the byshoppe of Phanes house The byshoppe hearynge of this and glad he had occasion gyuen hym to offer kyndenes vnto suche an estate mette signior Petro Aloisio and offerid him his house The capytayne of the Romyshe churche was lyghtly persuaded to lodge with the byshop the bysshop interteyned hym as hyghely as he coulde deuyse sparynge neyther labour in prouydynge all suche deynties as myghte make his chere the better ne cost in dressyng of them Whan supper and bankets were done the time of reste well paste forthe the bysshoppe brought his guest to his chambre where he desyred hym of pardon that his chere was noo better trustynge thoughe there were nothynge mete for suche a personages interteynment that yet he wolde accepte his good harte and wylle whiche fayne wold his fare had ben higher and is moche sory
than he was The kynge laye soore vpon hym oft prayenge hym that he wolde conducte his hoste ageynste the vnkynd Atheniens Themistocles stylle refused it and where as the kynge wolde make no ende of entysyng hym agaynste his countreye he neyther fyndynge in his harte to do soo neyther intendynge to deceyue a kynge whome he had founde so beneficiall thoughte it a lesse faut to rydde hym selfe by poyson than to go with an armye ayenst his natiue countrey ¶ Cretinus Magnesius his countreye being at warre with kyng Mithridates gaue his assent that one callid Hermias his great enemye shulde be capitayne ayenste Mithridates promisynge by solempne protestation that he wolde in the meane season banyshe him selfe his coūtrey leste there might rise som tumulte busynes by their two factions But Hermias knowynge Cretinus to be the better capitayn of both for the loue he bare to his countrey gaue that honour to his enemie and after banished hym selfe his countrey tyll the warre was at an ende Percase the byshop of Rome is perswaded that men here ar of two sortes some yet remaynynge his true frendes Reynard his man may put this in his heed But I truste they bothe be deceyued I truste there be verye fewe but they feele their knowlege moche enlightned sithēs this good father with his trumpery and baggage departed hens enforced to dispatche his wares in some other markets of fooles Fewe I thynke but beynge brought from suche a sorte of errours in to so many truthes truthes that so doo quiet all troubeled consciences but they fynde greatte causes to be gladde of the chaunge The way that was this many hundred yeres kepte shutte is nowe god and the kinges highnes be thanked layd open God instilleth his fayth into mans harte by his apoynted ordynaunce that is by worthy herynge of the gospell All men sayth saynt Paule that call rightly vppon the name of god shall be saued But howe saythe he can they call vpon hym in whome they beleue not Howe can they beleue hym of whom they here not how can they here of him if no man preache hym howe can they preche hym that are not sente so that we see by this gradation the onely way to the knowelege of faith to the styckynge vnto goddis promyses is heryng his word This waye is layde open knoweledge approcheth errours are takynge theyr vyage The bysshop of Rome foreseing the damages that ensue to hym and his by the commynge forth of goddis word knowing also howe moch his vantages maye dayly encrease yf errours be reteyned in all christen kyngedomes doth and wolle do what he can to ouerrunne this way with a pestyferouse Poole that floweth out of course that seketh ayenst nature to destroy the heed from whense it fyrste dyd sprynge The bysshoppe seeth if we walke in this way longe he must walke to that he came fro that is to pouertie to preachynge to humilite and to obeysaunce This is it that wryngeth hym at this he fretteth for this he sturreth all these coles They are lyttell acqueynted with the bishop of Romes practises that thynke he styrreth prynces ayenste vs for any loue or desyre he hath to auaunce goddis honour His hole actes declare hym to meane al thyng rather than that Who can beleue he wold take suche peynes susteyne suche charges to seeke oure helth and safetie whan he treadeth them vnder his fete at his owne dores whiche fayne wolde enter into our religion and may not He hath dwellyng in his owne citie of Rome many that moche couet to be christened whom he wol in no case receyue excepte they forsake all their goodes and gyue theym hole vnto hym I meane the poore iewes whiche are soo spoyled of hym whan god gyueth them his greattest giftes faithe and affiaunce that theyr synnes shall be forgyuen that it wolde pytie an hethen harte to se his tyranny ouer them If it please the holye gooste to call any of theym to Chrystis fayth this good father starteth betwene them and saythe there is a playne texte excepte a man renounce all that he hath he may not be my disciple Is not this a good shepeherde that woll not receiue shepe which are strayed from the flocke excepte they giue hym money A iewe for money is made a ryght christian And a right christian is taken for a miscreaunt for a iewe for a turke if he refuse to giue a pounde for that is not worthe a penye This good byshoppe loued vs excedyng tenderlye as longe as we gaue to hym frankely our siluer He gaue vs pardons plentuously which brought vs far from purgatory euen the nexte waye to helle but now that we se his chaffer is naught worthe and therfore woll gyue naughte for it this good father hath chaunged his affection and is so farre in loue with our sowles that he wolde with swerde seke for them in our bowels I wol grāte hym for a while we were as he and his are in errour in blyndenes if he loued vs as surely he wolde if he were our father as he calleth hym selfe if he loued vs wolde he seke the distruction of our lyues we beinge in an euel belefe ought he not rather if he were but a good christen mā to knele on his bare knees vnto god and desyre hym our bodyes myght kepe our soules while we were better instructed If we were in a wronge feythe dothe not he slee our soules if our bodies by his meanes be slayne er we tourne coulde he thus doo thus entende if he were goddes vicar If he loued our soules if he sought to brynge vs to saluation Peter pence make Paule to do as he dothe Our holy father enioyeth no lenger our goodes this losse greueth hym sore and yet he feareth thexample worse than the domage He is afrayde leste yf god prosper vs that other kynges woll also passe as moche of hym as our most noble kyng dothe We be gone from him to Christe whiche saythe Qui uenit ad me non eiiciam eum foras He that commeth to me I woll not see him cast out of doores Let our good father which in very dede is moche meter to be a hogherde than a shepeherde of men let hym curse vntyll his tonge fall into hell they shall be blessed that god blesseth Let hym order his byndynge and losynge as luste leadeth hym There is one that woll one day se his sawcye power tyed shorter For what I pray you is lefte for pride to chalenge whan he ones taketh vpon hym to binde that that god commaundeth to be leuse to leuse that that god in any wyse wolle haue bounden God wolle all subiectes peyne of eternall damnation to obeye their princis This good interpreter of goddis wyll whan affection gayne or feare of losse wol delyuereth all pryncis subiectes from the bondes that god hath knyt them in and gyueth theym pardon that leaue their duetie that breke goddis commaundement and curseth all theym that wol
on or no we shall see they were commynge I saye ageynst whome our bowes oughte to be bente to whose hedes our billes owe blowes into whose bosomes our arowes ought to crepe Pitie it is that men shulde be so mad to couet their own misery rather than to suffer vs in welthe greatte pitie to see one christen armye ayenst an other But for as moche as they seke to doo vs iniurye and we only to put of wronge if it be offered we nede not doubte but he woll be with vs for whose cause we be compelled to fyghte They can not be to fewe that haue god on their side They haue a feire bende of men that haue a good cause a good quarel to stande in I wol for a season imagin vs to be the weker side fewer in noumber of lesse power than our aduersaries are I wol not yet speake of the feates that Englyshe men haue done in battayles ¶ Well we be not so many as our enemies are what if we be fewer yea and man for man of moche lesse might than they are May not the sondrye promyses of god the manyfold hystories of scripture whiche proue hym iuste and trewe of his promyse make vs lyttell to passe of what number and strēgth so euer they be who so dwelleth vnder the shadowe of the almyghty hym as Dauid saythe god couereth with his wynges and kepeth safe vnder his fethers I knowe sayth he the lord helpeth his annoynted and euen frome heauen hereth theym Some truste in charyottes some in horses but we in callynge vppon the lorde God can and oft tymes dothe pyne man and beast euen in the myddes of all plentie God whan his wyll is fedeth where no foode is to be founde And as folyshenes whan hym lusteth confoundeth the wyttes of the wyse so weakenes where god setteth to his hande worketh wonders and sturdy strength standeth in no stede It is the lorde saythe Daniel that on highe ruleth the kyngedomes of men gyuyng them to whom he woll God can as wel be no god as not true of his promyse He saythe who soo honoureth me hym wol I make honorable In an other place the same god saythe speakynge of kynge Dauyd bycause he hath sette his loue vpon me I woll se hym rydde from al his troubles I wol defende hym why so it foloweth he hath knowē my name he seketh my glorye and therfore wham so euer he calleth vpon me I woll here hym yea I am with hym in all his calamities and wol delyuer hym from them I woll set hym hygher in honour sende hym longe lyfe and shewe hym his saluation ¶ God maketh not this promyse vnto kynge Dauyd alone but vnto all kynges that hartyly seke his glorye for as god promysed that vnto hym vpon consideration so fyndinge the cause in any other prynce for whiche he bounde hym selfe to be good vnto kynge Dauyd he falleth not to performe now that he than promised We haue plentifull examples of this God suffered the Moabites and Ammonites to set vpon good kyng Iosaphat to trouble him with warre This good kynge complayned and made his mone vnto whom I praye you vnto the lorde from whens commeth all helpe all ayde and succoure What sayde he euen that that all prynces troubled with to great a force ought to say he sayd thus The Moabites the Ammonites the inhabitantes of Seir are come in batayle ayenst vs wolt not thou our god se them iudged se them punished We haue noo might ayenst this gret nombre that setteth vppon vs we wote not what to doo but our eyes o lorde be caste vppon the. The lorde straight harde his praier puttynge in Iezaiels mouthe these wordes that folowe Thus saythe the lorde vnto you be not a frayde or faynte harted by reason of this greatte multytude For the warre is not yours but Goddes On the morowe kynge Iosaphat after his coming forth towarde his enemies sayde in this wyse to his army It is not your partes at the leaste it shall lyttell neade that ye fyght in this quarell come forthe stand and beholde the helpe of the lorde which is with you feare not let not your hartes fayle you Herken vnto me Iuda and ye inhabitours of Hierusalem Truste the lorde our god and soo shall ye continue beleue his prophetes and then shall ye prosper Whan he had sayd thus he commaunded his syngynge men with this songe to laude god Prayse ye the lord for he is gratious his mercy endureth for euer Whyle they were thus gyuing laudes vnto god there rose a sedition amonge theyr ennemies whiche ceased not tyl they were al slayne not one left alyue ¶ Amasias prepared a great hoste supposynge throughe the multytude and strengthe of his army to vanquysshe his ennemyes The man of god as they called hym came to Amasias and sayde sir let not the armye of Israel goo with the for the lorde is not with Israell neyther with any of the house of Ephraim If thou wylte neades haue them make thy selfe as stronge to batteyl as thou canste thou shalt se god wyl make the fal before thyne enemies Here Amasias commandynge them of Ephraim to retorne home agayn went with his owne host a small nombre and slewe .x. M. of his enemies and toke other .x. M. alyue whome the army of Iuda caryed vp to the toppe of a rocke and so hurled them downe ¶ Kynge Iosias with all goodlye reuerence toke vpon hym the defence of true religion the maintenaunce of true worshippynge of god he beate downe the Idols he cut downe theyr woodes and distroyed theyr hyl aulters All princes about hym feared hym none so hardy as to offer hym battayle princes had lerned by longe experyence howe lyttel greatest power serueth ayenste them whom god defendeth ¶ Ezechias a godly prynce of feruente zeale styll occupyed in clensynge his realme of idolatrye was greuousely assauted by a pusant host of Sennacherib the emperour of the Assirians in soo moche that he was required by hym to yelde vp Hierusalem Ezechias turned hym from the helpe of mē to the ayde of god whom he entierly besought that Sennacherib myght be an example to all empyres and kyngedomes that the onelye god of the Hebrues was the trewe god he hadde strayght comforte God sayde vnto hym Sennacherib shall not come into the citie of Hierusalem he shall caste no darte into it c. The same nyght the aungelle of the lorde wente into the Assirians tentes and slewe aboute an C .lxxxviii. M. of them Thus Sennacherib was fayne to retourne home ageyne where prayeng to his Idolle two of his owne sonnes slewe hym ¶ In these exaumples who seeth not how stedfastly god standeth with kinges that stande with hym howe he stylle helpeth whan all mans helpe is paste Had not Mardocheus bē hanged if god had not kepte the kyng wakyng Who wold haue thoughte Daniell coulde haue escaped how vncredible is it to reson that Abram hauynge but .iii. C. and