the Scots In the yeere 1544. chaūced foure Eclipses one of the sunne and three of the Moone Wherupō the L. high Admiral of England arriued with a fleet of two hūdred saile in Scotland where he spoiled Lieth and burned Edinburgh King Henry the eight went himselfe in person to Fraunce wiith a great army cōquered Boloigne The Marques of Brandeburge died in his banishmēt And before three yeeres after the fight of the said Eclipses were fully expired king Henry the eight deceased Likewise the French kings sonne the Duke of Bauarie the Queene of Polonia the Queene of Spaine the Archbishop of Mogunce Martine Luther ended their liues In the yeere 1557. a blazing starre was seene at al times of the night to wit the sixt the seuenth eight ninth and tenth of March when presently after open war was proclaimed between England and Fraunce and a great army was sent by Q. Mary ouer to S. Quintaines The Protestants were persecuted and cruelly dealt withall in this Realme And Queene Mary before a tweluemoneth came about departed out of this life In the yeere 1572. was seene towards the North a straunge starre in bignesse surpassing Iupiter and seated aboue the moone At which time succeeded the bloudy massacre and persecution of the Protestants in Fraunce Many great personages ended their liues as King Charles the ninth of Fraunce Mathew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury and sundry other Pirats robbed and spoyled many of our marchants on the West seas The sect of the family of loue begā to be discouered at London Sebastian the king of Portingal and Mule the king of Moroco were both slaine within lesse then sixe yeeres after In the yeere 1581. appeared a Comet bearding Eastward Whereupon a little while after certaine cōpanies of Italians Spaniards sent by the Pope to strengthen the Earle of Desmond in his rebelliō landed on the west coast of Ireland and there erected their Antichrists banner against her Maiesty Campian and other Seminary priests returned to this Realme and were attached In the yeere 1583. appeared another Comet the bush wherof streamed southeast But the effects thereof followed in the death of Edmund Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Earle of Sussex and in the apprehending of Arden Someruile and other traitours in Warwickshire Also within a while ensued a great dearth here in England In the yere 1596. appeared a Comet northward At which time Hēry Carew L. Hunsdon L. Chamberlaine of her Maiesties houshold and Sir Frauncis Knowles ended their liues Robert Earle of Essex and Charles L. high Admiral of England Generalles of the English fleet burned the Spanish nauy sacked the towne of Cales Moreouer there continued here in England a great dearth of corne with straunge inundations of waters Graue Maurice got a famous victory ouer the Spaniards in the low countreyes Alphonsus Duke of Ferraria departed out of this life The Pope and the Bastard of Ferraia had diuers bickerings about the Dukedome Finally before the yeere went about died Gunilla the Queene mother of Swethland and Gustaue Duke of Saxony her Nephew Likewise Iohn Marquesse of Brādeburge one of the Electours Anne Queene of Polonia daughter to Charles Archduke of Austria being great with child ended their liues In the beginning of the yeere 1598. was seene a most fearfull Eclipse of the sunne in the seuenteenth degree of Piscis neere to the Dragons head the like whereof was seldome heard off at any time before for the sunne was darkened full eleuen poynts which very neere is the whole compasse of his body The effects of it are these following Sigismund Prince of Transyluania not finding his power sufficient to encounter the Turks voluntarily resigned his dominion to the Emperour Rodolph the second The King of Swethland returning into his Realme from Polonia had diuers conflicts and skirmishes with his subiects William Lord high Treasurer of England deceased And so did king Philip the second of Spaine albeit after a more strange maner For it is credibly enformed that this tyrant was eaten vp of lice and vermine A punishmēt no doubt befitting his vsurping life Rome was againe ouerflowne by the riuer Tiber whereby fifteene hundred houses perished and in a maner all the Popes treasure was lost Cardinall Albert sent Mendoza Admirall of Aragon with his rascalitie into the Low Countries where vpon his owne confederates of Cleueland he hath exercised many bloudy tragedies Theodore Duke of Muscouie ended his life There was a great deluge of waters in Hungarie The Turks had wonderfull bad lucke vpon the seas The vnited States of the low Countries sent a huge fleete into Spaine where they had verie good successe to the vtter vndoing of many a Spaniard What shall I write of the terrible rumours of warres which were noysed throughout all England this last summer Assuredly these enents were foreshewed vnto vs by the horrible Eclipse which appeared now aboue two two yeeres agoe Since which time I waited continually for some notable effect or other neither could my mind otherwise presage but that such things would come to passe which now GOD be thanked are ouerpast This after a sort I communicated at that time to master Ia. Pr. an auncient wise gentleman and a deare kinsman of mine at whose house I as then being lately come into my countrey after my fathers decease soiourned God grant vs better and happier successe in this new yeere Of the causes of sedition and ciuill broyles Chap. 54. THere be sixe causes of sedition The first and chiefest is the contempt of religion For if men loued God which they cannot doe except they loue their neighbour doubtlesse no such effects would follow from their actions The loue of religion breaketh swords into mattocks and speares into sithes and causeth that nation shall not lift vp sword against nation neither learne to fight any more The second cause of sedition is the factions of the subiects which euer haue beene and euer will bee the subuersion of estates The third cause is riotous prosperitie for ouer-great aboundance of wealth is the prouocation of mischiefes and maketh men to become diuels The fourth is when the Prince ouerchargeth his subiects with tributes and when hee substituteth niggardly and deceitfull Treasurers and Lieutenants to receiue the leuied money that will not sticke to detaine a part thereof for their owne priuate gaine The first cause of Sedition is iniquitie as when that which is due by proportion is not giuen to them that bee equall and when the Prince bestoweth honour which is the hire and guerdon of vertue vpon raw and meane men This was one of the originall causes of the late troubles in France when the Queene mother for the establishment of her regencie dubbed simple Gentlemen knights of the honourable order of Saint Michael first instituted by King Lewis the eleuenth and til that time held in great estimation The sixt cause of sedition is
warre yet notwithstanding I wil by forcible reasons maintaine the contrary First it is written that the Israelites should warre against their enemies and not faint nor feare nor be amazed nor a-dread of them Secondly lawfull warres are named the battels of the Lord. Thirdly the Lord himselfe is a maÌ„ of warre Fourthly Saint Iohn Baptist confirmeth the lawfulnesse of warre in these wordes which he spoke vnto the souldiers Do no violeÌ„ce to any man neyther accuse any falsly and be content with your wages Fiftly Cornelius a Captaine was so fauoured of God that he receyued the holy Ghost Sixthly the Magistrate carieth not the sword in vaine Seuenthly it is lawfull for any man to defend himselfe For reason teacheth that it is lawfull to repell force offred to our liues and to our persons with force To conclude it is lawfull for one people to assault another so that it it bee either to get their owne againe or els to punish reuolters Howbeit neuerthelesse I counsell warre to be practized as a last and desperat medicine which without very vrgent occasion ought neuer to be applied What warres be most lawfull Chap. 65. THose warres be most iust whereto we are constrained and with good coÌ„scieÌ„ce may we take armes when there is no safetâ—â— for vs but in armes To this an anciet Bishop subscribeth saying That fortitude which defendeth a mans countrey from forrayne enemies or sustaineth the desolat and oppressed is perfect iustice Moreouer the holy Ghost by many testimonies of Scripture declareth such warres to bee lawfull The iniury which is done to Ambassadours ministreth lawfull cause for Princes to take armes in hand Therefore K. Dauid made war with the Ammonits for that they villanously misused the messengers which he sent to comfort the youÌ„g king of AmmoÌ„ for his fathers death Most iust likewise was that warre which king Richard the first of this Realme made with the Infidels for the recouery of the holy land And surely it is a meritorious and religious deed that Christian Princes should vnite their forces together and proclaime warres against the Trukes who to their great shame haue now welnigh conquered all Hungary are at the very gates of Germany and consequently or all Christendome this peril how long soeuer it is deâ—ferred doubtles is like to happen Suppose our Christian Princes could do no other good but keepe back the Turkes forces from further inuasions would not this be a meanes to restore and reuiue the dismembred estate of ChristeÌ„dome Yea certainely To that end I constantly auerre that it is lawfull to warre prouided still that the determination be not to put to death any that will be brought to the true knowledge of the Gospell For it is not with swords but with words not with constraint but with coÌ„ference that misbeleeuers are become conuerted That before we begin warres preparation is to be made of sufficient necessaries thereto belonging Chap. 66. TO the execution of warres three things are needfull prouision men and adnice Vnder prouision I comprehend armour money victuals Touching armour I would haue an indifferent company of weapoÌ„s prepared both for horsmen and footmen as artillery powder bullets billes pikes launces bowes and arrowes plated doublets iackets of male and such like Next money must be gotten without the which nothing can be done as it ought to be And if they fight with siluer speares they will conquer all Money being gotten it is meete that victuals be prouided seeing through want thereof souldiers will bee ouercome without stroke Against other euils there are cures but there is no striuing against hunger herehence proceed mutines despaires infectious sicknesses and innumerable kinds of calamities Hauing forethought of prouision it is also necessary that men should bee mustered and chosen out For if there be a mighty hoste of men in the field what towne or countrey is not willing to welcome them In like maner the Captaine generall must forecast whether horsemen would serue his turne better then footemen This question being well discussed the Generall must take aduice with his chiefe and wisest Lieftenaunts concerning the successe of the warres For what King going to make warre with another King sitteth not downe first and taketh counsell whether he be able with ten thousand to meete him that coÌ„meth against him with twenty thousand or els while hee is yet a-great way off he sendeth an ambassage and desireth peace The dueties of a Generall Chap. 67. IN a Generall seuen things are required First that he be religious and deuout for theÌ„ if he with Iosuah say Sunne stay thou in Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon the Sunne wil abide and the Moone will stand still vntill he be auenged vpon his enemies Secondly a Generall must be a man of authority by reason that nothing is more auailable in the ordering of battels then authority Thirdly he ought to be temperate for how can he gouerne others that cannot rule his owne affections Fourthly he must be well experienced that he may see how the enemy lieth what way is best eyther to prouoke the enemy or to defend himselfe Fiftly a Generall must be witty and well spoken because souldiers minds will be sooner inflamed to fight by sweet exhortations then by all the trumpets in the world Sixtly he must be couragious and valiant that he may giue the first onset when any bickering is at hand and shew the way to others Lastly a Generall ought to be very well seene in Philosophy specially in Geometry otherwise he will neuer be able either to incampe himselfe to find out the enemy or to coÌ„ceiue the scituation of places as for example how the champion fields are couched together how the valleys hang how broad the marishes be how the mountaines are lift vp Of the choyse of Souldiers Chap. 68. THere be six notes to discerne a good souldiour The first is that he be an honest maÌ„ The second that he be stroÌ„g and valiant The third that he be constant patient The fourth that if it be possible he be a Gentle-man borne the reason is because most commonly he is more easily trained for the warres and will scorne to yeeld himselfe vanquished to the enemy The fift marke of a souldier is that he be nimble actiue and not of a fat or grosse body lest like a carters iade he founder and fal downe The sixt a souldier ought to be chosen from seueÌ„teene yeeres old to sixe and forty But in my opinion elderly souldiers are more apt fit to go to the warres then young men by reason that they are lesse mutinous and better able to endure Whether the straunger or the home-borne subiect ought to be preferred Chap. 69. IF we coÌ„sider the cause froÌ„ wheÌ„ce proceeded the late destructioÌ„ of Italy we shall find that the calling in of the Switzers and Frenchmen to aide it turned
suffred chap. 20. Of vsurers chap. 21. Of the particulars wherein vsurie is cōmitted chap. 22. Whether it be lawfull for an householder to ingrosse corne in the market to the intent hee may sell the same another time at a deerer price ch 23. The fift part Of Hospitality chap. 24. Wherein good hospitality consisteth chap. 25. Why housekeeping now-adaies is decayed chap. 26. Of Almes and the forgetfulnes thereof in these dayes chap. 27. Circumstaunces to be obserued in giuing of almes chap. 28. Of Fasting that an housholder should obserue fasting dayes chap. 29. Of the true fast chap. 30. The third Booke The first part Of a commonwealth chap. 1. The diuision of a commonwealth ch 2. Of a monarchy chap. 3. That hereditarie succession is better election chap. 4. The duties of a Prince chap. 5. Of the name of Emperour chap. 6. Of the name of a King chap. 7. Of a Gynaecracie or womēs raigne ch 8 Of Tyrants chap. 9. Whether subiects may rise against their soueraigne being a Tyrant or an Hereticque chap. 10. Of an Aristocracie chap. 11. Of a Democracie chap. 12. The second part The members of a Commonwealth chap. 13 Of Noblemen chap. 14. The properties of a Gentleman cha 15. That Gentlemen must not greatly respect what the common people speak of them chap. 16. Of Knights of honour chap. 17. Of Citizens chap. 18. Whether outlandish men ought to be admitted into a citie chap. 19. Of Marchants chap. 20. Of Artificers chap. 21. Of Yeomen their oppression ch 22. The third part Of Counsell chap. 23. Of Counsellours chap. 24. Of Parliaments chap. 25. Of Iudgements chap. 26. Of Iudges and their duty chap. 26. Of Bribes and going to law chap. 27. Of Magistrates chap. 29. Of the great cares and troubles of Magistrates chap. 30. Whether magistrates may receyue presents sent vnto them chap. 31. The fourth part Of the education of Gentlemen ch 32. The causes why so few Gentlemen nowadayes bee vertuously disposed chap. 33. Whether youths ought to bee corrected chap. 34. Of scholemasters their duties cha 35 That scholemaisters should haue large stipendes allowed them chap. 36. Whether it be better for parents to keepe their sonnes at home with a priuate scholemaister or to send thē abroad to the publike schole chap 37. Of Tutoures in the vniuersitie and how to discerne a good Tutour chap. 38. The fift part Of Grammar chap. 39. Of Logick chap. 40. Of Rhetorick and the abuse thereof in these dayes chap. 41. Of Poetrie and the excellency thereof chap. 42. Of Philosophie chap. 43. Of the Art magick chap. 44. Of Physick chap. 45. Of Law chap. 46. Of the cōmon law of England chap. 48. Whether alteration of lawes be good in a commonwealth chap. 48. Of Diuinitie chap. 49. Whether two religions may be tolerated in one kingdome chap. 50. Of simonie one of the chiefest ouerthrowes of religion chap. 51. The sixt part Of the alteration of a commonwealth chap. 52. The effects of al the Cometes and chiefest Eclipses which haue hapned in this last age chap. 53. The causes of sedition and ciuill broiles chap. 54. Of Treason chap. 55. Of Idlenes chap. 56. Of Dice-play chap. 57. Of superfluitie in apparell another cause of the alteration of a commonwealth chap. 58. The seuenth part Of the cōseruation of a commonwealth chap. 59. Of Taxes and subsidies chap. 60. Remedies against sedition and priuie conspiracies chap. 61. The felicity of a Commonwealth chap. 62 The eight part Of warre chap. 63 Whether it be lawfull for Christians to make warre chap. 64 What warres bee most lawfull chap. 65. That before wee beginne warres preparation is to bee made of sufficient necessaries thereto belonging chap. 66. The duties of a Generall chap. 67. Of the choyse of souldiers chap. 68. Whether the straunger or the home borne subiect is to bee preferred chap. 69. How the enemy is to bee vanquished chap. 70. The conclusion of Peace The first Booke of the Golden-groue moralized The first part Of Gods nature Chap. I. FOrasmuch as all the endeuoures of humane actions do proceed from God and except hee build the house and vphold mens enterprises their labour is but lost that build I hold it a requisite point of my duty that in these morall discourses and politique traditions I beginne principally of his Maiestie and search out some essentiall property flowing from his Diuine incomprehensible forme For the accomplishing of which and of all the rest which I write assist mee O thou great Gouernour of heauen and iudge of the world with thy sacred power graunt I beseech thee that my mind may ascend vp into the straight and noble seate of vertue where I may find the fountaine of goodnesse and reueale the same being found vnto thine almost lost astraied sheepe Gods supernatural nature I confesse being euery way infinite cannot possibly be contained by any limited creature Things subiect and familiar to sence are comprehended in the mind by an imaginarie resemblance of them but as for things infinite and not subiect to sence of which nature God is how shall I be able to imprint their likenes in my feeble and shallow braine No man hath seene God at any time yet we know him by his miraculous workes To come neerer his description I find that God is a most pure essentiall and actiue forme without mixture of matter forme or distinction of partes euery where alike and the very same And againe God is vncreate perpetuall that is he euer was and euer wil be he was not made of nothing for nothing according to the Philosophers saying is made of nothing The Gentiles albeit wāting the light to vnderstand perfect truth were yet all of them for the most part amazed at the excellēt glory power of God Pythagoras said that God was a liuely mind that pearced into al things of whom al liuing creatures receiued their being Thales esteemed him to be an vnderstāding that created all things of the element of water Chrysippus called him a naturall faculty endued with Diuine reason Thus we see that there is engrauen in the hearts of men a certaine feeling of Gods nature which cā neuer be rooted out And although swinish Atheists doe laugh at that which I haue written touching the Godhead yet that is but a laughter from the teeth outward because inwardly the worme of conscience gnaweth them much more sharply then all hote searing irons Finally to leaue the Gentiles opiniōs I iudge it not amisse if wee satisfie our selues to beleeue that God is almighty his might vnsearchable his power admirable And as the soule is wholy both in the whole body also in euery mēber of it so God is wholy both in the world likewise wholy in euery part of the same Of the knowledge of God Chapt. 2. DIagoras and Theodorus were not ashamed to dispute against the Deitie Neither as I
that it can neuer be impaired in an honest man by reason that vertue which shineth with vndefiled honours will euer patronize protect it What auayleth it then that a man go to law for such a trifle haue his aduersary punished namely noted with infamy Beleeue me it is better for you O contentious witals to end such cauillations of your wronged credit at home then to trauell to London and there to feed the rauening Lawyers with the sweat of your browes Pursue not therefore one another with vnappeasable stifnesse but rather end your doubts at home vnder an indifferent arbitratour without rancour or malice The fourth part Of Trueth Chap. 16. TRueth is that infallible vertue which reuealeth the creation of the world the power of God his blessing for the godly vengeaunce for the wicked This is she which rightly may be termed the ceÌ„ter wherin all things repose themselues the mappe whereby we saile and the balme whereby we are healed This is she whom God respecteth more then all sacrifices To be short this is she which hath so great power that no engine wit or art can subdue and although she hath no atturney to defend her cause yet notwithstanding shee is defended by her selfe According to our beleefe in God Truth is named faith in agreements betweene man and man Trueth is called promise of seruants towards their masters she is termed loyalty But in what estimation she is in these accursed times I treÌ„ble to speake therof For many there be that outface deny their owne superscriptions vnlesse an honest man bring with him multitude of witnesses to testifie the truth he is like to be defrauded of his due O how farre do we degenerate froÌ„ the auncients They were woont in times past to lend money vpon a mans naked bare promise and likewise to passe their conueyances and state of lands in few lines whereas now on the contrary a dozen skins of parchment will scant serue their turne for what do they els but hammer quirckes and crochets and inuent twenty apish trickes to circumuent one another Promooting petifoggers are the mouers of all these fallacies They are the caterpillers which exclude truth and would make her a wandering vagabound Beware of them O yee which are honestly bent Through their illusions breake not the league of amity neither preferre yee kingdomes before truth Take away this vertue and our commonwealth is become a piracy The losse of wealth is nothing to the losse of truth For which cause the Philosopher doubted not to affirme that wise meÌ„ ought to contradict themselues for verities sake yea and to engage their credite for her conseruation Thinke vpon this O Lawyers consider with your selues how the speach of Truth is simple and needs not sundry explications and cauillations Of Lies Chap. 17. OF lies there bee three sortes The first I call an officious lie which is vsed when otherwise an heynous offence cannot be eschued as we read in the booke of Kinges where * Michol Sauls daughter saued her husband Dauid by the same meanes The second kind of lies is named iesting which men vse at table not of any premeditatioÌ„ or malice but rather for to delight the company Howbeit amoÌ„g Christians it is not much laudable The third kind of lies is named hurtfull or odious which extendeth to the harming of one or other This sort of lying is most detestable in the sight of God and man Furthermore a lie is a base vice worthy to be contâ—ned of all mortall men especially of those that are wise for the duties of a wise man are two wherof the one is not to lie in any thing which hee knoweth the other to make a lier manifest to the face of the world And euen as we debarre wise men so we most of all disswade youths froÌ„ lying for if they be suffred borne withal to coine lies they wil at last become altogether past grace by vse wil be inueterated in falshood Wherfore they must be quickly restrained and seuerely chastised when they lie Hereupon some hold that * those youths are as it were naturally euill which take a delight in telling of lies Othersome say that they differ not from deadly enemies But howsoeuer in my iudgement they ought to bee speedilie looked vnto and then the rather wheÌ„ they begin once to tel lies to their owne parents which is a most intolerable fact Of Swearing Chap. 18. VVE must not sweare at all neither by heauen for it is the throne of God nor yet by the earth for it is his footstoole Neither must wee sweare by our heades because wee cannot make one haire white or blacke But our communication must be yea yea and nay nay and whatsoeuer is more then these commeth of euil Howbeit notwithstanding there be very few here in England that are not in a manner fully resolued to regard swearing as a vertue Hee is a Gull or a Puritane quoth they that will not sweare nay rather they should say he is a member of the diuell that delighteth in swearing Hearken what an holy father sayth Sweare not at al lest that by swearing you come to the facilitie of swearing from thence to custome and from custome you fall into periurie Neither can your feeble excuses suffice in saying that you sweare not by God by Gods bloud by Gods wounds but rather you sweare by Gog by Gogs bud by Gogs zwoonce O foolish hypocrites doe you thinke although you delude vs that you can dally with him who noteth heareth euerie word which you speake no no it will not goe for payment at the fearefull day of iudgement In swearing thus you heape hot coles of fire vpon your heades and offend as bad by attributing that honor vnto counterfeit creatures which is due vnto the creator who onely is to bee named and that after a good sort in all your words and deedes Take heede least that God execute vpon you such a fearefull iudgement as he of late daies executed on a yong man in Lincolneshire This yong man as is by master Perkins master Stubs others credibly reported was an abominable swearer and his vsual othe was By Gods bloud God willing his repentance corrected him ofteÌ„ times with sicknes that he might be conuerted But hee vtterly reiected all corrections Then God seeing that nothing could reclaime him froÌ„ swearing inflicted on him a most grieuous disease of which he languished a long time At last his friends perceiuing him to be neere his death caused his passing bell to bee rung Whereupon this swearer hearing the bell toll rose vp in his bed saying Gods bloud hee shall not haue me yet But loe the iust iudgement of the Lorde At those words the bloud gushed out at euerie ioynt of his body neuer ceased til al the bloud in his body was run out and thus died this bloudy swearer whose
authority and maiestie of a Prince cōsisteth in the opiniō of prudence for euen as the sicke man obeyeth the wise Physician and the passenger hearkeneth vnto the skilfull pilot so in like maner subiectes are obedient vnto their prudent Prince will gladly follow whatsoeuer he prescribeth vnto them O peerelesse paragon O noble Prudence thou rairest downe knowledge and vnderstanding and bringest to honor thē that possesse thee Thou defendest our commonwealth from the Spanish yoke Thou holdest the supremacie in felicity and sauest vs from aduersity Take away this Iewell our liues will be filled with folly wickednesse and barbarisme This politiciās do very wel know for how is it possible that a common-wealth should be well ruled vnlesse the gouernours thereof do perfectly prudently vnderstand the nūber of souldiers the loue of the leaguers the scituation of the countrey the nature of the inhabitaunts King Henry the seuenth therefore her Maiesties Graundfather deserueth great commendations in that hee kept a priuate booke for that purpose therein registred the force of his realme the treasure which yeerely his officers receiued into the Excheker As concerning the nature of people I find that windy places do make men sauage and inconstant and that in calme countreys they become ciuill courteous Also we see that they which dwell neere the sea and farre from London are for the most part more fierce and hardy then those which liue in the midst of England Moreouer it behoueth a prudent man to consider that some kind of people be angry by nature some be impudent some fearefull and othersome be giuen to newfangled fashions to drunkenesse and lechery In like maner the nature of Englishmen is to be couragious to neglect death to abide no torment and therfore in no place shall you see malefactours go more constantly more assuredly and with lesse lamentation to their death then in England The nature of Welshmen is kind haughty and prodigall of life and bloud The Irish are accounted rude and couragious which doubtlesse proceeds of their countries cold climate for as the Philosopher saith they that liue in the North and in a cold countrey are commonly called treacherous To end this chapter of prudence I thinke it expedient that a prudent man yeeld vnto the necessity of the time and take heed that anciēt lawes customes be not altered because they are the foūdations of a cōmonwealth whereof if any be changed the whole building must consequently fall to wrack and destruction Of Sapience or Wisedome Chap. 68. WIsedome among the auncient heathen was no other thing but a certaine kind of prudence to manage and handle great causes matters of policy which profession beginning in Solon did cōtinue and was taken vp from man to man as a sect of Philosophy But wisedome among Christians hath obtained a higher title to wit a knowledge to expound the word of GOD concerning our saluation redeemed through his Sonne Iesus Christ. This is that Diuine vertue which was ordayned from euerlasting before any thing was made before the earth the seas the hilles and the riuers were she was conceyued and brought forth When GOD prepared the heauens shee was present when hee enuironed the sea with her bankes and layd the foundations of the earth shee was with him making all things and shee delights to be with the children of men The Chymistes write that one dragme of their power of proiection will turne a thousand dragmes of any mettall into gold What then shall the least grayne of the celestiall powder of wisedome be able to effect Verily it will lift whole milliōs of soules out o◠Sathans net and will transport them vp into the highest spheare where for euer residen◠they shall enioy vnspeakeable pleasures For this cause the Emperour Charles the fourth went on a time to a colledge in Prage to heare Diuinity disputations there and remained standing aboue foure howres And when his Courtiers to whome that kind of exercise seemed irksome told him that his supper was ready hee aunswered that the hearing of those disputations was more pleasant vnto him then all the suppers in the world What greater testimonies of fauour towards wisedome can we wish thē those of the Princes of England who frankly and freely granted such large charters priuileges vnto the 2. Vniuersities of this Realme Surely I should be too ingrateful if I do not remēber in this place Elizabeth our gracious Soueraigne who so spareth neither care nor means to preferre scholers that shee meriteth the name of the Nurse of Wisdome Next the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury that now is deserueth to be had in remembrāce in that hee daily purgeth the Church of spots and Schismes and aduaunceth all students euery man according to his desertes Likewise Sir Thomas Egerton Lord Keeper so tendereth fostereth the professours of true wisedome that he is worthily named the Reuiuer and restorer of wisedome yea I haue heard it sundry times blazed that Englād neuer had the like zealous patron of scholers There be also other furtherers of wisedome whome I leaue to name by reason that our bookes which continually are published do royalize and eternize their heroical names God continue them in their noble minds To finish this discourse I aduise al mē both high and low which haue an entraunce in them towards God to coūtenaunce the followers of wisedome and to strike an euerlasting league of amity with them As for worldly wisedome I wish them not so pretiously to esteeme it as they doe for what else are the wise men of this world saue gay politicians Machiauellians and niggards falsely vnder the colour of wisemen purloyning the poore and preparing their owne selues to be scourged of the Diuell and to bee scorched in the fierie flames of hell Of the Ignorance of our times Chap. 69. ALas what ignorance leadeth wretches astray and bringeth them into a wrong way cleane contrarie from happinesse and knowledge The Egyptians accounted it a most grieuous calamitie to endure the Darknesse which God sent them by Moyses but three dayes Howe much more ought wee to bee afraide when wee remaine all our liues time in the night of Ignorance Manie there bee that wish our Colledges to be vtterly suppressed and our schooles of learning to bee made barnes or wooll-houses which were euen to wish vs peasaunts and witals like themselues But God forbid that any such ignorant wishes should be fulfilled Sooner shall the earth bring foorth starres and the heauens be eared with plowes then that barbarisme and ignorance should in such sort ouerflow vs. Take the Sunne out of the firmament and the light from the skie what else would the world seeme saue a massie Chaos or a rude and confused lumpe In like maner if learning bee extinguished would not wee become dizarts or cuckoes Nay to seeke the decay and abolishing of learning is to prepare a way for Atheisme
money to faine theÌ„selues with child made of a cushion for coÌ„cealmeâ—t wherof the bawds must be wel bribed to caper in mens armes til they haue guld theÌ„ of their purses to counterfeit teares with an onioÌ„ yea to vse fine glozing speeches as Sir you mistake your marke I am none of your wanton Gilles you abuse my credit my mistris cals me And immediatly after perceiuing the lusty wooer to haue mony in his purse she begins by degrees to listen saying Many men will promise much but performe little they beare vs in haÌ„d vntil they haue got their pleasures of vs and then away they go but you loâ—ke like an honest man After this the bawdes seeing their wenches deformed they giue theÌ„ drugges to raise their colours and to seeme fairer This is the bawdes acquisitiue facultie whereby they liue Some bawds haue a dozen damsels some lesse yet of euerie man they take largely as 20. shillings a weeke or tenne pound a month It is said that loÌ„g Meg of Westminster kept alwaies 20. Courtizans in her house whoÌ„ by their pictures she sold to all commers But I returne to the extirpation thereof We reade that Theodosius the great in the yeere of our Lord 392. vtterly chased al stewes out of his Empire For which notable act his name eueÌ„ at this day is greatly honoured No lesse praise deserueth Henry the eight of famous memory for abolishing putting down of the stewes in London which then were innumerable Therin he imitated the good K. Iosias who brake down the houses of the Sodomites that were in the house of the Lord. Finally no man is ignorant that the pestilent disease of the French pockes was sent as a punishment to stewes Of Vsurers Chap. 21. HE that receiueth any thing ouer and aboue the capitall summe that was lent is an vsurer For which respect I compare him to an aspet for euen as he that is stuÌ„g with an Aspe falleth asleepe as it were with delight but dieth ere he awakes so an vsurer taketh great pleasure in his interest at the first but at length he is so ouercloyed with money that he can neuer enioy any rest the cause is his conscience which like a multitude of furies vexeth his heart and fortelles him of his euerlasting damnation Hence it is that the Romanes inflicted as great punishment on an vsurer as on a theefe and not without cause for hee that killeth a man riddeth him out of his torments at once whereas an vsurer is long in punishing and vndoing his creditour causing him by little and little to pine away Also an vsurer by vndoing of one vndoeth many namely the wife and whole houshold Moe Gentlemen heere in England haue Vsurers Banquers and Marchants driuen to despaire then either warres or sicknesse For when a yong Punie commeth vnto them desiring to be credited for money or apparrell then one of them counterfeiting themselues forsooth to be coy like women wil burst foorth into these termes The world is hard and wee are all mortall wee may not venture our goods God knowes howe wee earne our liuing wherefore make vs assurance and you shall haue tenne poundes worth in silkes and veluets Well this passeth on currant assurance is giuen with a witnesse A little after if the Gentleman hath not wherewithal to pay as wel the interest as the principall agreed vpon whensoeuer this reprobate cut-throate demaundeth it then presently as round as a ball hee commenceth his statute-marchant against him and for tenne poundes profite which was scarce woorth fiue pound in money hee recouereth by relapse ten pound a yeere O intolerable wickednesse O diuelish haberdashers and worse then those vngodly tenants who seeing their Landlords heyre comming sayde one to another This is the heire come let vs kill him and wee shall haue his Inheritance Darest thou O wretched cormorant hope to bee saued and expect to bee partaker of the heauenly blessings Art thou a Christian and wilt suffer thy brother in Christ thus to miscarie through thy entanglements exactioÌ„s No no thou art a member of Sathan thou art in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquitie Obiection The lawes of England do permit vsurie to wit two shillings in the pound therefore an vsurer is not wicked Answere It is one thing to permit vsurie and another to allow thereof By our positiue lawes is meant that those men who cared not howe much they extorted out of poore mens handes for the loane of their money should bee empaled and limited within certaine meeres and bounds lest they ouerflowed reason So that the lawes do but mitigate the penalties and if it were possible they would restraine men from it Of the particulars wherein Vsurie is committed Chap. 22. A Man committeth vsurie sixe maner of wayes First whosoeuer lendeth corne vnto his neighbour with promise that at the redeliuery thereof he should giue him somewhat more is an vsurer As for example if he lend to a man fiue bushels of corne at May vnder condition that he giue him sixe bushels at Bartholmewtide Secondly hee that forestalleth and intercepteth corne in the market and that not for any want but to sell it againe dearer then hee bought it thereby to enrich himself with the impouerishing of many Thirdly he committeth vsury that for the loane of his mony receiueth a greater gage then the money valueth and claimeth the same as forfeit the money being not repayed him at the prefixed time Fourthly he is an vsurer that lendeth his money vpon coÌ„dition that the other buy his necessaries at his shop or grind at his mill Fiftly he is an vsurer that keepeth false ballances and that selleth bad musty things for good and new Finally hee that incloseth commons turneth tillage into pastures is an vsurer Whether it be lawfull for an householder to ingrate and ingrosse corne in the market to the intent he may sell the same another time at a dearer price Chap. 23. WHosoeuer hee be that forestalleth corne in the market and traÌ„sporteth it home into his garners there keeping it vntill a dearer time fall out without doubt committeth vsury For euery maÌ„ ought to sell as he bought and doing otherwise he is an vsurer and must make restitution of the ouerplus The which if he denie he is eftsoone depriued of all power to make his last will and testament Besides there be statute punishments ordained for the repressing of this filthy lucre as forfeits to the Clerkes of the market finesâ—to be paid to the Prince if the foresaid party be taken in the maner In summe his cankred gold and siluer which hee hath thus receiued of the poore buyers and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against him at the feareful day of iudgement and shall eat vp his flesh as it were fire The fift Plant. Of Hospitality Chap. 24. HOspitality is the chiefest point of humanity which an housholder caÌ„ shew not
they haue worshipped the goldeÌ„ calf Fourthly to giue counsel coÌ„cerning the present time of those things which are coÌ„prehended in the sences So Christ said vnto the disciples of Iohn Go and shew Iohn what things yee heare see The blind receiue their sight the halt do walke the lepers are clensed the deafe heare the dead are raised vp the poore receyue the Gospel Fiftly to foresee things to come to forewarne men of them as he that shall offend shall be bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Of Counsellours Chap. 24. SEuen things are required in a counsellour First the feare of God for he is the only authour of al good counsels Secondly experience in matters of policy Thirdly learning knowledge in the lawves For hardly will they bee infected with â—â—â—onious viâ—es whome learning hath purged Fourthly mildnesse Fiftly a couÌ„sellour must be naturally borne within that state where he gouerneth Sixtly he must be secrete lest he worke to himselfe the occasion of his owne death as the bishop of Setto did who because he reuealed to the French king that Cesar Borgias his master brought with him a Bull authentike ratified from the Pope his father for a diuorcement to the French king which hee dissembled was by the said Duke eftsoone poisoned Seuenthly a counsellour if it be possible ought to be of noble pareÌ„tage for they which haue more nobility haue more right in a coÌ„moÌ„wealth then the ignoble And euery one esteemeth nobility in his countrey as a thing very honourable seeing it is likely that the best parents should beget the best children and nobility is the vertue of the stock and race Of Parliaments Chap. 25. PArliaments are right necessary in a commonwealth without them the whole estate is mortified and sencelesse For euen as a man cannot liue without a soule so a commonwealth cannot liue without Parliaments By experience it is found out that they haue saued commonwealths froÌ„ ruine decay Greece had neuer so long flourished if the great counsell of the Amphictions first instituted by Amphiction the sonne of Deucalion had not beene holden twise a yeere in spring time and in Autumne at Delphos in the temple of Apollo which was seated in the heart of all Greece The counsel of Nicene hindred the proceedings of the Arrians and caused the true religion to be planted The ParliameÌ„ts of Germany where the Emperour and the seuen Electours meete haue preserued the state thereof from the intrusions of the Turkes So likewise the Aggregation of the Genowayes the Iourney or Diet of the Switzers the great councell of the Veneâ—ian Gentlemen the Diuan of the Turks the assembly of the states of Polonia the 7. councels of Spaine to wit the councell of Spaine of the low Countries of the Inquisition of the Indians of Italy of the order of saint Iohn of warre the meeting of the states of Fraunce and the parliament of England consisting of the Prince Baronrie and commonalty haue maintained their commonwealths more securely aswell from hostile as from domesticall enemies To hold a Parliament is when the Prince communicateth his affaires of importance with his subiects demaundeth subsidies of them taketh their aduice heareth their molestations prouideth for them reasonably The Iudges in our Parliament of EnglaÌ„d are the Prince the Lords spirituall and temporall and the commons represented by the Knights and Burgesses of euery shire and Borough towne The officers are the speakers the clarks and the committies The authour of this Parliament was king Henry the third induced thereunto as I suppose by his Barons who rebelling against him made England tributary to PaÌ„dolph the legat in the Popes name And doubtlesse the calling and holding of it is the chiefest meanes of all our welfares For in times past it appeased ciuill warres it deliuered the whole realme from the incursions of forraine enemies and maintained continuall warres abroad with the Scots and Frenchmen In a word this holding of parliament is the anchor of our whole comonwealth wherby it is set sure and stayed as a ship in the water Of Iudgements Chap. 26. IVdgemeÌ„t is that which is decreed by the Iudge not altogether dissenting froÌ„ the tenor of the law Of iudgements some be called ciuill some criminall but because our Ciuilians haue largely treated of them I will proceed to another diuision which makes most for our politique instruction Iudgements againe are either priuat or publique Ordinary or extraordinary Priuat iudgemeÌ„ts coÌ„cerne testaments successions mariages contracts wardships gardianships bondages prescriptions Publique iudgements are of grieuous offences against God and man as high treason petie treason murthers rapes felonies riot bribes forgeries and insurrections Ordinary iudgements are those which are executed by the Iudge according to the prescription of the law Extraordinary are called when the Iudge departing somewhat froÌ„ the rigour of the law iudgeth more mercifully according to his owne conscience The coÌ„mon vsuall forme of iudgement that is exercised here in England is by the great assise or by a quest of 12. men necessarily of that shire where the defendaÌ„t dwelleth These meÌ„ the sherife warneth to appeare vpoÌ„ pain of amercements And appearing vnlesse exceptions be made against theÌ„ they besworne to tell the truth of that issue or criminall cause according to their conscience and euidence or writings autheÌ„ticall laid before them Then these 12. men are shut vp in some roome hard by and kept by a bailiffe without any kind of sustenance fire or candle vntil al of them agree vpoÌ„ one verdict about the said issue or criminall cause This is our common order of iudgement There are likewise other formes whereby iudgement is giuen as by the parliament by combat and such like which are absolute and without appeale howbeit they be seldome vsed Of Iudges and their duty Chap. 27. IVdges must not goe astray from the right but discharge themselues pure innocent to God the prince the law They must not be corrupted with bribes and extorsion nor by other mens bra â—les hunt for a pray They must be men for their yeres very ripe in prudence iudgement and experience for their countenance seuere and graue for their parentage if it be possible renowmed aboue the residue of the people for their credit strong in opinioÌ„ with the common people * They must not pronounce sentence against the statutes of the realme or against the common law Neither must they condemne any man vpon suspition for better it is to suffer the guilty to escape vnpunished then to condemne an innocent They must neither be too seuere nor too remisse but they must determine circumspectly as the matter and necessities require Howbeit in light matters let them be somewhat addicted to lenity and in waighty affaires to seuerity being teÌ„pered with a meeke countenance And if they would needes remit penalties
them Then in the succession of time raigned Saint Edward a right vertuous Prince who selected and enacted excellent good lawes but within a while after the Normans conquered this land and altered the estate thereof appoynting new lawes in their owne language as a people naturally inclined to sophisticall and doubtful sence whereby they wrested the lawes to all constructions Yet notwithstanding King Edward the third was enduced to abrogate many of the Norman lawes and in their stead to inuest new and wholesome lawes The method of which is at this day put in practise among our Sergeants and vtter-Sarristers Obiection That law which is of no antiquitie neither grounded vpon any good foundations nor vsed in any countrey but one cannot bee good such is the common law of England therefore it is of no effect Answere Our Common law of England I confesse is of no great antiquitie yet grounded vpon the law of Nature and approoued by the vniuersall consent of the Prince Nobles Commons in a generall Parliament In briefe necessity hath no reason Whether alteration of lawes be good in a commonwealth Chap. 48. THere was a law amōg the Locrensians that whosoeuer did intrude himself to make a new law should come with a halter about his necke insomuch that if his lawes were approued he went away safe as he came if reproued hee was presently hanged So in like maner when we alter our vsuall diet wee feele great innouations in our bodies and do perhaps fall into some sicknesse or other but when we be accustomed once vnto it then we recouer waxe more lusty then before we were Custome as they say is another nature But yet this custome may bee reduced into a better The alteration of lawes I confesse at the first seemeth rough and raw vnto our fraile and queizy natures But within a while they be better liked of Which moued the Diuine Philosopher to say that chaunge of lawes excepting those that be bad is perilous at all times This caused the Kentishmen to rise against king William the Conquerour of this land and priuily to enclose him round about in the woods that thereby hee might the sooner be compelled to cōdiscend to their petition which was that they might be suffered to enioy their ancient customes and liberties As for the deciding of this question I thinke that some lawes may bee altered and reduced into better Howbeit law-makers must aduise themselues wel in that behalfe take great heed therein for where there ariseth small good by innouations of lawes it is an euill thing Surely It is better to beare with the imperfections of lawes because the alteration of them will not do so much benefit as harme by vsing men to disobey And againe who is so dull-spirited which will not graunt that defects of lawes ought now and then to be winked at and dissembled Vpon which occasion all persons vnder the age of forty were heretofore forbidden to enquire whether lawes were well or ill made Ripenesse of yeares is a great meane to conserue people in their obedience And for that cause young men are thought vnfit to deale in matters of state and morall Philosophy Of Diuinity Chap. 49. THe auncient Philosophers accounted three kinds of speculatiue or contemplatiue Sciences to wit naturall philosophy the Mathematickes and Diuinity which is the first and chiefest beginning of all things which is the cement that soddereth the peeces of the building of our estate and the planke wherewith our ship is fortified Take away this beginning and the world will seeme a confused Chaos Take away this cement and our building is ruinous In a word vncaske the plāks of a ship it wil leake sinke into the sea Plant ye therfore religion in your kingdomes and let not the heathen rise vp against you at the day of iudgement The Romanes we read through the bare instinct of nature did so reuerētly thinke of Diuinity that they sent their childrē into Hetruria to learne it there And yet many of vs Christiās presume to iniure the ministers God albeit we know that nothing is hidde from him and that he is present and still accompanieth vs in the midst of our secrete cogitations God make cleane our hearts within vs and cause vs to regard his ministers and word better then wee do Otherwise let vs expect for nothing but fearfull alarums warres heresies pestilence and famine continually without ceasing to annoy and destroy both vs and our countrey Whether two religions may be tolerated in one kingdome Chap. 50. TWo religions cannot be suffered in one kingdome for diuersities cause factions garboiles and ciuill warres which neuer end but with the subuersiō of the commonwealth The tranquillity of all estates consisteth in the vnion and consent of the inhabitants Take away this vnion and it is but a denne for rouers and theeues The first foundations of kingdomes were built vpon the rock of one religion and the heathen themselues had neuer established their lawes if they had harboured pluralities of religions He that displaceth this stone shaketh all the building No man can serue two masters for eyther he must despise the one or loue the other Neither must Princes halt betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be hee then go after him In religion there is no mediocrity for a man must either be a Christian or els he must be an enemy of Christ that is an Antichristian according to our Sauiour Christes words He that is not with mee is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth I am the Lord saith God this is my name and my glory wil I not giue away to another neyther my prayse to grauen images Also it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue But how is it possible to obserue this commaundement as long as our Papists beleeue that the Pope is no man but Gods vicar and more expresly that hee is God Theodosius therefore is highly commended in that he made warre with the. Arrians and proclaimed one true religion 〈◊〉 be planted throughout all his Empire in this likewise England may faithfully glory that beyng welnigh drowned in the sea of Popish superstition she is now saued and restored to the true and Apostolicall doctrine the which God of his goodnesse maintaine from heresies and schismes Of Simony one of the chiefest ouerthrowes of religion Chap. 51. SImony is a deliberatiue will eyther of buying and selling or els of posting ouer and exchaunging some spirituall thing or some thing annexed to the spirituality as aduowsons presentations and such like This vice is called after the name of Simon Magus by reason that he offred the Apostles money that they might giue him the power that on whomsoeuer he layd his hands he should receyue the holy Ghost For which his execrable proffer hee had this answere of
mildly and modestly towards their inferiours The sixt that Princes bee not partiall in their subiects factions The seuenth the Prince his Coūcell must not giue care to euery tale and crafty deuice for it may be that the enemy hath his intelligence in the realme The eight to cast out Heretickes and Schismatickes frō amōg the people The ninth to muster traine the people once a moneth in martiall affaires The tenth is to discard stageplayes vsury extorsiō bribes and such like abominable vices Of Taxes and Subsidies Chap. 60. THe peace and tranquillity of a commonwealth can neuer be had without souldiours nor souldiours without maintenance pay not pay cā be purchased without taxes and subsidies which are the lawfull reuenewes of the Prince to maintaine his Realme But thou wilt say taxes and subsidies bee for the common good of the Realme not for the Princes maintenaunce To which I answere that the Prince may likewise vse taxes and subsidies to his priuat royalty which is after a maner conioyned with the honour of the Princely state that hee beareth How is it possible for a Prince to beare a stately port vnlesse hee hath sufficient reuenewes Let therefore all true hearted subiectes giue vnto Cesar that which is Cesars tribute to whome tribute belongeth and custome to whome custome Without this ground we had long since been a pray vnto our enemies The Scots would haue swalowed vs vp The Spaniards also would haue triūphed cruelly massacred vs as they did the poore Indians None but wizards and niggards will seeke to be exempted from contributions shake off the necessary yoke of obedience Experience layeth downe before our eyes the successe of them that grudge and rebelled against their Prince for taxing The beginnings haue beene vngodly and the ends miserable In the yeere of our Lord 1381. the cōmons of Kent Essex to the number of threescore thousand rebelled against king Richard the second beyng their Soueraigne but they were discomfited and the most part of them sharply punished Likewise in the yeere 1484. a great commotion was moued by the commons of the North by reason of a taxe which was imposed vpon them of the tēth peny of all their lands goods But their rash attempt was speedily broken and their ringleaders hanged at Yorke By this wee see the miserable issue of all such rash reuoltings and therewithall consider how detestable they are in the sight of God Let therfore al subiects patiently endure whatsoeuer subsidy is leuied and night day beseech the Lord to graunt thē peace whereby their taxes will become shortned Remedies against sedition and priuy conspiracies Chap. 61. THe plaisters that are to bee applied vnto sedition be diuers according to the causes therof Yet notwithstāding I will epitomize and draw some of them into a breuiary First the Prince must betimes forethinke to alay the seditions which beginne to kindle For euery mischiefe at first is soone cured but being let alone and taking farther roote it gathereth more strength Secondly the Prince must by espials know who slaūder or speake euil of him Howbeit respect must be had lest the innocent be iniuried Thirdly the Prince must proclaime rewards to the reuealers of conspiracies Fourthly the Prince must aforehand remoue munitions and artilleries out of the way put them in safe custody In so doing he shall find the seditious the more tractable Fiftly the Prince must seuerely punish the authors of sedition lest they that come after go about to imitate such wickednesse Sixtly the seditious must be sundred by some policy or other Seuenthly the seditious must be allured with ambiguous doubtfull promises Eightly the Prince must diligently looke that his loyall subiects cōmunicat not with the seditious for such communing together at such times and in such sort is very daungerous especially for the party that is like to take the foile Ninthly the Prince must * send men of honour and dignity vnto the rebels vnder pretence of reward to the intent that their Captaines who desire innouations may be withdrawen from them Of the felicity of a commonwealth Chap. 62. THe felicity of a commonwealth is when by some Diuine prouidēce frō aboue there meeteth in one person the right maiesty of a Prince and the mind of a wise Philosopher For then needeth no cōpulsion no rigour no extremity to bridle the subiects what is more delightfull then to see the true image of vertue in their visible Prince then to heare the wise lessons and golden speeches issuing out of such a mouth Happy I say is the Realme where the Prince imitateth the order of an expert Phisicion who whē the remedies which he prepareth to cure the weakenesse of the inferiour members encrease griefe in the head he throweth away all infirmities most light and with the fauour of time hee proceedeth carefully to the cure of that which necessarily importeth the health of the patient or commōwealth The eight Plant. Of warres Chap. 63. BEcause * a Prince ought to be prouided against all chaūces as well of warre as of peace it will not bee amisse if I write somewhat of warrelike affaires The original whereof in my opinion proceeded from Nemrod the iolly hunter before the Lord. The Graecians inuented first of all the vse of armour And the Almaines deuised in the yeere of our Lord 1381. gunnes being the most terrible engines of al others Now touching the causes and effects of warre doubtlesse God seing that no benefits could fructifie nor threatnings disswade vs from our disobedience sendeth warre as his fearefull instrument to rouse vs frō sluggishnes to plague vs for our manifold iniquities according to that dreadfull alarum which long since hee sounded against vs. If quoth he you wil walke in my ordinances I will send peace in the land but if you will not obey me but despise my cōmandements I will send a sword vpō you that shall auenge the quarrell of my couenant and you shall be deliuered into the hands of the enemy This the Spaniards of the Island saint Maries knew felt this last Summer being the yeere of our Lord 1599. insomuch as when two English ships and one ship of Amsterdame had taken the said Island and the Generall had demaunded the Spanish Gouernour wherefore hee yeelded so soone Hee answered that the sinnes of the inhabitants were great and therefore it was bootlesse for them to resist As for the discommodities of warre they be infinit it treadeth vnder foot the lawes of God and man it maketh the Church to be derided and placeth tyrants in the throne of Iustice. In conclusion warre enduceth many malecontēts to follow the importunity of the time and breedeth pestilence and dearth for victuals spent dearth must needs ensue Whereupon sundry infectious diseases spring Whether it be lawfull for Christians to make warre Chap. 64. ALthough the Marcionists haue heretofore doubted whether Christians might make
when the Prince winketh at the cosonages of magistrates and Lawyers and permitteth some of the richer sort to enclose commons and to rake their inferiors out of measure Of Treason Chap. 55. TReason bringeth no lesse danger and hurt to men then Loyaltie doth profit and felicitie for it is farre easier to vanquish a knowne foe then to subdue a traitour and a priuie conspiratour This wicked monster in time of warre worketh more scath and damage then all artilleries Howbeit hee neuer enioyeth his promised hire but is at last cruelly punished As for example the great Turke in the yeere of our Lord 1400. hauing taken Constantinople through the treason of Iohn Iustinian a Genoway whō after he had made King according to his promise caused his head to bee chopt off within three dayes To approch neerer our owne time let vs bethinke with our selues the mercifull prouidence of God in discouering the hainous treasons pretended against our dread soueraigne Queen Elizabeth Of late yeeres namely in the yeere 1588. what befell to Tilney Sauage Babington and the rest of their cursed complices were they not all executed brought to confusion Likewise Doctour Lopouze the Queenes Phisicion who had poysoned sundry Noblemen of this Realme and by the Spanish Kings procurement went about to poyson the Queene her selfe had he not in the yere 1594. his deserued punishment Euen so the last yeere one Squire by the instigation of a Spanish Frier going about to do away her Maiestie was surprized in his treason and executed to the terrour of all such diuelish traitours Be therefore better admonished yee wauering men let the example of such as were executed terrifie your minds from rebellious attempts and suffer not wilfully the diuell to tempt and leade you into temptation Of Idlenesse Chap. 56. O You slouthfull men why doe you miche range turne your backs to vertuous labours seeing that they who ouercame the delites of this world haue deserued heauen for their rewards why doe you straggle rogue from house to house Beleeue me there is no occupation in the world that bringeth with it lesse profit then yours Goe to the emmet yee slouthfull sluggards consider her wayes and learne to bee wise She hath no guide no teacher no leader yet in the summer shee prouideth her meate and gathereth together her foode in the haruest Oh why haue you forgotten the words of the Lord namely In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread Remember what penalties are imposed on runnagates and loytering droanes In the primitiue Church it was decreed that all men should liue of their owne labour and not vnprofitably waste the fruits of the earth Likewise the faigned Syphograuntes or officers of the Vtopians tooke heede that no man sate idle but that each one should diligently apply his owne craft and occupation What shall I say of our owne constitutions here in England In the yeere of our Lord 1572. it was enacted in the parliament that all persons aboue the age of foureteene yeeres which were taken begging and roging abroade should be apprehended whipped and burnt through the eare with a hot iron for the first time so found and the second time to be hanged For which consideration looke vnto your selues yee carelesse caitifes gette you masters that may instruct you in some occupation or other which done labour continually that not onely for your selues but for the reliefe also of such as are not able to helpe themselues In so doing Sathan the enemie of grace who hitherto like a wily foxe hath awaited for you shall goe away in despaire and as they say with a flea in his eare Of Dice-play Chap. 57. CHristians ought vtterly to forbeare Dice-play first because The diuell inuented it Secondly because it is flat against the commandement of GOD namely Thou shalt not couet any other mans goods Thirdly Dice-play is for the most part accompanied with swearing and blaspheming Gods holy name Fourthly the holy fathers of the church haue most vehemently written against it Fiftly all sports and recreations must haue respect to some profite either of body or of mind otherwise it is but lost for which wee must one day yeelde an account to God but Dice-play as wee know is no exercise for the body neither is it any pleasure for the minde for the euent of the hazard or maine driueth the players minde to a furious hope and sometimes into a fearefull quandarie to wit when hee doubteth the recouerie of his lost money Sixtly we are charged Not to consume our time in wicked and vnlawfull exercises Seuenthly men must abstaine from Dice-play that they might shew good example to their inferiours For * if graue parents delight in wicked Dice-play their sonnes will likewise be enduced thereunto Eightly Dice-play is condemned by the lawes and decrees of Princes By the law Roscia all such as played at dice were banished from their countrey It was also enacted in Rome that Dice-players should bee amerced in foure times so much as they played for King Edward the fourth of this Realme decreed that euerie Dice-player should be imprisoned two yeres and forfeit tenne pound King Henrie the seuenth enacted that Dice-players should bee imprisoned one day and that the keeper of the gaming house should bee bound to his good be hauiour and be fined a Noble King Henrie the eight ordained that euerie one which kept a dicing house should pay fortie shillings and the players themselues a Noble for euerie time so occupied Ninthly this kind of play is odious and reproachfull as appeared in Antonie to whome Cicero obiected that hee not onely himselfe was a dicer but also hee fostered such men as were dicers i Augustus the Emperour was noted and ill thought of for his dicing Lastly the despaire and aduersitie which Dice-players fall into and their extraordinarie punishments be sufficient meanes to reclaime and terrifie men from it In the yeere of our Lord 1550. one Steckman of Holsatia hauing lost much money at dice fell into despaire and therewithall killed three of his children and would haue hanged himselfe if his wife had not preuented him Likewise in the yere 1553. one Schetrerus playing at dice in an ale-house neere to Belisan a towne in Heluetia blasphemed God Wherupon the diuell came in place and carried him away Also my selfe haue knowne a wealthie yeoman that was as great a dicer as any other in that shire where he dwelt and I thinke had gotten wel-nigh a thousand pound by that his occupation but what became of him and his wealth marrie he bathing himselfe in a riuer was sodainely drowned and his sonne to whom his goods after his death did rightly appertaine before 3. yeeres were expired spent al at dice and at this day is glad to stand at mens deuotion In summe do wee not commōly see that dice-players neuer thriue and if perhaps one amongst a thousand chance to winne