dutifull maner they ought to submit themselues Let all loyall subiects therfore take heede auoide and shun from Enure this third cause of subiects vndutifulnes and according to S. Paul his exhortation Do all things without murmurings reasonings that they may be blamles pure Phil. 2. and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation CHAP. IIII. Concerning the lack of subiects wisdome and knowledge the fourth cause of their vndutifulnesse THe fourth way by which sathan seeketh to abuse subiects and to inueigle and entise them to abuse and make lesse account and reckoning of higher powers and magistracie then they should and to grow more vntowardly and contemptuous in their bounden duties then becommeth dutifull subiects for to be The great in conueniences of want of wisdome and knowledge is lack of wisdome and knowledge for through the one that is through lack of wisdome subiects become altogether vnable to iudge and discerne of princes pretenses and pollicies so both ashly foolishly take vpon them like Sus Mincruam to censure controull and condemne the actions and proceedings of their princes through the other that is lack of knowledge they be come vndutifull and disobodient to the lawes ordinances iniunctions acts and statutes of the king and his magistrates and officers vnder whom they liue Kings Princes and gouernours do vse oftentimes for diuerse causes to disguise their purposes with pretenses and colours of other matters Princes proceedings pollicies and purposes not to be condemned nor misconstered so that the end of their drifts and secret purposes are not right seene into nor vnderstood at the first this to be lawfull the word of God doth not deny To make construction of intents and as yet vnknowen meanings of princes in any ill part falleth not for subiects but rather to interpret them in the best maner and take them in the best part Euery creature is not acquainted with the mind of his creator nor euery subiect of his gouernour so the Lord saith Iob giueth not account of all his matters and so in some respect it may likewise be said of princes that they giue not accounts of their matters to all their subiects 1. King 3. King Salomon pretended to deuide the quick child betweene the two harlots and did not what if any foolish busie subiect or seruant had stept in to haue taken exception against Salomons commaundement of diuiding the infant surely it had argued a foolish want of discresion and a sawsie vndutifullnesse to haue interrupted the kings attempt wherin did lurke almost manifest reuellation of king Salomons exceeding gift of wisdome 2. King 10. Iehu pretended that he would serue Baal much more then euer did Ahab but he did it not but by this subtilty destroyed all the seruants of Baal Euseb lib. 1 chap. 11. de vita constant Constantius the Emperour pretended that as many as would offer sacrifice vnto Idols should haue accesse to his royall person dwell in his court and haue offices and great honor in the common wealth but they that would not should both be banished the court and depriued presently of such honors as now they did enioy But yet he did not so but by that policie tried the true christians from Idolaters and so tooke to them and cast out the Idolaters had it not beene great lack of wisdome to haue interrupted these Christian princes pretences and commaundements tending as afterward it proued to so good an end had it not been busie folly and rash vndutifullnesse for any subiects to haue meddled taken exceptions against exclamed vpon and condemned these christian pretenses and pollices Here-hence then let Christian subiects learne to beware that they fall not into vndutifullnesse through this lacke of wisdome in not discerning the lawfullnesse drift and end of princes affaires And likewise let them here learne and striue to be acquainted with and to know their Princes lawes for otherwise they must needs incurre the crime of vndutifullnesse through lacke of knowledge for how can they obay lawes which they neuer sawe heard not read of and yet can they not be excused through ignorance CHAP. V. Concerning Discontentment of minde the fift cause of subiests vndutifulnesse THe fift cause of vndutifulnesse of subiects which hindereth many from performing and yeelding of those bounden duties which magistrates may iustly expect at their hands is discontentment of mind Two sorts of subiects troubled with discontentment of minde abounding especially in two sorts of subiects first in the proud ambitious sort of great men in the world secondly in the wicked and wilfull needy sort of inferiour subiects of the first hath bin spoken in the first and second chapters for the second when they haue rashly inconsideratly prodigally and lewdly wasted and consumed their patrimony their landes and goods when all is gone and nothing left then in their discontented moods with blasphemous and horrible oathes they will vtter and maintaine diuerse vnseemely vncouth vngodly vndutifull disloyall positions as that this world is vneuenly dealt that it is no sinne to take it from these fat backes and greasie bagges that haue it and will do no good with it but will suffer a good felow to starue in the streets or hâ—ng himselfe before they will depart from one peny that they hope to see a day shortly when a sword and a dagger will do them as much good as the best farme or the best plowe in the parish that if all they haue will buie them a sword and a dagger they hope to liue as well as the richest Curmuchin of them all and that they be good fellowes and haue had it and must haue it and will haue it for why as some of them say Domini est terra plenitudo eius the earth is the Lords and all that therin is These prodigal professors of irregulatity in their malecontented fitts when they see that their companie will serue them stick not to despise all rules of magistracie then Ex abundantia cordis es loquitur their tongues run voluntary wilfully and wittingly scornefully and contemptuously will they cast out words of high indignation and disdein against the reuerence and honor of higher powers and so these wild-headed and staring eyed creatures these impudent and audatious spirited madcappes must be counted forsooth men of valor of ingenious spirits of manly courage and martiall natures they looke as bigge as if their faces were made of harnesse and their hearts growen with haire like Leonides that most valiant and couragious Lacedimonian These furious roysters and desperate cauallieres crooke in their nailes to keepe them sharpe for a day and with their Absolons long locks prognosticate either a vindictiue resolution of mind or foolish vaine heads or Absolon fatal end they want nothing but only a ring-leader a captaine of their owne conditions whom they may follow or else bandes and legions of lewdlings like themselues which would
same Theophilact saith Non damus sed reddimus quicquid ex officio cuiquā damus c. As who would say subsidies and taxes are not gifts but debts a gift is a thing in the free choise liberty of a man whether he will giue it and depart with it to an other yea or no and if he will not giue it yet no man hath any remedie or course by law to constraine him to giue but debt is a thing which no mā can choose whether he will pay it yea or no it must of necessity be paid the lawes will force a man to pay it will he nill he of this nature are subsidies taxes and such like vnto Kings The onely lawfull remedie against subsedies taxes c. Princes and supreme gouernours debts not gifts due and paiable by the lawes both of God and of all nations no with-standing no pleading to the contrary no deniall no excuses will serue There is no remedie for to free subiects from them but only the compassion pity and bountifulnesse of the king prince c. in pardoning and remitting the same Diuerse causes wherefore tributes subsedies c are to be paid Tributes subsidies and such like customes according to the accustomed orders of that countrey and common wealth wherein any subiects do dwell are to be paid for diuerse causes as first for the maintaining and vpholding of that royall estate which God hath giuen to Emperours Kings Princes c. Secondly tributes and customes are to be paide by subiects for the defence and maintenance of the common wealths in quietnesse peace and security and to the intent that they may be preserued the better especially in time of warres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. How necessarie money is in the vvars necessary prouision must be then had and as our most noble king James hath very truly written especially monie is to be had in a readines for that it is Neruus belli without which warres cannot be borne out and through want of it kings and princes shall either be forced to yeeld vnto most dishonorable and disaduantageous peace or lye open both them selues and their subiects to the open rapine and outragious violence and spoile of forreine inuaders and bloud-thirsty enemies so that their goods wiues daughters and liues shall be made common and commaunded by others Customes subsedies taxes c. are sinewes of the commonvvealth saith Vlpiā and as the same noble and learned King calleth money Neruus belli so before him Vlpian that most famous writer of law cases hath called tributes and customes Nerui reipublicae the very sinewes and strength of the common-wealth without which it can neither consist nor be well gouerned for according to the old said saying A great bird hath need of a great neast what or who is able to reackon vp or trulie to number how many waies and vpon how many occasions the kings mony must still be running little wottes and full little considers the common priuate people what affayres their gouernours haue to vse money in and to exhaust not onely their purses but their coffers and that Pro aris et focis for the good safety safe keeping euen of them and theirs that most murmure mutter and grudge at the payments of such customes by which such things cannot otherwise be effected Thirdly tributes are to be paid by loyall and faithful subiects The third cause of paying of Tribute Taxes c. thereby to contestate and acknowledge their subiection to their Soueraigne who for his good and royall preseruation hath power to commaund them their goods their lands their liues and whatsoeuer they haue their soules only excepted for that is to be resigned only to God animam deo corpus regi Fourthly and lastly these tributs and taxes are to be paied by good subiects yea and that with good and reuerent affections to their Princes in regard of thankfulnesse for benefits by them and by their meanes receaued As Dauid in his lamentation for the death of king Saul 2. Sam. 1.24 calling to remembrance the benefits which his subiects had reaped by him in his life time said to the daughters of Israel Weepe for Saul which clothed you in skarlet with pleasures and hāged ornaments of Gould vpon your apparell Lam. 4.20 The benefits that come by a King c. And againe as the prophet Ierem. said of king Iosiah that he was the breath of their nostrils and that vnder his shadow they had beene preserued aliue among the Heathen Euen so may I say and write vnto all wise and discreete loyall subiects were it not for the care vigilancie paines and circumspect gouernment of your kings princes c. what would become of your braue and fine attire of your costly gorgious garments of your most exquisit fine linnin of your silks of your veluets your skatlets of your exceeding sumptuous clothings your ornaments of gould your surpassing apparell The benefits that subiects receiue by their king and gouernour and of all your pleasures that your selues your sonnes and your daughters do take therin Nay more then this what would become of the breath of your nosestrills that is of your very liues then which what can be more precious vnto you and how were it possible for you to be preserued aliue among your enemies so greedily on euery side hunting for your landes your goods and all those treasurers whereof you make most accompt were it not that you are shadowed vnder the wings of the lords annoynted of king princes c. vnto whom for these and exceeding many moe benefits receaued and discommodities and mischiefes auoyded too many for me heare to repeate by name next vnder God the primary authour of all goodnesse you are altogether beholding for these so great blessings which none knowes nor considers how great they are but such as haue taffed and smarted for the want of them Let subiects therefore be thinke themselues in their consciences how much they are bound to their soueraignes and studie to be thankfull againe to them as in all other duties and obediences so also in this point of chearfull and willing paiments of tributes taxes c. Tributes and taxes are the lawfull reuenues of Princes Caluin in his institut lib. 4 ca. 20. sect 13. which they may chieflie employ to sustaine the comon charges of their office which yet they may likewise vse to their priuate royalty which is after a certaine maner conioyned with the honor of the princely state that they beare But yet alwayes so prouided that Kings and Princes should on the otherside haue this for their parts-still in remembrance that their exchequers and treasure-chambers are not so much their owne priuate coafers as the treasuries of the whole land Let not this doctrine that Tributes are so necessarily and strictly to be payd be an occasion to encourage Princes to wastfull and vnnecessary expenses A lesson necessarie for Kings
A LOYAL SVBIECTS LOOKING-GLASSE Or A good subiects Direction necessary and requisite for euery good Christian liuing within any ciuill regiment or politique state to view behold and examine himselfe in that he may the better frame the course of his life according to the true grounds of the duties of an honest and obedient subiect to his King and to arme himselfe against all future Syren songs and alluring intisements of subtill disloyall dissembling and vnnaturall conspiraters traitors and rebels Collected for the most part out of both olde and later writers whose names are in the next page set downe Wherevnto are brieflie added sixe speciall causes of vndutifull subiects disloyaltie By WILLIAM WILLYMAT AT LONDON Printed by G. Elde for Robert Boulton and are to be sould at his shop at Chancerie lane end neere Holborne The names of the Authors out of which this present Treatise hath for the most part beene collected Augustine Ambrose Theophilacti Caluine Musculus Marlorate Hyperius Hemingius Piscator Iacobus Rex Bullinger Bucer Coruinus Luther Vrsinus M.H. Latimer Perkinsus Turnbull To the right vertuous excellent and most High and Noble Prince HENRIE by the grace of God Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewell Earle of Chester and heire apparant to the Realmes of England Scotland France and Ireland c. THE late gracious acceptance most worthy yong Prince with so prompt welwilling hand so amiable and pleasant a countenance and so kinde and courteous words of those mine hastie and bold attempted labours in translating into Latin and English verse the seuerall Precepts and Instructions of our dread Soueraigne your Fathers Maiesties ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΟΠΔΩΡΟΠfor your owne sake and vnto your owne selfe by him so Christianly fatherly painfully and learnedly first penned that Princes Looking-glasse or Princes direction for that title or inscription I then thought best befitting such an argument so benignly accepted of hath animated and encouraged me once againe to publish vnder your Graces Patrocinie an other Looking-glasse to wit this present Loyall Subiects Looking-glasse or a good subiects Direction a treatise I suppose in these our last dayes and perillous times very requisite and necessarie for all Christian subiects like as was the other for a Christian Prince A fault I confesse is by me here committed by this my second so bold an enterprise but yet Priùs perspecta clementia lenitate tua fretus in good hope you will beare with my wants and imperfections and accept and respect mine heart and plaine simple well meaning will and rather poyse the quantitie of mine affection and zeale to do good according to the gaine of that one poore talent that the Lord God hath committed vnto me then the qualitie of mine offence I haue aduenturâ—d towards the helpe and instruction of the rude and ignorant sort of subiects who want both good bookes and good teachers to publish this my sillie Treatise befitting silly subiects least through ignorance of their duties in true allegiance they might the sooner be seduced deceiued and withdrawne from giuing vnto Caesar that which is Caesars Simple and plaine indeed is this my worke I must simply confesse but yet an instrument of mine inward good affection and a faithfull witnessing messenger before both God and man of my well-willing and well-meaning heart Qui si non potui maxima parua dedi And if your Grace according to your former clemencie shall happily vouchsafe it that good successe as to come abroade to the view of the world vnder the wings of your benigne defence and fauourable protection then I doubt not but of the better sort it shall be the better accepted and also from the nipping cancred Cater-pillers the more freely escape vntaunted whose naturall inclination is rather to prie at the moates in other mens eyes and to carpe and finde faults with other mens dooings then to respect and perceiue beames in their owne eyes or endeuour to profit Gods Church and their country with any their owne better labours The euer-liuing God for his annointed Christ Iesus his sake graunt you his eternall fauour grace and blessing long and many happy yeares with your owne hearts desired felicitie to the aduauncement of Gods honour and glory to the ioye and comfort of all good faithfull Christian hearts to the terror of all your and our forreigne enemies and home-borne conspirators and to the happie conuersion or vtter confusion of the publique and priuate aduersaries of Gods eternall truth Your Graces most loyall and dayly humble Orator WILLIAM WILLYMAT To the Christian Reader GReat sundrie and manifold good Christian Reader are the enormities inconueniences and mischiefs which the lack of the right vse of Gods most sacred word and the diligent care to be gouerned and ouer-ruled by the same do bring breede and engender among mortall men O subtill serpent ô deceiptfull and too diligent Sathan euermore and euery where prying seeking and hunting like an hungrie and roaring Lyon for thy pray when irreligious Macheuillians apt schollers of that Italian helhound desperate carelesse Atheists obstinate dissembling corner-creeping Papists temporizing carnall and verball Protestants brainsick heady and male-contented Puritanes and such other like right borne children of this world haue once cast of the care the knowledge the vse and practise of that true lightsome Lanterne of Gods word which should haue serued to guide their actions and giuen light vnto their feete whereby they might haue troden in the right pathes of all goodnesse how busie diligent and readie art thou then with thy legions of reprobate Angels to stuffe and possesse the blinde ignorant obstinate wilfull rebellious male-contented hearts and busie braines of such men with ambition enuie malice heart burning discontentment of minde murmurings and grudgings dislike and contempt of the most Christian and best gouernment as not fitting nor agreeing with their humors slandering euill speaking and back-biting such as are in lawfull authoritie conspiracie treason sedition rebellion and infinite other mischiefes too many and too tedious here to recite How true this is as at sundrie other times heretofore so also now hath it proued it selfe by these last discoueries of some of our English disloyall vnnaturall and traiterous plotting practises and conspiracies The buildings and very foundations whereof the close and cunning conueying whereof yea though it were in the very fruite of a tree the mightie Lord God our onely buckler shield and sure fortresse according to his former accustomed goodnesse and mercifull dealings in our late Queene Elizabeths raigne hath vnto vs reueiled and detected yea dissipated frustrated vtterly confounded he for his holy names sake worke in our hearts vnfeined thankfulnesse for the same Now for as much as God hath appoynted admonitions and exhortations to encounter temptations least perhaps the deuill that old experienced and throughly practised enemie of mankind the chiefest author of these and all other such wicked and abhominable attempts should againe suggest and ingest the like lewde motions into the hearts of
way and meanes towards disloyaltie marke such well and auoide them nay not onely that but moreouer be he neuer so noble neuer so popular neuer so welbeloued neuer so mightie nay if he were the sonne of thine owne mother or thine owne sonne or thy daughter or thy wife that lyeth in thy bosome or thy dearest friend which is to thee as thine owne soule if any of these yea if all these should entise thee allure thee or goe about cunningly to with-drawe thee from any one iot of true and dutifull allegiance yet keepe thou diligently thy thoughts thy words and thy deeds from yeelding vnto them keepe diligently the passages of thy sences so that they make not an entrie into thine heart resist the enemie rather without the gates then within the walls consent not to any such entisers heare them not with thine care pittye them not with thine eye keepe not their secrets in thine heart Treason is not to be hid and cōcealed for any mans sake but discouer their plotting conspiracies and trayterous patching practisies be he or she neuer so neare neuer so deare vnto thee yet shew rather thine obedience to God thy true loyaltie to Caesar and thy christian loue to thy Countrie from which let not all thy friends in the world withdrawe thee for as that good and most famous father of his country Cicero said once very wel Cicero in Laeliosuo Nulla est excusatio peccatisi amici causa peccaueris It is no excuse for thyne offence if for thy friendes sake thou do amisse Take example and learne of Mordacai who with all expedition detected the conspiracie of Bigton and Teresh against their king Assuerus Ester 2.2 which their treason should haue beene put in execution the next daye at the kinges next going abroade had not faithfull Mordacai disclosed the same and that as soone as euer he knew it Delay is dangerous especially in fire and in treason 1. Kin. 8 3 Subiects in whom true allegiance hath taken sure roote must be most carefull herein yea euen in the very beginning for in fire and treason Moratrahit periculum lingering delayes in this case are perilous Finally as wise Salomon praied vnto God to turne the hearts of his people to him so like a good subiect pray thou to thy God to conuert and turne the hearts of all subiects to their kings and pray thou likewise to the most high and mighty king of kinges to direct thy heart thy secret thoughts and therewithall thy words and proceedings to the performance of all loyall obedience and reuerent duties to Caesar and see that thou breake not thine allegiance to him in thoughts nor wordes much lesse in open actions So doing amonge manifold other graces fauours and blessings which shall follow thee ouertake thee in earth Pro. 22.11 What vse is to be made by the examples of bad subiects proceedings and of their end Absolon his example of treason of his end 2. Sam. 15.2.3.4 c. What outward practises Absolō vsed to bring his wicked rebellion about And were foure 1. Slander 2. Flatterie this is one promised to him that loueth purenesse of heart that the King shall be thy friend Pro. 22.11 and in heauen thy felicity shal be to see God by the promise of Christ Iesus his own mouth as in Mat. 5.8 Thus much for the good and imitable examples of the obedience of the best subiects and of the maner of true obedience And now a while to speake of some examples of worsse kinde of subiects of their contempt disobedience conspiracies and rebellions against the higher powers whose ends bad successe and shamfull confusions may be warnings and caueats for all posteritie to take heede of the like disloyall and traiterous enterprises least they bring the like ends with them And among these first to begin with Absolon the worst sonne of the best father that euer we read of in these cases a double traitor a traitor to his father and a traitor to his King though all against the onely person of Dauid his father who first by slandering secondly by flatterie thirdly by faire promises and fourthly by hypocrisie attempted most high treason First by slandering his fathers gouernment as though therein were to iustice ministred nor any body deputed to heare and determine matters in controuersie Secondly by flatterie in dooing obeysance putting forth his hand 3. Faire promises taking and kissing such as came neare vnto him Thirdly by faire promises that if he were made a iudge he would do iudgmēt to euery one that should haue any matter or controuersie 4. Hypocrisie And fourthly by hipocrisie counterfaiting holinesse to go to Hebron to serue the Lord there by performing of a vow and offering a peace offering whereas in deed he meant no such matter but only in that place vnder that colour to drawe an heade of his fathers subiects to depose his father from his kingly throne and himselfe to vsurpe the same O most vile traiterous and double vnnaturall fact but marke the end what became of it The end of all Absolon his cunning and traiterous practises what successe had he how prospered he Ahitophel his chiefe counsailer hanged himselfe twentie thousand of his followers poore seduced common people were slaine in the field by king Dauid his seruants God fauoring a righteous cause and Absolon himselfe though a man of very goodly person dearly beloued of his father who for all his rebellon yet gaue commaundement to saue his life and also mightely fauoured and followed of the common people so that by all likelyhood no man would or durst lay but the weight of one finger on him to hurt him But yet notwithstanding all this God aboue the king of all kings disliking this rebellion and forbidden disobedience against such as he in his wisdome setteth vp in authoritie to leaue an euerlasting memoriall and a terrible example of his vengeance against all such to the end of the world did not only confound and ouerthrow all his conspiracie treason and rebellion but also rather then there should want a gallowes or gibbet or an halter to trusse vp one that had so wel deserued such a death God prouided an Oake tree to serue that turne in steed of a gallowes 2. Sam. 18.9.14 as he was fleeing by the way to hange him on by the haire of his owne head insteed of an halter vntill Ioab hasting to the place with three darts thrust him through so ended him 2. Sam. 20.22 whom he founde hanging aliue when he came first to him And what better speed had Sheba an other traiterous rebell against the same king Dauid lost he not his head had he not his head cut from his shoulders and sent for a present by the citizens of Abel vnto Ioah Dauids chiefe captaine And what shall I write more It would make this my Looking-glasse too large and too heauie if I should as fully as of such
tyrant a cruell oppressour and a bloudie murtherer of many thousands of their nation And who were chiefe rulers What kinde of rulers they vvere for vvhom Paul exhorted and had the supreame authoritie in those dayes that the holy spirit of God by Paul exhorted that prayer and supplications should be made for such Truely about that time raigned the Emperours Caligula Clodius and Nero no Christians but Pagans and that was worse most cruell persecutours martyrs and murtherers of godly professed Christians And doth God himselfe commaund charge and exhorte their subiects to pray vnto him for such Emperours Kings and Rulers as were strangers Pagans Heathen Infidels murtherers tyrants cruell oppressours of them ransackers and destroyers of their countrie and friends whatsoeuer How deeplie then are good Christians and all loyall subiects bound continually to pray vnto God and to praise God for the blessed and most happie gouernment of godlye zealous and most Christian Kings and Gouernours and for infinite benefites and blessings powred vpon them by such gouernement What it is not to pray for kings princes c. Surely to fall into such extreame ingratitude and seeinglie willinglie and wittinglie to incurre such retchlesse and profound obliuiousnesse of Gods most bountifull blessings through want of prayer thanksgiuing in this case what is it else then to commit a most hainous and greeuous sinne against God against such gratious gouernours and against their owne countrie against themselues and the common wealth thereby to prouoke God to take away such blessings and to cause them to feele many things that willingly they would not and to beare burthens of griefes that otherwise they should not and that worthily too This was an exercise in the time of the primitiue church both highly regarded and feruently followed their forward and prompt inclination to pray for Magistrates may appeare by due testimonie of diuerse godly writers in those dayes In the 30. chap of his Apologie whereof let onely Tertullian at this time speake for the rest who saith thus We pray alwayes for all Emperours desiring God to giue them long life a sure raigne a safe house valiant armies faithfull counsellers honest subiects a quiet world and what soeuer else a man or Emperour may desire The king of kings for his sonne Christ his sake graunt true Christian subiects the like feruent zeale and willing spirites to be the more diligent watchfull and mindfull herein that Caesar may haue his due and God his glorie for euer and euer CHAP. V. Concerning tribute taxes subsidies c. being the fifte thing due vnto Caesar THe fift among those things which are due to be yeelded vnto Caesar that is to euery King The causes for vvhich taxes subsedies c. are greeuous and odious among the common subiects Prince ciuill Magistrate temporall ruler is tribute subsedies taxes and other such like customes a thing I know very greeuous to the eares no lesse odious to the hearts of a sort of simple ignorant people that partly because that at such paiments the poorer sort of the comminaltie are oftentimes forced by the richer and more able sort as it is Vox populi and would to God it were not too true to beate the heate and burthen of the day and to sustaine the greatest charge and paiments whereas they that are ten times the more able are nothing the like for their substance ratablie ceased but can easily inuent deuise and vse diuers cunning subterfugies and starting shifts to draw their necks out of the heauiest part of the yoake verifying the olde saying The weaker must be thrust to the wall And partly also because that lightly in all ages there haue euer started vp if not in deeds at leastwise in contumelious slaunderous vndutifull Acts. 5. and disloyall speaches some such Theudasses and Iudasses as doctor Gamaliel spake of in Act. 5. mutinous reformers grudging and male-contented reuolters viperous conspirators routing rioting rebels which vnder pretence of the commō good of all men and bearing the people in hand that they sought for and coueted only a reformation of disorders and a redresse of common-wealth matters haue spoken against the payment of tributes subsidies and such like taxes which appertaine to kings and princes affirming them to be oppression and extreame poulling of the poore comminalty and so haue drawne the silly ignorant vnconstant sort of people at leastwise to murmur grudge exclaime against them if not to take armes vpon them Yet notwithstanding what soeuer can be deuised to be said to the contrary vpon the heads or by the meanes of any such lewd wicked male-contented and insurrectious authours who both they themselues and their seduced silly followers through out all ages haue come euer to a bad end This haue I read and this I wish all true loyall subiects to consider of which for my owne parte I dare not nor I cannot but with all mine heart allow of to wit Hyperius in Rom. 13.6 that Ius pendendi vectig alia apud omnes gentes fuit semper receptissimum The law of tribute paying amongst all nations euermore hath bin a thing most vsuall and accustomed and vnto this in the same writer this reason is added Recte perpendunt omnes ac fatentur quantum quam vtile sit humanae societati magistratuum officium dū ij pro salute hominū sine intermissione invigilant atque hoc nomine vectigalia haud grauatim omnes illis pendunt All men do right well consider and confesse how great and how profitable the office of rulers and magistrats is for the maintayning of the society or felowship of men whiles that they watch and take paines for the safety of men and for this cause they pay their tributs most cheerefully and not grudgingly The same Hyperius vpon the Rom. 13. And againe he saith Hoc scripturae approbant hoc leges ciuiles communi gentium omnium consensu recipiunt This do the scriptures allowe of writing there of tributes paying This do the ciuill lawes with the common consent of all nations accept of And a none after he concludeth this matter of tribute paying with these words Vectigalia iuxta receptissimum omnibus gentibus ius sunt danda idque pro quadam contestatione obedienciae magistratibus debitae ob beneficia quae per cosdem in communi vita obueniunt Tributs according to the law admitted among all nations are to be payed and that for a certaine witnessing of obedient magistrats for the benefits which in common life befall by them Theophilactus and Bucer their opinions concerning tributes taxes c. And Theophilactus an ancient a learned and approued authour cōmenting vpon the Epistle to the Rom. chap. 13. vpon the words of the Apostle Reddite tributum saith thus verbo reddendi significat debitum quod inexcusabile subditis impositum est And Bucer a latter writer yet of great reckoning reading and learning agreeing with the
any thing seeme to be for the safety of the common-weale For the better vnderstanding of this duty subiects must learne and note that all the people in a common-wealth in any kingdome country or citie may be sorted into three seuerall kinds of people and there is none but they appertaine and belong to one of those three and those are first Emperours The people of euery kingdom countrie or city may be deuided into three sorte Kings and Princes within their seuerall empires kingdoms and iurisdictions secondly subordinate or subalternall magistrats who haue and hold their commissions and authorities from the first and thirdly priuate subiects which are to be ruled and gouerned by the first and second sorts of men hauing no publike charge nor office to attend vpon but only each of them his owne priuate busines according as his owne place function and calling requireth So then here you see the difference betweene the prince the magistrate and the priuate man Now this sixt duty which here is to be entreated of concerneth neither the first nor the second kind of men but only the third which is the priuare man or common subiect without any lawfull calling to any authority or office this last kinde of men may not intrude themselues without any lawfull calling into any manner of action or office that of right belongeth vnto the lawfull magistrate for that is not to Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars but rather to take and vsurpe that which is Caesars vnto his owneselfe Two things to be considered vnder this sixt dutie of subiects to Caesar Vnder this duty are conteyned especially two things whereof the first is that moderation which all priuate persons ought to obserue in publique affaires namely that they may not of their owne motion without any calling busie themselues in publike affaires nor intermeddle in the gouernment nor reformation of them nor take vpon them rashlie any part of the Magistrates office nor attempt any publike thing If they espie any fault in the common policie that needeth amendment they must not stirre at all therin nor take to themselues authority to redresse it or once vncalled to put to their helping hand hauing their hands in that respect as it were bound behinde them but they are to shew it to the superiour who onely hath his hands lose to dispose and order publique matters and if the superiour do then commaund them and giue them libertie and authoritie to deale therein they may put it in execution as being furnished with publike authoritie The second thing conteined in this sixt duty is the casting off or laying away all vindictiue resolutions The reuenge for iniuries to whom it belongeth properly all taking vp of reuenge for a mans owne proper iniurie is here forbidden for the reuenge for iniuries receiued or any wrong committed against any priuate person belongeth properly to God who saith Vengeance is mine I will repay to the Magistrates Gods deputies to whome God hath committed the sworde not for nought but to be Gods minister to take vengeance on them that do euill that offend by doing wrongs and iniuries to others in this case then when any priuate person takes vpon him to reuenge and requite an open iniurie done to himselfe he giueth not vnto Caesar that which is Caesars but by reuenging with his owne hand he forgetteth a loyall subiects dutie and committeth a manifest wrong against the King and his Magistrates by vsurping their office vnto whom only the sworde belongeth for reuenging of all iniuties committed against any of his people So that to conclude in few words this sixt dutie of a loyall subiect it is that priuate men may not attempt any publique Magistrates office without a lawfull commission or calling neither to reforme any thing amisse nor to doe any good in the common-weale nor yet to reuenge himselfe against his aduersarie for any receiued wrong for vengeance is to be committed only to God and to the higher powers to whom only it doth by right appertaine TO THE CHRISTIAN reading Subiect IT is not to be doubted nay there is nothing more sure good Christian subiect then that Sathan as he hath beene vsed to do euer of old so he will still hold on and busie himselfe to withdraw thee from the regarde of some or of euery of these my before handled loyall subiects duties and to trumpe in thy way by casting before thee many stumbling blocks and causes of vndutifulnesse thereby to cause thee to forget or else to neglect and omit these before noted sixe duties Of the which causes of vndutifulnesse by that our mortall and deadly foe very much and oftentimes suggested and vrged I haue thought it good for thy learning and warning to giue thee heere a taste of sixe of thē in this little Pamphlet following whereby thou maiest take a scantling of the residue and so be thereby the better awaked and more excited to beware of them all in time W.W. CHAP. I. Concerning Pride being the first cause of the vndutifulnesse of subiects THe most writers do agree and consent and the greatest and most reasons may be alleaged The cause of the fall of Angells that the first and chiefest cause of the fall and vnrecouerable ouerthrow of some of Gods most glorious angels wherby they lost their glorious state and so became terrible and most ougly deuils was pride whereby they being but creatures began to rebell and to exalt themselues against God their creator Now the subtill crafty cozening enuious deuill being become a mortall enemie to mans welfore and blessed state hauing experience in himselfe that pride was a chiefe cause of his owne fall he ceaseth not to vse the same as an engine or weapon for the ouerthrowing of mortall men in this world euen to blow them vp with pride as it were with Gun-power for as wee see it come to passe when the enemies lay siege to win or beate downe castels walles and the strongest holds amongst their batteries forces of shot and other stratagems and feats of warre they vse this also as their surest remedie and pollicie to vndermine them and blowe them vp with traines of Gun-powder Euen so likewise is it the deuise and pollicie of Satan among his other traines to attempt assault and blow vp men with pride as it were with Gun-powder Pride wherein it consisteth Now this pride consisteth in the great loue and liking of our owne selues of our owne excellencie worthinesse a disdainfull contempt and despising of others in comparison of our selues A fitte instrument is this then for Sathan to worke with in this case for as the wisedome of God doth teach by Salomon Prou. 13.10 Onely by pride doth man make contention which commeth to passe when as euery man contendeth to haue the preheminence and will not giue place vnto an other So that that man which hath his heart once insected and poysoned through pride he can in
to empaire the large and great scope of the Roman Empire Ambition What hath drawen some men to such desperate minds so farre to abandon both God and all goodnesse as to geue ouer themselues to Necromancie and to contract and enter into couenants with the deuill that they might come to soueraigne power and authority Ambition What caused Henry the fift the Emperour by force to depriue his father from the Empire and to keepe him in prison till he died there Ambition Maufroy the prince of Tarentum what moued him to strangle his owne father Frederick the emperour and to poyson Conradus his owne brother what forced Antonius sonne to the Emperour Seuerus to stabbe his brother Geta with a Dagger What caused Solyman king of the Turkes to strangle his owne sonne Sultan Mustapha What moueth many to put innocents to death that stand in states expectant of kingdomes that themselues may take surer footing as they thinke to growe vp and continue in royall places What is and hath beene the cause of these and many other such satanicall and most impious and horrible actions Ambition Ambition I say Ambition And what should I further weary my selfe and weary the reader spend my time paper and Inke to repeate the examples effects fruites and sequels of this vile monster Ambition Let me therfore conclude this second cause of subiects vndutifulnesse with my before noted request namely that all loyall true meaning subiects in time beware that they do not in any wise yeeld vnto this pestiferous humour of Ambition then the which there cannot lightly be a greater enemie to all duties of good subiects CHAP. III. Concerning Enuie the third cause of vndutifulnesse of subiects THe third cause whereby Sathan vndermineth and maineth the good and reuerent conceipt of the Soueraigne in the heart of the subiect is Enuie Whence Enuie first springeth the roote whereof is fetched out of the deuills owne garden for from him came and sprong forth the originall and beginning thereof who in the beginning so enuied the welfare and prosperous estate of man that he sought not only to seperate him from that pleasaunt abode in Eden the pleasauntest place on the earth but also to alienate him from Gods sauour and by that meanes to expell him from all happinesse and to plunge both him and all his ofspring into eternall miserie Through this enuie it is that one man grieueth at an other mans well doinge and prosperity The fruitâ— of Enuie whosoeuer is once attached herewith straight-waye he murmureth and grudgeth he chafeth fretteth and fumeth that any man should be aduaunced to any honour dignity office or high authoritye besides himselfe inuenting imagining and deuising which way and how to disgrace hurte disquiet crosse and remooue him that so is preferred The enuious man laÌ„guisheth pineth to see his neighbour promoted and prosper as saith the Poet Horace Inuidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis The man that enuie doth possesse doth pine and fall away At others wealth and good successe encreasing euery day Such a waster and consumer is this enuie that for the correspondencie thereof with these things auncient writers both Latine and Greeke haue compared and lykened it to the Worme that consumeth old soft timber What things enuie is very aptly compared vnto Moaths that eate and wast wollen cloth Rust that corrupteth and cankereth away yron Vipers yong ones that eate out their dammes bellies before they be brought forth into the light These viperous generations of enuious creatures are likewise resembled to the swelling toad which as some report cannot abide the smell of Iarmaunder euen so will these swell and disdaine at vertuous and good gouernours placed by God in the midst of Gods garden Other coÌ„parisonâ— very well befiting the enuious man to expell and chase away such venomous toads They are moreouer likened vnto the blind Howlet which as it is sayd in the day time is very dimme and slowe of sight but in the night is most quick of eyesight Euen so whereas the vertues graces and good qualities of magistrates rulers and gouernours appeare and shew themselues manifestly to all the world in open light as it were at the no one day yet these enuious people see nothing nor will take any knowledge of any of those good gifts but if through the infirmiâ—y of the flesh any of them slippe and be tainted with any fault be it neuer so little this can they soone espie herein they haue Lyncaeus his eies then a little moate shal be made a great mountaine Ex humili tumulo magnum producunt olympum If they see any thing well done they grudge at it and find fault with it like Simon the Leper who blamed Marie Magdalein for doing of a good deed If they see that God accept of blesse and prosper any mans doings more then theirs streight way they maligne him and enuie him yea and maliciously seek his bloud like as Cain did his brother Habels If any man for the good seruice done for or in his countrie be applauded vnto and haue his due honour giuen him they seeke to disgrace him to hold back his due from him and to supplant him or keepe him vnder 1. Sam. 18.7 like king Saul who could nâ—â— abide the speach nor remeÌ„brance of little Dauids teÌ„ thousand If the kings highnes for some good seruice or for some good liking or for some other secret purpose better knowen vnto himselfe then to these men do honorably bestow any gift or preferment vpon any courtiers or other his good subiect noble or otherwise ô how these enuious murmurers will mutter grudg speake against that like vnto those whining malecontented labourers which could not abide any equall reward to be giuen vnto their fellow labourers like vnto that enuious Mat. 20. vnkind vnnaturall brother that was angrie with his father and would not come into the house although faire entreated Luk. 15. and that because he maligned and enuied that his father should giue his yonger brother a kind and a naturall fatherlike entertainment after his returne from going astrey Euen so this enuious broode and ill willie kind of men will chaunge the copy of their countenaunces murmure grudge giue out hard speaches euen against their supreme Soueraigne if he take to heart giue sauourable and gratious entertainment to any other then themselues or other of their owne crue and faction whom it shall please them to allow and thinke well of There is neither king nor keisar the highest magistrate nor the inferior subordinate magistrate who either by birth right succession or by their vertuous and good desert haue beene aduaunced and exalted to any manner of honor and dignity in the common-wealth but enuie possessing the virulent heart and bitter tongues of this insatuated crue they will not stick to breake out into slaunderous and malitious misreports and to barke at the beards of those to whom in al humble reuerent and
any mo either forrein malignant supplanters or homeborne malitious ambitious and male-contented conspirators I haue here endeuoured my selfe to set forth for an admonition or warning before the eies of all such as haue not consented nor yeelded to any such wicked and diuilish enterprises of treasons and conspiracies this present treatise following A loyall subiects Looking-glasse or a good subiects direction wherein euery true hearted good meaning yea and euery wauering minded vnstable and simple ignorant subiect may behold see and learne how to behaue himselfe and dutifully to liue vnder the gouernment of higher powers whether they be supreame Magistrates Emperours Kings and Princes or else inferior subordinate magistrates and officers adhibited by the higher powers to the administration of things for the gouernment of the common-wealth Herein I haue laboured to set before the eyes and hearts of all sorts of subiects what duties they owe and are bounden by the plaine and expresse word of God to performe to their superiours of what degree or place so euer A treatise I suppose very requisite and necessary for these our enuious malicious ambitious self-louing self-wilie proud and rebellious dayes Those good learned authors both olde and of later times whom I haue principally leaned vnto as my chiefe guids directors and good maisters in the penning of this present Looking-glasse yee may see set downe by their seuerall names before the epistle dedicatory I haue herein followed the maner of those Cookes which comming into Gardens to gather herbes cast their eyes round about them and looke vpon all and crop and take but those only which are most conuenient and needfull for their vse and purpose at that time Likewise haue I chosen excerpted out of the forenamed writers but those things only which I thought would serue best and most conueniently befit this present matter and time and them for the helpe of the memorie of the readers and for the readie finding out and speedy turning vnto any seuerall point or matter herein entreated of I haue digested into seuerall chapters according vnto the seuerall duties which are due vnto Magistrates set in authoritie I am not ashamed to yeeld and plainly to confesse that I haue collected this present treatise for the most part thereof though not all out of the drift sence and meaning yea and now and then the very words of other mens writings for I deeme it a sounder a surer and a safer course to walke in the pathes and tread in the steps of former learned and allowed writers that so I might alwayes haue sufficient authoritie for mine opinions and allegations then to range at randon in writing and setting abroach mine owne inuentions seeing that Nihiliam dici potest quod non sit dictum prius I weigh not and I passe not for the virulent and malicious cauils of neuer pleased Momus-like enuious back-biters so that by my labours I may do any good or be an instrument to helpe to auoide any euill in this Church and common-wealth wherein I liue which happie successe that this my present treatise may haue I pray thee gentle reader helpe me with thy zealous prayers to the Almightie the onely giuer of all good gifts to whom only be all worthy honor praise and dominion for euer and euer The chiefe and principall matters contained in the first sixe chapters of this Booke following In the first Chapter is conteined WHat Emperours Kings Princes c. are by whom they were and are ordeined and wherefore page 3. 4. Of and from whom tyrants and euill Kings and Princes are and wherefoâ—e such are exalted pag. 4. Obedience the first thing due vnto Caesar belongeth vnto all higher powers kings and principalities yea although tyrannicall and euill gouernours pag. 56. Aâ—guments reasons to perswade vnto obedience to magistrats IdeÌ„ Magistrates called Gods idem Of the defermities and vglinesse of rebellion thereby to disswade from the same 6. The horrible finnes mischiefes thâ—t range raigne in rebellioÌ„ IdeÌ„ Commodities of obedience and peace 7. To what end good examples of obedience do chieflie serue 8. What â—e is chieflie to be made by the examples of euill and rebellious subiects idem Examples of two of the best and most obedient faithfull subiects most worthy to be imitated 8. 9. 10. Example of Dauids behauiour towards king Saul what it doth teach 9. A question concerning obedience resoluen 11. What it is or a subiect to foster and cherish an euill thought in his heart against his Sâ—ueraigne 12. What is to be done when a man is entised or drawne by any kinde of meanes to yeeld to treason 14. Treason and treacherous plottings and practises are not to be hid nor conceiled for any mans sake whosoeuer he be idem Delay is dangerous in hiding fire or treason 15. Examples of Absolon and of diuers other traitoâ—s and of their bad successe and confusion 15. 16. 17. Learne to take warning by other mens falles 18. Diuers manners of punishments of traitors disloyall subiects 18. 19 Cypâ—ian his bridle against going on and continuing in sinnes 20 The last argument or reason to mooue to obedience drawne from Beasts Birdes Fishes c. 21. In the second Chapter is conteined HOw necessarie and profitable a thing feare is pag. 22. To feare the king commanded in holy Scriptures idem Two kinds of feare 23. The profies of good feare pag. 23. The nature of the good and child-like feare explicated by two apte similitudes 24. The vertues or effects of the good feare expressed by the effects of the feare of a Scholler towards his Scholemaister Idem Diuers sundry effects of feare of a subiect towards his soueraine I de Hovv prinate men are to behaue themselues tovvards such as be in authoritie though they be neuer so bad and euill disposed 26 Feare though it be a very necessarie thing to be yeelded vnto the higher povvers and Magistrats yet may it be abused and of the first abuse of this feare 28. Of the second kinde of feare 29. The vse and profit of seruile feare 30. In the third Chapter is conteined HOnour the third thing belonging to Caesar what it signifieth 31. The actions of honouring are manifold and wherein they doe consist ibidem The first kind of honour due to Magistrates ibidem The second kinde of honour due to Magistrates 32. The third honour due to superiours ibid. The fourth honour due to superiours ibid. The beginnings of all conspiracies c. arise for the most part from the heart that beginneth to fall away froÌ„ honoring the higher powers 33 In the fourth Chapter is conteined PRayer the fourth thing belonging to Caesar commaunding subiects in holy seriptures page 33. What things especially are to be prayed for in the behalfe of kings Princes c. 34. What kinde of kings rulers God commanded to be praied for ibid. What it is not to pray for kings c. 35. In the fift Chapter is conteined TRibute
taxes subsidies and other such like royall customes the sift thing due vnto Caesar 36. The causes for which subsidies taxes c. are greeuous and odious among the common people ibidem Tributes subfidies taxes c. amongst all nations of old haue beene vsually payed and wherefore 37. Theophilactus and Bucer their opinions for paiment of tribute taxes c. 38. The onely helpe and lawfull remedie for not paiment of Subsedies taxes c. ibidem Diuers causes wherefore tribute subsedies taxes c. are to be paid 39. Diuers great benefits and blessings which subiects receiue by their kings rulers c. 40. Hovv kings may both take and employ tributes taxes subsedies and such like customes 41. Lessons necessary for kings Princes c. to obserue note and practise concerning the exacting of impositions taxes c. ibid. Lessons necessary for the common people and subiects to obserue note and practise concerning their behauiour and conceits against kings Princes c. for lifting and demanding of subsedies taxes c. ibid. A necessary question concerning such subiects as being of vvealth and substance will seeke and practise false and lying shifts and euasions to escape or to diminish their right and due paiments of taxes subsidies c. partly by defrauding the king and partly by oppressing and vvringing their poore neighbours and the ansvver therevnto 41.42 Doctor Martin Luther his opinion concerning the subiects dutie if kings princes c. shall happen to impose and exact any greeuous ouerchargeable taxes subsedies or other customes paiments 43. And also S Ambrose his opinion and likevvise king Iames his opinion in the same case 45. Of mutuall loue and agreement betvveene Prince and people and of the good thereof 46. King James his Maiesties most louing Christian and excellent counsaile to his sonne Prince Henry concerning lifting of subsedies c. idē In the sixt Chapter is conteined PRiuate men may not intermeddle nor take vpon them the office of a Magistrate vvithout some lavvfull calling therevnto pag. 47. The people of euery kngdō countrie or city deuided into 3. sorts idē Two things especially to be considered in the sixt dutie of subiects vnto Caesar 48. The reuenge of any iniurie to vvhom it properlie belongeth idem The sixe causes of vndutifulnesse of subiect added and briefly entreated of in the end of this loyall subiects Looking-glasse 1 Pride 2 Ambition 3 Enuie 4 Lack of vvisdome and knovvledge 5 Discontentment of minde 6 Misliking and inueighing against the punishment of malefactors The aforesaid sixe causes of subiects vndutifulnesse contained in these vi verses following The cause vvhy subiects duties faile vvho lists to haue descride Let him giue eare and marke a vvhile the first cause it is Pride The second is Ambition Enuie the third place vvill haue The fourth is vvant of knovvledge sure vvant of vvisdome graue The fift cause vvho desires to knovv is minds discontentment The sixt is the vniust dislike of levvd mens punishment 〈…〉 contained in the 6. causes of subiects vndutifulnes added in the end of this treatise AS Sathan of a glorious Angell through Pride became anvglie deuill forsaking his loyaltie to God so the same Sathan by the same pride dayly tempteth man to fall avvay from loyaltie to higher powers ordeined of God for mans good pag. 50. Pride wherein it consisteth idem Honourable houres and great men in the vvorld through pride haue wrought their owne vtter confusion 51. The deuils craft and subtiltie to insnare men through pride to bring them thereby to treason conspiracie and rebellion ibid. Of Ambition the second cause of the vndutifulnesse of subiects here what ambition is and who are said and noted to be ambition 52. Notable examples of ambitious mens filles and of the manifold most notorious mischiefes and inconueniences that many haue fallen into through ambition 54. Of Enuie the third cause of subiects vndutifulnesse from whence Enuie springeth and of the fruites thereof 55. Diuers similitudes describing the nature of Enuie ibid. None neuer so vertuous escape the virulent and sianderous nippings of the enuious crue 56. Of want of wisedome and knovvledge the fourth cause of subiects vndutifulnesse 58. The great inconueniences that fall out through want of wisedom and knowledge in vndiscreet subiects idem Princes purposes pollicies proceedings not yet published knowne abroade are not to be condemned and misconstrued 58. Of discontentednesse of minde the fift cause of subiects vndutifulnesse 60. Two sortes of subiects especially troubled with discontentment of minde c. idem The wicked nature and vngodly vndurifull and disloyall positions and euill corrupting words of desperate godlesse Athrists prodigall spendals and roysting caualliers bewraying their contempt of God and vndutifulnesse to higher powers and magistracie 60 61. Counsaile and directions for vnthrifts and wast ales to take another course 62. Misliking of due deserued punishment of malefactors the sixt cause of the vndutifulnesse of subiects and of their errortherein idem Aduise counsaile and necessarie directions for busie mislikers and vndiscreete inueighers against the punishment of euill doers c. 63.64 A loyall Subiects Looking-glasse The Preface A Most Christian King a most sincere professor J Rex in his treatise of the true law of free Monarchies and defender of Gods eternall truth yet at this day liuing and maugre the heads of the most subtill suggesting serpent and all his wicked traiterous and rebellious imps long may he liue hath written that next the knowledge of God the right knowledge of subiects alleageance according to the forme of gouernment established among them is a thing most necessarie to be knowne The ignorance hereof The effects of the ignorance or contempt of the right knowledge of subiects alledgeance or that which is worsse the retchlesse and wilfull contempt hereof hath bread the heauie calamities the endlesse troubles and the most miserable wreacke and ouerthrow of sundrie flourishing common-wealths and also the worthily deserued fall and confusion of the state lands goods lifes and bloud of many disloyall infatuated maliciously giuen male-contented ambitious traiterous conspiratours and rebels in many heretofore flourishing common-wealths kingdomes and monarchies Examples hereof and that diuers within the kingdomes of England and Scotland are yet greener fresher and more common both in the hearts and mouthes of thousands yet huing who haue beene both eyed and eared witnesses of the same then that they can casilie be forgotten Least therefore any other subiects now liuing The speciall causes that mooued the author to write this present treatise or their posteritie or any other generation yet vnborne should be hereafter trapped in the like snares and so become subiect to the like confusions the naturall zeale that I beare to my natiue countrie and the great griefe I haue to heare and see my poore country-men either so ignorant or so carelesse of true loyall subiects duties me there vnto speciall moouing I haue heere done mine endeuoure
and Princes to obserue and practise to ryote and excessiue abuse of the treasuties or rather the sweat of the brows and the very bloud of their people which not to spare is cruell and tyrannicall vnnaturalnesse let them no otherwise thinke but that those impositions taxes tributs and charges of money or prouision which they receiue from their subiects are especially to be supports shields and bucklers for publique necessity wherwith continually without intermission to burthen and weary out the poore comminalty especially without some great cause is tyranicall extorsion A lesson for subiects to note obserue Neither on the otherside let this doctrine concerning Princes be an occasion for common people and priuate men little acquainted with princes affaires rashly and stubornly to entermeddle with iudging of condemning or censuring of Princes expences although in their silly simple iudgment they exceed and offend in lauish excesse in many things and many times Ne sutor vltra crepidas In deed subiects must helpe and aide their ciuill Magistrates especially the higher powers whensoeuer occasion and necessitie shall so require yea though it were with the bestowing of their bodies liues and bloud much more with the tribute of some small portions of their goods The Saints did gather their goods in common to helpe the Magistrate Bullinger in his second Decade vpon the 5. and 6. commādemēts so oft as publique safegarde did so require The Isiaelites of all ages did alwaies fight for their Iudges for their Kings and other Magistrates and likewise did all other people vpon good aduise taken and on the other-side so did the Princes for the people such hath beene the force of the reciprock and mutuall loue and dutie such hath beene the zealous and godly naturalnesse in citties kingdomes common-wealths betweene Kings Princes Iudges and gouernours and their naturall and good louing subiects Taxes and tributes and other paiments of the like nature as learned writers and reuerend authors do teach ate due to Magistrats as the hire of their labours and as it were as before was noted out of Vlpian the sinewes of publique tranquilitie and common-wealth for who goeth to warfarre on his owne proper costs euery man liueth by that labour wherein he is occupied The Prince taketh paines in gouerning the common-weale and preseruing it in peace he neglecteth his owne priuate household businesse whereby he should liue and prouide for himselfe and his familie by looking and attending on his countrie affaires It were against reason therefore but that he should be maintained vpon the publique treasure and cost of his countrie It is most requisite also that kingdomes and common-wealths should be sufficiently prouided and furnished with money and substance to helpe in distresses as in warres especially in famine dearth and other such like common calamities besides mainteining of Ministers of lawes and iustice for the iust gouernment and deciding of controuersies amongst subiects as Iudges Sergeants and such like and at one word to be briefe there is such great wants of so many things in the well ordering of a common-wealth that vnlesse money be still at hand in a readinesse there can no kingdome nor common-weale stand long in any good order They therfore that murmure giudge and deny withdraw other to deny the paiments of tribute go the next way to worke to subuert ouerthrow the common-weale and to bring all to naught A question necessarie to be considered on and looked vnto in these our dayes But what shall we here say of such a kind of subiects as in the sight of the world in their corne cattle sheepe and other goods are deemed worth two or three hundred pounds yea that will not stick if he can here of a good purchase of land to giue two or three hundred pounds for a peece of land and as much to the marriage of his daughter and will crack that he hath an hundred pound to bestow on his enemie at lawe if he crosseth his mind and will not suffer him to haue his wil in euery thing that he desireth and yet so soone as the Kings commission commeth forth for subsidies and taxes this man forsooth stoopeth very lowe then and wil be worth no more at the valuation to the king then ten pound sore against his heart it is that he is tendtered so far besides this he must haue bearing money as they call it in some countries that is he must haue of his poore neighbours each one somwhat to helpe him to beare out this great charge and burthen of subsedies if they refuse he will crack them to make them subsedie men to put them into the subsedie booke with him and therefore they were better to beare him out then to be brought in themselues to a farre greater charges then he requites at their hands What shall we say to this kinde of men doth this man rightly Giue to Caesar that is Caesars Maister H. Latimer sometime Bishop of Worcester Let a godly learned Doctor of Diuinitie sometimes a zealous preaching Bishop in England afterwards a martyr so zealous of maintaining Gods truth that he most willingly and cheerefully gaue his body to be burned at a stake and his hearts bloud in miraculous manner euen to the quenching of the fire burning the lower parts of his body to be shed come forth and answer this sort of subiects and he will in plaine termes tell them that they are very theeues that thus they robbe their king of his due debt that he ought to haue and that they might with as good a conscience take another mans garments off his back as so vniustly take and with-hold from the king that which the Parliament the highest court in the land hath giuen to the King and that it is due debt and that vpon the perill of their soules they are bound to pay it And this man of God will further tell them that if the king should require an vniust request yet they are bound to pay it and not to resist nor rebell against the King and that the King shall be in perill of his soule for asking of an vniust request and God will in his due time reckon with him for it but in the meane while the subiect must obay the King and not take vpon him to iudge him God is the Kings Iudge and doubtlesse will greeuously punish him if he do any thing vnrighteously But the subiect must pray for his King and pay him his dutie and disobey him not And know this that whensoeuer there is any vniust exaction laide vpon him it is a plague and a punishment for his sinnes as are hunger dearth pestilence and such other punishments of God And vnto this sound doctrine in this case subscribeth also Doctor Martin Luther in these words D. Martin Luther vpon Math. 22.21 Whether Kings rulers magistrates and officers vse and exercise their rule and authoritie well or ill we must haue regarde
onely to their power and office for their power and authoritie is good in as much as it is ordeined and instituted of God Neither is there any cause why thou shouldest finde fault with power if at any time thou be oppressed with tyrants for whereas they abuse the power giuen them of God they shall surely be compelled to giue an account thereof the abuse of a thing doth not make that thing euill which is in it selfe good A chaine of Golde is good neither is it therefore made worse for that an harlot weareth it about her neck or if one should put out thine eye with it is the fault therefore in the chaine In like maner the power of the Prince must be borne for if he abuse his office he is not to be counted as no Prince neither belongeth it to the subiect to reuenge or to punish it in him The subiect must obay him for Gods cause onely for he representeth the place of God how greeuous things so euer therefore Magistrates shall exact the subiect for Gods cause must beare them all and obay them so farre forth as they be not contrary to Gods commandements If they do iustly or vniustly in due time it shall appeare Wherfore if thy substance body or life and whatsoeuer thou hast should be taken from thee by the Magistrate thou maist say thus I willingly yeeld them vnto you and acknowledge you for ruler ouer me I will obay you but whether you vse your power and authoritie well or ill see you to that Such as this was the doctrine of S. Ambrose cited by B. Iewell in his defence of the Apologie of the Church of England If the Prince saith he happen to be wicked or cruell Defense of the Apolcgie pag. 18 or burthenous we teach with S. Ambrose Arma nostra sunt preces Lacbrymae Teares and prayers be our weapons This doctrine doth our now most gratious Soueraigne King IAMES at large set downe in that his treatise of The true lawe of free Monarchies Beholde and see here now O you murmurers grudgers deniers or cunning patching peece-payers of Tributes and other royall customes in this parcell of this present Looking glasse you may beholde and see your right and true duties And yet more ouer and besides all this heare and consider of both the example and doctrine of the Doctor of all trueth in whose mouth was neuer found any guile or falshood Christ Iesus himselfe who when he liued here on earth both taught as before you haue heard Giue vnto Caesar c. And also for this point confirmed it by his owne acte and deed by his owne example that it must be paide when as with his owne hand he paide tribute and custome for himselfe and his companie Math. 17. with that peece of money which Peter found in the fishes mouth To kick against this therefore is to kick against God himselfe against both the instructions and example of Christ Iesus and of his blessed Apostles And finally if you will proceede herein so farre as they did in the end you are like to haue the like successe and end as had Theudas Iudas of Galilie in the dayes of the tribute of whose shamefull fall ouerthrow and of them that were seduced by them writeth Iosephus both in lib. 18. and in lib. 20. of his antiquities Acts. 5. In this world you shall make your selues the ruine of your selues and of your owne bloud houses and families by your deserued immature death or els become subiect to great flauerie and thraull to forreiners and strangers according to Gods threatning by his Prophet Ieremie Ierem. 28. Thou hast broken saith he yoakes of wood but in the steede thereof thou shalt haue yoakes of Yron And in the world to come you shall procure vpon your selues the heauie wrath of God and so eternall damnation for euer But now here by the way Bullinger 2. Decade 6. precept An other notable Iesson for Kings Princes c. all Magistrats and Princes must be admonished to loue the people subiect to their charge gouernment to beare with them bountifully and not to nip them with immoderate exactions which is easily done if they themselues will be thriftie and keepe themselues moderately from ryotous gluttonie and ouer-sumptuous pride Let a good Prince consider what a sinne it is to haue his owne palace abound in riotousnesse and surfetting while his poore subiects are tormented with famine and hunger Let Magistrates consider that Tributes and subsedies are not the priuate goods of them in authoritie but the publique substance of the whole common-weale God hateth pillers and robbers God abhorreth immoderate exactions God curseth polling tyrants but blesseth profitable and moderate magistrates Both in peace and warres agreement and concorde are much more auaileable then money vniustly gotten and stronger is that kingdome Of mutual loue and agreement betweene Prince and people and firmer that common-weale which is vpheld by the loue and agreement of the Prince communaltie although the common treasure there be very small then that countrie or citie which hath innumerable riches heaped vp together and wrunge out of poore subiects entrailes when as continuall grudge and ill will makes the Prince and people at continuall variance And what counsell in all the world may more aptly fitly and effectually be applyed and vsed in this case then that which our most renowmed Soueraigne King IAMES commended to his dearest sonne Henrie our Prince In his instructions to Prince Henry his sonne lâ— 2. that is that his liberality should not decline to prodigality and that aboue all he should not enrich himselfe with exactions vpon his subiects but thinke that the riches of his people were the best treasure and in case the necessity of warres or any other extraordinaries should compel him to lift subsidies yet to do it very seldom employing it only to that it was ordeined for and to vse himselfe in that case a fidus depositorius to his people Thus much hitherto plainly as I could haue I laide downe before all loyall subiects eyes what is to be yeelded and giuen to Caesar for this fift point concerning tribute subsedies taxes and such like royall customes and duties CHAP. VI. Concerning the absteining from taking in hand or intermedling with any part of the Magistrates office HEmingius in his Euchiridion theologicum reckoning vp all those duties which subiects ought to performe and obserue towards higher powers and lawfull Magistrates maketh this one among the rest Non irrumpers in partes officii magistratus Priuate men may not intermeddle nor take vpon them the office of the magistrates without a lawfull calling sed magistratui cognitionem deferre si quid ad reipublicae salutem pertinere videatur that is to say It is not falling nor fit for a subiect to thrust himselfe into any part of a magistrates office but to tell it to the magistrate and to make him acquainted with it if