this is the reason why so many now-adayes liue riotously like beastes namely because they see noblemen and magistrates that gouerne the common-wealth to lead their liues wantonly as Sardanapalus did Therefore let noblemen be temperate and spend lesse in showes and apparell that they may keepe better hospitality then they doe and benefit the poore Let them I say imitate those famous wights who voluntarily resigned vp their large portions in this world that they might liue the more contentedly A murath the second Emperour of the Turkes after he had gotten infinite victories became a Monke of the straightest sect amongst thē in the yeere of our Lord 1449. Charles the 5. Emperour of Germany gaue vp his Empire into the hands of the Princes Electours and withdrew himselfe in the yeere 1557. into a monastery The like of late did the tyrant his sonne king Philip of Spaine What shal I say of Daniel and his three companions Ananias Azarias and Misael did they not choose to sustaine themselues with pulse when as they f might haue had a portion of the kings meate seeing therefore by these examples wee perceiue howe great the force of Temperance is ouer the greedy affections of the minde let vs deuoutly loue her and through her loue obserue a meane in our pleasures and sorrowes Of Intemperance and Incontinence Chap. 31. INtemperaunce is an ouerflowing in pleasures desperately constraining all reason in such sort that nothing is able to stay him from the execution of his lusts For that cause there is a difference betweene it and incontinence namely that an incontinent man knoweth full that the sinne which hee commits is sin and had intended not to follow it but being ouermastered by his Lordly perturbations hee yeeldeth in a manner against his will thereunto whereas the intemperate man sinneth of purpose esteeming it a goodly thing and neuer repents him once of his wickednesse Wherehēce I conclude that an intemperate man is incurable and farre worse then the incontinent for the incontinent man being perswaded with wholesome counselles will bee sorie for his offence and wil striue to ouercome his passions But to make both aswell the intemperate man as the incontinent hatefull vnto vs Let vs call to minde howe they do nothing else but thinke on their present prouender and rutting Also wee must consider how that intemperance is that goggle-eyed Venus which hindereth honest learning which metamorphozeth a man into a beast and which transformeth simple wretches into tosse-potted asses wherefore I wish all men of what qualitie soeuer they bee to take heede of this vice least they either be accounted beasts or aliue bee reckoned among the number of the dead Of Lecherie Chap. 33. LEcherie is a short pleasure bringing in long paine that is it expelleth vertue shorteneth life maketh the soule guiltie of abominable sinne This vice I feare mee is too rife here in England for howe many Vrsulaes haue wee like that princely Vrsula who with eleuen thousand Virgins more in her companie being taken by the Painime fleete as they were sayling into little Britaine for the defence of their chastities were al of them most tyrannically martyred In steed of Vrsulaes I doubt we haue curtezans and whorish droyes who with their brayed drugs periwigs vardingals false bodies trunk sleeues spanish white pomatoes oyles powders and other glozing fooleries too long to bee recounted doe disguise their first naturall shape onely sophistically to seeme fayre vnto the outwarde viewe of tame and vndiscreete woodcocks Yet notwithstanding lette a man beholde them at night or in the morning and hee shall finde them more vgly and lothsome then before and I cannot so well liken them as to Millers wiues because they looke as though they were beaten about their faces with a bagge of meale But what enfueth after all these artificiall inuentions the vengeance of God Insteede of sweete sauour there shall bee stinke insteede of a girdle a rent insteede of dressing the haire baldnesse insteede of a stomacher a girding of sack cloth and burning insteede of beautie What shal I do thē asketh the honest mā how shal I discerne a chaste woman from a baudie trull a diligent huswife from an idle droane a If she be faire she is most commonly a common queane if shee bee foule then is shee odious What shall I doe This thou shalt doe O honest mā b Choose thee not a wife aboue thine estate nor vnder lest the one be too haughtie or the other displease thee rather hearken vnto a wittie virgin borne of vertuous and wittie parents correspondent vnto thee both in birth and degree and no doubt but with thy good admonitions thou shalt haue her tractable No woman is so flintie but faire words and good vsage will in time cause her to relent and loue thee as shee should aboue all others in fine respect not dowrie for * If she be good she is endowred well Of Gluttonie and Drunkennesse Chap. 34 OF Gluttonie there bee foure kindes The first hapneth when a man causeth his meate to bee made readie before due and ordinarie time for pleasure and not for necessitie The seconde when a man curiously hunteth after diuersities and daintie meate The third when hee eateth more then sufficeth nature The last when wee eate our meate too greedily and hungrily like vnto dogs Now to come to drunkennesse I find that there bee three sorts thereof The first when wee being verie thirstie not knowing the force of the drinke doe vnwittingly drinke our selues drunke and this can be no sinne The second when we vnderstand that the drinke is immoderate and for all that wee respect not our weake nature which vnawares becommeth cup-shot and this is a kind of sinne The third when we obstinatelie do perseuere in drinking and this certainely is a grieuous and intolerable sinne The discommodities of drunkennesse Chap. 35. THe discommodities of drunkennesse are many first c it displeaseth God secondly it is vndecent and filthie for doth not a drunken mans eies look red bloudy and staring doth not his tongue falter doth not his breath stinke is not his nose fierie and wormeaten are not his wits dead according to that When the ale is in witte is out doth not his bodie shiuer In breefe What doth not drunkennesse signifie it discloseth secrets it maketh the vnarmed man to thrust himselfe into the warres and causeth the carefull minde to become quite voyde of care The third discommoditie of drunkennesse is that it shorteneth life defaceth beautie and corrupteth the whole worlde For howe can it otherwise bee when GOD blesseth not the meate and drinke within our bodies Fourthly drunkennesse i◠the cause of the losse of time Fiftly Hell gapeth and openeth her mouth wide that the multitude and wealth of them that delight therein may goe downe into it For proofe whereof I will declare one notable example taken out of the Anatomie of Abuses About twentie yeeres
Christ with whom the presence of his spirit will alwayes bee vntill the end of the world Therefore iniurie is done vnto him if wee allow of any other Monarch but onely him Answere EVen as it hath pleased God of his diuine prouidence to ordain the sunne Moone and elements as Emperours ouer this inferiour world so in like maner hee working by such meanes and instruments constituted Moses Iosuah and others iudges ouer his people by whome as his instruments hee brought to passe his sacred will and deliuered the Israelites from Egypt where they were enthralled And although hee defendes vs with an outstretched arme and hath illuminated vs with the light of his Gospel yet notwithstanding hee hath appointed Princes as his vicegerents and instruments heere on earth to see his word planâ—ed heresies rooted out and offenders by political lawes executed Monarches therefore must bee obeyed r as the ministers of God to take vengeance on the wicked There is no power but of God and the powers that bee are ordained of God Wherefore Let no man speake euill of the ruler of the Common-wealth That hereditarie succession is better then Election Chap. 4. MAny affect the place of a monarch not to any good end they being not good themselues whome neuerthelesse the custome or lawe of Nations hath restrained by a double bridle of election and succession The latter is that when maiestie commeth of descent and one Prince is borne of another The other when as birth-right being set aside they are chosen by consent of voyces Succession without doubt is the better as by reasons shall appeare First it is meete that the sonne possesse the Kingdome for the Fathers sake Secondly the sonne is brought vp to follow his fathers steps especially in defending of religion Thirdly the alteration of matters giues opportunitie to strange and great attempts Fourthly the sonne by nature from his father obtaineth a smacke of policie and beeing alwayes present with him knoweth the state of the Kingdome better then any other Fiftly the successour is woont to administer iustice more constantly and sincerely Whereas the elect Prince must in a maner fawne on his electours and newe subiects Finally No authoritie can prosper or endure which is purchased by canuasing and flatteries there is lesse danger in the acceptation of a Prince then in the election The dutie of a Prince Chap. 5. THere are foure cheefe qualities necessarie for a Prince to maintaine his reputation The first is clemencie to forgiue trespasses For as the Sunne when it is highest in the Zodiake moueth slowest so the higher a Prince is soared to greatnesse the more gratious and meeke hee ought to bee towardes his humble subiects The second to imprint the lawes and ordinances of God in his minde and to leuell all his actions to the glorie of the king of kings as well for the health of his owne soule which hee ought to hold dearer then his whole kingdome yea then all the world as for good ensample and imitation vnto his subiects The third is liberalitie to succour poore scholers and souldiours for as there is nothing more common then the sunne that communicateth his light to all the celestiall bodies and chiefely to the Moone so a prince ought to impart part of his reuenewes to the distressed and especially aboue the rest to students Souldiours The fourth to haue courage and vertue to tolerate abuses For Although his power and authoritie extend so farre that the countrie of India quaketh at his commandement although the farthest Island in the sea doth serue and obey him yet if hee cannot bridle his owne affections his power is not worthie to be esteemed Of the name of Emperour Chap. 6. THis name Emperour the Romanes first inuented not for their Kings but for their warlike Generalles Serranus Camillus Fabius Maximus and Scipio the Affrican as long as they gouerned the Romane hosts were entituled Emperours But when they finished their warres they were called by their owne proper names Afterward when Antonie was discomfiâ—ed by Augustus Caesar it chanced that the common-wealth came altogether into his hands Whereupon the Romanes desired that hee would not assume vnto himselfe the name of King because it was odious vnto theÌ„ but that he would vse another title vnder which they would bee his loyall and obedient subiects Then Augustus being at that time Generall and therefore named Emperour chose this title to doe the Romanes pleasure So that Augustus Caesar was the first that called himselfe by the name of Emperour The cause why they hated the name of King was by reason that their forefathers in auncient times hauing deposed their King Tarquin for his tyrannies and rapes had forbidden by an edict and solemne othe the name of King euer after to be vsed among them Augustus beeing dead Tiberius succeeded him in the Empire of Rome then Caligula Claudius Nero and foure and thirtie more before the Empire was by Constantine the great in the yeere of our Lord 310. transferred to Constantinople where it continued vnited vntill the yeere of our Lord seuen hundred ninetie and foure At which time the Empire was parted into the East and West which lasted in that sort vntill the yeere of our Lord a thousand foure hundred fiftie and three Constantinople to the great disparagement of all Christian Princes was taken by the great Turke called Mahomet the second Neuerthelesse the Empire of the West or rather of Germanie since that time hath as yet remained with the house of Austria Rodolph the second now raigning Of the name of King Chap. 7. TOuching the title of King it is to be noted that according to the diuersitie of Nations so did they diuersly nominate their Princes to wit among the Egyptians they named them Pharaoes among the Persians Arsacides among the Bythinians Ptolomeyes among the Latines Siluii among the Sicilians Tyraunts among the Argiues Kings among the Saraâ—ens Amiraes and nowe of late among the Persians Soldanes In the beginning of the world all Princes were termed Tyrants but when people beganne to perceiue how great difference was betwixt the one and the other they agreed among themselues to call the good Princes Kings and the wicked Tyrants Whereby wee see that this title of King is authorized only vnto iust Princes and that doe well deserue to be so named In this Realme of England there hath not at any time beene vsed any other generall authoritie but onely the most royall and kingly maiestie Neither hath any King of this Realme taken any inuestiture at the handes of the Emperour of Rome or of any other forraine prince but helde his kingdome of God to himselfe and by his sword his people and crowne acknowledging no Prince in earth his superiour and so it is kept and holden at this day Of a Gynecracie or Womans raigne Chap. 8. WOmen by gouerning haue got no lesse renowne then men as is euedent by learned
Histories For which cause The Diuine Philosopher found great fault with his countrymeÌ„ the Graecians because their Noblewomen were not instructed in matters of state policie Likewise Iustinian the Emperour was highly displeased with the Armenians For that most barbarously they prohibited women from enioying heritages and bearing rule as though quoth hee women were base and dishonoured and not created of God In the right of succession the sisters sonne is equall to the brothers sonne Whereby is vnderstood that women are licensed to gouerne aswell as men Moreouer there be two forcible reasons that conclude women to be most apt for Seignories First there is neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for they are all one in Christ Iesus The minds and actions of men and women do depeÌ„d of the soule in the which there is no distinction of sexe whereby the soule of a man should bee called male and the soule of a woman female The sexe rather is the instrument or meanes of generation and the soule ingendreth not a soule but is alway permanent and the very same Seeing therefore that a womans soule is perfect why should she be debarred by any statute or salique law from raigning The body is but lumpish and a vassall to the soule and for that respect not to be respected Secondly vertue excludeth none but receyueth all regarding neither substaunce nor sexe What should I rippe vp the examples of sundry nations which preferred women before themselues And for that cause they did neyther reiect their counsels nor set light by their answeres Semiramis after the death of her husband Ninus fearing lest the late conquered Aethiopians would reuolt and rebell from her Sonne yet young of yeeres and ignorant of rule tooke vpon her the principality and for the time of his nonage ordered the kingdome so princely that shee passed in feates of armes in triumphs conquests and wealth all her predecessours Nicocris defended her Empire against the Medes who then sought the Monarchy of the world and wrought such a miracle in the great riuer of Euphrates as all men were astonished at it for shee made it contrary to mens expectation to leaue the ancient course so to follow her deuice to and fro to serue the citie most commodiously insomuch that she did not onely surpasse all men in wit but ouercame the elements with power Isis after the decease of her husband Osyris raigned ouer Egypt and tooke care for so much prouision for the common wealth that shee was after her death worshipped as a Goddesse Debora iudged Israel Iudith the Bethulians Lauinia after the death of Eneas gouerned Italy Dido Carthage Olympias Pirrhus his daughter ruled ouer Epire Aranea was queen of Scythia Cleopatra of Egypt Helena after the death of Leo the Emperour raigned in Constantinople ouer all Asia as Empresse Ioanna was queene of Nauarre marying with Philip Pulcher the French king made him king of Nauarre in the yeere of our Lord 1243. Margaret ruled ouer Flaunders in the yeere of our Lord 1247. And another Princesse of that name y e only daughter of Valdemare the 3. king of DeÌ„mark Norway gouerned those kingdoms after her fathers death in the yeere of our Lord 1389. she tooke Albert the king of Swethland captiue kept him in prison 7. yeeres Ioanna was queene of Naples in the yeer 1415. Leonora Dutchesse of Aquitaine was maried to Henry Duke of Gaunt and in despight of the French K. brought him Aquitaine Poiteaux in the yeere 1552. Queene Mary raigned here in EnglaÌ„d in the yeere 1553. What should I write of Elizabeth our gratious Queene that now is which by her Diuine wisedome brought three admirable things to passe First her Maiesty reformed religion that by the Romish Antichrist was in her sisters time bespotted Secondly she maintayned her countrey in peace wheÌ„ all her neighbour Princes were in an vprore Thirdly she triumphed ouer all her foes both domesticall and hostile traiterous and outlandish If a man respect her learning it is miraculous for shee can discourse of matters of state with the best Philosopher she vnderstandeth sundry kinds of languages and aunswereth forreine Ambassadours in their forreine tongues If a man talke of the administration of iustice all the nations vnder the heauens cannot shew her peere In summe her Princely breast is the receiuer or rather the storehouse of all the vertues aswell morall as intellectuall For which causes England hath iust occasion to reioyce and to vaunt of such a gratious mother To whome the Monarch of Monarches long continue her highnesse and strengthen her as he hath done hitherto to his perpetuall glory confusion of all her enemies and to our euerlasting comfort Of Tyraunts Chap. 9. SIr Thomas Smith termeth him a Tyraunt that by force commeth to the Monarchy against the will of the people breaketh lawes already made at his pleasure and maketh other without the aduise and consent of the people and regardeth not the wealth of his commons but the aduauncemeÌ„t of himself his faction kindred Also there be two sorts of Tyrants The one in title the other in exercise He is in title Tyrant that without any lawfull title vsurpeth the gouernment In exercise he that hath good title to the principality and commeth in with the good will of the people but doth not rule wel and orderly as he should And so not onely they which behaue themselues wickedly towards their subiects are called Tyraunts as Edward the second of this realme in the yeere of our Lord 1319. and Alphonsus of Naples that lawfully came to the crowne in the yeere 1489. but also they are named tyrants which albeit they behaue themselues well yet they are to be called tyraunts in that they had no title to the principality as Sâ—eno the King of Denmark that vsurped this realme of England in the yeere 1017. and Pope Clement the eight that now is who about two yeeres ago seysed on the Dukedome of Ferraria onely by pretence of a gift which Constantine time out of mind bequeathed to the papacy Furthermore there be sixe tokens to know a tyrant The first if hee sends abroad pickthanks talebearers and espies to hearken what men speake of him as Tiberius the Emperour was woont to do The second if he abolisheth the study of learning and burneth the monuments of most worthy wittes in the market place and in the assembly of the people least his subiects should attaine to the knowlege of wisedome As Alaricus king of the Gothes did in Italy in the yeere 313. and the great Turke in his Empire The third if hee maintaine schismes diuisions and factions in his kingdome for feare that men should prie into his doings As the Popes haue done alway from time to time and of late daies the Queene mother in Fraunce The fourth if hee trust straungers more then his
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
owne naturall subiects and continually goeth garded with a strong company As Vortiger sometime king of this Realme did when he brought in Hengist and the Saxons and gaue them the countreys of Kent and Essex to inhabit The fift if he without cause coÌ„mand his chiefest nobles to be cashiered branded with ignominy or to be imprisoned and put to death for feare lest they should waxe too popular and ouermighty Such a one was Frauncis Sfortia Duke of Millain that caused Alphonsus king of Naples villanously at a banquet to murther Earle Iames sonne to Nicholas Picinio whome he had sent Ambassadour to the sayd Alphonsus for no other cause then for that hee feared his might because the Braciques in Italy some of his subiects highly esteemed him The sixt token to know a tyrant is if he do away learned and wise men for no other intent then that fearing they should reproue him write against his depraued vngodly life As Domitius Nero that commaunded Seneca the Philosopher and the Poet Lucan to be slaine and Domitian that banished the Poet luuenal for the same cause But of this matter I haue spoken in another booke Whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their Prince being a tyraunt or an heretique Chap. 10. EVen as the Prince ought to remoue the causes of mislike which his subiects haue conceiued against him and to extinguish the flame that being nourished in one seuerall house would breake into the next and at last into the whole towne so in like maner subiects ought to please their soueraigne and to tolerat all rigour yea and to lay downe their neckes vpon the block rather then to coÌ„spire against his power which he hath from God It may be that he is raised as another Nabuchodonozor of the Lord for a scourge to punish the transgressioÌ„s and enormities of the inhabitants The dishonourable things which a Prince doth ought to be accounted honourable Men must patieÌ„tly for they can do no otherwise beare with an vnreasonable deà re yeere with vnseasonable stormes and with many blemishes and imperfections of nature Therefore they ought to endure with as constant courages the heresies and tyrannies of their soueraigne But thou wilt say subiectes must obey only iust and vpright Princes To which I answere that parents are bound to their children with reciprocall and mutuall duties Yet if parents depart from their duty and prouoke their children to desperation it becommeth not children to be lesse obedient to their parents But they are subiect both to euill pareÌ„ts and to such as do not their duty Further if seruants must be obedient to their masters aswel curteuos as curst much more ought subiects to obey not onely their gentle but also their cruell Princes This Didacus Couarruuias an excellent Lawier confirmeth saying If a Prince whether by succession or election he was made it skilleth not doth exceed the limits of law and reason he cannot bee deposed nor put to death by any subiect Yea it is hereticall to hold that paradoxe For God is he which chaungeth the times and seasons he taketh away kings and setteth vp Kings to the intent that liuing men might know that the most high hath power ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomesoeuer hee will and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men Hence is it that we seldome heare of rebels that euer prospered but in the end they were bewrayed and brought to confusion In the time of Henry the fourth there rebelled at one time against him the Duke of Exceter with the Dukes of Gloucester Surrey Aumarle Salisburie and at another time the Earle of Worcester the Archbishop of Yorke HeÌ„ry Hotspurre sonne to the Earle of NorthuÌ„berland all which were either slaine or beheaded To come neerer the state of this question we find that Leonagildus an auncient king of the Gothes in Spaine both a tyrant and an Arrian in the yeere of our Lord 568. pursued the true Christians and exiled his own sonne because he was of the true religion Whereupon this young Prince being moued at the persecution of the Christians in his countrey did twise raise armes against his Lord and Father At the first he was taken captiue and banished at the second he was put to death on Easter day By which example wee may note the effects of Gods iudgements and rebuke the rashnesse of this Prince that rebelled against his soueraigne Wherefore O yee that be subiect to cruell Princes refraine your fury learne to obey beware lest the same chance vnto you which is faigned to haue chanced vnto the frogs who being importunat on Iupiter to haue a king a beame was giuen them the fiâ—â—t fall whereof did somwhat affright them but when they saw it stil lie in the streame they insulted theron with great disdain praied for a king of a quicker spirit theÌ„ was sent vnto them a stork which tyraÌ„nized daily deuoured them In a word rebels in taking care to auoid one calamity do entaÌ„gle themselues in a whole peck of troubles as by this fable of y e frogs is euident And oftentimes it hapneth that the remedy is more dangerous then the malady it selfe for of one tyraunt they make three Hydraes or els in seeking to shun tyranny they reduce their gouernment to a troublesome Democracy Of an Aristocracy Chap. 11. THe rule of a certain and prescribed number of noblemen GentlemeÌ„ respecting the benefite of the common wealth is termed an Aristocracy if any ambitiously preferre their priuat coÌ„modity before the publick good and by coÌ„spiracies dispose of all matters appertaining to the coÌ„monwealth as it please theÌ„ it is named an Oligarchy For as iroÌ„ is consumed in time by rust although it auoideth al incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces so some peculiar dammage or other sticketh to euery commonwealth according to the nature therof as for exaÌ„ple this Oligarchy endamageth an Aristocracy TyraÌ„ny is opposite to a Monarchy sedition to a Democracy That Aristocracy is best allowed where the gouernment is allotted to a few noble vertuous men which bestow most in common seruices and make lawes for the rest directing their cogitations to no other scope then the publick good of their countrey The citizens of Venice do deliuer the discussing of their matters aswell ordinary as of importance to the Senate which are very fewe in number as not ignorant how few being made priuy of their matters they should bee the more priuily managed Neuerthelesse this kind of commonwealth being compared with a monarchy will be found imperfect farre inferiour True it is that siluer and tinne are good but yet imperfect metals in comparison of gold wherein the souerainety and perfection of all metals consist In like maner an Aristocracy well tempered may be good but seldome it so falleth out This Realme of England when it was diuided into prouinces as Mercia NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d others ruled by
forfeits or capitall punishments let them first satisfie the agrieued parties Iudges may erre sixe maner of waies First when they be partial towards their friends and kinsmen Secondly when they haue no power ouer them whome they iudge Thirdly when for hatred they prosecute any man Fourthly when they repriue men for feare to displease some great personage Fiftly when being greased in the fist with the oyle of gold they winke at enormities and corruption Sixtly when being vnlearned they iudge rashly without premeditation Of Bribes and going to law Chap. 28. WOe be vnto you that haue taken giftes to shead bloud or haue receyued vsury and the encrease and that haue defrauded your neighbours by extortion For you respect not what the lawe decreeth but what the mind affecteth you consider not the life of the man but the bribes of the butcher When the rich man speaketh he is atteÌ„tiuely heard but when the poore complaineth no man giueth eare vnto him Or if percase one of our fine-headed lawyers vouchsafe to take his cause in hand he followeth it slowly and in a dozen sheets not hauing eight lines on euery side he laieth downe such friâ—olous and disguised contradictions and replications that his suites shall hang seuen yeeres yea and perhaps a dozen yeeres according to the number of those superfluous sheetes before they bee brought to any perfection vntill the poore client become farre behind hand Nowadaies the common fee of an atturney is no lesse theÌ„ a brace of angels notwithstanding hee speake but once and that the Lord knows very coldly to the right sence of the suit And if a poore man should proffer him lesse he wil aunswere him in this maner Sir behold my face and complexion and you shall find that it is all of gold and not of siluer Innumerable are the quirkes quiddities and starting holes of our English petifoggers for sometimes when a definitiue sentence is pronounced they forsooth will inuent some apish tricke eyther to suspend it from execution vpon some smal cauillation or obiection or els they call it into a new controuersie by a writ of errour or by a ciuill petition or to coÌ„clude they find out some shift or drift to reuerse and reuoke the sentence Thus do they play the sophisters with their seely clieÌ„ts or rather conies whom they haue catched and intrapped in their nettes But these disorders would bee quickly reformed if men will follow my counsell which is To forbeare awhile from going to law Honest and well disposed men might content themselues at home and not gadde euery foote to the court of Common pleas to the Chauncery to the Starchamber Neighbours Isay and kinsfolkes ought to regard one another and to end all doubts and quarrels among themselues I do not meane by brutish combats and affraies but by mediations atonements and intercessions Man is by nature humane that is gentle and curteous and good vsage will in time cause him to relent from his former stubbernesse Many countries haue their Courts Leetes or Lawdaies where men generally do meet together there me thinkes light controuersies and iarres might assoone be taken vp and decided aswell as in farre places If this aduice of mine were obserued we should haue fewer lawyers and lesse controuersies Of Magistrates Chap. 29. EVen as in the body of a liuing creature the organe of seeing is ascribed only to the eies al the other offâ—ces do obey them as their guides so in like maner all offices in the commonwealth are coÌ„mitted vnto wise magistrates as to the eies of the realme the other members must be directed by theÌ„ For which consideration I require in a magistrate learning and vertue without which he is not worthy to be termed the eye of a commoÌ„wealth but rather a blind bayard as wanting both the eies of the body the eies of the mind WheÌ„ as we chuse a rapier we chuse it not because the hilt is double-guilt the scabberd of veluet and beset with pearles but because the point of it is sharp to enter well and the blade strong stiffe So hapneth it in the electioÌ„ of magistrates namely that they be learned vertuous rather then haÌ„dsomely and beautifully proportioned in body Strength of body is required in a laborer but policy in a magistrate This is profitable to a twofold scope that the wise feeble may commaund and the strong obey Next magistrates must coÌ„sider why the sword of iustice both by the law of God and man is put into their hands that is to say they are the ministers of God and the executioners of the law to take vengeance on the wicked not to let offenders in any case wilfully to perseuer in their errours In the beginning euery malady is easy to be cured but if it be let alone for a while it groweth past remedy Magistrates therfore must in time prouide salues to redresse abuses otherwise they incurre the anger of God They must haue lions harts that they shrink not in iust causes They must bee constant lest by their friends intercessions they waxe partiall Lastly they must be both graue ciuill graue in commaunding ciuill in conuersation Of the great cares and troubles of Magistrates Chap. 30. O How greatly are meÌ„ deceyued that perswade theÌ„selues that magistrates do lead the ioyfullest liues Litle know they how vnquiet bee their thoughts They thinke not of their loÌ„g watchings and that their nature is weakened and through such distemperatures their bodies languish No man liueth exempt from some sorrow or other Although ignorant men and fresh-water souldiers to whome warre is pleasant account it felicity to commaund yet if they compare in an euen balance the waight of such troubles as daily happeÌ„ in their magistracies vnto the weakenesse of pleasure which proceedeth by coÌ„maunding they shal perceiue that far greater is the toyle of the one then the toy of the other How often are they cumbred with coÌ„plaints How long in perusing of informations So that in fine their offices will not permit them any contentation Poore men that weary their bodies to get food for the sustentation of themselues their wiues and children and do pay subsidies to their Prince should liue in too great discomfort and despayre if great men and magistrates had nothing in this world but pleasure and they on the contrary side but toyles and calamities But God hath otherwise disposed of the case For they languish in mind whereas poore men do but weary their bodies which easily might be recouered againe The consuming of the vitall spirites is in a maner irrecuperable insomuch as the cares of the one exceed farre the labour of the other Whether magistrates may receyue presents sent vnto them Chap. 31. THey that walke in iustice refusing gaine of oppression and shaking their hands from taking of giftes shall dwell on high their defence shall be the munitions of rockes and they shall see GOD in his glory
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