I pray you geue him so muche more again I haue spokeÌ„ euil of suche a maÌ„ God forgeue it me I haue ben a hooremoÌ„gre a bawde God perdone me Dyuide this bagge among the poore carie this to the hospital pray for me for Goddes sake Good lord forgeue me I haue dissembled with thee I pretended to loue thy worde with my lippes but I thought it not with my hart but now I see thou knowest the secretest secretes aÌ„d wilt not leaue euil vnpunished Haue mercie on me and forgeue me good lord I beseche thee from the botome of my harte This was the dissimulacioÌ„ of the people for three or foure daies whiles thexecucion was but after whaÌ„ the rage was somwhat swaged than returne they to their vomite worse than euer they were Than that they had before caused to be restored and geuen in almose they seke to recouer by more euil fauoured Cheuisaunses But God is not blynde nother is his hande shortened he hathe begonne to mete with you and will paye you that he oweth you to thuttermost But whether thou requirest me vnfaynedly to knowe how to auoide the plage to come or doest disseÌ„ble with me I hade rather thou shouldest be founde in fault than I not to doo that I before promised thee Goddes worde requireth and coÌ„ maundeth euery man to helpe his neighbour in worde and dede as muche as in him lieth I will therfore tell thee my best aduise and hartily pray God thou maiest earnestly folowe it All these plages that before thou hast hearde rehearced famyn pestilence sedicioÌ„ warres destructiones of countrayes captiuitie of people â–ª and alteraciones of states are the instrumentes of God sent aÌ„d powred on the people for their synnes that they should be sorie aÌ„d repeÌ„t theÌ„ of their former wicked life call to God for mercie aÌ„d leade a newe life in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of their life Which if ye will earnestly doo no doubt but as God is mercifull so will he vse mercie towards you For God that neuer deceaued any but abhorreth all practices all deceit and all practicers the workers of deceipt promiseth it by the mouthe of his prophet Ezechiel If sayeth he the vngodly will turne awaye from all his sinnes that he hathe done and will kepe all my coÌ„maundementes and doo the thing that is iust aÌ„d right doubtles he shal lyue aÌ„d not dye For al the sines that he did before shall not be thought vpoÌ„ any more but in his righteousnesse that he hathe done he shall lyue For I haue no pleasur in the deathe of a synner saieth God but that he should repent him of his wicked lyfe aÌ„d lyue c. It foloweth in the prophet thus â–ª wher fore repeÌ„t and returne froÌ„ your wickednesse aÌ„d your wickednesse shal not be your destructioÌ„ Caste froÌ„ you all your vngodlynesse make you a newe hart aÌ„d a new spirite wherfore will ye dye O you house of Israel that is all such as trust to be saued by christ seing I hare no pleasur in the deathe of him that dieth sayeth the lorde God Turne therfore and ye shall lyue This is not holy water of the court bare wordes of course as the princes of the worlde vse whiles they goo about to deceaue the poore people with their practices but he saieth no lesse than hewil doo he pro miseth no more than he will iustly and fully perfourme Scripture is full of exaÌ„ples to proue it After thâ—… deathe of Gedeon the children of Israel fell from the worshipping of the true God became Idolaters and worshipped Baalim and Astaroth and other Goddes as the Ethnikes did wherfore God plaged them wonderfully with inuasiones and ouerrunning of the Philistines by the space of xviij yeares they semed in wordes to doo penauÌ„ce but god sawe they did but dissemble with him and therfore he wold not heare theÌ„ But after they hade done penaunce in dede that is destroyed the Idoles and cast them out of their countreye than God sent theÌ„ the noble captain Iepte who defended them and reuenged the malice of the philistines Likewise wher the children of Israel had in the tyme of Hely the priest receaued by the Philistines many slaughters of the people and had lost many cities and townes for the Idolatrie thei had committed yet whan by thadmonicion of Samuel they repented as ye heard before and turned to God God turned to them and was mercifull And whan the philistines had prepared a wonderfull great force against the children of Israel God sent sodaynly such a terrible thondre and lightenyng that they were dispersed and raÌ„â—…e awaye The childreÌ„ of Israel ê‘secuted theÌ„ aÌ„d slewe theÌ„ aÌ„d recouered their cities aÌ„d all that they had lost WhaÌ„ the moabites aÌ„monites aÌ„d Idumites thought to haue ouerruÌ„ne Iuda in the tyme of king Iosaphat yet whan the king aÌ„d his people lamented to God and called for mercie God turned awaie his wrathe and poured â–ª it on their enemies and made them to fal out among them selues and so to kil one an other Whan Benadab the king of Siria besieged Samaria ther was so great a fami in the citie that womeÌ„ eâ—…e their owne children but whan king Ioram aÌ„d the people fel to re pentauÌ„ce aÌ„d called to God for mercie they had in one daie pleiÌ„tie of al thinges For God sent such a terrour among the Sirianes with the noise of armour that they fled aÌ„d lefte all their vitaile bagge and baggage behinde them for those of Samaria Ye haue hearde before also how Olofernes and SeÌ„nacherib that inuaded Israel were with their hole armies destroied of God after the people repeÌ„ted theÌ„ of their sinnes and called for mercie And so ye haue iÌ„numerable exaÌ„ples of the great mercie of God towarde al that repented truly and called for mercie As of the citie of Niniue whom albeit God had threatened vtterly to destroie theÌ„ yet whaÌ„ God sawe they were peniteÌ„t for their for mer wicked life â–ª aÌ„d called vnto hiÌ„ for mercie he withdrewe his plage aÌ„d held out his mercifull hande ouer theÌ„ eueÌ„ so ye good couÌ„trey meÌ„ aÌ„n true englishe hartes if ye wil in time earnestly repeÌ„t you of your sinnes leaue your Idolatrie aÌ„d honour and worship God truly as ye were taught â–ª iÌ„ blessed kiÌ„g Edwardes time abhorre the fonde phaÌ„tasies and folishe tradiciones of meÌ„ â–ª aÌ„d cleaue to the sincere worde of God aÌ„d be desirous of the knowlage of it leaue your blasphemie and vaine swearing aÌ„d horrible for swearing aÌ„d periurie no loÌ„ger hate your countreie but be true and faithfull to it aÌ„d by all godly meanes seke the wealthe and sauegarde of it if ye wil obey Goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes before your gouernours aÌ„d your gouernours in that is godly honest and iust and not â—…lles â—…f ye will leaue your bawdrie horedome aÌ„d bitcherye aÌ„d driue out of al places al hoores hooremoÌ„gers aÌ„d stuehouses â–ª aÌ„d all suche as fauour aÌ„d maiÌ„tene theÌ„ â—…f ye will absteine froÌ„ cruel murthering of the Saintes of God aÌ„d innoceÌ„tes aÌ„d rather your selues be coÌ„teÌ„t to suffre all martirdome thaÌ„ ye wil embrewe your fingres iÌ„ their blood or coÌ„sent to it if ye wil leaue oppressing of your neighbours your subtiltie crafte and deceat aÌ„d your selues leaue to loue gredinesse and inordinate desire of the trashe of this worlde if you leaue your inwarde hat reed grudge aÌ„d malice one to an other if the nobilitie will loue aÌ„d chearishe the coÌ„monaltie aÌ„d the coÌ„mones honour aÌ„d loue the nobilitie if one wil shewe him self a brother and neighbour in dede to an other thaÌ„ no doubt if ye doo these shiÌ„ges froÌ„ the botome of the har te that the mouthe aÌ„d harte agree together your saienges aÌ„d doinges be al one than shall ye ê‘ceaue that God wilbe easily intreated to turne ThaÌ„ maie ye boldly aske of God in Christes name aÌ„d your desires shal be hearde aÌ„d grauÌ„ted But ye maie iÌ„ no wise dissemble with hiÌ„ as the Israelites did whaÌ„ they saied thei wold coÌ„mitte no more Idolatrie aÌ„d yet kept their Idoles as you pulled downe your ymages but yet kept them secretly in your chaÌ„bres nor yet as Iudas Iscarioth did who lamented his sinnes aÌ„d repeÌ„ted but returned not to God nor yet as your selues did dissemble in the last sweat whiles Goddes whippe was in your neckes but ye must cleane doo awaie the olde maÌ„ and put on the newe ye must refuse aÌ„d cast awaie all euilles and doo that is good aÌ„d euer studie to do that shal please God aÌ„d in no wise loke as lottes wiâ—…e did backwarde but still goo forewarde And thaÌ„ if ye call to God for mercie putting your ful aÌ„d onely trust in him he wil heare you aÌ„d take froÌ„ you those plages that lie on you aÌ„d the other which most certainly if ye repeÌ„t not hang ouer you and wil come vpon you Than will he sende you his benedictioÌ„ for maledictioÌ„ pleiÌ„tie for famiÌ„ heal the for pestileÌ„ce peace for warres quietnes for trouble for cruel tiraÌ„nie a godly aÌ„d iuste gouernemeÌ„t for sedicioÌ„ suche force aÌ„d power that you beiÌ„g a fewe shalbe hable to withstaÌ„de all the tirannes of the worlde and enemies of God aÌ„d our couÌ„trey aÌ„d vtterly coÌ„fouÌ„de theÌ„ aÌ„d destroie theÌ„ Ye shall auoide the eternal paines of hel prepared for sinners and at leinght ye shalbe sure also to make a chauÌ„ge froÌ„ your earthly couÌ„trey to the heaueÌ„ly Paradise froÌ„ variable EnglaÌ„d to the coÌ„staunt Ierusalem froÌ„ the coÌ„pany of men to the feloweship of Angelles from mutable and frowning couÌ„tenauÌ„ces of worldely powers to the vnchauÌ„geable aÌ„d most coÌ„fortable sight of the kiÌ„g of all kinges our most merciful eternal heaueÌ„ly father To whoÌ„ with the sonne aÌ„d the holy goost be all honour praise and glory now and euer Amen
to doo what so eueris cōmaūded thē tell me I praie thee to what purpose is suffrig of persecu ciō so ofte repeted so earnestly taught so highly com mended in scripture Christ saieth He that taketh not up his crosse and foloweth me is not mete for me And again blessed be those that suffre persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Bles sed are ye whan men shall curse you and persecute you and speake all euil against you lieng for my sake be glad and reioice for your rewarde is pleintifull in heauen So did they persecute the prophetes that were before you And thapostle saieth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffre persecution And so in a great nombre of places of scriptures By suche persecution can not be ment the iniuries that priuate man dothe to priuate man for God hathe ordained a meane that is the magistrate to redresse them But by persecution is ment the Iniuries and tirannie that the Magistrates and gouernours exercice ouer Goddes people For they not contented to let a christian man haue iustice in ciuile thinges aga inst a papist nor an honest man against suche a one as fauoureth their procedinges doo thē selues spoile the christianes and honest of their goodes and not onely spoile them but by all maner of force uiolence and s◅ares seke their life and blood not onely in their owne countrey but wher they haue non autoritie bicause they will not obeie their commaundements and folowe their wicked procedinges God will haue his tried by persecucion that the worlde maie see who loue the chief power more than the inferiour powers his commaundementes more than mennes fonde procedinges the soule more than the fleshe the sure and euerlasting enheritaunce of heauen more than the vncertain and temporal possessiones of this worlde Yea he hathe non other waie to let the difference appeare to mennes eies betwene his seruauntes and princes Parasites than only by persecucion Papistes Turkes Iewes gentiles can dissemble they can seme to fast to praie◅ to geue alniose to builde monasteries and chauntries and to doo notwarde workes gaie to the eie bicause they wold be accompted holy of men but to refuse to doo that is euil for iustice sake to be slaundred spoken euil of whipped scourged spoiled of their goodes killed of the worldly princes and tirannes rather than they wolde disobeie God and forsake Christ this can neither papistes nor Turkes Iewes nor gentiles nor non other doo but onely thelectes of God And yet God dothe not so seuerely require of his people that they should streight offre them selues to the princes slaughterhouse their neckes to the halter their headdes to the blocke their blood to make princes puddinges their entrailles to make tripes their quartres to be boiled or rosted but he hathe lefte them a special rule and cōmaundement wherby to guide themselues that is in all thinges to seke furst the kingdome of God If he that is persecuted fele in his cōsciēce that he maie doo God greater seruice and glorie by suffring than by fleing he ought rather to suffre a thousaunt deathes than to flee one foote But if his conscience witnesse with him that he maie doo God greater glorie by flieng than by tarieng he ought not to tempt God with tarieng but is bounden by cōmaundement to departe If they persecute you in one citie saieth Christ flye in to an other And he did not only teache it but did it him self for saking Iewrie ād goīg into Galile whā he hearde Iohn Baptist was laied bi the heles bicause the time was not yet come wherin he was appointed to glorifie God And bicause God wolde haue a refuge place and sanctuarie for his whan suche tirannie and persecucion should be exerciced he wolde neuer suffre the power and ambicious tirannes to make one perfite Monarchie of all but whan they hade done their best to bring all together and the string hade bē almost in the nicke of the bowe as the prouerbe is it hathe sodainly slipt and not only destroied the doer but it hathe fallen in to a great meany moo shiuers than euer it was before Thus God dalieth and plaieth with his puppettes the princelinges of this worlde wherfore sence we be Goddes people and seruauntes and he our lorde and the highest power and the princes of the worlde be but his ministres and inferiour powers ordained to doo good and not euil we ought to seke chiefly to doo Goddes cōmaundementes before all mennes to please God rather than men For the princes doo they the worst they can can but take from men their goodes and liues but God can take from vs bothe goodes and bodie and cast bothe body and soule in to hell And yet should not they be hable to worke their will in this worlde nor execute their malice if men wolde behaue them selues towarde their lorde and maister God as they ought For as be can so wolde he sone despeche the worlde of tirānes But bicause many be opē enemies of God and many dissemblers with God God sendeth ād suffreth euil gouernours and will sende worse to plage the people for their iniquitie and to trie the faithe of his electe from whom not one heare of the head can be taken without Goddes wil. And therfore seking alwaies to do that is good they should alwayes eschue to doo that is euil and committe thende to God But admitte ther be a great nombre that haue dronken of the hoore of Babilons cuppe and thinke that ther is neither heauen nor hell and that Goddes worde is but friers maters and that therfore like Sardanapalus they should seke to eat and drinke and serue their lustes and nothing elles yet were this no sure waie for them to doo that they wolde if they should obeie their princes in what so euer they commaunded The nature of wicked Princes is muche like to the molde warpes which if they be suffred to haue their snowtes in the grounde and be not furthewith letted will sodainly haue in all the body or to the weselles that conueith in his hole body wher he hathe ones goten in his head So they if they be obeied in any euil thing be it neuer so litell wilbe obeied in all at leinght What letteth but that they maie not only sende for mennes goodes but for their headdes also as the Turke dothe to his best Bassa and all his subiectes whan it pleaseth him Why maie not they sende for their subiectes children cause them to be killed baked and geue it to their parentes in steade of other meat and for a seconde course bring in to them the heades fete and handes as king Astiages did to Harpagus All the papir of England wold not serue to set our the mischiefes that might folowe whā princes euil commaundements should be obeied and fulfilled But men that be wise maie bi a litell considre the hole Seing therfore that God will not princes commaundementes
of God were endued with the knowlage of the lawe of nature For it is no priuate lawe to a fewe or certain people but common to all not written in bokes but graffed in the heartes of men not made by man but ordained of God which we haue not learned receaued or redde but haue taken sucked and drawne it out of nature wherunto we are not taught but made not instructed but seasoned and ◅s S. Paule saieth mannes conscience bearing witnesse of it This lawe testifieth to euery mannes conscience that it is naturall to cutte awaie an incurable membre which beīg suffred wolde destroie the hole body Kinges Princes and other gouernours albeit they are the headdes of a politike body yet they are not the hole body And though they be the chief membres yet they are but membres nother are the people ordained for them but they are ordained for the people Vpō this lawe of nature ād to cōserue the hole body the Ethnikes not knowīg that the soule is īmortall nor that ther shalbe a Resurrection of the body and soule to iudgement but thought the soule perished with the body and that ther was no difference betwene a brute beast and mannes life thought it reasonable and made it laufull by their positiue lawe for eue ry man to kill a tiranne And to encourage men to entreprise to kill a tiranne they estemed the dede to be worthy so great rewarde that they thought him worthy perdone that killed a tiranne though he had killed his owne naturall father before And besides this whan they sawe that tirannes vsed to haue their bodies defended with great garisones and gardes of forain people or kept them selues in strong holdes and secret chambres so as none without great hasarde and peril might come vere them they propouned great rewardes to him that should destroie a tiranne Nother thought they rewardes or giftes to be a sufficient recompence for so vertuous an acte but they vsed also to make the ymage of him that killed a tiranne in brasse and to set it vp in the most solemne place of the citie for a perpetual memorie of the acte the commendacion of the doer and thencouragement of others to doo the like They dedicated to hi◅ praise and honour songes and verses and wolde haue them taken of men as Goddes worthy immortalitie Wherof came the name of Nobilitie or how were those that be called heroical or noble personages diui ded from others and had in suche honour and reuerence seing all men came of one man and one womans was it for their lustie hawking and hunting for their nimble diceing and cōning carding for their fine singing and daunceing for their open bragging and swearing for their false fliering and flattering for their subtil piking and stealing for their cruel polling and pilling for their merciles man murthering for their vnnatural destroieng of their natural coun trey men and traiterous betraieng of their countrey No no ther was no suche thing The respecte only of their vertue ād loue to their coūtrey brought them therto Bicause they reuenged and deliuered the oppressed people out of the handes of their gouernours who abused their autoritie ād wickedly cruel ly and tirannously ruled ouer them the people of a grate and thākefull minde gaue them that estimacio◅ and honour Of this kinde of nobilitie was Hercules Theseus and suche like Good kinges gouernours and states in time past tooke it to be the greatest honour that could be not to take cities and Realmes to their owne vse wha◅ they were called to aide and releue thoppressed as princes doo now a daies but to rescue and deliuer the people and countreies from the tirānie of the gouernours and to restore them to their libertie So did the Romanes the Lacedemonianes out of the tirannie of Onabis and all Grece from the bondage that Phi lippus Demetrius sonne king of Macedonia hade them in So did the noble mē of the people of God also come to their highe estimacion and honour as Gedeō Barac Iepthe and Samson who for the deliuerie of his contrey from the power of the idolatrous cruell Philistines pulled vpon him self present deathe So that this principle that euil ād euil doers ought to be punished and rotten membres to be cut awaie was no peculiar lawe of the Ethnikes but it procedeth of nature and therfore common to all men as it is plaine by the Chronicles and experience of all ages and purposely exemplified for our sure staie and learning as wel in the boke of Iudges as in many other histories of holy scriptures according to the expresse worde and commaundement applied to this sense and meaning which saieth Let euil be taken out of the middes of the congregacion that the rest which heare of it maie be afraied and not entreprise to doo the like And Christ pronounceth that euery tree which bringeth not furthe good frute shalbe cut downe and cast in to the fire muche more the euil tree that brīgeth furthe euil frute And albeit some doo holde that the maner and meane to punishe euil ād euil doers is not all one amōg Christianes which be in dede that they professe ī worde ād Ethnikes which thīke it lauful for euery priuate mā without respecte of ordre ād time to punishe euil yet the lawes of many christiane regiones doo permitte that priuate mē maie kil malefactours yea though they were magistrates in some cases as whā◅ gouernour shall soda◅ly with his sworde rēne vpō an innocēt or goo about to shoote him through with a gōne or if he should be foūde in bedde with a mānes wife or goo about to defloure ād rauishe a mā nes daughther muche more if goo about to betraie ād make awaie his coūtrey to foraīers c. Neuertheles forasmuche as all thīges ◅ euery christē cōmō wealthe ought to be done decētly ād accordīg to ordre ād cha ritie I thīke it cā not be maītened by Goddes worde that any priuate mā maie kill except wher execuciō of iuste pūishemēt vpō tirānes idolaters ād traiterous gouernours is either by the hole state vtterly neglected or the prīce with the nobilitie ād coūsail cōspir◅ the subuersiō or alteraciō of their cōtrey ād people any priuate man haue som special inwardecōmaundement or surely proued mocion of God as Moses had to kill the Egipciā Phinees the Lecherours and Ahud king Eglon with suche like or be otherwise commaūded or permitted by common autoritie vpon iuste occasion and common necessitie to kill But now perchaunce thou wilt demaunde why christen mē neuer made expresse positiue lawe of the kinde of punishement of tirannes Might it not be answered as Solō did excusing that he had not made a lawe for suche as killed their parentes that no man wolde suspecte that so vnnatural a facte should be thought muche lesse committed or that those that should be the ministers yea the ymages of God here in earthe charged bothe by God and man to see the people defended
the knowlage and consent of all But wher the people haue forsaken God and contēned utterly his worde ther hathe the deuil by his ministers occupied the hole countrey and subuerted the good ordres iustice and equalitie that was in the common wealthe and planted his unreasonable lustes for good lawes as euery man maye see by the Realme of Vngarie which the Turke in our tyme hathe occupied And wher the people haue not utterly forsaken God and his worde but haue begonne to be weary of it ther hathe not God suffred Tyrannes by and by to rush in and to occupie the hole and to suppresse the good ordres of the common wealthe but by litel and litel hathe suffred them to crepe in first with the head than with an arme and so after with a legge and at leynght were not the people penitent and in tyme conuerted to God to bring in the hole body and to worke the feates of Tirannes as hereafter it shalbe declared This is so manifest in most places that it shall not nede any particular example Wherfore it shalbe the parte of all Christen men to take hede that in forsaking God they bring not iustly the deuil and tyrannes to reigne ouer them And those that be called to councelles and parliamentes and so to be makers of lawes wherby the people should be bounden not to neglecte their duetie or to deceaue the people of the trust and confidence that was put in them For it is no litle daunger that maye therby folowe unto them bothe in this worlde and in the worlde to come For that man that toke upon him to doo any thing for an other being the thing neuer so litle of ualue and therin did use him self either craftily seking his owne gayne and profit or shewe him self not diligent or not passing what became of the matter committed to his trust our elders being men of honestie iudged and condemned for a most uile uarlet and unhonest persone and being men of wisedome made a lawe which continueth til this daye not only that he should make recompence for the hurt he did but also that he should not be allowed afterwarde in the company or nombre of honest men no more than an open these And this they did not by will but by reason not rashly but aduisedly not by the moo voices but by the more discrete headdes bicause they sawe that men could not be alwayes present to doo their owne thinges but of necessitie must use the helpe and trust of others And again nature hathe not made euery man apte for all thinges but hathe made one man more mete for one purpose than an other so that one hauing nede of an other euery one should be glad to doo for an other and all be tyed together in an undissoluble strong bande of frendship And therfore was suche false and unfrendly dealing taken to be most uile bicause it did uiolate two the chiefest uertues and most necessary thinges without which mankynde coulde not contynue faithe and frēdship For noman requireth an other to doo any thing for him whom he taketh not to be his frende nor trusteth him whom he thinketh not faithfull And therfore they thought him to be a uery wicked and vile persone and not worthy the name of a man that at one tyme and in one thing should thus undoo the knot of frendship and deceaue him whom he coulde not haue hurted onles he hade trusted him Now if nature reason honestie and lawe dothe so greuously punishe him and cast him out of all honest mennes companies that is necligent in a trifle how muche more ought he to be punished and cast out of all mennes sight that is necligent in the greatest matiers If he ought so sharpely to be vsed that deceaueth one poore man how muche more sharpely ought he to be punished and of all men to be abhorred yea cast to the dogges that deceaueth a hole Realme of ten or twentie hundred thousaunt persones If he be thus to be abhorred and punished that is required to doo an other mannes busynesse and deceaueth him how muche more ought they to be abhorred and hated that take vpon them to doo for others not desired but suyng for it not called therto but thrusting in them self not prayed but payeng geuing many lyuereyes procuring and making frendes to geue them their uoices obteynyng of great mennes lettres and ladies tokens feasting freholders and making great banketting cheare not by the consent of the parte but by force and streinght with tropes of horsemen billes bowes pykes gonnes and suche like kynde of qualityes If this opinion be had and iudgement be geuen against a man that seketh his owne gayne with the losse of his frendes in small thinges What opinion maye men haue what iudgemēt shalbe geuen of those that to make them selues noble and riche cutte the throtes of those that committed themselues their wyues their children their goodes yea and lyues vpon trust in to their handes If this iudgemēt be geuen for worldly thinges what iudgemēt shalbe geuē of those that wilfully goo about to destroye mēnes soules and to make thē a present to the deuil so that they for a tyme maye be his deputies here in earthe If men doo thus abhorre and punishe suche unfaithfull and unhonest persones how muche more will thalmightie God abhorre condemne and exercice his seuere iudgement on them that thus abuse the autoritie geuen unto them by him and deceaue and undoo those poore shepe of his in whom as his ministers they put their trust Hearke hearke while tyme of repentaunce is to the sentence of God pronounced by the mouthe of his seruaunt and Prophet Esaias VVo be vnto you sayeth he that make vnrighteous lauues and deuise thinges vuhich be to harde to be kept vuherby the poore are oppressed on euery syde and thinnocentes of my people are theruuith robbed of iudgement that vuydouues maye be your praye and that ye maye robbe the fatherles VVhat vuill ye doo in tyme of the visitacion and destruction that shall come from farre To vuhom vuill ye runne for helpe Or to vuhom vuill ye geue your honour that he maye kepe it that ye come not among the prisoners or lye among the dead This terrible wo of euerlasting damnacion was spoken not only to Ierusalem but to Germanie Italie Fraunce Spayne Englande Scotlande and all other countreyes and naciones wher the like vices shalbe committed For God is iuste and so hateth sinne that he neuer leaueth it in any place vnpunished but the more common it is the greater plages and force dothe he vse to represse it as we maye learne by thexamples of the cities Sodome and Gomor and Ierusalem his owne citie And besides the general plage he whippeth the autors of it with som special scourge that they maye be a spectacle not only to those that are present but also a remembraunce to all that be to come But perchaunce som that be put in trust and autoritie to make
am not yet lorde of one This worme without faile was the deuil who not contented that kinges the ministers of God should serue God in their vocation to haue them the soner fall from God and ser ue him putteth them in hope they shalbe lordes of all the worlde if they will take him for their chief lorde and soueraigne But bicause he seeth the inconstauncie of kinges that they no loÌ„ger abyde by their othes and promises than they maie therby haue profit gayne and their desire he dothe not furthewith put them in possession but to trye their fidelitie he sheweth them bi what meanes they shall come to it putting to their good will helpe and industrie He doubteth not but if he maye bring them ones in to the puddle ouer the shoen they will through thicke aÌ„d thine whatsoe â—…er cometh of it to come to that thei loked for These waies of the Deuil pâ—…de out of his schole of practices and they be in a generalitie two that is opeÌ„ force and secret subtiltie the one wherof that is force and manhood hauing ofte tried and most tymes it hathe not succeded after their minde they haue not so muche put in vse but haue rather trusted on thother that is subtiltie aÌ„d crafte wherby they worke a great deale more mischief than by open force and streinght of men and with lesse peril of them selues For whan they goo about it by force the deuil their maister is not hable to warraunt them the successe For all victorie and good successe cometh of God who whan he seeth the people against whom the deuil and his kinges worke fall to repentaunce for their sinnes he ouerthroweth his and their enemies with a fillip as he did prowde Olofernes aÌ„d SeÌ„nacherib the one being slaine by the good and faithfull woman to God and her countrey Iudith all his power being an hundred and twentie thousaunt fotemen and twelue thousauÌ„t archers on horsebacke destroied by a fewe And the others armie being an hundred foure score and fiue thousaunt personnes was destroied by the angel of God without the worke of man and he forced to flie and at his returne home was killed of his owne two sonnes But the other meanes that is subtiltie and crafte which the world calleth policie they more practice and therin daily do so procede that within short time many of them haue beÌ„ doctours And they haue a priciple of this arte which is that to come by a kingdome to com by that they desire they maye breake all mennes lawes all othes all promises yea the lawes of God and honestie This arte of subtiltie of princes otherwise called policie consisteth chiefly in this for a maÌ„ to appeare outwardly that he is not inwardly to saye one thing with the mouthe and thinke an other in the hart to smyle vpon him whose throte he wolde gladly see cutte and so pretende to the eie all amitie beneuolence and loue wher they beare greatest hatred enuye aÌ„d malice till conuenient tyme maie be had with least daungier to execute their conceaued mischief And bicause they be not hable alone to doo their feates loke wher they can vnderstande of any of their nature them they reteyne to them geue they great chaynes of golde fede them with great pensions aÌ„d fees promised And yet they be not ignoraunt that such vile men as will for money betraye their owne countreye and serue their wicked purposes are like vnto common souldiours and launce knightes who serue him that geueth a peny more and will whan they maie haue greater bribes of an other sone buye and sell their present maister For how is it possible for any man to thinke that he whom he hathe corrupted with rewardes to serue his purpose â–ª will or can be faithfull to hi that is a strauÌ„ger that so well knoweth what they be and findeth them false to their natiue countrey in the defense wherof all he nest men be bounden and be content to bestowe their life their blood their goodes and what so euer they haue Doo not princes vse traitours as men vse Coloquintes Turbith Elleborum and such like poisones that is to serue their purpose whan they haue nede of them and after can not abyde their sight no not their sauour but cast them out on the dong hill Yes doubtles it is most certain Whan one had betrayed in to Cesars handes certain townes what saied Cesar I loue treason sayeth he but traitours I doo abhorre So saied also king Antigonus I loue trai tours sayeth he whilest they betraye but whan they haue betrayed and serued my purpose I vtterly hate and abhorre them Aurelianus themperour hauing long besieged the citie of Tiana in Asia and being without hope to get it by force practiced with one Heracleo a great riche man aÌ„d citezin of the citie than being in the citie to betraye the citie to him This Heracleo fearing least if the citie should be wonne by force he should also lose his riches and hoping of great gayne by this bargayn consented to themperour and did that he required Themperour assone as he came into the citie caused this traitour Heracleo to be killed albeit he had done alone that for themperour that all themperours power was not habie to obteyne for thèperour bicause he could not abyde his sight that had betraied his countrey the deâ—…e was so horrible and against nature Yet bicause he wold not seme to haue done it for desire of his riches he gaue them to his children whom he preserued And writing to his frende the mater as it was done sheweth that he could not loue nor abyde Traitours nor that he could kepe promise with suche as should not be faithfull and louing to their countrey It is written of one called Cacanus king in BaiÌ„erland in Germanie that he inuaded a countrey som tyme called Carnia now called Frioly in Italie and other places belonging to the Venecianes with a great power and at the furst meting of him and thenemies he ouercame and killed one Gisulfus a Lombarde Duke of that countrey After that he besieged a citie wherin Romilda the Dukes wife was She desiring to see this king what maner man he was neded not to haue his ymage pourtred vnto her but loked ouer the walles aduisedly vpon him Whan she sawe he was a goodly aÌ„d faire persone she was by and by in loue with him She whisheth that she might fele him entre in to her owne holde Meat nor drin ke could do her good she could not sleape she sobbeth she howleth she souÌ„deth she teareth her heare and is more thaÌ„ halfe madde for lacke of her lust To be shorte contrary to all honestie and womanly shamefastenesse she woeth him to be her husbande and hauing no regarde of the loue that eueri honest creature ought to beare to his coun trey she promiseth to geue him citie countrey iewelles goodes and what so euer she could polle of her subiectes and make for him so that he wolde marie her
Nother of thē lacked wisdome and forsight to see that vnder painted papir muche mischief was hidde Long erperience had taught it the duke being long trained in Princes practices and nature suffred not the other lorde to be vtterly voide of it But bothe of them lacked that courage magnanimitie and fortitude that ought to be in noble men But it might be that they hade it but durst not vttre it partly for that thone was in hope to recouer that he had a time lacked and the other for feare to lose that he hade but chiefly as it maie be gathered bicause they sawe their peeres mouth◅s stopped But let them be sure all will not serue if practicers parte maie take place For suche thinges wold be all together ouerthrowen or not meddled with for at leinght the least let wilbe called to memorie they maie be sure And bicause publike maters of a Realme that concerne all and euery mannes life wife children landes goodes and what so euer can not be tretted vpon by all mē but all must put their trust in a fewe men ought to be wise and circūspecte whō they trust For ther be to many that passe not what become of their neighbours so they maie prospre them selues what become of the hole Realme so their owne families maie stande still He that maketh sute to be a deputie for a multitude semeth to sue for his owne vainglorie or profit Those that sende lettres not to chose this man but to chose suche a man haue in their headdes more than the vniuersal wealthe of all He that bringeth lettres to be preferred meaneth not the benefite of them that he wolde serue He that geueth moneye and maketh great feastes thinketh som other fetche than the seruice of his neighbours He that refuseth or releasseth his ordinarie wages loketh for som greater extraordinarie rewarde He that is alwayes or ofte at prīces platters or in practi cers Palaces cā not long cōtinue the peoples true pro ctour And therfore in Venece as they write none of the Senate and officers vpon payne of his head dare talke pryuily with an other nor take rewardes or fees of any forayn Prince For they are so gelous of the hole state bicause they haue ben so often deceaued by practicers in their owne companies Which lesson all wise men and honest men should learne and by all meanes suspecte princes promises and withstande practicers doinges and not beleue one worde that they saye be it neuer so gentil nor yet their dedes what so euer shyne or pretense of loue they declare Such a realme as Englād is is well gottē how so euer it is gotten But thou that arte a true englishe man seing the fetches ād fal◅ehead of these named and such other ◅s they be loke in tyme to thy selfe and to the state of thy naturall countraye and trust not vnto them though their vse neuer so muche fliering though they sweare neuer so fast though they speake neuer so faire and though they geue thee their hande writing Be thou Pr◅metheus and not Epimetheus Remembre that our countrey man Adam Afterwitte hathe a great while ben the lorde For rewittes foole Be taught therfore in tyme before thou be taken Saye not to late Hade I wist Thou hast sufficient warning God geue thee grace to considre it and vse it AN EXHORTACION or rather a warnyng to the Lordes and Commones of Englande IHARTILY wishe natural englishemen and good countreymen that it had pleased God to haue geuen som cause wherby ye with me and I with you might haue reioyced and not to haue lamented one of vs to an other of our miserie For sorowfull thinges are neither grate to the hearer nor pleasaunt to the teller But as if one should come to his deare frende or good neighbour finding him very so re wounded and did but lament with him ād not went about to helpe him to cure his woundes he should ra ther augment his paynes and increace his sorowe so if in this miserable miserie wherin we and our poore countrey of England stande and yet is not come to the full and ripenesse I should but lament and wayle with you which I can not but doo onles I should shewe my seelf toto vnnatural and vnkynde I should but encreace I thinke your sorowes and paynes but most certaynly I am sure myne owne But as it is a most sure token of deathe whan the sicke man feleth not his disease nor cā tell wher his grief is being asked in what place his payne lyeth so in all Realmes and congregaciones of people whan they doo not fele the common calamities and miseries that are among them it is a most certain and infallible signe that the destruction and thende of it is at hande And therfore geue me leaue I beseche you to open your woundes and to searche the cause of your calamities and than to ministre and powre in to them some holsome bawme and couer them with some comfortable plastre And albeit I doo it not so finely as som others can but boisteously after my rude maner yet I doubt not but by Goddes grace ye shall finde confort or at least perceaue that I haue an earnest desire to see you holpen For I meane your wealthe and healthe as one brother ought of an other that is borne of the same father and mother Ther was neuer great miserie destruction plage or visitacion of God that came on any nacion citie or countrey which as they be in dede so may they iustly be called woundes but be sent of God for sinne and be not sodaynly layed on the people but are before prophecied and declared by the prophetes and ministers of Goddes worde or by some reuelaciones wondres monstres in the earthe or to kens and signes in thelement For God as he is most iust and will not faile to punishe synne so is he most mercifull and will not the deathe of sinners but rather that they should turne to him and lyue And therfore before hande geueth them warning what shall folowe if in tyme they repent not as by the histories of all ages it dothe appeare And none of these admoniciones haue ye lacked countrey men For the preachers and ministers of Goddes worde in the tyme of the godly Iosias king Edwarde the Sixthe preached and prophecied vnto you what miseries and plages should certaynly come to you the foode of Goddes worde to be cleane taken away frō you famyn of the body pestilence warres the losse of your goodes the deflouring and rauishing of your wyues and daughters before your eies the captiuitie of your bodies wyues and children the subuersion of the policie and state of the Realme that a straunge king and straunge people not only in countrey but also in condiciones and maners in respecte of your owne should reigne and rule by force ouer you if ye in tyme repented you not of your wickednesse amended your lyues and called to God for mercie But than
ye passed nothing on it but as the Iewes being downed in sinne mocked scorned and murthred the prophetes of God which long before prophecied vnto them their captiuities and vtter destruction so ye laughed and iested at your preachers wordes nothing regarding the threattes of God but contēnyng thē yea increaceīg in your wickednesse ādnowat leyn ght murthering most cruelly the ministers of God And seing wordes of warnyng toke no place with you God for his louing mercie hathe warned you also by monstrous maruailes on the earthe and horrible wonders in thelement to put you beside all maner of excuses What wonderfull monstres haue ther now lately ben borne in Englande What celestial signes most horrible A childe borne besides Oxforde in the yeare M. D. LII with two heades and two partes of two euil shaped bodyes ioyned in one A childe borne at Couentree in the yeare M. D. LV without armes or legges A childe borne at Fulhā by Londō euen now this yeare with a great head euil shaped the armes with bagges hanging out at the Elbowes and heles and fete lame A childe newe borne at Lōdō furthewith speaking as a prophet and mes sager of God An horrible Comete this year besides diuerse eclipses whiche folowe But what were these only bare signes No certaynly they doo and must signifie the great wrathe and indignacion of God Not long after the passion of our saueour Christ whan the Britaines our cōtreymen went about to re couer their libertie and to be despeched of the most cruel seruitude and miserie which the Romaines kept thē in wherein no Britayn was certayn of wife childrē goodes no not of their liues all thigs were so in bōd◅ ge of the cruel Romaynes pleasur ther were of our coūtreymē slayne at one tyme three score ād ten thousaūt mē ād at an other tyme thrittie thousaūt Before which slaughters ther were many wōders sene in Eng lād Thimage of the Idole which the Romaines hade in their tēple called Victorie was turned backe as though she gaue place to thenenies The sea was like blood ymages of mēnes bodyes founde on the sea syde And womē were out of their wittes ād cried destructiō at hāde destructiō at hāde so that the Britaynes were in great hope ād the Romaynes in great feare Before Britayn now called Englād came in to the full power of the Danes kīg Edmūde the sōne of Ethelberte beīg slayne ther were diuerse straūge thinges wherby all men gessed that an alteration of the Realme was towarde but chiefly they gessed the great calamitie by the sodain swelling of the sea without any euidēt cause which so brake in to the lande that it destroyed many townes and people Before that great slaughter of Englishe men and Normādes which was by reason of the warres that were in Normandie betwene king Hēri the furst king of Englāde and Robert Duke of Normandie his brother at which tyme Normandie was ioyned to Englande the ryuer of Trent did not runne one hole daye together but was so emptie that men passed ouer on fote and at that tyme a sowe brought furthe a monstre with the face of a man and a henne a foure foted monstre So that by that that is past ye maye the boldlier diuine of that that is to come The childe by Oxforde what did it betoken but that our one swete head king Edwarde should be taken awaye as he was in dede and that ther should be in his place two headdes diuerse gouernours and a towarde diuision of the people but not all together which so manyfestly folowed that no man can denye it or two people should be knytte together but not in god proporcion nor agrement The childe of Couentrie without the principal membres to helpe and defende the bodye must nedes signifie that the natural body that is the people of Englande shalbe helpeles ready to be troden vnder the fote of euery creature and non to releue or succour it The childe of Fulham what can it signifie but that the natural body of England shalbe weake the chief membres tharmes and legges which is the nobilitie so clogged with chaynes of golde and bagges of money that the hande shall not be hable to drawe out the sweorde nor the heles to spurre the horse to helpe and defende the body that is the commones And as the head of it is the greatest part and greater than it ought to be with to muche superfluitie of that it should not haue wherfore it must pull from the other membres to confort it and lacke of that good proporcion it ought to haue so shall the gouernours and headdes of Englande sucke out the wealth and substaunce of the people the politike body and kepe it bare so that it shall not be hable to helpe it self yet shall the head neuer come to that nature requireth What is to be gathered of the yōg chil de I doo not saie it is true bicause the father was forced onles he wold haue lost his life to r◅cant it but might it not be true Is ther not as muche to be saied for it as for the popes trāsubstāciacion Dothe not Eusebius Pamphili a man of as good credite as Thomas Aquinas Scotus Gratianus and suche other the inuētours and mainteners of transubstanciacion write that a lambe contrary to nature and possibilitie did in plaine wordes before declare the nature and disposicion of Bochorus king of Egipt They that write the cronicles of the Romaines saie that a dogge a serpent and oxen did speake But scripture plainly saieth that Baalams asse a creature vnreasonable without possibilitie to speake did saie to his maister why beatest thou me And Iohn the baptist contrary to the common course of nature lept and reioiced in his mothers wombe whan Christes mother being with childe came to see Elizabeth his mother If men that beleued not the miracles which the gogle ◅ied Roode of Boxley the Idole of walsinghā the bawde of willesdō which euery foole might see to be deceates and open illusions were condemned and burned for heretikes how should they be taken that doo not beleue the manifest workes of God The horible Comete and blasing starre that was sene this yeare greater in Englande than elles wher what elles dothe it betoken but the great displeasure of God and therfore famin pestilēce warres sediciō deathe of princes inuasion of forain naciones destruction of som or many cities and countreies and the alteracion and chaungeing of the state and gouernement For if it be laufull for man to diuine of Goddes wonderfull workes and by the like thinges past coniecture those that be to come why should we not affirme that these plages will folowe Before the great warres made by Xerses against the Grecianes and the ouerthrowing of the hole state of Grece ther was a blasing starre sene of the shape of an hor◅e and an eclipse of the sunne Before the last and vtter destruction of the citie of Ierusalem ther was sene hanging in thelement ouer
the tēple a burning sweorde almost the space of a hole yeare In the time of cruel Nero ther was a Comete that continued sixe monethes After that folowed great sedicion and alteracion in thempire and the kingdome of the Iewes marke well was vtterly destroied Before the deathe of our countrey man Constantine the great who was the furst professour of the Gospell of Christ among all themperours and no doubt a special fauourour and promotour of it For he did not prohibite laie men to reade Goddes worde as som princes doo at this tyme but he caused examples of the Bible to be written at his owne charges and sent in to all countreyes ther was a great Comete and afterwarde folowed a wonderfull and cruel warre which who so deliteth in histories maie perceaue Before the dissension and deadly warres that was betwene the brethren of Lotarius themperour sonne of Lodouicus Piu◅ ▪ for the diuision of thinheritaunce whereby suche slaughter grewe in Fraunce that the Frenchemen were neuer after hable to recouer perfitly their force ther were many Cometes sene About the yeare of Christ M. I. ther was an horrible Comete sene and than folowed wonderfull famines and pestilence In the yeare MLXI. before thinuasion of Williā Conquer our in to England and the conquest of the same and in which Heralde king of England with twentie thousaunt true Englishemen in the defense of their countrey against the tiranne were slaine◅ther was sene a wonderfull Comete which euery man thought as in dede it folowed to be muche mischief and thalteracion of the state as herafter ye shall heare A litle before the great warres in Normandie wherof ye haue hearde before ther was sene in Normandie a great Comet and two full mones at one time shyning thone in the easte thother in the west In the yeare MCCXXI whilest the warres were in Asia betwene the christen men and the vnchristen wher vnto king Henry the thrid sent a power of Englishemen vnder therle of Chestre for the maintenaūce wherof the nobilitie furst graū ted the king the wardeship of their children as Polidore writeth before the Christen men lost the citie of Damiata and a great ouerthrowe of them was in Egipt many wonders were sene in diuerse places and also in Englande a very great Comete a wonderfull great earthequake all the wynter horrible thonders which in Englande seldome in Somer be hearde suche great raines and tempestes of windes that it ouerthrewe many houses and the sea drowned mani places which euery man saied betokened the hurt that folowed on christen men In the yeare MCCXLI a little before wales was brought to the subiection of the king of Englande ther appeared in England a terrible Comete by the space of xxx daies In the yeare M. D. XXXI ther was an horrible Comete And what folowed of it The Turke occupied a great parte of Vngarie the kig of Denmarke Christierne inuading his coūtrey with a great armie and so minding to recouer his kingdome was taken and his sonne And why should not ye of England t◅ike that these signes be only or at the least chiefly for you Compare your selues and your liues and doinges with the Iewes or the worst nacion if any can be worse ād see whether ye be not hable to matche them yea to ouermatche them and to droppe vie three for one In what nacion vnder the cope of heauen hathe God shewed greater tokens of his sauour and it so litle set by as in Englande What contempt of him his worde and ministers hathe bē ther What dissimulacion with God what hipocrisie What swearing and soreswearing What traiterye to their countreye What disobedience to the gouernours in good godly and necessary thinges What ready obedience to their rulers in wicked and euil thiges What vnnatural bitcherie vsed betwene the father and daughter brother and sister What abominable hooredome suffred vnpunished yea in many and the chiefest places the greatest hooremongers the impudentest ribauldes the peltingest bribers and the lewdest persones made Iustices of the peace and correctours of vice What railing and reuiling of the worthy pure preachers of Goddes gospell for only rebuking of vice What horrible murdres secret and open not only of priuate persones but also of the most honourable peeres and reuerende ministers of God What bochering and burning of true Englishe christianes yong and olde hole and lame seing and blynde man woman and childe without respecte of age sexe or astate What pillig and polling taking and snatching stealing and robbing not only among the meane sorte but among the greatest Wher is so great hatred and malice so litle loue and charitie as in Englande ▪ I should neuer make an ende if I should tell but that I haue my self sene and knowē muche lesse if I should declare all that other credible persones of their owne knowlage report to be most certain and true But to retourne to the mater Loke well England loke well whether this Comete past and eclipses to come touche the Art thou not all ready plaged with famin Yes and with suche a famin as thou neuer before heardest of It is true ye had darthes in the time of kinges Henry and Edwarde but those were dearthes without nede only they were occasioned by the gredinesse and malice of naughtie men without scarcitie or lacke of thinges ād for lacke of diligēt ouerseing and good gouernement and not by the directe plage of God But these two yeares since kīg Edwardes deathe from the restitucion of your cursed popishe masse ye haue had scarcitie by the directe plage of God The earthe not brought furthe suche plaintie as it customably did before Wher before time the countrey fedde London London contrary wise was and is forced of her former prouision to fede the countreie Wher Dantis◅e ād other the northe east partes were the barnes and garners of corne for they had the prouision of corne for many yeares before hande ād nourished all the lowe partes of Germanie Denmarke Friselande holande Zelande Brabaunt Flanders Hispaine and many other now by reason of their bringing so muche to releue Englande onles a staie be made in time they them selues will perishe of famin Whan were euer thinges so deare in Englande as in this time of the popish masse ād other Idolatrie restored Who euer hearde or redde before that a pounde of beefe was at iiij d. A shepe xx s. A poūde of Candelles at iiij d. A poūde of Buttur at iiij d. ob A poūde of Chese at iiij d. two egges a penie a quarter of wheat lxiiij s. A quartre of malt at l. s. or aboue the people driuen of hongre to grinde accornes for bread meale and to drinke water in stede of ale And what Shall this famin awaie before his walkīg mate and felowe pestilence come No surely without your earnest spedy repentaunce and Goddes exceding miraculous mercie it is not possible for hitherto the one went neuer before but the other cam either arme in arme