religion of Christ For if the minds of men instructed with precepts of Christian religion are thereby made cowardlye and dasterdly and by those olde and vnclean ceremonies in which Godlye honoure was doone to the Idols of wicked men they were incited to valiantnes surely they seame to be preferred before the rules of our religion But consider with thy self the foolish madde and erronious opinion thou hast helde They whiche haue truelye tasted of Christes religion are not moued with the flyinge of birdes the scrychinge of shrechowles nor the intralles of beastes threatninge some dolefull euent They are not troubled with earthquakes with thunderclappes with any prodigious and monsterous wonders To conclude there is nothinge that can daunt or dismay the mynde of a Christian man. For he is so trayned that if hee should se all the worlde egrelye bente to battayle if hee shoulde see all manner of daungers deuysed and prepared agaynste hym if he shoulde see euerye thinge rounde aboute set on lighte fire and almost consumed hee notwithstandinge through an assured hope and confidence shoulde remayne vnchangeable neither be discouraged through the terrour of any mischiefe First because he beleeueth that he is garded and defended with a mightye and puissante armye For he readeth in the holy scriptures that there are garrisōs of Angells whiche defende the Godlye from all iniurye and in tyme of neede qualifie the outrage force of the enemye For Iacob knew him selfe with this strength to bee fortified when he declared that he saw the tents of God. Agayne when the Syrians army was euen vppon Helizaeus readie to deuoure him and his seruaunt stroken with great fear cryed for help feare not sath Heliseus and be of good courage for our number farre excedeth theirs And it foloweth in that holye history And when Heliseus hadde made his prayers to god hee sayth O Lord open the eyes of this boye that hee may also see And the Lord opened the eyes of the boy and he sawe and behold a mountayn al couered with horsemē and fiery chariotes that compassed Heliseus rounde aboute And that no man may thinke that God dealeth but with fewe in that maner it is written els whereof all them whiche with a pure and vndefiled hart embrace righteousnes and honoure God in all singlenes and simplicity The Angell of the Lorde hath pitched his tentes rounde aboute them that feare him He therefore which doth faithfullye creditte those testimonies and doth vndoubtedly beleue that he is by the power of God protected can in no wise tremble with feare but wyth a lustye and boulde cowrage will vse that sayinge that in another place is writtē If tentes stand vp agaynst me my hart shall not feare If a battaill rise vp against me in him wil I put my trust And that place also These in chariottes they in horses but wee in the name of the Lord haue our hope reposed They beyng vanquished weere slayne but wee beeynge of good courage caried away the victory This hope therefore I say will not suffer the familye of Christians to be weake and fayntharted Further the cogitation of immortalitye and a certayne foreknowledge of glorye to come what force hath it to the confirmation establishing of their constancie Caesar reporteth that the Frenche men were maruaylously stirred vppe to all prowes and valiauntnes throughe an opynion that the Druides did perswade thē to be of which was that the soules of mē were not subiect to death but after their departure passed from one bodye to another and therefore castinge a part all feare of death they valiauntly tooke in hande wayghty and daungerous enterpryces not makinge accompte of lyfe Whereas they were perswaded that death was nothinge els but the chaung alteration of lyfe and passinge of the soules from bodies to bodies And is it euen so in deede The auncient Frenche men through a moste vayne opinyon grounded vppō a vile fond superstition feared no māner of daunger and shall Christians feare death who beleeue not through a slender opynyon but throughe a constāt trust and affiaunce that after they haue departed this lyfe they shal obtayne most perfecte blessednes For what is moore manifestlye knowen in Christian religion then that all they that embrace iustice and godlines after that they are losed out of their bodies as it were oute of bonds shall as it were flye vp into heauen that they mighte obtayne worlde without ende euerlastinge glorye Agayne what is more deepelye printed in oure myndes then that the bodyes whiche are nowe vtterlye consumed shal bee agayne restored and beeynge wyth celestyall and heauenlye bryghtenes illumyned shall bee agayne vnyted to the soules wyth so fyrme and sure a league and band that it can bee by no meanes vyolated and broken that we beeynge after suche an heauenlye sorte renewed mought enioy al perfect eternal pleasurs both in bodye soule He who in this poynte is fullye perswaded beleeue me will neuer vnwyllynglye and wyth a grudgynge mynde departe from this lyfe intermedled wyth so manye myseryes calamityes Lastly what should I speak of the infinite wōderful loue with the which they that are truly entered into Chrysts holy profession are euery day more and more nflamed This vndoutedly is moste euidente that our minds are by no meanes so muche incited and stirred vp to hazard aduenture our liues as by loue and charity For to him that is in loue nothinge seemeth harde and all thinges are moste sweete and pleasaunte which are enteprysed for the attayninge that thinge which is vnto him moste deare and tender In so much that he not onely contemneth death which seemeth to all men most terrible and dreadfull but sometimes perswadeth himselfe moste willingly to desire the same That if loue lightly begonne betwixte man and man and grounded on very small causes hath such force that it causeth the contempt of death what may be thought of the excellencie of charitie which is through the gifte grace of the holy spirite moste liberally powred into pure and vndefiled mindes by the force thereof Christian Nobilitie supposeth all the sweete pleasure of life to be reposed in labours and perils despising all pleasures of the bodye and the britle estate of honoures and all aboundance of worldly wealth And being greatly inflamed wyth the desire of Christe it cannot be remoued from Godlines neither wyth threatninges nor wyth terrours nor wyth straunge and newe deuised punishmentes To conclude this loue maketh a man thincke that all tormentes which he suffreth for Christes sake whom hee tenderly and earnestly loueth are lighte and pleasaunt Furthermore nothinge is so much desiered and wished for of Christians as for the relligiō of the euerliuing God to loose theyr liues in the middest of the most exquisite tormentes of the body that can be deuised Which truly is not to be wōdered at For whereas loue turneth aside the cogitacion of the minde from feare it muste needes be that perfecte and godly loue is
in some memorable Chronicle either in some worthy monumente onely the beginning and originall of the Athenians could by no steppes of auncient descente euidently be traced oute Afterwards when they knew that they were beyonde al the memorie of man they were of this opinion that they sprang firste of the soyle of that lande and came not together through the assembling and meeting of any other people but euermore from their generation enhabited their owne and natiue country And for that cause they adorne their heade wyth fine nets or caules garnished and wroughte with Grashoppers of Gould signifyinge that as Grashoppers are engendred of the soyle where they are first found so the Athenians came naturally from the place they do inhabite For which cause they were called the ofspring of their owne lande They were therefore desirous of two names as well to shewe and manifeste that there was nothinge to bee founde in their auncestours that was borrowed of Barbarians and straūgers as also to the end they would be knowen to excel all other Nations for the prerogatiue of their antiquitie Wee also see in priuate stockes and families howe greatly it auayleth them which stande on the pointe of their petegree to shewe the Records of their Seignorie For it semeth a thing most reasonable cānot bee denyed that those families are of more honour whoe haue a longer time supported their countenaunce by vertue and honestie And this is the cause that vpstarte gentlemen are so litle regarded Which opprobrious disdain commonlye proceedeth from a contemptuous and proude stomach and an vntollerable loftines and yet not altogether voide of good reason For albeit Gentlemen which haue bene lately promoted excel in vertue wit and pollicie yet doe not they cary with them such credit yet haue they not that hore heade whych especially in greate families and noble bloude is to be estemed and honoured For euen as we doe chiefely reuerence graye heares and elder years euen so the auncient race of nobility shoulde beare the sway porte and aucthority In whiche opinion notwithstandinge certaine bondes and limittes are to be pitched For as feeble and weake olde age doth impayre the force of reason of memory and vnderstandinge and breedeth a disparagemēt of honour and dignity so the true nature of glory and renoume is with longe time beautified but with ouer mutch continuance bereued of his accustomed light and beautie Which howe it happeneth I will hereafter shewe nowe I am forthwith addressed to folow orderly my intended purpose VVHereas the glory dignity of true nobilitye hath bene declared by me with many excellent and worthy ornamentes annexed thereunto it remaineth to be cōsidered whether it be expediēt and profitable for the people to be gouerned by the will and auctority of noble men For it may seeme vnto many a thinge most vniust and besides reason that whereas all men are by nature desirous of liberty and voide of the yoke of bondage they shoulde be restreined of theyr freedome and shoulde be forced by lawes to obey others and not folow their owne will and pleasure especially whereas men of honour and highe degree for the most parte do most insolently abuse their callinge both through pride and ambition and are founde captaines to all mischiefe and cruelty But that I maye more plainly expresse the same it is to be considered not so mutch that which may augment the weale of any priuate person but rather that which may enrich the state of mankinde and preserue the same in wealth and felicity For looke what thinge soeuer apperteineth to the preseruation and welfare of all men must nedes be thought profitable to euery singular man and peculiar person For it may not be that any one parte or member of a common weale shoulde be sounde and perfect where the whole body therof is greuously afflicted and annoyed But if any one part and member of a commonweale bee greatly oppressed so longe as the estate of the whole be soūde perfect it may the souer be restored to his former felicity But that we may the more plainly beholde the pyth hereof it is requisite to vewe the estate of those Citties which haue bene accoūted most noble and honourable Athens after the death of Kinge Codrus was happely preserued by the lawes and ordinaunces which Solon made who notwithstanding was reprehēded of many excelling in wit learnīg for that he made the people péeres gaue to subiects soueraignety vnto the multitude ouer much liberty The estate of that commonweale was sufficientely hereby argued of what time within the compasse of xl yeares the gouernment was spoyled by the wilfulnes of the people and yelded it selfe subiect to the tyranny of Pysistratus But after that they had set them selues at liberty againe and were no more subiect to the tyranny of Princes a greate number of yeares both in Greece and in the greatest part of Asia they held the soueraignety rule and gouerment Whiche power and principality was sone tottered and brought to ruin through the intollerable pryde and ambition of some who sought to féede the humoures of others and to be accoumpted people pleasers Amongest whom Pericles is named who although he did excell in Oratorie and was wondred at for his swéete tongue fine vtteraūce and was skyllfull in gouernment yet notwithstandinge did not sée what mischiefe he brought to the country when he made equal the Prince which the people the subiectes with Nobility and by that meanes confoundinge estates together did violate and breake the aucthoritie of Areopagus For no other thinge is it to make equall in liberty the Nobles and common fort of men then to geue weapons to vnbridled rage lust whereby it may worcke all maner of mischiefe But will you see what euell and misery ensued when the commonwealth was ruled according to the wil and pleasure of the people First a terrible scourge and miserable destruction was saide on the neckes of men for life and vertue approued whiche had preserued and increased the weale publique by obscure men and disposed to al kinde of villanny For in the whole commonwealth of Athens after the estate thereof was miserably rent in peeces no one was to be foūde whiche was moued with the loue of vertue agayne which did not conceiue hatred and indignation againste his wretched and vngratfull country Where at length the myserye grewe so great and violent that some were openly damnified and vtterly spoyled of their goods and possessions other some banished many slayne and put to cruell death who had in their liues throughe great vertue and puissance victoriously conquered the enemy nobly defended theyr countrye This calamity was great and intollerable that the body of the weale publique should be bereued of his principall and most excellent partes that the autority of the nobles was abolished who would haue wrought the remedy and preseruation of their wounded countrey Therefore whereas sage heades mighte not preuayle where cutthrotes were counsellers
them they that make reporte of their aduerse and crooked fortunes wherewythall they were oftentimes tossed from poste to piller giue vs moste certayne and euidente notice of the intollerable burden of mannes miserye For they that in their worldly affayres had verye good and prosperous successe coulde not escape those hard brunts and ineuitable calamities wherwyth mans life is compassed on euery syde what maye wee thincke of all the residew which by all mennes confession were vnhappy and myserable But admitte Fortune were vnto any man so fauourable and bountiful that shee woulde heape vppon him all commodities that possibly hee could in his life requyre commonly we shall see him haue some Tragicall ende beinge eyther forlorne as a Caytife or trussed vppe like a Trayter The which thinge happened to Polycrates of the I le of Samos who when hee had lyued in greate prosperity during the space and terme of all his life was at length taken of his enemye bereued of his life and spoyled of all his goods What shoulde I here speake of the death of Cyrus What should I make mention of the ruthfull ende of Cambyses What should I call to memory the heauy lamentable and dolefull death of Pōpeie the great To what ende should I recite a number of other who haue yéelded sufficient matter of most pityfull lamentations in tragedies and other solempne stage-plaies Whereas daily the course of common life geueth vs to vnderstande that there is in the whole earth no kind of liuinge creature more subiect to al kind of miseries thē man If therefore accordinge to Aristotles opinion these good thinges eyther of the body or fortune to the full furniture of a blessed life are required And the euelles cōtrary to them make our life wretched and miserable no man I assure you can be accoumpted happy For their is no man but is sometimes greatly disquieted with horrible mischiues or at least which is to the same effect dreadeth not day night al misaduētures that may happē to man much like vnto those which are sayd to bée in hellishe torment Aboue whose heades great stones of flinte most ready still to fall do hange and seemeth falling aie to crush their pates with all Therefore that man of so great iudgement hath bestowed all his diligence in vaine by settinge forth vnto vs such a felicity which al men woulde wishe for willingely but no man can attayne possibly If so be that he that excelled all other in wit in industry in iudgement coulde not redely see what was to be desired in this life What may wee thincke of the rest whose iudgement was farre vnlyke whose conninge and knowledge in the searchinge out of high and subtile qestions was farre differinge such as the Stoikes were ANd the chiefe of this Stoike secte was Zeno a man bothe sage and continente who thoughte him selfe through vertue sufficiently able both to withstand the prickinge griefes of sorowe to escape the threatninge thūderboltes of frowarde fortune because he was very well armed with onely vertue for the body he set at naught and measured felicity onely by the qualities of the mind Notwithstandinge he taught such kinde of doctrine which no wise man will beléeue excepte he be wedded vnto his opinion for often times many doe stande in argument more that they mought seeme constante then beinge thereunto induced by reason and vnderstandinge I saye hee mainteyneth such kinde of learninge whiche may in no wise of the learned be defended and is skofte at of the ignorant For he would that the minde of man should be so firmely staied and grounded vppon constancy that it shoulde at no time so mutch as one iotte be moued For he thinketh it an hainous faulte to be tormented wyth griefe or care to be inclined to gratious fauour and mercy to be inflamed with any desire to be prouoked with wrath hatred or any perturbation of the minde In this condicion of life voide of all affection which the Greekes call impassibilitye hee thinketh the soueraigne good conteined so that he which hath attained it may be takē for a man absolutely wise a Kinge a blessed and happye man Againe as touchinge the rest theym as sottes as seruile men steyned wyth all kinde of dishonestye hee contemneth and nothinge regardeth First and principally therefore whereas hee placeth felicity in the dignitye worthines of the soule of man so that the vertue thereof can by no griefe of the body or pinchinge paine and calamity seuered from that blessed and happy estate of life Herein he hath disputed more stoutly and valiantly then wisely and truly For whereas the minde is through the coniunction of mutuall loue fast tied and vnited to the body truely it can sincke into no wyse mans heade as longe as they remaine one if the bodye be through calamity afflicted but that the minde eftsoones languisheth and is disquieted If therefore the Stoikes opinion is to bee folowed teachinge vs that the heauines dolour of the minde worketh mans miserye then must it folow consequently except they will wrest the truth from vs by violence and tell vs that senses are deceiued in thinges most cleare and euident that no man were he neuer so wise can attaine felicity in trouble and vexation of body For if we wanted our senses and that our bodye it selfe were not of our nature then a man of meane perceyueraunce might be persuaded that he whose bodye were tormented with fire were neuerthelesse happy But where as we consist of body and soule howe can we duringe this life suppose that to be felicity which hath regarde only to one parte of vs and in miserable distresses leaueth the other Especially whereas by the necessarye operation of nature when the bodie feeleth paine the minde suffereth the same Therefore men of great wisedome and Iudgement hath not affirmed without great consideration that the appetite of anger and desire hath bene ingraffed in our mindes for two causes that the myndes themselues should haue good regarde to preserue those bodies whose guides and keepers they ought to be That is to witt that they should by desire for bodily sustenaunce couet thinges méet and conuenient and by anger should eschewe and auoyde thinges hurtefull and daungerous Therefore whereas wrath and desire are in vs by nature it cannot be againesaide when there is a shew of any excéedinge good fortune or great euell imminent or likely to follow but that oure myndes stirred vp with a kinde of more vehemency are either more redy with ioy and pleasure to gratulate that which happely commeth to passe either more stil and pensiue to bewaile that which hath vnfortunat y chaunced And whereas this terrour of feare that I omitt to speake of any other passion hath once by the wrestlinge of nature assayled the minde it hath streight waies vtterly ouerthrowen the Stoikes felicity which consisteth chiefly in security And that they conclude all matters with their owne argumentes what can be shewed out of their
vse fayned speach that he liuinge in this plenteous store and aboundaunce of worldly glory fealt himselfe neuerthelesse content but moued with farder desire Zeno immoderately with open mouth exclaimeth vpon this man reuilinge him as a pezant and mad man chiefly for that he cannot maister and qualifie that motion of the minde throughe the power whereof he is moued to desire infinitely then for that in the aboūdance of worldly wealth he professeth himselfe still oppressed with penury Whom for all that if you indifferently iudge you ought to pardon For put case his minde with those good thinges should rest contēted which can come to passe by no reasō For if you should powre into the mind all those good qualities that mought be procured by mans trauaile and industrie you coulde not by any meanes satisfy the vnsatiable capacity thereof But admit it satisfied yet notwithstandinge shall it be inflamed continually with the desire of immortalitye But this saieth he no wise man will desire Which hath appoincted vnto him selfe such boundes and limites that he ordereth his life by the rule of nature and not of desire As thoughe it were beesides nature to lyue euer Or as though there were any thinge more agreable to nature To proue this wherefore are we pensiue and carefull of those thinges that happen to vs after our deathes Wherefore doe we desire ofspringe and the succession of children Why do wee thinke it a worthye thinge to be commended to oure posteritye Whye are most pregnant and florishinge wittes moued with the desire of perpetuall fame and glory Assuredly this affection proceedes of no other cause then of the desire of immortality For whereas man beinge a creature endued with reason and vnderstandinge plainly and euidently seeth that that is not to be thought to appertaine to perfecte blessednes which is variable subiect to alteration knowinge also for a certainty that those thinges whiche may be lost or taken from vs are mutch disagreinge with the nature of felicity he dreadeth death and is stirred vp wyth an egree motion of the mynde and moued wyth a wonderful instincte of nature to couet the fruition of immortality And beinge yet vncertaine to attaine the same is duringe this life tossed and turmoyled hither and thyther and imployeth therto his whole study and diligence that by all meanes he possibly may he moughte preserue himselfe from vtter destruction and finall decaie Some man therefore holdeth himselfe most happy if he leaue behinde him after his death a perfecte portrayture of his owne name and one that shall be as it were himselfe in in another person Some man striueth excéedingelye by sententious sayinges and worthy monumentes of an excellent wit by noble and valiaunt Actes to purchase to himselfe continuall fame and memory Some other in erectinge great and sumptuous buildinges séeketh thereby to commende himselfe vnto posterity Which geueth a sufficient note that euen by natures instincte and fore warninge all men tremble and quake at the memory of death and then doe by all meanes sheewe their desire of perpetuity of life Therefore whereas the nature of man is such that it cannot haue on earth any longe contynuance for all kindes of estates are equally subiecte to death and the way to the graue as Horace saieth muste once be trode for this cause all men generally do apply therunto their whole diligence after death at least wise to leaue some representation or counterfaite shewe of life Howe can it therfore be gainsaide but that a creature desirous of euerlastingenes must needes bee stroken with great feare and terrour of death And seinge that no man in this life can attaine his ioye and hartes rest for how can the mind haue his contentation hauing not obteined that for the which it so mutch longeth it doth euidētly appeare that we are created to some other greater and more excellent purposes And therefore is it that oure myndes are not satisfyed wythe those good thinges that happen in this lyfe beecause all thinges here are of no estimation and streyghted into a narrow compasse in comparison of those whiche we through a secrete working and inclination of nature are prone to desire But to the knowledge of those good thinges which onely are accomted the chiefest and by all meanes possiblye to bee desired two wayes there are that may conducte vs First of all the very desire of the mynd it selfe wil open vnto vs plainly what it is then our byrth and the consideration of owr generation will more playnly shew vs what it is that we desire For we must not suppose anye other ende to bee proposed to eache thinge wee desire then that whereunto nature it selfe beynge not corrupted or depraued is bente and inclined neyther from any other fountaine ought the end of blessed life to be deryued thē frō that frō which we first borowed the beginning of lyfe FIrst therfore it is requisite to vnderstand what that appetite of desire is which is so depely imprīted in the mind of mā We se al mē for the most part do avoid as much as in thē lyeth the things that are displeasant and paynful and to desire inordinatlye that whiche maye stirre vp delectation and pleasure to make greate pryce of riches ability to be inflamed with the loue of learning the which if many through their dull and barrayn wits do not attayn yet they can do no lesse then loue and honour the learned man in so much that him whom they see furnished wyth moste excellente artes and sciences they thinke moste lyke and semblable to immortal Goddes Agayne dayly experiēce doth shewe vs that all mē are enamoured with the bewty and worthines of vertue and honesty in so much that wicked and euil disposed persons are moued and allured with the perfection thereof and beeyng taken in a trippe wexe ashamed at their offence desiring rather to be accompted honest and vertuous then leude and vngratious To conclude al mē are of that nature that they are not contented hauinge attayned one kynde of those thynges whyche are tearmed good but they would be fullye fraight with al together and cleane exempted from all feare and griefe of the mynd Agayn they immoderatly desyre to haue al those good thinges reache to the higheste degree of perfection and to haue theym continue and remayne for euer But what is this els then to desire to bee lyke vnto God in estate and conditiō For the omnipotent and diuine nature of God is suche that it aboundeth in all felicity and beyng replenyshed wyth his vnspeakable wysedome and vertue seperated from the contagion of all corruption reigneth in a most glorious kingdom blessed endles They therfore that woulde inioye the thinges that in perfectnes and principality exceede all other and woulde with an ardent desire couet an eternity and perpetuity therein wisheth hym selfe as it were to be of the numbre and companye of Heauenly sainctes What should I heere speake of the earnest zeale of religion by
vesture to cloth himself whom the sharpenes of no kinde of weather could greeue offend neither had he about him any staine vnseemely thinge for the couering and hiding wherof he might be carefull And hee had a law giuen him that he should exercise that free will that was geueÌ„ vnto him in the practise of vertue that at length hee myghte by hys owne demerits deserue to bee of the numbre and company of heauenly sainctes And the lawe was that he shoulde not presume to touch the fruite of a certayne excedynge goodlye tree whyche conteined the knowledge of Good and Euill God gaue him this commaundement not that he disdayned that maÌ„ whom he had manifoldly blessed should haue the vnderstandinge thereof but that by that meanes hee woulde the better forsee and prouide those thinges which apperteined to his good estate and preseruation For he knewe ryghte well that if man were sette at libertye hee wooulde strayght way worke his owne confusion So therfore God did moderate his libertye that hee agayne myght restreine the same by a very necessarye and expedient lawe Neither did hee so muche forbidde him to eate of that fruite as that he shoulde not slippe in to that which by that fruite was meante and signifyed For whither this was signifyed that he should not meddle with those causes or search by his own industry to attayn the knowledge of those thinges whiche his capacitye coulde not reache and comprise Or that he should not in the choyse of good and refusall of yll vse rather his owne iudgement then the will and pleasure of the almighty by whose wisedome he shoulde yeelde hymselfe to be gouerned or this that hee shoulde not inclyne him selfe to the loue of those good things whiche are mixt and intermedled wyth a nuÌ„ber of euills For in the scriptures to knowe is earnestly to desire and followe Therefore I saye whither he gaue that commaundemente to man that hee embracinge that soueraygne good that is not entermedled with any euill shoulde vtterly refuse other good thinges whiche appeare faire and pleasant and yet are corrupt and poysoned what more wholsom precept and commaundement might haue ben ordeined more profitable for maÌ„ For our wits are vtterly confounded and cloyed with the search of those causes the excedinge deepenes wherof oure wittes maye not be able to compasse and in any affayres to folowe our owne brayne and not to be leade by the wysedome of God it is a moste vndoubted token of oure fall and vtter confusion but to be lead awaye from that good thinge which is most principal and chiefest of all other beyng deceiued with the swetnes of any vayne and transitory pleasure is to be holden generally as a thinge daungerous and deadlye This was the estate of our first parente which should haue bene most happy blessed if hee had not bene acquaynted with that huge and cruell monsterous beast that hath brought to all nations pestilent infections and vtter decaye For when that Prince of darcknes vnderstoode that aucthor of all sinne and wickednes â—nd chiefe captain of those angels who as we haue declared puffed vp with pryde would through their own power be lyke vnto the immortall and euerlastinge God and therefore fell into the lamentable and pitifull pytte of perdition I saye therfore when the deuill saw man made of earth ascende vnto that place of glory from whence he fel he through enuie waxed whote and imagined all kynd of craftes and suttelties to destroye and vtterlye ouerthrowe the state of mankynd Takinge on him therefore the shape of a serpente assaulteth through guiles and fayned sleights the woman whoÌ„ he thought to subdue with lesse laboure for that shee was fraile and the weaker vessell He therfore enticeth her with swete and sugred woordes allureth her to the eating of the fruite forbidden Bearyng her in hande that as sone as shee shoulde take a tast of that most pleasant apple shee shoulde eftsones be inspyred wyth that heauenlye knowledge of good and euill The woman therfore beeynge marueylouslye allured with the fairenes of the tree and also inflamed aboue measure with the desire of that heauenly science and wysedome was easely induced to drinke that cuppe of deadly poyson offered vnto her by that most pestilent Serpent Thus the woman neglectinge the commaundemente of the moste hyghe God and gratious geuer of all goodnes by whose fauour and mercie shee receyued lyfe and was indued wyth many giftes folowed the counsell of her most deadlye enemy inuitinge also her husbande vnto that wofull and bloudye banquet This was the original and beginning of the misery of maÌ„ this was the roote of all euills Herehence proceeded death immortality which afterwardes increased more more and with most cruell tyranny oppressed all the world For as soone as man had yeelded himselfe by sufferance to bee corrupted with the filthy contagioÌ„ of that foule fault that euill immediatly ranne to the vaynes and searched euen the verye bowels of the bodye and at one time did slea murder both bodye and soule Whiche the siely and wretched soule of man incontinently felte when it perceiued it selfe seperated and haled from God from wheÌ„ce it toke his beginninge and by whose diuine power it mayntened lyfe when it vnderstode that the bodye was not to feele harme or iniurye by sharpenes of ayre and at lengeth shoulde be bereaued of life after it had passed through diuers distresses most bitter and greuous lamentations and sorowes and of deathe and mortalitye these weere certayne and euident signes and tokens troublesome motions in the bodye whyche declared the myndes inconstancie affections subiecte to no rule of reason and vnderstandinge and vile chaungeable and waueringe desires For this was moste iustlye decreed that hee whiche had broken the commaundemente of his lorde and most impudently and wickedlye stode agaynst his will and pleasure in like maner should haue those whiche before were obedience rebellious and contrarily disposed assaying most desperatelye to inuade and ouerthrowe the fortresse of reason And whereas two things especially belonged to maÌ„ that is to excercise him self in action and contemplation and therfore was indued with a reasonable soule that in what soeuer he toke in haÌ„d he shoulde wysely gouerne euery affecte of the mynde and imploy all the power of his soule in the searchinge oute of heauenlye wysedome he in both these partes was deeply wounded For the mynde when the cleare lighte thereof was extinct wherwith it before glistred gloriously laye now ouercast with darknes and obscurity and the whole order of lyfe beynge as it were with darcke nyghte ouerwhelmed was welnigh put beside his rule soueraigntye so that although in that darckenes some glimse of lighte appeared yet coulde it not thereby be guided to the ende desired For the reasonable soule was miserably afflicted and wounded deepely and diuerslye tossed mith troublesome stormes of the mynd whiche it coulde by no meanes resist Then shameful filthines shewed it selfe before
that tyme vnknowen by the vglye syght and monsterous aspecte whereof our firste parentes beynge dismayed shrowded themselues in darcke woods and couered those partes with leaues of trees whiche they felt to bee most striuing agaynst reason and vnderstanding Heerehence came all kynde of corruption herehence rofe al folish vain opinions FroÌ„ this fountayn sprange all vile and wicked dâ—sires from thence came grefes vexacious all carnall and fleshelye lustes whiche easelye wryth and wreste the fraielty and weakenes of the mind whythersoeuer themselues are bent and inclyned And those miseries that happened to the mynde were also imparted to the body which was appoynted to endure moste paynfull toyles and laboures and at last to suffer the bitter panges and paynes of death And in few to conclude man was in suche case left as they are that beyng remoued froÌ„ high degre froÌ„ a singular hope of further preferment are cast headlonge downe into extreme misery and wretchednes For hee was spoyled of all his ornamentes expelled Paradise estraunged froÌ„ his own house his owne country the goodly felowship of the heaueÌ„ly wights and that which mought greue him most of al being shut out from the loue of God which was afore ratefied vnto him by assured couenaunte and promise the residue of the whole race of his life he spent in continuall teares and in calamitye and myserye mooste intollerable And whereas briers and brambles which by the commaundement of God the Earth brought forth to his paine pricked his body yet mutch more tormented was his minde beinge wounded with the remembraunce of his heynous contempte and transgression and with the secret knowledge of his faulte within his owne conscience which kinde of remorses and gripinge griefes woulde suffer him to take no delight in worldely pleasure and did continually drawe aside all his cogitacioÌ„s to the desire of his former felicity the seÌ„sible feelinge of his present miserye So that this heauines hart breakinge which now happened proued manifestly the trée to be of great vertue and efficacy For nowe had he by his owne déede sufficient experience how much miserye grewe vnto him by his mischieuous acte and presente euelles so wrought with him the better to knowe prosperitye when we happen to fall into some aduersity This was the miserable wretchednes and lamentable misfortune of oure firste parente into the which hee fell headelonge in that yeeldinge vnto the temptation of the serpent he forsooke his soueraigne Lorde and god Neither did he onely vndoe him selfe but also vtterly spoyled his posteritye For whereas by course of generation we descende from him which is himselfe sicke diseased it cannot be chosen but that wee shoulde drawe neare vnto him in the similitude of infirmity and heynous offence and beinge corrupted with ill bloud deriued from him wee should be borne infected with the qualitye of the same nature Therefore all posteritye hath suffered through him a greuous and deadly wounde For whereas our vnderstandinge and reason is not a litle decayed through the incurable maladie which we haue fallen vnto vs from our first parentes as parte of our inheritaunce it commeth to passe that all our affections and passions of the minde like as wilde beastes vncheined waxe outragious not able to be maistered not sufferinge the mind in a quiet staye but disquietinge the same with infinite vexations The seely minde therefore troubled with feare and lustfull desire and miserablye plunged with diuers kindes of maladies and distemperatures is so into contrarie sides plucked and haled that it is almost besides it selfe in so much it is leade whither any willfuâ—l and licentious pleasure and pestilent appetite will bringe it The image therefore of our first father sufficiently expressed in this so greate changeablenes and frailty of minde and body dyd sow in vs the seede of all other mischiefes with afterwards dyd inuade the children of men For firste of all when those outragious affections had by litle and lyttle diminished ouercome the power of our vnderstandinge then was yt apparant that man his countenaunce aduanced and lifted vp to heauen nowe beinge disgraced was more proue to looke on the Earth and beinge thereon fullye fixed reposed all the confidence and staye of his estate in vaine and worldly goods Therefore the loue of honesty the glorye and honour of true nobility must of necessity decay and be extinguished vtterly by the neglecte and contempt of that chiefe and soueraigne good in which remaineth the suÌ„me and perfection of all true honour and godlines But wheÌ„ the vse and custome of sinninge increased dayely grewe to greater force and was founde more aboundant it came to passe that no horrible acte could be imagined whither it proceeded of luste and concupiscence or of raginge furye and impudent boldnes wherewith man defiled not himselfe Neither did it suffice him to committe all kinde of villanies whereby faith and the leage of common society might be hindred but he fought against God most high by pollutinge his relligion and violatinge his holy lawes and ordinaunces For whereas their mindes were ouerwhelmed with darkenes they coulde not easely comprise the nature of any thinge excepte they had a certaine warrant from the eye either some other external sense of the body might geue them knowledge thereof Therefore seeinge they could in no wise vnderstand the maiesty of God had bent themselues to the beholding of the Sunne the Moone the Starres in whose beautyfull and cleare aspectes they were exceedingely delighted they beganne to honour and worship them as though they had conteyned in them the deuine maiesty and Godhead From thence they eftsones fell for the minde beinge clogged with the multitude of iniquity could not stay in the Starres themselues and not onely to mortall men but also to brutish creatures as longe as by them they reaped any fruit or coÌ„modity they ordeined diuine honour to be attributed when they were dead aulters to be erected and dedicated vnto them What should I recite the Aegiptian Serpent What shoulde I make mention of the wicked and horrible honoure done vnto Osiris and Isis What shoulde I call to memory the rest of their Idolles bearinge the image and likelines of brutish and vnreasonable creatures Againe it were to no great purpose to vnderstande of the ceremonies or rather reuelles of Bacchus with as it maye appeare by the word it selfe were with a certaine furious rage madnes done and celebrated To conclude what shoulde I rippe vp the rable of that vyle and stinckinge religion which hath abused the simplicity of all natures and defiled all people not onely through licentiousnes and outragious wickednes but also by bloudsheddinge and detestable murther As though it were lawefull and no offence if it were done by shewe and colour of religion to abandoÌ„ all honesty and shamefastnes which was both in the ceremonies of Venus and Bacchus vsuall and in many of the rest solemply practised in so mutch that such horrible
wil they kepte themselues within the bounds of dutie in exercising themselues in all godlynes and puritie of life And so to passe ouer that that they did not altogether lacke the sight of him For not so seldome as ones he offered himself to be seene of those moste holye men As to Moses both in manye places and especially in that fire and flame of the Bush As to Esaie being placed in that Princely and heauenly seate As to many other whom to recken it is not easie That here therefore I should not declare how many of them behelde Christe couered vnder some certayne forme that truly is most euidente that they all examined all their actions in their whole life accordinge to the rule of Christian discipline But when a man considereth with himselfe that Moses humbly lifted vppe his handes vnto God and beseeched him to appease his wrathe and graunte mercie and pardon for those that were then the ennemies of God can any man doubt but that he conformed his life to the commaundements of Almighty God That I shoulde wyth silence passe ouer other who moste stoutely and valiauntly and wyth a marueylous coÌ„tempt of death wyth singular meekenes and lowlines of minde and with other greate verâ—â—es haue shewed themselues worthy folowers of the rule and discipline of Christe For what needeth mee declare the actes of euerye particuler person Hee that shall looke into the life of Samuel he that shall consider the actes of Ezechias hee that shall beholde Iosias and all the Prophetes he that shal consider all the residue of the like condition and nature shall plainely perceiue that they referred all theyr actions in their whole life rather to the end of the lawe that is Christe then vnto the lawe it selfe If therefore it liketh vs that Christians shoulde therefore be called because they followe the prescript rule and discipline of Christe no man can doubt but that they also who foresawe that Christe shoulde bee borne and reposed all the hope of theyr saluation in his doctrine and his gracious goodnes maye well and truly bee called Christians Or if you had rather the name shoulde bee deriued from annoyntinge there is no cause why we should doubte that this worthy name was also to be applyed to them For thus is it written of Abraham and his children Touche not my annoynted and against my Prophetes deuise no euill Whom God calleth annoynted it is euidente enoughe that hee meaneth that annoyntinge not of the Law but of the holy spyrite and for that cause they were called annoynted But to what purpose should I speake any more â—f this gifte of the holy Ghoste Is it not a thing manifest ynoughe that no man after that scourge of our first fathers offence was layde on the neckes of all mankinde could do anye one action proceeding from true and perfect vertue Therefore whosoeuer haue perfourmed the perfecte dutie of vertue and holines they haue obtained that not by their owne power but by the ayde and assistaunce of god For whosoeuer euen in the memory of those men distrusting his owne wit and helpes of nature flyeth to God and hath piteously beseeched him of mercie and fauour he hath eftsones tryed the greatnes of his gracious clemencie and goodnes and hath felte his minde afore striken wyth sorrowe and miserablye afflicted to bee reuiued with Gods helpe and assistaunce and to be stirred vppe to all maner of vertue Nothinge therefore worthy to be remembred neyther in the gouernaunce of the publique weale nor in the relligious and deuoute obseruaunce of sacred and holy thinges nor in martiall affayres hath bin brought to good effecte excepte the minde of some righte Noble personage haue bin stirred and moued thereunto by the especiall instigation and furtherance of the holye spyrite Whence proceedeth that saying Powred vpon Iepthe was the spirite of the Lord Vpon Sampson fell the spirite of the Lord There lighted vppon Saule the spirite of the Lord. And other such places infinite contayned in bookes of holye Scripture and for euer commended to posterity Can any man then doubte to attribute vnto them the order and dignitie of true Christians who receyued the same gifte of the holy Ghost that we our selues did and which supposed that all the meanes and procuremenses of their saluation rested onely in Christe By whose onely grace and fauour they coulde attayne that worthy callinge which they haue obtained alreadye For no other refuge is there for the myseries of man nor from any thing els can there be shewed forth any hope of faluation All they therefore that refusinge the base condition of seruilitie and bondage so farre proceeded that they obtayned the spyrit of adoption are of our kinred coÌ„sanguinitie are to be accompted our forefathers and Abraham himselfe is also our father And we are rather descended from him seinge that the similitude of him came vnto vs and wyth like godlye affection resemble his faith then they that thinck themselues to come of his race and line and yet by that this example which was euidently seen in their owne kinred and family are not restrayned from theyr wickednes and vngodly life For seinge that in this spiritual kinred all things are to be drawen from bodilye sence to the excellent nature of the minde it skilleth not greatly of whose bloude you are begotten but whose steppes you follow in the orderinge disposing your life Iustly therefore were the minds of them repressed and beaten downe by the forerunner of Christe which were puffed vp with a vaine opinion of Nobility Say not ê™ he we haue Abraham to our Father for God is able of these stones to raise vp sonnes vnto Abraham TheÌ„ after in vehement woordes hee threatneth them Now ê™ hee the Axe is put to the roote of the tree They were surely striken wyth an axe wyth which they were cutte of from theyr gentle bloude And wee againe are ingraffed and fast ioyned thereunto They therefore which supposed themselues to descende from a noble line being brought to a very base estate are iustly and by good right taunted wyth these reprochfull woords A wicked and adulterous generation a generation of Vipers and other such woords to like effecte But we that were of an obscure and basebloude are translated into the house of Abraham and in the accompt of our auncestours we recken all those kinges and Princes Yet perceiue they not that seely wretches as they are But as they call themselues Iewes being not so in deede so do they boast in the name of Abraham whereas from the dignity and worthines of that most flourishing kinread many huÌ„dred yeares agoe they were throwen headlonge and now like vagient persons and outlawes wander vppe and downe beinge excluded out of all places and bereeued of all other externall commodities Wee I saye wee are the true Iewes so that wee maintaine the worthynes of our auncient stocke wyth iuste and vpright dealinge and wyth an honest and godly conuersation For althoughe wee
therefore Lewis moste puissaunte Prince that wee in more ample manner speake of fortitude and the vnconquerable courage of the minde the worthines of which vertue is such that by no flourish of eloquence it may be sufficienrly described For they that haue not bin dismaide at the terrour of death they which haue wyth most valiaunte courage suffred bodely tormentes they that would for no maner of griefe be disturbed in minde and do anye thinge to stayne theyr honour and estimation haue bin alwayes had in great admiration For whereas we all in generall thincke life to be sweete and do follow the intisementes of Nature whoe so despiseth death ouercommeth vndoubtedlye Nature it selfe And truly how much admiration and worthy renowne hath in all Nations bin attributed to this contempte of death Hereby we maye haue an euidente token that no vertue is in the bookes and monuments of learned men so muche commended no vertue wyth like prayse extolled The iust and temperate men are after a meane sorte commended but stoute and valiaunte men are placed amonge the starres themselues Socrates which was in his time the onely mirrour and example of continencie and sobrietie purchased by no kinde of vertue so worthy fame as by that his constancie which hee vsed in retayning his former dignity when by the seuere sentences of the Iudges he was condemned to die They themselues which abydinge a very harde Fortune are throwen downe being spoyled and bereaued of all their substance and voyd of solace if in extreme desperation they do themselues to death although in that kinde of death there is a certayne suspiciō of dastardly cowardise because they hasten their dyinge day not so muche for shewinge their constancie as for auoydinge of myserie yet they themselues which so of their owne voluntary disposition depart from lyfe are oftentimes wonderfully commended For so muche is the vertue of the minde accompted of that the counterfaite shewe therof stirreth vp admiration Which if it so be who can wyth words expresse the stoutenes and valiauntnes of Christian vertue For if the wittes of them that haue most professed eloquence whē they would wyth trim speaches and rhetoricall woordes describe the prayses of any humayne vertue are sometimes ouerwhelmed wyth the wayght of the matter to what kinde of eloquence can be so wonderfull or so excellente whereby a man may be able with filed phrase and piked speach to set forth the worthines of so greate a vertue But I albeit by reason of any witte or exercise am able litle to do seing that I haue taken in hande so great a matter least greater shoulde be my blame in geeuinge ouer the same then my boldnes in takinge it in hande as farre forthe as my poore ability will serue I will endeuour at large to discourse the excellencie of this so noble a vertue ANd first wee ought to consider what great diuersitie there is betweene the fortitude nowe specifyed and mannes valiauntnes and magnanimitie First of all if you respecte the ende they that for Christes sake venture theyr liues obtayne the true ende of vertue but they that propose vnto themselues ritches or fame and glorye dependinge on the voyce and consente of the vnlettered multitude and respecte not the true soueraygne good they are rather to bee accompted menne pufte vppe wyth a vayne desire and ambition then valiaunte and couragious men Further manye offerre themselues to daunger not wyth iudgemente and prudente aduise but beinge pricked forwarde wyth a certayne rage and furye of minde conceyued eyther of hatred enuie or some other earneste and whote affection But Christians whereas onelye wickednes they deadlye hate towarde the men themselues they beare a minde voyde and free from all manner enuie rancoure and other leude and wicked affection Finallye they neuer take vppon the manye daungerous attempte but beinge moued thereunto either with a verye earneste hope or with a desperate feare of theyr present estate For none of them except he had some certayne hope to escape daunger or gaine some priuate commoditie or els were paste all hope of escapinge woulde thincke it good to come into daunger but oure men in many places haue beene ledde to theyr temporall bane and death of the bodye hauinge free election if they woulde to liue in pleasure so that on one syde no hope of life was offered on the other side if they woulde forsake their opinion they had proposed vnto them manye thinges whereby they moughte liue a pleasaunte life yet notwithstanding they marchinge forwarde to a certayne and assured punishmente of most cruell death refused all pleasaunte intisementes of life and neyther with threates nor fayre promises coulde they be driuen from their profession of faith and Christian pietie And againe of what force is that that of so manye as are contayned in the memorie of manne verye fewe haue beene founde which by learninge exercise and continuall study to do well haue come to that perfection that they with a willinge minde coulde suffer death vppon a sodaine there beganne to growe an innumerable multitude not onelye of men and women but also of children and almost infantes which haue for the fayth of Christe suffered stripes death vppon Crosses and Gibbets burninge fires and to conclude moste cruell kindes of death with inuincible mindes and willinge hartes When all the rulers of the worlde and Lordes of the earth bent their maine force as it were and ventured lyfe and limme to the intente all relligion and feare of God should bee vtterlye rooted oute of the hartes of menne when the Deuils themselues authours of all mischiefe and wickednes stirred them to cruell tyrannie whom they had with moste vncleane and filthye superstition as it were ledde captiue vnder their auctoritie when moste straunge and terrible tortures were deuised to the vtter ouerthrowe of Christian discipline when violence and horrible crueltye was practised in all corners of the worlde where the faith of Christe was euer hearde of when all these thinges were inuented to the subuersion and ouerthrowe of Christian Pietie Notwythstandinge suche was the vertue of true Nobilitie and Christian magnanimitye that it did not onely with constante perpetuall and inuincible defence of Christianity couragiously wythstande the assaulte of the ennemyes but also moste willinglye and cheerefullye offered themselues in Christes quarrell to the sworde to fire and faggotte They were leadde awaye to execution and cruell tortures whippes gallowses gibbettes and tormentes neuer afore hearde of were prepared for them Neyther coulde those butcherly bloudsuckers growen through villanie into outragious fury satisfie theyr crueltie if straight waye they should haue bereaued of their liues those innocent Lambes therefore wyth prolonginge theyr cruell punishmente they wente aboute to represse that kinde of contumacie springing not out of presumptuous pryde but oute of rare and excellent vertue Neyther were those horrible cruelties practised for the loue they boare to theyr owne relligion but onely for the enuye and mallice they boare to theyr excellente vertue
called wyth whom I haue to deale may not deeme in any wyse worthy of contempt because they had no knowledge of true relligion which he in no wyse woulde haue to be magnifyed and were notwithstandinge partakers of trayterous attemptes the meanes of descryinge whereof hee supposeth worthye of great commendation But how obscure is their constācie if it be compared with the valiaunt courage and magnanimitie of Christian men For if you respecte the cause they for hate of the tyraunts by whom they were annoyed paciently endured theyr cruell punishments our men for the loue of Christe of whom they had receyued wonderfull benefits thought all tormentes easye and tollerable If you weighe the exceedinge greatnes of the tormente the continuance thereof you shall finde them not common and vsuall as theyrs were but new and straunge tortures were deuised for Christians which as longe as might be moughte teare their liue bodies and wonderfully beate and bruse them Furthermore they when they were driuen to extreeme miserye and state of desperation seemed outwardlye to beare an externall shewe of their former worthines and hauty minde Christians when they had free election to accepte that they best liked of yet not with vnwilling minds they exchaunged a glorious and honourable death wyth a lyfe stayned wyth ignomye and shame If you regarde the nomber it is a ridiculous thing to set an infinite nomber against a very fewe Dost thou then despyse this holsome discipline oute of which hath bin yelded so manye notable and worthy examples of vertue Canst thou constantly affirme that the mindes of men are induced to thinke beastly and abiectly of themselues by this doctryne which hath with stoutnes far beyonde mannes creditte armed the tender nature of womē and the feeble age of childred whiche hath stirren vppe so great a multitude to an ernest desire of prayse and glorye What peruerse ouerthwart perswasiō of mind is this that thou shouldest haue in admiration the vayn shadow of vertue and shouldest suppose true vertue worthy of no estimation at all But no doubte herehence procedeth this great erroure Thou doste beholde onely the externall forme of the Crosse of afliction that excellente vertue that vnder the forme of the crosse lieth hidden thou dost not beholde For the dull capacity of a simple vnderstandinge ouerwhelmed wyth darknes and with filth defiled is not able to abyde the bryghtenes of so cleare a lighte For the doctryne of Chryste as Paule saythe seemeth to wicked and desperate persons to haue a shew of ignorāce and to muche humilitye But to them that are of a milde spirite and confirmed with the grace of God it sheweth a fullnes of heauenly wisedome and most excellent vertue For euen as in the personne of Chryst all men beeholde that face wherin as it was by the prophesie of Esaie foretolde there was no forced bewtye nor semelines and yet all men sawe not the glory of that diuine nature which Iohn beheld euen so manie through the lyke blyndes and wante of vnderstandinge contemne the lyfe of Christians voide of al wordlye pompe and are by no means able to beholde the excellent brightnes of Christian nobility BVt as concerning the Romain Empyre that we may say some thinge thereof albeit it semeth a thing far frō our intent and purpose hath not this fine fellow which is so expert in all matters of pollecie reade in most learned wryters that euen Cities themselues haue their chāges and courses and that all comonwelthes do as it were by the course of nature rise and fal Neyther that it is possible that any thing vnder the Moone should be immortall and contynewe for euer All thynges as they haue a beegynnynge soe necessarye it ys that they shoulde ones decay and through the cruelty of death dispatchinge euerye thynge perishe and come to nothinge For how manye Cityes how many countryes and nations are beaten flat to the grounde and couered with moolde whiche long agoe most of all florished both by reason of their farr stretched Empyre and glory and renoomne purchased by famous and noble actes who hath ouerthrowen the dominions of the Assirians and Persians who hath wasted the wealth of the Athenians who hath abrydged the power pompe of the Macedonians Truely no other thinge can be alleaged as cause thereof but the natural course of the worlde then the which nothinge is more britle and vncertain For if Cirns had not vtterly extinguished the Assirians Empire if Alexāder had not as it were crushed in peces the power of the Persians if the Macedonians al Greece by the warres of the Romaynes had not beene vtterlye vanquished yet notwithstandinge it muste be graunted of necessitye that al these Empyres shauld haue bene destroyed with some other power or declyninge with age at last shoulde haue perished and decayed Wherefore it falleth oute that no wyse man doth wonder at the vtter subuersions and destruttions of common wealthes and on the contrary part they thinke nothing so worthy admiration as the continuāce of a City established indued with great principallityes And therfore they suppose the question is rather to be asked why Sparta so many yeares continued in the selfe same maner of gouernmente and in the selfe same order of disciplyne then why the glorye and wealth of the Athenians so soone decayed And this also is soe much the more wonderful in the Romaines cōmon wealth by howe mutch more this Cittye excelled all other that euer were in worthines both of glory and dominion For many thinges easelye beare vp themselues but the highest thinges by their owne peyse waight are come in sunder and fall doune to the grounde Therefore wheras this fareth it with all Cityes and countryes that no wyse mā wondereth at their fall but thinketh the cause of their longe continuance with greate studie to bee considered of as a thing very incredible This man well skilled as he himselfe thinketh in ciuill pollicie lamenteth the decaye and ruinous fall of Rome and as thoughe it shoulde haue beene perpetuall excepte it had beene hindered by the religion of Chryste hee argueth of cryme the sonne of God himselfe O thou man in madnes exceedinge all other dost thou aske what other thing hath decayed the welth of the Romayne Empyre First I answere that as that Citye was happely erected then grue to a more parfecte state and by noble actes florished thē confirmed with lawes and ordinaunces came to a perfecte rypenes of Dominiō and was wonderfully aduaunced so was it necessary that it now yeelding to stooping olde age should at the length haue as it weere a laste daye to liue in and shoulde feele the heauy strok of the hand of death Furthermore this I affirme that all those good meanes by the which the Empyre was first established by the which it moughte haue beene mayntained in the same estate long before the birth of Chryste was lost and oute of their handes Canste thou in any wyse thinke
vanquished fiue kinges in one day Moreouer what should I say of his sonne Sanctius whose other valiaunt acts at this presente to omitte that dede of his truly was notable whereby he purchased to himselfe a memorye of a name for euer to continue in that when a stronge and mighty armie of Moores inuaded Portugale that passing along from thence they might bring vnder their iurisdiction all the whole country of Spayne he did not onelye abate their courage but wyth rare singular valiaunt stoutenes he broughte them vnder and as it were maugred them together It is needelesse for mee to rehearse and speake of the ages and times of other kinges lineally descending of theyr race and progenie For this truly appeareth plainely by the recordes and testimony of our owne Chronicles that there was almost none among them all that in his time procured not vnto himselfe worthie prayse and commendation as well for his valiaunte courage as for his pietie and godlines Wherefore when all the worshippers of Mahomet were with great conflict in warre subdued expelled out of the king of Portugale his territorie they ledde forth their hoste not so much for nomber as prowesse inuincible and inuaded the coastes of Affrica wher after they had gottē most famous victories and subdued many citties they helde by force of armes a great part of the Moores land Truly it is no easie matter to expresse wyth howe whote and lustie courage our countrymen dealt in those cōflictes who ranne into the middest of their ennemies hoste that a man would haue thoughte they had earnestly desired death For they right wel vnderstoode that the race of this life is soone runne and therefore they referred all their thoughts to that immortall glory which is prepared for all them that manfullye and in a good quarel depart this life And so being incited prouoked with that most assured hope of immortality and earneste zeale they heare to the aduauncemente of true religyon sometymes they wished nothing more desirously then that they mought vowe to spende their fraile and short lyfe whiche shortly after they must deeds yeelde to nature in Chrstes quarell So that at length it fell oute by their meanes and worckinge that all those countryes which for numbre of people and violent inuasion mighte els haue swarmed and increased through all Spayne were nowe so cutte of that they stande more in feare of oure force and weapons bent agaynst them then wee haue any cause at al to be dismaied at their fury and outrage And to conclude what a noble acte was this of theirs that they sayled ouer the greate mayne sea wyth a wonderfull longe and fearefull nauigation and by force of armes passed through almost al partes of the West East North South To what purpose should I reherse here how they ouercame and how the wā the mightiest towns that were in Arabia Persia Aethiopia how hardly with what great difficulty they ended those warrres wherein they ouercame India how they discomfited and put to flight on the seas nauies maruaylouslye wel furnished huge and mighty hostes Howe the whole Power that the Turcks were able to make about those partes was put to wrack and vtterly vāquished through the puissance and valiauntnes of our countryemen And are al these thinges think you of that nature that they coulde be doone without the most prest and ready healpe of the eternal God Certes I for my parte will neuer thinke so wel of the vertue and passing politique witt of your father Immanuel that noble Prynce for prowesse and chiualry farre passing all other within the compasse of our memory I will neuer so muche maruayle at that singuler forecast and wonderful vertu of your brother Iohn a most iuste merciful Prynce To conclude I wil neuer be farre in loue with the stoutnes of our countryemen and their peculiar and naturall inclination thereunto that I will suppose they were able to doe such worthy actes by means of wisedome and strength but by the prouidence and mightye power of God Almighty For oure countrimen were neuer able to ouercome neither the Moores in policie nor the Persians in strength nor the Turkes in chiualrye nor the Arabians in number And yet onely by the earneste zeale to piety and godlines and the most sincere profession of Chrystes religion which hath alwayes most playnlye appeared in our countriemen they haue bene ouercomed and theire power scatterred This is the onely thinge that hath encreased the wealth estate of Portugall that hath purchased to our kinges princes euerlastinge fame and glory and hath by longe custome taughte an infinite numbre of Alians and straungers to submyt themselues to their rule and dominion But what should it auayle to vse more examples in this matter seynge that nothing is more cleare euident aswel by the testimonie of holye scripture as also by a greate number of other thinges for memoryes sake leste in wrytyng then that that kynd of war with either for the preseruatiō of cōmon safty or defēce of religiō is takē in hāde so acceptable to Christe that it is directed by the present assistance of his mightye powre Wherefore if Christian religion bee no hinderaunce at al to the knowledge exercise of martial affayres but doth rather wonderful set forth and confirme the same in as much as it taketh away al feare and dastardly cowardnes through the assured hope of immortality and maruailoslye stirreth vp our myndes vnto the attaining true glorye then it foloweth by good reason that the christians more thē all other are famous not onlye throughe the prayse and commendation of integrity innocēcy tēperāce liberality iustice but also that they farre excede al other men in renomne of Chiuallrye and all other lawdable propertyes of vertue For that is to be sette downe as a sure ground and principle whiche was heretofore declared that that onely is to be tearmed a vertue whiche directeth it selfe vnto that soueraygne good and laste desired ende for whose sake al other thinges are to be wished for and that also whiche is directed and guyded by Gods holy will and pleasure not by mannes owne wilfull appetite and ficle phantasie So that it may easily be gathered hereby that they neuer shewed any notable stoutnes of courage in warre whiche sought after shadowes of false renomne but true fame glorye the could not obtayne Onlye they that seeke after Chryste beholdinge alwayes the true ende for whose sake to come into perill and daunger of venturynge lyfe limmes they think it not onely honourable but most swete pleasaūt are in dede truely to be iudged stout couragious and full of magnanimitie THe conclusion of all is this that wee shoulde diligently consider and depelye ponder with oure selues howe greate the dignity and maiesty is of this Christian kinred whych God hym selfe the hyghe prynce and ruler of all purging the same from al contagiō of sinne and impietie hath made his by