by whose pusalanimitie enuie and discorde of a vile and abiect person hee is growne to be a Prince renowmed and feared through the whole worlde the great Turke I meane who although he be sprung vp long since Mahomet yet his damnable secte neuer dyed at this day by the Turkes proceedings is wonderfully dispersed Which almightie God for his sonne Iesu Christ his sake speedily extinguish CHAP. 8. Of the Enuie of Simon the Magician and other heretiques since Christ his time THere was neuer common wealth Citie nor people so well gouerned in vnitie but that enuy made a passage for diuision and discorde Among the heathen Philosophers their sects wrought much diuision The Iewes although they obeyed one lawe notwithstanding the heresies for so call the Greekes the causes of diuision in religion of the Pharisites Samaritans Nazarites Herodians others caused much contention debate among the people but at this day the deuines onely calleth those heretiques that instituteth findeth or followeth any sect contrary to christian religion whereof Simon the Samaritan called the Magitian with his harlot Selene were the first that enuying the credite of the Apostles sought by a venemous opinion to kill the rootes of christian faith and religion hee and his supporters which were called Simonaques offered to sell the grace of the holy Ghost he preached that our nature procéeded not of God but of a high and supernaturall cause with many monstrous and horrible propositions particulared by Irenius and others which Irenius called him father of heresies this Simon seeing that the Apostles by laying of their handes gaue the holie Ghost to those whom they touched sought to obtayne of Saint Peter that for money which he acquired with godlynesse and faith but the Apostle thus answered him Thy money perish with thee because thou thinkest the gifte of God may bee obtained with money thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this busines for thy heart is not right in the sight of God Simon being thus reproued by Saint Peter euer after his enemie and enuying the miracles the Apostle did by grace he continually studied to doe the like by magicke and in the ende he grew so famous as in the time of the Emperour Nero he was so reuerenced in Rome as betweene the two bridges ouer Tiber his Images were set vp with this superscription To Simon the holy God Simon being drunken with this admiration of the people arrogantly offred to contend with S. Peter in doing of myracles and practised by his arte to rayse a kinseman of Neroes from death to life but to a bootlesse ende he tryed his cunning but saint Peter after hee had called vpon the name of Christ raysed him from death to life Simon being more deepely enraged by this miracle purposed before the people of Rome to flie betweene the mountaine Capitolin the mountaine Auentin if Peter would followe him to the end it might be knowen which of both them was best beloued of God there withall comforted with his diuelish artes Simon prepared himselfe to flie then Peter holding vp his handes to heauen desired God that he would not suffer so great a people to be abused by his magicke after whose prayers Simon fell in the middest of his flight and broke one of his legs through griefe and shame whereof he shortly after dyed in Africke whether he was by his disciples carried But out of this monstrous roote many other heresies much dissention in the Church of God in seeking to separate Christ from the diuine substaunce of God by the sharpe punishment of God purging his very entrailes was driuen to confesse that pride and enuie were the very groundes of his damnable heresie If I should repeat all the heresies and dissentions that enuie hath sowen in the Church of God it would rather containe a volume then a Chapter The diligent readers of histories shall finde that for the most part if enuy armed christian subiects against the peace of their countrey she made some false prophet or heretique with the vaile of religion to be their ringleader The enuie of the Cleargie is the roote of al mischiefe enuie erected the order of the Dominican friers through enuie of the reuerence giuen vnto the Franciscans the Iesuites sprang from the enuie of the Dominicans the fall of Antichrist hath driuen the Pope to publish the proclamation of Schimeon the seditious Iewe. Who so listeth to be rid of the bondage of his master or hath receyued iniurie in his countrey all that bee in debt or stand in feare of their creditours those that dread the Iudges for shedding of innocent bloud and therefore haunte the mountaines and desert woodes who so is disposed to rob steale murder haunt whores to eate and drinke at other mens costes without labour of his handes if he will make warre sayth the Pope with the true professours of the Gospell him will I protect from the danger of lawes pardon his offences and will lade him with booties and spoyles His intertainement armeth all the Atheists heretiques and vnthriftie persons in Christendome with ciuill dissention the defence of the Pope is their colour but enuie ambition necessitie and breach of law are the true causes so that the generall quarrell of Christendome is betweene the Papists and the protestants but I hope and so all good Christians zealously pray that God will alwayes giue victory to the true professors of the Gospell as he hitherto hath powred his visible vengeance vpon heretikes so he will speedily confound this Archeretique the Pope and his huge rabble of reprobates Amen CHAP. 9. The mortall quarrell that enuie raised of the faction betweene the two brethren Gelphus and Gibelin EXperience dayly approueth the old saying there is no venim so mortall as the enuie of brethren nor warre so cruel as the enimitie of kindred whereof there can be no ampler testimonie then this following historie In the time of the Emperour Fredericke the second and Pope Gregorie the ninth betweene whome there was great discorde there was in the towne of Pistoye two factions the one named the Panciatiques the other the Chanciliers it fell out that two brethren the one named Gelphus and the other Gibelin in this citie helde contrary opinions the one followed the one the other party followed the other insomuch as the fauorers of these two brethren being men of account began to name thēselues the one Gelphes and the other Gibelins so that the Gelphes chased the Gibelins forth of the towne and for that it was a rare thing to see two brethren so contrary euery one of the fastion acquired the fauour of many of their neighbours by which meanes as a contagious pestilence this diuision by little and little was spread ouer all Italie in so much as the Emperour Fredericke the capitall enemie of the Pope being then in the citie of Pisa Anno 1340. not knowing which faction tooke his parte and
visible plagues which fall vppon your Pharao the Pope you sée that iustice by generall iudgement hangeth notable murtherers in chaines that they may rot consume by péece-meales euen so Gods iustice promiseth semblable vengeance vpon this Archmurtherer your pope the most infirmed eyes sée the lingring consumption of his riches reuerence and reputation he that sometime disposed forraigne kingdomes can not kéepe his proper lands out of the possession of his next neighbors There is no frée state in Italy but of late yéeres haue fléesed him nor any Christian Prince that is his best friend which paieth his auncient tribute He that sometimes commanded the persons goods roial powers of anointed kings is now driuen to waste his substance vppon Atheists secretly to murther his supposed enimies whose counsels for the most proue the halters which hang his executioners necessity constraineth him to be in league with all men saue the professors of the Gospell the Iewes haue their sinagogue the Grecians their proper religion euen in Rome strumpets haue good law to recouer the leacherous hire of their bodies their Ladies are his possessions for they pay him rent to abuse them Atheists traitors murtherers théeues and such as the lawes of all good gouernement would consume with the gallowes are his souldiers stipendaries and pentioners and what seruice do they him they shorten their owne daies in laboring his wicked practises all to a bootelesse successe seldome but yet sometimes his instrumentes execute hys bloodie purposes but hys Machiuillians neuer escape the hands of vengeance I haue shewne the example of Fraunce Iohn Ianregui the fyrst assayler of the godlie Prince of Orange was presentlye slayne and sundrye of hys confederates were executed the odious Atheist which wickedly murthered this good prince had a seuere death but yet too milde for his execrable offence but héere in England from whence came the Lion that first plucked the prowde Eagle of Rome by the throte c. what successe hath followed all his pollicies since the noble King Henry the eight shewed his rauening to the princes of the earth he hath vomited his poisoned enuy and mallice to the chiefe destruction disgrace and shame of him and his partakers his instruments of Rebellion murther and all inhumaine mischiefes had their fortune which rid the horsse Seian which was violent death they brought buls which gored themselues and pardons whiche turned into halters and hatchets which hanged and quartered their maisters I néede not name Felton Campion Parry and the rest you haue canonized them for Saincts and we haue Chronacled them for Traitors Since the beginning of her sacred Maiesties raigne whome héere in England haue your Popes cursses harmed I know his blessings haue brought many Englishmen to the gallowes from which God blesse all good men and then I meane not you without amendment If you haue not learned by the councels of scripture to forbeare the laying of violent hands vppon the Lords annointed yet the dayly experiēce of your companions falles and their frustrate attempts sufficeth to banish the very imagination of your and our most gratious soueraignes death which all good Christians beseech almightie God many yéeres to defer You are not so wise as the Philosophers disciples whiche in the water woulde followe their maister but to the chin for you follow the Pope ouer head and eares in two dangerous seas error and rebellion You may learne instructions of safetie of Mise which runne from houses which are readie to fall or of lice that will leaue the bodie of a dying man all the world séeth that your Popes kingdome leaneth vpon a few rotten props yea that the life of his glorie is at the point of death why follow you then your owne destruction in susteining of him whome vengeance will no longer suffer to flourish Nature counselleth you to haue care of your liues and charitie warneth your enimies from wishing your deathes if you would shunne the perils that vnpolitike creatures auoid but Pharao and his host would wilfully perish in the red sea the like is your stobernesse and expected destruction Pharao was plagued and well warned before and you Papists lacke neither punishment to feare you nor perswasion to win you and vnhappy are ye that neither can profit you Mahomet to continue his irreligion by his Alcoran forbad the people to reason of it a damnable policy to suppresse truth which by disputation breaketh out of cōtrouersies as fire out of Flint by the striking of iron The people to blinde all the world with ignorance appointed the Latin toong for matters of religion which the multitude vnderstood not if one language sufficed for a generall edifying the holy Ghost in the forme of clouen and firie toongs sate vppon the Apostles in vaine which instructed euerie one in their proper language it was a policie almost as dangerous as Mahomets which manie yéeres masked the hipocriticall blasphemy of the pope when his dreames shadowed the truth your mists of error might wel arise from ignorance but now that truth hath vnmasked his hipocrisy your blindnesse can be adiudged no better than peruerse wilfulnesse His policy forbiddeth you studiously to search the scriptures it is then like his wil is that you should reade his own monuments And I counsell you to reade Platinus Aeneas Siluius the golden Legend of the actes of popes Plutarke reporteth that an Atheist gouernour of Cilicy beléeued in God by an answere of the Diuell or oracle of Mopsus which reuealed a knowne secret and it may well be these popish historiographers will let you sée paltry stuffe that the best aduise will hardly perswade you to beléeue There is an old saying Orpheus can describe hell better then Aristotle raysed vpon a fable that he fetched his wife from thence and truly in knowledge is assurance and in report may be error They are Authors that write wonders of the Pope and if your iudgements are not blinde matters in common sense vnpossible you may by grace stumble on such grose errors as shall constraine you to looke vpon the plaine truth but you haue a commandement that forbids you to looke into the liues of your Popes because it can not be denied but that they trespasse dayly as men when in their doctrine can bee no error because the holy Ghost waighteth vppon their holinesse it may well be of their holinesse and yet farre ynough from the Pope Where was I pray you the holy Ghost when Pope Marcellus sacrificed vnto the Idols of the Pagans What office had he when Syluester the second when Iohn the ninetéenth and Gregorie the seauenth were a coniuring they were successors of Simon Magus and not of Simon Peter In déede Pope Ioane the eight erred not when she fell in labor in the middest of Procession Among your owne Authors it is reported that the virgin Mary told S. Brigit that most of the Popes are in hell a small signe then that the holy Ghost is very conuersant with them
S. Peter from whome they deriue their holie vertue erred and denied Christ and onely by repentance was againe receiued into grace They excéede S. Peter in riches and pompe but they come short of him in holines doing of miracles If the opinion of a Franciscan Frier be as currant as other Pope scripture it is known vnto you that reade the liues of your popes that pope Sixtus the 4. was in the beginning a frier of S. Frances order who being aduanced vnto the paupaltie was oftentimes visited with the brethren of his owne habite among whome one of his ancient companions in his friers wéede came to sée the Pope who to set forth his pompe shewed him his rings magnificent iewels and withall said Brother I can say now more then S. Peter who said I haue neither gold nor siluer it is true said the frier but you can not say as he said to the lame impotent arise and walke giuing him thereby to vnderstaÌ„d that the popes of Rome labor more to be rich then holy but you may say because you are forbid that you must tel no man of the popes faults do then asâ—…e did that bewraied King Mydas asses eares tell them so lowde to the earth that men may heare them iwis they be more deformed then Mydas eares and you shall be far more praised in the reuealing of them then profited in the concealing of them But you will further say that all your doings are the documents of great learned men whose counsels ought to worke more strongly with you then all my perswasions That same learning in déede in stubborne wits when it vndertaketh an error doth the diuell and all of hurt Plato saith small wits do little hurt in a common wealth the great wits are they that do all the mischiefe S. Augustine had read much and was very coÌ„uersant in the scriptures and yet he was a great while in the heresies of the Manichees and still perswaded himselfe that scripture was of his side Learning doth stay a man in error rather then helpe him out of it especially if he haue chued the sense of the scripture at his pleasure or be dronken with iuice that his fantesie hath corrupted Saint Paule was learned when he persecuted Christes flocke and had read of nothing so much as of the scripture and yet you sée that men could neuer turne his hart God himselfe was faine to put to his voice to strike his body blind and to enlighten therewith his soule In truth it is apparant that you stop your eares against all the perswasions of man It is Gods especiall grace that must vanquish your stubbernes which grace is promised to all those that sincerely ask it in his Sonne Iesus name speake well of Saint Thomas Saint Gregory and the rest because they are dead but pray not vnto them for the dead can doo the liuing no good Iesus signifyeth saluation and Iesus alone must be your saluation Pray then vnto Iesus with a contrite heart laye asyde your painted hypocrisye and then no doubt he wyll lighten youre vnderstandyng and make you to vse youre learnyng to hys glorye whyche otherwyse is lyke a swoord in a mad mans hande whiche indangereth manie and defendeth not hys maister beléeue him that wisheth you no euill if you haue a desyre to do your selues good one moment faithfullye bestowed in thys Deuotion will profyte you more then seuen yéeres reading of controuersies The short praier of the poore Publicane was in heauen before the long babling of the painted Pharisie his doctrine is nothing so dangerous as the Popes he commandeth you to pay tribute and obedience to Princes and not to murther or lay violent hands of the Lords annointed if he set you about such busines will him to teach you more fence for he had néede to be verie skilfull that shall wound him to whom God is a buckler It is not an enterprice to be ventured on by yong schollers least in the striking out of their quarters their heads and all flie off Returne your vengeance vpon this vngratious pope who is the vengeance both of your body and soule but now I counsel you not to strike him with carnall weapons for the word must be his confusion reade but the new Testament ouer with a holy conscience you shall find many words to wound him Marten Luther whose very name perplexeth the Pope neuer fought with him with other weapons then the word of God yet in his life he so vanquished him as being at the very point of death his soule beheld the triumph of his destruction and for ioy thereof sayd Peâ—…t is eram viuens moriens tua mors ero papa Liuing I was thy plague dying will be thy death pope He hath prophesied truly to the purpose for all the Iesuits in Christendome can not cure the woundes that the reuerende Marten Luther hath giuen him Why labour you then your owne destruction to raise him whome God hath abased his life is not long but yours will be shorter vnlesse you dispatch your harts of your odious treasons God so hateth them that as the Preacher saith the birds of the aire shall bewraie your voice and with their feathers shall betray you so that your cunning shall be to no other end then to leade you to the gallowes From which God defend you if it be his good will to giue you so much grace as to become his seruants and her Maiesties louing Subiectes ¶ THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE ENGLISH MIRROVR Entituled A fortresse against Enuy Builded vppon the councels of sacred Scripture lavves of sage Philosophers and policie of well gouerned Common weales Wherein euerie estate may see the true offices the vvorthines and by abuse the disgrace of his vocation A worke safely and necessarie to be read and regarded of euerie good subiect by GEORGE WHETSTONS Gentleman Malgre ⧠To the right Honorable and most graue personadges the temporall maiestrates of England in their waightie counsels the assistance of Gods holie spirit MOst honorable and graue Maiestrates it may seeme vnto your wisedomes that I flattered my wit with a foolish singularitie and abused your fauors with an arrogant presumption if of my owne braine I should vndertake and lay before your iudgements thys waightie building which containeth the true offices the worthines and by abuse the disgraces of euery mans vocation which labor I entitle A fortresse against Enuy. But most reuerend as I haue composed my first booke called The Conquests of Enuy of the examples and ouerthrowes of the most ancient renowmed and florishing common weales for Enuy only maketh warre with things of the greatest glory and haue continued my second booke entituled Enuy conquered by vertue with the admiration of her Maiesties peaceable victories obtained by diuine prouidence and her highnesse pretious vertues the one incomprehensible and the other without sample So right honorable this third booke which I reuerently submit vnto your graue censors I semblably
reported that his notorious crimes exceeded the dayes of his age which I ouerpasse as examples necessary for other purposes and vnto this impious parte I will ioyne this following crueltie Upon a day one tolde this naughtie Emperour that his cosen Mamertius Antomenes resembled him in comelynesse of bodie and magnanimitie of minde vpon which report Commodus pronounced death both vpon the reporter and his innocent cousen holding it for reason that it appertained to no man to vaunt lesse to resemble him and in my opinion if Antomenes resembled him in deuilish qualities death was too easie a scourge for so lewde a life Mulla Abdula father of Moley Mahumet commonly called the blacke king in whose cause the mortall battaile betwéene the king of Portugall and Amoley Muluco king of Fees was fought the 5. of August 1578. as in the alteration of the latter common weales by enuy shal be more largely shewen vpon an enuious suggestion that his brethren by the priuity in nature and bloud loked to liue in greater liberty then subiectes by the assistaunce of a noble man of the countrey called Alcatho Alley caused the throates of a eleuen of his brethren to be cut in one morning Now to conclude these particular tyrannies of enuye vnto which millions of notorious examples may be enserted the monstrous murders of king Richard the third a tyrant of our nation is worthy note in whose wretched end yet worthy his wickednes the happines of Englande began againe to florish and enioyed her auncient renowne This tyraunt at such time as he was Duke of Glocester with an enuious eye behelde the soueranity of king Edwarde the 4. his brother and yet inforced by necessity obeyed him For annoynted kinges with weake policies are not depriued but vnable to hold his hand from their throates who for their dignities toke the vpper hand of him against the lawes of honor with his impious handes he stabbed Prince Edward to the hart beeing taken prisoner at the battaile of Tewksbury Next like an Alehouse ruffen with his dagger he slew the infortunate good king Henry the sixt in the tower of London Then heaping murder vppon murder he caused George Duke of Clarence his naturall Brother to be drowned in a Butte of Malmesey And last though not the least to rowle vp a number of noble subiectes endes with the death of king Edward the fift and Richard Duke of Yorke the kinges brother his nephewes whom he caused to be murthered in the Tower and buried without honor to infame the name of king Edward the fourth and his posterity he pronounced his mother like a filthy harpye to be a strumpet and that the sayd king Edward was a Bastard and him selfe onely legitimate as I think sonne of the diuel for it séemeth wonderful that so inhumane a creature should take life of humane séed CHAP. 3. Enuy originall of warre and capitall cause of the destruction of the first Monarchies MAny yéeres after the beginning euery king qui etly enioyed the countries in his own possession vntil Ninus king of the Asserians enuying the soueranity of his neighbour kings put him self in armes vnlawfully to inlarge his owne dominions by deposing other froÌ„ their kingdoms Thus byenuy froÌ„ the bottom of hell came war by war confusion of deuine humaine blessings the aduauncement of thousandes of diuelish iniquities For whereas lawes giue place to armes the honor of God is wounded his word is misprised Iesus Christ is blasphemed and persecuted his Gospell is reiected and his Sacraments are prophaned fire is put to the house of the lord Wolues are thruste into his stéepefolde and wilde Bores among his vines truth and equity is peruerted charity is cold innocents and the iust are oppressed youth bee ill instructed publicke orders are broken discipline and rules of good life are abolished ignoraunce is raysed knowledge is abased proud ambitious and men of leaste estimation doe gouerne the learned wise and vertuous are disofficed as ideots and men of no merite countries bee vnpeopled fayre Cities are burned peaceable citizens are murthered their wiues and daughters are rauished their groundes lye vntilled goods compassed by the trauels of a mans whole life in one hower doe become the spoyle of a riotous souldiour And to conclude though short of a number of other curses which follow warre vice mounted in her chariot of triumph arrogaÌ„tly treadeth pore vertue vnder foot therby they that shold cry out of this outrage against God and man are dumb and the reformers of these enormities deafe these vengeances by war the enuious eye and ambitious hart of Ninus bred in the worlde which died not with the destruction of Th'asserian monarchy Notwithstanding enuy the erecter was the destroyer therof For Arbactus leiftenant of the Meades enuiyng the soueranity of Sardanapalus a man more effeminate then a woman by the assistaunce of other lords gaue battaile vnto the king Sardanapalus discomforted â—…led into his pallas there enuiyng the fortune of Arbactus more to reaue him of the glory of his triumph then moued by sorrow of his own defeat Sardanapalus set fire of his Pallas his wealth him selfe so by the prodigall spoyle of his life recouered the reputation of a man for manhood is most truely tried by constancy in the trembling passage of death The like enuious part was committed by Ariathes king of Capidocia who being ouercome in battail by Perdicas one of Alexanders successors fled into the Citye enuiyng Perdicas good fortune more then he lamented his owne mischance caused the city to be set on fire incouraged his souldiers citizens to slay their wiues children holding it lesse euill to die by the violence of friends then to liue a seruile life vnder the controlment of their enemies And by this means in truth he reaued Perdicas of the spoyle of his victory but did both vnto him selfe and countrey an iniury against nature and reason against nature in committing wilful murder vpon him selfe posterity against reason in that time was able to repaire his ruines of fortune But to kéep an order in discoursing the actions of enuy by the victory which Arbactus had ouer Sardanapalus the empyre of Th'asserians was traÌ„slated into the Meades which corse most conquerors adopted Princes euer since haue taken to crown their natiue countrey with imperiall title to leaue the places conquered or by other meanes gayned to the tyrannye of leifetenants Well this monster enuy which mortifieth the naturall affection of a father robbeth dutifull obedience from the son made the one of these the cause the other the ouerthrow of this second empire For Astiages the last king of the Meades receauing answer of the Oracle that his daughters sonne should gouerne his empire as it were to despight the Gods that had fore destined this honor vnto his daughters sonne vpon an enuious thought first
the 1. 2. daies assault the 3. day the people fed with a vaine hope of mercy set open the gates and with their wiues children cloathed all in white hauing Oliue branches in their handes they humbly beséeched grace but Tamberlaine in place of compassion caused his squadrons of horsemen to tread them vnder their féete and not to leaue a mothers child a liue and afterwardes he leuiled the city with the ground At that time there was a marchaunt of Genowa somewhat fauored of Tamberlaine pittying the cruelty boldly demanded why he shewed such cruelty to those that yéelded and beséeched pardon whō Tamberlaine with a countenance fiered with fury answered thou supposest that I am a mā but thou art deceiued for I am no other then the ire of God and the destruction of the world and therfore sée thou come no more in my sight least I chastē thy ouer proud boldnes The marchant made spéed away was neuer afterwards séene in the campe And in truth Tamberlain although he was endued with many excellencies vertues yet it séemed by his cruelty the God raysed him to chasten the kings proud people of the earth In the ende this great personage without disgrace of fortune after sūdry great victories by the course of nature died left behind him two sons euery way far vnlike their father betwéen whō enuy sowed such dissention that through their incapacities to gouern the conquests of their Father the children of Baiazet whom they kept prisoners stole into Asia so won the people to disobedience as they recouered the goods possessions that their father lost The like did other kings princes whō Tamberlaine had spoyled in so much as in small time this Empire was so abased that many dayes agoe there was no remembrance left either of him or his linage saue that Baptista Ignatius a great searcher of antiquities saith that the successors of Tamberlaines sons possessed the prouinces conquered by him about the riuer of Euphrates vntil the time of king Vsancasan according to the opinion of some writers of the heyres of this Vsancasan was chosen the first Sophy who to this day to the benefit of all christendō maintaineth mortall wars against the great Turk But it séemeth that their empire was cleane ended for as it is set down in the chapter of the great Turke one named Ismaell a false Prophet gathered a multitude of the cōmom people together of whom by continual fauor of time and fortune the Sophy is growne of power to incounter the great Turke And herein although the lightnes inconstancy of the common people be heretofore noted yet occasion here and in sundry places ministreth matter to blame their enuious and froward dispositions there was neuer inuention so fantasticke nor captaine so wicked that they refused to follow they erected the tirannous empires of the Sophy the great Turk Tamberlaine and ouer threw the famous and prudent gouernments of Athens Lacedemonia Rome c. The Swizers enuying the authority of their nobility gentlemen by generall consent slew them al euer since haue bene gouerned by that base gouerment called Democratia where mecanical people haue the only segniorie a gouermēt which resembleth a monster with many heads yet they all haue neither will nor capacitie to cherish vertue learning worthy enterprises the beauties and strength of a good common wealth Neuertheles Iosua simler of zurich in his booke of the Swizers common wealth both for their militarie discipline in war and sound administration of iustice in peace compareth the gouerment of their Cantons vnto the common wealth of the Venetians time and necessity hath much reformed the same from their originall and yet how be it he greatly praiseth their iustice yet his owne report thus much testifieth of their weaknes that to martiall and gouern their wars they haue bene oftentimes driuen to obey and follow the direction of forraine captaines which lamenes in a common wealth can neuer be but an open blemish and a secret daunger For a perfect common wealth resembleth a well proportioned man wherof the military defence resembleth his handes which being maimed or cut off bring misery to the whole body CHAP. 13. The calamitie and seruile bondage of Portugall vnder the gouernment of Phillip king of Castile c. by the aduenturous battaile and death of Sebastian king of Portugal the 5. of August 1578. and especially by the enuious malice of Henry which succeeded in suppressing the lawfull title of Don Anthonio the now reputed king THe renowne of the kingdome of Portugall both for the commodities of the naturall countrey as for the wonderfull riches of the east and west Indies with diuers cities and townes in Africa subiected annexed to the crowne equalled of lateyéeres the fame of most christian gouernments and certainely at this day the calamity and bondage of the people by the conquest and violent rule of the king of Spaine requireth the compassion and reliefe of all true Christian princes the groundes and causes of whose miseries follow By succession of time and lawful decent Sebastian was crowned king of Portugal whose vertues outward giftes promised great honor vnto his kingdom but the inconstancy of worldly dignity is liuelye figured in his much lamented death king Sebastian being about the age of 24. yéeres vpon the earnest labour suite of Mulei Mahumet king as he pretended of Fez and Marocoes who by Mulei Maluco his brother was driuen foorth of the kingdome condescended with a puissant army to passe into Africa to restore this Mulei Mahumet to his kingdome the enterprise agréed with the magnanimity and greatnes of yong king Sebastians mind besides to relieue and restore this expulsed king among indifferent iudges was a matter of great honor and vertue so that resolutely to execute his promise king Sebastian departed with his armye from Lisbone in Iune 1578. and ariued at a port in Castile called el puerto de Sancta Maria where he tried the breach of the king of Spaine his vncles promise which was the ayde of 50. Gallies and 4000. armed souldiours neuertheles the sayd king Sebastian like as he was a magnanimous prince hauing a 1000. sayle of ships in a readines pursued his voyage landed his army in Africa to the number of 15000. fighting men and on the 5. of August in the same yéere in a plaine field called Alcazar there was a most fierce battaile fought betwéen him and the enemy wherin the yong king Sebastian and Mulei Mahumet whose part he tooke were both ouer come and slaine in the field Neither did Mulei Maluco the king their enemy escape for with sicknes wearines he died during the battaile a battaile very vnfortunate wherein neither party gained and most rare and worthy of remembrance that thrée kinges were slaine in the same and aboue 600. of the chiefest nobility and Gentlemen of Portugall After the death of king
kingdome by suffering the bloodie Bishops to misuse her Emperiall sword she in their procéedings outragiouslie tyrannised the true professors of the Gospell which God her noble father and good brother his instruments bée therefore praysed had taken a sound holde in the hart of England whose crueltie and contrarietie in Religion may no wayes slaunder her godlie father and his off-spring We sée the Rose trée that bringeth foorth the swéete Rose lykewise bringeth foorth sharpe prickels but to come more néerer the matter the kyrnell of the best apple will growe to be a crabbe vnlesse some good fruite bee grafted on the stocke and looke what the Sience is suche will be the trée looke what is â—…owen in youth is euer séene in age the following example teacheth a good pollicie to haue an eie vnto Schoolemaisters and the education of Papistes children The séede of Idolatrie superstition and send Ceremonies were sowne in the heart of Ladie Mary béeing a childe which grewe to the disworship of God and the destruction of the godlie Ladie Mary béeing a Quéene But God no doubt suffered thys prickle to growe of thys gréene Rosier and thys irreligion to be grafted of thys religious stocke to chasten the sinnes of England who hauing a righteous Prince peace and plentie both of spirituall and temporall blessings neyther saluted the giuer of thys goodnesse with hartie thankes nor sought the continuance thereof with a dutifull regarde of the Kings Maiestie but in some of her members hauing an eye fixed vppon the Kings tender yéeres and not an hart setled vppon hys firme vertues she began to worke matters hatefull to GOD offensiue to the Prince and most hurtfull to her selfe and therefore God 〈◊〉 Englande of the most milde vertueus godlie and well disposed Prince King EDWARD the sixth and in wrath sente vs euen suche a Prince as the Prophete speaketh of that shoulde oppresse vs with most greeuous bondage that should by taxes great impositions take froÌ„ vs the fruites of the feeld vineyards oliue trees and should giue them to his lords and seruants Euen Quéene Mary that imposed many great summes of money vppon vs to enrich strange Lords that by committing the waightie affaires of the publike weale to Bishops almost wilfully lost Callis an auncient ornament belonging to England which Citie the notorious Atheist Gardener vaunted that he would kéepe with a white wand an vnlikely matter that his courage serued him to defend Callis against the power of a puissant King with a white wand that armed troupes to gard the vnresisting Martyrs to burning but which stained her gouernement with euerlasting crueltie she by her ministers in fyue yéeres tyrannouslie burned fiue times more innocent and quiet Protestants then good Quéene Elizabeth in 27. yéeres raigne by her lawes hath executed notorious Papists that committed treason when my soule durst sweare that there be double the number of the poore Protestants that then constantly professed the holie Gospell that now in their harts wish her Maiesties depriuement both of life and crowne and yet liue This persecution made many to flée the Realme for their consciences sake but they sought not libertie by rebellion they confessed this bondage and persecution to procéed from the Lords heauie displeasure and humblie awaighted his fauour for their deliuerance No one hath more cause to exclaime of this hard gouernement then our gratious Quéene Elizabeth She was not entertained like the daughter of a mightie King and heire apparant of a rich kingdome Good Lady she was emprisoned her attendance small her libertie nothing When her innocencie disprooued publike accusations the Cleargie sought her life by secret tyrannie sought it do I say yea they had wrought it had not God beyond mans expectation wonderfully deliuered her Maiestie her assured friends despaired of her worldly welfare her Maiestie that behelde the bloody knife a sharpning misdoubted not her deliuerance Her friends trembled because there was no measure in the Papists crueltie her Maiestie looked chéerefully because she knew the Diuell had no might but such as God suffered In the holie Bible the louing embracements whereof was her Maiesties persecution her excellencie had learned these pretious comforts and in them reposed The Lord sayeth Who so honoreth me him will I make honorable In another place Dauid sayeth Who so dwelleth vnder the shadow of the almighty him God couereth with his wings and keepeth safe vnder his feathers I know saith he the Lord helpeth his annointed and euen from heauen heareth them Some trust in chariots some in horsses but we in calling vpon the Lord. God can and oft times doth pine man and beast euen in the middest of plentie God where he setteth too his hand worketh wonders and sturdie strength standeth in no stead God thus speaketh to Dauid and yet by a spiritual interpretation maketh like promise to all kings and princes that hartely séeke his glorie Because thou hast set thy loue vpon me I will see thee rid from all thy troubles I will defend thee why so it followeth Thou hast knowen my name thou seekest my glorie and therefore whensoeuer thou callest vpon my name I will heare thee yea I am with thee in all thy calamities and will deliuer thee from them I will set thee higher in honor send thee long life and shew thee thy saluation Her Maiestie builded vpon these comforts her soule desired and hoped to be an instrument of his wonderfull glorie examples of Scripture told her that those whome God had appointed to any speciall seruice euen those he guided through mortall dangers he preserued Ioseph from the murthering enuy of his brethren to saue old Iacob his father his malitious brethren and al Israel from the sharp death of famine Against the tyranous decrée of Pharao which was that the Midwiues should kill all the male children of the Hebrewes his prouidence saued Moses from drowning and made him his instrument to leade the children of Israell out of the bondage of Pharao vnto the land of promise God in the deapth of the sea fetched Ionas the Prophet foorth of the Whales belly to saue Niniuey from destruction God deliuered Peter forth of the prison tirannie of Herod the Iewes that he might open the gates of faith and preach the way of saluation euen vnto his enimies God sundry waies miraculouslie deliuered Paule from the vengeance of death to preach the Gospell of saluation vnto the Gentiles at Philippos in Macedonia he caused him Sylas to be deliuered forth of prison In Lycaonia the Iewes the people stoned him and drew him forth of the City as a dead man God raised and reuiued him againe God againe redéemed him out of the hands of the Iewes when as forty of them swore they would neither eate nor drinke vntill they had slaine Paule yea God in his extremitie stood by him comforted him saying Be of good cheere Paule for as thou hast testified of me at
Ierusalem so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome God had appointed him the rest waighty charges the execution whereof the malice of men might not withstand examples of great comfort to the godly terror to the wicked The godly may learne by them that his mercy succoureth them in the sharpest aduersitie and the wicked may be assured that his iustice will confound their policies in the chiefest hope of successe Her Maiesty to whom I euery way may apply the former examples beset with death as dangerous as Daniel in the Lions den as after in her own thanks-giuing may be séene comforted her self in the strength of God which always defended her which good God hauing compassion both of her patient suffering the general affliction of his Church mercifully burned the rod of correction by calling away Quéene Mary setting of gratious Elizabeth in the emperiall chaire of England France and Ireland for which excéeding mercie his holy name be praised Amen CHAP. 7. Of the peaceable entrance of Queene Elizabeth our gratious soueraine vnto the crowne diademe of England and other obseruances of Gods especiall fauor mercy IT is commonly séene that vpon the death of princes enuy ambition dissentiō shew their humors that secret discontentment breaketh forth w e publike disturbāce And although in England hereditary succession be a great bridle vnto these passions yet vpō such changes they many times haue foūd the meanes to shew themselues as after the deathes both of king Edward the 4. king Edward the 6. vpō the death of Quéene Mary the difference in religion was a likely cause to sow discord among the people But almighty God that had as it were by especial miracle preserued our gratious Quéene Elizabeth the visible image of himselfe frō the spoile malice of dangerous enimies aforthand prouided that her sacred Maiestie should receiue hir crowne in peace should gouerne hir people in peace my hope doth assure me where she now peaceablie raigneth her maiesty shall long liue and die in peace who the 17. day of Nouember 1558. the very day of Quéene Mary her sisters death with the sound of a trumpet both at Westminster and in the City of London was proclaymed by the name of Elizabeth Quéene of England France Ireland defender of the saith c The newes wherof raised a suddaine ioy amōg the people so harty as their louing affectiō was presently séene by publike feasting banqueting benefiers in the open stréets The 23. of Ianuary following her Maiesty from the Tower passed through the City of London toward her Coronation but before her Chariot set forward her Maiesty lifted her eies vp vnto heauen and acknowledged Gods mercie in this thankes-geuing O Lord almighty euerlasting God I giue thee most harty thanks that thou hast been so mercifull vnto me as to spare me to behold this ioifull day and I knowledge that thou hast dealt as wonderfully with me as thou didst with thy true faithful seruant Daniel the prophet whom thou deliueredst out the den frō the cruelty of the gredy raging lions euē so was I ouerwhelmed only by thee deliuered To thee therefore be only thanks honor and praise for euer Amen Her maiesty by this thanksgiuing published her sure confidēce in God the effects the tyranny of hir enimies and the conclusion a speciall comfort to the godly The Citizens of London to shew thei rzeale in welcome of her Maiesty attyred the Citie with many stately shewes the most whereof they deriued from her proper vertues who was the liuely substance of all their painted bewties The first pageant shewed the long desired vnitie which God her maiesty be thanked is knit betwene vs and the holy Gospell of our Sauiour Christ. The second set foorth the seate of gouernāce which her maiesties liuely vertues bewtified more then their gorgious deuises The third which they applied vnto her maiesty depainted the 8. beatitudes mentioned in the 5. of S. Mathew truly if any earthly creature deserued them they are worthely heaped vpon her maiesty God hath blessed her humble spirit both with a spirituall and temporall kingdome God hath dried vp the teares of her persecution with spiritual tēporal cōfort God hath blessed her méekenes with large possessions on earth God hath blessed her scarcetie for righteousnes sake with abundance God hath blessed her mercy with the fulnes of his mercy God hath blessed her chaste vndefiled hart with the sight of himselfe in the true knowledge of his holy word God hath blessed her trauell for peace as his proper child with the visible image of himselfe God hath blessed her periceution for righteousnes sake in assuring her soule of the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome God hath blessed her to reuenge the reuiling and persecution of the Papists with the disgrace ouerthrow of the Pope The fourth declared the ruinous state of this realme which as they prophesied is by her maiesty restored to the dignity of a florishing common weale Yea in her miraculous procéedings an old by prophesie is effected which was A mayden Queene should do wonders in England The fift compared the expectation which her heroycall vertues promised with the politike gouernement of the worthie Debora Her maiestie was in Cheape side presented with the holy Bible in English which she reuerently kissed and thankefully receiued as hir spirituall comfort her temporall crosse and godly counseller The Maior of London presented her maiesty a thousand marks in a pursse with humble petition that she would cōtinue their good lady she gaue answer that if néed required she would willingly spend her blood in their defence which magnanimious saying all her after actions haue declared Although this most royall entertainement shewed the dutifull loue of her faithfull subiects which zeale God hath requited with many blessings yet Gods wisedome that comprehendeth all knowledge foresawe that her Maiesties clemency compared with Iulius Caesar that would not heare the accusation of his enimies with Augustus who gaue life to Cinna that sought his life with King Frances the first of France who pardoned the commotion of the Rochellers adioyning therevnto that he chiefely reioyced that his seueritie caused no man to weare a moorning gowne clemencie well bestowed that both inlarged the renowne and safetie of these princes for Pompeys friendes were thereby wonne to Cesar Cinna became most faithfull to Augustus and the Rochellers afterwards loyally obeyed King Frances but God I say who knew the greatnesse of her Maiesties compassion would rather bréede presumption then dutie in her dangerous enimies therefore to rid her roiall person realme and good subiects whome he determined to blesse from continuall conspiracies his mercy ioyned with iustice alittle before and after the death of Quéene Mary caused death likewise to attach the bloodie Atheist Steuen Gardener Bishop of Winchester the seditious Cardinall Poole and others whose heads were alwaies occupied with