the Scots In the yeere 1544. chaūced foure Eclipses one of the sunne and three of the Moone Wherupō the L. high Admiral of England arriued with a fleet of two hūdred saile in Scotland where he spoiled Lieth and burned Edinburgh King Henry the eight went himselfe in person to Fraunce wiith a great army cōquered Boloigne The Marques of Brandeburge died in his banishmēt And before three yeeres after the fight of the said Eclipses were fully expired king Henry the eight deceased Likewise the French kings sonne the Duke of Bauarie the Queene of Polonia the Queene of Spaine the Archbishop of Mogunce Martine Luther ended their liues In the yeere 1557. a blazing starre was seene at al times of the night to wit the sixt the seuenth eight ninth and tenth of March when presently after open war was proclaimed between England and Fraunce and a great army was sent by Q. Mary ouer to S. Quintaines The Protestants were persecuted and cruelly dealt withall in this Realme And Queene Mary before a tweluemoneth came about departed out of this life In the yeere 1572. was seene towards the North a straunge starre in bignesse surpassing Iupiter and seated aboue the moone At which time succeeded the bloudy massacre and persecution of the Protestants in Fraunce Many great personages ended their liues as King Charles the ninth of Fraunce Mathew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury and sundry other Pirats robbed and spoyled many of our marchants on the West seas The sect of the family of loue begā to be discouered at London Sebastian the king of Portingal and Mule the king of Moroco were both slaine within lesse then sixe yeeres after In the yeere 1581. appeared a Comet bearding Eastward Whereupon a little while after certaine cōpanies of Italians Spaniards sent by the Pope to strengthen the Earle of Desmond in his rebelliō landed on the west coast of Ireland and there erected their Antichrists banner against her Maiesty Campian and other Seminary priests returned to this Realme and were attached In the yeere 1583. appeared another Comet the bush wherof streamed southeast But the effects thereof followed in the death of Edmund Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Earle of Sussex and in the apprehending of Arden Someruile and other traitours in Warwickshire Also within a while ensued a great dearth here in England In the yere 1596. appeared a Comet northward At which time Hēry Carew L. Hunsdon L. Chamberlaine of her Maiesties houshold and Sir Frauncis Knowles ended their liues Robert Earle of Essex and Charles L. high Admiral of England Generalles of the English fleet burned the Spanish nauy sacked the towne of Cales Moreouer there continued here in England a great dearth of corne with straunge inundations of waters Graue Maurice got a famous victory ouer the Spaniards in the low countreyes Alphonsus Duke of Ferraria departed out of this life The Pope and the Bastard of Ferraia had diuers bickerings about the Dukedome Finally before the yeere went about died Gunilla the Queene mother of Swethland and Gustaue Duke of Saxony her Nephew Likewise Iohn Marquesse of Brādeburge one of the Electours Anne Queene of Polonia daughter to Charles Archduke of Austria being great with child ended their liues In the beginning of the yeere 1598. was seene a most fearfull Eclipse of the sunne in the seuenteenth degree of Piscis neere to the Dragons head the like whereof was seldome heard off at any time before for the sunne was darkened full eleuen poynts which very neere is the whole compasse of his body The effects of it are these following Sigismund Prince of Transyluania not finding his power sufficient to encounter the Turks voluntarily resigned his dominion to the Emperour Rodolph the second The King of Swethland returning into his Realme from Polonia had diuers conflicts and skirmishes with his subiects William Lord high Treasurer of England deceased And so did king Philip the second of Spaine albeit after a more strange maner For it is credibly enformed that this tyrant was eaten vp of lice and vermine A punishmēt no doubt befitting his vsurping life Rome was againe ouerflowne by the riuer Tiber whereby fifteene hundred houses perished and in a maner all the Popes treasure was lost Cardinall Albert sent Mendoza Admirall of Aragon with his rascalitie into the Low Countries where vpon his owne confederates of Cleueland he hath exercised many bloudy tragedies Theodore Duke of Muscouie ended his life There was a great deluge of waters in Hungarie The Turks had wonderfull bad lucke vpon the seas The vnited States of the low Countries sent a huge fleete into Spaine where they had verie good successe to the vtter vndoing of many a Spaniard What shall I write of the terrible rumours of warres which were noysed throughout all England this last summer Assuredly these enents were foreshewed vnto vs by the horrible Eclipse which appeared now aboue two two yeeres agoe Since which time I waited continually for some notable effect or other neither could my mind otherwise presage but that such things would come to passe which now GOD be thanked are ouerpast This after a sort I communicated at that time to master Ia. Pr. an auncient wise gentleman and a deare kinsman of mine at whose house I as then being lately come into my countrey after my fathers decease soiourned God grant vs better and happier successe in this new yeere Of the causes of sedition and ciuill broyles Chap. 54. THere be sixe causes of sedition The first and chiefest is the contempt of religion For if men loued God which they cannot doe except they loue their neighbour doubtlesse no such effects would follow from their actions The loue of religion breaketh swords into mattocks and speares into sithes and causeth that nation shall not lift vp sword against nation neither learne to fight any more The second cause of sedition is the factions of the subiects which euer haue beene and euer will bee the subuersion of estates The third cause is riotous prosperitie for ouer-great aboundance of wealth is the prouocation of mischiefes and maketh men to become diuels The fourth is when the Prince ouerchargeth his subiects with tributes and when hee substituteth niggardly and deceitfull Treasurers and Lieutenants to receiue the leuied money that will not sticke to detaine a part thereof for their owne priuate gaine The first cause of Sedition is iniquitie as when that which is due by proportion is not giuen to them that bee equall and when the Prince bestoweth honour which is the hire and guerdon of vertue vpon raw and meane men This was one of the originall causes of the late troubles in France when the Queene mother for the establishment of her regencie dubbed simple Gentlemen knights of the honourable order of Saint Michael first instituted by King Lewis the eleuenth and til that time held in great estimation The sixt cause of sedition is
or of flattâ—rers Fiftly let him compare his owne deeds with those of the holy meÌ„s in times past Sixtly hee must not enquire what the common people say of him Seuenthly let him take heed by other mens harmes and muse vpon the case of those men who desiring to eate some fruite regarded not the height of the tree whereon they grew but laboured to climbe vp to the toppe and so fel downe headlong by reason of the weakenes of the boughes Of Fortitude Chap. 28. THe meanes to discerne a valiaunt man be eight The first if he be not astonied in aduersity nor proud in prosperity but leading both the one the other within the square of Mediocrity Secondly he is a valiaunt man that is milde and courteous of nature Thirdly if he scornes priuily to ouercome his aduersary Fourthly if hee contemne to fight in a bad quarrell for fortitude without equitie is the fewell of iniquity Fiftly if hee giue not place to miseries but goeth the more couragiously agaynst them Sixtly he is a valiant man that sorroweth to die an inglorious death Seuenthly that feareth shame As Hector did when his friendes counselled him not to goe out of the city Eightly hee is a valiaunt man that will fight stoutly in his Countries defence and not feare to die Such a one was Captaine Diagio of Millan who in the yeere of our Lord 1400. beyng enuironed with fire and enemies not finding any means to defend his charge or escape honestly with life threw ouer the wall of the place where he was inclosed and where no fire as yet burned certaine clothes and straw and vpon the same his two children and sayd to his enemies Take you here those goods which Fortune gaue me but my goods of mind wherein my glory consisteth neyther will I giue them nor can you take them from mee The enemies saued the poore children and offred him ladders to conueigh himselfe downe safe But hee refusing all succours chose rather to die in the fire then receyue life from the enemies of his countrey What shall I speake of sir Philip Sydney sir Richard Greeneuil and sundry others of our owne countrymen who of late yeeres not vnlike to those of auncient times so highly commended willingly and valiauntly lost their liues rather then they would trust to the mercy of the Spaniards In briefe * commonly they that are most affrayd to offend the lawe are in the field most stout against their enemies and will shunne no perill to winne fame and honest reputation Of Foole-hardinesse Chapt. 29. FOole-hardinesse is the excesse of fortitude vsed for the most part of Caualeers and tosse-pots For seldome is it seene that they at any time haue fought in iust causes or haue obserued the circumstances belonging to true Fortitude Their properties rather are to flaunt like Peacockes to play the Braggadochians and to trust most impudently in the hugenesse of their lims and in their drunken gates Such are many of our yong Gentlemen who by their wise parents are sent so timely to learne wise fashioÌ„s at LoÌ„don Such are they I say who cary beehiues and commonwealths in their pates who iet now and then in the streetes with bushes of feathers on their Cockescombed sconces and goe attired in Babilonian rayments But the higher they exalt themselues the greater will be their fall In the forefront of these madde-cappes may the Duke of Guise appeare who in the yeere 1588. one day before he was slaine as he sate at dinner found a litle scrowle of paper vnder his trencher wherein was written that hee should looke vnto himselfe and that his death was prepared But hee in the same paper rashly with his owne hande wrote these wordes They dare not and so threw it vnder the table By whose example let men take heed how they persist in any thing rashly for although the Poetes say that Fortune helpeth an audacious man yet notwithstanding that helpe is quickly ouercast and broken by the wofull calamities of the body Wherefore wee must deeme it expedient to resist and turne backe foole hardinesse rather late then neuer Obiection An audacious Braggadochian being knocked runneth away therefore there is no difference betwixt a foolehardy man and a coward Aunswere Two things are to be respected in a foolehardy Braggadochian 1 Madhardinesse or rashnes which leadeth him into daunger 2 Weaknes of nature not agreable to his mind this is the cause why he trusteth sometimes vnto his heeles rather theÌ„ his hands Of feare and Pusillanimity Cha. 30. EVen as the foole-hardy Caualeer trauerseth vp and downe like a Lion so a fearefull man is a pusillanimous meacocke he feareth his owne shadow by the way as he trauelleth and iudgeth ech bush to be a rouer When he is among Gentlemen he holdeth his head downe like a dunce and suddenly sneaketh away like an vrcheon He is either by nature melancholike or by vse a niggard or a tenderling such a one was that Gentleman of Portingall who craued of king Sebastian in the yeere 1572. a protection against some who had sworne his death The king gaue it him Shortly after he came againe vnto the king and complained vnto him of the great feare he was daily in notwithstaÌ„ding his protection Whereunto the king wisely answeared from feare I caÌ„not protect you Farre more feareful then this Portingall was that yong Gentleman of Patauine who of late yeeres beyng in prison vpon some accusation heard by one of his frieÌ„ds that of certainty he should be executed the next day following Which newes so terrified chaÌ„ged him that in one only night he became white grai-headed whereas before there was no appearance thereof The cause of this so wonderfull an alteratioÌ„ was feare which grouÌ„ded vpon a false opinion of mischief seazed on his heart and consumed it like a pestilent canker according to that saying A suddaine alteration hath no great beginning And again Vsuall things are seldome feared For being long expected how can they chuse but fall out lightly To conclude it is the first and suddaine feare that bereaueth the mind of aduise but often consideration of it breedeth confidence and quite expelleth all maner of feare The sixt part Of Temperance and Continence Chapt. 30. ALl vertues do make a Common-wealth happy and peaceable but temperance alone is the sustayner of ciuill quietnesse for it taketh care that the realme bee not corrupted with riot and wanton delights whereby diuerse states haue beene cast away This is that vertue which hindreth dishonest actions which restrayneth pleasures within certaine bounds and which maketh men to differ from bruite beastes Moreouer this is that hearbe which Mercury gaue to Vlisses least he should tast of the enchauntres cup so with his felows be traÌ„sform'd into a hog this is that vertue which great men ought specially to embrace that by their example the common sort might become temperate For
since there dwelt eight men Citizens and Citizens Sonnes of Swaden a Cittie of Germanie who vpon a Sunday morning agreed to goe into a Tauerne and comming to the house of one Antonie Hage an honest man and zealouslie giuen they called for wine The good man tolde them that they should haue none before Sermon time was past and perswaded them to goe heare the woord preached But they saue one Adam Giebens who aduised them to heare the Sermon for feare of GODS wrath denyed saying that they loathed that kinde of exercise The good Oast neither giuing them any Wine himselfe nor permitting any other went to the Sermon Who being gone they fel to cursing wishing that he might breake his necke before he returned whereupon the diuell appeared vnto them in the shape of a yong man bringing in his hand a flagon of wine drunke vnto them saying Good fellowes be merrie for you shall haâ—e wine inough I hope you wil pay me well Then they inconsiderately aunswered that they would paye him or else they would gage their neckes yea their bodies and soules rather theÌ„ to faile Thus they continued swilling and bibbing so long till they could scant see one another At the last the Diuell their tapster told them that they must needs pay their shot whereat their hearts waxed cold But he comforting them sayd Be of good cheere for now must you drinke boyling lead pitch and brimstone with me in the pit of hell for euermore Herevpon hee made their eyes appeare like fire and in breadth as broad as a sawcer and ere they could call for grace mercie the diuell preuented them brake their necks asunder The other Adam Giebens who counselled them before to heare Gods word hauing some sparks of faith within him was preserued from death by the great mercie of God After this sort God punished drunkennesse to the terrour of all such as delight therein God grant that men hereafter may beware howe they play the drunkards For doubtlesse although he beares with our quaffers heere in England yet notwithstanding hee hath prepared heauie punishments for them in the world to come Remedies against intemperance gluttony and drunkennesse Chap. 36. THe first remedie against intemperance gluttonie and drunkennesse is the word of God for e it is written Man shal not liue by bread only but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The second they must consider the fasting and pouertie of Christ for when he said I thirst that is I thirst after mans saluation they gaue him Vineger to drinke The thirde remedie is that they waigh with themselues the euill which proceedeth from their vices and the torments of the rich glutton in hell The fourth lette them thinke on the eternall pleasures of the other world and hunger thirst after righteousnesse The fift lette them follow Socrates aduice Who admonished men to take heede from eating and drinking those things which would mooue them not being hungrie nor thirstie and also from prying into Gentlewomens beauties lest as the Poets faine Cupid the blinde God of loue doe perchance shoote and hit them This reason Clitomachus knew very wel who if he heard but one talking of loue matters would immediatly depart away Lastly let them auoyde idlenesse for Idlenesse being taken away the force of lechery decayeth Of stupiditie or dulnesse Chap. 37. STupiditie is a voluntarie and too great a suppression of lawful pleasures This vice is seldome founde amongst men for where shall we see any so dull that hath no taste of pleasures All other liuing creatures can iudge and discerne of the meat which they eate but dull men haue not halfe so much iudgement or discretion Therefore without doubt they that haue lost their feeling are no more to be called liuing men but blocks or stocks or rather bruite beastes depriued of sence There bee some men I confesse verie bluntish and dull yet notwithstanding I dare not say that they are in such sort infected by reason of this vice the defect of Temperance but more likely they are so because of their vnwholsome bad complections or else because of some sicknesse or other And thus much of the nature of Stupiditie Obiection Stupiditie is a meane to obtaine vertue for it is a bridling of lust therefore it is no vice Answere Stupiditie is a bridling of lust but confusedly without wit or reason The seuenth part Of Magnificence Chap. 38. THe like difference as is between God man between a temple a sepulcher such is betwixt magnificeÌ„ce liberality for magnificence is a vertue that consisteth in sumptuous great expences wheras liberalitie is coÌ„uersaÌ„t in smal things so y â— the one is peculiar to Noblemen and the other to common Gentlemen But in this age it is quite abandoned They were wont in times past to patronize and find poore schollers at the Vniuersitie But now I pray you who is so noble-minded who so vertuous They were wont to builde Colledges but now they are readie to pull them downe and which is more if any intendes but to build a free-schoole or an hospital which is as seldome seene as a blacke swanne wee account him as they say one of God Almighties fooles The Gentlemen of the Innes of Court quoth y â— rich chuffes weare so much on their backes as would serue for the building of free-schooles Our sonnes at the Vniuersitie spende yeerely in batles decrements and bookes as much at would suffice for the repayring of bridges high-waies and such like Those preachers please our mindes best which preach fayth and no good workes This cheape religion we like a strong barne Neighbour is worth fifteene of their freeschooles But alas howe can the poore sheepe doe well when their sheepheardes bee cold in charitie when these non residents care not how their flockes thriue when the Leuits of Iesus Christ haue alwaies this worldly theoreme in their mouthes Hee ought to bee begd for a foole that gathereth not for his wife and children O politicke worldlings O Machiauellians The Papistes that in a manner builde their whole deuotion vpon good workes shall rise against you at the day of Iudgement yea the Infidels themselues who dedicate their substance vnto Idols shall testifie against you What sayth your Nazianzene A man hath nothing so diuine as magnificence distribution of goods What sayth Strabo MeÌ„ theÌ„ principally do imitate God when they benefite Wherefore O mortall men both spirituall and temporall do good while you may time passeth away liue mindfull of death After which you must yeeld account to the almightie Iudge howe you haue consumed your liues and goods In a word helpe to aduance and preferre schollers for If there be a Mecenas and furtherers of learning we shal quickly finde Virgils and Horaces to eternize your names and magnificence whereas on the contrarie if magnificence and hire of paines be
earnestly charge some of their most faithfull followers to admonish them of their ouersights at conuenient seasons Of Indulgence Chap. 48. INdulgence is a fond vaine foolish loue vsed most commonly of parents towards their children There is no vice so abhorred of wise men as this For they find by experience that mo youths haue bene cast away through their parēts indulgence then either through violent or naturall death Yea I haue heard sundry Gentlemen when they came to yeeres of discretion grieuously exclaime and bitterly complaine of their parents fondnesse saying Wee would to God that our parents had heretofore kept vs in awe and seuerity for now lacking that instruction which we ought to haue wee feele the smart thereof Vndoubtedly God wil one day demaund an account of them and examine them wherefore they respected not better their owne bowels Shall he blesse them with children and they through blind indulgence neglect their education Truly it is a miserable case In times past parents were wont to place their sonnes with wise gouernors requesting them not in any case to let them haue their owne willes But now adaies it falles out cleane contrary For parents in these times when they hire a scholemaster will first hearken after his gentle vsage and then they will question with him touching the small salary which they must pay him for his industry so that forsooth now and then to be mindfull of this vice Indulgence they accept of a sow-gelder or some pety Grammatist that will not sticke in a foole-hardy moode to breake Priscians pate With such a one they couenaunt namely that hee must spare the rodde or els their children will be spild Within a while after assoone as their indulgent Master hath taught them to decline Stultus Stulta Stultum as an adiectiue of three terminations they bring them out of hand into the Vniuersity and there diligently do enquire after a milde Tutour with whome their tender sonnes might familiarly and fellow-like cōuerse And what then Mary before a tweluemoneths end they send for them home againe in all post haste to visit their mammes who thought each day of their sonnes absence to bee a whole moneth There they bee made sucklings during the next twelue moneth Well now it is high time to suffer their ready dādlings to see new-fangled fashions at the Innes of Court Where being arriued they suite themselues vnto all sorts of company but for the most part vnto shriuers Caualeers and mad-cappes insomuch at the last it will be their friends hard happe to heare that their sweet sonnes are eyther pend vp in New-gate for their good deeds or haue crackt a rope at Tiburn This is the effect of Indulgence This is their false conclusion proceeding of their false premisses Now you must vnderstand that if the parents had not thus cockered 〈◊〉 their sonnes in their childhood 〈◊〉 caused them to be seuerely looked vnto they would not in the floure of their age haue come to such a miserable end In the Chronicle of the Switzers mētion is made of a certaine offendour whom vpon his arraignement his owne father was compelled to execute that so by the indulgent author of his life hee might come to his death Hither likewise may I referre that common story of a certaine woman in Flaunders who liuing about threescore yeeres agoe did so much pamper two of her sonnes that shee would neuer suffer them to lacke money yea shee would priuily defraud her husband to minister vnto them But at last she was iustly punished in them both for they fell from dicing and rioting to stealing and for the same one of them was executed by the halter the other by the sword she her selfe being present at their wofull ends whereof her conscience shewed her that her Indulgence was the onely cause This ought to be a liuely glasse to all parents to prouide for their childrens bringing vp and to purge them betimes of their wild and wicked humours least afterwards they proue incurable and of litle sprigs they become hard withered braunches In briefe O parents correct your childrē while they be young pluck vp their weedes while they beginne lest growing among the good seed they hinder their growth and permit them not so rathe of prentises to become enfranchised freemen In so doing you may be assured that they will easily be brought to study the knowledge of heauenly wisedome and to embrace ciuility the onely butte and marke wherat the godly vertuous do leuell especially for Gods glory for their owne commodity and for the goodnesse that thereby ensueth vnto the commonwealth in generall Of Pride Chap. 49. PRide is a bubbling or puffing of the minde deriued from the opinion of some notable thing in vs more thē is in others But why is earth ashes proud seeing that when a man dieth hee is the heire of serpents beasts wormes Who knoweth not that GOD closely pursueth proud men who doubteth that he thūdreth and scattereth them in the imaginations of their hearts that he putteth downe the mighty from their seates and exalteth the humble and meeke In somuch that he which is to day a king to morow is dead Wherefore O wight whosoeuer thou art that readest this booke lay aside thy Peacocks plumes and looke once vpon thy feet vpon the earth I mean wherehence thou camest though thou thinkest in thine heart that thou art equall with GOD yet thou art but a man and that a sinfull man In summe wish not lordly authority vnto thy selfe for hee that seeketh authority must forethinke how hee commeth by it and comming well by it how hee ought to liue in it and liuing well in it hee must forecast how to rule it and ruling discreetly hee must oftentimes remember his owne frailty Of Scurrility of Scoffing Chapt. 50. EVen as I greatly commend affability and pleasant iestes so I vtterly mislike and condemne knauery in iesting For toungs were not giuen vnto men to scoffe and taunt but rather to serue God and to instruct one another And as a litle fire may cōsume whole villages so in like manner the toung which is a kind of fire yea a world of calamity polluteth the whole body if it bee not refrained For which cause though there be some merry and conceited wit in a iest yet we must beware that we rashly bestow it not on them whom we afterwards would not for any thing offend Therefore the respect of time consideration of the person is necessary in lesting For we must not giue dry floutes at meales least we be accounted Ale-knights wee must not taunt cholericke men least they take it in ill part we must not deride simple felowes because they are rather to be pitied nor yet wicked persons for it behoueth to haue them rather punished then laught to scorne Whether Stageplayes ought to be suffred in a Commonwealth Chapt. 51. STageplaies fraught altogether with scurrilities and knauish pastimes are
must ordinarily vse equality amoÌ„g their children so neere as they may and not shew more affection to one then to another least thereby they prouoke theÌ„ to anger and desperation Of the duty of childrâ—â—â—â—wards their parentes Chapt. 12. THe first duty of children towards their parents is they obey them in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord. Also they must remember that the earthly father is the true representer of God the vniuersall father and therefore next after God to be had in reuerence The second duty of children towardes their parentes is that they endeuour by all means possible to asswage their parents anger Thirdly children must helpe their parents in their old age and supply their wantes with all necessary complements Of Brotherly loue Whether a man should preferre his friend before his brother Chap. 13. NOthing is more acceptable vnto the Lord theÌ„ that brethren should loue one another The which vndoubtedly by his soueraigne maiesty is ingrauen at our birth for we see the first occasion of this amity to be bred euen from our natiuity Therefore it is the duty of a brother not to bee angry or discouer the faults of his brother Further it is the part of a brother to loue his brother aboue all other for he may daily get many of this friendly mould and more if these faile but it is no more likely to get a new brother then to get an eye which is drawn out or an hand which is chopt off Hence springeth that question whether a maÌ„ should preferre his friend before his brother To this I aunswere negatiuely that he should not and especially for these two reasons First we are bound to follow nature if she leades vs not astray for who so euer followeth nature followeth God by whome she is directed therefore we are bound to loue our brethren aboue our friends seeing that by nature wee are chained with our brethren and whatsoeuer we bestow on them we bestow on our selues Whereunto soundeth that saying of the Poet Take heed that thou make not thy friend equall with thy brother Secondly the loue of brethren is better then the loue of friends for it includeth in it more then the other as for example when friends be at variaunce we see nothing left betwixt them but if brethren chaunce to disagree the knot notwithstanding of brotherhood in despight of them remaines stedfast moreouer a man being forsaken of all his parasitical friends is neuerthelesse of his brother as it were by a natural instinct receiued and comforted To bee briefe I exhort all brethren to assist one another with mutuall loue not to beleeue any whispering make-bates whose onely drift is to shift for themselues and to oppose not onely friend against friend but also for their owne priuate good to put brother against brother This exhortatioÌ„ of mine if brethren will embrace let them assure themselues that they shall enioy the felicity of the celestiall Paradise which is already prepared for them Of disobedient Sonnes Chap. 14. THe very Turkes theÌ„selues according to the second commauÌ„dement contained in their Alcoran do require such dutifull obedience of children towards their parents that they expresly forbid any vpon pain of death to gainsay them either in word or deed Besides it is an article of their beliefe that God will neuer forgiue them who are accursed of their parents Yea they assure theÌ„selues that no sorrow nor penitent contrition of mind is euer able to wash or do away the foule burthen of the parents curse Likewise the Popish Canonists do condemne theÌ„ as infamous which rebell against their parents What then shal we do that are reformed Christians shall we suffer the sonne to abuse the father to commence suit against him approbriously to endamage him no. God forbid We wil rather lead him to the magistrate who shall impose on him what punishment soeuer the father demaundeth Wee will stone him to death for his vnnaturall disobedience But suppose hee were left vnpunished would he not thinke you be cut off as an vnprofitable member by the iust iudgement of God would not his daies be shortned Yea yea he shall not only die in this world but also his body in the world to come shall alway be tormeÌ„ted in hot scalding lead and his soule for euer shall endure the horrible paines of hell We read in our English Chronicles that the sonne of Henry the secoÌ„d king of this land by the instigation of the French King tooke armes against his owne naturall father betwixt whom diuers mighty battels being fought the victory alwaies inclined to the father so that the disobedient rebellious sonne was enforced to desire peace which the father mercifully graunted and forgaue him his offence Howbeit notwithstanding God the aueÌ„ger of such abominable factes punished him for his disobedience by causing him to die 6. yeeres before his father A meet punishment no doubt for him seeing that he could not tarie till after his fathers death Further we heare that there was of late daies a certain man that dwelt in a village neere to Cambray who in a great fury threw his owne mother out of his house three times in one day and the third time told her in anger that he had rather see his house on fire then that she should abide there one day longer But mark the end It fortuned that on the very same day according to his speech his house was strangely fired quite consumed to ashes An euident signe assuredly of Gods displeasure The exaÌ„ples wherof I would to God might serue for a warning to all children if not to mollify yet at least to terrifie theÌ„ froÌ„ dealing crookedly peruersly with their pareÌ„ts whom God himself coÌ„mauÌ„ded to honor left here in this world as semblable images of himselfe The third Plant. Of the duty of masters toward their seruaunts Chap. 15. THe duty of Masters toward their seruaunts I comprise in sixe points First I counsell masters not to keepe any seruaunts in their houses that are giuen to swearing gaming whoring drinking or to any such notorious crimes Secondly I exhort masters to haue a speciall care that their seruaunts be catechized and taught in the word of GOD. Thirdly they must not make them labour on the Sabaoth day Fourthly they must see that their seruaunts lie not abroad in the nights Fiftly masters must grauely correct their seruants according to the quality of their faults least being let alone they waxe bold and so fall into worse courses Lastly masters must looke that their seruaunts receyue their wages or hires at due times Of the Sabaoth day Whether a master ought to set his seruaunts at worke on the Sabaoth day Chap. 16. THe Sabaoth both in the old new testament is sanctified and hallowed and in it magistrates townesmen and all men oâ— what quality soeuer they be must surceasâ— from working chiefly for foure
warre yet notwithstanding I wil by forcible reasons maintaine the contrary First it is written that the Israelites should warre against their enemies and not faint nor feare nor be amazed nor a-dread of them Secondly lawfull warres are named the battels of the Lord. Thirdly the Lord himselfe is a maÌ„ of warre Fourthly Saint Iohn Baptist confirmeth the lawfulnesse of warre in these wordes which he spoke vnto the souldiers Do no violeÌ„ce to any man neyther accuse any falsly and be content with your wages Fiftly Cornelius a Captaine was so fauoured of God that he receyued the holy Ghost Sixthly the Magistrate carieth not the sword in vaine Seuenthly it is lawfull for any man to defend himselfe For reason teacheth that it is lawfull to repell force offred to our liues and to our persons with force To conclude it is lawfull for one people to assault another so that it it bee either to get their owne againe or els to punish reuolters Howbeit neuerthelesse I counsell warre to be practized as a last and desperat medicine which without very vrgent occasion ought neuer to be applied What warres be most lawfull Chap. 65. THose warres be most iust whereto we are constrained and with good coÌ„scieÌ„ce may we take armes when there is no safetâ—â— for vs but in armes To this an anciet Bishop subscribeth saying That fortitude which defendeth a mans countrey from forrayne enemies or sustaineth the desolat and oppressed is perfect iustice Moreouer the holy Ghost by many testimonies of Scripture declareth such warres to bee lawfull The iniury which is done to Ambassadours ministreth lawfull cause for Princes to take armes in hand Therefore K. Dauid made war with the Ammonits for that they villanously misused the messengers which he sent to comfort the youÌ„g king of AmmoÌ„ for his fathers death Most iust likewise was that warre which king Richard the first of this Realme made with the Infidels for the recouery of the holy land And surely it is a meritorious and religious deed that Christian Princes should vnite their forces together and proclaime warres against the Trukes who to their great shame haue now welnigh conquered all Hungary are at the very gates of Germany and consequently or all Christendome this peril how long soeuer it is deâ—ferred doubtles is like to happen Suppose our Christian Princes could do no other good but keepe back the Turkes forces from further inuasions would not this be a meanes to restore and reuiue the dismembred estate of ChristeÌ„dome Yea certainely To that end I constantly auerre that it is lawfull to warre prouided still that the determination be not to put to death any that will be brought to the true knowledge of the Gospell For it is not with swords but with words not with constraint but with coÌ„ference that misbeleeuers are become conuerted That before we begin warres preparation is to be made of sufficient necessaries thereto belonging Chap. 66. TO the execution of warres three things are needfull prouision men and adnice Vnder prouision I comprehend armour money victuals Touching armour I would haue an indifferent company of weapoÌ„s prepared both for horsmen and footmen as artillery powder bullets billes pikes launces bowes and arrowes plated doublets iackets of male and such like Next money must be gotten without the which nothing can be done as it ought to be And if they fight with siluer speares they will conquer all Money being gotten it is meete that victuals be prouided seeing through want thereof souldiers will bee ouercome without stroke Against other euils there are cures but there is no striuing against hunger herehence proceed mutines despaires infectious sicknesses and innumerable kinds of calamities Hauing forethought of prouision it is also necessary that men should bee mustered and chosen out For if there be a mighty hoste of men in the field what towne or countrey is not willing to welcome them In like maner the Captaine generall must forecast whether horsemen would serue his turne better then footemen This question being well discussed the Generall must take aduice with his chiefe and wisest Lieftenaunts concerning the successe of the warres For what King going to make warre with another King sitteth not downe first and taketh counsell whether he be able with ten thousand to meete him that coÌ„meth against him with twenty thousand or els while hee is yet a-great way off he sendeth an ambassage and desireth peace The dueties of a Generall Chap. 67. IN a Generall seuen things are required First that he be religious and deuout for theÌ„ if he with Iosuah say Sunne stay thou in Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon the Sunne wil abide and the Moone will stand still vntill he be auenged vpon his enemies Secondly a Generall must be a man of authority by reason that nothing is more auailable in the ordering of battels then authority Thirdly he ought to be temperate for how can he gouerne others that cannot rule his owne affections Fourthly he must be well experienced that he may see how the enemy lieth what way is best eyther to prouoke the enemy or to defend himselfe Fiftly a Generall must be witty and well spoken because souldiers minds will be sooner inflamed to fight by sweet exhortations then by all the trumpets in the world Sixtly he must be couragious and valiant that he may giue the first onset when any bickering is at hand and shew the way to others Lastly a Generall ought to be very well seene in Philosophy specially in Geometry otherwise he will neuer be able either to incampe himselfe to find out the enemy or to coÌ„ceiue the scituation of places as for example how the champion fields are couched together how the valleys hang how broad the marishes be how the mountaines are lift vp Of the choyse of Souldiers Chap. 68. THere be six notes to discerne a good souldiour The first is that he be an honest maÌ„ The second that he be stroÌ„g and valiant The third that he be constant patient The fourth that if it be possible he be a Gentle-man borne the reason is because most commonly he is more easily trained for the warres and will scorne to yeeld himselfe vanquished to the enemy The fift marke of a souldier is that he be nimble actiue and not of a fat or grosse body lest like a carters iade he founder and fal downe The sixt a souldier ought to be chosen from seueÌ„teene yeeres old to sixe and forty But in my opinion elderly souldiers are more apt fit to go to the warres then young men by reason that they are lesse mutinous and better able to endure Whether the straunger or the home-borne subiect ought to be preferred Chap. 69. IF we coÌ„sider the cause froÌ„ wheÌ„ce proceeded the late destructioÌ„ of Italy we shall find that the calling in of the Switzers and Frenchmen to aide it turned