Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A11779
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The Belgick souldier vvarre vvas a blessing.
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Scott, Thomas, 1580?-1626.
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1624
(1624)
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STC 22071; ESTC S116965
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21,486
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44
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THE BELGICK SOVLDIER VVARRE VVAS A BLESSING 2. CHRON. 33. 7. Be strong and couragious feare not neither be afraid for the King of Ashur neither for all the multitude that is with him for there be mo with vs then is with him Printed 1624. THE BELGICK SOVLDIER VVarre was a Blessing WHen Athanatius opposed the multitude of Arrian Bishops it seemed so dangerous to the established gouernment of the Empire that his castigation was threatned by expulsion or feare Yea Liberius that tooke his part was checked by the Emperours owne letters for affecting the opinion of that wicked man But when againe his faire demeanour and religious constancy drew away the veile of superstition ignorance and heresie whereby the Emperours eyes were opened to reioyce in the sunny splendor of truth Constantine admitted him within his embraces and all those adherents of Arrius were confounded by their owne wilfulnes Thus hath it fared with all innouations yea Christ himselfe was subiect to traducing for abolishing those ceremonies on which the Iewes were besotted for prophesing against that Temple about which the Priests were so pussled and for preaching the doctrine of saluation against which the people were so enraged and yet in the end they that were not credulous of his doctrine and miracles when he was aliue beleeued a few Fisher-mens reports after he was dead Thus must I needs incurre the displeasure of time seruers the scoffs and dirision of Papists and the repining of Hispanolised English when I goe about to proue that warre hath beene better then peace and the Common-wealth and religion of England haue had their fame and propagation by opposing Antichrist and in plaine termes must recouer her ecclipsed prosperitie reputing Spaine our opposite Concerning whom let me remember what is reported of Caesar who hearing of the death of a Roman Souldier that had liued merrily and securely yet dyed greatly in debt and mens dangers he desired to buy his bed and pillow deeming some rare vertue to be therein whereon a man could sleepe so soundly that liued in so manifest trouble So though I desire no pillow nor bed from vnder the King of Spaine yet with Caesar I protest there is some wonder of nature belongs to him that can sleepe at all hauing so many encombrances to wrastle with and intricate sedgy weedes of disturbances to winde out of For euer since Phillip the seconds marriage with England and that the ambitious humor in being an Emperours sonne swelled beyond the degrees of comparison with other Princes how hath Spaine bestird himselfe to the affrighting of Europe and moued of purpose out of his owne faire and serend element to looke on his neighbours with retrograde aspects in contrarious orbes so that other Kings may demaund what hath Spaine to do in most of the Prouinces of Europe which at this instant toucheth France and England so neere that they had need deale with him as Henry the 8 did of famous memory At first by reason of consanguinity yet personall mariages doe not rule Princes affaires he ioyned with the Emperour against France and by his anxiliary forces Charles the 5 not onely expulsed the French out of Italy but at last sacked Rome and tooke the Pope and his Cardinalls prisoners as he had done the French King at the battell of Pauy but as he was running away with these aduantages King Henry looked about him and entertained a kinde of ielousie against his greatnesse as suspecting what an ambitious conquerour might effect whereupon by degrees he retracted supposing it high time to rebate his insolency and lay as it were a cooling card vpon his forwardnesse So not onely the French King was releiued but Pope Clement ransomed If it be thus and that there is a kinde of polliticall necessitie among Princes to watch the affaires of one another I hope it is now time to looke vpon Spaines intrusions and not onely prouide for our selues but releeue our neighbours least we haue more dangerous neighbours then we either desire or shall be able to preuent But if we be sensible of present losses wrongs disgraces affronts and intollerable indignities let vs rouse vp our selues and redeeme our lost time with quick and seasonable remedies and if peace haue abused vs let warre a Gods name repaire our credits and restore our decay There is no poison against nature but may be countermanded by an antidote Yea it is an axiome in Philosophy that preuenting Phisicke is better then curing and the law of preseruation is incident to all creatures But heere me thinkes some couetuous wretch churlish Farmer scurrulous Lawyer or temporising parasite may interiect these doubts 1. Whether we haue sufficient occasion or no to fall out with Spaine 2. How shall a warre be maintained 3. Where the seate of this warre shall be 4. Who shall be called to our assistance 5. And last of all Whether the Countrey be willing and able to such a designement To all which I answer directly the State or Councell of warre must deside these things For as it is in Martiall affaires let the Generall be neuer so wise and the Commanders neuer so valiant yet when proiects of consequence are proposed a Martiall Court is called and an orderly debating the matter concludeth for the best So I referre this busines to the directer of princes hearts and the instrumentall cause of a countries prosperity wise councellors And I pray all true hearted Englishmen let this my discourse discouer my good intents as for other difficulties I referre them to good successe But because mony is the sinews of the war and that hereat is our stop and repining I answer the objector Why should we be more vnfortunate now then we haue beene the warre hath brought vs in treasure and why should we now dispaire or terrefie one another with suspition or dishartning questions When the Scripture tells vs that if Dauid will be ruled by Ioab and come to the taking of Rabbah the Kings Crowne shall be set on his head which weighed a tallent of gold full of precious stones besides the spoile of the Citty which was in exceeding great aboundance As for the deceites of peace and those bewitching flatteries of pollitick insinnuation let it be the Spaniard or whom it will we must not trust either a reconciled enemy or a dissembling friend But to come to the purpose and some illustration in the defence of warre He that pleaded for peace Tully himselfe I meane and cryed out in an insulting brauery that the armed cassocks must giue way to the Senators gownes yet saies plainely that warrs may be vndertaken either for the propulsing of iniuries or procuring of peace not so much to giue way to reuenge as to keepe other princes in a good opinion that we know what is wrong and when it is time to redresse iniuries I could say that warre sometimes may be vndertaken for enlarging Dominions As Salomon made all his neighbour Prouinces tributary vnto him and so he