bounds of a long iourney and the Gate that leads to the beginning of a longer life that sends us rather born againe then dead unto a glorious house of endlesse light This is to man from prison a relcase and a free passage to life wanting death this way the whole flock of the Fathers went and all must follow them what man is he that having once begun a race to run desires not instantly the goale to gaine who by night wandring in the stormy Sea refuseth shelter in a quiet Port What exile straying or'c the Desert Hills of a strange Countrey will bee discontent into his own to make a quick returne I therefore having overpast my way suppose my selfe come to the very goale Now almost quitted from the sea of life I view the Haven from a forraign soyle home I return to see my heavenly father that father who with waters bounds the earth invested earth with Heaven he that rules the certain courses of the moving Sphear who only all things made guides and preserves to whom all things both quick and dead doe live even as the flame it's Globes doth upwards roll waters perpetually downw•rd• fall and all things do proceed to their own foment my 〈◊〉 from heavendeso•nded labours now a habitation in eternall light 〈◊〉 gaine with him that all things did create whom not to see is death life to behold If Caucasus rough-growne with hoary frost the Ayre with Tempests and the Sea with stormes and the whole Region with excessive heate should all resist me thither I would goe to see so many Leaders Prophers Kings and pious Iudges shall I not make way though with a thousand deaths I be oppos'd My spirit therefore from this body freed this carnall prison thither longs to flye Even whither all the world betimes or late shall be dispatch'd For long life I conceive is nothing but a gentle Servitude in a hard painfull prison O sweet death that art of heavy Toyles the sole Release the Haven where all grief and trouble cease yet unto few men profitable known Receive this shipwrackt body in thy bosome and bring it where eternall peace abides whither no impious violence deceit or ealumny shall follow it Chor. O thou thrice happy in this constancy of mind O wretches that we are whom foolish feare debarres the sweet Society and sight of true felicity Then since thou hold it what's needfull to be done to thee we wish eternall health and Farwell How are the minds of men in wayes unlike turn'd by discordant strite of no offence he that is guilty doth not feare to dye he that deserves to dye if with vaine threats death lightly greet him with degenerate feare growes pale and trembles As the wicked wight shunnes death with heavy heart so he that's good of death des••ous thorough flames and flouds o're deveous Rocks all dangers and E•••remes freely precipitates his noble Soule For sundry benefits to death belong to evill men unknowne a happy life is Fates Associate neither doe the Good totally dye but still their better part contemnes the greedy fire and Mounts aloft to its own Country Heaven Amongst the Saints a certain Habitation doth attend soules that are harmlesse but the guilty G••ost by snake haird Furies in a brimstone lake with greedy C•rberus his hungry I• wes and Tan•alus with plenty never fill'd is evermore affrighted gnawne and whipt from hence comes feare to evill men from thence good hope to good men even while their mindes appeating prodigall of brittle breath hasten to prosecute unfading life O •yren potent in bewitching baits Life that abhorring goodnesse dost affect what's fraudulent and with thy flattering might precludst the neighbout passage of our sinnes and shutst the Haven of perperuall peace Where neither Martiall clamor doth affright nor Trumpets with hoarse clangor doe 〈◊〉 nor pilling pi••tes terifie by •e• nor cruell theives beset the silent grove nor my one made 〈…〉 Felix that alone with pleasant case he may himselfe besot the poore and weakeore-whelmes with bloudy flaughter neither he that for vaine Titles may exchange the lives of the rude Commons but where simple vertue with faire prosperity and tranquill rest possesseth all and day can never learne to end in darknesse nor life ever know of any fi•erall nor Ioy of griefe O thou sweet freindship of this carnall house and thou too lovely prison of our life Now now at length free from bewitching Bonds the heaven-borne soule of man which too unmindefull of her owne Country joyfull in the yoke of her d•generate foule nuptiall bed and with somniferous I ethe• poysoning sloth inebriated in thy lapthou huggst O thou deceitfull covering of day into thy ashes vanishing returne That to her country Heaven the soule reslord may fill it selfe with becames of purest light So from all sorrow shee shall be enlargd And of all troubles thou by death dischargd The Fifth part The Queene The Rabine Malchus hath my hopes beguilde and Herod hath himself with mee his Queene fearing the rumors of the babling crew through his owne yanity alike betrayd Next for my daughter what shee may effect I greatly feare the King did promise herat his great banquet that he would reward her danceing feates which gave him high content with whatsoever shee of him should aske Now unto mee the girle hath past her word that shee would aske of him none other boone but in a dish to have the Baptists head And she will have it certainly shee will If Horods mind be not to me unknown The peoples hatred I conceive on mee hee will divert himselfe remaining free And I will beare it when the deed is done and with willing heart with joy of my revenge weighing their hate and with my gaine my staine For women to be cruell 'tis a shame a shame indeed unlesse more shame it were that of such nature there are many Kings But H•rod and my daughter doe appeare the ncor•r my hope is my feare the 〈…〉 doth burne Herod Daughter Queene Her And hast thou 〈◊〉 sufficiently 〈…〉 Daught 〈…〉 enough and royal Her• Never fear things that are 〈◊〉 establish• with my faith and before witnesses aske halfe my kingdome it shall be thine no power can avert him that is willing Daugh We shall shortly see what thing it i• Hero 'Tis certain ask it now Daugh Your Kingdome Sir I need not which I deeme even as mine own while you possesse the Crown as if I held the Scepter but I aske a thing both meet and easie Hero Thou thy selfe not I art in the fault thou hast it not Daugh Give me the Bapists head then in this Charger Hero What words are these by thee so rashly vented Daugh Not rashly neither Hero Thou demand'st a gift that ill become a Virgin Daugh To destroy an enemy is no uncomly deed Hero Is therefore he an enemy and worthy of a Kings wrath Daugh He's worthy of such wrath who by his crimes deserves it Hero What redresse may I then
purchase for the peoples hate Daugh The people must obey and Kings command Hero 'Tis a Kings duty iust things to command Daugh Kings by commanding may make those things iust which were before uniust Hero But Kings commands the Law doth moderate Daugh If that be right which pleaseth Princes then they rule the Lawes •ot the Lawes them Hero Then for a King a Tyrant the people will divulge me Daugh But your Scepter keeps them in awe Hero It doth and yet they'l babble Daugh Such babbling Sir by punishment severe is brid•ed Hero Kingdomes are ill kept with feare Daugh And Kingdomes by impunity of crimes are easily subverted Hero Yet we finde Kings are securest in the Cities faith Daugh It is not needfull that a King be lov'd but fear'd Hero The cruell are or• whelm'd with hate Daugh A gentle King the Vulgar do• despise Qu. My Lord all you have pleaded only tends in my opinion that your promise past in vaine may passe away as yet me thinks you do not know the duties of a King if th•se things which the common sort •uppose hone•t and otherwise you for a King bel•eve to be the same King Herod erres Brothers and sisters fathers sonnes in law friends kindred Citizens and adverse parties are bonds for poor men but vaine words for Kings Let him that on his head once puts a Crowne put from him all degrees of Common duty let him judge all things honest that conduce to a Kings benefit and hold no fact to be unseemly that he shall effect for his ow•e safety on the King depends the peoples welfare Whosoever then to wards his Prince is pious hath regard unto the pecples welfare shall the blood of this base fellow be so highly prizd that for anxietie by day nor night you can repose release us of this feare of shame your Scepter and of waste your City of rapine Armes and all of civill warre 'Tis fit by an example new and great you should ordein that Kingdomes to all men be sacred and inviolably stand he has committed an ungracious act and by that let him perish if no crime he has committed let him seeke for me• Give to your Queene her enemy your Queene if you neglect yet as a King and father your promise to your daughter see performd Her That Promise to performe with my best faith I am determind but if my advice the •i•le doe aske more wisely shee will wish Qu. But if shee aske my counsell yours my Lord she may not change or take Her Is't even so should I so unadvised have made a vow thus to a foolish girle my faith obligd and thus committed to a womans ha•ds my Kingdome safety treasure life and death Qu. Kings promises let certaine truth confirme Her Well fith I may not what I may deny againe I doe admonish and intreat let not wrath urge you to a bloudy act unworthy of your dignity and sex Qu. Grant this and leave all other things to us Her If of the Prophet you determi•e ought more rigourous the perill blame and shame is only yours Qu. Now shall we vindicate our royall dignity in future times to be of none derided now I'l force the flubborne people to speake well of Kings or learne it to their grief and make them hold that all their Kings commands they gladly must beare and obey though never so unjust Chorus Cho. O thou great City where King David reign'd you Towers of wealthy Salomon and Salem from whence against thy Prophets doth arise a rage so terrible and cruell thrist of blood so innocent unhappy thou whom it becomes to be a pattern rule or helme of pi•ty art now become the only mirror of a wicked life Slaughter with violence fraud theft and rapine are thy chiefe exercise no Godly zeale perswades the Churchman to restraine his hands from horrible deceits the people now forsake the Lord that all things did create and worship Idols for God stone and wood with Calves and Lambes their Altars are still hot and Images the workman doth adore which hee himself hath wrought life he requires of a meere stock and eloquence he craves of a dumb stone the rich intereats the poore the Lo••• the Servant ancient Rites are lost The guiltlesse Prophets blood brings thee perforce to the Tribunall of the greatest Iudge The poore exclaime and widowes fill the ayre with their complaints for which the fearfull paine of just revenge attends the• unlesses • be in my divination much de•eiv'd for he• that throwes down insolence and pride being the 〈◊〉 of Neaven Earth and Seas views from above th'oppressed peoples teares their heav•e prayers never doth forget and speedily with a 〈◊〉 arme will punish thy unspeak•ble misdeeds And over 〈◊〉 thy Towers where with thou swelst in silent victor-like The barbarous foe shall all thy Buildings Farmes and Lands possesse The V•neyard Keeper shall repaire his fruit to am Out 〈◊〉 Master And where now Salomons Temple high towards Heaven do th•ise • foraign ru•tick shall his harvest make O therefore while Gods favour to rep••• affords thee respit of thy ill pa•t life the sinnes 〈…〉 a move those fruitlesse Images of foreigne Rites Cu•b thy proph••e desire of wretched wealth and greedy thirsting for thy Brot••rs blood But thou wilt not repent thy ill past lif• 〈…〉 Rites amove nor shun the greedy thirst of brothers blood not one profane desire of wretched wealth A vicious P•ague shall therefore fe•se on thee Famine and warre with barrennesse 〈◊〉 want shall over whelm thee no• to be withstood till thou be quitted with dese••ed blood Nuncius Cho••s Nun. Where may I finde O who will tell me where The Prophets followers that I may relate my heavy tydings Ch• Stay your pace a while 〈…〉 in briefe for what you beare I gladly would pertake Nun. O but to know what you to know desire 'twill not delight you Cho. Yet your short abode think not too long how ere the master stands Nun. Know you what boone the Daughter of our King hath beg'd of him Cho. To have the Prophets head given her in a Charger Nun. And his head even so shee hath obtaind Cho. O horrible and most inhumane act that heavenly vigour and comly countenance by rigorous death is utterly decayed and cruell force with ever during silence hath shut up those lips that did abound with sacred vertue Nun. why weepe you cease to poure out vaine complaints Cho. When things to be bewaild I see and heare why should I not bewaile them Nun. If death be to be bewaild let us bewaile the dead whose hopes doe with their bodyes lye interrd who doe not thinke their short sleep being done their bones must rise again and there remaines another life Let wretched men bewaile those that are dead and only wretched liv'd None can be made by fortune miserable though the like and of mortall life betide the innocent and guilty good and bad no man shall die ill that hath lived well If by the severall manners of their ends you judge men miserable you will thinke so many holy fathers to be such who dyed by fire or water sword or crosse for him that dyed Defender of the truth both for Religion and his Countrey Lawes in all good things pursuing wee should pray and wish to have like end or funerall day Cho. Verily you have uttered nought amisse but we whom errors and opinion draw foolish by flying death with death doe meet the water drowning whom the fire hath spard And by the power of contagious ayre others are killd that have escap'd the sea And some that in the battell have surviv'd with sicknesse pyning die God doth ordeine wee may deferre but not our deaths eschew And daily wee delay our houres of death yet with Diseases danger troubles griefe Long life is nothing but a brittle chaine Of diuturnall evill which is knit With a contiuall course and speedy race Even to the bounds of death Not doe wee hold Bound with this bond our selves to bee inthral'd In misery but feare the fatall knife With deeper horror then a servile life FINIS
with ire weep and exclaime and sharply reprehend but no reliefe by wrath or teares I gaine for all my words are scattered by the winde Mal. If with your husband a meet power you had would he have born your wrongs thus unrevenged Or rather may I speak more truly his Qu. Thou feest the people how they be inclinde Perhaps by this imprisonment the King The Baptists eager spirits think to •uaile and to allay his boldnesse Malch If you suppose imp•isonment and bonds Can bridle the fierce spirit of this thiefe Your Highnesse erres The rage of savage beasts That break their Dens and libertie regain Is much more vehement them theirs that range In woods or desert Mountaines Being freed What will not he attempt Whose •etters now the people reveren•e wrath once •rovokd is kindled not a•laid by taunts and scorn the haughty spirit is 〈◊〉 f•ry bor• Qu. This benefit should rather quench it quite For that by royall mildnesse he is free Who by his own perversnesse might have perished Mal. What your esteem a benefit he holds an injury and will more oft remember that you imprison'd him then set him free Qu. A rough and crabbed na•ure thou relat'st Malch This in most men is naturally graff'd What favour you afford is quickly lost but what disfavor no man doth forget Good turnes if born in memory with bad All men well neere doe hate Think that the Baptist as oft as he remembers your Desert will not his crime forget and still believe he is not loo•e from that But in your thoughts a guilty man by soule ambi•ion freed His paine remitted and you wrath supprest but for a time Qu. Yet courtesie prevailes to mitigate fierce natures Malch What with long use is hardned to the worst We much more easily may break then bend Qu. What doe you then advise me in this case Malch I'le shew you quickly may I be believ'd Qu. And what your counsell I will not delay Malch By seeking agitating and providing not fitting still great things are brought to passe Qu. If seeking agitating and providing nought may availe 'tis better to sit still then to make work in vaine and be to others a mocking stock Malch Where strength oft cannot labour overcomes a tall Oake is not suddenly born down nor does the warring Ram at one assault overthrow the wals what often you suppose cannot be finished is in time dispatched• And importunity doth overcome what reason sometimes cannot therefore seeke solicite Herod mingle teares with suite wrath with monitions flattring words with brawles work and intreat him by what meanes you can embracing all occasions every where But if by such plaine course you cannot speed set snares and use deceit for mine own part I am resolv'd untill we finde successe in our desig•ments never to desi•t Cho. Envie at length and bitter grie•e incens'd by impious F•ries on this pious Prophet have cas• the venome of their cruelty from thence fierce calum•ny and false de•raction joyned with fell cruelty by cursed fraud maintaine the battell from hence harmlesse truth s•pported by no guard their threats contemnes So many weapons doe one head assault so many su•tle drifts doe menace death to this young man yet like the hardy Holme with North-east wi•ds assaulted or a Rock that's •eaten by the Seas returning flood •e with no fear is mov'd O power divine by all men to be hono•'d candid Truth whom neither force of armes with trembling feare nor fraud with all her projects can depell from her firme station or unmov'd estate The grievous changes of unstable fortune th•u only fearest not and dost arme thy breast obnoxious to no chances with a strength insuperable and th•• impartiall hand of the three Ladies both of life and death for bidst us to begriev'd at But this Prophet I am too slow to meet with and relate the ruthful'st newes that ever pierc'd his eares yet see he stands before the prison doore O thou more holy then thy holy Parents and th'only •cred it of old innocence Now for thy safetie in due time provide The Rabine Malchus privately intends deceit against thee and King Herods wife unwitting what to doe is almost mad The Courtiers flatter her the King diffembles what he conceives and others twixt the teeth mutter as those that dare not speak the truth Now is your finall perill Ioh. And what's that Cho. To escape death you shall have much to doe Ioh. Of eminent evills I hold that the sum Cho. Then which none greater can a man befall Ioh. As Tyrants power and deceit may cease Times length may bear it of its own accord Which evill men do f•ar good men do wish Cho. But your own safety though you doe neglect consider ours and that high spirit of yours a while remitting sue for Herods mercy and make some friends I hope he will not prove inexorable Ioh. Doe not I doe this Cho. That minde God grant you Ioh. To sue there's no need for that minde •ath been long now with my blood the Tyrant hasts to satisfie his wrath Neither doe I rcsist how am I able rather to pacifie this bloody King Then when the same things we will not and will Cho. Good words I pray Ioh. Why then report you thus and thus advise me ••y there are two Kings and they on both sides two things bid me doe that be repugnant The one King is earthly cruell and mischievous who threatens death and hath a power my body to destroy The other heavenly mercifull and milde forbids me death to fear and a reward proposeth to my tourage being able in flames inevitable to torment body and soule Now seeing these two Kings doe differ in command give mee advice wh•ther I ••all obey Cho. If now •ccasion offerd you omir Herod will never after be appeas'd but God is ever easie to be pleas'd Ioh. Gods anger the more gently it doth rage the more severely punishment req•ires being once mov'd Cho. So death which God would have all mortals feare doe you disdaine the body with the soule he in a mutuall bond of love hath knit lest unadvisedly some cause be offred that may their holy fellowship disjoyne Ioh. Death I disdain nor but by momentany shun that erernall and the use of light which God hath given me at his command I willingly surrender Cho. Will you then being a Parent thus forsake your Orphans Ioh. He who believes that God his Father is shall never •eean Orphan Cho. Can the teares of all your friends and kindred whom you leave unto a spightfull Tyrant move you nothing Ioh. I leave them not but they mee rather leave for truly unto death I run the way from the beginning of the world ordain'd yea all men that enioy the gift of life are born to die and and wee are all restrain'd with one con•ition we tend all to death and thither every day doth surely lead us God will have death a pennance to the bad and to the good a Port the utmost
Tyrannicall-Government ANATOMIZED OR A DISCOVRSE Concerning EVIL-COUNCELLORS BEING The Life and Death of JOHN the Baptist AND Presented to the KINGS most Excellent MAJESTY by the Author Die Martis 30. Januarii 1642 IT is Ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons concerning Printing That this Book be forthwith printed and published Iohn VVhite London Printed for JOHN FIELD 16•• The Collocutors and Complaynants or Persons speaking Malchus Pharise Gamaliel Pharise Iohn the Baptist Chorus or a company of Iewes King Herod The Queene Herodias The Queens Daughter Nuntius or the Messenger The life and death of JOHN the BAPTIST The first part Malchus Gamaliel Rabines Malchus O This old wretched Age the neighbouring bounds of our last breath and you unhappy Fates long life on us have you bestowed for this or for these uses That we should behold our Temples lewdly cursedly defil'd our holy things prophan'd our Country slav'd the Reliques of our Fame which none might enter broken before me and the sacred gold rent from the posts what ere the greedy will of stern Gabinius could by Rapine gaine or Anthonies luxurious power exhaust all's lost and we have been a mocking stock which I abhorre to heare much more to speake to Cleopatra's gluttonous desires and lest we should not be in every part disgrac'd and vilified we now are brought under a cruell King the Nephews Son of halfe Arabian Artipater Iudaea serves an Idumaean Tyrant while an Arabian Lord in Sion Reigns Gods people and Ierusalem a man prophane and impious yet in this distresse among so many wounds of raging chance some sparks of ancient honor did remain a pattern of our Countries Discipline such as it is which by our foes themselves is to be reverenc'd the furious Victor and no small number of his purpled Court began to dignifie the Jewish Lawe• We w••h t•is h•pe •efresht though well neere tyr'd with misery had hardly taken heart to re-advance our heads when out alas a hainous matter which we never fear'd did suddenly arise a new Baptizer whose Pa•entage is holy who was bred among strange worships but by Nation ours by Stock a Levite given unto God even from his infant cradle being Son of an High-Priest and shortly to receive that dignity himself unlesse he chuse rather to taste false glories bitter fruit then honors harvest in due time to reape He therefore keeping in the desert soyle deceives with shew of sanctity severe the simple people cloath'd in skins of beasts his haire uncomb'd and feeding Savage like by which delusions he draws the lookes of all men towards him the common sort being poss•st with ignorant beliefe that a new Prophet to the world is sent And now unto himselfe he hath reduced an Army of the vulgar following him Him only now the people all admire leaving their Cities Noblemen and Kings honor and feare him where he past with pride through the madnesse of the multitude new laws gives like another Moses cleansing crimes with water and presumes our ancient laws with new Rites to adulterate and rends the Fathers with reproaches to enjoy the peoples mad affection with more ease who give him gentle hearing but if none himself oppose against this theifes attempts raging and ranging with bold insolence That sanctity throughout the world renown'd will soon expire nay it expireth now or rather hath expired Gam Men of our calling must do nothing rashly mildnesse becomes milde Fathers to young men if through temerity they go astray a pardon may be given but a fault by one of us committed no excuse to vaile it can pr•vaile Be calme a while this rage appease and let your sorrow slaked Ma•ch Then you Gamaliel as it seems approve this cursed Caitiffs actions Gam Malchus no I neither do approve nor yet condemn• before I know the matter that concerns this new-come Prophet who is not a man so far as I can hear so full of ill nor to be so opprest with publick hate Malch O Stars O Heaven O Earth that wicked wretch wants not a Patron here that can uphold his manners to be good Gam Who vice reproves good manners teaching leads the way himself which unto others plainly he directs can you perswade me that this man is naught Malch He that our Laws contemnes new Sects doth teach besides new Ritts reviles our Magistrates and our high Priests with calumny pursues can you perswade me that this man is good Gam If we were equally against our selves Judges austere and milder towards others then we are oftentimes our heynous crimes would lye more open unto publike view and sharpe reproaches howsoever we flatter our selves and are proclaimed bles• reputed by the common people Saints chast pious and upright but of us all none from t•e greatest fault was ever free Malch Gamaliel that these things may be true is•t lawfull for a vulgar man to rayle against a Prelate Let the people hear yielding obedience and sober live refuse no reyns by him upon them cast he can reduce the vulgar if they are to the right way let him be as a law unto himselfe but if in ought he chance to go astray the wicked God doth see and sharply punish Gam And do you conceive this Law is j•st Malch I do indeed Gam And why blind ignorance and want of skill Malch Because rashnesse and error commonly are found as proper and peculiar to the vulgar Gam He that to Prin•es wisdom gives not place is often taken from the vulgar thrung Malch But give we place then in this chair to shepheards Gam Moses a shepheard was and David too Malch They were taught all things by the spirit of God Gam He that taught them can also tutor this Malch Will God instruct him and relinquish us Gam God neither Scepter parents noble stock beauty nor Kingly riches doth respect but hearts that no contagion of deceit of lust or cruelty doth once pollute The holy spirit in this Temple rests Malch Surely Gamaliel to confesse a truth you seeme to me of •ate by your opinion a plain approver of that wicked Sec• I can no longer smother what I think seeing you do such things as are unworthy both of your Ancestors and of your selfe you that of all the rest ought to defend do chiefly our authority offend and that in favour of a mad young man For Gods sake tell me Whats your tryalls hope what profit do you seeke to get by this Perhaps hee'l give you honor or great wealth who •tterly destroyes our orders honor and labours to undoe us Gam Truely Malchus you shoot far from the marke that you suppose we can defend our dignity with pride and arrogancy or with strength of Arms our parents were not by such means advanced Malch Our ancient Laws and Orders more bec•me us that are ancient and let each one live according to the manner of his time Gam But rather good things good men still become Malch If wee had any of our fathers spirit Gam Our fathers