perish The Argument is this God wil in his wisedome appoint his time for the dispatch death of Saul therefore I may not ne will intermeddle in this action against Saul as though he should in the name and person of God thus say If Saul haue offended the iudgement is mine against mine annointed I am and so am called the God of reuengement Psal 94. Rom. 12. Reuengement is mine I will repay Ergo I wil be no reuenger neither wil I vsurp that office which pertaineth to God What neede I or you Abishai or any other hasteÌ„ the death of a Prince which is set downe in the booke of foreknowledge by God himselfe and cannot be preuented by any mortal man or anie wates altered No fate or destiny no constellation no fortune or chaunce no cunning of star-tooters or figure-flingers no conspiracy of number no strength of confederates no counsailes or polices of wise men can change the Prognostication or Almanacke of God which is that Saul and we al Prince people Magistrate and priuate men young and old man and woman good and bad all must die but not when we will nor when friend or foe wil but as God in his fatal book hath written it downe The consequence and congruity of Dauids Protestation thus explaned I pray you marke these notes First our mortality generally incident to vs al high lowe which is woorth the noting at al times 1. Note death common to al. Gen. 3.2 Reg. c. 14 especially in the time of these new and straunge diseases assaulting vs. The general sentence is that Adam is Adam stil hee came from dust and shal return to dust again that we dy al and as water slide away Who liueth Psal 88. Hebr. 9.2 Cor. 5. and shal not see death It is a statute and decree that men must dy once We know that our earthly house of this tabernacle shall be destroied In this declaration our Dauid is very copious particularly for himselfe and generally for vs all Psal 39. Behold thou hast made my daies as a-hand breadth mine age is as nothing before thee Psal 102. surely euery man is altogether vanity And again My daies are like a shadowe and I am whithered like grasse What is a shadow but the defect and priuation of light and then what is the life of man but death The same vanity of man is painted out liuely in the hundred and third Psalme by comparing vs to grasse and to a flower of the field Esaie 40. 1. Pet. 1. as we haue also in Esay and Peter Dauid is not alone mortal as you haue heard but al Ortus cuncta suos repetunt matremque requiruÌ„t Et redit adnihilum quod fuit antenihil The effect is that all must returne to the Mother from whence they came In Boeoticiâ— A figure of this is declared by Pausanias AmoÌ„g the gifts and oblations of Apollo there was couÌ„terfatted after the imitation and resemblance of the old works in brasse one Image the flesh was clean gone from the skin so that there remained nothing but bones They say that Hippocrates the Physition did dedicate this at Delphos Phaylus captaine of the Phocensians in his sleepe dreamed Hippocrates naked Image that hee himselfe was made like vnto this gift a naked dead man and so beeing deadly sicke ended his life and prooued his vision true So fareth it not only with captaines and Emperours but with vs al who al shal be the image of Hippocrates A bare Anatomy a schelitoÌ„ or picture of death Who then shal escape Shal children No 2. Note Children and youth mortall not the babe of one yeare Huc puer atque senex pariter venisse feruntur Hic par diuitibus pauper egenus erit When the Prophet proclameth al flesh to be grasse Ies 40. and al people to be verily and truelie hay but yet this must be taken not properly but by a figure when common experience teacheth that an apple fresh and red doth perish or fall downe with the woorm with winde or with a staffe and when the prouerb saith that assoone goeth the Lambes skin to the market as the sheepe shal we thinke that the younger sort and lusty folkes shal bee priuileged from death 3. Note Great die Shal the mighty men or nobles or valiant or Princes bee freed from this sentence of death 3. Kindes of death Dauid saieth No and sheweth three kindes of death either extraordinary before time either ordinary natural either by an externe cause or accident as in battle I speak of the death which is the separatioÌ„ of the body the soul for the death of sin the death mystical which is mortificatioÌ„ De bono mortis pertain not to this point wherof you may read in Ambrose This triple kinde or triple way to death heere set down by Dauid is manifold there are many pathes steps to death Prosper L. Epigram as one doth expresse it Ferro peste fame vinclis algore calore Mille modis miseros mors rapit vna homines That is we dy by sword pestilence famin imprisonment colde heate yea by a thousand meanes which God can and will deuise as Dauid hath set down for al men especially as it is ment in our Text against Princes and Potentates of this world And to begin with Saul did hee not desperatly kill himselfe as Dauid here talketh in battle but yet by the hand of the Lord and indeede extraordinarily by his owne hand It is reason that mightie men should mightily suffer tormentes according as it is written and also Saint Austine hath a notable place Let the king know Sapiâ—us 6. De 12. abusionum grad that as he is ordained chiefe in his throne aboue all men so in punishment if hee doe not iustice he shal haue the chiefe-dom and first place And in another book Idem in L. Q. Noui Vet. Test cap. 16. Lib. 9. Dâ— cad 4. Viri sublimis culpa grane est peccatum Shall perhaps great captaines and warriours auoide this stroke Liuie rehearseth of most valiant captaines Scipio Annibal PhilopaemeÌ„ that al three in one year died but nether died nor were buried in their own country Suidas telleth of Thulis King of al AEgypt vnto the Ocean sea that builded an Ilande of his owne name that asked the Oracle of Serapis Tel me who before me could doe such actes An Oracle of the death of Thulis of the eternal dominion of God and who shal doe after me The Oracle was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is in effect that first God the father next the woord and his sonne and with them the holy ghost the blessed Trinity in vnity did raigne before should after euerlastingly but for himself hee was willed speedily to depart and immediatly after the Oracle was slaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his owne people What are all these mighty men but the Gourd
that are dead I haue also to make a wish that those that are faulty liuing woulde remember one Story that I would tel theÌ„ Licinius a rebel fought against Constantine but was ouercome and had a pardon with this charge â—â—crat lib. 〈◊〉 3. that he should keepe his house at Thessalonica liue quietly but when hee had gathered a newe hand of vplandish and barbarous men then hee commaunded him to be slaine Well The effect of my speach is God wil not haue the death of a sinner neither doe godly men desier these euill men to be rid out of the way but to turne into a better way and to reforme themselues and yet the Protestation of Dauid is true vppon their impenitency and frowardnes God will ease the world of these burdens of the earth I am now to make vp my general that all must dy The death of Princes not only the bad but euen the good shal depart froÌ„ vs. The bad for our comfort for the consolatioÌ„ of the church The good for our plague for not only wicked Saul but euen good Dauid is gone O that we may not say in our daies Our Dauid is gone but she must goe and perhappes the sooner for our wickednes Let vs pray therefore for her long and prosperous raigne among vs wee haue great cause so to pray The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in his heart Esaie 57. the merciful men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth it as the Prophet saith Mark I beseech you mark you that loue chaunges how perilous they are What good commeth by the good Princes what losse commeth by their departure Augustine writeth De Ciuiâ— Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. Vtile est vt bons longe lateque diu regnent neque hoc tam ipsis quà m illis vtile est quibus regnant It is profitable that good men raigne far and wide and a long time neither is this so profitable vnto themselues as to those ouer whoÌ„ they raigne The mutation of Princes and alteration of States how dangerous it is may appear by former times After good Samuel and in the time of the banishment of Dauid the Philistines warred against the Israelites in the which battle Saul was slaine and the people of God conquered but by Dauid that succeeded the common weale and the church florished After the death of Iosias was the battel of the Babylonians wherby the Kingdom of Iuda was brought to slauery 2. Paralip 32.36 and afterward subuerted After this Iosias and Ezechias followed euil rulers as it is in the book of Chronicles Alexander the great is called of Daniel a mighty King but his King dome was diuided towards the 4 winds of heaueÌ„ not to his posterity Cap. 11. nor according to his dominioÌ„ Where wise meÌ„ ruled as Solon Lycurgus others who now rule there but Turkes Infidels After the death of William Conquerour came famine pestilence thundring lightening flashes in heauen fires in England as a certaine Prognostication of miseries and ruful calamities in Rufus time Polydor Virg. lib. 9 The death of Heroicall and great personages is ominous and vnluckie Therefore that I may drawe to an end and to the conclusion of Dauids argument The Conclusion of Dauids reason in his protestation seeing God hath set downe a periode course for euery man and a terme and time of death seeing all young and old rich and poore noble vnnoble yea Princes Monarches and Popes must die by some of these meanes and kindes of death which Dauid setteth down let vs obey the reason and reserue to God his iudgement Let vs not preuent his houre no not against the wicked gouernours and sith God hath sent vs a Dauid let vs not by our vnthankfulnes forgoe her Maiestie or by our treacherous behauiour cut off her daies God hath numbred them and they cannot be shortened no nor prolonged but that number will come once to an end though when we cannot tell Augustine maketh me affraide in these words De Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. cap. 25. Iouinianum multo citius quà m Iulianum abstulit Gratianum Ferro Tyrannico permisit interimi longè quidem mitius quà m magnum Pompeium colentem videlicet Romanos Deos. God tooke away Iouinian much sooner then Iulian he suffered Gratian to bee killed with the sword of a tyrant a great deale more gently then great Pompeie a man forsooth that worshipped the Gods of Rome If the certainty be such of death and the vncertainetie of the time so great let vs once againe pray to our heauenly father for the prosperity of her State for the peace of her raigne for the continuance of her daies and for vs al which God grant through the merit of Jesus christ to whom with the father c. 1. SAM 26. 11 The Lord keepe me from laying mine hand vpon the Lords annointed but I pray thee take now the spear that is at his head and the pot of water and let vs go hence 12 So Dauid tooke the spear and the pot of water from Sauls head and they gate theÌ„ away no man saw it nor marked it neither did any awake but they were al asleep for the Lord had sent a dead sleep vpon theÌ„ THE SEVENTH SERMON FOR the better vnderstanding of this text and of all that which I haue to say in this place I must in few woordes repeat and rippe vp that which went before A repetition of Dauids discourse Dauid hath aunswered the motion of Abishai in this proposition That King Saul should not bee destroied and yeeldeth two reasons for that he is the Lords annointed and whosoeuer laieth hand vpon him shal not be holden guiltles Another reason is in the protestation of Dauid that he will not doe it because the matter lieth in Gods hand and he hath ordinary extraordinary meanes to remoue him or kil him at his own pleasure and therfore it pertaineth not to him a priuat man although he be next in succession to vse any fraudulent or violent preuention Which reasons I haue elsewhere examined by many lawes autorities confirmed to be of force moment the particulars whereof I omit At this time I purpose to proceede first in the proofe of the reason so nextly to intreat of the last part It is a scruple or question nowe in these daies who bee the successours of Abishai in these mischieuous and malicious conspiracies against Princes Staphylus seemeth to burden Luther that he commandeth subiects to rebel In Apolagia Frideâ— Staphyli in praefaâ— and to disobey the commaundements of Caesar and forbiddeth to sight against the Turkes But this Question wee haue resolued and determined before that the Popes are aduersaries and no friendes of Caesar and that they are the onely authours of insurrections and rebellions against lawefull autority As for Luther he teacheth obedience in al his writings he loueth not such presuÌ„ption against
Decemb. 28. A Table of the special points and common places OVT OF THE FIRST SERMON THE practise of traitours was prophecied of before and is auncient Treason against the Countrie and Prince detested The manner of traitours double Examples of hypocrisie and flattering in traitours A warning to Princes and Noble men to expel such deceitful persons out of their courts and houses 4 Motiues and causes inducing men to weasons Vnbridled and licentious libertie Couetousnesse and ambition Enuie and Jngratitude and Religion pretensed and speciallie Popish And the Pope by specialties is declared to bee the Abishai in our daies Two waies the Pope vseth by himselfe or by his instruments Nouices Monks â—riars Cardinals c. Papistes in their Religion make bloodie vowes which ought to be broken The Popes Religion dispenseth with good oathes of allegeaunce made to Princes and he can depose them by his Religion OVT OF THE SECOND SERMON SEdition and discord disproued The aunswere of Dauid to Abishai threefold 1 Dauids prohibition in which he forbiddeth the murdering of Saul The reason of Dauid by the effect and discommodities expounded at large Jn the person of a Prince are two circumstances by condition as man by calling as King the Lords annointed Whether any man maie be killed of anie priuate man and how The Exposition of the law Thou shalt not murder out of Augustine Princes ordained not of themselues nor of fortune nor of Iupiter but of Almightie God and therefore not to bee touched but by God whether he be good or euil Why euil Magistrates are aduanced The office of a Prince in that he is called a God The true oile wherewith Princes are annointed is onelie the holie Ghost The office of Subiects to a Prince as being God also a double Jmage of God A proofe of Dauids opinion for obedience to superiours by nature a good schoolemistresse as in beasts birdes fishes serpents and other naturall creatures Also in the time of Nature before the Law and to natural and Ethnish Princes with the commodities of such obedience to the heathen gouernours The punishments inflicted vpon traitors by the iudgement of these naturall Ethnish men among the oulde Romanes Turks and other infidels OVT OF THE THIRD SERMON THE Pope a Zoganes or a Lord of misrule A viperous and Serpentine broode from Rome spread among vs. Chrysostome excellentlie discourseth of this obedience of Dauid A general rule of reuenge Like wil haue like The Law of Nature a good argument Other particulars in Nature of dogs horses panthers and men Lawes in Jndia The Law of God in the old testament giuen to the Iewes and examples there to perswade this obedience Against Accessaries and Iustifiers of Traitours A notable pattern of Obedience is Dauid and his example a sufficient glasse to looke in Particular Lawes against murderers and Mutiners Lawes and examples in the new testament The opinion of the fathers after Christ the dutifulnes of our first Christians towardes their wicked gouernours The Ciuil Lawes against al abuses touching a Prince in fact in purpose and intent in his coine c. Executions and experiments of Ciuil and Christian Magistrates against such disorders and outrages OVT OF THE FOVRTH SERMON A Rule of Chrysostome necessary for Preachers Decrees and authorities out of the Canon and Popish lawes against murder Three kinds of murder The Popes sayings doings contrary to his decrees borowed out of fathers The verdict of Iohn Caposius against Pope Innocentius verified in the rest of the Popes The savings of Pope Nicolas and others presumptuous against Princes The sayinges of Aug. Steuchus out of the Popes Register for the claime of an vniuersal dominion ouer al the west church The special claime made of Spaine England c. A Seminary or School of Englishmen at Rome erected long since The doings and practise of Popes agreeable to his owne proud sayings and brags The plagues and iudgements of God against these proud priests of Rome and their factours and. Adherents The periury of Papists notably punished by Turkes The Turk better in this matter of faithfulnes then the Pope The hand of God vppon Popes by themselues one vppon another Athenians Romans are mouÌ„ting Eagles but plucked The monster in Pope Iulius time a figure of this monstrous Popedome Popes enemies to Fraunce and yet Fraunce a friende to Popes OVT OF THE FIFT SERMON THE vnthankefulnes of people against Magistrats Lawes of Canutus Edgar and Alured Richard the first and others in England Disobedience against the Lawes in England England subdued by Iul. Caesar Danes Saxons and that cheifely by discord and treachery of our owne countrimen A terrible example of periury Traisons in the time of diuers Kings in England punished Treachery and prodition by an Italian in betraying Calice to the French Auncient practises of English Rebells for the defense of their Popish religion and yet frustrated vain A concubinary Priest and traitour made a Martyr of the Popish people in England Welch prophecies defeated Traisons of Bishoppes Abbats Priors Minorite Friars Monkes and Priestes in England and some executed in their best habit of Religion New traitors for the Religion of the Pope in the time of K. Henry the 8. K. Edward the 6. and of Queene Elizabeth rebelling rising but had alway a â—al an euil end The Queens maiesty foloweth the example of her Ancestors in this Realme resisting the pride authority of the Pope OVT OF THE 6. SERMON FOrreine examples in Fraunce and Flaunders The law of Conscience the last and worst witnes and tormentour of murderers and Traitors Of the trembling and terrour of an euill conscience in this Act. Dogges Fishes Swallowes rauens al creatures terrifie astonish a murdering and guilty conscience The conclusion of the first part of Dauids reply against Abishai 2 The second part is Dauids Protestation in himself detesting that fact with the reason annexed that god hath waies to kill Saul at his pleasure and therfore he wil not take vpon him gods office in that behalfe Death common to all and of the late mortalitie among vs. The vanity of this world and end of all flesh wee are all the naked image of Hippocrates Infants and yongest must die The great personages Saul and such Princes must dy by one of three kinds of death set downe by Dauid and vnder that his diuision manie are comprehended The death of persecutours and traitours Their brauerie and bragges against the godly but all in vaine Examples thereof ould and fresh in memorie No Eloquence can saue from death The Pope that deliuereth others out of purgatorie and by battle Bul killeth Princes cannot deliuer himself froÌ„ death whereof he is warned by his owne ceremonies and it maie appeare by the end of many Popes speciallie euen in the very Act of their rage against Princes Albeit these wicked men must die as Saul did yet the godlie delight not in their death no more then Dauid did in the death of Saul
recyting certaine lawes of India Jn moral 5. setteth downe against traytours Lawes of Jndia that they should bee banished The reason of the law is that the King might be without fear the kingdome in peace and if a traytour were taken all the siue counsailers should giue sentence against him and that iudgement once pronounced should not be reuoked O that England had the Law of India or rather that happy effect of the law that Prince and people freed from them might liue in quietnes and security Hierons in Mac. c. 10. We al naturally defend our head as the Serpent doth his and naturally the head is either reuerenced or feared most as the Panthera Plin. lib. 8. cap. 16. though for the variety of her coloures of other beasts she is most gazed vpon and for her sauor is marueilously comfortable yet with her head she is most terrible And though shee bee wild and cruell towardes others yet feeling a remedy euen by the excrementes of man against poyson dooth so loue man and couet them that if they be hanged vp in a basket or a vessel by sheepheards higher than she can touch them yet by reaching and leaping after them she faileth and fainteth and at last dieth Cap. 27. Princes are the heads of our common-weals they ought therefore to bee had in reuerence and to be defended feared and loued except we wil be worse than heathnish miscreantes than beasts as dogges serpentes horses and sauage Panthers Now we must passe from the law of nature vnto the law of God The lawe of God to the Jewes although indeed the law of Nature is the law of God but I mean the written law of the Iewes in the which wee find Eccl. c. 10. That the birdes of the aire shal carry the voice of him that speaketh euil or curseth the King euen in his thought or in his bed-chamber and the foul of the heauen shal declare the matter abroadt Examples of Gods plagues against disobedience Numb 16. Numb 12. Exod. 14. And that Mary the sister of Moses himselfe murmuring against her brother a Magistrate was striken with a leaper that the Israelites for mumling and making mutiny against him their Captain were punished that Corah DathaÌ„ Abiram rebelling against him the one with fier the other with earthquake perished with their wiues childreÌ„ and goods And that the common people for saying to Moses and Aaron That they had murdered the people of the Lord were plagued with death by God himself to the nuÌ„ber of fourteene thousand and seuen hundred besides them that died in the conspiracy of Corah If for thinking or speaking and murmuring against the Magistrats such punishment was inflicted how much more for conspiring the death of a Prince Let theÌ„ also take heed who iustifie traytours Against accessaries and Iustifiers of Trainours aad aske with these Israelites Why haue you put to death these good men Corah Dathan Abiram Why haue you shed the bloud of Campian and other Catholickes Such reason as serued against Corahits in the iudgement of God may serue in the opinion of al good men against Campianistes and such spirituall nay such spitefull Catholickes The end you see grieuous by the iudgement of the law by the displeasure of God What murder is by the priuate man committed against a priuate man The terrible example of Cain the first nuâ—derer let cursed Cain teach al men Hee is first cursed and the earth also made barraine and fruitlesse who opened her mouth to receiue the blood of Abel Hee is pronounced a vagrant man banished from the face of God hee falleth to desperation crying out that his sin is greater than that it can be pardoned Gen. 4. He hath a marke of trembling quaking fearing euery shadow of man and the shaking of the leaues of the trees This seuerity was exercised in the law of Nature I meane before the sentence of the Lawe Mosaical and before any example of punishment shewed against any murtherer beyng himselfe the first that euer suffered that way for that offense Afterward we find too many examples and punishmentes a few may suffice The Daughter of Amry Athaliah rose vp and destroied al the Kings seede 2. King 11. onely Ioas excepted and she cried Treason treason but she her selfe as a traytor was slaine with a sworde whereat the people of the lande reioyced and the city was in quiet I pray God we may haue the like sequel for the like iustice extended vpon our trayterous persons in these daies When King Assuerus found out by Hester his Queene vpon the information of Mardocheus Lib. Hest cap. 1.2 that there was treason in his priuy chamber against him by Bighthan and Teresh either by poison as some write either by the sword as Caietanus the Cardinal gathereth by the phrase and maner of speaking to ridde him out of his life the conspiratours were hanged the discloser Mardocheus honored and the Act for memory sake registred The life and raigne of Dauid may bee once againe a myrror to behold al this Tragedy The example of Dauid in himselfe in the which we haue partly seen before now also may see his vprighteous dealing obedient behauior towards Saul who would not suffer Abishai to touch him nether he himself would at any time hauing iust opportunity to aduenture it whose discreet moderation is by Chrysostom wondred at also noted in the Popes decrees out of Ambrose Hom. de Dauid Saul De paenit distinct 2.1 Sam. 31. Dauids seueritie against other murderers Saul in battle pursued to death by the Philistines requested his armorbearer to draw out his sword thrust him thorow but he would not being affraid to offend of better nature thaÌ„ to shew any kind of vnthaÌ„kfulnes to his King so that the desperat wretched King was driuen to that extreme Exigent to dy vpon his owne sword But the Amalekite that brought tydinges to Dauid of the death of Saul confessed that he made an end of him was for his paines rewarded with the like death by Dauid 2. Sam. 1. Thy bloud be vpon thine own head for thine own mouth hath testified against thee In this gouernement of Dauid Absalom the Kinges Sonne did slay his Brother for his Sisters sake 2. Sam. 3. but knowing and fearing his fathers iustice fled awaie for the space of three yeares and after that vpon great intreaty was made a prisoner in his owne house and did not see the Kings face Afterward when the same Absalom was a rebel against his owne father Cap. 14. though Dauid perhappes in a fatherly pitty would haue spared him yet God himselfe did execute his iudgement vpon him 2. Sam. 18. and was without the hand of man hanged vpon a great oke by the long locks of his head A straunge execution of a Rebell as was that also of Achitophel that had his hand in
this pye for he was his owne hangman Cap. 17. But mark in this history another proofe When Ioab asked the messenger that brought woord to him of Absalomes hanging vpon the oake why he did not smite him to the ground that hee might haue had a recompence for it Cap. 18. he auswered as becommeth a faithful priuate man Though I shoulde receiue a thousand Sicles of siluer in my hand yet would I not lay mine hand vpon the Kings Son He wold not touch the Kings son and yet the son did rise against the father how then dare subiects hazard enterprise the like against the lords anointed Dauid weÌ„t further in this point of iustice that hee did not suffer any murther to escape vnpunished against priuate men neither did God suffer those to goe scot-free 1. Reg. c. 2. Abner killed Asael brother to this Abishai and Ioab killed him againe and Dauid cursed Ioab for it and by the fathers appointment Salomon the Sonne put him to death no refuge no sanctuary no Altar could saue him She bah raiseth a power against Dauid 2. Sam. 20. but by the procurement and wisedome of a woman his head was cut off and cast downe to Ioab This history of Dauid alone diligently considered is enough to enstruct vs in our duty towards the Prince and sufficient to proue our proposition that blood requireth blood As these examples among the Iewes doe warne Other laws of God against murder Cap. 21. so the lawes among them warrant the same It is written in Exodus Hee that smiteth à man he dy he shal dy the death which is repeated in Leuiticus and againe in Exodus If a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbor to slay him with guile thou shalt take him from mine Altar Cap. 24. that he may dy A plaine precept we haue against sedition and rebellion in Salomon My sonne fear the Lorde Prou. 24. and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious for their destructioâ— shal rise sodainly and who knoweth the râ—â—ine of them both And in another place Giuâ— not thy waies to destroy Kings Cap. 31. The penalty of this offense felt ambitious Adomas by Salomon executed and the trayterous Priest Abiathar deposed and railing Shimei at length put to death whereof came a good ende Et confirmatum est Regnum in manu Salomonis 1. Reg 2. By this iustice the Kingdome of Salomon was established The Lord graunt of the like cause the like effect among vs. Another Law of God is in the new Testament Lawes and example in the newe Testament Iohn 8 which plainely auoucheth that this murdering commeth from the Diuel and teacheth vs a cleane contrary doctrine to the Romish rebellious religion namely to obey to pray for Princes and to pay duties to them to giue to Cesar that which is Caesars Matth. 22. Cap. 13. Paul to the ould Romanes gaue this lesson to render honour to whom honour is due and fear to whom fear belongeth Cap. 3. and in the Epistle to Tite Admonish those to be subiect to Princes and powers So dooth Peter 1. Pet. 2. Honour the King And in his second Epistle he saith that God doth preserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished Cap. 2. chiefly those that walk after the flesh in the lust of vncleannes and despise the gouernment which are presumpteous and stand in their owne conceite and fear not to speak euill of them that are in dignity The like is read in Iudas Iuda Paul acknowledgeth this out of the ould law in the Acts of the Apostles Thou shalt not curse the Prince of the people Cap. 23. Wherupon Chrysostom inferreth this exposition I take it that he did not know at al that he was the Prince of the Priestes otherwise he would haue honoured him Shal I trouble you with the recitall of a fewe examples Theudas made a conspiracy but he was slaint so did Iudas of Galile Act. 5. but he also perished they that obeyed him were scattered abroad I conclude this with the terrible example and ruful end of Iudas the traytour of Iesus Christ his Master forsaken of God and of man of God for that hauing no grace he hanged himselfe of man for when Iudas bewailed his case to the Priestes Of Iudas the traytour two notes and confessed to them that hee had sinned betraying the innocent bloode What is that to vs quoth they see thou to it Mat. 26.27 C. 11. q. 3. Two notes we may gather out of Beda and R. Holcot both our countrymen the first thâ— cause the second the time the cause was monyâ— in Iudas that moued him to betray his masterâ— which fault of Iudas Mat. 27. saith Beda many thiâ— day abhor as cruel wicked but they takâ— not heede of it the other is the time whâ—â— he betraied him euen when hee had taken hâ—â— Supper he went out and betraied him Bâ—ware al traytours of Iudas ende beware aâ— auoide the cause that is hope of siluer and of a better change his chaunge was no Royall ExchaÌ„ge but insteed of his Apostleship a rope Let vs dearly beloued seek no alteration of the state nor of the Prince let vs consider our blessed time better thaÌ„ this vnkind Iudas did For we at this time are no lesse theÌ„ Iudas was both corporally fed with the plentiful prouision at Gods hande and also spiritually refreshed at the table of the lord and with the right vse of the sacraments From the lawe of Christ wee come to the opinion of Christian Fathers The iudgement of Christian Fathers Ignatius the Martyr alloweth no such rebellion but auoucheth the Scripture of God that God taketh this quarell of Princes vpon himselfe as hee said vnto Samuel he alleageth the Scripture of Moses saying This murmuring of yours is not against vs but against the Lorde God and setteth downe this seuere sentence No maÌ„ that lifteth vp himself against his better Epist 3. ad Magnesios weÌ„t at any time vnpunished coÌ„cluding thus Wherefore wee must reuerence our superiours for that it is no great matter to be calâ—ed à Christian but to bee one as though hee would imploy Ad Scapul that those that are disloyall and â—ebels are not good ChristiaÌ„s The same reaâ—on Tertullian rendreth We are defamed as â—raytours against the Maiesty of the Emperour and yet Christians were neuer found to be Albimans nor Nigrians nor Cassians but he there discharging the ChristiaÌ„s chargeth the heathen who coÌ„demned the christians Christianus nullius est hostis nedum Imperatoris A Christian is foe to no man much lesse to the Emperour The office of Christians and priuat men is by Augustine thus described Cap. 23. q. 8. Quicunque Whosoeuer striketh euil men in that they are euil and hath a cause to kil them is the minister of God But hee that killeth or slaieth or maimeth
of the Apossolick See What is the conclusion of this new father Augustine Domine sac dic da totum Quidigitur superest in Occidente quod apertè non sit Sedis Apostolicae What is left in the west which is not by plaine euidence belonging to the Apostolical See Ergo this is the meaning Al is ours quoth the Diuel or rather the Pope whoÌ„ the diuell hath lifted vp not onely to the Pinnacle of the Temple as high and vniuersal Priest but set and exalted vpon an high hit and giuen to him al the Kingdomes of the worlde for his good seruice in adoring worshipping him which he offered before to Christ Matth. 4. but he refused that his conditional offer and now Antichrist hath accepted it In their Decrees and Decretals and Gloses and Doctours we may find those and the like speaches The Pope may take away priuileges and depose Bishoppes and the Emperour Hee is Lorde of Lordes hauing the iurisdiction and the right of the King of Kinges ouer Subiectes As his brags are bigge so his practises are not vnlike Aenead lib. 7. Sabellicus is witnesse of the pride of Clement against Frauncis Dandalus Embassadour afterward Duke of Venice who comming from the great Seignory of the world for peace Fâ— Dandaâ— as a poore penitent was vsed like a dog in an iron coller about his neck lying prostrate vnder the Popes table and with much ado at length obteined absolution Henry the fourth Emperor Hen. 4. being also discommuned of Gregory the seuenth came speedily to Canossum which Abbas calleth oppidum Canusinum bare footed in winter and trost A. D. 1076 putting off his princely robes and comming near to the gate desireth to be let in which was denied to him so remaining in the suburbes the space of three daies Platin in vita Gregorij 7. continually crauing pardon at the length by intercession of Mathildes a Countesse and a familiar frind of the Pope the Earle of Sauoy an Abbat was absolued The same Platina doth not deny but that many misliked such cursing baÌ„ning did instantly vrge and hold That a King ought not so sodainly to be pronouÌ„ced an accursed maÌ„ or an Anathema Ioan. 21 â—eed thâ—â— is Rule The Pope had Scripture for this that Peter had commissioÌ„ from Christ to feed his sheep Pasce oues meas maketh a CoÌ„meÌ„tary or rather a coÌ„ment vpon it Excepit ne Reges Did he except Kinges And Peter had authority of binding and loosing Jbidem and therefore exempted no man and Gregory in earth appealeth to Peter and Paul in heauen against the same Henry abusing the Text of Scripture Astiterunt Reges terrae The Kinges of the earth and Princes of the world stood vp and Ecclesiasticall persons Psal 2. A Glosse meete for a Pope and other common men haue coniured against the Lorde and against vs his Christs and Henry hath too proudly lifted vp his hornes and heeles against the church of GOD meaning the church of Rome Gregorie Christ Abbas in anno 1106. Gregory proceedeth still by excommunicating and persecuting by himself and his Catholickes blasing him out in his armes and coulours to bee an Archheriticke and an Apostata whom notwithstanding the other Historiographers commend Lib 7. The Italian writers partial on the Popes side against the Germanes as Sigebertus Otto Frisingensis Auentine Cuspinian who findeth fault with these men that cary the King and namely with Bertholdus who continued the history of HermaÌ„nus Contractus with the Abbat of Vrsperg affirming that vterque ardentius quà m conueniat pium Imperatorem insectetur reproouing their heate against the godly Emperour The Pope also maketh the subiect Rodolph to rise against his Master and the son Henry against Henry his father who by the hypocriticall protestation of the Sonne and the crafty counsaile of some Peeres rendred vp hie Regalities that is his crosse his saunce his scepter crown which practise so displeased the good father afterward that shortly after he fel sick and died at Leodium and his corpes by these Popish mens cruelty was for the space of fiue yeares vniustly kept from Christian burial A matter more than tragical that hath no end but in life and death yea after both persecuteth the annointed of the Lord. This is the practise of Popes and specially of Gregory now consider with me The plagues of Gregoria and his adherentes whether Dauids argument holdeth or no whether the Pope so ouer-reaching in loftines of wordes so surmounting in hautinesse of deedes against such Personages hath escaped guiltles in the sight of God And whether any Popish commissioners vnder him haue gone vnpunished Was not Gregory subiect to the censure of August and of the cleargy and of the church contrary to that brag of the Popes Nicolas Innocent and Calixt of whom before is spoken Gregory notwithstanding these Popes charters and lofty stile Gregorie Abb. Vrsp anno 1080. was iudged to bee a manifest coniurer sorcerer and a stragler and runnagate from the true faith and that in a Councel holden at Brixia and as saith Abbas Vrspergensis Factus est omnium consensus aduersus Hildebrandum Papam There was a generall consent of al against this Gregorie whom they terme a false Moncke totius Vesaniae pestiferum Principem and of all this brainsicknesse a pestilent ring-leader He was iudged before in a Councell at Wormes and depriued with this plain speech Because thou hast declamed that none of vs should be a Bishoppe to thee therefore hereafter thou shalt not be Apostolicall to vs. He was also iudged in a Councell at Mence Ann. Dom. 1076. where in the presence of the Emperour and the Legates of Rome Inanno 1085. all those Bishops rebels to the Emperour were deposed and others accursed And the Romanes with one consent deposed him and as Christianus Massaeus affirmeth Ann Dom. 1083. a Noble man Cincius at the beginning when the Pope song his first Masse Lib. chr 16. plucked him from the Altar cast him into prison This Pope shamefullie fledde to Salerna and taried there vnto his dying day Abbas fol. 238. confessing before his death that hee had molested iniuriously Henrie the Emperour and therefore euen then assoiled him Platina the Popes Secretary saith that when in the synod of Bishops Gregory was depriued Gilbertus was chosen in his place whom they called Clement Cuspinià in Hen. 4. Horman Cuspinian also saith that Hermannus a noble and valiaunt man but factious rebelling against the saide Henry was slaine euen of a seely woman out of a tower by a great stone throwen down vpon him Eggibert and that his owne kinsman Eggibert for the like seditious attempt taken in a mill was put to shamefull death by the souldiours of the Emperour Rodolph and that Rodolph a subiect of the Emperour whom the Pope aduaunced and freed from his oth of allegenunce
beeing conquered in war when hee behelde his right hand cut off lamentably said I doe confesse that I am well serued In Hen. 4 for with this hande I made a promise and tooke anoth of fidelity to my lord which I haue vnhonestly broken by your persuasion I haue a iust reward for my periury and as also the Abbat of Vrsperge confesseth Abbas Vrs ann 1080. he being carried to Meresburge made his moane vnto the Bishops that he had lost his right hand Kingdome and life by their means These be the fruits of Popish Counsailours and ghostly fathers Here is one thing to bee noted out of Iohn Cuspinian touching the good nature of the Emperour against this leud Rebel that he buried him honorably with roial pompe which when it was reprooued and misliked by his frinds he aunswered Vtinám omnes mei aduersary eo ornatu sepultiiacerent A praier for Rebels I would to God that all mine aduersaries mightly and dy with such an honourable burial So dearly beloued let vs al pray that al the fo rs and rebels and if willers of her Maiesty may either be conuerted or so confounded though they had afterwards asumptuous funeral Now what became of Henry the fist Man 5. the parricide of his father the Popes darling an Emperour of the Popes owne cecation He dranke of the same cup of affliction which he offered to his father First the Pope denied him that priuilege which iustlio hee claimed in bestowing Ecclesiasticall dignities and inuesting of Bishops and Abbats which was the sparke and beginning of a great flame of dissension betwixt Henry the father and the Pope Pope Paschalis the second in a Councel holden at Lateran reuoketh all his promises which he made to the King euen by the receauing of the Sacrament solemnly and religiously at his Masse Abb. Vrsp anno 1116. calling that a Prauilege and not a Priuilege and in the end excommunicated him striking him as some write Grandi fulmine with a great lightening or thunder-bolt Afterward he was driuen to release al the Inuesting to his Lord Calixtus as the Pope began with him so God in iudgement proceeded against him For there fel out in Germany tumultes spoiles burning wasting murthering euery man as hee listed Cities were destroied and they made a pray of al things that was the Emperours And the same Abbas reporteth that there were certaine conspirators against them Ann. 1124. and the tempest of ciuil seditions inceased as the Prophet saith Lying and periury ouer flowed Ose 4. and bloode touched bloode so that hee dranke the dregs of that cup which hee made his father tast Inan 1117 There followed most terrible wonders signes from heauen and earthquakes thunder with hailestones and lightning whereby cattle men townes and fields were destroied There fel out also a great famine and mortality so that it was thought that the third part of men perished and that scarcely men were left to bury the dead carcasses And not long after died Calixtus the Pope and a multitude of Noble men and the common people so fast and in such heapes by hunger and pestilence that no man saith Cuspinian was able to number them The Emperour himselfe was striken with a straunge disease called Dracunculus a foule vlcer or botch in his priuy partes whereon he died in his life being in miserable pain and had infamy and an euil name after his death For thus the history recordeth of him that he was a Prince In. Heur 5. not greatly to be commended for that vnder the pretense of Catholick Religion he depriued his father Whose life is thus painted out by Cuspinian his impiety and cruelty towards his father his owne wretched life and shameful death Qui crudelis erat Patri quem sustulit omni Imperio vitam praecipitare facit Henricus quintus funestum transigit aeuum Assiduis bellis perpetuisque notis Thus the Pope Gregory with al his treacherous practisers is come to nought and iudged of God and men who wil be iudged of no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod The saying of the Poet is verified Euill counsel is woorst for the counsailour himselfe What should I speak of Henry the sixt Emperour Rebellion against Heur 6. against whom the Byshop of Leedes rebelled and was slaine for his labour and so by his death the rebellion ceased A good end of good iustice ministred God graunt the like euent in these daies Earles also and Barons rebelling in Apulia against their promise and faith were not their hostages taken and their eies pluckt out Abbas 1191. and the rest of their rebellious captiues put to death by sundry horrible punishmentes Among the prisoners was an Archbishop of Salerna but his eies were spared more of the Kinges goodnesse then of his desert I told you before of this Henry out of Bapt. Egnatius and Raph Volaterran how he was poysoned in the Sacrament Lib. 3. Anthrop lib. 23. which hee was woont oft to receiue And Abbas Vrsper Multi asserebant eum interysse veneno albeit he himselfe doubteth of it I might adde vnto these the treachery of Pope Lucius the third against Frederik Barbarossa Luci. Pope against Frederik in stirring vp controuersies and quarels against him for which God iudged him so that hee died strait in his consultation at Verona and was buried with this Epitaph Abb. Vrsp an 1185. Luci Lucatibi dedit ortum pontificatum Hostia papatum Roma Verona mori Read also there of the rebellion of the Milleners Alexander P. Milleners who contemned their oth to their liege Lord vpon the bare word and warrant of Alexāder the Pope Read there of the treachery of Vrban the third called Turban of many Vrban for his troubles moued against the Emperor but al three Popes died before him Jn anno 1186. and Vrban disquieting the church was striken by the hād of God and perished This is the iust plague of God vppon such Successours of Peter that draw the sworde and as Otho writeth such priests are to be blamed greatly that go about to strike Kinges with that sword which they haue receaued by the courtesy and fauour of the Kinges In lib. 7. in prolog And hath not also the cup of poyson walked among the Popes themselues as they haue giuen it to others Popes poisoned Did not Gerhardus Brasutus dispatch with poyson sixe Byshops of Rome Benno Car. Clement Damasus c. only to make a room for Hildebrand aspiring to the Popedome Was not Victor the third of an Abbat made a Pope and within a yeare and foure months was he not scrued with this vnsauery and pestiferous sauce In Poemat Antiquis Volat. li. 22. Lib. 16. was he not poysoned in a chalice by a Deacon Or as Christian Massaeus writeth per fautores Guiberti By the fauourers of Guibert Did not Alexander the sixth when he had prepared a poisoned cup
that was giuen to Ionas for a shadowe to sport himselfe for a time Ionae 4. but in the morning God sendeth a woorme and striketh the Gourd and it withereth away The death of persecutours Are not al these persecutors teÌ„poral or ecclesiastical vnder the sentence of this mortality you haue hard before of some and in Orosius you may see the death and destruction both of traitors and of persecutors Lib. 7. namely of MagneÌ„sius Constantius Decentius Gallus Syluanus Iulian. We haue in Egesyppus a marueilous History of Aristobulus King of the Iewes not only for his persecution of the good but also for the murder of his brother in body and in conscience fore afflicted his blood gushing out Lib. 1. c. 8. which when his boy had poured out by chaunce vpon the blood of his slaine brother an horrible fearefulnesse increased his paine and tooke away his life O that these worldely men persecuting and seeking after blood would coÌ„sider that which is written in Herodotus Tomyris to K. Cyrus Thou hast thirsted after bloode and now thou shalt drinke thy belly ful of blood What brags are giuen out in euery cornet against poor Protestants in England in France Flanders and Geneua as though al were on their side as though they were Gods vpon the earth They haue their fore-fathers whome they imitate very braue and glorious in threats Bragges against the godly but miscarieng in the ende Pharaoh and his souldiours say I wil pursue I wil ouertake them I will diuide the spoile my lust shal be satisfied But the Lord blew with his wind Exod. 15. the fea couered theÌ„ they sanck as lead in the mighty waters In the booke of Iudges there is the like triumph of the Heathen against Israel where the Ladies flatter the mother of Sisera that hee had gotten the victory and had a great spoil Iudic. 5. when Sisera was by a woman Iael knocked in the head Ben-hadad threatned the King of Israel but Ahab aunswereth Let not him that girdeth his harneise bost himself as he that putteth it off 1. Reg 20. It is an easie matter for God to crush these Kings conspiring against his annointed and against his church Psal 2. with a rod of Iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessel Psal 3. To smite al his enemies vpon the cheek bone and to strike out the teeth of the wicked to pull downe the great heart of Pharaoh by al kind of scourges Exod. c. 9. with botches and sores with murreine of beasts with hail thunder and lightening with the death of the first borne of AEgypt with grasse-hoppers Exod. 12. with frogges flies lice to strike persecuting Herod with vermine Cap. 10. Cap. 8. Act. 12. We haue heard a long time against our Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and against our country the smoke of threats but God bee praised no flame that could annoy vs. Wee haue had among vs the brags of the Pompcian souldidurs that haue made a reckoning of the spoile of vs at diuision of our liuings among theÌ„selues but they were but only brags for why the lot is cast into the lap Prouer. 16 but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Therfore let al men take heed how they vvast of a day whether it bee in the sommer or winter whether it be in the yeare eighty seuen or eighty eight whether they be forreiners abroad or cuntrymen at home Let theÌ„ harkeÌ„ to wise SalomoÌ„ Prouer. 27 Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a daie may bring forth Al the wicked persecutours traitours rebels knowe not when they beginne what shal bee their end Looke in the booke of the Kinges home many died losing Kingdome and life in the space of three and thirty yeares 2. Reg. 15. Looke in the Histories howe sodenly the Emperours went Otho Galba Vitellius To be short I say to them Plutarchus desera numinis vindicta as Bias said once to an vngracious fellow That hee was affraid not that he should not be punished but that he himselfe should not see it But yet perhaps Eloquent men may scape this death Nay Cicero Val. Maâ— The death of Oratora as it is declared before was traiterously murdered leesing his toung and his head Demosthenes drank poison and died But I trow the Popes holinesse cannot be touched with any dart of death The death of Popes for hee that is able to deliuer out of Purgatory and hel may also saue himselfe from death No he hath no freedom no immunity aboue other men being one of Adams brood for so euen his own Ceremonial booke giueth him warning hereof Sacr. Cer. lib. 1. cap â— The Bishop of Rome although hee passe al mortall men in dignity and authority and can bind and lose al things in earth yet can he not loose himself out of the bonds of fatal necessity The scholer is not aboue his Master and therefore he willeth him to think that although he be the greatest man yet hee is a mortal man and biddeth him remember the forme of his consecration which is after this sort When the newe Pope is chosen and Te Deum song and he newly Cap. de Consecrat and Pontifically reuestred and his hands and feete kissed euen then in all this solemnity and glory a Clerk or Master of the Ceremonies setteth tow on fier after the Pope is come out of the Chappell of Gregory and kneeling downe singeth with a loud voice C. Deegrâ—â— exeq Papâ—â— Pater sancte sic transit gloria mundi Omnis carofaenum omnis gloria eius tanquam flos agri O holy father as this hemp or tow burneth so passeth away the glory of the world al flesh is hay and the glory thereof is as it were the flower of the field This Ceremony notwithstaÌ„ding the Pope forgetting all this lesson rideth through the Citty with a great troupe of Mitred Bishops Abbots his horse trapped trimmed with red scarlet the Emperor himselfe holding the horse bridel and when all the lewes met him in the market place and reached vnto him as the manner is their Ceremonies and their law he flingeth them behind his backe saying proudly Recedant vetera noua sunt omnia Away with these oulde things al are now new As Thomas Walsingham declareth at large in the Coronation of Pope Martine Jn Henr. 5. I haue told of Boniface the eight of whose end Celestine his predecessor gaue this prophecy Tho. Walsing in Hypodig Neustriae Ascendisti vt vulpes regnabis vt Leo morieris vt Canis Thou didst clime vp like a Fox thou shalt raigne like a lion thou shalt dy like a dog As he so others like flax set on fier haue passed away most of them sodenly and shamefully specially such as haue been cruel in excommunicating and persecuting Emperours Carion lib. â— Abb. Vrso You heard
of Lucius and others before And as wee read of Fabius the senatour choked with an hair in his milk so Adrian died with a fly when he had excommunicated Friderik the first Vrban the third was striken nutu Dei Abbas Vâ— in an 118â— attempting the same against the Emperour A Pope of one yeare little more And haue not of late Pius Quintus and Gregory the thirteenth prooued to be quenched tow notwithstanding all their glory and their Buls against our Soueraign Prince Elizabeth Were they not indeede Bullae Bubbles of water The great whore of BabyloÌ„ whose cup is ful of abhominations fornications who hath her selfe been dronke with the blood of Saints Apocalyp 17.18 and with the blood of Martyrs of Iesus shall drinke of the same cup double then shall it come to passe which happened vnto Cerylus which of a seruaunt was waxen rich and so insolent that he changed his name into Laches to whom Vespasian gaue this lesson of humility in greeke words in this sense O Laches Laches Sutton Iâ— Vespasianâ— when thou art dead thou shalt bee called againe Cerylus as before So I say of Pope Iohn The Pope is Ceryluâ— that so shamefully died in trauel going on precession shal in the end againe be harlot Ioan Sergius shal be Os Porci hogs-mouth Iulius the second shal be Iulian agiane Leo the tenth shal be Iohn againe Iulius the third shall bee Iohn Marie Paul the fourth shal be Iohn Peter Gregory the thirteenth shall bee Bone-Companion Sixtus Quintus a poore mans sonne borne in a little village though an high name Alto-monte though now lifted vp to the Popedome Act. c. 9. like Saul breathing out threates and slaughters against the Church shal be as he was a Franciscane and Faelix Perenettus againe They al shal be of Lordes seruants of Popes poore Priests nay of men earth and wormes meat They shal be successors of this Saul as in persecuting Dauid and in murdering Abimelech and the Priestes of the lord I meane the Princes and the Preachers whom the Lorde hath annointed and called Euen so of his death either smiten of God or when their day commeth to dy or when they shal desceÌ„d into bloody battles as many Martial Popes haue done Although the enemies glorye against the Godly The good delight not in the ouerthrow of the euil but in their conuersion yet the Godly haue no delight in the death of these before rehearsed persecutours Emperors Popes We are sory that they had no more grace As alwaies mercifull Princes haue vsed moderation and compassion so the Sexe the good nature the piety of our Prince hath alwaies desired rather the good behauior and conuersion of the offenders then the subuersion of destruction of any one Dauid neuer sought nor desired the death of Saul but contrariwise lamented for it and punished the Amalekite that brought him the newes We are not more vnnatural then men onely endewed with natural affection Iulius Caesar a natural an heathen man when Pompey fled into AEgypt and was beheaded at the commaundement of Prolomei for his sake Christiâ—â—â— Masseus lib. 7. Châ—â— yet wheÌ„ his head was brought to him he wept Vespasian the Emperor seemed to be a tender-harted Prince in whose time no man was lightly punished without cause except he himselfe were absent or ignorant of it or in deed vnwilling or deceiued A notable report Suetonius maketh of him that he neuer at any time reioyced in the slaughter of any maÌ„ but iustis supplicy sillacrymauit ingemuit Sueton. in vita eins he wept sighed when any maÌ„ suffred though for a iust cause Theodosius was a most gracious Prince of whoÌ„ it is said Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 22. Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 24. that he neuer punished any maÌ„ of whom he was hurt He made a law by the aduise of Ambrose that the officers which should execute his commissions or commandementes should differre the punishmentes of those that were condemned to dy for the space of thirty daies to the intent that in the meane time the Kings wrath might be asswaged When the people of Antioch had raised a sedition and yet afterward repented he hearing at his table a Ballad or song in a mourneful Melody was so mooued that his anger straightway ceased he was reconciled to the citty Cap. 23. with tears trickling downe hee filled a cup that he held in his hand Alexander the great lamented when he saw the body of Darius Antoninus desired that no Senatour or counsailour in the time of his Empire should be slaine that his Empire might not be stained Hee was not much offended with the defection or reuoulting of Cassius neither did hee exercise tyranny against his children but although the Councel did punish him as before it was touched yet the author saith Iulius Capitolin Vulcatius Gallicanus that it was most certaine that he would haue spared him if it had been in his hand and when the head of Cassius was brought to him he did not reioice at it but it grieued him that the occasion of mercy was taken from him What should I speak of our Christian Princes and rulers Constantine as it is written by Eusebius was very carefull for the commonweal Lib. 2. Nec magis pro salute suoruÌ„ quà m hostiuÌ„ orabat Hee did not pray more for the safegard of his owne then of others his enemies It is reported of William Conquerour that euen in his death bed hee repented him of many things Polydor. Virgil. in Histo Ang. lib. 3. but specially he was sory that hee had beene some-what seuere against the Englishmen When certain had conspired with the French-men against Henry the fift and were by the iudgement of their peeres condemned as some were executed so some were pardoned for the King pitied their case The Wâ—â— sing in Hypon Nâ—â—â— so that English-men turned that praise which was spoken to Augustus Caesar by Ouid vnto him Sit piger adpaenas Princeps adpraemia velox Quique doler quoties cogiture esse ferox The same verses may be more iustly applied vnto our Augusta who to punish hath been most slow to pleasure to do good most ready and when she must needs be seuere it grieueth her I neede not exemplifie it they are fresh in memory How vnwilling was shee to consent to the beheading of the Duke of Northfolke The de na neâ—e of Q. 〈◊〉 beth in pardoning or punishing How often did she stay the execution How gratiously did she then wineke at the Queene of Scots who was as guilty euen then as he was How many haue beene in her time pardoned How many yet remain vnpunished though not vncondemned and I doubt not but that she thinketh as Theodosius said Vtinam mortuos ad vitam reducere possem Socrat. tâ—â— 7. cap. 22. I would to God I might call to life againe some of those
of a leafe at the voice of any creature Alexander a tyraunt of the Phereians beholding a tragedy Plutarch and bewailing the miseries of Hecuba and Polyxena ran out of the stage in al hast vpon some griefe of mind and ashamed any more to be looked vppon because hee had killed so many citizens Bassianus the Emperor after he had murdered his brother Geta Spartianus in Anton. Caracallo whensoeuer he did see his picture or heard his name he wept and poysoned Laetus the first counsailer of his brothers death and killed all those that were priuy to it that there might be none liuing to giue any testimony or once to know it In what an hel was Nero that put to death Peter and Paul Herode Eusebius ax Iosepho Act. c. 12. And Herod that beheaded Iohn Baptist And Herod Agrippa that murdered Iames who after great tormentes and horrible pains the uÌ„st day died miserably by the stroke of an Angel in a visible manner appearing to him In what a pitifull case was Theodoricus Theodoâ— when he had flame Boetius and Symmachus the sight of a great sish brought to his table and gaping vpon him stroke such a conceit and impression into him that hee beleeued verily that it was the terrible and lowring face of Symmachus threatening him Procopiâ—â— wherewith he was brought to a sicknes and so to his end In what a desperate case was Richard the third the vsurper of the crowne Richâ—â— the murderer of two young Princes Who after the fact committed coulde neuer haue quiet sleepe and thought in the night at Boswoorth where the fielde was fought in his terrible dreame that hee sawe about him as it were the Image of wicked spirits that would not suffer him to take any sleep Heare I pray you the Commentary of Polydor Virgil. Angl. Hisâ— lib. 25. I beleeue saith he it was no dreame but the conscience of his wickednes a conscience I say the more heauy the greater the fault was the which if neuer at any other time yet at our last day is woont to represent vnto vs the memory of al our faultes and shew withal the paines that hang ouer vs. I neede not put you in minde of the lamentable ende of late Traytours Someruile others All these felt the remorse byting of an euill conscience whereby their harts were as the trees of the forrest moued with the wind as Achas his hart was Iesai c. 7. to whoÌ„ the Lord doth giue a treÌ„bling hart and a sorrowful mind so that they shal feare night and day shall say in the morning Would God it were euening Deut. 28. and at euening Would God it were morning I wil not referre you againe to the cerrible examples of Cain saying Gen. 4. Matth. 27. Whosoeuer findeth me wil kil me nor to the tragical end of Iudas I signified lately how dogs haue betraied murderers Dogges and made them to confesse their faults of murder Fishes and euen now how a fish amased and daunted a King and before howe Salomon telleth the same of birds of the Air. Eccle. 10. Plutarchus desera numinis vindicta Birds betray murderers Swallowes Bessus killed his father it was long hidde at length after supper among straungers he was so mad and so persecuted in conscience that hearing swallowes sing he foorthwith with a speare threw downe their nest and killed the young ones being chiddeÌ„ for it he answered Doe yee not hear how these birdes defame me as though I had killed my father Wherupon he was atterwarde in tudgement found guilty and suffered Ibycus a Poet fel among theeues when he saw he should bee killed hee made as it were a certaine praier and obtestation to the Cranes flying there aboue at that time to bee witnesses and reuengers of his death Cranes These men afterward seeing Cranes ieasted among themselues in the market place Behold Jdemde furili Inquacitate The reuengers of Ibycus are come This ieast being ouer-heard and the Poet wel knowen and found dead when they were racked vpon these suspitions they confesse al. I haue seen in Heluetia the like euidence and testimony of this conscience in a man who for a little paultry pelfe set vpoÌ„ his fellow-pedler as I remember and gaue him many wounds killed him buried him deepely in the ground that no body might see him but the Rauens found him out they sly after him and vpon him Raueaâ— persecuting him from place to place from village to village vntil people ruÌ„ning out and wondring at that straunge accident enquired earnestly after it the fellow perceiuing by no meanes he could driue away the birdes and guilty in conscience and straitly examined cried out It is I that killed the man and so being apprehended and imprisoned as he had mangled the man when he was dead with many strokes to make him sure so was hee after condemnation and iudgement broken in many parts of his body set vpon the wheele for birds to pick at him How true is the saying of Isocrates Though a man hide it from al men yet he cannot hide it from himselfe And that of Gregory Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The couscience striketh and beateth the mind And thus far haue I gone in the proofe of Dauids reason that no man can be guiltles that laieth his hand vpon the Lords annointed but shal be condeÌ„ned by al laws sacred prophane diuine humane Imperial Pontifical christiaÌ„ heathnish forreine abroad positiue at home yea by the conscience it selfe a seuere accuser and witnes and iudge of al murders The conclusion of the forst part of Dauids speach In consideration hereof although I hope I need not yet I must in few words speake to vs all subiectes Remember the proposition of Dauid Destroy not the Prince Remember the reason hereof For God will not suffer any such destroier or open conspirator rebel or priuy murderer or any other practiser to scape vnpunished but will by one torment or other reuenge the quarel of his anointed and this is the conclusion of the first part of Dauids reply THE second part of Dauids speach is his PROTESTATION for himself in these words Vers 10. and 11. Text of the 2. part 10 Moreouer Dauid saide As the Lord liueth either the Lord shal smite him or his day shal come to dy or he shal descend into battle and perish The Lorde keepe mee from laying mine hand vpon the Lords annointed AS Dauid hath forbidden Sauls murder in Abishai so he now protesteth for himselfe and that with anoth As the Lord liueth that he detesteth the fact and relieth himselfe vpon God that God shal strike this stroke and desireth God that he may not be so graceles as to lay his hands vpoÌ„ his annointed And why Either the Lord shal smite him The summa of Dauids Protestation or his daie shall come to dye or hee shall descend into battle and