authoritie or dissention Yea about this time that the fall of Antichrist might be visibly séene by the taking awaie of such Christian princes as were his setled supporters when as Lodowicke Guiccerdine reporteth ther was not any where either brute of pestilence or extraordinarie disease there died within the space of one yeare the Emperour Charles the fifth the Quéene of Hungary Quéene Mary of England two Kings of Denmarke Bona Sforza Quéene of Polonia Henry the third king of France Ierolme Priuli Duke of Vennice Hercules da este Duke of Ferrara and Paule the fourth Pope of Rome a change verie vniuersall wherein Gods prouidence is not to be ouerpassed with a light consideration whose will vndoubtedly was by the change of these princes the most of them drunken with Poperie to make a ready passage through Europe for the gospel of our sauiour Iesus Christ which vpon this change began to florish in most of the recited gouernements And albeit the fall of Antichrist in many places of the scripture be liuely presaged vpon the authority whereof there is sure and sound building when the prophesies and dreames of a number are but rotten foundations yet I hope I may without iust reprehension say that God many times acquainteth the minds of some good men with an imaginatiue knowledge of things to come which many yéeres after falleth out according to their presagement and for example belōging to our matter the reformation of the Church vnder her Maiesties raigne before her noble fathers death was set downe in this following prophesie Post H sequetur E post E quod mirum M M coronabitur breue confundetur Post M sequetur E vel A Et tunc conuertetur ecclesia In English E shall follow H next E with wonder M M shall be crowned and soone confounded Next vnto M E or A shall raigne Then shall the Church conuerted be againe Noble King Henry the eight first vnmasked this proude Pope King Edward the fixt the parragon of yong princes helped to vncase him Quéene Mary fauoured but liued not to strengthen him and now our soueraigne Elizabeth hath geuen him a mortall disgrace his painted Church abideth not the tuch Gods Church is vniuersally reuerenced The multitude are more delighted to reade a fewe godly sentences written vppon the Church wall then to sée his rarest rotten reliques layde vp in a golden chest Against her Maiestie he principally warreth as the chosen instrument of almightie God to abase his imperious mind to the wonder of the world and comfort of all good Christians CHAP. 8. Of the peaceable and honorable victorie that her Maiestie had against the french forces in Scotland which were raised with a determination for the inuasion of England the second yeare of her Maiesties raigne AFTER the death of Henry King of France his sonne Frances the second succéeded in the kingdome of France a prince of the age of sixtéene yéeres who being married vnto Mary Quéene of Scots and néece to the Duke of Guise suffered the affaires of the estate to be gouerned by the ambitious policy of the Duke and family of the Guises who hauing wished successe in their practises in Quéene Maryes dayes about the winning of Callice hoped and hungred after the spoile and conquest of England And the better to colour their purpose they intituled the King of France in the right of the Quéene his wife to the Crowne of England and knowing the difference betwéene the Quéenes Maiestie of England and the Pope in matters of religion they easily obtained of Paulus the fourth a disablement of the Quéenes Maiestie and an approouement of the Quéene of Scots right but King Frances had béene well aduised if he had not accepted this gift vntill the Pope had set him in possession of the kingdome which would haue troubled both him and his whole Colledge of Cardinals This depriuation by the Pope the Guises practised to moue the Papists of England to their part taking and arming theyr purpose by degrées to worke a feare in her Maiesties loyall subiects they wrote a booke of the weakenesse insufficiencie of feminine gouernement and by their owne reasons wounded the strength of their owne title which they deriued from the Quéene of Scots This scandale of feminine gouernemente was soundlie aunswered by an vnnamed authour in an english printed book at Strasbrowgh entituled A safe harbor for good subiects And truely although the soueraigne place of rule the chiefe credit of knowledge in Artes and Mecanicall craftes together with all other giftes of grace nature and education be giuen vnto man yet there haue béene women that in all maner of artes qualities and vertues which haue equalled the perfitest of men Innumerable are the testimonies of womens profound learning pure chastitie rare constancie patient martyrdome and a number most valiant whereof Chawcer reciteth nine Woorthies aunswerable to the nine Woorthies of men And touching regall gouernement from whence this question is deriued the Iewes recorde the sage gouernemente of Quéene Alexandra with more renowne then they did the tyrannie of her husband Alexander with reproch whose bodie they were determined to haue giuen vnto the dogs as also to haue murthered his two sonnes to haue rooted out Alexanders name if that her wisedome had not redéemed out either Theodosia the Empresse of Constantinople with admired prudence ruled the whole Empire during her life The gouernement of Senobia was no lesse renowmed Dydo the Amazones and many other were absolute Quéenes Semiramis enlarged the bounds of her Empire and Quéene Tomyris slewe Cyrus and his whole hoaste c. But if the enuy of men would suppresse and murther the worthines of women yet the diuine vertues of our soueraigne Quéene Elizabeth doth and will alwaies kéepe aliue their diuine memorie Of whome Guiccerdine in his Commentaries although all his writing defendeth the pope and reproueth Religion thus reporteth The good Queene Mary being dead without issue Elizabeth her sister was proclaimed Queene c. a Princesse of great learning and ouer and aboue the Laten and her mother toong she is possessed of the French and Italian language which she eloquently speaketh a yong Lady of a hye spirit wise and endewed with rare and noble qualities He might haue added the Greeke Spanish and some other ordinarie tongues with many extraordinary vertues which may as hardly be sampled by anie other lyuing Creature as the Sunne by the fairest of the Planets The worthinesse and strength of whose Gouernment euen from the beginning confuted the scandule of this lybell which was grounded vppon noe generall Lawe of God or man There haue béene priuate Lawes in some perticular Gouernments to take away and to disable the absolute gouernment of women when the generall Lawe possessed them with Imperiall authoritie As in Rome the Law Voconia so called because Voconius Tribune of the people pronounced the same In Fraunce the law Salique which they fetch from king Pharamond which bindeth the present
reported that his notorious crimes exceeded the dayes of his age which I ouerpasse as examples necessary for other purposes and vnto this impious parte I will ioyne this following crueltie Upon a day one tolde this naughtie Emperour that his cosen Mamertius Antomenes resembled him in comelynesse of bodie and magnanimitie of minde vpon which report Commodus pronounced death both vpon the reporter and his innocent cousen holding it for reason that it appertained to no man to vaunt lesse to resemble him and in my opinion if Antomenes resembled him in deuilish qualities death was too easie a scourge for so lewde a life Mulla Abdula father of Moley Mahumet commonly called the blacke king in whose cause the mortall battaile betwéene the king of Portugall and Amoley Muluco king of Fees was fought the 5. of August 1578. as in the alteration of the latter common weales by enuy shal be more largely shewen vpon an enuious suggestion that his brethren by the priuity in nature and bloud loked to liue in greater liberty then subiectes by the assistaunce of a noble man of the countrey called Alcatho Alley caused the throates of a eleuen of his brethren to be cut in one morning Now to conclude these particular tyrannies of enuye vnto which millions of notorious examples may be enserted the monstrous murders of king Richard the third a tyrant of our nation is worthy note in whose wretched end yet worthy his wickednes the happines of Englande began againe to florish and enioyed her auncient renowne This tyraunt at such time as he was Duke of Glocester with an enuious eye behelde the soueranity of king Edwarde the 4. his brother and yet inforced by necessity obeyed him For annoynted kinges with weake policies are not depriued but vnable to hold his hand from their throates who for their dignities toke the vpper hand of him against the lawes of honor with his impious handes he stabbed Prince Edward to the hart beeing taken prisoner at the battaile of Tewksbury Next like an Alehouse ruffen with his dagger he slew the infortunate good king Henry the sixt in the tower of London Then heaping murder vppon murder he caused George Duke of Clarence his naturall Brother to be drowned in a Butte of Malmesey And last though not the least to rowle vp a number of noble subiectes endes with the death of king Edward the fift and Richard Duke of Yorke the kinges brother his nephewes whom he caused to be murthered in the Tower and buried without honor to infame the name of king Edward the fourth and his posterity he pronounced his mother like a filthy harpye to be a strumpet and that the sayd king Edward was a Bastard and him selfe onely legitimate as I think sonne of the diuel for it séemeth wonderful that so inhumane a creature should take life of humane séed CHAP. 3. Enuy originall of warre and capitall cause of the destruction of the first Monarchies MAny yéeres after the beginning euery king qui etly enioyed the countries in his own possession vntil Ninus king of the Asserians enuying the soueranity of his neighbour kings put him self in armes vnlawfully to inlarge his owne dominions by deposing other froÌ„ their kingdoms Thus byenuy froÌ„ the bottom of hell came war by war confusion of deuine humaine blessings the aduauncement of thousandes of diuelish iniquities For whereas lawes giue place to armes the honor of God is wounded his word is misprised Iesus Christ is blasphemed and persecuted his Gospell is reiected and his Sacraments are prophaned fire is put to the house of the lord Wolues are thruste into his stéepefolde and wilde Bores among his vines truth and equity is peruerted charity is cold innocents and the iust are oppressed youth bee ill instructed publicke orders are broken discipline and rules of good life are abolished ignoraunce is raysed knowledge is abased proud ambitious and men of leaste estimation doe gouerne the learned wise and vertuous are disofficed as ideots and men of no merite countries bee vnpeopled fayre Cities are burned peaceable citizens are murthered their wiues and daughters are rauished their groundes lye vntilled goods compassed by the trauels of a mans whole life in one hower doe become the spoyle of a riotous souldiour And to conclude though short of a number of other curses which follow warre vice mounted in her chariot of triumph arrogaÌ„tly treadeth pore vertue vnder foot therby they that shold cry out of this outrage against God and man are dumb and the reformers of these enormities deafe these vengeances by war the enuious eye and ambitious hart of Ninus bred in the worlde which died not with the destruction of Th'asserian monarchy Notwithstanding enuy the erecter was the destroyer therof For Arbactus leiftenant of the Meades enuiyng the soueranity of Sardanapalus a man more effeminate then a woman by the assistaunce of other lords gaue battaile vnto the king Sardanapalus discomforted â—…led into his pallas there enuiyng the fortune of Arbactus more to reaue him of the glory of his triumph then moued by sorrow of his own defeat Sardanapalus set fire of his Pallas his wealth him selfe so by the prodigall spoyle of his life recouered the reputation of a man for manhood is most truely tried by constancy in the trembling passage of death The like enuious part was committed by Ariathes king of Capidocia who being ouercome in battail by Perdicas one of Alexanders successors fled into the Citye enuiyng Perdicas good fortune more then he lamented his owne mischance caused the city to be set on fire incouraged his souldiers citizens to slay their wiues children holding it lesse euill to die by the violence of friends then to liue a seruile life vnder the controlment of their enemies And by this means in truth he reaued Perdicas of the spoyle of his victory but did both vnto him selfe and countrey an iniury against nature and reason against nature in committing wilful murder vpon him selfe posterity against reason in that time was able to repaire his ruines of fortune But to kéep an order in discoursing the actions of enuy by the victory which Arbactus had ouer Sardanapalus the empyre of Th'asserians was traÌ„slated into the Meades which corse most conquerors adopted Princes euer since haue taken to crown their natiue countrey with imperiall title to leaue the places conquered or by other meanes gayned to the tyrannye of leifetenants Well this monster enuy which mortifieth the naturall affection of a father robbeth dutifull obedience from the son made the one of these the cause the other the ouerthrow of this second empire For Astiages the last king of the Meades receauing answer of the Oracle that his daughters sonne should gouerne his empire as it were to despight the Gods that had fore destined this honor vnto his daughters sonne vpon an enuious thought first
Sebastian Henry a Cardinall and a very old man the fifth issue male of king Emanuell was presented vnto the crowne Don Anthonio being then prisoner in Africa and his right vnknown by reason that he was thought not legitimate Within a few dayes after by Gods prouidence Don Anthonio was both deliuered forth of prison and by probable witnes ses was assured of his legitimation the knowledge whereof so mooued the old and foreworne king Henry his vncle as poysoned with enuy malice he not onely banished him the court but stopped the course of iustice in the pursuite of Don Anthonioes lawfull clayme and not finding his malicious humor satisfied because Don Anthonio had procured the Popes inhibition to disable the sayde king Henrye to attempt anye thing preiudiciall to his right he therefore tooke an other course to disgorge his rancour which was vnder pretence that Don Anthonio disobeyed his commaundement in comming with in sixe miles of the court he commaunded him vppon paine of death within fiftéene dayes to depart out of his realme How iniuriously this old king that by course of nature coulde not liue long dealt with his naturall countrey and kinsman the calamities of the one and oppression of the other largely testifie This old and withered king Henry if enuy and disdaine had not both mortified reason and naturall affection vpon the certaine knowledge of Don Anthonioes right to the kingdom had great cause to thanke God and comfort his affections that when the glory of Portugal lay a dying for want of linall succession of the heyre male that so worthye a personage as Don Anthonio in whom there wanted no commendable vertue a naturall Portugall and of the bloud royall was by deuine prouidence reserued to raigne and receiue the glory of the kingdome I haue read of many aged princes yet more able to gouerne then this king Henry the estate of whose kingdom so hastely required not a sufficient and able king as Portugall that haue voluntarily resigned their gouernment to yong and sufficient men but I haue seldome heard of anye that euen at their entraunce into their graue haue furthered the clayme of a straunger before the right of their naturall kinsman countrey man But whether malice or feare or both were the causes king Henry banished Don Anthonio and suspended his right and shortly after died before anye order taken for the strength and succession of the kingdome after whose decease who in most of all his claimes maketh force his iudge would not tarry the determination of the estates but with fire and swoord made his passage to the crowne The estates of Portugall the Cleargie nobilitie and comminaltie now too late looked about them and foorth with elected and made Don Anthonio their king they annoynted and swore him with all kingly ceremonies but they prouided not a strength to settle him in his kingdome which if king Henries rancour had not banished him his wisedome would haue foreséene they perswaded the king of Spaine to retyre his army vntill that iustice had determined his claime A weake perswasion where the victory was so swéet a kingdome and the king of Spaine a party whose desire coueteth vniuersall rule And as Euripides saith to gaine a kingdome the breach of lawes are halfe priuiledged but so or no he stood in awe of no iudge The munition and Gunpouder by the corruption of the Gouernours of Portugall Sede vacante was conuaied into Castile so that he made an easie conquest of a rich kingdome king Anthonio by Gods prouidence miraculously hath sundry times escaped his cruelty although the kingdome dayly fele his tiranny Out of their calamities of Portugall I speciall obserue this counsell of Gods iustice to admonith semblable traitours to their country Iohn Masquerannas Francis de Sa and Diego lopes de Sosa thrée of the Gouernours of the realm who by bribes and fayre promises of promotion by the king of Spaine solde the munition in effect their country Al which thrée vpō the election of Don Anthonio fledde into Spaine where they all with griefe that they had sold their countrey and melancoly that the king kept not his promises with them soon after died Iristan vazde vegna without any necessity yéelded the strong Castile of S. Iohn by Lisbone to the duke of Alua vppon the promise of a great pension during his life who presently vpon the deliuery without other rewarde then the iust rewarde of traitours vpon a slender quarrell was banished into Aphryca to serue ten yéers against the Mores and truely therein the king did both iustly and honorably for he that will be false to his countrey will be true to no man neither deserueth he to haue any promise kept with him yea as Phalaris made Perillus to be firste executed with his owne torture and tirannicall deuise it is sound counsell to receiue suche traitours seruice and to hang them for their labours or at the least to banishe them for euer For such heades are apt to dammage more then they profite whose mindes seldome leaue groning vntill they clymbe to the Gallowes CHAP. 14. The true report of the chaunge of the gouernment of Florence in the yeare 1478. and the outrages and murthers which followed the enuye which the Archbishop of Pisa they of the howses of Saluiati and Pazzi beare towardes the family of Medices for the authority which they administred in the common wealth SAint Paule declaring the offices of a bishop among manye other duties sayeth that a bishop ought to be no fighter him selfe yea to abhorre fightinges and dissentions in others intending with all that fighters the sustayners of fraies and vnnatural murders were the sworne enemies of charity and publicke prosperity vpon whom bishops are bound to pronounce the curse and vengeaunce of God least the Gospell which they shoulde preach being it selfe true loue peace and charitye rebuke in them selues the sinne they might blame in others But small is the wonder though Frauncis Saluiati archbishop of Pisa contraried this doctrine being the true Disciple of the Pope and S. Paule the faithfull Apostle of our sauiour Iesus Christ betwéene whom there is no vnion neither in life nor doctrine For our sauiour Christ attyred with humilitie preached the vnmeasurable power of God and peace vnto men and the Pope cloathed with the riches of the worlde proudly aduaunceth his owne traditions aboue the glory of the almighty and laboureth to so we sedition in the bowels of mightye Princes This vngratious Archbishop as an earnest follower of the Popes errours or rather wilfull sinnes beholding with an enuious eye the estimation and authoritye of Iulian and Laurence de Medices brethren and of the people of Florence high ly fauoured with a malitious hart desired the ruine of their glorye and to giue successe to his naughty wishe he conspired with the families of Pazzi and his owne of the Saluiati two of the most auntient and famous houses
welnéere of all Italy is cleane shut out of the kingdom of Naples the Dukedom of Florence Ferrara Mantua Millaine Parma Vennis the state of Genua c. so that to come to his segniorie of Bologna he is driuen to the lower way by Racâ—…onati Maddona de Loreto Ancona and by exchange with the Duke of Vrbin patcheth a passage so that in respect of her ancient limits this proud Eagle is welniâ—…h brought into the case of Platoes cocke with neuer a feather on her back the end of this Eagle shall be confusion the text so saieth the lion shal rebuke her vnrighteousnes rent her asunder shal deliuer the rest of the people of trouble make theÌ„ ioifull The Lion of England euen King Henry the 8. and his posterity hath made a faire reuealement of this prophesie the godly expect that the Eagle shall vanish to nothing with the thundering blasts that the English Lion hath shal storme vpoÌ„ her she feareth the same therfore bendeth all her secret forces to disquiet the Lion S. Augustine long ago séeing certaine english boies to be sold as slaues in Rome thus prophesied bene vocantur angeli quia nitent vt angeli in quo regno euangelium dei florebit they are properly called English-men because they shine as Angels in which kingdome the Gospell of Christ shall floorish The learned Doctor Erasmus writing a paraphrase of the foure Euangelists dedicated the first to the Emperour the second to the french King the third to the noble King Henry and the fourth to the Emperours brother the Pope was wiped out of his trauell as one not destined to haue the protection of this pretious iewell To King Henry the eight he dedicated his paraphrase of S. Luke and in his Epistle wrote that he had sent him Luke the Physition by circumstances reputed his Maiestie through his godly and religious procéedings to be the spirituall Physition that by the working of the holy Ghost purged the soules of many from the grosse errors of Antichrist I leane not so much to these moderne prophises although there be a common Prouerbe Vox populi vox dei the Scriptures giueth light sufficient that from these partes the Gospell of our Sauiour should be visibly reuiued In the fourth Chapter of Cantica Canticorum be these words Vp thou north wind and blow vpon my Garden that the smell thereof may be caried on euery side yea then my beloued may come into his Garden and eate of the sweete fruite that growe therein This winde is vp at the Almighties call his commission is well blasted abroade This noble King Henry as it is interpreted this Lion this winde ordained and sent of God first shooke the wicked tyrant of Rome first blewe the blast that hath almost blowne his authoritie out of all Christendome The Pope in his quarrell almost armed all Christian princes against this Lion but they feared or failed to do him hurt In the Popes quarrell many seditions were sowen in England in fearing the communaltie that the King would begger them with impositions The Northerne men openlie rebelled and the whole realme was in armes readie bent against their proper intrailes but God frustrated the deuisers counsels and preserued vs from the wilfull murther of our selues When the kings power and the rebels were ready to méete he parted the armies with a suddaine swelling of the water while after a parle the Rebels were willing to acknowledge their faults and with the kings gratious pardon departed to their owne houses a wonderfull prouidence of God that would not haue the rebels perish in their ignorance nor the good subiects murthered in so vnnaturall a battaile The vngratious Cardinal Poole stirred a great power in France but the french were more afraid to venter then was king Henry in his aged daies that they woulde enter into England His mind was inuinsible and euen of God all his procéedings were blessed their happy successe testified no lesse who in the 37. yeare of his triumphant raigne ended his life in peace whose death made England vnhappy in that the most toward and godly prince Edward the sixt his only sonne and heire of the Crowne was of so tender age CHAP. 5. A sommarie of the most excellent gifts of King Edward the sixt THe godly and most toward yong Prince King Edward the sixt being but of the age of nine yeares began his raigne the 31. of Ianuarie 1546. This prince in his tender age was indued with such towardnesse wisedome learning and all goodly gifts as Europe seldome or neuer fostered the like By reason of his tender yeares the Duke of Somerset his vncle was made Protector both of the King and his Realme who for the discretnesse of his speach the wisedome of his behauiour and vertue that accompanied all his actions was worthely reputed to be better able to gouerne at tenne then many princes at thirtie yeares of age There wanted no gift of nature learning or education that might renowne a good King but that mightely grew in his yong yeares as the vndoubted heire not only of the crowne but of all the vertues of his most noble father He aduanced the Gospell to which by Gods holie spirit his godly father gaue frée passage in England whose deuout zeale witnessed that this heauenly blessing was no lesse planted by his Grace by his godly councels and wisedome By his especiall request and letters the Citizens of London erected thrée néedefull Hospitals viz. for the sicke and aged they erected S. Thomas Hospitall in Southwarke for the fatherlesse child and infant they erected Christes Hospitall and for the sturdy vagabond they erected Bridewell by his godly meanes this charitable worke was sowne His wonderfull victory against the Scots may not be forgotten where was slaine 13000. Scots and but 60. Englishmen And truly if his subiects would haue béen imitators of his pietie charitie temperance and other christian duties their enuy ambition crueltie and other gréeuous sinnes had not so highly moued Gods wrath as that his vengeance would not suffer vs in any perfect yéeres to enioy this right gratious King Edward sample of all goodnes and by his death for a time reaued vs of the fruition of the Gospell the foode of our soules and in place of both to further punish our vnthankefulnesse he sent vs a prince that held a hard hand ouer vs that not only stopped the passage of the Gospell but persecuted the godly professors thereof euen Quéene Mary good King Edwards sister part of whose actions followeth CHAP. 6. An abstract out of the proceedings of Queene Mary LADY Mary the eldest daughter of king Henry the eight began her raigne ouer the realme of England the sixt of Iuly 1553. Touching her naturall disposition she was vertuouslie and well giuen but by reason that her bringing vp was vnder Papists and her youth throughlie instructed in the superstitions of Papistrie anone after that she was setled in her
visible plagues which fall vppon your Pharao the Pope you sée that iustice by generall iudgement hangeth notable murtherers in chaines that they may rot consume by péece-meales euen so Gods iustice promiseth semblable vengeance vpon this Archmurtherer your pope the most infirmed eyes sée the lingring consumption of his riches reuerence and reputation he that sometime disposed forraigne kingdomes can not kéepe his proper lands out of the possession of his next neighbors There is no frée state in Italy but of late yéeres haue fléesed him nor any Christian Prince that is his best friend which paieth his auncient tribute He that sometimes commanded the persons goods roial powers of anointed kings is now driuen to waste his substance vppon Atheists secretly to murther his supposed enimies whose counsels for the most proue the halters which hang his executioners necessity constraineth him to be in league with all men saue the professors of the Gospell the Iewes haue their sinagogue the Grecians their proper religion euen in Rome strumpets haue good law to recouer the leacherous hire of their bodies their Ladies are his possessions for they pay him rent to abuse them Atheists traitors murtherers théeues and such as the lawes of all good gouernement would consume with the gallowes are his souldiers stipendaries and pentioners and what seruice do they him they shorten their owne daies in laboring his wicked practises all to a bootelesse successe seldome but yet sometimes his instrumentes execute hys bloodie purposes but hys Machiuillians neuer escape the hands of vengeance I haue shewne the example of Fraunce Iohn Ianregui the fyrst assayler of the godlie Prince of Orange was presentlye slayne and sundrye of hys confederates were executed the odious Atheist which wickedly murthered this good prince had a seuere death but yet too milde for his execrable offence but héere in England from whence came the Lion that first plucked the prowde Eagle of Rome by the throte c. what successe hath followed all his pollicies since the noble King Henry the eight shewed his rauening to the princes of the earth he hath vomited his poisoned enuy and mallice to the chiefe destruction disgrace and shame of him and his partakers his instruments of Rebellion murther and all inhumaine mischiefes had their fortune which rid the horsse Seian which was violent death they brought buls which gored themselues and pardons whiche turned into halters and hatchets which hanged and quartered their maisters I néede not name Felton Campion Parry and the rest you haue canonized them for Saincts and we haue Chronacled them for Traitors Since the beginning of her sacred Maiesties raigne whome héere in England haue your Popes cursses harmed I know his blessings haue brought many Englishmen to the gallowes from which God blesse all good men and then I meane not you without amendment If you haue not learned by the councels of scripture to forbeare the laying of violent hands vppon the Lords annointed yet the dayly experiēce of your companions falles and their frustrate attempts sufficeth to banish the very imagination of your and our most gratious soueraignes death which all good Christians beseech almightie God many yéeres to defer You are not so wise as the Philosophers disciples whiche in the water woulde followe their maister but to the chin for you follow the Pope ouer head and eares in two dangerous seas error and rebellion You may learne instructions of safetie of Mise which runne from houses which are readie to fall or of lice that will leaue the bodie of a dying man all the world séeth that your Popes kingdome leaneth vpon a few rotten props yea that the life of his glorie is at the point of death why follow you then your owne destruction in susteining of him whome vengeance will no longer suffer to flourish Nature counselleth you to haue care of your liues and charitie warneth your enimies from wishing your deathes if you would shunne the perils that vnpolitike creatures auoid but Pharao and his host would wilfully perish in the red sea the like is your stobernesse and expected destruction Pharao was plagued and well warned before and you Papists lacke neither punishment to feare you nor perswasion to win you and vnhappy are ye that neither can profit you Mahomet to continue his irreligion by his Alcoran forbad the people to reason of it a damnable policy to suppresse truth which by disputation breaketh out of cōtrouersies as fire out of Flint by the striking of iron The people to blinde all the world with ignorance appointed the Latin toong for matters of religion which the multitude vnderstood not if one language sufficed for a generall edifying the holy Ghost in the forme of clouen and firie toongs sate vppon the Apostles in vaine which instructed euerie one in their proper language it was a policie almost as dangerous as Mahomets which manie yéeres masked the hipocriticall blasphemy of the pope when his dreames shadowed the truth your mists of error might wel arise from ignorance but now that truth hath vnmasked his hipocrisy your blindnesse can be adiudged no better than peruerse wilfulnesse His policy forbiddeth you studiously to search the scriptures it is then like his wil is that you should reade his own monuments And I counsell you to reade Platinus Aeneas Siluius the golden Legend of the actes of popes Plutarke reporteth that an Atheist gouernour of Cilicy beléeued in God by an answere of the Diuell or oracle of Mopsus which reuealed a knowne secret and it may well be these popish historiographers will let you sée paltry stuffe that the best aduise will hardly perswade you to beléeue There is an old saying Orpheus can describe hell better then Aristotle raysed vpon a fable that he fetched his wife from thence and truly in knowledge is assurance and in report may be error They are Authors that write wonders of the Pope and if your iudgements are not blinde matters in common sense vnpossible you may by grace stumble on such grose errors as shall constraine you to looke vpon the plaine truth but you haue a commandement that forbids you to looke into the liues of your Popes because it can not be denied but that they trespasse dayly as men when in their doctrine can bee no error because the holy Ghost waighteth vppon their holinesse it may well be of their holinesse and yet farre ynough from the Pope Where was I pray you the holy Ghost when Pope Marcellus sacrificed vnto the Idols of the Pagans What office had he when Syluester the second when Iohn the ninetéenth and Gregorie the seauenth were a coniuring they were successors of Simon Magus and not of Simon Peter In déede Pope Ioane the eight erred not when she fell in labor in the middest of Procession Among your owne Authors it is reported that the virgin Mary told S. Brigit that most of the Popes are in hell a small signe then that the holy Ghost is very conuersant with them
the Emperours Honoreus and Arcadius By the enuy of Ruffin and Stilicon two temporall magistrates but with all to approoue what I haue already sayd the Pusalanimitie of the emperors before that day gaue incouragement for the conquered Regions to reuolt and more styrred vp the barbarous Gothes to inuade Italy in so much as the Emperour Theodotius beholding the perrill of the Empyre and the rather for that his young sonnes were not capable to gouerne as he thought to prouide a remedye for the mischiefe he left these two great captaines whom he had approoued to be wise and valiant and with all had bound them with many greater aduancementes to be the protectors of his children and Empyre and to the gouernment of Ruffin appointed the East parts and to Stilicon Italy and the West But beholde the nature of ambition the impe of this miscreat enuy neither the bountye with which the deceased Emperour had tyed them that was great the trust which he had committed vnto them which was greater nor the dutye which they ought vnto the yong emperors their soueraignes which was greatest coulde stay their vnsatiable desire to rule by the breaches of all these duties so that regarding the emperours with enuious eyes they obeyed them with ruling hartes Ruffin hungring after the Empire for him selfe Stilicon in the behalfe of his sonne But as there is an old tale of a shrewd wife that ment to poyson her husband and to be sure as she thought shée put two strong poysons into the portion but contrary to her expectation the one poyson so stroue with the other as the man was preserued from death So enuy to make a ready confusion of this famous Empire euen in the hart of her glorye made her to foster two mortall enemies of her propertie but so long as they both liued neither could obtaine his purposes their pollicies were so mutuallye imployed the one to suppresse the other Ruffin too hasty of his purpose mooued straungers to make warre vpon the Romanes and béeing chosen Captaine assaied to make him selfe Emperour for which enterprise he was put to death by Honorius Stilicon wayted a better oportunitie and to auoyd suspition married his daughter to Archadius but being alwayes mindfull of his purpose secreatly solicited the Gothes Vandals and other barbarous nations to war vpon the Empire thinking for his sufficiency to be chosen captaine by reason of the tender yéeres of the emperors whose purpose tooke place the Gothes entred Italy with a strong army Stilicon being chosen captaine obtained many weak victories against the Gothes of purpose to continue the warres Alaric king of the Gothes béeing a man of good iudgement found out the dalliaunce of Stilicon and séeing small hope of successe certified the Emperour Honorius of Stilicons drift and desired him to accorde to a peace protesting that he sought but some small countrey for him and his people to dwell in the Emperour vpon diuers other suspicions beléeued the information of Alaric and assented vnto his conditions of peace assigned a part of Gawle for him and his people Neuerthelesse he desembled this knowledge with Stilicon who by the departure of the Gothes vnto their assigned habitation fearing the ende of his authoritie secreatlye practised with one Sawle a Iew a captaine of his army vnder pretence of a priuate quarrell to set vpon the Gothes vppon an Easter daye which the Gothes béeing Christians celebrated Which practise Sawle executed and made a great slaughter of the Gothes but the Gothes béeing gathered together reuenged this outrage with the death of Sawle and the most of his partakers Alaric imboldened here with set vppon the forces of Stilicon who dissembling a feare fayned to fly and sent to Honorius for more ayde The Emperour fearing the secreat drift of Stilicon more then the open force of Alaric sent a strong power to the campe by such persons as slewe both Stilicon and his sonne Honorius by this meanes thought that he had both discharged him self of Stilicons treachery and by his death supposed that Alaricks fury woulde be appeased but it fell foorth that it had bene better for the strength of the empyre that Honorius had spared Stilicon till a further time for béeing vnfurnished of a right valiaunt and worthy Captaine Alaric pursued the aduauntage that was offered and blamed Honorius as guilty of the matter and with all expedition set forwardes towards Rome and without resistaunce in his passage wasted euerye place with fire and swoorde and finally besiedged Rome on euery side Manye haue written the assault and taking of Rome by Alaric but yet so briefly or darkly that they haue giuen small light to the Reader Peter Messire sayeth that he hath founde it written in the Annales of Constantinople that as Alaric marched towardes Rome there went before him a Monke of an vnknowne place who notwithstanding that Alaric was a blouddy tyraunt yet béeing a Christian vpon audience desired him for the loue of God to moderate his ire and to remember that he him selfe béeing a Christian was in duty bound to forbeare the sheading of Christian bloud much more the destruction of Rome which had no way offended to whom Alaric thus aunsweared know thou thou man of God that of my proper desire I goe not against Rome yea further more know thou that I am thus dayly importuned by an vnknowne perswasion aduaunce thy selfe against Rome destroy it and make it desolate wherevpon the religious man sore amased durst not reply and so king Alaric followed his enterprise so that it séemeth this aduersitie of Rome was a speciall scourge of God Paule Osorius further sayeth that as God sent Lot foorth of Sodome euen so hee deliuered Pope Innocent the first from this heauy destruction of Rome but if in that suggestion he had not beene partiall he woulde haue compared the iniquitye of Rome to Sodome and Gomorrha and so by consequence the Cardinals and rest of the Cleargy as spotted as Labans shéepe The truth was the Pope was gone to Rauenna to doe his duty to the Emperor and as it séemeth shortly after dyed for Platinus sayeth that this aduersitie of Rome was in the time of Pope zozim This cruell siege by Alaric lasted two yéeres during which time the famine of Rome was no lesse then that of Ierusalem in so much as they were driuen to eat one an other and the mother was constrained to eat her one child variable are the opinions touching the winning of Rome Procopius sayth that Alaric finding his forces too weake was driuen to this pollicie he conspired with thrée hundred Romane prysoners whome he set at liberty who béeing receaued into Rome sodenly slewe the warders of one of the gates and so let Alaric and his army in some sayde by the commaundement and industrye of a great Lady this gate was open vnto the Gothes which procéeded of pittye that shée tooke of the miserable estate of the poore people
at Magonce commaunded the Archbishop before them and so partially heard the matter but the one gaue sentence against him by meanes whereof he was depriued of his dignitie and Arnold who had solde him as Iudas did our sauiour Christ was placed in his place this iudgement being pronounced the Archbishop Henrie there present deliuered these words God knoweth that I am vniustly condemned neuerthelesse I haue little care to appeale from your sentence for that you shal be sooner beléeued in your leasings than I in deliuering of the truth for this cause I receiue your iudgement before the iust and eternall Iudge which is Iesus Christ before whom I adiorne you The Iudges hearing the same began to smile and bad him go before and they would follow after This sentence was giuen in the yeare of our Lord a thousand one hundred fifty sixe The Archbishop thus depriued sustained his iniurie with great patience and liued the residue of his life in a Monasterie to conclude God would not suffer this wickednesse vnpunished to the ende that the innocencie of the iust might bée knowne one yeare and a halfe afterwards Henry died in his Monestarie and as it is to be hoped mounted into the glorie he so desired The newes of his death being come to Rome the two Cardinals vppon a day being mearie together saide that they failed to finde the Archbishop Henrie but within few dayes after the one of the two was so soundly strocken by one of his owne people that his intrailes issued out at his fundament and so miserablie dyed The other grinding of his téeth and tearing and eating his hands dyed mad Touching Arnold for his cruelties and seditions which he intertained among the people he was so much hated that one day being set in a Monestarie hée was slaine and after left thrée dayes among the diches of the Citie where all the people men and women exercised vppon his bodie all the cruelties that might be possiblie inuented Who so that is curious of more examples touching Gods seuere punishments inflicted vppon partiall iudges next vnto the sacred Byble let him search the Actes and Monuments of the Church collected by the reuerent deuine M. Iohn Fox and he shal be liberally and profitably satisfied and so I end this Chapter CHAP. 5. Of the worthy reputation of the Iustisers whom we commonly call Iustices of Peace and of the publike benefite of their seruice being duely administred THere néede no other demonstration to shew the worthinesse of their calling that are Iustisers of Peace then the signification of their office distribution or administration of the right pretious blessing Peace They are numbred among the eight beatitudes that are peacemakers For they shal be called the children of God The greatest peare of England taketh not scorne of the office yea by statute is chosen for that seruice and to the intent that necessitie in such as lack liuing may be no cause of iniustice it is prouided that no person that cannot dispend xx pound land by the yeare shal be a Iustiser of Peace vnlesse they be certain celected men Barrators and men of euill name shall not be assigned Iusticers of Peace Trespasses committed and specified in the greatest part of the penal lawes are committed to their examination and determination M. Lambeard and others haue written learnedly and largely of the administration of this office according to Law but much moreouer may be said of the administration thereof according to Christian charitie and Iustice The diligence of the Iusticers of Peace is of power to kéepe the Iudges idle in Westminster Hall and the plow to be alwayes occupied in the Countrie the true administration of Peace is as well to appease the discords of neighbors as to aprehend felons and euill liuers All controuersies in Law grow either of violent oppression stubborne mallice or manifest folly if the sute procéede of violent oppression what oppressor will be so cruell as to withstand the good mediation of these maiestrates who for the most part are the principall men of the sheare if of stubborne mallice the accord that they shall make wil be farre more godly and profitable than the agréement of the Law for Law for the most part endeth controuersies and increaseth mallice when a friendly agréement determineth both and if the matter be of light reckoning it wil grow to a hauie charge in Law which a peaceable mediation would charitablie end Almost there is no matter tried by law without this censure It is pittie it was not ended by friends and truely in Christian equitie this pittie is a blame in the Iustisers of Peace that they wil not looke into the discorde of neighbours which is a breach of Christian Peace and labour to accord them which is a point of their duetie The Right noble Lord Francis late Earle of Bedford whose life and death is a myrrour of true honour and Christian nobility when he liued in the westerne parts in short time so abredged the number of Nysi prius as the Lawers murmured against his Charitie but so honorable was the slaunder as I may with charitie wish that the example generally through England would begger their facultie The Reuerend Iudge the late Lord Dyer would vsually say if there came any controuersies of poore men to be tried at the assises that the parties were wilfull or their neighbors without charitie because their sutes were not quietly ended I heard a question once moued what was the cause that there were so many bad Lawiers which was presently answered because there were so few good preachers In déede although most ministers will generally speake against discord of nighbors in the Church few of them do trauell to bring peace vnto their houses their godly perswasions no doubt may profite with the honester sort but the credite and authoritie of the other Maiestrate will preuaile against the most obstinate wrangler I know in Bedfordshire and in some other places that once a wéeke sundrie of the principall maiestrates and of the chiefe deuines méete the one to instruct the people in the rules of Christianitie and the other to appease the controuersies of neighbours If the example were generall this generall benefite would follow the oppressor would forbeare to doe iniurie for feare of shame and the oppressed shoulds haue ease without expence of money I am bound reuerently to confesse that the honour and mercie of the Chancery Law is a fountaine of compassion and sucker for oppressed suppliants but the court is so pestered with iniuries as common course kéepeth a man néere hand foure yeares from iuditiall hearing in which space as the tale goeth of a condemned man that vndertooke within tenne yeares to make a Tyrants Ape to speake vppon this hope that before the time were expired the Tyrant the Ape or himselfe might haply die so the opressor hopeth by the complainants expence toile and lacke of friends in such a lingring sute