seruaunt Elias fleinge the wrothe and displeasure of Iezabell no he being withoute hope of lyfe and moche desyrynge to dye he sent hym an angell to comforte him and foode to refreshe hym self withall not content with that but spake to hym hym selfe as ye may rede if ye desyre to knowe what god sayde to hym Danyell was caste into a denne of lyons god sente his angelle to stoppe the lyons mouthe and so Daniell was hurte in noo parte of his bodye God sent his aungell to good Gedeon whanne the Madianites had almost ouer throwen the chyldren of Israell He talketh longe with Gedeon abydinge his sacrifice with many his tentations Rede the place ye shall perceyue howe god louethe where he lyketh Iosue also sawe a man standyng anenst hym with a swerd redy drawen in his hand vnto whom he went and sayd Art thou our frende or dost thou take the parte of our aduersaries Answere was made I am the chiefe of the lordes bande Iudith also had an aungell to her companion and guyde whan she went to slee Holofernes I coulde brynge in many mo examples if my pourpose were to enlarge my mattier that waye As howe god sent his aungell to conducte the hooste of the Israelites whan they passed the sees and also how he sent his angell into the fornace where the thre chyldren laye in fyer and felt no heate I coulde shewe in what battailes god hath made his angels souldiours but that is nat myne intent I muste make comparysons and yet I truste they shal nat be odious Rede all scripture and ye shall fynde no person that god preseruid more tenderly than he dyd his chosen and electe kynge Dauid For he beinge as yet noo kynge but rather a poore subiecte of a myghtye kynge was in many places persecuted of him and his host and yet the goodnes of god was suche towarde hym that he escaped all the snares that longe set malice had layd for him A puyssant prince desyred a poore mannes deathe it wolde not be Mighty Saule miste of his purpose ageynst sely Dauid coulde not hurte his lytell fynger Some percase woll thynke here to take holde of me and say if god could preserue a subiect against a prince it is no meruayle if he preserue a prynce ayenst a fewe his vnnaturall subiectes a realme ayenste a fewe traytours I muste saye as they do it is no great meruayle that god soo dothe and yet I saye as I sayde firste our soueraigne lorde kyng Henry the eight hath moche more cause to gyue God thankes than euer had king Dauid or Dauid not yet a kyng For as he knewe that kynge Saule sought his destruction and therby might do what laye in hym to escape his hande and also by ofte intercession obteyn helpe and succour of god so the kynges highnes of late stode in case farre vnlyke and in moche more presente daunger then he dyd His highnes was in great peryll and neither sawe it ne coulde mystruste any suche thyng For if nature if bloude if moste ample benefites coulde haue wrought in some as they do in all naturall and honest hartes whome might his grace haue takē for his more trusty seruauntes for his trewer subiectes then Henry Corteney late marques of Exetter then Henry Pole late lorde Montacute than Edwarde Neuell late of his graces priuie chaumber I wylle talke with the reste whan I shall come to the place whyche I reserue for them What subiectes were more bounde to their soueraygne lorde I say moch more what men were more endetted to man than were all these thre to his highnes Who in more daunger than his grace whiche neyther coulde mystruste them ne yet without his great peryll truste them God promisynge ayde to them that call vpon hym ▪ seldome suffereth innocentes as Iob sayth to peryshe Wherefore Dauid hauynge cause to call for helpe and God by his promyse bound to succour hym coulde not but fynde god good to hym But our moste fortunate kynge was in moste daunger and in no feare ne suspition of leste Howe coulde his grace suspecte them whom of all men he knewe hadde greattest causes to loue hym to desyre his hyghnesse prosperytie and longe reygne His grace dydde not vse them as men whome he mystrusted no he vsed more familiarnesse with fewe of his subiectes than he dydde with the Marques and syr Edwarde Neuyll Wherfore as his grace coulde not are helpe ayenste them whom he toke to be the rediest of all menne to spende theyr bloud if nede shuld require them so to do Euen so god seinge what was in hande thoughte it hyghe tyme suche ranke and rype traytours to be reped vp He saw the lesse his highnesse mystrusted the more peryll his graces person stode in the farder they were from suspition the nigher they were to worke mischef Our lord be thanked they haue in one houre rydde this realme of many daungers taking their leaue of life with suche shame as it becōmeth al trayters to do as for the moste parte god be thanked they are all wont to do If lawes were gone or of no strength at all wolde not men onely moued by the heynousnesse of treason thynke all deathes to fewe for these abhomynable traitours all tourmentes all peyne all vilany to lytle for them I am ashamed that euer it shulde come into writyng that there haue ben among men some that receiuing so hyghe fauour and so great benefytes soughte to make hym away of whom they receiued them more ashamed that suche exaumples shoulde be founde amonge christian men moste of all that it happeneth so oft here in our countreye The ciuile lawe is moche to be commended that the master maye calle hym ayene to bondage seruitude whome he hath made free if at any tyme after his fredome he shew hym selfe vnkynd The Macedons and Athenians also had an action a comune plee in the lawe ayenste suche as were but in trifles blotted with vnkindnes as ayenste men that in dede are enmies to al them which haue nede of other mennes helpe One vnkynde persone is oftentymes the cause that men haue no wylle to do good where they may feare the lyke And if it be trewe that Gratitude which is a perpetuall memorie of benefittes receyued and alsoo a desyre to recompense them be as a mother of many vertues Forasmoche as there commeth from her loue and feare of god loue and feare of our prince loue towarde our countreye loue towarde our parentes frendshyp betwene man and man veneration of those that bringe vs vp and do eyther norysshe our bodyes or instructe our myndes we muste nedes gather it to be true that Cicero wryteth to his frende Atticus Ingratis vitia inesse omnia that is all vices to be in them that are vnkynde This vice is moch better named in our tounge then it is as me thynketh in any other Unkyndnesse is a fytte name for so vnnaturall a vice they that fal into
it go from the kynde of men they lose that state and name that nature put them in and are tourned into cruell vnnaturall beastes Nowe if vnkyndnes be such a vice in what hatred of all men ought traytours to be and traytours to theyr prynce and suche theyr prince of whom they had receyued so innumerable benefites and whiche so many wayes had declared his synguler fauour and loue towarde them ¶ For to come at the laste to the archetraytour and to speke some what of hym whom god hateth nature refuseth all men deteste yea and all beastes to wolde abhorre if they could perceiue how moche viler he is then is euen the worste of them what man wolde euer haue thought that Reynold Pole coulde haue ben by any giftes by any promotion by anye meanes in this worlde broughte from the loue whiche for so many the kynges high benefittes of all men he ought his grace the moste who wol yet beleue that knowith it not to be true that a manne so bounde to loue can hate so boūde to serue can brede traytours stire sedition intende his deathe for whome he ought with all harte to haue shedde his beste bloud rekenynge the losse of his owne lyfe well spente so that his hyghnesse might therby be preserued I wol not say from deth but from perill and danger Howe many fathers haue bene more tender ouer their sonnes than hath his grace bene in bryngynge vp the thou false Pole thou shamefull and shameles traytour from thy chyldhode euen tyll within these two yeres What letters wrote his highnes in thy fauour to the Uenetians at thy firste goinge into Italye what credyte what estymation couldest thou haue ben in there if thou haddest come alone without his gracis commendation what was in the at thy firste going thither besyde thy famylye worthye any gret estimation Thou mightest haue come with thy byrth and familie haue founde fewe there that wolde haue estemed the for them sauyng for his gracis sake His gracis fauour whom at that tyme the byshop of Rome and his adherentes honoured aboue all princis in Chrystendome wonne the thy frendes there if they may be callyd thy frendes whom thou so takest to be not knowyng who be thy frendes and who thy foes beinge thy selfe of all men moste ennemye to thy selfe Thou suffredst thy self to be callid the king of Englandes nephewe this title beinge fals wrought moche and made manye in loue with the for thy nobilities sake And yet thou gottest not so many that waye as thou dyddest by reason it pleased the kynge of his goodnes to giue the besyde thyne owne reuenues yerely an hundreth pounde out of his cofers It is a wonderfulle thinge to see the diuersitie of nature howe grate and kynde 〈◊〉 be and howe vnnaturall and vnkind some other be Many thinke them selfe to owe lyfe and all the reste to him that doth but a mean good tourne for their frende and canste nat thou receiuyng so many so great benefites thy family thy mother thy brethern so many wayes bounde to his hyghenesse auoyde treason Thou hast redde manye notable hystoryes that might haue kept thy cancred nature at the leste from treasone yf they coulde a wrought no farther in the. Howe many slaues do we rede of that haue liued with their maisters in great seruitude miserie whyche yet soo loued theyr maisters that they chose eyther to dye for theym or els to dye with theym ¶ Philotimus a seruaunt and a slaue a lyttell before his mayster dyed was made heire of all that he left Marke his true stomake thou muste nedes condemne thyn vnfaithfull fals and trayterous harte Whan the deed corps was caste into the fyre he remembring what a true seruaunte oweth to a good mayster forgate not onely the goodes that were bequethed hym but also contempnynge his owne lyfe lept into the fyre thinkynge trewe seruyce not to ende where lyfe remayneth Here as I doo nat lyke this Philotimus to hote loue or to saye as I ought his rashe deathe so I doubte nat but there be in Englande manye seruantes that wolde a thousand tymes hasarde their lyfe rather than their maister shuld be in any ieoperdy of his ¶ Marcus Antonius beinge ouercome of Augustus the emperour delyuered vnto Eros his seruaunte a swerde requirynge to be rydde ere his enmyes shuld take hym Eros toke the swerde and quickely turnyng it thought it lesse shame yea lesse hurte to kyll hym selfe then to kyl his master I coulde tary and fyll myne oration with suche examples but neyther to the Pole it nedeth nor to the suche a traytour it boteth thou hast red them as well as I yea thou knowest that very dogges vnto whome theyr mayster could neuer giue more then meate and drinke haue oft died for their master oft slayne them that slewe hym I wyll brynge in an example or two not that I thynke they can do the any good but that they maye set our thyne abhomynable vnkyndenes to thy shame confusiō It is notable that authors wryte of kynge Lisymachus his dogge whiche neuer left his lord and mayster but was in all huntynges in all warres in all ieoperdies at hande with him At the last when he saw his master deed and cast into the fyre as the maner of burial was then the dogge a gret whyle mornefully yowling and lamentynge the deathe of his mayster caste hym selfe euen into the fyre also and there died by his mayster Pliny writeth that Hiero kynge of the Syracusans had a dogge which did euen the same It is more notable that wryters leaue in memory of a Romaynes dogge whiche Romaine was put to deathe when Titus Fabinus his famylye were slayne This dogge wolde away from his maister for no strypes for no whyppynge but laye by the deed body and styll howled wonderfull mornyngely many of the Romaynes standyng about moche meruaylyng at the true faith harte that that sorye worme bare vnto his inayster At the laste when they thought the dogge hungrye one of the stāders by gaue him meate whiche he straighte caryed to his maysters mouth and left it there Shortly after the body being hurled into the floudde of Tyber the dogge lept in after and gate hold of his mayster kepynge hym aboue water as longe as he could If the lawes hadde prouyded no payne for treason were not these examples ynough to make men teare such traytors as thou arte with theyr teethe If men wolde spare the wold not dogges pursewe a beaste thus ouerwhelmed with all kynde of treason A beast so false to his soueraygne lorde and suche his souerain lord How be it if thou be as I surely thinke thou arte he is moche more thye frende that wysheth the ded then a lyue Treason can neuer lye alone in a traytours harte it hath suche a rablemente with it that deathe is pleasure if it be compared with the gripes the woundis the tossynge and turmoylyng the heauyng and shouyng that
traitours fele in their stomackes As god helpe me I can not thynke but god euen of very purpose reserueth the alyue onely bycause thy lyfe hath many mo tourmentes moche more shame in it then any cruelle deathe can haue God by thy lyfe declareth what rest thy trayterous soule shall haue after the eternall shame of this worlde For he that hath to dwelle where thou arte sure to be excepte thou amende must be exercysed with suche panges as thou arte euer in his lyfe lerne what hell hath what interteynement they haue that take vp their lodgyng there What greatter tourmente can be wyshed vnto the thaÌ„ al the world to knowe that thou by these abhomynable treasons haste cast away thy famylie whiche myghte haue continued in honour disteined thy bloud whiche before was myngled with a kinges and now is farre vnder a colyers what greater shame can comme to the then to be the dishonour of all thy kynne a comforte to al thyne enmies a deathe to all thy frendes All men that loue trouthe allegiaunce and honestie muste nedes be thyne enemyes all men muste hate the yea thy mother her selfe shall thynke her self worthy deth if she hate not the aboue all creatures All they whom frendeshyp and affinitie hadde in tyme paste knitte vnto the wyshe for no traitours dethe so moche as they doo for thyne O Pole o hurle pole full of poyson that woldest haue drowned thy countrey in bloudde thou thoughtest to haue ouerflowed thy prynce and soueraygne lorde thou thoughteste with thy traiterous streames to haue ouer rounne all to gether But god be thanked thou arte nowe a Pâ—le of lytel water and that at a wonderfull lowe ebbe Can I wysshe the any more hurt than that thou mayste lyue longe in suche shame in suche infamie as I thynke neuer traytour was in I thinke as obstinate a wretche as thou art if the falle of thy familye nothynge moue the that yet the voyce of thy countrey whiche sommetyme wisheth the deed in thy fyrst cloutes sometyme hanged sometyme in helle with thy great master the dyuelles vycar aboute thy necke were inough to make the chose a tree and there to doo as Iudas the capitayn of traytours whom thou trayterousely folowest dyd Hast not thou moch greater cause to say as Iob dyd than euer had Iob Who euer myght better say than thou who ought sooner to crie thaÌ„ thou Cursed be that day that I was borne in let that daye perish the night also in y e which it was said there is a knaue child coÌ„ceiued let that day be turned in to darknes let god neuer regarde it let neuer light shine vpoÌ„ it but euen to the worldes end be it couered with eternall darkenes Lette the dymme cloude fall vpon it let it be lapped in with sorowe let the darke storm ouercome that night let not the daye that I was borne in be rekened amonge the dayes of the yere nor counted in the monethes Let them that dispice that nigt and curse the day curse also the mornynge that folowed my birthe let it loke for lyght and see none bycause it shyt not vppe the wombe that bare me Alas whye died I not euen in my birth why dydde not I perisshe as sone as I came out of my mothers wombe why set they me vpoÌ„ theyr knees that nowe do brynge them all eyther to deathe or shame felowe to any deathe Whye gaue they me sucke with theyr brestes that now haue lefte no bloud ne life in their bodies Wherfore is light gyuen to hym that is in miserie and lyfe to them that haue heuy hartis life to them that longe for deathe and serche for it more than euer they dyd for any treasure Thou maist o wycked traytour say what thou lyste but thou canste thynke lyttel better of thy selfe thanne all thy countrey thinkith This I know thou hast causes mo than a thousande to say all this and more to The byshop of Rome his godly sowers of treson thought they had spun a wonderful fine threde and weaued a gay pece of worke whan they gate this Raynarde to play the traytour in a Cardinals apparell thinkynge ye and knowynge by their longe experience no garmente so fitte for oone that wolde take suche an enterprise vpon him This is a wede that seldome gro wethe where any good corne is but it hath the ouerhand and distroyeth it gayely He was made yea marie was he a great legate sent with moche authoritie but he retourned as wyse as they that thought he coulde haue wroughte myracles The sworde was seÌ„t to the king of Scottis before we being than encoÌ„bred with sedition and rebellyon at home this gay legate rydeth after to se whether ne were able to make the kynge of Scottes to pulle it oute of the sheath and vse it according to his intente that gaue hym the gyft was there euer beast so maliciousely sette to vndo his countrey for the whiche many menne haue gladly dyed or euer any stonye hart that so enuironned with a kynges benefites wold let none of theym enter into it so blynde that in suche a nomber coulde see none so vngrate that seinge soo many wolde be moued by none of theym What can thyn ennemies whiche are not only all englyshemen but as many as euer knewe whatte honestie meaneth what can they all wyshe the wors than that thou mayste neuer dye and euer fele that that traytours of thy sorte are sure to fele But percase as all our countrey men do deteste and abhorre this pestylent Cardinal as the vnnaturallest beaste that euer prince bestowed benefite on so fewe or none do knowe howe moche the marquese of Exetter and the lorde Montacute this traytours brother were bounde to the kynges highnes Fyrst the Marquise of Exceters father by king HeÌ„ry the .vii. most noble father to our moste dradde soueraygne lorde that nowe reygneth was for certayne treasons committed to prison where he lay in teoperdie of losse of landes and lyfe vntyll the deathe of the sayd kynge And not withstandynge there were gret and weighty matters layde ayenst hym yet our souerayne lorde that nowe is didde not only pardon hym of his lyfe and restore him to his landes and honoure but toke this his sonne into his priuie chaumber vsynge hym there moch more lyke a companyon than a seruaunt always encreasynge his landes and reuenues after suche sorte that if he hadde nat bene to vnnaturall he coulde neuer haue loued his own lyfe halfe so moch as the kynges welth honour A cruell change for most loue to reÌ„der grettest hatred O fondnes who might not haue ben content to serue suche a mayster to be subiecte to suche a prince yea what maÌ„ being th one and not thother being a subiect not a prince wolde not rather desyre to do his duetie to so noble so gentle so hygh a prince so louing a mayster then for to take frome hym his maiestie yea though he were sure to bryng
his trayterous purpose to effect But what thing doth not blinde ambitiō attempt his mouthe was euer full of these pratye sayinges I truste to see a chaunge of this worlde knaues rule about the kynge but I trust one day to gyue them a buffet he can be no subiecte that shall buffet rulers aboute a kynge no he thought to be none when he commaunded Kendall his manne to make as many men in a redynes as he coulde whiche myght serue within an houres warnynge He thoughte to haue worne the garlande when he tolde his frendes I truste to haue a fayre daye ouer these knaues that rule aboute the kyng I trust to se a mery worlde one daye But yet se howe he was deceyued god that hath wether at wyll wolde not so moche as gyue hym a fayre daye to dye in all his mirthe is ended for this worlde al ioye is paste he is gone and hath lefte to his sonne and heyre nothynge but sorowe nothynge but myserye excepte the kynge of his mercye beare hym more loue then his father dyd These be the fayre days that god sendeth vnto traytours this is the myrthe that they come to our lorde sende all traytours the lyke myrthe Surelye they that be as these were do but deceyue theym selfes if they loke for any better ende then they had God punissheth none so soone as vngrate persons bycause he wold haue vs not vngrate vnto hym And yet he hathe euermore greuously punisshed suche as shulde rebell and worke sedition against theyr hedes rulers Chore Dathan and Abiron maye make all men that canne lerne to aduoyde theyr owne hurte by theyr neyghbours obey where they ought to obey serue where they oughte to serue and not to repine ne to take vpon them rule where god hath appoynted them to be ruled You may rede howe god scurged these thre howe the erthe brake vnder theyr fete and swalowed them vp with theyr tabernacles all theyr substaunce howe they went alyue into hell there testyfyenge what punishement god hath prepared for rebelles for traytours for men disobedient to theyr hedes and rulers What loste our fyrste father Adam by his gay enterprise whiche thought to haue a fayre daye a merye tyme What loste he for ones disobeinge for theatynge of an apple a small thynge but euen all mankynd He was in Paradise a place pleasaunt beyonde all pleasures almoste all howres talkynge with god almyghty the eatynge of an apple brought him that he durste not shewe his face God cryeth to hym Adam where arte thou oute of what pleasure haste thou put thy selfe and in to what myserye I maye saye O Marques where art thou where is the fayre day thou lokedest for where is thye garlande Some men perchaunce woll saye they haue suffered for theyr trespasse they shulde nowe be at rest I answere thynges are written not so moche for malyce to the men as for the hatred that euery man oweth to treason There is no writer that can set theyr name and fame in worse case then it is All shame is in them whom treson hath defyled The raunsome of treason is more thā losse of life and goodes Mens tonges and pennes whan deathe hath done what she maye are bounde to worke ayenste traitours as moch as they may Traitours are euen styll to be rated no lesse then if they were a lyue and styll in fulle pourpose to brynge theyr tresons to passe ¶ Nowe on the other syde was the lorde Mountacute nothynge in the kynges debte was not also his mothers landes loste she a poore gentyll woman dwellynge amonge the systers of the Syon he a poore gentyll manne not hauynge a fote of lande towarde his lyuynge was it not a thynge worthy thankes to comme from nothynge to .iii. or .iiii. thousande marke lande his mother to haue this for her lyfe and he to enherite it after her decease had not this traytour cause to haue ben a true subiecte to his prynce a trewe seruante to his mayster was he not bound aboue a great sort of men to loue the kinges welthe and honour to serue his maiestye with all loyall harte and obeysaunce Myghte not this fonde or rather detestable traytour haue talked dreamed of other thynges then of the kynges deathe whiche oure lord kepe of euen as longe as nature with his helpe may maintein lyfe and all other that wold other wyse to folowe Montacute and his felowes Myght not he haue ben content with this world and the state he was nowe in leauyng his lewde prophecies of the world to come of the tyme that shoulde make hym his mery if he might tary it he might if god had not ben as contente to leaue hym as he was desyrefull to flee god and to kepe downe his worde and testament For as goddes ioye is to be with men that take ioye of his presence so beinge lefte and forsaken though his desyre be to do otherwise he leueth and forsaketh This I dare say if these men had not ben enemies to the gospel haters of goddis worde they coulde neuer haue fallen in to suche an abhomynable sorte of treasons Who knoweth not how these that are now deed howe the Marques and Montacute abhorred not only all readynge of scripture but al so all reders of it It was a cryme iudged greate inoughe for to put any theyr seruauntes out of seruyse if they were spyed with a newe testamente in theyr handes whether Reynolde that traytour put this in theyr heedes or whether god thought it best that they had chaplayns accordyng to their hartes menne desyrefull to kepe them styll from the knowlege of their duties from the light of god dis worde whiche they hated aboue all thynges I woll not discusse the sayinge is they bothe dyd well theyr partes As for Reinolde I am assured he ceased not to kepe his bretherne in errour which sent his mother word that if he knewe her to be of the same opinion that y e king is of he wold treade her vnder his fete mother his as she was What beast could vse suche langage to his mother excepte he had vtterlye forgotten the reuerence that nature techeth all creatures toward their parentes what pestilent harte reigneth in hym that hath suche a rancour to goddis worde suche a stomake ayenste the truthe Thou thou Raynolde art the very pole from whense is poured all this poison Thou haste slaine thy brother the Marques and thyne other brother was at deathes doore But for as moche as it pleased god to saue Geffreys lyfe and to tourne the vyolence of the knyfe to his saluation to the safetie of the kinges highnes and to the welthe of the hole realme the kynges grace takethe it to be goddis pleasure that Geffrey yet die not and hath pardoned hym all his offences so that his clemēcie hath saued Geffrey whome thy knauishe letters and messangers had broughte to the galowes Great pitie it is so sayth he and al the rest that euer thou
AN INVECTIVE AYENSTE the great and detestable vice treason wherein the secrete practises and traiterous workinges of theym that suffrid of late are disclosed made by Rycharde Morisyne A preface to the reders I DOVBTE NOT gentle reders but that if ye haue ben conuersante in old histories so perceyued both howe many moo prynces haue ben endaungered by treason of theyr famylyer seruauntes then by open warre of theyr enemyes and also sene what ende they come to that venture vpon so daungerous an enterprise ye woll thynke my labour not euyll employed whiche tendeth hole to this ende that all subiectes ones being brought into hatred of treason maye at the laste fall in loue with their duetie and seke truly to serue where god hath appoynted theym so to doo For as the incommodyties that treason bryngeth into a common welthe be excedynge many and are ofte tymes the vtter vndoyng of ryche and welthy realmes so that kyngdome must nedes prosper and flourishe where all men stryue who may best do his duetie best serue his countrey in that god and his souerayne lorde hath callyd hym vnto We haue hadde ofte experience howe euylle they spede what infamye commeth to them what ende they make whiche at any tyme attempte treason against their soueraigne lord and kynge These whiche of late lost their honour landes and lyues are not the fyrste that haue bene moued with to many benefites to become traytours no nor yet the fyrst that came to shamfull death for soo foule an enterprise They haue companyons which though they be not able to goo cheeke by cheke with them yet they comme nat farre behynde ¶ Perennius a man that had receiued wonderful many benefites of Cōmodus themperour where as he sawe but oone aboue hym thynkyng that he myght by treason brynge hym downe and sette vp hym selfe trayterousely conspired the deathe of Commodus his lorde and maker ¶ Plautianus an nother of all men mooste bounde to Seuerus the emperour soughte also to dystroye hym not that euer he hadde receyued any iniurie or displesure at his handes but that the blynd desyre he hadde to the Empyre wrought moche more in him than coulde al themperours benefites ¶ Seianus as moche bounde as any of thother two euen vpon lyke cause thought to haue slayn Tiberius themperour his lorde and mayster But they came euen to suche ende as dydde the Marques the lorde Montacute and suche other as by their exaumple teache all men that be nat yet werye of their lyues and honestie to be ware of treasone Certaynely who so wayeth how hard a thing it is to enter with any manne in treason howe full of ieoperdies howe fewe there be that a manne maye truste howe soone menne maye be deceyued takynge some to beare them moch greatter loue than they do howe no experience can soo vtter one man his hart to an nother that in suche a case he may leaue lyfe in his handes he woll I suppose moche wonder to see any man thoughe the fyne for it were but the losse of goodis so madde to venture vppon treason Many chaunces make treason whan it is kepte most secrete to appere An harte that stylle feleth the stinge of treason must nedes at one tyme or an other make the tonge and countenance parttakers of his grefe ¶ Lucilla syster to Commodus the Emperoure hadde appoynted oone Quintianus to slee her brother This traytour waited for the Emperour at the entrynge in to the Amphitheatre and whenne he sawe Comodus all moste come to the place where he intended to haue slayne hym his hande his tongue his gesture his countenaunce coulde suffre his harte to be no lenger hyd No he hauinge his dagger redy naked cryed out before the Emperour camme vnder the strooke This the Senate sendeth the. Uppon whiche wordes he was taken and Commodus nothynge hurt ¶ Likewyse Marcus Antonius of Uolterra was set to kyll Laurence Medices and had so done but that he cried before o traitour which voyce saued Laurence and disclosed as many as were of that conspiracie ¶ The same mornynge that Brutus and the reste of his felowes hadde determyned to slee Iulius Cesar it so chaunced that Cesar commened a greatte space with Gneius Popilius oone of those that had conspired his deth Brutus and many mo of his companions were bye and were caste into suche a feare that they wyste neyther what to doo ne what to thynke They all were a frayde lest Popilius had vttered the treson vnto Cesar and wolde euen there haue set vpon hym sauinge that they perceyued Cesar his coūtenaunce nothynge moued ne his colour any thyng altered And yet if Cesar had redde the letter that was delyuered hym not halfe an houre before his deathe he hadde knowen his enemyes counsel and myght haue broughte them all to theyr confusion ¶ The daye before that Sceuinus thoughte to haue slayne Nero he put an olde rustie daggar that hadde layne longe by hym to gryndynge He made his testamente he made all his bonde men free he gaue euery one of thē a certayne somme of moneye he caused rollers to be made to wrap woūdes in by which tokens Milichius his seruaunt gathered he wente about some naughty pourpose and so accused hym vnto the emperoure Sceuinus streyghte confessed that his intente was to haue slayne Nero. ¶ This I brynge in not so moch to shewe that treason woll out as to make men see howe god plucketh wyt and prudency from malyciouse traytours He hath done so where treason was intended ayenst Nero one of the worst prynces that euer the worlde had and trowe traytours he woll suffre Henry the eyght his chosen king a prynce that chyefelye aboue all thinges hath soughte and seketh to sette forthe his glorie to restore his holy worde to put downe hypocrysie to banishe idolatry finally to bryng this ones to passe y t al his people may be as they ar called that is trewe chrystians Rede this lyttell inuectiue that foloweth I truste by thynges past ye shall perceyue it very vnlyke that any traytour here after maye or can hurte his highnes Ye shall see who is his gracis protectour from what daungers he hath preserued hym and therby gather an assured affyaunce that traytours can but worke their owne confusion when so euer they seke to do his highnes any displeasure God hitherto hath wonderfully troden downe his graces enemyes styll shewynge hym selfe to be of his syde if he be so stylle as our trust is he wol be euer be traytour who woll he knoweth his ende ALL BE IT I acknowlege my self neyther so able as I am wyllynge neither soo meete as I am redye to write in such a matter as I nowe haue taken vppon me yet trustynge where my wylle is to doo welle that thoughe I faylle of thanke I shall nat mysse of pardon I can nat but admonyshe al my countray men in so plentifull an occasion that as the benefites of god be great straunge and almoste
of it by dethe They be of lyke no small peynes that make the pacient glad to slee his body and damne his soule for the arrydance of theÌ„ But yet as I sayd he had no outwarde tormeÌ„tis no racking no manicles no he was put in fere of none of al these peines but enforced by god as I take it and as he hym selfe sayde at the barre it was frankely vttered not onely ayenste his brother and cousyn but ayenste suche as whan they came to the barre graÌ„ted them selfis giltie without any verdite of quest But of these last I wyll nothing speake all be it I take them to be as worthy eternal infamy as the fyrst but great men of byrth bicause blode is disteined by treson their family taken froÌ„ them ar those that ought to be set forth in theyr colours It is I saye again a wonder to se one brother bring an other moche loue being betwene them and no cause of hatred to his deathe It were a wonder surely if one had not taken the matter in hande whiche can when him lust bothe vanquishe nature and trede the deuyll with his hole power vnder his fete They two kepte those treasons vnder locke and key God is and euer hath beÌ„ lorde of nature conquerer of the deuyll and can compel both when hym lusteth to set forth his glory But nowe where we see whose goodnes it is that treasons are knowen and traytours made awaye lette vs not forgette to gyue hym thankes that thus waketh and in maner wayteth to saue vs harmeles Is it possible that a maÌ„ not forced shoulde swere vppon a boke hym selfe to be a traytour hym selfe of al men to be most worthy deathe Syr Geffrey hath ofte taken this othe So hath Croftes and Colyns also the other all the tyme of theyr arraynement stode styffe with castyng vp of eies and handes as though those thynges had ben neuer herd of before that thenne were laide to theyr charge The Marques of al the rest stack hardest and made as thoughe he had ben very clere in many poyntes yet in some he staggered and was very sory so to do nowe chalangyng the kynges pardon now takynge benefytte of the acte and when al wolde not serue he began to charge Geffrey Pole with frensye with foly and madnesse It is moche to be noted what answere Geffrey made to the Marques in this poynte Some men saythe Geffreye as I here laye to my charge that I shulde be out of my wytte and in a frensye Trouth it is I was out of my wytte and in a great frenesy when I fell with theym in conference to be a traytour disobediente to god false to my prynce and enemye to my natiue countraye I was also out of my wytte and stryken with a sore kynde of madnesse when I chose rather to kil my self thaÌ„ to charge theÌ„ with such tresons as I knewe wolde coste them theyr lyues if I dyd vtter them But our lorde be thanked god wrought better with me then I thought to haue doone with my selfe He hath saued my soule at the leste the knyfe wente not so farre as I wolde haue had it gone his goodnes it is that I haue not slayne my selfe his mercye that I was delyuered frome that frensye of kyllynge my selfe his worke that I haue declared my self my brother the Marques with the rest to be traytours And where I thought said Geffrey rather to haue putte my soule in hasarde for the sauing of these men god I thanke hym so wrought in me and so chaunged my mynde that if I had had tenne brothern yea tenne sonnes I wolde rather bringe them all to this perylle of deathe than leaue my countreye my souerayne lord and myn own soule in suche daunger as they al thre stode in if I had kepte these treasons secrete Let vs lette vs dye we be but a fewe better we haue accordynge to our desertes thaÌ„ our hole couÌ„trei to be brought to ruyne O what a lorde is god whom can a traytour trust whan one brother is so desyrefull to vtter an others treason yea whan y e traytour hym selfe no man compelling hym vttreth his own treson whom may we trust whaÌ„ we our selues desyre to disclose oure selues Treson can not lye longer hyd thaÌ„ while it ripeth for yf it be ones melowe the sauour streight for the moste parte bewrayeth the howrde Geffrey hath neuer bene taken for any plesant or sage talker his witte was wont to serue his tong but so so I dare say they that were the wisest of the kingis moste honourable counsayle dyd moch woÌ„der that day to here him tel his tale and loked for nothyng lesse than that he shulde haue soo handlyd him selfe God is a meruayllous god he can make bothe whan him lust and whom he wol eloqueÌ„t wise pithie He can make the toÌ„ges of the domme serue his elect whan his wyl is The Marques was styffe at the barre and stode faste in denial of most thinges layd to his charge yet in som he foyled and staggerde in suche sorte that all menne might see his countenance to auouch that that his tonge could nat without moche foltring deny But at the scaffolde whan he sawe mens othes with a multitude of wytnesses taken and his sturdy denyall not to saue his lyfe he began eyther to waye dyshonour lesse than he dyd at the barre or els to thynke that dishonour standith in doing traitrously rather than in confessyng of it whan it is knowen to be so deathe at hande taught him and his felowes to prouyde for the safetie of their soules and to leue the regard of honour there on the scaffolde with their bodies They dyd all thre acknowlege their offences towarde the kinge and desyred all men that were there present to pray god to forgyue them They be gone our lorde I truste which gaue them repentance wol also take theym to his mercy and yet saue their soules The thinge they feared is come vppon them they might not tary the tyme they plowed treason they sowed sedytion noo meruayle yf they reape deathe Wherefore let vs whyche in one houre haue escaped so many sorowes so present calamities so imminente mischeues saye as Iudith sayd whan she retourned â–ª with Holofernes his heed in her lappe Laude and praise be giuen to the lord that forsakest not them that put their trust in the. Let him be gloryfied for euer of vs that vncalled is thus preast and redye to defend them that were nigh the brinke of pardicion and sawe it not vntyll he plucked them by the sleue Hitherto ye haue hard how traytrously these vnnatural traitours enteÌ„ded you haue sene how the goodnes of god as wel nowe as in many other thynges hathe preserued the kynges hyghnes brought his enemies to shameful death now this thinge remaineth alone what cause coulde moue them that were so moche bounde to theyr lorde and mayster to fall into such horrible treasons He liueth not I dare say that can finde any iuste cause for any subiecte to be a traytour to his soueraygne lorde And I am well assured all men that haue any spot of honestie in them wol thinke these worthy to be taken for traytours yf they had but ones thoughte hurte vnto his personne of whom they had receyued so many benefyttes There is no cause yet me thinketh I fynd one whiche although it be not iuste yet is it of suche strength and efficacie that it can worke almoste no lesse then it dyd in these I say and thynke who so euer is of theyr opinioÌ„ in matters of relygyon that he can loue the kynges hyghnes noo better then they dyd â–ª who sâ—â— is a papiste an enemye to goddis worde he may well lacke power or stomacke to vtter treason but he can not lacke a trayterous hart what so euer he be that thynketh the byshoppe of Rome supreme hed of our church of Englande can neuer beare the kynge suche an harte as a trewe subiecte oweth his souerain lord No I saye more he can in no case loue his highnes he can not chose but be a traytour It is to be sorowed and lamented greatly that noble men woll thus fondely caste them selues away great wonder greater pitie and greatest shame that they hauing the word of god in theyr owne tonge woll not yet lerne what a kynge is and what a bysshop what lordes owe vnto th one and what they may requyre of thother My purpose was to haue handled a good sorte of places whiche I haue gathered out of the scripture doctours both makynge for the mayntenance of the kynges supremytye and also shakynge downe that arrogante and vsurped power of the bisshop of Rome I had soo done but that I sawe this boke some what with the longest and well perceyued y t thother wold haue ben moch longer then this is I haue differred it for a while but god wyllynge I woll as sone as I can for the seruice I owe vnto nobilitie and the rest my contrey men followe that whiche god wyll prycke me to thoughe feble wyt and weake power drawe neuer so fast backe In the meane season I humblye beseche all men so to take these my labours that I maye with courage set vpon thother whiche as they woll be moche greatter so my truste is they shall be moche more profytable They maye so be and shall so be if it please hym whiche worketh all that well is wrought vnto whom be all honour al glorye for euer and euer Amen Londini in aedibus Thomae Bertheleti typis impress Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ANNO. M.D.XXXIX Deut. 29. Hierem. 2. Cap. 22. 3. Reg. 19. Daniel 6. Iudic. 6. Iosue 5. Iudith â–ª 13.