haue lifted themselues against thée I haue hated them withall my heart and accomted them as mine enemies I haue destroyed euery day all those curssed and wicked people to the end I might put out of the citie of the Lord all suche as giue themselues to wickednesse And now let vs harken what testimonie the holy scripture doth giue vs of the zele that kings in the olde time did beare vnto their religion which was but a figure shadow to ours what was it that hath made Ezechias King of Iuda so greatly to be praised and honored amoÌ„gs men but bicause he tooke away those hault Gods bet downe the pillers quashed and brake in peeces the brasen Serpent that the people of Jsrael did make sacrifices vnto What hathe made the memorie of Iosias to endure vnto these our dayes but bicause he amongste other his commendable vertues burnt the Idolles Churches images and altares that was made to the dishonor and contempte of God The time nor the puissance therof shall neuer extinguishe the memorie of Mathathias father to Machabeus who being moued with zelous choller inflamed with a diuine furor killed a Jew vppon the altare that did sacrifise to Idolles and that in the presence of all the people and in like maner being moued with the same zeale he put to death an other that Antiochus had sent to doe sacrifise And aboue all things let Princes haue good regarde that in stead of defending the church they do not persecute the same for if they do they cannot eschue the iust vengeaunce of the wrathe of God as we haue example by Helidorus who robbing and spoyling the Churche of Jerusalem of the mony and goods that was appoynted for the reléefe of Widowes and Orphanes was so punished by the Angels that ruled and gouerned in the temple as he remaineth as an example for euer to others Pompeius after that he had cruelly polluted and prophaned the same Temple coulde not escape the scourge of God but euen by the victorie that Cesar had of him in the ciuill warres it did appeare he was iustly corrected for his offence Marcus Crassus passing by Ierusalem with his army against the Parthians could not forbeare to robbe and spoile the temple but as Iosephus wryteth the paine of the Sacriledge was not long after the offence for euen at the same assaute his armie was destroyed and him selfe miserably slaine And if we will search the Histories well we shall finde maruellous plagues of God laide vppon Pharao for the oppressions that he made to the sinagoge which was but as a figure of our Church who after that he had ben afflicted with .x. maruellous plages was in the ende swalowed vp and drowned by the violeÌ„ce of the seas Senacherib king of the Assirians likewise persecuting the Churche sawe before his owne eyes euen by the handes of the Angels of god al his armie ouerthrowne afterwards he himself had his head cut of by his own children in the temple of his gods But how was that great monarch Antiochê° plaged who séeking all the meanes he could to extinguishe the memorie of the sinagoge of God and to bring in the honoring of Idolles had he not in satisfaction of his crueltie his body eaten with vermine and became so odious and filthie withall that the stinke that came out of the corruption of his bodie did infecte his whole armie Thus he who by his pride thought to commauÌ„d the waues of the sea to stay and to waigh in the balance the highe mountaines and that was so puffed vp with ambition that he thoughte to reache the starres in heauen was so brought downe by the fearful iudgement of God that no man coulde abide his stinking and corruption and for that he did cruelly handle the seruauntes of God he died as a straunger in the mountaines of a deathe worthy his wicked life Herodotus likewise for persecuting the Churche died of the like deathe Nero that infamous butcher who hathe lefte none other memorie to his posteritie but his murthers and tirannies after that he had raised many persecutions againste the Churche being noted chéefe enemie of the Common wealthe in the ende executed Iustice him selfe vppon his miserable bodie Domitianus did succéede him in the like crueltie After this Dioclesianus Maximilianus Constantius and other like vermine of whome we haue héeretofore made mention that haue sought the decay and ruine of the church and murthered the ministers of the woorde of God did receiue an ende agréeable to the wickednesse of their liues Constantinus the yonger sonne of the great Emperor Constantinus who degenerated from the religion of his Father fauoring the secte of the Arrians was sodenly suffocated and choked with the Apoplexie Cherinthus likewise choked in bathing him selfe Arius died vpon a priuie Olimpus Bishop of Carthage after he had pronounced and vttered many blasphemies against the Trinitie was presently striken with thrée claps of Thunder and died therewithall and his bodye when he was found deade all togither brent Iulianus the Apostata was thrust thorow with a halberte by a souldier and so ended his dayes Valentius the Emperor was vaÌ„quished with the Gothes whome he had infected with heresie Darius likewise as he was persecuting the Christians was consumed with fire in a little house what néede is there after all these to make any remembrance of Theodorike King of the Gothes Attillus Totillus Fredericke the seconde Leon the third Emperors with an infinite number of other Princes and Monarches who for persecuting the Christian church haue tasted the right hande of God so sharpely that the memory of them shall neuer be buryed nor extincte The good Princes and true seruaunts of God according to the example giuen by Constantinus the Great aforenamed ought to be defenders tutoures conseruaters and membres of the Church and not to spare or restraine their mightie handes or any other force that God hath giuen them for the furtherance therof For they haue receiued the administration of the Kingdoms and the dignitie of their Crownes and scepters with suche charge And now for a full conclusion of all our examples we wil adde one other notable testimonie of the obedience of one Emperour written at large in the Tripartite historie as it was doone Theodosius the great being aduertized of a certain emotion that was sprong vp amongs the Magistrates and common people of Thessalonye and of the controuersie that it grewe to the destruction of some of the Iudges The Emperour beeing aduertized thereof and béeing withall surpryzed with so great anger that hée could not staye hymselfe withoute any further inquisition of the matter or order of lawe dyd commaunde that all the Inhabitauntes there shoulde bée put to the swoorde whyche was doone wyth all diligence by his menne of armes And by thys execution there dyed very néere seauen thousande persones as well the innocente as the guiltie Sainct Ambrose
astray wrapped and folded in al kinde of euil wickednesse answered to those shamelesse flatterers and sayd I do not mainteine these lerned men about me that ye tell me off for any loue I beare to them or for any accompt that I make of their knowledge and wisdome but I do it sayd he for that I would be praised and cōmended rather of them than any others So you may sée vnderstand hereby that although he neither loued vertue nor iustice yet alwayes he would eschue slander reproch aswel in his life time as after his death For the like cause Lacydes Syreneus was cōmaunded of King Attalus by his letters and also by his messangers to repaire to hys Court and promysed him great promotions with much fauour and good will in al his requests whervnto he would not consent but answered him that Philosophers were as pictures or images which did shew better far off than at hande Craterus the Emperor also did oftentimes intreate Diogenes to remaine with him to bée an aide and helper vnto him to gouerne his Empire in good order to whome he answered he loued better to bée fed with salte at Athens than to be with him in all pleasure delicatenesse fearing least hée would do with him as Nero did with his who put to death al his friendes bycause they should not admonishe him of his wickednesse nor that they shoulde bée witnesses of his myssedemeanours and to auoide this he gaue great gifts and rewardes to Aurelius Cotta ▪ and to Atherius Anthonius and retained them stil with him in al delicatenesse and plesure but that holy and vertuous man Seneca his maister in satisfaction of al his good exhortations and holy documentes which hée from time to time had giuen him hée caused to bée put into a baine of luke warm water and al the vaynes of his body to bée opened that hée might with bléeding die and so hée entreated that poore olde man And it was not without good cause that Darius did so much commend his friend Zopyrus who on a time holding in his hand a Pomegranade desired among other things to haue so many such like friends as Zopyrus was as there were kernelles conteined in the same and of good reason hée sayd it for hée shewed him self so affectioned to him being his Prince and Maister that hée spared not to cut his owne nose and eares and to mangle and disgrace all his face to bring Babylon into his subiection And Xerxes his sonne following therein his fathers good inclination was not in that respect much inferiour to him for in that great huge armie which he led into Grecia hée had with him one Damarathus who franckly and boldely did admonishe and reprooue him always of his disorders Creses vsed the councel of Solon Calisthenes the scholler of Aristotle shewed the way to Alexander Dyon and Plato to Dionise of Syracusa And therefore S. Hierome exhorteth al Princes that when they find a wise and faythful man they should kéepe him as their own hearts For the comfort of this our miserable life sayth hée is to haue one to whom wée may commit our selues to open our mindes and to communicate our affaires in secrete and vpon whome wée may repose and assure our selues in aduersitie and to bée vnto vs as a firme rock in all troubles and a reliefe among so many miseries and calamities with the which this oure carefull life is continually besieged I haue bene the more willing to bring forth these examples bycause there bée some whose eares bée so deintie that they cannot abide that any man though it bée with modestie shall reproue the euilles wherwith they are infected but howe would they then suffer the libertie of the scoffes the bitter tauntes and sharpe dealings euen to the quicke of the aunciente Comedies as well in Gréeke as in Latine that were made for the better destroying and pulling vppe by the rootes the wickednesse that did raigne in those dayes there And the Lorde God did not commaunde the Prophete that hée should onely plant and builde but that hée shoulde first pull vp by the rootes and make all ruine that hée might the better plant and builde afterwardes and that hée shoulde crie out with a loude voice like a Trumpet to the people not to pronounce or set forth their glorie but their iniquities and tel the house of Iacob their offences In like maner the Lorde our Sauiour Iesus Christ sayd vnto his Disciples speake openly that whiche I tell you in secrete and preach vpon the toppes of the houses that I haue sayd in your eares And the Lorde sayde also to Ezechiell that hée had gyuen his seruauntes a foreheade of Brasse and of harde stone that they shoulde no more feare to tell the people their offences than they haue bene ashamed to offende therefore sayde hée go and speake to them and say those things which I cōmaunde thée who I knowe will not regarde thy woordes yet I wil neuerthelesse thou shalt speak to them And to such manner of men as will not bée rebuked of their wickednesse openly there is no medicine more méete for their dyseases than the continuall reading of Bookes which do the office of Iudges and refourmers and giue them knoweledge of their offences And further if wée mark wel there are many other things that do sufficientely reproue and correcte vs of our offences for all our workes and actions serue as wytnesses of the same in our own consciences for there is no man so fond or so farre out of his common sense but alwayes knoweth whether hée doe well or euill For as Chrysostome sayeth wisely that when a man hath committed any notable crime it is most certayne that hée tasteth his condemnation in hys owne conscience and immediately after the offence done hée hath his conscience for an accuser for witnesse for iudge and for an executer which doth strike such remorse into his heart and bite him so rigorously that shee surmounteth the presence of a thousande witnesses shée toucheth him so néere shée vexeth and tormenteth him so cruelly that if all the Aungels in heauen and all the men in the worlde shoulde persuade hym of any thing hée doth wickedly to bée good iust yet he could not satisfie himselfe nor put from him the iudgement of hys own conscience which is wel proued by that which is written in Deuteronomie that euell men do tremble and quake at the fall of the leafe of a trée and that they are always euen as though their liues hung vpon a thréed Wherfore the Prophet Esay did not wryte without cause howe that euell men bée as the boyling of the seas which can not bee pacified as wée haue many examples therof in sundrie places of the scriptures and specially by Iudas and Caine who féeling such anguish and troubles in their sprites thought that their offences were greater than the mercie of
did neuer desire eyther tenne Aiaxes or ten Diomedes knowing very well how greatly the good councell of Nestor did serue him to purpose and how much profite and commoditie it alwayes brought vnto hym in all his affaires to preuent anye thing present or to come when he did receiue the same and followed it Phillip of Macedonia father to Alexander did so muche bewaile the death of a deare friend of his called Hipparcus that he was almost dead with care And when his friendes did séeke to comfort him and to put him out of his minde alledging that it was time for him to dye considering his many yeares and that death was more necessary for him than lyfe if he had good regard of his old age it is true said he but certainly it is great griefe to me that I haue not recompensed his wholesome councels and the long and paynfull seruices which I haue receiued of him in tymes past wherefore perceiuing very well I cannot now acquite the same thys my vnthankefulnesse shall be a burthen to me and my honour for euer And now hauing brought forth by the testimonye of many prophane histories as well Greekes as Latines how necessarye it is for a Prince that wyll gouerne his people well to haue some wise and sage men about him by whose councell his Realme shall be better ruled and gouerned it nowe resteth to confirme the same by the testimonie of the holy and sacred Scriptures Moyses the great lawe geuer to the Hebrewes when hée complayned to the Lord his God that he could not gouerne such a multitude of people as he had considering the murmures and seditions that they continually raysed agaynst him he was commaunded by the Lord that he should choose out .lx. men which he knew to be most auncient wyse and of the greatest estimation and credite amongest the people and he shoulde leade the same to the gate of the Tabernacle of wytnes to the end they might assist and ayde him And after the Lord said vnto him that he would take of the spirit which he had giuen him and put vpon them that they should beare mutually togethers the charge of the people Lykewyse king Assuerus beyng contemned of the Quéene Vasti his wyfe would not punish her of his own authoritie but he gathered together the wisest and sagest of his Prouince after whose aduise he dyd determine of her fact Romulus the first founder of Rome knowing how difficult a thyng it was to rule the common wealth he ordayned an hundred Senatours of the most wyse and auncient men of Rome to helpe hym in the administration of hys common wealth Let therefore Kynges and Princes take it for a certayne truthe that for the conseruation of theyr mightynesse and the preseruation of their Realmes they must aboue all thynges deliberate and moderate all theyr doynges and enterprises wyth counsell and good aduise not runnyng headlong thereunto wythout all order and reason For there is nothing more enimy to Veritye Iustice and Equitie than ouermuche rashnesse Quintus Curtius in the lyfe of Alexander doth recount that as he vpon a tyme was sorrowing with him selfe that he had rashly passed certayne affayres whereof he dyd repent hym afterwardes he tooke in hand to intreate of Vertue amongest certaine of his seâ—â—untes that he was most affectionated vnto to whom afâ—â—r many exhortations and other documentes he declared that a Kyng ought to premeditate thrée times vpon euery thing that he shall doe before he put it in execution For when the Prince sayd he committeth any offence he must thinke he doth it in a Theatre where all the whole world shall sée hym and marke hym and that more is his offence and fault is almost incorrigible bicause it floweth spreadeth it self amongest al the people The wise man likewise desiring to represse those first and sodayne motions that are in men doth say in his Prouerbes that he which moueth his féete to fast often times stumbleth and doth with his ouermuche haste bring with hym repentance Afterwardes he addeth in his sayde Prouerbes My sonne do nothing without councell and then thou shalt not haue cause afierwardes to repent Beholde lo how by the lessons and instructions before sayde Kinges and Princes may gather that learning and knowledge are thinges very profitable and commodious for the dignitie royall and doth maruellously deck and adorne the same And likewyse they may learne in them not rashly and without aduisement to passe ouer their affaires but alwayes call vnto them wyse and sage councell to decide all their actions and doinges And now for conclusion for as much as we haue entreated of councell it is necessary that we do somewhat exhort them that they do very rare or seldome accept the councell of yong men and specially of such as haue bene delicately brought vp and that do rather followe most willinglye the swinge of their vnbridled wyls thaÌ„ the way of vertue And this is most chiefly recounted vnto vs by Aristotle Prince of the Philosophers who forbiddeth expresselye that they shall be made the chiefe or head of any Prouince or Councell for their counsell is to be suspected But to the contrary that the Prince shall alwayes haue about him suche as be stayed in age and sober in councell and that haue great experience in all thinges conioyned with integritye of lyfe and vertuous maners such as commonlye is founde in olde men which as S. Ierome writeth are féeble in all the powers of their bodyes but increased in wysedome and councell Which thing is wyselye taught also by Plato in hys Simpose where he sayth that although the corporall eyes begin to be weakened and léese their puissance and strength yet the eyes of the mynde do sée more clearer and be made more subtiller and sharper Aristotle in a certaine place demaunding a reason wherfore olde men bee commonlye more fearefull than young men aunswereth and sayth amongest other thinges that the great experience that they haue of the mischiefes past doth make them to be in such feare But such consideration cannot enter into the myndes of young men beyng lustye and whote in all theyr actions and doynges bicause they haue not yet proued the rigour of Tyme nor force of Fortune Plutarche that worthy Philosopher doth teache vs howe that a Citie is more happely gouerned by the councell of old men than by the force and strength of young men and antiquitie also hath attributed so much to number of yeares that if there ryse question to put any thing in execution of importance alwayes old men by common vsage allowed by Nature are preferred thereunto Titus Linius Prince of the Latine Historians doth write that when the Romaines had determined their punike warres they chose the most auncient of the people to make their Legates and Embassadors into Affrique And it is written in the booke of the Machabees that King Antiochus sent an auncient man
commended among the Hystorians bicause vppon a time he stayed his whole armie and him selfe dyd descende off hys horse to vnderstande the complaynts of a poore wretched and miserable woman The Parthians a people very curious in obseruing the customs of antiquitie did so much desire this gentlenesse and mekenesse to be in their Princes as Homer writeth that they dyd vpon a time depriue one of their Princes from the administration of the Realme bycause that he went to the mariage of a noble man a great Ruler and within certayne dayes after beeing required to the mariage of a poore man he refused to doo the like The maner of liuing of the kings of the Persians is reproued condemned of many for that they vse to kéepe them selues close and secrete within their Pallaces not shewing them selues to the people but once or twice in the yere and all to the ende that not yéelding them selues to talk or to bée familiar with the people they should haue thē in the more greater admiration and honour The Emperour Antonius was called Pius bicause he was pitiful and gracious to all sortes of people and namely for that he did vse a maruellous charitie in the behalfe of widows and Orphanes for he commaunded the porter of his gates and that with great charge that he should know the poore before the riche that they mighte bee firste brought to him to haue audience of their sutes And this good Emperour pronounced openly before all people that they that doo contemne the poore and needy let them not thinke to be obeyed of the riche The Historians write in the life of Claudianus the Emperour that he was so treatable and gentle and did so muche incline him selfe towards the sutes of the poore that he thought it did not suffise him onely to giue them audience and to restore them agayne to their right if they were iniured by any man but farther he would giue them also counsell in their aduersities and troubles which thing he dyd practise in the behalfe of a poore afflicted widow who as she did vpon a time present hir self before him to require iustice béeing altogither ouercomee with carefulnesse and wéeping this gentle Emperour after he had accorded hir request béeing moued with a maruellous naturall compassion did wipe hir face with his owne handkercher wheras many of his gentlemen did maruell amongs which one of them sayd to him that he did too muche abase him selfe and he had done a thing that was far vnmete for the maiestie of an Emperour But he answered wisely that it was not sufficient for a Prince onely to doo right and iustice to his Subiects but also to exercise the office of humanitie towards thē when the cause so requireth for oftentimes sayd he the Subiects when they departe from the Prince with his good countenance and gentle words it contenteth their minds better than the benefite of the cause that they haue receiued at his hands by equitie and Iustice And this is it that that great king Salomon dothe teache and exhorte vs vnto where he sayth that gentle and pleasaunt words doth asswage the yre as rygorous and cruell words doo stirre vp furie and as he sayth in another place that gentle spéeche getteth many frends and appeaseth the enimie The tenne Tribes of Jsraell made them selues strangers and refused the subiection of Roboam the son of Salomon that was their king for the rigorous answer he made to them at such time as they required him that the tribute should be diminished when he sayde to them the least of my fingers is more heauyer than the greatest of my fathers if he haue made your yoke heauy to you I will make it heauier and if he scourged you with small roddes I will chasten you with whippes And for suche a like barbarous and rough spéeche chaunced the diuision betwene Juda Jsraell when Dauid made his force agaynst them for that Naball through his chorlish aunswere stirred him to anger but to the contrary Abygail his wyfe by meanes of hir curteous and gentle words did appease him We finde also in the Greeke Histories that a Philosopher very liberall frée in words wrote an Epistle to Phalaris the Tyrante in the which he accused him of his dissolute life and amongs other things that he moste touched he reproued him bitterly for that he was disobedient to the Gods in that he killed the priests and ruinated the temples and bycause he was so vnwilling to be moued or sued vnto for the poore mens causes and dyd refuse their petitions and requests The good Tyraunt hauing red this accusation without any further deliberation made this aunswere as it foloweth They that say that I doo not obey the Gods say truely for if I should obserue all those things that the Gods doo commaunde me to doo I should doo few of those things that man requireth me to doo Secondly where you say I beare no reuerence nor honor to the Churches that is bicause I know the gods make more account of a good and pure heart than of many Churches al to bedecked with gold siluer As touching the Priests you say I put them to death in déede I haue done it thinking to make a good sacrifice of them to the Gods for they were so dissolute and so farre out of order in all their actions and dooings that in stéede of honoring the Gods they were rather a slaunder vnto them And as touching the laste whereof thou doest accuse me that is to haue stopped my mouth and eares from the petitions requests of the poore those that haue sayde that vnto thee haue greatly lyed vppon me for I haue alwayes shewed my selfe frank and open to widowes and Orphanes and to suche kinde of afflicted people and haue alwayes had my eares open to suche requests as they haue made to me Here you may see this wretched Tyraunt enimie both to God and man loued better to be charged with these other vices than to graunt to the last the which he estéemed to be more greeuous and notable than the others The Lorde our God willing to instruct all Princes and other pastours by what meanes they ought to gouerne their flocke dothe reproue by the Prophet Ezechiell the ouermuche straytnesse that they doo vse towards their Subiects when he sayde vnto them Yee doe commaunde them by force and power Likewise S. Peter a man that commendeth greatly humilitie doth admonish all Pastours not to be ouer feuere towards their people but that they shoulde rule them as the true shepheard doth his flocke Alexander the great vsed suche kinde of facilitie and gentlenesse of spéeche to those that had to doo with him that euen to suche as dyd reproue him of his vices he would hearken and giue eare for when he departed out of Asia to conquere the Indians he vnderstoode that there was one other Nation which was neuer yet conquered neither of the
to what purposes he imployed the reuenue of his realme for it was one of the most opulent Monarches that euer was and as he passed all others in all kinde of impudencie so did he excéede all men in hys dispenses for you shall not reade in the Historie of any Author what so euer he bée that there hathe benne founde eyther Emperoure King or Prynce so prodigall in foolishe and excéedyng expenses as he was who as they say that haue written of his lyfe made neuer any banquette after he was Emperour that coste hym not aboue thréescore Markes of golde which after our account is two thousande and fiue hundred Duccates and all the delicious and moste delicate meates that he coulde fynde he woulde haue as the Tonges of Pecockes and Nightingales the Combes of the Cokes the genitories of all the moste rarest kynde of Byrds that coulde bée had and woulde cause hys Table to bée furnyshed withall and woulde eate of them saying that there was no sause so good as costlynesse And he thought it not sufficient for to féede hym selfe with suche delicates but he woulde cause hys housholde seruaunts also to bée fed with such rare kinde of meates as the Lyuers of Pecocks egges of Partriches and Phesants and suche other kynde of viands which were good for none other purpose but to prouoke the stomake to ouercharge the same and in the ende he was so blinded in his voluptuousnesse that he caused his Beares and Lyons to bee fed with suche kinde of meate he was also so pompous and costely in his garments that as you may reade he neuer ware commonly one garment but one day and he was ordinarily clothed with golde or purple enriched and beautified with all kinde of precious stones And as touching the rest as the vtensiles of his house they were all either of golde siluer Iasper Brouze or Porphire yea euen too the pottes which he vsed for the excrets of his body and he was in the ende giuen vp to suche a reprobate minde that when he wente to horsebacke he woulde cause the ground to be couered with the limal of golde or siluer thinking the earth to be vnworthy to serue him as a footestoole or to touch his féete Beholde lo in summe the principall poynts of the lasciuious lyfe of this miserable Emperour who in the end by the diuine iudgement of God was payed with an hyre worthy his tragicall lyfe for he was killed by his owne seruaunts and carried throughoute all the stréetes and market places of Rome afterwards hauing a great stone hanged about his necke was caste into Tiber by the consent and agréement of all the people hauing his body for an honorable funerall buried in the bellies of Fishes Now hauing declared vnto you very exactly the maners and dooings of Heliogabalus Emperour of Rome it shall not bée straunge folowing our purpose to rehearse in this behalfe the crueltie and tyrannie of Astyages king of Medes little or nothing inferiour to the other aforesayde who dreaming one nighte a certayne dreame concerning his daughters childe which dreame he thought he mighte not well disgeste fearing that hereafter it woulde take effecte determined to preuent the childes fortune And to the ende he mighte the better bring the same to to passe he caused Harpagus one that he loued best of any in all the Realme to be called and deliuered to him the same childe in secrete and commaunded that he shoulde kill him by one meanes or other oute of hande for certaine causes which he would not disclose to him at that present and not to make any man priuie therunto Harpagus hauing receiued this charge began to haue a maruellous combate in his minde for as the pitie he had of the yong infante did drawe him on the one side so the crueltie and feare of his maister did threaten him on the other side but reason did take so muche place with him in the ende that he was persuaded not only to saue the life of the childe but also to cause it to be brought vp in some secrete place from the knowledge of his maister yet he coulde not handle the matter so finely nor so secretely but that in the ende Astâ—ages had vnderstanding that Harpagus contrarie to his duetie as he thoughte had saued the life of this childe Which thing he did dissemble for a time with so good a countenance towards Harpagus that he thought him selfe without all suspition Afterwards vpon a day he made Harpagus to dine with him hauing before caused one of his children to be slain which he had made one of his Cookes to dresse as thoughe it had bene some other meate and caused it to be serued at the table withoute any knowledge to Harpagus wherof he ate very willingly But Astiages insatiable in his cruelties was not satisfied that he had made him onely eat the bodie flesh of his owne childe but further he caused his féete and head to be put into a dishe and serued likewise to the Table to the entente he mighte knowe what he had eaten and thus sitting at the boorde he demaunded of him in mockerie if he thought his meate were good To whom Harpagus fearing to haue a woorse mischeefe at his handes answered modestly that all things were good at a kings table Hauing ended these cruelties of Astiages we shall not doe Maximilian another Emperor of Rome any wrong to put him in the Theatre amongs the others who bisides an infinite numbre of cruelties wherin he was delighted ordinarily he had one in common that passed all the others for he caused the bodies of men being aliue to be tied with the bodies of dead men face to face and mouthe to mouthe and so left them togithers till the dead body by his putrifaction had killed the liuing body The Emperor Tiberius who shal make an end of our examples of crueltie seemeth to me to haue passed all the others in crueltie that the Historians at any time haue euer made mention of For he commaunded vppon paines of deathe that thing which I read not of any other but of him only that no man should lament wéepe nor sighe or make any semblance of sorowe for those which he put to deathe innocently And he had those that were purposely deputed in all suche cruelties as he did execute that had none other charge but only to marke and beholde all aboutes if there fel any teares from any bodies face or if there passed any sighes from any or whether they gaue any manner of signification of heauinesse or greefe for the same which if they did they shoulde sodenly be caryed to the place of execution and to be punished with the same paine that he was whose innocencie they did lament After when he was well satisfied of suche kinde of Martirdomes he would then deliâ—e to deuise some others as farre from all humanitie as the others For he would make those that shoulde be executed to
one hyre one paine hauing one enimy whiche is Sathan all subiect to passions equall to receiue death Now that I haue sufficiently intreated of peace and warres the commodities of the one the incoueniences of the other I wil shew you also how by what meanes ye may win and enioy peace There is no medicine more mete to eschue warres discord then to flée from insatiate ambition loue of ourselues desire to reueÌ„ge and rule whiche is the very spring and fountaine from whence floweth al occasions of strife and debate as the Prophet Esay saith Cursed be you that ioyne house with house land with lande thinke you to dwel vppon the earth alone This is also verifyed by Moyseâ— gods minister when he sheweth to the people that their sins are the cause of the warres where he saith If ye do not obey my coÌ„maundements but do contemn my iudgements preceptes I wyl set my face agaynst you and you shal fal béefore your enemyes and they that hate you shall reigne ouer you and yée shall flee when no manne shall followe you I will sende a swoorde vppon you whyche shall be a reuenger of my Testamentes that yée haue broken and violated and yée shall bée giuen in praye to youre enemyes As the holy Prophete doothe confyrme in an other place where he saythe If my people had hearkned vnto mée and that Jsrael had walked in my ways I wold haue humbled their enimies before them and I would haue layd my hand vpon them that they should haue ben ouerthrowne Note a little how the Lorde hath afflicted his people by warres to chasten them for their sinnes and wickednesse specially for the vice of idolatrie Somtimes by the Madianites somtims by the Chananites sometime by the Philistians other sometime by the Ammonâ—â—â—s and other people their neighbors Which thing Iosua did pronosticate to them but how cruelly were they plagued by the king of Assyrians and broughte into seruitude and al bicause they did forsake the Lord their God and worshipped the calues of Ieroboam howe were the people of Iuda plaged by Nabuchodonosor bicause they coÌ„mitted idolatrie as Ieremie the Prophet did prophecie to them Ye must not therfore maruell as the Prophet Oseas sayth yf blood séeke blood seeing that fraude hatred couetousnesse and fornication raigneth vpon the earth Wée sée at the eye how the hande of God is not abbreuiated we sée how that he shooteth off the arrowes of his wrath ageynst vs hée stretcheth foorth his hande as the Prophete sayeth and stryketh vs in his furie bycause oure greate offences doo stirre and prouoke hym dayely theretoo Lette vs therefore chaunge oure lyues and tourne to goodnesse Lette vs drawe oure féete from crooked wayes and hee wyll appease his wrathe For hée is gentle euen in his anger as the Prophete Ioell doothe wryte Tourne you too the Lorde of Hostes sayeth Zachary and he will tourne too you Hearken howe Ieremie the holy Prophete doothe exalte and magnifye the mercye of the Lorde Thou haste sayeth hée commytted whooredome wyth many naughtie women yet turne to mée and I will receiue thée wée haue all committed fylthynesse wyth the fleshe the Diuell and the Worlde and yet alwayes the Lorde is ready to stretche oute hys hande too vs this is the father of mercie consolation The people of Israell as the scriptures testifie haue ben very prompt to commit al euil and for punishment the Lord did always render theÌ„ into the hands and seruitude of others to punish them But alwayes when they repented he sente them one to deliuer theÌ„ out of the yoke and seruitude to restore them to the first state and libertie The people of Iuda after that they had remained a long time for their abhominable sinnes in the seruitude and bondage of Babilon the Lorde in the ende moued with pitie restored them to their former felicitie Dauid being driuen to fight by his sonne Absolon fled bare footed and bare headed all discomforted with sorowe through the deserts yet was he through his humilitie restored to his kingdom again The harts of Kings and Princes be in the hands of the Lord he wil turne them what way it pleaseth him sayth the wise man And all these examples which we haue produced heere before tende to none other ende but to declare to the people that all the warres and persecutions that come vppon them happen not by chance but they procéede from the secrete iudgementes of God who dothe permit them to the entent he woulde punishe their offences in the which they are greatly buried He suffereth that they shal be wakened from their delites and pleasures by the scourge of warre which he stirreth vp against them by their neighbors as S. Austen saithe in Ciuitate Dei. And as for you Ministers of the Church and such as make profession to preach the woorde of God I would wishe you shuld bend your selues altogither to speake against warres and barke and crie out all with one open voice againste the same and let your pulpets and all other your publike places sounde of none other thing but of peace and exhorte all Princes continually to concorde and vnion Oh how beautifull sayth the Prophet be the féete of them that preache Peace And S. Paule also exhorteth vs to pray for Kings and Princes that the Lorde will suffer them to ende the course of their liues in peace As likewise the Jewes being in Babylon with Ieconias king of Iuda did wryte to their brethren that were at Jerusalem that they shuld pray for Nabuchodonozor king of Babilon for his sonne Balthazar that they mighte liue in peace with them and finde grace before them And further Ieremie enspired with the holy ghost did instruct the Jewes that were in bondage at Babilon that they shuld pray for the Citie that they were in to the end that it being in peace they also mighte enioy the same You see loe how the Lord wold that his people shuld pray for the Ethnikes that were without God without law Howe much more are we bouÌ„d of duetie to pray for Christian Princes And aboue all things we muste take good héede that we put not the oyl into the fire to make it flame as did that miserable Achitophel that stirred Absolon against his father who in the end receiued a shamefull deathe in satisfaction of his offence As likewise the priest Abiather bicause he coÌ„sented to such wicked couÌ„sel was put out of his sacerdotal dignity Nowe I will conuerte my spéeche to you Monarches Emperoures Kings and Princes and others being in authoritie of whom the pore people do depend You I say that are their soules and their heads enter into your selues and be not caryed away with your owne affections be such towards your subiectes as the faithful fathers of the houshold are towardes their children following the Counsel of that
comforte vs and maketh vs to disgeste the more easily the incommoditie of our carefulnesse if wée goe to the warres she alwayes beholdeth vs with the eyes of hir minde and dothe honour vs and desire vs béeing absent and séemeth as though she were transformed into our selues if wée bée vppon our returne she receyueth vs and entertayneth vs with all the delicates and daynties she can deuise in suche maner that if wée should say the truthe it séemeth certaynly that the woman should bée a gyfte and comforte sente from heauen aswell to assuage the heate and lustinesse of our youthe as for a comforte and laste refuge of our age And where Nature can not giue vs but one father and one mother marriage doth present vnto vs many children who doo reuerence and honour vs and wée holde them as deare vnto vs as our owne fleshe who when they are yong and little ones doe with their pratlings in learning to speake and others their toyes and fantasies giue vs such pleasure and contentation of minde that it seemeth nature hathe giuen them to vs as things to deceiue the time and to passe ouer parte of this our miserable liues If we be asséeged with olde age a thing that is common to all men they doe comfort and relieue vs therein vntill death come and then they render vs to the earthe from whence we came they be our bones our fleshe and our bloud and séeing them we behold and sée our owne selues who do make the memorie of vs neuer to die and do as it were make vs immortall And further they do procreate and engender others after vs as do twigges that are cut off from any trée and grafted vppon an other bring forthe the like Some nice persons will allow very well of mariage that it is holy commendable and profitable for the conseruation of our liues so farre foorthe as it be well accomplished in all pointes and that nothing goe a wrie but if it chance the woman to be vnhonest the children vnhappie and out of order with suche other incommodities which oftentimes accompanie the marriage what rage what furie what Roses among thornes what Worm wood with Honey what pleasantnesse mixed with bitternesse is there then say they But I do fully answere such nice Gentlemen that be so curious in their affections so delicate in their pleasures and that thinke nothing well excepte it be seasoned with the sauce of their owne appetites that such Eclipses and infirmities that continually folow in mariage doe not procéede of the cause of marriage it selfe but often times of mannes naughtinesse according to the olde Prouerbe whiche sayth an euill man maketh an euill woman which Cato a very seuere man in al his doings but yet iust and right in this dothe confirme saying that it is a more harder thing to finde a good husbande than a good Senator Bicause that the most part of women that are become vitious are commonly infected and made naughte by the wanton liues and euill examples of their husbands who ought to be as lampes that should shine vnto them by the well ordring their manners For if they be spotted or defiled with any maner of vice or crime it is very contagious and dangerous for their wiues Behold loe how often times we doe accuse matrimonie that is pure and neate in it selfe which if it had a tung and coulde speake wold complaine of vs Petrark a great reuerencer of chastitie in his Dialogue of the remedie of aduerse fortune wryteth that it is very seldome seene a wanton husband to haue a chaste wife as contrary a wise and chast husband an vnchaste wife which thing Plutarch confirmeth in his connubial precepts when he saythe that the husbands that is giuen to be common and that giueth himself in pray to other womē he setteth an ensigne and marke at his gates to conuey others to do the like to his owne wife S. Augustine that greate Father of the Churche in his Booke De ciuitate Dei exhorteth men to be the same to their wiues that they woulde haue their wiues to be to them if you desire sayth he to haue your wiues modest chaste and sobre you which are the heades and chéefe must giue the first testimonie and example in your selues and yet he concludeth that very hardely any chaste man shall bridle a vicious and an impudente woman or a wise and discrete man a foolishe woman bicause oftentimes God dothe punishe the one of them by the other which lesson Seneca the moste vertuous of the Ethnicke Philosophers did not forgette to haue in remembrance when he wrote to Lucillus who prayed him he woulde teache him to make a drinke and the certaine receipte therof without any poyson therein which should haue vertue to cause him to be beloued of his wife without vsing any sorcerie or inchantment Wilt thou be beloued and honored of thy wife sayd he loue hir and intreate hir courteously and gently for I doe assure thée there is neither charme sorcerie nor any other medicine more méete or apt to win hir than to vse such measure of loue towardes hir as thou doest couette to receiue of hir againe Notwithstanding al these aucthorities afore rehersed yet I am well assured that many wil not be satisfied nor answered in those things for there are some that stand so much in their owne foolishnesse that thinke they shall win themselues great fame to inuey against mariage who for the better proofe of their mater wil alleage many wicked marriage and vnluckie matches greatly displeasing God wherin ther hath ben foūd some women so dissolute so far out of order in their liues that they haue not thought it inough to violate and breake the matrimoniall honor but also as women rooted in all mischeefe haue poisoned killed murthered their owne husbands yea and embrued their handes in the bloud of their naturall children a thing so detestable that the Historiographers haue had in horror and greatly feared to put the same in wryting But I will desire suche curious gentlemen that folow the nature of Serpents turning all that they touche into venime that they will put in ballance against these monstruous marriages whiche they speake of an infinite numbre of other mariages so wel matched accomplished in al things that it séemed that heauen nature did take great paine to frame them for a testimonie of their worthinesse and that in suche sorte that neither death nor time it selfe that putteth all things in forgetfulnesse cannot take away the memorie of them amongs mē As for example the loue of Alcestes with hir companion the loue of Iules with his Pompey Parcia with Cato Artemisia with hir spouse Hipsicrates with the great king Mithridates and many others rehearsed in the holy Scriptures which haue bene so ioyfull to them that they haue not onely triumphed and reioyced in the sorowe and tormentes hapning vnto them for the same but euen in deathe it selfe