receaued and executed among reasonable creatures And this lawe of nature to depose and punishe wicked gouernours hathe not bē only receaued ād exerciced in politike maters but also in the churche For the canonistes the popes ow ne championes grounding them selues upon this lawe of nature saye that popes who maye be in dede by their saieng the lieutenauntes of the deuil albeit they call thē selues the uicares of God maie be depryued by the body of the churche And so at one clappe in the coūsail holdē at Cōstaūce in Germanie in the yeare of our lorde 1415. were three popes popped out of their places Gregory Iohn ād Benet ād the fourthe called Martin the fifthe chosen Afterwarde in the Coūsail of Basil was Pope Eugenius serued with that sawce For the unluckinesse of the coūtrey the rest of Popes haue sith refused that any general counsail should be kept in Germany fearing least they all hauing deserued as muche as the other foure deposed should haue the like punishemēt And thus they cōfirme their doin ges If saye they the Pope hade not a superiour he might beig suffred in his euil brig the churche to de structiō And therfore if he cā not otherwise be brought to amende him self it is laufull to use the lawe of nature that is to remoue him from his office for he is no bishop or pope that abuseth his Popedome and bishopriche An euil prelate ād unreformable semeth not to be ordayned by the will of God saie the Canonistes alledgeing the wordes of S. Ierome upo◅ the sayēg of the prophet Osee that a prince or iudge is not alwayes ordayned by God And he bringeth for example king Saul against whom God sayed Seing the people haue made them selues a king and not a ruler by me and not by my counsail ād yet God hade chosen Saul But yet bycause he was not chosen according to the will of God but according to the mynde and desartes of the synfull people God denyed him to be ordayned by his will or coūsail The Canonistes also saie that albeit the Popedome be by the lawe of God as it is not in dede sayeth the truthe yet that this man or that Paule or Iulie is pope it cometh by the acte of man For the Cardinales representing the uniuersal churche chose him And therfore if he be not according to the will of God and for the wealthe of the uniuersal churche that is if he be not one that seketh Goddes glorie ād the wealthe of christes churche he maye be iustly depryued bycause they erred in chosing him And God semeth not to be agaīst the put ting out of suche an euil persone but to fauour and further it For he sayed If the salt be unsauerie it is good for no use but to be cast out and troden under foote of all mē And agaī If thi right eie be a let unto thee pul it out ād cast it frō thee For it is better that one mēbre perish thā that the hole bodi should be cast in to hell And agaī saie the Canonistes the popes lawers in rehearceīg Christes words If our eie foote ▪ or hāde offēde vs let it be takē frō the rest of the bodi for it is better to lacke mēbres ī this woorld thā that thei should cari the rest of the body in to hell By salt eie foote and hande is vnderstanden the headdes and rulers and not the other mēbres and subiectes And not only the headdes and rulers in the churche but also in all policies and common wealthes Now if it be laufull for the body of the churche to depose and punishe a Pope being the chief priest anointed not on the arme or sholder as kinges be but on the head and handes to declare an higher autoritie than kinges haue nor crowned with a simple crowne as Emperours ād kinges be but with a triple crowne to shewe his Regalitie and power aboue all others how muche more by the like argumentes reasones and autoritie maie Emperours kinges princes and other gouernours abusing their office be deposed and remoued out of their places and offices bi the body or state of the Realme or common wealthe By this lawe and argumentes of the Canonistes and example of depriuacion of a Pope are all clokes wherwith Popes bishoppes priestes kaisers and kin ges vse to defende their iniquitie vtterly taken awaie Saie they We are anointed ye maie not touche vs We are only subiecte to God and eueri man to vs. God will haue vs O most wiked popes bishoppes priestes cruell and euil princes reigne to plage you people for your iniquitie But here ye see the body of euery state maie If it will yea and ought to redresse and correcte the vices and headdes of their gouernours And forasmuche as ye haue allready sene wherof politike power and gouernement groweth and thende wherunto it was ordained and seing it is before manifestly and sufficiētly proued that kinges and princes haue not an absolute power ouer their subiectes that they are and ought to be subiecte to the lawe of God and the holsome positiue lawes of their coūtrey and that they maie not laufully take or vse their subiectes goods at their pleasure the reasones argumentes and lawe that serue for the deposing ād displaceīg of an euil gouernour will doo as muche for the proofe that it is laufull to kill a tiranne if they maie be indifferently hearde As God hathe ordained Magistrates to heare and determine priuate mennes matiers and to punishe their vices so also will he that the magistrates doinges be called to accompt and reckoning and their vices corrected and punished by the body of the hole cōgregacion or common wealthe As it is manifest by the memorie of the auncient office of the highe Constable of Englande vnto whose autoritie it perteined ont only to summone the king personally before the parliament or other courtes of iudgement to answer and receaue according to iustice but also vpon iuste occasion to committe him vnto warde Kinges Princes and gouernours haue their autoritie of the people as all lawes vsages and policies doo declare and testifie For in some places and countreies they haue more and greater autoritie in some places lesse And in some the people haue not geuen this autoritie to any other but reteine and exercice it themselues And is any man so vnreasonable to denie that the hole maie doo as muche as they haue permitted one membre to doo or those that haue appointed an office vpon trust haue not autoritie vpon iuste occasion as the abuse of it to take awaie that they gaue All lawes doo agree that men maie reuoke their proxies and lettres of Attournaie whan it pleaseth them muche more whan they see their proctours and attournaies abuse it But now to proue the later parte of this question affirmatiuely that it is laufull to kill a tirāne ther is no man can denie but that the Ethnikes albeit they had not the right and perfite true knowlage
bringing in a great power of Ammonites ād Amalekites two kinds of people in beggerly pride and filthinesse of life muche like to the common nature of Italianes and Spaniardes as well to garde his pson as to fortifie the strōg holdes ād mu niciōes that by ād by seīg himself strōg ynough with his straungers and Inborne traitours he brought the countrey and people vnder his subiection by fine force so that he continued their ordinary Prince and chief ruler xviij years long What oppressing of the poore what robbing of the riche what taking vp of corne and vitail for the king and his straūgers and no money paied for it what taxes and paimentes the people were yowked withall what rauishing of mennes wiues daughters and seruauntes what heading and hanging of the natural Israelites to make the straungers lordes and gentilmen what common miseries and continual calamities ther were during that space no doubt it is vnspeakeable But what remedy No man durst make moane to his neighbour for feare of bewraieng none durst ones whistre against the king they must bende or breake no remedy pacience perforce all were faine to serue and please king Eglon. But at leinght they sent as their yearly accustomed maner was a present to the king by a wittye messagier called Ahud who hauing accesse to the kig saied he hade to saie vnto his Maiestie secretly from God And whan the king hade commaunded all his seruauntes awaie so that Ahud and the king were alone in his somer parlour Ahud thrust his dagger so harde in to the kinges fatte paunche that ther laie king Fglon dead and Ahud fled awaie Now was this well done or euil For so the the dede is so commended in scripture that the holy goost reporteth Ahud to be a saueour of Israel But note by the waie the texte saieth not that Ahud was sent of the people to kill the king nor that he tolde them what he intended for by that meane one Iudas or other wolde haue betraied him and so should he haue ben drawen hanged and quarted for his entreprise and all his conspiratours haue lost bothe life landes and goodes for their conspiracie Only the scripture saieth that Ahud being a priuate persone was stered vp only by the spirite of God Likewise whan Sisara lieutenaunt general of king Iabins warres fleing from Barac sought succour to hide his head hauing long noied and hurt Israel with oppression and warres a woman named Iael called him in to her house and hidde him vnder a Couering He thought him selfe sure and for wearinesse dropped harde on slepe Iael taketh a great long spikig nayle and driueth it with a hāmer so harde in to his braines that Sisara troubled Israel no more nor neuer tolde who hurt hī Mattathias being by the kinges Commissionares required and commaūded to conforme him self to the kinges procedinges which was to committe Idolatrie as all his countreymen the Iewes hade done and as the like case standeth now in Englande not only refused to obey king Antiohus commaundement or to folowe his procedinges in that behalfe but also whan he sawe a Iewe committee Idolatrie before his face he ranne vpon the Iewe in a great zeale and slewe him and fell also vpon the ordinary Commissioners sent from Antiochus the ordinary king of the Realme and slewe them out of hande These examples nede no further exposicion the scripture is plaine inough But if neither the hole state nor the minister of Goddes worde wolde doo their common duetie nor any other laufull shifte before mencioned can be hade nor dare be attempted yet are not the poore people destitute all together of remedy but God hathe lefte vnto them twoo weapones hable to conquere and destroie the greatest Tirāne that euer was that is Penaunce and Praier Penaunce for their owne sinnes which prouoke the angre and displeasure of God and make him to suffre tirannes warres famine pestilence and all plages to reigne among the people And praier that he will withdrawe his wrathe and shewe his mercifull countenaunce Hereof we haue not only commaundement but also manifest examples in the scriptures For whan the Arke of God was taken awaie from the people of Israel by the Philistines in batail and the glorie of Israel brought vnder foote the people being miserably for their sinnes pressed and plagued by the Philistines twentie yeares long so that the people despering of their honour and libertie and seing no mar◅ial wepon nor helpe of man hable to redresse their state cried and continued in lamenting their thraldom and greuous condicion at leynght by the aduise and commaundement of the good Prophet Samuel the people fell to these two meanes Penaunce and praier with fasting and the lorde God not only deliuered them out of thoppression of the Philistines vnto their former libertie but also gaue them suche victories that the Philistines many yeares after durst not ones moue warre against them Thus was also the cruel tiranne Herode vainquished Thapostles ād people in the primatiue churche lamenting their sinnes and calling to God for mercie the angel of God stroke Herode sitting in his throne in his princely apparail making an Oracion to the people and they cōmending it to be the voice of God and not of man and so he was eatē vp of lice or wormes Likewise whan Iulian themperour and Apostata had long persecuted the churche at leinght wh◅ the people fell to repentaunce and common praier he going in to Persia was slaine and none of the familie of Constantine wherof he came after that was Emperour And in like maner not long sith whan that tiranne Duke George of Saxonie persecuted all suche as professed the worde of God reuiued and pulled out of purgatorie by the worthy instrument of God D. Luther and at leynght threatned that he wolde burne and destroye the vniuersitie of wittenberg which whan Luther hearde he went in to the pulpit and exhorted eueri man to put on his armour that is Penaunce and prayer And sone after God rid the worlde of that tiranne and so not only deliuered his churche but also augmented it with an other vniuersitie called Lipsia and all the hole countrey of this cruel duke was conuerted to Christes Gospell These be the wonderfull workes of almightie God whose power is as great and as ready at a pinche as euer it was and his mercie as willing to be shewed if his poore afflicted people wolde doo on their weapon that is be sory for their sinnes and desire him to with drawe his sourges and to holde his mercifull hande ouer them VVHAT CONFIDENce is to be geuen to princes and potentates WHAN the kīg of Macedonia Alexander the great hearde the philosopher Anaxagoras saye ther were many worldes the worme of ambicion so tickled and troubled his harte that the water gushed out of his eies And whan he was asked what made him to wepe haue I not iuste occasion to wepe saieth he that hearing of so many worldes I
The kiÌ„g lacking no witte or at least wanting no wyttye counsail and knowing what peril might chauÌ„ce vnto him if he should seke to winne it by force taketh the offre And according to his promise he maried her and one night toke paynes to shake vp her lecherous rot ten ribbes In the next morning he leaueth his chambre and her gates open free to euery man and as some God geue them grace to repent in tyme did to the wicked woman of Feuersham in Kent that not long since killed her husbande he gaue euery man libertie that wolde to offre his deuocion in to her corporesse So at leynght whan he thought her tyred and her vnsaciable luste somwhat staunched for by li ke it wolde neuer haue ben fully glutted he caused her to be thrust on a stake naked that all meÌ„ might see those vgli partes which to satiffie she was content to betraye her natural countreie and that it should be an example to all others to take hede to doo the like he causeth the hole citie to be cleane ouerthrowen This maye ye see that kinges spare neither male nor female great nor small that for any respecte betraye their owne natural countrey bicause they knowe those can neuer be faithfull to straungers that be false to their pareÌ„t their countrey And wold to God they were as earnestly set to absteyne froÌ„ doing euil as ì these exaÌ„ples they to haue beÌ„ ready to doo iustice But what shall we nede to bring furthe examples of practicers of straunge and farre countreyes whaÌ„ euery man maye fynde pleyntie in his owne To what purpose shall it be to alledge those of a great meany yeares past and stale whan ther be pleyntie euery daye freshe to be founde Only to let men see by comparison of the olde with the newe and the newe with the olde the present with the past and the past with the present that the deuil hathe alwayes ben is and shalbe the deuil and such fetches as he hathe vsed suche he dothe and will vse And that his disciples as thei neuer forget the principles of their science so ha ue they at leynght their maisters rewarde worthy their desartes Whan wriothesley Arundell and Southwell conspired with thambicious and subtil Alcibiades of England the Erle of warwike afterwarde duke of Northumberland to pull the good duke of Somerset king Edwardes vncle and protectour out of his authoritie and by forgeing a great meany of false lettres aÌ„d lies to make the Protectour hated brought to passe war wikes purpose who than for a while but they three Wriothesley that before was banished the Court â–ª is lodged with his wife and sonne next to the king Euery man repaireth to Wriothsley honoureth Wriothesley sueth vnto Wrio thesley as the Assirianes did to Ammon and all thin ges be done by his aduise and who but Wriothesleyâ—… Arundell his promised to be next to the king grome of his stole or Comptrollour of his house at the least Southwell for his whisking and double diligence must be a great Counsaillour in any wise But what was thende The erle as craftie as the best seing that his desire should not take place if these men might haue that they hoped for so handleth the matier that Wriothesley is fayne in the night to get him out of the court to his owne house wher vpon narowe examination fearing least he should come to some open shamfull ende he either poisoned him self or pyned awaye for thought Southwell is committed to the Flete wher being examined he confessed ynough to be hanged for and hade gone very nere it hade not his examiners vpon hope of his amendement breaking out of his eie but not out of his hart obteyned therles fauour And at therles sute Arundel hathe his head with the axe diuided from the shoulders And how at leinght was P. the maister of practices handled that will haue one parte in euery pagent if he maye by prayeng or paieng put in his foote But before I procede to speake of this maister of practices it shall not be amysse that I tell you somwhat of his maister the doctour of practices For albeit this doctour be now but to late throughly knowen yet it shall be requisite that our posteritie knowe what he was and by his description see how nature had shaped the outwarde partes to declare what waâ—… within This doctour hade a swart colour an hanging loke frowning browes eies an ynche within the head a nose hooked like a bussarde wyde nose trilles like a horse euer snuffing in to the wynde a sparowe mouthe great pawes like the deuil talauntes on his fete like a grype two ynches longer than the naturall toes and so tyed to with sinowes that he coulde not abyde to be touched nor scarce suffre them to touche the stones And nature hauing thus shaped the forme of an outwarde monstre it gaue him a vengeable witte which at Cambridge by labour and diligence he hade made a great deale worse and brought vp many in that facultie Wriothesley Germayne Gardiner whom he caused spedily to be hanged least he should haue to mu che disclosed his maisters arte aÌ„d among many other this maister or proctour of practices whom we are now entred to speake of This doctour to geuesome significatioÌ„ of his nature aÌ„d coÌ„ning to come alofte that he might doo the more mischief betrayeth his M. Carnall wolsei and more than any other laboureth the diuorse betwene king Henry and the dowager And by and by he earnestly sought to haue riddeÌ„ in the kìges bootes worse could not content him But whan he sawe that wold not be and considred it better to haue stoare than one only paire for so perchaunce he might haue founde them somtymes not all cleane whan he wolde haue vsed theÌ„ aÌ„d also it should be a let to bring to passe that he pur posed he chaungeth his purposeâ—… and bycause none shoulde remembre his practices before nor suspecte the rest to come he shaueth his crowne as broade as a sawcer and decketh him self with a white smocke like a portour of the Stiliarde But what nedeth suche circumlocucion whan euery body knoweth this doctour of practices was called D. Stephan Gardi ner After this his lucke was to be committed to the towre whan Tyburne hade ben a place more worthy his desertes His scholar the maister or proctour of practices remembring how muche he had prospred by the meanes of the doctour and bending his disposicion to make thankefull requital of parte of his receaued benefites putteth the doctour in memorie of an olde lesson he had taught him that is to geue backe twoo fote with the ramme that he might winne the thrid But whether this D. Gardiner was offended with his scholar the proctour for his ouerranke practiceing or how it happened I can not tell I am sure that in this one he answered honestly let my scholar goo on as he hathe begonne saieth he for Gardiner can not plaie the knaue so Wordes
ye passed nothing on it but as the Iewes being downed in sinne mocked scorned and murthred the prophetes of God which long before prophecied vnto them their captiuities and vtter destruction so ye laughed and iested at your preachers wordes nothing regarding the threattes of God but contēnyng thē yea increaceīg in your wickednesse ādnowat leyn ght murthering most cruelly the ministers of God And seing wordes of warnyng toke no place with you God for his louing mercie hathe warned you also by monstrous maruailes on the earthe and horrible wonders in thelement to put you beside all maner of excuses What wonderfull monstres haue ther now lately ben borne in Englande What celestial signes most horrible A childe borne besides Oxforde in the yeare M. D. LII with two heades and two partes of two euil shaped bodyes ioyned in one A childe borne at Couentree in the yeare M. D. LV without armes or legges A childe borne at Fulhā by Londō euen now this yeare with a great head euil shaped the armes with bagges hanging out at the Elbowes and heles and fete lame A childe newe borne at Lōdō furthewith speaking as a prophet and mes sager of God An horrible Comete this year besides diuerse eclipses whiche folowe But what were these only bare signes No certaynly they doo and must signifie the great wrathe and indignacion of God Not long after the passion of our saueour Christ whan the Britaines our cōtreymen went about to re couer their libertie and to be despeched of the most cruel seruitude and miserie which the Romaines kept thē in wherein no Britayn was certayn of wife childrē goodes no not of their liues all thigs were so in bōd◅ ge of the cruel Romaynes pleasur ther were of our coūtreymē slayne at one tyme three score ād ten thousaūt mē ād at an other tyme thrittie thousaūt Before which slaughters ther were many wōders sene in Eng lād Thimage of the Idole which the Romaines hade in their tēple called Victorie was turned backe as though she gaue place to thenenies The sea was like blood ymages of mēnes bodyes founde on the sea syde And womē were out of their wittes ād cried destructiō at hāde destructiō at hāde so that the Britaynes were in great hope ād the Romaynes in great feare Before Britayn now called Englād came in to the full power of the Danes kīg Edmūde the sōne of Ethelberte beīg slayne ther were diuerse straūge thinges wherby all men gessed that an alteration of the Realme was towarde but chiefly they gessed the great calamitie by the sodain swelling of the sea without any euidēt cause which so brake in to the lande that it destroyed many townes and people Before that great slaughter of Englishe men and Normādes which was by reason of the warres that were in Normandie betwene king Hēri the furst king of Englāde and Robert Duke of Normandie his brother at which tyme Normandie was ioyned to Englande the ryuer of Trent did not runne one hole daye together but was so emptie that men passed ouer on fote and at that tyme a sowe brought furthe a monstre with the face of a man and a henne a foure foted monstre So that by that that is past ye maye the boldlier diuine of that that is to come The childe by Oxforde what did it betoken but that our one swete head king Edwarde should be taken awaye as he was in dede and that ther should be in his place two headdes diuerse gouernours and a towarde diuision of the people but not all together which so manyfestly folowed that no man can denye it or two people should be knytte together but not in god proporcion nor agrement The childe of Couentrie without the principal membres to helpe and defende the bodye must nedes signifie that the natural body that is the people of Englande shalbe helpeles ready to be troden vnder the fote of euery creature and non to releue or succour it The childe of Fulham what can it signifie but that the natural body of England shalbe weake the chief membres tharmes and legges which is the nobilitie so clogged with chaynes of golde and bagges of money that the hande shall not be hable to drawe out the sweorde nor the heles to spurre the horse to helpe and defende the body that is the commones And as the head of it is the greatest part and greater than it ought to be with to muche superfluitie of that it should not haue wherfore it must pull from the other membres to confort it and lacke of that good proporcion it ought to haue so shall the gouernours and headdes of Englande sucke out the wealth and substaunce of the people the politike body and kepe it bare so that it shall not be hable to helpe it self yet shall the head neuer come to that nature requireth What is to be gathered of the yōg chil de I doo not saie it is true bicause the father was forced onles he wold haue lost his life to r◅cant it but might it not be true Is ther not as muche to be saied for it as for the popes trāsubstāciacion Dothe not Eusebius Pamphili a man of as good credite as Thomas Aquinas Scotus Gratianus and suche other the inuētours and mainteners of transubstanciacion write that a lambe contrary to nature and possibilitie did in plaine wordes before declare the nature and disposicion of Bochorus king of Egipt They that write the cronicles of the Romaines saie that a dogge a serpent and oxen did speake But scripture plainly saieth that Baalams asse a creature vnreasonable without possibilitie to speake did saie to his maister why beatest thou me And Iohn the baptist contrary to the common course of nature lept and reioiced in his mothers wombe whan Christes mother being with childe came to see Elizabeth his mother If men that beleued not the miracles which the gogle ◅ied Roode of Boxley the Idole of walsinghā the bawde of willesdō which euery foole might see to be deceates and open illusions were condemned and burned for heretikes how should they be taken that doo not beleue the manifest workes of God The horible Comete and blasing starre that was sene this yeare greater in Englande than elles wher what elles dothe it betoken but the great displeasure of God and therfore famin pestilēce warres sediciō deathe of princes inuasion of forain naciones destruction of som or many cities and countreies and the alteracion and chaungeing of the state and gouernement For if it be laufull for man to diuine of Goddes wonderfull workes and by the like thinges past coniecture those that be to come why should we not affirme that these plages will folowe Before the great warres made by Xerses against the Grecianes and the ouerthrowing of the hole state of Grece ther was a blasing starre sene of the shape of an hor◅e and an eclipse of the sunne Before the last and vtter destruction of the citie of Ierusalem ther was sene hanging in thelement ouer
the tēple a burning sweorde almost the space of a hole yeare In the time of cruel Nero ther was a Comete that continued sixe monethes After that folowed great sedicion and alteracion in thempire and the kingdome of the Iewes marke well was vtterly destroied Before the deathe of our countrey man Constantine the great who was the furst professour of the Gospell of Christ among all themperours and no doubt a special fauourour and promotour of it For he did not prohibite laie men to reade Goddes worde as som princes doo at this tyme but he caused examples of the Bible to be written at his owne charges and sent in to all countreyes ther was a great Comete and afterwarde folowed a wonderfull and cruel warre which who so deliteth in histories maie perceaue Before the dissension and deadly warres that was betwene the brethren of Lotarius themperour sonne of Lodouicus Piu◅ ▪ for the diuision of thinheritaunce whereby suche slaughter grewe in Fraunce that the Frenchemen were neuer after hable to recouer perfitly their force ther were many Cometes sene About the yeare of Christ M. I. ther was an horrible Comete sene and than folowed wonderfull famines and pestilence In the yeare MLXI. before thinuasion of Williā Conquer our in to England and the conquest of the same and in which Heralde king of England with twentie thousaunt true Englishemen in the defense of their countrey against the tiranne were slaine◅ther was sene a wonderfull Comete which euery man thought as in dede it folowed to be muche mischief and thalteracion of the state as herafter ye shall heare A litle before the great warres in Normandie wherof ye haue hearde before ther was sene in Normandie a great Comet and two full mones at one time shyning thone in the easte thother in the west In the yeare MCCXXI whilest the warres were in Asia betwene the christen men and the vnchristen wher vnto king Henry the thrid sent a power of Englishemen vnder therle of Chestre for the maintenaūce wherof the nobilitie furst graū ted the king the wardeship of their children as Polidore writeth before the Christen men lost the citie of Damiata and a great ouerthrowe of them was in Egipt many wonders were sene in diuerse places and also in Englande a very great Comete a wonderfull great earthequake all the wynter horrible thonders which in Englande seldome in Somer be hearde suche great raines and tempestes of windes that it ouerthrewe many houses and the sea drowned mani places which euery man saied betokened the hurt that folowed on christen men In the yeare MCCXLI a little before wales was brought to the subiection of the king of Englande ther appeared in England a terrible Comete by the space of xxx daies In the yeare M. D. XXXI ther was an horrible Comete And what folowed of it The Turke occupied a great parte of Vngarie the kig of Denmarke Christierne inuading his coūtrey with a great armie and so minding to recouer his kingdome was taken and his sonne And why should not ye of England t◅ike that these signes be only or at the least chiefly for you Compare your selues and your liues and doinges with the Iewes or the worst nacion if any can be worse ād see whether ye be not hable to matche them yea to ouermatche them and to droppe vie three for one In what nacion vnder the cope of heauen hathe God shewed greater tokens of his sauour and it so litle set by as in Englande What contempt of him his worde and ministers hathe bē ther What dissimulacion with God what hipocrisie What swearing and soreswearing What traiterye to their countreye What disobedience to the gouernours in good godly and necessary thinges What ready obedience to their rulers in wicked and euil thiges What vnnatural bitcherie vsed betwene the father and daughter brother and sister What abominable hooredome suffred vnpunished yea in many and the chiefest places the greatest hooremongers the impudentest ribauldes the peltingest bribers and the lewdest persones made Iustices of the peace and correctours of vice What railing and reuiling of the worthy pure preachers of Goddes gospell for only rebuking of vice What horrible murdres secret and open not only of priuate persones but also of the most honourable peeres and reuerende ministers of God What bochering and burning of true Englishe christianes yong and olde hole and lame seing and blynde man woman and childe without respecte of age sexe or astate What pillig and polling taking and snatching stealing and robbing not only among the meane sorte but among the greatest Wher is so great hatred and malice so litle loue and charitie as in Englande ▪ I should neuer make an ende if I should tell but that I haue my self sene and knowē muche lesse if I should declare all that other credible persones of their owne knowlage report to be most certain and true But to retourne to the mater Loke well England loke well whether this Comete past and eclipses to come touche the Art thou not all ready plaged with famin Yes and with suche a famin as thou neuer before heardest of It is true ye had darthes in the time of kinges Henry and Edwarde but those were dearthes without nede only they were occasioned by the gredinesse and malice of naughtie men without scarcitie or lacke of thinges ād for lacke of diligēt ouerseing and good gouernement and not by the directe plage of God But these two yeares since kīg Edwardes deathe from the restitucion of your cursed popishe masse ye haue had scarcitie by the directe plage of God The earthe not brought furthe suche plaintie as it customably did before Wher before time the countrey fedde London London contrary wise was and is forced of her former prouision to fede the countreie Wher Dantis◅e ād other the northe east partes were the barnes and garners of corne for they had the prouision of corne for many yeares before hande ād nourished all the lowe partes of Germanie Denmarke Friselande holande Zelande Brabaunt Flanders Hispaine and many other now by reason of their bringing so muche to releue Englande onles a staie be made in time they them selues will perishe of famin Whan were euer thinges so deare in Englande as in this time of the popish masse ād other Idolatrie restored Who euer hearde or redde before that a pounde of beefe was at iiij d. A shepe xx s. A poūde of Candelles at iiij d. A poūde of Buttur at iiij d. ob A poūde of Chese at iiij d. two egges a penie a quarter of wheat lxiiij s. A quartre of malt at l. s. or aboue the people driuen of hongre to grinde accornes for bread meale and to drinke water in stede of ale And what Shall this famin awaie before his walkīg mate and felowe pestilence come No surely without your earnest spedy repentaunce and Goddes exceding miraculous mercie it is not possible for hitherto the one went neuer before but the other cam either arme in arme
the kyng and haue the greatest offices Thus were our countreymen the Britaynes remoued from their king straungers placed in all offices and holdes and at leynght the lande was ouerrunne and possessed of Straungers And the mane of Britayne put awaye and the realme called Englande The Danes after vnderstanding how fertile and pleyntifull England was sought meanes by litle and litle to place themselues in Englande and after a king of DeÌ„marke in his owne persone inuaded EnglaÌ„d in the Northe aÌ„d made woÌ„derfull cruell warres they spared none they burned and wasted Yorkeshire Northumberlande and all places so that the enhabitauntes were forced to sue for peace at the Danes han des Then built they the towne of Dancastre that is the Castle of the Danes and whiles they had peace sent for moo Danes and whan they thought their for ce and power bigge ynough they passed not vpon promyses and leagues that they had made but renued the warres killed burned aÌ„d spoiled in euery place til thei came to Excestre the people and realme was most miserably tormented and made tributarie to them Diuerse of the nobilitie of England vpon light yea no occasiones but only bicause they were thought not to fauour the Danes were taken their nose trilles most villanously slytted their handes cut of â–ª Ah good God who can remembre these thinges without weping Who that feareth thy wrathe lorde will not amâ—…de his life aÌ„d call to thee for mercie What naugh tie nobilitie were that that wolde oppresse the commo nes and afterward be vsed and oppressed them selues by straungers as their predecessours haue ben before tyme What deuillis he CoÌ„mones might that be called that wolde repyne or rebelle against the nobilitie and gentilmen and than to be ouerrunne them selues with priestes and forayners and to be pyned with suche miserie as ye heare that our auncettours were and all bicause the gentilmen and coÌ„mones agred not among them selues Who is a natural Englishe man that will not in tyme forsee and considre the miserie towarde his countreye and him selfe aÌ„d by all meanes seke to let it who is it that caÌ„ hope for quietnesse pea ce healthe pleyntie and such like giftes of God without Goddes fauour and mercie And how is it possible that God should vse mercie with them that beare inwarde hatred and grudge one to an other aÌ„d will vse no merci with others If ye forgeue other meÌ„ their offenses that thei coÌ„mitte agaiÌ„st you saieth Christ your heauenly father will forgeue thoffenses that ye haue coÌ„mitted against him But if ye doo not forgeue other meÌ„ their faultes neither will your father forgeue you your faultes No whilest ye saye the lordes praier aÌ„d be full of raÌ„cour malice hatred aÌ„d eÌ„uie towarde your neighbour ye coÌ„demne your selues and desire Goddes plages and vengeaunce to fall on your selues for ye meane veÌ„geauÌ„ce to your neighbours aÌ„d wishe all euill to fall on them And so it dothe fall on you as ye see by experieÌ„ce of the playes aÌ„d miseries that are aÌ„d shall come to you But from inwarde sedicion and ciuile discorde that briedeth so muche mischief let vs come to outwarde warres and inuasiones made by strauÌ„gers But ye will saye ye haue no warres with any forain prince It is true but shall ye haue none yes yes the tyme is not yet come all is not hatched that is vnder the henne Your winges must be dubbed your fethers must be pulled your coÌ„bes must be cut you must be cleane piked your substaunce shalbe gotten by littel and littell out of your handes by taxes and subsidies by beneuolences and loanes and so froÌ„ a litell to more and froÌ„ more to more and at leynght all the marchauntes goodes to be confiscate in Flaunders by an inquisitioÌ„ and others in England by an opeÌ„ excoÌ„municatioÌ„ And whan ye be ones cleane stripped of your stoare and thus weakened out of courage aÌ„d your harte in your hose as they saie than shall your king returne to his welbeloued wife England with great poÌ„pe aÌ„d power and shall coÌ„pell you in despight of your hartes to reÌ„ dre and deliuer her holly in to his handes Than shall the easter linges vpon hope to recouer their olde and greater priuileges aide him with meÌ„ money and ship pes as allready they haue offred and promised as diuerse credible lettres haue declared ThaÌ„ shall they in uade Englande and shalbe by shiploades if no worse happeÌ„ vnto you caried in to newe Spaine aÌ„d ther not lyue at libertie but bicause ye are a stubburne and vn faithfull generacioÌ„ ye shalbe tyed in chaynes forced to rowe in the galie to digge in the mynes aÌ„d to pike vp the golde in the hotte sande And so with soro we to your soppes your three maÌ„nes song shall be Alas and Weale awaye Than shall ye knowe the pride aÌ„d lorde lynesse of the Spanyardes though for a while til they maie get the ouer hande they crepe and crouche fede men with swete wordes Baso las manos and women with confettes swete wynes pleasaunt pfumes gaye apparail and suche like vayne to yes but whâ—…n they be ones alofte ther is no nacioÌ„ vnder the cope of Christ like theÌ„ in pride crueltie vnmercifulnesse nor so farre froÌ„ all humanitie as the Spanyardes be which thig the realme of Naples the Dukedome of Milane the citie of Siena many partes of Duchelande and the lande of Iulike Cleuelande and Geldre lande can to theyr coste right well testifie And maie it not be thought that the FreÌ„che kìg whaÌ„ he seeth oportunitie wil set in a fote makìg clayme to Englande in the right of the Quene of Scottes as heire to hing HeÌ„ry theight by his eldest syster And maie it not be suspected that the pope to doo the Frenche king a pleasure shall saye the Diuorce betwene king Henry and the dowager was by the canon lawes laufull and shall excommunicate the realme onles they reuoke thacte of parliament wherby the Dyuorce of late was iudged vnlaufull RemeÌ„bre remembre good countrey men and true English hartes the miserie that folowed in our poore countrey vpon the conquest made by thambicious William Duke of NormaÌ„die vpon how small a title he entred aÌ„d how tyraÌ„nously he vsed him self His only colour was a bequest or promise made to him by king Edward brother to Cauntus and Heraldus kinges of England whaÌ„ he was a banished man in Normandie if he should dye without issue as he did At his first en trie he had a great batail with the newe choseÌ„ king of EnglaÌ„d aÌ„d slewe hì aÌ„d tweÌ„tie thousauÌ„t of our couÌ„treye meÌ„ which put suche a feare in all men the Nobilitie the cleargie the LoÌ„doners aÌ„d others the coÌ„mons that it mâ—…de theÌ„sue for peace aÌ„d to geue pledges for their â—…delitie whom he sent in to Normandie At the first he made theÌ„ many fayre promises of peace quietnesse aÌ„d iustice wherwith the folishe foÌ„de people were sone begyleâ—… They thought they had
as his maistership dothe by the masse saieth he that bocher the bishop of LoÌ„doÌ„ wil cut al the geÌ„tilmeÌ„s throtes in EnglaÌ„d if he caÌ„ Thus ye maie see the marcke wherat these hippocrites the papistes shoote They make religioÌ„ aÌ„d Goddes worde nothing elles thaÌ„ a colour to couer their wickednesse aÌ„d to maiÌ„tene their lewdnesse And therfore they wraste and wrythe scripture to serue their purpose and so they haue nede to doo for ther is not one worde in all the scripture for theÌ„ but euery worde against theÌ„ And bicause ye be retourned to their deuociones haue forsaken God aÌ„d his worde aÌ„d cleaue to the pope and his tradiciones aÌ„d maintene suche a sorte of hipocrites dissemblers and open enemies of God aÌ„d the Realme of EnglaÌ„de therfore haue all these plages lighted on you aÌ„d the rest will shortly folowe without faile Loke vpon the xxviij Chap. of deuteronomie wher it is writteÌ„ thus If thou wilt not hearkeÌ„ to the voice of the Lorde thy God to kepe and to doo all his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes aÌ„d his ordinauÌ„ces which I coÌ„â—…auÌ„de the this daie al these curses shal come vpoÌ„ thee aÌ„d ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the tow ne aÌ„d cursed iÌ„ the fielde cursed shal thy basket be and thy stoare Cursed shalbe the frute of thy body aÌ„d the frute of thy lande and the frute of thyne oxen and the flockes of thy shepe The lorde shal sende vpon thee cursing destruction and rebuke to all that thou settest thy hande to and that thou doest vntil he destroie thee and bring thee to naught quickly bicause of the wickednesse of thyne inuenciones and bicause thou hast forsaken me The lorde shall smite thee with mad nesse blyndenesse and dasing of heart Thou shalt be oppressed with wrong and be polled euermore and no man shah succour thee Thou shalt be betrouthed to a wife and an other man shall lie with her Thou shalt builde an house and not dwell therin Thine oxeÌ„ shalbe killed before thine eies and thou shalt not eate therof Thine asse shalbe violently taken from the aÌ„d shall not be restored to the againe Thy shepe shalbe geuen to thine enemies and noman shall rescue theÌ„ The frute of thy lande and all thy labours shall a nacion which thou knowest not eat aÌ„d thou shalt continually suffre violence and be oppressed alwaie so that thou shalt be cleane beside thy self for the sight that thine eies shall see Thou shalt cary muche sede out in to the felde and shalt gather but a litel in for the gresse hoppers shall destroie it All thy trees and frâ—…te of thy lande shalbe marred with blasting The straunger that is among you shall climbe aboue thee on highe aÌ„d thou shalt come downe beneathe alowe Moreouer all these curses shall come vpon thee aÌ„d shal folowe the aÌ„d ouertake the til thou be destroied bicause thou herkenedest not to the voice of the lor de thy God to kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes aÌ„d ordinauÌ„ces which he coÌ„mauÌ„ded the aÌ„d they shalbe vpoÌ„ the as miracles and vpoÌ„ thy sede for euer bicause thou seruedest not the lorde thy God with ioifulnesse aÌ„d with a good heart whan thou hadest abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of al thiÌ„ges therfore thou shalt serue thine enemie which the lorde shal sende vpoÌ„ thee in huÌ„gre and thirst in nakednesse and in nede of all thing and he shall put a yowke of Iron about thy necke til he haue brought the to naught And the lorde shall bring a nacion vpoÌ„ thee a nacion whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstande an harde fauoured nacioÌ„ which shal not regarde the persone of the olde nor haue coÌ„passion on the yong The same shall eat the frute of thy catail and the frute of thy lande til he haue destroied thee and shall leawe thee neither corne wine nor oile neither the increace of thine oxen nor the flockes of thy shepe til he haue brought the to naught And the lorde shall sende vpon the and thy sede great plagues and of long continuaunce euil sickenesses and of long duraunce And it shall come to passe that as the lorde reioiced ouer you to doo you good and to multiplie you euen so he will reioyce ouer you to destroie you aÌ„d to bring you to naught And amoÌ„g these naciones thou shalt finde non ease neither shall the sole of thy foote haue rest But the lorde shal geue the an vnquiet hart aÌ„d dasing eies aÌ„d sorowe of minde c. And in the ende of the xxix Chap. of the same it foloweth Than shall all naciones saie wherfore hathe the lorde done on this facion vnto this lande And men shall saie â–ª bicause they lefte the TestameÌ„t of their fathers which he made with them whan he brought theÌ„ out of the laÌ„de of Egipt For they went aÌ„d serued straunge goddes aÌ„d worshipped the. Goddes which they knowe not and which hade geuen them naught And the wrathe of the lorde waxed hotte against this laÌ„de to bring vpoÌ„ it all the curses that are writteÌ„ iÌ„ this boke c. By this scripture ye are plain ly tolde the vndeniable cause aÌ„d mater wherfore the lorde God threatneth and sendeth plages Reade all the histories of the bible aÌ„d the ê“phecies of the Prophetes aÌ„d ye shal euideÌ„tly see how people aÌ„d nacions haue beÌ„ destroied for mainteniÌ„g of suche Idolaters aÌ„d wicked liuers as the papistes are and wher suche wickednesse hathe beÌ„ vsed as is amoÌ„g you aÌ„d not cor rected as I haue before declared But thow wilt saie what shall we doo to auoide the calamitie aÌ„d miserie that is bothe present and towarde wolde to God thou diddest aske it froÌ„ the botome of thy harte But I feare thou doest dissemble aÌ„d speake it with thy lippes only as thou wast wont WhaÌ„ the great sweat was in England in the tyme of king Edwarde a litle signi ficatioÌ„ of a greater scourge foloweing and many that were mery at dyner were buried in the euenyng som that went at night to slepe lustie were founde in bedde dead in the morning some that went not farre froÌ„ their owne house neuer returned Than as long as the ferueÌ„tnesse of the plage lasted ther was cryeng Peccaui peccaui peccaui I haue synned I haue synÌ„ed I haue siÌ„ned mercie good lorde mercie mercie mercie The ministers of Goddes worde were sought for in eueri corner thei could not rest they might not slepe ye must come to my lorde ye must come to my lady my maister prayeth you to come straight vnto hiÌ„ my maistres must nedes speake with you Come if ye loue God and if ye loue their saluacioÌ„ tarye not For Goddes sake M. Minister saye the sicke folkes tell vs what we shall doo to auoide Godds wrothe Ta ke these bagges paye so muche to suche a man for I deceaued him geue him so muche for I gate it of him by â—…surie I made a craftie bargain with suche a one restore him so muche and desyre him to forgeue me I haue taken bribes of suche a one
iudge All men knowe that thy mother whan thou wast begoten was an hoore The common voice and fame saieth and the truthe is that albeit one Boner a bare whippe Iacke for lucre of money toke vpon him to be thy father and than to mary thy mother yet thou wast persone Sauages bastarde and of that race come thy Cousins Wimmeslowe thy Archediacon of london a mete eie for suche a grosse head and Wimslowe his brother and a great meany moo notable These thinges be so euident aÌ„d plaine that thou cannest not without blushing denie them neither thou wilt I knowe denie theÌ„ For thou boastest aÌ„d braggest muche that thou comest of gentil blood But thou wilt saye thou hast a bull of dispeÌ„sacion from the pope I require to knowe what time it was graunted Thou saiest whan thou wast at Rome It is euen that I requiered Thou wast in dede at Rome proctour for the princes dowager the Quenes mother in the cause of diuorce betwene King Henry the viij and her Whan thou sawest that no prebendes no ArchediacoÌ„ries no bishoprikes were to be goten by continuing on her parte thou betraiedest her cause and becamest of Counsail with the king O noble counsaillour O seuere and laufull iudge A mete man to sit in condemnacion of so many innocentes yea more mete to stande on the pillarie than in a pulpit to be tied vp in a boare franke than walke in a princes chambre to weare 〈◊〉 Tiburne tippet than a graie amise But what if thou haue no dispensacion What a murtherour art thou of true Englishe men What a tormentour of the people of God How haste thou deceaued the Erles of Oxeforde and Sussex the Lorde Riche the Maires and Sheriffes of London and many other of the nobilitie gentilmen and Commones forceing them to washe their handes in innocentes blood with thee what consciences maie they haue through thee How cannest thousalue their wounded soules But thou wilt saie it maketh no matier The cleargie is faire ridde of a great meany of enemies A dead man can doo no hurt But be thou certain thou wilt be deceâ—…ued What so euer becometh of thy bocherly body I wishe thy soule to be saued Repent therfore in tyme become Paule of Saul Whan the prince of Sebech called Adonisebech cut of the handes and fete of Seuentie kinges and made them lyue by licking vp the cromes that fell Vnder his table he thought those poore maymed men could doo him no hurt but God payed him home For he him self hade his handes and â—…ete cut of and was forced to pike vp cromes vnder the table as he hade forced the other kinges King Abimelech caused his thre score and teÌ„ brethren by the father side to be all killed bicause he might reigne alone he thought all was Cocke and so did they that holpe him to execute so horrible an acte But what did they escape No. God suffred the deuil to make discorde betwene the king and his deare dearlinges and first thei were iustly destroied by their king and after he him self hauing his head broken with a pece of a stone lette fall out of a weake womans handes for shame willed his seruaunt to kill him with a sweorde that it should not be reported a woman hade killed him King Achab and Quene Iesabel thought non should reuenge poore Nabothes deathe but contrary to their expectacion by Goddes iustice dogges slossed and licked vp the blood of them bothe Quene Athalia thought her self sure whan she had killed al the kinges progenie but God serued her with the like sawce she reigned not long but she was killed All the miserie and mischief in the Realme of Naples came by a woman called Quene Ioane a woman of muckle lust who after she hade ben a while maried to a noble gentilman and waxed weary of his worke caused him to be hanged out of an open galerie in the toppe of the house bicause noman should see him and not after the poore theues maner with an halter of hempe but with a rope of golde Wrought with her owne and her sisters Madam Mari malecasta her owne fyngers She triumpheth for a while and after besides an vnspeakeable nombre of pryuie mariages she made foure by daye in a litle space but at leynght God plageth her and she was hanged in that place wher she before hanged her husbande Whan those that conspired the deathe of the two brethren the Admiral and the Protectour hade brought it to passe so as they might robbe the king and spoile the Realme at their pleasure did they at leynght escape scotte free No â–ª Som of them by the iuste iudgement of God were plaged with the like punishemeÌ„t with the same axe vpon the self same blocke and in the same place And the rest hereafter are not vnlike without repentaunce which they shewe not to receaue their rewardes either in them selues or their posteritie O wonderfull workes O iust iudgement of God that hatâ—…th those that doo euil and destroyeth those that worke mischief that abhor reth blood thirstie people and those that haue double hartes and treble tongues But Boner I maye not leaue thee thus Geue me leaue Sauage Boner to dispute this mater of laufull and not laufull a litle more with thee If thou and the rest of the traitours thy CoÌ„paniones should persuade the freÌ„deles Quene of England whoÌ„ ye haue enchauÌ„ted to geue ouer the towne of Calese and Barwike to a straunge prince and contrary to her othe not to diminishe any parte of the rightes of the Crowne and liberties of the people which kinges of England at their Coronacion in tymes past made and which she also made to her subiectes Whan she was crowned before she was a perâ—…it Quene she folowed your counsail and som noble personage sent thider to deliuer the keyes and the de putie and garison did not strike of the messagiers head and set it on the gates but obeyed it and not resisted it wer not thou aÌ„d thi felowes traitours for ê‘suading her so doo hade not she broken her othe and promyse were not that tournay a traitour for doing that he was commaunded Were not the deputie and garison traitours for suffring it to be done Answer What cannest thou saie for thy self and thy folowes Giltie or not giltie Thou standest mewet What not a worde Thou art sure your good will will stande you in as good stede as the dede done Neither doo ye passe though the crowes be fedde with your carion carcases and the deuil with your soules so ye maye leaue behinde you a fame that by your traytourie the laitie of EnglaÌ„d was destroyed and the spiritualtie restored to their pompe and lordly power But before the halter stoppe thy winde Boner let vs knowe what thou canst saye for her Sayest thou princes be not bounden by theyr othes and promisses ynough â—…hat for the rest let them remembre that not loÌ„g agoo their neighbour MoÌ„sieur Ver uin Captain of Boloigne was
punished as a traitour for that by necessitie and extremitie of force he reÌ„dred vp Boloigne to king HeÌ„ry theight and did not die in the defense of it But thou wilt saie he did it without commaundement of his mâ—…ister and these shall doo it by coÌ„maundement of their maistres But what if the commaundement be not laufull doest thou not saie thy self it is not to be obeied Thou saiest to others that non maie do that is not laufull for any commaundement But thou wilt saie it is the Quenes owne and she maye laufully doo with her owne what she lusteth What if it be denyed to be her owne But thou wilt saie she hathe the crowne by enheritaunce and maie dispose of the realme and euery parte of the Realme as pleaseth her But I answer that albeit she haue it bi enheritaunce yet she hathe it with an othe lawe and condicion to kepe and mayn tene it not to departe with it or diminishe it If she ha ue no more right to the Realme than her father hade and her father as muche as euer ani king of Englande what neded he to require the consent of the Nobilitie and commons by parliament to geue the Crowne to his daughter or any other But thou will saie it was more than neded for without consent of the parliameÌ„t he might doo with the Realme aÌ„d eueripte therof what it pleased him Take hede what thou sayest If that be true that king Henry might do with it without coÌ„sent of the parliament how is the Ladi mari Quene Why might not King Edwarde his some a prince borne in laufull matrimonie and right heire to the Crowne bequeathe the Crowne wher he wolde and as he did Take hede what thou doest If the king and Quene geue thee a thousauÌ„t perdones yet shalt thou be foun de a ranke Traitour to the Realme of Englande For albeit the king or Quene of a reaâ—…me haue the Crowne neuer 〈◊〉 iustly yet maye they not dispose of the Crowne or realme as it pleaseth them They haue the Crowne to minister iustice but the Realme being a bodi of free men and not of bondemen he nor she can not geue or sell them as slaues and bondemen No they can not geue or sell awaye the holdes and fortes as Calese and Barwike or suche like without the consent of the Commones for it was purchaced with their blood aÌ„d moneie Yea aÌ„d thine owne popes lawes wherby thou measurest all thiÌ„ges to be laufull or not laufull saie that if a kiÌ„g or gouernour of any realme goo about to diminishe the regalities aÌ„d rightes of his crowne he ought to be deposed Thus did Pope Honorius the thrid coÌ„maunde tharchebishop of Collossa aÌ„d his suffraganes to depriue a kiÌ„g of Vngarie which weÌ„t about to waste sell aÌ„d geue awaye the Regalities aÌ„d rightes of his crowne oâ—…les in tyme he ceassed aÌ„d called backe that he hade done It is so plaine thou canst not denie it But I see Boner I haue chafed thee to muche thi chekes blushe aÌ„d swell for very aÌ„gre M. D. Cheadsei M. D. PeÌ„dletoÌ„ M. Cosins or soÌ„ of you Chaplaines get my lorde a cup of secke to coÌ„ fort his spirites My lorde aÌ„d I agree almost like belles we iarre soÌ„what but not muche his lordship meaneth that meÌ„ ought to be alwaies but not at all tymes honest But I saie thei must be honest alwaies aÌ„d at al tymes His lordeship wolde fayne haue a placarde or prouiso for hiÌ„ aÌ„d his that they might soÌ„times that is froÌ„ the begiÌ„niÌ„g to theÌ„de of the weke plaie their partes But Isaie albeit his lordship haue suche a priuilege yet maie no honest maÌ„ at any tyme doo that is not honest iuste aÌ„d laufull bi kaisers kiÌ„ges Quenes no neither his coÌ„maundement For if those thinges which only in mennes opiniones seme to be vnlaufull maye by no autoritie be done and those that doo theÌ„ be no lesse to be punisshed than if they had done them without autoritie how muche lesse maye suche thinges by any commaundement be committed that are in dede vnlaufull but shalbe punished according to the desertes by what so euer power or autoritie they be executed Men therfore ought to take hede that by going about to come out of the smoke they fall not in to the fire and by pleasing of men they runne not in to the displeasure of God If mennes ordinaunces and lawes or the gouernours autoritie and commaundement were a sufficient discharge for men to doo what so euer were prescribed or coÌ„maunded vnto theÌ„ tell me I beseche thee why did Esaias the Prop het suffre rather to be sawed in pieces than to folowe the procedinges of Manasses why did Daniel not folowe king Darius and his counsailles commaundement forbearing to worship the true God but was content to be cast to the lyones why did not the three children Sadrach Mesach and Abednego obeye Nabuchadnesar in worshipping the golden idole aÌ„d so auoide the hotte burniÌ„g fornace why did Eleazarus submitte him self to deathe and not dissemble why did he not eate his owne meat aÌ„d absteyne froÌ„ porke fleshe that the king coÌ„maunded the Iewes to eat coÌ„trary to the lawes aÌ„d saye that he hade eateÌ„ it as his olde trustye freÌ„des of the court couÌ„sailed hiÌ„ whi did he not sue for a bul or perdoÌ„ of Antiochus that he might vse his owne religioÌ„ as our En glishe haltiÌ„g gospellers doo of the pope coÌ„fessing his autoriti which is the thiÌ„g that he oÌ„ly passeth vpoÌ„ aÌ„d â—…areth not how many soules be ledde to the deuil why did not the seuen brethreÌ„ and their mother obeie the kinges commaundement and saue their lyues and goodes as thauncient Catharistes and newe puri stes doo saieng all thinges be pure to the pure and no Idolatrie nor filthynesse can infecte him that is pure and cleane Or why did they not saie as the Priscianistes and Papistes did in tyme past and as the marchauntes Hill and Petresonne with their double tongued traine aÌ„d dissembling secte at this present saie that it is laufull and no sinne to saye one thing and meane another to lye with the lyppes so they haue the truthe in the heart to denye God in wordes and workes so they ceÌ„fesse him in thought aÌ„d mynde to daunce with the deuil all daye and lodge with Christ at night why did Paule suffre so many imprisonmeÌ„tes so muche beating scourgeing and tormenting And why at leinght did he not saue his life and folowe Kaiser Neroes commaundement why did not the Prophetes thapostles and so many thousauntes of martirs folowe the wicked tirannes commaundemeÌ„tes and procedinges but resisted them and with their blood testiâ—…ied that they allowed theÌ„ not But all these holy meÌ„nes doiÌ„ges in confessiÌ„g aÌ„d obeieÌ„g the highest power God aÌ„d not thinferiour powers in wicked aÌ„d euil thiÌ„ges are coÌ„meÌ„ded aÌ„d lefte bi the holy gooste to vs in holischrift to folowe aÌ„d doo the like If meÌ„nes lawes aÌ„d coÌ„maundementes were a sufficient warauÌ„t to meÌ„
gouernour and kill a tyranne AS ther is no better nor happier cōmon wealthe nor no greater blessing of God thā wher one ru leth if he be a good iuste and godly mā so is ther nō worse nor non more miserable nor greater plague of God thā wher one ruleth that is euil vniuste and vngodly ▪ A good man knowing that he or those by whō he claymeth was to suche office called for his vertue to see the hole state well gouerned and the people defended frō iniuries neclecteth vtterly his owne pleasure and profit and bestoweth all his studie and labour to see his office well discharged And as a good phisician earnestly seketh the healthe of his pacient and a Shipmaister the wealthe and sauegarde of those he hathe in his ship so dothe a good gouernour seke the wealthe of those he ruleth And therfore the people feling the benefit comyng by good gouernours vsed in tyme past to call such good gouernours fathers ād gaue thē no lesse honour thā childrē owe to their parentes An euil persone comyng to the gouernemēt of any state either by vsurpaciō or by electiō or by successiō vtterly neglectig the cause why kinges princes ād other gouernours in cōmō wealthes be made that is the wealthe of the people seketh onli or chiefly his owne profit ād pleasure And as a sowe comyng in to a faire gardin roteth vp all the faire and swet flowres and holsome simples leauing nothing behinde but her owne filthye dirte so dothe an euil gouernour subuerte the lawes and ordres or maketh them to be wrenched or racked to serue his affectiones that they can no longer doo their office He spoyleth the people of their goodes either by open violence making his ministers to take it from them without payment therfore or promising and neuer payeng or craftily vnder the name of loanes beneuolences contribuciones and suche like gaye paynted wordes or for feare he geteth out of their possession that they haue and neuer restoreth it And whan he hathe it consumeth it not to the benefite and profit of the common wealthe but on hoores hooremongers dyceing carding banketting vniust warres and such like euilles and mischieues wherin he dely teth He spoileth and taketh awaye from them their armour and harnesse that they shall not be hable to vse any force to defende their right And not contented to haue brought thē in to such miserie to be sure of his sta te seketh and taketh all occasiones to despeche them of their lyues If a man kepe his house and meddle in nothing than shall it be sayed that he fretteth at the state If he come abrode and speake to any other further with it is taken for a iuste conspicacie If he saye nothing and shewe a mery countenaunce it i◅ a token that he despiceth the gouernement If he loke sorowfully than he lamenteth the state of his countreye how many so euer be for any cause committed to prison are not only asked but be racked also to shewe whether he be pryuie of their doinges If he de parte bicause he wold lyue quietly than is he proclaimed on open enemye To be shorte ther is no doing no gesture no behaueour no place can preserue or defende innocency against suche a gouernours crueltie but as an huntour maketh wilde beastes his praie and vseth toiles nettes snares trappes dogges firret tes mynyng and digging the grounde gōnes bowes speares and all other instrumentes engynes deuises subtilties ād meanes Wherby he maie come by his praye so dothe a wicked gouernour make the people his game and praye and vseth all kindes of subtilties deceates craftes policies force violence crueltie and suche like deuillishe wayes to spoyle and destroye the people that be cōmitted to his charge And whan he is not hable without most manifest crueltie to doo by him self that he desireth than fayneth he vniust causes to cast them in to prison wher like as the bearewardes mosell the beares and tye them to the stakes whyles they be baited and killed of mastyues and curres so he kepeth them in chaines whilest the bishoppes and other his tormentours and heretical inquisitours doo teare and deuoure them Fynally he saieth and denyeth he promiseth and breaketh promyse he sweareth and ◅orsweareth and nother passeth on God nor the deuil as the commyng sayeng is so he maye bring to passe that be desireth Suche an euil gouernour proprely men call a Tiranne Now forasmuche as ther is no expresse positiue lawe for punishement of a Tyranne among christen men the question is whether it be laufull to kill suche a monstre and cruell beast couered with the shape of a man And first for the better and more playne profe of this mater the manifolde and continuall examples that haue ben from tyme to tyme of the deposing of kinges and killing of tyrānes doo most certainly con firme it to be most true iust and cōsonaunt to Goddes iudgement The historie of kinges in the olde testament is full of it And as Carnal Phoole truly citeth England lacketh not the practice and experience of the same For they depriued king Edwarde the seconde bicause without lawe he killed his subiectes spoiled them of their goodes and wasted the treasure of the Realme And upon what iust causes Richard the the secōde was thrust out and Hēry the fourth put in his place I referre it to their owne iudgement Denmarke also now in our dayes did nobly the like act◅ whan they depriued Christierne the tiranne and committed him to perpetual prison Zacharias the pope that inuented first the lampes in the churche deposed Chilperichus king of Fraunce bicause he was sayed to be a lecherous persone and an unprofitable gouernour of the realme and forced him to be a monke and made Pipine father of Charles king of Fraunce Pope Honorious as ye hearde before commaunded that the king of Vngarie should be depriued bicause he diminished the rightes of the Crowne onles he repented and vndid all that he had done A certayn king of Portugale was very negligēt in his office he cōsumed ād wasted awaye the trea sure of his Realme he oppressed his subiectes ād misu sed thē Wherfore Pope inocēt the fourth made the kī ges brother therle of Bolone coadiutour to the king ād gaue hī the hole charge of the Realme discharged the people of their othe to the king and commaūded them to be obedient to the kinges brother in all thinges as king But the Popes learned counsail saied that he ought to haue bē vtterly deposed of the Crow ne These doinges of Popes I rehearse not as though their usurped autoritie were to be allowed but for that ye maye see that it is no newe thing to depose euil kinges ād gouernours ād that those that haue the iust autoritie maie and ought for the like causes doo as they did For albeit thautoritie of the pope be not laufull yet is the reason that moued them so to doo honest and iust and mete to be
of Gardier but he was not vnskilled I saie ì the arte of practices No in dede he was excellent in that feate as it well appeared For whan he had wrought and made sure the great mariage to auoide the hatred of the people he made his scholar to father it and to haue the outwarde thankes And no maruail of his conning For he was his maister and hade studied longer the arte than the proctour and hade a better witte and spent yearly the halfe of his bishopriche in bribing or elles he had lost his head long before for his treasones were not alltogether vnknowem albeit they were couered and hidden But what dothe this maister or proctour of practices Dothe he not dissemble with the erle of warwike serueth his turne ì al that his wittes wold serue But what at leinght becometh of our practiceing P. He is committed to warde his garter with shame pulled from his legge his robe froÌ„ his backe his coate armour pulled downe spurned out of Windsore churche troden vnder fote and he him self at leinght with great fauour obteinâ—…th that he might redeme the rest of his corporal paines with open confession at the barre in the Starre chambre on his knes of his bribery extorcion dissimulacion ambicion robbing of the king and suche like vertues wherby he became noble If we minded in this place to displaye the packing and practiceing of the Nobilitie and counsail of Englande in the sickenesse and at the deathe of king Edwarde the vi for the pretensed placeing of the lady Iane in the regaleseat and their sodain slipping the coler and deceauing of one an other it were mater ynough to teache men how litel confidence and trust ought to be geuen either to the smothe couÌ„tenaunces faire wordes confident promises bloody othes or swearing vpon the holy Euangelies either yet to the lettres aÌ„d haÌ„de writinges of the Princes aÌ„d potentates of the worlde They that were sworne chief of counsail with the lady Iane and caused the Quene to be proclaimed a bastarâ—…e throughout all Englande and Irelande and they that were the sorest forcers of men yea vnder the threatned paines of Treason to sweare and subscribe vnto their doinges bewraied the mater them selues vnder hande by their wiues aÌ„d other secret shiftes and afterwarde became counsaillours I will not saie procurers of the innocent Lady Ianes deathe and at this present are in the highest autoritie in the Quenes house and the chiefest officers and doers in the common wealthe And som of them that wrote most earnestly to a certain auncient lorde of the Realme among many other in the fauour of the Lady Iane bebastarding and railing vpon the Quene were not ashamed within fewe daies after whan the same lorde was locked vp in the towre for his constaunt although constrained obedience to the common ordre of the Counsail to be his most straunge and rough examiners on the contrary part as though they them selues hade neuer halted in the mater But I knowe these practicers answer that if they hade not vsed that practice they should not only haue standen in hasarde them selues but also failed of their priuie purpose Well In the meane tyme it is ynough to knowe that a man maie not trust nor beleue them either by their wordes othes or hande writinges further thaÌ„ he seeth and heareth them and scarcely so farre And I praie you hathe not the realme good cause to thanke and trust the potentates Prelates and Parliament men for banishing the sacred testament and Gospel of God with the sincere administracion of his holy Sacramentes and for bringing the deuillishe power of the Romishe Antichrist in to Englande again with his miserable Masse and all popishe slauery By the which they haue not only brokeÌ„ their othe aÌ„d loy altie to God and to themperial Crowne of Englande pullìg eternal coÌ„deÌ„nacioÌ„ vpoÌ„ theÌ„selues aÌ„d â–ª puokig the heauie haÌ„d of Goddes wrath aÌ„d plage vpoÌ„ their sede aÌ„d vpoÌ„ the hole realme ì coÌ„pellìg the people to sinne by fallìg froÌ„ the true seruice of the liuìg God ìto most wicked supersticion and idolatrie alas therfore but also haue ben and are giltie of the innocent blood of thankes and the Quenes fauour increaced towarde him But his iuste rewarde yet is not come let hâ—… not loke to spede any better than Heracleo if he continue Iudas still I wolde wishe he wolde in time become a Petre I trust he is not so farre past but he maie be praied for He is my good lorde and Mason ones my great frende aÌ„d nere neighbour I wishe them bothe well Thus ye see the final successe and rewarde of traitours Wherfore it is to be wondred that suche practicers which worke so muche mischief for others can not take hede of the euil that is towardes them selues But Goddes worde must be verified of the wicked Beholde the wicked trauaileth with mischief saieth the worthy prophet and king Dauid a man of great experience He hathe coÌ„ceaued unhappines and brought furthe a lie He hathe grauen and digged up a pitte but he shall fall him self in to the pitte that he hathe made For the mischief that he mindeth to others shall come on his owne head and his wickednesse shall fall on his owne pate But forasmuche as all these fetches and practices be only made and laied to disceaue those that be honest faithfull true and natural to their countreie it is requisite to treate how they maie be auoided Deceat wold not be knocked out with deceat if it might so be but honest men should alwaies and at all times deale plainly and honestly And therfore the honestest meane before thinges be done is to be wise and circumspecte and to forsee thende what mischief maie folowe before they sodainly rashely and vnaduisedly consent to ani thing To vse suche honest wisdom and forsight is permitted bothe by Goddes worde and nature Yea Goddes worde and nature commaunde honest men to vse it For those thinges that can but ones be done and wheron so great weigh thangeth ought to be well done Therfore men ought not to geue credite to faire wordes large promises and great othes for these are the instrumentes to deceaue the honest and well meaning but the fairer the wordes be the larger the promises aÌ„d the greater the othes the more to suspecte For godly and honest thinges maie be well ynough done without painted and smothe wordes faire promises and othes Ther ought to be such equalitie in doing of thinges that such deceates nede not Only subtiltie and crafte deuised long writinges great promises and many solempne ceremonies WhaÌ„ the great mariage was treated in the priuie Counsail aÌ„d so great promises made the olde Duke of Nor folke saied they were golden wordes but how shall they be perfourmed saied he Afterwarde whan it was propouned to the lordes in the parliament to be ratified the Lord Windsori like maner asked who should be suertie for the perfourmaunce therof aÌ„d who should sue the forfaite
hade God by the too but they hâ—…de the wolfe yea the deuil by the eares He first fortified the holdes and portes by the sea side aÌ„d in his absence as many times he was forced vpoÌ„ rebelliones in NormaÌ„die to tetourne he made a CouÌ„sail of his owne couÌ„trey meÌ„ aÌ„d made the Bishop of Baâ—…on his brother his lieutenauÌ„t ì EnglaÌ„de But whaÌ„ he was ones satled aÌ„d thought him self strong ynough to kepe the EnglishemeÌ„ vnder thaÌ„ Fare well all faire promises he begìneth to plaie Rex yea the deuil in dedc He spoiled the nobilitie of their goodes aÌ„d possessiones made theÌ„ slaues aÌ„d his owne slaues Lordes and vpoÌ„ the CoÌ„moÌ„s he put woÌ„derfull taxes aÌ„d imposiciones He toke froÌ„ the people their weapones aÌ„d harnesse aÌ„d made a lawe that no maÌ„ should come out of his house after the bel roÌ„g which was at eight of the clo cke but to couer the fire aÌ„d to bedde Wherfore vntill this daie the bel that thaÌ„ ringeth is called Couerfiewe And thaÌ„ he built at NotinghaÌ„ lyncolne yorke aÌ„d hasting aÌ„d set in theÌ„ garisons of NormaÌ„des And not coÌ„tented herewith he executed many wonderfull cruell thiges aÌ„d specially on the nobilitie aÌ„d suche as he sawe to be stowte meÌ„ som he caused to be murthred som their nosetrilles to be slitte and their handes cut of Happie was he that could flie out of the Realme he so spoiled yorke shire aÌ„d durhaÌ„ aÌ„d all the northe ê‘tes that teÌ„ yeares together it laie waste aÌ„d vnhabited He could in nâ—… wise abide the English nobilitie but vtter ly destroied theÌ„ And all this he did by the lawe of the deuil whiche they cal the lawe of armes The good lawes aÌ„d ustomes of EnglaÌ„d he cleane toke awaie and made his owne lustes his lawes aÌ„d put theÌ„ in his owne NormaÌ„de tongue that his freÌ„des might alwaies haue thin terpretacion of theÌ„ and that he might catche the poore EnglishemaÌ„ whaÌ„ it pleased him aÌ„d wolde haue the lawes to be pleaded aÌ„d al thiÌ„ges to be done in FreÌ„ che And he was not takeÌ„ to be the NormaÌ„des freÌ„de nor no gentilman that could not speake frenche And therof cometh the olde ê“uerbe Iacke wold be a geÌ„ tilmaÌ„ but he caÌ„ no freÌ„che He remoued thenglishe bishoppes and placed NormaÌ„des by the aide of the bishop of Rome He pulled downe townes villages and houses and put out the poore people to make him sportiÌ„g places priÌ„cely pleasures forestes ê‘kes aÌ„d chaces O miserable EnglaÌ„de thâ—…t ones thus wast by a tiranne and outwarde enemies plaged But how muche more miserable shalt thou be by the warres that are most certain to come shortly ont hee God be mercifull vnto thee But me thinkes I heare your papistes bishoppes priestes friers and suche like AntichristiaÌ„ moÌ„ stres saie that these plages which haue fallen and shal come to England for they knowe they can not be a voided no they are occasioned aÌ„d holpeÌ„ forewarde by them haue growne for thinges done in king Henry and king Edwardes time for that their abominacion was disclosed their buries and deÌ„nes digged vp their monasteries throweÌ„ downe and the landes diuided aÌ„d solde to the laitie Ah hipocrites Ah subtil wolues ah viperous generacion Whan the foxe preacheth bewa re your geese Wher in scripture do they finde that any suche bely Goddes as they are â–ª should be maiÌ„tened No scriptur wold haue such marchauÌ„tes whipped out of the churche such buiers aÌ„d sellers of meÌ„s soules wo be vnto you hipocrites saieth Christ for ye swalo we vp the houses of the poore and miserable that is that which should be coÌ„uerted to the relief of the poore aÌ„d nedy aÌ„d that vnder preteÌ„se of loÌ„g praiers Wo be vnto you ye masking Mahoundes which goo froÌ„ place to place by sea and by lande to make a nouice of your owne ordre and whan ye haue him ye make him the childe of hel fire two folde more thaÌ„ your selfe I kno we you not saieth Christ awaie froÌ„ me ye workers of iniquitie It is only their God the bely that they seke to serue they nother passe on the God in heauen nor the deuil in hell so they maie haue wherwith to maintene them selues on earthe in their hooredome burgerie pride and al abominacion And this that I saie is not feined nor ymagined but euident in all mennes eies that will not be wilfully blinde Those that be desirous to be rulers in monasteries ab bottes and priours before they come to it they pine them selfe awaie with fasting weare heare and vse the rest of thiÌ„strumeÌ„tes of hipocrisie for a while but whaÌ„ they haue ones caught the fishe they cast for they she we what they be plainly Who so great bely Goddes Who so great hooremongers Wher suche knauerie vsed I am ashamed to tell it In like maner plaie these Chaplaines of honour that seke for bishopriches all sauing one M. doctour WestoÌ„ the coÌ„moÌ„ bull of dissembled virginitie and the boare of olde rusted wido whead who before haÌ„de shewth what he wilbe But as the worlde goeth his plaine dealing hathe not nor wil put hiÌ„ to any afterdeale Wher is suche an hooremoÌ„ger yea worse thaÌ„ an hooremoÌ„ger as this olde hipocrite Paule the fourthe now bishop of Rome Who so great a gluttoÌ„ Who so ê“wde aÌ„d ambicious Who so great a tiraÌ„ne aÌ„d tormeÌ„tour Who so great a warriour And yet before he came to that highe seat of antichrist he wold seme a saint no religioÌ„ nor ordre of hipocrites was strait ynough for him He was a frier a monke a Capuccine an anchorite yea what was he not But ye see the marke these hipocrites sho ote at And I caÌ„ tel thee somwhat of mine owne know lage which maie not be denied for the autor is a man of good credeÌ„ce bothe abrode aÌ„d at home with the gre atest aÌ„d meanest After the begiÌ„niÌ„g of the Quenes rei gne aÌ„d the sodain alteracioÌ„ of all thinges coÌ„trary to othe aÌ„d ê“mise ther came one of mine ordre vnto me as I walked in a gardeiÌ„ aÌ„d weÌ„t about to ê‘suade me to iÌ„cline to the Quenes ê“cediÌ„ges Plaie the wise maÌ„ saieth he aÌ„d doo as I aÌ„d other meÌ„ doo I haue knoweÌ„ thee of loÌ„g time to be a good felowe I warrauÌ„t thee thou shalt recouer thy losse aÌ„d liue in honour if thou wilt be ruled by reason And with that helept vp to clappe me on the sholder for onles he stode on tippe to he could not reache it Tushe saied he thou art a foole If the Turke ruled in EnglaÌ„d I wold frame mi self to liue accordiÌ„g I maie not nor wil tel you his name bicause I hope he wil ones remeÌ„bre hiÌ„self aÌ„d cal to God for grace But to put you somwhat froÌ„ musing I will tel you somwhat In king Henries time whaÌ„ Gardiner was called the beare he was called the ape What saied droÌ„keÌ„ doctour WestoÌ„ in the middes of his cuppes for wine will disclose secretes if it be as well plied
I pray you geue him so muche more again I haue spokeÌ„ euil of suche a maÌ„ God forgeue it me I haue ben a hooremoÌ„gre a bawde God perdone me Dyuide this bagge among the poore carie this to the hospital pray for me for Goddes sake Good lord forgeue me I haue dissembled with thee I pretended to loue thy worde with my lippes but I thought it not with my hart but now I see thou knowest the secretest secretes aÌ„d wilt not leaue euil vnpunished Haue mercie on me and forgeue me good lord I beseche thee from the botome of my harte This was the dissimulacioÌ„ of the people for three or foure daies whiles thexecucion was but after whaÌ„ the rage was somwhat swaged than returne they to their vomite worse than euer they were Than that they had before caused to be restored and geuen in almose they seke to recouer by more euil fauoured Cheuisaunses But God is not blynde nother is his hande shortened he hathe begonne to mete with you and will paye you that he oweth you to thuttermost But whether thou requirest me vnfaynedly to knowe how to auoide the plage to come or doest disseÌ„ble with me I hade rather thou shouldest be founde in fault than I not to doo that I before promised thee Goddes worde requireth and coÌ„ maundeth euery man to helpe his neighbour in worde and dede as muche as in him lieth I will therfore tell thee my best aduise and hartily pray God thou maiest earnestly folowe it All these plages that before thou hast hearde rehearced famyn pestilence sedicioÌ„ warres destructiones of countrayes captiuitie of people â–ª and alteraciones of states are the instrumentes of God sent aÌ„d powred on the people for their synnes that they should be sorie aÌ„d repeÌ„t theÌ„ of their former wicked life call to God for mercie aÌ„d leade a newe life in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of their life Which if ye will earnestly doo no doubt but as God is mercifull so will he vse mercie towards you For God that neuer deceaued any but abhorreth all practices all deceit and all practicers the workers of deceipt promiseth it by the mouthe of his prophet Ezechiel If sayeth he the vngodly will turne awaye from all his sinnes that he hathe done and will kepe all my coÌ„maundementes and doo the thing that is iust aÌ„d right doubtles he shal lyue aÌ„d not dye For al the sines that he did before shall not be thought vpoÌ„ any more but in his righteousnesse that he hathe done he shall lyue For I haue no pleasur in the deathe of a synner saieth God but that he should repent him of his wicked lyfe aÌ„d lyue c. It foloweth in the prophet thus â–ª wher fore repeÌ„t and returne froÌ„ your wickednesse aÌ„d your wickednesse shal not be your destructioÌ„ Caste froÌ„ you all your vngodlynesse make you a newe hart aÌ„d a new spirite wherfore will ye dye O you house of Israel that is all such as trust to be saued by christ seing I hare no pleasur in the deathe of him that dieth sayeth the lorde God Turne therfore and ye shall lyue This is not holy water of the court bare wordes of course as the princes of the worlde vse whiles they goo about to deceaue the poore people with their practices but he saieth no lesse than hewil doo he pro miseth no more than he will iustly and fully perfourme Scripture is full of exaÌ„ples to proue it After thâ—… deathe of Gedeon the children of Israel fell from the worshipping of the true God became Idolaters and worshipped Baalim and Astaroth and other Goddes as the Ethnikes did wherfore God plaged them wonderfully with inuasiones and ouerrunning of the Philistines by the space of xviij yeares they semed in wordes to doo penauÌ„ce but god sawe they did but dissemble with him and therfore he wold not heare theÌ„ But after they hade done penaunce in dede that is destroyed the Idoles and cast them out of their countreye than God sent theÌ„ the noble captain Iepte who defended them and reuenged the malice of the philistines Likewise wher the children of Israel had in the tyme of Hely the priest receaued by the Philistines many slaughters of the people and had lost many cities and townes for the Idolatrie thei had committed yet whan by thadmonicion of Samuel they repented as ye heard before and turned to God God turned to them and was mercifull And whan the philistines had prepared a wonderfull great force against the children of Israel God sent sodaynly such a terrible thondre and lightenyng that they were dispersed and raÌ„â—…e awaye The childreÌ„ of Israel ê‘secuted theÌ„ aÌ„d slewe theÌ„ aÌ„d recouered their cities aÌ„d all that they had lost WhaÌ„ the moabites aÌ„monites aÌ„d Idumites thought to haue ouerruÌ„ne Iuda in the tyme of king Iosaphat yet whan the king aÌ„d his people lamented to God and called for mercie God turned awaie his wrathe and poured â–ª it on their enemies and made them to fal out among them selues and so to kil one an other Whan Benadab the king of Siria besieged Samaria ther was so great a fami in the citie that womeÌ„ eâ—…e their owne children but whan king Ioram aÌ„d the people fel to re pentauÌ„ce aÌ„d called to God for mercie they had in one daie pleiÌ„tie of al thinges For God sent such a terrour among the Sirianes with the noise of armour that they fled aÌ„d lefte all their vitaile bagge and baggage behinde them for those of Samaria Ye haue hearde before also how Olofernes and SeÌ„nacherib that inuaded Israel were with their hole armies destroied of God after the people repeÌ„ted theÌ„ of their sinnes and called for mercie And so ye haue iÌ„numerable exaÌ„ples of the great mercie of God towarde al that repented truly and called for mercie As of the citie of Niniue whom albeit God had threatened vtterly to destroie theÌ„ yet whaÌ„ God sawe they were peniteÌ„t for their for mer wicked life â–ª aÌ„d called vnto hiÌ„ for mercie he withdrewe his plage aÌ„d held out his mercifull hande ouer theÌ„ eueÌ„ so ye good couÌ„trey meÌ„ aÌ„n true englishe hartes if ye wil in time earnestly repeÌ„t you of your sinnes leaue your Idolatrie aÌ„d honour and worship God truly as ye were taught â–ª iÌ„ blessed kiÌ„g Edwardes time abhorre the fonde phaÌ„tasies and folishe tradiciones of meÌ„ â–ª aÌ„d cleaue to the sincere worde of God aÌ„d be desirous of the knowlage of it leaue your blasphemie and vaine swearing aÌ„d horrible for swearing aÌ„d periurie no loÌ„ger hate your countreie but be true and faithfull to it aÌ„d by all godly meanes seke the wealthe and sauegarde of it if ye wil obey Goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes before your gouernours aÌ„d your gouernours in that is godly honest and iust and not â—…lles â—…f ye will leaue your bawdrie horedome aÌ„d bitcherye aÌ„d driue out of al places al hoores hooremoÌ„gers aÌ„d stuehouses â–ª aÌ„d all suche as fauour aÌ„d maiÌ„tene theÌ„ â—…f ye will absteine froÌ„ cruel murthering of the Saintes of God aÌ„d innoceÌ„tes aÌ„d rather your selues be coÌ„teÌ„t to suffre all martirdome thaÌ„ ye wil embrewe your fingres iÌ„ their blood or coÌ„sent to it if ye wil leaue oppressing of your neighbours your subtiltie crafte and deceat aÌ„d your selues leaue to loue gredinesse and inordinate desire of the trashe of this worlde if you leaue your inwarde hat reed grudge aÌ„d malice one to an other if the nobilitie will loue aÌ„d chearishe the coÌ„monaltie aÌ„d the coÌ„mones honour aÌ„d loue the nobilitie if one wil shewe him self a brother and neighbour in dede to an other thaÌ„ no doubt if ye doo these shiÌ„ges froÌ„ the botome of the har te that the mouthe aÌ„d harte agree together your saienges aÌ„d doinges be al one than shall ye ê‘ceaue that God wilbe easily intreated to turne ThaÌ„ maie ye boldly aske of God in Christes name aÌ„d your desires shal be hearde aÌ„d grauÌ„ted But ye maie iÌ„ no wise dissemble with hiÌ„ as the Israelites did whaÌ„ they saied thei wold coÌ„mitte no more Idolatrie aÌ„d yet kept their Idoles as you pulled downe your ymages but yet kept them secretly in your chaÌ„bres nor yet as Iudas Iscarioth did who lamented his sinnes aÌ„d repeÌ„ted but returned not to God nor yet as your selues did dissemble in the last sweat whiles Goddes whippe was in your neckes but ye must cleane doo awaie the olde maÌ„ and put on the newe ye must refuse aÌ„d cast awaie all euilles and doo that is good aÌ„d euer studie to do that shal please God aÌ„d in no wise loke as lottes wiâ—…e did backwarde but still goo forewarde And thaÌ„ if ye call to God for mercie putting your ful aÌ„d onely trust in him he wil heare you aÌ„d take froÌ„ you those plages that lie on you aÌ„d the other which most certainly if ye repeÌ„t not hang ouer you and wil come vpon you Than will he sende you his benedictioÌ„ for maledictioÌ„ pleiÌ„tie for famiÌ„ heal the for pestileÌ„ce peace for warres quietnes for trouble for cruel tiraÌ„nie a godly aÌ„d iuste gouernemeÌ„t for sedicioÌ„ suche force aÌ„d power that you beiÌ„g a fewe shalbe hable to withstaÌ„de all the tirannes of the worlde and enemies of God aÌ„d our couÌ„trey aÌ„d vtterly coÌ„fouÌ„de theÌ„ aÌ„d destroie theÌ„ Ye shall auoide the eternal paines of hel prepared for sinners and at leinght ye shalbe sure also to make a chauÌ„ge froÌ„ your earthly couÌ„trey to the heaueÌ„ly Paradise froÌ„ variable EnglaÌ„d to the coÌ„staunt Ierusalem froÌ„ the coÌ„pany of men to the feloweship of Angelles from mutable and frowning couÌ„tenauÌ„ces of worldely powers to the vnchauÌ„geable aÌ„d most coÌ„fortable sight of the kiÌ„g of all kinges our most merciful eternal heaueÌ„ly father To whoÌ„ with the sonne aÌ„d the holy goost be all honour praise and glory now and euer Amen