Dominions The second thing to bee observed by the former Discourse is the prowde Designe and large Extent of the Spanish Ambition when this King of whom I treat Philip the second durst together and at once adventure to set him-selfe a-worke for the purchase of Portugall France the Netherlands England and Scotland who should doubt or call it in question that by length of Tyme they intende not to subjugate the whole Estates of Christendome Wee finde it written by them-selues that when hee was about the taking in of Portugall being demanded by one of his greatest Favourites what was the reason why hee did neglect his thinges of East India and suffer Friezland and so manie good Townes to bee invaded and possessed of Heretickes his Enemies and all to maintaine the League and Civill Warres in France Where-vnto hee aunswered That those might bee forgotten for a tyme because the setling of Portugall did import no lesse to him than the securitie of his whole Empyre which once done hee would easilie make all those his Neighbours to become his Homagers and Tributaries yea it was the common Theame of Discourse amongst his Captaines and Souldiours both in Italie Flanders and France or where ever they were That since Portugall was now theirs that France and England could not escape them And more which is a publicke Testimonie the Wryters of the Spanish Storie affirme thus farre That if it had not beene that the saide King Philip had resolved before anie thing to brydle Portugall hee should haue before then sufficientlie daunted France and haue put strong Armies in England Farther the Extent of this Ambition of Spayne is clearlie seene by their Authoritie vsurped over the Consistorie of Rome where they haue made them-selues perpetuall Dictators which is one of the surest Fundaments of the encrease of their Grandour now-a-dayes that Consistorie being as the Alembicke where-in are fyned all the Counsels Projects and Designes of Christendome and the Pope arrogating to him power at his pleasure to excommunicate and consequentlie depose Christian Princes and to transferre the Succession of their Crowns where-of onlie the Riches must belong to that Catholicke King as of England and Yreland to Philip the second by Pius Quintus who did excommunicate Queene Elizabeth of â—England and of Navarre to his Predecessours by the same Title of beeing Heyre and Successour to excommunicate Princes keeping still in their owne hand the raygnes of the Papall Election and invading of their Patrimonies as that of Sicilie and being in effect Popes them-selues governing at their will the Church Rents thorow-out their Kingdomes exacting a verie great part vniversallie of all for their owne vse The third point of Observation vpon the preceeding Discourse is the Iusidiation and Latent Attempts of this Ambition by godlesse Perfidies and Treacherie where no Fayth is kept nor Conscience nor Religion nor Humanitie nor Vereâ—unditie where Neighbour-Princes cannot brooke their lyues by reason of the excessiue Rewards and Honours promitted to trayterous Executioners of Claudestine Murthers What shall I say of Enemie Princes no I say of what-so-ever persons publicke or private suspected Enemies to their prowde Tyrannie sparing neither Papist nor Protestant Pope nor Cardinall Bishop nor Priest nor nearest Kinsfolkes nor their most faithfull Counsellers or most fortunate Generals if they but once vpon the lightest Occasion become jealous of them no not their owne Children when their blood may bring the smallest accession vnto the strength of that diabolicke Ambition they doe murther poyson embotch and bewitch at their pleasure So that this same Philip of whom I speake hee caused to bee made away in his tyme as Wryters haue observed more than 200 nominablie recorded in diverse Histories whereof I will remember but seaven of the most abominable Paricidies I will call them all so ever heard of and yet best knowne King Henrie the third of France a Christian Prince of equall qualitie with him-selfe to whome hee was bound by that Fraternitie and by the vnion of one Fayth besydes some degrees of Blood yet it is well knowne that hee did contryue the death of this King as truelie as hee did plot the League against him Pope Sextus the fift whome hee professed to bee Head of the Church and his holie Father because that Pope fearing the Spanish Tyrannie if his Conquest of France had proved good hee did favour the said Henrie the third in his last Distresses Philip made him away by Poyson a thing so well vnderstood that they haue it for a common speach yet at Rome which I haue heard with mine eares That if a Pope doe enter without the approbation of Spaine hee will goe the way of Sextus the fift Hee did betray to the Eyes of the World Don Sebestian King of Portugall his Cousin Alexander Farnesse Duke of Parma his Kins-man and Generall in Flanders that valiant and renowned Captaine who had done him so great Services immediatelie after the misfortune of his Armada set out for England 1588. which hee did impute to the slownesse of the saide Duke hee fell into a lingering Disease and died by Poyson ministred from Philip the World doeth know it Don Bartholomew Carenzae Arch-Bishop of Toledo who had beene the Preceptor and Father of his owne Youth-head as Seneca to Nero because hee would not publicklie maintaine his Title to the Crowne of Portugall hee also did dispatch him His Brother Don Iohn de Austria whose great and ambitious spirit hee began to suspect hee was stricken with the Plague of Pestilence immediatelie after the receit of a Letter from Spaine whilst there was no Post in the Countreyes about and where-of hee died But aboue all that most deplorable and nefarious Paricidie publicklie committed avowed by himselfe authorised by the Church the murthering of Prince Charles his owne eldest Sonne Hee did price the life of Don Antonio at 100000 Crownes and of Elizabeth Queene of England and of the late Prince of Orange at as-much a-piece Hee was not ashamed to receiue certaine Townes from the King of Moroco vpon Bargaine to betray as hee did Don Sebestian King of Portugall his Cosin nor to render vnto those Infidels Arzilla which his Predecessours had noblie conquered vpon condition they should not furnish in preste to Don Antonio 200000 Crownes as they had promised to doe at the Intercession of the saide Queene of England These are not mine Assertions but taken and collected from Spanish Wryters Of all the fore-sayde Perpetrations the killing of his Sonne Prince Charles being in it selfe most fearfull and execrable of the whole it is also most clearlie verified not onlie by the Histories of Neighbour-Countreyes as by the French recordes of Majerne of Matthew of Paris of Thuanus but so stood to by the Church of Rome that into that deede they doe place the Triumph and Glorie of the Pietie of the saide King advancing his Fayth aboue that of Abraham who did onelie offer to sacrifice his Sonne and comparing
I answere to you that Counsels and Designes are not to bee weighed from the Event that was so good a purpose as in my judgement will not yet be left But yee will say Wee haue wakened the sleeping Dog and made spoyle of our best Occasion I confesse that is more considerable than anie losse and yet who doubteth for the Dog but hee was a-wake before Diabolus non dormit How can he sleepe that lyeth in Ambush for all the World As touching the credite of the Enterpryse it is so farre from bringing vnder question the Reputation of our Soveraigne that by the contrarie both that and his personall going to Spaine are things where-of wee should rejoyce as being infallible Arguments of his Royall Magnanimitie and Preambles of much greater things King Philip of Macedon being brought for the first time to see the noble Horse Bucephalus commanded his best Horse-man to ryde him which when hee could not doe by reason of his fiercenesse the King did set another to him and the third who in lyke manner did not suffice vntill at length Alexander his Sonne being but a young Stripling did adventure him-selfe to it and did performe it which when his Father behelde shedding Teâ—res for joy hee apprehended there-by the greatnesse of his Spirit saying that Greece was too small for him Where such Sparkles breake foorth before the Fyre of a young Prince his cowrage bee well kindled it is like enough once to spreade manie Flames abroad Yea I will say farther that the successe of that Businesse went better than if it had beene to our Wishes for that it is not good that Fortune should bee too indulgent to the beginninges of a young King or should lay the Reignes vpon his Necke but rather that he runne his first Cariers with a borne head to the ende that hee may learne the wayes of true Wisdome and Fore-sightfulnesse in Matters of greater Consequence The ancient Theologues amongst the Gentiles did never introduce their Goddesse Fortune in the Counsell of the Gods There is nothing that doeth more rectifie the judgement to Action than Experience where-of one Tricke in our Youthhead is more worth to vs than twentie in our Age. Besides that wee are certainlie but ignorant to thinke that great things can bee gone about or compassed but by adventuring somethings also of the lyke kynde but lest wee bee anie way discowraged by those two fruitlesse Voyages of the English to Portugall wee may reade in the Stories how that Nation ancientlie hath beene no lesse victorious in Spaine than in France al-be-it not so often because they were olde and long Inheriters and Inhabiters of diverse parts of France Edmund called De Langley Duke of Yorke and Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Langcaster both Sonnes of Edward the third King of England having obtained diverse glorious Victories against the Castilians in favours of the Kinges of Portugall sought to bee ejected by the saide Castilians not-the-lesse where-of they did at length marrie the two Daughters of Peter King of Castile who dying without other Children the saide Iohn of Gaunt who was married to the eldest did stile him-selfe King of Castile and passe from Gascoigne then being vnder the English Dominion into Castile with 8000 Footmen 2000 Horse where he did quickly make himselfe Master almost of the whole Countrey but partlie by Famine then in Castile and secondlie because of new Troubles betwixt the English and French then in Gascoigne and thirdlie by reason of hote Broyles in England which was likelie to cut him from succourse of his Friends hee did transact with most honourable and advantagious conditions even at his owne option that his onelie Daughter and Chylde should marrie the eldest Sonne of the Castilian King that him-selfe should haue the present Possession and profites of foure chiefe Townes of Castile with sixtie hundreth thousand Frankes in Argent Content to defray his Charges and fourtie thousand Franks of yearlie Rent What then shall wee thinke but the English who are the naturall Off-spring of those generose Stockes haue also braue Mindes and aboundance of Cowrage to invade by way of just and necessarie VVarre their olde and sworne Enemies of Castile if they were once set on edge after this long Intervale of Peace Haue they not all the whyle bene exclayming agaynst the dayes of Peace And was it not much for a pacificke King to contayne them Did they not yearne after the Spanyard as Hounds long kept vp after Hares And may we not hope that Armies which bee not verie grosse well disciplined vvell armed and vvell mayntayned can doe great thinges in Portugall being of so easie accesse and recept when wee reade of Scanderbeg or of the late Prince of Transylvania or in our owne Annals of VVilliam VVallace what Miracles were done by small numbers against worlds of Men It is the LORD who stirreth vp the Heart to persecute Pryde and punish Tyrants it is Hee who doeth deliver into the Hands of Israel their mightie Enemies 2000 Men that Charles the eight of France gaue to his Cosin Henrie Earle of Richmond were sufficient for him to passe into England and giue Battell to Richard the third the Tyrant and to slay him The Kingdome of Spaine was once alreadie as I haue related taken from Roderico a licentious Prince by 12000 Moores But to returne to the particular Navarre or Portugall shall bee the first Revolters from Spayne when-so-ever the tyme shall come where-in GOD hath appoynted to dissipate that Empyre there shall the Stone bee first moved which rolling along shall bruise and breake the Hornes there-of Portugall must bee the chiefe Port of our Hopes in Spayne The World holdeth that His Majestie of Great Britane and the Hollanders his protected Confederates haue more Shipping than will command the whole Occean let bee to get footing in Portugall or to stop the Trafficke of the West Indees And if wee would make a likelie Conjecture what they are able to doe in Portugall let vs but call to mynde what great Conquests were made by the Portugals them-selues with no great numbers of Ships as is showne in the former part of this Discourse There bee manie yet alyue who know that when those few of England and Holland did last invade and tooke the Towne of Cales King Philip did presentlie sende for his Galleyes of Naples and Sicilia and would haue borrowed from Genua and Malta hee called his Forces out of Britanie and had beene compelled to call Home all that hee had anie where if the English had remayned longer It is greatlie to bee marveled why the Ritches of the VVest Indees should not before now haue allured both English Flemmings and others who are powerfull by Sea those beeing the Treasures that doe fortifie and assure the Spanish Tyrannie The Romanes and Carthagenians when they began to flowrish and to haue mutuall Iealousies fore-seeing that Sicilia beeing a Store-House of fyne Cornes and People was
the thing which would determine their Emulation as I haue said before they fought cruell Battels for it The Carthagenians had it and lost it often At length it did incline to the Romanes and with it the Soveraignitie also of Empyre Wee cannot erre to thinke that never a Monarch or mightie State did possesse such probable Meanes and such inexhaustable Mines more commodious for Extension and vniversalitie of Dominion as are the West Indees to the Spanyard if hee bee suffered to enjoye them peaceablie together with the other ritch Mines of Silver and great Revenewes that hee hath else-where Plinius helde Spayne the ritchest for Silver Mines in the World then in his tyme It is wonderfull sayde hee to see one onlie Silver Mine in Spayne broken vp by Hanniball and which yeelded to him 300 pound weight daylie to continue still now vnder Vespasian Hee hath diverse of the most fruitfull and questuous Countreyes of Europe as Naples Milane Sicilie Flanders beeing all of the Superlatiue Degree for Ritches and for vertuous Traffickes which are the Fountaynes from whence Ritches flow so it is indeed for wee reade in the Histories that Charles the fift of Spayne Emperour did draw yearlie more Moneyes out of the Dutchie of Milan than King Francis the first who lived with him did from whole France and more out of the Low-Countreyes than the King of England of his whole Kingdomes This is affirmed by French Wryters It beeing so may not I say with good vvarrand that saving Fatalitie and the secret providence of GOD the Kinges of Spayne shall bee once Masters of the Occidentall Worlde except that Neighbour Princes and States take it more in heart to oppose him than hither-to they haue done Bioâ— the Philosopher sayde that Money was the Nerue of Action and of all the Effayres of Men. And of him sayeth Plutarch that his speach doeth most touch the Actions of Warre where-in there was no doing at all without Money For why sayde hee a Captayne hath onlie two thinges to goe about eyther to draw Men together for Services of Warre or being together to leade them to their Services vvhere-of he can doe neyther vvithout Money Thucitides sayth that the People of Pelop. did often vexe them-selues and over-runne their owne Territories by short Warres and small Exployts because of their Povertie and want of Money to attende Warres The Foundator of that State Lycurgâ—s having by a Law prohibited the vse of Money there Agesil their King were into Aegypt with great Forces to bee mercenarie and serue for Money where-with hee might bee able to keep VVarres agaynst the Theb. who had almost ruinated his Countrey Alexander the Great before hee enterpryzed his VVarres did alienate what-so-ever hee had for provision of Money leaving no-thing to him-selfe but Hope Pompey the Great the tyme of his VVarres in Spayne agaynst Sertorius hee wrote to the Senate that if they did not sende him quicklie store of Money his Armie would goe from that Province Hanniball after he had defeated the Romanes by three great Battels did wryte as much to Carthage So if Money bee the strength of humane Actions as Bion sayde and principallie of Warre as Plutarch did subjoyne I say it is a thing no lesse than fearfull to suffer the Spanyard to brooke peaceablie his Traffique of the West Indees having there-by a greater meanes to enlarge his Dominions than either Rome or anie others haue hitherto had that of Rome was the greatest of anie tymes past Plinius calleth it a Sunne-shyning to the World but when their Towne was taken by the Gaules who were irritated by the vnjust dealing of the three Fabli they were forced to robbe their People of their whole Golde and Silver and did scarcelie finde so much as to pay the Ransome manie yeares there-after when they were so broken by Hanniball they were compelled to doe the same and were in such paine for want of Money that they had no meanes to redeeme 8000 Prisoners who were taken by him at the Battell of Cannas Now I doe not doubt but some Men will thinke that I haue sayde too much in affirming That the West Indees and Moneyes which the Spanyard hath may by length and tract of Tyme purchase vnto him the Western VVorld therefore I would preasse to show it this way By posing the Case that two things may concurre together which are possible enough to meere by progresse of Tyme First If the Spanyard should light at once vpon the lyke Treasure as hee got at the taking in of Peru where there was such plentie of Golde and Silver that the Bottle of Wyne was solde for 300 Duckates there a Spanish Cape at 1000 a Gennet of Spayne at 6000. And besides the fift part of all Moneyes generall in that Countrey payed to the King Charles the fift the king there-of Atabalipa payed to him for his Ransome ten Millions three hundreth twentie and sixe thousand Duckates in pure Golde at one tyme which was the first thing that made in these Countreyes of Europe the great alteration of all sorte of Merchandize Vivers and of the pryces of Land and al-most of the Manners of Men even as it fell out in Rome when Iul. Caes. brought thither the ritch Spoyles and Treasures of Aegypt that made vpon the sudden the Vsurie of Money to be diminished by the one halfe and the pryce of Land to be haughted by the other halfe For the second I put the Case that together with this Casualitie the Spanyard should finde the Humours of France so easie to bee practised and such Distemper and Distraction of Myndes amongst them as his Grand-father Philip the second did finde then when hee broached the holie League in France If these two should meere I put it to anie Man's contemplation if anie lesse could follow there-on than the conjunction of France to the Empyre of Spayne which Philip had even then obtayned if his Conquest of Portugall had not diverted him from it And may not these supposed two Cases arriue and come to passe together Vnlesse the vigilance and diligence of Neighbour Princes doe stop the Wayes where-by they must come assuredlie it is a thing most possible for why the French how-so-ever after they be beaten with the Miseries and Calamities of Warre they can for a whyle bee content to refresh them-selues with Peace and Quyetnesse yet that is but a Digression or a By-Strype from the Current of their naturall Humour which is to be volage and remoueant much delighted with present things having no long Projectes given to Change both of Apparell and Mynde joviall and of open Conversation of easie Familiaritie of amiable Countenance never silent but still in Complement and Discourse full of Noble and Courteous Carriage inclined to all sort of Gallantriâ— which doeth require great Charges of moderate Devotion suden and precipitant in their Resolutions and loving Innovations of State aboue all things that it is a wonder to see such Antipathie
bene better Princes than Titus Trajan vvhome the Histories doe call the Sâ—aviters and Delightes of Men and none so much as they did honour the Senate none againe more badde than Nero and Domisian who most of anie did vilipend the same We reade howe greatlie it was to the prayse of the French King Charles the fift called Le Sage vvho having received some Appellations and Complayntes from those of Guyen beeing for the tyme Subjects to the King of England vvhich when he remembered to bee done agaynst the Articles of Peace betwixt him and the sayde King hee conveaned his Parliament to bee judged of them for that which had escaped him And agayne for the Danger that is in the meere Absolutenesse of Princes Your Majestie hath that Famous Testimonie given by Lewis the eleventh of Franâ—e a moste subtill King most jealous of Soveraigne Pointes and in his Counsels most absolute of anie who acknowledging that by such kynde of doing hee had almost ruinated himselfe therefore hee would not suffer that his Sonne Charls the eyght should be taught more than three wordes of Latine to the ende that want of Learning which is commonlie accompanied with Presumption of Wiâ— a perilous Poynt in Princes should constrayne him the more to governe his things by Advyce of his Counsell Some joyne herevnto that he thought as all Politickes doe too much Curiositie of Learning not fitting for Kings the Opinion being generallie helde that Delight of Letters doeth as I haue sayd before in a sort emasculate the Cowrage to Action in all Men and draweth them away to Contemplation Kings being appoynted for the actiue Lyfe Tu regere Imperio populos Romane memento Hae tibi erunt artes pacique imponere morem Parcere Subjectis debellare superbes Alwayes SIR to returne to Augustius he did not onlie honour the Senate but did also fore-see that none were of that Order but Men most worthie of Honour When a Place did vake hee would haue the Entrant olde in years and olde in Experience of knowne Vertue vnspotted Fame able to vnder-lye the Sentence of a Censor and then of honourable Meanes valiant at least of 40000 Crownes whereof what was wanting hee did himselfe supplie neither durst any Man bring in Question the Name and Credite of a Senator other than the Censor who was indeed a fearfull penetrant Explorator of their Manners where-of our Iudges for Grievances newlie erected seeme to bee an Image That Libertie for anie to accuse Counsellers did creepe in vnder the Insidious Reigne of Tyberius and those were called Delatores Instrumenta Imperij and such doings haue ever since beene sayde to bee Artes Tyberianae O SIR how much it were to bee wished that Youthhead could know the Wisdome of Age or that young Princes might vnderstand the Precious Worth of Aged Counsellers who bee faythfull Darius who was the Father of Xerxes and an excellent King having by manie Experiences proved the Loyaltie Loue and Actiue Services done to him by Zopyrus and having at length also taken in the Towne of Babylon by the VVit Industrie of the same Zopyrus who whylst he went about that Businesse did sustaine deadly Wounds and Mutilation of his Person And when his Master did possesse the Towne peaccablie hee saide that he rather did wish to haue Zopyrus restored to the integritie of his Bodie than to haue an hundreth Babylons SIR I doe most humblie craue Your Majesties Pardon to say thus much That if Your Majestie should be pleased to cast over the Stories of Scotland and England to consider there vvhat bad Carriage hath beene in both betwixt Princes and their People what Tyrannie vvhat Revolts vvhat Intestine Blood and Crueltie vnnaturall vvhat fearfull Perpetrations Your Majestie should finde Reason to thinke that it vvere good at all times to multiplie your Senators vvith the most Choyse and Privie Men for Goodnesse and Sufficiencie that bee in either Kingdome As for Examples of the Perillous Evils vvhich doe infalliblie ensue vvhen young Princes doe attake themselues to young Counsellers that one of Rheboboam may serue for a thousand from the lyke to vvhich I doubt not but GOD vvho hath chosen your Majestie to great Actions vvill deliver you I doe confesse vvithall that the best Counsellers are no vvoâ—se to bee super-intended and looked to seeing Men are but Men and there is none who cannot erre Vnlesse it bee the Pope in the vvhich Case your Majestie may vse in your owne Person the Office of the Censor as Augustus did and at your owne pleasure examine their Carriage The third thing SIR vvhich is greatlie commended to Princes in the Policie of Augustus vvas his particular Painfulnesse in all the Effaires of that great State vvhose Example hath beene vvell followed by the Bravest of Emperours and Kings that haue beene since Tyberius Vespasian Trajan Adrian and the Antonines vvho lived all to great Age and were Masters of Civill Governament After Augustus had attained 74 yeares whereof hee reigned aboue 50 counting from the Death of Iulius Caesar hee left behinde him three Bookes vvritten vvith his owne Hand one contained The severall Actions of his publicke Governament The second The order of his Testament The third which is the Point I doe recommend to your Majestie did beare A Register of the whole Estate of that vast Empyre the Finances and Rents over all the number of the Provinces the Legions mayntayned there-into the Armes the Munitions the Fortresses the Shipping the Colonies the Allyes and Confederates with speciall Records of the Debursments Dues and Charges necessarie for everie of them Donatiues ordinarie to Friends Expenses of Publicke and Theatriall Showes for the People Pensions to Captaines Nobles and other Serviceable Men and that monethlie hee knew what Proportion was betwixt those Debursments and their present Moneyes Such indefatigable Paines of this kynde did hee vndergoe that being mooved at the Request of the Senate after his Victorie over Antoniâ—us to accept in his Person the Office of the Censor and made Prefeâ—us morum hee did three severall tymes make Numeration of the whole Romanes as well resident at Rome as dispersed abroad and of the Subjectes of the whole Provinces with severall Estimation and Reckonings of everie Man's Goods in particular The Persian Empyre was yet greater than that of Augustus having vnder it 27 Provinces and the Stories doe tell vs that their Kinges haue ordinarlie lying on a Table before them a Register like vnto this of Augustus Your Majestie may reade in the Sacred Historie of Hester that when Artaxerxes had escaped the Treason of the Eunuches by the Meanes of Mordechay there-after hee did himselfe enroll Mordechay to the Condition of his Reward And tho Histories make Mention that this same was the Practise of the late Kings of Spayne vvhether it bee so for the present your Majestie doeth better know This SIR is a Diligence worthie the greatest Monarches this doeth
States of Germanie against Charles the fift 33. Cardinall Baronio against Philip the second ibidem Why the Nobilitie of Spaine doe hate their King 34. A Weaknesse supposed in Spayne for want of Armes and why it is so 36. Their naturall Pryde a Weaknesse ibid. Description of the Spanish nature 37. Spayne to bee opposed by making Warre with-in their owne Dominions 38. Plantation of Nova Scotia 39. When a Kingdome is perfect and naturallie compacted in it selfe then to bee slow to Warres 41. The definition of a just Warre and our Warres against Spayne proved to bee just 42. Emulation of the Romanes and Carthagenians for vniversall Empyre 43. Agesilaus being but a poore King did invade the Persian Empyre ibidem First confederacie of the Scots with the French sought by Charles Mayne 44. How the Spaniard is proved to bee our enemie ibid. How Scotland is furnished of Men for Warre 46. Nature of leagues with examples auncient and moderne 47. Confederates against Spayne 48. Whether small or grosse Armies to bee sent to Enemie-Countreyes shewed by contemplation of the Turkish Warres 49. The Palatiâ—â—te the most honourable seat for Warres against Spayne 51. King Alexander Hannibell and Iulius Caesar did leade their Armies to more remote Countreyes ibid. Going of His Majestie in person to Spaine 52. The English auncientlie victorious in Spaiâ—e 53. The VVest Indees in the possession of a great Monarch proved to bee an infallible meanes of vniversall Empyre by length of tyme 55. Money the Nerue of Warre and greatest Monarches and States much distressed for want thereof 56. The hudge Moneyes gotten by Charles the fift in Peru 57. The naturall humours of the French Nation ibid. Speculation of Neighbour Calamities during our Peace in this Age going and of our Predecessours troubles many Ages by-gone 58. More of Money and of Men in Scotland now than in the dayes of our Antecessours and the proofe thereof 61. A wicked People doe make a wicked King 63. A Bridge of Golde to bee made for Enemies to passe out vpon ibid. Great Ransome payed by our Predecessors for King David Bruce 64. The Palatinate detained to make a Way for the conquest of Germanie and England 65. A remarkable Conference of Coronell Semple with the Author of this Treatise ibid. Iohn Knoxe against the Regiment of Women 67 The going of His Majesties Navie to Portugall and what a great point is Secrecie in great Enterpryses and the Examples thereof ibid. The Reformation or Innovation of Magistrates and the Commodities or Inconvenients following thereon 68. Plato holdeth That after the current of that great Yeare GOD shall reforme the whole worke of Nature and reduce it to the first puritie ibid. Vtilitie of the Censor amongst the Romanes 70. Commission for Grievances ibid. Great Men not to beare Offices where they dwell 76. Two of one Familie not to bee of one Session of Iudges 77. Reformation of Advocates most necessarie of anie thing with the Examples of Kings and States Enemies to the Trade of Advocation 78. Lewis the eleventh of France did revoâ—ke and annull Heritable Shyreâ—â—ships 81. Abuses of late erected Lordships of Church Landâ—s necessarie to bee reformed 82. If the Domaine of Regall Crownes or of Republickes bee allienable 83. Noble Men are the Shadowes and Reflects of Kings 84. Why the Lyues of Kinges are so precious 85. The last Convention of the Estates of Scotland and His Majesties Revocation 86. The first Donation of the Crown Lands and division of them in Baronies ibid. Ritches did spoyle the Pietie of the Church 89. Before the separation of the Church of Rome made by Luther the hundreth part of Christian People did possesse more than the tenth part of the Revenewes 90. The number of Ecclesiasticall Prelasies Benefices Churches Curies of France ibid. The nature of Tenthes 91. The first Dedication of Tenthes in Scotland 94. Puritanes foolishlie opposed to the Pope's Church in good things 96. Mysterie of Number 98. The Vnitie doeth represent GOD 99. The Number 7 is proper to the Creation Induration and finall Glorification of the World 100. The Novenarie doeth comprehende the whole Species of Nature Man excepted 101. Ten is the Quotient or fulnesse of Nature 102. Man was the first Tenth ibid. CHRIST was the second and perfect Tenth 103 Two sort of Puritanes opponents to Episcopall Rents and Governament discordant amongst themselues 106. Persecution of Iulian worse than of Dioâ—lâ—sian 107. Plantation of our Northerne Yles and Hielards a most Royall and most necessarie Policie 108. Battell of Hare-law 109. Abuses and Oppressions by way of Tenthes to bee reformed 110. Discourse of the Nature and Course of Moneyes 112. What Benefite or Inconvenient vpon the heighting of Money 113. What Order to bee taken with Moneys kept vp in the Hands of Merchands 117. Decay of our Shipping how to bee restored 118. Prodigall Persons ancientlie interdicted and punished by Lawes 119. Against the vse of Silver Plate and guilding 120. Ferdinandus Magnâ—s of Spayne Charles the ninth of France and manie great Princes did sell their Silver Plate or reduce it in Coyne 121. Prescription for Dyet and Apparell practised by great States in time of publicke Distresses 122. Speach to the King's Majestie 123. Wisdome of Augustus in making away of his Enemies 124. Who are Enemies to His Majesties Person or to his Governament ibid. Vigilance necessarie over the admission of Bishops and Ministers in the Church 126. Honour done by Augustus to the Romane Senate ibid. Condition of Senaters chosen by Augustus 127. Great Affection of King Darius to an olde faythfull Counseller 128. Mechanicke Vertues and Diligence of Augustus 129. Watchfulnesse of the Parsian Monarches over their Finances ibid. Supplication in Favours of the Subjects of Scotland 132. The admirable Magnanimitie of Alexander the Great whilst he wanted Moneys 133. Finis Tabulae Death of our late Soveraigne His late Majesties death followed with great feares of his Subjects Causes of our feares what these be The King of Spayâ—e and the Pope troublers of Christian Princes Ambition of Spaine different from that of the Romanes Different from that of their Predecessours The origine and Antiquitie of the present house of Spayne Notable punishment of Lust in Princes Pelagius Pelagius honoured of the World Ferdinandus Magnus Ferdinando Santo Charles the fift Emperour Contrapoyse of Christian 〈◊〉 warranded in Naâ—ure Hieron King of Syras Philip the second King of Spaine his first action his Marriage in England Spanish Inquisition his second action His third action the betraying of the King of Portugall his Cosin His fourth action was to plot the holie Leâ—gue in France against Don Antonio Philip did also practise the Protestants of France Elizabeth Queene of England The Voyage of the English Navie to Portugall vnder Queene Elizabeth Antonio Peâ—es wrongeth the English in in his relation of that Voyage Too strict limitation of Generals in VVarre hurtfull The Patience and Wisdome of Fabius Maximus The first thing to bee observed of the former
Kings did lose in Battels yea and frequent Battels ten or twentie or thirtie thousand Men when Scotland was not so populous What should wee then doubt nor wee bee able now to make great numbers and that is alwyse easilie tryed by Rolles of Weapon-showes if they bee diligentlie noted and so what doe wee lacke of Warre but Armour Discipline and Mayntaynance And certainlie it is strange that in this great appearance of Warres the two or three yeares by-gone no order hath bene given to bring able men vnder Discipline Wee heare and haue read that even in Spaine when the Countrey-Youthes of vulgar kinde are in-rolled for the Milice and brought to Cities for Discipline they doe looke as most vile and abject Slaues if one haue Sockes hee wanteth Shooes and manie doe want both if another haue Breaches hee wanteth the Doublet pitifull Bodies and our of countenance but when they bee exercised during two Moneths and once put into Apparell then they are seene of most haughtie Carriage and to walke as Captaines in the Streets Why then are wee not to expect the lyke of our People if lyke paines were taken and if in everie Shyre 〈◊〉 Men expert in the Souldierie were set a-worke to in-roll and bring vnder Captâ—ines and Discipline those who were most fitting for the Warres no doubt but our basest Clownes should grow both to civill conversation and cowrage There hath never beene yet anie great State carelesse of the Militarie Seminaries not in times of most solemne and sworne Peace As for Allyance Leagues or Confederacio in Warres they are indeede not onelie necessarie but as I haue saide before even naturall to bee for the safetie of smaller States or Princes from the tyrannie and violence of the mightier But with-all they haue beene often-times subject to one of two great Inconveniences either to Pryde for Preferment or Prioritie of place during Warres where-thorow what dangers did ensue in that famous Confederacie for the Battell of Lepanto because of emulation betwixt Don Iohn de Austria and Vinieri the Admirall of Venice the Storie doeth beare it at length and al-be-it it pleased GOD in His mercie to favour the present action yet the rememberance of that Contestation did debrash all farther prosecution of that glorious and holie Enterpryse and vtterlie dissolue that Christian Vnion Neyther is it a new thing al-though I bring this late Example for it The Romanes in their beginnings being confederate with the Latines in a League offensiue and defensiue the Latines did challange Paritie of Governement Si societas aequaâ—io juris est sayeth Livius cur non omnia aequantur cur non alter ab Latinis Consul datur vbi pars vivium ibi imperij pars Tum consul Rom audi Iupiter baec scelera perigrinos Consules c. If societie bee an equalitie of things Why are not all things made equall to vs and why should not one of the two Consuls bee a Latine Where-vnto the Romanes did answere by attesting Iupiter that it was an impious demande to haue a stranger Consullover them Or againe Leagues are subject to fraudfull desertion of some of the Sociation in time of greatest Danger Wherof the World is full of daylie experience I will remember that of Lodowicke Duke of Milan who vpon malice against the Aragones of Naples did procure King Charles the eight of France pretending some Title to Naples to bring a great Armie into Italie joyned with him a Confederacie of divers of his Friends in Italie But seeing the said King to passe thorow so fortunatelie and to behaue him-selfe as a Conquerour in manie of their Townes and to enter peaceablie in Naples without that anie Teeth were showed against him as the King returned from Naples home-ward the same Duke did negotiâ—te a League of the greatest PoteÌ„tates against him who did constrayne him to fight a Battell at Forum Novum vnder the Apennine where hee did hardlie escape with his lyfe although hee over-threwe them I haue tolde you alreadie how Philip the second of Spayne did desert Don Sebastian of Portugall and betray him by a League but of all Examples for this Purpose that is most remarkable of the Confederacie drawne by Charles of Burgundie with the whole Princes of France agaynst Lewis the eleventh where-vnto they were so bended and willing that they did call it Bellum pro Rep. A Warre vnder-gone for the Common-wealth Which Confederacie that subtill King did dissolue as Clowds dispersed with the Wind before they could grow to Raine where-vpon sayeth the Wryter of the Historie De Comines That hee holdeth one partie stronger for him-selfe who doeth command absolutelie over 10000 than are ten Confederates against him al-be-it everie of them doeth command over 6000. To come to our Purpose There are as manie Christian Princes and States true Enemies to the Spanyard as are able to devoure him in two or three Yeares if it were possible to contract amongst them a Confederacie or League of Salt that is to say which might endure without Corruption of Fraude or Emulation And therefore heere must I say that all the Actions belonging to a King are of light importance compared to this to maturelie deliberate both of his owne Forces and of the trustinesse of Confederates before hee doe enterpryze VVare Alwyse when wee take but a single view of our Associates against Spayne wee should thinke it strange why they may not stand vnited beeing al-readie conjoyned by Viâ—initie of Neighbour-hood by Consanguinitie Affinitie communion of one Cause against a Common Enemie communion of one Fayth connected I say everie one of them by diverse of these Bandes our Soveraigne the King of Great Britane the French King his Brother-in-law the King of Denmarke his Vncle the Princes of Germanie all knit to the Prince Palatine eyther in Blood in Religion or participation of one Feare of the House of Austria the Duke of Savoy who lyeth nearest to the Thunders and Threats of Spayne having a great part of his Territories circumscribed by them the Venetians who beholde his Garrisons daylie vpon their Frontiers gaping for some good oportunitie of Assault Holland and her Estates who haue beene so long protected and as it were fostered in the Bosome of the Crowne of England now who would not conjecture that this Tygers VVhelpe might bee surelie impailed amidst those mightie Hunters and that it were easie for them to bring him to his latter sweate I scorne heere to call in question what invincible Armies they might assemble by Sea and Land sufficient to robbe him of all that hee hath for it is thought that if after the taking in of Portugall England France Holland and other Confederates had then put into it amongst them all but 30000 Men with sufficient Shipping and Munition they had beene bastant to recover it and King Philip had beene forced to forbeare from the farther troubling of France or Holland And yet to treat this Point of so
great Consequence with Candor and Sinceritie I finde that Men of great experience for Warre doe holde opinion contrarie to this beeing of the mynde of King Francis the first who saide that longsome VVarres and small Armies served rather to exercise Men in the Artes Militarie than to daunt the Enemie and that without grosse Armies and quicke dispatch it was not possible to compasse great Enterpryses saying with-all that the Maintainance of small Armies and longsome VVarres was much more chargeable than the other They tell vs that the Empyre of the Turke beginneth to decline for his Pretermission of two thinges which his Predecessours did obserue and follow One that hee goeth not in person to bee over his Armies as they did another that they are not so numerous and grosse as they had them and that light exploits and often leading of small Armies to and froe doeth but teach the Milice to his Enemies and spoyle his owne Countreyes thorow vvhich his Souldiours so frequentlie doe passe Where-of they giue vs this Example Amurat the third kept vnder the commandement of his Bussaes a lingering VVarre of more than twelue Yeares employing not verie great Armies against the Persian vvhere-by al-be-it hee conquered great partes of his Countreyes yet vvere his Losses knowne to bee greater because hee spended the Flowre of his Forces of young Souldiours and lustie Horses 200000 Horses and more than 500000 Men from the beginning to the ende and made desolate the Countreyes that hee tooke in so farre that Osman Bassa alone besides what vvas done by others did cast to the ground and burne 100000 Houses besides that the Persians their Enemies during that great length of tyme did become more skilfull Warriours than themselues The Spanish Warres against Holland Zealand and Friezland haue vvrought the same Effects Agesilaus King of Lacedemonia in his longsome Warres against the Thebaus having one day received a dangerous Blow in his Person was tolde by one of his Friends that hee deserved vvell to haue it because hee had taught his Enemies to bee good Souldiours I confesse indeede that in this point of teaching the Arte Militarie to Enemies vvee can lose nothing beeing rather to learne from them but whether the employing of small or grosie Armies against them shall bee most hurtfull to them before vvee say to that wee must consider vvhat parts of his Dominions doe lye most open for our Invasion and most easilie and profitablie brooked for I take it also as granted that as there must bee Warres so they must bee with-out our Countrey and into that of the Enemie Never an actiue Prince was knowne to looke on vntill the Enemie should bee seene with-in his Bowels There be thousands of Examples of Ignorants who by so doing haue cast away their Kingdome from them-selues Antiochus Persius Iuba Ptolome the last of Aegypt Darius some of the French Kings as King Iohn taken vvith-in his owne Countreyes by Edward the Blacke Prince of England And for this cause Philip of France called the Conquerer vnderstanding that the Emperour Otho the second and the King of England were to assault his Kingdome hee fortified sundrie strong places and led his Armie without the Frontiers vvhere hee did combate and defeat them Wee reade in our Scottish Histories how frequentlie Armies haue bene convoyed beyond our Marches to find the Enemie before he should enter amongst vs. So long as a Countrey is free from open Hostilitie as long it doeth not feele extreame Calamitie sayeth Scipiâ— Afric for putting of Armies into Africke Plus animi est inferenti periculum quam propulsanti ad hoc major ignotarum rerum est terror c. The Assaulters of anie Countrey must haue greater cowrage than the Defendants who having moâ— things and more deare in perill their Houses their Ritâ—â—es VVyues and Children are more taken with feare besides being with-in the Enemies Countrey yee doe discover all his weaknesses whylst your strength and possibilities the more they bee vnknowne to him they doe the more encrease his terrour But to speake of places in generall most proper for this VVarre there is none more honourable than the Palatinate al-be-it most difficill to come vnto by reason of remotenesse from the Sea without the restitution where-of there can remaine no credite with the parties and Princes of the League I heard a Scottish Captaine of good experience in those Countreyes latelie say to mee that it was impossible to recover the Palatinate but by Sea Advantages over the Spanyard because it was so farre remooved from Friends and I did aske him how the late Prince of Parma did leade 10000 Men to Paris in the Teeth of a mightie King amidst his Armies hee answered mee that those were carried as in Trenches and the way was easie without impediment of Mountaines or Rivers Againe I demanded how did the Christian Kings ancientlie of England Scotland and France convoy their Armies to the holie VVarres of Hierusalem and most part over Land or how Alexander the Great an Armie of with-in 40000 from Macedon to the Easterne Occean and did subjugate all the Nations by the way or how Iulius Caesar a smaller by the one halfe from the occident of France to Pharsalia in Greece or Hanniball from Carthage by the way of Spaine and France thorow so manie alpestiere and precipitious Mountaines even to Naples and brooked Italie fifteene Yeares Although themselues were excellent and incomparable Captaines and of extravagant Fortunes yet their Souldiours appearinglie haue beene but such Men as doe yet liue in the VVorld the difference and ods of Tymes excepted for softnesse and Delicacie in some and contemplation and loue of Letters in others haue so daunted and as it were emasculate the cowrage of Men who now are that none is able to endure that austeritie and hardnesse of living with Hanniball him-selfe let bee his Souldiours The next Fielde fitting for this VVarre is that which were most easie to come vnto and likelie to bring the Businesse to a short and prosperous Ende and this is the Countrey of VVest Flanders if this fatall Iealousie of Neighbour-Princes which hath beene so manie tymes contrarious to the best Designes and Enterpryses of Christendome did not heere with-stand that is to say if the French King did not call to mynde how that was the Port where-at ancientlie the English did so often enter to trouble his Predecessours It is a wonderfull thing if Kings so nearelie allyed and so nearelie touched by one Common Danger cannot bee assured from mutuall Iealousies in the meane tyme Nulla fides regni sociis Therefore leaving that to the Event which GOD shall grant I will speake of putting Armies into Spayne by Sea wherevnto it may bee yee will object the small Successes now of a second Navigation of the English to Portugall and that His Majestie had better kept his Navie at home Careat successibus opto quisquis ab eventu facta not and a putet
everie Man doeth fill his own Spheare and everie Man's estate is a Kingdome to him-selfe Perseus that mightie King having beside him infinite Treasures and refusing to bestow some of them to Gentius a Neighbour-prince and others who offered to combate the Romanes in Italie he suffered them to over-throw him-selfe in his owne Countrey Darius cōmitted the lyke Errour with Alexander and Stephanus King of Bosna the lyke with Mabomet the second as I haue remembered before wee may prayse GOD that wee haue not such avaricious Kings What is it that good and naturall Subjects will not doe for the safetie of the Sacred Persons of their Kings Let bee of their Kingdomes vvhere-in wee haue our Portion and common Interesse with them We may reade in the Histories of France what domage that Countrey did sustaine for the liberation of their King Iohn taken by Edward the Blacke Prince of England at the Battell of Poiteou and of King Francis the first taken at the Battell of Pavie and in our owne Histories what our Predecessours did for the redemption of King David Bruce led Captiue in England and there detained eleven yeares Liberatus sayeth the Historie undecimo ex qu◠captus est anno numeratis quingentis millibus Mercarum Sterlingarum in presenti moneta Hee was redeemed vpon payment of fiue hundreth thousand Marks Sterling in argent contant A thing most admirable the scarcitie of Moneyes in those dayes considered If a Physition should cōmand vs in time of a dangerous Sicknesse to take a little Blood for preservation of the whole Bodie wee should bee glad to obey him why not by the like reason when our King who cureth and careth for the Bodie of the Common-wealth doeth command vs to bestow some of our Goods for safetie of our whole Estate ought wee not to obey if wee were versed in the French Annals to know what innumerable spoile of Goods was there before the Spanyards could bee pyked out of the Nests which they did build vpon their Coasts and with-in their Bowels wee would bee content to spende to our Shirt as it is saide before they should plant their Tents amongst vs. I haue alreadie told you how they are of Melancholious and fixed Mindes not easilie raysed or remooved where once they are set downe where-of wee see the present experience into the Palatinate To take and then to giue backe againe is not the way of their Designe to vniversall Empyre over their Neighbours If anie would object that the Palatinate is detayned for Reparation of the Wrongs and Injuries done in Bohemia hee hath little skill in the Effaires of the VVorld for why these might haue bene long since composed or redressed but it is done to facilitate their Conquest in Germanie to enclose the Nether-Landes from Succourse of their Friendes there and to open a Gate into England by length of Tyme vvhen they shall finde the Occasion fitting So that if the Kings of Great Britane and France together with their Confederates of Germanie the Netber-Lands doe not joyne their Forces to banish them tymouslie from the Palatinate as the Romanes did the Carthagenians from Sicilia vvhich I did note in the beginning here-of doubtlesse they vvill bee vpon their owne Neckes at the length There vvas a great Intervale of Tyme betwixt the first and second Warres of the Romanes against the Carthagenians and yet the last did come to passe and there-with the vtter over-throw of the Carthagenian State And here I must recount a thing vvhich I haue often called to mynde since His Majesties comming from Spayne and that the Treatie of his Marriage did there expyre how I my selfe the yeare of their Pacification vvith Holland beeing in the Towne of Brussels in familiar discourse touching our late Soveraigne his cōming to the Crowne of England vvith a Scottish Gentle-man of a fine Wit Experience In-sight in the Spanish Designes and vvho had beene long tyme a Coronell and Counsellor of Warre amongst them Coronell Semple hee sayd to me That al-be-it King Iames vvas an aged wise Prince vvho had providently practized his peaceable Entrie to England that yet he vvas much beholden to that Tyme so fortunate as it vvas for him vvhen Spayne being so broken vvith longsome VVarres had al-most begged their Peace frō Holland And how-so-ever sayd he your King may be free of vs during his lyfe yet if ye shall surviue him ye shall see no more Peace betwixt England and Spayne adding vvith-all this Speach Laus non solum hominum est sed etiam temporum Where-vnto I did answere that by these it seemed that the Spanyard intended to conquer England Then he rehearsed to me the manie notable Injuries done to them by the English Nation by their prowde and fascuous ejection of King Philip before the death of Marie by their fostering of their Rebels in Flanders by their protection of Don Antonio King of Portugall and ayding of him vvith Sea Armies but namelie by their ordinarie Sea Rapines and insolent Navigation vvithout the controlling and coercing vvhere-of Spayne could not be in so good Case as vvas hoped for to be in progresse of Tyme And in the ende hee did subjoyne thus farre If your Catholicke Noble-men of Scotland with whom my selfe sayd he did negotiate from Spayne had bene wyse and constant your Countrey might haue bene long before now in a twentie-folde more happie Condition vnder the Dominion of Spayne than ever it can be vnder the Crowne of England the Yoake of whose Servitude and Tyrannie shall questionlesse become intollerable to you so soone as that King shall be gone who doeth so well know you for why by reason of their Vicinitie and nearnesse vnto you they shall be ever preassing to draw great Rents from you into England which cannot fayle to impoverish your Countrey where-as by the contrarie the Spanyard should not only spend it amongst your selues but should also yearlie send in great summes of Money to you according as he doeth here in Flanders in his other Provinces This Storie did I after my returning to London relate to His Majestie who is nowe with GOD and who having heard it did answere me That Semple was an olde Traytor and dangerous companie for his Subjects which went beyond the Seas Thus the Spanyardes know not when the Fish will swimme but they doe keepe their Tydes diligentlie and haue their Nets hung in all Mens Waters so that if anie of vs would thinke that the present Quarrell against Spayne is more sibbe to the King our Soveraigne than to vs by reason of the Palatinate it were absurd ignorance also For first granting it vvere so yet there can bee no Separation betwixt the Head and the Members whome GOD and Nature haue knit together there is none can loose Next agayne it is well knowne that our late King of blessed memorie could haue gotten to marrie his onlie Daughter greater and the greatest of Christian Princes if it
had not beene to prevent the falling of our Crowns Succession into the person of some Papisticall Prince to the dangering of the Libertie Evangelicall and Vnitie of this Kingdome of Great Britane of both which the LORD hath made Him-selfe the Instrument to establish them Our latest Histories doe record that Scotland England and Ireland haue alreadie beene almost devoured by Forraigne Ambition by way of Marriages with Papall Kings as of Queene Marie the Grand-mother of our present King with the Dolphin of France of Marie Queene of England to Philip the second King of Spayne vvhere-of vvhat Blood-sheeding Cruell Warres and Persecution of the Professors of the Gospell did follow even to publicke Martyrdome the Stories doe mention at length vvhich moved our Proto Reformator Iohn Knoxe to publish that Treatise agaynst the Regiment or Reignes of Women If so be that the onlie Daughter of Great Britane and of that King capable of the greatest Marriage in Christendome vvas couched in so narrow Bounds out of the holie Projects of her Father to assure the Peace and Liberties of this Kingdome to vs our Successours then can anie Quarrell in the World be so deare to vs more pricke our Consciences and Honour nor the Restitution of her Estate although the Spanyard were resolved to march his Ambition there and come no farther Having treated thus farre concerning VVarre or the necessitie of Warre with Spaine I come now to speake of things that may breede into vs Distraction of Myndes or Coldnesse of Affection towards this Businesse And first because it is most easilie answered vnto I vvill remember how it did sticke in manie Mens Teeth and could not at the first bee digested that vvee did not know no not the Lords of our Counsell vvhat vvas the Course of His Majesties Navie that a publicke Fast and Praying vvas enjoyned for the successe of vvee know not what and that this Fast vvas not limitated but during the King's vvill contrarie the Custome of the Scottish Church and diverse from anie Example to bee found in Scripture The last of these two being a Question Theologicall and impertinent to this Discourse I will not touch But for the first I say and it is approved in all Ages that nothing doeth more advance great Enterpryses than Secrecie so farre that Secrecie is the verie Soule of the Actions of Kings and their Secrets once published are but lyke vented Wyne which can no more be drunken And most actiue Princer haue brought to passe amongst puissant Enemies most noteable Exploits onlie by meanes of Secrecie as wee doe finde speciallie in the lyues of Iulius Caesar Charles the fift Emperour Lewis the eleventh of France whose cover Plots secret Friendes Voyages Dyets and Dayes of Battell were kept in their Breasts vnto the time of present Execution which kinde of doing was the chiefest thing that made them so redoubted and feared of all their Enemies as the Spanyard even to this day delighteth to holde his Neighbours in perpetuall feare by this secrecie of Counsels and Courses Withall I doe confesse that such doing requireth a solide wisdome in Princes and that other-wise it vvere verie dangerous in the meane time it is sure that wee who bee private Subjects are not to craue a Compt of their Counsels no more than the Members of the Bodie doe question for that which they are commanded to doe by the intellectuall Reason that lodgeth in the Head The next Point shall bee to consider of our Doubts and Feares Domesticke as I did terme them in the beginning and first touching the Reformation or Innovation of Counsell and Session intended by His Majestie It is certaine that Princes both may and ought to reforme and if they please innovate where there is neede there being no meanes in this corruptible World to keepe things in due temper but after long progresse of Time and growing of Abuses to reduce them to their first Institution Plato holdeth that an the length GOD shall reforme the Worke of the whole World and reduce it to the first Puritie and that other-wise it is not able to endure and stand I know not how that accordeth with Sainct Iohn Apoc. who sayeth That wee shall see new Heavens and a new Earth And a great Politicke saide That if some late reformed Franciscan Friers and the late Order of the austere Caputchines bad not risen to maintaine some credite to the Pope's Church that it had beene before now disgustfull even to all the World by reason of his obstinate denyall to reforme his Church against the nature of thinges But to the Purpose◠There is indeede no small importance in the Auncietie of Senators long experienced in the Mysteries of a State and with the Humours and Conditions of a People◠and these are onelie they who can bee called Olde Counsellers And diverse of the wisest Emperours sayde it was more dangerous to haue an olde King and a young Counsell nor a young King and an olde Counsell Where of wee see the good experience in the Spanish Government where the death of a King doeth no more interrupt the Course and prosperitie of that Empyre than it were of anie private person The verie Name it selfe of a Senator doeth signifie Agednesse as a Senectute The Greekes called the Senate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to show that both Greekes and Latines did choose aged Men to their Counsellers yea suppose they could haue found numbers of young Men Wyse Graue and of good Experience yet they would not haue them to bee Senators because that were said they to turne their Senate into a Iuvenat Solon and Lycurgus did prohibite by a Law the comming of anie vpon the Senate with-in the age of 40 although they were never so sufficient But to leaue them the Scripture telleth vs which is a Warrand infallibl◠that in the setling of the Iewish Governamēt GOD commanded to choose 70 not of the best nor the most learned nor of greatest experience but sayeth the text Of the most Aged to whom Hee gaue the Spirit of Wisdome in aboundance Yet whilst it is so even good Politickes of the latter Tymes and consequentlie of greater Experience will holde the Opinion that it is expedient for the Common-wealth to change and innovate Magistrates and for it they doe bring this Reason They tell vs that the ende of good Governament is Vertue and the scope of everie prudent Prince should bee to render his Subjects Vertuous and therefore the Rewards of Vertue which are publicke Offices of the State ought to bee patent to everie vertuous Mynde and the Hopes of them set before it as the Marke where-at it must aime which cannot bee if Offices of State be lyfe-rentallie established in the Persons of a Few who whilst they and onlie they doe enjoy the publicke Honours and Emoluments it doeth beget an Heart-burning and Envy into other good Spirits who finde themselues neglected and so doeth breede
to bee lamented eternallie that those Parricidies committed now in Spayne after the manner of the Mahumetane Superstition not as Crymes to bee repented but as Religious Traditions and Deeds of great Merite when the life of one Man or a few Men if it were of our Brethren or Children are taken and sacrificed for preservation of the publicke Tranquillitie both of Church and State chiefelie in great and Monarchicall Kingdomes where Religion doeth shoot out with a growing and flowrishing Empyre Alace is not this the Fyre of Moloch and the sacrificing of our Children to those bloodie and savage Gods This is a Fascination and stupiditie of the Mynde in the highest Degree And heere it is where that powerfull Circe of Superstition hath transformed those Kings reallie into Beastes that wittinglie and willinglie they haue cast off both Sence and as it were Shape of Humanitie that the greatest Vlysses of the World is not able by anie Oratorie to reclaime them In the meane-time it is a Case that doeth admonish Neighbour-Princes to bee of constant Pietie and Devotion towards GOD and their Domesticke Servants to bee vigilant and studious for the avoyding of that kinde of claudestine Dangers And O what great cause wee haue to render thankes to the MOST HIGH for that that our late Soveraigne of blessed memorie did escape the Insidiation and bloodie Knyfe of such Butchers hee who was the most conspicuous Marke whereat they did shoot and of whom their curious casters of Horosâ—ops and malignant Astrologues did so often prognosticate that his ende should not bee peaceable Fourthlle wee are to weigh the Strength and Soliditie of this great and growing Empyre to see if wee can explore and finde out anie Weaknesse Breach or Advantage to bee gained since they are our Capitall and mightie Enemies of whom it is not likelie that long wee shall bee fred Al-be-it it be true that it is not so much governed by the Sword as by Graue and Sage Councell which is never a whit diverted from their Plots and Purposes by the death of anie King where-in standeth no Question a chiefe point of the Firmnesse and Perpetuitie thereof Yet it cannot bee denyed that for aboundance of Money for militarie Discipline and for great numbers of good Souldiours which three bee as the Nerves Veines and grosse Bodie of the Warres they too farre exceede their Neighbours Alwayes for the first I say that the light of Reason sheweth mee that the greater Fortitude doeth aye consist in the greater Vnion Vis vnita fortior There is no perfect Strength but in GOD because there is nothing meerelie and simplie Vnike but GOD The Strength of Nature dependeth from her Compaction Vnion and Sympathie of her well-conjoyned Members This made Augustus to abandone and neglect the Longinque Provinces beyond Caucasus and Taurus and here in Great Britane by mayntaynance where-of they did receiue greater domage than could bee countervalued by anie Benefit to bee had there-fra in time of Peace saying that as there were two Defaultes that made the naturall Bodie imperfect that which was too small and vnder a proportion naturall and againe that which was aboue too big superstuous and vnwealdie called by the Physitions Plethera and Endeiat Even so it was in the Civill Bodie of the State and there-fore did hee recommend to his Successor the Limitation of the Empyre vnited and consolidated within the Marches of Euphrates Danubius and the Westerne Occean forbearing to haue more care of the most remote and disjoynted Provinces which did not other but teach the Discipline militare to barbarous Nations who were ignorant of it Where-vpon sayeth Tacitus Longa oblivio Britanniae etiam in pace consilium id Augustus vocavit maxime Tiberius Henrie King of Castile who died Anno 1217 without Children having two Sisters of whom the elder had beene married to Lewes the eight of France the youngest to Alphonsus King of Leon in Spaine The Castilians by publicke Parliament did declare the youngest to the Crowne of Castile albeit against their Law yet convenient in the nature of things sayde they seeing Castile and Leon were Cosines and easilie did incorporate they had one Language and Manners nothing different where-as France was naturallie divided from them by the Mounts Pirenees of diverse Languages and discrepant Manners thinges difficill to bee vnited vnder one King Of Examples of this kynde the Histories bee full of Princes and States who stryving to possesse thinges farre removed and dis-joyned from them and disconvenient in Nature albeit their Titles to them were just yet after manie yeares enjoying of theÌ„ with much Warre Trouble they haue bene in end forced to quite them being things altogether improfitable aâ— the English of Aquitane and Guyen the French of Naples the Venetians of Pisa and some Territories of Genua the Germane Emperour of some Cities in Italie of all which they haue nothing this day but the Burials of their Predecessours in which respect to returne to the purpose I may say of the Spanyard that it is not all Gold that glistereth his great Empyre is patched of things dismembred discommodious and disconvenient in Nature hee hath Navarre divided by the Pirenees in part and naturallie incorporate to the mightie Kingdome of France hee hath Milan divided by the Alpes Naples by both those and by the Apemmie too and both but members of the bodie of Italie Flaunders separated by interjection of France and Switzerland the Indees by the great Occean that if wee shall consider all the mightiest Monarkes wee shall finde none so weake and obnoxious in that behalfe so farre that it is more easie for France England Holland and Denmarke to put into Spaine 50000 Souldiours than for Spaine it selfe to transport thither from their owne Provinces 20000. Againe Kings are set aboue their People as the Sunne aboue the Earth and Seas who draweth vp the Moistures where-with hee doeth partlie feed his owne Flames and partlie converteth them in Raines to refresh the Seas and nowrish the Earth yet it is thought that hee beholdeth his Provinces often-times as Clowds without Raine hee draweth nothing from them but glorious and airie Titles of Ambition yea hee must goe search the Bellie of the Earth vnder another Hemispheare to sucke the Vapours that must entertaine them for if it were not by his Treasures of the Indees it is judged that hee were not able to brooke them The yeare of their last Pacification with Holland I did heare into Brusels by some of his entire Counsellours that since the first entrie of those VVarres hee had spended of his proper Fiances aboue the Rents of Flaunders 60 Millions I did heare about that same tyme at Naples and Milan by those of good intelligence in his Affaires that his whole Revenewes there were morgadged and that hee was greatlie indebted aboue and that hee was often-tymes so scarced of Moneyes that at Antwerpe Genuâ— and other Bankes hee did pay more than
opportune and commodious for great Navies the People manie and malicious against their Conquerers and having their Sores yet open and quicke To come to their other Subjects wee heare that the Arragonees haue their Myndes in like sort wounded with the remembrance of the late Conquest made of them and to speake generallie of all the Nobilitie of Spayne yea even of those of Castile it selfe It hath beene ever so that as Thieues haue beene studious to provide Backe-Doores so great Noble-men vnder Kings in all Ages haue wished that some adjacent Prince might bee in Tearmes of Emulation with their Master to whose protection they might haue recourse in Case at anie time they should happen to fall vnder their Masters wrath by their Ambitious and insolent carriage things familiar eneugh to potent Subjects in everie Countrey Now Spaine being as it is at this day conjoyned vnder one Crowne in manner of an Yland where-fra the Princes and Lords there-of cannot easilie with-draw them-selues in such a Case they are by that meanes brought vnder greater Feare Slaverie and Subjection When there were severall Kingdomes in Navarre Arrogone and Portugall the Castilian Nobles vpon anie distraction or variance with their King did finde easie retract and protection with some of these Neighbour-Princes perhaps with more Honour and Preferments than at home by reason of Neighbour Iealousies and Contention the examples where-of are most frequent in anie Historie as in our owne wee finde that before the vnion of Great Britane it was more easie and secure for Scottish Noble-men to offende their Princes and leape out from their obedience having so neare a Sanctuarie in the Hospitalitie and Armes of England by reason of Neighbour Distractions than it is now when their nearest refuge should bee Spaine or Flanders And as ancientlie that advantage did often a-wake the Pryde of our great Men and giue way to Rebellion against their Kings So the solide Incorporation that now is hath put a Brydle into the Teeth of that kinde of Ambition that no stirre can bee heere to trouble a King vnlesse it were by generall revolt of the whole Countrey or receiving of Forraigne Armes with-in our Bowels and joyning with them And as the supposed prowde and tyrannous Governament of Spaine is thought to enstrange the Hearts of their Nobilitie from their King and to make them more practizable to rebellions if they should see the occasion faire so there is no doubt but dure and rigorous Governament should even in this Kingdome or anie other else produce the like Consequences Al-wayes the Nobilitie of Spaine at this day doeth want this Sanctuarie of Refuge that the skurviest Marshall is able to arrest the greatest of them and now with much griefe they doe resent the effectes of that which was prognosticated vnto them when King Charles the fift began to extende the Wings of his Domination for the which cause they did show them-selues notablie displeased with the conjunction of Portugall as Don Francisco de Ivara a noble man of Castile being Ambassadour at Paris during the League Anno 1579 hearing by a French Gentle-man newlie come from Africke that the Moores were in feare having intelligence that King Philip did put together great Forces for to conquer them vnder pretext to revenge the slaughter of Don Sebastian King of Portugall for so did Philip make the World belieue when hee did conveane his Armies against Portugall But the saide Francis did answere this Gentle-man saying It is well that the Moores bee in feare but it is better that your Master the King of France vnderstand the intention of that Armie to bee against Portugall which if hee doe conquere your Master and the Pope and all the Princes of Europe may lay compt by length of time to bee his Tributaries Which speach doeth well enough demonstrate the aversnesse of the Spanish Nobilitie from the fearfull Greatnesse of his Empyre The State Ecclesiasticke indeede doeth more affect him yet I haue tolde you that hee doeth skumme the Fat of their Pâ—t but of this Weaknesse which wee gather of discontented humours of their Nobilitie there is no advantage to bee gayned by secret Practises because of the terrour of the Inquisition His Iesuites and perfidious Ambassadours get libertie with other Princes to traffique to traytor at their pleasure whereof wee haue late experiences to our owne Coastes but none dare adventure that kynde of doing in Spayne Al-wayes out of those it may bee surelie enough presumed of the Nobilitie namelie of their late Conquests of Spaine that when they should see a puissant Enemie amongst them the Fyre of their indignation should breake foorth so much more violentlie by how much it hath bene long masterfullie suppressed amongst the Ashes of their Servitude sayeth Scip. African in that Oration to the Senate for sending of Forces in Africke during Hanniballes being in Italie Non speraverat Hanniball fore ut tot populi in Italia ad se deficerent post Cannensem dedem quanto minus quicquam in Africa firmum aâ— stabile sit Carthaginensibus infidis sotiis gravibus dominis Hanniball did not looke for so great revolting of People with-in Italie from the honest and generous Romanes after his victorie at Cannas how much lesse can things bee firme and sure in Africke to the Carthagenians a Nation treacherous and vntrustie to their Associates and tyrannous to their Subjects which Saying howe properlie it may bee applyed to the present Purpose anie man doeth see it Next it is thought that there bee small store of Armes in Spaine the numbers of Cities and People considered partlie because they goe for the furnishing of his Warres abroade and partlie because it is not thought expedient by his Counsell that Multitudes but latelie conquered whose Myndes are yet suspected should bee armed at their pleasure remembering well vvhat had almoste befallen KING PHILIP the third if the Moores called Nâ—vos Christianos vvho then had a neare Designe agaynst him had not beene suddenlie disarmed and cast foorth of the Countrey Moreover the prowde and tyrannous nature of the Spanyard is no small point of Weaknesse for why the LORD GOD doeth humble the Prowde and punish the Oppressour Tolluntur in altum ut lapsum graviora cadâ—nt I doe not onelie speake of that dominant and Monarchicall Pryde mayntayned by so manie Cruelties Perfidies and Impieties bore-saide but vniversallie of the verie vulgar pryde chiefelie of the Castilians Even as the fumes of strong Wyne doe inebtiate and make giddâ—e the Braines of Man transporting them from the centre of their place so doeth Pryde blynde and confuse the Vnderstanding and as seldome Prudence doeth accompanie Youth-head Even so is Wisdome rarelie conjoyned with too much Prosperitie Neither shall it bee out of purpose to speake a few wordes of the Spanish Nature in generall They are extreamelie melancholious which everie â—ot of their carriage doeth verifie their graue Apparell their sober Dyet their Dauncing their Musicke
into Africke they did sende Hanniball with strong Forces into Italie to keepe them at home where-of sayeth the same Scipio in the same place and to the same purpose Sed quid veteribus externisque exemplis opus est majus praesentiusque â—llum esse exemplum quant Hanniball potest From the same ground yet the Romanes by sending of Scipio to make VVarre in Africke made Hanniball constrainedlie to bee called out of Italie Quasi eodem telo saepius retorto sayeth one as by a naturall necessarie and ordinarie meane for keeping of anie State peaceable and free from Enemie-Invasion namelie of the weaker from the more mightie For even in lyke manner when the great Persian Monarchs did often afflict the weake and dismembered Estates of Greece gaping at length after the conquest of all Agesilaus King of Lacedemon pitying his Countreys Calamitâ—e and to divert those mightie Kinges from Greece he did put him-selfe with a maine Armie into the midst of Persia where hee did so daunt the pryde of Xerxes that it behooved him to practise the same Policie for Liberation of his Kingdomes from Forraigne Powers hee sent 10000 great pieces of Golde bearing the Image of an Archer on the one side the current Stampe then of his Coyne to corrupt as it did the Orators of Athens and Thebes and concitate the People to make Warre to Lacedemon in absence of their King and Countreyes Forces where-vpon the Ephorie were compelled to recall Agesilaus who in his returning saide that 10000 Persian Arcbers had chased him out of Asia Againe of the lyke practise to this of Xerxes with Athens and Thebes for mooving and keeping of Warres in Enemie-Countreyes that wee may remaine within our selues free from their Invasion wee reade in the Histories of Scotland that the renowned Prince Charles Magne having an holie and Christian Resolution to prosecure as hee did Warres against the Barbarians and finding the English begun in their prosperitie to crosse the Seas and to molest the Borders of his Kingdome of France hee sent Ambassadours to Aebains King of Scotland to negotiate with him a perpetuall League in these Termes that when-so-ever the English should molest either of their Countreyes the other should moue Warre to England and so constraine them to call home their Armies Which after great Controversies of Opinions amongst the Scottish Nobilitie and frequent Orations of the French Ambassadours was finallie concluded and stood to by their Successours in all tyme following with often mutuall Advantages against their Common Enemie For late Examples I haue alreadie tolde you how King Philip made Warres in France and intended against England and that to the ende they should retire their Forces from Portugall Hanniball did ever affirme namelie to King Antiochus that it was impossible to vanquish the Romanes but at home in Italie as the same Livius doeth testifie Now I thinke yee will come to the Hypothesis and put mee to prooue that the Spanyard is that mightie Enemie who intendeth to trouble this Kingdome That hee is mightie a great deale aboue that which wee would wish I haue alreadie showed and that hee is our Enemie not onelie by actions intended or projected but diverslie alreadie attempted these are the Circumstances which doe qualifie it First he is Enemie to all Christian States by the vniversalitie of his Ambition Ergo also to vs Secondlie his Grandsire Philip the second did once obtaine a matrimoniall right to the Crowne of England by his marriage with Queene Marie Thirdlie a Papall right by excommunication of Queene Elizabeth Fourthlie hee did set foorth a great Armada to haue reconquered it as is before rehearsed Fyftlie hee hath ever since and as I thinke doeth yet maintaine with-in it a claudestine Traffique of Iesuites and Seminarie Priests to alienate the Hearts of Subjects from their naturall King or to keepe them vmbragious and suspended in myndes vntill his better occasion And I doe thinke that besides Ambition puissing him there-vnto there bee no Neighbour-States that hee so much feareth by reason of their strong and skilfull Navigation as yee will heare heere-after more particularlie But this King that nowe is in Spayne hath proceeded farther hee hath reft and taken away the whole estate of the Palatine who is Brother-in-law to His Majestie our Soveraigne and by that deede hath made this Warre to bee defensiue to vs Non enim nobis solum nati c. Wee are not onelie borne to our selues but our Prince our Parents our Children our Friendes Common-wealth and Religion everie of these haue their owne part and interesse in vs and all these together doe concurre to move vs to so just a Warre so far that if that Prince Palatine were not linked to vs by so near Allyance and by communion of one Fayth yet Tum tua res agitur paries dum proximus ardet the propulsion of a fearfull Enemie approaching nearer to our Coastes and seeking to do mineire over all is sufficient enough to make all the braue Heartes of Christendome to boyle Besides these hee hath put vpon vs intollerable Indignities in a verie high degree hee hath made vs by false and persidious Promises to bee as indifferent beholders of his conquest of the Palâ—tinate yea more to facilitate his engresse there-to hee hath made vs to seeke Peace perhaps to haue beene accepted vpon disadvantagious Conditions and hath refused the same And hee who refuseth Peace by necessarie consequence doeth intende Warre The marriage of our King hath beene agitated by him and illuded and hee who doeth containe so neare friendship of Neighbours appearinglie intendeth to bee their Superiour And so hee hath left vs no hope of Peace but in Armes therefore wee may conclude with that Captaine of the Volsques of whom I spake before Iustum est Bellum quibus est necessarium pia Arma quibus nulla nis◠〈◊〉 Armiâ— relinquitur spes Their Warre is just whose Warre is necessarie and their Armes bolie to whom there is no hope relinquished but in Armes Since then I holde it granted that of necessitie there must bee Warres it followeth to consider the Forces to bee employed there-to and those must either bee properlie our owne or of conjoyned Confederates Wee are bred into and doe inhabite a Northerne Region naturallie generatiue of great Multitudes of more bellicole kynde and of more robust Bodies than those of the Southerne Climates And al-be-it wee haue for the first face but small opinion of our vulgar sort because an hard condition of living hath some-what dejected their Hearts during these late vnfruitfull Yeares yet there bee manie strong Persons of Men amongst them who pressed for the Milice and once made acquainted there-with and being fred from the Povertie and Basenesse of their carriage they will more gladlie follow the Warres than the Plough Wee haue numbers of braue Gentle-men wanting vertuous Employments and for the most part necessarie Meanes Wee reade in our Countrey Annals how our auncient
and nowrish the Seedes of Civill Sedition Farther say they it doeth procure to those who possess◠chiefe Offices in perpetuitie too much Grandour and Authoritie it draweth away after it the Eyes and Dependance of the People and as it were stealeth a little of that Splendor that is due to the Royall Majestie and beeing in the Persons of great Subjectes prepareth the Way to Popularitie and Ambition Agayne they vvho reason agaynst the frequent change of Magistrates they vse that Argument vvhich the wittie Tyberius vsed vvhen his Friendes tolde him that he did continue Men in great Offices too long agaynst the Custome of that State hee sayde it vvas better for People to endure those vvho were al-readie satiate and full of their Blood meaning their Goods than vnder-ly the Hunger and Avarice of a new Entrant Nec enim parcit populis regnum breve With-all they say that the changeable Magistrate hath no Cowrage nor Boldnesse to administer Iustice but feareth the displeasure of Men being shortlie him-selfe to descend to a private Condition perhaps inferior to manie over whome hee is Iudge for the tyme So that betwixt these two Extremities one vvould thinke the Mid-way verie fitting to bee followed by prudent Princes vvhere they may neyther bee perpetuall nor much frequentlie changed vvhere they be only to the pleasure of the Prince and with-all made Syndicable and Censurable For certaynlie as all Men know vvho vnderstand Policie Histories there was never a Magistracie invented by Men that did ad more to the Vertue Increase and Stabilitie of a State than that of the Censor amongst the Romanes vvhen once a Yeare the Consuls the Senators the Generals the Knightes the Captaynes the Tribunes the Pretors the Questors all vvho had the meanest Intromission vvith the State did compeare tremble in presence of a Censor fearing Disgrace or Deposition from their Offices or Dignities The Spanyardes keepe in their Provinces of Italie an Image of this sort of Magistrate called by them Syndicator and so they doe in the State of Genua Of this they haue some shadow in England al-be-it not in the person of one Man by those who are called Their Court of Conscience And of this it seemeth that our Soveraigne King hath now erected an Image amongst vs if I be not misse-taken in establishing The Iudicatorie of Grievances Of the which Iudicatorie because Men doe dispute diversly as of a thing newe and vnknowne amongst vs I will shortlie consider two Circumstances which I trust shall serue some-what for our Information touching the Importance there-of First the Vse and Ende of it secondlie the Warrand and Auctoritie where-by it may be established For the first The Scope there-of is not onlie Politicke and Vertuous but of most Necessarie and Profitable Vse for the Common-wealth that is To purge the Land from devowring Cormorants and those who sucke the Blood of the People to wit Corruption of Iudges and Officers of State if anie be Extorsion of Seale-Keepers and Wryters to Seales exorbitant Vsurers Transporters of Coyne Detracters and Traducers of His Majesties Counsels and Actions all which being the Ground and Source of Publicke Povertie and Pillage are particularlie ordayned to vnder-ly this Iudicatorie And if there-with the Commission had bene also granted expresselie agaynst Transporters of Oxen Kyne and Sheepe whereby our Countrey is incredibly damnified and also agaynst all Prodigall and Profligate Persons who by Ryot of Lascivious and Distemperate Lyfe doe destroy their Patrimonie and there-with their Wyues and Children that such might bee punished according to the Custome amongst the ancient Greeks and Romanes then I say these beeing committed to the Censures of entire and intelligent Men there is no Policie that could more reallie yeeld manie Popular Comforts There is indeed a Generall Clause in this Commission vvhere-by His Majestie taketh Power to Him-selfe to referre there-vnto what-so-ever shall please Him agaynst the which wee seeme to take this Exception to say that this may import a Controlling Reduction of the Decreets of our Session if His Majestie would so a Practise thought too too extravagant and extraordinarie and yet this may be rather Mistaking than True Iudgement of those who thinke so vvhich I doe demonstrate in this manner We say there hath not beene neyther ought there to bee anie Appellation agaynst the Supreame Iudicatorie of our Session vnlesse it were ordayned by a Parliament this is our Exception but leaving the Hypothesis touching our Session I will take me in generall agaynst the Thesis it selfe to say thus farre That it is not onlie agaynst Christian Practise and Profession but agaynst Humanitie to holde That there should bee no Soveraigne Power aboue all ordinarie Iudges to soften and mittigate the Rigour of Lawes Quia summum jus summa injuria the Rigour of the Law is a Rigorous Oppression for Example A poore Man is found Yeare and Day at the King's Horne beside his knowledge perhaps for a naughtie matter of fiue or sixe Shillings Striveling where-by his Lyfe-Rent of such things as he hath falleth into the Hands of the Lord his Superiour who presentlie getteth before our Session a Declarator there-vpon in his Favours These Iudges cannot helpe this disstressed Partie because there is a Law standing agaynst him and they are sworne to the King who did place them to administrate Iustice according to the Law So manie such yea and more pittifull Cases doe daylie occurre before Ordinarie Iudges vvhere-in Conscience and Iustice stand in contrarie Tearmes that I need no more to exemplifie it The Iudges must giue way to Iustice and haue no power to mittigate yet no Man will deny that this kynd of Iustice is a grievous Oppression Here wee see a manifest Necessitie of Appellation to some Soveraigne Power who may dispense with Legall Rigour in Favours of weake and distressed Parties None can dispense with a Law but a Law-Giver No Subject is a Law-Giver Ergo No Subject may dispense with a jot of the Law except he haue Cōmission from Him who gaue the Law The power to moderate Legall Extremitie or to absolue from Lawes hath ever bene properlie annexed to that Soveraigne Majestie that gaue the Law in anie State whether that Soveraignitie was Popular or Princelie Before the Ejection of King Tarquinus by the Romanes it was annexed to the Royaltie as their Histories doe clearlie show After the Expulsion of their Kings that Soveraigne Majestie of giving Lawes vvas transferred to the People as wee may perceiue by the wordes vsed by the Senate when they did present anie Law to the People Quod bonum faustum felixque sit vobis Reipub. velitis jubeatis that is Ye will be pleased to authorize this Law which the Gods may grant may bee for the happinesse of your selues and of the Common-wealth And therefore vnto the People also as then the onlie Law-Givers was transferred the Power to dispense and absolue from Lawes and to that effect a
as wee see that the Consent of the World the Practise of all Ages these of our owne Nation doe giue to Kinges the Royall Priviledge of granting Grace and Remission from Lawes even where the LAW of GOD doeth ordayne Punishment by Death And the most temperate Christian Kings doe assume and exercise this Priviledge to pardon Persons Criminall for Slaughter at their owne pleasure It beeing so how much more ought the Royall Soveraignitie to haue this latter Appellation annexed vnto it from all Iudges and Causes Civill vvhere Legall Decreets are found to be hard and tyrannous Or if a King cannot bestowe this Grace vpon a distressed Subject to repledge him from the tyrannie of Law how can hee bee sayde to carrie in His Person a Soveraegne Power This Priviledge of a last Appellation in difficult Cases is not onelie proper to Soveraignitie but lykewyse a thing ever sought and challenged by Subjects as due vnto them to bee granted by their Kings Nero and Caligula Princes giveÌ„ to private Laesciviousnesse they did for their owne Ease and Freedome from Effaires ordayne that no Appellation should be froÌ„ the Senate vnto them but yet the Romanes would never quyte that Benefite of a latter Refuge to their Emperours And if we shall try thinges well wee should find that the present Practise of almost all Christian Princes hath put Commissioners or Lieuetennants in their Place to exercise that Poynt of the Soveraigne Majestie for receiving of latter Appellations in Causes Compassionable as the foure Courts of Spayne to which as to the Royall Soveraignitie there are Appeales from all Iudges Their Syndicators in their Provinces abroad are instituted to the same end and that so profitablie that there is not in any Christian State a surer Means for mayntaynance of Peace Iustice amongst People The Chamber Imperiall in Germanie vvhere-vnto there are drylie Appellatious from all the Cities Dutcâ—ies Counties Baronies within the whole Empyre In England they haue their Court of Conscience for the same vse and ende So that I doe thinke for this Commission for Grievances here presenting the King His owne person to receiue these latter Appellations due to the Soveraignitie albeit it seeme to bee a newe Iudicatorie of late Invention yet it is not so because it was ever incorporate and inseparablie included in the Soveraigne Maiestie I trust we will all thinke that nothing is more agreeable with Pietie Good Conscience than the allowing of such Appellations from Legall Rigour and Extremitie neyther anie thing more becomming the Soveraignitie that GOD hath placed in Christian Kinges than to receiue and heare them since Iudges Ordinarie may not doe it in the nature of their Office being sworne to administrate Iustice in Legall tearmes wanting power to dispense with Lawes vnlesse that His Maiestie vvould grant to the Lords of our Session the same Commission and Power appoynting some of them for Lawe and others for Conscience and so consolidate both the Offices in one Alwayes if the King ought or may heare the Grievances of His Subjects as due vnto His Soveraignitie and if he may doe so much in His own person then there is no doubt but He may doe it by Commissioners and must doe so because of Remotenesse of Plaâ—e for our Ease and because of multitude of Effaires for His owne Ease I thinke it not amisse heere to declare how our Historiographer Buchanan treating of the Originall Election of our Colledge of Iustice vnder King Iames the fift hee did esteeme it a meere Tyrannie if no Appellation should bee there-from Quando Collegiam Iudicum sayeth hee in his fourteenth Booke Edinburgi constitutum fuisset tamen qui sperabatur eventus non est consecutus nam cum in Scotianullae pene sint leges praeter conventuum decreta eaque pleraque non in perpetuum sed in tempus facta judicesâ—que quod in se est lationem legum impediant omnium civium bona quindecem hominum arbitrio sunt commissa quibus perpetua est potestas imperium plane tyrannicum that is to say When the Colledge of Iustice was planted and authorized at Edinburgh there did not follow there-on the good Events which were expected for there beeing no other Lawes in Scotland almost but Actes of Parliament and Iudges given so farre as lyeth in them to hinder the promulgation of Lawes the Lands Goods of all the Subjects were committed to the arbitriment of fifteene Men to whome was granted a perpetuall power and Authoritie playnlie tyrannous Now to proceede touching Ordinarie Magistrates As Lawes are not perpetuall so are not Magistrates everie-where nor at all tymes neyther is it absolutelie expedient or necessarie to be so albeit we must all confesse that it is not without great publicke detriment that old and faythfull Magistrates should be often changed yet the Current of States is so fluxable subject to so manie casuall Changes that very good Princes haue changed verie good Magistrates for verie good Causes Marc. Aurol going abroad through his Provinces to view and consider the Administration and Order of Iustice he did displace hang even of the best and speciall Magistrates because that hee vvould suffer no Man to beare Office in the Countrey where hee dwelt namelie a Great Man as if His Majestie should not permit a Noble-man inhabiting the North of Scotland to bee heritable Shyreffe or Lieuetennant there and respected there by that Meanes as a Prince Which kinde of doing as I vnderstand is observed thorow all Spaine where everie Iudge Ordinarie is a Stranger there where hee judgeth And oft-times as wee may reade into their Histories it hath beene acted by the Parliaments of France that two of one Familie should not bee of one Session and most sufficient Magistrates to haue beene remooved for that Respect and briefe there is no Question but Princes not onlie may change their Magistrates but doe often finde it verie good Policie to doe so being alwayes oblished to place into their Rowmes Men truelie sufficient for Knowledge and Sinceritie Plutarch a rare Man both for Morall and Statelie VVisdome saide against those who would establish perpetuall Magistrates Videmini aut non multi facere Magistratum aut non multos Magistratu dignos habere But I come to speake which appearinglie is not yet in Head of another Point of Reformation into our Seate of Iustice than the which there is nothing that would breede greater Solace to the whole Bodie of this Kingdome and would to GOD His Majestie should take it to Heart and bee truelie enformed of the Importance there-of And this is of the great numbers of Advocates who for their Commoditie Particular doe breed the longsomnesse of Processes that spoileth so manie good People and which manie good and great Kings haue endevoured to correct By this Abuse the Seate of Iustice is turned to bee a Sinke that draweth into it the greatest part of the Ritches of the Land and this aboue all
of Christendome haue beene so Blinde-folded or Hood-winked that they could not perceiue the Fearfull Encrease of the Church Rents and Ritches with the Pernicious Evils bred and brought in with them vnto the time that things were past remedie almost and that the Church had nearlie devoured the State in everie part We reade in the Histories that before the Separation of the Church of Rome made by LUTHER tryall being taken and Explorations by Kings and States who began to bee jealous of the Church Ritches it was found that through all the Christian Countreyes of Europe the hundreth part of the People did possesse the tenth part of the Revenewes of all at least aboue the Fisque of Testaments of Lands and Mooueables largelie legaced to them Wee finde againe in the French Wryters that the Yeare 1513 the like Search beeing curiouslie made in France it was proved that the whole Rents and Emoluments of that Countrey being set to twelue parts the Ecclesiasticall Persons did possesse seaven there-of there being found by this Disquisition with-in the Provinces of France 12 Archbishoprickes 104 Bishopricks â—40 Abbayes 27400 Curiesâ— and danger to haue beene hudge manie moe Curies if Pope Iohn the twentie two had not abolished the Decreet of Pope Nicolaus who permitted that all Mendicant Religious should enjoy the Fruits of Lands left to them by Laicke Persons the propertie of the Land being sayde to belong to the Popes them-selues An impudent Subtiltie to cover the Violation of the Mendicant his oath of Povertie seeing as the Law sayeth The Proprietie is vnprofitable to one where the Vsu-fruit is perpetuall to another So that Kings and States perceiving that if this kind of Claudestine Purchase of the Church and the daylie growing of her Ritches were not interrupted their People Territories would by tyme be stollen away They begaÌ„ everie-where almost to intercept it King Edward the first of England prohibited by a Law that anie Church-Man should conquish Lands or succeed to Legacies King Henrie the eight tooke from the Church King Charles the fift of Spayne made the lyke Prohibition to the former in the Low-Countreyes agaynst Church-Conquishes and Legacies And at this day the Venetians besides the Exterminion of the Iesuites haue done the same and so haue Florence and other Princes of Italiâ— done the lyke Otherwise it had come to passe with-in few Yeares that whole Italie had bene as one Closter But wee are not to bee jealous of this point here our Church is plagued with the contrarie Extreame Comming now according to the Order proposed in the beginning of this Treatise to speake of our Conceived Feares for the Reformation intended of Tythes first it is a Question of Theologie and I am no Doctor there next it belongeth but per accidens to this Purpose lastlie it is a Subject vnplausable to treat of in this Tyme by anie who would speake vprightlie But as Sainct Iohn sayeth The Trueth shall make thee Free I shall neede no other Apologie but to follow the Veritie in that I meane to write where-of I shall make no long Discourse which were both impertinent and vnnecessarie in a thing so current well vnderstood alreadie and so largelie learnedlie written of by manie both Scottish English but restraining my selfe to two or three Circumstances where-of some haue not beene remarked by anie that I haue yet read vpon this Argument The Originall Mention of Tythes in the Scripture by the Practise of AbrahaÌ„ in Genesisâ— The devoting of theÌ„ by GOD'S own Mouth to Moses in Leviticus the End Vse of theÌ„ in Deuternomie And the ExecratioÌ„ Cursing of things once devoted made sacred by GOD Himselfe in Numbers in Ioshua are Texts so cleare indisputable that at least for the tyme of the Law no Man doth questioÌ„ All that we goe about who be Opponents to Evangelicall Decimation is to enforce that Tenthes were ceremoniall in the Mosaicke ending with Consummatum est and haue no warrand in the Gospell where CHRIST in two places only doth speak of Tythes of the Mint and Annise These ought yee to haue done and not omit the other And againe in Luke comparing betwixt the Publicane and Pharisee who vaunted of the just Payment of his Tenthes CHRIST did blame onlie his Ostentation not his Payment of the Tenthes To both which Places wee make this Answere That at that time the Ceremoniall Law was in full strength and aye vntill Consummatuâ—â—est And for that respect CHRIST did suffer the Payment of Teâ—â—es And wee say Seeing CHRIST hath changed both the Priesthood and the Law and supplied their Rowmes and hath given no Order for the Church Revenewes of Tenthes therfore he hath abolished the same Againe CHRIST about the sending foorth of His Apostles and speaking of their Mayntaynance Matth. 10. Provide neither Silver nor Golde in your Purses for the Worke-man is worthie of his Meat Here he maketh no MeÌ„tion at all of Tenthes as the Place did require in Case the Tenthes had bene due to the Church Thus wee cast it over to the Apostles and there wee doe also pretend the same Argument That where Sainct Paul 1. Cor. 9. doth pleade at large for Mayntaynance he keepeth him-selfe vpon Generall Termes without anie Mention of Tenthes who feedeth a Flocke doeth not eate of the Milke thereof If we haue sowne Spirituall things to you is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne. And so we say albeit CHRIST and His Apostles haue allowed Livinges for Preachers yea let theÌ„ bee never so ample yet they haue not tyed vs to a nuÌ„ber wherevnto the Answeres are made that Sainct Paul in the same Chapter hath included the Tenthes by the Generall in these wordes Hee that ministreth about holie thinges must liue of the Temple and the Wayters on the Altar on the thinges thereof That by the things of the Temple and the Altar are signified the Tenthes albeit hee did not expresse it in regarde they vvere then in the Hands of the Pharisees and could not be challenged nor gotten by Law by Private and Poore Men as the Apostles were but contrarie should haue increased the Malice of the Iewes agaynst them in Case they had beene sought Farther we studie to proue that Tythes were Ceremoniall First by reasoÌ„ of an Absolute Only Place whervnto they were broght to Hierusalem Secondly because of the Number whereby speciallie we contend to exclude the Moralitie of Tenths astrict them to a Ceremonie seeing Naturall ReasoÌ„ would as wel alow the Eleventh as the Tenth Portion or the Twelft rather because the Levites were one of the xij Tribes And lastly for their Employment at HierusaleÌ„ as we haue it Deut. 14. If the way be long that thou art not able to carrie thy Tenthes where the Lord hath chosen to set His Name then thou shalt turne