A VIEW OF THE ROMISH HYDRA AND MONSTER TRAISON AGAINST THE LORDS ANNOINTED CONDEMNED BY DAVID 1. SAM 26. AND NOWE CONFVTED IN SEVEN SERMONS To perswade Obedience to Princes Concord among our selues and a generall Reformation and Repentaunce in all states By L. H. Psal 11 Behold the wicked bend their bowe they haue made readie their arrowes vpon the string to shoot in the darcke at those that are righteous in heart Psal 5 Destroy them O God let them fal from their Counsels cast them out for the multitude of their iniquities because they haue Rebelled against thee AT OXFORD Printed by IOSEPH BARNES and are to be solde in Paules Church-yearde at the signe of the Tygers head 1588. The Dialogue and talk of Dauid and Abishai touching King Saul whether he being cast into a dead sleepe shoulâ— be killed or no taken out of the first booke of Samuel and 26. Chapter 8 Then said Abishai to Dauid God hath closed thine enemy into thine hande this daie nowe therefore I pray thee let mee smite him once with à speare to the earth and I will not smite him againe 9 And Dauid said to Abishai Destroy him not for who can lay his hand on the Lords annointed and be guiltlesse 10 Moreouer Dauid said As the Lord liueth either the Lord shal smite him or his day shal come to dy or hee shall descend into battle and perish 11 The Lord keepe me from laying mine hand vppon the Lordes annointed but I pray thee take now the speare that is at his head and the pot of water and let vs goe hence 12 So Dauid tooke the speare and the pot of water from Sauls head and they gate them awaie and no man saw it nor marked it neither did any awake but they were al asleepeâ— for the Lord had sent a dead sleepe vpon them TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD ROBERT DVDLEY EARLE OF LEICESTER BARON OF DENBIGH KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER OF HER MAIESTIIS most Honorable priuy Counsaile Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford LAVRENCE HVMPHREY WISHETH GRACE PEACE AND MERCY FROM GOD THE FATHER OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST THERE are Right honorable as farre as I can iudge Two perilous poinâ—â— of popery in the Romish Religion two principall parts and peremptorie pointes corrupt Opinions and outragious ActioÌ„s both drawen and borrowed from our common Aduersary who one way soweth in darkens and in the night among the wheat of gods word the cockle darnel of pernicious doctrine the other way he murdreth them from the beginning Iohn 8. 1. Pet. 5. and roareth like a Lyon and in his continuall and cruell circuite seeketh whom he may deuour euerie way hunteth after blood and our destruction spiritual and corporal As Christ is humble and meek as the cognisaunce of Christians is loue so the badge of Antichrist is bloody ful of cruelty voide of charity To passe ouer the corruptions of doctrin This second Monster of Rome Hydra of Rome hath many heads this Hydra is of many heades These Actions of Popes are diuerse both here seen and felt and vnderstood abroad and euery where practised As Ashur was Gods rod and Vespasian his seruaÌ„t against the Iews so this reputed Vicar of Christ hath been the whippe of Princes the scourge of all Christendome By his opinion in Masse he hath learned to offer an vnbloody sacrifice In his Actions he is Pilat mingling sacrifices with mans blood Luâ— 13. By his opinion hee is guilty of that which is written Psal 144. His mouth speaketh lies In his actions of that which followeth His right hande is the right hand of iniquity But ô that al Princes were of King Dauids mind not to meddle nor to communicate with such bloody sacrifices Psal â— nor to haue these false cruel gods names in their lips Although your Lordshippe knoweth his dooings in this realme better then I can deliuer yet I purpose by your good leaue and licence to set down the proceedings of this Hydra and his actions by degrees and steps for some Instruction and a Caueat to my countrymen The first Act and head The first head of this Romish Monster is a Temporal sword open defiaunce against kings and kingdomes misliked by him He wil be not onely a Bishop of Bishops but a king nay a Conquerour of kings Hee hath in his hande the wheele of fortune to make kings goe vp and goe downe according to his pleasure in driuing guiding the chariot and maketh them thus to say Regno regnabo regnaui sum sine regno One saith I doe raigne another I wil raigne another I haue raigned another I am put from my raigne He maketh Apollo to giue ouer the chariot of the Sunne and to resigne it to any rechles rash Phaeton though he set on fier heauen and earth Hee wil win the horse or loose both horse and saddle He can be content that Dauid or any other godly Prince bee vnhorsed and vnseated and that wanton and rebellious Absalom bee placed and setled This bloodie action of warring is performed sometime in their owne person as Iulius the second that fought against the French with Paules sword and others both Popes and Cardinals may bee witnesses sometime by inciting and setting on other Princes against a Realme or Seignory As Pippin Charles were imploied against the Lombardians by the commaundement of Adrian Cau. 23. q. 8 And Gregory the great willeth the Tuscans to doe the like Thom. walsing in Edâ—ar 1. Boniface by letters sollicited the King of England against the French King and promiseth aide And another time Kings of Fraunce are set vp against England Al these experimentes fal out in our time by a Catholick coÌ„sent in the councel of Trent that all Catholicke Princes should prepare against England and others of the reformed religion This cannot be good for euen the Pope himselfe saith that it is not good Cau. 23 q. 8 â— Tim. 2. Pope Nicolas saith to Charles the Emperour No man that is a souldior to God entangleth himselfe with secular businesse And if the souldiours of the woorlde apply themselues to warfare what hath the Bishoppes and souldiours of Christ to doe but to goe to their praiers Quid ad Episcopos milites Christi nisi vt vacent orationibus If this head of Hydra by Gods mightie mercifull hand bee cut off so that forreiners wil not nor caÌ„not satisfie the turn his lust The 2. head a trumpet of ciuil warre beholde another head riseth A Proclamation of Rebellion to al Catholickes against their dread Soueraigne for he will set all at six and seuen and mooue euery stone he wil goe thorough thicke and thinne Examples wee haue in England and Ireland with banners of ciuill dissension displaied to the offence of Almighty of God to the disturbance of our publicke and godlie peace to the vtter ouerthrowe of noble families Yet there is another
Decemb. 28. A Table of the special points and common places OVT OF THE FIRST SERMON THE practise of traitours was prophecied of before and is auncient Treason against the Countrie and Prince detested The manner of traitours double Examples of hypocrisie and flattering in traitours A warning to Princes and Noble men to expel such deceitful persons out of their courts and houses 4 Motiues and causes inducing men to weasons Vnbridled and licentious libertie Couetousnesse and ambition Enuie and Jngratitude and Religion pretensed and speciallie Popish And the Pope by specialties is declared to bee the Abishai in our daies Two waies the Pope vseth by himselfe or by his instruments Nouices Monks â—riars Cardinals c. Papistes in their Religion make bloodie vowes which ought to be broken The Popes Religion dispenseth with good oathes of allegeaunce made to Princes and he can depose them by his Religion OVT OF THE SECOND SERMON SEdition and discord disproued The aunswere of Dauid to Abishai threefold 1 Dauids prohibition in which he forbiddeth the murdering of Saul The reason of Dauid by the effect and discommodities expounded at large Jn the person of a Prince are two circumstances by condition as man by calling as King the Lords annointed Whether any man maie be killed of anie priuate man and how The Exposition of the law Thou shalt not murder out of Augustine Princes ordained not of themselues nor of fortune nor of Iupiter but of Almightie God and therefore not to bee touched but by God whether he be good or euil Why euil Magistrates are aduanced The office of a Prince in that he is called a God The true oile wherewith Princes are annointed is onelie the holie Ghost The office of Subiects to a Prince as being God also a double Jmage of God A proofe of Dauids opinion for obedience to superiours by nature a good schoolemistresse as in beasts birdes fishes serpents and other naturall creatures Also in the time of Nature before the Law and to natural and Ethnish Princes with the commodities of such obedience to the heathen gouernours The punishments inflicted vpon traitors by the iudgement of these naturall Ethnish men among the oulde Romanes Turks and other infidels OVT OF THE THIRD SERMON THE Pope a Zoganes or a Lord of misrule A viperous and Serpentine broode from Rome spread among vs. Chrysostome excellentlie discourseth of this obedience of Dauid A general rule of reuenge Like wil haue like The Law of Nature a good argument Other particulars in Nature of dogs horses panthers and men Lawes in Jndia The Law of God in the old testament giuen to the Iewes and examples there to perswade this obedience Against Accessaries and Iustifiers of Traitours A notable pattern of Obedience is Dauid and his example a sufficient glasse to looke in Particular Lawes against murderers and Mutiners Lawes and examples in the new testament The opinion of the fathers after Christ the dutifulnes of our first Christians towardes their wicked gouernours The Ciuil Lawes against al abuses touching a Prince in fact in purpose and intent in his coine c. Executions and experiments of Ciuil and Christian Magistrates against such disorders and outrages OVT OF THE FOVRTH SERMON A Rule of Chrysostome necessary for Preachers Decrees and authorities out of the Canon and Popish lawes against murder Three kinds of murder The Popes sayings doings contrary to his decrees borowed out of fathers The verdict of Iohn Caposius against Pope Innocentius verified in the rest of the Popes The savings of Pope Nicolas and others presumptuous against Princes The sayinges of Aug. Steuchus out of the Popes Register for the claime of an vniuersal dominion ouer al the west church The special claime made of Spaine England c. A Seminary or School of Englishmen at Rome erected long since The doings and practise of Popes agreeable to his owne proud sayings and brags The plagues and iudgements of God against these proud priests of Rome and their factours and. Adherents The periury of Papists notably punished by Turkes The Turk better in this matter of faithfulnes then the Pope The hand of God vppon Popes by themselues one vppon another Athenians Romans are mouÌ„ting Eagles but plucked The monster in Pope Iulius time a figure of this monstrous Popedome Popes enemies to Fraunce and yet Fraunce a friende to Popes OVT OF THE FIFT SERMON THE vnthankefulnes of people against Magistrats Lawes of Canutus Edgar and Alured Richard the first and others in England Disobedience against the Lawes in England England subdued by Iul. Caesar Danes Saxons and that cheifely by discord and treachery of our owne countrimen A terrible example of periury Traisons in the time of diuers Kings in England punished Treachery and prodition by an Italian in betraying Calice to the French Auncient practises of English Rebells for the defense of their Popish religion and yet frustrated vain A concubinary Priest and traitour made a Martyr of the Popish people in England Welch prophecies defeated Traisons of Bishoppes Abbats Priors Minorite Friars Monkes and Priestes in England and some executed in their best habit of Religion New traitors for the Religion of the Pope in the time of K. Henry the 8. K. Edward the 6. and of Queene Elizabeth rebelling rising but had alway a â—al an euil end The Queens maiesty foloweth the example of her Ancestors in this Realme resisting the pride authority of the Pope OVT OF THE 6. SERMON FOrreine examples in Fraunce and Flaunders The law of Conscience the last and worst witnes and tormentour of murderers and Traitors Of the trembling and terrour of an euill conscience in this Act. Dogges Fishes Swallowes rauens al creatures terrifie astonish a murdering and guilty conscience The conclusion of the first part of Dauids reply against Abishai 2 The second part is Dauids Protestation in himself detesting that fact with the reason annexed that god hath waies to kill Saul at his pleasure and therfore he wil not take vpon him gods office in that behalfe Death common to all and of the late mortalitie among vs. The vanity of this world and end of all flesh wee are all the naked image of Hippocrates Infants and yongest must die The great personages Saul and such Princes must dy by one of three kinds of death set downe by Dauid and vnder that his diuision manie are comprehended The death of persecutours and traitours Their brauerie and bragges against the godly but all in vaine Examples thereof ould and fresh in memorie No Eloquence can saue from death The Pope that deliuereth others out of purgatorie and by battle Bul killeth Princes cannot deliuer himself froÌ„ death whereof he is warned by his owne ceremonies and it maie appeare by the end of many Popes speciallie euen in the very Act of their rage against Princes Albeit these wicked men must die as Saul did yet the godlie delight not in their death no more then Dauid did in the death of Saul
well but God turned all to the best and mery it was for the Lande and the King when theeues fel out for Ansley detecting Carton and Carton Ansley it was determined by the priuy counsel that it should be tried in a Combate in the which at the length Carton was wounded and throwen downe euen now at point of death coÌ„fessing his fault was drawen to the place of Execution as Polydor testifieth I haue entred into a long and large fielde and mind to goe out of it â—â—pish â—â—actises aâ—â—inst Reliâ—â—on in England and onely now to declare howe our Countrymen in former time haue been bewitched by Popery and haue attempted to erect and prop it vp by treachery and yet al ended in vanity The Pope hath stil practised by many but not preuailed though they came in his name and sometime with his consecrated ware and armed with his consecrated Crosses his Agnus Dei and other holy blessed stuffe Trebellius Pollio no wiser indeede then those heathen men who beleeued that those that caried about theÌ„ the image of great Alexander expressed in siluer or gold shuld haue al things fortunately fal out vnto them as they would wherein Erasmus toucheth the Bishoppes of Rome In Chiliad 1. Cen. 10. Nechodie desunt qui gladios in bello fortunatos huinsmodi nugas pollicentur Principibus Ther be some now a daies which promise to Princes swords other trifles happy fortunate in war which haue notwithstaÌ„ding an vnhappy end and there he much more marueileth that any maÌ„ can beleeue such subtile merchauntes There was such a flattering Papistical Preacher William Fitzosbert otherwise called Long-beard W. Long-bearde who in his Sermons entised the people to rebel against their King Richard the first whose Theme was takeÌ„ out of Esay Cap. 12. You shal draw with ioy waters out of the wels of saluation A faire allurement whereby hee got after him many thousand followers as fond people wil hearken to the whistle and daunce after the pipe of such Popish Libertines But this liberty was seruitude for though hee fledde into Bowe-Church with his concubine and others yet it was not long a Sanctuary for him he was plucked out and by Hubert Lorde chiefe Iustice of England was adiudged to be drawen thorough the streetes R. Holinsh Et in vitâ— Huberti and tied to the horse tailes to bee hanged to bee let downe halfe quicke his heade cut off and his body cut in foure quarters See heere I beseech you the superstition of the people they tooke this Concubinary Priest and Traytour to be a Saint forsooth A Traytor in Popery a Martyr because his chaines wherewith he was bound wrought miracles and the woman visited the place where he was laide In sana plebs vt Martyrem diu colebat The mad people did long honor him as a Martyr worshipping his members and bones as Reliques In Wales what Superstition hath there not been Welch prophecies They were so deceiued with false prophecies that they perswaded out of Merline Leoline the Prince that hee should wear the crown of Brutus therfore took armour against King Edward In vita Iohannis Peccam They were willed by Iohn Peccam Arch-Bishop of Caunterbury to cary in their handes bookes of the Gospel as reliques All these fantasies could not saue the heads of Leoline Dauid Leoline Dauid which were set vpon long poles and erected on high vpon London bridge What a Saint was the Traitour Thomas Becket Th. Becket Traitour a Sainct of the Pope In what fauour with the Pope Alexander And yet was he in a councel at Northhampton accused conuicted of extortion robbery forgery falshood treason periury in the presence of the King of the Peeres and Prelats for some matters in his Chancelarship whereupon although he lifted on high his crosse staffe and ran out of the court councell in hast and in an heat ouer the sea to Rome yet neither the Pope nor the crosse could saue him froÌ„ the crosse of death And here obserue the vniust dealing of the Pope Alexander who canonized among the Saints Thomas the Traitour the Kings deadly enimy and persecuted King Henry the second who was not accessary nor priuy at that time to it as it fel out in proofe for when the doers thereof slipping aside to Duresme looked for great thankes of the King for that they gaue out that they had most faithfully defended him rid his enemy out of the way it is written by Polydore that Henry did take this hainous act as no benefite Angl. Hist lib. 13. but vtterly misliked it insomuch as they hearing this and hoping for no pardon ran one one way another another way by reasoÌ„ of the kings displeasure died al within three yeares yet the Pope an heauy master of the King not beleeuing his Embassadours purposely sent to Rome sent into England his Cardinals for the trial of it and though the cause did not appeare yet was he compelled by oath to purge himselfe and by inforcemeÌ„t of their order to send to Ierusalem two hundred souldiours himselfe to lead an army into Syria within three years after which was perfourmed by his sonne Richard and to promise to be good afterward to the cleargy and that by an oath as some write that none after his and his Sons death should cary the name of a King but such a one as the Bishop of Rome did nominate and appoint albeit by our Chronicles Ibidem and by the practise in the tract of time no such bondage doth appear Thomas Walsingham in Richardo 2. The seditious sermon of J. Ball Priest Another seditious Preacher named Iohn Bal Priest prooueth the equality of States without any difference of callinges which made the simple people to be giddy headed His text was not taken out of scripture but borrowed out of a common prouerb When Adam delued and Eue span Who was then a Gentleman But the Epilog and conclusion of this Sermon was sorowful for himselfe being drawn hanged and beheaded at Saint Albans and his quarters sent to foure cities of the Realm There was another zealous Monk in coÌ„spiracy with the Barons of EnglaÌ„d against king Iohn against his son Henry the third Jbidem who beeing no great friend to the Pope was therefore the woorse liked of the Monk Eustachius in that point more destable theÌ„ a dog Eustachius a Trayteâ—ous Monk for the prouerb is true Canis caninaÌ„ non est nec lupus lupinam A dog is no deuourer of a dog nor the wolfe of a wolfe And yet in the war betwixt our King Lewes the French King he plaid the Apostata a rebel renegate reuoulting froÌ„ his King to another vncoÌ„stantly and perfidiously worthily called of Matthew Paris In Hypod. Neustriae per Thom. Walsing Proditor Regis Angliae Piratanequissimus being turned out of his coule into
for sundry graces and gifts to bee woondred at for all these good blessings of God by hir to vs to be honored Are there yet foolish frogs begging of the Romish Capitoline Iupiter either a blocke to crush them or a Storcke to deuoure them Though by Gods appointment the Oliue is content to be ouer vs with her fatnes the fig with her sweetenesse and the vine with her fruitfulnesse yet wee are not content to haue them but only Rhamnus or a bramble good for nothing but to burn and consume vs. English Iewes Are there yet remaining the Offpring of Iewes desiring a Saul for a Samuel Professing protesting Nolumus hunc regnare We wil not haue him raign ouer vs that cannot abide the title of Christs crosse Iesus of Nazareth King of Iewes Or can there be found yet an Esau that will say in his heart Gen. 27. The daies of mourning for my father will come shortlie then wil I slaie my brother Iacob I will make awaie with the mother of the Lande and the godly brethren too And must wee after the inuention yea the fruition of wheate and sweet corne returne with the old world ad glandes to Akornes as in the late time of Queene Marie The Religion published by her Maiesty offendeth them And can this Romish Religion being so stained with bloode as I haue declared please them Is there no remedy but to turn the blessing of the Prophet Esay by a contrary Text into a curse Esaâ—â—â— For our gould to receiue brasse For our siluer iron and for this gouernement of peace the tyranny of Exactours and Task-masters For remedy and some redresse against these bloud-suckers of Rome The â—sseâ— of the Sermons following and our rebellious mutiners at home I haue eft soones called to the memorie of our countrimen their duety towards God and their Prince and Country and then doubtlesse God wil be a Buckler and shielde to them and to vs all In this copulatiue An exhortation to a true vnity in this double dutifulnes towards God the Prince we must be ioined with a full consent altogether as one man or as the twinnes of Hippocrates who were sicke together and hadde their fits together and recouered together as Austine reciteth out of Cicero So we head and foote De ciuit Dei lib. 5. cap. 2. and al the body must consent in the true worship and seruice of God we al high and low with hart hand must agree in this duety towarde the Prince against all forreine or domesticall aduersaries These two dueties are recommeÌ„ded to vs by Ambrose This becommeth Christians to wish for the tranquillity of peace Ambrose Epist 33. and for the constancy in the faith and in the truth And in the same place Rogamus Ibidem Auguste non pugnamus We beseech O Emperour we fight not If wee deale thus duetifully towardes God and obediently towardes our Prince then will God mercifully and mightily defend both Prince and vs. No diuelish witchcraft no Ruffians dag or dagger no inuasion of forreiners no craft or art of any enemies no nor this seuen-headed beast shall annoy Prince Peare or People He can he will send twelue legions of Angels Matth. 26. Pohdâ—h 8. Hist Ang. Then shal be truly verified that which long a go was prophecied The Kingdome of Englande shal be the Kingdome of God and that God is alone must be the Protector King of it If our Prince and Nobles and Subiects wil sincerely serue him we shall haue the protection of our lord 1.5 in oraâ— cont 〈◊〉 Seruum Christi non custodia Corporalis sed Domini prouidentia sepire consueuit saith Ambrose No guard of men or bodies but the prouidence of the Lord is the hedge and defence of the seruants of Christ It may be for our sinnes that the great ships of Tharshis may come Ies 2. but vppon our repeÌ„tance De â—â—heneide soâ— Remora Pl. l. 9. c. 2â— God wil send Remoram euen a litle fishe that shall stay the shippes though vnder saile It may bee that some Load stone may drawe some Iron vpon vs but the Lord will prepare a Diamond that shal with stand the Load-stone Lib. 13. c. 4. that it shall not haue power to drawe any at all It may be that Catiline wil make a coniuration but god wil send one Cicero or other to espy it ouerthrow it Al the Traitors against Iulius Caesar within three years perished Sueâ—on in Julio Caesare som one way some an other way some by IudgmeÌ„t some with shippe wracke some in battell others with the same poinadoe wherewith Caesar was stricken none of them had a naturall death Calippus because he would stab in and sticke Dion his friend was stabbed and killed with the same dagger himselfe by his owne frinds This shal be the reward of al those that conspire against the Lordes annointed I haue troubled your honour with many words vttering my wishes to my countrimen and declaring to you the argument intreated of in these Sermons I haue displaied the new Monster lately receiued daily rising and raging against vs. And as in this generall diuision of Christendom euery nation and faction prouide their Armour And as your L. and the whole body of the right honorable Counsel make euery way a politick preparation and euery man seeketh his piece his furniture So I hauing no weapon but only my tongue and pen haue thought good in my calling after my weak simple sort to fight with the helpe of them both against this huge Monster and against all enimies When I beganne first to expound this Text of Scripture in Ianuarie last at Oxford and proceeded in it there and in some places of Hamptonshire ended it at London at the Crosse in May I little thought of printing it and so the matter out of my heade and almost out of my papers I fear my short and vnperfect notes haue brought foorth an vnperfect vntimely fruit Howesoeuer it is I must commit it now to the world and appeale to your Lordships patronage for it I had rather offend by this temerity and negligence than to incurre the suspicion of silence and neutrality knowing the danger and penalty of Solons lawe if in this common trouble Plutarcâ—â—â— Solone and turmoile I should shewe my selfe to be idle and of no part I am bold to offer to your Lordship as a poore scholasticall New-yeares-gift as a gratulation of your prosperous returne and as a smal signification of my bounden duty to you my very good Lord and a speciall Patrone of our Vniuersity and a friend of this cause which Dauid began and I haue rudely prosecuted and ended The Lord Iesus protect our noble Dauid your honor the honorable Counsaile the whole Realm graunt vnto vs all many good new-years to his glory and to the commodity comfort of his Church Amen Oxon.
factious mates Abishai yealdeth reasons that he may dee it The authority of God the opportunity of the time the possibility and easines of the fact for he saith God hath deliuered thine enimy into thyne hand this day and he saw both Saul and Abner and the people in a deadly sleepe and promiseth at one blow to destroy him but the others doe far differ from Abishai especially in the maner howe they doe it and in the causes why they doe it The manner is The manner of Traitors not only fiercely and forcibly to rise against man but most communelie and cunningly with sweete and faire words to commit this foule and filthy Act. The first murderer that euer was vsed this pleasant speach speaking to Abel as it is in the greeke text Brother let vs goe walke into the field but a good beginning in shewe brought an il ende according to that which is written by this our Dauid against his false familiar friend The woords of his mouth were softer theÌ„ butter Psa 55. yet war was in his hart his woordes were more gentle then oyle yet they were swordes And also by his Sonne Salomon A man that flattereth his neighbour Proue 29. spreadeth à net for his steppes This Cainicall course followed Absalom 2. Sam. 13. who inuiting his brother Amnon to a sheepe-shearing feast killed him When I read the Commission giuen by Absalom to his seruantes it seemeth to me that the Romish Absalom Pius Quintus speaketh against a Prince Smite kill feare not for haue not I commaunded you Be bould therefore Is not this a strange father of Peace an Absalom Likewise Ioab laid his net against Amasa 2. Sam. â—â— whom he tooke by the beard with the right hand to kisse and with his sworde priuily and traiterously smote him to death I omit Iudas the disciple and traitour of Christ and that with a kisse and with fair words Aue Rabbi Haile Master Luc. 22. This Iudas had two Schoole-masters Scribes and Pharisies but the chiefe was Satan who entred into him euen as these Papistical Traitors are not successours of Peter in this point but of Iudas and are schoole-fellowes with him It is not only Iudas his treasoÌ„ but a Turkish-trick against Christian PrÃnces and gouernours One Sarracene vsed this against Edward king of Britane or England It maie beè the Author meaneth Rich. To him ayding the Christians against the enemies of Christ came this fleeting fellow secretum colloquium ab eo petens requesting secret conference with him and striketh but after two woundes receiued the King laid handes vpon him and siue him Another Sarracens was suborned by the Sultan to kil Iames Lusignane king of Cyprus vnder the pretense of caryeng letters but he missed and was tormented for it These flattering traitours that with this courtly or rather crafty curtesie and Popish holy-water work this cruelty eyther by woords and insinuations or by presents and gifts or by deliuery of letters or messages or other waies vnder colour of friendshippe the more close they be the more crafty are they the more priny the more perilous for flattery is more hurtful then the most cruell poyson according to the verse Blanditi a plusquam dira venena nocent Wherefore it were to be wished that Princes and great personages would purge and clense their Courtes and houses of such that haue beene taught in the Schoole of Gnato to denye to double dissemble and by the lesson of Cato Saluta libenter seeke not to salute nor to saue but to slaie them Take the drosse from the siluer Prou. 25. and there shall bee made a precious vessell for the finer Take awie the wicked from the King and his throne shal be stablished in righteousnesse Out Dauid had his eies vpon the faithfull of the land that they might dwell with him and vpon them that malk in a perfect may that they might serue him There shall saith hee no deceitefull person dwell in my house Psal 101. Hee that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight This faithfulnes is first towardes God and then towardes the Princes and neighbours this deceitfulnes flattering glosing temporizing must needes offend God and man and therefore ought not to be regarded The example of Constantius as it is noted by Eusebius found out these vnconstaunt men-pleasers Lib. 1. de vita Conâ—â— tanquam Proditores Dei as traitours to God esteemed them vnworthy to be with an Emperour and determined they should be banished out of the Court for that they will neuer be true to Emperour who are found vnfaithfull towardes God Quomodo enim Imperatori fidem seruarent his qui erga Deum deprehensi sunt perfidie Because these fleering counterfaites are hardly found out therefore there needeth great circumspection in discerning and tryeng them and also earnest praier to God that he would giue vs the spirit of discretion by his prouidence to preserue vs from them Such discretioÌ„ this ConstaÌ„tius seemed to haue A Philosopher the nephew of Plato discreetly espied it who said vnto a flateterer Desine adulari nihil prosicis cùm te intelligaÌ„ Leaue off this flattering fauning for thou preuailst not I perceiue thee Praier also is needful as an old prouerb importeth Cui fidem adhibeo ab â—o me deus custodiat God keep me froÌ„ him in whoÌ„ I put my trust for the other I wil see to my self The effect of this is that the maner of dealing in these meÌ„ is worse theÌ„ the doing of Abishai You may see by this that al is not goulde that shineth like gould that euen Bees though they carry hony in their mouth yet may sting that Sirenes or Myrmaidens sing sweetly and haue their amiable entertainementes and allurements but otherwise bring Shipwracke to Mariners and therefore Vlysses gaue counsail to his Shipmen to stop their eares I wish al men to take heede of Scorpions though flattering in face yet pernicious in the taile the beginning may bee plausible the end clean coutrary The Crocodile whyneth and plaieth the Hypocrite but it is to catch and to kil The flattering Dragon the Diuel as Augustine termeth him is woorse than the roaring Lyon and this is the maner fashion of this new or rather ould rotten naughty world Now we are to consider the motiues causes perswading these men to enter into these high pointes of treacherous actions 2. Part. Causes of a reason passing the compasse of this Abishai There are many but I reduce them to these following Some men are led or rather missed by couetousnesse 1. Cause â—â—centiousâ—esse that is either desirous of liberty and impunity which is loosenes or else of gaine which is aiâ—arice or else of henour and dignity which is ambition In the time of the Emperour Henry the fourth certaine gentlemen not liking the bridle of discipline nor the restraint of their dissolutenes laid their heads together how they might rid that
shamefull fact of the father of Christians the Pope that set him a woorke to goe this voyage so vnchristianly vncharitably to betray him abroad and to inuade his countryes and dominions at home Dum Imperator oues Christi ne à lupo discerpantur ense suo tutatur as defendit Pontifex radit deglubit deuorat saginatas Hoc est enim verè pascere ones This is he that claimeth three Pasce Feede feed feede for his triple crown triple Regiment but of a feeder is become a sheep-biter yea a woolfe swallowing and deuouring the sheepe God blesse vs from such fleaing butcherly sheepe-hards Of these and such like Acts we may cry out with Cuspinian O integritas Romani Pontificis And againe In Frides ô scrinium pectoris sanctum This is the honesty of the Byshoppe of Rome This is the holy chest of his brest Thus the poore Emperours and Princes are made vassals and subiect to the check and censure yea to the slauery and slaughter of the Pope either by himself immediatly or by others his means and instrumentes How did Gregory the seuenth otherwise Hildebrand practise traiterously against Henry the fourth Varijs modis he did manie waies laie in wait to destroy him but especiallie once when the Emperour was at his deuotion in S. Maries Church at Rome Cardinal Bemâ—â— euen in that time and in that place this Pope from the top of the Church by a stone did minde to murder him and for that purpose had hyred a young Nouice to do the feyt but while hee was tempering his stone by the waight of it the bord brake he with his stone fel downe to the ground was brused dashed in peeces The citizens of Rome worthily incensed at it caused his foote to bee tied with a rope to be drawn through the streets of the city for the space of three daies Thus the Pope was disappointed and his conduict and hyred man condignely punished and the Emperour by God his prouidence mightily preserued This practise of theirs is principally wrought by themselues as you haue heard and sometimes by others their deputies by sword A double practise of Popeâ— by themselues and their Agents Jn Philog lâ—b 28. dag dagger poyson and so forth For the Pope hath his Popelings and Parasites more than euer had Gnato in his schoole of Flattery very like those clawebackes of whom R. Volaterrane reporteth to be among Sontiates a people of France whose king hath flatterers called by them in french Silodures by the Graecians Euolimi or rather by transposition of letters Euomili sweet-tounged men or fair-spoken men who alwaies cleaue to him hang on him follow him whithersoeuer he goeth do as he doth whether he laugh or weep apishly fashioning whatsoeuer he delighteth in if he lie they lie or if he dy they dy with him Euen so the Popes adherentes and Silodures are at his beck to go to run to flee to execute al his commaundements vpon any Prince in the world in such sort as he prescribeth I told you of Gregories slattering factour that brake his neck for his labour A Nouâ—â—â— the Popeâ— factour King Iohn by the Pope was excommunicated and released vpon this condition that hee and his successours the Kings of England should acknowledge themselues tributaries to the Bishop of Rome but afterward he was poisoned with confected wine in the Abby of Swinsheade by a Monke A Monke who perished with the King Henrie the Emperour the seuenth of that name or rather the sixt as I take it Carion l. 3. was poysoned by Paulinus a Friar A Friar corrupted by money Denarijs pluribus florenis at the receiuing of the Sacrament of whom thus it is written in certaine auncient rithmes Sic Satanae Archangelus Transformat se sicut Angelus Jn lib. Poemat Infector luculentus Post vitae alimoniam Dat mortis acrimoniam Amicus fraudulentus The same Henrie the sixt was called Lucemburgensis by Raph. Volaterrane In Anthropolog l. 23. and by Baptist Ignatius Lucelburgensis mentioning also of his poisoning in the Eucharist An other instrument was of late our Cardinal Pole the Popes penne-man A Cardinal who in his booke for the Supremacy of his great master the Byshop of Rome incited Charles the Emperour then preparing against the Turke to bende his force against his owne country of England and against his soueraigne Lorde King Henry the eight a Prince indeede of famous memory but by the opinion of Pole woorse then the Turke for these be his words In Anglia sparsum nunc est hoc semen vt vix à Turcico inter nosci queat idque anthoritate vnius coaluit Terming the good seed of Gods word sowen by the appointment of God Mat. 13. and spreade by Authority of the King in England to bee but a Turkish seede and worse then that for that the Turke doth compell no man as King Henry did when he commanded his subiects to renounce subiection to the Pope to yeeld it to their owne natural Prince I neede not speake of late hyrelings against the Prince of Orenge nor of the latter Mercenary men against our dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth by Pius Quintus and his successours Parrie and other hyrelings against Q. Elizabeth and al is as they bear men in hand for the Religion of the Catholick Church Such a Catholicke faith must be maintained by such Catholicke meanes namely by open rebellions priuie practises in a Catholicke and vniuersall manner that is by all vnlawfull meanes A peece a part of this religion is a Vow not of forced chastity but of voluntary cruelty which the Pope giueth presumptuously and the Popelings take foolishly Such there haue beene and such are among vs whome Ambrose reprooueth Saepe plerique constringunâ— seipsos iurisiurandi sacramento c. Offâ—â— lib. â— cap. 13. Religious votaries against Princes Can. 22. quaest 4. â— inter caeâ— Oftentimes the most part of men bind themselues with an oth and when they themselues knowe that it should not haue been promised yet they doe it in respect of their oth Is not their owne Law contrary to this Is not there forbidden euery oth that is the hande of iniquity And is it not an vniust band when wee sweare the spoile of Princely blood No man liketh the vow that Iepthe made seemed to keepe for the slaughter of his owne Daughter Iud. 11. Dura promissio acerbior solutio as Ambrose thinketh Lib. 3. c. 13. No wise man wil allowe the rash vowe perfourmed by Herode for the beheading of Iohn Baptist at the motiue of a dauncing damsel the Daughter of Herodias Matth. 14. neither yet the vowe of the Iewes Act. 23. who swore they would neither eat nor drinke til they had killed Paul And why shall our men bind themselues by a cruel oath and make a coÌ„science in obseruing it Ex Hidâ—râ— in Synoâ— In
treachery of her owne children as by their default Euen so our king Egilred or as others terme him Ethelred complaineth in an Oration in this sort Wee are ouercome of the Danes not with weapon or force of armes but with treason wrought by our owne people The cause is opened by Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis Pag. 396. that when the King and his Sonne Edmond were like to haue the vpper haÌ„d against Cneuto or Canutus the King of the Danes Edrike Traitour Eadricus plaied the traytour went about by sleight and subtilty and allured of the Kinges Nauy forty shippes and he slipped to Canutus and subiected himselfe to his dominion whereby west-Saxonie and the Mercians with their horses and artillery offered themselues to him Intimatum est Regi quod nisi cautius sibi prouideret ipse à Gente propria hostibus traderetur It was priuily told the King that if hee did not prouide for himselfe more warily hee should bee berraied into the handes of his enemies by his owne nation I signified before how King Edmond surnamed Ferreum Latus Iron-side at Oxford being at the Priuy on Saint Andrewes night was slaine by the Sonne of Eadrik through the fathers instigation the father after the fact coÌ„meth to Canutus with this salutatioÌ„ Aue Rex solus Matth. Westmona pag. 402. Polyd. Vir. Ang. Hist lib. 7. Hail O King alone but he heard this his rewarde by Canutus Ego te hodie ob tanti obsequij meritum cunctis regni proceribus reddam celsiorem For this your great seruice I wil exalt you set you higher than al the Peers of the realm Periury and perdition or treason had in this realme euermore according to their desert When King Edward the Confessour kept his solemnity of Easter at Winchester at dinner Earle Goodwine being burthened at the table with the treacherous murder of his brother Aelfredus Earle Goodwin added to the murther periury and desired of God as hee was true and iust that the morsell of bread which hee held in his hand might neuer passe his throate if his brother by himselfe or by his counsail at any time were neerer to death A terrible example against forswearing and any way further from life so putting the bread into his mouth with an il conscience was choked by it When the King sawe him pale and without breath Carry out saith he this dog Jn vita Edwardi Confessor this traytour bury him in the quadrangle for he is vnwoorthy to enioy Christian burial Another traytor in the time of Egilred or Ethelred was Elfrik who being made Lieutenant of the Kings army left his Master Elfrick and took part with the Danes vpon the suddain when he should haue discharged vpon the enemies of the King and the country Polyd. Vir. lib. 7. but afterward being Admiral of the Kinges Nauy and destitute of all hope of preferment with the enemy because he returned to the King craued pardon his punishment was mitigated for he saued his life with the losse only of his eies In the time of King Edwarde the first the Scots breaking peace which they had made to their liege Lorde King of England and conspiring nowe with the king of Fraunce partly because Iohn Beliol by the king of England was made their King one Thomas Turbeuile more acquainted with chiualry than honesty Th. Turbeuile plaid on both sides promising to the French-men that by treason they should possesse the Kingdome of England vppon condition to receiue a large summe of mony land leauing for assurance his two children as Hostages And so that deceiuer returning from beyond the Sea tolde the King of England another Parasiticall tale howe hee escaped hardly out of prison how he had learned the weaknesse of Fraunce But here a crooked Snake lurked hee caried poyson mingled with hony wherewith they that touched it might be infected creeping into fauour into the secret counsels of the Realm set down al in writing directed theÌ„ to the Prouost of Paris This fraude fact being opened by the prouidence of God who is wel called of the autor Exterminator impioruÌ„ The destroier of the wicked declared to the king he was immediatly by sergeants apprehended bound with cordes carried to iudgement accused and by his owne confession condemned First laid vpon an Ox hide drawen at horse tailes thorough London guarded with disguised tormentours baited at railed on by the way mocked was hanged his body vnburied the people passing by scornfully asking Mat. West in Edou 1. Is this Thomas Turbeuile Whose Epitaph a versifier wrote in this sort That Turbeuile was a troubler of the tranquillity quietnes of the Realme therefore hee that would bee an hoate burning sparkle was become a dead spark himselfe as in those rythmes may appeere at large whereof this is the beginning Turbat tranquilla clam Thomas turbida villa Qui quasi scintilla fuit accidit esse fauilla In the time of Edward the second Andrew Earle of Carlile Andreas Hartlee created Earle of Carlile at York sent by the King into Scotland to King Robert to intreat of Peace made another matter turned it into a message for war priuily fraudulently to compasse the destruction of his owne King This though contriued secretly yet it was certified to the King hee immediatly at his returne vpon the commandement of the King Polyd. Vir. Hist Ang. lib. 18. was attached taken by the guard so by by coÌ„uicted put to death Ita Andreas crucem sibi construxit ex qua penderet So Andrewe prepared for himselfe a Gallose to hang vpon made a rodde for his owne tasle In the time of Edwarde the third like conspiracies against the Prince had the like measure Polyd. l. 19. when Edmond Earle of Kent Roger Mortimer others were beheadded Thus you see exemplified by these traitors that which was by Lawes enacted as also by another example of an Italian indeuouring to betray Calice to the French An Itaâ—â—â— trick against Calice For when an English man had committed it vnto the Italian the French-man knowing the nature of that Nation to be most couetous of golde secretly dealt with him that he would sel the castle to him for twenty thousand crownes The Englishman being made priuy of this dissembleth all thinges driueth out the French and taketh them with them the principall cause of that treachery In the time of Richard the second there was a conspiracy of some Jn Epit. Frosardi lib. 1. Eccle. 10. Ansley and Carton that had in their mouth the Prouerbe of the Hebrues Woe be to the Land whose King is a Childe And of others euen in the court as of Iohn Ansley knight and of Hugh Carton minding with their complices to set vpon the King and to murder him although they two were enemies before yet in this made one agreeing too
old Oak a tree not of life to them but of death called by them the tree of Reformation The tree of Reformation but it was the tree of Absalom vppon the which Miles their Gunner and two of their false Prophets were executed for they trusted in vaine Prophecies which were partly vttered in these verses The country gnuffes Hob Dick Hick With clubs and clouted shoone Shal fil vp Dussin dale with bloode Of slaughtered bodies soone This prophecy was a dreame their captaine Ket crept into a corner but was openly put to death his other brethren were hanged in chaines the rest of meaner sort hearing the pardon proclaimed by an herauld of Armes cast downe their weapons and lifted vp their voices praying to God to preserue King Edward There brake out a new stur in Yorkshier In Yorkeshiere False Prophecies cause of rebellion by false prophecies by a fond misliking of the Kings proceeding But here also the captains that thought to raise a great flame and to set al on fier made but a smoke wherewith they were choked themselues namely a poore man William Ombler and a simple parish clerke Thomas Dale and such like All these ment vnhappily by extraordinary means to turn al the Lawes of God and ordinaunces of Princes topsie-turuie About that time of these rebellions wee had set foorth by the authority of the King to these rebels an Eloquent oration by a great learned man Sir Iohn Cheeke Schoolemaster to the King Sir I. Cheek grauely and pithily dehorting them from such vprores as contrary to Gods word the honour of a King and the safety of the comon-weale which in mine opinion would make any hard heart to melt These former and foolish attemptes in the beginning pernitious and tragicall in the end might haue persuaded our countrymen to haue learned by their fore-fathers to keepe themselues within their tedder compasse of obedience The Raign of Q. Elizabeth But alas our Soueraign Queen Elizabeth hath felt too much of their wilfull disobedience and they tasted somewhat of hir prouoked seuerity Wherefore did Thomas Pearcie Earle of NorthuÌ„berland Charles Earle of Westmerlande against the Lawes of God and man by forcible meanes set vp Masses burne Bibles and bookes of Communion Why did they rise themselues when they might haue been quiet And raise the people which should haue been taught obedience Let the death of the one and the miserable flight of the other the execution of Parson Plumtree at Duresme and of others hanged and beheaded at Knaues Mire not farre from Yorke be instructions and examples for subiects These and many mo cannot warne vs neither the history of Iohn Story prouidently caught beyond the Seas and trimly shipped into this lande and afterward iustly executed vpon a newe paire of Gallowes euen at this day commonly bearing his name Saunders li. 7. de visibili Monarchia Ann. 1566. neither the terrible end of Iohn Felton who vpon Corpus Christi day at London at the Bishoppes gate published the Declaratory sentence of Pius Quintus Pope making this Realme of England and the Queenes Maiesty a pray and a spoil to our neighbours and to al nations neither the beggerly and lamentable state of Iames Desmond neither of Iohn Desmond bearing himselfe too bould vpon an Agnus Dei and a ring sent from the Pope neither of Nicolas Saunders himself the rebellous preacher to the Irish-men Saunders and the rest in the end taken with a frensie these al while they bend the vttermost of their wittes and of their forces against the Maiesty of our Prince whom the Maiesty of God hath enthronized they al I say haue but knocked their heels against the prick spurned to their owne destruction and to the confusion of that Popish sect By these and manie others neither Campion nor the rest of the Iesuites new Incommers Campion other Iesuites and Inmates in this Realme coulde beware neither yet by them other new cutters and practisers could be warned neither yet to this day the people coulde bee taught or perswaded but that their holy fathers Buls and Decrees Declarations must be obeyed and that his waxe and his lead and his Pontifical presentes consecrated by his execrable authority may preserue exempt them from al daungers touch of our law hereafter from al perill punishment either in hel or in purgatory I am to passe ouer at this time other examples and ordinaunces of other countries adioyning to vs as of Flaunders and Fraunce which wee must differre till another time if God will In the meane time let vs aliena frui insania by the madnes of these men learne to bee wise as many of our predecessors both Princes and learned men of this Vniuersity haue doone and know that the Queenes Maiestie hath waded no farther in these causes than other Kinges of this Land who haue broken the yee before King Stephen perceiuing that Theobald Arch-Bishoppe of Caunterburie brought Popish laws from Rome into Englande by decree of Parliament condemneth them burned them as hurtful to a common weale Iohn Bale cent 2. in apeâ—â—lice as Iohn Sarisbury beareth witnes in his eight book and two twentith chapter of Polycrat King Richard the second also molested with Romish affaires and tyranny of the Pope in Parliament holden at Westminster decreed and enacted that it shoulde bee lawfull for no man for any cause to pleade before the Byshoppe of Rome Polyd. Vir. lib. 20. for excommunication of any English-man by his authoritie and if anie such commaundement came from him it shoulde not bee executed vpon paine of losse of all their gooddes and perpetuall imprisonment and therefore great marueile that any such sentence of excommunication from such a forreiner and vsurper against our gracious Prince shuld in these daies of more knowledge by our countrimen be either receiued or harkned to or feared You dearly beloued I hope wil not and that you may not take an example by old Oxford Studentes who could ne would like of a Bull of Gregory directed against Iohn Wicliffe and therefore are chidden of the Pope that would suffer cockle and darnel of his heresie to grow among pure wheat in the beutifull fieldes of their Vniuersity You may also cal to minde that are ancients the daies of Henry the eight and Edward the sixt and iustifie the thinges to be true which I haue alleadged and much more which might bee said to this purpose to the proofe of this argument of Dauid that whosoeuer laieth hand of the lords annointed shal not be accounted innocent but shal be plagued for it The Lord giue vs grace to haue this doctrine fixed and setled in our heartes and expressed in our liues To whom bee all honour c. 1. SAM 26. 9 And Dauid said to Abishai Destroy him not for who can laie his hande on the Lords annointed and bee guitlesse 10 Moreouer Dauid said As the
Lord ouerlooking all their actions nor fearing the haude of the Lorde striking al such actours dare in this manner aduenture any thing against theÌ„ so guarded armes with his protection And yet alwaies there haue bin such murmurers There were that muÌ„bled against Moses Exod. 〈◊〉 Who made thee Prince and iudge ouer vs There was a wicked Belial Sheba that blewe a Trumpet to sturre the people We haue no part in Dauid neither haue inheriance in the son of Ishai â— Sam. 20. There were that murmured against the seruaunts of God sent vnto them and beat some and killed others and stoned some others yea they saide Mat. 21. Let vs kill the heire All this winde shaketh no corne Triticum non rapit ventus Cyprian de simplicitate Praelatorum the winde carieth not away the wheat The annointed of the Lord remaiâ— neth stedfast be he good or be he had either he tarieth in his good pleasure or hee is taken away in his displeasure Saul is a sleepe and yet he is saued and God sâ— ruled Dauid and so bridles Abishai that the one would not and the other could not set vpon him beeing at his head O maruâ—â—â— oaâ—â— fulâ—iesse of our God ouer the gods of the earth yea â—â—godly gods With what proâ—â—â—eÌ„ce was Moses presâ—rued kept close for three mouthes Exo. 2. throwen into the water and yet drawen out â—â—tâ—d by Pharaoh and yet fostered by his daughterâ— oftentimes assâ—â—lted by Isâ—â—â—litâ—â— euer ready to stone him oftentimes murmured at and entried by AEgyptians Exo. 15.16 Num. 11.12.16 by Israelites and somewhat by his owne sister as wee may read in the booke of Exodus and in the booke of Numbers Our Dauid standing nowe in reuersion but afterward put in possession was euermore both a priuate and publick person kept safe because the Lord would haue it so The Lord saith he Psal 18. Psal 38. is my rock my fortresse They haue spred a net and they haue sought my life and yet this dead dog this little flea hath gods passeport and warrant for himselfe Psal 89. I haue found Dauid my seruaunt with my holy oile haue I annointed him therefore mine hand shall helpe him and mine arme shall strengthen him the enemy shal not oppresse him nor the wicked hurt him This comfortable warrant reacheth vnto all Princes that fear God It is recorded in an oration made at the request of Queen Elizabeth in Bonsinius his story of HuÌ„gary Dec. 3. lib. 4. We must vndoubtedly beleeue that al power is giuen to men of God who can withstand the wil of God Cyrus an infant was cast out of dores Romulus with Rhemus was cast into Tyber Seruius Tullius was borne of a seruant and captiue mother and yet they coulde not bee staied or stopped by any violence but that they must obtaine those Kingdomes to the which they were borne and predestinated The prouidence and predestination of God are vnchaungeable and vnmoueable both for comming to Principalities and for keeping their holds which is so certaine that neither force nor frand neither â—â—iue action of Diuels nor conspiration of men can breake or interrupt this appointed course of God Constantine the Great writeth vnto Sapor the King of the Persianes to be fauourable to Christians Soâ— lib. 2. cap. 15. assuring hin that God would be therfore merciful vnto him and that hee himselfe haâ— for his faith by the help of God subdued and subiected vnto himselfe the whole Empire of the Romanes Vulcatius Gallicanus God spake sometimes in the mouth of the heathen as of Antonine the Emperour saying Wee doe not so worship God nor so liue that Cassius a Traytour should ouercome vs. The assuraunce that was made vnto Vespasian in this doctrine of Prouidence was woonderfull when two noble men were conuiceed for conspiracy against him aspiring to the Empire he did nothing else but warne them that they should surcease affirming Principatum Fato dari Principality to bee giuen by the decree of God These men he did not onely famliarly admicte to his Supper but also the next day in the shewe and play of Fensers or sword-plaiers he set them for the â—once about him Sueton in Tit. Vesp and the or namentes weapons offered vnto him by the fighters he gaue to these aduersaries to bee looked vppon and handled of them no doube but assuring himselfe that they could not ne durst strike Saxo Grammaticus declareth how Canutus and Charles and diuers others went about to kil the King of Danes Waldemarus who both with others their complices beeing familiar in the court and neere vnto the King a person and one of them alone sometime with him attending vpon his chariot A nesaâ—â—â— confession of Gods proâ—â—dence its preseâ—â—â—inâ— Princes and many times hauing a coate of maile might haue sodenly dispatched him but hee by Gods prouidence alwaies by one meanes or other was preserued and as one of the conspiratours called Magnus in his examination confesseth that it was Non sorte humana sed diuina opera by no lucke or cunning of man but by the work of God and woÌ„dreth how he did escape being so many times and by so many waies intrapped And when the King asked him Sarc 〈◊〉 Danie l. 1â— whether hee did meane indeede to set vppon him and oppresse him he aunswered stoutely Nec animum sibi nec arma â—ihilque quod tanto fâ—einori attinuit excepth Deinutu defursse That there wanted nothing to him neither intent nor courage nor weapons nor any thing that pertained to such a wicked not but only gods beck assent In Flanders Count Lodowick Maleanus distressed by a rebell Arteualda of whose ende I spake of before and by some souldiors of Gaunt being of that conspiracy sought for he was hid by a woman in a poore bedde where her little children did ly This woman was woont to sitte at the Counte his gate for au almes one of the souldiours tooke a candle and looked narrowely in euery corner and after his search returneth to his fellowes and saith Let vs goe wee leese time here is none besides her little ones so as the author writeth this woman as another Rahab saued the Earle Ita sola voluntate Numinis seruatus Comes qui haec omnia nudiuit verba so by the onely will of God the Earle was saued Jac. Meyer lib. 13. Annal Fland. Chr. li. 20. and heard al these words God did also prouide marueilously for Charles the fift as Massae us witnesseth It is well knowen his owne courtiours sometimes by poyson sometimes by other treason went about to destroy him but the Lorde presented him King Henry the fourth him many conspiratours and this one â—aspituâ—y was most notable Hen. 4 King of England In the night when hee should goe to bed the enemies had laide there in the strawe a galthrop which had Th. Wal. three long sharpe pikes that when hee shoulde
for the other that they may be conuerted Their conuersion will bee the Popes destruction and a consolation for vs and for all the Godly Therefore O Lord so be it Say Lord Jesus Amen The totall Summe which I haue nowe spoken of in this latter argument The Conclusion compriseth these three pointes First the Popes owne Decrees and Constitutions which are sound Secondlie their owne breaches of the same which are manie The third their deserued end and iudgement which from time to time falleth vpon them sometimes by man and alwaies by God whom they doe grieuously offend The same God turne them or bridle them that we and our gouernours being deliuered from the handes of al our enemies may serue him in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our life who bee praised for euer and euer Amen 1. SAM 26. And Dauid said to Abishai Destroy him not for who laieth his hand on the Annointed of Iehoua and be guiltlesse THE FIFTH SERMON I HAVE cōfuted in the last sermon Abishai of Rome and al trayterous Remainstes by their owne Laws of Rome Canonical◠in name and indeede good Rules against al kind of murder I haue complained iustly of their irregular and vnruly rashnes in contemning and breaking their owne rules and making their owne will their law and rule I am now to speak to Englishmen and out of English laws and others A proofe of Dauids Reason out of English Lawes to admonish you Fathers Brethren and Countrimen in such ordinaunces and practises as come to my knowledge which I wish some learned Law yer would take in hande and better performe it In the meane time I exhort you which now by Gods onely goodnes securely dwell in the Land to think of your loyalty and to be more and more thankful A vertu the more to be exercised by vs al for that it is most rare very hard to be found in the world And a woride it is to see the worlde altogether grudging and spiting such Principall persons and Peeres as are excellently qualified Murmuring and vnthankefulnes against the best and haue infinitly well deserued of the common weale When Tully had defended by his eloquence Ch. Popilius in a doubtful cause much perplexed and hazarded and was by his meanes quitte and returned safe and sound to his country and neither in deede nor word hurt at any time by the said Tully yet he such was his vnkindnes Tully maketh request vnto Antonie that hee might be sent to cut his throat vpon the graunt he runneth to Caieta commaundeth his Orator to yeeld his throte and by and by cutteth off the head of the Romane Eloquence Lib. 5. the most noble right hand of peace neuer remēbring that he caried that head which had made an Oration for his head I report almost the very words of Valerius Maximus Lycurgus of whome Apollo gaue this Oracle Lycurgu◠that hee knew not whether hee should number him among men or among Gods was notwithstanding cast at with stones sometimes cast out with a publicke and popular rage and by Alcander had his eye put out and in the ende was driuen out of his country and in that cuntry where he had made enacted established many good Lawes Let vs not be Spartans churling and spurning against our Lycurgus nay our Christian Lawe-maker Let vs not bee vnthankfull Popilians to couet the heade of our Soueraigne who hath saued and preserued many heades Harken therefore welbeloued Countrimen to our own Lawes ould and new and afterward to other constitutions Examples abroad among our neighbours if occasion serueth An old Law was by Canutus Canutus Edgar Alured that he that railed onely against a publicke person Aluredus should haue his toung cut out If a man fought before the Kings counsailour or in the house of a counsailor hee was amerced and fined for it Jnas If in the court hee was amerced in his goods and whether he should dy or no it was in the Kings pleasure and discretiō Another Law of Alure du was That whosoeuer laid wait to kil trayterously the King either alone or accompanied with others Jn Archaeonomia hee should loose liuing and life The Law of King Aethelstane was that if a man wrought mischiefe against his lord it was a capital crime and the losse of his head Euen at that time as you may cōceaue by the premisses were lawes deuised not only to punish man-slaughter but woundes not only woundes but blowes not only blowes but words This Canutus as he was a good Law-maker so hee practised the same against Traytors euen against the traitours of Edmond King of England his enemy Fabian 6. c. 205. R. Holinsh lib. 7. who after the peace made betweene him and Canutus was trayterously slaine at Oxford as hee sate dooing his necessaries of nature And yet Canutus perswading his Countrymen the Danes to pay the tithes truely that ministers might be the better relieued was contrary to the Law shamefully murdered of them in Saint Albanes Church whereof more at large you may reade in Iac. Lib. 3. Am◠Meyer in the Chronicle of Flaunders In this and in other examples hereafter you shal finde to be true that against these blood-thirsty mē Sunt leges legum paenae Their be Lawes and penalties of Lawes not lawes as a sword hid in the scabbard but drawen out executed vpon them and also that there is no succour by Law or by dispensation for Lawe-breakers according to that saying in Lawe Lauxilium 37. ss Raphael Holinshed Frustralegum auxilium implorant qui in leges cōmittunt King Richard the first though a warrior and now marching towardes the holy Lande yet made Lawes among his souldiours against murderers that if it were cōmitted in the ship Rich. 1. he should be cast into the Sea with the corps if vpon the Land he should be bound with the dead body and buried quick with it And these cases were of smaler weight than treason cōmitted against great estates It is therefore prouided that a traytour should be halfe hanged and taken down aliue his bowels cast into the fier and in the end quartred if he were a male if a woman burned These Lawes notwithstanding Disobedience against the lawes yet the vnbridled and cruel Subiectes haue alwaies vnkindly and vnnaturally conspired against Prince and against their own country What inuasion hath there been in this Iland either by Iulius Caesar and the Romanes either by the Danes either by the Saxons either by the Normanes but by the vnthankful and gracelesse children of this our common Mother Gildas complaineth of the Britanes that they were conquered non armis not by battle but by their own slouthfulnes treachery and as Demosthenes accuseth his countrymen the Athenians Jn Olynthiacis that Philip King of Macedonia thriued and prospered not so much by his own strength England alwaies subdued by