Then should he take a Dose which charm'd his thought And did his senses bind without delay Then in a swound they richly him array'd And to the pleasant gardens him conuay'd There in short space his senses he enioy'd And all those obiects which his senses pleas'd His sight and touch by coynesse not annoy'd The fairest and the loueliest damzels seiz'd One day he did possesse his pleasures fill And all disports did sooth thiâ— straungers will But when the Sun drew to his westerne goale And made long shadowes as euen low things do In banquetting his wits and robes they stole Then Aladins castle he was brought vnto Where beeing wakened he began to thinke How he from heau'n was brought to Stigian brinke Then Aladine began with him to commune And told him that in Paradise he had beene Where he all ioyes for his true friends did summon That yet he had not halfe those pleasures seene Which if he would by faithfull seruice gaine This life expir'd he alwaies should obtaine This promise did so raise this captiues hart And others which thus fondly were abused That all did striue which first should act his part No dangerous action was by them refused If Aladin would kings or captaines kill They striu'd who first his pleasure should fulfill Thus was the Countie of Mountferrat slaine So was the valiant Duke of Tripoly These Richard Cordelions tent did staine With blood whome Aladine had mark't to die For so vaine hope of happinesse preuail'd That Kings in their pauilions they assail'd At length this crew of murtherers were beset By Scythians which Hayton had procur'd Which after many yeares their fort did get And since the world hath not such wrongs indur'd Till Rome to bloud her champions did intice With full assurance of like paradise For Rome can subiects from allegiance free And bind them to their kings when she shall please All must of heau'n or hell partakers be Of endlesse paines or of eternall ease As to the sea of Rome they stand affected And as Romes fauours are on them reflected To baulk the Laicke Papists still deluded With the opinion of antiquity Which do accompt the Protestants secluded From the true Church by their fond sophistrie Since Iesuites by name and power are great T is fittest of their vertues to intreat These are the Mercuries which are imploy'd In all commissions for the Romish state Their carriage of all offence is voide These cherish loue renouncing all debate These plead for kings or else they should so do For both their names and office tend thereto But from this scantling how their courses stray The heau'ns do see and earth too oft doth feele If Monarchies the highest did not sway The greatest kingdomes with their stormes would reele These raise the tempests of all discontent Which vertuous kings by fauour would preuent The Swecians king by slights they haue seduced Vnto the French they stabbers vile do prooue The English they to treason haue induced And serue as spies the Emperour to moue Their craft fits Spaine their faire speech Italie And Iesuits onely can that part supply Thus do the Sec'lar Priests of them report And those Italians which to them are neare Which plainely see their iuggling in such sort That trauellers of them this verdict heare That of the Romanes Clergie-men are worst And of the Clergie Iesuits most accurst Yet both their Popes and they farre off are fear'd And forraine nouices do them adore Whose consciences are with hot irons sear'd VVhose festred soules do still retaine the core VVhich as a plague will suddenly infect All those which trade with this inchanting sect Alexander the third that haughtie Pope VVhome Romans scorn'd and often did expell How did he Englands second Henry mope VVith thundring curse that he to penance fell Since when gainst Popes few kings durst once to striue Lest they their bane and mischiefe should contriue For by Tradition or fresh policie Where Popish practise hath a lawlesse range Such sauage massakers are rais'd hereby That Turkes and Pagans think the same most strange As Christ by miracle hath mariage grac'd So Rome by murders hath the same defac'd An hundred thousand Protestants were slaine When Bourbon and Valois were match't together A cloude brake then into that bloodie raine When they were most assur'd of fairest weather No aged sires nor infants at the brest Could be repriu'd from sudden deaths arrest If bloodie stratagemes should be rehears'd Which Rome hath plotted in each Christian land A Christian heart would with remorce be pierc'd And with the thought thereof amaz'd would stand That Popes which do themselues Christs Vicars call Should Christian lands with Iewish rage inthrall But if the Powder-plot shall be remembred By any one but of that damned crew How King Prince Nobles should haue bin dismembred With many friends which there the Miners knew When Englands gentrie and her choicest flower One hellish vault of sulphur should deuoure When Englands Church most neare the Primitiue Should there haue lost their reuerent Lords of note When skilfull Iudges iustice to deriue Should die by those which do on errors dote When many Curâ—ii must haue seru'd that lake Of which the child vnborne complaints should make If any one should recken halfe those woes Which did attend on that darke dismall act A world of miseries he should disclose More fit for Furies then for humane fact As feends with men ioyne hands to work mans ill So Rome with hell conspires to haue her will When those which wield the sword of iustice faile A Chaos of confusion soone will follow When feare of punishment doth not preuaile The greatest part will in prophanenesse wallow Such is the base ingratitude of man That rodds worke more then any fauour can There might a man haue seene the goodliest shew That worth or order could on earth present All turn'd to horror and the saddest view That euer eye could see or tongue could vent All had alike beene into peeces torne Their battered lims had diuerse wayes beene borne Where then my Iames where had thine ayerie beene Ordain'd to be the scourge of haughty Rome The royall tree and all the branches greene That tempest had o'reblowne in chiefest bloome No family could so the truth defend Gainst which so many sects their force did bend Of many families of high discent Whose Prince to Rome should haue beene sacrificed The Protestants their guide would most lament In preparation of their ayde surprised In mighty armies which with furie close The Generall lost makes passage for his foes How many thousands would haue mourned then Both for their King and for their chiefest friends Whilst Hell and Rome would send fourth gracelesse men Which for this fact would make this ill amends They would haue said their plot not then detected That heauen had Englands heresies corrected Who euer saw a towne well man'd assaulted When murdering shot was on the breaches bent When martiall men on euery side
THE VISION AND DISCOVRSE OF HENRY the seuenth Concerning the VNITIE OF Great BRITTAINE Diuided into foure Chapters 1. Containing an Introduction 2. Inducements to Vnitie 3. The policy deceit and mischieuous spite of the vnderminers hereof 4. The danger of Diuision Related by T.G. Seneca ad Nouatum lib. 1. deirâ— Beneficijs humana vita constat et concordia nec terrore sed amore muiuâ— in foedus auxiliumque commune constringitur AT LONDON Printed by G. Eld for Henry Fetherstone and are to be sold at the signe of the Rose in Paules Church-yard 1610. To the truly religious and resolute Gentlemen of England louing their Country and the Truth therein professed WOrthy Gentlemen which by your words actions or writings shew your selues worthy of so good a cause to you which loue vertue for vertues sake without any other collaterall respect to you which are the stationarie soldiers of this Kingdome contemning the thundering cannon of Romish excommunication and the crosse-battery of domesticall artillery to you next to the maine columnes of this state I dedicate this short Poem as an applause to your constancie and as a Perdu to giue notice of the motions of our Aduersaries The reasons vrging me thus to expose my selfe to an infinitie of censures are these First the variety of floting humors generally discontented Secondly the diligence of Romish Pirats to surprise them Thirdly the drousie security of these dangerous times Lastly the vnseasonable curiosity of Sectaries which like Archimedes seriously busie theÌ„selues in drawing circles whilst their Country is in danger These considerations haue beene the weights and plummets to set my poore inuention on worke to performe some dutifull office to the State in the perswasion of Vnitie the chiefest bond of peace and happinesse and the surest fortresse against a million of straglers which hope to prey vpon vs in our disorder and confusion The Clergie hath already done their most faithfull and most commendable deuoire many of whose bookes will neuer bee answered It remaines that vertuous Gentlemen hauing ioyned experience to their learning and valour to their experience should shew themselues in the first rankes to beat back the golden hopes of the Romish Alcumists Cum semiviro Comitatu Neuer did England inioy a King more iudicious in matters of Diuinitie then now it doth Neither was there euer a more happy proiector â—f the Vnion and Vnitie of these kingdomes then Henry the seauenth by giuing his eldest daughter the Lady Margaret in marriage to Iames the 4. King of Scotland The one maintaines the Truth with his own Pen beyond the performance of any christian King The other perswades Vnitie in the Truth by anothers report If mine indeuours herein may any way confirme the constant or stay the wauering from wronging themselues and others I shall be more then satisfied If the euent shall prooue otherwise yet sholl it not repent me Operam praebuisse reipublicae si nihil profituram at conaturam prodesse Now for the manner of writing in verse the ancient custome of Oracles and visions in this kind haue preuailed with me to make tender of my best performance herein And the incomparable Salust Lord of Bartasse hath of late so aduanced Poetry by his graue maiesticall and pleasing verse that I can neither feare the scorne of verse in generall nor the obiection in particular of the vnfitnesse thereof for this subiect being in his nature nothing so deepe as that diuine subiect of du Bartasse his Poem Besides it was the practise of Solon by Thales in pleasing rimes to giue the Athenians the wholsome pils of vertuous precepts Orpheus Linus Pythagoras Theognis did the like Amongst the Diuines Prudentius Sedulius Iuueneus Paulinus Lastly that Kingâ—y Diuine Poet which was after Gods owne heart did martiall his heauenly meditations in a kinde of primordiall verse And although the number of Ballad-mongers and frothy Poems strained for gaâ—ne to please the vulgar may seeme to impaire the reputation of the auntient Vates yet there is no question but that perspicuous verse well couched comprising much matter in a narrow roome full of Historie naturall Allegories fit similes and materiall obseruations shall alwayes winne respect in the most waâ—ward new-fangled age Not in this assurance Gentlemen do I recommend these lines vnto yâ—ur view but hoping that being Schollers yee will not misconster being generous yee will not carpe being loyall yee will not disallow my dutifull deuotion Eminent fortunes haue eminent place to shew their loyalty but priuat men must learne of Seneca In privato publicum negotium agere The vision and discourse of HENRY the seuenth concerning the vnitie of Great Britaine GReat Pompey in a iollitie did boast That if he did but stampe vpon the ground Such swarmes of friends would aid him from each coast That Caesars forces he should soone confound So great his fortune and his prowesse were That fatall dangers he could neuer feare But my poore Muse an humble pace must creepe â—or feare of waking swarmes of secret foes My muse some vnfrequented pathe must keepe Least some in ambush her weake force inclose When graues thrones of Princes are attempted How may a meaner fortune be exempted Thus far o're eeue my thoughts to verse aspir'd Intending Britaines concord for their theame When suddenly againe my muse retyr'd Not daring to indure bright Phoebus beame A poem which it selfe can scarce defend Can litle helpe to other causes lend Whilst I for Albions weale did thus take care Dame nature crau'd her due and clos'd mine eyes With heauie sleepe yet fancie would not spare To represent these stately prodigies Me thought I saw the person of a King Whom winged Cherubins to th' earth did bring His spangled mantle was of Azure hue With stars like heau'ns bestudded euery where Which did foreshew true wisdoms clearest view Of all those Kings which did the scepter beare His crowne was gold whose spires aloft were seene And by his side there stood his louely Queene Their left hands held the Roses white and red In whose defence were foure score Princes slaine Like Cadmus seed their bloud each other shed Till these by mariage were made one of twaine And afterward such peace there did insue That neuer since Mars could those broyles renew In their right hands they held a scutchin faire Wherein the picture of a King was drawne Which makes his forraine enemies despaire And for truths life his owne deare life doth pawne Who still with danger doth himselfe oppose Against his Churches and his countries foes They often view'd this picture with delight And to the same the King these words did vtter My sonne said he the sunne which clear'd the night Of Englands feares gainst whoÌ„ no claime durst mutter We ioy in heau'n that thou on earth doost raigne Which to the heau'ns so many soules wilt gaine For first thy drouping cleargie thou didst reare Which are the trumpets of
exalted Their bloud and liues for honours â—uerdon spent When walles and trenches were with men bestrewd Which with each others bloud themselues imbrew'd Who after this hath heard their friends bewayling Some their owne brethren some their fathers deare Some shedding teares for sonnes no whit preuailing Which were to them in bloud and loue most neare VVho hath this seene but one poore scaene hath seen Of Tragedies which had in England beene For siege of townes makes peace within their wals And cooles the heate of all intestine broyles All forraine warre vnto agreement cals That home-bred discord which all cities spoiles And though some worthie men do loose their liues In honours field their glorie daily thriues But if the Miners had their wish obtain'd And had the pillars of this state oreturn'd Great Britanie had of endlesse strife complained And had within it selfe like Aetna burned The best deseruer had beene as a groome Debar'd the honour of his auncients tombe Then might each wayward thought with ease perceiue The happinesse of awfull gouernement And that they do themselues of good bereaue Which lend their eares to causlesse discontent For busie heads like shaking palsies are Which alwaies moone yet all good motions marre When rich America the Spaniards got And of the Indians millions they had slaine T' was held to be the chiefe Iberian blot Which all her other actions there did staine For which they pleaded that they Pagans were And that their numbers iustly they did feare But why gainst Christians Christians should thus raue Not differing much in faiths foundations Why Romists should themselues like wolues behaue Like deuils to blow vp this famous nation The world can guesse no other cause but pride VVhich Popes by other colours seeke to hide Is this the Church whose Prelate Christ resembles VVhich was the mirror of humilitie Yet at our Sauiours voice each creature trembles But Popes though weake marre all tranquilitie VVhose artificiall wings heau'ns heat will melt Then shall they feele what others oft haue felt VVhat can blood-thirstie Rome pleade for defence VVhat brazen maske such horride facts can hide VVhat mint of treason may with this dispence This new-coin'd treason which lies open wide VVhat wretch for this dares frame Apologies VVhich beeing vie'wd yeelds such deformities Yet Romists do among themselues auow This ougly plot their Aladin to aduance For which they are as Saints exalted now VVhich cast those rebels into such a trance The Indians which deuils reuerence Of deu'lish minds giue not like euidence But Bellarmine doth flat deniall make For Tortus now is tortur'd out of ioynt That Iesuits of this plot did notice take That they were strangers in this treasons point That Garnet Ouldcorn Tesmund much did loath An act so vile which no pretext could cloath He writes that Garnet made a long oration Disclaiming th' act at 's execution VV'had Englands heresies in detestation Extolling Rome with constant resolution In whose approued faith he brauely died And so himselfe a worthy Saint he tried Such maine vntruths are fit for maine supporters Some Cardinall must countenance such lies Such will beare downe a thousand true reporters Transforming falshoods into verities These are Romes champions to maintaine a breach VVhich do maintaine that they may ouer-reach Their seuerall letters to their inward friends And to their loues without equiuocation Their owne confession testimonie lends Their hands approoue their iust examination And their consulting what was to be done When they had finish'd what they had begun All these proceedings doth the Cardinall know For many Romists did to Rome resort To shun iust rigor for that aimed blow And to the Pope to make a true report Yet for iniustice he would England blame And seekes to hide Romes neuer-dying shame And as for Garnet when his death drew neare Hee was perplexed with an inward care His words were few and by them did appeare An heauie burden which his conscience bare Thrise he crau'd pardon for his guiltinesse Which he before a thousand did confesse If Bellarmine Romes maister of defence Can finde no better warde for Romes disgrace Then to disprooue so great an audience And that all euidence he will out-face What shall men thinke of Romes inferiour rabble Which of vntruths so confidently babble When aged Beza dangerously was sick The Iesuits fain'd he made a recantation But when his health and pen bewray'd this trick A shamelesse slight must salue their reputation They said that Beza forg'd of them this lye To wrong them with reproch and infamie VVhen Henry Bourbon Paris did besiege And that the Citizens could not long hold out Rome to incourage them against their liege This strange miraculous accident gaue out That all his armie papall curse had blasted All had black faces and their power was wasted When first My Iames in England did arriue T' was nois'd by Iesuits that he did them loue He knew their worth and would their weale contriue And vnto Rome he would a fautor prooue There soone should be at least a toleration So soone as he did raigne o're th' English nation And now of late a rumor they haue spred That Antichrist in Babylon is borne VVith this report the credulous are fed To put away all Antichristian scorne And thogh such sleights may serue their turns awhile The wiser sort at such poore shifts do smile Romes absent fauorites in hand are borne That onely Popes giue Antidotes gainst sinne That she is like th'all-purging Vnicorne That she alone doth heau'ns conniuence winne That she hath workes of Supererrogation As in a treasure for each Christian nation That Rome is like Noes arke where all is well Without the same sinnes deluge will destroy That Rome hath charmes for all the strength of hell Her Clerkes are fiend-proofe scorning all annoy That Masses sung and Crucifixes worne The greatest rage of Lucifer do scorne Her exorcismes made in our Ladies name Do serue to prooue these maine conclusions But now the world perceiues this cunning frame And how poore souls are wrong'd by strange delusions Her fained miracles are now detected Her Alcumie is euery where suspected Her beaded prayers which the priests repeate A sacrifice of fooles where faith is wanting Her outward shewes without religious heate Can hardly keepe th'vnpartiall from recanting Shrift penance whippings but for maskes do serue To hide Licentiousnesse whilst Zeale doth sterue And aâ— for Purgatorie 't is a grinne To fright the ignorant and make them flie Vnto the Priests to haue a salue for sinne And that on Romane helpe they may relye For they which haue a liberall resolution From any fault shalt haue an absolution Such queint deuices help'd Romes clergie well When her base Caterpillers were neglected Then they inuented many a subtill spell Whereby they might the better be respected As lately Mylains priests deuisâ—d for gaine Our Ladies eyes with bloudy teares to staine T is strange to thinke what idle fopperies Do passe for currant where Rome domineeres
right with wrong contends 't is often seene The house of Lancaster gainst Yorke held out Till either house preseru'd but one poore sprout Rest rest in happines most happie soules Which did ingraft my York and Me in one Earth counts them fathers heau'n as heires inroules Those which preuent so many thousands mone Let others vaunt of victories in Fraunce True wisedome will this sacred knot aduance This mariage vnto England did procure Long peace good gouernement riches and renowne Warres lawes neglect and losse it did indure These were the weights which kept pore England down For all these mischiefes will that land disturbe Which peacefull lawes of concord do not courbe Too long I should Iehouah's presence loose Which in it selfe all happines containes If long discourse of Discord I should choose Or speake of halfe her selfe-inflicted paines Almost three thousand yeares this â—e did waile Whilst Britaines Peeres did Britaines Peeres assaile Both Wales and Scotland stood as lookers on Whilst bloudie Tragedies were on this stage Sometimes they tooke aduantage hereupon To shew the furie of a brothers rage But now their Vnion former hate must banish And all remembrance of old grudge must vanish My selfe haue Wales my Iames hath Scotland brought To ioyne with England in an endlesse loue The great Iehouah this for Britaines wrought That to themselues they should most faithfull prooue And that they should forbeare the least contempt Least from this league the heau'ns should them exeÌ„pt This is the act of Prouidence diuine Which hath decreed that this should be effected The world vnto such weaknesse doth decline That all had fail'd if this had beene neglected Such pride disdaine and enuie rules the hart That now the world must be maintain'd by Art Art Nature Heau'ns the elements and man Both home and forraine cares for Concord plead These all conclude do Romists what they can That slights no longer th' English shall mislead As iuggling trickes are nought when they are known So cunning slights when they abroad are blowne Let Henry Bourbon heire of Honours wreath Who forraine and domesticke iarres supprest Let him and th' other Henries death bequeath A warie caution to each loyall breast Oh let their blood a detestation breed Of Canibals which do on Princes feed Beware My Iames since thy great friend is slaine Who warn'd thee oft of daungers eminent Beware of Rome and others which would traine Thy royall thoughts vnto their priuate bent The Iuiâ— doth that tree of sappe bereaue To which by close embracements it doth cleaue But now me thinkes I heare high trumpets sound For some great good which t' England shall betide Her plaints in heau'nly parlament are found And right in earthly Sessions shall be tride This said he vanish'd promising supply When malecontents against this truth reply FINIS Errata pag. 12. in the Margent for creanto read creanti pag. 13. l. 27. for Artick read Artist pag. 15. l. 17. for maintaine read containe Polydâ— Virgiâ— hist. l◠〈◊〉 de q. cap. 1 â—arel in â—ife of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 cap 3 a Plutarch in the life of Pompey b Parsons and Tortus wronging the late Queene Elizabeth and King Iames. c Elizabeth the daughter of Edward the 4. d The arms of Yorke and Lancaster e Philip Conâ—â—â—es hist. lib. 4. cap. 7. f K. Iames. g Isa. cap. 58. â— h Math. 10.40 i Witnesse the writings of VVatson and the letter of Tresham k Henry the eight l Bartas in the 2. book of the 2. day of the 2. weeke m Ecclesiastes 4.12 England Scotland Ireland n Iustin. lib. 34. o In sreta um fluvij â—rruntâ—ing Acâ—id 1. p Mercurâ— Gollobelgi cus anno 1588.158 q Crefweâ— Andreas Philopateâ— r Iustin. l. 44. s Penitus toto diuisos orbe â—ritannos Virgil. Eglog 1. t Iesuits Seminaries with their perfidious adherents u In Venice x Hauing lost the far greatest part of Germany all the Northeast countries of DeÌ„marke Swethland great part of Poland Hungary the Lowe countries France y Angels z Prou. 8.15.16 Arist meteor lib. 2. cap 8 b Trinus in numero vnus in numine c August epist. 11â— d Psal. 19.6 e Psal. 48.6 f Arist. meteor lib. 2. cap. 4. g Micrâ—cosâ—os h Solomons song cap. 4. Plena deo similisqueâ—reanto Prudentius k Gen. 1.28 Psal. 4. l Psal. 104.2.19.22.23.24 m Oculus hominis anima animae ratio rationis relligio n 2. Cor. ca. 12.9 o Ex pacto non ex facto Bernard p 2. Corint 8.12 q Cyprian epist. 40. r Berosus s Quintus Curtius lib. 5. t Plutarch in â—he life of Theseus u Liui lib. 1 dec 1. Plutarch in thâ— life of Romulus x Tacitus lib 2 hist. cap. 15. x Plutarch the life of â—lexander â—odor Sic. â— 16. y Knowllesâ—n â—n the geneâ—all hist. of â—he Turkes z Theaâ— winc orbis de Turâ— â—mperio a Constantinople b Alexandria c Knowlâ— in the lifâ— of Amur the first d Nubi mens esâ— vinctaque fraenis vbi regâ— Boethi consola philosop lib. 1. mâ— â—he duke â—mmerâ—etter to â—ounâ—â—â— of 〈…〉 f Praesentiâ—bus semper insestalâ—uâ— tas Sen. de Tranq ca. g Hakluit Eng. voâ— vol 3. pag 〈◊〉 Mar de nouo 〈◊〉 pag. 1. Plutarch his life k Plutarch in his life l Moses m Deut. 34.6 n Num. 21.8.9 o 2. King 18 4. p Ioh. 3.14 q Mat. 11.28 r Dan. 12.3 s Tortura Torti pag. 361. t Mat. 27.45 u Lipsius de Romanorum machinis x VVatson y Tortus z Knowlles in the life of Baiazet the first a Machiauel Floren. hist. lib. 2. b Cic. offic lib. 1. c Plutarch in the life of Pyrrhus and Camillus c Paulus Venetus Knowls 〈◊〉 hist. of 〈◊〉 Turkes 〈◊〉 113. â—ellar de â—m Pont. â— 5. cap. 6. f Seductor Sweco Gaâ—lo ficaerius c. Carolus Molinaeuâ— Veritas poris fiâ—â— g Qua eximia plaerisque prclara videtur paâ—ua ducere for animi mnique ducdum est Cie Ofâ—ic lib. 1. h Boethius de cons. Pl. los. met 4. i Cic Orâ— pro Mare k Prou. 1 32. acquid aut replâ—tun Aclâ—ui at Epi. â—nmark m Mark 3.24 n Iosephus de hello Iudaico lib. 6. cap. 1. o Prouerb 18.19 p q Sixtus Quintus The ruine of Greece after Alexander r Iulius Câ—sar in the conspiracâ— of Brutus and Cassi. Plutarch the life of Iulius Cae◠〈◊〉 in life of man 〈…〉 hist. Sarazins Mamel Barbarie Russia u Imperator seruiebat orbis imperator militibuâ— Erasmi praefat in Sueton. u Taciâ— vita 〈◊〉 colâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—nry â— â—â—ffrey â—â—â—agenet