to take paines to hinder our peculiar damages for What man is there that hath a sheepe and if it fall on a Sabaoth day into a pit doth not lift it out In like maner it is lawfull to worke when there is an inundation or deluge of waters and also vpon vrgent necessitie to take vp a draught of fish which for that day being let alone would haue beene cast away More yet would I write if I feared not to be termed a gagling sophister as hauing alreadie discussed this question in my Commentaries vpon Persius I will therefore proceed to the next Of the duties of seruants towards their Masters Chap. 17. THe first dutie of seruants towardes their masters is that they be subiect vnto them e and please them in all things not answering againe nor replying although otherwhiles they know better what is to be done then their masters The second is that they be honest and faithfull vnto their masters and not as many now a-dayes do flatter cologue with them therby thinking to get some bootie The third duty of seruants is that they seeke their masters profit more thē their owne The fourth that they reueale not to others their masters secret affayres The fift that they defend their masters euen to the hazarding and losing of their liues The famous effect whereof appeared in that couragious seruant of Maurice Duke of Saxonie who of late yeeres seeing his master sodainely assaulted by certaine Turks that lay in ambush and cast from his horse couered him with his owne body valiantly repelled the enemie vntill certaine horsemen came and saued the Prince but died himselfe a little while after being hurt and wounded in euerie place of his body Finally to fill vp this discourse seruants must diligently and honestly guard their masters and their masters goods for They that keepe the figge tree shall enioy the fruite thereof and they that waite vpon their Masters shall come to honour The fourth Plant. Of the Acquisitiue facultie Chap. 18. NOw hauing sufficiently disputed of the chiefest parts of a familie I come to the last part that is to the acquisitiue or possessorie facultie wherof I find two kindes the one naturall the other artificiall The naturall consisteth in breeding of cattell in manuring of the groūd in hauking hunting fishing in spoyles and pillages both by sea land The artificiall way of getting lyeth in exchanging either ware for ware as of cloth for silkes of wool for graine or els of wares for money And againe those acquisitiue Arts bee disallowed which are loathed of men as the trade of Brokers huxters toll-gatherers bauds vsurers and ingraters Of which three last after my next discourie of money I wil God willing entreat Of money the chiefest part of the Acquisitiue facultie Chap. 19. MOney as Plinie writeth was coyned by King Seruius of Rome with the Image of a sheep and an oxe Others say that it was first inuēted at the siege of Troy But I find that money was many yeeres currant before the warres of Troy Abraham bought a field of Ephron the Hethite for foure hundred siluer sicles of money currant amōg Marchāts Which is of our money three and thirtie pound six shillings and eight pence Howbeit there is no vse of coyned money in sundry coūtries at this instāt In y e coūtry of Pretious Iohn salt goeth for money The Indians of Peru neuer made any account of money before the Spaniards robbed them of their gold Besides within these two hundred yeeres mony was verie scant heere in England for King Edward the fourth in the ciuill warres betwixt him and Henrie the sixt beeing on a time pursued by the Earle of Warwicke who then was turned to the contrarie side bought a ship in the yeere of our Lord 1461. for eight score nobles to saile into Ireland which price in those times was esteemed wonderfull deare Also in the yeere 1514. money coyned of leather was rise in this Realme Of which kinde of money my selfe haue seene of late aboue tenne bushels in an olde castle in Wales stamped as farre as I remember with the Duke of Lancasters Image For in those dayes certaine Dukes were licensed to coyne money So likewise wee reade that countie Palatines as Chester Durham and Ely could then giue pardons concerning the pleas of the crowne and send writs in their owne names In the Kingdome of Cathay money is yet neither of gold nor siluer nor of any other metall but onely of the barke of mulberie trees which is cut as well into sundrie small as great round peeces whereon they engraue the names of their countrie rating them as wee do ours according to their greatnesse smalnesse It is petie treason among them to employ any other money Sir Thomas Moore reporteth that his faigned Vtopians did make chamber-pots and other vesselles that serue for most vile vses of gold and siluer Moreouer he saith that they made great chaines fetters and giues wherein they tyed their bondmen of the very same metals and whosoeuer among them for any offence was infamous by his eares hung rings of gold about his necke was a chaine of gold Thus by all meanes possible they procured to haue gold and siluer among them in reproach and infamie And if wee Christians examine our selues somewhat more neere wee shall finde that money is one of the chiefest causes why so many felonies murthers treasons be committed and why the crie of the poore is so often come before the Lorde For this cause Plato the Diuine Philosopher saith that In a common-wealth well gouerned there should not any money bee vsed because it marreth good maners and maketh the mind of a man couetous and in satiable Of Bawdes Whether they ought to be suffered Chap. 20. ALthough I haue touched this infamous question in another Booke of mine yet notwithstanding I iudge it not amisse if I repaint the same with more breuitie in a more familiar tongue The first that instituted the filthie order of stewes was Venus who because shee alone would not seeme to bee a whore as hauing lyen with Mars Vulcā Mercurie Anchises and sundrie others appoynted in Cypres that women should prostitute themselues for money to all commers Which custome was renewed by the Popes who built most statelie houses for whores and ordained that they for the same should pay yeerely great summes of money There bee some men liuing that know how Pope Paul the third had aboue fortie thousand courtizans that paied him an infinite tribute The report goeth that Pope Clement the 8. that nowe is receiueth of euery baudy house in Rome yeerely a Iull that is twentie thousand duckets These Panders are to whorehunters as brokers to theeues They entice yong lasses with gaudy garments deceitfull promises to serue euery mans turne for gaine which done they teach these virgins their schoole-lessons namely to bring in swaggrers to outsweare a mā of his
they haue worshipped the goldeÌ„ calf Fourthly to giue counsel coÌ„cerning the present time of those things which are coÌ„prehended in the sences So Christ said vnto the disciples of Iohn Go and shew Iohn what things yee heare see The blind receiue their sight the halt do walke the lepers are clensed the deafe heare the dead are raised vp the poore receyue the Gospel Fiftly to foresee things to come to forewarne men of them as he that shall offend shall be bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Of Counsellours Chap. 24. SEuen things are required in a counsellour First the feare of God for he is the only authour of al good counsels Secondly experience in matters of policy Thirdly learning knowledge in the lawves For hardly will they bee infected with â—â—â—onious viâ—es whome learning hath purged Fourthly mildnesse Fiftly a couÌ„sellour must be naturally borne within that state where he gouerneth Sixtly he must be secrete lest he worke to himselfe the occasion of his owne death as the bishop of Setto did who because he reuealed to the French king that Cesar Borgias his master brought with him a Bull authentike ratified from the Pope his father for a diuorcement to the French king which hee dissembled was by the said Duke eftsoone poisoned Seuenthly a counsellour if it be possible ought to be of noble pareÌ„tage for they which haue more nobility haue more right in a coÌ„moÌ„wealth then the ignoble And euery one esteemeth nobility in his countrey as a thing very honourable seeing it is likely that the best parents should beget the best children and nobility is the vertue of the stock and race Of Parliaments Chap. 25. PArliaments are right necessary in a commonwealth without them the whole estate is mortified and sencelesse For euen as a man cannot liue without a soule so a commonwealth cannot liue without Parliaments By experience it is found out that they haue saued commonwealths froÌ„ ruine decay Greece had neuer so long flourished if the great counsell of the Amphictions first instituted by Amphiction the sonne of Deucalion had not beene holden twise a yeere in spring time and in Autumne at Delphos in the temple of Apollo which was seated in the heart of all Greece The counsel of Nicene hindred the proceedings of the Arrians and caused the true religion to be planted The ParliameÌ„ts of Germany where the Emperour and the seuen Electours meete haue preserued the state thereof from the intrusions of the Turkes So likewise the Aggregation of the Genowayes the Iourney or Diet of the Switzers the great councell of the Veneâ—ian Gentlemen the Diuan of the Turks the assembly of the states of Polonia the 7. councels of Spaine to wit the councell of Spaine of the low Countries of the Inquisition of the Indians of Italy of the order of saint Iohn of warre the meeting of the states of Fraunce and the parliament of England consisting of the Prince Baronrie and commonalty haue maintained their commonwealths more securely aswell from hostile as from domesticall enemies To hold a Parliament is when the Prince communicateth his affaires of importance with his subiects demaundeth subsidies of them taketh their aduice heareth their molestations prouideth for them reasonably The Iudges in our Parliament of EnglaÌ„d are the Prince the Lords spirituall and temporall and the commons represented by the Knights and Burgesses of euery shire and Borough towne The officers are the speakers the clarks and the committies The authour of this Parliament was king Henry the third induced thereunto as I suppose by his Barons who rebelling against him made England tributary to PaÌ„dolph the legat in the Popes name And doubtlesse the calling and holding of it is the chiefest meanes of all our welfares For in times past it appeased ciuill warres it deliuered the whole realme from the incursions of forraine enemies and maintained continuall warres abroad with the Scots and Frenchmen In a word this holding of parliament is the anchor of our whole comonwealth wherby it is set sure and stayed as a ship in the water Of Iudgements Chap. 26. IVdgemeÌ„t is that which is decreed by the Iudge not altogether dissenting froÌ„ the tenor of the law Of iudgements some be called ciuill some criminall but because our Ciuilians haue largely treated of them I will proceed to another diuision which makes most for our politique instruction Iudgements againe are either priuat or publique Ordinary or extraordinary Priuat iudgemeÌ„ts coÌ„cerne testaments successions mariages contracts wardships gardianships bondages prescriptions Publique iudgements are of grieuous offences against God and man as high treason petie treason murthers rapes felonies riot bribes forgeries and insurrections Ordinary iudgements are those which are executed by the Iudge according to the prescription of the law Extraordinary are called when the Iudge departing somewhat froÌ„ the rigour of the law iudgeth more mercifully according to his owne conscience The coÌ„mon vsuall forme of iudgement that is exercised here in England is by the great assise or by a quest of 12. men necessarily of that shire where the defendaÌ„t dwelleth These meÌ„ the sherife warneth to appeare vpoÌ„ pain of amercements And appearing vnlesse exceptions be made against theÌ„ they besworne to tell the truth of that issue or criminall cause according to their conscience and euidence or writings autheÌ„ticall laid before them Then these 12. men are shut vp in some roome hard by and kept by a bailiffe without any kind of sustenance fire or candle vntil al of them agree vpoÌ„ one verdict about the said issue or criminall cause This is our common order of iudgement There are likewise other formes whereby iudgement is giuen as by the parliament by combat and such like which are absolute and without appeale howbeit they be seldome vsed Of Iudges and their duty Chap. 27. IVdges must not goe astray from the right but discharge themselues pure innocent to God the prince the law They must not be corrupted with bribes and extorsion nor by other mens bra â—les hunt for a pray They must be men for their yeres very ripe in prudence iudgement and experience for their countenance seuere and graue for their parentage if it be possible renowmed aboue the residue of the people for their credit strong in opinioÌ„ with the common people * They must not pronounce sentence against the statutes of the realme or against the common law Neither must they condemne any man vpon suspition for better it is to suffer the guilty to escape vnpunished then to condemne an innocent They must neither be too seuere nor too remisse but they must determine circumspectly as the matter and necessities require Howbeit in light matters let them be somewhat addicted to lenity and in waighty affaires to seuerity being teÌ„pered with a meeke countenance And if they would needes remit penalties
power brused with a rod of iron and broken in peeces like a potters vessell yea himselfe shall be consumed with the spirit of Gods mouth and be abolished with the brightnes of his comming Of Iesuites Chap. 24. IGnatius a maimed souldier not for any feruency or zeale that he bare vnto a new austerity of life but feeling himselfe weake any longer to souldierize follow the warres communicated with diuers persons and among the rest with one Pasquier Brouet a man altogether vnlettered ignorāt of Diuinity These two together with their enchaunted cōplices to apply their title vnto their zeale named thēselues deuout persons of the society of Iesus And thereupon presented themselues vnto Pope Paul the 3. about the yere of our Lord 1540. This Pope permitted them to be called Iesuites but with this coūtermaund that they should not surpasse the number of threescore persons Thus for a time they satisfied themselues But within a while after they obtained greater priuiledges of Pope Paul the fourth which made their troublesome order like ill weedes to multiply a-pace and attempt many horrible things yea euen most wicked treason against the liues of high potentates and Princes as against our soueraigne Queene against the French king and diuers others In Portingal and India they termed themselues Apostles but in the yeere 1562. sundry of them were drowned by the iust iudgement of GOD. Who is so simple but hee vnderstandeth that they in naming themselues Iesuites do goe about to degrade the auncient Christians and blaspheme against GOD rather they should call themselues Ignatians and not bring in newfound orders This the Sorbonistes of Paris knew very wel when they doubted not about sixe yeers agoe to exhibite a bill in the Parliament against them What shall I write how they giue themselues altogether to be Machiauellians and vngodly Politicians how they hoord vp wealth how they possesse Earledoms and Lordships in Italy and Spaine and yet for all this they presume to entitle themselues of the society of Iesus O wretched caitifes O hellish heretiques◠the time will come when this outragious profession of yours shall be extinguished by the Sunne-shine of the true and Apostolicall doctrine as the Sorcerers rod was eaten vp by Aarons rod in the presence of Pharao The fift part Of Magnanimity Chap. 25. MAgnanimity is a vertue that consisteth in atchieuing of great exploits and is touched chiefly vpon eight occasions First a magnanimous man is he that wil neuer be induced to enterprise any dishonest point against any man no not against his vtter enemy Secondly he will chuse the meane rather then the extreame Thirdly he will tell his minde plainly without dissimulation Fourthly he will not respect what the common people speake of him nor will hee measure his actiōs according to their applauses Fiftly a magnanimous man though he should see all the world eagerly bent to fight and though hee should see euery thing round about him set on fire and almost consumed yet he notwithstanding through an assured confidence will remaine constant Sixtly a magnanimous man will withdraw his mind from worldly affaires lift it vp to the contemplation of great matters and in Gods law will he exercise himselfe day and night Seuenthly a magnanimous man wil scorne vices and forget iniuries Eightly he will speake nothing but wise and premeditated words according to that old saying A barking dog wil neuer proue good biter and the deepest riuers runne with least noise The auncient Christians of the primitiue Church were right examples of this vertue Magnanimity as they who had all the properties thereof imprinted in thē They I say who cheerefully gaue themselues to be massacred and tormented Like vnto these were our late English martyrs in Queene Maries daies who gladly in defence of the true religion yeelded themselues to fire and fagot For the vndoubted beleefe of triumph in heauen both diminished and tooke away the corporall griefe and replenished the mind with cheerfulnesse and ioy They knew mans lyfe to be but a bubble on the face of the earth They considered with themselues our miserable estate for assoone as wee are borne wee seeme to flourish for a small moment but straightway wee die and there is litle memorial left behind They knew Magnanimity to be the ornament of all the vertues Briefly they perswaded thēselues to see their sauiour Christ in heauen and euermore to dwell with him These these be the duties of magnanimous men which whosoeuer do couet to embrace shall at last attaine to euerlasting happines Obiection All scornefull men are wicked magnanimous men are scornefull therfore they are wicked Aunswere There bee two sortes of scornefull men That scorne mens persons and they are wicked That scorne vices they are good after which maner magnanimous or great-minded men do scorne insolent men dastardes by reason of their pride and cowardize Of Ambition Chap. 26. IN ambition there be fiue mischiefes The first is that causeth a man neither to abide a superiour nor an equall The secōd an ambitious man by attributing honour vnto himselfe goeth about to defraud God of his due The 3. plague in ambition is that it considereth not what hath chaunced to such as exercised it Lodowicke Sforcia vncle to Iohn Galeaze Duke of Millan whom he poysoned was one of the most ambitious men in the world but yet for all his Italian trickes he was at last in the yeere 1510. taken captiue by the French King and put in prison where he continued till hee died Cardinall Wolsey likewise here in England may serue for a patterne of ambition who beyng preferred by King Henry the eight her maiesties Father would notwithstanding haue exalted himselfe aboue the King for which his intolerable ambition his goods were cōfiscated and himselfe apprehended The fourth mischiefe in ambition is that hee hunteth after false and deceitfull glory and thinkes it a faire thing to be pointed at with the finger and to be talked of This is he The fift an ambitious man waigheth not his owne frayelty and weaknesse Remedies against ambition Chap. 27. THe forward horse is not holden back without foaming and shewing his fury The streame that rūneth is not staied contrary to the course thereof without making a noise the ambitious man is not reclaimed frō his aspiring thoughts without good and wholesome admonitions I will neuerthelesse as well as I can endeuour to cure him of his cankered malady First let the ambitious man consider whereof he is made namely of dust ashes Secondly he must diligently goe to heare Sermons and read the holy Bible Thirdly he must thinke vpon the wauering actions of fortune how she taketh frō one that which she trāsferreth on another and how she respecteth not the equity of causes nor y ◠merits of persons but maketh her fancy the measure of her affections Fourthly let the ambitious haue a regard whether hee be commēded of wise men
fathers vertues but liued wickedly should be disinherited their reuenewes giuen to the most vertuous of that race not admitting any vitious heyre whatsoeuer The properties of a Gentleman Chap. 15. THe meanes to discerne a Gentleman bee these First hee must bee affable and courteous in speech and behauiour Secondly hee must haue an aduenturous heart to fight and that but for verie iust quarrels Thirdly hee must bee endued with mercie to forgiue the trespasses of his friendes and seruants Fourthly hee must stretch his purse to giue liberally vnto souldiours and vnto them that haue neede for a niggard is not worthie to bee called a Gentleman These bee the properties of a Gentleman which whosoeuer lacketh deserueth but the title of a clowne or of a countrie boore In breefe it fareth with Gentlemen as it doth with wine which ought to haue foure good qualities namely it must not taste of the Caske next it must sauour of a good soyle Thirdly it must haue a good colour Last of all it must sauour of the goodnes of the grape and not bee sophistically mingled with water and such like That Gentlemen must not greatly respect what the common people speake of them Chap. 16. THe common people groūd their actions vpō fallible expectations they are stout when perils bee farre off and very irresolute when they approach Who therefore is so brainesicke as to beleeue their assertions What else is glorie then a windie gale neuer comming from the heart but onely from the lungs They that be praysed vnworthily ought to bee ashamed of their praise Admit they bee iustly praised what thing more hath it augmented to the conscience of a wise man that measureth not his good by the rumour of the common people but by the trueth of the conscience For which cause the Romanes built two temples ioyning together the one being dedicated to vertue the other to honour but yet in such sort that no man could enter into that of honour except first hee passed through the temple of vertue Honor as the Philosopher sayth is a reuerence giuen to another for a testimonie of his vertue Insomuch as honor is not attributed to vertue by dignitie but rather it is attributed to dignity by vertue of them that vse the dignitie Howbeit notwithstanding I haue not such horny heart-strings that I would not at al haue mē to be praysed but my meaning is that Gentlemen should obserue a meane and a limitation in their common applauses and fine soothings For to bee altogether carelesse as Stoykes Cynicks would haue euerie one to be what men think of thē is not onely a marke of arrogancy but also a token of a loose life Wherefore gentlemen must endeuour by al meanes without vain-glory to keep a good name especially among their neighbors to beare themselues such men indeede as they would haue al men account thē Wherto accordeth that saying of the Poet Thou shalt liue well if thou takest care to be such a one as thou hearest how the people testifie of thee abroad Of Knights of honour Chap. 17. THose I call knights of honour who here in England are named Knights of the Garter and in France Knights of the order of saint Michael The original of the honorable order of the Garter was first inuented after this maner Whē K. Edward the third had by the means of Edward the blacke Prince his sonne taken captiues King Iohn of France and King Dauid of Scotland and had put them both in ward at London and also had expelled King Henrie the bastard of Spaine restoring the Kingdome to Peter the lawfull King then he to honor and grace his victories deuised an honourable fellowship and made choyse of the most famous persons for vertue and honoured them with this order giuing thē a garter adorned with gold and pretious stones together with a buckle of gold to weare onely on the left legge Of which order hee and his successors Kings and Queenes of England should be soueraigne and the rest by certaine lawes among themselues should bee taken as brethren and fellowes in that order to the number of sixe and twentie And this breefely touching the inuention and authour of the honourable order of Knights here in England Now I will addresse my pen to write of the honourable order in France King Lewes the eleuenth of France after he had made peace with his peeres whom in the beginning of his raigne he had excluded from his presence inuented at Amboise in the yeere of our Lord 1469. a societie of honour consisting of sixe and thirtie Noblemen and named Saint Michael Patron of them euen as the English knights had deuoted themselues to the tuition of Saint George giuing ot each of them a golden chaine of the value of two hundred pound which they were bound to weare daily not to bestow sell or gage the same as long as they liued if any one of them chanced to die forthwith there was an election to dubbe another in his roome not by voyces but by litle scrowles turned together in the forme of balles the which they did cast into a bason and the Lord Chauncelour was to reckon them Then he that had most balles on his side was admitted to the societie the King speaking these words The honourable societie do accept of thee as their brother and in regard of their good wil to thee-wards do bestow this golden chaine on thee God grāt thou maist long weare it When the King had spoken these words hee gaue him a kisse on the right cheek This is the custome of dubbing kinghts of the order of Saint Michael Also there be other orders of knights in Christendome as the kinghts of the golden Fleece knights of the Bathe knights of the patent deuised by y e Pope and knights of the Rhodes But because the rehearfall of them are not much appertaining to our purpose I cease to treate further of them Of Citizens Chap. 18. HE that first inuented a citie was the cause of much good The which praise some attribute vnto eloquent men Some to Saturne And others to Orpheus and Amphion For in the beginning of the world people liued barbarously like vnto bruit beasts and the nature of man was such that they not hauing eyther the law naturall or ciuill prescribed rogued vp and downe dispersed in the world possessed nothing except that which by force they tooke away from others til there arose some notable men both in wisedome and valour who knowing howe it was to instruct man assembled all of them into one place ordamed a Citie and enuironed them round about with walles Further Citizens in generall are they that liue vnder the same lawes and soueraigne magistrates But Citizens particularly are they that are free-men do dwel in Cities and boroughs or corporated townes Generally in the shire they be of no account saue onely in the Parliament to
Peter Thy money perish with thee because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obtained with money Simony may be coÌ„mitted three maner of waâ—es First whosoeuer selleth or buyeth the word of God is a Simonist Wherefore the Lord said vnto his disciples Freely you haue receyued freely giue Secondly hee that giueth or taketh any thing for a Bishopricke Benefice Headship or for a fellowes or Scholers roome is guilty of Simony Thirdly The Minister that denieth to bury the dead or say Diuine seruice committeth Simony Now hauing declared how many waies Simony is committed I wil shew that it is the vtter ruine of the Cleargie and consequently of the whole commonwealth First Simony is condemned with excommunication the seuerest censure of the Church and therfore odious Secondly Simony hindreth house-keeping so that ministers cannot distribute almes Thirdly it breedeth the desolation and destruction of the state For commonly there ensueth a dissolution of the commonwealth when the fruits 〈◊〉 reueneâ—es therof are decreased Fourthly Simony discourageth parents to send their sonnes to the Vniuersity for what parents bee so foolish as to bestow in maintenaunce of their sonnes at least three hundred pound before they attayne to perfection and then to pay againe two hundred pouÌ„d for a benefice or foure hundred pound for a Chauncelorship surely it is a lamentable case I had rather saith one that my sonne be a colier then a scholer For what shall I put my sonne to schoole when he shall pay so much for a liuing Better it is for me to leaue my sonne an ingram foole then to buy him a liuing through vnlawfull meanes Besides who is so bluntish that knoweth not the great infinite labours of Scholers that seeth not their eyes weakned their bodies empaired which is worse their spirites decaied O stony hearts O wicked Simonists Doubtlesse this abomination portends some great calamity to follow Lastly Simony is an heresie and for that respect it ought to be reiected from all true Christians To wind this vp in a word I wish all Pastours and patrons of benefices and Chancelourships to looke more narrowly vnto themselues and to stand in feare of God who vndoubtedly is offended with their Simony and will one day requite the slacknes of their punishments with the weight thereof wil cast them downe headlong into the bottomlesse and tormenting pit of hell where euery sence of their bodies shall abide his peculiar punishment Their eyes shall haue no other obiects then Diuels and Snakes their eares shall bee afflicted with clamours and howlings their noses with brimstone and filthy smels their tast with poison and gall and their feeling shal be vexed continually with boyling lead and firy flames The sixt Plant. Of the alteration of a common-wealth Chap. 52. COmmonwealths euen as mortall men haue their infaÌ„cy childhood stripling age youth virility middle age and old age that is they haue their beginning vegetation flourishing alteration and ends And like as diuers innouations maladies do happen to meÌ„ according to the coÌ„stitutioÌ„ of their bodies or according to their diet and education so in like maner it falleth out with commonwealths as being altered eyther by domesticall ciuill wars or els by forreyne or perhaps by both together or by the death of the noblest inhabitaunts or to bee briefe by vices which are suffred to creepe in It is necessary that all things which are in this world should waxe old and hasten to the same end some sooner others later according to the will of God their Creatour and by his permission through the influence of the heauenly bodies from which this mutuall succession of life and death issueth Howbeit notwithstaÌ„ding I confesse that prodigious signes are not the causes of euents but rather foretokens of them Like as an Iuy bush put forth at a vintrie is not the cause of the wine but a signe that wine is to be sold there so likewise if wee see smoke appearing in a chimney wee know that fire is there albeit the smoke is not the cause of the fire God onely chaungeth the tymes and seasons hee discouereth the deepe and secret things and the light is with him The effects of all the Cometes and the chiefest Eclipses which hapned in this last age Chap. 53. FOrasmuch as the alterations of commoÌ„wealths are for the most part foreshewed vnto vs by heauenly signes I iudge it more meet for mee to declare those which chaunced within this last age rather then in any other especially for that they are neerer to our fathers memories and also more familiar vnto vs. In the yeere of our Lord 1500. there appeared a Comet in the North after the which followed many and straunge effects For the Frenchmen assaulted the kingdome of Naples the Tartarians the kingdome of Polonia Then was a great famine in Swethland and a cruell plague throughout al Germany besides ciuill warres amongst themselues in taking part with the Bauarians against the Bohemians TheÌ„ died Pope Pius the 3. together with the Archbishop of Treâ—ires and diuers other famous wights In the yeere 1506. appeared another Comet Whereupon died Prince Philip the father of Charles the fift and Ferdinand afterward Emperours Maximilian the Emperour made warre with the Frenchmen and Venetians In the yeere 1514. was an Eclipse of the sunne About which time George Duke of Saxony inuaded and spoyled FrizelaÌ„d King Lewis the 12. of FrauÌ„ce and Vladislaus king of Hungary Bohemia departed out of this world In the yeere 1518. was seene another Eclipse of the sunne Immediatly after the which died the Emperour Maximilian the first Christierne the 2. king of Denmarke fought a most bloudy battell with the Swethens within a while after he was deposed of his kingdome In the yeere 1527. appeared a great Comet the operation wherof the poorâ— Hungarians felt as being barbarously to the shame of all Christians martyred destroyed by the Turkes The prodigious disease of sweating was rife here in England The riuer Tiber ouerflowed the citie of Rome The sea also consumed away a great part of the low countries In the yeere of our Lord 1533. waâ— seene another blazing starre whereupoÌ„ a litle while after king H. y â— 8. was diuorced froÌ„ his brothers wife The sect of the Anabaptists begaÌ„ to rise Pope Clement the 7. departed out of this life and Pope Paul the 3. was inuested in his roome In the yeere 1539. chaunced an Eclipse of the sunne presently after appeared a Comet the effects wherof were many For there was a great coÌ„motioÌ„ in GauÌ„t which the Emperour not without much damage at leÌ„gth appeased took away their priuileges froÌ„ them Iohn the K. of Hungary ended his life And so did Henry Duke of Saxony The Duke of Brunswisk was by the young Duke of Saxony and by the Landgraue of Hassia driuen out of his countrey The English ouercame
reasons First that they might remember th◠creation of the world for in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth and all that therein is and rested the seuenth day Secondly that they might assemble together gratefully thanke his diuine maiesty for his daily blessing powred down vpon them Thirdly that they might recreat refresh and repose themselues to th' end they might labour the next week more aptly Fourthly the Sabaoth is to be obserued by reason it is the seuenth day which number containeth great and hidden mysteries The skie is gouerned by seuen Planets The reuolutiō of time is accomplished in seuen dayes which wee call weekes God commaunded Noah to take into his arke cleane beasts fowle by seuens Pharaoh dreamed that he saw seuen fat kine and seuen leane Dauid deliuered seuen of Sauls sonnes to the Gibeonites to be hanged Christ being termed the first stone of God hath seuē eyes Seuen thousand men did God reserue that neuer bowed their knees to Baal Zachariah in a vision saw a candlesticke of gold with a bowle vpon the top of it and seuen lampes therein and seuen pipes to the lampes Iob had seuen sonnes Seuen Angels go forth before God Neither were the seuen brethren whom Antiochus put to death voyd of a mystery S. Iohn in the Reuelation sawe seuen golden Candlestickes and in the middest of them the Sonne of man hauing in his right hand seuen starres Moreouer he saw the opening of the seuenth seale and the seuen Angels which stood before the Lord to whome were giuen seuen trumpets The Antichrist is prophesied to sit vpon a scarlet coloured beast which hath◠seuen heads By which as all true Christians be perswaded the Pope and his Cardinals attired in Scarlet his seuen hilled city of Rome are meant What more shall I write of the worthinesse of this seuēfold number mans life goeth by seuens named climactericall yeers which Macrobius hath well obserued Sith therefore it hath pleased God so to esteeme of this number let vs Christians honour the same as fearing the scourage of the commaunder It was ordained by a good and godly act made in y e parliament of Scotlād in the yeere of our Lord 1512. being the one and twentieth yeere of the raigne of Iames the fourth that no markets nor fayres should be holden on the Sabaoth day Which act King Iames the sixt that nowe is by the consent of his three estates ratified and approoued in the Parliament holden in the yeere 1579. cōdemning the breakers of the Sabaoth to forfeit all their moueables to the vse of the poore within that parish where they dwelt It was likewise there enacted that no handy-work should be vsed on y t Sabaoth nor any gaming playing passing to Tauernes nor wilfull remaining from prayer and Sermons should bee in any case exercised vnder the penalties following to wit of euerie man for his labouring as often as he was taken in the fact ten shillings and of euerie person for gaming playing passing to Tauernes and wilfull remaining from praier and Sermons on the sunday twentie shillings to bee presently payed and imployed to the releefe of the poore in their parish I could wish that some speedy good order were taken here in Englād for the breakers of the Sabaoth For many now a-dayes hauing beene idle all the weeke before doe of set contumacie labour that day in despight of the Lord his Sabaoth Some frō morning to euening do nothing els but play at dice or tables swearing staring at the least crosse of fortune Others againe be delighted with reading of pāphlets louebooks ballads such like neuer once so deuout as to name God vnlesse shamefully abusing him Oh how oftē do they vse on that day vnseemly speeches the very Turks I feare me go beyond them in deuotion For they duly on their festiual daies resort to their Churches neuer once gazing or looking aside as long as seruice lasteth The seruice being ended they go home each mā to his house inuiting humbly beseeching the priests to beare them cōpany with whō they questiō touching diuine matters not by carping nicking nipping but with pure simplicity feruent care wheras many of vs Christians contrariwise do openly prophane not only holidaies but also the Lords day yet they terme themselues Christians Christiās O coūterfeit Christiās worse thē Painims Me thinks if nothing else could moue you yet the daily myraculous punishments inflicted on such prophane persons as you bee should bee a terrible warning for you At Kinstat a towne in France dwelled a certain couetous woman about fortie yeres ago who was so eager in gathering together worldly pelfe that shee would neither frequent the church to heare the word of God on sunday her selfe nor yet permit any of her familie to do it but alway toyled about pilling and drying of flaxe neither would shee bee disswaded by her neighbours frō such an vnseasonable work One sunday as she was thus busied fire seemed to fall downe among the flaxe without doing any hurt The next sunday it tooke fire indeed but was soone quenched For all this shee continued forwarde in her worke euen the third Sunday when the flaxe againe taking fire could not be extinguished till it had burnt her two of her childrē to death for though they were recouered out of the fire aliue yet y e next day they all 3. died that which was most to be wondred at a yong infant in the Cradle was taken out of the midst of the flame without any hurt Thus God punisheth the breakers of y e sabaoth Famous is that example which chanced neere London in the yeere of our Lord 1583. on the thirteenth day of Ianuarie being Sunday at Paris garden where there met together as they were wont an infinite number of people to see the beare-baiting without any regard of that high day But in the middest of their sports all the scaffolds and galleries sodainely fell downe in such wise that two hundred persons were crushed well nigh to death besides eight that were killed forthwith In the yeere of our Lord 1589. I being as then but a boy do remember that an Alewife making no exception of dayes would needes brue vpon Saint Markes day but loe the maruailous worke of God whiles she was thus laboring the top of the chimney tooke fire and before it could bee quenched her house was quite burnt Surely a gentle warning to them that violate and prophane forbidden dayes Notwithstanding I am not so straight laced that I would not haue any labour done on Sundayes and holy dayes For I confesse It is lawfull to fight in our countries defence on any daie It is lawfull to enter into the bath and it is lawfull for Phisicians and Apothecaries to temper and prepare medicines for the sicke and for cookes to dresse meate for our sustenance It is lawfull for vs
when the Prince winketh at the cosonages of magistrates and Lawyers and permitteth some of the richer sort to enclose commons and to rake their inferiors out of measure Of Treason Chap. 55. TReason bringeth no lesse danger and hurt to men then Loyaltie doth profit and felicitie for it is farre easier to vanquish a knowne foe then to subdue a traitour and a priuie conspiratour This wicked monster in time of warre worketh more scath and damage then all artilleries Howbeit hee neuer enioyeth his promised hire but is at last cruelly punished As for example the great Turke in the yeere of our Lord 1400. hauing taken Constantinople through the treason of Iohn Iustinian a Genoway whō after he had made King according to his promise caused his head to bee chopt off within three dayes To approch neerer our owne time let vs bethinke with our selues the mercifull prouidence of God in discouering the hainous treasons pretended against our dread soueraigne Queen Elizabeth Of late yeeres namely in the yeere 1588. what befell to Tilney Sauage Babington and the rest of their cursed complices were they not all executed brought to confusion Likewise Doctour Lopouze the Queenes Phisicion who had poysoned sundry Noblemen of this Realme and by the Spanish Kings procurement went about to poyson the Queene her selfe had he not in the yere 1594. his deserued punishment Euen so the last yeere one Squire by the instigation of a Spanish Frier going about to do away her Maiestie was surprized in his treason and executed to the terrour of all such diuelish traitours Be therefore better admonished yee wauering men let the example of such as were executed terrifie your minds from rebellious attempts and suffer not wilfully the diuell to tempt and leade you into temptation Of Idlenesse Chap. 56. O You slouthfull men why doe you miche range turne your backs to vertuous labours seeing that they who ouercame the delites of this world haue deserued heauen for their rewards why doe you straggle rogue from house to house Beleeue me there is no occupation in the world that bringeth with it lesse profit then yours Goe to the emmet yee slouthfull sluggards consider her wayes and learne to bee wise She hath no guide no teacher no leader yet in the summer shee prouideth her meate and gathereth together her foode in the haruest Oh why haue you forgotten the words of the Lord namely In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread Remember what penalties are imposed on runnagates and loytering droanes In the primitiue Church it was decreed that all men should liue of their owne labour and not vnprofitably waste the fruits of the earth Likewise the faigned Syphograuntes or officers of the Vtopians tooke heede that no man sate idle but that each one should diligently apply his owne craft and occupation What shall I say of our owne constitutions here in England In the yeere of our Lord 1572. it was enacted in the parliament that all persons aboue the age of foureteene yeeres which were taken begging and roging abroade should be apprehended whipped and burnt through the eare with a hot iron for the first time so found and the second time to be hanged For which consideration looke vnto your selues yee carelesse caitifes gette you masters that may instruct you in some occupation or other which done labour continually that not onely for your selues but for the reliefe also of such as are not able to helpe themselues In so doing Sathan the enemie of grace who hitherto like a wily foxe hath awaited for you shall goe away in despaire and as they say with a flea in his eare Of Dice-play Chap. 57. CHristians ought vtterly to forbeare Dice-play first because The diuell inuented it Secondly because it is flat against the commandement of GOD namely Thou shalt not couet any other mans goods Thirdly Dice-play is for the most part accompanied with swearing and blaspheming Gods holy name Fourthly the holy fathers of the church haue most vehemently written against it Fiftly all sports and recreations must haue respect to some profite either of body or of mind otherwise it is but lost for which wee must one day yeelde an account to God but Dice-play as wee know is no exercise for the body neither is it any pleasure for the minde for the euent of the hazard or maine driueth the players minde to a furious hope and sometimes into a fearefull quandarie to wit when hee doubteth the recouerie of his lost money Sixtly we are charged Not to consume our time in wicked and vnlawfull exercises Seuenthly men must abstaine from Dice-play that they might shew good example to their inferiours For * if graue parents delight in wicked Dice-play their sonnes will likewise be enduced thereunto Eightly Dice-play is condemned by the lawes and decrees of Princes By the law Roscia all such as played at dice were banished from their countrey It was also enacted in Rome that Dice-players should bee amerced in foure times so much as they played for King Edward the fourth of this Realme decreed that euerie Dice-player should be imprisoned two yeres and forfeit tenne pound King Henrie the seuenth enacted that Dice-players should bee imprisoned one day and that the keeper of the gaming house should bee bound to his good be hauiour and be fined a Noble King Henrie the eight ordained that euerie one which kept a dicing house should pay fortie shillings and the players themselues a Noble for euerie time so occupied Ninthly this kind of play is odious and reproachfull as appeared in Antonie to whome Cicero obiected that hee not onely himselfe was a dicer but also hee fostered such men as were dicers i Augustus the Emperour was noted and ill thought of for his dicing Lastly the despaire and aduersitie which Dice-players fall into and their extraordinarie punishments be sufficient meanes to reclaime and terrifie men from it In the yeere of our Lord 1550. one Steckman of Holsatia hauing lost much money at dice fell into despaire and therewithall killed three of his children and would haue hanged himselfe if his wife had not preuented him Likewise in the yere 1553. one Schetrerus playing at dice in an ale-house neere to Belisan a towne in Heluetia blasphemed God Wherupon the diuell came in place and carried him away Also my selfe haue knowne a wealthie yeoman that was as great a dicer as any other in that shire where he dwelt and I thinke had gotten wel-nigh a thousand pound by that his occupation but what became of him and his wealth marrie he bathing himselfe in a riuer was sodainely drowned and his sonne to whom his goods after his death did rightly appertaine before 3. yeeres were expired spent al at dice and at this day is glad to stand at mens deuotion In summe do wee not commōly see that dice-players neuer thriue and if perhaps one amongst a thousand chance to winne