light account of her enimies threates as shée scorned to report Parries suspitious words vnto her graue Counsell furthermore to cléere her Maiestie from the least bleamish of Tyrannie there néedeth no other testimonie than the confession and records of rancke Traitours It appeareth in Parries and Throgmortons voluntarie confessions that her princely clemencie stayeth all sharpe courses against such Papistes as liue like obedient subiectes when that Lawe adiudged them death their last hope was in her excéeding mercie Throgmorton craued mercie with this acknowledgement of which many haue tasted and few haue beene depriued Parry confessed that the manifold vertues which shined in her Countenance euermore made him lose his resolution to kill her maiesty Forraine writers in their books haue made questions whether the greatnesse of her Maiesties mercie were a vertue more holy in her maiestie or daungerous for her good subiectes because it bread presumption in those that are euill affected I protest before God who I knowe heauily punisheth wilfull periurie that I hearde a Papist in Rome afore some of his companions wish and make choise to be her Maiesties prisoner in the Fléete rather then as he was the Popes pentioner in Rome and truely her imprisonment is more large than the Popes allowance saue vnto such persons which make shewe of seditious spirites Furthermore the long raigne and manifolde blessings which almightie God plentifully bestoweth of her Maiestie euidently declareth that shée is no tyraunt whose Raignes are for the most part short and their deathes violent Yea these Calumniers and Lybellers with these shameles detractions slaunder their owne knowledge which is that her mercie giueth life to condemned Papistes if that their Religion safe they will but acknowledge Ecclesiasticall supremacie to be one to her Maiestie which the Pope and all his power cannot plucke from her To conclude no one what so euer his offence be is put to death in case of Treason and Felonie except the Consciences of twelue sufficient men finde him guiltie and this I may truely say although Englande bée small in comparison of France or Italy yet her mercie pardoneth more that are conuicted by the Lawe than the king of Fraunce and all the princes of Italy It is a wonder to sée the wilfull stubbornesse of these vngratious Iesuites howe they striue against their owne knowledge howe shamelesly they slaunder the mildest course of Iustice that euer ciuill pollicie administred in any common wealth but chiefely how impudently they reproch her excellent Maiestie with tyranny when that her mercie is written in all the Capitols of the worlde their venim sheweth that they are euen those of whom the Psalmist saith They speak lyes they are as venimous as the poyson of a serpent euen like the deafe Adder that stoppeth his ears they with their malitious vntrue perswasions bring men into the snares of destruction out of which they cannot deliuer themselues It is the last refuge the Pope hath to vphold his wicked kingdome to blowe into subiectes eares slaunders of tyranny subsidies oppressions and other hard impositions of their Princes with these perswations they haue kindled many commotions and daily settle a mortall hatred in the ignorant multitude towards their Princes and godly procéedings which euermore bursteth forth with the confusion of such as they seduce for God which abhorreth Traitours seldome suffereth Treason to prosper the diligent obseruance of the euents whereof is able to settle the duetie and obedience of a good subiect more than the learning and Eloquence of the greatest Orators CHAP. 13. Of the peaceable discouery of the daungerous Treasons of Frances Throgmorton Esquire of Henry Percie Earle of Northumberlande and others a Chapter declaring the Odiousnesse of Treason and continuall ouerthrow of Traitors WHosoeuer shall reade the Chronacles of time the continuall life of vertue and endlesse shame of vice they shall finde that Treason is so odious to God as his holy hande many times myraculously hath defended the worst tyrants from the mortall Treasons of their subiectes Comodus was a wicked Emperour and to kill him his syster Lucilla had appointed one Quintianus The Traitour Quintianus wayghted at the entring of the Amphitheatre to kill Comodus his dagger was readie drawne his heart was resolute and his hand was readie to strike the stroake but God appointed the Traytors tongue to inflict the vengeaunce vppon himselfe for before the Emperour came vnder his stroke Quintianus cryed This the Senate sendeth thee Uppon which wordes he was taken and Comodus nothing hurt The day before Sceuinus thought to haue slaine the Archetyrant Nero hée put an olde rustie dagger to grinding hée made his Testament hee fraunchised his bondmen and got rowlers in a readinesse to wrappe wounds in by which tokens Milicheus his seruaunt gathered he went about some naughtie purpose and so accused him straight wayes to the Emperour Sceuinus straight confessed that his intent was to haue slaine Nero. If God plucketh witte and prudencie from Traitors that purposed to kill such notable tyrantes as hée made the Traytours owne wordes and doings to bée the confusion of themselues and safetie of the tyrauntes It is assuredly to bée thought that with the shielde of his strength hée will defende righteous Princes and especially his chosen Quéene Elizabeth that aboue all things seeketh to set foorth his glory to aduaunce his holy worde to abase hypocrisie to banish Idolatrie and finally that all her subiectes may be as they are called true Christians It is assuredly thought that hée will defende her Maiestie yea it is constantly to bée beléeued that hee will there is no feare of it it is visibly séene that he doth I might inlarge this Chapter with sundrie examples of the confution of forraigne Traitors and preseruation of their soueraigne Lords But I write to English-men for whose instruction English examples is most proper It is yet within the compasse of our memorie that since the first houre that the Noble King Henrie the eight banished the Pope out of England that God hath laide this cursse vpon Traitors as the most part of them euen in the prime of their conspiracies were discouered and the principals worthely punished What became of the huge Commotion in Lincolne-shire where twentie thousand rebels were in Armes at the approch of the kings power they desired pardon brake vp their Armie and departed home The seditious heade of Cardinall Poole within sixe dayes after raised a newe insurrection in Yorkeshire to the number of fortie thousande rebels they abide the comming of the kings power with whom a day of battaile was appointed but God hauing compassion of a number of good subiectes that were like to be slaine by his prouidence saued both the one and the other the night before the Armies should ioyne he parted them with a mightie rayne In the meane time the rebels desired pardon it was graunted and so the commotion seased In Februarie following Nicholas Musgraue Sir Francis Bigot Sir Robert Constable
reported that his notorious crimes exceeded the dayes of his age which I ouerpasse as examples necessary for other purposes and vnto this impious parte I will ioyne this following crueltie Upon a day one tolde this naughtie Emperour that his cosen Mamertius Antomenes resembled him in comelynesse of bodie and magnanimitie of minde vpon which report Commodus pronounced death both vpon the reporter and his innocent cousen holding it for reason that it appertained to no man to vaunt lesse to resemble him and in my opinion if Antomenes resembled him in deuilish qualities death was too easie a scourge for so lewde a life Mulla Abdula father of Moley Mahumet commonly called the blacke king in whose cause the mortall battaile betwéene the king of Portugall and Amoley Muluco king of Fees was fought the 5. of August 1578. as in the alteration of the latter common weales by enuy shal be more largely shewen vpon an enuious suggestion that his brethren by the priuity in nature and bloud loked to liue in greater liberty then subiectes by the assistaunce of a noble man of the countrey called Alcatho Alley caused the throates of a eleuen of his brethren to be cut in one morning Now to conclude these particular tyrannies of enuye vnto which millions of notorious examples may be enserted the monstrous murders of king Richard the third a tyrant of our nation is worthy note in whose wretched end yet worthy his wickednes the happines of Englande began againe to florish and enioyed her auncient renowne This tyraunt at such time as he was Duke of Glocester with an enuious eye behelde the soueranity of king Edwarde the 4. his brother and yet inforced by necessity obeyed him For annoynted kinges with weake policies are not depriued but vnable to hold his hand from their throates who for their dignities toke the vpper hand of him against the lawes of honor with his impious handes he stabbed Prince Edward to the hart beeing taken prisoner at the battaile of Tewksbury Next like an Alehouse ruffen with his dagger he slew the infortunate good king Henry the sixt in the tower of London Then heaping murder vppon murder he caused George Duke of Clarence his naturall Brother to be drowned in a Butte of Malmesey And last though not the least to rowle vp a number of noble subiectes endes with the death of king Edward the fift and Richard Duke of Yorke the kinges brother his nephewes whom he caused to be murthered in the Tower and buried without honor to infame the name of king Edward the fourth and his posterity he pronounced his mother like a filthy harpye to be a strumpet and that the sayd king Edward was a Bastard and him selfe onely legitimate as I think sonne of the diuel for it séemeth wonderful that so inhumane a creature should take life of humane séed CHAP. 3. Enuy originall of warre and capitall cause of the destruction of the first Monarchies MAny yéeres after the beginning euery king qui etly enioyed the countries in his own possession vntil Ninus king of the Asserians enuying the soueranity of his neighbour kings put him self in armes vnlawfully to inlarge his owne dominions by deposing other froÌ„ their kingdoms Thus byenuy froÌ„ the bottom of hell came war by war confusion of deuine humaine blessings the aduauncement of thousandes of diuelish iniquities For whereas lawes giue place to armes the honor of God is wounded his word is misprised Iesus Christ is blasphemed and persecuted his Gospell is reiected and his Sacraments are prophaned fire is put to the house of the lord Wolues are thruste into his stéepefolde and wilde Bores among his vines truth and equity is peruerted charity is cold innocents and the iust are oppressed youth bee ill instructed publicke orders are broken discipline and rules of good life are abolished ignoraunce is raysed knowledge is abased proud ambitious and men of leaste estimation doe gouerne the learned wise and vertuous are disofficed as ideots and men of no merite countries bee vnpeopled fayre Cities are burned peaceable citizens are murthered their wiues and daughters are rauished their groundes lye vntilled goods compassed by the trauels of a mans whole life in one hower doe become the spoyle of a riotous souldiour And to conclude though short of a number of other curses which follow warre vice mounted in her chariot of triumph arrogaÌ„tly treadeth pore vertue vnder foot therby they that shold cry out of this outrage against God and man are dumb and the reformers of these enormities deafe these vengeances by war the enuious eye and ambitious hart of Ninus bred in the worlde which died not with the destruction of Th'asserian monarchy Notwithstanding enuy the erecter was the destroyer therof For Arbactus leiftenant of the Meades enuiyng the soueranity of Sardanapalus a man more effeminate then a woman by the assistaunce of other lords gaue battaile vnto the king Sardanapalus discomforted â—…led into his pallas there enuiyng the fortune of Arbactus more to reaue him of the glory of his triumph then moued by sorrow of his own defeat Sardanapalus set fire of his Pallas his wealth him selfe so by the prodigall spoyle of his life recouered the reputation of a man for manhood is most truely tried by constancy in the trembling passage of death The like enuious part was committed by Ariathes king of Capidocia who being ouercome in battail by Perdicas one of Alexanders successors fled into the Citye enuiyng Perdicas good fortune more then he lamented his owne mischance caused the city to be set on fire incouraged his souldiers citizens to slay their wiues children holding it lesse euill to die by the violence of friends then to liue a seruile life vnder the controlment of their enemies And by this means in truth he reaued Perdicas of the spoyle of his victory but did both vnto him selfe and countrey an iniury against nature and reason against nature in committing wilful murder vpon him selfe posterity against reason in that time was able to repaire his ruines of fortune But to kéep an order in discoursing the actions of enuy by the victory which Arbactus had ouer Sardanapalus the empyre of Th'asserians was traÌ„slated into the Meades which corse most conquerors adopted Princes euer since haue taken to crown their natiue countrey with imperiall title to leaue the places conquered or by other meanes gayned to the tyrannye of leifetenants Well this monster enuy which mortifieth the naturall affection of a father robbeth dutifull obedience from the son made the one of these the cause the other the ouerthrow of this second empire For Astiages the last king of the Meades receauing answer of the Oracle that his daughters sonne should gouerne his empire as it were to despight the Gods that had fore destined this honor vnto his daughters sonne vpon an enuious thought first
wicked practises haue compassed the death of a great many with all which procéedinges the Cronicles will largely acquaint the Reader And certainely if outward actions of barbarous crueltie may condemne the blasphemie of the Pope his ministers in Fraunce Flaunders and Scotland haue already sent the same vnto hell haue elected him to be the Archtyrant of the earth For where was there a more sauage crueltie euer coÌ„mitted then the massacre of Paris where by the traine of amitie the celebration of a marriage betweene the King of Nauarre and the Kinges sister which in outward appearaunce promised much peace and honour to the long afflicted realme the peeres of bloud and nobilitie of the religion to honour that wished accorde repaired vnto the Court where the good Admirall was slaine and by that stratageme or rather deuice of the Deuill many a thousand innocent and fearelesse Protestants in Paris and other cities of Fraunce were cruelly murthered which monstrous massacre although many other trecherous murthers in Fraunce reproch the Papistes with the extreamest name of crueltie is remembred with the blame and exclamation of the cruellest Pagans in the worlde This traiterous and butcherly warfare waspractised with the murther of the King and many noble men of Scotland The pretence of the tyrannical gouernment of the Spaniards in the low Countries and contrary to the auncient lawesof priuiledges â—…he said Countries at their first entraunce their killing and destroying of the principall nobilitie and persons most worthie of gouernement was coloured with the maintenance of the Romish religion but what excuse by religion haue they for the destroying and dishonourable murthering of many Romaine Catholiques among whome the right noble County of Egmond was that wayes especially affected euen forsooth some such reason as the theefe had who said he robbed none but Papistes when he spared not any that had a crosse in his pursse which crosse he tooke to be the marke of a Papist so the Spaniardes tooke these noble men for Protestants because they were of honourable dsspositions maintainers of their countries liberties and louers of vertue which are not the ordinarie markes of Papists the riches of these countries by common estimation aunsweared the vallew of the king of Spaines Indias and from this root procéedeth all their ruines The proud Spaniardes enuied the greatnesse of these Lordes and the prosperity of the people and to féed their owne wastefull humours they hungred after absolute dominion and possession of their riches In all matters of obedience that appertayned vnto the king they serued his maiestie with all faithfulnesse so that the Spaniard could pickt no quarrell of disloyaltie They were driuen to square about the Pope though these people obeyed the king they charged them with Catholicke disobedience vpon this cause as they alleadge more then these twenty yéeres the insolent Spaniardes with swoorde famine and many other cruell maners of death haue afflicted and destroyed the naturall people of those countries and haue ransacked spoiled the most of their fayre and rich cities And yet these proud Spaniardes vpon a true account haue neither gayned honor nor profit by the ruines of these most rich countries While the godly Prince of Orange liued the Spaniardes had many foyles and few honorable victories the compassing of whose death with the worthy destruction of their own mur thering instruments testifie the tiranous spirites both of the Pope and the king of Spaine that neither obey the lawes of God honor nor humainitie by working by anye meanes the deathes of their enemies After the good Prince of Orange was traiterouslye slaine the order whereof is vniuersallye knowne and condemned the afflicted people of these countrys by their increasing calamities soone missed the benefite of his graue counsels But God be praised for the life and happines of her sacred maiesty euen good Quéene Elizabeth who with a mercifull eye and a Princely hand hath both beheld and giuen large sucker to their afflictions to the afflictions of these appressed people of the low countries to them I say with royall defence publicke succour and to the persecuted ChristiaÌ„s of all nations as their calamities required her sacred maiesty euen her onely zeale and vertue hath preserued Scotlande from forraine outrage and ciuill destruction the yonge kinge of Scots whom God blesse with deuine and heroicall vertues confesseth her maiesty to be his mother by whom next vnder God he liueth and raigneth she hath giuen him a kingdome in redéeming of it foorth of the tyranny of straungers and disobedience of awelesse subiects Her mediation hath much pacified the furies of Fraunce and her clemencye hath refreshed the woundes of Portugall her mercy is the Phisition of forraine afflictions and her holinesse the sure grounde of Englandes peace and prosperity England at this day and from the first hower of her maiesties blessed raigne the wonder of nations England I say of absolute gouernments onely in peace onely in prosperity onely free from féeling the vengeance of enuy many enemies be thou thankful for this deuine protectioÌ„ Englande or rather Englishe men be you counceled by the ouerthrowes of the fore recited monarchies kingdomes and common weales I haue presented you with these conquestes of enuy that you may be fore warned of your worst enemy euen this monster enuy which euer more contendeth against peace and prosperity you are plentifully blessed with both the blessinges and vniuersally besieged with enuy It is miraculous that you haue escaped the mischiefe of all her stratageames and dangerous war The Athenians were ignoraunt of no pollicy to withstaÌ„d their enemy yet could find no defence against enuye but to tame and kéepe vnder their prosperitye they yéerly banished their noble men not such as had offended the law but those which the common people woulde haue banished their wisedomes made the common weale to florishe but neither their wisedomes nor force could banishe enuy out of the hartes of the people they feared this passion more then Alexanders power and good cause why for her venime poysoned Alexander her pollicy murthered Caesar and quelled most of the worthies We néede not search forraine examples to teach vs the power of enuy she destroyed the house of Brut at whose gouernment we begin our Englishe cronicles for Ferrex his brother Porrex striuing for sole soueranitie sought each others confusion Porrex slew Ferrex and their mother murthered Porrex in his bedde in whose deathes the linage of Brute was ended Enuy was the cause of the chaunges of gouernment by the Saxons Danes Britans and lastely the enuy betwéene Harold and his brother after the death of king Edward the confessor was the meane that crowned William the conqueror with the Diadem of England The mischief which enuy sowed in king Richard the secondes dayes brought forth continuall murders ciuill warres and deadly quarrelles during the raignes of sixe kinges that succéeded him To be short this passion since
tiranny of Princes they war without warrant that rebell against their worst kinges Were there neither authority deuine nor prophane to reprooue rebellion yet in their best quarrel destruction which is the ende of traitours sheweth their beginning to be naught God manye times suffereth both good and bad Princes to fall into the handes of their subiectes but woe be vnto those subiectes by whom either perishe We need no other torment to relish our present peace and prosperity then the remonstration of the ciuill warres bloudshed and manye grieuous calamities which for the space of 85. yéeres yea during the raignes of 6. kinges afflicted this small kingdome After the violent depriuement of king Richard the second from his crowne and dignity but in the end the Lorde hauing compassion of our manifold miseries séeing our priuate dissention ready to grow to publicke destruction euen when his wrath séemed to be moste hot euen then the beames of his mercy sodenlye comforted vs by the destruction of our arch tyraunt Richard the third who caused and committed more wicked saluadge murders then fiftéene of the most tirannous kinges of England But humbly confessing Gods prouidence with this old age Nullum violentum perpetuum This tiraunt that was giltye of the death of king Henry the 6. Prince Edward his sonne and his own naturall brother George Duke of Clarence and afterwardes within the space of thrée yéeres of his vsurped raignes caused his nephewes king Edward the 5. and Richard Duke of York his brother to be murthered in the Tower not caring for his alleageaunce towardes the one nor fearing to breake the sanctuary for the other who repudiated his owne mother offered to marry his brothers daughter as is a fore saide After these and many other murders without the procéeding of law this manifest monster the ende of Englandes ciuill misery was slaine at Boshworth field by that prudent Prince king Henry the 7. by Gods planting the root of Englandes happinesse and naked like a hog was carried vpon a bare horse backe to Lecester there buried who meriteth neither the monument of King nor Man CHAP. 3. A sommarie of the vertues of the prudent prince King Henry the seuenth THE fayrest buylding hath a foundation and the fruitfullest trée his root and albeit the beuty of either be in the outward attyre yet the strength of both consisteth in the inwarde substaunce And certainely in all discriptions the cause ought to be as well set downe as the effect that Anatomie is perfect that discouereth all the inward as well as the outward workemanship of man Uertue I grant conuayeth honor simply from a mans owne good actions yet the same is much inlarged if from desent to desent honor be issued from the monumentes of his auncestours vertues And sure the glorye of a man is much iniured or eclipsed that is blasoned but by his owne proper regardes when the same maye bee truely illustred by such auncient graces But touching my purpose some will suggest that as it is a needlesse labour to seeke a Diamonde with a torche which glimmereth in the darke so as bootelesse is the curiositie to deriue her maiesties glorye further then from her owne sacred vertues when her wicked enemies renowne her perfections and wilfully pursue their owne destruction through presumption that her excellencye is composed all of grace and mercye I am bounde reuerentlye to acknowledge that her maiesties perfection is the true discouery of imperfection and in this regarde absolute that enuye and the worste sworne enemies of God assault her prosperity yet if anye thing maye be added to extoll her name this meriteth regarde that the fruites of vniuersall comfort which her deuine and heroicall graces plentifully distributeth grow from the root of Englandes happines which no priuie conspiracy could vnplant euen king Henry the seuenth And of that gréene trée which the stinging Locustes could by no meanes wither king Henry the eight And doubtlesse who so shal zelously contemplate how that the prouidence of God euen in our greatest destructions alwaies sustained vs may easily perswade him selfe that God would haue his glory to sâ—…ine ouer the world next his word from the lights of this little Iland seperated as some write from the world or at the least ioyned to the outermost end thereof How easie a praye had we béene for the ambitious desire of some bordering king during the blouddye contention betwéene the two illustrous houses Yorke and Lancaster for imperiall dignitye but God would not our subuertion The history of Richard the thirds tiranny is a most lamentable cronicle yet the same considered by Gods prouidence assureth vs by that sharpe remembrance a remembraunce of his mercifull goodnesse in deliuering vs from a continuall calamity in she wing vs through the vnlawfull procéedings of the tirant a lawfull meanes to accord these two puissant houses But before this great blessing his incomprehensible wisedome so sharply scourged this realme as all her estates suppressed their priuate desires and hartely praied and laboured for this happy vnity who mercifullye regarding our patient bondage crowned king Henrie the 7. with title of both houses by taking to wife Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to king Edward the 4. And albeit the end of our ciuill destruction in the beginning of his prudent raigne be sufficient alone to crowne king Henry the 7. name with euerlasting fame yet to gouerne vs right God indued this noble Prince with vertues answerable to so great a blessing as a general peace And certainly if Alexander surnamed Seuerus be reckoned among the number of the most wise emperors King Henry the 7. meriteth semblable title as the true imitatour of Alexanders gouernment King Henry the 7. entered vpon a kingdome no lesse disordered with continuall tumults then did Alexander with the vnmeasurable voluptuousnes of Helyogabalus the necessitye of time made him a seuere executioner of his lawes and testifieth the same to be deriued from perfect iustice he punished offences without respect of persons Honor was no plea for the mighty he iudged the trespasses of Lawyers with his owne knowledge of the law he onely pardoned ignoraunt offences and graciously relieued his poore subiectes oppressions he was thought somewhat too seueere in punishment But such murmuringes were no lawfull complaints to a fore that is deepe festered with corruption sharpe corsiues are to be applyed Euen so in a disordered common wealth seueere lawes are to be ministred He was a iust vertuous valiaunt and learned Prince a true distributour of peace plentye and prosperitye to his subiectes who in his life time had had a moste liberall portion of happinesse if in his dayes the Gospell of IESVS had had a free passage But leaue we Gods will therein who would not haue his outward temple builded in Dauids time but in his sonne Salomons and yet was Dauid a righteous man after the Lord in whose hand the harts of princes are had established a setled peace
in this long disquiet realme in the 24. yéere of his raigne he peaceably called this noble king Henry vnto his heauenly kingdome and as a visible signe that he blessed the ioyninge of these two kingly houses in one hee gaue vnto this noble king by Quéene Elizabeth his wife sundrye goodly children of which as the vndoubted heyre of the kingdome by both titles was crowned the victorious king Henry the eight CHAP. 4. A sommarie of the royall vertues of king Henry the eight THe most victorious king Henry the 8. sonne of king Henry the 7. beganne his triumphaunt raigne the 22. of Aprill 1509. whose inuincible courage was feared and admired through al Europe He was a moste bountefull Prince towardes well descruing subiectes the magnanimity of his countenaunce kept them in a louing obedience In the 5. yéere of his raigne a fore presagement that he should clymbe aboue the Pope of Rome The Emperour Maximilian the Popes lawfull soueraine and all the nobilitie of Holland Braband and Flaunders receaued wages vnder king Henries banner whose puissaunce discomforted and abashed the whole power of Fraunce This royall king besides that he was Alexander in fielde he was a Philosopher in the Uniuersity And in his great learning blessed his subiectes with the fruites of this olde Prouerbe happy are those people whose king is a Philosopher And doubtlesse where the Prince is learned the people are peaceably gouerned Science which containeth all duties with varietie of examples so liberallie instructeth the louers and followers of her lore In the thirtéenth yeare of his raigne the King wrote with his owne hand a booke against Martin Luther for which the Pope named him Defender of the faith but little fore-feared he that God would make him the capitall offender of the Romish superstition Saule breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lorde receiued a speciall charge from the high Priests for the persecution of all sort of Christians at Damasco but God whose wisedome iudgeth the determinations of men wrought a wonderfull change in Saule for of a persecutor he made him a faithfull Apostle and chiefe strengthener of the Gentiles Euen so gratiousâ—…ie dealed God with this most noble King whereas the Pope imagined to haue by this title made him the sustainer of hys Idolatrie God by his holie spirit moued him to vse the same to the first capitall disgrace of Antichrist the Pope But as the good Father Latimer certified his Maiestie the title Defender of the faith simplie considered was more then was due to any earthly prince wheÌ„ his holy word deliuered by his Ministers both fostered and defended the same But in as much as it was Gods good will that vnder this kings and his offsprings authoritie the same should haue the most visible protection it may be lawfully thought that it was his will that the Pope should so intitle him as foreséeing by his wisedome that this prince in his séed should ouerthrow the Popes vsurped authoritie the most publike enimie of the true auncient and Apostolike faith Many interprete this prophesie of Esdras ecce leo concitatus de sylua rugiens c. loe a Lyon hastely running out of the wood roring who with a maÌ„s voice reprooued the saucie and misproud Eagle to figure thys noble prince Henry the 8. The rauening Eagle that had the victory ouer the foure beasts which God would haue had rained in the world that troubled the méeke c. is likewise interpreted to be Antichrist the Bishop of Rome The Armes of Rome which is the Eagle and the actions of the Pope wel approueth their interpretation Now who is more like to be this Lion that came roring out of the wood and shewed the rauening Eagles villanies to all the princes of the earth then King Henry the eight who euermore stoutly defied the Pope who euermore plainely painted his murthers deceits and abhominations then King Henry the 8. nay who first catched him by the throte but King Henry the 8. When all christian princes stood in awe of his curse he banished all his authoritie out of England when the meanest Bishops in other realmes would checke their Kings in his cause he caused the whole Cleargy by his learned Councell to be iudged in a premunire for mainteining the power legantine of Cardinall Wolsey who being called by processe into the Kings bench were glad by submission to pray pay á hundred thousand pounds for remission When other princes feared to murmur against the Pope secretly King Henry in the name of himselfe and his Nobles wrote a booke against the counsell appointed by the Pope at Mantua signifying to the whole world that the Pope had no more authoritie then an other Bishop and how that the appointment of Counsels only appertained to the Emperour and other Princes of Christendome What Lion was euer so bold with the Eagle of Rome as this Lion of England What Lion is so like to come roring out of the wood as the Lion of England The Lion of Vennice commeth out of the water The Lion of England is proper passant bowes and arrowes which are his strength commeth out of the wood I would the Popes english fauourers would wey this prophelie with the pride enuy outrage both of diuine humane blessings setled in the hart and séene in the actions of this Emperious Pope and then by allegorie they would peraduenture repute him to be this ambitious Eagle signified by the armes of his sea capitol city Rome And on the contrary part if with the like regard they would behold the wonderful disgraces that this noble king by himselfe princely children hath daily giueth this enuious Pope they should haue large cause to beléeue that our Lion signified by the armes of England with his mans voice should set this misproud Eagles head awâ—…y should vanish his wings weaken his kingdome in fine set his whole body of fire If they had any sence they might féele that our Lion in the name of the Lord thus saith hence thou misproud Eagle appeare thou no more neither thy horrible wings thy mischeuous heads thy rauening clawes nor thy hollow body coÌ„pact of vanities The cause straight foloweth that thou once gone the earth may be refreshed that thy kingdome once fallen men may returne to freedom c. I demaÌ„d what reckning they caÌ„ make of the egles 12. wings that ouerspread the earth by Gods appointment since our Lion first shoke him vp or as the text saith since the wind K. Henries thuÌ„dring voice spread abrod his wickednes Sée if EnglaÌ„d be not shronk froÌ„ him ScotlaÌ„d denieth him Hol and Brabant and Flanders delieth him Germany paints him as a moÌ„ster Denmark is parted froÌ„ him France is deuided Polland is indifferent if Spaine Italy be constant they be well paid for their frendship The Eagle the Pope that sometimes was capitalis dominus as well as summus pontifex
welnéere of all Italy is cleane shut out of the kingdom of Naples the Dukedom of Florence Ferrara Mantua Millaine Parma Vennis the state of Genua c. so that to come to his segniorie of Bologna he is driuen to the lower way by Racâ—…onati Maddona de Loreto Ancona and by exchange with the Duke of Vrbin patcheth a passage so that in respect of her ancient limits this proud Eagle is welniâ—…h brought into the case of Platoes cocke with neuer a feather on her back the end of this Eagle shall be confusion the text so saieth the lion shal rebuke her vnrighteousnes rent her asunder shal deliuer the rest of the people of trouble make theÌ„ ioifull The Lion of England euen King Henry the 8. and his posterity hath made a faire reuealement of this prophesie the godly expect that the Eagle shall vanish to nothing with the thundering blasts that the English Lion hath shal storme vpoÌ„ her she feareth the same therfore bendeth all her secret forces to disquiet the Lion S. Augustine long ago séeing certaine english boies to be sold as slaues in Rome thus prophesied bene vocantur angeli quia nitent vt angeli in quo regno euangelium dei florebit they are properly called English-men because they shine as Angels in which kingdome the Gospell of Christ shall floorish The learned Doctor Erasmus writing a paraphrase of the foure Euangelists dedicated the first to the Emperour the second to the french King the third to the noble King Henry and the fourth to the Emperours brother the Pope was wiped out of his trauell as one not destined to haue the protection of this pretious iewell To King Henry the eight he dedicated his paraphrase of S. Luke and in his Epistle wrote that he had sent him Luke the Physition by circumstances reputed his Maiestie through his godly and religious procéedings to be the spirituall Physition that by the working of the holy Ghost purged the soules of many from the grosse errors of Antichrist I leane not so much to these moderne prophises although there be a common Prouerbe Vox populi vox dei the Scriptures giueth light sufficient that from these partes the Gospell of our Sauiour should be visibly reuiued In the fourth Chapter of Cantica Canticorum be these words Vp thou north wind and blow vpon my Garden that the smell thereof may be caried on euery side yea then my beloued may come into his Garden and eate of the sweete fruite that growe therein This winde is vp at the Almighties call his commission is well blasted abroade This noble King Henry as it is interpreted this Lion this winde ordained and sent of God first shooke the wicked tyrant of Rome first blewe the blast that hath almost blowne his authoritie out of all Christendome The Pope in his quarrell almost armed all Christian princes against this Lion but they feared or failed to do him hurt In the Popes quarrell many seditions were sowen in England in fearing the communaltie that the King would begger them with impositions The Northerne men openlie rebelled and the whole realme was in armes readie bent against their proper intrailes but God frustrated the deuisers counsels and preserued vs from the wilfull murther of our selues When the kings power and the rebels were ready to méete he parted the armies with a suddaine swelling of the water while after a parle the Rebels were willing to acknowledge their faults and with the kings gratious pardon departed to their owne houses a wonderfull prouidence of God that would not haue the rebels perish in their ignorance nor the good subiects murthered in so vnnaturall a battaile The vngratious Cardinal Poole stirred a great power in France but the french were more afraid to venter then was king Henry in his aged daies that they woulde enter into England His mind was inuinsible and euen of God all his procéedings were blessed their happy successe testified no lesse who in the 37. yeare of his triumphant raigne ended his life in peace whose death made England vnhappy in that the most toward and godly prince Edward the sixt his only sonne and heire of the Crowne was of so tender age CHAP. 5. A sommarie of the most excellent gifts of King Edward the sixt THe godly and most toward yong Prince King Edward the sixt being but of the age of nine yeares began his raigne the 31. of Ianuarie 1546. This prince in his tender age was indued with such towardnesse wisedome learning and all goodly gifts as Europe seldome or neuer fostered the like By reason of his tender yeares the Duke of Somerset his vncle was made Protector both of the King and his Realme who for the discretnesse of his speach the wisedome of his behauiour and vertue that accompanied all his actions was worthely reputed to be better able to gouerne at tenne then many princes at thirtie yeares of age There wanted no gift of nature learning or education that might renowne a good King but that mightely grew in his yong yeares as the vndoubted heire not only of the crowne but of all the vertues of his most noble father He aduanced the Gospell to which by Gods holie spirit his godly father gaue frée passage in England whose deuout zeale witnessed that this heauenly blessing was no lesse planted by his Grace by his godly councels and wisedome By his especiall request and letters the Citizens of London erected thrée néedefull Hospitals viz. for the sicke and aged they erected S. Thomas Hospitall in Southwarke for the fatherlesse child and infant they erected Christes Hospitall and for the sturdy vagabond they erected Bridewell by his godly meanes this charitable worke was sowne His wonderfull victory against the Scots may not be forgotten where was slaine 13000. Scots and but 60. Englishmen And truly if his subiects would haue béen imitators of his pietie charitie temperance and other christian duties their enuy ambition crueltie and other gréeuous sinnes had not so highly moued Gods wrath as that his vengeance would not suffer vs in any perfect yéeres to enioy this right gratious King Edward sample of all goodnes and by his death for a time reaued vs of the fruition of the Gospell the foode of our soules and in place of both to further punish our vnthankefulnesse he sent vs a prince that held a hard hand ouer vs that not only stopped the passage of the Gospell but persecuted the godly professors thereof euen Quéene Mary good King Edwards sister part of whose actions followeth CHAP. 6. An abstract out of the proceedings of Queene Mary LADY Mary the eldest daughter of king Henry the eight began her raigne ouer the realme of England the sixt of Iuly 1553. Touching her naturall disposition she was vertuouslie and well giuen but by reason that her bringing vp was vnder Papists and her youth throughlie instructed in the superstitions of Papistrie anone after that she was setled in her
kingdome by suffering the bloodie Bishops to misuse her Emperiall sword she in their procéedings outragiouslie tyrannised the true professors of the Gospell which God her noble father and good brother his instruments bée therefore praysed had taken a sound holde in the hart of England whose crueltie and contrarietie in Religion may no wayes slaunder her godlie father and his off-spring We sée the Rose trée that bringeth foorth the swéete Rose lykewise bringeth foorth sharpe prickels but to come more néerer the matter the kyrnell of the best apple will growe to be a crabbe vnlesse some good fruite bee grafted on the stocke and looke what the Sience is suche will be the trée looke what is â—…owen in youth is euer séene in age the following example teacheth a good pollicie to haue an eie vnto Schoolemaisters and the education of Papistes children The séede of Idolatrie superstition and send Ceremonies were sowne in the heart of Ladie Mary béeing a childe which grewe to the disworship of God and the destruction of the godlie Ladie Mary béeing a Quéene But God no doubt suffered thys prickle to growe of thys gréene Rosier and thys irreligion to be grafted of thys religious stocke to chasten the sinnes of England who hauing a righteous Prince peace and plentie both of spirituall and temporall blessings neyther saluted the giuer of thys goodnesse with hartie thankes nor sought the continuance thereof with a dutifull regarde of the Kings Maiestie but in some of her members hauing an eye fixed vppon the Kings tender yéeres and not an hart setled vppon hys firme vertues she began to worke matters hatefull to GOD offensiue to the Prince and most hurtfull to her selfe and therefore God 〈◊〉 Englande of the most milde vertueus godlie and well disposed Prince King EDWARD the sixth and in wrath sente vs euen suche a Prince as the Prophete speaketh of that shoulde oppresse vs with most greeuous bondage that should by taxes great impositions take froÌ„ vs the fruites of the feeld vineyards oliue trees and should giue them to his lords and seruants Euen Quéene Mary that imposed many great summes of money vppon vs to enrich strange Lords that by committing the waightie affaires of the publike weale to Bishops almost wilfully lost Callis an auncient ornament belonging to England which Citie the notorious Atheist Gardener vaunted that he would kéepe with a white wand an vnlikely matter that his courage serued him to defend Callis against the power of a puissant King with a white wand that armed troupes to gard the vnresisting Martyrs to burning but which stained her gouernement with euerlasting crueltie she by her ministers in fyue yéeres tyrannouslie burned fiue times more innocent and quiet Protestants then good Quéene Elizabeth in 27. yéeres raigne by her lawes hath executed notorious Papists that committed treason when my soule durst sweare that there be double the number of the poore Protestants that then constantly professed the holie Gospell that now in their harts wish her Maiesties depriuement both of life and crowne and yet liue This persecution made many to flée the Realme for their consciences sake but they sought not libertie by rebellion they confessed this bondage and persecution to procéed from the Lords heauie displeasure and humblie awaighted his fauour for their deliuerance No one hath more cause to exclaime of this hard gouernement then our gratious Quéene Elizabeth She was not entertained like the daughter of a mightie King and heire apparant of a rich kingdome Good Lady she was emprisoned her attendance small her libertie nothing When her innocencie disprooued publike accusations the Cleargie sought her life by secret tyrannie sought it do I say yea they had wrought it had not God beyond mans expectation wonderfully deliuered her Maiestie her assured friends despaired of her worldly welfare her Maiestie that behelde the bloody knife a sharpning misdoubted not her deliuerance Her friends trembled because there was no measure in the Papists crueltie her Maiestie looked chéerefully because she knew the Diuell had no might but such as God suffered In the holie Bible the louing embracements whereof was her Maiesties persecution her excellencie had learned these pretious comforts and in them reposed The Lord sayeth Who so honoreth me him will I make honorable In another place Dauid sayeth Who so dwelleth vnder the shadow of the almighty him God couereth with his wings and keepeth safe vnder his feathers I know saith he the Lord helpeth his annointed and euen from heauen heareth them Some trust in chariots some in horsses but we in calling vpon the Lord. God can and oft times doth pine man and beast euen in the middest of plentie God where he setteth too his hand worketh wonders and sturdie strength standeth in no stead God thus speaketh to Dauid and yet by a spiritual interpretation maketh like promise to all kings and princes that hartely séeke his glorie Because thou hast set thy loue vpon me I will see thee rid from all thy troubles I will defend thee why so it followeth Thou hast knowen my name thou seekest my glorie and therefore whensoeuer thou callest vpon my name I will heare thee yea I am with thee in all thy calamities and will deliuer thee from them I will set thee higher in honor send thee long life and shew thee thy saluation Her Maiestie builded vpon these comforts her soule desired and hoped to be an instrument of his wonderfull glorie examples of Scripture told her that those whome God had appointed to any speciall seruice euen those he guided through mortall dangers he preserued Ioseph from the murthering enuy of his brethren to saue old Iacob his father his malitious brethren and al Israel from the sharp death of famine Against the tyranous decrée of Pharao which was that the Midwiues should kill all the male children of the Hebrewes his prouidence saued Moses from drowning and made him his instrument to leade the children of Israell out of the bondage of Pharao vnto the land of promise God in the deapth of the sea fetched Ionas the Prophet foorth of the Whales belly to saue Niniuey from destruction God deliuered Peter forth of the prison tirannie of Herod the Iewes that he might open the gates of faith and preach the way of saluation euen vnto his enimies God sundry waies miraculouslie deliuered Paule from the vengeance of death to preach the Gospell of saluation vnto the Gentiles at Philippos in Macedonia he caused him Sylas to be deliuered forth of prison In Lycaonia the Iewes the people stoned him and drew him forth of the City as a dead man God raised and reuiued him againe God againe redéemed him out of the hands of the Iewes when as forty of them swore they would neither eate nor drinke vntill they had slaine Paule yea God in his extremitie stood by him comforted him saying Be of good cheere Paule for as thou hast testified of me at
Ierusalem so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome God had appointed him the rest waighty charges the execution whereof the malice of men might not withstand examples of great comfort to the godly terror to the wicked The godly may learne by them that his mercy succoureth them in the sharpest aduersitie and the wicked may be assured that his iustice will confound their policies in the chiefest hope of successe Her Maiesty to whom I euery way may apply the former examples beset with death as dangerous as Daniel in the Lions den as after in her own thanks-giuing may be séene comforted her self in the strength of God which always defended her which good God hauing compassion both of her patient suffering the general affliction of his Church mercifully burned the rod of correction by calling away Quéene Mary setting of gratious Elizabeth in the emperiall chaire of England France and Ireland for which excéeding mercie his holy name be praised Amen CHAP. 7. Of the peaceable entrance of Queene Elizabeth our gratious soueraine vnto the crowne diademe of England and other obseruances of Gods especiall fauor mercy IT is commonly séene that vpon the death of princes enuy ambition dissentiō shew their humors that secret discontentment breaketh forth w e publike disturbāce And although in England hereditary succession be a great bridle vnto these passions yet vpō such changes they many times haue foūd the meanes to shew themselues as after the deathes both of king Edward the 4. king Edward the 6. vpō the death of Quéene Mary the difference in religion was a likely cause to sow discord among the people But almighty God that had as it were by especial miracle preserued our gratious Quéene Elizabeth the visible image of himselfe frō the spoile malice of dangerous enimies aforthand prouided that her sacred Maiestie should receiue hir crowne in peace should gouerne hir people in peace my hope doth assure me where she now peaceablie raigneth her maiesty shall long liue and die in peace who the 17. day of Nouember 1558. the very day of Quéene Mary her sisters death with the sound of a trumpet both at Westminster and in the City of London was proclaymed by the name of Elizabeth Quéene of England France Ireland defender of the saith c The newes wherof raised a suddaine ioy amōg the people so harty as their louing affectiō was presently séene by publike feasting banqueting benefiers in the open stréets The 23. of Ianuary following her Maiesty from the Tower passed through the City of London toward her Coronation but before her Chariot set forward her Maiesty lifted her eies vp vnto heauen and acknowledged Gods mercie in this thankes-geuing O Lord almighty euerlasting God I giue thee most harty thanks that thou hast been so mercifull vnto me as to spare me to behold this ioifull day and I knowledge that thou hast dealt as wonderfully with me as thou didst with thy true faithful seruant Daniel the prophet whom thou deliueredst out the den frō the cruelty of the gredy raging lions euē so was I ouerwhelmed only by thee deliuered To thee therefore be only thanks honor and praise for euer Amen Her maiesty by this thanksgiuing published her sure confidēce in God the effects the tyranny of hir enimies and the conclusion a speciall comfort to the godly The Citizens of London to shew thei rzeale in welcome of her Maiesty attyred the Citie with many stately shewes the most whereof they deriued from her proper vertues who was the liuely substance of all their painted bewties The first pageant shewed the long desired vnitie which God her maiesty be thanked is knit betwene vs and the holy Gospell of our Sauiour Christ. The second set foorth the seate of gouernāce which her maiesties liuely vertues bewtified more then their gorgious deuises The third which they applied vnto her maiesty depainted the 8. beatitudes mentioned in the 5. of S. Mathew truly if any earthly creature deserued them they are worthely heaped vpon her maiesty God hath blessed her humble spirit both with a spirituall and temporall kingdome God hath dried vp the teares of her persecution with spiritual tēporal cōfort God hath blessed her méekenes with large possessions on earth God hath blessed her scarcetie for righteousnes sake with abundance God hath blessed her mercy with the fulnes of his mercy God hath blessed her chaste vndefiled hart with the sight of himselfe in the true knowledge of his holy word God hath blessed her trauell for peace as his proper child with the visible image of himselfe God hath blessed her periceution for righteousnes sake in assuring her soule of the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome God hath blessed her to reuenge the reuiling and persecution of the Papists with the disgrace ouerthrow of the Pope The fourth declared the ruinous state of this realme which as they prophesied is by her maiesty restored to the dignity of a florishing common weale Yea in her miraculous procéedings an old by prophesie is effected which was A mayden Queene should do wonders in England The fift compared the expectation which her heroycall vertues promised with the politike gouernement of the worthie Debora Her maiestie was in Cheape side presented with the holy Bible in English which she reuerently kissed and thankefully receiued as hir spirituall comfort her temporall crosse and godly counseller The Maior of London presented her maiesty a thousand marks in a pursse with humble petition that she would cōtinue their good lady she gaue answer that if néed required she would willingly spend her blood in their defence which magnanimious saying all her after actions haue declared Although this most royall entertainement shewed the dutifull loue of her faithfull subiects which zeale God hath requited with many blessings yet Gods wisedome that comprehendeth all knowledge foresawe that her Maiesties clemency compared with Iulius Caesar that would not heare the accusation of his enimies with Augustus who gaue life to Cinna that sought his life with King Frances the first of France who pardoned the commotion of the Rochellers adioyning therevnto that he chiefely reioyced that his seueritie caused no man to weare a moorning gowne clemencie well bestowed that both inlarged the renowne and safetie of these princes for Pompeys friendes were thereby wonne to Cesar Cinna became most faithfull to Augustus and the Rochellers afterwards loyally obeyed King Frances but God I say who knew the greatnesse of her Maiesties compassion would rather bréede presumption then dutie in her dangerous enimies therefore to rid her roiall person realme and good subiects whome he determined to blesse from continuall conspiracies his mercy ioyned with iustice alittle before and after the death of Quéene Mary caused death likewise to attach the bloodie Atheist Steuen Gardener Bishop of Winchester the seditious Cardinall Poole and others whose heads were alwaies occupied with
authoritie or dissention Yea about this time that the fall of Antichrist might be visibly séene by the taking awaie of such Christian princes as were his setled supporters when as Lodowicke Guiccerdine reporteth ther was not any where either brute of pestilence or extraordinarie disease there died within the space of one yeare the Emperour Charles the fifth the Quéene of Hungary Quéene Mary of England two Kings of Denmarke Bona Sforza Quéene of Polonia Henry the third king of France Ierolme Priuli Duke of Vennice Hercules da este Duke of Ferrara and Paule the fourth Pope of Rome a change verie vniuersall wherein Gods prouidence is not to be ouerpassed with a light consideration whose will vndoubtedly was by the change of these princes the most of them drunken with Poperie to make a ready passage through Europe for the gospel of our sauiour Iesus Christ which vpon this change began to florish in most of the recited gouernements And albeit the fall of Antichrist in many places of the scripture be liuely presaged vpon the authority whereof there is sure and sound building when the prophesies and dreames of a number are but rotten foundations yet I hope I may without iust reprehension say that God many times acquainteth the minds of some good men with an imaginatiue knowledge of things to come which many yéeres after falleth out according to their presagement and for example belōging to our matter the reformation of the Church vnder her Maiesties raigne before her noble fathers death was set downe in this following prophesie Post H sequetur E post E quod mirum M M coronabitur breue confundetur Post M sequetur E vel A Et tunc conuertetur ecclesia In English E shall follow H next E with wonder M M shall be crowned and soone confounded Next vnto M E or A shall raigne Then shall the Church conuerted be againe Noble King Henry the eight first vnmasked this proude Pope King Edward the fixt the parragon of yong princes helped to vncase him Quéene Mary fauoured but liued not to strengthen him and now our soueraigne Elizabeth hath geuen him a mortall disgrace his painted Church abideth not the tuch Gods Church is vniuersally reuerenced The multitude are more delighted to reade a fewe godly sentences written vppon the Church wall then to sée his rarest rotten reliques layde vp in a golden chest Against her Maiestie he principally warreth as the chosen instrument of almightie God to abase his imperious mind to the wonder of the world and comfort of all good Christians CHAP. 8. Of the peaceable and honorable victorie that her Maiestie had against the french forces in Scotland which were raised with a determination for the inuasion of England the second yeare of her Maiesties raigne AFTER the death of Henry King of France his sonne Frances the second succéeded in the kingdome of France a prince of the age of sixtéene yéeres who being married vnto Mary Quéene of Scots and néece to the Duke of Guise suffered the affaires of the estate to be gouerned by the ambitious policy of the Duke and family of the Guises who hauing wished successe in their practises in Quéene Maryes dayes about the winning of Callice hoped and hungred after the spoile and conquest of England And the better to colour their purpose they intituled the King of France in the right of the Quéene his wife to the Crowne of England and knowing the difference betwéene the Quéenes Maiestie of England and the Pope in matters of religion they easily obtained of Paulus the fourth a disablement of the Quéenes Maiestie and an approouement of the Quéene of Scots right but King Frances had béene well aduised if he had not accepted this gift vntill the Pope had set him in possession of the kingdome which would haue troubled both him and his whole Colledge of Cardinals This depriuation by the Pope the Guises practised to moue the Papists of England to their part taking and arming theyr purpose by degrées to worke a feare in her Maiesties loyall subiects they wrote a booke of the weakenesse insufficiencie of feminine gouernement and by their owne reasons wounded the strength of their owne title which they deriued from the Quéene of Scots This scandale of feminine gouernemente was soundlie aunswered by an vnnamed authour in an english printed book at Strasbrowgh entituled A safe harbor for good subiects And truely although the soueraigne place of rule the chiefe credit of knowledge in Artes and Mecanicall craftes together with all other giftes of grace nature and education be giuen vnto man yet there haue béene women that in all maner of artes qualities and vertues which haue equalled the perfitest of men Innumerable are the testimonies of womens profound learning pure chastitie rare constancie patient martyrdome and a number most valiant whereof Chawcer reciteth nine Woorthies aunswerable to the nine Woorthies of men And touching regall gouernement from whence this question is deriued the Iewes recorde the sage gouernemente of Quéene Alexandra with more renowne then they did the tyrannie of her husband Alexander with reproch whose bodie they were determined to haue giuen vnto the dogs as also to haue murthered his two sonnes to haue rooted out Alexanders name if that her wisedome had not redéemed out either Theodosia the Empresse of Constantinople with admired prudence ruled the whole Empire during her life The gouernement of Senobia was no lesse renowmed Dydo the Amazones and many other were absolute Quéenes Semiramis enlarged the bounds of her Empire and Quéene Tomyris slewe Cyrus and his whole hoaste c. But if the enuy of men would suppresse and murther the worthines of women yet the diuine vertues of our soueraigne Quéene Elizabeth doth and will alwaies kéepe aliue their diuine memorie Of whome Guiccerdine in his Commentaries although all his writing defendeth the pope and reproueth Religion thus reporteth The good Queene Mary being dead without issue Elizabeth her sister was proclaimed Queene c. a Princesse of great learning and ouer and aboue the Laten and her mother toong she is possessed of the French and Italian language which she eloquently speaketh a yong Lady of a hye spirit wise and endewed with rare and noble qualities He might haue added the Greeke Spanish and some other ordinarie tongues with many extraordinary vertues which may as hardly be sampled by anie other lyuing Creature as the Sunne by the fairest of the Planets The worthinesse and strength of whose Gouernment euen from the beginning confuted the scandule of this lybell which was grounded vppon noe generall Lawe of God or man There haue béene priuate Lawes in some perticular Gouernments to take away and to disable the absolute gouernment of women when the generall Lawe possessed them with Imperiall authoritie As in Rome the Law Voconia so called because Voconius Tribune of the people pronounced the same In Fraunce the law Salique which they fetch from king Pharamond which bindeth the present
gouernment of Fraunce no otherwise then the auncient statutes of the Danes Britans or Saxons doe at this day the Gouernment of Englande This vnnaturall Lawe had a barbarous beginning for the reporters thereof confesse that anno 420. the Franconians hauing abandoned their Countrey inhabited along the Rhine and especially about Treues The manners of these people being barbarous they liued vnciuilly without Lawe Which considered by Pharamonde their first Kinge the sonne of their Duke Marcomir He chose foure of the principall men of the Sicambrians whom he authorised by their wisedomes to giue a Law vnto the people The names of these foure were Vsucast Losocust Salgast and Visogust These foure made the Lawe Salique by which Lawe Emperiall gouernment say they is taken away from the daughters and heires of the Kinges of Fraunce This dead Lawe and many other to as little purpose were reuiued to bury the true and lawfull title of King Edwarde the 3. to the kingdome of Fraunce in the right of Quéene Isabell his mother the daughter heire of King Phylip le bel But King Edward nor his successors would not loose their right vpon such canterburie suggestions And some of them subiected the Frenchmen to English obedience And to this day the Armes and Imperiall title of Fraunce are ioyned to the honour of Englande To what purpose doth the law Mentall in Portugal forbid feminine gouernment King Philip deriueth his title from Marie the daughter of Iohn the third of that name king of Portugal and by that title is possessed of the kingdome It is God that disposeth kingdomes and the works of busie heads that vnlawfully séeke to withstand the law of nature in succession To be briefe this inuectiue prooued but a scare-crow it was indiscreatly written and negligently regarded King Francis or more truely the family of the Gwyses ancored their hope vpon the Popes sentence and in all the kings patents and other instruments caused to be intituled Frances of France Scotland England and Ireland king and in his shield quartered the Armes of England and to conquer the kingdome Come era apparente as Guiccerdine reporteth dyuers french forces were daily conuayed into Scotland who tooke and by force kept the strong townes and fortrises there The inhabitants oppressed thus with straungers were for their owne safegard driuen to sew vnto the Quéenes maiesty of England for aid to expel the french who sought the spoile and subuertion of Scotland The malicious purpose of the Guyses ioyned with commyseration of the daungerous affiction of Scotland the Quéene whereof was married and gouerned in France and so barred to vse the lybertie of her Crowne bound the Queenes Maiesty by the vertue of honour pollicie and charitie to sucker them with expedition To accomplish which matter her Maiestie sent a sufficient power towards Scotland by the Duke of Norfolke as generall who remained at Barwicke and the Lord Greay of Wilton being Liuetenaunt entred into Scotland and with her royall power ioyned with the Scots against the french who were soone weary of the English-mens comming But almightie God had set downe a more milde order to honour her Maiesty with the vanquishment of her enimies then by dynt of sword to accomplish which her highnesse sent Syr William Cycill knight at that time her Maiesties principall Secreatorie and nowe Lord Treasorer of England for the full knowledge of whose excéeding worthynesse I retourne the good reader to the Athenians commendation of the Philosopher Euxin and with him accompanied the learned and graue Gentleman Master Doctor Wotton to treat with the french who with their wisedomes so vanquished the french as to the quietnesse and safetie both of England and Scotland they forced them to depart with this following dishonour as Guicherdine reporteth who if he be pertiall it is in fauour of the french First that the King and Quéene of Fraunce and Scotland should leaue the Armes and title of the King of Englande and Irelande and that within sixe monethes at the furthest they shoulde cancell and renewe all their writings and instruments if there were any so made with the former Armes and Titles Further that the Realme of Scotland should be gouerned by the Counsell of twelue persons of the Nobilitie of the said kingdome whereof seuen shoulde bée nominated by the Scotish Quéene and siue by the thrée estates of the Parliament That the iniuries and trespasses committed on either part during the commotion should be forgotten and for the better assurance should be confirmed by the said Parliament That the Garrisons of french souldiers should retourne into Fraunce sauing onely in two fortes sixtie a péece subiect to the Iustice and paie of the Parliament of Scotlande That euerie man shoulde be restâ—…red to his office in the saide Realme and that no french man should haue any more office benefite or administration what so euer in Scotland That the french shoulde not at anie time conuay Munition of warre or souldiers into Scotlande without consent of the saide Parliament with sundrie other straight obseruaunces on the behalfe of the french which Guicherdine concludeth Con grandissimo vantaggio honore della regina Inglese with the greatest aduauntage and honour of the Quéene of Englande a victorie no doubt of great glorie and honour Whereby her Maiestie not onelie deliuered her owne Countrey from the daunger of inuasion but also fréeed Scotlande from the bondage of forraigne Gouernment and thus her enemies hungring after an vnlawfull spoyle lost the disposement of an assured benefite which fortune befall to all those that miswish her Amen CHAP. 9. Of her Maiesties peaceable victorie against the rebels in the North ioyned with her quiet vanquishing of sundry other conspiracies to the vniuersall benefit of England PIus Quartus who succéeded Paulus 4. in the Popedome finding an abasemeÌ„t of the glorie with which his predecessours were honoured and fearing with all that the example of England Scotland Denmarke and Germanie would draw other Nations from the obedience of the Romishe erronious Church to the profession and receiuing of the Gospell of our sauiour Iesus Christ the life of the soule and destruction of this accursed Antichrist laboured with the consent of manie Princes to reuiue the Counsell or more properly the conspiracie of Trent A conspiracie I may iustly say the pollicy whereof was to kéepe vnder the glorious merite of our sauiour Iesus and to aduaunce to the highest degrée of reuerence the painted Idolatrie of the Pope And appointing for his Legates 5. Cardinals who with a great number of Bishops and other doctors of their Church the eyght day after Easter 1561. beganne this vnholy Counsell And truely as in the intent of their assembly was séene this saying of the Psalmist The kinges of the earth stande vp and the rulers take consell togither against the Lorde and his annoynted So likewise in their vaine idle successe this continuance of the Psalme is further séene He that
cut down like the grasse and be withered like the greene hearbe The bosting of the tyrant shal be abased and the desire of the vngodly shal perish And in many other places he heapeth vengance vppon the wicked and pronounceth confusion of their Counsels Againe he promiseth millions of blessings vnto the godly and safe deliuerance out of their enimies hands England hath plentifully tasted of all this goodnesse and with the Psalmist may iustly say The Lorde will be a defence for the oppressed euen a refuge in dew time of trouble It is alredie reported what sundrie seasonable victories Noble Quéene Elizabeth where the vengance of war scarce fastined of any one person saue her enimies hath had from the first houre of her blessed raigne vntil anno 1580. which yere the Pope had prouided a Challice to drink her maiesties pretious blood the king of Spaine expected her Crowne and the Duke of Guise to be domine factotum in Scotland Regard the strength of their pollicie and easinesse of their confusion and you shall plainly sée that the wisedome of the world is folishnesse before God The king of Spaine had prouided a mighty power vnder pretence of some exploit in Aphrica for the inuasion of England Don Iohn should haue maried haue done wonders with that army with which I purpose not to medle but God be praised Don-Iohn was faire buried The yeare was not too farre spent for the king of Spaines purpose who had lost al his cost if that the old king of Portugal had not that yeare dyed with which power he inuaded that kingdom The Duke of Guise should haue occupied Scotland with martiall exercise but the troubles in Piccardy and Dalphine so weakned his strength as his purpose was more then half maimed somwhat was attempted in Scotland but not to the expected purpose The Pope he vndertooke the matter of Ireland and as he thought had laid a sure foundation he picked out a daungerous instrument for his purpose euen Iames Fitz-morice a natural Irish a man wise valiant learned and of great experience in martial affaires he was a great traueller and I may safely say to stir vp troubles which powred destruction vpon his own head This Iames Fitz-moris was sent before to make a passage for the Popes power anno 1579. he ariued in Ireland soone intised the Earle of Desmond Sir Iohn his brother to be traitors but as wise as stout as this traitor Iames Fitz-moris was he was yet peaceably confounded euen in the entrance of his mischieues for he purposing to burne the countrie of the Borkes a noble yong Gentleman in the defence of his fathers country slew him before he saw any successe of his conspired treasons The Popes malice might haue bin quailed by the presagement of euil successe hauing his ankor principall Captaine Fitz-moris thus peaceably vanquished but he incensed more with the displeasure of his death then restrained with the cogitations of Gods prouidence armed his power against Ireland and comforted his souldiers that they shoulde finde in that Countrie manie more friendes then enimies his Cappitaine Fitzmoris had seduced some of the principals and his legate Doctor Saunders had bewitched the multitude vpon a hope which hetherto hath deceiued him the Pope vnder his banner sent out of Italy dâ—…ers Capitaines and bands of souldiers of his owne furnished with treasure munition victuals ensignes banners and all other things requisite for the warre into the Realme of Ireland where the same forces with other auxillier companies out of Spaine landed and fortified themselues very strongly vpon the sea side and erecting the Popes banner proclaimed open war against her Maiesty I am bound by the duety of a true subiect to set downe the ioy and cheerefull behauiours of the English fugitiues in Rome vpon the newes of the Popes forces safe landing in Ireland to the end that those which will beleeue a trueth may knowe that the comming of these disguised Iesuites was absolutely to practise to bring the realme into a warre externall and cyuill hoping by an alteration of gouernement to bring in a change of Religion and not simply as they smothly pretend to saue their Countrie mens soules without any motion of disobedience to her Maiestie their lawfull Quéene In the beginning of Nouember 1580. I returned from Naples to Rome at which time the newes was freach in Rome of the Italians Spanyards ariual in Ireland who promised a wonderful hope of a great victorie against her Maiestie and truely the newes was not so quicke in the Romaines tongues as the ioy was fresh in the English mens faces they could not suppresse the reuealement of their traiterous hearts their common speach was The time drew on that the continuance of the heretikes prosperitie for so they termed the Protestants would make their ouerthrow more gréeuous they so assured themselues of the change of her Maiesties gouernment as in a maner euerie man painted out his owne office The matter was so sure in their owne imaginations as some few that pretended a sorrow for Englands myserie wished that the onely vengeance might light vpon her Maiestie and some of her Maiestrates but they further said that God would not haue it so his iustice could not but send a general subuertion to reuenge the iniurie done vnto so many holy Catholikes which for their Consciences were driuen forth of their countrie with these and such like words they published the wishes of their hearts no one one onely except that in word or gesture séemed to be sorie that straungers should haue dominion in their natiue Countrie wherein they shewed to haue dispositions more vilanous than the seditious Iewes when Ierusalem was beseiged by Titus who although they continually killed one another with cyuill frayes yet to withstande the assault of the Romaines they would in their egerest scyrmiges part themselues and vnite their forces to withstand the forraine enimie Nature teacheth sauage mastiues who how cruelly so euer they fight togeather at the sight of a Beare they will part themselues and fal vpon their natural enimy but these be worse then Mastiues and without they amend God send them the destinie of Dogges And now to the matter of the former newes they ceased not to importune the Pope to sucker his force in Ireland with newe supplies to which end Cardinal Forze with present Commission all along the lower way by Raconati Loretto Ancona and so to Bologna in the Popes proper dominions mustered pressed souldiers 3000. Caliuers were in a readines to be shipped at Lygorne but this preparation was not so spéedie but before al things were set forward Rome receiued newes that the most worthy Captaine the Lord Gray her Maiesties deputie then in Ireland had vanquished and put all the Italian and Spanish souldiers to the sword a few of the principall Captaines except they could not vaunt that they dyed with the
deathes of any of their enimies certainly if the forward Gentleman Master Iohn Cheeke had not receiued his death more of voluntary then néedful boldnesse it had béene in reckoning as well as reputation a right mayden victory This ouerthrow dismayed the Pope and brake the hearts of the English fugitiues whereupon the seconde supplie was stayed and the souldiers were dismissed I was in Rome when Rome was occupied with other news the first made not the Englishmen so Iocund as the second made them pensiue they honge downe their heads and had not as the prouerbe goeth a word to speake what mine owne eyes behelde I boldly set downe to their shame Thus the daungerous intention of the king of Spaine the Pope the Duke of Guise her Maiesties forraine enimies which tended to the inuasion of England Ireland and Scotland 1580. to the glory of God and great honour of her Maiestie was peaceablie defeated and since this Chapiter chiefely concerneth the action of Ireland to diswade others from rebellion I thinke it necessarie to shewe the easie confusion of the Irish Traitours that tooke the Popes part Iames Fitzmoris death is alredie showne Not long after this sound ouerthrowe of the Popes forces in Ireland which was Malum omen to all his confederates The Earle of Desmond after that he had secreatlie wandred a season without sucker like a myserable beggar was in his Caben taken by one of the Irishrie and in an Irish sort after his accustomed sauage manner his head was cut from his shoulders an ende due to such an Archrebell Doctor Saunders the Popes Irish legate in the like extremitie wandring in the mountaines in Ireland without sucker dyed in a phrensie The fourth man of singular note was Sir Iohn of Desmond brother to the Earle a very bloodie faithlesse traitour and a notable murtherer of his familyar friends who also wandring to séeke some pray like a Woolfe in the woods was taken and beheaded after his owne vsage being as he thought sufficiently armed with the Popes buls and certaine Agnus dei and a notable ring about his necke sent from the Popes finger as it was said but he saw these saued not his life The Pope may well perswade that there are much vertue and strength in holy presents but his myserable instruments féele that their onely strength is in bringing of themselues to confusion This yere 1580. Iohn Stow Crownacleth that the 17. day of Iune in the parish of Blamsdon in Yorke-shire after a great tempest of lightning and thunder a woman of the age of 80. yeares named Ales Perin was deliuered of a straunge and hidious monster whose head was like vnto a sallet or head peece the face like vnto a mans face except the mouth which was like vnto the mouth of a Mouse the fore part of the body was like vnto a man hauing eight féete and not one like vnto another and a taile of halfe a yard long which monster saith he brought into the world no other newes but an admiration of the deuine workes of God but certainly Almightie God who since the comming of his sonne in whose sacred Gospel whatsoeuer is necessary for mans saluation is contained hath left familiarly to talke with men as in the time of the Prophets yet he sendeth prodigious signes to acquaint the worlde with some offensiue matter to his diuine Maiestie which his vengeaunce not long after for the most part punisheth and in my opinion leauing the knowne trueth to God and euery mans censure to himselfe this monster is a right figure of the Popes estate who being the Whore of Babylon in her old age and wane of her glorie hath brought foorth a visible monster The heade which resembleth a helmet sheweth his malitious desire to vpholde his kingdome by Paules sworde synce that hée findeth no strength in Peters Keyes His mouth that was wont to feare all Christendome with threateninges and cursing by the symilitude of a Mouses sheweth that for all his mallice hée hath no more might then a Mouse His eight Legges not one like another sâ—…eweth as I before haue showen that his kingdome is now in the case that Mahomets was in the beginning sustained by the Atheist Traitors Murtherers and discontented persons of all Nations The tayle which is naturall to a beast sheweth that his Murders and barborous impieties declare him to bée a visible beast and monster and that hée thus appeared in the North is a faire warning vnto those people howe they bée seduced by his painted and hypocriticall deuises for from those partes hée expecteth great sucker which God defende him from and open the eyes of all her Maiesties subiectes vnderstanding that they may deserne the truth from falsehood and then next the diuell they shall vnderstande him to be the father of all lyes whom shame and confusion followeth as also those that are associates in his vnrighteousnesse CHAP. 12. The daungerous and seditious practises of Edmond Campion and other English Iesuites by Gods prouidence frustrated their worthy confusion and their apparant slaunders of her Maiestie and godly gouernement reproued AMong a number whose iudgementes reach no farther then their eyes and opinion is setled that Campion and his fellow Iesuites by reason of their peaceable profession were executed with too seueere Iustice and charged with treason vnpossible for them to compasse as ciuill rebellion and forraigne inuasion it is set downe in a booke published by authoritie which effectually maintaineth the Iustice of England that Persons and Campion had faculties graunted by Pope Gregorie the 13. the 14. of Aprill 1580. That the Bul of Pius quintus should alwayes binde Queene Elizabeth and the heretikes but the Catholikes it should by no meanes bind Who so shal herein consideratly way the pollicy of the Pope and the diligence of his traiterous instruments may plainely sée a great likelyhood of rebellion and a wonderfull daunger by Gods prouidence preuented To draw men from obedience towards her Maiestie they had this large warrant from the Pope which figuratiuely imported a blessing to those that would strengthen their rebellion and with this Pope holy colour if you ioyne the hypocritical subtill and alluring feaches of these Iesuites you shall easily perceiue that they came rightly armed for rebellion and in their schollers habit procured more daunger to her Maiesties person than could an armed Armie with twentie thousand Launces The multitude as Sophocles saith is a monster with many heads and euery head gréedily followeth alteration of Gouernment If they be in prosperitie they grow insolent if in pouertie they murmure a religion that pleaseth their eye is far more welcome than that which instructeth their soule they beare a naturall enuy vnto their superiours and easily beléeue all the slaunders that are raised of their Prince and principall Maiestrates To deceiue the ignorant with a painted holynesse some of these seditious Iesuites tooke Geneua in their way and arrogantly offered to
and others began new Commotions in Yorkeshire which were soone appeased with their confusions the Insurrection of Somerset shire had no better successe but which most daungerouslie touched the kings life and safetie of his good subiectes this vngratious Cardinall Poole this whirlepoole and firebrand of desencion séeing that king Henry with an easie hand appeased many and mightie insurrections at home labored an inuation by the power of Fraunce but all the daunger was not in the french forces he had drawne in the Marques of Exeter his brother the Lord Mountacute and Sir Geffray Poole and with them his kinsman Sir Edward Neuell to be traitors these labored no small matters they sought euen the change and alteration of the kings godly gouernement they were daungerous traytors not so much for their power but for that they were all so bounde vnto the king for many benefits as common reason tooke away all occasion of suspition to condemne whose vnkindnesse and monstrous ingratitude there be many examples of vnreasonable creatures Lysimachus had a dog which he much estéemed and the dog to shew his loue when he saw his maister dead and cast into the fire as the manner of buriall was then he likewise leaped into the fire and died with his maister Plinic sheweth that Hiero King of the Syracusans had a dog which did euen the same but the Romaine histories make mention of a more strange matter when Titus Fabinus and his family were slaine there was a dog that for no stripes would depart from the dead carcase of his maister and when the standers by gaue him meate he ranne and layde it at the mouth of his maister in fine when the bodie was throwne into the flood of Tyber the dog lept in after and as long as he could he kept his maister aboue the water much more might be said to reproche ingratitude a vice which our vulgar worde vnkindnesse sheweth to be against kinde or nature the former examples approoue as much but enuy and ambition the ordinarie passions of Papists are so farre from grace dutie and thankefulnesse as they contend with God and violate the bonds both of nature and frendship The Traytor Parry in his confession sayd that his accusor Neuill vsually sayde that all the aduancement that her Maiestie could giue hym should serue but for her scourge if euer time ministred occasion I knowe not whether he spake of mallice or no but experience teacheth that these persons resemble the frozen Snake which the pitifull husbandman comforted by the fire which in recompence stoong his children The Marques of Exeters father was for treason committed to prison by King Henry the seuenth King Henry the eight discharged him and with great fauour tooke his sonne into his priuie chamber and vsed him alwayes more like a companion then a seruant The King helped the Lord Mountacute from the state of a poore Gentleman to his mothers land being thrée or foure thousand markes by the yeare Sir Edward Neuill was of the Kings priuie chamber and in great fauour The Pooles were of the Kings blood and so bound with princely fauours as when Sir Geffrey Poole was apprehended the rest were not so much as suspected but God will not haue treason lye hid nor Traitors vnpunished though the Diuell and man labour in the behalfe of either The Diuell was héere set a worke but he laboured in vaine against the iustice and mercie of God the giltinesse of Sir Gefferey Pooles conscience condemned him he now only respected the safetie of the Marquesse his bréethren and Cosen Sir Edward Neuill hys conscience was witnesse against them all he feared that torture would wrest out the truth and in this doubtfull perplexitie he resolued desperately to kill himselfe and in this passion vppon oportunitie he stabbed himselfe vpon the brest with a knife the Diuell plaied his part now sée how God as he oft doth turned all the Diuels worke to his glorie and Sir Gefferayes saluation the knife was blunt and as God woulde made the wound not mortall yet the abundance of blood which followed his wound made him to feare God to feare hell and to detest the murther both of his bodie and soule and where as before he woulde haue died to saue his bréethren and Cosen he now desired life for no cause so much as to bring them to that which they worthely deserued Finallie he accused them all and by lawfull tryall the Marquesse the Lord Mountacute and Sir Edward Neuill were adiudged and executed as traytors good King Henry ioyned his mercy to Gods prouidence so pardoned Sir Gefferey whom God appointed to be the instrument of this discouerie the like blessings were heaped vpon the King and confusion vpon his enimies the residue of his triumphāt raigne which continued all the daies of his most blessed sonne King Edward the sixt In the third yéere of his raigne there were almost generall commotions through England The Papists tempted and mooued the commons to rebellion with a perswasion to throw downe inclosier and for themselues foysted in to haue their old religion and Acte of sixe Articles restored but what followed the rebels in euerie countrey were vanquished slaine and vtterly discomforted And to continue with truth in this report Quéene Mary had albeit she was superstitious the like victories against her domesticke enimies but as it is said as God gaue the Idolater Abias victorie against Ieroboam for his great Grandfather Dauids sake so he gaue the like to Quéene Mary for her godly father King Henries sake To come againe vnto the peaceable victories obtained by the Quéenes Maiestie as in the former reports it is manifest although the Diuell gaue her enimies wit to begin treasons he failed to giue them strength to effect them yea the Diuell himselfe lacketh strength where God hath any thing to do as appeareth especially in the preuention of the odious and desperate treasons of Someruile Parry To conclude the ouerthrowe of her last knowne enimies which happinesse I beséech God to continue many yeares and to the last moment of her Maiesties life the wonderfull discouerie of the dangerous treasons of Frances Frogmorton Esquire deserueth a speciall remembrance I meane a remembrance of thanksgiuing vnto almighty God in reuealing of such a couert mischiefe that threatned her Maiestie with a perticular danger and her realme and people with a generall calamitie it was no ordinary conspiracy that Frogmorton labored but an vnnaturall subuersion of his countrey by forraigne inuasion he wrought to haue brought in the Pope the King of Spaine the Duke of Guise and all he purposed her Maiesties death to possesse he knewe not whome with the Crowne perhaps such a one as would all haue béene iealous of him for those by whome they are benefited dare hardly trust a Traitor he was discouered in time but yet more by Gods prouidence then mans policie he was too subtill to lay his head vpon
then anie acte of humane perswasion to conuert a growne Atheist to the feare of God and true obedience towards hys prince yet such as through wicked perswasiens and want of good instructions are but newly fallen from the feare of God into the exercise of the damnable and disloyall practises of Atheists may no doubt be counselled by the examples of the confusion of these vipers to loath and hate they vngratious wayes and of the contrarie parte waighing the sure aduancement with which vertue honoreth her disciples they may which God graunt be encouraged earnestly to follow those courses whereby God may be honored theyr Countrey profited and their owne credite dignified There are two old verses among other precepts printed at the ende of Magna Carta of the old impression which containe a great perswasion to the studie of vertue the right ladder of honor and estimation with which for the vertue they containe I conclude this present Chapter Vt ver dat flores flos fructus fructus odores Sic studium mores mos census census honores In English Euen as the Spring doth flagrant flowers bring Faire flowers fruites and fruites a pleasant tast From studie so doth perfect manners spring From studie lore in lore is honor plast CHAP. 9. A conclusion of morall documents concerning the duties of euery estate THese rites men owe to thee O God which in the heauens art Reuerence honor glory prayse and prayer from the heart The gratious Prince a father is where subiectes liue in awe The good regarding with rewards the lewde with scourge of lawe The subiect true vnto his Prince this homage heere doth owe A faithfull heart a feare through loue an inward Zeale in showe The reuerent Iudge froÌ„ doming right whom no regard may straine Must Aristotles blames forsake loue hate and priuate gaine Th' inferior sort must reu'rence giue vnto the higher power Obay and listen to their lore let fortune laugh or lowre These speciall vertues from a freend still should or do proceede Aduise assistance faithfull loue and constancy in neede The Landlord should so lot his land as his poore Tennant may Both pay his rent sustayne his house and for his Landlord pray All Tennants slaues and bondmen were of youre records do shew Though now not so yet to their Lords they Zeale and fealtie owe. The neighborhood of the neighbor good this neighborhod doth claime Good still for good in casuall harme a charitable blame The Wise man sayeth the child is spilt where parents spare the rod But cherishment with chastment ioyne and see they honor God You children that long life do seeke vnto Gods lawe giue eare Honor Parents sustaine their age that for your youth did care You that a faithfull seruant seeke regard this charge as lawe His wages pay his seruice aske and keepe him still in awe Sometime the Romaines by their law their seruant lewde might slay And by all lawes the maisters will the seruant must obay Fresh youth whose iudgement is but greene aboue each other vice Forsake these three vndoing euils women wine and dice. These properties regard them well to you faire maydes belong A bashfull grace a modest eye ioynd with a silent toong You that haue wealth think others want thus impart your store Lend giue releeue as neede requires for to sustayne the poore You that are poore abase your thoughts for naught agreeth worse Then this foule fault a prowde conceipt ioynd with a beggers purse In euery trade an honest gaine well gotten good men hight And God will surely blesse the hand that wayes and measures right You souldyers both by land and sea Gods woonders still escrie Liue you to dye for fearefull death is alwayes in your eye Assure your selues you Atheists vile that make at him a face That God in vengeance is at hand where he is farre with grace As I began so I conclude let all men feare the Lord And Preachers see that godly workes with holy words accord To the Reader FRiendly Reader I giue thee knowledge that vpon speciall occasion I haue before printed certaine appendants to this booke viz. one Treatise called A mirror for Maiestrates which containeth at large in the graue orations and gouerment of the Emperour Alexander Seuerus what is for the honor of Gentlemen Citizens and diuers other estates and what is the disgrace and vndoing of themselues and their posteritie as also a morall Treatise of the reputation vertues and by abuse dishonors of a souldier whiche I wish thee for thy further pleasure and profite to adioyne to thy generall Mirror to which in right they belong Thus commending vnto thee the fruites of my labour and thee to the tuition of the highest giuing most humble thankes to hys diuine Maiestie by whose goodnes thys worke is brought to an end I end FINIS Errata The defences of pride The defences of ambition The defence of flatterie Infirmities of the body Enuie vvithout cure Originall of Enuie Gen. 3. Enuie the first cause of sinne Enuie vvorse theÌ„ murther c. The â—…tes of Enuie Defâ—…ces of 〈◊〉 Defences of volptuousnes The defences of covvardlines None vvill confesse himselfe to be enuious Necessitie cause of many trespasses Mat. 20. There may be cause of impatiencie but no colour for enuy Blessings which grieue the enuious August contra Donat. lib. 4. cap. 8. Causes which reioyce the enâ—…ous Baâ—… Sermone de â—…dia Enuie likeâ—… to a Panther The nature of a Panther Enuie continueth after death Enuie compared to a â—…per The vnnaturall nature oâ—… a viper The enâ—… 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 A â—…ble of Eâ—…pe 〈◊〉 is neuer reconciled Neighbour countreyes enuy others glory Timon of Athens Murther the byrde of enuie Gen. 4. Abell slayne by Câ—… Enuie cause of paâ—…de and in hummane marthers Remas slaine by Romulus Machiuel dis Lib. 1. Romulus and Remâ—…s were fostered by aâ—… woâ—…fe Polinecâ—… Etâ—…ocles brothâ—… The mortall venime of envy A necessary example Enuie caused Neâ—…o to â—…ay â—…s mother Commodus enuyed the remeÌ„brance of his fathers vertues Vice is reproched by the commendation of vertue An other inhumane murder caused by enuy in Commodus A horrible murder by enuy Hâ—…ule Grafton and other English Hâ—…oriographers King Henry the 7. ouercame this tirant and calmed the afflictions of England Prince Edward slaine by Richardes handes K. Henry the 6. slaine by Richardes handes Duke of Clarence drovvned King Edvvard the 5. and his brother slaine â—…st lib. 1. Enuy the originall of warre The miseries of vvar The end of the Assiriâ—…n monarchy by enuy Iust. lib. 1. The tuchstone of manhood The city of Capidocâ—…a burned through enuy Time is able to repayre the ruines of fortune The Asserian empire translated into the Meades Miserable are the countreis gouerned by lieâ—…tenants An impious cruelty Man purposeth and God dispoâ—…h Mâ—…rius and Crâ—…us Ciâ—…us suckled by
a she vvolfe The empire of the Meades chaunged into Persian Iust. lib. 1. The empire â—…nslated into Macidonia The enuy of Alexander Alexander poysoned thorough Enuy. Thessalus a trâ—…i terous Phisition A necessary note for Prâ—…ces Kinges for there owne saâ—… tiâ—…s are bound to fauour their subiects Hippias a tyrant of Atheâ—… VVhere the feare of God stayeth not the loue of mony maketh passaâ—… for any mischief Counsels of K. â—…dinando The misery that follovved the incertainty of Alexanders succession A cruell part of Tamberlaâ—…ne A good counsel reiected The hugenes of Alexanders monarchie The greatnes of the Romane empire The nature of ambition One poyson remedy for an other Ruffâ—… pâ—… 〈◊〉 death Pollisie of Sâ—…licon Stilicons drift discouered Stilicons treason punished Rome sacked by Alaric Rome taken by the vandals Rome taken by Euriles and Toringnes Rome taken againe by the Gothes Rome taken againe by the Gothes Anno 830. Rome vvonne by the Sarizins Rome won by the Duke of Burbon Policies of the Popes to wâ—…nd out of obedâ—… 〈◊〉 and same of Constantinople The Priâ—… eleâ—…tours Apoc. 1â—… Can. si Papa de stâ—…et 42. Apocal. 17. 18. The names of the mountaines where Rome was builded 〈◊〉 2. circâ—… 〈◊〉 Apocal. 17. Thes. 2. 2. Dan. 11. A â—…able moralâ—…zed by the Pope Pro. 8. VVis 6. Psall 144. Dan. 2. 4. 5. Ierem. 25. 27. Rom. 13. Pride and cruelties of the Pope Looke in the Cron. of Germany Apol. of the prince of Orange Epitaph of Boniface the Pope The Popes war â—…ant or letter vvritten in the 2. booke of counsels â—…o 810 Rob. barnes cronicle Euseb Nanc Psal. 19. Lopes de goâ—…or in his hist. of â—…nd A daungerous policie of the pope Anno 1070. Cerimoniae Eccles Rom. lib. tit 〈◊〉 A presumptuons commandement A good â—…ing bound vnto the law A pleasant aunsvvere Anno 740. This taxe vvas peter pence Anno 1181. Apoc. 17. Apoc. 15. Vnâ—…nty of Mâ—…omets linage The vvicked counsel of the monek Seâ—… Mahomet an Athâ—…ist A damnable pollicie A matter is better vnbegun then not effectually followed A pleasing persvvasion of Mahomet Mahomets death Califus and Hali successours of Mahomet He vvas borne in a tovvne of Samarie called Tricon Tâ—…rt de here Lib. 1. cap. â—…0 Act. 8. S. Iustin. martyâ—… in his Apologie Iose. de bel Iud The Popes souldiers The Pope drâ—…ueÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. de vita Gâ—…eg 9. Sab. 〈◊〉 par 3. A reâ—…rd for Coâ—…tiers An â—…ous reâ—…ge A proud request Originall of the Turkes Pom. Mel. Lib. de Cosmo 1. cap. 18. The Turkes infected with Mahomets religion Godfrey Bulloyne Ottoman 1. Succession of the Ottomans Orâ—…an 2. â—…at 3. The enuie of the Emperour and nobles first sure foundation of the Turkes Empire Baiazet who slew his elder brother Soâ—… Victorie against the Christians Constaâ—… 〈◊〉 beâ—… 〈◊〉 Christians ouercome Miserie and ouerthrow of Baiazet Calapin Christians ouerthrowne Mahomet 6. Christians ouercome Turkes ouerthrovvne Bassa a 〈◊〉 Lord of 〈◊〉 Christians ourthrovvne Originall of the Ianissaires Mahomet 8. Constantinople conquered Io. Vaiuode Turkes defeated Christians ouercome Determination of the siegniorie of the christians in the East Fraunce the antient refuge of the pope Baiazet 9. Christians ouerthrovvne Beginning of the Sophy his empire Selim 10. Paracide Inhumaine murâ—… This battaile vvas the 24. of August 1514 The Soudan ouercome Soliman 1â—… Soliman his vâ—…tories The Hungâ—…ans slaine Selim 12. Mustafa Bassa cosen to the theâ—… vvhich honge on the left side of Christ. Aâ—…urath 13. murdred 5. of his brethren Camp fâ—…o de his tuâ—… Originall of Tamberlaine Tamberlaines first attempts Enuy 〈◊〉 of Tamberâ—…es kingdome Tamberlaine king of Persia. Tamberlaines conquest Tamberlaines militarie discipline Creatâ—…es of Tamberlaines army Battaile betvveene Baâ—…t and Tamber lâ—…ine Courage of Bâ—…iazet Baiazetâ—… ouer throvv anâ—… misery A notable example Tamberlaines order at assaults A great cruelty Enuy ende of Tamberlainâ—…s kingdome Baptis Ignatius Ios. Simler dâ—… râ—…epub Swiâ—… Henry king of Portugall a Cardinall A senere iudgement of king Henry The king of Spaine his owne iudge Dâ—… Anthonio â—…de king by the 3. estates K of Spaines greedy desire of rule K. Anthonio put to â—…light A good example for traitours Tim. 2. cap. 3. Vertue the cog nizance of a gentleman Policie of the Medices A necessarie counsell to be followed 〈◊〉 Iudas kisse Iuâ—…ian de Medicâ—…â—…ne Assemblie of the Segnewâ—… Fury of the multitude The archbishop hanged Barnard Baudin hanged The ground of the Florentine dukedome Enuy of the Gwyses firste cause of the troubles of Fraunce Deuision of Scotland â—…cre of Parts Murther of the king of Scots Tyrannie of the Spaniards in the â—…ovve countrie A staffe is soone found to strike a dog The prince of Orange diuelishly murthâ—…red Admonition to England and English men Pollicy of the Athenians to â—…dle enuy A pollicie of Demosthenes to get audieÌ„ce Varietie delightfull to the reader A law of Socrates Pitty vvithout charitie Ciuill vvarres of the Romans Honour giuen to peacemakers Octauian Chanius Preter Iohn A speciall honour The benefite of histories All the kinges named Henry of Englande vvere vvorthy kinges An. doâ—… 1400. Henry the 4. A 〈◊〉 for â—…es Enuy of Nâ—…o Rom. 13. Iosep. bel Iude. Reg 1. 26. 1485 Antiquitye a great beauty of vertue A necessarye â—…onsideration King Henry the 7. compared to Alexander Seuerus 1509 1513 1521 Acts Cap. 9. Acts and Monuments Esâ—… 4. cap. â—…2 1530 Vide Chro. of England Cant. Cantico cap. 4. 1546 A vvonderfull victory in Scotland Muskelborrough feeld 1553 A godly poâ—… 〈◊〉 Câ—…p 〈◊〉 1. Sam. Cap. 〈◊〉 The protestants neuer rebelled in England The Papists cruelty without measure Comfortable examples for the godly in time of persecution Her Maiesties thankes-giuing Her Maiestie visibly blessed with the eight beatitudes in the 5. of Matth. A prouidence of God in taking avvay of seditious paâ—…ls Lodo. 〈◊〉 Comment lib. 〈◊〉 Lod. Guic. 〈◊〉 Com. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 3. The law Voconia in Rome â—…avv 〈◊〉 in Fraunce lib. sec de Aâ—… veâ—…d 10 2â—… The law Mental in Scotland Lib. 3. 1560. Articles of accord betweene Englande and Fraunce taken out of Guicherdines Coment Lib. 3. 1561 Psal. 〈◊〉 Vide in the booke of the execut of Iustice in Engl. The Northerne rebels vanquished 1571 1570 Exod. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 14. The plagues of Aegypt and destruction of Pharao Actes 23. 24. The Queenes death practised by Negromancy Doctor Stories confession Plut. de defeâ—… orat Looke the chapter of herâ—… fol. 61. Psalme 4. 18. Actes 13. Genes 41. Exod. 8. 9. Esay 47. Daniel 2. Doctor Stories confession at his execution Prestall and Phaier deliuered foorth of the kings bench without triall Phaer executed for coyning Prestall condemned for â—…reason but not executed They â—…ors presume of her â—…iesties merâ—… Murther punished Actes 28. Matth. 27. R. cap. 12. Reg. 2. Cap. 21. Genesis 4. Psalme 37. Madder and Barlow Somernile Psalme 64. Doctor Parry Parties letter to the Lord â—…sorer Martiâ—… Psalm 1. 7. 37. 52.
the conquest hath bene the onely hurtfull enemy of Englande Yea as I haue showne the conqueror of conquerors and subuerter of former monarchies whose conquest I haue set foorth much to the glorye of her maiesties peaceable victories who armed with grace only with a Lawrell bow in many daungerous conflicts hath ouercome her mortal enemy enuy whose wonderfull conquestes I haue in my second booke orderly registred that her maiesties louing subiectes may comfort them selues with this assurance that God is her strength and the defence of her people and that her wicked abiectes séeing their dayly confusion may be intised by her excéeding mercy to loue and reuerence her maiesty or by continuance of their ouerthrowes may be brought to feare and dread Gods vengeaunce and so giuing honor and praise to his holy name I end this first booke of my English mirrour contayning the conquest of Enuie FINIS ¶ THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE ENGLISH Mirrour intituled Enuy conquered by Vertue Publishing the blessinges of peace the scourge of traitours and glory of Queene Elizabeths peaceable victories accompanied with manie other comfortable regardes for good subiectes A Sonnet of triumph to England England reioyce the foes of thy welfare The foes that made the former monarkes bowe VVrath warre discorde and enuy fettered are Elizabeth euen with a lawrell bow Hath vanquished them that foyled Caesars band Vpon thy portes to feare thy forraine foe Destruction standes with blouddy swoord in hand VVithin thy Coast in townes and Country goe Plenty and peace armde with a hasell wande Thy subiectes true on mylke and hony feed Thy abiectes false consume like flames of reed Malgre To the right reuerend Lordes the Bishops and other the deâ—…ines of England accomplishment of all holy desires MOst reuerend Lordes and deuines hauing composed this English mirrour of selected counsels in sacred scripture and graue censures of morall gouernours applyed to a generall instruction where in the good maye see the large rewards of vertue the bad the seuere scourges of wickednesse The booke with a fearefull boldnes I haue armed with the shield of her Maiesties royall protection who is the liuely example of Dauids righteousnesse Salomons wisedome Augustus clemency and what vertue so euer is els contained in a religious gouernment at whose feet rather by deuine miracle then worldly policye enuye and her worst enemies fall so that in effect her excellency is a figure of the whole worke and the worke the iudgementes of religion honor and iustice Religion containing the godly counsels of the Cleargie honor the fortitude of the Nobility and Iustice the wisedome of temporall magistrates the three chiefe members of this blessed gouernment whereof her Maiestie is the heade and glorye The first part containing the conquest of Enuie next vnder her Maiesty who containeth the whole I haue directed to the right honourable nobilitie to whom appertaineth the swoord the second part containing Enuies ouerthrow by vertue or more properly her Maiesties peaceable victories I reuerently present to your reuerende Lordships as coÌ„quests gained by grace The last part containing a fortresse against Enuy instructing euery estate with sacred and moral counsels in the offices and disgraces of their professions I humbly present vnto the temporall magistrates vpon whose wisedomes all good gouernments are buylded The part which I submit vnto your graue censors I hope will be well accepted containing so holy matters as peace godly gouernment deuine prouidence c. Peace is your visible attyre the beauty of Gods Church and of temporall blessinges the most precious Saint Paule among the offices of a Bishop forbiddeth him fighting yea perswadeth him to abhorre it in others and by circumstaunce or lawfull imagination counselleth him to protect and defende peace I need not priuiledge my boldnes in numbring the manifold benefites thereof you Reueren de deuines dayly preach them and by grace and your godly labours England possesseth them God continue his peace which passeth all vnderstanding among vs. To which good God I zealously pray for the prosperity of his church the welfare of your Lordships and all other true preachers of his word with what title so euer they be adopted At whose commaundement I reuerently remaine George Whetstone Induction to the Reader FRiendly Reader the good Oratour Demosthenes pleading the iniuries of a poore Widdowe before the Athenian Iudges was of the sayd Iudges so lightly regarded as he left his purpose and told them that he had a strange tale of the shaddow of an Asse to deliuer the Iudges eares were by and by quickned and with great earnestnesse desired Demosthenes to tell on his tale Demosthenes by this pollicie hauing got full audience openly rebuked the follie and iniustice of the Iudges who had their eares better prepared to heare the tale of the shaddow of an Asse then the oppression of a poore VViddowe and so through verie shame obtained iudgement in the VViddowes behalfe and certainely a pleasing enterance and vnexpected varietie many times causeth tedious tales to be fully hard and long Bookes to be throughly read which otherwise how good so euer they be the one might be smallie regarded and the other lesse perused But friendly Reader I salute thee not with this following Epistle of the Athenian Senate with this bare respect that thou mightest with expectation of nouels bee drawne to reade out the blessings of our English peace and the diuine and heroycall vertues of our most good Queene ELIZABETH when with the fulnes of thy owne benefites thou hast large cause hourely to contemplate of the one and the admiration of the whole world to allure thee to gaze on the other but rather writing of so diuine a subiect as Peace I thought no commendation the holie Scriptures reserued so excellent as the iudgement of the Athenian Senate who set light of the verie gaine of warre in regard of peace and by semblable iudgement arose this proue be that vnlawfull peace was to be preferred before lawfull warre For one other especiall regard I commend this graue letter vnto thy censure which was the high accompt that the Athenian Senates made of the renowmed Philosopher and good common-wealthes man Euxin that with like reuerence thou mayst honour loue and obeie our capitall Magistrates and common wealthes men placed by God and her Maiestie in Authoritie as the pillers and strength of this happie Gouernement for thy further instruction I referre thee to the letter it selfe which with the cause thereof followeth Betweene the Athenians and the Lacedemonians arose a most cruell warre about a contention for certaine townes seated vpon the riuer of Milin the day of battaile was assigned and bloodelie fought on either part but in the end the Lacedemonians were defeated and ouercome by the Athenians The vanquished demanded truce of the victorers and the more easely to obtaine this grace they sent as Ambassador the renowmed Philosopher Euxin who before the Senate set foorth the commendations of peace with such eloquence
seruices The prince created theyr Auncesters Earles Barons or as their callings are and for their vertues suffered the honor to descend vnto their heires then they that will worke Treason and forget God the kindnesse of their Prince the vertues of their Parents and loue to theyr Countrey it is not ynough that they themselues die the death but the Emperour Vespasian in a letter to his sonne Titus sayeth the sonne of such a Traytor ought not to lyue God thought no temporall punishment sufficient to chasten the rebellion of Corath Dathan and Abiram he caused the earth to open her mouth and to swallow them vp and their houses and all the men that were with Corath and all theyr goodes and they and all that they had went downe alyue vnto Hell these be the words of the text and certainely the vengeance of God continually raigneth vppon Traytors Chronicles make mention of millions of Treasons that haue béene punished and of a few that haue had successe Almost in euerie nation most of the auncient Nobilitie are eaten vp with Treason and noui homines as the Romaines tearme them occupie their places through vertue The learned Gentleman Mayster Morrisine in his inuectiue against Treason sayeth that the Treasons of great men ought to be set foorth in theyr colours because that blood is distained in Treason he might also haue added because a great deale of giltlesse blood is shead through theyr Treasons I haue in other places sufficiently showne the falles of Traitors and therefore to withstand the temptation of ambition and enuie the enemies of theyr Countreys peace and prosperitie and vtter ouerthrowe of themselues and familie this discouery with praier for the assistance of Gods spirit may suffice CHAP. 3. Of the reuerende calling of the Cleargie the holinesse that is required in theyr liues and the lamentable miseries that proceede of disvnion in Religion BOth among the Iewes and Gentiles and generallye through the whole worlde from the beginning vnto this day the chiefe Priests Bishops and generally the professors of Religion were much reuerenced and in hye estimation among the people The office of Aaron the Priest was of such credite among the Iewes as enuie and desire to occupie the roome was the principall cause of the Rebellion of Corath Dathan and Abyram yea Gods owne words greatly honored Aarons Priesthood when he sayd The sonnes of Leuy should waight vpon him and the Tabernacle Among the Heathen Romaines the office of the chiefe Byshop was of such account as Iulius Caesar when he began to aspire only laboured for that dignitie And yet before the ambitious climing of the Pope Chronicles make no mention that they were the head rulers of any gouerment Among the Iewes the Prophets were priuiledged to reprehende the faultes of the Prince but both the Prophets and Priestes were subiect vnto the sword and commaundemente of the Prince King Iehoas appoynted Iehoiada the Bishop and the Priestes how they shoulde imploy the money that was brought into the house of the Lord and when they fulfylled not hys commandement he sharpely reprehended them Iehu put all the Priestes of Baal to the sworde The Emperour Tyberius put the Priests of the Idoll Anubis to the sworde because they were the instruments for the wanton Knight Mundus to commit adultrey by theyr deceipt with the chaste Romaine Ladie Paulina Yea from the beginning and to be short at thys daye it can not be denyed but that the reuerence which is giuen vnto the Cleargie is due vnto theyr profession and not vnto theyr person and when theyr pompe was at the highest the greatest Archbishop that offended in treason had the tryall of a common subiect Since then the holinesse of theyr profession priuiledgeth the Cleargie to reprooue the faultes of Princes and giueth them place among the chiefe Pieres they are bound and holie Scripture commandeth them to glorifie God with theyr holie lyues that theyr holy words may the better edifie men Sainct Paule setting downe the office of a Bishop and in that dignitie containeth the duetie of the whole Cleargie sayeth that he must be blamelesse and so goeth on with many honest vertues which are well knowne and I pray God they may be as well followed of the Cleargie Sainct Peter commandeth them to be of so honest conuersation among the Gentiles that where as they backbited them as euill doers they might sée their good workes and praise God in the day of visitation A great many that would faine haue an excuse for wickednes say that the word of God is the life of the soule and not the works of the Preacher so that if the doctrine be pure it skilleth not if the Diuell preach the same The word I graunt remaineth pure but the working will be to little purpose if it be deliuered by such a Minister for the holy Ghost loueth not to accompanie the Diuell I hope this small note shall worke no offence whiche is not meant to instruct the Cleargie which amply knowe theyr dutyes but reuerently to shewe theyr error that are forgetfull of theyr duties King Phillip of Macedon helde no skorne to be dayly remembred by a Page of his chamber that he was a mortall man Pope Sixtus the fourth that vaunted how he passed Sainct Peter bécause he had golde siluer and pretious stones was not wroath with the beggerlie Frier that aunswered hym he lacked notwithstanding much of Sainct Peters holynesse for hée coulde not saie vnto the lame and impotent arise and walke and certainely although the Pope were bluntly crossed yet he was thereby charitably counselled to labour rather to become holie then riche whiche is a speciall dutie in the Cleargie for by theyr godlinesse they please God and instruct men when by the abuse of riches they may dishonor the one and be an euill example to the other With this admonition of the Frier the blowe that a Countrey peisant gaue the Archbishop of Cullen ought to be as patiently receiued of the Cleargie as the holâ—…e tale of the saluage Mylo was of the Senate of Rome Upon a daye as the Archbyshop trauelled accompanied according to the custome of Germanie with an armed troupe a Countrey fellow encountred hym with a rude laughter whiche the Archbishop noting demaunded what mooued him to laugh so the fellowe aunswered to sée Sainct Peter prince of the Prelates who lyued and dyed poorely to leaue suche wonderfull pompe and riches to hys successors the Archbishop that was a little galled to excuse himselfe said my friends I goe with thys companie because I am a Duke as well as a Byshop wherevppon the loute doubled his laughter and boldly sayde my Lord I beséech you if the Duke which you speake of were in Hell where shoulde then be the Archbishop as who woulde haue sayde that two professions become not one man for sinning in the one he cannot be iustified by the other King Richard the first laughed when he had
gotten a great maâ—…e of money to make Hugh Pulath the Bishop of Durham Earle of Northumberland chiefe Iustice of England Sée quoth the King what a miracle I can do I can make of an old Bishop a yong Earle but his myracle turned to the great disworship of God and mischiefe of the whole Realme for the prelates by buying temporall honors for thys King for money made many prelates Uicounts Barons soone learned how to sell the peace and prosperitie of the Kingdome this was the sound waie to strengthen the Popes Empyre and the wicked pollicy that kepte vnder the Gospell the light and life of saluation when ambition crept into the Church zeale fled out of the hart of the Cleargie but which hath wrought the capitoll mischiefe of all the inequalitie of estates betwéene the highest and lowest of the Prelates hath brought enuie into the Church and with enuie a number of heresies and controuersies Occasion and millions of mens deathes and damnation haue opened the venome of thys passion sufficientlie in the Chapter of heresies and in sundrie other places in the Conquests of Enuy. Disvnion of the Church of all calamities is the most gréeuous because it mouéth a most mortall warre among men and eternall torment vnto the soule God for hys Sonne Iesus sake banishe thys dangerous passion foorth of the Churche and gyue the spirite of true knowledge vnto all the Cleargie that with mutuall consentes they maye teache one sounde doctrine to the glorie of GOD and vniuersall peace and comforte of his people Amen CHAP. 4. Of the most honorable calling of the Iudiciall Maiestrates of the waightinesse of theyr offices with examples of Gods heauie iustice inflicted vppon partiall Iudges IN all good gouerments necessitie hath taught princes where vertue is found to honor it and questionles so waightie are the affaires of a Common-wealth and so holie the iudgements of iustice as the nobilitie or innobilitie of the person not respected The Magistrates or Ministers of these charges ought to be chosen by the counsell that Iethro the Priest gaue vnto hys sonne in lawe Moyses which was that he shoulde choose among the people vertuous men and such as feare God true men hating couetousnesse and make them heads ouer the people and let them iudge the people at all seasons c. The waightinesse of which charge commandeth a hye honour and reuerence to be giuen to the Magistrate who in the place of iustice is the image of the Prince And in all good Gouerments the soueraigne Magistrate hath hys place next vnto the Prince In Rome the Senators were called the Fathers of the Common wealth and as the Father is honored and reuerenced of his sonne so were they of the people The Maiestrates or Philosophers of Greece were called Sages whose wisedomes were so reuerenced as nothing was done concerning warre or peace but what they allowed The office of the Magistrate according to the Psalmist is to defende the poore and fatherlesse and to sée that such as bée in néede and necessitie may haue right and as King Lamuell setteth downe they must bée aduocates for the doombe they must open theyr mouthes to defend the thing that is lawfull and right and accordyng to the counsell of Aristotle in theyr iudgementes they must bée ruled neyther by loue hatred or gaine That these duties may bée truely ministred Cicero sayeth that Sophocles counselled Pericles to make choise of Iudges that had not onely theyr handes but theyr eyes chaste and continent It behoueth that Iudges do not buy theyr offices for as Alexander Seuerus sayeth he that buieth must néedes sell and therefore sayeth he I will suffer no Merchants of Estate for if quoth he I suffer the one I must néedes indure the other as a matter too seuere to punish him that buyeth although he selleth In Fraunce all the offices of iustice are solde in Englande they are fréely geuen in the one I knowe the administration is corrupt I pray God the other be without faulte Plato was so curious in the choise of iudiciall officers as he gaue counsell to giue no dignitie or offices to the ambitious or to such as coueted or sought them but vnto such as méerely refused them and aboue all he forewarned to make choyse of none that naturally were barbarous rude or rusticke but of people that were ciuill milde iust and wise the which he figuratiuely compared vnto dogs which are ordained to defende the shéepe and to chase awaye the Wolfe In Calcydone there was a lawe that néedie and vnworthie persons shoulde beare no office but contrarywise such as contemned riches and contented to be inriched with most knowledge and such manner of men were Curius Fabritius and Phocion Alexander the Great teacheth Iudges to iudge vprightly by this obseruance when any man complained he stopped one of his eares to heare the aunswere of the defendant and truely iustice is neuer rightly administred where the Iudge giueth hys sentence before lawfull conuiction It is a place of much honor to be a Iudiciall Magistrate but the temptation of money is so swéete as when the world was nothing so corrupt in these dayes the Poet was driuen to sing Munera crede mihi capiunt hominesque deosque In English Beleeue me giftes do catch both Gods and men Diogenes béeing asked what thing an office was said it was a dangerous beast for quoth he it is as hard a matter for the Iudges of the people to kéepe theyr consciences sound as barefooted for a man to walke vpon sharpe stones vnhurt or to thrust his hand into the fire without the burning thereof In all good gouerments there euermore haue béene positiue lawes to bridle the iniustice of Iudiciall Maiestrates The false Iudges that accused Susanna were stoned to death Alexander Seuerus caused the corrupt Maiestrate Turinus to be smoothered with the smoke of wette stubble during whose execution one cryed With fume let him dye that fumes hath solde Thys Alexander defrayed the charge of all the Iudges with an honorable allowance that theyr offence might be without excuse and theyr punishmente without mercie if they did iniustice for money The sentence that King Cambyses gaue vpon a corrupt Iudge deserueth eternall memorie he caused hym to be flayed and with hys skinne he couered a iudiciall Chaire in which he placed the Iudges sonne to occupie the office of hys Father and to feare him from briberie and all partialitie besides the continuall sight of his fathers skinne Cambyses gaue hym this sharpe item Sede sedens ista iudex inflexibilis sta Sit tibi lucerna lux lex pellisque paterna A manibus reseces munus ab aure preces In English Thou Iudge that sittest in this seate firmely sit therein And for thy light take thou the light the lawe and fathers skin Superfluous bribes cut from thy ruling hand And in thy eares let no intreatie stand I néede not inlarge this Chapter with the positiue