ye passed nothing on it but as the Iewes being downed in sinne mocked scorned and murthred the prophetes of God which long before prophecied vnto them their captiuities and vtter destruction so ye laughed and iested at your preachers wordes nothing regarding the threattes of God but conteÌnyng theÌ yea increaceiÌg in your wickednesse aÌdnowat leyn ght murthering most cruelly the ministers of God And seing wordes of warnyng toke no place with you God for his louing mercie hathe warned you also by monstrous maruailes on the earthe and horrible wonders in thelement to put you beside all maner of excuses What wonderfull monstres haue ther now lately ben borne in Englande What celestial signes most horrible A childe borne besides Oxforde in the yeare M. D. LII with two heades and two partes of two euil shaped bodyes ioyned in one A childe borne at Couentree in the yeare M. D. LV without armes or legges A childe borne at FulhaÌ by LondoÌ euen now this yeare with a great head euil shaped the armes with bagges hanging out at the Elbowes and heles and fete lame A childe newe borne at LoÌdoÌ furthewith speaking as a prophet and mes sager of God An horrible Comete this year besides diuerse eclipses whiche folowe But what were these only bare signes No certaynly they doo and must signifie the great wrathe and indignacion of God Not long after the passion of our saueour Christ whan the Britaines our coÌtreymen went about to re couer their libertie and to be despeched of the most cruel seruitude and miserie which the Romaines kept theÌ in wherein no Britayn was certayn of wife childreÌ goodes no not of their liues all thigs were so in boÌdâ⦠ge of the cruel Romaynes pleasur ther were of our couÌtreymeÌ slayne at one tyme three score aÌd ten thousauÌt meÌ aÌd at an other tyme thrittie thousauÌt Before which slaughters ther were many woÌders sene in Eng laÌd Thimage of the Idole which the Romaines hade in their teÌple called Victorie was turned backe as though she gaue place to thenenies The sea was like blood ymages of meÌnes bodyes founde on the sea syde And womeÌ were out of their wittes aÌd cried destructioÌ at haÌde destructioÌ at haÌde so that the Britaynes were in great hope aÌd the Romaynes in great feare Before Britayn now called EnglaÌd came in to the full power of the Danes kiÌg EdmuÌde the soÌne of Ethelberte beiÌg slayne ther were diuerse strauÌge thinges wherby all men gessed that an alteration of the Realme was towarde but chiefly they gessed the great calamitie by the sodain swelling of the sea without any euideÌt cause which so brake in to the lande that it destroyed many townes and people Before that great slaughter of Englishe men and NormaÌdes which was by reason of the warres that were in Normandie betwene king HeÌri the furst king of EnglaÌde and Robert Duke of Normandie his brother at which tyme Normandie was ioyned to Englande the ryuer of Trent did not runne one hole daye together but was so emptie that men passed ouer on fote and at that tyme a sowe brought furthe a monstre with the face of a man and a henne a foure foted monstre So that by that that is past ye maye the boldlier diuine of that that is to come The childe by Oxforde what did it betoken but that our one swete head king Edwarde should be taken awaye as he was in dede and that ther should be in his place two headdes diuerse gouernours and a towarde diuision of the people but not all together which so manyfestly folowed that no man can denye it or two people should be knytte together but not in god proporcion nor agrement The childe of Couentrie without the principal membres to helpe and defende the bodye must nedes signifie that the natural body that is the people of Englande shalbe helpeles ready to be troden vnder the fote of euery creature and non to releue or succour it The childe of Fulham what can it signifie but that the natural body of England shalbe weake the chief membres tharmes and legges which is the nobilitie so clogged with chaynes of golde and bagges of money that the hande shall not be hable to drawe out the sweorde nor the heles to spurre the horse to helpe and defende the body that is the commones And as the head of it is the greatest part and greater than it ought to be with to muche superfluitie of that it should not haue wherfore it must pull from the other membres to confort it and lacke of that good proporcion it ought to haue so shall the gouernours and headdes of Englande sucke out the wealth and substaunce of the people the politike body and kepe it bare so that it shall not be hable to helpe it self yet shall the head neuer come to that nature requireth What is to be gathered of the yoÌg chil de I doo not saie it is true bicause the father was forced onles he wold haue lost his life to rââ¦cant it but might it not be true Is ther not as muche to be saied for it as for the popes traÌsubstaÌciacion Dothe not Eusebius Pamphili a man of as good credite as Thomas Aquinas Scotus Gratianus and suche other the inueÌtours and mainteners of transubstanciacion write that a lambe contrary to nature and possibilitie did in plaine wordes before declare the nature and disposicion of Bochorus king of Egipt They that write the cronicles of the Romaines saie that a dogge a serpent and oxen did speake But scripture plainly saieth that Baalams asse a creature vnreasonable without possibilitie to speake did saie to his maister why beatest thou me And Iohn the baptist contrary to the common course of nature lept and reioiced in his mothers wombe whan Christes mother being with childe came to see Elizabeth his mother If men that beleued not the miracles which the gogle ââ¦ied Roode of Boxley the Idole of walsinghaÌ the bawde of willesdoÌ which euery foole might see to be deceates and open illusions were condemned and burned for heretikes how should they be taken that doo not beleue the manifest workes of God The horible Comete and blasing starre that was sene this yeare greater in Englande than elles wher what elles dothe it betoken but the great displeasure of God and therfore famin pestileÌce warres sedicioÌ deathe of princes inuasion of forain naciones destruction of som or many cities and countreies and the alteracion and chaungeing of the state and gouernement For if it be laufull for man to diuine of Goddes wonderfull workes and by the like thinges past coniecture those that be to come why should we not affirme that these plages will folowe Before the great warres made by Xerses against the Grecianes and the ouerthrowing of the hole state of Grece ther was a blasing starre sene of the shape of an horââ¦e and an eclipse of the sunne Before the last and vtter destruction of the citie of Ierusalem ther was sene hanging in thelement ouer
the teÌple a burning sweorde almost the space of a hole yeare In the time of cruel Nero ther was a Comete that continued sixe monethes After that folowed great sedicion and alteracion in thempire and the kingdome of the Iewes marke well was vtterly destroied Before the deathe of our countrey man Constantine the great who was the furst professour of the Gospell of Christ among all themperours and no doubt a special fauourour and promotour of it For he did not prohibite laie men to reade Goddes worde as som princes doo at this tyme but he caused examples of the Bible to be written at his owne charges and sent in to all countreyes ther was a great Comete and afterwarde folowed a wonderfull and cruel warre which who so deliteth in histories maie perceaue Before the dissension and deadly warres that was betwene the brethren of Lotarius themperour sonne of Lodouicus Piuâ⦠⪠for the diuision of thinheritaunce whereby suche slaughter grewe in Fraunce that the Frenchemen were neuer after hable to recouer perfitly their force ther were many Cometes sene About the yeare of Christ M. I. ther was an horrible Comete sene and than folowed wonderfull famines and pestilence In the yeare MLXI. before thinuasion of WilliaÌ Conquer our in to England and the conquest of the same and in which Heralde king of England with twentie thousaunt true Englishemen in the defense of their countrey against the tiranne were slaineââ¦ther was sene a wonderfull Comete which euery man thought as in dede it folowed to be muche mischief and thalteracion of the state as herafter ye shall heare A litle before the great warres in Normandie wherof ye haue hearde before ther was sene in Normandie a great Comet and two full mones at one time shyning thone in the easte thother in the west In the yeare MCCXXI whilest the warres were in Asia betwene the christen men and the vnchristen wher vnto king Henry the thrid sent a power of Englishemen vnder therle of Chestre for the maintenauÌce wherof the nobilitie furst grauÌ ted the king the wardeship of their children as Polidore writeth before the Christen men lost the citie of Damiata and a great ouerthrowe of them was in Egipt many wonders were sene in diuerse places and also in Englande a very great Comete a wonderfull great earthequake all the wynter horrible thonders which in Englande seldome in Somer be hearde suche great raines and tempestes of windes that it ouerthrewe many houses and the sea drowned mani places which euery man saied betokened the hurt that folowed on christen men In the yeare MCCXLI a little before wales was brought to the subiection of the king of Englande ther appeared in England a terrible Comete by the space of xxx daies In the yeare M. D. XXXI ther was an horrible Comete And what folowed of it The Turke occupied a great parte of Vngarie the kig of Denmarke Christierne inuading his couÌtrey with a great armie and so minding to recouer his kingdome was taken and his sonne And why should not ye of England tââ¦ike that these signes be only or at the least chiefly for you Compare your selues and your liues and doinges with the Iewes or the worst nacion if any can be worse aÌd see whether ye be not hable to matche them yea to ouermatche them and to droppe vie three for one In what nacion vnder the cope of heauen hathe God shewed greater tokens of his sauour and it so litle set by as in Englande What contempt of him his worde and ministers hathe beÌ ther What dissimulacion with God what hipocrisie What swearing and soreswearing What traiterye to their countreye What disobedience to the gouernours in good godly and necessary thinges What ready obedience to their rulers in wicked and euil thiges What vnnatural bitcherie vsed betwene the father and daughter brother and sister What abominable hooredome suffred vnpunished yea in many and the chiefest places the greatest hooremongers the impudentest ribauldes the peltingest bribers and the lewdest persones made Iustices of the peace and correctours of vice What railing and reuiling of the worthy pure preachers of Goddes gospell for only rebuking of vice What horrible murdres secret and open not only of priuate persones but also of the most honourable peeres and reuerende ministers of God What bochering and burning of true Englishe christianes yong and olde hole and lame seing and blynde man woman and childe without respecte of age sexe or astate What pillig and polling taking and snatching stealing and robbing not only among the meane sorte but among the greatest Wher is so great hatred and malice so litle loue and charitie as in Englande ⪠I should neuer make an ende if I should tell but that I haue my self sene and knoweÌ muche lesse if I should declare all that other credible persones of their owne knowlage report to be most certain and true But to retourne to the mater Loke well England loke well whether this Comete past and eclipses to come touche the Art thou not all ready plaged with famin Yes and with suche a famin as thou neuer before heardest of It is true ye had darthes in the time of kinges Henry and Edwarde but those were dearthes without nede only they were occasioned by the gredinesse and malice of naughtie men without scarcitie or lacke of thinges aÌd for lacke of diligeÌt ouerseing and good gouernement and not by the directe plage of God But these two yeares since kiÌg Edwardes deathe from the restitucion of your cursed popishe masse ye haue had scarcitie by the directe plage of God The earthe not brought furthe suche plaintie as it customably did before Wher before time the countrey fedde London London contrary wise was and is forced of her former prouision to fede the countreie Wher Dantisââ¦e aÌd other the northe east partes were the barnes and garners of corne for they had the prouision of corne for many yeares before hande aÌd nourished all the lowe partes of Germanie Denmarke Friselande holande Zelande Brabaunt Flanders Hispaine and many other now by reason of their bringing so muche to releue Englande onles a staie be made in time they them selues will perishe of famin Whan were euer thinges so deare in Englande as in this time of the popish masse aÌd other Idolatrie restored Who euer hearde or redde before that a pounde of beefe was at iiij d. A shepe xx s. A pouÌde of Candelles at iiij d. A pouÌde of Buttur at iiij d. ob A pouÌde of Chese at iiij d. two egges a penie a quarter of wheat lxiiij s. A quartre of malt at l. s. or aboue the people driuen of hongre to grinde accornes for bread meale and to drinke water in stede of ale And what Shall this famin awaie before his walkiÌg mate and felowe pestilence come No surely without your earnest spedy repentaunce and Goddes exceding miraculous mercie it is not possible for hitherto the one went neuer before but the other cam either arme in arme
should not obeie them Now if wher the people haue geuen their autoritie to their gouernour to make suche lawes yet can he not breake or dispeÌse with the positiue lawes how muche lesse maie suche gouernours kinges and princes to whoÌ the people haue not geuen their autoritie but they with the people aÌd the people with theÌ ma ke the lawes breake them or dispeÌse with them If this were tolerable thaÌ were it in vaine to make soleÌne as semblies of the hole state long Parliamentes c yea I beseche the what certayntie should therbe in any thyng wher all should depende on ones will and affection But it wilbe saied that albeit kinges and princes can not make lawes but with the consent of the people yet maie they dispense with any positiue lawe by reason that of long tyme they haue vsed so to doo and prescribe so to doo for long custome maketh a lawe To this it maye be answered euil customes be they neuer so olde are not to be suffred but vtterly to be abolished and non maie prescribe to doo euil be he king or subiecte If the lawes appoint thee the time of thrittye or fourtie yeares to claime a sure and a perfit interesse of that thow enioiest yet if thow knowe that either thy self or those by Whom thow claimest came wrongfully by it thow art not in dede a perfit owner of it but art bounden to restore it Although the lawes of man doo excuse and defende thee froÌ outwarde trouble and punishemeÌt yet caÌ they not quiet the coÌscieÌce but whaÌ thy coÌscience remeÌbreth that thow enioiest that is not thyne it will byte the that thow haste done wrong it will accuse the before the iudgement seat of God and condemnethe And if princes and gouernours wolde shew theÌselues half so wise as they wolde men shoulde take them to be and by thexample of others learne What mischief might happen to them selues they wolde not if they might clayme muche lesse execute any suche absolute authoritie No neither wold their Counsailours if they loued them maintene them in it nor yet the subiectes if they did but considre their owne sauetie and felicitie in this life wolde not if they might suffre their Prince to doo what him lusted For thone purchace to them selues a perpetuall vncerââ¦aintie bothe of life and goodes and thother procureth the hatred of all which albeit it be coloured and dissembled for a season yet dothe it at leynght burst out and worketh the reuenge with extremitie Ther lacke no examples to verifie this It was dryven in to the head of temperour C. Caligula that he was subiecte to no power that he was aboue all lawes and that he might laufully doo what him lu sted This lesson was so swete to the fleshe that it was no soner moued than desired no soner taught than learned no soner hearde than practiced First by like that thempire should not goo out of his owne race he coupleth not with one but with all his susters like bitche and dogge He killeth his brother Tiberius and all his chiefest frendes he murdereth many of the Senatours of Rome He delited to haue honest men to be garshed scotched and cut in the faces and so to make him pleasure to haue them cast to rauenous beastes to be torne and deuoured in his sight or to be sawed asondre in the middes It was a pleasunt pastyme for him to see the parentes stande by lamenting and weping whiles their children were tormented and killed He vsed to complayne and lament that no common calamitie and notable miseries happened in his time He reioyced muche whan newes were brought him of the slaughters of hole armies of men great hongre pestilence townes burnyng and openynges of the earthe wherin many people were swalowed vp But the daye he sawe any of these him self he neded neither meat nor drinke he was so iocunde and merye And being glutted with the pastime of euery mannes deathe by him self to procure a newe appetite he deuised an other if he could haue brought it to passe But whan he could not haue it done the memorie therof was so swete that he ofte desired that is that all the he addes of the people of Rome stode on one mannes necke that he might with ones was he cut it of Many other noble actes by his absolute power he wrought and at leynght he commaunded that his ymage should be set vp in the temple at Ierusalem and ther worshipped as not vnlike SaiÌt Gardiners for he hathe done no smal thiÌges shalbe shortly by Anti cipacioÌ in EnglaÌd But what was thende of Caligulaes absolute power whaÌ he had reigned three yeares and ten monethes his owne householde seruauÌtes conspired against hym and the general of his ownâ⦠Armie slewe him Nero theÌperour was of nature very modest gen til and mercifull and the first fiue yeares of this reigne he behaued him self very vertuously After other counsaillours and maisters than Seneca crept into his fauour who tolde him that he might doo what him lusted He was sone persuaded therunto And to shewe som profe that he had well caried awaye their aduise he killed his mother Agrippina This cruel acte did so moue his wicked conscience that he durst not come abroade in the Senate but kept him self secrete in his priuie chaÌbre For he feared the hatred of the people and knewe not what was best for hiÌ to doo He lacked no flattering Counsailours Ther were pleintie that sought their owne profit and gayne and the satisfieng of their lustes more than their princes honour and sauetie and the coÌmon wealthe of their couÌtreie Saie they Sir whi should ye be thus amased with the deathe of this womaÌ She was of all people abhorred aÌd hated the people woÌderfully reioyce in your doiÌg and coÌmeÌde you aboue the moone for so noble an acte They desire that ye will returne in to the citie that they maie with triumphe expresse how muche their ioie and gladnesse is and how they loue you for so noble a feate These craftie knaues seing how they might blinde their maisters eies coÌmaunded in themperours behalf that all the people should come out of Rome to mete themperour The Senate in their best apparail cometh out alle other ordres likewise after their degrees folowe and finally man Woman and childe Themperour whan he sawe them thought all was done from the botome of their heart The Senate shewed suche outwarde honour the commones so great loue eueri body pretended so great ioye and gladnesse And thinke ye ther were not about him that said Dothe not your Maiestie well finde all our saienges true maye ye not credite vs in that we coun sail and aduise you What folowed Themperour embrewed with the blood of his mother and his vnnatural acte commended by his wicked Counsailours ceasseth not from his crueltie but earnestly goeth forwarde He putteth awaie his wife Octauia bicause she semed to be baren He marieth his harlot called Puppie He sendeth his wife