poore for want of capacitie and industrie herein the iudgements of the Lacedemonians were righteous against certaine rich Lordes demaunding the daughters of their Kyng Lyander in hope of great credite by that alliance But the king being dead they would haue refused the contractes if they had not bene constrained by publike authoritie of the Court such also deserue like condemnation who by fearefull distrust dare not enter mariadge without great porcions fearing in chusing poore maydes to suffer continuall necessitie which of all other ought least to be feared for that if to their trade or industrie to liue be ioyned a will to trauell calling vppon God fearing him the Lord will so blesse their laboures that in the end they shal be rich aboue their hope At the least if they liue iustly and in the conuersation of honest men they haue promises not to be abandoned in their necessities nor their children to liue by almes for that god wil prouide for their necessary wantes which promises are confirmed by many miracles in the old and new testament as of the Israelites whom he nourished in the desert fortie yeres and of Helias and Eliseus Likewise such as followed Iesus Christ in the mountaines and desertes wée read what prouidence hée raised to féede them Besides in this we are confounded euen by the birdes of the aire in whom being no reason of care God prouides foode for them by his prouidence Much more then is his care ouer vs if we trauell in our vocation with feare prayer seruice and thankesgiuing we read how Iesus Christ approued the societie of such poore when with the virgin Mary and his disciples he assisted the mariadges of such people For as when the wine failed and no more to be had there it is to be concluded that their want was great so if enough had remayned the virgin Mary had not prayed for them and Christ had not done his miracle if it had not bene in time of necessitie if then Iesus Christ beare such fauour to mariadges of the poore that he turnes their water into wine in signe that he will aide them Let those of little faith whose disposition of mariadge is drawne by a desire of wealth and being afrayed to suffer hunger refuse to enter wedlocke Let such be assured that God will defend his poore from famine and want whē they shall fall into actes of infamous life And let not good Christians albeit they haue not such plentie of wealth make difficultie to marry in sort as I haue prescribed and much lesse distrust the increase of goods séeing as labour and time make men ritche so where Iesus Christ is called to the mariadge although the wine fayle at the length he will turne all those malencholly waters into comfortable wines and euen so all their small necessities into great aboundance of wealth Where I spake of the poore sort I meane such as are industrious as for others that wyll not trauell nor learne a trade to liue by ought to be constrayned to labour rather then suffred to marry séeing God assistes not the assembly of such people but from pouertie suffreth them to fall into extréeme miserie wherein is wrought a common burden to common weales ¶ A continuance of the matter of marriage and the dutie of the husband to his wife as also of hir office to her good man Chapter ij A Man hauing determined in himself with the iudgement and good will of his néerest Parentes to ioyne to a wife such one as he hath long knowen to be worthie of him and shée also with the consent of such to whō she appertaines agéeeth with liberall will to such marriage ought afore all other things to obserue the publique Banes for auoyding of slaunder and after to procéede to the rest by the hande of the minister in the word of God and that faith one to another which publikely he shal minister to them addinge the blissing which he shall giue and the prayer whiche he makes with all the assistantes for them to GOD to knit them togither in holy vnitie inuiolable loue and societie and giue them happie dayes in their marriage with plentifull multiplication of children such as they may institute bring vp to his seruice without which obseruations the auncient fathers iudged such societie of man and wife no lawfull marriage but rather a bed of concubines and pagan coniunction This man béeing thus married ought first with the consideration of his perfection of nature and common graces of GOD which he hath more then the woman to employe them all chiefly to the instruction guyde and gouernement of his wyfe and then to the direction of his affaires he is bound to communicate such lawes as he would haue his wyfe to kéepe with louing instruction exhortinge her to the partes of her dutie friendly without anye force protesting also to performe what belonges to his office being both bound thereunto by the expresse statutes of god Touching his parte besides the first consideration of his more perfect creation he ought to consider that as he is the head of his wife so in that he resembleth the purtreite of Iesus Christe so to leade hys wife as our Lord gouerneth his church The head gouernes his body by the vnderstanding mouing sense euen so Iesus Christ inspireth his church and infuseth his graces into her the better to knowe and doe that which concernes God and her owne sauetie The head hath the eye to sée the eare to heare the tong to speake and taste and all to the profit and benefit of the whole bodye taking perpetuall care of it féeling the gréeues of euery member as his own euen the like doth Iesus Christ for his Church spiritually séeing and foreséeing what so euer is necessary for it he heareth her plaintes and necessities and gyues her succour with perpetuall ayde what then ought the man to doe to his wife to what care and prouidence is he bound ouer her yea to what rate of ayde and succour is he tyed if he will worthely expresse the example of his patron if he do it not what greater wrong can he offer to God or manifest iniurie to the holy institution of mariage makes hée not solemne profession to follow that diuine Spouse of the Church by his mariage as also the womā protestes for her parte to follow the church Besides as the head naturally loues the body as vnited with it by nature in indiuisible vnitie he workes for it he takes thought for it and defendes it so Iesus Christ conioyned to his church loueth it dearely watcheth for it kepes and protectes it against the assaultes of all visible and inuisible enemies What belonges then to the husbande the image of this spirituall spouse of Iesus Christ who redéemed his church with his bloud when shée was thrall to sathan washed her with his proper bloud when shée was vncleane dyed to reuiue her being dead iustifieth her and blisseth her afterwardes
albeit it is no maruaile if suche as aspire to regimentes by indirect meanes bring forth wicked and imperfect gouernment seeing that al endes depend consequently vpon theyr beginninges and buildinges hauing no firme foundation can hold no long continuance yet when any such attaine to the direction of pollicie there is no occasion to condemne them rashelie for that it may bée that such scourges are due to the offences of the people neither do they them selues thinke them condemned in the ertreame iudgement seeing they follow not their beginning but recompense all faultes by theyr vertue and wisedome as did young Scipio who contrarye to the iudgement of Cato and diuers graue Romaines being called to bée Captaine generall of the armye which had béene long in Spaine expressed in his behauiour suche heroicall vertues that his election descending to him by fauour was approued for lawfull euen by those wise men who beholding more the follies of his youth passed then hoping in his toward vertues impugned his aduauncement at the first The Scripture sayth that as it is one speciall signe of Gods loue to a Nation when hee indueth them with good gouernours so when hée restraines them to rulers inclined to impietye it is then that hee geues warning of his furie and that hée is entred into displeasure for theyr offences as is sayd in Iob Esaie and Osie which god hath also oftentimes confirmed by examples but speciallye in the booke of Iudges which I bring in but by the waye the better to make vs enter into our selues when wée are not blessed with such gouernours as wee wishe ¶ Gouernours chosen according to God do make present proofe of their election to the profite of the common vveale Let them knovve hovv to commaund and subiectes hovve to obeye the better to make their common vveale florishe as inferiour members obeye the more vvorthy Magistrates ought to be as Fathers Let the lavve be inuiolable and speciallye one true amitie betvveene the gouernour and the subiect ⧠The .3 Chapter GOuernours being thus chosen by the rule of the Scripture knowe that it belongeth to their christian duetye to consecrate them selues whollye to the benefite profite honor quiet of that publike state wherein they are instituted And not sparing any labour care expenses or perplexitie of minde or bodye no not the sacrifice of their lyfe to rayse theyr common weale into florishing felicitye they geue alwayes more readye furtherance to common affayres then ordinary fauour to their own not sparing to restraine them selues from all priuate pleasure profite to consult in all necessarye meanes to raise t'haduauncement of the Publike weale And as in good magistrates doth worke a continual care to erect execute a sounde aucthority so in all Citizens subiectes publike multitudes is great necessitye of resolute obedience duty Amongst whom if there be any in whome is no suretye of allegeaunce but suspition of rebellious practise or sedicious behauiour let al the rest ioyne in common ayde to commit him to the censure of ciuill iustice For it is sayde of auncient wise men and iustified in common experience that by well commaunding and ready obeying a common weale is happely gouerned as who saye where the Magistrate erectes wholsome lawes the subiect yeldes duty in simplicity it hapneth that to such regimentes belongeth happy successe and long continuance euen as in a natural body is figured a forme of perfect gouernement because the inferiour members obey such as bée more principal which is the head heart A priuate house is replenished with good order when seruantes yéeld obedience to their maisters children humilitie to their parents as also a ship is well guided when the marriners acknowledge power in the maister that mooueth the Helme euen so is it in a common weale which being a body pollitike as is sayd ought according to God to holde comformetie with the quality mistical of the natural body It is also as a generall familie or houshold wherin good gouernours do put on the same carefull affection to the aduauncement of theyr subiectes which wise and deare fathers vse to their entierely beloued Children And being lastly as a true Spiritual shippe seated in the middest of the stormes of this waspishe moueable world the two preseruatiues to kéepe it from perishing are the wholsome commaundementes of the gouernour and willing obedience of the inferiour Let then the wisedome loue and zeale of magistrates to the common weale surmount theyr aucthoritye in commaunding And let humilitye franke obedience and perfect loue bée greater in the subiectes thē theyr ciuyl subiection For if Fathers geue to theyr children doctrines and good lessons to eschewe vice learne to aspire to vertue and by good examples aswell of them selues as other their parentes and predecessours true pattornes of vertue doo sturre them vp to t'himitacion of goodnesse and in respect of zeale doo studye to enritche and aduaunce them muche more belonges it to magistrates as Fathers pollitike of the people to expresse a zeale and fatherlye dutie in erecting good statutes orders and Customes hollye happy and profitable whervnto they must geue the first honourable obedience seruing as reuerent examples to the rest to obserue the Lawes without violence eyther for fauour frendship parentage respecte of Person or feare of corruption suche good Lawes and iust iudgementes sayeth Salomon are the strong Barres and boltes to the Gates of Cities and inuinsible Trenches and Walles to the Vines of Esau yea they are the wayes of life and the verye Soules of common weales For euen as to the Gates of Cities and Townes great and massiue Barres of yron are as defences to withstande Violence and iniurye which else myght happen with the perryll of Sacking if also there were no countergarde by gouernours euen so where wholsome and holye Constitutions bée seuerelye obserued there is the Gate closed against al vices sclaunders sedicions and factions to enter into Cities and Kingdomes But where is a negligent or partiall countenaunce geuen to the lawes and aucthority as enclining sinisterly eyther for gossop kinred friend feare or gaine or that they be but as spider webbes wherein the small flies are taken and sucke the blood and great waspes do pearse and passe thorow at pleasure of such a vaine and weake iustice there can bée no other expectation but an vniuersall reuersement of all pollecye euen as when as vineyarde or garden being strongly fensed with hedge or ditche there is great seueritye that neyther the night théefe nor the hungrye beast can haue power to enter and commit it to praye where if there bee neyther wall nor closure the negligence of the owner offereth occasion to the théefe or Beast to inuade his ground to the spoile of his commoditye and fruictes The same resembling the complaint of Dauid al passingers sayeth hée at theyr pleasure haue power to hauocke the Vine and the wilde Boore launsing out of the Forest is entered to waste
it meaning that when there is sufferaunce to any one to breake the Lawes and statutes it geues great perill of common ruine to al the common weale by an vnbridled libertye for that the multitude aspiring to maistership eyther the most strong or the most Ritche or the most subtile or the most bold wil get the principality where the wise man in the like sence resembleth the Lawes to a fountaine or waye of life hée speaketh vnder the construction that as the lawe administreth enterteyneth a life ciuill without debate deuerse or daunger so where the statutes are not wel enterteined and iustified there is layde the occasion of strife quarell grudge percialities questions murders and general licence to doe al euyll So that in the discipline of the Lawe is wrought the conuersation of quiet life ciuyll securitye and common conuersation neyther was it without reason that wee resembled the Lawes to the Soule of the common weale for euen as the Soule of man vniformelye rules his bodye guides it susteines it entertaines it in being instructes it in what is good for euery one of his members bringes prouision for his necessities teacheth it touching the function of his naturall office in all his members enterteyning and reteyning them togeather by such coniunction that muche lesse there is amongest them any passion of enuye hatered or debate seeing of the contrary shée makes the griefe of â—ne to bée felt of them all and to complaine it no lesse then if euerye one did perticipate in it as if the foote bée gréeued we sée the tongue speakes for it and expresseth sorrowe the eye is readye to looke to it the hande to touche it to bée short they communicate all in common with the good and euil that happeneth euery one imparting with another and all with one and one with all Euen so the law is a perfect vnion of all the partes estates of publike weales equall to all without exception of persons and instructing them in their general and particular duty defendes them all thinges contrary to the same comprehending vnder her aswell the great as the small the noble men as the paisaunt men of knowledge as the ignoraunt meane artificer Beside this it makes the magistrate féele as his owne the displeasure which happeneth euen to the meanest of the Citie as afore wee haue sayde the head hath his part in the hurt of the foote enclining to helpe it as if it were to him selfe And gréeuing thus in the euill of another with no lesse compassion then if it were proper to him selfe and seeing it common to all the body polletike which ought to complaine and demaund remedy of him being his head if hée giue that cure which is expedient much more the head being greeued wherin restes the vniuersall gouernment and prouidence of the whole body of the common weale is required a coÌ„mon and dutyfull diligence of all the members to do seuere iustice of him that had committed so daungerous a fault for the which all auncient common weales haue well prouided by good statutes and not forgot remedies for ciuill maladies supplying euerye of the same with conuenient cure according to the qualitye of the hurt wherin they obserued a forme of equall prouision both to heale the partye gréeued and preserue the rest of the bodye in his perfect integritie sometimes applying the colde and sharpedged yron and in an extreame remedye would cut of that part that would bée incurable least the other neare partes and consequentlye the whole bodye might fall into the infection of that contagious plague ¶ There be twoo principalities or pollecies which ought to bee knit together in vnitye of friendship as the soule and the body without difference they ought to ayde one another with mutuall and perpetuall succour for so shall not one of them passe an other The .4 Chap. AND as in Man bee twoo partes the one spiritual and the other corporall so in one coÌ„mon weale bée two principalityes that is to say the state Ecclesiasticall and ciuill they both notwithstanding vnited and conioyned as the minde and the body concurring in the perfite action of man And albeit they haue béene alwayes concordant for two endes yet as touching the Subiect they are different and vnlyke Priesthood temporal principalitye were conceyued at the first in the lawe of nature in the lawe written in two brethren Moyses and Aaron representing that they haue in al times consented in vnitye and brotherly concorde the one not vndertaking ouer the other but either one contented with his perticular charge and dutye The clergie directed speciallye the regiment of Soules by spirituall doctrines sacrifices Sacraments prayers and other actes and exercises of Diuine and Spirituall qualitye whose iurisdiction in like sort tended not but to spirituall endes without any medling or managing of temporal affaires as when they prescribed exercise of fasting penaunce and other disciplines to acknowledge sinnes or for Canonicall satisfaction of offences enioyned by penaunce with suertye and tranquilitye of conscience where the secular magistrate hath the wéelding of the sworde to geue correction to offendours rebelles mutinors and such as refusing the Spirituall Doctrine which the Church administreth doo contemne and persecute it and commit transgressions against the Lawes Ciuil deseruing punishment Aaron and the auncient sacrificatours medled onely with ceremonies sacrifices and interpretation of the Lawe Iesus Christ likewise and his Apostles made not but Spirituall profession as apeareth by the aunswere of our sauiour when hee was solicited to iudge a controuersie betwéene twoo Brethren touching the particion of their goodes what is hee sayth hée that hath instituted mée a Iudge or deuider of heritages betwéene you as who saye you are wrong ariued to mée for such a busines For I am come onely to preache and make spirituall exercise I wyll helpe you onely in that which I ought which is in Doctrine kéepe you from all Couetousnesse for by the abundaunce of Ritches which man possesseth his life is not susteyned and much lesse prolonged yea they can not make it any waye happy it is for that cause that Saint Paul willeth that hée that is militant to God and geuen whollye to his seruice shoulde haue no communitie with secular affaires eyther in traffike or any temporall profession The iudgement of this estate as we began to rehearse afore is not specially established but ouer consciences that is to absolue them when they are knowen to repent Sinne and whollye abandon it where if repentaunce bée not expressed they must stande restrained to theyr offences that is not to admit them to absolution And where the offences bée publike and no due penaunce done then to punishe them by excoÌ„municatioÌ„ which notwithstanding is rather a medicine then a payne and yet spiritual also as bée al the Ecclesiastical corrections theyr sworde is Gods worde their practises are Prayers Fastinges Teares Holye Meditacions continuall studie of the Scriptures and perpetuall
ouer darknesse and death the deuyll and hell vanquished and ouercome For it is the victorie our assuraunce of life and puts vs lastly in the possession of the kingdome of the eternall god And as there is also one commaundement as well to men as women great as small learned as ignoraunt to heare it and make continuall exercise of it as is commaunded in Iosua So for the ignoraunce of this law of God Osee saith that the people of Israel were past into captiuitie and hauocke by the Assyrians and Babylonians to be short by hearing of this worde are knowen such as be of God and belong to Iesus Christ And nowe that Pastours are bounde to preache the Gospell and the people ought to heare it it is without question as well by the commaundement of Iesus Christ as by his Apostles and instruction of his Church not néeding further to alleadge infinite Textes of the olde Testament conteyning the same doctrine The last commaundement which Iesus Christ gaue to his Apostles when he ordayned his Testament and last wyll was that they shoulde go foorth preache throughout all the worlde vsing this speache Go into the worlde whither I sende you teache all sortes of people or preache to all creatures whether Iewes or Paynims instructing them first in Faith and Baptisme which is who beléeueth and wyll be baptized shal be saued baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and who doth not beleeue shal be damned Teache them in like sort to obserue and kepe all those thinges which I haue geuen you in charge to do and to saye to others Be not amazed nor gréeued because visibly I go to heauen for I assure you for the great loue I beare you that I am alwayes with you euen to the consummation of the heauens the same meaning as if he had sayde vnto them Feare not that I do abandon you For besides that I wyll sende you the holy ghost as a Comfortour an Aduocate and teacher yet I my selfe wyll be with you euen with that presence and power which replenisheth the heauen and the earth For it is geuen to me euerywhere And I wyll not onely remaine with you as touching the time of your persons for the Apostles and Disciples remayned but a time after him as Saint Iames the elder but two or thrée yeres at the most but also with your successours in that estate meaning the successours in the estate of the Church which is not but one body in him Yea the last and most base members haue as great interest in the promise of the presence of Iesus Christ as the first and highest according to their measure and quantitie proportioned to them as wée see the members of a naturall bodye partake by equall proportion with the presence of the soule by her vegetation sence and mouing And deliueryng to his Apostles and Disciples their charge in these wordes Go and preache c. He spake also to Bishops succéedyng his Apostles and Curates hauyng place and office of his Disciples geuyng them that commaundement euen vntyll the ende of the worlde for they are but of one bodie gouerned by one spirite vnder one heade Iesus Christ And as it is matter true in our common experience that the last speache and Lesson which a wise Father geues to his children and a Lorde to his friends is to recommende vnto them those thinges which they holde most deare and be of greatest importaunce Euen so when he geues them charge to preache the Gospell and teache all sortes of people he meaneth that euerye Pastour instruct diligently all such as are geuen to him in charge by the worlde as hauyng nothing in more deare affection then the care to féede his flocke By the Gospell he vnderstandes all doctrine of health of grace and of promise for remission of sinnes whereof Iesus Christ is the aucthour where he saith Happy are they that heare the worde of God he addeth this text and do kepe it wherein be comprehended the statutes and ordinaunces which the Apostles haue taught which we call traditions as beyng recommended vnto them by the holy spirite of Iesus Christ to his Church By the administration of Baptisme we vnderstande likewise the other Sacramentes seeyng that as he hath instituted them as well as it so they followe it afterwardes accordyng to their institution wherein séeyng he admittes the doctrine and geues it such dignitie it is necessarie that we teache the benefites graces which we receaue by the Sacramentes afore we administer them I knowe not howe such can haue excuse afore God who intruding them selues into the companie of Iesus Christ I meane Prelates and Curates successours to the Apostles and Disciples and beyng commaunded by him to teache and preache either wyll not or can not accomplishe such charge seeing that Christ called none but such as both coulde and woulde I may boldly affirme and mainteyne in trueth that according to the law deuine the office of the Preacher is annexed to the Bishop and benefice as by naturall vnion the soule is conioyned to the body therfore let such as haue charge of Soules consyder better the state and nature of their duetie as beyng not able of them selues let them at least supply it by others that both can and wyll with whom let them impart the profites and reuenues wherein in true iustice and merite they haue nothing because they do nothing Recompence is due to labour the hiered man ought to bée nourished with the benefite of the Vine and eate of the fruite he that fighteth in warre ought to receaue his paye he that féedes the flocke ought to take the Mylke and the Fléese and he that trauayles in the Temple and the Gospell deserues to liue by it Presidentes and Counsellours receiue not their wages if they do not their office then by what collour of right in conscience or common reason can he demaunde any rewarde which bringes foorth nothing but a show yea he is but an impediment to others in whom is more abilitie and better merite But if there be such Maskers in the Church as I feare there are to many let them be payde their right due to their estate according to God and to auoyde slaunder and let them not of their owne priuate aucthoritie do iustice of themselues against all pollitike order for it is not for the Shéepe to rise against his Shephearde but if they continue to bée as vnprofitable Dranes in the Hiue of the Church eating the Honie and Waxe of diligent and painefull Bées Let their processe be exactly pursued by such as beare rule in the Church and so to cut of the example of such disorder confusion and sacriledge more foule then theft reasoning that an estate so excellent shoulde not suffer so foule a staine to the contempt and blasphemie of Christian religion ¶ Suche are refuted as holde that people are not bounde to heare so many Sermons wherfore are they Pastours
séeing man is the holye temple of God wherein the holy ghost dwelleth and the bodies also the holy members of Iesus christ who being holy hath incorporated them in him Is not he then truly holy where the Chalice or Cup a thing insensible is not but for the vse of a holy thing consecrated made holye What sinne therfore is it to conuert the vse of this mēber the tongue into vaine fonde speach which worse is to speake vnchastly to pronounce euill of another to sweare to blaspheme which be thinges not onely prophane but damnable reprobate and restraine it from exercise of holye discourse for which ende it was created of God and reformed by Iesus Christ as of purpose to praye and prayse God to teache and instruct And as to suche as speake vanelye the soddaine iudgement of God is pronounced so let the scoffer and idle inuentour of Pastime looke for theyr share in the same iustice Saint Paul commaundes vs to redéeme or buye againe our time whiche hée sayeth is done in speaking and perpetual well doing of thinges holy and edifying restoring in that sort the season which wée had lost in actes of vice and vanitye afore wée knewe God which is a satisfaction of dutye which hée requires of vs when hée sayeth Doo penaunce for with repentaunce and mutacion of will which is the first act of penaunce the change also of the fact or worke is requisit geuing recompense to our power to the iniuries and wrongs which we had done to others If we haue abused our time in vaine idle talke or employed it in vnlawful things what better recompense can wée aforde then to vse holy speaches of God and dispose our handes to actes of compassion and charitye Plynie being an Infidel but an excellent Historian was so gréedye of time that hée made Conscience to employe a moment otherwaies then to benefite Theophrastus sayd time was deare and an expence very precious meaning that it ought not to be spent vainelye what then ought to bée the consideration of the Christian who knoweth that as well of the meanest moment of his doinges as of the least minute of his time and wordes he is to yéelde reason to God. Therefore let Magistrates whose doinges ought to holde conformetye with the iudgement of God and are heare as the scripture sayth to make him obeyed in his commaundementes and statutes vse prouidence in a cause of so greate importaunce and dispose theyr office by such wisedome as time a gift so precious maye not bée turned to the abuse and dishonour of God. I condemne not heare myrth in things indifferent admistred to a good ende as eyther to refreshe the minde or recreate the Sycke the same being as a medicine to a spirite troubled and is then best approued when it tendes to edification as was that of Helias to the sacrificatours of Baal Crie lowder sayeth hée for perhappes your God is at rest in his Inne or vpon the way or els he sléepes crye therfore alowde that he may awake As much may be sayd of honest profit or necessary pastime such as Isaac tooke with his wife by familiar recreation and as Susanna did when shée walked in her Garden washed her selfe where shée was inuaded by the twoo corrupt Iudges of Israel and as also is written of S. Iohn who sometimes would hathe him selfe with his Disciples but would not enter into the bathe wherein Cherinthus an Heretike had bathed him selfe fearing least for the wretchednes of the Heretike the bath should fall In these and such like things which of nature are neither good nor euil the consideratiō of the ende and intent measureth alwaies the praise or dispraise wherin let vs obserue the saying of Iesus Christ If the eye bee simple al the body is illuminate as who say if in séeking thy profite or prouiding for thy health thy ende bée good and that the thing which thou doest meane bée pleasing to God thy worke is good for so did christ suffer him selfe to bée annointed on his head féete by Mary Magdalen the ende entent being commendable where if shée had employed lo long time and trauaile about another for delite onely and pleasure it had béen an act of vice euen so iesting pronounced of a wicked wyll or to dishonour or scorne any man can not bée but mortal sinne by reason of the ende and corrupt intent And these scoffers Parasites and table minstrelles who no lesse vaine in heart then vicious in affection practise an estate of squirilitye with an entent to deuoure other mens goodes maye sée howe farre they offende God and howe iustlye they stand subiect to seuere correction ¶ Plaies which of them selues beare no vice are not disalowable in respect of their endes and lavvfull causes Vnlavvfull games at Dice are causes of muche euill ⧠The .5 Chapter GAmes which of them selues beare no vice as suche as are deuised to recreate the minde or restore the vertues or natural faculties of the vnderstanding trauailed in Spirituall actions are not by the same reasons we gaue to honest Pastimes not to bée reproued no more then we may reprehend sléepe after labour of the body and the minde To refreshe the minde it is good to exercise the body with games of labour the better to entertaine strength and health as also sportes prepared to the exercise of an act necessary to a common weale as the practise of warre is verye profitable to which sports were trained by the institucion of Romulus the youth of Rome of fiftene twenty yéeres to rise by that meanes to a further habilitye to Armes And albeit they are rather painefull exercises whose ende is profitable instruction then simple games which bring intent of recreation yet they beare but the name of sports because there is no serious grauetie in their actes being as then ordained not to strike and kil but to prepare youth to a more agilitye in warre afterwardes In such like sportes men of warre should passe their time in truse peace to the end they fal not into delicate idlenes These sportes as they maye bée resembled with the exercise of students in the Retrician scooles touching declamations to forme speaches in Courtes so of simple sportes whose mater ende are not euil men may make theyr exercise as of medicine for cure of diseases not making marchandise or traffike of it for gaine For so it could not be properly called sport or playe but matter of good earnest for that sport ought to be referred to som honest ende Otherwaies who excedeth the ende of sport ought to suffer gréeuous punishment not only as vnprofitable but as sclaunderous to the common wealth For play is occasion of infinit euils as is expressed commonly vpon the experience of yong men now a daies without reckoning the losse of their time where Salomon commandes vs to trauaile withal our power without intermission al that the hand may worke do it sayth hée
he oftentimes passed nightes in watching and prayer By whose example suche as are called to the estate of Ministers in the Church Byshops and Pastors ought to direct their behauiours employing their times in spirituall labours being séene in no place but in excercise eyther to teache the ignoraunt comfort the afflicted exhorte the negligent confirme the weake and reprooue the offendor and expresse withall alwayes some good doctrine and confirme it by example of their good life And so for the rest I send them to the treatise of their institution resorting eftsones to the labor wherof we spake ydlenesse whether in them or any other men of learning is an vncomly staine Let them with all others of knowledge but speciallye gouernors pollitick and spirituall do as the naturall head of man wherein as the spirite meditates debates and deuiseth that which is good and profitable to the body and euery member so by counsell of the same spirite the heade prouides by pollicy beholdes with the eyes hearkeneth with the eares and speaketh with the tongue that which is necessary for the whole studying altogither for the entertainement of the body and al the members whome he commaundes in perticuler to trauell with all their force industry naturall as the eye to looke euery where where neede is the eare to heare that which is good and profitable to the body and all his members the hande to worke in diuers sortes the féete to marche and go c. So that there is no member ouer whome he hath soueraintie and which hath meane to obey his commandement to whom he prescribes not what he ought to doe And euen as the stomacke receyues the meate to decokt and disgest it and afterwards to distribute it thorow the body euen so ought the magistrates of the Churche to doe with the doctrine which they haue learned out of the holy scryptures commending the same imitation also to the magistrats of iustice lawyers imparting the science of the laws which they haue learned in schools to the people some to the instruction health of soules other to direct the pollicy of their commonweals The like also belongs to Phisitions touching the disposing of their science for the cure of bodies Other members haue their propper and outward labour as the hand that worketh and the féete that serue to marche and go So Marchauntes Labourers and Artificers haue the trauayles of the bodye for excercise not onelye to the particuler profite of them selues but also to the behoofe of the whole as others haue the labours of the spirite Here it is not impertinent to the matter to rehearse the Fable of Marcus Agrippa Orator of Rome pronounced to the people which were assembled to do violence against the Lordes of the Senate whom they sayde kept them in too great subiection of labours and contribucions of tributes to entertayne their rest and tranquility This Oratour to apease this popular mutinie and eftsones to reconcile them to the Senat brought in this resemblance the members of the body sayeth he murmured on a time against theyr stomacke and bellye obiecting that they did nothing but toyle in perpetual trauell to norishe it yet it was neuer satisfied and so being weary forbare to labour any more to reléeue it the hand would worke no more the feete laye at rest would go no further the mouth refused to speake the eye to sée and al gaue ouer to prouide for the bellye By which occasion within few dayes all the members became feble weake yea without hability to moue so that the man had no power to set one foote before another And so foreseeing in what danger of death hée stode for not ministring foode to his stomacke and bellye perswaded al his members eftsones to recontinue their trauaile geuing them to vnderstand that they were not fallen into that infirmity by any other meanes then because they disobeyed the stomacke refraining frō trauaile to prouide him sustenance and norriture to the bellie which being thus beaten into theyr knowledge they tooke againe theyr first office labour and diligence and so eftsones recouered theyr agilitye and force neuer afterwards mutined against their stomackes or belly To this stomacke he resembled the Senat in the members were represented the people applying so aptly this cōparison which is as a natural lesson visible doctrine that he brought the people to returne to their citie yéeld theyr accustomed obedience to the Lords of the Senate declaring by this peremtorye reason that it is not possible to the world to bée well gouerned nor lyue without counsel iudgement and prouidence of God and graue gouernors some prouiding for the safetye of soules and others caring for the temporall affayres the better to establishe a happye tranquilitye in a common wealth ¶ In all creatures is seene a perpetual labour whether in Heauen in Earth or in the Sea The profite vvhich riseth in a Citie by the trauaile vvhereunto the idle sort are constrained Exhortacion to the Magistrates to purge their common vveales of vnprofitable people declaring the euill vvhich comes of them and the authoritie vvhich they haue to doo it The .11 Chapter THere is no naturall Common Weale no not amongest the Beastes which is not in continual and common labour without excepting any singular creature frō trauaile In the Monarchie of Bées where the king commaundes wée haue already proued that there is no Idlenes Among the Antes where the most auncient guide the rest euerye one is busye to beare his burden builde his Garner In the flocke of Cranes where al be equal in aucthoritye none is suffered to be idle Nor of Grashoppers when they flye in Troupe There is no winged Birde which flyeth not geues to euery day some acte of trauaile according to his nature No Fishe in the Sea or other water to whome with the vse of life is not ioyned perpetual trauaile No Beast aboue or vpon the earth who after his natural rest doth not employe him selfe according to his natural facultie no natural thing if it haue life and strength is suffered of nature to bee idle The Sea alwaies bringeth forth Fishe beareth great Shippes and hath her other mouinges and as the Riuers fall into the Sea so the fountaines slide into the Riuers The Earth without ceassing engendereth or preserueth Herbes Séedes Plantes and the plantes neuer forbeare in theyr season to expresse their vertue and bring forth fruites and are neuer vnprofitable yea if there bée any vnfruiteful it is committed to the fire as not worthy to bée susteyned with the fatnes of the earth without yéelding good fruite Christ cursed the figge trée because it brought forth leaues yéelded no fruite signifying to vs that it is not inough to trauaile if our labours bring forth no profite to others The fire continuallye burneth The skye hath his perpetual mouing carying about his planets and starres The Sunne geueth light without intermission And the
starres in the night leade vs by infallible Lightes Thus there is no creature which God hath made séene idle but man who of a corrupt nature paruerteth his order where he is bound by most iust reasons both for the mind body to trauaile seeing that as labour is healthful and necessary to him so hée onely aboue al other creatures of God receiueth the profite of the earth and hath of God in the ende eternal recompense which proueth that trauaile whether it bée to gaine and preserue goodes or that it reléeue the necessitye of the bodye or tende to the health of the soule is most behoueful and necessarye to man. It is great hurt to a common weale to nourish mouthes that eate and labour not Who besides theyr owne idlenes are hurtful examples of disorder to others For such people are not satisfied with the losse of theyr owne time but sinisterlye seduce others to theyr faction and ten of those are inough to corrupt fiftye yea a whole Towne Therfore let the Magistrate purge his city of such dranes table Iestours Parasites forgers of Newes builders of scoffes to goo scotfrée them selues very natural pyllors of Tauerns And with the same seuere diligence let him cleanse his cōmon weale of al filthy quagmiers of ruffenrie scurility seruice of bawdes and bawdry for if one out-corner of his Toune bée infected with that pestilence it is inough to impoison the whole yea euen as there is precise order to clense the stréetes chanels of al filth vncleanes to kéepe the toune from corruption of aire and as the head of mans body foreséeth that there remaine no impedimēt to any member but the eye lokes about the body that it be kept cleane if there bée any offence there is a plaister applied to cure cleanse it euen so al such as the magistrate shal see through idlenes or vaine or vnlawful arte to prepare to corrupt them selues infect others Let him either by iustice or discipline reforme them or by good pollecye auoide them from the society of others If there be any fathers through whose negligence or other default theyr children of good houses become customarye to idlenesse sinne and other vices Let the Magistrate punish by heauy fines such fathers for bringing into theyr common weale such pernicious education and for example sake compell their children to ciuilitye by publike discipline It belongeth no lesse to the office of the gouernor to correct the prodigalities of such whose parentes diceassed and they left to theyr owne election of libertye and life with full Coffers waste their wealth in plaies glottonies pompes taking vpon them the title of Gentlemen attyre of yong Princes make loue to Ladies they which are the Sonnes of Marchantes who to get the name of nobilitye sell theyr shoppes holding it a staine to theyr reputacion to continue the trade of theyr fathers And so in continuaunce by much spending and neuer winning theyr prodigalitye leades them at last to sel euen theyr houses and implements litle knowing theyr value at the first and lesse considering to what vses God had ordained them Sure such ought to bée bridled by Publike aucthorytye and restrayned to rule and measure liuing according to the rate of other wise Burgesses And if they are vnapt to continue theyr Shops there may bée constraint to frame them to other trade bothe to theyr proper commoditye example of the Citye and to kéepe them from extreame pouertye whereunto there Idlenesse will bring them Heare let no man say haue not I onely propertye in mine owne may not I doo with my goodes what I list yea who can let me to sell it sith euery man is maister of his owne suche speaches please well the humour of the speaker but agree not with the statutes of a common weale wel directed and much lesse haue conformetye with cōmon reason because a perticular is but a member of the bodye polletike who ought to bee gouerned by his head and geue all the ayde hee can to his body Horace sayeth wée owe our selues and al that wee haue to our common weale as who saye wée are not for our selues neyther is our goodes our owne but all ought to bee employed to Publike behoofe but more to God of whome wee haue al so that if our countrey haue neede of our goodes or our life we ought to refuse nothing ought not the Arme to suffer to lose his sleeue yea and the ioynt to keepe his bodye were it not better the hand were cut of then to loase both the leggs or the whole bodye But a man to hurt him selfe is another matter for he should not onely do iniurye to him selfe but wrong to others For that cause wée say that if a man set fire in his owne house he ought to bée hanged for the act bearing common interest to the citye makes the man reputed as a publike iniuror of the state bée it that the house was his and builded by him yet to propertyes is anexed this condicion to vse them well to the behofe of al and not abuse them to the offence of any So goodes are a mans owne for his necessarye vse but if he abuse them they are none of his but the common weale ought to resume thē as a good mother and kéepe them for the after necessity of her child If hée that cuttes his Arme for the nonse deserue the punishmēt of a murderer no lesse merite of paine belongs to him who doeth wrong to his common weale to whome hée oweth that arme for the seruice of the rest For that cause euen amongst the Pagans hée which killed him selfe was led to the scaffolde and hanged as an offendour because hée had in that sort cutte him selfe of from his bodye polletike to whose seruice hée ought him selfe and al that was his The prodigal and vnthrifty man hauing turned his great wealth into a mountaine of smoke by his disorder leaues this charge to the Citye to kéepe his wife and to prouide for the sustenaunce and education of his children who being accustomed with theyr Father to epicuritie and deliteful pleasures can not but smel of their first corruption and be hardly kept from intemperance without a harde hand wil not bée restrayned from the life of theyr dissolute Father And therefore as wel to preuent this publike charge to the Citye as to reduce to modestye Impes of suche disordered stockes it is good to shake the rodde of discipline to kéepe such Youth from corruption not suffering any to liue in Idlenes least their example infect others ⧠There bee diuerse sortes of Idle pople some worcke certaine howres onelye and they bee certaine Artificers Some as vacabondes vvill neuer doo any thing vvho bringing vp theyr children in the same trade traine them to the vvallet betime Discourse of poore Beggers vvandring in Countreyes and of the euill that they doo ⧠The .12 Chapter BVT because this Idlenes hath so large a sircuite
statutes by all the Courtes of their prouince in inuiolable stabilitie For as the lawes diuine and humaine are as it were the strength and walles of common weales euen so are the statutes of a Colledge the fortresse and bulwarke of the same without the which it can not bée long kept from disorder and vtter ruine Let the benefactors and Citizens honour their Colledge with often visitacion and contemplation of the principall and Regentes to whom for their learning sake belonges that merit of honor but specially if they be come farre off to doe seruice to their Citie leauing their proper Countreis and priuat commodities By this visitacion it will come to passe that the principall and Regents shall be better obeyed and feared of their schollers and they which with their tutors and altogyther better moued with common readinesse to doe the duetie of their Colledge and in cases of wrong iniurie and vexation offered by any let them ioyne with them in ayde and councell to aduaunce exemplarie iustice wherein in applying fauor and protection to those that represent them all aswell Magistrates as general parentes of a whole prouince in the institution of their youth to whom then if iniurie be offered the Magistrate and whole cōmon weale haue interest therein and therefore with common affection ought to pursue the offender to publike iustice they doe honor to their cōmon weales in those learned men who resorting to Vniuersities or other publike or priuat places will giue honorable opinion rapport touching the pollicie and order of that Citie To be short there can not be to great honor reuerence and affection borne to those persones by whose industrie in the institution and education of youth so many benefites grow as by them whole common weales become happie so that if men loue and honor vertue science honor dignities ritches reste and publike felicitie much more ought they to honor and cherishe those men by whom all those benefites are brought to whole countreys If Fathers and mothers beare so deare loue to their children with desire to sée them rise into manners and qualities of ciuill men ought they not with great affection to embrace and cherishe suche by whom in their places and with no lesse Fatherly zeale their children are instructed taught corrected and trained euen to their desires yea if their Disciples were their proper children by kind and bloud they could vse no more affectiō to make them learned and vertuouse In déed suche deserue not the name of maisters who bearing no frank care and loue to their schollers séeme as marcenary men and but to regarde the present gayne holding their Schollers in negligence and their parentes in hipocrisie touching their paines diligēce Touching the principal he ought to loue his regents as his bretherne who as he is the auncient and first in authoritie ouer them so by the scripture to the eldest is ascribed the preheminence and supreame rule in a familie and acknowledging him selfe as a brother in the aduauncement and protection of his bretherne giuing them aide and fauour to his vttermost power and credit in an other consideration he is called the head of the regents and schollers the regents being the chiefe and principall members of the body vnder the head and the schollers the inferior So that as he being a brother must behaue himselfe to his brothers in brotherly office and as the head gouerne his most principall and excellent members with a chiefest care and dutie and so sée the rest beare mutuall amitie one to another In like sort ought the Regents to acknowledge all loue feare and franke obedience as they are warned by the law of God to their eldest and most auncient brother forbearing as neare as they can to grieue their head or giue him any occasion of offence the same being altogether against the law of nature God and man as in a naturall bodie by how much the members are neare to the head by so much doo they trauell to giue aide and pleasure to their naturall head as retayning of it more prouidence or influxion euen so schollers according to all law and reason ought to beare loue reuerence feare and obedience in all subiection to their head and principall first and next to their Regents yea the same loue honour feare and obedience which they owe to their parents and duties to the Magistrates ought they to performe substancially to their principall and Regents being as Lieftenants to their Fathers Mothers and Magistrate and whom the Principall Regents loue with the affection of Fathers no lesse then if they were their proper children For recompēce therfore let them honour them with equall loue and dutie and with reuerence as to the formers of their wittes and Fathers of their learning alwayes considering that if their had not ben instructed their ignorāce and vice had taken from them all dignitie and honour in their life and as blind men they had walked in perpetuall darknes falling into errors and neuer confessed God and in the end had ben perpetually wretched In which respects as they well deserue to be loued and honoured as their Masters so yet they are bound to it most of all when they are risen into knowledge by which they receiue the honorable fruit of their studies how often so euer they sée themselues honored for their learning how often they gaine by it when they take most pleasure in their Science and sée themselues raised into dignitie and felicitie aboue others bycause of their learning and vertue euen so often let them honour the remembrance of their Masters and embrace them with perfect loue as who were their originall happy meanes to raise them to those estates and without whom they had ben contemnible to the world with out any honorable ornament of nature forbearinge the rudenes of some vnthankfull disciples who being once highly mounted make no more reckoning of the stirop that raised them to their high seat wherin much lesse that they deserue that they haue but with vnthākfull children not acknowledging to their parents their due honour nor the aide and dutie which they owe thē are not worthy of common life Let such and all other vnthankfull people remember that it is a sinne which S. Paule findes condemned of Christ to eternall perdicion and a signe of reprobation with God. Refutation of the false iudgements of some proude worldlings touching the profession of schoolemasters with a praise of that profession Chapter xiij MAny there be of too fleshly and reprobate iudgement who eyther ignorant in the dignitie of learning or sworne enemies against it despise the state of schoolemasters calling them by many scornefull and ridiculous names But according to my former opinion I hold it afore God a calling most honorable and acceptable and in a common weale the most profitable and necessary profession For if knowledge be commendable vertue deserue honour much more merite of reuerence belonges to such as teach
in communicatinge to her parte of all his benefits and making her with himselfe coinheritor of his Paradise Could hée showe her more great signes of perfect amitie yea hee hath conioyned himselfe with her as one flesh making hir flesh of his fleshe bloud of his bloud and bones of his bones as we beléeue Eua was taken out of the ribbe of Adā whereby he acknowledged her to be his fleshe bones And for vertue of that coniunction he saied that touching cohabitation togither man should leaue Father and mother to cleaue to his wife yea so great is this coniunction and inseparable vnitie that no more can it be deuided then the fleshe of the ribbe being connaturall to it by consent and order of nature can be separated from the bone nor the body disioyned frō his head wherein man may vnderstand with what loue hée is bound to his wife how he ought to loue her as his proper fleshe with resolution to liue with her in amitie vnitie of indiuidible will as he séeth her conioyned to him by indissoluble communion both according to the first ordinance of God and by the seconde renouation alliance which Iesus Christ hath made with his church in spirituall mariage with this a thing knit to true loue let him thinke that the woman was taken out of the ribbe of the man to signifie that she should bee hys companion and not cut out of his héele to be his handmaid and subiect For that cause S. Peter calleth the woman coinheritrix of grace and life with the man and with S. Paule exhorteth husbandes to entreate their wyues with all gentlenes and cohabit with them by discretion as being weake vesselles giuing them honour and not to gréeue them eyther with too great burden of busines or by worldly or fleshly lettes whereby their prayers may be hindered meaning partlie with the councell of S. Paule that man and wife sometimes ought to refraine mutuall cohabitacion of their bodies to exercise themselues in prayer and fastinge as when there is preparacion for the communion whiche Ioell commaundes also to doe in tyme of penaunce when there is question to reconcile God with teares and fasting then is the tyme sayeth he that the husbande should deuide bedd with his wife and shée forbeare her mariage couche the better to praye to god For notwithstanding such cohabitacions and actes of the flesh in mariage are not of themselues in respect of the purpose of that institution vnlawfull at all tymes yet because they draw the spirit of it selfe diuine and heauēly into corrupt thoughts quenching the spirituall force and action of the same and as it were weaken it of power to rayse it selfe to God in pure and liuely contemplacion they can not be but hurtfull without moderation For which purposes if men be bound to fast and to qualefye their vnrulie lustes with better reason ought they to absteyne from suche actes which no lesse or rather more but in other qualitie peruert the spirituall faculties of the mind then either aboundance of meats or plentie of wine yet the scripture séemes to giue no such expresse commaundement touching cōtinencie as of abstinence as not to condemne the inuincible infirmitie and incontinency of many fleshly creatures who euen in mariage haue not power in respect of their custome to absteyne easelie Here the mā and wife are to bée aduertised that séeing mariage of his proper institution is a thing honorable and vndefiled let them not deface and stayne it by vnlawfull and immoderat pleasures more beastly then naturall let them remember the warning of Dauid Be not sayeth he as a Horse or Moyle in whom is no vnderstanding let them beware that they séeke not after inordinate passions which prouoke to actes of Pagans sayeth S. Paul let them be without perturbation of mynd as not bearing anger nor grudge agaynst any man let them not lurfeyte of eating and drinking nor be subiect to gluttonie and dronkenes For it is most certayne that the procreation shall resemble the qualities and corrupte natures of the Father and mother and therefore Diogenes not without cause séeing a yong boy wanton and giuen to wine gaue iudgement that his father begotte him when he was dronke as also most commonly bastardes be leacherous by reason of the vnchaste lust of their Father and mother wherein they were engendered But nowe to the lawes and rules which the husband ought to gyue to his wyfe according to the doctrine of god First the better to prepare her to humilitie she ought to acknowledge in her selfe such frayelty and infirmitie by nature both in mynd and body that as Aristotle sayeth without the guide of the man she is no other then as a matter without a forme and naturally can not liue without his direction as being drawn out of the ribbe of man and therefore what shée hath touching her body is deriued of man and was made for him and not man for hir being the first in creation forbearing here to recite all that may be sayd particularly touching his preheminence onely I maye alleadge in generall that as the man was not seduced by the Serpent as was the woman so the reason of the great error and fall of the man was the obedience hee bare to his wife contrary to Gods commaundement for the which she also was first condemned and made subiecte to more miseries then the man. These textes beare this intent to make the woman more humble and obedient aswell to God as to hir husband for that by hir nature she is easely caried in to arrogancie pride ouerwéening glorie and disobedience as being envenomed with the poyson which hir great mother Eue tooke of the Serpent suttill arrogāt proude glorious cruell here the husbande must giue hir to vnderstand that in nothing God is more displeased then in pride and disobedience done aswell against him as to her superiours Then lett him discende to the declaration of his superioritie ouer hir according to Gods creation in nature according to his holy ordenaunce according to the example of Iesus Christ by whome he is apoynted head ouer hir with authority as to a husband with promise not withstanding to vse this preheminence to hir benefit and contentment with loyall amytie here he must not for gett to putt hir in rememberaunce of the confederation which they haue made togeather to liue in holynes according to the similitude of the sacred coniunction and marriage of Iesus Christ with his church and that in all mutuall honesty and holy conuersation on with an other lett him then prescribe lawes and rules fitt for a wife That she serue God with all hir hart and loue hir husband only with franck obedience to his commaundementes giuing no occasion wherin he shall perceiue that she hath eyther said or done any thing to the offence of God Secondly lett hir beare to him affection and care as to hir husband and head as he for recompence must loue
obseruatiō amongst the Lacedemonians who vsed not only the lawe of perfect pietie to their proper and fleshly parents but also euen to all old people whome they honored as their fathers and gaue succor to all their affaiers as if they had bene their naturall children They estemed them happie if they were called to do seruice to olde men tacking it for the greatest prayse that coulde be ascribed to the actions of their life to pushe forward the affires of auncient men wherby it was sayde in comon prouerbe that happie was he that became olde in Lacedemonia as hauing so many childrē readily disposed to honor serue and support him as there was young people in the towne ¶ The dutie of Maisters towards their Seruauntes Chapter vij THe third ground of a cōmon weale and order of pollecie conteineth the authoritie of Maisters ouer Seruauntes and obedience of seruants to maisters wherein the maister mai be considered in two manners either as Lord buying with his money his seruaunt which they call bondman or slaue or conquering him in warre by victorie as his enemie or else he is maister not as Lord proper or owner but as trying and vsing the seruaunt only for a time as in England we haue no others So that this second sorte of seruaunt is no bond man but rather in the nature of a hyreling or marcenarie reteyned for a season when the scripture speakes in the Hebrew woorde of this name aued and the auncient Latines of seruus as also the Gréekes of their Donlos thei meane no other commonly then the perpetuall bondman This maister called Lord hath borne afore time supreme power ouer hys seruauntes putting them to death by his discretion without lawe of reprehension For so we reade Metellus a Citizen of Rome handled so many bond men as brake him cuppes of Crystall and was not called to punishement for it which comming to the knowledge of Augustus an Emperour pitifull he entred the house of the said Romane and to take away the occasion of a second crueltie to his poore bond men passhed in péeces al the vesselles of Crystall and glasses that hée founde in the house Olde Cato otherwayes reputed very wise was so tyrannous ouer his bondmen that whē by extréeme age they had no further abilitie to serue hym hée caused some to be committed to slaughter and suffered others to dye of hūger which cōmō humanitie denieth euen to a dogge or horse that had ben long vsed in seruice but that libertie or rather imperious and vnnatural authoritie of Maisters was afterwardes bridled and limited by many lawes as is written in Exodus who strikes his bond man or bond woman with a rod and they dye presently vppon the blow is guiltie of capitall crime but if they liue a daye or two after he shal not be punished for he hath bought them with his money as if the law had saied he thought not to kil them and so loose the money which they had cost him And albeit God often times recommendes vnto maisters to handle their bond men gentlie wherein to drawe them to more pitie hée puttes them in remembrance of the miserable seruitude which they endured in Egypte yet the hautie couetous and malicious nature of manye maisters draw them often tymes into actes of great tyrannie towardes their bond men vsinge them more cruelly then their necessary and trauelling cattell yea in no other estimacion nor vse then as brute beastes For the which God by his prophete declares howe angrie he is and sending ruine spoyle to their townes he suffereth some of them to be murdered and others made slaues to straunge and barbarous nations The Jewes had commaundement to giue libertie to the bond men of their nation the vii yeare which was as a sabboth sanctified to god But because aboue their prescript limite thei retayned their poore bondmen in hard subiection and if they complayned redoubled the straynesse of their bondage eyther not suffered them to appeare in the court to demaund iustice or else corrupted the Iudges and so choak the way of their remedie the Lord partly for this transgression sent desolation vpon Juda and transmigration into Babylon Let vs nowe sée the office of a maister to his bonde seruauntes wherein we shall finde that by reason hée ought with much more lenitie to behaue him selfe towards those which are not to him but as temporall seruauntes First séeing their slaues are men as well as they they ought to loue them as their neighbours for all men are our neighbours and if he were a Pagan or ennemie should a man doe wrong to him whom he loueth would hée enioyne him to thinges vnrighteous hurtfull hard and too full of labour If euery one by the law of nature be bounde to doe to an other as hee would be done vnto him selfe would he in the state of such subiection be commaunded to things aboue his abilitie to execute Secondly if the bond men or slaues be Christians religion much more then the law of nature ought to draw vs to affection towardes them If they be young we ought to hold them in the reputacion of our brethren if they be auncient let vs giue them reuerence as to Fathers I meane touchinge loue for concerning the bond ciuill and seruile it is not cancelled by the law of the gospell why should wée then with so arrogant proud and angrie hart commaund such rigorously whom we ought to loue and cherish with Christian humanitie If we be al vnited by one IESVS Christe as are the members of one bodye vnder this Lord which is made our head should it bée possible that the maister who in this body is as the eye or hand and the bond seruaunt to him is as the foote or least toa of his foote to obey and serue him should commaund or enioyne to this bond man any thing which should not bée reasonable honest and profitable the same agréeinge with the commaundement of Saint Paule not to doe any displeasure damage or wrong to that low part being so conioyned to him by naturall harmonie no rather if it suffer necessitie grief or anguish the superior parte is bound to trauell for it and yéeld compassion to his sorrow The Maister not touched with this spirituall iudgement and lesse féeling of this inwarde sence touching his office to his seruaunt doth not rightly acknowledge him selfe to be a man but much lesse a true Christian and faithfull member of the mysticall body of this Lord The same being the cause why many Christian nations in the consideration of suche loue according to nature and grace will not vse that imperious authoritie in their house ouer any bond man But taking certayne infidelles prisoners in lawfull warres as soone as they become Christians they giue them libertie and receyue them into their houses with wages and hyers for their labours obseruinge the vertues of the auncient Nations who after long proofe of their bond mē in
well the care dutie of their office and that by the direction of the Gouernours to whom belonges the first example of behauior as a head and the principall member of a body naturall do first their proper and generall offices for the better regimēt of euery common and particular part of the said bodye A body pollitike vnder these obseruations can not erre nor much faile to liue togither in happie conuersation and consent to peace concord amitie and euery other good conuersation And as we see the naturall bodye of man compleate with his due organes and instruments disposed and sound to doe his perfect actions thoroughe all his partes not suffering any faulte or negligence in any one to whom belonges office or function So they doe all agrée and consent albeit by trauels and operations vnlike or differing as is difference amongest the members yet conspiring and tending all to vnitie vnder the will and iudgement of the head euery one employeth his force to doe that belonges to his natural facultie wherein if there be any that fayleth in his proper action his infirmitie is immediatly discerned eyther that he is sicke or other waies restrained by dolour and grief that he can not performe his office as when the eye refuseth to ayde the body and euery outwarde part with his visible facultie it is seene that he is troubled with some corrupt humor falling out of the braine or being vexed with some other accident he cānot serue his body for the which as he remaines in sorrowe and grief so euery member in particular and all togyther in common do ioyne to his succours Firste the braine beginnes to debate and iudge what the disease is and how to prouide the remedie commaundes the toung to declare the grief and demaund meanes to cure it the eare heareth the foote trauelleth the hand is diligent to applie the medcine wherein all the rest haue common interest and that with generall care compassion and busie trauell as if the passion were proper to euery of them euen so and by this resemblance we sée thys body pollitike to be then in his best estate when it suffereth none of any condicion or calling what soeuer to liue voyd of function and trauell according to his dutie where if there be any eyther by superfluitie of euill humor or by nature corrupt or of discipline peruersed which leaueth his function he is not onely vnprofitable to him selfe and others but also a trouble to the reste of the partes but specially to the moste neare and noble partes which are his neighbours parentes and néerest familiars euen so in a body pollitike the greatest in office or credit ought to aduertise the magistrate which is the head to the ende to consider howe the infirmitie may be holpen to whom all the reste of the partes are bound to be assistant for the cure of the parte infected which least it growe to encrease of euill they ought to purge by some sharp discipline And that dooing no good in his simple application they are bound to redouble it to the vttermost wherein if it proue incurable let thē applie the searing yron and as an extréeme remedie cut it of to kéepe the other partes from corruption and the whole body sound And this albeit can not be done without extréeme sorrow to our whole common weale but specially to the next parentes neighbours and familiars yet being driuen thereunto for the health and sauetie of the whole the necessitie makes the cōstraint neyther hatefull nor intollerable The magistrat only as being the head of this body hath the iudgement and execution of this busines as he onely hath the eye to sée the eare to heare and the imagination and iudgement to determine to the sauetie of him that fayleth in his dutie and to the benefit and profit of the whole body pollitike wherein is not to be forgottē that naturally the head of man findes out spéedely the griefe or disease of the member to giue succours to it the same being an aduertisement that the chief ruler or head of a common weale ought also to know the euill that is happened in any place of his gouernement whereunto he is bounde with his eyes his eares his vnderstanding and all his other sensible synowes I meane officers inferiour to whom belonges the information of euery thing to the end reasonable remedie may be applied But this were a great euill if the head should become diseased by vices and peruersed affections for being so he would make to languish all his poore body and leade the members into disorder yea worse would happen if any grosse or corrupt humour hindered or stopped the naturall conduites by the which the liuely spirites procéeding from the braine could not pearce and passe thorough all the partes of the body whereby it might fall by apoplexie as dead without spéeche without mouing of breath and séeme to haue no sence In this we signifie that if the law which is as the soule of the body ciuill be in the head of the magistrat restrayned or hindred by corruption or aboundance of humores infected as couetousenesse hate feare loue and false opinion touching religion to performe her frée functions through all the saied body pollitike in motions and senses which are gouernements by wyse prouidence equitie and iustice The poore common weale can not but fall quickly to the ground euen as a house hath no meane to stand when his proppes are taken from vnder him This we reade happened in the time of Sedechias king of Jsraell when the great Sacrificator Phassur and all his vnder sacrificators and Prophetes except Jeremie EZechiell Daniel and a few others togither with their king and his officers were occupied in actes of couetousnes rapines iniustice and pagan superstitions and forhearing the exercise of the law of God all those as they were the first that declined to sinne so they were the firste that were committed to spoile captiuitie and murther and afterwardes the rest of the whole body slaughtered with al that miserable common weale defaced whiche afore stood in florishing prosperitie so long as hir heades performed their office and iustly exercised the lawe And where the soule of the common weale which is the law were not but by certayne smal humors corrupte with certaine vices hindred to do hir action whereby one only member should be distressed all the body could not but be in payne and not able fréely to doo his general office So the default of execution of iustice in one particular man is the error of the magistrate and the cause by the which the whole cōmon weale is put to trouble Therefore O you Magistrates in whose handes standes the direction of the soule and body of this Christian common weale and also of whom depend the successe rest and happynes of the same by your graue gouernement as of the contrary if there bée default in you what wretchednes and miserie it suffereth is attributed to you
let them labour to kéepe their common weale whole and sound that neyther in maners nor discipline nor touching the lawes customes statutes and ordenances there bee no error by superfluitie or want receyuing succours by doctrine sermons and perticular lessons touching Religion of the Churchmen to whome they are bound to stretche and leade their hand according to GOD as we sée the bodie serueth the soule in that is necessary for the vse and conseruatioÌ„ of man And if in the said bodye politike there bee hapned any euill of what side soeuer it be eyther of them selues or others eyther within or without whether of one or many or all together they ought presently to discend to the remedie to the rooting vp of the euill if it be possible in the beginning and not suffer it to encrease by conueniencie or dissimulation Let them not doubt but God as he is of nature mercifull so he is greatly prouoked when he punisheth man for vice but more angrie when he scourgeth a whole family afflictes a towne and visites a whole countrie but extremly and most of all is he stirred when he distroyeth a kingdom and generall nation let them not thinke that then the cause of the sinne is small or simple but in diuers sorts multiplied touching the nomber of haynous importaÌ„ce concerning the qualitie quantitie yea encreased with the nomber complet euen to an incensible grauitie for often times God attends the fulnes of our sinnes specialy afore he strike a nation or whole people according to the text of Genesis that he would not punishe the Channites till their iniquities were accomplished The best preseruatiue against all these euils is diligent prouidence of the gouernour and magistrat who then may best restrain vices when they prouid that the lawe may be vnderstand of all with such commandement to kéepe it vnder paine of such due ponishment that euen in the first that transgresseth against him that made it there may be actuall iustice to the common instruction and example of others wherein for their better helpe and effect of this verteous pollicy they must begin to institute the litelones to teach the ignorant blaming both sorts if they do not learne and obserue and so to others instructtng euerie one in the office and dutie of their estate and in what sort they ought to serue the common weale vsing herein specially for their first foundation the doctrine of fayth then the groundes of good conditions and lastly the rules of policie which doctrine in these thrée partes we haue declared before In this sort the magistrate may preserue his common weale from infinit euills as we read Iosua and Samuell standing vppon these reasons of gouernment neuer were trobled with sedicious nor any miseries hapened to them after they had purged them by penance of former offences There hapened in the gouernment of Josua but one defalt by Achan but imediatly after inquisition was made he passed by ponishment by whose example let gouernours bring into correction what vice soeuer they find done against god with out regard to qualifie it eyther by persone parentage place or other partiall or corupt circomstance for it is most cerraine that as that vice being suffered will be the cause of the damnation of the doer so the impunitie and example will drawe many oâ—hers to do euill wherby the ire of God will kindle against a whole kingdome For which cause Abraham assone as he vnderstode that Ismaell went forth to playe with Isaac or as some in terperet to prouoke him to Idolatrie he expulsed him his howse with his mother Moses when he founde any fault done in his campe specially bearing offeÌ„ce to God exercised present and sharp punishment what iustice thundredhe vppon those that worshipped the golden Calfe and no lesse vppon the blaspheamor and transgressor of the Sabaoth with other offences which he foresawe might prouoke god to sentence against the doers and to destroy him first being gouernour for negligence of iustice and so consequently all others consenting to the vices he was aduertised of the iudgemeÌ„t of God aswell by his expresse lawe as by examples past and such as stood in present experience as in the case of whoredome he had séene 24 thousand ouerthrowne by the hands of God with commaundement to him to xecute the Princes captaines of the people by whose wicked example the multitude ronne to their sinne of vncleanes he knew also that for the zeale of iustice God appeaseth his fury as appeareth by that which Phineas the sonne of Eleazer did vppon two fornicators thrusting them both thorow with his sword for the which it is writteÌ„ that God ceased to make the people die he knew by many other examples that the furie of God was terrible vpon a whole world if he fouÌ„d not exercise of good iustice by correctioÌ„ which the Israelites sought to eschew in punishing the offences done in Gabaa as hath ben sayd And Saule being yet a man of grace and fearing God when he vnderstood the people had eaten flesh with his bloud against the lawe cried out saying roole vppon me some great stone and put me to death Oh what sinne haue the people commitied against the Lord séeing God hath ben offended he will punish vs all iustly by some miserable accident if we resort not all to penance therefore he commauÌ„ds to make ready sacrifices to confesse their sinnes detest them and aske pardon of God by prayer whose example if the Magistrates of the world afore the flood had obserued and after in many places of the world if gouernours had applied such quicke Iustice and discipline in the first beginning of vices neyther had the vniuersall ruine hapned nor such common miserie to many generall nations if Helie had chastised his sonnes and kept the people from corruption of Idolatrie he nor his children had not died nor the people suffred slaughter and destruction If Jonathas had not transgressed the Edict of Kyng Saule his father the oracle of God had not ceased he not runne vnder iudgement of death which he had suffred had it not ben for the intercession of the people if Saule had not done wrong to the Gabonites he had not ben the cause of the famine which hapned in the time of Dauid for the appeasing whereof there was commaundement to execute seuen of the race of Saule By these exemplary aduertisements let Magistrates of the present time foresee that in their gouernements there be no vice done or being done that it be pursued with present punishment other wayes let them be assured that with the example of a disease in the body entertained and norished and neither preuenting it afore it happen nor being hapned is carefull to purge and heale it wil breede by continuance a feuer disquieting the head so much vex the whole body that in the end he shal not be able to haue any vse of his meÌ„bers wherby death doth
follow All which hapneth by the default of the head in whom was vnderstanding both to kéepe him selfe and the body from euill and also to prouide remedy if it did happen euen so when there is either ill prouidence to preuent an euill or worse negligence to purge and cure it nor seeking out the cause till the effect be expressed it is then we see plagues famine with other rodds of God wherewith yet as he doth not scourge specially a countrey or common weale without great offence as one that will not strike with his staffe but where he finds obstinacie and resistance So let vs then do as children to their father whoÌ„ they haue offended for he strikes as a father and seeing him staÌ„d with rods in his hand ready to discipline fall vpon their knées at his feete and with teares demaund pardoÌ„ on whom in respect of their hartie submission as he is coÌ„tent to bestow but two or thrée little lashes presently cast the rods in the fier so also if their wéeping humilitie had appeared afore he tooke the rods in his haÌ„d they had not at all felt the smart euen so deales GOD with vs correcting vs with easie discipline as his children and if we crie him mercy there is nothing more familiar with him then forgiuenes yea he will burne his roddes and embrase our conuersion withall such is his goodnes towardes vs that afore he enter into correction be inuites vs to submit acknowledge to the end he be not constrayned being a iust iudge to lift vp his hand and make vs feele the rod conuert sayth he by his Prophets to me and I will be conuerted to you I will kéepe no remembrance of your faultes yea I will repent me that I went about to strike you it is grieuous to him to scourge his people and an act which becomes him not properly his nature is to do mercy for the which he is called mercifull long suffring patient and mercy it selfe he would not punish Dauid vppon his person notwithstanding he had deserued extreame Iustice but pardoned his sinnes when hee asked forgiuenes with great contrition griefe Touching the rods which he holdeth in his hand and strikes not but sheweth them as matters of feare to offenders we sée that Josophat being threatned with such roddes which were the Moabites Ammonites Sirians his enemies withdrew himself altogether to god published fastings through all the couÌ„trey of Juda asseÌ„bling all the people to pray to god in the teÌ„ple he in the middest of theÌ„ made this oration O Lord God which art the god of our fathers the god of heaueÌ„ and hast dominion ouer the kingdoms of all nations in thy hand is force and power there is none that can resist thée is it not thou O Lorde that hast killed all the inhabitants of this land being idolators and pagans before thy people of Jsraell We haue not force to resist so great a multitude and therfore not knowing what we should do there restes nothing to vs but to turne our eyes to thée O Lord as hoping in thée only for ayde and succours And as he continued thus in prayer wherin there was not so meane a woman and least childe which did not pray with him in the temple behold the prophet spake vnto him feare not this multitude it shall not be thy warre but the warre of God which hapned accordingly for all those armed enemies forsaking their purpose fell vpon the Jdumeans and after slaughtered one an other without any necessitie of him to go to the battell so happened it in the time of Ionas to the towne of Niniuie where the king vnderstanding the hand of God to be ready to destroy them with in xl dayes commaunded a general fast for thrée daies yea euen little children and beastes were restrained to abstinence and ioyning to this penance contrition and supplication for mercy it fell out that the Citie felt not the roddes of God otherwaies then in feare Touching the whippes wherewith hee scourgeth for not hauing thus preueÌ„ted and yet in correcting them selues and asking pardon he forgiueth them it is written of the Jsraelites that they cryed to God when they were in tribulacioÌ„ he deliuered them from their necessities which is amplie declared in their deliuerance from the captiuitie of Egypt wherein they felt sharppe and smartinge roddes yet crying mercy to God they were heard and deliuered Dauid seeing the furie of the plague vppon his people and lifting vp his eyes to heauen where hée saw an Aungell holding a sword ouer Jerusalem in signe of the punishement which hee made of the people by plague cryed with a lowd voyce O Lord God it is I that haue offended punish me afterwardes he offereth sacrifice to God and the death ceased Ezechias for particular example who féeling in his persone the discipline of God by a disease whereof he must dye after he had acknowledged him selfe and cryed to God for grace had answer to liue yet xv yere with the receipt of the remedie to heale his infirmitie And touching the publike affliction which he and his town of Ierusalem suffered by the Assirians that had besieged the town made breaches to enter the same night by great miracle the Aungell of God slew a hundreth foure score and sixe thousand of his enemies which brought such confusion and feare to their King Senacherib that he fled early in the next morning In these maibe noted as it were by the way that as it is said in the booke of Iudith accordinge to the promises which God made in his lawe when the people of Jsrael serued God well and obserued his law they were not vexed of straungers nor felt common miseries but such as offered to oppresse them were confounded as Pharao and his ofte in the chase of these people were swallowed in the red sea euen so when the Israelites fell froÌ„ this course and offended God he stirred by enemies on all sides of whom they were either ouercome slaughtered or at least by other hurtes felt and found the certein tokens of gods wrath whose effects thei proued w extréeme miserie if they did not repent many nations people were not reformed by preachings nor threats of gods iudgements but scorned the prophets that pronounced them calling them fooles mad men and sedicious and deliting in their owne scornes they saied let the day of God come we sâ—are it not for wée haue the temple Many trusted in Idolles and others hoped for succours of Kings to be strong against their enemies yea there were that persecuted the good Prophetes that foretold their calamities to come and the false Prophetes reassured them againe with promises of all good successe yea when famines diseases or other punishements hapned they laid the occasions to the good Prophetes and catholike people as some of them attributed their plagues to the starres which were the Chaldeis others