eate flesh And although by our Lawes the bearing and wearing of hag-buts and pistolets be forbidden yet no man can find any fault in the King for causing his traine vse them in any raide vpon the Borderers or other malefactours or rebellious subiects So as I haue alreadie said a good King although hee be aboue the Law will subiect and frame his actions thereto for examples sake to his subiects and of his owne free-will but not as subiect or bound thereto Since I haue so clearely prooued then out of the fundamentall lawes and practise of this country what right power a king hath ouer his land and subiects it is easie to be vnderstood what allegeance obedience his lieges owe vnto him I meane alwaies of such free Monarchies as our king is and not of electiue kings and much lesse of such sort of gouernors as the dukes of Venice are whose Aristocratick and limited gouernment is nothing like to free Monarchies although the malice of some writers hath not beene ashamed to mis-know any difference to be betwixt them And if it be not lawfull to any particular Lordes tenants or vassals vpon whatsoeuer pretext to controll and displace their Master and ouer-lord as is clearer nor the Sunne by all Lawes of the world how much lesse may the subiects and vassals of the great ouer-lord the KING controll or displace him And since in all inferiour iudgements in the land the people may not vpon any respects displace their Magistrates although but subaltern for the people of a borough cannot displace their Prouost before the time of their election nor in Ecclesiasticall policie the flocke can vpon any pretence displace the Pastor nor iudge of him yea euen the poore Schoolemaster cannot be displaced by his schollers If these I say whereof some are but inferiour subaltern and temporall Magistrates and none of them equall in any sort to the dignitie of a King cannot be displaced for any occasion or pretext by them that are ruled by them how much lesse is it lawfull vpon any pretext to controll or displace the great Prouost and great Schoole-master of the whole land except by inuerting the order of all Law and reason the commanded may be made to command their commander the iudged to iudge their Iudge and they that are gouerned to gouerne their time about their Lord and gouernour And the agreement of the Law of nature in this our ground with the Lawes and constitutions of God and man already alledged will by two similitudes easily appeare The King towards his people is rightly compared to a father of children and to a head of a body composed of diuers members For as fathers the good Princes and Magistrates of the people of God acknowledged themselues to their subiects And for all other well ruled Common-wealths the stile of Pater patriae was euer and is commonly vsed to Kings And the proper office of a King towards his Subiects agrees very wel with the office of the head towards the body and all members thereof For from the head being the seate of Iudgement proceedeth the care and foresight of guiding and preuenting all euill that may come to the body or any part thereof The head cares for the body so doeth the King for his people As the discourse and direction flowes from the head and the execution according thereunto belongs to the rest of the members euery one according to their office so is it betwixt a wise Prince and his people As the iudgement comming from the head may not onely imploy the members euery one in their owne office as long as they are able for it but likewise in case any of them be affected with any infirmitie must care and prouide for their remedy in-case it be curable and if otherwise gar cut them off for feare of infecting of the rest euen so is it betwixt the Prince and his people And as there is euer hope of curing any diseased member by the direction of the head as long as it is whole but by the contrary if it be troubled all the members are partakers of that paine so is it betwixt the Prince and his people And now first for the fathers part whose naturall loue to his children I described in the first part of this my discourse speaking of the dutie that Kings owe to their Subiects consider I pray you what duetie his children owe to him whether vpō any pretext whatsoeuer it wil not be thought monstrous and vnnaturall to his sons to rise vp against him to control him at their appetite and when they thinke good to sley him or to cut him off and adopt to themselues any other they please in his roome Or can any pretence of wickednes or rigor on his part be a iust excuse for his children to put hand into him And although wee see by the course of nature that loue vseth to descend more then to ascend in case it were trew that the father hated and wronged the children neuer so much will any man endued with the least sponke of reason thinke it lawfull for them to meet him with the line Yea suppose the father were furiously following his sonnes with a drawen sword is it lawfull for them to turne and strike againe or make any resistance but by flight I thinke surely if there were no more but the example of bruit beasts vnreasonable creatures it may serue well enough to qualifie and proue this my argnment We reade often the pietie that the Storkes haue to their olde and decayed parents And generally wee know that there are many sorts of beasts and fowles that with violence and many bloody strokes will beat and banish their yong ones from them how soone they perceiue them to be able to fend themselues but wee neuer read or heard of any resistance on their part except among the vipers which prooues such persons as ought to be reasonable creatures and yet vnnaturally follow this example to be endued with their viperous nature And for the similitude of the head and the body it may very well fall out that the head will be forced to garre cut off some rotten member as I haue already said to keepe the rest of the body in integritie but what state the body can be in if the head for any infirmitie that can fall to it be cut off I leaue it to the readers iudgement So as to conclude this part if the children may vpon any pretext that can be imagined lawfully rise vp against their Father cut him off choose any other whom they please in his roome and if the body for the weale of it may for any infirmitie that can be in the head strike it off then I cannot deny that the people may rebell controll and displace or cut off their king at their owne pleasure and vpon respects moouing them And whether these similitudes represent better the office of a King or the offices of Masters or Deacons of crafts
is the former Vision interpreted and expounded and there is the Antichrist represented by a Woman sitting vpon that many-headed Beast because as CHRIST his trew Spouse and Church is represented by a Woman in the twelfth Chapter so here is the Head of his adulterous spouse or false Church represented also by a woman but hauing a cup full of abominations in her hand Verse 4. as her selfe is called a Whoore for her spirituall adulterie Verse 1. hauing seduced the Kings of the earth to be partakers of her Spirituall fornication Verse 2. And yet wonderfull gorgious and glorious was she in outward shew but drunken with the blood of the Saints Verse 6. by a violent persecution of them And that shee may the better bee knowen hee writeth her name vpon her forehead agreeable to her qualities A Mysterie that great Babylon the Mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth A Mysterie is a name that belongeth vnto her two maner of wayes Verse 5. One as shee taketh it to her selfe another as shee deserueth indeed To her selfe shee taketh it in calling her selfe the visible Head of the mysticall Body of CHRIST in professing her selfe to bee the dispenser of the mysteries of GOD and by her onely must they bee expounded This great God in earth and Head of the Faith being a Mystes by his profession that is a Priest And if the obseruation of one be trew that hee had of old the word Mysterie written on his Myter then is this Prophecie very plainely accomplished Now that indeed shee deserues that name the rest of her Title doeth beare witnesse that sheweth her to bee the Mother of all the whoredomes and abominations of the earth Vers 5. and so is she vnder the pretext of holinesse a Mystery indeed of all iniquitie and abominations vnder the maske of pretended feeding of Soules deuouring Kingdomes and making Christendome swimme in blood Now after that this scarlet or bloody Beast and her Rider are described by their shape garments name and qualities the Angel doeth next interprete this vision vnto Iohn expounding vnto him what is signified both by the Beast and her Rider telling him Verse 9. the seuen heads of the Beast are seuen Hilles meaning by the situation of that Citie or seat of Empire and that they are also seuen Kings or formes of gouernment in the said Citie whereof I haue told you my conceit already As for the ten Hornes Verse 12. which hee sheweth to be tenne Kings that shall at one houre receiue their power and kingdome with the Beast I take that number of ten to be Numerus certus pro incerto euen as the number of seuen heads and ten hornes vpon the Dragon the Deuill cannot but be an vncertaine number And that hee also imitates in those ten hornes the ten hornes of the seuen headed Beast in the seuenth of Daniel and therefore I take these ten Kings to signifie all the Christian Kings and free Princes and States in generall euen you whom to I consecrate these my Labours and that of vs all he prophesieth that although our first becomming absolute and free Princes should be in one houre with the Beast for great Christian Kingdomes and Monarches did but rise and receiue their libertie by the ruines of the Ethnicke Romane Empire and at the destruction thereof and at the very time of the beginning of the planting of the Antichrist there Verse 13. and that we should for a long time continue to worship the Beast hauing one Catholike or common consenting minde in obeying her yeelding our power and authoritie vnto her and kissing her feete drinking with her in her cup of Idolatrie Verse 14. and fighting with the Lambe in the persecution of his Saints at her command that gouerneth so many Nations and people yet notwithstanding all this wee shall in the time appointed by GOD Verse 16. hauing thus fought with the Lambe Verse 16. but being ouercome by him that is conuerted by his Word wee shall then I say hate the Whore and make her desolate and make her naked by discouering her hypocrisie and false pretence of zeale and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire And thus shall the way of the Kings of the east bee prepared Reuel 16.12 as ye heard in the sixteenth Chapter And then doeth hee subioyne the reason of this strange change in vs for saith hee GOD hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will Verse 17. and with one consent to giue their Kingdomes to the Beast till the words of GOD be fulfilled according to that sentence of Solomon That the hearts of Kings are in the handes of GOD Prou. 21.1 to bee turned at his pleasure And hauing thus interpreted the Beast or Empire hee in a word expounds Verse 18. that by the Woman that rode vpon her or Monarch that gouerned her was meant that great Citie that reigned ouer the Kings of the earth by the Scate of the Empire pointing out the qualitie of the persons that should sit and domine there Then is the greatnesse of her fall Chap. 18. and the great lamentation that both the Kings and Merchants of the earth shall make for the same proclaimed by an other Angel in the eighteenth Chapter Verse 9.10 The Kings lamenting her fall because they liued in pleasure with her which no Kings could doe with Ethnicke Rome who conquered them by her sword for shee honoured them with Titles and dispensed with their lustes and vnlawfull marriages Verse 11 15 16 17 18. And the Merchants of the earth and all Shipmasters and traffikers vpon the Sea shall lament the fall of that great Citie which neuer had a fellow for the losse of their riches and traffique which they enioyed by her meanes Verse 12 13. And there he describeth all sorts of rich wares whereof that great Citie was the Staple for indeed shee hath a necessary vse for all such rich and glorious wares as well for ornaments to her Churches and princely Prelates as for garments and ornaments to her woodden Saints for the blessed Virgin must be dayly clothed and decked in the newest and most curious fashion though it should resemble the habit of a Curtizane And of all those rich wares Verse 13. the most precious is last named which is the Soules of men for so much bestowed vpon Masses and so much doted to this or that Cloyster of Monkes or Friers but most of all now to that irregular and incomprehensible order of Iesuites shal both redeeme his owne Soule and all his parents to the hundreth generation from broyling in the fire of Purgatory And I hope it is no small merchandise of Soules when men are so highly deluded by the hopes and promise of Saluation as to make a Frier murther his 1 Henry 3. K. of France Soueraigne a yong knaue attempt the murther of his next 2 Henry 4. Successour
learned Lecture Now it is no wonder that in so good an office and loyall cariage towards their King the third Estate hath outgone the Clergie For the Clergie denie themselues to haue any ranke among the Subiects of the King they stand for a Soueraigne out of the Kingdome to whom as to the Lord Paramount they owe suite and seruice they are bound to aduance that Monarchie to the bodie whereof they properly apperteine as parts or members as elsewhere I haue written more at large But for the Nobilitie the Kings right arme to prostitute and set as it were to sale the dignitie of their King as if the arme should giue a thrust vnto the head J say for the Nobilitie to hold and maintaine euen in Parliament their King is liable to deposition by any forreine power or Potentate may it not passe among the strangest miracles and rarest wonders of the world For that once granted this consequence is good and necessarie That in case the King once lawfully deposed shall stand vpon the defensiue and hold out for his right he may then lawfully be murthered Let mee then here freely professe my opinion and this it is That now the French Nobilitie may seeme to haue some reason to disrobe themselues of their titles and to transferre them by resignation vnto the third Estate For that body of that third Estate alone hath caried a right noble heart in as much as the could neither be tickled with promises nor terrified by threatnings from resolute standing to those fundamentall points and reasons of State which most concerne the honour of their King and the securitie of his person Of all the Clergie the man that hath most abandoned or set his honour to sale the man to whom France is least obliged is the Lord Cardinall of Perron a man otherwise inferiour to few in matter of learning and in the grace of a sweete style This man in two seuerall Orations whereof the one was pronounced before the Nobilitie the other had audience before the third Estate hath set his best wits on worke to draw that doctrine into all hatred and infamie which teacheth Kings to be indeposeable by the Pope To this purpose hee termes the same doctrine a breeder of Schismes a gate that openeth to make way and to giue entrance vnto all heresies in briefe a doctrine to bee held in so high a degree of detestation that rather then he and his fellow-Bishops will yeeld to the signing thereof they will bee contented like Martyrs to burne at a stake At which resolution or obstinacie rather in his opinion I am in a manner amased more then I can be mooued for the like brauado in many other forasmuch as hee was many yeeres together a follower of the late King euen when the King followed a contrary Religion and was deposed by the Pope as also because not long before in a certaine Assemblie holden at the Iacobins in Paris hee withstood the Popes Nuntio to his face when the said Nuntio laboured to make this doctrine touching the Popes temporall Soueraigntie passe for an Article of Faith But in both Orations hee singeth a contrary song and from his owne mouth passeth sentence of condemnation against his former course and profession J fuppose not without sollide iudgemen as one that heerein hath well accommodated himselfe to the times For as in the reigne of the late King hee durst not offer to broach this doctrine such was his fore-wit so now he is bold to proclaime and publish it in Parliament vnder the reigne of the said Kings sonne whose tender yeeres and late succession to the Crowne doe make him lie the more open to iniuries and the more facill to be circumuented Such is now his afterwisedome Of these two Orations that made in presence of the Nobilitie he hath for feare of incurring the Popes displeasure cautelously suppressed For therein he hath beene somewhat prodigall in affirming this doctrine maintained by the Clergie to bee but problematicall and in taking vpon him to auouch that Catholikes of my Kingdome are bound to yeeld me the honour of obedience Whereas on the other side he is not ignorant how this doctrine of deposing Princes and Kings the Pope holdeth for meerely necessarie and approoueth not by any meanes Alleagiance to bee performed vnto mee by the Catholikes of my Kingdome Yea if credit may be giuen vnto the abridgement of his other Oration published wherein he paralells the Popes power in receiuing honours in the name of the Church with the power of the Venetian Duke in receiuing honours in the name of that most renowned Rebublike no marueile that when this Oration was dispatched to the presse he commanded the same to be gelded of this clause and other like for feare of giuing his Holinesse any offensiue distaste His pleasure therefore was and content withall that his Oration imparted to the third Estate should be put in Print and of his courtesie he vouchsafed to addresse vnto me a copie of the same Which after J had perused J foorthwith well perceiued what and how great discrepance there is betweene one man that perorateth from the ingenuous and sincere disposition of a sound heart and an other that flaunteth in flourishing speech with inward checkes of his owne conscience For euery where he contradicts himselfe and seemes to be afraid lest men should picke out his right meaning First In 12. seuerall passages the L. Card. seemeth to speake against his owne conscience Pag. 85. he grants this Question is not hither to decided by the holy Scriptures or by the Decrees of the ancient Church or by the analogie of other Ecclesiasticall proceedings and neuerthelesse hee confidently doeth affirme that whosoeuer maintaine this doctrine to be wicked and abhominable that Popes haue no power to put Kings by their supreame Thrones they teach men to beleeue there hath not bene any Church for many aages past and that indeed the Church is the very Synagogue of Antichrist Secondly he exhorts his hearers to hold this doctrine at least for problematicall and not necessary and yet herein he calls them to all humble submission vnto the iudgement of the Pope and Clergie by whom the cause hath bene already put out of all question as out of all hunger and cold Thirdly he doeth auerre in case this Article be authorized it makes the Pope in good consequence to bee the Antichrist Pag. 99. and yet he grants that many of the French are tolerated by the Pope to dissent in this point from his Holinesse prouided their doctrine be not proposed as necessary and materiall to faith As if the Pope in any sort gaue toleration to hold any doctrine contrary to his owne and most of all that doctrine which by consequence inferres himselfe to be the Antichrist Fourthly he protesteth forwardnesse to vndergoe the flames of Martyrdome rather then to signe this doctrine which teacheth Kings Crownes to sit faster on their heads then to be stirred by any
Inheritance to his children at his pleasure yea euen disinherite the eldest vpon iust occasions and preferre the youngest according to his liking make them beggers or rich at his pleasure restraine or banish out of his presence as hee findes them giue cause of offence or restore them in fauour againe with the penitent sinner So may the King deale with his Subiects And lastly as for the head of the naturall body the head hath the power of directing all the members of the body to that vse which the iudgement in the head thinkes most conuenient It may apply sharpe cures or cut off corrupt members let blood in what proportion it thinkes fit and as the body may spare but yet is all this power ordeined by God Ad aedificationem non ad destructionem For although God haue power aswell of destruction as of creation or maintenance yet will it not agree with the wisedome of God to exercise his power in the destruction of nature and ouerturning the whole frame of things since his creatures were made that his glory might thereby be the better expressed So were hee a foolish father that would disinherite or destroy his children without a cause or leaue off the carefull education of them And it were an idle head that would in place of phisicke so poyson or phlebotomize the body as might breede a dangerous distemper or destruction thereof But now in these our times we are to distinguish betweene the state of Kings in their first originall and betweene the state of setled Kings and Monarches that doe at this time gouerne in ciuill Kingdomes For euen as God during the time of the olde Testament spake by Oracles and wrought by Miracles yet how soone it pleased him to setle a Church which was bought and redeemed by the blood of his onely Sonne Christ then was there a cessation of both Hee euer after gouerning his people and Church within the limits of his reueiledwill So in the first originall of Kings whereof some had their beginning by Conquest and some by election of the people their wills at that time serued for Law Yet how soone Kingdomes began to be setled in ciuilitie and policie then did Kings set downe their minds by Lawes which are properly made by the King onely but at the rogation of the people the Kings grant being obteined thereunto And so the King became to be Lex loquens after a sort binding himselfe by a double oath to the obseruation of the fundamentall Lawes of his kingdome Tacitly as by being a King and so bound to protect aswell the people as the Lawes of his Kingdome And Expresly by his oath at his Coronation So as euery iust King in a setled Kingdome is bound to obserue that paction made to his people by his Lawes in framing his gouernment agreeable thereunto according to that paction which God made with Noe after the deluge Hereafter Seed-time and Haruest Cold and Heate Summer and Winter and Day and Night shall not cease so long as the earth remaines And therefore a King gouerning in a setled Kingdome leaues to be a King and degenerates into a Tyrant assoone as he leaues off to rule according to his Lawes In which case the Kings conscience may speake vnto him as the poore widow said to Philip of Macedon Either gouerne according to your Law Aut ne Rexsis And though no Christian man ought to allow any rebellion of people against their Prince yet doeth God neuer leaue Kings vnpunished when they transgresse these limits For in that same Psalme where God saith to Kings Vos Dij estis hee immediatly thereafter concludes But ye shall die like men The higher wee are placed the greater shall our fall be Vt casus sic dolor the taller the trees be the more in danger of the winde and the tempest beats sorest vpon the highest mountaines Therefore all Kings that are not tyrants or periured wil be glad to bound themselues within the limits of their Lawes and they that perswade them the contrary are vipers and pests both against them and the Common-wealth For it is a great difference betweene a Kings gouernment in a setled State and what Kings in their originall power might doe in Indiuiduo vago As for my part I thanke God I haue euer giuen good proofe that I neuer had intention to the contrary And I am sure to goe to my graue with that reputation and comfort that neuer King was in all his time more carefull to haue his Lawes duely obserued and himselfe to gouerne thereafter then I. I conclude then this point touching the power of Kings with this Axiome of Diuinitie That as to dispute what God may doe is Blasphemie but quid vult Deus that Diuines may lawfully and doe ordinarily dispute and discusse for to dispute A Posse ad Esse is both against Logicke and Diuinitie So is it sedition in Subiects to dispute what a King may do in the height of his power But iust Kings wil euer be willing to declare what they wil do if they wil not incurre the curse of God I wil not be content that my power be disputed vpon but I shall euer be willing to make the reason appeare of all my doings and rule my actions according to my Lawes The other branch of this incident is concerning the Common Law being conceiued by some that I contemned it and preferred the Ciuil Law thereunto As I haue already said Kings Actions euen in the secretest places are as the actions of those that are set vpon the Stages or on the tops of houses and I hope neuer to speake that in priuate which I shall not auow in publique and Print it if need be as I said in my BASILICON DORON For it is trew that within these few dayes I spake freely my minde touching the Common Law in my Priuie Chamber at the time of my dinner which is come to all your eares and the same was likewise related vnto you by my Treasurer and now I will againe repeate and confirme the same my selfe vnto you First as a King I haue least cause of any man to dislike the Common Law For no Law can bee more fauourable and aduantagious for a King and extendeth further his Prerogatiue then it doeth And for a King of England to despile the Common Law it is to neglect his owne Crowne It is trew that I doe greatly esteeme the Ciuill Law the profession thereof seruing more for generall learning and being most necessary for matters of Treatie with all forreine Nations And I thinke that if it should bee taken away it would make an entrie to Barbarisme in this Kingdome and would blemish the honour of England For it is in a maner LEX GENTIVM and maintaineth Intercourse with all forreme Nations but I onely allow it to haue course here according to those limits of Iurisdiction which the Common Law it selfe doeth allow it And therefore though it bee not fit for the
of nouelties For remedie whereof besides the execution of Lawes that are to be vsed against vnreuerent speakers I know no better meane then so to rule as may iustly stop their mouthes from all such idle and vnreuerent speeches and so to prop the weale of your people with prouident care for their good gouernment that iustly Momus himselfe may haue no ground to grudge at and yet so to temper and mixe your seueritie with mildnes that as the vniust railers may be restrained with a reuerentawe so the good and louing Subiects may not onely liue in suretie and wealth but be stirred vp and inuited by your benigne courtesies to open their mouthes in the iust praise of your so well moderated regiment Arist 5. pol. Isoc in paneg In respect whereof and therewith also the more to allure them to a common amitie among themselues certaine dayes in the yeere would be appointed for delighting the people with publicke spectacles of all honest games and exercise of armes as also for conueening of neighbours for entertaining friendship and heartlinesse by honest feasting and merrinesse For I cannot see what greater superstition can be in making playes and lawfull games in Maie and good cheere at Christmas then in eating fish in Lent and vpon Fridayes the Papists as well vsing the one as the other so that alwayes the Sabboths be kept holy and no vnlawfull pastime be vsed And as this forme of contenting the peoples mindes hath beene vsed in all well gouerned Republicks so will it make you to performe in your gouernment that olde good sentence Omne tulit punctum Hor. de art poet qui miscuit vtile dulci. Ye see now my Sonne how for the zeale I beare to acquaint you with the plaine and single veritie of all things I haue not spared to be something Satyricke in touching well quickly the faults in all the estates of my kingdome But I protest before God I doe it with the fatherly loue that I owe to them all onely hating their vices whereof there is a good number of honest men free in euery estate And because for the better reformation of all these abuses among your estates it will be a great helpe vnto you to be well acquainted with the nature and humours of all your Subiects and to know particularly the estate of euery part of your dominions I would therefore counsell you Plat. in pol. Min. Tacit. 7. an Mart. once in the yeere to visite the principall parts of the countrey ye shal be in for the time and because I hope ye shall be King of moe countries then this once in the three yeeres to visite all your Kingdomes not lipening to Vice-royes but hearing your selfe their complaints and hauing ordinarie Councels and iustice-seates in euerie Kingdome of their owne countriemen and the principall matters euer to be decided by your selfe when ye come in those parts Ye haue also to consider Protection from forraine miuries Xeno 8. Cyr. Arist 5 pol. Polib 6. Dion Hal. de Romul that yee must not onely bee carefull to keepe your subiects from receiuing anie wrong of others within but also yee must be careful to keepe them from the wrong of any forraine Prince without sen the sword is giuen you by God not onely to reuenge vpon your owne subiects the wrongs committed amongst themselues but further to reuenge and free them of forraine iniuries done vnto them And therefore warres vpon iust quarrels are lawful but about all let not the wrong cause be on your side Vse all other Princes as your brethren honestly and kindely What formes to be vsed with other Princes Isoc in Plat. Parag. Keepe precisely your promise vnto them although to your hurt Striue with euâ—râ—e one of them in courtesie and thankefulnesse and as with all men so especially with them bee plaine and trewthfull keeping euer that Christian rule to doe as yee would be done to especially in counting rebellion against any other Prince a crime against your owne selfe because of the preparatiue Supplie not therefore nor trust not other Princes rebels but pittie and succour all lawfull Princes in their troubles Arist ad A. Verr. 11. de V. p. R. Cu. 2. Of. Liu. lib. 4. But if any of them will not abstaine notwithstanding what-soeuer your good deserts to wrong you or your subiects craue redresse at leasure heare and doe all reason and if no offer that is lawfull or honourable can make him to abstaine nor repaire his wrong doing then for last refuge Liu. lib. 1. Cic. cod commit the iustnesse of your cause to God giuing first honestly vp with him and in a publicke and honourable forme But omitting now to teach you the forme of making warres Of warre because that arte is largely treated of by many Prop. 4. Eleg. Lucan 7. Varro 11. de V. P. R. and is better learned by practise then speculation I will onely set downe to you heere a few precepts therein Let first the iustnesse of your cause be your greatest strength and then omitte not to vse all lawfull meanes for backing of the same Consult therefore with no Necromancier nor false Prophet vpon the successe of your warres remembring on king Saules miserable end 1. Sam. 31. but keepe your land cleane of all South-sayers Deut. 18. according to the commaund in the Law of God dilated by Ieremie Neither commit your quarrell to bee tried by a Duell for beside that generally all Duell appeareth to bee vnlawful committing the quarrell as it were to a lot whereof there is no warrant in the Scripture since the abrogating of the olde Lawe it is specially moste vn-lawfull in the person of a King Plutat in Sect. Ant. who being a publicke person hath no power therefore to dispose of himselfe in respect that to his preseruation or fall the safetie or wracke of the whole common-weale is necessarily coupled as the body is to the head Before ye take on warre Luke 14. play the wise Kings part described by Christ fore-seeing how ye may beare it out with all necessarie prouision especially remember Thuc. 2. Sal in lug Cic. prol Man Demost olyn 2. Liu. li. 30. Veger 1. Caes 1. 3. de 〈◊〉 ciuilâ— Proh in Thras that money is Neruus belli Choose old experimented Captaines and yong able souldiers Be extreamely strait and seuere in martiall Discipline as well for keeping of order which is as requisite as hardinesse in the warres and punishing of slouth which at a time may put the whole armie in hazard as likewise for repressing of mutinies which in warres are wonderfull dangerous And looke to the Spaniard whose great successe in all his warres hath onely come through straitnesse of Discipline and order for such errours may be committed in the warres as cannot be gotten mended againe Be in your owne person walkrife Caes 1. de bello ciu Liu. l. 7. Xen. 1. 5. Câ—r de
companie of dames which are nothing else but irritamenta libidinis Bee warre likewaies to abuse your selfe in making your sporters your counsellers and delight not to keepe ordinarily in your companie Comoedians or Balladines for the Tyrans delighted most in them Pl. 3. de rep Ar. 7. 8. pol. Sen. 1. ep Dyon glorying to bee both authors and actors of Comoedies and Tragedies themselues Wherupon the answere that the poet Philoxenus disdainefully gaue to the Tyran of Syracuse there-anent is now come in a prouerbe reduc me in latomias Suidas And all the ruse that Nero made of himselfe when he died was Qualis artifexpereo Suet. in Ner. meaning of his skill in menstrally and playing of Tragoedies as indeede his whole life and death was all but one Tragoedie Delight not also to bee in your owne person a player vpon instruments especially on such as commonly men winne their liuing with nor yet to be fine of any mechanicke craft 1. Sep. Leur esprit s'en fuit au bout des doigts saith Du Bartas whose workes as they are all most worthie to bee read by any Prince or other good Christian so would I especially wish you to bee well versed in them But spare not some-times by merie company to be free from importunitie for ye should be euer mooued with reason which is the onely qualitie whereby men differ from beasts and not with importunitie Curt. 8. For the which cause as also for augmenting your Maiestie ye shall not be so facile of accesse-giuing at all times as I haue beene Liu. 35. Xen. in Ages Cit. ad Q frat and yet not altogether retired or locked vp like the Kings of Persia appointing also certaine houres for publicke audience And since my trust is that God hath ordained you for moe Kingdomes then this as I haue oft alreadie said preasse by the outward behauiour as well of your owne person A speciall good rule in gouernment as of your court in all indifferent things to allure piece and piece the rest of your kingdomes to follow the fashions of that kingdome of yours that yee finde most ciuill easiest to be ruled and most obedient to the Lawes for these outward and indifferent things will serue greatly for allurements to the people to embrace and follow vertue But beware of thrawing or constraining them thereto letting it bee brought on with time and at leisure specially by so mixing through alliance and daily conuersation the inhabitants of euery kingdom with other as may with time make them to grow and welde all in one Which may easily be done betwixt these two nations being both but one Ile of Britaine and alreadie ioyned in vnitie of Religion and language The fruitfull effects of the vnion So that euen as in the times of our ancestours the long warres and many bloodie battels betwixt these two countreys bred a naturall and hereditarie hatred in euery of them against the other the vniting and welding of them hereafter in one by all sort of friendship commerce and alliance will by the contrary produce and maintaine a naturall and inseparable vnitie of loue amongst them Alreadie kything in the happy amitie As we haue already praise be to God a great experience of the good beginning hereof and of the quenching of the olde hate in the hearts of both the people procured by the meanes of this long and happy amitie betweene the Queene my dearest sister and me which during the whole time of both our Reignes hath euer beene inuiolably obserued And for conclusion of this my whole Treatise Conclusion in forme of abridge of the whole Treatise remember my Sonne by your trew and constant depending vpon God to looke for a blessing to all your actions in your office by the outward vsing thereof to testifie the inward vprightnesse of your heart and by your behauiour in all indifferent things to set foorth the viue image of your vertuous disposition and in respect of the greatnesse and weight of your burthen to be patient in hearing keeping your heart free from praeoccupation ripe in concluding Thuc. 6. Dion 52. and constant in your resolution For better it is to bide at your resolution although there were some defect in it then by daily changing to effectuate nothing taking the paterne thereof from the microcosme of your owne body wherein ye haue two eyes signifying great foresight and prouidence with a narrow looking in all things and also two eares signifying patient hearing and that of both the parties but ye haue but one tongue for pronouncing a plaine sensible and vniforme sentence and but one head and one heart for keeping a constant vniforme resolution according to your apprehension hauing two hands and two feete with many fingers and toes for quicke execution in employing all instruments meet for effectuating your deliberations But forget not to digest euer your passion before ye determine vpon any thing since Ira furor breuis est Hir. lib. 1. epist. vttering onely your anger according to the Apostles rule Irascimini sed ne peccetis taking pleasure not only to reward Ephes 4. but to aduance the good which is a chiefe point of a Kings glory but make none ouer-great Arist 5. pol. Dion 52. but according as the power of the countrey may beare and punishing the euill but euery man according to his owne offence not punishing nor blaming the father for the sonne Plat. 9. de leg nor the brother for the brother much lesse generally to hate a whole race for the fault of one for noxa caput sequitur And aboue all let the measure of your loue to euery one be according to the measure of his vertue letting your fauour to be no longer tyed to any then the continuance of his vertuous disposition shall deserue not admitting the excuse vpon a iust reuenge to procure ouersight to an iniurie For the first iniurie is committed against the partie but the parties reuenging thereof at his owne hand is a wrong committed against you in vsurping your office whom to onely the sword belongeth for reuenging of all the iniuries committed against any of your people Thus hoping in the goodnes of God that your naturall inclination shall haue a happy sympathie with these pręcepts making the wise-mans scholemaster which is the example of others to bee your teacher according to that old verse Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum eschewing so the ouer-late repentance by your owne experience which is the schoole-master of fooles I wil for end of all require you my Sonne as euer ye thinke to deserue my fatherly blessing to keepe continually before the eyes of your minde the greatnesse of your charge Plat. in pol. Cic. 5. d◠re◠making the faithfull and due discharge thereof the principal butt ye shoot at in all your actions counting it euer the principall and all your other actions but as accessories to be
to death with it and many haue done O then some other disease must beare the blame for that fault So doe old harlots thanke their harlotrie for their many yeeres that custome being healthfull say they ad purgandos Renes but neuer haue mind how many die of the Pockes in the flower of their youth And so doe olde drunkards thinke they prolong their dayes by their swinelike diet but neuer remember how many die drowned in drinke before they be halfe olde And what greater absurditie can therebe then to say that one cure shall serue for diuers nay cōtrarious sorts of diseases It is an vndoubted ground among all Physicians that there is almost no sort either of nourishment or medicine that hath not some thing in it disagreeable to some part of mans bodie because as I haue alreadie said the nature of the temperature of euery part is so different from another that according to the olde prouerbe That which is good for the head is euill for the necke and the shoulders For euen as a strong enemy that inuades a town or fortresse although in his siege thereof he do belay and compasse it round about yet he makes his breach and entry at some one or fewe speciall parts thereof which hee hath tried and found to be weakest and least able to resist so sickenes doth make her particular assault vpon such part or parts of our body as are weakest and easiest to be ouercome by that sort of disease which then doth assaile vs although all the rest of the body by Sympathie feele it selfe to be as it were belayed and besieged by the affliction of that speciall part the griefe and smart thereof being by the sense of feeling dispersed through all the rest of our members And therefore the skilfull Physician presses by such cures to purge and strengthen that part which is afflicted as are only fit for that sort of disease and doe best agree with the nature of that infirme part which being abused to a disease of another nature would proue as hurtfull for the one as helpfull for the other Yea not onely will a skilfull and wary Physician becarefull to vse no cure but that which is fit for that sort of disease but he will also consider all other circumstances make the remedies sutable therunto as the temperature of the clime where the Patient is the constitution of the Planets the time of the Moone the season of the yeere the aage and complexion of the Patient and the present state of his body in strength or weaknes For one cure must not euer be vsed for the selfesame disease but according to the varying of any of the foresaid circumstances that sort of remedy must be vsed which is fittest for the same Where by the contrary in this case such is the miraculous omnipotencie of our strong tasted Tobacco as it cures al sorts of diseases which neuer any drugge could do before in all persons and at all times It cures all maner of distillations either in the head or stomacke if you beleeue their Axiomes although in very deed it doe both corrupt the braine and by causing ouer quicke digestion fill the stomacke full of crudities It cures the gowt in the feet and which is miraculous in that very instant when the smoke thereof as light flies vp into the head the vertue therof as heauy runs down to the litle toe It helps all sorts of agues It makes a man sober that was drunk It refreshes a weary man and yet makes a man hungry Being taken when they goe to bed it makes one sleepe soundly and yet being taken when a man is sleepie and drowsie it will as they say awake his braine and quicken his vnderstanding As for curing of the Pockes it serues for that vse but among the pockie Indian slaues Here in England it is refined and will not deigne to cure here any other then cleanly and gentlemanly diseases O omnipotent power of Tobacco And if it could by the smoake thereof chase out deuils as the smoake of Tobias fish did which I am sure could smell no stronglier it would serue for a precious Relicke both for the superstitious Priests and the insolent Puritanes to cast out deuils withall Admitting then and not confessing that the vse thereof were healthful for some sorts of diseases should it be vsed for all sicknesses should it be vsed by all men should it be vsed at all times yea should it be vsed by able yong strong healthful men Medicine hath that vertue that it neuer leaues a man in that state wherein it finds him it makes a sicke man whole but a whole man sicke And as Medicine helps nature being taken at times of necessitie so being euer and continually vsed it doeth but weaken weary and weare nature What speake I of Medicine Nay let a man euery houre of the day or as oft as many in this countrey vse to take Tobacco let a man I say but take as oft the best sorts of nourishments in meate and drinke that can be deuised he shall with the continuall vse thereof weaken both his head and his stomacke all his members shall becomefeeble his spirits dull and in the end as a drowsie lazie belly-god he shall euanish in a Lethargie And from this weakenesse it proceeds that many in this kingdome haue had such a continuall vse of taking this vnsauorie smoake as now they are not able to forbeare the same no more then an old drunkard can abide to be long sober without falling into an incurable weaknesse and euill constitution for their continuall custome hath made to them habitum alteram naturam so to those that from their birth haue beene continually nourished vpon poison and things venemous wholsome meats are only poisonable Thus hauing as I trust sufficiently answered the most principall arguments that are vsed in defence of this vile custome it rests only to informe you what sinnes and vanities you commit in the filthy abuse thereof First are you not guiltie of sinnefull and shamefull lust for lust may be as well in any of the senses as in feeling that although you be troubled with no disease but in perfect health yet can you neither be merry at an Ordinary nor lasciuious in the Stewes if you lacke Tobacco to prouoke your appetite to any of those sorts of recreation lusting after it as the children of Israel did in the wildernesse after Quailes Secondly it is as you vse or rather abuse it a branch of the sinne of drunkennes which is the root of all sinnes for as the only delight that drunkards take in wine is in the strength of the taste and the force of the fume therof that mounts vp to the braine for no drunkards loue any weake or sweet drinke so are not those I meane the strong heate and the fume the onely qualities that make Tobacco so delectable to all the louers of it And as no man likes strong heady drinke the first
glimmering twi-light of Nature yet howsoeuer their profession was vpon this ground haue they all agreed That when either their Religion their King or their countrey was in any extreme hazard no good countreyman ought then to withhold either his tongue or his hand according to his calling and facultie from ayding to repell the iniurie represse the violence and auenge the guilt vpon the authors thereof But if euer any people had such an occasion ministred vnto them It is surely this people now nay this whole Isle and all the rest belonging to this great and glorious Monarchie For if in any heathenish republique no priuate man could thinke his life more happily and gloriously bestowed then in the defence of any one of these three That is either pro Aris pro Focis or pro Patre patriae And that the endangering of any one of these would at once stirre the whole body of the Common-wealth not any more as diuided members but as a solide and indiuiduall lumpe How much more ought we the trewly Christian people that inhabite this vnited and trewly happy Isle Insula fortunata vnder the wings of our gracious and religious Monarch Nay how infinitely greater cause haue we to feele and ressent our selues of the smart of that wound not onely intended and execrated not consecrated for the vtter extinguishing of our trew Christian profession nor ioyntly therwith onely for the cutting off of our Head and father Politike Sed vt nefas istud sacrilegiosum parricidium omnibus modis absolutum reddi possit And that nothing might be wanting for making this sacrilegious parricide a patterne of mischiefe and a crime nay a mother or storehouse of all crimes without example they should haue ioyned the destruction of the bodie to the head so as Grex cum Rege Arae cum focis Lares cum Penatibus should all at one thunderclap haue beene sent to heauen together The King our head the Queene our fertile mother and those young and hopefull Oliue plants not theirs but ours Our reuerend Clergie our honourable Nobilitie the faithfull Councellors the graue Iudges the greatest part of the worthy Knights and Gentry aswell as of the wisest Burgesses The whole Clerkes of the Crowne Counsaile Signet Seales or of any other principall Iudgement seate All the learned Lawyers together with an infinite number of the Common people Nay their furious rage should not onely haue lighted vpon reasonable and sensible creatures without distinction either of degree sexe or aage But euen the insensible stockes and stones should not haue bin free of their fury The hal of Iustice The house of Parliament The Church vsed for the Coronation of our Kings The Monuments of our former Princes The Crowne and other markes of Royaltie Al the Records aswell of Parliament as of euery particular mans right with a great number of Charters and such like should all haue bene comprehended vnder that fearefull Chaos And so the earth as it were opened should haue sent foorth of the bottome of the Stygian lake such sulphured smoke furious flames and fearefull thunder as should haue by their diabolicall Domesday destroyed and defaced in the twinkling of an eye not onely our present liuing Princes and people but euen our insensible Monuments reserued for future aages So as not only our selues that are mortall but the immortall Monuments of our ancient Princes and Nobility that haue beene so preciously preserued from aage to aage as the remaining Trophees of their eternal glory and haue so long triumphed ouer enuious time should now haue beene all consumed together and so not onely we but the memory of vs and ours should haue beene thus extinguished in an instant The trew horror therefore of this detestable deuice hath stirred mee vp to bethinke my selfe wherein I may best discharge my conscience in a cause so generall and common if it were to bring but one stone to the building or rather with the Widow one mite to the common boxe But since to so hatefull and vnheard-of inuention there can be no greater enemy then the selfe the simple trewth thereof being once publikely knowen and that there needes no stronger argument to bring such a plot in vniuersal detestatiō then the certainty that so monstrous a thing could once be deuised nay cōcluded vpon wrought in in full readinesse and within twelue houres of the execution My threefold zeale to those blessings whereof they would haue so violently made vs all widowes hath made me resolue to set downe here the trew Narration of that monstrous and vnnaturall intended Tragedie hauing better occasion by the meanes of my seruice and continuall attendance in Court to know the trewth thereof then others that peraduenture haue it onely by relation at the third or fourth hand So that whereas those worse then Catilines thought to haue extirped vs and our memories Their infamous memory shall by these meanes remaine to the end of the world vpon the one part and vpon the other Gods great and merciful deliuerance of his Anoynted and vs all shall remaine in neuer-dying Records And God graunt that it may be in marble tables of Thankefulnesse engrauen in our hearts WHile this Land and whole Monarchie flourished in a most happie and plentifull PEACE as well at home as abroad sustained and conducted by these two maine Pillars of all good Gouernement PIETIE and IVSTICE no forreine grudge nor inward whispering of discontentment any way appearing The King being vpon his returne from his hunting exercise at Royston vpon occasion of the drawing neere of the Parliament time which had beene twise prorogued already partly in regard of the season of the yeere and partly of the Terme As the winds are euer stillest immediatly before a storme and as the Sunne blenks often hottest to foretell a following showre So at that time of greatest calme did this secretly-hatched thunder beginne to cast foorth the first flashes and flaming lightnings of the approching tempest For the Saturday of the weeke immediatly preceding the Kings returne which was vpon a Thursday being but tenne dayes before the Parliament The Lord Mountegle sonne and heire to the Lord Morley A letter deliuered to the Lord Mountegle being in his owne lodging ready to goe to supper at suen of the clocke at night one of his foot-men whom he had sent of an errand ouer the street was met by an vnknowen man of a reasonable tall personage who deliuered him a Letter charging him to put it in my Lord his masters hands which my Lord no sooner receiued but that hauing broken it vp and perceiuing the same to bee of an vnknowen and somewhat vnlegible hand and without either date or subscription did call one of his men vnto him for helping him to reade it But no sooner did he conceiue the strange contents thereof although hee was somewhat perplexed what construction to make of it as whether of a matter of consequence as indeed it was or whether some
the words added by Almainus to contradict and crosse the words going before For Almainus makes this addition and supply Howsoeuer some other Doctors doe stand for the negatiue and teach the Pope hath power onely to declare that Kings and Princes are to be deposed And so much appeareth by this reason because this ample and Soueraigne power of the Pope might giue him occasion to be puft vp with great pride and the same fulnesse of power might prooue extreamely hurtfull to the subiects c. The same Almainus brings in Occams opinion in expresse tearmes deciding the question Quaest 2. de potest Eccl. Laic cap. 12. and there ioynes his owne opinion with Occams The Doctors opinion saith Almainus doeth simply carrie the most probabilitie that a Pope hath no power neither by excommunication nor by any other meanes to depose a Prince from his Imperiall and Royall dignitie In cap. 9 10. 11. And a little before hauing maintained the Greeke Empire was neuer transported by the Pope to the Germaines and that when the Pope crownes the Emperour he doeth not giue him the Empire no more then the Archbishop of Reims when he crownes the King of France doth giue him the kingdom he drawes this conclusion according to Occams opinion I denie that an Emperour is bound by oath to promise the Pope allegiance On the other side if the Pope hold any Temporall possessions hee is bound to sweare allegiance vnto the Emperour and to pay him tribute The said Occam alledged by Almainus doeth further auerre that Iustinian was acknowledged by the Pope for his superiour in Temporall causes for as much as diuers Lawes which the Pope is bound to keepe and obserue were enacted by Iustinian as by name the Law of prescription for an hundred yeeres which Law standeth yet in force against the Bishop of Rome And to the end that all men may clearely see how great distance there is betweene Occams opinion and the L. Cardinals who towards the end of his Oration exhorts his hearers at no hand to dissent from the Pope take you here a view of Occams owne words as they are alledged by Almainus The Doctour assoyles the arguments of Pope Innocent Quest. 1. cap. 14. by which the Pope would prooue out of these words of CHRIST Whatsoeuer thoushalt binde c. that fulnesse of power in Temporall matters belongeth to the Soueraigne Bishop For Innocent saith Whatsoeuer excepteth nothing But Occam assoyles Innocents authoritie as not onely false but also hereticall and saith withall that many things are spoken by Innocent which by his leaue sauour and smell of herefie c. The L. Pag. 40. Cardinall with lesse fidelitie alledgeth two places out of Thomas his Summe The first in the second of his second Quest 10. Art 10. in the body of the Article In which place let it bee narrowly examined Thomas will easily bee found to speake not of the subiection of beleeuing Subiects vnder Infidel Kings as the Lord Cardinall pretendeth but of beleeuing seruants that liue vnder Masters whether Iewes or Infidels As when a Iew keepeth seruants which professe Iesus Christ or as when some of the faithfull kept in Caesars house who are not considered by Thomas as they were subiects of the Empire but as they were seruants of the family The other place is taken out of Quest 11. and 2. Art in the body of the article where no such matter as the L. Cardinal alledgeth can be found With like fidelitie he taketh Gerson in hand Pag. 44. who indeed in his booke of Ecclesiasticall power and 12. Consider doeth affirme When the abuse of Secular power redoundeth to manifest impugning of the faith and blaspheming of the Creator then shall it not bee amisse to haue recourse vnto the last branch of this 12. Consider where in such case as aforesaid a certaine regitiue directiue regulatiue and ordinatiue authoritie is committed to the Ecclesiasticall power His very words which make no mention at all of deposing or of any compulsiue power ouer Soueraigne Princes For that forme of rule and gouernment whereof Gerson speaketh is exercised by Ecclesiasticall censures and excommunications not by losse of goods of Kingdomes or of Empires This place then is wrested by the L. Cardinall to a contrary sense Neither should his Lordship haue omitted that Gerson in the question of Kings subiection in Temporall matters or of the dependance of their Crownes vpon the Popes power excepteth alwayes the King of France witnesse that which Gerson a little before the place alleadged by the Cardinall hath plainely affirmed Now since Peters time saith Gerson all Imperiall Regall and Secular power is not immediatly to draw vertue and strength from the Soueraigne Bishop as in this maner the most Christian King of France hath no Superiour nor acknowledgeth any such vpon the face of the earth Now here need no great sharpenesse of wit for the searching out of this deepe mysterie that if the Pope hath power to giue or take away Crownes for any cause or any pretended occasion whatsoeuer the Crowne of France must needs depend vpon the Pope But for as much as we are now hit in with Gerson Pag. 108.109.119 where the Card. takes Char. 7. for Charl. 6. we will examine the L. Cardinals allegations towards the end of his Oration taken out of Gersons famous Oration made before Charles the 6. for the Vniuersitie of Paris where he brings in Gerson to affirme That killing a Tyrant is a sacrifice acceptable to God But Gerson let it be diligently noted there speaketh not in his owne person he there brings in sedition speaking the words Of which wordes vttered by sedition and other like speeches you shall now heare what iudgement Gerson himselfe hath giuen When sedition had spoken with such a furious voyce I turned away my face as if I had bene smitten with death to shew that I was not able to endure her madnesse any longer And indeed when dissimulation on the one side and sedition on the other had suggested the deuises of two contrary extremes hee brings foorth Discretion as a Iudge keeping the meane betweene both extremes and vttering those words which the L. Cardinall alledgeth against himselfe If the head saith Gerson or some other member of the ciuill body should grow to so desperate a passe that it would gulpe and swallow downe the deadly poyson of tyrannie euery member in his place with all power possible for him to raise by expedient meanes and such as might preuent a greater inconuenience should set himselfe against so madde a purpose and so deadly practise For if the head be grieued with some light paine it is not fit for the hand to smite the head no that were but a foolish and a mad part Nor is the hand forthwith to chop off or separate the head from the body but rather to cure the head with good speach and other meanes like a skilfull and wise Physitian Yea nothing would
to display the colours and ensignes of their censures against Princes who violating their publike and solemne oath doe raise and make open warre against Iesus Christ I grant yet againe that in this case they need not admit Laics to be of their counsell nor allow them any scope or libertie of iudgement Yet all this makes no barre to Clerics for extending the power of their keyes many times a whole degree further then they ought and when they are pleased to make vse of their said power to depriue the people of their goods or the Prince of his Crowne all this doeth not hinder Prince or people from taking care for the preseruation of their owne rights and estates nor from requiring Clerics to shew their cards and produce their Charts and to make demonstration by Scripture that such power as they assume and challenge is giuen them from God For to leaue the Pope absolute Iudge in the same cause wherein hee is a partie and which is the strongest rampier and bulwarke yea the most glorious and eminent point of his domination to arme him with power to vnhorse Kings out of their seates what is it else but euen to draw them into a state of despaire for euer winning the day or preuailing in their honourable and rightful cause It is moreouer granted if a King shall command any thing directly contrary to Gods word and tending to the subuerting of the Church that Clerics in this case ought not onely to dispense with subiects for their obedience but also expresly to forbid their obedience For it is alwayes better to obey God then man Howbeit in all other matters whereby the glory and maiestie of God is not impeached or impaired it is the duety of Clerics to plie the people with wholesome exhortation to constant obedience and to auert by earnest disswasions the said people from tumultuous reuolt and seditious insurrection This practise vnder the Pagan Emperours was held and followed by the ancient Christians by whose godly zeale and patience in bearing the yoke the Church in times past grew and flourished in her happy and plentifull increase farre greater then Poperie shall euer purchase and attaine vnto by all her cunning deuices and sleights as namely by degrading of Kings by interdicting of Kingdoms by apposted murders and by Diabolicall traines of Gunne-powder-mines The places of Scripture alleadged in order by the Cardinal Pag 66. in fauour of those that stand for the Popes claime of power and authoritie to depose Kings are cited with no more sincerity then the former They alledge these are his words that Samuel deposed King Saul or declared him to bee deposed because hee had violated the Lawes of the Iewes Religion His Lordship auoucheth elsewere that Saul was deposed because he had sought prophanely to vsurpe the holy Priesthood Both false and contrary to the tenour of trewth in the sacred history For Saul was neuer deposed according to the sense of the word I meane depose in the present question to wit as deposing is taken for despoiling the King of his royall dignitie and reducing the King to the condition of a priuate person But Saul held the title of King and continued in possession of his Kingdome euen to his dying day 1. Sam. 23.20 24.15 2. Sam. 2.5 Yea the Scripture styles him King euen to the periodicall and last day of his life by the testimony of Dauid himselfe who both by Gods promise and by precedent vnction was then heire apparant as it were to the Crown in a maner then ready to gird and adorne the temples of his head For if Samuel by Gods commandement had then actually remooued Saul from his Throne doubtlesse the whole Church of Israel had committed a grosse errour in taking and honouring Saul for their King after such deposition doubtlesse the Prophet Samuel himselfe making knowen the Lords Ordinance vnto the people would haue enioyned them by strict prohibition to call him no longer the King of Israel Doubtlesse Dauid would neuer haue held his hand from the throat of Saul 1. Sam. 26.11 for this respect and consideration because he was the Lords Anointed For if Saul had lost his Kingly authority from that instant when Samuel gaue him knowledge of his reiection then Dauid lest otherwise the Body of the Kingdome should want a Royall Head was to beginne his Reigne and to beare the Royall scepter in the very same instant which were to charge the holy Scriptures with vntrewth in as much as the sacred historie begins the computation of the yeeres of Dauids Reigne from the day of Sauls death Trew it is that in the 1. Sam. cap. 15. Saul was denounced by Gods owne sentence a man reiected and as it were excommunicated out of the Kingdome that hee should not rule and reigne any longer as King ouer Israel neuerthelesse the said sentence was not put in execution before the day when God executing vpon Saul an exemplarie iudgement did strike him with death From whence it is manifest and cleare 1. Sam. 16.23 that when Dauid was annointed King by Samuel that action was onely a promise and a testimony of the choice which God had made of Dauid for succession immediately after Saul and not a present establishment inuestment or installment of Dauid in the Kingdome Wee reade the like in 1. King cap. 19. where God commandeth Elias the Prophet to annoint Hasael King of Syria For can any man bee so blinde and ignorant in the sacred historie to beleeue the Prophets of Israel established or sacred the Kings of Syria For this cause 2. Sam. 2.4 when Dauid was actually established in the Kingdome hee was annointed the second time In the next place he brings in the Popes champions vsing these words Rehoboam was deposed by Ahiah the Prophet 1 King 12. from his Royall right ouer the tenne Tribes of Israel because his father Salomon had played the Apostata in falling from the Law of God This I say also is more then the trewth of the sacred history doeth afoard For Ahiah neuer spake to Rehoboam for ought we reade nor brought vnto him any message from the Lord As for the passage quoted by the L. Cardinal out of 3. Reg. chap. 11. it hath not reference to the time of Rehoboams raigne but rather indeed to Salomons time nor doeth it carry the face of a iudicatorie sentence for the Kings deposing but rather of a Propheticall prediction For how could Rehoboam before hee was made King be depriued of the Kingdome Last of all but worst of all to alleadge this passage for an example of a iust sentence in matter of deposing a King is to approoue the disloyall treacherie of a seruant against his master and the rebellion of Ieroboam branded in Scripture with a marke of perpetuall infamie for his wickednesse and impietie He goes on with an other example of no more trewth 1. King 19. King Achab was deposed by Elias the Prophet
First by my descent lineally out of the loynes of Henry the seuenth is reunited and confirmed in mee the Vnion of the two Princely Roses of the two Houses of LANCASTER and YORKE whereof that King of happy memorie was the first Vniter as he was also the first ground-layer of the other Peace The lamentable and miserable euents by the Ciuill and bloody dissention betwixt these two Houses was so great and so late as it need not be renewed vnto your memories which as it was first setled and vnited in him so is it now reunited and confirmed in me being iustly and lineally descended not onely of that happie coniunction but of both the Branches thereof many times before But the Vnion of these two princely Houses is nothing comparable to the Vnion of two ancient and famous Kingdomes which is the other inward Peace annexed to my Person And here I must craue your patiences for a little space to giue me leaue to discourse more particularly of the benefits that doe arise of that Vnion which is made in my blood being a matter that most properly belongeth to me to speake of as the head wherein that great Body is vnited And first if we were to looke no higher then to naturall and Physicall reasons we may easily be perswaded of the great benefits that by that Vnion do redound to the whole Island for if twentie thousand men be a strong Armie is not the double thereof fourtie thousand a double the stronger Armie If a Baron enricheth himselfe with double as many lands as hee had before is he not double the greater Nature teacheth vs that Mountaines are made of Motes and that at the first Kingdomes being diuided and euery particular Towne or little Countie as Tyrants or Vsurpers could obtaine the possession a Segniorie apart many of these little Kingdomes are now in processe of time by the ordinance of God ioyned into great Monarchies whereby they are become powerfull within themselues to defend themselues from all outward inuasions and their head and gouernour thereby enabled to redeeme them from forreine assaults and punish priuate transgressions within Do we not yet remember that this Kingdome was diuided into seuen little Kingdomes besides Wales And is it not now the stronger by their vnion And hath not the vnion of Wales to England added a greater strength thereto Which though it was a great Principalitie was nothing comparable in greatnesse and power to the ancient and famous Kingdome of Scotland But what should we sticke vpon any naturall appearance when it is manifest that God by his Almightie prouidence hath preordained it so to be Hath not God first vnited these two Kingdomes both in Language Religion and similitude of maners Yea hath hee not made vs all in one Island compassed with one Sea and of it selfe by nature so indiuisible as almost those that were borderers themselues on the late Borders cannot distinguish nor know or discerne their owne limits These two Countries being separated neither by Sea nor great Riuer Mountaine nor other strength of nature but onely by little small brookes or demolished little walles so as rather they were diuided in apprehension then in effect And now in the end and fulnesse of time vnited the right and title of both in my Person alike lineally descended of both the Crownes whereby it is now become like a little World within it selfe being intrenched and fortified round about with a naturall and yet admirable strong pond or ditch whereby all the former feares of this Nation are now quite cut off The other part of the Island being euer before now not onely the place of landing to all strangers that was to make inuasion here but likewise moued by the enemies of this State by vntimely incursions to make inforced diuersion from their Conquests for defending themselues at home and keeping sure their backe-doore as then it was called which was the greatest hinderance and let that euer my Predecessors of this Nation gat in disturbing them from their many famous and glorious conquests abroad What God hath conioyned then let no man separate I am the Husband and all the whole Isle is my lawfull Wife I am the Head and it is my Body I am the Shepherd and it is my flocke I hope therefore no man will be so vnreasonable as to thinke that I that am a Christian King vnder the Gospel should be a Polygamist and husband to two wiues that I being the Head should haue a diuided and monstrous Body or that being the Shepheard to so faire a Flocke whose fold hath no wall to hedge it but the foure Seas should haue my Flocke parted in two But as I am assured that no honest Subiect of whatsoeuer degree within my whole dominions is lesse glad of this ioyfull Vnion then I am So may the friuolous obiection of any that would bee hinderers of this worke which God hath in my Person already established bee easily answered which can be none except such as are either blinded with Ignorance or els transported with Malice being vnable to liue in a well gouerned Commonwealth and onely delighting to fish in troubled waters For if they would stand vpon their reputation and priuiledges of any of the Kingdomes I pray you was not both the Kingdomes Monarchies from the beginning and consequently could euer the Body bee counted without the Head which was euer vnseparably ioyned thereunto So that as Honour and Priuiledges of any of the Kingdomes could not be diuided from their Soueraigne So are they now confounded ioyned in my Person who am equall and alike kindly Head to you both When this Kingdome of England was diuided into so many little Kingdoms as I told you before one of them behooued to eate vp another till they were all vnited in one And yet can Wiltshire or Deuonshire which were of the West Saxons although their Kingdome was of longest durance and did by Conquest ouercome diuers of the rest of the little Kingdomes make claime to Prioritie of Place or Honour before Sussex Essex or other Shires which were conquered by them And haue we not the like experience in the Kingdome of France being composed of diuers Dutchies and one after another conquered by the sword For euen as little brookes lose their names by their running and fall into great Riuers and the very name and memorie of the great Riuers swallowed vp in the Ocean so by the coniunction of diuers little Kingdomes in one are all these priuate differences and questions swallowed vp And since the successe was happie of the Saxons Kingdomes being conquered by the speare of Bellona Mars How much greater reason haue wee to expect a happie issue of this greater Vnion which is only fastened and bound vp by the wedding Ring of Astrea Loue and Peace And as God hath made Scotland the one halfe of this Isle to enioy my Birth and the first and most vnperfect halfe of my life and you heere to
Execution a greater promptnesse was required As for the execution of good Lawes it hath bene very wisely and honourably foreseene and ordered by my predecessours in this Kingdome in planting such a number of Iudges and all sorts of Magistrates in conuenient places for the execution of the same And therefore must I now turne mee to you that are Iudges and Magistrates vnder mee as mine Eyes and Eares in this case I can say none otherwise to you then as Ezekias the good King of Iuda said to their Iudges Remember that the Thrones that you fit on are Gods and neither yours nor mine And that as you must be answerable to mee so must both you and I be answerable to GOD for the due execution of our Offices That place is no place for you to vtter your affections in you must not there hate your foe nor loue your friend feare the offence of the greater partie or pity the miserie of the meaner yee must be blinde and not see distinctions of persons handlesse not to receiue bribes but keepe that iust temper and mid-course in all your proceedings that like a iust ballance ye may neither sway to the right nor left hand Three principall qualities are required in you Knowledge Courage and Sinceritie that you may discerne with knowledge execute with courage and doe both in vpright sinceritie And as for my part I doe vow and protest here in the presence of God and of this honourable Audience I neuer shall be wearie nor omit no occasion wherein I may shew my carefulnesse of the execution of good Lawes And as I wish you that are Iudges not to be weary in your Office in doing of it so shall I neuer be wearie with Gods grace to take account of you which is properly my calling And thus hauing tolde you the three causes of my conuening of this Parliament all three tending onely to vtter my thankefulnesse but in diuers formes the first by word the other two by action I doe confesse that when I haue done and performed all that in this Speech I haue promised Inutilis seruus sum Inutile because the meaning of the word Inutilis in that place of Scripture is vnderstood that in doing all that seruice which wee can to God it is but our due and wee doe nothing to God but that which wee are bound to doe And in like maner when I haue done all that I can for you I doe nothing but that which I am bound to doe and am accomptable to God vpon the contrary For I doe acknowledge that the speciall and greatest point of difference that is betwixt a rightfull King and an vsurping Tyrant is in this That whereas the proude and ambitious Tyrant doeth thinke his Kingdome and people are onely ordeined for satisfaction of his desires and vnreasonable appetites The righteous and iust King doeth by the contrary acknowledge himselfe to bee ordeined for the procuring of the wealth and prosperitie of his people and that his greatest and principall worldly felicitie must consift in their prosperitie If you bee rich I cannot bee poore if you bee happy I cannot but bee fortunate and I protest that your welfare shall euer be my greatest care and contentment And that I am a Seruant it is most trew that as I am Head and Gouernour of all the people in my Dominion who are my naturall vassals and Subiects considering them in numbers and distinct Rankes So if wee will take the whole People as one body and Masse then as the Head is ordeined for the body and not the Body for the Head so must a righteous King know himselfe to bee ordeined for his people and not his people for him For although a King and people be Relata yet can hee be no King if he want people and Subiects But there be many people in the world that lacke a Head wherefore I will neuer bee ashamed to confesse it my principall Honour to bee the great Seruant of the Common-wealth and euer thinke the prosperitie thereof to be my greatest felicitie as I haue already said But as it was the whole Body of this Kingdome with an vniforme assent and harmonie as I tolde you in the beginning of my Speech which did so farre oblige mee in good will and thankefulnesse of requitall by their alacritie and readinesse in declaring and receiuing mee to that place which God had prouided for mee and not any particular persons for then it had not bene the body So is my thankefulnesse due to the whole State For euen as in matter of faults Quod à multis peccatur impunè peccatur Euen so in the matter of vertuous and good deedes what is done by the willing consent and harmonie of the whole body no particular person can iustly claime thankes as proper to him for the same And therefore I must heere make a little Apologie for my selfe in that I could not satisfie the particular humours of euery person that looked for some aduancement or reward at my hand since my entrie into this Kingdome Three kinde of things were craued of mee Aduancement to honour Preferment to place of Credit about my Person and Reward in matters of land or profit If I had bestowed Honour vpon all no man could haue beene aduanced to Honour for the degrees of Honour doe consist in perferring some aboue their fellowes If euery man had the like accesse to my Priuy or Bed-chamber then no man could haue it because it cannot containe all And if I had bestowed Lands and Rewards vpon euery man the fountaine of my liberalitie would be so exhausted and dried as I would lacke meanes to bee liberall to any man And yet was I not so sparing but I may without vaunting affirme that I haue enlarged my fauour in all the three degrees towards as many and more then euer King of England did in so short a space No I rather craue your pardon that I haue beene so bountifull for if the meanes of the Crowne bee wasted I behoued then to haue recourse to you my Subiects and bee burdensome to you which I would bee lothest to bee of any King aliue For as it is trew that as I haue already said it was a whole Body which did deserue so well at my hand and not euery particular person of the people yet were there some who by reason of their Office credit with the people or otherwise tooke occasion both before and at the time of my comming amongst you to giue proofe of their loue and affection towards me Not that I am any way in doubt that if other of my Subiects had beene in their places and had had the like occasion but they would haue vttered the like good effects so generall and so great were the loue and affection of you all towards mee But yet this hauing beene performed by some speciall persons I could not without vnthankfulnesse but requite them accordingly And therefore had I iust occasion to aduance some in
wherewith they thought to measure vs And that the same place and persons whom they thought to destroy should be the iust auengers of their so vnnaturall a Parricide Yet not knowing that I will haue occasion to meete with you my selfe in this place at the beginning of the next Session of this Paliament because if it had not been for deliuering of the Articles agreed vpon by the Commissioners of the Vnion which was thought most conuenient to be done in my presence where both Head and Members of the Parliament were met together my presence had not otherwise been requisite here at this time I haue therefore thought good for conclusion of this Meeting to discourse to you somewhat anent the trew nature and definition of a Parliament which I will remit to your memories till your next sitting downe that you may then make vse of it as occasion shall bee ministred For albeit it be trew that at the first Session of my first Parliament which was not long after mine Entrie into this Kingdome It could not become me to in orme you of any thing belonging to Law or State heere for all knowledge must either bee infused or acquired and seeing the former sort thereof is now with Prophecie ceased in the world it could not be possible for me at my first Entry here before Experience had taught it me to be able to vnderstand the particular mysteries of this State yet now that I haue reigned almost three yeeres amongst you and haue beene carefull to obserue those things that belong to the office of a King albeit that Time be but a short time for experience in others yet in a King may it be thought a reasonable long time especially in me who although I be but in a maner a new King heere yet haue bene long acquainted with the office of a King in such another Kingdome as doeth neerest of all others agree with the Lawes and customes of this State Remitting to your consideration to iudge of that which hath beene concluded by the Commissioners of the Vnion wherein I am at this time to signifie vnto you That as I can beare witnesse to the foresaid Commissioners that they haue not agreed nor concluded therein any thing wherein they haue not foreseen as well the weale and commodity of the one Countrey as of the other So can they all beare mee record that I was so farre from pressing them to agree to any thing which might bring with it any preiudice to this people as by the contrary I did euer admonish them neuer to conclude vpon any such Vnion as might cary hurt or grudge with it to either of the said Nations for the leauing of any such thing could not but be the greatest hinderance that might be to such an Action which God by the lawes of Nature had prouided to be in his owne time and hath now in effect perfected in my Person to which purpose my Lord Chancellour hath better spoken then I am able to relate And as to the nature of this high Court of Parliament It is nothing else but the Kings great Councell which the King doeth assemble either vpon occasion of interpreting or abrogating old Lawes or making of new according as ill maners shall deserue or for the publike punishment of notorious euill doers or the praise and reward of the vertuous and well deseruers wherein these foure things are to be considered First whereof this Court is composed Secondly what matters are proper for it Thirdly to what end it is ordeined And fourthly what are the meanes and wayes whereby this end should bee brought to passe As for the thing it selfe It is composed of a Head and a Body The Head is the King the Body are the members of the Parliament This Body againe is subdiuided into two parts The Vpper and Lower House The Vpper compounded partly of Nobility Temporall men who are heritable Councellors to the high Court of Parliament by the honour of their Creation and Lands And partly of Bishops Spirituall men who are likewise by the vertue of their place and dignitie Councellours Life Renters or Ad vitam of this Court. The other House is composed of Knights for the Shire and Gentry and Burgesses for the Townes But because the number would be infinite for all the Gentlemen and Burgesses to bee present at euery Parliament Therefore a certaine number is selected and chosen out of that great Body seruing onely for that Parliament where their persons are the representation of that Body Now the matters whereof they are to treate ought therefore to be generall and rather of such matters as cannot well bee performed without the assembling of that generall Body and no more of these generals neither then necessity shall require for as in Corruptissima Republica sunt plurimae leges So doeth the life and strength of the Law consist not in heaping vp infinite and confused numbers of Lawes but in the right interpretation and good execution of good and wholesome Lawes If this be so then neither is this a place on the one side for euery rash and harebrained fellow to propone new Lawes of his owne inuention nay rather I could wish these busie heads to remember that Law of the Lacedemonians That whosoeuer came to propone a new Law to the people behooued publikely to present himselfe with a rope about his necke that in case the Law were not allowed he should be hanged therwith So warie should men be of proponing Nouelties but most of all not to propone any bitter or seditious Laws which can produce nothing but grudges and discontentment betweene the Prince and his people Nor yet is it on the other side a conuenient place for priuate men vnder the colour of general Lawes to propone nothing but their owne particular gaine either to the hurt of their priuate neighbours or to the hurt of the whole State in generall which many times vnder faire and pleasing Titles are smoothly passed ouer and so by stealth procure without consideration that the priuate meaning of them tendeth to nothing but either to the wrecke of a particular partie or else vnder colour of publike benefite to pill the poore people and serue as it were for a generall Impost vpon them for filling the purses of some priuate persons And as to the end for which the Parliament is ordeined being only for the aduancement of Gods glory and the establishment and wealth of the King and his people It is no place then for particular men to vtter there their priuate conceipts nor for satisfaction of their curiosities and least of all to make shew of their eloquence by tyning the time with long studied and eloquent Orations No the reuerence of God their King and their Countrey being well setled in their hearts will make them ashamed of such toyes and remember that they are there as sworne Councellours to their King to giue their best aduise for the furtherance of his Seruice and the florishing