Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	peace_n	quarter_n	session_n	4,917	5	10.2956	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15033	The English myrror A regard wherein al estates may behold the conquests of enuy: containing ruine of common weales, murther of princes, cause of heresies, and in all ages, spoile of deuine and humane blessings, vnto which is adioyned, enuy conquered by vertues. Publishing the peaceable victories obtained by the Queenes most excellent Maiesty, against this mortall enimie of publike peace and prosperitie, and lastly a fortris against enuy, builded vpon the counsels of sacred Scripture, lawes of sage philosophers, and pollicies of well gouerned common weales: wherein euery estate may see the dignities, the true office and cause of disgrace of his vocation. A worke safely, and necessarie to be read of euerie good subiect. By George Whetstones Gent. Seene and allowed.	Whetstone, George, 1544?-1587?	1586 (1586)	STC 25336; ESTC S111678	158,442	230

to bring him to the agréement of his pleasure Necessitie maketh many of these conclusions contrarie to the law of charitie and good conscience which the diligence and charge in duetie of these popular Maiestrates would administer to the glorie of god and generall peace and commoditie of men CHAP. 6. Of the worthy reputation of the godly Lawier and the especiall benefite of his seruice in the common wealth THE enuious that raise mispleasing questions of the most morrall institutions as the Spider draweth poison out of the swéetest flower are like inough to slaunder my honest intent concerning the former Chapter with a suggestion that I couertly reproue Lawiers and reproch the vertue of the Law but their reasons censured by the wise will proue as vaine as their heads are void of vertue no man that hath sense will say that to prescribe rules of health it is any discredite to Phisicke or dishonour to the Phisition when the health of man sheweth the reputation of either as weake is his iudgement that saieth a perswation to concorde and quietnesse among neighbours is either a reproch to Law or blame to Lawiers when the commendation of the one and office of the other is to administer publike peace and prosperitie The pollicy of this gouernement hath made especiall choise of Lawiers to be Iusticers of Peace and for their profession they are abled for this commission albeit they cannot spende the yearely lande contained in the statute Fortescue saieth that humaine Lawes are no other than rules that instruct men to do Iustice it then followeth that Lawers are the principall instruments and amners of iustice yea so necessarie is the studie and knowledge of the Lawe as a man can hardlie discharge his duetie to God his Prince and countrie that is ignorant in the Lawes of the Realme The Romaines when they had banished their Tyrannous kings and had erected their Aristocratia or Decemuirate gouernement they trusted to the strength of their Lawes the which faire written in tenne tables they caused to be set vp in the market place to the intent that ignorance might be no plea for any man that trespassed against the weale publicke In all good gouernements there is a common Maxime Non excus●…t ignorantia iuris The ignorance of the Lawe excuseth not And in this blessed gouernement that euerie man might knowe his duetie the greatest part of the penal lawes ought to bée plainely opened vnto the multitude by the Iusticers or Iustices of Peace at their quarter Sessions and the like is the charge of Stewards in their Leates that the people may knowe the Lawes which they are bound to obey so that it were an vnexcusable folly to reproch the Lawe which according to the iudgement of Fortescue is an vncorrupt holinesse and a daungerous madnesse to enuie generally against Lawiers who are honored with right reuerende dignities in the common wealth and yet with fauour let the Trueth bee spoken from thinges of the greatest vertue the worst vices are growne Religion is the holiest of holy things and yet Heresie of sins the most damnable procéedeth of the wresting of holy scriptures Euen so Lawe which in trueth containeth the verie iudgements of Iustice vnto couetous and naughtie persons openeth an hundred gappes to robbe and vndoe their poore neighbours and truely vpon the temptation of their opressions a man sauing the honor of the good may say by lawyers as Cicero did by Poets when he alowed the sentence of Plato and yet Cicero honoured good Poets as appeareth by his Oration for the Poet Archias in which he perswaded the Citizens to receiue him as one that would greatly honour and benifite the Citie The like reputation and reuerence I and all good men ought to giue to godly lawiers how be it my censure is that next vnto the heriticke the wicked Lawier is the most daungerous person CHAP. 7. Of the honest reputation of the Yemonry or husbandmen the commoditie of their seruice their aptnesse to rebellion with a direction for their quietnesse and commoditie WHO so shall consideratiuely looke into the necessarie seruice of the Yemen and husbandmen of England he may with the graue Cato rightly cal them Aratores optimos ciues in republica Tyllers of the ground and best Citizens in a common wealth and as their trauell and continual labor profiteth or more properly féedeth the whole Realme so their inconstant and seditious humors are apt vppon euery light temptation to worke the disturbance of the whole Realme and therefore the pollicie of our gouernment within the compasse of euery foure or fiue mile in most shires hath appointed some one of the better sort of the Gentlemen to be a Iusticer of peace among them who as is before showne is bounde to haue an eye vnto their behauiours and an eare readie to heare and appease their murmurings and truely if any good counsaile may take place among the stubborne multitude besides the admonition of sacred Scripture which in mani●… places commaundeth obedience and forbiddeth rebellion the assurednesse of their myserie vndoing and vtter confution forbiddeth them to runne from the motion of sedition as swift if it were possible as the fearefull Hare doth from the hungrie Grayhounde for their daunger is farre more apparent the Hare many times saueth her selfe by the recouerie of some woode but the poore and popular rebell lyeth open to all destruction Noble men Gentlemen and the better sort if they sée themselues in perrill as they are neuer safe that rebell they haue swift horse secreat friends and many couerts to shrowd them but the shiftlesse countrie men haue no sucker but the princes mercie which they neither deserue nor yet haue friends to acquire the same if there were not innumerable examples to proue that they headlong runne vppon their destruction and swiftly flie from their safetie and profite it were a thing almost vnpossible that the meanest sort of men would be drawne into rebellion I haue in many places of my booke shewen sundrie examples of their vnconstancie and therefore heere will onely set downe what Chauser writeth of their dispositions vnder Osterne people vniust and vntrue Ay vndiscreete and chaunging as a fane Delyting euer in rumors that be new For like the Moone you euer wax and wane Your reason halteth your iudgement is lame Your dome is false your constance euil preueth A ful great foole is he that on you leueth But questionlesse this mutabilitie and anke-ward disposition of the multitude would be much reformed if the Maiestrates and godly mynisters would sufficiently remember them of their dueties towards God their Prince and countrie It is great pittie that such profitable members in a common wealth should runne into daunger of disloyaltie for lacke of good instruction yea it is great pittie vnlesse in time of warre that they should be carried farre from their labor a poore countrie man that vseth a Law●…ers chamber is in as great a daunger as

the 1. 2. daies assault the 3. day the people fed with a vaine hope of mercy set open the gates and with their wiues children cloathed all in white hauing Oliue branches in their handes they humbly beséeched grace but Tamberlaine in place of compassion caused his squadrons of horsemen to tread them vnder their féete and not to leaue a mothers child a liue and afterwardes he leuiled the city with the ground At that time there was a marchaunt of Genowa somewhat fauored of Tamberlaine pittying the cruelty boldly demanded why he shewed such cruelty to those that yéelded and beséeched pardon whō Tamberlaine with a countenance fiered with fury answered thou supposest that I am a mā but thou art deceiued for I am no other then the ire of God and the destruction of the world and therfore sée thou come no more in my sight least I chastē thy ouer proud boldnes The marchant made spéed away was neuer afterwards séene in the campe And in truth Tamberlain although he was endued with many excellencies vertues yet it séemed by his cruelty the God raysed him to chasten the kings proud people of the earth In the ende this great personage without disgrace of fortune after sūdry great victories by the course of nature died left behind him two sons euery way far vnlike their father betwéen whō enuy sowed such dissention that through their incapacities to gouern the conquests of their Father the children of Baiazet whom they kept prisoners stole into Asia so won the people to disobedience as they recouered the goods possessions that their father lost The like did other kings princes whō Tamberlaine had spoyled in so much as in small time this Empire was so abased that many dayes agoe there was no remembrance left either of him or his linage saue that Baptista Ignatius a great searcher of antiquities saith that the successors of Tamberlaines sons possessed the prouinces conquered by him about the riuer of Euphrates vntil the time of king Vsancasan according to the opinion of some writers of the heyres of this Vsancasan was chosen the first Sophy who to this day to the benefit of all christendō maintaineth mortall wars against the great Turk But it séemeth that their empire was cleane ended for as it is set down in the chapter of the great Turke one named Ismaell a false Prophet gathered a multitude of the cōmom people together of whom by continual fauor of time and fortune the Sophy is growne of power to incounter the great Turke And herein although the lightnes inconstancy of the common people be heretofore noted yet occasion here and in sundry places ministreth matter to blame their enuious and froward dispositions there was neuer inuention so fantasticke nor captaine so wicked that they refused to follow they erected the tirannous empires of the Sophy the great Turk Tamberlaine and ouer threw the famous and prudent gouernments of Athens Lacedemonia Rome c. The Swizers enuying the authority of their nobility gentlemen by generall consent slew them al euer since haue bene gouerned by that base gouerment called Democratia where mecanical people haue the only segniorie a gouermēt which resembleth a monster with many heads yet they all haue neither will nor capacitie to cherish vertue learning worthy enterprises the beauties and strength of a good common wealth Neuertheles Iosua simler of zurich in his booke of the Swizers common wealth both for their militarie discipline in war and sound administration of iustice in peace compareth the gouerment of their Cantons vnto the common wealth of the Venetians time and necessity hath much reformed the same from their originall and yet how be it he greatly praiseth their iustice yet his owne report thus much testifieth of their weaknes that to martiall and gouern their wars they haue bene oftentimes driuen to obey and follow the direction of forraine captaines which lamenes in a common wealth can neuer be but an open blemish and a secret daunger For a perfect common wealth resembleth a well proportioned man wherof the military defence resembleth his handes which being maimed or cut off bring misery to the whole body CHAP. 13. The calamitie and seruile bondage of Portugall vnder the gouernment of Phillip king of Castile c. by the aduenturous battaile and death of Sebastian king of Portugal the 5. of August 1578. and especially by the enuious malice of Henry which succeeded in suppressing the lawfull title of Don Anthonio the now reputed king THe renowne of the kingdome of Portugall both for the commodities of the naturall countrey as for the wonderfull riches of the east and west Indies with diuers cities and townes in Africa subiected annexed to the crowne equalled of lateyéeres the fame of most christian gouernments and certainely at this day the calamity and bondage of the people by the conquest and violent rule of the king of Spaine requireth the compassion and reliefe of all true Christian princes the groundes and causes of whose miseries follow By succession of time and lawful decent Sebastian was crowned king of Portugal whose vertues outward giftes promised great honor vnto his kingdom but the inconstancy of worldly dignity is liuelye figured in his much lamented death king Sebastian being about the age of 24. yéeres vpon the earnest labour suite of Mulei Mahumet king as he pretended of Fez and Marocoes who by Mulei Maluco his brother was driuen foorth of the kingdome condescended with a puissant army to passe into Africa to restore this Mulei Mahumet to his kingdome the enterprise agréed with the magnanimity and greatnes of yong king Sebastians mind besides to relieue and restore this expulsed king among indifferent iudges was a matter of great honor and vertue so that resolutely to execute his promise king Sebastian departed with his armye from Lisbone in Iune 1578. and ariued at a port in Castile called el puerto de Sancta Maria where he tried the breach of the king of Spaine his vncles promise which was the ayde of 50. Gallies and 4000. armed souldiours neuertheles the sayd king Sebastian like as he was a magnanimous prince hauing a 1000. sayle of ships in a readines pursued his voyage landed his army in Africa to the number of 15000. fighting men and on the 5. of August in the same yéere in a plaine field called Alcazar there was a most fierce battaile fought betwéen him and the enemy wherin the yong king Sebastian and Mulei Mahumet whose part he tooke were both ouer come and slaine in the field Neither did Mulei Maluco the king their enemy escape for with sicknes wearines he died during the battaile a battaile very vnfortunate wherein neither party gained and most rare and worthy of remembrance that thrée kinges were slaine in the same and aboue 600. of the chiefest nobility and Gentlemen of Portugall After the death of king

and withall approoued his message with such grauitie learned and sounde reasons as he not only obtained a truce from the Athenians but ouercome with the power of Euxins Oration they gratified the Lacedemonians with the gift of the confynes which they had but lately conquered and of long challenged as their owne right by Euxin as assurāce of loue amitie returned this leter The Senate and people of Athens greeteth the Lacedemonians with a hartie desire of health and peace WE call the Gods to witnesse that through the passed battaile we haue sustained more greefe to see you so bloodely vanquished then we haue receiued pleasure to behold our selues conquerours vpon iudgement that in the end the effects of war are such that to the vanquished the dammadge is certaine and to the vanquisher the profite doubtfull we would haue beene right glad that you had ouercome vs with Euxins words before we had vanquished you with our swords What pleasure would it haue beene to either if the chance had vnfortunately falne vpō vs both sithēce the rule is infallible that all that which the Gods haue ordayned may not be forestood by mans wisedome iudgement or power euen this you shoulde haue lost much by this war and we should haue gained no good by your losse You demaund of vs a truce for three monthes to this end that during this space there may be treatise of an accord betweene vs we answere you that the Senate of Athens haue not accustomed to make a truce afterwards to begin war againe but haue an auncient law either freely to accept of cruell warre or freely to accord to a perpetual peace we indeuour in the time of peace to attire our Accademies with wise men to strengthen vs with their counsell in the time of war and by thē are now aduised to graunt no truce vpon suspitious conditions and it seemeth to vs that their counsell is good for a dissembling peace is much more dangerous then open war The Philosopher Euxin your Ambassador hath so eloquēly spoken in this Senat as it should be an vnreasonable thing to deny him what he demādeth also a more honest graunt sealeth a peace required with words then demanded with the launce Now we say and giue you to vnderstand that our Senate accordeth vnto you Lacedemonians with a right good will a loyall peace deliuering you withal from the suspition of war And to this end we do it that the world may know that the Athenians are so strong harted against the ouerproud and so great louers of wise men as they know how to chasten the foolishe Captaines and suffer themselues to be cōmanded of the wise Philosophers You know that all our contention is sprong for the possession of the townes seated vpon the borders of the flood Milin By this letter we certify you and by the immortall Gods sweare vnto you that we renounce and render vnto you all the right that we haue or pretend to haue in the said confines with charge that on the contrary part you bestow on vs Euxin your Ambassador for the happy●… Athenians esteeme more of a philosopher in their Academy then of a whole prouince for their common wealth And you Lacedemonians repute it not an act of lightnes to haue exchanged the Empire and segniory of many for the liberty to command one only man for this Philosopher shall teach vs to liue well where the possession of that Countrey may giue occasion to die euill And sithence of such auncient enimies we declare our selues such perfect friends we will not only deliuer you of this war and send you peace but in aduantage we will giue you councel to cōserue the same for the medicin which preserueth health is of far more excellency then that which chaseth away sicknes now regard the remedy Vvhereas you greatly desire that your yong men should be exercised in armes so be you diligēt that your infants be in time instructed in good letters for as the one with blooddy launces raise●… war so the other with sweete words obtaine peace Thinke not Lacedemonians that we perswade you this without cause for in neglecting the councell of the wise and in suffering idlenesse to grow among the people the same engendreth seditions and ciuill warres and so death to the one and other Vve would not that you should repute vs louers of much talke for our auncient father Socrates ordayned that the fyrst lesson that the tutor reade to his disciple in the Academie should be that he should not in two yeares after dare to dispute for it is impossible that anie should be prudent in speach that is not patient to holde his toong Let it then please you that Euxin remaine with vs and imagine you that if we hope for profite in his presence you may be assured that of the counsels which he giueth vs you shall receyue no dammage for it is a verie auncient lawe in Athens that the Senate may make no enterprise of warre vnlesse the Philosophers first examine whether it be iust No more vnto you but that we praie the immortall Gods yours and ours that they will prouoke both you and vs and that it will please them for euer to preserue vs in this peace for that only is euerlasting which is confirmed by the will of the Gods MIRROVR Lib 2. CHAP. 1. Of the blessings of Peace the scourge of ciuill warre and renowne of peacemakers PEace of the morall vertues is the soueraigne Queene Peace the christiline mirror is wherin is science seen Peace is the fountain next Gods word from whence doth goodnesse flowe Peace is the holie ground wheron all earthly blessings growe Peace is the trompe 〈◊〉 toong of law peace setteth iustice vp Peace measures right to euerie man yet with a seuerall cup For peace doth chastice wicked men and cherisheth the good Peace executes the paines of law but suckes no guiltles blood Peace open sets the citie gates that plentie enter may Peace leades and guides the traueller in safetie all the day Peace brings the Marchants wandring ship into the wished port Peace safety seales vpon the dores where strangers do resort Peace hangeth armor by the wall that men may ply the plowe Peace doth sustaine the poore mans neede that liues by sweat of brow Peace bringeth victuall to the towne for such as haue money Peace where she raignes makes the land to flow with milke hony Peace lends releeues and freely giues and keepes ynough in store Peace heapes these riches on the good and many blessings more Peace sheelds the wise from souldiers force and virgins vndeflowrd Peace lets the flocke to feed at large and saues them vndeuowrd The Citie of the mightie God sackt through his peoples crime Of blessed peace was Salem cald vntill king Iebus time God would not haue his Temple built but in the time of peace Christ was not borne vntil that war throughout the world did cease Christ his Apostles thus doth

weake blocks his secresie was such as he was first desyphered by forraigne intelligence he had Englishe confederates but such as wéere too déepe in to discouer him When he could no longer withstand the accusation of his owne hand-writing and other probabilities but especiallie his giltie conscience he voluntarilie accused hymselfe with manie odious Treasons but hys malitious spirit woulde not bowe to accuse hys confederates whiche could not but be some great personadges his toong going to execution accused him of a hidden secret when he sayd that he was sorie for the miserie that would light vpon the people before one yeare but God be praised the yeare is past another draweth fast one and manie the like I hope will followe that her Maiestie is in safetie and her Realme in peace Mary within the same yeare the Traytor Parry was hanged in Throgmortons equipage and Henry Earle of Northumberland iudged by the giltinesse and accusation of his owne conscience desperately ended his life with a dagge in the Tower with gréefe I set it downe that a man of so great vallor and staiednesse should so much forget the feare of God and duty to her Maiestie to whome he was déepely bounde as to practise such dangerous treason as his owne conscience perswaded him would not abide the triall and therefore to preserue the honour and inheritance of his house he made choise of a desperate death before the tryall of his péeres the most honourable and indifferentest tryall in the world his sonnes haue great cause to consider of this fatherly care that thus wilfully endangered his owne soule to preserue the temporall honour of his house yea the redéeming of it by his voluntarie death when the trespasse of his life had forfeited all hath or ought to haue impressed such a setled zeale in his sonnes euermore to vphold the same as they and their posteritie will no doubt continuallie be remembred thereof as Philip King of Macedon was That he was a mortall man God graunt that her Maiesties good subiects may be alwayes worthy of this diuine prouidence peace abundance of all good things and that those that are not yet sound may so profit in amendment by these examples as they may detest treason as the assured spoile of honour losse of life and in many the damnation of the soule otherwise in séeking to pull downe a Prince whome God hath chosen to raigne ouer his people in their confusion they shall declare their owne folly and Gods excéeding goodnesse in preseruing of those whome he loueth These notable polititians or more properly Atheists if they were simply to deale with men they might many times happily sée the wished effects of their deuises but they striue against God that striue against their soueraigne Princes especially against such a one as God hath annointed to set foorth his glorie yea they shall preuaile no more then he that thinketh to beate down strōg rocks with a knock of his head that striueth against those whome God protecteth God defended his seruant Elias fléeing from the wrathfull displeasure of Iezabell yea he sent an Angell to comfort and to refresh him with foode When Daniell was cast into a den of Lions God sent an Angell to stop the Lions mouth so that they could not hurt him An Angell with a drawne sword told Iosue that he was the chiefe of the Lords band Iudeth had an Angell for her companion when she went to slay Holofernes An Angell was séene to walke and preserue Sidrah Misach and Abednago in the burning ouen I could inlarge the Chapter with many examples to like purpose but to conclude although Angels are not so visibly séene as in the time of the Prophets yet they minister Gods prouidence and all his blessings euen now as they haue done from the beginning of the world by whome our noble Quéene Elizabeth is defended her enimies are confounded and from whome her good subiectes receiue peace and large fruition both of spirituall and temporall riches All which God for his Sonnes sake alwaies continue that when her Maiestie hath liued a long life so long as the longest course of nature may giue leaue that then she may die in peace euen in the place where she liueth and raigned many yeares in peace Amen CHAP. 14. An exhortation to the English fugitiues vagrant in forraine Regions I Place you héere English fugitiues at her Maiesties féete as abiects whome Gods iustice for your sinnes will haue foyled vnder her féete but her excellencie who is slow in doing of vengeance is more readie to succour her enimies with her hand then to spurne them with her foote and among many that least deserue this fauour charitie and commiseration of your dayly ruines moueth me to wish vnto you after vnfained reconciliation both the fruition of this mercie and all your Countrey blessings The errors of your Religion are manifested by many godly Diuines but the blindnesse of your harts will not suffer you to sée them and small is the maruell though you contemne the counsels of men when you vse the visible warnings of God to strengthen your errors The report of the souldiers vnto the high Priests of the glorie of Christes resurrection sufficed to haue conuerted the Iewes but to their condemnation the Diuell and money sealed this slaunder in their harts that his Disciples stole him away in the night Gods iustice stroke Mahomet with the falling sicknesse to make him know and forsake his blasphemie but to strengthen the peoples misbeléefe the Diuell taught him to say that his falling proceeded of the conference with an Angell whose diuine presence his humane shape could not endure Uppon the principall day of the sauadge murther in Parris according to the figure in the Reuelation that the stinging Locusts shoulde not hurt the gréene trée when to shewe that Gods worde should flourish mauger your crueltie a withered trée bare gréene leaues in the Church yard which receiued many a martired carkasse you presently applyed that preaching or prophesying example to the second florishing of your Romish Church time proueth your exposition but an idle suggestion For although God suffered this cruell persecution of his Church yet he presently shewed himselfe as a louing father who burneth the rod when he hath corrected his sonne God shortly sent an vnkindly death to the chiefe scourge in this persecution and with the gallowes confounded the most of the rascally Atheists his executioners if any liue they beare the markes of hys heauie displeasure what honor and to go further what profit haue you gained by this policie of your Church to what purpose hath the Pope painted this persecution about his great hall at Lateran forsooth that it may be a monument of his crueltie and Gods mercie of his crueltie who dayly murthereth and of Gods mercy which dayly increaseth the number of true professors If the hardnesse of your harts had not blinded your vnderstanding you could not but perceiue the

bee deuised by men This onely lacketh to set foorth the glorie of good Lawes and to possesse the Common wealth with their true benefites The administrators of Lawes are nothing so carefull to finde out the offender as they are readie to pronounce Sentence of the offence agreeing with an olde tale of a Viccar of Croyden who of a peece of his Vicreage made an Ale-house and there kept an harlotte for in those dayes the Lawe of the Church forbadde Priestes to marrie and yet the awe of hell coulde not subdew their lustes this smoge Chaplaine mindfull of the lesson long before giuen vnto●… the Cleargie Si non caste tamen Caute as hee thought to take away all suspition of his misbehauiour made a vehement Sermon against Lecherie and agrauated the vengeaunces of that sinne with all the authorities which hee coulde recite in the Scripture earnestlie exhorting his Parishioners to cleanse the towne of that damnable and filthie iniquitie whereuppon one of the Church-wardens that knewe the Viccar had violated his vowe cryed out Master Viccar if you will giue vs example by purging of the Church-yarde wee will bee carefull to cleanse the rest of the Parish the Viccar smelling the meaning of the Church-warden pleasantlie to huddle vp the matter replied that the Church-warden spake without reason for quoth he the Church-yarde is the appointed place to receiue the most filthie Carrion of the worlde and withall wished the people not to mistake him for hee onely spake of the sinne but medled not with the sinner A great part of the meane officers of Iustice at this day doe as the Viccar saide The Penall Lawes which are manie and yet no more than are necessarie Vice is growne to so great a strength are solemnely pronounced in euerie Sise Session and Leete the offenders manie and many times present at the repetition of their Trespasses and yet seldome or neuer bee presented that they may feele the scourge dew to their Trespasses when the Trespasser by his fault is as well knowne to the Iustice Iurie Steward or other officer as to his owne conscience which offendeth and howe commeth this barre of Iustice forsooth by this straining of curtesie the Iudge will punish but what the Iurie findeth the Iurie will finde but what is presented fewe will present without inforcement and thus good Iustice which was wont to bee so quicke as men portrayed her with a paire of wings is nowe so slowe as shee needeth a spurre And shee that was likened vnto fire which being naturall both cherisheth and consumeth by the coldnesse of mens Conscienses may nowe bee compared to painted fire which neither comforteth the good nor wasteth the lewde But this defect is not so properly to be applyed to Iustice as to the infirmitie of her administrators who as Gordian saith ought to be so free from partialitie as in the seruice of Iustice they must forget the affection of a Father a husband a kinseman and a friende This Gordian was a graue Senatour of Rome who in the time of the dissolute and beastly raigne of the most vicious Emperour Heliogabalus made sute to be discharged of the authorities which he bore in the common wealth not for that he grew weary of the seruices which he did vnto his Countrie but in that he abhorred to slaunder the reuerence dew vnto a Iudge with iniust sentenses which the priuiledges of the wicked would inforce him vnto He would verie often say that a good Common wealthes man applyeth all the parts of a well proportioned creature whose hands are bound behind him his eyes are no lesse occupied to prie into the doings of the lewd then his eares attentiue to heare the complaints of the good his tongue is mute neither for feare nor fauour and by his leagues he presenteth a continuall trauel to do his countrie seruice his handes bound behind him sheweth him as well bound vnto all these offices as free from briberies and doubtlesse the authorised Maiestrate which is thus diligent and no lesse free from corruption shall aswell be busied to chasten the offences which he findeth himselfe as to punish such as be discouered by others Truely there be a great number of right worthy Maiestrates in this happie gouernement of Englande who with the eyes eares tongue and legges of Gordians common wealthes man both foresee the actions of naughtie persons and prouide to frustrate their determinations and as the Amners of Gods blessings especially bestowed vppon this happie Realme since the first houre of her sacred Maiesties most prosperous raigne haue both stopped the passages of forraine practises and ciuill conspiracies and without bloodsheading onely armed with deuine and morall vertues ouercommeth these enimies with their owne swordes as a concaue Mirror daunteth the assailer with his proper weapon so that all Nations by the impressions of their owne sorrowes as well as through knowledge of our happinesse with the spirite they admyre her Maiestie and good Maiestrates prudent gouernement doe enuie the peace plentie and protection of her inferior subiects Now some will say by the searching wisedomes of her Maiestie and graue senate prosperitie in all her dominions is administred and the enimies thereof of their purposes are defeated and referre all this to a needlesse purpose There are rare monuments to eter●…ise the vertues of the Queene Counsell and chiefe Maiestrates and in the rest no notable vice generally to bee reprooued But with sorrowe I reporte and their doings approoues it Vice is as generally imbraced of the multitude as vertue is especially cherished of the better sorte since the case so standes who will not say that that buylding is out of order whose spares are rotten whose windowes are broken and whose roofe is vncouered although the groundworke bee stronge and principall timbers sounde Surelie a happie common wealth resembleth a faire building the foundation whereof is the Prince the principals are the chiefe Maiestrates the sparres the Inferiour officers the windowes the Nobilitie and Gentilitie the Tiles that couereth the same are the Citisens and multitude and the faire roomes within the building are the liberties of the Cleargie who are priuiledged to blame sinne in all estates but the punishment appertaineth to the vengeance of God and sworde of the Prince all which partes firmelie vnited together doe strengthen one another and the corruption of the least by the sufferance of Time will turne to the confusion of the greatest and therefore by the Lawe of Nature the meanest person in his vocation is sworne to trauell for the publike benefite of his Countrie It is no excuse sufficient for him that is not authorised to chasten offences to suffer offenders to liue vnder his nose vnpresented that the Maiestrate may punish nor yet no good discharge of his duetie that is authorised to leaue an offence vnpunished vntill information bee giuen by others when his owne knowledge is able to condemne the offender euerie man is bounde for his owne safetie to discouer an euill

gotten a great ma●…e of money to make Hugh Pulath the Bishop of Durham Earle of Northumberland chiefe Iustice of England Sée quoth the King what a miracle I can do I can make of an old Bishop a yong Earle but his myracle turned to the great disworship of God and mischiefe of the whole Realme for the prelates by buying temporall honors for thys King for money made many prelates Uicounts Barons soone learned how to sell the peace and prosperitie of the Kingdome this was the sound waie to strengthen the Popes Empyre and the wicked pollicy that kepte vnder the Gospell the light and life of saluation when ambition crept into the Church zeale fled out of the hart of the Cleargie but which hath wrought the capitoll mischiefe of all the inequalitie of estates betwéene the highest and lowest of the Prelates hath brought enuie into the Church and with enuie a number of heresies and controuersies Occasion and millions of mens deathes and damnation haue opened the venome of thys passion sufficientlie in the Chapter of heresies and in sundrie other places in the Conquests of Enuy. Disvnion of the Church of all calamities is the most gréeuous because it mouéth a most mortall warre among men and eternall torment vnto the soule God for hys Sonne Iesus sake banishe thys dangerous passion foorth of the Churche and gyue the spirite of true knowledge vnto all the Cleargie that with mutuall consentes they maye teache one sounde doctrine to the glorie of GOD and vniuersall peace and comforte of his people Amen CHAP. 4. Of the most honorable calling of the Iudiciall Maiestrates of the waightinesse of theyr offices with examples of Gods heauie iustice inflicted vppon partiall Iudges IN all good gouerments necessitie hath taught princes where vertue is found to honor it and questionles so waightie are the affaires of a Common-wealth and so holie the iudgements of iustice as the nobilitie or innobilitie of the person not respected The Magistrates or Ministers of these charges ought to be chosen by the counsell that Iethro the Priest gaue vnto hys sonne in lawe Moyses which was that he shoulde choose among the people vertuous men and such as feare God true men hating couetousnesse and make them heads ouer the people and let them iudge the people at all seasons c. The waightinesse of which charge commandeth a hye honour and reuerence to be giuen to the Magistrate who in the place of iustice is the image of the Prince And in all good Gouerments the soueraigne Magistrate hath hys place next vnto the Prince In Rome the Senators were called the Fathers of the Common wealth and as the Father is honored and reuerenced of his sonne so were they of the people The Maiestrates or Philosophers of Greece were called Sages whose wisedomes were so reuerenced as nothing was done concerning warre or peace but what they allowed The office of the Magistrate according to the Psalmist is to defende the poore and fatherlesse and to sée that such as bée in néede and necessitie may haue right and as King Lamuell setteth downe they must bée aduocates for the doombe they must open theyr mouthes to defend the thing that is lawfull and right and accordyng to the counsell of Aristotle in theyr iudgementes they must bée ruled neyther by loue hatred or gaine That these duties may bée truely ministred Cicero sayeth that Sophocles counselled Pericles to make choise of Iudges that had not onely theyr handes but theyr eyes chaste and continent It behoueth that Iudges do not buy theyr offices for as Alexander Seuerus sayeth he that buieth must néedes sell and therefore sayeth he I will suffer no Merchants of Estate for if quoth he I suffer the one I must néedes indure the other as a matter too seuere to punish him that buyeth although he selleth In Fraunce all the offices of iustice are solde in Englande they are fréely geuen in the one I knowe the administration is corrupt I pray God the other be without faulte Plato was so curious in the choise of iudiciall officers as he gaue counsell to giue no dignitie or offices to the ambitious or to such as coueted or sought them but vnto such as méerely refused them and aboue all he forewarned to make choyse of none that naturally were barbarous rude or rusticke but of people that were ciuill milde iust and wise the which he figuratiuely compared vnto dogs which are ordained to defende the shéepe and to chase awaye the Wolfe In Calcydone there was a lawe that néedie and vnworthie persons shoulde beare no office but contrarywise such as contemned riches and contented to be inriched with most knowledge and such manner of men were Curius Fabritius and Phocion Alexander the Great teacheth Iudges to iudge vprightly by this obseruance when any man complained he stopped one of his eares to heare the aunswere of the defendant and truely iustice is neuer rightly administred where the Iudge giueth hys sentence before lawfull conuiction It is a place of much honor to be a Iudiciall Magistrate but the temptation of money is so swéete as when the world was nothing so corrupt in these dayes the Poet was driuen to sing Munera crede mihi capiunt hominesque deosque In English Beleeue me giftes do catch both Gods and men Diogenes béeing asked what thing an office was said it was a dangerous beast for quoth he it is as hard a matter for the Iudges of the people to kéepe theyr consciences sound as barefooted for a man to walke vpon sharpe stones vnhurt or to thrust his hand into the fire without the burning thereof In all good gouerments there euermore haue béene positiue lawes to bridle the iniustice of Iudiciall Maiestrates The false Iudges that accused Susanna were stoned to death Alexander Seuerus caused the corrupt Maiestrate Turinus to be smoothered with the smoke of wette stubble during whose execution one cryed With fume let him dye that fumes hath solde Thys Alexander defrayed the charge of all the Iudges with an honorable allowance that theyr offence might be without excuse and theyr punishmente without mercie if they did iniustice for money The sentence that King Cambyses gaue vpon a corrupt Iudge deserueth eternall memorie he caused hym to be flayed and with hys skinne he couered a iudiciall Chaire in which he placed the Iudges sonne to occupie the office of hys Father and to feare him from briberie and all partialitie besides the continuall sight of his fathers skinne Cambyses gaue hym this sharpe item Sede sedens ista iudex inflexibilis sta Sit tibi lucerna lux lex pellisque paterna A manibus reseces munus ab aure preces In English Thou Iudge that sittest in this seate firmely sit therein And for thy light take thou the light the lawe and fathers skin Superfluous bribes cut from thy ruling hand And in thy eares let no intreatie stand I néede not inlarge this Chapter with the positiue