of the three the one was a drunkard the other an Adulterer the third a Gamster and a Dicer The Drunkard would haue his Fathers heritage because he was a beast and and not a man The Adulterer would haue his fathers heritage for that he was both man and beast The third sonne claymed his Fathers patrimonie by swearing and by blaspheming saying he was neither man nor beast but a Diuell There is nothing that can be more aptly compared to men than trees So was Nebuchadnezar named a great tree so Kings and Potentates of the earth to the Cedars of Libanon the iust man to the Palme tree the good and godly man to the Oliue tree and the children of the godly like Oliue buds and Christ himselfe to the Vine and it is also writteÌ„ that Christ died vpon a crosse made of three kinds of trees of the Pine-tree the Cypresse tree and the Cedar tree in these trees no mothes no vermines will breede and that was the cause why Nu Pompilius lawes endured â—30 yeares written on a Cypresse table and Platoes lawes written on Cedar But Abimelechs tree was a drie gorse and a low shrub he delighted in such trees that wold soon burn for Abimelech was that gorse that destroyed the Sichemites and burned Sichem their City and sowed salt to make it for euer barren Themistocles was wont to compare himselfe to a Plantane tree to whom the Athenians ranne at any storme or tempest of warres to shadow and defend them from the Persians This Plantane tree was called Xerxes tree for his broad braunches and large bowghes because Xerxes was wont with his armie at any hot weather to vse this tree to defend him from the â—on but this Plantane might bee better called the Popes tree than either Xerxes or Themistocles whose bowghes and braunches shadowes more Rebels and to whome more traytors ran for succor and help than ran to Themistocles in 〈◊〉 This tree is called in Plinie Arbor 〈◊〉 because L. Mutianus would often vse this â—â—â—â—sant tree with some Gentlemen and Romanâ— Ladies feasting and banqueting vnder this tree And after it was called Arbor religiosa when 〈…〉 with the Priests of Iupiter 〈…〉 and with the Vestall Virgines 〈…〉 appointed to come 〈…〉 called Adipâ—lis caena This custome continâ—ed long in Rome though the names were altered yet the ceremonies endured the 〈…〉 altered to a Pope Rex sacroâ—um which was chiefe Sacrificer altered to slaughterficeâ— Iupitâ—â—s preists called Flamines altered to Franciscan Friers and the vestall virgins to lecherous Nunnes And now of laâ—e the names altered againe from a Pope to a Scorpion from Franciscan Friâ—rs to Sâ—rpenâ—â— and from Nunnes to Vipers but we shall shakâ—â—hese Scorpions these Serpents and these Vipers off as Paul did the Viper that hanged aboue his finger this is the custome in Rome Adipalis caena is their feast the plantan tree iâ— their temple and the Calfe in Orâ—b is their Idoll to whome they make sacrifice and by whose Oracles they first deceiue themselues then others 〈◊〉 Alâ—xandria in Egipt when the teÌ„ple of Seraâ—â—â— was destroyed all the images were made holâ—â—â—â— and fast to the wall thaâ— the priests might 〈◊〉 and goe to feed the people with such 〈…〉 speache◠〈◊〉 themselues thus the priests at Delphâ—â— in 〈…〉 of Appollo and in the temple of Iupiter 〈…〉 they haue such drifts to make their jmages to weepe to sweat the priestes themselues to speake within the hollownes of the jmages these flattering priests be these Serpents like Lazarus doggs soothing the Pope their master in all jdolatry worse then Actaeons doggs in deuouring their master I may not omit in this place a fit history of a certaine Spaniard that bragged much before Maximilian the'mperor of 3. such strange things that the King of Spaine his master had that all the world had not the like a great Mountaine of Salt a bridge that fed yearely tenne thousand of cattell and a Citie walled about with fire Albertus Duke of Saxonie hearing this bragge of the Spaniard sayd before Maximilian that hee had in one of his Cities three greater wonders three Monasteries the first of Friars praedicators whose barnes were full of all kind of Corne and had no ground to tillage The second Monasterie was of Franciscan Friers whose Coffers were full of mony without any reuenewes comming in And the third of blacke Muncks who had multitudes of children hauing no maried wiues this is not strange in Spaine in Rome or in any other countries where monasteries be Fauorinus the Philosopher wondred more of three greater wonders than the Spaniard did of his Mountaine of his bridge and of his citie or the Germane of his three Monasteries that he being a naturall French man should be thought a Graecian being an Eunuch shuld be accounted an Adulterer and Fauorinus being an enemie to Adrian the Emperour should liue Heidfield de Arith. Cap. 31. But Augustine brag'd not like the Spaniard nor like Albertus the Germane to see his three Monasteries he agreed with both in the number of three for Augustine wished to haue seene Paul in the face Christ in his bodie and the Citie of Rome in her chiefe flourishing time but Beda wished but one to haue seene Christ in suo decore as Moses and Elias sawe him in Mount Tabor We will leaue to speak further of these things and proceede forward in our Iubilies in the maner forme of election of Kings with their Diadems Crownes Scepters and all other Regalia belonging to the inawguration of Princes and first of the Election of Kings Sectio 2. HOwsoeuer Kings were elected among the Heathen either by flying of soules as Numa Pomp. was in Rome or by neighing of horses as Darius in Persia was or otherwise by lot as Saul was amonge the Iewes So Saul first by casting of the 12. Tribes and after by casting lots vpon the men was elected the first King of Israel And so in the new Testament by lot was Matthias chosen into the towme of Iudas For God had his secret elections of Kings before they were of the people elected So was Saul annoynted the first king of Israel by Samuel So was Dauid secretly in the time of Saul annointed also of Samuel king of Israel So was Ieroboam Solomons seruant secretly in the time of Salomon annointed king of Israel by Ahias the Shunamite And so was Iehu secretly in the time of King Ioram annointed king of Israel by Elizeus Saul a Heard-man seeking his Fathers Asses found a kingdome Dauid a Shepheard the least and the youngest of his Brethren was elected king in the middest of his brethren Ieroboam a seruant of Salomon tooke the kingdome of Israel from Salomons sonne And Iehu a Captaine besieging Ramah vnder the king his Maister became king to sit in his Maisters seat These kindes of election are proper to God So was the election of God of his Priests of his Iudges
of his Gouernors For he called Moses a Heard-man from Madian vnto Egipt saying Mittam te ad Pharaonem Gedeon he elected from the barne a Thresher saing Tu liberabis Israel de manu Madian In like manner he called Ieptha from the land of Tob. But as before is sayd howsoeuer kings are elected the honor dignitie and reuerence of kings were such that after Iehu was annointed king sitting among other captaines his fellow captaines did put off their mantels cloakes and gownes to make him a seat like a throne for a king to sit with sounding of trumpets and saying God saue King Iehu such is the Maiestie of the name of a King that God called them Dij terrae As soone as Darius horse neighed the other sixe Princes which were in election with him lighted on foote prostrating themselues vpon the ground after the Persian manner hauing the sacred fire and the Image of the sunne carried before him What wonder is it for the Persians Armenians to whom it is peculiar to worship their kings as Gods sithence king Dauid so honored his sonne Salomon being a king annointed and sitting on his Fathers seat in such humble sort that being sicke and old in his bed bowed his head downe in token of his submission to the King his sonne and as Iosephus saith Tanquam Deum coluit We read that the Kings of Aethyopia being elected by their priests are lifted vp with such triumphes vpon their shoulders and carried so to be seen among the people Bacchantium more flexis genubus vt Deum honorant The late Emperours of Rome being elected were hoysed vpon mens shoulders and carried with ioyes and triumphes the people crying out Viuat Imperator They vsed no other ceremony in ancient time with the Kings of Fraunce but to lift the new elected King vpon a shield to bee carried about the campe saging Viuele Roy. So was Clodoneus the first christian French King The souldiors of Pharnaces vpon a tumult made in the campe sodenly they put a Reed into Pharnaces hand for a scepter and proclaimed him King of Pontus So the Iewes put a Reed into our Sauiours hand for a scepter in most contemptuous and ridiculous manner and kneeling sayd Aue Rex Iudaeorum hayle King of the Iewes The souldiers of Amasis vpon a sodaine shift to make him King of Egipt they clapt vppon his head in stead of a crowne a Helmet and so proclaimed him King of Egipt So the Iewes clapped a crowne of thornes vpon christs head a more precious Crowne than the Amphictions of Greece sent to Alexander or the Arabians and Armenians sent to the Romanes In diuers other countreys they make choice of their Kings diuersly In some place of shepheards supposing them that haue such care of their sheepe should haue more care ouer men In Homer Kings are called Pastores populi as you heard of the Kings of Israel and others In other places they made choyse of them that were most rich thinking that a rich King was best able to helpe his subiects and defend them from their enemies These kinds of elections of Kings and of priests which gouerned cheefely amonge the Ethyopians and Egiptians In Libia he onely should bee elected king qui citissimo cursu valeret He that was most swift in running In other Prouinces and countreys towards Arabia he that excelled in strength and courage of his bodie supposing him to be most fit and able to gouerne them These Nations knew not God in their elections yet they seemed to imitate the Israelites in outward fourme The people called Cathaei in India made choice of him to be their King that was most tall of stature and of goodly personage like Xerxes King of Persia who among so many hundred thousands was the only goodliest and tallest man Or like Saul King of Israell who was higher by the shoulders vpward than any one man within the whole Kingdome of Israell for God would please the people with such a King In Mero the King should be of sound limmes for the Law was that if the King should be lame or halt all his friends and houshold seruants should also halt and be lame And with good iudgement should they looke of such a King which should not limpe or be lame The custome was also in Meroe that the priests of greatest authority among the people should come and tell the King he must needs die so the Gods commaunded all the Kings obaied this Law per responsa Deorum Among the Sidomites they did elect no King ouer them vnlesse he were of the Kings stocke or haue his birth from the Kings familie quite contrarie to the people called Taprobani in India which suffered none to bee King among them that were of the Kings stocke especially if they had any children least they should claime to be the King by heritage Sabaei a Nation in Arabia after they had made choyse of their King they had a Law that it was not lawfull for the King to goe out of the Metropolitan Citie Saba according to the Law which if hee were so found he should bee stonied to death or should be deposed from his kingdome Such was the supersticiousnes of the heathens towards their Preists that Sabbachus King of Egipt though hee was warned in his dreame by the God of Heliopolis saying Nec faelix nec diuturnum Aegipti regnum fore vnlesse all the Priests of Egipt were slaine and that the King withall his army should marche ouer their dead bodies Thus being often troubled with this dreame the King called all the Priests of Egipt before him and told them how hee was warned either to kill them or else ouerthrow himselfe and his kingdome This supersticious King yeilded the kingdome vnto the Priests of Egipts hands and went to Ethiop by such meanes Priests grew in as much credit in Egipt as then the prophets were in Israell Many such Kings were either so cursed and banned in their kingdome or else driuen out of their kingdome and others put in by the Preist of Rome Such supersticious Lawes and customes in Ethiop continued vntill one Ergamenes was elected King in the time of Pto. Philadelphus the second of that name in Egipt this King expected the like end by the preists of Ethiop as his predecessors had and therefore Ergamenes did that which Sabbachus should haue done And as Iehu Daniel at Babilon and Elias did at the brooke Kison with the slaughter of all the Prophets and priests of Baal Now hauing somthing spoken of the Election of Kings so likewise of the Election of the Iudges how they were chosen and elected God elected Moses after he had fled from Pharo in Egipt to lethro in Madian from a shepheard to bee such a Prince and gouernor of such an army as neither Cyrus led vnto Scythia or Xerxes vnto Greece or Tamberlaine vnto Asia and that in a
wildernes where neither City Towne or prouision could be made Deut. 2. But the manner and forme of this Election of Moses was by a voyce spoken vnto him out of a flame of fier burning in a bush and yet the bush not consumed the voyce was veni mittam te ad Pharaonem I will send to Pharaoh to bring my people Israel out of Egipt that was his charge And the election of Paul who was likewise in manner and fourme chosen as Moses was The election of Ioshua was like Moses to whom the Lord sayd Surge transi Iordanem Be stronge and valiant to fight against the Hethites I will be with thee as I haue beene with Moses This was Ioshuaes charge The election which Israel made of Gedeon was after the Lord had sayd to him Tu liberabis Israel de manu Madian and after his victories ouer the Madianites then they came and sayd Dominare nostrum tu filius tuus The like election was of Ieptha after hee was called from the land of Tob by the Lord yet hee was elected and chosen by the Giliadites saying Veni esto Princeps noster Come and bee our Captaine to fight against the Amonites These were the Iudges elected to fight the Lords battels against these Nations This was the manner of the election of the Iudges and Gouernors of Israel yet God had chosen Gedeon out of the barne and called Iepthe out of the land of Tob to be Gouernors ouer his people before they were by the people elected The election of Ioshua was by laying of Moses hands vpon him to vanquish the Cananites saying transi Iordanem esto robustus bee stronge and valiant to fight against the Hethits and to vaÌ„quish the Chananites The election of Iuda was by Vrim and Thummim to ouerthrow the Amonites Sectio 3. NOw hauing spoken something of diuers and sundry elections of kings and Iudges wee are to entreat of sundrie kindes of Scepters and Diadems among heathen Kings The first Kings in the world had long guilded speares carried before them For the old Romanes and the first Kings of Rome vsed for their first Scepters the Augurall staffe of Romulus called Lituus vntill Tarquiniuâ— Prisâ—us the fift King after Romulus who vsed to haue for his scepter white Iuorie But after Tarquâ—nius time the Romanes contemned Scepters Kings and crownes The Kings of India had their scepters onely of Ebony for it was not lawfull for them to haue any other scepter but of Ebony In Egipt though they excelled all other Kingdomes in greatnesse and maiestie of Diadems yet the Kings of Egipt had for their scepter but the likenesse of a plough in forma aratri saith Diodorus to maintaine tillage in husbandrie of which I spake in another place For as Egipt was diuided vnto sixe Tribes India vnto 7. Tribes Athens vnto 10 and Rome vnto 35. Tribes that was the chiefest they had care vnto tillage The Persians next for all that they had fire caried in christall the Image of the Sunne carried vpon the horse of Mars yet the Kings of Persia had for their Scepters the likenesse of a Spade called in Diodorus Pala which the Kings held in their hands for none might speak with the great kings of Persia vnlesse the King would mooue his scepter so had Ester accesse to the King Ashuerus The king of Babilon vsed diuers kinds of scepters with sundry kind of figures as Lions Eagles and sometime the likenesse of a golden Apple which signified for his roundnes the whole world The Kings of Sicilia vsed a siluer staffe for their scepter carried before them The Kings of Lidia had carried before them great Axes for their Scepters Many Kings had vpon the top of their Scepters the figure of a Storke to signifie Iustice and pietie and on the other end of that scepter they had the figure of Hippotamus a fierce and a violent beast that Kings thereby should subdue their outragious lust and tyrannie Kings had need to haue their Scepters full of eyes such a Scepter had ould Osiris with the likenesse of a mans eye written about it Oculus iustitiae For those Princeâ— that beare the Scepters of iustice in hand must not haue eyes of affections in their heads Neither must those Iudges that sit on the seat of Iustice haue long reaching hands to receiue bribes like Molochs Image whose priests were called Chemarims And therefore were Kings painted in Egipt in the Citie of Thebes blinde without eyes and Iudges without hands and Iustice it selfe without a head so that Iustice hath neither eyes hands nor head Sectio 4. NOw after Scepters the sundry fashion and manners of crownes and Diadems For among all heathen Kinges fewe or none were crowned as our christian Kinges were but with such Ornaments about their heads as most Kings then vsed and with such Idolatrous ceremonies sacrifices and feasts as were belonging to their Idols and such robes and garments as were kept in their Temples for their inawguration tanquam regalia For it seemed that Mithridates King of Pontus the great Roman enemie and Tigranes King of Armenia ware such attires and ornaments on their heads as some kinde of fine silke set with rich stones and pearles For that which king Mithridates wife Queene Monima ware vppon her head for a diadem with that she hanged her selfe least shee should bee taken captiue by Lucullus or Pompey the Roman consuls and by them led as a prisoner vnto Rome for their triumphes It might also seeme that Darius the great King of Persia had on his head in his last battell which he had with Alexander at Arbela such a diademe as Mythridates the king of Pontus had for Alexander after the ouerthrow of Darius hauing Darius diademe brought vnto him with the which he bound vp Lysimachus wound Such a Diademe did Tigranes king of Armenia yeeld at the feet of Pompey the great after that Pompey had subdued Armenia and other kingdomes thereabouts with which Diademe Pompey bound vp his sore legge for the which hee was suspected of some of the Senators to haue affected the kingdome of Armenia All Kingdomes being subdued by the Romanes sent their Imperiall Crownes to Rome So did Areta King of Arabia send to Augustus So did Hircanus send from Ierusalem a Crowne of gould to Marcus Antonius For after that the Romanes had subdued Asia Africa and the most part of Europe all Kinges held their Kingdoms vnder the Roman Empire therfore sent Crownes for dutie and homage to the Romanes The old Romans esteemed more Militares coronas militarie Crownes to animate souldiers to remooue siege to win townes or forts or strong holds they should haue gramineaÌ„ Coronam for scaling of walles they had muraleÌ„ Coronam made in forme like the walles of a City and for entring to a shippe Corona naualis made like a shippe The Emperour Caligula inuented certaine Crownes made