pay 20. shillings for a vertuous purpose And perhaps the same would lessen the exaction of the rest in the mercie of God To this furtherance of money I would haue those Brokers and extorting Iackes receiue corporall punishment who shall by indirect tricks and monthly bills exact vpon pawnes more interest then euer the Iew of Malta tooke of his deadly enemies After him the Lawmaker Solon discoursed as followeth I haue heard this day sundry pretty proiects pronounced by my Colleagues for the enriching of Great Britaine But if all these fall out happily and the Deuill still continue to sow his seeds of dissention in mens hearts to goe to Law one with another for a Goats haire by the procurement of Makebates and the aduice of some couetous Lawiers to what end shall his Maiestie spend his time to succour and supply them with money and they presently after to bestow the same on others for the molesting of Innocents This were to make our great Appollo accessary and priuie to iniurious dealings First let my good Ilanders weed out or at least wise restraine the insolencies deceits and equiuocations of Lawiers and then seeke for remedies to heale their indispositions Shall the mild Comforter of humane soules minister an occasion of scandall to reprobates and fewell to their iniquities If they get wealth men as I see haue not the wit to keepe it Therefore I thinke fit and it is a treasure inualuable to tame the Lawiers before any more riches be giuen as swords in mad mens hands to offend the seruants of God What intolerable knaueries haue beene exercised of late yeares by fellowes of this ranke against honest men yea against whole Countries whose blood like that of Abell doth cry for vengeance I know one poore Lordship in Wales which was persecuted by them and forced for foure thousand pounds to compound for their natiue freehold which by Records found in the Tower their Ancestors had enioyed 300. yeares and all vpon that farre fetcht maxime Nullum tempus occurrit Regi that no prescription of time might barre the Prince of his Right And if the wise King Iames of blessed memory had not set a period to their insinuations by limiting 60 yeares to his titulary demand God knowes to what euent their dangerous positions would haue issued vnto It is an easie thing for a man to find a staffe to beat a dog and for a cunning Lawier with the crochet of his braine to circumuent harmelesse people How many thousand pounds are yearely spent in Wales alone to maintaine suites at Law which might be well spared if the fountaine were dam'd vp Let the King of Great Britaine shut vp the spring which enuenomes multitudes of his poore subiects who grone vnder their burthen worse then the Israelies vnder the bondage of Egypt and Wales alone shall saue aboue 40. thousand pounds a yeare which row they consume besides their dear time not to be redeemed in vnnecessary suits at Law CHAP. 11. Apollo not throughly contented with the proiects of the seuen wise men of Greece commands others viz. Cornelius Tacitus CoÌ„minaeus the Lord Cromwell Sir Thomas Chaloner Secretary Walsingham Sir Thomas Smith and William Lord Burleigh who were knowne to be farre more Politicke Statesmen to deliuer their opinions how Great Britaine might be inriched APollo liked reasonable well of the inuentions demonstrated by the Seuen wise men of Greece But for all that some of them hee deemed to be more theoricall then really practick and therefore He caused some of his vertuous Attendants which had been famous for their Actiue diligence in managing matters of State to discouer more proiects whereby Great Britaine might attaine to a present fruition of Treasure For as his Imperiall Maiestie said Philosophers being Clinickes and retired to close chambers delighting more to be as Persius notes of them Esse quod Arcesilas arumnosique Solones Obstipo capite figentes lumine terram Like to Arcesilas or Solons found With down bent heads eies vpoÌ„ the ground then personally to bestirre themselues as men of motion ought in bringing their purposes and plots to execution they could not proue so necessary members to act what he intended as those which had by their industry got the start of them in actuall businesse The euent his Maiestie saw in Cicero and Caesar which moued our most prudent Apollo to referre these Pragmaticke affaires of Great Britaine to the experienced Cornelius Tacitus to Philip Commâ—naus to the Lord Cromwell which flourished in King Henrie the 8. daies to Sir Thomas Chaloner sometimes Ambassadour in Spain author of those admirable books de repub Anglorum instaur to Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Thomas Smith which wrote the Common-wealth of England and to William Lord Burleigh Treasurer of England Cornelius Tacitus as the most ancient was elected first to certifie his censure who with a free Romane candour framed this discourse There is asmuch difference betwixt the face and state of Great Britane at this day and the fashion as it stood in Domitian time when I liued there with my victorious father in law Iulius Agricola as we see betwixt it and the Countrey of the Crime Tartare Then there was elbow roome for the Inhabitants sufficient without multiplicities of Law-suites subtle shifts conycatching or contagious thronging and hudling together But now Sunt homines alij natura Britannica differt In Britanes Isle both men and Land are chang'd We Romanes by our Legionary Cities wonne them to ciuility which they according to their quicke capacities speedily apprehending embraced the Christian Faith paid tribute to Caesar and continued in loyall obedience vnder his Lieutenants vntill our Monarchy became translated to Constantinople that so the fulnesse of time might inuest Antichrist in old Rome the Babylon of the West Since which time as the Children of Israel were sometimes aloft sometimes cast downe this Iland indured sundry changes But in my iudgement next vnto suits at Law which the wise Solon obserued to begger both Towne and Country the populousnesse of some chiefe Cities and specially of London doth impouerish the Royall Chamber of that Empire insomuch that it is in a manner impossible to inrich them before the Drones and yong hungry Bees bee remoued to some forraigne Places by an Act of Parliament and so prest by transcendent authority The people which I would haue thus prest are the Inmates the Cottagers the needy and needlesse numbers An honest Minister assured me that in his Parish at London there were many which perished of want being ashamed to begge and that he knew tenne persons hauing but a roome of twelue foot square to containe them but one bed for them all Many of the like calamity might bee found in that City two or three housholds crept into one house that I haue diuers times wondred that they are not euery second year visited with the Plague or Purples considering the multitudes of Channels Iakes and other vnpleasing places which
of some superfluous humour ingendred in the braine where the Intellectuall Faculties ought to reside and to direct the inferiour Functions How soeuer the Cure is not impossible yet perhaps a thanklesse Office for a man vncalled to take in hand This last is the cause and none but this which makes mee the more sparing of my remedies In this confusion of thoughts fearing to play with Iupiters beard or to dally with Saints and higher Powers who might misconster my Good-will I thought once to be silent left in lending my hand to saue others of tender charitie and compassion I might fal my selfe into the Whirle-poole and there sinke or swimme I should rather be laughed at then pitied Sic aliquis nanti dextram dum porrigit ipse Incidit in liquidas non bene cautus aquat For this cause I minded to lay afide my Melodie one of my chiefest Receits to restore mad men to their wits in respect of these thanklesse times and thus to lament my doubtfull disaster as Sir Walter Raleigh did to our late Queene Anne of happy memory My broken pipes shall on the willow hang Like those which on the Babylonian bankes These ioyes foredone their present sorrow sang These times to worth yeelding but frozen thankes At last the Cloudie sable vaile of iealous doubts being remoued which for a while had interposed themselues betwixt the Light of my vnderstanding and the other attributes of my Soule I valiantly resolued on this Treatise of the Golden Fleece and in regard of the fraikies which the greatest part of my fellow-subiects doe as it were by some vnluekie influence of the Starres participate I haue prepared sundry kinds of artiâ—…ce so that if some proue distastfull and nauâ—eatiâ—e yet others may sort out well according to my expectation I will therefore diuide this Worke into three Parts In the first I will refute the Errours of Religion preparing the way to Vâ—ilie In the second I will endeuour to remoue the Diseases of our Kingdome that Contraries may be cured by Contraries And lastly I will lay downe those Helps which may repaire the ruines of our State as the surest Elixir and Restoratiue which my poore Experience hath attained vnto THE FIRST PART OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE Discouering the Errours of Religion with the remedies CHAP. 1. The greatest care which Apollo takes for the Monarchy of Great Britaine The singular and respectiue loue which hee beares towards the hopefull magnanimous King Charles And how by his Proclamation he caused Mariana the Iesuite to be apprehended for animating Subiects against their naturall Prince ABoue all the magnificent courts which the sun beholds from East to West and from the one Pole to the other It is noted that Apollo as it were by Sympathy of some Heauenly Influence beares particular affection to the Regall Court of Great Brittaine and tenders the welfare thereof as of his owne Parnassus Insomuch that his Imperiall Maiestie foreseeing that Gâ—y Faux and his damned Confederates would haue blowne vp the Parliament house with the King and Estates there assembled vpon the fift day of Nouember in the yeere 1605. and that they afterwards intended to set vp their Romish Religion hee first caused one of the Aeriall Spirits to insinuate into Tressams braine and by often nibling on his imagination to procure from him that Aenigmaticall Letter vnto his brother in Law the Lord Mounteagle Then out of his diuine loue towards this Monarchy he assisted the Genius of the learned and most noble King Iames to discouer the whole plot by vnlocking with the key of Prophesie the Mysterie of that intricate Letter more intricate and darke then Sphinx his Riddle So odious appeared this Butcherly and Diabolicall Treason vnto his Sacred Spirit That no Scrutinies of Triall nor legall Consultations were by him omitted to know the hidden motiues and quintessence of this bloudie and vnnaturall practice so much degenerating from mans nature as with the Giants of old time to scale the Heauens and to assault the Authour of nature by whom they liued moued and had their being But for all his Examinations and vigilant cares Apollo could by no meanes ferret out the Fox for the Deuill had transformed the beast into an Angell of light vntill Raâ—illiac that monster of Mankind had massacred the great Hercules of France King Henry the fourth Vpon which Accident one Peter Ramus a learned Parisian whom the Papists sometimes nicknamed the Hugenotes Champion informed Apollo that the said Rauilliac the very morning of the same day when he committed this lamentable murther was heard to maintaine that Paradoxe how iustifiable and glorious an Act it were for a Subiect to kill a Tyrannicall or Hereticall Prince For the verifying and approuing of which position he quoted down certaine leaues of Mariana the Iesuites Booke de Rege Reg. Instit. cap. 6. whereby hee subiects all Powers and Dominions to the becke and dispose of his earthly God my Lord the Pope and frees them from their alleageance to their natiue Prince if his Holinesse storme or themselues doe imagine him to become an Apostata or to fauour Apostasie or Heresie Apolloes griefe conceiued by this Assassinate and Tragicall euent became somewhat asswaged when he knew the cause of this inhumane butchery proceeded through the Kings owne credulitie and tendernesse of heart in admitting the Iesuits into France against the will of his judicious Sorbonists and afterwards sostering them like Aesopes Snake in the Louvre his Regall Palace whose common Maxime he knew to bee One God in Heauen one God on Earth and one Catholike King Yet notwithstanding to let his vertuous followers vnderstand how heynous crying sinnes and the treacherous shedding of humane bloud seemed in his vnspotted presence Apollo commanded Robert Earle of Essex Lord High Marshall of his Empire and Sir I hilip Sidney the Prouost Marshall of his Court to make diligent search and inquirie within the Precincts of his Territories for the bodie of Mariana and him to apprehend and in sure and safe manner to bring before his Imperiall Highnes These Noble Gentlemen endeuoured to performe the contents of his command but in no wise could they light on Mariana's person For while the warrant was a writing by the Clarke of the Counsell it chanced that Pererius Tolet Posseuinus Bellarmine Cotton of Paris ouer-heard the charge and tenour thereof And it is to bee suspected that they gaue him notice for the repute and credit of their Societie to hide himselfe for indeed the Varlet fled before the Warrant was signed Apollo perceiuing that his Marshals had taken exceeding great paines and yet in vaine for his attaching hee caused a publike Proclamation to be fixed on the Gate of his Palace at Parnassus that what persons soeuer could bring this fugitiue Iesuite before him his Maiestie would preferre him to some Office or place about his Court. For all this no man could finde out his haunt or tracke So wary and carefull were these subtill
infect the Aire able to poyson the strongest Snake For the verifying of this my allegation I will produce one example which may serue to confirme the same I haue heard it reported by very credible persons that about 4. yeares past in a house neere S. Dunstons of the West the Priuies there being emptied on a night the next morning they found not onely their Brasse and Pewter in the lower roomes soild and filth'd but likewise their Plate two stoâ—â—s higher standing on their Cupboord tainted and corrupted with a yellowish vnseemely colour Yea and that which Aristotle himselfe would admire at they found their money in their purses to haue lost the colour as if it had beene of purpose varnished with smoaky dung If the serious regard of their healths moue them not yet let the wisedome of Magistrates foresee the inconuenience which yearely accrues to the Generality by suffering vnnecessary people to hinder the gaines of the industrious and withall to know this that too many of the industrious Craftsmen themselues flocking together doe so diuide the profit which more politikely being fitter for a few that both the one and the other are often seene to faint vnder their owne waight Better it is for a City to content themselues with a few substantiall neighbours then to be troubled with many rakers If the City of London which is thought to hold eight hundred thousand Soules within it and the Suburbes were rid of 40000 of these the rest would thriue the better and saue at least two hundred thousand pounds a yeare which now are spent in vain hereafter wil be conuerted for the weale of the whole Iland In one yeare there were suppressed 700. Cottagers in Glocestershire since which time that Country flourished Comineus Lord of Argenton the great Statesman of France whom Katherine de Medicis Queen Mother and somtimes Regent of that Kingdome was wont to terme the Heretike of State because he disclosed the secrets of Princes vttered his opinion next after Cornelius Tacitus In the warres betwixt the House of Burgundy and my Soueraigne Lewis the eleuenth I remember that Money fell out very scarce as it doth now in Great Britaine for all that saying which this wise King was accustomed to repeat that his France might be compared to a Meadow ready to bee mowne twise a yeare And one of the principall meanes which he inuented to be stored with money was to raise his Coine From the Saxons time vntill my time in the Raigne of King Henry the sixt an ounce of Siluer was diuided into 20. peeces and so passed for 20. pence King Henry by reason of his wars with vs and afterwards with the House of Yorke proclaimed the ounce at 30. pence King Henry the 4. vpon the like necessity enhansed it to 40. pence which so lasted vntill King Henry the 8. daies who raised the ounce to the value of 45. pence King Edward the 6. proclaimed it at fiue shillings If Money continues still scant I see no reason but that it might be raised higher as in former times which also would induce men to bring forth their Plate In France Venice yea and in Golden Spaine Brasse money goes current two and thirty Marauedis amounting to sixe pence which they call a Reall Of these Marauedis I heard a Rhodomonting Castilian vaunt that hee would bestow 600. thousand of them with his deare Daughter to her mariage In some Countries they vse Shelles Pepper and lether peeces for money In other places gaddes of Steele or Iron At the first troubles of the Low Countries they made stampes on Past-Boords which they licensed to goe current for Money In the last warres of Ireland base Coine was ordained to supply the vse of the finest Siluer As long as it will passe in estimation and warranted by publike authority either Money may bee raised or the same of a mixt alloy as the Venetian Liure or the French Souls or of such other mettall as the Prince liketh may serue the Subiects turne in time of warres as it serues those Nations both in Warre and Peace The Lord Cromwell succeeded this Noble Frenchman and said that hee was one of the chiefest Instruments vnder King Henry the 8. to dissolue the Religious Houses in England wished that now some of those Farmes and impropriated Tithes were for a few yeares lent by the State of England to support Ecclesiasticall persons in the new Plantations meaning those which the State could spare in their places And he hoped by this meanes the Clergy being prouided for in those New Lands Churches would there be built the sooner and the Plantations in a short time would helpe to inrich this Kingdome with many sorts of Commodities specially if some of the Religious that went in person others well beloued in their Country that for their sakes others of good account would accompany them and so assist the Common-wealth by their power and example Sir Thomas Chaloner renewed the old proiect of building Busses flat Flemish boates for fishing on the Easterly coasts of this kingdome saying that it was a shame for his nation to looke on while the Hollanders yearely tooke worth 300000 pounds of fish vpon our sea coasts and in our liberties although they fished farther off then they did for the truth of which assertion of his he alleadged the testimony of Bartolus the famous Lawier As Ilands saith he in the sea next adioyning so likewise the Sea it selfe to an hundred miles extent is assigned to the bordering Countrey Iâ— Insul ff â—de Iur. Secretary Walsingham was of opinion that letters of Mart or Reprizals would furnish the land with treasure so that they went forth in Fleetes more strongly prepared then in Queen Elizabeths daies For that now-a-dayes the Pyrates of Algiere had taught the Spaniards more wit not to go so weakly mand and stor'd as in times past In Drakes Haukins and other braue Aduenturers voyages our English found a Golden age But that now the case was otherwise Therefore they must goe strong if they meane to surprize any rich Carricks Likewise he wished them whose powers extended not to supply themselues with many Copartners to watch about the lesser Ilands in America and not to draw too neere those Forts where the Gallies frequeÌ„ted nor to be aduenturous about the time when the Spanish Fleet repaired thither About Brazill and the riuer of Plate hee supposed they might intercept good booties with more safety or if they entred into Lameeres straights they might in the South sea meet with rich prizes Further he animated the East Indy Company to ioyne with the Hollanders to driue the Portingals out of the wade of Spiceries Further he aduised the English to prouide the like kinde entertainment for the Spanish prisoners if not in their owne Countrey yet in the Summer Ilands and other Plantations where they might be put to labour as well as they employ them in their Gallies vntil they paid sufficient ransomes Lastly he
our Rising Sunne and the other Sorrow for our crying and presumptuous sinnes while I attended at Court to know his Royall Pleasure about our Fishing Fleets and Plātations of the Iland commonly called the Newfoundland in the latter whereof I haue for these ten yeeres together engaged both my selfe and a great part of my fortunes it was my good hap among other Noble Courtiers to become acquainted with Sir William Alexander Master of the Requests and Secretarie for Scotland After some formall Complements it pleased him and my ancient Friend Master William Elueston sometimes Secretary to the most Excellent Princesse Elizabeth and now Cupbearer to his Maiestie to appoint a Meeting at the Chamber of Sir William Alexander where all three of vs being met together this learned Knight with a ioyfull countenance and alacrity of mind taking me by the hand thus began I haue oftentimes wisht to conferre with you but vntill this present I could not find the opportunitie It is necessary and this necessitie iumps with the sympathy of our constellations for I thinke wee were borne both vnder the same Horoscope that wee aduise and deuise some Proiect for the proceedings and successefull managing of our Plantations As you obtayned a Patent of the Southermost part of Newfoundland and transplanted thither some of your countrimen of Wales baptizing the same by the name of Cambrioll so haue I got a Patent of the neighbouring Country vnto yours West ward beyond Cape Briton Christning it New Scotland You haue spent much and so haue I in aduancing these hopefull Aduentures But as yet neither of vs arriued at the Hauen of our expectations Onely like a wary Politician you suspend your breath for a time vntill you can repaire your losses sustained by some of Sir Walter Raleighs company in their returne from Guiana while your Neighbours the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Falkland and my Lord Baltimore to whom you assigned the Northerly part of your Grant doe vndergoe the whole burthen supporting it with a brane resolution and a great deale of expence which otherwise you were obliged to performe The like inconueniences I haue felt euen in the insancie of my Attempt whether the defects proceeded through the late season of the yeare when wee set out the Colony or by the slownesse of our People who wearied in their passage at Sea by reason of contrarie winds rested themselues too long at Saint Iohns Harbour and at my Lord of Baltimores Plantation I know not but sure I am it cost me and my friends very deare and brought vs into much decrements and hath wel-nigh disheartned my poore countrymen if at my humble Suit our most Noble and Generous King Charles had not out of his Royall magnificence and respectiue care to vs and our Posterities restored and reuiued our courages by conferring such monies as might arise by the creation of Knight Baronets in Scotland towards the erecting of this new fabricke and heroicall Action And yet I feare all this will not suffice and defray the charge In such abundance doth my natiue Countrie of Scotland ouerswarme with people that if new habitations bee not suddenly prouided for them as Hiues for Bees they must either miscarie of want or turne Droanes vnprofitable to the Owner as you well remembred in your Poeticall workes which you termed Cambrensium Caroleia Si noua non apibus condas Rex aluea Fuci Ignani fient nec tibi lucra ferent Wee need not complaine with our Sauiour in the Gospell that the Haruest is great and the Labourers few for we haue many Labourers which would willingly manure this maiden Soile and with the painfull sweate of their browes reape what they sow But the charge of transporting them with such implements and domesticall cattell as must be had now at the first cannot but grow to an excessiue cost To expect more helpes then it pleased our most bountifull King already to bestow vpon vs will bee in vaine I doubt considering the scarcity of mony in these dayes which not only Scotland but likewise all his Maiesties Dominions doe affirme to be true The natiue and genuine salt of the earth which fructified our Corne fields with so many infinite ploughings of our Ancestors and ours is spent nor will Lime or Marle euer recouer them to the pristine and ancient vigour and fertilitie English Cloth which heretofore was dignified with the Title of the Golden Fleece growes out of request yea and with inward griefe I speake it in contempt also among the Owners and Inhabitants themselues Our Tinne Lead and Coale-mines begin to faile Our Woods which Nature produced and our Fathers left vs for firing for reparations of decayed Houses Ploughes and Shipping is lately wasted by the Couetousnesse of a few Ironmasters What then remaines in this famous Ile Except we relieue our wants by Nauigation and these must bee by Fishing by hooke or by crooke by Letters of Mart by way of reprizals or reuenge or else by Traffique and Commerce with other Nations besides Spaniards I would we could inuent and hit vpon some profitable meanes for the setling of these glorious workes whereto it seemes the diuine Prouidence hath elected vs as instruments vnder our Earthly Soueraigne Heere Sir William Alexander stopt To whom I returned this answere Much honoured Sir I grant the setting forwards of Plantations with all needfull appurtenances requires the purse of rich Spencer or of wealthy Sutton in regard of the many difficulties and disturbances which either Malice Enuie causelesse distruct casualties vnlookt for or the carelesnesse of vnexpert Agents may procure now at the beginning to blast our hopes in the blossome Neuerthelesse inuitâ Inuidiâ in despite of Enuie and of all malicious Angels which by their inuisible wheeling about the brains of Castawayes doe vse to seduce their phantasies to crosse the very best Designes whereof no man liuing hath more cause then my selfe to complaine wee ought to perseuere in constancie and to out-dare Fortune vnder the Almighties Banner What incumbrances did the Israelites feele before they conquered the Land of Canaan How many Persecutions did the Church endure before the true Christian Faith was planted None enters into Heauen without Crosses and fierie tryals composed of briers and brambles which the Romanes termed the vnluckie Woods Therefore let vs lay aside all scrupulous doubts Let vs cut our Coats according to the cloath taking care thriftily to husband the meanes allotted to our Plantations which we shall the more easily accomplish if we haue not passionate Superiours to controll vs nor Coadintors in counsell to condemne vs. Commonly where many Directors are the Directions prooue confused which is the cause that priuate houses be better built with lesser charge then publicke edifices of the like proportion Yea and we shall doe more in these places where we haue eleuated our cogitations and leuelled our ends for a thousand pounds then others haue in Virginia or the Summer Ilands for forty thousand so that wee
if relying on these cruell teeth of yours they had not sought vtterly to vndoe and to deuoure both their Pastors and quiet Owners yee professe your selues to bee Iesuits that is Sauiours O Iesu esto mihi Iesu but yet meant nothing lesse If yee did why followed yee not the Lanthorne of your Sauiours life Hee paid tribute to Caesar though an Infidell when hee was smitten he opened not his mouth but stood silent like a Lambe before the Shearer When Peter strooke of Malchus eare hee rebuked the Act and miraculously set it on againe his Kingdome was not of this World His chiefest and last command was loue and not Reuenge Charitie and not debate peace and not dissention This loue as an accident inseparable his Apostle Saint Iohn recommends And this not onely in one to another but towards all the World whether they bee Iewes or Gentiles as Saint Paul confirmes haue peace with all men as much as in you lyeth This peace haue yee most traiterously and feloniously infringed in plotting to blow vp the King and Estates of great Brittaine This sacred bond haue ye cancelled when Rauilliac that deuill of men by the instigation of your seditious Booke did massacre the Prince of his natiue soyle Victorious Henry the vnderminer of that Catholicke Monarchie which the Spaniards dreamed of This Chaine of Charitie haue yee violated and torne asunder when at sundry times yee whetted on simple Creatures more silly then Sheep to take armes against their Natiue Prince Heere Apollo paused And then asked of Mariana and of Aquauiua what they could alledge in their Defence Mariana answered that he published that Doctrine for no ill intent or trecherous plot which he euer minded to put in execution against Princes but because he hoped by humouring the Pope hee might enioy the happinesse to become one day inuested with a Cardinals Robes and the red Hat But for the Doctrine it selfe said Aquauiua howsoeuer our tender Consciences serue not to act yet the same must needs remaine authenticke vntill a generall Councell shall mediate and interpose their opinions betwixt his Holinesse and Kings how farre one anothers powers shall extend and for what occasions hee may pronounce the dismal Sentence against them Apollo much incensed at these obstinate positions replyed And must my vertuous Princes liue in continuall iealousies in the interim What if my Lord the Pope doe neuer call a Councell shall I endure to see these bloudie Plots and Practices acted in my presence Know then O yee vertuous of Parnassus among whom I reckon not these Caitiues that by the will of God all Kings doe raigne that the most High beareth rule ouer the Kingdomes of men and giueth them to whom he will It was out of the Apostles Commission to meddle with earthly Powers but with Heauenly whereof they had the keyes to open the entry vnto the Penitent It was out of their element to dispose of Soueraignties Did Saint Peter Saint Iohn or Saint Paul suborne Traitours by word or deed against the Caesars who persecuted them and their new Church Nay so obedient were the Christians of the Primitiue Church vnto those tyrannous Emperours that they prayed for their prosperitie health and life as we may reade in Iustine Martyr and Tertullian Many of them serued Souldiers in M. Aurelius Campe and by their Prayers caused Raine to descend in a great drouth when the Riuer of Danubius scarce yeelded water to beare a Boate. The Donatists first sought to exempt themselues from the Emperour in Spirituall matters Wherevpon a learned Father of that Age accounted Donatus a mad man for that his foolish Opinion Donatus saith hee inflamed with his wonted madnesse burst out into these wordes Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesiâ What hath the Emperour to doe with the Church To shut vp my Iesuits mouthes for the Emperours superioritie ouer the Pope himselfe let them consider of these following Examples First of Donatus lately specified who accusing Caecilianus Bishop of Carthage to Constantine the Emperour His Imperiall Maiestie commanded Caecilianus to repaire at a prefixed time to Rome and by his Commission the Copie whereof is extant in Eusebius authorized Miltiades Bishop of Rome with some others ioyned with him to heare and determine the Complaint These Commissioners examined the matter and finding Caecilianus innocent they condemned the Accuser Donatus and his Complices Whereupon he and they appealed to the Emperour himselfe after the example of Saint Paul who appealed to Caesar from Festus and Agrippa as his supreme Iudge on Earth Which Appeale the Emperour Constantine accepted and ordred the difference The Eight first Councels were appointed by the Emperours which no learned Papists can deny Insomuch that Leo Bishop of Rome made earnest suite to Theodosius the yonger that the Councell which afterwards was kept at CalcedoÌ„ might be held in Italy the which the Emperour by no meanâ—s would assent vnto For all that the Bishop of Rome continued his supplications by the Princesse Pulâ—heria an earnest Mediatrix for him and also by sundry Noble Courtiers who interceded likewise But all of them missing to preuaile the Councell was kept at Calcedon And afterwards the Bishop of Rome to testifie his obedience to the Emperour that had thus slighted his supplications he with the other Bishops of his Iurisdiction and limitation subscribed to the Canons agreed vpon in that Councell as himselfe records in these words Because I must shew my selfe obedient to your Religious and sacred will I haue laid downe my consent vnto those constitutions The like obedience Gregory another famous Bishop of Rome about fiue hundred yeeres after Christ shewed as his Predecessours had done and caused a Law which himselfe much disliked to be published throughout his limits returning this Certificate to the Emperour I being subiect vnto your commandement haue caused the same Law to be sent into diuers parts What more euidence will my Ignatians require Heere they may see three seuerall Bishops of Rome obedient to the Emperours as their Supreame Head yea for Ecclesiasticall matters much more in Temporall Iurisdictions If these Examples cannot satisfie their turbulent fantasies let them yet remember these further speeches of Gregorie Bishop of Rome wherein hee frankly confesseth the Emperours Superioritie and cals him his Lord vnto my Lords pietie is giuen power ouer all men from Heauen which likewise a more ancient Father iustifieth in these words Aboue the Emperour there is none but God which made the Emperour Aeneas Siluius who was afterwards Pope by the name of Pius the Second expounding that place of Saint Paul Let euery soule bee subiect to the higher powers confesseth this Superioritie Neither saith he doth hee except the Soule of the Pope himselfe Reuerend Bede interpreting that place in Samuel where Dauids heart smote within him because hee did but cut the lap of Sauls garment vtterly condemneth these Regicides and dethroners of Kings in these words This Action of
Dauid doth morally teach vs that wee must not smite our Princes with the sword of our Lips though they wrong vs nor that we teare the hemme of their superfluous deeds If wee approoue not the holinesst of their liues let vs applaud the holinesse of their Vnctions In the English Chronicles euen when the Pope was at the highest staire of worldly triumph it is registred that Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury in some difference betwixt him and King William Rufus would haue appealed to the Pope And that the King and the Bishops withstood it In the Raigne of King Henry the Second a Law was made on paine of Treason not to appeale out of the Kingdome of England Thus from time to time it is manifest that the Popes power hath beene inferiour and subiect to Earthly Princes And therefore to broach out such damnable Paradoxes for the iustification of murther and the warranting of priuate men to conspire against their Soueraignes is a Doctrine which God hates Somtimes men are plagued by the immediate hand of God sometimes by mediate and secondary means for their sins Sometimes men are forced to endure extraordinary stormes tempests famine warres and also crosses at their very friends hands Sometimes their women are deliuered of abortiues or mishapen Creatures All which they must patiently brooke Much more must they beare with the spots of Princes who haue long Eares and long hands It is not safe or vertuous to meddle with litigious wares nor to trouble the braine with these kind of Problemes For if men liue in a Monarchy which is hereditary the Fault is the greater If in other Kingdomes the fundamentall Lawes must be regarded by the publike States and not by priuate persons If the Kingdome be Electiue as Poland let the Chancelor looke to it If in Germanie it belongs to the Electors to decide the quarrell betwixt the Emperour and the Subiects Wee doe therefore vtterly detest these Iesuites for maintayning of these bloudy Tragedies and from henceforth wee banish that pestilent Race of Sectaries out of our Iurisdiction of Parnassus Mariana heere we doe order to bee perpetually tortured in Phalaris his Brazen Bull and his Bookes also to be burnt and the ashes to be scattered in the Riuer of Lethe CHAP. III. Now Doctor Wicliffe of Oxford espying in a Church at Athens a Franciscan Frier a kissing of a Maide of Honour belonging to the Princesse Thalia brought Saint Frances to surprize them who of meere Idiotisme applaudes the Fact IN May last when all liuing Creatures followed their naturall motions and kinds Doctor Wicliffe of Oxford who in King Richard the Seconds time by the countenance of Iohn of Gaunt and the Londoners opposed himselfe against the Romish Clergie as hee was entring into the Temple of the vnknowne God at Athens espied a Franciscan Frier very heartily kissing a Gentlewoman which in that jouiall and merrie time had made choise of that lustie Frier to confesse her whereupon Doctor Wicliffe being euer held to be of an vnblemisht behauiour and as chaste as Origen but that he had not gelt himselfe as Origen did burned with Zeale and like another Phinehes thought once to haue runne vpon them both to haue scratcht their eyes out for weapons he had none to offend with such was the Law of Apolloes Court But remembring himselfe of a place in Homer how Achilles as he intended to draw out his Sword against Agamemnon was preuented by the Ladie Pallas who inuisibly restrained his hand from that reprochfull Act he reculed backe vnseene by the youthfull Couple whose lips were so fastned together that as if they had beene in a trance the Church might haue falne by piece-meales about their eares before they would been parted from their sugred kisses and like an Arrow out of a Bow hee rushed into Saint Frances cloyster where meeting with the Old man a mumbling on his Orisons and Rosaries he desired him in all haste to come and visit the Corpse of one of his Friers which was strooke dead by the Planet Venus together with a Maide of Honour belonging to the Princesse Thalia At these words Saint Frances flung away his deuout Offices and went a long with Doctor Wicliffe to the place where he found the Frier and the gentlewoman a kissing After that Saint Frances had considerately noted how loâ—ingly the Frier lay as it were in an extasie with his lips as close as Iuy to an Elme vnto the Maides lips the good man fell downe vpon his knees and thanked God that he had seene so much Loue and Charitie in the World which before hee doubted had forsaken all humane race CHAP. IIII. Doctor Wicliffe connents Saint Frances and the kissing Frier before Apollo Saint Frances defendeth the cause and discouereth seuen sorts of kisses Apollo refuteth his Defence condemnes the Frier and abolisheth all Monasticall Orders DWicliffe the next day after this aduenture loth to be accessary to such baudy deeds made the matter knowne vnto Apolloes Maiestie who immediately sent Mercury for both the Friers And vpon the Friday after appointed a speciall Conuocation for the ordering of this lasciuious Cause About nine a clocke in the morning vpon the prefixed day both the Friers being brought before the Lords of the Connocations Apollo spake in this wise to Saint Frances The first time that you were initiated in morall Precepts and sithence matriculated in our Court you vndertooke aswell for your Monasticall Order as your selfe to liue chast and not to minister occasion of scandall to the married Societie to suspect the least token of incontinencie in your carriages But we find that you are flesh and bloud subiect to concupiscence as well as others Saint Paul therefore aduiseth you rather to marrie then to burne But you on the contrary doe forbid your Clergy to marry at all although in your consciences you know it a most grieuous yoke the which our Sauiour Christ said that no man can beare vnlesse as a speciall Gift some few receiue it from Heauen And therefore Saint Paul tels you It is the doctrine of deuils to forbid Marriage Why then haue you imposed such a burthen such a vow on these silly Nouices of your Fraternitie which they can neuer keep without hinneying and lusting after the Female Sexe Haue not you heard that a certaine Hermite cockolded the chiefest Nobles of a Princes Court whose Wiues vsed to repaire to his Cell for Spirituall Physicke as if he had beene another Baptist Endeauour yee neuer so violently to expell the affections of nature they will breake into your thoughts and bodies doe what yee can as on a time another Hermit but more holy of life experimented in a Nephew of his who notwithstanding that hee had brought him vp euen from his cradle in his hermitage shut vp from the sight of all Women-kinde and afterwards by chance following his Ghostly Father to a Towne when he had looked on the Sexe of women and askt his Father what creatures those prettie
things were to whom though the old man answered that they were a kind of Goslings yet the yong Religious man could not rest so satisfied but he would needes haue one of those Goslings home with him for his recreation There is a Record yet to bee seene in England of a Grant made by an Abbâ—t of certaine lands vpon condition the Tenant would prouide a pretty yong wench once a moneth for my Lord Abbot ad purgandos renes to purge his reines Many other examples may be produced to proue the impossibility of fulfilling your monasticall vowes Why then doe you tollerate with vnlawfull lust with billing and bussing like Owles while yee may goe neately about it without any disparage and marrie in the open face of the Church To this Saint Francis answered that hee measured other mens dispositions by his owne and for his poore brother if he erred he erred not of any malicious thought but of pure Loue which is the Soueraignest blessing required in all honest men to root out the contrarie which is Hatred Likewise hee shewed out of profound Schoolemen that there were seuen kinds of Kissing The first a charitable kisse a kisse of charitie which the Patriarkes and the Saints in old time vsed one to another as also in the Scripture is implied by our Sauiour Kisse the Sonne least he be angry And againe Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth This sacred kisse did his louing Brother substantially engraue on the lips of his sweet Sister And because the memoriall of his vertuous Loue might sticke there he infused it with a long temporizing breath of halfe an houre together as with a deepe Seale and Character not to bee forgotten by her which kisse being so imprinted could not but argue an entire vnion in their Soules by a pleasing harmonie and a honeyed participation of excellent Charitie As for Doctor Wicliffe impeachment hee hoped that an Hereticks supercilious taxation was not of force to condemne an act of Charitie being a man euer reputed euen among his own Sect too rigorous austere whose teeth might perhaps water at such a daintie obiect because hee had not met with the like happinesse himselfe And if the said Doctor Wicliffe did misconster their true intent he retorted that embleme which the Knights of the Noble Order of the Garter by the Institution of Edward the third King of England vsed for many yeeres to embellize Honte soit qui maly pensoit Shame to him that euill thinketh The second sort of Kissing is called a Complementall Kisse which the English allow by way of Complement and friendly ceremonie to salute their friends wiues withall or any of the Feminine kind often-times giuing it with a smacke to rellish the better This is a harmlesse Kisse iustifiable both at comming and parting But more then two Kisses at one meeting a seuere Lord President of Wales could not endure The third kind of Kissing is a naturall token of Loue among the married couples whereof let them discourse whom the Church hath so conioyned in the Honourable state of Matrimonie The fourth degree of Kissing is called a Lecherous kisse vsed vnlawfully among them that shunne the light or in the Stewes to despite their Angell Guardians and to call the Sunne as a witnesse of their obstinate standing out against their Great Creatour The fift sort of Kissing is termed an unnaturall kisse of man with man a minion-kisse such as Iupiter vsed to Ganymede his Cup-bearer and which I am sorrie to heare of such as some of our Italians doe practize to the obloquie of our Catholicke Romish Church This kind of kissing Pygmalion falling in loue with an Image of his owne caruing often vsed It seem'd a virgin full of liuing flame That would haue mou'd if not with-held by shame So Art it selfe conceald His Art admires From th' Image drawes imaginarie fires And often feeles it with his hands to try If 't were a Bodie or cold Iuorie Nor could resolue Who kissing thought it kist He courts embraces wrings it by the wrist There is a sixt kind of Kissing called a Iudas kisse where with he bearing honey in his mouth and gall in his heart mel in ore fel in corde did most treacherously betray his Master Christ such a kisse likewise as Ioab gaue to Amasa at the instant when hee killed him being compared to the salutation of the antient Irish who when they purposed to doe an ill turne laughed and smiled thereby to make the innocent stranger secure and carelesse of his safetie The seuenth sort of Kissing is stiled the kisse of Grace or Honour which Potentates and great Princes haue vsed to conferre on inferiour Persons by reaching their hands or feet to be kissed by them This last of the Foot doth properly belong to my Lord the Pope to countenance and fauour Emperours and Kings like the Sunne which lends the beautie of his rayes to the Moone and lesser Starres though in very deede they are no more worthy being worldly-minded creatures to kisse his holy and sanctified Foot then Saint Iohn Baptist to approach vnto Christ whose shooe latchet hee confessed that hee was no way worthy to vndoe I know Doctor Raynolds in his workes de Romana Idololatria mislikes this as a marke of Antichristian Pride not accepted by Saint Peter though a meaner man then an Emperour would haue done that vassalage vnto his Holinesse But Heretickes know not the reason of Saint Peters refusall Let them therefore vnderstand that the Triple Crowne was not at that time settled on Peters head and withall that Saint Peters deniall saying My selfe am also a man sauoured not so much of modestie as of a Courtly putting by the vrgent presumption of such an inferiour Person as Cornelius was For perhaps if the Roman Emperour himselfe would haue sued for that Honour with teares and humilitie he might haue had the grace to kisse his Foot When a subiect sues to a King for some extraordinarie Gift which he is not willing to bestow hee will not daunt him with a rigorous repulse but answeres him that he will consider of it Le Roy se auisera Of these sixe last kisses I dare cleere my good Franciscan He is as harmelesse as my selfe I can assure your Maiestie being of my owne education and like me in conditions And a very Ideot then replied Apollo But the young Fellow lookes as if he had more wit then his Tutour more Knaue then Foole. You haue discoursed of sundrie kindes of Kisses Yet for all your simplicitie you haue learnt that magisteriall trick of State for the credit of your Order propter bonestatem domus to couer the sinfull pollutions of your Brood because they are sweet veniall sinnes But if a Lay man had committed such a crime in the Church it had beene exorbitant worthy of fire and faggot Old Couper of Westminster found no such fauor nor Aduocate to defend his innocencie for one poore kisse which hee
what they list and at the last obtaine for a little money full remission of all their Sinnes mortall as veniall But now that the Spirit of life is entred into their Carcasses and they stand vpon their feet according to Saint Iohns Prophecie Feare seizeth on them they waxe amazed shunning their glorious Light They reele to and fro and stagger like drunken men Apollo liked exceeding well of Zâ—ing lius his zealous speech And further adioyned this Admonition to Gratian and the rest of the Popes Fauorites Not without a profound mysterie did Saint Iohn in the Reuelation compare the Romishh Curch to Spirituall Aegypt For euen as the Children of Israell were for many yeares kept in Bondage vnder the yoke of Pharaoh so the Soules of Christians in the times of the generall Apostasie and departure from the true Faith were miserably subiected vnder the Popes Tyrannicall Command insomuch that they were prohibited to haue Seruice in any other language saue in the Romane whose chiefe Citie the Tyrant himselfe vsurped and in subtile policie would admit of no other Tongue then of his own Latine which some hold to comprehend the mysticall name of the Beast who possesseth that seuen hilled Citie We doe therefore ordaine that it shall bee lawfull for euer hereafter to euery Kingdome and Prouince to celebrate Diuine Seruice and to read the Scripture in the Mother tongue following the examples of the Primitiue Church And euen as the Greeke Church the Georgians in Armenia the Abisâ—ines in Aethiopia vnder Precious Iohn and other Christians in the East haue from the first time of their Conuersions vsed their Godly sacrifices prayers and thanksgiuing euery Nation in their owne language so now wee doe here allow ratifie and decree that the Waldenses and Albigienses shall honour and glorifie their Creator in Vnitie and Trinitie after the same manner in their owne knowne Tongue as they haue accustomed for these fiue hundred yeres last past And if any person be so hardie as to bring in a Bull of Excommunication from the Pope against them for so doing we doe by these Presents pronounce the same to bee void siustrate and of no effect and that the Publishers of that thundring Libell bee laesa Maiestatis reus guiltie for wounding our Royall Maiestie and to suffâ—â— the Punishment due for Capitall Treason CHAP. XII Berengarius reneweth his opinion of the Lords supper and proues both by the Scriptures and by the Authoritie of the most antient Fathers of the Primitiue Church that the same is to bee taken after a spirituall manner and in commemoration of the Lords death VVIcklisse vnderstanding that his old Master Berengarius had for feare of Death recanted his notable Demonstration of the vse of the Lords Supper which in his flourishing yeares hee had maintayned against the Pope and all the Romish Clergie caused him to bee cited into his Maiesties Court at Parnassus to shew the reasons of his Recantation and whether hee did the same in good earnest or else out of the frailtie of flesh and bloud Berengarius appeared and being asked of Apollo wherefore hee made that attestation contrary to his Conscience Berengarius trembling with teares confessed that the Pope extorted that Recantation from him with menaces and threats but that like to Hippolitus in Euripides hee kept a mind vnsworne and that hee still perseuered in the truth of the Doctrine which he formerly had taught that the Body and bloud of Christ ought to be taken spiritually and not really Apollo obseruing his contrition and inward sorrow freely forgaue him vpon condition that hee would yeeld sound proofes out of the Scriptures and the ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church to conuince the Papists wherby they might be thenceforth toungtied and fully satisfied touching that materiall point of Faith Berengarius glad of his Maiesties pardon promised to declare his full knowledge and out of hand drew out of his pocket this schedule which Apollo presently caused Saint Bernard to read before all his learned Courtiers Saint Bernard obeyed his Soueraignes command and publikely read the Contents as follow Euen as by the Law of Moses there were two Sacraments ordayned to bee kept vntill the comming of Christ that great Prophet whom God promised to raise vp like vnto Moses viz. Circumcision and the Passeouer or the sacrifice of the Lamb at Easter the one seruing to bridle their carnall affections the other to prefigure the eternall Lamb which was to be crucified so in the New Testament two Sacraments were instituted to Christians in their stead Baptisme and the Lords Supper the one supplying the vse of Circumcision the other of the Lamb at Easter both to testifie our admittance and incorporation into the Christian Church as ouâ—ward visible markes signes or badges of our Faith onely in Christ. To these the Pope added fine Sacraments more in worldly policie to gaine money Confirmation Penance Orders Extreme vnction and Marriage which last his Holinesse debarres his Clergie of because Gods Elect might suspect the rest as humane Traditions These fiue sometimes may bee necessarie as other Diuine vertues Loue Humilitie Sobrietie and such like but not properly to be called Sacraments Which Saint Augustine very plainely affirmeth in these words Christ and his Disciples deliuered vnto vs a few Sacraments instead of many Baptisme and the Lords Supper Neither was the Pope content onely so to adde more yokes of bondage to the free Church of Christ but likewise for his further condemnation hee peruerted with those old Heretickes the Capernaites the true sense of those words This is my Body saying they must be taken literally and really which a sober minded Christian lothes to heare asmuch as Auerroes the Moore who detested Christian Religion for nothing more then for that they did eate their God with their teeth and sought to hale their Sauiour from the Right hand of God where his Father had placed him vntill the Day of Iudgement After the Consecration of the Bread and Wine we confesse that there is an alteration in respect of the End and vse of this mysticall Sacrament to put vs in minde of the Lords death vntill hee comes to iudge the world but we vtterly deny that there is any alteration at all in the substance of the Bread and Wine which remaines as it did before and enters into our Bodies to be digested and concocted like vnto other naturall and corruptible Food Yet most significantly they may bee called Sacramentall Bread and Sacramentall Wine representing the Body and Bloud of Christ if they bee taken with a spirituall mouth and a deuout mind that is by Faith and not receaued with a carnall mouth and bodily appetite For as Saint Paul wrot haue not wee houses for that purpose As a bodily mouth requires bodily meat so a spirituall mouth must haue spirituall Food to refresh and nourish the Soule And this manner of Eating Christs Body did himselfe expound when some grew displeased saying that it
them to them thrall To Christ I hold such one Traytour As low as Lucifer shall fall That willeth to be Kings Peeres And higher then the Emperour Some that were but poore Freeres Now wolden waxe a Warriour God is not their Gouernour That holdeth no man his Permagall While Couetise is their Counsellour All such falshood moâ—ght need fall With Pride they punish the poore And some they sustaine with sale Of holy Church making a Whâ—â—re And glut their bellies with Wine and Ale With Money they fill many a male And chaffren Churches when they fall And tellen the people a lewd tale Such false faitours foule them befall And Mitres more then one or two Y perled as the Queenes head A staffe of Gold and pirrie too As heauie as it were made of lead VVith Cloth of Gold both new and red VVith glitter and Gold as greene as gall By doome they damne men to dead All such faitours foule them befall And Christs people proudly curse VVith broad Booke and braying Bell. To put pennies in their purse They will sell both Heauen and Hell And in their sentence thou wilt dwell They willen gesse in their gay hall And though the sooth thou of them tell In great cursings shalt thou fall Christs Ministers clepen they beene And rulen all in robbery But Antichrist they seruen cleane Attired all in Tyranny VVitnesse of Iohns Prophesie That Anticrist is their Admirall Tiffelers attired in Treacherie All such faitours foule them fall VVho saith that some of them may sinne He shall be doomed to be dead Some of them would gladly winne Against that which God forbad All Holy they clepen their Head That of their Rule is Regall Alas that euer they eaten bread For all such falshood will foule fall Their Head loueth all Honour And to be worshipped in word and deed Kings must to him kneele and cour To the Apostles which Christ forbad To Popes Hests such taken more heed Then to keepe Christs Commandement Of Gold and Siluer be their weed Who hold him whole Omnipotent He ordaineth by his Ordinance To Parish Priests a power To another a greater aduaunce A greater point to his mystery But for he is Highest in Earth heere To him reserueth he many a point But to Christ that hath no Peere Reserueth he neither rib nor ioynt So seemeth He aboue all And Christ aboue him nothing When he sitteth in his stall Damneth and saueth as him thinke Such pride before God doth stinke An Angell bad Iohn to him not kneele But onely to God doe his bowing Such willers of worship must needs fall There was more mercy in Maximian And in Nero which neuer was good Then is now in some of them VVhen he hath on his furred Hood They follow Christ which shead his bloud To Heauen as Bucket to the wall Such wretches be worse then wood And all such faitours foule them fall They maken Parsons for the penny And of Canons their Cardinals And Y scarce amongst them all is any That hath not glozed the Gospell false For Christ did neuer make Cathedrals Nor yet with him was Cardinall VVith a Red Hat as vsen Minstrels But falshood foule mought it befall That say that Peter had the Key Of Heauen and Hell to haue and hold I trow Peter tooke no Money For any mens Sinnes which he sold. Such Successours be too bold In winning all their wit they wrall Their Conscience is waxen cold And all such faitours foule them fall Peter was neuer so great a foole To leaue his Key with such a Lorrell Or to take such a cursed toole He was aduised nothing well I trow they haue the Key of Hell Their Master is of that place Marshall For there they dresseâ— them to dwell And with false Lucifer there to fall Christ had twelue Apostles heere Now say they there may be but one That may not erre in no manner Who loueth not this be lost each one Peter erred so did not Iohn Why then is he clept the principall Christ clept him Peter but him selfe the Stone All false faitours foule them befall VVhat is Antichrist to say But euen Christs Aduersary Such hath now beene many a day To Christs bidding full contrary That from the Truth cleane vary Out of the way they beene quite wend And Christs people vntruly cary God of his pittie it amend They liue contrary to Christs life In high pride against meeknesse Against patience they vsen strife And anger against sobernâ—sse Against wisdome wilfulnesse To Christs words they little tend Against measure outragiousnesse But when God will it may amend A token of Antichrists they be His charactes now beene wide yknow Receiued to preach shall no man be VVithout token of him I trow Ech Christen Priest to preaching ow From God aboue to them been send The Word to all folk for to show Sinfull man their sinnes to amend Christ sent the poore for to preach The Royall Rich he did not so Now dare no poore the people teach For Antichrist is all their Foe Among the people he must goe Whom he hath bid But such suspend Some hath he hent and thinks yet mo But all this God may well amend The Emperour gaue the Pope sometime So high Lordship him about That at the last the seely kime The proud Pope did pull him out So of this Realme is in great doubt But Lords beware and them defend For now these folk be wondrous stout The King and Lords now this amend Antichrist they seruen all Who I pray you can say nay With Antichrist such shall fall They fellow him in deed and fay They seruen him in rich array To serue Christ they falsly faine Why at the dreadfull doomes-day Shall they not fellow him to paine Popes Bishops and Cardinals Chanons Parsons and Vicar In Gods Seruice I trow been false That Sacraments selleâ— heere And been as proud as Lucifere Ech man looke whether that I lie Who so speaketh against their power It shall be holden Heresie The Griffon said thâ—â— canst no good Thou neuer camst of Gentle kind Eyther I trow thou waxest wood Or else thou hast lost thy mind And the Pope were purely poore Needy and nothing he had He should be driuen from doore to doore The wicked of him would not be dread Of such a Head men would be sad If the Pope and Prelates would So beg and bid bow and borrow Holy Church should stand full cold Her seruants sit and sup sorrow The Pellican cast a huge cry And said Alas why sayest thou so Christ is our Head that sits on high Heads ought we not for to haue mâ— We be his members both also And Father he taught vs to cal him al 's Masters to be called defended he tho All other Maisters be wicked and false That doe take maistry in his name Ghostly all for earthly good Kings and Lords should Lordships haâ—â— And rule the people with mild moode Christ for vs that shead his bloâ—d Bad his Priests no
their owne humane wils able to iustifie them but because they were clothed with their Redeemers merits and through Faith and Gods mercie from the beginning of the world promised and prophesied by him ingraffed into this mysticall Head who bruised that of the Serpents and consequently repayred the breach betweene the Angels and them healing also the leprosie of Sinne deriued from Adams bloud into all his Posteritie for in him all men liued and from him all men are equally descended Besides you shall acknowledge that those whom God hath elected he iustifieth and whom he iustifieth hee glorifieth And that whomsoeuer hee once hath elected hee euer loueth and in despite of all tempâ—â—lous â—ee will leade them safely to their Redeemer who continually makes intercession for them at the right hand of his Father according to the Diuine agreement made in Heauen for their reconciliation and fortunate attonement Lastly you shall protest that as God predestinated some to damnation for their Sinnes which Hee foresaw leauing them in the corrupted lump with the other vessels of dishonour so hee predestinated some to Saluation for his Sonnes sake not in regard of any Goodnesse at all which hee foâ—â—saw in them or because that they were any whit better then the rest but to the end that hee might make them better For as I said before mortall men can haueno more goodnesse then it pleaseth him out of his superabundant grace freely to infuse into them The Creatour is the Authour and Cooperator of all the vertues which are in the Creatures according to that saying of Dionysius Areopagita Euery good thing springs from God and the same returnes againe to him as to the Soueraigne Cause and last end It is a foule shame for men of the Reformed Church to shew themselues worse then the Iesuites in this profound mysterie who of late being conuinced with a Cloud of Witnesses haue beene like Balaam and Caiphas enforced to enrank their Opinions with ours in this Question as Bellarmine confesseth in these words Non elegit Deus homines quia vidit ipsos boni operis fructum allaturos in bâ—no per seueraturos sed elegit vt faciat bene operaâ—tes in bâ—â—â— persenerantes God chose not men because they should bring forth the fruits of good workes and perseuer in those workes but he chose them because hee might make them doers of good workes and so in them to perseuer The Conclusion of the First Part SInce the Discouerie of these Errors at Parnassus which I quoted downe of purpose to remoue the stoniest rubbes which might stand betwixt vs and Felicitie the true scope and end of the Golden Fleece I was informed that some pettish Monitors doe vpbraid mee for writing of serious matters in an extraordinarie forme disguized vnder the name of Apollo To you that are Iudicious I neede not yeeld any satisfaction in this point But lest Errour play vpon mee too violently by mistaking my meaning and the true sense of the morall let the Ignorant know that this worke alludes to a Poeticall rapture wherein the names of Apollo of Pallas the Muses the Graces and of Parnassus are taken for Wisedome and the Court of wisedome eyther Diuine or Humane If they regard the Celestiall Globe the precisest Criticks shall find the name of Apollo or Phoebus still in vse The seuen dayes of the weeke haue their denomination from the Pagan Gods among whom Apollo 〈◊〉 receiues the appellation as the Prince of 〈◊〉 That Diuine Poet Salust Lord of Bartas in 〈◊〉 parts of his Books vseth this name for the 〈◊〉 as he doth also Minerua and the Muses for Learning Mars and Beliona for warre Bacchus for wine Ceres for Corne Vâ—lcan for fire Venus for lust Diana for chastitie Neptune for the sea â—â—â—olus for the windes Styx and Achâ—ron for hell It is not the bare name but the inward sense which a discreet Reader should pry into Saint Paul expounded the Heathens vnknowne God at Athens according to his owne beliefe of the true God Because those fond people at Ephesus preferred the worship of Diana Great is Diana of Ephesus before Saint Pauls Doctrine it were great folly in a Minister to refuse the Christning of a childe by that name though neuer so Idolatrous in those times of darknesse While men of vnderstanding know the moralized sense they will not mislike this course They which haue read the workes of the Nominalists and the Realists can distinguish betwixt substance and shadowes They will respect matter more then forme and the Spirit of Euidence and power more then the enticing words of mens wisedome By either of which kinds who so hath the happinesse to edifie the Church of Christ to reforme Errors or to restore decaied Trading to his languishing Coun trey hee ought not to bee accused whether hee 〈◊〉 the part of tickling Horace or of carping Iâ—â—â—â—all of an Oratour or of a Poet whether 〈◊〉 puts on the large Surplice of a reuerend â—inister or the curtalld gowne of a crabbed Stoick For it is not the Outside but the precious Inside which the Eye of wisedome lookes into And I haue seene more pride vnder a course cloth garment then vnder a silken Robe To satisfie further their Obiections I haue couched the subiect of my Discourse vnder the Titles of Apollo Walter de Mapes Sir Geffrey Chaucer Berengarius Wicliffe and other famous persons which flourished many yeares before Luther was borne euen by the selfe same Authoritie as Vigilantius the Martyr confuted the Hereticks of his time In his fift booke against Eutyches this antient Writer testifieth that he published workes in Athanasius his name against Sabellius Photinus and Arrius to the end that they being present he might seeme to treat with the present vt cum praesentibus videretur agere If these reasons cannot preuaile but that still they will mutter and seeke a hole where none is I must referre them to the reading of Sir Thomas Moores Eutopia and to Platâ—s imaginarie Common-wealth on which as â—hymerizing notions or Ayrie Castles let their Phantasies pore while I runne ouer those reall and actuall vices which lately haue gotten the vpper hand ouer their mindes and bodies to the scandall of their Christian Profession and the decay of their worldly fortunes And if for all that my curious Masters will not desist but menace mee with more violent animaduersions euen to fire and fagot or rather to a milder punishment of Banishment I shall much more contentedly embrace this last with Boetius then to continue in their Neighbourhood like a lazie Drone and to consume the fruits of the Earth which the industrious Bees haue laboured for thereby to verifie that saying of the Poet fruges consumerenatus And so at last to hazard the late Grace which I receiued in the Court of Wisedome where at my matriculation I vowed to disclose all such enormities which might preiudice the mysterie of the Golden Fleece and to liue vpon mine owne
throats with Cods-heads In what a case thinke you will your Iasons bee with their Fishing for the Golden Fleece if some of these Raggamuâ—â—ins make hauocke of their Ships Mariners Goods and Plantations Before you borrow the personal presence of those Gentlemen who are here wanting it were fit you tooke some order to secure that Coast from Piraticall rouers The Lord Vicount Falkland looketh vnto his great Gouernement in Ireland to see the same well fortified and guarded The Lord Baltimore is likewise busie in supplying his Colony at Feriland Sir William Alexander attends on the valiant King of Great Britaine night and day taking care by what meanes he may most commodiously transport his Scottish Colonies into those parts Sir Francis Tanfield and Sir Arthur Aston two generous Knights which to their immortall glory doe imploy their times in building and manuring that new ground cannot be spared from their Plantations lest the wild Boares breake into their Gardens I thinke said Apollo I must send for Hercules from his starry Spheare or get another Medusa whose very sight shall turne these Dunkirkes into stones before my vertuous followers shall endure the least affront at the hands of malicious Erynnis that Patronesse of barbarous Pirates In the mean time we will thinke on some conuenient course to restraine these threatned thunders and blustering blasts And seeing that you my deare seruants are here assembled at this time I must haue you to satisfie the wauering world whether the Golden Fleece be in greater plenty and abundance in this Iland or in New England Virginia the Summer Iles or in some other forraigne Coast which your Nation may easily possesse At these words there was much muttering among the English and Scottish For some contended on the behalfe of Virginia others contested for New England Euery man had his opinion according to his imaginary obiect wherein most preferred priuate fantasies before the intellectuall facultie His Maiestie hauing patiently awayted for their vnanimous resolution like Brethren of the same Iland borne vnder the same Prince Religion and Gouernement and seeing no end of their disputes hee willed Captaine Mason to breake the Ice in respect he had beene sixe yeares acquainted with ice and frosts at Cupert Coue one of the coldest places of those Countries and boldly without partiality feare or sinister regard to disclose the secrets of the Soile the benefits of the Land and whether this Plantation were such an inestimable iewell as Orpheus Iunior had deliuered or to be had in more estimation then any other place Captaine Mason after some complementall excuse of his disability answered in this wise I could haue wishe that Mr. Iohn Guy my predecessor in Britannioll a man both learned experienced in these exploits had spared me the relation which your Maiestie hath imposed on me But seeing the lot is falne into my share I will repeat those passages which hee and others here know better then my selfe This Iland now in question is altogether as large as England without Scotland And at the degree of 51. of Northerly latitude Where England ends there this blessed Land beginnes and extends it selfe almost as farre as the degree of 46. iust in a manner as the climate lieth from Caleis to Rochell The weather in the winter somewhat like vnto it in Yorkeshire but farre shorter for the Sun shines aboue halfe an houre longâ—r in the shortest day then it doth in London The Summer much hotter then in England and lasteth from lune vnto Michaelmas specially in the Southerly part I haue knowne September October and Nouember much warmer then in England But one thing more I found worthy of an Astrologers search wherefore the Spring begins not there before the end of Aprill and the winter comes not in before December or Ianuary the causes I know not vnlesse Nature recompenceth the defect of the timely Spring with the backward and later winter Or else because our Plantations lay open to the Easterly windes which partaking of the large tract of the Sea and of the icie mountaines which flote there being driuen by the current from the Northerly parts of the world might happily proue the accidentall cause of the Springs backwardnesse yet tolerable enough and well agreeing with our constitutioÌ„s Towards the North the land is more hilly and woody but the South part from Renoos to Trepassa plaine and champaine euen for 30. miles in extent It abounds with Deere as well fallow Deere as Ellans which are as bigge as our Oxen. And of all other sorts of wilde Beasts as here in Europe Beuers Hares c. The like I may say for Fowle and Fish I knew one Fowler in a winter which killed aboue 700. Partridges himselfe at Renoos But for the Fish specially the Cod which drawes all the chiefe Port townes in Christendome to send thither some ships euery yeare either to fish or to buy the same it is most wonderfull and almost incredible vnlesse a man were there present to be hold it Of these three men at Sea in a Boat with some on shoare to dresse and dry them in thirty dayes will kill commonly betwixt fiue and twenty and thirty thousand worth with the Traine oyle arising from them one hundred or sixe score pounds I haue heard of some Countries commended for their twofold haruest which here we haue although in a different kinde yet both as profitable I dare say as theirs so much extolld There is no such place againe in the world for a poore man to raise his fortunes comparable to this Plantation for in one moneths space with reasonable paines he may get as much as will pay both Land-lords Rent Seruants wages and all Houshold charges for the whole yeare and so the rest of his gaine to increase As for the other question whether the title of the Golden Fleece may bee conferred more deseruedly vpon this Iland then on any other forraigne place where his Maiesties Subiects of Great Britaine doe vse to Trade By the last part of my Discourse it is plaine that it goes farre beyond all other places of Trade whatsoeuer and iustly to be preferred before New England Virginia and other Plantations for these foure reasons First it lieth neerer to Great Britaine by three or foure hundred leagues then eyther of them For wee may saile hither within twelue or fourteene daies being not aboue sixe or seuen hundred leagues passage whereas Virginia lieth as far again Secondly it is better in respect of Trade and the concourse of people which with 500. or 600. Ships doe yearly resort thither By which meanes they augment their Princes Customes and doe maintaine many thousands of their fellow-subiects their wiues and children Thirdly he conueniency of transporting Planters thither at tenne shillings a man and twenty shillings the Tunne of goods And if the party be a Labourer it will cost him nothing for his passage but rather hee shall receiue foure or fiue pound for his hire to helpe the Fishermen on