and gouernours making them to yelde accompt of their doinges than without faile will the princes and gouernours be as diligent to see the people doo their duetie And so shall the common wealthe be godly and prospre and God shalbe glorified in all But thou wilt saye what if the nobilitie and those that be called to cōmon Coūselles and should be the defendours of the people will not or dare not execute their autoritie what is than to be done The people be not so destitute of remedie but God hathe prouided an other meane thas is to complayne to som minister of the worde of God to whō the keyes be geuen to excōmunicate not only common people for all notorious and open euilles but also kaisers kinges princes and all other gouernours whan they spoile robbe undoo ād kill their poore subiectes without iustice and good lawes And what so euer suche minister of Goddes worde byndeth vpon those occasiones here in earthe it is fast bounden in heauen before the face of God And no meane to vndoo it by any good worke muche lesse by popes pardone or friers prayers without repentaunte of the partie offending ād satisfactiō made to the partie offended for the iniustice and iniu ries committed and the mercie of God through the on ly merites of our saueour Iesus Christ. Exāple we haue of S Ambrose who being no pope nor popes Com missary but bishop of Millane excommunicated the Emperour Theodosius Whose doinges bicause thou maiest the better knowe I will in fewe wordes expres se theffecte of the historie This Theodosius albeit he were an Emperour and a Christen man yet was he of nature colerike and muche disposed to be āgrie and as it semeth without consideration It chaunced that in a sediciō at Thessalonica sōof his officers were stoned to deathe and some very euil intreated He in a rage sendeth thider a nōbre of merciles men of warre who making no differēce betwene thautours of the sediciō and thinnocent people make an horrible slaughter of the poore people mā woman and childe Afterwarde thēperour after his accustumed maner came towarde the churche and S. Ambrose mette him at the churche dore ād wolde not suffre him to entre but not only tolde him it was no place for murtherers but also did excommunicate him out of all christen companie til he repented and made satisfactiō for the hor rible murther cōmitted by his souldiours Thēperour being brought vp and instructed in the worde of God as I wolde to God all christē princes were at this pre sent and knowing thoffice bothe of the minister of Goddes worde ād of an Emperour obeyed and return◅d wepīg ād crieng to his palace Eight monetes af t◅r came the feast of the natiuitie of Christ ād Ruffinus lorde great maister or stuarde of his house came to thēperour whō he founde very heauie weping and sobbing He beig familiar with him desired to knowe the cause of his sorowe Ah Ruffinus saieth thempe rour thou art mery for thou felest not mi paines I l◅ mēt ād mourne for my calamitie It is free for slaues and beggers to goo to the churche ād ther to praye to God but I maie not come ther no heauē gats be schut to me Christes words goo not out of my hart what so euer ye binde on earthe shalbe boūdē also in heauē At leynght beīg ēcouraged by Ruffinus that he might be absoiled of S. Ambrose he sendeth hī before to be a meane for hī ād he him selfe folowed But Ruffinus could not intreat the bishop After themperour cometh but durst not entre in to the churche but without the dores fell on his knees to S. Ambrose and desired absolucion S. Ambrose saied he was not mete to be absoiled for his comyng was more like a tiranne one that wolde by force be absoiled than a christen man that shewed him self penitēt and sory No sayeth thēperour I wil not presume against the ordre of the churche to entre in by force but I hūbly beseche thee to lose me out of these bōdes of excōmunicatiō ād that thow wilt remē bre the mercie that God useth and that thou wilt not shutte against me the gate that God opened to all that be penitent The bishop asked him what worthy penaūce he had shewed syth the tyme he had cōmitted that wicked acte or with what medicine he had healed those most greuous woundes It is your part sayeth themperour to prepare the medicine and myne to re ceaue and use it At leynght S. Ambrose required ther might be a lawe ordayned that thexecucion of reuēge should not be done sodainly but delaied so as it should not proced of angre and thēperour made that lawe Afterwarde he was releassed of thexcōmunicatiō ād commyng in to the churche he made his praiers not standing nor kneling but lyeng flatte on the grounde pulling his heare beating his browe wepīg lamēting and cryeng with Dauid My soule cleaueth to the pauement quicken me O lorde according to thy worde ād asked mercie ād forgeuenesse Thus ye see what any minister of the churche maie doo upō the greatest prince if he will execute his office ād the power that Christ geueth him But thou wilt saie what if the minister passe not on his duetie but be contēt to winke at all the uices of the gouernours be thei neuer so wic ked so he maie haue a bishopriche a deārie a prebēde or a good fatte benefice ād liue ūpunished in all abomi naciō Yea ād what if ther be suche special grudges be twene the nobilitie and commones that the one sorte neither trusteth nor loueth the other so as the one dare not open the necessitie ād meane of suche correction and redresse of the euil gouernours vices for feare least if the purpose come to light before hande the mater be dashed and the mocionar leape headles for his labour as it is in these daies often sene What shifte than In dede ther be certain examples and paternes in the holy Bible Which I will not sticke to rehearse though not expounde but holly referre them to the further debating and iudgemēt of thine owne conscience through the holy goost by whose prouidence they are enrolled for our learning We reade that after the lorde God hade sondry times deliuered his people of Israel from wicked tirānes with whom he hade plaged them for their wickednesse and Idolatrie at leinght whan through aboundaunce of wealthe and quietnesse they fell to a certain careles securitie of life not only forgetting God and his holy sincere worde but also seking euery one his owne singular self gaine with the hurt and contempt of his neighbour God toke from them their natural liege lorde the good Iudge Othoniel and placed yee saieth the scripture he streynghtened a straunge prince among them an Idolatrous persone and a wicked called Eglon. This Eglon vsed the matier so with bribing those Israelites that for preferrement wold be traitours to their natural countrey and specially in
Octauia in to an Ilan de he byndeth her in chaines and causeth her to be let blood in all partes and fearing least feare wolde dryue the blood to the harte and so she lyue longer than he wolde he setteth her in a bayne of hotte water that her blood might the soner come out But what becometh of his deare dearling Puppie he dalieth a while with his Puppie and at leynght his hotte loue being turned in to displeasur he spurneth her being with Childe on the belye and so she dieth To late he repented but yet ceassed not his crueltie He killed his maister Seneca he persecuted the churche of Christ most miserably and so thinking that he might doo what him lusted and that all was well done were it neuer so euil done he neuer lefte of his crueltie til the people finding occasion and oportunitie to vttre their dissembled hatred slewe him But what thinke you who were to be blamed for these cruell actes He for doing theÌ„ or others for flat tring hiÌ„ or the Senate aÌ„d people of Rome in suffring him Surely ther is none of them to be excused but all to be blamed and chiefly those that might haue bridled him and did not He is a good citez in that dothe non euil saieth a noble wiseman but he is a better that letteth others that they shall not doo hurt nor vniustice to others The blood of innocentes shalbe demaunded not only at the handes of the sheaders of blood but also of those that make or consent to wicked lawes to condemne innocentes or suffre their head to kill them contrary to iust lawes â–ª or to spoile them of that they iustly enioie by the ordre of the lawe Now sithe kinges princes and gouernours of common wealthes haue not nor can iustly clayme any absolute autoritie but that thende of their autoritie is determined and certain to maintene iustice to defende the innocent to punishe the euil And that so many euilles and mischiefes maie folowe wher such absolute and in dede tiraÌ„nical power is vsurped let vs praie that they maie knowe their duetie and discharge theÌ„ selues to God and to the worlde or elles that those which haue the autoritie to refourme them maie know and doo their duetie that the people finding and acknowlageing the benefite of good rulers maie thaÌ„ke God for them and labour euery one to doo their duetie and that seing the head is not spared but euillesin it punished they maie the more willingly absteine froÌ„ tyraÌ„nie and other euil doinges and do their dueties and so all glorifie God VVHETHER KINGES princes and other politike Gouernours be subiecte to Goddes lawes and the positiue lawes of theyr countreyes HE that noteth the procedinges of princes and gouernours in these our daies how ambicious they are to vsurpe others Dominiones and how necli geÌ„t they be to see their owne well gouerned might thiÌ„ke hat they beleue that either ther is no God or that he hathe not care ouer the thiÌ„ges of the worlde or that they thinke themselues exempt frome Goddes lawes and power But the Wonderfull ouerthrowe of their deuises whan they thinke themselues most sure and certain is so manifest that it is not possible to denye but that bothe ther is a God and that he hathe care ouer the thinges of the worlde And his worde is so playne that non can gaynsaye but that they be subiecte and ought to be obedient to Goddes lawes and Worde For the hole decalog and euery part therof is aswell written to kinges princes and other publike persones as to priuate persones A king maye no more committe Idolatrie than a priuat man he mayâ—… not take the name of God in vayne he maye not breake the Sabbat no more than any priuate man It is not laufull for him to disobeye his pareÌ„tes to killany persone contrary to the lawes to be an hooremoÌ„ger to steale to lye and beare false witnesse to desire and couet any mannes house wife seruaunt mayde oxe asse or any thing that is an others more than any other priuate man No he is bounden and charged vnder greater paines to kepe them than any other bicause he is bothe a priuate man in respecte of his owne persone and a publike in respecte of his office which maâ—…e appeare in a great meigny of places whe roâ—… parte I will recite The holy gost by the mouthe of a king and prophet saieth And now ye kinges â—…nderstande be ye learned that iudge the earthe Serue the Lorde in feare and reioi ce with trembling Kisse the sonne that is receaue with honour least the Lorde be angrie and ye lose the waye whan his wrathe shall in a moment be kyndled And in an other place thus The Lorde vpon thy right haÌ„de shal Smyte and breake in pieces eueÌ„ kinges in the daye of his wrathe Esaias also the prophet saieth The Lorde shal comme to iudgemeÌ„t against the princes and elders of the people Likewise saieth the Prophet Micheas speaking to all princes and gouernours vnder the heades of the house of Iacob and the leaders of the house of â—…srael He are ye princes and gouernours saieth Micheas Should ye not kno we what were laufull and right But ye hate the good and loue the euil ye plucke of meÌ„nes skynnes and the fleshe from their bones ye cheoppe them in pieces as it were in to a Caldron and as fleshe in to a potte Now the tyme shall come that whaÌ„ ye call vnto the lorde he shall not heare you but hyde his â—…ace from you by cause that through your owne ymaginationes ye haue dealt so wickedly And again he saieth O heare ye rulers and gouernours ye that abhorre the thing that is lauful and wraste asyde the thing that is straight ye that builde vp Sion with blood your magestie and tirannie with doing Wrong For so maie Sion and Ierusalem be well expounded O you iudges ye geue sentence for giftes O ye priestes ye teache for lucre O ye ê“phetes ye prophecie for money yet Will they be takeÌ„ as those that holde vpoÌ„ God and saie â–ª Is not the lorde amoÌ„g vs How can than any mysfortune happen to vs But Sion that is your cities for your sakes shalbe plowed like a fielde and IerusaleÌ„ that is your palaces shall become an heape of stones and the hill of the teÌ„ple that is your Monasteries frieries and chauntries shall be come an high woodde The holy goost also by the mouthe of king Salomon sayeth Heare O ye kinges and vnderstande O learne ye that be iudges of the eÌ„des of the earthe Geue eare ye that rule the multitudes and delyte in muche people For the power is geueÌ„ unto you of the lorde aÌ„d the streinght from the highest who shall trye your wor kes and searche out your ymaginaciones how that ye being officers of his kingdom haue not kept the lawe of righteousnesse nor Walked after his will Horribly and that sone shall be appeare vnto you for vpoÌ„ the most high
to doo what so eueris cōmaūded thē tell me I praie thee to what purpose is suffrig of persecu ciō so ofte repeted so earnestly taught so highly com mended in scripture Christ saieth He that taketh not up his crosse and foloweth me is not mete for me And again blessed be those that suffre persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Bles sed are ye whan men shall curse you and persecute you and speake all euil against you lieng for my sake be glad and reioice for your rewarde is pleintifull in heauen So did they persecute the prophetes that were before you And thapostle saieth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffre persecution And so in a great nombre of places of scriptures By suche persecution can not be ment the iniuries that priuate man dothe to priuate man for God hathe ordained a meane that is the magistrate to redresse them But by persecution is ment the Iniuries and tirannie that the Magistrates and gouernours exercice ouer Goddes people For they not contented to let a christian man haue iustice in ciuile thinges aga inst a papist nor an honest man against suche a one as fauoureth their procedinges doo thē selues spoile the christianes and honest of their goodes and not onely spoile them but by all maner of force uiolence and s◅ares seke their life and blood not onely in their owne countrey but wher they haue non autoritie bicause they will not obeie their commaundements and folowe their wicked procedinges God will haue his tried by persecucion that the worlde maie see who loue the chief power more than the inferiour powers his commaundementes more than mennes fonde procedinges the soule more than the fleshe the sure and euerlasting enheritaunce of heauen more than the vncertain and temporal possessiones of this worlde Yea he hathe non other waie to let the difference appeare to mennes eies betwene his seruauntes and princes Parasites than only by persecucion Papistes Turkes Iewes gentiles can dissemble they can seme to fast to praie◅ to geue alniose to builde monasteries and chauntries and to doo notwarde workes gaie to the eie bicause they wold be accompted holy of men but to refuse to doo that is euil for iustice sake to be slaundred spoken euil of whipped scourged spoiled of their goodes killed of the worldly princes and tirannes rather than they wolde disobeie God and forsake Christ this can neither papistes nor Turkes Iewes nor gentiles nor non other doo but onely thelectes of God And yet God dothe not so seuerely require of his people that they should streight offre them selues to the princes slaughterhouse their neckes to the halter their headdes to the blocke their blood to make princes puddinges their entrailles to make tripes their quartres to be boiled or rosted but he hathe lefte them a special rule and cōmaundement wherby to guide themselues that is in all thinges to seke furst the kingdome of God If he that is persecuted fele in his cōsciēce that he maie doo God greater seruice and glorie by suffring than by fleing he ought rather to suffre a thousaunt deathes than to flee one foote But if his conscience witnesse with him that he maie doo God greater glorie by flieng than by tarieng he ought not to tempt God with tarieng but is bounden by cōmaundement to departe If they persecute you in one citie saieth Christ flye in to an other And he did not only teache it but did it him self for saking Iewrie ād goīg into Galile whā he hearde Iohn Baptist was laied bi the heles bicause the time was not yet come wherin he was appointed to glorifie God And bicause God wolde haue a refuge place and sanctuarie for his whan suche tirannie and persecucion should be exerciced he wolde neuer suffre the power and ambicious tirannes to make one perfite Monarchie of all but whan they hade done their best to bring all together and the string hade bē almost in the nicke of the bowe as the prouerbe is it hathe sodainly slipt and not only destroied the doer but it hathe fallen in to a great meany moo shiuers than euer it was before Thus God dalieth and plaieth with his puppettes the princelinges of this worlde wherfore sence we be Goddes people and seruauntes and he our lorde and the highest power and the princes of the worlde be but his ministres and inferiour powers ordained to doo good and not euil we ought to seke chiefly to doo Goddes cōmaundementes before all mennes to please God rather than men For the princes doo they the worst they can can but take from men their goodes and liues but God can take from vs bothe goodes and bodie and cast bothe body and soule in to hell And yet should not they be hable to worke their will in this worlde nor execute their malice if men wolde behaue them selues towarde their lorde and maister God as they ought For as be can so wolde he sone despeche the worlde of tirānes But bicause many be opē enemies of God and many dissemblers with God God sendeth ād suffreth euil gouernours and will sende worse to plage the people for their iniquitie and to trie the faithe of his electe from whom not one heare of the head can be taken without Goddes wil. And therfore seking alwaies to do that is good they should alwayes eschue to doo that is euil and committe thende to God But admitte ther be a great nombre that haue dronken of the hoore of Babilons cuppe and thinke that ther is neither heauen nor hell and that Goddes worde is but friers maters and that therfore like Sardanapalus they should seke to eat and drinke and serue their lustes and nothing elles yet were this no sure waie for them to doo that they wolde if they should obeie their princes in what so euer they commaunded The nature of wicked Princes is muche like to the molde warpes which if they be suffred to haue their snowtes in the grounde and be not furthewith letted will sodainly haue in all the body or to the weselles that conueith in his hole body wher he hathe ones goten in his head So they if they be obeied in any euil thing be it neuer so litell wilbe obeied in all at leinght What letteth but that they maie not only sende for mennes goodes but for their headdes also as the Turke dothe to his best Bassa and all his subiectes whan it pleaseth him Why maie not they sende for their subiectes children cause them to be killed baked and geue it to their parentes in steade of other meat and for a seconde course bring in to them the heades fete and handes as king Astiages did to Harpagus All the papir of England wold not serue to set our the mischiefes that might folowe whā princes euil commaundements should be obeied and fulfilled But men that be wise maie bi a litell considre the hole Seing therfore that God will not princes commaundementes
of the Israelites God shewed by an euident terrour to all gouernours that he did not allowe suche right as the prophet sayed the king wolde vse ouer his subiectes For whan king Achab wolde haue bought of his subiecte Naboth his vineyorde which he neded not to haue done if the subiectes goods be the kīges ād he refused to sel it as he might doo for by Goddes lawe he had a propretie therin from which without his will and consent he could not be forced to departe the king fretted so muche bicause he could not haue his will that he fell sicke in his bedde ād wolde not eate His wife Dame Iesabel a woman full of malice and mischief as that kynde is very ◅pte and prone to those vertues and within shorte space doo so therin excell as fewe men can in long tyme matche them taketh the matier in hande What sayeth she be you a mete man to be a king ouer Israel that will suffre suche dishonour at your slaues handes one that bi your auncient prerogatiue which hathe continued thes hundred and three score yeares yea from the first king of Israel ye maye vse in body and goodes as pleaseth you Phy for shame pull your courage to you arise eat your meat be mery I waraūt you the vineorde Out goeth a Cōmission in the kinges name to certain Cōmissionares where Naboth dwelt suche as the Quenes grace was sure fauoured her procedinges Those she requireth to cause Naboth to be endyted and con demned for an heretike and a traitour and so to cause him to be stoned to deathe Her will is furthewith satisfied matier ynough against Naboth prisoner at the Barre bicause she wold so haue it no man might be admitted nor durst speake the truthe in the prisoners cause least they had ben clapped fast and trussed vp also for speaking against the king and Quene no queste durst quite him for fear of kissing the flete no lawes no equitie no iustice might defende the poore innocent So the vineiorde is the kinges by the ordre of lawe Those newes be caried in post to Iesable she sheweth them to her husbande wherwith he as sone as he hearde them was recouered and goeth to take possession of the vineiorde But what foloweth this crueltie ād tirānie Are not bothe the kinges Maiestie and the Quenes highnesse within while after killed ād their blood licked vp of dogges according as the Prophet declared to hi in the vineyorde whā he toke possession of it and all his house so destroied that ther was not lefte therof so muche as a dogge to pisse against the wall Thus ye maie see thende of lustie lordes and ladies that will haue their lustes a lawe and their will to be folowed and obeied of their subiectes as a right in dede The true right and prerogatiue of a king was written in a particular boke by the Prophete Samuel and laied vp by the Arke which boke among many other was loste yet who so lusteth to knowe it maie see it set out by God ī the boke of Deu teronomie After that God had prescribed who shold be their king that is no aliene or straunger but one of their owne brethren for naturally straungers doo not fauour straungers And a straunge prince seketh by all meanes to destroy the natural inborne that he maie with quietnesse and suretie enioie and vse that he cometh euil by and so leaue it to his succession than is set furthe the right and prerogatiue of a king thus Whā your king is made he shall not kepe many horses nor putting his trust in his horsemen he shall not bring the people again into Egipte He shall not haue many wiues least they altre his minde frō God nother yet great treasure of siluer ād golde But whā he is set in his throne he shall cause a copie of these lawes and statutes to be written out of thoriginal remaining with the Leuites and the same he shall haue with hī all the daies of his life that he maie learne to feare the lorde his God ād to kepe not to breake all the wordes and ceremonies that be cōmaunded in the lawe and also to fulfill thē in his doinges And he shal not be prowde and hault ouer his brethren neither shall he swarue from the lawe towarde the right hande or lifte hande that he and his children maie long reigne ouer Israel But besides this lawe appoīted for all kinges he that wilbe accompted a christian king or gouernour must remembre that he is a christian man and that bi being made a king he is not exempt from the lawes and duetie of a christen mā which eueri one professeth in Baptisme but as he is called and exalted aboue the rest of his brethren so should he be an example to them of good lyuing and vertue in obseruīg the lawe which saieth aswell to kinges as to beggers Thou shalt not steale thou shalt not couet any thing that is thy neighbours and so it stablisheth and confirmeth that euery one maie iustly kepe that is his owne and none maie take it from him by ani meane against his will be it king or kaiser And by the doinges of Samuel who albeit he were not a king in name yet hade he being the lieutenaunt and viceroie to God the chief king as great autoritie as any king in the earthe it maie appeare that all thinges of the subiectes be not the kinges owne propre For if they had ben his owne what neded Samuel at the surrendre of his office to offre to make an accompt And to whom I praie you To any bribing Auditour No he offred to make it to God and to the king that succeded him Beholde saieth the I haue done all that ye desired me I haue made you a king to rule you My children yet shall be with you But I am olde and hore headed that is I cā not long cōti nue I haue bē amōg you frō a child to this daie Lo I ā ready to make mine accōpte before God and your kīg for all thīges that cā be laied to me by any of you whose bullocke haue i takē whose asse haue I hade to whom haue I done any uiolence or wrong whom haue I oppressed of whom haue I taken any bribes to maintene him in his wickednesse to winke at his faultes or to stoppe iustice let him come furthe and I will make satisfaction And none of them could saie blacke was his eie No saieth Samuel I take God and your king to witnesse agaīst you I am so nette that ye shall not finde one iote in my fingres but I am hable to laie ynough against you wicked people c. O Samuel Samuel what king or prince can saie to the as thou diddest to the Israelites They loke not to make an accompt no they haue counsail of craftie Alcibiades how they maie make non accompt But they can not escape it they shall mete with an other maner of auditour than any of Mousire
Cinquebonets prentices they shall reckon before him that hathe all their doinges truly totted and faire engrossed all ready before hande and wher he shall in the daie of his general Audit saie to Samuel and all true gouernours that rule according to Goddes rule well fare ye ye good and faithfull seruauntes Come entre in to your Maisters ioie He shall contrary wise committe these oppressours and tirannes not to the lieutenaunt of the towre or to the wardein of the Flete but vnto the Iailour of gehenna to be chained in the warde of eternal paine and saie Awaie with these decea uours of mi people to the dogges of hell ye were maisters and not ministers ye were beare baitours and not bailifes ye were stroyes and no stuardes But let vs ymagine an vntruthe that all the subiectes goodes were the princes and that he might take them at his pleasure Let vs ymagine that the subiectes were only carnall men without the knowlage aÌ„d feare of God Yea aÌ„d let it be graunted also that they were spoiled of all their armour and great garisones set in euery place to kepe them in obeisaunce so that they had not wherwith to redresse their iÌ„iuries as na ture wolde counsail them were this a waie to make the people labour whan others should take the bread out of their mouthe Wolde they desire to liue to be in suche miserie them selues Wolde they desire to increace the worlde with children whan they knewe that they should be lefte in worse case than vnreasonable beastes No surely and that ye maie see by the worke of nature in the people of the West Indies now called newe Spain Who knewe of Christ nothing at all and of God no more than nature taught them The people of that countreie whan the catholike Spaniardes came thider were simple and plaine men and liued without great labour the lande was naturally so pleintiful of all thinges and continually the trees hade ripe frute on them Whan the Spaniardes hade by flatterie put in their foote and by litel and litel made them selues stong building fortes in diuerse places they to get the golde that was ther forced the people that were not vsed to labour to stande all the daie in the hotte sunne gathering golde in the sande of the riuers By this meanes a great nombre of them not vsed to suche paines died and a great nombre of them seing them selues brought from so quiet a life to suche miserie and slauerie of desperacion killed them selues And many wolde not mary bicause they wolde not haue their children slaues to the Spaniardes The women whan they felte them self with childe wolde eat a certain herbe to destroie the childe in the wombe So that where at the comming thider of the Spaniardes ther were accompted to be in that countrey nine hundred thousaunt persones ther were in short time by this meanes so sewe lefte as Petre martir who was one of themperour Charles the fifthes counsail there and wrote this historie to theÌ„perour saieth it was a shame for him to name This is the frute wher Princes take all their subiectes thinges as their owne And wheruÌ„to at leinghâ—… will it come but that either they must be no kinges or elles kinges without people which is all one But thou wilt saie wherof cometh this common saieng all thinges be the kaisers all thinges be the kinges It can not come of nothâ—…g But by that that is all ready saied ye see that euery maÌ„ maie kepe his owne aÌ„d none maie take it froÌ„ him so that it caÌ„ not be interpreted that all thinges be the kaisers or kinges as his owne propre or that they maie take theÌ„ froÌ„ their subiectes at their pleasure but thus it is to be expouÌ„ded that they ought to defende that euery man hathe that he maie quietly enioie his owne and to see that they be not robbed or spoiled therof For as 〈◊〉 a great maÌ„nes house all thiÌ„ges be saied to be the Stuardes bicause it is committed to his charge to see that euery man in the house behaue him selfe honestly and doo his duetie to see that all thinges be well kept and preserued and maie take nothing awaie from any man nor misspend or waste and of his doinges he must rendre accompt to his lorde for all so in a Realme or other dominion the realme and countreie are Goddes he is the lorde the people are his seruauntes and the king or gouernour is but Goddes minister or stuarde ordained not to misuse the seruauntes that is the people neither to spoile theÌ„ of that they haue but to see the people doo their duetie to their lorde God that the goodes of this worlde be not abused but spent to Goodes glorie to the maiÌ„tenauÌ„ce and defense of the coÌ„mon wealthe aÌ„d not to the destructioÌ„ of it The princes watche ought to defende the poore mannes house his labour the sub iectes ease his diligeÌ„ce the subiectes pleasure his trou ble the subiecttes quietnesse And as the sunue neuer standeth still but continually goeth about the worlde doing his office with his heate refreshing and coÌ„fortig all naturall thinges in the worlde so ought a good prince to be continually occupied in his mini sterie not seking his owne profit but the wealthe of those that be committed to his charge And therfore Saleuchus king of Siria vsed to saie if men knewe how muche busines and how litle quietnesse it were to doo the duetie of a king none wold take vpon him that office if he might haue the crowne for taking it vp out of the mire And Antiochus the great king also of Siria whan he was driuen out of his couÌ„trey by Scipio the Capitain of the Romanes and had lost all Asia and the countreies about he thanked the Romaines that by their meane he was deliuered of so great a parte of his cares He sawe it was so impossible for one maÌ„ were he neuer so diligent and watching to execute well so great a charge If these two great kinges who knewe not God but thought them selues Goddes that hoped not on euerlasting life but thought ther was non other but this life those that thought they could not be forced to make accompt of their doinges to ani persone thought it so great a charge to haue a rule ouer coun treies how muche more should such Princes as pretende to be christianes that knowe them selues mortal men no Goddes seruauntes no maisters and who must bicause God hathe saied it shalbe so make accompt for all their doings for all soules men women and children thinke their office and ministerie an heauye burthen and so geue ouer seking and hunting after their owne glorie their pompe their pride and seke the glorie of God and the wealthe and not the destruction of those that be committed to their charge and tremble at this sayeng of Chrisostome I maruail that any gouernour can be saued Which is not spoken in vayne VVETHER IT BE laufull to depose an euil
bringing in a great power of Ammonites ād Amalekites two kinds of people in beggerly pride and filthinesse of life muche like to the common nature of Italianes and Spaniardes as well to garde his pson as to fortifie the strōg holdes ād mu niciōes that by ād by seīg himself strōg ynough with his straungers and Inborne traitours he brought the countrey and people vnder his subiection by fine force so that he continued their ordinary Prince and chief ruler xviij years long What oppressing of the poore what robbing of the riche what taking vp of corne and vitail for the king and his straūgers and no money paied for it what taxes and paimentes the people were yowked withall what rauishing of mennes wiues daughters and seruauntes what heading and hanging of the natural Israelites to make the straungers lordes and gentilmen what common miseries and continual calamities ther were during that space no doubt it is vnspeakeable But what remedy No man durst make moane to his neighbour for feare of bewraieng none durst ones whistre against the king they must bende or breake no remedy pacience perforce all were faine to serue and please king Eglon. But at leinght they sent as their yearly accustomed maner was a present to the king by a wittye messagier called Ahud who hauing accesse to the kig saied he hade to saie vnto his Maiestie secretly from God And whan the king hade commaunded all his seruauntes awaie so that Ahud and the king were alone in his somer parlour Ahud thrust his dagger so harde in to the kinges fatte paunche that ther laie king Fglon dead and Ahud fled awaie Now was this well done or euil For so the the dede is so commended in scripture that the holy goost reporteth Ahud to be a saueour of Israel But note by the waie the texte saieth not that Ahud was sent of the people to kill the king nor that he tolde them what he intended for by that meane one Iudas or other wolde haue betraied him and so should he haue ben drawen hanged and quarted for his entreprise and all his conspiratours haue lost bothe life landes and goodes for their conspiracie Only the scripture saieth that Ahud being a priuate persone was stered vp only by the spirite of God Likewise whan Sisara lieutenaunt general of king Iabins warres fleing from Barac sought succour to hide his head hauing long noied and hurt Israel with oppression and warres a woman named Iael called him in to her house and hidde him vnder a Couering He thought him selfe sure and for wearinesse dropped harde on slepe Iael taketh a great long spikig nayle and driueth it with a hāmer so harde in to his braines that Sisara troubled Israel no more nor neuer tolde who hurt hī Mattathias being by the kinges Commissionares required and commaūded to conforme him self to the kinges procedinges which was to committe Idolatrie as all his countreymen the Iewes hade done and as the like case standeth now in Englande not only refused to obey king Antiohus commaundement or to folowe his procedinges in that behalfe but also whan he sawe a Iewe committee Idolatrie before his face he ranne vpon the Iewe in a great zeale and slewe him and fell also vpon the ordinary Commissioners sent from Antiochus the ordinary king of the Realme and slewe them out of hande These examples nede no further exposicion the scripture is plaine inough But if neither the hole state nor the minister of Goddes worde wolde doo their common duetie nor any other laufull shifte before mencioned can be hade nor dare be attempted yet are not the poore people destitute all together of remedy but God hathe lefte vnto them twoo weapones hable to conquere and destroie the greatest Tirāne that euer was that is Penaunce and Praier Penaunce for their owne sinnes which prouoke the angre and displeasure of God and make him to suffre tirannes warres famine pestilence and all plages to reigne among the people And praier that he will withdrawe his wrathe and shewe his mercifull countenaunce Hereof we haue not only commaundement but also manifest examples in the scriptures For whan the Arke of God was taken awaie from the people of Israel by the Philistines in batail and the glorie of Israel brought vnder foote the people being miserably for their sinnes pressed and plagued by the Philistines twentie yeares long so that the people despering of their honour and libertie and seing no mar◅ial wepon nor helpe of man hable to redresse their state cried and continued in lamenting their thraldom and greuous condicion at leynght by the aduise and commaundement of the good Prophet Samuel the people fell to these two meanes Penaunce and praier with fasting and the lorde God not only deliuered them out of thoppression of the Philistines vnto their former libertie but also gaue them suche victories that the Philistines many yeares after durst not ones moue warre against them Thus was also the cruel tiranne Herode vainquished Thapostles ād people in the primatiue churche lamenting their sinnes and calling to God for mercie the angel of God stroke Herode sitting in his throne in his princely apparail making an Oracion to the people and they cōmending it to be the voice of God and not of man and so he was eatē vp of lice or wormes Likewise whan Iulian themperour and Apostata had long persecuted the churche at leinght wh◅ the people fell to repentaunce and common praier he going in to Persia was slaine and none of the familie of Constantine wherof he came after that was Emperour And in like maner not long sith whan that tiranne Duke George of Saxonie persecuted all suche as professed the worde of God reuiued and pulled out of purgatorie by the worthy instrument of God D. Luther and at leynght threatned that he wolde burne and destroye the vniuersitie of wittenberg which whan Luther hearde he went in to the pulpit and exhorted eueri man to put on his armour that is Penaunce and prayer And sone after God rid the worlde of that tiranne and so not only deliuered his churche but also augmented it with an other vniuersitie called Lipsia and all the hole countrey of this cruel duke was conuerted to Christes Gospell These be the wonderfull workes of almightie God whose power is as great and as ready at a pinche as euer it was and his mercie as willing to be shewed if his poore afflicted people wolde doo on their weapon that is be sory for their sinnes and desire him to with drawe his sourges and to holde his mercifull hande ouer them VVHAT CONFIDENce is to be geuen to princes and potentates WHAN the kīg of Macedonia Alexander the great hearde the philosopher Anaxagoras saye ther were many worldes the worme of ambicion so tickled and troubled his harte that the water gushed out of his eies And whan he was asked what made him to wepe haue I not iuste occasion to wepe saieth he that hearing of so many worldes I
of Gardier but he was not vnskilled I saie ì the arte of practices No in dede he was excellent in that feate as it well appeared For whan he had wrought and made sure the great mariage to auoide the hatred of the people he made his scholar to father it and to haue the outwarde thankes And no maruail of his conning For he was his maister and hade studied longer the arte than the proctour and hade a better witte and spent yearly the halfe of his bishopriche in bribing or elles he had lost his head long before for his treasones were not alltogether vnknowem albeit they were couered and hidden But what dothe this maister or proctour of practices Dothe he not dissemble with the erle of warwike serueth his turne ì al that his wittes wold serue But what at leinght becometh of our practiceing P. He is committed to warde his garter with shame pulled from his legge his robe froÌ„ his backe his coate armour pulled downe spurned out of Windsore churche troden vnder fote and he him self at leinght with great fauour obteinâ—…th that he might redeme the rest of his corporal paines with open confession at the barre in the Starre chambre on his knes of his bribery extorcion dissimulacion ambicion robbing of the king and suche like vertues wherby he became noble If we minded in this place to displaye the packing and practiceing of the Nobilitie and counsail of Englande in the sickenesse and at the deathe of king Edwarde the vi for the pretensed placeing of the lady Iane in the regaleseat and their sodain slipping the coler and deceauing of one an other it were mater ynough to teache men how litel confidence and trust ought to be geuen either to the smothe couÌ„tenaunces faire wordes confident promises bloody othes or swearing vpon the holy Euangelies either yet to the lettres aÌ„d haÌ„de writinges of the Princes aÌ„d potentates of the worlde They that were sworne chief of counsail with the lady Iane and caused the Quene to be proclaimed a bastarâ—…e throughout all Englande and Irelande and they that were the sorest forcers of men yea vnder the threatned paines of Treason to sweare and subscribe vnto their doinges bewraied the mater them selues vnder hande by their wiues aÌ„d other secret shiftes and afterwarde became counsaillours I will not saie procurers of the innocent Lady Ianes deathe and at this present are in the highest autoritie in the Quenes house and the chiefest officers and doers in the common wealthe And som of them that wrote most earnestly to a certain auncient lorde of the Realme among many other in the fauour of the Lady Iane bebastarding and railing vpon the Quene were not ashamed within fewe daies after whan the same lorde was locked vp in the towre for his constaunt although constrained obedience to the common ordre of the Counsail to be his most straunge and rough examiners on the contrary part as though they them selues hade neuer halted in the mater But I knowe these practicers answer that if they hade not vsed that practice they should not only haue standen in hasarde them selues but also failed of their priuie purpose Well In the meane tyme it is ynough to knowe that a man maie not trust nor beleue them either by their wordes othes or hande writinges further thaÌ„ he seeth and heareth them and scarcely so farre And I praie you hathe not the realme good cause to thanke and trust the potentates Prelates and Parliament men for banishing the sacred testament and Gospel of God with the sincere administracion of his holy Sacramentes and for bringing the deuillishe power of the Romishe Antichrist in to Englande again with his miserable Masse and all popishe slauery By the which they haue not only brokeÌ„ their othe aÌ„d loy altie to God and to themperial Crowne of Englande pullìg eternal coÌ„deÌ„nacioÌ„ vpoÌ„ theÌ„selues aÌ„d â–ª puokig the heauie haÌ„d of Goddes wrath aÌ„d plage vpoÌ„ their sede aÌ„d vpoÌ„ the hole realme ì coÌ„pellìg the people to sinne by fallìg froÌ„ the true seruice of the liuìg God ìto most wicked supersticion and idolatrie alas therfore but also haue ben and are giltie of the innocent blood of thankes and the Quenes fauour increaced towarde him But his iuste rewarde yet is not come let hâ—… not loke to spede any better than Heracleo if he continue Iudas still I wolde wishe he wolde in time become a Petre I trust he is not so farre past but he maie be praied for He is my good lorde and Mason ones my great frende aÌ„d nere neighbour I wishe them bothe well Thus ye see the final successe and rewarde of traitours Wherfore it is to be wondred that suche practicers which worke so muche mischief for others can not take hede of the euil that is towardes them selues But Goddes worde must be verified of the wicked Beholde the wicked trauaileth with mischief saieth the worthy prophet and king Dauid a man of great experience He hathe coÌ„ceaued unhappines and brought furthe a lie He hathe grauen and digged up a pitte but he shall fall him self in to the pitte that he hathe made For the mischief that he mindeth to others shall come on his owne head and his wickednesse shall fall on his owne pate But forasmuche as all these fetches and practices be only made and laied to disceaue those that be honest faithfull true and natural to their countreie it is requisite to treate how they maie be auoided Deceat wold not be knocked out with deceat if it might so be but honest men should alwaies and at all times deale plainly and honestly And therfore the honestest meane before thinges be done is to be wise and circumspecte and to forsee thende what mischief maie folowe before they sodainly rashely and vnaduisedly consent to ani thing To vse suche honest wisdom and forsight is permitted bothe by Goddes worde and nature Yea Goddes worde and nature commaunde honest men to vse it For those thinges that can but ones be done and wheron so great weigh thangeth ought to be well done Therfore men ought not to geue credite to faire wordes large promises and great othes for these are the instrumentes to deceaue the honest and well meaning but the fairer the wordes be the larger the promises aÌ„d the greater the othes the more to suspecte For godly and honest thinges maie be well ynough done without painted and smothe wordes faire promises and othes Ther ought to be such equalitie in doing of thinges that such deceates nede not Only subtiltie and crafte deuised long writinges great promises and many solempne ceremonies WhaÌ„ the great mariage was treated in the priuie Counsail aÌ„d so great promises made the olde Duke of Nor folke saied they were golden wordes but how shall they be perfourmed saied he Afterwarde whan it was propouned to the lordes in the parliament to be ratified the Lord Windsori like maner asked who should be suertie for the perfourmaunce therof aÌ„d who should sue the forfaite
hade God by the too but they hâ—…de the wolfe yea the deuil by the eares He first fortified the holdes and portes by the sea side aÌ„d in his absence as many times he was forced vpoÌ„ rebelliones in NormaÌ„die to tetourne he made a CouÌ„sail of his owne couÌ„trey meÌ„ aÌ„d made the Bishop of Baâ—…on his brother his lieutenauÌ„t ì EnglaÌ„de But whaÌ„ he was ones satled aÌ„d thought him self strong ynough to kepe the EnglishemeÌ„ vnder thaÌ„ Fare well all faire promises he begìneth to plaie Rex yea the deuil in dedc He spoiled the nobilitie of their goodes aÌ„d possessiones made theÌ„ slaues aÌ„d his owne slaues Lordes and vpoÌ„ the CoÌ„moÌ„s he put woÌ„derfull taxes aÌ„d imposiciones He toke froÌ„ the people their weapones aÌ„d harnesse aÌ„d made a lawe that no maÌ„ should come out of his house after the bel roÌ„g which was at eight of the clo cke but to couer the fire aÌ„d to bedde Wherfore vntill this daie the bel that thaÌ„ ringeth is called Couerfiewe And thaÌ„ he built at NotinghaÌ„ lyncolne yorke aÌ„d hasting aÌ„d set in theÌ„ garisons of NormaÌ„des And not coÌ„tented herewith he executed many wonderfull cruell thiges aÌ„d specially on the nobilitie aÌ„d suche as he sawe to be stowte meÌ„ som he caused to be murthred som their nosetrilles to be slitte and their handes cut of Happie was he that could flie out of the Realme he so spoiled yorke shire aÌ„d durhaÌ„ aÌ„d all the northe ê‘tes that teÌ„ yeares together it laie waste aÌ„d vnhabited He could in nâ—… wise abide the English nobilitie but vtter ly destroied theÌ„ And all this he did by the lawe of the deuil whiche they cal the lawe of armes The good lawes aÌ„d ustomes of EnglaÌ„d he cleane toke awaie and made his owne lustes his lawes aÌ„d put theÌ„ in his owne NormaÌ„de tongue that his freÌ„des might alwaies haue thin terpretacion of theÌ„ and that he might catche the poore EnglishemaÌ„ whaÌ„ it pleased him aÌ„d wolde haue the lawes to be pleaded aÌ„d al thiÌ„ges to be done in FreÌ„ che And he was not takeÌ„ to be the NormaÌ„des freÌ„de nor no gentilman that could not speake frenche And therof cometh the olde ê“uerbe Iacke wold be a geÌ„ tilmaÌ„ but he caÌ„ no freÌ„che He remoued thenglishe bishoppes and placed NormaÌ„des by the aide of the bishop of Rome He pulled downe townes villages and houses and put out the poore people to make him sportiÌ„g places priÌ„cely pleasures forestes ê‘kes aÌ„d chaces O miserable EnglaÌ„de thâ—…t ones thus wast by a tiranne and outwarde enemies plaged But how muche more miserable shalt thou be by the warres that are most certain to come shortly ont hee God be mercifull vnto thee But me thinkes I heare your papistes bishoppes priestes friers and suche like AntichristiaÌ„ moÌ„ stres saie that these plages which haue fallen and shal come to England for they knowe they can not be a voided no they are occasioned aÌ„d holpeÌ„ forewarde by them haue growne for thinges done in king Henry and king Edwardes time for that their abominacion was disclosed their buries and deÌ„nes digged vp their monasteries throweÌ„ downe and the landes diuided aÌ„d solde to the laitie Ah hipocrites Ah subtil wolues ah viperous generacion Whan the foxe preacheth bewa re your geese Wher in scripture do they finde that any suche bely Goddes as they are â–ª should be maiÌ„tened No scriptur wold haue such marchauÌ„tes whipped out of the churche such buiers aÌ„d sellers of meÌ„s soules wo be vnto you hipocrites saieth Christ for ye swalo we vp the houses of the poore and miserable that is that which should be coÌ„uerted to the relief of the poore aÌ„d nedy aÌ„d that vnder preteÌ„se of loÌ„g praiers Wo be vnto you ye masking Mahoundes which goo froÌ„ place to place by sea and by lande to make a nouice of your owne ordre and whan ye haue him ye make him the childe of hel fire two folde more thaÌ„ your selfe I kno we you not saieth Christ awaie froÌ„ me ye workers of iniquitie It is only their God the bely that they seke to serue they nother passe on the God in heauen nor the deuil in hell so they maie haue wherwith to maintene them selues on earthe in their hooredome burgerie pride and al abominacion And this that I saie is not feined nor ymagined but euident in all mennes eies that will not be wilfully blinde Those that be desirous to be rulers in monasteries ab bottes and priours before they come to it they pine them selfe awaie with fasting weare heare and vse the rest of thiÌ„strumeÌ„tes of hipocrisie for a while but whaÌ„ they haue ones caught the fishe they cast for they she we what they be plainly Who so great bely Goddes Who so great hooremongers Wher suche knauerie vsed I am ashamed to tell it In like maner plaie these Chaplaines of honour that seke for bishopriches all sauing one M. doctour WestoÌ„ the coÌ„moÌ„ bull of dissembled virginitie and the boare of olde rusted wido whead who before haÌ„de shewth what he wilbe But as the worlde goeth his plaine dealing hathe not nor wil put hiÌ„ to any afterdeale Wher is suche an hooremoÌ„ger yea worse thaÌ„ an hooremoÌ„ger as this olde hipocrite Paule the fourthe now bishop of Rome Who so great a gluttoÌ„ Who so ê“wde aÌ„d ambicious Who so great a tiraÌ„ne aÌ„d tormeÌ„tour Who so great a warriour And yet before he came to that highe seat of antichrist he wold seme a saint no religioÌ„ nor ordre of hipocrites was strait ynough for him He was a frier a monke a Capuccine an anchorite yea what was he not But ye see the marke these hipocrites sho ote at And I caÌ„ tel thee somwhat of mine owne know lage which maie not be denied for the autor is a man of good credeÌ„ce bothe abrode aÌ„d at home with the gre atest aÌ„d meanest After the begiÌ„niÌ„g of the Quenes rei gne aÌ„d the sodain alteracioÌ„ of all thinges coÌ„trary to othe aÌ„d ê“mise ther came one of mine ordre vnto me as I walked in a gardeiÌ„ aÌ„d weÌ„t about to ê‘suade me to iÌ„cline to the Quenes ê“cediÌ„ges Plaie the wise maÌ„ saieth he aÌ„d doo as I aÌ„d other meÌ„ doo I haue knoweÌ„ thee of loÌ„g time to be a good felowe I warrauÌ„t thee thou shalt recouer thy losse aÌ„d liue in honour if thou wilt be ruled by reason And with that helept vp to clappe me on the sholder for onles he stode on tippe to he could not reache it Tushe saied he thou art a foole If the Turke ruled in EnglaÌ„d I wold frame mi self to liue accordiÌ„g I maie not nor wil tel you his name bicause I hope he wil ones remeÌ„bre hiÌ„self aÌ„d cal to God for grace But to put you somwhat froÌ„ musing I will tel you somwhat In king Henries time whaÌ„ Gardiner was called the beare he was called the ape What saied droÌ„keÌ„ doctour WestoÌ„ in the middes of his cuppes for wine will disclose secretes if it be as well plied
as his maistership dothe by the masse saieth he that bocher the bishop of LoÌ„doÌ„ wil cut al the geÌ„tilmeÌ„s throtes in EnglaÌ„d if he caÌ„ Thus ye maie see the marcke wherat these hippocrites the papistes shoote They make religioÌ„ aÌ„d Goddes worde nothing elles thaÌ„ a colour to couer their wickednesse aÌ„d to maiÌ„tene their lewdnesse And therfore they wraste and wrythe scripture to serue their purpose and so they haue nede to doo for ther is not one worde in all the scripture for theÌ„ but euery worde against theÌ„ And bicause ye be retourned to their deuociones haue forsaken God aÌ„d his worde aÌ„d cleaue to the pope and his tradiciones aÌ„d maintene suche a sorte of hipocrites dissemblers and open enemies of God aÌ„d the Realme of EnglaÌ„de therfore haue all these plages lighted on you aÌ„d the rest will shortly folowe without faile Loke vpon the xxviij Chap. of deuteronomie wher it is writteÌ„ thus If thou wilt not hearkeÌ„ to the voice of the Lorde thy God to kepe and to doo all his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes aÌ„d his ordinauÌ„ces which I coÌ„â—…auÌ„de the this daie al these curses shal come vpoÌ„ thee aÌ„d ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the tow ne aÌ„d cursed iÌ„ the fielde cursed shal thy basket be and thy stoare Cursed shalbe the frute of thy body aÌ„d the frute of thy lande and the frute of thyne oxen and the flockes of thy shepe The lorde shal sende vpon thee cursing destruction and rebuke to all that thou settest thy hande to and that thou doest vntil he destroie thee and bring thee to naught quickly bicause of the wickednesse of thyne inuenciones and bicause thou hast forsaken me The lorde shall smite thee with mad nesse blyndenesse and dasing of heart Thou shalt be oppressed with wrong and be polled euermore and no man shah succour thee Thou shalt be betrouthed to a wife and an other man shall lie with her Thou shalt builde an house and not dwell therin Thine oxeÌ„ shalbe killed before thine eies and thou shalt not eate therof Thine asse shalbe violently taken from the aÌ„d shall not be restored to the againe Thy shepe shalbe geuen to thine enemies and noman shall rescue theÌ„ The frute of thy lande and all thy labours shall a nacion which thou knowest not eat aÌ„d thou shalt continually suffre violence and be oppressed alwaie so that thou shalt be cleane beside thy self for the sight that thine eies shall see Thou shalt cary muche sede out in to the felde and shalt gather but a litel in for the gresse hoppers shall destroie it All thy trees and frâ—…te of thy lande shalbe marred with blasting The straunger that is among you shall climbe aboue thee on highe aÌ„d thou shalt come downe beneathe alowe Moreouer all these curses shall come vpon thee aÌ„d shal folowe the aÌ„d ouertake the til thou be destroied bicause thou herkenedest not to the voice of the lor de thy God to kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes aÌ„d ordinauÌ„ces which he coÌ„mauÌ„ded the aÌ„d they shalbe vpoÌ„ the as miracles and vpoÌ„ thy sede for euer bicause thou seruedest not the lorde thy God with ioifulnesse aÌ„d with a good heart whan thou hadest abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of al thiÌ„ges therfore thou shalt serue thine enemie which the lorde shal sende vpoÌ„ thee in huÌ„gre and thirst in nakednesse and in nede of all thing and he shall put a yowke of Iron about thy necke til he haue brought the to naught And the lorde shall bring a nacion vpoÌ„ thee a nacion whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstande an harde fauoured nacioÌ„ which shal not regarde the persone of the olde nor haue coÌ„passion on the yong The same shall eat the frute of thy catail and the frute of thy lande til he haue destroied thee and shall leawe thee neither corne wine nor oile neither the increace of thine oxen nor the flockes of thy shepe til he haue brought the to naught And the lorde shall sende vpon the and thy sede great plagues and of long continuaunce euil sickenesses and of long duraunce And it shall come to passe that as the lorde reioiced ouer you to doo you good and to multiplie you euen so he will reioyce ouer you to destroie you aÌ„d to bring you to naught And amoÌ„g these naciones thou shalt finde non ease neither shall the sole of thy foote haue rest But the lorde shal geue the an vnquiet hart aÌ„d dasing eies aÌ„d sorowe of minde c. And in the ende of the xxix Chap. of the same it foloweth Than shall all naciones saie wherfore hathe the lorde done on this facion vnto this lande And men shall saie â–ª bicause they lefte the TestameÌ„t of their fathers which he made with them whan he brought theÌ„ out of the laÌ„de of Egipt For they went aÌ„d serued straunge goddes aÌ„d worshipped the. Goddes which they knowe not and which hade geuen them naught And the wrathe of the lorde waxed hotte against this laÌ„de to bring vpoÌ„ it all the curses that are writteÌ„ iÌ„ this boke c. By this scripture ye are plain ly tolde the vndeniable cause aÌ„d mater wherfore the lorde God threatneth and sendeth plages Reade all the histories of the bible aÌ„d the ê“phecies of the Prophetes aÌ„d ye shal euideÌ„tly see how people aÌ„d nacions haue beÌ„ destroied for mainteniÌ„g of suche Idolaters aÌ„d wicked liuers as the papistes are and wher suche wickednesse hathe beÌ„ vsed as is amoÌ„g you aÌ„d not cor rected as I haue before declared But thow wilt saie what shall we doo to auoide the calamitie aÌ„d miserie that is bothe present and towarde wolde to God thou diddest aske it froÌ„ the botome of thy harte But I feare thou doest dissemble aÌ„d speake it with thy lippes only as thou wast wont WhaÌ„ the great sweat was in England in the tyme of king Edwarde a litle signi ficatioÌ„ of a greater scourge foloweing and many that were mery at dyner were buried in the euenyng som that went at night to slepe lustie were founde in bedde dead in the morning some that went not farre froÌ„ their owne house neuer returned Than as long as the ferueÌ„tnesse of the plage lasted ther was cryeng Peccaui peccaui peccaui I haue synned I haue synÌ„ed I haue siÌ„ned mercie good lorde mercie mercie mercie The ministers of Goddes worde were sought for in eueri corner thei could not rest they might not slepe ye must come to my lorde ye must come to my lady my maister prayeth you to come straight vnto hiÌ„ my maistres must nedes speake with you Come if ye loue God and if ye loue their saluacioÌ„ tarye not For Goddes sake M. Minister saye the sicke folkes tell vs what we shall doo to auoide Godds wrothe Ta ke these bagges paye so muche to suche a man for I deceaued him geue him so muche for I gate it of him by â—…surie I made a craftie bargain with suche a one restore him so muche and desyre him to forgeue me I haue taken bribes of suche a one
I pray you geue him so muche more again I haue spokeÌ„ euil of suche a maÌ„ God forgeue it me I haue ben a hooremoÌ„gre a bawde God perdone me Dyuide this bagge among the poore carie this to the hospital pray for me for Goddes sake Good lord forgeue me I haue dissembled with thee I pretended to loue thy worde with my lippes but I thought it not with my hart but now I see thou knowest the secretest secretes aÌ„d wilt not leaue euil vnpunished Haue mercie on me and forgeue me good lord I beseche thee from the botome of my harte This was the dissimulacioÌ„ of the people for three or foure daies whiles thexecucion was but after whaÌ„ the rage was somwhat swaged than returne they to their vomite worse than euer they were Than that they had before caused to be restored and geuen in almose they seke to recouer by more euil fauoured Cheuisaunses But God is not blynde nother is his hande shortened he hathe begonne to mete with you and will paye you that he oweth you to thuttermost But whether thou requirest me vnfaynedly to knowe how to auoide the plage to come or doest disseÌ„ble with me I hade rather thou shouldest be founde in fault than I not to doo that I before promised thee Goddes worde requireth and coÌ„ maundeth euery man to helpe his neighbour in worde and dede as muche as in him lieth I will therfore tell thee my best aduise and hartily pray God thou maiest earnestly folowe it All these plages that before thou hast hearde rehearced famyn pestilence sedicioÌ„ warres destructiones of countrayes captiuitie of people â–ª and alteraciones of states are the instrumentes of God sent aÌ„d powred on the people for their synnes that they should be sorie aÌ„d repeÌ„t theÌ„ of their former wicked life call to God for mercie aÌ„d leade a newe life in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of their life Which if ye will earnestly doo no doubt but as God is mercifull so will he vse mercie towards you For God that neuer deceaued any but abhorreth all practices all deceit and all practicers the workers of deceipt promiseth it by the mouthe of his prophet Ezechiel If sayeth he the vngodly will turne awaye from all his sinnes that he hathe done and will kepe all my coÌ„maundementes and doo the thing that is iust aÌ„d right doubtles he shal lyue aÌ„d not dye For al the sines that he did before shall not be thought vpoÌ„ any more but in his righteousnesse that he hathe done he shall lyue For I haue no pleasur in the deathe of a synner saieth God but that he should repent him of his wicked lyfe aÌ„d lyue c. It foloweth in the prophet thus â–ª wher fore repeÌ„t and returne froÌ„ your wickednesse aÌ„d your wickednesse shal not be your destructioÌ„ Caste froÌ„ you all your vngodlynesse make you a newe hart aÌ„d a new spirite wherfore will ye dye O you house of Israel that is all such as trust to be saued by christ seing I hare no pleasur in the deathe of him that dieth sayeth the lorde God Turne therfore and ye shall lyue This is not holy water of the court bare wordes of course as the princes of the worlde vse whiles they goo about to deceaue the poore people with their practices but he saieth no lesse than hewil doo he pro miseth no more than he will iustly and fully perfourme Scripture is full of exaÌ„ples to proue it After thâ—… deathe of Gedeon the children of Israel fell from the worshipping of the true God became Idolaters and worshipped Baalim and Astaroth and other Goddes as the Ethnikes did wherfore God plaged them wonderfully with inuasiones and ouerrunning of the Philistines by the space of xviij yeares they semed in wordes to doo penauÌ„ce but god sawe they did but dissemble with him and therfore he wold not heare theÌ„ But after they hade done penaunce in dede that is destroyed the Idoles and cast them out of their countreye than God sent theÌ„ the noble captain Iepte who defended them and reuenged the malice of the philistines Likewise wher the children of Israel had in the tyme of Hely the priest receaued by the Philistines many slaughters of the people and had lost many cities and townes for the Idolatrie thei had committed yet whan by thadmonicion of Samuel they repented as ye heard before and turned to God God turned to them and was mercifull And whan the philistines had prepared a wonderfull great force against the children of Israel God sent sodaynly such a terrible thondre and lightenyng that they were dispersed and raÌ„â—…e awaye The childreÌ„ of Israel ê‘secuted theÌ„ aÌ„d slewe theÌ„ aÌ„d recouered their cities aÌ„d all that they had lost WhaÌ„ the moabites aÌ„monites aÌ„d Idumites thought to haue ouerruÌ„ne Iuda in the tyme of king Iosaphat yet whan the king aÌ„d his people lamented to God and called for mercie God turned awaie his wrathe and poured â–ª it on their enemies and made them to fal out among them selues and so to kil one an other Whan Benadab the king of Siria besieged Samaria ther was so great a fami in the citie that womeÌ„ eâ—…e their owne children but whan king Ioram aÌ„d the people fel to re pentauÌ„ce aÌ„d called to God for mercie they had in one daie pleiÌ„tie of al thinges For God sent such a terrour among the Sirianes with the noise of armour that they fled aÌ„d lefte all their vitaile bagge and baggage behinde them for those of Samaria Ye haue hearde before also how Olofernes and SeÌ„nacherib that inuaded Israel were with their hole armies destroied of God after the people repeÌ„ted theÌ„ of their sinnes and called for mercie And so ye haue iÌ„numerable exaÌ„ples of the great mercie of God towarde al that repented truly and called for mercie As of the citie of Niniue whom albeit God had threatened vtterly to destroie theÌ„ yet whaÌ„ God sawe they were peniteÌ„t for their for mer wicked life â–ª aÌ„d called vnto hiÌ„ for mercie he withdrewe his plage aÌ„d held out his mercifull hande ouer theÌ„ eueÌ„ so ye good couÌ„trey meÌ„ aÌ„n true englishe hartes if ye wil in time earnestly repeÌ„t you of your sinnes leaue your Idolatrie aÌ„d honour and worship God truly as ye were taught â–ª iÌ„ blessed kiÌ„g Edwardes time abhorre the fonde phaÌ„tasies and folishe tradiciones of meÌ„ â–ª aÌ„d cleaue to the sincere worde of God aÌ„d be desirous of the knowlage of it leaue your blasphemie and vaine swearing aÌ„d horrible for swearing aÌ„d periurie no loÌ„ger hate your countreie but be true and faithfull to it aÌ„d by all godly meanes seke the wealthe and sauegarde of it if ye wil obey Goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes before your gouernours aÌ„d your gouernours in that is godly honest and iust and not â—…lles â—…f ye will leaue your bawdrie horedome aÌ„d bitcherye aÌ„d driue out of al places al hoores hooremoÌ„gers aÌ„d stuehouses â–ª aÌ„d all suche as fauour aÌ„d maiÌ„tene theÌ„ â—…f ye will absteine froÌ„ cruel murthering of the Saintes of God aÌ„d innoceÌ„tes aÌ„d rather your selues be coÌ„teÌ„t to suffre all martirdome thaÌ„ ye wil embrewe your fingres iÌ„ their blood or coÌ„sent to it if ye wil leaue oppressing of your neighbours your subtiltie crafte and deceat aÌ„d your selues leaue to loue gredinesse and inordinate desire of the trashe of this worlde if you leaue your inwarde hat reed grudge aÌ„d malice one to an other if the nobilitie will loue aÌ„d chearishe the coÌ„monaltie aÌ„d the coÌ„mones honour aÌ„d loue the nobilitie if one wil shewe him self a brother and neighbour in dede to an other thaÌ„ no doubt if ye doo these shiÌ„ges froÌ„ the botome of the har te that the mouthe aÌ„d harte agree together your saienges aÌ„d doinges be al one than shall ye ê‘ceaue that God wilbe easily intreated to turne ThaÌ„ maie ye boldly aske of God in Christes name aÌ„d your desires shal be hearde aÌ„d grauÌ„ted But ye maie iÌ„ no wise dissemble with hiÌ„ as the Israelites did whaÌ„ they saied thei wold coÌ„mitte no more Idolatrie aÌ„d yet kept their Idoles as you pulled downe your ymages but yet kept them secretly in your chaÌ„bres nor yet as Iudas Iscarioth did who lamented his sinnes aÌ„d repeÌ„ted but returned not to God nor yet as your selues did dissemble in the last sweat whiles Goddes whippe was in your neckes but ye must cleane doo awaie the olde maÌ„ and put on the newe ye must refuse aÌ„d cast awaie all euilles and doo that is good aÌ„d euer studie to do that shal please God aÌ„d in no wise loke as lottes wiâ—…e did backwarde but still goo forewarde And thaÌ„ if ye call to God for mercie putting your ful aÌ„d onely trust in him he wil heare you aÌ„d take froÌ„ you those plages that lie on you aÌ„d the other which most certainly if ye repeÌ„t not hang ouer you and wil come vpon you Than will he sende you his benedictioÌ„ for maledictioÌ„ pleiÌ„tie for famiÌ„ heal the for pestileÌ„ce peace for warres quietnes for trouble for cruel tiraÌ„nie a godly aÌ„d iuste gouernemeÌ„t for sedicioÌ„ suche force aÌ„d power that you beiÌ„g a fewe shalbe hable to withstaÌ„de all the tirannes of the worlde and enemies of God aÌ„d our couÌ„trey aÌ„d vtterly coÌ„fouÌ„de theÌ„ aÌ„d destroie theÌ„ Ye shall auoide the eternal paines of hel prepared for sinners and at leinght ye shalbe sure also to make a chauÌ„ge froÌ„ your earthly couÌ„trey to the heaueÌ„ly Paradise froÌ„ variable EnglaÌ„d to the coÌ„staunt Ierusalem froÌ„ the coÌ„pany of men to the feloweship of Angelles from mutable and frowning couÌ„tenauÌ„ces of worldely powers to the vnchauÌ„geable aÌ„d most coÌ„fortable sight of the kiÌ„g of all kinges our most merciful eternal heaueÌ„ly father To whoÌ„ with the sonne aÌ„d the holy goost be all honour praise and glory now and euer Amen