then anie acte of humane perswasion to conuert a growne Atheist to the feare of God and true obedience towards hys prince yet such as through wicked perswasiens and want of good instructions are but newly fallen from the feare of God into the exercise of the damnable and disloyall practises of Atheists may no doubt be counselled by the examples of the confusion of these vipers to loath and hate they vngratious wayes and of the contrarie parte waighing the sure aduancement with which vertue honoreth her disciples they may which God graunt be encouraged earnestly to follow those courses whereby God may be honored theyr Countrey profited and their owne credite dignified There are two old verses among other precepts printed at the ende of Magna Carta of the old impression which containe a great perswasion to the studie of vertue the right ladder of honor and estimation with which for the vertue they containe I conclude this present Chapter Vt ver dat flores flos fructus fructus odores Sic studium mores mos census census honores In English Euen as the Spring doth flagrant flowers bring Faire flowers fruites and fruites a pleasant tast From studie so doth perfect manners spring From studie lore in lore is honor plast CHAP. 9. A conclusion of morall documents concerning the duties of euery estate THese rites men owe to thee O God which in the heauens art Reuerence honor glory prayse and prayer from the heart The gratious Prince a father is where subiectes liue in awe The good regarding with rewards the lewde with scourge of lawe The subiect true vnto his Prince this homage heere doth owe A faithfull heart a feare through loue an inward Zeale in showe The reuerent Iudge froÌ„ doming right whom no regard may straine Must Aristotles blames forsake loue hate and priuate gaine Th' inferior sort must reu'rence giue vnto the higher power Obay and listen to their lore let fortune laugh or lowre These speciall vertues from a freend still should or do proceede Aduise assistance faithfull loue and constancy in neede The Landlord should so lot his land as his poore Tennant may Both pay his rent sustayne his house and for his Landlord pray All Tennants slaues and bondmen were of youre records do shew Though now not so yet to their Lords they Zeale and fealtie owe. The neighborhood of the neighbor good this neighborhod doth claime Good still for good in casuall harme a charitable blame The Wise man sayeth the child is spilt where parents spare the rod But cherishment with chastment ioyne and see they honor God You children that long life do seeke vnto Gods lawe giue eare Honor Parents sustaine their age that for your youth did care You that a faithfull seruant seeke regard this charge as lawe His wages pay his seruice aske and keepe him still in awe Sometime the Romaines by their law their seruant lewde might slay And by all lawes the maisters will the seruant must obay Fresh youth whose iudgement is but greene aboue each other vice Forsake these three vndoing euils women wine and dice. These properties regard them well to you faire maydes belong A bashfull grace a modest eye ioynd with a silent toong You that haue wealth think others want thus impart your store Lend giue releeue as neede requires for to sustayne the poore You that are poore abase your thoughts for naught agreeth worse Then this foule fault a prowde conceipt ioynd with a beggers purse In euery trade an honest gaine well gotten good men hight And God will surely blesse the hand that wayes and measures right You souldyers both by land and sea Gods woonders still escrie Liue you to dye for fearefull death is alwayes in your eye Assure your selues you Atheists vile that make at him a face That God in vengeance is at hand where he is farre with grace As I began so I conclude let all men feare the Lord And Preachers see that godly workes with holy words accord To the Reader FRiendly Reader I giue thee knowledge that vpon speciall occasion I haue before printed certaine appendants to this booke viz. one Treatise called A mirror for Maiestrates which containeth at large in the graue orations and gouerment of the Emperour Alexander Seuerus what is for the honor of Gentlemen Citizens and diuers other estates and what is the disgrace and vndoing of themselues and their posteritie as also a morall Treatise of the reputation vertues and by abuse dishonors of a souldier whiche I wish thee for thy further pleasure and profite to adioyne to thy generall Mirror to which in right they belong Thus commending vnto thee the fruites of my labour and thee to the tuition of the highest giuing most humble thankes to hys diuine Maiestie by whose goodnes thys worke is brought to an end I end FINIS Errata The defences of pride The defences of ambition The defence of flatterie Infirmities of the body Enuie vvithout cure Originall of Enuie Gen. 3. Enuie the first cause of sinne Enuie vvorse theÌ„ murther c. The â—…tes of Enuie Defâ—…ces of 〈◊〉 Defences of volptuousnes The defences of covvardlines None vvill confesse himselfe to be enuious Necessitie cause of many trespasses Mat. 20. There may be cause of impatiencie but no colour for enuy Blessings which grieue the enuious August contra Donat. lib. 4. cap. 8. Causes which reioyce the enâ—…ous Baâ—… Sermone de â—…dia Enuie likeâ—… to a Panther The nature of a Panther Enuie continueth after death Enuie compared to a â—…per The vnnaturall nature oâ—… a viper The enâ—… 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 A â—…ble of Eâ—…pe 〈◊〉 is neuer reconciled Neighbour countreyes enuy others glory Timon of Athens Murther the byrde of enuie Gen. 4. Abell slayne by Câ—… Enuie cause of paâ—…de and in hummane marthers Remas slaine by Romulus Machiuel dis Lib. 1. Romulus and Remâ—…s were fostered by aâ—… woâ—…fe Polinecâ—… Etâ—…ocles brothâ—… The mortall venime of envy A necessary example Enuie caused Neâ—…o to â—…ay â—…s mother Commodus enuyed the remeÌ„brance of his fathers vertues Vice is reproched by the commendation of vertue An other inhumane murder caused by enuy in Commodus A horrible murder by enuy Hâ—…ule Grafton and other English Hâ—…oriographers King Henry the 7. ouercame this tirant and calmed the afflictions of England Prince Edward slaine by Richardes handes K. Henry the 6. slaine by Richardes handes Duke of Clarence drovvned King Edvvard the 5. and his brother slaine â—…st lib. 1. Enuy the originall of warre The miseries of vvar The end of the Assiriâ—…n monarchy by enuy Iust. lib. 1. The tuchstone of manhood The city of Capidocâ—…a burned through enuy Time is able to repayre the ruines of fortune The Asserian empire translated into the Meades Miserable are the countreis gouerned by lieâ—…tenants An impious cruelty Man purposeth and God dispoâ—…h Mâ—…rius and Crâ—…us Ciâ—…us suckled by
reported that his notorious crimes exceeded the dayes of his age which I ouerpasse as examples necessary for other purposes and vnto this impious parte I will ioyne this following crueltie Upon a day one tolde this naughtie Emperour that his cosen Mamertius Antomenes resembled him in comelynesse of bodie and magnanimitie of minde vpon which report Commodus pronounced death both vpon the reporter and his innocent cousen holding it for reason that it appertained to no man to vaunt lesse to resemble him and in my opinion if Antomenes resembled him in deuilish qualities death was too easie a scourge for so lewde a life Mulla Abdula father of Moley Mahumet commonly called the blacke king in whose cause the mortall battaile betwéene the king of Portugall and Amoley Muluco king of Fees was fought the 5. of August 1578. as in the alteration of the latter common weales by enuy shal be more largely shewen vpon an enuious suggestion that his brethren by the priuity in nature and bloud loked to liue in greater liberty then subiectes by the assistaunce of a noble man of the countrey called Alcatho Alley caused the throates of a eleuen of his brethren to be cut in one morning Now to conclude these particular tyrannies of enuye vnto which millions of notorious examples may be enserted the monstrous murders of king Richard the third a tyrant of our nation is worthy note in whose wretched end yet worthy his wickednes the happines of Englande began againe to florish and enioyed her auncient renowne This tyraunt at such time as he was Duke of Glocester with an enuious eye behelde the soueranity of king Edwarde the 4. his brother and yet inforced by necessity obeyed him For annoynted kinges with weake policies are not depriued but vnable to hold his hand from their throates who for their dignities toke the vpper hand of him against the lawes of honor with his impious handes he stabbed Prince Edward to the hart beeing taken prisoner at the battaile of Tewksbury Next like an Alehouse ruffen with his dagger he slew the infortunate good king Henry the sixt in the tower of London Then heaping murder vppon murder he caused George Duke of Clarence his naturall Brother to be drowned in a Butte of Malmesey And last though not the least to rowle vp a number of noble subiectes endes with the death of king Edward the fift and Richard Duke of Yorke the kinges brother his nephewes whom he caused to be murthered in the Tower and buried without honor to infame the name of king Edward the fourth and his posterity he pronounced his mother like a filthy harpye to be a strumpet and that the sayd king Edward was a Bastard and him selfe onely legitimate as I think sonne of the diuel for it séemeth wonderful that so inhumane a creature should take life of humane séed CHAP. 3. Enuy originall of warre and capitall cause of the destruction of the first Monarchies MAny yéeres after the beginning euery king qui etly enioyed the countries in his own possession vntil Ninus king of the Asserians enuying the soueranity of his neighbour kings put him self in armes vnlawfully to inlarge his owne dominions by deposing other froÌ„ their kingdoms Thus byenuy froÌ„ the bottom of hell came war by war confusion of deuine humaine blessings the aduauncement of thousandes of diuelish iniquities For whereas lawes giue place to armes the honor of God is wounded his word is misprised Iesus Christ is blasphemed and persecuted his Gospell is reiected and his Sacraments are prophaned fire is put to the house of the lord Wolues are thruste into his stéepefolde and wilde Bores among his vines truth and equity is peruerted charity is cold innocents and the iust are oppressed youth bee ill instructed publicke orders are broken discipline and rules of good life are abolished ignoraunce is raysed knowledge is abased proud ambitious and men of leaste estimation doe gouerne the learned wise and vertuous are disofficed as ideots and men of no merite countries bee vnpeopled fayre Cities are burned peaceable citizens are murthered their wiues and daughters are rauished their groundes lye vntilled goods compassed by the trauels of a mans whole life in one hower doe become the spoyle of a riotous souldiour And to conclude though short of a number of other curses which follow warre vice mounted in her chariot of triumph arrogaÌ„tly treadeth pore vertue vnder foot therby they that shold cry out of this outrage against God and man are dumb and the reformers of these enormities deafe these vengeances by war the enuious eye and ambitious hart of Ninus bred in the worlde which died not with the destruction of Th'asserian monarchy Notwithstanding enuy the erecter was the destroyer therof For Arbactus leiftenant of the Meades enuiyng the soueranity of Sardanapalus a man more effeminate then a woman by the assistaunce of other lords gaue battaile vnto the king Sardanapalus discomforted â—…led into his pallas there enuiyng the fortune of Arbactus more to reaue him of the glory of his triumph then moued by sorrow of his own defeat Sardanapalus set fire of his Pallas his wealth him selfe so by the prodigall spoyle of his life recouered the reputation of a man for manhood is most truely tried by constancy in the trembling passage of death The like enuious part was committed by Ariathes king of Capidocia who being ouercome in battail by Perdicas one of Alexanders successors fled into the Citye enuiyng Perdicas good fortune more then he lamented his owne mischance caused the city to be set on fire incouraged his souldiers citizens to slay their wiues children holding it lesse euill to die by the violence of friends then to liue a seruile life vnder the controlment of their enemies And by this means in truth he reaued Perdicas of the spoyle of his victory but did both vnto him selfe and countrey an iniury against nature and reason against nature in committing wilful murder vpon him selfe posterity against reason in that time was able to repaire his ruines of fortune But to kéep an order in discoursing the actions of enuy by the victory which Arbactus had ouer Sardanapalus the empyre of Th'asserians was traÌ„slated into the Meades which corse most conquerors adopted Princes euer since haue taken to crown their natiue countrey with imperiall title to leaue the places conquered or by other meanes gayned to the tyrannye of leifetenants Well this monster enuy which mortifieth the naturall affection of a father robbeth dutifull obedience from the son made the one of these the cause the other the ouerthrow of this second empire For Astiages the last king of the Meades receauing answer of the Oracle that his daughters sonne should gouerne his empire as it were to despight the Gods that had fore destined this honor vnto his daughters sonne vpon an enuious thought first
the Iewes This Mahomet had a quicke spirite and easely learned what so euer he was taught who in his youth was solde as a slaue vnto a rich marchaunt named Adimonople who regarding the towardnes of the young man intertayned him as his sonne and in no pointe as his slaue who so well mannaged his masters affayres that in shorte time he returned Adimonople great riches and by reason of his great traffique both with Christians and Iewes he was well exercised in eyther of their lawes during this time Mahomets master dyed without yssue and left Ladigua his wife very riche who hauing before proued the sufficiencie of Mahomet tooke him to husband so of a bondman raysed him vnto the degrée of a riche Lord. In the Prime of Mahomets aduancement the forenamed Sergius ariued in Arabia who to be reuenged of the Cleargie that banished him Constantinople or more properly to shew his malice to despight God because he suffered him to prosper no better in his herestes in euery place he tormented the poore Christians with whose outward habite he was but lately attyred in the ende he lighted in acquaintance with Mahomet whome Sergius founde in abilitie and power great in witte quicke and subtill in minde proude and ambitious of disposition froward and enuious a great practiser of magicke and nigromancie and to bee shorte that hee was ignoraunt in no vice neither was there any lewde attempt that hee feared to enterprise who taking his best opportunitie counseled Mahomet to take vpon him the name of a Prophet and to giue him the greater credit by magicke and other diuelisâ—… practises hee illuded the people with some false myracles in somuch as his wife and most familiar friendes began to admire Mahomet and to reuerence him as a holy Prophet But were it the vengeaunce of God sent to abase his pride or the malice of the deuill by this plague to colour his impious enterprise Mahomet was many times stroken with the falling euill whose straunge passions much amazed both his wife and houshold seruauntes which Mahomet thus excused that the Angell of God oftentimes talked with him and vnable as a man to sustaine his diuine presence he entered into this agonie and alteration of spirit and that by this visitation he forelearned what was the almightie will and pleasure of God whose expresse charge he followed By these subtil illusions protestations he not only seduced his familliar friendes and allies but by his cunning and their false rumours he was admired and reputed through the greater part of Arabia as the Prophet of God Mahomet growing to be thus popular and after the death of his wife sole possessed of a great masse of wealth by the incouragement of Sergius he published abrode that he was sente from God into the worlde to giue lawes vnto the people and for that he was by his industrie learned in all lawes in the beginning till he had well rooted his damnable sect to reaue himselfe of many dangerous enemies in parte he accorded with the Iewes in part with the Christians and moreouer in many thinges he agreed with the heretiques which raigned in his time he denyed the Trinitie with the Sabellicans with the Macedonians he denyed that the holy Ghost was God and approued the multitude of wiues with the Nicolaites on the other part he confessed that our Sauiour and Redeemer was a holy Prophet and that he had the spirite of God with the Iewes he receyued circumcision and to be short being of no religion hee entertained the professours of euery religion but especially his wicked law tollerated al carnal vices wtout controlement Maâ—…omet being by these means strong and puissant he made his lawe named the Alcoran and for that he distrusted the goodnes thereof he generally forbad all men vpon the paine of death not so much as to dispute of his lawe In the beginning of these matters he was strengthened with the multitude and such as were seduced with his false perswasions Also there ioyned with him all the vicious and carnal men which in those dayes abounded through the world by whose ayde he assaulted the confines of Arabia and subiected a great part thereof His beginning was about the yeere of the Lord 620. in the time of the Emperour Eraclies who so soone as he had news of Mahomets proceedings as Platinus witnesseth he prepared a remedie perfourmed the same in part intertaining for this seruice with large promises the Scenits a warlike people of Arabia so that this new sect was in a maner stifeled for a time notwithstanding the Emperour greatly erred that he followed not his purpose vntill he had cleane plucked vp this wicked roote which brought forth such dangerous and damnable seed for in not continuing his enterprise he did much hurt in beginning of the same for because he kept not promise with the Scenites and payed them their accustomed wages they in despight thereof ioyned with Mahomet seeing that he was in great reputation holden for the Prophet of God they chose him for their captaine Afterwardes he and his people assailed the Empire of the ROMAINS and entering into Syria they conquered the noble citie of Damas with all Egypt Iudea the adioyning countries Mahomet then perswaded the Sarisens a people of Arabia that the land of promise belonged vnto them as the legittimate successors of Abraham and hauing thus fortunate successe in his enterprises he made warre vpon the Persians by whom he was at the first vanquished but in the ende he had the vpper hand To conclude after that Mahomet had compassed great and horrible matters he was poysoned in the 40. yeere of his age and as Sabellicus sayth in the yeere of our Lord 6 2. And for that Mahomet would often say that after his death he should ascend vp into heauen his disciples kept him aboue the ground vntill his bodie stuncke as badde as his soule which was then closed in iron and by his sayde disciples was carried into the Citie of Meque in Persia where he is worshipped of all the people of the East yea of the greater part of the worlde Califus succeeded Mahomet in the Empire and Hali succeeded Califus these two greatly augmented the secte of Mahomet and so from tyme to tyme by diuers meanes and successions and Principally for our sinnes and through the cowardlines of the Emperors of the East this pestilence continueth vnto our age And certaynely if Gods mercie and the diligence of the Emperour CHARLES the fifte had not stopped the passage and determination of the great Turke SOLYMAN Italie and all the West hadbene in daunger of this infection God be praised for his prouidence and when it standeth with his good will all good people doe desire that there may bee such vnitie among Christian Princes as ioyning their forces together they may be able to confounde the tyrannie of this enemie of many thousand millions of mens saluation
with Dauid I will not be afrayde of tenne thousande of people that haue set themselues against me round about it followes in another place for thou O Lord makest me dwell in safetie the diuell is bound and the hand of the Lord is vpon the magitioner Paul stroke Elimas Bariehu the arrogant sorcerer blinde the diuell aunswered the vacabond Iewes the seauen sonnes of Sâ—…eua one of the chiefe priests which did adiure him by Iesu whome Paule preached Iesus I knowe and Paule I knowe but who are yee forsooth they were vnbeléeuing Iewes whome the spirit would not obeie yea he caused the man whome he tormented to runne vppon them and to ouercome them so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded it is the best reward that the diuell bestoweth vpon them that deale with him He many times faileth to performe the desire of his disciples but he neuer faileth to bring them to confusion yea in the tune of the Prophets when his strength was greatest his ministers were alwaies confounded in matters wherein the glory of God was to be séene as appeareth in the passadges marked in the margent For further example let it suffice that Gods mercie preserued her maiestie and his iustice put the chiefe practisers of this magicke in the possession of her vengeance Doctor Story was miraculously brought out of Flanders and as he notoriouslie deserued by common iustice was adiudged and executed as a Traitor Yea he confessed at his execution that it was God that dimmed the eyes of his vnderstanding yea it was surely God that wrought his deliuerie into the hands of her Maiesties lawes Prestall and Phaier were both after wardes prisoners at her Maiesties mercie her excéeding mercie measured grace vnto them both that vngratiouslie sought her destruction they both had life and libertie Phaier was afterwardes executed for coyning hys head was too busie to stande vppon his shoulders Prestall vpon speciall considerations long after was called to the aunswere of his olde treasons he had no defence but to flie to her Maiesties mercie with protestation that vppon that safeconduit he came into Englande a presumption that highly honoreth her Maiestie that those subiects which offended in the highest degrée of treason durst vpon her Maiesties bare promise venter vpon the danger of her lawes when at this day among most princes the saying Who knoweth not how to dissemble knoweth not how to raigne is holden for a principle in gouernement But sure the counsell is much against the honor of a prince whose promise ought to haue the strength of a law vnlesse in such rare cases as where the subiect offendeth beyond all merit of commiseration but to eternize her Maiesties gratiousnesse be it knowen the law long sithence hath adiudged Prestall death and yet he liueth by the sole vertue of her princely word and certainly the godly iustice of England deserueth vniuersall admiration and reuerence where the worst and most dangerous traytors are only confounded by solemne conuiction of law and by fauour therof a number escape that policy would haue cut short Our eares are daily occupied with the newes of secret poysoning and vnlawfull murthering of noble personages in most gouernements without attainder triall or any other ordinarie course of iustice but God who is therewith pleased be therefore praysed since the first day of her highnes blessed gouernement neither her Maiesty nor her iustice is yet stained with any such politicke or rather diuelish destroying of any one of many her enimies but yet to slander the peaceable procéedings of her Maiesty and godly maiestrates the notorious fugitiues in Rome Reames and other forraigne parts make shew of wary looking vnto themselues as if their liues were dayly assailed when their consciences and her Maiesties gratiousnes assureth them that they feare without cause albeit they giue cause of narrow vengeance if the order of her gouerment obserued the councels of their bloody practises she might finde brauoes a number in France and especially in Italy that for a hangmans fée would do execution of her rankest traytor abroad among whom murther is so common as the least iniurie is in a maner death by custome the easie escape out of one iurisdiction into another maketh them thus bold where the feare of God is no bridle I report this vppon the knowledge of my owne obseruances while I liued in those parts it is generally knowne that there are hirelings that make no more conscience to murther a man then to kill a bird but the actions of wicked men are no examples of imitation but admonitions of terror to the godly for that lightly vengeance followeth such works At my being in Italy there was a heardman executed about Tyuoly that had murthered more than fourescore persons and the notable outlaw Catenea who had slaine thréescore and tenne persons was led prisoner vnto Rome God may defer but he seldome leaueth murther without visible vengeance Aboue all sinnes nature abhorreth murther When the heathen men at Milete saw the viper to hang vpon Pauls finger euen from the hatred of nature they murmured and sayd No doubt this man is a murtherer whome though he haue escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth not to liue Nature taught the infidels to beléeue that vengeance followeth murther Erasmus saith that in murther the consenter is as gilty as the actor Pylate against the sentence of his own conscience hauing pronounced death vppon our Sauiour Christ thought to haue washed away the fact with the washing of his hands and this protestation I am innocent of the blood of this iust man ye shall see but Pylates conscience made him gilty of Christes death whome the wrath of God still followed After this wicked iudgemeÌ„t he did nothing but iniustice and being thereof accused as also for prophaning the temple robbing the common treasure in Rome he was by the Emperor Caligula banished vnto Lions the place as some said of his birth through griefe of which disgrace by the iustice of God he desperatly flew himself that he might die by the most wicked person aliue Many other things are written of Pylats end by Ioseph in his antiquities Eusebius Ioachin Vadian and others which for breuity I omit The instructioÌ„ stretcheth euen vnto the seate of iustice which maketh the criminall Magistrate to be gilty of murther if for loue feare or gaine he vniustly pronounce death vppon any innocent person Yea murther crieth for vengeance against anointed kings Because Dauids hart murthered Vrias God laid the reuenge of Vrias blood many ways vpon Dauid and although he put the sin froÌ„ Dauids person yet the child begotten vpoÌ„ Vrias wife in adultry died for it there sel 3. yeres dearth together in the days of Dauid Dauid enquired the cause the Lord answered It is for Saule and the house of blood because he slew the Gibonites It further appeareth that murther is so odious in the
and others began new Commotions in Yorkeshire which were soone appeased with their confusions the Insurrection of Somerset shire had no better successe but which most daungerouslie touched the kings life and safetie of his good subiectes this vngratious Cardinall Poole this whirlepoole and firebrand of desencion séeing that king Henry with an easie hand appeased many and mightie insurrections at home labored an inuation by the power of Fraunce but all the daunger was not in the french forces he had drawne in the Marques of Exeter his brother the Lord Mountacute and Sir Geffray Poole and with them his kinsman Sir Edward Neuell to be traitors these labored no small matters they sought euen the change and alteration of the kings godly gouernement they were daungerous traytors not so much for their power but for that they were all so bounde vnto the king for many benefits as common reason tooke away all occasion of suspition to condemne whose vnkindnesse and monstrous ingratitude there be many examples of vnreasonable creatures Lysimachus had a dog which he much estéemed and the dog to shew his loue when he saw his maister dead and cast into the fire as the manner of buriall was then he likewise leaped into the fire and died with his maister Plinic sheweth that Hiero King of the Syracusans had a dog which did euen the same but the Romaine histories make mention of a more strange matter when Titus Fabinus and his family were slaine there was a dog that for no stripes would depart from the dead carcase of his maister and when the standers by gaue him meate he ranne and layde it at the mouth of his maister in fine when the bodie was throwne into the flood of Tyber the dog lept in after and as long as he could he kept his maister aboue the water much more might be said to reproche ingratitude a vice which our vulgar worde vnkindnesse sheweth to be against kinde or nature the former examples approoue as much but enuy and ambition the ordinarie passions of Papists are so farre from grace dutie and thankefulnesse as they contend with God and violate the bonds both of nature and frendship The Traytor Parry in his confession sayd that his accusor Neuill vsually sayde that all the aduancement that her Maiestie could giue hym should serue but for her scourge if euer time ministred occasion I knowe not whether he spake of mallice or no but experience teacheth that these persons resemble the frozen Snake which the pitifull husbandman comforted by the fire which in recompence stoong his children The Marques of Exeters father was for treason committed to prison by King Henry the seuenth King Henry the eight discharged him and with great fauour tooke his sonne into his priuie chamber and vsed him alwayes more like a companion then a seruant The King helped the Lord Mountacute from the state of a poore Gentleman to his mothers land being thrée or foure thousand markes by the yeare Sir Edward Neuill was of the Kings priuie chamber and in great fauour The Pooles were of the Kings blood and so bound with princely fauours as when Sir Geffrey Poole was apprehended the rest were not so much as suspected but God will not haue treason lye hid nor Traitors vnpunished though the Diuell and man labour in the behalfe of either The Diuell was héere set a worke but he laboured in vaine against the iustice and mercie of God the giltinesse of Sir Gefferey Pooles conscience condemned him he now only respected the safetie of the Marquesse his bréethren and Cosen Sir Edward Neuill hys conscience was witnesse against them all he feared that torture would wrest out the truth and in this doubtfull perplexitie he resolued desperately to kill himselfe and in this passion vppon oportunitie he stabbed himselfe vpon the brest with a knife the Diuell plaied his part now sée how God as he oft doth turned all the Diuels worke to his glorie and Sir Gefferayes saluation the knife was blunt and as God woulde made the wound not mortall yet the abundance of blood which followed his wound made him to feare God to feare hell and to detest the murther both of his bodie and soule and where as before he woulde haue died to saue his bréethren and Cosen he now desired life for no cause so much as to bring them to that which they worthely deserued Finallie he accused them all and by lawfull tryall the Marquesse the Lord Mountacute and Sir Edward Neuill were adiudged and executed as traytors good King Henry ioyned his mercy to Gods prouidence so pardoned Sir Gefferey whom God appointed to be the instrument of this discouerie the like blessings were heaped vpon the King and confusion vpon his enimies the residue of his triumphāt raigne which continued all the daies of his most blessed sonne King Edward the sixt In the third yéere of his raigne there were almost generall commotions through England The Papists tempted and mooued the commons to rebellion with a perswasion to throw downe inclosier and for themselues foysted in to haue their old religion and Acte of sixe Articles restored but what followed the rebels in euerie countrey were vanquished slaine and vtterly discomforted And to continue with truth in this report Quéene Mary had albeit she was superstitious the like victories against her domesticke enimies but as it is said as God gaue the Idolater Abias victorie against Ieroboam for his great Grandfather Dauids sake so he gaue the like to Quéene Mary for her godly father King Henries sake To come againe vnto the peaceable victories obtained by the Quéenes Maiestie as in the former reports it is manifest although the Diuell gaue her enimies wit to begin treasons he failed to giue them strength to effect them yea the Diuell himselfe lacketh strength where God hath any thing to do as appeareth especially in the preuention of the odious and desperate treasons of Someruile Parry To conclude the ouerthrowe of her last knowne enimies which happinesse I beséech God to continue many yeares and to the last moment of her Maiesties life the wonderfull discouerie of the dangerous treasons of Frances Frogmorton Esquire deserueth a speciall remembrance I meane a remembrance of thanksgiuing vnto almighty God in reuealing of such a couert mischiefe that threatned her Maiestie with a perticular danger and her realme and people with a generall calamitie it was no ordinary conspiracy that Frogmorton labored but an vnnaturall subuersion of his countrey by forraigne inuasion he wrought to haue brought in the Pope the King of Spaine the Duke of Guise and all he purposed her Maiesties death to possesse he knewe not whome with the Crowne perhaps such a one as would all haue béene iealous of him for those by whome they are benefited dare hardly trust a Traitor he was discouered in time but yet more by Gods prouidence then mans policie he was too subtill to lay his head vpon
seruices The prince created theyr Auncesters Earles Barons or as their callings are and for their vertues suffered the honor to descend vnto their heires then they that will worke Treason and forget God the kindnesse of their Prince the vertues of their Parents and loue to theyr Countrey it is not ynough that they themselues die the death but the Emperour Vespasian in a letter to his sonne Titus sayeth the sonne of such a Traytor ought not to lyue God thought no temporall punishment sufficient to chasten the rebellion of Corath Dathan and Abiram he caused the earth to open her mouth and to swallow them vp and their houses and all the men that were with Corath and all theyr goodes and they and all that they had went downe alyue vnto Hell these be the words of the text and certainely the vengeance of God continually raigneth vppon Traytors Chronicles make mention of millions of Treasons that haue béene punished and of a few that haue had successe Almost in euerie nation most of the auncient Nobilitie are eaten vp with Treason and noui homines as the Romaines tearme them occupie their places through vertue The learned Gentleman Mayster Morrisine in his inuectiue against Treason sayeth that the Treasons of great men ought to be set foorth in theyr colours because that blood is distained in Treason he might also haue added because a great deale of giltlesse blood is shead through theyr Treasons I haue in other places sufficiently showne the falles of Traitors and therefore to withstand the temptation of ambition and enuie the enemies of theyr Countreys peace and prosperitie and vtter ouerthrowe of themselues and familie this discouery with praier for the assistance of Gods spirit may suffice CHAP. 3. Of the reuerende calling of the Cleargie the holinesse that is required in theyr liues and the lamentable miseries that proceede of disvnion in Religion BOth among the Iewes and Gentiles and generallye through the whole worlde from the beginning vnto this day the chiefe Priests Bishops and generally the professors of Religion were much reuerenced and in hye estimation among the people The office of Aaron the Priest was of such credite among the Iewes as enuie and desire to occupie the roome was the principall cause of the Rebellion of Corath Dathan and Abyram yea Gods owne words greatly honored Aarons Priesthood when he sayd The sonnes of Leuy should waight vpon him and the Tabernacle Among the Heathen Romaines the office of the chiefe Byshop was of such account as Iulius Caesar when he began to aspire only laboured for that dignitie And yet before the ambitious climing of the Pope Chronicles make no mention that they were the head rulers of any gouerment Among the Iewes the Prophets were priuiledged to reprehende the faultes of the Prince but both the Prophets and Priestes were subiect vnto the sword and commaundemente of the Prince King Iehoas appoynted Iehoiada the Bishop and the Priestes how they shoulde imploy the money that was brought into the house of the Lord and when they fulfylled not hys commandement he sharpely reprehended them Iehu put all the Priestes of Baal to the sworde The Emperour Tyberius put the Priests of the Idoll Anubis to the sworde because they were the instruments for the wanton Knight Mundus to commit adultrey by theyr deceipt with the chaste Romaine Ladie Paulina Yea from the beginning and to be short at thys daye it can not be denyed but that the reuerence which is giuen vnto the Cleargie is due vnto theyr profession and not vnto theyr person and when theyr pompe was at the highest the greatest Archbishop that offended in treason had the tryall of a common subiect Since then the holinesse of theyr profession priuiledgeth the Cleargie to reprooue the faultes of Princes and giueth them place among the chiefe Pieres they are bound and holie Scripture commandeth them to glorifie God with theyr holie lyues that theyr holy words may the better edifie men Sainct Paule setting downe the office of a Bishop and in that dignitie containeth the duetie of the whole Cleargie sayeth that he must be blamelesse and so goeth on with many honest vertues which are well knowne and I pray God they may be as well followed of the Cleargie Sainct Peter commandeth them to be of so honest conuersation among the Gentiles that where as they backbited them as euill doers they might sée their good workes and praise God in the day of visitation A great many that would faine haue an excuse for wickednes say that the word of God is the life of the soule and not the works of the Preacher so that if the doctrine be pure it skilleth not if the Diuell preach the same The word I graunt remaineth pure but the working will be to little purpose if it be deliuered by such a Minister for the holy Ghost loueth not to accompanie the Diuell I hope this small note shall worke no offence whiche is not meant to instruct the Cleargie which amply knowe theyr dutyes but reuerently to shewe theyr error that are forgetfull of theyr duties King Phillip of Macedon helde no skorne to be dayly remembred by a Page of his chamber that he was a mortall man Pope Sixtus the fourth that vaunted how he passed Sainct Peter bécause he had golde siluer and pretious stones was not wroath with the beggerlie Frier that aunswered hym he lacked notwithstanding much of Sainct Peters holynesse for hée coulde not saie vnto the lame and impotent arise and walke and certainely although the Pope were bluntly crossed yet he was thereby charitably counselled to labour rather to become holie then riche whiche is a speciall dutie in the Cleargie for by theyr godlinesse they please God and instruct men when by the abuse of riches they may dishonor the one and be an euill example to the other With this admonition of the Frier the blowe that a Countrey peisant gaue the Archbishop of Cullen ought to be as patiently receiued of the Cleargie as the holâ—…e tale of the saluage Mylo was of the Senate of Rome Upon a daye as the Archbyshop trauelled accompanied according to the custome of Germanie with an armed troupe a Countrey fellow encountred hym with a rude laughter whiche the Archbishop noting demaunded what mooued him to laugh so the fellowe aunswered to sée Sainct Peter prince of the Prelates who lyued and dyed poorely to leaue suche wonderfull pompe and riches to hys successors the Archbishop that was a little galled to excuse himselfe said my friends I goe with thys companie because I am a Duke as well as a Byshop wherevppon the loute doubled his laughter and boldly sayde my Lord I beséech you if the Duke which you speake of were in Hell where shoulde then be the Archbishop as who woulde haue sayde that two professions become not one man for sinning in the one he cannot be iustified by the other King Richard the first laughed when he had
at Magonce commaunded the Archbishop before them and so partially heard the matter but the one gaue sentence against him by meanes whereof he was depriued of his dignitie and Arnold who had solde him as Iudas did our sauiour Christ was placed in his place this iudgement being pronounced the Archbishop Henrie there present deliuered these words God knoweth that I am vniustly condemned neuerthelesse I haue little care to appeale from your sentence for that you shal be sooner beléeued in your leasings than I in deliuering of the truth for this cause I receiue your iudgement before the iust and eternall Iudge which is Iesus Christ before whom I adiorne you The Iudges hearing the same began to smile and bad him go before and they would follow after This sentence was giuen in the yeare of our Lord a thousand one hundred fifty sixe The Archbishop thus depriued sustained his iniurie with great patience and liued the residue of his life in a Monasterie to conclude God would not suffer this wickednesse vnpunished to the ende that the innocencie of the iust might bée knowne one yeare and a halfe afterwards Henry died in his Monestarie and as it is to be hoped mounted into the glorie he so desired The newes of his death being come to Rome the two Cardinals vppon a day being mearie together saide that they failed to finde the Archbishop Henrie but within few dayes after the one of the two was so soundly strocken by one of his owne people that his intrailes issued out at his fundament and so miserablie dyed The other grinding of his téeth and tearing and eating his hands dyed mad Touching Arnold for his cruelties and seditions which he intertained among the people he was so much hated that one day being set in a Monestarie hée was slaine and after left thrée dayes among the diches of the Citie where all the people men and women exercised vppon his bodie all the cruelties that might be possiblie inuented Who so that is curious of more examples touching Gods seuere punishments inflicted vppon partiall iudges next vnto the sacred Byble let him search the Actes and Monuments of the Church collected by the reuerent deuine M. Iohn Fox and he shal be liberally and profitably satisfied and so I end this Chapter CHAP. 5. Of the worthy reputation of the Iustisers whom we commonly call Iustices of Peace and of the publike benefite of their seruice being duely administred THere néede no other demonstration to shew the worthinesse of their calling that are Iustisers of Peace then the signification of their office distribution or administration of the right pretious blessing Peace They are numbred among the eight beatitudes that are peacemakers For they shal be called the children of God The greatest peare of England taketh not scorne of the office yea by statute is chosen for that seruice and to the intent that necessitie in such as lack liuing may be no cause of iniustice it is prouided that no person that cannot dispend xx pound land by the yeare shal be a Iustiser of Peace vnlesse they be certain celected men Barrators and men of euill name shall not be assigned Iusticers of Peace Trespasses committed and specified in the greatest part of the penal lawes are committed to their examination and determination M. Lambeard and others haue written learnedly and largely of the administration of this office according to Law but much moreouer may be said of the administration thereof according to Christian charitie and Iustice The diligence of the Iusticers of Peace is of power to kéepe the Iudges idle in Westminster Hall and the plow to be alwayes occupied in the Countrie the true administration of Peace is as well to appease the discords of neighbors as to aprehend felons and euill liuers All controuersies in Law grow either of violent oppression stubborne mallice or manifest folly if the sute procéede of violent oppression what oppressor will be so cruell as to withstand the good mediation of these maiestrates who for the most part are the principall men of the sheare if of stubborne mallice the accord that they shall make wil be farre more godly and profitable than the agréement of the Law for Law for the most part endeth controuersies and increaseth mallice when a friendly agréement determineth both and if the matter be of light reckoning it wil grow to a hauie charge in Law which a peaceable mediation would charitablie end Almost there is no matter tried by law without this censure It is pittie it was not ended by friends and truely in Christian equitie this pittie is a blame in the Iustisers of Peace that they wil not looke into the discorde of neighbours which is a breach of Christian Peace and labour to accord them which is a point of their duetie The Right noble Lord Francis late Earle of Bedford whose life and death is a myrrour of true honour and Christian nobility when he liued in the westerne parts in short time so abredged the number of Nysi prius as the Lawers murmured against his Charitie but so honorable was the slaunder as I may with charitie wish that the example generally through England would begger their facultie The Reuerend Iudge the late Lord Dyer would vsually say if there came any controuersies of poore men to be tried at the assises that the parties were wilfull or their neighbors without charitie because their sutes were not quietly ended I heard a question once moued what was the cause that there were so many bad Lawiers which was presently answered because there were so few good preachers In déede although most ministers will generally speake against discord of nighbors in the Church few of them do trauell to bring peace vnto their houses their godly perswasions no doubt may profite with the honester sort but the credite and authoritie of the other Maiestrate will preuaile against the most obstinate wrangler I know in Bedfordshire and in some other places that once a wéeke sundrie of the principall maiestrates and of the chiefe deuines méete the one to instruct the people in the rules of Christianitie and the other to appease the controuersies of neighbours If the example were generall this generall benefite would follow the oppressor would forbeare to doe iniurie for feare of shame and the oppressed shoulds haue ease without expence of money I am bound reuerently to confesse that the honour and mercie of the Chancery Law is a fountaine of compassion and sucker for oppressed suppliants but the court is so pestered with iniuries as common course kéepeth a man néere hand foure yeares from iuditiall hearing in which space as the tale goeth of a condemned man that vndertooke within tenne yeares to make a Tyrants Ape to speake vppon this hope that before the time were expired the Tyrant the Ape or himselfe might haply die so the opressor hopeth by the complainants expence toile and lacke of friends in such a lingring sute