owne naturall subiects and continually goeth garded with a strong company As Vortiger sometime king of this Realme did when he brought in Hengist and the Saxons and gaue them the countreys of Kent and Essex to inhabit The fift if he without cause coÌ„mand his chiefest nobles to be cashiered branded with ignominy or to be imprisoned and put to death for feare lest they should waxe too popular and ouermighty Such a one was Frauncis Sfortia Duke of Millain that caused Alphonsus king of Naples villanously at a banquet to murther Earle Iames sonne to Nicholas Picinio whome he had sent Ambassadour to the sayd Alphonsus for no other cause then for that hee feared his might because the Braciques in Italy some of his subiects highly esteemed him The sixt token to know a tyrant is if he do away learned and wise men for no other intent then that fearing they should reproue him write against his depraued vngodly life As Domitius Nero that commaunded Seneca the Philosopher and the Poet Lucan to be slaine and Domitian that banished the Poet luuenal for the same cause But of this matter I haue spoken in another booke Whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their Prince being a tyraunt or an heretique Chap. 10. EVen as the Prince ought to remoue the causes of mislike which his subiects haue conceiued against him and to extinguish the flame that being nourished in one seuerall house would breake into the next and at last into the whole towne so in like maner subiects ought to please their soueraigne and to tolerat all rigour yea and to lay downe their neckes vpon the block rather then to coÌ„spire against his power which he hath from God It may be that he is raised as another Nabuchodonozor of the Lord for a scourge to punish the transgressioÌ„s and enormities of the inhabitants The dishonourable things which a Prince doth ought to be accounted honourable Men must patieÌ„tly for they can do no otherwise beare with an vnreasonable deà re yeere with vnseasonable stormes and with many blemishes and imperfections of nature Therefore they ought to endure with as constant courages the heresies and tyrannies of their soueraigne But thou wilt say subiectes must obey only iust and vpright Princes To which I answere that parents are bound to their children with reciprocall and mutuall duties Yet if parents depart from their duty and prouoke their children to desperation it becommeth not children to be lesse obedient to their parents But they are subiect both to euill pareÌ„ts and to such as do not their duty Further if seruants must be obedient to their masters aswel curteuos as curst much more ought subiects to obey not onely their gentle but also their cruell Princes This Didacus Couarruuias an excellent Lawier confirmeth saying If a Prince whether by succession or election he was made it skilleth not doth exceed the limits of law and reason he cannot bee deposed nor put to death by any subiect Yea it is hereticall to hold that paradoxe For God is he which chaungeth the times and seasons he taketh away kings and setteth vp Kings to the intent that liuing men might know that the most high hath power ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomesoeuer hee will and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men Hence is it that we seldome heare of rebels that euer prospered but in the end they were bewrayed and brought to confusion In the time of Henry the fourth there rebelled at one time against him the Duke of Exceter with the Dukes of Gloucester Surrey Aumarle Salisburie and at another time the Earle of Worcester the Archbishop of Yorke HeÌ„ry Hotspurre sonne to the Earle of NorthuÌ„berland all which were either slaine or beheaded To come neerer the state of this question we find that Leonagildus an auncient king of the Gothes in Spaine both a tyrant and an Arrian in the yeere of our Lord 568. pursued the true Christians and exiled his own sonne because he was of the true religion Whereupon this young Prince being moued at the persecution of the Christians in his countrey did twise raise armes against his Lord and Father At the first he was taken captiue and banished at the second he was put to death on Easter day By which example wee may note the effects of Gods iudgements and rebuke the rashnesse of this Prince that rebelled against his soueraigne Wherefore O yee that be subiect to cruell Princes refraine your fury learne to obey beware lest the same chance vnto you which is faigned to haue chanced vnto the frogs who being importunat on Iupiter to haue a king a beame was giuen them the fiâ—â—t fall whereof did somwhat affright them but when they saw it stil lie in the streame they insulted theron with great disdain praied for a king of a quicker spirit theÌ„ was sent vnto them a stork which tyraÌ„nized daily deuoured them In a word rebels in taking care to auoid one calamity do entaÌ„gle themselues in a whole peck of troubles as by this fable of y e frogs is euident And oftentimes it hapneth that the remedy is more dangerous then the malady it selfe for of one tyraunt they make three Hydraes or els in seeking to shun tyranny they reduce their gouernment to a troublesome Democracy Of an Aristocracy Chap. 11. THe rule of a certain and prescribed number of noblemen GentlemeÌ„ respecting the benefite of the common wealth is termed an Aristocracy if any ambitiously preferre their priuat coÌ„modity before the publick good and by coÌ„spiracies dispose of all matters appertaining to the coÌ„monwealth as it please theÌ„ it is named an Oligarchy For as iroÌ„ is consumed in time by rust although it auoideth al incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces so some peculiar dammage or other sticketh to euery commonwealth according to the nature therof as for exaÌ„ple this Oligarchy endamageth an Aristocracy TyraÌ„ny is opposite to a Monarchy sedition to a Democracy That Aristocracy is best allowed where the gouernment is allotted to a few noble vertuous men which bestow most in common seruices and make lawes for the rest directing their cogitations to no other scope then the publick good of their countrey The citizens of Venice do deliuer the discussing of their matters aswell ordinary as of importance to the Senate which are very fewe in number as not ignorant how few being made priuy of their matters they should bee the more priuily managed Neuerthelesse this kind of commonwealth being compared with a monarchy will be found imperfect farre inferiour True it is that siluer and tinne are good but yet imperfect metals in comparison of gold wherein the souerainety and perfection of all metals consist In like maner an Aristocracy well tempered may be good but seldome it so falleth out This Realme of England when it was diuided into prouinces as Mercia NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d others ruled by
created without cause Wherefore did God create man of stature straight and erected towardes the aspect of heauen the originall place of his true pedegree but that he should perswade himselfe that he is of a heauenly nature surely the conscience which discerning betweene good and euill answereth the iudgement of God is an vndoubted signe of an immortall soule For how could a motioÌ„ without essence come to the iudgement seate of God throwe it selfe into feare by finding her owne guiltinesse Further if the soule were mortall what rewarde is left to the iust what punishment to the wicked Also if this were true the wicked haue that which they most desire and the iust that which they most abhorre But shall punishment bee inflicted on the iust whereas it ought to bee executed on the wicked Many reasons I could alleadge but of all others this is most forcible which God hath giuen vs in the resurrection of his sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ whereby his soule was vnited againe to his body and taken vp into heauen in the sight of his Disciples Likewise we reade that God sayde to Moses I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob wherhence our sauior Christ concluded that AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob do liue yet after their death seeing that * God is the God of the liuing and not of the dead Now to be breefe I may fitly compare these Epicurian hogges vnto drunkards who so long being drunke vntil they haue by sleepe sufficiently alayed the furious force of the wine which they drunk know not whether they haue any wit or conscience any soule or sence Obiection Men as Plinie writeth breathe no otherwise then beasts do for wee see nothing of the soule of either of them therfore the soule as wel of men as of beasts being nothing els but a breth is mortall Answere Plinie seeing smoake come out of the mountaine Vesuuius iudged that there was fire within although hee behelde it not also he knew by his nose that there was brimstone issuing out of the same albeit hee sawe it not howe chanceth it then that when by his sences he perceiued somewhat more in men then in beasts hee was not brought thereby to beleeue that consequently there must be somewhat within which causeth men to differ from bruit beasts Furthermore men discourse learnedly of all naturall things they are endued with reason and their speech followeth reason which are such things as haue a resemblance of Gods spirit shining in them but beastes haue not in them this apprehension for that they are produced out of the power of that matter whereof they are ingendered Finally the soule of man is bred in the bodie by God aboue all the matter of the same The third part Of Vertue Chap. 8. WHosoeuer meanes to sowe a godly field with corne must first rid the same field of thornes and shrubs and cut away the fernes with his sithe that the new corn may grow with ful cares so likewise O mortall man thou hauing beene all the daies of thy life as it were in a goldeÌ„ dreame awake at last and withdraw thy selfe from that fonde delight that vertue which is surer better then all Arts may the sooner enter into thy minde Be not like vnto a child who seeing a bable wherwith he plaieth taken out of his hand powtingly throweth away that which he hath in his other hand although it bee far better then the former Al worldly things be they neuer so glorious do fade away yea worldlings themselues are so soone suffocated and choaked with euerie small moth that they are ready to stumble at euerie straw and to become daunted at euerie trifling cause But coÌ„trariwise they which are bedewed with the sweet droppes of Vertue wil neuer be ouerturned eyther with worldly guiles or with the losse of life and bloud Vertue is alway permanent shee is quiet in most stormie times shineth in the darke beeing driuen from her seate she neuerthelesse remaineth in her couÌ„try she giueth continual light and neuer becoÌ„meth spotted with any filth Euerie thing that is atchieued by her meanes is good and soueraigne For her loue Anacharsis the Philosopher left his kingdom of Scythia to his yonger brother went into Athens to find her there This also moued the Emperor Maximiliâ— the 2. in the yeere of our Lord 1574. to answer a Dutchman that craued his Letters Patents to make him a nobleman It is in my power quoth he to make thee rich but Vertue must make thee noble Happy therfore is he that wooeth her thrise happy is he that is contracted to her for euen as the prowesse valour of a horse maketh him apt and fit for his rider to attend couragiously the onset of the enemy so vertue strengthneth her owner against coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce restoreth him ready to abide any bruÌ„ts of variable fortune Moreouer a vertue is said to be three manner of waies in man either infused by God or planted by nature or gotten by pains and industrie Vertue is infused by God when we call her either faith hope or charitie b she is by nature wheÌ„ we terme her nobilâ—tiâ— Shee is saide to bee gotten through paines and industrie when wee name her either morall as iustice truth magnanimitie fortitude temperaunce magnificence liberalitie clemencie modestie affabilitie friendship patience or intellectuall as Art science vnderstaÌ„ding prudence and wisedome al which together with their extremes and subordinate qualities I wil decipher hereafter Wherfore to be breefe let vs embrace vertue so pretious and manifold a palme tree which the more it is pulled downe the more it returneth vpward let vs I say follow her who hath this singular propertie in al-her actioÌ„s namely that c she maketh the man that knoweth her so to affect her that forthwith hee liketh all her actions and desireth to imitate them that are vertuously disposed Of Vice Chap. 9. EVen as a vertue is the beautie of the inward man the way to attain vnto an happie life so vice is the sicknes therof and fighteth against nature d All things that are borne haue vices as it were sowen in their minds He is best that is least troubled with them For we see that neither fire nor feare doth carry a man away so violently as vices They onely haue beene the vndooers of all coÌ„mon-wealths and as soone as they once haue entred into the mind they wil neuer forsake it vntil they ouerwhelme it with al kinds of sin f hurt it with their griping and ouerthrow al things which are next vnto them vnhappie man is he that is vexed with them farre better it were for him not to liue at al or els liuing g to be throwne into the sea with a milstone about his neck Although a man bee fast loden with irons yet his captiuitie is nothing to him y t is enuironed with vices He then that will bee mighty must
example I pray God may sink into y e harts of our swaggering Caualeers who at ech other word vse to lash out most detestable othes Now to cōclude this chapter whosoeuer prouoketh any mā to sweare a grieuous oth and knoweth that he sweareth falsly is worse then a murtherer because that a murtherer killeth but the body wheras he killeth the soule yea which is more hee killeth two soules namely his whom he prouoked to sweare his owne soule Obiection It is good to haue the name of God in our mouths therfore it is lawful to swear Answere Swearing is tvvofold Godly when we be called by the officers of necessitie to depose the truth in any doubtful or litigious matter or else in a priuate case betweene partie and partie to ende strife and debate and this is tolerable when all other lawful proofes are knowne to bee wanting Vngodly when we sweare vpon euerie light occasion and in our daily talke and this is reproued Of periurie or forswearing Chap. 19. AN othe hath three associats to witte truth iudgement and iustice wherof if any be found lacking it is no longer to be termed an oth but rather periury which vndoutedly is a most abominable sinne for thereby wee haue no respect either vnto his presence who is euerie where or reuerence vnto his cōmandemēt which expresly insinuateth that * we take not his name in vain for he will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine and so trecherously abuseth his sacred maiestie The heathen themselues detested this vice and thereupon Homer reprehended the Troians for their periure The Egyptians punished periurers by death Yea many holde it for a maxime that othes are to bee obserued sacredly towardes our foes and that not without good reason seeing periurie by the will of God is destruction and by mans owne confession infamie which is likewise soundly confirmed by our ciuill Lawyers Sundrie examples I might alleadge to this purpose but for breuitie sake I wil at this time content my selfe with one onely In the yeere of our Lord 1576. Anne Aueries widow forswearing her selfe for a little money that shoulde haue beene payde for sixe pounde of tow at a shop in Woodstreete of London fell immediatly downe speechlesse casting vp at her mouth the same matter which by course of nature shoulde haue beene auoyded downewards till she died Thus did God reward periurie In conclusion Hee that forsweareth himselfe is subiect vnto two persons first vnto the Iudge whom hee deceiueth by his lying and then vnto the innocent party whom he endangereth by his periury Those which would know more of this vice I referre to the reading of my Commentaries where I haue alreadie sifted it Of Cursers and Blasphemers Chap. 20. WHosoeuer curseth his God shal beare the paine of his owne sinne and the blasphemer of the Lordes name shall die the death The whole congregatiō of the people shal stone him whether he be a citizen or a stranger This bitter cōminatiō the Lord raineth down vpon such as curse and blaspheme Who then will presume to contradict and dispute against it If a subiect blaspheme or speake euill of his prince presently hee is had by the back and condemned to die What then shall be done with him that banneth and teareth in peeces the name of God who is the King of Kings Is hee not worthy of greater punishmēt namely to suffer both in body and soule Michael the Archangell durst not curse the diuel albeit he was worthy of al the curses in the world how therfore is it lawful for vs to curse The Turkes at this day dare not transgresse herein for feare of Gods punishmēt Many of y e papists accoūt it an intolerable sin to blaspheme O what a condemnatiō wil this be vnto vs I feare me that many of them hauing as it were but a glimpse of the Gospel of Christ will goe before vs Protestants into the euerlasting Paradise We know in our consciences that cursers and blasphemers are hainous offenders in the sight of God Howbe it neuerthelesse we liue carelesse and obstinate as beeing either dazeled like vnto owles at the eminent light of the Gospel or else bewitched and charmed by the empoysoned guiles of this world and the Prince of this world Our vsuall speeches in our anger are these The Diuell take him Vengeance light vpon him A poxe on thee A plague on thee Al which horrible curses haue already fallen on some of our pates that within these 7. yeeres The plague first ouerspread it selfe through London the Metropolitane Citie of this Realme and from thence it crept into euerie shire in particular The poxe likewise hath not beene absent which many parents to their great griefe can testifie As for the other two the diuell and vengeance the gallowes being burthened with traytors murtherers and felons may giue sufficient euidence against vs. Now concerning blasphemie the followers thereof haue not altogether escaped scotfree as appeared by Duke Ioyeus who about eyght yeere since felt the smart of his impious deserts This Duke one of the cheefest of the leaguers in France beeing ouercome by the French Kings forces that now raigneth and despairing of any good successe vomited forth these wordes Farewell my great Cannons I renounce God and wil run this day a high fortune With that hee galloped amaine and plunged himselfe horse and all into the riuer Tar where presently hee was swallowed vp Thus did God worke the end of this blasphemous Duke And I pray God they may so still bee rewarded that blaspheme him which causeth the foundations of the earth to tremble in any Realme or nation in the worlde whatsoeuer What shall I write of the Franciscan Friers who blasphemously compare their Frier Frauncis vnto Christ saying that Christ did not any thing but Frauncis did the same yea Francis did more then Christ for his nayles droue away temptations O childish comparison Of this blasphemous route is Bellarmine that Archpapist as by these his words it appeareth If we quoth he cannot by any meanes keepe the lawe of God then God is more vniust and more cruell then any tyrant The punishment of cursers and blasphemers were diuers Sometimes they were punished by death Sometimes * their tongues were cutte or bored through And at other times their punishments were arbittarie according to the number of their offences Likewise king Lewes of France hearing the Lord of lenuile one of his Barons blaspheme God caused him to be apprehended and his lips to be slit with an hotte iron For which notable act of iustice he afterwards deserued the name of a Saint Let vs therefore consider of these both ordinarie and extraordinarie punishments and employ our whole studies to admonish those miscreants who doe nothing else but ban and blaspheme God yea and otherwhiles their owne selues Of Deceit Chap. 21. SVch is the corrupt nature of this age
that men conuert that into deceite which God gaue them for good reason whereby it falleth out that one deceit bringeth in another and consequently cosenages are heaped vpon cosenages Herehence it commeth to passe that so many in these dayes are conicatched For how can it otherwise bee as long as they listen vnto flatterers despise wise men when they tel them of their follies Wherefore beware of smoothing dissemblers O ye that are gently disposed and suffer your selues to bee lift out of the gulfe of ignorance and to bee powdred with truth which earst like sots yee haue abandoned None euer haue beene deceiued but in that whereof they are ignorant or else in that which is obscure And if they bee deceiued it is prodigious if they bee deceiued of good men Finally they that perceiue not deceits shal oftentimes be deceiued of themselues Whether a man bee bound to performe that which he hath sworne to his enemie either willingly or by constraint Chap. 22. SO excellent a thing is the name of faith that the vse therof hath not only purchased credite among friends but also renowne amongst enemies which foundation being laide I constantly auerre if a man hath sworne vnto his enemie that he is periured if he performe not his othe Now vnder the name of Enemie I comprehend sixe sorts of people First there be forraine enemies such as the Spaniards bee vnto vs at this instant who by an vniuersall consent doe wage warre against vs and these are properly to bee termed enemies Secondly Rebelles of which number wee account the Earle of Tyrone and the wild Irish who haue traitorously reuolted from her Maiesties iurisdiction are to be called enemies Thirdly wee name Pirats rouers theeues Fourthly wee name aduersaries amongst whō ciuill discords hapneth enemies Fiftly banished persons outlawes and condemned men haue the title of enemies In which ranke I place Robin Hood little Iohn and their outlawde traine who spoylde the kings subiects Lastly Fugitiues and runnagate seruants making warre with their masters deserue the name of enemies In the beadroll of these enemies flatterers conicatchers slanderers and Promooters disturbers of the publike rest may be added Nowe to the question whether wee ought to keepe touch with all these sorts of enemies It seemeth vnfaignedly that we should as shall more manifestly appeare by these reasons First * othes by the testimonies of the scriptures are to be obserued Secondly * euill is not to bee committed that goodnes may ensue Periurie is euill therfore not to be committed that goodnesse may ensue no not although a man should lose his life for it Thirdly of two euils the least is to bee chosen but periurie is a greater euil then losse of goods and landes yea and which is more it is greater then losse of life therefore it is better to lose life and liuing then to burthen our consciences with the abominable sinne of periurie Fourthly there cannot be honestie nor quietnesse amongst vs if wee break our othes Sixtly it is no poynt of liuely magnanimitie to engage our faith vnlesse wee were willing to performe it for who shal dwel in Gods tabernacle who shall rest vpon his holy hil euen he that setteth not by himselfe It is rather the propertie of follie for that a foole wil sweare any thing for his owne safegard whereas a man of discretion will consider wel and weigh his speech as it were by the ounce before hee pawne it Seuenthly whatsoeuer a man sweareth and may performe with the fauor of God without sinne that same albeit compelled is to bee obserued for the name of God is of greater estimation then al tēporall commodities such is the promise which a man sweareth vnto theeues because nowe and then for our amendement GOD permitteth temptations therefore a man hauing sworne vnto theeues or pirates by compulsion may not prophane his othe Likewise Machiauell is worthie of many stripes who counselled his Prince to put on the foxes skinne when his other shiftes did faile and to follow that yong mans example who said I swore an othe by tongue but I beare a mind vnsworne Obiection An Obligation whereby a man is bound may bee made voyde by the authoritie of a Magistrate Also it is a rule in lawe A compelled othe is no oth therefore a man compelled to sweare may choose whether hee will keepe his othe or no. Answere There bee two sorts of obligations The first wherby a man is bounde by writing vnto another man and this kinde of obligation may bee made frustrate by the Iudges The second whereby a mā is bounde either vnto his friendes or enemies and this onely belongeth to GOD who by them is called to record Moreouer although this obligation by othe may bee made voyde by the publike law yet notwithstanding it remaineth stedfast in the priuate law of a mans conscience Of Heretiques and Schismatiques Chap. 23. THey are to be accounted heretiques which contumatiously defend erronious opinions in the church of Christ and will not by any exhortations bee conuerted to the truth Such were the Arrians that helde three degrees in the Trinitie Such were the Menandrians Manichaeans Carpocratians Cerinthians Valentinians Somosatenians Nouatians Ebionites Noetians Macedonians Douatists Tertullianists Pelagians Nestorians and others ◠which by Iustinian the Emperour were afterwards condemned their goods confiscated and themselues either banished or put to death Innumerable examples cōcerning heretiques are extant but I will cōtent my selfe at this time with the rehearsall onely of two of thē the memory wherof is as yet rife amongst many of vs. In the yeere of our Lorde 1561. and the third yeere of the raigne of Queen Elizabeth there was in London one William Ieffery that impudently affirmed Iohn Moore a companion of his to bee Iesus Christ and would not reuoke his foolish beleefe vntill hee was whipped from Southwarke to Bedlem where the saide Moore meeting with him was whipped likewise vntill they both confessed that Christ was in heauen themselues but sinfull and wicked heretiques In like maner about ten yeeres ago I my selfe being then a scholer at Westminster Henry Arthingtō Edmond Coppinger two gentlemen bewitched by one William Hackets dissimulations concluded him to bee the Messias and thereupon ranne into Cheapside proclaiming the said Hacket to bee Christ. For which hereticall or rather Diuelish deuice they were apprehended and imprisoned in the end Hacket was hanged on a gallowes placed vp in Cheapside Arthington was kept in prison vpō hope of repentance Coppinger died for sorrow the next day in Bridewell Thus we see that truth although for a time it be darkened by a cloude yet at last it preuailes and gettes the victory the Heretiques themselues are by Gods speciall iudgements confounded and their couragious opinions in a moment abated Neither will it be long ere that the Romish Bishop the sonne of Belial shall see his
power brused with a rod of iron and broken in peeces like a potters vessell yea himselfe shall be consumed with the spirit of Gods mouth and be abolished with the brightnes of his comming Of Iesuites Chap. 24. IGnatius a maimed souldier not for any feruency or zeale that he bare vnto a new austerity of life but feeling himselfe weake any longer to souldierize follow the warres communicated with diuers persons and among the rest with one Pasquier Brouet a man altogether vnlettered ignorāt of Diuinity These two together with their enchaunted cōplices to apply their title vnto their zeale named thēselues deuout persons of the society of Iesus And thereupon presented themselues vnto Pope Paul the 3. about the yere of our Lord 1540. This Pope permitted them to be called Iesuites but with this coūtermaund that they should not surpasse the number of threescore persons Thus for a time they satisfied themselues But within a while after they obtained greater priuiledges of Pope Paul the fourth which made their troublesome order like ill weedes to multiply a-pace and attempt many horrible things yea euen most wicked treason against the liues of high potentates and Princes as against our soueraigne Queene against the French king and diuers others In Portingal and India they termed themselues Apostles but in the yeere 1562. sundry of them were drowned by the iust iudgement of GOD. Who is so simple but hee vnderstandeth that they in naming themselues Iesuites do goe about to degrade the auncient Christians and blaspheme against GOD rather they should call themselues Ignatians and not bring in newfound orders This the Sorbonistes of Paris knew very wel when they doubted not about sixe yeers agoe to exhibite a bill in the Parliament against them What shall I write how they giue themselues altogether to be Machiauellians and vngodly Politicians how they hoord vp wealth how they possesse Earledoms and Lordships in Italy and Spaine and yet for all this they presume to entitle themselues of the society of Iesus O wretched caitifes O hellish heretiques◠the time will come when this outragious profession of yours shall be extinguished by the Sunne-shine of the true and Apostolicall doctrine as the Sorcerers rod was eaten vp by Aarons rod in the presence of Pharao The fift part Of Magnanimity Chap. 25. MAgnanimity is a vertue that consisteth in atchieuing of great exploits and is touched chiefly vpon eight occasions First a magnanimous man is he that wil neuer be induced to enterprise any dishonest point against any man no not against his vtter enemy Secondly he will chuse the meane rather then the extreame Thirdly he will tell his minde plainly without dissimulation Fourthly he will not respect what the common people speake of him nor will hee measure his actiōs according to their applauses Fiftly a magnanimous man though he should see all the world eagerly bent to fight and though hee should see euery thing round about him set on fire and almost consumed yet he notwithstanding through an assured confidence will remaine constant Sixtly a magnanimous man will withdraw his mind from worldly affaires lift it vp to the contemplation of great matters and in Gods law will he exercise himselfe day and night Seuenthly a magnanimous man wil scorne vices and forget iniuries Eightly he will speake nothing but wise and premeditated words according to that old saying A barking dog wil neuer proue good biter and the deepest riuers runne with least noise The auncient Christians of the primitiue Church were right examples of this vertue Magnanimity as they who had all the properties thereof imprinted in thē They I say who cheerefully gaue themselues to be massacred and tormented Like vnto these were our late English martyrs in Queene Maries daies who gladly in defence of the true religion yeelded themselues to fire and fagot For the vndoubted beleefe of triumph in heauen both diminished and tooke away the corporall griefe and replenished the mind with cheerfulnesse and ioy They knew mans lyfe to be but a bubble on the face of the earth They considered with themselues our miserable estate for assoone as wee are borne wee seeme to flourish for a small moment but straightway wee die and there is litle memorial left behind They knew Magnanimity to be the ornament of all the vertues Briefly they perswaded thēselues to see their sauiour Christ in heauen and euermore to dwell with him These these be the duties of magnanimous men which whosoeuer do couet to embrace shall at last attaine to euerlasting happines Obiection All scornefull men are wicked magnanimous men are scornefull therfore they are wicked Aunswere There bee two sortes of scornefull men That scorne mens persons and they are wicked That scorne vices they are good after which maner magnanimous or great-minded men do scorne insolent men dastardes by reason of their pride and cowardize Of Ambition Chap. 26. IN ambition there be fiue mischiefes The first is that causeth a man neither to abide a superiour nor an equall The secōd an ambitious man by attributing honour vnto himselfe goeth about to defraud God of his due The 3. plague in ambition is that it considereth not what hath chaunced to such as exercised it Lodowicke Sforcia vncle to Iohn Galeaze Duke of Millan whom he poysoned was one of the most ambitious men in the world but yet for all his Italian trickes he was at last in the yeere 1510. taken captiue by the French King and put in prison where he continued till hee died Cardinall Wolsey likewise here in England may serue for a patterne of ambition who beyng preferred by King Henry the eight her maiesties Father would notwithstanding haue exalted himselfe aboue the King for which his intolerable ambition his goods were cōfiscated and himselfe apprehended The fourth mischiefe in ambition is that hee hunteth after false and deceitfull glory and thinkes it a faire thing to be pointed at with the finger and to be talked of This is he The fift an ambitious man waigheth not his owne frayelty and weaknesse Remedies against ambition Chap. 27. THe forward horse is not holden back without foaming and shewing his fury The streame that rūneth is not staied contrary to the course thereof without making a noise the ambitious man is not reclaimed frō his aspiring thoughts without good and wholesome admonitions I will neuerthelesse as well as I can endeuour to cure him of his cankered malady First let the ambitious man consider whereof he is made namely of dust ashes Secondly he must diligently goe to heare Sermons and read the holy Bible Thirdly he must thinke vpon the wauering actions of fortune how she taketh frō one that which she trāsferreth on another and how she respecteth not the equity of causes nor y ◠merits of persons but maketh her fancy the measure of her affections Fourthly let the ambitious haue a regard whether hee be commēded of wise men
or of flattâ—rers Fiftly let him compare his owne deeds with those of the holy meÌ„s in times past Sixtly hee must not enquire what the common people say of him Seuenthly let him take heed by other mens harmes and muse vpon the case of those men who desiring to eate some fruite regarded not the height of the tree whereon they grew but laboured to climbe vp to the toppe and so fel downe headlong by reason of the weakenes of the boughes Of Fortitude Chap. 28. THe meanes to discerne a valiaunt man be eight The first if he be not astonied in aduersity nor proud in prosperity but leading both the one the other within the square of Mediocrity Secondly he is a valiaunt man that is milde and courteous of nature Thirdly if he scornes priuily to ouercome his aduersary Fourthly if hee contemne to fight in a bad quarrell for fortitude without equitie is the fewell of iniquity Fiftly if hee giue not place to miseries but goeth the more couragiously agaynst them Sixtly he is a valiant man that sorroweth to die an inglorious death Seuenthly that feareth shame As Hector did when his friendes counselled him not to goe out of the city Eightly hee is a valiaunt man that will fight stoutly in his Countries defence and not feare to die Such a one was Captaine Diagio of Millan who in the yeere of our Lord 1400. beyng enuironed with fire and enemies not finding any means to defend his charge or escape honestly with life threw ouer the wall of the place where he was inclosed and where no fire as yet burned certaine clothes and straw and vpon the same his two children and sayd to his enemies Take you here those goods which Fortune gaue me but my goods of mind wherein my glory consisteth neyther will I giue them nor can you take them from mee The enemies saued the poore children and offred him ladders to conueigh himselfe downe safe But hee refusing all succours chose rather to die in the fire then receyue life from the enemies of his countrey What shall I speake of sir Philip Sydney sir Richard Greeneuil and sundry others of our owne countrymen who of late yeeres not vnlike to those of auncient times so highly commended willingly and valiauntly lost their liues rather then they would trust to the mercy of the Spaniards In briefe * commonly they that are most affrayd to offend the lawe are in the field most stout against their enemies and will shunne no perill to winne fame and honest reputation Of Foole-hardinesse Chapt. 29. FOole-hardinesse is the excesse of fortitude vsed for the most part of Caualeers and tosse-pots For seldome is it seene that they at any time haue fought in iust causes or haue obserued the circumstances belonging to true Fortitude Their properties rather are to flaunt like Peacockes to play the Braggadochians and to trust most impudently in the hugenesse of their lims and in their drunken gates Such are many of our yong Gentlemen who by their wise parents are sent so timely to learne wise fashioÌ„s at LoÌ„don Such are they I say who cary beehiues and commonwealths in their pates who iet now and then in the streetes with bushes of feathers on their Cockescombed sconces and goe attired in Babilonian rayments But the higher they exalt themselues the greater will be their fall In the forefront of these madde-cappes may the Duke of Guise appeare who in the yeere 1588. one day before he was slaine as he sate at dinner found a litle scrowle of paper vnder his trencher wherein was written that hee should looke vnto himselfe and that his death was prepared But hee in the same paper rashly with his owne hande wrote these wordes They dare not and so threw it vnder the table By whose example let men take heed how they persist in any thing rashly for although the Poetes say that Fortune helpeth an audacious man yet notwithstanding that helpe is quickly ouercast and broken by the wofull calamities of the body Wherefore wee must deeme it expedient to resist and turne backe foole hardinesse rather late then neuer Obiection An audacious Braggadochian being knocked runneth away therefore there is no difference betwixt a foolehardy man and a coward Aunswere Two things are to be respected in a foolehardy Braggadochian 1 Madhardinesse or rashnes which leadeth him into daunger 2 Weaknes of nature not agreable to his mind this is the cause why he trusteth sometimes vnto his heeles rather theÌ„ his hands Of feare and Pusillanimity Cha. 30. EVen as the foole-hardy Caualeer trauerseth vp and downe like a Lion so a fearefull man is a pusillanimous meacocke he feareth his owne shadow by the way as he trauelleth and iudgeth ech bush to be a rouer When he is among Gentlemen he holdeth his head downe like a dunce and suddenly sneaketh away like an vrcheon He is either by nature melancholike or by vse a niggard or a tenderling such a one was that Gentleman of Portingall who craued of king Sebastian in the yeere 1572. a protection against some who had sworne his death The king gaue it him Shortly after he came againe vnto the king and complained vnto him of the great feare he was daily in notwithstaÌ„ding his protection Whereunto the king wisely answeared from feare I caÌ„not protect you Farre more feareful then this Portingall was that yong Gentleman of Patauine who of late yeeres beyng in prison vpon some accusation heard by one of his frieÌ„ds that of certainty he should be executed the next day following Which newes so terrified chaÌ„ged him that in one only night he became white grai-headed whereas before there was no appearance thereof The cause of this so wonderfull an alteratioÌ„ was feare which grouÌ„ded vpon a false opinion of mischief seazed on his heart and consumed it like a pestilent canker according to that saying A suddaine alteration hath no great beginning And again Vsuall things are seldome feared For being long expected how can they chuse but fall out lightly To conclude it is the first and suddaine feare that bereaueth the mind of aduise but often consideration of it breedeth confidence and quite expelleth all maner of feare The sixt part Of Temperance and Continence Chapt. 30. ALl vertues do make a Common-wealth happy and peaceable but temperance alone is the sustayner of ciuill quietnesse for it taketh care that the realme bee not corrupted with riot and wanton delights whereby diuerse states haue beene cast away This is that vertue which hindreth dishonest actions which restrayneth pleasures within certaine bounds and which maketh men to differ from bruite beastes Moreouer this is that hearbe which Mercury gaue to Vlisses least he should tast of the enchauntres cup so with his felows be traÌ„sform'd into a hog this is that vertue which great men ought specially to embrace that by their example the common sort might become temperate For
this is the reason why so many now-adayes liue riotously like beastes namely because they see noblemen and magistrates that gouerne the common-wealth to lead their liues wantonly as Sardanapalus did Therefore let noblemen be temperate and spend lesse in showes and apparell that they may keepe better hospitality then they doe and benefit the poore Let them I say imitate those famous wights who voluntarily resigned vp their large portions in this world that they might liue the more contentedly A murath the second Emperour of the Turkes after he had gotten infinite victories became a Monke of the straightest sect amongst thē in the yeere of our Lord 1449. Charles the 5. Emperour of Germany gaue vp his Empire into the hands of the Princes Electours and withdrew himselfe in the yeere 1557. into a monastery The like of late did the tyrant his sonne king Philip of Spaine What shal I say of Daniel and his three companions Ananias Azarias and Misael did they not choose to sustaine themselues with pulse when as they f might haue had a portion of the kings meate seeing therefore by these examples wee perceiue howe great the force of Temperance is ouer the greedy affections of the minde let vs deuoutly loue her and through her loue obserue a meane in our pleasures and sorrowes Of Intemperance and Incontinence Chap. 31. INtemperaunce is an ouerflowing in pleasures desperately constraining all reason in such sort that nothing is able to stay him from the execution of his lusts For that cause there is a difference betweene it and incontinence namely that an incontinent man knoweth full that the sinne which hee commits is sin and had intended not to follow it but being ouermastered by his Lordly perturbations hee yeeldeth in a manner against his will thereunto whereas the intemperate man sinneth of purpose esteeming it a goodly thing and neuer repents him once of his wickednesse Wherehēce I conclude that an intemperate man is incurable and farre worse then the incontinent for the incontinent man being perswaded with wholesome counselles will bee sorie for his offence and wil striue to ouercome his passions But to make both aswell the intemperate man as the incontinent hatefull vnto vs Let vs call to minde howe they do nothing else but thinke on their present prouender and rutting Also wee must consider how that intemperance is that goggle-eyed Venus which hindereth honest learning which metamorphozeth a man into a beast and which transformeth simple wretches into tosse-potted asses wherefore I wish all men of what qualitie soeuer they bee to take heede of this vice least they either be accounted beasts or aliue bee reckoned among the number of the dead Of Lecherie Chap. 33. LEcherie is a short pleasure bringing in long paine that is it expelleth vertue shorteneth life maketh the soule guiltie of abominable sinne This vice I feare mee is too rife here in England for howe many Vrsulaes haue wee like that princely Vrsula who with eleuen thousand Virgins more in her companie being taken by the Painime fleete as they were sayling into little Britaine for the defence of their chastities were al of them most tyrannically martyred In steed of Vrsulaes I doubt we haue curtezans and whorish droyes who with their brayed drugs periwigs vardingals false bodies trunk sleeues spanish white pomatoes oyles powders and other glozing fooleries too long to bee recounted doe disguise their first naturall shape onely sophistically to seeme fayre vnto the outwarde viewe of tame and vndiscreete woodcocks Yet notwithstanding lette a man beholde them at night or in the morning and hee shall finde them more vgly and lothsome then before and I cannot so well liken them as to Millers wiues because they looke as though they were beaten about their faces with a bagge of meale But what enfueth after all these artificiall inuentions the vengeance of God Insteede of sweete sauour there shall bee stinke insteede of a girdle a rent insteede of dressing the haire baldnesse insteede of a stomacher a girding of sack cloth and burning insteede of beautie What shal I do thē asketh the honest mā how shal I discerne a chaste woman from a baudie trull a diligent huswife from an idle droane a If she be faire she is most commonly a common queane if shee bee foule then is shee odious What shall I doe This thou shalt doe O honest mā b Choose thee not a wife aboue thine estate nor vnder lest the one be too haughtie or the other displease thee rather hearken vnto a wittie virgin borne of vertuous and wittie parents correspondent vnto thee both in birth and degree and no doubt but with thy good admonitions thou shalt haue her tractable No woman is so flintie but faire words and good vsage will in time cause her to relent and loue thee as shee should aboue all others in fine respect not dowrie for * If she be good she is endowred well Of Gluttonie and Drunkennesse Chap. 34 OF Gluttonie there bee foure kindes The first hapneth when a man causeth his meate to bee made readie before due and ordinarie time for pleasure and not for necessitie The seconde when a man curiously hunteth after diuersities and daintie meate The third when hee eateth more then sufficeth nature The last when wee eate our meate too greedily and hungrily like vnto dogs Now to come to drunkennesse I find that there bee three sorts thereof The first when wee being verie thirstie not knowing the force of the drinke doe vnwittingly drinke our selues drunke and this can be no sinne The second when we vnderstand that the drinke is immoderate and for all that wee respect not our weake nature which vnawares becommeth cup-shot and this is a kind of sinne The third when we obstinatelie do perseuere in drinking and this certainely is a grieuous and intolerable sinne The discommodities of drunkennesse Chap. 35. THe discommodities of drunkennesse are many first c it displeaseth God secondly it is vndecent and filthie for doth not a drunken mans eies look red bloudy and staring doth not his tongue falter doth not his breath stinke is not his nose fierie and wormeaten are not his wits dead according to that When the ale is in witte is out doth not his bodie shiuer In breefe What doth not drunkennesse signifie it discloseth secrets it maketh the vnarmed man to thrust himselfe into the warres and causeth the carefull minde to become quite voyde of care The third discommoditie of drunkennesse is that it shorteneth life defaceth beautie and corrupteth the whole worlde For howe can it otherwise bee when GOD blesseth not the meate and drinke within our bodies Fourthly drunkennesse i◠the cause of the losse of time Fiftly Hell gapeth and openeth her mouth wide that the multitude and wealth of them that delight therein may goe downe into it For proofe whereof I will declare one notable example taken out of the Anatomie of Abuses About twentie yeeres
right way first let him thinke vpon the fearefull alarums which God by his Prophets sounded against all couetous men Secondly let him consider the pouertie of Christ. Thirdly let him weigh with himselfe how nature is content with a little as for example Elias was glad to eate bread and water Daniel satisfied himselfe with pulse Saint Iohn Baptist liued on locusts and wilde honey Fourthly let the couetous man keepe good companie and follow them that are vertuously disposed Fiftly let him thinke on the euerlasting riches of the other world Sixtly lette him consider of his ende and death Lastly let the couetous man examine himselfe and muse vpon the vnhappie liues and punishments of such as haue beene couetous Calipha the Soldan of Egypt hauing filled a Tower with golde and pretious stones and being in war with Allan the king of Tartarie was at last taken captiue by him famished in that tower wherein his treasure lay More strange is that which is reported of an Archbishop of Mogunce who in the yeere of our Lorde 1518. foreseeing that corne would the next yeere be sold at an extreame rate gathered together great store and whorded the same vp in certaine garners which he had built for the same purpose not with a godly intent to bring downe the price but rather to enhaunce it for his own priuate commoditie But behold the iudgements of God his seruants the next yeere ouerturning this whorded corne founde cleane contrarie to their expectations snakes adders and vermine so thicke crept in that it was impossible to saue ought thereof The like as I heard hapned about a dozen yeeres agoe vnto a wicked niggard here in England Also to mine owne remembrance there was one in the yeere 1589. that sent foure bushels of wheat euery one consisting of two bushels a halfe of Winchester measure into the market and was offred 22. shillings for euery bushell which he refused hoping to get 2. shillings more on the next market day But see the reward of couetousnes wheat was thē sold for 16. shillings within 2. markets after for a noble in somuch that that man which refused to take 22. shillings for euery bushell was now glad to haue a noble for the same Likewise a certain knight of Oxfordshire punished very iustly but ouerseuerely the couetousnes of a priest that denied the seruice of his office in the burying of a dead body because his widow had not wherwith to pay him y e costs of the funeral For the Knight himselfe going to the buriall caused the minister to be bound to y e corps so to be cast both into one graue Which done he rode straightway to the Court with some intercession begd his pardō of Q. Mary The like fact I heard was put in practize by Iohn Maria Duke of Millan aboue an 100. yeers since What shall I speake of the couetousnes of one Peter Vnticaro a Spaniard who with certaine other Christians to the nūber of 263. hauing bene a long time withholden captiues in Alexandria by the great Turke at lēgth in the yeere of our Lord 1577. conspired together for their deliuery by good lucke killed the Gailer and then entring into his chāber foūd a chest wherin were great store of double duckets which this Peter Vnticaro two more opening stuffed thēselues so ful as they could therewith between their shirts their skin which th' other Christiās wold not once touch but said that it was their liberty which they sought for to the honour of God not to make a mart of the infidels wicked treasure Yet did these words sinke nothing into their stomacks But within a while after in a skirmish with the warder of y e prison P. Vnticaro th' other 2. that were armed with y e duckets were slain as not able to weild thēselues being so pestered with the weight and vneasie carriage of the duckets Now to end these remedies and fearfull punishments executed on couetous persons I hold that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill the cheefest cause why God is offended with vs to which also by his Prophet he pronounceth wo saying Woe bee vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field A dehortation from couetousnesse Chap. 43. HAuing heard so many remedies and fearefull examples awake yee couetous men and seeke to bee rich in God and not in the fraile riches of this world which consume away like rust before you haue any fruition of them Distribute your goods vnto the needie and purchase no more then serues your necessitie yee knowe not whether your lands and goods shall be taken from you by the Turkes Spaniardes suretiships fire subsidies in the time of war or any other discōmodities In the yeere 1588. diuers rich Farmers and niggardes hearing that the Spanish nauie was cōming to inuade this realme and fearing therby the losse of all their graine and money which they had by the sea side trāsported as much as they might into safer places euen so ye that bee rich being aduertised of the wauering case of this world see ye transport so much of your wealth as possibly you may into the house and purses of the poore commit I say the custodie of your substaunce to Christ himself who in the day of Iudgement will redeliuer the same vnto you with a glorious interest with a crown of gladnesse Remember the wordes of Christ ◠O fooles this night shall your soules be taken from you then whose shall those things bee which ye haue prepared Euen theirs who will make hauocke of them and neuer thanke you once Forget not what hee commaundeth you in another place Possesse not gold nor siluer for it is hard for them that haue riches to enter into the kingdome of God and It is easier for a Cammell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into heauen Wherefore O ye rich be not like to a dogge lying in the hay which when he cannot eate himselfe he will not with his barking suffer the poore horses to eate thereof Oh resemble not cammels who though they goe loaden with treasure yet they eate nothing but hay In fine repent and turne to God for hee is mercifull and woulde not your destruction Giue almes and make you bagges which waxe not olde and a treasure which can neuer faile in heauen where no theefe commeth neither moth corrupteth Whether the couetous man be worse then the prodigall Chap. 44. COuetousnes is one of the desires beside nature and therefore more detestable thā prodigality which for the most part issueth from a generous spirit and hath some tokens of grace and repentance whereas contrariwise couetousnes springeth in such as are of base dunghilled thoughts which hardly may bee lift vp from the earth and is so bred and inueterated in the bone that it will neuer be rooted out In a
worde the prodigall man doth good vnto many by his lauish gifts by wise counsels may be brought to the square of liberalitie but the couetous man benefiteth none and as I sayd before is incurable and as it were sicke of a dropsie by reason of a dayly habite which he hath taken in coueting Obiection He that hurteth himself is worse then he that hurteth another but such is the prodigall man therefore hee is worse then the couetous man Answere The couetous man hurteth himselfe and others worse by keeping that in his chest which might credite himselfe and releeue the needie whereas on the contrarie the prodigall man purchaseth friendes and good will by his spending and otherwhiles helpeth others in their distresses The eight part Of Clemencie and Courtesie Chap. 45. NOt onely reason consenteth but also experiēce confirmeth that of whō clemencie is abandoned in him al other vertues are abolished for what maketh a man seeme a God doth not clemencie surely there is nothing that draweth neerer vnto Diuinitie then it The consideration wherof procured by the contemplation of the notable frame of man prouoketh vs to bee zealous and earnest to do our neighbour good as not ignorant howe that the pure grace and mercie of God doe shine in euerie iust and honest man Wherefore let Princes Noblemen and Gentlemen who know what vertue is consider in howe vast a sea of inconueniences they wade connually for all their superficiall ports Let them I say waigh with themselues that they bee but men and if for a momentarie while they frowne and scorne to looke on their inferiours what will not the mightie Iehouah who noteth all mens hearts and gestures contemne thē likewise yea yea he wil also strike them with most horrible dartes of vengeance therefore for feare of the same let men behaue themselues curteously and imitate those famous wights who by their curtesies haue merited perpetual honor King Henry the second of France hauing in the yeere of our Lord 1554. licensed the Duke of Montmorency Cōstable to chastise the rebellion of Burdeaux afterward gaue out a generall absolution and forgaue euerie man The like courtesie did the Duke of Guise albeit he was a most bloudy tyrant shewe vnto the Prince of Condie his prisoner in that he spake reuerently vnto him vsed him kindly and permitted him to lie with him in one bed which most men did not suppose that hee would haue done for it is manifest howe hatefull in ciuill broyles the head of either faction is so as if the one happen into the others hand his vsage most commonly is vngentle and his life in ieopardie Now by these and such like examples let vs who are reformed Christians follow the traces of Gentlemen not like vnto heathenish Canniballes or Irish karnes persecute one another with capitall enmitie Finally let vs againe and againe ponder the wordes of our Sauiour Christ who taught vs to bee courteous and to forgiue our brethren not onely seuen times but also seuentie times seuen Of Modestie and Bashfulnes Chap. 46. HE that is impudent and neuer blusheth is accounted lost and ought to be banished from all vertuous company But on a sodaine I saw him blush therefore all is well O noble modestie O honourable affection of the mind which deseruest to haue Temples altars dedicated vnto thee as to a diuine Goddesse for what beautifieth the vertues Modestie what bridleth and tameth the furious passions of the mind Modestie In yong men shee is the badge of innocency and greatly to bee commended but in old men she is vtterly dispraised the reason is because shame fastnesse being once departed from a man is irreuocable and knoweth not howe to returne But nowe alasse in this old and spotted age of the world youths by reason of their parents fond indulgence haue exceeded the limits of modestie and are become so brazen-faced that they will not sticke to outface denie that which is most euident they are I say become so impudent and base minded that they wil neither acknowledge any reuerēce to their elders nor suffer thēselues to be aduised by their equalles nor as yet look mildly on their inferiors Neuerthelesse shamefastenesse in despight of al her aduersaries shal be acceptable among wise men and guide their hearts as she did in times past In the meane time lette men thinke well of her and note whether she graceth yong men and then according to the effect let them choose whether they receiue her or no Of Affabilitie Chap. 47. AFfabilitie is either a wittie vse of speech or a delightfull recreation of the mind or an amiable shew of countenāce It is a wittie vse of speech whē a man moueth mirth either by the quicke chaunging of some sentence or else by a counterfeit extrauagant and doubtful speech as for example a Gentlemā on a time said vnto a Gentlewoman How now Gentlewoman what al alone she eftsoone wittily answered Not alone sir but accōpanied with many honourable thoughts In like sort a merrie Recorder of London mistaking the name of one Pepper called him Piper whereunto the partie excepting said Sir you mistake my name is Pepper not Piper the Recorder answered what differēce is there between piper in Latin and pepper in English There is replied the other as much difference betweene them as is betweene a pipe and a Recorder Affabilitie is a delightfull recreation of the mind when we laugh moderately at those things which wisely and chiefely touch some fonde behauiour of some one body or when wee tickle some vice or other as if a man should talk of a priuie theefe in this wise I haue one at home among all others to whome there is no doore shut in all my house nor chest lockt Meaning that hee is a picklocke and a priuie theefe Howbeit he might haue spoken these words of an honest seruant Affability is an amiable shew of coūtenance as whē some great personage resaluteth the people cheerfully succoureth euerie one according to his power Whereby as another Absalon hee stealeth the hearts of the people Then they speake all as it were in a diapazon who can chuse but with all his heart loue this noble minded Gentlemā in whom all the sparks of aswell royall as reall vertues do appeare But on the cōtrary if a Noble man that is proud and haughty of countenance should passe by them without any semblaunce of gentlenesse they will thus descant of him This man by his stately stalking and portly gate ouer looketh Powles steeple he is as proude as Lucifer his pride will one day haue a fall Thus they read of him be he neuer so high of degree they care not who heares thē their tounges are their owne In respect whereof I wish all Gentlemen to behaue themselues affably and courteously towards their inferiors For whereby els is a Gentleman discerned saue by his gentle conditions let them therfore looke better prie into themselues
intolerable in a wel gouerned common-wealth And chiefly for six reasons First all Stageplayes were dedicated vnto Bacchus the drunken God of the Heathen and therefore damnable Secondly they were forbidden by Christian parliaments Thirdly men spend their flourishing time ingloriously and without credit in coÌ„templating of plaies All other things being spent may be recouered againe but time is like vnto the latter wheele of a coach that followeth after the former and yet can neuer attayne equally vnto it Fourthly no foolish and idle talking nor iesting should be once named amongst vs. Fiftly stageplaies are nothing els but pompes and showes in which there is a declining froÌ„ our beleefe For what is the promise of Christians at their Baptisme namely to renounce the Diuell and all his workes pompes and vanities Sixtly Stageplayes are the very mockery of the word of God and the toyes of our life For while we be at the stage wee are rauished with the loue thereof according to the wise mans wordes It is a pastime for a foole to do wickedly and so in laughing at filthy things we sinne Of Cruelty Chap. 52. THere bee two sortes of cruelty whereof the one is nothing els then a fiercenesse of the minde in inflicting of punishmeÌ„ts The other is a certain madnes together with a delight in cruelty of which brood I accouÌ„t theÌ„ to be who are cruell without cause The causes that procure cruelty be three The first is couetousnesse for as the auncient Latin Oratour recordeth madnesse is the father of cruelty and couetousnesse is the mother thereof The second is violence naturally ingraffed The third cause of crueltie is ambition which soweth in it a hope and desire of clyming higher Now to beautifie our subiect with examples I bring forth first of all Galeace Sfortia Duke of Millan who being woÌ„derful wroth with a poore man that by chaunce had taken a hare which he in hunting before had lost compelled him to eat the same raw skinne and all Further the Spaniards of all nations vnder the cope of heauen be most cruell as appeared by their monstrous and horrible cruelties exercised vpon the miserable Indians whom they in stead of alluring by faire means to the knowledge of the Gospell made some to be deuoured of dogs and others to be cast downe headlong from steepe hilles Moreouer many of our own couÌ„trymen haue bene eye-witnesse of their barbarous tyrannies In the yeere of our Lord 1588. they brought with them hitherward gagges and such like torments to inflict vpon vs if by Gods mercifull prouidence they had not beene speedily preuented and miraculously confounded and I pray God all they may be so serued that intend cruelly to vsurpe and incroche vpon other mens rights Neither with silence can I ouerskip the cruelties of Cardinall Albert Archduke of Austria and deputy of the lowe countries on the King of Spaines behalfe This Cardinal about foure yeeres since hauing taken Caleis in Fraunce spared not man woman nor child But Tigerlike caused them all to be butchered Likewise about a yeere and a halfe a-goe the said Cardinall departing from the low couÌ„tries with inteÌ„t to be maried vnto the king of Spaines sister that now is left Frauncis Mendoza Admirall of Aragon his substitute to wage war in the low countries But what cruelties this Mendoza together with his ragged â—out hath committed within this twelue-moneth the whole world reporteth and especially they of Cleue land his owne confederats to their vtter vndoing can beare witnesse of the Spanish cruelty God of his goodnesse preserue our realme of England from their rauening clawes abate their pride which already beginnes to rise and to assaile the reformed Church of Christ. The ninth part Of Patience Chap. 53. PAtience is a vertue that is exercised in tolerating mildly of iniurious words of losse of goods or of blowes But alasse wee shall now-adaies sooner find them that wil do away themselues rather then they will beare any thing patiently the reason of this their impatieÌ„ce is because they know not the effects of patience which are these following namely first to hope well and then if any thing happen besides their expectations to beare the same patieÌ„tly SecoÌ„dly not to be moued without a cause Thirdly not to giue place to any trouble Fourthly not to enuy them which manage although simply matters of estate Fiftly a patient man must spare him that hath offended him being his weaker and must spare himselfe if his stronger hath iniuried him For what skilleth it whether fortune alway displeaseth thee canst not thou coÌ„temne her frownes accoÌ„pany God the authour of all things without murmuring Consider with thy self how God tempteth some good men with aduersity lest that long prosperity should puffe vp their minds with pride how he suffereth others to be molested with pensiuenesse and damages that thereby they might confirme the vertues of their mindes Perhaps thou complainest of sickenesse or of sturdy seruaunts Admit thou art so vexed yet notwithstanding remember that there is no passion so great no calamity so grieuous whose waight mans nature fayleth to sustaine Follow the example of Casimire Duke of Polonia who playing at dice with a certaine Nobleman of his realme chaunced to winne a great summe of money and thereupon would needes giue ouer But the Nobleman whose money hee chiefly wonne was there at so fiercely moued that hee stroke his Duke and by the benefit of the night escaped away scotfree Neuerthelesse the next day following hee was apprehended and brought before the Duke euery man beleeuing that he should lose his head Yea many of the Barons perswaded the Duke to put him to death Whereunto his grace aunswered in this wise Truely I know no cause why I should punish him seeing that whatsoeuer hee did was done in rage my selfe rather am woorthy of blame for that I vsed such vnseemely gaming wee must giue losers leaue to chafe But to returne to my matter percase thou art poore suppose thou be canst thou not by study ouerwhelme this griefe nature is with a little satisfied I am banished thou sayest and by enuious flatterers brought into disdaine among my chiefest friends What wilt thou therefore torment thy body and mind and deface the workemanship of God no For these misfortunes are not peculiar to thee alone but common eyther early or late vnto all mortall creatures Let the freedome of thy banishment comfort thee as that which is farre to be preferred before domesticall seruitude In fine forget not to thinke vpon those famous wights who chaunced to be buried in a forraine soile Of Anger Chap. 54. ALthough I haue written of this furious vice els where yet notwithstanding I will aduenture once againe to expresse the same in a more familiar tongue to make it appeare the more easie I hold anger to be daungerous for nine reasons First it is contrary to Gods spirit for where by it wee are
of heauenly bodies wee shall finde that Mercurie Luna Sol and Iupiter are friendes to Saturne and that Mars and Venus are his enemies All the Planets sauing Mars and Saturne are friendes to Iupiter Finally among friendes al things are common for A friend is a second selfe Howe a man should know his friend Chap. 58. MAny there bee that meeting by chance either in trauelling or at ordinaries do beleeue that froÌ„ that instaÌ„t a sure league of friendshippe is established betweene them which in good truth can neuer bee so by reason that in the time of triall there is no more effect of such friends then betweene the Crowe and the Kite of whom as the Fable goeth when it happened to the one to bee bare of plumes and would needes borrow some the other answered that hee had no more then was sufficient for him Of this ranke was King Richard the second of this Realme who in the yeere of our Lorde 1398. created Henrie Bolling brooke Earle of Darby Duke of Hereford and foure other Earles at that time made hee Dukes and parted landes among them thereby thinking to haue gotten firme friendes But boughtfriendes are seldome sure as being like vnto Arabian â—auens who so long as they are full doe make a pleasant noyse but being emptie they yeelde a fearefull crie So in like maner it chanced to this King Richard as being shortly after deposed by the Duke of Hereford afterwarde King Henrie the fourth whom as I say de before he had friendly aduaunced to that honour Wherefore a man that would bee circumspect and know his friend must principally knowe these positions First lette him consider whether his friend bee ambitious because that Ambition is fearefull and for the least crosse of fortune wil forsake true friendship Secondly whether his friend bee couetous for that Couetousnesse selleth friendshippe faith and honestie Thirdly let him prooue his friend aforehand in matters of importance for if he then go forwarde with a readie affection hee may bee assured of him against the next time but if hee once stagger or seeme colde that way hee knoweth what he hath to doe Of Flatterie Chap. 59. FLatterie is hardly discerned from friendshippe by reason that in euery motion of the minde it is glozingly intermingled with it but in their deedes they are meere aduersaries for flatterie dissenteth from it in al vertuous actions This a wife man will soone espie and that especially by these tokens First a flatterer is accustomed to prayse a man before his face and yeeldeth his consent with him in all matters as well bad as good Secondly a flatterer is wont to commend the deformitie of his friend when hee is present and to admire his stammering voyce Thirdly A Flatterer when a man hath neede of him turneth his backe Fourthly a flatterer will take vpon him at first to contradict a man by little little hee will yeeld as vanquished and will shake handes with him these bee the properties of a Flatterer of whome let euerie honest man beware for as the Poet sayth Wicked poyson lurketh vnder the sweetest honey And it is better to fall among a companie of crowes then to come among Flatterers because they will not pecke a man till hee bee dead whereas Flatterers will not spare to deuoure a man being aliue Obiection A flatterer will smoothe and consent with you in all things therefore hee is not vitious Answere A flatterer is either An Ape by imitation for hee will soothe a man so long till hee hath gotten somewhat by him A shadow by deceite for he quickly passeth A Basiliske by stinging for with his very sight hee woundeth a man Of Ingratitude with a remedie against it Chap. 60. BEcause ingratitude is the greatest token of all vices and because the earth bringeth foorth nothing worse then an ingratefull man I will anatomize both the vice and the louer thereof First in respect of our vnthankfulnesse towardes GOD and next in consideration of so many ingratefull wretches that liue in these accursed dayes Our first Parents hauing receiued vnspeakeable benefites at the handes of GOD as beeing created by him after his owne likenesse and then constituted as Monarchs ouer all other liuing creatures shewed themselues ingratefull for the same by eating of the forbidden Apple Whose examples wee imitating doe persist or rather surpasse them in ingratitude as in forgetting GODS exceeding loue when he spared not his onely begotten sonne but gaue him euen to shamefull death for our saluation Moreouer wee are vnthankfull vnto him for his singular care and fauour which hee exhibited in opening our stone-blinde eyes and in lifting vs out of the darke pitte of errours wherein our forefathers by the illusions of the fiende and of his member the Pope were enthralled and in a maner sunke Wee are vnthankfull towardes men when wee deface with forgetfulnesse the good turnes which wee haue receiued of our friendes This abominable kinde of vsage is at this instant too much practised by our owne countrymen and Neighbours for it so comes to passe that the greater the benefites are the greater most oftentimes is the ingratitude and I knowe not who among the rest bee more vnthankfull then children towardes their Parents and Schollers towardes their teachers who in steede of thankes doe recompence them with disobedience lyes curses slaunders and what not O detestable sinne not the fowles of the ayre who altogether are ignorant of reason haue euer exercised the same Wee reade that A yong man falling by chaunce among theeues and crying out was saued by a Dragon who by him being nourished straightway knewe his voyce and came to helpe him It is sayde of the Storke that so often as shee hath yong ones shee casteth one out of her nest into the chimney for a guerdon and rewarde vnto him that suffered her to lodge there Oh I would that all they which delight in the contrarie had beene subiect to the Persian King for doubtlesse then they would repent them of their ingratitude when they should see their neckes in the halter The Persians knewe that the man which of benefits receiued proued vnthankfull was not worthie to liue Lette men therefore beware whom they accept into their fauour and houses for it may be their ghestes will become as gratefull vnto them as the Adder whome the husband man finding almost dead in the snowe brought home and cherished Which Adder being thus entertained within a while after in lieu of his fostering infected all the whole house with his poyson Now touching a preseruatiue against this vice of ingratitude mine opinion is that men haue a good respect howe they bestow their benefites Seeing it is impossible for a wise man to bee vnmindfull of a good turne and if they conferre their giftes vpon fooles they are worse then mad because they shall perceiue in the end that a fooles acquaintance will stand them in no steade Of hatred
and the punishment thereof Chap. 61 IT is strange nowe-a-dayes to see how one man is a woolfe to another and how their whole imaginations are set on nought else saue on destruction and bloud Although they speake gently and vtter the wordes of the holy Prophets yet in their mustie mindes they repose the Foxes subtilties and hating their brethren are as sounding brasse and tinkling Cimballes For which cause lette not beastes excell vs who are wont to conuerse with all other of the same kinde and doe right kindly loue together Lette vs not I say bee at variance amongst our selues and suffer the Diuell to haue his tryumphant will by prouoking vs to further mischiefe and like promooters to lay trappes for our enemies To fall out for euerie strawe and to reuenge euerie iniurie is as if one member of the body should rebell against another and to say the truth doe we not dayly see howe these kindes of contentious men are ouermet withall and ouerthrowne in their owne inuentions Albeit they flourish for a while yet notwithstanding at last they haue their deserts for GOD when hee strikes strikes home and to the quicke For manifestation wherof I will propose certaine late examples and which haue chanced within this last age In the yeere of our Lord 1503. Ceasar Borgias determining to poyson a Cardinall and others inuited them to supper and for that purpose sent before a flaggon of wine that was infected with poyson by a seruant that knew nothing of the matter commanding that no man should touch them but such is the iudgement of God who in the execution of iustice raiseth one tyrant to kil another and breaketh the brands of fire vpon the head of him that first kindled it Pope Alexander the sixt Cesar Borgias his father comming by aduenture in somewhat before Supper and ouercome with the exceeding drought of the weather called for drinke and because his own prouision was not as thē brought from the palace he that had the infected wine in charge thinking it to bee recommended to his keeping for wine most excellent gaue the Pope to drinke of the same wine which Cesar Borgias his bastard sonne had sent who likewise arriuing while his father was drinking drunke also of the same wine being but iust that they both should tast of the same cup which they had prepared for others In the yeere of our Lord 1563. the Duke of Guise purposing to sacke the Citie of Orleans wrote vnto the Queen Mother that within foure and twentie howres after he would send her word of the taking of Orleans wherein hee would not spare any man woman or childe whatsoeuer and that after hee had kept his Shrouetide therein hee would in such sort spoile and destroy the towne that the memorie thereof should be extinct for euer But man purposeth and God disposeth for the same day as the Duke about euening returned from the camp to the Castle where he lodged minding to execute that which he had written vnto the Queene a yong man named Iohn Poltrot hauing long time before intended to giue the stroke stayed for him in the way as hee returned to his lodging and discharged his pistoll laden with three bullets at him whereof the Duke presently after died In like maner the Duke his sonne hauing occasioned that bloudy massacre at Paris in the yeere 1572. and purposing in the yeere 1588. vtterly to roote the Protestants out of the realme was himselfe slaine through the commaundement of the French king his soueraigne whom he a litle before most traiterously had iniuried By these and such like examples let vs take heed how wee entrap one another yea let vs beware how we curse lay in waite for our chiefest enemies Vengeance is Gods and he will reward Briefly let vs embrace loue and friendly agree together in Christ Iesu. For loue deferreth wrath it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp it reioyceth not in iniquity but in the truth it suffereth all things it beleeueth all things it hopeth all things it endureth al things Of Enuy. Chap. 62. NOt without reason are vices named brutish for they be all borrowed from brute beasts Niggardize we haue from the hedgehog pride from the lion anger from the wolfe gluttony frō the beare sluggishnesse frō the asse enuy from the dog All which saue enuy may sophistically be iustified as for example niggardize is shadowed vnder the number and care of wife and children and otherwhiles vnder the vaile of pouerty Pride pleadeth that familiarity breeds contempt and that she must obey the importunity of the times Anger alleadgeth the ingratitude of men the indignity of iniuries the disparagement and shame that may follow by too much patience Gluttony sheweth that hee hath a strong constitution of body a good stomack to his meat and therefore hang sorrow and kill care Sluggishnesse declareth that labour and study consume the vitall spirites that he which sleepes well thinkes no harme and he that thinks no harme pleaseth God Thus euery vice for the most part can shrowd it selfe vnder some cloake or other But Enuy where is thy excuse Truly thou hast nothing to say for thy selfe Onely thou meanest to escape away scotfree because thou art concealed in mans heart as being like vnto a tree which in outward appearaunce seemeth to be most beautifull and is full of faire blossomes but inwardly is rotten worme-eaten and withered Now a-daies thy subiects beare all the sway they put men by the eares they are the Petifoggers they the politicians and who but they Alasse there is no man that enuieth not another mans prosperity What then shall we further expect nothing but the comming of the great Iudge Wee see all things fulfilled wee see the father enuious against the sonne the sonne against the father to bee short wee see one brother enuious against another Now is that golden prophesie of the Greeke Oratour come to passe to wit When equity and the common good are ouerturned by enuy then must wee thinke that all things are turned topsy turuy Examples aswell domesticall as forraine be infinite concerning enuy howbeit at this time I will rehearse but one and that a forraine one In the yeere of our Lord 1596. the Duke of Medina seing that our English fleet had burnt the Spanish nauy had takē the towne of Cales and doubting that the other nauy which he had at S. Lucas would either be compelled to yeeld or pay ransome was so enuious of our happy successe that he caused it immediatly to be set on fire so that to spare a reasonable redemption he rashly lost twelue millions of gold which as it is credibly reported the nauy valued Amongst other sins which the Turks account deadly this of Enuy is not held to be the least For say they no man whatsoeuer shall euer come to the ioyes of Paradise although in all other things he be neuer
of sheeps wooll about her middle fastned with a true-loues knot the which her husband and must loose Herehence rose the Prouerbe Hee hath vndone her virgins girdle that is of a maide he hath made her a woman It is reported of some that the wife as soone as shee was come to her husbands house presented to her husband fire in one hand and water in the other which gaue to vnderstande that as these two elements were most necessarie of al others for conseruation of mans life so there could no societie be neerer linked together then that of the husband and wife The auncient Frenchmē had a ceremonie that whē they would marrie the bridegroome should pare his nailes and send thē vnto his new wife which done they liued together afterwards as man and wife In Scotlād the custome was that the lord of the soile should lie with the bride before her husband But because this order was not decēt nor tolerable amōg Christians King Malcolme the third of that name in the yeere of our Lorde 1095. abolished that wicked custome and enacted that euerie bride thencefoorth should pay to the Lord for ransome of her maiden-head fiue shillings Marriages among the Gentlemen of Venice were for the most part concluded vpon by a third person the bride being neuer permitted so much as to see her new husband nor hee her till their nuptial dowrie was fully treated of agreed which being finished they were married with great pompe solemnitie Concerning the ancient order of mariages in Turkie they held it an vndecent thing for the bride to bee brought home to her future husband with musicall instruments but they thought it meete that the married couple should present themselues before God with all humilitie and reuerence and after that these ceremonies were ended they were led to their bed-chamber which was prouided for them in a very secret and darke place the next morning at the dawning of the day the husband by Mahomets law is boūd to aske his wife whether she can read or no. If she cānot then must he learne her to reade In like sort if she can reade and her husband not then must shee teach and instruct him This was the old maner of marriages among the Turks Howbeit at this day they are growne to such excesse of voluptuousnesse that they rather resemble beasts then men Of Matrimonie in England at this day solemnized Chap. 6. MAtrimonie in England is accounted finished after that it is solemnized in presence of the minister and two lawfull witnesses Superstitious ceremonies there are none Onely the Priest is bound openly in the Church to aske the banes to wit whether any man can alleadge a reason wherfore they that are about to bee married may not lawfully come together Which being done and no exceptiō made they then are ioyned in the holy linkes of matrimonie Also in some shieres when the marriage day approcheth the parents of the betrothed couple doe certaine dayes before the wedding write letters to inuite all their friends to the marriage whom they desire to haue present Afterwards the mariage day being come y e inuited ghests do assemble together and at the very instant of the marriage doe cast their presents which they bestow vpon the new maried folkes into a bason dish or cup which standeth vpon the Table in the Church readie prepared for that purpose But this custome is onely put in vse amongst them which stande in neede Moreouer it is to bee noted that if the wife bee an Inheritrix and landed she is to let her husband enioy it during his life and hers the which afterward descendeth to her eldest sonne or in defect of sonnes it is equally parted betweene her daughters Howbeit neuerthelesse if she die barren without children the husband loseth all because landes euer by the common law of England follow the succession But if shee once had a child by him which was heard to crie the courtesie of our countrie is such that y ◠husband possesseth the said lands during his life If the wife haue only moueables as money plate cattell and such like all belong to her husband To knit vp this discourse If the husband haue any landes either by inheritance descended or purchased and bought and chance to die before his wife shee shall haue the vsufruit of one third part of his landes during her life as her dowrie whether hee hath child by her or no. The duties of the husband toward his wife Chap. 7. THe duties of a husband toward his wife are 7. The first that he giue honour to his wife as the weaker vessell for she is partaker of the grace of life The second hee must patiently brooke the hastinesse of his wife for there is nothing in the world more spitefull then a woman if shee be hardly dealt withall or egged to indignation Hence is the prouerbe Anger thy dogge and hee will bite thee The third dutie The husband in any case must not haue carnall copulation with any other but his owne wife for that is verie vniust by reason it dissolueth the girdle of faith and chastitie is the next way to cause her to hate him a woman is iealous and naturally suspitious and sith her husband breaketh with her she will not sticke to breake with him and priuilie borrow a nights lodging with her neighbour The fourth dutie the husband must not iniurie his wife by word or deede for a woman is a feeble creature and not endued with such a noble courage as the man shee is sooner prickt to the heart or mooued to passions then man and againe he that iniurieth his wife doth as if hee should spit into the aire and the same spittle returne backe vpon his owne selfe The fift the husband in disputations with his wife must sometimes confesse himselfe vanquished by her The sixt the husband must prouide for his wife and for her house-keeping according to his abilitie The seuenth the husband must suffer his wife to be merrily disposed before him otherwise a womans nature is such shee will by stealth find out some secret place or other to tattle in and to disport her self The eight and cheefest dutie is that the husband haue a special regard not to make two beddes for so hee may take away all causes of displeasure also if eyther of them chaunce to iarre by this meanes they may be soone pacified The duties of the wife towards her husband Chap. 8. BVt what shall the woman do shall shee do what seemeth good in her owne eyes no for S. Peter speaketh vnto wiues in this wise Let wiues be subiect to their husbands which is as much to say as they must not contradict them in any point but rather endeuour to please them by all meanes The second duty the wife must not forsake her husband in aduersity or deride him as Iobs wife did when shee bad him curse God and die but shee ought to
comfort and cherish him as a part of her owne body The third she must esteeme the maners of her husband to be the legall rules of her life The fourth she must not be too sumptuous superfluous in her attire as decked with frizled haire embrodery pretious stones gaudy raiments and gold put about for they are the forerunners of adultery But let her haue the inward man in her heart which consisteth in the incorruption of a mecke and quiet spirit that is before God a thing much set by For euen after this maner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God attire themselues and were subiect to their husbands The fift shee must not bee iealous or mistrust her husbands absence The sixt duty of a wife is carefully to ouersee her household and to bring vp her children and seruaunts in the feare of God The seuenth she must not discouer her husbands imperfections and faultes to any for by disclosing them eyther she makes her self a iesting stock or els she ministreth occasion for knaues to tempt her to villany The eight duty of a wife is that she gibe not nor flout her husband but beare with him as long as she may Of Diuorcement Whether the innocent party after a diuorcement made can marie againe during the other parties life Chap. 9. MAny mē now a-daies forgetting the plighted troth of man and wife are so deuoid of iudgement and vnderstandding that they make no conscience to proue them separated whome God hath ioyned together Yea some proceed further saying that a man hauing taken his wife in adultery may not onely put her away but also marrie another notwithstanding the first being aliue Which last opinion of theirs because it seemes somewhat probable I will as well as I cā discusse S. Paul saith that the Lord commaundeth the wife not to depart from her husband but and if shee do then be willeth her to remaine vnmarried or bee reconciled vnto her husband In which words might be made a doubt whether the Apostle meant the guiltlesse or guilty party Howbeit I find a defensiue aunswere namely that hee meant the guiltlesse wife for this commaundement let not the wife depart from her husband implieth not this sence to wit let not the wife be constrained as guilty to depart from her husband but rather let not the wife beyng guiltlesse be authour of diuorcement and so by order of law depart from her guilty husband Further if it were lawful for the guiltles to marie againe during the other parties life there would be made a way for infinite diuorcements yea and the commonwealth would be endaungered by reason of often dissentions cauillations and innouations whereas otherwise mē knowing that either they must liue singly or be reconciled seldome or neuer should we see diuorcements To knit vp this doubtfull and litigious question I resolue on this namely that we being Christiās should consider that the spirituall marriage which is betwixt Christ and his Church is now and then polluted by vs with spirituall fornication and that notwithstanding all this it pleaseth his Diuine maiestie to be at a new atonement with vs to comfort vs after this maner Returne O yee disobedient children and I will heale your rebellions For euen as a woman hath rebelled against her husband so haue yee rebelled against me In like sort it behoueth vs to forgiue one another and to imitate our sauiour Christ who mercifully pardoned the woman whom the Scribes Pharisees tooke in adultery saying vnto her Goe and finne no more To be short wee ought to thinke how troublesome second marriages are like to be both for the childrens sake and also for the guilty party who being out of all hope of reconciliation will fall to despaire and to greater vices and perhaps neuer afterwards will become reformed Of Iealousie Chap. 10. IEalousie is a malady of the mind ingendred of loue which will not admit a corriuall or copartner in the thing beloued To this passion the wild asse is most subiect for in a whole herd of females there is but one male and he is so iealous that he will not permit any other to come amongst them and when the female hapneth to haue a male colt the sire with his teeth wil bite off his stones as fearing he would couer his damme Among men the Italians bee most iealous for they if their wiues do but once commune albeit openly with men do presently suspect them of adultery The Germanes of all nations are lesse iealous although their womē be very faire Pope Pius the second otherwise called Aeneas Siluius in the yeere of our Lord 1461. being at the bathes in Germany wondred much at the boldnesse of the Dutchwomen who would euē with men step naked into the bathes whereupon he was wont to say that the Germanes were farre wiser then the Italians Our women here in England although they be in the power of their husbands yet they bee not so straightly kept as in mew with a gard as they be in Italy Spaine but haue almost as much liberty as in Frāce or in Germany and they haue for the most part all the charge of the house and household which is the naturall occupation and part of a wife In summe there is no nation vnder the cope of heauen lesse iealous then ours who tender their wiues so kindly and charitably that at their deaths they make them eyther sole or chiefe executrices of their last willes and testimēts and haue for the most part the gouernment of the children and their portions The second Plant. The duty of Parents towards their children Chap. 11. PArents must haue a carefull eye to their childrē because thereupon principally dependeth the glory of their house And that their duties towardes them may the more manifestly appeare I will set downe what they ought to do First of all Parents must teach their children to pray vnto God to rehearse the Creed and the ten Commaūdements and to catechize them in the chiefest points of faith Secondly they must beware that they come not among such felowes as sweare curse and such like and to that end they must place discreet tutours ouer them Thirdly parēts must breake them from their willes correct them sharply when they offend yet not in their anger for in smitting with the rod they shall deliuer their soules from hell Fourthly parentes must not permit their children to weare gorgeous attires or newfangled dresses but rather declare vnto them the vanity thereof Fiftly parentes must procure them wise and learned teachers when they are fit to go to schole Sixtly parentes must not marre their children by marying them during their minorities neither cause them against their willes to bee assured Seuenthly parentes must see that their children liue in vnitie peace and concord for if debate and discord be pernicious among al men how much rather betweene brethren Lastly parents
reasons First that they might remember th◠creation of the world for in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth and all that therein is and rested the seuenth day Secondly that they might assemble together gratefully thanke his diuine maiesty for his daily blessing powred down vpon them Thirdly that they might recreat refresh and repose themselues to th' end they might labour the next week more aptly Fourthly the Sabaoth is to be obserued by reason it is the seuenth day which number containeth great and hidden mysteries The skie is gouerned by seuen Planets The reuolutiō of time is accomplished in seuen dayes which wee call weekes God commaunded Noah to take into his arke cleane beasts fowle by seuens Pharaoh dreamed that he saw seuen fat kine and seuen leane Dauid deliuered seuen of Sauls sonnes to the Gibeonites to be hanged Christ being termed the first stone of God hath seuē eyes Seuen thousand men did God reserue that neuer bowed their knees to Baal Zachariah in a vision saw a candlesticke of gold with a bowle vpon the top of it and seuen lampes therein and seuen pipes to the lampes Iob had seuen sonnes Seuen Angels go forth before God Neither were the seuen brethren whom Antiochus put to death voyd of a mystery S. Iohn in the Reuelation sawe seuen golden Candlestickes and in the middest of them the Sonne of man hauing in his right hand seuen starres Moreouer he saw the opening of the seuenth seale and the seuen Angels which stood before the Lord to whome were giuen seuen trumpets The Antichrist is prophesied to sit vpon a scarlet coloured beast which hath◠seuen heads By which as all true Christians be perswaded the Pope and his Cardinals attired in Scarlet his seuen hilled city of Rome are meant What more shall I write of the worthinesse of this seuēfold number mans life goeth by seuens named climactericall yeers which Macrobius hath well obserued Sith therefore it hath pleased God so to esteeme of this number let vs Christians honour the same as fearing the scourage of the commaunder It was ordained by a good and godly act made in y e parliament of Scotlād in the yeere of our Lord 1512. being the one and twentieth yeere of the raigne of Iames the fourth that no markets nor fayres should be holden on the Sabaoth day Which act King Iames the sixt that nowe is by the consent of his three estates ratified and approoued in the Parliament holden in the yeere 1579. cōdemning the breakers of the Sabaoth to forfeit all their moueables to the vse of the poore within that parish where they dwelt It was likewise there enacted that no handy-work should be vsed on y t Sabaoth nor any gaming playing passing to Tauernes nor wilfull remaining from prayer and Sermons should bee in any case exercised vnder the penalties following to wit of euerie man for his labouring as often as he was taken in the fact ten shillings and of euerie person for gaming playing passing to Tauernes and wilfull remaining from praier and Sermons on the sunday twentie shillings to bee presently payed and imployed to the releefe of the poore in their parish I could wish that some speedy good order were taken here in Englād for the breakers of the Sabaoth For many now a-dayes hauing beene idle all the weeke before doe of set contumacie labour that day in despight of the Lord his Sabaoth Some frō morning to euening do nothing els but play at dice or tables swearing staring at the least crosse of fortune Others againe be delighted with reading of pāphlets louebooks ballads such like neuer once so deuout as to name God vnlesse shamefully abusing him Oh how oftē do they vse on that day vnseemly speeches the very Turks I feare me go beyond them in deuotion For they duly on their festiual daies resort to their Churches neuer once gazing or looking aside as long as seruice lasteth The seruice being ended they go home each mā to his house inuiting humbly beseeching the priests to beare them cōpany with whō they questiō touching diuine matters not by carping nicking nipping but with pure simplicity feruent care wheras many of vs Christians contrariwise do openly prophane not only holidaies but also the Lords day yet they terme themselues Christians Christiās O coūterfeit Christiās worse thē Painims Me thinks if nothing else could moue you yet the daily myraculous punishments inflicted on such prophane persons as you bee should bee a terrible warning for you At Kinstat a towne in France dwelled a certain couetous woman about fortie yeres ago who was so eager in gathering together worldly pelfe that shee would neither frequent the church to heare the word of God on sunday her selfe nor yet permit any of her familie to do it but alway toyled about pilling and drying of flaxe neither would shee bee disswaded by her neighbours frō such an vnseasonable work One sunday as she was thus busied fire seemed to fall downe among the flaxe without doing any hurt The next sunday it tooke fire indeed but was soone quenched For all this shee continued forwarde in her worke euen the third Sunday when the flaxe againe taking fire could not be extinguished till it had burnt her two of her childrē to death for though they were recouered out of the fire aliue yet y e next day they all 3. died that which was most to be wondred at a yong infant in the Cradle was taken out of the midst of the flame without any hurt Thus God punisheth the breakers of y e sabaoth Famous is that example which chanced neere London in the yeere of our Lord 1583. on the thirteenth day of Ianuarie being Sunday at Paris garden where there met together as they were wont an infinite number of people to see the beare-baiting without any regard of that high day But in the middest of their sports all the scaffolds and galleries sodainely fell downe in such wise that two hundred persons were crushed well nigh to death besides eight that were killed forthwith In the yeere of our Lord 1589. I being as then but a boy do remember that an Alewife making no exception of dayes would needes brue vpon Saint Markes day but loe the maruailous worke of God whiles she was thus laboring the top of the chimney tooke fire and before it could bee quenched her house was quite burnt Surely a gentle warning to them that violate and prophane forbidden dayes Notwithstanding I am not so straight laced that I would not haue any labour done on Sundayes and holy dayes For I confesse It is lawfull to fight in our countries defence on any daie It is lawfull to enter into the bath and it is lawfull for Phisicians and Apothecaries to temper and prepare medicines for the sicke and for cookes to dresse meate for our sustenance It is lawfull for vs
to take paines to hinder our peculiar damages for What man is there that hath a sheepe and if it fall on a Sabaoth day into a pit doth not lift it out In like maner it is lawfull to worke when there is an inundation or deluge of waters and also vpon vrgent necessitie to take vp a draught of fish which for that day being let alone would haue beene cast away More yet would I write if I feared not to be termed a gagling sophister as hauing alreadie discussed this question in my Commentaries vpon Persius I will therefore proceed to the next Of the duties of seruants towards their Masters Chap. 17. THe first dutie of seruants towardes their masters is that they be subiect vnto them e and please them in all things not answering againe nor replying although otherwhiles they know better what is to be done then their masters The second is that they be honest and faithfull vnto their masters and not as many now a-dayes do flatter cologue with them therby thinking to get some bootie The third duty of seruants is that they seeke their masters profit more thē their owne The fourth that they reueale not to others their masters secret affayres The fift that they defend their masters euen to the hazarding and losing of their liues The famous effect whereof appeared in that couragious seruant of Maurice Duke of Saxonie who of late yeeres seeing his master sodainely assaulted by certaine Turks that lay in ambush and cast from his horse couered him with his owne body valiantly repelled the enemie vntill certaine horsemen came and saued the Prince but died himselfe a little while after being hurt and wounded in euerie place of his body Finally to fill vp this discourse seruants must diligently and honestly guard their masters and their masters goods for They that keepe the figge tree shall enioy the fruite thereof and they that waite vpon their Masters shall come to honour The fourth Plant. Of the Acquisitiue facultie Chap. 18. NOw hauing sufficiently disputed of the chiefest parts of a familie I come to the last part that is to the acquisitiue or possessorie facultie wherof I find two kindes the one naturall the other artificiall The naturall consisteth in breeding of cattell in manuring of the groūd in hauking hunting fishing in spoyles and pillages both by sea land The artificiall way of getting lyeth in exchanging either ware for ware as of cloth for silkes of wool for graine or els of wares for money And againe those acquisitiue Arts bee disallowed which are loathed of men as the trade of Brokers huxters toll-gatherers bauds vsurers and ingraters Of which three last after my next discourie of money I wil God willing entreat Of money the chiefest part of the Acquisitiue facultie Chap. 19. MOney as Plinie writeth was coyned by King Seruius of Rome with the Image of a sheep and an oxe Others say that it was first inuēted at the siege of Troy But I find that money was many yeeres currant before the warres of Troy Abraham bought a field of Ephron the Hethite for foure hundred siluer sicles of money currant amōg Marchāts Which is of our money three and thirtie pound six shillings and eight pence Howbeit there is no vse of coyned money in sundry coūtries at this instāt In y e coūtry of Pretious Iohn salt goeth for money The Indians of Peru neuer made any account of money before the Spaniards robbed them of their gold Besides within these two hundred yeeres mony was verie scant heere in England for King Edward the fourth in the ciuill warres betwixt him and Henrie the sixt beeing on a time pursued by the Earle of Warwicke who then was turned to the contrarie side bought a ship in the yeere of our Lord 1461. for eight score nobles to saile into Ireland which price in those times was esteemed wonderfull deare Also in the yeere 1514. money coyned of leather was rise in this Realme Of which kinde of money my selfe haue seene of late aboue tenne bushels in an olde castle in Wales stamped as farre as I remember with the Duke of Lancasters Image For in those dayes certaine Dukes were licensed to coyne money So likewise wee reade that countie Palatines as Chester Durham and Ely could then giue pardons concerning the pleas of the crowne and send writs in their owne names In the Kingdome of Cathay money is yet neither of gold nor siluer nor of any other metall but onely of the barke of mulberie trees which is cut as well into sundrie small as great round peeces whereon they engraue the names of their countrie rating them as wee do ours according to their greatnesse smalnesse It is petie treason among them to employ any other money Sir Thomas Moore reporteth that his faigned Vtopians did make chamber-pots and other vesselles that serue for most vile vses of gold and siluer Moreouer he saith that they made great chaines fetters and giues wherein they tyed their bondmen of the very same metals and whosoeuer among them for any offence was infamous by his eares hung rings of gold about his necke was a chaine of gold Thus by all meanes possible they procured to haue gold and siluer among them in reproach and infamie And if wee Christians examine our selues somewhat more neere wee shall finde that money is one of the chiefest causes why so many felonies murthers treasons be committed and why the crie of the poore is so often come before the Lorde For this cause Plato the Diuine Philosopher saith that In a common-wealth well gouerned there should not any money bee vsed because it marreth good maners and maketh the mind of a man couetous and in satiable Of Bawdes Whether they ought to be suffered Chap. 20. ALthough I haue touched this infamous question in another Booke of mine yet notwithstanding I iudge it not amisse if I repaint the same with more breuitie in a more familiar tongue The first that instituted the filthie order of stewes was Venus who because shee alone would not seeme to bee a whore as hauing lyen with Mars Vulcā Mercurie Anchises and sundrie others appoynted in Cypres that women should prostitute themselues for money to all commers Which custome was renewed by the Popes who built most statelie houses for whores and ordained that they for the same should pay yeerely great summes of money There bee some men liuing that know how Pope Paul the third had aboue fortie thousand courtizans that paied him an infinite tribute The report goeth that Pope Clement the 8. that nowe is receiueth of euery baudy house in Rome yeerely a Iull that is twentie thousand duckets These Panders are to whorehunters as brokers to theeues They entice yong lasses with gaudy garments deceitfull promises to serue euery mans turne for gaine which done they teach these virgins their schoole-lessons namely to bring in swaggrers to outsweare a mā of his
money to faine theÌ„selues with child made of a cushion for coÌ„cealmeâ—t wherof the bawds must be wel bribed to caper in mens armes til they haue guld theÌ„ of their purses to counterfeit teares with an onioÌ„ yea to vse fine glozing speeches as Sir you mistake your marke I am none of your wanton Gilles you abuse my credit my mistris cals me And immediatly after perceiuing the lusty wooer to haue mony in his purse she begins by degrees to listen saying Many men will promise much but performe little they beare vs in haÌ„d vntil they haue got their pleasures of vs and then away they go but you loâ—ke like an honest man After this the bawdes seeing their wenches deformed they giue theÌ„ drugges to raise their colours and to seeme fairer This is the bawdes acquisitiue facultie whereby they liue Some bawds haue a dozen damsels some lesse yet of euerie man they take largely as 20. shillings a weeke or tenne pound a month It is said that loÌ„g Meg of Westminster kept alwaies 20. Courtizans in her house whoÌ„ by their pictures she sold to all commers But I returne to the extirpation thereof We reade that Theodosius the great in the yeere of our Lord 392. vtterly chased al stewes out of his Empire For which notable act his name eueÌ„ at this day is greatly honoured No lesse praise deserueth Henry the eight of famous memory for abolishing putting down of the stewes in London which then were innumerable Therin he imitated the good K. Iosias who brake down the houses of the Sodomites that were in the house of the Lord. Finally no man is ignorant that the pestilent disease of the French pockes was sent as a punishment to stewes Of Vsurers Chap. 21. HE that receiueth any thing ouer and aboue the capitall summe that was lent is an vsurer For which respect I compare him to an aspet for euen as he that is stuÌ„g with an Aspe falleth asleepe as it were with delight but dieth ere he awakes so an vsurer taketh great pleasure in his interest at the first but at length he is so ouercloyed with money that he can neuer enioy any rest the cause is his conscience which like a multitude of furies vexeth his heart and fortelles him of his euerlasting damnation Hence it is that the Romanes inflicted as great punishment on an vsurer as on a theefe and not without cause for hee that killeth a man riddeth him out of his torments at once whereas an vsurer is long in punishing and vndoing his creditour causing him by little and little to pine away Also an vsurer by vndoing of one vndoeth many namely the wife and whole houshold Moe Gentlemen heere in England haue Vsurers Banquers and Marchants driuen to despaire then either warres or sicknesse For when a yong Punie commeth vnto them desiring to be credited for money or apparrell then one of them counterfeiting themselues forsooth to be coy like women wil burst foorth into these termes The world is hard and wee are all mortall wee may not venture our goods God knowes howe wee earne our liuing wherefore make vs assurance and you shall haue tenne poundes worth in silkes and veluets Well this passeth on currant assurance is giuen with a witnesse A little after if the Gentleman hath not wherewithal to pay as wel the interest as the principall agreed vpon whensoeuer this reprobate cut-throate demaundeth it then presently as round as a ball hee commenceth his statute-marchant against him and for tenne poundes profite which was scarce woorth fiue pound in money hee recouereth by relapse ten pound a yeere O intolerable wickednesse O diuelish haberdashers and worse then those vngodly tenants who seeing their Landlords heyre comming sayde one to another This is the heire come let vs kill him and wee shall haue his Inheritance Darest thou O wretched cormorant hope to bee saued and expect to bee partaker of the heauenly blessings Art thou a Christian and wilt suffer thy brother in Christ thus to miscarie through thy entanglements exactioÌ„s No no thou art a member of Sathan thou art in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquitie Obiection The lawes of England do permit vsurie to wit two shillings in the pound therefore an vsurer is not wicked Answere It is one thing to permit vsurie and another to allow thereof By our positiue lawes is meant that those men who cared not howe much they extorted out of poore mens handes for the loane of their money should bee empaled and limited within certaine meeres and bounds lest they ouerflowed reason So that the lawes do but mitigate the penalties and if it were possible they would restraine men from it Of the particulars wherein Vsurie is committed Chap. 22. A Man committeth vsurie sixe maner of wayes First whosoeuer lendeth corne vnto his neighbour with promise that at the redeliuery thereof he should giue him somewhat more is an vsurer As for example if he lend to a man fiue bushels of corne at May vnder condition that he giue him sixe bushels at Bartholmewtide Secondly hee that forestalleth and intercepteth corne in the market and that not for any want but to sell it againe dearer then hee bought it thereby to enrich himself with the impouerishing of many Thirdly he committeth vsury that for the loane of his mony receiueth a greater gage then the money valueth and claimeth the same as forfeit the money being not repayed him at the prefixed time Fourthly he is an vsurer that lendeth his money vpon coÌ„dition that the other buy his necessaries at his shop or grind at his mill Fiftly he is an vsurer that keepeth false ballances and that selleth bad musty things for good and new Finally hee that incloseth commons turneth tillage into pastures is an vsurer Whether it be lawfull for an householder to ingrate and ingrosse corne in the market to the intent he may sell the same another time at a dearer price Chap. 23. WHosoeuer hee be that forestalleth corne in the market and traÌ„sporteth it home into his garners there keeping it vntill a dearer time fall out without doubt committeth vsury For euery maÌ„ ought to sell as he bought and doing otherwise he is an vsurer and must make restitution of the ouerplus The which if he denie he is eftsoone depriued of all power to make his last will and testament Besides there be statute punishments ordained for the repressing of this filthy lucre as forfeits to the Clerkes of the market finesâ—to be paid to the Prince if the foresaid party be taken in the maner In summe his cankred gold and siluer which hee hath thus receiued of the poore buyers and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against him at the feareful day of iudgement and shall eat vp his flesh as it were fire The fift Plant. Of Hospitality Chap. 24. HOspitality is the chiefest point of humanity which an housholder caÌ„ shew not
only vnto his frieÌ„ds but also vnto straungers wayfaring men For which cause he that keepeth a good house and entertaineth straungers is said to receiue Christ himself Which likewise another holy father confirmeth saying We must teÌ„der hospitality without discretion lest that the person whom we exclude and shut out of doores be God himselfe This Abraham knew very well when hee accustomed to sit in his tent doore of purpose to call in trauellers and to relieue them Among whom he entertayned on a time three Angels This also was not vnknowen to Lot when as he vsed to harbour ghestes and compell Angels beyng vnder the shape of pilgrimes to come into his house Wee read that the harlot Rahab for her hospitality was saued with all her household from death at the winning of Iericho Wherefore O yee that be rich see that yee keepe good hospitalitie and relieue the impotent and distressed To conclude if we consider more narrowly and pierce more deepely with a sharpe eye into the benefits of hospitality though no other cause could perswade vs yet the monumeÌ„ts of the new testament might exhort vs thereunto Wherein good hospitality consisteth Chap. 25. THey are greatly deceyued who thinke that hospitality doth consist in slibber-sauces in spiced meates or in diuersities For these are nought els saue fooleries and fond wasting of goods whereby the flesh is prouoked to lechery becommeth altogether inflamed massy and diseased Further experience teacheth that none are more subiect to sicknesses then they that gurmaundize and feed on sundry kindes of dishes The reason is because that those diuersities which they eat be repugnant and contrary the one to the other and breed putrifaction and corrupt humours within their bodies Whereas contrariwise they that liue on one sort of meat and hardly do looke faire lusty well complexioned and most commonly attaine vnto very old age Good hospitality therefore consâ—steth not in gluttonous diuersities but rather in one kind of meat in clothing the naked and in giuing almes vnto the poore Why houskeeping now-adaies is decayed Chap. 26. THe causes why hospitality is nowadaies brought to so low a saile are fiue The first is ambition which moueth Gentlemen that are of large reuenewes to weare gorgeous attires to traile a costly port after them to caualiere it abroad and giuing vp house-keping at home to take a chamber in London where they consume their time in viewing of stage playes in carousing of healths perhaps in visiting of courtizans The second is hatred which pricketh GentlemeÌ„ to fall out with their neighbors and to enrich the lawiers by commencing of suites and coÌ„trouersies The third is couetousnesse which perswadeth landlords to hoord vp substaÌ„ce for the Diuell to enhaunce incomes to rayse rents for feare least yeomen keep better hospitality then themselues and to conuert tillage into pastures In consideration of which abominable abuse it was most prudently enacted in the last Parliament that all landes which were conuerted into sheepe pastures or to the fatting or grazing of cattell the same hauing beene tillage lands should be before the first of May in the yeere of our Lord 1599. last past restored to tillage by the possessours thereof and so should continue for euer It was further enacted in the said Parliament that euery person offending against the premisses aforesaid should forfeit for euery acre not restored the summe of twenty shillings yeerely as long as the offence continued The fourth reason why hospitality is caried to so lowe an ebbe proceedeth of building for sooner shall wee see a Gentleman build a stately house then giue almes and cherish the needy The fift and last cause of the decay of hospitality is gluttony which enduceth men to prepare artificiall cookeries diuers sorts of meate wheras one large and wholesome messe of meat could peraduenture counteruaile yea and go beyond all their iunkets and dainty delicacies Of Almes and the forgetfulnesse therof in these dayes Chap. 27. THe poore being an inferiour family in Gods church are recommended by him to our charge namely that wee should relieue them in their distresse consider that whatsoeuer wee do vnto them we do vnto Christ himselfe who for our sakes left a glorious habitation and became poore Besides we must remeÌ„ber to giue almes vnto the poore in respect of that holy mans saying The poore crieth and the Lord heareth him yea and deliuereth him out of all his troubles Alasse let vs ponder with our selues wherefore did the Lord giue vnto many of vs such great aboundaunce of wealth in this life aboue our brethren if it were not to vse them well and to furnish the needy The simplest idiot of vs al doth very wel know that wealth was not giuen vs to hoord vp no nor to consume the same in superfluous vanities Why then do we keep our clothes in our presses our money in our coffers Why do wee misspend our goods in gaudy rayments in caualiering shewes in feeding of houndes in banqueting in reuelling and in a thousand trumperies besides oh why do we not waigh in our minds that whatsoeuer wee spend more then wee need is none of ours but the poores to detaine from them is to pill and poll yea and perforce to spoyle them What shall we say when God will demaund an account of our stewardships Doubtles except wee do out of hand repent and giue almes wee shall bee cast as a pray vnto the Deuill and with him bee tormented in hell for euermore O fearfull doome The misbeleeuing Turkes are woont secretly to send their seruaunts abroad purposely to hearkeÌ„ amongst their neighbours which of them hath most need of victuals money and apparell Yea more then that in their Musaph or Alcoran they haue these words If men knew how heauenly a thing it were to distribute almes they would not spare their owne flesh but would euen teare the same and slice it into carbonadoes to giue it vnto the poore The Papists that are ouerwhelmed in superstition and idolatry do hope although sacrilegiously to be saued by their almes-giuing Oh what a shamefull thing will this be against vs at the dreadfull day of iudgement Verily I feare me it will be easier for them then for vs to enter into the kingdome of heauen if speedily we amend not be bouÌ„tiful vnto the poore For whosoeuer stoppeth his eares at the crie of the poore shal also cry himselfe and not be heard Where now-adayes shall we find the woman of Sarepta to entertaine Elias where are Abraham and Lot to feast the holy Angels If Eliza were now liuing surely he should want his hostesse the Sunamite Nay which is more if Christ himselfe were here he should neither find Martha to welcome him no nor Mary to powre any sweet oyntments vpon his head The members of Christ make supplication and pray meekely but the rich giueth a rough aunswere Lazarus beggeth still without
of commoditie and for the preseruation of themselues as well in peace as in warre The which is a thing naturall both in respect of parts to wit a shire a parish and a family whereof a Commonwealth is the accomplishment and of men naturally disposed to liue in societie Neuerthelesse there haue beene many societies which were not Common-wealths but certaine base habitations in villages where the weaker yeelded seruice to the stronger Also the Arabians at this day wander vp and down ignorant of liuing and do carrie about with them their woodden habitations which they draw vpon charrets seeking for prayes and spoyles frō the riuer Euphrates along vnto the sea Atlantique But to these and such like well may I apply that saying of the Philosopher namely that he which cannot abide to liue in companie is eyther a beast that is a monstrous wicked man or a God that is a man surpassing the ordinarie sort of vertuous men in perfection The examination whereof caused all that were free and liberally borne to be enclined vnto societie and to defend the Common-wealth with all their powers yea and thereunto to beare a greater affection then to their parents Although our families bee destroyed yet the Commonwealth standing wee may in time flourish againe but if the Common-wealth be destroyed both we and our families must likewise come to vtter destruction Let this serue for a watch-word to our English Fugitiues who vnnaturally haue abandoned their natiue countrie and now being become Seminarie Priestes and vncleane spirits like vnto them that in the Reuelation issued as frogs out of the Dragons mouth doe by all shameful acts and false counsels suborne their countrymen to conspiracies against their Prince and Common-wealth The diuision of a Common-wealth Chap. 2. IT was a great controuersie among politicians about the diuision of a Common-wealth for some would allow but of two sorts some contrarie appoynted foure and others fiue Polybius accounted seuen Bodinus whose iudgement is most of all applauded approoueth onely those three speciall kindes of a Commonwealth which Aristotle hath mentioned The first a Monarchie where the gouernement of the whole Common-wealth is in one mans hand This kind regarding the weale publike more then the weale priuate is named the soueraigne authoritie as in England France Spaine Denmarke Polonia and Swethland The second an Aristocracie where the smaller number and those of the best sort do beare rule as the Senate of Rome in times past and the Gentlemen of Venice at this present day The third kinde of a Common-wealth is called a Democracie where the regiment of a Commonwealth consisteth in the power of al or else of the greater part of the people as in ancient times at Athens and nowe at this present the Cantons of Switzerland Of a Monarchie Chap. 3. AMong all creatures as well hauing life as without life one alwaies hath preeminence aboue the rest of his kind This inferiour world obeyeth the superiour and is ruled by it as wee see by a certaine vertuous influence associated with light heat and named by some the quintessence of the world which issueth down frō the celestiall essence spreadeth it selfe through the lumpe of this huge body to nourish all things vnder the Moone In like maner we see the sunne the principall minister of this celestiall vertue as a monarch among the Planets illuminating al the world with his glistering beams We see the Moone as an Empresse predominant ouer al moist things We see the fire bearing the soueraigntie ouer the other elements In musicall concents consisting of soundes we see the treble as it were commāding the base Among reasonable creatures man onely is the chiefe Among beasts the Lion Among birdes the Eagle Among fishes the Whale Among metals gold Among graines wheate Among aromaticall spices balme Among drinke wine And to conclude haue not the Bees one onely King Is not vnitie the first of numbers and when we haue cast our accounts do not we return the same to one totall summe Thus by naturall discourses wee see that a monarchie of all other regiments is the most excellent If wee search ancient Fables we shal find that the gods were ruled by Iupiter What blind Bayard therefore wil deny that all superiour and inferiour things are much better ordered by the arbitrement of one then by the aduice of many Moreouer there bee foure forcible reasons which prooue that a Monarchy ought to be preferred before all other sorts of gouernments First from the beginning of countryes and nations the gouernement was in the hands of Kings who were not extolled to that high degree of maiestie by Ambition but for their modestie which was knowne to all men Likewise that which is auncient and first is more noble then that which is newfangled and later Secondly the image of a monarchie is found in priuate families For the authority of a father ouer his children may bee resembled to a royall gouernment because the Children are the fathers charge hee alone must prouide for them and their offences are by him chastised With which concurreth that common speech Euery man is a King in his owne house Thirdly a Monarchie hath continued aboue a thousand yeeres whereas the longest Aristocracie and Democracie haue not lasted aboue sixe hundred yeeres Our Kingdome of Brittaine retained a Monarchie from the time that Brutus first inhabited it vntill Cadwalader who was the last king of the British bloud which was aboue foureteene hundred yeeres Then in the yeere of our Lorde 574. the Kingdome was diuided among seuen of the Nobles who still continued ciuill warre one vpon the other vntill Ecbert in the yeere 800. reduced the seuen prouinces into one whole Kingdome Since which time there ruled Princes as Monarches vntill now this yeere of our Lord one thousand six hūdred Whereby wee finde that our Monarchie hath alreadie lasted full eight hundred yeeres Scotland likewise hath endured in a Monarchie from the yeere of our Lord eight hundred and twentie Dungall then raigning vntill this present yeere Fourthly a Monarch carrieth a greater maiestie whereby hee seemes gratious and amiable in the sight of his subiects and dreadfull to his enemies To conclude lette vs consent that a Monarchie is the most excellent regiment of all others as that which draweth neerest to Gods will who is the Monarch of all Monarches King of Kings and Lord of Lordes Obiection It is better to be subiect vnto God alone then vnto man for he foreseeth al things to come and without his prouidence one sparrow shall not fall on the ground And seeing that hee is so carefull for these small things will not he thinke you care for man that is of more value then many sparrowes Furthermore wee are Christians chosen of God and pretious as liuely stones and also made a spirituall house an holy priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices to God by Iesus
Christ with whom the presence of his spirit will alwayes bee vntill the end of the world Therefore iniurie is done vnto him if wee allow of any other Monarch but onely him Answere EVen as it hath pleased God of his diuine prouidence to ordain the sunne Moone and elements as Emperours ouer this inferiour world so in like maner hee working by such meanes and instruments constituted Moses Iosuah and others iudges ouer his people by whome as his instruments hee brought to passe his sacred will and deliuered the Israelites from Egypt where they were enthralled And although hee defendes vs with an outstretched arme and hath illuminated vs with the light of his Gospel yet notwithstanding hee hath appointed Princes as his vicegerents and instruments heere on earth to see his word planâ—ed heresies rooted out and offenders by political lawes executed Monarches therefore must bee obeyed r as the ministers of God to take vengeance on the wicked There is no power but of God and the powers that bee are ordained of God Wherefore Let no man speake euill of the ruler of the Common-wealth That hereditarie succession is better then Election Chap. 4. MAny affect the place of a monarch not to any good end they being not good themselues whome neuerthelesse the custome or lawe of Nations hath restrained by a double bridle of election and succession The latter is that when maiestie commeth of descent and one Prince is borne of another The other when as birth-right being set aside they are chosen by consent of voyces Succession without doubt is the better as by reasons shall appeare First it is meete that the sonne possesse the Kingdome for the Fathers sake Secondly the sonne is brought vp to follow his fathers steps especially in defending of religion Thirdly the alteration of matters giues opportunitie to strange and great attempts Fourthly the sonne by nature from his father obtaineth a smacke of policie and beeing alwayes present with him knoweth the state of the Kingdome better then any other Fiftly the successour is woont to administer iustice more constantly and sincerely Whereas the elect Prince must in a maner fawne on his electours and newe subiects Finally No authoritie can prosper or endure which is purchased by canuasing and flatteries there is lesse danger in the acceptation of a Prince then in the election The dutie of a Prince Chap. 5. THere are foure cheefe qualities necessarie for a Prince to maintaine his reputation The first is clemencie to forgiue trespasses For as the Sunne when it is highest in the Zodiake moueth slowest so the higher a Prince is soared to greatnesse the more gratious and meeke hee ought to bee towardes his humble subiects The second to imprint the lawes and ordinances of God in his minde and to leuell all his actions to the glorie of the king of kings as well for the health of his owne soule which hee ought to hold dearer then his whole kingdome yea then all the world as for good ensample and imitation vnto his subiects The third is liberalitie to succour poore scholers and souldiours for as there is nothing more common then the sunne that communicateth his light to all the celestiall bodies and chiefely to the Moone so a prince ought to impart part of his reuenewes to the distressed and especially aboue the rest to students Souldiours The fourth to haue courage and vertue to tolerate abuses For Although his power and authoritie extend so farre that the countrie of India quaketh at his commandement although the farthest Island in the sea doth serue and obey him yet if hee cannot bridle his owne affections his power is not worthie to be esteemed Of the name of Emperour Chap. 6. THis name Emperour the Romanes first inuented not for their Kings but for their warlike Generalles Serranus Camillus Fabius Maximus and Scipio the Affrican as long as they gouerned the Romane hosts were entituled Emperours But when they finished their warres they were called by their owne proper names Afterward when Antonie was discomfiâ—ed by Augustus Caesar it chanced that the common-wealth came altogether into his hands Whereupon the Romanes desired that hee would not assume vnto himselfe the name of King because it was odious vnto theÌ„ but that he would vse another title vnder which they would bee his loyall and obedient subiects Then Augustus being at that time Generall and therefore named Emperour chose this title to doe the Romanes pleasure So that Augustus Caesar was the first that called himselfe by the name of Emperour The cause why they hated the name of King was by reason that their forefathers in auncient times hauing deposed their King Tarquin for his tyrannies and rapes had forbidden by an edict and solemne othe the name of King euer after to be vsed among them Augustus beeing dead Tiberius succeeded him in the Empire of Rome then Caligula Claudius Nero and foure and thirtie more before the Empire was by Constantine the great in the yeere of our Lord 310. transferred to Constantinople where it continued vnited vntill the yeere of our Lord seuen hundred ninetie and foure At which time the Empire was parted into the East and West which lasted in that sort vntill the yeere of our Lord a thousand foure hundred fiftie and three Constantinople to the great disparagement of all Christian Princes was taken by the great Turke called Mahomet the second Neuerthelesse the Empire of the West or rather of Germanie since that time hath as yet remained with the house of Austria Rodolph the second now raigning Of the name of King Chap. 7. TOuching the title of King it is to be noted that according to the diuersitie of Nations so did they diuersly nominate their Princes to wit among the Egyptians they named them Pharaoes among the Persians Arsacides among the Bythinians Ptolomeyes among the Latines Siluii among the Sicilians Tyraunts among the Argiues Kings among the Saraâ—ens Amiraes and nowe of late among the Persians Soldanes In the beginning of the world all Princes were termed Tyrants but when people beganne to perceiue how great difference was betwixt the one and the other they agreed among themselues to call the good Princes Kings and the wicked Tyrants Whereby wee see that this title of King is authorized only vnto iust Princes and that doe well deserue to be so named In this Realme of England there hath not at any time beene vsed any other generall authoritie but onely the most royall and kingly maiestie Neither hath any King of this Realme taken any inuestiture at the handes of the Emperour of Rome or of any other forraine prince but helde his kingdome of God to himselfe and by his sword his people and crowne acknowledging no Prince in earth his superiour and so it is kept and holden at this day Of a Gynecracie or Womans raigne Chap. 8. WOmen by gouerning haue got no lesse renowne then men as is euedent by learned
Histories For which cause The Diuine Philosopher found great fault with his countrymeÌ„ the Graecians because their Noblewomen were not instructed in matters of state policie Likewise Iustinian the Emperour was highly displeased with the Armenians For that most barbarously they prohibited women from enioying heritages and bearing rule as though quoth hee women were base and dishonoured and not created of God In the right of succession the sisters sonne is equall to the brothers sonne Whereby is vnderstood that women are licensed to gouerne aswell as men Moreouer there be two forcible reasons that conclude women to be most apt for Seignories First there is neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for they are all one in Christ Iesus The minds and actions of men and women do depeÌ„d of the soule in the which there is no distinction of sexe whereby the soule of a man should bee called male and the soule of a woman female The sexe rather is the instrument or meanes of generation and the soule ingendreth not a soule but is alway permanent and the very same Seeing therefore that a womans soule is perfect why should she be debarred by any statute or salique law from raigning The body is but lumpish and a vassall to the soule and for that respect not to be respected Secondly vertue excludeth none but receyueth all regarding neither substaunce nor sexe What should I rippe vp the examples of sundry nations which preferred women before themselues And for that cause they did neyther reiect their counsels nor set light by their answeres Semiramis after the death of her husband Ninus fearing lest the late conquered Aethiopians would reuolt and rebell from her Sonne yet young of yeeres and ignorant of rule tooke vpon her the principality and for the time of his nonage ordered the kingdome so princely that shee passed in feates of armes in triumphs conquests and wealth all her predecessours Nicocris defended her Empire against the Medes who then sought the Monarchy of the world and wrought such a miracle in the great riuer of Euphrates as all men were astonished at it for shee made it contrary to mens expectation to leaue the ancient course so to follow her deuice to and fro to serue the citie most commodiously insomuch that she did not onely surpasse all men in wit but ouercame the elements with power Isis after the decease of her husband Osyris raigned ouer Egypt and tooke care for so much prouision for the common wealth that shee was after her death worshipped as a Goddesse Debora iudged Israel Iudith the Bethulians Lauinia after the death of Eneas gouerned Italy Dido Carthage Olympias Pirrhus his daughter ruled ouer Epire Aranea was queen of Scythia Cleopatra of Egypt Helena after the death of Leo the Emperour raigned in Constantinople ouer all Asia as Empresse Ioanna was queene of Nauarre marying with Philip Pulcher the French king made him king of Nauarre in the yeere of our Lord 1243. Margaret ruled ouer Flaunders in the yeere of our Lord 1247. And another Princesse of that name y e only daughter of Valdemare the 3. king of DeÌ„mark Norway gouerned those kingdoms after her fathers death in the yeere of our Lord 1389. she tooke Albert the king of Swethland captiue kept him in prison 7. yeeres Ioanna was queene of Naples in the yeer 1415. Leonora Dutchesse of Aquitaine was maried to Henry Duke of Gaunt and in despight of the French K. brought him Aquitaine Poiteaux in the yeere 1552. Queene Mary raigned here in EnglaÌ„d in the yeere 1553. What should I write of Elizabeth our gratious Queene that now is which by her Diuine wisedome brought three admirable things to passe First her Maiesty reformed religion that by the Romish Antichrist was in her sisters time bespotted Secondly she maintayned her countrey in peace wheÌ„ all her neighbour Princes were in an vprore Thirdly she triumphed ouer all her foes both domesticall and hostile traiterous and outlandish If a man respect her learning it is miraculous for shee can discourse of matters of state with the best Philosopher she vnderstandeth sundry kinds of languages and aunswereth forreine Ambassadours in their forreine tongues If a man talke of the administration of iustice all the nations vnder the heauens cannot shew her peere In summe her Princely breast is the receiuer or rather the storehouse of all the vertues aswell morall as intellectuall For which causes England hath iust occasion to reioyce and to vaunt of such a gratious mother To whome the Monarch of Monarches long continue her highnesse and strengthen her as he hath done hitherto to his perpetuall glory confusion of all her enemies and to our euerlasting comfort Of Tyraunts Chap. 9. SIr Thomas Smith termeth him a Tyraunt that by force commeth to the Monarchy against the will of the people breaketh lawes already made at his pleasure and maketh other without the aduise and consent of the people and regardeth not the wealth of his commons but the aduauncemeÌ„t of himself his faction kindred Also there be two sorts of Tyrants The one in title the other in exercise He is in title Tyrant that without any lawfull title vsurpeth the gouernment In exercise he that hath good title to the principality and commeth in with the good will of the people but doth not rule wel and orderly as he should And so not onely they which behaue themselues wickedly towards their subiects are called Tyraunts as Edward the second of this realme in the yeere of our Lord 1319. and Alphonsus of Naples that lawfully came to the crowne in the yeere 1489. but also they are named tyrants which albeit they behaue themselues well yet they are to be called tyraunts in that they had no title to the principality as Sâ—eno the King of Denmark that vsurped this realme of England in the yeere 1017. and Pope Clement the eight that now is who about two yeeres ago seysed on the Dukedome of Ferraria onely by pretence of a gift which Constantine time out of mind bequeathed to the papacy Furthermore there be sixe tokens to know a tyrant The first if hee sends abroad pickthanks talebearers and espies to hearken what men speake of him as Tiberius the Emperour was woont to do The second if he abolisheth the study of learning and burneth the monuments of most worthy wittes in the market place and in the assembly of the people least his subiects should attaine to the knowlege of wisedome As Alaricus king of the Gothes did in Italy in the yeere 313. and the great Turke in his Empire The third if hee maintaine schismes diuisions and factions in his kingdome for feare that men should prie into his doings As the Popes haue done alway from time to time and of late daies the Queene mother in Fraunce The fourth if hee trust straungers more then his
fathers vertues but liued wickedly should be disinherited their reuenewes giuen to the most vertuous of that race not admitting any vitious heyre whatsoeuer The properties of a Gentleman Chap. 15. THe meanes to discerne a Gentleman bee these First hee must bee affable and courteous in speech and behauiour Secondly hee must haue an aduenturous heart to fight and that but for verie iust quarrels Thirdly hee must bee endued with mercie to forgiue the trespasses of his friendes and seruants Fourthly hee must stretch his purse to giue liberally vnto souldiours and vnto them that haue neede for a niggard is not worthie to bee called a Gentleman These bee the properties of a Gentleman which whosoeuer lacketh deserueth but the title of a clowne or of a countrie boore In breefe it fareth with Gentlemen as it doth with wine which ought to haue foure good qualities namely it must not taste of the Caske next it must sauour of a good soyle Thirdly it must haue a good colour Last of all it must sauour of the goodnes of the grape and not bee sophistically mingled with water and such like That Gentlemen must not greatly respect what the common people speake of them Chap. 16. THe common people groūd their actions vpō fallible expectations they are stout when perils bee farre off and very irresolute when they approach Who therefore is so brainesicke as to beleeue their assertions What else is glorie then a windie gale neuer comming from the heart but onely from the lungs They that be praysed vnworthily ought to bee ashamed of their praise Admit they bee iustly praised what thing more hath it augmented to the conscience of a wise man that measureth not his good by the rumour of the common people but by the trueth of the conscience For which cause the Romanes built two temples ioyning together the one being dedicated to vertue the other to honour but yet in such sort that no man could enter into that of honour except first hee passed through the temple of vertue Honor as the Philosopher sayth is a reuerence giuen to another for a testimonie of his vertue Insomuch as honor is not attributed to vertue by dignitie but rather it is attributed to dignity by vertue of them that vse the dignitie Howbeit notwithstanding I haue not such horny heart-strings that I would not at al haue mē to be praysed but my meaning is that Gentlemen should obserue a meane and a limitation in their common applauses and fine soothings For to bee altogether carelesse as Stoykes Cynicks would haue euerie one to be what men think of thē is not onely a marke of arrogancy but also a token of a loose life Wherefore gentlemen must endeuour by al meanes without vain-glory to keep a good name especially among their neighbors to beare themselues such men indeede as they would haue al men account thē Wherto accordeth that saying of the Poet Thou shalt liue well if thou takest care to be such a one as thou hearest how the people testifie of thee abroad Of Knights of honour Chap. 17. THose I call knights of honour who here in England are named Knights of the Garter and in France Knights of the order of saint Michael The original of the honorable order of the Garter was first inuented after this maner Whē K. Edward the third had by the means of Edward the blacke Prince his sonne taken captiues King Iohn of France and King Dauid of Scotland and had put them both in ward at London and also had expelled King Henrie the bastard of Spaine restoring the Kingdome to Peter the lawfull King then he to honor and grace his victories deuised an honourable fellowship and made choyse of the most famous persons for vertue and honoured them with this order giuing thē a garter adorned with gold and pretious stones together with a buckle of gold to weare onely on the left legge Of which order hee and his successors Kings and Queenes of England should be soueraigne and the rest by certaine lawes among themselues should bee taken as brethren and fellowes in that order to the number of sixe and twentie And this breefely touching the inuention and authour of the honourable order of Knights here in England Now I will addresse my pen to write of the honourable order in France King Lewes the eleuenth of France after he had made peace with his peeres whom in the beginning of his raigne he had excluded from his presence inuented at Amboise in the yeere of our Lord 1469. a societie of honour consisting of sixe and thirtie Noblemen and named Saint Michael Patron of them euen as the English knights had deuoted themselues to the tuition of Saint George giuing ot each of them a golden chaine of the value of two hundred pound which they were bound to weare daily not to bestow sell or gage the same as long as they liued if any one of them chanced to die forthwith there was an election to dubbe another in his roome not by voyces but by litle scrowles turned together in the forme of balles the which they did cast into a bason and the Lord Chauncelour was to reckon them Then he that had most balles on his side was admitted to the societie the King speaking these words The honourable societie do accept of thee as their brother and in regard of their good wil to thee-wards do bestow this golden chaine on thee God grāt thou maist long weare it When the King had spoken these words hee gaue him a kisse on the right cheek This is the custome of dubbing kinghts of the order of Saint Michael Also there be other orders of knights in Christendome as the kinghts of the golden Fleece knights of the Bathe knights of the patent deuised by y e Pope and knights of the Rhodes But because the rehearfall of them are not much appertaining to our purpose I cease to treate further of them Of Citizens Chap. 18. HE that first inuented a citie was the cause of much good The which praise some attribute vnto eloquent men Some to Saturne And others to Orpheus and Amphion For in the beginning of the world people liued barbarously like vnto bruit beasts and the nature of man was such that they not hauing eyther the law naturall or ciuill prescribed rogued vp and downe dispersed in the world possessed nothing except that which by force they tooke away from others til there arose some notable men both in wisedome and valour who knowing howe it was to instruct man assembled all of them into one place ordamed a Citie and enuironed them round about with walles Further Citizens in generall are they that liue vnder the same lawes and soueraigne magistrates But Citizens particularly are they that are free-men do dwel in Cities and boroughs or corporated townes Generally in the shire they be of no account saue onely in the Parliament to
make lawes The auncient Cities appoynted foure and each borough two whome we call Burgesses of the Parliament to haue voyces in it and to giue their consent and dissent in the name of the Citie or borough for which they be appoynted Whether out landish men ought to bee admitted into a Citie Chap. 19. IT is commonly seene that sedition often chanceth there where the inhabitants be not all natiue borne This Lycurgus the Lawgiuer of the Lacedemonians rightly noting instituted that no stranger should be admitted into his Common-wealth but at a prefixed time His reason was because seldome it is seene that the homeborne Citizens and the outlandish doe agree together In the yere of our Lord 1382. the Londiners made an insurrection and slew all the Iewes that inhabited amongst them The Neapolitanes and Sicilians in the yeere of our Lord 1168. rose against William their king because hee gaue certaine offices to Frenchmen and killed them all in one night The Citizens of Geneua repining at strangers which resorted and dwelled among them conspired together in the yeere 1556. to expell them and if Caluin had not thrust himselfe betweene the naked swords to appease the tumult doubtlesse there would haue beene a great slaughter There is at this present day a religious law in China and Cathaya forbidding on paine of death the accesse of strangers into the country What shall I say of the constitutions of Princes whereby strangers were vtterly extruded and excluded from bearing offices in the Common-wealth Arcadius and Honorus Empercurs of Rome decreed that no man out of the parish where a benefice fel voyde should be admitted minister Likewise Pope Innocent the third was woont to say that hee could not with a safe conscience preferre any strangers to bee officers in the kingdome of Hungarie King Charles the seuenth of France in the yeere of our Lord 1431. proclaimed that no alien or stranger should be presented to any ecclesiasticall liuing liuing in his realme For which respects Princes must haue great regard touching the admission of strangers and especially to their number For if they exceede the natiue inhabitanes in number and strength then through confidence in their own might they will presently inuade and ouerthrow their too too kind fosterers Of Marchants Chap. 20. FOrasmuch as there bee three sorts of Citizens the first of Gentlemen who are wont now and then for pleasure to dwell in Cities the second of Marchants and the third of manuaries and Artificers it is expedient that I hauing alreadie declared the properties of Gentlemen should now conse quently discourse some what of Marchants and then of Artificers By Marchants necessaries are transported frō strange countries and from hence other superfluous things are conueyed to other places where they traffick so commodiously that the whole Commonwealth is bettered by them Euerie countrie hath a seuerall grace naturally giuen vnto it as Moscouie is plentifull of hony waxe Martin-skinnes and good hides The country of Molucca yeeldes cloues sinnamon and pepper In the East Indiaes grow the best oliues Damascus aboundeth with prunes reysins pomegranates and quinces From Fraunce we fetch our wines From Francoford wee haue bookes brought vnto vs. So that whosoeuer considereth the generall cōmon-wealth of all the world hee shall perceiue that it cannot continue long in perfection without traffique and diuersities Of Artificers Chap. 21. AMongst occupations those are most artificiall where fortune is least esteemed those most vnseemely whereby men do pollute their bodies those most seruile wherin there is most vse of bodily strength and those most vile wherein vertue is least required And again the gaines of tole-gatherers and vsurers are odious and so are the trades of Butchers Cooks Fishmongers and Huxters Pedlers likewise Chaundlers are accounted base for that they buy of Marchants to the end they may presently vtter the same away In vttering of which they cog and cousen the simple buyers thē which nothing is more impious or more hurtful to the conscience These kind of men haue no voyee in the common-wealth and no account is made of them but onely to be ruled and not to rule others Of Yeomen and their oppression Chap. 22. A Yeoman is hee that tilleth the ground getteth his liuing by selling of corne in markets and can dispend yeerely fortie shillings sterling There is no life more pleasant then a yeomans life for where shall a man haue better prouision to keep his winter with fire enough then in the country and where is there a more delightful dwelling for goodly waters gentle windes and shadowes then in the coūtry This life was so highly regarded in ancient time that euen Emperors and generals of war haue not bin ashamed to exercise it Herehence descended Remus and Q. Cincinnatus who as he was earing his foure acres of land was by a purseuant called to the City of Rome created Dictator Dioclesiā left his Empire at Salona and became a yeoman Let a man repaire at any time to a yeomans house and there he shal find all manner of victuals meath and all of his owne without buying or laying money out of his purse But now a dayes yeomanrie is decayed hospitalitie gone to wracke and husbandrie almost quite fallen The reason is because Landlords not contented with such reuenewes as their predecessours receiued nor yet satisfied that they liue like swinish Epicures quietly at their ease doing no good to the Commonwealth doe leaue no ground for tillage but doe enclose for pasture many thousand acres of ground within one hedge the husbandmē are thrust out of their own or else by deceit constrained to sell all that they haue And so either by hook or by crook they must needes depart away poore seely soules men women children And not this extremity onely do our wicked Ahabs shew but also with the losse of Naboths life do they glut their ouergreedy minds This is the cause why corne in England is become dearer then it was woont to bee and yet notwithstanding all this sheep wool are nothing better cheap but rather their price are much enhaunsed Thus do our remorcelesse Puttocks lie lurking for the poore commons to spoile them of their tenemēts but they shall not long enioy them And why because they are oppressours of the poore and not helpers their bellies are neuer filled therefore shall they soone perish in their couetousnesse The third Plant. Of Counsell Chap. 23. COunsell is a sentence which particularly is giuen by euery man for that purpose assembled There be fiue rules to be noted in counsell The first to counsell wel wherein is implied that whatsoeuer is proposed should be honest lawful and profitable The second counsell must not be rash and headlong but mature deliberated and ripe like vnto the barke of an old tree Thirdly to proceed according to examples touching things past as what shal chaūce to the Israelites because
forfeits or capitall punishments let them first satisfie the agrieued parties Iudges may erre sixe maner of waies First when they be partial towards their friends and kinsmen Secondly when they haue no power ouer them whome they iudge Thirdly when for hatred they prosecute any man Fourthly when they repriue men for feare to displease some great personage Fiftly when being greased in the fist with the oyle of gold they winke at enormities and corruption Sixtly when being vnlearned they iudge rashly without premeditation Of Bribes and going to law Chap. 28. WOe be vnto you that haue taken giftes to shead bloud or haue receyued vsury and the encrease and that haue defrauded your neighbours by extortion For you respect not what the lawe decreeth but what the mind affecteth you consider not the life of the man but the bribes of the butcher When the rich man speaketh he is atteÌ„tiuely heard but when the poore complaineth no man giueth eare vnto him Or if percase one of our fine-headed lawyers vouchsafe to take his cause in hand he followeth it slowly and in a dozen sheets not hauing eight lines on euery side he laieth downe such friâ—olous and disguised contradictions and replications that his suites shall hang seuen yeeres yea and perhaps a dozen yeeres according to the number of those superfluous sheetes before they bee brought to any perfection vntill the poore client become farre behind hand Nowadaies the common fee of an atturney is no lesse theÌ„ a brace of angels notwithstanding hee speake but once and that the Lord knows very coldly to the right sence of the suit And if a poore man should proffer him lesse he wil aunswere him in this maner Sir behold my face and complexion and you shall find that it is all of gold and not of siluer Innumerable are the quirkes quiddities and starting holes of our English petifoggers for sometimes when a definitiue sentence is pronounced they forsooth will inuent some apish tricke eyther to suspend it from execution vpon some smal cauillation or obiection or els they call it into a new controuersie by a writ of errour or by a ciuill petition or to coÌ„clude they find out some shift or drift to reuerse and reuoke the sentence Thus do they play the sophisters with their seely clieÌ„ts or rather conies whom they haue catched and intrapped in their nettes But these disorders would bee quickly reformed if men will follow my counsell which is To forbeare awhile from going to law Honest and well disposed men might content themselues at home and not gadde euery foote to the court of Common pleas to the Chauncery to the Starchamber Neighbours Isay and kinsfolkes ought to regard one another and to end all doubts and quarrels among themselues I do not meane by brutish combats and affraies but by mediations atonements and intercessions Man is by nature humane that is gentle and curteous and good vsage will in time cause him to relent from his former stubbernesse Many countries haue their Courts Leetes or Lawdaies where men generally do meet together there me thinkes light controuersies and iarres might assoone be taken vp and decided aswell as in farre places If this aduice of mine were obserued we should haue fewer lawyers and lesse controuersies Of Magistrates Chap. 29. EVen as in the body of a liuing creature the organe of seeing is ascribed only to the eies al the other offâ—ces do obey them as their guides so in like maner all offices in the commonwealth are coÌ„mitted vnto wise magistrates as to the eies of the realme the other members must be directed by theÌ„ For which consideration I require in a magistrate learning and vertue without which he is not worthy to be termed the eye of a commoÌ„wealth but rather a blind bayard as wanting both the eies of the body the eies of the mind WheÌ„ as we chuse a rapier we chuse it not because the hilt is double-guilt the scabberd of veluet and beset with pearles but because the point of it is sharp to enter well and the blade strong stiffe So hapneth it in the electioÌ„ of magistrates namely that they be learned vertuous rather then haÌ„dsomely and beautifully proportioned in body Strength of body is required in a laborer but policy in a magistrate This is profitable to a twofold scope that the wise feeble may commaund and the strong obey Next magistrates must coÌ„sider why the sword of iustice both by the law of God and man is put into their hands that is to say they are the ministers of God and the executioners of the law to take vengeance on the wicked not to let offenders in any case wilfully to perseuer in their errours In the beginning euery malady is easy to be cured but if it be let alone for a while it groweth past remedy Magistrates therfore must in time prouide salues to redresse abuses otherwise they incurre the anger of God They must haue lions harts that they shrink not in iust causes They must bee constant lest by their friends intercessions they waxe partiall Lastly they must be both graue ciuill graue in commaunding ciuill in conuersation Of the great cares and troubles of Magistrates Chap. 30. O How greatly are meÌ„ deceyued that perswade theÌ„selues that magistrates do lead the ioyfullest liues Litle know they how vnquiet bee their thoughts They thinke not of their loÌ„g watchings and that their nature is weakened and through such distemperatures their bodies languish No man liueth exempt from some sorrow or other Although ignorant men and fresh-water souldiers to whome warre is pleasant account it felicity to commaund yet if they compare in an euen balance the waight of such troubles as daily happeÌ„ in their magistracies vnto the weakenesse of pleasure which proceedeth by coÌ„maunding they shal perceiue that far greater is the toyle of the one then the toy of the other How often are they cumbred with coÌ„plaints How long in perusing of informations So that in fine their offices will not permit them any contentation Poore men that weary their bodies to get food for the sustentation of themselues their wiues and children and do pay subsidies to their Prince should liue in too great discomfort and despayre if great men and magistrates had nothing in this world but pleasure and they on the contrary side but toyles and calamities But God hath otherwise disposed of the case For they languish in mind whereas poore men do but weary their bodies which easily might be recouered againe The consuming of the vitall spirites is in a maner irrecuperable insomuch as the cares of the one exceed farre the labour of the other Whether magistrates may receyue presents sent vnto them Chap. 31. THey that walke in iustice refusing gaine of oppression and shaking their hands from taking of giftes shall dwell on high their defence shall be the munitions of rockes and they shall see GOD in his glory
the Kings side saw in a gallerie Allen Chartier a learned Poet leaning on a tables end fast asleepe which this Princesse espying shee stouped downe to kisse him vttering these words in all their hearings Wee may not of Princely courtesie passe by and not honour with our kisse the mouth from whence so many golden poems haue issued Frauncis the first French King in the yeere of our Lord 1532. made those famous Poets Dampetrus and Macrinus of his priuie Counsell King Henrie the eight her maiesties Father for a few Psalmes of Dauid turned into English meeter by Sternhold made him Groome of his priuie chamber and rewarded him with many great gifts besides Moreouer hee made Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chauncelour of this Realme whose Poeticall works are as yet in great regard Queene Marie for an Epithalamy composed by Verzoza a Spanish Poet at her marriage with King Philip in Winchester gaue him during his life two hundred crowns pension Her Maiestie that now is made Doctour Haddon being a Poet master of the Requests In former times Princes themselues were not ashamed to studie Poetrie As for example Iulius Cesar was a very good Poet. Augustus likewise was a Poet as by his edict touching Virgils bookes appeareth Euax King of Arbia wrote a booke of pretious stones in verse Cornelius Gallus treasurer of Egypt was a singular good Poet. Neither is our owne age altogether to bee disprayed For the old Earle of Surrey composed bookes in verse Sir Philip Sydney excelled all our English Poets in rarenesse of stile and matter King Iames the sixt of Scotland that now raigneth is a notable Poet and daily setteth out most learned Poems to the admiration of all his subiects Gladly I could goe forward in this subiect which in my stripling yeeres pleased mee beyond all others were it not I delight to bee briefe and that Sir Philip Sydney hath so sufficieÌ„tly defended it in his Apologie of Poetrie that if I should proceede further in the commendation thereof whatsoeuer I write would bee eclipsed with the glorie of his golden eloquence Wherefore I stay my selfe in this place earnestly beseeching all Gentlemen of what qualitie soeuer they bee to aduaunce Poetrie or at least to admire it and not to bee so hastie shamefully to abuse that which they may honestly and lawfully obtaine Obiection The reading of Catullus Propertius Ouids loues and the lasciuious rimes of our English Poets doe discredite the Common-wealth and are the chiefe occasions of corruptions the spurres of lecherie therefore Poetrie is blame-worthie Answere In many things not the vse but the abuse of him that vseth them must bee blamed The fault is not in the Art of Poetrie but rather in the men that abuse it Poets themselues may bee traitours and felons and yet Poetrie honest and vnattainted Take away the abuse which is meerely accidental and let the substance of Poetrie stand still Euerie thing that bringeth pleasure may bring displeasure Nothing yeeldes profit but the same may yeeld disprofit What is more profitable then fire yet notwithstanding wee may abuse fire and burne houses and men in their beds Phisicke is most commodious for mankind yet wee may abuse it by administring of poysoned potions To end this solution I conclude that many of our English rimers and ballet-makers deserue for their baudy sonnets and amorous allurements to bee banished or seuerely punished and that Poetrie it selfe ought to bee honoured and made much of as a precious lewell and a diuine gift Of Philosophie Chap. 43. â— PHilosophie is the knowledge of all good things both diuine and humane It challengeth vnto it three things first contemplation to know those things which are subiect vnto it as Natural Philosophy teacheth vs the knowledge of the world Geo oâ—â—trae of the triangle the Metaphysick of God and morall Philosophie of vertue and felicitie Secondly Philosophie chalengeth the execution and practise of precepts Thirdly the promotion of a good man * Which three concurring together in one man do make him a wise Philosopher The Iewes diuided Philosophie into foure parts namely into Historical Ciuill Naturall of the contemplation of sacrifices and into Diuine of the speculation of Gods word Of which I will at this time content my selfe with the natural and the ciuill Naturall Philosophie is a science that is seene in bodyes magnitudes and in their beginnings or ground workes affections and motions Or as others say Naturall Philosophie is a contemplatiue science which declareth the perfect knowledge of naturall bodyes as farre foorth as they haue the beginning of motion within them There bee seuen parts of it The first is of the first causes of nature and of naturall bodyes The second of the world The third of the mutuall transmutation of the elements and in generall of generation and corruption The fourth is of the meteours The fift of the soule and of liuing creatures The sixt of plants The seuenth of things perfectly mixed and of things without life as of Minerals and such like Ciuill Philosophie is a science compounding mans actions out of the inward motion of Nature and sprung vp from the fulnesse of a wise minde insomuch that wee may in all degrees of life attaine to that which is honest This ciuill Philosophie is diuided into foure parts Ethicke Politicke Oeconomicke and Monastick Ethick is the discipline of good maners Of Oeconomick and Politick I haue discoursed before Monastick is the institution of a priuate and a solitarie life But of the worthinesse of this ciuill Philosophie and by how much it goeth before the naturall I haue expressed in another booke Of the Art Magick Chap. 44. THe auncient Magicians prophesied either by the starres and then their Art was termed Astrologie or by the flying and entrailes of birdes and this they called Augurie by the fire and that they named Pyromancie or by the lines and wrinckles of the hand which was termed Chiromancie or Palmistrie by the earth called Geomancie by the water and that they termed Hydromancie or by the diuell and this we call coniuring or bewitching All which superstitious kindes of illusions I feare mee haue beene too often vsed heere in England witnesse of late yeeres the witches of Warboise witnesse figure-casters calculatours of natiuities witnesse also many of our counterfeit Bedlems who take vpon theÌ„ to tell fortunes and such like Now-a-dayes among the common people he is not adiudged any scholer at all vnlesse hee can tell mens Horoscopes cast out diuels or hath some skill in southsaying Little do they know that this Art if it bâ—e lawfull to call it an Art is the most deceitfull of all Arts as hauing neither sure foundations to rest vpon nor doing the students thereof any good but rather alluring them to throw themselues away vnto the diuel both body soule Wo be vnto theÌ„ that delight therein for it were better for them that they had neuer beene
Peter Thy money perish with thee because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obtained with money Simony may be coÌ„mitted three maner of waâ—es First whosoeuer selleth or buyeth the word of God is a Simonist Wherefore the Lord said vnto his disciples Freely you haue receyued freely giue Secondly hee that giueth or taketh any thing for a Bishopricke Benefice Headship or for a fellowes or Scholers roome is guilty of Simony Thirdly The Minister that denieth to bury the dead or say Diuine seruice committeth Simony Now hauing declared how many waies Simony is committed I wil shew that it is the vtter ruine of the Cleargie and consequently of the whole commonwealth First Simony is condemned with excommunication the seuerest censure of the Church and therfore odious Secondly Simony hindreth house-keeping so that ministers cannot distribute almes Thirdly it breedeth the desolation and destruction of the state For commonly there ensueth a dissolution of the commonwealth when the fruits 〈◊〉 reueneâ—es therof are decreased Fourthly Simony discourageth parents to send their sonnes to the Vniuersity for what parents bee so foolish as to bestow in maintenaunce of their sonnes at least three hundred pound before they attayne to perfection and then to pay againe two hundred pouÌ„d for a benefice or foure hundred pound for a Chauncelorship surely it is a lamentable case I had rather saith one that my sonne be a colier then a scholer For what shall I put my sonne to schoole when he shall pay so much for a liuing Better it is for me to leaue my sonne an ingram foole then to buy him a liuing through vnlawfull meanes Besides who is so bluntish that knoweth not the great infinite labours of Scholers that seeth not their eyes weakned their bodies empaired which is worse their spirites decaied O stony hearts O wicked Simonists Doubtlesse this abomination portends some great calamity to follow Lastly Simony is an heresie and for that respect it ought to be reiected from all true Christians To wind this vp in a word I wish all Pastours and patrons of benefices and Chancelourships to looke more narrowly vnto themselues and to stand in feare of God who vndoubtedly is offended with their Simony and will one day requite the slacknes of their punishments with the weight thereof wil cast them downe headlong into the bottomlesse and tormenting pit of hell where euery sence of their bodies shall abide his peculiar punishment Their eyes shall haue no other obiects then Diuels and Snakes their eares shall bee afflicted with clamours and howlings their noses with brimstone and filthy smels their tast with poison and gall and their feeling shal be vexed continually with boyling lead and firy flames The sixt Plant. Of the alteration of a common-wealth Chap. 52. COmmonwealths euen as mortall men haue their infaÌ„cy childhood stripling age youth virility middle age and old age that is they haue their beginning vegetation flourishing alteration and ends And like as diuers innouations maladies do happen to meÌ„ according to the coÌ„stitutioÌ„ of their bodies or according to their diet and education so in like maner it falleth out with commonwealths as being altered eyther by domesticall ciuill wars or els by forreyne or perhaps by both together or by the death of the noblest inhabitaunts or to bee briefe by vices which are suffred to creepe in It is necessary that all things which are in this world should waxe old and hasten to the same end some sooner others later according to the will of God their Creatour and by his permission through the influence of the heauenly bodies from which this mutuall succession of life and death issueth Howbeit notwithstaÌ„ding I confesse that prodigious signes are not the causes of euents but rather foretokens of them Like as an Iuy bush put forth at a vintrie is not the cause of the wine but a signe that wine is to be sold there so likewise if wee see smoke appearing in a chimney wee know that fire is there albeit the smoke is not the cause of the fire God onely chaungeth the tymes and seasons hee discouereth the deepe and secret things and the light is with him The effects of all the Cometes and the chiefest Eclipses which hapned in this last age Chap. 53. FOrasmuch as the alterations of commoÌ„wealths are for the most part foreshewed vnto vs by heauenly signes I iudge it more meet for mee to declare those which chaunced within this last age rather then in any other especially for that they are neerer to our fathers memories and also more familiar vnto vs. In the yeere of our Lord 1500. there appeared a Comet in the North after the which followed many and straunge effects For the Frenchmen assaulted the kingdome of Naples the Tartarians the kingdome of Polonia Then was a great famine in Swethland and a cruell plague throughout al Germany besides ciuill warres amongst themselues in taking part with the Bauarians against the Bohemians TheÌ„ died Pope Pius the 3. together with the Archbishop of Treâ—ires and diuers other famous wights In the yeere 1506. appeared another Comet Whereupon died Prince Philip the father of Charles the fift and Ferdinand afterward Emperours Maximilian the Emperour made warre with the Frenchmen and Venetians In the yeere 1514. was an Eclipse of the sunne About which time George Duke of Saxony inuaded and spoyled FrizelaÌ„d King Lewis the 12. of FrauÌ„ce and Vladislaus king of Hungary Bohemia departed out of this world In the yeere 1518. was seene another Eclipse of the sunne Immediatly after the which died the Emperour Maximilian the first Christierne the 2. king of Denmarke fought a most bloudy battell with the Swethens within a while after he was deposed of his kingdome In the yeere 1527. appeared a great Comet the operation wherof the poorâ— Hungarians felt as being barbarously to the shame of all Christians martyred destroyed by the Turkes The prodigious disease of sweating was rife here in England The riuer Tiber ouerflowed the citie of Rome The sea also consumed away a great part of the low countries In the yeere of our Lord 1533. waâ— seene another blazing starre whereupoÌ„ a litle while after king H. y â— 8. was diuorced froÌ„ his brothers wife The sect of the Anabaptists begaÌ„ to rise Pope Clement the 7. departed out of this life and Pope Paul the 3. was inuested in his roome In the yeere 1539. chaunced an Eclipse of the sunne presently after appeared a Comet the effects wherof were many For there was a great coÌ„motioÌ„ in GauÌ„t which the Emperour not without much damage at leÌ„gth appeased took away their priuileges froÌ„ them Iohn the K. of Hungary ended his life And so did Henry Duke of Saxony The Duke of Brunswisk was by the young Duke of Saxony and by the Landgraue of Hassia driuen out of his countrey The English ouercame
when the Prince winketh at the cosonages of magistrates and Lawyers and permitteth some of the richer sort to enclose commons and to rake their inferiors out of measure Of Treason Chap. 55. TReason bringeth no lesse danger and hurt to men then Loyaltie doth profit and felicitie for it is farre easier to vanquish a knowne foe then to subdue a traitour and a priuie conspiratour This wicked monster in time of warre worketh more scath and damage then all artilleries Howbeit hee neuer enioyeth his promised hire but is at last cruelly punished As for example the great Turke in the yeere of our Lord 1400. hauing taken Constantinople through the treason of Iohn Iustinian a Genoway whō after he had made King according to his promise caused his head to bee chopt off within three dayes To approch neerer our owne time let vs bethinke with our selues the mercifull prouidence of God in discouering the hainous treasons pretended against our dread soueraigne Queen Elizabeth Of late yeeres namely in the yeere 1588. what befell to Tilney Sauage Babington and the rest of their cursed complices were they not all executed brought to confusion Likewise Doctour Lopouze the Queenes Phisicion who had poysoned sundry Noblemen of this Realme and by the Spanish Kings procurement went about to poyson the Queene her selfe had he not in the yere 1594. his deserued punishment Euen so the last yeere one Squire by the instigation of a Spanish Frier going about to do away her Maiestie was surprized in his treason and executed to the terrour of all such diuelish traitours Be therefore better admonished yee wauering men let the example of such as were executed terrifie your minds from rebellious attempts and suffer not wilfully the diuell to tempt and leade you into temptation Of Idlenesse Chap. 56. O You slouthfull men why doe you miche range turne your backs to vertuous labours seeing that they who ouercame the delites of this world haue deserued heauen for their rewards why doe you straggle rogue from house to house Beleeue me there is no occupation in the world that bringeth with it lesse profit then yours Goe to the emmet yee slouthfull sluggards consider her wayes and learne to bee wise She hath no guide no teacher no leader yet in the summer shee prouideth her meate and gathereth together her foode in the haruest Oh why haue you forgotten the words of the Lord namely In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread Remember what penalties are imposed on runnagates and loytering droanes In the primitiue Church it was decreed that all men should liue of their owne labour and not vnprofitably waste the fruits of the earth Likewise the faigned Syphograuntes or officers of the Vtopians tooke heede that no man sate idle but that each one should diligently apply his owne craft and occupation What shall I say of our owne constitutions here in England In the yeere of our Lord 1572. it was enacted in the parliament that all persons aboue the age of foureteene yeeres which were taken begging and roging abroade should be apprehended whipped and burnt through the eare with a hot iron for the first time so found and the second time to be hanged For which consideration looke vnto your selues yee carelesse caitifes gette you masters that may instruct you in some occupation or other which done labour continually that not onely for your selues but for the reliefe also of such as are not able to helpe themselues In so doing Sathan the enemie of grace who hitherto like a wily foxe hath awaited for you shall goe away in despaire and as they say with a flea in his eare Of Dice-play Chap. 57. CHristians ought vtterly to forbeare Dice-play first because The diuell inuented it Secondly because it is flat against the commandement of GOD namely Thou shalt not couet any other mans goods Thirdly Dice-play is for the most part accompanied with swearing and blaspheming Gods holy name Fourthly the holy fathers of the church haue most vehemently written against it Fiftly all sports and recreations must haue respect to some profite either of body or of mind otherwise it is but lost for which wee must one day yeelde an account to God but Dice-play as wee know is no exercise for the body neither is it any pleasure for the minde for the euent of the hazard or maine driueth the players minde to a furious hope and sometimes into a fearefull quandarie to wit when hee doubteth the recouerie of his lost money Sixtly we are charged Not to consume our time in wicked and vnlawfull exercises Seuenthly men must abstaine from Dice-play that they might shew good example to their inferiours For * if graue parents delight in wicked Dice-play their sonnes will likewise be enduced thereunto Eightly Dice-play is condemned by the lawes and decrees of Princes By the law Roscia all such as played at dice were banished from their countrey It was also enacted in Rome that Dice-players should bee amerced in foure times so much as they played for King Edward the fourth of this Realme decreed that euerie Dice-player should be imprisoned two yeres and forfeit tenne pound King Henrie the seuenth enacted that Dice-players should bee imprisoned one day and that the keeper of the gaming house should bee bound to his good be hauiour and be fined a Noble King Henrie the eight ordained that euerie one which kept a dicing house should pay fortie shillings and the players themselues a Noble for euerie time so occupied Ninthly this kind of play is odious and reproachfull as appeared in Antonie to whome Cicero obiected that hee not onely himselfe was a dicer but also hee fostered such men as were dicers i Augustus the Emperour was noted and ill thought of for his dicing Lastly the despaire and aduersitie which Dice-players fall into and their extraordinarie punishments be sufficient meanes to reclaime and terrifie men from it In the yeere of our Lord 1550. one Steckman of Holsatia hauing lost much money at dice fell into despaire and therewithall killed three of his children and would haue hanged himselfe if his wife had not preuented him Likewise in the yere 1553. one Schetrerus playing at dice in an ale-house neere to Belisan a towne in Heluetia blasphemed God Wherupon the diuell came in place and carried him away Also my selfe haue knowne a wealthie yeoman that was as great a dicer as any other in that shire where he dwelt and I thinke had gotten wel-nigh a thousand pound by that his occupation but what became of him and his wealth marrie he bathing himselfe in a riuer was sodainely drowned and his sonne to whom his goods after his death did rightly appertaine before 3. yeeres were expired spent al at dice and at this day is glad to stand at mens deuotion In summe do wee not commōly see that dice-players neuer thriue and if perhaps one amongst a thousand chance to winne
mildly and modestly towards their inferiours The sixt that Princes bee not partiall in their subiects factions The seuenth the Prince his Coūcell must not giue care to euery tale and crafty deuice for it may be that the enemy hath his intelligence in the realme The eight to cast out Heretickes and Schismatickes frō amōg the people The ninth to muster traine the people once a moneth in martiall affaires The tenth is to discard stageplayes vsury extorsiō bribes and such like abominable vices Of Taxes and Subsidies Chap. 60. THe peace and tranquillity of a commonwealth can neuer be had without souldiours nor souldiours without maintenance pay not pay cā be purchased without taxes and subsidies which are the lawfull reuenewes of the Prince to maintaine his Realme But thou wilt say taxes and subsidies bee for the common good of the Realme not for the Princes maintenaunce To which I answere that the Prince may likewise vse taxes and subsidies to his priuat royalty which is after a maner conioyned with the honour of the Princely state that hee beareth How is it possible for a Prince to beare a stately port vnlesse hee hath sufficient reuenewes Let therefore all true hearted subiectes giue vnto Cesar that which is Cesars tribute to whome tribute belongeth and custome to whome custome Without this ground we had long since been a pray vnto our enemies The Scots would haue swalowed vs vp The Spaniards also would haue triūphed cruelly massacred vs as they did the poore Indians None but wizards and niggards will seeke to be exempted from contributions shake off the necessary yoke of obedience Experience layeth downe before our eyes the successe of them that grudge and rebelled against their Prince for taxing The beginnings haue beene vngodly and the ends miserable In the yeere of our Lord 1381. the cōmons of Kent Essex to the number of threescore thousand rebelled against king Richard the second beyng their Soueraigne but they were discomfited and the most part of them sharply punished Likewise in the yeere 1484. a great commotion was moued by the commons of the North by reason of a taxe which was imposed vpon them of the tēth peny of all their lands goods But their rash attempt was speedily broken and their ringleaders hanged at Yorke By this wee see the miserable issue of all such rash reuoltings and therewithall consider how detestable they are in the sight of God Let therfore al subiects patiently endure whatsoeuer subsidy is leuied and night day beseech the Lord to graunt thē peace whereby their taxes will become shortned Remedies against sedition and priuy conspiracies Chap. 61. THe plaisters that are to bee applied vnto sedition be diuers according to the causes therof Yet notwithstāding I will epitomize and draw some of them into a breuiary First the Prince must betimes forethinke to alay the seditions which beginne to kindle For euery mischiefe at first is soone cured but being let alone and taking farther roote it gathereth more strength Secondly the Prince must by espials know who slaūder or speake euil of him Howbeit respect must be had lest the innocent be iniuried Thirdly the Prince must proclaime rewards to the reuealers of conspiracies Fourthly the Prince must aforehand remoue munitions and artilleries out of the way put them in safe custody In so doing he shall find the seditious the more tractable Fiftly the Prince must seuerely punish the authors of sedition lest they that come after go about to imitate such wickednesse Sixtly the seditious must be sundred by some policy or other Seuenthly the seditious must be allured with ambiguous doubtfull promises Eightly the Prince must diligently looke that his loyall subiects cōmunicat not with the seditious for such communing together at such times and in such sort is very daungerous especially for the party that is like to take the foile Ninthly the Prince must * send men of honour and dignity vnto the rebels vnder pretence of reward to the intent that their Captaines who desire innouations may be withdrawen from them Of the felicity of a commonwealth Chap. 62. THe felicity of a commonwealth is when by some Diuine prouidēce frō aboue there meeteth in one person the right maiesty of a Prince and the mind of a wise Philosopher For then needeth no cōpulsion no rigour no extremity to bridle the subiects what is more delightfull then to see the true image of vertue in their visible Prince then to heare the wise lessons and golden speeches issuing out of such a mouth Happy I say is the Realme where the Prince imitateth the order of an expert Phisicion who whē the remedies which he prepareth to cure the weakenesse of the inferiour members encrease griefe in the head he throweth away all infirmities most light and with the fauour of time hee proceedeth carefully to the cure of that which necessarily importeth the health of the patient or commōwealth The eight Plant. Of warres Chap. 63. BEcause * a Prince ought to be prouided against all chaūces as well of warre as of peace it will not bee amisse if I write somewhat of warrelike affaires The original whereof in my opinion proceeded from Nemrod the iolly hunter before the Lord. The Graecians inuented first of all the vse of armour And the Almaines deuised in the yeere of our Lord 1381. gunnes being the most terrible engines of al others Now touching the causes and effects of warre doubtlesse God seing that no benefits could fructifie nor threatnings disswade vs from our disobedience sendeth warre as his fearefull instrument to rouse vs frō sluggishnes to plague vs for our manifold iniquities according to that dreadfull alarum which long since hee sounded against vs. If quoth he you wil walke in my ordinances I will send peace in the land but if you will not obey me but despise my cōmandements I will send a sword vpō you that shall auenge the quarrell of my couenant and you shall be deliuered into the hands of the enemy This the Spaniards of the Island saint Maries knew felt this last Summer being the yeere of our Lord 1599. insomuch as when two English ships and one ship of Amsterdame had taken the said Island and the Generall had demaunded the Spanish Gouernour wherefore hee yeelded so soone Hee answered that the sinnes of the inhabitants were great and therefore it was bootlesse for them to resist As for the discommodities of warre they be infinit it treadeth vnder foot the lawes of God and man it maketh the Church to be derided and placeth tyrants in the throne of Iustice. In conclusion warre enduceth many malecontēts to follow the importunity of the time and breedeth pestilence and dearth for victuals spent dearth must needs ensue Whereupon sundry infectious diseases spring Whether it be lawfull for Christians to make warre Chap. 64. ALthough the Marcionists haue heretofore doubted whether Christians might make