the great succeeded in the Empire and was the man that all men know and the first Emperor that publickly professed himself a Christian and planted our Faith over all the world CONSTANTINE SIXTH And IRENE Constantine the Sixth was for his evil Government first deposed * and his eyes put out by his own Mother Irene who usurped the Empire but being not able to Rule it in such Order as it was needful for so great a Monarchie she was deprived thereof by the Sentence of Leo the third and by consent of all the People and Senate of Rome and Charles the Great King of France and of Germanie was crowned Emperor of the West and so hath that Succession remained unto this day and many worthy men have succeeded therein and infinite acts of Jurisdiction have been exercised by this authoritie which were all unjust and Tyrannical if this change of the Empire and deposition of Irene and her Son for their evil Government had not been lawful Examples out of France CHILDERICK 3d. Childerick 3d. King of France for his evil Government and Faineantise was deposed by Zacharie the Pope at the request of the whole Nobilitie and Clergie of France Who alleaged That their Oath to Childrick was to honor serve obey maintain and defend him against all men as long as he was just religious valiant clement and would resist the enemies of the Crown punish the wicked and conserve the good and defend the Christian Faith Which being not observed on his part they ought not be bound to him any longer nor would not be any longer his Subjects and so chose and Crowned Pepin in his place whose Posteritie reigned for many years after him and were such noble Kings as all the world can testifie CHARLES of Lorrayne Charles of Lorrayne last of the race of Pepin for the evil satisfaction that the French Nation had of him was by the Authoritie of the Common-wealth put by the Crown and Hugo Capetus preferred to it whose Line hath remained and possessed it unto this day Examples out of Spain FLAVEO SUINTILA Flavius Suintila King of Spain was both he and his Posteritie put down and deprived in the fourth Council National of Toledo and one Lissinando confirmed in his place ALONSO 11th Don Alonso 11th King of Castile and Leon Son to Ferdinand the Saint for his evil Government and especially for Tyrannie used towards two Nephews of his was deposed of his Kingdom by a publick Act of Parliament in the town of Valliodolid after he had reigned 30 years and his own Son Don Sancho 4th was Crowned in his place who for his valiant acts was sirnamed Elbravo and it turned to great commoditie to the Common-wealth PEDRO Don Pedro the Cruel Son to Alonso 12th having reigned 18. years was for his injurious Government dispossessed of his Crown by King Henry his bastard Brother whom the States of the Country had called out of France and Crowned and though Pedro was restored again by the black Prince of Wales yet God shewed to favor more Henry because he returned and deprived Pedro the second time and slew him in fight hand to hand and being set up in his place which his Progenie hath enjoyed to this day he proved so excellent a King as he was called el Cavallero and el delas mercees the knightlie and bountiful King Don SANCHO 2d Don Sancho Gapelo lawful King of Portugal having reigned 34. years was deprived for his defects in Government by the universal Consent of all Portugal and approbation of a General Council at Lyons Pope Innocentius the Fourth being there present who did authorise the said State of Portugal at their Petition to put in Supreme Government Don Alonso Brother to the said Sancho who was Earl of Boulongne in Picardie by the right of his Wife which among other great exploits was the first that set Portugal free from all Subjection and Homage to the Kingdom of Castile which unto his time it had acknowledged Greece MICHAEL CALAPHATES and NICEPHORUS BOTONIATES Michael Calaphates Emperor of Greece for having troden the Cross of Christ under his feet and being otherwise also a wicked man was deprived As was also the Emperor Nicephorus Botoniates for his dissolute life and preferring wicked men to authoritie Polonia HENRY 3d. In our dayes Henry 3d. King of France was deprived of the Crown of Polonia wherof he had also been Crowned King before by publick Act of Parliament for his departing thence without license and not returning at the day denounced by publick Letters of peremptory commandment Suetia HENRY Henry late King of Suëtia was put down and deprived by that Common-wealth and his Brother made King in his place whose Son reigneth at this day and is also King of Polonia And this Fact was allowed by the Emperor the King of Denmark and all the Princes of Germanie neer about that Realm Denmark CISTERNE Cisterne King of Denmark for his intollerable crueltie was deprived and driven into banishment together with his Wife and three Children and his Uncle Frederick Prince of Holsatia was chosen King whose Progenie yet remaineth in the Crown England King JOHN King John of England for his evil Government and for having lost Normandie Gasconie Guyenne and all the rest which the Crown of England had in France made himself so odious and contemptible as first he was both Excommunicated and Deposed by the Pope at the sute of his own People and to make his Peace was enforced to resign his Crown in the hands of Pandulfe the Pope's Legat and afterwards falling back again to his old defects though by making his Kingdom tributarie in perpetuum to the See of Rome he had made the Pope of his side for a time the People notwithstanding did effectuate his Deprivation the 18th year of his reign first at Canterbury and after at London And called Lewis Prince of France Son to Phillip 2d and Father to Saint Lewis and chose him for their King and did swear him Fealtie with General Consent in London Anno 1216. But King John's death following presentlie after made them turn their purposes and accept of his Son Henry before matters were fully established for Lewis And this Henry which was 3d. of that Name proved a very worthie King and reigned 53. years which is more than ever King in England did leaving Edward 1. his Son Heir not inferior to himself in manhood and virtue EDWARD 2d But this Edward 1. had a Son Edward 2d who falling into the same or worse defects than King John had done was after 19. years reign deposed also by Act of Parliament holden at London the year 1326. appointed to be called Edward of Carnarvam from that hour forward and his bodie adjudged to perpetual prison where at length his life was taken away from him in the Castle of Barkley and his Son Edward 3d. was chosen in his place who
heads For which cause the States of Venice and Genoa which were wont to have simply this Government of Aristocratia were inforced in the end to chuse Dukes The Division and Factions among the Senators of Carthage was the cause why Aid was not sent to Hannibal their Captain in Italie after his so great and important Victorie at Canna which was the very cause of the saving of the Romane Empire and the loss of their own As also afterwards the Emulations and Discord of the Romane Senators in the Affairs and Contentions of Marius and Sylla and of Pompey and Caesar was the occasion of all their Destruction and of their Common-wealth with them Why Helps are given to Kings Therefore it appeareth that of all other Governments Monarchie is the best But for that a King is a Man as others be and thereby not only subject to Errors in Judgment but also to passionate Affections in his Will It was necessarie That the Common-wealth should assign him the best Helps that might be for Directing and Rectifying both his Will and Judgment Lawes the first Help why given The first Help is the Law which Aristotle saith Est mens quaedam nullo perturbata affectu and in the same place addeth That he which joyneth a Law to Govern with the Prince joyneth God to the Prince but he that joyneth to the Prince his Affection to Govern joyneth a Beast So that a Prince Ruling by Law is more than a man or a man Deified and a Prince Ruling by Affections is less than a man or a man Brutified In another place also the same Philosopher saith That a Prince that Ruleth hemself and others by his own Appetite and Affections of all Creatures is the worst and of all Beasts is the most furious and dangerous for that nothing is so outragious as Injustice armed and no Armor is so strong as Wit and Authority Councils the second Help why given The Monarchie of ENGLAND tempered The second Help that Common-wealths do assign to their Kings and Princes be certain Councils as we see the Parlament of England and France the Courts in Spain and Diets in Germanie without which no matter of great Moment can be concluded And besides this commonly every King hath his Privie Council whom he is bound to hear and this was done to temper somwhat the absolute Form of a Monarchie whose danger is by reason of his sole Authoritie to fall into Tyrannie as Aristotle noteth In the Monarchie of England all the Three Forms of Government do enter more or less In that there is one King or Queen it is a Monarchie In that it hath certain Councils which must be heard it participateth of Aristocratia And in that the Commonaltie have their Voices and Burgesses in Parlament it taketh part also of Democratia All which limitations come from the Common-wealth as having Authoritie above their Princes for the good of the Realm Restraint of Kings among the Romans Why Kinglie Government left in Rome This Restraint hath been in all Times and Countries as for example The Romans that began with Kings gave their Kings as great and absolute Authoritie as ours have now adaies but yet their next in Blood Succeeded them not of necessitie but new Kings were Chosen partlie by the Senate and partlie by the People So as of Three * most excellent Kings that ensued immediatelie after Romulus none were of the Blood nor yet Romans born but rather Strangers Chosen for their Virtue and Valor So for the neglecting of their Laws the Senators slew Romulus their first King and cut him in pieces and for the same reason expelled Tarquinius Superbus their last and all his Posteritie and with them the Name and Government of Kings which was changed in the Regiment of Consuls Restraint of Kings among the Grecians In Greece and namely among the Lacedemonians their Kings Authoritie was so restrained by certain Officers of the People called Ephori which commonly were five in number as they were not only chastened by them but also Deprived and somtimes put to death Restraint of Kings in Christendom In Germanie The Emperor can neither make War nor exact any Contribution of men or Money thereunto but by the free leave and Consent of all the States of the Germane Dyet or Parlament And for his Children or next in Kinn they have no action interest or pretence to Succeed but only by free Election if they shall be thought worthie Nay one of the chiefest Points that the Emperor must Swear at his entrance is this That he shall never go about to make the Dignitie of the Emperor Peculiar or Hereditarie to his Familie but leave it unto the Seven Electors free in their power to Chuse his Successor according to the Law made by the Pope Gregory the Fift and the Emperor Charles the Fourth in this behalf In Polonia and Bohemia The Kings of Polonia and Bohemia can neither do any thing of great Moment without the consent of certain principal men called Palatines or Castellans neither may their Children of next Blood Succeed except they be Chosen as in the Empire In Spain France and England In Spain France and England the Privileges of Kings are far more eminent both in the Power and Succession for their Authoritie is much more absolute and their next in Blood do ordinarily Succeed for as touching Authoritie it seemeth that the Kings of France and Spain have greater than the King of England for that everie Ordination of these Two Kings is Law in it self without further Approbation of the Common-wealth which holdeth not in England where no general Law can be made without Consent of Parlament But in the other Point of Succession the restraint is far greater in those other Two Countries than in England For in Spain the next in Blood cannot Succeed be he never so lawfully Discended but by a new Approbation of the Nobilitie Bishops and States of the Realm as it is expresly set down in the Two ancient Councils of Toledo the Fourth and Fifth Nor can the King of Spain's own Son at this day be called Prince except he be first Sworn by the said Nobilitie and Estates as we have seen it practiced in the King Philip's Children In France Women neither any of their Issue though Male are admitted to Succeed in the Crown And therefore was Edward 3d. of England though Son and Heir unto a Daughter of France which was left by her Three Brethren Sole Heir to King Phillip * the fair her Father put by the Crown As also was the King of Navar at the same time Son and Heir unto this Womans eldest Brothers Daughter named Lewis Huttin notwithstanding all their allegations And Philip de Valois a Brothers Son of Philip the fair's preferred to it by General Decree of the States of France and by Verdict of the whole Parlament of Paris And albeit the Law Salica
either for Valor Prowess length of Reign acts of Chivalrie or the multitude of famous Princes his Children left behind him was one of the noblest Kings that ever England had RICHARD 2d Richard the 2d Son to the black Prince of Wales for having suffered himself to be misled by evil Counsellers to the great hurt and disquietness of the Realm was deposed also after 22. years reign by a Parliament holden at London the year 1399. and condemned to perpetual Prison in the Castle of Pomfret where he was soon after put to death and in his place was by free Election chosen the noble Knight Henry * Duke of Lancaster who proved afterwards so notable a King as the world knoweth HENRY 6th Henry 6th after almost 40. years reign was deposed imprisoned and put to death also together with his Son the Prince of Wales by Edward 4th of the House of York And this was confirmed by the * Commons and afterwards also by publick Act of Parliament because the said Henry did suffer himself to be over-ruled by the Queen his Wife and had broken the Articles of Agreement made by the Parlament between him and the Duke of York and solemnly sworn on both sides the 8th of Octob. 1459. though otherwise for his particular life he were a good man and King Edward 4th was put in place who was one of the renownedest for Martial Acts and Justice that hath worn the English Crown RICHARD 3d. This man having left two Sons his Brother Richard Duke of Glocester put them to death and being the next Heir Male was authorised in the Crown but Deposed again afterwards by the Common-wealth which called out of France Henry Earle of Richmond who took from him both life and Kingdom in the Field and was King himself by the name of Henry 7. And no man I suppose will say but that he was lawfully King also which yet cannot be except the other might lawfully be deposed If the said Deprivations were unjust the now Pretences are unlawful Moreover is to be noted in all these Mutations what good hath succeeded therein to the Common-wealth which was unjust and is void at this day if the Changes and Deprivations of the former Princes could not be made and consequently none of these that do pretend the Crown of England at this day can have any Title at all for that from those men they discend who were put in place of the deprived If Kings established may be Deprived much sooner Pretenders And if this might be so in Kings lawfully set in Possession then much more hath the said Common-wealth power and authoritie to alter the succession of such as do pretend Dignitie if there be due reason and causes to the same Wherein consisteth principally the lawfulness of Proceedings against Princes which in the former Chapter is mentioned What interest Princes have in their Subjects Goods or Lives How Oaths do Binde or may be Broken by Subjests towards Princes And finally the difference between a good King and a Tyrant CAP. IV. 1. Objection against the Assertions in the last Chapter BUt although by Nature the Common-wealth hath authoritie over the Prince to chuse and appoint him at the beginning yet having once made him and given up all their authoritie unto him he is no more subject to their correction but remaineth absolute of himself As every particular man hath authorised to make his Master or Prince of his inferior but not afterwards to put him down again howsoever he beareth himself towards him 2. Objection When the Children of Israël being under the Government of the High Priest demanded a King of Samuel he protesting unto them Well quoth he you will have a King hearken then to this that I will say Hoc erit jus Regis qui imperaturus est vobis He shall take away from you your Children both Sons and Daughters your Fields and Vineyards c. and shall give them to his servants and you shall cry unto God in that day from the face of this your King and God shall not hear you for that you have demanded a King to Govern over you Assertions of Bellay Yea Bellay and some other that wrote in flatterie of Princes in these our days do not only affirm That Princes are lawless and subject to no accompt or correction whatsoever they do But also That all goods chattels possessions and whatsoever else commodities temporal of the Common wealth are properly the Kings and that their Subjects have only the use thereof so as when the King will he may take it from them by right Answer to Bellay his First Assertion But for the first That Kings are subject to no Law Is against the very Institution of a Common-wealth which is to live together in Justice and Order for if it holdeth so insteed of Kings and Governors to defend us we may set up publick murtherers ravishers theeves and spoylers to devour us Then were all those Kings before mentioned both of the Jewes Gentiles and Christians unlawfully deprived and their Successors unlawfully put up in their places and consequentlie all Princes living at this day are intruders and no lawful Princes Answer to Bellay his Second Assertion Of the second saying also That all temporalities are properly the Princes and that Subjects have only the use thereof no less absurdities do follow First it is against the very first principle and foundation of the Civil Law which at the first entrance maketh this division of Goods That some are common by Nature to all men as the Aër the Sea c. Others are publick to all of one Citie or Countrie but yet not common to all in general as Rivers Ports c. Some are of the Communitie of a Citie or Common-wealth but yet not common to every particular person of that Citie as common Rents Theaters the publick hous and the like Some are of none nor properly of any man's Goods as Churches and Sacred things And some are proper to particular men as those which every man possesseth of his own Besides it overthroweth the whole nature of a Common-wealth maketh all Subject to be but very slaves for that slaves and bondmen in this do differ from freemen that slaves have only the use of things without property or interest and cannot acquire or get to themselves any dominion or true right in any thing but it accreweth all to their Master Lastly If all Goods be properly the King's why was Achab and Jezabel so reprehended and punished by God for taking away Naboth's vineyard Why do the Kings of England France and Spain ask Money of their Subjects in Parlament and that termed by the names of Subsidies Helps Benevolences Loans Prests Contributions c How have the Parlament oftentimes denied them the same Why are there Judges appointed for matter of Suits and Pleas between the Prince and the People Why doth the Canon Law inhibit all
bastard-brother to the prejudice of his his lawful Edmond and Aldred This Egbert left a son named Elthelwolfe or Adelwulfe or Edolf who succeeded him and had four sons Ethelbald Ethelbert Ethelred and Alfred who were all Kings one after another and for the most part most excellent Princes specially Alfred the last of all whose acts bee wonderful Hee left a son as famous as himself which was Edward the elder who dying left two lawful sons Edmond and Aldred and one illegitimate named Adelstan which being esteemed to bee of more valor then the other two was preferred to the Crown before them and was a Prince of worthie memorie Hee brought England into one perfit Monarchie having expelled utterly the Danes and quieted the Welchmen Conquered Scotland and brought their K. Constantine to do him homage Restored also Luys d'Outremer his nephew to the kingdom of France Aldred to the prejudice of his Nephews Edwin and Edgar This Adelstan dying without issue his lawful brother Edmond was admitted who left two sons Edwin and Edgar but for that they were yong they were put back and their Uncle Aldred preferred who reigned with the good will and prais of all men Edgar to the prejudice of his elder brother Edwin Aldred dying without issue his elder Nephew Edwin was admitted to the Crown but yet four years after hee was deposed again for his leud and vitious life and his younger brother Edgar admitted in his place who was one of the rarest Princes that the world had in his time Stow saith hee kept 3600 ships in this Realm Canutus Dane to the prejudice of Edmond and Edward Englishmen This Edgar had by his first Wife Egilfred Edward called the Martyr and by his second Alfred Etheldred Which Alfred to the end that her Son might Reign caused Edward to be slain and so Etheldred came to the Crown though with much contradiction moved in hatred specially of the murther of his Brother This Etheldred was driven out of this Kingdom by Sweno King of the Danes who possessed the Realm and dying left a Son Canutus with whom Etheldred returning after the death of Sweno made an Agreement and Division of the Realm And so died leaving his eldest * Son Edmund Iron-side to succeed him who soon after dying also left two Sons Edmund and Edward but the whole Realm to Canutus who pretended it to be his by a Covenant made between Iron-side and him That the longest liver should have all and so with the Realm took the two Children and sent them over into Swethland And was admitted not only by the consent of the Realm but allowed also by the Sea of Rome And he lived and proved an excellent good King and after twenty years Reign died much mourned by the Englishmen Harald Bastard preferred to his lawful Brother Hardicanutus This Canutus left a base Son named Harald and a lawful one named Hardicanutus But Harald was by the more part of Voices chosen before his lawful Brother Hardicanutus preferred before his neerer in Blood After the death of Harald Hardicarnutus was chosen without any respect either to Edward the Confessor Alured Sons to Etheldred that were in Normandy or to Edmond and Edward Sons to his Son Iron-side that were in Sweathland though in proximitie of Blood they were before him Alured and Edward the Confessor before Edmond and Edward their eldest Brother's Sons But this Hardicanutus dying without issue Alured second son to Etheldred by his second Wife against the priority both of his Brother and his Nephews that were in Swethland was called to be King but being murthered by the way by Goodwin the Earl of Kent his elder brother Edward the Confessor was admitted yet before Edmond and Edward sons to his elder brother Iron-side And the said Edward the Confessor was a most excellent Prince and Reigned in Peace almost twenty years Harald 2. to the prejudice of Edgar Edward being dead without issue The States made a great Consultation whom they should make King and first of all excluded him that was only next by Propinquitie of blood which was Edgar eldest son to Edward the Out-law son to Edmond Iron-side because he was a Child not able to Govern the Realm And Harald son to the Earle Goodwin by the Daughter of Canutus was admitted William Duke of Normandie his Title by Election But William Duke of Normandie pretended to be chosen before by * Edward the Confessor with the consent of the Realm which though no English Authors do avow it cleerly seemeth notwithstanding very probable Because the said William had at his Entrance many in England that did favor his pretence and that as Gerard saith At his coming to London he punished divers by name for that they had broken their Oaths and Promises in that behalf Moreover by alleging his Title of Election he moved divers Princes abroad to favor him in that action as in a just quarrel which it is not like they should have done if he had pretended only a Conquest or his Title of Consanguinity which could be of no importance in the world Among others Pope Alexander 2. whose Holiness was greatly esteemed in those dayes did send him his Benediction and a precious Ring of Gold with a Hallowed Banner St. Anthoninus Archbishop of Florence commended his enterprise But howsoever he got the Victory and God prospered his Pretence and hath confirmed his off-spring in the Crown more than these Five hundred years Examples after the Conquest William Rufus and Henry 1. to the prejudice of their elder brother Robert William the Conqueror left three sons Robert William and Henry and by his Will the Kingdom to William named Rufus forsom particular displeasure against his elder son who being at his fathers death absent in the war of Jerusalem was put back although the most part of the Realm was inclined unto him and William Rufus by the persuasion of Lanfrake Archbishop of Canterbury was established in the Crown And hee dying without issue his younger brother Henry against the right also of his elder brother Robert absent again in the war of Jerusalem did by fair promises to the people and the help of Henry Newborow Earl of Warwick and Maurice Bishop of London get the Crown wherein God did so prosper him that his said brother Robert coming afterwards to depose him of it hee took him prisoner and kept the Crown King Stephen preferred to Henry 2. his nearer in blood and Henry again to Stephen his issue This King Henry left a daughter which had of Jeffrey Plantagenet Duke of Anera a son named Henry whom Henry his Grandfather caused to bee declared Heir apparent in his daies But yet after his deceas becaus Prince Henry was but a childe the State of England did choos Stephen Earl of Boulongue and son to Adela the Conqueror's daughter putting back both Henry and his Mother But again for that
by virtue whereof the French-men pretend to exclude the Succession of Women be no very ancient Law as the French themselves do confess and much less made by Pharamond their first King yet do we see that it is sufficient to bind all Princes and Subjects of that Realm to observe the same and to alter the Course of Natural Discent and that the King of Navar only by virtue therof doth at this day pretend to be the next in Succession to this goodlie Crown and to exclude both the Infanta of Spain and the Prince of Lorrayn that now is who are Children of the last King's Sisters Propinquitie of Blood not Sufficient By which we see That it is not enough for a man to allege bare Propinquitie of Blood thereby to prevail for that he may be excluded or put back by divers other circumstances and for sundry other reasons Kings lawfully Possessed may be Deprived Yea The Common-wealth hath not only the Authoritie to put back the next Inheritors upon just Considerations but also to Dispossess them that have been lawfully put in Possession if they keep not the Laws As by examples of all Nations it might be proved And God for the most part hath wonderfully prospered the same Titles of Princes once Settled not to be Examined by private men Not that it be lawful to Subjects for every mislike to band against their Princes Nay if a Prince be once settled in the Crown and admitted by the Common-wealth every man is bound to settle his Conscience to obey the same * without examination of his Title or Interest because God disposeth of Kingdoms and worketh his will in Princes affairs Yielding too much to Princes bringeth a Tyrannie But to make Princes subject to no Law or limitation at all and to free them from all Obligation unto the whole Bodie whereof they are the Heads as though they had been created Kings from the beginning of the world or as though the Common-wealth had been made for them and not they for the Common-wealth were to bring all to such absolute Tyrannie as no Realm ever did or could suffer among civil People The mean which is to be kept The Argument of the next Chapter So as all Dutie Reverence Love and Obedience is to be yielded to the Prince which the Common-wealth hath once established So yet retaineth still the Common-wealth her Authoritie not only to restrain him if he be exorbitant but also to chasten and remove him upon due and weightie considerations And hath the same been done and practiced at manie times in most Nations with right good success to the weal-publick Of Kings lawfully Chastised by their Common-wealths for their Misgovernment And of the good and prosperous success that God commonly hath given to the same CAP. III. EXAMPLES The Ordination of God in the Common-wealth of the Jews doth authorise the same doings in other Common-wealths FOr Examples out of the Scripture though some man may chance to say That the things recounted there of the Jews were not so much to be reputed for Acts of the Common-wealth as for particular Ordinances of God himself yet it doth make rather for than against this purpose because other Common-wealths may the sooner practice that wherein they have God his own authoritie and approbation Examples out of the Jews SAUL First then Saul though he was elected by God to that Royal Throne yet was he by his order slain by the Philistians for his disobedience and not fulfilling the Laws and limits prescribed unto him And David was chosen in his room which proved such a King as he was a most perfect patern for all Kings to follow and so lived and so died as never Prince I think before him nor perhaps after him so joyned together both Valor and Virtue Courage and Humilitie Wisdom and Pietie Government and Devotion Nobilitie and Religion AMON Amon was lawful King also and that by natural Discent and Succession for he was Son and Heir to King Manasses yet he was slain by his own people quia non ambulavit in via Domini and Josias was brought in his room of whom it is written Fecit quod erat rectum in conspectu Domini non declinavit neque ad dextram neque ad sinistram Examples of the Romans ROMULUS Romulus the first King of the Romans as hath been said before having by little and little declined into Tyrannie was slain and cut in pieces by the Senators and in his place was chosen Numa Pompilius the notablest King that ever they had who prescribed all their Order of Religion and manner of Sacrifices imitating therein the Ceremonies of the Jews as Tertullian and others do note began the building of the Capitol and added the two Months of January and February to the year TARQUINIUS SUPERBUS The expulsion of Tarquinius Superbus their seventh and last King for his evil Government and the alteration thereby of the whole Government by the establishing of Consuls had so prosperous a success that whereas at the end of their King's Government they had but fifteen miles Territory without the Citie it is known that when their Consuls Government ended and was changed by Julius Caesar their Territory reached more than fifteen thousand miles in compass JULIUS CAESAR When Julius Caesar upon particular ambition had broken all Law both Humane and Divine and taken all Government into his own hands alone he was in revenge thereof slain as the world knoweth by Senators in the Senate-house and Octavianus Augustus preferred in his room who proved afterwards the most famous Emperor that ever was NERO. After Nero 6th Emperor which succeeded lawfully his Uncle Claudius and was afterward deposed and sentenced * to death by the Senate for his wicked Government albeit Peace ensued not presently yet within few months the whole Empire fell upon Vespasian and his Son Titus two of the best Governors that those times ever saw DOMITIAN To cruel Domitian whose death the Senate is thought in secret to have procured being not able to perform it openly by Justice for that he did presently by publick Decree allow of the same disanulled all his barbarous acts and pulled down every where his Arms and Memories did succeed five excellent good Emperors to wit Nerva whom the Senate chose in his room Trajan Adrian Antonius Pius and Marcus Aurelius HELIOGABALUS Heliogabalus for his most beastlie life and foul actions was deprived and put to death by the Souldiers of Rome at the request and publick Approbation of the Senate and People who Ordained in his detestation That never Emperor after him should be called more Antoninus and so it was observed and preferred to the Empire in his room his Cousen named Alexander Severus who proved one of the most rarest Princes for his Valor and Virtue that ever the Romane Empire hath had MAXENTIUS Maxentius was drowned in the River of Tiber and he sirnamed afterward Constantine
this Reign drew all England into factions and divisions the States in a Parlament at Wallingford made an agreement that Stephen should bee lawful during his life onely and that Henry and his off spring should succeed him and Prince William King Stephen's son was deprived and made onely Earl of Norfolke King John to the prejudice of his Nephew Arthur This Henry 2 left Richard Jeffrey and John Richard sirnamed Coeur de Lyon succeeded him and dying without issue * John was admitted by the States and Arthur Duke of Britaine son and heir to Jeffrey * excluded who coming afterward to get the Crown by war was taken by his Uncle John who murthered him in prison Louys Prince of France to the prejudice of King John and King John's son afterward to the prejudice again of Louys But som years after the Barons and States of England misliking the government of this King John rejected him again and chose Louys the Prince of France to bee their King and did swear fealtie to him in London depriving also the young Prince Henry John's son of 8 years old but upon the death of King John that ensued shortly after they recalled again that sentence disannulled the Oath and Allegiance made unto Louys Prince of France and admitted this Henry * to the Crown who reigned 53 years The Princes of York and Lancaster had their best Titles of the autoritie of the Common-wealth From this Henry 3. take their first begining the two branches of York and Lancaster In whose contentions the best of their titles did depend upon the autoritie of the Common-wealth For as the people were affected and the greatest part prevailed so were they confirmed or disannulled by Parlament And wee may not well affirm but that when they are in possession and confirmed therein by these Parlaments they are lawful Kings and that God concurreth with them For if wee should deny this point wee should shake the states of most Princes in the world at this day The Common-wealth may dispose of the Crown for her own good And so to conclude As propinquitie of blood is a great preheminencie towards the atteining of the Crown so doth it not ever binde the Common-wealth to yield thereunto and to shut up her eies or admit at hap-hazard or of necessitie any one that is next by succession but rather to take such an one as may perform the dutie and charge committed For that otherwise to admit him that is an enemie or unfit is but to destroy the Common-wealth and him together What are the principal points which a Common-wealth ought to respect in admitting or excluding of any Prince that pretendeth to succeed wherein is handled largely also of the diversitie of Religions and other such causes CAP. IX Seeing the Common-wealth is to know and judg of the matter no doubt but God doth allow of her judgment HEe who is to judg and give the sentence in the things is also to judg of the caus for thereof is hee called Judg So if the Common-wealth hath power to admit or put back the Prince or pretender to the Crown shee hath also autoritie to judg of the lawfulness of the causes considering specially that it is in their own affair and and in a matter that depend's wholly upon them for that no man is King or Prince by institution of Nature but only by authoritie of the Common-wealth Who can then affirm the contrary but that God doth allow for a just and sufficient cause in this behalf the only Will and Judgment of the Weal-publick it self supposing alwaies that a whole Realm will never agree by orderly way of Judgement to exclude the next Heir in Blood without a reasonable Cause in the sight and censure The Pope is to obey the Determination of the Common-wealth without further inquisition except it be in Cases of injustice and Tyranny And seeing that they only are the Judges of this Case and are properly Lords and Owners of the whole business we are to presume that what they Determine is just and lawful though at one time they should Determine one thing and the contrary at another as they did often in England being led at different times by different motions and it is enough for every particular man to subject himself and obey simply their Determination without further inquisition except he should see that Open Injustice were done therein or God manifestly offended and the Realm endangered Open Injustice if not the true Common-wealth but some Faction of wicked men should offer to Determine the matter without lawful authoritie God offended and the Realm endangered where it is evident that he that is preferred will do what lieth in him to the prejudice both of God's glory and of the Common-wealth as if a Turke or some notorious wicked man and Tyrant should be offred to Govern among Christians Whence the Reasons of Admitting or Receiving a Prince are to be taken Now to know the true Causes and principal Points which ought to be chiefly regarded as well by the Common-wealth as by every particular man in the furthering or hindering any Prince we must return to the End wherefore Government was appointed which is to defend preserve and benefit the Common-wealth because from this Consideration are to be deduced all other Considerations for discerning a good or evil Prince For that whosoever is most likely to defend c. his Realm and Subjects he is most to be allowed and desired as most conform to the end for which Government was ordained And on the contrary side he that is least like to do this deserveth least to be preferred And this is the Consideration that divers Common-wealths had in putting back oftentimes Children and impotent People though next in blood from succession Three Chief Points to be regarded in every Prince And here shall be fitly remembred what Gerard recounteth of the King of France that in his Coronation he is new apparrelled three times in one day once as a Priest and then as a Judge and last as a King armed thereby to signifie three things committed to his charge first Religion then Justice then Manhood and Chivalrie which division seemeth very good and fit and to comprehend all that a Weal-Publick hath need of for her happie State and Felicity both in soul and bodie and for her end both supernatural and natural And therefore these seem to be the three Points which most are to be regarded in every Prince Why it is here principally treated of Religion For the latter two because they have been often had in Consideration in the Changes aforesaid and Religion whereof then scarce ever any question or doubt did fall in these actions rarely or never And because in these our dayes it is the principal Difference and chiefest Difficultie of all other and that also it is of it self the first and highest and most necessarie Point to be considered in the Admission of a Prince therefore it