displeasure of Maurice the Emperour of Constantinople for this vsurpation he sent an ambassadour to ex cuse his act giuing for reasoÌ„ the besteging of Rome by the Lombards ioyned with the let of passage by means of the outrage of floudes and waters which drowned diuers places about the time of his election the excuse was accepted howbeit the authoritie of the Emperour concerning the confirmation of the Popes in many following elections continued The Pope finding no wished successe in his saucie attemptes sought to bewitch as the Crocadile who by the teares of her eyes disperseth the venime of her hearte so he with hypocriticall shew of holines purchased such reuerence of mightie kings as in tract time Mahomet King of the Turkes and great grandfather of the great Soliman besieged the same with such a power as Constantinus was vnable to resist and so both himselfe and subiectes became feelers of Mahomets vengeance the stately Constantinople his Emperiall seate and as sundry authours witnes the contention betwéene the Popes of Rome and the patriarches of Constantinople for supremacie was the passage of the Turks attempt and the greatest hope he had of good successe and truely his aduauntage was great for after a cruel fight betweene mastie dogges if a Beare appeare although they will all ioyne to wearie him yet tâ—…eir former bickering will greatly weaken their forces euen so in ciuill contentions although both partes will ioyne to withstand a common enemie yet their strength will be much abated and their enemies courages more increased But whether this or lacke of magnanimitie in their Emperours were the cause all Christendome rueth the losse of so famous a Citie from whome all nations receiued a benefite and by this Conquest her riches is a scourge to all nations which in times past for the renowne of her beautie and riches was of Strabon called illustris of Plinie and Iustin named noble long was she the chiefe seate of the Empire in her were many generall Councilles celebrated and an infinite number of heresies discyphered destroyed and rooted out This Citie is seated in Europe in a most fertile place of Thracia vpon the particion of the sea betwéene Asia and Europe at the entrie of the sea Euxinus called the great sea and therefore Ouid tearmeth her the port of two seas her beautie fertilitie riches were such as Philip father of Alexander the great besieged her with a mightie power to be possessed of her but after long assaulte in vaine an inhabiter of the citie called Lyon came before the King and spake to him in this maner Shew me Philip what iniurie hast thou receiued of Bisance that thou besiegest her with such anger I am prouoked with no iniurie answered Philip but for that she seemeth to be more faire then any citie in Thracia I am inamored of her am therfore come to conquer her amorous kinges replyed Lyon which will be beloued if their louers indeuour to ouercome them with sweet musicke curtesie and not with sharpe warre and crueltie with this floute Philip was glad to rayse his siege without dammage to the Bysanceans but leaue we Constantinople and the Empire of Grecia in the possession of the Turke the capitoll enemie of Christ and Christians to declare the disposement of the Romaine Empire as great a persecutour of either In the yeere 1002. Othon being Emperor and the kinseman of Pope Gregorie the fift an Almaine borne the sayde Pope made a Lawe to priuiledge the Almaines with the election of the Emperor to which he got the consent of Othon which was that from thenceforth three of the cleargie foure of the laitie should be the electours of the Prince which they called Cesar and king of the Romaines to witte the Archbishop of Magonce of Treues and of Colloine the Marques of Brandebourg the Counte Pallatine de Rhene the Duke of Saxonie and the King of Bohemia and their successoures in these dignities and after their election with the confirmation and approuement by the Pope the Prince elected shoulde be called Emperour Augustus see héere a wonderfull chaunge the Emperours of Rome which for many hundred yéeres had the authoritie to approue and confirme the Popes of Rome are nowe become subiects to the approuement and confirmation of their subiects the Pope and his successours well with this chaunge agreeth the presagement of sainte Ierome who saith that the Romaine Empire which holdeth all nations in subiection shall be abased and then shall Antichrist arise the fountaine of all iniquitie That the Pope of Rome is Antechriste regard what is sayd of this monster in the 7. and 13. of the Apocal. Hee shall make warre with the saintes and shall ouercome them Item power is giuen him ouer all kinreds tongues and nations and all that dwell vpon the earth worshipped him that the Pope of Rome warreth with the saintes ouercommeth them becommeth drunke with their bloud his persecution of the true professours of the Gospell through out Europe is a memorable witnesse of which point the reader of the Registers of the reuerende deuine master Iohn Foxe entituled Actes and monuments of the Church may be liberally satisfied that he hath had power of al kindred tongue and nations the subiection of Emperours and Kings witnes the worshippe and the reuerence done vnto him may not be hid in that he will impudently arrogantly challenge vnto himselfe what onely belongeth to God for it is thus registred in the Cannons that he hath power to saue or to damne how that by waggons full loaden he can send soules to hell can condemne to purgatorie and at pleasure fetch men forth againe where the holy scriptures in sundry places assureth vs that onely God forgiueth sinnes That he is that struâ—…et attyred in purple scarlet c. mounted vpon the beast with seuen heads c. spoke of in the 17. and 18. of the Apocal. the Angell expoundeth that these seuen heades signifie seuen mountaines or hilles and what authour remembreth any famous City to be builded vpon seuen mountaines or hilles many say that Rome was so builded but none that witnesse of any other citie the names of which mountaines were thus registred more then a 1600 yeeres since the mount Palatin the mount Capilotin the mount Auentin the mount Esquilin the mount Viminal and the mount Quirinal in remembrance whereof there was in auncient time a feast day in Rome called Septimontinalia Virgil in his Georgickes speaking of Rome her beautie saith that within her walles she inuironeth 7. hils euery particular nation in Europe reuealeth her by this large witnes their Princes haue bene drunken with the bloud of many godly martirs haue insatiably drunken of the Popes poysoned cup of abomination To be briefe the most infirmed eyes may see that the Pope is that Antichrist the Apostle speaketh of that he shall sit in the Temple of God and be honoured as God the Pope not
reported that his notorious crimes exceeded the dayes of his age which I ouerpasse as examples necessary for other purposes and vnto this impious parte I will ioyne this following crueltie Upon a day one tolde this naughtie Emperour that his cosen Mamertius Antomenes resembled him in comelynesse of bodie and magnanimitie of minde vpon which report Commodus pronounced death both vpon the reporter and his innocent cousen holding it for reason that it appertained to no man to vaunt lesse to resemble him and in my opinion if Antomenes resembled him in deuilish qualities death was too easie a scourge for so lewde a life Mulla Abdula father of Moley Mahumet commonly called the blacke king in whose cause the mortall battaile betwéene the king of Portugall and Amoley Muluco king of Fees was fought the 5. of August 1578. as in the alteration of the latter common weales by enuy shal be more largely shewen vpon an enuious suggestion that his brethren by the priuity in nature and bloud loked to liue in greater liberty then subiectes by the assistaunce of a noble man of the countrey called Alcatho Alley caused the throates of a eleuen of his brethren to be cut in one morning Now to conclude these particular tyrannies of enuye vnto which millions of notorious examples may be enserted the monstrous murders of king Richard the third a tyrant of our nation is worthy note in whose wretched end yet worthy his wickednes the happines of Englande began againe to florish and enioyed her auncient renowne This tyraunt at such time as he was Duke of Glocester with an enuious eye behelde the soueranity of king Edwarde the 4. his brother and yet inforced by necessity obeyed him For annoynted kinges with weake policies are not depriued but vnable to hold his hand from their throates who for their dignities toke the vpper hand of him against the lawes of honor with his impious handes he stabbed Prince Edward to the hart beeing taken prisoner at the battaile of Tewksbury Next like an Alehouse ruffen with his dagger he slew the infortunate good king Henry the sixt in the tower of London Then heaping murder vppon murder he caused George Duke of Clarence his naturall Brother to be drowned in a Butte of Malmesey And last though not the least to rowle vp a number of noble subiectes endes with the death of king Edward the fift and Richard Duke of Yorke the kinges brother his nephewes whom he caused to be murthered in the Tower and buried without honor to infame the name of king Edward the fourth and his posterity he pronounced his mother like a filthy harpye to be a strumpet and that the sayd king Edward was a Bastard and him selfe onely legitimate as I think sonne of the diuel for it séemeth wonderful that so inhumane a creature should take life of humane séed CHAP. 3. Enuy originall of warre and capitall cause of the destruction of the first Monarchies MAny yéeres after the beginning euery king qui etly enioyed the countries in his own possession vntil Ninus king of the Asserians enuying the soueranity of his neighbour kings put him self in armes vnlawfully to inlarge his owne dominions by deposing other froÌ„ their kingdoms Thus byenuy froÌ„ the bottom of hell came war by war confusion of deuine humaine blessings the aduauncement of thousandes of diuelish iniquities For whereas lawes giue place to armes the honor of God is wounded his word is misprised Iesus Christ is blasphemed and persecuted his Gospell is reiected and his Sacraments are prophaned fire is put to the house of the lord Wolues are thruste into his stéepefolde and wilde Bores among his vines truth and equity is peruerted charity is cold innocents and the iust are oppressed youth bee ill instructed publicke orders are broken discipline and rules of good life are abolished ignoraunce is raysed knowledge is abased proud ambitious and men of leaste estimation doe gouerne the learned wise and vertuous are disofficed as ideots and men of no merite countries bee vnpeopled fayre Cities are burned peaceable citizens are murthered their wiues and daughters are rauished their groundes lye vntilled goods compassed by the trauels of a mans whole life in one hower doe become the spoyle of a riotous souldiour And to conclude though short of a number of other curses which follow warre vice mounted in her chariot of triumph arrogaÌ„tly treadeth pore vertue vnder foot therby they that shold cry out of this outrage against God and man are dumb and the reformers of these enormities deafe these vengeances by war the enuious eye and ambitious hart of Ninus bred in the worlde which died not with the destruction of Th'asserian monarchy Notwithstanding enuy the erecter was the destroyer therof For Arbactus leiftenant of the Meades enuiyng the soueranity of Sardanapalus a man more effeminate then a woman by the assistaunce of other lords gaue battaile vnto the king Sardanapalus discomforted â—…led into his pallas there enuiyng the fortune of Arbactus more to reaue him of the glory of his triumph then moued by sorrow of his own defeat Sardanapalus set fire of his Pallas his wealth him selfe so by the prodigall spoyle of his life recouered the reputation of a man for manhood is most truely tried by constancy in the trembling passage of death The like enuious part was committed by Ariathes king of Capidocia who being ouercome in battail by Perdicas one of Alexanders successors fled into the Citye enuiyng Perdicas good fortune more then he lamented his owne mischance caused the city to be set on fire incouraged his souldiers citizens to slay their wiues children holding it lesse euill to die by the violence of friends then to liue a seruile life vnder the controlment of their enemies And by this means in truth he reaued Perdicas of the spoyle of his victory but did both vnto him selfe and countrey an iniury against nature and reason against nature in committing wilful murder vpon him selfe posterity against reason in that time was able to repaire his ruines of fortune But to kéep an order in discoursing the actions of enuy by the victory which Arbactus had ouer Sardanapalus the empyre of Th'asserians was traÌ„slated into the Meades which corse most conquerors adopted Princes euer since haue taken to crown their natiue countrey with imperiall title to leaue the places conquered or by other meanes gayned to the tyrannye of leifetenants Well this monster enuy which mortifieth the naturall affection of a father robbeth dutifull obedience from the son made the one of these the cause the other the ouerthrow of this second empire For Astiages the last king of the Meades receauing answer of the Oracle that his daughters sonne should gouerne his empire as it were to despight the Gods that had fore destined this honor vnto his daughters sonne vpon an enuious thought first
tiranny of Princes they war without warrant that rebell against their worst kinges Were there neither authority deuine nor prophane to reprooue rebellion yet in their best quarrel destruction which is the ende of traitours sheweth their beginning to be naught God manye times suffereth both good and bad Princes to fall into the handes of their subiectes but woe be vnto those subiectes by whom either perishe We need no other torment to relish our present peace and prosperity then the remonstration of the ciuill warres bloudshed and manye grieuous calamities which for the space of 85. yéeres yea during the raignes of 6. kinges afflicted this small kingdome After the violent depriuement of king Richard the second from his crowne and dignity but in the end the Lorde hauing compassion of our manifold miseries séeing our priuate dissention ready to grow to publicke destruction euen when his wrath séemed to be moste hot euen then the beames of his mercy sodenlye comforted vs by the destruction of our arch tyraunt Richard the third who caused and committed more wicked saluadge murders then fiftéene of the most tirannous kinges of England But humbly confessing Gods prouidence with this old age Nullum violentum perpetuum This tiraunt that was giltye of the death of king Henry the 6. Prince Edward his sonne and his own naturall brother George Duke of Clarence and afterwardes within the space of thrée yéeres of his vsurped raignes caused his nephewes king Edward the 5. and Richard Duke of York his brother to be murthered in the Tower not caring for his alleageaunce towardes the one nor fearing to breake the sanctuary for the other who repudiated his owne mother offered to marry his brothers daughter as is a fore saide After these and many other murders without the procéeding of law this manifest monster the ende of Englandes ciuill misery was slaine at Boshworth field by that prudent Prince king Henry the 7. by Gods planting the root of Englandes happinesse and naked like a hog was carried vpon a bare horse backe to Lecester there buried who meriteth neither the monument of King nor Man CHAP. 3. A sommarie of the vertues of the prudent prince King Henry the seuenth THE fayrest buylding hath a foundation and the fruitfullest trée his root and albeit the beuty of either be in the outward attyre yet the strength of both consisteth in the inwarde substaunce And certainely in all discriptions the cause ought to be as well set downe as the effect that Anatomie is perfect that discouereth all the inward as well as the outward workemanship of man Uertue I grant conuayeth honor simply from a mans owne good actions yet the same is much inlarged if from desent to desent honor be issued from the monumentes of his auncestours vertues And sure the glorye of a man is much iniured or eclipsed that is blasoned but by his owne proper regardes when the same maye bee truely illustred by such auncient graces But touching my purpose some will suggest that as it is a needlesse labour to seeke a Diamonde with a torche which glimmereth in the darke so as bootelesse is the curiositie to deriue her maiesties glorye further then from her owne sacred vertues when her wicked enemies renowne her perfections and wilfully pursue their owne destruction through presumption that her excellencye is composed all of grace and mercye I am bounde reuerentlye to acknowledge that her maiesties perfection is the true discouery of imperfection and in this regarde absolute that enuye and the worste sworne enemies of God assault her prosperity yet if anye thing maye be added to extoll her name this meriteth regarde that the fruites of vniuersall comfort which her deuine and heroicall graces plentifully distributeth grow from the root of Englandes happines which no priuie conspiracy could vnplant euen king Henry the seuenth And of that gréene trée which the stinging Locustes could by no meanes wither king Henry the eight And doubtlesse who so shal zelously contemplate how that the prouidence of God euen in our greatest destructions alwaies sustained vs may easily perswade him selfe that God would haue his glory to sâ—…ine ouer the world next his word from the lights of this little Iland seperated as some write from the world or at the least ioyned to the outermost end thereof How easie a praye had we béene for the ambitious desire of some bordering king during the blouddye contention betwéene the two illustrous houses Yorke and Lancaster for imperiall dignitye but God would not our subuertion The history of Richard the thirds tiranny is a most lamentable cronicle yet the same considered by Gods prouidence assureth vs by that sharpe remembrance a remembraunce of his mercifull goodnesse in deliuering vs from a continuall calamity in she wing vs through the vnlawfull procéedings of the tirant a lawfull meanes to accord these two puissant houses But before this great blessing his incomprehensible wisedome so sharply scourged this realme as all her estates suppressed their priuate desires and hartely praied and laboured for this happy vnity who mercifullye regarding our patient bondage crowned king Henrie the 7. with title of both houses by taking to wife Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to king Edward the 4. And albeit the end of our ciuill destruction in the beginning of his prudent raigne be sufficient alone to crowne king Henry the 7. name with euerlasting fame yet to gouerne vs right God indued this noble Prince with vertues answerable to so great a blessing as a general peace And certainly if Alexander surnamed Seuerus be reckoned among the number of the most wise emperors King Henry the 7. meriteth semblable title as the true imitatour of Alexanders gouernment King Henry the 7. entered vpon a kingdome no lesse disordered with continuall tumults then did Alexander with the vnmeasurable voluptuousnes of Helyogabalus the necessitye of time made him a seuere executioner of his lawes and testifieth the same to be deriued from perfect iustice he punished offences without respect of persons Honor was no plea for the mighty he iudged the trespasses of Lawyers with his owne knowledge of the law he onely pardoned ignoraunt offences and graciously relieued his poore subiectes oppressions he was thought somewhat too seueere in punishment But such murmuringes were no lawfull complaints to a fore that is deepe festered with corruption sharpe corsiues are to be applyed Euen so in a disordered common wealth seueere lawes are to be ministred He was a iust vertuous valiaunt and learned Prince a true distributour of peace plentye and prosperitye to his subiectes who in his life time had had a moste liberall portion of happinesse if in his dayes the Gospell of IESVS had had a free passage But leaue we Gods will therein who would not haue his outward temple builded in Dauids time but in his sonne Salomons and yet was Dauid a righteous man after the Lord in whose hand the harts of princes are had established a setled peace
welnéere of all Italy is cleane shut out of the kingdom of Naples the Dukedom of Florence Ferrara Mantua Millaine Parma Vennis the state of Genua c. so that to come to his segniorie of Bologna he is driuen to the lower way by Racâ—…onati Maddona de Loreto Ancona and by exchange with the Duke of Vrbin patcheth a passage so that in respect of her ancient limits this proud Eagle is welniâ—…h brought into the case of Platoes cocke with neuer a feather on her back the end of this Eagle shall be confusion the text so saieth the lion shal rebuke her vnrighteousnes rent her asunder shal deliuer the rest of the people of trouble make theÌ„ ioifull The Lion of England euen King Henry the 8. and his posterity hath made a faire reuealement of this prophesie the godly expect that the Eagle shall vanish to nothing with the thundering blasts that the English Lion hath shal storme vpoÌ„ her she feareth the same therfore bendeth all her secret forces to disquiet the Lion S. Augustine long ago séeing certaine english boies to be sold as slaues in Rome thus prophesied bene vocantur angeli quia nitent vt angeli in quo regno euangelium dei florebit they are properly called English-men because they shine as Angels in which kingdome the Gospell of Christ shall floorish The learned Doctor Erasmus writing a paraphrase of the foure Euangelists dedicated the first to the Emperour the second to the french King the third to the noble King Henry and the fourth to the Emperours brother the Pope was wiped out of his trauell as one not destined to haue the protection of this pretious iewell To King Henry the eight he dedicated his paraphrase of S. Luke and in his Epistle wrote that he had sent him Luke the Physition by circumstances reputed his Maiestie through his godly and religious procéedings to be the spirituall Physition that by the working of the holy Ghost purged the soules of many from the grosse errors of Antichrist I leane not so much to these moderne prophises although there be a common Prouerbe Vox populi vox dei the Scriptures giueth light sufficient that from these partes the Gospell of our Sauiour should be visibly reuiued In the fourth Chapter of Cantica Canticorum be these words Vp thou north wind and blow vpon my Garden that the smell thereof may be caried on euery side yea then my beloued may come into his Garden and eate of the sweete fruite that growe therein This winde is vp at the Almighties call his commission is well blasted abroade This noble King Henry as it is interpreted this Lion this winde ordained and sent of God first shooke the wicked tyrant of Rome first blewe the blast that hath almost blowne his authoritie out of all Christendome The Pope in his quarrell almost armed all Christian princes against this Lion but they feared or failed to do him hurt In the Popes quarrell many seditions were sowen in England in fearing the communaltie that the King would begger them with impositions The Northerne men openlie rebelled and the whole realme was in armes readie bent against their proper intrailes but God frustrated the deuisers counsels and preserued vs from the wilfull murther of our selues When the kings power and the rebels were ready to méete he parted the armies with a suddaine swelling of the water while after a parle the Rebels were willing to acknowledge their faults and with the kings gratious pardon departed to their owne houses a wonderfull prouidence of God that would not haue the rebels perish in their ignorance nor the good subiects murthered in so vnnaturall a battaile The vngratious Cardinal Poole stirred a great power in France but the french were more afraid to venter then was king Henry in his aged daies that they woulde enter into England His mind was inuinsible and euen of God all his procéedings were blessed their happy successe testified no lesse who in the 37. yeare of his triumphant raigne ended his life in peace whose death made England vnhappy in that the most toward and godly prince Edward the sixt his only sonne and heire of the Crowne was of so tender age CHAP. 5. A sommarie of the most excellent gifts of King Edward the sixt THe godly and most toward yong Prince King Edward the sixt being but of the age of nine yeares began his raigne the 31. of Ianuarie 1546. This prince in his tender age was indued with such towardnesse wisedome learning and all goodly gifts as Europe seldome or neuer fostered the like By reason of his tender yeares the Duke of Somerset his vncle was made Protector both of the King and his Realme who for the discretnesse of his speach the wisedome of his behauiour and vertue that accompanied all his actions was worthely reputed to be better able to gouerne at tenne then many princes at thirtie yeares of age There wanted no gift of nature learning or education that might renowne a good King but that mightely grew in his yong yeares as the vndoubted heire not only of the crowne but of all the vertues of his most noble father He aduanced the Gospell to which by Gods holie spirit his godly father gaue frée passage in England whose deuout zeale witnessed that this heauenly blessing was no lesse planted by his Grace by his godly councels and wisedome By his especiall request and letters the Citizens of London erected thrée néedefull Hospitals viz. for the sicke and aged they erected S. Thomas Hospitall in Southwarke for the fatherlesse child and infant they erected Christes Hospitall and for the sturdy vagabond they erected Bridewell by his godly meanes this charitable worke was sowne His wonderfull victory against the Scots may not be forgotten where was slaine 13000. Scots and but 60. Englishmen And truly if his subiects would haue béen imitators of his pietie charitie temperance and other christian duties their enuy ambition crueltie and other gréeuous sinnes had not so highly moued Gods wrath as that his vengeance would not suffer vs in any perfect yéeres to enioy this right gratious King Edward sample of all goodnes and by his death for a time reaued vs of the fruition of the Gospell the foode of our soules and in place of both to further punish our vnthankefulnesse he sent vs a prince that held a hard hand ouer vs that not only stopped the passage of the Gospell but persecuted the godly professors thereof euen Quéene Mary good King Edwards sister part of whose actions followeth CHAP. 6. An abstract out of the proceedings of Queene Mary LADY Mary the eldest daughter of king Henry the eight began her raigne ouer the realme of England the sixt of Iuly 1553. Touching her naturall disposition she was vertuouslie and well giuen but by reason that her bringing vp was vnder Papists and her youth throughlie instructed in the superstitions of Papistrie anone after that she was setled in her
authoritie or dissention Yea about this time that the fall of Antichrist might be visibly séene by the taking awaie of such Christian princes as were his setled supporters when as Lodowicke Guiccerdine reporteth ther was not any where either brute of pestilence or extraordinarie disease there died within the space of one yeare the Emperour Charles the fifth the Quéene of Hungary Quéene Mary of England two Kings of Denmarke Bona Sforza Quéene of Polonia Henry the third king of France Ierolme Priuli Duke of Vennice Hercules da este Duke of Ferrara and Paule the fourth Pope of Rome a change verie vniuersall wherein Gods prouidence is not to be ouerpassed with a light consideration whose will vndoubtedly was by the change of these princes the most of them drunken with Poperie to make a ready passage through Europe for the gospel of our sauiour Iesus Christ which vpon this change began to florish in most of the recited gouernements And albeit the fall of Antichrist in many places of the scripture be liuely presaged vpon the authority whereof there is sure and sound building when the prophesies and dreames of a number are but rotten foundations yet I hope I may without iust reprehension say that God many times acquainteth the minds of some good men with an imaginatiue knowledge of things to come which many yéeres after falleth out according to their presagement and for example belōging to our matter the reformation of the Church vnder her Maiesties raigne before her noble fathers death was set downe in this following prophesie Post H sequetur E post E quod mirum M M coronabitur breue confundetur Post M sequetur E vel A Et tunc conuertetur ecclesia In English E shall follow H next E with wonder M M shall be crowned and soone confounded Next vnto M E or A shall raigne Then shall the Church conuerted be againe Noble King Henry the eight first vnmasked this proude Pope King Edward the fixt the parragon of yong princes helped to vncase him Quéene Mary fauoured but liued not to strengthen him and now our soueraigne Elizabeth hath geuen him a mortall disgrace his painted Church abideth not the tuch Gods Church is vniuersally reuerenced The multitude are more delighted to reade a fewe godly sentences written vppon the Church wall then to sée his rarest rotten reliques layde vp in a golden chest Against her Maiestie he principally warreth as the chosen instrument of almightie God to abase his imperious mind to the wonder of the world and comfort of all good Christians CHAP. 8. Of the peaceable and honorable victorie that her Maiestie had against the french forces in Scotland which were raised with a determination for the inuasion of England the second yeare of her Maiesties raigne AFTER the death of Henry King of France his sonne Frances the second succéeded in the kingdome of France a prince of the age of sixtéene yéeres who being married vnto Mary Quéene of Scots and néece to the Duke of Guise suffered the affaires of the estate to be gouerned by the ambitious policy of the Duke and family of the Guises who hauing wished successe in their practises in Quéene Maryes dayes about the winning of Callice hoped and hungred after the spoile and conquest of England And the better to colour their purpose they intituled the King of France in the right of the Quéene his wife to the Crowne of England and knowing the difference betwéene the Quéenes Maiestie of England and the Pope in matters of religion they easily obtained of Paulus the fourth a disablement of the Quéenes Maiestie and an approouement of the Quéene of Scots right but King Frances had béene well aduised if he had not accepted this gift vntill the Pope had set him in possession of the kingdome which would haue troubled both him and his whole Colledge of Cardinals This depriuation by the Pope the Guises practised to moue the Papists of England to their part taking and arming theyr purpose by degrées to worke a feare in her Maiesties loyall subiects they wrote a booke of the weakenesse insufficiencie of feminine gouernement and by their owne reasons wounded the strength of their owne title which they deriued from the Quéene of Scots This scandale of feminine gouernemente was soundlie aunswered by an vnnamed authour in an english printed book at Strasbrowgh entituled A safe harbor for good subiects And truely although the soueraigne place of rule the chiefe credit of knowledge in Artes and Mecanicall craftes together with all other giftes of grace nature and education be giuen vnto man yet there haue béene women that in all maner of artes qualities and vertues which haue equalled the perfitest of men Innumerable are the testimonies of womens profound learning pure chastitie rare constancie patient martyrdome and a number most valiant whereof Chawcer reciteth nine Woorthies aunswerable to the nine Woorthies of men And touching regall gouernement from whence this question is deriued the Iewes recorde the sage gouernemente of Quéene Alexandra with more renowne then they did the tyrannie of her husband Alexander with reproch whose bodie they were determined to haue giuen vnto the dogs as also to haue murthered his two sonnes to haue rooted out Alexanders name if that her wisedome had not redéemed out either Theodosia the Empresse of Constantinople with admired prudence ruled the whole Empire during her life The gouernement of Senobia was no lesse renowmed Dydo the Amazones and many other were absolute Quéenes Semiramis enlarged the bounds of her Empire and Quéene Tomyris slewe Cyrus and his whole hoaste c. But if the enuy of men would suppresse and murther the worthines of women yet the diuine vertues of our soueraigne Quéene Elizabeth doth and will alwaies kéepe aliue their diuine memorie Of whome Guiccerdine in his Commentaries although all his writing defendeth the pope and reproueth Religion thus reporteth The good Queene Mary being dead without issue Elizabeth her sister was proclaimed Queene c. a Princesse of great learning and ouer and aboue the Laten and her mother toong she is possessed of the French and Italian language which she eloquently speaketh a yong Lady of a hye spirit wise and endewed with rare and noble qualities He might haue added the Greeke Spanish and some other ordinarie tongues with many extraordinary vertues which may as hardly be sampled by anie other lyuing Creature as the Sunne by the fairest of the Planets The worthinesse and strength of whose Gouernment euen from the beginning confuted the scandule of this lybell which was grounded vppon noe generall Lawe of God or man There haue béene priuate Lawes in some perticular Gouernments to take away and to disable the absolute gouernment of women when the generall Lawe possessed them with Imperiall authoritie As in Rome the Law Voconia so called because Voconius Tribune of the people pronounced the same In Fraunce the law Salique which they fetch from king Pharamond which bindeth the present
and knowledge that he might worthelie iudge the people Plutarke and Aulus Gelius recite that when Alexander was borne king Philip his father wrote in this manner vnto Aristotle I thanke not God so much for that I haue a sonne as for that he is borne in the time of Aristotle c. to whose instruction Philip committed him and truely his worthy actions bewrayed the wisdome of his education This Alexander shewed the loue he bare to learning when hearing that Aristotle had written certaine bookes of naturall Philosophie hee wrote vnto him in this manner Truely Aristotle thou deceiuest my desire in publishing of this speculatiue philosophie which I thought should properly haue honored my selfe for know thou I had rather exceed all men in knowledge and learning than in riches and dominions Antigonus king of Macedone to be instructed in wisedome knowledge by his letter thus saluted the Philosopher Zenon The king Anty gonus wisheth health to the Philosopher Zenon I know well that I passe thee in riches and fauours of fortune but I must confesse that thou farre passest me in the true felicitie which consisteth in the knowledge discipline and studie of the lyberal sciences Alexander afore named so loued Homers Illyads as he appointed the magnificēt Iuel box of Darius to kéepe the same Cesar the best Captaine that euer was by his singular learning raised a question whether he was more honored with the lance or the penne Certainly they be both so necessarie as without the knowledge and vse of either a royal prince is maymed The multitude as Sophocles saith is a beast with many heads and therefore to gouerne such a monster requireth many pollicies in which the works of learned men will liberally instruct a prince but to acquire perfite knowledge the principall induction is the feare of the Lord which as Salomon saith is the beginning of wisedome The prince that will haue good subiects ought chiefely to instruct them with the example of his owne good life for for the most part the manners of the people incline to the affections of the Prince The noble prince ought to shake the flatterer from his eare and to raise the oppressed that fall at his féete for the one lieth in waite to disgrace the good and the other by opening their wrongs discouer the bad Hard and bitter words of a prince is the cause of much murmuring discontentment in the subiects where the prince is noted to be temperate no man wil be so hardy as to demand a wicked vile request O happy art thou Marcus Cato saith Cicero of whom no man dare demaund a wicked thing He is worthy of a kingdome and soueraigne rule and giueth hope of a good prince that pursueth the wicked hateth the intemperate reiecteth the lyars as the pestilence flieth the counsels of voluptuous persons for who so effecteth the desires of such counsellers his infancie wil be shameles his youth effeminated and his age infamous The preacher saith wel is thée O thou land whose king is come of nobles whose princes eate in due seasō for necessity not for lust king Lamuels mother counsaileth to giue the king no wine nor princes strong drink least in being drunken they forget the law and administration of iustice When king Alexander became a drunken Epicure in his drunkennesse he slewe his deare friends and by misgouernment hastened his owne death King Balthafar in his general banquet to his thousand Lords when he was drunken with wine commaunded his vessels of gold and siluer which his father Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the Temple at Ierusalem to be brought vnto him that he his wiues concubines might drink in them in contempt of the liuing Lord. but in the middest of his banquet the vengance of God with a visible hand wrote his destruction vpon the wal Dronkennes containeth all vices and the least vice is a great blemish in a prince Temperance in dyet bredeth sobrietie in manners reposed words are the glory of a Iuditial throne The sound safetie of a king is in the cherishment of religion and maintenance of his Lawes for the one vpon pain of damnation kéepeth subiectes in loyall obedience the other for feare of temporal punishment brideleth the dispositions of the wicked it is not ynough for the honor and maiestie of a prince to administer the vertue of all these vertues to his subiects alone but as Xenophon in his Cyropedia writeth a prince well quallified ought so to vse his enimies as his enimies may become his friends Pompey the great hauing vanquished Tygranus king of the Armenians hée established Tygranus againe in his kingdome saying that it was as Magnanimous a thing to giue a king his kingdome as to take it from him but the magnificent clemencie of Philip Maria Duke of Mylaine toward his vanquished enimies deserueth more than mortall honour This Philip Maria by victorie in a battaile vppon the Sea tooke Alfonsus king of Aragon and Sicile with two of his brethren Thierry king of Nauare the Prince of Tarent and three hundred men of great reputation all which he sent backe freely into their owne countries and where by the Law of Armes he might haue taken great ransomes of these Estates such was the honour of his mind as hée gaue vnto euerie one of them rich presents The senate of Rome deliuered 2700. Carthagenian prisoners without ransome I coulde resite manie of the like examples but small perswasions instruct the wise the vertuous desire glorie rather by their owne Actions than by the examples of other men And aboue all men a Royal Prince ought to be bewtified both with diuine and heroycall vertues for that the names dispositions and doing of the meanest princes are regestred in the Capitols of the whole world writers so narrowly search the doings of Princes as the prudēt Emperour Alexander surnamed Seuerus would oftentimes say that he stoode in more feare of one writer than of a hundred souldiers for that the wound of a pen remaineth after death when the sharpe stroke of a launce bereaueth a man but of life it is not onely conuenient that a Prince doe exercise pietie Iustice Temperance and all other offices of vertue for his honour and good renowne but it is néedfull that he do the same for his owne safetie for albeit there be no penall Law to chasten a Royall king yet Tyrannie is so odious to God and man as we seldome reade of any that raigne long and of as few that die peaceablie A number of whose ignominious deathes briefely to touch I hold not impertinent that other Princes may by the terrour thereof be feared and warned from Tyranny The Tyrant Abimelech slew 70. of his brethren and in the end a woman from a hie tower tombled a stone vpon his head the wound being mortall he willed his Page to runne him through with his sword that it might not be said a woman slew
ring from his owne finger as a token sayde hee that he bequethed him the Empyre as the moste worthiest And to strengthen either of them in their clayme there wanted not a Romaine Brutus to drawe his swoorde A Florentine Pazzi to trye liberty or an Englishe Duke of Buckingham with fiue hundred horse to demaunde what was to be done in this new world for discontented or rather dissentious persons how soeuer the power of a setled Prince keepe them vnder vppon a chaunge will discouer their seditious â—…artes as fyre hid in ashes by the sprinkeling of Gunpowder bewrayeth the heate To quell which cunning daungerous people though Machyuell prescribe a pollicy vnséeming a Christian Prince who is to referre hidden trespasses to the vengeaunce of God and not to punishe with death an intent without an attempt of euill For vntimely death onely appertayneth either to Gods secreat vengeaunce to open and lawfull conuiction of iustice or in lawfull wayes to the swoorde of the souldiour for what humaine bloud is otherwise shedde is tyrannye in a Prince and punishable in a priuate person yet Princes to brydle suche close enemies of publicke peace maye safelye without reproch of tyranny follow the counsell of a Geneowe marchant who was somtimes familiarly fauoured of Tamberlayne the Great surnamed flagellum dei who worthy the name of vengeance at what time as he after two assaults was peaceably possessed of a fayre city the citizens with their chiefe Magistrates wiues and Children cloathed all in white hauing Oliue braunches in their handes as assuraunces of peace vppon their knées humbly beséeching him of grace Notwithstanding commaunded his souldiers to kill them all like dogges This Genowa mooued with pitty to sée this outrage besought Tamberlaine to spare his cruelty for such as he conquered by force And quoth he if yée feare that these dogs will another day bite strike out their téeth Their countenances if néed be will helpe to scare Wolues meaning that he should spoyle them of their armour and if occasion serued he might make them fight as kinge Astiages did his cowardly souldiers either with enemies in their faces or friendes at their backes Which good counsell though Tamberlaine in his fury regarded not Yet other Princes that haue their passions more temperate may thereby learne how to kéep vnder their owne suspected subiects without dispeopling of their realmes to animate forraine enemies Upon which consideration William the Conqueror when he entered this realme straightly commaunded that no outrage shoulde be done vppon the common people for quoth he though they obey me I must raigne by them Well neither Hercules Arideus nor Perdicas wanted will or friendes to perseuer in their clayme and sure they had gone together by the eares for his realme before Alexander had had his funerall rites if the tumult in the beginning had not bene pacified and an order for the gouernment of the Empyre bene appointed by the grauer Captaines But as water courses stopt will find out new passages so enuy how so euer she be quallified will breake foorth into mischiefe The true euents whereof appeareth in the deuision of king Alexanders captaines who as they were many in number so were there in his Empyre so many seuerall prouinces as rewarded euery Captaine with a regall leiuetenantship The names of either for the glory of the Empyre and renowne of so many famous captaines but chiefly by the destruction both of the one and other to shewe the bitter ende of ciuill dissention which lightly hath beginning of enuy I haue thoght good to set downe at large the particuler whereof ensueth Arideus was chosen king Antipater was made Regent of CHAP. 5. How the enuy of Rufin and stilicon the one the Gouernour of the East and the other of the West made a passage for the barbarous Gothes and Vandals to sacke the famous city of Rome which could neuer since recouer the twenty part of her auncient beauty THE most famous Empyre of Rome who receiued many spoyles and in fine vtter ruine by this monster Enuy meriteth a larger report then my purpose affordes But to draw the Reader to a great contempt of this foule passion as well as to shew the auntient glory and present ignomy of the Romanes I certifie by the accorde of all histories that there was neuer Empyre so large as the Empyre of Rome nor at this day considering her auntient greatnes none that is not vtterly destroyed that hath fewer priuiledges for in times past the Romane Empyre was attyred well neare with the habite of all Europe Africa a great part of Asia as France Spayne England Germany with all the prouinces of Italye the Islandes called Mediterranees al Greace Thracia Macidonia Pollonia Demmarke as I haue said the greater part of Affrica as Manritania Numidia Carthage Libie with many other realmes and prouinces Aegypt and all her confines in Asia Arabia Siria Indie Mesopotamia also her segniories reached vnto the renowned Riuers of Tiger and Euphrates and in the time of the Emperour Traian her bondes stretched euen vnto the East Indies vnto whom was subdued the prouinces of Armenia and Albanie with all Asia minor and many other Regions too tedious particularly to rehearse whose length and breadth at this day is drawne by the Pusilanimitie of certaine emperours or rather by the enuy and pride of the Pope of Rome whose pageants begin to appeare into a small part of Germany and Italie So that Rome some times commaundres of the whole world is now steightly regarded and if any of deuotion doe come to visite her shee intertaineth them with this sorrow Quanta roma fuit ipsa ruina docet And well shée may vaunt of her auntient monumentes But to describe her present estate there is small beautye in her buildinges and lesse vertue in her people and shée that was called the fountaine of the worlde for her flowing vertues maye now be iustly named the sincke of the worlde for her filthy corrupt vices Well let her ruines shewe her further reproch which were so lamentable as might melt her worst enemies vnto pittye manye shrewde spoyles shée receaued by the enuy of her owne people especially by the ciuill contentions of Scilla Marius Carbo Cinna Pompeius and Cesar Brutus and Cassius Octauius and Anthonius in sustaining of whose vnnaturall quarrell by Romanes there were more Romanes slayne then by strangers in conquering the kingdomes of the whole worlde With which grieuous woundes though shée were much weakened yet by the wisedomes of her Temporall Magistrates shée was againe cured and long might haue liued if like vnto greene Iuie that frome the Roote of a great Oke by soft embracementes ouergroweth the top of the Trée the ypocrisie of the Bishoppe of Rome had not so compassed or rather ouercome her Emperours with an ignoraunt deuotion that to make the Cleargye mighty they yeelded to make them selues weake yet to report a truth shée receaued her bane in the time of
commanded Robert Earle of Flaunders to destroy with fire swoord the territories of Lueck and Camericke because the inhabitaunts remained loyall to their soueraigne lord the emperor yea he gaue the imperial crowne with al the iewels of the empire to Henry the 5. son vnto the sayd emperor Henry the 4. herein preuailed so much as he mooued his son to persecute his lord with such horrible and vnnatural malice as after he had miserably sterued him in the prison at Lueck he wold not receaue the Lukeners to grace nor the pope discharge them of excommunication vntil they had vntombed the buried carcas of the emperor had caste the same into the open field as the carrion of a dog This enuious act of Pope Alexander the 3. is no lesse notorious who after manye excommunications curses arrogantly treading vpō the neck of the emperor Fredericke Barborossa vpon the top of the stayres of the great church of S. Marke in Vennis before all the people did vsurp pronounce this saying in this Psalme Super aspicem basilicum equitabis conculcabis leonem draconem That is to say thou shalt ride vpon the lion the Adder the yong lion the dragō thou shalt tread vnder thy foet Pope Clement the 4. for penance inioyned Franciscus Dandalus to creepe a long the Popes pallace vpon his hands knees with a collar about his neck like a dog Pope Alexander the 6. gaue vnto Ferdinando king of Castile motu proprio all the newe Indians which lie vpon the Ocean seas west ward frō Spaine for which gift Artabaliba king of Peru though he cursed fortune for his defeat in battaile by the Spaniards saide that he estéemed not the pope that woulde giue a way to an other that which was none of his owne Leo the 10. offered Frauncis the French king the whol empire of Constantinople but the king giuing him harty thanks refused his gift vnles he would put himin possession therof as he that wisely fore dreaded the fortune of the Dukes of Germany who to conquer the kingdō of Boemia vpon this weake title Pope Paule the 2. by sentence deposed George the right lawful king gaue it vnto the sayd Dukes with this condition that they should goe at their owne proper charges take it perforce in which attēpt who lostaboue 100000. men a horse back a foot yet did preuaile very litle These many other outrages the enuy which this proud byshop bare towards the maiesty royall estates of those emperors kings which refused to giue him soueraigne place with most extremity tirannised vpon thē selues subiects realmes smal is the wonder how he came to this intelligences of forraine princes procéedinges yea to the vnbowelling of the secrets of their harts when the chiefe of their priuy counsels the head rulers of their parliaments the principall ambassadours for matters of common weale by the cunning of this Soule queller vngratious college were Cardinals Archb. bishops other of the cleargy who hauing to doe in the affaires of the common weales of princes so handled the matter as they kept euery Christian king for the most part busied either with enemies at home or abroad the they thereby shoulde haue little leasure to look into the smoth hipocrisie of this wicked pope his shameles brood of shauelings And which is more after that his subtilties had set thē togeather by the eares he so handled the matter the it was reputed vnto him a matter of fatherly loue singular holines to make them friends againe not vnlike to a knauish phisition that superficially poysoned a number of people to get vnto him selfe a name credite by the curing of them againe in the gouerment of princes there could be nothing irreuocably done if he said not Amen And by your leaue what other fruits might grow of the ambitious humors of his proud prelates what wonder is it if they enuied that Dukes Marqueses Earles Barrons all tēporal magistrats should take their places aboue them The seruaunt is priuiledged by the honor of his Maister these temporall estates are the seruants of their princes and the emperors them selues are the Popes inferiours ergo the Popes sworne seruauntes are more worthy then the Emperours subiects a good argument for sooth where the maior is false the minor foolishe and the conclusion the scourge of common weales Well according to the Prouerb as the olde Cocke croweth the young Cocke followeth that the Pope will haue Emperours and Kinges his inferiours in aduauntage of that which is reported Pope Gregory the seuenth suffered the Emperour Henry the fourth in the dead of wynter to stand thrée daies bare headed and bare foot at the gates of Gamisen while he passed the time in daliaunce with the Dutchesse Matildes and would not vouchsafe to loke vpon him vntill the Dutchesse of a more generous disposition made intercession for the receauing of the Emperour yea to shew them seruauntes rather then inferiour companions when the Pope is determined to ride a horse backe the Emperour or king present must hold his styrrop when the Pope will be carried in a chayre the Emperour or king present is bound to bow downe his necke to take vp the chayre vpon his shoulders The emperour or king present at diner must giue the Pope water and waite till the first course be serued To this seruitude the Pope brought mighty Princes and to bondages more thē sufferable his prelates inthralled right noble Péeres yea too tedious would be the particulars of this vipers his venemous broodes procéedings in their tyrannies wold instruct the tormenters of hel in vengeance with whom Sic volo sic iubeo stet pro ratione voluntas So I will so I commaund For lawe let my pleasure stand What féend may be more gracelesse then this hipocrite or people so miserable as those subiected to his power when the law of God is no brydle to hold him from tiranny nor the law of man a shield for the others safetye who besides the daylye example of his workes by the warranties of his Bull which followeth sheweth a will to violate either Non obstantibus constitutionibus ordinationibus apostolicis caeterisque contrariis quibuscunque In English thus notwithstanding all constitutions ordinances apostolicall nor any other thing what so euer here vnto contrarye mary sir it is no maruaile although he take vpon him to bee a God a Creator a disposer in heauen earth and hell as many substantiall Doctors woulde prooue him that will vndertake to ouerrule the ordinances of God and institutions of men A king which is the most soueraigne title that euer God gaue vnto man is bound vnto the law vnlesse he be a tyraunt that is obeyed for feare yet ruling liues neuer out of feare With this preposterous corse of the Pope agréeth the pleasant answer of a good Abbot who being
titles that anye monarch can possesse And more then was due to Alexander Caesar Tāberlaine and others who contrarywise were the rods of Gods ire and quellers of many millions of innocentes Cronicles expose their vertues at large and who so euer shall ioyne regard with his reading in the gouernments of these eight Henries shall find many worthy obseruaunces which degression this place will not beare the summary of whose vertues containing a larger volume then is determined for this subiect so much as concerneth this purpose I am bound to report of the two latter noble Henries the one béeing the root the other the trée which brought foorth the fruites of Gods glorye of the greatest peace plentye and prosperity that euer Nation people or subiects enioyed euen the graue Henrye the seuenth Grandfather and the victorious Henry the eight father of our gracious soueraigne Lady the most good Quéene Elizabeth Upon whose vertues heauen and earth fixeth regard A princesse I say regarded of God with the eies of fauour regarded of the world with the eares of enuy and regarded of good and happy subiects with the harts of true obediēce A Quéene and more the visible image of God as well in respect of the happinesse and deuine giftes which her maiestie possesseth but principally for that mercy is chiefe of her vertues which enuy and her maiesties worst enemies are bound to witnesse in whose royall person the perfection of all good Princes are contained For what may be iustly sayde of all their righteousnesse wisedome and clemency are but wordes of her workes and written examples of her maiesties liuelye vertues the which the godly in their comfort the wicked through selfe destruction and enuie by continuall defeates haue ingraued in the Capitals of the whole world the triumph of whose peaceable victories to Gods glory and vniuersall wonder followeth CHAP. 2. An introduction to the peaceable victories of the Queenes most excellent maiesty against enuy and all her enemies THe nobility and commons of England impatient of the misgouernment of K. Richard the second deposed by maine force the saide Richard and possessed Henry Bolingbroke Duke of Herteford with Emperiall dignity a prince indued with many great vertues And albeit he entered vnlawfullye he gouerned his subiects like a gracious and prudent Prince But this good which followed an euill attempt acquited not the realme from the vengeaunce which God inflicteth vpon disloyall subiects The father which taketh the rod to chasten his sonne if the sonne taketh correction patiently in hope of amendment burneth the rod. But if the sonne stubbornly and violently catcheth at the rod the father dubleth his wrath trebeleth the sonnes punishment euen so God which appointeth tirauntes to be the scourges of his ire conceiued against wicked and vnthankfull people if in patient suffering they acknowledge his wrath to be iustlye imposed vpon their sinnes he dealeth with the tirant as the good father doth with the rod. But if they spurne at his vengeaunce and offer to reuenge the tiranny of their princes he causeth tirauntes to rise like Hydraes heads which shal torment them as in the bitternes of their affliction they shal be driuen to pray for their worst prince as the old Romane did for the prosperity of wicked Nero This Nero was a most cruell emperor he set Rome his emperiall city on fire for seuen dayes together and commaunded that the people should neither saue their goods nor quench the fire He slew his owne mother put to death the husbandes of Octauia and Sabina and tooke them for wiues but shortly after sent them the way of their former husbands And to shew that he passed all other in enuye hearing one to pronounce a Greeke verse which containeth this desire After my death I wishe Heauen and earth to perishe And I quoth he rather wish the same while I liue he so much enuied that so glorious a work should remaine after his death Upon a time Nero passing by a poore old man hartely prayed for the life and prosperitye of Nero Nero which knew by the accusation of his own euill that no man had cause to wish him good demaunded the reason why he contraried all mens desires in wishing his welfare that would nothing but mischiefe to the Romanes The old man boldly aunswered Tiberius thy predecessour was a cruell Emperor and him the people slew After him succéeded Caius Caligula a more cruell and barbarous Emperor and him likewise did the people sley and now thou most inhumaine and sauage Nero raignest for thy life and prosperity I pray least if thou be likewise slaine the diuel him selfe come and raigne ouer vs. Thus heaped God his vengeance vpon the stiff-necked Romanes which would not bow vnto his yoke the more they resisted his chastisement the more sharply he scourged their disobedience The senators of Rome thought the emperiall authority a seuéere bondage and therfore by their mutuall assents Iulius Caesar their first emperor was slaine in the Senate house But when they saw Brutus Cassius that firste sette hande to the swoorde to die likewise by the swoord when they afterwardes saw the bloudy euentes that sprong of the contention betwéen the Triumuirate of Octauius Antonius and Lepidus they most ioyfully receiued imperiall seruitude and afterwardes how wicked so euer their Emperours were the grauer Senators tollerated their gouerment or voluntarily banished them selues so that they for the most part were destroyed by Gods iustice in the common peoples outrage God by a seueere commaundement threatneth that he will visite the sinnes of the parents vpon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation of those that in their spirituall worship adore any other God or the likenesse of any other creature in heauen or earth The same God annoynteth kinges as the visible images of him with the semblable maiestye concerning temporall worship he calleth them Gods and S. Paule saith he that resisteth the ordinaunce of the kinge resisteth the ordinaunce of God He then that striueth to depose his naturall king and to exalt a straunger committeth earthly idolatry in likewise as the worshippers of false Gods commit spirituall And therefore Princes in all gouernmentes heathen and christian the one by reuelation the other by imitation of holy scriptures haue publike lawes to lay the trespasses of traitours vppon their children the landes and goods of traitours are forfaited and the reputation of their posterity is corrupted The emperor Vespatian commending the vertues of Iosephus vnto his sonne Titus willeth him to trust him as one no wayes corrupted saying further vpon occasion that the son of a traitour ought not to liue To lay violent handes vpon the Lordes annoynted is a damnable thing Saule vniustly persecuted Dauid but Dauid hauing Saules life many times in his power refused to offer him any violēce saying the Lord kéep me from laying my handes of the Lordes annoynted Which prooueth though subiectes may flye from the
saith He layeth him downe in peace for he knoweth the Lord will make him dwell in safetie CHAP. 2. Of the hye calling of the Nobilitie the worthines of theyr seruice in the common wealth as also the generall miserie that followeth their disloyaltie THere néedeth no other authoritie to approoue the hye calling of the Nobilitie then the iudgement of our owne eyes In matters that concerne not publike disturbance or manifest breach of the lawe they are not called to so sharpe a reckoning as inferior subiects No proces at the common lawe vnles in matters of the Crowne can charge the person from the degrée of a Baron vpwards the reason is the law alwaies intendeth them to be actually in the seruice of their prince and countrey and therefore necessarie that their persons be frée from particular arrests yet for that right may be administred to all persons no man is created a Baron vnlesse he may dispend a thousand markes by the yéere which shall be lyable to hys debts of record vnlesse in some speciall cases Uertue which laboreth to crowne her disciples with honor hath authorised the absolute Prince to raise the meanest subiect to the highest degrée of subiects neither ought the auntient Nobility to enuie the rising of an inferior subiect that well deserueth when the originall of their owne honor was by the like creation for Dukes Marquises Earles Uicounts and Barons haue their beginning by creation through the vertue and good seruice of those whome the Prince holdeth worthie of such honor and for their worthinesse the same is hereditorie at the least in their heire males which honor neither for pouertie or any trespasse vnder the degrée of felonie they can forfaite their very names of honor declare that they are created for the great strength and necessarie seruice of the common wealth Dux a Duke signifieth a Captaine a chiefetaine and principall doer the Uerbe Duco hath many honorable significations as to leade to gouerne to allure to iudge c. Comes an Earle signifieth in effect imitation as Patriae laudis comites followers of their fathers vertue and renowne Our English word Baron is taken from this worde Barus which signifieth an Elephant or of Barro a strong man he is created to be a man of chosen strength and defence vnto his prince and countrey These personadges are girded alwaies with a sword to testifie that their office is to withstande the forraine and domesticke enimie Their seruice is so necessarie as regall pollicie hath thought it conuenient to honor the eldest sonne with the fathers dignitie that as the generall lawe possesseth him with his fathers lands so through a desire to further aduance his house this speciall fauour may worke in him his fathers vertues Noble men are for the most part their princes Lieutenants in the seuerall counties and prouinces of their Realmes and therefore the heroycall vertues specified in the former Chapter are requisite in a noble man by their offices they are the leaders and the rulers of the common people whose natures are to runne headlong with a snaffle and to go neuer a whit with a sharpe bridle they haue no skill and lesse can away with the lordly lookes gentle vsadge winneth them to loue and discret correction driueth them to obeie one hastie word or prowde countenance setleth more hatred among the multitude then the hanging of tenne men by a temperate iudgement it is therefore requisite sayeth the graue Counseller Sir Anthonie de Gueuarra that the Rulers of the multitude be wise to fynde theyr variable humors patient to beare their vnciuill behauiors temperate to punish their offences and diligent to prayse theyr good demerites for if they be gouerned with libertie without chastisement they will soone grow insolent and againe if with seueritie without gentlenesse theyr mallice will be incurable The common people are so diuers to please As when Demosthenes was banished by the people of Athens in his departure he turned towards the Citie and made this exclamation O Pallas how is it possible that thou bearest such loue vnto these thrée beastes the night Owle the Dragon and the common people if I had knowne the enuie the feare the false reportes and vniust accusations that they must susteine that gouerne the vnciuill multitude if of two I must néedes haue done the one I would sooner haue broken my necke then haue had to do in the common wealth of Athens Besides this wisedome in gouerment a speciall valiantnesse is required in a noble man and thrée encouragements he hath to be resolute the first is his forwardnesse maketh the whole army to followe the second is he is honored with the whole glorie of the victorie and the last which is more sharpe then death the shame of a cowardlie ouerthrowe principallie reprocheth the chiefe leader the feare of thys made Caesar desperately to runne vppon the fierce Neruij and by this little care of life he recouered an honorable victorie euen when the Romaines were at the poynt to runne awaie I might adde infinite of the lyke examples but to a néedelesse purpose for that the greatest parte of the Nobilitie are naturallye valiant in so muche as Ferdinando the prudente Kyng of Arragon woulde vsuallye saye if Ambition and Enuie were as frée from the Nobilitie as cowardlinesse Princes shoulde bée quiet at home and fortunate abroade Those two are in déede the woorst humors in the Nobilitie and the mortallest pestilence in a Common wealth Ambition and Enuie of the Nobilitie soone arme the common people to Rebellion whose ciuill frayes fyll the graue farre faster then the hoatest plague The Athenians had no other pollicie to withstande these venemous passions but by a Lawe called Ostracisme at the choise of the people yéerely to banishe one of theyr principall Noble men for tenne yeares by thys meanes they thought to kéepe vnder the Ambition and Enuie of the Nobilitie but the fondnesse of the people made this lawe a scourge for the vertuous and a ladder for the vitious for the ingratefull people banished Themistocles the valiant Aristides the iust and Symon the most renowmed and suffered the base Hiperbolus and others of the lyke condition to steppe into theyr places vntill they had displaced all good order The Athenians as the wisest of men wyll sometimes erre were ouerséene in priuiledging the common people with thys waightye iudgemente who loue they wote not what and hate they wote not why The generall Lawe of Nations is farre more indifferente whiche measureth vnto euerie man his desart Those whome vertue maketh worthie let them enioye honor vppon honor and those that bée disloyall Traytors there can bée no punishmente seueare ynough to bée inflicted vppon them It is thought good by generall pollicie that the honor and reputation of Traytours shoulde bée corrupted in theyr posteritie who render no more vnto theyr prince to punishe their treasons then the prince gaue their Auncesters to reward their good