concluded that there were 2. things which rule y e whole world namely Reward Punishment Some say that Iustice is more resplēdent then the Sunne for hee lighteneth the world only by day whereas she shineth both night and day the sunne illuminateth the eyes of the body Iustice the eyes of the minde the Sunne molesteth vs by his continuall presence but of Iustice we shal neuer be weary wherupon othersome affirme that shee is placed in the Zodiake betweene the signes of Leo and Libra whereby her equality and courage are vnderstood To come neerer our owne time let vs commune with our selues and forethinke what should become of vs if there were no gallows for murtherers and heinous offendors no whips for rogues nor fines amercements for affraies and such like crimes Surely we should not liue together The wild Karnes Red-shanks of Irelād would not be more sauage thē vs. Wherfore O ye which are seated in the throne of Iustice respect not your owne priuat cōmodities for you execute not the iudgements of man but of God and he will be with you in the cause and iudgement Lay before your eies the exāple of that zealous Iudge who feared not to cōmit the Prince of Wales afterwardes king H. the fift for his assault into the prison of the Kings bēch For which act of Iustice that noble Prince when hee came to the crowne yeelded him great thanks during his warres in Fraunce left the said Iudge his substitute ouer this whole Realme To be briefe wash your hands cleane from bribes administer iustice vnto all men without any kinde of affection vaine-pitie or fauour lest that they prying into your liues in stead of honor you be brāded in the forehead with the perpetuall note of infamie Of Iniustice Chap. 13. INiustice is a kinde of iniurie vsed by such as be in authority ouer the weaker sort who also assume vnto themselues more then law or right permitteth them This vice of all others is most repugnant to mans nature because that a man as long as he benefiteth and executeth iustice is like vnto God but practizing iniustice he separateth himselfe farre enough from God Woe therefore be vnto you landlords who forgetting your selues and your duty towards God do flay and vexe your tenants and inferiours with extraordinary imposts with asking of beneuolences letherwits and such like Woe be vnto you heires and elder brethren who make dish-cloutes and no reckoning of your younger brethren but suffer them to be idle and forlorne which destroyeth them both body and soule woe I say be vnto you that extort like rauening woolues do robbe take praies to shedde bloud and to destroy soules for your owne couetous gaine so that you are not cōtent to be infected with one haynous offence but moreouer you rayse vp sundry mischiefes molest your already distressed bretheren with many and iniust taxations For the which God will proceed in iudgement against you he will powre out his indignation vpon you consume you with the fire of his wrath your owne waies will he render vpon your heads Then in cōclusion shal you perceiue how that no wickednesse escapeth scotfree by reason that the punishment of one consisteth in another Whether it be lawfull for a man to kill himselfe Chap. 14. NOthing is more damnable nothing more vngodly then for a man to slay himselfe For if an homicide be dāned for killing another so in like māner he that killeth himselfe is guilty of murther because he killeth a member of the commonwealth Yea this is a greater sinne For we liue here in this world altogether according to Gods prescriptiō We are created of God after his owne image and shall wee endamaging our selues wrong our Creator No if we do our owne consciences will accuse vs as murtherers traitours before the tribunall seat of GOD. It is reason that he which sent vs into the world for the setting forth of his glory should call vs out of the world to yeeld an account of our bayliwike he hath appointed vs Captaines of our bodily fortes which without treason to that maiesty are neuer to be deliuered ouer till they be redemaūded Besides despaire cannot beare the title of valour by reason it proceedeth of an abiect and weake mind Now therefore if we be valiant let vs make our valour manifest vnto Gods and our countries enemies that if we die in such attempts the Almighty may canonize vs holy martyres and crowne vs with eternall glory in his blessed kingdome Obiection Nature graunted no longer vnto Cato a patent of his life for Pompey and his Complices were ouerthrowen and if he himselfe had bene taken captiue by Cesar he had lost his honour and life therefore it was lawfull for him to effect that which if hee had not another would Answere Nature gaue Cato a life not voluntarily to lose but to sustaine and nourish Besides nature and violence are opposite In briefe it had bene better for him to haue bene tormented in Phalaris brazen bull then desperately to kill himselfe That wee should not patiently endure all iniuries Chap. 15. MAny as the Anabaptistes doubt whether it be lawfull or no for one Christian to sue or strike another groūding their opinion vpon the authoritie of the Scripture Yet this schismaticall doubt in my iudgement might quickly be blotted out if they knew what iniury meant for a man may haue iniury offred either to his person to his goodes or to his credite Now concerning our person and goodes it is certaine that vertue permitteth vs to repell violence with violence or els embracing patience to remitte all to the Magistrates in whose hands the sworde of Iustice remaineth As for the reprehension of the Corinthians I answere that they were rebuked for going to law vnder those magistrates which were not Christians and * in that they brought the Gospell in slaunder among the vnbeleeuers In like sort I think it meeter for vs Protestants to endure all iniuries whatsoeuer then to commence suites one against another vnder any Popish or hereticall Iudge But on the contrarie if the Magistrate be of our religion what other order by the lawe of GOD and man is prescribed then to sue vnto him and to craue satisfaction for the iniurie which is done vnto vs Euery reproach hath a certaine sting which wise and good men can hardly tolerate Moreouer it is holden for a principle that no man is vilified and despised in his owne conceit And therefore hee cannot chuse but for reasonable causes goe to law and so haue the pleas handled that he may liue afterwards in more securitie for experience sheweth vnto vs how that those iniuried persons which most are silent as confessing themselues ouercome by their stronger do abide continuall molestations and liue in intolerable thraldome Touching the last way wherby iniury is offred vnto our credit my sentence is
Christ with whom the presence of his spirit will alwayes bee vntill the end of the world Therefore iniurie is done vnto him if wee allow of any other Monarch but onely him Answere EVen as it hath pleased God of his diuine prouidence to ordain the sunne Moone and elements as Emperours ouer this inferiour world so in like maner hee working by such meanes and instruments constituted Moses Iosuah and others iudges ouer his people by whome as his instruments hee brought to passe his sacred will and deliuered the Israelites from Egypt where they were enthralled And although hee defendes vs with an outstretched arme and hath illuminated vs with the light of his Gospel yet notwithstanding hee hath appointed Princes as his vicegerents and instruments heere on earth to see his word planâ—ed heresies rooted out and offenders by political lawes executed Monarches therefore must bee obeyed r as the ministers of God to take vengeance on the wicked There is no power but of God and the powers that bee are ordained of God Wherefore Let no man speake euill of the ruler of the Common-wealth That hereditarie succession is better then Election Chap. 4. MAny affect the place of a monarch not to any good end they being not good themselues whome neuerthelesse the custome or lawe of Nations hath restrained by a double bridle of election and succession The latter is that when maiestie commeth of descent and one Prince is borne of another The other when as birth-right being set aside they are chosen by consent of voyces Succession without doubt is the better as by reasons shall appeare First it is meete that the sonne possesse the Kingdome for the Fathers sake Secondly the sonne is brought vp to follow his fathers steps especially in defending of religion Thirdly the alteration of matters giues opportunitie to strange and great attempts Fourthly the sonne by nature from his father obtaineth a smacke of policie and beeing alwayes present with him knoweth the state of the Kingdome better then any other Fiftly the successour is woont to administer iustice more constantly and sincerely Whereas the elect Prince must in a maner fawne on his electours and newe subiects Finally No authoritie can prosper or endure which is purchased by canuasing and flatteries there is lesse danger in the acceptation of a Prince then in the election The dutie of a Prince Chap. 5. THere are foure cheefe qualities necessarie for a Prince to maintaine his reputation The first is clemencie to forgiue trespasses For as the Sunne when it is highest in the Zodiake moueth slowest so the higher a Prince is soared to greatnesse the more gratious and meeke hee ought to bee towardes his humble subiects The second to imprint the lawes and ordinances of God in his minde and to leuell all his actions to the glorie of the king of kings as well for the health of his owne soule which hee ought to hold dearer then his whole kingdome yea then all the world as for good ensample and imitation vnto his subiects The third is liberalitie to succour poore scholers and souldiours for as there is nothing more common then the sunne that communicateth his light to all the celestiall bodies and chiefely to the Moone so a prince ought to impart part of his reuenewes to the distressed and especially aboue the rest to students Souldiours The fourth to haue courage and vertue to tolerate abuses For Although his power and authoritie extend so farre that the countrie of India quaketh at his commandement although the farthest Island in the sea doth serue and obey him yet if hee cannot bridle his owne affections his power is not worthie to be esteemed Of the name of Emperour Chap. 6. THis name Emperour the Romanes first inuented not for their Kings but for their warlike Generalles Serranus Camillus Fabius Maximus and Scipio the Affrican as long as they gouerned the Romane hosts were entituled Emperours But when they finished their warres they were called by their owne proper names Afterward when Antonie was discomfiâ—ed by Augustus Caesar it chanced that the common-wealth came altogether into his hands Whereupon the Romanes desired that hee would not assume vnto himselfe the name of King because it was odious vnto theÌ„ but that he would vse another title vnder which they would bee his loyall and obedient subiects Then Augustus being at that time Generall and therefore named Emperour chose this title to doe the Romanes pleasure So that Augustus Caesar was the first that called himselfe by the name of Emperour The cause why they hated the name of King was by reason that their forefathers in auncient times hauing deposed their King Tarquin for his tyrannies and rapes had forbidden by an edict and solemne othe the name of King euer after to be vsed among them Augustus beeing dead Tiberius succeeded him in the Empire of Rome then Caligula Claudius Nero and foure and thirtie more before the Empire was by Constantine the great in the yeere of our Lord 310. transferred to Constantinople where it continued vnited vntill the yeere of our Lord seuen hundred ninetie and foure At which time the Empire was parted into the East and West which lasted in that sort vntill the yeere of our Lord a thousand foure hundred fiftie and three Constantinople to the great disparagement of all Christian Princes was taken by the great Turke called Mahomet the second Neuerthelesse the Empire of the West or rather of Germanie since that time hath as yet remained with the house of Austria Rodolph the second now raigning Of the name of King Chap. 7. TOuching the title of King it is to be noted that according to the diuersitie of Nations so did they diuersly nominate their Princes to wit among the Egyptians they named them Pharaoes among the Persians Arsacides among the Bythinians Ptolomeyes among the Latines Siluii among the Sicilians Tyraunts among the Argiues Kings among the Saraâ—ens Amiraes and nowe of late among the Persians Soldanes In the beginning of the world all Princes were termed Tyrants but when people beganne to perceiue how great difference was betwixt the one and the other they agreed among themselues to call the good Princes Kings and the wicked Tyrants Whereby wee see that this title of King is authorized only vnto iust Princes and that doe well deserue to be so named In this Realme of England there hath not at any time beene vsed any other generall authoritie but onely the most royall and kingly maiestie Neither hath any King of this Realme taken any inuestiture at the handes of the Emperour of Rome or of any other forraine prince but helde his kingdome of God to himselfe and by his sword his people and crowne acknowledging no Prince in earth his superiour and so it is kept and holden at this day Of a Gynecracie or Womans raigne Chap. 8. WOmen by gouerning haue got no lesse renowne then men as is euedent by learned
owne naturall subiects and continually goeth garded with a strong company As Vortiger sometime king of this Realme did when he brought in Hengist and the Saxons and gaue them the countreys of Kent and Essex to inhabit The fift if he without cause coÌ„mand his chiefest nobles to be cashiered branded with ignominy or to be imprisoned and put to death for feare lest they should waxe too popular and ouermighty Such a one was Frauncis Sfortia Duke of Millain that caused Alphonsus king of Naples villanously at a banquet to murther Earle Iames sonne to Nicholas Picinio whome he had sent Ambassadour to the sayd Alphonsus for no other cause then for that hee feared his might because the Braciques in Italy some of his subiects highly esteemed him The sixt token to know a tyrant is if he do away learned and wise men for no other intent then that fearing they should reproue him write against his depraued vngodly life As Domitius Nero that commaunded Seneca the Philosopher and the Poet Lucan to be slaine and Domitian that banished the Poet luuenal for the same cause But of this matter I haue spoken in another booke Whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their Prince being a tyraunt or an heretique Chap. 10. EVen as the Prince ought to remoue the causes of mislike which his subiects haue conceiued against him and to extinguish the flame that being nourished in one seuerall house would breake into the next and at last into the whole towne so in like maner subiects ought to please their soueraigne and to tolerat all rigour yea and to lay downe their neckes vpon the block rather then to coÌ„spire against his power which he hath from God It may be that he is raised as another Nabuchodonozor of the Lord for a scourge to punish the transgressioÌ„s and enormities of the inhabitants The dishonourable things which a Prince doth ought to be accounted honourable Men must patieÌ„tly for they can do no otherwise beare with an vnreasonable deà re yeere with vnseasonable stormes and with many blemishes and imperfections of nature Therefore they ought to endure with as constant courages the heresies and tyrannies of their soueraigne But thou wilt say subiectes must obey only iust and vpright Princes To which I answere that parents are bound to their children with reciprocall and mutuall duties Yet if parents depart from their duty and prouoke their children to desperation it becommeth not children to be lesse obedient to their parents But they are subiect both to euill pareÌ„ts and to such as do not their duty Further if seruants must be obedient to their masters aswel curteuos as curst much more ought subiects to obey not onely their gentle but also their cruell Princes This Didacus Couarruuias an excellent Lawier confirmeth saying If a Prince whether by succession or election he was made it skilleth not doth exceed the limits of law and reason he cannot bee deposed nor put to death by any subiect Yea it is hereticall to hold that paradoxe For God is he which chaungeth the times and seasons he taketh away kings and setteth vp Kings to the intent that liuing men might know that the most high hath power ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomesoeuer hee will and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men Hence is it that we seldome heare of rebels that euer prospered but in the end they were bewrayed and brought to confusion In the time of Henry the fourth there rebelled at one time against him the Duke of Exceter with the Dukes of Gloucester Surrey Aumarle Salisburie and at another time the Earle of Worcester the Archbishop of Yorke HeÌ„ry Hotspurre sonne to the Earle of NorthuÌ„berland all which were either slaine or beheaded To come neerer the state of this question we find that Leonagildus an auncient king of the Gothes in Spaine both a tyrant and an Arrian in the yeere of our Lord 568. pursued the true Christians and exiled his own sonne because he was of the true religion Whereupon this young Prince being moued at the persecution of the Christians in his countrey did twise raise armes against his Lord and Father At the first he was taken captiue and banished at the second he was put to death on Easter day By which example wee may note the effects of Gods iudgements and rebuke the rashnesse of this Prince that rebelled against his soueraigne Wherefore O yee that be subiect to cruell Princes refraine your fury learne to obey beware lest the same chance vnto you which is faigned to haue chanced vnto the frogs who being importunat on Iupiter to haue a king a beame was giuen them the fiâ—â—t fall whereof did somwhat affright them but when they saw it stil lie in the streame they insulted theron with great disdain praied for a king of a quicker spirit theÌ„ was sent vnto them a stork which tyraÌ„nized daily deuoured them In a word rebels in taking care to auoid one calamity do entaÌ„gle themselues in a whole peck of troubles as by this fable of y e frogs is euident And oftentimes it hapneth that the remedy is more dangerous then the malady it selfe for of one tyraunt they make three Hydraes or els in seeking to shun tyranny they reduce their gouernment to a troublesome Democracy Of an Aristocracy Chap. 11. THe rule of a certain and prescribed number of noblemen GentlemeÌ„ respecting the benefite of the common wealth is termed an Aristocracy if any ambitiously preferre their priuat coÌ„modity before the publick good and by coÌ„spiracies dispose of all matters appertaining to the coÌ„monwealth as it please theÌ„ it is named an Oligarchy For as iroÌ„ is consumed in time by rust although it auoideth al incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces so some peculiar dammage or other sticketh to euery commonwealth according to the nature therof as for exaÌ„ple this Oligarchy endamageth an Aristocracy TyraÌ„ny is opposite to a Monarchy sedition to a Democracy That Aristocracy is best allowed where the gouernment is allotted to a few noble vertuous men which bestow most in common seruices and make lawes for the rest directing their cogitations to no other scope then the publick good of their countrey The citizens of Venice do deliuer the discussing of their matters aswell ordinary as of importance to the Senate which are very fewe in number as not ignorant how few being made priuy of their matters they should bee the more priuily managed Neuerthelesse this kind of commonwealth being compared with a monarchy will be found imperfect farre inferiour True it is that siluer and tinne are good but yet imperfect metals in comparison of gold wherein the souerainety and perfection of all metals consist In like maner an Aristocracy well tempered may be good but seldome it so falleth out This Realme of England when it was diuided into prouinces as Mercia NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d others ruled by
make lawes The auncient Cities appoynted foure and each borough two whome we call Burgesses of the Parliament to haue voyces in it and to giue their consent and dissent in the name of the Citie or borough for which they be appoynted Whether out landish men ought to bee admitted into a Citie Chap. 19. IT is commonly seene that sedition often chanceth there where the inhabitants be not all natiue borne This Lycurgus the Lawgiuer of the Lacedemonians rightly noting instituted that no stranger should be admitted into his Common-wealth but at a prefixed time His reason was because seldome it is seene that the homeborne Citizens and the outlandish doe agree together In the yere of our Lord 1382. the Londiners made an insurrection and slew all the Iewes that inhabited amongst them The Neapolitanes and Sicilians in the yeere of our Lord 1168. rose against William their king because hee gaue certaine offices to Frenchmen and killed them all in one night The Citizens of Geneua repining at strangers which resorted and dwelled among them conspired together in the yeere 1556. to expell them and if Caluin had not thrust himselfe betweene the naked swords to appease the tumult doubtlesse there would haue beene a great slaughter There is at this present day a religious law in China and Cathaya forbidding on paine of death the accesse of strangers into the country What shall I say of the constitutions of Princes whereby strangers were vtterly extruded and excluded from bearing offices in the Common-wealth Arcadius and Honorus Empercurs of Rome decreed that no man out of the parish where a benefice fel voyde should be admitted minister Likewise Pope Innocent the third was woont to say that hee could not with a safe conscience preferre any strangers to bee officers in the kingdome of Hungarie King Charles the seuenth of France in the yeere of our Lord 1431. proclaimed that no alien or stranger should be presented to any ecclesiasticall liuing liuing in his realme For which respects Princes must haue great regard touching the admission of strangers and especially to their number For if they exceede the natiue inhabitanes in number and strength then through confidence in their own might they will presently inuade and ouerthrow their too too kind fosterers Of Marchants Chap. 20. FOrasmuch as there bee three sorts of Citizens the first of Gentlemen who are wont now and then for pleasure to dwell in Cities the second of Marchants and the third of manuaries and Artificers it is expedient that I hauing alreadie declared the properties of Gentlemen should now conse quently discourse some what of Marchants and then of Artificers By Marchants necessaries are transported frō strange countries and from hence other superfluous things are conueyed to other places where they traffick so commodiously that the whole Commonwealth is bettered by them Euerie countrie hath a seuerall grace naturally giuen vnto it as Moscouie is plentifull of hony waxe Martin-skinnes and good hides The country of Molucca yeeldes cloues sinnamon and pepper In the East Indiaes grow the best oliues Damascus aboundeth with prunes reysins pomegranates and quinces From Fraunce we fetch our wines From Francoford wee haue bookes brought vnto vs. So that whosoeuer considereth the generall cōmon-wealth of all the world hee shall perceiue that it cannot continue long in perfection without traffique and diuersities Of Artificers Chap. 21. AMongst occupations those are most artificiall where fortune is least esteemed those most vnseemely whereby men do pollute their bodies those most seruile wherin there is most vse of bodily strength and those most vile wherein vertue is least required And again the gaines of tole-gatherers and vsurers are odious and so are the trades of Butchers Cooks Fishmongers and Huxters Pedlers likewise Chaundlers are accounted base for that they buy of Marchants to the end they may presently vtter the same away In vttering of which they cog and cousen the simple buyers thē which nothing is more impious or more hurtful to the conscience These kind of men haue no voyee in the common-wealth and no account is made of them but onely to be ruled and not to rule others Of Yeomen and their oppression Chap. 22. A Yeoman is hee that tilleth the ground getteth his liuing by selling of corne in markets and can dispend yeerely fortie shillings sterling There is no life more pleasant then a yeomans life for where shall a man haue better prouision to keep his winter with fire enough then in the country and where is there a more delightful dwelling for goodly waters gentle windes and shadowes then in the coūtry This life was so highly regarded in ancient time that euen Emperors and generals of war haue not bin ashamed to exercise it Herehence descended Remus and Q. Cincinnatus who as he was earing his foure acres of land was by a purseuant called to the City of Rome created Dictator Dioclesiā left his Empire at Salona and became a yeoman Let a man repaire at any time to a yeomans house and there he shal find all manner of victuals meath and all of his owne without buying or laying money out of his purse But now a dayes yeomanrie is decayed hospitalitie gone to wracke and husbandrie almost quite fallen The reason is because Landlords not contented with such reuenewes as their predecessours receiued nor yet satisfied that they liue like swinish Epicures quietly at their ease doing no good to the Commonwealth doe leaue no ground for tillage but doe enclose for pasture many thousand acres of ground within one hedge the husbandmē are thrust out of their own or else by deceit constrained to sell all that they haue And so either by hook or by crook they must needes depart away poore seely soules men women children And not this extremity onely do our wicked Ahabs shew but also with the losse of Naboths life do they glut their ouergreedy minds This is the cause why corne in England is become dearer then it was woont to bee and yet notwithstanding all this sheep wool are nothing better cheap but rather their price are much enhaunsed Thus do our remorcelesse Puttocks lie lurking for the poore commons to spoile them of their tenemēts but they shall not long enioy them And why because they are oppressours of the poore and not helpers their bellies are neuer filled therefore shall they soone perish in their couetousnesse The third Plant. Of Counsell Chap. 23. COunsell is a sentence which particularly is giuen by euery man for that purpose assembled There be fiue rules to be noted in counsell The first to counsell wel wherein is implied that whatsoeuer is proposed should be honest lawful and profitable The second counsell must not be rash and headlong but mature deliberated and ripe like vnto the barke of an old tree Thirdly to proceed according to examples touching things past as what shal chaūce to the Israelites because
the Kings side saw in a gallerie Allen Chartier a learned Poet leaning on a tables end fast asleepe which this Princesse espying shee stouped downe to kisse him vttering these words in all their hearings Wee may not of Princely courtesie passe by and not honour with our kisse the mouth from whence so many golden poems haue issued Frauncis the first French King in the yeere of our Lord 1532. made those famous Poets Dampetrus and Macrinus of his priuie Counsell King Henrie the eight her maiesties Father for a few Psalmes of Dauid turned into English meeter by Sternhold made him Groome of his priuie chamber and rewarded him with many great gifts besides Moreouer hee made Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chauncelour of this Realme whose Poeticall works are as yet in great regard Queene Marie for an Epithalamy composed by Verzoza a Spanish Poet at her marriage with King Philip in Winchester gaue him during his life two hundred crowns pension Her Maiestie that now is made Doctour Haddon being a Poet master of the Requests In former times Princes themselues were not ashamed to studie Poetrie As for example Iulius Cesar was a very good Poet. Augustus likewise was a Poet as by his edict touching Virgils bookes appeareth Euax King of Arbia wrote a booke of pretious stones in verse Cornelius Gallus treasurer of Egypt was a singular good Poet. Neither is our owne age altogether to bee disprayed For the old Earle of Surrey composed bookes in verse Sir Philip Sydney excelled all our English Poets in rarenesse of stile and matter King Iames the sixt of Scotland that now raigneth is a notable Poet and daily setteth out most learned Poems to the admiration of all his subiects Gladly I could goe forward in this subiect which in my stripling yeeres pleased mee beyond all others were it not I delight to bee briefe and that Sir Philip Sydney hath so sufficieÌ„tly defended it in his Apologie of Poetrie that if I should proceede further in the commendation thereof whatsoeuer I write would bee eclipsed with the glorie of his golden eloquence Wherefore I stay my selfe in this place earnestly beseeching all Gentlemen of what qualitie soeuer they bee to aduaunce Poetrie or at least to admire it and not to bee so hastie shamefully to abuse that which they may honestly and lawfully obtaine Obiection The reading of Catullus Propertius Ouids loues and the lasciuious rimes of our English Poets doe discredite the Common-wealth and are the chiefe occasions of corruptions the spurres of lecherie therefore Poetrie is blame-worthie Answere In many things not the vse but the abuse of him that vseth them must bee blamed The fault is not in the Art of Poetrie but rather in the men that abuse it Poets themselues may bee traitours and felons and yet Poetrie honest and vnattainted Take away the abuse which is meerely accidental and let the substance of Poetrie stand still Euerie thing that bringeth pleasure may bring displeasure Nothing yeeldes profit but the same may yeeld disprofit What is more profitable then fire yet notwithstanding wee may abuse fire and burne houses and men in their beds Phisicke is most commodious for mankind yet wee may abuse it by administring of poysoned potions To end this solution I conclude that many of our English rimers and ballet-makers deserue for their baudy sonnets and amorous allurements to bee banished or seuerely punished and that Poetrie it selfe ought to bee honoured and made much of as a precious lewell and a diuine gift Of Philosophie Chap. 43. â— PHilosophie is the knowledge of all good things both diuine and humane It challengeth vnto it three things first contemplation to know those things which are subiect vnto it as Natural Philosophy teacheth vs the knowledge of the world Geo oâ—â—trae of the triangle the Metaphysick of God and morall Philosophie of vertue and felicitie Secondly Philosophie chalengeth the execution and practise of precepts Thirdly the promotion of a good man * Which three concurring together in one man do make him a wise Philosopher The Iewes diuided Philosophie into foure parts namely into Historical Ciuill Naturall of the contemplation of sacrifices and into Diuine of the speculation of Gods word Of which I will at this time content my selfe with the natural and the ciuill Naturall Philosophie is a science that is seene in bodyes magnitudes and in their beginnings or ground workes affections and motions Or as others say Naturall Philosophie is a contemplatiue science which declareth the perfect knowledge of naturall bodyes as farre foorth as they haue the beginning of motion within them There bee seuen parts of it The first is of the first causes of nature and of naturall bodyes The second of the world The third of the mutuall transmutation of the elements and in generall of generation and corruption The fourth is of the meteours The fift of the soule and of liuing creatures The sixt of plants The seuenth of things perfectly mixed and of things without life as of Minerals and such like Ciuill Philosophie is a science compounding mans actions out of the inward motion of Nature and sprung vp from the fulnesse of a wise minde insomuch that wee may in all degrees of life attaine to that which is honest This ciuill Philosophie is diuided into foure parts Ethicke Politicke Oeconomicke and Monastick Ethick is the discipline of good maners Of Oeconomick and Politick I haue discoursed before Monastick is the institution of a priuate and a solitarie life But of the worthinesse of this ciuill Philosophie and by how much it goeth before the naturall I haue expressed in another booke Of the Art Magick Chap. 44. THe auncient Magicians prophesied either by the starres and then their Art was termed Astrologie or by the flying and entrailes of birdes and this they called Augurie by the fire and that they named Pyromancie or by the lines and wrinckles of the hand which was termed Chiromancie or Palmistrie by the earth called Geomancie by the water and that they termed Hydromancie or by the diuell and this we call coniuring or bewitching All which superstitious kindes of illusions I feare mee haue beene too often vsed heere in England witnesse of late yeeres the witches of Warboise witnesse figure-casters calculatours of natiuities witnesse also many of our counterfeit Bedlems who take vpon theÌ„ to tell fortunes and such like Now-a-dayes among the common people he is not adiudged any scholer at all vnlesse hee can tell mens Horoscopes cast out diuels or hath some skill in southsaying Little do they know that this Art if it bâ—e lawfull to call it an Art is the most deceitfull of all Arts as hauing neither sure foundations to rest vpon nor doing the students thereof any good but rather alluring them to throw themselues away vnto the diuel both body soule Wo be vnto theÌ„ that delight therein for it were better for them that they had neuer beene
notwithstanding at last he loseth all so may put his winnings in his ere yea and which is worse hee hazardeth his soule which hee ought to hold more deare then all the world But because I haue largely confuted this vice in other places I will proceed to the other cause of the alteration of commonwealths Of superfluitie of apparell another cause Persi. of the alteration of Kingdomes Chap. 58. IN the beginning of the world men were clothed with pelts and skins of beasts wherby is to be noted that they were become as beasts by transgressing the cōmandement of God touching the fruit in Paradise Apparell was not giuen to delight mens wanton eies but to preserue their bodies from the cold and to couer their shame They had no Beuer hats sharpe on the top like vnto the spire of a steeple nor flatte crownde hats resembling rose-cakes They wore no embrodered shirtes nor garments of cloth of gold They knew not what meant our Italianated Frenchified nor Duch and Babilonian breeches They bought no silken stockins nor gaudie pantoffles Their women could not tel how to frizle and lay out their haire on borders They daubed not their faces with deceitfull drugs wherewith hiding the handi-work of God they might seeme to haue more beautie then hee hath vouchsafed to giue them They imitated not Hermaphrodites in wearing of mens doublets They wore no chaines of gold nor ouches iewels bracelets nor such like They went not clothed in veluet gownes nor in chamlet peticotes They smelt not vnto pomanders Ciuet Muske and such like trumperies And yet for all that they farre surpassed vs in humanitie in kindnesse in loue and in vertue Their onely cogitations were bent to decke the inward mind not the outward body which is nothing els sauing a liuing sepulcher They knew that if the mind were humble and lowly the raiment for the body must bee euen so Euerie seede bringeth forth herbes according to his kind as time seed bringeth foorth time and tare seede tare Such as the heart is such is the body if the heart bee proude the fruit thereof will be ill weedes and proud attires But why is the earth ashes proud to what end will our fine apparell serue when death knocketh at out doores and like a theefe in the night surprizeth vs vnawares Our yong gallants when they hire a chamber in London looking daily to bee sent for home by their parents will neuer trouble themselues with any charges or garnishing it as otherwise they would doe if they were assured longer to continue in it And what I pray you is the body but a chamber lent to the soule wherehence it expecteth continually to bee sent for by God our heauenly father and as Saint Paul speaketh to bee loosed and to be with Christ For what cause doe wee take such care to apparell the body seeing within a while after it must putrifie and returne to the dust of the earth from whence it came what reason haue wee to neglect the soule which neuer dieth why do we not follow King Henrie the sixt of this Realme who when the Earle of Warwicke asked him wherefore hee went so meanely apparelled answered It behooueth a Prince to excel his subiects in vertue and not in vesture Let vs call to remembrance the wife of Philo the Iewish Philosopher who wisely answered one of her gossips that demaunded of her why she went not as other matrons attired in pretious garmēts Because quoth shee I thinke the vertues of my learned husband sufficient ornaments for me Whereto consenteth that of the Comick z In vaine doth a woman goe well attired if shee be not also well manered But what neede I spend time in producing of examples when our Sauiour Christ scorned not to weare a coate without a seame Which kinde of apparell if a man now-a-dayes vsed heere in England presently one of our fine Caualeers would laugh at him and prize both him and his apparell scant worth a hundred farthings Oh what a shame is it that euerie seruing-man in England nay euerie common Iacke should flaunt in silkes and veluets and surpasse Gentlemen of worship I haue knowne diuers who would bestow all the money they had in the world on sumptuous garments and when I asked them howe they would liue heereafter they would answere A good marriage will one day make amends for all thereby implying that they hoped to inueigle and deceiue some widow or other Which pretence of theirs being frustrate they will bee driuen to commit burglaries and murthers In respect of which inconueniences I exhort euerie man to liue according to his vocation and to obserue her Maiesties decrees and proclamations whereby Caualeering groomes and dunghilled knaues are straightly prohibited to weare the same sutes and apparell as Gentlemen Obiection God hath created al things which are in this world for mans vse therefore any man may weare cloth of gold siluer or such like Answere True it is that God made all things in this world to be vsed of mā but herein I must distinguish men some men be noble some ignoble There is no reason why cloth of gold permitted onely to Noblemen should be equally permitted to earth-creeping groomes And again God hath appoynted men not sole cōmanders but bailies of his goods creatures with condition that they giue an account of the vtmost farthing of the same And in this regard Noblemē may gorgeously attire themselues so long as they clothe the needie and distressed members of Christ. But if Noblemen on the contrary clothe themselues sumptuously without reseruing meanes to furnish the poore members of Christ then will the Lord at the great day of iudgement pronounce this fearefull doome against them Depart frō me ye cursed into eternal fire for I was naked ye clothed me not To knit vp this briefely I say that God created al things for his owne glorie and to take occasion to extoll him but not for our pride to abuse them The seuenth Plant. Of the conseruation of a common-wealth Chap. 59. THere be many means to preserue a commonwealth but aboue the rest these ten are of most efficacy The first and chiefest is to liue vprightly in the feare of God The second to make no delay in executing of attainted and condemned persons The third to suffer euery man to enioy his owne and not lauishly to spend rake the priuat inhabitants goods The 4. to haue a great regard of mischiefs euils at the first budding how small soeuer it be for the corruptiō that creepeth in by little little is no more perceyued then small expenses be the often disbursing wherof vndoeth the substance of a house And as great rayne horrible stormes proceed from vapours and exhalations that are not seene so alteration changes breed in a commonwealth of light and trifling things which no man would iudge to haue such an issue The fift means is that Magistrates behaue themselues
warre yet notwithstanding I wil by forcible reasons maintaine the contrary First it is written that the Israelites should warre against their enemies and not faint nor feare nor be amazed nor a-dread of them Secondly lawfull warres are named the battels of the Lord. Thirdly the Lord himselfe is a maÌ„ of warre Fourthly Saint Iohn Baptist confirmeth the lawfulnesse of warre in these wordes which he spoke vnto the souldiers Do no violeÌ„ce to any man neyther accuse any falsly and be content with your wages Fiftly Cornelius a Captaine was so fauoured of God that he receyued the holy Ghost Sixthly the Magistrate carieth not the sword in vaine Seuenthly it is lawfull for any man to defend himselfe For reason teacheth that it is lawfull to repell force offred to our liues and to our persons with force To conclude it is lawfull for one people to assault another so that it it bee either to get their owne againe or els to punish reuolters Howbeit neuerthelesse I counsell warre to be practized as a last and desperat medicine which without very vrgent occasion ought neuer to be applied What warres be most lawfull Chap. 65. THose warres be most iust whereto we are constrained and with good coÌ„scieÌ„ce may we take armes when there is no safetâ—â— for vs but in armes To this an anciet Bishop subscribeth saying That fortitude which defendeth a mans countrey from forrayne enemies or sustaineth the desolat and oppressed is perfect iustice Moreouer the holy Ghost by many testimonies of Scripture declareth such warres to bee lawfull The iniury which is done to Ambassadours ministreth lawfull cause for Princes to take armes in hand Therefore K. Dauid made war with the Ammonits for that they villanously misused the messengers which he sent to comfort the youÌ„g king of AmmoÌ„ for his fathers death Most iust likewise was that warre which king Richard the first of this Realme made with the Infidels for the recouery of the holy land And surely it is a meritorious and religious deed that Christian Princes should vnite their forces together and proclaime warres against the Trukes who to their great shame haue now welnigh conquered all Hungary are at the very gates of Germany and consequently or all Christendome this peril how long soeuer it is deâ—ferred doubtles is like to happen Suppose our Christian Princes could do no other good but keepe back the Turkes forces from further inuasions would not this be a meanes to restore and reuiue the dismembred estate of ChristeÌ„dome Yea certainely To that end I constantly auerre that it is lawfull to warre prouided still that the determination be not to put to death any that will be brought to the true knowledge of the Gospell For it is not with swords but with words not with constraint but with coÌ„ference that misbeleeuers are become conuerted That before we begin warres preparation is to be made of sufficient necessaries thereto belonging Chap. 66. TO the execution of warres three things are needfull prouision men and adnice Vnder prouision I comprehend armour money victuals Touching armour I would haue an indifferent company of weapoÌ„s prepared both for horsmen and footmen as artillery powder bullets billes pikes launces bowes and arrowes plated doublets iackets of male and such like Next money must be gotten without the which nothing can be done as it ought to be And if they fight with siluer speares they will conquer all Money being gotten it is meete that victuals be prouided seeing through want thereof souldiers will bee ouercome without stroke Against other euils there are cures but there is no striuing against hunger herehence proceed mutines despaires infectious sicknesses and innumerable kinds of calamities Hauing forethought of prouision it is also necessary that men should bee mustered and chosen out For if there be a mighty hoste of men in the field what towne or countrey is not willing to welcome them In like maner the Captaine generall must forecast whether horsemen would serue his turne better then footemen This question being well discussed the Generall must take aduice with his chiefe and wisest Lieftenaunts concerning the successe of the warres For what King going to make warre with another King sitteth not downe first and taketh counsell whether he be able with ten thousand to meete him that coÌ„meth against him with twenty thousand or els while hee is yet a-great way off he sendeth an ambassage and desireth peace The dueties of a Generall Chap. 67. IN a Generall seuen things are required First that he be religious and deuout for theÌ„ if he with Iosuah say Sunne stay thou in Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon the Sunne wil abide and the Moone will stand still vntill he be auenged vpon his enemies Secondly a Generall must be a man of authority by reason that nothing is more auailable in the ordering of battels then authority Thirdly he ought to be temperate for how can he gouerne others that cannot rule his owne affections Fourthly he must be well experienced that he may see how the enemy lieth what way is best eyther to prouoke the enemy or to defend himselfe Fiftly a Generall must be witty and well spoken because souldiers minds will be sooner inflamed to fight by sweet exhortations then by all the trumpets in the world Sixtly he must be couragious and valiant that he may giue the first onset when any bickering is at hand and shew the way to others Lastly a Generall ought to be very well seene in Philosophy specially in Geometry otherwise he will neuer be able either to incampe himselfe to find out the enemy or to coÌ„ceiue the scituation of places as for example how the champion fields are couched together how the valleys hang how broad the marishes be how the mountaines are lift vp Of the choyse of Souldiers Chap. 68. THere be six notes to discerne a good souldiour The first is that he be an honest maÌ„ The second that he be stroÌ„g and valiant The third that he be constant patient The fourth that if it be possible he be a Gentle-man borne the reason is because most commonly he is more easily trained for the warres and will scorne to yeeld himselfe vanquished to the enemy The fift marke of a souldier is that he be nimble actiue and not of a fat or grosse body lest like a carters iade he founder and fal downe The sixt a souldier ought to be chosen from seueÌ„teene yeeres old to sixe and forty But in my opinion elderly souldiers are more apt fit to go to the warres then young men by reason that they are lesse mutinous and better able to endure Whether the straunger or the home-borne subiect ought to be preferred Chap. 69. IF we coÌ„sider the cause froÌ„ wheÌ„ce proceeded the late destructioÌ„ of Italy we shall find that the calling in of the Switzers and Frenchmen to aide it turned
borne A man hauing in his furie killed one may by the grace of God repent and bee sorie for his offence but for the coniurer or magician it is almost impossible that hee should be conuerted by reason that the Diuell is alwaies conuersant with him and is present euen at his very elbow and will not once permit him to aske forgiuenesse Experience whereof Doctour Faustus felt who was at last torne in peeces by the diuell Cornelius Agrippa likewise a man famous for his great skill in Magicke and as yet fresh in some old mens memorie went continually accompanied with a Diuell in the shape of a blacke dōgge◠and when at his death hee was vrged to repent and crie GOD mercie hee pulled off the coller which was about the dogges necke and sent him away with these words Packe hence thou cursed curre which hast quite vndone mee With that the dogge went away and drowned himselfe in the riuer Arar Within a little after Agrippa deceased whose iudgement I leaue vnto the Lord. As touching the deedes of coniurers I confesse they bee wonderfull for the charmers of Egypt turned roddes into serpents in the sight of Pharao And there is nothing which good men doe but Sorcerers like Apes will assay to do the like Many of them among whome I meane Pope Siluester the second Pope Benedict the ninth and Pope Alexander the sixt were cunning in the scriptures professed holynesse of life and gaue pardons and indulgences as the Pope doth now vnto them that would buy them But in the end they were pitifully and openly tormented and deuoured by the Diuell their schoole-master My selfe haue seene about eleuen yeeres agoe a counterfeit dumbe fellow that could by signes and tokens foretell diuers things to come Hee could signifie what misfortunes a man hath suffered what yeeres hee was off what wife hee had maried how many children he had and which is most strange of all hee would finde out any thing which was hidden of purpose At last it was this yong Magicians happe to arriue at a zealous Gentlemans house who hauing before heard of his miraculous deedes eftsoone suspected him and made no more adoe but by violence and threatning enforced him to speake and to declare his dissimulation procured as hee himselfe confessed by the Diuell with whome hee had couenated to become dumbe on condition that he might performe such miracles haue heard and read of many Coniurers that wrought wonders and things almost incredible yet neuer haue I either heard or read of any that prospered but at the last they eyther came to the gallous or fagot or else they were preuented and miserably taken by the Diuell Which is the cause that wise men haue vtterly detested this blacke Arte as being admonished by other mens harmes to beware of it So that none but malicious simple and grosse-headed persons who eyther for reuenge or for couetousnesse are so seduced doe enter into league and confederacie with the Diuell To knit vp this discourse I aduise all persons and especially olde women to take heede of illusions and charmes seeing principally they bee damnable and forbidden by the lawes of God Secondarily Magicke is infamous abominable by the laws of man both ciuill and canon Finally men must abstain from sorceries coniurations witchcrafts and such kind of wickednesse for feare of punishment because if any sayth the Lord turne after such as worke with spirits and after southsayers to goe spiritually a whoring after them then will I set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people And in another place Thou must not suffer a witch to liue Looke therefore vnto your selues and bee prepared O simple wretches lest otherwise the siend finding you vnreadie will quickly surprize you and so inueigle your weake and shallow mindes Of Phisicke Chap. 45. MAny confound Phisicke and Philosophie together because both of them doe alike respect naturall bodies but our Ciuilians haue distinguished the one from the other For which cause I will at this time surcease the concordance and fall to the declaration of the goodnesse thereof There is no facultie saue law and Diuinitie comparable vnto Phisicke Insomuch as mightie Potentates haue not disdained to exercise it Gentius the King of Illyria found out the vertuous qualities of the herbe called Gentian Iuba King of Mauritania and Lybia found the herbe called Euphorbium Sabor King of the Medes Sabrel King of the Arabians Mithridates King of Pontus and Auicenna King Corduba were professed Phisicious The Angell Raphael caused blind Tobias with the gall of a fish to receiue his sight Luke the Euangelist was a Phisicion yea and * GOD himselfe is called the supreme Phisicion both of body and soule Wherefore see that you honour Phisicke O yee that bee rich and make much of the Phisicion for the Lord created him Of Law Chap. 46. THe law is the knowledge of things As wel Diuine as Humane and of that which is iust and vniust Of Ciuilians it is declared tripartite as it comprehendeth the law of nature the law of nations and the ciuill law The law of nature is a feeling which euerie one hath in his conscience whereby hee discerneth betweene good and euill as much as is sufficient to deliuer him from the cloudie cloake of ignorance in that hee is reprehended by himselfe Hence commeth the coniunction of male and female the Procreation of children and education The law of Nations is a prescription that all maner of people can claime as to resist violence was lawfull to defraud the wilie and subtill was no fraude to hurt a Herauld was not tolerable to pay euery man his owne was right and in a maner all contracts were brought in by this law as buying selling hiring gaging and infinite others The Ciuill law is that which is squared according to honestie and is termed euery priuate law enacted by one peculiar people There is also a Diuine law which is three-fold to witte the morall law the ceremoniall law and the Iudiciall law The morall law is that which is constituted for all Nations if they will obserue the commandements of GOD The Ceremoniall law was an instruction of infancie giuen to the Iewes to bee exercised vnder the obedience of God vntill Christs comming The Iudiciall law is that which was giuen them for politicke gouernement teaching them certaine Maximes of iustice whereby they might liue quietly without molesting one another Of the Common Law in England Chap. 47. AS soone as Brutus came into this Realme hee constituted the Troians lawes throughout all his dominions But when diuisions and ciuill broyles hapned a little after his decease those lawes decayed for a long time vntill Malmutius reuiued them enlarging them with many profitable more and were named Malmutius lawes vnto which Martia a Queene of this land added the decrees of her time and were called Martiaes lawes Besides these King Lud is reported to amend
them Then in the succession of time raigned Saint Edward a right vertuous Prince who selected and enacted excellent good lawes but within a while after the Normans conquered this land and altered the estate thereof appoynting new lawes in their owne language as a people naturally inclined to sophisticall and doubtful sence whereby they wrested the lawes to all constructions Yet notwithstanding King Edward the third was enduced to abrogate many of the Norman lawes and in their stead to inuest new and wholesome lawes The method of which is at this day put in practise among our Sergeants and vtter-Sarristers Obiection That law which is of no antiquitie neither grounded vpon any good foundations nor vsed in any countrey but one cannot bee good such is the common law of England therefore it is of no effect Answere Our Common law of England I confesse is of no great antiquitie yet grounded vpon the law of Nature and approoued by the vniuersall consent of the Prince Nobles Commons in a generall Parliament In briefe necessity hath no reason Whether alteration of lawes be good in a commonwealth Chap. 48. THere was a law amōg the Locrensians that whosoeuer did intrude himself to make a new law should come with a halter about his necke insomuch that if his lawes were approued he went away safe as he came if reproued hee was presently hanged So in like maner when we alter our vsuall diet wee feele great innouations in our bodies and do perhaps fall into some sicknesse or other but when we be accustomed once vnto it then we recouer waxe more lusty then before we were Custome as they say is another nature But yet this custome may bee reduced into a better The alteration of lawes I confesse at the first seemeth rough and raw vnto our fraile and queizy natures But within a while they be better liked of Which moued the Diuine Philosopher to say that chaunge of lawes excepting those that be bad is perilous at all times This caused the Kentishmen to rise against king William the Conquerour of this land and priuily to enclose him round about in the woods that thereby hee might the sooner be compelled to cōdiscend to their petition which was that they might be suffered to enioy their ancient customes and liberties As for the deciding of this question I thinke that some lawes may bee altered and reduced into better Howbeit law-makers must aduise themselues wel in that behalfe take great heed therein for where there ariseth small good by innouations of lawes it is an euill thing Surely It is better to beare with the imperfections of lawes because the alteration of them will not do so much benefit as harme by vsing men to disobey And againe who is so dull-spirited which will not graunt that defects of lawes ought now and then to be winked at and dissembled Vpon which occasion all persons vnder the age of forty were heretofore forbidden to enquire whether lawes were well or ill made Ripenesse of yeares is a great meane to conserue people in their obedience And for that cause young men are thought vnfit to deale in matters of state and morall Philosophy Of Diuinity Chap. 49. THe auncient Philosophers accounted three kinds of speculatiue or contemplatiue Sciences to wit naturall philosophy the Mathematickes and Diuinity which is the first and chiefest beginning of all things which is the cement that soddereth the peeces of the building of our estate and the planke wherewith our ship is fortified Take away this beginning and the world will seeme a confused Chaos Take away this cement and our building is ruinous In a word vncaske the plāks of a ship it wil leake sinke into the sea Plant ye therfore religion in your kingdomes and let not the heathen rise vp against you at the day of iudgement The Romanes we read through the bare instinct of nature did so reuerētly thinke of Diuinity that they sent their childrē into Hetruria to learne it there And yet many of vs Christiās presume to iniure the ministers God albeit we know that nothing is hidde from him and that he is present and still accompanieth vs in the midst of our secrete cogitations God make cleane our hearts within vs and cause vs to regard his ministers and word better then wee do Otherwise let vs expect for nothing but fearfull alarums warres heresies pestilence and famine continually without ceasing to annoy and destroy both vs and our countrey Whether two religions may be tolerated in one kingdome Chap. 50. TWo religions cannot be suffered in one kingdome for diuersities cause factions garboiles and ciuill warres which neuer end but with the subuersiō of the commonwealth The tranquillity of all estates consisteth in the vnion and consent of the inhabitants Take away this vnion and it is but a denne for rouers and theeues The first foundations of kingdomes were built vpon the rock of one religion and the heathen themselues had neuer established their lawes if they had harboured pluralities of religions He that displaceth this stone shaketh all the building No man can serue two masters for eyther he must despise the one or loue the other Neither must Princes halt betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be hee then go after him In religion there is no mediocrity for a man must either be a Christian or els he must be an enemy of Christ that is an Antichristian according to our Sauiour Christes words He that is not with mee is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth I am the Lord saith God this is my name and my glory wil I not giue away to another neyther my prayse to grauen images Also it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue But how is it possible to obserue this commaundement as long as our Papists beleeue that the Pope is no man but Gods vicar and more expresly that hee is God Theodosius therefore is highly commended in that he made warre with the. Arrians and proclaimed one true religion 〈◊〉 be planted throughout all his Empire in this likewise England may faithfully glory that beyng welnigh drowned in the sea of Popish superstition she is now saued and restored to the true and Apostolicall doctrine the which God of his goodnesse maintaine from heresies and schismes Of Simony one of the chiefest ouerthrowes of religion Chap. 51. SImony is a deliberatiue will eyther of buying and selling or els of posting ouer and exchaunging some spirituall thing or some thing annexed to the spirituality as aduowsons presentations and such like This vice is called after the name of Simon Magus by reason that he offred the Apostles money that they might giue him the power that on whomsoeuer he layd his hands he should receyue the holy Ghost For which his execrable proffer hee had this answere of
the Scots In the yeere 1544. chaūced foure Eclipses one of the sunne and three of the Moone Wherupō the L. high Admiral of England arriued with a fleet of two hūdred saile in Scotland where he spoiled Lieth and burned Edinburgh King Henry the eight went himselfe in person to Fraunce wiith a great army cōquered Boloigne The Marques of Brandeburge died in his banishmēt And before three yeeres after the fight of the said Eclipses were fully expired king Henry the eight deceased Likewise the French kings sonne the Duke of Bauarie the Queene of Polonia the Queene of Spaine the Archbishop of Mogunce Martine Luther ended their liues In the yeere 1557. a blazing starre was seene at al times of the night to wit the sixt the seuenth eight ninth and tenth of March when presently after open war was proclaimed between England and Fraunce and a great army was sent by Q. Mary ouer to S. Quintaines The Protestants were persecuted and cruelly dealt withall in this Realme And Queene Mary before a tweluemoneth came about departed out of this life In the yeere 1572. was seene towards the North a straunge starre in bignesse surpassing Iupiter and seated aboue the moone At which time succeeded the bloudy massacre and persecution of the Protestants in Fraunce Many great personages ended their liues as King Charles the ninth of Fraunce Mathew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury and sundry other Pirats robbed and spoyled many of our marchants on the West seas The sect of the family of loue begā to be discouered at London Sebastian the king of Portingal and Mule the king of Moroco were both slaine within lesse then sixe yeeres after In the yeere 1581. appeared a Comet bearding Eastward Whereupon a little while after certaine cōpanies of Italians Spaniards sent by the Pope to strengthen the Earle of Desmond in his rebelliō landed on the west coast of Ireland and there erected their Antichrists banner against her Maiesty Campian and other Seminary priests returned to this Realme and were attached In the yeere 1583. appeared another Comet the bush wherof streamed southeast But the effects thereof followed in the death of Edmund Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Earle of Sussex and in the apprehending of Arden Someruile and other traitours in Warwickshire Also within a while ensued a great dearth here in England In the yere 1596. appeared a Comet northward At which time Hēry Carew L. Hunsdon L. Chamberlaine of her Maiesties houshold and Sir Frauncis Knowles ended their liues Robert Earle of Essex and Charles L. high Admiral of England Generalles of the English fleet burned the Spanish nauy sacked the towne of Cales Moreouer there continued here in England a great dearth of corne with straunge inundations of waters Graue Maurice got a famous victory ouer the Spaniards in the low countreyes Alphonsus Duke of Ferraria departed out of this life The Pope and the Bastard of Ferraia had diuers bickerings about the Dukedome Finally before the yeere went about died Gunilla the Queene mother of Swethland and Gustaue Duke of Saxony her Nephew Likewise Iohn Marquesse of Brādeburge one of the Electours Anne Queene of Polonia daughter to Charles Archduke of Austria being great with child ended their liues In the beginning of the yeere 1598. was seene a most fearfull Eclipse of the sunne in the seuenteenth degree of Piscis neere to the Dragons head the like whereof was seldome heard off at any time before for the sunne was darkened full eleuen poynts which very neere is the whole compasse of his body The effects of it are these following Sigismund Prince of Transyluania not finding his power sufficient to encounter the Turks voluntarily resigned his dominion to the Emperour Rodolph the second The King of Swethland returning into his Realme from Polonia had diuers conflicts and skirmishes with his subiects William Lord high Treasurer of England deceased And so did king Philip the second of Spaine albeit after a more strange maner For it is credibly enformed that this tyrant was eaten vp of lice and vermine A punishmēt no doubt befitting his vsurping life Rome was againe ouerflowne by the riuer Tiber whereby fifteene hundred houses perished and in a maner all the Popes treasure was lost Cardinall Albert sent Mendoza Admirall of Aragon with his rascalitie into the Low Countries where vpon his owne confederates of Cleueland he hath exercised many bloudy tragedies Theodore Duke of Muscouie ended his life There was a great deluge of waters in Hungarie The Turks had wonderfull bad lucke vpon the seas The vnited States of the low Countries sent a huge fleete into Spaine where they had verie good successe to the vtter vndoing of many a Spaniard What shall I write of the terrible rumours of warres which were noysed throughout all England this last summer Assuredly these enents were foreshewed vnto vs by the horrible Eclipse which appeared now aboue two two yeeres agoe Since which time I waited continually for some notable effect or other neither could my mind otherwise presage but that such things would come to passe which now GOD be thanked are ouerpast This after a sort I communicated at that time to master Ia. Pr. an auncient wise gentleman and a deare kinsman of mine at whose house I as then being lately come into my countrey after my fathers decease soiourned God grant vs better and happier successe in this new yeere Of the causes of sedition and ciuill broyles Chap. 54. THere be sixe causes of sedition The first and chiefest is the contempt of religion For if men loued God which they cannot doe except they loue their neighbour doubtlesse no such effects would follow from their actions The loue of religion breaketh swords into mattocks and speares into sithes and causeth that nation shall not lift vp sword against nation neither learne to fight any more The second cause of sedition is the factions of the subiects which euer haue beene and euer will bee the subuersion of estates The third cause is riotous prosperitie for ouer-great aboundance of wealth is the prouocation of mischiefes and maketh men to become diuels The fourth is when the Prince ouerchargeth his subiects with tributes and when hee substituteth niggardly and deceitfull Treasurers and Lieutenants to receiue the leuied money that will not sticke to detaine a part thereof for their owne priuate gaine The first cause of Sedition is iniquitie as when that which is due by proportion is not giuen to them that bee equall and when the Prince bestoweth honour which is the hire and guerdon of vertue vpon raw and meane men This was one of the originall causes of the late troubles in France when the Queene mother for the establishment of her regencie dubbed simple Gentlemen knights of the honourable order of Saint Michael first instituted by King Lewis the eleuenth and til that time held in great estimation The sixt cause of sedition is
when the Prince winketh at the cosonages of magistrates and Lawyers and permitteth some of the richer sort to enclose commons and to rake their inferiors out of measure Of Treason Chap. 55. TReason bringeth no lesse danger and hurt to men then Loyaltie doth profit and felicitie for it is farre easier to vanquish a knowne foe then to subdue a traitour and a priuie conspiratour This wicked monster in time of warre worketh more scath and damage then all artilleries Howbeit hee neuer enioyeth his promised hire but is at last cruelly punished As for example the great Turke in the yeere of our Lord 1400. hauing taken Constantinople through the treason of Iohn Iustinian a Genoway whō after he had made King according to his promise caused his head to bee chopt off within three dayes To approch neerer our owne time let vs bethinke with our selues the mercifull prouidence of God in discouering the hainous treasons pretended against our dread soueraigne Queen Elizabeth Of late yeeres namely in the yeere 1588. what befell to Tilney Sauage Babington and the rest of their cursed complices were they not all executed brought to confusion Likewise Doctour Lopouze the Queenes Phisicion who had poysoned sundry Noblemen of this Realme and by the Spanish Kings procurement went about to poyson the Queene her selfe had he not in the yere 1594. his deserued punishment Euen so the last yeere one Squire by the instigation of a Spanish Frier going about to do away her Maiestie was surprized in his treason and executed to the terrour of all such diuelish traitours Be therefore better admonished yee wauering men let the example of such as were executed terrifie your minds from rebellious attempts and suffer not wilfully the diuell to tempt and leade you into temptation Of Idlenesse Chap. 56. O You slouthfull men why doe you miche range turne your backs to vertuous labours seeing that they who ouercame the delites of this world haue deserued heauen for their rewards why doe you straggle rogue from house to house Beleeue me there is no occupation in the world that bringeth with it lesse profit then yours Goe to the emmet yee slouthfull sluggards consider her wayes and learne to bee wise She hath no guide no teacher no leader yet in the summer shee prouideth her meate and gathereth together her foode in the haruest Oh why haue you forgotten the words of the Lord namely In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread Remember what penalties are imposed on runnagates and loytering droanes In the primitiue Church it was decreed that all men should liue of their owne labour and not vnprofitably waste the fruits of the earth Likewise the faigned Syphograuntes or officers of the Vtopians tooke heede that no man sate idle but that each one should diligently apply his owne craft and occupation What shall I say of our owne constitutions here in England In the yeere of our Lord 1572. it was enacted in the parliament that all persons aboue the age of foureteene yeeres which were taken begging and roging abroade should be apprehended whipped and burnt through the eare with a hot iron for the first time so found and the second time to be hanged For which consideration looke vnto your selues yee carelesse caitifes gette you masters that may instruct you in some occupation or other which done labour continually that not onely for your selues but for the reliefe also of such as are not able to helpe themselues In so doing Sathan the enemie of grace who hitherto like a wily foxe hath awaited for you shall goe away in despaire and as they say with a flea in his eare Of Dice-play Chap. 57. CHristians ought vtterly to forbeare Dice-play first because The diuell inuented it Secondly because it is flat against the commandement of GOD namely Thou shalt not couet any other mans goods Thirdly Dice-play is for the most part accompanied with swearing and blaspheming Gods holy name Fourthly the holy fathers of the church haue most vehemently written against it Fiftly all sports and recreations must haue respect to some profite either of body or of mind otherwise it is but lost for which wee must one day yeelde an account to God but Dice-play as wee know is no exercise for the body neither is it any pleasure for the minde for the euent of the hazard or maine driueth the players minde to a furious hope and sometimes into a fearefull quandarie to wit when hee doubteth the recouerie of his lost money Sixtly we are charged Not to consume our time in wicked and vnlawfull exercises Seuenthly men must abstaine from Dice-play that they might shew good example to their inferiours For * if graue parents delight in wicked Dice-play their sonnes will likewise be enduced thereunto Eightly Dice-play is condemned by the lawes and decrees of Princes By the law Roscia all such as played at dice were banished from their countrey It was also enacted in Rome that Dice-players should bee amerced in foure times so much as they played for King Edward the fourth of this Realme decreed that euerie Dice-player should be imprisoned two yeres and forfeit tenne pound King Henrie the seuenth enacted that Dice-players should bee imprisoned one day and that the keeper of the gaming house should bee bound to his good be hauiour and be fined a Noble King Henrie the eight ordained that euerie one which kept a dicing house should pay fortie shillings and the players themselues a Noble for euerie time so occupied Ninthly this kind of play is odious and reproachfull as appeared in Antonie to whome Cicero obiected that hee not onely himselfe was a dicer but also hee fostered such men as were dicers i Augustus the Emperour was noted and ill thought of for his dicing Lastly the despaire and aduersitie which Dice-players fall into and their extraordinarie punishments be sufficient meanes to reclaime and terrifie men from it In the yeere of our Lord 1550. one Steckman of Holsatia hauing lost much money at dice fell into despaire and therewithall killed three of his children and would haue hanged himselfe if his wife had not preuented him Likewise in the yere 1553. one Schetrerus playing at dice in an ale-house neere to Belisan a towne in Heluetia blasphemed God Wherupon the diuell came in place and carried him away Also my selfe haue knowne a wealthie yeoman that was as great a dicer as any other in that shire where he dwelt and I thinke had gotten wel-nigh a thousand pound by that his occupation but what became of him and his wealth marrie he bathing himselfe in a riuer was sodainely drowned and his sonne to whom his goods after his death did rightly appertaine before 3. yeeres were expired spent al at dice and at this day is glad to stand at mens deuotion In summe do wee not commōly see that dice-players neuer thriue and if perhaps one amongst a thousand chance to winne