himselfe looking out of a grated window for not being séene and causing to be layd in the place instrumentes or tooles of craftes men bookes knyues swordes and such like things to obserue whereunto they were most addicted he iudged by this in what arte he was to instruct them if by long studie and his paines they changed not according to the desire of their parentes that connaturall inclination he aduised their friends to dispose them to such arte as their nature inclined them as to the warres to marchaundise or otherwayes saying which I doe well appoue that there is but one thinge to be chaunged a corrupt nature and wicked inclination for touching the naturall vocation it is necessarie séeing it is of God to follow it without contradiction onles we would séeme to resiste God because that as euery member of the naturall bodye hath his proper office so God hath giuen to euery man as to the member of his politike and mysticall body a certain instruction or rather inspiration to followe some peculiar estate or arte aboue others which S. Paule calles vocation wherin we must walke the better to expresse our obedience to God. ¶ Instructions to know by the way of contrary oppositions by the comparisons of the other Chapters the miseries which happen to the world by reason of leude schole Masters Chapter v. LEt vs now handle more at large the incommodities and euils hapning by the fault of Maisters ignoraunt negligent fayling in their charge for hitherto we haue touched them but briefely And for aduertisement to fathers and parents to prouide wise Masters for the institution of their children Let vs also looke into the miseries that happen for not hauing good doctrine in their youth Wherein not swaruing from the comparisons aforesayed in fauour of good Masters but by Antithesis or contrary opposition applying them to expresse our purpose further we say that where ignorant or negligent Dyers in place to giue good and faire die do either raise an euil cooller or ill applie that which is good and burne the cloth in not ministring fier according to time and measure What remedie to correct this desperate losse the cooller can not easely be chaunged and the cloth is either lost or at the least so defaced that he wil be no more brought to the price and value hoped for euen so when Masters vndertaking to imprint sprituall impressiōs in childrē haue taught them that which is euill and in place to leade their youth in good instructions infect them with naughtie principles either teaching that which is wicked or interpreting the good by corrupt and false exposition as not vnderstanding the pretended sence of the author or els as vain and barbarous bring it to their owne purpose how is it possible to supplant in young sprits this wicked impressiō which they haue so curiously receiued the table canuase or parchment receiuing any paynting or workemanship of drawing whatsoeuer can not so well be razed that the staine do not appeare to the disliking of the beholder and much lesse can there be bestowed vppon it any other better counterfet or painting which wil not steane corrupt or be defaced by the fier it is not possible to washe so well a pot which hath alwayes holden oyle but he will kéepe some smacke of his first liccour and putting wyne into it it is in perill to change his tast and be corrupted Euen so is it lost labour to men to breake their braines to roote out of the wittes of Children false opinions instilled into them from their youth by teachers of error and much lesse to clense or purge their fancie defiled with vnchast lessons and stayned with dissolute and filthy spéeches yea with actes and examples vile sclaūderous The Scripture teacheth by the figure of the shéepe of Jacob and Laban that they shoulde conceiue Lambes of cooller like to the roddes which Iacob shewed them in the fountaine where they dronke that euen so simple braynes receiuing any impression by Bookes or lectures preferred to them in the first heate of their conceiuing age do not onely reteine and by time expresse in action their first conception but also are hardly drawne from it most specially if it be euil either by perswasion or contrary instruction We read not that any Disciple of the Epicurien sect euer became stoicke notwithstanding all the Philosophers reproued that sect and by infinit reasons proued their opinion most damnable That was the cause why God sayed to the Jewes in Ieremie if the Ethiopian can change his skinne you may also do well séeing you haue learned in the scholes of false Prophets to do euill as if he had sayd you haue bene so much corrupted from your youth by false doctrine of wicked Masters that you can not now dispose your selues to do wel and receiue the holly doctrines which I giue you by my Prophets But now to the other infirmities if the potters be not skilful in their Art wise and carefull to prepare and worke their first matter to fashion proper mowlles and to applie the fier with rate and season shall they raise any pot or vessell to commoditie if it be euill made were he not better to breake it then to aske a new time to repaire it If the Goldsmith faile in his first workmanship notwithstanding he haue gold ready to make some excellent Iewell hee must of necessitie breake all otherwayes he is not to preferre it to the publike iudgemēt of honest men In the same sort if Masters faile by ignorance imprudence negligence or example to prepare and make perfect the sacred vesselles of the holy Ghost the better to receiue his deuine graces gifts yea tomake such faire precious Iuels as they may be presented afore God How can this error or rather infinit fault be reformed afterwardes Salamon according to the truth of the Hebrew is of opinion that that which is depraued cannot without great difficultie be corrupted meaning not without the speciall grace of GOD Let parents beware to giue to their children schole Masters vaine barbarous and dissolute seing without wise instruction and demonstration of good life there is more perill to their children then if they put them into houses of leprosie and vncleanes wyth good reason Philip of Macedonia did not onely reioyce that he had a sonne but thought him happely borne in the time of Aristotle in hope of the doctrine and vertue which he might get vnder the discipline of so wise and skilfull a Master If the laborers faile to till their grounds in season and replenish them with good séeds let them looke to make no plentifull haruest but if they suffer the vermine of the field and ayre to deuower the corne in the blade they shall reape little or no fruite at all If they suffer them to ouergrowe with thornes thistels and wicked wéedes notwithstanding their labour to wéede and purge them yet they leaue to the field that which the field
worke the like effecte which good tutors by their doctrine and singular industrie bring forth in yong wittes They be fathers to the spirites of yong children because they forme and as it were regenerate or renew them to make theÌ„ by their doctrines spirituall diuine and heauenly who of their nature corrupt in Adam were altogyther fleshly and earthlie in which estate where they should haue liued as beastes they are polished by their tutors and prepared to vertues and so made men and of men aspire to the similitude of halfe Goddes here also they may not vnaptly be compared to Beares who in the first birth of their whelpes séeing them more like a vile and ougly masse of flesh then breathing creatures they fashion them into such proporcion with continuall licking with their tounge that in the end they giue them such a new fourme of their kinde that by this naturall industrie they séeme to haue reengendred them In this scholemaisters are phisicions to the soules of youth because they purge them of vile and foule affections and prescribing them singuler remedies antidotes and preseruatiues against vices they prepare by this spirituall medecine a perpetuall sauetie to their soules Labourers wéeding their ground couered with thornes and thistles and then applying conuenient tilthes make it ready for the séede which being good and sowen in season expresseth apparaÌ„tly what profit and benefit the trauell of the plough man bringes Gardeners by newe griffing or impinge vnfrutefull or sauage trees doe as it were renew them and chaunge all their first and naturall qualitie of a tree It is seene in euery countrey of the world howe necessarie is the office of a good heards man to leade and guide his flocke which without his prouidence would stande dispersed in to many casualties and perilles The potters of clayish earth foule to sée but more noysome to handle for that it embrueth the hand by their art make vessels so faire and delightfull that they are made necessary to the vses of great men Lastly who knoweth not that the goldsmith by the skill of his arte draweth out of lumpes of mettell and stones vnpollished euen suche faire and precious iewelles that they giue beautie and honor to the most stately Scepters of the greatest Emperours Kings and regentes of the world By these comparisons the auncientes gaue the worlde to vnderstande howe much younge children stood néede of the good and diligente institucions and doctrine of learned Masters by whose meanes chaunging both manners and corrupt complexions they are by discipline as it were refyned and made others then they were afore by their infected nature which was very well confessed by Socrates when Zophirus a Southsayer of the condicions of men by their Linaments and outward pourtraites Iudged him intemperat and Lecherus which being found false by all such as knewe his spare conuersacion and chastitie Socrates aunswered for Zophirus that he iudged not amisse of the propertie of his outward nature for that such a one had he béen by his inclinacion if Philosophie had not wholly chaunged him and made him an other The teachers and instructers of youth resemble aptlie the paynfull masters and tamers of fierce sauage beasts for in handling them in their first and fearfull age they chaunge the firste nature of those beastes and make them forget the vices errors of theyr originall kinde as we sée by yonge Lions who are made familier and obedient to theyr teachers béeing of theyr nature full of fury and crueltie we sée birds brought to speake Haukes reclaymed from theyr fierce nature familierly féede vpon the fyst of their kéepers euen so by good institucioÌ„s of graue and wise masters the wits of children are conuerted and made tractable to any maners or condicions wée will which can not bée done when they are risen in years stomak for that theyr corruption backt with custome maks them careles of correction The tender twigge or braunche of a trée albeit it be crooked may be easely made straight in the time of his tendernes but being growen to his strength he is more apt to be broken then bowed The waxe whyleste it is softe is ready to receaue any impression or forme of him that chaffeth it by the fier but being eftsons resolued to hardnes he bears no comoditye or vse The birdes that are taught to speake must be taken younge and made to know the cage Lions if they bée not litell are not made tame but with perill yea they muste be shut in yron grates and enclosed in straight lodgings and so of other sauage beastes which you go about to make familiar Euen so is it of young children who in their young ages apt then to take discipline instructioÌ„ if they be not diligently taught but that you fauour them with sufferance of time and years you take awaye the onlye ready mean to fâ—â—me them as you wishe and they ought to be They muste be instructed by men of learning vertuous life and great grauety in discretioÌ„ yea by such as haue béen first taught them selues they muste be holden shorte and kept with in the compasse of a college for that to ioyne libertie to their inclinacions is to make them resolute in euill and lead them in to infinit periles Plato left many lessons to parents to instruct their childreÌ„ when they wear young and by teachers lerned wise well-condicioned And the scripture in many places enioynneth them ther vnto vpon straight paine to be condemned with there children in such faultes as they shall comit for not benig well instructed here for a laste resemblaunce to proue how necessary is the first educatioÌ„ to chaunge nature I may auowch the experience of Licurgus by two litle whelps who comiÌ„g of on litter ought also to expresse on self comoÌ„ nature yet bicause that on was fed in the kitchin the other in the chamber where were geuen to him hares to accustome him to hunt by their diuerse and contrarie bringing vp they brought foorth diuersitie of nature the same being witnessed publikelye by the order of Licurgus who commaunding the dogges to be brought vppon a skaffolde set downe a dishe with potage and a quicke hare The kitching dogge smelling the potage and seing the hare run would not be beaten from the brothe till he had lapt vp al and lickt the dish wher the other no lesse hungrie then he was carles of the potage and ranne after the hare as a foode more agreing to his bringing vp By which familier resmblance he perswaded the citisens rude and barbarous to exercise a greater care in the institucion of their children whilst they were young leauing as a sentence that education passeth nature ¶ Wisdome science vertue diligence and feruent zeale with loue to their Disciples are very necessarie for Schoolemaisters The iiij Chapter TO the knowledge vertue and diligence of good scholemaisters muste be ioyned wisdom and déepe iudgement to discerne the humours complexions and working
teacheth and naturall iudgement that we ought to bee instructed euen from our youth For as the mind as Aristotle saieth is as a table wherevpon nothing is written nor painted and so of our owne nature we can doe nothing but thinke euill speake and doe euill so reason is none other thing in vs then a little sparke of light yet so darkned in our obscure nature that it cā no more guide vs to marche in the darknes of this worlde then a little snoffe of a candell showing darkly in a lanterne dymmed with durt or other filthines is able to giue vs light to passe in suretie through darke and daungerous places it may be aptly resembled to a flashe of lightening in the night which when it showeth vppon the earth gyues a certayne glymse of light but very short leauing afterward the traueling man in greater darknesse not knowing which way to take euen so when our reason hath aduertised vs of that which is good being presently occupied with the affections and dark passions in vs striues not valiauntly to repulse and dissolue them by her naturall light being of her selfe of too great infirmities but yéeldes to them as soone as shée is surprised leauing vs in greater perplexities of oure obscure mynd then we felt afore Whereupon as wée may cōclude that reason without doctrine is as a spark quickly quenched hauing no more power in a man to do well then a body hath meane to trauell without a minde So to the end we stomble not vppon error and vice it is necessary we haue a perpetuall cleare burning lighte of mynde which is doctrine and holy erudition For the same difference that we finde betwéene light and darknes doth Salomon set betwéene the wiseman and the foole or the ignorant Chryste calles the ignorant blind who if they vndertake to leade others fall altogither in the ditch wherein is signified the extremitie of errors whereunto do runne headlong all such as haue not true science It is sayd in the law that for the infirmitie of this reason and naturall deprauation men ought not to do what séemed good to their iudgement and mind but must raise their regarde to that which God commaundeth specially in matters concerning Religion for in things naturall and ciuill there was more libertie Then seeing children are corrupte as Quintilianus saith before they can goe being norisshed in delites rather then vnderstand them and loue the vices which they learne in the pallaices of their parents afore they haue ability to iudge of them such is their infection euen from their first education and norture thei stand need of rate and measure and to be corrected euen from their cradle We sayed before that doctrine chaungeth the mind and makes it fructifie for which cause the scripture compares it to the good séede which as with good tylthe bringes foorth good fruite so without it the best groundes would rather yéelde thistles and thornes then graine of profit as happeneth in often experience by the best kinde of corne which diligently sowne but in common grounde tournes oftentymes into poppel and light graine either by the fault of the ground the tyme or the laborer So there is great néede that with the doctrine and good institution of youth there be suffered no corruption of manners We sée the grounde without tilling and séede bringes forth of it selfe naturally and without art ill hearbes wéedes much more would our nature produce vices and néedeth no instructor to doe euill where vertues come by force of instruction and labor aswell of the maisters as disciples For hauing in our selues but certain seminaries or as litle matches which we must kindle by force of blowing applying matter to entertayne the fire if we will make any So we must suffer this nature of ours to be qualified and fashioned by doctrine and labor as we sée fyer striken out of the flinte by the instrument of stéele ¶ Continuance of the said comparisons Chapter vij THE Philosophers estéemed a man without learning as a slaue that doth all his actions by force where the learned hath a liberall agilitie to all vertuous doings they compared the man without Science to a beast accompting him not worthy to be called a man reasonable of whom one of the greatest glories is to vse reason which he can not do if he haue not Science For which cause Solō the Law reader of Athens iudged not the naturall father worthy of honour and obedience of his child if he instructed not his youth in learning and exercised his tender yeares in vertuous conuersation which opinion albeit is condemned of the Scripture which enioynes to children straite charge of dutie loue reuerence and seruice to their parents Yet so great faultes of Fathers and Mothers by the iust iudgement of God deserue no dutie at all in their children hauing onely receiued of them generation fleshly noriture without goo◠struction for which end God specially blessed them with children And often doth it happen that such children without discipline dishonour their houses destroy great families and by displeasure procure death to their parents to hasten their succession yea they are troublous sedicious and ruines of good cōmon weales And when they come to the scaffolde the last pause to the gibbot they dissemble not but crie with mayne voyce that if their Fathers had made them familiar with correction and discipline they had ben farre from those miseries Truth and dicipline sayth Salomon bee two thinges that giue correction to a young man and the child that is left to his will bringes his Mother to shame and confusion meaning that a yoūg man without instruction can giue no delite nor honour to his parents and to his friendes he cannot but bring rebuke and infamie So that if hée be not reformed by good doctrine and induced to good by the spirite of God with a true faith and charitie he can not by his owne nature but dreame vppon all euill no more thē the thornie brier can of himselfe shake of his prickes or the wild trée bring forth swéete fruit if he be not oftsones gryffed And therfore it can not be iustified to say that it were better to leaue a child to liue at his owne nature wherein as S. Paule sayth is found nothing but deprauation No let him tast of good doctrine which wil be to him as a regeneration and reformation of nature And because it may be asked in what age is best to put children to learning it may be aunswered euen so soone as in the childe is expressed a minde capable of doctrine as to some at fiue yeres to some rather and toothers later beginning with them easely or as it were by pleasure without threates the rod feare or constraint For as science of it selfe is liberall so it requires in such as séeke it libertie and fréedome of wit But if there be cause or place of correction let it be for euill doing and wicked
all Create others Centeniers to rule ouer an hundred Cinquanteniers to beare aucthoritye ouer Fiftye and Disiniers to commaunde ouer ten Let these Iudge the people in all seasons according to their order and charge and bringing to thée the causes of greatest importance specially suche as concerne God let them iudge the rest So shalt thou bee discharged of that great burden of labour where in vaine thou dyddest consume thy selfe before In this aduise of God to Moyses we sée is expressed what ought to bée the office nature and state of suche as are chosen to leade and iudge others according to God and that not onely in highe and stately Courtes but in places of right meane sorte who notwithstanding as in degrées so also in knowledge and vertue ought to aspire to excellencie Suche then bée wise men who with the sence of deuine and humaine learning bée principally instructed in the knowledge of God and vnderstand his will and iudgement with contemplacion of the causes effectes and nature of all thinges And being wise in this sorte as theyr exact knowledge will leade them to geue a perfect iudgement of al thinges so being ignoraunt in the least much lesse that they can iudge in integretye séeing they can not merite the name of wyse men But because according to Sainct Paul men maye haue knowledge and yet in theyr doinges bée voyde of integritye Iethro addeth the feare of God that is that knowing God they doe also feare and serue him For suche men would not willingly feare God who knowe his iudgements to bée no lesse horrible to them that displease him then terrible to suche as execute false Iudgement whereby trueth is peruerted wrong pronounced to the multitude and their proper conscience defiled And therefore as hee woulde haue them to bée firme in simplicitye of worde Doctrine and iudgement without instabilytye in cases of trueth which by theyr wisedome they knowe to bée so agréeable to God as hée is called the selfe trueth so it is a breache of theyr duety if they bee subiect to the errour of mutacion They must also hate Couetousnes as in which is layde vp the roote of al euils A vyce of more damnable perril then all the rest and of a nature so wicked that it leades men to Idolatrye by preferring Golde and glorious drosse of the worlde afore the liuing God drawing from them in the ende all feare Religion Reuerence and knowledge of God translate their hearts to infidelitie both towards Heauen and earth Lyke as by lamentable experience wée sée that oftentimes the gréedines of a wretched present leades the couetous Iudge into such blinde and reprobate sence that to peruert Iustice hee stickes not to commit his soule to sale Louing rather the base Earth then the maiestie of heauen to handle Golde then behold the Sonne to bée ritche then honest and lastly seekes to laye vp his felicitie in his transitory presence of welth rather then to lift vp his minde to aspire to the life euerlasting So that in such as are chosen to the regiment of pollecie ought to bée no note of auarice and muche lesse any profe of corruption for doing any acte of iniustice seing that of all other there is this perill in that vice that being once made ritche by couetousnes there is no limit or measure of their extorcion euen as to a smal flame if you adde encrease of wod you rayse it easilie to a greater blase For by howe much more there is offer and meane of gaine euen by so much more doeth the raging zeale of auaâ—ice growe great yea euentâ—â— iâ— bée vnquencheable in the Ritche couetous man it takes continual increase not onely with the poyson of ritches but also with the yeres of their age where other vices carye this common property to diminishe with time the same being the cause why the Scripture saieth There is nothing more wicked then a couetous man for hée is not onely wicked to others by bringing pouertie vpon them in rauishing their goodes but also hee is the confounder of him selfe as touching his soule which hée bequeathes to the Deuil for nothing and oftentimes selleth it for a bare hope of a base profite executing the like iniurye vpon his bodye from the which hee oftentimes restraines natural and necessary nourishment becomes a nigarde to his health by sparing his purse makes his mind and body subiect to passions and perpetual labors shorteneth his temporal life and which worse is loseth euerlasting felicitye So that as Iesus Christ and after him Saint Paul not without cause do exhort in great affectioÌ„ to flée couetousnes as the nurse of infidelity the mother of perdition and lastly the infectious roote of al euils to such as folow it so if this vyce bring such damnable miseries to all mankinde as in respect of his continual wretchednes it ought chiefly to bee auoyded of the Iudge in whome ought not to appeare so much as a suspicion of such euil insomuch that besides the extreme peril of his Soule infinite are the temporal iniquityes which flow from a couetous Iudge in whom for gaine-sake is seldome found any difficultie to offer to hassard the goodes honour and life of many persons the same being the cause why the Sonnes of Samuel were deposed from their iudgement seate and why Cambises caused one of his Iudges to be slaine quick and with his skin couered his chaire the better to aduertise the sonne and successors of the sayd Iudge that they were subiect to the same iustice if for gaine they pronounced corrupt iudgement ¶ What gouernors God hath chosen and howe he hath declared them by myracles they ought all to be instructed at the entree of the Tabernacle and why the great benefite which commeth of good Iudges and why God doth ordaine some wicked ⧠The .2 Chapter TO resort eftsones to the matter of election of gouernours to common weales who are Iudges by theyr institution with the counsell of Iethro wée will ioyne the example of God when hée elected rulers ouer his people as Moyses for the most perfect and Iosua and for his Tabernacle Aaron and Phineus and then examine what commaundemente God gaue to Moyses for the calling of seuenty Elders or Senators whome hée ordayned as soueraygne Iudges and gouernours ouer the Townes of Israel Moyses in his complaint to be insufficient to susteine so great a charge and burden of affaires was hearde of God by him coÌ„manded to assemble at the Gate of the Tabernacle Seuenty of the most Auncient of Israel suche as were most wise best experienced amongst the people causing them to assist and stay with him to impart with them graces requisit to the estate office of good gouernors which graces hée calleth part communion of the spirite of Moyses whose perfect knowledge of thinges exact iudgement Holye zeale and integritye of Fayth Doctrine and lyfe such as were in him so they are al
if we feare the force of the mightie we shall feare to do good iustice and so bring Sclaunder to our light desire of souerentie but as in good iudges God displaieth some beames of his deuinitie as being the ministers of his deuine iustice so he ioynes to their office the operation of some deuine vertue which makes thē feared of their subiectes For this cause are they called Heloym that is Gods as partaking with the force and power of God the more constantly to execute his iudgementes in earth In the Scripture we reade of no Iudge or Magistrate doing his estate which did not bring feare to all their people and made them obedient to his ordinaunces for God by the Iudge geues a secrete feare to bring others to subiection And albeit the Mutinus people of Israel fel into often reuolt against their great gouernour Moises whom they would haue stoned yet he eschewed not his charge much lesse forbare for feare to do iustice but in one day made passe by the edge of the sworde twentie thrée thousand idolatours of one race of Leui and although the resisting aduersarie was twelue times more in number yet they durst not stretche out their handes to defende their Rebellion yea he apprehended at one time twelue of the greatest Lords of the people and Captaynes of the armie because they assisted the sacrifices of the Madianites with whom they committed whordome and yet not in one of the multitude was founde so much as to lift vp his finger in signe of resistaunce the which remayning in example to the succession of other Magistrates they were neuer fearefull to do iustice eyther vpon any singuler great state or vpon a whole multitude offending as knowing that hauing in hande the affaires of God whose chiefe prescript was to punishe the transgressours that he woulde not suffer them to endure hurt nor forsake them executing seuere iustice vpon the wicked ⧠Here Iudges are warned not to be credulus nor to iudge by reportes to take heede of affections and not to iudge by particuler opinion to resiste vvhich euils God ordeyned in the Lavv seuentie Counsellers to vvhom he enioyneth sobrietie chastitie integritie and wisdome to be followers of the iudgement of God in the exact examining of offences and to punishe them according to the grauitie of the transgressions that they be not couetous seeing that for couetousnesse the sonnes of Samuel vvere deposed they must leaue no sinne vnpunished terrible sentence for vnrighteous iudgementes an aduertisement of Dauid to Iudges vvith a prophecie of their miserie if they iudge not in equitie ¶ The .2 Chapter THere be other preceptes in the Scripture prescribed also to Gouernours in their estate of iustice which I néede not now bring in particuler question for that they haue the same commaundement to haue the Scripture in their handes which was geuen to Iosua their example and Patrone in causes of iudgement the better to gouerne the people and therefore I hope it can not bring offence if by the way of generall perswasion I do exhort them to be such as the scripture prescribes but chiefely according to the rule of their election that they be sober wise and discrete to the ende they be not circumuented by ignoraunce imprudence error and misintelligence and so seduce the direction of most waightie and graue affaires which fault was noted in Dauid when he gaue sentence against Miphiboseth the sonne of Ionathas by the false report of Syba seruaunt of the saide Miphiboseth at whose onely worde contrary to the Scripture which alloweth no sentence but by the testimonie of thrée or two at the least hée condemned the other and woulde not heare him in his iustification An acte contrary to all reason and right of nature by which as we sée that in hastye credulitie coniecture only or opinion suddain passion of coller or wicked affection as hate enuie sutteltie thirst of benefite lightnesse of mynde with all other affections as thinges contrarie to wisedome and discretion be of power to peruert iudgement So the same is the cause why the Lawe requires in Iudges wisdome discretion and conference with wise men and not to stay vpō their particuler opinions the same being the respect why God erected seuentie Senatours for the gouernment of the people who consulting altogether in the common businesse and one correcting the errour of another can not but forme good iudgement Besydes such a multitude as Aristotle saith can not be easilye corrupted no more then a great abundance of water but with great difficultie where a small vessell in small time can not but suffer infection The Scripture aduiseth them to be sober and moderate the better to auoyde trouble of minde by intemperaunce which hauing power to hinder the effect of good iudgement in whom it possesseth it draweth also the mind to negligēce takes away al care of the affayres They are also defended from immoderate loue of women as well by the destinie of Salomon who hauyng the gift of wisedome lost by his vnbridled loue and lust all grace in iudgement as also by the example of the twoo wicked Iudges testifying against Susanna who by their inflamed desyres of her beawtye corrupted theyr iudgement So that by the Scripture all Iudges are warned that neither in their mindes nor wyll remaine any peruersitie error or affection but a full inclination to integritie onely zeale of iustice ioyned with knowledge which as it is the same light of the mynde by the which we discerne clearely that which is good or euyll iust or vnrighteous so in a peruersed wyll or wicked affection is bred confusion of the spirite which consequentlye leadeth to perplexities and both troubles and hinders the facultie of vpright iudging euen as if there be neuer so litle a Moate or Beame in the eye the cleare sight is hindered and it hath lesse power to discerne the true difference of things presented afore it but muche lesse possibilitie of sound iudgement is there in the ignoraunt man who not vnderstanding the Lawe suffereth the same error which the blinde man doth whose want of sight makes him vnhable to discerne collours But the better to forme their iudgementes irreprehensible and without reproche the Scripture layeth afore them the iudgementes of God as the true Images and Portraictes representing such example of iudgement and iustice as the Magistrates of the earth ought to followe which Salomon and Tobias call the most true and iust ballaunce and Dauid resembling them with the trueth it selfe saith that such ought the iudge to bée in whose iudgement is founde no iniquitie So that the Iudges raised by him to dispose iustice in his place ought alwayes to haue the Maiestie of him in their mindes and his iudgementes in imitation He iudgeth not by heare say and much lesse by apparance or likelyhood but according to the trueth In which sort it is sayde in Genesis that hée descended into
aduising vs by this rather to loase both the hoode and the cloake as the prouerbe is then to bée reuenged of them and endure death rather then to geue one blowe But in cases not touching faith wée maye vse iustice as did Saint Paul who when reproches and false crimes by malice were layde vpon him and Christian faith not touched hée defended him selfe against his false accusers and in extréeme reméedye hée appealeth to Caesar at Rome Touching the Lawes of the Gentiles if according to our opinion before they bée founded in vniuersal reason without errour or infidelitye they ought as braunches springing out of the law naturall to be receiued and obserued as was the marriage of Infidelles But where they suffer errour let them with their idolatries bée abhominable abhorred To answere the obiection which some deriue from S. Paul that the wise christian ought to iudge differences amongest the faithfull where there is no mencion of lawes Saint Paul in saying that the wise man may Iudge meaneth that he bée wise in the vnderstanding of the lawes for in this is the true propertye of wisedome to bée well séene and wise in God concerning thinges deuine and humane so shall his singular wisedome kéepe him from errour in iudgement hauing in him as the teacher of wisedom saith the feare of God knowledge and wisedome and being truly spiritual which by the spirite of God makes exact iudgement in all thinges and can not bée reproued of that whereof hée hath geuen sentence Yet when he ought to Iudge I will not saye but that it is méete that hee haue the lawes of the world in his head yea let him haue a good spirite a sound ripe iudgement and vnderstand wel the cause in present question so laying aside al affection let him recōmend him selfe to God whose iudgement hée exerciseth Let him confer in difficult maters with other sages which with remembrance of Gods holy feare will leade him in integrity of iudgement And knowing that the ende of al lawe is vtility necessity honesty let him prefer honesty before profite publike profit before the perticular gaine of any man that rather certaine priuate persons lose in obseruing the Lawe then the multitude to suffer distresse But aboue all let that honestye which consistes in vertue bée alwayes entertayned doing no euill whereupon to hope for good ¶ The lawe naturall grounded vpon reason vvas two thousand yeres in vse vvithout other ordinaunces sauing the Sabboth and Circumsition and God hath geuen fevve lavves concerning this naturall and ciuill right nor the auncient vvise gouernors of cōmon vveales for iust causes the people of God according to reason haue made iudgementes and follovved the interpretacion of their moral lavves by the instinct of reason by the vvhich God did institute them and therefore vvhen the Scribes and Pharisies peruerted that reason they vvere condemned Gouernours asvvell in theyr ordinaunces as constitucion of paines to punishe offences ought alvvaies to follovve those lavves vvhich God hath ordeyned according to that reason ¶ The .5 Chapter THus vve haue seene that gouernours maye Iudge according to Lawes naturall deuine and humane both in what sort they ought to iudge and that it is not necessarye alwayes to consult with the written Lawe in all Iudgementes for that as there bée more matters then words more causes then lawes So the actions of men as Aristotle saith being infinite can not bée conteyned all by memoryes as also by reason of the dissimilitude varieties they can not be comprehended in generall constitucions such as be the Lawes this was the cause that the Lacedemonians made no great vse of writtē lawes leauing to the discretion of wise Iudges and graue men the iudgement of that whiche was not written God him selfe the Image of all wisedome for the same reason caused no Lawe to bée written in twoo thousand yeeres but that of the Sabboth circumsicion nor in the Gospel we see none expresly instituted by Iesus Christ for a cōmon weale but al was referred to the arbitracion and wise iudgement of gouernours yea when God emploied Moyses to bée the Lawmaker of the Iewes hée erected but fewe lawes and they onelye in principall matters for the preseruation of societye and polletike quiet referring the iudgemēt of other affaires not contained in the same generall Lawes to the discretion of such Iudges as hée had ordained willing for that it was impossible to write lawes to all affaires that in those newe causes theyr iudgement should hold perentory aucthority as wel as in other matters to bée decided by the written Lawes yea hée commaunded that the wise men should interprete his lawes by theyr wisdome as in the interpretacion of the ordinaunce of circumcision that the eyght day men should bée Circumcised they reserued forty yéeres that they were in the desert without being Circumcised In lyke sort of the Phascal or feast of Easter for the seconde moneth to suche as had not done it in the fyrst and so in infinite others by verye good and iuste reasons approued and receaued in the Lawe wherein he gaue them aucthoritye not onely to iudge according to discresion and good aduise and to interprete all Lawes but also gaue them power to make newe as the necessitye of the affaires required whereof for a more assured proofe of others erected according to reason wee sée twoo approued in the Gospell as on the Sabboth day not to goo further then halfe a league to celebrate the feast dedicatory in the moneth of Decēber which Iesus Christ did assist preache there forbearing to speake of many other as in the time of Easter which the Seniors general Iudges and gouernors of the people had ordeyned So that as their aucthoritye is greate to iudge and interprete lawes alwaies erect according to the circumstance of time matter So notwithstanding this must be considered that in a monarchie gouernors neyther haue power nor office to create ordinances but vnder the approbation of the Prince with this regarde further that they hold conformety with the law deuine to prefer Gods honor common profit wherin let gouernors in the constitucion of their statutes haue a perpetual respect to the wil iudgement of God which they ought to preserue interprete and not peruert them as did the scribes pharisies certaine of the Seniors geuing value to their proper inuentions ordinances contrary to the law of god as oftentimes to wash their hādes enritche the treasour of the temple by defrauding the poore fathers mothers of their naturall right touching the norriture which they ought to their children Chiefly let Magistrates obserue cause to bée exactly obserued the lawes of God and afterward the ordinances of man such as they create tending to those endes and others agreeing with the time and nature of places and persons conforming all with the Lawes of God So that when they sée in the Scripture that
much it is an instrument to sow discord among brethrē This cryme of false witnesse can haue no excuse as hath theft nor stayeth not vppon one poynt certaine to do wrong but sometyme it rauisheth a mans goodes sometimes deuoureth his life most often endangereth his honor wherein if in the acte of one of these thrée euyls is sufficient cause of death howe much more is he wretched in whom they all thrée concurre with equall power Salomon compareth it to a Dart a Sworde and to Arrowes as if he shoulde attribute no lesse euyll to it then a wicked man may do with those thrée instrumentes Besides all this he contemneth the Iudge and derides his iudgement and by consequent both God and his iustice beléeuing as an Atheist either that there is no God which vnderstandes his falshood and not punish it or not fearing him stands in carelesse state and defieth him in what he can do against him and so is a contemner and prophaner of Iustice and of him which administreth it in the name of the Soueraigne Iudge the same being a sinne against the first Table in this case The false witnesse is adiured ordinarily in the name of God to speake the trueth and therefore is periured wherein he committes eftsones a crime most damnable for which cause Salomon saith often times that much lesse that he shall escape vnpunished but that he shall perishe miserablie the same falling vpon the two olde Iudges of Israel who falsely deposed against Susanna Therefore gouernours of common weales haue great reason to search diligētly after such plagues and to restraine all pardon and grace from such wretched offendours The wise man saith that if false witnesse bearers were but simplie in the case of lyers théeues they had alredie inherited perdicion much more then in so great cōcurse of offences do they iustly deserue seuere punishment No lesse iustice is due also to their subornors inducing them to lye to periure them selues and depose falsly to the domage of another the like also to all falsefiers with counterfaite stampes signes and seales of Princes or priuate men corrupt Notaries making false contractes caryers of vntrue reportes and lyes to be short the like iustice is due to all other working falshood either by worde writing actes subornation or supposition whether it be in case of doctrine or life Such as deceiue by faire wordes as flatterers by faigned promises as abusers by scoffes as Maskers and Cosoners with other Pharisées Ypocrites and false Prophetes being the children of Satan the great father of lyes and shifting ought to passe vnder rigorous punishment For such falshoodes are not onely preiudiciall to our neighbour but also do derogate for the most part the diuine honour for that God being the trueth it selfe is by lyes and falshood falsified and dishonoured either through ignoraunce of God or for want of his feare which is a kinde of infidelitie ¶ There is a double lust or vnlawfull couetousnesse forbidden vs as the vvife daughter or handemayde of our neighbour by the vvhich is forbidden all fleshly lust and the desire of the vvealth honour and life of any man this couetousnesse is the cause of all sinnes and the resistaunce of it is a counter defence against all sinnes to our neighbour meanes to resist it and not to suffer to seede any roote of sinne for by litle and litle it grovves great and becomes desperate against all remedies The .11 Chapter THE twoo last commaundements forbid concupiscence whiche without this prohibition many woulde haue thought to bée no sinne and are as preseruatiues of the other former which be Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wyfe nor couet his house his fielde his seruant his maide his Oxe his Asse nor any thing that is his I call them with good reason preseruatiues séeing God in them forbiddes vs all lust aswell after women pleasures with Gluttony as the desyre of other mens goodes in gréedines In the same is forbidden al coueuetousnesse of Estates honours and dignityes by ambition presumption and glorye and no lesse the thyrste after another mannes life by hate enuye or Auarice Wherein we are expreslie commaunded to beare desire and will to doo pleasure and seruice to our neighbour by the contraye defence to haue no affection or disposition to hurt him This wicked lust is the principall roote and first cause in the corruption of nature to make vs Whoremongers to become théeues to commit murder to enter into false testimony and to be stained with all other vices So that as when the Lawe stoppes the conduittes of these common offences against our neyghbour shée foreseeth that the vices rising therupon ouerflowe no more the worlde So if the first societye comprehended in this lust or thirst after glorye and pride were as well chained that shée issued not out of her vncleane channell whiche is our nature corrupte in Adam restrained by the first commaundements aswell of the first as second Table by the which man is taught to humble and make him selfe nothing before God expressyng the same humility in obedient heart and wyll to such as haue fatherly rule in a common weale there should be no more ouerwening ambition vaine glory nor presumption causes of so many intollerable euylles enuyroning the worlde And hauing remedies in these first commaundements such as God hath prouided for vs we must not fayle to arme our selues therewith and refraine to do the thing wherwith he may be offended The remedyes are fayth holy doctrine continuall prayer and assistaunce of the holy spirite inspiryng into our heartes secrete mocions to do well together with diligent exercise of vertue and studie of moral and pollitike disciplines by the which we are enterteyned Ciuilly in a state of common duetie towardes our neighbours and common weale Let therefore gouernours of common weales vse prouidence that of these originall springs there issue out no infect or corrupt ryuers which then comes best to passe when diligence is most applyed to youth to exercise them in good doctrine loue to vertue the better to entertaine those graces which they haue receiued in their first renouatiō by faith baptime For as it is a thing easie that a Tree notwithstanding in her first nature she be wylde and sauage yet beyng well griffed doth bring foorth and deliuer to her labourer good and swéete fruites with continuaunce of the same fertilitie being relieued at the roote and often lycoured euen so it is easie to a Christian when he is griffed and renued in Iesus Christ by baptisme where he hath taken the holy Ghost the aucthour of euery good worke to bloome in good wyll florish in doctrine fructifie in all good workes the roote of that trée being holy spirituall diuine taking her norriture of the worde of God and which Trée is made liuely by the holy spirite augmented fortified enterteyned by the sacraments specially by the sacrament of the Communion which is
séeing man is the holye temple of God wherein the holy ghost dwelleth and the bodies also the holy members of Iesus christ who being holy hath incorporated them in him Is not he then truly holy where the Chalice or Cup a thing insensible is not but for the vse of a holy thing consecrated made holye What sinne therfore is it to conuert the vse of this mēber the tongue into vaine fonde speach which worse is to speake vnchastly to pronounce euill of another to sweare to blaspheme which be thinges not onely prophane but damnable reprobate and restraine it from exercise of holye discourse for which ende it was created of God and reformed by Iesus Christ as of purpose to praye and prayse God to teache and instruct And as to suche as speake vanelye the soddaine iudgement of God is pronounced so let the scoffer and idle inuentour of Pastime looke for theyr share in the same iustice Saint Paul commaundes vs to redéeme or buye againe our time whiche hée sayeth is done in speaking and perpetual well doing of thinges holy and edifying restoring in that sort the season which wée had lost in actes of vice and vanitye afore wée knewe God which is a satisfaction of dutye which hée requires of vs when hée sayeth Doo penaunce for with repentaunce and mutacion of will which is the first act of penaunce the change also of the fact or worke is requisit geuing recompense to our power to the iniuries and wrongs which we had done to others If we haue abused our time in vaine idle talke or employed it in vnlawful things what better recompense can wée aforde then to vse holy speaches of God and dispose our handes to actes of compassion and charitye Plynie being an Infidel but an excellent Historian was so gréedye of time that hée made Conscience to employe a moment otherwaies then to benefite Theophrastus sayd time was deare and an expence very precious meaning that it ought not to be spent vainelye what then ought to bée the consideration of the Christian who knoweth that as well of the meanest moment of his doinges as of the least minute of his time and wordes he is to yéelde reason to God. Therefore let Magistrates whose doinges ought to holde conformetye with the iudgement of God and are heare as the scripture sayth to make him obeyed in his commaundementes and statutes vse prouidence in a cause of so greate importaunce and dispose theyr office by such wisedome as time a gift so precious maye not bée turned to the abuse and dishonour of God. I condemne not heare myrth in things indifferent admistred to a good ende as eyther to refreshe the minde or recreate the Sycke the same being as a medicine to a spirite troubled and is then best approued when it tendes to edification as was that of Helias to the sacrificatours of Baal Crie lowder sayeth hée for perhappes your God is at rest in his Inne or vpon the way or els he sléepes crye therfore alowde that he may awake As much may be sayd of honest profit or necessary pastime such as Isaac tooke with his wife by familiar recreation and as Susanna did when shée walked in her Garden washed her selfe where shée was inuaded by the twoo corrupt Iudges of Israel and as also is written of S. Iohn who sometimes would hathe him selfe with his Disciples but would not enter into the bathe wherein Cherinthus an Heretike had bathed him selfe fearing least for the wretchednes of the Heretike the bath should fall In these and such like things which of nature are neither good nor euil the consideratiō of the ende and intent measureth alwaies the praise or dispraise wherin let vs obserue the saying of Iesus Christ If the eye bee simple al the body is illuminate as who say if in séeking thy profite or prouiding for thy health thy ende bée good and that the thing which thou doest meane bée pleasing to God thy worke is good for so did christ suffer him selfe to bée annointed on his head féete by Mary Magdalen the ende entent being commendable where if shée had employed lo long time and trauaile about another for delite onely and pleasure it had béen an act of vice euen so iesting pronounced of a wicked wyll or to dishonour or scorne any man can not bée but mortal sinne by reason of the ende and corrupt intent And these scoffers Parasites and table minstrelles who no lesse vaine in heart then vicious in affection practise an estate of squirilitye with an entent to deuoure other mens goodes maye sée howe farre they offende God and howe iustlye they stand subiect to seuere correction ¶ Plaies which of them selues beare no vice are not disalowable in respect of their endes and lavvfull causes Vnlavvfull games at Dice are causes of muche euill ⧠The .5 Chapter GAmes which of them selues beare no vice as suche as are deuised to recreate the minde or restore the vertues or natural faculties of the vnderstanding trauailed in Spirituall actions are not by the same reasons we gaue to honest Pastimes not to bée reproued no more then we may reprehend sléepe after labour of the body and the minde To refreshe the minde it is good to exercise the body with games of labour the better to entertaine strength and health as also sportes prepared to the exercise of an act necessary to a common weale as the practise of warre is verye profitable to which sports were trained by the institucion of Romulus the youth of Rome of fiftene twenty yéeres to rise by that meanes to a further habilitye to Armes And albeit they are rather painefull exercises whose ende is profitable instruction then simple games which bring intent of recreation yet they beare but the name of sports because there is no serious grauetie in their actes being as then ordained not to strike and kil but to prepare youth to a more agilitye in warre afterwardes In such like sportes men of warre should passe their time in truse peace to the end they fal not into delicate idlenes These sportes as they maye bée resembled with the exercise of students in the Retrician scooles touching declamations to forme speaches in Courtes so of simple sportes whose mater ende are not euil men may make theyr exercise as of medicine for cure of diseases not making marchandise or traffike of it for gaine For so it could not be properly called sport or playe but matter of good earnest for that sport ought to be referred to som honest ende Otherwaies who excedeth the ende of sport ought to suffer gréeuous punishment not only as vnprofitable but as sclaunderous to the common wealth For play is occasion of infinit euils as is expressed commonly vpon the experience of yong men now a daies without reckoning the losse of their time where Salomon commandes vs to trauaile withal our power without intermission al that the hand may worke do it sayth hée
he oftentimes passed nightes in watching and prayer By whose example suche as are called to the estate of Ministers in the Church Byshops and Pastors ought to direct their behauiours employing their times in spirituall labours being séene in no place but in excercise eyther to teache the ignoraunt comfort the afflicted exhorte the negligent confirme the weake and reprooue the offendor and expresse withall alwayes some good doctrine and confirme it by example of their good life And so for the rest I send them to the treatise of their institution resorting eftsones to the labor wherof we spake ydlenesse whether in them or any other men of learning is an vncomly staine Let them with all others of knowledge but speciallye gouernors pollitick and spirituall do as the naturall head of man wherein as the spirite meditates debates and deuiseth that which is good and profitable to the body and euery member so by counsell of the same spirite the heade prouides by pollicy beholdes with the eyes hearkeneth with the eares and speaketh with the tongue that which is necessary for the whole studying altogither for the entertainement of the body and al the members whome he commaundes in perticuler to trauell with all their force industry naturall as the eye to looke euery where where neede is the eare to heare that which is good and profitable to the body and all his members the hande to worke in diuers sortes the féete to marche and go c. So that there is no member ouer whome he hath soueraintie and which hath meane to obey his commandement to whom he prescribes not what he ought to doe And euen as the stomacke receyues the meate to decokt and disgest it and afterwards to distribute it thorow the body euen so ought the magistrates of the Churche to doe with the doctrine which they haue learned out of the holy scryptures commending the same imitation also to the magistrats of iustice lawyers imparting the science of the laws which they haue learned in schools to the people some to the instruction health of soules other to direct the pollicy of their commonweals The like also belongs to Phisitions touching the disposing of their science for the cure of bodies Other members haue their propper and outward labour as the hand that worketh and the féete that serue to marche and go So Marchauntes Labourers and Artificers haue the trauayles of the bodye for excercise not onelye to the particuler profite of them selues but also to the behoofe of the whole as others haue the labours of the spirite Here it is not impertinent to the matter to rehearse the Fable of Marcus Agrippa Orator of Rome pronounced to the people which were assembled to do violence against the Lordes of the Senate whom they sayde kept them in too great subiection of labours and contribucions of tributes to entertayne their rest and tranquility This Oratour to apease this popular mutinie and eftsones to reconcile them to the Senat brought in this resemblance the members of the body sayeth he murmured on a time against theyr stomacke and bellye obiecting that they did nothing but toyle in perpetual trauell to norishe it yet it was neuer satisfied and so being weary forbare to labour any more to reléeue it the hand would worke no more the feete laye at rest would go no further the mouth refused to speake the eye to sée and al gaue ouer to prouide for the bellye By which occasion within few dayes all the members became feble weake yea without hability to moue so that the man had no power to set one foote before another And so foreseeing in what danger of death hée stode for not ministring foode to his stomacke and bellye perswaded al his members eftsones to recontinue their trauaile geuing them to vnderstand that they were not fallen into that infirmity by any other meanes then because they disobeyed the stomacke refraining frō trauaile to prouide him sustenance and norriture to the bellie which being thus beaten into theyr knowledge they tooke againe theyr first office labour and diligence and so eftsones recouered theyr agilitye and force neuer afterwards mutined against their stomackes or belly To this stomacke he resembled the Senat in the members were represented the people applying so aptly this cōparison which is as a natural lesson visible doctrine that he brought the people to returne to their citie yéeld theyr accustomed obedience to the Lords of the Senate declaring by this peremtorye reason that it is not possible to the world to bée well gouerned nor lyue without counsel iudgement and prouidence of God and graue gouernors some prouiding for the safetye of soules and others caring for the temporall affayres the better to establishe a happye tranquilitye in a common wealth ¶ In all creatures is seene a perpetual labour whether in Heauen in Earth or in the Sea The profite vvhich riseth in a Citie by the trauaile vvhereunto the idle sort are constrained Exhortacion to the Magistrates to purge their common vveales of vnprofitable people declaring the euill vvhich comes of them and the authoritie vvhich they haue to doo it The .11 Chapter THere is no naturall Common Weale no not amongest the Beastes which is not in continual and common labour without excepting any singular creature frō trauaile In the Monarchie of Bées where the king commaundes wée haue already proued that there is no Idlenes Among the Antes where the most auncient guide the rest euerye one is busye to beare his burden builde his Garner In the flocke of Cranes where al be equal in aucthoritye none is suffered to be idle Nor of Grashoppers when they flye in Troupe There is no winged Birde which flyeth not geues to euery day some acte of trauaile according to his nature No Fishe in the Sea or other water to whome with the vse of life is not ioyned perpetual trauaile No Beast aboue or vpon the earth who after his natural rest doth not employe him selfe according to his natural facultie no natural thing if it haue life and strength is suffered of nature to bee idle The Sea alwaies bringeth forth Fishe beareth great Shippes and hath her other mouinges and as the Riuers fall into the Sea so the fountaines slide into the Riuers The Earth without ceassing engendereth or preserueth Herbes Séedes Plantes and the plantes neuer forbeare in theyr season to expresse their vertue and bring forth fruites and are neuer vnprofitable yea if there bée any vnfruiteful it is committed to the fire as not worthy to bée susteyned with the fatnes of the earth without yéelding good fruite Christ cursed the figge trée because it brought forth leaues yéelded no fruite signifying to vs that it is not inough to trauaile if our labours bring forth no profite to others The fire continuallye burneth The skye hath his perpetual mouing carying about his planets and starres The Sunne geueth light without intermission And the
and agréeable to God For the which the auncient Macedonians were so liberall that they gaue not onlye one part of their goodes but also offred themselues as S. Paule writeth Let them search out the auncient debtes due to hospitals and let such as are indebted therin be compelled in that which they are bounde to pay for the goods they holde of their auncestors yea let themselues in recompence of the wrong they haue donne in times past to the poore and for the honour of God say with Zacheas to Iesus Christ that for penaunce he will satisfie such to whome he was bounde I will gyue sayth he the halfe of all my goodes to the poore and if I haue deceyued anye manne I will restore it fourefold which if they doe not let them not thinke that they stande in other state afore GOD then as men accused of theft robbery and murder yea the counsell of Carthage calleth them murderers of the poore And thus Gouernours hauing prouided that the reuenue be sufficient for the poore passengers and vnhable people lette the hable passengers after two or thrée dayes repose and harbor haue their leaue to depart and the impotent vexed with sickenesse be furnished of Phisitians and pothicaries for the cure of their diseases which being recouered to auoyde ydlenesse let them be recontinued to trauell and labour for their liuing But in case of defect by imbecillytie of nature or iniquity of time let gouernours measure the reléefe of such according to the hability of their persons and by their owne charitable discretion and if there be any who either by impotency of limmes or imbecilyty of age can not get their sufficient sustenaunce let their good willes be fauored and their defectes supplied of the common store applying the olde women to the labor of the spindle according to the meane they haue to worke vpon Al impotents of nature as such as are vexed with the paulsey others who being restrayned in mēbers are vnhable to labor blindmen all suffring defects of body ought to be norished wholy of the almes yet the blind are not so fully excusable but they may be applied to something for that in many of them god hath raised supplies of vertues wisdom as to Dydimus And séeing such as are lame may aptly ynough suffice to leade the blynde it cannot be but contrary to good order to apply stoute and able beggers to that office in whome is capacity to trauell in their trade Such as are lame only of their féete and legges haue yet an vse of their handes eyther with the néedle or such like instrument and such as are onelye dombe are not vnfite for all that to labour Touching poore children whose insufficiencye of age makes them vnhable to gaine their necessarye sustenaunce it cannot but be a worke of great compassion to apply them to learning in a colledge vnder the instruction of some good scoolemaster by whose industry and helpe of gods spirite they may ryse in time to be members seruiceable to their common weales such as haue no disposition to studye may be applyed to other sciences according to the rate and measure of their capacities Touching poore maydes wée haue before recommended them to the honorable and vertuous dames of euery Citye whome we beséech eftsones for Gods cause to take to themselues a charge and office of so singuler pyety ¶ Generall and speciall recommendation for prisoners and that for debtes vve ought not lightly to imprison one another The .7 Chapter TOuching poore prisoners we recommende them to the publike and perticuler almes Amongst whome such as are skilfull in anye occupation are vnprofitable in prison where they doe nothing but sorrow their estate time in ydlenesse and therefore if there be no iust reasons to dispatche their causes it were good they were applied to the exercise of their arte and so sustaine themselues by their owne meane rather then to consume themselues and goods of others in heauie ydlenesse But touching the riche sorte that hold the poore imprisoned for debt let them remember what Esay pronounceth against them great néede haue they saith he to fast and pray that so aflyct their poore debters holding as it were their féete vpon their neckes they hauing not charitie shall not doe a woorke pleasing to God to deserue grace and shall not be hearde in their peticions which they shall make in their aduersitie vnloose sayth he the bandes of impiety shake of the burdens which charge thée with auarice Let go such as are broken with perplexities and restore them to their libertie dissolue and shake of all burdens breake thy breade to the hungrye and make enter into thy house people néedy such as haue no place of retraite when thou séest a naked man couer him and despise not thy flesh And when thou hast done all this thy light shall shine out as the morning visibly euen vntill it be spéedely brought into perfite light but sooner shall thy helth come to passe as if he hadde sayd if thou be sicke God will restore thy helth sooner then thou darest hope for it And thy iustice that is thy liberalitie shall go before thy face meaning shall be presented afore god Then shalt thou call vppon God and hée will receyue thy petitions Thou shalt crye to him and hée will aunswere thée I am heare to ayde thee Therefore let not the riche disquiet or oppresse theyr néedye debtours but let them vse Charitie and attende tyll they haue better commodity to satisfye theyr debt yea if the debtor being extreame poore haue not wherevpon to lyue the Ritche creditour ought to forgeue his debt franckelye as hée is bounde to ayde other poore in necessitye without expectacion of profite from them so shall they in better truth obserue the Lordes prayer where they desire God to forgiue them their debtes wherein they stande bounde to him as they remit the trespasses of others which are their subiects whether they be wronges or common debts But where the poore debtor hath barely whervpon and yet no other meane to satisfie vnlesse he sell his landes houses or other small goodes at little price there it is good reason the creditor ioyne himselfe to respite and attende a better commodity of the debtor who laboreth to search paiment for him yea let the poore debtor rather recompence the losse which the creditor maye sustaine for lacke of payment by the vpright iudgment and consience of honest men the same being the interest which is called iust tollerable amongst all interestes ciuill But if it excéede this it is damnable vsury forbidden amongst the Iewes who ought to liue as brethren much more then amongst the christians in whom God hath expressed a spirite of more charity and compassion vsury was tollerated of the Iewes to the Pagans as well for the hate of ydolatry as bycause the countries of the next Pagans appertayned to them and therefore they made it lawfull to praye
immortall purtraits of the diuinitie of God and in hospitalles only the corruptible and mortal bodies of decayed men are fed and cherished In Colleges also poore children may bee susteined if the houses haue liberal dowries the same ministring great cause to the gouernours to prouide Colledges séeing also it is a common interest to all men to sée to the good instruction and education of youth what course of science so euer they take as hauing no abilitie of them selues to know what is good honest profitable nor what is conducible to the safetie of their soules and much lesse to discerne God and searche out his wil yea they shal be ignorant in their rule and gouernment of humaine reason so wicked and obscure a nature carrie they by sinnes so ignorant is their spirit so peruersed their will and affections whereby those children folowing time without discipline and institution should fall into infinit errours and dissolute manners and as vice encreaseth as the wicked wéede groweth without culture or labor and euery minde by his proper nature caried to doe euill where vertues can not bee attained without discipline and instruction so these young forward plantes if thei should not be licorred with wholesome moysture and moderated by the industrie of skilfull workmen they would bring forth fruites of corruption and troubles to their common weales and in the end ouergrow them to their generall destruction Let it be therefore a principall care in chief Rulers to erect Colledges building them in places ayrie cleane and faire obseruing the commoditie of the Sunne and wind reflecting temperatly a thing very delightful to the wit and profitable to the health of the body foreséeing that they carrie such state in showe and buildinge that aswell the beauty of the workmanship as the serenitie of the place may draw children of noble houses to passe their youth there and inuite other good wittes to establishe and follow the studie of learning The romthes standing in such amplitude and the chambers so many that they may conueniently conteyne the nūbers of schollers within the house being very hurtfull by many reasons to make separation of studentes one from another and vnder the chambers to bee made formes to the ende the Regentes and maisters remaining in the said chambers and hauing vnder them the said fourmes may better kéepe their schollers in dutie then if their fourmes were elswhere bestowed if the place be commodious it is necessary to make libraries in the sayde chambers which would bée very requisite for good Studentes for to yonge children and such as beare no vehement will to studie they would be but occasion to hinder or disorder their exercise it were good they were bestowed in a mild swéete and softe aier if the place beare commodity for the recreation and pleasure of wittes the windowes of these ought to haue aspect towardes the East and West for the South resolueth the wit and dulleth it and filles the braine with hurtfull vapour and the wind of the North as in winter when it is cold hindreth the memory and is hurtfull to the lyuer and lightes because it stirres vppe defluxion Secondly a Colledge or schole ought to bee indued with reuenue sufficient to entertaine a principall and Regentes of singular vertue and knoweledge with wages accordinge to their order and qualitie and that with such iust payment that they haue no occasion to complaine of their common weale nor of such by whō they are called to the exercise of that profession Touching the reuenues of Colledges without the which the stately buildings should séeme as cages wherin the birdes died of hunger for want of prouision goodly to beholde but not to dwell there the Church in other tymes hath prouided for her part a principall Regent for which purpose shée leauied foure or fiue hundreth Frankes of estate in the Cathedrall Churches for the finding of a man of excellent learning and vertuous life who at this day retaynes the name called Scholemaister and the Bishops and common weales supplied the reste as thei saw necessitie require wherein for the default of some of our predecessours discontinuinge this good and holy institution I wish our Ecclesiastical prelates of this time to restore and recontinue so auncient and necessarie constitution would where neede is either erect newe Colledges and encrease their reuenew or at least repaire such as are towardes ruine and of their grosse reuenues superfluous for the countenance of a churchman compart some porcion to the fauour of learning honour of God seruice of their countrey and their owne perpetuall memorie and as those holy and graue prelates of the former tymes saw there were no better meanes to preuent heresies and correct vices then by laying a ground of good instruction in the first yeares of youth so if their successours had succéeded them aswel in example and imitation as in their huge and wealthie liuinges they had stopped the course to many sectes and opinions which only are the cause at this day that Christendome standeth deuided in religion and the kinges thereof drawen into actes of mutuall conspiracie In some places common weales and cities onely haue had the honor to builde endue Colleges with a reuenue of a thousand or xii C. Frankes at the least for the which they haue bene and are amongest all other cities most celebrated Others not hauing like abilitie in wealth but no lesse forward in affection to learning séeking not to be slow or negligent in that which they sawe raysed their common weale to benefite and them selues into immortall honor procured brotherheads to be annexed leuied generall and particular gatheringes to erecte and endue their Colledges and solicited Bishops to transferre the ayde of certaine benefices makinge by that industrie their colledges both faire and riche wherein in some places as the prince to helpe the want of some townes vnable but well disposed to plant such foundacion of a common weale hath wisely appointed the Cathedrall and Collegiall churches to bestow Cannon prebendes to the reliefe of Colledges specially in their capitall Townes where ought to bee the residence of learned men to teach the whole Diocesse So in many townes specially in Fraunce where they haue so ready meane and either will not or dare not applie it to vse what great offence doe they to their Countrey and pitiefull wrong to their vniuersall youth for where their cities are poore and haue chapters and riche churches to supplie their prouision with the reuenue of prebendes whilest they are voyde yet they leaue the care and prouidence of their prince without execution and are negligent in the instruction of their poore frayle youth for the which they stande not onely condemned afore God but also subiecte to reproche in all posteritie yea euen of the youth them selues to their perpetual dishonor young wittes being by their negligence abandoned to vices ignorance and all sortes of dissolution where if they had ben trained in a colledge they
cause helping to the excuse and they by vnrulie disobedience abuse her in their dutie or that by some collaterall match shée may eyther bring encrease to hir reuenue or helpe the porcion of her daughters shée is iustified in her second mariage wherein aboue all other cares let her beware that no moode of incontinencie lead hir for that in our Christian religion it is accompted a vice moste slaunderous Touching such as are contented with the state of widowhed let them with S. Paules councel exercise their times in prayers take their delites in holy and godly things and trauell with all their harte to cleaue to God and to please and serue him in al puritie of will and spirituall affection and for their better meane to those holy actions let them eschew conuersation with men and prepare their flesh by fastinges and great sobrietie for as S. Paule sayeth the widowe that liues in delites is dead as whose wanton conuersation wallowing in ease and belly cheare hath corrupted hir mind with affections of mortall sinne wherein shée is readie to ioyne effect to hir fleshly wil as opportunitie shall consent But holy widowes liue spiritually and kéepe their bodies in necessities and their myndes in deuoute exercise as fasting prayer and other deuoute meditations of the spirit séeking after the perfection of the vertuouse widowes in the scripture as Iudith and Anne the prophetisse who from their youthes béeinge widowes receiued great graces from God as the one in the execution of Gods enemies and the other in prophesying of the comming of Christe publishing openly in the temple when the Lord was brought thither that hée was the true Messias ¶ The office of Fathers and Mothers towardes their children and the dutie of children to their parentes Chapter iiij TOuching the office of the second societie in nature pertaining parents towardes their children and of them reciprocallie to their fathers and mothers we will discourse according to the scripture Leauing the doctrine of the Pagan Philosophers as opinions doubtfull in themselues and vncertaine to Christians fathers and mothers haue in comen to bring vp and institute their children where of the mother is tied to a speciall care whilest they are young as growing into state of years and bignes thei belong chiefly to the fathers aswel for their authoritie as their greater and more wise prouidence Touching administration of noriture to their bodies with all other prouisions which the necessitie of nature requiers the mother most cōmonly takes vppon hir that special care as in whom the zeale of nature doeth most abounde some times sparing foode from hir selfe to féed hir children and restraining hir owne body to colde and hunger stickes not to cloathe hir naked tender impes to whome she bears more compassion then to hir proper wantes But for the féeding of the soule being the principall part of man and by the which wee are men and regenerated in to the children of God the body being none other thing then the vessell or mantiō of this sowle the prouision and care is equall to the father and mother both streightly enioyned without distinction to prouide such spirituall féeding clothing as may be worthy for this soule formed to the Image of God which is holly doctrine of saluation and correction instruction in good maners the same as it is the principall cause why God hath blessed them with children So with out those institutions children would fall into degeneration with natures and actions of brute and hurtefull beastes they would be come children accurssed whose dispsiscion would bring forth nothing but pride couetousnes glottony whoredome malice dissolute maners yea they wold become instruments altogither obedient to the wil of Sathan Prince of the world some what to qualifie the grieues of mothers bringing forth their childrē in great paine sorow often times in hard mortal peril of life lulling cherishing them with cares and watching day night with many other perplexities belonging to the institution of their litle youth S. Paule giues them this great consolation that the woman shall be saued by the generation of hir children if with hir instruction she conioyne this care to kepe them by exhortation and hir example in the constancie of faith charitie and sanctification which they receiue by baptisme enclining alwayes to do holy déedes with sobrietye which to young people is the mother noresse of all good doctrines and vertue as of the contrarie children dissolute folowing their foule will neuer attaine to scence and lesse folowe studie and least of all exercise verteous actions and because the mother ought thus to teatch hir children Salomon giues them commaundement to heare and receiue hir lawe aswell as to harken to the doctrine of their father And for example he resites that his mother Bersaba taught him from his infancie in the feare and wisdom of God wher by euen in his youth he became so wise as the scripture reporteth And albeit S. Paule restraines a mother of a family to preache in the church yet he takes no libertie from hir to instruct hir houshold and children in their dutie and office of life with out offending god which then is best performed when she makes the doctrine of God familier with them The daughter of Pithagoras well instructed by hir father in vertue and loue to virginitie kepte a schoole for mayds whō she made so singulerly wise and learned that they confounded the ignorance of many men and with hir resolued to perseuer in the state of perpetuall virgins Cornelia mother to both the Gracchus read to hir children the arte of retoricke whearein she raised them to such knowledg of excelency and eloquence that she was estemed for the most happie lady of Rome yea one day when a gallant or vaine dame of the cittie bragging of hir Iewels shewed hir much stately worke of embrodery and stones she aunswered hir I neuer was careful to make my selfe shine with so false lights as Iewels and stones nor to embosi my house with florishing hangings of goldworke but here sayth shée shewing hir eloquent and learned children is the sunne wherin I shine and the tapistrie Iewels and treasure of my house which in déede as they brought hir more honour then if she had ben Lady and owner of all the riches in Rome So yet she had aspired to more great supreame felicitie if according to hir trauell to distill knowledge into them they had expressed their excellēt learning in actes of modestie vertue in the discourse of their life But because it is a common question at these dayes whither the dugge of a mother is more proper to féede the tender infancie of the childe then the milke of a straunger as also what sortes of meates afterwardes are fit for their noriture it can not bée impertinent to declare our opinion as it were in passing Touching the first noriture if there be no lawfull excuses in the
might haue risen to great personages aswell for ornament as to gouerne churches and common weales euen as out of the horse of Troye issued great Lordes in the middest of the Citie to the glorious victorie of the Greekes ¶ What Principall and Regents ought to be called to institute a Colledge it is requisite they be learned of good life instructions who they ought to be by many comparisons Chapter ij HAuing thus prouided for the building and reuenues of a Colledge the next care is to furnishe it with a Principall and Regents of exquisit doctrine and maners irreprehensible to whom young men may and ought to conforme themselues in all things whither it be in spéech iesture life or any conuersation not suffering to be founde in them any vice no more then ought to be any stayne in a cleare looking glasse for they bée mirroures of youth wherein we behold our selues to the end to wipe away such spottes as be vpon our face if it be so as we said before that such as is the gouernour of a Citie such are the Citizens although iudgement reason ioyned with the exercise of humane affaires giues them an vnderstanding to discerne what is good and hurtfull for them what expectation or hope of fashion is there in young children who as apes counterfeting naturally all that they see done expresse as neare as they can the manners resemblance of their Master The same was the cause that that great and excellent Poet Homer in his philosophicall poesie fayned that Achillos so eloquent and excellent in déedes of armes had with him alwayes his Master Phoenix the leader of all good Masters who instructed him in the partes of well speaking and was to him alwayes as an example of noble actes from Pithagoras Archyras Socrates and Plato are deriued great Philosophers and very vertuous Disciples as good followers of their wise and vertuous Masters euen as from pure fountaines flow riuers like to them in cleare fairenesse But of the contrary when schollers shall sée in their Masters both ignorance error and all sortes of vice hauing neither counsell to consider the faults of their teachers nor subiect to correction of any other may it not be sayed by them as in a Greeke prouerbe was layed against a sophister hauing Disciples like to him selfe that of a wicked Crow comes a worse egge meaning that by an euill Master whither it be in doctrine or life is formed a Disciple like to him For that cause Saint John and Jesus Christ called séedes of Vipers suche as were enuenemed with false discipline of a wicked toung suttle ipocrisie and inward mallice of the Pharesies and other Masters corrupted in such vices wee read that the mightie Alexander obseruing his Master Leonides giuen to drunkennes became so intēperat in drinking that he did many infamous acts yea not sparing to kill a deare friend of his and one of his chiefest Philosophers It is a thing most consenting to the nature of a childe to imitate vices expressed before him in demonstracion most easie to corrupt him by wicked example whose nature of it selfe is full of corruption draweth him by kind to vices without the aide of outward doctrine euen as it is easie to one issued of a race infected with leprosie or other corruption of nature to fall eftsones into that disease being naturall and contagious specially if he haue familiar conuersation or gouernement with such as are infected is it not easie to make him to fall that is weake and not able to stand vpright But he that of himselfe seekes nothing but to poore vppon the earth it is hard to make him clyme into high places Euen so the thoughtes and mindes of man being from their infancie inclined to do euill solleine negligent and slow to well doing of themselues will hardly pretend or aspire to clime the high hill of vertue nor the Muses coassembling in their stately Helicon Parnassus mountains signifying the raised hart and industrie we ought to haue to come to the type of true erudicion if they be not led as it were drawne by the hand with often exhortation take corgae by such as follow the right hard and straite waye of vertue science which is scuh as are their vertuous and skilfull Masters of long time exercised in their owne profession The auncients in times past for the many benefites growing to common weales by the industrie of learned and vertuous instructers compared them to good Dyers giuing a good and faire teynt or die to cloth of it selfe vile and vnpolished which afterward in respect of his excellent cooller becomes seruiceable and vsuall to Princes Kynges and Emperours some of them resemble them with learned Painters who vppon their tables draw so faire pictures that ther is not so great a Lorde who takes not pleasure to beholde them And some compare them to excellent caruers of Images who vndertaking to worke purtreytes out of rude and vnpolished stones smooth them first and cut them afterwards by such Art and cunning raysing so liuely and naturall formes that to make them naturall bodies there seames to want nothing but life and spéech and so by their excellent skill in those Images they take away quite the first nature of the stone out of the which they were hewed euen so do wise learned and vertuous Masters with the wittes of their Disciples giuing them doctrines and vertues most excellent pictures liuely coollers and goodly ornaments of the soule Who by those things declares a beautie wonderfull excellencie altogither deuine by the which it hath affinitie with God and is honored of all men aboue all other taking charge to institute youth the Principall ought most to excell who as he is in the first degrée of honour and authoritie ouer the Regents and schoolemasters so it belonges to him to surmount them in wisedome erudicion and good life And being assured of the vertue and doctrine he must also be hable to iudge of the discreation of the Regents and giue thē place honorable and allowance equall to their merits furnishing alwayes the fourmes when it is requisite as if the chiefe Regents faile to supplie their default to auoyde disorder and in any wise not to suffer their youth to loose their deare time which cannot but be to them all a charge of conscience Lastly they must examine the schollers of high fourmes determining fourmes according to their aduauncement otherwise they are negligent in their estate cōtemptible and expresse not the reuerēce and obedience which iustly apertaine to the Principall and therefore let no Colledge be gouerned either by a proud or ignorant man. ¶ A continuance of the discourse of Colledges by other comparisons Chapter iij. SVch good instructours teachers and scholemaistsrs to youth maye also by the doctrine of the auncients bée layed in comparison with Fathers Phisicions labourers gardeners shepheardes potters goldsmithes who according to their actions in the artes wherein they deale