THE HOLY COURT IN FIVE TOMES The FIRST Treating of MOTIVES Which should excite men of Qualitie to CHRISTIAN PERFECTION The SECOND Of the PRELATE SOULDIER STATES-MAN and LADIE The THIRD Of MAXIMS of CHRISTIANITIE AGAINST PROPHANESSE Divided into Three Parts viz. DIVINITIE GOVERNMENT OF THIS LIFE STATE OF THE OTHER WORLD The FOURTH Containing the Command of REASON over the PASSIONS The FIFTH Now first published in English and much augmented according to the last Edition of the AUTHOUR Containing the LIVES of the most Famous and Illustrious COURTIERS taken both out of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT and other Modern Authours Written in French by NICHOLAS CAUSSIN S. J. Translated into English by Sr. T. H. and others LONDON Printed by WILLIAM BENTLEY and are to be sold by JOHN WILLIAMS in Pauls Church-yard MDCL THE HOLY COURT DEUS EST NOBIS SOL ET SCUTUM Caeca Cupido ruit caecusque Cupido Via Regia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE HOLY COVRT dixi Dij estis et filij excelsi omnes 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Solomon ex ad perfectum Vsque perduxit Reg. 3. G. G. sculp To the MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY OF HENRIETTE-MARIA QUEEN OF GREAT BRITTAIN A COURT adorned with virtue and sanctified with pietie is here most EXCELLENT QUEEN to your view presented which having once already in pure and Native colours received light and life from the bright eye of your Royal BROTHER would gladly at this time in a harsher language and ruder garment adventure your gracious acceptance The subject is serious the discourse usefull and proper for those who in Court so serve Princes that they neglect not an humble acknowledgement to a more transcendent Greatness It hath pleased GOD as a singular favour to this Kingdom to affoard us in your MAjESTIE a pious Queen who exemplarly maketh good what diffusedly is here handled Let then lesser lights borrow beams of radiance from your greater Orbs and persist You Glorious Example of virtue to illuminate and heat our Northern Clime with celestiall ardours Adde to earthly Crowns heavenly Diadems of Piety Here shall a HOLY COURT be found fairly delineated nor can I see how it will be in the power of persons of best eminence to plead ignorance and pretend inability they having such a Book to direct them and such a Queen to follow Lead then with alacritie most Sacred MAJESTIE and may propitious Heaven so prosper your holy desires that the Greatest may have matter to imitate and the whole Nation to admire TO THE KING OF FRANCE SIR THis Treatise of the Holiness of Courts before it be published comes forth to behold the great and divine lights wherewith God hath environed your Majestie whom he hath chosen out to sanctifie the COURT by means of two reflections which are the Example of your virtues and the Authority of your Laws As for example You supply as much as in a Prince may be desired who hath brought innocency into the Throne of Majestie as an earnest-pennie of Royaltie and whitened the very Flower-de-luces by the puritie of your heart and hands This argument in my opinion should powerfully operate in the hearts of French-men For it would be a disorder in Nature to see bad subjects under a good Prince to plant vice in the Kingdom of Virtue and to have a bodie of morter and feet of clay affixed to a head of Gold It is fit impudence should be extreamly shameless not to blush when the sparkling lustre of a Crown casteth into the eyes the glimmering flashes of so great a Pietie Where example cannot reach Kings have Laws which are given them from Heaven as hands of gold and iron to recompence merits and chastise crimes And as your Majestie SIR from your most tender years hath shewed a singular propension to the detestation of Impietie and maintenance of Justice that causeth me to say Your Majestie hath great means to make the COURT essentially holy which the disabilitie of my pen cannot express but on paper It is a work worthy of a Christian King who standeth in the midst of Kings and Nations as heretofore the statue of the Sun in the midst of publick passages Royal hands cannot be better employed than to erect the Tropheys of Sanctity That is it which all the first have done CONSTANTINE in the Roman Empire CLODOVAEUS in France RICAREDUS in Spain ETHELBERT in England CANUTUS in Denmark WENCESLAUS in Poland All those who have taken that way have been glorious in the memory of men whilest others that have prepared Altars and Tables to Fortune as saith the Prophet Isaiah erecting Monarchie on humane Maxims have built on the quick-sands of imaginary greatness which hath served them to no other purpose but to measure their fall Vice and Voluptuousness cannot immortalize men since they have nothing lasting in them but the sorrow of their infancie and the infamie of their name All the greatness and happiness of a Prince is to make in his virtues a visible image of invisible Divinitie then to imprint the same on his subjects as the Sun doth his brightness on the Rain bowe SIR Your Majestie knoweth it by proper experience God hath made you to read the decrees of good success written as it were with the rayes of your pietie By how much the more you are affected to the service of the great Master so much the more the good success of affairs hath followed your desires You have seen your battels end in bays and the thorns of your travels to grow all up into Crowns And as we are ever in this world to merit so we ought to hope that so many worthy acts will also with time take their just increase and that you shall sow new virtues on earth to reap felicities in Heaven Lastly that he who hath given you the enterance of Solomon into the Kingdom will grant you the exit of David This is the vow which offereth to God SIR Of Your MAJESTY The most humble most faithfull and obedient Subject N. CAUSSIN TO THF NOBILITIE OF FRANCE SIRS THis Work as it is composed for your sakes offereth it self to your hands without bearing any other ornament on the brow but the reflection of Truth any other recommendation than the worth of the subject It is not the abundant store of sanctity in the Courts of our Age which maketh this stiled the HOLY COURT but this Frontis-piece onely carrieth the name because this Book beareth the model which verily with more ease is moulded on paper than printed on the manners of men Yet we may affirm that God who draweth the sons of Abraham from the midst of flints and rocks doth in all places reserve Saints for himself and he that will consider it well shall find that in all times the Courts of zealous Princes have had their Martyrs their Confessours their Virgins and Hermits I have a purpose when my leisure will permit to divulge the lives of Kings Princes Lords men of state and likewise also of
Queens Princesses and Ladies who in the course of the world have flourished in much sanctity beginning from the Court of David and then concluding in our Age to the end the multitude of examples may place the Sun in full splendour before their eyes who take the greatness of their condition for pretext of their remisness For the present because Reason should carry the torch before History I will satisfie my self with publishing this Christian Institution which treateth of the MOTIVES and OBSTACLES men of Qualitie have to Perfection with the practise of virtues most suitable to their condition the whole attended by two books of Histories that very amply contain the good and evil of Courts I consecrate this small labour at the feet of the Church among so many worthy Writers which make her wholly radiant in gold not unlike that Bird which as the Kings of Asia contributed great treasure to the building of a Temple she having no other wealth went thither to present her Feathers It remaineth SIRS that you make the COURT holy and you shall sanctifie the world your examples may do much therein when you shall advance the standard of piety a plentifull Train will follow Behold how all those that have framed their fortune upon vice have built on abysses they have sowed wind as saith the Prophet to reap tempests their hopes are crackt as clouds swoln with the vapours of the earth and their felicity like a golden statue hanged in the Air on a rotten cable hath melted upon their head Never any man hath had good fortune in impiety He that looseth his conscience hath nothing else to gain nor loose Nothing to gain for that nothing remaineth for him but unhappiness and nothing to loose because he hath lost himself So many crimes and impieties daily float on the face of this Age that you must stretch out your arms against iniquity If you have your hearts fixed where God planted them you shall place the confidence of well doing in the life of the most timorous and shame of ill doing upon the brow of the most impudent Your hands shall always be in a readiness to overthrow vice and your feet shall not walk but on Palms of victory The Church extendeth her hands out to you and imploreth the aid of your authoritie and good examples You are in the house of God as Joseph in that of the Lord of Egypt The Master hath put all into your hands defile not the honour of his bed since with his finger he hath imprinted the lustre of his glory on your fronts If you be among men as Mountains over valleys be Mountains of perfume of which Solomon speaketh in the Canticles and not those hills of the Prophet Osee which have nothing but snares and gins to serve for stumbling-blocks to those whom they should enlighten If you be elevated in the world as cliffs above the Sea be watch-towers not rocks If you be Stars be Suns to be the Chariots of light and life and not comets to pour malignity on the four quarters of the world Be ye assured that how much the more you are united to God so much the greater shall you be the more conformable you are to the will of the Sovereign Master so much shall you behold the earth in contempt under your feet and Heaven in Crowns over your heads The DESIGN and ORDER of the Book TO speak properly we have but two great Books the Heaven and the Bible which never perish The others have an Air and a certain continuance amongst men and at the last arrive unto their period But the most part of those who at this day do write do come into the world as drops of rain into the Sea of which the Ocean takes no notice neither of their coming in or their going out In so great a croud of Writers I have put forth my first Tome of the HOLY COURT as under that consideration esteeming that I brought but a little dew into a great River and having spoken some Truths by the way I should bury my self from my birth in the Tomb of so many Books which is excusable by the law of necessity and honourable by the multitude and the qualities of those that write Howsoever I see that GOD who governeth our lives and our pens hath been pleased that this Work should be had in some respect and having exceeded the merit of the Authour it should also exceed his hope producing some fruit and withal some comfort to my travels which I cannot now judge to be ill employed This hath again put my pen into my hand to follow the continuation of it to which so many personages of Honour have brought so many reasons to induce me that having but little leisure to undertake this second Work I have had the less boldness to refuse it Those who complain that my pen hath not swiftly enough followed their desires are to remember that though Slowness be a mother a little to be blamed yet her Children are not deformed The bringing forth of good Books ought not to resemble that of Birds concerning which an Ancient writeth that they come out of the Belly of their mother before they are born we ought to give them form and a long time to foster them in the Mind before they appear in publick For in precipitation it is a poor attempt to be able onely to hope for nothing but to erre hastily to repent at leisure I do more fear the Reproches of precipitation than deliberation for in this mortal condition wherein we live our most perfect Actions are but heavy assays and the most gross proofs of perfection This may be said without any diminution to the merit of some celestial Spirits who make promptitude and goodness to march together with an equal pace it being not expedient that those who cannot follow them should glory in the infirmities contrary to so great abilities For me I content my self with the approvement and admiration of other mens works reserving nothing but industry for my own And though for all my pains I cannot of my self find in my own work satisfaction enough to content the Readers whom I acknowledge so favourable to me yet so it is that I find I have brought something which bears some correspondence with their desires This I can assure them that the contraction of the precepts which I have drawn into so few words being able to stretch them into Volumes are not without their profit and that Histories are made most choice of in that nature where besides their majesty which lays forth the most specious affairs of the Estate of Empires since the beginning of their Christianism they have a certain sweetness with them which sound spirits will find to be so much advanced above all Fables and Romances as the pleasures of Truth do surpass all illusions of Sorcerers You shall here perpetually observe a great Theater of the Divine Providence where God knows I have no other Design than
answered their desires For in this second Volumn I treat of the Courts of Constantine the Great the two Valentinians Gratian Theodosius the Elder Theodorick in Boetius his cause Clodoveus Clotilda Levigildus Hermingildus and Indegondis in such sort that I have selected the principal sanctities of Great-ones in the first six Ages of Christianity which will not be sleightly valued by those who better love to finish a Work than unboundedly distend it Moreover also to be better than my promise in my first Volumn having taken the Court in general I here descend into particulars and there being four sorts of persons which compose the life of Great-ones that is to say the Prelate the Souldier the States-man and the court-Court-Ladie I have made a brief Table of the conditions necessary in every state couched in four discourses pursued with as many Books of Histories which contain excellent models of virtues proper to all orders and states of life in persons most eminent I can assure my Reader these Summaries of Precepts which I have so contracted in so few words it being in my power to enlarge them in divers Volumns are not unprofitable and the Histories are so chosen that besides their majesty which unfoldeth the goodliest affairs and passages of Empires in the beginning of their Christianity they have also a certain sweetness which solid spirits shall find as much to transcend fables and modern eloquence as the satisfaction of truth surpasseth the illusions of Sorcerers You shall perpetually therein observe a large Theater of the Divine providence wherein God himself knoweth I have no other aim but to dignifie virtue and depress vice without any reflection upon the persons of these times no more than if I wrote in the Reign of Charlemain or St. Lewis I heartily entreat all those spirits of application who cannot hold their nose over a piece of work unless they find it to suit with their own fantasies imagining that all literature is the eccho of their own thoughts that if they have any Commentary to produce they would rather make glosses upon their own dreams than my Books We are not as yet God be thanked in so miserable an Age that we dare not offer sacrifice to truth without a disguise since it is the glory of Great-ones openly to wage war against vices as their greatest enemies For to speak truly after I had presented my First Tome at the feet of the sacred person of our great King I likewise considered in his Court rich and resplendent lights in all orders which might serve as models for my Treatises but to avoid affectation of all worldly complacence I have purposely declined it my nature and habit having already so alienated me from all worldly pretences that it would prove painfull to me to court any man if he had not Heaven and the Stars to give me for reward For so much as concerneth the form of writing observed by me in this Second Volumn I will truly confess to my Reader that I have therein proceeded rather guided by my proper Genius than art or cunning And although I heretofore have been curious enough to read and observe all what ever Greek or Roman eloquence hath produced of worth yet I confess there is a certain ray of God which encountering with our spirit and mixing with nature is more knowing than all precepts and I may affirm this for the instruction of youth which hath asked my opinion concerning the qualities and conditions of stile True it is I have handled many books written in all Ages and have found the wisest of them to be elevated in conceits and words above the ordinary strain but always free from affectation Others are so passionately enamoured of certain petty courtships of language which are capital enemies of perswasion and which we most especially ought to avoid in discourses of piety the nerves whereof they weaken and blemish the lustre since even those who speak to us out of Chairs by word or writing although in terms discreetly modest make the less impressions on our hearts and many times so seek after their own reputations as they forget how much they are engaged to truth We see some who through over-much wit search out strange ways conceptions different from common understanding words extravagant and in all other things so vehemently adore their own imaginations that they cannot endure any but themselves in paper which is the cause they very seldom meet with the habit of humane understanding as being true Citizens of Plato's Commonwealth of ability to controle all and to do nothing Some glory in barrenness and would willingly be displeased with God that he hath more plentifully sown stars in some parts of the Heaven than in others They can brook nothing that is generous without snarling at it and taxing it supposing beauties and splendours are defects because they surpass their capacities Finally there are some who so furnish themselves with the worth of others ceaseless allegations that they frame discourses like to those Helena's all of gold where we can behold nothing but drapery not being able to distinguish the hand from the foot nor the eye from the face I enter not into the consideration of our times having learned rather to regard the Works of the meanest Writers than censure them But to speak sincerely I never thought it fit to advise or pursue such courses And as in this Work I have not wholly declined learning nor ornament of language which I supposed apt for the purpose endeavouring many times to enchase them with seemly accommodation so have I been unwilling to replenish my leaves with Authours and forreign tongues this being undertaken rather to perswade virtue among men eminent than to fill the common places of young Students I likewise have so intermingled my style that not descending into a petty language of complement which had been below my subject I thought to make it intelligible yea even unto those who make no profession of arts or study My onely aim is to speak and to be understood perswaded thereunto by the saying of Philo That speech and thought are two sisters they youngest whereof is created that the eldest may be known I have more laboured upon the weight of sentences than ornaments of words not at all pretending to the honour of earthly pens which we daily behold to grow in so many Authours of this Age who would be much more absolute did they apply themselves to graver subjects and in some sort imitate the Sun who affording admiration to the world hath none himself Notwithstanding it often happeneth not with the most eminent Writers who ordinarily are endowed with much modesty but certain extreamly profane wits to idolatrize their own inventions to condemn all treatises of worth and value that it is impossible to be eloquent in our language but in the expression of vanities and impurities Truly if question were made to judge of French eloquence the riches of Babylon are not so exquisite as
he should sway his Scepter or his life Cardan who was imployed no less than one hundred hours to make his Horoscope did easily observe in the stars the incommodities of his body and disasters of his person but he could no way attain to the period of his life which is of the secrets reserved in the knowledge and in the method of God All England was extreamly corrupted in her faith under the Regency of this Seimer and the Ladies of the Court were enveloped in the errours of the time He found none but the Lady Marie daughter to Henry the Eight and Katharine which continued in the Religion of their Grand-Fathers and though she was tempted and sollicited on all sides yet she would not suffer her self to be surprized with a new Faith but with a vigorous force did roar against all the torrents of Opinions and the overflowing disorders which reigned in that age It was for this that God did cause her to mount on the Throne of his own Tower and gave her the grace to be both the restorer of Religion and the State by the assistance of this Cardinal As soon as Edward was dead not without suspition Mary the lawfull heir is troubled and Jane is chosen Queen by Faction of poison Dudley Duke of Northumherland who was then most mighty in power and had newly married his Son to the Lady Jane issued from the bloud Royall conceived himself strong enough to begin the Regency of England the better afterwards to usurp the Crown He caused his Daughter-in-Law to be proclaimed Queen of England and seized on the Tower of London and gave order for the apprehending of Queen Mary But the generous Princess being advertised of the attempt did take horse in the time of night and secured her self in a place of strength and conjured all her good Servants to assemble themselves to defend her person and her right It is to be admired that persevering in the true Religion contrary to that of the great ones of the Kingdom at the same time when she conceived her self abandonned and her cause most deplorable that she should behold the principal of the Nobility and Gentry and Commonalty to fall down before her and to offer her their obedience and their Arms to take the possession of the Crown She marched immediately to London in the middle of her Army apparelled in a Gown of Velvet of a violet colour and mounted on a white horse She entered into the Citie with great applauses of her Subjects and surprized the Duke and caused him to deliver his Daughter in Law into her hands It was a spectacle worthy observation to consider the Inconstancy of these worldly affairs and to look on that person who but yesterday promised to himself to force the whole Kingdom under the power of his Laws to tremble now at the fear of death pronounced by his Judges who condemned him to be drawn upon a Hurdle to be hanged drawn and quartered The Queen sent him Catholick Divines to convert him to whom he gave ear and abjuring Heresie he imbraced the Catholick Religion which was the occasion that the Queen did moderate the Sentence of the Execution and was contented that his head onely should be cut off with his sons who was the husband of Jane This miserable Lady from a high Tower where she was prisoner beheld the body of her dear husband without a head at the sight whereof she fell down into a swoun and being a little recovered she melted into tears and did fetch from her heart so many and so deep sighs that they seemed to be able not onely to mollifie the hearts of men but to cleave the Rocks asunder There was a long Deliberation concerning her The Execution of the Lady Jane Fact because the Queen had an inclination to pardon her observing her to be both young fair knowing and of a delicate temper and one who had not offended but by the violent suggestions of her Father-in-law and of her Husband who had put the Crown upon her head But the Judges did remonstrate that it was of a most dangerous consequence to suffer that person to continue alive who had carried the Title of a Sovereign and that one day it might give a new fire to the enterprizes of the Remainder of her Faction On these Considerations the Sentence of Death was pronounced which she received with a Constancy admirable in her Sex and age A Doctour was sent unto her to reduce her to the Catholick Religion which at the first she refused alledging That she had too little time to think on an Affair of that importance Which being reported to the Queen she deferred the Execution for certain dayes to instruct her at more leisure so that she was gained to God and continued to the the last hour of her life in such tranquility of mind that a little before she came out of prison to go to her Execution she wrote divers Sentences in Greek Latine and English on the contempt of Death and when on the Scaffold it was represented to her that she should die by the sword which according to the custom of that Countrey is accounted a nobler kind of Execution than to die by the Axe she said That she would die by that Axe which was yet discoloured with her husbands bloud and couragiously she tendered her neck to the Hang-man drawing tears from her self and the hearts from all those that did behold her O most unfortunate Ambition that hast made so young a Princess a sacrifice of Death who for the excellency of her spirit might have been another Minerva or at least the tenth of the Muses Behold the strange Revolutions which did prepare the way to Cardinal Pool for the performance of those high Designs which God had committed to his Conduct Queen Marie did incontinently make void all the Sentences which had been pronounced against him and called him back into England to which place in a short time he came as if he had been carried on the shoulders of all honest men The Pope made him his Legate and gave him full power to ordain and execute all things which he should conceive necessary for the glory of God and the establishment of the true Religion He travelled to this Work with incomparable wisdom Pool travels to the Reducement of England to the ancient Faith and with a zeal invincible He well perceived that to restore Religion by arms was to undertake a most laborious if not an infinite work which would open all the veins in England and draw drie as well their purses as their bloud and cover the Kingdom with the calamities of civil wars which would continue for many Ages He resolved to put his good Counsels in execution with gentleness which others propounded to perform with all violence And in the first place he had recourse to Prayers The course he held to Mortifications to Vows and to Devotions which he performed in secret and which
her it was a thing in the judgement of all those who would truly weigh it very far from her thought since she had always more feared King Herods love than hatred Lastly that she made no reckoning of life wherein she had suffered too much sorrow yea much less of the Court from whence she never received any contentment and that if they would oppress her by false testimonies it was easie to gain victory of one who made no resistance more easie to take the Diadem from her head and her head from her shoulders but most hard to bereave her of the reputation of a Princess of honour which she had of her Ancestours and would carry to her tomb The poor creature was like a silly sheep in the Lions throat or among the paws of many wolves They proceeded to sentence all tended to baseness It was supposed the King was willing to be rid of her and that sufficed Never was any one to be found who had the courage to plead the cause of this innocent Queen or in any sort to mollifie the passion of Herod All those consciences were oppressed either with crimes or cowardise from whence it came to pass these false Judges did more for the Tyrant than he desired for they all resolved upon death He himself was surprized with horrour though he were wholly a bloudy man and commandeth she should be kept in a prison of the Palace with delay of execution thinking perhaps by that means to make her more plyant to his passion But the enraged Salome who had raised this storm not willing to do any business to halves approched to the King her brother and shewed him such birds were not to be kept in cages that his life and crown thereby ran into hazard that already all tended to a revolt and that if he delayed this execution he hastened the ruin of himself and his whole state Whereupon Herod let fall this word Let her be taken away And behold instantly an officer dispatched to the good Queen who brought her the news of the last hour of her life saluting her with a low reverence and saying Madame Invincible patience and very admirable the King commandeth you must presently die She without any disturbance said Let us then go my friend it cannot be so soon for King Herod but it will be as late for me and speaking this word she set forward and went directly to the place of execution without change of colour having a sweet aspect which drew tears from the whole world To crown her patience as she was ready to receive the stroke of death Alexandra her own mother the companion of her imprisonment the Guardian of her thoughts who had ever been one heart with her betraying bloud nature and all piety by a mischievous trick of state thereby avoiding the suspition of Herod as consenting to her daughters humour came to charge her with most bloudy injuries Barbarous act of Alexandra and it was a great chance she had not taken this poor Ladie by the hair to dreg her up and down the pavement saying to her with the foam of boyling choller That she was wicked and extreamly proud and well deserved to die in that manner by shewing herself refractory to so good a husband Behold verily the greatest indignity which could happen in such an accident There is no better honey nor worse sting than that of bees no better amities nor greater injuries than of allies The patient Mariamne onely made her this answer Mother let my soul pass in peace which already is upon my lips and trouble not the repose of my death and with a generous silence shutting her mouth up to further replies Heroick silence and opening her heart to God the onely witness of her innocency most unworthily used stretched out her neck to the executioner to seal with her bloud the last testimonies of her patience Josephus speaketh not expresly enough of the punishment she doubtless being executed in the manner at that time ordinary which was to behead offenders Most pitifull death of that quality This day-break which bare stil in the rays thereof joy refreshment to the poor afflicted souls through the horrible confusions of tyranny was then extinct in her bloud Yea the eyes of all the standers by bathed in tears beheld her in her eclipse when that fore-head full of Royal Majesty was seen couragiously to affront approaching death which maketh the most confident to tremble and when this alabaster neck was stretched out and bowed under the shining steel to be separated from this beauteous body a shivering horrour crept into the What horrour bones of all the beholders and there was no rock so hard which afforded not the water of tears before she poured out her bloud The head was separated from the body and the body from the soul But the soul never shall be divided from God raising to death such a trophey of patience The limbs lay all cold and stiff extended on the place and the voice of innocent bloud which already penetrated the clouds to ask vengeance of God was instantly heard as you shall understand onely I beseech you stay to behold the Pourtraict and Elogie of the good Queen by us here inserted MARIAMNE REGINA MARIAMNE REGINA MACHABAEORUM STIRPE INCLYTA HERODIS PESSIMI OMNIUM VIRI UXOR OPTIMA FORMA CORPORIS SUPRA CAETERAS EXIMIAANIMI ETIAM VIRTUTIBUS MAJOR INTEGERRIMAE PUDICITIAE ET INELUCTABILIS PATIENTIAE FOEMINA INIQUISSIMIS CALUMNIIS OPPRESSA MARITI GLADIO REGIAS CERVICES DEDIT ANNO ANTE CHRISTI NATALEM VIGESSIMO OCTAVO Upon the Picture of MARIAMNE FOrtune a heavenly beauty did engage To a fell husband who through boundless rage Practiz'd fierce tyranny and foul debate As well in love as in his Royal state She liv'd on gall upon the sword she dy'd Soon in the Lamb's bloud to be purifi'd The Cross so to prevent in pains pertake With patient God mishaps thrice-happy make Which after death immortalize her story And from her body take less bloud than glory Thus from the world this holy Queen remov'd Breaths forth affections to her God belov'd And her great soul to heav'n in silence rears Purg'd in her flame washed with her tears Who bravely so both lives and leaveth breath Makes of a dying life a living death THe disloyal husband who so inhumanely had treated a Ladie worthy of all honour as soon as she rendered up her soul as if he had been strucken by some invisible dart cried out with grief and said he had done an act worthy the wrath of Fury of Herod after the death of Mariamne God then dreadfully howling he ceaselesly invoked the memory and name of the poor dead creature to whom he by his sorrows could not again restore what had been taken from her by the sword of the executioner Wheresoever he went he still was accompanyed with the image of his crime still tormented and assailed with black furies
he passed in continual apprehensions thornie affairs perilous voyages sinister distrusts frosty fears of death barbarous cruelties remorses of conscience the forerunners of hell leaving besides a short and unfortunate posterity Behold his Picture and Elogie HERODES ASCALONITA HERODES ASCALONITA VULTU FERUS ANIMO BARBARUS LUTO ET SANGUINE MACERATUS A QUO NIHIL AD SUMMAM CRUDELITATEM PRAETER DEICIDIUM ABFUIT DEICIDIO VOLUNTAS NON DEFUIT VULPINA FRAUDE REGNUM JUDEAE INVASIT AN. MUNDI TER MILLESSIMO NONGENTESSIMO SEXAGESSIMO QUINTO REGNAVIT IRAE SERVUS JURIS DOMINUS FORTUNA FOELIX CYCLOPAEA VITA INFOELICISSIMUS DESIIT CAELESTI PLAGA FERALIS MORBI ANNO REGNI TRICESSIMO SEPTIMO VITAE FERME SEPTUAGESSIMO CHRISTI OCTAVO Vpon the Picture of HEROD A man no whit with civil grace indu'd Of visage hydeous of manners rude A monster made of massacres and bloud That boldly God Heav'n Natures laws withstood Ill words within no certain limits fall But who once mentions Herod speaketh all BY the carriage of this Court one may see whither vice transporteth great fortunes In the person of Aristobulus and Hircanus you behold that the canker is to a body less dangerous than the discord of brothers to a state In the person of Antipater a friend for advantage who seeketh to fish in a troubled water in the end fisheth his fill but is drowned in the act to teach you there is no policie so great as to be an honest man and that he who prepareth snares for another diggeth his own grave In the person of Pompey an Aribitratour who worketh his own ends under the colour of justice who buildeth his ambition on the ruins of state in the end the earth which faileth him for his conquests denieth him a sepulchre He found no more Countries to conquer and scarcely had he six foot of earth to make him a tomb In that of Hircanus too much credulity too much facility to please others humours too much pusillanimity in the government of Justice which head-long threw him into a life as miserable as his death was cruel and bloudy In that of Anthonie a passionate Judge who turneth with all winds and suffereth himself to be carried along by the stronger without consideration of Justice In that of Joseph and Sohemus that it is perilous to treat with women though free from ill purpose and much more dangerous to reveal a secret which who will safely keep must make his heart a sepulchre for it In that of young Aristobulus how the most beautifull hopes are storm-beaten in the bud and that you must walk upon the prosperitie of the world as on ice that it must be handled like glass fearing always they break not in the lustre of their brightness In that of Alexandra a boundless ambition designs without effect afflictions devoid of consolations torments without patience and a death without deserts and all this because she gave not a good temper of virtue to her soul In that of the sons of Mariamne innocency perfecuted and a little vanity of tongue desperately revenged In that of yong Antipater policy deceived the cloud of humane hopes cracked punishment and revenge ever attending an offender In the person of Herod an enraged ambition which giveth motion to all his crimes a double soul crafty cautelous politick mischievous bloudy barbarous savage and withal in the best of his tricks benummed doltish dall thinking to make a fortune to the prejudice of religion and conscience A goodly fortune to make himself great and live in the hatred of all the world in the remorses of a Cyclopean conscience a thousand times aday to call upon death not being able to die and in the end to die in a body leaprous stinking louzey and death to tear his soul from him with scabs stench and lice to make it survive its torments in an eternity of flames See you not here fair fruits of humane wisdom impiety and atheism In that of Mariamne a soul raised above the highest sphere of true greatness a soul truly royal holy religious courteous mercifull wise affable and endowed with an incomparable patience who as an Eagle strong of wing and courage soaring above the storms of the world maketh her self Mistress of tempests and thunders which for that they had served as an exercise of her constancy and perpetual battels for her life shall through all Ages attend the immortality of her glory THE FIFTH BOOK Fortunate Pietie WE have hitherto beheld a Court which rather resembleth Polyphemus cave than a Kings Palace to teach Great-ones there is no bruitishness so savage wherinto ingratitude towards God and vice doth not precipitate a forsaken soul Let us now see that as unbridled passions are of power to make a hell of a Princes Court so the practice of piety and other virtues make it a true Paradise Behold the Court of Theodosius the Younger a Prince who seemed to be born for nothing else but to allye the scepter to virtues and manifest what royal greatness can do guided by the rules of pietie It is no small miracle to behold a holy King If Ring of God God affected the curiositie of wearing a ring as well in effect as the Scripture attributeth it to him in allegorie the most agreeable characters he would engrave therein were the names of good Kings who are his most lively representations as those who wed together power and goodness two inseparable pieces of God but very incompatible in the life of man such are the corruptions of this Age. Some live in Four sorts of life the world transported with the torrents thereof and that is weakness Others flie the world and in flying oft-times carry it along with them and this is an illusion Others separate themselves as well in body as affection and this is prudence But few are found who bearing the world on their shoulders through necessity do tread it under-foot by contempt of vanities That is it which this great Prince hath done whose Court we here describe for being seated among people he built a desert in his heart and in a vast Ocean of affairs he lived as fishes which keep silence within the loud noise of waves and preserve their plump substance fresh in the brackish waters I go not about to place Theodosius the Younger in the rank of the bravest and most heroick spirits you hereafter shall see others more couragious and warlick but I purposely have selected this history drawn from the Chronicle of Alexandria Zonaras Zozomen Raderius and others to teach certain vain-glorious people who make no account but of those trifling spirits fierce mutinous and unquiet stampt with the coyn of impiety how much they miss of their reckoning seeing this Emperour with the sole arms of piety and modesty carried himself in a very long and most prosperous reign amidst horrible tempests which seemed ready to rend the world and other rash Princes who made shew to swallow earth and seas were drowned in a glass
passed Ages edified the present enlightened the future and upheld great fortunes by a much greater sanctitie All these will tell you we have nothing immortal in us but the riches of the mind and all this exteriour lustre of the world which charmeth the eyes of men is but a cloud in painting a petty vapour of water a fable of time a dyal which we then onely behold when the sun of honour reflecteth on it and which must in the end be buried in an eternal night of oblivion Let us now see the great S. Ambrose whom we among thousands have selected to serve as a model for this first discourse You therein shall observe a man of a most noble extraction endowed with admirable parts and who by necessity of duty and considerations of charity was conversant in the Courts of Emperours and in the infinite perplexity of many affairs which he with all manner of prudence and courage handled shewing in his deportments a vigorous sanctity chosen by the Divine Providence to make as it were the whole State of Christendom most eminent E C DOCTORIS AMBROSII St. AMBROSE The first SECTION His Calling THe first mark of perfection which we require in a good Prelate to wit Divine calling is in great S. Ambrose so manifest that were it written with the rays of the Sun it could not be made more perspicuous We may in some sort speak of him what he said (a) (a) (a) Amb. l. 1. Comment in Lucam cap. 1. Vngebatur quasi bonus athleta exercebatur in utero matris amplissimo enim virtus certamini parabatur of S. John Baptist That it seemeth God began to prepare him from his mothers womb to exercise his virtue one day in main battels First it is a thing remarkeable that seeing resolution was taken in Heaven to make this Prelate one of the most couragious and eloquent men of the world he should be extracted from the Nobility which is ordinarily full of generosity being derived from a father honoured with one of the chief charges of the Empire which was the Lieutenancy over the Gauls Besides he came into the world first breathing French air which hath been esteemed according to S. Hierom (b) (b) (b) Hieron adversus Vigilantium Sola Gallia monstra non habuit sed viris semper fortissimis eloquentissimis abundavit the Countrey of the most noble and learned spirits of the earth and Sidonius (c) (c) (c) Sidonius Apol. carm 1. Invicti perstantanimisque supersunt Jam prope post animam another Prelate hath said the valour of a French-man extendeth further than his life for he liveth even then when the soul and body are divided Secondly as we have observed before God many times declared the calling of infants by sundry presages It was a great sign of the eloquence of Saint Ambrose to behold a swarm of bees (d) (d) (d) The cradle of S. Ambrose all together settle on his cradle which was at that time brought out into a court of his fathers Palace that the child might thereby take a little fresh air The nurse seeing these little honey-creatures buzze about him much nearer than she could have wished coming and going to his lips was affrighted and thought to drive them away but the father who walking in the same place with his wife and daughter beheld this pretty sport made a sign she should hold her hands lest by exasperating these little creatures she might provoke their stings In the end they peaceably forsook the place and soared away so high that they lost sight of them At that time Ambrose father of our great Prelate spake aloud as with the spirit of prophesie This infant shall be great And verily these bees much better alluded to S. Ambrose than to Plato who is said to have had the like hap in his infancy For we must affirm the eloquence of Plato had honey in it and no sting but this of S. Ambrose besides the exceeding sweetness thereof in peaceable arguments had when there was occasion of combate stings that pierced to the quick We may well say he was the most elaborate in his style of all the Doctours of the Church especially if we speak of the Latins For many as S. Hierom and S. Augustine oftentimes dictated with much vehemency of spirit what came to their mind but S. Ambrose did not so much accustom himself to dictate to a writer for he in composing ever had his pen in hand (e) (e) (e) Ambros Epist 65. ad Sabinum Nobis autem quibus curae est similem sermenem familiari usu ad unguem distinguere lento quedam figere gradu aptus videtur propriam manum nostro effigere stylo c. to polish his works at leisure and as we say lick his own bear Adde hereunto another sign of his vocation in the childish sports he exercised without consideration as did heretofore Saint Athanasius being then as he an infant which was to cause his sister and the children which attended her to kiss his hand as the hand of a Bishop he therein taking much pleasure It seemeth God sometimes sheweth children as with his finger the way they should pursue It is an admirable thing that therâ— was in Paris found a young begger called Mauritius so far transported in his own fancy that he one day might become Bishop of Paris that many offers being jestingly made unto him in his infinite necessity to move him to renounce the right he pretended to the Bishoprick of this ample Citie it proved meerly impossible which a wealthy man perceiving he so furthered him in studie as in the end he came to the degree which to himself he had prefigured What shall we say God unlooseneth even the tongues of mothers to speak prophetically touching the state of their children Witness a most honourable Ladie named Ida mother of three sons Baldwin Godfrey Eustace who one day sporting with her and hiding themselves under her gown and many times shewing their heads with diverse pretty childish dalliances the father casually coming thither in the midst of their play as they were all covered with their mothers garment demanded Who have we there The Ladie readily answered not knowing what she should say It is a King a Duke and a Count. So it proved Baldwin was King of Jerusalem Godfrey succeeded in the Dutchy of Lorrain to his father the great Godfrey of Bouillon and Eustace was Earl of Boloigne God made use of this womans tongue as of the hand of a dyal which pointeth out the hours as the great wheel guids it leaving no memory where it touched Ambrose did the like at that time directed by the spirit of God He made himself Bishop in his own imagination but when he pursued the way of his proper reason and natural judgement he therein used all resistance not thinking he was called thereunto In the third place his calling was altogether extraordinary and miraculous in
And to what may your state truly amount saith the King The Lady replied She was very well worth a thousand crowns which was a great riches in that time Well saith Theodorick I will give as much to this young man for his marriage on this condition that you shall marry him She much amazed began to wax pale blush tremble and to shew all the countenances of a perplexed woman who sought to excuse her self but faltered in her speech The King yet to affright her more swore deeply she should marry him presently or tell lawfull causes of impediment The poor woman condemned by the voice of nature which cried in her heart and having horrour of the crime proposed unto her cast her self at the feet of the King with much profusion of tears confessing her loves dissimulation and mishap Then this great Prince taking the word from her Are not you a miserable woman saith he to renounce your own bloud for a villain who hath deceived you get you to your house forsake these fond affections and live in the conditions of a good widow taking unto you such support from your son as he by nature ought to afford you I leave to relate a singular example upon the same subject which I drew from the Chronicles of Alexandria and cited in the third book and one and twentieth Section of my first Tome The fourth Maxim which Theodorick received from our Oracle was to place deserving men in offices and to ground his State upon rewards and punishments which the ancient Democritus said were the Divinities of Common-wealths The King laied this counsell up in his heart and presently made Boetius Superintendent of Offices and dignities to the end his judgement might be as the character of the excellent qualities of such as should have principal Commissions There was no speech at all either of favour flesh bloud or nation all rewards were for men of judgement and virtue when any one was designed for some office long and serious inquiry was made of his condition which being throughly known the King gave approbation of him by writing to the Senate or forgot not to put into account all his services and laudable actions to the end the sinceritie of his proceedings might be known that he might cast a double lustre upon him who received so great a benefit from his hands We may behold the practise hereof in many letters Epist 3. lib. 4. which are to be found upon this subject and namely upon the advancement of Cassiodorus to the dignitie of a Patrician where the King writing unto him letters full of respect makes a narration of his life and functions wherein he had very well served his Majesty and then said unto him Enjoy now the recompence of your travel and doubly take the interests which you have contemned for the publick for there are no riches more glorious than to see your virtues crowned both by the testimonie of the Prince and by the praises which proceed from the month of all the world It is a great happiness to oblige a King to confess that a subject hath that already by his merit which he grants him by his liberallitie This gave so great encouragement to the nobilitie to dispose themselves to honour by the degrees of honesty that in few years the Court was replenished with persons qualified with parts of science and conscience which are the two sources of good affairs The fifth Maxim was the good husbanding of treasures which are not onely the sinews but the soul bloud and life of the people It must be confessed that the States of the world are subject to great maladies one while there is a drowsiness in affairs that is the lethargy sometimes a humour peccant and maligne composed of passions and errors which besiege the understanding that is the epilepsie sometimes obstacles which hinder the light of good counsel and they are cataracts which grow upon the eys sometimes obdurations against good advise that is hardness in the ears sometimes a malicious silence of truth that is the squinancy sometimes oppressions that is shortness of breath sometimes want of courage and those are the evils of the heart sometimes there is raised an exorbitant avarice that is the bulimy or dog-hunger sometimes coldness and remisness to unlock coffers for necessary uses that is the gout in the hand sometimes negligences opportunely to take occasions and that is the gout in the feet sometimes fiery ambititions and enraged avarice and they are feavers sometimes you may observe malignities and intestine wars which may be called the stone and nephretick pains sometimes bloudy agonies termed dissenteries sometimes great corruptions of manners that is the cachochimy sometimes sudden disturbances they are Erysepelies sometimes stenches of hidden crimes and that is an infection of the nose which the Graecians call Lozena sometimes there are discovered spots of impietie that is the Leprosie sometimes an impotency in all the members that is the Palsie sometimes a faintness over all the vital parts that is the Ptisick Never should he have done who would keep an account of all the maladies which are ever dangerous in their sources and mortal in their issues but this Ptisick which drieth up the body and maketh of a living man a kind of spectre or Anatomy is one of the least accidents and this happeneth to a State through the ill manage of Treasures contrarie to the loyaltie due to the sacred persons of Kings That is it which maketh souldiers to mutinie which offendeth the great and giveth matter of indignation to the most reasonable and of murmur to all the world whiles the one account in substance the gold and silver which they have purloined and the other reckon in idaea that which is spent entertaining their thoughts with the desire of a thing afar off as if one would warm himself with the memory of fire This is it which bringeth contempt of a Common-wealth abroad weakness at home and miserie on all sides which maketh the people hungry and a Prince necessitous in his own house The effects of this disease are better known than the remedies thereof practised for there are ordinarily in all States many Reformers who have verily notable designs upon Treasures but there is the like use made of them as of tooth-picks before dinner Money is of the sect of invisibles no man knows what becomes of it in so many hands those who abuse it have so many kinds of jugling-tricks which dazel eyes whilest they fill their purses It is a Theophrasi de plantis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodly plant as that wich is called the Affodil or Scepter-royal which breeds bad little worms that gnaw all the substance thereof and hide themselves under the leaves till such time that getting wings they becom butterflies all speckled over with flowers and brave it over men in the air whom they durst not behold upon the earth The States of Great-ones is also an admirable tree
content the King my father and yours who requireth from you no other satisfaction The good Prince answered Ab Brother What have you said you lately perswaded me to an act of pietie at the peril of my life think not now to induce me to an impietie although it should concern all the lives and Kingdoms of the world Behold here the time for you to reign and for me to die I willingly die for the honour I ow to my Religion for which I gladly would suffer death a thousand times if it were possible I neither accuse you nor my father whom I more compassionate than my self and counsel you to render him all the duties of pietie in the decrepitness of age whereinto he is entered As for our step-mother I pray you rather to endure her nature than revenge my death It is the work of God to take knowledge of injuries and for us to bear them When my soul shall leave this miserable bodie it shall ceaselesly pray for you and I hope most dear brother you in the end will renounce this poor libertie which entertaineth you in the sect of the Arians and if dying men use to divine I foretel that being converted to the faith you shall lay foundations of Catholick Religion in all this Kingdom which I am about to moisten with my bloud Recaredus used all the intreaties he could devise never being able to shake the constancy of his brother which much offended King Levigildus and transported him into resolutions very bloudy Notwithstanding those who might yet speak unto him with some liberty counselled him to precipitate nothing in an affair of so great consequence saying there was no apparence that Hermingildus had undertaken any plot against the life and State of his father since he came so freely to present himself upon his bare word that those who find themselves guilty use not to come to burn themselves as butter-flies at the candle That his countenance at this interview was too sweet his speech too proper his deportments too candide to cover so black a mischief and as for change of Sect it was no wonder if the King having given him a Catholick wife he had taken that Religion with its love that it was a complement of a lover which age would bend experience sweeten and prudence in the end deface that he had at that time more need of a Doctour than an executioner since the apprehensions of God were distilled in the heart by the help of tongues not the dint of swords The seventeenth SECTION The death of Hermingildus THe faction of Goizintha transported beyond all considerations ceased not to sound in the ears of the King that Hermingildus was not an offender whose power was to be neglected That his crime was not such as might promise him impunity that the laws of the Countrey had never tolerated such practises that he had violated right both divine and humane becoming a fugitive from his Countrey an Apostata in his religion arebel to the power of his father in such sort that to render his wound incurable he had changed all lenitives into poison That he had levied arms against his Sovereign without regard of his age his name the majesty of the Kingdom and the voice of nature and that there was nothing but the despair of his affairs which had taken them out of his hands That he held correspondence with the enemies of the State to whom he was become an assistant and a companion and now to make himself as impudent to defend a crime as bold to execute it had cast all the fault of his conspiracies upon the Queen his mother-in-law and the marriage of his father shewing himself so insolent in his misery that there was nothing to be expected but tyranny from his prosperity that it was to be extreamly arrogant even to stupidity to seek to retain a chymaera of piety contrary to the will of his father and that never would he be so constant in his superstition if he had not leagued all the interests of his fortune with the Catholicks enemies of the Kingdom That if order were not taken therein they should be hereafter deprived of the power to deliberate on it when they had given him all the means to execute it The credulity of the unfortunate father was so strongly assaulted by these discourses that he resolved to go beyond himself so that on a night which was Easter Eye he dispatched a messenger to the prison with an executioner to let him know he was speedily to make his resolution to choose either life and scepter by returning to the Religion of the Arians or death by persisting in the Catholick That he had a sword and a Crown before his eyes the one for glory the other for punishment the choice of either was referred to himself Hermingildus made answer he had already sufficiently manifested his determination upon this Article that he would rather die a thousand deaths than ever separate himself from the Religion which he had embraced with all reason and full consideration The Commissary replied The King your Father hath given me in charge that in case of refusal I should proceed to execution of the sentence decreed against you What saith Hermingildus He hath condemned you by express sentence saith the other to have your head cut off in this same prison where you are Whereupon the holy man fell on his knees to the earth and said My God my Lord I yield you immortal thanks that having given me by the means of my father a frail brittle and miserable life common unto me with flies and ants you now afford me on this day by these sentences a life noble happie glorious to all eternitie Then rising up again he requested the Commissary he would by his good favour suffer a Catholick Priest to come to him to hear his Confession and dispose him to death He answered It was expresly forbidden by the King his father but if he would admit an Arian Bishop he should have one at his pleasure No saith he for I have detested yea and do still abhor Arianism even to the death and since my father denieth me a favour which ordinarily is granted to the guiltie I will die having no other witness but mine own conscience Which having said he kneeled down again and made his confession to God praying very long for his father his step-mother all his enemies and pronouncing also at his death the name of his dear Indegondis to whom he professed himself bound with incomparable obligations Then afterward having recommended his soul to God under the protection of the most holy Virgin his good Angel and all the Saints he stretched out his neck to the executioner which was cut off with one blow of an ax So many stars as at that instant shined in Heaven in the dead silence of the night were so many eyes open over the bloudy sacrifice of this most innocent Prince from whom a wretched father took
mirrour what perfection My eyes dazle in beholding her actions and my pen fails in writing her praises What a courage that a young maid not above fifteen or sixteen years of age entereth into a Kingdom with intention to conquer it for God much otherwise than the Caesars who so many times have devoured it by ambition What a prudence to tolerate the conversation of a step-mother whilest she medled not with her Religion What liberty of spirit and what strength of words to defend her faith so soon as she saw her self assailed in this virtue which was more dear unto her than the apple of her eye What patience to endure to be dragged along upon the pavement by the hair to be beaten even to bloud to be thrown into the river to be used like the dust of the earth for the honour of Jâ—sus Christ not challenging any one not complaining not seeming offended nay not telling her husband into whose bosom she poured forth her most secret thoughts the affront she had received for fear to break peace with a creature who deserved the hatred of all the world What wisdom what grace what eloquence used she in the conversion of her husband What love for his soul what zeal for his salvation what care for his direction What authority to stop with a word the armies of the father and son instantly ready to encounter What resignation of her own will in this separation from her husband And what a heart of diamond against a thousand strokes of dolours to take thankfully a death so bloudy so tragical so pitifull To see her self at an instant bereaved of a son and a husband and of all things in the world offering up unto God in all her afflictions the obedience of her heart prayers of her lips and victims of all the parts of her body What triumph when after her death her brother-in-law who had participated of her good instructions in rememberance of her and her husband was absolutely converted to the Catholick faith and changing the whole face of the Kingdom repealed the banished restored the Bishops to their Sees Religion into force Laws into authority and the whole Province into peace What miracle to see sage Indegondis on the top of all her tropheys whereof she tendereth homage to God in the glory of Saints How ought we here to render to her the offerings of our most humble services Behold here the limits which I proposed to my self so to give an end at last to these Histories having thought it more fit and suitable to my employments to abbreviate my self in these four Models than unboundedly enlarge them yet it hath been somewhat difficult with me to make a resolution to put forth this second Volume among so many duties of our ordinary functions being thereunto sollicited by entreaties which held as it were the place of commands And I may well say I were stupid and ungratefull if I should not confess to have been much excited to prosecute this labour by the honourable invitations which my Lord Bishop of Bellay hath used towards me in his Works I cannot set too high a price upon his recommendation in such a subject For he is verily one of the most able and flourishing wits that ever handled a pen. To see the number of his books one might say he began to write so soon as to live and to consider their worth it is a wonder how so many graces and beauties which other attain not but with much labour encreased with him as in a soil natural for eloquence If there be any slight discourses who amuse themselves to argue upon some words of his writings it is not a matter unusual seeing we are now in an Age where there are some who revive the example of those corrupted Grecians that preferred a sauce made by the Cook Mithecus before the divine Works of Phidias If this piece have given you any contentment take the pains to read it over again sometimes at your leisure tasting the Maxims therein with an utilitie worthy of its subject For believe me the precipitation now adays used in slightly running over all sorts of books causeth a certain indigestion in the mind wherewith it is rather choaked than nourished Reading is never good if the understanding take not occasion thereby to negotiate by meditation and industrie that which concerneth the health and ornament thereof 1 TIM 1. To the King of Ages Immortal and Invisible to GOD alone be honour and glorie given for ever and evermore THE HOLY COURT MAXIMS OF CHRISTIANITIE AGAINST THE PROPHANE COVRT Divided into three Parts WHEREOF The I. Treateth of the Divinitie The II. Treateth of the Government of this life The III. Treateth of the State of the other World THE THIRD TOME Written in French by NICHOLAS CAUSSIN of the S. of JESUS and translated into English by Sr. T. H. DEUS EST NOBIS SOL ET SCUTUM LONDON Printed by William Bentley and are to be sold by JOHN WILLIAMS at the Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard 1650. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LADIE FRANCES Countess of PORTLAND and Baroness WESTON RIGHT HONOURABLE THe excellent endowments of your soul acknowledged even by envie and admired by truth together with your known propension to the reading of pious Books invites me to this Dedication as proper for your sweet retirements and consonant to my intentions which onely aim in some measure to express my humblest respects to your Honour The matters herein handled are Instructions apt to inform the mind by way of Maxims learned discourses made familiar to less able understandings and choise Histories exemplifying both that so all sorts of Readers though of different capacitie disproportionable judgement may find somewhat to entertain their curiositie My scope Excellent LADIE in this Translation is through your Honours hand and under so noble a Patronage to convey the third Part of the HOLY COURT into English light which as the first breathed air under the benign aspect of her sacred Majestie may also hope in this latter piece with like happiness to be crowned with your Honors chearful acceptation The height of my ambition is by this poor way to serve you since more ample demonstrations are wanting to my weak abilities as likewise not to doubt your noble disposition will be satisfied with such my humble acknowledgements The advancement of virtue and depression of vice is my Authour's scope throughout the whole Work which he elegantly pursues and victoriously atchieveth Triumphs of that kind best become his grave and serious pen whilest my task is faithfully in our language to imitate his living figures though in dead and discoloured forms and confidently to tell your Honour that I will ever be The most Obsequious Servant of Your Commands T. H. TO MONSIEUR MONSIEUR THE PRINCE SIR THe excellency of the subject I handle in these discourses makes me reflect on that of your Greatness to offer you a Work which being conceived by your authority must needs seek for
favoured by those to whom he hath given full power over me submitted the slenderness of my wit to the power of their wills perswading myself a silly nothing may become a matter important in their hands You know how having a purpose to frame a Christian Institution in the HOLY COVRT for men of qualitie I began with their obligation to Pietie and consequently shewed the Obstacles must be vanquished to arrive thither Then I gave precepts of the principal virtues most concern them which were waited on with the Histories of Courts abbreviated into four Models In this that the good Court may triumph I represent a combat of two Courts the Holy and Counterfeit the Religious and Prophane wherein I unsold the victories of the chief Maxims of Christianitie divided into three Parts whereof the one treateth of the Diviuitie the other of the Government of this present life and the third of the State of the other world You may behold how divine the subject is and that the other Books were onely to prepare you to these great lights the rays whereof I diffused I must needs tell you that being surpassed by so many excellent men who have worthily handled a pen I have in this seriously sought to go beyond my self I have contracted large subjects into little Tracts which hath been no small labour there being not a Maxim whereof I could not have compiled an ample Volume But imagining conceptions are like hairs which more easily may be filletted up than dissheveled I have endeavoured to give you more substance in this Book than words and amplifications And seeing all the subjects are very serious I have sweetened them with excellent Examples to afford fit nourishment both to Eagles and Doves All which I now offer you in this is more than my promise thinking it better to give without promise than to promise and not give Your affection sets an edge upon my industrie and if labour waste the bodie for your avail and reserve works of the wit for posteritie it shall be as a Cedar which causing the death of the living seems to give life to the dead This Tome being replenished with important considerations cannot be for him who cursorily reads it with those delicious loyterings which sleightly furnish out the titles of Books and thence derive nothing but wind Give me Gentle Reader the contentment that God may be glorified in your manners by reading this as I here seek to honour him in his works MAXIMS OF THE HOLY COURT AGAINST THE PROPHANE COVERT First Part touching the DIVINITIE The first MAXIM Of Religion PROPHANE COURT HOLY COURT That matters of faith being invisible and uncertain we must tie our selves to the world which is visible and certain That matters of faith being most certain and very excellent we should fix the whole order of our life unto it 1. THere is nothing so reasonable in nature as to desire good nothing so eminent as to know much nothing so absolute as to have the power of all but there is not any thing so profitable as to proceed to true wisdom by a mysterious ignorance and to be in in created light by blindness The soul becometh another world by the means of knowledge or rather as God createth a world in essence that frameth another in Idaea But if truth and love do not co-operate therein man tormenteth himself in his knowledges and createth evils without end from which he cannot free himself no not by issuing out of life The Prophane Court say you leads you into a visible world but it is to behold miseries in it To a world certain but it is to teach you that happiness being therein un certain loss is undoubted All we have in The happines to be born a Christian the world is base caityf and difficult without knowledge of the true God It is but a laboursom turmoyl of affairs an amazement of transitory pleasures an illusion of deceitfull blessings which trouble us and starve us in stead of satisfying our desires or nourishing our hopes But the knowledge of God is the root Scire justitiam virtutem tuam radix est immortalitatis Sap. c. 15. 3. of immortalitie I then require of you O Reader that in the beginning of this discourse you adore the wisdom of God over you who hath selected you out of the Mass of so many Infidels to inrole you in the number of his children and hath drawn you from the confusions of so great darkness to call you into the light of Christianity Behold so many people covered under the veil of shadie night born in errour to live in bruitishness and die in despair of eternal salvation and you are enlightened by the rays of God illuminated by his wisdom guided by his direction covered with his protection nourished with his bloud animated with his life are made participant of his felicity If you be desirous in some measure to observe the Three tokens of the perfection of a thing S. Thomas 1. p. q. 6. excellency of your Faith and Religion consider the perfection of any thing is known by three principal notes Essence Operation and Repose All which you have visible in the wisdom of Heaven you profess His Essence is of an infallible verity his Operations miraculous and his Repose an unchangeable happiness For what assurance more solid than to have a God Solidity of our religion Incarnate for Authour who is come to cast the seeds of a golden Age and adopt a new world in the bloud of an eternal Testament Who can better teach us the secrets of God than God himself I cannot account Varro apud Vincen. tom 2. Illum quidem eruditorem elige quem magis mireris in suis nihil magnisicum docebit qui à se nihil didicerit him said Varro a skilfull Master who learns nothing of himself And he hath understood all in the bosom of his Eternal Father and from his own wisdom which is no other than his Essence He was promised from the beginning of the world preached through all Ages given as a pledge to the memory of all mankind so long before his coming was appointed his time birth life and death He came at his prefixed time all environed with prodigies and miracles all composed of virtues making greatness to proceed out of the lowliness of his humble and painfull life as lightening-flashes break through the obscurity of night 2. What foundations think you hath he laid of The foundations of faith your faith Men believe men upon a little piece of paper yea very often upon the breath of a silly word And Jesus would not be believed but by writing his Law with the rays of an infinite number of Prophesies which were verified in his Person with the bloud of more than ten millions of Martyrs who suffered for his doctrine with miracles so visible and irreprochable that they changed even executioners into Confessours and Tyrants into Martyrs To speak plainly he
the Apostles in S. Luke it not being corrected by our Saviour who was the rule of their faith Such the truth of the apparition of the soul of Moses upon Mount Thabor I insist not now upon proof Math. 17 but example contenting my self to produce one or two out of a great multitude recounted by Authours As for the first I hold the apparition of the soul Apparition of the soul of Samuel 1. Reg. 28. of Samuel is most formal in Scripture for any one who will consider the whole progress of the narration The history telleth us that King Saul after the death of Samuel was upon the point of giving battel to the Philistines and that having first addressed himself to God by ordinarie means to learn the way he should observe therein seeing he had no answer either by dream or the lively voice of Prophets he did what infidels and men desperate do who seek to get that from the devil they cannot obtain of God He commanded his servants to seek him out a forceress although himself had banished them by his Edicts out of his Kingdom The servants ever ready to observe their Masters in ill offices when their own interest concurreth found a famous Magician whom the Hebrews affirm to have been a woman of good place but out of a detestable curiosity had put her self into this profession Saul to cover his purpose and not to amaze her went thither by night in a disguized habit onely accompanied with two gentlemen where having saluted her he demanded the exercise of her profession But she being crafty and careful to keep her self from surprizes answered Sir go you about to undo me your self also Know you not the Edicts of King Saul Saul replied he knew all had passed but she might confidently proceed assuring her of his warranty and whereas she proposed punishments to her self she should meet with rewards But she still doubting and sticking on distrust usual in all mischiefs he engaged his word with great oaths protesting no ill should befal her for any thing might pass at that time between them Thereupon resolved to give him satisfaction she asked if it were not his desire to speak to the soul of a dead man as also whose it was It was very ordinary with these Negromancers to raise illusions and fantasms instead of true spirits of the dead S Apollonius made Achilles to be seen Philostr in Apoll. Zonaras Eunapius Sardianus appearing on his tomb as a giant of twelve cubits high so Santaberemus shewed to the Emperour Basilius the soul of his son Constantine so Jamblicus made to appear in certain baths of Syria two figures of little children like Cupids All this to speak properly had nothing real in it and it is no wonder if those who thought Samuel had been raised by a sorceress believed it was a specter But he who well will weigh the phrase of Scripture and consider that this spirit of Samuel suddenly appeared before the sorceress had used her ordinary spells plainly shewing he came meerly by the commandment of God and not by the charms of the Magician will easily change opinion Verily the Sorceress was much astonished seeing the dead came contrary to the manner of other and cried out aloud as one distracted Sir you have deceived me you are Saul much doubting it was to him Samuel came The miserable King who endeavoured by all means to assure her fear not saith he I will keep my promise what have you seen She answered DEOSVIDIASCENDENTES DE TERRA as who should say according to the Hebrews phrase she had seen a venerable person like an Angel or a God raised out of the earth In what shape replies the King It is an venerable old man saith she covered with the mantle of a Prophet Then Saul with much reverence prostrated on the ground and made a low obeysance to Samuel who spake to him and said QUARE ME INQUIETASTI UT SUSCITARER Why hast thou disquieted me to make me return into the world Necessitie hath constrained me answereth Saul I am plunged in a perplexity of affairs and cannot get any answer from heaven O man abandoned by God why doest thou ask of me that which I have foretold shall happen Thy army shall be defeated by the Philistins and thou with thy children shalt be to morrow with me that is to say among the dead as I am now which so fell out Now the Eccl. 46. Scripture upon this praiseth Samuel to have prophetized after his death if it were not the true Samuel but a specter who sees not it were to tell a lie and to applaud the work of the divel But to the end you may see this belief was held by Nations as by a decree of nature Josephus in the seventeenth book of his Judaical antiquities relateth the apparition of the spirit of Alexander son of the great Herod and Mariamne who was seen to his wife Glapphyra when she re-married again to the King of Mauritania to reproch her ingratitude and forgetfulness of her first husband which having amply deduced in the first Tome of the holy Court in the tenth edition upon an Instruction directed to widdows I forbear here to repeat it Philostratus in the eigth book of the life of Apollonius maketh likewise mention of a young man much troubled in mind concerning the state of souls in the other life and saith Apollonius appeared unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him assuring him the soul was immortal and he need not to be troubled at all since it was rather the work of the Divine providence than of it I willingly passe over many other examples to tell you that Phlegon a good Authour who flourished about an hundred years after the nativity of our Saviour and was not of our religion to favour our opinions although honourably cited by Origen Eusebius and S. Hierom writeth a strange historie witnessed by the testimonie of a whole Citie wherein he then governed He saith that at Trayls a Citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Phrygia there was a young maid named Philenion daughter of Democrates and Chariton who as her storie well declareth was an amorous piece became court-like loved bravery delighted in too free conversation and followed the foolish pleasures of the world true gardens of Adonis which in the beginning make shew of silly flowers and in conclusion afford nought but thorns God who followeth the voluptuous by the track even into the shades of death sent her a sickness which having cropped the flower of her beauty left her almost nothing but a living carcass to deliver her over as a prey to death The miserable maid suffered the boiling fervours of the feaver through all her bodie not loosing the flames of love which she cherished in her heart She burnt with two fires not being able either to quench the one or other and having but a little breath of life left on her lips she gave to love what already was
protection which God will give them to stay the effect of hurtfull causes In such wise that according to the opinion of those Doctours glorious bodies shall be impassible as were the three Children in the fornace of Babylon not that their bodies were impenetrable to fire but because God hindered the action of flames on their bodies But I had rather say with S. Thomas it is done by a quality internal 1. part q. 97. art 1. and 5. q. 82. art 1. and adherent to the bodies of the blessed Because this manner besides that it is sweet easie and suitable to the magnificence of God is more noble more natural and nearer approaching to the condition of celestial bodies Against the second incommodity of mortal body which is terrestrial weight we shall have subtility a gift much to be desired and which also opposeth the beastliness and stupidity that insensibly cause aversion in reasonable and intellectual nature We cannot Damascen l. 4. de side c. ultim and Ambros l. 10. in Luc. cap. ultimo be ignorant that many Divines place this subtility of glorious bodies in a virtue they shall have to penetrate the most massy objects not bruising or breaking them like a spirit and that it were an errour either to say it were impossible to the divine power or was not done by our Saviour when he came out of his mothers womb or when he entered into the chamber Notwithstanding I think this penetration of bodies should be judged as extraordinarie to a blessed bodie without having any necessarie dependance Durand in 4. d. 44. q. 5. D. Thom. in 4. l. 4. q. 2. art 2. and 5. q. 83. ◠2. of its condition But I had rather believe with S. Thomas Doctour Durandus the Roman Catechism that this gift of subtility whereof question is here made consisteth in a great vigour of sense proceeding from a perfect disposition of organs and a tenderness of spirits and besides in an entire subjection and admirable pliantness of the body to the soul and of appetites to reason a matter which I esteem more than the penetration of Semiramis wals The third blemish of our bodies which is weakness and infirmity shall be excluded by the grace force and agility which will bring to pass that the blessed may go from one place to another not by a simple ability and equality of the motion of steps going forward but an impetuousness as would be that of an eagle who should fall upon her prey or of an arrow shot by a strong hand according to S. Augustines opinion August l. 22. de Civit. c. ultim Vbi volet spiritus ibi protinus erit corpus Isaiah 40. Qui sperant in Domino mutabunt fortitudinem Doctour Scotus thinks this agility will proceed from the force of the soul with substraction of weight which shall at that time be taken away from the body in this state of immortality Others think this weight shall onely be suspended and interdicted in its effect not for ever but for the space the blessed shall desire who besides this admirable lightness shall have great and sprightly forces Lastly the fourth accident of this mortal and corruptible state is deformity which hath sometimes been so troublesom to many souls little couragious greatly faithless that there have been such found in Pagan antiquity who voluntarily deprived themselves of life to be delivered from the shame and grief they conceived to be born in a body notably deformed Beauty although it be often decried since it began Of beauty to serve for a bait and to be an instrument to sin yet it must be confessed when it contracteth good alliance with the spirit and virtue namely that of chastity it hath qualities so lovely and excellencies so noble that without arms or guards it exerciseth power even over the hearts of Monarchs Zeno said grace of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 body was a Voice of flower a flower of voice voice of flower because it draweth amity to it as the flower of a garden not crying out nor tormenting it self a flower of voice because it is one of the most flowery eloquences among the attractives of nature Earthly sovereignties often employ the whole extent of their power to make themselves beloved yet never attain it but this as the rayes of the sun not breaking either gate or window gets enterance for it self in humane heart and not alledging any other reason nor affording patience of resolution transporteth a soul which lives more in that it loveth than in that it animateth And yet what is temporal beauty but a transitory charm an illusion of senses a voluntarie imposture a slave of pleasure a flower which hath but a moment of life a dyal on which we never look but whilest the sun shines on it What is humane beauty but a dunghil covered with snow a glass painted with false colours a prey pursued by many dogs a dangerous Hostess in a frail house a sugered fruit in a feast which some dare not touch for respect and others gourmandize through sensuality Go trust so fading a good Go betake you to so unhappy a snare Go tie your contentments to so slippery a knot What else will happen unto you but to court a fantasie which loosening your hold will leave you nothing but the sorrow of your illusions If beauties must be loved let us love them in the state wherein they shall never cease to be beauties let us love them in the glory of their resurrection where they shall be placed as Queens in their thrones The beauty of glorified bodies saith Durandus the Durand in 4. de 44. q. 8. Divine consisteth in three things First in a pure and resplendent colour conjoyned to a most perfect and distinct proportion of all members without the least blemish or defect able to give the least aversion Secondly in a singular smoothness as would be that of a mirrour receiving the Sun beams directly Thirdly in an interiour light which as other Doctours with a general consent do adde will diffuse it self over the body with an incomparable lustre if it happen not that the blessed to manifest themselves to feeble and mortal eyes stay the course of the rays of glory as did our Saviour in the conference he had with the two pilgrims of Emaus O Beauties which never tarnish O lights which Daniel 12. Qui docti fuerint fulgebunt tanquam splendor firmamenti c. Math. 13. Fulgebunt justi sicut sol in regno Patris eorum know not what it is to be eclipsed O house of God! O Temple of peace When will the great day come which shall devest us from all we have mortal to put us into the bosom of immortality But we must confess that among all the considerations may be had upon this subject we have not any more pleasant or effectual than the triumphant Resurrection of our Saviour which is the root and hope
of the law and yield your souls up for the testament of your Ancestours Children will you not answer what the holy Machabees did by the lips of their elder brother Let us die in virtue for our brethren and not defile our glory by any crime which may be objected against us Let war be proclaimed against Libertines and blasphemers who will still persevere with deliberate malice in their impiety Let these infernal mouthes be stopped and condemned to an eternal silence Let the standard of the Cross be adored by all Nations and the enemies of Jesus dissolved as wax melted on the flames of burning coals as smoke scattered in the air Let a chast and sincere worship of God flourish every where and sacrifices of praise mount to Heaven to obtain benedictions on earth But you SIR who most near approch to the Kings person having given so many testimonies of your prudence your courage and fidelity seem to speak unto him with the same tongue which holdeth ears enchained by the charms of your eloquence and say what France pronounceth 7. GReat King for whom our Altars daily smoke An Apostrophe of France to the King in Sacrifices and for whom our lips cease not to send forth thanksgivings of prosperitie to Heaven The monsters are not all as yet vanquished Behold the last head of Hydra which God hath reserved to this triumphant sword which the Cross guideth valour animateth justice moderateth and the stars crown Needs must impietie be crushed under those feet which have already trampled on so many Dragons and be fettered with an hundred iron chains under the Altars we daily charge with our vows When Libra the constellation of your birth ariseth the Ram falleth It is not time O Monarch of flower-de-luces that appearing on the throne of justice with Ballance in hand all sparkling with the rays of glorie which environ you after so many battel 's concluded by your victories you humble the horns of this Ram of insolent impiety which dares so confidently oppose both by words and actions the Religion which crown you the spirit which possesseth you and the power which directeth you Alas Alas SIR To what purpose were it to have walked on the smoking ruins of so many rebellious Cities What would it avail to have thrown down in one Rochel so many surly rocks with the help of so great so faithfull and happy counsel and opening one gate there at your enterance to have shut up a thousand against factions and civil wars What contentment could your Majesty have by wiping away the sweats on the Alps you had gotten on the Ocean and to have gathered palms perpetually verdant for you as well in the frozen ice of winter as the scorching beats of summer if you must again behold at your return that Religion you so often defended trodden under the feet of impiety wounded by slanderous tongues outraged by blasphemies and contaminated by insolent spirits who know not God but to dishonour him It now at this time presenteth it self to you with sighs in the heart and tears in the eyes It sheweth unto you the robe which Clodovaeus Charlemaigne and S. Lewis your Predecessours gave you with so much splendour now torn in pieces with such violence it imploreth your assistance it expecteth your power it breaths an air much the more sweet in the confidence conceived of your zeal and courage I call to witness that great Angel which hath led you by the hand to so many conquests and triumphs making you dreadfull to your enemies helpfull to your Allies awfull to your subjects and amiable to all the world it is not here where he will limit your actions and fix the columns of your memorie We still hope quickly to see the day which shall drie up the tears of the poor shall ease their burdens shall sweeten their pains shall â—our oyl on their yokes And from whom should we expect all this but from a Prince so pious so benign We promise our selves to see a Clergie which shall speedily put it self into so good a way under your favour entirely purified from the dregs of simonie ignorance and the liberty of evil actions Who can give us this happiness but a King who hath under his heart a Temple for true piety We sigh for that great day that day which shall for ever wash away the stains of bloud impressed on the foreheads of French Nobilitie which shall dissipate disorders shall stop the current of so many dissolutions and what can assure us of it but the certainty of your Edicts We most earnestly desire to behold an absolute regularitie in justice and in all Officers that a golden Age may shine again which hath so often been varnished through the corruption of souls set at sale And who shall do it but a King that from his most innocent years so much hath cherished the title of Just that be for it contemned the name of a Conquerour which his valour presented him and of Most Sacred which the veneration of his virtues afforded him Impiety vanquished beareth the keys of all these hopes nor shall we have any thing more to fear or desire when that shall be throughly suppressed throughout all the parts of the Kingdom Dear delight of Heaven is it not for this God drew you the last year from the gates of a sepulcher and restored you to life to render us all to our selves Alas Great God what a stroke of thunder was the news of this maladie What a terrour to all Cities What astonishment in all Orders What a wound in the heart of the whole Kingdom Your poor France remembered the 27. day of September made sacred by your royal birth It considered this nativitie had done to your state what the infusion of the soul into a bodie and saw you almost taken hence at the same time that your Majestie entered It beheld all that greatness and those comforts readie to be shut up within your tomb The Queens drenched in their deep sorrow could not speak but by their tears and sobs Your good Officers dissolved in lamentations at the foot of your bed which was become at the Altars of grief All humane hopes were cut off by the violence of the maladie Nothing was expected but the fatal blow which all the world deplored and which no man could divert But who knoweth not SIR God permitted it to let us see your virtues by their bright reflection The lustre of beautifull paintings must be suffered a little to mortifie before we can judge of them We could not sufficiently know your Majestie in the bright splendours of fortune and such good success of arms Needs must we have a character from God of men afflicted and a mark of the Cross of Jesus to consummate so excellent qualities And what heart was not then seized with admiration when we saw a young King so great so flourishing so awfull to look death in the face with a confident eye to expect it with
retreat Neverthelesse redoubling his importunities he prevailed and so soon as he was separated from his scholar he who before was a dove with wings of silver and who in acts of virtue took a strong and confident flight suffered himself to fall into the mire with a scandal as shamefull as the excesse was violent Lust assaulteth and on all sides besieges him Licencious youth takes possession of his soul and continually blows love and beauty into his ears It many times hapneth that the passions of young men which have been too severely restrained so soon as they have found passage do the more violently overflow as if nature went about to take revenge upon art and precepts They must sometime be shewed the world with contempt they must be enured against its assaults they must be prepared against its deceits that they be not like foolish pigeons which have never seen any thing but suffer themselves to be taken with the first baits S. Arnold who was a man that breathed nothing but wildernesses in my opinion held the spirit of Dagobert in a life too much restrained which in the first approach of liberty flew out into most violent extravagancies He presently took an aversion against Queen Gomatrade his wife and in a liberty of doing all which flatterers told him fell to him as an inheritance he durst to repudiate her and take a young Lady named Ragintrude whom he most affectionately loved Lust is the throat of Hell which never sayes It is enough and when shame hath no bridle to with-hold it it makes no difference between things sacred and profane and the greatest crimes passe with it as matters indifferent This love is not content with common passion he entreth into Cloysters and takes a virgin out of a Monastery who had begun to dedicate her self to God To her he addeth many others and makes a little Seraglio of his palace All France groaned to see so sudden and deplorable a change of life in their King S. Arnold is invited by some good men again to visit his young plant and to take in hand the raines of the Kings direction which he had forsaken but whether he were charmed by the sweetnesse of his solitude or whether he feared he should have no favourable admission after so solemn a leave which he with so much importunity had begged he would not hearken to it rather choosing to send his sighs to the ears of God then the Kings S. Amand determines to undertake the matter which he did with Ecclesiastick vigour and a most undoubted confidence but the sick man was too tender to endure a tongue armed with sword and fire so farre was he from disposing himself to remedies that he could not suffer so much as the presence of his Physician causing him to be sent into another countrey Pepin of Landen who was the prime man in the Court thought fit to instill some good counsel and sage words as occasion offered but the King transported with the exorbitancy of his youth told him he was a troublesome man of whom it were fit to rid the world since he was so hardy as to censure the innocent delights of his Master For which cause this great pillar of state shaken by the storm of a violent passion much tottered and was very near to have been thrown down The Reverence wherewith his virtue was honoured which proceeded almost to veneration saved him to reserve his reasons for a better disposition During this time the Queen dieth and the affections of Dagobert began to slacken either out of satiety or shame This good Councellour layes hold of his opportunity and takes him on the Biasse shewing him his honour and repose joyned with the good of the state required of him a happy posterity and that it was a very easie matter for him since he had honoured Ragintrude with his affections for her exquisite beauty and the excellent gifts wherein she surpassed that he might take her to wife and limit his love within lawfull wedlock which would draw upon him the blessings of heaven and the love of all his people This speech happily entred into the Kings heart and he resolved to follow the Counsel which was presented him by so good a hand He dismisseth all the women which had tyrannized over his affection he marrieth Ragintrude and as if in an instant some charm had been taken away he in himself by the hand of God made such a change that his life was a Rule of virtue and his conversion a miracle The Court which commonly followeth the inclinations of the Prince took with him a quite other face vice and vicious are thence banished and all virtues thither brought chastity as in triumph 16 I verily think it is many times an act as hard Rigordus and heroick to free ones self from a miery bog whereinto one by mischance is fallen as to live perpetually innocent For which cause I much esteem the resolution Great Triumph of Philip Gods-gift over himself of Philip Gods-gift who being in the beginning distasted with Engelbergue his wife after he had repudiated her and taken Mary the daughter of the Duke of Moravia out of a violent affection which long had embroiled him he was suddenly converted and laid hold of the occasion of his salvation The Complaints of the scandall he gave flew to Rome and returned with Censures and Thunders Census and Meilleur two Legates sent by the Holy Sea durst not touch this wound which they judged to be incurable Peter Cardinall of S. Mary absolutely incensed him putting the Kingdome into interdict and the King into despair who vomited nought but choller and flames Two other Legates deputed for a third triall proceeded therein with much sweetnesse which so gained the soul of Philip that he began to submit to reason Yet the charms were so violent that his reason thereby became infirm and his constancy wavering His businesse was lastly decided by a Synod and it was dangerous lest it might stirre up a storm when this Royall heart which was come to plead before the Councel and to dispose of his affections to the heighth of his contentment there wanting not to men of authority who flattered his passion was suddenly touched takes the Queen his wife reconcileth himself to her sets her behind him on his horse carries her to his Palace and caused to be said to the Legates and the other Prelates assembled that they had no more to do to trouble their heads any longer about his businesse for he had happily determined it If Henry the eighth King of England had taken the same course love would have been disarmed innovations hindered concord established and all the disasters banished out of England Lastly to conclude this discourse I verily think never woman better mannaged love then Queen Blanch mother of S. Lewis She was very lovely and among those great lights of perfection which encompassed her on all sides she wanted not beauty which was the
make horrible havock unlesse Grace and Reason cause some temper There is not any devil more familiar in Court more injurious to civil conversation more pernicious to States then Choler and Revenge Pride which is born with the most eminent conditions nourisheth it flatterers enkindle it insolent tongues sharpen it fire and sword end it In some it is haughty and cruel as it appeared in Dagobert a young Prince son of Clotharius the Second who in his tendrest years had I know not what of salvage in him which savoured of the manners of Paganisme or the humours of his Grandmother Fredegond Aymonius l. 4. p. Aemilius Annals of France albeit he afterward gained victories over himself The King his Father had appointed him two Governours Arnold to rectifie his manners Sadragesillus to breed him up to Armes and Court-like behaviour The first governed him like the Sun the second as the Northern-wind The one insinuated himself with much sweetnesse the other undertook him with too proud and arrogant an apgroach which in him rather caused Aversion then Choler of Dagobert somewhat rough Instruction From whence it came to passe that he being one day invited to the Princes Table where he did eat apart as the Kings son he placed himself right ouer against him took Dagoberts glasse and drank to him wherewith he was so desperately offended that instantly he fell upon him and taking a knife on the table cut off his beard and most contemptuonsly disfigured him Sadragesillus in this plight presented himselfe to King Clotharius who was likewise enraged and caused his son to be pursued commanding his Guard to apprehend him but he saved himself in the Sanctuary of Montmartre under the protection of S. Denis untill his fathers anger was pacified who spared not to give him a sharp reprehension and to raise Sadragesillus to great dignities to take away the acerbities of the affront he had received Another time S. Arnold asking leave of the same Dagobert to retire from Court out of the desire he had to passe the rest of his dayes in sweet solitude the King many times denied him and he growing a little earnest in a good cause he furiously draws froth his sword threatning to kill him if he persisted in this request A Lord there present stayed the blow and the Queen shewing her husband the unworthinesse of his Choler so gained him that he came to himself gave his Master full satisfaction and permitted him to go whither he thought good most affectionately recommending his person and state to him Seneca hath well said that Choler was not a sign of a courageous but a swoln spirit as it by experience appeared in Dagobert who was little war-like For being but in one piece of service against the Saxons where he received a very slight hurt he made so many ceremonies about it that he sent a lock of his bloudy hair to his father to implore his aid It is true that this Prince being in his youth a little unruly hearkned afterward to the good reasons of his Councel and became very temperate 2. There are Martiall angers which are generous Generous anger of K. Clotharius and bold when a heart upon a good occasion is enflamed to the avengement of some Injustice as it happened to Clotharius the Second who coming to succour his son Dagobert presently appeared marching along the Rhine and made himself remarkable by a notable head of hair whereupon Bertrand Captain of the Saxons darting some insolent words at him the King suddenly passed the river with great danger of his person observeth his enemy pursues him strikes him down from his horse and cuts off his head which he fixed on the top of a launce to fill the Saxon Army with terrour Thus should the anger of a great Prince be bent against proud and unjust adversaries not against his own Subjects This spurre hath sometimes added valour to the sweetest natures witnesse Charles the Simple Valour of Charles the Simple who seeing that Robert had gathered together a huge army of Rebels against him passed the river of Aisne to charge him and the other putting himself into a readinesse to resist him animating his own side and braving in the head of his army Charles looked him in the face as the Butt against which he should unburden all his gall spurs forward directly towards him and so succesfully hits him with a thrust of his lance in the mouth that he tore out his tongue and killed him 3. Yet Choler is extremely dangerous in matter of Arms especially in things where some resolution is to be taken with counsel and maturity For it troubleth The passion of anger is very prejudiciall to Military art in a General the art said an Antient and many times causeth errours irreparable This is but too much verified in the fatall day of Crescy-field where Philip of Valois one of the most valiant Monarchs which ever handled Sceptre gave battel to Edward King of England The English Army bravely encamped heard Masse leasurely took its repast and coolely expected the enemy to fight with firm footing at which time our Philip animated with anger and above all fearing lest the English might escape him hastned his army what he could causing it to march and tyring it out on the day of battel The Monk Basellus a man wel experienced in feats of arms Philip of Valois a great and a generous King loseth a battel out of a peevish humour of anger shewed him it were much better to expect till morning on which he seemed to be resolved but this Choler had already put fire into his souldiers and although some cryed out Stay Ensign-bearers yet those who marched before were so afraid to be out-gone by them who followed that they had not the patience When they came to joyn battel the Genoway Archers who were in the French army protested aloud they were not able to do their duty and instantly disbanded whereupon the King grew into a fresh anger and commanded to cut them in pieces which with all possible violence was executed ours being cruelly bent to devour their members whilst the arrows of the enemy fell upon them like hail and the horse gauled with shot horribly neighing ran away with their riders and all the place was covered with dead bodies This trouble of mind cost the losse of a battel wherein Froissard saith were eight French against one English-man and thirty thousand men where among others the King of Bohemia and Charles Count of Alencon the Kings brother were slaine in the place Behold the disasters of an il-governed Passion which never is well knowne but by the experience of its misery 4. There are other nice and haughty Cholers which are brought forth in the Curiosities of an imperious life as it happened to many Emperours who took a glory in being angry and to make their brutishnesse famous by bloudy effects Bajazet shewing one day the pleasure of hawking to the Count
awaken their former aversions Time slideth away very quietly with them untill the arrivall of a very unexpected accident Childeric after the departure of S. Leger useth the greatnesse of his power licentiously and soileth both his Name and Dignity with inconsiderate actions which quickly made this great Minister of State to be deplored and all the Envy to be cast upon the King for having so easily dismissed him The contempt of his person began so to creep into the minds of his subjects that defamatory Libels went abroad upon his Passions and Government which seemed to have no other aim but the weakning of his Authority He thought to quench a coal with flames and entreth into outrageous anger against those whom he suspected to raise any question upon his actions He causeth a gentleman named Bodil to be taken and having caused him to be tyed to a post he commandeth him to be ignominiously whipped contrary to the manner of ordinary punishments which occasioned so much acerbity in the Nobility that all in an instant rebelled against him Bodil transported by the fury of his Passion and encouraged by the number of his Complices out of a horrible attempt kills Childeric whilst he was a hunting and passing on to the Palace extendeth his revenge like a devil fleshed in massacres to the person of the Queen great with child whom he murdered The Court is drenched in deep desolation the pillars of the State totter there is need of able men to free them from this danger The friends of Ebroin and S. Leger who sought their own ends in the employment of these two invited them with urgent reasons covered with the good of the State to return to the world assuring them that all France went to ruine if they supported it not Ebroin to whom South-sayers promised wonders and who under hope he had to forsake the Monks Coul had already suffered his hair to grow to be the better disposed for all occasions shewed himself nothing hard to be perswaded S. Leger therein used more resistance but in the end suffered himself to be overcome leaving the sweetnesse of Solitude to enter again into the troubles of the world which never passeth unpunished but in such as do it by the Laws of pure Obedience He is received into his Bishoprick as an Angel and his friends do all they can to bring him to the Court and to gain him a good esteem in the Kings mind who seemed to stand in need of such a servant to purchase the more authority among the people who with much satisfaction had tasted the sweetnesse of his Government Ebroin on the other side seeing Thierry Childeric's brother had taken possession of the Kingdome was very confident of his return having formerly been of the faction of the young King But he being neglected Leudegesillus an antient favourite of Thierry 's had undertaken the government of affairs The furious Monk storms like a mad-man for the dignity of Master of the Palace which he had possessed and being unable to creep into it by mildnesse he entreth thereinto by open violence He rallieth together all his antient friends in this new change of State he gathereth a tumultuary army and flyeth into the field with so much speed that he almost surprized the King with his Favourite to use them at his discretion Necessity enforceth to offer candles and incense to this devil he is sought unto for peace great recompences are proposed to his crimes his ambition takes no satisfaction but in the object of his design He draweth Leudegesillus to a Conference under shew of accommodation and being a man without Faith or Soul he killeth him emptying his place by a murder to replenish it by a Treachery Notwithstanding he lets Thierry know his arms were not taken but for his service and that he had no other purpose but to reduce all powers under his Sceptre The other was in a condition of inability to defend himself which made him resolve rather to take him for a servant then to have him for a master In the end this horrible fury hidden under the habit of a Monk never ceased until it carried him to the nearest place of a Royall Throne So soon as he was possessed of his former dignity he bent all his powers to vengeance and thought upon nothing but of ridding his hands of such as had crossed his fortune S. Leger was the very first he aimed at in his wicked plots he dispatcheth troops to make havock about the city of Autun and gives commands to murderers executioners of his revenge to lay hold of his person The good Prelate who heard the lamentable cryes of the people afflicted by the detestation of these hostilities went forth and presents himself before these barbarians as a victime of expiation to deliver himself over to death and to stay the stream of the miseries which overflowed his diocesse He was prepared to make an Oration but they as Tygres which had no commerce with musick presently fell upon him and having taken him they pulled out his eyes to lead him in triumph to Ebroin He had already poisoned the ear of the young King having set forth this sage Bishop as the most execrable man on earth and the most capitall enemy he had in the world There remained nothing but to produce him in this state fully to accomplish the contentment his bruitishnesse did aim at He at the same time caused Guerin S. Legers brother to be taken doubly to torment him in that he most loved and having presented them both before the King he beginneth to charge them with injuries and scorns the Saints eclipsed eyes and faces covered all over with bloud nothing mollifyed the heart of this Polyphemus Captivity tyed not the tongues of the two brothers nor excesse of miseries dejected their courages They spake with all liberty what might be expected from their constancy rendering thanks to God that he in this world had chastised them with temporall punishments as true children and menacing Ebroin with an eternity of torments which the anger of God reserved for the exorbitancy of his wickednesse This cruel creature who expected some more pliantnesse in so great a misery was immeasurably offended and instantly commanded them to be separated and Guerin to be speedily put to death He received the sentence of death with great fortitude embracing his blind brother with all unexpressible tendernesse and encouraging him to the last conflict with words full of the spirit of God After this he is bound to a pillar and knocked down with stones Ebroin who would relish his revenge by long draughts found out in his heart inventions of a hangman to torment Saint Leger causing him to walk on stones as sharp as razours and appointing his face to be disfigured by cutting out his tongue his nose and lips to send him from thence a prisoner to the Monastery of Fecan All this was executed yet the patience of this incomparable man by so hideous
It is credible that Haman had an hand in that execrable design seeing that he gave so little thanks to Mordecai for having been the discoverer of it but the dissimulation that he brought to cover his fact and his mighty power that rendred him so terrible suffered him not to be involved in the ruine of those wretched men These two Courtiers had an eye to one another and sought nothing but each others ruine the power of the one being alwayes suspected by the other when God without Mordecai's thinking of it sent him a great succour by the choice which was made of his Niece to be the Kings wife The History sayes that Ahasuenus would shew his magnificence and made great feasts for the space of an hundred and fourscore dayes in which he entertained the Princes the governors of Provinces and all the Nobles of the Realm He would have the people too to have their share and for that purpose he caused to be set up at the entrance of his gardens which he was wont to dresse with his own hands abundance of great Pavilions of Sky-colour born up with marble pillars and tyed together with ribands of red silk and rings of ivory He caused also certain beds of gold and silver to be set up upon a pavement of emerald and other precious stones ranged by a proportion made after the Mosaicall fashion which had a very fine grace Thither he invited all the people of that great city of Shushan and caused them to be served in vessels of gold and of silver with most exquisite viands and delicious wine and left every one to drink according to his ability without constraining any one Vasthi the Queen on the other side made a banquet for the women in the Royall palace wherein she forgot nothing to equall the stately Grandeurs of the King her husband This merry life lasted the space of seven dayes in the last of which the King being very jolly and inflamed with wine commanded the Eunuchs that were about him to cause the Queen to come with the Crown upon her head in her most gorgeous attire to make a shew of her beauty in the presence of all the people The Queen took no pleasure in this command and refused to go in which sayes Sulpicius the wife was wiser then the husband in that she was not willing to make a spectacle of the beauty of her body to men full of meats and wine and deserved so much the more commendation as she was more constant to keep the Laws of modesty and comelinesse But this was not taken that way as that sacred Historian presents it they imagined that she had some of the disposition of beautifull women that she was a little proud and scornfull which caused that she was not so well beloved of the Grandees of the Court who as it is credible having long since a desire to do her some ill office laid hold on this occasion They caused that refusall to be reported very harshly by the Eunuchs to the King when it might have been sweetned and moderated they made use of his wine as of an instrument of their iniquity and exasperated him also by the diminution of his Authority whereof Princes are very jealous if they have not much stupidity Assoon as the answer of the Queen was published the King turned himself about to the seven principall Councellours of his State who were alwayes by his side and governed the Kingdome and demanded their advice what he should do to represse his wives pride Memuchan which was the last and the rashest made of this deniall a crime of State and said That it tended to the disorder of all the other women because that other women every one in her condition framed themselves after the example of the Queen and would draw a licentious advantage over their husbands founded upon that affront done to his Royall Majesty and that every where they would domineer which would overthrow the order of Nature and cause great troubles in all houses and therefore he was of the opinion that the Queen should be divorced by the King her husband and that an Edict should be made to be sent through all his Kingdomes touching the obedience that women owe to those that are their heads The man perhaps was ill dealt with in his lodging by his wife and under shadow of Policy would revenge his wrongs It is very true that the Law of God strictly recommends the submission of the wife towards the husband but it ought to be understood in things good and reasonable for if a wife were bound to render a blind obedience to all the extravagances of a husband that hath but little wit and much passion she should be the most miserable of all slaves There were many reasons that might make Vasthi's action be excused but because they saw that Memuchan had pleased the King by his discourse all the rest of the Councellours of State ran to servitude and condemned her to a long torment by a short sentence She was degraded and divorced which was a thing ordinary enough to those Kings who made no great account of losing a wife seing that they had so great a number of them in ther Seraglio The Edict was also made in the tearms that the other had required it and the name of that poor Queen went up and down the whole Kingdome as a sad story and a true portraiture of an abased greatnesse God permitted all this to make way for Hester whom he had destined to Ahasuerus his bed not for her self but for the safety of her people After the divorce and the disastre of poor Vasthi a new Queen must be sought out and the King comforted about his losse A great culling is made through all the Provinces of the Kingdome of the handsomest Virgins to be brought to Court This little Hester is found very delightfull being endowed with a perfect beauty and a naturall grace that surpassed all things She is carried amongst abundance of others and as soon as the King cast his eyes upon her he liked her and commanded Hegai the Eunuch that had the superintendency of his Seraglio to have a great care of that young damsel to spare nothing on her and to give her seven waiting-maids with all necessary equipage Those Virgins that were thus chosen for the Prince's bed made a novitiate of twelve moneths in which time they had all leasure to fit themselves and to learn the civilities of the Court. After this they were presented to the King who took those that pleased him most and when any one had passed a night in his chamber she was sent in the morning into a new Seraglio unto the charge of another Eunuch and returned no more to the King if she was not asked for and that by name Hester spent but ten moneths in her prepartion and was incontinently conducted to the King who liked her above all the maids that he had ever seen and declared her
that great Kingdome It was an Edict of Death not of the death and of the ruine of one man or of one City or of one Province but of a whole Nation The evil was universall and carried on all parts Menaces Bloud Slaughters Fears and Affrights from Euphrates even to Nile The terrour began at the capital city Shushan where the Edict was seen and read by all the world hanged upon the pillars and on the walls of Publick places bearing these words Artaxerxes the Sovereign Lord and King of all the Nations that are from India as farre as Ethiopia to the Princes and Governours of the seven and twenty Provinces of our Empire Greeting Since the time that I subdued the universe under my Laws it was never my will to abase the greatnesse of my Power but I have desired to govern my good Subjects with all clemency and sweetnesse making them enjoy a peace and tranquility to be wished for by all mortalls and for this purpose inquiring of the means that I might use for the effecting of this design Our most dear Haman the second person of our Kingdome which exceeds all the men of the world in capacity and fidelity hath represented to me that the Jewish people dispersed through all the Provinces of my Empire being separated both by Religion and Laws from all the other Nations despise our Edicts and cease not to render themselves troublers of the publick Quiet Which having been well and duly considered we have ordained and do ordain That they be punished according to the orders of our most dear Haman who is the Superintendent of all our Provinces and whom we honour as our true father Furthermore we will and intend that this Edict shall be put in execution the thirteenth day of the Moneth Adar the last of the year to the end that all the wicked descending into Hell in one and the same day may render peace and quietnesse to our good Subjects which they have troubled by their Factions Such is our good pleasure Given at Shushan the first of the Moneth Nisan Behold how Haman and his Complices workers of Iniquity cut their Furies Quills and dipped them in Bloud to make the King of the Persians say what ever pleased them having his Seal and Authority in their hands Poore Mordecai seeing the great Tempest that was ready to fall upon the heads of all his people having read that Edict and knowing that Haman was at the Table with the King who was not seen by any endeavoured to move the whole World to pity clothing himself with Sack-cloth and covering himself with Ashes together with all his people that wept and howl'd about him This sad Squadron marched even to the Walls of the Palace without entring in for it was not permitted not so much as to Mordecai to be seen at Court in so deplorable a Condition which would have offended the eyes of the delicater sort Bad news hath Wings to fly and abundance of Voyces to make it self be heard The frighted Maids and Eunuches fail not to tell Queen Hester of what ever had passed whereat shee was much amazed and hearing that her Uncle was at the Gate covered over with Ashes with Sack-cloth upon his back she sent him secretly a Sute of Clothes which he refused judging it not sutable to his fortune which made her dispatch another Messenger which was Athac the Eunuch that waited on her who went out of the Castle and inquired of Mordecai of all the state of so sad a businesse The other made him a short Narration of it and gave him a Copy of the Edict to present unto the Queen praying him to tell her that she must necessarily go and see the King and act powerfully with his Majesty for the deliverance of his people Athac returns readily to his Mistresse and faithfully relates to her what he had heard of Mordecai The poore Princesse was in an equall ballance greatly racked in minde Shee durst not go to the King without being sent for and to reject the intreaty of her Uncle in an accident so pressing it was another Death to her She sends Athac back again to represent again to the good Mordecai the danger of that Negotiation and to tell him that there is a Law established by the Prince that ordains That whosoever shall present himself before his eyes without being called for shall be punished with Death unlesse that by his mercy he holds out his Sceptre to him in sign of safety and that thereupon she had not seen his Majesty these thirty Dayes not knowing in what posture she is at present in his heart that if she should finde him in some ill Humour there were an end of that Life which she seeks not to preserve but for the safety of her People Notwithstanding all these Remonstrances her Uncle sends to her to go tells her that if she neglected to negotiate in so important an occasion God would find other means to save his people But she should had need to take great heed lest her Fathers House and her self also should perish by too great a care of their Preservation and that she ought to think that perhaps the Divine Providence had placed her where she was it may be for that onely reason Here one knows not what one ought to admire most whether the Authority that Mordecai took over the Queen or the Obedience that the Queen rendered to him She had no sooner heard that Reply of his but she said It is concluded I will go and sacrifice my self to Death with all my heart to obey my Uncle and save if I can my Nation Go to him Athac and bid him assemble all the Jews that are in Shushan let them keep a Fast of three dayes for the successe of this Attempt with continuall Prayers I will do the same on my side with my servants here and afterward we will adventure upon the businesse Behold how we ought to proceed in great Negotiations making God alwayes to march in the head of them who is the source of all good Successes There was then an admirable Consort of Devotions both within and without the Palace Mordecai was in the middst of his People lifting up his hands to Heaven and saying Great God whose Empire hath no limits and whose absolute will suffers no contradiction Your hands have formed both Heaven and Earth with all the beauties that are included in their bosome and there is nothing that can resist the puissance of your Arm. My God you know every thing and are not ignorant that the refusall that I have made to reverence the proud Haman proceeds of Pride or Vanity that is in me for from this present time I would kisse the ground whereon he treads for the safety of my people But I have been afraid to transferre the honour of the Creatour to the Creature and to give a companion to your Majesty and therefore I be-you O the God of our Fathers to cause one ray
all Nature He was Indefatigable in his Travels Zealous for the honour of God disobliged from his own interest in the punishment of the Sacrilegeous Patient in his own Injuries Familiar to Few Courteous to all a Companion of Angels the Favorite of God of a Life very long and of a Memory that shall have no end SAMUEL DANIEL SAMVEL DANIEL SAmuel that seemed to have been born for nothing but to pray and to passe away his life in the Tabernacle of God got very forward at Court and in the managing of the great affairs of State His Birth is a Miracle his Life an Example and his Death the immortality of his virtues He was one of those infants that are expected a long time before they come that are the sons of so many vowes and that pay the expectation of their Nativity by the happinesse of their Life It belongs onely to great things to be seen before they are by presages by desires by hopes and to make themselves be seen after they are no more by an eternall memory Hannah his mother barren in children but fruitfull in virtues conceived him rather by her sighs then by her pleasures He was a gift of the Tabernacle which she rendered to the Tabernacle and as she had obteined him by supplication she made of him a man of prayer devoted from his infancy to the Divine Ministeries and a Nazarite by expresse vow which lived in abstinence and had no other profession but contemplation It is by these exercises that God raises great Personages and we cannot choose but expect brave actions on earth from a man that hath much commerce with heaven So God began betimes to communicate himself to him and to make him partaker of his secrets He informed him of the destruction of his Master Eli the High-Priest and powerfully fitted him for his Service This Eli was a reverend old man a Judge of the People that had lived in an high reputation and great glory amongst the Israelites but his reign being too soft his children that were now great abusing his authority practised a petty Larceny even as far as unto the sacrifice it self and committed impurities and debaucheries of women which are most ordinarily two of the chiefest things that make a change of Government there being nothing that doth more exasperate the subject then the avarice and the luxury of those that rule the one making attempts upon their goods and the other upon their bed A grave father of the Church addressing a spirituall direction to a Governour admonishes him That it is not enough for him to be innocent if all his family doth not imitate him and form themselves according to his examples for what profit is it sayes he to a miserable people to have a Prince or Governour wise and moderate if while he absteins from things not permitted there be one of his servants that making use of his name and power takes occasion to satiate his Avarice These wicked sons of Eli Hophni and Phineas committed a thousand extortions under the authority of their father and dishonoured his gray hairs by the incontinence of their dissolute youth The complaints thereof came to their fathers ears but instead of depriving them of their Offices and Commissions which they held of him which would have been a means to wash away the stain that was imprinted on his renown he contented himself with giving them a weak admonition which having little force upon their passions had yet lesse effect upon their actions God then took the businesse in hand after a very strange manner for the Philistims the sworn enemies of the chosen people ran upon their Frontiers and put an army into the field which obliged the Israelites to arm to hinder the waste that they made but being come to the encountre they lost the Battell wherein 4000 men were slain upon the place The conquered people resuming heart and arms set on foot an huge Army that marched under the wings of the Ark of Covenant conducted by Hophni and Phineas to whom it apperteined by office But these debauched men and ill-train'd for war rather precipitated then gave a scond Battel and did their businesses in it so ill that thirty thousand men were cut in pieces and they themselves increased the number of the dead and were both slain in defence of the Ark that was taken and carried away by the Philistims This deplorable news being come to the ears of Eli gave him such a confusion of spirit that he let himself fall and dyed upon the place mourning for the Ark of Covenant above his own children His house fell into great contempt after his death as had been foretold him and none of his race came to old-age the hand of God not ceasing to revenge the Injuries of his Tabernacle and of his People to instruct great ones that are in Offices to look carefully to this that Religion and Justice as two sisters by an indissoluable knot be kept fast to one another The Affairs of the Jews were in a piteous estate after the losse of those two Battels and there was need of a puissant hand to repair those losses But the Sovereign Master lent his thereto and raised up Samuel to settle again all that the furies of the wars had shaken This good Pilot consecrated himself by a Tempest and took the Government when every rationall man would have thought of quitting it This was a sign that he entered into it by wayes very clean coming in a time when there was more matter for compassion then Ambition He had no other Love but that of the Publick good he knew no other Avarice but that of time nor other Pleasures but Businesses His first aime in the Government was to banish Idolatry and to put in vigour again the worship of the true God well knowing that the most fatall plagues of States come from the contempt of Religion He was a man of order of a great understanding and of a powerfull speech that never fell to the ground He caused ordinarily whatsoever he had a mind to establish surest to passe Generall Assemblies that what concerned the good of every man might be done by the advice of all the World One of the first functions that he exercised was to make an excellent Oration to the People and to tell them of their infidelity making them see That Gods forsaking them came from that they had forsaken God and that if they would enjoy the favours of his protection as their fathers did they ought necessarily to banish the strange Gods and to abolish eternally the names of Baal and Astaroth to whom many amongst them had devoted themselves that God the Sovereign Master could not endure any companion in his Throne and would not have to do with hearts divided to imaginary Deities That if they served him faithfully he hoped that he would deliver them from the hand of the Philistims and would exalt again the glory of their nation that had
fifteenth year of her age being himself not much more indebted unto yeares than she was All things laughed at the beams of this bright Morning and it seemed that Felicity her self had with full hands poured down her favours upon a Marriage which had been made in Heaven to carry along with it the approbation of all the earth But who can dive into the secrets which Providence The inconstancy of humane affairs hath in her own breast concealed from us Or who is he that hath tears enough to deplore the condition of great Fortunes when they are abandoned to the pillage and plunder of destruction This young French King having in his way but saluted Royalty after his reign but of six moneths was taken out of the world by an Impostume in his ear All France did groan under this loss by reason of the excellent inclination of that Prince but she was more touched with the impressions which in her heart her most dear Spouse received who desired to sacrifice the rest of her dayes unto the ashes of her husband Nevertheless as the tenderness of the Kings age who was troubled besides with divers indispositions of body and the short time they were married together did not permit that any issue should be left behind him there did arise upon it a report that the young Her return into Scotland Queen should return into her own Countrey where two Crowns did attend her the one in England the other in Scotland she being the true Inheritress of them both of one of which she took possession and was deprived of her rights in the other by the injustice of Usurpation 3. Elizabeth of England now began to torment The first fire of the jealousie of Estate her self with a furious jealousie against her and had already laid the Design to stop her in her return to Scotland but God was pleased that she was gallantly accompanied with a great part of the most generous of the Nobility of France and did pass the seas very fortunately and arrived so suddenly in Scotland as if she did flie in the Air there she was received of all the good Catholicks with wonderfull entertainments of applause and joy Elizabeth who did swell with despite that she failed in her design covering her artifice with the vail of friendship did send a solemn Embassage with Presents to congratulate her arrival and to give her the assurances of an eternal Alliance The good Princess who had a heart as credulous as generous was passionately taken with this friendship and disputed with her self how she should overcome her in honour and in courtesie She took from her Treasurie a Diamond of which she made a Present to her It was cut in the manner of a heart and enriched with a verse of Buchanans who had not as yet his spirit infected with Treason In the mean time Elizabeth not unlike those Sorcerers which from the fairest mornings do produce the foulest weather did not cease under-hand to sow troubles and divisions in the Realm of Scotland endeavouring to destroy her Cousin by the fines of policy whom she durst not attach by the force of Arms. On the first arrival of Queen Mary into Scotland she found the Kingdom overspread with the factions of the Calvinists which at that time troubled all the Estates in Christendom And seeing that the youth and inexperience of her widow-hood was not compatible with the great underminings which her Enemies did daily form against her State she began after the space of five years to think of a second Marriage The small success in her first marriage made Her second marriage her suspect an alliance with strangers and those who were most near unto her did disswade her from it She did cast her eyes on her Cousin Henry Stuart the young Earl of Lenox who for the comeliness of his person was one of the most remarkable in the Kingdom of Scotland and having procured a Dispensation from the Pope she married him This affection The seed of the jealousie of love although most innocent in it self being not mannaged with all the considerations of State did bring upon her the jealousie of other Princes and was in the end attended with great disasters But to speak the truth the Earl of Murray natural brother to the Queen a pernicious and luxurious man who under-hand was the Instrument of Elizabeth of England did sow the first seeds of all these Tragedies In the beginning of these troubles he was called The Prior of S. Andrew as being ordained by James the Fifth to Ecclesiastical dignity but having drunk the air of a turbulent and furious Ambition which Knox the Patriarch of the Hereticks in Scotland had inspired in him he did not cease to affect the Quality of Regent and of King nor sparing any wickednesses to arrive to the butt of his desires As he observed that the Queen his sister being yet Ambition the beginning of all evils very young and very beautifull was sought for in marriage by the King of Spain to be married to his Son and by the Emperour to be maraied to his Brother he used the utmost of his power to divert that Design politickly fore-seeing that such alliances would tend to the diminution of his power and he failed not with most violent perswasions to represent unto her that she should enjoy neither peace nor honour in her Kingdom if she were espoused to a forreign Prince and the better to divert her from it he ceased not to advance the perfections of young Lenox which he did rather to amuse her and to possess her with thoughts of love than in earnest to bring the marriage to accomplishment The generous Princess who understood not yet what Dissimulation meant gave car unto him and overcome by his counsel she proceeded to the effects of the marriage with the Earl of Lenox who was indeed accomplished with all excellent endowments both of body and of mind but being very young had not the qualities requisite to serve him to secure himself This Murray who thought he should reign in him and by him and that having advanced him to the Royal Dignity the King should be but as the instrument of his will did find himself much deceived when he observed the King to grow cold in his behalf and to reign with an Authority more absolute than he intended His fury did proceed to that height that he drew into the field to make war against the King but having bad success therein he was constrained to retire himself into England where he began his designs to destroy his Sister He had in the Scotch Court the Earl of Morton who was unto him as his other-self to whom he gave Commission to throw the apple of Discord on this marriage of the King and Queen This he performed with incredible The effects of Envy and Ambition cunning and finding some disposition by the cooling of his affection he perswaded Lenox That he was
a King in Name onely and that the Queen signed The pernicious language of an Incendiary first in all the Declarations and did not permit that any Effigies should be stamped on the moneys but her own That of necessity he must discharge himself from the tutelage of that Imperious woman and teach her to submit to the law of Nature which allows not that Sex to command their husbands On the other side this Forger of iniquity heating two furnaces with one fagot ceased not by his complaints to set on fire the heart of the Queen telling her That she must chastise the rash young Man and retain the Sovereignty entire on her own side otherwise his unruly passions attempting to part the Crown betwixt them would take it away from them both and put all things into a confusion This was the occasion that Mary arming her heart with a manly courage would enjoy the Rights and Prerogatives of her birth and did afterwards reign in full authority 4. This young Husband who of a Subject was become The jealousie of King Henry Stuart Darley a Master could not with moderation endure his change of fortune but daily endeavoured to hold more of command than of compliance The Queen also who desired to be known the sole efficient Cause of his preferment being unwilling to lose the name of Mistress in taking that of wife did distast his importunity deferred his Coronation and did allow him but a little part in the affairs of the Kingdom She ordinarily did confer much with David Riccius her Secretary an old and a discreet man who with great honour possessed her ear and her good opinion for she cherished him rather for the necessity of her affairs than for any attractive qualities that were in him for he was but of a deformed body as they who have seen him do affirm But the calumny of the The Book of the death of the Queen of Scots printed in the year 1587. Puritans who know of every wood how to make an arrow did not forbear in their bold discourses to reflect upon the honour of Queen Mary concerning that subject although it was the most incredible and the most ridiculous thing in the world Cambden also the most sincere of all Historians of the pretended Religion and Monsieur de Castelnau have disdained to speak of it as being an out-rage which had no foundation at all of truth although the Earls of Morton and Lindsey two execrable Incendiaries who had undertaken the divorce of the Royal House following the spirit of Heresie most impudently to breathe forth the greatest lies did work a great alteration on the King in the cooling of his affections to his wife The spirit of Henrie now became furious and A spirit tormented with two great devils did perceive it self to be possessed on by two fiends The one the Jealousie of Love the other of Estate which both at one time did commit a prodigious Ravishment on his heart They made him believe that he passed for a King in fansie onely and that his Throne was no more than a meer picture whilest another was made a Partner in his bed In effect the excellent Beauties of the Queen which had given him such heats of love did now raise his jealousie to the height of those flames He was all on fire perpetually night and day and being tormented with shadows suspitions and rages with choller frenzies and with terrours he lived as on the wheel not knowing which way to turn himself His passion did suggest unto him a bloudy remedy A tragick remedy by the death of the Secretary of the Queen which was to draw the Secretary from the Cabinet of the Queen at the hour of supper and under colour of communicating some affair unto him to stab him with a ponyard in the Presence-Chamber The body being all bloudy by threescore wounds which it received fell down just at the door of his Mistress imploring Heaven and earth against those who by so black a treason had ravished his life from him in the flower of his hopes The Queen being frighted at the noise did run to the door and with his bloud received the last breathings of his soul some drops of the bloud falling on her outward garment She startled at the horrour of the sight and believed that some sprinklings of the bloud had painted on her face the opprobriousness of the act But as she made her complaint the Murderers The passion of divelish fury presented a pistol to her without any regard to the brightness of her Majesty or the bigness of her womb desiring nothing more than at one blow to destroy both the Tree and the fruit They locked her up in a chamber of the Palace taking from her all her ordinary servants and putting a Guard on her of four-score souldiers On this the Estates met and the pestilent Councel were assembled where with mouthes full of fire the Hereticks ceased not to breathe forth Rebellion Bloud and Butcheries They gave it out aloud That they ought not by halfs to do a work of so great importance and since the Queen who was a Pillar of the Papists Religion in Scotland was already shaken they ought to lay her low as the earth and utterly destroy her in giving allowance to the Libels and the Calumnies which were published against her They had attempted to have seduced the The horrible attempt of Heresie spirit of the young King promising him to put the Crown in peace upon his Head if he would maintain and support their Design to which as he shewed an inclination they began to weave an horrible conspiracy to take from him all the most eminent persons of the State and imbarque the innocence of the Queen in the common shipwrack The Earl of Murray who fled into England for having raised Arms against their Majesties returned back and came into Scotland rathers as a Triumpher than a guilty person They made him an overture of their pernicious counsels which he entertained with horrour for as yet he was unwilling that the Affairs should be carried on with such an extremity of violence wherefore in private he repaired to the Queen demanding pardon for his offences past and promising all obedience for the time to come He counselled her to recollect and rouze up her spirits and pardon the injuries passed and to take away from the Conspiratours all the apprehensions of Despair The Queen bending her spirit to the necessity of the time and her present affairs did receive him with all courtesie and told him that she was ready to perform all as he pleased She assured him that he was not ignorant that her heart was without gall having always pardoned offences even to her own destruction by her too much clemency And though she had been used by him with too much rigour for a Brother that she would not cease to cherish him and to gratifie him above all other to give him the
way capable to appease the troubles prevent the ambuscadoes or sustain the great charges of the Realm Therefore she ought to receive him for her husband and the Companion of her Fortunes and designs having both power will and courage to defend her in all conditions and that he would never suffer her to be in quiet but onely by the consummation of this Marriage This wicked man by this Counsel did promise to himself either to reign with him being his familiar friend or by this action to crie down the Queen and overthrow her Authority as afterwards it came to pass The Marriage is now to be accomplished and the Importunities of the Earl prevailed on Maries heart who married him in the face of the Church with all the ceremonies requisite to it Some have written that this virtuous Lady by reason of her beauties was strongly persecuted by diverse with daily motions concerning marriage And that the easiness of her nature which could not resist the great importunities and continual battels which love stirred up against her did bring upon her a deluge of misfortunes likewise her neighbour Princes who knew not the Artifice of her enemies did in the beginning blame her for having so easily adhered to a man who was so dangerously suspected concerning that she ought to clear her reputation from the least shadows of suspition wherewith Envy began to cloud it But who shall well consider a young widow of seventeen years of age placed in the furthest part of all the world where Heresie had over-turned all order and let loose the blackest furies of Hell for the dissolution of the State Who shall contemplate her alone as the morning Star in the midst of so many clouds without assistance without forces without Counsel persecuted by her brother outraged by the Hereticks betrayed by the Queen of England under the colour of good will sought for in marriage by force of Arms by the Princes of her own Realm he shall find that she hath done nothing improvidently in chusing those by friendship which necessity did give her by force and whether that there are times and revolutions of affairs so dangerous and remediles in which we have no other power left us but onely to destroy our selves 7. In the mean time the Lutherans and the Calvinists The persecution of the Queen of Scots by the Protestants did not cease to cry out and to bray against their Princess and having begun by in famous libels they prevailed so much by their Trumpets of Sedition that they kindled a war under the pretence of revenging the Kings death whom they had caused to be pourtrayed dead in a bloudy Standard with his little Son at his feet who demanded vengeance Bothuel who as yet was drunk with the sweetnesses of affection which he received from his new spouse was altogether amazed when he saw an Army marching in the field against him And that the clamour of the people did charge him aloud with the death of the King The Queen was struck into such a horrour at the report of the Crime that forthwith she commanded him to withdraw himself and never to see her more and although she was ignorant that his Courage and Valour were able to secure her from the tempest which was falling on her yet she chose rather to abandon her self as a prey to all the fury of her Enemies than to keep but one hour that person near her which she then onely knew to have had some ill designs on the person of the King He fled from Scotland into Denmark where after ten years tedious imprisonment he living and dying did protest that Queen Mary did never know of the conspiracy against her husband that those who gave the blow having demanded some Warrant from the Queen for their discharge she made answer that it was sacriledge to think of it so innocent a Soul she had This protestation which he made at his death before the Bishop and other Lords of the Realm was afterwards sent to diverse Princes of Europe and to Elizabeth her self who did dissemble it In the mean time the Rage of the Infidels did seize on Mary and did constrain her with execrable violence and treasons plotted under hand by the Agents of the Queen of England to resign the Kingdom to her son whom The fury and infidelity of Ambition these seditious people caused to be Crowned at one year of age to put all the Authority into the hands of Murray in the quality of Regent Not content with this they surprized her in a morning as she was putting on her cloathes and taking from her all ornaments worthy of her quality they cloathed her in a sordid habite and having mounted her upon a horse which by chance passed through a Meadow they brought her into a place out of the way and confined her to a Castle scituate on the lake of Lenox under the guard of the Earl of Douglas Brother by the mothers side to the Vice-Roy using her as a lost creature and with horrible boldness accusing her for the death of her husband and a design to invade his Kingdom In this captivity she was charged with contumacies by the Concubine of her Father a most insolent woman to whom the keeping of her was committed and by a disrobed Prior who did visite her and tendered her some Remonstrances to assist her as her Father Confessor And at that time some black and butcherly spirits did take a resolution to strangle her and to publish to the world that she had done it of her self being overcome by dispair What an indignity was this and what a confusion in nature and the laws of the world to behold that excellent Lady to whom grace and nature had given chains to captivate the hearts of the most barbarous That great Princess whom the sun did see almost as soon to be a Queen as a living creature She that was born to Empires as all Empires seemed to be made for her to be deprived of her sweet liberty to see herself severed from all commerce with mankind to be banished in a desart where nothing but rocks were the witnesses of her sufferings Nay which is more she is now become the captive of her own subjects and a servant to her slaves The poor Turtle ceased not to groan and often through the grate would look on the lake wherein every wave she conceived she beheld the waving image of her change of fortunes Not long after she entered into a deep melancholy when the evil spirit that fisheth in troubled waters did tempt her into thoughts of despair representing to her that since the air and the earth were shut from her she should make choice of the water into the which she should throw her self and end the langushment of her captivity by burying her self in a moment with her afflictions But as her pious soul was fastened unto GOD by chains not to be dissolved she fervently besought the Divine
propose three Remedies to take away the differences and to re-establish the true Queen in her Kingdom The first was That she should give assurances to the Queen Elizabeth no ways to disquiet her in the Succession of the Crown of England The Second was That she should grant an Act of Pardon and Forgetfulness to her rebellious Subjects for fear the punishment should otherwise extend to a number that was infinite The third was That the Marriage with Bothuel being condemned to be unlawfull she should consent to be espoused to some Illustrious Person in England who should be answerable in all conditions and maintain both Kingdoms in a perpetual friendship to which Queen Mary shewed a singular inclination 9. But the Queen of England was wonderfully The labyrinths of the hypocrisie of Elizabeth amazed at this Sentence and proceedings and although in publick she seemed to be much contented at the justification of her Cousin yet in secret she much raged at it and encouraged the Accusers to prosecute their complaints in full Parliament telling them They were both lazy and impertinent to begin their Suit and not to accomplish it The Process upon this was brought again to the Councel of England where the bastard Murray armed with the outragious pen of Buchanan used all his power even to the affrighting of the Agents of Queen Mary by the Authority of Elizabeth But the best sort of people began to murmure saying that it was necessary that the Traitours should be taken off and the innocent Queen re-established in her Kingdom On the one side Elizabeth ceased not to make delays and on the other she pretended that she would understand what should be the conditions of her Inlargement whether it were to appear civil and humane or whether she would sound the minds of those further whom she thought did talk with too much liberty concerning that affair In the mean time the Spirits which could not clearly enough discover the labyrinths of her dark heart conceived that Truth had now prevailed to publish the innocence of the Queen of Scotland that the Deceitfull hopes Storm was grown into a Calm and that she now began to arrive at her desired haven she now was looked on by every one with another eye and the greatest personages in England did passionately desire an Alliance with her The Earl of Liecester an intimate favourite of Elizabeths observing that his Queen had no intention to be married and that the Scepter of England did look upon this Prisoner did entertain a delicate Ambition to court her in the way of Marriage but the Transalpine humour of his most jealous Mistress did so perplex him that he durst not tell to his own heart what his own thoughts were He most passionately desired that the Queen would make some overture to him of it to submit all things to her discretion and to make her understand that this would be a happy means to take away all doubts and misapprehensions that should arise from Scotland But so it was that he durst not proceed in it so well he understood the spirit of Elizabeth who was as apt to receive an evil impression as she was cruel to revenge it The Duke of Norfolk who was President at the Treason against the Duke of Norfolk and his ruin Trial of Queen Mary was advanced above all others in Dignity and remarkable over all the Realm for his great and gallant qualities The bastard Murray did flatter him with the hope of his Sisters marriage The Earl of Liecester began to dive into his heart concerning that suit and gave him some touches of it whether it were that by that means he would know the pleasure of Elizabeth or whether he were resolved to destroy the Duke who onely was able to cast a shadow on his light Throgmorton who was a friend unto them both did first carry the message and acquainted Norfolk that Leicester had a desire to speak with him on a business of high importance which was concerning his marriage with the Queen of Scotland he told him That he spoke this unto him as of himself but counselled him as a friend to refer the further proceedings on that marriage to the Earl of Leicester who though it was thought did pretend himself to it yet he desired that his modesty would give way that the Earl might advise him because there was no great apparence of any thriving in that motion without his direction He believed this counsel and as soon as the Earl began to open his mouth concerning it he did comply unto him with all honour and submission and did express himself to be indifferent and cold enough concerning that marriage although to speak the truth her Innocence so much persecuted had kindled already the first fire of love within his heart Leicester touched with this courtesie did increase his flame and did remonstrate to him that this Marriage would highly conduce to the benefit of the State because it would prove a happy means to divert all strange Alliances which might carry the Queen of Scotland to pursue her pretensions to the Crown of England and serve absolutely to confirm her in the good opinion of Queen Elizabeth The Duke who was indued with a natural freedom of disposition and knew not how to dissemble beholding himself at one time betwixt two violent fires of Love and Honour did entertain the heat which too soon he did evaporate and besought the Earl since he pretended no more to that affair and that he himself would not proceed in it without his assurance that he would do him a courtesie worthy of the place which he had near the Queen for which he never would be ingratefull This the Earl did promise him and if men may judge by apparence very heartily which did so blow up the heart of the Lover that in thinking of it he did adore his own thoughts It was indeed a strange temptation to propose unto himself so accomplished a Beauty and so eminent a Virtue on whose trayn two Kingdoms did attend The world is not capable to be governed by two Suns and the heart of man suffers more than mortal Agonies when it sustains the shock of two violent passions who unite their forces and designs to make a war upon him The Duke beholding himself flattered with these Great passions of Love and Ambition loves by divers other Agents did write unto the Queen of Scotland with magnifick complements and offers of unparallel'd service with the greater pomp sweetness to enter into the secrets of her thoughts The Prisoner who laboured for nothing more than to break her chains asunder did desire rather to see the end of that affair than to understand the beginning of it but the experience which she had of the dissimulation and jealousies of Elizabeth did make her to go upon these considerations as on a fire covered with ashes Wherefore without being much moved at it she made answer That she must commit the
commandment Wealth and Honour were always on her side Delight and Joy seemed onely to be ordained for her Whatsoever she undertook did thrive all her thoughts were prosperous the earth and the sea did obey her the winds and the tempests did follow her Standards Some would affirm that this is no marvel at all but onely the effect of a cunning and politick Councel composed of the sons of darkness who are more proper to inherit the felicities of this world than the children of the light But we must consider that this is the common condition both of the good and the evil to find out the cause in which the Understanding of man doth lose it self David curiously endeavouring to discover the reason in the beginning did conceive himself to be a Philosopher but in the end acknowledged that the consideration thereof did make him to become a Beast The Astrologers do affirm that Elizabeth came into the world under the Sign of Virgo which doth promise Empires and Honours and that the Queen of Scotland was born under Sagitarius which doth threaten women with affliction and a bloudy Death The Machivilians do maintain that she should accommodate her self to the Religion of her Countrey and that in the opposing of that torrent she ruined her affairs The Politicians do impute it to the easiness of her gentle Nature Others do blame the counsel which she entertained to marry her own Subjects And some have looked upon her as Jobs false friends did look on him and reported him to lye on the dung-hill for his sions But having thoroughly considered on it I do observe that in these two Queens God would represent the two Cities of Sion and Babylon the two wayes of the just and the unjust and the estate of this present world and of the world to come He hath given to Elizabeth the bread of dogs to reserve for Mary the Manna of Angels In one he hath recompensed some moral virtues with temporal blessings to make the other to enter into the possession of eternal happiness Elizabeth did reign why so did Athalia Elizabeth did presecute the Prophets why so did Jezabel Elizabeth hath obtained Victories why so did Thomyris the Queen of the Scythians She hath lived in honour and delight and so did Semiramis She died a natural death being full of years so died the Herods and Tyberius but following the track that she did walk in what shall we collect of her end but as of that which Job speaketh concerning the Tomb of the wicked They pass away their life in delights and descend in a moment unto hell Now God being pleased to raise Marie above all the greatness of this earth and to renew in her the fruits of his Cross did permit that in the Age wherein she lived there should be the most outragious and bloudy persecution that was ever raised against the Church He was pleased by the secret counsel of his The great secret of the Divine Providence Providence that there should be persons of all sorts which should extol the Effects of his Passion And there being already entered so many Prelates Doctours Confessours Judges Merchants Labourers and Artisans he would now have Kings and Queens to enter also Her Husband Francis the Second although a most just and innocent Prince had already took part in this conflict of suffering Souls His life being shortened as it is thought by the fury of the Hugonots who did not cease to persecute him It was now requisite that his dear Spouse should undertake the mystery of the Cross also And as she had a most couragious soul so God did put her in the front of the most violent persecutions to suffer the greatest torments and to obtain the richest Crowns The Prophet saith That man is made as a piece of Elizabeth's hatred to the Queen of Scotland Imbroidery which doth not manifest it self in the lives of the just for God doth use them as the Imbroiderer doth his stuffs of Velvet and of Satin he takes them in pieces to make habilements for the beautifiing of his Temple 12. Elizabeth being now transported into Vengeance and carried away by violent Counsels is resolved to put Mary to death It is most certain that she passionately desired the death of this Queen well understanding that her life was most apposite to her most delicate interests She could not be ignorant that Mary Stuart had right to the Crown of England and that she usurped it she could not be ignorant that in a General Assembly of the States of England she was declared to be a Bastard as being derived from a marriage made consummated against all laws both Divine and humane She observed that her Throne did not subsit but by the Faction of Heresie and as her Crown was first established by disorder so according to her policie it must be cemented by bloud She could not deny but that the Queen of Scotland had a Title to the Crown which insensibly might fall on the head of the Prisoner and then that in a moment she might change the whole face of the State She observed her to be a Queen of a vast spirit of an unshaken faith and of an excellent virtue who had received the Unction of the Realm of Scotland and who was Queen Dowager of the Kingdom of France supported by the Pope reverenced throughout all Christendom and regarded by the Catholicks as a sacred stock from which new branches of Religion should spring which no Ax of persecution could cut down The Hereticks in England who feared her as one that would punish their offences and destroy their Fortunes which they had builded on the ruins of Religion had not a more earnest desire than to see her out of the world All things conspired to overthrow this poor Princess and nothing remained but to give a colour to so bold a murder It so fell out that in the last years of her afflicting imprisonment a conspiracy was plotted against the Estate and the life of Elizabeth as Cambden doth recite it Ballard an English Priest who had more zeal to his Religion than discretion to mannage his enterprize considered with himself how this woman had usurped a Scepter which did not appertain unto her How she had overthrown all the principles of the ancient Religion How she had kept in prison an innocent Queen for the space of twenty years using her with all manner of indignity how she continually practised new butcheries by the effusion of the bloud of the Catholicks he conceived it would be a work of Justice to procure her death who held our purses in her hand and our liberty in a chain But I will not approve of those bloudy Counsels which do provide a Remedy far worse than the disease and infinitely do trouble the Estate of Christendom Nevertheless he drew unto him many that were of his opinion who did offer and devote themselves to give this fatal blow The chiefest amongst them was
Commission with their own Names On which she demanded by what Law they would proceed against her the Canon Law or the civil Law and because she knew very well that they were no great Lawyers she conceived it would be requisite that some should be sent for from the Universities in Europe They replied That she should be tried by the civil Law of England in which they were sufficiently experienced But she who well observed that they would intangle her with a new Law on purpose against her made answer you are gallant Gentlemen and can make what Laws you please but I am not bound to submit unto them since you your selves in another case refuse to be subjected to the Salick Law of France Your Law hath no more of Example than your proceeding hath of Justice On this Hatton Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen of England advanced himself and said unto her you are accused for conspiring the ruin of our Mistress who is an anointed Queen Your degree is not exempted to answer for such a Crime neither by the Law of Nations nor of nature If you are innocent you are unjust to your Reputation to indeavour to evade the judgement The Queen will be very glad that you can justifie your self for she hath assured me that she never in the world received more discontent than to find you charged with this accusation Forbear this vain consideration of Royalty which at this present serves for nothing Cause the suspitions to cease and wipe away the stain which otherwise will cleave for ever to your reputation She replied I refuse not to answer before the States of the Realm being lawfully called because I have been acknowledged to be a presumed Heir of the Kingdom Then will I speak not as a subject but in another nature without submitting my self to the new Ordinance of your Commission which is known to be nothing else but a Malicious net made to inwrap my innocence The Treasurer on this did interrupt her and said we will then proceed to the contempt to which she made answer Examine your own consciences and provide for your Honours and so God render to you and your children as you shall do in the judgement The next morning she called one of the Commissioners and demanded if her Protestation were committed to writing And if it were she would justify her self without any prejudice to the Royal dignity Whereupon the Commissioners did presently assemble themselves in the Chamber of presence where they prepared a Scaffold on the upper end whereof was the seat Royal under a Cloath of State to represent the Majesty of Queen Elizabeth and on the one side of it a Chair of Crimson Velvet prepared for her The courageous Queen did enter with a modest and an assured countenance amongst the stern Lords thirsting after her bloud and took her place Bromley the Chancellour turning towards her did speak in these words The most Illustrius Queen of England being assured not without an extream Anguish of spirit that you have conspired the destruction of her of the Realm of England and of Religion to quit herself of her duty and not to be found wanting to God herself and her people hath without any malice of heart established those Commissioners to hear the things of which you are accused how you will resolve them and shew your innocency This Man who had spoken ill enough had the discretion to speak but little And immediately as he had given the signal the perverse Officers who were more than fourty in number did throw themselves upon her like so many mastives on a prey propounding a thousand captious questions to surprize her but the generous AMAZA did shake them off with an incredible vivacity In the end all things were reduced to the letter of Babington in which he gave her notice of the conspiracy and to the answer which she made to it exhorting him to pursue his design but most of all to the depositions of her own Secretaries who gave assurances that she did dictate the said letter as also other letters to forreign Princes to invade England with arms They did press her on these falsities which seemed to carrie some probability with them but she did answer invincibly to them as most clearly may appear by those terms which I have drawn from her several answers and tied them together to give more light to her Apology wherein the clearnes of her understanding and her judgement is most remarkable IF the Queen my Sister hath given you a Commission The invincible Apology of the Queen to see Justice done it is reasonable that you should begin it rather by the easing of my sufferings than by the oppressing of my innocence I came into England to implore succour against the Rebellion of my Subjects My bloud alliance Sex Neighbourhood and the Title which I bear of a Queen did promise me all satisfaction and here I have met with my greatest affliction This is the twentieth year that I have been detained Prisoner without cause without reason without mercy and which is more without hope I am no Subject of your Mistresses but a free and an absolute Queen and ought not to make answer but to God alone the Sovereign Judge of my Actions or bring any prejudice to the Character of Royal Majesty either in my Son the King of Scotland or his Successours nor other Sovereign Princes of the earth This is the Protestation which I have made and which I repeat again in your presence before I make any answer to the Crimes which are imposed on me The blackest of all the Calumnies do charge me for having conspired the Death of my most dear Cousin and after many circumventions all the proofs are reduced to the Letter of Babington the Deposition of my Secretaries and my sollicitations made to forreign Princes to invade England with Arms. I will answer effectually to all these Articles and make the justice of my Cause most clearly appear to those who shall without passion look upon it And in the first place I swear and protest that I never saw this Babington who is made the principal in this Charge I never received any letter from him neither had he any letter from me I have always abhorred these violent and black counsels which tended to the ruin of Queen Elizabeth and I am ready to produce letters from those who having had some evil enterprize have excused themselves that they have discovered nothing to me because they were assured that my spirit was opposite to such Designs I could not know what Babington or his accomplices have done being a Prisoner he might write what he pleased but I am certain that I never saw nor heard of any letter to me And if there be found any Answer written by me to those things which never so much as came into my imagination it is an abominable forgery We live not in an Age nor a Realm that is to learn the trade to deceive I am
against me In the third place I require that my servants who have attended on me with great fidelitie during so many afflictions may have free leave to retire where they please and enjoy those small Legacies which in my last Will my povertie hath bequeathed to them I conjure You Madam by the Bloud of Jesus Christ by the nearness of our consanguinitie by the Memorie of Henrie the Seventh our common Father and by the title of a Queen which I carrie to my Grave not to denie me these reasonable Demands but by one word under Your hand to grant me an assurance of them and I shall die as I have lived Your most affectionate Sister and Prisoner QUEEN MARY It is uncertain whether this Letter came to the hands of Elizabeth because no Answer can be found unto it whether it were that those next unto her did conceal it from her or whether through the hardness of her heart she did dissemble it In the mean time King James employed himself for The vain endeavour to delay her death the Deliverance of his Mother the Ambassadours from France Monsieur de la Mote Aigron and Monsieur del Aubispene were commanded thither upon that and other occasions and Monsieur de Belieurs did there also carry himself with great wisdom courage and fidelity as may appear by his grave Remonstrance which is to be read in the History of France Howsoever the Arrest of Death was suspended for there moneths until such time that the clamours of the Lutherans and Puritans did cause the Thunder to fall down upon that hand which desired nothing more than to strike home the blow The more advised did remonstrate unto her That it was without example to commit a Ladie the Queen of France and Scotland and the nearest Kinswoman she had in the world into the hands of a Hang-man A Queen which was not her prisoner of War but her Guest whom she had called and invited into her Kingdom and sent unto her assurances of her fidelitie That she ought to consider that what was done proceeded from her Secretaries and not from her And if that after twenty years imprisonment she should have consented to be taken from it by force it did not deserve to be punished with Death That if she should cause her to die it would open a wound from whence there would issue such abundance of bloud that many Ages could not stanch it That Italie France and Spain and all the Christian Kingdoms of the world would be offended at it and that she should bring upon her Kingdom the Arms of Christendom who would be glad of that pretence to invade her Kingdom That it would be a most remarkable affront to her Son James and all his Race who could not but be mindfull of it That it would incense the Spirits of her Kingdom and render them unreconcileable to her And in the end that it was to be feared that Heaven would arm it self against so bloudy a Design That she should use the miserable and especially a Queen who came into her Countrey for protection with more Reverence That she should hazard much in her death but could lose nothing by her life seeing she had so many Guards Prisons Bars and Walls to secure her if she had an intent to enterprize against the State But the insolent Ministers did incessantly crie out That she must put an end to her Imprisonment by putting an end unto her Life That the Queen ought to remember that she had usurped her Titles and her Name and sometimes caused her self to be proclaimed Queen of England and of Scotland and that Sovereigns never pardoned those who did so far intrench upon their Authority That the life of Elizabeth and Mary were incompatible That the onely means to take away all pretences from the Catholicks was to cut off this Root which would make all their hopes to perish That King James was instructed in their Religion and would rather look after the advancement of his own State than take vengeance for the Death of his Mother That forreign Princes were too much perplexed with the difficulties of their own Affairs and took care rather to defend their own than to invade her Kingdom That her Cousin the Duke of Guise was in a bad condition in France and that Henrie the Third would be very carefull how he did espouse her quarrels And if other Princes were so hardy to undertake it they were to understand that England had a deep ditch about it That Queen Elizabeth was mortal and if she should die there was not that calamitie to be conceived which both Religion and the State would not suffer under the reign of Marie in the revenge of her Imprisonment and other injuries she had received That she could not but remember that great personages did write things well done on the sand but did engrave their Discontents in brass The Preachers made it to be a work of Religion with their absurd Allegations out of the Bible which they did corrupt to their bloudy meaning And the Lawyers as ignorant as the Ministers were absurd did produce some Histories for the punishment of Kings which were altogether impertinent But there needed not so much labour to perswade a Woman who had in her so much vanity as once in her life to make a Princess head to fly upon a Scaffold and who did not remember that in the Reign of Queen Mary being her self accused of offending the Estate and expecting her sentence of death she did so much fear the Axes of the Hang-men in England that she was resolved to petition to her Sister to send for an Executioner to France to cut off her head Now was the Commandment given for her death and it was signified to the poor Victim who for a long time was prepared for this Sacrifice Some passionate writers do indeavour to divert this Crime from the reputation of Elizabeth taking their ground on a Letter which she wrote to the Queen of Scotland in which by a shamefull perfidiousness she doth write That her spirit was tormented with an incomparable Sorrow by reason of the lamentable Event which was arrived against her will and that she had not a soul so base as either by terrour to fear to do what was just or by cowardice to denie it after it was done But who doth not see that this is to mock and to Elizabeth entirely culpable of the death of Queen Mary traduce the Story and the belief of mankind Davison her Secretary who mannaged this sad affair as the true instrument of her malice doth express in his Attestation reported in the most faithfull Memorials of England by Cambden that after the departure of the French Ambassadour sent to prevent the Execution she commanded him to shew the Instrument for putting the Queen of Scotland to death which being done she most readily signed it with her own hand and commanded him to see it sealed with the Great Seal and