adoptyon and hath aduaunced it to all worthy tytles of great renoume and hath powred theron such giftes as shal bee immortall neuer decay Which is not liÌ„cked to any mortal affinitie or alliaÌ„ce but acknowledgeth God as an onely gouernour parent The which Christe our mighty and blessed sauiour hath so vnited vnto himselfe that he hath imparted therewith almost worthye and heauenly indumentes Hee hath also made vs partakers of his spirituall vnction he hath bestowed vppon vs kingely priestly aucthority he hath inspired into our myndes knowleadge of Heauenly thinges hath instructed vs after a wonderfull order by Heauenly secret workinge in all maner of vertue He therefore that seeketh praise worthines and renoume must endeuour all he can to attaine Christian vertue must earnestly enbrace true iustice absolute liberality perfect temperance and other vertues which our lorde hath prescribed vnto vs and must retaine that fortitude vnto which the worthines and excellencie of that name is duely and fitly applyed For what thinge els in the life of man is permanent highly aduanced worthy great honour and estimation Nay rather what is not vnconstant lowe in estimation vile of condicion For whether wee respect the vncertainty of ritches or the waueringe coÌ„dicion of honour and humayne glory or the paynted shewe of kinrede and nobility or lastly the counterfaite and deceiptfull resemblaunce of humaine vertue wee shall finde nothinge that may fully satisfy our hartes desire or delight our mindes with anye sutch pleasure as longe may continue For all these thynges are vile transitorye mortall full of errour and contemptible vanity Onely the worthye titles of Christian nobility are highly esteemed immortall of dyuine perfection and excellency Such as no force can vndermine no continuance of time drowne in the pit of obliuion no kinde of calamity vtterly extinguishe And although mans base and abiect minde be in no wise able to aspire vnto so great honour and dignity yet they which through the healpe gratious goodnes of Christe haue seuered theÌ„selues from the society felowship of men are nowe adopted into the houshoulde familye of GOD beinge staied by the helpe assistaunce of God shall moste easily beare and maintaine that their honourable porte For although they be conuersaunt here with vs in earth yet all thinges appertaine to theÌ„ which are due to HeaueÌ„ly wightes they are nowe after a sorte rekoned accounted in the numbre of the Goddes immortall The Epilogue THus haue you receyued of mee moste renoumed Prince a present not truely with wit and learninge polished in either of which because I knowe my defect I am right hartely sory but yet meete and conueniente bothe for that trade of life which you apply your selfe vnto and also for your noble and haughty courage For beinge as you are woÌ„derfully furnished with the vertues of courtesie liberality constancie and fortitude that is suâ—ely amonge the rest of youre morall qualities worthy singular commendation that you frame and measure all your deuises conformably to the rule of Godlines and Christian relligion For the nobility os your house and familie comminge as you do of the race of noble kinges by lineall descent doth not so puffe vppe your mind with pride and insolencie but that you suppose mutch more glory and worthines reposed in the worthye callinge of a Christian then in those glorious titles Neyther so tooke you in hande noble actes as thoughe you should respecte therein the laude and prayse of the vulgar people Neyther with that mynde and intent dyd you expose your life to many perillous daungers that you might thereby purchase a rewarde of mortall men But beinge as you are of haughty mynde in all thinges which you bringe to passe both with singular forsyghte and prouidence and also with wonderfull courage and stoutnes whether they appertaine to ciuill gouernment in time of peace or to martiall prowesse in time of warre you geue most manifest notice and significatioÌ„ that you set no store by humaine thinges but do with moste earnest endeuour and intention of minde affect those thinges that be Heauenly and euerlastinge Therefore not without iust desarte of yours all good men loue you all nobility with reuerence beholde you all Spaine with all maner of praise and coÌ„mendation extolleth your name So that there is no man that knoweth your maiesty but you haue him bounden vnto you either for your gentle curteous vsage or for your rare singular wit or for your wonderfull earnest motion to vertue and godlines And although hardest of all be the condicion of approued vertue forasmutch as it is no easie matter to be aunswerable to the expectation of men all ready by reason of worthy actes conceyued yet such is the haughtines of your Graces minde that you can most easily passe and ouercome the opinion of all men conceiued of you For Christe our mightye and blessed Sauiour wyll neuer faile you at your neede sith you referre all your worthy actes and enterprices to his honour and glory but will protecte you with his mighty power and will indue you wyth such honoure and glory as shall for euer and euer continue FINIS
require The Stere the Stede most times vvee see mutch like vnto his sire THerefore whereas the force of nature is such that the inclination thereof so mutche preuayeleth that it is seene in brutishe thinges and creatures mere voyde of reason and vnderstandinge maye not wee thincke it hath imprinted in man some thinge of greater excellencye who is made by God his prouision reasonable and lorde of al other Creatures I pray you is it not for great good cause that many are carâ—ful haue an especial regard froÌ„ what Tree they plucke their plante of what kynde they choose their whelpe or their horse And shall wee thincke it a thinge little to bee considered of what Parentage a man taketh his ofspringe In good sooth if wée woulde obstinately deny it the thinge it selfe would eftsones appeare and conuince vs of errour For it is most cleare and euideÌ„t that euery Region and Country doth keepe the same accustomed maner facion A note whereof may hereby bee gathered that nature hath so fastened her foote in euerye Nation that it is not possible to withdrawe them from the whereunto they ar◠〈◊〉 and that the maÌ„ners of men are conueighed euen to posterity For example wée sée the Frenchmen with what fury and rage they runne vppon their enemies againe how quickely they are qualified founde most curteous to their countreymen This therefore is â—he nature property of that nation hasty to be reuenged easy to be entreated The Germanes haue bene euermore accompted a moste cruell and a fearce people who nothing dismayed die desperatly The Spaniards at this present as heretofore are noted aboue other NatioÌ„s to excel for their diligence industrie in martiall affairs whoe euermore wyth a iollye stomacke and good courage wageth battayle The Italians are preferred before all other in finenes of wit purenes of eloqueÌ„ce So that there is no couÌ„try which is not through the inclination and instinct of nature more apt to excell in vertue or more prone to al impiety with is through generatioÌ„ in al places coÌ„tinued A more euident clere profe wherof may be gathered out of some one stocke familye For this almost euerye where is seene and experienced that those whiche are descended of a noble lyne doe embrace those vertues which chieflye brought to theyr auncestores greate renowne and glory So that as manye as are of that linage are moste commendable for their valiant stomache other are notable for their liberalitye some other atchiue to great glory for their knowledge wysedome and pollicie WherevpoÌ„ it foloweth that vertue is not obteined so much by studye and industrye as gotten by nature and by the good bloud of Noble pareÌ„tage And that we cal true Nobility for as mutche as it is nothinge els then the glorious sparcke of vertue ingraffed in some Noble and renomned familye IT hath bene sufficientlye declared that th◠〈…〉 true Nobilitye coâ—â—â—ceth not in the opinion of manne but commeth by naturall descence Which is to be vnderstoode in this maner euen as good groundes fruitefull fyeldes are hadde in gerat estimation not for that they are fyeldes but that they bring through their fertilitye great gayne commoditye to the owner of the soyle euen so we preferre that kinred especially which yeldeth abouÌ„dante fruite of vertue and godlines But who so now listeth to behold the perfect nature of true Nobility may looke theron with litle laboure For gentility is a most glorious and liuely image of auncent progenie most commonlye garnished wyth excellente vertues and for asmuch as euerye one which excelleth in all vertue add honestye cannot attayne the title of honoure and Nobilitye this large definition is to bee restrayned by limitation for neyther may they which the rather to attayn knowledge and wysedom haue abandoned all company and liue in continuall studye be thought most worthye honourable although they be fornished wyth rare and singular vertues and for profouÌ„d knowledge in deepeste matters be had in admiration for that they do not earnestly employ the benefit of their artes and sciences to the auaile and commoditye of the common-wealth Neither yet any Noble family hath bene able at any tyme to winne vnto it self the tytle of honour soueranty for that many of that Noble line excellinge in qualities of witte to a voyde a Courtiers life haue addicted them selues to the dimensions of Geometry or the rules of Phisicke or the recordes and sweete Harmony of Musicke If this be true what kinde of vertue is that through the cleare shininge whereof the Noblenes of any Kinred the Dignity and Honour of any family may be knowen Forsoth euen that kinde of vertue which extendeth it selfe to the common profit of al men which a voydinge idlenes is altogether occupied about the maintenaunce and preseruation of a Commonwealth as for example puissance and valiantnes in warlike affaires in time of peace the execution of Iustice and Equity add to these the study of Oratorie the knowledge of the Ciuil lawes and whatsoeuer is of force apperteineth to the gouernmeÌ„t of a CoÌ„monwealth Nobility therefore is an highe and honourable degrée of auÌ„cient progeny froÌ„ whence hath issued owt such vertues as the Estate of the hole country hath bene by them established and the safegard of all men kept and maynteined Of this honourable order there are two kindes The one is generall apperteininge to a whole Citty the other speciall and concerneth any priuate family In this maner wee accounte Athens to bee honourable for that in that famous commonwealth were bredde manye wise sages and valiaunt captaynes which throughe their couÌ„sell and wisedome did rule and preserue the weale publique by whose puissance the enemy was repelled by whose vnconquerable prowes vertue their dominions were enlarged by whom the country was with iÌ„numerable benefites endowed In this manner Sparta is honourably reported of by this onely meanes wanne Carthage so great renoâ—me and for this cause Roome the noblest Citty that euer was merueilouslie tryumphed The selfe same rule is obserued in euery priuate familye For that house excedeth other in honour and nobility from whence hath issued and descended a greater company of renoumed personages Wherby it foloweth that the force of vertue is found as excedinge in the one as in the other onely this is the difference the one is priuate the other is publique To exemplefie thys second poincte we haue reade of the Noble house of the Fabians of the Claudians of the Scipioes and Cornelians all which haue beene honoured in all posterity for their prowes and magnanimity So oughte we notwithstandinge weigh both these partes before seuered that he is in no wise to be deemed noble and honouble and honourable which wanteth eyther of them the perfet is It may not be therefore that in a blinde and obscure Citty there should be a family of any fame for were it not a thinge incredible that such a commonwealth should be obscure as
therefore throughe their furye and madnes hurt and wounde their countrye but beyng oute in dauÌ„ger of vtter vndoyng they are able by no meanes to saue it or restore it beyng once lost and decayed to his forâ—â—â—â—onour and dignity It is therefore most cleare and euident that the estat of that couÌ„try is lameÌ„table where people are preferred before their peeres and the ignoble and â—â—lâ—born before the honourable But when the case standeth thus that noble men do flow and abound in al vertue and noblenes and are not onelye through the good inclination of thâ—yr noble natures but also through the loue of vertue inflamed with iustice and temperance and daylye study to do good to all men and to knit vp al in one word doe depely coÌ„sider the office and duty of a noble personage what is hee were he neuer so vilanos a verlet or cursed caytiue with wold not williÌ„gly obey their wil autoriti Nay who wil not rather persuade the body of a coÌ„moÌ„wealth to be geuerned by so worthi and noble a couÌ„sel For who soeuer is of so a leâ—â— mynde as to thinke it not a thinge most needful profitable to yeld himselfe conformable to the protection of some one most wise and modeste gouernour who for his wisedom and modestie onely deserueth commendation is not to be thought a louer of liberty but rather corrupted with the luste of licentiousnes and would by his ryot and foule demeanour molest the quiet estat of the country For there is nothing in the vniuersal worlde that is more apt to preserue the common societye of men then good lawes with out the which no familye no nation no countrye is â—â—l to stande and haue any contynuance But you will saye it is greeuous and intollerable burden to become seruile Truely I am of that mynde that no euill may be compared to seruitude but it is one thinge to serue and another to obeye For ther is greate odds between a lorde and a gardian The gardian is carefull for the safegard of those who are committed to him to be defended the lord onely doth respect his priuate commodity Euen so the loyalty and obedience of hym that is free greatlye dyfferethe frome the bondage of hym that is seruyle For seruitude is thus when the slaue wanting will free election foloweth the commaundement and becke of his lorde and hauinge no choyse repyneth at his lordes auctoritye But it is the propertye of a liberal nature to yeelde all dutye and reuerence to them whiche doth excell other in knowledge and wisedom and to whom for a long tyme haue bene committed the care and custodye of many people And as the sicke man doth no maner of seruice to the Phisition but willinglye foloweth his aduise and councell because he shal thereby be restored to health and as the passenger obeyeth the master of the shippe and the souldier his captaine so it behoueth a multitude well disposed to yeeld them selues wholy into the handes of right noble and worthy personages For the people through their dull wits and brutish nature cannot perceyue what is profitable eyther to themselues or for their countrye on the other side the noble mynd is not onely the worker of present profite but also through great foresight preuents imminent daunger Furthermore the people hath no taste or feelinge of honoure and renoume and glorye excepte they be by some strayght law brydeled and therefore are most couetous and giueÌ„ to al impyetie and in the defence of their countrye are of no stoute hardye stomache On the other syde the noble bloude is inflamed with the loue of renoume and abhorreth dastardlines as a most foule vgly vice and in defence of a common profitt accompteth greate and daungerous enterpryces Whiche by Homer whose graue sentences I do often recite and willinglye repete is in manye places most playnly declared For after suche sorte hee bryngeth in the king with sundrye and diuers kyndes of oracions perswadinge with the people as thoughe therby his meaninge were to geue notice and intelligence to al worthy and noble personages by the recitall of Agamemnon his prayse and worthines that they in like maner ought to excite and stirre vp themselues to striue with him for fame and glory But vnto the rude and barbarous people yf they turne their backes in battayle scourginge and killinge he denounceth Therefore as the stomach and courage of a lusty horse doth most appeare when hee yeeldeth to be guided by the will of a skillfull rider And as we suppose our minde to bee best setled when will to reason geueth the soueraignty And as we thincke a houshoulde to be well ordered when it leaneth to the aduised disposition of a wise and carefull housholder So must we persuade oure selues that the good estate of the people is then best ordered and established when they yeelde the free administration and as it were the sway of gouernmente to true Nobilitie ⧠THE SECONDE Booke of ciuill Nobilitie WHat the nature force order efficacie of true Nobilitie is Lewis most noble famous Prince how first beinge bred fostered by worthines of witte and excellencie of vertue it attayned the highest place of honour and soueraingtie and howe the people in all antiquitie was fully perswaded that noble birthe and worthines of parentage by bloude and aliaunce was ioyned and linked to the Gods and how great and honourable titles ensignes in all wel gouerned coÌ„mon wealthes were attributed and geuen thereunto I haue alreadye not onely by testimonies of excellent Poets and manifeste presidents of aunciente Records but also by authoritie of holy Scripture aboundantly declared and confirmed sufficiently And after I had put downe in writinge howe much antiquitie might preuaile for the furtheraunce and settinge forth of true Nobilitie I declared consequentlye that they who were of highe degree and noble parentage were not onely borne to beare rule and sitte in the place of Maiestie but also that the securitie safegarde and preseruation of the people was then beste kept and maintayned when the whole gouernmente was yelded vnto worthy noble personages But for as much as there is nothing in this world certaine stable and permanent but al thinges are frayle mutable and much subiect to alteration it may not be that Nobilitie and the glory thereof shoulde continue alwayes and be euerlasting Nobilitie therfore as most part of other thinges to the state and condition of man is subiect to mortalitie Wherefore 〈◊〉 â—f â—ll 〈◊〉 â—hings â—o oâ— nobilitie there is a certaine prime and youthly Estate then riper yeares ensue and old age foloweth last of all death wasteth and consumeth all vtterly so that no printe or signe appeareth of auncient Nobility Wee see therfore that many families which were in time past barbarous obscure and litle reckoned of are excediÌ„glye stirred vp and enkindled to purchase prayse and winne glorie Againe other wee see scarcely vphold the renowne of their auncestors other daily
cleare lighte and purchased true fame to his posteritie Now therfore it remayneth that we know by what meanes this so noble aduaūsing of his stocke and kindred maye happen to him who is the first rayser of his family to the highe princely place of honour Nobilitie No doubt that I may aunswere briefly by the same meanes whereby it is mainteyned and preserued But it is sayd before that Nobilitie is a kinred excelling in moste rare and principall vertues And those according to the opinion of Aristotle the moste learned Philosopher I accompt principall vertues which are occupied about the preseruatiō of cōmon societie through which also the safetie and securitie of men is best kept and maintayned But he which through priuate education is verye well trayned and well instructed with preceptes of moralitie may of good right be termed a good and vertuous man but yet by other qualities he shall neuer procure great prayse and worthynes except he applie them to the profite cōmoditie of the weale publique For if we were borne onely for our owne sakes and our owne cōmodities it were sufficient that we sought the aduauncement of our owne selues and the preferment of those which are conteined within our owne family But wheras we are moued by the instinct of Nature to helpe and profite other he seemeth beste to haue discharged the dutie to him assigned whose labour studye and diligence hath bin imployed in matters of great waight and importaunce to the benefite and wealthe of his natiue country Not for that truly that the vertue of any priuate man should bee despysed and set at noughte for by his good aduise and counsell if not all yet some parte of the common wealth as his owne house family is well ruled and ordered But wheras the vertue and wisedome of this priuate and peculiar man is conteyned wythin the bound and walles of his owne house and extendeth it selfe no further it seemeth good reason that the like honour and dignitie should not be due to him that is to some other whose vertues are founde more vniuersall and generall and whose minde is more occupied with the carefull cause of his common wealth For all men would not generally accord to honour reuerence a few except they did all manifestly perceiue thēselues in cases of great extremity by theyr greate paynes and trauaile to be assisted Therefore by knowledge of ciuill affayres and experience there was made a certaine entrie to this kinde of gentilitie THe chiefest and most principall part therefore of ciuil gouernement is iustice which hath in it selfe the greatest and most apparaunt shew of vertue The admiration whereof did in the beginning so greatly excite stirre vp the minds of men that they surrendered theyr goods and possessions into the hands of some especiall peeres whom aboue all other they did honour and reuerence For thus when we treate of vertue we vse to dispute The tyme hath bin when men like barbarians haue lyued in woods open fields and desolate places without politique rule ciuill gouernment neyther embracinge religion nor by mutual loue and dutie shewing theyr humanity Nothing was done in those dayes by due order of reason and discipline but most matters were executed violently whereas frantique and furious headines had the vpper hand Whē then robberies were rife murthers infinite those who in force and sturdines passed other would afflict and trouble iniuriously the weaker sorte and theyr whole lyfe compassed wyth innumerable mischiefes all they which had receyued the greater more greeuous iniuryes besought the assistaunce of some one man in witte and pollicy exceeding other whom they perceyued to be vnto the rest as it were a lanterne of Iustice a myrroure of myldnes curtesie This Patrone and supporter of right when he had taken on him the charge of those seely soules miserably suppliantly yelding themselues declared vnto them the earnest desire he had to take away pillages robberies to represse violent murders valiantly to reueng wrongfull oppressions and to sincke vnder like lawes both the mighty men simplet sort it came to passe that as many as tenderd their peculiar liberty and soughte their owne security and quietnes supposed him to be the defence and bulwarke of their safety prosperous estate whose fame moste flourished for iustice and equity From this fountayne therfore and head spring of iustice issued out the power and auctority of Kinges and the prerogatiue of princely gouernment herehence proceeded the high degree of Nobility herehence soueraingtie and the cause of all renowne glory was deriued so that there is no one stocke more aunciente or more excellente then the petegree of Kinges which through their owne vertue and valiauntnes abandoned al barbarous crueltie reducing the people to good order and ciuilitie Whose moste deuine nature Hesiodus hauing in great admiration in his Booke intituled the Genealogie of the Gods fetcheth the liue and descent of Princes from Iupiter himselfe Which opinion iudgemente of his hath ben also receyued of many in so much that they did most certainly surmise that hee coulde not but descende from the Gods which moste of all other excelled in vertue For it is reported that AEacus Minos and Rhadamanthus were iudged to be the sonnes of Iupiter they were so much of all men for their iustice magnifyed who as the Poets do fayne are sayde to appointe lawes to the infernal spirites So much did antiquity yea euen amonge the deuils and hellishe hounds beleue that seueritie of Lawes and force of iustice was expedient and necessary to restraine the vnbridled desires of a disordered multitude Pittacus of Mytilene was through his perfect skill and experience in iustice aduaunced to the highe estate of a ruler Which thinge also befell to Numa Pōpilius being at Rome for by vpright dealing and supportinge of iustice hee was thoughte and proclaymed by the whole consent of the Romaines worthely to succeede Romulus in the state of royal maiesty What needeth mee here to speake of Lycurgus Draco and Solon that I omit in meane while to make any mention of Mercurie Phoroneus and diuers other who haue beene longe time before which haue wrought the safegarde and preseruation of their Citizens by prescribinge lawes and ordinaunces and haue thereby bene aduaunced to great honour haue purchased to their posterity perpetual fame and memory Therefore to perswade our selues that no one vertue deserueth the like preheminence eyther is a like to be honoured it is hereby to be séene that each kinde of vertue beinge voyde of Iustice hath lost his honour and estimation whereas Iustyce alone secluded from other vertues reteineth still his especiall grace and dignity For profe whereof I mighte alledge a number of examples but because I meane to vse breuity I wil stande onely vppō two Aratus of Sicyon although him selfe held no Empyre yet through commendation of Iustice gotte such renoume that by the iudgement of al men
rest the safete and security of the commonwealths estate To approue this my opinion I coulde vse the authority of most excellente men and moste skilfull in the gouernment of a common wealth but I will alledge onely Plato in whom in his thirde boke entreating of a common wealth Socrates by a certayne fable wherein manye armed men were feined to aryse out of the earth perswaded the Cityzens to mutuall loue and concord And then immediatly proceedeth in his talke in this maner Geue eare quoth he to the rest of the fable All ye that liue in one Citty are brothers beinge streightly linked and vnited together But yet when God created you he gaue not to euery one the same property and vertue For they that were most meete to rule were tempered with gould Againe those who in the defence of their countrye woulde valiauntly assist the Péeres of the realme hee mingled with siluer And vppon sutch as applied theym selues to tillage and other base occupations hee bestowed brasse Iron So it falleth out that you that haue like beginninges coÌ„monly engendre children like to your selues Notwithstandinge many times tâ— happeneth that a golden father hath a childe of siluer sometimes a siluer father a golden childe Which thinge in like maner is in the other kindes experienced God therefore commaundeth that Princes themselues should haue such an â—speciall regard to search and inquire with what mettal their childrens mindes are tempered that they shoulde take heede to no one thinge more diligently then that So that yf they founde anye Brasse or Iron in their childrens senses they shoulde not be by folish pity hindred to assigne them a trade conuenyent and agreable to their grosse and rude nature In so much they should make theÌ„ handicraftesmen or clounes of the country But if they fynde in them any golde and silâ—er they should bestow on them honourable roomes and vocations in so mutch that sâ—me they shoulde assigne to the gâ—uerenmeÌ„t and ruling of Cities some other they should appoyncte to ayde and assiste them and traine them vp in the knowledge of mâ—rtial affayres And that they should beare alwayes this in minde that this was longe sithens foresheewen by an oracle that then the commonwealth shoulde be vtterly wasted and destroied when Iron and Brasse did guide the stearne Plato in the person of Socrates disputeth in this manner of the office and dutye of a kinge Who in all he hath saide vttereth greate wysedome but this latter parte proceedeth no doubte from a more deepe and deuine consideration Which is that all commonwealthes shall fall to vtter ruin and decay where Brasse and Iron that is where a grosse and dul wit destitute of iudgement and wisedome beareth the chiefest sway in the coÌ„monwealth And therefore he hath thought it expediente and profitable that such as excelled the rest in wit industry and experience should be called from the carte to the Courte from their priuate places to gouern the weale publique Againe such as were honourablye borne yf they did degenerate should be disgraced vtterly and reputed as part of the people And hee thought this ordinaunce to be of suche force for the maintenance of a commonwealth that he woulde haue it kept with all reuerence of all men but especially of Princes as a lawe made and ordeined by God for the establishment and preseruation of common society Which if it be true that the worthines and excellency of vertue is to bee magnified iâ— as ample maner as any wit is able to deuise that Princâ— that wil geue eare to Socrates must decree that those meâ— must be forced to husbandry and tillage whiche repine aâ— the promotion of those in whome vertue abundantly appeareth For if the honour safty and security of any coÌ„mon wealth is through vertue both preserued and amplâ—fied vndoubtedly he which is an enemy to vertue both decayeth the wealth of the countrey and impaireth the honour belonginge to the citty or place where he dwelleth â–ª Therefore to returne to our former purpose a Prince can not bringe to passe that a base and abiect minde should aspire to glorye purchased by matters of greatest importaunce Notwithstandinge he maye to a noble and valiaunt courage yeelde honour by him duely deserued Therefore a Kinge doth not in any one poyncte so mutche make a gentleman as cause a noble gentlemanlike nature and a passinge valiauntnes of minde throughe his bountefulnes and curtesie to be famous and honourable Therefore when any man hath by some great exployt shewen his couragious and valiaunt harte and when deserts and merites goe before then the Prince deapely pouderinge his approued prowes and manlynes geueth to him some title of honour and dignity Otherwise that shall in no wise be demed true and perfect nobility but a counterfayt shewe of nobility finely coloured oneâ—y confirmed by opinion and inconstancy of peoples phantasie THerefore whereas it is cleare and euident that anye stocke and familye is ennobled and made honourable by commendation of curtesie and liberalitye and also by the knowleadge of sutch sciences as hath bene in all florishinge commonwealthes had in great honour and estimation It will easely appeare by what kinde of vice the worthynes of bloude and parentage is vtterly extinct and disparaged Truely by these which are opposite and contrary to the vertues a fore recited For althoughe as it was before declared it happeeneth often tymes that they that come of an honest stocke haue no small aptnes and disposition to vertue yet sometime it salleth out and more oâ—ten truely then it is behouefull for the good estate and condition of men that eyther the most vertuous and noblest mens sonnes degenerate Or to speake the leaste that good inclination that is ingraffed in their Noble mindes by the hurte and infection they take in lewde and euel companye doth perishe and is steined with all kinde of dissolute behauiour Therefore when any one is of vile condition and invreth him selfe to so loose a life that hee maketh no accompt of vertue and honesty hee doth as it it were cast him selfe into a dongeon of darkenes and as mutch as in him lieth steineth his bloude and vtterly disgraceth the nobility of his auncestry For like as manye hath bene through equity and Iustice aduaunced to great honour euen so iniurious inuasions oppressions cursed speakinges and cruelty hath bene the ouerthrow of many great gentlemen and honourable Peeres whereof the wretched endes almost of all cruell tyrantes maye geue sufficient testimony For not onely they were bereued of their liues and dignities but they al that were ioyned vnto them by bloude and consanguinity In so mutch that the greater part of them died the like death and the reste beeinge spoyled of their goods and possessions escaped death by banishment yet sclaunder and shameful obliquie they could not auoide And that I maye in this place lett to speake of Phalaris the most boucherliest bloudsucker and cruellest tyrante that euer was against whom rebelled the whole
and brutishe testimonye Agayne by what reason may we deeme that the marcke and ende of al oure doynges whiche for it selfe sake is neuer desired but is euer referred to some other more absolute and perfecte ende And truely it is daylye experienced that al they that desire excedingly to be in aucthority and to be placed in an honorable seate in the common wealthe doe ambitiously seeke suche office and promotion especiallye for three causes For some desire highe estate for that when they are of a great power they may haue a free recourse to al kinde of pleasures and want no other cōmodityes necessary and incident to the life of man Secondely other couet the place of a magistrate that they may thereby be thought good and indued with some notable vertu For commonlye good opinion is conceiued of his prudēte pollicy and excellēt vertue which sitteth in place of great auctority For the vulgare people suppose that honourable offices are not bestowed on anye man but for some especial vertue and singular honestie Lastly they which are of more wysedome desire to haue the rule and gouernment of other for this onely consideratiō that they might in their office and gouermēt shew forth magnificente boūtefulnes in part such vertues vnto other as with which their mindes are frayght and singularly furnished For he that desyreth to reape that fruite that he ought to do of Iustice integritye and constancie can by no meanes purchase the same in more ample wyse then by that highe degre of honoure and dignity in whiche he may not onely much benefyte and profite himselfe but in greatest affaires may be a great ayde and assistance to all those citizens and neighbours wyth whom he is conuersante Therefore whereas some wayte for a place of honour to the ende they may liue licenciously ether that they might in deede through preheminence shew the true paterne of perfectiō they of al other are most ignorante whiche suppose in eyther of their desires accōplished that to bee conteined that of vs onely is and ought to be desired For as much the last desired ende hath no further relation but eache thinge for that endes sake is desired and laboured for Wherefore all kynde of pleasure perfett health and such lyke are to be numbred amonge the lowest and baseste sorte of goode thinges yf they deserue suche name or tytle at all For we may moderately sometymes desire auctority more moued therevnto through reason then prouoked by ambitiō that we may further the weale and profite of other not that we shoulde thinke them the rewarde of all oure well liuinge But I leaue to speake any more of the Phantasticall opynions of the people that I may march on apace towardes theym whiche haue professed theymselues guydes and instructoures of other in matters touchinge honestye and the good conuersation of lyfe Yet I promise not to cite all for it weere an endles labour to recoūte so many opinions as are in the mounments workes of Philosophers deliuered vnto vs But I wil passe ouer them with silence whose iudgement hath nothinge differed from the opinion of the common people For truly whereas they had defiled theymselues wyth all kynde of abomination they hauinge theyr sighte dusked with a dark cloud of filthines and shame were able to see nothing but that whiche apperteined to the lust and pleasure of the bodie or to outwarde gaine external commodity Wherfore I wil lett to speak of Cyrenaickes an obscure sect of philosophers Hierome of Rhodes Aristippus and the Epicure in whose bokes are cōteined both their opinions For it is vnmeete that they shoulde by any meanes be accompted amonge them that are famous and renowmed for their witte and learning THerefore that we may vnderstand what the opinion of the most renowmed Philosophers hath bin it is apparante that the Academickes and Peripatetickes haue sayde and affirmed that the nature of good thinges are deuided into three kinds In the first parte they accompte those thinges which poolishe adourne the minde which againe is sorted into two partes For one sort furnisheth the minde prepareth it to the searche and knowledge of many thinges the other instruct and enforme the will of man to all kinde of vertues whereunto we are ledde and induced by wysedomes prescription and moderatiō In the seconde place they accompte healthe and whatsoeuer maye keepe and preserue the bodye in his good estate and perfection Lastly all those thinges that happen vnto vs by fortune and casual aduenture they place in the last and lowest degree But when all these good thinges are happened vppon some one man they thinck then that blessed life is complete and perfect But so that vertue be embraced and the same continually exercised and put in vre but the good gifts either of the body or of fortune they should to that ende retaine to make them seruauntes and handmaids of vertue which shoulde waite vppon her at euery becke without the necessary helpes wherof vertue for all that could not commodiously and well discharge her dutie And Aristotle the beste learned Prince of Philosophers doth after this maner declare by definition what felicitie is It is sayth he an action of the minde consonant and agreeing to the prescript rule of the most excellent vertue exercised all the whole terme and space of the life of man And this opinion is likewise that that great and excellente vertue can in no wyse shine and shew forth his force if the body be either afflicted wyth any greeuous calamitie or the minde disquieted throughe the iniurie and malice of frowarde Fortune Neither is he by any meanes so to bee perswaded that hee maye suppose that life worthely termed a happie life which in processe of time maye driue a man to wofull waylinge and fall into miserable estate and extreme calamitie He hath therefore determined that whatsoeuer wee shall do and take in hande in this life shal be to this purpose that first the moste excellente vertues of the minde shoulde be soughte for and embraced then hee that desireth to obtaine felicitie shoulde bee so well prouided of worldlye substaunce that both hee maye in this life maintayne his countenaunce wyth credite and that the continuall practise of vertue do not cease by the meanes of pouertie and miserable penurie And that the power and abilitie which the qualities of the body and fortune do yelde should to no other thinge haue more especiall relation then to the maintenaunce of true worshippe and honestie And verily these thinges because they seeme to bee so sayd that they may moste fitly bee applyed to the life of man they are almoste so generally by euery mans opinion allowed that no mans iudgemente at this day is more vniuersally receyued For hee giueth to vertue the prorogatiue by the shyninge and cleare brightnes whereof all men well trayned and brought vppe are chiefly guided But when hee sayth that other good thinges both belonginge to the body and depending
them they that make reporte of their aduerse and crooked fortunes wherewythall they were oftentimes tossed from poste to piller giue vs moste certayne and euidente notice of the intollerable burden of mannes miserye For they that in their worldly affayres had verye good and prosperous successe coulde not escape those hard brunts and ineuitable calamities wherwyth mans life is compassed on euery syde what maye wee thincke of all the residew which by all mennes confession were vnhappy and myserable But admitte Fortune were vnto any man so fauourable and bountiful that shee woulde heape vppon him all commodities that possibly hee could in his life requyre commonly we shall see him haue some Tragicall ende beinge eyther forlorne as a Caytife or trussed vppe like a Trayter The which thinge happened to Polycrates of the I le of Samos who when hee had lyued in greate prosperity during the space and terme of all his life was at length taken of his enemye bereued of his life and spoyled of all his goods What shoulde I here speake of the death of Cyrus What should I make mention of the ruthfull ende of Cambyses What should I call to memory the heauy lamentable and dolefull death of Pōpeie the great To what ende should I recite a number of other who haue yéelded sufficient matter of most pityfull lamentations in tragedies and other solempne stage-plaies Whereas daily the course of common life geueth vs to vnderstande that there is in the whole earth no kind of liuinge creature more subiect to al kind of miseries thē man If therefore accordinge to Aristotles opinion these good thinges eyther of the body or fortune to the full furniture of a blessed life are required And the euelles cōtrary to them make our life wretched and miserable no man I assure you can be accoumpted happy For their is no man but is sometimes greatly disquieted with horrible mischiues or at least which is to the same effect dreadeth not day night al misaduētures that may happē to man much like vnto those which are sayd to bée in hellishe torment Aboue whose heades great stones of flinte most ready still to fall do hange and seemeth falling aie to crush their pates with all Therefore that man of so great iudgement hath bestowed all his diligence in vaine by settinge forth vnto vs such a felicity which al men woulde wishe for willingely but no man can attayne possibly If so be that he that excelled all other in wit in industry in iudgement coulde not redely see what was to be desired in this life What may wee thincke of the rest whose iudgement was farre vnlyke whose conninge and knowledge in the searchinge out of high and subtile qestions was farre differinge such as the Stoikes were ANd the chiefe of this Stoike secte was Zeno a man bothe sage and continente who thoughte him selfe through vertue sufficiently able both to withstand the prickinge griefes of sorowe to escape the threatninge thūderboltes of frowarde fortune because he was very well armed with onely vertue for the body he set at naught and measured felicity onely by the qualities of the mind Notwithstandinge he taught such kinde of doctrine which no wise man will beléeue excepte he be wedded vnto his opinion for often times many doe stande in argument more that they mought seeme constante then beinge thereunto induced by reason and vnderstandinge I saye hee mainteyneth such kinde of learninge whiche may in no wise of the learned be defended and is skofte at of the ignorant For he would that the minde of man should be so firmely staied and grounded vppon constancy that it shoulde at no time so mutch as one iotte be moued For he thinketh it an hainous faulte to be tormented wyth griefe or care to be inclined to gratious fauour and mercy to be inflamed with any desire to be prouoked with wrath hatred or any perturbation of the minde In this condicion of life voide of all affection which the Greekes call impassibilitye hee thinketh the soueraigne good conteined so that he which hath attained it may be takē for a man absolutely wise a Kinge a blessed and happye man Againe as touchinge the rest theym as sottes as seruile men steyned wyth all kinde of dishonestye hee contemneth and nothinge regardeth First and principally therefore whereas hee placeth felicity in the dignitye worthines of the soule of man so that the vertue thereof can by no griefe of the body or pinchinge paine and calamity seuered from that blessed and happy estate of life Herein he hath disputed more stoutly and valiantly then wisely and truly For whereas the minde is through the coniunction of mutuall loue fast tied and vnited to the body truely it can sincke into no wyse mans heade as longe as they remaine one if the bodye be through calamity afflicted but that the minde eftsoones languisheth and is disquieted If therefore the Stoikes opinion is to bee folowed teachinge vs that the heauines dolour of the minde worketh mans miserye then must it folow consequently except they will wrest the truth from vs by violence and tell vs that senses are deceiued in thinges most cleare and euident that no man were he neuer so wise can attaine felicity in trouble and vexation of body For if we wanted our senses and that our bodye it selfe were not of our nature then a man of meane perceyueraunce might be persuaded that he whose bodye were tormented with fire were neuerthelesse happy But where as we consist of body and soule howe can we duringe this life suppose that to be felicity which hath regarde only to one parte of vs and in miserable distresses leaueth the other Especially whereas by the necessarye operation of nature when the bodie feeleth paine the minde suffereth the same Therefore men of great wisedome and Iudgement hath not affirmed without great consideration that the appetite of anger and desire hath bene ingraffed in our mindes for two causes that the myndes themselues should haue good regarde to preserue those bodies whose guides and keepers they ought to be That is to witt that they should by desire for bodily sustenaunce couet thinges méet and conuenient and by anger should eschewe and auoyde thinges hurtefull and daungerous Therefore whereas wrath and desire are in vs by nature it cannot be againesaide when there is a shew of any excéedinge good fortune or great euell imminent or likely to follow but that oure myndes stirred vp with a kinde of more vehemency are either more redy with ioy and pleasure to gratulate that which happely commeth to passe either more stil and pensiue to bewaile that which hath vnfortunat y chaunced And whereas this terrour of feare that I omitt to speake of any other passion hath once by the wrestlinge of nature assayled the minde it hath streight waies vtterly ouerthrowen the Stoikes felicity which consisteth chiefly in security And that they conclude all matters with their owne argumentes what can be shewed out of their
diligence For whereas all kynd of dutye is framed and fashioned by the mynde he can do nothinge lustely valiantlye forcebly whose mynd is not kindled and wonderfully inflamed with ardeÌ„t desire And wheras they take it for a thing already grauÌ„ted vnto theÌ„ that euery affection is contrary to reason that no wise maÌ„ wil graunte whereas they see reason it selfe prescribeth lawes to al affections of the mind and sheweth them how farre forth it is lawful for them to ranige And therfore according to reasoÌ„ we somtimes waxe angry cholerick we hate we loue we pitie we feare many things that may ensue we greeuouslye take present mischauÌ„ces we are stir redde vppe wythe greate desire wee are moued marueylouslye wythe ioye and pleasure Which affections when they excede measure they are to be restrayned with the bridle os reason and vnderstanding not to be extinguished and put oute vtterly Therefore the motions of the mynd doe not impugne reâ—son whereas they for the most parte by her rule and gouermente are leade and ordered Certes lyke as in the sea such quiet and calme weather is not to be desired where with the floud may not be with the lest puffe of winde troubled but rather such open aire wherby the shippe at the stearne may sulke the seas wyth a mery gale and prosperous wynd euen so there is to bee desired in the mynd a litle puffe and as it were a blowing billow to hoise vp the sayls of the mynd whereby the course therof may be made swift and certayn And euen as askilfull and couragious horseman doth not alwaye delight in a softe gentle pace but sometymes geueth his horse the spurre to the end his stede should moue more lyuely So by reason sometymes the perturbations of the mynde are stirred and pricked forward that we mought more chearfully dispatche our busines Therefor what can we make of this felicitye which a man by no meanes may obtayne if it could bee gotteÌ„ it nothing furthreth the good estate condition of men And wheras they argue the onely vertue accoÌ„plisheth a blessed and happy life they seem not to vnderstande what the nature of that word is for vertue caÌ„not so muche as by imagination bee conceiued to bee anye things els but a thing perfecte in his kynd absolute But what force of with be it gotten by neuer so much study and diligence is of that power and nature that is able to con◠〈…〉 that infinite gredines and desire that is by nature ingraft in our mindes of thinges both many and wonderfull Againe by what vertue I beseech you that I may leaue other thinges vntouched is a man ab e to diminish or stake the feruent zeale of tracinge out the truth wherewith they are most tormented which woulde fayne be accouÌ„pted perfect wise men Either hath there bene anye man a liue which hath attained the skill of all artes which hath vnderstoode the reason of all naturall causes which hath had the knowledge by wysedome to rule and gouerne a common wealth All thinges are hidden so in the excéedinge deepnes and bosome of nature that there hath bene at any time no questiâ—n so plaine and easie wherof profound learned clarkes hath not geuen diuers and intricate iudgementes For howe harde is it to open effectually the argument wee nowe entreate of and presently haue in hande and I assure you we are not able sufficiently to discourse of the nature of the body soule which playnly proueth what slender perfection in knowledge learninge we are able to attaine vnto Therefore howe may this wise Stoike haue through vertue his contentation when he infinitly desireth the science of those thinges whereof he is ignorant neither only doth couet the knowledge of those thinges which he seeth with his eye but also would vnderstande manye other thinges whereon hys minde runneth whereas he himselfe is not able throughly and perfectly to knowe the nature of the leaste thinge that is But then we suppose that the estate of the minde is perfect when the minde it selfe is so fully fraighte with vertues that there is nothinge els which it may desire No man I thinke by this time doubteth but that the chiefe and soueraigne good caÌ„not consist in single and bare vertue which the Stoikes so highly extol when neither in vertue are coÌ„teyned al thinges which to the estate maintenaÌ„ce of a man are required nor our mind with vertue alone can rest coÌ„teÌ„ted especially desiring those things that by no meanes that man can worke are to be attained For all humaine thinges whether they be externall or els worthy induements of the body and minde are streyghted into a litle and narrowe compasse but our minde hath bred and naturally ingraffed therein this affection and disposition euer vnmesurably and insatiably to desire some one thing of great excelleÌ„cy worthines And easier maye you with a litle drop of water quench the fiery flames of Aetna then slake the vnquencheable thyrst of desire that naturally possesseth the mindes of men In consideration whereof wicked naughty persons are not to be rebuked because they haue infynite desires but beecause they desire thinges vnlawfull and abhominable For it is geuen vnto vs by nature to haue vnsatiable desires but to haue wicked desires that procéedeth from a disordered custome and leude conuersation For truely neither he which doth endeuour with al study to atchiue to honour and worship kéepeth order and measure in the desire of honest thinges But let vs feyne imagine some one to haue attained that felicity which Zeno hath reposed in onely vertue Let him be exquisitely learned in all sciences Let him be merueylously spoken of for his excéedinge and great vertues Let him haue if it please you all those good thinges which are within and without the body for as much as bothe the Academikes and Peripatetikes are of this opinion that these thinges are to be rekoned of and had in estimation as the instrumentes and handemaidens of vertue As strength puissaunce goodlines of personage souÌ„dnes of senses perfection of health and many other of like nature then ryches and substance gentility honour children florishinge and indued with al noble qualities frindes not wauering but tyed with an assured knot of perpetual frendship Last of all yf you thinke good that the Epicure maye not so mutch as bende his browe against vs let the abundance be graunted vnto him of all pleasure with that which the bodie the minde might be delighted againe let him haue cause neither of feare or lamentation if it may be possibly attained through mans counsell and prouidence This man saie you may be thought of all other most happy as who aboundeth in all thinges which appertaine to glory prosperity and pleasure But if you woulde demaunde of this good felowe whether there were anye thinge els which he could finde in his hart to possesse no doubte he would cry out if he meane not to glose and
expresse in woordes in what maÌ„ner the SoÌ„ne of God hath taken vnto him the shape and forme of man and with so wonderfull a linke of coniunction vnited his and our natures that beynge verye God was perfect man that he mought clense and purifie the whole generation of maÌ„ from euery blot blemish of sinne and mought keepe them safe holye and vndefiled froÌ„ all kynde of wickednesse further what kynd of eloquence is able to expresse the miserye of the crosse whiche Christ himselfe prouided and prepared as a bulwark and engine to vndermyne and ouerthrow the force of our enemy who caÌ„ set forth as the worthines of the matter it self requiâ—eth the vnconquerable vertu of him with the which he stroke to the ground and crushed in peeces that venemous serpent into whose power al thâ— generally were fallen and extinguished the farre stretched kingdome of death and banished and put to flight all superstiâ—ioÌ„s and barbarous behauours That in meane tyme I omitt that how he was raysed from death and bearyng with him the spoyles which hee beeynge the victor and conqueror in all battails procured to himselfe with wonderfull glorye entered into the throne celestiall that from thence forthe hee moughte bring vnder his authority eternall iurisdictioÌ„ al couÌ„tries and nations Also that I omit to speak of that kindlynge of fyre of the holye spyryte wherewythe the Apostles mindes inflamed wyth a rare and syngular constancie declared thinges secrete and heauenly and filled the whole worde with Christes holye name All these thinges stryke into our myndes a wonderfull admiration and through their exceeding greatnes bereue man of his reason and vnderstanding and maketh his tounge to folter and stagger Therfore it is a great matter and difficult and not onely excedeth the slendernes of my simple witt but is a thing whch cannot be compassed by mans reache and capacity to vtter and declare any one parte of those thinges which not the doctrine and traditioÌ„ of men but the wysedome of God hath inspyred into our myndes notwithstaÌ„ding that should haue ben coÌ„sidered before we had in our first enterance as it were passed forth out of the heauen Now truely wheras we haue boldly launched into the depe we must hoyse vp our sayles Therefore leauinge that argumente whiche we haue before dilated so farforth as it was lawful and we durst presume we wil by Gods aide and assistance brieflye speake of those thinges which concerne the worthie titles of a Christian name ANd first as touchinge vertue yf as it was of vs before declared that onely is to be demed a vertu which proceedinge from God alwaies is referred to God and to him directeth al her actyons and euident it is that the heauenly and celestiall kynde of vertue did onelye procede originally from the doctrine mighty power of Christ and it was powred onely into the myndes of theÌ„ which were the true folowers of Christ it consequeÌ„tly foloweth that one lyin Christians the perfecte light of true nobilitye appeareth For this is the onely vertue which weakened al the strengthe and cutte a sunder the synowes of sinne which restored to the former bewtie the most excelleÌ„t and diuine substaÌ„ce of the soule defiled with al vncleanes which did make strong and lusty the feble strength of the soule with a marueylous swiftnes and constaÌ„cie farre passinge the opinion and credit of men which hath aliened all our cogitations from all humaine and transitory pleasures to the study of holines and pure religion and hath layde open a sure and ready path way to heauen Let any man yf it so please him compare that kynde of vertue which was in the Grctians and Romaines both that was to outward apparance worthy greate renoumne with the nobilitye of a ChristiaÌ„ man he shal eftsones perceiue what great odds and difference there is betwixt them both Theire vertue attained by mans trauaile and paine resteth in things vayne and transitory The vertue of ChristiaÌ„s geueÌ„ to theÌ„ by the francke and free gift of God hath a moste assured hope fixed in god Theire vertue hath respecte to temporall treasure and the glorious glisteringe of wordlye pleasures whiche in shorte space perisheth and comes to nothinge the vertue of Christianes respecteth onely the thinges that no time shal consume the thinges that are heauenly and euerlastinge Their vertue darckned with the contagions of sinne and brought low creepeth on the ground but the vertue of Christians beyng pure and vndefyled swyftly and confidently flyeth vp to heauen Their vertue with a waueringe hoope and fainte courage thinketh on their glory The vertue of Christians resteth stayeth on a most forme and assured hope of immortality and thinketh certainely to inioy the true fruict and effect of glorye Lastly their vertue pufte vp with moste light and phantastical opinions stirreth vp amonge simple and fonde men great admiration The vertue of Christians illumined with the true lighte of holines and sanctimonye rauisheth wyse men with the desire loue of true euerlastinge worthines To conclude in the one may you see a certaine halfe deade image of vertue in the other vertue her selfe furnished with all necessary healpes and beautified and setforth with all her due titles and ornamentes Againe he shall easily vnderstande wherein they both differ which will geue himselfe to the vnderstandinge of their effectes operations For he that will examine and diligently consider Christian lyberality méekenes and temperance and the offices and dueties that springe out of their other vertues and will compare theym with the actions that procéede out of humayne vertue shall finde that the soule of a perfect christian man is an holy place and Temple in the which the eternall Godhead of the blessed Trinitye inhabiteth For so he him selfe testifieth I and my father will come to visite him and we wil make with him our abode and mansion place And els where I will make my habitation amonge them and will walke vp and downe And Paule in many places calleth the myndes of Christians the churches and Temples of God. Therefore wheras God himselfe hath made his seat and dwellinge place in the mindes of them that trace the steppes and treade the pathwaye of Christe that his aide and assistaunce beinge allwayes prest and at hande he mought inflame theÌ„ with an earnest desire of followinge his diuine vertue it is a ridiculous thinge co compare the bare shewe of anye humaine vertue to a vertue so excéedinge excellent BVt nowe touchinge nobility what should I saye For if it be true that the wise and learned suppose all nobylitye to springe out of vertue and do thinke the fame to be nothinge els but a race and kinred illumined with rare singular vertues truely that stocke a family that is frâ—yght with diuine vertues cannot be thought but to issue oute of a diuine race and progeny And therefore we do not timerously and staggeringely but with a lowde voice bolde courage saie that the whole generation of
the function of a priest who can neither iustly rule himselfe nor wysely gouerne other Neither he that Princelike maynteyneth iustice and vpright dealing can want that honour that to a prieste is properly belonginge Not so truly that hee which liueth vertuously can incontinētly administer holy rightes For wee should so make a confusion of all offices and all degrees of authoritie should be taken away then the which thing nothing can be more pestilente But yet shall euery man be a prieste that is a follower of righteousnes to vse that kinde of holy right which is to offer vp his owne body a liuely sacrifice holy and pleassnge God and to offer vppe due honour and reuerence proceedinge from a sincere and pure minde and vnderstanding What then foloweth A holy Nation a conquering people that you mighte shewe forth and preach vertues proceedinge from him which oute of darcknes hath called you into a marueylous light Nowe in that hee sayth Holy which was taken out of darckenes and called forth into marueylous light that is to the knowledge of deuine and heauenly thinges it is the gifte of the Holy Ghoste wyth his power and vertue inwardly illumininge oure mindes and stirringe them vppe and bringinge them to the chiefeste thinges of all And that this is the peculiar token of a heauenly gift and concerneth the auctority of Prophecie who seeth not For the function of Prophecie is nothing els but a declaration made by the holye Ghoste of hidden secreces the searchinge and finding out whereof is aboue the reache and Nature of man Seing therefore many thinges that farre exceeded mans senses are broughte to light by God do wee doubte but that there is imprinted in our mindes a certayne excellente gift of prophecie and a most certayne foretellinge of many thinges to come For what els is fayth wherewyth wee are all sealed and whereon wee are all grounded but an assured hope of those thinges which wee truste to obtayne engrafte in our mindes by God himselfe So falleth it oute that by the instincte and secrete workinge of God himselfe wee promyse oure selues those thinges which farre exceede the cogitacion of man which oute of doubte appertayneth to the office of prophecying Therefore this name of Christians is commended vnto vs by no base gifte and auctority giuen thereunto by Almighty God but by moste excellente and honourable titles For so it is ayded and assisted by the holye ghoste that it hath sufficiente ability to obtayne Princely iurisdiction to haue a moste excellente Priesthode and to be lifted vppe by the vertue and power of a heauenly minde to immortality BVt now sith we haue already spoken of the beginning and worthynes of so holy and so excellente a name I must also in few woordes intreate of the antiquity thereof Not to that ende truly as thoughe it greatly auayled to the worthines of Christian kinred how many armes and cognisaunces of our generation wee can accompte or howe longe continuaunce of time it helde the possession of gentilitie For seinge that it fetcheth his beginninge and taketh his firste ofspringe and Originall from God it feareth not the enuious reporte of newe made and late spronge Nobilitie But least wee shoulde seeme to exclude not a fewe who in this kinred were the verye chiefeste and whose excellent vertue was renowmed in many places I thought it expediente to entreat also of them For there is no cause why wee shoulde fette the first originall grounde of this name from the Actes of Antioche in which Cittie first as it is mentioned in Luke the name of Christians grew to be common For althoughe this name then first was commonlye receyued yet in deede longe before IESVS was conuersaunte wyth vs in earth the worthines and excellencie of this name was vsed amonge men For Christians are so called eyther because they folow the doctrine or gouernment of Christ Or els this name proceeded from that heauenly motion and annoyntinge Or as I rather suppose both these thinges auayled to the firste inuention of the name both because they were wholy prest to folow their maister Christ as thoughe they were by othe bounde thereunto and also were pertakers of the selfe same annoynting For who is so madde that he dare out of this kinred to thruste oute Moses Who had rather take vppon him reproche and contumely of Christe then to haue plentie of all Princely wealth and sumptuousnes Who dare denie Iacob who wyth greate deuotion worshipped Christe on a ladder Or Isaac who as a Sacrifice offered vppe to God was a shadow of Christes his punishmente Or Abraham which behelde the daye of Christe and by the sighte thereof conceyued a great and wonderful pleasure Or to conclude who will suppose Dauid to be rased oute of this lineall descente of Christian kinred wyth whom the couenaunte of Christe to bee borne of his line which was sometime made wyth oure forefathers after a most holy maner and fashion was renewed But what maner of man was Dauid Such a one as in the whole order of his life declared himselfe to be a man excellently furnished wyth all Christian vertue It were an infinite laboure if I shoulde go aboute to recite them all that were before the law and vnder the lawe This one thinge I say and affirme which by euery mans testimony is confirmed that there was neuer in any age anye man commended for singular godlines and vertue but he which wythall his hart embraced Christ Those thīgs that he should do the Prophetes stirred vp therunto by the holy spyrite foretolde Most holy kinges haue had their harts set on fire wyth an earnest longing and desire after him A figure of him many men furnished with all kinde of vertue by many signes expressed and signifyed And euen as when in a maner of a triumphe he was brought into Hierusalem with an innumerable company and multitude of people wherof parte which went before with their garments strowed the way and parte that folowed after wyth a wonderfull clapping of hands signifyed gratulation and harty reioysinge yet one generall voyce of them all was heard setting forth to the vttermost they could his vnuanquishable vertue So those worthyes of auncient time prepared the way vnto Christe and their posterity followed Christe with a most ardent desire and by the general voyce of them all the prayses of their onely King and Lord are lifted vp as highe as heauen This was that example which was proposed to Moses to followe Beholde sayth God vnto him and do according to the example vvhich in the hill is shewed vnto thee And not onely to Moses but vnto al them in whom singular godlines deuine wysedome appeared who throughe Christe the onely refuge of all humaine affayres haue obtayned all those worthye indumentes and qualities of the minde which made them in fame and reporte flourishe Who as they were by fayth perswaded they hooped woulde come whom already in minde they beheld as present and according to whose
that when immoderate delicacy and riotte when vnsatiable desire of riches had ones by inuasion entered into the manners of the Romaynes wheÌ„ no accoumpte at al was made of the aucthority of the Lawes and Senate when the myndes of the raskall multitude by the sediciouse and bransicke orations of certayne desperate persons were tickled with hoope of rauine spoyle with violence and force to bereue the wealthyer sort of theire goodes and substance when crueltye armed with impunitye with slaughter effusion of the bloude of the Cityzens with goare bloud staunched the Citty when they that in feattes of Armes moste preuayled didde bende their thoughtes not to seke the liberty of their couÌ„try but their owne priuate aduauncemente when with all theese weapons the body of the commoÌ„ wealth was wounnded do you think that it could by any means be brought to pas that the coÌ„moÌ„weale could loÌ„ge coÌ„tinue Adde thereunto if it like you Saleable Elections Iudgementes raunsomed mattes of Prouinces extraordinarye and infinite aucthorityes the chardge of the commonwealth committed to certayn men caried forth headlonge with a hastye desire of rule and principality you may vnderstand that it could no otherwyse be but that the wealthe of the City vtterly decayed it must nedes come to ruin What should I in this place declare the bloudy broyls in the times of Scilla and Marius whiche infinitelye plagued and vexed the Citye and with al manner of cruelty dismembred the same and at lenghth by the infection of the dissentioÌ„ euen to posterytie continued layd open a gap to the gouerment of Tyrautes Doest thou then doubte but that the Citye beyng gashed and mangled with so many woundes should at the last be couered with moulde the Cityzens with salte and bitter teares waylinge and lamentinge at the funeralles thereof And therefore if it be demaunded of wyse men what time Roome fell to vtter decay they wil aunsweere I suppose that euen froÌ„ that time wherin the old order of discipine and gouernment was abolished that common wealth began to be of no reputation For they linger no longer aboute the consideration of the euent of any thinge which most certaynly gather the thinges that folow after by the causes that goe before If you aske them that lacke wisedome and experience they wil straight way elleadge that tyrannicall gouernment of Cesar. For there is no man so besydes himself that will thinke after the vtter abolishment of lawes the losse of liberty and the ouertourninge of the whole state of pollicy that any one sparke of the olde common wealth remaineth But I pray thee what toye tooke thee in the head that thou diddest impute the ouerthrowe of that Empire to the manners of Christians whereas not only the cause of that calamity but the euent it selfe was many yeares before the birth of Christe oure Kynge And if any man aske the question after tirannye had the vpper hande what wasted the wealth of Roome taken from the whole Citty and bestowed vpon one man first I will repeate those thinges that I before rehearsed that all those worthye qualities whereby the people of Roome obtained their auncient renoume and large Empire a great while began to decline at last fell hedlonge downe to the grounde For then immediatly in steede of frugality outragious riotte in steede of enduringe hardines in warre an excedinge tendernes and nicenes both of the whole body and minde in steede of dreade and awe of the lawes impudent boldnes vnsatiable luste immoderate desire vehemently assaulted the myndes of the Romaines and stirred vppe men that bare goodwill to their country to vprores and ciuill broyles Further this I affirme that the barbarous demeanour of their Emperours and their ouerthwarte nature ioygned with immoderate ryot and vnbridled lust did as it were cut them of from al their prosperity Neyther is there cause why I shoulde here recite so greuous plagues as wherewith the coÌ„monwealth was afflicted seinge that it is euidently knowen that many for their cruelty and horrible factes haue bene slâ—ine bothe of their Cittizens and of souldiars and ofteÌ„tymes of them that enuied them their place and high aucthority But when the custome of killinge of Rulers grewe to be familiar and there was not onely counterwaites and treachery deuised against wicked tyrantes but against discreet and moderate gouernours and that the name of rule and Empire wanted due reuerence at length the matter grewe to that passe that nothinge was so vily reputed of as the Emperour of Rome In the ende when the aucthority of the Senate and people of Rome was extinguished and the knowleadge of Souldiarfare together with auarice excessiuely increased it fell oute the souldiars for a booty in ready money to be paide did assign afore hand to whome they listed the Imperiall Crowne Therefore whereas they had respect neither to vertue neither to nobility but as it were makinge a bargaine of bying sale vnto him that promised most sold the Empire euery vile caitife leude varlet had free accesse to the swaye and gouernmente of the whole common wealth Therefore whereas the people of Rome were gouerned by sutch heades it coulde not be but all those thinges shoulde fal to vtter confusion whereby that common wealth was wont to be renoumed Especially seinge that oftentimes least there shoulde want at any time an occasion of ciuill dissention there was appoyncted in diuerse places many Emperours if they were to be called Emperours and not rather straunge and prodigious monsters Therefore the wealth of the Romaines partly by ciuill discord and horrible dissentions wasted partely dronke vppe and consumed by the meanes of great and terrible warres which throughout the whole worlde was waged againste the Romaine Empire was subiecte to common thraldome misery of all thinges incident and appertaininge to man And here I pray thee what cause hast thou to accuse the name of any thinge that is called Christian For if the doctrine of Christe had wrought in the manners of the Romaines contempte of lawes ryot wantoÌ„nes immoderate desire of rule most egre and vehement dissension of Cittizens amonge themselues if to conclude it had induced them to violente dealinge fury rage then moughtest thou haue iustly and truely sayd that that had bredde in the state of Rome all these mischieues For they be those horrible vices that haue plagued and destroyed not onely Rome but all other Imperiall Citties But if nothinge be more repugnant to Christian maners and conuersation then the vyces afore rehersed wyth whome nothinge agreeth but that whych is iuste and vpryghte tendinge to quietnes and temperaunce which most reuerently accoumpte of modesty and innocency and aboue all mischiues hate ciuill discord which abhorre all troublesome and desperat enterprices yet wilt thou be so sottish impudent that thou wilt seeke with this sclaunder to deface the dignity and worthines of Christianity Can there any maner of discipline more confirme and establishe cyuill pollicie theÌ„ that which teacheth Iustice equity