world doth last shall neuer fade away 25 The summe of all is this who that will liue in name Must leaue some deed behind that worthie is of fame And to this end Salust writeth Salust fol. 1. Qui sese student praestare caeteris animantibus summa ope niti decent ne vitam silentio transeant veluti pecora quae natura prona ac ventri obedientia finxit quomam vita nostra qua fruimur breuis est memoriam nostri quā maximè longam efficere oportet nam diuitiarum formae gloria fluxa atque fragilis est virtus autem clara aeternaque habetur They which studie to excell other creatures ought not to passe their liues in silence as beasts do whom nature hath made altogether subiect to the belly but because our liues be short we ought to endeuour our selues to the vttermost of our power that our memorie may continue perpetuall for the glorie of riches and beautie are vnstable and fraile but vertue is a noble thing and most worthy to be had in euerlasting remembrance ¶ How we ought to beware of sedition amongst our selues and how that sundry attempts haue bene made by forreine enemies for the inuasion of his realme through the occasions therof as appeareth by diuerse and sundrie examples in this Chapter following CHAP. 6. NOw my deare friends and countreymen We must beware of sedition amōgst our selues to the intent to make vs the more able in this seruice of defence one thing there is of which we must chiefly beware namely of sedition rebelliō and diuision amongst our selues for out of doubt there is no greater mischief or inconuenience that can happen to a kingdome then ciuill discord as one writeth well Regnorum pessima pestis seditie Sedition is the greatest plague that may happen to a kingdome And the holy Gospell saith Math. 12. Omne Regnum in se diuisum desolabitur Euery kingdome in it selfe deuided shal be desolate As want of the feare of God Hol. 1772. disobedience to rulers blindnesse of guides briberie in Magistrates rebellion in subiects ciuill disagreement flattering of Princes vnmercifulnesse in rulers and vnthankfulnesse in subiects are causes of the ruine of a common wealth so the feare of God a wise Prince learned rulers obedience to officers in subiectes louers of the common wealth vertue rewarded vice chastened are the chief causers of a florishing common wealth It is not without great cause that we pray in our Letanie vnto God to be deliuered from sedition for sedition alwayes implieth daunger to the person of the Prince State it openeth the gate to forreine inuasion as by sundry examples we may see for when great dissention and warres were in England betwixt Herrauld and Tostus his brother Dissentiō in England opened the gate to forrein inuasiō Stow. 1066. after the death of king Edward sonne of Etheldred because Herrauld vsurped the crowne against his oath the trust put in him by king Edward who committed the gouernement of the realme to Herrauld during onely the nonage of Edgar his nephew to whom he gaue the crowne did not then William Duke of Normandy Duke of Normandie Hall 251. seeing a conuenient time and occasion offered to conquer this kingdome with a great army come into England and landed at Hastings in Sussex where in battell Herrauld was slaine Herrauld slaine and so William possessed this land by conquest Also when the great warres were in England betwixt king Iohn some of his Barons Barōs wars and sundry bloudy battels were fought betwixt them to the slaughter of many noble other valiant men Holinsh 199. did not the Barons being sore distressed with the kings forces pray ayde of Philip the Foxe 255. French king Frenchmen entred this realme when the ciuill warres were here requiring him to send Lewes his eldest sonne into England with some conuenient number of men and they would receiue him to be their king and do him homage whervpon the French king thinking rather by this deuice to conquer the realme sent Lewes his sonne with a great army of men into England whom the Barons receiued to him yeelded homage according to their promise whereupon diuerse great conflicts happened betwixt the king and the French Ibidem 600. and such of the Barons as ioyned with them who greatly indomaged the said king and got the possession of diuerse Castels Townes and other places and so became strong within this realme Likewise whē the ciuill warres were in England betwixt Edward the second his Barons concerning the Spensers did not the Scots waste destroy the countrey of the Bishoprike of Durham Scots inuaded England when ciuill warres were here and did not the French then enter the borders of Guyen hoping to haue recouered all the lands which the king had in France What imboldened the French king to surprise the holdes and fortifications neare Bulleyne in king Edward the sixt his dayes but the rebellion in Norfolke which greatly troubled the realme Fox 1309. and also to attempt the Isles of Gersey and Garnesey thinking to haue surprised the same also our ships but was repulsed to his great losses both of men and ships If we marke the fruits which haue proceeded of ciuill warres Cōquest by ciuill dissention Greece we shall sée that they haue bene alwayes guided after a most cruell and horrible kinde of hostilitie and that their issue hath bene the losse and ouerthrow of many commō wealths The Romaines came to the great Empire of Greece more by dissention and ciuill warres which they did sow amongst their neighbours then by force of armes French Academie Prou. 1. There are seuen things which God hateth and the eight his soule abhorreth and that eight is he which nourisheth discord amongst brethren French Academic ca. 63. Iustin li. 8. After the Romaines had kindled the fire of dissention in one nation they maintained one side a certaine time vntill in the end they had ouerthrowne both the one the other and so they deceiued sundry nations as the Carthagenians the Asians the Gawles Qui apertè concordiam simulant occulta dissidia serunt Bodinus li. 4 fol. 487. nihil est immortali Deo detest abilius saith Bodinus And by sowing of the sayd dissention in the end the Romaine Empire fell from her greatnesse by the meanes of ciuill warres which they had long time nourished amongest others Incidit in foueam quam fecit The Empire of Alexander being the greatest that euer was Alexander vanished as a fire of tow through the diuision and discord that was among his successors French Academie ca. 63. Iudea And Iosephus saith that the kings of Iudea became subiect and tributarie to the Romaines through the ciuill warres betwixt Hercanus and Aristobulus who were brethrē The afflictiō of Spaine by ciuill dissention There was no countrey more afflicted then
Spaine by ciuill warres when it was deuided into many kingdomes The Mores did ouercome it on the one side the French and the Englishmen deuoured it on the other side And Hungarie which had valiantly resisted the Turke almost two hundreth yeares together Hungarie was at the length subdued by them by the diuisions that happened amongst themselues What a great slaughter was there of the Nobilitie of Fraunce Fountaine at the battell of Fountaine neare to Anserre by the ciuill warres that were betwixt Lithargus Lewes and Charles the Bald What ciuill warres and bloudsheds did ensue of the diuision betwixt the houses of Yorke and Lancaster here with vs in EnglaÌ„d The houses of Yorke Lancaster which being beguÌ„ in king Henrie the fourth his dayes continued till Henrie the seueÌ„th who maried the eldest daughter and heire of Edward the fourth by which the said two houses were vnited together and so all ciuill wars then ceased These sactions continued diuerse yeares in which time there died in sundrie battels and skirmishes Camden 474. as Philippus Comineus saith aboue foure score of the bloud royall with the floure of the Nobilitie of England besides a great number of the Lords Knights Esquires and Gentlemen and infinite thousands of the common people And to passe ouer manie examples of like sort Fraunce in what pitifull state doth Fraunce now stand which hath bene one of the most flourishing realmes of Europe by ciuill warres and dissention which hath afflicted that kingdome aboue thirtie yeares wherof hath ensued not only the slaughter of manie noble persons but also infinite thousands of other subiects and in the end the shamefull murther of their owne naturall liege Lord and King Murther of their Prince These miseries may be examples to vs to beware of such like sedition and diuision and happie are they that can beware by others dangers as the wise Cato saith Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Sedition is perillous Cato although it shew to haue neuer so good a countenance of honest cause and it were better for the authour of such sedition to suffer anie losse or iniurie then to be the cause of so great an euill Bodynus lib. 4. fol. 168. Vt morbi ac vulnera ipsaeque animae egritudines ac perturbationes tum corporibus tum mentibus noxiae sunt ita quoque bella ciuilia rebus publicis ac ciuitatibus pestifera sunt ac perniciosa As diseases wounds and the griefes and troubles of the mind both to the bodie and mind are hurtfull so likewise ciuill warres to the common wealth are pestiferous and daungerous For ciuill warres bring forth and nourish want of reuerence towards God contemneth authoritie lawes and gouernment without which Nec domus vlla nec ciuitas nec gens nec rerum natura nec ipse mundus stare potest No house no nation no citie nor the nature of things nor the world it selfe can stand The fruits of sedition Sedition causeth change of lawes contempt of iustice base estimation of sciences it procureth horrible reuenge forgetfulnesse of pareÌ„tage consanguinitie and friendship it causeth extortions violence robberies wastings of countries sacking of townes burning of buildings coÌ„fiscations vanishments sauage murthers alterations and ouerthrow of pollicies with other infinite and intollerable miseries pitifull to behold sorowfull to expresse and lamentable to thinke of Non Virgil. mihi silinguae centum sunt oraque centum Ferrea vox omnes scelerum comprendere formas Possem If I an hundred tongues and mouthes had for to tell And voyce as yron hard expresse I could not well The perils to a state and kingdome that may fall By ciuill warre which makes to strangers bond thrall SeditioÌ„ armeth the father against the son brother against brother kinsman against kinsman men of the same nation prouince and citie one against another Hereupon the fields which before were fruitful are left vntilled corne groweth where townes did stand there the ground with bloud of men is made ranke which before was barren that a man may say as Ouid writeth of Troy Iam seges est vbi Troia fuit resecandáque falce Luxuriat Phrigio sanguine pinguis humus What doth not the fire and furie of sedition ciuill wares bring with it as one writeth well Quid non discordia frangit Epist 1. Dissipat eneruat fera cum dominatur Erynnis What doth not discord breake waste and make weake when Erynnis which is fayned by the Poets to be the Lady of dissention and strife doth rule Erynni 1. And in the ende the bodies thus dismembred and the parts thereof infected with the same poyson of discord 2. Reg. cap. 24. destroy themselues Dauid the Prophet iudged war worse theÌ„ either famine or pestilence he did rather chuse a plague amongst his subiects then ciuill warres and tumults Pythagoras saith that three things are by all meanes to be remaued a disease from the body ignorance from the soule and sedition from the city Plato affirmeth that no euill is worse in a city then that which diuideth and of one maketh it twoÌ„ and that nothing is better then concord which tyeth and vniteth it together Concordia res paruae crescuâ—t discordia antem maximae dilabuntur By concord small things do increase but by discord great things come to confusion Let vs heare what the noble Orator Tully sayth Senten lib. 1. fol. 190. of the miseries which ensue by ciuill wars Omnia sunt misera in bellis ciuilibus sed miserius nihil quà m ipsa victoria quae etiamsi ad meliores venit tamen eos ipsos ferociores impotentiorésque reddit vt etiamsi natura tales non sunt necessitate tamen esse cogantur multa enim victori eorum arbitrio per quos vicit etiam inuito facienda sunt All things are miserable in ciuill warres but nothing is more miserable then the victory it selfe which although it happen to the best sort yet it maketh them cruell in so much that though they be not so by nature yet of necessity they are compelled so to be for many things by the ouercommer at the pleasure of such by whose ayd he doth ouercome euen against his will are to be done King Henrie the fift When king Henry the fift not hauing aboue fifteene thousand men gaue a great ouerthrow to the French king at Agincourt in Fraunce where he had assembled to the number of forty thousand of the flower of all his countrey had taken many prisoners of the french Hol. 1181. both Nobles and others the french as they are men of great courage and valour so they assembled themselues againe in battell array meaning to haue giuen a new battell to king Henry which king Henry perceiuing gaue speciall commaundement by proclamation that euery man should kill his prisoners whereupon many were presently slaine whereof of French king hauing intelligence dispersed his army and so departed
whereby you may see the miseries of warre that though they had yéelded and thought themselues sure of their liues paying their ransome according to the lawes of armes yet vppon such necessary occasion to kill them was a thing by all reason allowed for otherwise the king hauing lost diuerse valiant Captaines and souldiers in this battell and being also but a small number in comparison of the French kings army in a strong countrey where he could not supply his neede vpon the sudden it might haue bene much daungerous to haue againe ioyned with the enemy and kept his prisoners aliue as in our Chronicles largely appeareth ¶ Diuerse and sundry practises and deuices heretofore deuised and made with many of our owne nation both by the King of Spaine and the Pope to inuade our countrey and also what preparation hath bene made by her Maiestie to preuent the same CHAP. 7. NOw for as much as the continual plots practises of the Pope Practises of the Pope against vs. the vowed enemy to this Realme to the intent to sow discord and deuision within the same to make an easie way for the enemy to inuade our coūtrey haue bin strange I haue thought good to make mention here of some part of her Maiesties proclamation published in the 33 yeare of her most gracious raigne Proclamatiō 33. Eliz. by which it appeareth that the Pope hath practised with certaine principall seditious heads being vnnaturall subiects of her Maiesties kingdome but yet very base of birth together with great labour vpon his charge a multitude of dissolute yong men who haue partly for lacke of liuing partly for crimes committed become fugitiues rebels and traytors and for whom there are in Rome Spaine and other places certaine receptacles made to liue in and there to be instructed in schoole points of sedition and from thence to be secretly by stealth conueyed into her highnesse countries and dominions and with ample authority from the Pope to moue stirre vp and perswade as many of her highnesse subiects as they dare deale withall to renounce their allegeance due to her Maiestie and her Crowne vpon hope by forreyn inuasion to be inriched endowed with the possessions dignities of her other good subiects These sorts of traitors rebels and fugitiues do bind her highnesse subiects with whom they practise by oathes yea by Sacraments Renounce allegeance to forsweare their naturall allegeance to her Maiestie and yeeld obedience with all their powers to to a forreyn Prince and to assist forreyn forces and for the more forcible attraction of these vnnaturall people This is treason by 13. El. cap. 1. Buls being weake of vnderstanding to this they bend these seedemen of treason to bring certaine Bals from the Pope some of indulgences pretending to promise heauen to such as wil yeeld and some of cursings threatnings damnation and hell to such as shall not yéeld to their perswasion And it is certainely knowne It is high treason to practise with any forreyners to inuade this Realme 13. El. cap. 1. that these heads of these dennes and receptacles which are by the traytors called Seminaries and Colledges of Iesuits haue heretofore assured the king of Spaine who is lately deceased that though heretofore he had no good successe with his great forces against this Realme yet if now he would renew his war there should be found ready secretly within her highnesse dominions many thousands as they make their accompt for their purpose of able people that will be ready to assist such power as he shall set on land and by their vaunting they do tempt the sayd king hereunto who otherwise wold not peraduenture hope of any safe landing here considering what successe he had in the yeare of our Lord 1588 when he made so great preparation to conquer this land that one named Parsons and one Allen haue shewed to the sayd king of Spaine certaine schroles or beadrolles of names of men dwelling in sundry parts of her Maiesties countries as they haue imagined them but specially neare the sea coasts with assurance that these their seedmen named Seminaries Priestes and Iesuits are in sundry parts of this Realme secretly harbored which shall be ready to continue their reconciled people in their lewd constancy to serue their purposes both in their forces and with their trayterous enterprises when the Spanish power shall be ready to land Besides this vpon their impudent assertion to the Pope and king of Spaine though they knew a great part thereof to be false they had lately afore this proclamation aduertised into diuerse parts of this Realme by their secret messengers wherof some haue bene taken and confessed the same that the king vpon their informations and requests promised to employ all his forces that he could make by sea in the yeare of our Lord God 1592 to attempt once againe the inuasion of this Realme but because some of his wisest Counsellers doubted that he should not preuaile he altred his purpose besides many other leud practises treasonable cōspiracies by the sayd fugitiues But her Maiesty doubteth not but Almighty God the defender of all iust causes will as he alwayes hither to hath make all their deuices voyd and by the helpe of her faithfull subiects to increase her their forces and by execution of her lawes by other politicke ordinances to impeach the aforesayd seditious practises and treasons and doth exhort all the Ecclesiasticall State by their example of good life and by their diligent teaching to retaine the people stedfastly in the profession of the Gospell and in their duties to Almighty God and her Maiestie and also she hopeth to haue such sufficient forces in readinesse by sea as by Gods goodnesse and with the helpe of her good subiects shall be as great or greater then her highnesse hath had in any time heretofore to withstand all her enemies and that her subiects will consider of all things requisite to performe for horsemen armor footemen to be fully furnished as time shall require for seruice to defend their countrey And further her Maiestie doth most earnestly require and charge all manner of her subiects with their hands purses aduices yea all persons of euery estate with their prayers to God to moue him to assist this so naturall honourable and profitable a seruice being only for defence of their naturall countrey against straungers and such wilfull destroyers of their natiue countrey and monstrous traytors And moreouer to prouide speedy remedy against other fraudulent attempts of these Seminaries Iesuites and traitors without the which it appeareth these forces should not be continually vsed the same being wrought onely by falshood by hypocrisie and by vndermining of her good subiects vnder a false colour face of holinesse to make breaches in men womens consciences It is fellony to receiue aid or maintaine any lesuit c. 27. F. l. cap. 1. so to traine them to their
he doth daily bestow vpō vs as Almightie God saith by his Prophet He that giueth me praise and thankes the same is he that honoreth me And all that her Maiestie looketh for at our hands is to be true faithfull and thankefull to her Is there any thing that doth more open the gate to forrein inuasion then ciuill warres and dissention the Gospell saith Euery kingdome in it self deuided shal be desolate Did not William Duke of Normandie when ciuil warres diuision was in the realme cōquere the same and likewise in Henrie the third his dayes when the great warres were betwixt him and his Barons did not Philip the French king send hither Lewes his sonne with a great number of men of warre and got sundry Cities Castels Townes and holdes thinking to haue made a conquest of this land and so had done if the sayd Barons who conspired with the sayd Lewes had not reuolted frō the French and driuen them out of this countrey besides diuers other like examples to be found in our English Chronicles If there be any thing méete to be redressed do you thinke by this meanes though your number were far greater to haue your wils or to be reléeued No no assure your selues the nobilitie and thousands of thousands of the good and dutiful subiectes of this realme will ioyne together as they ought to destroy you and you shal be slaine as thicke as motes are in the sunne before you shall obtaine your purpose for it standeth not with the honour and name of a Prince to be forced by the subiect to do any thing against his will and such of you as shal escape the sword shal be sure to be executed by course of law that is you shal be drawne vpon hurdles to the places of execution and there hanged vntill you be halfe dead and then cut downe aliue your priuities shal be cut off your bowels taken out of your bellyes and being aliue they shal be burned before your faces then shall your heads be smitten off and your bodies deuided into foure quarters and as the vse is shal be set vpon stakes in the towers and highest places in good Cities and townes where it shall please the Prince to appoint Thus shall your carcases be meate for the fowles of the ayre and a spectacle ioyfull to your enemies and wofull to your parents kinsfolks and friends to behold besides you shall leaue to your posterities name of perpetual shame ignominy and reproch that is the names of rebels and false traitors yea rather monsters to your Prince and countrey you shall also vndo your wife and children in that you shal forfet to the Prince all your lands leases goods and chattels besides your blud shal be corrupted so as none of your ofspring shal be able to haue or claime by you any lands as heyres to your fathers mothers or other auncesters And this forfaiture and corruption of bloud shal be as well where you shal be slaine in field as condemned by course of law Where haue you euer heard or read that rebels whether they haue bene of nobilitie or others did euer preuaile but haue bin alwayes ouerthrowne and brought to confusion whatsoeuer their pretences haue bene And amongst many examples I will put you in minde of a tew Rebellion in Lincolnshyre Hol. 1567. when as the Lincolnshyre men to the number of 40000. rebelled about the 28. yeare of Henry the eight for religion was not Doctour Makerell and others of the ring leaders of that vnruly companie executed in such maner as is aboue remembred Abridgemēt of Grafton 140. West countrey Rebels in Norfolke as Ket and others Hol. 1734. Wiats rebellion and many of the rest of them slaine in the field and so subdued Was not Syr Humfrey Arundale Winslade Holins Burie and diuerse others of the chief of the rebellion in the West parts of this realme raised in Edward the sixt his dayes executed also as traitors Did it not likewise happen so to Ket and many others of the rebels in Norfolke in the same kings dayes which sought to haue layed Parkes and Commons inclosed open Was not Wiat Isley and diuers Knights Esquiers and Gentlemen of Kent who rebelled in the first yeare of Quéene Marie opposed themselues against the Prince in armes to stay the alteration of religion and her mariage with the king of Spaine executed for the same rebellion and were not aboue fifty of the common sort of these rebels hanged vp in London in diuerse places there Holin 1732. And were not sundrie other Esquires and Gentlemen condemned and should haue bene executed for that commotion had not Quéene Marie giuen them pardon Were not the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and about fiftie knights Esquiers and Gentlemen attainted for the insurrection of the North parts of this realme Insurrection in the North in the eleuenth yeare of the Quéenes Maiesties raigne And was not the sayd Earle of Northumberland beheaded at Yorke And did not manie others of the said Esquires and Gentlemen suffer for that offence in other places Holin 1840. And did not the said Earle of Westmerland and diuerse other of the said attainted persons fly ouer the seas to saue their liues which other wise had tasted of that sauce And were not diuerse of the common sort executed by martiall law for the same rebellion The matter is yet fresh in memorie so that it néedeth no proofe of the end of rebels and such as beare traiterous harts against their Prince We haue diuerse examples also out of the holy Scriptures and among other a notable example of Absolon who conspired the death of his father king Dauid who rebelling against him riding vnder a trée was by Gods prouidence hanged vp on a bough thereof by the long haire of his head Ignatius Epist 2. Of whom Ignatius the anciēt father writeth Absolon parricida existens Dei iudicio arbori appensus cor eius quod malè cogitabat sagitta tansfixum est And so you may sée the vengeance of God on the heart which conceiued the treason and on the body that executed the same Achitophel likewise the mischieuous Counseller to Absolon in that wicked rebellion for lacke of an hangman hanged himselfe a worthie end of all false rebels who rather then they shold lacke due execution will by Gods iust iudgement become hangmen vnto themselues Thus it hapned to the Captaines of this rebellion 2. Reg. 187. besides fortie thousand of the common sort which were slaine in the field for that rebellion And as the holy Scriptures do shew so doth dayly experience proue that the counsels cōspiracies attēpts of rebels neuer tooke effect but came euer to a most horrible end Now concerning such as haue bin murmurers against their rulers you shall sée what hath hapned to thē some haue bene strickē with foule leprosie some burnt with fire sodainly frō heauen sometime they were consumed with the pestilēce sometime were
Ireland to the vse of his Lord Thomas Fitzgerauld and being dealt withall by the king of England his Lieutenant there to yéeld to him to the vse of the king the sayd Castle for a certaine summe of money agréed in the end so to do and deliuered vp the hold accordingly and receiued his money After the Lieutenant considering the vniustnesse of this man to his Lord which had put him in trust with the safe kéeping of his Castle and to whom he was déepely beholden meaning to make an exāple of such treacherie caused this Captaine presently to be executed declaring thereby though for the time he imbraced the benefite of his treasōs yet after he could not disgest the vnfaithfull dealing of this traitor to his Maister that had trusted him with a place of such great credence and defence Christian van de Veque betrayed for a great pension the the Castle of S. Christiā van de Veque Iohn being one of the most importāt fortresses of Portugall to king Philip who in the end was rewarded with such as a traitor deserueth for being a while entertained with hope was at last banished to the wars of Affrica for ten yeares The like vsage in maner receiued all his fellowes which betrayed the king of Portugall their lawfull king by deliueries of such places as they had in gouernement or by doing the king of Spaine any other seruice to the preiudice of Don Anthonio king of Portugall Haue we not séene the vnnaturall practises of Shelley Charles Paget and others with the Spaniards to inuade our countrey and to haue ouerthrowne this happy state and gouernement thereof looke into a litle treatise published 1585 where it is set downe at large Esay 22. Sobna The Prophet Esay speaketh of one Sobna whom the king Hesekiah had greatly aduaunced who outwardly shewed that he would liue and dye with him but he had a false hart to his Prince and more fauoured the Assirians the kings enemies who sought to inuade his countrey but he was caried captiue into a forreine countrey farre off according to Gods ordinance and there dyed in confusion Such as are traitors to their owne countrey may be well compared to the viper Rhetorik Wilso fo 64. Plinie whose nature and propertie is as Pliny writeth that when by course of time he is to come foorth of the belly of his damme he eateth a hole through the same by meanes whereof she dyeth and so is he the cause and the destruction of her that did breed nourish and preserue him It is a commō saying He is an euill bird that defileth his owne neast and so is he a monster and no man that conspireth or intendeth any perill or daunger to his natiue country Who that desireth to know what hath bene the end of traitors and false conspirators against their Prince and countrey in old time may reade M. Renegers booke Reneger wherein they are disclosed at large As ciuill warres Ciuill wars and dissentions are perillous to all states so are all occasions to be preuented which may bréed the same amongst which there is no one thing that sooner ingēdreth such discord Contention for religion breedeth oftentimes ciuil dissentiō then contention for religion which carieth away men with such vehement passions that they will fight for the same more willingly then for their wiues or children lands or goods in respect of it they regard nothing through the diuersitie thereof French Academie ca. 63 the father is against the son and the son against the father they which are nearest of kinne loose their naturall loue they which are of the same country and linage persecute one another as mortal enemies sundry nations abhorre one another for the same cause To raise seditiō tumults in a Citie Bodinus li. 4. fo 486. nothing is more daungerous saith Bodinus then to be diuided in opiniō whether it be in matters of state or of lawes and customes or for religion therefore the causes whereof such mischiefes may ensue by all pollicies in the beginning are to be looked vnto He is not counted a good Phisition onely that cureth the disease but that preserueth health and preuenteth sicknesse to come A small sparke raiseth great flames of fire as the saying is Concitat ingentes flammas scintilla minuta In the beginning a fire with litle water may be suppressed Nota. which if it increase to great flames without much ado will not be quenched Ouid. as the Poet Ouid verie well saith Ignis ab exigua nascens extinguitur vnda Sed postquam creuit volitantque ad sydera flammae Vix putei fontes fluuij succurrere possunt And the same Poet writeth also De arte amandi Principijs obstat serò medicina paratur Cùm mala per longas conualuêre moras Withstād the beginning for the medicine is too late prouiuided when the disease by ouerlong tarying is increased Afore religion is established Not meet to argue against religion setled by authority Bodinus li. 4. fo 481. Paradox fo 1 to argue of religiō to try the truth is allowable but when it is set downe by common authoritie it is not after to be disputed vpon or brought in question as Bodinus affirmeth for there is nothing so firme or stable which by force of argument can not be peruerted and to that effect Tullie writeth Nihil est tam incredibile quod non dicendo fiat probabile nihil tam horridum aut incultum quod non splendescat oratione tāquam excolatur And Plutarke affirmeth Quod extat Licurgi lex antiquissima Plutarke 5. quam Florentini disputatores omnium acutissimi in populari statu inferunt nec scilicet de legibus semel receptis ac probatis disserere liceret Bodinus li. 4. fo 48. intelligit leges disputatas in dubium reuocari dubitationem verò iniusticiae opinionem afferre ex quo legum ac magistratuum contemptum reip interitum sequi necesse est Quod si Philosophi Mathematici suarum disciplinarum principia in dubitationem reuocari non patiuntur quae demētia est de religione non modo priuatim sed etiam publicè disputare velle There is an ancient law saith he amongst the Ligurians which the Florentines most quicke in disputation did commaund to be holden that of lawes once receiued and allowed to dispute it should not be lawfull for to call in questiō lawes afore determined vpon doth bring in doubt the thing afore agréed vnto as though it were not right and iust whereupon contempt of the lawes and gouernement and the ouerthrow of the common wealth doth consequently ensue If the Philosophers Mathematikes will not suffer the grounds of their learning to be brought in question what madnesse is it then priuately or publikely to dispute of religion once set downe and allowed Fo. 5. Doctour Smith in his booke de Repub. Angl. saith Certaine it is
THE MANSION of Magnanimitie WHEREIN IS SHEWED THE most high and honorable acts of sundrie English Kings Princes Dukes Earles Lords Knights and Gentlemen from time to time performed in defence of their Princes and Countrie set forth as an encouragement to all faithfull subiects by their example resolutely to addresse themselues against all forreine enemies Published by RICHARD CROMPTON an Apprentice of the common Law 1599. Whereunto is also adioyned a collection of diuerse Lawes and Statutes meete to be knowne of all men with a briefe Table shewing what munition ought to be kept by all sorts of her Maiesties subiects for the defence of her Highnesse Realmes and Dominions LONDON Printed for VVilliam Ponsonby 1599. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE ROBERT EARLE OF ESSEX AND EWE EARLE MARshall of England Viscount Hereford Lord Ferrers of Charâ—ley Bourchier and Louaine Knight of the most noble order of the Garter Maister of her Maiesties Horse and Ordenance Chauncellor of the Vniuersity of Cambridge and one of her Highnesse most honorable Priuy Counsell RICHARD CRVMPTON desireth eternall felicitie THere is no kingdome Right honorable so strongly seated or with Castles so fortified or that so aboundeth in wealth which without valiant men trained vp in martiall discipline can be defended from the force of the enemy for the stronger or richer the countrey is the more are the snares and sleights prepared by the enemy to compasse and conquer the same for which cause and for that also occasions of warre are often offered vpon the sodaine it is necessary that some number of men should be trained vp continually in martiall actions as in other countries is vsed and so much the rather where long peace hath bene had which often taketh away the feare of warre causeth men to liue too securely and without regard of forreyne danger whereby they are vnskilfull in warres affaires and that such trained men may be alwaies ready and able to informe and leade others vnexperieÌ„ced in that seruice for it is not the number of men that alwayes obtayneth the victory in battell but such as are couragious and well exercised in martiall skill as Erasmus sayth well Erasmus Non refert quà m numerosum militem ducas in praelium sed quà m fortem quà m exercitatum Homer in these few verses following Homer setteth forth the whole military discipline which resteth in the valour of the souldiers and their obedience to their Captaines and Leaders Graeci fidentes animis audacibus ibant Ductorum quamuis premerent formidine vocem VVhere he sayth that they trusting in their couragious minds went against their enemies there he commendeth and extolleth their valours in armes and where he sayth they feared the commandement of their Captaines there he highly praiseth their great discretion and modesty VVhat bred such fame to the ATHENIANS who being but ten thousand ouerthrew great numbers of the PERSIANS in one battell in that time when they most florished in their conquests and did rule ouer many nations but valour and skill in the souldiers and obseruation of orders in battell By order all things are preserued and maintayned and without order all things come to ruine and confusion as the Scripture sayth Vbi nullus ordo ibi est confusio And as these things are requisite in the souldiers so is experience valour and skill also in the Captaine for if the blind leade the blind both fall into the ditch as the Gospell witnesseth therefore such Captaines are alwayes highly to be honoured imbraced aduanced and rewarded according to their places callings and deserts as the defenders in the time of warre of the Prince and state of the kingdome and common-wealth that they may be incouraged in that seruice and such as lightly esteeme these men or preferre them which liue idlely and daintily afore them are enemies to the Common-wealth as Osorius writeth and to be taken as the destroyers thereof in that they doe as much as in them lyeth to lay open their Countrey to the force of the enemie And because the matter of this Treatise concerneth the defence of our Prince and Countrey against the enemie which seruice appertaineth most properly to men of honour who ought to hold nothing more deere to them then the safety of the same of which they be the chiefe props stayes defenders and mayntainers vnder her Maiestie I haue thought it conuenient to dedicate this little Treatise to a man of such state and vnto your honour chiefly to the ende you may therein see the notable actes of Chiualrie performed in that seruice that thereby you may be incouraged to followe their steppes and increase the fame honour and renowme which you haue attayned in your late valiant seruice at CALES in SPAINE and else where Humbly beseeching your honor to accept this my small labour as a token of my desire to coÌ„mend your Honourable name to posteritie At your Honors commaund RICHARD CROMPTON AN ORATION TO BE MADE BY THE GENERAL TO THE WHOLE ARMIE AFORE THE BATTEL ALthough Warres are by all good meanes to be eschued for the auoiding of the great effusion of bloud that thereby often doth ensue yet when intollerable wrongs and iniuries are offered either by a forreine Prince or his subiects no recompence is made for the same The cause of the war must be published that it may appeare to arise vpon iust occasions which much doth encourage the souldier to fight warre must be taken in hand and Bodinus saith Bella non nisi propulsandae iniuriae ac pacis causa suscipienda sunt that is Warres are to be entred into to withstand iniuries and to procure peace The causes which haue drawne vs at this present into the field against these our enemies are knowne to many of you namely how these our enemies most violently and in warlike maner with Ensignes displayed in the time of peace without anie proclamation of Warre first made according to the lawes of Armes haue entred into our territories and countrey burned some of our Churches defaced the auncient monuments of our elders put multitudes of her Maiesties people to the sword yea women and children wasted their dwellings with fire despoiled them of their goods and rauished most shamefully their wiues daughters kinswomen euen afore their faces to be short there is no cruelty or tyrannie whatsoeuer which might be deuised but they haue afflicted her Highnesse subiects therewith without all pitie or mercie For which due recompence hath bene diuerse times by her Malesties Embassadours required and yet none is made Therefore either we must with sword and fire be reuenged of these most extreme dealings or otherwise they will be encouraged to attempt the like yea they will account vs men of no courage but cowards and base hearted a name which to our nation hath bene alwayes most odious in that it hath bin accounted valorous in armes in all countries as one writeth Anglia Bistonio gens semper inclita Marte Euerie man is borne
s. which amounted to an inestimable sum Holinsh f. 11. Graft abridg An. 1085. when it came all together into his exchequer And did not he shortly after cause all mens goods and chattels to be valued and raised thereof also a maruelous great masse of mony to the great greife and impouerishment of our people who so sore lamented the miserable case wherein they were thrawled that they hated the Normans in their hartes with deadly mallice howbeit the more they spake and séemed to grudge against such sore touls tallages and cruell oppressions as were daily deuised to their vtter vndoings the more they were burdened after the manner of the bondage which the children of Israel sometime suffered in Egipt for on the other side the Normans perceiuing the hatred which the Englishmen did beare towardes them were sore offended in their mindes and therefore sought by all manner of waies how to kéepe them vnder In like sort did not Wil. Rufus ouerthrow diuers and sundry townes Holinsh 313. parishes villages and buildings for the space of thrée miles together to make thereof a Forrest which to this day is called the new Forrest for wilde beasts and deare whereby no small member of the poore lost their houses their lands and liuings for the maintenance of sauage beasts Nevv forrest Camden 188. of whose hard dealing in this case Doctor White Bishop of Winchester hath these verses written as Camden affirmeth fo 198. B. of Win. Templa adimit diuis fora ciuibus arua colonis Rufus instituit Beanlensi in rure forestam Rex ceruum insequitur Regem vindicta Tirellus Non bene praeuisum transfixit acumine ferri Did not he cause a greiuous paine to be ordained insomuch that who so euer did kill any of the same deare he should haue his eies put out Eies put out for hunting wherevpon many refusing to sustaine such an intollerable yoke of thrauldome as was dayly laid vpon them by the Normans choose rather to leaue both lands and goods and after the manner of outlawes got them to the woods with their wiues children and seruants meaning from thenceforth wholy to liue vppon the spoyle of the Countries adioyning and to take what so euer came first to hand wherevpon shortlie it came to passe that no man might in safetie trauel from his owne house or towne to his neighbours and euery quiet and honest mans house became as it were a hould or fortresse and was furnished for defence with Bowes Arrowes Billes Pollaxes Swordes Clubbes and Staues the dores kept locked and strongly boulted and namely in the night season for feare to be surprised as it had bin in time of war and amongst publique enimies Prayers were made also to almighty God by the maister of the house to saue and defend them as though they had bin in the middest of the seas in some stormy tempest by meanes of these hard dealing towards the English nation The people in the North parts of this Realme did rebell whome the Normans suppressed Hands cut off for rebelling and caused some of their hands to be cut of in token of their rebellious dealings and others by death to be punished and tooke so great a displeasure with the inhabitants of those parts that he wasted all the land betwixt Yorke and Durham so that for the space of 90. miles there was left in manner no habitation for the people by reason whereof it laie waste and deserte by the space of nine or tenne yeares so that no greater misery in the earth could happen then that into the which our nation was now falne Likewise did not he take from the Towns and Citties from the Bishops and Abbies all their ancient priuiledges and frée Customes to the end they should not onely be cut short and made weaker but also that they might redéeme the same of him for such somes of money as it pleased him to appointe to obtaine their quietnesse and made protestation that as he came to the gouernance of this Realme by plaine conquest so he would and did seize into his hands the most parte of euerie mans possessions causing them to redéeme the same at his handes againe and yet retained a parte in the most parte of them so that they that shoulde afterwardes inioy them shoulde acknowledge themselues to hold them of him in yéelding a yearely rent to him and his successors for euer In like manner when the Spaniards by violence possesthe sed Crowne of Portingall Booke of the estate of Fugitiues did not the king of Spaine vse the authoritie of a Conqueror and the tyrannicall cruelty of an vsurper altring their Lawes confounding their priuiledges ouerturning the whole estate of their gouernment strangling some of their Nobilitie and other of them beheading imprisoning and banishing some other of them with many other horrible and pittifull actions These are also other miseries which followe where the enemy doth get the vpper hand and shall we looke for any other dealing if they should ouercome vs ¶ That we shal preuaile against our enimies by faithful praiers to God wherof diuers examples are here set down out of the Bible also diuers other good perswasions to withstād the enimy and how that euery man is bound so to do whereby great fame is attained and left to posterities Chap. 4. IF we wil consider how valiantly our forefathers haue alwaies resisted forren forces prepared against our countrey 6. cause of incorragemēt and what great renowne and same they haue gotten for their valour in Armes which is spread amongest all Christian Nations of whom it is written Anglia Bistonio semper gens inclita marte England a Nation euer famous in battell Bysto is a coūtrey of valiāt people in warres in thrace Camd. fol. 7. Of whome Iohn Wheathamsted sometime the Abbot of S. Albons in his Granario writeth Sufficiat igitur Britannis pro nobilitatis suae orgine quod sint fortes potentes in praelijs quodque vndique debellent aduersarios nullumque penitus patiantur iugum seruitutis It is sufficient for the Britaine 's of whom we are descended for the beginning of their Nobility that they are strong mightie in battell and that they doe euery where beate downe their enimies and cannot suffer by any meanes the yoke of any bondage If we will remember that no Nation sithence the Conquest of this lande which is about 529. yeares past coulde yet ouercome vs praised be God therfore notwithstanding sundry attempts made to that end if we will call to mind the notable ouerthrowes which king Richard the first gaue the Infidels with a few Englishmen Foxe 245. Hol. 1191. and made the king of Cypres to doe him homage for his kingdome and besides him diuers other valiant kings and people haue we brought into subiection and made them stoope to the Crown of England as by our Chronicles is euident we haue nowe then great cause to be mightily incouraged in
this seruice of defence Shall we now distrust more of the ayde of our mercifull Lord God then our forefathers did whom he so graciously assisted against their enemies or think he wil forsake vs now more then our elders whom he hath alwaies defended in their iust and lawfull accions Surely if we indeuour our selues to serue and feare him to walke in his waies to call vpon him in our troubles and necessities no doubt hee will ayde vs according to his promise Call vpon me saith he by his Prophet Dauid in the time of trouble We must call vpon God to ayde vs against our enimies and I will heare thée and thou shalt praise me And agaiue Knock and it shal be opened vnto you aske and you shall haue Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will surely giue it you Did not the children of Israell ouercome their enimies in battell so long as Moyses held vp his hands and praied vnto God for victorie and when he ceased the enimie preuailed Moyses 2 Chron. 14. Did not the Almighty turne away his displeasure from the children of Israell at the praier of Moyses when they worshipped the golden Calfe as it is written in the 106. psalme So he said he would haue destroyed them Psal 106. had not Moyses his chosen stood before him in the gap to turne away his wrathful indignation least he should destroy them Did not Asha the godly king of Iuda when Sarache king of Ethiopia came against him with an hoast of aboue ten hundred thousand chariots 2 Chron. 14 when they ioyned battell in the vale of Zephera cry to God for aide against Sarachc saying Help vs O Lord our God for wee do put our trust in thee and in thy name wee go against this huge multitude thou art our Lorde God and no man shall preuaile against thee And the Lorde smote the Ethiopians before Asha and Iuda and they were ouerthrowue that there was none of them lefte but were destroyed before the lord and his hoast Did not the good king Iehosophat when the grat number of Iehosophat the Amorytes and Moabites ioyned battell with him before the battell began 2 Chron. 20 stand vp and said Heere O Iuda and inhabitants of Ierusalem put your truste in the Lord your God that you may be found faithfull giue credit to the prophet and so shall you prosper and their enimies were ouerthrowne without stroke amongst themselues and with their owne forces consumed themselues Besides the example of Senacherib king of Assour who with an hoaste of one hundred foure score and fiue thousand as the prophet Esay witnesseth Esay 37. could not preuail when he inuaded Hesechia king of Iuda for Hesechia did put on sackcloth and went vp to the temple and prayid and sent Heliachym and other prophets to Esay that he shuld pray to God for them and God sent his Angels who slew the Assirians hoast Wherby it doth appear that it is not the great multitude of men of war horses chariots but the lord God that giueth victory in battell who is called the lord of hostes who euer fighteth for his owne people and neuer leaueth them distitute that put their trust in him These are left to vs for examples that we should not put trust in our owne forces and strength Psal 127. but repose our confidence in him that hath made all and therfore hath power of al things Psal 108. he must keep and defend the City or els the watchmen that kéep it watch in vaine as the prophet saith and so he must aide and fight for vs or else we cannot preuaile And againe he saith O helpe vs against the enimy for vaine is the helpe of man through God wee shall doe great things it is he that shall tread downe our enimies There is no king that can bee saued by the multitude of an hoast neither is any mightie man deliuered by much strength A horse is counted but a vaine thing to saue a man neither shal he deliuer any man by his great strength Behold the cie of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and vppon them that put their trust in his mercy And yet we may not leaue forces and other ordinary waies deuised and ordained for defence but must vse them as the said godly Kings and princes did against their enimies Psal 118. alwaies hoping in the gratious aid and assistance of almighty God and if he be on our side who is against vs as the Proph. saith The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man doth vnto me Now therefore considering these miseries and calamities which happen where the enimy doth preuaile and the great preparation which they haue made to bring vs vnder their subiections and bondage if euer we will shew our loyalties to our Prince our cuntrey or naturall affection to our parents our loue to our wiues Persvvations to encounter the enemy children and litle infants which cannot defend themselues our good will to our kinsfolkes friends and allies if euer we will shew our selues carefull to preserue our posterity to succéed vs if euer we will haue desire to mantaine the honour worship and fame of the houses wherof we are descended if euer we will shew our selues to come of the séed and generation of our valiant ancestors and couragious forfathers if euer we will leaue honour or fame to our posterities of our valour in arms wherby our ofspring may be also incouraged to follow our steps therein for vertues and acts of fame liue when men are dead as the saying is viuit post funera virtus nowe is the time for it or neuer Therfore let vs pluck vp our harts like mē make ready our horses scowre our armor sharpen our swordes and make bright our weapons which wée are charged to haue by the lawe of this Realme whereof we may haue a view in this booke and furnish our selues further with things méet for the warres according to our ability and when we shall be commaunded by her maiestties authoritie let vs be ready and sette our rest vppon it determining rather to die in field in defence of our Prince and Countrey then that the enimy should preuaile whereby the miseries calamities and bondages afore remembred should fall vpon vs. If we stand to it like men then shall we preserue the word of God amongst vs our gratious Quéene and her most honorable Counsel the state of our common wealth our owne liues and our fathers mothers wiues children friends kinsfolkes allies then shal we posesse our lands our goods and liuings in peace then shall wee preserue and continue our liberties and fréedomes and saue our selues and our posteritie from thrawledome and bondage and we shall passe the rest of our liues to our owne good contentment and likewise according to Gods good pleasure On the other side if we flie which God defend then shall the word of
was slaine with a small shot and this was the end of this noble Earle after he had with much honor more fame and great renowne serued his Prince in warrs foure and twenty years in France and was honorably interred amongst them on whose Tombe in ingrauen as followeth Inscription on the tomb of Iohn first Earle of Shrewsbury Here lieth the right noble knight Iohn Talbott Earle of Shrewsbury Washford Waterford and Valence Lord Talbot of Goodrige and Vrchengfield Lord Strange of the blacke Meere Lord Verdon of Alton Lord Crumwell of Wingfield Lord Louetoft of Worsop Lord Furniuall of Sheffield Lord Faulconbrige knight of the most noble order of S. George S. Michaell and the Golden fleece Great Marshall to king Henry the sixt of his realme of France who died in the battell of Burdeaux in the yeare of our Lord 1453. 1453. If I should set downe euery particular seruice of such as haue discended of this noble house done from time to time in the warres for their prince and countrey it would aske very long time therefore he that desireth to knowe more thereof I referre him to the Chronicles of this realme where they are set forth at large to their great honor and glory And touching the loyalty of this noble house to the Crowne I find it not attainted for any disloyalty to the same sithens the conquest of this realme for which they are most deepely bound to yeeld their most humble thankes to the goodnesse of Almighty God that so from time to time hath blessed the same and so much the more for that a great number of other Peeres and Nobles of this land haue bene attainted sithens that time for their disloyalty In honor of which house of the Lord Talbot I haue made these few verses following TAlbot I am that euer haue bene true Vnto my Prince her crowne and dignity And hope in God my fathers to ensue So as my bloud shall neuer stained be Prest I will be my countrey to defend As doth belong to men of my degree And on her foes my life and land will spend As each man ought for her securitie The acts of warre performed by my name I shall increase as God shall giue me might To serue my Prince when she commands the same As doth belong vnto a faithfull knight My gracious Prince hath honored me With name of thorder of the garter knight Of which great kings haue much desired to be Wherein these words with golden letters bright Hony soyt qui mal y pense are seene As much to say as ill to him befall That ill doth wish vnto so good a Queene And so I pray and during life I shall And for some among many examples of the loyaltie of that noble house Holinsh 368. first I find that William Lord Talbot in king Stephen his time tooke vppon him to defend Hereford in Wales as diuerse other nobles of this Realme did other Castles and townes in England to the vse of Maud the Empresse and her sonne against the sayd king Stephen who vsurped and detayned the Crowne against her sayd son contrary to his oath made to the sayd Empresse her said son being the right heyre to Henry the first his Realme of England Iohn Earle of Shrewsbury was slaine at North taking part with Henry the sixt against the Duke of Yorke others then I find how Sir Gilbert Talbot was sent by the yong Earle of Shrewsbury being within age and ward to Richard the third with two thousand of his tenants and friends to ayde Henry Earle of Richmond against the sayd King Richard Stow. 121. being not onely an horrible murtherer of his Nephewes king Edward the fourth his childrē but also an vsurper of the Crowne whom the sayd Earle ouerthrew at Bosworth field and so obtayned the Scepter Royall of this Realme I note also the great loyalty of the right noble George fourth Earle of Shrewsbury that where diuerse euill disposed persons in the rebellion in the North parts of this Realme about the 28 yeare of the raigne of King Henry the eight gaue forth very slanderous and dishonorable speeches against the sayd Earle Holinsh 1567. as though he had fauored more the part of the rebels then of the king his Maister for a full testimony and declaration of his truth to his Prince he caused his Chapleyn to minister to him an oath in the presence of a great number of people assembled by him to represse the sayd rebels by which oath he did protest that as his Auncesters had bene euer true to the Crowne so be wold not staine his bloud in ioyning with a sort of rebels and traytors against their Prince but sayd he would liue and die in defence of the Crowne if it did stand but vpon a stake How faithfully did the Lord George last Earle of Shrewsbury discharge the great trust reposed in him by her Maiestie and her whole Councell in the garding safe keeping of the Quéene of Scots by the space of seuenteene yeares at the least a matter of such importance as the like so long time was neuer committed to any State or Péere of this Realme sithens the conquest thereof and how carefully he did preuent the sundry deuises and subtill practises wrought by her selfe and others for her escape it is sufficiently knowne The trust was the greater for that if she had escaped no small danger might haue ensued to the person of our most gracious Queene and to the whole Realme as may appeare by her sundry conspiracies against the same In like manner when any matter of great importance for the seruice of the Realme in those parts was committed to him as often many were how carefully and painefully Camden 463. and with what expedition he would dispatch the same the world can testifie what great confidence was reposed in him by the Queenes Maiestie when he was made Lieutenant of the counties of Darby and Stafford in those dangerous dayes and how he performed the same trust to the preseruation of the common peace and quietnesse of those Shires is well knowne to all men what great trust was committed to himselfe also when he had authority in times of rebellion and other outrageous actions in those parts to suppresse the same in forcible manner and to execute the offenders by Marshall iustice without further proceeding in law against thē by the large Commission directed vnto him is manifest Gilbert now the seuenth Earle of Shrewsbury And lastly was not the right honourable Gilbert now Earle of Shrewsbury in the xxxviij yeare of her Maiesties most gracious Raigne sent into Fraunce to receiue the oath of the French king for the confirmation of the most honorable league betwixt her Maiestie and the said king and did not he performe that Embassage to his great honour And did not the sayd king in proofe of his great good acceptation thereof His Embassage most honorably performed in Fraunce giue him
a ring with a diamond therein as I haue heard valued at xv hundreth pounds a thing meet to remaine as an heire loome to that house for euer for a remembrance thereof And now to returne to the valiant seruice of diuerse others to their Prince and countrey let me tell you of Iohn late Duke of Northumberland Iohn Duke of Northūberland of whose fall by his disloyalty to his Prince though there be great pitie yet his courage valiancy and hardinesse in wars and his great aduenture therein I trust without offence may here be remembred as an incouragement to others to follow his steps therein who being in king Edward the sixt his time sent as Generall to suppresse the rebellion of Ket in Norfolke Holinsh 1672. his number being but small by reason his whole power was not yet come to him and the rebels were many was by some of his army aduised to regard his owne safety and to leaue the City of Norwich for that it was thought he was not able with his small company to defend the same against the sayd rebels to whom with noble courage shewing an inuincible hart he sayd that so long as any life was in him he would not consent to such dishonor but rather would suffer whatsoeuer either fire or sword should worke against him and thereupon did draw out his sword as other of the honourable and worshipfull then there present likewise did and commaunded that each one should kisse the others sword according to an auncient custome vsed amongst mē of war in time of great danger wherupon they all made a vow binding it with a solemne oath that they would not depart from thence vntill they had either vanquished the rebels or lost their liues in manfull fight for defence of the kings honour Ambrose Earle of Warwicke Ibid. 1532. How valiantly did Ambrose Earle of VVarwicke in the fourth yeare of the Raigne of our Soueraigne Lady the Queenes Maiestie that now is defend the towne of Newhauen in Fraunce notwithstanding they died in great numbers of the plague so as they wanted men and other things necessarie for defence yet would not yéeld the towne by force but manfully stood ready in the breaches to receiue the assault whē the Frenchmen had with their Cannon made great breaches verie easie for the enemie to enter wherupon the Frenchmen perceiuing the resolutenesse of the Englishmen sounded their Trumpet of parley and so vpon honorable agréement then concluded vpon the towne was yéelded vp to the Frenchmen Besides how valiantly did Sir Iames Wilford and other Captaines with their souldiers defend the towne of Haddington in Scotland against the French and Scots being about eightéene thousand in king Edward the sixt his dayes and would not yéeld it although they had scarsitie of men and munition and were also greatly visited with the plague so as manie died thereof dayly but most valiantly and with inuincible courages defended the same Holinsh 1638. so as it was not surprised by the enemie How valiantly resolutely did the Lord Gray of Wilton Lord Iohn Gray the Lord Ed. Seymer Edward Shelley Preston and others to the number of seuen and twentie all Gentlemen set vpon the foreward of the battell of the Scots at Musclebrough in Scotland Expedition paten folio in king Edward the sixt his time meaning to haue broken their array but the Scots had so strongly fortified themselues that they could not enter and so in their retiring they were all slaine sauing the Lord Gray of Wilton and the Lord Iohn Gray and Lord Ed. Seymer who not without wounds and marks vpon their bodies of their being there escaped By these examples it appeareth that those Noblemen and others respected not their liues nor any painfull seruice or extremities in the seruice of their Prince and countrey for which they shall liue in fame for euer Mē may not respect any trauell or pain to serue their Prince and country He that hath desire to liue in name when he is dead in bodie must indeuour himselfe according to his calling as God hath indowed him to leaue some memorie whereby it may appeare that once hee liued as these verses following shew 1 THough Death the fatal threed of ech man cuts in twaine Yet vertues ay shall liue and worthie acts remaine 2 For others to ensue their painefull steps therein Whereby they may attaine like lasting praise to winne 3 But such as not regard to leaue some deed of fame When they are dead shall lie without regard or name 4 And soone shall be forgot as they had neuer bin And shall not be thought of no scarce amongst their kinne 5 What difference shall be then twixt great and meanest man When of their worthie acts no booke record ought can 6 What booteth titles great of honour for to haue Or Croesus golden store when men lie in the graue 7 More worth a thousand fold t is famous for to be For vertues and noble acts then all the rest to thee 8 That moued mightie kings and great States of this land And manie others mo great things to take in hand 9 Some kingdomes to subdue by sword both farre and neare Their persons ventred haue and dangers did not feare 10 And manie worthy Peeres their Prince to serue in field And countrey to defend great acts with speare and shield 11 Performed haue which fame with blast of trumpe hath spread Whereby they liue in name though they in graue ly dead 12 And some haue Churches built in honor of our Lord Where they did giue him thanks and praise with one accord 13 Some Colledges for such as learning list embrace Their countrey and their Prince to serue in euerie place 14 Some Schooles to traine vp youth in skill and vertues lore While tender yeares do last in age to haue in store 15 Some Hospitals for poore where they may be relieued When crooked age of strength to worke hath them bereaued 16 And these they haue endow'd with liuing and with land To their immortall fame for euermore to stand 17 These for their Founders pray and benefactors all And for their off-spring eke on God cease not to call 18 For their prosperitie and foes eke to withstand That all things prosper may which they do take in hand 19 And when they are gone hence that in the latter day They may rise vp with Christ in ioyes to dwell alway 20 None only for himselfe but for his countrey too Is borne and bound for her the best he can to do 21 The Brutish kings that long did beare the scepter here Faire temples to their gods and Castles strong that were 22 And cities large and townes erected manie one The enemie to defend they walled them with stone 23 And manie famous men the founders of our skill Their learned works haue left to studie on that will 24 Before that Christ was borne whose glorie liues this day And while the
among Christian Princes and to moue their subiects to oppose against them surely his owne conscience shall testifie against him which will be as strong as a thousand witnesses as Persius very well sayth Poena autem vehemens ac multo seuerior illis Satyr 3. Quas Ceditius grauis inuenit Rodamanthus Nocte diéque suum gestare in pectore testem And againe Conscientia mille testes onus Aetna grauius Can he find by the word of God No subiect can rebell for any cause Rom. 13. that it is lawfull for the subiect to rebell against his Prince for any cause whatsoeuer Saint Paul sayth Let euery soule submit himselfe to the higher powers there is no power but of God all powers that are be ordayned of God and whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and procureth to himselfe damnation When Pilate sayd to Christ Iohn 18. Knowest thou not that I haue power to loose thee also to crucifie thee he sayd thou shouldest haue no power at all ouer me were it not giuen thee from aboue our Sauior Christ was called afore the high Priests to answere to his doctrine did he oppose himselfe any way against them no he knew they had their authority from God and therefore he shewed all obedience to them in respect of their place and patiently suffered death though vniustly according to their wicked law and iudgements When Malcus with other of the high Priests seruants came by their commandement to take Christ Iohn 18. Peter drew out his sword cut off Malcus eare Christ said vnto him Put vp thy sword into thy sheath Math. 25. for all that strike with the sword shall perish therewith thinkest thou that I cannot speake to my Father and he shall giue me more then twenty legions of Angels but how should then the Scripture bee performed The famous clarke Erasmus in his Paraphrase vppon this place of Scripture Paraphrase speaketh these words vnto Peter as it were in the persō of Christ Put vp thy sword into thy sheath matters of the Gospell are not in such manner to be defended if thou wilt succeed me as my vicar thou must fight with no other sword then of Gods word which cutteth away sinne and saueth the man And the auncient father Tertullian in his Apologia cap. 37 sayth In our profession more meeter it is to be slaine then to slay So did all the Martyrs of God by whom the Church of Christ increased Saint Augustine saith Not resistendo sed perferendo Not by resisting but by suffering If the Prince should set foorth a law touching the worshiping of God or matter of conscience against the word of God and lymit a paine to the breakers thereof Acts. 4. though the subiect be not bound in conscience to obserue that law for in such cases a man must rather obey God then man yet he may not rebell nor oppose himselfe violently against his Prince but he must rather referre his cause to God and submit himselfe to the punishmēts of the law Peter 2. as Saint Peter saith Submit your selfe to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the king as to the chiefe or to them that be sent of him then it followeth he may not rebell whatsoeuer the ordinance be The Iewes had a law that whosoeuer should say he was the Sonne of God should die Christ that was the soonne of God in déede Looke Iohn 19. verse 7. and so declared himselfe to the people to be yet he did submit himselfe to the paine of the law thoughit be vngodly ¶ The manner how to suppresse rebels with a perswasion to all subiects to the due of obedience of their Prince the great inconueniences that arise of ciuill warres How hatefull the name of a traytour is to the posteritie and what plagues haue fallen not onely vppon traytors but also vppon such as haue bene murmurers against their Princes Gouernors CHAP. 8. WHen the Princes of Germany determined to take armes against the emperor for the defence of their religion Bodinus 211 they asked Luther if it were lawfull so to do who answered expresly that it was not Sleildan 4. and would not perswade them thereunto saying that no cause could be iust for the subiect to beare armes against his Prince countrey And because it is conuenient that rebellious and disordered people should be dealt withall with conuenient speed Bodinus lib. 4. fol. 487. let vs heare what Bodinus writeth concerning the maner how Si tamen seditio priùs coorta fuerit quà m prospiceretur sapientissimos ac summa virtute praestantes viros qui populi motus orationis lenitate ac prudētia regere possunt adhibere oportebit nam qui vi◠adhibent perinde faciunt vt ij qui torrentem praecipiti casu de rupibus altissimis labentem sistere se posse confidunt How rebels must be suppressed If seditious persons and rebels be assembled together afore it be foreseene the wisest men and such as for their great vertue excell can moue the people with their gentle and wise perswasions are most meetest to be vsed for such as at the first vse force do as they which thinke to stay a great water falling headlong from the high rocks If wild beasts cannot be tamed with strokes but by gentle and skilfull vsing of them who can thinke with sharpe and rough words to tame such as of all beasts are most fierce The Senate of Rome did very often reprehend such as vsed force to appease the furie of the people and rather cōmended Menenius Agrippa which not with bitternesse but rather with gentlenesse and cunning vsed to reduce the people to their obedience and dutie which aboue all other bred to him immortall praise and glorie to the common wealth And to that effect the Poet Virgill writeth thus Ac veluti magno in populo cum sepè coorta est Seditio Aeneid lib. 1. saeuitque animis ignobile vulgus Iamque faces saxa volant furor arma ministrat Tum pietate grauem ac meritis si fortè virum quem Conspexêre silent arrectisque auribus astant Ille regit dictis animos pectora mulcet Whē sedition is raised amongst the common people in their rage firebrands and stones flie for furie doth minister weapons then if they see by chaunce anie graue man to be reuerenced for his vertee and good deserts they are silent and hearken to him diligently and he asswageth with his mildnesse and wise speeches their minds and rages Pericles So did Pericles the Athenian Peter Loredan the Venetian and others whereby it appeareth that vertue and wisdome doth sometime mors preuaile in these cases then either lawes armes or the commandement of rulers And to restraine such rebellious people and reduce them to due obedience the feare and reuerence of Religion hath bene in times past of great force Lib.
4. fol. 480 for as Bodinus writeth whē ciuill warres were raised amongst the Florentines and great slaughter and bloudshed happened amongst them in the Citie and no force of man could restraine the same Frauncis Soderinus the Bishop hauing on his pontificall ornaments and a companie of Priests attending on him and the Crosse borne before him entred into the middest of the Citizens thus assembled whereupon they forthwith for the feare they had of religion did put off their armour so did Iudas Bishop of the Hebrues High Priest when Alexander the great came to the citie of Ierusalem with a great host being apparelled in his holy vestiments met him which sight and the brightnesse whereof being feared Alexander did reuerence the Bishop did not spoile the countrie nor holy Citie but with great benefites did inlarge the same By like meanes Vrbane the Pope is said to haue turned and remoued away the siege of Attila from the citie of Aquila 5. Ioseph in anti as Iosephus writeth but when none of these will serue then the extermitie of armes must be vsed And because good perswasions and mild spéeches are thought so conuenient to be vsed to appease such vprores I haue thought good to set downe this simple exhortation which followeth After that Almightie God had destroyed the world for the finne of man Exhortation to rebels sauing Noah and his family who were preserued in the Arke by Gods prouidence and that nations and people did againe increase and multiply vpon the face of the earth knowing in his euerlasting wisedome how necessarie good and wholsome lawes should be for the gouernment and direction of his people he gaue the lawes of the tenne commandements in the mount Sinay wherein is contained first our dutie to almighty God and next to our neighbour then he also ordained Kings Princes and Gouernors to rule and order their subiects and to punish the offenders thereof by these lawes and gaue them power to make lawes as Salomon saith Prou. 8. By me kings raigne through me Princes make good lawes And lastly he gaue straight commandemēt to the subiects touching their obedience to their Soueraigne Lords and rulers Rom. 13. as Saint Paule saith Let euerie soule submit himselfe to the higher Powers there is no power but of God all powers that be are ordained of God whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist procure to themselues damnation for rulers are not fearefull to them that do well but to them that do euill Wilt thou be without feare of the power do well then and so thou shalt be praised of him for he is the minister of God ordained for thy wealth But if thou do euill then feare for he beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the minister of God to take vengeance of them that do euill Wherfore we must obey not onely for feare of vengeance but for conscience sake also for that cause we pay tribute for they are Gods ministers seruing for that purpose Now what euill counsel hath moued you thus to enter into armes against your naturall Prince and Liege Ladie whom Almightie God hath ordained to supply his place and to raigne ouer you Who hath be witched you thus to abuse the great loue and fauour of so gracious a Quéene which she hath borne alwayes and doth dayly shew to her good subiects to oppose against her that is studious to set forth the Gospell that is and hath bene so carefull to maintaine such common peace amongst vs these fortie yeares and more Though this be touched afore yet it is not vnmeet to be vsed here to these men as the like hath not bin séene nor heard of neither is to be found in anie record or Chronicle of this realme sithence the conquest therof which is aboue 528 yeares for the like time of gouernment that is desirous to raigne with mercie with loue with pitie and tender compassion and not by tyrannie nor by effusion of bloud neither alwayes by inflicting the extremitie of her lawes vpon such as most iustly haue deserued the execution of the same that is mercifull to offenders bountifull to well deseruers of her Maiestie and their conntrey that to her great charge hath fortified this realme with strong Castles and a Nauie of warlike shippes and all other things necessarie for the warres in great aboundance for the defence of her kingdome and people that hath not laid vpon vs any taxes or tallages but the like thereof hath bene before her time and greater also that hath made good lawes and taken a solemne oath in the day of her coronation to endeuour her selfe that the same shall be holden kept and executed vnto all her subiects indifferently without respect of persons and is also well pleased to be ordered by the same her selfe If you consider the horrible murthers of great persons the pitifull slaughter of man woman and child by fire and sword the lamentable rauishments of maids wiues and widowes the ransacking and spoiling of Cities and townes with many other miseries and calamities which haue hapned continued in other countreys not farre hence these many yeares by occasion of ciuill warres and dissention you shall find that we haue cause to thinke our selues most bound of all nations to the goodnesse of God in that he hath not suffered vs to be afflicted and visited with the like all which haue bene preuēted by the great wisedome and prouidence of her Maiestie her graue Councell These besides other infinite great kindnesse and benefites her highnesse hath daily most graciously bestowed vpon vs that more nor greater no Prince can extend to her people and shall we now be vnthankfull for the same shall we yéeld vnkindnesse for kindnesse shall we recompence her daily care studie to do vs good by seeking danger to her person and perill to her state which may ensue by your forcible and violēt opposing against her There is nothing worse bestowed then that is done to the vngratefull and forgetfull man as Erasmus writeth Nihil peius confertur quà m quod hemini ingrato atque non scienti A man that receiueth a good turne if there be any good nature in him will alwayes be thankful and so much the more when he is not able to deserue or requite the least part thereof king Dauid that receiued many good things at the hands of God shewed not himselfe vnthankfull but breaking out as it were on a suddaine sayd vnto himselfe Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi calicem salutaris accipiam nomen Domini inuocabo Psal 116. 107. What shall I yeeld vnto God for all that he hath done vnto me I will take the cup of thankesgiuing and call vpon the name of the Lord. It is all that Almighty God doth looke for at our hands that we should be thankfull vnto him for all his mercies louing kindnesse that