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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	holy_a	mercy_n	miserable_a	4,748	5	11.1845	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69098	A most excellent hystorie, of the institution and firste beginning of Christian princes, and the originall of kingdomes wherunto is annexed a treatise of peace and warre, and another of the dignitie of mariage. Very necessarie to be red, not only of all nobilitie and gentlemen, but also of euery publike persone. First written in Latin by Chelidonius Tigurinus, after translated into French by Peter Bouaisteau of Naunts in Brittaine, and now englished by Iames Chillester, Londoner. Séen and allowed according to the order appointed.; Histoire de Chelidonius Tigurinus sur l'institution des princes chrestiens, & origine des royaumes. English	Chelidonius, Tigurinus.; Boaistuau, Pierre, d. 1566.; Chillester, James.	1571 (1571)	STC 5113; ESTC S104623	160,950	212

one hyre one paine hauing one enimy whiche is Sathan all subiect to passions equall to receiue death Now that I haue sufficiently intreated of peace and warres the commodities of the one the incoueniences of the other I wil shew you also how by what meanes ye may win and enioy peace There is no medicine more mete to eschue warres discord then to flée from insatiate ambition loue of ourselues desire to reuēge and rule whiche is the very spring and fountaine from whence floweth al occasions of strife and debate as the Prophet Esay saith Cursed be you that ioyne house with house land with lande thinke you to dwel vppon the earth alone This is also verifyed by Moyse● gods minister when he sheweth to the people that their sins are the cause of the warres where he saith If ye do not obey my cōmaundements but do contemn my iudgements preceptes I wyl set my face agaynst you and you shal fal béefore your enemyes and they that hate you shall reigne ouer you and yée shall flee when no manne shall followe you I will sende a swoorde vppon you whyche shall be a reuenger of my Testamentes that yée haue broken and violated and yée shall bée giuen in praye to youre enemyes As the holy Prophete doothe confyrme in an other place where he saythe If my people had hearkned vnto mée and that Jsrael had walked in my ways I wold haue humbled their enimies before them and I would haue layd my hand vpon them that they should haue ben ouerthrowne Note a little how the Lorde hath afflicted his people by warres to chasten them for their sinnes and wickednesse specially for the vice of idolatrie Somtimes by the Madianites somtims by the Chananites sometime by the Philistians other sometime by the Ammon●●●s and other people their neighbors Which thing Iosua did pronosticate to them but how cruelly were they plagued by the king of Assyrians and broughte into seruitude and al bicause they did forsake the Lord their God and worshipped the calues of Ieroboam howe were the people of Iuda plaged by Nabuchodonosor bicause they cōmitted idolatrie as Ieremie the Prophet did prophecie to them Ye must not therfore maruell as the Prophet Oseas sayth yf blood séeke blood seeing that fraude hatred couetousnesse and fornication raigneth vpon the earth Wée sée at the eye how the hande of God is not abbreuiated we sée how that he shooteth off the arrowes of his wrath ageynst vs hée stretcheth foorth his hande as the Prophete sayeth and stryketh vs in his furie bycause oure greate offences doo stirre and prouoke hym dayely theretoo Lette vs therefore chaunge oure lyues and tourne to goodnesse Lette vs drawe oure féete from crooked wayes and hee wyll appease his wrathe For hée is gentle euen in his anger as the Prophete Ioell doothe wryte Tourne you too the Lorde of Hostes sayeth Zachary and he will tourne too you Hearken howe Ieremie the holy Prophete doothe exalte and magnifye the mercye of the Lorde Thou haste sayeth hée commytted whooredome wyth many naughtie women yet turne to mée and I will receiue thée wée haue all committed fylthynesse wyth the fleshe the Diuell and the Worlde and yet alwayes the Lorde is ready to stretche oute hys hande too vs this is the father of mercie consolation The people of Israell as the scriptures testifie haue ben very prompt to commit al euil and for punishment the Lord did always render thē into the hands and seruitude of others to punish them But alwayes when they repented he sente them one to deliuer thē out of the yoke and seruitude to restore them to the first state and libertie The people of Iuda after that they had remained a long time for their abhominable sinnes in the seruitude and bondage of Babilon the Lorde in the ende moued with pitie restored them to their former felicitie Dauid being driuen to fight by his sonne Absolon fled bare footed and bare headed all discomforted with sorowe through the deserts yet was he through his humilitie restored to his kingdom again The harts of Kings and Princes be in the hands of the Lord he wil turne them what way it pleaseth him sayth the wise man And all these examples which we haue produced heere before tende to none other ende but to declare to the people that all the warres and persecutions that come vppon them happen not by chance but they procéede from the secrete iudgementes of God who dothe permit them to the entent he woulde punishe their offences in the which they are greatly buried He suffereth that they shal be wakened from their delites and pleasures by the scourge of warre which he stirreth vp against them by their neighbors as S. Austen saithe in Ciuitate Dei. And as for you Ministers of the Church and such as make profession to preach the woorde of God I would wishe you shuld bend your selues altogither to speake against warres and barke and crie out all with one open voice againste the same and let your pulpets and all other your publike places sounde of none other thing but of peace and exhorte all Princes continually to concorde and vnion Oh how beautifull sayth the Prophet be the féete of them that preache Peace And S. Paule also exhorteth vs to pray for Kings and Princes that the Lorde will suffer them to ende the course of their liues in peace As likewise the Jewes being in Babylon with Ieconias king of Iuda did wryte to their brethren that were at Jerusalem that they shuld pray for Nabuchodonozor king of Babilon for his sonne Balthazar that they mighte liue in peace with them and finde grace before them And further Ieremie enspired with the holy ghost did instruct the Jewes that were in bondage at Babilon that they shuld pray for the Citie that they were in to the end that it being in peace they also mighte enioy the same You see loe how the Lord wold that his people shuld pray for the Ethnikes that were without God without law Howe much more are we boūd of duetie to pray for Christian Princes And aboue all things we muste take good héede that we put not the oyl into the fire to make it flame as did that miserable Achitophel that stirred Absolon against his father who in the end receiued a shamefull deathe in satisfaction of his offence As likewise the priest Abiather bicause he cōsented to such wicked coūsel was put out of his sacerdotal dignity Nowe I will conuerte my spéeche to you Monarches Emperoures Kings and Princes and others being in authoritie of whom the pore people do depend You I say that are their soules and their heads enter into your selues and be not caryed away with your owne affections be such towards your subiectes as the faithful fathers of the houshold are towardes their children following the Counsel of that

murthering of innocentes rauishing of honest vviues and maidens burning spoyling and destroying of countreys euen the very frutes of vvarre and yet commonly that vvhiche is gotten vvith muche paynes great expenses and vnmercyfull effusion of christian bloud is oftentymes in one moment lost againe And therfore more praise shall those princes deserue that leaue their kingdomes to their successors quiet and vvelthy than those that for the conquest of others haue impouerished and disturbed their ovvne And bycause this sayde treatise of Peace and vvarre dothe declare both the extremities as vvell vvhat number of beautifull cities haue ben edified and vvhat greate countreys haue ben enriched by peace and quietnesse as also vvhat goodly regions and prouinces haue ben destroyed and ouerthrovvne by stryfe and vvarre it is very necessary for all Princes and Magistrates to spende some little tyme to reade the same to the end they may thereby take occasion so honourably to leade their liues as after their deathes they may shyne to their posteritie and vvinne thereby euerlasting fame and renoume And in the other treatise of the daunger and hurt that doth grovv to a common vvelth by incontinencie and of the commendation of Mariage added also to this Author by the said translater out of the latin into the French tong is shevved and manifested moste vvorthy Princesse by many fearefull and horrible examples hovve that the Lorde God aboue all other sinnes hath most greuously plagued the vvorlde in all estates from age to age for that abhominable and filthie sinne of incontinencie yea euen to the vtter subuersion of many noble regions and kingdomes vvith the rooting out of the posteritie of their kings and princes for euer For the auoyding vvherof he hath appoynted and ordeyned that holy and honorable state of matrimonie into the vvhiche he vvilleth that all estates shall enter vvhen they feele themselues vnapte to liue sole as vvell for the procreation of children as for the comfort and relief of their vveak and imperfect nature that vve shold keepe the bondes thereof vvith all purenesse and innocencie of mynde that it be not layde in condemnation agaynst vs in the day vvhen all mennes dooings shall be made open and manyfest And this kynde of lyfe is so greatly aduaunced and honoured that it is not onely had in estimation amongs Christians but also amonges the Heathen yea and Nature vvoorketh suche effecte in all creatures that euen amongs the brute and saluage beastes and also amongs insensible thyngs there appeareth a mutuall affection betvvene the male and female as shall euidentlye appeare in readyng this sayde Discourse And novv most noble and redoubted Princesse that I haue signified vnto your excellencie the vvhole effecte of this sayd authour vvhiche I haue turned out of the frenche into oure Englishe tong though not so eloquently as others coulde haue doone yet I trust truly and according to the meaning of the sayde Authour I doo vvith all submission present the same vnto your highnesse not as a matter needefull to put your Maiestie in remembrance of any thing that shoulde be vvanting in your noble personage appertaining to the dutie of the maiestie royal of a prince being most manifest and aparāt to the vvhole vvorld your maiestie doth dayly fight and combat against those enormities that are most chiefly reprehended in this vvork but rather to be as it vvere a glasse for your highnesse to see and beholde to your graces great comfort the manyfolde benefites that God hath bestovved at all tymes and in all ages on those that haue loued and feared hym and hovve that vvyth hys mightye hande he hathe and dayly dothe keepe and defend all suche Princes and Magistrates as doo iustely and truly execute theyr offices in maynteynyng of Iustice and seekyng the aduauncemente of his glorie by setting foorth true Relygion according to his holy vvoorde and commaundemente vvhyche vvith vvhat greate studie and care of mynde youre hyghnesse trauayleth to do continually bothe GOD and the vvorlde are vvitnesses notvvithstanding that dyuerse and many greate conspiracies haue ben and dayely are practized in these perillous and dangerous dayes agaynst your maiestie for the same vvhich thanks be to God haue alvvayes ben reueled before they vver ripe vvherin of his great goodnesse mercy he hath miraculously defended your noble and royall persone from tyme to tyme as it vvere in despite of your enimies and against all their deuises and policies euen to some of their confusion and to the greate admiration and vvonder of the reste vvhiche is a strong and infallible argument that hee is pleased in these your dooings in the vvhiche if your Maiestie do perseuere it shall be no doubt not onely a great reioycing to all your true and faithfull subiectes and terrour to your sayde enimies but also a mightie defence and strong bulvvarke ageynst all such as any vvays seeke to trouble and anoy your highnesse moste quiet estate Ceassing novv any longer to vvearie youre Maiestie vvith ouer many vayne and superfluous vvordes there resteth nothing for the perfect accomplishement of the same but a safecundite to serue as a guyde to make it passe the more surely amongs such captious persons as are more ready to fynd fault than any vvayes to put to their hands to amend the same VVherfore I doo moste humbly beseeche your highnesse not to take it in euill parte that I doo presume to call vppon your diuine name and dedicate the same to your excellencie for a defence and safegarde beeing moste assured that it can not bee but vvell receyued and fauoured of all menne if it maye haue so good happe to bee defended vvith the beames and brightenesse of the excellent vertues that doo most abundantly flovve in youre moste noble and royall person moste humbly beseeching the same to accepte this at the handes of youre faythful true and obedient subiecte as the first frutes of his labour and as the gifte of him that vvoulde giue better if it vvere any vvayes in his povver praying GOD to graunt youre most excellent hyghnesse vvithall long and prosperous reygne ouer vs perfecte health muche tranquillitie and ageynst all your enemies most happie triūphant victorie Your moste humble and obedient subiect IAMES Chillester ¶ A Table conteyning all the Chapters of this present Booke THe definition of a King and what a kingdome is and howe that in many insensible things and also in brute beasts we shal finde certaine similitudes and figures of Kingdomes and common wealthes Chapter 1. Folio 15. How that the first beginning of Kings and princes is very ancient and that immediatly after the creation of the World the people beganne too choose and electe Kinges and Princes Chapter 2. Fol. 24. What the Dignitie Royall is and how the same cannot be supplied without greate trouble and danger with a declaration what kinde of gouernement is best for the people to liue happily and quietly Chapter 3. Folio 32. How that those which shall commaund others ought first

and correct the infinite numbres of periuries blasphemies which do reigne amongs the people and that with suche seueritie as they may taste of their iustice And forasmuch as the maiestie of God is thereby contemned if by their negligence the same doo remaine vnpunished they shal be accomptable for it before God who will shoote the arrowes of his wrath vpon them and vpon the earth For if wée be ready and diligent to chastise them that be condemned of treason or that doo backbite speake euil of Kings and Princes that presently for the offence cōmitted we hang them burne them quarter them and confiscate their goodes Why should we not be muche more zelous to pursue them that do cōtemne the Maiestie of God before whom and to whome all shall obey and bowe their knees specially béeing straightly commaunded therevnto by the Lorde where hee wylleth that blasphemers shall bée chased oute of the Citie and that the people shall stone them to death King Nabuchodonosor who of an abhominable tyraunte was becomme the disciple of Danyell did ordeyne that yf any Nation or people did blaspheme the name of the God of Danyell that he shoulde be cut in péeces Kyng Darius lykewyse wrote vnto all his subiects that they should feare the God of Daniel And we haue many examples of a great number of Kings Prophets apostles and byshops as Samuell Iosaphat Moyses Artaxerxes and Darius who dyd stone to death the blasphemers and amongst all others that good king Loys dyd make a lawe that suche blasphemers shoulde haue their tungs thruste through with an hote yron But this vice is so common at this day that if all that do offend therin should be thus punished all the Smithes vppon the earth wolde not suffise to heate the yrons seeing then it is so that Kings and Princes be patrons proctours and the children of the Churche they ought to girde theyr swords about their loynes for the honoure and glory of God as the Psalmist doothe teache them that is to say they should imploy all their chief study and care therin and to trauell by all meanes possible to clense their realmes and dominions of these rauening wolues false Prophets seducers of the people erronious teachers and hipocrites that wolde séeme to bée discréet and sage before the eyes of the world and to be wise in their owne conceites and yet in deede are but asses and fooles replenished with all ignoraunce and blindnesse blinde and leaders of the blinde resisters of the holy Ghost and the truth and giuen vp into a reprobate sense For Sathan the prince of this world as S. Paule writeth doth so bleare their eyes and so shut vp their minds that hauing their eyes open they sée not and in hearing they heare not And this procedeth of the furiouse rage of the Deuill who stirreth them vp ageinst God and the ministers of his worde And such troublers and persecuters of the Churche haue begon and endured euen from the time that Iesus Christ our redemer ascended into Heauen vntill the tyme of the emperor Constantine the great which cōtinued nere 300. yeres during which time the poore church was maruelously afflicted and troubled as vnder the gouernement of Nero Domitianus Traianus Adrianus Anthonius Seuerus and Diocletianus For alwayes when it was thought the Churche to be in most best peace and trāquilitie wherby mennes harts waxed carelesse with ouermuch ydlenesse and want of zele and suche as ought to haue bin the chief conseruers and mainteiners of true and sincere doctrine wer negligent and had no regard therof then by and by the Deuill stirred vp sturdy and furiouse sprites flattering and ambicious mindes to sowe false doctrine to deface the truthe and dyd ingender greate confusion in the Church as when by the meanes of Constantine the great the Churche had gotten some tranquillitie and rest beholde incontinentlye the furie of the Arrians Pelagians Manichees Eunomyens Macedoniens Nestorians Eutychiens and many others béeganne to spring vp to so greate a hinderaunce and decaye of the Christian common welth that the woundes thereof hathe well appeared too all the posteritie folowyng and not staying at all these persecutions but euen then that false Prophet Mahomet most wicked of all others béeganne to exalte himselfe who by his cruell malyce hath infected the moste part of the earth And for as muche as his beginning is recounted sundry wayes by many Aucthours too the end I would giue some pleasure too the Reader and to satysfie the requeste of a Gentlemanne a fréende of myne and for as muche also as iuste occasyon is nowe offered I will faythfully and truely rehearse that whyche I haue redde as well in his Alk●ron as in other auncient authours and some others that of late haue written any thing of his lyfe And bycause that no man shal think that I do write here vppon the reporte or credyte of others or that I haue heerevnto added or diminished any thing after myne owne fantasye or deuyse I wyll gyue the Reader to vnderstand what Aucthours I haue chiefly followed in this treatise to the end that yf he bée desyrous to haue a more full or ample Discourse hereof I wil send hym to Aeneas Syluius otherwyse called Pope I●●us Pomponius Latus in the abridgement of the Romain historie Platina in the life of the popes Blondus in hys booke of the fall of the Empire of Rome Nauclerus Baptist Egnatius in his abridgement of the emperours Paulus Iouius Lodouicus Viues in a certeine treatise of his the Alcoran it selfe of Mahomet and also Alcimadus his interpreter vppon Caalay which he commended vppon A. Berosus vpon Cyar of the acts of Mahomet Hayn Moymu Mustlin And if he be not satisfied with al these ancient authours I haue hereunto adioyned the testimonie of those which haue bin of late dayes in Turky and haue had the experience and proof of al these matters as Petrus Belon who diligently hath written all things which he obserued in that his iorney And Bartholomeus Georgieniso who continued there the space of nine or ten yeres and was sold and boughte there fiue or six times hath written vnto vs all his whole vyage whose testimonies I will here remēber chiefly for two causes the one is for that I might assure the reader that in this little discourse which I do here present vnto him he shall find the perfect summarie of all that any others haue written before The other cause is wholly to extinguish and take away the greate desire that many haue to reade the sayd Alcoran in which they suppose to finde some greate straunge and maruelous matter but assuredly they are farre deceiued of their accompte for in reading thereof they shall finde no kind of pleasure at all nor no phrase or propertie of words well vsed but rather a disordered stile without sappe or sauoure or any sentence or other matter else therin that might delight or

it vnto him and retaineth it in suche sorte that when a man shall take it away it seemeth to suffer some passion This maruellous puissance of amitie séemeth to extende likewise to Metalles which we see manifestly that Mercurie is so affected to Gold that if he be neere it he plungeth incontinently into it as if he were rapt and caryed away with some extreeme loue I dare well adde vnto this a thing more maruellous but to the euerlasting cōfusion and slaunder of man that euen the very Diuels and wicked spirites themselues by whose malice the first aliance and concorde betweene God man was broken haue a certaine amitie and confederacie togither in such manner that they do exercise their rages and tyrannies againste vs by a mutuall consent and accorde But Oh immortal God man to whome peace is more necessary than to all other creatures only doothe despise and contemne the same And yet if you wil compare man with other beastes and behold and note him well from the head euen to the foote you shall not finde any marke or token in him that doth not promise peace And as for brute beastes nature hath prouided to the contrary apt armor to defend thē in their kinde as to Buls he hath giuen hornes to Lions nailes to wilde Bores furious teethe to Elephants long snoutes to Dolphins sharp prickes poynted like spurres to Crocodiles harde skinnes impenitrable with greate and strong nailes to Serpentes venime which doth supply the want of other defences Bisides all this Nature hathe giuen to some beastes a hideous forme to some flaming eyes to others some a fearfull crie and terrible manner of lowing but to man shee hath not giuen nor prouided other armor but wéeping wailing and therfore it is farre vnmeete that he should be borne for war who assoone as he is brought forth vpon the earth knoweth none other meanes to demaunde any succor or aide but by weeping and crying Let vs marke his figure in whom the very Caracter of God is Imprinted and we shall not perceiue it hideous or fearfull as other Beastes be but meeke gentle pleasant and amiable euen very marks and tokens of perpetual amitie and concord Marke his eyes you shal see them to be two faire lights and messangers of the soule which shew not so furious or burning as other beastes do but pleasant and delectable alwayes lifted vp towards heauen from whēce he tooke his beginning the beames wherof haue suche puissance in all creatures that it seemeth it should be some charme that Nature hathe giuen to man to pierce into the very depthe profound partes of our harts shee hathe giuen man also armes to embrace one an other and to him only is giuē the delite of kissing for a more ample testimonie and seale of amitie To man only is giuen laughing the very token of mirthe and pleasantnesse To man only is giuen teares which be faithfull messengers of clemencie and mercie and dothe sometimes stande vs in steade of spunges to drie vp little fumes of choller that doe nowe and then rise amongs vs. Likewise shee hathe giuen man a voice not sharpe and shirle as shaée hathe done to other beastes but swéete pleasant and harmonious And yet nature not thinking it sufficient to garnishe him with all these giftes but shée hath giuen him the vsage of reason and spéeche a thing of an incredible force and puissance to nourishe amitie and good will amongs men Further shée hath ordained to man a companable felowship to driue away all carefulnesse and sorowe and to make him the better estéemed shée hathe induced him also with knowledge and learning wherby he shal be able to bridel the moste hautiest and barbarous Tirant vpon the whole earthe And further to bring him to his full and entier perfection shée hathe grauen in him certaine sparkes of godlinesse and vertue that euen withoute any precepts or teaching only guided by Nature he can discern the good from euill And bisides all these giftes and fauours of Nature for the more increase of amitie shée hathe so appoynted and ordered all things that one hathe néede and helpe of an other euen from the greastest to the leaste And shee hathe not so ordained and appoynted that any one prouince shall bring foorthe all things that are necessary for the vse of man but shée hathe disposed all things in suche order that one shall borowe and as it were desire some one thing of an other the better to tie and confederate vs firmely togithers And thus loe you sée howe Nature a gratious mother to mankinde hathe lefte vnto vs many meanes and wayes whereby we may encrease amitie and concord And further if we will searche diligently through all the state of our life we shall perceiue that without a mutual peace and loue which dothe maintaine and conserue vs togithers the memorie of mankinde should remaine wholly buryed and extincte for euer For firste of all if it were not for the loue that is in Matrimonie amitie which is moste noble moste excellent and most holy and for desire of procreation mankinde should perishe immediatly after he is brought forthe into this world And if it were not also for the loue and diligence of Nurses and Midwiues by whose succour and ayde we are defended and nourished our feeblenesse and imperfection is suche as we should bee deuoured of wylde beasts and serue as meate for them And let vs note the great loue of the fathers and mothers towards their children which is of suche force that they loue them before they see them beeing yet in their entrailes a loue certayne that returneth agayne from the chyldren to their parents whom they doe likewise nourish and sustaine in their ages euen vntill death call for them and after deathe render them againe to the earth from whence they came and they make them also liue agayne beeing dead for as of a tree béeing cut ther● groweth and springeth foorth other branches that continueth the kynde from time to time so these children whom they haue procreated doo make their names euerlasting and as it were to lyue for euer from age to age And to bee shorte nature dothe stirre and pricke vs forward by so many meanes and with so many instruments of hir infinite prouidence to make vs loue togithers that we ought to be ashamed so to shed the bloud one of an other of vs But oh vnhappie and miserable wretches that we are I am ashamed to confesse that I muste needes that although peace was sente from aboue for the onely vse of man and that he should embrace the same yet it is so wée may see at this present day that the Pallaces and publike places sounde of nothing else but of dissentions and debates yea and suche as the Ethnik●s haue not had the lyke for although the moste parte of Europe bee not replenished with Proctors Procurators and Aduocates yet in no place there

dishonour the name of the Lord than the hatred thou hast agaynst thy neighbors That his kingdome should come how are we so bolde to pray for the comming of the kingdome of Iesus Chryst when that Dauid the wise Prince feared in such causes to present him selfe before God we rather oughte to desire that the mountaynes should fall vpon vs to couer vs than to appeare before the iustice of God béeing so polluted with the effusion of the bloud of our neighbours That his vvyll should be done in earth as in heauen he did driue the Angels out of heauen for their disobedience agaynst him and beeing vppon the earth he preached none other thing but peace and yet thou arte enimie to thy neighbour thou doest pray that he woulde giue thee this day thy dayly breade How darest thou demaunde breade of the father of heauen when thou burnest the Wheate and Houses of thy brethren Thou eatest hys trauell and yet thou destroyest hys substaunce but oh good Lorde why do we not tremble when we desire hym he would pardon vs our offences as he wold we shold forgiue others when wée be so far from forgiuing that we go to murther oure brethren Wée praye to him also that he woulde deliuer vs from temptation and yet we oure selues tempte oure brethren and put them in great peril And lykewise we pray to him to deliuer vs from euill and go dayly aboute nothing else but wickednesse and mischief Hauing now shewed certaine principall poynts of such things as appertained to the declaration of the commoditie and profit that peace dothe bring I will nowe declare what warre is and what glory and fame they carry awaye that do exercise it to the ende that comparing the one with the other you may iudge how damageable and pernicious it is to mankynd Will ye vnderstand what warre is thinke that you sée before your eyes a great company of men assembled togithers with pale and drousy faces hydeous and horrible with barbarous cry eyes al burning and flaming prouoking wrath and anger the noyse and ratling of armour with an horrible thundring of cannons then a furious assault all full of rage and fiercenesse a slaughter of the dead some dismembred other some lying vpon their felowes half dead the fleldes all couered with dead carkases the flouds and riuers all stayned with humaine bloud one brother oftentymes fighting against an other kinsman against kinsman fréende against fréend all set on fire one to slay the other and yet scarsly haue any cause of enmitie betwéene them Wilte thou vnderstande further the very spectacle of the warres howe pitifull it is Haste thou séene the conflict betwéene the Beare and the Lyon or any other beasts of contrary kynde what fretting and foming what crueltie is it to sée them dismember and pull in péeces the one the other how muche more straunge is it to sée man ageynste man so furious one ageynst an other and as it were transformed into a brute beaste and all to exercise his rage and crueltie vpon his neyghbour besides an infinite numbre of other euils and mischefes that depend thervpon and those poore simple people who haue buylded made and garnished so many faire and beautifull Cities haue gouerned and ruled them and by their trauell and labour haue enriched fortified and maynteyned them Euen by reason of these outragious warres and controuersies they sée them sometymes in their owne presence made ruinate defaced and throwen downe their cattall taken from them their corne and fruite of the earth before it is ripe cutte downe their townes and villages brente and that whiche is more cruell and inhumaine oftentimes they bée killed and slayne And when there is preparation made for the warres euery manne is afrayde and in continuall daunger and when the same is in execution there is no famylie that doothe not lament and weepe and tast the miserie thereof For then the handycrafts waxe colde the poore be constrained to fast and die of hunger or else to haue refuge to vnlaufull exercises to help and sustein their liues the virgins be violated the chast matrons remayn bareyn in their houses the lawes be still humanitie is extinct equitie is suppressed religion is cōtemned the sacred places are prophaned the people pilled the poore olde men bée captiue and sée their children slain before their eyes the yong men are out of order giuen to al kinde of wickednesse yée shall fynde an infinite number of Widowes and as many fatherlesse children the Prince is enuyed and the common people béeing oppressed with taxes and subsidies conceyue hatred agaynst him and all is full of murmures and curses And I pray you mark with what difficultie they entertaine so many strangers men of war what prodigalitie is vsed in expenses for the preparation to the warres as well vppon the sea as on the lande what laboure and toyle is there vsed in making of Fortes bulwarks and rampiers clensing of dyches preparing tentes carrying munitions charyots cannons armoures and other suche diuellishe deuises for the warre continuall making of watches and setting foorthe of scoutes and suche other like exercises of warre not without continuall feare and perill wheresoeuer they bée and yet speaking nothing of the infinite trauell of the poore souldiers and their maner of liuing whiche is so austere and cruell that euen the very beastes are not so muche troubled as they are For the sely beastes hyde themselues the night tyme in the caues of the earth but the poore souldier watcheth almoste continually and if by chaunce he taketh his rest it is eyther at the signe of the Moone or the signe of the rayne frost snow or wind and he must always haue his eare at the grounde to harken and watche as the aspis doth least he be surprysed he endureth hunger heate and cold and when he vnderstandeth the heauie token of the battell he dothe thinke to himselfe that he must eyther receiue sodein death or else kil and murther his neyghbour and thus for vj. Crownes in the moneth he bindeth himselfe to the hazarde of the blowe of the Cannon so that amongs all the seruitudes and slauerie of the worlde there is none like or to be compared to the miserable lyfe of a souldier Alas was it not sufficient that nature had created man poore and miserable subiect to many calamities and miseries but further we our selues must adde warres for a more burthen or mischief so straunge and pernicious that it passeth all others a mischief so plentifull fertile that it comprehendeth in it self all kinde of euil a mischief so pestilent and contagious that it doth not only afflict the euil and wicked men but also layeth his most cruell blowes vppon the poore innocentes Plinie that graue aucthor and many other haue lest vnto vs in writing that notwithstāding two thousand yeres past the physitions had discouered thrée hundred kindes of diseases or more wherevnto mans body is subiect and

so that for one which yée shall finde condempned in the Histories yée shall finde a Million of others commendable and vertuous But if we will trie all estates that doe liue or be dead with suche a touche stone and wey all our actions in so iuste a ballance where hath there bene any founde so holy in this mortal life that hath not haulted or offended in some thing And that the same shall not be founde vntrue note the first estate of this world was made of two persones that is the man woman who both two did offend The second estate which was their two children the one was a murtherer of the other his brother The third estate which was Noe was derided of his children wherewith the Lorde our God was offended Let vs goe further to the kings ye shall finde that Dauid was a good man and Saule an euil man amongs the Prophets Daniel a good man and Balaam wicked amongs the estate of widowhead Iudith a good woman and Iesabell an euill woman amongs rich men Iob was good and Nabal curssed in the estate of Apostles S. Peter was a godly man and Iudas a Traytor so that euen amongs those that folowed Christe there were some founde wicked Beholde nowe then howe to be either good or badde it commeth not of the estate of marriage but of oure naughtinesse and corrupt inclination As yée see of the swéete floure the Bee gathereth Honie and the Spider poyson There is yet one thirde kinde of people which be the moste fondest and most scrupulous of all others for they be suche that what so euer thing is offered to them if it be not confirmable to their owne sensuall appetite they can not disgest it And if they feele the least annoyance in the worlde in marriage it is to them a hot iron which burneth and tormenteth them so that they disdaine and refuse it and wishe that the memorie thereof were vtterly extincte and forgotten Such manner of people complaine of marriage bicause say they it is an heauie burden a very sea of mischéefe and an extréeme seruitude specially for the vnquietnesse of the women who are alwayes complaining if they lacke any thing at any time they neuer cease to torment and vexe their husbands I would demaund of suche Nicets how they can endure any greeuous iniurie of their enimies when they can not abide any light offence of their wiues their companiōs and continuall friendes or the exclamation of their children which they haue bred and brought vp into this world For as much as suche troubles be common and as it were annexed to marriage and that many there be for that respecte do contemne marriage I wil studie to satisfie their delicate desires and appetites at more leisure But for this present it shall suffise me to aduertise them when they féele them selues tempted with impacience and that they can not endure any small offence of their wiues and children let them remembre what offences they do daily commit to our Lord God and they shall alwayes beare things paciently and in a moment God will turne it to dust And he will not onely doe this for them but further he will aide them with the clearenesse of the Sunne the lightnesse of the Moone with the vertue of the elements with the frutes of the earth and with other infinite necessaries of his goodnesse and mercie And not withall the pacience of Iesus Christ and what he suffered for vs he was made naked to clothe vs he was prysonner and bound to deliuer vs from the bandes of the Deuill he made Sacrifise to purifie vs from all inwarde spottes he had his side opened to shut vs out of hell he had his handes which made heauen and earthe for the loue of vs to be pierced with many nailes of iron he had his heade crouned with sharpe thornes to crowne vs with a crowne of glory Let vs marke withall impaciente and ingrateful men that we are that of his sorow came our ioy of his infirmitie grew our health and that of his death was deriued our life and we shall be ashamed and blushe that we do not beare the infirmities and weaknesse of our housholde or any small offence of our wiues who sometimes forced euen vppon iust cause or choler is constrained for the infirmitie that is in hir to say vnto vs with anger that which shée can not with pacience well beare And I am sure there is none of vs more greater than Cesar either in Councel hardinesse or power yet he neuer reuenged him selfe vppon Catullus which wrote so ignomious verses againste him And who was euer more greater than Cato whose roabe Lentulus did rent and scratched him by the face in defending one that was accused And alwayes he bore it paciently A disciple of Zeno the Philosopher being demaunded of his Father what profite he gotte by the studie of Philosophie answered he learned to suffer and beare iniuries If therefore the superstitious Philosophers haue taught those things what ought they to doe that make their whole and faithfull profession of Christianitie Learne then you Christians that doe so burne with choler and impacience in your houses learne I say of the Ethnickes to moderate your anger and refraine your passions heereafter by their examples But nowe to returne againe to our firste matter seeing that marriage is so noble so excellent and holy and that it is the only conseruer of our humanitie let vs commende it esteeme it and honoure it as a heauenly and special gifte of God which he hath sent out of his throne aboue to vs beneath for the comforte of our liues For if it be banished and estraunged from vs it shall happen to vs as Xerxes that great king of Persia sayde of an infinite numbre of people that he did beholde vppon the toppe of a hill when he sayde weeping bitterly Oh miserable and infortunate creature man that thou arte behold that of so many Millions that doe nowe at this present day liue vppon the earth an hundreth yeares from hence there shall not be one liuing Who can not then frame himselfe to marriage and learne to liue in the pleasant bondes therof as a thing most necessarie and holsome for mankinde which being taken away from vs al flourishing common wealthes and triumphante Cities shall remaine desolate and be onely peopled with trees rotten stockes rockes and sauage beastes But contrarie by the aide and benefite therof they shal be quickned cōserued and maintained in their essence and eternitie Séeing then that the Lord our God will haue marriage the lawes commaunde it honestie calles vs to it reason exhorteth vs nature leades vs necessitie constraineth vs and the very bones and ashes of oure auncestors and parentes that repose in their sepulchres do craue and require it let vs receiue it honor it and maintaine it with suche innocencie puritie and sinceritie of minde as that it be not brought in condemnation at the last