as it were a New-song before the Throne and before the foure Beasts and the Elders and none could learne that Song except these hundred foure and fourtie thousand to wit these who are bought from the earth for they who were bought and redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ from among the rest of the world and so were no more of their number were onely able to learne and vnderstand these voyces for vnto them onely it apperteineth Where first God promised that he should shortly destroy that Tyrannie which voyce of God is here described by resembling it to the sound of many waters as Dauid doeth and to the roaring of the thunder And where next the thankes thereof is giuen by the Saints and Angels in singing the praises of God as earnestly and cheerefully as if it were but a New-song and to represent the harmonie thereof they sing to the concords of the harpes and instruments in the presence of God sitting in his Maiestie and compassed about with the foure Beastes and foure and twentie Elders of whom ye heard mention made before 4 These attendants on the Lambe are these who are not defiled with women to wit not guiltie of spirituall adulterie for they are Virgines as Christ called them in the parable of the Lampes these follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth for they goe not astray from his footsteps neither to the right nor the left hand and those are they who are bought from among men and are the acceptable first fruits vnto their Father and his Lambe 5 And in their mouthes was found no guile for they are inculpable before the Throne of God because the Lambe hath fully payd their debts for them 6 Then I did see another Angel flying through the middest of heauen hauing the Eternall Euangel in his hand that he might preach the same to all the inhabitants of the earth euen to all nations tribes tongues and peoples for euen as ye heard before in the sixt Trumpet of the reuiuing againe of the two Witnesses who were slaine by this tyrannicall and hereticall Monarchie so now the same was declared vnto me by this Angel who when this Tyrannie is in the greatest pride as ye haue heard flies through the middest of heauen to be publikely heard and seene by all hauing with him these eternall glad tidings to preach them to all the earth to wit God shall in the end of this Tyrannie while it is yet triumphing raise vp and send his Angels or messengers who shall publikely teach the trewth and refute the errours of this tyrannie before the eyes of the Sunne and the Moone to the saluation of a part of euery countrey and to double condemnation of the rest through making them inexcusable who wil not turne in time 7 And their exhortation shal be this which then I heard the Angel say with a lowd voyce Feare God and render him all glory for the day of his iudgement comes at hand adore him therefore who made heauen and earth and seas and fountaines of water to wit all things good and euill and the particular applications that these Witnesses shall make of this generall doctrine to the times of corruption that they shall be in shall be this that I heard two Angels folowing declare of whom the first said 8 It is fallen It is fallen Babylon that great City because she gaue to al nations to drinke of the Vine of wrath of her fornication or spiritual adulterie to wit that great Monarchie called Babylon because it leades and keepes the soules of men in spirituall thraldome euen as the Monarchie of Babylon led and kept the people of Israel in a corporall captiuitie that Monarchie I say shall be suddenly destroyed for it is to be noted that as there is no distinction of times in the presence of God but all things are present vnto him so he and his Angels calleth oftentimes that thing done that is shortly and certainly to be done thereafter which forme of speach ye wil sundry times heare thus vsed hereafter That Monarchie I say then shall shortly be destroyed and that iustly because she hath abused a great part of the earth by intising them to be senselesse as if they were drunken and to embrace her errours and idolatries or spirituall whoredome For as men are entised by whores to leaue their owne spouse and enter in to them so shall they perswade the nations to leaue their societie with their spouse IESVS CHRIST and onely settle their saluation vpon her and for the committing of this spirituall whoredome this Monarchie is here called Shee Chap. 17. and afterward the great Whore and the reason that they shall giue why they make this warning shall be in these words which I heard the third Angel proclaime to wit 9 For whosoeuer shall adore this Beast any longer or his image or take his character on his forehead or his hand as ye heard before 10 He shall for his iust reward and punishment drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure and immixed wine thereof powred out in the cup of his wrath And he shal be tormented with fire and brimstone to wit he shall be cast into hell the torments whereof they doe signifie and that in the presence of the holy Angels for they shall beare witnesse against him in the sight of the Lambe for the Lambe shall iudge and condemne him 11 And the smoake of his torments shall mount vp in all worlds to come to wit he shal be vncessantly tormented for euer For all these that adore the Beast and his image and hath the character of his name shall not haue rest day nor night to wit they shal be perpetually tormented without any release or reliefe 12 And in these dayes when the Witnesses shal be making this exhortation in these things shall the constancie of the Saints or faithfull be tried and by this triall shall they be knowne and discerned that obserue and retaine the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus the Sauiour 13 Then I heard a voice from heauen saying to me Write Blessed are the dead that die for the Lords cause hereafter so sayes the Spirit for they rest from their trauails and their workes follow them This voyce from heauen did by these wordes declare vnto me that these Witnesses who should make this exhortation that ye haue heard should be persecuted therefore by that spirituall Babylon but that these should be happiest who lost their liues for so good a cause for the confirmation whereof the holy Spirit sayes Yea and subioynes the reason to wit because both they rest from these continuall labours and troubles that they were alwayes subiect vnto in the earth and in recompense thereof their workes follow them for as faith is the onely leader of men to heauen and so goes before them so according to the greatnesse and honour of their calling in earth if they discharge it well they are rewarded in heauen
in the aire and there came forth a great voyce from the Temple in heauen euen from the Throne saying It is done 18 Then was heard great sounds and lightnings and thunders and there was a great earthquake and such in greatnesse was neuer seene since men were vpon the face of the earth for euen as the aire was troubled and obscured by smoke of hell out of the which the king of Locustes bred in the first Seale and as Moses made haile in great abundance to fall on Egypt which Meteore doeth breed in the aire so God hauing stricken the battell against Babylon and her followers and hauing ouercome them as ye heard in the sixt Seale now followeth immediatly the last plague of the consummation by the aire for in the aire shall that great noise be heard which is the fore-runner of that Great day most comfortable to the trew Church but most terrible to all the rest of the world which day is proclaimed by the voice of God from his Temple wherein was his Couenant declaring the consummation in these words ye heard and as the great noise signifies the same so in speciall doeth the great earthquake as Christ himselfe prophesying thereof doeth declare 19 And that Citie was rent in sunder in three parts and that iustly because she destroyed the third part of the earth as ye heard in the sixt Trumpet and the Cities of the nations fell because they dranke the cup of her abominations And great Babylon and her sinnes came then in memorie before God for then he was to make her drinke the cup full of his wrath to her vtter destruction 20 And all the Isles fled and the mountaines were no more found for no deepenes of Seas nor inaccessiblenes of mountaines shall haue power to saue the wicked from the fearefull and terrible iudgements of that great and last day This doeth also signifie the latter day as ye heard before 21 And a great haile to the greatnesse of talents fell vpon men but they blasphemed God for the plague of haile for it was exceeding great This great haile signifieth also a great destruction at the latter day as ye heard in the seuenth Trumpet but yet the wicked shall be so stiffenecked as euen at their last breath their malice and obstinacie shall rather encrease then diminish as is declared here by mens blaspheming of God for the plague of the haile CHAP. XVII ARGVMENT The Angel expounded to Iohn this vision of the Pope describes him at large and clearely declares the authors and maner of his destruction BVt because that these plagues and Babylon whereupon they lighted did seeme obscure vnto me therefore one of the seuen Angels who powred forth their phials ful of plagues did say vnto me Here then I will shew vnto thee more plainely the condemnation of this great Whore and what shee is that sitteth vpon many waters 2 With whom the Kings of the earth haue committed spirituall adulterie and with the wine of whose whoredome the inhabitants of the earth to wit a great number of nations who are not of the Elect are made drunke as you heard before 3 Then he bereft me in Spirit as I told you in the beginning of this Epistle to the wildernes which signifies the Gentelisme as saith Esay for she and her followers are Gentiles in effect as ye heard in the sixt Trumpet And as our Master sayes All these that gather not with vs they scatter for no more is there a middest betwixt God and the diuell nor betwixt the rewards thereof heauen and hell and as one of these two Masters we must of necessitie follow so of the same necessitie to one of these two places must we goe And then I saw in the wildernes a woman euen Babylon that whore sitting on a scarlet coloured and bloody beast euen as shee was sitting before in the likenesse of a man vpon a pale horse in the fourth Seale And this beast was full of blasphemie and had seuen heads and tenne hornes as ye heard before 4 And the woman was clothed with purple and scarlet and pretious stones and pearles and had in her hand a golden Cup for this Monarchie and the Monarch thereof shall aswell be corporally clothed with these colours and decked with pretious stones as also these colours which are finest of all others and these pretious stones signifie that this Monarchie and the seat thereof shal be most glorious and glauncing to the eyes of the world as I said before which shall not onely be the trew Church by appearance of outward glory but euen retaine many of the generall points of religion which is signified by her golden Cup but this Cup was full of abhominations and of the vncleannesse of her spirituall whoredomes For albeit in many points she shal retaine the trewth which shall abuse men and allure them to her yet shall she mixe and poyson this trewth with her owne abominable and hereticall inuentions and traditions and with the vncleannesse of her spirituall adulterie whereof ye haue heard before 5 And on her forehead was written a mysterie Babylon the great to wit spirituall Babylon as ye heard before the mother of the whoredomes and the abhominations of the earth for from her shall proceed the greatest and in a maner the onely chiefe abuses and heresies coloured and clothed with the shew and title of Christiantie with the which these who shall outwardly say Lord Lord shall euer be infected with vntill the consummation and as a mother she shall not onely breed but shal be the chiefe nourisher and maintainer of them And this is called a mysterie because although this abuse shall be publike as is signified by being written on her forehead yet none shall consider the abuse thereof but onely such whose eyes it shall please God to illuminate for that effect 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs and witnesses of Iesus the Sauiour to wit she shall greedily and cruelly shed their blood without all measure reason or pitie as yee haue often heard before And when I thus saw her I wondered at her marueilously and I could not coniecture the meaning of the seuen heads and ten hornes that the beast had on whom she sate 7 And the Angel who had now shewen her vnto me as ye now haue heard seeing me thus wonder sayes vnto me Marueile not for I will reueale vnto thee the mysterie of this woman and of the beast shee rideth vpon which hath seuen heads and ten hornes 8 This beast that thou hast seene or Monarchie was for it is the fourth Monarchie which is very great and flourishing and is not for it is now so farre decayed that in a maner it is not and it is to rise againe out of the bottomlesse pit as yee heard in the fift Trumpet how foone the wound of the head shall be healed whereof ye heard before and it shall goe to perdition as ye
iust proportion and symmetrie that shall be among all the parts of this holy Citie 16 And this Citie was fouresquare because of the gates towards the foure parts of the earth to receiue indifferently the commers out of any of them as yee heard before And it was alike long and broad to signifie the infinite bounds thereof and hee measured the Citie with his reed and it came to twelue thousand furlongs this number also expresseth the great bounds of this Citie for it is here vsed for a number of perfection as sundry times before And this Citie was alike in length breadth and height for all the parts of it were alike large 17 And the Angel did measure the wall of it and it was an hundred and foure and fourtie cubites of height this number is correspondent to the number of Saints who were standing with the Lambe on Mount Sion as ye heard before and the measure wherewith this was measured was the measure of the man which is the measure of the Angel This Citie is measured with the measure of CHRIST God and man to teach vs that he is onely the Architectour of this Spirituall Citie which he measureth by his cubites and not by the cubites of any man 18 And the fabricke of the wall of the Citie was composed of Iasper to signifie that the wall thereof shall stand eternally and the Citie it selfe was of pure gold and like to cleere glasse whereon no filth will remaine 19 And the twelue foundations of the Citie were decked with all kind of precious stones the first foundation was of Iasper the second of Saphire the third of Chalcedonie the fourth of Emerald 20 The fift of a Sardonix the sixt of a Sardius the seuenth of a Chrysolite the eight of a Berill the ninth of a Topaze the tenth of a Chrysophrasus the eleuenth of an Hyacinth the twelfth of an Amethist These twelue sundry stones one for euery one of the foundations signifie that we the twelue Apostles who are these twelue foundations as ye heard shall euery one receiue a diuers reward and crowne of glory according to the greatnesse and excellencie of our labours in the earth these twelue precious stones allude also to the twelue precious stones in Aarons brestplate 21 And the twelue gates were of twelue pearles and euery gate of a sundry pearle this signifies the like of the Patriarches and the Market place of the Citie was of pure golde and like the glistering glasse signifying thereby as by an euident token that seeing the Market place which is the commonest place of euery towne of this spirituall City is of so fine and bright stuffe that no base and vncleane thing shall be in any part thereof 22 And I saw no Temple in it for the Lord God Almightie euen the Lambe is the Temple of it for no other shall be there wherein God must be praised but the person of Christ in whom all the faithfull shall be incorporated as I said before 23 And this Citie shall neede no Sunne nor Moone to shine in it for the glory of God hath made it bright and the Lambe is the lampe thereof for as it is no corporall paradise nor dwelling place on earth which is heere spoken of so is no part of the glory thereof earthly but celestiall and spirituall 24 And the Gentiles which are saued shall walke in that light and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory vnto that citie for all the faithfull kings shall resigne all their worldly glory in that citie and receiue a new and incorruptible glory from the Lambe who is the light thereof 25 And the gates thereof shall not be shut in the day time for there shall neuer be any suspicion of trouble there for which cause worldly cities often shut their gates and the night shall neuer be there but an eternall brightnesse through all 26 And the honour and the glory of the nations shall be brought into her for all their worldly glory shal be nothing in respect of the glory of this City 27 And there shall nothing enter into this Citie that defileth or is defiled nor no man that committeth any abominable deed or that speakes lies but onely these shall haue entrance into this holy City whose names are written in the Lambe his booke of Life as ye heard before CHAP. XXII ARGVMENT The rest of the same description Mans pronenesse of his owne nature to idolatrie The Writer tells his name that no man may doubt who was the writer of this Booke and who endited the same The faithfull ought to wish the comming of the latter day The curse vpon them who adde or take from this Booke and vse it not aright THen to the effect that I might know that the inhabitants of this holy Citie were as well eternall as the walles and glory of the same this Angel did shew vnto me the cleere and pure flood of the water of life whereof Christ promised to giue the Samaritane to drinke as I said before and it was cleere like crystall and it flowed from the Throne of God and the Lambe This Riuer alludeth to that spring of Ezechiel which came foorth from vnder the Temple floore and it also alludeth to the Riuers of earthly Paradise 2 And in the middest of the market place and on either side of this Riuer did grow the Tree of Life hauing twelue maner of fruits euery moneth bearing once and bearing leaues for the health of the Gentiles This Tree and this water of Life are the heauenly meat and drinke meant by Christ when the Capernaites were scandalized with his doctrine as ye read in the Euangel written by me and of this Tree and water were those of Ezechiel and in earthly paradise the figures the number of the fruits thereof answereth to the number of the tribes of Israel who through eating the fruits thereof by faith obtained saluation as likewise the varietie and plentie of ioyes to all the faithfull there and as it bare fruit to the Iewes for food that is to satisfie them so it did beare leaues to the Gentiles who being healed by these leaues of all spiritual diseases were not onely preserued but also prepared and got appetite thereby to eat and turne into nutriment or spirituall strength and contentation the fruites thereof This tree grew on euery side of the water of Life to signifie that they are both but one thing and inseparable both proceeding from the mightie and mercifull Throne of God and his Lambe and they were both in the middest of the Market place to signifie by their being in so common a place that as they are the support strength and comfort of the Church triumphant or holy Citie so all the in-dwellers therein haue the like free accesse thereunto and are all alike participant thereof 3 And no accursed thing shall be any more for then shall hell and death be confined and restrained within themselues for euer as ye heard in the
them hee told them these things and therefore they know saith hee what the impediment was Verse 6. and who did withbold that the man of Sinne was not reuealed Verse 7. although the mysterie of iniquitie was already working That the Romane Emperours in Saint Pauls time needed no reuealing to the Christians to bee men of Sinne or sinfull men no childe doubteth but the reuelation hee speaketh of was a mysterie a secret It should therefore seeme that hee durst not publish in his Epistle what that impediment was It may be he meant by the translating of the Seat of the Romane Empire and that the translation thereof should leaue a roume for the man of Sinne to sit downe in And that he meant not that man of Sinne of these Ethnicke Emperours in his time his introduction to this discourse maketh it more then manifest For he saith fearing they should be deceiued thinking the day of the Lords second comming to bee at hand he hath therefore thought good to forewarne them that this generall Defection must first come Whereby it well appeareth that hee could not meane by the present time but by a future and that a good long time otherwise he proued ill his argument that the Lords comming was not at hand Neither can the forme of the Destruction of this man of Sinne agree with that maner of spoile that the Gothes and Vandals made of * For so doeth Tortus call Rome when it was spoiled by them though it was Christian many yeres before Ethnick Rome For our Apostle saith 1 Verse 8. That this wicked man shull bee consumed by the Spirit of the Lords mouth and abolished by his comming Now I would thinke that the word of God and the Preaching thereof should be meant by the Spirit of the Lords mouth which should peece and peece consume and diminish the power of that man of Sinne till the brightnes of the Lords second comming should vtterly abolish him And by his expressing the meanes of his working he doeth likewise in my opinion explane his meaning very much For he saith It shall be by a strong delusion Verse 8.9 by lying wonders c. Well what Church it is that vanteth them of their innumerable miracles and yet most of them contrary to their owne doctrine Bellarmine can best tell you with his hungry Mare Bellar lib. 3. de Eucharist cap. 8 that turned her taile to her prouender and kneeled to the Sacrament And yet I am sure he will be ashamed to say that the holy Sacrament is ordained to be worshipped by Oues Boues caetera pecora campi Thus haue I prooued out of S. Paul now that the time of the Antichrists comming and the generall Defection was not to be till long after the time that he wrote in That his Seat was to be in the Temple and Church of God and That his Action which can best point at his Person should be to Exalt himselfe aboue all that were called Gods S. Iohn indeed doth more amply though mystically describe this Antichrist which vnder the figure of a monstrous Beast with seuen heads and ten hornes he sets forth in the xiij chap. and then interpreteth in the xvij where hee calles her a Whore sitting vpon many waters and riding vpon the sayd monstrous Beast Reuel 17. v. 1. Vers 3. concluding that chapter with calling that Woman that great City which reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth And both in that Chapter Vers 18. and in the beginning of the next he calles that great Citie Babylon Vers 5. Cap. 18. v. 2. So as to continue herein my formerly purposed Methode of the Time Seat and Person of Antichrist this place doth clearely and vndenyably declare that Rome is or shal be the Seat of that Antichrist For first no Papist now denieth that by Babylon here Rome is directly meant and that this Woman is the Antichrist doeth clearely appeare by the time of his working described by 42. moneths in the xiij Chap. Vers 5. which doeth iustly agree with that three yeeres and a halfes time which all the Papists giue to the Reigne of Antichrist Besides that the Beast it selfe with seuen heads and tenne hornes hauing one of her heads wounded and healed againe is described iust alike in the xiij and xvij Chap. being in the former prooued to be the Antichrist by the time of her reigne and in the latter Rome by the name of Babylon by the confession of all the Papists So as one point is now cleare that Rome is the Seat of the Antichrist Neither will that place in the eleuenth Chapter serue to shift off this point and proue the Antichrists Seat to bee in Ierusalem where it is saide Chap. 11.8 That the Corpses of the Witnesses shall lie in the great City spiritually Sodome and Egypt where our Lord also was crucified For the word spiritually is applied both to Sodome Egypt and Ierusalem in that place And when hee hath named Sodome and Egypt hee doeth not subioyne Ierusalem with a single vbi but with an vbi as if hee would say and this Antichrists abomination shall bee so great as his Seate shall bee as full of Spirituall whoredomes and Idolatries as Sodome and Egypt was nay and so bloody in the persecution of the Saints as our Lord shall be crucified againe in his members And who hath so meanely read the Scriptures if he haue euer read them at all that knoweth it not to be a common phrase in them Matt. 25.40 to call CHRIST persecuted and slaine when his Saints are so vsed Acts 9.4 So did CHRIST say speaking of the latter day and in the same style did hee speake to S. Paul at his conuersion And that Babylon or Rome since Bellarmine is contented it bee so called is that great Citie where our Lord was crucified Reuel 18.24 the last verse of the xviij Chap. doeth also clearely proue it For there it is said That in that City was found the blood of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slaine vpon the earth and I hope CHRIST was one of them that were slaine vpon the earth And besides that it may well bee said that hee was slaine in that great Citie Babylon since by the Romane authoritie hee was put to death vnder a Romane Iudge and for a Romane quarrell for he could not be a friend to Caesar that was not his enemie This point now being cleared of the Antichrists Seate as I haue already sayd we are next to find out the Time when the Antichrist shall reigne if it be not already come Cha. 13.3 In the xiij Chapter S. Iohn saith that this Beast with the seuen heads and tenne hornes Chap. 17.10 had one of his heads wounded and healed againe and interpreting that in the xvij he saith that these seuen heads are also seuen Kings whereof fiue are fallen one is and an other is not yet
for an Heretike that durst presume to looke vpon them kept close in a strange tongue that they might not be vnderstood Legends and lying wonders supplying their place in the Pulpits Verse 8. And so did their Bodies lie in the streets of the great Citie spiritually Sodome Coloss 2.20 for spiritual fornication which is idolatrie spiritually Egypt for bringing the Saints of God in bōdage of humane traditions Quare oneramini ritibus So did their bodies I say lie 3. dayes and a halfe that is Verse 8. the halfe of that spirituall Weeke betweene CHRIST his first and second comming and as dead carkases indeed did the Scriptures then lye without a monument being layed open to all contempt cared for almost by none vnderstood by as few nay no man durst call for them for feare of punishment as I haue already said And thus lying dead as it were 2. Chro. 34.14 Verse 10. without life or vigour as the Law of GOD did till it was reuiued in Iosias time The Inhabitants of the earth that is worldly men reioyced and sent gifts to other for ioy that their fleshly libertie was now no more awed nor curbed by that two edged sword for they were now sure that do what they would their purse would procure them pardons from Babylon Omnia Vaenalia Romae so as men needed no more to looke vp to heauen but downe to their purses to finde Pardons Nay what needed any more suing to heauen or taking it by violence and feruencie of zeale when the Pardons came and offered themselues at euery mans doores And diuers spirituall men vanted themselues that they neither vnderstood Old Testament nor New Thus were these 2. Witnesses vsed in the second halfe of this spiritual weeke Verse 3. who in the first halfe therof were clad in sackcloth that is preached repentance to all nations for the space of 500. or 600. yeres after Christ Reuel 6.2 God making his Word or Witnes so triumph riding vpō the white horse in the time of the Primitiue Church as that they ouercame al that opposed themselues vnto it beating downe euery high thing as Paul saith 2. Cor. 10.4 excluding frō heauen al that beleeue not therein as strongly with the spiritual fire thereof conuincing the stif-necked pride of vnbeleeuers as euer Moses or Elias did by the plagues of Egypt and famine cōuince the rebellious Egyptians and stif-necked Israelites Neither shall it be enough to disgrace corrupt and suppresse them Reuel 11.7 but Killed must they be at the last To which purpose commeth forth 1 Printed at Venice Anno 562. Censura generalis vt mucrone censorio iugulare eas possit and cutteth their throats indeed For the author ordaineth al translations but their owne to be burnt which is yet cōmonly practised nay he professeth he commeth not to correct but to destroy them controlling and calling euery place of Scripture Heretical that disagreeth frō their Traditions with almost as many foule words and railing epithetes as the Cardinal bestoweth on my Apologie not ruling nor interpreting Scripture by Scripture but making their Traditiōs to be such a touchstone for it as he condemneth of Heresie not onely those places of Scripture that he citeth but layeth the same general condemnation vpon al other the like places wheresoeuer they be written in the Scriptures And yet praised be God we beginne now with our eyes as our predecessors haue done in some aages before to see these Witnesses rise againe Verse 11.12 and shine in their former glory GOD as it were setting them vp againe vpon their feete and raising them to the Heauens in a triumphall cloud of glory like Elias his fiery chariot Which exalting of the Gospel againe 13. hath bred such an earthquake and alteration amongst many Nations as a tenth part or a good portion of these that were in subiection to that Great Citie to wit Babylon are fallen from her seuen thousand that is many thousands hauing bene killed vpon the occasion of that great alteration and many other conuerted to the feare of GOD and giuing glory to the God of heauen This now is one of the wayes by which I thinke this place of Scripture may be lawfully and probably interpreted The other is more common and seemeth more literally to agree with the Text. And this is to interpret not the word of God but the Preachers thereof to bee meant by these Witnesses Few they were that first began to reueale the man of Sinne and discouer his corruptions and therefore well described by the number of two Witnesses Deut. 19.15 Nam in ore duorum aut trium testium stabit omne verbum And in no greater number were they that began this worke Reuel 11.3 then the greatnesse of the errand did necessarily require They prophesied in sackecloth for they preached repentance That diuers of them were put to cruell deaths is notorious to the world And likewise that in the persons of their Successours in doctrine 1 Sanguis Martyrum est semen Eccl-siae Verse 11. they rose againe and that in such power and efficacie as is more then miraculous For where it is accounted in the Scriptures a miraculous worke of GOD wrought by his holy Spirit Actes 2.41 When the Apostle Saint Peter conuerted about three thousand in one day these Witnesses I speake of by the force of the same Spirit conuerted many mightie Nations in few yeeres who still continue praising GOD that hee hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie of Antichrist that reigneth ouer that great Citie and with a full crie proclaiming Goe out of her my people Reuel 18.4 lest yee bee partaker of her sinnes and of her plagues Let therefore these Miracle-mongers that surfeit the world and raise the price of paper daily with setting foorth old though new gilded Miracles and Legends of lies Let such I say consider of this great and wonderfull Miracle indeed and to their shame compare it with their paultry wares Thus hauing in two fashions deliuered my coniecture what I take to bee meant by these two Witnesses in the xj of the Apocalyps there beeing no great difference betweene them In the one taking it to bee the Word of GOD it selfe In the other the Word of God too but in the mouthes of his Preachers It resteth now that I come to the third point of the description of Antichrist which is anent his Person That by the Whore of Babylon that rideth vpon the Beast is meant a Seate of an Empire and a successiue number of men sitting thereupon and not any one man doeth well appeare by the forme of the description of the Antichrist thorowout all the said Booke Cap. xvij For in the last verse of the xvij Verse 18. Chapter the Woman is expounded to bee That great Citie that reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth which cannot signifie the onely Person of one man Verse 9. but a successiue
the Order of Matrimonie and Relgion is wounded By this deuice not onely the Kings vices but likewise his naturall diseases and infirmities are fetcht into the circle of Religion and the L. Cardinall hath not done himselfe right in restraining the Popes power to depose Kings vnto the cases of Heresie Apostasie and persecution of the Church In the next place followeth Leo III. who by setting the Imperial Crowne vpon the head of Charles absolued all the Subiects in the West of their obedience to the Greeke Emperours if the L. of Perron might bee credited in this Example But indeed it is crowded among the rest by a slie tricke and cleane contrary to the naked trewth of all histories For it shall neuer be iustified by good historie that so much as one single person or man I say not one Countrey or one people was then wrought or wonne by the Pope to change his copy and Lord or from a subiect of the Greeke Emperours to turne subiect vnto Charlemaine Let me see but one Towne that Charlemaine recouered from the Greeke Emperours by his right and title to his Empire in the West No the Greeke Emperours had taken their farewell of the West Empire long before And therefore to nicke this vpon the tallie of Pope Leo his Acts that he tooke away the West from the Greeke Emperour it is euen as if one should say that in this aage the Pope takes the Dukedome of Milan from the French Kings or the citie of Rome from the Emperours of Germanie because their Predecessours in former aages had beene right Lords and gouernours of them both It is one of the Popes ordinary and solemne practises to take away much after the maner of his giuing For as he giueth what he hath not in his right and power to giue or bestoweth vpon others what is already their owne euen so he taketh away from Kings and Emperors the possessions which they haue not in present hold and possession After this maner he takes the West from the Greeke Emperors when they hold nothing in the West and lay no claime to any citie or towne of the West Empire And what shall wee call this way of depriuation but spoiling a naked man of his garments and killing a man already dead Trew it is the Imperiall Crowne was then set on Charlemaines head by Leo the Pope did Leo therefore giue him the Empire No more then a Bishop that crownes a King at his Royall and solemne consecration doeth giue him the Kingdome For shall the Pope himselfe take the Popedome from the Bishop of Ostia as of his gift because the crowning of the Pope is an Office of long time peculiar to the Ostian Bishop It was the custome of Emperours to be crowned Kings of Italy by the hands of the Archbishop of Milan did he therefore giue the Kingdome of Italy to the said Emperours And to returne vnto Charlemaine If the Pope had conueyed the Empire to him by free and gracious donation the Pope doubtlesse in the solemnitie of his coronation would neuer haue perfourmed vnto his ownecreature an Emperour of his owne making the dueties of adoration Perfectit landibus a Pontifice more Principum antiquorum adoratus est Auentinus Annalium Boiorum lib. 4. Posthaec ab eodem Pontifice vt caeteri veterum Prineipum mere maiorum aioratus est Magnus Sigeb ad an 801. Marianus Scotus lib. 3. Annalium Plat. in vita Leon. 3. Auent Annal. Boio lib. 4. Imperium transferre iure suo in Germanos Carolúmque tacito Senatus consulto plebiscitoque decernunt as Ado that liued in the same aage hath left it on record After the solemne prayses ended saith Ado the chiefe Bishop honoured him with adoration according to the custome of ancient Princes The same is like wise put downe by Auentine in the 4. booke of his Annals of Bauaria The like by the President Fauchet in his Antiquities and by Monsieur Petau Counsellour in the Court of Parliament at Paris in his Preface before the Chronicles of Eusebius Hierome and Sigebert It was therefore the people of Rome that called this Charles the Great vnto the Imperiall dignitie and cast on him the title of Emperour So testifieth Sigebert vpon the yeere 801. All the Romanes with one generall voice and consent ring out acclamations of Imperiall praises to the Emperour they crowne him by the bands of Leo the Pope they giue him the style of Caesar and Augustus Marianus Scotus hath as much in effect Charles was then called Augustus by the Romanes And so Platina After the solemne seruice Leo declareth and proclaimeth Charles Emperour according to the publike Decree and generall request of the people of Rome Auentine and Sigonius in his 4. booke of the Kingdome of Italie witnesse the same Neuerthelsse to gratifie the L. Cardinall Suppose Pope Leo dispossessed the Greeke Emperours of the West Empire What was the cause what infamous acte had they done what prophane and irreligious crime had they committed Nicephorus and Irene who reigned in the Greeke Empire in Charlemaines time were not reputed by the Pope or taken for Heretikes How then The L. Cardinall helpeth at a pinch and putteth vs in minde that Constantine and Leo predecessours to the said Emperours had beene poysoned with Heresie and stained with persecution Here then behold an Orthodoxe Prince deposed For what cause for Heresie forsooth not in himselfe but in some of his Predecessors long before An admirable case For I am of a contrary minde that he was worthy of double honour in restoring and setting vp the trewth againe which vnder his predecessors had endured oppression and suffered persecution Doubtlesse Pope Siluester was greatly ouerseene and played not well the Pope when hee winked at Constantine the Great and cast him not downe from his Imperiall Throne for the strange infide litie and Paganisme of Diocletian of Maximian and Maxentius whom Constantine succeeded in the Empire From this example the L. of Perron passeth to Fulke Archbishop of Reims Examp. 9. pag. 21. by whom Charles the Simple was threatned with Excommunication and refusing to continue any longer in the fidelity and allegiance of a subiect To what purpose is this example For who can be ignorant that all aages haue brought forth turbulent and stirring spirits men altogether forgetfull of respect and obseruance towards their Kings especially when the world finds them shallow and simple-witted like vnto this Prince But in this example where is there so much as one word of the Pope or the deposing of Kings Here the L. Cardinall chops in the example of Philip I. King of France but mangled and strangely disguised as hereafter shall be shewed At last he leadeth vs to Gregory VII surnamed Hildebrand Exam. 11. An. 1076. the scourge of Emperours the firebrand of warre the scorne of his aage This Pope after he had in the spirit of pride and in the very height of all audaciousnesse thundred the sentence of
other weapons of defence I neither can resist nor ought in any other maner to make resistance Iustinian the Emperour in his old aage fell into the heresie of the Aphthartodocites Against Iustinian though few they were that fauoured him in that heresie the Bishop of Rome neuer darted with violence any sentence of excommunication interdiction or deposition The Ostrogot Kings in Italie the Visigot in Spaine the Vandal in Africa were all addicted to the Arrian impietie and some of them cruelly persecuted the trew professours The Visigot and Vandall were no neighbours to Italie The Pope thereby had the lesse cause to feare the stings of those waspes if they had bene angred The Pope for all that neuer had the humour to wrestle or iustle with any of the said Kings in the cause of deposing them from their Thrones But especially the times when the Vandals in Affricke and the Goths in Italie by Belisarius and Narses professours of the Orthodoxe Faith were tyred with long warres and at last were vtterly defeated in bloody battels are to bee considered Then were the times or neuer for the Pope to vnsheath his weapons and to vncase his arrowes of deposition then were the times to draw them out of his quiuer and to shoot at all such Arrian heads then were the times by dispensations to release their subiects of their oathes by that peremptorie meanes to aide and strengthen the Catholique cause But in that aage the said weapons were not knowne to haue bene hammered in the Pontificall forge Gregorie the I. made his boasts that he was able to ruine the Lombards for many yeeres together sworne enemies to the Bishops of Rome their state present and the hope of all their future prosperitie But he telleth vs that by the feare of God before his eyes and in his heart he was bridled and restrained from any such intent as elsewhere we haue obserued In Apol. pro iuram fidel His owne words lib. 7. Epist. 1. If I would haue medled with practising and procuring the death of the Lombards the whole nation of the Lombards at this day had bene robbed of their Kings Dukes Earles they had bene reduced to the tearmes of extreame confusion He might at least haue deposed their King if the credit of the L. Cardinals iudgement be currant without polluting or stayning his owne conscience What can we tearme this assertion of the L. Cardinal but open charging the most ancient Bishops of Rome with crueltie when they would not succour the Church of CHRIST oppressed by tyrants whose oppression they had power to represse by deposing the oppressors Is it credible that IESVS CHRIST hath giuen a Commission to S. Peter and his successors for so many aages without any power to execute their Commission or to make any vse thereof by practise Is it credible that hee hath giuen them a sword to bee kept in the scabbard without drawing once in a thousand yeeres Is it credible that in the times when Popes were most deboshed abandoning themselues to all sorts of corrupt and vitious courses as is testified by their owne flatterers and best affected seruants is it credible that in those times they began to vnderstand the vertue strength of their Commission For if either feare or lacke of power was the cause of holding their hands and voluntarie binding of themselues to the Peace or good behauiour wherefore is not some one Pope at least produced who hath complained that he was hindered from executing the power that CHRIST had conferred vpon his Pontificall See Wherefore is not some one of the ancient and holy Fathers alledged by whom the Pope hath bene aduised and exhorted to take courage to stand vpon he vigor and sinewes of his Papall Office to vnsheath and vncase his bolts of thunder against vngodly Princes and grieuous enemies to the Church wherefore liuing vnder Christian and gracious Emperours haue they not made knowne the reasons why they were hindred from drawing the pretended sword lest long custome of not vsing the sword so many aages might make it so to rust in the scabbard that when there should be occasion to vse the said sword it could not be drawne at all and lest so long custome of not vsing the same should confirme prescription to their greater preiudice If weakenesse be a iust let how is it come to passe that Popes haue enterprised to depose Philip the Faire Lewis the XII and ELIZABETH my predecessor of happy memorie to let passe others in whom experience hath well proued how great inequalitie was betweene their strengths Yea for the most part from thence grow most grieuous troubles and warres which iustly recoile and light vpon his owne head as happened to Gregorie the VII and Boniface the VIII This no doubt is the reason wherefore the Pope neuer sets in for feare of such inconueniences to blast a King with lightning and thunder of deposition but when hee perceiues the troubled waters of the Kingdome by some strong faction setled in his Estate or when the King is confined and bordered by some Princemore potent who thirsteth after the prey and is euer gaping for some occasion to picke a quarrell The King standing in such estate is it not as easie for the Pope to pull him downe as it is for a man with one hand to thrust downe a tottering wall when the groundsill is rotten the studdes vnpind and nodding or bending towards the ground But if the King shall beare downe and breake the faction within the Realme if hee shall get withall the vpper hand of his enemies out of the Kingdome then the holy Father presents him with pardons neuer sued for neuer asked and in afathers indulgence forsooth giues him leaue still to hold the Kingdome that hee was not able by all his force to wrest and wring out of his hand no more then the club of Hercules out of his fist How many worthy Princes incensed by the Pope to conspire against Soueraigne Lords their Masters and by open rebellion to worke some change in their Estates haue miscarried in the action with losse of life or honour or both For example Rodulphus Duke of Sueuia was eg'd on by the Pope against Henry IIII. of that name Emperour How many massacres how many desolations of Cities and townes how many bloody battels ensued thereupon Let histories bee searched let iust accompts be taken and beside sieges layde to Cities it will appeare by trew computation that Henry the IIII. and Frederic the fist fought aboue threescore battels in defence of their owne right against enemies of the Empire stirred vp to armes by the Pope of Rome How much Christian blood was then spilt in these bloody battels it passeth mans wit penne or tongue to expresse And to giue a little touch vnto matters at home doeth not his Holinesse vnderstand right well the weakenesse of Papists in my Kingdome Doeth not his Holmesse neuerthesesse animate my Papists to rebellion and forbid my Papists to take
litle children with a small twisted thred To that God that King of Kings I deuote my scepter at his feet in all humblenes I lay downe my Crowne to his holy decrees and commaunds I will euer be a faithfull seruant and in his battels a faithfull champion To conclude in this iust cause and quarrell I dare send the challenge and will require no second to maintaine as a defendant of honour that my brother-Princes and my selfe whom God hath aduanced vpon the Throne of Soueraigne Maiestie and supreame dignity doe hold the Royall dignitie of his Maiestie alone to whose seruice as a most humble homager and vassall I consecrate all the glory honour splendor and lustre of my earthly Kingdomes A SPEACH AS IT WAS DELIVERED IN THE VPPER HOVSE OF THE PARLIAMENT TO THE LORDS SPIRITVALL AND Temporall and to the Knights Citizens and Burgesses there assembled ON MVNDAY THE XIX DAY OF MARCH 1603. BEING THE FIRST DAY OF THE first Parliament IT did no sooner please God to lighten his hand and relent the violence of his deuouring Angel against the poore people of this Citie but as soone did I resolue to call this Parliament and that for three chiefe and principall reasons The first whereof is and which of it selfe although there were no more is not onely a sufficient but a most full and necessary ground and reason for conuening of this Assembly This first reason I say is That you who are here presently assembled to represent the Body of this whole Kingdome and of all sorts of people within the same may with your owne eares heare and that I out of mine owne mouth may deliuer vnto you the assurance of my due thankefulnes for your so ioyfull and generall applause to the declaring and receiuing of mee in this Seate which GOD by my Birthright and lineall descent had in the fulnesse of time prouided for me and that immediatly after it pleased God to call your late Soueraigne of famous memory full of dayes but fuller of immortall trophes of Honour out of this transitorie life Not that I am able to expresse by wordes or vtter by eloquence the viue Image of mine inward thankfulnes but onely that out of mine owne mouth you may rest assured to expect that measure of thankefulnes at my hands which is according to the infinitenes of your deserts and to my inclination and abilitie for requitall of the same Shall I euer nay can I euer be able or rather so vnable in memorie as to forget your vnexpected readinesse and alacritie your euer memorable resolution and your most wonderfull coniunction and harmonie of your hearts in declaring and embracing mee as your vndoubted and lawfull King and Gouernour Or shall it euer bee blotted out of my minde how at my first entrie into this Kingdome the people of all sorts rid and ran nay rather flew to meet mee their eyes flaming nothing but sparkles of affection their mouthes and tongues vttering nothing but sounds of ioy their hands feete and all the rest of their members in their gestures discouering a passionate longing and earnestnesse to meete and embrace their new Soueraigne Quid ergo retribuam Shall I allow in my selfe that which I could neuer beare with in another No I must plainely and freely confesse here in all your audiences that I did euer naturally so farre mislike a tongue to smoothe and diligent in paying their creditors with lip payment and verball thankes as I euer suspected that sort of people meant not to pay their debtors in more substantiall sort of coyne And therefore for expressing of my thankefulnesse I must resort vnto the other two reasons of my conuening of this Parliament by them in action to vtter my thankefulnesse Both the said reasons hauing but one ground which is the deedes whereby all the dayes of my life I am by Gods grace to expresse my said thankfulnesse towards you but diuided in this That in the first of these two mine actions of thankes are so inseparably conioyned with my Person as they are in a maner become indiuidually annexed to the same In the other reason mine actions are such as I may either doe them or leaue them vndone although by Gods grace I hope neuer to be weary of the doing of them As to the first It is the blessings which God hath in my Person bestowed vpon you all wherein I protest I doe more glorie at the same for your weale then for any particular respect of mine owne reputation or aduantage therein THe first then of these blessings which God hath ioyntly with my Person sent vnto you is outward Peace that is peace abroad with all forreine neighbours for I thanke God I may iustly say that neuer since I was a King I either receiued wrong of any other Christian Prince or State or did wrong to any I haue euer I praise God yet kept Peace and amitie with all which hath bene so farre tyed to my person as at my comming here you are witnesses I found the State embarqued in a great and tedious warre and onely by mine arriuall here and by the Peace in my Person is now amitie kept where warre was before which is no smal blessing to a Christian Common-wealth for by Peace abroad with their neighbours the Townes flourish the Merchants become rich the Trade doeth encrease and the people of all sorts of the Land enioy free libertie to exercise themselues in their seuerall vocations without perill or disturbance Not that I thinke this outward Peace so vnseparably tyed to my Person as I dare assuredly promise to my selfe and to you the certaine continuance thereof but thus farre I can very well assure you and in the word of a King promise vnto you That I shall neuer giue the first occasion of the breach thereof neither shall I euer be moued for any particular or priuate passion of mind to interrupt your publique Peace except I be forced thereunto either for reparation of the honour of the Kingdom or else by necessitie for the weale and preseruation of the same In which case a secure and honourable warre must be preferred to an vnsecure and dishonourable Peace yet doe I hope by my experience of the by-past blessings of Peace which God hath so long euer since my Birth bestowed vpon mee that hee wil not be weary to continue the same nor repent him of his grace towards me transferring that sentence of King Dauids vpon his by-past victories of warre to mine of Peace That that God who preserued me from the deuouring iawes of the Beare and of the Lion and deliuered them into my hands shall also now grant me victory ouer that vncircumcised Philistine BVt although outward Peace be a great blessing yet is it as farre inferiour to peace within as Ciuill warres are more cruell and vnnaturall then warres abroad And therefore the second great blessing that GOD hath with my Person sent vnto you is Peace within and that in a double forme
Psalme Inciderunt in foueam quam fecerunt And since Scipio an Ethnick led onely by the light of Nature That day when he was accused by the Tribunes of the people of Rome for mispending and wasting in his Punick warres the Cities Treasure euen vpon the sudden brake out with that diuersion of them from that matter calling them to remembrance how that day was the day of the yeere wherein God had giuen them so great a victory against Hannibal and therefore it was fitter for them all leauing other matters to runne to the Temple to praise God for that so great deliuery which the people did all follow with one applause How much more cause haue we that are Christians to bestow this time in this place for Thankes-giuing to God for his great Mercy though we had had no other errant of assembling here at this time wherein if I haue spoken more like a Diuine then would seeme to belong to this place the matter it selfe must plead for mine excuse For being here commen to thanke God for a diuine worke of his Mercy how can I speake of this deliuerance of vs from so hellish a practise so well as in language of Diuinitie which is the direct opposite to so damnable an intention And therefore may I iustly end this purpose as I did begin it with this Sentence The Mercie of God is aboue all his workes It resteth now that I should shortly informe you what is to bee done hereafter vpon the occasion of this horrible and strange accident As for your part that are my faithfull and louing Subiects of all degrees I know that your hearts are so burnt vp with zeale in this errant and your tongues so ready to vtter your duetifull affections and your hands and feete so bent to concurre in the execution thereof for which as I neede not to spurre you so can I not but praise you for the same As it may very well be possible that the zeale of your hearts shall make some of you in your speaches rashly to blame such as may bee innocent of this attempt But vpon the other part I wish you to consider That I would be sorie that any being innocent of this practise either domesticall or forraine should receiue blame or harme for the same For although it cannot be denied That it was the onely blinde superstition of their errors in Religion that led them to this desperate deuice yet doth it not follow That all professing that Romish religion were guiltie of the same For as it is trew That no other sect of heretiques not excepting Turke Iew nor Pagan no not euen those of Calicute who adore the deuill did euer maintaine by the grounds of their religion That it was lawfull or rather meritorious as the Romish Catholickes call it to murther Princes or people for quarrell of Religion And although particular men of all professions of Religion haue beene some Theeues some Murtherers some Traitors yet euer when they came to their end and iust punishment they confessed their fault to bee in their nature and not in their profession These Romish Catholicks onely excepted Yet it is trew on the other side that many honest men blinded peraduenture with some opinions of Popery as if they be not sound in the questions of the Reall presence or in the number of the Sacraments or some such Schoole-question yet doe they either not know or at least not beleeue all the trew grounds of Popery which is in deed The mysterie of iniquitie And therefore doe we iustly confesse that many Papists especially our forefathers laying their onely trust vpon CHRIST and his Merits at their last breath may be and often times are saued detesting in that point and thinking the crucltie of Puritanes worthy of fire that will admit no saluation to any Papist I therefore thus doe conclude this point That as vpon the one part many honest men seduced with some errors of Popery may yet remaine good and faithfull Subiects So vpon the other part none of those that trewly know and beleeue the whole grounds and Schoole conclusions of their doctrine can euer proue either good Christians or faithfull Subiects And for the part of forraine Princes and States I may so much the more acquite them and their Ministers of their knowledge and consent to any such villanie as I may iustly say that in that point I better know all Christian Kings by my selfe That no King nor Prince of Honour will euer abase himselfe so much as to thinke a good thought of so base and dishonourable a Treachery wishing you therefore that as God hath giuen me an happie Peace and Amitie with all other Christian Princes my neighbours as was euen now very grauely told you by my L. Chancellor that so you will reuerently iudge and speake of them in this case And for my part I would wish with those ancient Philosophers that there were a Christall window in my brest wherein all my people might see the secretest thoughts of my heart for then might you all see no alteration in my minde for this accident further then in these two points The first Caution and warinesse in gouernment to discouer and search out the mysteries of this wickednesse as farre as may be The other after due triall Seueritie of punishment vpon those that shall bee found guilty of so detestable and vnheard of villanie And now in this matter if I haue troubled your eares with an abrupt speach vndigested in any good methode or order you haue to consider that an abrupt and vnaduised speach doeth best become in the relation of so abrupt and vnorderly an accident And although I haue ordained the proroguing of this Parliament vntil after Christmas vpon two necessary respects whereof the first is that neither I nor my Councell can haue leisure at this time both to take order for the Apprehension and triall of these Conspiratours and also to wait vpon the dayly affaires of the Parliament as the Councell must doe And the other reason is the necessitie at this time of diuers of your presences in your Shires that haue Charges and Commandements there For as these wretches thought to haue blowen vp in a maner the whole world of this Island euery man being now commen vp here either for publike causes of Parliament or else for their owne priuate causes in Law or otherwise So these Rebels that now wander through the Countrey could neuer haue gotten so fit a time of safetie in their passage or whatsoeuer vnlawfull Actions as now when the Countrey by the foresaid occasions is in a maner left desolate and waste vnto them Besides that it may be that I shall desire you at your next Session to take vpon you the Iudgement of this Crime For as so extraordinary a Fact deserues extraordinary Iudgement So can there not I thinke following euen their owne Rule be a fitter Iudgement for them then that they should be measured with the same measure
Weale of his Estate And lastly if you will rightly consider the meanes and wayes how to bring all your labours to a good end you must remember That you are heere assembled by your lawfull King to giue him your best aduises in the matters proposed by him vnto you being of that nature which I haue already told wherein you are grauely to deliberate and vpon your consciences plainely to determine how farre those things propounded doe agree with the weale both of your King and of your Countrey whose weales cannot be separated And as for my selfe the world shall euer beare mee witnesse That I neuer shall propone any thing vnto you which shall not as well tend to the weale publike as to any benefite for me So shall I neuer oppone my selfe to that which may tend to the good of the Common-wealth for the which I am ordeined as I haue often said And as you are to giue your aduise in such things as shall by your King be proposed So is it on your part your dueties to propone any thing that you can after mature deliberation iudge to be needefull either for these ends already spoken of or otherwise for the discouery of any latent euill in the Kingdome which peraduenture may not haue commen to the Kings eare If this then ought to bee your graue maner of proceeding in this place Men should bee ashamed to make shew of the quicknesse of their wits here either in taunting scoffing or detracting the Prince or State in any point or yet in breaking iests vpon their fellowes for which the Ordinaries or Ale-houses are fitter places then this Honourable and high Court of Parliament In conclusion then since you are to breake vp for the reasons I haue already told you I wish such of you as haue any charges in your Countreys to hasten you home for the repressing of the insolencies of these Rebels and apprehension of their persons wherin as I heartily pray to the Almightie for your prosperous successe So doe I not doubt but we shall shortly heare the good newes of the same And that you shall haue an happie returne and meeting here to all our comforts Here the Lord Chancellor spake touching the proroguing of the Parliament And hauing done his Maiestie rose againe and said SInce it pleased God to graunt mee two such notable Deliueries vpon one day of the weeke which was Tuesday and likewise one day of the Moneth which was the fifth Thereby to teach mee That as it was the same deuill that still persecuted mee So it was one and the same GOD that still mightily deliuered mee I thought it therefore not amisse That the one and twentieth day of Ianuary which fell to be vpon Tuesday should bee the day of meeting of this next Session of Parliament hoping and assuring my selfe that the same GOD who hath now granted me and you all so notable and gracious a deliuerie shall prosper all our affaires at that next Session and bring them to an happie conclusion And now I consider GOD hath well prouided it that the ending of this Parliament hath bene so long continued For as for my owne part I neuer had any other intention but onely to seeke so farre my weale and prosperitie as might coniunctly stand with the flourishing State of the whole Common-wealth as I haue often told you So on the other part I confesse if I had bene in your places at the beginning of this Parliament which was so soone after mine entry into this Kingdome wherein ye could not possibly haue so perfect a knowledge of mine inclination as experience since hath taught you I could not but haue suspected and mis-interpreted diuers things In the trying whereof now I hope by your experience of my behauiour and forme of gouernment you are well ynough cleared and resolued A SPEACH TO BOTH THE HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT DELIVERED IN THE GREAT CHAMBER AT WHITE-HALL THE LAST DAY OF March 1607. MY Lords of the higher House and you Knights and Burgesses of the Lower house All men at the beginning of a Feast bring foorth good Wine first and after worse This was the saying of the Gouernour of the Feast at Cana in Galile where CHRIST wrought his first miracle by changing water into Wine But in this case now whereof I am to speake vnto you I must follow that Gouernours rule and not CHRISTS example in giuing you the worst and sowrest Wine last For all the time of this long Session of the Parliament you haue bene so fed and cloy'd specially you of the Lower house with such banquets and choise of delicate speeches and your eares so seasoned with the sweetnesse of long precogitate Orations as this my Speach now in the breaking vp of this Assembly cannot but appeare vnto your taste as the worst Wine proposed in the end of the Banquet since I am onely to deliuer now vnto you matter without curious forme substance without ceremonie trewth in all sinceritie Yet considering the Person that speaketh the parties to whom I speake the matter whereof I meane to speake it fits better to vtter matter rather then wordes in regard of the greatnesse of my place who am to speake to you the grauitie of you the Auditorie which is the high Court of Parliament the weight of the matter which concernes the securitie and establishment of this whole Empire and litle world Studied Orations and much eloquence vpon little matter is fit for the Vniuersities where not the Subiect which is spoken of but the triall of his wit that speaketh is most commendable but on the contrary in all great Councels or Parliaments fewest wordes with most matter doeth become best where the dispatch of the great errands in hand and not the praise of the person is most to bee looked vnto like the garment of a chaste woman who is onely set forth by her naturall beautie which is properly her owne other deckings are but ensignes of an harlot that flies with borrowed feathers And besides the conueniencie I am forced hereunto by necessitie my place calling me to action and not leauing me to the libertie of contemplation hauing alwayes my thoughts busied with the publique care of you all where euery one of you hauing but himselfe and his owne priuate to thinke of are at more leisure to make studied speeches And therefore the matter which I deliuer you confusedly as in a sacke I leaue it to you when you are in your chambers and haue better leysure then I can haue to ranke them in order euery one in their owne place Thus much by way of Preface But I proceed to the matter Whereof I might say with S. Paul I could speake in as many tongues as you all but I had rather speake three wordes to edification then talke all day without vnderstanding In vaine saith the Psalmist doeth the builder build the house or the watchman watch the Citie vnlesse the Lord giue his blessing thereunto And in the New Testament S.
that Religion increaseth vnder mee GOD is my witnesse I speake nothing for vaine-glory but speake it againe My heart is grieued when I heare Recusants increase Therefore I wish you Iudges to take it to heart as I doe and preuent it as you can and make me knowen to my people as I am There are three sorts of Recusants The first are they that for themselues will bee no Recusants but their wiues and their families are and they themselues doe come to Church but once or twice in a yeere inforced by Law or for fashion sake These may be formall to the Law but more false to GOD then the other sort The second sort are they that are Recusants and haue their conscience misse-led and therefore refuse to come to Church but otherwise liue as peaceable Subiects The third sort are practising Recusants These force all their seruants to bee Recusants with them they will suffer none of their Tenants but they must bee Recusants and their neighbours if they liue by them in peace must be Recusants also These you may finde out as a foxe by the foule smell a great way round about his hole This is a high pride and presumption that they for whose soules I must answere to GOD and who enioy their liues and liberties vnder mee will not onely be Recusants themselues but infect and draw others after them As I haue said in Parliament house I can loue the person of a Papist being otherwise a good man and honestly bred neuer hauing knowen any other Religion but the person of an Apostate Papist I hate And surely for those Polypragmaticke Papists I would you would studie out some seuere punishment for them for they keepe not infection in their owne hearts onely but also infect others our good Subiects And that which I say for Recusants the same I say for Priests I confesse I am loath to hang a Priest onely for Religion sake and saying Masse but if he refuse the Oath of Alleagiance which let the Pope and all the deuils in Hell say what they will yet as you finde by my booke and by diuers others is meerely Ciuill those that so refuse the Oath and are Polypragmaticke Recusants I leaue them to the Law it is no persecution but good Iustice And those Priests also that out of my Grace and Mercy haue beene let goe out of prisons and banished vpon condition not to returne aske mee no questions touching these quit me of them and let mee not heare of them And to them I ioyne those that breake prison for such Priests as the prison will not hold it is a plaine signe nothing will hold them but a halter Such are no Martyrs that refuse to suffer for their conscience Paul notwithstanding the doores were open would not come foorth And Peter came not out of the prison till led by the Angel of God But these will goe forth though with the angel of the Diuell I haue giuen order to my Lord of Canterbury and my Lord of London for the distinction c. of the degrees of Priests and when I haue an accompt from them then will I giue you another charge concerning them Another thing that offendeth the Realme is abundance of Ale-houses and therefore to auoyd the giuing occasion of euill and to take away the root and punish the example of vice I would haue the infamous Ale houses pulled downe and a command to all Iustices of Peace that this be done I may complaine of Ale-houses for receipt of Stealers of my Deere but the countrey may complaine for stealing their horses oxen and sheepe for murder cutting of purses and such like offences for these are their haunts Deuouring beasts as Lyons and Beares will not bee where they haue no dennes nor couert So there would be no theeues if they had not their receipts and these Ale-houses as their dennes Another sort are a kinde of Alehouses which are houses of haunt and receipt for debaushed rogues and vagabonds and idle sturdie fellowes and these are not properly Ale-houses but base victuallers such as haue nothing else to liue by but keeping houses of receipt for such kinde of customers I haue discouered a strange packe of late That within tenne or twelue miles of London there are ten or twelue persons that liue in spight of mee going with Pistols and walking vp and downe from harbour to harbour killing my Deere and so shift from hold to hold that they cannot be apprehended For Rogues you haue many good Acts of Parliament Edward the sixt though hee were a child yet for this he in his time gaue better order then many Kings did in their aage You must take order for these Beggars and Rogues for they so swarme in euery place that a man cannot goe in the streetes nor in the high wayes norany where for them Looke to your houses of Correction and remember that in the chiefe Iustice Pophams time there was not a wandering begger to bee found in all Somersetshire being his natiue countrey Haue a care also to suppresse the building of Cottages vpon Commons which are as bad as Alehouses and the dwellers in them doe commonly steale Deere Conies sheepe oxen horses breake houses and doe all maner of villanies It is trew some ill Iustices make gaine of these base things take an accompt of the Iustices of Peace that they may know they doe these things against the will of the King I am likewise to commend vnto you a thing very necessarie High-wayes and Bridges because no Common-weale can bee without passage I protest that as my heart doeth ioy in the erection of Schooles and Hospitals which haue beene more in my time then in many aages of my predecessours so it grieues mee and it is wonderfull to see the decay of charitie in this how scant men are in contributing towards the amendment of High-wayes and Bridges Therefore take a care of this for that is done to day with a penie that will not bee done hereafter with an hundred pounds and that will be mended now in a day which hereafter will not be mended in a yeere and that in a yeere which will not bee done in our time as we may see by Pauls Steeple Another thing to be cared for is the new Buildings here about the Citie of London concerning which my Proclamations haue gone foorth and by the chiefe Iustice here and his Predecessor Popham it hath bene resolued to be a generall nusans to the whole Kingdome And this is that which is like the Spleene in the body which in measure as it ouergrowes the body wastes For is it possible but the Countrey must diminish if London doe so increase and all sorts of people doe come to London and where doeth this increase appeare not in the heart of the Citie but in the suburbes not giuing wealth or profit to the Citie but bringing miserie and surcharge both to Citie and Court causing dearth and scarsitie through the great prouision of