Northward is Britaine beyond Twede yet both on this side and that all but one Britaine non nos mare separat ingens exiqua prohibemur aqua as all France hath formerly been divided into two parts the one beyond the Alps the other within the Alps and all India Westward within the River Gange and Eastward beyond Gange And all Scithia within Imaus and without Imaus And though the Island hath beene long time divided into two Kingdomes yet England it selfe hath oft times of divers been called Britaine as by a Sirname and if pars pro toto might have that denomination much more ought the whole being now made one Therefore Linacre and Grocinus of the one part called themselves Britaines and Iohannes Major of the other affirmed that the Kings of England and Scotland wanted good Councell to advise them to marry together so to make of both one kingdome of Britaine and that only envious men and they who neglected the Weale publique did hinder this union of peace Which thing King Henry the seventh and King Henry the eigth wisely foresaw seeking by marriage to unite both kingdomes into one Discordantis saepe patriae non aliud est remedium quam si ab uno regeretur Therefore the wise men have most religiously observed two beginnings of things one of evill divisible imperfect manifold called duallity or Binarius numerus Another of good indivisible perfect and in name and nature alwaies one called unitas If Duallity or Binarius as cause efficient beare sway then in the aire breed intemperature if in Cities Families or Kingdomes wars and discord if in the body diseases if in the minde of men vice and wickednesse But where union possesseth chiefe place her fruits are to the aire wholsome temper to Cities Families and Kingdomes mutuall love and joy to the body health and strength and to the mind vertue godlines For unity admitteth no duality knoweth no contrariety and by consequence noâ— infirmity But Duallity seduced Adam in disobedience seeking to know as well evill as good who before was sole Monarch of the whole earth and was wholly good and perfect both in Body and Soule untill he drew with a double twisted cord of contrarieties unto his body in stead of health sicknesse and infirmities and unto his soul in stead of Righteousnesse sin and misery needing now to strengthen his body bread and to repaire his soule grace even for body and soule Gods mercy For so he turned the Monarchy of perfect good into a Monomachy or duellum of good and evill sinne and righteousnesse peace and war joy and sorrow sicknesse and health yea life and death And now when the sole Monarch of the whole earth left off to abide in the common obedience and universall union of all things to his Creator albeit all the creatures were before in voluntary subjection united also to their sole Monarch Adam on earth yet now every creature lifteth up himselfe against his sole earthly Soveraigne and against his Succession for ever The earth will not yeeld Adam bread but by the sweat of his browes the beasts become wilde and cruell yea the earth openeth her mouth against the succession of disobedient Adam and swalloweth up Corah Dathan and Abiram the waters drowne the whole world except eight persons the poore flie can and doth sometimes choake a man having before neither power nor will to doe it Lice can devoure and eate up Herod even the vilest and weakest creatures can and often do destroy the greatest Tyrants of the earth And in the opinion of some the holy Ghost seemeth in mystery to open this matter to a man of understanding forbearing in the second daies worke to say all was good as is plainely said of all the other five daies and he saw all things good not but that the worke of this day was also good for all his works are and were exceeding good but because of waters which in many places of the Scripture signifie troubles yea intollerable afflictions and because of division of waters in that daies worke God being a God not of division but of peace therefore the holy Ghost seemeth to forbeare to say in that place And it was good And yet would not these bee mistaken in their curiosity as if they included the division of waters in that dayes worke not to be good seeing that waters in the clouds divided from the Seas are upholden by Gods providence not to poure downe and overwhelme the earth for they approve divisions of constructions to be good as the dividing the light from darknesse the day from night and of whatsoever into parts for ornament and beauty of the forme divided but utterly condemne divisions of destructions or of distractions which is frangere non dividere comminuere non distinguere to part the body from the head or the members from the body to bring order to confusion unity to distraction forme to a Chaos and eâ—s to privation such division was that whereof Caselius answered the Merchant Navem si dividis nec tu nec socius habebit and such division the unnaturall harlot entended requiring the living childe to be cut into two parts 1 Kings 3. Let it be neither mine nor thine but divide it Where two or three are made one there is the image of God of truth of peace of fortitude of praise and of perfection but where one is drawne divided and torne asunder there breaketh forth falshood warre feare dishonour and confusion They which are of God embrace the one and they which are of the devill the other For God both in the Center and Circumference of truth is in simplicity and perfection one but the devill neither dwelling in this Center nor sitting in this Circle is carried in duallity nay contrariâ—ety of numbers opposing evill against good whose Center being falshood the circumference cannot bee truth his is a kingdome divided and must fall being not a Monarchy it cannot stand And yet we reject not the number of two so they continue and persist in union as it is written they shall be two in one flesh but reprobate is that duallity that maketh war in peace begetting and ingendring division and contrariety controversie and confusion and either of ambition senslesness hatred quarrell open discord or rebellion hindreth that sweet Harmony of union most pleasing to God most profitable for men of whom saith Tacitus In publicum exitiosi nihil spei nisi per discordias habent tamen libertas praeciosa nomina praetexuntur But doe we not see by this unfolding of things how the perpetuall course of truth and unity throughout all in the world doth even now conduct and lead me by the hand to the matter now in hand And verily I will follow thee sacred union whither soever thou leadest me and into whatsoever Region of vertue thou intendest I will not leave thee being never unlike thy selfe alwaies well accompanied adorned and beautified with diversity of things and never
A DISCOVRSE SHEWING THE GREAT HAPPINESSE that hath and may still accrue to his Majesties Kingdomes of ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND BY RE-VNITING them into one Great Britain In two parts BY JOHN BRISTOL LONDON Printed by R. H. for CHARLES DUNCOMB dwelling in Little-Britain 1641. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE the ESTATES now assembled in both houses of the high Court of Parliament THE sacred Mottoes upon the Coins of our late Soveraigne and Solomon King James Faciam eos in gentem unam and Quae Deus coâ— junxit nemo separetâ— might have deterreâ— some turbulent spiâ—rits of England and Scotland from vioâ—lating their peace cutting off the bridâ— from Twede and hindering that inâ—tercourse of amity which to Heavens and Britaines glory we no lesse happily than long enjoyed but Tongues and Pens I wish I could not say Swords have beene too busily imployed to untie that Gordian-knot which a good God and a pious King had made so firme Some in these Earth-quakes of State have laboured to underprop the houses of both Realmes others to pull them downe saying as of Jerusalem Downe with it downe with it even to the ground Nay I feare the same hand that hath held a Spade pretending to build a Wall hath held a Sword to kill a Subiect Wee need not send to Ireland for poyson to kill two kingdomes we have too much within our selves Poetry and Oratory such is the corruption of wit can make Candida de nigris de candentibus atra like Dogs they can either bite the sore or licke it or like Knives that can both spread a plaister for a wound and make a wound for a plaister The Poet Juvenal speaking of Alexander the great comming to see Diogenes Sensit Alexander testa cum vidit in illa Magnum habitatorem c. takes away the title of Magnus from the King and gives it to the Cynicke and have not we those that strive to make great Britaine Little putting Alexander from his Bucephalus and setting beggars on horse-backe I feare we have There are too many Empiricks among us whose delight is rather to kill than cure but You who are the Colledge of Physitians for the preservation of the body Politicke will make no Anatomies but of condemned persons by Law executed and by inquiry into the bad labour for the safety of the good Let it not be said that this day a Tribe is wanting in our Israel What though as judicious Weemes saith the Scots and English be as Samaritans and Jewes We have no Rehoboam why should we have a Jeroboam We have no rigor why should we have a revolt There may bee a good Samaritan which may take charge of the wounded man when a Priest and Levite may passe by on the other side Let not the Union of Britaine be cut off if it may bee preserved binde up the bones that are broken and make them whole so shall God binde up your souls in the Rowle of the living I doubt not but much good may bee gotten by a serious perusall of this ensuing Tractate Sure I am it will not be wholly uselesse to candid pious unprejudiced mindes who shall finde it as fit as necessary for these times I say no more but with heart and hands lift up to heaven pray that as you are Treasurers of the Weale-publique God will be pleased to crowne your publique endeavours to the everlasting peace and welfare of this Church and Common-wealth that his sacred Majesty and Royall Off-spring may ever bee glorious and that all his Kingdoms and Provinces may flourish to the terror of Foes and the endlesse comfort of all true loving Subjects THE EPISTLE to the READER IT was no blessing but a curse when the ten Tribes revolâ—ed from Rehoboam Division is good iâ— Musicke ill in Kingdomes and if confusion of Tongues ruinâ— a Babel confusion 〈◊〉 Hearts will ruine Bethel Scotland maâ— say to England 〈◊〉 Lot to Abraham We are brothers yeâ— when love cannot continue except their bodies discontinue the â—e of necessity must â—e to Sodome a 〈◊〉 and destinated for â—ire and Brimstone â—ingle Kingdomes â—ke fooles bolts are one shot away but â—njoyned as in a â—eafe not easily broâ—en It was the hapâ—inesse of our late Soâ—eraigne King James 〈◊〉 blessed memory to a bridge oveâ— the Tweed not 〈◊〉 Wood or Stone bâ— of English and Scoâ—â—tish hearts cementeâ— with strong affection It was indeed a haâ—â—pinesse to make twâ— spots of Earth twâ— little Kingdomes oâ— Great Britain the in building a secoâ— story makes a Hov◠〈◊〉 House though there â—e neither painted â—or carved Image in â—t no fretted roofe no â—old nor ivory Caâ—or and Polluxâ—rung from one Egge â—nd their signe is one Gemini Thus is â—e Vnity of Brethren â—xalted even to a â—onstellation That â—hich some years since was a motion breâ— some few moneth since a commotion namely a necessity 〈◊〉 separation between England and Scoâ—â—land which diffâ—â—rence might betteâ— have beene decidâ— with an Olive branâ— than a Sword as 〈◊〉 hope time ere long wiâ— make manifest Whâ— happinesse hath the Vnion of two Houses brought forth in this â—ne Kingdome and â—f there bee such hapâ—inesse in the Vnion of Houses what will there be in the Vnion of Kingdomes a thing which might bee â—s easily continued as compassed if some turbulent spirits did not disturbe the peacâ— of Sion This ensuing Treatise I could not bâ— publish as knowing to be so soveraigne Medicine for the Maladies of these Times Wherein Gentle Reader â— thou finde as much benefit as I delightâ— Thanke God and the Author I have my reward Farewell SVNDRY OBIECTIONS against this ensuing Treatise THE Objections pretended against this Treatise are divided into foure severall natures or kindes The first objection iâ— matter of generality 〈◊〉 common reason The second is matter of Estate domestique anâ— inward or matter â— Law The third is matter 〈◊〉 Estate forreine or maâ—â—ter of intercourse 〈◊〉 commerce The fourth is matter 〈◊〉 Honor or reputation The matter of generaâ—lity or common reason as concerning all in generall is also divided into two parts First that there is nor can be pretended no cause â—f the change Secondly that there is â—o president of like change neither ancient nor moderne forreigne or domestique The first Objection therefore is that in constituting or ordaining of any innovation or change here ought to bee considered either a generall necessity or evident utility but that we finde no grief in our present estate anâ— foresee no advancemenâ— to a better condition by this change and desire that it may be shewed untoâ— us The second Objection that we finde no presidenâ— at home nor abroad oâ— uniting or contracting of the names of two several Kingdomes or States intâ— one name where the Vnion hath growne by marriage or blood And that those examples which may be alleadged as far as wee can finde or understand are but in the ease of Conquest Matter of
is the selfe same as if we feared that without Vnion the king would hold personall Courts in Cornwall or as if we doubted that such Courts when our former Kings were personally in France were not for all that kept a◠Westminster The sea◠of judgement is the sea◠of the house of David thither the Tribes goe up and there the peoples feet stand even in the gates of Ierusalem which Ierusalem is a City that is at unity in it selfe at unity concerning matters of religion at unity in matters touching publike justice and government therefore the King began his Psalme 122. I was glad when they said to me We will goe c. Lastly the exception taken against Vnion because of the Kings oath at his Coronation which is never iterated is grounded on the selfe same reason as if it were also alleadged that because his Majestie sweareth to maintaine ancient and fundamentall lawes therefore upon circumstance of time and occasion he might not alter any Law but let it be remembred that the Kings oath concerneth the Lawes and not the title and we know the Lawes may be preserved though the title be altered And as for Subjects I doubt not but they may without danger at the pleasure of the King sweare their allegeance and doe homage and obedience after restitution of title reformation of law and Vnion of Kingdomes And ancient Records doe no more leese their force by the change of England into Britaine then by change of King IAMES into King CHARLES And there is no more incertainty of pleadings instruments and writs than when a plaintife deceaseth after seven yeares suite his heire is put to begin commence his suite anew in other name The heart of objections against Vnion being halfe broken let us enter into the third consideration of matter of State inward where is objected a possibility of alienation of the Crowne of England to the Crowne of Scotland in case his Majesties Line should determine But blessed bee God our gracious Soveraigne King is blessed with a plentifull issue and hath yet much farther hope And I hope for which I pray night and day that his Majesties royall Issue shall not faile so long as the Sun and Moone endureth Neverthelesse if some will not labour of the common bane of good wits which is rather to dispute than obey and rather to reason beyond reason than yeeld to reason more magis quà m judicio they may herein also easily answer themselves that in uniting the two kingdomes the second place in stile may be rather drawne to the next of blood in our Land than the kingdome of England bee transferred to one farther off frō the Seem Which thing neither Henry the seventh nor Henry the eighth doubted the one seeking to marry his eldest daughter Lady Margaret to King Iames the fourth of Scotland hoping if his heire male failed by that meanes to unite Scotland to England And the other having his whole drift to match his Sonne Prince Edward to Queen Mary foreseeing in his providence the inestimable benefit of uniting the two kingdomes for which cause many of the Nobles of Scotland gave faith to doe their best endeavours But it is a strange doubt and cast beyond the Moone to imagine that Vnion of the two kingdomes doth so confound the State and change the tenure to bring it so into case of purchase as it will necessarily subject England to Scotland especially if his most excellent Majesty of his singular tenderness and love to this his Realme of England be pleased to effect and establish that in case his Royall Issue which Almighty God of his infinite mercy defend should faile that then by this happy intended Vnion the Realme of Scotland should for ever be and continue indissolubly united and annexed to the lawfull and rightfull inheritance and succession of the Crowne of England in the blood royall of the same Now touching matter of State forreine in answer to the first objection I am well assured that our forreine affaires were at worst in the opinion of all at the decease of our late Queen and our entercourse utterly decaied with many Princes so as we need a kind of present renewing which may be cōcluded as wel under title of King of all Britain as of England To the second it is easily answered that the King loseth no precedency of place as is imagined specially antiquity as in the Objections is alleadged guiding it and not greatnesse For the Successor to King Arthur of Britaine will bee worthy in the opinion of the whole world of better place then King Egbert of England To the third that if the name of England as is imagined be obscured the name of famous and great Britain will be illustrate memorable in times past to all the then knowne Nations of the earth Touching matter of Honour it is certaine and evident that the name of England though it hath beene worthily most famous and great yet is not equall to the title of great Britaine when England and Scotland are reunited either by reason of honor or of power All Histories remembring unto us that the Britaines long time resisted the mighty force of Romaines Lords and Conquerours of the world And albeit some fathers can be content to disinherite their own daughters to continue their names as is inferred in the objections and therfore inforced shold be much more in States specially where the name hath beene famous yet for my part I account such parents unkind and unnaturall where self-love of their name maketh them forget themselves and forsake their owne flesh I will not urge here the law of God of nature and of most nations where daughters inherite names grow extinguished But this is a vaine respect only of name wherof is spokē to get a name on earth and to think their name should never be put out whereas so many countries so many people so many persons have either lost or left their former name and most willingly have been called by another name Gaudet cognomine terra Virgil Eneid lib. 6. That countrey rejoyced to be called by a new name how much more should our Land imbrace this name of Britaine and yet not new but indeed his old proper name renewed and as it were redivived and restored from the dead Or be it simply losse only of a bare transitory name yet as the Prophet Esay speaketh Chapter 56. ver. 3. Let not the Eunuch say Behold I am a dry tree my name shall perish with mee Let us rather regard that name which God promiseth to them that serve him saying Esay 65. ver. 5. Even unto them will I give in my house and within my pallaces a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters I will give them an everlasting name which shall not be put out The argument of Oblivion deserveth no answer but silence and forgetfulnesse and yet I doubt not but famous acts of Noble English men will as well
and government of consanguinity to her her selfe still holding primacy over all as England and Scotland are chearefully looking one towards the other in the name of great Britaine and as the two Cherubins did looke one towards the other in one propitiatory And thy royall state O great Britaine is as the anointed Cherub Ezek. 28. And as in the heart of man is placed fortitude in his liver temperance and in his minde Iustice and yet all these with all other vertues are annexed to Prudence the common ligament of all so is great Britaine by uniting all his kingdomes principalities countries and honours the compleat proportioned forme of all and all in it both universally and particularly are fashioned and made fit on every side for happy conjunction and mutuall correspondence For this renowned name of great Britaine standeth in stead of a Loadstone drawing all into one chaining them together with links of love as Lisippus made an image of foure mettals mixed together gold silver brasse and iron expressing hereby absolute perfection of vertue putting in gold to signifie Prudence silver Iustice brasse Fortitude and iron Temperance whereof they are altogether ignorant as if they had never seene vertue so much as painted who to overthrow union in the name of great Britain bring no union of vertues even excellencies of many Countries to this so excellent worke But skilfull Zeuxes going about to depaint an absolute worke of a perfect virgin took not only view of one womans beauty but had variety of many the fairest to accomplish out of all these a more excellent and consummate forme of body Shall we not thinke the Kingdome of France containing Pickardy Normandy the Isle of France Champaigne Averne Dalpheny Bry Bloys Turin the Dutchy of Anâ—ow Xantoâ—n Burgundy and uniting â—o it little Britaine to be more glorious in all these being made one then if but one only of all these were that Kingdome Doe we not see that the enlarging of the dominions of Spaine in uniting and establishing divers kingdomes and territories as those of Aragons Castile and that of Portugal with others hath so enlarged that Kingdome as that the like hath not befallen other Christian Potentates Hath not the King of Denmarke beside the Cimbrian Chersonese where Holsatia Theutomartia the Dukedome of Sletia Flensburgh Friesland and Iuthland doe lie other spacious Islands fifteen in number all comprehended under the name Denmarke and united to that Crowne Did not Iagello taking to wife in the yeare 1380. the Princesse Hedingee the last of the blood Royall of Polonia after he was enstalled King there unite all his owne principalities of Lithuania and Samotgathia Provinces of Russia to the Kingdome and Crowne of Poland Did not Ahasuerus Esther 1. raigne from India to Ethiopia over an hundred twenty and seven divers Provinces And was not he so mighty by reason of this variety subjected and united to his sole government that he was an hundreth and fourescore daies shewing the riches and glory of his Greatnesse to all his Princes and to the mighty men of Persia and Media But to take example of one only Rome for all How hath it been renowned through the whole world by joyning all Nations of the world into one even to it selfe Herehence it was called Terrarum dea gentiumque Roma communis patria mundâ— compendium As Propertius Omnia Romanae cedant miracula terrae Natura hic posuit quicquid in orbe fuit But the Majesty of this Empire grew so great by adjoyning other nations and bringing them all into one Haec est in gremium quae victos sola recepit Humanumque genus communi nomine fovit Matris non dominae ritu civesque â—ocavit Quoâ— domini nexuque prâ— longinqua revinxit And againe Fecisti patri em diversis gentibus unam Dumque offers victis proprii consortia juris Vrbem fecisti quod prius orbis erat And so may we say of this renowned name of great Britaine comprehending us all of divers nations in one under our gracious King Hujus pacificis debemus moribus omnes Quod cunctigens una sumus I could set forth and confirme by sundry examples this uniting of many into one and thereby shew that the enlarging of dominion consisteth in uniting all together into one name and establishing divers Territories under one Soveraignty and government and that the greater States and Imperiall powers of larger extent and far spreading domination are the more durable and that the Monarchy of great Britaine is like to bee hereafter of more durance strength and honor as partly comming under our Kings government without conquest or constraint Nam errat longe mea qui dem sententia qui credat imperium stabilius aut firmius quod viâ— adjungitur quam quod facilitate clementia so now especially it being united in the whole then heretofore divided in parts his contexture being of a greater frame than before holding by more then one naile anâ— upholding its owne greatnesse even as great buildâ—ings endure and subsist by their owne weight as the Poet speaketh Pondere tâ— suo est But I thinke it here as needfull to lay open the great fault imputed to Conâ—stantine dividing the Emâ—pire among his Children whereby of one Empire he made three and withall a memorable diminution of of his authority and forces which part Brutus also played dividing this whole Empire of great Britain among his three Sons of which though two parts afterward namely England Wales were againe in good time united yet Scotland stood till now divided from the rest and the rest from it till God in speciall goodnesse restored to former name and government all into one againe for which Kings Iames may challenge more glory by uniting all into one then Brutus or Constantine dividing it from one and though Constantine the great was counted the glory of Britaine as being borne and made Emperour here yet may that commendation better fit King Iames than Constantine Tu nobiles fecisti Britanias quod illic ortâ— factusque es imperator The Platan tree hath many goodly Branches and boughes and leaves in one body and therefore Xerxes in Herodotus crowned him with a golden Garland doubtlesse there is a deserved glorious garland due to the name of great Britaine bringing forth many goodly boughes and branches like to the faire and well spread Platan tree or rather for the height of his honour like the â—all and goodly Cedar in whom the dreame of Nebuchodonosor hath been verified for he saw a tree in the middest of the earth great and strong whose height reached unto the heaven and the sight thereof to the end of the earth whose leaves were faire and the fruit thereof much Dan. 4. in which was meat for all yea the beasts of the field had shadow under it the fowles of the aire dwell in the boughes thereof and all flesh fed of it But Nebuchodonosor heard also a watch crying out mightily hew downe
this tree breake off his branches shake off his leaves scatter his fruit that both beasts and fowles may be put from him neverthelesse leave the stump of his rootes still in the earth So was the ancient honour and glory of great Britaine great and mighty high to heaven faire and fruitfull and of power over the whole Land from one end to the other but the highest who hath power over all did for the sin of the inhabitants hew downe this goodly tree yet left the stumpe of the rootes in the earth And out of it the tree is growne up againe to former beauty that we might learn to magnifie the K. of heaven as did Nebuchadnesar restored to the honor of his kingdome to his glory and beauty againe to his Counsellors and Princes and to the establishment of his Throne with augmented glory And here let us now consecrate to all eternity the ancient name of famous great Britaine as a Pantheon of all blessings in peace prosperity and honour for as Pantheon was a Temple at Rome round and like to the capacitie of heaven wherein were put all the images of their gods So I say in the name and stile of great Britaine as in a Pantheon are placed all worldly blessings like Stars shining from heaven and having their influence into the whole body of common weale even perfection of beauty in Sion Superstitious antiquity framed false Gods one indued with this vertue and another with that this a wise that a warlike and another a just God yea for so many vertues they framed so many goddesses where one Temple might not be consecrated to two goddesses but distinct vertues must be worshipped with distinct worship So as Marcellus dedicating one and the same Temple to Honour and Vertue was thought to offend against religion But our happy and better instructed age reducing all to one truly to worship one true and only God so in civill things and government it offereth only one above and for all that whatsoever is separate and distracted from it may bee counted as anathema excommunicate divorced or as a barren handmaid to bee sold to the Vsurer unprofitable imperfect or as it were not at all And now as union into the name of great Britaine is like a Pantheon and bringeth manifold abundant blessings meeting together and concurring in one so let us account our selves most blessed in our Soveraigne unitor King Iames in whose Royall and princely Successor our gracious K. Charles and his noble Progeny is laid up all our obedience and dwelleth all our happinesse even as that worthy Scipio is said therefore to be borne that there might be one in whom all vertue should shew it selfe effectually and absolutely perfect Hic est Scipio quem dii immortales nasci voluerunt ut esset in quo se virtus per omnes numeros efficaciter ostenderet This is the voice of truth it selfe England and Scotland are so naturally united in the name of great Britain that the one nearely allyed to the other can no longer bee an alien or stranger one to the other except it may bee said that Quia meus est non est meus ipsaque damno est mihi proximitas So this naturall conjunction should bee no union because it is both naturall in the Soile and reall in the Subject But albeit the Romanes put into the Temple called Pantheon that precious gem named Vnio divided and cut in two yet we with all our goods and geare ought willingly be borne into the bosome of great Britaine quae fundit in omnes imperium not distributing union into parts but knitting up all parts into one as Cicero's Oratour all sciences and Aristotles good man all vertues as Cato was counted like perfect in all vertues or as the divine Plato sealed up in man the lesser world whatsoever vertue was in the whole world or rather as Eden the plentifull garden of God sealing up the summe of all perfection and glory Ezek. 28. was freight and deckt with all manner of precious stones the Ruby the Tapaze and the Diamond the Chrysolice the Onix and the Iasper the Saphir the Emerande and the Carbuncle and gold Even now may it be said of this universall name of Britaine as it was said of Rome Imperii virtutumque omnium lar and virtutum omnium latissimum templum In ancient time it was counted ominous if a stone fell or a dog came among brethren And Socrates was wont to curse those who by self-conceits and head-strong opinion attempted to set asunder those things which nature coupled together And now if any factious Tribune of the people interpose himselfe to divide us and to disturbe the peace of Israel thinking there is good fishing in troubled waters and that the honours and benefits they hunt after are attained in Perturbata Republica whereof they utterly despaire in a peaceable State Quia in concordia ordinum nullos se usquam esse vident verily such are not unlike Medea who so dispersed her brothers limmes that they could not be gathered againe Cujus etiam vultu laeditu pietas as the Mariners at Sea well observe in the two Stars Castor and Pollux that if one without the other appeare they foresee a troubled Sea but peaceable and quiet without storme and without danger in the sight of both together The principality of Wales shall witnesse this truth which never received any thing any more beneficiall for the people there then uniting that Countrey to the crown kingdome of England For whilest it was alone without his brother it was subject to storme full of contentions war and shedding of blood but joyned with his brother it florished with peace and at this day is blessed in the uniformity of government there established And in mine opinion it is well observed in the Chronicle of Wales how God was not pleased with the first change of the name of Britaine into the name of England for presently followed the terrible and cruell invasion of the Danes and after that the conquest of the Normans But memorable is it that the Britaines ruled all the whole Isle together with the out Isles of Wight Men in English Anglisee Manaw in English Man Orkney and Ewyst 1137. yeares before Christ and after the yeare of his incarnation 688. even to the death of Cadwallader the last King of Britaines and of the noble race of Trojans Which when in succeeding age many mighty and famous Kings of England considered they laboured by all meanes to recover and resume the name and stile of Kings of great Britaine acccounting it dishonorable to leese any jot of the honour of their most princely progenitors And therefore K. Knute King of England mighty in his dominions of Swethen from Germany to the North poles with Norway and Denmarke having obtained prosperous success in warring against Scotland is recorded after his death the mightiest Prince in the West parts of the world and of all the noble Isle of
Britaine And so William the Conqueror for the good successe he likewise had in Scotland is recorded King of all Britaine and Henry the second surnamed Curtmantle is also for like successe recorded King of all Britaine And if they be renowned and honoured with name and stile of Britaine which by rightfull descent or by conquest were inheritours but to one part only though by their fortunes in war they also claimed the other what rightfull title must we then acknowledge most justly now to belong to his most excellent Majesty in the imperiall crowne of both who by lineall descent inheriteth both Here I wish I had as many eyes as Argos to looke into their devises who seeke to divide England from Scotland and Scotland from England renouncing the name of great Britaine lest joyned in one they might as the forenamed stars appeare together shine together and bring joy together I would then not spare to lay open as Cneius Flavius did reveal to the world the tricks and misteries of Lawyers of that time and therefore was said to put out their eyes and to cut their purses how also these Adamants hinder the naturall power and vertue of the Load-stone whom I call Adamants aswell for repugnant qualities as that they be truly Adamants even Sons of Adam practising rather in disobedience dissention and ruine of all to lay hands upon that is forbidden then to draw the Iron nay golden chaine of linkes of love in obedience to the King and for common peace and preservation of men But herein such imitate the devise of Q. Fabius Labeo seeking to have the ship of common weale divided in parts as when by compact of league with Antiochus he ought to receive halfe part of Antiochus ships cut them all in the middest craftily so to defraud Antiochus of his whole Navy or else imitate they Cyrus dividing great Rivers into many little Brookes till they be not only passable but even dryed up for so these seek to stay the maine and mighty Streame of great Britaine by dividing it and in dividing to make it of sundry kindes unlike it selfe Such dividing into parts is disjoyning of the parts by disjoyning dismembring and by dismembring spoiling making the stone Scyros which whole and firmely compacted doth swim and floate above the waters to sinke and be drowned because it is divided But our two famous kingdomes with all their provinces shires and countries united into the name of great Britaine are like the goodly and pleasant river Danubius which passing by many Countries keepeth his name till it enter into Illiricum where receiving into it sixty other rivers of divers other names leeseth not only his owne and all their other names of parts but is called Ister one for all containing all Here I require both of English and Scottish is either of them now as a people disjoynted one from the other Or as Sand without Lime Or scattered straw without binding Or as Sampsons Foxes running divers and contrary waies with fire brands of dissention among them Nay here in the glory of great Britaine is renowned that King Iames with our gracious King Charles and his Royall issue doe gather together that which was scattered and unite that which was divided and restore that which was lost and save that which was endangered even by this meanes uniting all in one name of Britaine as it was said of Rome uniting so many Countries into it selfe all parts which disagreed heretofore are now well agreeing Hereupon Rome was said to be anchora fluctuanti mundo and as he saith in Tacitus regna bellaque per Gallias semper fuere donec in nostrum jus concederetis So happily doth this universall conjunction of all under one head take away all discord and maintaine conjunction of love for everlasting continuance Only they which will be alone and not contained under one name of great Britaine are not bound up with the sheaves nor carried home into the Barne and therefore are like gleanings after harvest left behinde in the field subject to storme they come not two and two into this Arke and whatsoever remaineth alone Extra arcam perit Such are not unlike that Captaine whom Xerxes rewarded with a garland for escaping alive when all other souldiers were slaine and yet because he came alone without the rest he hanged him and as the the Athenians in the warre with the Aeginetae when one returned without his fellowes ranne upon him and killed him asking where were the rest And what can such I pray you as separate themselves from the happy union of all Britaines answer for themselves if they be called to account Can any be English and not Scottish can any be Scottish and not English Let that outcry against the Romans be ingeminated against such saying Quintilius Varus restore us our Legions where are our Souldiers what is become of them Where are the English where are the Scottish let all restore themselves and each one the other to the name of Britaines And so I say to all and every one of both nations Cedo alterum For I feare lest this name Cedo alterum mentioned in Taciâ—us be in scarely found among many but I call aloud where art thou Cedo alterum give us thy selfe bring in thy friend yea yet another and another bee not wanting to the weale publique una navis bonorum omnium all good Subjects are contained in one Ship of common Weal numeruÌ„ non habet illa suuÌ„ one is not perfit without the other for Britaines Subject ought maintaine mutuall society for common good As for others disclaiming us and disjoyning themselves only I wish they may all be of the same consort and society with us for victrix causa dii placuit though victa Catoni And albeit many great and mighty Potentates on earth make a great shew of Copia verborum by copious recitall of many Provinces and Kingdomes as if his Majesty should entitle himselfe by all the severall shires under his dominions and not by one honourable Title of great Britaine comprehending all to shew how this misliked some it is recorded when the Emperours Embassador comming to the French King rehearsed the Emperours stile at large which consisted of many dominions and names of countries the French King willed his Herauld to repeate and say over the name of France as many times as the other had rehearsed the severall titles of his Masters dominions intimating that one name of France well compacted and united of many particulars into one generall name was better then divers particular names of many countries And when Quintius Flaminius heard how his army was terrified at the recitall of many his enemies forces of their diversity of names of countries of Armour and of multitudes Dahae Medi Cadusij Elemei Cataphracti c. Spearemen Horsemen Footmen Archers c. Oh saith he what a doe is here with numbers and diversity of numbers all these are but onely Syrians and make a great shew like