likewise in the battel which he fought against the Iewes after fiue thirtie thousand of his hoast were slaughtred slaine himselfe his hed hand shoul der strooke off and his blasphemous toong cut out and deuided in small peeces and giuen to the fowles of the aire as a iust recompence of his outragious madnesse These with many thousandes more wherof written verities maketh men-haue beene euen in this life plagued with strange torments vnacspected deathes for their great wickednes in this behalfe it haue brought the vengeance and iuste wrath of God vppon whole countries and nations and for that no lawes are made to suppres and punish this offence on earth God him selfe will punishe it with vengeance from heauen But O deere father I beseech thee in the aboundance of that great mercie which thou the almightie creator ofheauen and earth extendest toward vs the banishedbrats of Eue at what time thou sentest into the worlde the liuelye image of thy owne substance euen thy word of promise thy deere only Sonne Christ Iesus that hee by pouertie humilitie meekenes charitie by buffers whippinges and torments and finallie by the most cruell and shameful death of the crosse shuld redeeme and ransome vnrighteous mankind being in captiuitie fast boūd with the chaines of sinne vnder the great prince of darkenesse of death that it would please thee in the greatnesse of that mercy and goodnesse of thine to spare this Realme of England from the punishmēt which we thrugh our wilfull periuries and odious blasphemies worthilie deserue and as it were with strong hand pull vppon vs Spare vs good Lord spare the English nation and especiallie the supreame head and gratious gouernesse thereof Pardon our sinnes and deferre thy ven geance till thy wrathe be ouerpassed and our penitencie purchase thy pardon Consider ô almightie monarche of the celestiall world how prone all mankinde is to sinne by natural corruption engraffed in their fleshe by Adams disobedience therefore for the innocencie of thy son Iesus which by firme faithe is ours grant vs grace leisure and respite to arise out of the cradle ofsecuritie in which we are by sinnes delectation rocked asleepe Let thy great mercy exceed thy hie iustice to vs wards and lette thy holy Spirite which we beseech thee powre on vs aboundantly so preuaile with vs that henceforth wee refraine our toonges from blasphemous swering our lips frō leasing that we may speake of thee reuerently as becōmeth christians thinke of thee religiouslie as becometh thy seruants So shall it come to passe that liuing as we ought vertuouslie we shall possesse this peacefull plentie long inioy this peereles tranquility YE contentious wranglers restlesse busibodies whiche vnder the shewe of simplicitie harboureth hypocritical dissimulation and vnder pretence of plainnesse doe shroud much peruersenesse prosecuting lawe for eche lawlesse occasion deuising driftes to deceiue eche other by guile and falshoode bending the powers of your wealth and wittes to effect your contentious cauillatiōs regarding nei ther the dutie of christian loue charitie the admonitions ofholy writ nor the comfort of neighbourly societie but with inward delight and outward cheerefull semblance pursue your wilfull purposes with such earnest desire of ech others downfall that vntill your purses haue cast vp all their pence no composition nor agreement will be had and when beggerie hathe attached you by writ of want then vntimely repentance strikes the stroke of agreement Meane while the lawyers laughes when you haue cause to weepe they smile to see you sadde they solace themselues in your sorow whose peeuishnesse haue occasioned your owne impouerishments whose coyne haue caused their credite and whose wealthe haue supplied their wants yet to preuent y e sentēce of law you thinke your selues happie if they discouer ought y t may procure delaie whicha shallow studēt may easily doo for though y e lawes in thēselues be perfect yet hee that will bee contentious hauing the golden engine which is of force to wrest them awrie may finde starting holes a number for the galles of the laws are as bitter as worm wood whiche to my paine I haue too lately prooued for which as for my greatest cause of griefe al the Rubarbe in Alexandria will scarse purge my melancholie And therefore my good and louing countriman attende that I shall in a word vnfold vnto thee I speake by costly experience to the end thou maiest eschue the like experimentes Our Lawyers for the moste part will more regard thy money then the matter for after hee hath once set downe the circumstante of thy cause in his baneful booke of Mementos and therein entered thy name take this of me as long as there it remaineth thou shalt neuer thriue till either neighbourlie concord crosse thee out or beggerie blot thee out for though the lawes ought to bee free for all the Queenes naturall subiects yet neither sergiant chancellor or atturneie will vnderstand the cause without thy coine for his case is best that is best vnderlaid with wealth and worship for though it be darke the glittering shine of gold can illustrate the same yea and though it be bad yet if that soueraigne mettall be therto applied it wil mend it much and couer the defectes for doubtlesse y e lawyers pleadings are most effectuall and his proceedings most iudicial when he findes the giftes to be moste liberall then wil they with their painted eloquence and rethoricall words ofslender substance put such a glorious glosse vpon thy matter that the darke shall seeme light and the wrong right Heereof I aduise thee that thou beware and be warnd by mee and other poore men that too late haue experienced the same let it not grieue thee to loose a pennie to spare a pound Oppresse not eche other by riguor oflawe and bee not auenged on euerie wrong remembring that prouerbe which saith He that will be auenged on euerie wrath the longer hee liues the lesse he hath Consume not thy goodes in suche vnhappinesse expell those cotentious affections which wasteth thy substaunce so shall the same be multiplied aboundantly thou shalt haue Gods blessing if thou liue in charitie and haue a good report of all men generallie and long enioy this peace and happie tranquilitie YOu English Romanistes you that plaie inordinately before the golden calfe of your own inuentions and commit spiritual fornication with the great whore who like hir selfe in censeth you to seeke by sundrie practises the ruine and subuersion of our gratious Queene hir state and kingdome ô seeing she hath dealt so mercifully with you as had you not first attempted violence against hir sacred person you might haue inioyed your liuinges and liberties both of bodies and consciences Surcease your treacheries touch not the Lordes annointed for Christ Iesus will suffer no violence as we to our great comfort haue seen and perceiued to bee done vnto his deare spowse our Queene and gouernesse but will manifest your
To the most noble famous renowmed inuincible and victorious Realme of England Be all flourishing felicitie happie prosperitie and matchles tranquilitie longe to endure TO manifest the poore good will dutifull loue I owe thee O famous and renowmed Englande for that I perceiue thine extremities are dangerous I haue presumed though more presumptuous I confes then skilfull to present thee with this potion compounded of gentle persuasions and charitable exhortations whiche although it be somewhat bitter and vnpleasant to thy taste yet doubte I not it being taken as it ought but in operation it will effect thine amendment or at least expell in some measure the mischeeuous humors that causeth thy drowsinesse and procureth thy danger And that it may so doe I will not cease to praie vnto him that neyther slumbreth nor sleepeth but watcheth ouer thee vigilantlie for thy peace and safetie who is al in al and thy God for euer He that is alwaies prest to die to shield thee from danger Iohn Dauies A priuate mans potion for the health of England NOwe Gallants to you that saie in your hearts there is no God and so consequentlie no Heauen no hell no resurrection no iudgement And why because say you we haue the worlde at will we giue our eies their desires our bodies their appetites and our lustes their delights and yet we wallowe in all worldlie prosperitie yea we florish like the lawrell our leaues are alwaies greene and fade not We are not pinched by pouertie crucified with cares martyred with miseries tormented with troubles crossed with mishaps as are these precize liuers What need we feare the vengeance iudgments of God so terriblie thundered foorth againste vs by our preachers or rather praters when as our minds are quiet our harts merrie our thoughts plesant and none of all those calamities befall vs nor ours What reason haue wee then to feare their menacings or beleeue their saiengs when as they reare vp their voices aloft and saie the kingdome ofheauen is at hand and the day of iudgement draweth neere Tush so said the prophets and Apostles manie hundred yeares since and yet hath no such matter come to passe therefore those were nothing else but the imaginations of a vaine thing their prophesies fantasies their preaching leasings and their religion moste ridiculous Therefore wee will fill vp the measure of our earthlie happinesse with all that may content our humors and liue in al carnall libertie for vpon earth alone is mans cheefe felicity Oye Atheisticall reprobates what maner of reasonings obseruāces are these What infernal furie bewitcheth you that you thus har den your heartes to perseuere in your wickednes knowe you whom ye pro uoke by this your curssed conclusions or know ye whom ye incense by these your rebellions If you doo not or at least will not then know ye weet ye wel it is the holy one of Israel from whose bosom al beginnings took their beginning It is a maiestie vnspeakeable mighty in power whose name is Iehouah dreadfull woonderfull and verie much to be feared He it is that by his only word created heauen erth with all that is in them conteined and with halfe a word can destroy the same againe He whose breath shaketh the mountains maketh the foundations of the earth to tremble and quake He whose seat is in the glorious heauens and whose foote stoole is the round world He that stilleth the raging of the seas rebuketh the windes when they arise Hee at whose presence the earth melteth like waxe as not beeing able to endure the brightnes of his countenance He whose throne is a flame of fire his cha riots burning fire from his face issueth a flame of fire a thousand thousand do serue him and ten thousand hundred thousands doo assiste him Hee that dwelleth in vnaccessible light which no mortall man can abide to beholde He vnto the least sparke of whose glorious maiestie the maiestie and glory of al the kings of the earth may not be compared He whome angels praise dominations adore the powers doo tremble and the highest heauens togither with the Cherubins and Seraphins doo vncessantlie lawd magnifie He whose power replenisheth heauen and earth and from whose knowledge nothing can be concealed Hee with whome all thinges are possible and whose power no violence is able to resist Hee that only afflicteth and healeth that killeth and giuetl life againe Hee that sent fire to consume Eliahs sacrifice to declare himselfe thereby to be the only God of gods and Lord of lordes He vnto whom al knees do bow both in heauen and earth and vnto whom alone belongeth all honor and glorie Hee that is the preseruer and guider of kings and kingdoms and establisheth or subuerteth them at his good pleasure He vpon whose vertue power prouidence all the creatures in heauen and earth doo wholelie depend and by whome alone they liue and haue their being without whō they would all vtterlie perish Hee at whose commandement the sunne doo arise to manifest the daie the moone and stars doo lighten the night neuer faile nor be wearie in their watch He from whome euerie good and perfect gift proceedeth who is the father oflightes He that ofhis meere loue and vnspeakeable good will bestowed vpon thee thy creation making thee of nothing like vnto himselfe brethed into thee a liuing soule capable of imortalitie created all the creatures vnder heauen besides for thy onlie vse and seruice and putting them al vnder thy subiection He y t of his vnutterable goodnes and meere mercie laied the torments due to thee vpon the shoulders of his deere and onlie son which were so great and greeuous that the agonie thereof constrained his blessed bodie to sweate bloud and water for thy sake He that gaue the children of Israell passage through the red sea as vpon drie land and inclosed Pharao and all his host in the bowelles thereof He that speaketh the worde and it is done and as he will so commeth euerie thing to passe He that opened the windows ofheauen and drowned the world and preserued Noah with his family to replenish the same again He that rebuketh kings for the loue of his chosen making them to tread vpon the Lions without feare or danger He that staied the sunne in the midst of the firmament at the desire of Iosuah and gaue him victory ouer his enimies before the setting thereof He on whome the eies of all liuing thinges do waite and he giueth them food in due season He at whose presence the verie angels do tremble and al the powers ofheauen do praise vncessantly He vnto whome the Cherubins and Seraphins continually doo crie holy holy holy Lord God ofSabaoth He in whose land the saintes euermore do sing whose onely sight is their vnconceiuable solace He that confoundeth the deuises
compassed about with presumptions and shewes of probabilities to inchant the iudge with such magicall trumperies And although hereby your profit shall be somewhat lessened yet your praise amongēst good men shall bee greatly augmented So shall ye please God who will preuent these calamyties and euery man posses his own in safety to inioy this moste ioyefull and gladsome tranquility YOu Marchants trades-men and Citizens of London for to you especially I direct my speech ô carrie a conscience to speake the truth much more to sweare the truth though your oth ought to be but yea yea and naie naie Make not fraud your broker to vtter your wares but when true meaning cheapeneth them let plaine dealing price them at a reasonable rate for a computent gaine Imploie not your heapes of coine to vserie no although it bee as your fleshely reason iudgeth for meane profit and such as our statutes tollerateth yet know the statutes of God doo vtterlie disanull the ninth parte of a farthing to bee so taken and pronounceth them accurssed that setteth out their money for such considerations But lende thy money to thy needie brother freely releeue his wants with thy necessaries and God will repay it thee againe in his high Exchequer of heauen Nor vtter your wares and commodities to yong gentlemen vpon statute Marchant assurance for double and treble vallue whose forwardnes many times to run into your debt and danger to maintaine their prodigalitie and inordinate expences is the cause of the ruine and vtter extirpation of them and their houses yet you think it iustifiable before god man to make y e most of your wares in what sort soeuer O deceiue not your selues by practizing to deceiue him that neither canne deceiue nor bee deceiued your thoughts are knowne vnto him much more your deedes In a word GOD here with is greeuouslie offended poor gentlemen and others greatly impouerished and these calamities violent lie hastened Therefore if not for shame and conscience sake yet for feare of Gods vengeance forsake this manquelling mischeef think not that well gained that is euill gotten and thogh you could be content to offend your Prince and oppresse hir people for your priuate profit yet greeue not God for any earthly benefit Be sorie for what is past and make amends by restitution So shall they not need to feare executions but inioyethis tranquility without molestation YE Angel-like youths ofEngland in whose beautifull formes the wōderful workmanship togither with the vnspeakeable glorie of the creator shineth oh seeing he hath so richelie adorned you with the ornamentes of nature doe nothing vndeacent or ill beseeming your comlines But alas it is to true the more it is to be lamēted that what God hath formed you haue by your brutish behauiors and reckles insolence deformed for what vngratiousnes is resident on earth vnto which you are not inclined yea and vnto what lewdnes maye the sons of Adam be inclined but you in the fullest mea sure and highest degree are therto addicted bearing your selues on hande with a vaine perswasion that all your faults are taken and imputed perfections al your bad properties are estemed as good qualities if so they be as I nothing doubte but so they are it is with those whose faults are as great as your follies whose affections are full fraught with all imperfections and whose lusts are as lewd as your liues And though thorough the corruption of this age things that are not are cal led and reputed as if they were for ech proud man termed a proper man ech murderous manqueller a couragious cauilere and each blasphemous swearer a man of good demeanure yet shal these trim titles falslie giuen nothinge auaile in the day of visitation the naked truth of things not the painted shew of thinges shall then be in high est regard My hearte as being plunged in the deapth of dole is ouer whelmed with waues of woe yea and my soule is sore vexed and vnquiet within mee when I consider amongest the multitude of euill customes wherewith this vngra tious age is polluted the impious odious and moste damnable custome of swearing the wrong whereof the Sauiour of the world sustaines in requital of his vnutterable good wil towards vnkind mankind and art thou ô sacred sauiour thus iniuriously delt withall in recompence of all the iniuries suffered in thy pretious passion Naie haue I wretche that I am that presumeth nowe to reprehend others with suche monstrous impietie so aquitted thy great kindnesse than which none can bee greater for greater loue can no man shew than to suffer death yea a moste odious bitter and reprochfull death to testifie his loue then ô my soule my ouersinfull soule by whome during the good pleasure of him thou so offendest my bodie hath his motion and being crucifie thy selfe with anguishe and sorrowe and seeing thy power hath such dominiō in my wretched truncke expresse thy sorrow by sending to mine eies a fountaine of teares wherewith I may wash awaie in some measure thy lothsome filthinesse if thou doo it not the verie steele adamant yea and stones of hardest temper shall rise against thee in iudgement For had they reason they neyther would or could refraine frō teares yea and that in great aboundance to behold thy wilfull and outragious insolence O Gentlemen and louing countrimen what furie so inchanteth me and you that we make no conscience of so great a sinne that so greatly greeueth the holieghost for though before I haue in the vexation of my soule reprehended in sorte the enormities of our time yet no one before touched in extremitie of euill is to this iniquitie comparable For here with the king of glorie is eftsoones tormented and crucified in heauen as before he was by the cruell Iewes on earth that heart whiche before Longious speare wounded is hereby again violently rented The pretious bloud wherewith miserable man was from the misery whervnto he was fallen redeemed is thorough our wilfulnesse in this respect rigorously effused the woundes pearsed againe the face buffeted again the body scourged againe the head pricked againe and in disdaining the rebuke of the godly whiche in the zeale of his soule for this sinne of sinnes hee giueth we spit on him againe and contemteously mock deride him again How commeth it to passe the deuill so preuaileth that for euerie trifling occasion we vomite vp such execrable othes against the harmlesse and innocent lambe of God in whose precious bloud and holie woundes the sinnes of the whole world are coueted from the wrath of his father alasse how happeneth it that that blessed bodie whiche in the heauinesse and dolour of his spirite swet the most vnkinde sweate of bloud and water for our health is so vnkindly dealt withal by vs we are to our shame I speake it wee are more cruell then the Iewes against the Lord of glorie For they crucified him but once but wee euerie daie yea euerie
houre of the daie crucifie him againe and againe hee sitteth at the right hand of his father making intercession for vs in heauen wee like vnnaturall paracydes teare and pull in peeces his blessed members on earth yea and martir him in more despitefull maner then the vnbeleeuing Iewes Hee blesseth while we banne hee prayeth for vs earnestly while wee sweare and dishonour him contemptiously and finally wee requite al his sufferings with scoffings his merites with mockes his torments with tauntes his loue with hate and his humilitie with pride and all impietie and in a word his holie and vertuous liuing with wilfull and horrible swearing ô cruell tormentors ô vnkind and pitilesse tyrants how can we hope to haue the benefit of his death that as muche as in vs lieth daily put him to death but farre is it from vs to hurt one heare ofhis head sauing that he is greeued to beholde our vngratiousnes and much displeased with our vnthankfulnesse We are forbidden in his gospell to sweare by ought that god made yea by the least heare of our hed bicause for so it yeeldeth y e reasō we can make neither of them white or blacke but what is forbidden vs that most willinglie we doo The instruments yea the curssed instruments wherewith satan prouoketh vs to offer suche violence againste our Christ Is cards and dice which thogh for recreation they may in decent sort be vsed yet a wiseman was of opinion that no wise man oughte to vse them were it for ought or naught bicause they are the verie elements and firste beginners of this blasphemie For when the games will not frame in sort as we desire and if the plaie that is offered vs be not as square as the die but through the one and the other we are without further triall of lawe dispossessed of our proper right then doo we cursse and ban sweare and stare yea with varietie of othes which are thundered forth with all asperitie we blaspheme the blessed bodie and pretious bloud of our deare Sauiour reputinge it but a sport or at least a pettie offense so to doo and he that can moste terribly teare him we haue in highest estimation and without he can so doo he is too too simple to be a gamester naie if such a one loose as commonly those that pertaines to Goddes election seldome winne bicause by their losses he would weane them from it it will be said he looseth for want of swearing with such words of contempt be openlie derided As once I heard y t a gentleman in name though otherwise in condition the dice bereauing him of more money then stood with his patience to lose should burst forth into a maruellous great outrage of swearing and impatiencie amongst the reste of whose blasphemous othes hee sware some fearful vnacustomed oth which greatlie offended the eares of a kinsmā of this that reprooued him in this man ner O cosin saith he what madnesse moueth thee so to blaspheme thy god beyonde the measure of all that euer yet blasphemed him be sorie for thy fault God forgiue thee vnto which he replied let him neuer forgiue mee for I sware it willinglie I wondered greatlie at his replie but I woondered more y t God in his iust seuere iudge ment against sinne especiallie of so odious a nature did not open the bowels of the earth to swallowe him vp quicke as he did Chore Dathan and Abiron But wonderfull yea and vnspeakeable is the greatnes of thy mercie and long suffering O Lord which dooest permit vile duste and ashes to abuse thy sacred Godhead and almigh tie Maiestie how vnsearchable is the depth of thy patience that canst endure so to be prouoked and howe vnspeakeable is the brutish boldnesse of mans hart that dare presume so to pro uoke thee But O miserable man thinkest thou that for bicause God prolon geth his punishments as earst I saide thou shalt escape vnpunished or thin kest thou that for bicause his lightning and feareful thunderbolts lighteth vpon trees hearbs stones other sence lesse creatures which might more deseruedlie lighte vpon thee that thou shalt auoid his finall iudgement O no it stands not with Gods iustice if thou preuent it not by repentance so to acquit thee Excuse these faultes how thou canst they are vtterly inexcuseable wilt thou answer it as thou art woont and saye it is good to haue the name of the Lord alwaies in mind and the bloud of Christ still in remem brance or when thy brother charitably rebuketh thee for swearing by him wilt thou replie as often thou dooest what hast thou to doo with the man or the matter I sweare by no friende of thine if so thou wilt thy will be doon but heereof I can assure thee that that wilfull will of thine which is so repugnant to Gods holie will will in conclusion procure thy damnation It is good indeed to haue the name of the Lord alwaies in mind as thou saiest and the blessed bloud of Christ euer in remembrance as thou alleagest but it is not good to haue it in so euill a manner naie farre better it were that thou neuer name him or thinke vpon him than so to name him or remember him But remember thou the feareful example of Senacherib kinge of Ashur mentioned in the xviii and xix chapters of the second booke of Kings who for that he blasphemed the God of Israel and with an hie hand outstretched arme opposed himselfe againste him and against his seruant Hezekiah king of Iuda was first bereft of an hun dred foure sc ore and fiue thousand sol diars of his campe by the visitation of an angell at what time hee besieged Hezekiah and his cittie Ierusalem and after murdered by Adramelech and Sharezer his owne sonnes as hee was in the temple worshipping Nisroch his god The great Antiochus in like sort breathing out blasphemie in the pride of his heart against the Lord of hosts was smitten with an incureable and inuincible plague for euen with the fault a remedilesse and peerelesse paine of the bowels and sore tormēts of the inward parts came vpon him was throwne from his chariot in the swift course thereof in such sort that al the members of his bodie were sore brused with the fall whereof it followed that wormes came out of the bodie of this wicked blasphemer in great aboundance and whilest hee was yet liuing his fleshe fell from the bones with paine and tormente and all his armie was greeuouslie annoied with his smell so that no man nay he him selfe could not abide his owne stinke that a little before thought he mighte reach to the starres of heauen command the flouds of the sea and weigh the high Mountaines in a ballance so proud was hee beyonde the common condition of man Thus the blasphemer died a most miserable deathe in a strange countrie amongest the mountaines Nicanor for his presumptuous blas phemie against the God of Israell was