to destroy them in the wildernes with famine and honger GOD minding to represse this sedicion at the first breaking out sente downe fire foorthe of heauen which so burnt vp Chorah with an hundred and fiftie men that toke his parte that their bodies were neuer sene after Moreouer the earth gapynge so deuoured Dathan Abiron their adherentes with their tents and all their substaunce that they pearished from among the midst of the people and couered with earth so went quicke into helle Ensamples certainlie whiche God woulde not in vaine haue set furth vnto vs in writinge were it not that thereby we should learne to reuerence the magistrates to submit our selues vnto lawes tâ— kepe peace and quietnes and to beare the burden of the crosse with a suffering and patient mynde Then ought we not to make anie coÌ„motions against our magistrates be they neuer so euill ne yet againste anye other but euery man beyng content with that which God hath giuen him muste do his dewtie and thinke him selfe to be a parte of that bodie whiche God would should be vnseuered and vnbrokeÌ„ whose true head is Christ in whiche bodie if either magistrates or subiectes beginne to go out of kinde and to anoye theÌ„ thou muste not either violentlie or riottouslie go about to amend it and lewdlie to take vpon the reuengement whiche is dew onelie to God But pursewe thou the matter with that armour which the holie word of god giueth the that is thou must aduise counsayle warne sollicite and earnestlie charge theim to cease from their enterprise as vnhonest vngodlie and wicked not to offende goddes people but that they repeÌ„t and worke that which is good and godlie Now if they vouchsafe to heare thy good counsell thou haste doen a Christen mannes office preseruing theim whiche were in the readie passage towardes the Deuill so much the readier bycause it is so open and playne that a man maie go thither euen blindfield But if thei shut their eares and refuse to heare thy godlie admonicioÌ„s thou must not therfore draw thy swerd leste thou perish with the sweâ—rde But thou must paciently remit the cause vnto him whiche knoweth the number of the heares of thine heade and punisheth the sorer the longer he forbeareth The argument of the fourth Chapiter That suche men are to be receauid into a citie as will be carefull to prouide for them selues without disturbaunce of the common concorde THerfore not al kinde of men ought to be admitted into a citie but onelie suche as â—e discrete and wel manered For it forceth muche what maner of men thei be wherupoÌ„ the Citie doeth consiste And therefore Socrates in Plato gathereth that as one kinde of man is fitte for one kinde of common weale another for another so one kinde of common weale is fit for sondrie kindes of men For the diuersitie of condicions in men causeth the diuersitie of coÌ„mon weales as in Hesiode the diuersitie of ages was measured by the diuersitie of mens behauiours For they in the Golden age liued without sorow or griefe bicause they were godlie iuste temperate and onelie giuen to vertuouse life After ensued the Siluer age wherein by litle and litle grewe iniurie pride impietie intemperaunce and obstinacie Then came the Brasen age wherein all mischiefe braste out Then firste began warres then were the Giauntes whiche despised heauen who had none other lawe then stode in armes and violences so that it was neadful to raise vp noble men to tender the weake to protecte them from suffering wrounge Last of al is comen the yron worlde the moste accursed of all other full of labour miserie carefulnes impietie iniustice deceipte murther periurie and to be short there is scarse anie wickednesse on the yearth whiche is not holden as a vertue These menne for their iniquitie be in daunger of many greate and terrible mischiues in so muche that oft times an whole Citie hath been punished for one trespace besides that Iustice sitting by God the heauenly father continuallie complaineth vpon iniustice and iniuries of menne vntill suche tyme as reuengement be appoincted So writeth Hesiode Iupiter which casteth a large vew ouer al doth sore punish those whiche delight in reproches and naughtie workes OfteÌ„times an hole Citie fareth the worse for one euill man And further Iustice is a maide and daughter vnto Iupiter gracious and is reuenged by all the goddes in Heauen Yea and when as any man with vniuste doinges doth displease her she sitteth by Iupiter her father and openeth to him the wickednes of mannes mynde that he maye reuenge her As the maners of men varied so the ages varied vntill suche time as their iniquitie of life came to such extremitie that it might be compared euen vnto yron Then can it not otherwise bee but that a Citie must haue in it al sortes of men wherof some be wardens and gouernours some men of occupacioÌ„ and artificers some men of liuelyhoode and possessioners wherin let euery man learne to do his dewtie and diligentlie to execute the office whereunto he is called Thauncient writers make souldiours and suche as follow the warres a porcion of theyr Citie as though it were not ynoughe for Citizens to liue accordynge vnto theyr desires in peace onlesse they had some to defend them at such time as thei be prouoked with iniurie or elles constreyned to warre in theyr enemies lande For profe wherof we maye bryng Rome Carthage NumaÌ„tia Lacedemon Thebes Athens Venice Ienua and all other free Cities whiche neuer acknowledge any forreyne Prince but lyue alwayes within their owne liberties as you maie also vnderstand by Aristotle in his polytiques And not Emperours onlye and Capitaines do commende vnto vs the estate of warriers as verie necessarie but Tullie also him selfe doth preferre it before the knowledge of the ciuill lawe His wordes in the oracion whiche he made in the defence of Lucius Murâ—na be these And certainly for I must neades say as I thinke this martiall vertue farre surmounteth all other for this hath gotten a name vnto the people of Rome this hath wonne eternall glorie to this Citie this hath compelled the whole circuite of the worlde to obeye this our Empire All these ciuill matters all these our excelleÌ„t studies all this our courtlie and oratorious praise and diligeÌ„ce do lurke vnder the warrantie and defence of warlie prowes As soone as anie suspicion of tumulte is noised al our artes be whisht Then all the aucthoritie is committed to them that be best men of warre For all thinge belonginge to the empire and state of the Citie are thought by them to be strengthened and fortified Howbeit gouernours muste in this paincte haue a vigilant iye that their people and citezeins be so trained vp and enured that thei maie knowe their true allegeaunce and be warie in thintertainement of forriners receiuyng none but soche as be bent to obedieÌ„ce and not
to be in daunger of losing that which thou hast geuen to them and the hospitalles and other places appointed to Godly vses to be mainteyned and enriched of that whereof thou hast spoiled the pore by vnlawful practises For y â— place wher naughtie gotteÌ„ goodes be laied vp vseth not lightlie to be fortunate and daiely there ariseth disturbers of the same so that the prouerbe semeth true an euil rauen an euil egge Finally although these dsurers chaunce to conuey their goods thus naughtely gotten vnto their heires yet they be neuer the better but are bounde to make restitucion vnlesse they will abide the aduenture and daunger that maie ensue of theim For it dooeth not lightly happâ— that the third insuccession enioieth such wicked wealth gotten by thenerye and rauin For so muche as we by diners experimentes haue found this saiynge most true as though Appollo him selfe hadde pronounced it That the thirde heire shall not enioye yll gotten goodes but that which is yll gotten is commonly yll spente as Plautus saieth It is also an vnluckie thinge to haue in possession yll gotten goodes although a man do not knowe it For they be euen as pernicious to kepe as the golde of Tolosa which was the cause of much calamitie Mine entent was onely to declare how execrable a thing it is and pernicious to a common weale to practise vsurie wherewith a man of conscionable dealing wil neuer defame him self But by how many sortes by what couyne and disceites it is practised the bookes of the ctuill lawe dooe euidently declare ⸫ THE Seuenth Booke concernyng the good ordering of a common weale The argument of the first Chapiter It is not ynough for a Citie to be populous and weal thie vnlesse it beare it self vpon good order and Lawe â–ª and that nether ill language ne yet dronkennes be suffered with in it THales the Milesiane vnto whome after long contention aswell the Coianes as his owne countreie men gaue the Golden treifoote whiche the Fisshermen had drawne vp as to a man of moste wisedom said that the worlde was a thinge of most excelleÌ„t bewtie bicause God had made it Suche a builder he meaned as without any assistence of couÌ„sell ones made al thinges perfectly and in beste maner After the proportion whereof a citie ought to bee framed not onely furnished with in habitauntes and wealth but also bewtified with good orders vertues Thei therefore to whoÌ„ the charge of gouerning goddes people is committed must do their endeâ—â—â—r to bringe their Citie into a commendable forme that it doe not 〈…〉 by the number of inhabitauntes and ritâ—â—â—â— for that were to buyld vpon sandes But thei must more depelie weigh the matter minister such in warde nurrishment wherby the Citizens myndes maye be nurtured vp to vertue which is the chiefe reason wherfore we desire the companie of men to the intent the congregacion and assemblie maie bee honest and reuerent wherein we shoote at honestie and goodnes as it wer at a marke with all attentiuenes of minde I haue alreadie spoken of moste of those thinges whiche I thought conuenient for Citie that is well appointed of inhabitauntes wealthe and commodities that accompte the nothing profitable vnlesse it be honest not therein to do any thing whiche we would not haue done againe to our selues nether in our doynges to committe anye point of dishonestie Which to saye the trueth falleth best out when the common weale is in quiet peace For suche as he of naughtie and leude liuing will not suffer good men to do well but will procure manye hinderauÌ„ces to staie the good successe of vertue For bicause they them-selues care not for well doyng they delight to shewe their enuie and spite vpon such as doe the contrarie hâ— wheit they do not escape scotfree For thei therby se vertue and in seing it euen pine awaie Whiche grudge of consciâ—ce they do inwardlie feele but become nothing the better therby wherfore the common weale must be ridde of such noughtie persons that there be no such present occasion and open libertie giuen to offende and to liue viciouslie For as Terence sayeth to muche libertie maketh vs all worse and the nature of vice is like to a leprosie for it infecteth and allureth other to dooe the like and so the cockle doth not onelie hinder the good wheat it his growyng but spreadeth it selfe ouer all the grounde where it groweth and so choketh it We muste not therfore beare with anye such vices as do cause vs to decline from honestie as be aduolutrie hooredome maÌ„slâ—ughter spoyle vsurie baudriâ— â–ª banquetting glotonie dronkennesse idlenes deceit periurie double dealyng couetousnes and other lyke enormities whiche doe so encrease that it is holden in maner as a vertue in some one of them to be notable For who is he at this daie whiche doeth not thinke it naturall to stayne and pollute his bedde with hooredome and â—audrie which doeth not in ieast accompte spoyle vsurie and deceit as thinges goten by dewe loane Which estemeth not bellie cheare continuall glotonie dronkennesse and the vnreconuerable losse of time as a refresshing to his bodie and one parte of mans felicitie nothinge consideringe the sayinge of saincte Paule that the wicked shall not possesse the kingdome of god likewise aduouterers fornicatours thieues dronkardes couetouse men raueners backebiters and idolaters shall not enherite the kingdome of heauen for thus he saieth do ye not know that the vniuste shall not enherite the kingdome of God Bee not deceyuid for nether aduouterers idolatres fornicatours weakelynges buggerers theiues couetouse persones dronkardes backbiters nor pillers shal enherite the kingdome of God Vpon whiche saying if we would earnestlye fixe our eyes and mindes we should not be so prone and readie to all kind of iniquitie and there should be no lesse godly zeale then naturall loue among Christians He that is in heauen wil admit no cloake nor colour he wil not be mocked but as a rightwise iudge searcheth iudgeth the hartes And therfore all dissimulation all falshode all forged pretences set a parte he that hath stollen let him steale no more he that hath ben a fornicatour lette him flee fornication he that hath ben an adnouterour let him abstayne from aduoultrie and bringe furthe fruites worthie of repentaunce otherwise he can haue no parte of inheritaunce in heauen for it is not ynoughe to turne from euill and to renowme the sinne of the bodie vnles wee hartelie doe that is good and bring furth the fruite of light in goodnes iustice and truth Thus we see that no man ought eyther to deceyue or to oppresse his neighbour or any other in any kinde of conference or worldly affaires For God is he that taketh reuengement of all these thinges When a Citie is thus clensed of corrupt customes let iustice whiche conteyneth all vertues take place the grounde whereof I my selfe dooe take as Tullie also doeth to be a ciuill kinde
and Transsâ—luania ouerrunne besides y â— Austriche was by thassaultyng of Vienna sore shakeÌ„ Wherevnto if ye recken that whiche wee loste before twoo greate dominions were spoiled by that Idolater the Turke Constantinople and Trapezus twelue kyngdomes taken from vs emong which wer Chalcis Scodra and many other Ilandes HidruÌ„tum with twoo hundred citees Neither did other lesse desire to augment their dominions By al whose tirannicall attemptes it is comen to passe that the Turke hath enlarged his Empire Eastwarde vnto Euphrates Westwarde to the Sea of Ionia Southwarde to Ethiopia Northward to the sea called Euxinum and vnlesse the nobilitie moued with Gods loue and outcrie of the selie people whiche bee reserued to the pitifull yoke of seruitude or els be next to the daunger of death doe withstande it nether the countreis whiche are borderyng vpon the Riuer Dunowe whiche yet remain entier shall coÌ„tinue safe neither will he cease continually to enlarge his dominions But he wer not so moche to be feared if our bodies and goodes onely were in daunger of him and not also our soules in neglecting the doctrine of our faithe For he causeth the childreÌ„ in their teÌ„der age to drinke the Mahometicall poison and leadeth the elder sort to helle fire by forsakyng the crosse of Christe Where is that famous citee ConstaÌ„tinople whiche was so highlie renoumed by so many Patriarkes whiche were soche holie fathers and wherein the Sinode and generall counsaill was kepte by an hundred and fiftie Bisshoppes againste Macedonius whiche denied the holie Ghost to be God Where is Nicea a citee of Bithinia where three hundred fower score and eight bisshops condeÌ„pned the heresie of the Arrianes Where is Ephesus the greate Toune where the marte was kepte for all the hetherside of Asia to whom Saincte Paule preached the Gospell wherein Nestorius appoincting two natures in Christ was accursed by the Iudiciall sentence of twoo hundred bisshops Where is Chalcedon situate vpoÌ„ y â— streites of Thracia whose name is blased welnigh through the worlde for that there sixe hundred thirtie fathers gathered in counsaill did condempne Eutiches Dioscorus his scholer one of the same secte whiche held opinion that the nature of the worde of God incarnate and the fleshe whiche Christ tooke wer but all one Where be the GalathiaÌ„s Corinthe of Achaia Philippi Thessalonice twoo citees of Macedonia and Athenes the citee of wisedome of whence was Dionisius Areopagita Whiche when the Apostle had regenerated he did partlie by his writyng set forthe for a perpetuall memorie Be not thei through extreme rigour of warres brought to naught and haue so swarued from the true God that of al there can scarce one or twoo be found that will stand to the confession of the crosse of Christ and call vpon the God of heauen And that ambition discord ciuill warres impietie studie of priuate gain and vnfaithfulnes haue giuen no small occasion to this mischief the histories of christen Princes to declare and we by experience to late and to our great calamitie be taught the same Learne therfore ye anointed Kinges ye good Princes to whom the gouernement of the common weale is coÌ„mitted spare your subiects spare those that haue entred into the same Baptisme with you whiche doe acknowledge one God one Sauiour whiche be one with you in Christe by whome we be all Bretherne all enheritours of Heauen wherein there is nether Hebrue nor Greake nether Lorde nor Subiecte but euery one shall giue an accompt of that he hath done in his bodie Demas the Philosopher perceyuing the Athenians verie busie to appoynt diuine honoures to Alexander willed theim to beware lest while they minded Heauen they loste the Earthe But take you heede lest you lese Heauen while you kepe the earth Consider with your selues that all warres be daungerous and deadlie euen to the first authours bicause of Robberies Theifte vnrecouerable losse of bodie and soule inordinate desâ—ouring of maidens and widowes burning spoyle of all thinges the oppression and rigorous handeling of innoceÌ„tes so manie kinde of blasphemies wheras no droppe of innocent bloode vniustlie shedde shalbe left vnreuenged but that the iust and euerlasting iudge which knoweth the certain number of our heares will require it at their handes Note besides here so many maÌ„slaughters so moche hooredome so much vilanie the losse of so many soulles wherby a great weight of accompte lieth on their handes whereas the burden of euerie mannes owne iniquitie is so great that he neadeth not to be laden with other mens mischieues Wherefore if any man respectinge godlines louinge peace and bicause God coÌ„maundeth his seruauntes to turne their swordes into culters their speires into mattocks that the Woulfe may dwell with the Lambe the Leopard lye doune with the Goate the Calfe Lion and shepe kepe coÌ„panie together so that one natioÌ„ do not arise fight againste another but doe forget hencefurth the name of warre will not for all this cease but continue stil w e out feare of correction to walke after his own lust he shall one daie find that he shall not escape vnpunished If we wil needes shew our selues valiaunt yonder is the Turke youÌ„der be thenemies of Christes crosse any man maye arme himself against theÌ„ and go to recouer that part of christendome which thei haue subdued infected with impietie by the negligence of our princes to rescew froÌ„ cruell seruitude and the iawes of hel the poore people that crie for help and let euery man so shewe himself stoute in his quarell that it may appere that he fighteth for his couÌ„trey for his brethreÌ„ for the glory of Christ and so he shalbe not onely commended emong men but shal also receiue a reward of him whiche leaueth no euill vnpunished nor no good deede vnrewarded THE Ninthe Booke concernyng the good ordering of a common weale The argument of the first Chapiter That the keping of peace and quietnesse in a Common weale is a greate furtheraunce to felicitie AS it is extreame impietie alwaie to minde warres and to turne al thinges vpside doun So it is a singular vertue an excellent poinct of wisedome to be quiet and to maintaine in a common weale peace the onelie staie thereof For Seneca borne at Corduba the Greate Maister of good maners semeth to haue saied not much amisse That it is the propertie of a very king in deede not to exercise his aucthoritie euer when he maie And the very ende and knittyng vp of the warres by experience teache vs that it is not so expedient alwaie although wee maie somtime prouoke others with warres iustlie to break peace and disturbe quietnesse So that it maie seame moche better to sustaine any losse either of goodes yea or estimacion bicause some dooe thinke their honour and estimacion stained if thei dooe not wreake themselues vppon the insolencie of others and cause an burlie burlie in the common weale then to yelde vnto maliciousnes
somewhat declared howe expedient a thing it is that such as he about princes be good and Godly where at they maie take the rule of their life which al men vse to marke none otherwise then they beholde their face in a lokynge Glasse that thereby throughe example of their daiely conuersacion they maie learne and vnderstande to do that is best and to eschew that is contrary For with the good thou shalt be good with the noughtie thou shalt be naughtie which is so true that it behoueth eueÌ„ their very wordes to be honest and chaste least the minde consente thereunto and so be enfected for euill talke vseth to corrupt good maners as Menander saieth Whiche thing Sainte Paule also reciteth thus Ill conuersation hurteth good maners And like man like talke and that not without a cause seing talke is a signification of the minde Therefore Socrates whoÌ„ they report to haue called Philosophie the discipline of maners euen out of heauen saied vnto a yonge man whose towardenes he was requested to learne Speake that I maie see thee meanyng hereby that mannes minde might rather be knowen by his communication then by anye view of his countenaunce But for so much as kingdomes and dominions be geuen to kynges potentates ouer whiche they haue rule neither can they alone rule all neither be present eche where they must nedes do that by puttyng other in trust for it is better to do a thing by a deputie then quite to leaue it vndone or to attempt it out of tyme and so geue occasion of some vnrecouerable harme And hereby is it meant when we do saie that kinges haue manye eies and longe handes From whence it dothe not much disagree that is in the common prouerbe so much bruted A great birde must haue a wide neast But these must also be of good coÌ„uersation and loue honestie that they bothe maie in their offices do their Princes honour and also be nothing heauye to the subiectes For an Officiall or one that beareth office is called so of Officium which the Grekes do call To cathecon as who saie that belongeth to vs to doe And that dooeth Marcus Tullius call duetie whiche when it is done we maie geue a good reason whye it is done and this kinde of duetie hath place in the common weale Therefore whatsoeuer is done by officials or deputies in the whole kingdome and dominioÌ„ that must be vprightly and well done so that it doe agree with place time the thinge whiche ought to bee done the subiectes the deputies office and the honour of the high magistrate Whereby it shalbe occasioned that such thinges as be due to the officer shal be well preserued and the subiectes shall with all officiousnes performe and do that is their duetie so acknowledging the maiestie of him that is in office that they shall reuerence euen a staffe if he dooe set it vp before theim Whereof take this as an example Amasis the king of the Egyptians which neither came of royal bloud ne yet had any memoriall of his auncetours but being of a base degree was elected to the kingdome For which thinges when as sundrie men did contemne him he bethought him self howe he might couer this belmish and wittely bringe him selfe in reputacion among the rude people There was amongest the kinges plate a Basen of golde wherein after his countrey fashion hee and his gheâ—â—es after meate were wonte to washe their feete whiche he also sometime vsed in place of a chamber potte as some haue vsed Emeraude bowles for the same purpose This Basen did he breake and of it made an Image of an ydole and sette it vp in the middest of the market place to be worshipped of the Egyptians which they did very reuerentlye Which thinge when it was reported vnto the king he assembled all the people together and tolde them the whole matter howe it was that this ymage which they so highlye honoured was made of that Basen wherein he was wont to washe his fete pisse and vomite and to put it to such like kinde of vncleanely vses And so should they thinke of him who althoughe he was but of base birthe yet he was their kinge and worthye to be reuerenced with due honour They that be vnder Officers deputies or haue the administracion of some other officer must be circumspect that they faile not in their duties nor dooe anye thing wrongfully But they must especially take hede that they do neither take bribes ne yet suffer them selues to be seduced by corruption of ambicion For the roume that they supplye is not mans but Gods committed vnto the administracion of manne and their estate is so much the straighter because they be not onely compelled to geue an accompt of their stewardship to god but also to the prince or magistrate vnder whoÌ„ they be appointed to beare office which shall also answere for that whiche is done euill because he did not appoinct a conuenient man to be his deputie and suffred his people to take harme specially by him whom he knew to be an hirelyng and reatchles in the office of feadyng It is like as if a shepeheard when he hath sheepe committed to his charge while hee gathereth nuttes or otherwise spendeth the time idlely dooeth put theim ouer to an others kepynge and they in the meane while be yll fedde and fall away or negligently kept the Wolfe brusteth in amongest them What shall staye the Lord of these shepe but that he may examine therefore bothe the hirelyng and the shepeherd him selfe and call them bothe to accompt for the losse he hath susteined that if thone can not make amendes the other shall make it good and abye for his negligence as reason and iustice requireth There be also sundry other thinges whiche maye warne them of their duties and cause them that they do not go astray seing they be appointed ouer a whole people and manie of whom they can not deserue all in like as among whom there are so many mindes as heades And vnlesse thei haue before their eies the perfect rule of administration I meane the lawe temperaunce iustice and equitie after whiche they may direct all the order of their gouornement whereby they shall not onely be deliuered from the staine of errour iniquitie naughtines but also shall be without suspicion thereof there will alwaye be some that shall finde fault with their doinges be they neuer so honest neuer so vpright vnknowyng to them accuse them to the heade officer and thereby brynge theim out of fauour For Princes be men and easely will be brought to suspect other mennes doinges for so muche as they be very desierous thereof and thinke in a greate glorye to cloke their owne fault by the calamitie of others and will not sticke at the complaint of one that hath bene euill handeled to put a man from his office and to wipe him cleane of all his
vs for vertues sake either to do our duetie or els to amende for feare of punishement Thus we see that there is nothinge but it maie â—e turned in some parte to mans behofe so that it be well emploied either as a prouocacion to vertue or as a lesson to enstruct vs y t sinne will not escape vnpunished For to what ende can those u. dreames of Ioseph otherwise be applied He dreamed that his sheaf of corne stode vp was worshipped of the sheaues of his brethren He dreamed also that the sunne moone and eleuen starres honoured him What meante these but that his brethren might vnderstande by coniecture the auctoritie whiche he did beare with Pharao the Egipcian and cease from so enuiynge him Pharao also had two dreames whereof the one betokened as the same Ioseph enterpreted seuen yeres of great plentie and the other seuen yeres of great dearth Whiche the kinge vnderstandynge commaunded that corne shoulde be laied vp that men might not starue for honger in such a scarcitie Wherby Iosephes father and his breâ—â—reÌ„ also were relieued by Goddes prouision Nabuchodonosors dreame also was of a straunge signification which Daniel expouÌ„ded that his kingdome whiche was of so great power that it semed vnpossible to decaie by mannes might shoulde be destroied and that an euerlastinge and vnthauÌ„geable kingdome shold afterward be established Moreouer visâ—â—s in the night be a terrour to the euil that thereby they maie forsee the dauÌ„gers which must happen vnto them and being priuie to their owne offences must be the sharper punished for the same Of these saieth Salomon Then the sight of the euil dreames vexed them sodainely and fearefulnes came vpon them vnawares For those visions were onely to put them in minde whie they did suffer those euilles that they shoulde not pearishe without a warning thereof before Whiche Iob whether he were so in dede as it is written or els that a meane was wrought to shewe vnto men the ymage of Pacience dothe euidently declare Thou wilt feare me saith be with dreames and by visions thou wilt astonie me Among the Philosophers also and Ethnicks there are manie dreames specified whiche dooe notifie vnto vs that suche thinges as menne haue either earnestly thought vpoÌ„ or bene weried withall in the daie time dooe come into their mindes in the night season of the secrete and misticall interpretacion whereof diuers haue written and their bookes be extant But for this place there is none worthier to be remembred then that dreame which Scipio of whom Tullie speaketh had when he was with kinge Masinissa in Africque being in his â—eâ—â—e in a deade slepe Wherein Scipio 〈…〉 d the â—ldeâ— conquerour of Africque put hym as his nephew in minde of derine and valeauntnesse How that after he by the destroying of Carthage and doinge other seruice whereunto the common weale shoulde call him hadde well deserued of his countrey should flee out of the bandes of his body as it wer out of a prison As though good men did then onely begin to liue when thei ended their liues and wente vp into immortalitie in heauen For they whiche haue behaued them selues worthelye in wisdome temperaunce valiauntnes and other vertues muste haue a greater reward then praise in this worlde whiche thei that be notorious for vice and filthie liuyng can not haue for they be as infamous persons bothe quicke and deade But if they haue committed soche haynous offences that menne can not easelie forget theim then it is the greatest shame to them that may be to haue the remeÌ„braunce of their former lewde and damnable state of life to be renued As Perillus the deuisour of that cruall forment Dionisius Syracusanus Nero Domiciane Herodes Antipas and many other may be an example Which God would therefore haue to be a warnynge vnto vs that by them we may not onely be put in minde of a better life but also to their great confusion and for a reward of their wickednes vnderstand that they be euerlastinglye tormented And to the intent men might be withdrawne from this ignominiouse and filthie life the olde fathers were not content onely to teache vs with preceptes of philosophie and to set before our eyes the deformitie of vyces but they also shewed the tormentes wherewith tirauntes Cutthrotes thieues murderers periurers aduouterers fornicatouts couetous iniurious seditious persons despisers of iustice wicked meÌ„ and so many as haue offended in the common weale preferring their priuate gaine before the publike proâ—â—t and vice before vertue be plagued in hel with perpetuall punishmentes Whereof certayne be artificâ—allie descriued by Virgill Which Aeneas suffered by report of Sibilla and tolde abroad at his returne out of Hell Of which sort there is a tale in Plato whiche Socrates said that one Herus Armenius a Pamphiliane borne reported on this maner This man was slayne in the fielde and the twelueth daâ—e after when his bodie was brought to be buryed he arose from deathe and tolde many thynges which he sawe while he was deade declaringe that when his soule was seuered from his bodie he with diuerse others came into the place of deuilles where there were foure passages two downe into the lower depthe and two vpwarde betwene the whiche they did sit which were iudges ouer the soules departed and thence they that were adiudged rightwise were commaunded to go vp to Heauen on the righthand hanging their iudgement signes on their brestes and the vniuste on the left side downwarde bearyng the cognysaunce of all their offences that they had committed in their lyfe tyme on their backes And therfore wheÌ„ he came to the iudges he said that he would tell all men at his returne that which he had seene and learned Then thei willed him diligentlie to vewe and marke that whiche he sawe there to the intent he might therof make a more certaine reporte Then told he sundry paines wherwith they which liued viciouslye here were tormented and how that thei whiche embraced iustice and godlynes and deserued well of their countrey after their death were in greate honour estimacion and perpetuitte of glorie and renowne as benefactours of mankynde Whiche sable althoughe Tullie be sorie that it is mocked at of manie yet as Macrobius telleth he willing to eschew the occasion of foolish fautefinding wished rather that their mighte one be raised vp to make suche a reporte then to â—e reuyued and to saye nothing That was an ensample of to bold and monstruous superstition when Menedemus scholer to Colotus a philosopher borne at Lampsacum went about as Laertius writeth apparayled like a furie saying that he came from hell to espie the faultes of men that at his descendinge downe he mighte reporte to the fâ—endes that whiche he sawe in midle earth This was his attire a longe blacke coate gyrte vnto him with a scarlet belte a cappe after the vsage of Arcadia on his heade hauing the foure elementes
daunger of our soules wee moue warres runne headlong vpon manslaughter while wee labour to harme others while wee endeuour by right or wrong to seeke booties and praies dooe not wee lease heauen Let vs see now if these good fellowes which delight to be accompted good men of warre whiche when thei haue wasted their goodes in riotte or gamnyng labour to recouer it againe vpon other mennes thrifte can escape reuengement at goddes hande whiche undoubtedlie in prepared for soche wicked warriers Yea I accoumpte warres emong vs Christians detestable bicause thei bee euen within our owne bowelles emong brethren and more then ciuill Moreouer admitte we were not vâ—iâ—ed in Christe yet by the constitucions of Emperours thei bee al as it were of one citee that acknowlege y â— Romain Empire wherin there is neither any lawe to receius those thynges againe whiche be loste in the warres nor any Lawe of armes Then ought we not to thinke that we may iustlie and lawfullie one inuade an other breake the bande of charitie vpon a pretenced quarell one subiect drawe his sweard againste an other without breache of this societie Emong the Ethenikes there was nothing couÌ„pted more detestable nothing more miserable then ciuill warre which endeth so that as Tullie saieth not onelie the victours will must staÌ„d for a law but thei must also be obeied by whose aide the victorie hath been gotten that is that lawes abolished iustice expelled al thinges maie lye open to slaughter spoile couetousnesse and insolencie and that the sonne may fight against the father and brother against brother whereby the societie of menne the face of the common weale the coÌ„municatyng of profites may decaie and be brought to vtter ruine How moche more daunger hangeth ouer them whiche by regeneracion in Baptisme haue professed themselues to Christ the GOD and aucthour not of warre and disseÌ„cion but of peace and quietnesse so couenaunting that one should beare an others burden not doyng that to an other whiche he would not haue doen to hymself to embrace one an other with mutuall loue and not to prouoke any to fighte whiche is prohibited not to bryng any to their vtter vndoyng and to make no ende of molestacions contrarie vnto Goddes commaundement whiche we ought not in any poincte to transgresse You vnderstande how detestable a thing it is that warres should be stirred vp emong vs not onely contrarie to Goddes commauÌ„dement and to the order of our profession but also against thordinaunces of men Wherevnto if it please you to knitte the dolefull and heauie ende whiche ensueth herevpon it shall appere that there is nothing more pernicious nothyng more to be eschewed And to know the Lion by his pawes who is there whiche seeth not that Dauid who by Goddes commaundemente did so oft warre againste the wicked did perceiue the incommodities of warre not by barrennesse and hunger onelie but also by pestilence Wherefore hauyng his choise of these three he choosed pestilence as the most tollerable which he laboured to tourne awaie lamentyng in the sight of God for his offence And shortlie to conclude warre is euen Ate her self and a brande sente from helle to consume the worlde whiche leaueth nothyng in safetie nothing out of hazard nothyng vnspoiled wherevpon vngodlinesse the roote of all euill blasphemie the contempte of God and manne robberie rauine slaughter burnyng violente defilyng of maried women widowes and virgines iniustice dissolucion of the common weale destruction of all thinges doe issue as it were foorth of the Marshe of Lerna with the serpent of so many heades and that not without the iust iudgemente of God whiche so oftymes in his anger reuengeth the sinnes of his people accordyng vnto the saiyng of Esaie And thei would not walke in his waies neither heard thei his lawe And he poâ—ted vpon hym the indignacion of his furie and strong battaill and brent hym and he knewe not and sette hym on fire rounde aboute and he perceiued not And that not without a cause For God when he purposeth to chauÌ„ge the state of any dominion whiche leaneth toward decaie for transgressing his commauÌ„dement vseth to permit bothe the Magistrate and the people to doe that wherby thei maie learne although to late that thei be iustlie punished whiche sometime might be forseen if it wer considered that the scourge which this offeÌ„ce deserueth is soche as maie by praier and amendement of life bee tourned awaie But wee in the meane while liue in securitie trustyng in our owne strength vntill we be ouerthrowen and giuen ouer in praie to our enemies For proofe whereof I could rehearse vnto you not one kyngdom onely but sixe hundred countreis whiche as wee reade in histories in the middest of their roialtie in their highest ruffe haue been vtterly subuerted For God vseth to set them before our iyes for example that it is vain hopyng for victorie in horses waggons and souldiours but that wee muste ceasse from sinne learne to call vppon hym alone whiche mercifullie and spedelie heareth the voice of his suppliauntes ouerthroweth the enemies campe and destroieth the aduersarie Man from the beginning hath ben enclined to ciuilitie who ought by honestie of maners and iustice to kepe himself within the compas of lawes and emparting of commodities and looking vp to heauen to acknowledge and glorifie his onlie creatour Wherfore it was appointed that men should mete in assemblies whiche might growe in one as it were into one bodie to be gouerned by most wise valiaunt kinges and Princes Whervppon the Monarchies beganne the first wherof was assigned to the Assirians where Ninus Semiramis and Sardanapalus the vicious Prince did reigne vnder whome when the Medes and Babilonians refused to serue bycause of his riot and filthines of liuing and had in open battaill vanquessed him he burned himselfe miserablie in a toure in Babilonia This Monarchie dissolued the kingdome of Babilon encreased aboue measure whose king Balthasar when he had blasphemed the God of Israel and had prophanelie vsed the holie vessel of the temple in riot and banquetting the Persianes dispoyled of his Kyngdome whyche also erected another Monarchie wherin Cirus CaÌ„bises diuerse Daries Xerxes and Artaxerxes were gouernours But wheÌ„ Darius beyng none of the kinges bloode had taken vpon him the princely estate AlexaÌ„der the great slew him which after the losse of al his dominions at ones lost bothe life and monarchie Where vppon Carion appointeth the thirde Monarchie to be of the Grekes whiche did not longe continue For by diuision made by Alexander vnto his successours Seleucus raigned in Syria Ptolomey in Egipte Antigonus in Asia Caâ—â—ander in Macedonia and Grecia whose gouernement although it were somewhat bloodie yet it endured vntill the Romaines purposing to obteyne the Empire of the hole worlde in deed ouercame the hole yet not vnpunished For the kingdome whiche thei had goten by force and swerd thei lâ—st agayne by the swerd and that
not so moche by forreyne as by ciuill warres and soche rebellioÌ„s as rose amongst them selues Wherwith when they had well beaten weried them selues they perceiued that ambition and contempt of the common weale the rule of manie of the mightier sorte beyng dissolued were the occasion that Iulius Cesar after manie sore bruntes and lamentable miseries of the Citie at the length gote the hole Empire Which after his pitiful murder deuolued to Augustus and so to other vntill it came to forreyners as they were by their souldiours aduauÌ„ced till at the last it was deuided into the easte weaste And finallie by reason y â— the bouÌ„des of Christendome were negligently defended it was brought by Charles the great into Germanie the Egle so dispoyled of her fethers as some thinke that she were not able to finde postes and post horses if the Peeres of the Empire did not otherwise prouide I could here also declare manie flourishing kingdomes whiche bare great stroke while these Monarchies yet endured and manie common weales worthily aduaunced whiche persuading themselues to be in sauetie and contemnyng other in comparison of them by their great fal euen in their greatest pompe learned how vnconstaunt fortune is Moreouer who so will coÌ„sider the kingdome of Israell and the Iewes ouer whome God himselfe set anointed Kinges and iudges and would that thei should be a terrour to the gentiles to passe ouer the dominions of Samaria Egipte Macedonie the Gothes whiche brought an hundred thousand menne out of Hungarie into Germanie the Vandales whiche fraied not Affrike onely but also Germanie and many other Seigniories who so further will remember how thâ— Rome the Ladie of all the worlde hath been so ofte taken and sackt that Carthage so famous and matche to Rome was so destroied that Hierusalem was so ofte taken and laste of all vtterlie defaced that Athenes and Lacedemone the twoo iyes of Grece were broughte to ruyne and raced euen to the grounde shall easelie perceiue what calamitie ensueth vpon warres and that the iniquitie deliciousnesse and vnthankfulnesse of manne towarde his creatour riotte and impietie be scourged with that whip whiche argueth the iuste vengeaunce of God that thei maie well saie with the Prophete Beholde this daie we bee seruauntes our corne is multiplied vnto the princes whiche thou hast set ouer vs for our sinnes whiche be Lordes ouer our bodies yea ouer our wiues and daughters Neither nede we to seke forrein examples consideryng that Germanie and other Countreis adioigned to the Empire haue store therof and mo then in dede be requisite For not to make mencion of antiquities who can sufficiently declare what calamitie waste and spoile moste part of men haue tasted in our tyme For intelligence whereof aske Saxonie Gelderland Friselande Brabant Flaunders all the lowe countreis Fraunce Italie speciallie Lombardie and a greate parte of East Fraunce whiche hath been pitifullie wasted and thei by experience can tell you how sore the smart of warre pincheth how sharpe a rodde it is to punishe the iniquitie of the worlde Whiche soche shall sone tourne awaie as will fall to praier call vpon God euen from the botome of their hartes But although God would euen froÌ„ the beginning that these examples should be written and kept in memorie that men might learne thereby to looke vpon theimselues and to amende their liues consideryng howe thei ought to conuert from their sinnes if thei will auoide the greate plague of heauen I meane the stroke of 〈…〉 es yet the Iewes alone were sufficient to put vs in minde of reformyng our liues and to declare vnto vs that the transgressyng of Goddes commaundemente hath neuer escaped vnreuenged For this is the people whiche he loued aboue all other to whom the promise of redempcion was made froÌ„ heauen which by a thousande figures and miracles was deliuered froÌ„ the heauie yoke of bondage whiche passed the sea drifoote whiche sawe Pharao that persued theim with a greate armie drouned at the closyng of the waters whiche should haue been conueighed into the lande of the wicked whiche had aboundaunce of Milke and Honie whiche receiued drinke out of the rocke and bread from heauen But bicause thei would not heare god whiche so oft warned theÌ„ thei were so plagued that in those fowrtie yeres wherin thei wer constrained to wander in the deserte emong serpentes and wilde beastes all thei that were brought forth of Egipte to the nâ—mber of sixe hundred thousande men were destruied and slaine euery one sauyng Iosue and Calephe by whose guiding and counsaill the reste were conueyed into the lande of promesse WhoÌ„ God so dearely loued that he would his onely soonne our sauiour to bee borne emongest them to teache to woorke miracles and laste of all by his death to purchace vnto vs life Whome when thei beyng wickedly â—â—nt woulde not acknowledge either by warre he destroied or by captiuitie dispersed into the whole worlde and gaue theim ouer to bee despised of all the worlde for ensample of Goddes vengeaunce whiche is ordeined for soche as will not repeÌ„t for their sinnes The outrage of warre is so pestiferous an euill so contagious and cankryng that she poureth her poison bothe vpon forriners and a farre of and ere she be seen she pearceth more deadlie then any Cocatrice For who is so blinde that he dooeth not see that these warres kept emong christen Princes for priuate quarelles haue giuen a merueilous encouragemente and hope to the enemies of the Empire to encroche vpon that wherevnto thei haue no right title and what decaie thei haue been vnto all christendome And for ensample to make mencion but of one whiche hath been an Helene or principall cause of the moste part of this trouble wherevnto if ye doe adde the disagremente of Princes and ciuill debates you shall perceiue nothyng lackyng that maie tend to the common destruccion of the whole worlde how many of the Lumbardes haue had occasion hereby to fall to murder robberie manslaughter spoile besides the making of widowes the vndoyng of fatherlesse childreÌ„ and deâ—â—ouring of maidens beside the prophaning of sacred thinges and a thousande other kindes of impietie How many kyngdomes hath the Turke an vnapeasable and mortall enemie to all Christians hereby conquered That all good menne complaine saiyng that the ambicion of our Princes ministereth occasion to the Turke of victorie Now if we will accoumpt from the yere of our Lorde M. D. when Lewes the Frenche kyng firste inuaded Milaine the chief toune in Lumbardie and draue out the Duke thereof you shall vnderstande how greatlie Christendome hath been endammaged sence the moste mightie Princes haue coÌ„tended who should haue the most iust title to the same Belligrade the onely Bulwarke of Hungarie was violently wonne Rhodes whiche could not be lightly assaulted was taken the countreis of Bachie and Syrmie were wasted Varadine by siege loste Lewes the kyng slain in the fielde Buda sacked a great part of Hungarie
heauen there to inhabite but bicause they receiued not the true doctrine of man the lawe giuen concerning regeneracion they were brought to naught and did not attayne vnto that felicitie and happie estate whereof they assured themselues nether did thei knowe God but declining into a reproued sense be decaied vtterly be become cleane desolate Whiche lest it do also chaunce vnto vs that doe vse our common weales to moche addict vnto the ordinaunces of mâ—n good heede ought to bee taken that our race maie bee soche that we maie winne the price and beare that for our cognisaunce for the ende whereof this our ciuill life was firste institute and ordeined Whiche openeth this passage from this corruptible citee vnto the vncorruptible and will declare that wee haue not been idle workemen in the vineyarde of our heauenlie father For so ought we to spende our tyme so to seke to beautifie our common weales that we doe not forget the will of God so ought we to heare Goddes worde that it be fixed in our hartes and bryng forthe fruicte that it be not choked with any worldlie cares After this sort shall the Merchaunte wheÌ„ he selleth his wares remeÌ„ber his brother by whose hinderauÌ„ce he ought not to be furthered The Ploughman as he is earyng the ground shall syng the glory of God and doe his daiely endeuour to tille the yearth and to prouide corne and grain for the sustenaunce of his neighbour He that hath riches shall bestowe theim vppon the neady and shal esteme theÌ„ as though he had none shewyng hymself chearefull when he giueth hauyng theÌ„ alwaie readie to releiue his brother withall in his necessitie The poore shall thanke God for his pouertie he shall be content with bread and water as Diogenes was and giue thankes for thesame whiche is therefore iudged to be wealthie bicause he measureth wealthe not by possessions but by a minde that is free from all coueteous desires Thus wee maie discourse through all the giftes of bodie and mynde and all mennes doynges and take hede that in these outward and visible things we doe not seke onely that whiche is externall and corruptible but rather that whereby wee maie haue stedfaste hope to attain the true blessednes after this life The argument of the fifth Chapiter That our ciuill life ought to tende toward the true felicitee that by the vniformitie of all our doynges a brotherlie loue and perfect peace maie reigne â—mongest â—s with a generall repeticion of thynges necessarie LVciane that famous Clerke albeeit he was not earnestlie bent to any religion yet was he verie subtile in discernyng mennes maners and in iudgyng of their errours by accusyng all the sectes of Philosophers as vaine maie stande for a proofe that the mosâ—e of their tradicions be grounded vpon vncertenties and mere fantasies For Pithagoras gloriyng in his owne deuised passyng of soules bragged that he should be immortalle and take vpon hym sondrie kyndes of shapes Diogenes called hym self a citezein of the worlde he willed men to bee free to caste of their fine raimentes and to put on a cloke like his to professe pouertie to labour to lye on the grounde to drinke water to eate soche meate as came to hande to neglecte money to care neither for wife children nor countrey to dwell in a Tunne to haue a scrippe full of hoppes and bokes written on the backsides and beyng in this estate he helde hymself more fortunate then the kynge of Persia The Cyrenaikes although thei professed the contempte of all thinges yet by all meanes thei sought carnall delectacion thei were riottous banquetters and inordinate swilpottes Democritus coumpted all that menne did as vaine and alwaies laught Heraclitus contrariwise alwaies wepte bicause he sawe the estate of manne so miserable and subiect to fortune wherein is alwaies some thyng that deliteth some thyng that offendeth knowledge and ignoraunce greatenes and smalnes hautenes and basenes constancie and inconstancie and he saied that all thynges in the worlde were but as a spectacle of vanitie therefore he willed all men to weepe still euen from their childhoode Socrates deuisyng a newe common weale whervnto he made also Lawes after his owne mynde thought it beste that women should be common And therefore he taught that the figures formes whiche he imagined of the yearth the heauen the sea and all other thinges were without this vniuersall frame of the worlde and that so thei were no where whiche he did onely see with the iyes of his minde and thereby thought that there were twoo sortes of all thinges Luciane reprehendeth Epicurus saiyng that he was more vicious then either Cyreneus or Democritus his maisters bicause he was a manne that was delicious and giuen onely to belyioie and had a greate delite in eatyng swete and licorous thinges But Chrisippus the Stoike in subtilitie of disputacione was very captious against his aduersaries teaching what was an accident and what more then an accidente as he that limpeth on one legge then hurteth his foote againste a stone this limpehaulte is an accidente but the hurte more then an accident he also teacheth that the wiseman alone practiseth vsurie and vsurie vpon vsurie whiche thing he attempteth to proue by a formall argumente What should I speake of the Sceptikes of whom Pirrhias was the chief For he leasted at theim as menne without all sense and iudgement whiche neither could heare nor see any thing as men that thought that there was nothing whereof thei could pronounce any certaintie but waighed mennes reasons in an euen ballance and when thei had tried that thei wer al of one weight thei could not tell whiche was the truest But this one thing he saied thei knewe verie well that thei knewe nothyng in verie deede Neither did he moche spare the Peripatetikes whiche were Aristoteles scholers who vsed to teache walkyng in his schoole as menne that vaunted that thei had a singuler sharpnes of witte aboue others declaryng that man was a liuyng creature naturallie risible but that an Asse was a beast whiche could neither laugh builde nor saile How long a Gâ—aâ—te liueth how farre the sunne beames pearce into the sea how the infaunte is shapen in the mothers wombe and what kind of soule Oisters haue whether heaueÌ„ be w tin any limitacioÌ„ of place or no Whether the celestiall Spheires haue any mouers or no. Here if ye list to recouÌ„pt al the philosophers fantastical opinioÌ„s you shall vnderstand that their doctrine is very vain and easie to bring men into a fooles paradise of whom the Apostle biddeth vs to beware whiche himself reasoned against the Epicures and Stoike Philosophers at Athenes which contraried the woorde of God and he declared all their tradicions to be mere vanities But I will not reprehend all the Philosophers doctrine as vnprofitable and altogether deceiptfull for somoche as thei inuented many