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
art dust and shalt be turned into dust again Notwithstandyng these yet manne was not so abased but that he knewe hymself to be lord and president ouer all thynges that be vpon the yearth Wherevpon he furthwith began to set vp his crest to swell with loftines of courage and to tourne his countenaunce against heauen neither acknowledgyng ne yet callyng vpon his creatour But there were Giauntes vpō the yearth yea the mightier sorte and despisers of God wherefore the Poetes did not vnproperly faine that thei assaulted heauen Whiche a man maie also vnderstand by the Philosophiers for although thei did not by plaine pretence denounce warre against heauen yet thei attempted to direct their thoughtes vain strength of mynde thitherward as though it had been giuen thē to sell a manne cleane life and to surpasse the secretes of heauen from the knowledge whereof no man was further then thei While thei attempted to passe the mountaines of glasse and thence were dismounted thei were made a laughyng stocke vnto God which tourned their glory into shame and their wisedome into folie Sinne therefore makyng waie into man he cōtinued to walke after his owne fleshe louyng himself and puft vp with pride and pitched all the thoughtes of his harte vpon malice wherevpon blasphemie vnthankfulnesse frowardnes and all vngodlines entred into hym as it were into a common sinke This loftines of minde God alwaie hath punished for whiche he neither forbare Angelles nor kyngdomes nor any people Whiche ought to be an ensāple vnto vs to laie apart pride to acknowledge our owne frailtie to directe humbly this our commonable and ciuill life after the heauenly rule There bee moreouer many testimonies of holy scripture wherby we be warned with al endeuour to eschew this detestable vice whiche if thei did no deale moue vs yet natureher self setteth before our iyes many thinges whiche put vs in mynde of our basenes and whiche doe after a secrete sorte shewe vs how we ought to knowe our selues For if we behold our conceiuyng the beginnyng of our birthe the maner of our natiuitie the maner of our noursyng the race of our life and the necessitie of death man in fewe thinges semeth the better then brute beastes yea in many poinctes for al these excellent qualities he is farre vnder muche lesse then ought he te be stoute couraged to neglecte Gods commanndement or proudly to disdaine any other Certainly if we consider the beginnyng of our birth whereby man is prepared to this life it is vncleane and almost lothsome to nature her self For other beastes doe openly engender euen nature as it were mouyng theim thervnto The conceiuing of man onely beareth shamefastnes desiring rathar to be hidde then opened bicause of the staine of synne whiche driueth man to bashefulnes and causeth hym to be ashamed of hymself Nature bryngeth furthe brute beastes but synne bringeth furth man the Prophete witnessyng thesame Behold I was cōceiued in iniquitie in sinne my mother cōceiued me Yea further this weake beginning of man the proudest of all liuyng creatures is not without greate daunger for if the mother sone after she haue conceiued doe either snese or smell the snuffe of a candle she trauaileth before her tyme. If besides these you marke the tyme of deliueraūce you shall hardly iudge whether nature be a more louing mother or an heauier stepdame to mā For somuche as this one liuyng creature whiche is borne to rule ouer all other beginneth his life as Plinie writeth with paine whereas no cause why can be alledged vnles it bee a faulte that he is borne into this worlde for whereas nature hath bestowed vppon all other thynges bothe couerynges and shelles barkes skinnes bristilles heares feathers quilles fleases scales and also defenses and staies of the limmes wherewith thei maie bothe defende and rescew themselues frō daunger that maie ensue as to the Elephant his snoute to the Buck hornes to the Hare swiftnesse of foote to the Woulfe teeth to the birdes winges and to euery thyng accordingly she hath cast furthe onely man naked vpon the bare yearth fenselesse which is compelled to keuer hym self and hide his priuie partes by relefe of others and to seke hymself fensible weapons of others so that if wee will signifie any notable miserie we neade no more but to note the birthe of man into this worlde Wherevpon most of y ◠Thraciās wer wont to wepe in their childbed and the parentes with mournyng to receiue their child new borne into the worlde but at his death to bury him with merueilous reioisyng and gladnes as though that he whiche is newe borne were rather to bee lamented then he that deceaseth and departeth the miserie of the world No lesse labour is it to nourishe vp the child whē it is borne For other beastes as sone as thei entre into light by the very motion of nature doe seke after foode Some of their owne accorde run vnto the dammes teates Some with open mouthes receiue them offered by the dammes as though that creature were in vain bred that requireth no nourishment To man alone she hath giuen criyng weepyng and teares whereby he declareth his want maketh signe that he would haue some thing but so darkly that he knoweth not what yea and not onely doeth not make hymself ready to receiue food but often refuseth it when it is offered hym Now when he is brought vp many thousande lettes many daungers many kindes of intrapmentes declare how hard it is for hym to passe the race of his life and to come to his fatalle ende whiche if I should drawe furthe in order and make rehersall thereof it should not bee so harde as neadles specially in a thyng knowne not so muche as but to verie Barbars For no liuing creature is in daunger of mo diseases none standeth in more hazarde of priuie ambushmentes then he doth that by man Lions for all their wildnes yet doe not one encountre an other the serpent stingeth no serpent but man is a Woulfe to man at whose hand he daily receiueth muche harme Furthermore none is couetous but he none ambicious none vncontentable in desire of thinges but he onely he is incontinuall pain wearied with calamities of whiche euilles although thou perswadest thy self to haue discomfited one or two and so thinkest thy self in sauetie yet thou must abide a sore conflicte with nature her self seyng thou art enforced to feare euen the lightnyng of the element the stēche of the yearth the Scorpions stroke so many kyndes of poisons venime whiche although thei neuer chaunce vnto thee yet fleshelice fleas crablice and many other like vermines shall noie thee and declare that man is in daunger of many thousande kindes of miseries But also y e necessitie of death is not to be so moch coūted vpō seyng it is indifferent as well to other thinges as to liuing creatures for whatsoeuer is borne must
honour for so muche as this common weale which wee doe now appoincte doeth not onely consiste in outward thynges as the Ethenikes doe imagine howbeit it is to see in Aristotle in the fifth of his politikes that thei doe not reiecte ministers and priestes from their coÌ„mon weales but is 〈◊〉 from 〈…〉 as from a schâ—â—â— house of vertue we maie passe to the heauenly â—â—â—ee and maie come and bee receiued among the communion of sainctes Neither doe we acknowledge those to bee ciuill Magistrates who appoincte any thyng contrary to the ordinaunce of GOD muche lesse ought a godlie Magistrate so to doe consideryng wee ought rather to obeye God then man But we attribute to God that is due to God and to Cesar that is due to Cesar estemyng bothe the aucthorities with honour conuenient whose entent muste bee to teache and frame the Christian companie that is the people of God in holinesse of maners loue of Godlinesse and a blessed life that thereby thei maie bee brought to the true blessednes Let no manne therefore take vpon him so high a stomack vpon any prerogatiue whereby he shall alledge that he is nothyng bounde to any superiour power and labour to seuere hymself from the societie of man the onely fence of the commoÌ„ weale and worthines of life pronounsyng hym self a certaine holy kynd of liuyng I knowe not what if he be not alienate froÌ„ that assemble of men whiche God would bothe should be congregate and saued to hymself Suche men the Apostle doeth better instruct saiyng Se that no maÌ„ deceiue you by Philosophie and vain delusion after the ordinaunce of man after the elementes of the worlde and not after Christ Bicause in him dwelleth all fulnes of the deitie corporally and in hym you bee complete whiche is the head of all seigniorie and power In the middle estate of persones in the commoÌ„ weale I maie accompt counsailours noble men and all suche as bee borne of a worshipfull stocke but yet haue no aucthoritie of office whose duetie is to obeie and bee conformable to the superiour power as a thyng ordeigned by God Secondlie liberally to stretche their hand vpon suche as be in pouertie and to honor God in their goods The third sorte bee the basest men I meane the commonaltie and suche as by their hiered laboure get their liuyng from among whom I doe not seperate suche as be bonde slaues and seruauntes For in this common weale neither is there free man nor bounde but Christ all in all whom therefore the Apostle the onely master of maners doeth teache saiyng seruauntes obeie in all thinges those y â— be your masters after the fleshe not with â—ye seruice studiyng to please them as men but with simplicitee of hart fearyng God and what so euer ye doe doe it with all your harte as not vnto man but vnto God Knowyng that at Goddes hande you shall receiue the reward of inheritaunce for you serue the Lorde Christ Whereby we are â—aught to obeie suche as by the fleshe be appoincted ouer vs as not thereby pleasyng men but God at whose hand we must looke for the reward of the euerlastyng inheritaunce for atteignyng whereof all kinde of menne entre societie in the common weale of what estate or condition soeuer thei be officers or not officers Whiche common weale I doe appoinct to be but one accordyng vnto the Philosophers opinion as Christ the head wherof this our common weale taketh her forme is but one Whereby it is euident that there is no common weale where there is no heade bicause Christe alwaie reiseth vp some to guide his people And yet in this saiyng that the common weale is one there bee many thynges to bee considered Moreouer in one Empire or one Kyngdome although euery toune and euery Shire haue a kynde of common weale seuerally yet the whole estate is but one in respecte of the Prince whiche in all ciuill poinctes is the supreme heade and the gouernour and preseruour of all the particulars ¶ The argument of the ii Chapiter That the office of a Prince is merueilous nedefull but beard to be performed WE haue lightly as it were tasted of what kinde of persones a citee doeth stand which if thei doe agree in one it can not bee otherwise but that a ciuill vnitie doe grow thereby and allure mennes mindes to the swetenes of those thynges whiche be aboue vs who be so coÌ„maunded to kepe the yerth that we do not lease heauen after an other sorte then Demas the Philosopher warned the Athenians purposyng to giue to Alexander the great diuine honours saiyng beware lest you lease the yearth while ye go about to winne heaueÌ„ And in deede he Prophecied not muche amisse for the Macedoniane Prince crepyng in vpon this flatterie by inuasion afterwarde subdued the whole countrey of Athens But for so muche as this generall handelyng doeth not so plainly set before our â—yes and shewe the thyng as if I should particularely displaie euery poincte specially in this my booke wherein I ought to declare for whoÌ„ I descriue this coÌ„mon weale and what becometh euery man particularely and like as in a greate house there be diuers kyndes of implementes diuerse degrees of seruauntes whiche all must be considered of the good man of the house which who so will teache and declare muste in seuerall propone euery parcell thereof thereby to learne how clenely how necessarie how profitable euery thyng is to furnishe his housbandrie well and commodiously and so maie be in loue with it in the same sort I will laie my foundation vppon hym that beareth the chief swaie naie rather that is as it wer bothe the sterne and forshippe of the common weale I meane the Prince vpon whom as vpon a certaine rule the reste doe hang and measure their life accordingly which if he be a good man the subiectes maie thinke theim selues fortunate that thei haue suche a gouernour Whiche shortly again to recount the common weale can neither be begon ne yet preserued without a prince a chief Magistrate vnlesse we will haue it to be headles whiche is not semely but goeth against nature Here it is nedeles to touche the gouernement ruled by one by a fewe by the best sort and by the people whiche of theim might be the best kynde of gouernement whiche matter is reasoned vpoÌ„ in Plato Aristotle Dion Philostratus and many others whiche thyng also is written of the Persians that thei after the sleyng of the Magians did muche debate concernyng the appoinctemente of these principall Magistrate and at the laste agreyng that it was the best kinde of rule where one bare the swaâ—e elected Darius their king But whether there be but one beste or many for wee see bothe the kyndes of gouernementes to haue good successe if thei rule well I doe require no more For the Romaine common weale maie be alledged for an euidente proofe that gouernemente where the people
to tourne all humanitie into crueltie and to take vppon hym a Woluishe nature all this euill muste bee imputed to vngodlinesse from whence it isshewed Whence hate of honestie conteÌ„pt of iustice loue of iniquitie and the vtter disdain of the coÌ„mon weale nate I would saie of al mankind is deriued So little goodnes or sinceritie is there to be hoped for at his handes that is not fortified with the raÌ„pier of pietie moche lesse theÌ„ can he wel gouerne by good ensample of life leade others But what so euer he atteÌ„pteth whatsoeuer he doeth he passeth the bondes of honestie and as the ballaunce falleth is caried either to the right hande or to the lefte euidently bewrayng the insolent intemperauncie whiche he vseth in his gouernement For this is the life of tirauntes saieth Tullie that is soche wherein there is no faith noloue neither can therebe any stedsast confidence of good will nor any place for friendship wheÌ„ al thinges be had in gelowsâ—e suspicion For who can loue hym whoÌ„ he feareth or by whom he thinketh himself to be feared Frendship therfore which is the greatest treasure emongest men ones beyng loste what can there be either loueable or pleasaunt Therfore it is a good consequente that he whiche is thought vn worthie of all mennes loue is subiecte to all mennes hatred and that onely feare is the cause of his safetie whiche is but a slender warraunte of continuaunce For it is a worthie saiyng whiche Tullie reciteth out of Ennius All men hate hym whom thei feare and hym whoÌ„ euery maÌ„ hateth euery man wisheth out of the waie Soche enormities doe spring of not regardyng the bringyng vp of youth despisyng godlie discipline cherishyng at home naughtie packes and flatterers For it is a woÌ„der how our nature beyng of it self corupt is prone to al euil And if soche men as thinke al thinges to be lawfull be left to their owne orderyng and be not brought to the waie of vertue thei will foorthwith bewraie their owne lacke of modestie and like horses vnbroken will praunce waxe headdie and couragious insolently troublyng and tumblyng all thinges vpside doune So that a Prince maie rather seme to bee a beast sent in by Ate of whoÌ„ Homer speaketh to trouble mannes life then a right noble man which either desireth to deserue well of menne or can shewe any fruicte of his gentle blood accordyng vnto his calling This licenciousnes whereby as Terence saith we become all the worse if it be supported by wealth it is the firste degree to iuste and riotous liuyng then the companie of naughtie acquaintaunce whose euill disposed talke vseth to corrupte well disposed condicions then a garde readie to all vnhappines and a detestable compaignie of Courtiers Finally thus you can lacke nothing that can further you to wickednes and prouoke you to applie your self to tirannie For this is the very trainyng vp of a vicious prince whervpon many as it were from the Troian horse doe isshewe whiche delight not onely to anoie the common wealthe but also to set all the worlde on a fire whiche deseruyng so ill of men can not loke to be well reported of For it lieth in the Prince saith Philip the king of Macedonie whether he will be wel or ill spoken of But it is princelike for well deyng to be misreported Surely I knowe nothing that is more pernicious then flatterers aboute a Prince whiche vnder the colour of friendship vse themselues as very foes as men whose onelie drifte is to moue the prince to that whiche is neither honeste nor honourable alwaie by false suggestions and slaunders endeuouring to bring good and profitable members of the common weale into displeasure that there maie be none left to disclose their falsehoode and to put the king in minde of better gouernemeÌ„t For these be thei which alone can plaie the courtiers which vse to offer venym sweetened with honie to turne white into blacke and blacke into white altering themselues as Protheus dyd of whom they write into euery shapeâ—men of skill howe to learne the princes minde that they maie behaue them selues accordingly repeting and as it were still stnging that whiche he shalbe delighted to heare not to apease him in his wrath but by their sleightie pollices to deceyue him and to take aduauntage of him in his indignacioÌ„ For they onelie looke to be rewarded and recompensed for their persuasions and flatterie without anie care of the good successe of the common weale Yea further abusinge the Princes gentlenes by their fawning officiousnes they will not sticke through occasion of familiaritie to sell for soms of money his good will to promise to bryng thinges to passe of great importance As Helius Lampridius writeth of one Zoticus whiche misusing the name of familiaritie solde all Heliogabalus his wordes and deedes like as if a man woulde sell smooke hoping to haue ben therby highlie rewarded and thus promising many beguiled all The same reporteth an historie not vnlike to this of one Verconius Turinus whiche vsed to sell soche vaine hazardes whome Alexander Seuerus after he had conuicted therof caused to be tied to a stake in the common market place and there with the smoke of strawe and grene woode to be choked the crier alwaie saying he that soulde nothing but smoke is punished with smoke Flatterie therfore is a pernicious thinge and doth as ofte ouerthrowe a Princes power as his enemie and it is better as Antisthenes saithe to fall amonge rauens then flatterers for they onely spoyle and deuoure the dead but these deuour the liuing And therfore Mamertius coÌ„mended Iulianus the Emperour for that he was armed against al entisementes of flatterers nether could be miscaried for all their coloured venim Which if manye princes woulde likewise do their should be moche more iustice and quietnes in the common weale and lesse iniquitie But let those Princes be fully persuaded whiche either by naughtines of nature or by suggestion of others do not stinte to oppresse their subiectes and to practise tiraÌ„nie that this in dede muste be borne with al but it will not escape vnpunished at goddes hande bicause he dieweth the earth from heauen aboue and suffreth the worlde bicause of the enormitie of sinne to be vexed not by good but by ill men but he in the meane while will not forget the vexour nether let him go scotfree but wil cause him to perish with condigne punishmeÌ„t eyther by the sword or w t some miserable horrible kinde of death So muste the rodde that is layed vpon the people at lengthe be laied vppoÌ„ the fier Furthermore these vicious princes be not in safegard of their garde no not of their owne wiues and children but alwaie dreade leste that violence whiche they extende vpon other shalbe returned vpon them selues but in vaine when as they cannot eschewe the necessitie of their fatall ende In place of manie note well this one example In
on fire to the entent that there maie bee a mutuall impartyng of commodities whiche causeth that one man is moued with an others harme and iniurie and is willyng to his power to ayde the same And therefore it was compted an honest and godlie acte for any priuate man to slea Phalaris or any soche tyraunt and to deliuer the people out of bondage Moreouer as certain rotten and putrified partes of our bodie bee either cutte of or seared with an hoate iron for feare leste they infecte the whole so they thought it good that soche slaughtermen and bloude suckers should be seuered from the societie of al other Herevpon Marcus Brutus vaunteth hymself vnto Tullie so oft for the killyng of Cesar as though that he had deliuered not the citee of Rome onely but also all the wide worlde from his tirannie whiche he vsurped more then the lawes and counsaill would permitte hym whiche he saied he would not suffer in his owne father if he should retourne to life againe and that beyng content with the remembrauÌ„ce of his weldooyng and the libertie whiche he had gotten by the tirauntes death did set light by all that could chaunce vnto him in this world Neither would he become suppliaunt either to Octauius who was bothe his heire and a child or to Antonie whiche laboured to inuade the common weale in his place that was dead What other thing maie wee thinke that Marcus Scenola pretended when as for the deliueraunce of his countrey to the greate daunger of his owne life he entred into Porsennas campe who then besieged the toune and takynge his ame amis slue one of the Kinges pieres in steade of the kinge himselfe wherefore beyng apprehended he thrust his hand into the fire and shranke not for any feare insomoche that the Kynge was dismaide to see his coÌ„stancie specially vnderstandyng by hym that three hundred young menne of the citee had likewise sworne his death Whiche ensample therefore resembleth pietie the more bicause the conspiracie was made againste hym that was their professed enemie would haue brought againe Tarquinius surnamed Superbus bicause of his insolent condicions and would also haue taken awaie the libertie of the Citee But wee whiche haue prosessed Christe haue an other rule of religion to woorke by which measure the lawe of nature after the discipline of godlines thinkyng euery thing so farre to be lawfull vnto vs as it doeth not repugne against the order of our religion but answereth Goddes wille wherevnto wee ought to referre our selues in all our troubles aduersities Nowe it is certaine that Gods will is soche that he will not suffer his people to be misledde and his comaundemente despised without punishement For he is the God of reuengement which if he doe streight seke while men bee aliue it is to bee rekened as a speciall benefite bicause he therein declareth that he would not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue And therefore he sendeth into the worlde hunger barrennesse of the yearth so many kindes of diseases pestilence warre tirannous Magistrates and al soche calamities that man should conuerte and acknowledgyng his offence learne to reuerence and worshippe his creatour We see a figure hereof in the Prophete Ezechiel where God threateneth Samaria and Hierusalem vnder the name of â—â— sisters whiche had committed fornicacion in Egipte that he would raise vp the Chaldees and tyrauntes against theim whiche should spitefully deale with theÌ„ and at the last he saieth Thy mischief and fornicacioÌ„s haue doen this against the. Esdras also the restorer of the fiue bookes of Moses a man of great knowledge in the Lawe whom some suppose to be Malachie the Prophete complainyng of the iniquitie aswell of the Princes as of the people saieth Beholde wee are in bondage this daie and so is the land whiche thou gauest vnto our fathers that thei should eate the bread of it all the good therein Beholde there are we bondmen and the fruictes of it be multiplied vnto the kynges whom thou hast set ouer vs bicause of our sinnes which rule ouer our bodies and our cattell after their owne willes and we be in greate trouble This is it that God threateneth to sende children to rule ouer vs and to be our kynges euen in his furie Whereby it euidently appereth that wicked magistrates be sent into the worlde as that Ate whiche Homere speaketh of for mannes vicious liuyng that one euill maie be expelled with an other and that euil men maie be persued by soche as be no lesse euill then thei theimselues Whiche thing Attila that broughte an armie of three hundred thousande menne forthe of HuÌ„garie into Germanie and anoied almoste all Europe vsurped in his pride callyng hymself the scourge of God and thereby pretendyng an honest cause why he was so furious Tamerlanes also the great prince of Tartaria whiche when he had taken Baiazete the Turke prisoner and caried hym aboute in a cage as a spectacle of mannes mutable estate when one asked hym why he vsed soche crueltie againste any man he aunswered thou iudgest madlie to thinke me to bee a man I am the anger of GOD and the destruction of the whole worlde Nether is it so that God alwaie stirreth vp cruell men and tirantes to reuenge mans wickednes that one mischief shulde be expelled with another but somtimes therein he vseth his owne auÌ„gels somtimes he worketh by men of sincere liuing sometimes he sendeth floudes aboundance of waters as we doe reade in the scripture so likewise for the malice of man he plagueth vs with famine pestilence and warre As the Lord in one night smote al the first borne in Egipt and where bloud was founde on the vpper threshold he suffred not the smiter to enter and to hurt the houses of the children of Israell And in one night thaungell of the Lord came and smote in the Assirian campe an hundred fourescore and fiue thousande Iosue also smote all the Hillie and southe countrey beyond Iordane not leauing one a liue therein but slewe euery thing that had breath as the Lorde had commaunded him from Cades of Barna vnto Gazan Saule also was commaunded to smite king Amaleck and to destroie all that was his so that he should not spare him but kill man and woman infaunte and suckling ore and shepe camell and asse nether desire any portion of his goodes God likewise vseth the elementes oftimes for the reueÌ„gment of mans iniquitie For seyng the malice of man to be great in the earth it repented him that he had made man be said to Noe Behold I will bring the waters of the floude vpon the earth and I will destroye all fleshe wherein there is any spirite of life vnder Heauen and all thinges that be on the Earth shalbe consumed There be many soche ensamples which daily come in vre with great terrour to warne vs that for our sinnes we be sore
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