vnto mans capacitie 2 An admonition to the Readers of the Scripture Lineament VIII 1 The Election of the Protestants after the imitation of S. Pauls graffing in of the Gentiles 2 Meanes to discerne the Antichrist by Prophesies out of the Scripture 3 Mâ—anes to discerne the Antichrist by his pompous manner of liuing and also by his Detractions The third Circle Lineament I. 1 THe nature of the spirit of Detraction 2 His obiections 3 The Authours answere 4 The description of Detraction 5 His Companions 6 His Paradoxes 7 A briefe Confutation Lineament II. 1 Notes to discerne the spirit of Detraction 2 A limitation of speaches Lineament III. 1 That the imbecillity of our natural dispositions tainted through the first Mans sinne with curiosity inconstancie and negligence is the prime cause of the spirit of Detraction 2 That our curious search after the supernaturall beginning of time worketh our confusion 3 Of our Curiosity 4 Of our Inconstancie 5 And of cur Negligence Lineament IIII. 1 That ill Education is another cause of malicious Detraction 2 That want of maintenance in the Clergy is the cause of ill Education 3 Certaine moderne abuses taxed in some remote angles of this Kingdome Lineament V. 1 That the secret and spirituall suggestion of the Diuel is the third cause of the Spirit of Detraction 2 The cunning reasons of the Diuell to confirme sinne 3 Their Confutation Lineament VI. 1 The naturall manner how the Spirit of Detraction enters into a man and possesseth him 2 Another reason to confirme the premisses Lineament VII 1 Corollaries for the explanation of the premisses 2 Where wicked Spirits reside in man Lineament VIII 1 That the spirit of Detraction hath two principall instruments the Hand and the Tongue 2 Their apish trickes 3 Their monstrous effects 4 A briefe dehortation from Detraction Lineament IX 1 The Authors censure of certaine English Pamphleters and Ballad-writers with an inuocation to my Lord of Canterbury for a reformation not onely of these abuses in writing but also of other enormities committed against the Church-Canons 2 A Description of good and euill Writers 3 That there is a mixt morall kinde of writing seruing as the lesser light for the conuersion of the naturall man Lineament X. 1 Certaine Detractions of our common Stage-players are taxed 2 How God distributes his gifts diuersly to euery particular man 3 The Authours briefe Apologie concerning his owne imprinted workes Lineament XI 1 What kinde of persons the spirit of Detraction doth soonest possesse with a description of the common people 2 That wise men and of resolution must not feare the Detractions of the common people 3 That it is necessarie for Enuie to be the companion of Vertue and for the spirit of Detraction to follow Magistrates as the shadow the body for the corroborating of their vertues Lineament XII 1 Why men soiourne with the spirit of Detraction and will not be dislodged from him 2 That no worldly causes ought to dispose a man vnto Detraction Lineament XIII 1 The Conclusion shewing that all persons from the Prince his Scepter to the Coblers naule are subiect to Detracting tongues The fourth Circle Lineament I. 1 THe felicitie and infelicitie of our Country of Great Britaine 2 The Authours supplication to the high and mightie Court of Parliament for suppressing of common Swearing Blasphemies Slaunders Perâ—urtes and other Detractions offensiue to God and their Countries weale 3 That they crucisie Christ anew which sweare eyther want only or wilfully by his bloud c. 4 The Authours motion for more Additions to the Statute of Periurie 5 The necessitie of these Additions and of likely circumstances to lead our common Iurours Lineament II. 1 That Licentiousnesse is the cause of Detractions defamations periuries and blasphemies 2 That Tauernes are the causes of licentiousnesse whereby the Authour taketh an occasion to admonish Magistrates of their dutie in this important case Lineament III. That the Spirit of Detraction is sooner conuicted through the bright light and testimonie of the Scripture then through mens reall force or worldly deuices Lineament IIII. The Spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by the Prophet Dauids testimonie Lineament V. The spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by King Salomons testimonie Lineament VI. The spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by Iesus the sonne of Syraches testimonie Lineament VII The spirit of Detraction and Periurie coniured and conuicted by other testimonies of the Scripture Lineament VIII The Authours aduise to lury-men wishing them to proceede vprightly according to their oathes and also to meditate on the future discourse Lineament IX The Spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by the Ciuill lawes Constitutions Lineament X. The Spirit of blasphemous Detraction conuicted by Gods iudgements executed on some of our owne Countries inhabitants Lineament XI The Spirit of Detraction and Perturie conuicted by sentence of our owne lawes executed on corrupted lurours Lineament XII The Spirit of Detraction conuicted by the statute De scandalis magnatum and also by the Soueraigne authority of the Court of Starre-Chamber Lineament XIII 1 Of the Iurisdiction of the Ecclesiasticall Court touching words of Detraction and defamation 2 Where the Kings writ of Prohibition lies against such actions commenced in that Court 3 That mixt actions belong to the Common law Lineament XIIII Obseruations concerning words of Detraction and Defamation fit to be perused of Sheriffes and Stewards or of other Iudges of inferiour Courts extracted out of the Reports of Sir Edward Cooke Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of the common Pleas. Lineament XV. Obseruations concerning detracting Libels giuen in the Starre-Chamber and collected out of Sir Edward Cookes Reports Lineament XVI The conclusion of the fourth Circle contayning the Authours pareneticall Charge to common Iuries The fift Circle Lineament I. 1 THe Authours scope in this Circle 2 His inuocation to the Godhead against his Ghostly Enemies Lineament II. 1 How the Spirit of Detraction attributes the glorious workes of God vnto the Diuell 2 That mens guiltie consciences driue them to exâ—oâ—â— the Diuell and his supposed power Lineament III. Proued out of the Booke of Wisedome that mens guiltie consciences caused them at first to feare Bugs and Spirits Lineament IIII. How mens guilty conscâ—ences made them to mistake the truth and to become afraid of things meerely naturall Lineament V. A merry storie borrowed out of Peter de Loiers booke of Specters shewing how a Trauailer was frighted in passing by a Gallowes Lineament VI. 1 Whether in time of Poperie the Diuell appeared to Coniurers or Witches 2 Why now adaies the Diuels apparitions are ceased among the professours of the Gospell 3 The Authors opinion touching his visible illusions Lineament VII 1 How Popish Shauelings inuenâ—ed the vse of common Coniurations and fictions in policy for the greater efficacie of their Idols Holy-water and Masse-monging wherein the weakenesse of their Holy-water is shewed 2 That they coined lies of purpose to confirme their sect namely in Luthers life
drinking The like laudable custome did our present King impose by consent of his Parliament vpon our lourdanes or disguised trauellers which resorted to tauernes namely that they should not drinke aboue a quart at a meale nor stay aboue an houre in these infamous houses But as those lawes which concerne many are commonly neglected of many so notwithstanding his Maiesties wholesome lawes people now adaies through licentiousnesse hauing almost gotten a habite of disobedience few or none aduenture to execute the same Or if perhaps any one more forward then the rest fearing the shipwracke of his conscience for waxing slouthfull in his charge against these Centaurs or for winking at such enormities of these his Countries Cyclops should chance to extend the rod of his authoritie in suppressing them presently Sathan suggesteth some of his darlings detracting Barretours to countenance these lewde liuers and rather then faile he subornes them to molest those zealous magistrates by hooke or by crooke to the Starre Chamber or to some other principall Court two or three hundred miles off for trifling matters not worth the speaking and all to the entent to terrifie and tire them with tedious trauelling too and fro so that few officers dare put in execution what the law requireth them being loth to hazard their goods and persons in so wearisome a iourney in so cumbersome a suite These these bulbeggars I say be the onely obstacles that Iustice is not executed against the malefactors of our countrey Herehence it comes to passe that Iustices of milde and moderate spirits do swallow downe many a bit of bitter iniuries rather then they will aduenture their fortunes in law vpon such vile vermine Yet notwithstanding these crosses which ouerthwart your honest purposes it behoues you my Masters whom his Maiestic or his Chauncellor hath commissioned by Iethroes counsell as Rulers ouer hundreds ouer fifties to lay aside your panicke feares to looke vnto your places and not to preferre your priuate weale before the publike in intending so neerely the temporall goods of blind fortune whereof the Eye of iustice in reuenge of your remissenesse and periuries will sodainly bereaue you with a heauier scourge For this cause I could wish that this golden saying were firmely ingrauen in your thoughts Qui non impedit facinus cum possit facinori consentit He that hinders not a sinne when he may hinder it consents vnto the sinne For no doubt but this saying is alreadie verified in many of vs whom God forgiue specially when we spare Gods enemies of what nature soeuer they be eyther for indulgence importunate friendship or for feare of the Diuell or of his detracting followers Therefore be ye stout as Lyons fighting the Lords battailes The cause is the Lords the iudgement is the Lords and the Lord will be with you in the cause and iudgement Now shew your selues whose champions ye are and with your vnpartiall hands subscribe to pull and put downe these licentious Brothelries downe with these Tauernes downe with these Seminaries of corruption downe with the cause and downe with the effects if ye haue any sparke of Gods Spirit shining in you The prodigious effects hatched and fostered in these drunken Cottages as I said before is licentiousnesse the diabolicall dame of detractions periuries blasphemies and of a number of other base brats LINEAMENT III. That the Spirit of Detraction is sooner conuicted through the bright light and testimonie of the Scripture then through mens reall sorce or worldly deuices EVen as Aarons rod in Pharaoh his presence consumed all the Magicians rods that were put before it so words grounded vpon the touchstone of Truth do at the last consume to nothing all the bubling dregs of babling Detraction For by how much that Michael the Archangel is more mightie then the detracting Dragon by so much doth the speech of Truth beare a greater sway ouer the mishapen monsters of falshood which like foolish Apes by their vaine and vncharitable chattering would faine obtaine the Christian sirname of Truth But the word of life the light of vnderstanding will not abide such derogations and detractions And therefore he hath of his speciall and superabundant grace sent forth the spirit of his mouth the brightnesse of his comming to consute these hidious heresies and peremptory paradoxes which with the Antichrist were conceiued and begotten among vs. Out of this light or lightsome word out of the right resembling Image of the Fathers eternall vertues as his pledge to the Catholike Church issued his written image the sacred Scripture whose efficacy is so excellent that the testimonies thereof suffice to coniure downe all the spirits of hell into their owne bottomlesse home Being an armie of armed men against the spirit of Detraction and he will intreate them woâ—se then that possessed person did the seuen sonnes of Scaeua the Iew against whom he ranne and preuailed that they were forced to flie out of the house naked and wounded Besprinkle him with whole buckets full of holy water chant millions of masses vnto him his spirituall substance cares not for wetting and for your masses Surdo canis he will not heare them for your good but gladly heares them for your hurt and hindrance Onely a few materiall sentences extracted out of the heauenly booke and giuen in euidence by an humble-minded Christian with prayer and contrition doe certainly coniure conuince and confound all his dartes stings and forces To this end I will repeate some prouerbiall lessons selected by me out of that Booke of Life with hope that their energy and viuacitie will conuert my countrymen that are any thing towardly enclined to follow truth and integritie to become vertuously forward and not viciously froward And first I will briefly rebuke and refute the vse of idle speeches before I descend to the reprehension of deeper Detractions Wherein I will follow the example of expert Physicians who are wont at first to prescribe gentle preparatiues to attenuate and mollifie the stubborne and inueterate humours of their patients bodie before they attempt to purge the same substantially LINEAMENT IIII. The Spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by the Prophet Dauids Testimony THey talke of vanity euery one with his neighbour they doe but flatter with their lippes and dissemble with their heart But the Lord shall roote out all deceitfull lips the tongue that speaketh proude things which haue said with our tongue we will preuaile we are they that ought to speake who is Lord ouer vs Their throate is an open Scpulchre with their tongues haue they deceiued the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lips Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle Or who shall rest vpon thy holy hill Euen he that leadeth an incorrupt life and doth the thing that is right and speaketh the truth from his heart He that hath vsed no deceit in his tongue nor done euill to his neighbour and hath not
maintainable if the defendant had charged the plaintiffe but with bare incontinencie For in this case the ground of the action is temporall that is shee was to be aduanced in marriage and that she was defeated of it and the meanes whereby she was defeated was the said slaunder which meanes tending to such an end should be tried by the countrey So if a Diuine be to be presented to a Benefice one to defeat him of it saith to the Patron that he is an Heretique or a Bastard or that he is vnder excommunication whereby the Patron refuseth to present as he might very well if the imputation were true and hee loseth his preserment he shall haue an action vpon the case for the scandals tending to such an end Likewise if a woman be bound that shee shall liue continent and chaste or if a lease bee made vnto her Quamdiu casta vixerit as long as she remaines chaste in these cases incontinency shall bee tried by the common law Pâ—pham chiefe Iustice said that if one speakes of a woman which is an Inne-holder that she hath a great and infectious disease by which shee loseth her guestes she shall haue an action vpon the case In the Kings Bench betwixt Banister and Banister it was resolued where the defendant speakes of the plaintiffe being sonne and heire to his father that he is a Bastard an action lies vpon the case for that tendes to the disinheâ—iting of the land which descends vnto him from his father but it was resolued if the defendant pretends that the plaintiffe is a bastard and that himselfe is next heire there no action lies and that the defendant may shew by way of barre if the Plaintiffe omits it in his bill LINEAMENT XVI Obseruations concerning words of Detraction and Defamation fit to be perused of Sheriffâ—s and Stewards or of other Iudges of inferiour Courts extracted out of the Reports of Sir Edward Cooke Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of the common Pleas. SEnsus verborum est duplex mitis asper verba accipienda sunt in meliore sensu The meaning of words is twofold mild and rough or vncharitable and words are alwaies to be accepted in the milder sence As for example Edward Danney vicar of Northelingham sued vpon the statute de scandalis magnatum by Henry Lord Cromwell Plaintiffe for his cholericke answering him being a Baron of the Realme in these words It is no maruell that you like not of me for you like of those that maintaine sedition against the Queenes proceeding The defendant construed this word sedition seditiosam doctrinam or factious Preachers which by the said Lords countenance as he supposed inueighed against the booke of common prayer established anno primo Eliz. though the strict sence of this word Seditio is as much to say as seorsim itio magni populi quando itur ad manus Sedition properly is publike and violent But God forbid that the words of one being like vnto wind should be taken by parcels against the intention of the partie by such a strict Grammaticall construction Quia quae ad vnum sineÌ„ loquâ—t a sunt non debent ad alium detorqueri What are spoken to one end ought not to be wrested to another end Therefore a Iudge must enter into the consideration of all the prâ—cedent parlance and words which import the true cause and occasion and which manifest their true sence According to that saying Sensus verborum ex causa dicendi accipiendus est sermones semper accipiendi sunt secundum subiectam materiam The meaning of words is to be taken out of the occasion of speech and speeches are alwaies to be taken according to the subiect or matter in hand In actions for scandalous detractions the Defendant may iustifie the words or confesse then or shew by speciall matter that the words be not actionable and then the Defendant shall not be vrged at any time to a generall issue For albeit he doth vary from the Plaintiffe in the sense and quality of the words yet notwithstanding that is no cause to chase him to a generall issue As for example the Plaintiffe chargeth the Defendant with vnlawfull maintenance the Defendant may iustifie by way of lawfull maintenance and may plead the generall issue In like manner one chargeth a man with these wordes Thou art a murtherer The Defendant may iustifie the words and declare how that the Plaintiffe told him that he killed diuerse hares with certaine engines and thereupon the Defendant said vnto him Thou art a murtherer meaning the hares which he killed Out of these obseruations the Reporter Sir Edward Cooke that peerelesse Phoenix of the Common law giues vs two excellent points of learning in actions of slaunders First to obserue the occasion and cause of their parlance and how that may be pleaded in the Defendants excuse Secondly although your opinion be that your Clients case is cleere and his matter in facte plaine yet hazard not the matter vpon a demurre wherein perhaps vpon pleading or otherwise more matters will arise then you knew before But first take aduantage of speciall matters in facto by which the true sence and coherence of the words may be gathered in fauour of the Defendant and reserue matters de iure which alwaies arise vpon matters in facte vnto the last and neuer demurre at the first in law Seeing that after the triall of matters in facto the matter de iure shall be safe vnto you It was adiudged en Bank le Roy enter Cutler et Dixon 28. Eliz. that if one exhibits Articles to Iustices of peace against a certain person containing great abuses and misdemeanures not onely touching the Petitioner himselfe but many others and all to the entent that he might be bound to his good behauiour In this case the partie accused shall not haue any action vpon the case for any matter comprehended in those Articles for in that case they pursued but the ordinary course of iustice And if actions were permitted in such cases they who had good cuase of complaint durst not complaine for feare of infinite vexations Master Stanhope being a Iustice of Peace and Surueyour of the Dutchie of Lancaster was detracted with these words Master Stanhope hath but one Manour and that he hath gotten by swearing and forswearing It was adiudged that these words were not actionable First because that they were too general and those words which shall charge any man with an action on which damages shall be recouered must haue a conuenient certainty Secondly the Defendant charged not the Plaintiffe with swearing or forswearing for he might obtaine a Manour by swearing and forswearing and yet he did not procure nor assent vnto it Also words which maintaine an action must be directly applied to the Plaintiffe in regard of the damage which he sustained by the scandall If one impeach another that he hath forsworne or periured himselfe that beares no action for two
from the Creature That the harpe soundeth the harper is the cause that it soundeth â—ll the harpe it selfe is the cause In all naturall bodies their owne brittlenesse is the cause of their corruptions Not the agents but the patients worke their ill sauouring That we talke that we walke God is the cause that we talke amisse walke awrie our owne wantonnesse with our weaknesse is the cause Our tongues were made to glorifie our Creator our hearts to meditate before we talke that both consenting and concurring together in a ioyfull embassage towards God the soule may deserue a ioyfull welcome in heauen In regard of which circumstances O mortall men Let your dead bodies be embaulmed your meates perboyled or poudered Let your tongues hearts and steps be directed by the bridle lampe and line of Gods holy word For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation according to that diuine Disticke Non vox sed votum non Musica chordula sed cor Non clamor sed amor cantat in aure Dei Not flattring words but feruent vowes of mind Not Musickes sound but soules by faith refin'd Not outward cries but inward flaming zeale Within Gods eares ring out a pleasing peale LINEAMENT VI. 1 How God predestinated some to be saued 2 Why all men were not elected 3 That mens owne willes by Gods sufferance occasion their reprobation and harme 4 The Authors sentence concerning himselfe whether he be one of the elect 5 That Good and Euill cannot come without Gods consent OVR heauenly Father whose prouidence or foresight is no other then his present sight before the beginning of the world seeing men at that time though vncreated and vnborne all present in his sight as if they were alreadie created and borne readie to receiue doome or iudgement and seeing them at that instant to refuse his grace as liuely as if they had already refused the same obseruing withall the corruption of their nature continued by custome to produce corrupt fruits and effects accordingly elected the purer moulded spirits apart from the rest enabled them with his grace as with a speciall gift or pardon for indeed the very purest had deserued death and damnation and freely of meere fauour gaue them their liues at the mediation of their Redeemer and also their liberty which their first parents haue since wittingly forfeited The rest as reprobates refusing his charter of grace and alreadie in his foresight which is eternall and alwaies present condemned and standing before him in the state of damnation he suffered still to perseuer and to be as he found and saw them Crie for mercy they could not because his instice required equality or satisfaction Beg for liberty they could not by reason that their sinnes had entangled and tongue-tied them And so for want of speaking and suing with remorce of conscience which we call repentance vnto the Sauiour of the world by whom I vnderstand Gods mercy which â—ince was made flesh shined before his Iustice they sustained the punishment that was due vnto them Wherein they were not to blame God but rather themselues that foolishly delayed their suites I heard that of late daies a prisoner well lettered after condemnation hauing gotten the benefit of his Clergy according to the lawes of this land and referred to his triall whether he could reade or no was sodainly so bed azeled and bereaued of his eye sight that for want of reading he lost his life Now who can blame the Iudge in this case Surely no man For he was iustly hanged through his owne default The Iudge did what he could iustifie yea and perhaps was forced to shead teares when he pronounced the iudgement Much more fault are we to finde with those sinners which can reade and beg for remission and yet of set contuâ—acie like a curst child wholly addicted to frowardnesse will not be perswaded once to say Abba Father To returne vnto my former matter of Election God findes men euill and leaues them so for he is not tied to giue them grace except it please himselfe To confirme this I regard many creatures and doe finde them all diuersly disposed some to good some to euill some to riches some to pouerty I finde this diuersitie in our very grounds Heere is good arable land good pasture there growes neither corne nor pasture but briers brambles tares cockle furres heath or stones Non omnis fert omnia tellus Hic segetes illic crescunt foelicuis vuae All grounds beare not alike all kind of things Here growes grain there the grape more fruitful springs But why all grounds yeeld not the same commodities we must leaue that secrecy to Gods vnsearchable will I like manner I see our earthly kings bestowing titles of honour vpon diuers persons and vpon diuers occasions Some they dubbe knights before the battel and some after the battell Some others they grace of their owne sesecrete iudgement or for some cause vnknowne vnto vs. After the like manner to compare great things with small O eternall Father thou disposest of thy sinfull creatures Some thou callest some thou electest some thou reiectest Of those which thou callest some thou reseruest for one purpose some for another and all for thy glory Neither ought we to maruell or murmure at this that we be not all called chosen considering what was our beginning our fragility our stubborne natures and that we deserued no fauour at all Seeing our first Parents both man and woman tasted the fruite of good and euill it is but discreet seuerity or rather diuine mercy that thy soueraigne Maiestie electeth some as good persons of their seede to honour thee and leauest the rest as euill to their owne appetites in satisfaction of thy iustice To the one thou giuest heauen for the honour of thy mercie to the other hell for the honour of thy iustice And yet dare not I alwaies iustifie the elect in exempting them quite from the thraldome of sinne seeing that they are but brittle flesh and bloud who might commit follies in their youth being subiect to the knowledge of euill and neuerthelesse become reformed in the middest of their age as capable by the diuine bounty of the knowledge of goodnesse Now it remaineth that I touch a little as I saile by the shoare of curiositie wherefore God suffereth the workmanship of his hands to be damned For the solution of this triuiall and idle question it is written that the Potter may ordaine his owne vessels to what vse himselfe pleaseth For no doubt but God is glorified in the damnation of the reprobate as in the Reuelation he is honoured for iudging the whore of Babylon albeit that he be no cause of their wickednesse Commonly he suffereth euill to chance by that meanes as he bringeth goodnesse to passe extolling his owne glory out of their errours and in effect his sufferance of euill is nothing else but his destination
resolued once to translate the Papacy to Auinion in France if that a certaine Cardinall wiser then himselfe had not disswaded him The originall cause of all this hatred is iealousie together with a false perswading humor that our Church vsurps his holy power which somtimes he pretends from the Emperour Constantine and some other times from S. Peter Whether this exercising of another mans authority be legitimate or spurious let them who thinke themselues iniured redreste the iniury how they can In the meane time we perceiue the minde of man impatient of vsurpers and Detractors to boile for reuenge as if an euerflaming Torch were set vnder it No maruell then if Princes punish forgery and other detracting crimes He that detracts his Kings Prerogatiue with a malicious purpose to attribute the same to himselfe is Laesae Maiestatis râ—â—s guilty for wounding the Royall Maiesty and to be attainted of high treason Will King IAMES our dread Soueraigne suffer any subiect of his to weare a crowne of golde to deâ— act his royall authority to leuie armes at pleasure to encampe himselfe to hang a man without due course of law or to coine golde No it is against his prerogatiue against his Iurisdiction The world abides not two Sunnes No more can the vnited Empire of great Britaine endure but one supreme Monarch He that sueth into the Court of Rome detracts from the Kingly glory and therefore encuires the danger of Premunire Euen so if a subiect of this Realme bring in a Bull of Excommunication from Rome against another subiect it is by the auncient common law high treason against the King his crowne and dignity as hath beene adiudged in the Raigne of Edward the first For the King of England is the Vicar of the â—â—ghest King In a Constable or any other it is forgery and detraction to write a warrant in a Iustice of Peace his name without his consent Yea and a Justice himselfe was fined in the Star-chamber circa 30. Elizab. Reg. for sending his warrant vpon suspition of felony with a blanke or window to put in ones name which he knew not at his friends request without certainly acquainting him with the matter before What a tedious quarrell continued with vnsheathed swords betweene the Turkish Ottoman and the Persian Sophy about the very colour of the Turbant which both were bound by their ceremonious law to weare Such another friuolous iatre hapned among the Friers touching the colour of their frizen weedes One stood vpon blacke betokening mourning another vpon white the displayed ensigne of innocency This busie body claimed it to be gray that their weeds being like vnto ashes might moue them to repentance That hare-brain'd Scholer proued out of Schoolemen and profound Dunces that all the rest of the Disputants were arrand Heretickes for their sinnes being as redde as Scarlet or as purple they ought not to hold with any other colour Many brawles many factions yea and bloud-sheds arose about these Idly vsurped colours till after diuers commotions decrees and orders on all sides infringed a finall end with much adoe was established by the generall Councell of Christendome There was a dangerous tumult in France very like to chance betwixt a famous Auncestour of mine out of Wales and the Lord Norris concerning their armes Both gaue the Rauen both challenged it from the same house from one Vrian Prince of Rheged otherwise called Carict in Scotland who eyther by conquest or marriage seated himselfe in our countrey of West-Wales My said Auncestour as our Walsh nature relies ouermuch vpon Genealogies and Heraldry and his Walsh company being no lesse then fifteene hundred horsemen and footemen could by no meanes be disswaded from the quarrel vntill the Duke of Norsâ—lke whose daughter sithence Countesse of Bridgewater was married vnto his heire sollicited King Henry the eight then in camp to take vp the Controuersie and order the Lord Norris to giue it flying and the others as he did before If mens mortall feuds conceiued against their emulous concurrents for light occasions and as the Prouerbe termes them for a Goats haire be so heynous hereditary so frequent so customary in all Countreyes why doe we tempt the Lord our God and doubt that his eternall Maiesty in whom there is not the least spot of sinfull perturbation hates Detractours of his euer-shining glory and also them which attribute his miraculous deedes to his creatures or enemies I say why doe we doubt that he detesteth them in a faire higher degree then if they were profested Atheists blinded with ignorance Hee that knowes his Masters will and doth it not is worthy of many stripes Wherefore I constantly auerre that the Lord hateth Antichristians Euchanters Coniurers and Witches for their detractions forgeries delusions and false miracles worse then the Heathen with all their Idolatries To this end that auncient Father affirmeth If any that went afore vs eyther of ignorance or simplicity hath not obserued that which the Lord commanded his simplicity through the Lords indulgence may be pardoned but we whom the Lord hath taught and instructed cannot be pardoned Where the Spirituall Steward lends one talent there he looketh the interest of one againe but where he exposeth out twenty talents there he iustly expecteth the encrease of twenty againe Like as a simple seruant sent out in a darkesome night and misseth his way deserues his pardon more freely then he which purposely gaddes and goes out of his way in the cleare day light preferring his own wanton pleasures before his Masters profite so the ignorant Christian sinning of meere simplicity is farre more tolerable then the enlightned Gospeller which afterwards dissembles and detracts vpon a greedy or gaudic hope of golden mountaines LINEAMENT XII 1 Wherefore God diuerteth his naturall creatures against mankinde 2 That all crosses and misfortunes proceede onely from God 3 That in any wise we must not delay repentance 4 An obiection against sudden death by the spirit of Detraction out of the Letany with a consutation thereof THus the starres haue their ordinary motions the Elements their courses and the Metcors their voluble dispositions except otherwhiles it please their Arch-mouer to diuert some of them as terrible alarums for our admonishment Then euery thing fights against vs Our natiue ayre strangles our wearied winde-pipes Our nourishment through gluttony works our latter end Fire water conspire against vs One dieth by fire another by water Thus armes he nature against nature creature against creature and man against man eyther for his glorie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that mortall men may know his strength and acknowledge their owne weakenesse or for mens tryall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to trie their integrity to mollifie their stony hearts and to shape their inward man to regeneration Others he smites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 33 vessels of wrath to perpetuall punishment though commonly he lets them flourish in this world like Palme trees reseruing them to damnation
Bees leauing not so much as one of their stings behinde to offend that renowmed Macchabee Right Honourable and prudent Senatours to whom the Sunne of this mightie Monarchie hath imparted part of his powerfull authoritie to iudge the Tribes thereof I haue purposely framed this preface towards your patient spirits that thereby your Honours may discerne the anguish of my sicke soule which labours like a woman intrauaile to discharge her long and toilesome load Non quaero quod mihâ— vâ—ile sed quod multis I sue not onely for my selfe though perhaps my particular griefe is such that it may crie for vengeance vnto the highest heauen but on the behalfe of many thousands who moane and groane vnder the vvaight of a little Diuell the Tongue of Sinne. In what measure this Tyrant lauisheth and lordeth I am not able to expresse in words significant seeing that it passeth the power of any one modest Writer to comprehend the sway and swing of spirituall monsters Amidst the incessant complaints of so many Subiects who continually like Iobs messengers solicite your wisedomes with their frequent informations besides your owne trials your Honours may enquire from one to one and obserue from day to day how many zealous persons finde themselues agrieued out of Court and in Court euen from his Maiesties starrie Court to the least and base Court Out of Court at Ordinaries at gossipping at Tauernes at Tobacco-taking a man shall heare nothing but Detractions nothing but contumelies and lies nothing but captious and carping speaches When they are wantonly wearie with iearing with ieasting one at another with tearing their neighbours good name and fame with their taunting tongues like vnto Delphick swords and with diuersities of scandals worse then the prints of scourges then they fall to swearing to swaggering and to blaspheming of their Lord and Father in Heauen in stead of hallowing his holy name O times O iniquitie If God be their Father where is his honour If he be their Lord where is his reuerence To you iudicious Lords as the watchfull Sentinels or rather the wise Surgeons of our State it belongs betimes euen before the darkest night of errours steales vpon vs to prouide for corrosiues and cauterismes against these vgly vlcers which ranckle within the body of our Common-weale Sith it hath pleased his Royall Highnesse to communicate part of his light vnto you whereby euery one of you might moue in his place not naturally ab oriente ad occasum but supernaturally from Nature to the Authour of Nature I beseech your Lordships in the lowest degree of reuerence by vertue of this your heauenly motion your vertuall Influence and irradiation to dissolue such clouds of Detractions into dismall showers vpon the Detractours heads according to that of the Princely Prophet they haue digged a pit for others and haue falne into the mâ—ast of it themselues They sought to bemire beray their honest neighbors with their legends nay with their legions of lies intending to set them vpon the stage of scorne on the scaffold of scurrility and there to cloath them with reproach and shame not vnlike those spitefull Iewes which plaited on our Sauiours head a Crowne of thâ—rnes crowne to delude him thornie prickles to torment him By vertue of your authorities your starrie motions let such clouds and vapours be dispersed into vvhole flouds of vengeance vpon the Spirit of Detraction Let their bodies feele the smart of your sword whose wilfull Wills will not relent with the waight of your ballance If other mens examples serue not to bridle their vntoward tongues let their owne estates pay the ransome of their contempts While such monstruous sinnes beare dominion among vs neuer let your wisedomes thinke that your Officers of inferiour rankes dare execute in that proportionable expectation your monitorie directions your wholesome rules for the repressing of ryots for the restraining of vnrulinesse as otherwise they would were they assured of protection While Periurers and pettiâ—ogging Promootors range vp and downe at their pleasure neuer let your Honours looke but for vnequall proceedings and vniust presentments at our neighbours hands But some one will obiect that the Courts of Iustice lie open as well for the basest as for the noblest Subiect neither will our lawes permit a priuate person to lay violent hands on an Out-law or on him vvhich is attainted of Premunire so equall a reference beares Iustice towards subiects of all conditions By these reasons Periurie fortifies it selfe against the open face of Truth Yet notwithstanding whosoeuer ponders more pregnantly the present state of our publike weale comparing the same with that of the olde vvorld shall finde that our present policie had need of further muniments to vnderprop it least also your Atlantick shoulders become wearie or to speake more properly least your vp-streatch'd hands like those of Moses might faile at length in their important charge Though God I confesse hath ordayned the Sunne to shine vpon the vngodly as vpon the Godly and as the Preacher wrot All things come alike to all The same condition is to the iust and the wicked to the pure and impure to him that sacrificeth and to him that doth not sacrifice Though the Lord created them all alike in respect of outward endowments or accidentall meanes yet notwithstanding he hath seuered them specially in the second life entitling the Innocent as Lambs the reprobate as Goats the one as good seede the other as tares the one for Heauen the other for Hell The like distinction I could wish to be practised among those Iudges which either take or hope themselues to be partakers of that second life so that all notorious lewd members might be excluded if it were possible from molesting of quiet spirits To this purpose after a sort our late Parliament prouided a countermining order for the speedie dispatch and triall of suites commenced against Officers at the Common law But so it is Right Honourable that these Caterpillers implead a barre in this finall concordance for if your Officers come accompanied vvith honest neighbours to search or suppresse suspicious people or else to apprehend disturbers of his Maiesties peace these wicked ones apparrell themselues in the robes of subtiltie and with the helpe of mercenarie tongues laying an ambush for Iustice they surmise with Aesops Wolfe that the poore Lambe in forcible and riotous manner mudded the Well where water was vsually drawne for their Lordly mouthes This offence by their Sathanicall inuentions being exorbitant and beyond the capacitie of the Common law they frame their suggestions before your Honours in hope that their suites by reason of the manifold affaires vvhich distract your diligent mindes shall hang vnheard for two or three yeares space within which terme they will worke meanes to compromit their said friuolous suites or else by tossing and tiring their Aduersaries too and fro with tedious trauailing to end them at home for their credite and aduantage If an honest man
taunt their partiall actions These Allegations I confesse are somewhat sensible yet neuerthelesse Leo non capit Muscam the Lion scornes the Flie with her silly spleene Men of reason must not altogether imitate Creatures without reason chiefly in matters of no import Sometimes wee must whether wee will or no gaze vpon a painted vvall as Paul termed Ananias Sometimes wee must play the Arichmeticians imploying the helpe of Ciphers to make vp our number Sometimes wee must dally with children to still them from whining and weeping And so sometimes must the wisest man conceale his wisedome he must change his speach as Dauid did before the King of Gath he must faigne himselfe mad he must scrabble on the doores and let his spettle fall downe vpon his beard Stultitiam simulare loco prudentia summa est Sometimes we must obey the importunitie of the time yet so that we commit not pernitious euill to the intent that good may ensue thereof Wee must seeme to yeeld at first in the lesser causes vnto this spirit of contradiction that men may yeeld to vs in matters of greater consequence As for example if thou goest about to conuert a Iew thou must not begin with detractions and inuectiues against Circumcision against his weake conscience for abstayning from Swines flesh or blacke Puddings If thou labourest to turne a Papist from his superstitious Heresies rebuke not his Sect for the Diuine vertue of continence for their vow of chastitie for the monasticall or single liues of Hermites Monkes Friers Nunnes and other religious votaries Oppose not thy speach against his abstinence from meates seeing hee that feedes onely on sallets rootes or fruit may be saued and iustified as well as he which onely eateth flesh or fish In fine crosse not his gored minde with carping at the signe of the Crosse or at any things indifferent while they redound not to deadly sinnes against his patient Maiestie Herein some Iesuites deserue to ride in the Chariot of Ouation of a little Triumph namely for their humiliation prudent care in wearing the robes and habites of the Pagan Priests of China whom they terme Bunzies without which no forraigner whatsoeuer might soiourne in that politique Countrey But vnder this venerable and vnsuspected habite Father Riceius and others may certainely reduce many of that populous Nation to the Christian religion as long as they seeke to edifie without idolatrie and not to intermeddle with points of state as they pretend in Europe In like manner thou that grieuest thy selfe for that thy fellowes in office doe hinder thy iust proceedings for countenancing litigious lewd liuers against thee if thou canst not otherwise then by passionate speaches redresse thy wrongs be sure not to gaine-say them in light or in indifferent causes In so doing thy very foes will admire thy patience and perhaps at length they will ioyne vvith thee to suppresse common vices which are such eye-sores vnto thy zealous conscience Doe not we daily see that the peeuishnesse of a few raw and vnexperienced Ministers doe scandalize the state wherein they liue minister an aduantage to the Enemie of insulting and also fall themselues into greater Labyrinthes then they are able to wind themselues out againe Their obstinate standing out against their Elders and Superiours for wearing of the Surplice the outward cognisance or badge of innocence to separate the milke-white Lambs from the rude rough and vnruly Goates what profit haue they reaped by these and such like refractarie murmurs None at all but confusion and opprobrious shame There is nothing more dangerous then to be selfe opinionated against the experimented rules of the Churches reuerend sheepheards vvhose graue and gray lockes haue wonne authentick authoritie and canonicall obedience to their constitutions customes and vvholesome documents There is nothing more discommodious then to build vpon a mans owne knowledge as vpon a Demonstration infallible and to gaine-say an humorous spirit in the time of his fit For these causes O thou whose conscience groanes vnder a Countries waight let thy vertue domineere ouer their luke-warme labours thy patience ouer their passions and thy taciturnitie ouer their Detractions that the world and common voyce may canonize thy well-doing and adiudge them thy inferiours in iustice though they be thine equals in office that whatsoeuer is vprightly done they may ascribe to thee and what is iniuriously done they may imputet their insolent contradictions Is it not then lawfull to beat and beare downe the spirit of Detraction with his owne enuenomed vveapons May not a man repell force with force words with words checks with checks chiding with chiding If they backbite cannot I returne the like It is impossible but that the mildest natured man should become somewhat impatient seeing himselfe punished with obloquies ignominies and reproaches without cause Immerito veniens pana dâ—lenda venit O sick soule how bitter are thy words more bitter then wormewood and gall Canst thou not for a while for a little while attend the Lords leasure Though Toades doe croake in Summer yet they will lie still and silent in the Winter Though these Rhodomontes doe crake this yeare they will be glad to liue at rest the next yeare For those slanders that are purchased for vertues sake can neuer last long or euer blemish a vertuous man nay rather they deserue the title of honour chiefly if they proceed from wicked mouthes Regium est male audire It is a Royall thing to be ill spoken of Howbeit I confesse it is burthensome to the conscience if the slander be deriued by vngodly occasions It is momentarie if it spring by casualtie But it is ioyous and welcome if it comes for Iustice sake All haile then O glorious slander right welcome be thy blazing blast vnto the sonnes of vertue Welcome be thy foot-steps vnto the threshold of Iustice. O necessarie curbe of correction which art purchased at the dearest price For what dearer price can there be then the losse of a good name That which fooles repute an infamie reckon thou for reputation for what nobler reputation can you reape then to resemble the Apostle Saint Paul who being slandred did neuerthelesse reioyce in the testimonie of his owne guiltlesse conscience Thy eares are vexed with the clacking noise of a tickling tongue And doe not often ringing of bels of passing bels sometimes disquiet that sence of thine Thy heart is wounded and stabd with a tormenting tongue But what wound what stab with steele the soule can kill such wounds such stabs can neuer harme but humble thee Marke how the proudest man aliue becomes humbled after that hee receiueth wounds The like benefit comes by Detraction By the stings thereof the haughtinesse of our natures is humbled By the venome thereof as by the speare of that warlike Heros which healed the selfe same wound it gaue our spirituall wounds are cured and abated Through the consideration of these Antidotes against Detractions temper the manifold