Sebastian Henry a Cardinall and a very old man the fifth issue male of king Emanuell was presented vnto the crowne Don Anthonio being then prisoner in Africa and his right vnknown by reason that he was thought not legitimate Within a few dayes after by Gods prouidence Don Anthonio was both deliuered forth of prison and by probable witnes ses was assured of his legitimation the knowledge whereof so mooued the old and foreworne king Henry his vncle as poysoned with enuy malice he not onely banished him the court but stopped the course of iustice in the pursuite of Don Anthonioes lawfull clayme and not finding his malicious humor satisfied because Don Anthonio had procured the Popes inhibition to disable the sayde king Henrye to attempt anye thing preiudiciall to his right he therefore tooke an other course to disgorge his rancour which was vnder pretence that Don Anthonio disobeyed his commaundement in comming with in sixe miles of the court he commaunded him vppon paine of death within fiftéene dayes to depart out of his realme How iniuriously this old king that by course of nature coulde not liue long dealt with his naturall countrey and kinsman the calamities of the one and oppression of the other largely testifie This old and withered king Henry if enuy and disdaine had not both mortified reason and naturall affection vpon the certaine knowledge of Don Anthonioes right to the kingdom had great cause to thanke God and comfort his affections that when the glory of Portugal lay a dying for want of linall succession of the heyre male that so worthye a personage as Don Anthonio in whom there wanted no commendable vertue a naturall Portugall and of the bloud royall was by deuine prouidence reserued to raigne and receiue the glory of the kingdome I haue read of many aged princes yet more able to gouerne then this king Henry the estate of whose kingdom so hastely required not a sufficient and able king as Portugall that haue voluntarily resigned their gouernment to yong and sufficient men but I haue seldome heard of anye that euen at their entraunce into their graue haue furthered the clayme of a straunger before the right of their naturall kinsman countrey man But whether malice or feare or both were the causes king Henry banished Don Anthonio and suspended his right and shortly after died before anye order taken for the strength and succession of the kingdome after whose decease who in most of all his claimes maketh force his iudge would not tarry the determination of the estates but with fire and swoord made his passage to the crowne The estates of Portugall the Cleargie nobilitie and comminaltie now too late looked about them and foorth with elected and made Don Anthonio their king they annoynted and swore him with all kingly ceremonies but they prouided not a strength to settle him in his kingdome which if king Henries rancour had not banished him his wisedome would haue foreséene they perswaded the king of Spaine to retyre his army vntill that iustice had determined his claime A weake perswasion where the victory was so swéet a kingdome and the king of Spaine a party whose desire coueteth vniuersall rule And as Euripides saith to gaine a kingdome the breach of lawes are halfe priuiledged but so or no he stood in awe of no iudge The munition and Gunpouder by the corruption of the Gouernours of Portugall Sede vacante was conuaied into Castile so that he made an easie conquest of a rich kingdome king Anthonio by Gods prouidence miraculously hath sundry times escaped his cruelty although the kingdome dayly fele his tiranny Out of their calamities of Portugall I speciall obserue this counsell of Gods iustice to admonith semblable traitours to their country Iohn Masquerannas Francis de Sa and Diego lopes de Sosa thrée of the Gouernours of the realm who by bribes and fayre promises of promotion by the king of Spaine solde the munition in effect their country Al which thrée vpō the election of Don Anthonio fledde into Spaine where they all with griefe that they had sold their countrey and melancoly that the king kept not his promises with them soon after died Iristan vazde vegna without any necessity yéelded the strong Castile of S. Iohn by Lisbone to the duke of Alua vppon the promise of a great pension during his life who presently vpon the deliuery without other rewarde then the iust rewarde of traitours vpon a slender quarrell was banished into Aphryca to serue ten yéers against the Mores and truely therein the king did both iustly and honorably for he that will be false to his countrey will be true to no man neither deserueth he to haue any promise kept with him yea as Phalaris made Perillus to be firste executed with his owne torture and tirannicall deuise it is sound counsell to receiue suche traitours seruice and to hang them for their labours or at the least to banishe them for euer For such heades are apt to dammage more then they profite whose mindes seldome leaue groning vntill they clymbe to the Gallowes CHAP. 14. The true report of the chaunge of the gouernment of Florence in the yeare 1478. and the outrages and murthers which followed the enuye which the Archbishop of Pisa they of the howses of Saluiati and Pazzi beare towardes the family of Medices for the authority which they administred in the common wealth SAint Paule declaring the offices of a bishop among manye other duties sayeth that a bishop ought to be no fighter him selfe yea to abhorre fightinges and dissentions in others intending with all that fighters the sustayners of fraies and vnnatural murders were the sworne enemies of charity and publicke prosperity vpon whom bishops are bound to pronounce the curse and vengeaunce of God least the Gospell which they shoulde preach being it selfe true loue peace and charitye rebuke in them selues the sinne they might blame in others But small is the wonder though Frauncis Saluiati archbishop of Pisa contraried this doctrine being the true Disciple of the Pope and S. Paule the faithfull Apostle of our sauiour Iesus Christ betwéene whom there is no vnion neither in life nor doctrine For our sauiour Christ attyred with humilitie preached the vnmeasurable power of God and peace vnto men and the Pope cloathed with the riches of the worlde proudly aduaunceth his owne traditions aboue the glory of the almighty and laboureth to so we sedition in the bowels of mightye Princes This vngratious Archbishop as an earnest follower of the Popes errours or rather wilfull sinnes beholding with an enuious eye the estimation and authoritye of Iulian and Laurence de Medices brethren and of the people of Florence high ly fauoured with a malitious hart desired the ruine of their glorye and to giue successe to his naughty wishe he conspired with the families of Pazzi and his owne of the Saluiati two of the most auntient and famous houses
tiranny of Princes they war without warrant that rebell against their worst kinges Were there neither authority deuine nor prophane to reprooue rebellion yet in their best quarrel destruction which is the ende of traitours sheweth their beginning to be naught God manye times suffereth both good and bad Princes to fall into the handes of their subiectes but woe be vnto those subiectes by whom either perishe We need no other torment to relish our present peace and prosperity then the remonstration of the ciuill warres bloudshed and manye grieuous calamities which for the space of 85. yéeres yea during the raignes of 6. kinges afflicted this small kingdome After the violent depriuement of king Richard the second from his crowne and dignity but in the end the Lorde hauing compassion of our manifold miseries séeing our priuate dissention ready to grow to publicke destruction euen when his wrath séemed to be moste hot euen then the beames of his mercy sodenlye comforted vs by the destruction of our arch tyraunt Richard the third who caused and committed more wicked saluadge murders then fiftéene of the most tirannous kinges of England But humbly confessing Gods prouidence with this old age Nullum violentum perpetuum This tiraunt that was giltye of the death of king Henry the 6. Prince Edward his sonne and his own naturall brother George Duke of Clarence and afterwardes within the space of thrée yéeres of his vsurped raignes caused his nephewes king Edward the 5. and Richard Duke of York his brother to be murthered in the Tower not caring for his alleageaunce towardes the one nor fearing to breake the sanctuary for the other who repudiated his owne mother offered to marry his brothers daughter as is a fore saide After these and many other murders without the procéeding of law this manifest monster the ende of Englandes ciuill misery was slaine at Boshworth field by that prudent Prince king Henry the 7. by Gods planting the root of Englandes happinesse and naked like a hog was carried vpon a bare horse backe to Lecester there buried who meriteth neither the monument of King nor Man CHAP. 3. A sommarie of the vertues of the prudent prince King Henry the seuenth THE fayrest buylding hath a foundation and the fruitfullest trée his root and albeit the beuty of either be in the outward attyre yet the strength of both consisteth in the inwarde substaunce And certainely in all discriptions the cause ought to be as well set downe as the effect that Anatomie is perfect that discouereth all the inward as well as the outward workemanship of man Uertue I grant conuayeth honor simply from a mans owne good actions yet the same is much inlarged if from desent to desent honor be issued from the monumentes of his auncestours vertues And sure the glorye of a man is much iniured or eclipsed that is blasoned but by his owne proper regardes when the same maye bee truely illustred by such auncient graces But touching my purpose some will suggest that as it is a needlesse labour to seeke a Diamonde with a torche which glimmereth in the darke so as bootelesse is the curiositie to deriue her maiesties glorye further then from her owne sacred vertues when her wicked enemies renowne her perfections and wilfully pursue their owne destruction through presumption that her excellencye is composed all of grace and mercye I am bounde reuerentlye to acknowledge that her maiesties perfection is the true discouery of imperfection and in this regarde absolute that enuye and the worste sworne enemies of God assault her prosperity yet if anye thing maye be added to extoll her name this meriteth regarde that the fruites of vniuersall comfort which her deuine and heroicall graces plentifully distributeth grow from the root of Englandes happines which no priuie conspiracy could vnplant euen king Henry the seuenth And of that gréene trée which the stinging Locustes could by no meanes wither king Henry the eight And doubtlesse who so shal zelously contemplate how that the prouidence of God euen in our greatest destructions alwaies sustained vs may easily perswade him selfe that God would haue his glory to sâ—…ine ouer the world next his word from the lights of this little Iland seperated as some write from the world or at the least ioyned to the outermost end thereof How easie a praye had we béene for the ambitious desire of some bordering king during the blouddye contention betwéene the two illustrous houses Yorke and Lancaster for imperiall dignitye but God would not our subuertion The history of Richard the thirds tiranny is a most lamentable cronicle yet the same considered by Gods prouidence assureth vs by that sharpe remembrance a remembraunce of his mercifull goodnesse in deliuering vs from a continuall calamity in she wing vs through the vnlawfull procéedings of the tirant a lawfull meanes to accord these two puissant houses But before this great blessing his incomprehensible wisedome so sharply scourged this realme as all her estates suppressed their priuate desires and hartely praied and laboured for this happy vnity who mercifullye regarding our patient bondage crowned king Henrie the 7. with title of both houses by taking to wife Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to king Edward the 4. And albeit the end of our ciuill destruction in the beginning of his prudent raigne be sufficient alone to crowne king Henry the 7. name with euerlasting fame yet to gouerne vs right God indued this noble Prince with vertues answerable to so great a blessing as a general peace And certainly if Alexander surnamed Seuerus be reckoned among the number of the most wise emperors King Henry the 7. meriteth semblable title as the true imitatour of Alexanders gouernment King Henry the 7. entered vpon a kingdome no lesse disordered with continuall tumults then did Alexander with the vnmeasurable voluptuousnes of Helyogabalus the necessitye of time made him a seuere executioner of his lawes and testifieth the same to be deriued from perfect iustice he punished offences without respect of persons Honor was no plea for the mighty he iudged the trespasses of Lawyers with his owne knowledge of the law he onely pardoned ignoraunt offences and graciously relieued his poore subiectes oppressions he was thought somewhat too seueere in punishment But such murmuringes were no lawfull complaints to a fore that is deepe festered with corruption sharpe corsiues are to be applyed Euen so in a disordered common wealth seueere lawes are to be ministred He was a iust vertuous valiaunt and learned Prince a true distributour of peace plentye and prosperitye to his subiectes who in his life time had had a moste liberall portion of happinesse if in his dayes the Gospell of IESVS had had a free passage But leaue we Gods will therein who would not haue his outward temple builded in Dauids time but in his sonne Salomons and yet was Dauid a righteous man after the Lord in whose hand the harts of princes are had established a setled peace
and knowledge that he might worthelie iudge the people Plutarke and Aulus Gelius recite that when Alexander was borne king Philip his father wrote in this manner vnto Aristotle I thanke not God so much for that I haue a sonne as for that he is borne in the time of Aristotle c. to whose instruction Philip committed him and truely his worthy actions bewrayed the wisdome of his education This Alexander shewed the loue he bare to learning when hearing that Aristotle had written certaine bookes of naturall Philosophie hee wrote vnto him in this manner Truely Aristotle thou deceiuest my desire in publishing of this speculatiue philosophie which I thought should properly haue honored my selfe for know thou I had rather exceed all men in knowledge and learning than in riches and dominions Antigonus king of Macedone to be instructed in wisedome knowledge by his letter thus saluted the Philosopher Zenon The king Anty gonus wisheth health to the Philosopher Zenon I know well that I passe thee in riches and fauours of fortune but I must confesse that thou farre passest me in the true felicitie which consisteth in the knowledge discipline and studie of the lyberal sciences Alexander afore named so loued Homers Illyads as he appointed the magnificēt Iuel box of Darius to kéepe the same Cesar the best Captaine that euer was by his singular learning raised a question whether he was more honored with the lance or the penne Certainly they be both so necessarie as without the knowledge and vse of either a royal prince is maymed The multitude as Sophocles saith is a beast with many heads and therefore to gouerne such a monster requireth many pollicies in which the works of learned men will liberally instruct a prince but to acquire perfite knowledge the principall induction is the feare of the Lord which as Salomon saith is the beginning of wisedome The prince that will haue good subiects ought chiefely to instruct them with the example of his owne good life for for the most part the manners of the people incline to the affections of the Prince The noble prince ought to shake the flatterer from his eare and to raise the oppressed that fall at his féete for the one lieth in waite to disgrace the good and the other by opening their wrongs discouer the bad Hard and bitter words of a prince is the cause of much murmuring discontentment in the subiects where the prince is noted to be temperate no man wil be so hardy as to demand a wicked vile request O happy art thou Marcus Cato saith Cicero of whom no man dare demaund a wicked thing He is worthy of a kingdome and soueraigne rule and giueth hope of a good prince that pursueth the wicked hateth the intemperate reiecteth the lyars as the pestilence flieth the counsels of voluptuous persons for who so effecteth the desires of such counsellers his infancie wil be shameles his youth effeminated and his age infamous The preacher saith wel is thée O thou land whose king is come of nobles whose princes eate in due seasō for necessity not for lust king Lamuels mother counsaileth to giue the king no wine nor princes strong drink least in being drunken they forget the law and administration of iustice When king Alexander became a drunken Epicure in his drunkennesse he slewe his deare friends and by misgouernment hastened his owne death King Balthafar in his general banquet to his thousand Lords when he was drunken with wine commaunded his vessels of gold and siluer which his father Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the Temple at Ierusalem to be brought vnto him that he his wiues concubines might drink in them in contempt of the liuing Lord. but in the middest of his banquet the vengance of God with a visible hand wrote his destruction vpon the wal Dronkennes containeth all vices and the least vice is a great blemish in a prince Temperance in dyet bredeth sobrietie in manners reposed words are the glory of a Iuditial throne The sound safetie of a king is in the cherishment of religion and maintenance of his Lawes for the one vpon pain of damnation kéepeth subiectes in loyall obedience the other for feare of temporal punishment brideleth the dispositions of the wicked it is not ynough for the honor and maiestie of a prince to administer the vertue of all these vertues to his subiects alone but as Xenophon in his Cyropedia writeth a prince well quallified ought so to vse his enimies as his enimies may become his friends Pompey the great hauing vanquished Tygranus king of the Armenians hée established Tygranus againe in his kingdome saying that it was as Magnanimous a thing to giue a king his kingdome as to take it from him but the magnificent clemencie of Philip Maria Duke of Mylaine toward his vanquished enimies deserueth more than mortall honour This Philip Maria by victorie in a battaile vppon the Sea tooke Alfonsus king of Aragon and Sicile with two of his brethren Thierry king of Nauare the Prince of Tarent and three hundred men of great reputation all which he sent backe freely into their owne countries and where by the Law of Armes he might haue taken great ransomes of these Estates such was the honour of his mind as hée gaue vnto euerie one of them rich presents The senate of Rome deliuered 2700. Carthagenian prisoners without ransome I coulde resite manie of the like examples but small perswasions instruct the wise the vertuous desire glorie rather by their owne Actions than by the examples of other men And aboue all men a Royal Prince ought to be bewtified both with diuine and heroycall vertues for that the names dispositions and doing of the meanest princes are regestred in the Capitols of the whole world writers so narrowly search the doings of Princes as the prudēt Emperour Alexander surnamed Seuerus would oftentimes say that he stoode in more feare of one writer than of a hundred souldiers for that the wound of a pen remaineth after death when the sharpe stroke of a launce bereaueth a man but of life it is not onely conuenient that a Prince doe exercise pietie Iustice Temperance and all other offices of vertue for his honour and good renowne but it is néedfull that he do the same for his owne safetie for albeit there be no penall Law to chasten a Royall king yet Tyrannie is so odious to God and man as we seldome reade of any that raigne long and of as few that die peaceablie A number of whose ignominious deathes briefely to touch I hold not impertinent that other Princes may by the terrour thereof be feared and warned from Tyranny The Tyrant Abimelech slew 70. of his brethren and in the end a woman from a hie tower tombled a stone vpon his head the wound being mortall he willed his Page to runne him through with his sword that it might not be said a woman slew
to bring him to the agréement of his pleasure Necessitie maketh many of these conclusions contrarie to the law of charitie and good conscience which the diligence and charge in duetie of these popular Maiestrates would administer to the glorie of god and generall peace and commoditie of men CHAP. 6. Of the worthy reputation of the godly Lawier and the especiall benefite of his seruice in the common wealth THE enuious that raise mispleasing questions of the most morrall institutions as the Spider draweth poison out of the swéetest flower are like inough to slaunder my honest intent concerning the former Chapter with a suggestion that I couertly reproue Lawiers and reproch the vertue of the Law but their reasons censured by the wise will proue as vaine as their heads are void of vertue no man that hath sense will say that to prescribe rules of health it is any discredite to Phisicke or dishonour to the Phisition when the health of man sheweth the reputation of either as weake is his iudgement that saieth a perswation to concorde and quietnesse among neighbours is either a reproch to Law or blame to Lawiers when the commendation of the one and office of the other is to administer publike peace and prosperitie The pollicy of this gouernement hath made especiall choise of Lawiers to be Iusticers of Peace and for their profession they are abled for this commission albeit they cannot spende the yearely lande contained in the statute Fortescue saieth that humaine Lawes are no other than rules that instruct men to do Iustice it then followeth that Lawers are the principall instruments and amners of iustice yea so necessarie is the studie and knowledge of the Lawe as a man can hardlie discharge his duetie to God his Prince and countrie that is ignorant in the Lawes of the Realme The Romaines when they had banished their Tyrannous kings and had erected their Aristocratia or Decemuirate gouernement they trusted to the strength of their Lawes the which faire written in tenne tables they caused to be set vp in the market place to the intent that ignorance might be no plea for any man that trespassed against the weale publicke In all good gouernements there is a common Maxime Non excusâ—…t ignorantia iuris The ignorance of the Lawe excuseth not And in this blessed gouernement that euerie man might knowe his duetie the greatest part of the penal lawes ought to bée plainely opened vnto the multitude by the Iusticers or Iustices of Peace at their quarter Sessions and the like is the charge of Stewards in their Leates that the people may knowe the Lawes which they are bound to obey so that it were an vnexcusable folly to reproch the Lawe which according to the iudgement of Fortescue is an vncorrupt holinesse and a daungerous madnesse to enuie generally against Lawiers who are honored with right reuerende dignities in the common wealth and yet with fauour let the Trueth bee spoken from thinges of the greatest vertue the worst vices are growne Religion is the holiest of holy things and yet Heresie of sins the most damnable procéedeth of the wresting of holy scriptures Euen so Lawe which in trueth containeth the verie iudgements of Iustice vnto couetous and naughtie persons openeth an hundred gappes to robbe and vndoe their poore neighbours and truely vpon the temptation of their opressions a man sauing the honor of the good may say by lawyers as Cicero did by Poets when he alowed the sentence of Plato and yet Cicero honoured good Poets as appeareth by his Oration for the Poet Archias in which he perswaded the Citizens to receiue him as one that would greatly honour and benifite the Citie The like reputation and reuerence I and all good men ought to giue to godly lawiers how be it my censure is that next vnto the heriticke the wicked Lawier is the most daungerous person CHAP. 7. Of the honest reputation of the Yemonry or husbandmen the commoditie of their seruice their aptnesse to rebellion with a direction for their quietnesse and commoditie WHO so shall consideratiuely looke into the necessarie seruice of the Yemen and husbandmen of England he may with the graue Cato rightly cal them Aratores optimos ciues in republica Tyllers of the ground and best Citizens in a common wealth and as their trauell and continual labor profiteth or more properly féedeth the whole Realme so their inconstant and seditious humors are apt vppon euery light temptation to worke the disturbance of the whole Realme and therefore the pollicie of our gouernment within the compasse of euery foure or fiue mile in most shires hath appointed some one of the better sort of the Gentlemen to be a Iusticer of peace among them who as is before showne is bounde to haue an eye vnto their behauiours and an eare readie to heare and appease their murmurings and truely if any good counsaile may take place among the stubborne multitude besides the admonition of sacred Scripture which in maniâ—… places commaundeth obedience and forbiddeth rebellion the assurednesse of their myserie vndoing and vtter confution forbiddeth them to runne from the motion of sedition as swift if it were possible as the fearefull Hare doth from the hungrie Grayhounde for their daunger is farre more apparent the Hare many times saueth her selfe by the recouerie of some woode but the poore and popular rebell lyeth open to all destruction Noble men Gentlemen and the better sort if they sée themselues in perrill as they are neuer safe that rebell they haue swift horse secreat friends and many couerts to shrowd them but the shiftlesse countrie men haue no sucker but the princes mercie which they neither deserue nor yet haue friends to acquire the same if there were not innumerable examples to proue that they headlong runne vppon their destruction and swiftly flie from their safetie and profite it were a thing almost vnpossible that the meanest sort of men would be drawne into rebellion I haue in many places of my booke shewen sundrie examples of their vnconstancie and therefore heere will onely set downe what Chauser writeth of their dispositions vnder Osterne people vniust and vntrue Ay vndiscreete and chaunging as a fane Delyting euer in rumors that be new For like the Moone you euer wax and wane Your reason halteth your iudgement is lame Your dome is false your constance euil preueth A ful great foole is he that on you leueth But questionlesse this mutabilitie and anke-ward disposition of the multitude would be much reformed if the Maiestrates and godly mynisters would sufficiently remember them of their dueties towards God their Prince and countrie It is great pittie that such profitable members in a common wealth should runne into daunger of disloyaltie for lacke of good instruction yea it is great pittie vnlesse in time of warre that they should be carried farre from their labor a poore countrie man that vseth a Lawâ—…ers chamber is in as great a daunger as
the earth as in the sea and beyond the power of nature beautified with a deuine knowledge I prie into the qualities of the heauens and prognosticate what they promise or threaten on earthly creatures therefore haue good cause to aduance my thoughts and to thinke well of my selfe The ambitious hath this vaile or shadow I see qd hc that vertue her selfe attyred with pouertie is ouerblowne with light regard her seruants slaues to varlets in credit so that he is an enemie to his owne prosperitie that in bare estate presenteth any good parte for that he is sure to incounter the malice of the ignorant who fearing their owne fortunes with enuie suppresse his perfections and the good although they embrace vertuous endeuours at the first sight iudge by the outward habit as the noble Titus did by his good friende Gissipus till necessitie discouered who he was And therfore saith the ambitious I holde authoritie the readiest ladder to aduancement The flatterer thinketh that to reproue mens faultes is a meane to fire the faultie mans heart with malice and thereby shoulde encrease his friendes euill and endanger his owne welfare where the wisest are not so wise but that they open both their eares to heare their owne prayses and therefore sayth he blame he that liste I will breath in no mans face other then good wordes not onely these but all other infections of the minde haue such like sophisticall reasons to giue colour to their errors neyther are they so past cure but that there is a hope of reformation Now concerning the infirmities of the bodie the pestilence is most dangerous the plurisie most sodaine and the leprosie most odious notwithstanding if delay haue not wrought ouer much defect in nature physicke hath a medicine for euery of these maladies But this hiddeous Monster enuie lyeth open to all reproche and as a moth in cloth or canker rust in iron dyeth with the destruction of his follower who burst out of the entrayles of the olde serpent to so we hatred betwéene God and man for the enuie that the Deuill bare at the Almightie Maiestie of God raysed a desire in Adam and Eue to be as their Creator in knowledge and so brought sin vpon the face of the earth and through sinne swadled all their posteritie in the heauie displeasure of God with this bitter curse was she hatched and with the sacke of Common weales and bloud of innocentes she hath euer since bene fostered A man gouerned by other detestable euils be it murther theft periurie and so foorth if he be not soone cut off with the sworde of Iustice yet is he continually chastened with the scourge of his conscience but lawe and iustice net easily fasteneth on the enuious for he hydeth his conspiracies vntill he be strengthened with a multitude whose furie breaketh forth in the flame of faire cities and is quenched with the bloud of many thousandes and therefore enuie may well be compared to brandes raked vp in ashes which are vncouered to set mightie blockes a fire In the conscience of the enuious remorse hath no place for that his thoughts are continually busied with diuelish imaginations as well as his forces are bent to the ruine of his neyghbours A man without much blushing will confesse himselfe a couetous voluptuous or cowardly person for that the needeful foresight of the great charge of children the dayly harde fortunes which happen and the costly cure of sickenesse wherevnto all men are subiect are colours for coueteusnesse Agayne the blame that is layde vpon a nigarde the contempt wherein men haue mecanicall liues she hastie death that followeth care are reasons to make men be pleasant and merrie with their owne The perill of life the griefe of woundes and the daunger of lawe are sufficient excuses for a coward But if he be enuious he dare not recyte so much as the name of enuie the reason is this passion is so sowle and infamous as it stincketh in the opinion of him that is infected therewith and good cause why for that the others grow as langors and malladies of nature and enuie proceedeth of a malitious and froward consent of our owne will without any ground or reason saue such as would make the worst infidell blush to defende and the weakest Christian abhorre to heare his inticementes are so farre from grace humanitie and naturall pittie All other passions of the minde may growe and spring from such hard temptations as they which yeelde vnto their affections doe giue cause both of pittie and lament as necessitie may make men steale tyrannie in Princes may so we sedition among subiectes hardnes and crueltie in parents may cause disobedience in children and so of others which although the offences ought to be chastened yet their causes may with charitie be bemoned But this feinde enuie is onely tempted with the bountie of God for as our sauiour saith the eye of the enuious is for no other cause euill but in that it beholdeth that God is good which considered the enuious is to be condemned much more then the impatient yea when affection leades him to murmure and rage against God for the impatient may be so sharpely pressed with Gods heauie iudgement as charged aboue the sufferaunce of nature reason shall be forced to giue place vnto furie and when the hearte is at this libertie the tongue will not let to disgorge blasphemies sufficient if it were possible to fire the heauens but if the enuious vnbowelleth his griefe when he commeth to dispoyle his heart he can alleage or pretend no other cause of sorrow but that God is too good too mercifull and too liberall towards his creatures In giuing to some great authoritie to others aboundance of riches to this man store of friendes to that man inlargement of honours c. On the contrary part if he reioice it is in beholding of most sad and lamentable chaunces as in discorde among friendes iealousie betweene man and wife their children disobedient their seruants theeues or in such like hauocke of their neighbours prosperitie and as among beastes some nourisheth themselues with euill odours some with poison and some with filthie carrion euen so the enuious is fatned with the curse miserie and death of his brethren Basile in his sermon of enuie compareth the enuious properly vnto flyes which leaue the sounde partes of our body and liteth vpon a scab or sore the iuyce or filth whereof giueth thē a sweete and pleasant taste euen so vertuous and good men afflicted with exile imprisonment losse of goods or such like ordinarie calamities giue comfort reioycing vnto the enuious Seneca rightly compareth enuy vnto a Panther who so rageth at the presence of a man for the maiestie he presenteth as presently he imployeth all his forces to dismember his beautifull limmes and not only is agrieued with
and withall approoued his message with such grauitie learned and sounde reasons as he not only obtained a truce from the Athenians but ouercome with the power of Euxins Oration they gratified the Lacedemonians with the gift of the confynes which they had but lately conquered and of long challenged as their owne right by Euxin as assuraÌ„ce of loue amitie returned this leter The Senate and people of Athens greeteth the Lacedemonians with a hartie desire of health and peace WE call the Gods to witnesse that through the passed battaile we haue sustained more greefe to see you so bloodely vanquished then we haue receiued pleasure to behold our selues conquerours vpon iudgement that in the end the effects of war are such that to the vanquished the dammadge is certaine and to the vanquisher the profite doubtfull we would haue beene right glad that you had ouercome vs with Euxins words before we had vanquished you with our swords What pleasure would it haue beene to either if the chance had vnfortunately falne vpoÌ„ vs both sitheÌ„ce the rule is infallible that all that which the Gods haue ordayned may not be forestood by mans wisedome iudgement or power euen this you shoulde haue lost much by this war and we should haue gained no good by your losse You demaund of vs a truce for three monthes to this end that during this space there may be treatise of an accord betweene vs we answere you that the Senate of Athens haue not accustomed to make a truce afterwards to begin war againe but haue an auncient law either freely to accept of cruell warre or freely to accord to a perpetual peace we indeuour in the time of peace to attire our Accademies with wise men to strengthen vs with their counsell in the time of war and by theÌ„ are now aduised to graunt no truce vpon suspitious conditions and it seemeth to vs that their counsell is good for a dissembling peace is much more dangerous then open war The Philosopher Euxin your Ambassador hath so eloqueÌ„ly spoken in this Senat as it should be an vnreasonable thing to deny him what he demaÌ„deth also a more honest graunt sealeth a peace required with words then demanded with the launce Now we say and giue you to vnderstand that our Senate accordeth vnto you Lacedemonians with a right good will a loyall peace deliuering you withal from the suspition of war And to this end we do it that the world may know that the Athenians are so strong harted against the ouerproud and so great louers of wise men as they know how to chasten the foolishe Captaines and suffer themselues to be coÌ„manded of the wise Philosophers You know that all our contention is sprong for the possession of the townes seated vpon the borders of the flood Milin By this letter we certify you and by the immortall Gods sweare vnto you that we renounce and render vnto you all the right that we haue or pretend to haue in the said confines with charge that on the contrary part you bestow on vs Euxin your Ambassador for the happyâ—… Athenians esteeme more of a philosopher in their Academy then of a whole prouince for their common wealth And you Lacedemonians repute it not an act of lightnes to haue exchanged the Empire and segniory of many for the liberty to command one only man for this Philosopher shall teach vs to liue well where the possession of that Countrey may giue occasion to die euill And sithence of such auncient enimies we declare our selues such perfect friends we will not only deliuer you of this war and send you peace but in aduantage we will giue you councel to coÌ„serue the same for the medicin which preserueth health is of far more excellency then that which chaseth away sicknes now regard the remedy Vvhereas you greatly desire that your yong men should be exercised in armes so be you diligeÌ„t that your infants be in time instructed in good letters for as the one with blooddy launces raiseâ—… war so the other with sweete words obtaine peace Thinke not Lacedemonians that we perswade you this without cause for in neglecting the councell of the wise and in suffering idlenesse to grow among the people the same engendreth seditions and ciuill warres and so death to the one and other Vve would not that you should repute vs louers of much talke for our auncient father Socrates ordayned that the fyrst lesson that the tutor reade to his disciple in the Academie should be that he should not in two yeares after dare to dispute for it is impossible that anie should be prudent in speach that is not patient to holde his toong Let it then please you that Euxin remaine with vs and imagine you that if we hope for profite in his presence you may be assured that of the counsels which he giueth vs you shall receyue no dammage for it is a verie auncient lawe in Athens that the Senate may make no enterprise of warre vnlesse the Philosophers first examine whether it be iust No more vnto you but that we praie the immortall Gods yours and ours that they will prouoke both you and vs and that it will please them for euer to preserue vs in this peace for that only is euerlasting which is confirmed by the will of the Gods MIRROVR Lib 2. CHAP. 1. Of the blessings of Peace the scourge of ciuill warre and renowne of peacemakers PEace of the morall vertues is the soueraigne Queene Peace the christiline mirror is wherin is science seen Peace is the fountain next Gods word from whence doth goodnesse flowe Peace is the holie ground wheron all earthly blessings growe Peace is the trompe 〈◊〉 toong of law peace setteth iustice vp Peace measures right to euerie man yet with a seuerall cup For peace doth chastice wicked men and cherisheth the good Peace executes the paines of law but suckes no guiltles blood Peace open sets the citie gates that plentie enter may Peace leades and guides the traueller in safetie all the day Peace brings the Marchants wandring ship into the wished port Peace safety seales vpon the dores where strangers do resort Peace hangeth armor by the wall that men may ply the plowe Peace doth sustaine the poore mans neede that liues by sweat of brow Peace bringeth victuall to the towne for such as haue money Peace where she raignes makes the land to flow with milke hony Peace lends releeues and freely giues and keepes ynough in store Peace heapes these riches on the good and many blessings more Peace sheelds the wise from souldiers force and virgins vndeflowrd Peace lets the flocke to feed at large and saues them vndeuowrd The Citie of the mightie God sackt through his peoples crime Of blessed peace was Salem cald vntill king Iebus time God would not haue his Temple built but in the time of peace Christ was not borne vntil that war throughout the world did cease Christ his Apostles thus doth
blesse with you be peace and loue Christ thus the wicked Iewes doth curse peace shall from you remoue Christ is the authour of all peace the sacred word doth say day Christ will haue peace throughout the world against the iudgement Much more may be said although no man can say ynough in the commendation of peace saue such as haue felt the worst vengeance of warre for as Cicero sayeth the goodnesse of a thing is knowne by the depriuement thereof If our neighbours harmes may make vs héedfull or our owne prosperitie make vs thankefull to God true to her Maiesty and obedient to her graue Ministers of publike benefite we may beholde our countrey as a beautifull Towre on euery side enuironed with a consuming fire and yet miraculously preserued from the least vengeance thereof But experience teacheth that examples of miserie moueth many times coÌ„miseration in the beholders but seldome impresseth any déepe sorrow in theyr harts The Romaines many yeares saw the bloody vengeances of war inflicted vpon sundry kingdoms yea many times sorrowed to sée their owne conquests When Pompeyus was murthered his enemy Caesar shed teares vpon his head and Alexander gaue the mighty Darius a royall funerall Which compassion may be more properly tearmed a motion of pitie than any worke of charitie for they still followed the fortune of warre without consideration of the pretious blessings of peace But when the stout Romaines whose couetousnes of rule the whole world could not glut by ciuill and most pernicious factions in the triumuirate of Cesar Crassus and Pompeius and afterward in the triumuirate of Octauius Anthonius and Lepidus felt in their owne bowels the scalding furie of war when they saw the fathers throte a sheath for the sonnes sword when the mother beheld the rauishment of hir daughter and the sister mingled teares with hir brothers blood when the Senate house was no Sanctuary for Cesar nor Pater patriae a protection for Cicero when the fountaines were turned from the Cities and the chanels flowed with the best burgesses blood when the faire buildings were fired by the houshold seruant and the rascally maysters of the richest merchants goods wheÌ„ Iustice was painted without a mouth and oppression with a hundred hands when law gaue place to launces and Orators to the braying of horsses when vnciuill souldiers iudged Senators and the nobilitie were suppliants vnto the vnconstant multitude when religion was mispraised youth ill instructed gray heares vnreuerenced discipline vnused a famine with vertue and nothing publike but disorder when the vineyards lay vnordered vnprofitable briers ouerran the fruitefull fieldes wheÌ„ the plow was laid in fire and fire hurled into the husband mans barne I say when these proude Romaines beheld in their owne cities these hauocks of diuine and humane blessings they were in tymes past neuer so forward souldiers in following of war as they were now humble suters for peace they neuer attributed so much honor to Cesar for conquering of kingdoms as they gaue reuereÌ„ce to Octauian for determining of the ciuil broiles In perpetuall remembrance of Octauian they added to hys name Augustus and decréed that all the following Emperors should be called Augusti and after death both Augustus and the good Emperors succéeding in most solemne manner they deifyed and placed among the number of their Gods The great Cane of Cathaya is so called in honor remembrance of their first Emperour Chanius who being aged the meanest and poorest of the seauen linadges which gouerned or rather tirannized the prouinces of this Empire as the historie saith by the reuealement of a white Knight tooke knowledge that the wil of God was that he should be Emperour peace-maker of and among the seauen linadges vpon which comfort and the faithfull obedience of the people he obtained this blessed conquest The mightie Emperour of Aethiopia is called Preter Iohn and in their language beldugian which signifieth ioy and power only in remembrance of one of his auncestors who notwithstanding he was the soueraigne of seuenty Kings yet he established peace through his whole Empire These glorious monuments remaine of peacemakers are like to liue vntill the world end when the violeÌ„ce of death the vnconstancy of fortune and iniurie of time haue enterred the haughtiest conquerors returned back their conquests and of their huge colonies haue left no signe at all But so setled are the vertues of peacemakers and so precious are the blessings of peace as these heathen that had no other guide than naturall reason annexed their good Princes names vnto the honour of the crowne as men that hoped the name would make the vertue her editorie or at the least instruct succéeding Princes of the worthinesse of their auncestours And questionlesse men are greatly incouraged to weldoing when good demerites are fully rewarded and good mens liues are faithfully registred For albeit the soule of man traueileth without a guyd to bring foorth that which is good yet in as much as the corruption of fleshe is néerer our sensible motions the deuine workes of the soule are darkned as is the brightnesse of the Sunne by the Moone the most inferiour Planet being opposite betwéen the same the earth and therefore to helpe our infirmitie next vnto the sacred scriptures the histories of time are the moste visible lights to shew vs the way to happines where the names of good men liue which taketh away a great part of our feare to dye And truely if for the worthines of some one king of that name the Aegiptian kinges were called Pharaoes the Bethinian Ptholomies the Albian Siluies the Romane emperours Augustes the Ethiopian Preter Iohn the Cataian the great Caan by farre larger warrant the Englishe kinges ought to be called Henries For of 8. Kings named Henrie sithens the conquest cronicles coÌ„demne no one of theÌ„ to be irreligious notably wicked or tirannous oppressors of their subiâ—…s but as images and patterns of kinglye magnanimitie of wâ—…nderfull prowesse of peaceable gouernment and of many other deuine and heroicall vertues euerye of them hath left a rare monument of a noble gracious and good Prince as if by heauenlye prouidence an especiall blessing had béene ioyned vnto the name of Henry But albeit the heathen ceremonially thus named their Princes as the Cardinall of Rome doe newe christen their Popes yet true Christians estéeme of this adoption as of the image of Iesus engraued in a wodden crosse which is as full of holinesse as a painted fire of heat and both a like The fayrest tree that beareth no fruite is fit for the fire and the best named Christian without the exercise of christianitie is méet for hell So that I alleadge the examples of these worthy persons as instructions for their posteritye and attribute no greater honor vnto them then that they were the ministers of Gods goodnes and mercy of peace and prosperity to their subiects which are the greatest
with Dauid I will not be afrayde of tenne thousande of people that haue set themselues against me round about it followes in another place for thou O Lord makest me dwell in safetie the diuell is bound and the hand of the Lord is vpon the magitioner Paul stroke Elimas Bariehu the arrogant sorcerer blinde the diuell aunswered the vacabond Iewes the seauen sonnes of Sâ—…eua one of the chiefe priests which did adiure him by Iesu whome Paule preached Iesus I knowe and Paule I knowe but who are yee forsooth they were vnbeléeuing Iewes whome the spirit would not obeie yea he caused the man whome he tormented to runne vppon them and to ouercome them so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded it is the best reward that the diuell bestoweth vpon them that deale with him He many times faileth to performe the desire of his disciples but he neuer faileth to bring them to confusion yea in the tune of the Prophets when his strength was greatest his ministers were alwaies confounded in matters wherein the glory of God was to be séene as appeareth in the passadges marked in the margent For further example let it suffice that Gods mercie preserued her maiestie and his iustice put the chiefe practisers of this magicke in the possession of her vengeance Doctor Story was miraculously brought out of Flanders and as he notoriouslie deserued by common iustice was adiudged and executed as a Traitor Yea he confessed at his execution that it was God that dimmed the eyes of his vnderstanding yea it was surely God that wrought his deliuerie into the hands of her Maiesties lawes Prestall and Phaier were both after wardes prisoners at her Maiesties mercie her excéeding mercie measured grace vnto them both that vngratiouslie sought her destruction they both had life and libertie Phaier was afterwardes executed for coyning hys head was too busie to stande vppon his shoulders Prestall vpon speciall considerations long after was called to the aunswere of his olde treasons he had no defence but to flie to her Maiesties mercie with protestation that vppon that safeconduit he came into Englande a presumption that highly honoreth her Maiestie that those subiects which offended in the highest degrée of treason durst vpon her Maiesties bare promise venter vpon the danger of her lawes when at this day among most princes the saying Who knoweth not how to dissemble knoweth not how to raigne is holden for a principle in gouernement But sure the counsell is much against the honor of a prince whose promise ought to haue the strength of a law vnlesse in such rare cases as where the subiect offendeth beyond all merit of commiseration but to eternize her Maiesties gratiousnesse be it knowen the law long sithence hath adiudged Prestall death and yet he liueth by the sole vertue of her princely word and certainly the godly iustice of England deserueth vniuersall admiration and reuerence where the worst and most dangerous traytors are only confounded by solemne conuiction of law and by fauour therof a number escape that policy would haue cut short Our eares are daily occupied with the newes of secret poysoning and vnlawfull murthering of noble personages in most gouernements without attainder triall or any other ordinarie course of iustice but God who is therewith pleased be therefore praysed since the first day of her highnes blessed gouernement neither her Maiesty nor her iustice is yet stained with any such politicke or rather diuelish destroying of any one of many her enimies but yet to slander the peaceable procéedings of her Maiesty and godly maiestrates the notorious fugitiues in Rome Reames and other forraigne parts make shew of wary looking vnto themselues as if their liues were dayly assailed when their consciences and her Maiesties gratiousnes assureth them that they feare without cause albeit they giue cause of narrow vengeance if the order of her gouerment obserued the councels of their bloody practises she might finde brauoes a number in France and especially in Italy that for a hangmans fée would do execution of her rankest traytor abroad among whom murther is so common as the least iniurie is in a maner death by custome the easie escape out of one iurisdiction into another maketh them thus bold where the feare of God is no bridle I report this vppon the knowledge of my owne obseruances while I liued in those parts it is generally knowne that there are hirelings that make no more conscience to murther a man then to kill a bird but the actions of wicked men are no examples of imitation but admonitions of terror to the godly for that lightly vengeance followeth such works At my being in Italy there was a heardman executed about Tyuoly that had murthered more than fourescore persons and the notable outlaw Catenea who had slaine thréescore and tenne persons was led prisoner vnto Rome God may defer but he seldome leaueth murther without visible vengeance Aboue all sinnes nature abhorreth murther When the heathen men at Milete saw the viper to hang vpon Pauls finger euen from the hatred of nature they murmured and sayd No doubt this man is a murtherer whome though he haue escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth not to liue Nature taught the infidels to beléeue that vengeance followeth murther Erasmus saith that in murther the consenter is as gilty as the actor Pylate against the sentence of his own conscience hauing pronounced death vppon our Sauiour Christ thought to haue washed away the fact with the washing of his hands and this protestation I am innocent of the blood of this iust man ye shall see but Pylates conscience made him gilty of Christes death whome the wrath of God still followed After this wicked iudgemeÌ„t he did nothing but iniustice and being thereof accused as also for prophaning the temple robbing the common treasure in Rome he was by the Emperor Caligula banished vnto Lions the place as some said of his birth through griefe of which disgrace by the iustice of God he desperatly flew himself that he might die by the most wicked person aliue Many other things are written of Pylats end by Ioseph in his antiquities Eusebius Ioachin Vadian and others which for breuity I omit The instructioÌ„ stretcheth euen vnto the seate of iustice which maketh the criminall Magistrate to be gilty of murther if for loue feare or gaine he vniustly pronounce death vppon any innocent person Yea murther crieth for vengeance against anointed kings Because Dauids hart murthered Vrias God laid the reuenge of Vrias blood many ways vpon Dauid and although he put the sin froÌ„ Dauids person yet the child begotten vpoÌ„ Vrias wife in adultry died for it there sel 3. yeres dearth together in the days of Dauid Dauid enquired the cause the Lord answered It is for Saule and the house of blood because he slew the Gibonites It further appeareth that murther is so odious in the
sight of God that he will not haue the very blood of murtherers shed but either by his vengeance or publike iustice when he saith Whosoeuer slaieth Kaine it shall be auenged seuen fold yea God set a marke vpoÌ„ Caine that it might be known that he had reserued the punishmeÌ„t of Caines fault vnto his own iustice Uengeance belongeth to the Lord a positiue iustice is set downe vnto men Her Maiesty knoweth that she receiued her kingdome of God by his holy commandements she gouerneth the same she séeketh not the life of traitors but where her own lawes are in force If any of theÌ„ slip ouer beyond the seas as vagraÌ„ts vagaboÌ„ds vpoÌ„ the earth she pursueth theÌ„ no further but referreth their trespasses to Gods iustice who coÌ„tinually powreth coÌ„fusion vpoÌ„ theÌ„ yet according to the Psalmist they stil draw their sword to sley such as are of a right coÌ„uersatioÌ„ but the Lord laugheth theÌ„ to scorne causeth their swords to go through their own harts Madder Barlow would not be counselled by other meÌ„s harmes they practised murther the murther of no small personages but euen of such as by their wisdoms next vnder God her Maiestie saue the liues of many thousands of good English subiects but God be praised they coÌ„spired their owne destruction they were rotten w e the gallowes before their mischiefe was rife What a desperat instrumeÌ„t had the Pope of late by his Iesuits alluremeÌ„t piked out of harebraine Someruile to murder the Quéens maiesty a gentlemaÌ„ though far vnworthy the name always void of gouermeÌ„t and in the end so far past grace as he desperately hanged himselfe He went resolutely about his mischiefe but he was one of them whome God shot at with a swift arrow that wounded him his owne toong made him to fall all that heard of him laughed him to scorne his owne toong first bewraied him his harebraine unschiefe was without worldly iudgement his graceles end without spiritual remembrance her Maiesty was thus rid of a rotten member but not of the Popes mallice nor of all her subiects treason Parry came in his place a right Orleance Doctor of which sort of Doctors is risen this frenche prouerbe Paies â—…argent passe docteur Asne Pay your money and procéede doctor Asse But this right Atheist Parry although he were not learned yet he hauing no grace had but too much wit by his ingenious reaches Many yeares he carried a port aboue his calling he disdained his fathers name vp Hary who liued by kéeping of an alehouse changed the same vnto Parry but the vices of his youth insolency pride riot and a mischeuous spirit accompanied him to the gallowes FroÌ„ this base reckoning by fortune in marriadge he attained the wealth grew to the credit of a Gentleman but as the saying is Goods easely gotten are many times idlely spent To be short he wanted no sleight to acquire fauour nor had any honestie to kéepe a friend But albeit his shifts supplyed many wants his ryot in the end outspended both his fortune and credite and béeing pursued for debt at the sute of Hugh Hare Gentleman he committed a wilfull and violent outrage vppon the sayd Hugh Hare for which the law condemned him of Burglarie and her Maiesties onely clemencie gaue him life a fauour that woulde haue bounde the cruellest Turke to be thankefull and carefull of her Maiesties safetie but hée béeing an Atheist shewed hymselfe euerie waye worsse then a Turke who reuerenceth some forme of Religion His guiltie conscience tooke awaye all hope of aduancement vnlesse he rose by some notable mischiefe his vngratious spirit still worked vpon this Machiuell like counsell If thou wilt be any thing do some thing worthy of fetters He had put this in practise but his desire followed not the diuell then put him in mind that it must be matter worthie the gallowes and all manner of reproch that must doe him good euen to kill the Quéenes maiesty who not long before had giuen him life when the lawes of her realme had adiudged him death His owne confession sheweth that want and mistrust of preferment first put this damnable practise in his head The most infirmed eyes may sée by his owne demonstration that he made no conscience to do it yea that all his ceremonies in obtaining the allowance absolution and plenarie indulgence of the Pope was but onely to acquire credite and more liberall aduauncement for his odious seruice he was diswaded from the matter by many Papists but hée sought not their opinions to any such purpose he saw no other meane of aduauncement it was for liuing and promotion that he sought and without that as he confessed life was not fit for him for all his painted protestation of the holy obseruaunce both of his vowes and promises if he had not comforted himselfe more with these words in the Cardinals letter of the Popes assurance That his holinesse will further make himselfe debtour to acknowledge your deseruings in the best manner that he can then in these words he granteth vnto you his blessing plenarie indulgence and remission of all your sinnes He would haue made more reckoning of ten pound then ten such warrants he shewed what he was neither whot nor colde vnfaithfull to her Maiestie and vntrue to the Pope He broke his promise with the Pope and violated his vowes in heauen with contrary othes vppon earth He swore to the supremacie in the beginning of the Parliament and after he had solemnely receiued the Sacrament to kill her Maiesty he swore he neuer meant to doe it but as there was no zeale in the first so there is lesse credite to be giuen to the last being contrary to a number of the assurances of the execution of his wicked purposes as appeareth in a booke of the whole order and triall of his horrible treasons To conclude the whole course of his life sheweth that the diuell could not haue picked forth a more daungerous instrument for the Popes purpose and by his execution as a Traitour Gods prouidence is wonderfully glorified the Popes inhumanitie is proclaimed and if examples may worke amendement a number of false harted subiectes by the myraculous preseruation of her Maiesty may be brought to a louing obedience c. CHAP. 11. The most fortunate and peaceable victorie which her Maiestie had against the Spanish and Italian forces togither with the miserable confusion of Iames Fitz-moris the Earle of Desmond and Sir Iohn his brother and other the Popes confederates in Ireland with other considerations of Gods prouidence in the defence of her maiestie and Dominions FEarefull are that sayings of the Psalmist in many passages where he Prophisieth the destruction and confusion of the wicked They saith he shal be like the chaffe which the winde scatereth from the face of the earth They shall fall into the destruction they made for other They shal be
build vpon sacred morall and politike counsels the admonitions are set downe by holy Prophets Apostles learned Philosophers and graue common wealthesmen The collection and labor to place them as they may serue for a generall instruction is only due vnto me and with your honorable fauors I thinke the law of the Aegyptians which I take for my platforme is a most sure defence against Enuy for by this lawe of King Amazis which was that euerie man shoulde put his name in a common booke and at the yeeres ende shoulde acquainte the Gouernour neere his abiding with the trade and order of his liuing Idlenesse and excesse the great nourishers of Enuy were either banished or punished euery man entertained a setled vocation and no man enuied the pomp of another mans calling which he knew not how to gouerne and certainly if men would indifferētly consider of all vocatiōs they should find there is no calling so base but that the vse therof is profitable of honest credit in a common wealth and withall no dignity so hye but vnto the same is annexed a number of displeasures and therevpon it is rightly said That the chiefest place in the administration of iustice is to the executioner a bondage your wisdoms know the same better by experiēce then I by obseruance so that whatsoeuer the booke cōtaineth of graue gouerment I acknowledge might better haue been deriued from your liuely vertues then frō other mens writtē counsels but for that men can hardly praise the liuing without flattery and the dead without an honest zeale I haue made choise to labor more for my credit then aduantage for albeit I am in a maner vnknowne to most of you graue Maiestrates that liue of which in this respect I am glad that being vnworthy of your knowledge for any speciall quality I am at no time brought Coram vobis for any criminall trespasse yet those worthy personages which in my time are deceased haue had the second life of their vertues bruted by my Muse but as my trauels heerein cōmended the dead and instructed the liuing with the like hope I haue builded this fortresse against Enuy of the counsels of the dead applied to instruct the liuing in their proper vertues Vertue as Diogenes saith only withstandeth Enuy yea vertue conquereth Enuy and vertue set apart no pollicy preuaileth against the stratagemes of Enuy. To withstand this common foe of prosperitie I labour by the grauest mens directions to acquaint euery man with the vertues of his vocation but principally I do beseech God to blesse them with his feare the beginning of wisedome and confusion of Enuy and all wickednesse vnto whose gratious protection I humbly commit your right honorable Lordships and all other godly Maiestrates whatsoeuer at whose commandement I faithfully remaine George Whetstons Induction to the Reader ALbeit that peace is a most precious blessing of God a large testimonie of a gratious Prince and the perfect image of a well gouerned common wealth yet the euill which abuse whatsoeuer is good as the Spider draweth hony from the purest flower of these good causes beget such foule effects as God in reward of his blessings is dishonored persecuted and blasphemed The gratious Prince for his or her protection is neither dutifully reuerenced nor truely obeyed and what is sowen for publike benefite groweth to the ruine of the Countries prosperitie Vpon the experience of the good gouernement of Athens and other florishing Commonwealthes corrupted or to speake more properly confounded by such vile persons as their principall Cities fostered warranted the graue Socrates being demaunded what increased the wealth of a Commonwelth to answere that peace was the inricher thereof being demaunded on the contrarie part the chiefe cause of pouertie in a Common wealth semblablie aunswered that peace was the meane thereof Being asked his reasons said that in the time of peace Armes giue place to Lawes and good Lawes administreth both plentie and prosperitie to such Countries as receiue and obay them on the other side he alledged that wealth the blessing of peace bread many vices in her owne bowels of the nature of Mothes in cloath or canker rust in yron which by the consuming of their suckers destroy themselues and questionles the wheele of peace painted on either side with these fiue spokes Peace bringeth plentie Plentie causeth pride Pride raiseth enuie Enuie soweth sedition and Sedition hatcheth pouertie is rather the deuise of some Philosophers setled iudgement than the toy of a Painters variable fancie the Embleame so truely portrayeth the change of all happie gouernements But some more quicke of wit then in discretion perfect will suggest that where Law hath her full voyce these Cankers can neuer grow to the consumption of the heart to which question I thus aunswere that Law may haue a free passage and yet Iustice scanted of her due course for Lawe will not or cannot punish an apparant trespas without an open presentment and Iustice would chasten the concealed fault if she could commaund the Law and such is the cunning of pollitike Lawe breakers that where the ignorant are hanged for stealing of a sheete they will haue the Lawe to strengthen them in the robbing of a mans inhearitance and therefore is Lawe likened to a backe sworde eadged and sharpe to chasten the simple offender and blunt when the subtill shoulde bee corrected Vppon which reason quoth Diogines what auaileth it to haue profitable Lawes when the good readeth them not and the euill corrupt or care not for them but although Diogines spake truelie as touching the naturall humors of men for vnto the good their Consciences are in steede of Lawes and with the lewde no bridle is a restraint from euill Yet grounding my reasons vppon larger authorities I graunt Necessitie inuentris of all policies hath founde good Lawes so necessarie as I holde those Realmes Regions Cities and Townes which are not gouerned by Lawes rather to bee forrestes of wilde beastes than places habitable for men for there where Lawes are musled Iustice goeth masked might mastereth right Theft is reputed honest gaine and murther lawfull reuenge Treasou woulde enter the priuie Chamber and to bee short the wealthie shoulde go to wracke and the inferiour would order vntill they had disordered all good gouernement These open outrages are suppressed by the paines of Lawe although the awe of chastisement cannot keepe some raskall persons from offending in secreat Heraclites saith absque legibus nullo pacto possit ciuitas esse incolumis sed absque menibus possit without Lawes a Cittie by no meanes can be in saftie but without walles it may And Forteskew saith Lex est sanctio sancta Iubens honesta prohibens contraria Law is an vncorrupt holines commaunding things that are honest and forbidding those that are contrarie Therefore I doe reuerence good Lawgiuers and as deuine Plato saieth repute all Lawes that are made for the wealth and sauegarde of mankinde to bee of GOD although they
bee deuised by men This onely lacketh to set foorth the glorie of good Lawes and to possesse the Common wealth with their true benefites The administrators of Lawes are nothing so carefull to finde out the offender as they are readie to pronounce Sentence of the offence agreeing with an olde tale of a Viccar of Croyden who of a peece of his Vicreage made an Ale-house and there kept an harlotte for in those dayes the Lawe of the Church forbadde Priestes to marrie and yet the awe of hell coulde not subdew their lustes this smoge Chaplaine mindfull of the lesson long before giuen vntoâ—… the Cleargie Si non caste tamen Caute as hee thought to take away all suspition of his misbehauiour made a vehement Sermon against Lecherie and agrauated the vengeaunces of that sinne with all the authorities which hee coulde recite in the Scripture earnestlie exhorting his Parishioners to cleanse the towne of that damnable and filthie iniquitie whereuppon one of the Church-wardens that knewe the Viccar had violated his vowe cryed out Master Viccar if you will giue vs example by purging of the Church-yarde wee will bee carefull to cleanse the rest of the Parish the Viccar smelling the meaning of the Church-warden pleasantlie to huddle vp the matter replied that the Church-warden spake without reason for quoth he the Church-yarde is the appointed place to receiue the most filthie Carrion of the worlde and withall wished the people not to mistake him for hee onely spake of the sinne but medled not with the sinner A great part of the meane officers of Iustice at this day doe as the Viccar saide The Penall Lawes which are manie and yet no more than are necessarie Vice is growne to so great a strength are solemnely pronounced in euerie Sise Session and Leete the offenders manie and many times present at the repetition of their Trespasses and yet seldome or neuer bee presented that they may feele the scourge dew to their Trespasses when the Trespasser by his fault is as well knowne to the Iustice Iurie Steward or other officer as to his owne conscience which offendeth and howe commeth this barre of Iustice forsooth by this straining of curtesie the Iudge will punish but what the Iurie findeth the Iurie will finde but what is presented fewe will present without inforcement and thus good Iustice which was wont to bee so quicke as men portrayed her with a paire of wings is nowe so slowe as shee needeth a spurre And shee that was likened vnto fire which being naturall both cherisheth and consumeth by the coldnesse of mens Conscienses may nowe bee compared to painted fire which neither comforteth the good nor wasteth the lewde But this defect is not so properly to be applyed to Iustice as to the infirmitie of her administrators who as Gordian saith ought to be so free from partialitie as in the seruice of Iustice they must forget the affection of a Father a husband a kinseman and a friende This Gordian was a graue Senatour of Rome who in the time of the dissolute and beastly raigne of the most vicious Emperour Heliogabalus made sute to be discharged of the authorities which he bore in the common wealth not for that he grew weary of the seruices which he did vnto his Countrie but in that he abhorred to slaunder the reuerence dew vnto a Iudge with iniust sentenses which the priuiledges of the wicked would inforce him vnto He would verie often say that a good Common wealthes man applyeth all the parts of a well proportioned creature whose hands are bound behind him his eyes are no lesse occupied to prie into the doings of the lewd then his eares attentiue to heare the complaints of the good his tongue is mute neither for feare nor fauour and by his leagues he presenteth a continuall trauel to do his countrie seruice his handes bound behind him sheweth him as well bound vnto all these offices as free from briberies and doubtlesse the authorised Maiestrate which is thus diligent and no lesse free from corruption shall aswell be busied to chasten the offences which he findeth himselfe as to punish such as be discouered by others Truely there be a great number of right worthy Maiestrates in this happie gouernement of Englande who with the eyes eares tongue and legges of Gordians common wealthes man both foresee the actions of naughtie persons and prouide to frustrate their determinations and as the Amners of Gods blessings especially bestowed vppon this happie Realme since the first houre of her sacred Maiesties most prosperous raigne haue both stopped the passages of forraine practises and ciuill conspiracies and without bloodsheading onely armed with deuine and morall vertues ouercommeth these enimies with their owne swordes as a concaue Mirror daunteth the assailer with his proper weapon so that all Nations by the impressions of their owne sorrowes as well as through knowledge of our happinesse with the spirite they admyre her Maiestie and good Maiestrates prudent gouernement doe enuie the peace plentie and protection of her inferior subiects Now some will say by the searching wisedomes of her Maiestie and graue senate prosperitie in all her dominions is administred and the enimies thereof of their purposes are defeated and referre all this to a needlesse purpose There are rare monuments to eterâ—…ise the vertues of the Queene Counsell and chiefe Maiestrates and in the rest no notable vice generally to bee reprooued But with sorrowe I reporte and their doings approoues it Vice is as generally imbraced of the multitude as vertue is especially cherished of the better sorte since the case so standes who will not say that that buylding is out of order whose spares are rotten whose windowes are broken and whose roofe is vncouered although the groundworke bee stronge and principall timbers sounde Surelie a happie common wealth resembleth a faire building the foundation whereof is the Prince the principals are the chiefe Maiestrates the sparres the Inferiour officers the windowes the Nobilitie and Gentilitie the Tiles that couereth the same are the Citisens and multitude and the faire roomes within the building are the liberties of the Cleargie who are priuiledged to blame sinne in all estates but the punishment appertaineth to the vengeance of God and sworde of the Prince all which partes firmelie vnited together doe strengthen one another and the corruption of the least by the sufferance of Time will turne to the confusion of the greatest and therefore by the Lawe of Nature the meanest person in his vocation is sworne to trauell for the publike benefite of his Countrie It is no excuse sufficient for him that is not authorised to chasten offences to suffer offenders to liue vnder his nose vnpresented that the Maiestrate may punish nor yet no good discharge of his duetie that is authorised to leaue an offence vnpunished vntill information bee giuen by others when his owne knowledge is able to condemne the offender euerie man is bounde for his owne safetie to discouer an euill
gotten a great maâ—…e of money to make Hugh Pulath the Bishop of Durham Earle of Northumberland chiefe Iustice of England Sée quoth the King what a miracle I can do I can make of an old Bishop a yong Earle but his myracle turned to the great disworship of God and mischiefe of the whole Realme for the prelates by buying temporall honors for thys King for money made many prelates Uicounts Barons soone learned how to sell the peace and prosperitie of the Kingdome this was the sound waie to strengthen the Popes Empyre and the wicked pollicy that kepte vnder the Gospell the light and life of saluation when ambition crept into the Church zeale fled out of the hart of the Cleargie but which hath wrought the capitoll mischiefe of all the inequalitie of estates betwéene the highest and lowest of the Prelates hath brought enuie into the Church and with enuie a number of heresies and controuersies Occasion and millions of mens deathes and damnation haue opened the venome of thys passion sufficientlie in the Chapter of heresies and in sundrie other places in the Conquests of Enuy. Disvnion of the Church of all calamities is the most gréeuous because it mouéth a most mortall warre among men and eternall torment vnto the soule God for hys Sonne Iesus sake banishe thys dangerous passion foorth of the Churche and gyue the spirite of true knowledge vnto all the Cleargie that with mutuall consentes they maye teache one sounde doctrine to the glorie of GOD and vniuersall peace and comforte of his people Amen CHAP. 4. Of the most honorable calling of the Iudiciall Maiestrates of the waightinesse of theyr offices with examples of Gods heauie iustice inflicted vppon partiall Iudges IN all good gouerments necessitie hath taught princes where vertue is found to honor it and questionles so waightie are the affaires of a Common-wealth and so holie the iudgements of iustice as the nobilitie or innobilitie of the person not respected The Magistrates or Ministers of these charges ought to be chosen by the counsell that Iethro the Priest gaue vnto hys sonne in lawe Moyses which was that he shoulde choose among the people vertuous men and such as feare God true men hating couetousnesse and make them heads ouer the people and let them iudge the people at all seasons c. The waightinesse of which charge commandeth a hye honour and reuerence to be giuen to the Magistrate who in the place of iustice is the image of the Prince And in all good Gouerments the soueraigne Magistrate hath hys place next vnto the Prince In Rome the Senators were called the Fathers of the Common wealth and as the Father is honored and reuerenced of his sonne so were they of the people The Maiestrates or Philosophers of Greece were called Sages whose wisedomes were so reuerenced as nothing was done concerning warre or peace but what they allowed The office of the Magistrate according to the Psalmist is to defende the poore and fatherlesse and to sée that such as bée in néede and necessitie may haue right and as King Lamuell setteth downe they must bée aduocates for the doombe they must open theyr mouthes to defend the thing that is lawfull and right and accordyng to the counsell of Aristotle in theyr iudgementes they must bée ruled neyther by loue hatred or gaine That these duties may bée truely ministred Cicero sayeth that Sophocles counselled Pericles to make choise of Iudges that had not onely theyr handes but theyr eyes chaste and continent It behoueth that Iudges do not buy theyr offices for as Alexander Seuerus sayeth he that buieth must néedes sell and therefore sayeth he I will suffer no Merchants of Estate for if quoth he I suffer the one I must néedes indure the other as a matter too seuere to punish him that buyeth although he selleth In Fraunce all the offices of iustice are solde in Englande they are fréely geuen in the one I knowe the administration is corrupt I pray God the other be without faulte Plato was so curious in the choise of iudiciall officers as he gaue counsell to giue no dignitie or offices to the ambitious or to such as coueted or sought them but vnto such as méerely refused them and aboue all he forewarned to make choyse of none that naturally were barbarous rude or rusticke but of people that were ciuill milde iust and wise the which he figuratiuely compared vnto dogs which are ordained to defende the shéepe and to chase awaye the Wolfe In Calcydone there was a lawe that néedie and vnworthie persons shoulde beare no office but contrarywise such as contemned riches and contented to be inriched with most knowledge and such manner of men were Curius Fabritius and Phocion Alexander the Great teacheth Iudges to iudge vprightly by this obseruance when any man complained he stopped one of his eares to heare the aunswere of the defendant and truely iustice is neuer rightly administred where the Iudge giueth hys sentence before lawfull conuiction It is a place of much honor to be a Iudiciall Magistrate but the temptation of money is so swéete as when the world was nothing so corrupt in these dayes the Poet was driuen to sing Munera crede mihi capiunt hominesque deosque In English Beleeue me giftes do catch both Gods and men Diogenes béeing asked what thing an office was said it was a dangerous beast for quoth he it is as hard a matter for the Iudges of the people to kéepe theyr consciences sound as barefooted for a man to walke vpon sharpe stones vnhurt or to thrust his hand into the fire without the burning thereof In all good gouerments there euermore haue béene positiue lawes to bridle the iniustice of Iudiciall Maiestrates The false Iudges that accused Susanna were stoned to death Alexander Seuerus caused the corrupt Maiestrate Turinus to be smoothered with the smoke of wette stubble during whose execution one cryed With fume let him dye that fumes hath solde Thys Alexander defrayed the charge of all the Iudges with an honorable allowance that theyr offence might be without excuse and theyr punishmente without mercie if they did iniustice for money The sentence that King Cambyses gaue vpon a corrupt Iudge deserueth eternall memorie he caused hym to be flayed and with hys skinne he couered a iudiciall Chaire in which he placed the Iudges sonne to occupie the office of hys Father and to feare him from briberie and all partialitie besides the continuall sight of his fathers skinne Cambyses gaue hym this sharpe item Sede sedens ista iudex inflexibilis sta Sit tibi lucerna lux lex pellisque paterna A manibus reseces munus ab aure preces In English Thou Iudge that sittest in this seate firmely sit therein And for thy light take thou the light the lawe and fathers skin Superfluous bribes cut from thy ruling hand And in thy eares let no intreatie stand I néede not inlarge this Chapter with the positiue
lawes of other Countreys to hinder as much as pollicy may the iniustice of Iudges our English gouerment hath had a speciall care to kéepe the seate of iustice from the staine of iniustice For to preuent that authoritie may not outcountenance right neyther Lord nor any other person may sit with the Iudges in open Sises vpon paine of a great forfeiture to the Quéene To preuent that affection nor hatred may hinder iustice no man may be iudge of Assise in the place where he was borne or is resident vpon the paine for euerie offence 100. pound Iustice shall be solde deferred or denied to no man and the Iustices of any bench or Court whatsoeuer shall not let to execute the common lawe for any commaundement that shall come vnto them vnder the great Seale or priuie Seale manye other penall charges are sette downe vnto Iudges to binde them to the true administration of iustice and all to little purpose if the Iudge haue not the feare of God before his eyes for positiue lawes as the sage Cleobulus sayeth are like vnto cobwebs through which the hernets breake when the little flies are meashed The lawe of man may stay iniustice but the awe of God is only of force to banish it You Iudges are Gods vpon the earth listen then what the God of heauen sayeth vnto you I say vnto you that you are Gods but you shall dye like men This was the charge of Moyses Iudge righteously betweene euery man and his brother and the stranger that is with him so that you know no fâ—…ces in iudgement but heare the small as well as the great and be afraid of no man for the iudgement is the Lords The iudgement thus being the Lords Iudges ought to be very circumspect to administer iustice without respect of persons for his vengeance dayly maketh it knowne that nothing is more odious vnto him then iniustice corruption and cruelty they are the principall causes that God repented that he euer made man which moued him to destroy the whole world with water God by his Prophet saith that he will roote out the Iudge it followeth why because he hath solde the righteous for money and the poore for showes Daniel said vnto the false Iudges that wrongfully accused condemned Susanna The messenger of the Lord standeth waiting with the sword to cut you in peeces I coulde recite many fearefull examples to witnes that Gods vengeance swiftly followeth the Iudge that by partiall iudgement either vndoeth the poore or sheddeth giltles blood Among the rest I haue selected these speciall examples following to admonish or rather to assure all iudicial estates that God neuer faileth to reuenge their iniuries that in the bitternes of their sorrow demaund his iustice At such time as the Templers were destroied a Knight of that order a Napolitane borne by the generall iudgement of the people was at the pursuite of Philip le Bel King of Fraunce vniustly put to death by the iudgement of Pope Clement the fifth the poore Templar going to execution behelde Pope Clement and Philip le bel at a window who in the bitternesse of his sorrow sodainly cryed out Most cruel Clement since there is no worldly iudge before whom I may appeale to reuoke thy most cruell and vniust sentence pronounced against me at the malitious pursuit of Philip of France I therefore appeale thée and Philip both as most wicked iudges before the iust iudge Iesus Christ within one yeare to answere my blood which you most impiously shed before whome I oppose my cause which shall determine it without loue gaine or dread which blinded you the knight was executed according to his iudgement and about the time of his demaunde no doubt but by Gods iust iudgement The Pope dyed of an extreame paine of the stomake and in the like manner dyed Philip of France semblable was the ende of Ferdinando the fourth king of Castile who putting to death two knights more of displeasure than iustice when neither teares nor prayers aided their innocencie they cited the saide king to appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ within thirtie dayes the last whereof king Ferdinando attached by death failed not to make his answere Baptista Fulgotius writeth that a Captaine of the Gallies of Genes who making a course vpon the seas tooke a foist of Catelong in which there was a Captaine that neuer offered wrong vnto the Geneuoies notwithstanding through the hatred the Geneuoyes bare vnto the Cattelans hée commaunded that the captaine being taken prisoner shoulde bee hanged who in shedding manie teares required that his euer well vsing of the Geneuoies might repeale the iniust sentence of death pronounced vppon him but in the ende finding no grace hee repaired to deuine iustice and tolde the cruell Captaine that synce he woulde procéede to execution of his bloodie iudgement he appealed him by a certain day before god who chastiseth vniust iudges to render an account of his hard iudgement at which day the Geneuoy Captaine failed not his apparance Many other examples might be produced but this is of most speciall memory of the Archbyshop of Magonce in Almaine whose iniurie was reuenged on the whole Citie of Magonce As the renowned Poet Gontier in the life of the Emperour Frederick the first and the the Bishop Conradus in his historie of diuers accidents reporteth The sum whereof followeth In the Citie of Magonce in the yeare of our Lord 1150. or there about there was an Archbishop named Henry a man bewtified with al maner of vertues This Archbishop like a good shepheard seuerely corrected al publike sins hauing a great care of his flocke was very iealous of the honor of God and of the loue of his neighbour through enuie whereof the wicked bare him a mortall grudge and by false accusations accused him before the Pope of disabilitie and many other grieuous crimes The Pope notwithstanding that he alwayes reputed him a holy and a iust man neuertheles could not denie his accusors audience The Bishop hauing aduertisment of these enuious suggestions to purge his innocency chewsed among his friends a priest whom he had much aduanced and especially loued named Arnold This Arnold being rich of spirit Eloquence and mony so soone as he arryued at Rome pricked forward by the diuel studied how to depriue his Lord of this dignitie and to seate himselfe in the Archbishopricke And to come by the same he subborned two lewd Cardinals with a great sum of money afterwards instéede of fauorable speaking in his Masters behalfe he spake much against him saying that he was more bounde to God and the truth then vnto men and that in verie trueth the Archbyshop was guiltie of the accusation laide against him by meanes whereof the Pope was moued and abused with the report and therefore to procéede iudicially against the innocent Bishop hée sent the two Cardinals confederate with Arnold into Almaine who being ariued
no doubt might easily ouercome the most stubborne and conuaie both benefite and quietnesse to either partie and no doubt if the popular sort will be counselled for their profite and quietnesse they shall finde these Maiestrates readie to redresse their iniuries so farre as Law and charitable perswation will helpe them CHAP. 8. Of the disposition and destruction of Atheists machiuillians and Timepleasers with sundrie examples to the same purpose THe Prophet shewes the foole in heart doth say there is no God In truth Gods iustice proues them fooles that little feare his Rod. But God except who sees his thoughts and spewes him from his mouth This foole the Atheist doth beguile old age as wel as youth He Protew-like doth shape himselfe according to the time He wretch is neither whot nor cold but cleaueth like to slime To the affections of the great if fortune change their state He sets his foote vpon their throtes of whom he fauned late He knowes that gods which rule on earth haue humors like to men Not grosly closely in his words sweete flattery he doth blen He reads and doth regard these faults Loue hate and priuate gain Through partiall domes euen Iustice seate with poore mens teares doth staine He knowes lords letters beare a swinge sic volo keepes in awe And Munera speaks not for the poore that makes marreth law He knowes as Diamonds set in brasse haue but a slender grace So vertue in a poore attire sits in the meanest place And therefore clothed all in pride aboue he takes his seate And hath his tongue prepard to please the humors of the great Where fortune smiles he euer faunes and strongest parts doth take Where fortune frownes father brother and friend he doth forsake The scripture saith this cursed wretch is neither whot nor cold His conscience feeleth no remorce in murthering yong or old The stranger and the farthest borne he followes to be great And helpes to cut his neighbours throte his neighbors goods to get The widdowes teares and Orphants spoile he grieues not to behold But onely seekes to please himselfe and hath no God but gold Religion yet to serue his turne his cloake he still doth make VVhen as his Zeale is like a fane that euerie wind doth shake This wretch the prophet holds a foole and so he doth him call VVhose building grounded all on wit vpon his shoulders fall Examples of the miserable ends of Atheistes c. As I haue said the Atheists I meane are armed with all worldlie pollicies of wit to strengthen their purposes are the instruments in the practises of great Princes these bee they that followed Abimilech when he murthered threescore and eight of his brethren these be the firebrandes of the Pope and the two edged sword of Tyrauntes If they bee instruments of anie goodnesse their trauell is not of zeale if they bee vsed in anie mischiefe they outrage without pitie people farre more accursed then Pagans for they hold a kinde of religion and by the working of nature deale charitablie with their neighbours But the reprobate Atheists contemne all religion feare no God and although they faine to please all men yet they trulie loue not their owne kindred for bee it to depose their Soueraigne to spoile their Countrie and to murther their dearest friendes if they see likelihood in thier Treasons they giue consent if hope of aduauncement they first set hand to their sword But you monsters of humanitie that are drunken with the strength of your owne wittes and are bewitched with the hopefull successe of your pollicies esteeme it for sound counsaile that I giue you to vnderstande that the eternal God whom you neither feare loue nor do acknowledge seeth all your wicked pollicies in his vengeance and frustrateth them with his mercie he searcheth the reines and heartes and will giue to euerie man according to his works If you dig a pit to burie the innocent looke to fall into it your selues if you rayse a gallowes to hang them be you sure that you shall suffer thereupon if you edge your sword to pearce their hearts trust to it your own intrailes will be the sheath thereof What you doe or would doe vnto them shal be done vnto you Hamon set vp a payre of gallowes to hang Mardocheus the Iew and he and his tenne sonnes did die thereon The false Iudges that sought the life of chast Susanna were themselues stoned to death Adonibezek that had cut off the thombes and great toes of thrée score and tenne kings had fedde them with Crombes vnder his table being taken in battaile by Iuda chiefe of the Army of the Israelites had his own hands toes cut off who confessing that God had done by him as he did by others miserably died If you Atheists regard not these examples in scriptures because you studie not the sacred Bible looke into the examples of prophane Cronacles and histories of time from whence you fetch you pollicies and cunning experiments and you shall sée in all ages howe God returned the mischiefes of the wicked into their owne bowels Diomede fedde his horses with the flesh of men and Hercules made Diomede foode for his owne Horses Arnutius Peterculus hearing that the tyrant Amylius offered great rewards to him that coulde deuise any new kind of torture presented the tyrant with a brasen horse that he had inuented Amilius iust in this cruelty made him first to suffer the pains which he had prepared for others The like was the rewarde of Perillus who presented the tyrant Phalaris with a Bul which being heate with fire with the outcrie of the poore patients woulde bellowe like a Bull. Apius Claudius called the prisons the proper houses of the poore people but he himselfe by the commaundement of the Tribune of the people was throwen into prison where hée died among théeues and murtherers The Emperour Caligula was a notable Atheist and woulde in his vngodly actions alwayes dispight the Gods but in the end as Sweronius testifieth hée durst not repose in the night he was so terrified with horrible visions and he that so boldly misprised the gods at the smallest lightning and clap of thunder would in the night hide himselfe vnder bedde and in the day in the most obscure corner in fine he was violentlie slaine by Chereus Cornelius Sabin and other theyr confederates Although the Heathen people worshipped not the true God yet he seuearely punished the contemners of theyr superstitious Religion not honoring any other Pausanius reporteth that in the Citie of Cabira in Boetia a mile distant from Thebes there was a Temple dedicated to Ceres into which all men were defended to enter saue the Cabirians it fell out that Mardonius one of Xerxes Captaines with his army entred to spoile the same of a greate quantitie of treasure but of the suddaine Mardonius and his companie were assailed with such madnesse as leaping from high mountaines clifts and rocks they all