everie Man doeth fill his own Spheare and everie Man's estate is a Kingdome to him-selfe Perseus that mightie King having beside him infinite Treasures and refusing to bestow some of them to Gentius a Neighbour-prince and others who offered to combate the Romanes in Italie he suffered them to over-throw him-selfe in his owne Countrey Darius cōmitted the lyke Errour with Alexander and Stephanus King of Bosna the lyke with Mabomet the second as I haue remembered before wee may prayse GOD that wee haue not such avaricious Kings What is it that good and naturall Subjects will not doe for the safetie of the Sacred Persons of their Kings Let bee of their Kingdomes vvhere-in wee haue our Portion and common Interesse with them We may reade in the Histories of France what domage that Countrey did sustaine for the liberation of their King Iohn taken by Edward the Blacke Prince of England at the Battell of Poiteou and of King Francis the first taken at the Battell of Pavie and in our owne Histories what our Predecessours did for the redemption of King David Bruce led Captiue in England and there detained eleven yeares Liberatus sayeth the Historie undecimo ex qu◠captus est anno numeratis quingentis millibus Mercarum Sterlingarum in presenti moneta Hee was redeemed vpon payment of fiue hundreth thousand Marks Sterling in argent contant A thing most admirable the scarcitie of Moneyes in those dayes considered If a Physition should cōmand vs in time of a dangerous Sicknesse to take a little Blood for preservation of the whole Bodie wee should bee glad to obey him why not by the like reason when our King who cureth and careth for the Bodie of the Common-wealth doeth command vs to bestow some of our Goods for safetie of our whole Estate ought wee not to obey if wee were versed in the French Annals to know what innumerable spoile of Goods was there before the Spanyards could bee pyked out of the Nests which they did build vpon their Coasts and with-in their Bowels wee would bee content to spende to our Shirt as it is saide before they should plant their Tents amongst vs. I haue alreadie told you how they are of Melancholious and fixed Mindes not easilie raysed or remooved where once they are set downe where-of wee see the present experience into the Palatinate To take and then to giue backe againe is not the way of their Designe to vniversall Empyre over their Neighbours If anie would object that the Palatinate is detayned for Reparation of the Wrongs and Injuries done in Bohemia hee hath little skill in the Effaires of the VVorld for why these might haue bene long since composed or redressed but it is done to facilitate their Conquest in Germanie to enclose the Nether-Landes from Succourse of their Friendes there and to open a Gate into England by length of Tyme vvhen they shall finde the Occasion fitting So that if the Kings of Great Britane and France together with their Confederates of Germanie the Netber-Lands doe not joyne their Forces to banish them tymouslie from the Palatinate as the Romanes did the Carthagenians from Sicilia vvhich I did note in the beginning here-of doubtlesse they vvill bee vpon their owne Neckes at the length There vvas a great Intervale of Tyme betwixt the first and second Warres of the Romanes against the Carthagenians and yet the last did come to passe and there-with the vtter over-throw of the Carthagenian State And here I must recount a thing vvhich I haue often called to mynde since His Majesties comming from Spayne and that the Treatie of his Marriage did there expyre how I my selfe the yeare of their Pacification vvith Holland beeing in the Towne of Brussels in familiar discourse touching our late Soveraigne his cōming to the Crowne of England vvith a Scottish Gentle-man of a fine Wit Experience In-sight in the Spanish Designes and vvho had beene long tyme a Coronell and Counsellor of Warre amongst them Coronell Semple hee sayd to me That al-be-it King Iames vvas an aged wise Prince vvho had providently practized his peaceable Entrie to England that yet he vvas much beholden to that Tyme so fortunate as it vvas for him vvhen Spayne being so broken vvith longsome VVarres had al-most begged their Peace frō Holland And how-so-ever sayd he your King may be free of vs during his lyfe yet if ye shall surviue him ye shall see no more Peace betwixt England and Spayne adding vvith-all this Speach Laus non solum hominum est sed etiam temporum Where-vnto I did answere that by these it seemed that the Spanyard intended to conquer England Then he rehearsed to me the manie notable Injuries done to them by the English Nation by their prowde and fascuous ejection of King Philip before the death of Marie by their fostering of their Rebels in Flanders by their protection of Don Antonio King of Portugall and ayding of him vvith Sea Armies but namelie by their ordinarie Sea Rapines and insolent Navigation vvithout the controlling and coercing vvhere-of Spayne could not be in so good Case as vvas hoped for to be in progresse of Tyme And in the ende hee did subjoyne thus farre If your Catholicke Noble-men of Scotland with whom my selfe sayd he did negotiate from Spayne had bene wyse and constant your Countrey might haue bene long before now in a twentie-folde more happie Condition vnder the Dominion of Spayne than ever it can be vnder the Crowne of England the Yoake of whose Servitude and Tyrannie shall questionlesse become intollerable to you so soone as that King shall be gone who doeth so well know you for why by reason of their Vicinitie and nearnesse vnto you they shall be ever preassing to draw great Rents from you into England which cannot fayle to impoverish your Countrey where-as by the contrarie the Spanyard should not only spend it amongst your selues but should also yearlie send in great summes of Money to you according as he doeth here in Flanders in his other Provinces This Storie did I after my returning to London relate to His Majestie who is nowe with GOD and who having heard it did answere me That Semple was an olde Traytor and dangerous companie for his Subjects which went beyond the Seas Thus the Spanyardes know not when the Fish will swimme but they doe keepe their Tydes diligentlie and haue their Nets hung in all Mens Waters so that if anie of vs would thinke that the present Quarrell against Spayne is more sibbe to the King our Soveraigne than to vs by reason of the Palatinate it were absurd ignorance also For first granting it vvere so yet there can bee no Separation betwixt the Head and the Members whome GOD and Nature haue knit together there is none can loose Next agayne it is well knowne that our late King of blessed memorie could haue gotten to marrie his onlie Daughter greater and the greatest of Christian Princes if it
vnderstand more of it he may finde a Treatise done at large on that subject by Reginaldus Consalvus Montanus De Artibus Sanctae Inquisitionis Hispanicae one who hath for manie Yeares knowne and behelde it with his Eyes The next thing that King Philip went about was the joyning of Portugall to the other Kingdomes of Spayne alreadie in his Possession and there-by to make the Bodie of that Monarchie perfect and entire and finding nothing that could serue him for pretext or colour to moue open Warres the King there-of Don Sebestian being his neare Cosin of one Religion free from anie Controversies with him for Dominion and knowing the saide Sebestian to haue a Kinglie and cowragious Mynde with-all hardie and temerarious hee did corrupt and suborne some of his chiefest Favorites to puisse him to the enlarging of his Conquests in Africke against the Moores where-of his Predecessours had alreadie layde so good Foundations and for his easier inducement there-to hee did promise him large ayde both of Souldiours of Money And when Don Sebestian had embarked himselfe for Africke and did expect the arrivall of the promised Succours hee found nothing but Letters of new expectation while in the meane time Philip did practise by Claudestine meanes both discontentment and Mutinie with-in his owne Armies and Treyes with the Barbarian Kings against whom hee went Where-vpon ensued the overthrow and death of the saide Prince without Children in that Battell which hee fought against the Kings of Fesse and Moroco after the which the Portugals did receiue the next lawfull Heyre to their Crowne Don Antonio whom the saide Philip did eject by open Warre and Violence and forced the Subjects to declare himselfe righteous Successour of that Kingdome by his Mother Then hee perceiving that King Henrie the third of France did sende a Sea-Armie to Portugall in favours of Don Antonio hee resolved to stirre vp and kindle a civill Warre in France that might constraine them to forbeare the farther assaulting of his new Conquest in Portugall and by a publicke deliberation with his Counsell in the Citie of Tison Anno 1577 hee layde the grounds of that Confederacie called The Holie League which did almost reduce in Ashes that auncient and flowrishing Kingdome of France And to that effect sent thither secret Practises with 200000 Crownes to draw and assure to his Course the chiefest of the Nobilitie and Gentrie Catholicke which did succeede well enough to his Mynde and to the great Dangers and Disasters of all the Neighbour-States of Europe as the Stories doe at length record And then that those who were enraged by him to Armes should not want an Enemie on whō they might consume thē-selues he sent also to negotiate privatelie with King Henrie the fourth of France being then styled King Of Navarre and Head of the Protestant Faction in France offering to marrie the saide King's Sister whose Children to Philip should succeede to the Kingdome of Navarre with the Yles of Majorque Minorque and Sardinia also that the saide King of Navarre should haue in marriage the Infanta of Spayne eldest Daughter of Philip with condition to bee established King of Guyene at the adventure and charges of Philip and with-all should haue the Right and Possession of the Duchte Milan with a present advancement of 200000 Crownes for the provision of Forces competent against his Enemies of the League Who doeth not see by these the insatiable thirst of wicked Ambition after the Blood of their Neighbours never an hungrie Beare did hunt more fiercelie for to fill his Panches than hee was enraged for the Conquest of France But the saide King of Navarre guided by a better Spirit did refuse all these Ouvertures as treacherous and tending to the dissipation of France with-in it selfe that it should bee more open and obnoxious for the Spanish invasion And by his refusall hee layde the first Stone where-vpon there-after hee did builde his reconciliation with as manie Papists as were true hearted French-men and his Peace with his Predecessour King Henrie the third to whom hee did impart all these secret practises Anno 1583 and who permitted him to assemble the whole Reformed Churches of France at Montaban the yeare there-after for tryall and punishment of the Negotiators of the same For by this tyme the sayd King Henrie the third was begun with bitter Griefe and Repentance to acknowledge his Errour in retiring his Forces from Portugall which he was forced to doe by the furie and hote persecution of the Leaguars And the yeare 1589 he did send Ambassadours to the Queene of England who was alreadie engaged to the protection of Don Antonio to treat with her that shee would sende him backe to Portugall with a Sea-Armie promising for him-selfe to joyne there-vnto 5000 Men never-the-lesse that hee was then mightilie agitated with the manie Forces of the League and that the hottest Flames thereof did burne about his Eares having even then surprysed the lyues of the Duke and Cardinall of Guyse at Blois This was easilie obtained of the saide Queene who perceiving well that there was no other way to free her owne Countreyes the Spanish Armie having threatned her Coasts the yeare before nor to liberate her Confederates of France and the Netherlands from the Tyrannie and Oppression of Spayne but by making VVarres to him in Spaine shee did set foorth with Don Antonio an Armie for Portugall vnder two Generals the Lord Noris for the Land and Darke for the Seas together with the Earle of Essex But nothing of importance was performed by that Armie the Causes where-of are diverslie agitated and alleadged the English Historie affirming that their Generals then had no warrand to make Warre except that they had seene an vniversall Revolt of the Portugals from the Spaniard to Don Antonio their King where-of say they there was no appearance But Antonio Peres in his Treatise to the French King vpon that Subject doeth impute the Causes to Mislucke and Misgovernament the Lingering and Longsomnesse of the Voyage their lying manie dayes at Plimmouth and manie at the Groine where-by the Enemie had too much leasure to fortifie him-selfe a mortalitie of their People where-of their best Canoniers and other Souldiours died the want of Horses and Wagons for transportation from the coast of Lisbone so that they were forced to quite great part of their Armes and in place there-of carrie Bottels of VVyne and other things for their mayntaynance The distraction of the Sea-Generall Drake from the Land-Generall who when hee should haue entered the Port of Lisbone finding a Fleet of Easterlings to passe by him hee set him-selfe to the hazard of that Prey neglecting al-together the Enterpryse against Lisbone About the which when the Land-Armie did lye in siedge there was a great confluence as hee sayth of the Portugals to Don Antonio but by reason they were addressed in base and course Apparell they were esteemed by the English to bee but Commons and
great Consequence with Candor and Sinceritie I finde that Men of great experience for Warre doe holde opinion contrarie to this beeing of the mynde of King Francis the first who saide that longsome VVarres and small Armies served rather to exercise Men in the Artes Militarie than to daunt the Enemie and that without grosse Armies and quicke dispatch it was not possible to compasse great Enterpryses saying with-all that the Maintainance of small Armies and longsome VVarres was much more chargeable than the other They tell vs that the Empyre of the Turke beginneth to decline for his Pretermission of two thinges which his Predecessours did obserue and follow One that hee goeth not in person to bee over his Armies as they did another that they are not so numerous and grosse as they had them and that light exploits and often leading of small Armies to and froe doeth but teach the Milice to his Enemies and spoyle his owne Countreyes thorow vvhich his Souldiours so frequentlie doe passe Where-of they giue vs this Example Amurat the third kept vnder the commandement of his Bussaes a lingering VVarre of more than twelue Yeares employing not verie great Armies against the Persian vvhere-by al-be-it hee conquered great partes of his Countreyes yet vvere his Losses knowne to bee greater because hee spended the Flowre of his Forces of young Souldiours and lustie Horses 200000 Horses and more than 500000 Men from the beginning to the ende and made desolate the Countreyes that hee tooke in so farre that Osman Bassa alone besides what vvas done by others did cast to the ground and burne 100000 Houses besides that the Persians their Enemies during that great length of tyme did become more skilfull Warriours than themselues The Spanish Warres against Holland Zealand and Friezland haue vvrought the same Effects Agesilaus King of Lacedemonia in his longsome Warres against the Thebaus having one day received a dangerous Blow in his Person was tolde by one of his Friends that hee deserved vvell to haue it because hee had taught his Enemies to bee good Souldiours I confesse indeede that in this point of teaching the Arte Militarie to Enemies vvee can lose nothing beeing rather to learne from them but whether the employing of small or grosie Armies against them shall bee most hurtfull to them before vvee say to that wee must consider vvhat parts of his Dominions doe lye most open for our Invasion and most easilie and profitablie brooked for I take it also as granted that as there must bee Warres so they must bee with-out our Countrey and into that of the Enemie Never an actiue Prince was knowne to looke on vntill the Enemie should bee seene with-in his Bowels There be thousands of Examples of Ignorants who by so doing haue cast away their Kingdome from them-selues Antiochus Persius Iuba Ptolome the last of Aegypt Darius some of the French Kings as King Iohn taken vvith-in his owne Countreyes by Edward the Blacke Prince of England And for this cause Philip of France called the Conquerer vnderstanding that the Emperour Otho the second and the King of England were to assault his Kingdome hee fortified sundrie strong places and led his Armie without the Frontiers vvhere hee did combate and defeat them Wee reade in our Scottish Histories how frequentlie Armies haue bene convoyed beyond our Marches to find the Enemie before he should enter amongst vs. So long as a Countrey is free from open Hostilitie as long it doeth not feele extreame Calamitie sayeth Scipiâ— Afric for putting of Armies into Africke Plus animi est inferenti periculum quam propulsanti ad hoc major ignotarum rerum est terror c. The Assaulters of anie Countrey must haue greater cowrage than the Defendants who having moâ— things and more deare in perill their Houses their Ritâ—â—es VVyues and Children are more taken with feare besides being with-in the Enemies Countrey yee doe discover all his weaknesses whylst your strength and possibilities the more they bee vnknowne to him they doe the more encrease his terrour But to speake of places in generall most proper for this VVarre there is none more honourable than the Palatinate al-be-it most difficill to come vnto by reason of remotenesse from the Sea without the restitution where-of there can remaine no credite with the parties and Princes of the League I heard a Scottish Captaine of good experience in those Countreyes latelie say to mee that it was impossible to recover the Palatinate but by Sea Advantages over the Spanyard because it was so farre remooved from Friends and I did aske him how the late Prince of Parma did leade 10000 Men to Paris in the Teeth of a mightie King amidst his Armies hee answered mee that those were carried as in Trenches and the way was easie without impediment of Mountaines or Rivers Againe I demanded how did the Christian Kings ancientlie of England Scotland and France convoy their Armies to the holie VVarres of Hierusalem and most part over Land or how Alexander the Great an Armie of with-in 40000 from Macedon to the Easterne Occean and did subjugate all the Nations by the way or how Iulius Caesar a smaller by the one halfe from the occident of France to Pharsalia in Greece or Hanniball from Carthage by the way of Spaine and France thorow so manie alpestiere and precipitious Mountaines even to Naples and brooked Italie fifteene Yeares Although themselues were excellent and incomparable Captaines and of extravagant Fortunes yet their Souldiours appearinglie haue beene but such Men as doe yet liue in the VVorld the difference and ods of Tymes excepted for softnesse and Delicacie in some and contemplation and loue of Letters in others haue so daunted and as it were emasculate the cowrage of Men who now are that none is able to endure that austeritie and hardnesse of living with Hanniball him-selfe let bee his Souldiours The next Fielde fitting for this VVarre is that which were most easie to come vnto and likelie to bring the Businesse to a short and prosperous Ende and this is the Countrey of VVest Flanders if this fatall Iealousie of Neighbour-Princes which hath beene so manie tymes contrarious to the best Designes and Enterpryses of Christendome did not heere with-stand that is to say if the French King did not call to mynde how that was the Port where-at ancientlie the English did so often enter to trouble his Predecessours It is a wonderfull thing if Kings so nearelie allyed and so nearelie touched by one Common Danger cannot bee assured from mutuall Iealousies in the meane tyme Nulla fides regni sociis Therefore leaving that to the Event which GOD shall grant I will speake of putting Armies into Spayne by Sea wherevnto it may bee yee will object the small Successes now of a second Navigation of the English to Portugall and that His Majestie had better kept his Navie at home Careat successibus opto quisquis ab eventu facta not and a putet
I answere to you that Counsels and Designes are not to bee weighed from the Event that was so good a purpose as in my judgement will not yet be left But yee will say Wee haue wakened the sleeping Dog and made spoyle of our best Occasion I confesse that is more considerable than anie losse and yet who doubteth for the Dog but hee was a-wake before Diabolus non dormit How can he sleepe that lyeth in Ambush for all the World As touching the credite of the Enterpryse it is so farre from bringing vnder question the Reputation of our Soveraigne that by the contrarie both that and his personall going to Spaine are things where-of wee should rejoyce as being infallible Arguments of his Royall Magnanimitie and Preambles of much greater things King Philip of Macedon being brought for the first time to see the noble Horse Bucephalus commanded his best Horse-man to ryde him which when hee could not doe by reason of his fiercenesse the King did set another to him and the third who in lyke manner did not suffice vntill at length Alexander his Sonne being but a young Stripling did adventure him-selfe to it and did performe it which when his Father behelde shedding Teâ—res for joy hee apprehended there-by the greatnesse of his Spirit saying that Greece was too small for him Where such Sparkles breake foorth before the Fyre of a young Prince his cowrage bee well kindled it is like enough once to spreade manie Flames abroad Yea I will say farther that the successe of that Businesse went better than if it had beene to our Wishes for that it is not good that Fortune should bee too indulgent to the beginninges of a young King or should lay the Reignes vpon his Necke but rather that he runne his first Cariers with a borne head to the ende that hee may learne the wayes of true Wisdome and Fore-sightfulnesse in Matters of greater Consequence The ancient Theologues amongst the Gentiles did never introduce their Goddesse Fortune in the Counsell of the Gods There is nothing that doeth more rectifie the judgement to Action than Experience where-of one Tricke in our Youthhead is more worth to vs than twentie in our Age. Besides that wee are certainlie but ignorant to thinke that great things can bee gone about or compassed but by adventuring somethings also of the lyke kynde but lest wee bee anie way discowraged by those two fruitlesse Voyages of the English to Portugall wee may reade in the Stories how that Nation ancientlie hath beene no lesse victorious in Spaine than in France al-be-it not so often because they were olde and long Inheriters and Inhabiters of diverse parts of France Edmund called De Langley Duke of Yorke and Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Langcaster both Sonnes of Edward the third King of England having obtained diverse glorious Victories against the Castilians in favours of the Kinges of Portugall sought to bee ejected by the saide Castilians not-the-lesse where-of they did at length marrie the two Daughters of Peter King of Castile who dying without other Children the saide Iohn of Gaunt who was married to the eldest did stile him-selfe King of Castile and passe from Gascoigne then being vnder the English Dominion into Castile with 8000 Footmen 2000 Horse where he did quickly make himselfe Master almost of the whole Countrey but partlie by Famine then in Castile and secondlie because of new Troubles betwixt the English and French then in Gascoigne and thirdlie by reason of hote Broyles in England which was likelie to cut him from succourse of his Friends hee did transact with most honourable and advantagious conditions even at his owne option that his onelie Daughter and Chylde should marrie the eldest Sonne of the Castilian King that him-selfe should haue the present Possession and profites of foure chiefe Townes of Castile with sixtie hundreth thousand Frankes in Argent Content to defray his Charges and fourtie thousand Franks of yearlie Rent What then shall wee thinke but the English who are the naturall Off-spring of those generose Stockes haue also braue Mindes and aboundance of Cowrage to invade by way of just and necessarie VVarre their olde and sworne Enemies of Castile if they were once set on edge after this long Intervale of Peace Haue they not all the whyle bene exclayming agaynst the dayes of Peace And was it not much for a pacificke King to contayne them Did they not yearne after the Spanyard as Hounds long kept vp after Hares And may we not hope that Armies which bee not verie grosse well disciplined vvell armed and vvell mayntayned can doe great thinges in Portugall being of so easie accesse and recept when wee reade of Scanderbeg or of the late Prince of Transylvania or in our owne Annals of VVilliam VVallace what Miracles were done by small numbers against worlds of Men It is the LORD who stirreth vp the Heart to persecute Pryde and punish Tyrants it is Hee who doeth deliver into the Hands of Israel their mightie Enemies 2000 Men that Charles the eight of France gaue to his Cosin Henrie Earle of Richmond were sufficient for him to passe into England and giue Battell to Richard the third the Tyrant and to slay him The Kingdome of Spaine was once alreadie as I haue related taken from Roderico a licentious Prince by 12000 Moores But to returne to the particular Navarre or Portugall shall bee the first Revolters from Spayne when-so-ever the tyme shall come where-in GOD hath appoynted to dissipate that Empyre there shall the Stone bee first moved which rolling along shall bruise and breake the Hornes there-of Portugall must bee the chiefe Port of our Hopes in Spayne The World holdeth that His Majestie of Great Britane and the Hollanders his protected Confederates haue more Shipping than will command the whole Occean let bee to get footing in Portugall or to stop the Trafficke of the West Indees And if wee would make a likelie Conjecture what they are able to doe in Portugall let vs but call to mynde what great Conquests were made by the Portugals them-selues with no great numbers of Ships as is showne in the former part of this Discourse There bee manie yet alyue who know that when those few of England and Holland did last invade and tooke the Towne of Cales King Philip did presentlie sende for his Galleyes of Naples and Sicilia and would haue borrowed from Genua and Malta hee called his Forces out of Britanie and had beene compelled to call Home all that hee had anie where if the English had remayned longer It is greatlie to bee marveled why the Ritches of the VVest Indees should not before now haue allured both English Flemmings and others who are powerfull by Sea those beeing the Treasures that doe fortifie and assure the Spanish Tyrannie The Romanes and Carthagenians when they began to flowrish and to haue mutuall Iealousies fore-seeing that Sicilia beeing a Store-House of fyne Cornes and People was
of Christendome haue beene so Blinde-folded or Hood-winked that they could not perceiue the Fearfull Encrease of the Church Rents and Ritches with the Pernicious Evils bred and brought in with them vnto the time that things were past remedie almost and that the Church had nearlie devoured the State in everie part We reade in the Histories that before the Separation of the Church of Rome made by LUTHER tryall being taken and Explorations by Kings and States who began to bee jealous of the Church Ritches it was found that through all the Christian Countreyes of Europe the hundreth part of the People did possesse the tenth part of the Revenewes of all at least aboue the Fisque of Testaments of Lands and Mooueables largelie legaced to them Wee finde againe in the French Wryters that the Yeare 1513 the like Search beeing curiouslie made in France it was proved that the whole Rents and Emoluments of that Countrey being set to twelue parts the Ecclesiasticall Persons did possesse seaven there-of there being found by this Disquisition with-in the Provinces of France 12 Archbishoprickes 104 Bishopricks â—40 Abbayes 27400 Curiesâ— and danger to haue beene hudge manie moe Curies if Pope Iohn the twentie two had not abolished the Decreet of Pope Nicolaus who permitted that all Mendicant Religious should enjoy the Fruits of Lands left to them by Laicke Persons the propertie of the Land being sayde to belong to the Popes them-selues An impudent Subtiltie to cover the Violation of the Mendicant his oath of Povertie seeing as the Law sayeth The Proprietie is vnprofitable to one where the Vsu-fruit is perpetuall to another So that Kings and States perceiving that if this kind of Claudestine Purchase of the Church and the daylie growing of her Ritches were not interrupted their People Territories would by tyme be stollen away They begaÌ„ everie-where almost to intercept it King Edward the first of England prohibited by a Law that anie Church-Man should conquish Lands or succeed to Legacies King Henrie the eight tooke from the Church King Charles the fift of Spayne made the lyke Prohibition to the former in the Low-Countreyes agaynst Church-Conquishes and Legacies And at this day the Venetians besides the Exterminion of the Iesuites haue done the same and so haue Florence and other Princes of Italiâ— done the lyke Otherwise it had come to passe with-in few Yeares that whole Italie had bene as one Closter But wee are not to bee jealous of this point here our Church is plagued with the contrarie Extreame Comming now according to the Order proposed in the beginning of this Treatise to speake of our Conceived Feares for the Reformation intended of Tythes first it is a Question of Theologie and I am no Doctor there next it belongeth but per accidens to this Purpose lastlie it is a Subject vnplausable to treat of in this Tyme by anie who would speake vprightlie But as Sainct Iohn sayeth The Trueth shall make thee Free I shall neede no other Apologie but to follow the Veritie in that I meane to write where-of I shall make no long Discourse which were both impertinent and vnnecessarie in a thing so current well vnderstood alreadie and so largelie learnedlie written of by manie both Scottish English but restraining my selfe to two or three Circumstances where-of some haue not beene remarked by anie that I haue yet read vpon this Argument The Originall Mention of Tythes in the Scripture by the Practise of AbrahaÌ„ in Genesisâ— The devoting of theÌ„ by GOD'S own Mouth to Moses in Leviticus the End Vse of theÌ„ in Deuternomie And the ExecratioÌ„ Cursing of things once devoted made sacred by GOD Himselfe in Numbers in Ioshua are Texts so cleare indisputable that at least for the tyme of the Law no Man doth questioÌ„ All that we goe about who be Opponents to Evangelicall Decimation is to enforce that Tenthes were ceremoniall in the Mosaicke ending with Consummatum est and haue no warrand in the Gospell where CHRIST in two places only doth speak of Tythes of the Mint and Annise These ought yee to haue done and not omit the other And againe in Luke comparing betwixt the Publicane and Pharisee who vaunted of the just Payment of his Tenthes CHRIST did blame onlie his Ostentation not his Payment of the Tenthes To both which Places wee make this Answere That at that time the Ceremoniall Law was in full strength and aye vntill Consummatuâ—â—est And for that respect CHRIST did suffer the Payment of Teâ—â—es And wee say Seeing CHRIST hath changed both the Priesthood and the Law and supplied their Rowmes and hath given no Order for the Church Revenewes of Tenthes therfore he hath abolished the same Againe CHRIST about the sending foorth of His Apostles and speaking of their Mayntaynance Matth. 10. Provide neither Silver nor Golde in your Purses for the Worke-man is worthie of his Meat Here he maketh no MeÌ„tion at all of Tenthes as the Place did require in Case the Tenthes had bene due to the Church Thus wee cast it over to the Apostles and there wee doe also pretend the same Argument That where Sainct Paul 1. Cor. 9. doth pleade at large for Mayntaynance he keepeth him-selfe vpon Generall Termes without anie Mention of Tenthes who feedeth a Flocke doeth not eate of the Milke thereof If we haue sowne Spirituall things to you is it a great thing if we reape your carnall thinges Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne. And so we say albeit CHRIST and His Apostles haue allowed Livinges for Preachers yea let theÌ„ bee never so ample yet they haue not tyed vs to a nuÌ„ber wherevnto the Answeres are made that Sainct Paul in the same Chapter hath included the Tenthes by the Generall in these wordes Hee that ministreth about holie thinges must liue of the Temple and the Wayters on the Altar on the thinges thereof That by the things of the Temple and the Altar are signified the Tenthes albeit hee did not expresse it in regarde they vvere then in the Hands of the Pharisees and could not be challenged nor gotten by Law by Private and Poore Men as the Apostles were but contrarie should haue increased the Malice of the Iewes agaynst them in Case they had beene sought Farther we studie to proue that Tythes were Ceremoniall First by reasoÌ„ of an Absolute Only Place whervnto they were broght to Hierusalem Secondly because of the Number whereby speciallie we contend to exclude the Moralitie of Tenths astrict them to a Ceremonie seeing Naturall ReasoÌ„ would as wel alow the Eleventh as the Tenth Portion or the Twelft rather because the Levites were one of the xij Tribes And lastly for their Employment at HierusaleÌ„ as we haue it Deut. 14. If the way be long that thou art not able to carrie thy Tenthes where the Lord hath chosen to set His Name then thou shalt turne
those thinges from Merchands to the Coyning-house with strict Penall Statutes against any more of that kynde for Apparell Which things when I consider they giue mee Boldnesse to say That His Majestie our Soveraigne should doe well to ordaine all the vncoyned Golde and Silver in Scotland to bee brought in and stamped in Current Money It is in the Hands of Noble-men Barons and Burgesses who can lose nothing by it but by the Contrarie gaine for even they them-selues in the meane time doe more delight to bee served in Glasse which of it selfe is as Civill and more Pure for that Vse And lest our Noble-men should thinke it Dishonourable to bee emptied of Ritch Cup-boards I will show how this sort of Thirst hath beene followed by great Personages without Indignitie Scipio Afric when hee died did leaue no more Silver Plate and Coyne both to his Heire than amounted to 32 pound weight and yet when hee roade in Triumph for the Subjugation of Carthage he did ostent publicklie and placed in the Exchecquer of the State an incredible Summe that hee obtained of the Conquered Quater millies quadringena septuagena millia pondo sayeth Plinius foure thousand foure hundreth and seaventie pound weight a thousand times counted About the same time as the same Author wryteth their best and most ancient Captaines were degraded for having fyne pound weight of Silver Plate to serue them at Table King Ferdinandus of Spaine called Magno having wholly exhausted both his Treasures his Credite in making loÌ„gsome Wars against the Infidels in Valenza Toledo for want of readie Meanes in daÌ„ger to be oppressed by those Barbarians his Wyfe a Ladie of an excelleÌ„t Spirit did put to Port Sale not onlie al her Gold Silver Plate and precious Iewels but also all her best Furniture of her Palaces yea and the richest Pieces of her bodilie Apparrell vvhereby she did furnish her Husband in such sort that he prevayled mightily over his Enemies and conquered their Cities with large Treasures and Commodities therein The French Storie showeth that King Charles the ninth did reduce vpon vrgent Necessitie his whole Golde and Silver Plate into Coyne I need not here object agaynst our selues the Simplicitie of Manners of our Antecessours and their Ignorance of such Prodigalities but lest wee should thinke it base and ignominious to follow them I will tell you how Plinius in his tyme did wryte thus Before our Grand-fathers no Senator did weare Gold Rings and in the remembrance of our Grand-fathers those who had the Office of the Pretorship in their olde age did weare Rings of Yron Of his owne tyme agayne sayd hee all thinges that the Worlde by Land or Sea could produce were become so familiar sought for at Rome that everie yeare it did cost the State to furnish a Voyagâ— into India fiftie Millions of Sesterses for which the Indians did send backe their Merchandize which were solde at Rome for an hundreth tymes as much as they were bought for So bent are People to precipitate swiftlie and in short tyme to Corruption and Insolence vvhere they once find themselues in the Way that leadeth into it Nowe supposing there were aboundance of Money in the Countrey there can bee nothing more pertinent to a Treatise of this kynd than for saving thereof to Publicke Necessarie and Vertuous Vses to propound a thing whereof wee haue great neede and which hath bene frequentlie practized by the best greatest Common-wealths in the tyme of Exigeâ—ice and Distresse for want of Coyne to preserybe Moderation both of Dyet and Apparrell often tymes done by the Romanes and frequentlie since by the French and Venetians and by tymes everie-where It is well knowne howe farre wee haue deboarded in this sort since our Conjunction with England and I finde in our Historie that the lyke Abuses did creepe in amongst our Predecessours from the same Countrey to the manifest Danger of the Common-wealth then and that it was at two severall tymes grievouslie and pâ—â—hilie resented by the Counsel of Scotland to their Princes and Reformation vrged first vnder K. Malcolme the third whose Queene Margaret being English was attended with numbers of their Gentrie and much Introduction of Forraigne Manners Secondlie at the comming home of King Iames the first after manie yeares being in England by a notable Oration publicklie delivered to that ende by the Arch-Bishop of Sainct Andrewes for the time to which two Places I doe referre them who are curious to know how manie Wayes and how soone Prodigalitie and Ryot doe leade a State vnto Ruine And if wee would esteeme such Reformations to bee disagreeable with Noble and Generose Mynds it were to show the Povertie and Ignorance of our owne Mynde because in the Simplicitie of Manners and Moderation of Lyfe doeth consist all the Actiue Vertue of the Mightiest States there-vpon were Republicks founded Cities builded Lawes established Empyres extended the World conquered sayeth the same Author Plinius there was not a Baker knowne at Rome 580 yeares after her Plantation nor no Bread other than that which was driven out by Womens Hands lyke vnot the Cakes which are vsuall amongst our Commoners where-as in the ende that most puissant and invincible Empyre whome all the Nations of the Earth could not daunt was overthrowne by excessiue Prodigalitie of Lyfe as the Poet sayeth Nunc patimur longae pacis mala sevior armis Luxuria incubuit victumâ—que ulcâ—scitur orbem Finallie I will turne my Speach to You O Mightie King Orient Monarch of the Northerne World Successour of that Wise Salomon of Great Britane whose Heart so emptie of Ambition and Avarice The LORD His GOD did fill with the True Wisdome of Governament and did exalt Him as a new Pole-starre or Lanterne of Light to bee beheld a-farre and sought to by those who sayle into the Naufragious Seas of Southerne Darknesse The LORD indeede did employ Him as a SalomoÌ„ to the like Function of Building His TeÌ„ple for vnder Him was Poperie the Altars of Idolatrie casten down The Gospell planted in this Kingdome and the Church restored to the ancient Primitiue Governament That like vnto that solide Conjunction of the Tribes of Israel vnder SalomoÌ„ the Bodie of this whole Yle standeth firme and vnited and therefore would not GOD suffer Him to bee a Man of Warre nor those Hands to touch the Sword of Blood which he had concluded to vse to the Sacred worke of His Temple But Sir Your Majestie Hee hath chosen to be that David who should over-come and breake the mightie Enemies of his People I should be sorie to trouble Your Royall Eares with tedious Discourse yea if my shallow Wits could choose with one ydle Word I will but briefelie bring before Your Majestie some few of the Practises of Augustus Caesar whom all the Politicke Wryters and Histories since his Dayes haue set vp for a Perfect Examplar of Imitation to all the Actiue Princes of
AN ADVERTISEMENT To the Subjects of Scotland Of the fearfull Dangers threatned to Christian States And namely TO GREAT BRITANE by the Ambition of SPAYNE With a Contemplation of the truest Meanes to oppose it Also Diverse other TREATISES Touching the present estate of the KINGDOME of SCOTLAND Verie necessarie to bee knowne and considered in this Tyme CALLED The First Blast of the Trumpet WRITTEN by PETER HAY of NAVGHTON IN NORTH-BRITANE IN ABERDENE PRINTED BY EDWARD RABAN Cum Privilegio 1627. BON. ACCORD Insignia Vrbis abredonie TO THE MOST ROYALL AND MIGHTIE MONARCH CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITANE FRANCE and IRELAND Defender of the Fayth MOST Gracious and most Sacred Soveraigne This Tyme and This Subject doe joyne and meete so vvell together that it is novv if ever and in this if in anie thing that I dare be bolde expresse the desire I haue to doe service to Your Majestie and to my Countrey I vvish the occasion had not beene so faire for venting 〈◊〉 ambition but rather that it had lyen buried in my Breast and I my selfe had beene vnknovvne of Your Majestîe to my liues ende But GOD vvho putteth Marches to Peace and Warres and periods to Tyme and â—vho hath His apt and proper Instruments for everie disposition of Tyme HEE hath encouraged mee to offer to Your Majestie this Treatise as a necessarie and vsefull Inter-course of this Tyme I did stryue so much as I could to make it short but by reason of so manie Histories Discourses and Examples as vvere to bee pertinentlie and profitablie brought in I could not confyne it to a more narrovv Compend And yet vvhen Your Majestie shall consider it it vvill bee found minus mole quam facultate a great deale lighter in Paper than in Matter For vvhy It contayneth the large Extent and Misteries of the Spanish Ambition vvith a Contemplation of the truest Contrapoyse to bee made therevnto by Neighbour States Graue and Weightie Theorems indeede but vvhich fevv of them doe speculate so deeplie as neede vvere the greatest part beeing vvhollie carried to things sensible present and of nearest commoditie to them-selues in particular al-be-it it should import a manifest danger to their Common-peace and Prosperitie vvithout the care and curious mayntaynance vvhere-of neyther can anie one of Them flovvrish by it selfe nor yet the most flovvrishing long endure Farther SIR Heere are contayned diverse Purposes and Passages touching The present estate of this Kingdome of SCOTLAND most expedient for avvaking Your Majesties Subjects to looke to that vvhich the great exigence of this Tyme doeth require at their Handes together vvith a varietie of delicate Conceits verie fit to season both the Understanding and Humour of a young PRINCE and those not hatched in my Braynes but sought and sucked by me from the richest Hyues of Politicke Wits vvhich haue beene committed to Registers in anie Age gone Heere also is contayned A new Reason brought from the mysticall Theologie for the holinesse and perfection of the number 10 and vvhy GOD did choose it to be the Quotient of the Ecclesiasticke Goods in the Leviticall Churches So that if Your Majestie shall vouchsafe to reade it once I haue good hope that Ye shall doâ— it tvvise al-be-it I knovv that it is not Your Majesties Calling to cast over Bookes Tu regere imperio popul Rom. mem hae tibi erunt artes but such Bookes doe belong vnto that same Arte. Demetrius Phalereus did counsell King Proleme to buy all Bookes vvritten de regno imperioque eosque lectitaret quia inquit quae amici non audent Reges monere ea in ejusmodi libris descripta esse Alexander the Great did sleepe vvith Homer's Poësies vnder his head Iulius Caesar amidst the combustion of bloodie Warres did spende most part of nights in reading and vvryting Therefore SIR let it please Your Majestie to take paynes remembring hovve the same Homer vvhome that great Monarch did so affect and vvhome the Philosophs esteemed to be A source of humane Sciences hee hath left this Aphorisme for a King Non decet Principem solidam dormire noctem A Prince must not take a vvhole nights sleepe A thing vvell proved by that Arch-Prince for civill vvisdome Augustus vvho vvhyles at a certaine tyme hee could not rest in the night having his mynde loaden vvith anxieties and cares of the State hee sent for the pillovv of a knovvne Bancq-ruptier greatlie indebted vvho vvas reported to sleepe vvell GOD hath called Your Majestie vp in-to this Mountayne of Paynfull Governament not lyke vnto Helias vvho vvhyles hee vvent vp too much delyted vvith the pleasant vmbrage of the Iunopre Tree hee fell a-sleeping there-by But lyke to Moses to vvhome it vvas sayde Ascende in Montem esto ibi Upon vvhich vvordes Esto ibi another doeth vvell note Non dicitur venisse qui non steterit Wee doe not reade that Moses sleeped in that Voyage to the Mountayne It vvas a significant Hyerogliffe vvhich the Aegyptians had of a King Oculum cum Sceptro One Eye and one Scepter Shevving that Princes are to joyne Vigilance vvith Power and ought to haue Aquiline Eyes able to penetrate the hidden thinges of the Vulgar Valleyes belovve them Even as the Eagle doeth espy the Prey vnder him before him-selfe can bee perceived of Fowles Nazianzen speaking of Governament he sayeth it is Ars artium to rule a People And Seneca speaking of Man Nullum morosius animal nec majori arte tractandum There is not a more enorme and insolent Creature than Man nor vvhich is to bee managed vvith more cunning And as Plutarch sayeth That as Beasts can not bee guided nor commanded but by Men So Men cannot bee governed but by Him vvho is more than a Man and hath a great measure of Deitie into Him Certaynlie Your Majestie hath neede of Eyes vnder Wings as is sayde of the Spanish Cuttuio that Yee might flie abroade to explore the manners of Your Subjects and malice of Your Enemies to see that no Backe-doore bee left for those to enter at nor no Fielde commodious vvhere they may cover their insidious Nettes but that the vvhole Sea of Your Majesties Governament bee calme and peaceable vnderstanding hovv the Spanyard is skilfull to fish in drumblie Waters Hee can practise as vvell Protestants as Papists if hee finde them loose and vvavering Which particular Your Majestie vvill see examplified in this Treatise besides Testimonies of French Wryters vvhich might bee suspected of Partialitie and malicious detraction it is verefied by naturall Spaniards namelie Antonio Peres vvho vvas a chiefe Secretarie of Estate vnder Philip the second and vvhose Relation in some thinges touching the sayde King and Estate of Portugall I haue trusted and follovved for tvvo respects First Because none could haue knovvne those better and secondlie Because hee did handle the lyke Theame to this by vvay of shovving to King Henrie the fourth of France the necessitie of making Warres to Spayne Your Majestie knovveth that it
our Eyes a short way even to the beginning of Charls the fift the Grandsire of this present King there wee shall see the swift march of that Ambition so farre that if they had brooked that which they gripped since then they had matched the Romanes for dilatation of Empyre in the lyke tract of tyme. The generous Romanes did not found their Empyre vpon Oppression and Spoyle nor rayse it by Artes of Tyrannie They were a just and magnanin ious People concitate by GOD to deliver the Oppressed and purge the Worlde from prowde Tyrants to introduce Communitie of Conversation amongst Countreys Common Lawes of Iustice Civill Policie and Learning for the which sayeth one of the Fathers that GOD did favour their Empyre and the growing therâ—-of Donec eo tandem deventum esset sayth he ut sieret totus terrarum orbis quasi unum cultissimâ—m imperiirus That it came to passe that the whole Worlde was as a well manured Husbandrie or Fame of that Empyre Where by the contrarie these late Kings of Spayne haue not onelie interverted the moste laudable and vertuous Ambition begun and prosequuted manie yeeres by their Predecessours for plantation of Religion and Policie amongst the Insidels of Africke of the Levantine Indies and diverse Yles of the Mayne Occean but they haue turned vp-syde downe this Christian Ambition as fayre Lucifer did change himselfe into a Devill and haue converted the Edge there-of to the confusion of the fayrest Countreys of Europe so sufficientlie adorned with Pietie Iustice and Policie that they might haue beene called The Gemmes of the Worlde And if the Moneyes and Forces of Armes which haue beene spent to the sackage of these within an hundreth yeares gone had beene employed against Barbarians and Ignorants of GOD then the best part of Africke of the Easterne and Westerne â—dies might haue beene at this day vnder the peaceable Dominiâ— of that King and hee by that Conquest more justlie called a Catholicke King as may bee easilie vnderstoode by the Stories extant of the prosperous and happie beginninges of his Antecessours against the Infidels of those Nations vvhich because it doeth most clearlie paint out the vglie and odious Face of his detestable and execrable Ambition I thinke it not amisse to make a short Relation there-of out of their owne Histories About some more than 800 yeares by-gone Roderico a Christian King of the Gothes in Spayne having ravished and deflored the Daughter of the Earle Iuliano his owne Subject was casten out from his Kingdome slayne by Tariffio a Barbarian king brought from Africke by meanes of the sayde Iuliano for just revenge of the ignominie done to him Those Barbarians did possesse the whole Countrey few Cities excepted of Spayne with the vtter exterminion of the Gothicke Empyre and were begun to spreade them-selues over the Perenees when Pelagius sonne of the Duke of Biscaglia of vvhome is descended this present King of Spayne by succession not yet interrupted having a Sister of rare beautie in lyke sort violented and raped by a Cosin of this Barbarian King and beeing a great spirit full of Valour and Pietie both hee did plot some Stratagems for the revenge of this injurie where-in his cowrage and good fortune were so conspicuous that the Gothes now oppressed by the Barbarian servitude did comfort him to publicke Armes for restitution of their Christian Libertie where-in hee made so good progresse that they did elect and erect him to their Kingdome The Ravishment of the Daughter of Iuliano was the introduction of the Moores in Spayne and the dejection of the Gothicke Dominion The Rape of the Sister of Pelagius did procure the restitution of the same and the ejection of that Barbarian King There is not certainlie a Vyce which hath procured greater ruine to mightie Princes than this of raging and voluptuous Lust. Tyrannie hath throwne out manie from their Crownes but moe yet haue beene cast out by Immunditie Be-lyke as beeing a gâ—osse loâ—rde and sensuall Vice the LORD doth more punish it iâ— Princes than private men who are set vp aboue their People to spreade abroad the Rayes of their exemplarie Pietie and Vertue This Pelagius did spende the rest of his dayes against those Infidels whom hee swept out of diverse corners of that Countrey although they were so numerous at that tyme that there were found of them in one Battell in Aquitane 400000 which made the VVorld adore in a sort his Name because hee was the first Prince who with extraordinarie zeale did enterpryse holie and heroicke VVarres against those impious Barbarians who were begun to treade over all Christian People Vertuous beginnings if with length of tyme they grow to large extent of Prosperitie they are much honoured by after-comming Ages and great reason for why the Tree how tall soever it bee in the Fielde yet it was once all in the Seede This is the just Rewarde of Vertue past and the chiefe Spurre of that which is to come This Pelagius is most renowned in the Histories Buchanan amongst others in his Iure regni apud Scotos doeth introduce him for the Image of a most vertuous and temperate Prince The second of these Kings memorable in Histories was Ferdinando called Magno who no lesse than Pelagius to the glorie of GOD and his immortall fame did pacifie his Controversies with some Christian Neighbours to his great disadvantage to manage Warres against the Moores of whom hee over-threw and banished the King of Toledo and the King of Siviglia with all their People This Prince is so honoured by their Wryters for a wonderfull temperament that was in him of fiercenesse against the Barbarians and religious humilitie of carriage and conversation with his Subjects that they doe equall him vnto that perfect Cavalliere that Virgill descrybeth in the person of Aeneas For the third I will remember Ferdinando called Santo who did holilie bend him-selfe to cleanse the Countrey of Spayne from the remnant of that Vermine with such zeale and fervour that hee was noted thus to speake of the Ambition of Princes that in their Warres they had diverse ends some Vindication some Extention of Dominions some Glorie of the World and loue of Popular Ayre and all these sayde hee were vaine as David speaketh of them Periit memoria illorum cum sonitu Their mâ—morie passeth away with that same sound which doeth so much inveagle them for the tyme. Others sayde hee haue for the scope of their Warres Iustice and the Peace of People and these doe not willinglie moue Warres but for succouring of the Oppressed and extinction of Pryde and Tyrannie And lastlie others for propogation of the Fayth and that sayde hee is the top of all Glorie to bee purchased by Warres Although hee saide that seldome were Christian Princes happie in that sort to haue their designes in Warre simple and incommixed vvith Ambition Pride or Avarâ—ce vvhichâ— saide hee vvas the true reason vvhy Christian Empyres
to bee lamented eternallie that those Parricidies committed now in Spayne after the manner of the Mahumetane Superstition not as Crymes to bee repented but as Religious Traditions and Deeds of great Merite when the life of one Man or a few Men if it were of our Brethren or Children are taken and sacrificed for preservation of the publicke Tranquillitie both of Church and State chiefelie in great and Monarchicall Kingdomes where Religion doeth shoot out with a growing and flowrishing Empyre Alace is not this the Fyre of Moloch and the sacrificing of our Children to those bloodie and savage Gods This is a Fascination and stupiditie of the Mynde in the highest Degree And heere it is where that powerfull Circe of Superstition hath transformed those Kings reallie into Beastes that wittinglie and willinglie they haue cast off both Sence and as it were Shape of Humanitie that the greatest Vlysses of the World is not able by anie Oratorie to reclaime them In the meane-time it is a Case that doeth admonish Neighbour-Princes to bee of constant Pietie and Devotion towards GOD and their Domesticke Servants to bee vigilant and studious for the avoyding of that kinde of claudestine Dangers And O what great cause wee haue to render thankes to the MOST HIGH for that that our late Soveraigne of blessed memorie did escape the Insidiation and bloodie Knyfe of such Butchers hee who was the most conspicuous Marke whereat they did shoot and of whom their curious casters of Horosâ—ops and malignant Astrologues did so often prognosticate that his ende should not bee peaceable Fourthlle wee are to weigh the Strength and Soliditie of this great and growing Empyre to see if wee can explore and finde out anie Weaknesse Breach or Advantage to bee gained since they are our Capitall and mightie Enemies of whom it is not likelie that long wee shall bee fred Al-be-it it be true that it is not so much governed by the Sword as by Graue and Sage Councell which is never a whit diverted from their Plots and Purposes by the death of anie King where-in standeth no Question a chiefe point of the Firmnesse and Perpetuitie thereof Yet it cannot bee denyed that for aboundance of Money for militarie Discipline and for great numbers of good Souldiours which three bee as the Nerves Veines and grosse Bodie of the Warres they too farre exceede their Neighbours Alwayes for the first I say that the light of Reason sheweth mee that the greater Fortitude doeth aye consist in the greater Vnion Vis vnita fortior There is no perfect Strength but in GOD because there is nothing meerelie and simplie Vnike but GOD The Strength of Nature dependeth from her Compaction Vnion and Sympathie of her well-conjoyned Members This made Augustus to abandone and neglect the Longinque Provinces beyond Caucasus and Taurus and here in Great Britane by mayntaynance where-of they did receiue greater domage than could bee countervalued by anie Benefit to bee had there-fra in time of Peace saying that as there were two Defaultes that made the naturall Bodie imperfect that which was too small and vnder a proportion naturall and againe that which was aboue too big superstuous and vnwealdie called by the Physitions Plethera and Endeiat Even so it was in the Civill Bodie of the State and there-fore did hee recommend to his Successor the Limitation of the Empyre vnited and consolidated within the Marches of Euphrates Danubius and the Westerne Occean forbearing to haue more care of the most remote and disjoynted Provinces which did not other but teach the Discipline militare to barbarous Nations who were ignorant of it Where-vpon sayeth Tacitus Longa oblivio Britanniae etiam in pace consilium id Augustus vocavit maxime Tiberius Henrie King of Castile who died Anno 1217 without Children having two Sisters of whom the elder had beene married to Lewes the eight of France the youngest to Alphonsus King of Leon in Spaine The Castilians by publicke Parliament did declare the youngest to the Crowne of Castile albeit against their Law yet convenient in the nature of things sayde they seeing Castile and Leon were Cosines and easilie did incorporate they had one Language and Manners nothing different where-as France was naturallie divided from them by the Mounts Pirenees of diverse Languages and discrepant Manners thinges difficill to bee vnited vnder one King Of Examples of this kynde the Histories bee full of Princes and States who stryving to possesse thinges farre removed and dis-joyned from them and disconvenient in Nature albeit their Titles to them were just yet after manie yeares enjoying of theÌ„ with much Warre Trouble they haue bene in end forced to quite them being things altogether improfitable aâ— the English of Aquitane and Guyen the French of Naples the Venetians of Pisa and some Territories of Genua the Germane Emperour of some Cities in Italie of all which they haue nothing this day but the Burials of their Predecessours in which respect to returne to the purpose I may say of the Spanyard that it is not all Gold that glistereth his great Empyre is patched of things dismembred discommodious and disconvenient in Nature hee hath Navarre divided by the Pirenees in part and naturallie incorporate to the mightie Kingdome of France hee hath Milan divided by the Alpes Naples by both those and by the Apemmie too and both but members of the bodie of Italie Flaunders separated by interjection of France and Switzerland the Indees by the great Occean that if wee shall consider all the mightiest Monarkes wee shall finde none so weake and obnoxious in that behalfe so farre that it is more easie for France England Holland and Denmarke to put into Spaine 50000 Souldiours than for Spaine it selfe to transport thither from their owne Provinces 20000. Againe Kings are set aboue their People as the Sunne aboue the Earth and Seas who draweth vp the Moistures where-with hee doeth partlie feed his owne Flames and partlie converteth them in Raines to refresh the Seas and nowrish the Earth yet it is thought that hee beholdeth his Provinces often-times as Clowds without Raine hee draweth nothing from them but glorious and airie Titles of Ambition yea hee must goe search the Bellie of the Earth vnder another Hemispheare to sucke the Vapours that must entertaine them for if it were not by his Treasures of the Indees it is judged that hee were not able to brooke them The yeare of their last Pacification with Holland I did heare into Brusels by some of his entire Counsellours that since the first entrie of those VVarres hee had spended of his proper Fiances aboue the Rents of Flaunders 60 Millions I did heare about that same tyme at Naples and Milan by those of good intelligence in his Affaires that his whole Revenewes there were morgadged and that hee was greatlie indebted aboue and that hee was often-tymes so scarced of Moneyes that at Antwerpe Genuâ— and other Bankes hee did pay more than
thirtie for the hundreth which Inconveniences doe all result from this that his Provinces are not contiguous nor incorporate And yet it being so wee are not to vilipende our Enemies no even those Provinces doe bring notable increase to his Grandour they are as the Heads or Hearts of the Countreyes where they lye they are most fertile flowrishing and rich for themselues and vpon extraordinarie Necessities able to advance to him infinite summes of Money planted they are to the full with industrious People They are the Seminaries of his Milice which doe breede vnto him good store of wittie Counsellours skilfull Commanders and braue Souldiours And how-so-ever they yeelde nothing to his Coffers yet the Vice-rayes and Governours sent thither who commonlie are of his nearest Parentage they doe loade them-selues with Ritches by the Mechanicke Tyrannies that they are permitted to exercise and at the ende of their three yeares which is the period of their Reigne they doe returne to Spaine as clogged Bees with Honey to their Hyves which I confesse to bee of as great importance and profite to him as if those did come directlie to his owne Coffers for why a great Monarch hath not so good a Treasure as trafficable Countreyes and Subjects vertuous and full of VVealth for then doe Moneyes abound and People doe serue their Prince in Offiâ—es of Peace or VVarre with contentment and splendor both But if an avaritious Prince doe studie to collect and amasse Ritchâ—s to lay in store by too much pressing of his Subjectes then they are discowraged from their Trades the Fruites where-of they are not suffered to enjoy Vertue decayeth that should enritch the Countrey and the cowrage of Men fayleth when time of VVarre doeth come So that the best Politickes that haue beene holde that the Ritches of mightie Kings are not so much to bee esteemed by their Ordinarie Rents as by the Extraordinarie Meanes they haue to lift Moneyes vpon great necessitie of the which Meanes that Prince doeth robbe him-selfe who maketh his Subjects poore to fill his Coffers And they doe thinke that as ritch was Lewes the twelft of France whose yearlie Rent did not exceede one Million and an halfe as Francis the first vnder whom it arryved at three or Henrie the second who doubled that or yet the third who did multiplie it to ten Millions Those Provinces of Flaunders being courteouâ—â—e ruled by Charles the fift and by his Sonne Philip with more moderation after the returne of the Duke de Alva they are found in the Histories to haue advanced willinglâ—e to those two Kings in the space of nine Yeares twentie-three Millions of Crownes which made them to bee called the Northerne Indees of the saide Empyre and which they could not possiblie haue done if hee had lifted grosse yearlie Rents from them So that the Prince who doeth thus tender his People is saide to haue his Treasures more sure in the custodie of his Subjects than if they were collected to his Coffers For as they wryte hardlie can Treasures bee saved in the hands of Princes even in tyme of Peace by reason of so manie occasions as they embrace to disperse them to the splendor of their Courts their bountie to their Favorites publicke and popular showes employment of Ambassadours vpon light causes which perhaps had not beene taken notice of if the Coffers had beene emptie and such like or it may bee say they that aboundance of present Moneyes doeth a-wake Ambition and Pryde more than is expedient for their Prosperitie and quiet of their People And it is even a difficill thing of it selfe to keepe thinges that are much desired and of manie namelie hard to great Kinges vpon whose bountie so manie greedie and importune Suters doe depende and hing Difficilis magni custodia census Or if a temperate and prudent Prince can saue them from all these and leaue them to his Successour yet seldome doe we find in the Stories that they haue bene converted to anie happie vse Tiberius the Emperour left behind him 67 Millions and his Successour devoured them in one yeare Domitian and Antonius Caracalla did consume at their pleasures and ryot the Treasures of Vespasian and of Septimius Severus Cyrus left 50 Millions of golden Crownes his Enemie did carrie them Darius left 80 Millions Alexander the Great did spend them Sardanapalus left 40 to his Enemies Pope Iohn the 22 did leaue 33 Millions to the avarice of his Successours Nephewes and Favorites Stephen King of Bosna had his Skinne fleede from his Bodie by Mahomet the second because hee did not employ his Treasures to the safetie of him-selfe David as wee finde 1. Chron. last Chap. left behinde him 120 Millions which was the greatest Treasure ever heard of not to the arbitrement or appetites of his Successour but by the speciall appointment of GOD to the building of the Temple Farther wee may draw an Argument from an article of the Law of GOD Deut. 17 Where Kings are forbidden to multiplie Silver and Gold to them-selues either for taking away the occasions of Aggravations and Imposts on Subjects or of excessiue Prodigalitie of their Courts or Pryde of moving vnjust and vnlawfull Warres or to invite them to employ the superplus of their yearlie Rents to present workes of Pietie or Charitie or advancement of the Common-wealth one way or other Augustus did furnish great summes of Money to the People without Interesse sayeth Suetonius Quoties ex damnatorum bonis pecunia superflueret vsum ejus gratuitum iis qui cavere in duplum possent indulsit to those of meane and sober estate who were able to set Cautioners for the double of the principall And of the Emperour Alexander Severus sayeth Lampridius Foenus publicum trientarium exercuit pauperibus plerisque sine usuris pecunias dedit ad agros emendos â—eddendas paulatim de fructibus that is foure for the 100 to those of middle reasonable estate and to the Poore without Interesse And of Antoninus Pius Iulius Capitolinus doth affirme the same So that it hath beene thought by manie that Treasures reserved in the handes of Princes bee but like Cisterns and reserues of Water which may be soone exhausted by daylie taking from them because they haue no Fountaine and againe that the same being in the hands of the People exposed to daylie Exchange and Traffique is like vnto a running River whose source cannot bee dryed vp As Cornes doe not yeelde encrease that are locked in Gâ—rnels but the seede dispersed through the ground is the thing that doeth multiplie so are the Moneyes dispersed in popular Trades onelie fruitfull Neither doe I alleadge anie of these as if Kings and speciallie great ones must not haue Royall and Magnificke Rents for it is not possible for vs who bee private Subjects to know how manie necessarie occasions doe daylie occurre to them of great and vast Expenses neither must wee bee curious for that part That Princes are
everie way betwixt them and the Spanyard divided but by one Mountaine of the Pirenees and no other-wise Thus haue I discoursed on this last Point to let you see what great necessitie haue Princes who vvould make Warres to bee vvell provided of Moneyes vvhich because it doeth no lesse touch and concerne vs vvho bee Subjectes of this Kingdome than it doeth our Soveraigne King it shall bee verie expedient to treate some-what seriouslie of it as the weightiest Article wee haue to speake of That wee are bound to contribute to just and necessarie Warre vnder-taken by our Prince Pro aris focis not onelie our Goods but our Lyues it is a Position that no Man will contradict And to know that vvee of this Kingdome are most obliedged of anie People in the World not onelie to doe so but to accept the necessitie of so doing vvith much patience and thankfulnesse to GOD for the great Peace and Quietnesse vouchsafed on vs during a whole Age by-gone vvithout the smallest interruption which what an extraordinarie Blessing it is wee cannot vnderstand never having felt nor knowne the Afflictions of VVarre But if vvee shall set before our Eyes as Portracts of those Calamities the fearfull Naufrages of our Neighbours during the time of our Quyetnesse and the disastrous and sorrowfull Dayes of our owne Predecessours before our Times whilst this Yle remained disvnited and vnder discordant Kinges wee should not then forbeare to fall vpon our Faces and to adore that Bountie of the MOST HIGH who did reserue so happie Dayes for vs. As for our Neighbours wee haue so often heard the Thunders of their Troubles sounding in our Eares and as it were securelie standing vpon the Sâ—oare so often behelde the Spoiles of their Tempests that I neede not to particularize anie Examples of things that are so recent When those of that Noble Citie of Paris the Queene of all the Townes of the World were forced by this tyrannie of Spaine to nowrish them-selues with the bodies of Horses of Dogs Cats and Rats we were fed the greater part of vs to Superfluitie and all to Sufficience When those of her Countrey about were glad to get an houre of sleepe in their Armour vnder some Covert in the Fieldes the LORD did grant to vs Mollibus incumbere toris pingues exigere somnos As for our Predecessours if wee shall cast over the Annals of our Nation wee shall finde it the most cruent and bloodie Historie where-in since the establishment of our Crowne not-with-standing of the matchlesse Antiquitie and lawfulnesse there-of wee shall not reade of an Age nor halfe nor third part of an Age free from desperate Warres now with Peghts now with Daneâ— now with Saxons now with Romanes now with English tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem where not onlie Men but Women did ordinarilie goe to Battell ordinarilie I say for manie Ages after manie Testimonies of our famous Historiographer Hector Boâ—ce where-of I will ciâ—e to you but one in his sixt Booke where hee setteth downe that fearfull Battell foughten against them by Maximus the Romane Generall with the assistance of the Saxones and perfidious Peghts where-in our King Eugenius with the whole Nobilitie Gentyle Commons and their aged Parents were nearlie extinguished without anie hope of farther memorie of our Race except that it pleased GOD to reserue miraculouslie amidst their Ashes some sparkles of Lyfe which did after some Yeares reviue and restore the Progresse of our Nation Convenere sayeth hee ad Eâ—genium regem frequontes viri foeminae que ad militiam ex veteri gentis instituto vrgentibus extremis conscriptae clamantes aut eo die moriendunt sibi omnibus fortiter dimicando aut vincendos infensissin os hostes c. There did conveane sayeth hee vnto the King Eâ—gemus multitudes of Men and Women to stand in Battell according to the ancient and observed custome of the Countrey protesting that day either to vanquish and destroy their deadlie Enemie or other-wise to lay downe their whole Lyues into the Sepulchers of Valour and Dignitie And a little there-after speaking of their ardor and fiercenesse in that Battell Whylst the furie of the Enemie did approach vnto the King's Person the Noble Men assisting nearest vnto him did perswade him yea with akinde of Violence pressed him to retire his Person and saue him-selfe to a better Fortune and to the Common-wealth but hee casting from him his Kinglie Ornaments did thrust him-selfe amongst the vulgar Ranks to the Maine of the Battell where with incredible Cowrage and contempt of Death hee did sacrifice his Heroicke Spirit Few of Men and of Women al-most none did escape this Calamitie and whylst the Romanes did too insolentlie and fiercelie persue the small numbers of those who at the length did flee they did recounter a new sort of Combate never of before knowne vnto them for why the remnant of the aged people Men and Women vnable for Warres did follow a-farre vpon the Armie to know what should be fall there-vnto and finding the event so bad and infortunate they did runne vnto the Vveapons and Armour of their dead Children and forgetting both Age and Sexe did encowrage those few that yet did rest aliue to make a new assault vpon the Romanes which they did more like vnto savage and enraged Beasts than puissed by anie humane instigation where they were all consumed and not without great slaughter of their Enemies These are the verie words of the VVriter by my Translation from the Latine Text. Of the lyke to this the Historis hath manie to show what was the bitter Cup of our Antecessours compared with our delicacie and what they did vnder-lye for maintaâ—nance of that Libertie where-of wee haue enjoyed the Sweetnesse This and thus was the Foundation which it pleased GOD to blesse and to build vpon it a statelie and vnited Monarchie after the which the Spanyard doeth no lesse greedilie gape now than did the Romanes then Heere is an Object of yeelding infinite thankes to GOD and honour to the memorie of our generose Antecessours They kept constant VVarres in expectation and wee beginne now to bee called to VVarres for that where-of wee haue had long Fruition They were as the Israelites in the Desarts vnder Moses and wee like vnto Israel vnder Salomon we are but gentlie pressed as yet GOD grant it hee so long to sende foorth some of our able Youthes and that is an Advantage to vs it being a Liberation of our Countrey from that it may want commodiouslie and then to contribute some Tryfles of our Goods for their entertainment And wee haue better store of Men and ten times more Moneyes praised bee GOD than our Antecessours had who did render willinglie both Lyues and Goods and VVyfe and Children and all for the service of their Prince and Countrey And because it may bee this bee compted a rash or temerarious Speach I thinke it may bee
bene better Princes than Titus Trajan vvhome the Histories doe call the Sâ—aviters and Delightes of Men and none so much as they did honour the Senate none againe more badde than Nero and Domisian who most of anie did vilipend the same We reade howe greatlie it was to the prayse of the French King Charles the fift called Le Sage vvho having received some Appellations and Complayntes from those of Guyen beeing for the tyme Subjects to the King of England vvhich when he remembered to bee done agaynst the Articles of Peace betwixt him and the sayde King hee conveaned his Parliament to bee judged of them for that which had escaped him And agayne for the Danger that is in the meere Absolutenesse of Princes Your Majestie hath that Famous Testimonie given by Lewis the eleventh of Franâ—e a moste subtill King most jealous of Soveraigne Pointes and in his Counsels most absolute of anie who acknowledging that by such kynde of doing hee had almost ruinated himselfe therefore hee would not suffer that his Sonne Charls the eyght should be taught more than three wordes of Latine to the ende that want of Learning which is commonlie accompanied with Presumption of Wiâ— a perilous Poynt in Princes should constrayne him the more to governe his things by Advyce of his Counsell Some joyne herevnto that he thought as all Politickes doe too much Curiositie of Learning not fitting for Kings the Opinion being generallie helde that Delight of Letters doeth as I haue sayd before in a sort emasculate the Cowrage to Action in all Men and draweth them away to Contemplation Kings being appoynted for the actiue Lyfe Tu regere Imperio populos Romane memento Hae tibi erunt artes pacique imponere morem Parcere Subjectis debellare superbes Alwayes SIR to returne to Augustius he did not onlie honour the Senate but did also fore-see that none were of that Order but Men most worthie of Honour When a Place did vake hee would haue the Entrant olde in years and olde in Experience of knowne Vertue vnspotted Fame able to vnder-lye the Sentence of a Censor and then of honourable Meanes valiant at least of 40000 Crownes whereof what was wanting hee did himselfe supplie neither durst any Man bring in Question the Name and Credite of a Senator other than the Censor who was indeed a fearfull penetrant Explorator of their Manners where-of our Iudges for Grievances newlie erected seeme to bee an Image That Libertie for anie to accuse Counsellers did creepe in vnder the Insidious Reigne of Tyberius and those were called Delatores Instrumenta Imperij and such doings haue ever since beene sayde to bee Artes Tyberianae O SIR how much it were to bee wished that Youthhead could know the Wisdome of Age or that young Princes might vnderstand the Precious Worth of Aged Counsellers who bee faythfull Darius who was the Father of Xerxes and an excellent King having by manie Experiences proved the Loyaltie Loue and Actiue Services done to him by Zopyrus and having at length also taken in the Towne of Babylon by the VVit Industrie of the same Zopyrus who whylst he went about that Businesse did sustaine deadly Wounds and Mutilation of his Person And when his Master did possesse the Towne peaccablie hee saide that he rather did wish to haue Zopyrus restored to the integritie of his Bodie than to haue an hundreth Babylons SIR I doe most humblie craue Your Majesties Pardon to say thus much That if Your Majestie should be pleased to cast over the Stories of Scotland and England to consider there vvhat bad Carriage hath beene in both betwixt Princes and their People what Tyrannie vvhat Revolts vvhat Intestine Blood and Crueltie vnnaturall vvhat fearfull Perpetrations Your Majestie should finde Reason to thinke that it vvere good at all times to multiplie your Senators vvith the most Choyse and Privie Men for Goodnesse and Sufficiencie that bee in either Kingdome As for Examples of the Perillous Evils vvhich doe infalliblie ensue vvhen young Princes doe attake themselues to young Counsellers that one of Rheboboam may serue for a thousand from the lyke to vvhich I doubt not but GOD vvho hath chosen your Majestie to great Actions vvill deliver you I doe confesse vvithall that the best Counsellers are no vvoâ—se to bee super-intended and looked to seeing Men are but Men and there is none who cannot erre Vnlesse it bee the Pope in the vvhich Case your Majestie may vse in your owne Person the Office of the Censor as Augustus did and at your owne pleasure examine their Carriage The third thing SIR vvhich is greatlie commended to Princes in the Policie of Augustus vvas his particular Painfulnesse in all the Effaires of that great State vvhose Example hath beene vvell followed by the Bravest of Emperours and Kings that haue beene since Tyberius Vespasian Trajan Adrian and the Antonines vvho lived all to great Age and were Masters of Civill Governament After Augustus had attained 74 yeares whereof hee reigned aboue 50 counting from the Death of Iulius Caesar hee left behinde him three Bookes vvritten vvith his owne Hand one contained The severall Actions of his publicke Governament The second The order of his Testament The third which is the Point I doe recommend to your Majestie did beare A Register of the whole Estate of that vast Empyre the Finances and Rents over all the number of the Provinces the Legions mayntayned there-into the Armes the Munitions the Fortresses the Shipping the Colonies the Allyes and Confederates with speciall Records of the Debursments Dues and Charges necessarie for everie of them Donatiues ordinarie to Friends Expenses of Publicke and Theatriall Showes for the People Pensions to Captaines Nobles and other Serviceable Men and that monethlie hee knew what Proportion was betwixt those Debursments and their present Moneyes Such indefatigable Paines of this kynde did hee vndergoe that being mooved at the Request of the Senate after his Victorie over Antoniâ—us to accept in his Person the Office of the Censor and made Prefeâ—us morum hee did three severall tymes make Numeration of the whole Romanes as well resident at Rome as dispersed abroad and of the Subjectes of the whole Provinces with severall Estimation and Reckonings of everie Man's Goods in particular The Persian Empyre was yet greater than that of Augustus having vnder it 27 Provinces and the Stories doe tell vs that their Kinges haue ordinarlie lying on a Table before them a Register like vnto this of Augustus Your Majestie may reade in the Sacred Historie of Hester that when Artaxerxes had escaped the Treason of the Eunuches by the Meanes of Mordechay there-after hee did himselfe enroll Mordechay to the Condition of his Reward And tho Histories make Mention that this same was the Practise of the late Kings of Spayne vvhether it bee so for the present your Majestie doeth better know This SIR is a Diligence worthie the greatest Monarches this doeth