The request was performed but when as looking still for Arguments fitting the question he found nothing at all but a needlesse endeuour to approoue and maintaine by the Catholike Creede What That IESVS CHRIST was the true Sonne of God very God and very Man that redeemed the World and That there was also a Communion of Saints The Booke was return'd with a slender smile but no applaud at all or shew of satisfaction Right Honorable such was the successe of a like late learned Writer who Printing a Treatise of publique Commerce such was his Title in fauour of a priuate society or Conclaue of Marchants with very much ado and a heape of silly words farre vnfitting the Grauity of his Theame set all his wit to worke and endeuour'd all he could to perswade his Reader What That Traffique forsooth rightly ordered was the Honour of Kings and Prosperity of Kingdomes and withall that Trades and Occupations Arts and Mysteries were at al hands to bee cherrished and Marchants likewise fauour'd in euery Common-Wealth which none but Fooles or mad men to my vnderstanding did euer yet deny But it 's strange to obserue what strong apprehensions are able to worke in weake mens braines For as a plaine simple Man in reading his Beleefe was sometimes perswaded that if Pontius Pylate had not beene a Saint the Apostles would neuer haue suffered his Name to stand in the Creede so this Catholike Writer reading in a * This Treatise was written by one of Embden 1564. about the beginning of the Diuisions of the House of Burgundy and Colloquy of Bruges to shew the Emperor and P P. of Germany the great aduantage the King of Spaine then had ouer all Christendome by the Load-stones of England still transported thither earnestly apprehending the fitnesse of the time and happy occasion then offered to drawe them from Antwarp to Embden for the good of the Empire All which Maister Wheeler Secretary to the Marchant Aduenturers in his Treatise of Commerce seemes to make his owne Sic vos non vobis and leauing the Matter admires onely the Men and fals downe before the Persons that for their priuate profit transport them still ouer and would perswade the World to commit the like Idolatry Treatise by a Stranger long since written a full discourse at large of the Golden blissings of ENGLAND turning Creekes into Portes ioyning Ports vnto Townes raising Towns into Citties and enriching whole Countries with Artificers and Trades Marriners and Shipping wheresoeuer they became in the strength of his conceit seeing Pride bewitcht with Couetise and puft vp with flattery would beare the world in hand that the life of all our Trafficke and Welfare of GREAT BRITTAINE stood wholely or cheefely by the standing and supporting of his priuate Society Applauding their Greatnesse and Happinesse besides by their mannaging of Traffick within themselues commending their disposing mincing abridging restraining swearing confining the store and Staples thereof not shewing Cui Bono within the wals of Places out of sight beyond Seas coloured with the Title of their speciall Mart-Townes And aboue all extolling their excellent wits and absolute cunning in moulding Lawes by meere Discretion to hold all men vnder and themselues still aboue For sending or sayling but crosse the narrow Seas without hazzard of Gods or danger of Persons more then vsuall or ordinary And for wearing Chaines of Gold about their Neckes Cappes with Greene Feathers Hats with white Feathers Purple Veluet Buskins Guilt Rapiers Daggers Bridles and Spurres at Triumphs beyond Seas and publike meetings there But cheefely for feeding maintaining and setting to worke thousands of Strangers there when God knowes the wants and hears the cryes of Myriades for idlenesse at home would faine perswade others beeing bound to admire thē himselfe that their PONTIVS or Gouernor was for skil the PILAT for Grauity the POPE and for wisdome the Oracle of all orderly Commerce Their priuate Decrees aboue Common Lawes at home or Treatises abroad Their particular Synodes aboue Generall Counsels and their Conclaue or Company a Communion of Saints pronouncing al that withstand distast or dislike their Doctrine or contemne their Discipline for ENTERLOPERS that 's to say Heretickes Schismatickes and excommunicated Persons not worthy to breath so much as common Ayre or liue in any well ordered Common-Wealth Concluding at last thus strongly withall That these Men thus put in speciall trust with the transporting of the Credit of our Kingdome the very Creame of our Land and cheefest of our Load-stones whereby wee should draw Bullion CLOATH must needes be reputed more loyall to their Soueraignes more seruiceable to the State more welcome to our Neighbours and therefore more to be honored then any other men bee they neuer so Free-borne with a Name aboue all Names of MARCHANT-ADVENTVRERS With this and such like stuffe the Booke being confusedlie fraught Cuius contrarium verissimum est might wel haue been suffered to haue dyde in the Birth had it not beene mingled with aspersions of vntruthes and Obloquies withall against the poore Customers of the Out-Ports of this Realme Customers A kind of Creatures capable as well of Religion as Reason Free-men by birth and of best education Men euery way happy saue in their Names and Calling and in nothing more wretched then in the place of their Functions The Out-Ports of this Realme O thrice happy LONDON Men I say that by the curious eye of the Lawe chosen of the best and most sufficient that Wisedome can finde or choyce affoord would faine retaine the reputation if not of Saints yet of Christians at least and plaine honest men But as Men once suspected are said to be halfe hang'd so fares it with Customers for with them aboue all men it is not enough to be an honest man Leauing therefore mine Antagonist to beleeue still in the Christian Catholique and Apostolique Creede whose Articles assuredly are holy all and true though PONTIVS PILATS name stand for no Saint I sent the rest to the Story of ISIS whose Image of Gold it was that Men so admired in all Places where it came and not the beauty of the Beast that bare it and ploughing with a Heyser * Anno 1564. At or about the time of the Colloquy of Bruges A Marchant Aduenturer to enforme the State at home of the grounds of such Disorders in the matter of Traffick as then the world was disquieted withal out of Conscience and Duty bewray'd the practises and aduantages of that Company by Vsury which they still call Exchange A Coppy of whose Discourse lying by me I ioyn'd to my Reply without adding or altering saue onely the Praeface or Introduction and Epilogue or Conclusion to help out the Method and giuing it a Title which it had not before that had sometimes beene their owne I answered his Treatise with a Counter-Treatise of Exchange in Marchandize and Marchandizing Exchange wherein was laid open by plaine Demonstration the Canker of Traffick and all mutuall Commerce
and Wine to all capable of Saluation by Wit Will and Reason and Grace to beleeue withal that his patient reall sufferings actuall word of Promise are the only all-sufficient means to purge our Imperfections and perfect all our Happinesse and to frame their liues accordingly vse still their best endeuours though his Person then at Supper held his Place there with others and residing now in Heauen be from thence to fetch vs thither I say specially fitted and such as can discerne with their own eies and see for though all Glasse be needfull for some vse or other yet all haue not power nor are fitted to that End and with blinde Men or Hood-winkt euen Myrrors are but idle And Grace I said withall to beleeue beyond our sight for though our wits by Art and Nature may be capable of Happinesse and our wils haue reason to bee forward to desire it yet as Grace resides in Heauen and from thence begets Beleefe so Faith alone aboue with Grace seeing Charity below to worke out our Saluation takes vs by the hand to lift vs vp thither Whereby Faith and Charity the one Fountaine of all Graces and Mother of Obedience the other Bond of all Perfection maintaine as it were a free continuall Trafficke betweene the Throne of GOD in Heauen and his Church vpon Earth by Doctrine and Prayer for the daily vse of Goodnesse His heauenly inspirings Downewards and our holy desires Vpwards being as Angels or Marchants betweene Him and vs. Yet if this may not serue to make thine eies to see Hold vse my dim Spectacles come sit thee downe by me The Customer heere endeuors his best by the happinesse of the Eucharist to illustrate Exchange the better to expresse at last the Mysticall Misery of Vsury And read thy selfe or hearke at least chuse whether How Christ and his Church by this meanes become wedded still together First heare then see then like then loue and then liue be fiue good points in wiuing If thou wilt liue a happy life but still remember thriuing But for a true and liuely patterne see two most happy Louers The orderly wooing Princelie proceeding ioyfull enterview and first meeting together of FRIDERICK the fift Count-Palatine of Rhyne c. and the Lady ELIZABETH Princesse of Great-Britain Sole-Daughter to KING IAMES fore-shewed their likings to be honorable their loues to be sanctified their mariage to be blessed and them selues to be most happy by the Grace of GOD and general applaude of all For Vox POPVLI vox DEI est that but lately came together who wooing by their Pictures as it were in a Myrroer each harkning after other came at last both to see and by seeing both to like and by liking both to loue that though Art and Nature both deseru'd to bee commended that had wrought and wooed so well yet Grace was most admired when comming both together they saw they met they kist To whom now All wish all Happinesse and I among the rest for the good of Religion and Iustice both that as our Eucharist hath blinded the Masse and prou'd it but a lie so Exchange may hood-winke Popery and thrust out her eye I meane Vsury Ignorance What Catholiques and all doe they reioyce with others and Customers to Customer Yea Catholiques I meane for good Catholikes are good Christians where euer they goe Impudence And are Customers then Christians Customer Yea and Kentish-men too Discretion Then may they be honest and so become happy Customer It may be we hope well but let that matter goe Now this alone thus fitted for Common sense and reason to shew the vse of the Eucharist represented by a Glasse euen as in a Glasse or Myrroer without Impiety or Iniquity illustrates our Exchange But in the Masse and Vsury by meere Deceptio visus or some Legierte-de-maine it is vrged otherwise which prooues both the Antithesis The opposition or Antithesis betweene the Masse and Vsury to the Eucharist and Exchange heere prooued and the Iugling of the Medium For euen as if the Myrroer had life both to quicken and power withall to change all within it or about it by turning Signes into Substances and Shadowes into Bodies Bread and Wine in the Masse is adored for a GOD and in Vsury the very Stamps which Soueraignes doe but put vpon their 〈◊〉 and their Coynes are worshipped for Idols This being the State of Traffique for heauenly Happinesse at this day in GREAT-BRITAINE in regard of true Religion by meanes of the Eucharist restored and maintained by our Learned graue Diuines and defended by our Soueraigne I leaue to our Lyturgie The Lyturgie of the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland and as a Customer and Lay Christian Man out of Iustice Commutatiue I am confident for Exchange and dare speake boldly thus ¶ Exchange in buying and selling of vendible thinges for I meane not mutuall bartring of wares fro ware though the propriety by either be altered and gone nor lending out of Charity though it loose by the loane I confesse most willinglie still presupposeth Money as Money Golde and Siluer by the Name of Bullion and that Money must be Coynd Now though Coyning and Creating bee wordes of like import as meerely Synonimas and meane but one Power fitting none but GOD KINGS yet heerein they varry GODS Power in Creating being absolutely absolute is onely al-sufficient and subsisteth of it selfe immediatly and that of KINGES beeing likewise absolute within their owne Dominions is but so by GODS Commission mediatly GODS Power is likewise infinite all manner of waies both in Heauen and in Earth and his Will the onely Motiue of all his owne Endeuours the Power and Wils of KINGS are bounded with their Kingdomes Ex Legum Prescriptis ne euadant in Tyrannos or become like other Men. GOD without a Patterne Creates all Thinges of Nothing by the Goodnesse of Himselfe and Man aboue all for his owne vse and glory and his other Creatures Good Kinges by Gods Example by their owne fixed Honour finding trust in their seruants and putting credit in their Subiectes adde Honour vnto Honesty Nobility vnto Honour and creat it in others by the Greatnesse of themselues And by their Pictures stampt in Bullion value Goodnes in all things by the Truth of their proportions of Good Better and Best both in Number Weight and Measure expressed in their Coynes by the Name of Money to their own special Honor first and then their Subiects Wealth for both must go together though they may not be confounded Honestum first then Vtile nor Vtile first nor Honestum alone Honestum Vtile or Vtile without Honestum In a Word GOD created all things by the Goodnesse of himselfe that his MAIESTY might be seene his SOVERAIGNTY subsist in the Order of his working all the Worlde ouer though himselfe reside in Heauen and the Beauty of his Holynesse in his sanctified Temples But Kinges must haue matter to fixe
Licenses or other gracious fauor is afterwards transferd sold or put ouer from the first recieuer to a second and third hand for Money Simones Magi. Acts Cap. 8. verse 20. or vse them not themselues it is but Witchcraft Sorcery that all such entend as by Leases or Purchace for priuate gaine thinke SOVERAIGNES PREROGATIVES eyther vendible for Money or subiect to Exchange Such Impost Maisters Religion hath accurst their Money and themselues therefore without harty repentance must perish both together These Imposts or Impositions tearme them how you list as they are but Romish Peter-pence Italian Inuentions where their Princes Preheminence and for'st kinde of Dignities haue little other Subsistence being but eyther borrowed or obtruded vpon vs I past them slightly ouer and so sent them home againe for England beeing no waies obnoxious to Italy nor Vassall to Rome hath or else may haue beeing rightly vsed enough of her owne For our Vowels and our Consonants agree so well together that spelling all by Vnion and ending all in Peace they perfect all our Alphabet without the helpe of others though the placing of some CAPITALS in the world else-where abroad by their lewd and ill examples be a cause of some vnrest Whose Pride profane Presumption and Couetise besides by Equiuocating sounds makes words be so misconstrued that MAIESTY seemes ecclip'st and like to be out fa'st For R. P. that with honest auncient Romans was reade for Respublica is now Respriuata And P. P. for Principes or Pater Patriae now either by themselues or pla'st before A. in the stead and Rome of M. makes P AP A sometimes Pater stand and striue for MAIESTY before GOD and KINGS And C. crept vp to K. makes Cardinals challenge Kings without Crownes to be knowne by or Kingdomes of their owne so that as P AP A now spels ANTICHRIST so Cardinals ANTI-KINGS Whereby S. P. Q. R. sometimes the Armes and Honor of Rome for Senatus Populus Que Romanus may now as well bee read Stultus Populus Querit Romam to the great disgrace of Catholiques both in Church and Common-wealth But those two great words of Power PREHEMINENCE and PREROGATIVE beginning both with P. did most of all perplex me For seeing Iustice and Mercy in the height of al sublimitie attending heauenly MAIESTY so reuerently together and the same in earthly Attributes contesting each with other I knew not how to spell them For though they both contained the very selfe-same Letters that mine Alphabet did teach yet the first importing Iustice I durst not looke vpon for the sternnesse of her face and setled Seuerity and the second full of Mercy I could not but admire for her milde aspect and infinite Serenity In the first I could discerne but two of our Vowels e. and i. for Persons and Place but the second had them all a. e. i. o. and u. I meane u. and v. Sirs v. my Lords w. and all The one of greatest Power yet bounded in her Greatnesse KING and PRINCE Counsell and Common-wealth The other a very Hieroglifique aboue my reach and reason yet hearing still withal how at all hands daily PREHEMINENCE for PREROGATIVE and PREROGATIVE for PREHEMINENCE were strangely speld together I appeald vnto the Wisest in highest Authority to compound the distractions that the World was subiect to by the mis-vnderstanding of wordes of such importance as both for Matter Persons Place Order and End The important necessity of obseruing precisely the distinct vse and Ends of Preheminence and Prerogatiue in all words and Actions so neerly concern'd all our Liuings all our Liues all our Liberties all our Honours and all the Peace of our Land vnited so together And let all men in Gods Name that haue eyes to see will to learne or wit to vnderstand spell and distinguish the value of the Consonants and compasse of the Vowels these two wordes containe for they shew the difference and distinction betweene Soueraignty and Subiection and the height of Dignity both of Deity and Humanity the very right of GOD and KINGS Heere I say is worke indeed for Wisedome to consider and Power to reconcile both these two Attributes and wordes of like import For by their Example as the Masse would seeme the Eucharist and Vsury is cald Exchange so our Customes stand for Subsidies Subsidies for Impositions and Imposts nowe equiuocate both our Customes and Subsidies This is the fruit of Trauailers by wandring still to Rome England and Customers il beholden to such as trauailing for Experience thinke the Impositions of Italy a fit president for Pollicy or Gouernment when they come home That hunting for experience ride early and late To make the Imposts of Italy as soone as they come home A President of Gouernment as fit to guide our State Whereby as Maiesty stands eclip'st so Customers in disgrace are in nothing yet more wretchedlike then in their Names and Place for beeing borne happy bred happy and loosing themselues in seeking happinesse for others themselues cannot be happy But if Delicta sequnter Personas and greatest offences deserue greatest punishments that mine owne Faith to GOD-ward and obedience to my SOVERAIGNE declaring my Religion and ciuill conuersation may warrant mine Accompt both before GOD and KINGS Hauing thus far speld read by the help of Grace and Goodnesse I proceeded to my Creede and then my Ten-Commaundements By the Customers Beleefe note the true Religion taught and defended in Great-Brittaine whereby being taught to Cypher I came at last by telling 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. to set downe my Receipts and to cleere vp all my Reckonings without suspending any or enstaulement of a Penny For being to cast Accompts for my selfe and for others Customers are Accomptants euen for the sinnes of others I found that twelue Articles two Mysteries and ten great Commaundes The summe of true Religion consisting of twelue Articles two Sacraments Ten Commaundements containes all Christian Duties both to God and Kings made the summe of mine Alphabet iust foure and twenty Letters namely a. e. i. o. u. and b c. d. f. g. h. k. l. m. n. p. q. r. s t. w. x. y. z. And the number of all numbers The compasse and number of the Alphabet consisting of 24. Letters comprehend and teach all Religion and Iustice where perfection is confin'd both of Heauen Earth Ten. Three being Gods own number and perfection of Deity as GOD the Father GOD the Sonne and GOD the Holy-Ghost and seuen of Humanity in our first and free Election Creation Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification and Glorification by the meanes of CHRIST IESVS that is both GOD and MAN By this likewise I speld our owne Ten Courtes of Iustice By the ten Soueraigne Courts of fundamentall Iustice are pointed at and meant the Ten Commandements The Customers Grace His Prayers the perfection whereof distributiuely makes vs al so happy and for which as Grace made
loca summa tulit Sol quoquc cum stellis nulla grauitate retentus Et vos Lunares exiluistis equi Sed neque Terra diu Coelo neque caetera Phaebo Sydera cedebant par erat omnis Honor. Saepe aliquis Solio quod tu SATVRNE tenebas Ausus de media plebe sedere Deus Et latus Occano quisquam Deus aduena iunxit Thetis extremo saepe recepta loco est Donec Honor placidoque decens Reuerentia vultu Corpora legitimis imposuere thoris Hinc sacra MAIESTAS quae Mundum temperat omnē Quaque die partu est edita Magna fuit Nec mora consedit medio sublimis Olympo Aurea purpureo conspicienda sinu Consedere simul Pudor et Metus omne videres Numen ad HANC vultus composuisse suos ¶ As GOODNES TRVTH and WISEDOME subsisting all together in the gloriousnesse of Deity made Man the first Modell of Perfection like it selfe for the vse and good of All by the Rules of Religion so Grace begetting Bounty in the Nature of Humanity by Greatnesse and Decorum fixt MAIESTY and SOVERAIGNTY in the persons of some Men for al mens Weale by the rules of Iustice. Now in following Iustice rules I light vpon Equity Equity spake to Probity Probity speld out Honesty Honesty brought forth Honour and Honour fixt shewd me the glorious Word of Reuerence and absolute power betweene Greatnesse and Decorum sacred MAIESTY no where seene fixed but in GOD and KINGS For as among all the Attributes and glorious Titles of Celestiall Orders recorded by Religion as Angels Arch-Angels Vertues Principalities Dominions Thrones Seraphins and Cherubins I could not spy out MAIESTY but infusiuely saue only in GOD alone so reading all the Titles Orders and Degrees of Goodnesse that Iustice hath set downe in Gentlemen Squires Knights Baronets Barons Vice-Countes Earles Marquesses Dukes Arch dukes Princes Vayvods nor Doges nor Seruo Seruorum Dei I could not see MAIESTY personally fixt saue onely in Gods LIEVTENANTS by the Name of KINGS No not in EMPERORS but as they were inuested with the powerfulnesse of KINGS which made me glad to see and thus to proceede ¶ As all things in Nature still tend to some End and that as perfection of the thing for which it workes is attain'd vnto onely by apt and fit meanes so that which moderates and formes out fitnesse is tearmed Natures Law by which as by Rules the World and all therein are distinguisht and stinted which limitation also both perfects preserues all the things themselues Measure therefore that workes by proportions is the meanes to Perfection And since nothing doth perish but through too much or too little of that the due proportion whereof doth giue Perfection Measure is also the preseruation of all things for to proportions Excesse and Defects are opposite Omne minimum Inimica Naturae and Omne Nimium vertitur in vitium Iustice then the Rule and in regard of Truth the End presupposed in Equity for all honest Actions to guide themselues by as Religion in Piety for holy Contemplations is prescribed first by Lawes and preserued by Measures which beeing the charge of earthly Soueraignes sets forth and limits their Preheminence and Prerogatiue qualities transcendent aboue their humaine substance For in regard of Iustice it is said they are Gods though their persons dye like Men. Now Iustice being Commutatiue as well as Distributatiue the Commutatiue part includes our lower Traffique to supply all necessities in the vse of those Good thinges that helpe to make vs happy either by bartring Good things for Good things by the Name of Commodities or by some Medium and meanes certaine and indifferent to preuent aduantage The End then of Iustice in regard of Truth in Actions being Equity in Contracts and Equality of worth in Wares and the onely vse Exchange the Medium is by consent of Nations cald Money And as Truth and Goodnesse in all kinde of Measures being Standarts and Beames for generall Iustice like Vrim and Thummim are onely Soueraignes charge to giue thereby both weight and content with length and breadth to all proportions so the Coyning of Money and valuation of it by their Powers and Wisedomes are essentiall Notes of their absolute Authority so that putting all together seeing GOD to begin and that KINGES were to follow I read and spake out Ab Ioue Principium REGES Iouis omnia plena ¶ For if All things that are be so by GOD directed to seuerall Ends by sundry meanes and distinct operations neither violent nor casuall as falling out by chance his Goodnesse being the Fountaine of all Happinesse and Piety the top of all Morall Vertues Let KINGES themselues both thinke and thanke GOD and doe homage to Religion by which all their Instruments become so iustly fitted For if they that are Agents for Rule and Ciuill Gouernment or sit in high places for the furtherance of Iustice thinke Pollicy a Trade fit for nothing but gaine Formalities of Equity doe but smother Right and Common-Weale pretended is turn'd to Common-Woe making violence their Load stone Extreamity their Compasse and Fortune the guide of all their best endeuours But as Nullum violentum can be Perpetuum so Careat successibus opto Quisquis ab euentu facta notanda putat And so I concluded Non temerè ferimur DEVS nec Nos Fortuna gubernat sed vita vitae Dux es ipsa via Thus Religion and Iustice being found the true Supporters and Fundamentall stayes of all States and Kingdomes I came at last to finde out our Commerce for Iuctice beeing Commutatiue as well as Distributiue the Commutatiue part encludeth Traffique which subsisting of Goodnes and consisting of Truth both in Matter Persons Place Order and End I speld and read thus ¶ Traffique is eyther a mutuall Free-bartring of Meum for Tuum or direct buying and selling of vendible Wares by Marchants and Friends according to the Rules of Reciproke Commerce generally entending the SOVERAIGNES Honor and SVBIECTS Wealth Which deuiding it selfe into Outward and Inward of things bred at home or fet from abroad three things there are that by the Spirit of Goodnesse giues it three Degrees of Life and thrice happy Beings BONVM COMMODITIES MONEY EXCHANGE The first Cata-pautos as the Masse or Matter in the Bodie of Commerce vpheld the Worlde by Weight The rule of Truth and Goodnesse by Weight in Quantity bartring Good thinges for Good thinges cald Wares or Commodities at the Standart of Truth till Fraud came in The second Cat'autos as the Blood or the Soule to quicken all the Body a Weight of Soueraigne Worth The Rule of Iustice and Equity by Weight and Number in Quantity and Quality to maintaine Equity in Actions and Equalitie in Wares and distinguish Meum and Meum as well by Number as Weight at the Standart of Iustice made Good things first vendible by the Name of Money The third Cat'holou proton like the Spirit in the Soule
their Goodnesse in which is that we call Bullion that the Essence of their Greatnesse aboue other Men that 's to say their Bounties that 's to say their Honour I meane that their Maiesties by their Faces and their Armes may be seene and their Soueraignties subsist in the Goodnesse of their Coyne as in a Myrroer all their Kingdomes through though their persons bee seen to sit vpright in their Throns or reside in their Seats of sanctified Iustice betweene Greatnesse and Decorum namely in their Courts of Equity Subalterne and Soueraigne for Meum and Tuum Distributiuely and Mints of Equalities and Staples of free Commerce Commutatiuely Whereby it now appeares how by all mens consent Gold and Siluer the Seats of fixed Goodnesse by the Name of Bullion become Ab Effectis as it were King and Queene of the world because these alone make Kinges in their Thrones powerfull to protect both their Subiects and their Friendes both by Sea and by Land Trafficke Lapis Philosophicus and dispose of Trafficke by their owne Elixars and Mines or Load-stones of price within their owne Dominions as God by Goodnesse their onely Iudge and Patterne both in Number Weight and Measure first made the World and still doth guide the same Each King in this respect being a liuely Idea euen of Deity it selfe so much excelling in Preheminency of Power for his Person and Place and Prerogatiue of Wisedome for Bounty and Grace by how much they endeuour to expresse in themselues and shew foorth to others the Characters of MAIESTY and Titles of their SOVERAIGNTY in the truth of their Coyne I meane by their Exchange And how Exchange alone becomes that Cordiall preseruatiue which easing all Greefes in sores Exchange Vniuersalis medicina suppling all sores in diseases and curing all diseases in particular Members holds the whole Bodies of Kingdomes in health the sacred Rules whereof as no profane Couetise could euer comprehend nor confident Empericke attaine to practise so none of priuate difcretion or partiall affection may presume to alter or any way controle as beeing a Doctrine peculiar vnto none but the Grauest and Wisest in highest Authority and Soueraignes themselues Bullion therefore Catexochen that 's to say all kinde of Golde and Siluer not Coyn'd or made currant for euen Coynes that are not currant may be taken for Bullion by generall consent as the Sunne in the highest Globe of Glory and Money beeing the Beames Exchange becomes the light that makes the world to see And as Bullion beeing the Pylot Money is the Sterne and Exchange the Compasse that guides all courses right nay as Bullion being the Chylus Money is the Blood Exchange becomes the Spirit that quickens all the Body In a word Bullion being the Body and very Blood of KINGS Money is the Medium betweene Subiects and their Kings and Exchange the very Cyment that glewes them both together O that my Tongue or Pen were able to expresse Or had the guift to make Men vnderstand Those great and graund effects of Sacred Happinesse Exchange alone would worke by Kings and Counsels hand Religious Iustice would then so blesse our Land That Men on Earth might see by this Idea made What Heauen it selfe doth boad by this our Kingly Trade Seeing then that Bullion or Gold Siluer Coynd is the Bodie and Blood of Kings not as Men but as Gods truely represented to the comfort of their Subiects through all their Dominions by the stampes of their Money though their Persons keepe their Thrones And Exchange that Spirit of Traffique and Mysticall Cyment that glewes so fast together the communion and coniuction of Soueraignes and Subiects by Reciproke Loue Grace as Religion and Iustice both teach vs to beleeue Let 's all cry out of Rome wherein first was hatcht the Doctrine that enchants and transubstantiates our Eucharisticke Sacraments of the Body and Blood of CHRIST represented euery where within his Church Militant as liuely as in a Glasse till his comming againe though his Person be in Heauen by blessed Bread and Wine into Idolatrous Masses and our Christian Exchange into Iewish Vsury I speake therefore with confidence to all that seeke for Happinesse and loue their owne Saluation not bewitcht as it were or void of sence and reason be wary still of Italy as Aeneas with his Misselto when he traueld towards Hell and let all come home from Rome for feare of the cursse that by Iustice hangs vpon her For if He alone whose absolute Power could work so wel that all he made became still like himselfe exceeding Good to his own eternall Glory and Mans immortall blisse GOD I say the Father GOD I meane the Son and GOD the third time the Spirit though once for all The Trinity in Vnity and Vnity in Trinity whom onely to know is euerlasting Life and ioy but to heare and make mention of his Name be that spring or Fountaine of Goodnesse Truth and Wisedome from whence all streames besides both in Heauen and Earth deriue not onlie Essence but Happinesse in being and whence to swarue is to turne againe to nothing Quia vidit Deus quod omnia quae fecerat erant valde bona What greater bane then Sinne Sinne. Pride What greater sinne then Pride What greater Pride then the height of all Presumption in one sinfull Man that vsurping on the Powers both of Heauen and Earth Darkenesse Freewill Profanenesse to drowne Light in Darkenesse both in Goodnesse and Truth of his owne meere Freewil giues Lawes vnto Iustice and profanes all Religion the Rules of Truth and Goodnes both in God and Kings If heauenly Goodnesse and Truth in all Perfections both of Nature and Art be those beautifull aspects and beneficiall influences of heauenly beatitudes which the Grecians do describe by their Calocogathia to make al things happy Chaos Euill Quia Bono suo diffusiue verè constant omnia What Euill so infectious What infection so poysonous and what Poyson so accursed as that Chaos of Doctrine that by Pride and Presumption Presumption Merits Equiuocation profaning Goodnesse turnes Grace into Merits and Equiuocating Truth turnes Truth into Lyes in all the Contractes both of GOD and Men If Gold and Siluer of all the sollide Bodies which Nature presents at the Standart of Truth Truth be fittest and surest by generall consent to fixe Goodnesse in for easier extention in vendible Commerce by the Name of Bullion Quia omne Bonum Bullion being sui diffusiuum quantò communius eò melius infunditur semper secundum meritum materiae Fraude Wrong Priuate-Gaine Couetise Deceipt What fraud like publique wrong What wrong like priuate gaine And what gain more deceiptfull then couetously to hoard or sophisticate the purenesse and finenesse which Nature weighes in Bullion for the generall vse of Goodnesse by Traffique among Men If Money or Coyne bee those figured proportions of Goodnesse more or lesse for Number and Waight Money by
Maiesty layde out at the Standart of Iustice to value Goodnesse by Iustice Vt quòd vspiam nasciter boni id apud omnes affluat and by Soueraignty made currant in all vendible Commerce Quia omne quod efficit Tale id ipsum magis Tale esse semper oportet Dis order Error Iniustice What Danger like Disorder What Disorder like to Errors And what Error like Iniustice when Subiectes become Coyners the onely Trade of Kings Lastly if the Mysticall practise of Goodnesse Truth and Wisedome that is meant by Exchange be that Ars Artium and vera Ars regnandi which visibly demonstrates those heauenlie Aspectes themselues of MAIESTY and SOVERAIGNTY that Deity imparts vnto Mortall Men on Earth by the Name of KINGS in the stamping of their Coyne Or if the Standarts themselues with all their proportions of Weights Numbers Standarts Proportions and Measures for generall Equity bee the Soueraignes charge onely as the Coynage of Money is their only Hoc-age and belongs to none but Maiesty and Exchange their Compasse to guide all courses right what greater Error then Priuat-mischiefe What greater Mischiefe then publike Inconueniences And what so inconuenient as that which peruerting both the Waightes Numbers and Measures in all our Proportions and Worth of all our Standarts debauching Equity in Actions and profaining Piety in the Consciences of Men by a Mysticall Iniquitie threates ruine and confusion to Empires Kinges and Kingdomes Iniquity Vsury VSVRY Against which Art of witch-craft Would God my Pen or Tongue could write or tell Or had the guift to make Men vnderstand Those strong and strange effects of mischiefes hatcht in Hell That Couetise by Vsury begets in euery Land Then Kinges and Counsels both would lift vp eyes and hand To see on Earth by this Idea made What Hell doth win and Heauen doth loose by this accursed Trade So that great out of question are the Mysteries of Popery by Impiety and Iniquity through Pride Presumption Couetise and Money the summe whereof is this One Man of sinfull Flesh obtruding vpon Deity and dispising Humanity without remorse of Conscience accursed of the Spirit supported by Cardinals Preached by Iesuites admired still by Flatterers tels Catholiques of a Purgatory but sends them straight to Hell resides at Rome Is not this the selfesame ANTI-CHRIST so long ago foretold that Childe of perdition and professed Aduersary to Religion and Iustice exalted aboue all that is or can be God or fit to be adored so seated in the Church on Earth that he boastes himselfe for GOD and brauing God and Kinges makes Emperours but his Footmen and Kings his very vassals in despight of God and Man Thus as Piety and Equity the two generall Fountaines of heauenly earthly Happines flowing euery way together from Religion and Iustice haue the Eucharist and Exchange by mutuall Loue and Grace to maintaine their currents for the Catholique good of Christians How Impiety Iniquity meete in one body of Popery Ecclesiastically and Secularly so Impiety and Iniquity the bane of all Felicity begot and hatcht together in our Body of Popery and Doctrine of Idolatry by Merits and Free-will haue the Masse and Vsury to bewitch the world from Rome If then the Masse opposed to our EVCHARIST and contrary to our CREED which enioynes vs to beleeue as we look to be happy that IESVS CHRIST himselfe heere suffering for vs and for our Saluation ascended vp to Heauen and there sitting by his Father is thence to come againe to fet vs vp thither must needes bee Heresie by common Sence and Reason in all that doe beleeue it and a Sinne of higher Nature to such as in their Consciences being priuy to the contrary yet standing still obdurat refuse their owne Saluation and despise the Spirit of Grace shall not Vsury then I say be accounted high Treason And then what is Popery wherein both together meete But stand some-thing neerer and reade further yet If that MAN alone whose Natiue Bounty proceeding from Grace and gratious disposition setting foorth his Greatnesse aboue all other Men makes himselfe most honoured and reueren'st as a GOD with all Mens consent by the Name of KING If that KING I meane whose Essence being Bullion of the sefe-same Gold and Siluer which none can Coyne but he and shewes him to be KING giues many a thousand pound for his owne speciall Honor and benefit of all Now if that selfe-same Person being thus thy MAN-KING GOD to whom thy selfe among others by Nature and consent hauing vow'd thy Subiection as to thy lawfull SOVERAIGNE hast sworne Fealty and Allegiance or shouldst do at the least to comfort thee withall and make thee still mindefull of his Greatnesse and Grace should giue thee but an Angell a Shilling or a Penny for all comes to One How in GREAT-BRITTAINE to keepe out Popes and Popery by Number Waight and Measure at One Srandart of Truth as wel in RELIGLON Cathedrally as IVSTICE Distributiueâ—y ALL comes to ONE and ONE with ALL togither admire MAIESTY no where fixt personally but in ¶ One GOD eternall and only All-sufficient both in Heauen and Earth by the rules of Religion ¶ One KING successiue most powerfully subsistent both in Church CoÌ„mon welth by the rules of Iustice ¶ ONE orderly Liturgie for Vnity and Truth in Piety and Deuotion in all Chappels Churches and Temples Cathedrally ¶ One reasonable Lawe for Obedience and Conscience in Equitie and Right in all Courts of Iustice Subalterne and Soueraigne Distributiuely ¶ ONE common Prayer to the Maiesty of ONE God Creator to auoide Idolatry and furtherance of our Trafficke vpward and downward for the daylye vse of Goodnesse called PATER-NOSTER ¶ ONE Currant kind of Mony to auoid Disloialty and shew the fixed Maiesty of one King Coyner for furtherance of our Traffick outward inward by Meum Tuum shew the vse of Bullion cald a Penny ¶ Twelue constant Articles of One Standing Goodnesse to auoide Impietie make one Catholick Creed ¶ Twelue coined pence of one standing alloy to auoid Iniquity make one currant shilling ¶ Ten perfect commandements concerning God and Man containde in one Decalogue ¶ Ten currant shillinges betweene Soueraigne and Subiects comprisd in one Angell ¶ Two Sacramentes of Grace shew the Truth and Goodnesse of one Head Sauiour our Soueraigne per amount Christ Iesus ¶ Two Angels of Bountie shew the Greatnes and woorth of one Iacobus our Soueraigne per aual and annointed King Iames. ¶ In and through whose Goodnesse by Prayer and Thankes-giuing ONE ALL tog ther adoring Maiesty in Deity giue glory to one God the Father one God the Sonne and one God the Holy Spirite of al Wisedom Power and Grace with Alleluya in the Heauens Peace on Earth and Good-will amongest Men. ¶ In and through whose Greatnesse by Bountie and Exchange All and One togither admiring Mâ—iestie in Royalty Honour one Kingdome of the Father one Principality of the son and the prouidenc
wisdom of one Priuy Counsel crying all the kingdome thorough Beati Pacifiâ— and God saue King Iames and his Posterity O the vnity or vnion aliâs Happinesse of GREAT-BRITAINE if Iustice Commutatiue aliâs Traffique had her Staples for Order as Distributiue hath her Courts for Equity and Religion heâ— Temples for Piety and Deuotion For her Home-borne Staples turnd to Mart-Townes beyond Seas makes her at discorâ— within her selfe and a By-word to the world But who beleeues Truth from the mouth of a Customer What would'st thou doe or say He is honourable and louing and expecting nought but Reciproke Loue and Thankes vouchsafes to respect thee of his owne meere Natiue Grace Shouldst not thou be likewise Loyall and honest at the least and with Duty Fear and Reuerence respect his Honour when thou see'st it in his Picture or beholdst it as his Face and in no wise to abuse it And as He by free guift or his owne first Exchange did value ir vnto thee by the worth of Himselfe and receiues it so again so thou vnto another beeing stampt for his Honour and thy mutuall Good Can any be so mad then or foolish at the best I speake to sense and reason let Iesuites alwaies goe Rumpantur ilia Codro as to say beleeue or thinke that this KINGS Royall Person in Body Blood or Bone is any way within it when hee sees or heares or knowes him to bee sitting in his Throne or residing else-where Yet such is the Witch-craft wherewith Iesuites in Popery enchanting the Worlde seduce poore Catholikes by the Masse in this kind and damnable Doctrine of Free-will and Merits Now thinke but ere thou speake and then speake but as thou think'st as thy conscience doth aduise thee without equiuocation Had not I then reason out of Duty Feare Zeale to the Honour of sacred KINGS and Good of all Catholiques not yet voyde of Conscience by the Spirit of Adoption to cry out as I did against the Witch-craft of Popery aliâs Vsury and that Man od Sinne and Monster of Rome in these verses following Au Loup pourtant Subiects Monarches tous et Roys Ça Chrestiens Catholiques Estats trestous en somme Ça Ça tous Princes libres Defenseurs de la Foy Venez tous a la chasse du Loup-Garou de Rome Heere therefore Subiects all heere Kings and Monarkes eyther Heere heere you Princes free and States both all and some Heere Christian Kings and Catholiques come now ioyne hands together Defend with vs the Christian Faith and rowse this Wolfe of Rome In a word Ab Ioue principium REGES Iouis omnia plena And to giue GOD thankes withall for the blessed Memories of our Princes and Peeres that heeretofore with-stood him and thrice blessed learned hand of our SOVERAIGNES late Endeuours that so constantly pursues him For as CHRIST now puts down Anti-Christ make Cardinals crooch to KINGS that would seeme Anti-Kinges and as the Masse giues way to the Eucharist so make Vsury know Exchange and Popery is ouerthrowne therefore I say again Ab Ioue principiuÌ„ REGES Ignorance Ab Ioue Principium REGES What meanes this Repetition and why call yee so on KINGS Customer That MAIESTY may be seene and SOVERAIGNTY might subsist as in GOD so now in KINGES for GOD forgets not his part let Kings performe their owne Ignorance As howe Customer By their Bullion and Exchange for if Coyning and Creating be meerely Synonimas and mean but one thing what creating is to GOD the same is Coyning vnto Kings least Subiects should be Coyners Ignorance How shall Kings and Soueraignes be so able to Create that Subiectes bee no Coyners Customer By their Standarts and their Bullion For as a steady Standart and store of Bullion to Coyne at will by meanes of their Exchange makes all thinges good cheape holds Subiects to their Trades and Trades in request whereby Kings become Powerfull and Subiectes Wealthy So if Standarts bee vncertaine and Kings want Bullion as Coyne growes engrost into priuate Mens hands all things waxe deare Kings beeome weake and Subiectes poore whilst Coyne it selfe by Vsurie which Marchants call Exchange eates out Industry in Trades and Marchants by Monopolies seeke to strangle Traffique Ignorance What meane you by Standarts Customer I meane Vnity and Truth in Weights Numbers and Measures But in passing thus by Standarts my minde becomes transported and cannot but admire the Wisedome both of GOD and powerfulnesse of Kings For when I read the BYBLE ô read it Kings and Counsels and finde therein commaunded but Vnum Pondus and Vna Mensura I resolue thus with my selfe Surelie if Truth be tyed to Goodnesse as Goodnesse is to God and Kinges themselues be Gods then whereby can their Goodnesse that 's to say their Bounty that 's to say their Greatnesse be more sensibly discerned then in their Standarts As where withall alone by the Power of their Preemption and Quitrents of their Customes being potentially possest of all the Lands Goods their kingdomes doe containe though they leaue notwithstanding to each of their Subiects his Meum and Tuum and full vse of his owne they may raise and pull down the prices and worth of euery Mans wealth at their owne wils and pleasure by means of their Exchange Ignorance And why not so by Vsurie Customer Because Exchange eyther louingly giues or else by buying and selling makes Meum to be Tuum and Tuum to be Mâ—um by altering the propriety for Reciproke Good whereas Vsury neither giues out of Loue nor lends out of Charity nor so buyes or sels as alters any propriety but for the 〈◊〉 â—oâ—ed of Money contracts for priuate-gaine Discretion â—ut aâ—mit al this at home might wel be performd between Soueraignes and Subiects within their owne Dominions How shall Kinges with Kinges maintaine their Standarts and keepe Subiects from Coyning Customer By their Treaties of Enter-course and Mutuall Contracts to maintaine Equity preuent aduantage and keepe fraud from shelter For if GOD haue commaunded in so strict words and tearmes but Vnum Pondus and Vna Mensura as Himselfe is but One and KINGS but his LIEVTENANTS to whom DEVS omnibus Idem by what warrant or Commission can they iustifie their Coynage but by their Standarts the speciall charge of KINGS to giue thereby as well true worth and content as true length and breadth to all proportions for Proportions shewe Perfection whose vses being Vnion and Endes being Peace bring all at last to Happinesse by Identity of Standart and Mutuall Exchange For look how Exchange of the selfe-same Truth and Goodnesse in Gold and Siluer fixt by the Name of Bullion way'd out in Coyne and warranted for vse by the name of Money shewes Men to be Kings by generall consent and Kings to be Gods by infusiue Grace And how Gold and Siluer becomes in this respect the very Body and Blood of Kings for without the Power of coynage euen Kinges are but Men and without their materials how can they
fraudis in Materia Signo vel Pondere fiat but as Mons à mouendo quod minime mouet Ignorance But how doth the Idolatry of the Masse bring Vsury to be Popery Customer By the Pictures in Coyne for Vt mundo Natura Cursum Soli lumen sic gratiam Auro Men looking on the Beauty of Bullion and powerfulnesse of Money by too too much admiring the pourtraitures of KINGES expressed in their Coyne fall in loue with their Pictures as the Heathen with their Idols Ignorance It seemes then by this meanes that the Masse may proue a higher sinne then Heresie and Vsury more then Treason what sinne may that be Cust Nay there forsooth I leaue you for I dare not once think therof much lesse determine Ignorance What helps to excuse it for the sinnes that are past Customer Onely meere simplicity frailty and weaknesse Ignorance And what may expiat the guilt thereof in eyther Customer Harty repentance for all that is past and a serious entention to forbeare it hereafter Ignorance Then farewell sinfull Masse and Vsury both together since wilfulnesse obdurates so fearefully in either O damnable Iesuites that bewitch still the World by such kinde of Popery But what 's all this to Customers Customer The CVSTOMER by his Method seeing MAIESTY no where fixed but in GOD and Christian KINGS Personally and Himselfe a sworne Seruant and Customer to a Christian KING whose MA seemes ecclipsed and defectiue in his Customes showes heer the Reason why and manner how He Ex Officio became forc'st first of all others to search out the Grounds of so Great Iniustice Radicitùs as it were and Originally Namely Finding that Impietie by direct opposition did vndermine Godlinesse in all Christian Religion stil by meanes of the Masse and Iniquitie by Vsury to attempt the like on Equity in all Kingly Iustice by misvsing their Moneyes Mystically and obseruing withall howe Iustice and Religion by holding hands together did illustrate each other He came at last to discerne howe POPERY by the Masse disguising Christianity bewitching Catholiks found the way to hoodwink Kings and enthral Kingdoms ecclesiastically and with VSVRY as with Gunpowder to blow thē vp at last with their Customers Customes Whereupon the Customer leauing Impiety with the Masse for Diuines to lay open following still his Method in the Mistery of Iniquity or Secular kind of Popery He betooke Himselfe directly to the POPES owne Person whose main Subsistence being SIN and Rome by Iubilees c. the Mart and Staple thereof to poison the world by Bankers and Bawdes drawing home his Annates Peter-pence and Reuennewes depends most on VSVRY For hauing no naturall Mines of Gold and Siluer nor Mints to make Mony nor Wares worth the battering HE settles there and makes Port-sale from thence of all kinde of SIN articificially for Bullion and rebelliously vsurping the EMP powerfull Mints makes HIS Kingly Stamps strike His Counterfet Coyn as by his Face thereon and Armes is intuitiuely euident and Catholickly cleare And instead of lawfull Tributes as Caesar sometimes had settes Taxes Imposts and Impositions by Discretion to keepe KINGS and Kingdoms vnder still distracting their STANDARDS debauching their EXCHANGE The same with GOD and KINGES for Customers are Catholiques and Christian Men too and faine would bee happy but as Popery by Idolatry presuming vppon Deity eclipseth MAIESTY in KINGES so Customers by Vsury are put by their Customes Ignorace Why from whence came their Customes Custo From their Staples Ignorance Where then are their Staples Cuctomer They were sometimes at home though now exilde beyond Seas and would faine returne if Vsury were put downe for our Temples and our Staples were wont to stand together Ignorance How Temples with Staples Customer Religion and Iustice haue euer helde together and as the one had her Altars for Vnity and Truth still kept in her Temples so the other had her Mints vnited to her Staples and those Mintes Coyn'd the Money wherewith Traffique at our Ports did acknowledge her homage before shee crost the Seas which is that we call Customes Ignorance But what haue KINGS to doe with Staples in the question of Money Customer In regard of their Bullion since none but they may Coyne and their Bullion is no where to bee found but at their Staples by vertue of their Load-stones that are there laid vp together so that No Staples no Load stones No Loadstones no Bullion No Bullion no Mints No Mints no Money No Money no Customes No Customes no Honour No Honour no Homage No Homage no Iustice and no Iustice no Religion and all for lacke of Staples Ignorance Why say KINGES should Coyne no Money for want of their Bullion and say they haue no Staples yet if Subiects may but Coyn so it be at their Mints what harme can come of it Customer If Subiects may bee Coyners that 's as Vsury aliâs Popery would haue it then what becomes of Exchange and then where is Bounty Where 's Greatnesse that makes KINGS weare the Crowne Nay when the Spirits of their Pulses haue no blood of their owne where subsistes their Essence if their Substance bee gone Ignorance Indeede this seemes something Customer If any thing be something graunt this or graunt nothing therfore let Common Sense be Iudge if I had not sometimes Reason in seeking after Staples thereby to finde Bullion when comparing things by contraries to illustrate each other I crid out against Couetise and Priuate-gaine thus Great Greater and Greatest of all must their Accompts be both to GOD and KINGES that prepostorously peruerting their proper Materials turne their best helpes for Bullion to their priuate aduantage to the intollerable disturbance both of Court and Countrey and almost vnrecouerable wrong to the King and his Crowne Ignorance This is much to their Mints indeed but what are Staples to Iustice Customer What are Temples to Religion Ignorance Temples sure are Sanctuaries for the maintenance of Religion for I read it thus written O worship the Lord in the Glory of his Sanctuary and Beauty of his Holinesse which I take to be Temples and Churches in regard of Deuotion Customer Euen so say of Staples O Honour the King in the Greatnesse of his Bounty or Iustice of his Courtes Subalterne and Soueraigne which in this case of ours I call the COMMON-PLEAS together with his Staples in regard of Meum and Tuum by the one and Bullion by the other For as the Graue Court of STAR-CHAMBER by set daies of hearing and presence of the King shewes MAIESTY and SOVERAGNTY betweene Greatnesse and Decorum Vitia perimendo seruatis hominibus besides his owne Counsell and PRIVY-COVNSELL-TABLE And as the KING on his BENCH in the midst of his Iudges by publique proceedings betweene Him and his Subiects doing Iustice to All breakes Bread to the meanest according to Birth-right and out of loue and affection as well may beseeme Him standes gratious to some more then all the rest protects notwithstanding
from priuate oppression or wronging themselues the Liuings Liberties Honour and Weddinges of Pupils and Orphanes in a Nurcery besides for his Wardes and Liueries whereby KINGES are nourishing Fathers and QVEENES nourishing Mothers as well as Gods and Iudges So the KING in his Court of Publick-COMMON-PLEADINGS desciding disputes betweene Subiect and Subiect about Meum and Tuum both in Tythes and in Tributes to shew MARIESTY to Strangers as it were Face to Face in the Honour of his Mints and glorious Exchange maintaines notwithstanding at his Staples a franke and free Commerce for ready Gold and Siluer by the name of Bullion So that as to see GOD in regard of Religion in the Glory of his Sanctuaries is to seeke him in his Temples and in the Beauty of his Holinesse to heare him in his Churches Cathedrally so to see the King in regard of his Iustice in his Greatnesse and Honour is to see him in his Courtes Distributiuely and in the Bounty of his Bullion by meanes of his Exchange to seeke him in his Staples Commutatiuely Ignorance This indeed is somthing and cannot be to much in regard of Kingly Bounty except GOD may be to good Which Piety dares not thinke nor profanenesse speake But what 's this to our Religion Since our Temples stand vpright and our Churches moue deuotion how come Customers thus able to hunt after Popery and see so farre as ROME Customer Their standing makes them see and their seeing moues their Consciences not to hold their peace Ignoranee What makes them diue so deepe and delue into the groundes of Diuinity and Humanity to finde out the Mysteries of Impiety and Iniquity in the Bowels of Popery Cust They seeke for Truth and Goodnesse in Customes and Subsidies and seruing GOD and KINGS would gladly be happy Ignorance As the Motyue and Occasion of Writing the MISTERY of INIQVITY grew first from the KINGS owne commaundement by Sir Alexander Hay vpon his reading of the Preface to my former ACROAMATA so the Declaration of the same fals out by this Accompt of a Customer of his owne to concerne among OTHERS His Maiesties Owne Selfe For when the Iewes of IERVSALEM their Country being subdued and they paying Tribute vnto CAESAR came to liue among the Romans as Freedenizons of ROME Gentilisme and Iudaisme ioyning hands each with other Impietie and Iniquity committing Incest together begat those two Monsters of the World the Idolatrous MASSE and profane VSVRY Which by Bankers Bawds afterward corrupting true Religion and Iustice both together with the daily loue of Money to keepe downe Christianitie so out-faced the Eucharist and scorned Exchange that as Italy grew full of Bastard Interests ROME it selfe became the very Box of PANDORA and Staple of Sinne for Bullion to the Catholicke Disorder and Discord of all Churches of Christendom and Christian Common-wealthes The mischeefes whereof by the pride of POPES and Popery though the Emperors and Publicans did at first deuide betweene them for both stood and fell together with the ruine of the Empire the Inconueniences at last haue extended so farre as to threaten KINGS annointed within their owne Kingdomes and haue cost some Kinges their liues by Iesuites and others Haue not Customers then reason in the Out-Portes at least to looke out and cry alowd Ab Ioue Principium Reges and to tell such to their faces Quisque sitit REGIS satiari sanguine NOSTRI Cum PAPA praeceps Author actor eat Nam Cui Religio Stuprum ira superbia caedes Error Mollities Fulmina turpe Lucrum Corpora qui vendit CHRISTI Solumque Polūque Caelestes Genios Sydera Iura DEOS Fama refert Scriptura docet Peccata loquuntur Huic Huic vita breuis paena perennis erit Dictum puta SCIOPPI But what haue CVSTOMES and the Subsidies of Tonnage and Pondage to dislike of in Popery Customer If MAIESTY must bee seene and SOVERAIGNTY subsist as in GOD so in KINGES what Adoration and Tythes are to God the same are Customes and Subsidies to Kings his immediat Lieutenants and beyond the boundes that his Wisedome hath laide out for the practise of his Truth our Discretion may hunt but shall finde nought but Error what exceedes is but Popery by Proiects to distract both Churche and disturbe Common-Wealth for as Omne minimum is Inimica Naturae so Omne Nimium vertitur in vitium Enough still makes a Feast but abuses marre all by means of POPES and Popery as who reades but our MYSTERY of INIQVITY may plainely discerne and easily see heere now to be declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignorance What hath Italy to doe with the MYSTERY of INIQVITY and what doubt you so from thence Customer Least the sowrenesse of their Grapes I meane her Imposts and Vsury should set mens teeth an edge by her neerenesse vnto Rome and make them drunke at last wthout the help of Messelto I mean the Grace of GOD. Ignorance But let the Masse and Tythes alone howe hath Rome infected the Customes due to Kings and offended Customers Customer By her practise and Example For euen Rome her selfe that from the bare commaund of seauen barren Hils became Mistresse and Empresse at the last of all the World in her greatest height of Happines stood most of all assured and constantly setled by her easie rates of Customes and mildnesse of Customers by the Name of Publicans Till Extreamity began to teach all Men to Shift whereby Shiftes incurd Suspition and Suspition argu'd Ignorance Ignorance brought forth Errors Errors turn'd to Mischeefes and Mischeefes to Inconueniences the high way to Discord Disorder and Confusion Whereby as Traffique grewe confounded both in Church and Common-Wealth offences by consequence increast more and more which like to pudled Waters and corrupted Ayre bred and ingendred nothing but creeping Informens noysome Caterpillers and rauenous Harpies to vexe and torment the Emperors themselues and Empire withall so that When Vtile had gotten the start of Honestum Couetise and Pride fell at oddes each with other And Profit turning Priuate made Honour seeme nothing Where Honestum first then Vtile should haue gone both together O ROME therefore ROME And must it be the lot of a Customer at last Ecclesiasticall Popery by the Masse sufficiently laid open by Diuines but Secular Popery by Vsury neuer directly declared till now to lay open thy shame and discouer thine Iniquity before Emperors and Kings Thy Pride and Presumption in Coyning of their Monies thy sale of Sinne for Bullion thy Iewish Extortion and Baudry with Bankers to drawe home thy Reuennewes thy Rebellion thy Popery In a word thy Vsury the bane of their Exchange No maruell at all seeing thy Couetise and Ambition in the greatnesse of thy glory made so slight accompt of Customers and of their best Endeuours Witnesse the very Grauest-Wisest Senators that euer were begotten bred or brought vp in thee for thee or by thee For what Man euen at this day that heares or reades thereof admires not the
I shall hold out the better For when all Churches were infected with the Arrian Heresie none stood for Truth but ATHANASIVS all alone the World against Him and He against the World with the Emperours displeasure and hazzard of his life whose Doctrine notwithstanding is a part of our Lyturgie and now taught for our Creede such is the power of constancy and Truth And there was a time likewise when the whole Christian World was all set on fire kindled by disputes and distracted by opinions about the Head of the Church Militant Apostolikely Catholike and some points of Religion wherin Truth found few fauorers and vnfained friends indeed but the zealous endeuors of an humble minded Fryer LVTHER and who could then haue thought or any waies beleeued that against such mighty enemies and strong oppositions so weak a Man means shold euer haue preuailed but Magna semper veritas preualuit preualebit to GODS eternall Glory our Neighbors daily comfort our Kingdoms Happines aboue al parts of the World eyther publike or priuate And doth not the like euen now I say now by the Truce in the Netherlands offer it selfe in Iustice to helpe vs againe to our owne Home-borne Free-borne Traffique that cryes but for passage and desires to be releeued from the Pride of Anwarpe the Ingratitude of Bruges from the Taxes of Flanders Impostes of Italie and Embargoes of Spaine What though those Workes and nine bookes of SIBYLS whereof three were dearely bought The Sybils wrote 9. Bookes of Ciuil Gouernment so highly valued as none durst buy them Of which Tarquinius Priscus at last bought three and gaue as much for theÌ„ as the nine altogether were formerly esteemed at 1. The Customers APOLOGY 2. His REPLY or second Apology 3. His CAVTION againâ—s extreamity by Farmers 4. His true vse of PORT BANDES 5 His ALPHABET and PRIMER for orderly Commerce 6. His Acroamata for Bullion at Staples 7. His Answere prepared about Bands of Employments 8. His Mystery of Iniquity 9. His Customers Accompt declaring the saide Mystery and carefully preserued by Tarquine the elder bee all burnt vp and gone by Stillico that Traytor Ne tantum Patrijs saeuiret Proditor Armis Sancta Sybillinae fata cremauit Opis We haue the BIBLE and NEVV-TESTAMENT that alone and of themselues are able and sufficient to shew the way to happinesse to all that are not obstinate and despise their owne saluation Besides nine workes yet extant of a Customers best endeuours as fit for our purpose perhaps as those were Yea what though that Heathens AGROAMATA of Kingly Doctrine so grauely discust and attentiuely heard were so richly rewarded with Talents of Gold and ours not regarded Non est mortale quod opto Nay what though euen TVLLY-DE-REPVBLICA which learned men so wish for and Cardinall POOLE so sought for euen with the losse of all his Crownes be held for forlorne and no where to bee found Our ALPHABET is extant as fit for Great-Britain as that for the Romans and of all to bee seene in the Amalthaean Vatican of our late TARQVINIVS PRISCVS Sir Thomas Bodlies Library at Oxford whose Care and Loue to lerning in the Kingdome of the Muses deserues a golden Crowne And this is more my comfort The light all they saw by were but Glimses of the beams of our most glorious SONNE Their best Enthusiasmes were but motions to Honesty from the ful free Infusions of the SPIRIT of adoption that sanctifies all our wits blesseth our endeuours and illustrates my Theame And their clearest waters but borrowed from the streames of that euer-flowing FOVNTAINE that runs so frankely and serues our turnes so well Besides the true Christian Catholick Religion takes my part whereof they could not tell For this our Traffick being nothing else but a frank and free-barring of one good thing for another or a buying and selling of Vendible Wares for ready Gold and Siluer betweene Subiects and Allies at Places conuenient according to the Rules of reciproke Commerce generally intending al Honor vnto Kings and all Wealth to Common-weales doth plainly lay open vnto such as list obserue them all those fiue Vowelles in twice fiue substantiall words that makes vs all to speak both for 1. Matters u. u. KING and PRINCE v. PRIVY-COVNCELL w. COMMON-WEALE 2 Persons 3. Place 4. Order 5. End and sound the protection of all our 1. Liuings 2. Liberties 3. Liues 4. Honors and 5. Peace of our Land For the first being put for a. The second sounds e. The third stands for i. And the fourth for o. But the fift points out u. u. SIRS and v. my Lords w. and All. But that which ioyes me most and reuiues my Spirits withal is this This points to a ParlemeÌ„t which Customers wish and hope for yet in very good time for the KINGS fixed Honor and States prosperity howsoeuer Guilt Feare or Ignorance seeme to doubt or diswade it When CASTOR came alone to the top of our Mast POLLVX did but follow I had cause to doubt the weather but now CASTOR and POLLVX the Gods of our Seas that are able and powerfull to warrant our Trafficke comming both againe togither doe boade vs all good lucke for the Winde turnd North shewes the stormes almost gone and skilful PALINVRVS comming now to Port or Helme obserues himselfe our Compasse bidde Marchants standes by and giues both hope and comfort of attaining at last to our long desired Port that 's now within a kenning for the forelands apear And our Barke is strong enough to beare out all our Leakes therefore be of good cheare Saint George heeretofore now GOD and CHRIST to borrow Our Loadstones proue as good as euer they wer and our Compasse is true therfore bear aloofe but a while for feare of the Goodwines by the cape of good hope to the Island of Exchange the Hauen of all safety and Port of Peace and Râ—st where Bounty now commaunds For Reliquis tantùm sinus est statio malefida carinis But admit all this were nothing which by way of Accompt hath beene hitherto set downe or a Paradox at least Mine APOLOGY but Humor my REPLY a Conceipt mine ALPHABET a Dreame and my MYSTERY but a lest because a Customer only speaks yet if this be but beleeued that Truth tels Sense and Reason and Goodnesse doth suggest namely that looke what the Soule is to the actions of the body in ordering Members so as to Nature seemes fit for the good of the whol Man the same is Trafficke in disposing Mysteries and Trades to the benefit and behoofe of the whole Common-weal thogh our ISIS be gone and no Image of hir face yet Aegeus our DAY STAR being risen in hir place and his hopefull THESEVS like the DAWNING of all Grace apearing in our eyes so reuiues my dull SPIRITES that I cannot dispair but liue stil in hope that the time may yet come when this hearty zeale of mine to my Soueraignes