graced Anthonie deserueth immortall praise from the haÌ„d of that diuine Lady who like Corinna conteÌ„ding with Pindarus was oft victorious Sir Dauid Lynsay Matilda honorably honored by so sweet a PoeÌ„ Diana Procul hinc procul ite profani England to be defended by schollers Your learned Doctors Cherish your youth The fault of Vniuersities England too kind She speaketh not to those that haue fled the land Rome altered The commoÌ„ wealth miserable that hath her foes within her selfe Excesse of these times Not safe for a countrey to bragge of wealâ—h if the Spaniard know it The fault of Empires Lawes for sobrietie the sinewes of a Kingdome Plentie and ease the Ca kers of a Kingdome Proud Kingdomes must fall How Rome fell Loose pleasure begets treason Discord vntieth the armour of a common wealth Happy daies Miserable state that is so Let the traitors accuse me if they can A thing done in other countries Yet these no causes to be rebellious Discorde Whom God keepeth in despigth of them A thing ofteÌ„ attempted Lybels No Iland caÌ„ remember greater benefits to her inhabitants Elizabeth No pen able to praise sufficiently No land so many Graue and wise Counsellers hath England still had The streÌ„gth of a kingdom are lawes and their execution the meanes to expell feare from her subiects England may iustly glory of her three daughters 1. CaÌ„bridge 2. Oxford 3. Innes of court Note this A thing miserable when the Vniuersities are poore A wicked policie An vndoubted truth The Spaniard Pope Frenchmen Scots and all laugh at our discord The cause of discorde A Kingdom can not stand without inequalitie The moderation of inequalitie Lamemtable times Greece perished by discord Beware true English meÌ„ Dangerous cause of vuion The praise of inequalitie Equality not to be hoped for of strangers Low countries dangered by emulation Discord * And chalenge him 1594. If Christians ioyne not together A true rule Note A thing to be respected As some haue done A thing lamentable If we our selues be vnited A thing too miserable if it should be so England can not perish but by English men The Spaniard is foolish to hope so Note this Trust him not Giue him an inch he will take an ell An vsuall policy at this day Offered to Iudas to betray his Master True English men Truth in a few is often victorious Ualour begets loue As still you haue beene Note this Dangerous to ioyne with Spaine Fraunce poore by warres Not so faithfull as they should be Why Spaine is so constant in her free offers No great ods betwixt theÌ„ if they had equall peace Beware of them both To Parry Babington c. Lopez executed the 7. of Iune 1594. Spaine not onely an enemie for religion Too great simplicitie to thinke so Take heede by others Inconstancie in religion is the mother of Atheisme The Spanish colonie Note this An exhortation to England Spaniards like Iewes Spanish Haman They preteÌ„d Religion but intend trechery Absolon a right Spaniard Take heede trust theÌ„ not Let Spaine answere Note this Note this Impossible to be so Let the Spaniard credit me S. George Fides Hispanica God himselfe will punish traytors Note this O happie England if this happen Discord fatall to great attempts The late mortalitie more lamentable then the losse of Aegypts first borne Religion brought froÌ„ heauenly loue Religion falsly accused Religions Apologie Religion no true cause of miseries in a common wealth Note this Mans ignorance makes false religioÌ„ Superstition Religion and superstition at continuall warres In England many religious fanorers Harmes for religion grieue not either the dooer or the sufferer Miserable blindnes So doth Romoaldus Scotus Superstition is most zealous Among the Atheists of this age Afalse accusation of religion Xerxes Zealte false Religion impatient of an indignitie The wrongs are infinite which religion hath suffered for being called relig Religion hath had coÌ„tinuall and great enemies Anno mundi 1517. God knoweth how to deliuer his Affliction may endure for a time but deliuerance is not farre from Gods church So the fier for the three children Superstition maketh dissention in the Church Libertatis amor stultuÌ„ quid decipis orbem â— King 24. 2. Chron. 36. Religion still perfecuted How Gods enemies seek to deface all parts of religion The Romans enemies to religion The Iewes sinne the cause of their punishment Iewes Vsurers A miserable state where there is no religion Many of theÌ„ still persist in their sinnes Religion in great danger amongst her owne friends Contention the ground of Atheism Arrius and so Heretikes grow mighty in the middest of contentions Heretikes neuer want followers Constantius an Arrian 105. Bishops Arrians Holar contra ConstaÌ„tium Alex. Athan Iudge if religion haue not suffered wrong Religion no where safe in earth A famous victory After King of France Godfrey of Bolloygne Whereof sweet Tasso song Martyrs all Religion hateth discord England the seate of religion The happines of England by religioÌ„s meanes The discorde of other countries England in peace Peace the child of religion begetteth plentie that kils the grandmother England note this In the dayes of our dread Soueraigne Essex Willowbie Norris Sir Francis Uere c. A false slander to make traytors Martyrs Neuer martyr was a traytor Iustitia Britannica Campia Martyrium Anvsuall fault Gregorie 13. Pius 5. Sixtus 5. Exceeding pittie Miraculous preseruation of Gods Church I feare to thinke of it Iusticia Britannica A greater number Stapleton Parsons This can not be denied In Queene Maries time Slander is neuer tongue tied In their libel against the English Iustice Papa pius moritur quintus res mira tot inter pontifices tantum quinque suisse pios Leaue giuen to Parsons Campion by Gregorie 13. 1580. April 14. to interpret the bull of Pius 5. Henry the 2. King of Fraunce his edict against the Pope Anno. 1550. King Philip once feared not the Popes Buls Duke of Albany with an armie against the Pope 1527. Whom he kept in Adrians tower 7 moneths Let the Pope marke this Cardinall Pole offended with the Pope Henry the 8. shaked off the Pope Religions enemies The Atheist and the Puritan so called Religion no states man but of counsell with theÌ„ Dangerous for a Prince Machiuell confuted States in Europe ruinated by Machiuell A certaine prophesie Note this Relig Princes doe still triumph Gen. Exo. Ios. Iudg. King Machab. Aug lib. 5. de ciuit cap. 25. Cap. 26. Lib. 5. histor cap. 24. Socrat lib. 7. histor cap. 18. Euagr. lib 4. histor cap. 16. ibid. cap. vlt. By sundry Doctors of great learning Brownists a sect to support Atheisme As since they haue written in their bookes Ambr. Catharinus Archiep. CoÌ„pusonus Ioh. Molanus Ioh Boterus Anonymos Petrus Corotus Posseuinus Iesuit Learned Puritans By wise authoritie and learned answers L. Archb. of Canturbury Bancroft Bilson Sutcliff Hooker c. A true fault in Englands Church Cruell patrons pittie the church hath not the fauour of an ordinarie ward Loyaltie vrgeth her benefits Loyaltie can not abide to heare of treason or sedition Understanding misled begets treason What is rebellion What men are traytors False pretenses in traytors and rebels Note this As may appeare by the six articles written in french Sir Iohn Cheeke wrote of Sed. Alex. Neuill Euer bad things haue good pretenses So may I say to the English traytors By Ket A thing vnlikely and impossible Reade the chronicles Mercy vndeserued Peace to enemies but not to traytors With open enemies out of her selfe Rome fell by clemencie to traytors If we can not suffer the lie much lesse treason An exhortation A necessary caueat Mercy often cruell Not safe to trust a traytor Charles the fift Some of the nobilitie Note this A thing lamentable What loyalty hath done Plutar. in lib. de exiâ—io 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Enuied of other nations Lourdane 7. Learned Iudges Serieants Counsellers As they account it Tell it not in Gath c. The ancient and graue counseller The misery of captaines Elius Spar. Loyaltie vehement against treason Traytors coÌ„pared with Uerres God A happie sight 4. King 15. Iudg. 4. 23. Iudg. 5. 20. 21. So the Spanish fleete In confutat Summarij Rat. Against my L. Keeper others The conclusion
studies from whence taking leisure but to pause a little my penne grewe passionate and my idle papers scattered vnawares flew abroad I protest not to offend any thus I binde thee by that credit which truth deserues whosoeuer thou art which reads to beleeue what I haue spoken herein and if thou please for my sake to accept this And because euery Balductum makes diuine poetrie to be but baserime I leaue thee sacred eloquence to be defended by the Muses ornaments and such despised to liue tormented with endles pouertie Farewell Diluuium terrae motus contagia passim Bella fames mundi quid reliquum exitio est Ignis ipse prope est vnde haec ex arce tonantis Tot mala quid mundo congerit Impietas Anne salutis adhuc spes vlla est vnica quisnam Porriget hanc piet as haec vbi nullus habet Quid stas munde rue vt pietas est nulla ruentem Sic video auxilium numina laesa negant Inscriptio portae Si nihil aedificas quià spectas nostra viator Aut mea ne carpas aut meliora struas Si meliora tenes id divos poscito mecum Ne quod vterque tenet fascinet inuidia Labor O labor ô sudor scelerati proemia morsus Ah satis natos occule terra tuos Nec omnia nec omnes mihi placuere quìnam ego omnibus non omnibus Cous senex non Eremita Spagirus num tu viator omnibus deo placere cura abei POLIMANTEIA BEfore we come particularlie to speake of Diuinations lawfull vnlawful for the true and better vnderstanding of them we will first define what Diuination is Diuination is a foretelling of things to come performing it in diuers manners as well artificially as naturally But those that more curiously subtilize vpon the Etymologie say that to diuine is properly to foretell and to foresee things to come by an exteriour motion without hauing any subiect cause or signe before hand to coniecture so and therefore in this sort God testifieth of himselfe that he alone knoweth things to come which afterward he reueiled by his Prophets and Apostles as it pleased him Now Satan desiring in this to bee Gods Ape thereby the better to abuse the world to drowne men in intolerable superstition by a naturall curiositie to know things to come hath iniuriouslie and falselie vsurped the same authoritie to diuine and from thēce proceedeth the word Diuination so that thereby Satan so much the more vnder a cloak of naturall things is for the most part as a forger and coūterfeiter excepting the diuination whereupon the subiect of this matter depends and therefore it is necessarie to trie and examine in the first place the might subtiltie and craft of the diuell in whom we shall finde as great knowledge and vnderstanding excepting the Angels as in all the other creatures besides wee shall finde as great subtiltie for interpreting the signes of diuers things a matchles vigilancie an incomparable cunning to inuent trumperies and deceit vnder fine coloured but false pretences And to conclude a most perfect malice accompanied with a perpetuall hate against mankinde and the rather seeing that it is not in his force to doe any thing of himselfe to hinder the course of things naturall ordained by God to destroy and to make againe to sound the depth of mans heart or to foresee how God gouerneth the course of the world the affayres of Kings and Princes before the reuelation of his diuine prophesies Notwithstanding he perceiueth by his subtiltie the hid properties of things bodily and spirituall His knowledge is exceeding by his manifold experience of things past he diueth so farre as may possibly bee sounded into mens maners and copies out their actions from whence he deriueth his greatest profit Thus he incombers the actions of Kings Princes of each in particular that contrarie to all reason and opinion of men they are all so intermedlingly inwrapped each in other states that scarse anie knoweth how to escape himselfe Thorough the deepe whereof he so lancheth without sight that he maketh one of them to entrap and beguile another whereof euerie where are examples sufficient and therefore S. Paul to the Ephesians setteth downe most liuely Satans puissance But let vs see a little neerer the diuels policie of what force efficacie it is especially in those things which concerne the ruines of Gouernment or change of a Common wealth First then although that the diuell knoweth not the state and affayres of Kings and Princes in particular as God from the beginning hath predestinated them in his immutable counsel nor how he wil dispose and change them contrarie to the opinion of men ordinarie course of things natural yet notwithstanding the knowledge which men by the permission of almightie God haue drawn out of the diuine prophesies of ancient time is not comparable to that of Satan by reason he farre surpasseth man in fine quick nimble subtiltie which he vseth to his owne aduantage These know by the predictions of Prophets that such Kings and Princes shall come to gouerne besides by what meanes they shall attaine it and by whom God will giue the Scepter into their hands besides when and how it shall be taken from them And in one word Satan knoweth the estate of Gouernment which must happen and how long it shal endure and the enemies which shal rise vp for the ruine of it From these such like reuelations would they drawe their diuinations They haue found out by the prophesies of Daniel the estate chaunge of Monarchies which must happen the ruine of Darius the destruction of Asia and that the Monarchie of Babylon shall be transported to the Greekes By meanes whereof when Alexander the Great consulted with the Oracle at Delphos Pythias answered him Eris inuictus Alexander Thou shalt be vnconquered Alexander And afterward for confirming and giuing credit to his Oracle hee ceased not to shewe signes wonders together with vaine illusions in the behalfe of Alexander which way soeuer he marched with his armie on the contrarie not to daunt Darius too much he nourisht in him a vaine hope by doubtfull dreames perswading him fondly of victorie against his enemie For the temptations of Satan are of that sort that they promise vs all ioy and happines whatsoeuer but no sooner they are entertained of vs but in their place commeth despayre with a perpetuall torment By the prophesie of Daniel and Esai the diuell knewe that the Monarchie of the Assyrians should be wholly desolate and giuen into the power of the Medes and Persians and that al this should be done by Cyrus For this cause it was foretold that King Croesus should be chased and spoyled of the kingdome of Lydia And therefore knowing the might of King Cyrus Satan ceased not to moue and incite Croesus by a bayte of ambition to
greatest kingdomes haue not endured fiue hundred yeares Many haue light short of that full time none or very few haue passed it but haue fallen either at that period or not long before it some hauing perished in whole some onely changed in some forme the gouernment of the Kings of Iuda beginning with Saule the first kingdome continued to the captiuitie of Babylon which was fiue hundred yeres The same space of time was likewise againe marked after the Captiuitie beginning at Esdras and continuing to the Emperor Uespasian which ruinated Ierusalem from the very grounde and then were the Iewes dispersed and scattered from one part of the world to another and since that time their common wealth was neuer perfectly restored notwithstanding the indeuours and extreame paines they imployed therein The Commonwealth of the Athenians from Cecrope to Codrus continued foure hundred fourescore and ten yeares which was then changed to a Democratie The Common wealth of the Lacedaemonians changed about that time vnder the Kings Heraclides till the time of Alexander the Great The Romayne Consuls gouerned fiue hundred yeares from the banishment of the Kings vntill the time of the monarchie of Augustus the same was obserued since Augustus till the fall of Ualentinian the last Emperor of the West and that then the West Empire fayled and that the barbarous Uandales Alaius and others inuaded the countries of Spayne and in the ende all Italie with the citie of Rome The same number of yeares were obserued a little after from the time that Constantine the Great transported the Italian Empire to Constantinople vntill Charlemaine who restored the Empyre of the west hauing chased the Lombards out of Italie Likewise wee may call to minde by histories that many realmes and Common wealthes haue endured not past the halfe period of those fiue hundred or there about as that of the Persians which from Cyrus to the last Darius flourished but in the two hundred and thirtie yeares it was fully ruinated by the force of Alexander the Great On the other side the Monarchie of the Greekes which began with Alexander and afterward successiuely was deriued to diuers kings as of Syria and Aegypt continued two hundred and fiftie yeares which after that time was subuerted by the might of the Romans Furthermore if we would search the Chronicles of France we shall finde the same period after that Syagre last Proconsull and Lieutenant for the Romans in France was deposed till Clowis the first christian king vntill Pepin father of Charlemaine and then after vntil Hugh Capet was numbred 237. yeres Further besides all this we may see in the discourse of histories that the period of seuen hundred yeares brought notable change to states The Common wealth of the Carthaginians then when it was wholly spoyled by Scipio had continued seuen hundred yeares The warre betwixt Caesar and Pompey which is some sort decayed the state of the Romayne Empire happened in the seuen hundred yeares after Romes foundation and at the same time two periods met together the one of fiue hundred from the beginning of the Consuls the other of seuen after the foundation of Rome In like sort about seuen hundred yeares after the destruction of Carthage Totilas the king of the Gothes robbed the citie of Rome carying captiue with him the principall Lordes of the citie which Scipio had long before foretolde when Carthage was besieged So likewise doe we reade that the Moores dealt with Spayne the yeare after Christ seuen hundreth after that were they all chased out by Ferdinand of Arragon grandfather by the mother to Charles the fifth For example of our times we see that it is seuen hundred yeares past that Charles the Great established the westerne Empyre which period considering the change of the times present seemeth to threaten some great ruine although there is nothing so of necessitie but as it pleaseth God to dispose all things for the best Now it is needefull likewise to examine more nearely the Qualitie of the foresaid periods for it is questioned of at this day if there be any such period necessarily certaine and fatall for Empires likewise why some fayle before their prefixed time without expecting their ordinarie fall The Philosophers not knowing how to finde out the reasons because of their incredulitie haue so incombred their true vnderstandings that they haue forged arithmetical aenigmes other imposing to starres and coelestiall causes But for the true vnderstanding of it let vs consider the testimonies and examples of holy Scripture besides the meere coniectures of heathen Philosophie The vniuersall period of Empyres is declared vnto vs by the Prophet Daniel speaking of the seauenty weekes containing about fiue hundred yeares since the restoring of the Temple after the returne from Babylon vntill the time of Christ. But because the period is not generall and perpetuall by reason that we see some Empyres not attaine halfe their period notwithstanding we shall finde by the discourse and testimonie of histories that the period as by a diuine institution is fatall to the most Empyres for their beginnings and endings as may bee apparantly manifest both by the examples alleadged before by many others here and there which may bee alleadged to that purpose The reason of the difference in regarde of time and the diuersitie of change which happeneth in them is likewise grounded vpon the holy scripture of Gods word we haue saide before that GOD giueth the Scepter of realmes as it pleaseth him and taketh them away as his pleasure is Likewise the change of kingdomes happeneth not by chaunce but by diuine prouidence by reason of the causes which goe before the ruines of them by meanes whereof God so disposeth of Realmes and Empyres that whomsoeuer he hath installed for gouernement are by him defended with might and authoritie as the especiall gift of God accompanied with many vertues requisite thereunto namely wisdom happines goodwill iustice clemencie c. all which ioyntly sustaine the pillars of the Empyre for it is written Misericordia veritas custodiunt regem clementia fulcitur thronus eius In such sort that the Common wealths of Kings and Princes defended with this authoritie are for a long time flourishing and in most prosperous estate On the contrarie if the Common wealth be gouerned by wicked kinges vitious or tyrants and that the subiects to the imitation of their Prince are infected with the same faultes and plunged so deepe that they can no way get out then authoritie failes vertues are abandoned and punishment doth ensew hereupon GOD hasteneth his iudgementes which preuent the reuolutions and changes in that they had apparance to continew longer he punisheth sinnes both of the Prince and people ordinarily by the chaunge and ruine of the Common wealth for being not bound to the
the victorie the thirteenth of September the fourteenth of September Sultan Syliman dyed before Segett and the seuenteenth the towne was taken the day following Sigismund the father of Augustus king of Polonia put to flight the armie of the Muscouits the day after Iames the king of Scots was slaine with many of his Nobilitie by the English in battayle He reciteth many moe examples besides which we may reade in the fourth booke of his De Republica where hee likewise affirmeth that there haue been many great Princes who haue dyed in that moneth and there he reciteth at least twentie But me thinkes as one well noteth that this should giue too much credit to the moneth of September to the preiudice of the other in that it hath force to change estates and that these curiosities are not to bee admitted of vs but to bee referred rather to the historicall Calender then to bee reputed a matter of sounde doctrine for what moneth is there which may not be authorised with like examples At least it is changed from his former naturall force in respect of that time present for the greatest alterations and change of states at this day and especially in the kingdome of France haue happened betwixt December and August The same may I alleadge likewise of the death of the greatest Lordes of France who dyed in other moneths and that the moneth of September hath almost lost his prerogatiue since For concerning the Princes which haue dyed of late in France and which haue brought notable change with them as we may see at this day we shal finde none which dyed in the moneth of September Mounsâ—ier Duke of Alenson and brother of the late King dyed in Iune 1584. and the tenth of that moneth The Prince of Orange whose death can neuer be sufficiently lamented nor the manner hated and abhorred likewise dyed the same day of Iuly following whose death was violent and practised by the Spanish treason in that manner that neuer historie in respect of the proscription hath made mention of the like vnlesse it be of Pyrats Robbers by sea and such who according to the lawes of nations haue euer been excluded from the benefit of faith trueth and loyaltie and consequently from all saftie for as Tullie writeth Pyrata non est ex perduellium numero definitus sed communis hostis omnium alioqui ius etiam bellicum fidesque iurisiurandi saepe cum hoste seruanda For instance we haue the memorable proscription of Crocotas the arch pyrat of whom Augustus the Emperor caused proclamation to be made by the sounde of his trumpet that whosoeuer would take him should haue a hundred twentie thousand crownes I onely alleadge this in respect of the most detestable murder of the worthie and vertuous Prince of Orange not long after the death of these two great personages followed the fatall ruines of the Lowe Countrey In one worde Catherine of Medices the Duke of Guyse his brother the Cardinall the King of France last slayne by that false Iacobin a murther written in Tymes forhead by the pen of aeternitie to astonish all posteritie these all happened from December to August and therefore mee thinkes September hath small vertue to induce vs to respect it But of all rules which I knowe worth the marking to iudge by of the falles of kingdomes Common wealths I finde none more renounced by Master Bodin then the numbers of seuen and nine and those which arise from the multiplication of these two and the perfect number of 496. which first is obserued by him and he saith the reason is because of the infinite wisdome of God who hath so disposed all things by number that kingdomes themselues after certaine yeres haue ordinarilie come to ende and that humane things fall not out by chance I confesse indeede concerning the criticall dayes whereof the seauenth day is called the King by Galen that from theÌ„ce are drawne strange meruailes of numbers applyed to weekes moneths yeares ages worlds and so to townes Common wealths and Kingdomes whereunto all that may bee referred which we haue spoken before of the periods of 500. of 250. of 700. yeares although I finde such contrarietie in the examples alleadged by Master Bodin for the confirming of these numbers that they are not firmly to be relied on as vndoubtedly true For to the inteÌ„t to haue them established more stronglie he alleadgeth the Romane fasts who as he sayth can neither faile nor lye But on the contrarie Onuphrius who hath corrected them iustly maketh a doubt And as Master Augier sayth he likewise would relye vpon the annales of Fabius pictor And in the first place the better to confirme his Square being the roote of the fatall number composed of twelue Twelues multiplied by 12. he saith that the Monarchie of Rome continued a hundred and fortie yeares which by the consent of all authors continued 244. yeares or thereabout and I finde another which saith it endured longer namely 245. yeares which cannot serue to fulfil the Cube of the fatall number but it is an exceeding fault to slippe a hundred yeares Furthermore to confirme one of the perfect numbers namely that of 196. and to shew the effect of it he sayth that since Augustus vnto Augustulus the last Emperour of the Romanes the one whereof he calleth by the name of Conquering the other of Diminishing there was 496. yeares where the Histories and Chronicles mention fiue hundred On the other side to the intent the better to ground his opinion of nuÌ„bers as likewise to shewe their force he alleadgeth that in holie scripture the law of GOD hath nothing so often as the 7. number be it either in the solemne feasts of the Sabboth or the seauenth moneth be it for the freeing of seruants and leauing the ground without tilth the seauenth yeare which was the yeare of Iubile But some doe reproue this for as much as that the places out of scripture implie naturally a rest or Sabboth whereas on the contrarie the seauenth alleadged for the fall and change of kingdomes is full of troubles depending on humane actions which number can neither be drawne out of the law of God either in plaine tearmes or by way of necessarie consequent yet for all this he confesseth that of those aboue named rules indifferently obserued of diuers authors there is none of necessitie whereupon wee may so iustly relye our selues as to set down a certaine iudgement of things to come seeing that the greatest part of those who haue been willing to iudge of the meanes rules surely touching the foresayd changes they haue ofteÌ„ stayed themselues vpon Astronomie supposing that change of Kingdomes chieflie to depende vpon starres and celestiall causes whereunto God hath sometimes as it were tyed himselfe for the shewing of things to come wherein Satan as the Prince of the ayre maketh
the heart cooled by the lightes in the soule the affections ruled by the reason and what nature hath done in these shall wee thinke vntollerable in a Common wealth Looke but vpon the Low-countries where vnequall Cantons bred such a fire increased by false reporte that whilst some boasting of their valour did disgrace others all haue bin in danger of the enemies conquest and howsoeuer their gouernours could not easilie see to what this tended yet lamentable experience hath taught them now that discorde is fatall to a Common wealth The disagreement of Italie was the ouerthrowe of their conquering empire the same made the Gaules subiect to Iulius Caesar thus if Europe the grandmother of vs poore Ilands had not dealt by misconstring her owne friendes the Turke had not so farre made entrance into Greece Slauonia Hungarie and other countries that he should proudely dare to encounter the German Emperor and stand thereby to threaten vs like as a tempest vpon the top of a mountaine readie with his showres to ouerflow the valleyes But what firme constancie can bee expected in the vniuersall palsey of all Europe How can kingdomes vnite themselues when I but one small Iland haue a number of such contrarie mindes to harbor in mee This might possiblie bee hoped for if wee had but learned this that one of vs cannot perish without another and as wee see in a firme pillard vaulte that some few stones being taken away the other incontinentlie fall and then in time ruines the whole worke so fareth it with my state whose contrarie minds may seeme smallie dangerous at the first view but swiftlie though vnseene it doth tumble downe Surueie but the groundes of our libertie and foundations of our Common wealth which were laide by the mercie of God the valour of our vnion the reliefe of brethren and the concord of all if I were indangered by my allies and distressed by the multitude of my acquaintance as sometimes hath beene the state of Flaunders whose enemies haue caused by corruption her supposed friendes to diuide her body selling her to them that haue offered the vtmost farthing then might I iustly blame not you but those whom coloured tearmes christened by the name of friends but now seeing I haue relieued manie sent my souldiers to take armes not for my own but for their good seeing I opened not my citie gates to admit strangers who were able to commaunde my strongest walles but hoyste vp my sayles to conuey out my souldiers to defend others then let not mee perish by you whom I haue deemed no lesse deare then my owne life trecheries haue taught states to take heed with whome they ioyne in amitie and Demosthenes wished the Greekes to take heede of this which if they had wisely followed Amintas sonne and his successors had not oppressed Greece by a fained amitie Thus forewarned Nicolaus vnder vauld the Flemmings forefathers to take heede of forrainers which if they had wisely followed so many cities of trafficke had not been townes of Garrisons But my ruine if it vnhappelie happen which God forbid is not by strangers force for they are too feeble to weaken my state but by such as I kindely nourish in mine owne bowels for whilst one holdeth for Spaine another for France the third for the Lowe Countries and euerie quarter of the land hath such as being displeased with mee are desirous to please strangers it must needes happen that my ioynts being racked with so great a torment I liue feeble confesse that mine owne inhabitants did worke my ouerthrowe the gold and siluer of mine enemies is able to preuaile as much with my vniustly tearmed English men as in the daies of Scaurus Fondlie are you deceiued with a hope of quiet to your minds howsoeuer in show they pretend so for credit me that haue tried it long since they meane nothing lesse But as Philip made the Athenians beleeue that he had pretences against the Plotenses Olynthians and others thereby to passe further but Demosthenes told the citizens that if Philip had once wonne Olyntha and Loreyra who demaunded succour of the Athenians hee would not rest till hee had conquered whole Grecia which by little and little he effected after And howsoeuer coūtrimen Philip may perswade you that his purpose is but onely to reforme religion and to passe no further yet vnder this pretence hauing gottē footing within your walles harbor within your townes and hands within your treasuries you shall finde his entent to be farre otherwise and neuer vnles your wiues conspire against them to bee rooted out Thus hauing obtained Corinth hee shall after come to ride vpon the backe of Greece or as Cassius perswading the Heluetians vnder pretence of alliance and showe of a good cause broched a discorde and so made France subiect to the Romane Empire For if Maximilian the Duke of Austrich durst say that hee treated of agreement with King Lewes the 12. onely to be reuenged of the seuenteen iniuries which he had receiued of the French men although they were scarce thought to haue done him any what shall wee thinke the Spanyard will performe against vs of whō he supposeth to haue receiued so many harmes and so foule dishonors No valerous and noble Englishmen credite not so farre either the hope of Spanish gold a canker that hath fretted the greatest kingdomes or the free passage of religion a thing neuer thought of by them but shewe your selues valiant as earst you haue bin loyall as still you should be then shall you be conquerous as stil you may be For Flanders had neuer bin so firmely vnited with France if Lewes the 12. being but then Daulphin sollicited by Pope Eugenius and Fredericke the Duke of Austrich to breake the counsel of Basill and to ouerrun the countrey had not bin incountred with some fewe Flēmings and put to such famous flight that he was constrained to praise their valour and to make an alliance with them which continued long after The like had the French King stirred vp by Pope Iulius who considering their ancient magnanimitie hath desired to be vnited with the Flemmings as the chief pillar of his crowne and kingdome this was continued to them in the said manner first obtained by their true valour by Henry the 2. and after by Charles the 9. and so lately by these two last Henries In like manner if you continue as you haue begun to bee vnited amongst your selues to be suspitious of forraine flatterie to distrust vpon al pretences the Spanish treacherie then shall I florish as most fortunate and cause them sue for my truce That one conquest when seas did swel with so great pride obtained against their Nauie 1588. hath by Fames alarme been sounded in the vtmost parts of the world hath made the Spanyard desirous of my fauour And if I bee challenged to buy my
thing in all the worlde one answered the water another saide the sunne another saide the hill Olympus another sayd the giant Atlas another saide Homer but the last and wisest answered nihil aliud in rebus humanis magnum nisi magna despiciens nothing is great in humane things but a minde that contemneth great things M. Curius wheÌ„ the Ambassadours of the Samnites offered him golde in great abundance answered I had rather bee Lord ouer you that are Lordes ouer it then onely possesse it selfe and did not this speech of his deserue better then the action of Lucullus to rob the Spartans Did not Crates gaine more glorie by casting his riches into the sea then King Nabuchadonozor for taking the treasure out of the temple Is it not more honor for the rich Indians to contemne their golde then for the greedie Spanyards so to couet it which if it were not vsed to the preiudice of forraine princes all countries could wish him to bee glutted with it and that the Iberian sands were like vnto golden Taguâ— and their little riuers like vnto Pactolus streames but since hee makes it the sinew of his warre and his warre nothing but an intended triumph ouer the greatest Empyres it behooueth Princes to crosse his Argoses that goods lewdlie gotten may not be worse spent but whilest these ruinating ambitious plotts grounded vpon treason haue risen vp like a Pyramides in the greatest Kingdomes Englands Soueraigne hath sitten confident without presumption conquering without crueltie and victorious without contention Whilest in the meane time Sedition shal be ruinous Rebellion shall haue an end and Treason shall be fatall to him that thought it for when heathen writers haue flatteringly perswaded that treason may haue successe then shall the Scripture say That neuer traitor was mentioned and left vnpunished Sellam conspired against Zacharias the King of Israel and slew him but within one moneth after hee himselfe was slaine of Manahem Peka conspired against Pekaiam and after was slaine of Oseas and Oseas the last king of Israel was taken bound and brought into Assyria Infinite might examples bee in this kinde who vpon false perswasion haue risen vp against the Lords anoynted and haue perished like Iabin in the day of battaile and wee may sing with Deborah They fought from heauen euen the starres in their course fought against Sisera the riuer of Kishon swept them away the auntient riuer the riuer Kishon O my soule thou hast marched valiantlie Hitherto haue I been tossed in the dangerous waues of swelling Treason where iust occasion was offered to speake of sundrie by name famous to the worlde for such foule offences but I am loath to rippe vp the hatefull memorie of our countries enemies whome though rayling brainsicke Romoaldus the Scot seem to cleare by his fond defence yet it is so friuolous idle without learning reading or experience as I can tearme it nothing but Catilins oration against Tullies Consulship and when profanely by his defence hee hath encouraged traytors the best hee can yet then with indifferent and wise readers he shall bee deemed foolish and England florish ouer all her enemies I am willing Countrimen to speake more largely vnto you but fearing to bee troublesome I onely desire but this fauour that according to the Hon. Examples of your famous forefathers Loyaltie may dwell in the heartes of English subiects FINIS The cause why many write not Ignorance sits idle and will iudge In vaine doe we complain of multitude of bookes Vales. Zanch. N. D. B. Gallici My L. Henry Howard For such a Coxcombe What Diuination is God alone absolutely knoweth things to come Satan Gods Satan falsely a Diuiner The power of Satan Satan a perpetuall enemie to mankinde Man inferiour in knowledge to Satan Spirits Note Foretold Oracles Satans subtiltie Satan an Ambidexter Satan knoweth the scripture Croesus conquered Iamblich A thing vnlawfull A foolish proofe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diuination will beget Tyrannie Vnmeete it should be Doubtfull answers argue deceite or ignorance A Caueat Ambiguitie in oracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man light God disproueth his sophistrie Pope Borgias Satan cunning in diuine prophesies A states maÌ„ The author of ill lawes Ieroboam Iob. 1. 17. Note Satan vseth great men sometimes for his turne A foreseeing Polititian Rather them then others to make theÌ„ hurt by example 1. King 22. Satan buzzeth into mens hearts that which he hath plotted himselfe God is the sure rocke of defence to a kingdome Dan 4. 29. So at this day Spayne a stay for Christians against the Turke Nero. The societie of man compared Gen. 10 1â— Gen. 10. 9. Or as some say tyraÌ„nize ouer men A monarchy easily a tyranny His beginning A Prince Gods Vicegerent A thing vsuall Tyrants haue often had a care of good lawes The Turke no Monarch Without Iustice no Monarchie Iustice somtimes amongst Tyrants Cambyses Herodotus lib. 1. Anaxilaus But not to excuse treason Not absolutely Cicero de Natura Deorum Obseruation hath begotten this Diuination 500. yeares the common period of a Kingdome in former time The Kings of Iuda Saul Esdras Vespasian Ioseph de Bell. Iud. Gods iudgement The common wealth of Athens continued 490. yeares The common wealth of the Lacedemonians Romaine Consuls 500. yeares Valentinian West Empire Uandales Constantine Charlemaine Persians continued 230. Monarch of the Greekes 250. yeeres Fraunce 237. yeeres The periode of 700. yeares obserued by some The Carthaginians had continued 700. yeares Caesar and Pompey his warre was in the 700. yeare after Romes foundation Two Periodes met together Totâ—las The Moores with Spaine in the yeare after Christ 700. Ferdinand Charles the great Note this The qualitie of periods Todin and others Ignorance of true causes faineth false ones The touchstone of periodes According to our view The change of Kingdoms not by chaÌ„ce Prosperous Kingdomes The punishment of sinne is the change of the state God not tyed to periods Wisdome the stay of a land M. Peucer Causes of the fall of Kingdomes three 1. Impietie 2. Iniustice 3. Lecherie Aristotle Inequality Plato Celestial influence Bodin de Rep. lib. 4. Harmonie Aequiuocation in Harmonie Plato expounded by M. Augier Harmonie not the ground of Kingdomes The fall of a citie is the breach of good lawes The Cynethian commoÌ„ wealth The effect of Musicke Pythagoras Asclepiades Musicke expelleth the feare of danger Musick not so nimble as it hath beene The Horoscopy of cities bad rules to iudge by of chaunges A 100 vnprofitable curiositie September Augustus M. Anthony conquered the 2. day of September 13. September September not so fatall as Bodin writeth In euery moneth some great states haue dyed In Fraunce the greatest alterations betwixt December and August The Duke of Alenson dyed in Iune The Prince of Orange A hatefull proscription Crocotas A fact that for it the greatnes of Spaines fall cannot satisfie the measure of Gods wrath Katherine of Medices Vnder pretence of
oppose himselfe against the Persian Cyrus This being done the Assyrians Empyre was spoyled Croesus conquered and the Monarchie translated to Cyrus There is one especiall example farre surpassing all that antiquitie mentioneth of Satans subtiltie whereby apparantly he shewed the intent and effect of his whole treacherie It was that of the great contemplatiue diuine Iamblicke who desirous to knowe the name of him that should in the Empyre succeede the Emperour Ualens that then raigned he made trial of it by a certain foolish be it spoken with reuerence to so wise a man and most vnlearned diuination in this manner He caused the Greeke Alphabet written to bee put by distinct letters in the ground and vpon euery one he placed a graine of Barley in the midst a Cock the letters where the Cocke scraped the Barley should signifie the thing he so much desired Now it happened that the Cock bared these foure letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet now likewise he remained vncertain of the name which these letters should portend to discerne whether it were Theodosius or Theodotus Theodorus or Theodectes The Emperour Ualens seeing the euent of all this fearing some false play made Herod like all such to be put to death as those letters did poynt out He commaunded likewise to search foorth the Diuine Iamblicke fearing the crueltie of the Emperour by reason of the fault which he had committed for it was not lawfull in Rome to enquire into the succession of the Empyre during the life of the Emperour poysoned himselfe But we shall finde for the most part that the diuell the more to delude men by these diuinations gaue his answers hid darke double and doubtful especiallie when himselfe which often happened was vncertaine of the euent being only led by suspicious and sleight coniectures without euidence of diuine reuelation as appeared by the doubt of that name which those foure letters might portend for not knowing the trueth he talketh by circumstances and darke signes sometimes telling the trueth to gaine credit to his false lyes seeing by a malicious instinct he striueth to obscure the trueth to the great dammage of mortall men For his delight is in falshood and his ioy is in our fall That is the reason why hee vseth these doubtfull vncertaine answers to the intent to abuse men by his ridiculous apish mockeries and finally to bring them by a certaine feare and a sorrow of things to come to most abominable wickednesse in executing the self same euil which before he had told vnto him that inquired of it We haue a most famous example and worth the marking of an Oracle in respect of their doubtfull answers which was found in Greece vnder the shadowe of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth both man and light if the accent be not rightly placed for the ancient Greekes were not careful in this as it is well noted by Iustus Lypsius then the doubt of the foresayd Oracle by reason of the ambiguitie of the word made them vncertaine whether their sacrifice should be of humane flesh or some other thing euen so now we see oftentimes that he hath told the euent of things whereof he is the author yet notwithstanding for al that because God hath admirable meanes in his counsell for to gouerne all that is in the world and because Satan is ignorant of the euent or chaunge of things disposed by GOD himselfe whether it bee a punishment or a release of his rigor which he vseth sometimes in the execution of his iustice he vttereth his diuinations predictions in obscure manner ballanced with an equal yet difficult interpretatiō which may as well agree to this as to that not only for the doubtfull sense but for the double reading of it Of this kind was this Croesus Halym penetrans magnā peruertit opum vim Likewise the fraudulent example of the answere which the diuel gaue vnto Pope Borgias of eleuen yeares and eight moneths may serue to confirme this Furthermore the diuell not only knoweth by diuine prophesies the subuersions ruines and restroings of Monarchies but he intrudeth himselfe often into the handling of them entermedleth in the counsel of Kings and Princes enforcing them by all means possible to bring in a confusion to trouble the estate to oppose themselues one against another to disperse Realmes to debase lawes tending to the good gouernment of the Common wealth He is alwayes hammering of some newes daily to hinder good and sound counsell and in stead of them to set abroach other fatall to the Church and the Common wealth he enflameth the hearts of the mightie with an ambitious desire of ruling to this end he perswades them to followe bad counsell seruing for the execution of their dissignments Such as these are plentifull in the holie scripture Thus he moued the Chaldeans to come to rob and spoyle Iob of his riches and to sley his seruants Thus he plotted like an anciēt states man to hinder the rebuilding of the Temple of Ierusalem after the returne from Babylon perswading king Cambyses by meanes of the Courts flatterers to make warre against the Aegyptians which hee did And for feare lest the Iewes should enter into alliance with them of Aegypt the king commanded in plain termes to hinder the work of the Temple which was then begun and thus Satan compassed his intended scope When he asked leaue to enter into the heard of swine hee had more craft then a common politicke He did the Gaderens a displeasure in their religion by that meanes foreseeing they would entreat Christ to go out of their kingdome and so runne headlong with their swine into eternall destruction Againe he stood at the right side of the Sacrificer in Ierusalem to hinder that no good thing might bee done in that citie Hee attacheth as it were with a contagious infection the most part of publique persons the better by that meanes to obtaine his purpose by reason of the charge which they sustaine for to preserue others Then seeing that Satan intermingleth himself in the midst of affayres publique and that by a diuine permission he insnareth both one and other ayming continually to subuert the state especiallie of Monarches knowing besides that their ruine and change shall happen it is no meruaile that hee oftentimes foresees the euents whereof he is the cause and afterward forgeth Diuinations to the intent to deceiue both one and other But although that God oftentimes permit Satan by reason of our demerits to exercise his tyrannie ouer the principall states of the world yet notwithstanding that permission is not infinite for God keepeth gardeth and defendeth Realmes to the intent that being shaken they may not be altogether ruinated causing his holie spirit to watch ouer them against an enemie so mightie in giuing them wholesome counsel for the
preseruation of their estate It is most certaine that GOD permitteth Satan somtimes to tyrannize ouer one or other as we see in the King of Babylon who was giuen into his power for seuen yeares yet notwithstanding whē it pleased him hee made a restraint and brideled his vnruly will We see sometimes how hee keepeth and vpholdeth the Realmes of wicked Kings for to make them a meanes to maintaine his Church as appeared in the kingdomes of Babylon Persia and the Romanes in the time of Nero Natures most strange monster in respect whereof it is sayd that the societie of man is resembled to a flocke of sheepe whereof though some indaunger themselues yet the faithfull shepheard endeuoureth himselfe by all meanes possible to saue his flocke whole and defend it against the rage of the wolues which would deuoure it For if wee would but consider the matter a little further we shall finde by the scripture in the time of Noah after the building of the tower of Babylon that Nimrod was elected by diuine prouidence to guide and gouerne the people then when as the children nephewes and linage of Noah wandered without townes to dwell in destitute of cities or houses liuing by hunting and vpon the fruites of the earth without any tillage who then represented a maiestie force and valour in his person by reason wherof the holie scripture saith that hee was Robustus venator Domini aut Coram Domino a strong hunter of the Lord by reason of the might and puissance that hee had to tame the sauage and wild beasts Whereby we may well conclude that Common wealths had their beginnings by violent Tyrannies that Nimrod by force violence obtained the soueraigntie Notwithstāding we find in scripture that he was a most heroicall King and no Tyrant howsoeuer some doe intend otherwise because that by his meanes was established the forme of a Common wealth most durable to gouerne and to keepe the people in order and discipline And so from this first diuine wisedome humane societie was kept vnited from time to time This likewise is the cause why the Prince is tearmed Gods Vicegerent vpon earth Finally he was garded with such force that the Empyres which wee call Monarchies by this meanes were ordained then of the selfe same Monarchies by reason of an insatiable ambition and desire to rule proceeded Tyrannies But although that Tyrants by the permission of God seemed sometimes by reason of their horrible murders and destructions to bee willing to cancell all law and peruert all iustice that tended to the maintenance of a Common-wealth and whereby Empyres flourished yet notwithstanding wee finde by the discourse of histories that the verie Tyrants themselues by a diuine prouidence haue oftentimes left behinde thē good lawes as the true markes of Iustice tending to the maintenance and conseruation of kingdoms to the intēt that humane societie should not either be disperst or raced out God hath the meanes to vs vnknowne to keep them from such wickednesses that he turneth the euil of present ruling Tyrants vnto the especiall good of gouerning posteritie for his will is the perfect rule and the infallible direction of all right and equitie By reason whereof some are of that mind that although the Empyre of the Turkes in dignitie and greatnes exceeded the foure Monarchs of the worlde yet notwithstanding it could not bee reputed for a true Monarchie because that amongst those barbarous people there was neither humanitie nor forme or shewe of iustice but a meere deuastation of Empyres and a reall destruction of all lawes and policies which were established and dreamingly obserued of other Monarchies vnder whom notwithstanding their enormities God had continually preserued miraculously a forme of iustice to the intent to preserue his owne people I will onely alleadge two examples not to bee too troublesome without touch or mention of the Romane lawes afterward brought in to shew by them the equitie and iustice which Tyrants and Infidels themselues haue somtimes in the gouernment of their Common-wealths vsed as well in regard of their ciuill and politicke order as Militarie The one long since famous is the example of the execution of iustice in King Cambyses otherwise a great Tyrant which he executed vpō the Iudge corrupted with bribes in the person of Sysannes who after he was put to death he was fleyed and his skinne hung ouer the Iudgement seate where his sonne was commanded to sit as Iudge that in iudging he might remēber the offence of his father The other is the famous and memorable example of Anaxilaus whom the Lacedaemonians vsed thus He seeing that in the time of the siege of the citie Byzance Clearchus the Gouernour begā to take the goods of the Burgesses that dyed for famine to diuide amongst his Souldiers to the intent to hold the towne longer he dealt in the absence of Clearchus with the enemie to yeeld vp the towne vpon good conditions which soone yeelded without pillage or shedding of bloud Afterward Anaxilaus was accused to thē of Sparta for rendring the towne who vsing a most honest excuse answered that they ought to make warre against the enemie and not their owne selues and that it was a thing most vniust to handle the Burgesses more rudely then the enemie And for these excuses full of reason they absolued him This example may serue at this day sometimes to excuse publique persons whō some indeuour to accuse and blame slanderously without discretion not considering that God miraculously gouerneth the heart of those whom God hath placed to gouerne others to the intent to hinder and preuent the totall ruine of his people and Common wealth as we may reade of the Prophet Ieremiah who gaue counsell to the King Zedechias when he was besieged in Ierusalem to yeeld himselfe to the Chaldeans to the intent to preserue the people and the towne notwithstanding many others perswaded the contrarie Many such examples full of naturall equitie are largely handled by Saint Ambrose in the third booke of his Offices On the other side to returne to our former subiect it is knowne vnto all that the diuell hath knowledge concerning the ruines and changes of Common wealths and that he hath learned much by the periods of yeares and the fatall age of Realmes and Empires knowing by obseruation of times that they are limited and because their state is subiect to change that serues him for all occasions Cicero in the twelft of the Nature of gods speaking of the inuention of sundrie diuinations and superstitious obseruations hath these wordes Multas res diuturnus vsus ita notauit vt artem Diuinationis efficeret in another place he saith Obseruatio diuturna notandis rebus fecit artem The histories of all times doe teach vs in case wee would carefully obserue them search them throughly that the most parte of the