THE IOIEFVLL AND BLESSED REVniting the two mighty famous kingdomes England Scotland into their ancient name of great Brittaine By JOHN BRISTOLL SAPIENTIAE ET FELICITATIS ACADEMIA OXONIENSIS Printed at Oxford by IOSEPH BARNES are to be sold in Paules Church yarde at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson TO THE KINGS MOST EXcellent Maiestie IAMES by the grace of God King of great Brittaine France Ireland defender of the faith THE ioyfull and happie proclaimed vnion of your Maiesties two famous kingdomes England and Scotland into the name of Great Brittaine in one dutifull obedience of all to one Royall Rightful Soveraigne over all is the very Treasurie of the whole State where your Maiestie is sole high Treasurer of weale publique your soveraigne authoritie beautified with Iustice for executing lawes with wisedome for determining Right with mercy and grace for releeving distressed Subiects is the glorious abundant Treasure it selfe And albeit I haue in my two bookes like the poore widdowe offered into your Treasury but only two mites yet I hope for that doe most humbly pray your gracious favor that your highnesse will bee pleased in goodnes to accept my humble service duty to lay vp my two mites with the rest of the rich Treasure though in the account they be scarcely reckoned for a farthing I haue with that care and caveat as is meete only observed the Tenor of your highnes proclamation and with dutiful and due regard left all other incident circumstances and great considerations to the wisedome of the Honorable Commissioners authorized by your Maiestie in both your Parliaments As for all others which dislike mine industrie and distaste my zeale esteeming my labours lost and better left vndone then my reputation left vndone amonge them I esteeme them only tanquam Pedarios Censores trampling on truth and carying their eies in their heeles and not in their head neverthelesse I desire if may be to avoide their kicking and spurning if not yet because I knowe my farthing good silver able to indure touch and triall I haue without other respects in publishing this booke scattered abroad the fire of my zeale to shew it felfe in its own shine and placed my happynesse in your Maiesties approving mine endevours knowing that the king of kings acknowledged the poore widdowe to haue cast in more into the Teasury then al the rich men Me selfe verily doe cast in all that I haue and for my part doe iudge it everie mans part to depart from all where hee oweth all To this I can only adde my dayly praiers and doe presently and will still powre them forth to the God of all glorie and mercie lifting vp hands heart that his manifold and dayly blessings may bee multiplyed vpon your sacred person vpon our gracious Queen and vpon your Royall Seede for ever and that all your kingdomes may flourish to your owne hearts desire for terror of foes and endlesse comfort of all your loving Subiectes Your Maiesties faithfull Subiect and humble servant Io. BRISTOLL THE IOYFVLL AND HAPPY vnion of the two famous kingdomes England and Scotland into the name of Great Brittaine THE State of England and Scotland may bee resembled to the condition of Israell and Iuda not only for emulation who haue most right to the Royall person 2. Sam. 19. of the Kings Maiestie for their defence and government but also for that the two kingdomes were at first both but one Besides God as he speaketh by his Prophet did also at first alike leade both them and vs with Gords of a man euen with Hose 11. Bands of loue And as it pleased God for sinne of people to breake those Bands even both the Staffe of bands and of bewtie to dissolue the brotherhoode Zach. 11. of Israell and Iuda so for the iniquitie of our forefathers God brake the Staffe of bands signifying mutuall loue and also Staffe of bewtie signifying order of government and brought in vpon them vpon their posterity even to these Is 9. our latter daies a staffe of diuision and yoke of burden vpon theirs and our shoulders which nowe for al that out of the riches of his mercie he hath also broken in peeces making al one againe as he spake by his Prophet Ezechiel concerning Israel Ezec. 37. and Iuda saying I wil make them one people in the land vpon the mounetaines of Israell and one king shall be king to them all they shall be no more two peoples neither be diuided any more henceforth into two kingdomes This foundation laide as proiect of our whole purpose The trueth sheweth it selfe howe two kingdomes severed in place not much differing in lawes nor dissonant in language but only disagreeing heretofore in neighbourhoode may bee comprehended vnder notion of one name specially seeing when one ruleth both and both become Subiect to one they are no more two but one body lincked in like duety and knit togither in one bande of obedience To doubt this is in Strangers ignorance but in Subiects a great offence For who so considereth that many Shires with the principality of Wales heretofore made one England cannot but confesse that likewise England Scotland with al their territories Ilands Shires and Countries make now one great Brittaine and al the people of both the mighty nations Brittaines and that the Kings Maiestie hath done as princely an Act in vniting both the kingdomes into one name as hee did in vniting the Armes of both the Realmes into one Scutchion hauing a like Right in both For all great Brittaine being his Maiesties inheritance all his Subiects within that continent are Brittaines Iust and reasonable was the demande of Annius chiefe Governour of Latines in vniting Romanes and Latines saying Ex vtraque gente vnum Liv. 1. Dec. 8. lib. oportet esse populum vnam fieri rempub eandē imperij sedem idemque omnibus nomen And albeit the Latines were cōtent for sake of Weale publique to preferre Romanes before themselues and bee called by their names as the History there farther reporteth Quoniam ab alter vtra parte concedi necesse est quod vtrisque benè vertat sit hat sanè patria potior Romani omnes vocemur neverthelesse the case not standing so with vs that Scottish should be called by our name nor we by theirs me thinks a thirde name of great Brittaine might easily equally please both otherwise as King Deiotarus cut of al his children saving one Plut. 3. mor because he would leaue the kingdom but to one so should English swallowing vp name of Scottish or Scottish drowning name of English prooue such a Vine which to bring but one grape to ripenes is content that all Branches bee cut of but one But the questiō here is not which of the branches should best prosper but how all the branches may flourish which abide in the Vine and verily the question carieth in it selfe his
nations Cedo alterum For I feare least this name Cedo alterum mentioned in Tacitus be yet scarcely foūd among many but I cal alowde where art thou Cedo alterum giue vs thy selfe bring in thy friend yea yet another and another be not wanting to the weale publique vna navis bonorum omnium al good Subiects are conteined in one Shippe of common Weale numerum non habet illa suum one is not perfit without the other for Brittaines Subiect ought maintaine mutual societie for cōmon good As for others disclayming vs and disioyning themselues only I wish they may all bee of the same consort and societie with vs for victrix causa dijs placuit though victa Catoni And albeit many great and mighty Potentates one earth make a great Shew of copia verborum by copious recital of many Provinces kingdomes as if his Maiestie shoulde intitle himselfe by al the several Shires vnder his dominiōs and not by one honorable Title of great Brittaine comprehending al yet to shew how this misliked some it is recorded when the Emperors Embassador comming to the French King rehearsed the Emperours stile at large which consisted of many dominions and names of coūtries the French king willed his Herralde to repeate and say over the name of France as many times as the other had rehearsed the several titles of his masters dominions intimating that one name of France wel compacted and vnited of many particulers into one general name was better then diverse particuler names of many countries And when Quintius Liv. 4. Dec. 5. lib. Flaminius heard how his army was terrified at the recital of many his enemies forces of their diversitie of names of countries of Armor and of multitudes Dahae Maedi Caedu sij Elemei Cataphracti c. Speare men Horse men Foot men Archers c. Oh saith he what a doe is here with numbers and diversitie of numbers al these are but only Sirians and make a great shew like that great Supper which mine host at Chalcis dressed for me and for my followers with much variety and marveile at the diversitie of the dishes and yet al was but of one flesh though of so many divers dressings The Riuer Peneus may better serue Herod 7. for instance it divideth it selfe and floweth into many divers Rivers and everie one of these Rivers in his division hath a proper name to himselfe one after this name and another after that but al these meeting in one and becomming againe one great and mighty River do now loose the particuler names which they held being divided and are called by one general name as before namely Peneus Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate It is not reasonable that brethren from one parent shoulde bee divided in one house though they be severed in distinct place but be as fingers to one hand knit togither by common iointes for mutual offices even as the brethren Molionides are poetically imagined to haue but one body or rather the three Geriōs to haue many bodies but one soule and one minde not vnlike to that of Pithagoras vt vnum ex pluribus fiat many in name but one in deed And as when Piso vvas commended to posteritie for frugalitie I doubt not but he was wise withall and as when Lelius was renowned for wisedome I doubt not but he was iust withal and Metellus for pietie I doubt not but he was temperate withal and Aristides for Iustice I doubt not but he was valiant withal yet I know that the denomination is ever but of one though it containe things two and moe as the Temple consecrated to two brethren Castor Suet. Iulius and Pollux was named only Castors Temple and the munificencie of two Consuls Caesar and Bibulus was called only Caesars munificencie and even many imaginarie shewes and shaddowes haue seemed compleat in deciphering one thing only yea the very images of excellent men haue beene patterns and resemblances of many consummat vertues in one as Plutarchs Alexander Xenophons Cirus Homers Vlisses Virgils Aeneas Lucians Imagines in steede of al. And as there is a common Idea and infolded notion of al things in the minde of man so the overviewing the whole race and tract of things in the world doth tel vs that as many peculiar excellent properties may be and are in one man he over them as sole Monarch over al the diversities of worthiest vertues so a king vnder his imperial power hath to him subiected many Shires States Citties Honors Provinces kingdomes himselfe being sole Soveraigne and Lord over al. Therefore though magnanimity only was attributed to Cirus only modesty to Agesilans onlie wisedome to Themistocles skil to Phillip boldnesse to Brasidas yet Alexander as Plutarch reporteth was furnished and ful-fraight with all these And Quintus Metellus is reported to attaine Pet Crin 13. 5. and possesse togither ten of the chiefest greatest things that euer he desired as if hee had at once ten Provinces vnder his commaund and was knowne a mighty warrier a sweete oratour a great commander to prosper in his greatest affaires to be in greatest honor of great wisedome a chiefe Senator plentiful in children rich of substance and most renowned in the Citty So copiously hath one man beene stored with plentifull variety of manifold graces al these at once dwelling in him and he wel ordering them euen as one free and absolute Monarch may doth rule many mighty and divers Nations knit in one by obedience and loue among themselues and by law and lustice from the king who by his lawes speaketh alike to al is heard of al and vnderstood of al vna eademque communi voce I confesse the name of great Brittaine hath beene long time eclipsed or rather like those voices Plut. which Antiphon saide were kept close and frozen vp in the Winter vntil the heate of Sommers shining Sunne resolued the frozen and fast bound aire that they might bee againe disclosed Comfortable is the warmth of this blessing in the Sunshining day of our soveraigne king wherin not only clowds are scattered but the renowned name of great Brittaine breaketh forth as a gladsome voice from frozened aire commeth forth as a Bridegrome out of his chamber long time before lockt vp like a prisoner Doubtlesse this is our yeare of Iubile a year of delivering the Captiue of making the bond free and of ioy even in sort and true sence to vs Annus Platonicus wherein things are come about againe to be as they were Iure Postliminij to recover our selues and be restored to name fame of great and glorious Brittaine long lately diuided into two kingdomes but now most happily ioiefully subiected revnited in al the government thereof vnto one only Soveraigne most wise and most religious governour of the same Deus haec benigna restituit in sedem vice Doubtlesse this is the Lords doing and it is marveilous in our eies this is
answere Abide in the Vine This Vine is but Ezec. 37. 19 one though of many branches and much fruite And thanks be given to God that his Maiesty by publique Proclamation hath divulged the inserting and fast grafting of each branch and al fruite into his owne Royal person as into a fruitfull and flourishing vine even into the head of the whole body of howe many so ever partes consisting Wherein his Highnesse hath laid the first stone as he is the true and only foundation of happy vnion and yet as yet like Apelles fashioning onlie the exquisite and most excellent beauty of Venus in the head but I hope also will pray for perfection in the rest that the saying may be true Rex velit honesta nemo non eadem volet and that an vniversal vnion may be as happie in successu as it is most iust by proclamation in inceptu That the head going before the whole body may followe after in imitation to worke out perfection of the desired happy vnion That it may be verified quod diu parturivit tandem peperit what God had in his providēce long purposed is fulfilled in these our happy daies And that by no meanes that of the Poet may be imputed to vs either by disobedience to our head or disagreeing among our selues humano capiti vartas inducere formas Grammarians doe obserue that Metallum is so called quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is aliud because there is scarcely found no veine of Mettal where is not more of that sort adioyning to it so among English and Scottish they are not to bee thought of the true metalline Mine but as drosse canker corrupting consuming each other which ioine not in the vniversal name of great Brittaine so to continue and dwel togither to grow vp and agree togither seeing nature hath made them all of one kinde forme complexion habit and language growing togither And verily divine is the mistery of vnion whether the provident wisdome of nature from God hath ingendred it or the skil of mans reason hath observed it where one of and in it selfe doth out of it selfe powre foorth innumerable formes of things as Brittaine doth even two kingdomes the principalitie of Wales with many Shires Rivers Ilands and people and yet conteineth them all within it selfe one having many many making one where one of many is not divided against it selfe and the many in one make no division to overthrow the whole but all are the same whither we respect vnion or division And this doubtlesse is a divine power or celestial vertue not only for our purpose but compassing passing through the whole world making things either simple or coniunct but one subsisting by vnder the divine essence which is one and consisting in all his members parts vnited but one where each every part of this vniversall world respecteth the whole otherwise innumerable but brought by vnion to a number without number even beginning of numbers which is but one And this is most agreeing to the conceipte of wisest Philosophers skilful in natures Secret teaching all whatsoever is to be but one and that in the vniversal nature of things there is an agreeing amitie and intermixed affinitie where all the partes of the whole world accorde by one transfused continuat spirit among them being compact togither with one and the selfe-same agreeing force forceable agreement of nature proceeding from one beginning continued by one meane and referred to one end everie particular being knit togither with the whole vniversality diversity of things wrapt vp in one round orbe togither that as partes of this worlde they may dwell in one Center or Circle togither To shut vp many things in few and to shevve how certainely all things are contained in one one doth comprehende all verily in Schooles of Philosophers it is an infallible Maxime that all things are communicated in one Vnum hoc praeque omnibus vnum This one is al in al. Ruunt autem omnia vbi vnitas non firmamentum diffluunt vbi non coagulum The demonstration in our entended purpose is plaine Many villages make one Shire many Shires one kingdom many kingdomes one Imperial Monarchy all which is Brittaine and Brittaine al these and the Kings Maiestie possessing governing Brittaine possesseth and governeth al these and the Subiect knovving Brittaine knoweth al and every of these for al these are one and this one is al these That as this excellent workemanship of Vnion sheweth it selfe in the mightie Masse and fabricke of the whole worlde so much more particulerly and plainely doth it appeare in a modell of the same even in the name and honour of great Brittaine where every Subiect ought cleerely to see in him selfe that though he be tearmed the little world and compact of infinite varietie and multiplicity of things yet is he not two but one man Here let the neere neighbourhoode and coniunction of man and man in mutual societie and participation of profites which man hath with man where two friends are but one and not parting meum and tuum confesse that though they are in person two yet in deede doe with idem velle idem nolle enioy the fruition of heaven with the same aspect the commodities of the earth with the same minde where all things are common to both and yet proper to each one All which things are alleadged to shew that as every kingdome State of the world is vphelde with one and the selfe same power life wherewith the vniversall world consisteth So now it concerneth al every one Subiect both of England and Scotland to participat in the cōmon obedience transfused into al vnder the governmēt of one which duety is neglected of him vvho against the kings designement right against his owne incorporation reiecteth his vniting into the name of Brittaine And in this vnion qui non colligit dispergit Where sacred vnitie is guide and director there even from distinct of nature vse of mutuall societie and good of weale publique many are knit togither inseperably and great and infinite numbers of all Sorts of people are contained in one narrow compasse of neere coniuuction for so the most populous and powrefull kingdomes though two or mo vnder one Soveraigne seeme to be but as one whole body And the whole body of Weale publique in subiection and obedience but as one man sic enim omnes aquoiure parent omnibus imperature And as in al things so specially in this are we bound to render al praise and thanksgiving to that thrice sacred Vnity from whom as from the first author and fountaine is sowen abroad in the world that fruitful seede of cōstant vnitie whose force draweth many of one houshold to be of one minde and is ever doing good in its owne nature keeping Israel togither like a flocke of sheepe Neither is it an hard
matter to vnite and keep them togither who liue vnder the same climate of heaven are of like language manners countenance lawes customes forme of bodie fashiō of behavior yea and religion à religando Rightly called the chiefest band of hearty vnion For though the Hand Salamis bee controverted betweene Aelian 7◠the Athenians Megarenses yet must it be adiudged to the Athenians because they lived after the same fashion and lawes as now the skilful in the lawes of this land easily acknowledge what congruity and affinity is betweene most of the ancient lawes of both our kingdomes more then is to be found betweene those of any other two nations And albeit the Towne Sidas be controverted Athene 1◠betweene the Athenians Beotians yet Epominondas wil adiudge it to the Beotians and not to the Athenians because the Athenians called an apple malum punicum but the Beotians called it Sidas There is betweene English and Scottish smal or no difference nay now none at al in vnion al being Brittaines not so much as betweene Gileadites and Ephraimites in pronouncing Shibboleth or Sibboleth but al are of one language even of one Canaan language only a little River Twede is common limit or rather imaginary bounde to both and al from Twede Southward is Brittaine within Twede and al frō Twede Northward is Brittaine beyonde Twede yet both on this side that al but one Brittaine non nos mare seperat ingens exiqua prohibemur aqua as al France hath formerly bin divided into two parts the one beyonde the Alps the other within the Alps and all Jndia Westward within the River Gange and Eastward beyonde Gange And all Scithia within Imaus and without Imaus And though the Iland hath bin long time divided into two kingdomes yet England it selfe hath oft times of divers bin called Brittaine as by a Surname and if pars prototo might haue that denomination much more ought the whole being now made one Therefore Linacre Grocinus of the one part called thēselues Brittaines and Iohannes Maior of the other affirmed that the kings of England and Scotland wanted good Councel to advise them to marie togither so to make of both one kingdome of Brittaine that only envious men and they who neglected the Weale publiq ue did hinder this vnion of peace Which thing King Henry the seventh and King Henrie the eighth wisely forsaw seeking by mariage to vnite both kingdomes into one Discordantis saepe patriae non aliud est remedium quam si ab vno regeretur Therefore the wise men haue most religiously observed two beginnings of things one of evil divisible imperfect manifold called duallitie or Binarius numerus Another of good indivisible perfect and in name and nature alwaies one called vnitas If Duallitie or Binarius as cause efficient beare sway then in the aire it breedeth intemperature if in citties families or kingdomes wars and discorde if in the body diseases if in the minde of men vice and wickednes But where vnion possesseth chiefe place her fruites are to the aire wholsome temper to citties families kingdomes mutual loue and ioie to the bodie health and strength and to the minde vertue godlines For vnitie admitteth no duallity knoweth no contrarietie and by consequence no infirmitie But Duallitie seduced Adam in disobedience seeking to know aswel evil as good who before was sole Monarch of the whole earth and was wholly good and perfect both in bodie and Soule vntil hee drew with a dubble twisted corde of contrarieties vnto his body in steede of health sicknesse infirmities and vnto his soule in steede of Righteousnesse sinne and miserie needing now to strengthen his body bread and to repaire his soule grace euen for body soule Gods mercy For so he turned the Monarchy of perfect good into a Monomachie or duellum of good and euil sin and righteousnes peace and war ioie and sorrow sicknesse health yea life and death And now when the sole Monarch of the whole earth left of to abide in the common obedience and vniuersal vnion of al things to his creator albeit al the creatures were before in voluntary subiection vnited also to their sole Monarch Adam on earth yet now everie creature lifteth vp himselfe against his sole earthly Soveraigne and against his Succession for euer The earth wil not yeeld Adam bread but by the sweat of his browes the beasts become wilde cruel yea the earth openeth her mouth against the succession of disobedient Adam and swalloweth vp Corah Dattan Abiram the waters drowne the whole world except eight persons the poore flie can and doth sometimes choake a man having before neither power nor wil to doe it Lice can devoure and eate vp Herod euen the vilest and weakest creatures can and often doe destroy the greatest Tirants of the earth And in opinion of some the holy Ghost seemeth in misterie to open this matter to a man of vnderstanding forbearing in the second daies worke to say all was good as is plainely said of al the other fiue daies and he saw all things good not but that the worke of this day was also good for al his workes are and were exceeding good but because of waters which in many places of the scripture signifie troubles yea intollerable afflictions and because of division of waters in that daies worke God being a God not of division but of peace therfore the holy Ghost seemeth to forbeare to say in that place and it was good And yet would not these bee mistaken in their curiositie as if they concluded the diuision of waters in that daies worke not to be good seeing that waters in the clowds diuided from the Seas are vpholden by Gods prouidence not to powre down and over whelme the earth for they approue divisions of constructions to be good as the diuiding the light from darknes the day from night and of whatsoeuer into parts for ornament and beauty of the forme diuided but vtterlie condemne diuisions of destructions or of distractiōs which is frangere non dividere comminuere non distinguere to part the body from the head or the members from the bodie to bring order to confusion vnitie to distraction forme to a Chaos ens to privation such division was that whereof Caselius answered the merchant Navem si dividis Macr. 2. sa◠nec tu nec socius habebit such diuifion the vnnatural harlot entended requiring the liuing childe to be cut into two partes let it bee neither 1. King 3. mine nor thine but divide it Where two or three are made one there is the image of God of truth of peace of fortitude of praise of perfectiō but where one is drawn diuided and torne a sunder there breaketh forth falshood war feare dishonor confusion They which are of God embrace the one and they which are of the deuil the other For God both in the Center and Circumference of truth
in the whole common Weale it is wholly and in every part thereof whither it be of English or Scottish entire Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte As a shining light it sheweth a way for common good and as a reasonable soule giveth vnderstanding to the blindest body to see the full fruition of al worldly happinesse let no man shut his eies against the Sun nor refuse a living soule for his Carcas If I could expresse the image of this vnion in liuely colours I would surely make her a Goddes faire and beautiful having a garland crowne of al blessings vpō her head sitting in a Chaire of State with al good fortunes vertues and graces attending her and as a Goddes in triumphant chariot going into the capitol or temple of mighty Iupiter where also the Poets haue found her but called by another name even Pallas who is also named Monas that is vnitie because having Macrob. one only parent shee resideth in Iupiters braine even in the chiefe seate of his wisedome where al the Muses are her companions so called Musae quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is altogither in one where al the Graces go hand in hand congratulating to vnion their mutual societie where al vertue and knowledge are neere of affinitie but Iustice and government of cōsanguinity to her her selfe stil holding primacy over al as England Scotland are cheerefully looking one towards the other in the name of great Brittaine as the two Cherubins did looke one towards the other in one propitiatory And thy royal state ô great Ezech. 28. Brittaine is as the annointed Cherub And as in the hart of man is placed fortitude in his liver temperance and in his minde Iustice yet al these with al other vertues are annexed to Prudence the common ligament of al so is great Brittaine by vniting al his kingdomes principalities countries and honours the compleate proportioned forme of al and al in it both vniversally and particulerly are fashioned and made fit on every side for happy coniunction and mutual correspondence For this renowned name of great Brittaine standeth in steede of a Loadstone drawing al into one chaining them togither with links of loue as Lisippus made an image of fowre mettals mixed togither gold silver brasse and yron expressing hereby absolute perfection of vertue putting in gold to signifie Prudence silver Iustice brasse Fortitude and yron Temperance whereof they are altogither ignorant as if they had never seene vertue so much as painted who to overthrow vniō in the name of great Brittaine bring no vnion of vertues euen excellencies of many Countries to this so excellent worke But skilful Zeuxes going about to depaint an absolute worke of a perfit virgin tooke not onlie view of one womans beautie but had varietie of many the fairest to accomplish out of al these a more excellent and consummate forme of bodie Shal we not thinke the kingdome of Fraunce containing Pickardy Normandie the I le of France Champaigne Averne Dalphenie Bry Bloys Turin the Dutchie of Aniow Xantoin Burgundie and vniting to it little Brittaine to be more glorious in al these being made one then if but one only of al these were that kingdome Doe we not see that the enlarging of the dominions of Spaine in vniting and establishing diverse kingdomes and territories as those of Aragon Castile and that of Portugal with others hath so enlarged that kingdome as that the like hath not befallen other Christian Potentates Hath not the King of Denmarke beside the Cimbrian Chersonese where Holsatia Theutomartia the Dukedome of Sletia Flensburgh Friesland and Iuthland doe lie other spacious Ilands fifteene in number all comprehended vnder the name Denmarke and vnited to that Crowne Did not Iagello taking to wife in the year 1380. the princes Hedingee the last of the blud Royal of Polonia after he was installed king there vnite al his owne principalities of Lithuania and Samotgathia Provinces of Russia to the kingdome and Esth 1. Crowne of Poland Did not Ahasuerus raigne from India to Ethiopia over an hundred twenty and seaven diuerse Provinces And was not he so mightie by reason of this varietie subiected and vnited to his sole government that hee was an hundreth and fowrescore daies shewing the riches and glorie of his Greatnesse to al his Princes and to the mightie men of Persia Media But to take example of one only Rome for all How hath it beene renowned through the whole world by ioyning al the nations of the world into one euen to it selfe Herehence it was called terrarum dea gentiumque Roma communis patria mundi compendium Omnia Romanae cedant miracula terrae Propertius Natura hîc posuit quicquid in orbe fuit But the Maiestie of this Empire grew so great by adioining other nations and bringing them all into one Haec est in gremium quae victos sola recepit Humanumque genus communi nomine fovit Matris non dominaeritu civesque vocavit Quos domuit nexuque pio longinqua revinxit And againe Fecisti patriam diversis gentibus vnam Dumque offers victis proprij consortia iuris Vrbem fecisti quod prius orbis erat And so may wee say of this renowned name of great Brittaine comprehending vs all of diverse nations in one vnder our gracious King Huius pacificis debemus moribus omnes Quod cuncti gens vna sumus I could set forth and confirme by sundry examples this vniting of many into one and thereby shew that the enlarging of dominion consisteth in vniting altogither into one name and establishing diverse Territories vnder one Soveraignetie and government and that the greater states and Imperial powers of larger extent and far spreading domination are the more durable Arist Pol. and that the Monarchie of great Brittaine is like to be hereafter of more durance strength honor as partly comming vnder our Kings government without conquest or constraint nam errat longè mea quidem sententia qui credat imperium stabilius aut firmius quod vi adiungitur quam quod facilitate clementia so now especially it beeing vnited in the whole then heretofore divided in parts his contexture being of a greater frame thē before holding by more then one naile and vp-holding it s own greatnes even as great buildings endure and subsist by their owne weight as the Poet speaketh Pondere tuta suo est But I thinke it here as needeful to lay open that great fault imputed to Constantine dividing the Empire among his Children whereby of one Empire hee made three and withal a memorable diminution of his authoritie and forces which part Brutus also played dividing this whole Empire of great Brittaine among his three Sonnes of which though two parts afterward namely England Wales were againe in good time vnited yet Scotland stood till now divided from the rest the rest from it till God in special goodnes nowe restored to
former name and government al into one againe for which our King Iames may challendge more glory by vniting al into one thē Brutus or Constantine dividing it from one and though Constantine the great was counted the glory of Brittaine as being borne and made Emperour here yet may that commendation better fit our King Iames then Constantine Tu nobiles fecisti Britanias quod illic ortus factusquees imperator The Platan tree hath many goodly Branches and boughes and leaues in one body and therefore Xerxes in Herodotus crowned him with a golden Garlande doubtlesse there is a deserued glorious garland due to the name of great Brittaine bringing forth many goodly boughes and branches like to the faire and wel spred Platan tree or rather for the height of his honor like the tall and goodly Cedar in whom the dreame of Nabuchodonoser hath beene verified for he saw a tree in the middest of the earth great strong whose height reached vnto the heaven and the sight therof to the end of the earth whose leaues were faire and the fruit thereof much in which was meate for al yea the beasts of the field had Dan. 4. shaddow vnder it the fowles of the aire dwelt in the boughes thereof and al flesh fed of it But Nabuchodonosor heard also a watch crying out mightily hew downe this tree breake of his brāches shake of his leaues scatter his fruit that both beasts and fowles may be put from him neverthelesse leaue the stumpe of his rootes stil in the earth So was the ancient honor and glory of great Brittaine great and mighty high to heaven faire and fruitful of power over the whole Land from one end to the other but the highest who hath power over al did for the sin of the inhabitants hew downe this goodly tree yet left the Stumpe of the rootes in the earth And out of it the tree is growne vp againe to former beautie that we might learne to magnifie the King of heaven as did Nabuchodonosor restored to the honor of his kingdome to his glory and beautie againe to his Counsailours and Princes and to the establishment of his Throne with augmented glorie And here let vs now consecrate to al eternitie the ancient name of famous great Brittaine as a Pantheon of al blessings in peace prosperitie and honor for as Pantheon was a Temple at Rome rounde and like to the capacitie of heaven wherin were put al the images of their Gods So I say in the name and stile of great Brittaine as in a Pantheon are placed al worldly blessings like stars shining from heaven and having their influence into the whole body of common weale euē perfection of beautie in Sion Superstitious antiquity framed false Gods one indued with this vertue and another with that this a wise that a warlike and another a iust God yea for so many vertues they framed so manie Goddesses where one Temple might not be consecrated to two Goddesses but distinct vertues must be worshipped with distinct worship So Val. Max. 1 as Marcellus dedicating one and the same Temple to honor and vertue was thought to offende against religion But our happy and better instructed age reducing al to one as it teacheth vs in religion both nations to be one truely to worship one true and only God so in civil things government it offereth only one aboue and for all that whatsoeuer is seperate and distracted frō it may be counted as anathema excommunicate divorced or as a barren handmaide to be sold to the vsurer vnprofitable imperfit or as it were not at all And now as vniō into the name of great Brittaine is like a Pantheon and bringeth manifolde abundant blessings meeting togither concurring in one so let vs account our selues most blessed in our soveraigne vnitor in whose Royal person and princely Succession is laide vp al our obedience and dwelleth al our happynes even as that worthy Scipio is said therefore to be borne that there might be one in whō al vertue should shew it selfe effectually and absolutely perfect hic est Scipio quē dij immortales nasci voluerunt Val. Max. 6 9. vt esset in quo se virtus per omnes numeros efficaciter ostenderet This is the voice of trueth it selfe England and Scotland are so naturally vnited in the name of great Brittaine that the one neerely alyed to the other can no longer be an alian or stranger one to the other except it may be said that Quia meus est non est meus ipsaque damno est mihi proximitas So this natural coniunction should be no vnion because it is both natural in the Soile and real in the Subiect But albeit the Romanes put into the Temple called Pantheon that precious Macrob. 3. gemme named Vnio divided and cut in two yet we with al our goods and geare ought willingly be borne into the bosome of great Brittaine quae fundit in omnes imperium not distributing vnion into parts but knitting vp al parts into one as Ciceroes orator had al sciences and Aristotles good man al vertues as Cato was counted like perfect in al vertues or as the divine Plato sealed vp in man the lesser world whatsoever vertue was in the whole world or rather as Eden the plentifull Ezech. 28. garden of God sealing vp the summe of all perfection and glorie was fraight and deckt with all manner of precious stones the Rubie the Topaze and the Diamond the Chrysolice the Onix the Iasper the Saphir the Emeraude and the Carbuncle and gold Even now may it be said of this vniversal name of Brittaine as it was saide of Rome Imperij virtutumque omnium lar and virtutum omnium latissimum templum In ancient time it was counted ominous if a stone fell or a dogge came among brethren And Cic. Off. 3. Socrates was wont to curse those who by selfe cōceipts and head-strong opinion attempted to set a sunder those things which nature coupled togither And now if any factious Tribune of the people interpose himselfe to divide vs and to disturbe the peace of Israel thinking there is good fishing in troubled waters and that the honours and benefits they hunt after are attained in perturbata Republica whereof they vtterly dispaire in a peaceable State quia in concordia ordinum nullos se vsquam esse vident verily such are not vnlike Medea who so dispersed her brothers limmes that they could not be gathered againe cuius etiam vultu laeditu pietas as the Mariners at Sea wel obserue in the two stars Castor and Pollux that if one without the other appeare they foresee a troubled Sea but peaceable and quiet without storme and without danger in the sight of both togither The principality of Wales shall witnesse this truth which never receaved any thing more beneficial for the people there then vniting that Country to the crowne kingdom of England For whilest it was alone without his
being like to one Cittie even one Ierusalem which is a Cittie at vnitie within it selfe Hoc verè Regium duos populos vnum efficere As the king of kings hath in mercy done to Iew and Gentile to Grecian and Barbarian fecit vtraque vnum he brake downe the partition Wall and hath gathered the people and kingdomes togither to serue him dissociata locis concordi pace ligavit And why should not many and moe then two kingdomes as well civilie abide in vnitie of Subiection as many Christian nations continue in vnitie of faith But that the one hath the spirit of God which is authour of peace and louer of concorde directing them and the other the spirit of Satan authour of contention and cause of confusion perverting them Which thing King David well perceaved praying God for his Sonne Solomon that hee might enioye the fuil possession of the whole dominion from sea to sea promised to Israel vnder Moses but not fully obteined till then because of the peoples sins And albeit for our manifold great sins this whole Iland hath been overlong divided into two and forced by former division to many battels much shedding of blood yet we praise God that in these our daies the ful possessiō therof is restored giuen to our peaceable Solomon so as not only al his own subiects even from Sea to Sea of both the kingdomes are in him vnited into one but even the potent powerful neighbour kings seeke peace and make league with Israell even the kings of Tharsis of the Isles bring presents the kings of Sheba Seba brings guifts as in the daies of Solomon This change even the happiest chaunge that ever was from a people so divided from one by Gods eternal decree and special mercy to bee made one biddeth vs open our eies calleth vs a lowd come see speque fideque inquit maiora videbis For our Iland formerly for sin divided as the Echinades Insulae were fained by Poets once far seperate distracted for contempt of their Gods is now become like that Iland Delos which though it floated was tossed sometimes vpon the waters à gente in gentē as one waue forceth another was neverthelesse reported to bee afterwards truly firme and stable Doubtles that God which hath written in the waters the Sea legible for every eie to see read Mare Britannicū who hath continually carried in directing the pens pēsils of al Cosmographers Mapmakers or whatsoever Historiographers whō Alphon sus Siciliae calleth optimos Consiliarios mortuos not to alter the first old name but to cal it in all their writings descriptions Mare Britannicū hath graciously miraculously effected for the lande also that out of the dead ashes of olde great Brittaine should be raised evē the selfe same Brittain as the Phenix living and dying est cadem sednon Lactan. eadem quia ipsa nec ipsa est O admirable Metamorphosis happy change England Scotlād haue left though not lost their names both being preserved in the Bosome of great Brittaine nō duo sunt nec forma duplex but neutrūque vtrūque videtur and of both vs English Scottish being now Brittaines may it be said as of thē two brethren altervter vterque altervter est vterque vterque autem neuter Which I againe call that faire Phenix dying living eadem non eadem quia ipsa nec ipsa est In which excellent wonderful work the rather better to bring to passe the good purpose of vniting the two kingdoms people into one it hath seemed best to the godly wisedome of divine prouidence first long since to knit all our harts in one holy religion in the same service godly worship to make vs al like Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God renewed in Christ and reconciled into one body acknowledging but one God professing but one faith religion the hope of our vocation Whereby we learne cannot but confesse if as Ciprian saith consiliorū gubernaculum lex sit divina that that common Weale best pleaseth God which commeth neerest to the Church of God that wisest Politeans are best Christiās that best governments haue correspondence with Gods lawes that those kingdomes are best ruled the more blessed which are of one heart one obedience even as al are one in Christ who is the head al vnder his government are by one spirite but one bodie Wherfore the good Emperors Theodosius Valentinianus writing to Cipriā Bishop of Alexandria were bold to cōmende their government according to the platform before described saying A pietate quae in deū est Reipublicae nostrae cōstitutio pendet multa vtrinque est cognatio societ as c. Which most excellent patterne and forme of government is after the example of Christ vniting al into one this the Psalmist resembleth to that precious ointment powredon the head of Aaron running down his beard even to the skirts of his cloathing for so doth sweete and precious vnion rest chiefly in the heade which is but one from thence run al along alike to al the parts of the people which are but one But shame on Schisme whither it be civil or ecclesiastical for it renteth the seamlesse Coat of Christ both in the Church and in the Civil state even in the doctrine ceremonies of the one against the truth of God in christian charitie common civillity of the other against the peace of mē Wherfore whosoever opposeth himselfe against the one or other is more vnreasonable may be thought more cruell then the souldiers which would not divide Christs seamlesse Coat but castlots whose it should be saying sortiamur cuius sit For it caunot be denied but that they which divide great Brittaine to haue it divided within and against it selfe divide that for which they cannot say sortiamur seeing cuius is known sit cannot be denied but sortiamur cuius sit must wholly and only be left to king Iames to his royal succession for ever Only let our contention be as was that of Israell and Iudah who should be forwardest in bringing our king vnto the seate of his kingdome so nowe to preserue the possession of his kingdome sartum tectum inseperably vnited to the king iointly vnited and vndivided within it selfe Vnus rex vna lex vnus pater vna communis patria vnum caput vnum corpus Let not privat respects hinder a common good let every man be as one man of one hart one soule vnited to the kings designe for the everlasting good of every one If the king had commanded thee a great thing wouldest not thou haue done it How much more then when he saith be you all of one minde to liue agreeably togither in one vniforme gouernment for your owne vndoubted good Cedat ius proprium regi