the murdering hande the murdering tongue the murdering heart against Princes be guilty also by this Law't We vnderstaÌ„d what they say in their Popish Decrees And this also I would haue our couÌ„trymen note that if any haue taken an oath to Pope or any other C. 12. q. 5. 〈◊〉 Glossa Tamen contra propriaÌ„ patriam non iuuabit ipsum He shal not aid any man or master against his own couÌ„try And whereas in sundry places of scripture we are bound by the commaundement of God to obey to honour to fear the King and al higher power as the places rehearsed before declare now their Law inforceth that beeing a precept or commaundement it must be doone and followed Whosoeuer obeyeth not commandements C. 14 q. 1. is guiltie and a debtour of the penaltie out of Austin De sermone Domini in Monte. And in the same Title out of Gregory That which is giuen in precept is commaunded that which is commaunded must needs be don if it be not done Paenam habet it hath the penalty Why then should any Pope dispense with any Princes subiect and not incurre double punishment in that hee breaketh himselfe and causeth many thousands to commit the like The Popes law can tel him Quod alter mandato nostro facit nos reputamur fecisse The Popish Schoolmen teach That if a man doth not fulfil his penance enioyned to him by his ghostly father he committeth deadly sin Scot. in 4. d. 15. and so doth Bonauenture require obedience to a Prelate vnder paine of death And to disobey a Prince shal it be venial and a thing of nothing Nowe let vs set their owne sayinges and doings in one ballaunce and see how far they disagree from this authority of these fathers The Popes Actes contrarie to their lawes alleadged by their Gratian. It is written that Pope Innocentius the third of that name when he had intermedled and made debate by his double dealing betweene Otho the first and Frederik B. Fulgos lib. 6. he made a cunning collation at Rome in the holy time of Lent of peace and agreement but this iudgement was giuen of that Sermon by a noble Citizen of Rome Iohn Capocius O holy father your wordes are the wordes of God but your deedes are the deedes of the diuell So may wee iudge of the rest of the rabblement of Popes whose lawes compiled out of these fathers are godly in some cases but their own woords works are diuelish Touching woords Nâ—c 〈◊〉 C. 9. quâ—sâ— in their owne high maiestical stile thus they speake It is certainly most euident that the iudgment of the Apostolical See whose authority is greatest must not be retracted of any man neither is it lawful for any man to iudge of her iudgementes And againe Junnocent cap. Nemâ— The iudge must not be iudged neither of the Emperour neither of al the cleargy neither of Kings And againe The Church of Rome alone by her own authority may iudge of al Calixenâ— but it is not permitted to any to iudge of her It is a great vsurpation of the Byshop of Rome both in his notorious claime of all Kingdomes and in his oppression of all Kinges which by generall terms and particular discourse may be found in Histories and are couched together in Augustin Steuchus a great Proctor of the Pope euen out of the bowels and priuities of the Popes Epistles Registres De Donaâ—â— Constant cont I aur Vall. The Vniuersality of Rome The generals are Papam habere vetustissimum vniuersalemque Dominatum c that the Pope hath a most auncient and vniuersal dominion ouer the King domes of al the west Church That Rome is content King Pope Queene Rome destroieth all Kinges and Queenes The speciall and peculiar Prouinces of the Pope Sect 93. Spaine and suffereth Kinges to rule so that they acknowledge hir to be Patronam Dominam ac Reginam as the Patronesse Lady and Queen so that al pensions be payed to her and shee as Queene to be saluted worshipped Adoretur These specialties be many Gregory otherwise Hildebrand giueth the Kinges of Spaine to vnderstand Regnum Hispaniae ex antiquis constitutionibus Beato Petro Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae in ius potestatem traditum esse That the Kingdome of Spaine by auncient Recordes and constitutions hath beene giuen vp and deliuered to the right propriety of Blessed Saint Peter and of the holy church of Rome Sect. 94. Hungarie The same Pope writeth to Salomon King of Hungary in like sort chalenging that Kingdome as his proper possession Pope Alexander the third certifieth William Conquerour that before King Iohn offered vppe England to the Church of Rome England it was in the hand of the Prince of the Apostles and vnder his Tutorship or tuitioÌ„ vntil some others came who following the pride of Satan Pactum Dei abiecerunt Sect. 95. Anglorum Populum à via veritatis auerterunt that is Vntil they did cast away the couenant of God and turned the people of England froÌ„ the way of truth And praiseth English men as faithful Contributours butours Exhibebâ—e and Exhibitors to the See Apostolical by a yearly Pension partly to the Byshop and partly to Saint Maries Church Quae vocatur Schola Anglorum which is called the Schole of English men It is likely our English Seminaries receiue some portion and peece of this Exhibition at Rome Rhemes which our Popish Iesuites bragge to bee the Popes liberality The Pope giueth a Pig to our Papistes of our owne Sow But there is another effertuous point in that Popish Register A sure and certaine warrant to William that he shal haue Peter a pitifull and gracious debeour Pium propitium debitorem I know not with what measure of mercy and pitty Saint Peter hath paied this debt to King William but Queene Elizabeth and her predecessours of late haue receiued smal Alms but rather haue felt a shroad recompense The same Alexander chalengeth Denmarke Denmarke tanquam peculium vectigal Romanae Ecclesiae As his owne peculiar and trybutary to his church Sect. 96. Ex Regist Imâ—â—c 3. Alex. 3. Paschalis Bohemia Genua Sect. 97. c Item the Kingdomes of Aragonia of Sardinia of Portugal of Boemeland Swethland Norway DaÌ„tia are subiect with like conditions as also Ianua in Italy Our neighbour Fraunce is so holden and King Demetrius and the Queene of Ruscia so confesse to Gregory the seuenth That they receaued it Ex dono Petri Of the ree gyft of Peter And yet their printed Text is in a Distinction against these Registres Imperator non habeâ— Imperium à Papa Abbas Vrs fol. 231. sod à Deo The Emperour hath his Empire not of the Pope but of God I omit the rest as Croatia Dalmatia who acknowledge that they haue their RegimeÌ„t per vexillum c. By the banner sword Scepter and Crown rendred from Gebyzo the Legate
A VIEW OF THE ROMISH HYDRA AND MONSTER TRAISON AGAINST THE LORDS ANNOINTED CONDEMNED BY DAVID 1. SAM 26. AND NOWE CONFVTED IN SEVEN SERMONS To perswade Obedience to Princes Concord among our selues and a generall Reformation and Repentaunce in all states By L. H. Psal 11 Behold the wicked bend their bowe they haue made readie their arrowes vpon the string to shoot in the darcke at those that are righteous in heart Psal 5 Destroy them O God let them fal from their Counsels cast them out for the multitude of their iniquities because they haue Rebelled against thee AT OXFORD Printed by IOSEPH BARNES and are to be solde in Paules Church-yearde at the signe of the Tygers head 1588. The Dialogue and talk of Dauid and Abishai touching King Saul whether he being cast into a dead sleepe shoulâ— be killed or no taken out of the first booke of Samuel and 26. Chapter 8 Then said Abishai to Dauid God hath closed thine enemy into thine hande this daie nowe therefore I pray thee let mee smite him once with à speare to the earth and I will not smite him againe 9 And Dauid said to Abishai Destroy him not for who can lay his hand on the Lords annointed and be guiltlesse 10 Moreouer Dauid said As the Lord liueth either the Lord shal smite him or his day shal come to dy or hee shall descend into battle and perish 11 The Lord keepe me from laying mine hand vppon the Lordes annointed but I pray thee take now the speare that is at his head and the pot of water and let vs goe hence 12 So Dauid tooke the speare and the pot of water from Sauls head and they gate them awaie and no man saw it nor marked it neither did any awake but they were al asleepeâ— for the Lord had sent a dead sleepe vpon them TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD ROBERT DVDLEY EARLE OF LEICESTER BARON OF DENBIGH KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER OF HER MAIESTIIS most Honorable priuy Counsaile Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford LAVRENCE HVMPHREY WISHETH GRACE PEACE AND MERCY FROM GOD THE FATHER OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST THERE are Right honorable as farre as I can iudge Two perilous poinâ—â— of popery in the Romish Religion two principall parts and peremptorie pointes corrupt Opinions and outragious ActioÌ„s both drawen and borrowed from our common Aduersary who one way soweth in darkens and in the night among the wheat of gods word the cockle darnel of pernicious doctrine the other way he murdreth them from the beginning Iohn 8. 1. Pet. 5. and roareth like a Lyon and in his continuall and cruell circuite seeketh whom he may deuour euerie way hunteth after blood and our destruction spiritual and corporal As Christ is humble and meek as the cognisaunce of Christians is loue so the badge of Antichrist is bloody ful of cruelty voide of charity To passe ouer the corruptions of doctrin This second Monster of Rome Hydra of Rome hath many heads this Hydra is of many heades These Actions of Popes are diuerse both here seen and felt and vnderstood abroad and euery where practised As Ashur was Gods rod and Vespasian his seruaÌ„t against the Iews so this reputed Vicar of Christ hath been the whippe of Princes the scourge of all Christendome By his opinion in Masse he hath learned to offer an vnbloody sacrifice In his Actions he is Pilat mingling sacrifices with mans blood Luâ— 13. By his opinion hee is guilty of that which is written Psal 144. His mouth speaketh lies In his actions of that which followeth His right hande is the right hand of iniquity But ô that al Princes were of King Dauids mind not to meddle nor to communicate with such bloody sacrifices Psal â— nor to haue these false cruel gods names in their lips Although your Lordshippe knoweth his dooings in this realme better then I can deliuer yet I purpose by your good leaue and licence to set down the proceedings of this Hydra and his actions by degrees and steps for some Instruction and a Caueat to my countrymen The first Act and head The first head of this Romish Monster is a Temporal sword open defiaunce against kings and kingdomes misliked by him He wil be not onely a Bishop of Bishops but a king nay a Conquerour of kings Hee hath in his hande the wheele of fortune to make kings goe vp and goe downe according to his pleasure in driuing guiding the chariot and maketh them thus to say Regno regnabo regnaui sum sine regno One saith I doe raigne another I wil raigne another I haue raigned another I am put from my raigne He maketh Apollo to giue ouer the chariot of the Sunne and to resigne it to any rechles rash Phaeton though he set on fier heauen and earth Hee wil win the horse or loose both horse and saddle He can be content that Dauid or any other godly Prince bee vnhorsed and vnseated and that wanton and rebellious Absalom bee placed and setled This bloodie action of warring is performed sometime in their owne person as Iulius the second that fought against the French with Paules sword and others both Popes and Cardinals may bee witnesses sometime by inciting and setting on other Princes against a Realme or Seignory As Pippin Charles were imploied against the Lombardians by the commaundement of Adrian Cau. 23. q. 8 And Gregory the great willeth the Tuscans to doe the like Thom. walsing in Edâ—ar 1. Boniface by letters sollicited the King of England against the French King and promiseth aide And another time Kings of Fraunce are set vp against England Al these experimentes fal out in our time by a Catholick coÌ„sent in the councel of Trent that all Catholicke Princes should prepare against England and others of the reformed religion This cannot be good for euen the Pope himselfe saith that it is not good Cau. 23 q. 8 â— Tim. 2. Pope Nicolas saith to Charles the Emperour No man that is a souldior to God entangleth himselfe with secular businesse And if the souldiours of the woorlde apply themselues to warfare what hath the Bishoppes and souldiours of Christ to doe but to goe to their praiers Quid ad Episcopos milites Christi nisi vt vacent orationibus If this head of Hydra by Gods mightie mercifull hand bee cut off so that forreiners wil not nor caÌ„not satisfie the turn his lust The 2. head a trumpet of ciuil warre beholde another head riseth A Proclamation of Rebellion to al Catholickes against their dread Soueraigne for he will set all at six and seuen and mooue euery stone he wil goe thorough thicke and thinne Examples wee haue in England and Ireland with banners of ciuill dissension displaied to the offence of Almighty of God to the disturbance of our publicke and godlie peace to the vtter ouerthrowe of noble families Yet there is another
for sundry graces and gifts to bee woondred at for all these good blessings of God by hir to vs to be honored Are there yet foolish frogs begging of the Romish Capitoline Iupiter either a blocke to crush them or a Storcke to deuoure them Though by Gods appointment the Oliue is content to be ouer vs with her fatnes the fig with her sweetenesse and the vine with her fruitfulnesse yet wee are not content to haue them but only Rhamnus or a bramble good for nothing but to burn and consume vs. English Iewes Are there yet remaining the Offpring of Iewes desiring a Saul for a Samuel Professing protesting Nolumus hunc regnare We wil not haue him raign ouer vs that cannot abide the title of Christs crosse Iesus of Nazareth King of Iewes Or can there be found yet an Esau that will say in his heart Gen. 27. The daies of mourning for my father will come shortlie then wil I slaie my brother Iacob I will make awaie with the mother of the Lande and the godly brethren too And must wee after the inuention yea the fruition of wheate and sweet corne returne with the old world ad glandes to Akornes as in the late time of Queene Marie The Religion published by her Maiesty offendeth them And can this Romish Religion being so stained with bloode as I haue declared please them Is there no remedy but to turn the blessing of the Prophet Esay by a contrary Text into a curse Esaâ—â—â— For our gould to receiue brasse For our siluer iron and for this gouernement of peace the tyranny of Exactours and Task-masters For remedy and some redresse against these bloud-suckers of Rome The â—sseâ— of the Sermons following and our rebellious mutiners at home I haue eft soones called to the memorie of our countrimen their duety towards God and their Prince and Country and then doubtlesse God wil be a Buckler and shielde to them and to vs all In this copulatiue An exhortation to a true vnity in this double dutifulnes towards God the Prince we must be ioined with a full consent altogether as one man or as the twinnes of Hippocrates who were sicke together and hadde their fits together and recouered together as Austine reciteth out of Cicero So we head and foote De ciuit Dei lib. 5. cap. 2. and al the body must consent in the true worship and seruice of God we al high and low with hart hand must agree in this duety towarde the Prince against all forreine or domesticall aduersaries These two dueties are recommeÌ„ded to vs by Ambrose This becommeth Christians to wish for the tranquillity of peace Ambrose Epist 33. and for the constancy in the faith and in the truth And in the same place Rogamus Ibidem Auguste non pugnamus We beseech O Emperour we fight not If wee deale thus duetifully towardes God and obediently towardes our Prince then will God mercifully and mightily defend both Prince and vs. No diuelish witchcraft no Ruffians dag or dagger no inuasion of forreiners no craft or art of any enemies no nor this seuen-headed beast shall annoy Prince Peare or People He can he will send twelue legions of Angels Matth. 26. Pohdâ—h 8. Hist Ang. Then shal be truly verified that which long a go was prophecied The Kingdome of Englande shal be the Kingdome of God and that God is alone must be the Protector King of it If our Prince and Nobles and Subiects wil sincerely serue him we shall haue the protection of our lord 1.5 in oraâ— cont 〈◊〉 Seruum Christi non custodia Corporalis sed Domini prouidentia sepire consueuit saith Ambrose No guard of men or bodies but the prouidence of the Lord is the hedge and defence of the seruants of Christ It may be for our sinnes that the great ships of Tharshis may come Ies 2. but vppon our repeÌ„tance De â—â—heneide soâ— Remora Pl. l. 9. c. 2â— God wil send Remoram euen a litle fishe that shall stay the shippes though vnder saile It may bee that some Load stone may drawe some Iron vpon vs but the Lord will prepare a Diamond that shal with stand the Load-stone Lib. 13. c. 4. that it shall not haue power to drawe any at all It may be that Catiline wil make a coniuration but god wil send one Cicero or other to espy it ouerthrow it Al the Traitors against Iulius Caesar within three years perished Sueâ—on in Julio Caesare som one way some an other way some by IudgmeÌ„t some with shippe wracke some in battell others with the same poinadoe wherewith Caesar was stricken none of them had a naturall death Calippus because he would stab in and sticke Dion his friend was stabbed and killed with the same dagger himselfe by his owne frinds This shal be the reward of al those that conspire against the Lordes annointed I haue troubled your honour with many words vttering my wishes to my countrimen and declaring to you the argument intreated of in these Sermons I haue displaied the new Monster lately receiued daily rising and raging against vs. And as in this generall diuision of Christendom euery nation and faction prouide their Armour And as your L. and the whole body of the right honorable Counsel make euery way a politick preparation and euery man seeketh his piece his furniture So I hauing no weapon but only my tongue and pen haue thought good in my calling after my weak simple sort to fight with the helpe of them both against this huge Monster and against all enimies When I beganne first to expound this Text of Scripture in Ianuarie last at Oxford and proceeded in it there and in some places of Hamptonshire ended it at London at the Crosse in May I little thought of printing it and so the matter out of my heade and almost out of my papers I fear my short and vnperfect notes haue brought foorth an vnperfect vntimely fruit Howesoeuer it is I must commit it now to the world and appeale to your Lordships patronage for it I had rather offend by this temerity and negligence than to incurre the suspicion of silence and neutrality knowing the danger and penalty of Solons lawe if in this common trouble Plutarcâ—â—â— Solone and turmoile I should shewe my selfe to be idle and of no part I am bold to offer to your Lordship as a poore scholasticall New-yeares-gift as a gratulation of your prosperous returne and as a smal signification of my bounden duty to you my very good Lord and a speciall Patrone of our Vniuersity and a friend of this cause which Dauid began and I haue rudely prosecuted and ended The Lord Iesus protect our noble Dauid your honor the honorable Counsaile the whole Realm graunt vnto vs all many good new-years to his glory and to the commodity comfort of his Church Amen Oxon.
treachery of her owne children as by their default Euen so our king Egilred or as others terme him Ethelred complaineth in an Oration in this sort Wee are ouercome of the Danes not with weapon or force of armes but with treason wrought by our owne people The cause is opened by Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis Pag. 396. that when the King and his Sonne Edmond were like to haue the vpper haÌ„d against Cneuto or Canutus the King of the Danes Edrike Traitour Eadricus plaied the traytour went about by sleight and subtilty and allured of the Kinges Nauy forty shippes and he slipped to Canutus and subiected himselfe to his dominion whereby west-Saxonie and the Mercians with their horses and artillery offered themselues to him Intimatum est Regi quod nisi cautius sibi prouideret ipse à Gente propria hostibus traderetur It was priuily told the King that if hee did not prouide for himselfe more warily hee should bee berraied into the handes of his enemies by his owne nation I signified before how King Edmond surnamed Ferreum Latus Iron-side at Oxford being at the Priuy on Saint Andrewes night was slaine by the Sonne of Eadrik through the fathers instigation the father after the fact coÌ„meth to Canutus with this salutatioÌ„ Aue Rex solus Matth. Westmona pag. 402. Polyd. Vir. Ang. Hist lib. 7. Hail O King alone but he heard this his rewarde by Canutus Ego te hodie ob tanti obsequij meritum cunctis regni proceribus reddam celsiorem For this your great seruice I wil exalt you set you higher than al the Peers of the realm Periury and perdition or treason had in this realme euermore according to their desert When King Edward the Confessour kept his solemnity of Easter at Winchester at dinner Earle Goodwine being burthened at the table with the treacherous murder of his brother Aelfredus Earle Goodwin added to the murther periury and desired of God as hee was true and iust that the morsell of bread which hee held in his hand might neuer passe his throate if his brother by himselfe or by his counsail at any time were neerer to death A terrible example against forswearing and any way further from life so putting the bread into his mouth with an il conscience was choked by it When the King sawe him pale and without breath Carry out saith he this dog Jn vita Edwardi Confessor this traytour bury him in the quadrangle for he is vnwoorthy to enioy Christian burial Another traytor in the time of Egilred or Ethelred was Elfrik who being made Lieutenant of the Kings army left his Master Elfrick and took part with the Danes vpon the suddain when he should haue discharged vpon the enemies of the King and the country Polyd. Vir. lib. 7. but afterward being Admiral of the Kinges Nauy and destitute of all hope of preferment with the enemy because he returned to the King craued pardon his punishment was mitigated for he saued his life with the losse only of his eies In the time of King Edwarde the first the Scots breaking peace which they had made to their liege Lorde King of England and conspiring nowe with the king of Fraunce partly because Iohn Beliol by the king of England was made their King one Thomas Turbeuile more acquainted with chiualry than honesty Th. Turbeuile plaid on both sides promising to the French-men that by treason they should possesse the Kingdome of England vppon condition to receiue a large summe of mony land leauing for assurance his two children as Hostages And so that deceiuer returning from beyond the Sea tolde the King of England another Parasiticall tale howe hee escaped hardly out of prison how he had learned the weaknesse of Fraunce But here a crooked Snake lurked hee caried poyson mingled with hony wherewith they that touched it might be infected creeping into fauour into the secret counsels of the Realm set down al in writing directed theÌ„ to the Prouost of Paris This fraude fact being opened by the prouidence of God who is wel called of the autor Exterminator impioruÌ„ The destroier of the wicked declared to the king he was immediatly by sergeants apprehended bound with cordes carried to iudgement accused and by his owne confession condemned First laid vpon an Ox hide drawen at horse tailes thorough London guarded with disguised tormentours baited at railed on by the way mocked was hanged his body vnburied the people passing by scornfully asking Mat. West in Edou 1. Is this Thomas Turbeuile Whose Epitaph a versifier wrote in this sort That Turbeuile was a troubler of the tranquillity quietnes of the Realme therefore hee that would bee an hoate burning sparkle was become a dead spark himselfe as in those rythmes may appeere at large whereof this is the beginning Turbat tranquilla clam Thomas turbida villa Qui quasi scintilla fuit accidit esse fauilla In the time of Edward the second Andrew Earle of Carlile Andreas Hartlee created Earle of Carlile at York sent by the King into Scotland to King Robert to intreat of Peace made another matter turned it into a message for war priuily fraudulently to compasse the destruction of his owne King This though contriued secretly yet it was certified to the King hee immediatly at his returne vpon the commandement of the King Polyd. Vir. Hist Ang. lib. 18. was attached taken by the guard so by by coÌ„uicted put to death Ita Andreas crucem sibi construxit ex qua penderet So Andrewe prepared for himselfe a Gallose to hang vpon made a rodde for his owne tasle In the time of Edwarde the third like conspiracies against the Prince had the like measure Polyd. l. 19. when Edmond Earle of Kent Roger Mortimer others were beheadded Thus you see exemplified by these traitors that which was by Lawes enacted as also by another example of an Italian indeuouring to betray Calice to the French An Itaâ—â—â— trick against Calice For when an English man had committed it vnto the Italian the French-man knowing the nature of that Nation to be most couetous of golde secretly dealt with him that he would sel the castle to him for twenty thousand crownes The Englishman being made priuy of this dissembleth all thinges driueth out the French and taketh them with them the principall cause of that treachery In the time of Richard the second there was a conspiracy of some Jn Epit. Frosardi lib. 1. Eccle. 10. Ansley and Carton that had in their mouth the Prouerbe of the Hebrues Woe be to the Land whose King is a Childe And of others euen in the court as of Iohn Ansley knight and of Hugh Carton minding with their complices to set vpon the King and to murder him although they two were enemies before yet in this made one agreeing too
heade springing as a supply to the rest The spiritual sword Excommunication of Princes The 3. ExcoÌ„mmunication interdictment of Realmes condemning all that bee not at his beck to the bottomlesse pit of hel As Boniface the eighth excommunicated Philip King of France because he would not honor worship him nor acknowledge him to be his Land Lord in the Kingdom of France In this action he curseth and banneth hee absolueth and blesseth and yet this absolution is not woorth a straw nor his curse more to be feared of a wise King then the noise of a tumbrel or a rattle as that Noble Prince of Orenge did wel account and boldly protest Jn Apolog. Besides these 4. Deposing of Princes another cruell Buls heade groweth out forthwith by a Bull to depose ex officio pro imperio a Christian Prince So it pleased Pope Zachary to throwe out King Childerick and Pope Gregory the fourth King Ludowick â—â—ug Steuc contra Vall. Pope Pius the Queenes Maiesty releasing the people from al bands of loyalty and subiection with a full licence of rebellion but this was but a word no blow God sometime giueth that spirite to Prince and people that these proceedings take no place then an other heade starteth vp 5. Priuie practises Priuie murdering authorised as lawefull by this Antichristian Prelate Secretlie and subtillie this Popishe Hydra woorketh with poison with pistol with gunne with sword with tooles of Death all framed in the shoppe of the lame Smithe Vulcan Vasa morâ—ia nay rather in the fornace of the Diuel as the Massacres and murders of manie Honorable worthie men in manie places do testifie In fraunce the murder of Prince of Conde after he was taken prisoner contrarie to the law of armes of the Admiral Chatellion shot thorowe in the streats and murdered in his chamber of Dandalot of Ramus after he had giuen a certain summe of crowns to saue his life of Marlorate walking in his gardeÌ„ of an other preacher killed in the pulpit In Scotlande the murder of the King of the Lorde Iames of the Lord Russell In the lowe cuntries the murder of the Prince of Orenge who first was perscribed and proclaimed a Traitor and an hereticke with this large promise that whosoeuer could bring him quicke or dead or kill him In 〈◊〉 seâ— proscriptionâ— should haue fiue and twentie thousand crowns in money or land And if he were meanly borne he shoulde be made a gentleman and if he had committed any faulte neuer so heynous he should be pardoned These be horse-leaches that drawe bloude Prou. 30. and haue neuer enough Al these actions haue been here attempted in these steppes hath this Monster walked among vs which all sauour of violence oppression murdering of the Lordes annointed and of his Saints The reason of this Action is set downe by August Steuchus Contr. Laâ— Vall. descending from the roote of an erronious opinion Contra Haereticos opus est fustibus non Anathematis quae contemnunt The Hereticks contemne the Popes curses they must be beaten downe with clubbes To accomplish these fierce 6. Heade â—f craft and periâ—â—â—â— Original of the rest and forcible actions there is ioined another craftie head of this monster and now lately and principally by Iesuits hauing Commission from Rome to teach periury and disobedience to Princes to promise faire to performe nothing to dispraise the state to magnify the Pope to tell the subiects in their eare a tale of a tub of a Catholicke Church and a Catholick faith of pardons by their Agnus Dei masses Confessions and of many other goodly bables of saluation by their tradition of damnation by our religion which is nothing but lying cogging and deceiuing the simple This quality and counterfaite Religion hath bin told before in an exhortation to Princes It is most euident that there is no part of the Christian woorlde In fasâ—ic rer expeâ—eÌ„dar coÌ„tra decimas which hath not bene craftily tempted by these kind of Monsters that many Kings and Princes haue been fraudulently circumuented by them And againe They know how to deceiue notably to circumuent to forswear to forge testaments to prophane diuine and humane thinges to make strife to trouble the quiet to confouÌ„d heauen with earth There is yet to make vp 7 deadly sins the seuenth head a Magical head The 7. the heade of witchcraft woorking by witchcraft sorcery for as he wil coÌ„secrat so hee can inchaunt as blesse so poison the creatures of God for the dispatch of Princes Alphonsus a learned Prince but God is aboue Belzebub Alphonsus wheÌ„ his enemy Cosmas a Florentine sent him for a present the books of Titus Liuius and his Phisition counsailed him not to handle them as sent from an enemy for fear of poison or infection Doe you not know saith he that the souls and liues of kings are not subiect to the will of priuate men Aeneas sylde dictis Alphoâ— but safe and secure vnder the prouidence and carefulnes of god Cor corpus Regis in manu Domini Prou. 21. The heart and the body of a king is in the hand of the Lord. These and such like heady actions are in this realme continually practised which may witnesse to the world what monstrous religion the Pope bringeth and brocheth to vs. No maruel if the first part be naught and his faith corrupt sith the second his fruites and actions be so abhominable The Pope is like Martiall Marius Marius the great Captaine of Rome was woont to saie That he could not hear the voice of Lawes among the peales of gunnes the noise of drumslats and sound of trumpets The Pope that is so busie so occupied in bloody and Martiall matters and coÌ„spiracies hath no leisure to study or hear or preach the Law of God or to aduaunce the Gospel of Peace in Christ Iesus I haue Right Honorable entred into the consideration confutation of both these parts of popery in other books but now seing daily the present perilous practises of the later both here elswher setting aside for the time the first concerning the Pope his Iesuitical doctrin I haue lately trauailed somewhat in the second opening to my countrimen their frontick and bloody dealings and calling them by al meanes of persuasion as I could to conformity and due obedience to the Prince and to the loue of their owne country for the common safety and preseruation of vs all in body and soul Alas who would haue thought that there should haue beene any need to haue either spoken or written of this matter to English Subiects liuing so long vnder a gratious peaceable gouernement farre passing the times past and the like not to be hoped for after it Who would haue thought that any Englishe and Christian man woulde haue once muttered or murmured against such a Prince for countries sake to bee loued for religion to be obeied
that cutte off the head And if the seruant may not bee striken by Peter howe can they escape that strike the Master the Lord or Lady of the land And if Christ found fault with his seruaunt fighting in his owne quarel how much more wil he be angry with them that take weapon against his Annointed Prince his lieuetenaunt in the earth nay against himselfe in defense of his aduersary and Antichrist For nowe consider with mee the reason of Dauid 2 Person No man ought to be slain of priuate men Ergo much les a Prince of a subiect and the second qualification of Saul that he is not only created a man but also annointed King For what doe these Nephilim Giantes and tyrantes of the world think Or what do they esteem of the blood of a Prince Or what doe they imagine of the ordinaunce or institution of Princes Are they vpstartes by themselues or able to rise and stand of theÌ„selues No that was the phrenesie of madde Aiax That Cowardes did get the victorie by God he would winne whether GOD would or no. Or is it a matter of force or fortune No that was the desperate saying of Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him take the kingdome to whome fortune or the sword shal giue it Or dooth policy and gouernement of the world or the worlde it selfe consist of the Sunne beames That might be the fantasie of Democritus that scoffed at all things Or is it the ordinaunce of Iupiter or any heathen God No for so dreamed Homer Illud 〈◊〉 that termed Kings Nursed vp and fostered by Iupiter and Hesiod that wrote In opeâ—â— Dier lib. 〈◊〉 some to be noble and some to be base by the wil of great Iupiter So Iulian the Apostata thought who caused in al his publique and popular images So◠〈◊〉 5. cap. 17. Iupiter to be painted as appearing from heauen and reaching to him the crowne and the purple ensignes of the Empire No it is only the ordinaunce of our liuing God the gift of Christ who hath that written in his garment and in his thigh the King of Kings Apoc. 1â— the Lord of Lordes So is the Prince desined of Saint Paul to the Romanes and by Iohn Salisberg lib. 4. Polycrat A Prince is a publike power Roâ— 13. in earth a certain image of the diuine power Therefore as before I proued him to bee a double person so is he now a double Image of God for hee was made after the Image of God and by office representeth God may further he is a God himselfe God is God by nature the Prince by name God by propriety the Prince by grace So God himselfe saith Yee are Gods Psal 82. and the children of the highest And the same Dauid in the same place God standeth in the congregatioÌ„ of Gods he iudgeth among Gods quia ipse est solus qui Deos faciat It is he alone that maketh Gods as Tertullian expoundeth aduersus Hermogenem Euen Saul himselfe is named here the annointed of the Lorde and so are all other Potentates that are by their vices euil men yet by office the ordinance of God Prou. 8. Iob. 34. Cap. 13. By me Rulers raigne The hypocrits rule not without him And God himselfe saith in Osc I gaue thee a King in myne anger and tooke him awaie in my wrath Iohn 19. Christ told Pilate that he could haue no power at all except it had bin giuen him froÌ„ aboue Rom. 13. There is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeined of God The Fathers if need were might be brought for the same Lib. 3. as Optatus Paul teacheth saith he not without cause that we must pray for Kings and powers although the Emperour were such a one as liued heathenishly And Augustine Wee call them happy Princes Lib. 5. de cimitate Dei cap. 24. if they commaund iust thinges c. And if they make their power as a seruaunt and hand-maid to his maiesty especially in setting forth his honour And in another Chapiter Cap. 21. Let vs not giue the power of bestowing kingdomes and Empires to any but onely to the true God He that gaue authority to Marius gaue it to Caius Caesar He that gaue it to Augustus gaue it to Nero He that gaue it to the Vespasians either the Father or the Sonne most sweete and milde Emperours hee gaue it also to Domitian à most cruell man And least I should passe through al he that gaue it to Constantine the Christian gaue it vnto Iulian the Renigate And why are the bad as wel as the good aduanced The fame Austine against the Manichees giueth two reasons hereof De Naâ—â—â—t Bonâ— câ—â— 3â— It is not vniust that wicked men receaue power to hurt both that the patience of the good may be tried and the wickednes of the euil punished Heereby the Prince and the people may learne these notes In that the Princes are called Gods they must serue God Psal 〈◊〉 2. Ch. c 19. and not exercise their owne iudgement Againe they must gather a good hart vnto them A notefoâ—â— Princes and conceiue a coÌ„fort of this doctrin because they are set vp by God they cannot fall but by God and if they serue their lord Lib. Nat. histor 16. cap. 39. the Lord wil serue and saue them Pliny saith that the Cedar tree and the Iuniper if they bee annointed with oyle they feele neither moth nor rotting euen so the Prince gouernor being annointed not only outwardly but also inwardely with oyle of the holy Ghost for the holy Ghost is called an oile or annointing they neede not fear the moths of the common-weal 2 Iohn 2. that seek by fretting and eating to consume both Kingdome and King And so may I woorthily cal them as Licinius did Tineas soricesque palatij the moothes and rats of the court In vita Constant as Sextus Aurelius Victor testifieth in his Epitome This comfort gaue Bernard both to King and to Pope to Lewes the King of Fraunce thus The Kingdoms of the earth Epist 255. the Laws of Kingdomes do then indeed stand sound stable to their Lordes if they doe not withstand the ordinaunces and decrees of God To the Pope Eugenius thus I haue read in à wise man Epist 256. that hee is not a valiaunt man whose courage spirit doth not encrease when his case is most hard but I say a faithful man must more trust when the scourges hang ouer him Therefore the Gods of the earth if they wil be preserued by God with al trembling and feare must serue God Psal 2. if not they must hear be they Popes be they Princes what the same Bernard saith to them in the same Epistle Quale est hoc principatum tenere ministerium declinare What maner of thing is this to hold the principality and to shunne the seruice But
that are dead I haue also to make a wish that those that are faulty liuing woulde remember one Story that I would tel theÌ„ Licinius a rebel fought against Constantine but was ouercome and had a pardon with this charge â—â—crat lib. 〈◊〉 3. that he should keepe his house at Thessalonica liue quietly but when hee had gathered a newe hand of vplandish and barbarous men then hee commaunded him to be slaine Well The effect of my speach is God wil not haue the death of a sinner neither doe godly men desier these euill men to be rid out of the way but to turne into a better way and to reforme themselues and yet the Protestation of Dauid is true vppon their impenitency and frowardnes God will ease the world of these burdens of the earth I am now to make vp my general that all must dy The death of Princes not only the bad but euen the good shal depart froÌ„ vs. The bad for our comfort for the consolatioÌ„ of the church The good for our plague for not only wicked Saul but euen good Dauid is gone O that we may not say in our daies Our Dauid is gone but she must goe and perhappes the sooner for our wickednes Let vs pray therefore for her long and prosperous raigne among vs wee haue great cause so to pray The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in his heart Esaie 57. the merciful men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth it as the Prophet saith Mark I beseech you mark you that loue chaunges how perilous they are What good commeth by the good Princes what losse commeth by their departure Augustine writeth De Ciuiâ— Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. Vtile est vt bons longe lateque diu regnent neque hoc tam ipsis quà m illis vtile est quibus regnant It is profitable that good men raigne far and wide and a long time neither is this so profitable vnto themselues as to those ouer whoÌ„ they raigne The mutation of Princes and alteration of States how dangerous it is may appear by former times After good Samuel and in the time of the banishment of Dauid the Philistines warred against the Israelites in the which battle Saul was slaine and the people of God conquered but by Dauid that succeeded the common weale and the church florished After the death of Iosias was the battel of the Babylonians wherby the Kingdom of Iuda was brought to slauery 2. Paralip 32.36 and afterward subuerted After this Iosias and Ezechias followed euil rulers as it is in the book of Chronicles Alexander the great is called of Daniel a mighty King but his King dome was diuided towards the 4 winds of heaueÌ„ not to his posterity Cap. 11. nor according to his dominioÌ„ Where wise meÌ„ ruled as Solon Lycurgus others who now rule there but Turkes Infidels After the death of William Conquerour came famine pestilence thundring lightening flashes in heauen fires in England as a certaine Prognostication of miseries and ruful calamities in Rufus time Polydor Virg. lib. 9 The death of Heroicall and great personages is ominous and vnluckie Therefore that I may drawe to an end and to the conclusion of Dauids argument The Conclusion of Dauids reason in his protestation seeing God hath set downe a periode course for euery man and a terme and time of death seeing all young and old rich and poore noble vnnoble yea Princes Monarches and Popes must die by some of these meanes and kindes of death which Dauid setteth down let vs obey the reason and reserue to God his iudgement Let vs not preuent his houre no not against the wicked gouernours and sith God hath sent vs a Dauid let vs not by our vnthankfulnes forgoe her Maiestie or by our treacherous behauiour cut off her daies God hath numbred them and they cannot be shortened no nor prolonged but that number will come once to an end though when we cannot tell Augustine maketh me affraide in these words De Ciuit. Dei lib. 5. cap. 25. Iouinianum multo citius quà m Iulianum abstulit Gratianum Ferro Tyrannico permisit interimi longè quidem mitius quà m magnum Pompeium colentem videlicet Romanos Deos. God tooke away Iouinian much sooner then Iulian he suffered Gratian to bee killed with the sword of a tyrant a great deale more gently then great Pompeie a man forsooth that worshipped the Gods of Rome If the certainty be such of death and the vncertainetie of the time so great let vs once againe pray to our heauenly father for the prosperity of her State for the peace of her raigne for the continuance of her daies and for vs al which God grant through the merit of Jesus christ to whom with the father c. 1. SAM 26. 11 The Lord keepe me from laying mine hand vpon the Lords annointed but I pray thee take now the spear that is at his head and the pot of water and let vs go hence 12 So Dauid tooke the spear and the pot of water from Sauls head and they gate theÌ„ away no man saw it nor marked it neither did any awake but they were al asleep for the Lord had sent a dead sleep vpon theÌ„ THE SEVENTH SERMON FOR the better vnderstanding of this text and of all that which I haue to say in this place I must in few woordes repeat and rippe vp that which went before A repetition of Dauids discourse Dauid hath aunswered the motion of Abishai in this proposition That King Saul should not bee destroied and yeeldeth two reasons for that he is the Lords annointed and whosoeuer laieth hand vpon him shal not be holden guiltles Another reason is in the protestation of Dauid that he will not doe it because the matter lieth in Gods hand and he hath ordinary extraordinary meanes to remoue him or kil him at his own pleasure and therfore it pertaineth not to him a priuat man although he be next in succession to vse any fraudulent or violent preuention Which reasons I haue elsewhere examined by many lawes autorities confirmed to be of force moment the particulars whereof I omit At this time I purpose to proceede first in the proofe of the reason so nextly to intreat of the last part It is a scruple or question nowe in these daies who bee the successours of Abishai in these mischieuous and malicious conspiracies against Princes Staphylus seemeth to burden Luther that he commandeth subiects to rebel In Apolagia Frideâ— Staphyli in praefaâ— and to disobey the commaundements of Caesar and forbiddeth to sight against the Turkes But this Question wee haue resolued and determined before that the Popes are aduersaries and no friendes of Caesar and that they are the onely authours of insurrections and rebellions against lawefull autority As for Luther he teacheth obedience in al his writings he loueth not such presuÌ„ption against