THE DVTY OF ALL TRVE SVBIECTS TO THEIR KING As also to their Native Countrey in time of extremity and danger With some memorable examples of the miserable ends of perfidious Traytors In two Bookes Collected and Written by H. P. inutilis olim Ne videar vixisse PALINGEN LONDON Printed by E. P. for Henry Seyle and are to be sold at his Shop at the Tygers Head in Fleet street over against St. Dunstanes Church 1639. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR PAUL PINDAR KNIGHT Worthy Sir WHen I had ended this Discourse bethought my selfe of a Subject who for hâ—…s loyalty and love to his King and Country might answer and sute with the subject in hand aâ—…d as it were stand in stead as a faire light at the entrance of the dore to shew others the way your selfe came to my remembrance who have so clearely exprest your affection to eiâ—…her Indeed by thâ—… Law both of God and Natuâ—…e every man according to that ability God hath blest him withall is bound so to doe but the greater number want the meanes and burthens of this nature mâ—…st commonly lie upon tâ—…e backs but of a few yea many there are who thouâ—…h able enough in hard and dangerous times like foolish patients in a desperate disease who will not be perswaded to be let blood though it would save their lives will not yeeld their assistance till forced by ex remity or a stronger hand this the Citizens of Constantinople prooved by wofull experience when they were surprized by Mahomet the first having such a masse of money and treasure in their hoâ—…ses that the Turkes were astonyed thereat I rather set before such that true paterne and mirror of Magnificence so highly honoured and admired even untill this day for so many wayes deserving of his Countrie Cosmo de Medicis of whom the Florentine Historie thus reporteth This Cosmo saith he was the most esteemed and the most famous Citizen of Florence being no man of warre either in Florence or any other City because he did not only excell all others of his time in authoritie richâ—…s but also in wisedome for among other qualities that advanced him no be chiefe in his Country he more then other men liberall and magnificent which liberality appeared much more after his death then before and though he did Princely things yet in his conversation riding abroad or marrying of his children or kinsfolkes hee was like unto all other men modest and discreet because he well knew that extraordinary things which are of all men with admiration beheld doe procure more envy then those which without ostentation are honestly covered surely private men have equalled many Prince in Magnificence I might alledge many examples for this purpose But I onely shew how much we are first obliged to God then to all those who study to provide for the safety of their King and Country the advancement of Gods Church and true Religion of which number Sir as you are one so eminent here on earth so may you receive your reward with the number of those whose piety and deeds of mercy shall receive their reward in another Kingdome Yours in all observance to be commanded H. P. Imprimatur Aprill 29. 1639. IOHN ALSOP TO ALL HIS MAIESTIES LOYALL AND TRVE loving Subjects in generall of what degree or condition soever THE divine Plato to shew us of what forme the best established Common-wealth ought to be useth this Musicall Theoreme Tunc omnis saith he Respublica subâ—…rtitur cum ex numero ternario quinario juncto duae efficiuntur Harmoniae This as an obscure riddle could not for many ages be resolved till Melancthon and some others the best learned of these later times discovered Plato's meaning which was this since the most and best governed Common-wealths consist first of the King who is the Base and first noâ—…e or key of the Fift hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secondly of the Nobility who as a Fourth doe perfect and make up the Fift then of the People who as a Third make up a full Eight now if this Third and Fift make a discord of two severall Harmonies the Musicke is harsh and nought for example if the King and Nobility should take Part against the Commons or Commons and King against the Nobilitie Nobilitie and Commons against the King that Estate or Common-wealth is in great danger hereby concluding that nothing more supporteth a Kingdome then Unitie and the mutâ—…all Concord of those three Estates in the same one not being able to subsist without the helpe of another Hence I remember the Estates of the United Provinces in the Netherlands caused to be stamp'd upon their gold the Belgick Lion râ—…pant with seventeene arrowes in his right paw meaning thereby the seventeene Provinces borrowing that Embleme from thâ—…se arrowes which Silurus on his death bed gave to his seventeene sonnes commanding each of them to take an arrow and upon his knee or as hee could to breake it which they easily did then gave he unto them seventeene other arrowes all bound together in one bundle to breake which one essaying after another they could not Thus after my death quoth their Father it will faâ—…e with you if you be divided among your selves as these arrowes were every one will crush you but if you unite your selves none will be able to injure or overcome you The case is ours who are or ought to be faithfull and true to our King and Country neither to suffer or give the least consent or way to any division among our selves which hath beene the ruine even of the most flourishing Kingdomes forraine enemies taking advantage of their discords and combates as the Kite in Aesop did by the Mouse and the Frog So the Danes in our Land and after them the Saxons did and too well it is knowne how that fatall and unfortunate division and emulation betweene the Nobility of Hungaâ—…ie and Lewes their â—…ung King made a faire and an open way for Solyman to the possession almost of all that most 〈◊〉 and â—…rishing Kingdome Now if we duely consider and search out the cause of these tumults and commotions that of late yeares and daily doe arise in Christian Common wealths we shall finde it to proceed from a pretence of consciencé and Reformation of abuses in the Church under which colour our obstinate Innovators bandie themselves against their owne good and Râ—…ligious Kings â—…en the Apostle saith and so did the Primitive Câ—…ristians practise for conscience sake we ought to submit our selves unto them whether they be good or bad and because we maintaine this they powre out whole vollies in their volumes of slanderous imputations against our Reverend Bishops being indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bulwarkes or outworkes of our Church so that I may say of such a people and a Religion as Lucretius said of theirs who allowed the slaughter and Sacrifice of â—…ptrianassa the innocent virgin Tantum Religio
the greater part of people killed the King and carryed the remnant of the people unto Babylon and made a golden Image commanding all men without exception to worship it upon paine of being burned alive in an hot fierie furnace and yet neverthelesse Danâ—… said thus unto him Oh King thou art King of Kings for the God of heaven hath given thee a Kingdome 〈◊〉 strength and glory and the Lord himselfe calls him his servant and the Prophet 〈◊〉 in his Letter written unto the Jewes who were captives in Babylon exhortes them to pray for the peace of the Citie whither they were carryed captives And the Lord commands all nations to put their necks that is to submit themselves under the yoake of the K ng of Babylon and that he will visit those Nations with the Sword Pestilence and Famine that will not â—…mit themselves to be Subject to Nabuchadâ—…ezzar and that those who would serve him should live Serve therefore saith hee the King of Babylon that ye may live Now concerning the benefit that Subjects reape by being loyall and faithfull to their Soveraignes Now let me speake in a word of the benefit the faithfull Subject receives for performing this dutie of Obedience First it gives a man great satisfaction in his conscience to God-ward hee may with alacrity and boldnesse either speake to or petition his Soveraigne in case of necessity or oppression hee shall thrive in his estate he shall live in safety and be protected from injuries and inconveniencies according to that of the Wise-man Hee that keepeth the Commandements shall know no evill thing On the contrary by their disobedience they repugne the Ordinance of God and infringe his Law which who so doth his life shall ever hang in feare before him and he shall be affraid even of a shaken leafe and many times the disloyalty and undutifullnesse of subjects toward God and their lawfull Princes draweth downe the vengeance of God upon the Land by taking those good Princes away and giving them more cruell and tyrannous in their roome from whom they must expect like the Israelites among the Aegyptians heavy and gâ—…ievous tasks both give their tale of bricke and gather the straw Subjects who sticke not to offend their Soveraigne should remember that Ira Principis est nuntia mortis the indignation of a King is not a small matter as many populous Countries have found to their cost It is the roaring of the Lion and againe saith the Preacher Where the word of the King is there is power I advise thee saith he to take heed to the mouth of the King yea the Lord for a good Kings sake sometime defers the punishment and misery he meaneth to inflict upon a stubborne and rebellious Nation as we read he did in the time of good Iosias when he said hee would 〈◊〉 the calamities preordained for the Israelites for their sinnes and Idolatrie for their Kings sake who walked uprightly before them let us therefore by all meanes seeke the favour of the King which as 〈◊〉 saith is like the dew upon the grasse yea a mans heart is as it were revived when his Princes countenance is favourable and pleasant toward him Let me give some examples of true love and loyaltie of some Subjects towards their Soveraigne Princes beginning with those of Great Alexander of whom it is written that they loved their Prince so dearely and bare such respect and honour unto him that they did worship and reverence him as if hee had beene a God And after his death his 〈◊〉 never sat in Counsell about the affaires of the Empire of Macedonia and of other Provinces by him conquered but they had in their Tents or Counsell chambers the Image of this great Monarch their Soveraigne lively drawne out as to â—…reate and deliberate of State affaires in his presence The Persians loved Cyrus their first King 〈◊〉 well that in memory of him and for his sake they loved all those that were crooked nosed nay they would not permit any to sit in his Throne but such kind of men Wee doe thinke said they that the holiest ordinance which we have is that which commands us to honour and love our King neither more nor lesse then the Image of our God because there was never or ever shall be a better King then Cyrus was And Zenâ—…phon for his sake wrote his Cyropadia to give the world a patterne of a good and excellent Prince exhorting all others to imitate him Xerxes another King of Persia who came with that mighty Army consisting of more then a million of men to conquer Greece was no lesse beloved of his Subjects then Cyrus and after him Darius as may appeare by this ensuing Historie Herodotus discoursing of the divers and sundrie opinions that men had of that cowardly retraite or plaine flight of Xerxes after that his Army was vanquished saith that he was faine to embarque himselfe in a ship of of Phoenicia and to direct his course for Asia when being surprized with a dangerous storme the wind standing Northward and the ship so full of people and over-charged many of the Persians being cast away in their flight The King much affrighted herewith demanded of the Pilot if there were any hope or meanes of saving their lives who answered hee saw none at all unlesse many of the passengers were cast into the Sea which Xerxes hearing said thus unto them My friends I beseech you that some of you would have a care of your Kings safety seeing his life and death is in your hands at which words many of his faithfull subjects rising up and doing him low reverence presently threw themselves headlong into the Sea so by this meanes the ship being light ned Xerxes arrived safe in Asia There cannot be a more reall proofe and truer touch-stone of love and loyalty then when men doe lose their lives freely and willingly for their Prince as these men did surely it is an example worthy of eternall memorie Menander King of Bactria was also so well beloved of his Subjects that when hee dyed all the Cities and chiefe Townes under his Dominion held severall Obsequies and made shewes of a funerall for him yeelding him after his death all the honour and respect that they could possible imagine a manifest token of their extraordinarie affection they bare unto him in his life time yea more to manifest their love when his body was to be consumed with fire as was then the manner of those people a great contention arose among the forenamed Cities which should be honoured with his Sepulcher in the end after much strife and debate it was agreed and consented unto betweene them all that each Citie should have an equall portion of his ashes to be kept as an holy relique in their Temples which was an apparant signe how desirous they were to have had him alwayes to be among them After the death of Pelopidas who
when David his Soveraigne Lord and King fled before Absalon said unto him As the Lord liveth and as the Lord my King liveth in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or life even there surely will thy servant be THE SECOND BOOKE Of the Love and Dutie wee all owe to our Native Countrie I Am now to intreate of the second Dutie which everie man oweth to his native Countrie and the Common-wealth wherein hee liveth and inhabiteth But ere I proceed let me expound the meaning of this word Patria or Countrie because there are sundry opinions â—…oncerning this point some affirme that We ought to take this Vniversall world for our true and Nâ—…tive Countrie of which opinion Socrates was for on a time being demanded what Countrie-man hee was made this answer The world is my Countrie and of that opinion were many other considering what small certainety there is in the dwelling of any man in any one place and the often revolution vicissitude or alteration of things and therefore would without naming any place in particular take the wide world for it All the earth is a vertuous mans proper dwelling place as the Sea is of fishes The Philosopher Anaxagoras one the other side being asked what Countrie-man hee was answered pointing up to heavâ—…n with his finger there is my Countrie adding withall as Lactantius reporteth that hee was borne onely to contemplate upon heaven his native Countrie whither he was to returne againe The Ecclesiasticall Historie maketh mention of a man called Sanctus who being brought before a Magistrate for the profession of the Christian Religion and there examined what his name was and of what Countrie I am said he a Christian that is my name my Countrie my parentage and all in all But I must as Plinie adviseth every writer cogitare titulum remember the subject I am in particular to entreate of without exspatiation therefore here I must take a mans Countrie to be the place of his birth not onely in a Kingdome of Province whereon hee depends but also of a Citie or any other particular place of Government where it was the will of God he should be borne yea of the place where hee personally dwelleth and inhabiteth with his wife children and family and where he hath his goods and maintainance for the sustaining of his livelihood for every mans Countrie saith Cicero is where he is best pleased to live and hath his meanes about him according to the French Proverbe Là où sont nos biens là est nostre pays that is where our substance and wealth are there is our Countrie which is most true therefore every man is bound to defend and preserve it against all invasion either of domestike or foâ—…aine foes even as his owne life wife children family or what else is most deare unto him So in briefe I affiâ—…me the place of our aboad as well as of our birth to be rightly called our Coâ—…ntrie which Countrie of ours ought not to have the last place as some would in our affection and love but rather the first Art thou so foolish saith Plato as thou knowest not thaâ—… thy Countrie ought to be preferred before thy parents and kindâ—…d and that thou oughtest to love it more then fathâ—…r or mother The love of our Countrie Common-wealth said Theognis the Poet Is and ought to be no lesse sacred then that â—…hich is 〈◊〉 a father and his child And 〈◊〉 saith If a fâ—…er 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 his oâ—…ne sonne should 〈◊〉 keepâ—…â—…is â—…sell but at the first dissâ—…ade him if he prevailed 〈◊〉 tâ—…en to rebuâ—… hiâ—… if he at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 is neither blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place 〈◊〉 unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or affect for in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if it be wasted 〈◊〉 destroyed who 〈◊〉 have any pleasure in any thing that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Pericâ—… Hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ease and plentifully is withall ruined and undone on the contrary when it flourisheth the poorest man feeles no discommodity but fareth the better if a Country or Common-wealth be affrighted and terrified said Caesar there is not any one man therein be hee never so stout or wary of himselfe but hee will stumble and fall with the ruine thereof but in the welfare and flourishing of the same the meanest shall find wherewith to make himselfe merry therefore wee should be wanting in nothing that might redound to the honour land profit of our Country Cato Vticensis well knew how to put this in practise and withall to certifie so much unto Cicero who thanking that grave and wise man for that in the Senate he had defended Fabia Terentia Cicero's wives sister against Pâ—…blius Clodius who had accused her falsely It is not unto me said Cato that you ought to give thankes but rather to the Common-wealth because all that I doe say or câ—…unsell is for the love of the common good of my Countrie Agesilam said as much to the King of Persia which King admiring the vertues of Agesilaus after such time as the peace was concluded betweene him and the Spartanes he sent unto him and requested that he might joyne friendship and amity with him yea and hospitality in living together Agesilaus refused it saying That the love and amity of the Common-wealth of Sparta did both content and suffice him and as long as it would last and endure he had no need to contract with any other for that was enough and the greatest glory of praise and commendations that ever Antiquity gave or could give to excellent men and the bravest spirits was for that which they did either for the preservation and defence of their Country or else for the enlargement or extension of the bounds and limits thereof and from this generous affection to their native Country have proceeded so many glorious acts and noble atchievements that they have afforded matter to the most learned pens that ever wrot to the admiration of all posterity There was never yet any good and noble spirit that did not love and affect his Country Nature herselfe having impressed in the hearts of such as are well borne a charitable love and a most sweet and deare affection toward it for men naturally love that ayre they first drew and with which Nature first refreshed them at their first comming into the world For hereby Nature hath a great interest in us yea we perceive her forâ—…e in plants herbes and other insensible things as there are plants that cannot endure to be transported out of their owne naturall soyle as Balme will grow no where but in Iudaea or Palestina and
spake unto him in this wise Themistocles it is now or never high time if we are both wise men to leave this vaine and idle jealousie and envy which wee ever conceived one against another and to take in hand some other course more honorable and wholesome for all Greece our common Countrie thou in commanding and performing the duty of a good Captaine and my selfe in counselling thee and executing thy commaendements whereupon Themistocles according to his innate goodnesse and accustomed vertue especially out of the aboundant love he bare to his native Country answered in this wise I am sorrie Aristides that thou hast herein shewed thy selfe an honester man then I my selfe but since it falleth out so that the honour is due to thee for to have begun and to have provoked me to so honest and praise-worthy a contention for the good of our Countrie I will doe my best to overcome thee hereafter in briefe these two brave Commanders being after this manner reconciled and reunited equally resolved to defend their Country gave the overthrow and vanquished Xerxes and his mighty Army Cretin and Hermias in the like manner two great Magnisian Lords betweene whom there was great emulation for priority and the honor of being the chiefe in the Common-wealth laying willingly aside all ambition in seeking for the prime places of Government agreed together in time of necessity when the Common-wealth should be in any danger to be all one in their counsels and course for the safeguard thereof it happened in the end that Magnesia was besieged by the enemy brought to a very narrow streight Cretin considering that if the least sparke of emulation should againe revive and appeare from the ashes of their buryed quarrell it would be the ruine of the City repaired unto Hermias and offered to surrender unto him the charge or place of Captaine Generall of the City Army and to depart out of it if he pleased or else that the other would leave and abandon it for a time and let him enjoy that place of command least being both together some jealousie might arise betwixt them or by the subtle and crafty suggestion of some as in all places favoring the enemies designes they might againe be unglued and divided Hermias considoring how the case stood and withall the honest heart of his opposite and corrivall who gave him his choyse to stay in the City as chiefe Generall or else to depart and withall knowing that the other was more expert in military affaires and consequently more fit to command the City then himselfe presently surrendred all his authority unto Cretin to the end that all things might succeed well for the good of the Country Themistâ—… a Noble man of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Army of his Soveraign King Leonidâ—… it being told him by some Oracle or other with which he had consulted that the Lacedemonians should be ruinded as Therâ—… The King would have sent him backe to Sparta under colour of bringing back newes of what should happen but indeed lest he should be slaine together with the rest of his Souldiers to this Themiâ—… would never consent but with a couragious spirit and a bold countenance told the King his Master that hee was sent thither to fight in defence of his Country and not to play the Poste to carrie neâ—…es Hippodamus another Lacedemonian being aged fourescore yeares being in a battell with King Archidamus would never goe to Sparta whither the King would have sent him with Agis for to provide for the affaires of the Kingdome affirming that he had rather there die honorably in the defence of Sparta then goe home and therefore presently armed himselfe and standing on the Kings right hand dyed there honorably fighting valiantly in the defence of his Countrie hereby you may see that there is nothing more preferred of a couragious heart then the safety of his Countrie and Soveraigne 〈◊〉 Captaine Generall of the Lacedemonians being prepared a time to fight a battell against the Athenians the Southsayers according to their superstition having told him after they had viewed the entrailes of the beasts which were sacrific'd that their Armie should obtaine the victory but that 〈◊〉 should die who having notice thereof nothing mooved or amazed hereat though he assuredly beloeved it to be true as if it had beene the saying of an Oraâ—… made this Heroique answer Sparta depends not upon one mans life onely for when I am dead my Country will not be one jâ—…t the â—…orse or the weaker but if I should 〈◊〉 and refuse to fight in its defence the honour and reputation of it would be much diminished and eclipsed Now having appointed one Cleander to succeed him in his charge and place hee fought a battell with his enemies wherein hee was slaine leaving neverthelesse by that dayes journeys his Countrie victorious to his perpetuall honour and glory Solon albeit he was old and decrepit understanding how Pisistratus intended to usurpe the Government of the Common-wealth whon none durst contradictor oppose him out of an ardent zeale that he bare to his Countrie pluck'd up his old courage and going out of his house before his dore in the street cryed out with a loud voyce unto his fellow Citizens Helpe me helpe your Countrie let us die valiantly or else put them them to death who would tyrannize over 〈◊〉 Thrasybulâ—… deserves no lesse commendation then Solon who when many men have delivered their Countâ—…ie from one mans tyrannie freed it from the violence and tyrannie of many usurping oppressors no lesse then thirty in number who had banished some of the chiefest Citizens murdered others and confiscated the goods of others This Thrasybulus was the first and the onely man that began to make warre against them albeit hee had not then above thirty men to assist him hereupon the Tyrants began to mocke and laugh to scorne him and his small Company but hee by little and little fortifying himselfe in the end brought them all to ruine and so delivered his Country from oppression Marcus Brutus one of the principall conspirators against Caesar is highly commended by Plutarch for that act of his in vindicating the Citie of Rome from an usurper who being a man naturally of a grave and mild behaviour ventured his life to set his Countrie at libertie whereupon hee caused certaine money or meddailes to be stamp'd and coyned which had on the one side a Cap or Bonnet betweene two poyniards and under them these two words Idibus Martii that is the fifteenth day of March on which day Caesar was slaine on the other side a mans head with these two capitall leters M. B. for Marcus Brutus by the Cap he meant libertie for after the death of Caesar they carryed publikely in Rome a Cap upon the point of a Lance crying with a loâ—…d voyce Libertâ—… populi Romani Remarkeable is the act of Geâ—…itius Cippâ—… Pretor of Rome who chose willingly to banish