then Iosue with his host returned vpon them so betwyxte the captaine and the stale they were destroyed and taken euery mothers sonne This was bonus dolus a laudable gile to vanquish and ouercome Gods enemies which had discomforted them afore You must also lay away and put from you all simulacion or faining shewing one thing for an other hauing one thing in the mouth and an other thing closed within the hart as Ioab did to Amasa ii Reg. xx suspecting that Amasa would haue put him out of fauoure with the kinge Dauid when he met wyth hym he came louingly to him and said Salue mi frater God spede you or God saue you my brother and with hys right hand he toke Amasa by the chin as though he woulde haue kissed him but with his left hād he drew his dagger and strake him in the syde so that his guts fel about his feete there he died Here was sore simulatiō and fayning this was a false flattring kisse like Iudas kisse by whych he betrayed his maister This must be left layd downe and no more vsed There is also an other simulation which may be called good and laudable and suche vsed kinge Dauid as it is wrytten i. Reg. xxi when he fled to Achis kynge of Geth when the kynges seruauntes sawe Dauid they sayd among them selues is not this Dauid king of the land of Israell Dauid was sore afrayde and when he came afore Achis the king he changed his countenance and fell down among their handes and then flapped his handes and layde his shoulders against the doores his spytle draueled downe vpon his beard Then sayde Achis to his seruants why haue you brought this mad man afore me haue we not mad men inoughe of our owne Why haue ye brought this felowe to play the mad man in my presence And vpō thys Dauid was let go like a foole and so escaped the danger of them that would haue brought him a gaine to king Saul which then was his mortall enemye And to this fact of Dauid agreeth full well thys comon prouerbe Stultitiam simulare loco prudentia summa est To fayne foolishnesse in some case is verye highe wisedome Thys is not the pernicious simulation by whiche men wyth flyring cheare woulde crepe into a mans bosome and yet kyll hym if they coulde And so muste all enuye be layde awaye that is sorowe for an others mans wealthe or welfare or gladnesse for hys hurte or hynderance For here on earthe no man enuyeth hym that hath neyther vertue morall nor intellectuall neyther theologicall but rather bemoneth hym and is sorye for hym accordyng to the old prouerbe I hadde leauer hee enuyed me then bemoned me Thys is that dyuelish vice that is not so meete for anye place as for hell In heauen it cannot be for there shall be the greatest ioye possible of one neyghbour in an other euerye man shall reioyce of an other mans glorye as muche as of hys owne In hell thys vyce shall be at rest for there he shall see nothing to disdayne at or to enuye at there shall bee no wealthe no prosperitie no exaltacion or promotion to be enuyed but all payne sorow and care And of thys shall come no ioye to the enuyous soule but all freatyng and gnawyng in his own conscience and euerye one of theym that there shall be against an other It is the sinne that is most contrarye to charitie and by that moste dyspleasaunt to almightye God and moste acceptable and pleasant to the dyuell And of thys enuy commeth and foloweth thys other vyce that Saynte Peter here woulde haue vs purged of that so we myghte be able to receyue the mylke that he woulde nourse vs and feede vs wyth all That vyce saythe Saynte Peter is detraction or backbitynge by whiche secretelye behinde a mans backe a mans fame or good name is defaced and defowled Suche backbiters that depraueth and missayeth men behinde theyr backes destroying theyr good name Sainte Paule reherseth amonge them that God hath let runne in reprobum sensum into such madnes as to think nothing good but that is nought in dede and to do as is vnconuenient for men to doe Susurrones detractores deo odibiles they be such as God hateth or as the other translation hath dei osores suche as hateth God for they hate theyr neyghbours whō God would haue them to loue so thei loue neither God nor his pleasure commandement The greatest treasure that a man hathe is hys good name and fame therefore Ecclesiast xli biddeth vs Curam habe de bono nomine hoc enim magis permanebit tibi quam mille thesauri preciosi et magni thou must care and take hede and prouide for thy good name for that will stick by the better then a thousand rich and great treasures and Salomon saith Pro. xxii Melius est bonū nomen quam diuitie multe Better is a good name then great riches Therefore he that diminisheth thy good name doth worse then if he pyked thy purse or stole all thy riches and can neuer haue his offence forgiuen till he haue made restituciō and then considering howe hard it is to pull out of mens heades that opinion that thou hast once brought into their heades by thy rayling backbiting tong By this you may consider the dāger of that vyce for the frowardnes of fraile man is such that it is more easie to bring out of his head a good opinion once conceiued by an other then an yll Thou shalt tell a good tale or a good report by one twise or thrise afore a man beleue it but a noughty report be it neuer so false is soone taken but not so soone disswaded againe And by this also appeareth the danger perill of thē that giueth eare to backbiters for they be partakers of the offence so be in like dānacion beside the sinister rashe iudgement that they haue of their neighbour by such detraction and lewd report of y e detractour or backbiter for to misiudge thy neighbour to be a theefe or to be a lecher or adulterer to be an heretik or such other mortal sinner except the fact be euidente and plaine or the signes so euident that they can not be countersaid is deadly sinne Therefore as S. Hierome saith Epistola ad Nepocianū de vita clericorū we muste beware that we haue nother itchinge tonges nor itchinge eares itching tonges busy clatering and raylinge itching eares euer open and glad to be clawed with newes and noughty tales But fewe there be that forsake this vice of detraction and a man shall seldome finde one so clere and blameles that he will not be gladde to reproue and blame other folkes liuinge And men haue so great pleasure in this vice that thei y t be not poluted or spotted with other vices yet they fall to this vice as into the extremeste and last snare of the deuill and the lightnes
he was inhabitaÌ„t hearing that .iiii. kings with their hostes had inuaded the countrey about Sodom Gomor had spoyled the couÌ„trey takeÌ„ away many prisoners amoÌ„g which thei had taken Loth his brothers sonne he asseÌ„bled together all his retinue Expeditos vernaculos trecentos deceÌ„ octo folowed the chase ouertoke these kings beset theÌ„ about in the night season slew them recouered all their pray brought home againe Loth with all his substance He might haue sit still at home if the loue that he had to his countrey in which he was theÌ„ sustained for the time as DenisoÌ„ had not pricked him forward Iud. xi It is red of Iepthe which iÌ„ dede his brothers had banished out of his couÌ„trey yet afterward it chanced that the Ammonites inuaded the people of Israell wasted destroyed theÌ„ â–ª right sore specially that part beyond the riuer of Iordane called Galaad wher this Iepthe was born The people of Israel were sore discoraged their enmies so enhauÌ„ced y t the laÌ„d was almost destroied then came messagers to this Iepthe wher he was in his exile deâ—iriÌ„g his aide succour He vmbraided theÌ„ of their vnkindnes saiyng Be not you thei that hate me driued me out of my fathers family now ye be coÌ„pelled by very nede to come to me for helpe Notw tstanding he was moued w t that natural louing reuereÌ„ce y t he had to his couÌ„try said to y e messagers y t if thei wold make hiÌ„ their captain he woulde put him selfe in ieopardie for them and to do the best he coulde And so he did and destroyed their enemies and set the lande at rest In like maner did Dauid .i. Reg. xxiii When he was driuen out of his countrey by the furye and madnes of king Saule he hearde that the Philisties inuaded and destroyed Ceila a certayne towne in the dominion of Saule and prepared him self to battaile against them all his frendes and kinsfolke that were then wyth hym entreatynge him to the contrarie Where Pietas erga patriam the loue that he hadde to his countrey wrought more in him then all the carnal loue to his frends and kinsfolkes and also then the vnkindenes of Saule that hadde driuen him out of his countrey where he for yll repaid good again he fought with the Philisties he toke all their cattell and prouision for vittailes Percussit eos plaga magna saluauit habitatores Ceile He made a great murther amonge them and saued the inhabitauntes and people of the towne Ceila In like maner be all nacions bounde by the lawe of Nature and by Gods lawe to defende their countrey And wee for our realme In so much that if there woulde any foraine potentate as I saide or any other sedicious persons attempte to infringe or breake the lawes Godlye made for the conseruation and quietnes of thys realme we be bounde to do the vttermost of our power for the suppression and extinctioÌ„ of them yea though they were our naturall parentes or next of kinred that woulde so offende Likewise if any malefactours sedicious and rebellious persons woulde raise anie vnlawefull assembly commocion or insurrection againste the peace and tranquilitie and quiet cohabitation of the people in the countrey or realme where thou art inhabitaunt Yea though thine owne parentes and nexte of kinred were on that partye amonge such rebellions the pietie and reuerende honour and loue that thou owest to thy countrey should make thee to do the vttermoste of thy power to resist theÌ„ and suppresse their malice In so much that if there be any of our Englishe men in exyle or banished out of their countrey or such as for their offences dare not come into their countrey yet if they might perceiue in the couÌ„treys where they walke any murmuring or repliyng against the Godlie and lawdable lawes of this Realme or if they might perceiue anye perill or perturbation trouble or warre to be moued against vs the lawe of Nature shoulde moue them to staye all suche daungers and to the vttermost of their powers to resist them Yea thoughe they should put their liues in ieopardye for the sauegarde of their countrey Example ye haue now heard of the Ethnichs and also of the holy Patriarches Abraham Iepthe and Dauid And holy Moyses after the offence of his people in Idolatrye makinge the calfe tanquam Apin Egiptiorum deum praied to almighty God for mercy and pardon for their offence saiynge Aut dimitte eis hanc noxam aut si non facis dele me de libro tuo queÌ„ scripsisti Exo. xxxij A vehement pietie and loue that he had to his countrey men that he prayed saiynge Either forgeue them good Lorde or if thou wilte not then strike me out of that boke of lyfe that thou hast written in thy eternall predestination he was sure that GOD would not so do Therfore he was the bolder so to praye as who shoulde saye if you wyll nedes destroy them good Lorde why then dampne and destroy me wyth them He was bolde that God would not so doe therefore he thought in maner to inforce GOD to forgeue them for his sake and to saue them with him Such an ardent and burnynge loue to his countrey men had saint Paule as he testifieth of him selfe Roma ix Optabam ego anathema esse a christo pro fratribus meis qui suÌ„t cognati mei secundum carnem qui sunt Israelite I haue desired and wished to be seperate deuided from Christe for the loue that I haue to my brethren that be my carnall kinsmen the Israelites How deuided from Christe Origene Not by preuarication or transgressynge of Christes lawes or commaundementes He woulde do no synne for their sakes For that coulde not healpe them that coulde do them no good Also there was no vyolence or force that could pull him froÌ„ Christ as he sayth hym selfe But like as Christe being by reason of his Godheade in the fourme and nature of GOD yet he did so humiliate hym selfe hidynge hys Godlye power that he become manne and suffered death for our redemption and so semed for the tyme to forsake the father and was made as a thynge accursed to take awaye our malediction Gala. iii. Christus nos redemit de maledictione legis factus pro nobis maledictum quia scriptum est maledictus Omnis qui pendet in ligno Deute xxi And so saynte Paule by example of oure maister Christe wished to haue done that thinge in which he might seeme to be seperate from Christe by deuotion and not by preuarication or synne so that he myght saue his countrey menne and so he dyd when he was of all sortes to all menne that he myght wynne all maner of menne to Christe Sometymes vsynge the Ceremonyes of the Iewes to allure them in whiche the Gentyles thought he did nought and so to be deuided froÌ„ Christe And amonge the Gentylles he vsed suche meate as they did
playe a virgins part or a woers part or suche like when men vse to chuse fayr and weâ—fauored yong men for their purpose the said Sophocles shoulde a deserued none suche cheeke but then in the middle of an earnest matter to speake of such light facions or fansies because his sayinge was not well placed he lacked Modestia that we speake of nowe and was to be blamed Likewise if a man in his studie or riding in his iourney would muse in makinge verses or how he should tell his tale afore a Iudge or if a diuine woulde muse or recorde his sermon by the way riding al this were good and laudable but if he would so do or would be in his dumps wheÌ„ he were among his louing friendes and good felowes at a feast or at a banket he should seeme to be a churle and to lacke good maners because he knewe not his time Or if a man woulde syng in the myddle of the market or in a court at the barre afore the iudge when ther be weighty matters in hand he should offend against modestie against al good humanitie so that he maye be called modest or manerly that in al his behauiour vseth good maner and measure and a meane Modestia cometh of modus a measure which is a vertue Nimietas as S. Iherome saith is his contrarye vice whiche is forbid by the comon prouerbe Ne quid nimis do in nothing to muche To muche passeth measure and passeth good maners suche as in theyr fare at theyr borde or in their apparel and rayment excedeth theyr substaunce spending and wasting more then theyr lands or occupying wil extend to or maintain they kepe no modesty no measure nor good maner they offend in Nimietie they come vnto to much How many thinke you of our neighbours now at the holye time of Christmas coÌ„ming wil excede modesty and good measure in theyr fare spending so much now for ostentacion pride that they shall fare the worse in theyr dishe til Easter It wer best to kepe such a measure now that you may haue somwhat left to helpe your selfe an other time As for modestie and measure in apparel was neuer lesse vsed veluet other silkes be as comoÌ„ly on the pore meÌ„s backe that liueth from hand to mouth as on the gentleman or as on the alderman of this citye The pride of the worlde is suche that it bringeth al men almost to the extremitie of nimietie vnto to muche Therfore S. Peter knowyng that pride is an aduersarie to modesti to manerlynes and to the meane he exhorteth vs as for to conserue and kepe modestie to vse humilitie Humiles saith he lowly of hart so that when god geueth you any of these giftes of goodnes aforesaid you be not proude of them but thank God for theim attributing al to God that gaue them to vs and may take them away when he list It is but a very folishnes for a man to be proud of that he hath not of him self but that may be taken froÌ„ him at euery twinckling of an eye if it please the gyuer Humilitas dicitur ab humo it hath his name of the earth of the grouÌ„d which is lowest most grosse element We must know our state our condicion whereof we come whereto we shal which if meÌ„ wold inwardly coÌ„sider they shuld neuer be proud of any gift that god hath giuen them whether it be kinred landes possessions office authority acquaintance with great men and to be in fauour with them If men would consider howe hardlye such giftes be obtained how sone God caÌ„ whip them awaye when it shall so please him as dayly experience teacheth men wold fal to the ground thei wold be humble lowly nothing proud but attribute al to God and take nothing as theyr own And so doing they should deserue more benefites of him hereafter Amen ¶ The .xiii. treatise or sermon NOn reddentes maluÌ„ pro malo nec maledictuÌ„ pro maledicto Nowe after this godlye instruction howe we shall order our selfe in wel doing beseming our byrth in Christ by baptisme Here consequently he willeth vs to leaue exchew such vices as shal not beseme a good christen man bidding vs that we shall not redub yll for il nor requite a shreud turn for a shreud turn neither an ill word for an il worde nor checke for check nor sclaunder for sclauÌ„der although after the iudgement of the world it may peraduenture seme lawful par pari referre to requite taunt for taunt or like for like but god wil none such retalliatioÌ„ in word nor dede but coÌ„trari that we shuld do good for il should blesse say wel for yl saying as â— Peter saith here and our sauiour Christ saith Mat. v. Diligite inimicos vestros benefacite hijs qui oderunt vos â—t orate pro persequentibus et caluniantibus vos vt sitis filij patris vestri A marueilous sanctimonie that Christ requireth of vs. ChristeÌ„ folk He biddeth vs loue our enemies to do wel to them that hateth vs to pray for theym that pursue vs and for them that vniustly vexe vs at the law that so we may be the children of our father in heauen We must loue our enemies not theyr enmitie or theyr vices sinnes for theÌ„ wee must hate but the nature the mankinde the person must be loued for euery man woman in asmuch as they be made after the ymage of God may receiue almightye God into theyr soules by knowledge and loue muste be loued charitablye for the loue of charity is founded vpon the coÌ„munion and indifferent receiuing of perpetual beatitude that is to say all creatures that nowe haue euerlasting ioyes in heaueÌ„ or that may hereafter come to that ioye receiue that glory be to beloued by the loue of charitie Now there is no man nor woman so bad while they be in this world liuing â–ª but they may be saued may come to glory Therefore our charitie loue shoulde extende to al men women to our enemies in asmuch as they may amend theyr maners may do away theyr malice may come to heauen by the same reasoÌ„ must be loued we be bound to extend our charitie vpon them And when Christe byddeth vs praye for theÌ„ that dothe vs hurt or woulde trouble or vexe vs we be bound to prai for theÌ„ to God to send them grace in this world glory in heauen at theyr end If we pray to god to encrese theyr substance or to send theÌ„ healthe or to sende theÌ„ honoure or worship thys is more then we be bound to do although if we pray so for them we do wel and we shal not loose our reward for our good wil for our praier It was the time of persecution wheÌ„ s. Peter wrote this epistle wheÌ„ christen people had much trouble vexation many il words And because y t men be more redye to
geuen to the true seruice and honour of god seking the glory of God and not his owne glory or the glory of his manhode Ego non quero gloriam meam est qui querat iudicet Ioh. viii which is the verye exercise and practise of this sixt gift of the holy gost called in latine pietas in englyshe the worshipping of God or the gifte of grace by whiche we be prompte and ready and glad to worshippe God And when we be so disposed taking example at our Sauiour Christe commynge to his holye Temple or churche dedicate to Gods honour where his holy word is redde and song expounded preached and declared and there occupie our selfes in contemplation and prayer like good christian people it is a great signe that we be partakers of his plenty hauynge this gifte of the holy goost deriued vnto vs by our Sauioure Christe And this I thinke is one proper signification of pietas and is as saint Ambrose i offi xxvii sayth the firste and principall parte of our iustice and the beginnynge of wisdome to know of whom we haue our wit and al other goodnes and to do him seruice accordynge to his benefite Albeit if we should extend and enlarge the name of pietas of reuerende worshippe we shall finde that wee owe seruice or reuerende worshippe to our countrey also to our parents that brought vs into this world and nursed vs cherished vs and helped vs when we could not helpe our self and also to thē that be nye of kinred to vs. So that this vocable pietas semeth now to haue .iii. significations to whiche he agreeth secundum analogiam quandam as the Logition speaketh After a certaine order likewise as there is an order betwixt the thynges signified we owe a reuerende seruyce and worshippe to almyghty GOD as to our maker mainteyner and redemer as I haue sayde Wee owe also a reuerende seruice and worshippe to our countrey Wee also owe a reuerende honoure and worship to oure fathers and mothers to thē that be to vs nexte of kinred But we be not so bounde to serue our countrey as wee be to serue God nor so straightly bound to our parētes kinred as to our coūtrey If the whole countrey or the whole realme in whiche thou were borne would moue thee to do that facte or that thinge that shuld be contrarye to Gods pleasure and contrary to his holy scriptures forsake thy countrey esteme it not take no parte with them but cleaue faste to Gods holye worde and resiste euen to death the malice and frowardenesse of suche miscreantes as would moue thee to the contrarie Did not the Apostles so Were they not al Iewes borne was not all the whole countrey bended to extinct the remembraunce of Christe Howe oft were they commaunded they shoulde not once Preache or speake of his name vnder paine of stripes yea vnder paine of deathe But all this would not serue all this could not disseuer them frō Christ nor from publishyng of his fayth and of his holy name nother trouble nor perplexitie or distres nor honger nor nakednesse nor peryll nor persecution nor sworde axe or anye weapon Ro. viii Seconde we be more bounde to our countrey then to our parentes or kynred in so muche that if there woulde anye foreine Potentate or alien power attempte to inuade the Realme where thou art inhabitant of the nacion yea though thine owne father vncle brother all thy kinred that thou hast were on that partye so irrupting into thy coūtry thou oughtest to forsake thē al to fight against thē al for the defence sauegard of thi coūtrey yea that goeth nere to the then so to forsake thy selfe and thine owne lyfe and healthe and to put thy selfe in ieopardy for thy countrey sake The paynim capitayns did so the holy men that scriptures doth commende and repute theim in Catalago sanctorum in the rolle and number of saintes did so likewise Codrus king of Athens in a battaile against the Peloponensis perceiued by an aunswere that the deuill had made speakinge in an ydole to the said Peloponensis that they shoulde haue the victorye if thei killed not the capitaine of the contrary parte Wherfore the whole hoste was commaunded to saue Codrus the kinge of the Athenensis in anye case This was not so secretelye done but it came to Codrus eare which for the pietie and loue that he hadde to his countrey disgised him self like a poore labourer with his sith on his backe and so came amonge the host of his enemies and what with shrowde wordes and misbehauiour and with his sithe he displeased the souldiours and hurte one of them with hys sithe whiche turned to him and with his speare staffe killed him When this was knowen the Peloponensis fled and so the Athenensis had the victorie without anye more bloudsheading In a certaine cōtrouersie betwixt the Carthaginensis the people of Cyrene a certayne citie in Libia of which it is touched Act. ii Et partes Libie que est circa Cyrenem it lieth eastward from Carthage now I trow called Tuneis toward Egypt bothe in Affricke In a contrauersie I saye betwixte those two parties for the meyres or boundes of their territoryes and dominions which cōtinued long to the great murther destructiō of the people of both parties At the last it was agreed betwixt bothe that at a certaine time appointed betwixt both y e cities there shold certayne curriers be send furth where so euer they met there to be meyre stones pitched such markes made whereby it myght be knowen for euer howe farre bothe lordshippes dyd extende they that were sente out of Carthage were twoo brothers Phileni called but so it was that these brothers were come a great waye further then the other partye thought they should And so the Cyrenensis pretended some fraude to be in the setting forth of these mē But they for theyr coūtreys sake and for the auoydaunce of further trouble of the same for to assure the contrarye partie that the thing was done without collusion offred them selfe there to be buryed quick that theyr tombes or graues might be the verye meires in this purpose with whyche the other partie thinking no man woulde make suche an offer for the defence of a false matter was content and so ceased that controuersie In holye scriptures we haue examples abundaunt how that neither father nor mother wyues neyther mens own naturall children coulde withdrawe men from the loue of their countreys in so much that when some of theim were banisshed and driuē out of theyr coūtrey yet whē thei herd that theyr countrey was in daunger distresse they sticked not to forget al displeasures and vnkindnes to do the best they could to saue their coūtreys It is writ Gen. xiiii That y e holy patriarch Abrahā being but a straunger in the land of Canaan now called the holy lande had such reuerend loue to the coūtrey wher
Ego suÌ„ vir Iudeus natus in Tharso Ciliciae I am a Iew by kinred born in Tharsus a city in Cilicia which is a couÌ„trey in mayne Asia For y e Iewes wer not al born in Iury but as their pareÌ„ts wer disâ—abper sed into al couÌ„treis so thei had their children in diuers countreys And theÌ„ after .xiiii yeres s. Paul came againe to Ierusalem to confer the gospel that he preached with the apostles y t were the pillers of the Church Peter Iames and Iohn whiche he founde then at Hierusalem Nowe good frendes take hede Heare we haue of saynt Paule whiche in the place alledged swore toke god to witnes that he lyed not we may wel beleue hym must nedes so do the holy gost spoke in him Here I saie we haue firste iii. yeres next after Paules conuersion afore his coÌ„mynge to Hierusalem when he taryed there wyth Peter fiftene dayes And then we haue fouretene yeares more afore he came to Hierusalem to conferre hys preachynge wyth the other Apostles and at bothe tymes he founde Sayncte Peter at Hierusalem So that by this wee haue that Saynte PETER was at Hierusalem seuentene yeares and more after Christes ascention for s Paul was coÌ„uerted in the first yere after Christes ascentioÌ„ in February next after as the church represeÌ„teth at that tyme kepyng the feast of the conuersion of S. Paule Nowe I praye you when went sainte Peter abroade amonge them that were dispersed in Pontus Galatia Capadocia c And when was he bishoppe of Anthiochia To this I saye that as for the three firste yeares that Saynte Paule spoke of Saynte Peter taried verye much at IerusaleÌ„ wyth Iames there to order the Primatyue first churche of Christe in all the worlde Their presence because they were of hyghe reputation was verye necessarye for that purpose so that in all that tyme I thynke he went verye little amonge the Gentyles excepte it were by some chaunce or by reuelation as he came to Cornelius at Caesaria His most laboure was aboute the conuersion of Iewes to conuerte them to Christe Then afterwarde in the .xiiii. yere that s Paule speaketh of the churche of Hierusalem beynge reasonablye well stablished there is no doubte but saint Peter went abrode into all countreys preachynge Christe chieflye to the Iewes that were dispersed into many couÌ„treys there liuyng like straungers after the persecution that roose after the martirdome of saint Stephan and for many such troubles as fel vpon them exhorting them to pacience and declarynge that throughe many troubles wee muste come into the kyngedome of God And in this time he sticked for no labours but came to the couÌ„treys of Pontus Galatiae c. CouÌ„treys of mayne Asia of which some of them be almost as farre north east from Hierusalem as we be northwest and to them preached Christes fayth and returnyng backe came againe to Antiochia where he taried and ruled Christes flocke as bishoppe there by the space of seuen yeres or more Saint Hierome sayth Super Gal. ii Primum episcopum Antiochene ecclesiae Petrum fuisse accepimus Romam exinde translatum From Antiochia he wente to Rome to conuince Simon Magus as I saide afore And from Rome came backe agayne vnto Hierusalem to a counsail in the eyghtenth yere after Christes ascention at which time s Paule was warned by reuelation to ascende also to Hierusalem to conferre his Gospell wyth the other Apostles and there met with Peter Iames and Iohn as he sayth in the seconde chapiter to the Galathians And then saynt Peter toke his leaue and returned to Rome againe where he continued and in the countreys thereabout to his liues ende And from thence he wrote this Epistle as I sayde Now if I shall perfourme the exposition of this epistle as I haue taken vpon me I must somewhat speake of these countreys that saint Peter rehearseth here in the salutation of his letter for here they be written as you haue heard Pontus Galatia Capadocia and so furth Therfore if they shall not be somewhat set furthe and declared whereto be they written here If they shall not be described vnto theim that heare or reade this epistle let them be striken out of the boke whye should thei cumber any more paper To heare of them shall be pleasant to al men that deliteth in naturall histories of Geography or Cosmographye and to all mariners and marchauntes that haue trauersed the seas And to them that wold haue their soules edified in vertue it shall not be vnprofitable by reason of some morall learnyng that may concurre amonge For this you muste first vnderstande that Mare mediterraneum the middely earth sea whiche our marchauntes calleth the Leuant commeth out of the maine occean sea runnyng into the lande at a verye narrowe entrye called the straightes betwixt two mountaines or rocks one called Calpe in Granado on the south parte of Spaine and the other called Abila in Mauritania where y t Mores inhabite And the saide mountayne called Calpe our marcauntes calleth Calis addynge to it for the euyll and daungerous passage by the same Malis yll after the language of the countrey there Calys Malys Ill Calys because of a great multitude of ragged rockes liynge in the thresholde or bottom of the saide gate so that when any ship shall passe in or out at the saide streicte the mariners must be sure of an high water and a measurable winde els they shall finde it an yll passage and perilous The said two rockes cleues or promoÌ„tories bee called Gades and Columne Hercules Hercules postes and standeth one on the one side of the sayde entre and the other on the other side and maketh lyke a gate into the Leuaunt And as Pliny writeth In prohemio tercâ—i naturalis historiae It is but fyue myles broade where it is strayghtest and passeth not tenne myles ouer where it is broadest pomponius Mela agreeth saiynge Libro primo Non amplius decem milibus passimum patens A wonderous worke of GOD by so narrowe a passage to brynge into the mayne Lande so great a Sea as it maketh runnynge furthe Eastwarde and leauing Affrique on the ryght hande and Europe on the lifte hande tyll it come as farre as Celiciae in maygne Asya and there stayeth in a certayn bay called Sinus issicus the baye where the riuer of Issus openeth into the same sea and it goeth no further Eastward enuironnyng and conteinyng within it self a great multitude of the most fertiysles that we can read of and specially the excellent Isle of Cyprus Notwythstandynge afore the said Leuaunt become so farre Eastwarde it turneth Northwarde longe and many a myle Fyrst it runneth together and entreth into a narow streict called Hellespontus muche narower then the said yate out of the Oceane into the Leuaunt that I nowe spake of for this streicte passeth not much thre quarters of a myle ouer and whan it is past that streicte it spreadeth abrode agayne like a sea and
is called Propontis Then yet more Northwarde it runneth togither into a narower streict then any of the two that I haue spoken of this streict is called Thratius Bosphorus The countrey of Thracia where Bizantium nowe called Constantinople is cheife citie is on the West parte of it and the sayde Constantinople lieth nigh to the same streict This streicte is so narowe that in caulme wether men maye heare byrdes singe frome the one point to the other and mennes voyces also from Europe into Asia and contrarywyse out of Asia into Europe When the sea passeth that streict then it spreadeth abroade into a marueilous great sea called Pontus Euxinus And yet agayne gathereth it self together into as narow a streicte as this that I spake of last and it is called Cymmerius bosphorus and beyonde him it spreadeth abroad againe into a huge meare or standing water called Meotis into whiche runneth the fierce and swifte riuer of Tanais comminge oute of the mountaines of the North and is drowned in the sayd Meotis Here haue you hearde more shortely then the matter requireth the course and wayes of the middle earth sea or leuaunt whiche you maye more sensiblye perceiue yf you wyll conferre my sayinges to a table or mappe of the worlde In the sayd Leuaunt be Ilāndes as Pomp. Mela reconeth about C.xl. of whiche some be the moost excellentes of the worlde speciallye in the forth-right course betwixt Calis Malis Cilicia there is Corsica where the Romaines haue their vyne cors There is Sardinia Sicilia and Creta whiche we call Candy there is the most fertyle and fruitfull Ilande of Cyprus And towarde the mouth of the retourne Northwarde called Hellespontus that I spoke of is the well knowen Ile of the Rhodes latelye inhabited with Chrysten men nowe by the rage of the Turke peruerted to myserable subiection and bondage Nowe for the texte you shall vnderstande that these countreys that Saynt Peter speaketh of lieth in greate Asia whiche is the thyrde parte of the worlde deuyded frome Affrike by the ryuer of Nylus that runneth thoroughe Egipte downe vnto the sayde myddle earth Sea or leuaunt deuyded from Europe by the seas runnynge Northwarde into the standynge water called Meotis and by the swyfte ryuer of Tanais runnynge oute of the mountaynes in the North parte of the worlde and descendinge into the sayde Meotis And the sayde Asia conteyneth in quantitie more grounde then both Affricke and Europe doeth And the sayde countreys that Sainte Peter preached in and to whiche he wrote his lettre or Epistle lyeth not so in ordre as Saynte Peter rehearseth them but Saynte Peter rehearseth them oute of theyr ordre of purpose I thinke meanynge that vicinitie to Ierusalem or prioritie in receauinge the fayth doeth not derogate or hindre the other that were later conuerted but that fyrste and laste all is one in Chryste As Sainte Paule in a lyke speaketh Galath iii. Non est Iudeus neq Graecus non est seruus neque liber non est masculus neque femina omnes enim vos vnum estis in CHRISTO IESV Furtheste of frome Ierusalem and mooste Northwarde lyeth Pontus on the Easte side of that broade sea called Pontus Euxinus that I spoke of euen nowe Pomponius Mela capite de summa Asiae descriptione Circa pontum aliquot populi alio alioque fine omnes vno nomine pontici dicuntur Hieronimus de nominibus Hebraicis Pontus regio multarum gentium iuxta mare ponticum quod Asiam Europamque disterminat It conteyneth dyuers countreys and of diuers languages There is Colchis where Iason hadde the Golden fleice as Poetes faine Mithridates that noble kinge that kepte open warre with the Romaynes by the space of sixe and fortye yeares was kinge there in Ponto fyrste and afterwarde of Armenia Capadotia and of the mooste parte of all maygne and greate Asia And I thincke verelye it is twoo thousande myle aboute by lande frome Ierusalem where Sayncte Peter begonne to preache In whiche all Bysshoppes and all they that haue taken vppon them cure of soules or the office of preachinge haue example to take paines and labours in ministringe the worde of God to theyr people and not to lie at reste pleasures in a corner at their manours Next to this is Capadocia where S. George the martyr was borne as appeareth by his legend this Capadocia hath on his North coaste the sayde sea Pontus Euxinus and it runneth a long on the same sea and hath on his east side both Armenyes the lesse and the more and is deuided from the greater Armenye by the ryuer of Euphrates and extendeth southwarde as farre as Cilicia that I spoke of and hath on the Weste side Bithinia Galacia Paphlagonia Then by the sea coaste Bithinia lyeth next and it lyeth against Constantinoble sometyme called Bizancium in so muche that the East point of the lande making the streict called Thracius Bosphorus is in Bithinia and parte of Bithinia lyeth on the sea that is on the South part of that streat called Propontis parte of it on the North parte of that streict on pontus Euxinus And in the sayd Bithinia is the citie called Nicea where the gratious Emperor Constantine with CCC and .xviii. bishops kept the moost autenticall and blessed counsell called concilium Nicenum in whiche Arrius heresies were condempned and manye blessed statutes made Then commeth Galacia sometime called Gallogrecia it lieth withoute the streicte called Hellespontus southward super mare Egeum and in this countrey S. Paule had laboured as wel as S. Peter and had instruct them very perfitlye in Christes fayth Notwithstandinge by pseudapostles and false preachers they were broughte into the Iewes ceremonies whiche when S. Paule knewe he writte to them a very earnest epistle to call them home agayne you haue it amongest his other epistles called the Epistle to the Galathies or Galathians Then commeth Asia the lesse which is but a part of maigne Asia that as I tolde you is the thyrd part and greatest parte of the worlde and in this countrey standeth the noble citie of Ephesus in which sometyme was the famous temple of Diana that is spoken of Act. xix And to the people of this citie S. Paule wrote his epistle intitled the epistle to the Ephesies or Ephesians The country is exceadinge welthy and fruiteful and the people excedingely geuen to carnall pleasures therfore S. Paule called them beastes i. Cor. xv Si ad bestias pugnaui Ephesi quid mihi prodest c. Here I haue breifely declared the site and standing of these countreys that S. Peter speaketh of in his salutation and beginning of his epistle you must not thinke that all these countreys be immediat and next to gether one to another but there be some greate countreys betwixte them whiche is not to my purpose nowe to speake of but conferringe one of these to another of them they lye by the Geographye in that order as I haue tolde you To all
do vengeance punishemente and correction on malefactours and euyll doers and to the laude and prayse of theim that be good Sainte Peter knewe no precellencye or excellencye ouer a whole realme bearinge the sworde of Iustice and hauynge the execution of Iustice ouer all his subiectes but in the kynge whom he calleth Precellent which I take for a more magnificente and noble terme then Excellent Example In an vniuersitie many be excelleÌ„t clerkes as it were out of the coÌ„mon sort passyng a great meyny of theÌ„ that be learned but none may well be called precelleÌ„t but he that passeth theÌ„ all in learnyng So in auctoritie he is Precellent that passeth all other power and aucthoritye whiche in his owne realme and in the administration of Iustice ouer his owne subiectes is onely the king therfore froÌ„ him is deriued the ministratioÌ„ of iustice to all inferiour Iusticiers iudges iustices The auctoritie of a king ouer his subiecâ—s is wel set furth .iii. Esd. iiii O viri nuÌ„ precellunt hoies qui terraÌ„ mare obtineÌ„t O sirs be not those men Precellente highest of all in might power that kepeth both the land sea and all that is in them Rex auteÌ„ super omnia precellit Such is the Kynge for he is hyghest ouer al and is lord of theÌ„ Here he vseth the word PrecelleÌ„t which s Peter vseth Et oia quecuÌ„que dix erit illis faciuÌ„t Al y â— the king biddeth theÌ„ do thei do And if he send them to his army in his wars thei go and there they pull downe hylles and make playne grounde castelles and towres they slaye and be slaine and passeth not the kinges commaundement when they haue ouercome theyr enemies they bring to the king al theyr prayes and they that goo not to warre but ploweth the ground when they haue reaped bringe the king his parte And if he alone bydde them kill they kyll yf he bidde them forgeue they forgeue yf he bidde them strike they strike yf he bydde banishe they banyshe if he bidde men builde they buylde if he bid cutte downe they hew downe if he bidde them set they sette and all the people what power soeuer they be of obeyeth him And for all this he taketh his ease his meat drinke and his slepe and others watcheth and kepeth his body from harme and they may not go euerye man his waye to do what he wyll but at a worde they obey him Nowe syrs howe say you is not the kinge worthie to be called precellent whose fame and royall name is set furth after this maner Of the duety of dukes Captaines or great officers vnder kinges you heare They haue aucthoritie to edifie not to destroye to do good and not to do ill to punishe vice and to auaunce and set forth vertue to correct theÌ„ that be badde and to laude praise and cherishe them that be good yf they do otherwise their dampnation is iuste they well deserue it And for them and vs this is goddes will and pleasure that with well doinge we shoulde stoppe mennes mouthes that folyshly will raile and ignorantly knowing nothinge of the matter that they rayle against with our well doinge we shoulde make theim holde theyr peace or to say the best and not with scolding brawlinge or chidinge agayne nor by actions on the case nor by citations or by suche litigious processe If thou be sclaundered a purgation is not the thinge that S. Peter biddeth the runne to but he biddeth the do well and so thou shalt stoppe mennes mouthes Auoyde the occasion on whiche the rumoure and sclaunder rose and the rumoure wyll sone cease where as by contentious and litigious processe manye meÌ„ wyll speake of the matter that neuer heard of it afore and wyl be more ready to speake the worst then the best Quasi liberi non quasi velamen habentes malicie libertatem sed sicut serui Dei You must geue good example and occasion to men to say well and to leaue theyr rayling or missaying against you not for anye bondage or for seruyle feare but like fre meÌ„ set at the libertie at whiche Christ hath set vs doinge it with heart and all And we must beware that we vse not our libertie as a cloke or coueringe of malice and of mischeife Remembre what Iudas of Galiley did that is spoken of Actu v. and Iosephus antiquitatuÌ„ li. xviii Cap. i. he calleth him Iudas Gaulonites homo ex ciuitate cui nomeÌ„ erat Gamala He seduced a great multitude and made them to rebell vnder the pretence of a Godly libertie in as much as they were the elect people of God paid to him fyrst fruites tithes and other dueties Wherfore he sayd they ought not to pay tribute to any man nor to recognize any other lord but onelye God This heresie grew so sore y t it peruerted a great multitude of the people to consente vnto it but anone the auctor of it as many of his secte as could be found were slaine with him albeit the smoke of this heresy smelled longe after for this Iudas the heresiarch set forth this heresie tempore professionis when by the coÌ„maundement of the emperour Octauianus Augustus ibant singuli vt profiterentur in ciuitates suas euery man went to the place where he was borne there to haue his name takeÌ„ to pay his head peny or tribute professinge their subiection to the Romaines at which time Ioseph Mary went to Bethleem where they were borne they being there came the time that Mary shuld be deliuered of child there Christe was borne And afterwarde more then .xxx. yeres they moued a questioÌ„ to Christe touching this heresie An licet ceÌ„suÌ„ dare Caesari an non Mar. xxii Whether it were lawful to pay tribute to the emperor or not Christ sayd ye declaring the same by the coine of y e mony which was the emperors image It is but temporall why shuld not a teÌ„poral lord haue temporal subsedy aide it is his duetye so to haue therefore pay it saith christ you must nedes do so The said Iudas pretended a liberty by y t they were of the holy line of Abraham Isaac Iacob Gods electe people but this libertie he shoulde haue vnderstand goostly and not carnally but he turned it to carnalitie as Iosephus expresselye sayth Obtentu quideÌ„ vtilitatis defeÌ„sionis communis reuera auteÌ„ propriuÌ„ lucroruÌ„ gratia tota seditio gerebatur All the commotion and fraye was made vnder the pretence and coloure of a common profytte and common defence but in very dede it was for theyr owne priuate and proper lucre What mischeif hath come in Saxony by a pretensed libertie is not vnknowen Euangelicall libertie setteth no man at large to liue as he list but this it setteth vs at libertie from the bondage of sinne and also makinge vs subiecte to god and to our kinge and to all our rulers constitute and