haue been Lordes seldome hath gone well forward but giueÌ„ occasion of muche disagrement as whiche beyng ledde after their owne affections and moued with ambition hath caused muche murther and muche calamitie Wherevpon Cato that flue himself at Vtica was accustomed to saie that there was nothyng so pestilent nothyng so vnconstaunte as the peoples fauour as whose inheritaunce hath euer been occasion of muche heuines to their succession Therfore the verie necessarie duetie of a Prince and aboue all other ordeined by God is to rule and gouerne his people which although he be naturally borne for no euer kyng had any other beginnyng and froÌ„ the beginnyng hath obteined the sparcles bothe of equitie and of a princelike courage yet he muste bee taught and made fit for the gouernement whiche he shall take vpon him whereby he shall learne bothe to rule hymself and to ouercome those affections whiche almoste make a kyng naturally fierce and knowe hymself to bee suche a man in whom yet no poinct of man must appeare and thinke hymself appoincted a Prince ouer other not onely to be kyng ouer them but also to feade the people committed to his charge and to exhorte them to vertue wherein especially he must hymself trauaile to surmount the rest For as Paterculus writeth a good Prince teacheth his Subiectes to doe well when he doeth well hymself and whereas he is the worthiest in rule yet he ought to bee more worthy in giuyng good ensample Wherefore Seneca calleth the Prince the soule of his coÌ„mon weale accordyng to whose life and mouyng it bothe liueth and moueth For performaunce whereof he must not rest at any one vertue but ioyne altogether that he bee valtaunt chaiste stoute liberall modest gentle princelike free sober godly rightuous and so in all other vertues whiche be required in a noble gouernours life Of whiche you maie somwhat read in XenophoÌ„ in the training vp of Cyrus in Plinic in his Panegyricque vnto the Emperour Traiane in Agapetus a Deacon of Roome in his preceptine sentences vnto the Emperour Iustiniane of the duetie of a kyng whiche booke is therefore called the kynges tables and other matters of this discipline With which ornamentes of vertues if the prince be beautified he shal heare this saiyng of Hieremie and I will giue you kynges after myne harte whiche shall feede you with knowledge and learnyng and this also the king that iudgeth the poore in truth his throne shall be strengthened for euer for he doeth erecte the people of God Yet a Prince must not rest vpon this poincte onely to allure the people vnto a ciuill life concorde and societie but he must also see to the churches preferre the study of godlines and the onely care that the people be obedient vnto the commaundementes of God For so shall he doe his duetie well so shall he builde and edifie all thinges to the glorie of God so shall he not onely here in yearth receiue honour due to a kyng but in recompence of his watchyng and endeuour he shall receiue an immortalle reward to be placed emong the nomber of the holy sainctes Wherein he hath Moses his speciall leader whiche did not onely reforme the people of God with politicke ordinaunces but also counsailed theim to the kepyng of Gods commaundmentes without the guiding wherof â–ª let vs neuer trust to entre the land of promise or to haue any profit by our ciuill life For he saieth thus And now Israell heare the preceptes and iudgementes whiche I teache thee that doyng them thou maiest liue and enteryng in maiest possesse the lande whiche the Lorde God of your fathers will giue vnto you ye shall not adde to the woorde that I speake vnto you ne yet take from it Kepe the commaundentes of the lorde your God which I commaund you for this is the part of a Prince to feed the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto hym and to gouerne it well of whiche thyng Homere putteth vs in mynde in namyng kyng Agamemnon the peoples leader Howbeit no manne is so ignoraunt but he knoweth that the prince is a man and somtyme misledde whose fall is the occasion of so muche the more harme the more in sight his estate is emongest menne In whom Dauid warneth vs not to trust but as in the sonnes of men in whom there is no health And these mightie gouernors be sore corrupte when thei begin to set little by the discipline of their life whiche thei doe then dispise when as thei ones vnderstande that thei be princes aboue lawes and haue the prerogatiue of honour in their owne hand For fleshe and bloud whereby we bee seduced doe make vs more prone to euill In deede it muche awaileth the whole countrey that he whiche shall be their Lorde be well trained vp and made fit for the takyng vpon hym the publike gouernement lest to their greate destruction thei finde this saiyng true woo bee to that lande whose kyng is a childe and the saiyng of Horace whiche maie seme spoken as it were by an oracle what euer dotyng princes doe The subiectes feele thereof the â—o But when the Prince hath been well trained vp it is hard to kepe hym to doe his duetie and so muche the harder the more occasiions he hath to bee seduced so that it seameth verie well saied that good princes bee so fewe that thei maie all be wellnigh shut in one ring For the greatnes of their libertie and knowledge that thei shall not be punished causeth theim either not to heare good counsaill or to contempne it and to go forwarde in doyng euill Herevpon commeth it that some princes be so rauished with the fonde desire of huntyng that thei can not be kept froÌ„ euer beyng in the woodes or be so giuen to riotuous liuyng that thei neither take any thought nor any care of their people Whereas a Magistrate should looke to his people wake when thei sleape kepe rekenyng of all mennes behauiours and to be carefull least thei despisyng the rule of lawe growe to a wilfulnes So vnprofitable a kyng is he whiche leauyng his people followeth other matters and neglecteth his duetie for how can it be but that he should be naught whiche by his naughtie ensample maketh so many other naught at whose handes God will require the soalle which so negligently hath been cast awaie Heare what Hieremie saieth Wo be to those shepherdes whiche do lease and rent the flocke of my pasture you haue disperpled my flocke and cast theim out and haue not visited them Beholde I will visite ouer you the malice of your desires saieth the Lorde Then naughtie courtiers doe corrupt a good prince and make hym to forsake the waie of rightuousnesse as Vopiseus writeth in Aurelianus his life These thinges make euill Princes firste of all to muche libertie then wealth of thinges thirdly naughtie frendes a vile gard courtiers either foolishe or detestable For of all this noÌ„ber
a certayne meane to ioygne men together in honestie of liuyng grounded vpon lawes which ought to touch the profite of al and the common aduauncement not the subiectes onely ought to obey the same but also the magistrates who haue no prerogatiue but suche as is honest of it selfe and profitable to all whereby eche man hath his owne geuen vnto him and others be not har med As to whom thou art not permitted to doe that thou wilt not haue done to thy self And therfore Plato did well saie that such a common weale must nedes decaye whereas the magistrate ruleth the lawe and not the lawe the magistrate So Theodosius and Valentinian the emperours in their decrees vse a saying worthy the maiestie of a gouernour that they confesse a prince bound to the lawes and that it was a greater thing to submit selgniourie to law then to be a ruler Then is not that true which certaine light and fonde flatterers doe beate into princes heades that Domitius Vlpianus setteth a prince at such libertie from lawes as though he were not bounde to liue accordyng to their appointmente Whereas he vsed to counsell Alexander Seuerus one that was as it were a keper of recordes of lawes farre otherwise This it is that Claudianus counselleth and verie properlye writeth vnto Theodosius in these verses Thou representes a Citizin and parent of eche one See thou prouide for eche estate and not for thee alone Let not thine ovvne desires thee moue eche thinge to take in hande Respect in all the vvealth of all and profite of thy lande If ought thou vvilt proclaime abroade that subiectes shoulde fulfill Submittethy selfe to thy behestes and first obserue thy vvill For then the people naught repines but sekes the rightfull vvaie Vvhen they the aucthour see of right in right him selfe obey The kinges example frames the vvoride the lavves be not so rife To vvrest aud vvinde their vvilles so vvell as is the rulers life Vnconstant are the commonsorte and vvauering as the vvinde And vvith the prince to vvalke avvrie the rest are sone enclinde And this is that pointe wherein Aristotle holdeth opinion that in effect and substaunce it is one kynde of discipline which the magistrate obserueth in gouer nyng and the subiectcs in obeiyng but in maner and four me diuers For the one thereby learneth to obey to do such thinges as he is commaunded and to frame his life to a vertuous conuersation the other by appointment thereof is taught to gouerne other to bee an example of good life to direct all his endeuour and labour to the common auaile And thereby commeth it to passe that bothe the people do their duetie in obedience and the magistrate executeth his office with a godly carefulnesse and by his vrightnesse of his sheweth the right pathe of vertue wher upon ariseth that ioynyng of profites whiche doeth best support a citie From which appointment thei shamefully yf warne whiche perswade them selues that the office of magistrates is a name of dignitie anely not marking their continuall trauaile then weighty charge the present daunger the rekenynge requited for their doynges and Goddes reuengemerit whiche can not be eschued for such thinges as be neglected which thinges be cōprehended vnder the name of a magistrate Whereas neither ignoraunce nor anye necessitie of priuate affaires nor mennes vicious allurementes nor any other pretence can excuse them For this office is a common office and it ought to suffer no delaies but by geuyng to much libertie it corrupteth the people which in dede shall pearish for their iniquitie but God in his great daie shall require the destruction which lighteth vpon thē at the magistrates hands by whose meanes they be so cast away Then oughtest not thou to think thy selfe to be therefore aduaunced and lifted vp into a place of dignitic and preferment to occupie the highest seate that others shoulde make thee rowme and crouche vnto thee but to loke to thy charge with carefulnesse wisedome earnest trauell studic for the common profite with a fatherly zeale to warde the citezins of whom thou must make accompt as of thine owne children and by all endeuour to she we thy selfe worthy that office Whiche thinge because it is not well considered in our common weales all thinges be empaired and fall to decaye The magistrate careth not muche for the common weale and by his vicious lyfe causeth corrupt maners totake rote also in the people so that thereby that commeth to passe which is greatly to be lamented that is we must seke honestie of liuyng in them where it is not to be found None other wise then did the olde Diogenes whiche with a light Candle in a greats assemble of people euen at noone daies sought for a man For of all them that be made gouernours how many be ther that frō their hart wishe the common wealthe well Whiche doe not more esteme their own gain then the cōmō profit which wil appoinct such lawes ordinaunces as shal take place Farre otherwise then Lycurgus did which indented with the Athenians that vnlesse he him selfe reuoked his lawes they shoulde continue for euer And for the eschewyng of perswasion to breake them he willingly banished him selfe and so strenghthened his lawes But men of our time dooe farre contrarie whiche althoughe they take in hande to establishe the common weale by lawes yet either they do bringe them to no effect or be the first that breake them and gene other occasion to traunsgresse the same whom thei be ashamed to punish because they first offended them selues and sticke in the same mire For we know that in the most part of cities and most dominions ere this there haue bene most holesome lawes published against aduouterers dronkerdes blasphemers whorehunters vsurers and other offenders whiche be so common that euen they of the churche winke at them and will not se them punished which perchaunce haue pinched one or two of the baser sort but if the execution of thē at any time hath fallen vpon them of the nobilitie all is husht and they as hornettes throughe the Spiders webbe passe their ways and scape free and such haue bene the occasion whye they haue not likewise taken place in other to the grease decaye of the common weale The argument of the. viii Chapter That it were profitable that no aldermen of cities aldermennes deputies wardeins or other such officers should be chosen out of their own craftesmens balles because they beyng easelye ledde with affections dooe vse to be to parciall towardes them that be of their owne cōpanies HE that hath rule ouer other muste not onely be without fault but also without suspicion of euill which he easely incurreth if he bee driuen to ordeine any thing touchyng theim to whom he is knit by order of brotherhed or whom at the lest he tendreth bicause of the likenes of their trade and sauour of gaine whiche were better to bee exempte from this charge then
instrument for coueteousnes greadines and riote For what noumber dooe you take to be of theim whiche are not coutent with that wealthe whiche the earth a sure element and subiect to man vseth to bring forthe as it were euen wealth at will and abouÌ„dance of plentye but by aduenturynge cease not still to hazarde by sea to the great emperellyng of their life and bewraying of their owne greadye desire that it maye seeme to some that it hadde heue better that shippyng hadde neuer bene founde then to haue bene vsed as a prouocacion and stirrynge of menne to gready gaine and vnsaciable coueteousnesse concernynge whiche matter Horace writeth thus Vvhen first Goddes prudence parted landes vvith Seas for naught it vvas If yet our vvicked shippes approue the foraine foordes to passe Thus boldely man eche thinge presumes and headlong falleth still To mischiefe more and most desires The most forbidden yll Aurelius Propertius in a wittie Elegie complaineth for the death of one Petus whiche was drouned in the sea for his owne coueteousnes on this maner COIGNE cancred cause of carefull carke that vvorkest vvearye vvoe For thee our svviftened race vve haste to headlong death vvee goe Thou arte the roote that yeldst the sappe and fostrest faultes vvith foode The seede of all our heauy happe it springeth of thy broode The bended beames to shippes vveframe to builde our bane thereby Our hand for thee it driues our death in drenching seas to dye For slender semde to vs the gaine that vve by lande might finde Except vve should approue vvith paine to passe the vvaues vvith vvinde Thus vve the doubtfull steppes of chaunce by arte encrease much like As one in rage that sekes for vvealth the pushe vpon the pike Hast thou thy fast affiaunce fixt in shippe or ankers staye And vvhom thy house Gods coulde not holde thinkst thou the gable maie Vvhats his desert that thinkes his lande to little for his toile Of all thy gathered goodes by seas the vvindes deuide the spoile Vvas neuer barke of hautye toppe and ribbes so strongely laied But ere the race of many yeres by storme it hath decaied The hauen it selfe that safest semes sometime thy vessell shakes And oft the Mariner at shore vnfeared shipvvracke makes Dame nature semde her traines to laie and set the Seas for vvile Vvhen first she shevvd to fooles that vvaie the couetous to begile From whiche saiyng the wise manne vsyng these wordes doeth not moche disagree again one purposyng to sail beginnyng to take his iourney through the ragyng sea calleth for helpe vnto a stocke that is farre weaker then the tree that â—eareth hym For as for it the coveteousnes of money hath founde it out And to saie the trueth he is to bolde whiche hauyng no neade committeth his life to a piece of timber who somtyme is in daunger of shipwrake in a stormie wether sometyme in perist of some extreme sickenesse by vomityng and weakenesse of stomacke sometyme by pirates is murthered and slaine out right as if the yearth whiche God gaue the children of men in possession were not sufficiente to satisfie this greadie desire vnles the sea whiche is assigned to the fishes wer attempted and enforced to minister occasion of gaine But for so moche as that whiche by appoinctment at the beginnyng is good and commendable bicause of the commoditie whiche thereupon ensueth to mannes life although by the naturall coueteousnes of maÌ„ it be tourned into an inordinate trade maie not therefore of it self be called euil it behoueth men to do their endeuour in the common weale that bothe this trade of trauailyng by water bee well vsed and so exercised and imparted in this communitie that it maie be profitable bothe in priuate and in common affaires and those cares trauailes watchynges and daungers so emploied that it maie appere that thei doe not leane to a priuate lucre onelie but that the common estate maie be thereby aduaunced so that by soche meanes the dignitie of the common weale established by lawfull commonyng of profites maie be preserued The argument of the. vj. Chapiter That as the trade of Merchaundise is necessarie so it is a greate cherishemente of filthie lucre DIuers men ioigne to this art of trauailyng by water the trade of Merchaundise which doeth also furnish the life of man with sondrie commodities For neither caÌ„ any companie of men either be associate together or be nourished without buiyng and sellyng of soche thynges as bee nedefull for the maintenaunce of their life neither yet eche applie his arte and busines without those thinges which their trafficque not onely from nigh but also farre countries by passage ouer the seas doth minister and make easie to be prouided Although menne of old tyme thought Merchaundise to be a thyng merueilous nedefull for a common weale yet thei neuer held thesame as a part thereof bicause that Merchauntes wer in deede more bent to seke outward goodes then that thei would bestowe any tyme in followyng vertue whereby thei might atteigne vnto the firste degree of happinesse in this life whiche consisteth in quietnesse and wante of trouble as Aristotle wittily gathereth But thei whiche dwell in a Citee dooe not so embrace vertue that thei can presume vpon soche quietnesse forsomoche as one foloweth the Anuile an other the Lome an other an other trade to get his liuyng so that thei maie not so conueniently attend vpon that Philosophicall contemplacion Yea moreouer the very course of thynnes teacheth vs that no citee can either be builded or yet mainteined by onely quiete and conteÌ„platiue persones For the wealth whereof the Merchaunt caried euen in the middle of the waues shall dooe as moche good as if he tariyng at home should onely debate with hymself felicities and conceiue in his mynde a certain kinde of sittyng quietnes For happie and holy is that labour wherein thou trauailest that it maie helpe thy neighbour forther the common profite and redounde to the glory of God by the fruicte whereof bee wee neuer so busie yet we shall liue in quiete and become scholers to God and bee prepared to a blessed life And this is the meanyng of that saiyng whereby we be commaunded to eate our bread in the sweate of our browes and happely to vse the blessyng of that our labour Let not the Philosophers therefore and their conteÌ„platiue life trouble vs whiche in this worldly estate thei maie well seke but shall neuer finde for so moche as it hath an other marke whereat we dooe not shote with our fleshlie but spirituall iyes whiche are hidde froÌ„ the wise of this worlde So that it maketh no matter whether he be a Merchaunte at home or abroade idle or busied So that he beare a good and vprighte minde toward the common weale whiche without any deceipte any guile or vnreasonable enhaunsyng the price of thinges he purposeth sincerely godlilie to helpe by honest meanes to prouide for his liuing And as all
aucthour naught and vnhonest For those onely as citezeins and partakers of mannes societie be receiued for honeste whiche reuerence iustice set conscionable dealyng before their iyes fauour honestie and which so get and kepe their owne that thei doe not onely not harme their neighbour but tender his commoditie and with all theyr hart wishe his furtheraunce Such a one is he as putteth not out his money to vsurie but helpeth the neadie which buieth not his wares to the hinderance of his neighbour to sell them dearer then reason requireth which doeth not hide corne and grayne the blessinge of the earth nether forstaulleth the market to the greafe of a great number that it maye bee at an higher price which doth not so value his owne worke that it shall profit him selfe onely and harme others whiche vseth the proprietie of thinges with such modestie that he will not withdrawe the same from the â—â—adie but in extremeties be content thei shal be common which in all his affayres practises and trades of liuyng more esteameth the common then the pryuate profite Whiche is one part of honestie originallie risinge of iustice whiche wee ought not onely to esteme aboue our commoditie but also aboue our life So we loue our neyghbour as our selues so we vse other as we woulde be vsed our selues and restore thinges coÌ„mitted vnto vs with honest encrease But nowe these riches wherewith we bee supported bee not all of one sorte For some lyue vppon their landes and possessions some be maintained by artes craftes some by trafficque and some by dailie labour The gayne that riseth of landes is the most honeste of all For thearth tilled with hand doeth yelde the same and it consisteth in earable grounde medowes pastures orchardes and other soyle wherof the old fathers gathered all their substaunce And therefore they were called Locupletes in latin as who saye Pleniloci agri that is wealthie bicause they had plentie of place and lande And therfore ill tillage of the grounde was thought among the Romains a fault vnder the Censours correction as Plinie writeth and as Cato saieth it was thought the highest name of prayse to be called a good husbandman And yet it was thought expedient that riches shulde be moderate and not to excessiue whervpon Manius Curius said in an assemble of people that he was a corrupt citezin which could not content himselfe with seuen furlonges of lande thinking it a matter meete for the worthines of the common weale yf euerye man so seeke his owne aduantage that other be not enforced therby to stand in necessitie to want grounde to worke vppon bycause other haue to much in theyr owne handes and occupation Secondlye we mentayne our selues by practisinge of artes and faculties which we vse as our supporters and staies of our old age so muche thonester the neerer thei drawe to the rule of good and conscyonable dealynge and be exercised not for lucre onelie but that our neighbour therby maye be relieued and the common estate furthered After these come trafficques of Merchauntes Mercers Vintners and such other which nature garnished with reason deuised for the necessitie of man so helped this fellowlie life Last of all be hirelinges the base sorte of people which finde them selues by their daylie trauaile no lesse profitable then necessarie as without whome we can nether till land plante vines nor dresse gardeyns Now if you will compare euerye kinde of trade together and matche labour with labour and lyuing with lyuing you shall vnderstand that the ground cannot be tilled with out the smithes helpe For the housbande man must haue his plough his rake his forke his coultre and other instrumentes concernyng tillage The smithe also neadeth the housband mans helpe for without corne and grayne he can nether maynteyne himselfe nor applie his occupacion by him bothe the shambles be furnished and housholde vittayles prouided And there be manye thinges wherin we haue nede of the labourer who for his hire helpeth from daye to daye aswell the ploughman as thartificer and so getteth himself a liuinge But also the trafficque of Merchauntes is no lesse profitable then these which bring out of forreyn countreis soche necessarie thinges as cannot be had at home whereby they them selues also gayne largely Of an infinite number of trades wherby we maye mentayne our liuinges I haue rehersed a fewe that by the conference with these a man maie learne the profite of others and so you shall perceiue that euerye citie muste consiste of sundrie thinges and sundrie kindes of men wherin none muste be idle but euerye man must applie him selfe in his vocation and seeke his owne and that in order decentlye and honestlye wherby mens offices labours must be so employed that bothe our neighbours maie be eased and none other ouercharged The argument of the fifte Chapter That for the prouision and enrichinge of a citie there ought respect to be bad to three thinges the inhabitauntes the situation and the borderers MI purpose is not to drawe forthe the plotte of a Citie to frame houses to erect walles to fence it with Bulworkes and to shewe an arte howe to builde it from the beginnyng but that I leaue to the workemaisters whose diligence extendeth to se that the fieldes aboute it be holesome large faire fertile frutefull full of springes that it be so frontiered that the enemy maie not easilie inunde and ouer throwe it â–ª that it maie haue as muche commoditie with as little discommoditie as maie bee But this is my meaning when a Citie is once builded then to take some order whereby the inhabitauntes maie by honeste meanes be nourished one helpe another to defende and protect the face of the common weak which is the true forme of a citie standinge not vpon Stones and timber but established with lawes made in suche sorte that they doe not onely respect the commoditie of the people but also harme and endamage none other But as for the situacion and place it forceth much that the citie be so set that of euerye thinge necessarie it maie serue it selfe without anie bringynge in of foraine wares and that it be not so barren and grauellie that it can not maintayne the inhabitauntes but neadeth the prouision and furniture of other For a frutefull grounde by the benefite of nature easely yeldeth fruite to the sustenauÌ„ce of the people neither nedeth it manie preceptes to receiue commoditie therof so that it be diligentlye and seasonablie tilled whiche thinge the Romains highlie estemed in so much that the Censours punished theÌ„ that did not well tille their grounde a thinge of such honest reputacion that sundrie noble menne were thereof surnamed As Pisones were so called because thei did employe theim selues to the sowinge of Pease Cicerones of a pulse called Cicer. Fabii a fabis that is Beanes And Stolones were so called with whiche name Licinius was firste surnamed in Varro bicause there could
on fire to the entent that there maie bee a mutuall impartyng of commodities whiche causeth that one man is moued with an others harme and iniurie and is willyng to his power to ayde the same And therefore it was compted an honest and godlie acte for any priuate man to slea Phalaris or any soche tyraunt and to deliuer the people out of bondage Moreouer as certain rotten and putrified partes of our bodie bee either cutte of or seared with an hoate iron for feare leste they infecte the whole so they thought it good that soche slaughtermen and bloude suckers should be seuered from the societie of al other Herevpon Marcus Brutus vaunteth hymself vnto Tullie so oft for the killyng of Cesar as though that he had deliuered not the citee of Rome onely but also all the wide worlde from his tirannie whiche he vsurped more then the lawes and counsaill would permitte hym whiche he saied he would not suffer in his owne father if he should retourne to life againe and that beyng content with the remembrauÌ„ce of his weldooyng and the libertie whiche he had gotten by the tirauntes death did set light by all that could chaunce vnto him in this world Neither would he become suppliaunt either to Octauius who was bothe his heire and a child or to Antonie whiche laboured to inuade the common weale in his place that was dead What other thing maie wee thinke that Marcus Scenola pretended when as for the deliueraunce of his countrey to the greate daunger of his owne life he entred into Porsennas campe who then besieged the toune and takynge his ame amis slue one of the Kinges pieres in steade of the kinge himselfe wherefore beyng apprehended he thrust his hand into the fire and shranke not for any feare insomoche that the Kynge was dismaide to see his coÌ„stancie specially vnderstandyng by hym that three hundred young menne of the citee had likewise sworne his death Whiche ensample therefore resembleth pietie the more bicause the conspiracie was made againste hym that was their professed enemie would haue brought againe Tarquinius surnamed Superbus bicause of his insolent condicions and would also haue taken awaie the libertie of the Citee But wee whiche haue prosessed Christe haue an other rule of religion to woorke by which measure the lawe of nature after the discipline of godlines thinkyng euery thing so farre to be lawfull vnto vs as it doeth not repugne against the order of our religion but answereth Goddes wille wherevnto wee ought to referre our selues in all our troubles aduersities Nowe it is certaine that Gods will is soche that he will not suffer his people to be misledde and his comaundemente despised without punishement For he is the God of reuengement which if he doe streight seke while men bee aliue it is to bee rekened as a speciall benefite bicause he therein declareth that he would not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue And therefore he sendeth into the worlde hunger barrennesse of the yearth so many kindes of diseases pestilence warre tirannous Magistrates and al soche calamities that man should conuerte and acknowledgyng his offence learne to reuerence and worshippe his creatour We see a figure hereof in the Prophete Ezechiel where God threateneth Samaria and Hierusalem vnder the name of â—â— sisters whiche had committed fornicacion in Egipte that he would raise vp the Chaldees and tyrauntes against theim whiche should spitefully deale with theÌ„ and at the last he saieth Thy mischief and fornicacioÌ„s haue doen this against the. Esdras also the restorer of the fiue bookes of Moses a man of great knowledge in the Lawe whom some suppose to be Malachie the Prophete complainyng of the iniquitie aswell of the Princes as of the people saieth Beholde wee are in bondage this daie and so is the land whiche thou gauest vnto our fathers that thei should eate the bread of it all the good therein Beholde there are we bondmen and the fruictes of it be multiplied vnto the kynges whom thou hast set ouer vs bicause of our sinnes which rule ouer our bodies and our cattell after their owne willes and we be in greate trouble This is it that God threateneth to sende children to rule ouer vs and to be our kynges euen in his furie Whereby it euidently appereth that wicked magistrates be sent into the worlde as that Ate whiche Homere speaketh of for mannes vicious liuyng that one euill maie be expelled with an other and that euil men maie be persued by soche as be no lesse euill then thei theimselues Whiche thing Attila that broughte an armie of three hundred thousande menne forthe of HuÌ„garie into Germanie and anoied almoste all Europe vsurped in his pride callyng hymself the scourge of God and thereby pretendyng an honest cause why he was so furious Tamerlanes also the great prince of Tartaria whiche when he had taken Baiazete the Turke prisoner and caried hym aboute in a cage as a spectacle of mannes mutable estate when one asked hym why he vsed soche crueltie againste any man he aunswered thou iudgest madlie to thinke me to bee a man I am the anger of GOD and the destruction of the whole worlde Nether is it so that God alwaie stirreth vp cruell men and tirantes to reuenge mans wickednes that one mischief shulde be expelled with another but somtimes therein he vseth his owne auÌ„gels somtimes he worketh by men of sincere liuing sometimes he sendeth floudes aboundance of waters as we doe reade in the scripture so likewise for the malice of man he plagueth vs with famine pestilence and warre As the Lord in one night smote al the first borne in Egipt and where bloud was founde on the vpper threshold he suffred not the smiter to enter and to hurt the houses of the children of Israell And in one night thaungell of the Lord came and smote in the Assirian campe an hundred fourescore and fiue thousande Iosue also smote all the Hillie and southe countrey beyond Iordane not leauing one a liue therein but slewe euery thing that had breath as the Lorde had commaunded him from Cades of Barna vnto Gazan Saule also was commaunded to smite king Amaleck and to destroie all that was his so that he should not spare him but kill man and woman infaunte and suckling ore and shepe camell and asse nether desire any portion of his goodes God likewise vseth the elementes oftimes for the reueÌ„gment of mans iniquitie For seyng the malice of man to be great in the earth it repented him that he had made man be said to Noe Behold I will bring the waters of the floude vpon the earth and I will destroye all fleshe wherein there is any spirite of life vnder Heauen and all thinges that be on the Earth shalbe consumed There be many soche ensamples which daily come in vre with great terrour to warne vs that for our sinnes we be sore