I shall hold out the better For when all Churches were infected with the Arrian Heresie none stood for Truth but ATHANASIVS all alone the World against Him and He against the World with the Emperours displeasure and hazzard of his life whose Doctrine notwithstanding is a part of our Lyturgie and now taught for our Creede such is the power of constancy and Truth And there was a time likewise when the whole Christian World was all set on fire kindled by disputes and distracted by opinions about the Head of the Church Militant Apostolikely Catholike and some points of Religion wherin Truth found few fauorers and vnfained friends indeed but the zealous endeuors of an humble minded Fryer LVTHER and who could then haue thought or any waies beleeued that against such mighty enemies and strong oppositions so weak a Man means shold euer haue preuailed but Magna semper veritas preualuit preualebit to GODS eternall Glory our Neighbors daily comfort our Kingdoms Happines aboue al parts of the World eyther publike or priuate And doth not the like euen now I say now by the Truce in the Netherlands offer it selfe in Iustice to helpe vs againe to our owne Home-borne Free-borne Traffique that cryes but for passage and desires to be releeued from the Pride of Anwarpe the Ingratitude of Bruges from the Taxes of Flanders Impostes of Italie and Embargoes of Spaine What though those Workes and nine bookes of SIBYLS whereof three were dearely bought The Sybils wrote 9. Bookes of Ciuil Gouernment so highly valued as none durst buy them Of which Tarquinius Priscus at last bought three and gaue as much for theÌ„ as the nine altogether were formerly esteemed at 1. The Customers APOLOGY 2. His REPLY or second Apology 3. His CAVTION againâ—s extreamity by Farmers 4. His true vse of PORT BANDES 5 His ALPHABET and PRIMER for orderly Commerce 6. His Acroamata for Bullion at Staples 7. His Answere prepared about Bands of Employments 8. His Mystery of Iniquity 9. His Customers Accompt declaring the saide Mystery and carefully preserued by Tarquine the elder bee all burnt vp and gone by Stillico that Traytor Ne tantum Patrijs saeuiret Proditor Armis Sancta Sybillinae fata cremauit Opis We haue the BIBLE and NEVV-TESTAMENT that alone and of themselues are able and sufficient to shew the way to happinesse to all that are not obstinate and despise their owne saluation Besides nine workes yet extant of a Customers best endeuours as fit for our purpose perhaps as those were Yea what though that Heathens AGROAMATA of Kingly Doctrine so grauely discust and attentiuely heard were so richly rewarded with Talents of Gold and ours not regarded Non est mortale quod opto Nay what though euen TVLLY-DE-REPVBLICA which learned men so wish for and Cardinall POOLE so sought for euen with the losse of all his Crownes be held for forlorne and no where to bee found Our ALPHABET is extant as fit for Great-Britain as that for the Romans and of all to bee seene in the Amalthaean Vatican of our late TARQVINIVS PRISCVS Sir Thomas Bodlies Library at Oxford whose Care and Loue to lerning in the Kingdome of the Muses deserues a golden Crowne And this is more my comfort The light all they saw by were but Glimses of the beams of our most glorious SONNE Their best Enthusiasmes were but motions to Honesty from the ful free Infusions of the SPIRIT of adoption that sanctifies all our wits blesseth our endeuours and illustrates my Theame And their clearest waters but borrowed from the streames of that euer-flowing FOVNTAINE that runs so frankely and serues our turnes so well Besides the true Christian Catholick Religion takes my part whereof they could not tell For this our Traffick being nothing else but a frank and free-barring of one good thing for another or a buying and selling of Vendible Wares for ready Gold and Siluer betweene Subiects and Allies at Places conuenient according to the Rules of reciproke Commerce generally intending al Honor vnto Kings and all Wealth to Common-weales doth plainly lay open vnto such as list obserue them all those fiue Vowelles in twice fiue substantiall words that makes vs all to speak both for 1. Matters u. u. KING and PRINCE v. PRIVY-COVNCELL w. COMMON-WEALE 2 Persons 3. Place 4. Order 5. End and sound the protection of all our 1. Liuings 2. Liberties 3. Liues 4. Honors and 5. Peace of our Land For the first being put for a. The second sounds e. The third stands for i. And the fourth for o. But the fift points out u. u. SIRS and v. my Lords w. and All. But that which ioyes me most and reuiues my Spirits withal is this This points to a ParlemeÌ„t which Customers wish and hope for yet in very good time for the KINGS fixed Honor and States prosperity howsoeuer Guilt Feare or Ignorance seeme to doubt or diswade it When CASTOR came alone to the top of our Mast POLLVX did but follow I had cause to doubt the weather but now CASTOR and POLLVX the Gods of our Seas that are able and powerfull to warrant our Trafficke comming both againe togither doe boade vs all good lucke for the Winde turnd North shewes the stormes almost gone and skilful PALINVRVS comming now to Port or Helme obserues himselfe our Compasse bidde Marchants standes by and giues both hope and comfort of attaining at last to our long desired Port that 's now within a kenning for the forelands apear And our Barke is strong enough to beare out all our Leakes therefore be of good cheare Saint George heeretofore now GOD and CHRIST to borrow Our Loadstones proue as good as euer they wer and our Compasse is true therfore bear aloofe but a while for feare of the Goodwines by the cape of good hope to the Island of Exchange the Hauen of all safety and Port of Peace and Râ—st where Bounty now commaunds For Reliquis tantùm sinus est statio malefida carinis But admit all this were nothing which by way of Accompt hath beene hitherto set downe or a Paradox at least Mine APOLOGY but Humor my REPLY a Conceipt mine ALPHABET a Dreame and my MYSTERY but a lest because a Customer only speaks yet if this be but beleeued that Truth tels Sense and Reason and Goodnesse doth suggest namely that looke what the Soule is to the actions of the body in ordering Members so as to Nature seemes fit for the good of the whol Man the same is Trafficke in disposing Mysteries and Trades to the benefit and behoofe of the whole Common-weal thogh our ISIS be gone and no Image of hir face yet Aegeus our DAY STAR being risen in hir place and his hopefull THESEVS like the DAWNING of all Grace apearing in our eyes so reuiues my dull SPIRITES that I cannot dispair but liue stil in hope that the time may yet come when this hearty zeale of mine to my Soueraignes
Coyne Money As the same Exchange I say by altering the propriety though not the Nature of eyther Kings or Bullion of Meum into Tuum Reciprokely becomes the very Cyment that glewes so together the communion and coniunction of Soueraignes with their Subiects and Subiects each with other Euen so the Identity of Standarts betweene Kinges and their Kingdomes by Reciproke Commerce is the meanes of mutuall Happinesse as well in Matter Order and End as Persons and Place by protecting all their Liuings all their Liberties all their Liues all their Honour and the Peace of all their Land The neglect whereof or Ignorance chuse whether hath made Popes to keepe down Emperors Cardinals challenge Kings and Subiects to be Coyners But howsoeuer heeretofore thinges haue beene neglected vnknown or mistaken which the Ages to come must reforme as they may MAIESTY at all hands must first or last be seene and SOVERAIGNTY must subsist by one meanes or other or neuer let Subiects euer looke to be happy Wherein therefore be thou Popish or precise so thou bee not obstinate and vnwilling to arise or become so desperate that thou wilt close thine eyes lend me but thine eare awhile and serious attention for the better vnderstanding of the State of all in question since I speake to Discretion and write to sense and reason ¶ Whatsoeuer _____ Is or hath any Being is manifest by Light Being and Light are Thinges inseparat Light begotten by Being Being appearing to Be such as it Is by Light for as Light hath subsistance onely from Being so Being is made manifest so or so to be by Light Being Loues to Liue and eternally to Be Light Loues to shew and euer to be Seene so both become manifest Being still in Light and euer Light in Being From which Reciproke Loue proceedes the Spirit of Vnion mouing still from Being and collecting still by Light and thus they Loue and Liue eternally together ESSE LVX SPIRITVS VNVM this VNVM or ONE is ALL in ALL namely that blessed State of Goodnesse wherein by Creation wee Loue Liue Moue Enioy See and still Behold all our happy Beings in Pondere Numerò Mensura by the Names of GOD CREATOR IEHOVA or DEITY Among Things created the first that was made and called Good was Light that Light might shew and distinguish Goodnesse by degrees as Good Better and Best for in all Thinges Created Goodnesse is comparatiue in and diffusiue of it selfe Motion is in Goodnesse as Collection is in Light by the Spirit of Vnion for as Being cannot Be without Light so Light without Goodnes can haue no Being at All. Light the forme of Goodnesse and Being the forme of Light such is their Vnion or Vnity Identitie or Idem Now Truth and Goodnes haue likewise one Essence or Being together by the Spirit of Vnion so that GOD being Goodnesse must likewise be Truth Truth then being in Deity Creating as Goodnesse in Humanity Created can Truth in GOD be Deceipt or Fraud in KINGES For KINGES are GODS Can Vnity in GOD make Deity still subsist and Diuision in Kinges maintaine Regality Or can Vnity and Truth be any way deuided in GOD or his Lieutenants How then shall their MAIESTIE be discerned without Light Intuitiuely And how shall their SOVERAIGNTY be able to subsist Materially If Kings be Per aeual what God is Per amont their Vnity must be Vnion and their Identity must be Idem for Deus omnibus Idem And as the Essence of GOD is his owne diffusiue Goodnesse and omnipotency in GOD essentiall with his Greatnesse by the power of Creating so the Essence of Kinges is their Goodnesse fixt in Bullion for their Bullion shewes their Bounty their Bounty shewes their Greatnesse by the absolute Power of Coyning for euen Bullion still vncoynd is naught of it selfe but a weight of Massy Mowld and senselesse Being nor is Money to be valued but onely for the vse which is that we tearme Exchange But if the brightnesse of this Sunne seeme to dazell all thy sight or thine eyes see not cleere to discerne this Mysterie let Art releeue Nature by the helpe of Grace and though comparisons may seeme fearefull betweene Heauenly and Earthlie Beings yet Examples may illustrate I hope without offence where Piety and Probity contend for nothing else but with all prostrate reuerence to see sacred Maiesty betweene Greatnesse and Decorum and to serue and set forth Soueraignty in her own subsistance Therefore look but in my Myrroer and see what I haue seene and with my dim Spectacles read as I haue done If all our Good and Happinesse can grow from none other then GOD and his LIEVTENANTS what Goodnes is to God let Bounty be to Kings but all depend on God in respect of his Goodnesse so let all depend on his Kings in regard of their Bounty to shew their Greatnesse Now Goodnesse in God is euery way his owne as his naturall Essence and Kings by his infusion so Bounty still in Kings by Grace Consent and Goodnesse still fixt in themselues descends vnto Subiects This leads vs straight to Bullion for though God by his Goodnes made All Things of nothing and so preserues them still yet K ngs must haue Matter to fixe their Goodnesse in This points at Greatnesse and leades vs to Soueraignty shewing Creatures to be Creatures and Subiects to be Subiects to auoyde Confusion for as GOD aboue Creates so Kinges belowe Coyne so then heere comes in Money for as GOD shewes his MAIESTY in all things created Infusiuely so Kings in their Money Intuitiuely and as Soueraignty in God subsists of it selfe in the Beauty of his worke by meanes of his Goodnesse so Soueraignty in Kinges subsists of it selfe in the Greatnesse of their Bounty by meanes of their Money But as God still creates and his Goodnesse still releeuing so Kinges must still Coyne and their Bounties still bee giuing Are not they then strange Subiects that repine at Kings Bounty and Soueraignes still bestowing Help Kings but to their Bullion and they cannot be more too Bountifull then God may bee to Good Happy then those Kingdoms where Kings are known by Bounty and their Bounty findes their Bullion for as God by his Goodnesse makes Catholiques happy Christians by Communion of himselfe in blessed Bread and Wine Mystically So Kinges releeue their Subiects and communicate their Essence in purg'd Golde and Siluer weigh'd out in their Coyne God woorking by the Eucharist and Kinges by their Exchange Ignorance And why not so by Vsury since their worke is stil by Money wherein lyes the Witch-craft that makes the difference Customer In the very Name and tearme and by taking t 'one for t'other For Exchange euen in Money making Meum to be Tuum and Tuum to be Meum still alters the Propriety for one respect or other immediatly but Vsury Quasi mons à mouendo by the vsing of Money would faine seeme Exchange though she alter no propriety putting Money to her shiftes and
ipsum facit Euen Gods immediate Rents God himselfe expects daily to receiue at our hands namelie Praise and Thankesgiuing such is our Tenure for being iealous of his Name hee will not haue his Honour transfer'd to any other The rest he accepts of beeing faithfully payde to his Stewards and Lieutenants namely Tithes and Tributes In which regard I saw how we stood bound to reuerence and respect the transcendent aspectes of MAIESTY and SOVERAIGNTY euen in earthly sublimities by their Attributes and Tributes as Gods among Men. For the Attributes of Power in heauenly Deity beeing Iustice and Mercy in regard of Truth and Goodnesse The Attributes of Greatnesse in earthly Humanity in regard of Truth and Bounty are PREHEMINENCE and PREROGATIVE the two sacred Titles of MAIESTY and SOVERAIGNETY in the height of all Sublimitie The one to shew the Dignity both of Persons and Places the other transcendes to the motions of their Minds Thus farre Grace and Goodnesse did guide my Deuotion through deepe contemplations till holding vp my head and casting mine eyes to seek about for Tributes mine owne ENTHVSIASME beginning to awake so quickned all my senses and withall vntyde my tongue that my Vowels made me speak a. e. i. o. and u. and by their seuerall sounds to gather and discerne the vse of all my Letters deuiding them as Consonants into Semivowels Mutes and Liquides with Per se and Conper se and Title Title est Amen By these I came to learne to my secret comfort and priuate consolation how our Customes great and small out of meere Necessity to supply the want of Nature by Artificiall Mynes both in Matter Places Persons Order and Endes should bee speld by themselues for the Demonstration of MAIESTY in the furnishing of BVLLION And how our foresaide Subsidies of Tonnage and Pondage out of Loues reciprocation and Loyalties owne affection were frankely presented for the safegard of the Seas and protection of Marchants in their Goods or Liuings in their Liberties in their Liues in their Honours and in the Peace and Vnion of our Land stood likewise by themselues Whereby I plainely sawe and did shew it vnto others for the generall good of Subiects both how MAIESTY might be seene and how SOVERIGNTY might subsist as by peculiar Attributes so by Tributes of their owne namely Customes and Subsidies but cheefely Customes Two wordes of Forraine birth I could not vnderstand for their Heteroclyte vse and conuertible sounds Imposts and Impositions which being but the Genus to those former two and held for a Species of some other Duty in my weak conceit haue deceiued many For Customes Originall beeing those Duties artificiall that our Kings must needes haue and Necessity imposeth on all that transport by our Staple-Commerce to supply our wants of Bullion And Subsidies collaterall those naturall Respects that Marchants frankely offer and willingly impose and lay vpon themselues for protection of the Seas and free Traffique besides beyond the bounds of Necessity and Free will I know not what Nature hath to read or Art to spell Besides whereas MAIESTY must may and can but bee seene and SOVERAIGNTY subsist as in GOD so in KINGS looke what Adoration and Tythes are to GOD the same are Customes and Subsidies to his Lieutenants and beyonde the bounds that Wisedome hath laid out for the practise of Truth Discretion may hunt but shall finde naught but Errors for as Omne nimium vertitur in vitium and Omne minimum is inimica Naturae so what exceedes or is lesse is but Popery or Precisenesse to disorder the Church and disturbe Common-weales Yet I wot not well how though enough make the Feast and abuses marre all the World beeing bewitcht with two kinds of Imposts and strange Impositions as Aliquid Boni propter vicinum Bonum so Aliquid Mali propter vicinum Malum our Neighbours sower Grapes haue set our teeth on edge for by their Examples drawne as they tearme it from Soueraigne Prerogatiue but would say Preheminence if they vnderstood themselues Impositions are made Taxes vppon Marchandize by meere Discretion besides the Duties aforesaid which wanting Place and Vse in the study and Schooles of Customes Hoc autem de quo nunc agimus illud ipsum est quod VTILE appellatur in quo verbo lapsa consuetudo deflexit de via còquè sensim deducta est vt Honestatâ—m ab Vtilitate secerneus HONESTVM aliquid constituerit quod uon sit VTILE VTILE quod non sit HONESTVM qua nulla pernicies maior vitae Hominum potuit asserri Cicero offic Lib. 2. haue likewise no part in the Honour and Endes there taught and propounded where VTILE is most dangerous if it eyther go alone or follow not HONESTVM For beeing but effects of conceited priuate Proiects vpon vnknowne or obscure Causes of Matter vncertaine and of Forme no waies fitting the Mowld of Free-Commerce all Men refuse to haue to do if it may be with them to argue to define to deuide or to bring them once in question The rather for that being naturally irreguler and letigious they haue been occasions of much vnrest disvnion and disorder by meanes of Popery in former times till Magna Charta compounded such greefes And albeit the vse of them since might happily ayme at the beating backe of some Forraine idle Commodities brought in vppon vs and obtruded by Strangers to the hindrance of our Trades and decay of our Ports both in Mariners and Shipping which the wisedome of our State must seek to maintaine yet gathering withall vppon the naturall Free-borne Subiectes they repine thereat as men willing to obey but not able to discerne betweene the dispositions of States and changings of Tymes and so is a speciall occasion of many Disorders The Subiect still appealing to the Positiue Lawes of our owne Free Traffique as a generall Inheritance and Strangers vrging their Treatise and mutuall Contracts These Imposts of Discretion or strained Preheminence haue likewise begotten some other Impositions of baser Nature and more dangerous Effects whereby that sacred word of Wisedome Bounty Mildenesse and Mercy SOVERAIGNE PREROGATIVE becomes vnreuerently prostituted and many waies profan'd For whereas SOVERAIGNES are sometimes pleased as well may beseeme them out of meere Grace and Fauour in publique Restraints by speciall leaue and licenses to make some of their Seruants more happy then their Fellows the same by sales and transactions transmuted and transfer'd is a meanes to make Subiects from hand to hand to racke and impose euen vpon and among themselues whereby Subiectes worrying Subiects Licentijs sumus omnes deterioreâ— and deuouring one another by meanes of such Imposts waxe rich in an instant as Rauens fat by Carrion When indeede and in truth the Grace doth loose her Beeing and the Grant becomes void vpon the first Exchange For if Fauorites get suits of Licenses or Farmes vnfit for their callings Wine Beere 〈…〉 c. And whatsoeuer of this kind bestowed by way of
Licenses or other gracious fauor is afterwards transferd sold or put ouer from the first recieuer to a second and third hand for Money Simones Magi. Acts Cap. 8. verse 20. or vse them not themselues it is but Witchcraft Sorcery that all such entend as by Leases or Purchace for priuate gaine thinke SOVERAIGNES PREROGATIVES eyther vendible for Money or subiect to Exchange Such Impost Maisters Religion hath accurst their Money and themselues therefore without harty repentance must perish both together These Imposts or Impositions tearme them how you list as they are but Romish Peter-pence Italian Inuentions where their Princes Preheminence and for'st kinde of Dignities haue little other Subsistence being but eyther borrowed or obtruded vpon vs I past them slightly ouer and so sent them home againe for England beeing no waies obnoxious to Italy nor Vassall to Rome hath or else may haue beeing rightly vsed enough of her owne For our Vowels and our Consonants agree so well together that spelling all by Vnion and ending all in Peace they perfect all our Alphabet without the helpe of others though the placing of some CAPITALS in the world else-where abroad by their lewd and ill examples be a cause of some vnrest Whose Pride profane Presumption and Couetise besides by Equiuocating sounds makes words be so misconstrued that MAIESTY seemes ecclip'st and like to be out fa'st For R. P. that with honest auncient Romans was reade for Respublica is now Respriuata And P. P. for Principes or Pater Patriae now either by themselues or pla'st before A. in the stead and Rome of M. makes P AP A sometimes Pater stand and striue for MAIESTY before GOD and KINGS And C. crept vp to K. makes Cardinals challenge Kings without Crownes to be knowne by or Kingdomes of their owne so that as P AP A now spels ANTICHRIST so Cardinals ANTI-KINGS Whereby S. P. Q. R. sometimes the Armes and Honor of Rome for Senatus Populus Que Romanus may now as well bee read Stultus Populus Querit Romam to the great disgrace of Catholiques both in Church and Common-wealth But those two great words of Power PREHEMINENCE and PREROGATIVE beginning both with P. did most of all perplex me For seeing Iustice and Mercy in the height of al sublimitie attending heauenly MAIESTY so reuerently together and the same in earthly Attributes contesting each with other I knew not how to spell them For though they both contained the very selfe-same Letters that mine Alphabet did teach yet the first importing Iustice I durst not looke vpon for the sternnesse of her face and setled Seuerity and the second full of Mercy I could not but admire for her milde aspect and infinite Serenity In the first I could discerne but two of our Vowels e. and i. for Persons and Place but the second had them all a. e. i. o. and u. I meane u. and v. Sirs v. my Lords w. and all The one of greatest Power yet bounded in her Greatnesse KING and PRINCE Counsell and Common-wealth The other a very Hieroglifique aboue my reach and reason yet hearing still withal how at all hands daily PREHEMINENCE for PREROGATIVE and PREROGATIVE for PREHEMINENCE were strangely speld together I appeald vnto the Wisest in highest Authority to compound the distractions that the World was subiect to by the mis-vnderstanding of wordes of such importance as both for Matter Persons Place Order and End The important necessity of obseruing precisely the distinct vse and Ends of Preheminence and Prerogatiue in all words and Actions so neerly concern'd all our Liuings all our Liues all our Liberties all our Honours and all the Peace of our Land vnited so together And let all men in Gods Name that haue eyes to see will to learne or wit to vnderstand spell and distinguish the value of the Consonants and compasse of the Vowels these two wordes containe for they shew the difference and distinction betweene Soueraignty and Subiection and the height of Dignity both of Deity and Humanity the very right of GOD and KINGS Heere I say is worke indeed for Wisedome to consider and Power to reconcile both these two Attributes and wordes of like import For by their Example as the Masse would seeme the Eucharist and Vsury is cald Exchange so our Customes stand for Subsidies Subsidies for Impositions and Imposts nowe equiuocate both our Customes and Subsidies This is the fruit of Trauailers by wandring still to Rome England and Customers il beholden to such as trauailing for Experience thinke the Impositions of Italy a fit president for Pollicy or Gouernment when they come home That hunting for experience ride early and late To make the Imposts of Italy as soone as they come home A President of Gouernment as fit to guide our State Whereby as Maiesty stands eclip'st so Customers in disgrace are in nothing yet more wretchedlike then in their Names and Place for beeing borne happy bred happy and loosing themselues in seeking happinesse for others themselues cannot be happy But if Delicta sequnter Personas and greatest offences deserue greatest punishments that mine owne Faith to GOD-ward and obedience to my SOVERAIGNE declaring my Religion and ciuill conuersation may warrant mine Accompt both before GOD and KINGS Hauing thus far speld read by the help of Grace and Goodnesse I proceeded to my Creede and then my Ten-Commaundements By the Customers Beleefe note the true Religion taught and defended in Great-Brittaine whereby being taught to Cypher I came at last by telling 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. to set downe my Receipts and to cleere vp all my Reckonings without suspending any or enstaulement of a Penny For being to cast Accompts for my selfe and for others Customers are Accomptants euen for the sinnes of others I found that twelue Articles two Mysteries and ten great Commaundes The summe of true Religion consisting of twelue Articles two Sacraments Ten Commaundements containes all Christian Duties both to God and Kings made the summe of mine Alphabet iust foure and twenty Letters namely a. e. i. o. u. and b c. d. f. g. h. k. l. m. n. p. q. r. s t. w. x. y. z. And the number of all numbers The compasse and number of the Alphabet consisting of 24. Letters comprehend and teach all Religion and Iustice where perfection is confin'd both of Heauen Earth Ten. Three being Gods own number and perfection of Deity as GOD the Father GOD the Sonne and GOD the Holy-Ghost and seuen of Humanity in our first and free Election Creation Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification and Glorification by the meanes of CHRIST IESVS that is both GOD and MAN By this likewise I speld our owne Ten Courtes of Iustice By the ten Soueraigne Courts of fundamentall Iustice are pointed at and meant the Ten Commandements The Customers Grace His Prayers the perfection whereof distributiuely makes vs al so happy and for which as Grace made
me say Grace and giue God harty thanks so Goodnesse bad mee pray for the blessed State and happinesse of my SOVERAIGNE first by Name King IAMES and for his Priuy COVNSELL for his ISIS for the Prince and all the Royall Issue for the CLEARGY for the NOBLES COMMONS of the Land In a word for the Church and Common-wealth And for Traffique at the last though my Faith seemd fraile and my credit almost gone yet not to despaire but by conning still my Creede and those very Ten Commaundements mine Alphabet doth teach to remember but mine Oath and do my best Endeuour and hope withall That Vnus Homo Nobis cunctando restituet Rem So closing vp mine Alphabet with a publique confession and with a daily Prayer for Per se and Con per se and all the rest together I prostrately presented and encluded a Petition to the KING our sacred SOVERAIGNE for his Sonne the Princes sake in the Name of all the Customers of the Out-Ports of this Land to be read at his best leysure within those sanctified wordes and effectuall forme of Prayer which the Son GOD of himselfe commanded and taught that as his is the KINGDOME the POVVER and the GLORY for euer and euer So be it Amen So our Soueraignes treble Title with Est and Amen might perfect all our happinesse saying lastly for my selfe Nil sum nulla miser noui solatia Massam Humanam nisi quod tu quoque CHRISTE geris Tu me sustenta fragilem tu CHRISTE guberna Fac vt sim Massae surculus Ipse tuae I nothing am and in my selfe no comfort finde but this That CHBISY the Masse of humane flesh hath tane and ioynd to his Then saue me CHRIST and grant withall that this fraile flesh of mine A twig at least may bud and branch from that great Masse of thine And Magna Magnus perficit DEVS Now that I seeme not thus by spellinge to Cabalize in iest or think to construe Hieroglifiques by Common sence and reason Hauing found by mine Alphabet those Consonants of Letters wherewith the very Wisedome of the Bible is exprest and hearing by my Vowels the same sound of Goodnesse the New Testament doth teach and the very selfe-same Truth for Doctrine at the least let personall defects still aunswere for themselues that CHRIST and his APOSTLES yea S. PETER with the rest did leaue vnto the World for Soueraignes to protect and Subiects to obey If Religion and Iustice may be helde sufficient to help vs to happines what Kingdome in the world nay what Citty Port or Towne eyther publique or priuate for Temples and Courtes and Free-Schooles besides may compare with GREAT-BRITTAINE where for Matter Places Persons Order and Endes all Learning now Tryumphes and AL-BOVNTY commaunds For our Reuerend Byshops and Learned Diuines worke obedience in Subiects by the rules of conscience and both by life and Doctrine directing the way how to win Heauen teach Faith and Good-workes and Preach in all our Churches that Faith onely and alone in the Action of sauing is the cause of Saluation in regard of the freedome of sanctifying Grace but in the Party saued both must concurre together to iustifie the calling And not as those Cardinals doe and Destructiue Iesuites that to builde vp their Popery would blow vp Common-weales and by loosenesse of Life and Traditions of Men being Subiects themselues contemne their owne Soueraignes kill sacred Kinges contest with Gods annointed and rob CHRIST of his honour Nor as these Distractiue Teachers would doe that preposterously propounding such fancies of Perfection as no Reason can reach to nor themselues expresse preferre Sacrifice before obedience and obtrude vpon GOD more then he requires assuring vs withal out of warrant from the WORD that to all whom his SPIRIT makes truely repentant GOD by IESVS CHRIST both is and will be a most gracious and a most louing GOD but GOD without CHRIST is a consuming Fire ¶ And our Worthy-Graue Iudges sit vpright in all our Courts of fundamentall Iustice and both by Lawe and Conscience maintaine the perpetuities of all our Landes and Goods by the Name of Liuings all our Liberties all our Liues all our Honour and the Peace of all our Land distributiuely discerning and decyding by Meum and Tuum as well in Tythes as in Tributes the Cases and Questions of speciall Right and generall Reason as wel betweene 1. 1 The Court of COMMON-PLEAS and Staples Subiect and Subiect as the 2. 2 The Court of KINGS-BENCH and of Wards and Liueries Soueraigne and his Vassals by the Common-Lawes Statutes and peculiar Customes cast in the Mould and fitted to the 3. 3 The High Court of PARLEMENT Wisedome of our owne State and Land moderating Extreamities by 4. 4 The High Court of CHANCERY and Court of Requests Conscience among Men and maintaining still the Good by censuring the Euill 5. 5 The Court STAR-CHAMBER and Counsell-Table Sic Irascuntur vt vitia tantum perimant seruatis hominibus atque ita tractatis vt viri Boni necessariò fiant quantumque damni autea dederint in reliqua vita resarcire queant And being honorably ennobled by APOLLO themselues to decide both the doubts 6 The Court of CHEVALRY and Mareschals Verge and determine the questions of reputation and worth in all Rankes and Degrees of Natiue Ingenuity and Datiue Honour so maintaine our Credits Vt per Titulos numerantur Aui semperqùe renata Nobilitate virent Prolem Fata sequuntur Continuum propria seruantia lege tenorem And our learned Ciuilians so belay the publike Peace of our 7. 7 The Court of ADMIRALTY Seas and our 8. 8 The Court of ARCHES Land that by doing vs Iustice our Neighbours take no wrong And lastly our SOVERAIGNE likewise hath his owne Courts apart 9 The Court of EXCHEQVER for his publike 9 Reuenewes and priuate 10 Expences 10 The Court of GREENE-CLOTH where Accōptants are heard discharg'd dispacht by Court-Rowles and Court-Rules grounded on Presidents of Wisedomes owne Examples without partiall respects or priuate Discretion Now if it be a happinesse for men to haue the freedome to come to such Churches to frequent such Temples and to dwel within Houses whose Foundations are laide on such assured grounds what reason haue Catholiques if they be not bewitcht to fly from their Countrey or be wedded so to Rome For Customers want wordes to expresse their inward ioyes and shew their best conceits of the blessings of God in these our daies and times for the stayes of Religion and Distributiue Iustice only our Court of CHEVALRY wants but her Iudges to decide points of Honour and preuent thereby our Cumbats and our Traffique wants her Staples for were those two 1. 1 The High Conestable and Earle Mareschall of England Patrones of Honor 2 The Heralds on whom 2 Mercury should serue by APOLLO but found out and the Roofes of our Schooles made but Winde-tight
giues life to all the Body at the Standart of Wisedome The Rule of Wisedome and Order by Number Waight and Measure in Quantity Quality and Vse directing proportions of Good Better and Best to Number Weigh and Measure the true worth and vse of Goodnesse for Quantitie Quality and in all vendible thinges as well by Money as in Money it selfe by the Name of Exchange The first whilst Goodnesse and Truth made all thinges alike Honestum knew not the Titles of Kinges and Kingdomes but magnified Honestie in the Actions of Men. The second is that Meanes or right hand of Iustice Honour which Crowning KINGS laid the first Foundation of PREHEMINENCE and Dignity and fixt Honour and Reuerence in the persons of Men to shew the Distinction betweene SOVERAIGNES and SVBIECTS Maiestie The third by the Forme shewes vs MAIESTIES owne Face betweene Greatnesse and Decorum and the absolute authority of Soueraignes ouer Subiectes by transcendent PREROGATIVE of Mercy Loue and Grace that of Mortall Men makes GODS on Earth Then putting all together to shew the sense and meaning I speld and read out thus ¶ By Goodnesse I meant that beautifull aspect and beneficiall influence of Soueraigne Beatitude Soueraignty which the Grecians vnderstand by the Calocagathia sanctifying and assuring the Materiall Formall and Finall Endes of all Happy Beings efficientlie for Bono suo constant omnia By Commodities I meant all Goodnesse-fixt what where howsoeuer but cheefely or Catexochen and Instar omnium the Elementall perfections of Finenesse and Purenesse in Golde and Siluer Weight by the Name of Bullion laid out by Nature at the Standart of Truth to Weigh the proportions of Good Better and Best for extention of Goodnesse and ease of Commerce for as Omne Bonum est sui diffusiuum so quantò communius eò semper melius By Money I meant those figured proportions of Number ioynd with Weight Weight and Number laid out by Art at the Standart of Iustice for Meum and Tuum to measure Goodnesse by in vendible thinges through the naturall perfection and worth of it selfe Vt quod vspiam nascitur Boni id apud omnes affluat which none but Kings may Coyne and Monarkes make currant by their absolute powerfulnesse and powerfull Preheminence because Omne quod efficit Tale id ipsum semper magis Tale est esse oportet And by Exchange I meant that Rule of Order in Wisedome Pollicy and Gouernment of State which visibly demonstrates by Weight Weight Number Measure Number and Measure those honorable aspects of MAIESTY and SOVERAIGNTY that GOD from Heauen imparts to KINGS on Earth within their owne Dominions by their owne stamps in Money materially for the furtherance of Traffique in vendible thinges Traffique That as Goodnesse diuinelie sublimate in all commodious thinges becomes fixt by consent in Gold and Siluer Bullion by the Name of Bullion And Bullion onely Coynd receiuing life in it selfe by Soueraigne Authority becomes currant withall through all the members of vendible Commerce to shew the Preheminence that Soueraignes haue of Iustice aboue their Subiectes by the meanes of Money Money So Exchange ordering Proportions by Measures more or lesse Exchange to shew the vse of Goodnesse as well in all thinges by Coyne as in Coyne it selfe sets forth the PREROGATIVE of their absolute Powers Prudence Prouidence Mildenesse and Wisedome The vse of Bullion being cheefely Money Bullion to set forth SOVERAIGNTY and shew MAIESTY by as it were face to face The vse of Money to make Meum and Tuum vendible Money Traffique Honestum Vtile Order Artes. Trades Calling Ars Artiū Moneta or vera Ars regnandi Moneta autem dicta quasi monens ne quid fraudis in Materia signe vel pondere fiat for the quicke dispatch and ease of Traffiicke And the Ends and Vse of Traffique the Soueraignes Honour Subiects Wealth and Kingdomes Peace still moouing and disposing all Mens endeuors by willing courses and perpetuall motions in their seuerall Arts Trades and Callings to serue and worke for ONE and that ONE made able to maintaine the Synthesis and freedome of Traffique in seruing all Mens turnes by his Art of Coyning Money and Mystery of Exchange Thus I set downe as breefely as I could how Traffique is the hand that layes out all Men their worke prouides all men their foode and payes all Men their Fees and therefore ought at all hands to be seriously suppoorted that so supports vs all and her willing Disturbers and witting Peruerters held enemies to Order that 's to say to GOD and Nature But as out of Confusion Perfection first was drawne when GOODNES TRVTH and WISEDOME by the Name of DEITY consulting together made MAN the first Modell of Perfection like it selfe for the vse of All in All and GRACE begetting BOVNTY by GREATNES and DECORVM fixt MAIESTY and SOVERAINGTY in the Persons of some Men by the Name of KINGES for all Subiectes Weale that Nature teaching all Men howe to seeke Happinesse and ayme at Perfection by the Rules of Order and Degrees of Goodnesse so the mingling or mistaking of things by speech or writing which GOD hath distinguisht Nature deuided is the ground whereon Ignorance by Discord and Disorder drawes all to confusion as before I breefely toucht when I came to spell Customes Subsidies Impostes and Impositions where I shew'd in their Collections that Customes cald Subsidies and Subsidies Impositions and all put together seeming nothing else but Customes haue brought Traffick to disorder Customers to disgrace and their Customes I may say Almost to confusion But Almost was neuer hang'd Yet as a Customer sans Customes since my Credit 's out of date let Experience nowe tell Wisedome if she come not all to late or if Quos DEVS perire vult hos Ipse non occaecat What 's become of Customes And I will out of other words so prosecute Disorder and the grounds of all debate that common sense shall see how Customers haue reason to bemoane themselues and others before GOD and his LIEVTENANTS and Traffiques poore estate Namely or Instar omnium those highest Attributes of Soueraigne Sublimity by Greatnesse and Decorum PREHEMINENCE and PREROGATIVE but cheefely and Cat'exochen those sacred Mysteries of heauenly and earthly Happinesse by Godlinesse and Truth the EVCHARIST and EXCHANGE The first two mistaken and confounded together are both become abusd the other two profaned by the MASSE and VSVRY For besides that milde and gratious word PREROGATIVE Attribute of comfort in whom al our fiue Vowels a. e. i. o. u. that giue life to our Traffique as well Downeward as Vpward by Goodnesse and Truth in our first and free Election Creation Redemption Vocation Iustifying Sanctifying and Glorifying at last appeare to bee vnited and meete all together and by whom all our Mutes and Liquides are made to speake and sound the daily preseruation of our Liuings Liberties Liues Honour and Vnion of our Land