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A00658 A forme of Christian pollicie drawne out of French by Geffray Fenton. A worke very necessary to al sorts of people generally, as wherein is contayned doctrine, both vniuersall, and special touching the institution of al Christian profession: and also conuenient perticularly for all magistrates and gouernours of common weales, for their more happy regiment according to God; Police chrestienne. English Talpin, Jean.; Fenton, Geoffrey, Sir, 1539?-1608. 1574 (1574) STC 10793A; ESTC S101953 277,133 426

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Conflictes against vices So that theyr office standes onelye vppon these that they Preache sincerelye and Catholikelye and administer the Sacramentes Holylye if they bée Pastours let them feede the Shéepe of Iesus Christ with good Doctrine and holy example not regarding more the fléese then the flocke Let them admonishe priuately secréete Sinners to doo penaunce Rebuke suche as bée Publike seuerelye committing the impenitent to punishment Let them suffer no scabbed Sheepe in theyr Flocke and yet trauaile to heale them as all other maledyes Let them sustaine suche as bée weake and aboue all let them so prouide that no Woolues enter into theyr Shéepe fooldes and if they bée entred let them searche by all meanes to hunt them out with good Dogges I meane good Preachers whose zeale wyll not suffer them to spare to barke not onelye against Heresies but also against sinnes al abuses the onely causes of the greatest part of Schismes and conspiracies in al partes of the world Let them well consider of the Text of Ezechiel If they haue fayled sayeth hée to instruct well suche ouer whome they haue charge and that by theyr default any bée lost they can not bée saued But if they vse Faith and diligence in the execution of theyr charge being ayded with the trauaile of good Scolemaisters for the instituction of Youth in good learning and manners besides the reuerend commendation and felycitye that will growe to them selues by their industrie and dutye Ecclesiasticall the secular estate also shal be discharged of great care and trauaile in the correction of many dissolute and hurfull men to Common Weales who for want of good instruction shal nourishe hurtful members to the perril of their common ruine and miserye vntill this estate of the Churche bring foorth true effectes of their function and dutye and that young children bée diligentlye trained in Doctrine and vertue For euen as our bodye materiall replenished with humours corrupt if it bée not pourged by some inwarde Medicine wyl alwayes throwe out to the vtter partes Blaines Apostumes and Vlcers or at least engender Catars that the Surgeon sometime in vaine is dryuen to applye outwarde remedies where in déede there was this one conuenient remedye to make cleane the bodye within euen so the bodye Polletike corrupted by innumerable Vices ought to bée made cleane by inward Doctrines the true Medicines of Soules administred by Priestes and Wise Pastours otherwayes it will bée perpetuallye couered with a Scorfe of infinite factions Sedicions Heresies and other sinnes So that it is necessarye that this estate Ecclesiasticall agrée with the other not onelye in diligence and dutye to administer good Doctrine but also to shine by liuelye examples and Actes of good lyfe making cleane mens consciences by holye documents and wholsome exhortacions So shal it bée easie to the Magistrate of the Pollecy Ciuill to correct and cut of all Wheales and other outward Impostumes I meane all enormities offending their common weales This is in effect the brotherly concord deare coniunction which ought to stande indissoluble betwéene these two estates for the gouernment of this Christian man as well touching the health of his Soule as his assured tranquilitye in Ciuill societye with the preseruation of his life and goodes ¶ The Faultes of the Clargie ought to be corrected Gouernors ought aboue al things to prouide good Preachers that the rude and plaine sort should be taught in familiar doctrine all sortes ought to be constrained to be at the Sermon such constraint is aucthorised by the Scripture and is both profitable to the common vveale and vvholsome to suche as are constrained ❧ The .5 Chapter WHen the Clargie or estate Ecclesiasticall shal faile in their dutie I meane if the pastors bée careles to execute theyr vocation or negligent in the function of their charge and office wherein they are many wayes aduertised by the Scripture and being solicited thereunto by the Magistrate they ought to be constrayned by iustice as the auncient Canons and laste counsel haue ordeyned if in them selues bée no habilitye to preach at least let them substitute in their places men of sufficient facultie knowledge will to do it wherein the magistrate hath power to ioyne with them to finde out men expedient for that vse as Preachers in whose grauitye of life is expressed the Doctrine whiche they ought to pronounce to the people Let them reade certayne dayes in the wéeke and spend the Sabboth daye in Preaching publikelye in Churches In the morning let them propound to the simple and rude multitude a familiar instruction in the principles of Christian profession expounding to them first of all the Doctrine of the Articles of Faith the commaundementes of the Lawe and statutes of the Churche the misterye of Sacraments and their vse together with the Lords praier interpreting al thinges by sincere order and in such popular sence and Doctrine that euen litle Children maye easilye comprehende it the same to bée continued from yéere to yéere with such necessary repeticion as nothing bée omitted by him to whome the exposition belongeth At publike Seruice where is commonlye a presence of the principall of the Parishe let the Epistle bée expounded and at after noone the Gospel interpreted the scripture geues commaundement that if the Preacher bée learned and holye al the inhabitauntes ought to congregate in audience as was commaunded to the people of the olde Lawe to assist the Lecture of Deuteronomie yea euen the litle Children of all Iudea And because many men eyther by a Vice in nature or corruption of maners carrye this frowardnes that without compulsion they will not bée drawen to doo or bée good it belonges to the Magistrate who is to aunswere before the Iudgement seate of God if in his common weale hée nourishe by negligence or by conniuencye dissemble any vice to drawe them to the hearing of the worde by perswasions and al easy meanes and where they finde no willing conformetye in any let there bée constraynt by fine and afterward according to the nature and continuaunce of their resistaunce to Gods woorde whiche can not bée but a kinde of infidelitie to procéede by seueritye and rigour of Iustice And as these Lordes Gouernours and Magistrates are as fathers to their common weales so they ●ught in their regiment to expresse no lesse affection of fatherly will and aucthoritye to their Citizens and subiects then in a naturall Father nature demaundes to his proper Children whom by the propertye of his zeale and loue he hath power to constraine them to doo what he thinks méete for their aduauncement when hée findes them voide of wil to doo it frankely oftentimes hée makes his Sonne take a bitter medicine to cure his sicknesse and as occasion requireth makes incision in his vlcer whiche coulde not bee healed but by fire muche more ought the father pollitike to constraine him to receiue a spirituall medicine for whome hée is exercised in great care to cure his
them If to men vsing great estates and offices be reserued an vniuersall reuerence What lesse honour is due to him that makes them worthy of it and by his industry brings them into the merit of such high calling If wise and learned men be famous through the world for the benefites that growe by their counsell commaūdement and authoritie is there lesse dutie of renoume and immortall praise to such as are the authors of those benefites by their learning If men learned in the lawes profite so much common weales If Phisitions be so necessary for that in them resteth the cure of bodies If lastly by the deuines wée finde comfort to our heauie soules how much are we bound to such as are the first causes of these deuine fruites who are the schoolemasters without whom and the foundation by them layed in those doctrines they had neuer ascended to those seates of honour when we sée a goodly building so excellent in beautie that the worlde giues it singuler estimation what can we ascribe lesse to him who laied the foundation and raised the worke to that excellencie then the principall praise For if faire delitefull and profitable workes be so generally praysed nothing lesse is due to the hand that fashioned them Who delites to behold a goodly picture doth great wrong to the painter if he ascribe not much to the commendation of his skill yea if there were layd on but the first coollers yet the beholder ought to be thankfull to his industrie and labour But if such as nourish our mortall bodies deserue great affection memorable renoume much more are we bound both in loue and perpetuall dutie to them that minister foode to the immortall spirites of little children if so great reuerence be reserued to Phisitions for helping the health of bodies which one day must die notwithstanding Is there not more merit of honour to such as cure our soules of immortal diseases The scripture pronounceth many textes to the shame of those which despise scholemasters of which profession Christ séemed to make his Apostles when he spake to Peter if thou louest mée féede my Lambes What other thing is it to féede then to nourish teach in good doctrine and the Lambes of the flocke of Iesus Christ according to the natural propertie of speaking are young children whom he holdes no lesse deare then his proper fleshe I saye not that vnder that name are ment all sortes of people and yet it can not be denied but that those littleones deserue chief instruction For S. John after he had taught in diuers countreys being compelled to leaue them for a time and go elswhether by speciall writing sayd to the little ones comfort your selues O ye young ones in that you are by the grace word of God strong and vertuous for that the woord of God remaynes in you and that you haue vanquished the wicked spirit through the grace and merit of Iesus Christ Yea Christ him selfe caused the little children to come into his schoole blaming the Apostles being yet of the flesh by cause they let those littleones for comming to him as though he would not haue taught and holpen them aswell as euen the greatest but he commaunded to bring them to him and pronounced them in that instruction and imposition of hands which hée gaue them worthy of the kyngdome of GOD saying that to those and such like the euerlasting worlde belongeth Then such as receiue little children into discipline exercise the office of Iesus Church the same sturring vp the Bishops in old time to take into charge of discipline and teaching little children as also did both the one and the other S. Iohn and the Prophets had many disciples who otherwayes were called the children of the Prophets it is written that many holy men went thorough the world to teach schollers with this intention that with the rules of learning they should also instruct them in the principles of faith and by that meane winne the Fathers mothers to Iesus christ amongest these Origen was not the least zealous and S. Gregorie the Pope refused not this vocation for certaine houres of the day For which considerations a certaine learned doctor of our time and chauncellor of a famous vniuersitie had no shame to go thorow the Colleadges of the vniuersities at certaine conuenient houres and teach little children in familiar doctrines which he did for the loue zeale of God And being oftentimes reproched by other doctors that he shewed an example vnworthy his place specially for that there were sufficient tuters to that purpose he aunswered that they were as fleshly doctors resembling the Apostles not yet in full libertie of the spirite who by glorious opinion forbad little children to approche neare to Iesus Christ alleadging that there was no dutie of accesse to him but by those that were graue I aske of those fleshly doctors whether the shepeheard that kéeps the Lambes of a Father of houshold do not as good and agréeable seruice to his Master as if he had in charge greater shéepe If a Father shew more deare loue to his little children then to those that haue riper age foloweth it not by congruent reason that such as giue succoures to those little ones and kéepe them from daunger deserue better recompence of the Father then if they had done seruice to his greater sonnes If the little plant in the garden of any Farmer be so much cherished that the eye of the owner is seldome from it hée then that watreth it prunes it and defends it from the cropping of beastes and other iniuries what seruice doth he to the owner Yea what greater pleasure can he do to the Farmer whose young plant without this industrie were subiect to spoyle without hope to yéeld any fruite euen as if the little Lambes of the flocke were lost and the young children corrupt there were no exspectation of restitution of that losse and corruption The schoolemaster then hauing in charge these little lambes of Iesus Christ and the preparing of this tender plant of his gardeine which is the Church and lastly the leading of these little children being the delites of the Lord how acceptable is his loyall and diligent seruice to his Lorde and to God And if such as sclaunder these little ones through wicked doctrine example deserue to haue fastened to their necke a milstone and drowned in the bottome of the déepest Sea What recompence or reward is due to those tutors scholemasters by whome those littleones are instructed and led in example of all holines Are they not worthy as Daniell sayeth to shine as the firmament and starres of heauen in euerlasting glory and to be called the greatest of the kyngdome of God Yea according to Iesus Christ euen the most happie of all And if euerie one ought to receiue the reward of his trauels as there is no estate of more hard laboures more great paines more perpetuall perplexeties and
Augustin let me releeue him whose necessitie is first offred to me drawing by my example rich men to reléeue others In this case the rich man refusing to ayde the poore is a tyrant and vniust possessor of the goods of others for that the superfluitie is a due portion of the poore according in the wordes of Saint Basill The money saith he that thou kéepest in thy coffers the apparel not seruing thée to vse and the vittailes that thou hast in aboundance are the goods of the poore ouer whose right thou dost vsurpe In this he séemes to holde conformitie with S. James that the rich men ought to sighe and wéepe for the miseries that will happen to them whereof he alleadgeth thrée causes the first for that they kéepe their gold and siluer till it ruste and haue no néede where many poore bodies perish of hunger and that their garments are gnawne with moathes where infinite poore creatures stand naked subiect to the iniury of the weather The second is that they paye not reasonably suche as serue them whose crye pearceth the very eares of the lord of hostes demaūding vengeance of their iniquitie The third is that they make great cheare and anoynt their throats with the liccorous sirops of swéet meats suffer the téeth of their poore brother to bite no bread nor his stomacke to be refreshed with whole some liccour Many other néedy people remaine in a Citie who notwithstanding their trade and occupation are driuen by some ouercharge of children or casualitie to sel their necessary implements and sometime the very instruments of their occupation not being hable to borowe and hauing shame to aske Of Christian amitie and how many sortes of friendships there be Chapter iij. HAuing not yet spoken of the dutie of a friend but in generall sort nor of Christian charitie wherein consists the perfection of a Christian and of moste deare commendacion in the Scripture it cannot be impertinēt to inferre some discourse therof the necessitie of our purpose so requiring Amitie is of foure kindes as naturall ciuill carnall such as was amongst the Pagans and Christian or spirituall The two first haue their approbation euen by the scripture the third which is carnall hath ben by the iudgemēt of good men reputed corrupt as in déede it is and much reproued according to the doctrine of god Naturall friendship is as the loue of parents towards their children and one kinsman or countrey man to an other Ciuill amitie is got either by conuersation and society of men together or in respect of profites eyther receiued or hoped for this friendship is called of the Philosophers humane and as it were due of common office But better is it expressed whereby it is called a vertue morall when it vnites mutually heartes and willes together sometimes it is but of the one part which is the cause of Tullies opinion that such is the force and propertie of vertue that it constraynes men to loue such on whom there goeth but an opinion and reputatiō of honestie though they neuer saw nor knew the persons But notwithstanding the reasons and iudgements of the Philosophers touching that kind of amitie the Scripture will neuer repute it a vertue if it haue not a purpose and end to the honour and loue of God without which end much lesse that all vertuous actions haue any recompence or glory afore God but with Saint Ambrose that kind of amitie is accompted corrupt as not done to that end which the Scripture cōmaundes by which we are cōmaunded to do al things for the honour of god Fleshly amitie or friendship is contracted vnder a hope or present enioying of goods honours and carnall pleasures And sometimes the naturall and ciuill amitie degenerate into this damnable loue being most often the very loue wée beare to our selues deliting more in our owne glory and pleasures then in GOD or that concernes our saluation Where vppon it is sayd that men vppon the end of the world shal be so worldly and fleshly a signe of reprobation that they shal be more feruēt followers of their proper delites then of God This loue Saint Augustine with good reason sayth is the foundation of the Citie of the Deuil as the loue to God is the ground worke of the holy citie of the soueraigne Lord Christian loue is that charitie which so often God recommends to vs comprehending an entier loue with all our power to him and a sincere amitie without fiction to our neighbour euen by the same measure that naturally we loue our selues with this intēdement alwayes that all be for the loue honor of God as the cause end of al amitie al our actions to the end to receiue for it eternal retribuciō This amitie leads directs makes perfect the natural ciuil moral friendship euen so corrects altogether that the is carnall as being corrupt by wicked affections makes it turne into spiritual by spiritual conuersation as if a man louing his wife onely for that she is faire and riche and for his beastly pleasure a Pagan loue and little differing from the affection of a whoremonger to his concubine and being afterwardes instructed by Christian doctrine with what zeale he ought to embrase his wife in mariage loueth her not for the reasons of the flesh aforesayd but as his companion of grace coenheritrice of the glory of heauen louing hir with that spirituall and true loue wher with Iesus Christ loued his Church And as a Father louing his sonne not simplie nor naturally but with a worldly affection as making him his Idoll falleth to loue him afterwards in God by Christian institution that is according to the prescript of the Scripture kéeping him in discipline and vertuous exercise Thus the whoremonger is conuerted and forbearing his fleshly affection to his troll will hate in him selfe and hir all damnable lightnes and neuer looke on hir but with a displeasure and remorse of his sinne which after their conuersion she is also bound to do And if there bée daunger eftsones to fall they are bound to restraine sight and mutuall company and stand vpon their gard no lesse then such as hauing ben once enuenimed with a swéete poyson by an antidot preserued from death will beware eftsones of charmes or swéete liccours neyther is penaunce of any force if the sinne bée not altogether abandoned and all carnaletie abhorred And if in déede amitie to speake more properlye bée a vertue more then morrall and not affection onely according to the error of some Philosophers it can not be ioyned with vice for so théeues other of vice albeit they vaunt of frendship in susteyning one an other can not truly be called frends but confederats in league conspiring by common consent to do euill Amitie is perpetuall as is all vertue of his liuely and proper nature So that such as loue richmen by reason of the proffites they receiue by them are not
albeit it is no maruaile if suche as aspire to regimentes by indirect meanes bring forth wicked and imperfect gouernment seeing that al endes depend consequently vpon theyr beginninges and buildinges hauing no firme foundation can hold no long continuance yet when any such attaine to the direction of pollicie there is no occasion to condemne them rashelie for that it may bée that such scourges are due to the offences of the people neither do they them selues thinke them condemned in the ertreame iudgement seeing they follow not their beginning but recompense all faultes by theyr vertue and wisedome as did young Scipio who contrarye to the iudgement of Cato and diuers graue Romaines being called to bée Captaine generall of the armye which had béene long in Spaine expressed in his behauiour suche heroicall vertues that his election descending to him by fauour was approued for lawfull euen by those wise men who beholding more the follies of his youth passed then hoping in his toward vertues impugned his aduauncement at the first The Scripture sayth that as it is one speciall signe of Gods loue to a Nation when hee indueth them with good gouernours so when hée restraines them to rulers inclined to impietye it is then that hee geues warning of his furie and that hée is entred into displeasure for theyr offences as is sayd in Iob Esaie and Osie which god hath also oftentimes confirmed by examples but speciallye in the booke of Iudges which I bring in but by the waye the better to make vs enter into our selues when wée are not blessed with such gouernours as wee wishe ¶ Gouernours chosen according to God do make present proofe of their election to the profite of the common vveale Let them knovve hovv to commaund and subiectes hovve to obeye the better to make their common vveale florishe as inferiour members obeye the more vvorthy Magistrates ought to be as Fathers Let the lavve be inuiolable and speciallye one true amitie betvveene the gouernour and the subiect ❧ The .3 Chapter GOuernours being thus chosen by the rule of the Scripture knowe that it belongeth to their christian duetye to consecrate them selues whollye to the benefite profite honor quiet of that publike state wherein they are instituted And not sparing any labour care expenses or perplexitie of minde or bodye no not the sacrifice of their lyfe to rayse theyr common weale into florishing felicitye they geue alwayes more readye furtherance to common affayres then ordinary fauour to their own not sparing to restraine them selues from all priuate pleasure profite to consult in all necessarye meanes to raise t'haduauncement of the Publike weale And as in good magistrates doth worke a continual care to erect execute a sounde aucthority so in all Citizens subiectes publike multitudes is great necessitye of resolute obedience duty Amongst whom if there be any in whome is no suretye of allegeaunce but suspition of rebellious practise or sedicious behauiour let al the rest ioyne in common ayde to commit him to the censure of ciuill iustice For it is sayde of auncient wise men and iustified in common experience that by well commaunding and ready obeying a common weale is happely gouerned as who saye where the Magistrate erectes wholsome lawes the subiect yeldes duty in simplicity it hapneth that to such regimentes belongeth happy successe and long continuance euen as in a natural body is figured a forme of perfect gouernement because the inferiour members obey such as bée more principal which is the head heart A priuate house is replenished with good order when seruantes yéeld obedience to their maisters children humilitie to their parents as also a ship is well guided when the marriners acknowledge power in the maister that mooueth the Helme euen so is it in a common weale which being a body pollitike as is sayd ought according to God to holde comformetie with the quality mistical of the natural body It is also as a generall familie or houshold wherin good gouernours do put on the same carefull affection to the aduauncement of theyr subiectes which wise and deare fathers vse to their entierely beloued Children And being lastly as a true Spiritual shippe seated in the middest of the stormes of this waspishe moueable world the two preseruatiues to kéepe it from perishing are the wholsome commaundementes of the gouernour and willing obedience of the inferiour Let then the wisedome loue and zeale of magistrates to the common weale surmount theyr aucthoritye in commaunding And let humilitye franke obedience and perfect loue bée greater in the subiectes thē theyr ciuyl subiection For if Fathers geue to theyr children doctrines and good lessons to eschewe vice learne to aspire to vertue and by good examples aswell of them selues as other their parentes and predecessours true pattornes of vertue doo sturre them vp to t'himitacion of goodnesse and in respect of zeale doo studye to enritche and aduaunce them muche more belonges it to magistrates as Fathers pollitike of the people to expresse a zeale and fatherlye dutie in erecting good statutes orders and Customes hollye happy and profitable whervnto they must geue the first honourable obedience seruing as reuerent examples to the rest to obserue the Lawes without violence eyther for fauour frendship parentage respecte of Person or feare of corruption suche good Lawes and iust iudgementes sayeth Salomon are the strong Barres and boltes to the Gates of Cities and inuinsible Trenches and Walles to the Vines of Esau yea they are the wayes of life and the verye Soules of common weales For euen as to the Gates of Cities and Townes great and massiue Barres of yron are as defences to withstande Violence and iniurye which else myght happen with the perryll of Sacking if also there were no countergarde by gouernours euen so where wholsome and holye Constitutions bée seuerelye obserued there is the Gate closed against al vices sclaunders sedicions and factions to enter into Cities and Kingdomes But where is a negligent or partiall countenaunce geuen to the lawes and aucthority as enclining sinisterly eyther for gossop kinred friend feare or gaine or that they be but as spider webbes wherein the small flies are taken and sucke the blood and great waspes do pearse and passe thorow at pleasure of such a vaine and weake iustice there can bée no other expectation but an vniuersall reuersement of all pollecye euen as when as vineyarde or garden being strongly fensed with hedge or ditche there is great seueritye that neyther the night théefe nor the hungrye beast can haue power to enter and commit it to praye where if there bee neyther wall nor closure the negligence of the owner offereth occasion to the théefe or Beast to inuade his ground to the spoile of his commoditye and fruictes The same resembling the complaint of Dauid al passingers sayeth hée at theyr pleasure haue power to hauocke the Vine and the wilde Boore launsing out of the Forest is entered to waste
starres in the night leade vs by infallible Lightes Thus there is no creature which God hath made séene idle but man who of a corrupt nature paruerteth his order where he is bound by most iust reasons both for the mind body to trauaile seeing that as labour is healthful and necessary to him so hée onely aboue al other creatures of God receiueth the profite of the earth and hath of God in the ende eternal recompense which proueth that trauaile whether it bée to gaine and preserue goodes or that it reléeue the necessitye of the bodye or tende to the health of the soule is most behoueful and necessarye to man. It is great hurt to a common weale to nourish mouthes that eate and labour not Who besides theyr owne idlenes are hurtful examples of disorder to others For such people are not satisfied with the losse of theyr owne time but sinisterlye seduce others to theyr faction and ten of those are inough to corrupt fiftye yea a whole Towne Therfore let the Magistrate purge his city of such dranes table Iestours Parasites forgers of Newes builders of scoffes to goo scotfrée them selues very natural pyllors of Tauerns And with the same seuere diligence let him cleanse his cōmon weale of al filthy quagmiers of ruffenrie scurility seruice of bawdes and bawdry for if one out-corner of his Toune bée infected with that pestilence it is inough to impoison the whole yea euen as there is precise order to clense the stréetes chanels of al filth vncleanes to kéepe the toune from corruption of aire and as the head of mans body foreséeth that there remaine no impedimēt to any member but the eye lokes about the body that it be kept cleane if there bée any offence there is a plaister applied to cure cleanse it euen so al such as the magistrate shal see through idlenes or vaine or vnlawful arte to prepare to corrupt them selues infect others Let him either by iustice or discipline reforme them or by good pollecye auoide them from the society of others If there be any fathers through whose negligence or other default theyr children of good houses become customarye to idlenesse sinne and other vices Let the Magistrate punish by heauy fines such fathers for bringing into theyr common weale such pernicious education and for example sake compell their children to ciuilitye by publike discipline It belongeth no lesse to the office of the gouernor to correct the prodigalities of such whose parentes diceassed and they left to theyr owne election of libertye and life with full Coffers waste their wealth in plaies glottonies pompes taking vpon them the title of Gentlemen attyre of yong Princes make loue to Ladies they which are the Sonnes of Marchantes who to get the name of nobilitye sell theyr shoppes holding it a staine to theyr reputacion to continue the trade of theyr fathers And so in continuaunce by much spending and neuer winning theyr prodigalitye leades them at last to sel euen theyr houses and implements litle knowing theyr value at the first and lesse considering to what vses God had ordained them Sure such ought to bée bridled by Publike aucthorytye and restrayned to rule and measure liuing according to the rate of other wise Burgesses And if they are vnapt to continue theyr Shops there may bée constraint to frame them to other trade bothe to theyr proper commoditye example of the Citye and to kéepe them from extreame pouertye whereunto there Idlenesse will bring them Heare let no man say haue not I onely propertye in mine owne may not I doo with my goodes what I list yea who can let me to sell it sith euery man is maister of his owne suche speaches please well the humour of the speaker but agree not with the statutes of a common weale wel directed and much lesse haue conformetye with cōmon reason because a perticular is but a member of the bodye polletike who ought to bee gouerned by his head and geue all the ayde hee can to his body Horace sayeth wée owe our selues and al that wee haue to our common weale as who saye wée are not for our selues neyther is our goodes our owne but all ought to bee employed to Publike behoofe but more to God of whome wee haue al so that if our countrey haue neede of our goodes or our life we ought to refuse nothing ought not the Arme to suffer to lose his sleeue yea and the ioynt to keepe his bodye were it not better the hand were cut of then to loase both the leggs or the whole bodye But a man to hurt him selfe is another matter for he should not onely do iniurye to him selfe but wrong to others For that cause wée say that if a man set fire in his owne house he ought to bée hanged for the act bearing common interest to the citye makes the man reputed as a publike iniuror of the state bée it that the house was his and builded by him yet to propertyes is anexed this condicion to vse them well to the behofe of al and not abuse them to the offence of any So goodes are a mans owne for his necessarye vse but if he abuse them they are none of his but the common weale ought to resume thē as a good mother and kéepe them for the after necessity of her child If hée that cuttes his Arme for the nonse deserue the punishmēt of a murderer no lesse merite of paine belongs to him who doeth wrong to his common weale to whome hée oweth that arme for the seruice of the rest For that cause euen amongst the Pagans hée which killed him selfe was led to the scaffolde and hanged as an offendour because hée had in that sort cutte him selfe of from his bodye polletike to whose seruice hée ought him selfe and al that was his The prodigal and vnthrifty man hauing turned his great wealth into a mountaine of smoke by his disorder leaues this charge to the Citye to kéepe his wife and to prouide for the sustenaunce and education of his children who being accustomed with theyr Father to epicuritie and deliteful pleasures can not but smel of their first corruption and be hardly kept from intemperance without a harde hand wil not bée restrayned from the life of theyr dissolute Father And therefore as wel to preuent this publike charge to the Citye as to reduce to modestye Impes of suche disordered stockes it is good to shake the rodde of discipline to kéepe such Youth from corruption not suffering any to liue in Idlenes least their example infect others ❧ There bee diuerse sortes of Idle pople some worcke certaine howres onelye and they bee certaine Artificers Some as vacabondes vvill neuer doo any thing vvho bringing vp theyr children in the same trade traine them to the vvallet betime Discourse of poore Beggers vvandring in Countreyes and of the euill that they doo ❧ The .12 Chapter BVT because this Idlenes hath so large a sircuite
statutes by all the Courtes of their prouince in inuiolable stabilitie For as the lawes diuine and humaine are as it were the strength and walles of common weales euen so are the statutes of a Colledge the fortresse and bulwarke of the same without the which it can not bée long kept from disorder and vtter ruine Let the benefactors and Citizens honour their Colledge with often visitacion and contemplation of the principall and Regentes to whom for their learning sake belonges that merit of honor but specially if they be come farre off to doe seruice to their Citie leauing their proper Countreis and priuat commodities By this visitacion it will come to passe that the principall and Regents shall be better obeyed and feared of their schollers and they which with their tutors and altogyther better moued with common readinesse to doe the duetie of their Colledge and in cases of wrong iniurie and vexation offered by any let them ioyne with them in ayde and councell to aduaunce exemplarie iustice wherein in applying fauor and protection to those that represent them all aswell Magistrates as general parentes of a whole prouince in the institution of their youth to whom then if iniurie be offered the Magistrate and whole cōmon weale haue interest therein and therefore with common affection ought to pursue the offender to publike iustice they doe honor to their cōmon weales in those learned men who resorting to Vniuersities or other publike or priuat places will giue honorable opinion rapport touching the pollicie and order of that Citie To be short there can not be to great honor reuerence and affection borne to those persones by whose industrie in the institution and education of youth so many benefites grow as by them whole common weales become happie so that if men loue and honor vertue science honor dignities ritches reste and publike felicitie much more ought they to honor and cherishe those men by whom all those benefites are brought to whole countreys If Fathers and mothers beare so deare loue to their children with desire to sée them rise into manners and qualities of ciuill men ought they not with great affection to embrace and cherishe suche by whom in their places and with no lesse Fatherly zeale their children are instructed taught corrected and trained euen to their desires yea if their Disciples were their proper children by kind and bloud they could vse no more affectiō to make them learned and vertuouse In déed suche deserue not the name of maisters who bearing no frank care and loue to their schollers séeme as marcenary men and but to regarde the present gayne holding their Schollers in negligence and their parentes in hipocrisie touching their paines diligēce Touching the principal he ought to loue his regents as his bretherne who as he is the auncient and first in authoritie ouer them so by the scripture to the eldest is ascribed the preheminence and supreame rule in a familie and acknowledging him selfe as a brother in the aduauncement and protection of his bretherne giuing them aide and fauour to his vttermost power and credit in an other consideration he is called the head of the regents and schollers the regents being the chiefe and principall members of the body vnder the head and the schollers the inferior So that as he being a brother must behaue himselfe to his brothers in brotherly office and as the head gouerne his most principall and excellent members with a chiefest care and dutie and so sée the rest beare mutuall amitie one to another In like sort ought the Regents to acknowledge all loue feare and franke obedience as they are warned by the law of God to their eldest and most auncient brother forbearing as neare as they can to grieue their head or giue him any occasion of offence the same being altogether against the law of nature God and man as in a naturall bodie by how much the members are neare to the head by so much doo they trauell to giue aide and pleasure to their naturall head as retayning of it more prouidence or influxion euen so schollers according to all law and reason ought to beare loue reuerence feare and obedience in all subiection to their head and principall first and next to their Regents yea the same loue honour feare and obedience which they owe to their parents and duties to the Magistrates ought they to performe substancially to their principall and Regents being as Lieftenants to their Fathers Mothers and Magistrate and whom the Principall Regents loue with the affection of Fathers no lesse then if they were their proper children For recompēce therfore let them honour them with equall loue and dutie and with reuerence as to the formers of their wittes and Fathers of their learning alwayes considering that if their had not ben instructed their ignorāce and vice had taken from them all dignitie and honour in their life and as blind men they had walked in perpetuall darknes falling into errors and neuer confessed God and in the end had ben perpetually wretched In which respects as they well deserue to be loued and honoured as their Masters so yet they are bound to it most of all when they are risen into knowledge by which they receiue the honorable fruit of their studies how often so euer they sée themselues honored for their learning how often they gaine by it when they take most pleasure in their Science and sée themselues raised into dignitie and felicitie aboue others bycause of their learning and vertue euen so often let them honour the remembrance of their Masters and embrace them with perfect loue as who were their originall happy meanes to raise them to those estates and without whom they had ben contemnible to the world with out any honorable ornament of nature forbearinge the rudenes of some vnthankfull disciples who being once highly mounted make no more reckoning of the stirop that raised them to their high seat wherin much lesse that they deserue that they haue but with vnthākfull children not acknowledging to their parents their due honour nor the aide and dutie which they owe thē are not worthy of common life Let such and all other vnthankfull people remember that it is a sinne which S. Paule findes condemned of Christ to eternall perdicion and a signe of reprobation with God. Refutation of the false iudgements of some proude worldlings touching the profession of schoolemasters with a praise of that profession Chapter xiij MAny there be of too fleshly and reprobate iudgement who eyther ignorant in the dignitie of learning or sworne enemies against it despise the state of schoolemasters calling them by many scornefull and ridiculous names But according to my former opinion I hold it afore God a calling most honorable and acceptable and in a common weale the most profitable and necessary profession For if knowledge be commendable vertue deserue honour much more merite of reuerence belonges to such as teach
maried according to Jgnatius caried with them their wyues and nourished them togyther with their parentes and poore of the Apostolicall reuenue For as who holdes no accompte of his houshold and domestical familiars is as an apostate and more wicked then if he were an infidell so wee ought not wickedly and wrongfully thinke that the Gospell takes away any humanitie naturall pietie but rather nourisheth susteyneth and confirmes it making it spirituall in true loue and duetie and so much the more perfect as the doctrine is more excellent then the doctrine of nature and Moyses It is a question of many whether a man is more boūd to nourishe and succour his father mother or his proper wife whereunto may bée aunswered that in the case of obedience and subuention there is more bounde of dutie to parents but not touching cohabitation And to proue the bonde of dutie to parentes it is certayn by treble right naturall diuine and humane which including an immutable and inuiolable bonde can not bée weakened or abolished by mariage aswell for that it is the first most autentike and hath a t●eble bonde for euery law hath his proper obligacion and subiection where this hath but one touching corporall cohabitacion as also for that it bindes mariage with a new subiectiō that the wife with her husband ought to straine all their power and meanes to reléeue suche as by mariage are made their father and mother and to helpe their grand parentes by whom both they and their fathers haue being in the worlde There bée yet these causes consequent and as it were accidentes to the former reasons which ought greatly to stirre vp children to honor their parentes that is to saye the inexplicable loue of fathers and mothers to their children their care in their first nouriture or nurssage their continual trauelles and perplexities to preserue and prefer them lastly this iust consideration that as they behaue them selues to their parentes so to expecte the lyke recompence of disposition and experience in their children towardes them The loue of parents is so great to their children that they sticke not to take to them selues the greeues and displeasures of their children not refusing sometyme the hazard of death to preserue their little-ones from perill And the scripture neuer commaūdes them to loue their children to nourish nor prefer them because by nature parentes haue that forward inclination but they are enioyned in many places of the scripture to discipline instructe them in the loue of God as therein prescribing to them the manner how to rule and moderate their affections not louing their childrē otherwaies then God loueth them neyther to let their zeale be so vehement fleshly and partiall as with the shée Apes to destroye their children nor yet with extremitie of affection to holde them in seueritie feare and so make them at vnwares towards or weake sprited wherein albeit thei are forbidden for that they are alwayes restrayned to moderation in discipline yet in holding ouer a hard hand vpō thē thei expresse the best and truest affectiō and leade them in the readiest waye to the estate and reputacion of honest men Great then is the bond of dutie obedience and affection of the child to his father and mother if with his vnthankfulnes he be not altogither out of the sense and iudgement of nature yea he shall aunswere to that so perfect loue for God in this case challengeth that he ought to bée beloued of vs by reason If I be a father sayeth he where is the zeale wherwith you loue me as children do their Fathers Here if any will obiect certain mothers procuring vntimely birth to their children or others that kill them after their deliuerie to auoyde dishonoure I aunswer that to such mordering mothers expressing worse nature then the most fell or fierce beastes who cherish lick their litle ones oftē times fight for their safetie ther can not be deuised lawes seuere inough for their punishmēt yea Moyses as after him Licurgus Solon erected no prescript lawe for such morders nor againste children likewise that killed their fathers as estéeming it an offēce to which man coulde not ascribe sufficient seuere worthy punishment Touching the cares labor and industrie in bringing them vp ther is no estate subiect to so many perplexities the mother specially bearing the infant in hir belly what care hath she to preserue so precious a frute and in hir trauell is there greater panges or more perill of present death how long remaines she in weake estat and sicknes what paines takes she to norish it what be hir sorowes if it wéepe if it miscarie if it falle sicke she fasteth to féede it and being hongrie restraines foode from hir selfe to appease the vnruely appetite of hir childe she with hir husband offer their bodies to pasion of colde and heat yea somtimes go naked to cloath wrap and entertaine their children What recompence of affection and dutie do these cares and perplexities of parents deserue of the children where in if they be necligent how can they a voyde the crime of ingratitude or be innocent in the vices proper to the reprobate yea let them assuredly trust that the displeasures wronges and disobedience which they do to their parents by the iust measure of Gods iudgment shal be retorned in more heauie greuous qualitie vppon themselues by their proper children for so we finde hapened to a contemtuous and disobedient childe who trailing his father by the haire of his head out of his owne house This is but a iust recompence my sonne sayth the father seing that euen the like behauior I shewed to thy grandfather in this house which now thou vsest to me But of the contrarie we read that many weare the benifites and graces doubled vppon the obedient children of the patriarkes as is expressed in the example of Joseph to whom his father Jacob gaue double blessing aboue his other brethern because he honored him with more seruice then they for ende let children in all thinges discharge the right and law of pietie to their parents with this consideration that because Fathers represent God on earth he will take the disobedience done to them as an iniurie ment to him selfe moreouer in the consideration of their dutie and ayde to their parents let them remember that in succouring their necessities they offer acceptable seruice to God for the which as we haue said their recompence is layd vp both in earthe in heauen which with suertye to finde at the hands of their owne children the like measure of relife in their necessities together with the same rate of comfort if they fall into impotencie of age But if they fayle of this dutie they stande in hazard of treble condemnation of death as they are bound to that office by treble lawes hauing interest in all such acts of humanitie euen towardes all olde straungers according to the reuerent
obseruatiō amongst the Lacedemonians who vsed not only the lawe of perfect pietie to their proper and fleshly parents but also euen to all old people whome they honored as their fathers and gaue succor to all their affaiers as if they had bene their naturall children They estemed them happie if they were called to do seruice to olde men tacking it for the greatest prayse that coulde be ascribed to the actions of their life to pushe forward the affires of auncient men wherby it was sayde in comon prouerbe that happie was he that became olde in Lacedemonia as hauing so many childrē readily disposed to honor serue and support him as there was young people in the towne ¶ The dutie of Maisters towards their Seruauntes Chapter vij THe third ground of a cōmon weale and order of pollecie conteineth the authoritie of Maisters ouer Seruauntes and obedience of seruants to maisters wherein the maister mai be considered in two manners either as Lord buying with his money his seruaunt which they call bondman or slaue or conquering him in warre by victorie as his enemie or else he is maister not as Lord proper or owner but as trying and vsing the seruaunt only for a time as in England we haue no others So that this second sorte of seruaunt is no bond man but rather in the nature of a hyreling or marcenarie reteyned for a season when the scripture speakes in the Hebrew woorde of this name aued and the auncient Latines of seruus as also the Gréekes of their Donlos thei meane no other commonly then the perpetuall bondman This maister called Lord hath borne afore time supreme power ouer hys seruauntes putting them to death by his discretion without lawe of reprehension For so we reade Metellus a Citizen of Rome handled so many bond men as brake him cuppes of Crystall and was not called to punishement for it which comming to the knowledge of Augustus an Emperour pitifull he entred the house of the said Romane and to take away the occasion of a second crueltie to his poore bond men passhed in péeces al the vesselles of Crystall and glasses that hée founde in the house Olde Cato otherwayes reputed very wise was so tyrannous ouer his bondmen that whē by extréeme age they had no further abilitie to serue hym hée caused some to be committed to slaughter and suffered others to dye of hūger which cōmō humanitie denieth euen to a dogge or horse that had ben long vsed in seruice but that libertie or rather imperious and vnnatural authoritie of Maisters was afterwardes bridled and limited by many lawes as is written in Exodus who strikes his bond man or bond woman with a rod and they dye presently vppon the blow is guiltie of capitall crime but if they liue a daye or two after he shal not be punished for he hath bought them with his money as if the law had saied he thought not to kil them and so loose the money which they had cost him And albeit God often times recommendes vnto maisters to handle their bond men gentlie wherein to drawe them to more pitie hée puttes them in remembrance of the miserable seruitude which they endured in Egypte yet the hautie couetous and malicious nature of manye maisters draw them often tymes into actes of great tyrannie towardes their bond men vsinge them more cruelly then their necessary and trauelling cattell yea in no other estimacion nor vse then as brute beastes For the which God by his prophete declares howe angrie he is and sending ruine spoyle to their townes he suffereth some of them to be murdered and others made slaues to straunge and barbarous nations The Jewes had commaundement to giue libertie to the bond men of their nation the vii yeare which was as a sabboth sanctified to god But because aboue their prescript limite thei retayned their poore bondmen in hard subiection and if they complayned redoubled the straynesse of their bondage eyther not suffered them to appeare in the court to demaund iustice or else corrupted the Iudges and so choak the way of their remedie the Lord partly for this transgression sent desolation vpon Juda and transmigration into Babylon Let vs nowe sée the office of a maister to his bonde seruauntes wherein we shall finde that by reason hée ought with much more lenitie to behaue him selfe towards those which are not to him but as temporall seruauntes First séeing their slaues are men as well as they they ought to loue them as their neighbours for all men are our neighbours and if he were a Pagan or ennemie should a man doe wrong to him whom he loueth would hée enioyne him to thinges vnrighteous hurtfull hard and too full of labour If euery one by the law of nature be bounde to doe to an other as hee would be done vnto him selfe would he in the state of such subiection be commaunded to things aboue his abilitie to execute Secondly if the bond men or slaues be Christians religion much more then the law of nature ought to draw vs to affection towardes them If they be young we ought to hold them in the reputacion of our brethren if they be auncient let vs giue them reuerence as to Fathers I meane touchinge loue for concerning the bond ciuill and seruile it is not cancelled by the law of the gospell why should wée then with so arrogant proud and angrie hart commaund such rigorously whom we ought to loue and cherish with Christian humanitie If we be al vnited by one IESVS Christe as are the members of one bodye vnder this Lord which is made our head should it bée possible that the maister who in this body is as the eye or hand and the bond seruaunt to him is as the foote or least toa of his foote to obey and serue him should commaund or enioyne to this bond man any thing which should not bée reasonable honest and profitable the same agréeinge with the commaundement of Saint Paule not to doe any displeasure damage or wrong to that low part being so conioyned to him by naturall harmonie no rather if it suffer necessitie grief or anguish the superior parte is bound to trauell for it and yéeld compassion to his sorrow The Maister not touched with this spirituall iudgement and lesse féeling of this inwarde sence touching his office to his seruaunt doth not rightly acknowledge him selfe to be a man but much lesse a true Christian and faithfull member of the mysticall body of this Lord The same being the cause why many Christian nations in the consideration of suche loue according to nature and grace will not vse that imperious authoritie in their house ouer any bond man But taking certayne infidelles prisoners in lawfull warres as soone as they become Christians they giue them libertie and receyue them into their houses with wages and hyers for their labours obseruinge the vertues of the auncient Nations who after long proofe of their bond mē in
true frindes for that when such rich men shall become pore which God doeth often suffer they are for saken of their frindes because riches was the only cause of such frendship and who loues an other as it were in recompence of affection that he beareth to him loueth not as he ought for that the cause rising of bare fancie which afterwardes may chaunge into hate the frendshipp can not be certein nor perpetuall yea he that loueth an other for his vertue loues not simplie as he ought according to God for that as the vertue of the man enclines to vice so the affection of his frend will conuert into hate for which cause Aristotle aloweth the sentence of a wise Philosopher saying that men ought to loue but not so much but that they may hate meaning that louing men of vertue and their vertues torning into vices our affection may resume his first qualitie if for charitie sake we forbeare to hate them This was his iudgment of frendes that might chaung by francke and louing will But by the Gospell we are warned to loue our ennemies and wicked men yea Infidels which séeke to persecute vs to death so much are we bound to loue them as to praye to God for thē and to present them with our goodes help and life if there be hope of their saluation not so much as willing or doing to them any displeasure so did Christ loue vs all and died for vs being his ennemies The cause of this loue is God for the honor loue and commaundement of whome we loue louing that which he loueth according as he loueth and for what cause he loueth conforming vs wholy to his will and his loue in the which and for the which he loueth vs all Let vs loue therfore that which is of him as in man his Image and semblance his handie worke his vertues his graces conforming ourselues to the loue which he bears him hauing made for him so many creaturs giuen him his Aungells for his protectores and guides and his only sonne to death for him yea euen when man was his enemye blasphemed him and was altogether disobedient to him Thus must we loue the soule of our neighboure albeit he be our ennemie as the deare cōquest of the precious blode of IESVS CHRIST and his body being the sacred temple of the holy ghost yea so we must loue him as Iesus Christ loued him giuing his life frankelye for him whom by baptisme as he hath incorporated him in him selfe to be a member of his bodye and by faith in the holy communion made him his flesh and blood so I ought to loue him as one of the members of the bodie of this Lord and as his flesh and blood with all seing we are all made by him members of the same misticall bodye and childrē all of one father by spirituall adoption then the same affection ought to be conuersant amongest vs which passeth betwéene members of one selfe bodye proper and naturall brethern in effect the friendship that we ought to beare one to another ought to be without acception of personnes counthries kindred or parents with which zeale if we loue not euen the most strangers of the worlde the most vnthankefull amongest men and our mortall enemies we are not the disciples of Iesus Christ by whome we are tolde that then we declare our selues his folowers when we do that which he commaundes vs his precept is that we loue one an other as he hath loued vs to saye and doe well by our enemies yea to dye for them if néede require in hope to gaine and saue their soules in sorte as he is deade for ours So that who hateth another beareth malice to him doeth him iniurie séeckes reueng of him strikes him and which is extreme iniquitie killeth him apertains no more to Iesus Christ as to beare the name of on of his disciples or of his flock thē the wolues Lions Tigres are of the heard and flocke of Lambes vnder the charge of a shepherd Suchthen that haue quarrells aspiringe to combate one against another practise reuenge of wronges by their proper authorities belong nothing to the profession of Christ and in their hartes haue no more taste of God then Pagans and vnbeleuing Atheists He that will offer sacrifice to God can not by Iesus Christ make it acceptable to his father if he haue offended his neyghboure and is not reconciled as also who hateth his Brother is a murderer and stands voyde of grace for eternall life I comprehend not in this such Christians as by lawfull iustice pursue the restitution of their goods honour or wrongs receiued by any wicked men for séeing iustice and iudiciall order is of God and by him commaunded to procure punishment in forme of iustice to the wicked acording to their merits and that by the Magistrate the law is not onely lawfull but also acceptable to god so that it be done without hatred and affection of perticular vengeance not regarding so much our proper benefit honour or priuate interest as to correct vices by that iustice to giue succour to the soule of the transgressor to the better stay and example of a whole communaltie This is also expressed in the exāple of a body which we go about to purge frō botches impostumes boyles In which body if there be any member so corrupt that it would infect the others to the daunger of the whole bodie it is cut of but with a great displeasure to all the other members who by a communion of nature being conioyned and knit together do loue one an other with connaturall and perfect zeale And to retourne to the matter of Christian amitie we are bound to loue men as God loueth thē whose loue is so much the greater towardes them by how much hée findeth their affection pure to him and the more doth his zeale increase the more he séeth in them that which is his as faith and charitie with feruent zeale to his honour and exercise of good déedes euen so the more faith and simplicitie we find in men the better affected to Gods honour of a more ready and franke minde to his seruice better disposed to actes of compassion and aspiring nearer a deuine perfection of God euen in so much greater affection honour and franke mind of seruice are we bound to them as knowing that in that we most please God who for those respects honoreth them more then others And therefore we honour nor loue them not so much in their persons as we expresse our selues to loue God in them in whom we honour his giftes and graces and all that we find to be deuine in them So that as we are bound in a stronger affection and more readines of seruice to those whom we know to be men of honest integretie then to others in whom we can acknowledge no such vertues So yet we must hate no creature according to the example of
God who beareth no malice to any man he hath made as hauing declared therein his power his wisedome and his boūtie For which three things we must acknowledge his handy worke with thankes giuing Besides we know that God is not but charitie and loue and who is constant in charitie dwelleth in God and God is firme in him as of the contrary who hateth any man hath no perfect charitie and by conclusion cannot be of God So that as we are first bound to loue GOD with all our heartes so in the second place we ought for his sake to loue al men with a true perpetual loue as our selues But if we find them possessed with any vice or faulte louing still the creature we may hate that which we sée not to be of God and hated of men as knowing that in God there is nothing but integretie and what els is good and vertuous These be the causes why we ought to loue the soules and bodies of sinners as being the hādie workes of God but lawfully maye we hate their sinnes and wicked condicions as we ought not to loue any thing in the Deuill but his creation which is deuine since touching the rest he is nothing but peruersitie of his proper will for which cause he is called wicked as not taking pleasure no which is worse not hauing power to delite in any thing but to do euill the same being the reason why so often we are commaunded to shonne him and not to suffer him to enter into vs by any pleasant suggestion but to resist him estéeme him our onely enemie a serpent and venemous Dragon a rauining Wolfe a roaring Lion a théefe and murderer séeking after nothing but by suttletie force ambushes and treasons to betray our soules yea if it were not by his wicked and wretched temptations we should neuer haue enemies malice or miseries no not once haue the thought to do wrong one to another the same being the cause that our sauiour Christ calles him our enemie it is he only whom we ought to hate and all that is in him except the spirituall substance the first creature of God it is he onely whom we ought so much to detest as not once to hear him sée him or séeke to learne any thing of him in whom is nothing but deceite lying abuse and murder it is he of whom wée ought to take nothing that he offreth for he corrupteth all that he giueth And séeing he is a poysoner let vs alwayes take héede that he enuenime not our thoughts with vaine and wicked pleasure with infidelitie consent to euill and that he poyson not our wordes with vanitie iniuries detraction lies false othes and blasphemie nor infect our workes or actions with ipocrisie or dissembled intention nor by any other trangression of Gods commaundements This wicked spirite hath stretched out his snares in all places and dispersed his poyson throughout the worlde he entrapped Eue in the earthly paradise and poysoned hir with lust of glory which as an infection hee hath earst distilled into infinit nations and persons his ginnes are so suttlely wrought and layd that they are espied and auoyded of none but such as are humble and lowly such as liue in continuall contemplation of Gods wisedome and his holy feare such as resolued into spirite haue no conuersation with the flesh and the world such as are strōg in fayth and of that immouable loue to God that they take no other pleasure but to do his commaūdements Suche doeth the spirit and wisdome of God instruct to espie and breake his suttle snares and giue them remedies against the poyson of that venemous basiliske Touching amitie cyuill which we get by societie of studie by coniunction of life and similitude of estates and functions or in recompence of benefits we may conioyne it with the Christian amitie by the which it hath his confirmation and is made better and more agreable to God By this if I loue better him that is thus my frend then an other professed vnto me by cōmon Christian amitie I do no wronge to no Christian frēd for the I take nothing from him of the which is his I mean of the which I owe him in true spiritual loue in the same sort the loue natural is not deminished by the christiā amitie but is made more firme spiritual as the Christiā Father louing better his owne sonne then an other childe forgetts not for all that to expresse effectes of Christian amitie to the other So that by this loue parents kindred and Christian neighbours may loue one an other with greater loue and yet do no wronge to others touching the zeale which they ought to beare them as we sée by the comparison of the fier where in is resembled charitie and perfect Christian loue which béegins first to heat and burne those thinges that are presented nearest to it I will not hold for all this that in case of election of a magistrate friendship is to be expressed for that there perticuler amitie shoulde giue place to publike friendship as where is more neede of vertue veritie and iustice then of singuler loue onely for as vertue being deuine is and ought to to be preferred afore all humaine affections So he in whome is most reputation of wisdome learning ' integritie iustice although he stand to vs neyther in parentage nor kindred yet for the friendship we beare to the publike or common weale ought to haue our voyce to the state of magistrate And in case of iudgment the father being iudge ought not to be partiall to his childe his kinsman his frend nor dearest familiar For there perticuler friendship giuing place to publike regarde hath no respect to affectiō but to reason right and iustice And séeing as hath ben sayde that amitie aswell naturall as ciuill ought to be ruled by christian frendship and that directed according to the will and comaundement of God with whome sinne is condemned and detested we ought to beare to our frend no percialitie of fauor support nor councell to the hurt or dishonor of an other much lesse obey his fancie plesure or will so far furth as it may bring detriment to the estate of his soule we must not flatter him to the ende to please him in any thing dishonest or vniust much lese heare or incline to him in any thing against God or the puritie of our conscience which we are bound to kéepe altogether to God The gréeke prouerb is the we ought to loue one an other euen to the alter the is so far forth as God be not offended eyther by othe or other vice no who maketh a lie to further the benefit of his frend yea or to fauor his owne life offends God what interest soeuer it bear to father or mother magistrate Kinge or Emperour ¶ How a common weale is gouernened and wherein it erreth Chapter iiij IN al estates in their particular function discharge
in which I am bolde to repose much for the protection of this my small labour and therwithall according to my long profession I humbly dedicate my selfe and seruice to your Honour on whom J doubt not but God will suffer still to attend that good Aungell which hee appointed to bee the guide of Tobias and to accomplishe all his vertuouse and iust desires At my chamber in the Blacke Friers this xvj of May. 1574. Your Honours in assured and faythfull seruice Geffray Fenton ¶ A Table of the particular Chapters thorow the whole treatise The first Booke WHat is first requisit in the well gouerning of a common weale how Ciuill pollecie ought to be conformable to the celestiall gouernement what good commeth of good pollecie what maner of gouernors and iudges ought to be chosen to direct publike estates Chap. 1. fol. 1. ¶ What gouernours God hath chosen and how he hath declared them by miracles they ought all to be instructed at the entrey of the tabernacle why the great benefite comming of good Iudges and why god doth ordeine some wicked Chap. 2. fol. 6. ¶ Gouernours chosen according to GOD make present profe of their election to the profit of the common weale Let them know how to commaund and subiects how to obey the better to make their common weale florish as inferior members obey the more worthy Magistrates ought to be as Fathers the lawe must be inuiolable but specially one true amitie betwene the gouernour and the subiect Chap. 3. fol. 11. ¶ There be two principalities or pollecies which ought to be knit together in vnitie of frendship as the soule and the bodie without difference they ought to aide one another with perpetuall succours Chap. 4. fol. 16 ¶ The faultes of the Clergie ought to bee corrected gouernours ought aboue al things to prouide good Preachers that the rude and plaine sort may be taught in familiar doctrine All sortes ought to be constrained to be at the sermon such constraint is authorised by the scripture is both profitable to the cōmon weale and wholesome to such as are constrained Chap. 5. fol. 20. ¶ The wise worldlings now a dayes would not willingly haue sermōs as also certain pastors desire nothing lesse thē to preach laying the blame of the miserie of this time vppon Sermons Chap. 6. fol. 25 ¶ A refutation of such as hold that people are not bound to heare so many sermons wherefore are the Pastors if they feede not the flocke with the foode of the Scriptures Chap. 7. fol. 30 ¶ In how much good Phisitions are necessary to cōmon weales by so much such as be euill are hurtfull and daungerous who ought to be chosen Phisitions in a towne Chap. 8. fol. 35 ¶ Abuses hapning in the world by the supposed name of Phisitions Apothicaries and Chirurgions Chap. 9. fol. 42 ¶ God hath erected Phisicke and willeth that the Phisition bee honored Chap. 10. fol. 48 The second Booke JVdges and gouernours haue of God many seuere commaundements in the Scripture to exhibit iustice by rightfull lawes Chapter 1. fol. 52 ¶ Iudges are warned not to be credulous nor to iudge by reports to take heede of affections and not to iudge by perticular opinion c. Chap. 2. 62 ¶ In humane things Magistrates ought to followe the lawe naturall and in causes diuine the doctrine of faith and the loue of god c. Chap. 3. fol. 68. ¶ Men may vse the morall lawes of the old testament but not the ceremoniall and iudiciall applied to the times and maners of the Iewes which Iesus Christ also S Paul doth confirme these were natural therfore ought to be eternall c Cha. 4. fol. 72 ¶ The law naturall grounded vppon reason was two thousand yeres in vse without other ordenances sauing the Sabaoth and Circumcision c. Chap. 5. fol. 78 ¶ Gouernours ought to punish by death such as God condemnes to eternall and temporall death c. Chap. 6. fol. 83 ¶ Sinnes cōmitted against the second Table are worthy of death euen so deserue they eternall damnation c. Chap. 7. fol. 89 ¶ Diuerse punishments of whoredome according to the diuersitie of kyndes of the same sinne Chap. 8. fol 94 ¶ Continuance of the punishment of this sinne according to his other kindes Chap. 9. fol. 98 ¶ Theft was not punished in the law but by restitution of double treble and foure fold but now for iust causes it is punnished by death theft by necessitie in some sort excusable Chap. 10 fol. 102 ¶ There is a double lust or vrlawfull couetousnes forbidden vs c. Chap. 11. fol. 108 The third Booke ENumeration of sinnes wherof men make no conscience and are oftentimes in the condition of greeuous sinnes their qualitie and grauetie do vary c. Chap. 1. fol. 115 ¶ Flattery is declared very hurtful to commō weales families it makes young people rise into great pride c. Chap. 2. fol. 119 ¶ Let none glorifie himselfe but in his pouertie necessitie and affliction c. Chap. 3. fol. 123 ¶ Scoffers men of pleasant conceit pretending none other end but to encrease pleasure are rebukeable but more if their testing torne to the reproch of any so do they offend god Chap. 4. fo 129 ¶ Plaies which of themselues beare no vice are not disalowable in respect of their ends and lawfull causes vnlawfull games at Dice are causes of much euill Chap. 5. fol. 133 ¶ Daunces with their wanton songs at this day are vaine and vnchast Chap. 6. fol. 137 ¶ Minstrels are vnworthy of the state and fellowship of townes men as also puppet players c. Chap. 7 fol. 141. ¶ Idlenes is a vice most common bringing with it most other offences yet no conscience made of it Chap. 8 fol 147 ¶ The ritch sort haue more to trauell then the poore and in what such as labour in mind trauell more then the painfull laborer Chap. 9. fol. 152 ¶ Gouernours ought not to suffer any idle men in their common weales c Chap. 10. fol 156 ¶ In all creatures is seene a perpetual labour whet●●● in heauē in earth or in the sea c. Chap. 11. fol 161 ¶ There be diuers sortes of idle men some worke certain howers c. Chap 12. 1●5 ¶ Loy●e e●s accustomed to begge wil be applied to no other trade c. Chap. 13. fol. 169 The fourth Booke THe simple impotent and true needie poore we ought to hold in singular and deare care Chap. 1. fol. 172 ¶ Many haue giuen all that they haue to the poore to follow Iesus Christ in hope to be happie c. Chap. 2. fol. 176 ¶ Compassion ought chiefly to be showed to poore maydes for the infirmitie of the kind c. Chap. 3. fol. 180 ¶ Hospitalitie and almes in all times haue ben in singular estimation c. Chap 4. fol. 183 ¶ We must not feare that by giuing Almes wee shal be poore for God c Chap. 5. fo
185 ¶ Still touchinge the recommendation of hospitalitie and almes Chap. 6. fo 187 ¶ Generall and speciall recommendation for prisoners and that for debtes we ought not lightly to emprison one an other fo 189 The fifth Booke OF the institution of youth with a prayse of free schooles c. Chap. 1. fol. 191 ¶ What Principall and Regents ought to bee called to institute a Colledge c. Chap. 2 fol. 190 ¶ A continuance of the discourse of Colledges by other comparisons Chap. 3. fol. 193 ¶ Wisedom science vertue diligence and feruent zeale to their disciples are very necessary for scholemaisters Chap. 4. fol. 197 ¶ Instructions to know by the way of contrary oppositions by the comparisons of the other chapters the miseries hapning by lewde scholemaisters Chap. 5. fol. 202 ¶ Amplifications of the said comparisons touching wicked maisters c. Chap. 6. fol 206 ¶ Continuance of the sayd comparisons Chap. 7. fol. 211 ¶ Maisters ought to instruct their disciples c. Chap. 8. 214 ¶ A continuance of the prayse of science c. Chap. 9. fo 219 ¶ Examples of commodities which science bringeth to the learned c. Chap. 10. fol. 223 ¶ It is necessarie for many reasons that all schollers remayne in one Colledge Chap. 11. folio 227 ¶ In a Colledge or schoole there ought to be statutes authorised by the Vniuersities c. Chap. 12. fo 215 ¶ Refutation of the false iudgements of some proude worldlings touching the profession of schoole maisters Chap. 13. fol. 235 ¶ An exhortation to young children to studie Chap. 14. fol. 241 The sixt Booke OF the office of euery estate and first of the dutie of the husband to his wife Chap. 1. 247 ¶ A continuance of the matter of mariage and the dutie of c. Chap. 2. fo 255 ¶ Still touching the dutie of the wife Chap. 3. fol. 263 ¶ The office of fathers and mothers and the dutie of children Chapter 4 folio 273 Still touching the education of young children Chap. 5. fo 280 ¶ In what dutie children are bound to their fathers and mothers Chap. 6. fol. 289 ¶ The dutie of maisters towardes their seruaunts Cha. 7. 398 ¶ How men haue ben made noble and of their dutie towardes their subieetes or tenantes Chap. 8. fol. 307 ¶ The dutie of Aduocates or Councellors at law Cha. 9. 315 ¶ The dutie of Marchants Chap. 10. fo 321 ¶ How the Marchant may performe his lawfull trades gayne iustly his estate Chap. 11. fol. 328 The seuenth Booke AL other estates are comprehended in those that haue bene alreadie debated the explication of the qualities of personnes Chap. 1. fo 339 ¶ Still touching the qualities of persons Chap. 2. fol. 345 ¶ Of Christian amitie and how many sortes of friendship there be Chap. fo 350 ¶ How a common weale is gouerned and wherein it erreth Chap. 4. fol. 359 ¶ Councell of the remedies to cure and preserue common weales from miserie Chap. 5. fol. 366 ¶ How God some times punisheth a whole people for a secret sin c. Chapter 6. fol. 375 ¶ To remedie all euils the causes must be taken away the discretion and wisedome requisite thereunto Chapter 8. fol 440 ¶ Confutation of humaine philosophie touchinge the affaires of faith wherein and in things serious men ought not to decyde but according to the scripture Chap. 9. folio 345 FINIS ¶ What is first requisite in the well gouerning of a common weale howe Cyuil pollicie ought to be conformable to the celestiall gouernement what good commeth of good pollicie what maner of gouernours and Iudges ought to be chosen to direct publique states ❧ The first Chapter TO dyrect a true and Christian pollicie it is necessarie in the first consyderation that suche as are chéefe disposers of the same bée chosen accordyng to the wil and ordinaunce of God of whom in respect of their institution they are to bée fauoured assisted in their Counsels actions and gouernements as also for that all power rule belonging to him the administration therof dependeth likewise vpō him wherein he hath ordayned for vs in earth a forme to rule guide and gouerne this inferiour Hierarchie by the example of that supreme and celestiall estate of Angels and happy soules aboue in all good order and perfect pollecie So that by thimitation of the same it is requisite that we be directed by wise Magistrates who hauing power to commaunde may vse simplicitie in the measure and rate of their Aucthoritie and wée in our common life expressing an immoueable zeale to obedience may concurre with them and agrée altogether in one lawe and doctrine one wyll and iudgement And to be short the better to exercise one vniuersall and holy conuersation standing vppon puretie of affection and wyll with one true religion in God we must obserue one vnitie in Iustice one integritie of life and maners fulfillyng alwayes our duetie to our neighbour the better to prepare vs with communitie of heart voyce and example to loue and feare God and with one mouth to praise honour and serue him with redie obedience and humilitie to his commaundements together with sincere and mutuall Loue one to another expressed in Actes of perfect charitie And this as it is the marke and ende of the Lawe the Magistrate and Christian gouernement being directed according to the forme celestiall and example aboue So in it wée declare our selues to bee common members of one bodye for a common Weale is a bodye Ciuil so knit together with indissoluble vnitye in friendship that wée suffer one selfe zeale and affection and geue one common ayde and succour to all our affayres reléeuing euery perticular necessitye with one constant and perpetuall rate and measure of compassion in this sorte are wée reduced into one body pollitike and by this pollicie drawne into one Spirite as being but one in God led and guided by his Spirite inwardly and outwardly by wise gouernours euen as God hath planted in our naturall body members more soueraigne and perfect in nature to gouerne the others more inferiour the same being more deuinelye resembled in the celestiall Hierarchy where the Spirites indued with more grace and greater perfection haue by heauenly election power ouer the others To this ought to bée referred the example of electing gouernours to publike states as both cōcurring with the order of nature with whom things of most perfection beare most rule and also resembling the Supreame gouernement from whence Moyses had commaundement to drawe the plot of his terrestriall pollecie calling vnto him such as were most wise and perfect aboue others wherein God geueth him aduertisement by Iethro his Father in-law to prouide such gouernours by the counsell which hée giueth him in this sort Prouide saieth hée to bée Iudges ouer others wise men whom thou shalt chose amongst the people fearing God true and louers of trueth and such as hate Couetousnes of them make some Tribunes who may stand as generall Iudges ouer
a cōmendable property to minister cure to the Soules of their patientes afore they vndertake to Remoue the diseases of the body But such is the wretchednes of many that if the Phisition speake to them of God or of consideration to the reckoning weale of their conscience they subborne by and by an habilitye of health saying they are not yet so farre spent nor that the necessity of theyr sicknes requireth the aduise or comfort of the Preacher And as such pacientes desire to bring them into no fancye of death and much lesse to increase theyr fraile sorrow with heauye counsell so there bée also phisitions of so colde reuerence and taste to God that they wil not haue theyr pacients to feede of other dyet then pleasaunt Speach and if they haue béene whoremongers they dispose the time into discourses of wanton Ribaldry feeding their cares and eyes with the presence of fayre Damselles singing and playing of Instrumentes and so leade them with theyr Pastimes into the bottome of Hell where they ought with the féeling of theyr Pulses to sounde also the bottome of their Consciences and Salue theyr sicke mindes with perswasions to demaunde pardon of God for want of whiche it maye bée that they are drawne into those afflictions But when these wretched Sycke men are as it were at theyr laste and abandoned of theyr Phisytions then God is brought into theyr remembraunce when the Spirites being weake the Sences dissolued the hearing without vertue and the heart languishing to his laste hée hath no iudgement of that which is preached to him but what so euer stoode in his affection afore bee it good or ill hée retaynes it and the minde hauing no Capacitye to comprehende Doctrine is without regarde to call it selfe to account or correction whereby it happeneth by the Iustice of God according to Sainct Augustine that that almightye and terrible Iudge doeth punishe the Synner in the ende of his dayes because during his health and good disposition hee liued in negligence towardes God and neuer gathered the actions of his life into accounte It is saide that as in death men haue no remembrance of God so the feare of death and hell more then the loue of God makes men oftentimes confessing their sinnes for touching the will there is more daunger that sinne will leaue man then man renounce sinne So that by the waye of aduertisement let as well the Phisition as the patient bee warned heare to exhibite the dutye of Christians and not to grudge if I dooe exhorte them for that hauing in hande to wryte a Christian gouernement and Pollecye I can not without offence dissemble any thing whiche tendes to common dutye in thinges concerning God. Therefore I aduise the sicke man so soone as hée comprehendes the mocion and qualitye of his disease to bequeathe himselfe altogeather to God and consulte with his Soule For suche maye bée the furye and violent nature of his Sickenesse that what for debilitye of bodye or sorrowe of minde or other accident of infirmitye muche lesse that hée shall haue oportunitye to common with his Conscience but of the contrarye power shal be taken from him to discerne in what state hée standes It is not good that euerye one make a Custome and common recourse to Phisicke reducing the disposition of theyr Stomackes to a Pothicarye shoppe the same agréeing with the prescript of the best Phisitions of our tyme who aboue all thinges geue this generall counsayle that men dispose theyr lyues in sobryetye forbeare Excesse and not to become subiect to immoderate affections as to bee geuen to anger to heauines of heart and to the actes of vnchaste loue They must refraine from hurtful thinges as corrupt meates infected ayres vncleane places contagious sicknesses vsing moderate labours neuer eating without appetit nor drinking without a desyre to quenche thirste wherin if any by negligence do runne into excesse let him vse the contrarye as if hee haue offended his Stomacke with surfeite let him suffer fasting and correct crudelitye by spéedye concoction If hée haue ouerwearyed his Bodye with trauaile let him vse rest and as health is to bée preserued by thinges lyke so in all excesses the reméedy is to bée deriued by their contraries obseruing this perpetual medicine to absteine as nere as hée can from offending God who is the generall most often the special cause of al diseases Who so euer entreth into medicines let him doo it in necessity as the scripture teacheth vs forbeare phisicke till the extremity for which purpose it was ordeined of God of whom as wée are taught the phisitions are ministers raised for the sick and not for the sounde so Gallen is of opinion that all Phisicke bringes with it some dommage to the person And therfore not without cause the Greeke word calles a Droage or reméedy Pharmacum signifying properly Venim rather then a thing wholsome as if the Greekes would haue said that medicionable droages are as matters venemous to a man touching a nature well disposed so that it behoueth there bée in the body corruptions and humours infected afore you receiue Droages by the which the enemye of the sound and not corrupt nature may bée driuen out which otherwayes woulde haue murdered and deuoured the same nature Such as compare medicine and Phisicke to a bucke of foule cloathes meane that they are not to bée vsed but in necessity For as the Bucke serues no other turne but to cleanse the Cloathes when they are foule which also being often Buckt can not but waste and consume So the body suffereth the like effect by Phisick whose often medicines as a canker doo fréete and eate out the strength of youth and so cleanse vs of health that wee can not reache to olde Age. Bée sure to kéepe your breathing Bodies pure and cleane so shal you haue no neede of Purgation no more then your Linnen being neate hath neede to be put into the buck the same standing with the aduise example of most wise Phisitions with whome nothing is lesse familier then to apply phisick to them selues and nothing more intollerable then to ioyne theyr stomackes to the custome of medicines which we may conclude bring no fruite but when they are vsed by necessity Therfore let euery one tye him selfe to good Regiment to temperate labour to wholsome meates sound Ayre sweete water cleane Places But aboue al let him eschewe the sweete allurement to sinne And when wée offend God let our first cure stand in action of penaunce and after vse mearines of minde and not to gréeue for any thing that may happen as in déede the faithfull Christian ought neuer discend into sorrow but for his sinne but hath cause to reioyce in al aduersity sicknes yea and in death it selfe for that as S. Paul sayth in al these thinges is wrought the matter of his benefite and health as thinking that al the passions and tribulations of this fraile and humane life are
the dutie of the seruant to his master as he is not only bound to feare and honoure him as his lord but loue him as his head as in déede he is according to God so it is chieflie his office to ioyne to his seruice an effectioned francke and readye will euen as the member should serue his naturall head and as the sonne with a good hart should do seruice to his father his seruice must not be for the eye only or for manners sake as the saying is but with the consent of the hart vsing his absence and presence with one loyaltie in seruice as if he should serue God and that with out hipocresie or wicked affection for that God seing into the meaning of the hart abhoreth all corrupt will malice hipocrisie and sutteltie so that if he serue with these vertues fidelitie diligence hartie zeale or true loue with humilitie or obedience with out resistance or countermaund with consideration that what seruice he doth for his master ought to be profitable agreable and honest he serueth God for so doeth God lay out the estat and rate of his seruice which he ought to accomplish according to the vocation whervnto he hath called him referring the end of all to Gods honoure by faith and hope to please him and to obtaine in the end his last and eternal reward Therefor being thus instructed as S Paule teacheth him hée néed not care to be saued remayning still a bondman for in such estate he may pertake with the grace of saluation aswell as his master for that God as was euen nowe sayd regardes more the vertue then the persone Besides he is made fre by Iesus Christ from the seruitude of sinn and sathan which only seruitude is to be feared of the Christian and not the other which often times helpes to saluation where licentious libertie giues occasion to many of perpetual sentence here some philosopher might saye further for the bondman who seruing still not hauing where with to redéeme his libertie for that he ought to do to the end to serue God with more fréedome of mind liues a martir taking and suffering patiently his seruile condicion and praysing his creator in all trauel when he dieth in Iesus Christ they will folowe him for eternall rest and perpetuall recompence in heauen And so he shall so much the more glorifie God for that bondestate by how much he knoweth that by the prouidence and goodnes of heauen he hath béene preserued in it from infinit sinnes which with many others he had committed in fleshly libertie and receiued damnacion where now he hath hope to be saued in this estate Thus his seruile condition is made happie which with worldly men was holden wretched desperate here also we haue to vnderstand that God doeth a great grace to such as of their natures are seruants that is borne to serue and hauing neither iudgment nor authoritie nor meane to get power knowledge yet acknowleging themselues do follow their humble vocation in honest seruice and dutie But if they take it against their naturall inclination being a secrett motion of God touching the vocation their vsurped ambiciō and ouerwéening leades them into manie offences being causing to their damnation Touching hireling or yeare seruants their condicion is all one for the time they serue and dayly laborers for the dayes and space of their couenant are no lesse bound to serue then the slaue condemned to perpetuall seruice during his life And being subiect to the same lawes of discipline with the bond seruants they are also bound to the same fidelitie and simplicitie of heart in working by this generall commaundement of nature authorised by the scripture thou shalt not do to an other that thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe and by consequent thou shalt do to another as thou wouldest be done vnto and as thou wouldest doe for thy selfe louing an other as thy self and his goods as theine owne And as God hath cōmaunded the master to pay well his seruant and workman yea not to detaine the hier of the day laborer till the morning for it is the sweat of his bodie his life So seruants and workemen are enioyned by the same commaundement to trauell in simplicitie honestie and truth euen as they should trauell for them selues in their owne busines ¶ How men haue ben made noble and of their dutie towards their subiects or tenants Chapter viij WE haue discoursed vppon the authoritie of Magistrates touching their rule ouer common weales as Fathers Maisters and Lordes polletike hauing a lesson in the Scripture to entertaine their authoritie by true fatherly loue and care vnder the rule or Lordship of these may bee comprehended the regiment of gentlemen ouer their tenants hauing gotten their noblenes prorogatiues of honour iurisdiction in their landes by their vertues valiantnes and high enterprises euen as gouernours and Magistrates for the merit of their doctrine and knowledge haue worthely aspired to the regiment and gouernment of others Noble men and gentlemen are as speciall gouernours and Magistrates in their proper landes wherein they haue double office as both to gouerne by the lawe being perticuler iudges of their tenants and defend them by armes from the inuation of oppressors And as to gouernours and Magistrates belongeth vnder the Prince generall authoritie ouer all so these haue speciall iurisdiction vnder the same Prince for their perticuler gouernement And therefore are bound to gouerne their tenaunts not onely as masters vse their seruants but as fathers cherish their children with singuler loue and as the head with louing direction guides his members and being also as pastors and heards men ouer their peculiar people they are bound to no lesse affection care prouidence dutie then the shepheard to his flocke the head to his members and the Father to his deare children But if they fayle in their regiment or misleade their priuate charge as we haue shewed these for the vices of their generall gouernement to deserue a horrible sentence of God without grace fo gentlemen abusing their perticuler estate stand in hazerd of a terrible iudgement séeing as the mightie saith the wise man shall suffer cruell torments so stand they accomptable afore God for euery their perticular tenaunt touching ciuill gouernement and defence of them as the curate must answere for euery soule within his parishe And so the temporall Lord for temporall pollecie hath speciall gouernement ouer his landes so to guide his tenants as their conuersation be honest farre from quarrelles discordes do no mutuall wrong one to another nor iniurie to straungers to kéepe them from sutes or at least to accord their diffrences and cut of waye to processes and giuing no scope to controuersies to kéepe thē all in modestie and office and suffer no idlenes nor vagabondrie Lastly let him prosecute the obseruation of Gods commaundements and establish and follow the instructions and doctrine which the Curat or spiritual pastor