doe flowrish so slowlie This Prince did purge Granada Valenza Sainct Lucar and Cartagena and planted diverse Bishops seates ritchlie rented This Prince vvas after his death not onlie of Christians but even of Infidels so honoured that Halamar one of their Kings did yearlie sende an hundreth great Torches vvith numbers of his Friends to assist a commemoratiue Celebration vsed to bee yearlie of his Funerals Hee vvas so modest in acceptation of Honours vvhilst hee lived that vvhen the Barrons of his Kingdomes had resolved to erect some Statues to remaine as famous Ensignes of his glorious Victories hee vvould not suffer it to bee done saying it vvas to ascrybe to Man the honour vvhich is onelie due to the LORD of Hoastes For the fourth I vvill make mention of the Spanyards Predecessoures maternall Alphonso the fift King of Portugall vnder vvhom vvere discovered possessed and made open for Christian Traffique the Coasts of Aethiopia the Yles of Capo-verde Arguim Medera Sainct Thomas those of Terzere vpon the Coast of Africke Hee made conquest of Alcazar and Arzilla vvith their Territories After these hee did Knight fiue of his Sonnes for their great and hardie Adventures about these exploits and before their instalment of Cavallerie hee did publicklie in a Church oblish them by a Sacramentall Oath to hard points of pious Magnanimitie for giving their lyues if neede vvere for their Fayth their Honour their Countrey their Prince their Friends and all Oppressed This Prince vvas often heard to say that it importeth â—othing to the Common-wealth of Christendome vvhether this or 〈◊〉 Province vvere vnder the Dominion of Spayne or France or of Almaignie or anie others provyding all vvere good Christians For the fift I vvill say some-vvhat of Emanuell King of Portugall Alphonso the first did cleanse vvhole Portugall from the Moores Alphonso the fift as I haue sayde did vvarre against them in Afrik And this Emanuâ—ll did persecute them even to Asia and manage hote Warres against them vvith extraordinarie good fortune and is counted amongst the most nominate and glorious Kings that haue beene in anie Age who without removing his Person from Portugall did place the Trophees of his Victories in Africke Arabie Persia and the Indees and fill the Earth with the splendor of his Name Hee made him-selfe full Master of the Barbarian Occean and of the Indish Traffique hee over-threw diverse of their Kings and did over-run the Levant as the Stories show even to the Ports of China hee daunted the Aethiopians about the Cape of Bona-speranza hee built the Fortresses there called Sofala and Mozambi discovered and made Tributaries the noble Yles of Sainct Lorenzo Quiloia and Socotera fortified the Yle of Ormus and made the King Homager and Vassall of Portugall Hee planted a Colonie in Goa which at this day is esteemed one of the most opulent Cities of the Levant Hee tooke in Moluca and frequentlie assaulted Calicute hee did brooke the things left to him in Afrike and super-adjoyned there-to Safin and Azamor Hee bestowed one of the hundreths of all his Revenewes and the tenth part of the Tributes of his Conquests for plantation of the Fayth amongst them Hee sent learned Church-men to the King of Congo vvith vvhom hee vvas in friendship and procured the comming of the saide King his Sonne Brother and diverse Noble-men to Portugall vvhere they vvere taught and received to the Christian Fayth Hee sent Priests into Brasilia And briefe their Histories presume to equall this Prince to Salomon Of this Emanuell Charles the fift Emperour did marrie a Daughter of vvhome is descended the present King of Spayne Charles did follow the same Foot-steps of the Christian Ambition of his Predecessours against the Infidels Hee conquered the Kingdom of Peru where-fra hee brought into the Countreyes of Europe 〈◊〉 infinite Number of Golde and Silver vvhich did on the suddâ—e as yee will finde noted heere-after alter the Manners Estates and Traffiques of Merchandise vniversallie of all men Hee restored the King of Tunis and made him Vassall of the Crowne of Spaine Hee did employ mightie Forces at sundrie times against Solyman the great who did then gape most greedilie for to haue devoured Germanie But aboue all the memorie of him doeth rest most sacred for the longsome Toyles and Troubles endured by him and Worlds of Money which hee spent for the pacification of Christian Religion and reformation of the Church of Rome If this fatall and wretched Emulation and Iealousie of Neighbour-Princes had not made King Francis the first to oppose and marre him and if that same had not like-wise made the Pope his Cardinals and all the Prelates and Princes Catholicke of Germanie his Enemies fearing both the greatnesse the good naturall and sinceritie of this Prince of whose fraudelent and vnchristian proceedings with him the Historie of the Counsell of Trent published with-in these few Yeares hath the full and perfect Deduction Alwayes not-with-standing that hee was a rare King whose fame and credite is aboue Envy full of Royall Magnanimitie religious toward GOD and fortunate to Greatnesse a-like to whom there hath beene in these latter Ages if some yet surelie not manie Never-the-lesse I say even in him began to bee seene the markes of this Inclination of the Spanish Ambition to vniversalitie of Empyre in Europe the testimonie where-of was by his owne direction publicklie set vp vpon the Ports of such famous Cities as hee conquered as I my selfe haue seene vpon those of Naples and Milan that too superbe and glorious Superscription Carolus 5. Imperator ad colligenda regna dispersa plantaudam fidem Christianam à DEO destinatus Charles the fift Emperour destinated by GOD to collect together dispersed Kingdomes and to make plantation of the Christian Fayth I confesse indeede that hee in his time went about this designe of Vniversall Dominion by more laudable and Christian wayes than his Successours haue done since that is to say by seeking to curbe the Papall Tyrannie and to revnite the Church of GOD in one Fayth one Governament vnder one Civill Law and I warrand vnder one Prince if hee could And to giue him his due assuredlie hee hath had a most braue and heroicke minde like to that of Alexander the Great of whom sayeth Plutareh to his immortall fame Ni DEVS ille qui Alexandri huc animam demiserat eam praepopere revocasset haud scio an lex una cunctos homines regeret unumque jus veluti commune Lumen ad omnes pertineret O blessed Ambition of those braue Princes before mentionatedâ— now-a-dayes their Successours doe exhaust their Treasures their Wits their Forces to make desolate Christian States as is said and to destroy Christian People whilst their Predecessours did seeke vnder Heavens vnknowne to finde out Desarts vnpeopled or else plenished with Savages and haue reduced them to fruitfull Agriculture civill Policie and Christian Discipline O damnable and cursed Iealousie of Christian Kings and States which doe not permit thir Ambition to
vvas a braue Embleme for Kings vvhich Cyrus had of putting his foote vpon the midst of a hard and dry hyde vvhere-by he kept it close at earth for if he had set his foot vpoÌ„ the borders or extremities thereof the vvhole should haue revolted to note the Golden Rule of the Mid-way in Governament forbearing of Extremities and to shovv that Kingdoms are never sure to Princes vntill they be in the middest of the Hearts of their People and guarded round about vvith their Affections Your Majestie seeth hovv the example of David is a perspicuous Mirrour for Kings to looke vnto of vvhom vve reade 2. Sam. 7. When the king sate in his house and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies he said vnto Nathan the Prophet Beholde Idwell in a house of Cedar trees the Arke of God remaineth within the Curtaines Hee resolved to provide for building of the Lord's House Therefore can vvee not deny Sir that the Orient of Your Majesties Reigne doeth breake vp in just holy Actions in favours of the House of GOD by setting out a Navie against the mightie Enemies of Christian Peace and true Religion and by vvhom the over-throvv there-of hath bene so directly sought in these Your Majesties Kingdomes that numbers of vs yet liue vvho did see their proude Armada put even to the parts of our Countrey for that ende Your Majesties Intentions at Home to restore the Mayntaynance and Splendor of God's Worship doe argue the like zeale and vvho doubteth but God vvill grant to Your Majestie the same spirit of wisdome vvith David rightly to choose your tymes for offices of Peace offices of warres The prudence and happie successes of Actions doe consist in discret sure application of Circumstances With a little Tyme Patience your M. vvill get your good Subjects not only to contribute after your desires to the House of the Lord to the CoÌ„mon-wealth vvorks of Pietie but to doe it vvillingly as those Israelits did vnto David 1. Chron. 29. Then the people rejoyced for that they offered willingly because with a perfect heart they offered willinglie to the Lord. And David the king also rejoyced with great joye And then Sir their Sacrifices shall bee savorie vnto God vvhen they come not from Hearts dyed into Murmuration Grudge or Blacknesse like vnto the Swan vvhich for the same cause vvas anciently forbidden to bee sacrificed to the gods I doe most humbly recoÌ„mend these my Christian Endevours to your M. patronage protection If they be acceptable to your M. I hope they shall displease none of your faithful Subjects If they doe not fully correspond the judicious quicknesse of your M. great spirit it is not my fault my smal Vessell could hold no more The Lord vvho is the giver of all good thinges and vvho hath sovven into your M. Heart these Seedes of Royall Pietie and Vertue Hee may be pleased to nourish them vvith the daylie influence of His Grace vntill they grovv to that glorious and fruitfull Harvest vvhich they doe novv prognosticate and promise in their Spring That God vvho hath set your M. over a great and mightie People Hee may blesse your M. vvith the true vvisdome of Governament the trustinesse of faythfull Counsellers the vpright loue of your Subjects and a prosperous fortunate Reigne vnto the ende Your M. most humble faythfull and affectionate Subject and Serviture PETER HAY. TO THE READER COurteous Reader I speake to as manie as bee vpright Subjects of this Kingdome of which number I am sure there is not one to whome the principall scope of this Discourse will not bee gracious and plausible If some Passages doe perhaps displease it is for too narrow compting in your Particulars And if I haue toutched these points moderatelie and haue in them also my interesse equall with yours it doeth absolue mee from anie meaning to wrong you and sheweth that the acting hereof hath not beene intended for you or mee or for another but for the Common-wealth Wee haue spent our whole Yeares gone to our Private Studies Pleasures or Emolument without the meanest distraction by anie sort of Tyrannie or State-Calamitie Our dayes haue beene like vnto that jubilant age of the Romane Empyre vnder Augustus of whom sayeth the Poâ—t Ille meos errare boves ut cernis ipsum Ludere quae vellem calamo permisit agresti Ille erit ille mihi semper DEVS But now this Tyme doeth require vs to carrie publicke and not private Mynds which is the reason why I doe finde my selfe in this action pene thâ—m quam antea There is sayeth SALOMON a tyme for Peace and a tyme for Warre a tyme to gather and keepe and a tyme to cast away and GOD doeth these things that men should feare before Him The golden tyme of Peace and collection that wee haue enjoyed vnder our late King of blessed memorie hath so besotted our Myndes with Securitie that wee are even Ignorants of the ordinarie vicissitude of the World so farre that the verie first threatnings of change doe confound vs where as by the contrarie they should make vs turne to our GOD and feare before Him resolving to accept at His Hands patientlie and thankfullie after so long Prosperitie the Corrections for our sinnes proper to vs and in the nature of thinges common with vs to all People I haue presented before you in this Treatise as vpon a Board a summarie Portract of the estate of this tyme and of the dangers where-of wee are so much affrayde which if yee shall diligentlie contemplate it will helpe both your knowledge and your resolution As for some few particulars that for the first face may bee some-what disagreeable with you yee shall finde here also conjoyned with them their soveraigne remeadies and solaces If yee will but ascende a while with mee vpon this Stage to agitate the cause of your Prince your Countrey your Common-wealth and Religion when wee shall looke backe vpon the invincible couerage of our Predecessours against so manie mightie Nations for the standing of this Kingdome before they were Christians and that more than humane magnanimitie of the Heathen Codrus of Athens and others lyke to him the Bruti of Rome deciosque caput fatale voventes and these heroicke Decij how in sacred extasies of resolution they did devote and sacrifice their lyues for safetie of the States where-of they were members such speculations shall make vs ashamed of some of our discontentments and languishing amidst so great exigence and appearance of publicke distresses I know there is no generose spirit but will bee much delighted with this subject nor anie wise-hearted man who will not esteeme it a vertuous and laudable part to bee fore-seeing of so capitall dangers With-in these three or foure Yeares the Palatinate did lesse dread the Spanyard than wee doe now Tum tua res agitur paries dum proximus ardet If wee doe feare the LORD obey our
Dominions The second thing to bee observed by the former Discourse is the prowde Designe and large Extent of the Spanish Ambition when this King of whom I treat Philip the second durst together and at once adventure to set him-selfe a-worke for the purchase of Portugall France the Netherlands England and Scotland who should doubt or call it in question that by length of Tyme they intende not to subjugate the whole Estates of Christendome Wee finde it written by them-selues that when hee was about the taking in of Portugall being demanded by one of his greatest Favourites what was the reason why hee did neglect his thinges of East India and suffer Friezland and so manie good Townes to bee invaded and possessed of Heretickes his Enemies and all to maintaine the League and Civill Warres in France Where-vnto hee aunswered That those might bee forgotten for a tyme because the setling of Portugall did import no lesse to him than the securitie of his whole Empyre which once done hee would easilie make all those his Neighbours to become his Homagers and Tributaries yea it was the common Theame of Discourse amongst his Captaines and Souldiours both in Italie Flanders and France or where ever they were That since Portugall was now theirs that France and England could not escape them And more which is a publicke Testimonie the Wryters of the Spanish Storie affirme thus farre That if it had not beene that the saide King Philip had resolved before anie thing to brydle Portugall hee should haue before then sufficientlie daunted France and haue put strong Armies in England Farther the Extent of this Ambition of Spayne is clearlie seene by their Authoritie vsurped over the Consistorie of Rome where they haue made them-selues perpetuall Dictators which is one of the surest Fundaments of the encrease of their Grandour now-a-dayes that Consistorie being as the Alembicke where-in are fyned all the Counsels Projects and Designes of Christendome and the Pope arrogating to him power at his pleasure to excommunicate and consequentlie depose Christian Princes and to transferre the Succession of their Crowns where-of onlie the Riches must belong to that Catholicke King as of England and Yreland to Philip the second by Pius Quintus who did excommunicate Queene Elizabeth of â—England and of Navarre to his Predecessours by the same Title of beeing Heyre and Successour to excommunicate Princes keeping still in their owne hand the raygnes of the Papall Election and invading of their Patrimonies as that of Sicilie and being in effect Popes them-selues governing at their will the Church Rents thorow-out their Kingdomes exacting a verie great part vniversallie of all for their owne vse The third point of Observation vpon the preceeding Discourse is the Iusidiation and Latent Attempts of this Ambition by godlesse Perfidies and Treacherie where no Fayth is kept nor Conscience nor Religion nor Humanitie nor Vereâ—unditie where Neighbour-Princes cannot brooke their lyues by reason of the excessiue Rewards and Honours promitted to trayterous Executioners of Claudestine Murthers What shall I say of Enemie Princes no I say of what-so-ever persons publicke or private suspected Enemies to their prowde Tyrannie sparing neither Papist nor Protestant Pope nor Cardinall Bishop nor Priest nor nearest Kinsfolkes nor their most faithfull Counsellers or most fortunate Generals if they but once vpon the lightest Occasion become jealous of them no not their owne Children when their blood may bring the smallest accession vnto the strength of that diabolicke Ambition they doe murther poyson embotch and bewitch at their pleasure So that this same Philip of whom I speake hee caused to bee made away in his tyme as Wryters haue observed more than 200 nominablie recorded in diverse Histories whereof I will remember but seaven of the most abominable Paricidies I will call them all so ever heard of and yet best knowne King Henrie the third of France a Christian Prince of equall qualitie with him-selfe to whome hee was bound by that Fraternitie and by the vnion of one Fayth besydes some degrees of Blood yet it is well knowne that hee did contryue the death of this King as truelie as hee did plot the League against him Pope Sextus the fift whome hee professed to bee Head of the Church and his holie Father because that Pope fearing the Spanish Tyrannie if his Conquest of France had proved good hee did favour the said Henrie the third in his last Distresses Philip made him away by Poyson a thing so well vnderstood that they haue it for a common speach yet at Rome which I haue heard with mine eares That if a Pope doe enter without the approbation of Spaine hee will goe the way of Sextus the fift Hee did betray to the Eyes of the World Don Sebestian King of Portugall his Cousin Alexander Farnesse Duke of Parma his Kins-man and Generall in Flanders that valiant and renowned Captaine who had done him so great Services immediatelie after the misfortune of his Armada set out for England 1588. which hee did impute to the slownesse of the saide Duke hee fell into a lingering Disease and died by Poyson ministred from Philip the World doeth know it Don Bartholomew Carenzae Arch-Bishop of Toledo who had beene the Preceptor and Father of his owne Youth-head as Seneca to Nero because hee would not publicklie maintaine his Title to the Crowne of Portugall hee also did dispatch him His Brother Don Iohn de Austria whose great and ambitious spirit hee began to suspect hee was stricken with the Plague of Pestilence immediatelie after the receit of a Letter from Spaine whilst there was no Post in the Countreyes about and where-of hee died But aboue all that most deplorable and nefarious Paricidie publicklie committed avowed by himselfe authorised by the Church the murthering of Prince Charles his owne eldest Sonne Hee did price the life of Don Antonio at 100000 Crownes and of Elizabeth Queene of England and of the late Prince of Orange at as-much a-piece Hee was not ashamed to receiue certaine Townes from the King of Moroco vpon Bargaine to betray as hee did Don Sebestian King of Portugall his Cosin nor to render vnto those Infidels Arzilla which his Predecessours had noblie conquered vpon condition they should not furnish in preste to Don Antonio 200000 Crownes as they had promised to doe at the Intercession of the saide Queene of England These are not mine Assertions but taken and collected from Spanish Wryters Of all the fore-sayde Perpetrations the killing of his Sonne Prince Charles being in it selfe most fearfull and execrable of the whole it is also most clearlie verified not onlie by the Histories of Neighbour-Countreyes as by the French recordes of Majerne of Matthew of Paris of Thuanus but so stood to by the Church of Rome that into that deede they doe place the Triumph and Glorie of the Pietie of the saide King advancing his Fayth aboue that of Abraham who did onelie offer to sacrifice his Sonne and comparing
him to GOD Him-selfe witnessed by Hieronimus Catena wryting vpon the life of Popius Quintus the which Pope by a publicke Panegyricke did celebrate the praises of the sayde Philip for that fact saying E cosa multo notabile stupenda ch' el re facesse sacrificio d'ella carne sua del suo sangue à DIO dicendo che ' non come Abrahamo ma come DIO stesso Propter salutem Ecclesiae non pepercit vnico filio That is to say It is a thing most notable and admirable that this King did sacrifice vnto GOD his owne Flesh and his owne Blood for nought like vnto Abraham but like vnto GOD Himselfe for the safetie of the Church hee would not spare his onlie begotten Sonne Farther it is affirmed by the English Wryters namelie Sir Francis Hastings in his Watch-Word to Queene Elizabeth against the Spanish Insidiation that the same Philip did by his Agents the Count of Fuentes then Generall in the Low-Countreyes and Secretarie Ibarra induce Doctor Lopez a Iewish Physician at London for fiftie thousand Crownes to poyson Queene Elizabeth which he him-selfe vpon his triall did confesse and two others Manoel Lois and Stephen Ferraires did depone and all three suffered Death for it as the processe criminall led against them and yet extant will verifie What shall I say vpon this fearfull kinde of Policie Ah for pitie Quid non mortalia pectora cogit regâ—andi dira libido What is that so odious which the loue of domination will not perswade the ambitious heart to perpetrate The publicke crueltie of the Inquisition on the one part and the covert Crueltie of Ambushes practised by the King and his Iesuites on the other part seeme to bee a chiefe Misterie of this Ambition as two Arch-pillars which doe for the time sustent the great Spheare of their Empyre and the wicked Source where-fra haue flowed so manie Chastels Clements Ravillacks Babingtons Fauxes Garnets c. as haue beene Actors of the wofull Assassinates Sorceries Pests Powder Treasons Poysons c. that haue surprysed the liues of so manie anointed Kings and others of lawfull Authoritie and doe still lye in waite for the like Executions against those who are present or to come heere-after And heere is a Case to bee lamented eternallie that those Parricidies committed now in Spayne after the manner of the Mahumetane Superstition not as Crymes to bee repented but as Religious Traditions and Deeds of great Merite when the life of one Man or a few Men if it were of our Brethren or Children are taken and sacrificed for preservation of the publicke Tranquillitie both of Church and State chiefelie in great and Monarchicall Kingdomes where Religion doeth shoot out with a growing and flowrishing Empyre Alace is not this the Fyre of Moloch and the sacrificing of our Children to those bloodie and savage Gods This is a Fascination and stupiditie of the Mynde in the highest Degree And heere it is where that powerfull Circe of Superstition hath transformed those Kings reallie into Beastes that wittinglie and willinglie they haue cast off both Sence and as it were Shape of Humanitie that the greatest Vlysses of the World is not able by anie Oratorie to reclaime them In the meane-time it is a Case that doeth admonish Neighbour-Princes to bee of constant Pietie and Devotion towards GOD and their Domesticke Servants to bee vigilant and studious for the avoyding of that kinde of claudestine Dangers And O what great cause wee haue to render thankes to the MOST HIGH for that that our late Soveraigne of blessed memorie did escape the Insidiation and bloodie Knyfe of such Butchers hee who was the most conspicuous Marke whereat they did shoot and of whom their curious casters of Horosâ—ops and malignant Astrologues did so often prognosticate that his ende should not bee peaceable Fourthlie wee are to weigh the Strength and Soliditie of this great and growing Empyre to see if wee can explore should not furnish in preste to Don Antonio 200000 Crownes as they had promised to doe at the Intercession of the saide Queene of England These are not mine Assertions but taken and collected from Spanish Wryters Of all the fore-sayde Perpetrations the killing of his Sonne Prince Charles being in it selfe most fearfull and execrable of the whole it is also most clearlie verified not onlie by the Histories of Neighbour-Countreyes as by the French recordes of Majerne of Matthew of Paris of Thuanus but so stood to by the Church of Rome that into that deede they doe place the Triumph and Glorie of the Pietie of the saide King advancing his Fayth aboue that of Abraham who did onelie offer to sacrifice his Sonne and comparing him to GOD Him-selfe witnessed by Hieronimus Catena wryting vpon the life of Popius Quintus the which Pope by a publicke Panegyricke did celebrate the praises of the sayde Philip for that fact saying E cosa multo notabile stupenda ch' el re facesse sacrificio d'ella carne sua del suo sangue à DIO dicendo che ' non come Abrahamo mâ— come DIO stesso Propter salutem Ecclesiae non pepercit vnico filio That is to say It is a thing most notable and admirable that this King did sacrifice vnto GOD his owne Flesh and his owne Blood for nought like vnto Abraham but like vnto GOD Himselfe for the safetie of the Church hee would not spare his onlie begotten Sonne Farther it is affirmed by the English Wryters namelie Sir Francis Hastings in his Watch-Word to Queene Elizabeth against the Spanish Insidiation that the same Philip did by his Agents the Count of Fuentes then Generall in the Low-Countreyes and Secretarie Ibarra induce Doctor Lopez a Iewish Physician at London for fiftie thousand Crownes to poyson Queene Elizabeth which he him-selfe vpon his triall did confesse and two others Manoel Lois and Stephen Ferraires did depone and all three suffered Death for it as the processe criminall led against them and yet extant will verifie What shall I say vpon this fearfull kinde of Policie Ah for pitie Quid non mortalia pectora cogit regnandi dira libido What is that so odious which the loue of domination will not perswade the ambitious heart to perpetrate The publicke crueltie of the Inquisition on the one part and the covert Crueltie of Ambushes practised by the King and his Iesuites on the other part seeme to bee a chiefe Misterie of this Ambition as two Arch-pillars which doe for the time sustent the great Spheare of their Empyre and the wicked Source where-fra haue flowed so manie Chastels Clements Ravillacks Babingtons Fauxes Garnets c. as haue beene Actors of the wofull Assassinates Sorceries Pests Powder Treasons Poysons c. that haue surprysed the liues of so manie anointed Kings and others of lawfull Authoritie and doe still lye in waite for the like Executions against those who are present or to come heere-after And heere is a Case
to bee lamented eternallie that those Parricidies committed now in Spayne after the manner of the Mahumetane Superstition not as Crymes to bee repented but as Religious Traditions and Deeds of great Merite when the life of one Man or a few Men if it were of our Brethren or Children are taken and sacrificed for preservation of the publicke Tranquillitie both of Church and State chiefelie in great and Monarchicall Kingdomes where Religion doeth shoot out with a growing and flowrishing Empyre Alace is not this the Fyre of Moloch and the sacrificing of our Children to those bloodie and savage Gods This is a Fascination and stupiditie of the Mynde in the highest Degree And heere it is where that powerfull Circe of Superstition hath transformed those Kings reallie into Beastes that wittinglie and willinglie they haue cast off both Sence and as it were Shape of Humanitie that the greatest Vlysses of the World is not able by anie Oratorie to reclaime them In the meane-time it is a Case that doeth admonish Neighbour-Princes to bee of constant Pietie and Devotion towards GOD and their Domesticke Servants to bee vigilant and studious for the avoyding of that kinde of claudestine Dangers And O what great cause wee haue to render thankes to the MOST HIGH for that that our late Soveraigne of blessed memorie did escape the Insidiation and bloodie Knyfe of such Butchers hee who was the most conspicuous Marke whereat they did shoot and of whom their curious casters of Horosâ—ops and malignant Astrologues did so often prognosticate that his ende should not bee peaceable Fourthlle wee are to weigh the Strength and Soliditie of this great and growing Empyre to see if wee can explore and finde out anie Weaknesse Breach or Advantage to bee gained since they are our Capitall and mightie Enemies of whom it is not likelie that long wee shall bee fred Al-be-it it be true that it is not so much governed by the Sword as by Graue and Sage Councell which is never a whit diverted from their Plots and Purposes by the death of anie King where-in standeth no Question a chiefe point of the Firmnesse and Perpetuitie thereof Yet it cannot bee denyed that for aboundance of Money for militarie Discipline and for great numbers of good Souldiours which three bee as the Nerves Veines and grosse Bodie of the Warres they too farre exceede their Neighbours Alwayes for the first I say that the light of Reason sheweth mee that the greater Fortitude doeth aye consist in the greater Vnion Vis vnita fortior There is no perfect Strength but in GOD because there is nothing meerelie and simplie Vnike but GOD The Strength of Nature dependeth from her Compaction Vnion and Sympathie of her well-conjoyned Members This made Augustus to abandone and neglect the Longinque Provinces beyond Caucasus and Taurus and here in Great Britane by mayntaynance where-of they did receiue greater domage than could bee countervalued by anie Benefit to bee had there-fra in time of Peace saying that as there were two Defaultes that made the naturall Bodie imperfect that which was too small and vnder a proportion naturall and againe that which was aboue too big superstuous and vnwealdie called by the Physitions Plethera and Endeiat Even so it was in the Civill Bodie of the State and there-fore did hee recommend to his Successor the Limitation of the Empyre vnited and consolidated within the Marches of Euphrates Danubius and the Westerne Occean forbearing to haue more care of the most remote and disjoynted Provinces which did not other but teach the Discipline militare to barbarous Nations who were ignorant of it Where-vpon sayeth Tacitus Longa oblivio Britanniae etiam in pace consilium id Augustus vocavit maxime Tiberius Henrie King of Castile who died Anno 1217 without Children having two Sisters of whom the elder had beene married to Lewes the eight of France the youngest to Alphonsus King of Leon in Spaine The Castilians by publicke Parliament did declare the youngest to the Crowne of Castile albeit against their Law yet convenient in the nature of things sayde they seeing Castile and Leon were Cosines and easilie did incorporate they had one Language and Manners nothing different where-as France was naturallie divided from them by the Mounts Pirenees of diverse Languages and discrepant Manners thinges difficill to bee vnited vnder one King Of Examples of this kynde the Histories bee full of Princes and States who stryving to possesse thinges farre removed and dis-joyned from them and disconvenient in Nature albeit their Titles to them were just yet after manie yeares enjoying of theÌ„ with much Warre Trouble they haue bene in end forced to quite them being things altogether improfitable aâ— the English of Aquitane and Guyen the French of Naples the Venetians of Pisa and some Territories of Genua the Germane Emperour of some Cities in Italie of all which they haue nothing this day but the Burials of their Predecessours in which respect to returne to the purpose I may say of the Spanyard that it is not all Gold that glistereth his great Empyre is patched of things dismembred discommodious and disconvenient in Nature hee hath Navarre divided by the Pirenees in part and naturallie incorporate to the mightie Kingdome of France hee hath Milan divided by the Alpes Naples by both those and by the Apemmie too and both but members of the bodie of Italie Flaunders separated by interjection of France and Switzerland the Indees by the great Occean that if wee shall consider all the mightiest Monarkes wee shall finde none so weake and obnoxious in that behalfe so farre that it is more easie for France England Holland and Denmarke to put into Spaine 50000 Souldiours than for Spaine it selfe to transport thither from their owne Provinces 20000. Againe Kings are set aboue their People as the Sunne aboue the Earth and Seas who draweth vp the Moistures where-with hee doeth partlie feed his owne Flames and partlie converteth them in Raines to refresh the Seas and nowrish the Earth yet it is thought that hee beholdeth his Provinces often-times as Clowds without Raine hee draweth nothing from them but glorious and airie Titles of Ambition yea hee must goe search the Bellie of the Earth vnder another Hemispheare to sucke the Vapours that must entertaine them for if it were not by his Treasures of the Indees it is judged that hee were not able to brooke them The yeare of their last Pacification with Holland I did heare into Brusels by some of his entire Counsellours that since the first entrie of those VVarres hee had spended of his proper Fiances aboue the Rents of Flaunders 60 Millions I did heare about that same tyme at Naples and Milan by those of good intelligence in his Affaires that his whole Revenewes there were morgadged and that hee was greatlie indebted aboue and that hee was often-tymes so scarced of Moneyes that at Antwerpe Genuâ— and other Bankes hee did pay more than
that the Lyne of the Circumference goe about to cloze at the Point where-at it did begin this also is sensible true The beginning of Things was the Incarnate Word as sayeth Sainct Iohn In principiâ— erat verbum not the beginning Mosaicke which was but Principium principiatum the beginning of Tyme but Principium principiaus the beginnining that did begin all things Ex quo iu quo per quam omnia So CHRIST being the Beginning and as we know Man the last created of all things and hindmost made of GOD the Circular Lyne of Nature could never bee concluded vntill the First Point was joyned with the Last that the Beginning should be the Ende and the Ende the Beginning one Point both Alpha and Omega the Sonne of GOD who was the First conjoyned with Man who was the Last GOD becomming Man and Man becomming GOD did in the fulnesse of Tyme cloze this Circle in beeing the Holie and Perfect second Tenth of all thâ— Creatures now renewed and by descending and returning through these Ten Degrees which made Rabb Mos. Hardasan in mysterious Words to say of CHRIST whilst hee wryteth vpon Genesis and citeth this Text of David Psal. 50 Ostendam tibi salutare DEI. This is a Scripture sayeth hee of great weight and importance that the Salvation of Israel is the Salvation of GOD that is to say The preservation and perfection of His Works for GOD Himselfe shall bee the pryce and payment of His owne Redemption Vt qui non nihil frumenti ex seâ—onda decima reliquum habet id redemit as hee who had resting some Corne of his second Tythe hee did redeeme it This First and Second Tythe are even as that beginning Mosaicke and that of Sainct Iohn Principians principiatum CHRIST being the First Tythe predestinate in the Eternall Counsell of GOD and Man the second began with the beginning of Tyme where-of CHRIST issuing of Man according to His Humanitie is sayde by him to bee that Rest of that Second Tythe reserved by GOD for the Perfection and Glorification of whole Nature by the Pryce of his Precious Blood By those it seemeth that GOD who as the Scripture sayeth Omnia suaviter disponit Hee disposeth all things sweethe And as another sayeth Et mirabiliteâ— disponit adeo ut aliquid semper nisit humano captu majus Hee also disposeth them miraculouslie that still there is somewhat beyonde the Horizâ—n of humane sight It seemeth I say that GOD hath chozen that Portion of ouâ— Goods due to His Worship and Service to bee of that Perfect Number of the Perfect and Consummated Sacrifice of CHRIST into the full Quotient and Continent of Nature and that withall Hee hath respected the Number of People who were to liue vpon the Tenthes as Bellarmine doeth reason to prooue Tythes not Ceremoniall but Iudiciall De Clericis Lib. 1. Cap. 25. Nam non ordinantur immediate ad colendum DEVM sed ad aequitatem inter homines Hee sayeth That Tythes were commanded to bee payed to Levie because hee was about the tenth part of the People that there might bee a Proportion betweene his Estate and the rest Thus haue I broght in a â—iversitie of Opinions coÌ„cerning Tythes some holding theÌ„ onlie Iudiciall to the Iewes others that they belong to GOD by way of Alms but not to the Church Others that they appertaine to the Church but by Positiue Lawes of Princes others that they are so by the Law of Nature finallie some inclined to follow this Remote Naturall Theologie affirme that by all these Titles they are to the Church as Franciscus Iunius 〈◊〉 omni jure post omnem hominum memoriam DEO fuerunt sacrae For what lesse can omni jure import than a Law as well stamped naturallie in the Consciences of Men as approoved by Positiue Lawes of Princes and warranded by the Written Word of GOD But hitherto can I finde none to say that Tythes are Temporall or Civill Goods scarcelie wee who doe possesse them for why wee holde that whatsoever wee bestow to Mendicant poore People to necessitous Friends or Neighbours for Mayutaynance of the Ministrie or Schooles of Learning all that hath allowance for Tythes in the sight of GOD neither are wee oblished nor can bee to sustaine the Poore by anie Law other than by that of Tenthes this I doe hold albeit Ambitious Men to abuse the World with faire Colours will perhaps holde the contrarie But I doe not doubt but this New Reason which I doe put in from the Mysterie of the Number will bee thought of manie a â—apritâ—h or Raveriâ— of a Phantasticke Braine In the meane time if wee would possesse them still wee haue neede of some New Doctrine vnheard of for to qualifie our Possession and purge it from the Sacriledge seeing our owne Teachers whose other Opinions in everie thing numbers of vs do superstitiouslie follow and adore they doe affirme vs to bee Sacrilegious in this Point I meane Puritane Preachers and their Sectators It is of notable Observation to consider howe throughout this whole Yle there haue ever beene Opponents to Episcopall Governament and Rents two sorts I may say of Factious Men The Clergie factious and the Laicie factious The Clergie Factious haue striven for it That all the Church Patrimonie appertayneth vnto them their Presbyteries and Disposition And this Ground they haue so hardlie mayntayned that in a Supplication given in to a Parliament in England in Name of the Commonnalitie Anno 1585 they set it downe for an Article of Doctrine That all Abbay Lands once dedicated for sacred vses should by the Word of GOD remayne in that Condition for ever and may not bee taken backe Their Disciples agayne the Laycie Factious say That their Preachers ought to conforme themselues to the Mayntaynance of the Apostles who had no Silver nor Goldâ— nor Possessions nor Tythes nor Rents Wherevnto their Teachers doe aunswere That that is as much as who would say to the base popular That Noble-men haue more than their part in the World which they spend vpon Horses Halks Dogs Ryot of Lyfe whiles their Tâ—nnands doe sterue for Famine That in the Apostles tymes Men had all things in common Moneyes and Meanes were layde at their Feet and equallie distributed by them and that such Insolence and Wealth of Noble-men vvill but spoyle Pietie and Zeale if they be not reformed according to the Apostolicke tymes no Man can deny But this Proposition is as resonable as the other albeit both should bee but an Anabaptisticall Practise Alwayes out of a Treatise written by English Arch-Puritanes of Discipline Ecclesiasticke these haue I extracted ad verbum Whyles they meaning their owne Disciples beare vs speake agaynst Bishops and Cathedrall Churches it tickleth their Ears looking for the lyke Prey as they had before of Monasteries yea they haue alreadie devoured the Church Inheritance they care not for Religion they would crucifie CHRIST to haue His Garmentes they
are Cormorants and wicked Dionysians they doe yearne after the Prey and would there-by to their vtter confusion purchase a Fielde of Blood they consume their Goods with Sacrilegious Impudence Boldnesse in Courtlie Braverie Herein any Man may see how the one sort of them doe vrge vs with the Church Policie which say they was vnder the Apostles Presbyterian but they would haue the Livings of our latter tymes The other sort concurre with them in Policie but vpon Condition That for Mayntaynance they will embrace the Apostolicke Povertie to the ende that they may enjoye the Church Patrimonie themselues Therefore may it not be justlie sayd to the Laycie Factious That they oght eyther to denude themselues of Ecclesiasticke Goods or provide themselues of other Teachers than such as daylie condemn theÌ„ to their Fact that they shold not be so shamelesse as to vtter one worde agaynst the present Governament of the Church or the RepetitioÌ„ of Tythes to the Church vntill they haue done eyther the one or the other lest otherwyse they bee despysed as Men vvho make some little show of Religion but haue none at all Now if anie Man doe hold sincerelie that Tythes are not due to GOD I am sure that he will yet grant that a Competent Portion vnder some other Number must be for the Worship of GOD and Works of Pietie And if the Retention of Tythes be Sacriledge there is a fearful Curse pronounced against it Malach. 3. A Curse of the Devourer Because sayth the LORD yee haue robbed my Tythes and left no Meat in my Store-house And is this the only Meat of Priests that is robbed heere No but this is also the Store-house of the People Non ex solo pane vivit homo sayeth the Spirit of GOD Man doeth not onely liue vpon Bread but on everie Word that doeth proceed from the Mouth of GOD. There must be into the House of GOD store of the Bread of Lyfe of that Heavenlie Manna which feedeth our Soules and this cannot be without sufficient Provision of Temporall Bread to the Preachers of the Word Labia Sacerdotis custodâ—â—nâ— legam DEI in pectore ejus conduntur or acula divina Certaynlie the Poverâ—ie of the Church doeth make a scarce vnlearned Ministerie Amongst the Persecutions of the Christian Religion recorded in Histories there are two most remarkable one vnder Dioâ—lesian another vnder Iulian called the Apostate The first of them did slay the Priests not the lesse wherof the Christian Fayth did so greatlie flowrish as it was thence forth sayd Sanguis Martyâ—◠〈◊〉 Ecclesiae The Blood of the Martyrs was the Semmarie of the Church But the second did supplant Religion in a more pitthie and pernicious sort albeit it was not bloodie he robbed the Church Revenewes where-thorow both Preaching and Christian Schooles did decay Occidere Presbyteros parum erat To slay the Priests it was a small thing which Dioclesian did compared with the insidious Opposition of Iulian Ipse enim occidit Presbyterium He cutted the Throat of the Presbytâ—riall Possession Wherethorow great Ignorance did shortlie after ensue for as Theodoreâ— wryteth Who would go to spend their Youth in the Studie of Theologie to haue no Mayntaynance in their Age And here vpon this faire Occasion I must remember the Neglect of that moste Royall and Necessarie Policie of Plantation of a Sufficient Ministerie Schooles of Learning and Burgall Societies in our Northerne Yles and Hie-Landes of Scotland for Exterminion of Berbaritie and Incorporation of that People to the Bodie of this Kingdome vvho for the present haue no Markes to bee Natiue Members there-of neyther by their Manners their Habite nor their Language the three speciall Evidences of Naturall Vnion For as for RELIGION that doeth moste vnite of anie thing I thinke they know none The Necessitie and Mayne Importance of this Policie is verie soone seene For in the Assurednesse and Strength of Borders doeth chiefelie consist the Suretie of a great State Agayne everie one knoweth howe there is not a better Meanes to reduce a People naturallie fierce and rebellions to Obedience than by infusing into the Heartes of them the Loue of Knowledge and of Civill Carriage vvhere-of vvee haue a most proper Example and most pertinent heere of the Romanes vvho by that kynde of Artes did goe about to breake and addouce the Bellicose Cowrage of our owne Predecessours in BRITANE as wee reade of AGRICOLA vvho vvas Generall heere of the Romane Legions vnder the Emperour DOMITIAN sayeth Taciâ—us I am vero Principum filios liberalibus artibus erudire ingenia BRITANNORUM studiis GALLORUM anteferre ut qui modo lingaam Roman abnuebaent eloquentiam concupiscerent â—ude etiam hâ—bitus nostri honor frequens togâ— paâ—latimque discessum ad delinimenta â— vitiorum porticus balnea conviviorum elegantiam idquâ— apud imperitâ—s humaâ—itas vocabatur cum pars servitutis esset The luchantment in some of the Romane Schooles then made the Britans 〈◊〉 despyse piece and piece their owne Manners and roughnesse of their owne Language and brought them to Admiration of the Romane Tongue and loue of their Apparrell and at length to Softnesse and Delicacie of Lyfe by which thinges they did for the tyme greatlie effeminate their Myndes That our Yles and Hie-Landes haue nowe great neede to bee tamed by the lyke Artes beeing a Dangerous Rebellious and Vncivill People it is verie easilie proved for our Scottish Historie is full of it That those Yles and Northerne partes haue not onelie beene Portes and Receptacles of Forraigne Armies invading our Countrey and a Sanctuarie for Domesticke Rebelles but the Lordes of the Yles haue manie tymes threatned the Crowne of SCOTLAND and haue foughten Bloodie and Desperate Battels for it VVe reade in our Historie that our King Findocus after hee had bene afflicted with the mightie Rebellions of Donaldus vvho styled himselfe King of the Yles hee was in ende murdered by his Insidiâ—tion and the King succeeding to him called also Donaldus vvas slayne by the same Man in open Battell after the vvhich he did vsurpe the Crowne of SCOTLAND and exercised most bloodie Tyrannies for the Extinction of the greatest part of the Nobilitie Againe vnder King Ethâ—inus another Donaldus of the Yles did so boldlie revolt that hee came vvith displayed Banners to the Countrie of GALLOWAY and all-to-gether spoyled it The thirde Donaldus of the Yles in the tyme of KING IAMES the first his beeing in ENGLAND hee did oppresse and subdue our vvhole Northerne partes yea even to the Honourable Citie of ABERDENE vvhich hee intended to destroy if he had not bene diverted and drawne to that famous Battell of HARâ—-LAW vvhere so manie Barones Knights Honourable Gentle-Men and Burgesses of best sort did lose their Lyues These serue for sufficient Documents to after-comming Princes for there is nought that hath beene vvhich may not come to passe agayne Tyme it selfe beeing but a Circulation of the same things These Examples did