Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	prince_n	queen_n	3,203	5	6.8163	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03850	The nobles or of nobilitye The original nature, dutyes, right, and Christian institucion thereof three bookes. Fyrste eloquentlye writte[n] in Latine by Lawrence Humfrey D. of Diuinity, and presidente of Magdaleine Colledge in Oxforde, late englished. Whereto for the readers commodititye [sic], and matters affinitye, is coupled the small treatyse of Philo a Iewe. By the same author out of the Greeke Latined, nowe also Englished. 1563.; Optimates. English	Humphrey, Laurence, 1525 or 6-1589.; Philo, of Alexandria. De nobilitate. English.	1563 (1563)	STC 13964; ESTC S104304	130,119	392

duties thereof That it may casely appeare by what vertues it is kyndeled by what vices quenched Truly thus I perswade my selfe Nobilitye is farre greater then manye conteyue of it And the callyng heauenly but hard The honour lightsome but the burthen heauye And to vaunt and professe him selfe others superiour and better of all others the moste massye charge Nor place I the honour of Nobilitye in those thynges whyche so the commen people honoureth hawkynge huntynge hastines mightye power vayne vauntes traynes of horse and seruauntes ryot myschyefes brauerye roystynge porte or great lyne For these are partly fonde partelye frayle partly filthye and abhominable But thys accompte I the surest sygne and token of Nobilitye howe muche men passe beastes so muche the Nobles to excell the rest and by all the degrees and stayers of vertue to clyme and scale the steepe ●lyeue of Nobilitye For so nor shall cowardry amate the chaungelynge courages nor stayne of lyfe clypse or blemyshe wyth infamye the bryghtnes of theyr byrth But they shall playnelye proue theym selues descended of that reuerende auncient and Goddishe race whyche for the excellencye of her vertue and manye merites of mankynde is deemed to haue had heauenlye byrth and glyded from the skyes and as the Sauiour and preseruer of mankynd is honoured with the tunges and pennes of all men These are the true prooues the Noblest Petygrees and surest oruamentes and armes of an auncient stocke To conclude I thus defyne it The hawtiest worthiest and honourablest Nobilitye is that whyche with the renoume and fame of auncestrye hath coupled excellent Chrystyan and farre spred vertue Whereby both ciuile societyes are maynteyned and the commen life of man supported Wherein the profitable bloomes of Vertue approoue theyr roote With these sparkes of true prayse and Vertue enflamed our Nobilitye striueth with it selfe And treadynge the steppes and pathes of her auncestoures fyndeth the entry open onely by two steaites Namely the commendation of Justice and religion By Justice the commen wealth is gouerned by religion the churche is sowdred Justice with ryght eye beholdeth eche cause with euen care listneth them wyth straighte foote wadeth to the indifferencye of ryghte with vncorrupte and vpryght heart trulye weigheth them Nor euer is spotted wyth dregges of couetyse or by ambicious lust of rule bearyng wryed from ryght iudgement The nursers of religion are Kynges and Princes Her nurses Queenes As heauenly teacheth the euangelicall prophete Esay But for euerye man can not hereto reache two aydes are requisite Fyrst wysedome and learnyng Where withoute what kingedome what state what Citye what household may stand Naye who maye limite him selfe lawes of lyfe eyther greenelye or nothing nousled in knoweledge of heauenly diuinity or humaine philosophy The truthe whereof the Paganes learne vs. Who seyng the vnlearned blundred as crowes in the mist confounding and disorderynge all thinges and contrarye wyse wysedome fyned by knowledge shoane and cleared all mystes aduysed to ioyne to them selues teachers or philosophers as guydes and moderatours of theyr whole lyues As Achilles Chyron Agamemnon Hector Hector Polidamas as witnesseth Homere And Vlisses we reade in the Odissees accompanied with Minerua entred and departed Cyclops caue dronke vnchaunted Circes cuppe herd but approched not the Syrenes temptynge songes trauayled to but abode not wyth the Lotophagi scaped vndrowned Silla People that feed onely on the tree Lotos to conclude sayled to hell but retourned safe What nede I mention Cicero Who ioyned to him Molo and many moe What Augustus Who had Athenodorus What Alexander Who had Aristoteles Sith it is euydente yea Tyrans had teachers Dionisius Plato Hiero of Siracuse Simonides Policrates Anacreon and Nero the monster of the whole earth held with him a while Seneca The other parte is the stomake and stoutenes of a hygh and hawtye courage For as learnyng sheweth howe iustly and godly to do so this refuseth no trauayle no peryll no torment runneth into fyer on weapons pointes ventreth and beareth with a pryncelye courage all hasards of life and limme rather then suffer the duties we haue reckened lye stayned or forsaken This iudge I most noble Queene the true vnfayned the bryghte and cleare not smoakye and shaded Nobilitye Whiche is iust louinge to religion and studious of learnyng And herewythal stout and wyth a royall readynes inflamed to action But O immortall God would we but in thought ouerrunne all realmes how fewe fynde we furnished with these vertues Naye rather howe many blemishd with contrary vices and mischieues Howe fewe Aristides in Justice Dauids or Josias in religion But howe manye tyrauntes oppressours brybe mongers and rauenours of the people Howe many fettred and lymed with supersticions or ignorant dysiemblers or persecutours of the trueth How few learned Maiestrates to whome notwithstandynge is credited power of lyfe and death To whom is permitted to draw vnsheath the sword of authority on al men To waste all as well holy as prophane with fyre and flame Howe many who not onely not guerdon learning and the learned but euen hate spyte and condemne them Howe fewe of them stoute warriours in Christes cause whom it behooued to haue bene his souldyours yea champions They who receyue of him all thinges yea more aboundantlye then the rest euen they for a matter of nothynge a goates fleese or an ashes shade for then heritaunce of a litle burroughe or lande what warres wage they not What hasards venter not Howe ofte spende they lyfe Howe ofte theyr bloud But the same for religion for defence of theyr heade scarse hasarde one fynger no not one farthynge Wherefore to suche ought this exhortacion worthelye profitablye and necessarilye be applyed to moue them to ioyne and purchase aunciente Noblesse to this theyr newe gentrye that all maye wyth one honest and commendable emulacion be enflamed to one selfe desyre and lyke contencion and stryfe towardes Vertue I accompte it truly my labour worthe that though grossely I attēpted to describe the ryghte pathe to Nobilitye Syth of it whatsoeuer eyther felicitye or calamitye is in our present state seemeth to issue But that my talke maye purchace better credyte and wynne greater authoritye I haue coupled to me as a companion and felow Theseus in my trauayle the excellent treatyse of Philo a Iewe. Whom playnely for the vse of studious noble young gentlemē I translated out of Greeke into Latyne That iointly with the knoweledge of the tounge they maye drynke godlynes Thus heare you most noble Queene what I treate You haue also heard what chyefelye moued me to it But though neyther to Englande nor our Nobilitye namelye my talke be referred but generallye the cause it selfe debated god helpyng to profyte al yet after the custome and wonte of wryters meante I to flye to some ones protectiō vnder shadow of whose defence I mought arrest my selfe And therfore chyefelye to you my Queene and pryncesse thought my selfe bounden to offer this symple sygnyfyeng of my obseruaunce and duetye

notwithstanding my garrison heedefufly garding the tombe the third day he arose Which so redoubled the rage of the Iewes the moneyeng my men they sought to bie their silence therein Which caused thē more and more to brute the rumour thereof which therfore I thought to certify you that you suffer not youre selfe to be misled by the missen forminges of the Iewes Thus fare ye wel A worthy fact not of Pilate only but al courtiers Nobles wherin he doubteth not onelye to professe what him selfe thought But also seemeth to endeuoure by heapinge his manye miracles to assaye to hale his emperour to the same fayth So must Nobles confesse so call leade allure by al meanes their princes to christian doctrine So confute reproue cōtrary ●ales and sclaunders And who other where in euery tryfle and matter of nothing are stout ouerflowe wyth ●tomake they much more here shoulde proue them selues Lions men yea noble men As Dauid also the noblest kynge who blushd not before kynges and princes to talke of Gods prayses As it is in the psalmes For this confession seemeth in them more commendable glorious then in any other Nor is there any cause why they should be ashamed trulye to professe chryst and freely from the bothomes of theyr hartes to protest his religion but rather such as they ought accompt most glorious Nor is it a shameful but an honorable profession Nor shal it ought decrease but encrease their estimacion if in perillous aduerse times they be accompted godly and Gospellers But then say they they must diuorce them selues from wealth and lyuinge nowe in honourable estate forth with resigne both honour richesse This heauy importable burthen of pouertye they thinke them selues vnable to beare But Christe though otherwise most riche rightfullest owner of all they possesse became for theym moste beggerlye And whereto lente he them the same but to spēd them selues and theyrs to renowme his glorye But farre is he beguiled who accompteth this christian profession crosse a losse It is the greatest gaine yea ryghtlye gaineful not damage O happye losse that rendreth hundred folde both here and hereafter So as for earthly ye receiue heauenly for fading lasting for vaine true vnpassable ioyes England at this day ministreth many presidents of gods prouidence Whereby it is manifest God hourdeth not hate nor is altogether vnmindefull of hys seruants but at length respecteth his and locketh vp for them the guerdon of their pacience confessiō Many great and noble men late exiles can I cite now worshipful gentlemen knightes lordes coūtesses duchesses wiues virgines of noblest house plentifullest possessions most worthy honourable rulers counsailours in their coūtrey who when after the wrack of al theyr wealth shonnyng the surges of that ●resēt storme they fledde to the church no Christyan congregation then dispersed in forreiue realmes as to a safest baye nowe the anger of the wrathful god appeased returnīg with calme sea and prosperous saile what loste they Who not onely are restored to theyr former authoritye but also raysed and preferred to hygher The virgine princesse Elizabeth moste famous for godlines and learning not dissembling but freely constantly and faithfully disclosing her sayth tossed wyth many stormye iniuries afflicted and wounded with many launcinge troubles calamities pente vp in pryson though a kinges doughter the quene● sifter where dayly hourely she awaited present death what losse at length sustained sh● From infamous prison lifted to the scepters of the realme frō wailing dishonor to glory frō death to life of a prisoner crownd Queene of England Herein shineth the prouident mercy politike pitie of our God who chastneth his for a time the chastned with his rod as purged with fier he may make them worthy higher dignitie and m●ete for greater charge But bothe they shrugge sorowe and flatly deny to lose theyr parents theyr Chyldren theyr wife and dearest life Nay wyl they nil they they shall lose them if by denieng Christ or not confessinge him as they ought they coueyte to keepe them For who findeth hys life saith Chryst shal lose it And who loseth his life for my sake shall finde it For why refuse they to repay this loane of life Chiefely sith the lender condicionallye lente it that when he should demaunde it we shold faithfully restore it why render they it not to hym demaundinge it who iustlye and rightfully claymeth it as his due Why sticke they to aduenture theyr lyues for Christe and surrender hym theyr bodye and bloud who is their creatour and carpenter They replye they are of noble bloud But hit receaueth no stayne by sheadinge in assertion of Christes faith but then is most Noble and precyous in hys syghte who on the aulter of the crosse suffred moste plenteouslye hys heauenly and noble blond to streame oute for oure sakes Life is not here by losse but wonne Yea such life wher they shal finde other father other kinne other brethren Sisterne other ancestours most nearelylinked coupled to them not so much by flesh as spirite where also with heauenly pleasure and glad some eies they shall behold embrace their forefathers foregone them Blessed therefore are those troupes of heauenly soules who both in former yeares this oure later age yelded them selues to death in the lord Who now at length liue euerlastingly who euer in this life bare about them death As oft as I recount the armies of Martirs I meane not of so many poore or welthy men so many seruaunts artifycers so many olde grayberds grene Imps of all degrees kinds ages both in all other realmes of Christendom and in this our Englande marchinge towards the skie but euen of the Noblest stateliest personages flieng frō this worlde to the heauēly seates who for they would needes be confessours were by the mischiefe of the time made Martirs so oft greete I them whō this happe befell and dreade thothers lot that did them die Seeinge the meane whyle a Noble presidente proposed all men for Chryst to contemne all dreades threates horrours and terrours Whose reuerende trayne the earth abādoning the heauen receiued There enioye they immortalitie and perpetuall felycitie Whom no other guilt then iustice then constancy then godlines condemned Who seeme to me not so much with the Noblesse as the sheading of their bloud to haue renoūmed them selues and all theyr house Meruailous and most reuerend was that troupe of Alsatian Gentlemen Of whome in one day as it is writen the Bishops burnt an hundred Innocentius the third then raging the yere 1212. A great nūber a greuous payne a trifeling cause For they taught the vse of maryage to be permitted priests eating flesh licensed christians at all seasons Out of whose cinders such gentry I wishe to reuiue springe as not onely ioyfull in prosperity would tryumpbe with Christe in glory but also with hym afflicted suffer afflicted wretched

feates and learne so muche art skill by vse as is requisite in any general at the least in a meane captaine For without a Captaine an army is as said Epammondas as a faier beast and Philip those rather an army of harts vnder the conduct of a Lion then of Lions conducted by a hart For the chiefe parte of warlike successe consisteth in a stout and polytike captaine But the efficient causes and limits of war may be For the flocke For the law which deuise Alphonsus king of Arragō gaue in his armes Wherto this also may be added For the prince For in the Princes is comprysed the Realmes safety And thones life dependeth on thothers welfare I meane a godlye kinge as Iosias Ezechiel Dauid or suche like who emploied their seruice to the king of kings and established intheyr Realines sincere religion Otherwise counsl I none to warre eyther to bolden Idolatrie or strengthen wyckednes with worde or deede Rather oughst thou wythstande hym wyth thy Councell not force to hinder hys attempts Wythstande hym I saye with patience not power And feare rather god then man For hys flocke the shepherd For theyr countrey the Codries Decians and Curtians die Iustest is the quarel for lawe and fayth If the whole consent and concorde of all or the moste parte of the good ioyne bee they stirred of zeale God callyng them for hys glory to obtaine what they coueyte then knowe they this last and extreame remedy to bee moste commendable Howe muche more detestable they are who not defende but betraye theyr countrey As Tarpeia Roome Or theyr Prynce As Pyrrhus Phisician whom Fabrit●us sent backe bounden Or the law and relygion whiche happeth as ofte as relygious cay tifes to esiablishe theyr pryuate gaines and dignities receiue into the bosome of theyr Countrey a straunger and forren Prynce Nor haue regarde of ought so they may with foren violence mayntayne theyr olde rooted superstitious opinyons and retaine the Roman heresies Contrariwyse shall oure Noble man demeane hym selfe And bende all hys myghte and mayne agaynste forren force Not raunsome or mayntayne his fanly with the destruction death of bys countrey Mischieuous is this pol●e●e with the losse and ruyne of the Realine to stablishe theyr pryuate opinyon and accomply she theyr owne luste O horrible treason wantinge worthy cerme Towardes the multitude cke and commen sorte some duties muste bee obsecued that Nobilitie maye as it were flowe into all mens hertes To winne them with curtesy not affray them with cruelty Whereof muche maye and somewhat hath ben sayde Which here it needeth not tediouslye to repeate or other lyke causeles to heape Aristotle mencioneth in his Politikes an horrible othe vsed in certaine states consistinge of the regimente of sewe Nobles in maner thus I will hate the people and to my power persecute them Which is the croppe and more of al sedition Yet to much practised in oure liues But what cause is there why a Noble man shold eyther despise the people or hate them or wrong them What know they not no tiranny maye bee trusty Nor how yll gardē of cōtinuance feare is Further no more may Nobilitie misse the people then in mans body the heade the hande For of trueth the commen people are the handes of the Nobles sith them selues bee handlesse They labour and sweate for them with tillinge saylinge running toylinge by Sea by lād with hāds with feete serue them So as wtoute theyr seruice they nor eate nor drink nor are clothed no nor liue we rede in the taleteller Esope a done was saued by the helpe of an Ant. A lyon escaped by the benefite of a Mowse We reade agayne that euen Ants haue theyr choler And not altogether quite the Egle angerd the bytle bee For albeit careles and safelye thou despise eche seuerally yet not without perill prouokest thou all vninersallye Right godly therefore and wisely saith Augustine The multitude is not so contemptuous for theyr symple power as dreadfull for theyr huge nomber For many litle wormes may slay And cast ought mids a swarme of fleas shal it not be eaten Wherfore neither sharply nor rigorously nor tirannously must they entreat the people Sith no mans power may match the might of many Rather must they loue them as the greatest and befte parte of the common wealth And bee they subiects they are so muche more to bee loued for they yelde them theyr labours whose profites they enioye As the father to his children the king to his subieccs the good husbandman to his grounde so ought the Nobility be affectioned towards the commens Whom they ought winne and ioyne to them by vertue as a moste effectuall charme But howe loue is purchased and entrie made into the myndes of the multytude Excellentlye learneth Cicero in hys seconde booke of dutyes Whome I leaue the Nobles euen agayne and agayne to pervfe And this is the firste parte concerning theyr countrey commen welth The other is Agremēt of the Nobles that Nobilitie agree not onelye with the people but euen liue and loue within it selfe For hit suffiseth not the Commens and lordes agree but also it both beseemeth and behoueth the Lordes bee sowdered amongs them selues Sith hence also spryngeth Ciuill iarre and dyscorde For stoute stomakes cannot beare pryuate grudges withoute the commen misery and calamitie which wel wytnesseth the rage and madnes of C. Cesar and the twinninge of Cn. Ponpeye the great from him his father in lawe whyche caused the alteration of the state and newe countenaunce of the Empire For this is no play or pageant nor any counterfait combat or stage Tragedy sweatelesse or bloudlesse nor Homeres fraye twixt froggs and Myse But the frayes and combats of Noble and myghtye men are as the graspinges of Lions or giants warres who ioyne with greate power greater stomakes but greatest peril of eyther part Although nor Lion deuoureth the Lyon nor dogge the dogge nor wolfe the wolfes kynde So as nature it felfe withoute other reason sufficientlye crieth oute on it For it is as if the limmes of one selfe body should iarre Were it not monstrous and vnnatural thinke ye the heads should wyshe it selfe ache The hand should buffet hym selfe the lounge curse hit selfe For easely then ceasseth any theyr Tirannye to other lymmes to seeme cruell when thus they rage agaynste them selues But whereto forceth not ambition mortall mindes Whiche lightlyest breedeth in the highest wittes and hawtyest courages Yet lesse yll and more tollerable were hit if only with hit selfe hit conceaued quickned tranayled But it brasteth and blaseth forth And what mischieue enflamed wyth the lust of raygne it hath erst imagined other that now it compasseth And haleth aye in her gard enuye her vnparted bandmayde the bawde of all her mischieues Enuye agayne comes not vnaccompanied but couples to her an other mate namelye crueltye armed and furnished for the deathes and slaughters of many Hence commeth it that Nobilitye can beare no peere

home al broyles buryed abroade O meruaylous goodnes of God O deepe iudgementes whyche no obliuion ought rase worthy tremblynge and honour of all posteritye Cal to your secrete thought and mind O Queene what straunge and huge wonders howe singulerlye and wonderously the prouidence of our God hath wrought And ouerrunne attentiuelye onelye the course of these nyne later yeares So shall you see the lorde and God of vengeaunce hath scattered his foes with his onelye becke and countenaunce Snaught hence the butchers of his saincts from amiddes theyr slaughters walowyng in theyr chyefe delyght and calmest quiete At home in your England in maner at one stroke mowed of many Byshoppes wyth the Cardynall and theyr head In Germanie somewhat afore wyth a stretched out arme smytte Dukes and Byshoppes warryng agaynst the godlye In Italye at the selfe instante typpled three or fower Popes with the selfe cuppe of madnes Whistynge the Emperoures deathe ensuynge and the kyng your neyghbour late amids hys tryumphes after his vayne and smoakye wordes and the bloudy decree of his crueltie publyshed slayne wyth the selfe staffe of God So as more princes and Prelates haue fallen by his hand then the sword and fyer of Tyraunts What nowe they be it lieth not in my power to determyne What lyuynge they were hereby appeareth That not onelye the realmes where they raygned seeme cased and lyghted of a heauier yoake and masse then Ethna but euen whole Christendome laugheth and ioyeth it hath vomyted out so strong a venime Whose spyrytes I disquiete not Ne doth my talke nowe combatte with the dead Woulde they had bene here good hereafter saynctes Onely meant I hereby O most gracious Quene to imprynte in all Christendome deeper memory of Gods prouidence Continually to behold his gentlenes towardes the vesselles of his mercye and iust seueritye towardes his ennemyes rentyng wyth all cruelty and mercyles rage Chrystes frendes brethren A worthye consideracion wherein oughte anker as well the thoughtes of the godlye that suffer for theyr comforte as the iniurious vngodlye to moue theym while time is to turne to the Lorde Thus much therfore wrote I to you that seynge God fyghteth for you and yours you qwayle not that hawetines of courage But rather more stoutely withstand your foes Seruyng vnder the standerd of that general and captaine who is God almightye But though namely to you I haue thus much sayde of fortitude the fourth parte of Nobilite yet meant I by you to counsayle al Nobles burieng al basenes and weaknes of stomacke to further cherishe defende and mayntayne vnstayned religion with theyr councell authoritye myght and force Call to mynde O Queene weyghe they allso who what and whersoeuer long since not the deuel but the true God sayde to the Sybarytes Happye thryse happy shalt shou be Sybarite Whyles in thy weale thou worshypst God aryght But when thou him neglectst for mortall men Whote broyles abroade at home bate haue thou then But whether hathe the streame of my talke ouerborne me That whom I maye well geue the hearynge I enterpryse to learne But I beseeche youre maiestye pardon my boldenes Ascrybyng it to my willingnes by you to helpe others To you meant I onelye to signifye what in this booke I treate that yf my purpose be not contemptuous it dysplease not your hyghenes to haue it dedicate to you I beseche the Lord Ihesus Prynce and fountayne of all Noblesse to enryche and furnyshe all Nobles wyth your like thewes To anoynt your breast with the spyryte of Iustice Godlynes wysedome and fortitude and preserue your maiesty to the greater encrease of the glory of his name That your reygne maye be to your selfe honoure to the churche ayde and comforte to the commen wealthe staye and ornament That by youre godly president and Scotland now in faythe our syster The other neyghbour Nacions Fraunce Spayne Flaunders and all realmes and kingdomes maye at lengthe awake from theyr longe slomber to like lighte of the Gospell That all Prynces with Chryst thinke theyr kingdomes not of this worlde So at last to gayne an euerlasting crowne Amen Your maiesties most humble and obedient Subiect L. H. ❀ TO THE RYGHTE honourable and worshhipfull of the Inner Temple WHAT OTHERS with long perswasiōs sometime all in vaine Nature and Arte the warest guides assay to learne that at this prefēt the rather to enforce in me they haue coupled to their authorities vnauoydable necessitie Namely to cause me what I meane to maintain or excuse first to propose For what eyther for necessitie could I or without breache of the comely course of nature order shuld I in my preface preferre before the title Yet again what weaker what more impugned I say not of the captious carpers but euen the patrones of whom iustliest it awaited succour Whiche notwithstandinge rather I say as fearinge what I doubte then foreiudginge my hope For sith the wise euen with exāple teache it may perhaps be argument enoughe of refusall that hitherto they accepted none And whereto chooseth he them saye some whome none tofore Hopeth he to reache what neuer any erst Whom as easye is to aunswere theyr not accepting riseth of want of profferynge For whom succourles haue they dismissed Whom reiected Who remayneth paterne of theyr rigour or crueltye Patrones not onelye of the learned but all afflicted good Yet my guylt if ought I confesse lesse colourable for wythout Presydente late at least I ventred the vnattempted meane But if lyke reason forde like lawe sith sundrie Pamphlets soughte and founde succour in ladyes lappes in lordes armes in the Queenes bosome well maye a Templer hope to roost in the Temple vnder the rooffe of your honoures and worshyppes names Which notwithstandinge I clayme not of curtesye but bothe I proue it my parte to proffer it and vnseemely and vnsittyng to your honoures to spurne it For the fyrst three reasons proffer to acquite me The fyrste is the consideration of the bounden dutye whereby I am indetted to thys Noble house Which as I want the wyshed meanes to expresse so neuer the hart to continue Rest it ye my lordes to vnlads by proofe youre affection Nor yet by vnladinge as the swollen hearte by the weepynge eye to asswage the passion Suffise me the offer of this myte of fame to the teasing of greater To like ende runne though by farre distant meanes the creapyng Ante the rampyng Lyon As ready and prest am I by halinge in my one wheaten graine to signifye my engraffed pietye as your honours by conferryng whole reekes Onelye craue I my deuoyre be no fraude to me That what I meane simply ye incerprete not presumptuously The nexte of no lesse efficacye issueth from your honoures and worshyppes Whose honourable state as it earneth the prayse so of dutye claymeth the patronage of your honour Whom thus linkd and knyt in one as a corporacion or felowshippe iuste cause inhibiteth me to terme so as weighty respect enforceth to adiudge the most honourable

hoarie auncientie of Nobilitie lasted through so many ages and families Chiefely if the moare of vertue be not cropped but dayly rooted deepelyer But sith Cain Cham the children of Iacob and after Absolon Rhoboam and other ill sutes sprong of holiest rootes and the heires of Scipio Fabius and Cicero proue that Children treade not alwayes theyr fathers steppes but oft degenerate and commōly it happeth the most chaungelinges moste crake the simple glory of theyr auncientie them selues suinge no sounde or perfecte vertue therfore for it is lawful it liketh and behoueth mee somewhat to reason not against antiquitie but the vaine confidence of antiquitie not of myne owne heade but the aucthoritie and iudgementes of learned Sages And as hitherto wee haue pulled nought from it so henceforth wyll we adde nought to it but his owne least with borowed plumes it seeme to it selfe What other then shal we terme auncient bloud then goare or putrified as sayde Gregory Nazianzene to lyke effecte Blushe to be termed ill not base or bare Race is their praise who longe since notten are Lo hee termeth them putrified festred and rotten in theyr graues from whom these boast theyr birth And Cicero in scoffe rightly termed Pisos aged and aunciet Images smoakie Vaine therfore is this vaunt of auncient Nobilitie if nought els renowme hym but his worme eaten stocke or emptie rewes of drawen descents For who walowes in this errour and weenes him selfe greater for this shade of forreyne happes is not to bee reckned amongs the Noble and honorable but rather to hee deemed a foole and fondlinge But happely you wyll reply theyr race is not only auncient but riche and mightie But therin others eyther matche or passe them and yet not therefore are accompted Noble And ryches ofte are blocks mids the race to our nobility and ofte forslowe the voyage to this true glory at least not alwaies further hit Further it may perhappes be douted who were those Nobles glorious worthies of whom these Impes descended Truly what maye be sayde I see But howe I maye playnelye speake withoute offence I doubte For what more frowarde or stately then he who seemeth to him selfe happye Who is hardlier taught the who dreauth him selfe most fortunate Plato refused to geue the Cirenenses lawes for he counted it most difficult to order so welthy people Neuertheles both for it is true profitable for thym to heare● necessary for me to speake my conscyence mouynge me to vtter hit I must not conceale it I wishe therfore all Nobles would call to minde reape vp out of all memory theyr auncestours progenitors So shal they finde perhaps a petygree genealogy wherof they ought rather blushe thā swell I styrre not this mixen Let thē selues searche the chronicles and theyr petygrees and marke yf theyr auncestours haue hene murtherers of theyr brethren as Cain reprobate as Esau of whose house the booke of Genesis reckeneth many dukes and kinges Whether they haue beene rouers as Nimrod the great hunter or tyrantes as Nero Phalaris others Idolaters as Thare the father of good Abraham persecutours of christian religion as Iulian the Apostate or effeminate vicious persons as Sardanapalus Whose children or posterity haue small cause to vaunte the honour of theyr auncestours but rather to lament their miserable state And declynyng theyr by-pathes them selues sue better And so begynne to rayse to theyr posteritye some paterne of true Novility What sayeth Chryste of the buylders of the Apostles tombes and such as decked the monumentes of the iust Sayeng Had we liued in the times of our fathers we would not haue bene partakers wyth theym in the bloud of the Prophetes Therefore ye are wytnesses to your selues sayeth he that ye are theyr children who slewe the Prophetes Fyll ye also vp the measure of your parentes O ye serpents vypers broode howe wyll ye escape damnacion If is to be feared least he wyll saye the like to theym Who proude the bloude of theyr bloudye syres vaunte such armes as purchased by the spoyles and slaughter of the good not honour but dishonour them nor ought to rayse but quayle theyr stomackes and abashe and shame them God in Esaye calleth the Israelites traytours chyldren and froward broode This therefore in maner was the head of the Iewishe Nobilitye These be also the ofspringes of ours For to come nearer were they not Gentyles from whom thys Gentrye descended Lyued they not without god without law without Christ● Whiche infamye thoughe it be commen to all and farther of nor peculyer onely to Nobles yet pertayneth to theym for it is vnyuersall And thereto this oure talke tendeth that such as aduaunce them selues for byrth aboue others may linke theym selues in this commen lyne with others and be included in one selfe throng with euery abiect person not exempting them selues from this contagion for theyr Nobilitye For suche as nowe weene theym selues nearest god are the rēnauntes of this wicked accursed brood So are they of the condemned sede of the Gentiles as al the rest Which had bene a simple Nobilitye had not the precious crosse of Christ our noblest sauiour legitimate them But nearer yet let vs touch this spring and roote of these noble twiggs Let vs in thought ouerrunne peruse all countreies of christendome see if in anye of them appeare anye sparke of true and auncient gentry Italye the queene and empresse sometime of the rest abundant in pleasures commodityes and sundrye blessinges of God howe large it was howe litle it is yf anye will but recount he shal finde no sure signes no euident steppes of any auncient Nobility Not whole townes not waste playnes retayne their former and principall names no pure whole families remaining The noble housen eyther ruined or decayed and newe and barbarous vpcrept For that part whiche sometimes the Apulians Samnites Greekes and Campanes inhabited is now the realme of Naples Latium Capaigne Gawle termed of Cesar behither the Alpes Lombardye Flaminia Romandiola the riuer Liris Galirian Ticinus Pauie Egnatia in Apulia Iuuenacium as Raymond Martian notes So as almost at this daye it retayneth no ioat of antiquity For it hath bene the pray spoile of al nations Not only in elder times mixt with mongrel and forren people as the Greekes Oenotrians Morgetes Sicilians Ausonians Aborigines Pelasgians Auruncans But also at last with al Barbary the Lombards Saracens Hungarians the factions of Gwelphes Gibellines others wherfore what meruaile is it if the priuate antiquity of Nobility famous housen be decaied what shal I say of Spaine which suffred like calamity what priuy murthers they committed with what barbarousnes thei infected it both I sorowe to thinke abhorre to recount Neither the Germaines al wer they of others moste free leaste open to inuasion were altogether quite frō forren bondage from the Romaines frō the Gentiles Pagans For the Sarmatians and Gothes wild and cruel people they bred in their owne bosomes What I