we behold the visible Prâ—heminence of Greatnes in Manhood by Iustice and Probâ—ty in our honest Conuersations 2 Nobilitas Philosophica And the Third demonstrates the wonderfull Prerogatiue of deuine Grace and Maiesty in humaine Soueraignty 3 Nobilitas Politica that of it 's owne infused Bounty and fixed Honor can so wisely discerne so iustly value and so prudently transfer the Reputation and credit of Piety and Probity by Enseignes of Gentility and Titles of Nobility by Degrees vpon others that as Names doe seuer Men so Armes to demonstrate and distinguish Families Of this kind of Nobility Cice pro Sâ—â—lo the wisedome of the Heathen haue left thus recorded Omnes boni Nobilitati Politicae semper fauerunt tùm quia vtile est Reipub. Nobiles esse maioribus suis dignos tùm quia valet apud Nos etiam clarorum virorum bene de Repub meritorum memoria The peculiar Grounds of Nobility Pollitical and Ciuill most proper to iudge by and resolue the questions of Secular Soueraignty wherof read Tractatum Nobilitatis Politicae vel Ciuilis Londini excusum 1608. 1610. That Maiesty then which with Men may be seene and that selfe-subsisting SOVERAIONTY whose Loue Affection can make Subiects Happy being the glorious Obiect of Welfare and Good that we seeke to behold and set forth vnto others we are not here to cal down those glorious Titles and Celestial Orders of Seraphini Inflammati Cherubini illustrati Thoni Gloriosi Dominationes Clarae Principatus Inclyti Potestates mirandae Virtutes benignae Archangeli Sancti nor Angeliboni that attend vppon Maiesty in the highest Heauen Neither need we call back those ancient Patricij and Graue Senators that as Men sent from Heauen the old Romanes did admire whome time hath now made common in all our free Citties much lesse those Greekish Titles of Greatnes and Honor that swayed the Empire after Constantines times Sebastos Sebastocrator and Caesar at the last nor Panhypersebastos that commanded all the rest being now forgotten and long ago forlorne But as the Turkes in the East and the Popes in the West haue confounded the world we are to obserue how Maiesty forsaken of those wandring Empires and great patterns of Pride hath fixed her selfe still in the Monarchies thereof and Soueraignty seated in the Thrones of our Kings Nothing being found more Powerfull in it selfe more Gracious of it selfe nor more to be admired for vse in Nature for practise by Nations or as it is extolled by the Scriptures themselues then Regia Dignitas and Potestas Regalis for euen the ancient Romans in their first Tipes of Honor in bonum Ciuitatis held the Regall power highest till Tarquines time by whom it was defiled Kings Consuls Diclatâ—â—s Decemuirâ— Tribunes Emperors Dictator fel in next to Consuls and the Chiefetaine of their Armies was but Imperator whome we call Emperor Great Caesar himselfe euen that Iulius Caesar which triumphed ouer Pompey after the battaile he fought at Pharsalia refused that of Emperour being so saluted and chose rather to bee called Dictator summus the Title of a King being yet odious in the Citty But when he vndertooke the Parthian warres he affected that of King before all the other affirming the Sibilles had so set it downe that the Parthians were no way to bee conquered but by the hand of a King The Dictators Preheminence being equal with a King and the name but onely changed was afterwards altered to Magister Ciuium whome at this day the Germanes do terme their Burgue Maister and the Romaines themselues in Italian-Latine since did call their Banderezo Bonefacius 9 1400. ill the Popes froÌ„ Auinion to renue their gainful Inbile were recald again thither and by surprising Saint Angelo made themselues absolute Lords both of and in Rome The Title of Emperour at the first being but aâ— Office in the Warres and a naked name began at last ambiciously to swell and excell all the rest though now so deiected or eclipsed at the least Bâ—aiesta Regia that the Maiesty and Honour of our Christian Common-weales stands fixt againe in Kings and in their Persons onely now properly seene Whereof foure ab antiquo and none but foure are said to be annointed ENGLAND FRANCE IERVSALEM and SICILL From hence it is obscrued Choppinu de â—omano Regâ—â— Frâ—ncâ—a that as the French doe vaunt themselues their Kings within Fraunce haue stilde themselues Emperours so Chassancus sayeth of England that our Kings are Monarks And as the Titles of most Christian Kings of Great Brittain Monarks may well beseeme the French and that of most Catholicke the later Kings of Spaine so de facto et de iure to stand forth as Champion of the truely Christian Defenders of the true Christian Faith Catholike and Apostolike Faith is an Honour due to this day to the Kinges of Great Brittaine though the Popes out of Pride had neuer sent nor begot it for holding their Kingdome obnoxious vnto none but Soueraigne DEITY they deriue the same by inheritance immediatly Gratia Dei. from the infusiue Grace of God confirmed by their Subiects full and free consent at their Coronation Fountaines of Honor and Political Nobility Consecration and speciall Inunction whereby as Gods Lieue-tenants and our Fountaynes of Honor they beget Generosity and create Nobility by the rules of Order and degrees of Goodnes in the Persons of their Subiects at their owne Wils and Pleasures These are our Obiects of MAIESTY and Loue whose natiue Serenity by diuine infusion Serenissimus Rex drawing darkenesse into light rayseth basenes in humanity to Gentility and Honor making GENTLEMEN to be SQVIRES dubbing Squires into KNIGHTS turning Knights into BARONETS Baronets into BARONS Barons into VICECOVNTS Vicecounts into EARLES Earles into MARQVISES raising Marquises to DVKES creating Dukes into PRINCES KINGS-SONNES and greatest PEERES and making all their Subiects happy in beholding the MAIESTY of their owne KING and SOVERAINE These are they that making I say not Honesty for that is Infusiue nor Religion for that is Diuine but Honest-Men still honored and Religious Persons reâ—erenced by the onely Grace of GOD and twist of one TRVTH become Supreame Protectors as heads of one Body of all and euery Subiect both in Church and Common weale within their owne Dominions These I say are our Soueraignes per aual in whome as in Men by Grace become GODs wee see the liuely Idea of our Soueraigne per amount and by whom we receiue daily our greatest Earthly Honor Happines and Blisse Thus though wee woorship our Gentility Worshipfully Noble Honourably Noble Graciously Noble Maicstically Sacred Gloriously Deified though wee Honour our Nobility though we reuerence our Clergy call all our Bishops Honourable and euery way hold Gracious the Highnes of our PRINCE by the rules of Order and degrees of Goodnes yet we admire Maiesty in none but the Persons of our KINGS and the Glory of All in All in
Rome being Originally and indeed but a Subiect as both Saint Peter was and others were before him let Bellarmine or the Bishop there himselfe for Bishoppes must haue Consciences though Popes may haue none resolue the Christian Emperour Kings and Monarks of the World by what warrant authenticke Diuine or Humane the Popes of later times vsurping their Preheminence came first to Coyne Money and by a Iewish kind of Vsury to disturbe their Exchange For if Omne quod efficit Tale oportet esse magis Tale how hath a Subiect but a Resident of Rome and the Emperors own Vassall so raisd his owne Person as not to rancke with Subiects of the highest Degree but aboue Gods annointed and all that may be Sebasma Soueraigne Or what Power hath beene able to make a simple Seruant and a bond-slaue vnto Sinne of greater ability then were his Predecessors or IESVS-CHRIST himselfe his pretended Lord and Maister that being to pay Money for himselfe and some other disclaim'd this Soueraignty All Ages more or lesse at one hand or other haue inuey'd against his insolent Intrusions by Couetise and Pride as well vppon the Hyerarchy as the Temporalty of Kings The Art of Impiety sufficiently laid open But the Mistery of Iniquity neuer yet directly vndertaken being indeed blasphemously iniurious vnto either wherein our Sacred Soueraigne hath of late exceld Him-selfe and all that went before him But in this kinde of Pride and Couetous Presumption I neuer yet could see any 〈◊〉 come neere him This being indeede the very Art of his Impietie and Mysterie of all Iniquitie For as by Massing Priests and Iesuites he hath damnably profaned our Eucharisticke Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of CHRIST the Life of true Religion making Creatures Bread and Wine to be Gods and Godlines a marchandise to be bought and sold for Money so by Bankers and Iewes making Vsury the meanes to draw home his reuenues for all kind of Sinnes he makes Money seeme a God that 's but a Creature vnto Kings and Subiects like himselfe presumptuously rebellious keeping Soueraignes from the practise of their Christian-like Exchange the Life and Soule of Iustice in contempt of Lawes and gouernment both of GOD and KINGS Now then as without all Dispute or Question it is generally concluded in all the Christian World that to Coyne new Articles of the Faith in the matter of Religion or to alter the Eucharist from the first institution by what Creature soeuer is a Sinne against the Maiestie of God and his Church by the name of Heresie so to Coyne Money in the matter of Iustice or being Coyned to clip the valuation that Soueraignty hath giuen it in Subiects whosoeuer how or wheresoeuer is to eclips the Maiestie of Sacred Kings and Counsailes to profane the Seates of Religious Iustice to contemne Authority and to preuent and peruert all Order and Equity in the liues and conuersations of Christian-Ciuill-Men by the Title of High-Treason Of this I say let the Bishop of Rome himselfe bethinke him seriously before he speake and then speake as he thinkes and let Bellermine aduise him well how to frame his Answere without Equiuocation Guilty or not Guilty For if Coyning and Creating proue meerely Synomas and meane but one thing then is there a third kinde of Coynage by a power likewise absolute in disposing of Honor by the Great nes of it selfe which being proper to none but Soueraigne Kings is abused and disgraced by the Bishoppe there and Conclaue in creating of Nobility and Titles of Dignity beyond the rules of Order and degrees of Goodnesse Nunnes Monkes Anchorites Eremytes Deacons Masse Priests Fryers Iesuites Cardinals Popes turning Men into Beastes by solitary Liues and solitary Drones to places of credit drowning Honor of Priest-hood in Monks Anchorites and Eremytes our-facing Cleargy Prelacy by Wry-neckt Chaplaines Iesuists and Friars profaning Sacred Maiestie by Card-nal Deacons and Parrish-Priests of Rome and disgracing Soueraignty by a Hyerarchy of their owne Thus making Cardinalles to be Checke-Mates with KINGS and the Popes more then Monarks or Emperours Fellowes to blowe vp Kingdomes and tread Empires downe The Issue therefore of the Enditement must wholy rest in this whether POPES of themselues be Soueraignes or Subiects or both or neither For if Subiects then let Bellarmine be silent or haue his tongue cut out while the Byshoppe on his knees by suite and submission to GOD his LEIVE-TENANTS make meanes to get his pardon of the Emperor at least But if he challenge Soueraignty per amount or per aual then in what Court of Chiualry in Heauen Hell or Purgatory he will stand to be tri'd for all degrees of Honor and names of Nobility that the Christian world affoordes are thus to be coyned ¶ All Titles of Nobility and Rights of Preheminence being seuerally deriued from three generall Fountaines viz. Diuinity Humanity and Distributiue Iustice are either Celestiall Morrall or Politique and Ciuill 1 The first from Religious Imputation being hid from the World Glory makes Christians onely Glorious by Faith with God in Heauen 2 The second from Vertuous Infusion makes honesty most Honourable Honor. and Vertue still admired by Good-woorkes among Men. 3 The third from absolute Affection in Soueraigue Loue and Fauour Nobility makes Subiects Enobled respectiuely abroad but properly at home for seruices performed in the Church or Common-weale The First being Eternall the Second Immortall by a kindered all Diuine Fame makes mortall Men remembred and by Fame to liue for euer But the Third whereof wee are heare to speake being meerly positiue with Kings within their Kingdomes though by nature it be diuers as tyde vnto the Customes of Empires Kings and Crownes admits notwithstanding this generall definition Quod sit qualitas vel Dignitas quà quis Legitime à Plebeia conditione eximitur et per Gradus erigitur That it is a qualified Dignity whereby a Man exempted and raysed by degrees becomes lawfully preferd aboue the Common-people And deuiding it selfe into Datiue and Natiue for Violent and Intrusiue haue here no Art nor Part as that of * Nymrod the Sonne of Chus the Sonne of Cham the second Sonne of Noah so called Quasi auarus Dominator or greedy Cormorant was the first that domineerd in Eabilon violently framing to himselfe an Empire ouer al his Neighbors for his cruelty in punnishing is in scriptures called Robustus venator mighty or noble Hunter before the Lord as committing violence euen in the presence of God and therefore odious both to God and Man Nimrods was becomes withall so successiue and Hereditary Vtper Titulos numerentur Aui semperqué renata Nobilitate virent et prolem fata sequantur continuum propria sâ—ruantia lege tenorem Whereby it stands distinguished from the other two In the First euen on Earth we admire the Heauenly Maiesty of Goodnes fixt in Deity by Religion and Picty Nobilitas Theologica in our holy Contemplations In the Second
ne Miserum Dcus abijce neue repuâ—sum 12 Afflatu sancto spolia quin certa salutis Gaudia restituas ut qui me heroicus olim Se creuit reliquis porro quoque Spiritus ornet 13 Quo Duce fretus ego errantes per deuia multos Voce regam mutatosque in contraria flectam 14 Alme Deus Deus in quem tota mente recumbe Ne meritas a me poenas pro immanibus ausis Et tanta heu scelerum patrata cedo reposce 15 Da potius vt lingua valeam sidibusque canoris Te canere in veniam promptum fideique tenacem Os mihi tute aperi tu dirige labra loquentis Vt tibi promeritae persoluant laudis honores 16 Ecce tibi non ara placet non victima flammis Infumos abiens alioqui haec larga dedissem Et pridem crebris ónerassem Altaria donis Sacra igitur meliora fero quae spernere nunquam 17 O bone consuesti deiectos nempe dolore Attritosque animos peccati et saucia sensu Pectora triste vnique tibi medicabile vulnus 18 At tu consueta pergas bonitate Syonem Amplecti selecta tibi dum mania surgant Tum nos rite tibi solennia vota feremus Liba merumque simul Consecratumque cruorem Fumabitque tuum solidis Altare iunencis Truth What how now Man what doest thou feele how fares it well Customer Magnasemper veritas praeualuit preualebit The inward ioyes of a Christian vnspeakable I feele such ioyes as I cannot declare nor tell Truth But doest thou beleeue what I told thee before Customer O I do beleeue LORD yet helpe mine vnbeliefe for I am troubled sore for by Faith in looking vpward I am forced to confesse O my GOD thou art true and O my Soule thou art happy but my Frailty looking downward compels me to cry Nilsum nulla miser noui solatia Massam Humanam nisi quod tu quoque CHRISTE geris Tu me sustenta fragilem tu CHRISTE guberna Fac vt sim Massae surculus Ipse tuae I nothing am and in my selfe no Comfort finde but this That Christ the Masse of humane flesh hath taen ioynd to his TheÌ„ hold me Christ grant withal that this frail flesh of mine A twig at least may bud branch froÌ„ that great Masse of thine Truth Now I see thou do'st beleeue for thy Prayer showes no lesse then worke well withall to confirme this Grace least Faith proue idle How Faith alone doth Iustify How Faith and Works concurre therefore worke I say apace Customer Then Faith I perceiue in the action of Saluation stands sole without Woorkes because of Free Grace but in the Party saued both must concurre together But who can Woorke where Matter failes As no Church hath no Tithes And no Court no Quittents So no Staples no Customes and Forme doeth no way fit Or who can Pipe well that wants his vpper Lippe for though I still be tyde to worke my taske in Clay my Straw is clean gon and my stuble taen away whilest idle Taske-maysters accuse me to my Face whose Credits haue no Being but in my Disgrace but that which grieues me most For no Staples no Trafficke No Trafficke no Mines No Mines no Bullion No Buillion no Mints No Mints no Money and faine I would resist our Traffick's deadly Sicke and cannot long subsist for her Pulses faile her Face is pale and wanne I meane her Mintes are dead and my Soueraignes Quitrents gon and none seekes whether Truth They went from the Altars of Vnity and Truth where I now dwell The Staples of Kent kept at Cantorbury maintaind a Mint neere Christ-Church there as others did elsewhere Disorder of Iustice Commutatiue Trafficke for want of Staples the occasion of Prohibitions and drynesse betweene Religion and Iustice Destributiue The King only and the Counsaile can and must restore our Staples Customer Where 's that sweete Truth Truth By my glorious Temple and seate of Fame Customer See see I thought it was not idle that it bore CHRISTES name O that our Soueraign would bring our Staples thither Religion and Iustice might then hold hands togither and Righteousnesse and Peace would kindly kisse each other which nowe contest by personall defectes about Tythes and Tributes Truth Then work I say still and beleeue well withall for GOODNES can and WISEDOME will effect it Customer I would if I could but my Credit 's cleane gon and I am almost tyred thus working still alone Truth Customers out of credit their othes at their admission compelles them as they may and dare to cry out for Staples to mantaine Trafficke as our Churches do Religion In space growes Grace harke GOODNES calles againe and thou must perseuer Customer Then Sanctify my wits TRVTH and blesse thou mine endeuour for I worke in feare Truth Why so poore Man thy Soule is so beset with vowes that are Deuine thou shalt not tread amisse let not thy heart decline Customer Then Danger stand aside TRVTH must prenaile GOODNES calles me to it if ought do put me by ti 's WISDOMES hand must doe it Nowe GOD from whome all holy thoughtes and best endeuours growe Inuocation Prayer of Customers Make mee possesse that perfect Peace the world cannot bestow And that which in my selfe I see no hope at all to gaine Graunt that thy Grace by Faith and Woorkes may helpe mee to obtaine Obtaine therefore I say and will still pray to obtaine so great a blessing to praise and thank GOD for it Infusiuely from DEITY by Grace in IESVS CHRIST and Respectiuely from MANHOOD by Generall Consent For happy are those Subiects all whose honest Endeuours haue rays'd their Conditions to such degrees of Credit The Happines of England for the truenesse of Doctrine in the Christian Catholicke and Apostolick Religion before GOD and his LIEV-TENANTS Twise happy are those Christians that dwell where this Doctrine is constantly defended freely put in practise and publikely taught And thrise happy GREAT-BRITAINE whose IOSVA And Bounty of the Soueraigne thus maintaines both Church and Common-wealth Come therefore Subiects all come home I say from ROME and here prostrate your selues before the Glorious Obiect of your Welfare and Credits To day if ye will heare his voice Summons all Popish English Fugitiues to come home and all Recusant Catholiques to conformity harden not your harts after fiftie yeares more that stiâ—mecked Iewes and vnbeleeuing Turkes admyring your Happinesse may learne by your Obedience to groane for like Grace and poore seduced Catholickes may see how Proud Popery hath long time bewitcht them with the Doctrine of Merits ¶ Now see what hath past and so hast to an end These grounds being furely laid that is to say if of all worldly happinesse the meanest be but Wealth and Reputation chiefe Honor being held a recompence for all our losse besides If all quit their Liuings for Liberty to worke If all forgo their Liberties
Customers are Men capable aswell of Religion as Reason if they be but well taught Now be not afraid for TRVTH and GOODNES are so lincked together that where both of them are not there can bee neither and GOD being GOODNES his TRVTH stands still by thee and his GOODNES cals thee forward therfore keep on thy course thy meaning is honest thy purpose is loyall and thy vowes are all deuine thou shalt not tread amisse let not thy heart decline and take thus much on-wards that all sides haue yeelded TRVTH must preuaile Customer Is TRVTH then at hand and is' t GOODNES that cries Then let Ipocrites dissemble and Impudence make lies let Iealousie goe sleepe a while and Suspition take some rest let Ignorance hatch Errors wherein Mischiefes make their nest send Pride to the Pope and let Cardinals play the Fooles send Popery to the Diuell and Discretion to the Schooles Couetyse gaines nothing by Men of my Place And Ambition will scorne to striue with Disgrace Then Danger stand aside since Goodnes cals me to it If ought do put me by ti 's Wisdomes hand shall doe it They therefore that haue Eyes to See let them be pleas'd to Read and that haue Eares to Heare let such Men vnderstand what an humble minded Customer by the Letters of his ALPHABET and Lines of his owne PRIMER hath beene able for to spell In my beginning thus GOD be my speed With TRVTH to stand still and with GOODNES proceed ALL MEN by nature desire to be Happy and ayme at the least at their highest Blisse but the Affections of all being best seene and knowne by their Obiects and Ends as the highest Obiect next God and his Church is the HONOR of our SOVERAINE and GOOD of our Country so there can be no Endeuour more serious and important then to amplifie the One and to further the Other that MAIESTY may be Seen and SOVERINTY at all hands made able to Subsist Now by GOODNES onely all things are seene and knowne to Subsist both in Heauen and Earth and GOD being GOODNES whose seate is Heauen and the Earth but his Foot-stoole for Caelum Caelorum sibi-Ipsi assumens Terram reliquit Filijs Hominum Psalm 114. In this respect wee call our Soueraine Good and his LIEV-TENANTS our Earthly Gods or Soueraignes per aual as Himselfe is per amount Thus as KINGS and KINGDOMES proue heauenly Relatiues so SOVERAINES and SVBIECTS for GOD our Soueraine is a GOD of Order and not of Confusion If GOD then the very Fountaine of GOODNES or GOODNES it selfe from whose onely Essence grow all our happy Beings both SOVRAINES and SVBIECTS out of Loue to Order and Hatred to Confusion in the depth of his wisedome haue set a distinction betweene Souerainty and Subiection for the GOOD of All it must needs be by some absolute Powerfulnes that is proper vnto KINGS Now as Omnipotency in GOD is Essentiall with his GOODNES so the Bounty of KINGS must set foorth their Greatnesse And seeing that that selfe-subsisting Goodnesse that Calocagathia and vniuersall influence of Profit and Pleasure wherewith DEITY still woorking the benefit of All to His own Eternall Glory and Mans immortall Blisse is by a like consent of Nations made fixt and firme in the Finenesse and Purenesse of Gold and Siluer by the name of Bullion that Maiesty among Men may haue wherein to be seene and Soueraignety Subsist a Heauenly Will and Wisedome to extend those Materials by Nomber Waight and Measure that the worth of it selfe may warrant the iust value of all things besides for generall behoofe commutatiuely must needes be that Power which visibly demonstrates what Person is the Soueraigne and who is but a Subiect For as by GOODNES Men first become happy both Soueraignes and Subiects the same fixt in Bullion makes Men to be KINGS and Bounty by Bullion makes KINGS to be GODS Ius Moneta Princi atus Insigne praecipuum est MAITSTATEM ocularitèr ostendit Iacobus Bornitius Lib. 1. cap. 8. so Money made of Bullion to extend GOODNES by representing euery where euen visibly to the Sence and Eye by their owne stamps and marks both the name of the Person with the Title and Inscription of Him or Them that made it and Exchange extending Bounty by the Greatnesse of it selfe showes how Soueraignty may Subsist and Subiects become Happy whilst ech Supports other by mutuall Supplies for reciproke Endes The Soueraigne graciously beholding the prosperity and wealth of all his Loyall Subiects as the onely Mirror of his owne Greatnesse and Honor and the Subiects Religiously admiring the Maiesty of their Soueraigne as the glorious obiect of their Welfare and GOOD Thus Bullion being made the Body and Bloud of KINGS Money the Medium betweene Subiects and their KINGS and Exchange the Heauenly Mistery that ioynes them both together Coynage out of question Omni Soliet Semper by their right vnto Bullion and vse of Exchange is the true Catexochen of all Earthly Soueraignty and Kingly Dignity Coynage I meane but not of the Articles and Rules of our Faith in matters of Religion to direct our Consciences the way that leades to Heauen for that belongs to GOD himselfe our Soueraine per amount being altogether Spirituall and meerly Deuine but Coynage of Money in the matter of Iustice to keepe fraud from shelter in the Actions of Men peculiar vnto Kings our Soueraignes per aual being altogether Temporall and meerely Ciuill That as GOODNES by infusion showes the Powerfulnesse of GOD ouer all his Creatures so Bullion by Consent the Greatnesse of Soueraignes ouer all their Subiects And Religion ty'd to Iustice by the twine of one TRVTH hauing KINGS for their Protectors at moe Temples then Saint Peters and moe Staples then Rome might help Catholicks vp to Heauen though Papists * This is meant onely by the obstinate and wilful but not by Superstiuous Papists whole Consciences seduced by the Witch crafte of Rome may be releeued by theyr hearty Repentance goe to Hell Each KING in this respect as Ioshua was by Moses to Aaron and to Hur for defence of their Subiectes being Supreame Head and Gouernour within their owne Dominions both of Church and Common-weale These Premises standing sure that is to say If GOD himselfe our Soueraigne per amount both Alpha and Omega as infinitely Wise as eternally Iust knew what he had to do in Coyning Heauen and Earth If his Will that is Omnipotent had power to perfourme and his skill without a Pattern did know what Methode ment The Maiesty of GOD seene in KINGS and Soue raignty in KINGDOMES in making Man a model of Perfection like himselfe and by KINGS as by Lieue-tenants to make vse of all the rest that his Maiestie being seene in the Beautie of the Worlde Vt DEVS in Homine MAIESTATIS sua Imaginem posuit sic REGES in Nummo his Soueraignty might Subsist in the Goodnesse of his Woorke by this Powerfull kinde of Coyning the Bishop of
firmissimum TituluÌ„ habere dicebat QuaÌ„que viribus opibusque summis Ciuitatibus munitissimis potentissimorum Principum sibi coniurantium auxilio tueri defendere possit c. To all this Paulus 5. now as Pope standes mute and as Bishop there sayes nothing but Bellarmine for Cardinals and the Iesuites for themselues confusedly reply the Enditement lyes not euen That the Pope holds no proportion with God nor his Lieutenantes be they Monarks be they Kings for the Ensignes of his Diocesse nowe soare and are displayed aboue the Eagles wings That Popes are so transcendent as their Cardinals may be Monarks if Monarks be but Kings at least if they will That none but Publicans and Customers men voide of sence and reason or Kentish-men and Christians dare accuse the Pope of Treason If any call him Heretike aboue the paynes of Purgatory great shall be their woe for Iesuites will dispute it and Cardinals can confute it in despight of who sayes no. Though Kings set vp their rest and Bishops doe their best nay though Goodnes do suggest it and Truth doe still protest it and the Word it selfe say so So that tell Cardinals nowe and Iesuists In the beginning was the Word and that Word was with God and God was that Word And they can equiuocate that Word with Traditions and God with the Pope whose Power controuling all and controulable by none showes him All-sufficient and God can bee no more Tell them of Written verities and they reply such Scriptures haue no Credite but what the Fathers lend and those Fathers from the Church did formerly borrow That the Church being alwaies visible The Pope alwaies prouided of mo Bishops in Italy then in all Christendome besides sits no where but at Rome That Rome alone is Catholicke representatiuely where the Pope sits as Head for her Bishops are so many that they furnish Generall Counsailes of themselues and need no more or sway them at the least her Cardynals make the Conclaues wherein Popes become coyned That the Pope but once Created is Ipso facto so Omnipotent both in Church and Common-weale that his Masse controules the Eucharist and his Vsury scornes Exchange so that the Pope being All in All whose Sentence cannot Erre must needes be God Himselfe let God and his Lieu-tenants be what they can let their words be what they shall But Magna semper veritas and see how TRVTH preuailes for howsoeuer hee shifts it off for the point of Heresie whereof he stands endited that the Eucharist is mistaken or not rightly vnderstood Deuines haue laid it open that his Masse was neuer heard of by Christ nor his Apostles besides the distraction he hath made of the second CoÌ„maundement and multiplying of Sacraments the one Felony towardes God the other Burglary to his Church is more then Mesprision or Premunire at the best But in the point of Treason his owne Picture doeth accuse him in the stamps of his Coyne The Popes Maiesty found guilty de Facto both of Burglary Felony and High-Treason if his Soueraignty de lure or the Bishop doe cleere him and his Maiesty standing mute hath silently confessed de facto et de Iure hee standes euery way Guilty if his Soueraignty doe not helpe and make him to subsist to the which hee nowe appeales Now a Soueraignty it seemes they haue or challenge at the least such a one as it is and a Maiesty withall but how the one may be seene and the other doth Subsist per amount or per aual I meane ouer Soules or ouer Bodies or ouer both or ouer neyther in Heauen Hell or Purgatory or on Earth is nowe to bee decided for Cardinals make the Conclaues where the Popes become Coyned and the Pope Creats those Cardinals that furnish the Conclaue Now read we but this Riddle and then tell me what it meanes Pope Leo 10 A Conclaue of Cardinals some forty at the least laid all their heades together and went and Coyn'd a Pope Dissidebat autem Leo Pontisex a Cardinalibus Juiconturauerant in ipsius necem ita quidem vt exilâ—o quibusdam alys teterrimo carcere mulctatis triginta vnum crearet eodem tempore Cardinales nonos partim sui mumendi partim pecuâ—â—â— conflandae causa whome when they had Created they ment to haue vndone Quia Papa quem fecerant erat valdè Malus but the Pope therof forewarned by way of Premunire Bannishment and some by woorser meanes preuents their Desseings and Coyn'd one and thirty new Cardinals of his owne stamp and fashion Thus the Pope being Created became a Creator and the Cardinalles by their Coyning begat their owne Confusion Nowe where sits Sacred Maiesty in the middes of such profanesse and Chayre of pestilence and howe Subsistes Soueraignety per amount or per aual where Subiects at al hands are suffered to be Coyners Alas poore Conscience The words of a Cardinall of Sâ—â—â—â— comming from a Conclaue how was 't thou tormented at the Coyning of a Pope and forced to cry out siccine fiunt Pontifices Romani Bidding Rome farewell adew and shaking off such company as Christ neuer heard of and Saint Peter neuer knew A warning to the Bishop of Rome to take heede the Pope accuse not him of treasoo giue him the slip Let the Bishop looke about him least the Pope giue the slip and wipe's nose on his sleeue since the question stands of Coyning for what can the Papacy in reason be reputed but a Metaphisicall Subsistence of a Spirituall Soueraignty ouer Soules The Pope hath no Kingdome in Heauen nor on earth Ergo no Maiesty nor Soueraingty in either or ouer Bodies ouer both or ouer neither not on Earth nor in Heauen for on Earth it cannot be where Kings onely Coyne both in Nomber Waight aad Measure by the rules of Iustice for feare of High-treason And in Heauen it may not be where God alone Creats both Faith Hope and Charity by the rules of true Religion for feare of Heresie but in Hell by possibility where the Diuell and hee ioyntly neither Coyne nor Create but Equiuocate together or a place in the Ayre such as pyning Purgatory is by Dreames made to be And a Maiesty so exceeding the bounds offence or reason that the greatest Fooles adore it most and the fowlest Spirits admire Now where Hell is and what is done there the Iesuits best can tell The Iesuites Caeca obedieÌ„tia sworne to performe all that their Generals enioyne them when how and wheresoeuer instantly that comming last from thence are so quickly here and there and are sworne to their Abaddon without doubtes or questions when he sends them farre and neare These are those Locustes whose Winges and Tayles compared to their Faces showes their Monstrous generation These like Amphibij by creeping on the Earth by their dyuing in the Waters and their flying in the Ayre can bee Countrey-men and Courtiers and Church-men too Let Soueraynes shun their companies as they
Men but as GODS by their Power and Commission For as DEITY subsists by the power of Creating so KINGS become GODS by their Powerfulnesse of Coyning The difference is but this That of Nothing GOD made Allthings by the GOODNES of Himselfe and KINGS must haue Matter to fixe GOODNES in that their Bounties may be knowne GOD without a Patterne and KINGS for a President haue GOD for Example Thus as of Bullion KINGS onely Coyne Money and Money made of Bullion maintaines their Exchange so theyr Bountie shewes their Greatnesse and makes their Subiects Happie For as GOD in the Eucharist imparts his owne GOODNES that 's to say his Greatnes that 's to say Himselfe by meanes of Bread Wine for the good of Christians so KINGS by their Exchange impart their owne Bounty that 's to say their Greatnes that 's to say Themselues by meanes of Golde and Siluer for Subiectes weale Let all that haue Eyes and Eares but reade and vnderstand and let KINGS aboue all things be Carefull not so much of Money for the names sake and Forme for therein lies Idolatry which GOD so detestes as of Matter whereof to haue alwayes to stampe their owne Coyne that Maiesties may be seene Be Zealous not so much of Matter as it is but Gold and Siluer for thereby growes Couetise the roote of all Euill whereof God so fore-warnes as of waight and Goodnesse in regarde of their Bounty in Finenesse and Purenesse by the name of Bullion be Curious not so much of waight Forme as it is but Bullion for that begets Pride which God still Confounds as the vse and end for which it is made to bee currant in Money in regarde of their Soueraignty to maintayne theyr Exchange And lastly but cheefely to be as Iealous of their Standards namely TRVTH both in Nomber Waight and Measure as of their owne Essence for therein lies their Honour that shewes them to be Kings For what haue Merchants to do that liue by buying and selling and so by buying as to sell for priuate gaine by presuming vpon Soueraignty and profaning Sacred Maiesty to make vse of their stampes though the Bullion be their owne Or what haue Gold-smiths to do with the Pix in Matter of Coyne Neither is it enough fit nor conuenienr for any that are wise or would be so taken to say in iest or earnest and affirme it all one to sell Bullion for Mony or to Coine it himselfe and pay for the Coynage and laugh at Exchange except to iustifie the Pope and Patronize Vsury hee meane to make it good that Subiects may be Coyners the state of all the enditement and question now in hand Eates God the flesh of Buls or drinkes the blood of Goats Lookes hee for Profite where all is his owne beyond praises vowes and harty Thanksgiuing and shall Kings take wages of the selfe-same Money that none but they can Coyne or farme their Honour Nowe Kings are Gods therefore Tractent Fabrilia Fabri In the meane time let Soueraignes cal home Subiects or take them downe at least that Cardinalles may bee knowne keepe Cardinals from Conclaues and ANTI-CHRIST is gone keepe Conclaues from Coyning and the Pope may proue a Byshop of a Dioces or a Patriarke againe and keepe Popes from wandering Iubiles and Rome at least Pride is ouerthrowne So shall the Idolatrous Masse that Arte of all Impiety giue place vnto the Eucharist and Iewish Vsury that Mistery of all Iniquity fall downe before Exchange and Religion and Iustice holding hand in hande together shall make all men see and know and the world vnderstand Vera Ars Regnandi that VERA ARS REGNANDI being onely that of Coynage whose Mistery is Exchange is fit for none but Kings Iustice by Preheminence and Mercie by Prerogatiue being the Matter and the Forme that giue Essence to their Crownes In a word Maiesty shall be Seene and Soueraignty shall subsist as in GOD so in KINGS For GOD shall be Glorified his KINGS shall be Honoured their NOBILITY Respected and MEVM and TVVM in Subiects make Allin All so Happy that each shall hold his owne with Prosperity and Peace Ignorance What Publicans and Sinners and Customers all Customer Yea euen Sinners and Publicans whome Customers you call For looke what Tithes are to the Church and Quitrents to a Mannor where Diocesses are bounded and Demains are made knowne so shall Customes appeare whose names are now vsed but as Golde to hide Pilles and Subsidies shew so needlesse or seldome at the least when our Soueraigne shall subsist by the Greatnes of his owne be helpefull vnto others that Imposts Impositions all Rates by discretion Taxes and all shall bee packt vp with Vsury sent after the Masse and transported towardes Italy and so to Rome by way of Flaunders home from whence they were but borrowed whose Greatnesse most subsists by such kinde of Reuenues Now helpe KINGS to Bullion and they will make vs Happy alwayes prouided that Subiects bee no Coyners Bullion Is Bullion then a matter of such consequent Importance and important consequence that beeing but one word it encludes vs All in All will not Money serue our turnes No surely without doubt debate or question For Money made of Bullion being a Creature vnto Kings as Kings are to God in the hands of Subiects becomes it selfe admired adored for a God whose Powerfull operation without some Grace Deuine by selfe-conceited Greatnesse begets Pride and Presumption in the heartes of sinnefull men turning Truth in Religion to Conceits and Heresies and Equity in Exchange to Extortion and Vsury the Mistery of all our woe Besides Money of it selfe without Bullion to supply is but water in a Cesterne that by vse becomes exhausted or being but let alone consumes it selfe by stinks and putrifaction For Bullion being the Fountaine Money is but the water and Exchange the very Riuer that serues all priuate turnes and Bullion beeing the Sun Money is but the Beames and Exchange the very Light that makes the World to see So that helpe Kings to their Bullion and Subiects shal be Happy at least in GREAT-BRITAIN where BOVNTY now commands for BOVNTY must direct vs to the Iland of Exchange the Seat of worldly Happines Perfection dwels in Heauen Exchange haue we spide out Exchange then haile Maisters Merriners Mates at all hands call vp our loyall Merchants true Patriotes Enterlopers Publicans and Sinners and Customers and all and be of good cheere belay well the Bowlyne keepe your Tacklines tight and sure aloofe aloofe with the Mayne for feare of the GOOD-WINS I seem to see our Iland for the Fore-lands appeare CASTOR and POLLVX threatning both together did boad vs good-lucke our Barke is strong enough to beare out al her leakes our Load-stones proue good and our Compasse is true therefore aloofe I say with the Mayn by this Cape of Good-hope to the Harbor of safety and Heauen of all our rest Beare vppe I say Steere-man PALINVRVS ports
woorthy South-hampton All Merchants Allyes and Friends to the State were at all hands bid welcome All Artes were entertained but especially CLOTHING Se Lipsius Louamum of the dissention betweene the Earle there and the Towne of Louayne Lib. 2. cap. 5,13◠Cap. 12. 1372. which as then from Louaine began to flye hither with Places of Residence Immunities and Priuiledges besides stipends and wages to assure them being heere All kindnesse was too little no fauor seem'd too much and the Law made it fellony for any to transport wooll and none to weare Cloathing Wrought and Dyed beyond Sea but the King and his Queene and their imediate Children the matter was confiscable and the Persons imprisonable at the Kings will and pleasure ¶ Thus Traffick maintain'd our Staples and our Staples held vp the Credit of our Load-stones whose vertue drew in Bullion whereby our Mints coyn'd Money Seuerall Mints in England and made Golde and Siluer currant in moe places then one As Durham Yorke Cantorbury Winchester Exceter and Bristoll Each had his proportion according to the Pix aswell as London our Portes were full of Shipping and the Customes like Quitrents were certaine to bee knowne by the Merchants owne prices which they paid at the Staple by indented Certificate that iealousie her selfe had no cause of suspition or vse of Bookes of Rates or rules of discretion the Ports and the Staples controlling each other But as Callice grew a thorne The French offered for Exchange of Calits quatorze cent Valle trois mil Fortresses non mees en vne rolle by Du Tillets Recueil de Traittes Fol. 92. which the French could not endure was often vpon bartring and subiect to surprise King Edward to marry Callis and England assuredly together remoued the Staple of Kent from Cantorbury thither but foresaw not the disorder hee wrought himselfe at home for want of the Mines that seru'd his Mints of Bullion For as Callis nowe coyn'd all England faine to make Statutes to draw Money from Callis and our Merchants out of sight vndertaking the Garrison by one pretence or other combining together found meanes to farme the Staples and so by consequence the Customes conuerting Exchange to Extortion and Vsury The Original of Societies of Merchants and by Companies and Conclaues sought how to rayse them-selues aboue the rest of their fellowes long known by the name and stile of Merchants of the Staple but out-faced at the last by a stronger Societie of Merchants Aduenturers When Callis was lost these trust vppe our Staples and returned all to Bruges whence Pride and Disdaine remoou'd them to Middleborough from Middleborough to Barrow and from Barrow vp to Antwerp where what good they did to thousands by wronging more then millions of brethren of their owne See a Treatise long since written in admitation of the Traificke of England but lately printed at Middleborough and London by one Wheeler in fauour of the Marchant Aduentuters cold A Treatise of Commerce for these fiftie yeares and more as they haue not let to publish to their own Pride and Shame so let Indian Mines but speak that haue paide for the triall and let England consider how needefull it is to call our Staples home ¶ Thus experience makes it good betweene Flaunders and Spaine for Englands behoofe ☞ The onely tossing of English Staples vp and downe the Netherlands but since the losse of Calaye hath so warmde the blood of Burgundy that Holland alone with Zeland hand to hande mating the Power of Spayne hath made Pride it selfe after forty yeares Warie craue Peace and gladde of tenne yeares Truce for all their Indian Mines that the Mines of the East and the Mines of the West the Mynes of the North and the Mines of the South and the Mines wheresoeuer may promise much at first and yet faile vs all at last but the Grace of GOD fayles neuer For if all our Subsistence still grow from his GOODNES to set foorth his Glory and our dependance on him and those Countreyes be reputed most wealthy and most happy that are ablest and aptest to spare and transport Commodities of theyr owne then may this Island reioyce aboue the rest And if GOD by his wisedome haue so disposed of Goodnesse that no place is extant so absolutely blest as in all points to stand and Subsist of it selfe that by charitable Trafficke bounded by Lawes Treatise Leagues Oathes and Decrees all wants might be supplied according to Reason Prudence and Pollicy which with vs heer in England hath euermore aymed at the encrease of our Shipping since Victus and Vestitus giues Law to all the rest then most happy GREAT-BRITAINE both by Sea and by Land Bona si sua Norit and had but her Staples commutatiuely as Iustice hath her Courts distributiuely and Religion hath her Temples For this Kingdome by Nature beeing no wayes possest of Gold and Siluer Mines the wisedome of the State hath euer found it needfull to supply that want by Art in the chiefest materials that the soile it selfe affords made vendible to al for ready Gold and Siluer at places like sanctuaries for immunity and freedome famous to the world by the name of Staples Thus as Denmarke hath her Sound Fraunce Wine and Salt so England turn'd her Wooles Wool-felles Tinne Lead and Leather into pure Siluer and fine Gold From the Conquest downe-ward to Edward the thirde our Wooles bare greatest sway who to purchase his passage to the Conquest of Fraunce engag'd the Staple there of at Bruges as aforesaide for fifteene yeares but finding by experience the true vse of his Wooles he became the first that taught the benesite of Cloathing retyred his Staples and replantes them at home A happy beginning if it had bin well continued but his care to tie Callis and England together made him soone out-shoote his marke for by remoouing the Staple hee had setled in Keut from Cantorbury thither he dreyned all the rest The long dissention betweene the houses of Lancaster and Yorke and so lost his Mints at home for want of Bullion which the times then succeeding had no leysure to consider Thus as Hysteron grew Proteron our Portes to secke of Staples hauing lost withall their Customes as Quitrents must fayle where Demaynes are shrunke or gone our Kings being put to shifts were forc't to seeke aide by Subsidies as well on Lands and Goods as of Tonnage and Pondage from the loue of their Subiects whose wants at the first were gladly still supplied but the ofter the worse for in the Elementes of life and vitall subsistence Religion bids Reason prouide first for Nature and bee still next her selfe distresses being daungerous if not deadly when the bloud is retracted and the heart wants his owne Heere Merchants found the meanes still dealing out of sight The occasion Originall of Companies and Prinate Societies by Companies and Societies to prey vpon the publicke and attend their priuate
reasons as formerly haue beene toucht and laid downe Now such beeing the State of Traficke in the Out-Ports at least fit for the Graue and Wise to knowe and consider the reformation whereof though none but Authority may promise performe Yet as necessity compels so common duty makes it lawfull for all to wish and further Vnto whome therefore the Port-Townes aforesaid for themselues their next neighbour Citties Townes Parishes and Friends in all humble Submission by way of remembrance exhibit this petition Qui Reipub. Cicero offic lib. 1. praesunt Duo praecepta teneant vnum vt Vtilitatem Ciuium sic tueantur vt quioquid agant ad Eam referant obliti Commodorum suorum Alterum vt totum Corpus Reipub. current ne dum Partem aliquam tuentur reliquas deserant Qui autem Parti consulunt Partemque negligunt Seditiones Discordias inducunt Nam ex co fit vt alij Populares alij Optimi alicuius studiosi videantur Pauci Vniuersorum The Out-Port hauing ended appeald their CVSTOMERS and cald them for witnesse Whose Coats broken at Elbowes and Hose out at heeles had made them retyre and were loath to come forward But after TRAFFICKE and the OVT-PORTS as the CVSTOMES came in Question were sought for and found to be missing the CVSTOMERS by consequence were commanded to come in who like Poore Schollers with their Books in their hands but daring not to speake by way of Accompt frame Cyphers with their Pens and make signes in this manner If Happinesse be that State which all men so desire al ayming at the least at their highest blisse and Religion and Iustice our furest stayes to stand to and safest helpes to finde it That is to say If Religion by Sanctifying our Wittes and by reforming our Willes to cleere our Vnderstandings belay our Summum Bonum agaynst our Ghostly Enemies Sinne Death and Sathan by faithlesse Desperation And Iustice by protecting our Liuings our Liberties our Lyues our Honours and the Peace of all the Land against Nymrodising Tyrants and all their Adherents by Violence and Obtrusion I meane The Vse of Religion If Religion serue to settle the Tranquilitie of our Minds by holy Contemplations to fill our Soules with Ioy by Faith in Iesus Christ to encrease our Heauenly comforts by the Word and Sacraments to seperate our Callings by the name and style of Christians and to edifie the Church by Doctrine good Life And Iustice serue to warrant the Vse and Perpetuity of all our worldly wealth by honest conuersions The Vse of Iustice to confirm our Christian Liberty by Grace and Obedience to prolong our Liues by 〈◊〉 Loue and Loyalty to maintaine our Credits by Charity among men and to protect our Peace both in Church and Commonweale by Piety and Probytie maintaining as it were a kind of free Trafficke and mutuall Commerce betweene the Throne of God in Heauen and his Church vpon Earth by Doctrine and Prayer for the vse of Goodnesse Alheauen by Inspyrings downwaids and all holy Desires vpwards being as Angels or Marchants betweene God and Vs In a word The End of Religion If Religion serue to strengthen the meeke humble minded or leaue to Reprobation the proud aad peruerse in the vaine Immaginations of their obstinate harts The End of Iustice And Iustice to protect the possession fruition of all our Meum and Tuum as well in Tythes as in Tributes that our Fayth aboue with Deity belaying our Summum Bonum our Charity in humanity might worke out our Happinesse by the Medium CHRIST-IESVS both GOD and MAN Fayth I say apprehending the Mercies of the Father for the Merites of the Sonne by the Working of the Spirit the Fountaine of al Grace and Mother of Obedience nay If GOD be GOODNES and GOODNES be TRVTH and TRVTH be to be beleeued as Christians are taught the Comforts out of Question must needes bee very great where Men may dwell in houses whose foundations are laide on such assured grounds In which regard forsooth wee poore despised Schollers disgraced Out-port Customers want words to set forth our Ioyes and Conceiptes of the Goodnesse of GOD and Bounteous Disposition of our KING and sacred SOVERAIGNE for the stayes of Religion and Distributiue Iustice in these our happy daies but were those * The High Censtable and Earle Marshall of England Iudges in the Court of CHIVALRIE Patrons of Honor whom Mercury should scrue by APOLLO found out and the rooses of our Schooles made Wind-tight and Water-tight in the breaches and wants of Commutatiue-Right we would then write Verses in praise and commendation of our Prince and our Peeres sing Alleluya to the Great KING of Heauen For Iustice being Commutatiue aswell as Distributine Commutatiue Iustice the same we call Trafficke and Traffick the high way that leades vs all to Blisse so it is most GRAVE and most WISE in HIGHEST AVTHORITY that whereas by the Rules of Religion and Distributiue Iustice there eyther are or should be aswell Tributes of Homage as Attributes of Honor Heuesâ—um Vtile transcendently due to Soueraigne Sublimity euen in Earthly States as Gods among Men that Honestum on the righte hand and Vtile on the left holding hands still together Maiesty and Soueraignty might be seene and subsist both in Greatnes and Bounty by the Bounds of their Reuennewes namely Customes and Subsidies Customes of their owne by personall Right as wreathed to their Crownes by Necessity it selfe for their Greatnesse and Honor And Subsidies of their Subiects as Tokens and Effectes of Loyalties Free-will The First to demonstrate to the eie of the world that formall Distinction and ordinary obseruance that sets the true difference betweene Soueraignty and Subiection for reciproke Good of eyther The Second to expresse the frankenesse of Loue that ought to proceede from the hearts of their owne and peculiar People for Subiects weale In a word The First as Tythes due to Deity so Needefull of themselues as not to be defrauded much lesse denyde The last as Oblations of Denotions so tide to Free-will as may be required but none may compell And whereas moreouer Customes in this kinde and Subsidies both as honourable Effects of that waighty Cause Trafficke whose Actions being conuersant about no meaner Obiects theÌ„ Soueraignes Greatnes and Subiects Wealth require Collectors of absolute trust men truely Religious and honest indeede as Customers are euery way entended to bee And the Place of a Customer in that respect held a Function so Honourable or Honest at the least and a Charge of such import as none should obtrude on at aduenture or vndertake in Iest but such as Nature hath fitted and Authority admitted in lawfull manner All this notwithstanding most sacred IDEAS of MAIESTY and WISEDOME since contempt of their Persons Of the Rank Reputation which Publicans aliâs Customers belde among the ancient Romains euen when the Empyre was greatest and best goueâ—ned readbut 〈…〉 〈◊〉 where be
such as tumultuous warres haue made our next Neighbors The Netherlands the Seat of Excises and Traffickes Purgatory impose vpon themselues for defence of their Consciences their Liues and Liberties But such Customes as Mildnesse Mercy England the Seat of Marchandice and Traffickes Paradice to relieue our neighbors our Allies and our Friends the Wisedome of our State hath inuested our Kinges to maintaine the Soueraigntie of our Kingdome by Such Customes as demonstratiuely shewing the real possession and actuall protection our Soueraignes haue and hold of euery mans wealth leaue notwithstanding to each of their Subiectes his Meum and Tuum and full vse of his owne Lastly such Customes as like Tythes of a Church or Quitrents of a Mannor shew the power of the Lorde and Greatnesse of the Owner the defrauding whereof doth worthily forfet both protection and possession of the immediate Free-holder For Customes of themselues Customes deseribed and properly taken are those Lenioreâ— Tributâ— easie sums and payments of ready currant money to Customers at their Portes by Marchants allyed to the State for such Staple-Commodities as being orderly bought sold and for Number Weight and Measure sufficiently censured before they crosse the Seas for our Soueraigns Honor and Countreyes Credit by indented Certificate and Staple-Seale come warranted thither But as the Stuard of a Mannor that sits to hold a Court for want of the Rowles and Authenticke Records of his Lords Reuenewes can neither know the Tenants demaund their Quit-rents nor vnderstand their homage how each man bounds his Fee or holds his own So fares it at this day with the Customes and the Customers in the Out-Ports of this Lande For though their Temples stand vpright and Churches may be seen yet their Staples being dissolued transported out of sight from whence their worke should come though Religion haue her Altars for Vnity and Truth yet Traficke being distracted the King wants his owne and wee like to Pipers that want their vpper lippes would gladly call for Customes but knowe not where to finde them For as no Church can haue no Tithes and no Courts no Quitrents so no Staples no Customes By meanes whereof Necessity ouertaken makes bold with Free-will and to ayde Prcheminence transcending to Prorogatiue turnes Customes into Subsidies of Tonnage and Pondage As iâ— Preheminence and Prerogatiue were meerely Synonimas and ment but one thing and bounding Iustice that layes out all our Rightes were that boundlesse Mercy which makes vs al to liue and Mercy it selfe but a word of profanesse or some ordinary thing Thus whilst our Graue Maisters and Moderators of our Schooles haue beene busied and distracted with higher pointes f Learning out Staples turnd to Mart-Townes in other Forrain Landes our Customes are confounded and wee like Beares at Stakes seeme fit for nothing but bayting and beating But that which grieues vs most and of all seemes most vnkinde our PATRON hereby wants his Bounty * No maruell if Customers liue still disgraced for holding Honestum so before Vtile as both might go together since Bounty it selfe in Kinges becomes hindered and distasted without which in Soueraignes no Subiects can bee happy Shall Piety tremble to say God may be too Good And shall Loyalty limit or tax Bounty in Kinges If omne Bonum be sui diffu siuum quantò communius eò semper meliut As God is most Good Infusiuely being Goodnessent selfe so help Kings to fixed Goodnesse Bullion for that is their Essence but keepe Subiects from coyning though the Bullion be their Owne is vndermined without which in Soueraignes no Subiects can be happy For his Loadestones beeing transported and his Golden Mines of store hys Coyne begins to faile and his Mints doe stamp no more His Ports run all to London where his Treatise keepe men vnder his Megazines in Holland makes all the world to wonder The onely Shipping of Helland compatable with all ChristeÌ„dome Whose Shippes and strength at Sea so great so huge so strange showes how Trafick furthers Shipping how Vsury checks Exchange and all because Subiects are suffered to be Coyners O Vsury and Ambition how far are you to blame And Auarice with Pride goe hide your selues for shame Till our Staples bee fouÌ„d For if alery out on Couetise that with great ReasoÌ„ since God hath pronounc't it the root of all Euill and the secret loue of Money to be flat Idolatry which being still bad in Subiects must needes bee woorst in Kings Howe great then might out happines appeare to haue BOVNTY himselfe now liâ—e and dwel among vs had his Traficke but her Staples as his Iustice hath her Courts and Religion her Temples And what harty remorse ought it to moue to see both Him and His abridged and depriued of the principall meanes to practise their vertues Great there fore Greater and Greatest of all must their accounts be both to God and Nature that preposlerously peruerting their proper Materialles turne their best helpes for Bullion to their priuate aduantage to the intollerable dislurbance both of Court and Countrey and almost vnrecouerable wrong to the King and his Crowne whereof Customers wanting words haue made signes with their Pennes and yet are still apt to groane in this manner O that our Tâ—ngueâ— or Pennes were able to expresse Or had tâ—e Golden guift to make men vnderstand Thoâ—e great and stroog Effects of Heauenly happines Exchange at Staples would worke by Bounâ—â—â—â— hand Our Traficke thâ—n a home would quickly blisse our Land For Instice and Religion should sit so neare together That Righteousnes and Peaâ—e might kindly kisse each other And Kings elsewhere might learne by this Idea made What Heauen it selfe dothboad by this our Kingly Trade Yet MAIESTY must be seene still for all this Disorder at one hand or other and SOVERAIGNTY by all meanes made able to subsist if SVBIECTS will be happy and Customers are sworne to do their best Endeuors ¶ Ther 's a Place in this Land Transitiâ— from Customes to Subsidie by a Simile where a Great-Man doth dwell in whose beautifull Garden a stately Fountaine standes at the raysing whereof Art seemd to striue with Nature and both excell themselues the Spring and Streame still plentifull fill all the empty Cisternes of the Tenants adioyning with a Cocke in pryuate to stop or let out at pleasure By tract of Time corruption abroad or neglect at home the Spring becomes peruerted the Streame runs wast or the Fountayn's out of frame that the Lord of the Soyle who should relieue others by the Bounty of his owne wants water himselfe and crauesayd of his Tenants whose Cisterns conteyne no more of themselues then his Currant afforded and Conduct controld His wants at the first are gladly supplyde but the ofter the woorse for in these Elements of Life and vitall subsistence Religion still bids Reason prouide first for Nature and be next her selfe Distresses being daungerous if not deadly when the bloud is retracted
all haue suck't their Mothers For Faults there are no doubt euer were and euer will bee many Perfection knowes no Residence but Heauen And who sayes he hath no Sinne shall proue the greatest Lyer But whilst our Huishers cry the most for the King Couetise and Pride fall at oddes each with other And Profit turning priuate holds Honor for nothing Where Honestum and Vtile should still go together Qui Paria esse volunt peccata Ipsique laborant Cum ventum ad verum est Sensus moresque repugnant Atquee ipsa Vtilitas Iusti prope Mater Aequi. All faults are made alike yet they themselues are dumbe When Truth in question fals Each Finger seemes a Thumbe For as Honor wants a Place so Mercie finds no roome And Profit holds the Seat alone where Iust Right shold come And now at last as they that are not apt by discourse of Wit and Reason to beleeue that Fyre is hot best learne it by theyr feeling Since Experience makes it good and the time hath laid it open in the practise of others that our greatest Imputation our supposed Sacriledge our horrible sinne was our greatest vertue though Ignorance and Iealousie had no will to conceiue it namely since our foure late Supervisors that for 1700. pound a yeare some foureteene yeares together vndertooke to mend the Bible and correct Magnificat but left the Plough at last with shame enough to Farmers And those Farmors now themseldes ploughing vp the Dead-Mold of all our best Fallowes euen for their owne auaile are compeld to confesse by their daily Billes of Store Fowring allowances and other earms of Art drawne from Necessity that Trafficke must haue fauour let Auditors declare it and let Truth be heard to speake That God did put as much if not more Profit and Pleasure besides Harts Ease and Honour for our Soueraignes owne behoofe in the mild endeuours of Customers Deductis deducsendis so long as they were trusted by Fauour and Loue as the Deuill is able wont and euer will bee ready to mingle Care and Cumber Losse and Shame in the turbulent vndertakings of Extremity and shiftes for priuate Gayne And since those Ethnicke Romaines Cicere ad Q. Frat Lib. 1. by the onely light of reason did holde it for their Glory that in Tributis exigendis their Publicans were found to be Gracis Leniores Let not Christian Pollicy come short of Infidelity in Mildnesse and Mercie to their Neighbors and Friends but send away Extrâ—mity with all her fraud and shifts to their natiue homes and residence Let Italie haue her Imposts together with the Stewes leaue Tyrants to Obtrusion and Extortion to the Iewes Send Pride to the Pope and the Masse away to Rome with all kinde of Vsurie by way of Flanders home And helpe Kings to Bullion that their Bounties may be knowne For as God by his Goodnesse makes al his Creatures happy so Kings by their Bounty and Staples of their own at least in GREAT-BRITAINE where BOVNTY now commands I mean at home stil in England by English Staples or else farewell sweet Trafficke and with her farewell Customes with whom farewell Iustice so farewell Religion and then fare well All. Heere the Customers of the Out-ports standing mute amazed like Cyphers in August or like to those Brick-makers that fometimes wrought in Egypt groaning for their Trafficke grieued for their Ports and tyred as it were like those Spur-galde Soules of Purgatory with the sternenesse of their Huishers and Ignorant Adiuncts that wrangle like Hetroclytes Customers saith before set down heere shew their Charity with the very Rules of Grammer accusing no man for that is the Deuilles part euen from the beginning nor at warre with any but sinne and Dishonesty forgiuing All as they would be forgiuen and praying for the KING for the QVEENE for the PRINCE and All the ROYALL ISSVE Their Deuotion and Prayers praying for the Cleargie for the Nobles and the Commons of this Land In a word praying for the Church for the CoÌ„monweal And lastly for Themselues not presuming vpon Merits but by way of Apollogie pray humbly to Obtain their Soueraigns Grace and Fauor withal to be discharged of all former Imputations laid by Ignorance and her Fellowes Namely Ielousie Hypocrisie Impudence Malice Enuy and Slander vpon Them and their Callings Their easy honest and lawfull Petition For by the Law of Nature Nations both Imputari non debet Eiâ—per QueÌ„ non stat si non facit quod per Ipsum est faciendum The reason being added withall Quia culpa caret Qui scit prohibere nequit In the meane time Since nothing preuailes but the GOODNES of GOD and BOVNTY of KINGS to make ALL in ALL It is the Disorder of our TRAFFICKE at this day that makes our RELIGION and IVSTICE contest so togither shaking the most happy foundations of Truth in either For if Probity fail in Actions what shal Piety perform in the Consciences of men Howe shall Faith build vp if Works pul downe Attend TRAFFICK therfore in time and the vnnaturall Disputes about Prohibitions will end happy Let TRAFFICKE bee releeued Of GOODNES long depreeued And let TRVTH be still beleeued That SVBIECTS may be blist For TRAFFICK out of thrall Makes KINGS be seene of All What e're to POPES befall And SOVERAIGNES to subsist Thus Magna semper VERITAS praevaluit praeualebit And Magna MAGNVS perficit DEVS In MAGNIS voluisse sat est sint coetera DIVVM THO MILLES
Nil magis in votis nec habui nec habeo quam vt inter Plures Aliquos inveniam Qui de Istis iudicare queant Iudicare autem non possunt nisi vtcunque Literati Rerum-vsu-Periti Ex His satis mihi Pauci LECTORES sat erit si vel VNVS THE MISTERIE OF INIQVITIE Plainely layd open by a Lay Christian no profest Diuine out of TRVTH in Humanity and Rules of Naturall REASON Whereby The World may See Read and Vnderstand The Proud and Vaine Comparison of a Cardinalles Red-Hat and a KINGS GOLDEN CROWNE Alwayes prouided In Reading Read All or Read nothing at All. Magna semper VERITAS Praeualuit et Praeualebit 1611. MAIESTIE must be seene and SOVERAINTIE must subsist if SVBIECTS will be happy ¶ In Regimine Ciuitatis In Republica gubernanda et in Orbis imperio minimum est quod possunt Homines in causa Religionis multó minus Magna Magnus perficit DEVS HE whose onely will and absolute Power could worke so well that all he made became like HIM-SELFE Valde bona exceeding Good Gen. Cap 1. Vers 31. Et vidit DEVS quod omnia quae fecerat erant valde bona GOD I say GOD I meane and GOD the third time though ONCE for ALL whom onely to knowe is euerlasting Life and ioy but to heare and make mention of his Name being a law to Himselfe of his owne Perfection doth likewise perfect all he willes or doeth His GOODNES being the Forme wherein all things are well made from which to swerue is to turne againe to nothing and which in Him as the Fountaine wee must admire and most of all affect and desire in our selues Thus GOODNES becomes the glorious Centre of DEITIE it selfe from whence all Circumferences both in HEAVEN and EARTH deriue not only Essence and Subsistence but happinesse in Being From hence it is that out of Learning and zeale to religious rightes some godly disposed haue seem'd to obserue a kinde of Free-trafficke and mutuall Commers betweene the Throne of HEAVEN and the Church vpon EARTH for the vse Goodnesse All heauenly Inspirings downwards and all holy Desires vp-ward being as Angels or Marchants betweene GOD and VS That as his Doctrine doeth teach HIM for our supreame TRVTH so our Prayers might confesse HIM to be our Soueraigne-GOOD and our Faith from aboue belaying our happinesse our Charity below might woorke out our Saluation by the Medium CHRIST IESVS both GOD and MAN Faith I say apprehending the mercies of the FATHER for the merits of the SONNE by the working of the SPIRIT the Fountaine of all Graces and Mother of Obedience But this Height and Depth of GOODNES we leaue to Deuines This fittes not our Trafficke and lower Commers the length and bredth thereof must lay foorth our Lessons which are but Customers that giuing GOD his due and our SOVERAINE-KING his Right All might become happy Ignorance What Publicans and Sinners and Customers and All Customer Yea euen Sinners and Publicans whome Customers you call Iealousie But howe I pray you And what makes you thinke such may become happy Customer Humanity and Reason For if TRVTH and GOODNES subsisting together by the name of DEITIE made Man a modell of Perfection like it selfe for the vse good of All and GRACE begetting BOVNTIE by the GOODNES of it selfe haue fixt Maiesty and Soueraignty in the persons of Men by the name of KINGS for all Subiects weale why should not Customers reioyce among the rest Suspition Why Because Publicans and Sinners are seene daily to conuers Customers and Searchers liue together and ought to concurre and keepe company together Customer And so are Customers compeld for to do Ipocrisie But Publicans are Sinners are Customers so too Customer Else were they but Lyers if they should not say so but Sinners by nature are those you call Men and by the grace of GOD those men become KINGS and KINGS become Christians And such by Grace and GOODNES are Customers too Impudence Are Customers then Christians Customer Yea and Kentish-men too for Kentish-men are Christians where-euer they goe Discretion If Customers be Christians then may they be honest and so become happy but Publicans will lie Customer So must Discretion too when Ignorance commaunds and Iealousie stands by But as a Publican turn'd Christian Saint Mathew the Euangelist sometime a Publican became so true a Brother that hee taught the foundation of Trueth vnto other So were it or might it be that docible persons might be suffered to learne Publicans at this day both could and would teach Sinners to become like themselues neither Saints nor Hipocrites nor deepe profest Deuines but humbly minded Christians and plaine honest men Enuy. Admit they be Christians and that some prooue happy in regarde of their PLACE LONDON yet they of the OVT-PORTES howe dare they show their face Customer Where Ignorance and Enuy are seene to embrace Questions answere Questions in the same words and case Then why should the OVT-PORTS be so subiect to Disgrace They seek to see one Maiesty and one Souerainty subsist they serue all one GOD and one KING at the least Malice Why their Breathes infect the Ayre and their Places seeme accurst Customer If Malice had not sayed so then Enuy woulde haue burst Slaunder But their Names are sufficient to turne Vertue into Vice and Trueth into Lies as matters now stand Customer So the worlde hath beene tolde indeede and long borne in hand as woordes are mistaken 1. Customers collect in the Custome Houses both by sea and by land for as 1 Publicans and 2 Sinners are two seuerall words spell them who can so 2. Searchers and Wayters attend at the Waters side imply they a distinction both in manners and Man But Ignorance Ignorance that Mid-wife of Idolatrie and Nurse of Superstition hath euer beene likewise the Mother of all Errors aswell in Humanity as Diuinity it selfe in Iustice as Religion iniurious euen to GOD as well as his LIEVTENANTS therefore no friend to Customers But as Priuatio presuponit habitum and sicknes implieth a habit first of health so Errors breeding mischiefes begat those Inconueniēces which threatning our confusion tell vs notwithstanding vnawares to themselues of a way to Order that leads to Perfection which we hope now to learne The KING and PRINCE For our DAY-STARRE is risen and the DAWNING of our Day that in good time will scarre them or amend them as they may ENTHVSIASME Now alas poore man how art thou beset by Ignorance and her fellowes Yet be not dismay'd what though inveterate Errors hold on their aduantage till from signes vnto causes by effects it appeare in this lower kinde of Traficke and worldly Commers howe the names euen of KINGS as well as Customers are subiect to abuse yet when TRVTH the Daughter of Time shall once but appeare and put her selfe forth then Ignorant Discretion and Impudency too shall stand both confounded Iealousie her selfe see that