Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	great_a	holy_a	see_v	3,964	5	3.2444	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15033	The English myrror A regard wherein al estates may behold the conquests of enuy: containing ruine of common weales, murther of princes, cause of heresies, and in all ages, spoile of deuine and humane blessings, vnto which is adioyned, enuy conquered by vertues. Publishing the peaceable victories obtained by the Queenes most excellent Maiesty, against this mortall enimie of publike peace and prosperitie, and lastly a fortris against enuy, builded vpon the counsels of sacred Scripture, lawes of sage philosophers, and pollicies of well gouerned common weales: wherein euery estate may see the dignities, the true office and cause of disgrace of his vocation. A worke safely, and necessarie to be read of euerie good subiect. By George Whetstones Gent. Seene and allowed.	Whetstone, George, 1544?-1587?	1586 (1586)	STC 25336; ESTC S111678	158,442	230

S. Peter from whome they deriue their holie vertue erred and denied Christ and onely by repentance was againe receiued into grace They excéede S. Peter in riches and pompe but they come short of him in holines doing of miracles If the opinion of a Franciscan Frier be as currant as other Pope scripture it is known vnto you that reade the liues of your popes that pope Sixtus the 4. was in the beginning a frier of S. Frances order who being aduanced vnto the paupaltie was oftentimes visited with the brethren of his owne habite among whome one of his ancient companions in his friers wéede came to sée the Pope who to set forth his pompe shewed him his rings magnificent iewels and withall said Brother I can say now more then S. Peter who said I haue neither gold nor siluer it is true said the frier but you can not say as he said to the lame impotent arise and walke giuing him thereby to vnderstād that the popes of Rome labor more to be rich then holy but you may say because you are forbid that you must tel no man of the popes faults do then as●…e did that bewraied King Mydas asses eares tell them so lowde to the earth that men may heare them iwis they be more deformed then Mydas eares and you shall be far more praised in the reuealing of them then profited in the concealing of them But you will further say that all your doings are the documents of great learned men whose counsels ought to worke more strongly with you then all my perswasions That same learning in déede in stubborne wits when it vndertaketh an error doth the diuell and all of hurt Plato saith small wits do little hurt in a common wealth the great wits are they that do all the mischiefe S. Augustine had read much and was very cōuersant in the scriptures and yet he was a great while in the heresies of the Manichees and still perswaded himselfe that scripture was of his side Learning doth stay a man in error rather then helpe him out of it especially if he haue chued the sense of the scripture at his pleasure or be dronken with iuice that his fantesie hath corrupted Saint Paule was learned when he persecuted Christes flocke and had read of nothing so much as of the scripture and yet you sée that men could neuer turne his hart God himselfe was faine to put to his voice to strike his body blind and to enlighten therewith his soule In truth it is apparant that you stop your eares against all the perswasions of man It is Gods especiall grace that must vanquish your stubbernes which grace is promised to all those that sincerely ask it in his Sonne Iesus name speake well of Saint Thomas Saint Gregory and the rest because they are dead but pray not vnto them for the dead can doo the liuing no good Iesus signifyeth saluation and Iesus alone must be your saluation Pray then vnto Iesus with a contrite heart laye asyde your painted hypocrisye and then no doubt he wyll lighten youre vnderstandyng and make you to vse youre learnyng to hys glorye whyche otherwyse is lyke a swoord in a mad mans hande whiche indangereth manie and defendeth not hys maister beléeue him that wisheth you no euill if you haue a desyre to do your selues good one moment faithfullye bestowed in thys Deuotion will profyte you more then seuen yéeres reading of controuersies The short praier of the poore Publicane was in heauen before the long babling of the painted Pharisie his doctrine is nothing so dangerous as the Popes he commandeth you to pay tribute and obedience to Princes and not to murther or lay violent hands of the Lords annointed if he set you about such busines will him to teach you more fence for he had néede to be verie skilfull that shall wound him to whom God is a buckler It is not an enterprice to be ventured on by yong schollers least in the striking out of their quarters their heads and all flie off Returne your vengeance vpon this vngratious pope who is the vengeance both of your body and soule but now I counsel you not to strike him with carnall weapons for the word must be his confusion reade but the new Testament ouer with a holy conscience you shall find many words to wound him Marten Luther whose very name perplexeth the Pope neuer fought with him with other weapons then the word of God yet in his life he so vanquished him as being at the very point of death his soule beheld the triumph of his destruction and for ioy thereof sayd Pe●…t is eram viuens moriens tua mors ero papa Liuing I was thy plague dying will be thy death pope He hath prophesied truly to the purpose for all the Iesuits in Christendome can not cure the woundes that the reuerende Marten Luther hath giuen him Why labour you then your owne destruction to raise him whome God hath abased his life is not long but yours will be shorter vnlesse you dispatch your harts of your odious treasons God so hateth them that as the Preacher saith the birds of the aire shall bewraie your voice and with their feathers shall betray you so that your cunning shall be to no other end then to leade you to the gallowes From which God defend you if it be his good will to giue you so much grace as to become his seruants and her Maiesties louing Subiectes ¶ THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE ENGLISH MIRROVR Entituled A fortresse against Enuy Builded vppon the councels of sacred Scripture lavves of sage Philosophers and policie of well gouerned Common weales Wherein euerie estate may see the true offices the vvorthines and by abuse the disgrace of his vocation A worke safely and necessarie to be read and regarded of euerie good subiect by GEORGE WHETSTONS Gentleman Malgre ❧ To the right Honorable and most graue personadges the temporall maiestrates of England in their waightie counsels the assistance of Gods holie spirit MOst honorable and graue Maiestrates it may seeme vnto your wisedomes that I flattered my wit with a foolish singularitie and abused your fauors with an arrogant presumption if of my owne braine I should vndertake and lay before your iudgements thys waightie building which containeth the true offices the worthines and by abuse the disgraces of euery mans vocation which labor I entitle A fortresse against Enuy. But most reuerend as I haue composed my first booke called The Conquests of Enuy of the examples and ouerthrowes of the most ancient renowmed and florishing common weales for Enuy only maketh warre with things of the greatest glory and haue continued my second booke entituled Enuy conquered by vertue with the admiration of her Maiesties peaceable victories obtained by diuine prouidence and her highnesse pretious vertues the one incomprehensible and the other without sample So right honorable this third booke which I reuerently submit vnto your graue censors I semblably

seruices The prince created theyr Auncesters Earles Barons or as their callings are and for their vertues suffered the honor to descend vnto their heires then they that will worke Treason and forget God the kindnesse of their Prince the vertues of their Parents and loue to theyr Countrey it is not ynough that they themselues die the death but the Emperour Vespasian in a letter to his sonne Titus sayeth the sonne of such a Traytor ought not to lyue God thought no temporall punishment sufficient to chasten the rebellion of Corath Dathan and Abiram he caused the earth to open her mouth and to swallow them vp and their houses and all the men that were with Corath and all theyr goodes and they and all that they had went downe alyue vnto Hell these be the words of the text and certainely the vengeance of God continually raigneth vppon Traytors Chronicles make mention of millions of Treasons that haue béene punished and of a few that haue had successe Almost in euerie nation most of the auncient Nobilitie are eaten vp with Treason and noui homines as the Romaines tearme them occupie their places through vertue The learned Gentleman Mayster Morrisine in his inuectiue against Treason sayeth that the Treasons of great men ought to be set foorth in theyr colours because that blood is distained in Treason he might also haue added because a great deale of giltlesse blood is shead through theyr Treasons I haue in other places sufficiently showne the falles of Traitors and therefore to withstand the temptation of ambition and enuie the enemies of theyr Countreys peace and prosperitie and vtter ouerthrowe of themselues and familie this discouery with praier for the assistance of Gods spirit may suffice CHAP. 3. Of the reuerende calling of the Cleargie the holinesse that is required in theyr liues and the lamentable miseries that proceede of disvnion in Religion BOth among the Iewes and Gentiles and generallye through the whole worlde from the beginning vnto this day the chiefe Priests Bishops and generally the professors of Religion were much reuerenced and in hye estimation among the people The office of Aaron the Priest was of such credite among the Iewes as enuie and desire to occupie the roome was the principall cause of the Rebellion of Corath Dathan and Abyram yea Gods owne words greatly honored Aarons Priesthood when he sayd The sonnes of Leuy should waight vpon him and the Tabernacle Among the Heathen Romaines the office of the chiefe Byshop was of such account as Iulius Caesar when he began to aspire only laboured for that dignitie And yet before the ambitious climing of the Pope Chronicles make no mention that they were the head rulers of any gouerment Among the Iewes the Prophets were priuiledged to reprehende the faultes of the Prince but both the Prophets and Priestes were subiect vnto the sword and commaundemente of the Prince King Iehoas appoynted Iehoiada the Bishop and the Priestes how they shoulde imploy the money that was brought into the house of the Lord and when they fulfylled not hys commandement he sharpely reprehended them Iehu put all the Priestes of Baal to the sworde The Emperour Tyberius put the Priests of the Idoll Anubis to the sworde because they were the instruments for the wanton Knight Mundus to commit adultrey by theyr deceipt with the chaste Romaine Ladie Paulina Yea from the beginning and to be short at thys daye it can not be denyed but that the reuerence which is giuen vnto the Cleargie is due vnto theyr profession and not vnto theyr person and when theyr pompe was at the highest the greatest Archbishop that offended in treason had the tryall of a common subiect Since then the holinesse of theyr profession priuiledgeth the Cleargie to reprooue the faultes of Princes and giueth them place among the chiefe Pieres they are bound and holie Scripture commandeth them to glorifie God with theyr holie lyues that theyr holy words may the better edifie men Sainct Paule setting downe the office of a Bishop and in that dignitie containeth the duetie of the whole Cleargie sayeth that he must be blamelesse and so goeth on with many honest vertues which are well knowne and I pray God they may be as well followed of the Cleargie Sainct Peter commandeth them to be of so honest conuersation among the Gentiles that where as they backbited them as euill doers they might sée their good workes and praise God in the day of visitation A great many that would faine haue an excuse for wickednes say that the word of God is the life of the soule and not the works of the Preacher so that if the doctrine be pure it skilleth not if the Diuell preach the same The word I graunt remaineth pure but the working will be to little purpose if it be deliuered by such a Minister for the holy Ghost loueth not to accompanie the Diuell I hope this small note shall worke no offence whiche is not meant to instruct the Cleargie which amply knowe theyr dutyes but reuerently to shewe theyr error that are forgetfull of theyr duties King Phillip of Macedon helde no skorne to be dayly remembred by a Page of his chamber that he was a mortall man Pope Sixtus the fourth that vaunted how he passed Sainct Peter bécause he had golde siluer and pretious stones was not wroath with the beggerlie Frier that aunswered hym he lacked notwithstanding much of Sainct Peters holynesse for hée coulde not saie vnto the lame and impotent arise and walke and certainely although the Pope were bluntly crossed yet he was thereby charitably counselled to labour rather to become holie then riche whiche is a speciall dutie in the Cleargie for by theyr godlinesse they please God and instruct men when by the abuse of riches they may dishonor the one and be an euill example to the other With this admonition of the Frier the blowe that a Countrey peisant gaue the Archbishop of Cullen ought to be as patiently receiued of the Cleargie as the hol●…e tale of the saluage Mylo was of the Senate of Rome Upon a daye as the Archbyshop trauelled accompanied according to the custome of Germanie with an armed troupe a Countrey fellow encountred hym with a rude laughter whiche the Archbishop noting demaunded what mooued him to laugh so the fellowe aunswered to sée Sainct Peter prince of the Prelates who lyued and dyed poorely to leaue suche wonderfull pompe and riches to hys successors the Archbishop that was a little galled to excuse himselfe said my friends I goe with thys companie because I am a Duke as well as a Byshop wherevppon the loute doubled his laughter and boldly sayde my Lord I beséech you if the Duke which you speake of were in Hell where shoulde then be the Archbishop as who woulde haue sayde that two professions become not one man for sinning in the one he cannot be iustified by the other King Richard the first laughed when he had

to bring him to the agréement of his pleasure Necessitie maketh many of these conclusions contrarie to the law of charitie and good conscience which the diligence and charge in duetie of these popular Maiestrates would administer to the glorie of god and generall peace and commoditie of men CHAP. 6. Of the worthy reputation of the godly Lawier and the especiall benefite of his seruice in the common wealth THE enuious that raise mispleasing questions of the most morrall institutions as the Spider draweth poison out of the swéetest flower are like inough to slaunder my honest intent concerning the former Chapter with a suggestion that I couertly reproue Lawiers and reproch the vertue of the Law but their reasons censured by the wise will proue as vaine as their heads are void of vertue no man that hath sense will say that to prescribe rules of health it is any discredite to Phisicke or dishonour to the Phisition when the health of man sheweth the reputation of either as weake is his iudgement that saieth a perswation to concorde and quietnesse among neighbours is either a reproch to Law or blame to Lawiers when the commendation of the one and office of the other is to administer publike peace and prosperitie The pollicy of this gouernement hath made especiall choise of Lawiers to be Iusticers of Peace and for their profession they are abled for this commission albeit they cannot spende the yearely lande contained in the statute Fortescue saieth that humaine Lawes are no other than rules that instruct men to do Iustice it then followeth that Lawers are the principall instruments and amners of iustice yea so necessarie is the studie and knowledge of the Lawe as a man can hardlie discharge his duetie to God his Prince and countrie that is ignorant in the Lawes of the Realme The Romaines when they had banished their Tyrannous kings and had erected their Aristocratia or Decemuirate gouernement they trusted to the strength of their Lawes the which faire written in tenne tables they caused to be set vp in the market place to the intent that ignorance might be no plea for any man that trespassed against the weale publicke In all good gouernements there is a common Maxime Non excus●…t ignorantia iuris The ignorance of the Lawe excuseth not And in this blessed gouernement that euerie man might knowe his duetie the greatest part of the penal lawes ought to bée plainely opened vnto the multitude by the Iusticers or Iustices of Peace at their quarter Sessions and the like is the charge of Stewards in their Leates that the people may knowe the Lawes which they are bound to obey so that it were an vnexcusable folly to reproch the Lawe which according to the iudgement of Fortescue is an vncorrupt holinesse and a daungerous madnesse to enuie generally against Lawiers who are honored with right reuerende dignities in the common wealth and yet with fauour let the Trueth bee spoken from thinges of the greatest vertue the worst vices are growne Religion is the holiest of holy things and yet Heresie of sins the most damnable procéedeth of the wresting of holy scriptures Euen so Lawe which in trueth containeth the verie iudgements of Iustice vnto couetous and naughtie persons openeth an hundred gappes to robbe and vndoe their poore neighbours and truely vpon the temptation of their opressions a man sauing the honor of the good may say by lawyers as Cicero did by Poets when he alowed the sentence of Plato and yet Cicero honoured good Poets as appeareth by his Oration for the Poet Archias in which he perswaded the Citizens to receiue him as one that would greatly honour and benifite the Citie The like reputation and reuerence I and all good men ought to giue to godly lawiers how be it my censure is that next vnto the heriticke the wicked Lawier is the most daungerous person CHAP. 7. Of the honest reputation of the Yemonry or husbandmen the commoditie of their seruice their aptnesse to rebellion with a direction for their quietnesse and commoditie WHO so shall consideratiuely looke into the necessarie seruice of the Yemen and husbandmen of England he may with the graue Cato rightly cal them Aratores optimos ciues in republica Tyllers of the ground and best Citizens in a common wealth and as their trauell and continual labor profiteth or more properly féedeth the whole Realme so their inconstant and seditious humors are apt vppon euery light temptation to worke the disturbance of the whole Realme and therefore the pollicie of our gouernment within the compasse of euery foure or fiue mile in most shires hath appointed some one of the better sort of the Gentlemen to be a Iusticer of peace among them who as is before showne is bounde to haue an eye vnto their behauiours and an eare readie to heare and appease their murmurings and truely if any good counsaile may take place among the stubborne multitude besides the admonition of sacred Scripture which in mani●… places commaundeth obedience and forbiddeth rebellion the assurednesse of their myserie vndoing and vtter confution forbiddeth them to runne from the motion of sedition as swift if it were possible as the fearefull Hare doth from the hungrie Grayhounde for their daunger is farre more apparent the Hare many times saueth her selfe by the recouerie of some woode but the poore and popular rebell lyeth open to all destruction Noble men Gentlemen and the better sort if they sée themselues in perrill as they are neuer safe that rebell they haue swift horse secreat friends and many couerts to shrowd them but the shiftlesse countrie men haue no sucker but the princes mercie which they neither deserue nor yet haue friends to acquire the same if there were not innumerable examples to proue that they headlong runne vppon their destruction and swiftly flie from their safetie and profite it were a thing almost vnpossible that the meanest sort of men would be drawne into rebellion I haue in many places of my booke shewen sundrie examples of their vnconstancie and therefore heere will onely set downe what Chauser writeth of their dispositions vnder Osterne people vniust and vntrue Ay vndiscreete and chaunging as a fane Delyting euer in rumors that be new For like the Moone you euer wax and wane Your reason halteth your iudgement is lame Your dome is false your constance euil preueth A ful great foole is he that on you leueth But questionlesse this mutabilitie and anke-ward disposition of the multitude would be much reformed if the Maiestrates and godly mynisters would sufficiently remember them of their dueties towards God their Prince and countrie It is great pittie that such profitable members in a common wealth should runne into daunger of disloyaltie for lacke of good instruction yea it is great pittie vnlesse in time of warre that they should be carried farre from their labor a poore countrie man that vseth a Law●…ers chamber is in as great a daunger as

no doubt might easily ouercome the most stubborne and conuaie both benefite and quietnesse to either partie and no doubt if the popular sort will be counselled for their profite and quietnesse they shall finde these Maiestrates readie to redresse their iniuries so farre as Law and charitable perswation will helpe them CHAP. 8. Of the disposition and destruction of Atheists machiuillians and Timepleasers with sundrie examples to the same purpose THe Prophet shewes the foole in heart doth say there is no God In truth Gods iustice proues them fooles that little feare his Rod. But God except who sees his thoughts and spewes him from his mouth This foole the Atheist doth beguile old age as wel as youth He Protew-like doth shape himselfe according to the time He wretch is neither whot nor cold but cleaueth like to slime To the affections of the great if fortune change their state He sets his foote vpon their throtes of whom he fauned late He knowes that gods which rule on earth haue humors like to men Not grosly closely in his words sweete flattery he doth blen He reads and doth regard these faults Loue hate and priuate gain Through partiall domes euen Iustice seate with poore mens teares doth staine He knowes lords letters beare a swinge sic volo keepes in awe And Munera speaks not for the poore that makes marreth law He knowes as Diamonds set in brasse haue but a slender grace So vertue in a poore attire sits in the meanest place And therefore clothed all in pride aboue he takes his seate And hath his tongue prepard to please the humors of the great Where fortune smiles he euer faunes and strongest parts doth take Where fortune frownes father brother and friend he doth forsake The scripture saith this cursed wretch is neither whot nor cold His conscience feeleth no remorce in murthering yong or old The stranger and the farthest borne he followes to be great And helpes to cut his neighbours throte his neighbors goods to get The widdowes teares and Orphants spoile he grieues not to behold But onely seekes to please himselfe and hath no God but gold Religion yet to serue his turne his cloake he still doth make VVhen as his Zeale is like a fane that euerie wind doth shake This wretch the prophet holds a foole and so he doth him call VVhose building grounded all on wit vpon his shoulders fall Examples of the miserable ends of Atheistes c. As I haue said the Atheists I meane are armed with all worldlie pollicies of wit to strengthen their purposes are the instruments in the practises of great Princes these bee they that followed Abimilech when he murthered threescore and eight of his brethren these be the firebrandes of the Pope and the two edged sword of Tyrauntes If they bee instruments of anie goodnesse their trauell is not of zeale if they bee vsed in anie mischiefe they outrage without pitie people farre more accursed then Pagans for they hold a kinde of religion and by the working of nature deale charitablie with their neighbours But the reprobate Atheists contemne all religion feare no God and although they faine to please all men yet they trulie loue not their owne kindred for bee it to depose their Soueraigne to spoile their Countrie and to murther their dearest friendes if they see likelihood in thier Treasons they giue consent if hope of aduauncement they first set hand to their sword But you monsters of humanitie that are drunken with the strength of your owne wittes and are bewitched with the hopefull successe of your pollicies esteeme it for sound counsaile that I giue you to vnderstande that the eternal God whom you neither feare loue nor do acknowledge seeth all your wicked pollicies in his vengeance and frustrateth them with his mercie he searcheth the reines and heartes and will giue to euerie man according to his works If you dig a pit to burie the innocent looke to fall into it your selues if you rayse a gallowes to hang them be you sure that you shall suffer thereupon if you edge your sword to pearce their hearts trust to it your own intrailes will be the sheath thereof What you doe or would doe vnto them shal be done vnto you Hamon set vp a payre of gallowes to hang Mardocheus the Iew and he and his tenne sonnes did die thereon The false Iudges that sought the life of chast Susanna were themselues stoned to death Adonibezek that had cut off the thombes and great toes of thrée score and tenne kings had fedde them with Crombes vnder his table being taken in battaile by Iuda chiefe of the Army of the Israelites had his own hands toes cut off who confessing that God had done by him as he did by others miserably died If you Atheists regard not these examples in scriptures because you studie not the sacred Bible looke into the examples of prophane Cronacles and histories of time from whence you fetch you pollicies and cunning experiments and you shall sée in all ages howe God returned the mischiefes of the wicked into their owne bowels Diomede fedde his horses with the flesh of men and Hercules made Diomede foode for his owne Horses Arnutius Peterculus hearing that the tyrant Amylius offered great rewards to him that coulde deuise any new kind of torture presented the tyrant with a brasen horse that he had inuented Amilius iust in this cruelty made him first to suffer the pains which he had prepared for others The like was the rewarde of Perillus who presented the tyrant Phalaris with a Bul which being heate with fire with the outcrie of the poore patients woulde bellowe like a Bull. Apius Claudius called the prisons the proper houses of the poore people but he himselfe by the commaundement of the Tribune of the people was throwen into prison where hée died among théeues and murtherers The Emperour Caligula was a notable Atheist and woulde in his vngodly actions alwayes dispight the Gods but in the end as Sweronius testifieth hée durst not repose in the night he was so terrified with horrible visions and he that so boldly misprised the gods at the smallest lightning and clap of thunder would in the night hide himselfe vnder bedde and in the day in the most obscure corner in fine he was violentlie slaine by Chereus Cornelius Sabin and other theyr confederates Although the Heathen people worshipped not the true God yet he seuearely punished the contemners of theyr superstitious Religion not honoring any other Pausanius reporteth that in the Citie of Cabira in Boetia a mile distant from Thebes there was a Temple dedicated to Ceres into which all men were defended to enter saue the Cabirians it fell out that Mardonius one of Xerxes Captaines with his army entred to spoile the same of a greate quantitie of treasure but of the suddaine Mardonius and his companie were assailed with such madnesse as leaping from high mountaines clifts and rocks they all

The English Myrror A REGARD Wherein al estates may behold the Conquests of Enuy Containing ruine of common weales murther of Princes cause of heresies and in all ages spoile of deuine and humane blessings vnto which is adioyned Enuy conquered by vertues Publishing the peaceable victories obtained by the Queenes most excellent Maiesty against this mortall enimie of publike peace and prosperitie and lastly A Fortris against Enuy Builded vpon the counsels of sacred Scripture Lawes of sage Philosophers and pollicies of well gouerned common weales wherein euery estate may see the dignities the true office and cause of disgrace of his vocation A worke safely and necessarie to be read of euerie good subiect By George Whetstones Gent. Malgre Seene and allowed AT LONDON Printed by I. Windet for G. Seton and are to be sold at his shop vnder Aldersgate 1586. which are the fountaines of goodnes from whence princes and heroycal states may receiue perfect wisedome and the whole world besid●… moral instruction to conclude your Maiesty as Gods ●…ener being setled in Salomons throne crowned with the conquest of Enuy the queller of Alexander Caesar most of the worthies plentifully distributing deuine and earthly blessings vppon afflicted kingdomes against whom all traiterous practises are of the nature of the horse called Seian whose maisters had euermore miserable ends Most gratious Lady admyring these great considerations I fearefully haue armed this profitable booke with the sheilde of your Royall protection from whom the glory goodnes therof is deriued The censures of graue men which are the substance of this work stand in place of counsels for your good subiects and vnto me as loyall as the truest the bare labor is onely dew In which trembling presumption I protest before God and your Maiestie that my heart nor booke medleth with matter of your happie gouernment to which no earthly pollicie may be added neither is heauenly wisdome absent And as far is it from my thought in name figure or circumstance to misnote any capitall Maiestrate whose honorable trauels deserue much reuerence and no lesse regard It then followeth most regarded Queene that the reach of my duetie which climeth betweene fire and frost the premises allowed simply laboreth to publish these regards that common faults may be amended in imitation of your pretious vertues the lights of the world and life of Englands happines God graunt my paines a profitable successe to which good god I zealously pray that long may your maiesty liue that still may your enimies fal and those that louingly feare you no doubt shall euer finde you a good gratious Lady Your Maiesties loyal and humble subiect therein happie George Whetstones To the most Honorable the Nobilitie of this florishing Realme of Englande accomplishment of a●…e desires MOst Honorable the long continuance of her Maiesties most happie gouerment fullie witnesseth the saying of morall Diogenes Vertue onely conquereth Enuy for if force or fortune were antidotes against her infections the ancient monarks had ouercome her venome and contrary to other poysons her breath had not shroonke vp their large Empires into the length and breadth of their Tombes Basill in his sermon of Enuy saith that this passion bendeth her forces against the glorie of God the peace of Princes and obedience of subiects feedeth vppon lamentable chaunces and pineth to behold the prosperitie of vertue Basill to confirme his censure had the subuersion of large Empires ruine of florishing common weales and in former ages the spoile of diuine and humane blessings whose woonderfull conquests I haue set foorth for three considerations the first to shew the mightye prouidence of Almightie God in defending this little Realme from sundrie the assaultes of so furious an enemie the second to inlarge or rather eternize the glorie of manie her Maiesties peaceable victories against this bloodie Enuie the third to counsell her good subiects by waightie examples to arme their happinesse with vertue the onely meane to withstand the puissance of Enuie They may hardly pleade ignorance hauing the commandements of sacred scripture the lawes of sage Philosophers and policies of good common wealthes men to instruct euerie of them in the offices and duties of theyr vocation Right Honorable this is in effect the reach of my trauell which I hope will entertaine the discreete Reader with many other perticular benefites Vnto you most noble Lords I reuerently direct this first part which some wayes medleth with the sword and the rest I present according to the qualitie of the subiete which considered by the morall substance may with your fauour I say it be a Myrror of gouernement for all good subiects The further censure thereof I humblie submit to your Lorships leysurable reading and for your health honor and prosperitie as the bewtie and strength next vnto God and her Maiestie of this happie gouernment my daily prayers shall not be forgotten At vvhose right Honorable Lordships commaundements I humblie remaine George Whetstones R. B. to the Reader of this English Myrror TO praise a thing that no man can dispraise Approueth zeale yet smally doth alure The Iuy bush is but a needlesse gase Before the doore where as the wine is pure The Authors name alone commends this booke The Muses so haue alwayes blest his Pen And who so shall with iudgement thereon looke Shall finde Regards for euery sort of men Let Mallice swell and Enuy shew her might His Fame shall liue in spight of euery spyght FINIS GEntle Reader whereas by absence of M. Whetstones some small faultes remaine perhaps vncorrected if thou light of any such I beséech thée with thy Penne to amend them and especially such as are contained in the which are generall faults through the impression Errata Page 3. line 5. for fastneth read fasten page 4. li. 28. for nourisheth read nourish pa. 25. li. 27. line of Beniamen read line of Iuda p. 152. li. 13. vp hary read Ap-hary or Vap Harry pa. 237. li. 19. Gleobulus read Cleobulus p. 247. li. 14. from study read from manners pa. 248. li. 5. the neighborhood read the neighbor p 249. li. 11. Maiestrates read Maiestrates of cities THE ENGLISH MIRROVR A Regard vvherein all estates may beholde the Conquestes of Enuie c. CHAP. 1. Of the Originall of Enuie and howe farre in euill this furie passeth all other passions of the minde THere is no defect of mind nor infirmitie of bodie but hath his originall of nature or colour from reason and by the benefite of the one or the other receaueth cure preposterous Enuie only except who degenerateth frō kind and masketh without vizard of excuse Touching the passions of the minde pride is abhominable before God ambition perillous for a Common weale flatterie the great deceiuer of men yet are none of these euils without a cunning cloake although voyde of iust excuse The proud man saith vnto himselfe I am formed after the image of God I am Lord of his creatures as wel on

the conquest hath bene the onely hurtfull enemy of Englande Yea as I haue showne the conqueror of conquerors and subuerter of former monarchies whose conquest I haue set foorth much to the glorye of her maiesties peaceable victories who armed with grace only with a Lawrell bow in many daungerous conflicts hath ouercome her mortal enemy enuy whose wonderfull conquestes I haue in my second booke orderly registred that her maiesties louing subiectes may comfort them selues with this assurance that God is her strength and the defence of her people and that her wicked abiectes séeing their dayly confusion may be intised by her excéeding mercy to loue and reuerence her maiesty or by continuance of their ouerthrowes may be brought to feare and dread Gods vengeaunce and so giuing honor and praise to his holy name I end this first booke of my English mirrour contayning the conquest of Enuie FINIS ¶ THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE ENGLISH Mirrour intituled Enuy conquered by Vertue Publishing the blessinges of peace the scourge of traitours and glory of Queene Elizabeths peaceable victories accompanied with manie other comfortable regardes for good subiectes A Sonnet of triumph to England England reioyce the foes of thy welfare The foes that made the former monarkes bowe VVrath warre discorde and enuy fettered are Elizabeth euen with a lawrell bow Hath vanquished them that foyled Caesars band Vpon thy portes to feare thy forraine foe Destruction standes with blouddy swoord in hand VVithin thy Coast in townes and Country goe Plenty and peace armde with a hasell wande Thy subiectes true on mylke and hony feed Thy abiectes false consume like flames of reed Malgre To the right reuerend Lordes the Bishops and other the de●…ines of England accomplishment of all holy desires MOst reuerend Lordes and deuines hauing composed this English mirrour of selected counsels in sacred scripture and graue censures of morall gouernours applyed to a generall instruction where in the good maye see the large rewards of vertue the bad the seuere scourges of wickednesse The booke with a fearefull boldnes I haue armed with the shield of her Maiesties royall protection who is the liuely example of Dauids righteousnesse Salomons wisedome Augustus clemency and what vertue so euer is els contained in a religious gouernment at whose feet rather by deuine miracle then worldly policye enuye and her worst enemies fall so that in effect her excellency is a figure of the whole worke and the worke the iudgementes of religion honor and iustice Religion containing the godly counsels of the Cleargie honor the fortitude of the Nobility and Iustice the wisedome of temporall magistrates the three chiefe members of this blessed gouernment whereof her Maiestie is the heade and glorye The first part containing the conquest of Enuie next vnder her Maiesty who containeth the whole I haue directed to the right honourable nobilitie to whom appertaineth the swoord the second part containing Enuies ouerthrow by vertue or more properly her Maiesties peaceable victories I reuerently present to your reuerende Lordships as cōquests gained by grace The last part containing a fortresse against Enuy instructing euery estate with sacred and moral counsels in the offices and disgraces of their professions I humbly present vnto the temporall magistrates vpon whose wisedomes all good gouernments are buylded The part which I submit vnto your graue censors I hope will be well accepted containing so holy matters as peace godly gouernment deuine prouidence c. Peace is your visible attyre the beauty of Gods Church and of temporall blessinges the most precious Saint Paule among the offices of a Bishop forbiddeth him fighting yea perswadeth him to abhorre it in others and by circumstaunce or lawfull imagination counselleth him to protect and defende peace I need not priuiledge my boldnes in numbring the manifold benefites thereof you Reueren de deuines dayly preach them and by grace and your godly labours England possesseth them God continue his peace which passeth all vnderstanding among vs. To which good God I zealously pray for the prosperity of his church the welfare of your Lordships and all other true preachers of his word with what title so euer they be adopted At whose commaundement I reuerently remaine George Whetstone Induction to the Reader FRiendly Reader the good Oratour Demosthenes pleading the iniuries of a poore Widdowe before the Athenian Iudges was of the sayd Iudges so lightly regarded as he left his purpose and told them that he had a strange tale of the shaddow of an Asse to deliuer the Iudges eares were by and by quickned and with great earnestnesse desired Demosthenes to tell on his tale Demosthenes by this pollicie hauing got full audience openly rebuked the follie and iniustice of the Iudges who had their eares better prepared to heare the tale of the shaddow of an Asse then the oppression of a poore VViddowe and so through verie shame obtained iudgement in the VViddowes behalfe and certainely a pleasing enterance and vnexpected varietie many times causeth tedious tales to be fully hard and long Bookes to be throughly read which otherwise how good so euer they be the one might be smallie regarded and the other lesse perused But friendly Reader I salute thee not with this following Epistle of the Athenian Senate with this bare respect that thou mightest with expectation of nouels bee drawne to reade out the blessings of our English peace and the diuine and heroycall vertues of our most good Queene ELIZABETH when with the fulnes of thy owne benefites thou hast large cause hourely to contemplate of the one and the admiration of the whole world to allure thee to gaze on the other but rather writing of so diuine a subiect as Peace I thought no commendation the holie Scriptures reserued so excellent as the iudgement of the Athenian Senate who set light of the verie gaine of warre in regard of peace and by semblable iudgement arose this proue be that vnlawfull peace was to be preferred before lawfull warre For one other especiall regard I commend this graue letter vnto thy censure which was the high accompt that the Athenian Senates made of the renowmed Philosopher and good common-wealthes man Euxin that with like reuerence thou mayst honour loue and obeie our capitall Magistrates and common wealthes men placed by God and her Maiestie in Authoritie as the pillers and strength of this happie Gouernement for thy further instruction I referre thee to the letter it selfe which with the cause thereof followeth Betweene the Athenians and the Lacedemonians arose a most cruell warre about a contention for certaine townes seated vpon the riuer of Milin the day of battaile was assigned and bloodelie fought on either part but in the end the Lacedemonians were defeated and ouercome by the Athenians The vanquished demanded truce of the victorers and the more easely to obtaine this grace they sent as Ambassador the renowmed Philosopher Euxin who before the Senate set foorth the commendations of peace with such eloquence