talent and restore it againe to the good man of the house with gaine and all to this ende that we maie bee receiued into the communion of sainctes and bee enterteined in the housholde of God This thyng must the Smithe at his anuile consider the maiden at her distaffe the plowman at his plowtaile the woman at her babes cradle and euery one in his vocatiō must wey this referryng al his workes to the glory of God his creatour and redemer haue in speciall care that this common weale whose beginnyng nature hath almoste wrought maie be the Image of that whiche is in heauen that the passage and flitiyng from this to that maie be the more redily had Certainly who so liueth in a common weale vnlesse he doe leuell at this marke and directe all his doynges therevnto with a mynde lightened vpward he is an vnprofitable citizen for he hath not charitie and if he shewe any thyng in outwarde apparaunce good bicause he doeth not place it well it is all in vaine and but a ciuill piece of worke whiche shall receiue his owne honour and vanishe awaie like the soūdyng brasse or tinkelyng Cymball euen with the sounde thereof ¶ The argument of the. v. Chapiter That a citee ought so to be appoincted that none be lefte idle therein but euery man taxed to doe his duetie whereby it maie cause as it were an harmonie or an agreable note of thynges of it self WHO so beholdeth the comlie proportion of this worlde shall steight waie see that all thynges were created and compacted togither with so great wisedom that neither any thing can bee required more ye yet couched in more commendable order Wherevpon the Grekes name the worlde Cosmos as who saie an ornamente as Plato in his dialogue whiche is intuled Cratilus dooeth reason whereby our citees maie take ensample to agree in one through al their partes and to declare a certain ioyntmeasure and concordaunce in thēselues whiche shall then come to passe when euery man dooeth his duetie not passyng his function when euery man bringeth with him that cognisaunce and meane to further the common weale whereby the partyng of cōmodities aswel priuate as publike is sought with great trust and peaceablenesse whē euery man endeuoureth y ◠euery thyng maie go forward holdyng the citees profite to be his owne For by experience we be taught that by agremente smalle thynges encrease and growe but by disagrement as Salust also writeth the greatest decaie and goe bacwarde for what can bee worse in a common weale then that any manne should prefer profite before honestie or be enuious or troubled with inward grudge or rancour of mynd against his felowe citizens Which thyng moste lighteth among suche as doe more regard their owne peculiare gaine then the generall auaile of the whole citee whereof as the worlde goeth now the greatest sorte is bicause of their corrupte conditions whiche maie so muche the soner and easier trouble the common peace as the discipline of the common weale is so weake and yelden ouer to the wickednesse and luste of naughtie men Whervpon idlenes taketh occasion of entrie and contempt of lawes after whiche as Pythagoras is aucthor deliciousnes did crepe in streight theron surfeit then violence last of all destruction Neither doe we call him onely idle that neither doeth neither moueth any thyng but hym also whiche doeth not hold him self content with his owne but is nothing ashamed to occupie his sithe in an other mannes croppe of corne and beyng but a priuate man will not sticke to iudge examine and cōptroll as hym liketh that whiche belongeth to an other mannes duetie forgettyng the cōmon prouerbe Let not the Shoemaker medle aboue the latchet of his shoe auenturyng not onely to questiō that he hath nothyng to doe withall but also to attempte the same whiche poincte is so muche against the common wealth and societie as nothyng can be more For he pitcheth his mynde rather vpon the dissoluyng then preseruyng the societie of life For as by temperaunce common weales doe seamely claspe together so by insolēce thei perishe and be vndoen whiche specially chaunceth amōgest the greatest nomber of the people whē lawes ordinaunces be had incōtempt And like as man is made milde gentle and ciuill by discipline of lawes so ye shal finde hym the moste cruell beast of all others if he maie ones shake of this bridle and yoke For it is manifestly knowen that by the firste synne wherewith man was corrupted he is of a stubburne boldnes and vnles he bee kept vnder of lamentable estate as wholy addicted to affections whiche be snaffled and commannded to be obedient to the lawe of the spirite by wisedome godlines and gouernement of discipline whiche thyng Apuleius a Philosopher of Plato his sect doeth after a sort mean saiyng Men reioising in reason eloquēt in talke hauing immortall soules mortalle limmes beastlike and feble bodies light and vncertain myndes vnlike conditions like errours stubburne stoutnes harde hope vaine trauaile fickle fortune particulerly decaiyng yet vniuersally euer liuyng chaungeable in the engenderyng of children of swifte tyme flowe wisedome quicke death complainyng life doe inhabite the yearth In whiche wordes y ◠Philosophers◠liuely describeth and setteth furthe mankynde in his qualities that Augustine the Bisshoppe of Hippone and a greate doctour of the churche could not mislike ne dissallowe the same And yet for all this frowarde inclination and vnlikenes of maners in men thei shall easely agree among thē selues if euery one wil continue to doe his duetie in the concourse with others neither entermeadle with other but beyng contente with his owne vocation will shewe a proofe of hymself in tyme that he maie ones gaine the reward worthy suche liuyng therevnto warned by these wordes of sainct Paule Therefore I a prisoner in the Lorde doe exhort you to walke worthy the vocation wherevnto ye be called with all humilitie and lowlines with long sufferyng one bearyng with an other in charitie labouryng to kepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bande of peace So good a thyng so holy and so pleasaunt to God is it that euery man abide in his vocation whervnto he is receiued with all submission For so shall it bee that of those vnlike doynges of euery citezen in particulare and sundrie kindes of life brought into one concord by a certaine agreable meanes and vniforme order a moste swete harmonie of ciuill agrement shal be occasioned whiche also shall represent the image of the heauenly cōtinuyng and kepyng vnshaken bothe the likenes and also the vnityng togither of manly ciuilitie Whiche order either troubled or dissolued it shall not go forwarde muche lesse ought it to be called a common weale bicause it is not direct to her owne ende but rather a clusteryng of suche a companie as labouryng in vain doe not passe to offende their neighbour and to displease God Thus a citee must no
die and retourne to that dust whence it had his beginning wer it not that an other kinde of death had fallen to maÌ„ whiche came in by synne whereby also we haue founde an other beginnyng of life For there is no other liuyng thing but it decaieth vniuersally and in hole sauyng man alone whose onely bodie perisheth the soule which is seuered from it continewyng euerlastyngly so that the good be receiued into a blessed life whereas the bad be thrust doune into the euerlastyng tormentes of hell hauing in this poinct death like to brute beastes bicause thei neither thinke the soule immortall neither beleue that there is any resurrection or any helle that thereby the death of an oxe and a man semeth like whereof the Eccesiastes also putteth vs in mynde Heape hither so many meanes wherby we either hasten our own death or vpon very triflyng occasions lese our life seyng moe dye by surfeit and wine then by the sword many while contrary to nature by helpe of cunnyng thei labour to lengthen their yeres and onely seeke cause to liue caste themselues awaie by vsyng to muche Phisicke Here I neade not to touche diuers kindes of sodaine deathes wherby wonderous many haue miscaried and decaied So died Anacreon the Poete choked with a reasin grain So died Fabius the Senatour of an heere whiche he did drinke in milke Coruelius Gallus which sometyme had been Pretor and Quintus Heterius a knight of Roome died while thei were in the verie acte of generation Sophocles and Dionisius the tyraunt of Scicilie bothe deceased for ioye when thei heard tidynges of the vpperhande of a tragedie Yea in Saxonie I my self sawe a countrey man bothe well spent in yeres and of honest reputacion whiche as he should haue retourned home beyng well tipled fell of his horse wheron he roade into a little puddle of rain and there falling on slepe and drawyng in water at his mouth was therwith choked and childishly cast awaie Of whiche sorte of ensamples I could rehearse a nomber whereby wee be put in minde of our mortalitie and that ere we wene Sure we are to die but by what kinde of death and in what monent we knowe not We must watche therfore while we liue in this ciuill life emong men lest the sodaine necessitie of death finde vs vnprouided and not awake for we shall bee so muche the lesse able to giue an accompt of our former life the more we yelde to wickednesse and dispise the obedience of Gods coÌ„maundement Ye vnderstande if I bee not deceiued the beginnyng of the proudest of all other liuyng creatures full of most shamefull basenes ye vnderstande his trade of life subiecte to daungers and laboure and how many and sondrie waies he procureth his owne destruction Last of all how perilous a thing it is for a wicked manne to die whereby God doeth as it were pulle vs by the eare and call vs from the filth of iniquitie vnto repentaunce that our owne basenes frailtie fondnes and miserie set before our iyes we maie knowe that all thynges whiche can chaunce vnto vs in this worlde bee but mere vanities and muche lower estate then that of suche beginninges we should thinke our selues borne vnto pride remembryng the saiyng of Pythagoras knowe thy self which is profitable that thereby we should prepare our selues for the ciuill societie specially consideryng we be borne not to our selues our freÌ„des and countrey alone but also to the glory and honour of God to whom in all our doynges for all our basenes and simplicitie we hold our selues bounde ¶ The argument of the â–ª iii. Chapiter That the trade of liuyng well ought to be the beginnyng bothe of buildyng citees and of adornyng common â–ª weales MArcus Tullius a man whiche hath deserued well not onely of ciuill affaires but also Philosophicall studies in his booke whiche he hath entituled of dueties saieth the best enheritaunce that can be left to children by their parentes and more worthie then any patrimonie is the renowne of vertue and noble actes â–ª whiche who so by misdoyng defaceth doeth bothe vâ—lelie and wickedly It falleth out therefore so that no man must staie at that honour whiche he hath brought with hym from his kynne and house but ought by his own well doyng to enlarge thesame coÌ„sidering y e worthy fame is beautified if it light in a worshipfull house but it is no good proofe to saie he is a gentleman borne ergo a worthy man whereby it appeareth that nothing is more disworshipfull then to staie worship onely vpon a gentle blood when he that so doeth doeth not onely by actiue meanes not encrease thesame â–ª but by naughtines disgraceth it And to this foresaid patrimonie of vertue I saied that manne naturally is prone and bent if that by ill condicions whiche haue so throughly settled them selues in hym he were not misguided There muste therefore bee some meanes deuised accordyng to the whiche as it were a childes leader the life of manne ought to bee fashioned for the settyng out whereof I will apply euery thyng in due place as nere as I am able And in deede good orderyng and disposyng of thynges in any entreatie dooeth require a very perfite placyng of eche matter lest for want thereof any thing become not euidente inough or doe not open the waie to the reader furthe right and bryng hym by a compendious meanes to vnderstande those thynges whiche he necessarie to be knowen Man therefore naturally beyng coÌ„monable streight vpon his beginnyng driueth at the societie and communitie of life wherein filthines of maners sette aparte he maie embrace vertue profite others and finde out some â—onest waie to further himself and to aduaunce his couÌ„trey But when men at the first resorted together ward the histories declare that thei wandered without any certain dwellyng place from wood to wood and denne to denne and liued by acornes Of whiche sort Herodotus reporteth there were a kynde of straie Scithianes whiche what waie so euer their cattaill straied for pasture thither thei themselues folowed wherevpon thei call theim Grasiers And some dooe write that in these new found Ilandes the inhabitauntes liue like beastes Afterward cottages and caues forsaken for suche perchaunce were their lodginges then thei began to builde houses but of claiâ— Whiche first of all other as Gellius by Plinius reporte writeth one Dorius soonne to Gelius made takyng ensample of the Swalloes neste whiche Iosephus seameth to ascribe to Caine Adams soonne or Ioball soonne to Lameche Afterward accordyng to thesame writers opinion twoo brethren of Athens Eurialus and Hyperbius began to build houses of bricke whiche Diodorus Siculus doeth alledge to be Vestaes doyng that was doughter to Saturne Rhea Neither were menne content so when thei had builded houses for mainteinyng their children wiues and familie but drawyng nigher to the societie of life ioyned one with an other wherevpon Aristotle the Stagerite in the first
be no Tragedie no Comedie nor any other kinde of plaie but it maie encrease the discipline of good maners if by the helpe of reason and zeale of honestie it bee well emploied Whiche then is doen when if thou either hearest or seest any thing committed that is euill cruell vilanous and vnseamely for a good manne thou learnest thereby to beware and vnderstandest that it is not onely a shame to committe any soche thinge but also that it shall be reuenged with euerlasting death Contrariwise if thou doest espie any thing dooen or saied well manfully temperatly soberly iustly godlilye vertuously thou shalt diligently beare that awaie as a presidente for the adourning thine owne life that thou maiest labour to doe that thy self whiche thou likest in an other After this sorte euery honest and wel disposed persone well bestoweth soche time as he hath to spare and by soche pleasauÌ„t pastimes learneth how to leade a vertuous life by ensewyng the good and â—schewyng the euill not restyng in allurementes of pleasure but alwaie tendyng to vertue and to the ornament of the minde wherein he declareth himself to excell brute beastes and to be a man partaker of reason and ciuilitie Concerning whiche matter Tullie putteth vs in minde by these wordes But it is auailable in al questions of duetie to haue alwaie in mind howe moche the nature of manne excedeth dumbe cattel and other brute beastes For thei perceiue nothing but pleasure whereunto their naturall instincte wholie leadeth them But the minde of man is nourished by learnyng and in thought either enquireth or doth something and is allured with the delight of hearing and seyng And if any one be somewhat more then the rest enclined to vertue although he be somtime moued with pleasure yet for shamefastnesse he hideth and dissembleth his affeccion With whiche discrecion who so beholdeth Tragedies Comedies Games of runnyng or exercise wrastling plaies of histories holy or prephane or any pageaunt on stage or on grounde shall not mispende his time But like as a Bee of diuers floures that bee of their owne nature of smalle vse gathereth the swetenes of her honie so thence gathereth he that which is coÌ„modious for the trade of his life ioigneth it with his painfull trauaile and declareth that soche histories and exercises bee the eloquence of the bodie THE Sixte Booke concernyng the good ordering of a common weale The argument of the first Chapiter ¶ That honestie ought to be the measurer of our profites whereunto our whole desire of gettyng worldlie welth ought to be referred PRiuate wealth as Tullie teacheth be oughte to bee gotten by soche meanes wher in appereth no dishonestie to be kepte by diligence and moderate expenses and thereby likewise to be encreased Whiche waie is one of the certainesse to kepe any citee in safetie whiche Socrates an incoÌ„parable Schoolemaister of liuing saieth wisely was then well preserued when a manne could saie this is mine this is not mine For what greater quietnesse or commoditie can there be in any assemble of menne then when euery man beyng content with his owne can suffer his fellowe to vse that whiche is his owne without any annoiaunce when nothing is doen that is either vnhoneste or vnciuill when there is no inordinate desire of wealth but eche so entendeth the getting keping and enlarging of his owne that he doth no iniurie to other but hath onelie respecte to equitie and iustice and euery man thinketh that he maie doe so moche as the aucthoritie of the Lawe permitteth whiche is as it were entrenched with the enclosure of honestie whereby wee measure all profites neuer swaruing from righteousnesse So we see that it is a peculiare propertie in a rightuous man not to harme an other whiche alone while he liueth in this world so behaueth himself that he will leaue a worthie memorial to his posteritie that after his death he shal no lesse be desired then in his life time he was reuereÌ„ced Howbeit for so much as by reason of the corrupt nature and frowardnes in man many stumblyng blocks lie in our waie that we can not in all poinctes worke that whiche we holde as perfite honeste in worde and deede amonge whiche these moste anoie vs intemperaunce of mynde desire of wordly riches priuate profite contempt of commen wealth coldenesse of brotherly loue despâ—synge of iustice and equitee lothing of godlinesse and such other vices as there be an infinite number whiche leade vs out of the right pathe of vertue into the croked waye of wickednesse Wee must therfore be watchefull and take good heede that we yealde nothyng to affection neither while we applie our mindes only to gayne we gather such wealth by the wicked wrongfull gettynge wherof we shall neuer attaine the taste of that blessednesse whiche we ought onely to desyre but runne in an vncertaine race as men whiche only pursewyng the heapyng vp of riches and cherishynge of riot doo not directe our endeuours to thatteining of the rewarde for our good life and that not without greate daunger of our soules which we may not then escape when we beginne to repente our selues but in vaine because that then it is to late to fall to amendement For we haue the apostles we haue the Prophetes wee haue our Sauiour the maister of all life and trueth whiche dooe enstruct vs and disswade vs from filthinesse of life vnto Godlines and cleannesse to whom we appeale to late when deathe dooeth preuente the conueniente time of repentaunce Bokes therefore aswell of holy scripture as of prophane writers be ful of examples whereby we be moued to sobrietie frugalitie temperaunce the studie of vertue iustice and equitie to the entent we so should folowe our commoditie that it be not sequestred from vertue For all those whiche haue appoincted lawes for the gouernement of cities haue sought such an vse of goodes as hathe not bene contrarye to honestie by the guidynge whereof we muste also be ledde when soeuer we purpose to gette anie thinge For vnder the name of goodes they conteine all those thinges which they woulde haue to be receiued amonge men be they belonginge to the bodie soule or pleasure Moreouer althoughe the Philosophers dooe not agree in those poinctes whiche appertaine vnto felicitie and the consideracion of good thinges yet there hathe bene none solewde as to place this felicitie otherwise then in that whiche he thought to be good so that they seme to haue giuen iuste occasion to the coÌ„mon saiyng that mannes will is his blessednesse bicause no man desireth any thing but he thinketh in his owne conceipt that it is bothe good and honest Hereunto we maie referre that whiche Epicurus a notable Philosopher by whom not onely Italy and Grece but also all Barbarie and the rude countreys bee moued â—â—eth denie that is to saie that there is no honestie wher there is no pleasure For according vnto the customable saiyng that doeth
vs for vertues sake either to do our duetie or els to amende for feare of punishement Thus we see that there is nothinge but it maie â—e turned in some parte to mans behofe so that it be well emploied either as a prouocacion to vertue or as a lesson to enstruct vs y t sinne will not escape vnpunished For to what ende can those u. dreames of Ioseph otherwise be applied He dreamed that his sheaf of corne stode vp was worshipped of the sheaues of his brethren He dreamed also that the sunne moone and eleuen starres honoured him What meante these but that his brethren might vnderstande by coniecture the auctoritie whiche he did beare with Pharao the Egipcian and cease from so enuiynge him Pharao also had two dreames whereof the one betokened as the same Ioseph enterpreted seuen yeres of great plentie and the other seuen yeres of great dearth Whiche the kinge vnderstandynge commaunded that corne shoulde be laied vp that men might not starue for honger in such a scarcitie Wherby Iosephes father and his breâ—â—reÌ„ also were relieued by Goddes prouision Nabuchodonosors dreame also was of a straunge signification which Daniel expouÌ„ded that his kingdome whiche was of so great power that it semed vnpossible to decaie by mannes might shoulde be destroied and that an euerlastinge and vnthauÌ„geable kingdome shold afterward be established Moreouer visâ—â—s in the night be a terrour to the euil that thereby they maie forsee the dauÌ„gers which must happen vnto them and being priuie to their owne offences must be the sharper punished for the same Of these saieth Salomon Then the sight of the euil dreames vexed them sodainely and fearefulnes came vpon them vnawares For those visions were onely to put them in minde whie they did suffer those euilles that they shoulde not pearishe without a warning thereof before Whiche Iob whether he were so in dede as it is written or els that a meane was wrought to shewe vnto men the ymage of Pacience dothe euidently declare Thou wilt feare me saith be with dreames and by visions thou wilt astonie me Among the Philosophers also and Ethnicks there are manie dreames specified whiche dooe notifie vnto vs that suche thinges as menne haue either earnestly thought vpoÌ„ or bene weried withall in the daie time dooe come into their mindes in the night season of the secrete and misticall interpretacion whereof diuers haue written and their bookes be extant But for this place there is none worthier to be remembred then that dreame which Scipio of whom Tullie speaketh had when he was with kinge Masinissa in Africque being in his â—eâ—â—e in a deade slepe Wherein Scipio 〈…〉 d the â—ldeâ— conquerour of Africque put hym as his nephew in minde of derine and valeauntnesse How that after he by the destroying of Carthage and doinge other seruice whereunto the common weale shoulde call him hadde well deserued of his countrey should flee out of the bandes of his body as it wer out of a prison As though good men did then onely begin to liue when thei ended their liues and wente vp into immortalitie in heauen For they whiche haue behaued them selues worthelye in wisdome temperaunce valiauntnes and other vertues muste haue a greater reward then praise in this worlde whiche thei that be notorious for vice and filthie liuyng can not haue for they be as infamous persons bothe quicke and deade But if they haue committed soche haynous offences that menne can not easelie forget theim then it is the greatest shame to them that may be to haue the remeÌ„braunce of their former lewde and damnable state of life to be renued As Perillus the deuisour of that cruall forment Dionisius Syracusanus Nero Domiciane Herodes Antipas and many other may be an example Which God would therefore haue to be a warnynge vnto vs that by them we may not onely be put in minde of a better life but also to their great confusion and for a reward of their wickednes vnderstand that they be euerlastinglye tormented And to the intent men might be withdrawne from this ignominiouse and filthie life the olde fathers were not content onely to teache vs with preceptes of philosophie and to set before our eyes the deformitie of vyces but they also shewed the tormentes wherewith tirauntes Cutthrotes thieues murderers periurers aduouterers fornicatouts couetous iniurious seditious persons despisers of iustice wicked meÌ„ and so many as haue offended in the common weale preferring their priuate gaine before the publike proâ—â—t and vice before vertue be plagued in hel with perpetuall punishmentes Whereof certayne be artificâ—allie descriued by Virgill Which Aeneas suffered by report of Sibilla and tolde abroad at his returne out of Hell Of which sort there is a tale in Plato whiche Socrates said that one Herus Armenius a Pamphiliane borne reported on this maner This man was slayne in the fielde and the twelueth daâ—e after when his bodie was brought to be buryed he arose from deathe and tolde many thynges which he sawe while he was deade declaringe that when his soule was seuered from his bodie he with diuerse others came into the place of deuilles where there were foure passages two downe into the lower depthe and two vpwarde betwene the whiche they did sit which were iudges ouer the soules departed and thence they that were adiudged rightwise were commaunded to go vp to Heauen on the righthand hanging their iudgement signes on their brestes and the vniuste on the left side downwarde bearyng the cognysaunce of all their offences that they had committed in their lyfe tyme on their backes And therfore wheÌ„ he came to the iudges he said that he would tell all men at his returne that which he had seene and learned Then thei willed him diligentlie to vewe and marke that whiche he sawe there to the intent he might therof make a more certaine reporte Then told he sundry paines wherwith they which liued viciouslye here were tormented and how that thei whiche embraced iustice and godlynes and deserued well of their countrey after their death were in greate honour estimacion and perpetuitte of glorie and renowne as benefactours of mankynde Whiche sable althoughe Tullie be sorie that it is mocked at of manie yet as Macrobius telleth he willing to eschew the occasion of foolish fautefinding wished rather that their mighte one be raised vp to make suche a reporte then to â—e reuyued and to saye nothing That was an ensample of to bold and monstruous superstition when Menedemus scholer to Colotus a philosopher borne at Lampsacum went about as Laertius writeth apparayled like a furie saying that he came from hell to espie the faultes of men that at his descendinge downe he mighte reporte to the fâ—endes that whiche he sawe in midle earth This was his attire a longe blacke coate gyrte vnto him with a scarlet belte a cappe after the vsage of Arcadia on his heade hauing the foure elementes
and Transsâ—luania ouerrunne besides y â— Austriche was by thassaultyng of Vienna sore shakeÌ„ Wherevnto if ye recken that whiche wee loste before twoo greate dominions were spoiled by that Idolater the Turke Constantinople and Trapezus twelue kyngdomes taken from vs emong which wer Chalcis Scodra and many other Ilandes HidruÌ„tum with twoo hundred citees Neither did other lesse desire to augment their dominions By al whose tirannicall attemptes it is comen to passe that the Turke hath enlarged his Empire Eastwarde vnto Euphrates Westwarde to the Sea of Ionia Southwarde to Ethiopia Northward to the sea called Euxinum and vnlesse the nobilitie moued with Gods loue and outcrie of the selie people whiche bee reserued to the pitifull yoke of seruitude or els be next to the daunger of death doe withstande it nether the countreis whiche are borderyng vpon the Riuer Dunowe whiche yet remain entier shall coÌ„tinue safe neither will he cease continually to enlarge his dominions But he wer not so moche to be feared if our bodies and goodes onely were in daunger of him and not also our soules in neglecting the doctrine of our faithe For he causeth the childreÌ„ in their teÌ„der age to drinke the Mahometicall poison and leadeth the elder sort to helle fire by forsakyng the crosse of Christe Where is that famous citee ConstaÌ„tinople whiche was so highlie renoumed by so many Patriarkes whiche were soche holie fathers and wherein the Sinode and generall counsaill was kepte by an hundred and fiftie Bisshoppes againste Macedonius whiche denied the holie Ghost to be God Where is Nicea a citee of Bithinia where three hundred fower score and eight bisshops condeÌ„pned the heresie of the Arrianes Where is Ephesus the greate Toune where the marte was kepte for all the hetherside of Asia to whom Saincte Paule preached the Gospell wherein Nestorius appoincting two natures in Christ was accursed by the Iudiciall sentence of twoo hundred bisshops Where is Chalcedon situate vpoÌ„ y â— streites of Thracia whose name is blased welnigh through the worlde for that there sixe hundred thirtie fathers gathered in counsaill did condempne Eutiches Dioscorus his scholer one of the same secte whiche held opinion that the nature of the worde of God incarnate and the fleshe whiche Christ tooke wer but all one Where be the GalathiaÌ„s Corinthe of Achaia Philippi Thessalonice twoo citees of Macedonia and Athenes the citee of wisedome of whence was Dionisius Areopagita Whiche when the Apostle had regenerated he did partlie by his writyng set forthe for a perpetuall memorie Be not thei through extreme rigour of warres brought to naught and haue so swarued from the true God that of al there can scarce one or twoo be found that will stand to the confession of the crosse of Christ and call vpon the God of heauen And that ambition discord ciuill warres impietie studie of priuate gain and vnfaithfulnes haue giuen no small occasion to this mischief the histories of christen Princes to declare and we by experience to late and to our great calamitie be taught the same Learne therfore ye anointed Kinges ye good Princes to whom the gouernement of the common weale is coÌ„mitted spare your subiects spare those that haue entred into the same Baptisme with you whiche doe acknowledge one God one Sauiour whiche be one with you in Christe by whome we be all Bretherne all enheritours of Heauen wherein there is nether Hebrue nor Greake nether Lorde nor Subiecte but euery one shall giue an accompt of that he hath done in his bodie Demas the Philosopher perceyuing the Athenians verie busie to appoynt diuine honoures to Alexander willed theim to beware lest while they minded Heauen they loste the Earthe But take you heede lest you lese Heauen while you kepe the earth Consider with your selues that all warres be daungerous and deadlie euen to the first authours bicause of Robberies Theifte vnrecouerable losse of bodie and soule inordinate desâ—ouring of maidens and widowes burning spoyle of all thinges the oppression and rigorous handeling of innoceÌ„tes so manie kinde of blasphemies wheras no droppe of innocent bloode vniustlie shedde shalbe left vnreuenged but that the iust and euerlasting iudge which knoweth the certain number of our heares will require it at their handes Note besides here so many maÌ„slaughters so moche hooredome so much vilanie the losse of so many soulles wherby a great weight of accompte lieth on their handes whereas the burden of euerie mannes owne iniquitie is so great that he neadeth not to be laden with other mens mischieues Wherefore if any man respectinge godlines louinge peace and bicause God coÌ„maundeth his seruauntes to turne their swordes into culters their speires into mattocks that the Woulfe may dwell with the Lambe the Leopard lye doune with the Goate the Calfe Lion and shepe kepe coÌ„panie together so that one natioÌ„ do not arise fight againste another but doe forget hencefurth the name of warre will not for all this cease but continue stil w e out feare of correction to walke after his own lust he shall one daie find that he shall not escape vnpunished If we wil needes shew our selues valiaunt yonder is the Turke youÌ„der be thenemies of Christes crosse any man maye arme himself against theÌ„ and go to recouer that part of christendome which thei haue subdued infected with impietie by the negligence of our princes to rescew froÌ„ cruell seruitude and the iawes of hel the poore people that crie for help and let euery man so shewe himself stoute in his quarell that it may appere that he fighteth for his couÌ„trey for his brethreÌ„ for the glory of Christ and so he shalbe not onely commended emong men but shal also receiue a reward of him whiche leaueth no euill vnpunished nor no good deede vnrewarded THE Ninthe Booke concernyng the good ordering of a common weale The argument of the first Chapiter That the keping of peace and quietnesse in a Common weale is a greate furtheraunce to felicitie AS it is extreame impietie alwaie to minde warres and to turne al thinges vpside doun So it is a singular vertue an excellent poinct of wisedome to be quiet and to maintaine in a common weale peace the onelie staie thereof For Seneca borne at Corduba the Greate Maister of good maners semeth to haue saied not much amisse That it is the propertie of a very king in deede not to exercise his aucthoritie euer when he maie And the very ende and knittyng vp of the warres by experience teache vs that it is not so expedient alwaie although wee maie somtime prouoke others with warres iustlie to break peace and disturbe quietnesse So that it maie seame moche better to sustaine any losse either of goodes yea or estimacion bicause some dooe thinke their honour and estimacion stained if thei dooe not wreake themselues vppon the insolencie of others and cause an burlie burlie in the common weale then to yelde vnto maliciousnes
Amurathes â—oâ—â— quarrelles Vitruuius lib. 9. cap. â— Aâ—gias stable The Diuell is the authour of warre Iacobi 4. Ad Galaâ—has 5. Warres among christen men are to be abhorred Rome is the last monarchie Cicero ad cornificâ—uÌ„ Warre is â—â—â—â—e â—â—en faâ—â—â—â— or pestiâ—â—â—â—â— Hâ—â—â—â— was a moÌ„ster that had sâ—uâ—â—â—eâ—dee wâ—â—h wâ—â— heâ—cuâ—â—s tought and as soone as he â—ad stroâ—â—n of one heâ—d an other sâ—râ—g vp immediatlie Esaiae 42. Many kingedomes haue beÌ„ vtterly destroied by warre The monarchie of the Assirians The monarchie of the persians The monarchie of the Greekes The Romaine Empire The distructioÌ„ of many notable countreyes and 〈…〉 es hath growne of 〈…〉 e. Nehemie 9. The Iewes were plagued Numeri 14. Iosue 14. The Cocatrice perceth 〈…〉 poison The 〈…〉 out of Christiane Princes encourageth the Turke to enuade Christendome Euxinum mare deuideth Europe from Asia Danubius Athens Warres worke the death both of bodie and soule Micheae 4. Esaiae 11. Seneca li. 3. de beneficiis The coÌ„modities of peâ—â—e ought to â—oâ—â— Princes to quietnes 〈…〉 We muste shoote at the true marke of this life Ecclesia 7. Arist inâ—â— Ethicorum â–ª The excellency of Iustice One good turne asketh â—â— other The coÌ„mo 〈…〉 of quietnes Peace without warre Psalm n8 Roma 14. Esaie 48. Euerie maâ—â— hath warre within him selfe Rom. 7. â—ib 8. Politic There falleth ouâ— alwaies something in the common weale worthie of reformatioÌ„ An example cakeÌ„ of victualle Corne and flesh be counted the chietest prouision of victualles Euen an vnlearned man maie geuerâ—â— well The Lacedemonians vsed no written Lawes Politike ordinaunces muste not disagree with the lawes of God Princes ought to vse consultacion in their doinges Councell is an holy thing Prouer. 24. The Romaine Senate â—â—od meÌ„ geue alwaies good councell Ecclesia 37. Ioan. 19. An euill man sometime geueth good couÌ„cell Hester 6. 7. Plato iâ— Symposio â–ª Councell muâ—â— be well weyed not alwaies measured aâ—ter the greater part of mens opinions Ecclesia 27. Vnapt scholemaisters All wickednes reigneth through the negligence of magistrates Such as will not be 〈…〉 d â—â—st not to suffered in a â—oÌ„men weale Iosue 1. Magistrates must be watchfull â—â—â—tuâ— is naturallye â—ngraffed in maÌ„ Our ciuill life â—ere muste be a preparation to the heauenly 〈…〉 Hierem. 5. Styffe necâ—â—d people 1. Pâ—tri 2. Esaiae 1. Ad Rom. 12 Paul 1. cor 9. Math â—â— 2. Timoth. â— Rapotus plaâ—ked his foote out of the font when he should haue ben christâ—â—â—d We muste vse â—o delaye in amending our liues 1. Ioan. 1. â— Ioan. 1. Meâ—â— tradicions v 〈…〉 thâ—y bâ— agâ—â—â—bâ—e vnto the lawes of God wâ—â—â—â— our 〈…〉 â—â—ue godâ—â—nâ—s 〈…〉 ple of â—â—â— Ieweâ— miserably dispersed Esaiae 1. Esaiae 58. The Iewes cerâ—monies and fastinges Math. 23. Many flourishing common weales haue fallen to ruine for lacke of the knowledge of God Meanes to liue well in a common weale In dialogo qui vitaâ—uÌ„ auctio inscribitur Pithagoras Diogenes Dainâ— treditioâ—s of the philosophers Cyrenaicâ— Democritê° Heraclitus Socrates Epicurus Chrysippus Sceptici Peripatetici Ad. Colo 2. ActuuÌ„ 17. The Philosophers fonde traditions require a longe study to vnderstande them Aristot in â— politicoruÌ„ One Philosopher founde fault with the opinion of an other No certeiâ—tie â—â— be gathered by the Philosophers â—â— p 〈…〉 citie â—aiâ—â—e titâ—â—s of hoâ—ouâ— The perfect path to true felicite Math. 19. 15. Hierem. 9. Math. 21. Vices that raigne among Christians 1. Paralip 2. Esa ae 32. 1. Macha 3. Hebrae 12. The duetie of gouernours Hiere 2. Paul ad Philip. 3. The subiecteâ— dutie Maisters Colloss 4. Seâ—uauntes Paul ad Ephes 6. Olde men Yong men Fathers Childerne 1. Timoth. 6 Wourdlye riches be but vanities Iacobi 5. Poore people Math. 25. Iacobi 2 â–ª Two kindeâ— of pouertie Ecclesi 27. Iudicum 9. 11. Necessarie meÌ„ 〈…〉 of a com 〈…〉 wâ—â—le Math. 7. The true vse of mans life 1. Cor. 11. Mâ—ns constitutions ought not to vaâ—â—◠〈…〉 the ordinaâ—ces o 〈…〉 d. Ephes 4. Rom. 12. Math. 25.
haue been Lordes seldome hath gone well forward but giueÌ„ occasion of muche disagrement as whiche beyng ledde after their owne affections and moued with ambition hath caused muche murther and muche calamitie Wherevpon Cato that flue himself at Vtica was accustomed to saie that there was nothyng so pestilent nothyng so vnconstaunte as the peoples fauour as whose inheritaunce hath euer been occasion of muche heuines to their succession Therfore the verie necessarie duetie of a Prince and aboue all other ordeined by God is to rule and gouerne his people which although he be naturally borne for no euer kyng had any other beginnyng and froÌ„ the beginnyng hath obteined the sparcles bothe of equitie and of a princelike courage yet he muste bee taught and made fit for the gouernement whiche he shall take vpon him whereby he shall learne bothe to rule hymself and to ouercome those affections whiche almoste make a kyng naturally fierce and knowe hymself to bee suche a man in whom yet no poinct of man must appeare and thinke hymself appoincted a Prince ouer other not onely to be kyng ouer them but also to feade the people committed to his charge and to exhorte them to vertue wherein especially he must hymself trauaile to surmount the rest For as Paterculus writeth a good Prince teacheth his Subiectes to doe well when he doeth well hymself and whereas he is the worthiest in rule yet he ought to bee more worthy in giuyng good ensample Wherefore Seneca calleth the Prince the soule of his coÌ„mon weale accordyng to whose life and mouyng it bothe liueth and moueth For performaunce whereof he must not rest at any one vertue but ioyne altogether that he bee valtaunt chaiste stoute liberall modest gentle princelike free sober godly rightuous and so in all other vertues whiche be required in a noble gouernours life Of whiche you maie somwhat read in XenophoÌ„ in the training vp of Cyrus in Plinic in his Panegyricque vnto the Emperour Traiane in Agapetus a Deacon of Roome in his preceptine sentences vnto the Emperour Iustiniane of the duetie of a kyng whiche booke is therefore called the kynges tables and other matters of this discipline With which ornamentes of vertues if the prince be beautified he shal heare this saiyng of Hieremie and I will giue you kynges after myne harte whiche shall feede you with knowledge and learnyng and this also the king that iudgeth the poore in truth his throne shall be strengthened for euer for he doeth erecte the people of God Yet a Prince must not rest vpon this poincte onely to allure the people vnto a ciuill life concorde and societie but he must also see to the churches preferre the study of godlines and the onely care that the people be obedient vnto the commaundementes of God For so shall he doe his duetie well so shall he builde and edifie all thinges to the glorie of God so shall he not onely here in yearth receiue honour due to a kyng but in recompence of his watchyng and endeuour he shall receiue an immortalle reward to be placed emong the nomber of the holy sainctes Wherein he hath Moses his speciall leader whiche did not onely reforme the people of God with politicke ordinaunces but also counsailed theim to the kepyng of Gods commaundmentes without the guiding wherof â–ª let vs neuer trust to entre the land of promise or to haue any profit by our ciuill life For he saieth thus And now Israell heare the preceptes and iudgementes whiche I teache thee that doyng them thou maiest liue and enteryng in maiest possesse the lande whiche the Lorde God of your fathers will giue vnto you ye shall not adde to the woorde that I speake vnto you ne yet take from it Kepe the commaundentes of the lorde your God which I commaund you for this is the part of a Prince to feed the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto hym and to gouerne it well of whiche thyng Homere putteth vs in mynde in namyng kyng Agamemnon the peoples leader Howbeit no manne is so ignoraunt but he knoweth that the prince is a man and somtyme misledde whose fall is the occasion of so muche the more harme the more in sight his estate is emongest menne In whom Dauid warneth vs not to trust but as in the sonnes of men in whom there is no health And these mightie gouernors be sore corrupte when thei begin to set little by the discipline of their life whiche thei doe then dispise when as thei ones vnderstande that thei be princes aboue lawes and haue the prerogatiue of honour in their owne hand For fleshe and bloud whereby we bee seduced doe make vs more prone to euill In deede it muche awaileth the whole countrey that he whiche shall be their Lorde be well trained vp and made fit for the takyng vpon hym the publike gouernement lest to their greate destruction thei finde this saiyng true woo bee to that lande whose kyng is a childe and the saiyng of Horace whiche maie seme spoken as it were by an oracle what euer dotyng princes doe The subiectes feele thereof the â—o But when the Prince hath been well trained vp it is hard to kepe hym to doe his duetie and so muche the harder the more occasiions he hath to bee seduced so that it seameth verie well saied that good princes bee so fewe that thei maie all be wellnigh shut in one ring For the greatnes of their libertie and knowledge that thei shall not be punished causeth theim either not to heare good counsaill or to contempne it and to go forwarde in doyng euill Herevpon commeth it that some princes be so rauished with the fonde desire of huntyng that thei can not be kept froÌ„ euer beyng in the woodes or be so giuen to riotuous liuyng that thei neither take any thought nor any care of their people Whereas a Magistrate should looke to his people wake when thei sleape kepe rekenyng of all mennes behauiours and to be carefull least thei despisyng the rule of lawe growe to a wilfulnes So vnprofitable a kyng is he whiche leauyng his people followeth other matters and neglecteth his duetie for how can it be but that he should be naught whiche by his naughtie ensample maketh so many other naught at whose handes God will require the soalle which so negligently hath been cast awaie Heare what Hieremie saieth Wo be to those shepherdes whiche do lease and rent the flocke of my pasture you haue disperpled my flocke and cast theim out and haue not visited them Beholde I will visite ouer you the malice of your desires saieth the Lorde Then naughtie courtiers doe corrupt a good prince and make hym to forsake the waie of rightuousnesse as Vopiseus writeth in Aurelianus his life These thinges make euill Princes firste of all to muche libertie then wealth of thinges thirdly naughtie frendes a vile gard courtiers either foolishe or detestable For of all this noÌ„ber
Emperoure a man that could not away with biers of offices Wherfore there were so manye lawes published amongest the Romaynes concernyng biynge of offices as the lawes made by Calphurnius Tullius Pompeius Iulius Fauius and Licinius whereby they were not onely forbidden to compasse any office by bribing but also not so muche as by makyng a dinner for that purpose or causing any repaires for the obteinyng of honoures preferment or labouryng by any meanes to winne the election voices by corruption All whiche thinges do euidently open vnto vs that we ought neither to attempt ne yet to practice any kinde of office for desire of ambicion but clearely vncorruptlye and without anye staine of bryberye Wherevpon it is more knowen then profitable to the common weale that a third vice doeth arise moste detestable emong theim that doe beare offices that is to weâ—e takyng of bribes whiche maie well be placed emong dishonest practises For it is wounder to consider how moche rewardes will alter a man so that although ye haue conceiued in your mynde neither to tourne on the right ne yet on the left hand yet ye wil bee more affectionate towarde a corruptour and in a maner naturally bee ledde more to fauour him then one that will not by briberie endeuour himself to purchase frendship Whereof take this testimonie not of the mouthe of manne but at God hymself whiche is Neither shalt thou take bribes whiche doe blinde the wise and subuert the wordes of the iuste And again God is great mightie and terrible whiche respecteth neither persone nor giftes And in the bookes of the Kinges of Samuelles soonnes And his soonnes walked not in his waies but declined after coueteousnes and toke rewardes and peruerted their iudgementes You vnderstande how detestable a thing it is to bee corrupt with rewardes and to bee misledde filthely by coueteousnesse whiche thyng is not onely by Goddes Lawe forbidden but also abhorred euen of the verie Heathen people So Hesiodâ—s calleth theÌ„ Dorouoroi that is deuourers of rewardes whiche beyng allured by corrupcion of giftes doe not iudge the trueth and Aristophanes vseth this saiyng Dorica musa prouerbially against soche as be greadie in takyng of rewardes Neither can he be possibly a good man that withholdeth not his haÌ„ds froÌ„ the filthy receiuing of bribes Herevpon Alexander the Macedonian king entendyng by treason to compasse the Athenians sent to Phocion in rewarde a thousande talentes But he asked theÌ„ whiche brought the money why seyng there were so many Athenians Alexander sent that present to hym alone bicause saied thei he iudgeth thee onely to be bothe an honest and a good man Then que he let hym suffer me bothe to be and to be compted â—oche a one still As though he had saied that he neither was in deede ne yet was woorthie to bee compted a good man who so could not bridle hymself from takyng of bribes For this Phocion was of soche an approued honestie emong the Athenians that he would neuer suffer hymself to be corrupte with any rewardes contrarywise Demades could neuer be satisfied Wherefore Antipater was wont to saâ—e that he could neuer perswade Phocion to take ne euer content Demades with all his giftes The argument of the. vi Chapiter As it is an honest part beyng about the Prince to tender the common profite so it is an vnhonest poincte to gape for priuate aduauntage WE haue declared how geÌ„tleman like decente a thing it is worthily to liue in the Court of a good Prince where euery mannes endeuoure is for the commoÌ„ profitte directed after the lawes bothe of GOD and man wherein euery one maie shew hymself ready to bestowe his labour vppon man and not vpon hymself onely For that it is Gods common weale into a parte whereof he is called wherein he commaunded menne to be trained vp to set forthe his glorie not to serue those bealie goddes and the gredie desire of a fewe couetous and ambicious persones At whiche marcke who so intendeth not to shoote doeth very vnworthily and vnhonestly preparyng a wheele for hymself wherwith no otherwise then Ixion doeth he shall abide perpetuall punishemente for his distoyaltie throughlie vnderstandyng although to late this saiyng to be true Long in court depe in hell Whiche thing ought to disswade all them that doe cleaue vnto that goodlie kinde of miserie that either thei doe their duetie whiche is honest godlie and profitable in common without blame or els if thei cannot rule their affections whiche beare greate stroke in soche kynde of men giue place and liue priuatelie to them selues yet so that euery one help his christen brother and priuatlie doe that whiche he cannot performe in open place and beare one an others burden restoryng with gain that talente committed vnto hym by grace whiche he hath receiued from aboue forasmuche as no one man is euery man but giftes bee giuen seuerallie vnto vs that euery one either doe beare office accordyng to his measure giuen vnto hym or els do leade a priuate life But as I haue saied there be many thinges which as the worlde now goeth drawe men out of the readie waie blinde them with the fame of high promoctoÌ„ and cause theim greuously to offende whiche ought not to be permitted to be either couered with any clokyng or with any pretensed colour to be excused for it is God whose doynges thou hast in hande whiche in the meane while vieweth euery thing and as a iuste and vnauoidable iudge will punishe soche vniust dealyng and the slower he punisheth the sorer he punisheth some thinke it better to lurke priuately in the shadowe then to offer them selues abrode into so many thousande daungers not onely of bodie but also of soule as though he liued well that lurked well and not vnwiselie if thei vnderstande it not euery where and of all but of soche onely whose shulders can neither susteine neither without greate daunger stande vnder the burden For it is a very fondnes to vndertake the bearyng of any thyng whiche thou canst not easely lift vp Whiche thinges neuerthelesse doe not moue many that be glorious and stand to moche in their owne conceipt whom in the meane while honor nourisheth and enforceth to plaie the bealie goddes and hogges as it were in the stte Besides that those golden chaines wherewith thei that be fettered doe serue in boÌ„dage and delight in a gaie kinde of miserie as Diogenes was wont to saie against Aristippus the Courte dogge doe staie them so long that thei can neuer finde in their hartes to chaunge their chaines to dye for it Surelie neither honour the moste vanitie of all other vanities ne yet any golde gotten by the vndoyng of a greate meany oughte so moche to be estemed by any man that wee should preferre an vncertaintie and a thing of base value before that whiche is euerlasting neither for a small pleasure to worke our
dwell but suche as bee vnlearned and vnskilfull yet thei bicause thei bee not so full of people neither occupied with many and intricate affaires maie the better be borne withal But thinges of greater importaunce and soche as must be weighed by the ballaunce of iustice and equitie muste bee referred to the wiser sorte that thei maie be doen by aduisement and euery man by righte maie haue that is due vnto hym There is no companie of menne so small and fewe in namber but thei neade the labour of learned men and of good instructioÌ„ for the obteinyng of that kind of life wherby the true societie and mutuall benefityng of one an other is preserued Whereunto belong al the tradicious of liberall sciences which by the whole discourse of learning absolutely bee receiued and be as it were handmaidens to all disciplines For in theim youth is trained vp and prepared to greater thinges whereby thei maie not so moch profite them selues as their parentes and sometimes their countrie And Socrates iudgeth him more profitable to a common weale whiche maketh many fit to rule then he that can well rule hymself Therefore thei doe not well prouide for the common weale whiche like shamelesse and beastlike menne neither will that learned men be called to gouernement neither bee carefull for the trainyng vp and teachyng of others that maie well order thesame The argument of the third Chapiter ¶ That the professours of diuinitie aâ— thei be profitable so thei be nedefull and y t thei neglectinge their vocacion bee a greate slaunder to their profession ROmulus the builder of Rome amoÌ„gest other Lawes published this â–ª the power of all the diuine seruice let it bee vnder the kynges Also let the fathers keepe all Ceremonies whiche the tenne interpretours in the twelue tables more at large declare Go to the Gods â—hastile and therein dse Godlinesse Also let there be two kindes of Priestes One that maâ—e see to diulne-seruice and Ceremonies an other to expounde the darke answeres of Southsaiers and Prophetes soche as the counsaill and people shall allowe Let them deferre straunge signes and tokens if the counsaill so commaunde to the Thuscanes and Southsaiers Whiche Lawe Tullie saieth doeth not onely appertaine to religion but also to the slate of a citee So sateth Valerius Maximus Our auncetours would that customable and solempne Ceremonies should bee expounded by the Bisshops knowledge by the aucthoritie of thinges well doen by the obseruacion of Southsaiers by Appollos propheciynge by the Prophetes bookes by destroiyng of prodigious monsters and by the cunnyng of the Thuscanes So great an opinion hath it been that the wealthe of the common estate is preserued by the customable seruice and Ceremonies wherein if any thing had been misdoen there were certaine meanes of cleansyng to pourge the staine thereof As we see the fashion of processions and other rites vsed of old tyme for corne and grain whiche custome hath partly been in vse euen in our daies Aristotle also permitteth his Bisshops priestes and churche menne touchyng some parte of their callyng to bee holden as parte of the citee that nothyng â—e wantyng that maie further the profityng thereof But soche thinges be to bee considered among the Ethenikes who lurked as it were vnder the shadowe of this blessednesse of man and could not come to that perfection of life whiche thei perswaded them sclues But we to whom the true worshippyng of God is reuealed dooe admit no counterfaictyng of thinges but doe so adourne this our citee that by it wee maie conceiue the hope of the blessed life in heauen In the communion whereof I doe conteine all soche as bee conuersaunte therein not consideryng whether thei bee laie men or of the clergie sence that we be all but the members of one body acknowleging one head which is Christ whom we obeie as our lorde in that we doe obedience to Magistrates for ensample whereof I vsed Moses Neither is that farre out of vse which hath been obserued aswell in the Greke as the Romaine Empire In this place I dooe decide nothing concernyng the Ecclesiasticall weale and her prerogatiue power but appoâ—ct the ciuil according vnto the image of the heauenly whose steppes we in the meane while seke and folowe For we bee all the chosen sorte the princelie priesthode the holie people the gained flocke whiche ones were no people but now be the people of God Therfore must we be subiecte to euerye lawfull ordinaunce of man for the Lorde be he kyng as passyng the rest or be thei his lieutenauntes sent from him to reuenge euil doers and to the praise of soche as do well Wherso with our harte For this is the Psalterie this is the tenstringed Harpe whiche is pleasaunt acceptable to God And therefore it is conuenicut that vertuous men and soche as haue giuen them selues wholy to God be ouersears and guides of this congregacion whiche maie praof that harmonie ariseth whiche Nicholas Cusan a famous Cardinall calleth the catholique concordauÌ„ce and highlie commendeth it vnto vs as the peace of the christians For in our gouernement we doe not onelie seke prosperous successe in thinges and a certaine colour of felicitie but that whiche is heaueÌ„lie and therefore we must cal vpon God in it and in our spirit saie Abba father Whereupon wee muste also agree and continue in praier giuing thankes to the lorde of heauen and our redemer not with our mouthe alone but alie for the people and beare their sinne before the Lorde that it maie be remitted by our propitiatour Iesus Christ vpon whom that we maie fire an hole and firme faithe whiche is the sure foundacion of blessed hope there must neades be some of them to preache vnto vs that euerlastyng woorde open to vs our iniquities and declare vnto vs by whose mediacion thei muste bee forgiuen that beeyng well instructed to Godwarde we maie depart foorthe of this Ciuill life vnto that communion whiche the sainctes enioye and attaine the heauenly whiche is the onely blessednesse the onely felicitee Whiche vocacion of preachyng is well committed to theÌ„ that be expounders and professours of the Prophecies of GOD and his holie Gospell whiche bee so moche the more requisit in a common weale the more that the soule excelleth the body and the heauenly life this yearthly Of whom Esaie the Prophete saieth How faire and beautifull aboue the mountaines bee the feete of soche as tell and preache peace of soche as report goodnes soche as preache health saiyng Sion thy God shall reigne The voice of the esâ—ialles thei haue lift vp their voices and shall also giue praise because thei shall see iye to iye when the lorde shall conuerte Sion And the blessed Apostle Paule commendeth Luke to the Corinthiana â—icause of the Gospell wherein stoode his praise wee sent with hym also our brother whose praise is bicause of the Gospell in all churches And soche bee then moste
to bee reuerenzed when thei professe the doctrine of the Gospell truely and so teache it liuyng also in soche sort that their life can not bee reprehended For so shall it come to passe that the whole congregacion well instructed all shall be taught in GOD and loue vertue With so greate faithe doeth he teache that doeth the same and by innocencie of life lighteneth his owne doctrine For it is a meruaile to see how the vertuous conuersacion and vprightnes of life in the preacher doeth moue the hearers and prouoke them to imbrace godlines Here a man maie note that whiche befell to Innocentius the fowerth bishop of Rome whiche by Embassadours moued the greate Prince of Tartarie named Batus to ceasse froÌ„ the cruell persecucion of christians to acknowlege God the creatour of al thinges and to receiue the christian religion Then the Tartarian as thei saie when he had dimissed the Bisshops Embassadours sent his owne to Rome and other citees of Italie to searche the forme of their belief the maners and conuersacion of the christians Whiche at their returne brought hym woorde that thei were an idle people wicked in life and worshipped thei knewe not what Images so moche disagreyng from the doctrine thei did professe that thei appeared rather to bee a flockyng together of beastes then an assemblie of men At whiche reporte the Tartarian streight waie receiued the Saracenes whiche easely perswaded him to neglecte Christ and to receiue into his dominions the abhominable religion of Mahomete as a mistresse of manners a prouoker to warre and full of profite and pleasure Truely as the office of a preacher in the churche is great and commendable so doeth he hainously offend whiche executeth it not purely and â—inceresie but setteth light tâ— neglecte the shâ—â—e whiche he hath vndertaken to feede and leaueth them to the Woulfe or rather the deuill whiche goeth aboute alwaie sekyng subtillie whoÌ„ he maie deuoure Soche be theâ— whiche knowyng the truthe hide it whiche beyng blinded in their owne conceiptes doe preferre vaine fables and Philosophie and the inuencions of menne before the liuely woorde of God Whiche flatter the eares of the superiour powers and dooe not rebuke their vices whiche dooe not lifte vp their voice against fleshe and bloud whiche seeke by all meanes to please men peruertyng the kyngdome of God for their owne bellies sake Whiche if thei fortune to preace Goddes woorde truelie yet in liuyng thei be so vicious so wicked and giue so pernicious an ensample that thei doe not onely nothing edifie but so behaue them selues that good men be therwith greatly offended And soche as lightly fall into this peruersite be either thei whiche haue not atteined vnto the true knowlege of Gods worde or theâ— that stick in Philosophie entangled with dreames of men neither glorifiyng ne yet fearyng GOD whom thei knowe by his creatures To these maye be added suche as euen from their cradles in a maner be not onely admitted to holye administracion but eueÌ„ as it were thrust them selues in amongest preachers whiche be so farre from shewing any triall of their maners that they knowe not what the name thereof dothe import For they neuer had anie charge on their hande neither priuately nor in the common weale neither hadde they house nor children whom they might wel gouerne and shewe any good hope what ministers they were like to bee wherefore the churche might alowe them These yonge professed churchmen haue many occasions to swarne decline from their function whiche they shoulde with all holines perfourme as in whom there is slippernesse of age inconstancie of life disdain of vertue contempt of good maners lacke of experience in thinges pride lacke of yeres lacke of wisedome whiche wee call daughter of time and finally a minde prone to dronkennesse and all kinde of vice so that of many there is scarce one which can so purge him selfe that he dooe not onely offende the churche but with most filthy meanes stain the same And therfore the Apostle would not in any wise that an yonglynge â–ª and one lately admitted into the christian religion should be a minister in the churche lest he beyng puffed vppe with pride fall into condemnacion of the deuill but such a one as is sober and modest and will kepe hospitalitie no drunkarde apt to teache and one that hathe a good reporte of his behauioure euen of Straungers For howe can he â—diste the churche of Christâ— â–ª whiche is naughty of him selfe whiche leadeth a slaunderous life is suspecte of yll â—â—â—â—anour and noted for a vicious liuer euen in the face of the worlde which either hath not the pure doctrine or doth pollute it with naughtinesse of maners and maketh it serue for no purpose onely feadyng his â—â—â—ly whiche neglectinge his flocke he either preferreth before the Tâ—â—eth or maketh his God not markynge howe daungerous a thing it is in this vocation to offende and to stumble at that stone whiche is laâ—ed for the fall of manye but chieflye for preachers and pastoures of the churche for they â—e but Hirelynges and as sone as thei heare but of a little broyle of persecution â–ª they straight tourne their backes and the flockes which haue most neade of comfort and the ministerie of the worde of God to be ther with armed against the inuasion of their enemie thei driue from their pasture thâ—ustinge them into the wolues â—awes thei in the meane while fedyng the selâ—â—â— and that deinteâ—â— rejecting the crosse and beyng 〈◊〉 â—â— feding y â— floâ—â— coÌ„mitted to their charge but not without punishment For thâ— soules whiche they neglect shall pearishe but the Lorde of reuengement shall require this bloude and deathâ— at their handes For tâ—ey haue charge of soules whose losse iâ— so much the greater the better that life is then deathe whom Ezechiell the Prophete alone myght put in minde of their duetie criyng thus Woe be vnto the Pastours of Israell whiche â—eade them selues be not the flockes fedde by their herdes Ye eate vp their milke ye were cladde with their woule ye slewe that was fatte but ye did not feade my flocke that was feable ye did not strengthen that was weake ye did not heale that was sicke ye did not binde that was broken ye brought not againe that was caste of ye returned not home that went astraie ye sought not that was lost Also Thou shalt heare a worde of my mouthe and thou shalâ— tell it from me If when I saie to the wicked man thou shalâ— dye the death and thou doest not tell it him neither speakest vnto him that he maye tourne from his wicked way and liue the wicked man shall dye in his iniquitie but I wil require his bloud at thy hande But if thou tell the wicked man and he do not turne from his iniquitie and from his wicked way he shall dye in his wickednesse and thou haste deliuered thy Soule You vnderstande howe well they deserue of
although that in iâ—le tymes of slepe eatyng drinkyng and plaie more then halfe the life is spente besides the coâ—mptyng â–ª of the yeres of our infancie wherein we doe lacke vnderstandyng besides our olde age wherein we waâ—e impotent bicause then the limmes growe out of frame the senses be dull the sight hearyng and goyng faile vs before death come the teeth whiche be the instrumentes of feedyng fall out not to speake of so many kindes of sickenesses so many doubtfull daungers so many feares so many cares by occasion whereof we be sometyme so sore vexed that euen we wishe for our deathes daie By whiche miserie and calamitie we be necessarily enforced so long as the breathe is in our bodies as it were continually to wrastle and wage a mortall warre with the verie diseases and infirmities of the bodie But he that chargeth vs with this weakenesse to the ende wee should the better remember our mortalitie and willingly beare the crosse to the honour of our redemer hath shewed vs also an arte whereby knowlege is had either quite to dispatche those diseases or at the least to abridge y â— maladie therof whiche we therfore cal Phisike the mestres of health Whose excellencie to expresse is nedelesse as a thing whiche nature vpon whom she waiteth doeth commende vnto vs and also the aunciente beginnyng thereof the daily curyng of diseases and restoryng the bodie to healthe dooe declare thesame Whiche thinges if thei wer not of sufficient force to make vs reuerence Phisicke the aucthoritie of this one place were inough to moue vs there unto for the wiâ—eman saieth Honoure the Phisician for necessitie sake for the highest hath created hym For all healthe procedeth from God and of the kyng he shall receiue his reward the knowlege of the Phisicion shall exalte hym and he shall bee honourablie taken in the sight of the greate men of this worlde The highest hath created medicines out of the yearth and the wisemanne shall not abhâ—â—â— the same And to the foorther commendacion thereof â–ª Constantine the Emperoure commaunded that Phisicians should haue salaries and certain liuynges appoincted them that thei might applie their studie and thereby cure the moe pacientes Albeit Princes haue euer reuerenced them and rewarded theim very largely So Quintus Stertinius reputed iâ— the Princes liberalitie that he had allowed hym for a yerely fee fiue hundred peces of coigne called Sestertâ— Plato in his third booke of his common weale saieth that the profession of Phisicke is neadefull for mankinde as a thing inuented for healthe not riot of liuyng whereof there â—e â—ondrie kindes for one called in Greke Methodichi searcheth out the causes of diseases and leaneth vpon soche groundes and principles as nature and longe experience of thinges hath tried to be true An other Clinichi whiche in Latin is tearmed Lectuâ—ria as one should saie bedde Phisicke whiche thei dooe practise that visite their pacientes liyng in their beddes and by obseruacion of the state of their bodies learne the originall of the disease whiche all thei doe that folow the practise and exercise of the art whiche be not men of the meanest reputacion An other kind there is called Hiatriliptichi as it were oyntyng Phisicke whiche consisteth in annoinctyng and chasing the bodie verie neadfull in â—ondrie kindes of diseases The last of all Empirichi whiche standeth onely vpon experience the more daungerous and vncertain bicause as the Prouerbe goeth it vseth without any searchyng of the cause one salue for all sores one plaister for all impostumes And wee stande in neade of all these partes of Phisicke in the common weale and eche of them hath oâ—e commendacion so that thei bee vsed accordingly and not conuerted to gaine onely For what is more worthy in a citee then that arte whiche all men bee thei neuer so vnskilfull doe desire For it is nature which moueth vs to preuente diseases to kepe our bodie as the maÌ„sion house of our soule in sauetie that we maie the better execute that parte of our duetie whiche is due to the common weale So ought we earnestly to praie that we maie haue an whole mind in an whole bodie But there be â—ondrie thinges whiche do anoie this feble bodie of ours beyng so moche subiecte to infirmities sometyme an Agew troubleth vs sometime Cholere sometyme Melancholie I omit the extremitie of feare and that some euen vpon reporte of merie tidynges haue ended their liues and a thousande other kindes of death wherwith a manne is ouerthrowen and yet he desireth by art and nature to be saued and restored to health froÌ„ the same Moreouer there be impostumes rotten isshewes launcing of the fleshe in searching the woundes a nomber of like inconueniences which nedes must haue the helpe of Surgeons whoÌ„ we se that bothe princes and the people doe highly esteme Soche a manne was Archagatus of whom Plinie maketh mencion whiche was the firste of that sorte of Phisicions for healyng woundes that came to Rome to whom his enfranchisement was giuen and a shoppe purchased by the Chamber of the citee in Acilius streete at the first verie welcome to the citee although after for his extremitie in launcyng and searyng he was commonly called a tyrannous tormentour and his profession became odious But it can not be contraried but that this arte as there is nothing faultlesse and without shamefull misusage in thinges founde out for the safety of man is verie disceitfully vsed so that it appeareth rather to be a colour for craftie conueyaunces then an helpe for mans healthe Whereby euerie olde Witche euerye cutthroate and catchepole euerie vnthrifty riotter to ouerpasse other rascalles and slauishe surgeons seeke to cloke their prolling practises To whom if you ioyn the Iewes and other straunge trauellours whiche vse to minister but one herbe or one drinke for all kinde of diseases be they neuer of so sundrie natures and therein dooe promise healpe for euerie sore then it maie euidentlye appeare in howe great daunger a man of to light credite is how readilie he maie be reft of his life vnder the pretenced name of arte how freely a man maie be murthered To this number ye may associate another sorte whiche purchasing their grace for monei ruffle in their ringes and by faire promises onely deceiue suche as resorte vnto theim braggyng vpon soche knowlege of Phisike as thei neuer in any part could any thing like attain vnto as though that death had hired them to lie in waite for mennes liues and to send moe to their graues to fulfill the measure of mortalitie profitable to none but to soche whiche also wishe in like for a greate plague as by diggyng of pittes in Churche yardes and other soche like businesse aboute burialles doe gette their liuynges But wonderous pernicious to the common weale whiche thei doe for gaine sake to come in credite as Marcus Cato saith at vnwares to cast awaie their pacieÌ„tes Concerning
she is a verie good and gracious mother because she daiely bringeth forthe those thinges whiche be not onely profitable but also necessarie for all menne as it is euidently sene in clothâ—makyng and dressing of woule whiche in handicraftes I haue placed next vnto tillage because the commoditie therof is accordyng For althoughe there â—ee no wante of foode althoughe the earth bringe forthe thinges most plentifullie yet to go naked and like brute beastes to discouer those partes whiche nature woulde haue couered it staÌ„deth nether with nature ne yet with reasoÌ„ For there be two thinges whiche for leadinge of this their life men doe most desire they be so carefull they so earnestly trauaile they take so great â—arâ—e they vse so maniâ— occupacions and to be shortâ— spende their liues in extreme toile and drudgerie and euen like verie Galeyslaues that is that this their body the house of their soule maie bee bothe fedde and â—â—adde Other thinges dooe rather appertaine to riote and superfluitie whiche is the prouocacion of coueteoâ—â—â—es for that we came naked into the worlde and thence we muste retourne also naked And in dede as S. Paule saieth Godlines and a minde contente with his owne estate is a greate gaine for into this worlde nothinge wee brought with vs neither canne we carie anie thinge thence awaye with vs but if we haue meate drinke and clothe therewith we muste be content For thus saieth the Apostle Godlines and a minde coÌ„tent with his estate is a great gaine For it is plaine that as we brought nothing with vs into this worlde so we shall carie nothinge awaie with vs but if we be fedde and cladde therewith we muste bee contente Whiche saiyng if it wer oftener before our iyes we should not so gredely desire worldely wealthe but should saie as Diogenes did that nature is content with verie fewe thinges as breade water and clothes although they be but simple Vnder clothemaking I dooe comprehende not onely such thinges as be made of woule but also the working thereof and all clothing so muche as belongeth to the furniture of man in that behalfe For where as according to Plinies saiynge All other liuynge creatures haue naturally coueringes for their bodies as shelles barkes skinnes prickles heeres bristles fethers quilles scales fleces stockes trâ—es â–ª also by her prouision be oftentimes fenced with double barke froÌ„ heate and cold She couereth onely man setteth him foorthe with borowinge the benifite of others And therefore it stode him in hande to deuise suche a waye as whereby clothinge and other furniture of liuinge might be prouided As is the crafte of weauyng spinning Cardyng and Sewyng and soche as be practised by spindle neadle wheele carde and soche like instâ—â—mentes whether it bee of Woulle Flare Sâ—â—ke Skinnes Pearles siluer or golde lace or soche other like thinges Also Fullers occupacion maie bâ—e nombred emongest these whiche teacheth the waie of dressing and scouryng of Clothes with hoate water the vse whereof mannes life not content with any kinde of arraie doeth more euidently open then is nedefull here to bâ—â— disclosed by me that purpose not to teache the making inuencion and sortes of euery particular thing but that the commoditie thereof bothe profitable and neadfull maie be well vsed bothe priuatly and in common Now if I should take vpon me to shewe the causes why wee ought so moche to esteme the woorkyng of Woolle I would grounde some of theim vpon necessitie some vpon Ciuilitie Moreouer the knowlege of clothmakyng in no poincte can we lacke bicause that thereby we couer this our body whiche ought in dede in moste partes to bee hidde whiche otherwise should bee naked yea and also fence and saue the same from the iniurie of Snowe Froste tempestuous stormes cold and inteÌ„peratnes of aire and heate of the sunne As for the other reasons thei dooe particularlie concerne apparel whiche should be vsed in a certain measure that it bee honest and comely for the estate of the persone not in like to all but that euery man bee apparelled accordyng vnto the degree whereunto he is called whiche thyng it were expedient should be specially loked vnto and obserued For what is more vnseamely then that a base personage should go arraâ—â—d in silkes Damaskes embrodered woorke with golde or siluer or haue his house garnished and set foorthe with cloth of Arras and Tapestrie of soche like estate notâ—yng becommyng so meane a manne as he is as though he were some Kyng Prince some pâ—â—râ— of a Realme or some greate officer as one that wer of an honourable house race or parentage WhoÌ„ it should become to vse soche garmeÌ„tes apparell other ornamentes as did answere vnto his worthines degree estimacion So we allowe in princes their purple robes in courtiers silkes in a head officer an honest garment in a commoner clenly apparell in women long according to the difference of their kinde in an vplandishe and houseband man that is comoÌ„ly vsed and so in eche man accordyng vnto the difference of their degree conuenient and answerable to the estate of their vocacion and this is the apparellyng and clothyng â–ª whiche Xenophon also allowed In all thinges therefore I doe vtterlie condemâ—â—â— sumptuous and outragious excesse as a thing that respecteth not the maintenaunce of life but the lightenes of mynde and a vaine bragge wherein an honest and graue man would be lothe to be reproued For it is not possible that he should vse the benefite of thynges well whiche vseth them otherwise then to thende wherefore thei were ordeined Specially consideryng that mannes mynde lightly altereth with the alteracion of apparell and chiefly if it be straunge and smelleth of some new tricke and outlandishe guise which thing Diogenes being a Philosopher and as it wer a preacher of nature perceiued for he ones espiyng a young manne whiche was straungely and vnsemely disguised saied vnto hym art thou not ashamed to will thy self woorse then nature hath dooen For she hath made thee a man and thou disguisest thy self like a woman And that the olde Romaines did â—ore punishe this lightnes of liuyng their Censors maie be a sufficiente proofe but yet thei were not able to breake them froÌ„ it Hereupon Augustus Cesar seyng many in Rome wearyng Clokes after the guise of the Grekes saied vnto them in mockage beholde the Romaines Lordes of the worlde and the nacion whose vpper garmentes should be gounes alludyng to Virgites verse how moch thei be altered As though it wer a dishonour for the pieres of the worlde and soche as should surmount other in constancie and vprightnesse of life to receiue embrace soche a marueâ—lous lightenesse in apparell and to bee so wonderous waueryng in straunge condicions whiche thyng he that will throughly marke the trade of Germanie shall well saie and truely affirme where it is a wonder to see the daily chaunge of apparelle the greate delight thei
our sauiour Christ beside those that they vse by the elementes by euery creature by the most holy Sainctes herunto doe they ioyne filthie talke and gyue them selues to the deuill and accurse them selues wittinglye beyng enured by custome not onely to abuse but also to slaunder the name of the liuing God whome all men ought to reuerence whose praise euery touÌ„ge ought to magnifie Whiche detestable blasphemie although moste men do impute to those Ruffians and vnshamefast Villaines which folowe the campes as a speciall fruite of warre yet it is certaine that childreÌ„ which can scarcelie speake do heare such othes of their mothers nurses and parentes and so learne that while they be yonge as our nature is bent to al euill wherin thei being once nusseled can not easely be broken from it to the great calamitie of all christendome which by the negligence of theyr elders do so degenerate that they be glad to wynke at and to beare with such horrible blasphemie such ertreme vilanie and to hold it as a vertue a great deale worse then any idolaters which did not without punishment suffre a man to vttre any idle worde against those their dead â—â—nages muche leste would they se them despised And we do perceaue by very experience that monstruous and inordinate dronkennesse hath ben a mother vnto this mischief so that if it were not for other discommodities this alone were ynoughe to cause it to be abandoned of all honest company for euer If we will but a little consider the couÌ„tenaunce nature and effecte therof who shal not incontinent perceyue that it is the most filthie of al other in so much that y â— brute beastes dooe not vse it but abhorre it as moste contrary to their nature The asse of all foure footed beastes the dullest when he thyrsteth of his owne accord draweth to the water but when he hath once drunke ynough no stripes can driue him agayne to drinke any more Onelye man is so madde and outragious that when he hath water the licoure which to nature semeth to be most holesome offered hym to drynke he reiecteth it doth not onelye riottouslie misuse wine whiche nature hath geuen as a speciall medicine for man most healthfull to his bodie but also contrary to nature swilleth vp the same and therin taketh a meruellouse delight And beyng thus drowned in drunkenes and bereyft of reason of all other beastes he is most lyke to a swyne wallowyng in the myre and becomming a very mocking stocke euen to litle children This was the cause why the Lacedemoniane magistrates vsed to make the basest of theyr slaues whome they called Elotae to be made dronken and so to be brought among young men of their Citie where they did sit in banquettes to thende they so might declare the deformitie of drunkerdes that therby the youth might abhorre the vice and be more and more prouoked to sobrietie Zeleucus loked muche nearer vnto this enormitie for in the Locriane common weale he ordeigned that whoso vsed to drinke wyne should die for it yet some what in so doyng to be disalowed bicause he vtterly forbade thuse of that thing whiche in deede is of it selfe most healthfull For Anacharsis the Philosopher sayde that the vine bringeth furthe thre grapes one for thirst an other for mirthe the thirde for madnes So the vse of wine ought to bee to driue awaie thirste to helpe the stomake and if the tyme do serue to make a mans harte mâ—ry Wherein if thou doest passe measure that shall turne the to madnes and become vnto thâ—e not wyne but hemelocke So that Seneca maye seme to haue full well sayd that dronkennesse is nothing elles but a wilfull madnesse Now who so will coÌ„sider the multitude of mischieues that growe of this furious dronkennes shall incontinent vnderstand that it is aneuill most disagreable with the good estate of a common weale and that it is not worthie to be calleâ— a Citie where dronkennesse beareth fre sweye and brideleth not aswell the common sorte as also the gouernours whose dewtie were to be as pastours to correcte offenders and to punishe suche as with wine ouercharge theyr stomackes Not to touche the inconueniences which it breedeth in our bodies as palenesse hanginge cheekes waterie eies the palsie rauinge in slepe vnquietnes in the night theheate of inordinate and filthie luste stinking breathe decaie of memorie â–ª forgetfulnes and diuerse other discommodities whiche Plinie reverseth But those cancred diseases oughte to be a greatter terrour vnto vs wherwith the soule is infectid and brought to destruction as be murder aduoutrie incest manslaughter blasphemie cursinge slaunder seditione and suche other enormities which we do most certainly knowe to arise of dronkennesse And therfore the Romaines woulde not admit to an office anie such as were muche giuen to drinking of wine thinking them vnfit for consultations whiche had the dregges of the foredaies dronkennes in their heades and in a maner knewe not them selues to be men Which ordre if it were put in execution in our common weales there would be in many of them but a sclender Senate What other thinge coulde Bonosus in all his high estate haue done whiche was borne to be a very swilpotte and thereupon was surnamed Bibosus This man for verie wearines of life hanged him selfe then did euery man â—ate to his reproche the Tonne is hanged I wil not here make mencion of Tiberius Nero which because of his continuall dronckennesse was surnamed Biberius Mero because he droncke two whole dayes and so many nightes with Piso whoÌ„ he had made his lieutenauÌ„t of the citie of Rome neither of anye other like monstruous menne seing it is euidently knowen that the very Ethenickes did abhorre the sanâ—e For eschewyng whereof Romulus by lawe forbade women that thei shoulde drinke wine Likewise Plato thought that wine was to be prohibited in a coÌ„mon weale as a thing which perisheth the minde But our men I meane the true worshippers of God dooe speake farre better touchyng this matter for the Prophete saieth thus Fornication wine and dronkennesse take awaye a mannes vnderstandyng Also dronkennesse is a ryottous thinge and wine is full of tumult who so taketh delite therein shal not be wise Wherefore the apostle ful well commaundeth vs not to liue in excessiue eatynge and drinkynge seinge the workes of the fleshe be manifeste to be murther dronkennesse contencion sedicion For they that â— dooe shall neuer attaine vnto the kingdome of heauen And aboue all other our maister Christe the onely teacher of all trueth saieth Take hede that your hartes be not ouerladen with surfeites dronkennesse and cares of this worlde lest while we slepe the last and great day come sodainly vpon vs. Therefore if we will haue any certain hope of that our heauenly countrey we muste withdrawe our selues from the enormitie of dronkennes lest we by our misusage riottously makinge
of meate aboundaunce and idlenesse These thinges had shee and her daughters And they stretched not forth their hands to the neady and pore but were proude and wrought abhominacion against me and I toke them away as thou sawest Soche idlenes therefore whiche prouoketh menne to lurkyng and loyteryng as the Mearmaides vse to moue mennes mindes with their pleasaunte songes lingering about the rockes must be auoided as it wer a verie pestilentâ— of al soche as be accustomed to spend the daie idlelie in sitting on pâ—nilesse benches and other common places whiche vice is the firste steppe to all beggerie yea and oftimes is the occasion of moche debate and variaunce lâ—ste while naughtie persones â—ee giuen to sedicion and slothfulnesse neither good men shall be able to liue quietlie neither the common weale be kept in safetie Whiche thing although it be more in sight in greate citees where there bee greate nombers of idle vagaboundes as Plato writeth neuerthelesse emong euery particulare companie there bee alwaie some to bee founde whiche will either doe nothing themselues or els hinder them that would otherwise be well and honestlie occupied The argument of the eight Chapiter That there are some whiche for no discipline for no loue of vertue but onely for feare of punishement can be brought to doe their dueties And also what thei of olde tyme haue attempted to encourage others to the attainment of vertue Then should common weales be fortunate if all the inhabitauntes embracyng vertue with a generalle consent did set their whole myndes vpon that blessednes for the which the life of man was firste institute For this is accordyng to the saiyng of saincte Paule not to runne in vaine but to receiue the rewarde and to winne the garlande made of Roses whiche will neuer fade awaie whiche will neuer wither and prepared from the beginnyng for theim that loue God Which apperteineth to soche as be famous for their iustice faithfulnesse wisedome pietie fortitude and temperaunce and haue wel deserued of mankinde and know certainly that thei be but strauÌ„gers here and muste make spedie expedicion hence to come to their owne countrey But for so moche as that our deadlie enemie doeth attempt to peruert euery companie and to sowe Cockle emongst the good corne gouernours and pastours must be warie for feare least that iniquitie winne the fielde and a little euill leuen as thei saie marre al the batche of dough Yet can it not bee brought to passe that the euill may be plucked out altogether that the estate shall be of theim whiche be onelye good but as longe as there shall be fleshe and bloude so long shall preuarication be vsed and iniquitie whiche shall offende the good Therefore suche anoyaunces must be taken awaie whiche doe trouble the common weale by whose molestacion the swete harmonie standinge vpoÌ„ the peaceable coÌ„cord of the subiects the general vniformitie of their liuing may be made to farre and brought cleane out of tune Which thing must be remedied onelye by seueritie of lawes whiche Draco of Athenes made so straight against offenders that they reported his lawes to be written with bloude because they so sharpelye punished malefactours And surelye they that by holesome preceptes daiely exhortacions and discipline can not be brought to amendement of life must in conclusion die for it albeit all waies of gentlenes must be vsed before that this extremitie be put in execution For better it is with an hotte yron to seare vp woundes when they be freshe and rawe then wilfullie to suffer the corrupcion to spreadde abroade and to destroie the whole bodie Neither is it vnprofitable in all poinctes to ioine good and euil together that the euill thereby maie be trained vppe to vertue and markinge the filthines of their life maie learne howe lewde a thinge it is to pollute that moste goodlie dwelling place of the soule with corrupt vices and to make no ende of naughtie liuinge Hereupon when the Romains debated vpon the defacing of Car thage some counselled the contrarie alledging that if this Citie were destroyed whiche hadde so renowmed their auncetours and was a great exercise for theim to valiantnes and prowesse it might so come to passe that when thei by reason of idlenes were become carelesse and flouthfull the common weale armour set aparte might be debilitate and weakened and might bring vnto their posteritie a daungerous retchelesnes whiche in conclusion woulde be the destruction of the whole Citie Therfore those fonde men which sticke in the same mire set no more by godly instruction then the mule careth for the packesaddle doe verie vnaduisedlie for â—â— thei se one of their neighbours offende or treade neuer so litle awrye incontinent they â—riâ— but of heauen and earth saiyng that thâ—â—â—â—er is a slepe that the magistrate forgetteth his duetâ—â— and that not onely in a crime which thei haue in deede committed but if that wherat he findeth fault do not agre with his mynde like a brainelesse felow he streightwaies turneth into a rage where as it wer better for him to asswage his choler then so to alter himself vpoÌ„ euery light bâ—â—asioÌ„ But he which wilbe a correnor of vices wherunto we be euery one subiect must be longe sufferyng I euer excepte notable crymes lesse while he pulleth at the cockle he roote out the wheate and turne the medicine into poyson Hervpon was it that ill maners caused good lawes wherwith we do not so muche defend the good as we exhorte warne and prouoke the euill to cease from their ill doyng for vertues sake For the nature of a lawe is as Modestine sayeth to coÌ„maund to forbid to permit and to punishe And in deede nothing is more readie to a man whiche is vnconstaunt in his doynges and is destrous of truble some innouacions then to looke vpon the wallet which hangeth afore him and to mistyke that in an other whiche he wil haue holden as a vertue in himself as one whiche thinketh his owne perfume to be as sweete as frankencense as though all the world wer not able to stain him with any point of dishonestie Respect therfore must be had to al those vppon whoÌ„ the whole Citie doeth consiste For in deede those be goodlie ornamentes wherby good men be coÌ„mended vnto vs for the same receyue their rewardes which are honour dignitie worthines of fame besides that thei shall neuer die and finallie they shall enioye the kyngdome of heauen whiche farre excelleth all the reste Contrarilie ill men while thei liue bee detested and after their death carie away with them not only shame and infamie but abide also extreme tormentes in hell Wherby we maye learne that as a good name is most to be desired so an euill name is most to be abhorred For what is more horrible then to cal a prince Phalaris Nero or Herode whose sowe OctauiaÌ„ said that he would rather haue been then his sonne what is more odious then
and so by the politicque peace come vnto the euerlasting whiche is the fruite of the spirite and that so the peacemakers maye be blessed We must therfore vnderstand that euen euery holie iust man al tho he be by none outwardly vered dothe yet find in him selfe an inward warre he hath soche perpetuall strife with his fleshe and affections which so moleste euerie good man that thei cannot be taken awaie ne yett appeazed by anie philosophie ne by any morall learning but be ouercome onelie by repentaūce and godlie prayers For be is our redemour which giueth vs peace not as the world giueth which hath respect to outwarde wealth and ease of the body but to that which giueth rest vnto the soule and cannot by any extremitie be disturbed For that altho the warre be neuer so fearce we yet dooe liue thereby in peace For he commeth not to sende peace but the swerde and whether we be enforced therunto by persecucion of enemies prouocacion of the fleshe or mocions of the Deuill euery man muste take his crosse and followe hym our onely conduct our and sauiour Doe not thinke that saincte Paule the chosen vessell whiche sawe the secretes of heauen hadde a light and small contencion when he perceiued a lawe in his bodie whiche withstoode the lawe of his mynde whereby he was constreined to doe the euill whiche he hated and not the good whiche he loued After this maner we haue peace giuen vnto vs which we ought not to conuerte to deliciousnes and pleasure but therin to seeke soche quietnes as maie likewise moue vs to take like delight in the lawe of GOD by grace in Christe The argument of the seconde Chapiter That Lawes can not bee made absolute in all poinctes for the wel gouernyng of a cōmon weale but that the Magistrate must supplie many thinges then how that consultaciō is very profitable PLato as he doeth all thinges so this dooeth he learnedly declare that there bee so many diuerse kindes of common weales as there be diuerse condicions of men and that therefore diuerse menne doe agree to diuerse Citees To whose opinion to assente herein there neadeth no greate perswasion For who so dooeth but lightly note the alteracion of thynges the circumstaunces and qualities of euery place and countrey and the trade how thei mainteine theim selues shall perceiue that a generall rule maie indede be applied to the gouernement of al but it can not in all poinctes be sufficiēt in al. So saieth Terēce Sondrie diettes cause sondrie kindes of liuyng Neither is it to bee thought that mannes minde will alwaie stande in one staie for it bursteth out and counterfectyng nature causeth diuerse shapes and moueth the alteracion of gouernemente in common weales Wherewith if ye also consider the varietie and chaūges of thinges ye shall perceiue generall Lawes to helpe and to be as it were an entraunce introducciō vnto good gouernement but when newe matters new businesse arise thei be not sufficient throughly but there is required the politique practise wisedome and forecaste of a Magistrate which is a conscionable and iust dealer whiche desireth to vse indifferencie towardes all men whiche bryngeth all thinges into soche an order that euery man will seke his owne aduauntage without annoiaunce to any other and doe nothyng either vnhoneste or contrary vnto the ciuill societie Yea Iustinian hath thought it expediente that when any controuersie happeneth whiche can not bee ruled by the old lawes newe shoulde bee then ordeined in that case Furthermore he that instituteth and formeth a cōmon weale by prescribed ordinaunces hath regard to those thynges whiche would presently bee reformed nothyng estemyng nor carefull ouer those mischieues that maie chaunce as thinges then of no like certaintie As Solon the Salaminian whiche ruled Athenes by lawes of his own making being asked the questiō why he made no special law for aduoutrie I thought not quam he that any soche hainous offence would euer haue been committed in this common weale So many thynges as well vnprofitable as profitable doe in processe of tyme crepe into the common weale which must be spedelie seen to either that thei maie be tourned to good or els redressed in seasō As for ensample victualle howe necessarie a nourishemente it is for man all men knowe and therefore by ordinaunces of longe tyme there hath been prouision made that it might easely be had frō one to an other And although there be certaine prices set vpon victualles neuerthelesse when dearthe cometh that constitucion muste nedes lose his force which if y ◠victuallers maie vse as ther liste al thynges shall rise to an intollerable price yea peraduenture thereby maie moche sediciō ensue bicause it is a miserie to dye for lacke of foode and hūger as ther saie breaketh the harde walle For auoydaunce wherof a magistrate ought to prouide in time and to set the prices at soche an assise as bothe the sellers maie not bee endammaged but their trauaile and expenses considered and the other citezens serued accordyng vnto the tyme of the yere Whiche standeth chiefly in corne and fleshe For if thei be good cheape nothyng is accompted deare As Socrates when one complained vnto hym that all thinges were deare at Athenes as Purple Wine and soche deinties saied that there coulde no dearthe bee rekened on when Meale and Oile were sold good cheape So likewise when the craftines of Merchauntes Artificers and other occupiers beginneth to bee preiudiciall to the citezens as at this daie vpon a gridie desire many doe practise pretendyng equitie and lawe then must a magistrate bee diligente in restraining soche inordinate gaine and the occasion of soche priuie conueighaunces whereby these enormities burste out into mannes life to bryng all thynges to an equall proporcion and by wisedome foresee that no soche coueteous appetite be satisfied Wherein he must neither haue respecte to persone coustome cousinage nor freindshippe Our kinsfolkes freindes and benefactours bee in deede deare vnto vs but we muste loue the common weale farre aboue theim all The other happen vnto vs by nature but god cōmitteth this vnto vs to be well gouerned The contempt whereof in respect of any persone or through negligence is to be coumpted a more vnnaturall acte then to staine our handes with mannes bloode Neither shall this be a sufficiēt excuse that he hath no knowlege in the lawe whereby he muste examine his gouernement be it right or wrong as by a touche stone consideryng that nature hath emplanted in vs certaine principles whence not onely the knowledge of makyng lawes procedeth but also the order of good gouernement by iustice and equitie is reueiled to the societie and ciuill life of mā Whence to swarue were a mere wickednesse and not so moche to regard a publique matter plāted by nature her self as a priuate and for affection sake as it were to set to sale the impartyng of commodities Wherevpon Plato wisheth that
or lucre They that vnderstand this doctrine do easely know that it is not onely a mere vanitie but also perniciouse to spend the time in that common weale whiche the Ethnikes and Philosophers do erecte and not to looke vp vnto Heauen and to hasten to that ende of felicitie which decaieth not with the body for so much as it is playne that there is but one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and father of al and so be we many membres in one bodie but occupiyng soundry offices and likewise muste we eche one be part of an other that wee maye heare that blessed saiyng well my good and faithfull seruaunt bicause thou hast ben faithfull ouer fewe thinges I will make thee ruler ouer many thinges Enter thou into the ioye of thy Lorde A brief Collection of the chiefest matters touched in this Treatise The first Booke MAN as he is of all other liuinge creatures the moste excellent and most ciuill of nature so he is prone to all vices subiecte to many daungers and calamities A common weale is kepte in verie good order if none bee suffered to bee idle therin but euerye one occupie him selfe in the vocation wherunto he is called The seconde Booke There be three degrees of men the highest the meane and the lowest The office of a Prince what it is What manner of men be meetest to be of Princes counsayles The Courtiers duties That three notorious vices raygne in Kynges Courtes flattery ambition and bryberie The publike profit ought to bee preferred before priuate aduantage The thirde Booke Magistrates muste be of sincere liuinge louers of vertue Prouision muste be made for suche thinges as be necessary for mans life Especiall respect muste be had to the shambles and other furniture of victualles Magistrates must liue according to order of lawe The fourth Booke Both officers and priuate persons ought to tender the common coÌ„moditie Howe necessarie learned men bee in a common weale Of professours of diuinitie of their highe and sacred vocation How it behoueth lawiers to be mentayners of equitie and iustice and to be voyde of couetousnes and vniust dealyng The commoditie of Phisicke and howe expedieÌ„t it is that it be sincerelie practised Of the education of childern and of their Scolemaisters and howe they ought to be trayned vp in vertue honest qualities The fifth Booke Of mechanicall sciences and how necessarie they are in a common weale Of seuen kindes of handicraftes that is to say Husbandry Woulworking Carpenters craft Labouryng on the water Hunting Surgerie and Stageplaiyng and of the true vse and abuse of eche of them Of the riottous excesse vsed in apparaile that men of all estates ought to were their garmeÌ„tes accordynge to their degrees As the trade of merchandise is necessarie So it maie be a great cherishment of filthy lucre The sixte Booke Nothing is profitable in deede vnles it be honest It is against the course of nature to enrych our selues by the hinderaunce of other Goodes well gotten are commendable and men of greatest wealth be subiecte to moste casualties One Christian is bounde to releyue another There be foure maÌ„ner of waies to mentayne our lyuing that is either by landes and possessions by craftes and sciences by buying and selling or elles by dailie labour For y â— enriching of a citie there ought respect to be had to three thinges the inhabitauntes the situacion and the borderers As a proprietie in thinges is most conuenient So to appoint an equalitie were a meare absurditie The inuention of money and the true vse therof Vsurie is prohibited by al lawes and how pestileÌ„t a mischief it is to be practised in a coÌ„mon weale The seuenth Booke Great wealth oughte not so much to be estemed in a Citie as godlie lawes and good orders Blasphemous sweares drunkerdes ought not to be suffered in a common weale Iniuries howe farre they are to be borne withall that it becometh christians to forget olde displeasures How a pernitious a thing sedition is and the chief causes that moue men to rebellion Loyterers and ydle vagaboundes muste either be forced to worke for their liuinge or els be banished the countrey Prouision must be had in hospitalles spittelles other coÌ„uenient places for the reliefe of poore people We be allured by manye meanes to embrace vertues Dreames although they be moste comenlye but mere fancies yet sometimes we bee warned thereby to dooe that is good and to eschewe that is euill The eight Booke Mans constitucions must not disagre from Gods ordinaunces What a plague it is to y â— people to haue a tiraunt to be their gouernour Tiranny procedeth of impietie Iuill magistrates be set to rule ouer the people for their iniquities sake No tiranny is of long coÌ„tinuaunce What miseries and mischieues warres do brede amongst Christians What calamitie hath fallen vppoÌ„ al christendom by suche warres and rebellions as haue ben vniustlie moued Warres worke the death both of bodie and soule The ninthe Booke The manifolde commodities of peace quietnes No Lawe can be made so absolute but that many thinges must needes be referred to the Magistrates discretion Princes ought to publish nothing but vppoÌ„ good deliberacion counsaile It is the office of a good magistrate to roote out all vices and to â—â—plant vertues in a Common weale Christians ought to bee more perfecte in politike gouernement then the philosophers traditions do appoint Many florishing common weales haue fallâ—n to ruine for lacke of the knowledge of God The whole course of our life in this world ought to tende toward the true felicitie that by the vniformitie of all our doynges a brotherly loue and perfect peace maye raigne amongst vs. FINIS Fautes escaped in the Printing Leafe Page Margent Line Reade 4. 2.  16. Iniustice 6 1  29 Purtrayture 9 1  10 of moch lower 9 2  14 treatise 11 1  2 were embrued 11 1  30 for this place c. 12 1  18 with how stoute 17 1  20 Pylote 17 2  26 Healthines 22 2  21 no king had euer 25 2  22 godlie 29 1 1  Princes vices bee 29 1  35 daungerous 30 2  23 lefte hande 32 1 1  bribe 37 1  10 reason 37 1  28 it 41 2  1 decreed 44 1  13 plotte 51 1 1  Galenus 64 2  10 preache 65 2  5 to 68 1  1 labour 68 1  19 of 70 2  16 an 89 5  15 as though 95 1  27 thinges 96 2 2  exchaungyng 108 2  37 it 112 2  14 flockes of shepe 147 1  31 reuerenced of c. FINIS Rom. 13. Exod. 25. 35. Lib. i. de legibus Man is lorde ouer yearthly thynges Genesis .i. Sapien. ii Eccle. xv Oseae viii Soph. iii. Mannes transgressioÌ„ Ioan. iii. Luce. xviii Scipios dreame Manne is a God to man A politicall felicitie
the coÌ„mon weale whiche do preache the holie worde of God therein shewe the waie of trueth to heauen teache menne in this transitorie life to seke life euerlastyng And contrariewise howe sore they offende whiche swarue from this waie and do not fede the flocke but leaue them that the wolfe maie deuour theÌ„ neuer setting before their iyes the reuengemeÌ„t of the great day of the Lorde from whiche no man can deliuer theim whereof â—ur onely sauiour Christ putteth vs in minde saiynge â–ª â—e must kepe and â—â—â—e all that they tell you whiche doe sit in Moyses chaire but do not after their workes â–ª For that must be vnderstanded of the Phariseis whiche yet sit in Moyses chaire and 〈◊〉 the lawe and put great burdens vppon mens shoulders whiche they wâ—â—l neither 〈◊〉 theim selues nor â—nâ—e touche with their finger To whom it is sâ—â—ed Woe be vnto you ye Scribes and Pharisies ye hypocrites And yet christians doe not straine curtesie to sit in the chaire of Pestilence In the meane while either flattering men of power or disperpling and sowyng abrode the tradicions of men neglectyng the word of trueth that although the veritie be vttered yet they darâ—ken the same bothe with vncleannesse of life and coÌ„tempt of the true doctrine and suffer it not to edifie A magistrate therefore which is also commaunded to feede must see that there bee men to enfourme the citie well appointed with Gods worde and to shewe the waye of a blessed life which is as it wer the onely foreship and sterne of the common weale The argument of the â—ourth Chapiter That the common weale can neither be beautified ne gouerned without the knowledge of the lawe which such men shall best practise as be learned therein and fauoure Godlines and iustice PIndarus the chiefe of those Poetes whiche were called Lirici saieth that the walles of Iustice â—e highe as Plato reporteth in the seconde boke of his common weaâ—e which Iustice I meane being alwaye in the presence of Iupiter the presideÌ„t of Hospitalitie is exercised about the preseruacion of man for so muche as we must nedes vse the ordinauÌ„ce of the euerlastyng Goddes for the further vnderstandyng of the multitude and varietie of thinges For in his odes whiche he made vppon those that wonne the prices in the games at Olympus he writeth thus Where iustice the preseruer and assistour to Iupitâ—r the president of Hospitalitie is practised farre aboue the excellencie of man because the varietie of thinges is suche that to iudge theim righteouslye and as the time shal require it is harde and a special ordinaunce of the euerlastyng Goddes Surely the climbynge of these walles and maintenynge of iustice in a citie is onely peculier to suche as haue the knowledge bothe of God and mannes lawe To the sacred vocacion whereof who so haue yelden theim selues dooe professe the arte of the execution of iustice without which there is neither bande of mans life ne yet participation of any commoditie Whereupon Cicero calleth them the expounders of the lawe whom who so disaloweth if he so dooe because they be vnskilfull he abaseth the menne and not the Lawe But if he graunt theÌ„ to be learned and yet neuer thelesse not to be obeied he hurteth not the men but weakeneth the lawes and ordinaunces and misconstrueth the meanyng of a perfite common weale And like as the common weale can neither be appointed ne yet maintened without the fence of good ordinaunces so can it not be gouerned without assistence of learned Lawyers For who can as Socrates warneth vs in Plato gouerne better then he whiche sometime hath obeied gouernemente and knoweth what doeth belong vnto gouernement Who can better discerne that is right from that is wrong that is equall from that is vnequall that is good from that is euill then he whiche hath learned to examine al thinges accordyng to the rule of honestie and lawe for vnpossible is it for a man to practise that arte wherein he hath no skill But suppose there be in a commoÌ„ weale some that be moued naturally to that which beareth the face of honestie and haue learned some what by experience howe to order the gouernement of thinges but yet without any knowledge of lawe and yet who be now commonly rulers in cities and countreys but suche whiche in dede ye maie after a sorte admitte if the number of the people be not so greate neither the affaires so diuers that they require anie exquisite gouernement but if the multitude be great the varietie of thinges causeth muche varietie of affaires the discerninge whereof is a verie harde poincte and requireth suche a perfect triall as is fetcht as it were out of the bowels of the lawes to open the fourme of iustice and equitie directed accordyng vnto vprightnes But in some poinctes whiche concerne the market prouision of victualles chapmanship the shambles corne daiely charge and forcast it maie so happen that a citie be so of ordinarie appoincted that it nede not much the lawyers helpe But I praye you when Iudiciall sentences must be pronounced when offendours must be punished according vnto lawes when brotherhods must be established that the establishement be not contrarie to lawes when statutes must be ordeined without the iniurie or detriment of others Shall they doe this well whiche knowe not what by lawe is forbidden and what permitted For accordyng to the lawes must we examine al our doinges and attemptes in the common weale no lesse then goulde is tryed by the touche stone For surely to this ende be iudgementes deuised that euery man maye come by his owne and that that is right maie be obteined in our ciuill course of liuyng Whereof I dooe appoinct two kindes one whereby coÌ„trouersies are determined another wherby offendours be punished If thaccion be but euen for the value of iii. halfpeÌ„ce if thou iudgest it wrongfully thou offendest as sore against the lawe as if it were a weightier thinge especially if it be a poore mans plee whiche lightly is but for some small matter For it is not the qualitie of the thinge whiche maketh the Iudges sentence right or wronge but the rule of equitie and lawe which muste be had at their handes that haue obteyned the knoweledge thereof and haue bestowed their diligence and endeuour to saue the ciuill societie and to defende the honour of the common weale For the Lawiers house as Lucius Crassus saieth in Tullie a man well studied in the lawes touchynge bothe diuine and humaine thinges is as it were the oracle of the whole Citie for a witnesse whereof wee may alledge Quintus Mutius Sceuola one that as he was the eloquentest of Lawyers so he was the best lawyer of all Oratours whose gate was daiely haunted by a great number of Citizins and worthy personages althoughe he him selfe was bothe vexed wyth sicknes and also farre strocken in age Cneius Scipio Nasica whom the counsel for honours sake surnamed the Best