THe sorrowes which I haue lock­ed vp within the closet of my a­mazed thoughts, springing from the infected puddle of those vn­naturall and mischieuous at­temptes, that haue bene lately practised for the working of my ruine, by vndermining of my state, are now grown to such ex­tremitie of passion, that they, in a maner, bereaue my soule of comfort, and debarre my speeche of passage. And although I haue small hope by my perswasions to re­straine them from trecherous and desperate enterprises, Small hope to preuaile by wordes when deedes take no place. whome by my benefftes I cannot allure to continue in loyall obedience: (who hauing their iudgement blinded with ambitious desire of promotion; their heartes ob­stinately grounded on wilfull opinion of error; theyr mindes dangerously inuenomed with the poison of in­ueterate malice: haue (I feare me) banished all feare of God, quenched eache sparke of religion, and re­nounced all respect of allegeaunce) yet it may be that if I shall by manifest [...] and infallible demonstration proue, that the instruments they haue deuised for mine ouerthrow, will in conclusion redound to their own de­struction: and the weapons they daily forge to gore my sides withall, must needes in the end cut theyr owne throates, and be sheathed in theyr proper intrailes: [Page]then (I say) it is possible that the regard of theyr owne safetie, Doubt of danger a bri­dle for a brain sicke Iade. may be verie forcible to stirre vp in them some relenting motions, though the head-strong fury of their resolution will not giue them leaue to consider the hey­nousnesse of theyr purpose, nor to harken to the iust­nesse of my complaint. At the least I am assured of this, that howe soeuer they haue by villanous dowes sold themselues to be vessels and vassalles of iniquitie, howe soeuer they haue receiued the stampe of the beast in theyr forehead, howe soeuer they haue taken afore­hand the earnest penny of theyr graund captayne Sa­than to accomplishe his commaund: yet this I knowe, that the Almightie, who from the highest heauens looketh with single eye into the bottome and most se­cret corners of theyr double heartes, will in the zeale of hys iustice award them a wrathfull and irreuoca­ble sentence of indgement, from the which they shall not appeale, repaying vengeaunce for theyr hire; and will in the fulnesse of hys compassion beholde myna innocencie, makyng heauen and earthe to wonder at theyr madnesse, the world to witnesse theyr outrages, and theyr owne conuicted consciences to testifie howe vndeseruedly they haue vndertaken agaynst me, the execution of such monstrous and mercilesse intentions. How can I but blushe to call them sonnes, who viola­ting the sacred laws of nature, haue sought to prefer an vniust stepdame before their most louing mother? They that chaunge the libertie of the Gospell for popish thral­dome, must needes liue by the losse, and purchase re­pentance at too deare a rate. How can I but sorrow at their senselesse and ouer growne dis­solutions, who reiecting the sweet yoke of dutifull sub­iection, presume to lift vp theyr heele agaynst her head, vnder whose feete they ought to laie downe their liues? And needes must I condemne their abiect and caitife courage, who being free borne and enioying absolute li­bertie, are notwithstanding so bewitched with strong de­lusions, that going about vnder a friuolous pretence of purchasing greater freedome (forsooth) to theyr consci­ences, [Page]they are contented to abandon thēselues in per­petuall flauerie to such tyrannie, as doth not onely ac­custome it selfe to make hauocke of substance and pos­sessions; to exercise butcherlie massacres on the bodie; but it also ouer chargeth the soule with clogges of spiri­tuall bondage, which being once taken are intollerable to beare, and almost impossible to shake off.

Come neare me yet my sonnes, my disobedient sounes: (woe is me that the instinct of nature infor­ceth me to call you sonnes, who haue so muche dege­nerated in your vngratious behauiours, that you shame and scorne to acknowledge me for your mother) come neare me (I say) sequester not your selues from my presence, but tell me frō what ground this strange­nesse ariseth. If from feare; (which I hardly beleeue) know that I which inclosed you in my bowels, nursed you at my brests, imbraced you in mine arms, and carry you stil ingrauen on the table of my heart, haue not for­gotten the affection of a mother, but am willing to grant you pardon for your faults, if you can finde grace to be sorie for the same: and therefore be not afraid. If from shame; (which I heartily wish) then shall I thinke that this is the first step to your amendment, whē I perceiue you abasht at the conceit of your former lewdnes; and then shall I hope you will take a newe course, when I see you breake off from your olde bias. It is no shame to be ashamed of euill doing: it is neuer too late to re­forme bad conditions. The medicine commeth not out of time that bringeth remedie when it is ministred: and therefore set shame aside. If from selfe-loue or malice; Truth must needes haue a colde suite where malice is chiefe Iu­ror and par­ti [...]iti [...] Iudge. (whiche by coniectures more then probable I am induced deepelie to suspect) remember that selfo loue is partiall, and bolteth out hys verdict before hee haue throughlie examined the cause: knowe that malice is blinde, and lyeth alwayes in the heauier ballance, making equitie to seeme light waight: and [Page]therfore awaie with such companions. So then whence soeuer this strangenesse ariseth, draw neare notwith­standing, and let vs a while reason togither. I will not assume the title of my iust authoritie: I will not challenge the priuiledge of a mother: neither will I greatly vrge you with the duetie of Children: but we will deale indifferently, and so where the fault is iustly found, there shall the blame worthily remaine.

Say on then; what sufficient reasons, or what iniu­rious surmises feede this discontented humour in you? Why speake you not? what argueth this stlence? this guiltie silence? May it sound credible in any impartiall eares, that you haue with such rigorous censure con­demned me, with such vnslakt thirst of reuenge perse­cuted me, against whome you cannot alleadge anie co­lourable accusation? Answere me, and so disburdē your consciences; or else bethinke you what aunswere you wil then frame, when you shalbe summoned to appeare before the supreme tribunal in the highest court of Par­lement; where you cannot pleade by proxie, nor enter­tain your attourney; where al popish dispensatiōs shall be frustrate; where no construction of aduantage wil be admitted; where deuised cauils shalbe excluded; where God himself shalbe plaintife, aduocate, and iudge, to cō ­mence action, to beare witnes, & to pronounce sentence against you. If I had consumed your wealth by the ex­actions of Naples, if I had disturbed your quiet by the Inquisition of Seuill, Neither pri­uate wrong nor publicke wracke can serue to bol­ster out tray­terous in­tentes. if I had tyrannized your liues by Spanish cruelties, or inthralled your soules to Romish superstition, then might you haue shaped out some shadow of reason, & pretended argument of probability, for the opposing of your selues, and the deposing of her, who had sought to forment you with such hellish mise­ries: yet were y^e foundatiō too too weak, for to build either open rebellion, Psalme, 10 5. or secret conspiracy therupon. Are ye not expresly forbidden to touch the Lords annointed? and [Page]can it then be warranted vnto you, to lay violent hands and griping pawes vpon her? I warrant you it is a leaden warrant for the basenes, and brasen for the im­pudencie; trie it when you list at the touchstone, you shall finde it not currant, but counterfeite; and they will in fine proue them selues Calues, that hope to sucke anie comforte or confidence out of such a Bull.

Know ye not that he who dwelleth in heauen, Psalme. 2. laugheth them to scorne that furiously rage, or so much as take counsell together against him and his annoin­ted? and annexeth to his derision burning wrath and sore displeasure, bruising them with a rod of yron, and breaking them in péeces like a potters vessel? Suppose ye that the quarrel of the Lords annointed concerneth him not, or toucheth him not to the verie quicke? will not he, thinke ye, redresse the wrong, and take the cause into his owne handes? haue ye liued so long, and lear­ned so litle? or doe ye know this perfectly, and yet prac­tise the contrarie purposely? O blind as Béetles, if ye sée not this: O faithles as Atheists, if ye belieue not this? O foolish as Idiots, if ye beware it not: Would it not be accounted, I will not say a point of ridiculous follie, but an euident proofe of extréeme madnesse in the highest degrée, if a séely person enféebled by long sick­nesse, should in the beldem rage and franticke bitter­nesse of his maladie presume to encounter a valiant champion, and to wrest the weapon out of his handes? And can it in common estimation be thought lesse then detestable impietie, that men long languishing in a con­sumption of reason, but abounding with a contagious humor of innouation, forlorn in hope, fallen from grace, and reprobate in sense, shall in the fit & agonie of their brainsicke disease, reare vp ladders to scale the Monar­chie, combining them selues by force to seaze vpon the awfull scepter, and with tooth and naile to bite and scratch after the crowne on their Princes head? What [Page]is it to wage battaile, They that resist a lawful Prince make war against the liuing God. and maintaine wars with God, if this be not? This is to verifie the fable of the giants, who are saide to haue rampired bulwarkes, and moun­ted their engins, threatning to dislodge Iupiter of his throne.

It is manifest that Dauid the chosen seruant of God, 1. Sam. 24. notwithstanding that Saule causelesse pursued him, and like an enraged Tigre gréedily hasting after his pray, so hunted after his soule: yet at such time as Saule at vnwares entred into the caue where Dauid with his seruants were couertly hidden, albeit Dauid was by his men of war animated, and by incessant im­portunitie vrged to laie hold vpon present occasion, and so to preuent future peril, who in most vehemēt maner inforced their purpose, saying: See, the daie is come whereof the Lord said vnto thee, Behold I will de­liuer thine enimie into thine hand, and thou shalt doe with him as it shall seeme good to thee: This exam­ple of Dauid ought to be throughlie waighed and trueite fol­lowed. yet, nei­ther the ruthfull consideration of his perplexed estate, nor the peremptorie threats of his sworne enimie, nor the effectuall obtestations of his approued souldiours could any iote preuaile with him for the accomplish­ment of an action so hainous and accursed. But he was touched in his hart, because he had touched and cut off the lap of his Lords garment. And thereupon discoue­ring himselfe, hee inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe before Saule, manifessing his innocen­cie. Saule astonished at the matter, and déepely raui­shed with the contemplation of such vndeserued fauor, and inexpected curtesie, lift vp his voice and wept, say­ing vnto Dauid: Thou art more righteous then I: for I haue wrought thee euil, and thou hast rendered me good: for who shall find his enimie, and let him depart free? And afterwarde (as appeareth in these­quel of the historie) when Saules power fighting against the Philistines, was discomfited, and himselfe despai­ring [Page]of victorie, and wearie of life, fell vpon the point of his sword: at such time as a young man of the Ama­lekites, thinking to deliuer an acceptable message, and hoping he should haue reaped a gladsome welcome for reporting such ioyfull tidings, tolde vnto Dauid that he at the intreatie and instant request of Saule, had di­spatched him of his life, the enioying whereof was irkesome and full of anguish vnto him: and more, lest he should haue omitted anie thing, that hee thought might gratifie Dauid, or worke his singuler content­ment, he presented him with the crowne that he had ta­ken from Saules head, thereby both confirming the truth of his spéeches, and also (after a sort) installing Dauid in possession of the same: yet was he so farre from re­ioycing, either in that his aduersaries death had finished his troubles, and assured him of his life with securitie, or that none other could forestall him in obtaining the kingdom, that he rent his clothes, wept & fasted vntill e­uening, and then said to the messenger: 2. Sam. 1. How wast thou not affraid to put forth thine hand to destroie the annointed of the Lord? Thy bloud be vpon thine owne head; for thine owne mouth hath testified a­gainst thee. And therewith commanded one of his seruants to fall vpon him, who smote him that hee dyed.

This one example, if the volume of Gods booke, (which is the testament of his trueth, and the storehouse of his promises) did not afforde any greater plentie, might alone suffice, for the deciding of a question so néedlesse, and so vngodlie. This alone might serue for the suppressing of such hatefull conspiracies, as the gracelesse broodes of mongrell monsters (I meane En­glish Italianates) doe ingender and hatch within their diuelish conceites. This, yea this being authentike, vndoubted, and entangled with no scruple, might a­lone serue for a most exquisite president, whereto ye [Page]ought to conforme your thoughtes, and whereby ye ought to confirme that reuerend opinion, which all men are to carrie of lawfull Princes being Gods deputies. In the which sithence there are diuers occurrents well worthie the obseruation, it will not be impertinent slightly to glaunce at, and briefly to comprise the resem­blances and differences, which shew themselues in this fact of Dauid, and this faction of yours: that for so much as the nature of contraries is best tryed by matching and comparing the one with the other: therefore by how much the fact of Dauid shall appeare more iust and righteous, by so much will your faction be proued more odious and damnable. Saule, because he diso­beyed the commandement of the Lorde vttered by the mouth of the Prophet Samuel, was forsaken of God: Gods holy spirite departed from him, and an euil spi­rite tooke possession of him: Dauid was by Samuel annointed king in his steade. Yet would he not pre­sume to dispossesse Saule of his kingdom: but endured grieuous calamities which by the malice of Saule were inflicted vpon him. He was distressed in the townes with doubt of trecheries; vexed in the wildernesse with the scourge of penurie; reproched by the churle Na­bal with the infamous title of runnagate; constrai­ned in king Achis Court to counterfeit madnesse; sustaining a burthen of miseries heauier then Aetna, and almost ouerwhelmed with an Ocean of perplexi­ties. Yet did hée with all méekenesse and patience attend the Lordes leasure, The applica­tion of the for­mer example. wholie relying vpon his promises, which he knew should be performed at such time as God in his secrete counsell and foreknow­ledge had determined. But you like wretches, and of all other most wretched, because wilfullie wretched, liuing in a land wherein the heauens droppe downe fatnesse, where honie distilleth from the stonie rocke: a lande not much inferiour to the lande of Canaan: a [Page]land much resembling the happinesse of Paradise; (as one of your owne complices lately confessed) liuing vnder the regiment of a vertuous Princesse and re­nowmed Soueraigne; a Princesse euerie waye su­perior to Saule, and cannot by her greatest enemies be impeached with any crime common to her with Saule: howbeit it was feared that Agag the Amalekite, Because Saul spared Agag. God reiected Saul. the professed aduersarie of Gods people should haue béene spared: but (thanked be God) her louing subiectes to their generall reioycing are now disburdened of that feare. A Princesse whose sunbright honor dazeleth the eies of forraine Monarches; whose zealous inclination, like an inestimable Diamond enchased vpon a péereles Iewell, bewtifieth all other vertues that attend vpon her person; whose affectionate loue to her subiectes is wonderfull, passing the loue of Dauid & Ionathan; (and yet was their loue passing the loue of women) who tempereth iustice with mercie, extending mercie with­out partialitie, and executing iustice without rigor: yet you through aboundance and prosperitie are be­come wanton and insolent; Fulnesse is the mother of forgetfulnes and wealth nurseth wan­tonnes. through her too much grace and fauour ye are growne obdurate and rebellious; in­deuouring to supplant her, who studieth to support you; deuising her ouerthrowe, whose welfare is the surest ankerhold to defend you from shipwracke.

Saule was reiected of God, yet durst not Dauid annoye him: your dread soueraigne being legitimate heire and rightfull successor, was both established by God, and allowed by men; and is at this daie by his singular prouidence so miraculouslye preserued, that your wicked imaginations had ere this béen her destruction, and with her had manie thousandes pe­rished, and with them your selues (howsoeuer you perswade your selues) had not he ouerspread her with the resplendisant beames of his fatherly protection. But you will saie shée was excommunicated by Pius [Page]Quintus: (more truly might he be termed Impius) this obiection, though it might verie well haue béene an­swered with silence, béeing so weake, lame, and out of ioynt as it is: yet hath it béene so throughly canua­sed, and so plainelie confuted alreadie, that it hath good cause as much to be ashamed of the patrones and defenders thereof, as they haue iust reason (had they anie reason at all) to bee ashamed of it. Onely, of Pope Pius the thunderer of that excommunication, and of his equalles, the Popes I meane, (for of equa­litie otherwise, the Papacie is by all meanes impati­ent, and can no more tolerate a compéere, then the firmament can conteine two Sunnes: as one of their owne side full learnedly squared out the comparison) thus much will I saie: Cui plus licet quàm par est, plus vult quàm licet: Hee that maie doo more then is méete, wil doo more then he maie.

But to procéede: did not opportunitie of reuenge with vnfolded armes present her selfe to Dauid, at such time as Saule vnaccompanied entered into the caue where Dauid with his assistants were assembled? Saule had often serued him with a crooked measure: In reuenging no man may be his owne car [...]er. might hee not now haue measured to him by the same list? Saule had saluted him with manie crosse curtesies: had he not now libertie to paie him home in his own coine, and to returne vsurie besides the due debt? Had hee not abilitie to doo this? Naie, had hee not reason, if hee should haue reasoned with humane reason? No doubt Dauid managed a dangerous conflict, and like a Captaine most valiant, gaue the repulse to assaults most violent, wherein loyall duetie contended with lawlesse necessitie: and fleshlie infirmitie combated with diuine ordinaunce. Desire of a kingdome, ha­uing a course to compasse it with such facilitie, is a plausible Rhetorician, cunning to perswade: (for, [Page] Si ius Ʋiolandum est, regni causa Ʋiolandum est: if the limittes of lawe maie bee infringed, then for a kingdomes cause maie they bee infringed) but assu­rance of life beeing enuironed with manifest hazard of death, is a mightie Orator able to conuince. But as hee gaines a double conquest, that in conquest can conquere him selfe: so shall hee bee recompen­sed with treble punishment, that is by anie carnall perswasions entised, whether of benemous hatred, or honourable aduancement, or anie other thing what­soeuer, to accept of worldly benefite, and to neg­lect heauenlie prescription. If wee shall censure of the matter onlie according to ordinarie estimation, without question the honour Dauid purchased by van­quishing the Heathenish Golias, was not halfe so glorious, as that hee deserued by subduing his owne thoughtes, in refraining to proffer violence to an annointed king. Which execrable offence if he had committed, it had excéeded both the adulterous abusing of Barsabe, and the wrongfull murthering of Vrias, so much as a villanie practised against a Prince, sur­passeth an iniurie inferred to a priuate man.

I thinke it not requisite too much to insist vpon e­uerie particular circumstance of the comparison; but I would wishe you to weigh this with your selues. Dauid for feare withdrew himselfe from Saules pre­sence: some of you of malicious intent estrange your selues, The practi­ses of Iesu­ites & S [...]t­narie pr [...]s. cursetting ouer like fugitiues into other na­tions, and there plant your selues in those Semi­naries, whose Gardener is Antichrist, whose seedes are errors, whose fruites are treasons. Where when you haue perfectly learned your lesson, to transforme Christian religion into prophane policie, and to change policie into trecherie; then like plantes of such a soile, like pupilles of such a Tutor, like Scollers of ripe wittes (yet not so ripe as rotten) yee turne ouer a [Page]new leafe, and from contemplation ye fall to practise; wherein ye so behaue your selues, that, as hee was reputed amongst the barbarous Scythians the bra­uest Gentleman that had committed the moste bloo­die slaughters: so is hée amongst you estéemed the notablest Catholicke, that can bring most soules to confusion. And then ye begin to imitate the Snake who castes off her olde coat, but retaines her olde poy­son still: so come ye disguised in your habite marching on like Maskers, hauing in stead of visors shameles foreheads, and fronts vntaught to blush: but I would ye were Mummers, or els that your lippes were as surely sealed and sered as your consciences are, with an hote iron: for then should we by your signes giue a gesse of your meaning. And though ye hoord vp ve­nome in your hearts, yet are your wordes smoother then oyle: though your spéeches be swéeter then honie, yet is the bitternesse of gall and wormewood hidden, yea, the poyson of Aspes lurketh vnder your lips. The Aspe through the excéeding coldnes of his nature, mor­tifieth the member that hée woundeth with his sting. And therefore Cleopatra, at such time as shée was de­priued of her paramour Marcus Antonius, beeing wholie ouercome and swallowed vp with sorrow, set two Aspes to her brestes, which benumming her senses cast her into a sléep, into a dead sléepe, euen into her last sléepe. In like maner, you fastening vpon those that are as deuoutly addicted to y^e flesh pots of Egypt, as euer the Egyptian Nueene was enamoured of Antonie, and yet seeming to haue queasie stomackes, loath the hea­uenly Manna, accounting it a light meate, of euill nou­rishment and hard digestion: ye strike while the yron is hote, and finding them plyable to alteration, yee worke them like waxe, féeding their humors, and promising to restore their olde delightes: and so with your poysoned perswasions, yée rocke some a sléepe in ignorance; others [Page]ye bring to their latest sleepe, and their longest home. This is the leauell of your deuise; The leauen of y^e Iesuites worse then the leauen of the Phari­sies. this is the leauen of your doctrine. A litle of this leauen leaueneth y^e whole lumpe: and therefore let all striue to purge out this lea­uen, for there is no leauen like to this leauen, no, not y^e leauen of the Pharisies. But those vp-start marchants that bring ouer such deceitfull drugges, are worthy to paye their heart-blood for custome; the which howsoe­uer through their packing and conueyaunce they some­time auoide, let it not imbolden them in their vnbridled presumptions, but let them feare (except they spéedily change their copy, & heartily repent) least the Almighty recompense theyr leauen with Leuin from heauen, and strike them with flashing lightning, as he did Tullus Hostilius: yea, let them feare, least the fire of his indig­nation deuoure them, as the flame licketh vp the stuble, and least he raine downe vpon them snares, fire, brim­stone, storme and tempest: for this is the portion of hy­pocrites.

Yet if yee did thus desist, and surcease from heaping vp the full measure of your wickednes, then should not my soule be confounded with so great astonishment. But as the wilde Iuie creeping along on the grounde, beginneth at the first to imbrace the lower part of the Oke, and so cunningly climeth vp by degrées, till at last it ouerpéere the highest braunch, and then eating through the rinde pierceth to the inward pithe, sucketh out the purest sappe and naturall moisture, to the impe­rishing and decaying of the whole trunke: or as poison hauing attainted the least member of the bodie, and far­thest distant from the heart, disperseth it selfe into the hidden passages of the veines, and beateth vp and down in euery path till it haue founde the high-way to the heart: where so soone as it is setled, it bendeth his force, and exerciseth all violence, till it haue choked the foun­taine, and rased the foundation of life: so doo yée laye [Page]your platforme, first by parasiticall insinuation to ne­stle in the consciences of inferiour persons, hoping to fortifie your faction, by linking a multitude into the same confederacie: but the marke you shoote at, is the sacred person of her maiesty. But before eyther your dissembled zeale, or your glosing flattery, or your dead­ly poyson, take so déepe roote, rise to so full height, or breede so incurable a mischiefe: your hope shall (I hope) be disappointed, your selues shalbe rooted from y^t earth, and rotte in the ayre, that so your venome may returne into your owne bosomes. Neuer were the fennes of Lerna so daungerous: neuer was that monster Hidra so pernicious, to the inhabitantes bordering and confi­ning thereby: as the dennes of traitrous papists, and the deuises of that seuen-headed Romish Beast would prooue fatall to me and mine, if the puissant and victo­rious Lion of y^e tribe of Iuda, did not with vigilant eyes watch ouer vs for our defence, and with his outstret­ched arme vpholde vs from falling into y^e gaping iawes and bottomles gulfe of so rauening a bloodsucker. It is recorded in history, howe that notable robber Ca­cus was accustomed to dragge cattell backwarde by the tayles into his Caue: to the ende that the print of theyr footing appearing contrary, he might escape free from suspition of the theft: so is it your fashion to in­uegle diuerse of those whom you intend to make at­tors in your tragicall exploites, giuing them instructi­ons to practise popular demeanure, and carry a coun­tenance of ordinary conformity, Papists vn­der holie lookes carrie hollow harts howsoeuer they stand in heart affected to the truth, or infected with treason: shewing them selues in this point like to cunning wa­ter-men, who cast their eye one way, when they take theyr course another. The Lord will (I doubt not) in due time allot to such halting ambodexters, successe answerable to their sinister meanings: that as y^t Flin­dermouse lighting into the Hawkes talāts, argued she [Page]was in mouse, by the proportion of her body: and af­ter falling into the Cattes clawes, pleaded she was a byrde by the fluttering of her winges: and was of the one disdained, and of the other deuoured: so I wishe that such hollowe hearted votaries as serue the time, but to serue theyr turne, lookinge when tyme will turne, that they may turne with time: might be tho­roughly tryed, slowly trusted, but rather surely trus­sed, and so receiue a competent guerdon for theyr de­merites. And though they séeke to shaddow theyr pur­poses with a vayle of obscuritye, and shuffle vp theyr actes in tenebris: yet if that carefull circumspection be had, which the necessity of these times requireth, and the sutlety of such enimies importunately craueth, it wilbe a matter of no great difficultye, to discerne the Wolues, though they wander in sheepes clothinge, by the noyse of theyr howling: and to descrye the Asse, though he iette in the Lyons skinne, by the length of his eares. Yea, vnlesse the multitude of our offences stop the course of Gods mercies, and eclypse the bright­nesse of his fauour that hath so long shyned vpon vs, hee will so disclose theyr whisperinges in theyr secret chambers, that they shalbe preached on the house tops: he will cause the foules of the ayre, & the beastes of the fielde to bewraye & proclayme theyr driftes, manife­sting his glory in the preseruation of his heritage, & con­fusion of theyr aduersaries. And as he broke y^e wheeles of the Egyptians Chariots, when they pursued the Is­raelites: so will hee dashe in pieces all theyr engins, & force them to crie out, as the Egyptians then did, say­ing: Wee will flee from the face of Israell, Exod. 14.for the Lorde fighteth for them against the Aegyptians. Then shall they that haue accepted y^e wages of vnrigh­teousnes, burst out with Balaam into these words: Num. 23. how shal we curse, where God hath not cursed? or how shall we detest where the Lord hath not detested? Then shall [Page]their great Master for griefe of heart roare out with ju­lian the Apostata, saying: Vicisti Galilaee, vicisti: ac­knowledging his ouerthrow to proceede from Christe, whom he hath as scornefully abused as euer did Julian; confessing him in word, but in heart denying him: pro­phaning the sincerity of his gospel, reproching the base­nes of his humanity, despitefully persecuting him in his members, & (what in him lyeth) crucifying againe the sonne of God.

With this hope, as with a precious cordiall, doo I re­comfort my languishing spirites: with this as with a soueraigne restority, doo I reuiue my fainting courage: with this as with a gentle emplaster, doo I qualifie the rigor of my passionate and biting grieuances, knowing that he which kéepeth Israell, doth neither slumber nor sleepe: Genes. 41. but he will busie Pharaos fantasie with trouble­some dreames, for y^e releasing of Joseph, & the sustayning of Iacob: Ester. 6. he will depriue Assuerus of his naturall rest, for the deliuerance of Israell, & the destruction of Ha­man: Dan. 3. and notwithstanding Nebuchadnezzar command Gods children to be throwne into the fiery Furnace: yet shall the fire forget his property to burne, the flame shall forgoe his scorching heate, and alter th'effects pre­scribed by nature: his Angell shall with watchfull re­gard minister vnto them, so that, not one hayre of their head shalbe burnt, neither their coates chaunged, nor a­ny smell of fire shall come vpon them. Though the Mi­dianites and Amalekites marshall their forces, Iudic. 7. and en­campe against the Lords people, like grashoppers for multitude, and as the sandes by the sea fide, which are without number: yet will he giue Gedeon the victory, while they as men distract of their witts, shall broche the brests of their neighbours and fellowes in armes with their owne swordes. Psalm. 118. This is the Lords doing, & it is wonderfull in our eyes. Wonderfull in deede, and passing wonderfull, if we behold it with fleshly [Page]eyes, & measure it by the leuell of carnall capacity: but if God sharpen the eyesight of our faith, then shall wee clearely perceiue, that he tendereth the safety of his cho­sen, as the apple of hie eye, & causeth all his creatures to imploy theyr seruice to their behoofe: giuing withall his and their enimies to vnderstand, that al wisdome is fol­ly, and all strength infirmitye, that is opposed against the Lord of hoastes.

Now séeing the matter standeth thus, tell me (yée per­uerse generation) with what hope doo yée cast to cōtriue so execrable purposes? Nauis stulto­rum. Now can yée expect a prosperous wind to land your vessel at y^e desired hauen, séeing your ship is fraighted with superstition & ballasted with trea­son: such trumperies as he that flyeth on the winges of the windes vtterly abhorreth? Why despise yée y^e Lords holy temple in Ierusalem? Why trudge yée so fast vnto Dan to offer? 1. Sam. 5. why post yée from Dan to Bethel to please Ieroboam? Behold, to obaie is better then sacrifice: and to hearken to the voice of God, is better then the fat of Rammes. How can Dagon the Idoll of the Philistines stand, where the Arke of God is in place? néedes must he fall flat to th'earth: and though the Ido­latrous priests labour to erect him againe, yet shall his latter fall be more shamefull then y^e first: his head & his hands shalbe cut of: he shall neither haue the reason, nor the power to lift vp himselfe any more. The Pope compared to the Idoll of the Phili­stines. The Dagon of y^e Philistiues was said to be like a man in y^e vpper parts, but from the nauill downeward like a fishe: your Da­gon of Rome, is neither flesh nor fishe: but as he flesh­eth him selfe by bathing in the bloode of faithfull and in­nocent Martyrs: so maketh he all fish that comes to net, by fashioning religion as may best serue to increase his reuenue, & inrich his coffers. Whose mishapen deformi­ties if they were artificially pourtracted & liuely depain­ted in fresh colours as an obiect for euery mans eie, then might I question as the Poet did: [Page]

Why then are yee so highly offended that Dagon is falne? why take ye it so at y^e heart, that I haue abridged his authority, & emptied my cask of such stinking dregs? haue I done any other thing then cast corrupted & vnsa­uery salt on the dunghill, as his proper place? Therefore let me say vnto you, as Ioas said to the men y^e were so fu­riously incensed against Gedeon, for breaking down the altar of Baal:Iudic. 6.will yee pleade Baals cause? or will yee saue him? he that will contend for him, let him die ere morning. If he bee God, let him pleade for him selfe against him that hath cast downe his altar.

Dauid sorrowed & repented him selfe in y^t he had cut off Saules skirt. O griefe to be commended so accompa­nied with grace. You storme & repine that you cannot cut short the blossome of my ioy, & glory of my garland. O griefe to be condemned so far past all grace. But re­pent, repent euen while it is called too day: fall downe vpon the bended knees of your hearts before the Lords footestoole: with all humility and supplication sue for grace at the throne of grace. Which vnles yée doo, know for a certainty, that as Dauids cōmendation dyeth not, so your condemnation sléepeth not: only the Lord lifteth vp his hand on high, that he may inflict the déeper woūd when he striketh. Obedience to Princes a principle in nature. Now if this singuler example of Da­uid pierce not your heartes with a godly remorse, yet consider that obedience to Princes is a principle in na­ture, who hath ingraued in euery mans mynde a religi­ous impression of duety in subiects towarde theyr soue­raignes. Yea, she hath instituted a lawe which the ve­ry vnreasonable creatures duely obserue among them­selues: as, the beastes giue place to the Lyon, and the foules yeelde reuerence, to the Eagle. Neyther hath there bene any nation so destitute of ciuility, wherein some one, eyther for that he was descended from royall [Page]parentage, or for the honorable opinion they conceiued of his vertues, obtayned not the greatest titles of digni­ty, and retained not the highest seate of preheminence. Though Iezebel were a woman of a vile disposition, who reposed her chiefe felicity in the performing of wic­ked & tyrannous actions: yet was not the light of na­ture so quite extinguished in her, but that shee iudged it an inexpiable offence to murther a lawfull King. For when Jehu the son of Nimshi, 2. Reg. [...]. was by Elizeus com­maunded to smite the house of Ahab, and to auenge the blood of the seruants and Prophets of the Lord: hauing slaine Iehoram (the younger son of Ahab, who raigned ouer Israel after the death of his brother Ahaziah) he came to Izreel, where Jezebel painting her face, Iezebel con­demned trea­son against Princes. and ti­ring her head, looked out at the window, and sayd: Had Zimri peace that slewe his maister? Which spéech, though it were grounded vpon a wrong coniecture: (be­cause that burden was specially layde vpon the house of Ahab by Gods appointment, and Iehu particularly de­puted to that charge: whereas Zimri hauing no expresse warrant to showe, went further then his commission extended) yet it implyeth thus much, that she thought it a most odious crime, & was also perswaded that ven­geance shoulde duely and continually attend vpon the same, euen at the hard heeles, as it had done vpon Zim­ri. And therefore Jezebel, not able to discerne the diffe­rence in those deedes, nor to giue a distinction answe­rable to the natures of the facts, vpon premises of di­uers quality, inferred probably, though indirectly, a sem blable conclusion. For albeit the Lord by y^t mouth of his Prophet denounced dreadfull threatninges against the family of Baasha: yet was not Zimri commaunded to conspire against Elah the sonne of Baasha, nor by killing of him to aspire to y^e kingdome, nor by incroching vpon the kingdome to roote out the stocke of Baasha. There­fore the treason that hee wrought against his Lorde and maister, the crueltyes hee practysed agaynst [Page]that house & linage, were requited vnto him, at such time as the hearts of the people being alienated from him, they consented to abrogate that vsurped authority, as the birdes agreed to disrobe Aesopes dawe of his stolne plumes: and making Omri their generall, they went & besieged Tirzah, where Zimri kept him selfe in holde: which being taken, he for feare he should haue faln into his enimies handes, fled into the kings pallace, and set­ting the house on fire burnt him selfe and so dyed.

So then the difference to be noted betwene Iehu and Zimri is apparant inough. Whereof, whether Iezebel were in deede ignorant, or that shee did of set purpose compare Iehu to Zimri, either to daūt him with the con­ceite, or disgrace him with the reproch of so infamous a comparison: yet is this necessarily to be gathered, y^e she accoūted the slaying of his natural annointed Prince, a thing most worthy all titles of opprobrious ignominy, & all scourges of extreme reuenge. Iezebel shall sentence a­gainst tray­tours. Shal not then Iezebel be iustified in respect of you? Nay, shal not Iezebel rise in iudgement & condemne you? And how shamefull will your ouerthrowe be, when the testimony & verdit of so graceles a woman, shall stand in force against you: who (because ye are birds of y^e same fether she was of) would no doubt affourd you all possible fauor, if y^e indignity of your cause were capable of any colour or excuse? What shall I thinke, what may I hope, or what must I not feare, if these examples drawne out of holy scriptures, worke not in you proportionall effect? If the word of God, which is so mighty in operation: which surpasseth in sharpnes any two edged sword: H [...]b. 4. which entreth e­uen through to the diuiding in sunder of the soule and the spirite, the ioints and the marrow: If (I say) it wound not your thoughts, but y^e you stande as still & voide of sense, as if it turned edge: then néedes must my wits be wrapped vp in amazement, & my smiling hope be changed into chéerles feare: and where I perceiue the putrefaction to excéed all possibility of remedy by apply­ing [Page]milde & temperate medicines, there must I vse vio­lēt means, sharp corrosiues, yea, cauterie & incision. And though you cōtemne diuine oracles, yet wil not I refuse to harken to y^e holesom counsel of y^e Peet where he saith:

Which is,

But because ye so much affect the title of Roma­nists, looke a litle into the liues of ancient Romans, and you shal sée how much ye come behind them in vertuous indeuours, and how far ye go beyond them in leude cō ­ditions. At how light a price did Curtius value his life, The verie heathens haue preferred their coūtries [...] ­ty before their owne life. when he threw himselfe headlong into y^e pestilent gulfe, which belched vp deadly corruption, & breathed out in­fectious vapours; which could not by any other means be stopped, but by casting that iewel into it, which of all other vnder the Sun was most precious? Which thing when the Citizens of Rome, had with wastfull losse of their treasures in vaine assaied to effect, he knowing no­thing could in worthines compare with mans soul, vo­luntarily accorded to sacrifice himself for the sauegard of his countrey. What should I talke of Mutius Scaeuola, who because he failed in dispatching Porsenna, y^e enemie that sought the wrack of his natiue citie, punished that ouersight in himselfe, by consuming his hand in y^e flame? To what end should I record the inuincible magnani­mity of Horatius Cocles, who to withstād the furious in­cursion of his countries foes, kept all alone the passage where the enemies gaue the assault, & by his single resi­stance gaue singular proofe of his incredible valor? what should I stand to commend y^e honorable dealing of Fa­britius Consul of Rome, to whom, during y^e wars he held with Pirrhus king of y^e Epirotes, the kings phisiciō made proffer y^e vpon assurance of reward he would poison his [Page]maister: but Fabritius princely courage disdaining to cō ­quere his enemie by intrapping him in snares of villa­ny, presently disclosed the matter to Pirrhus? God grant that all forren Princes may carry such minds as Fabri­tius did: and th'almightie defend my soueraign from all such attendants as Pirrhus phisician was: that no Eng­lish brest harbor any Spanish hart, nor subiects hand ac­quaint it selfe with tempering Italian phisicke. To be short, what shall I need to extol Att. Regulus for his vn­spotted fidelitie, who hauing entred into solemne oath, either to send back the captiues frō Rome to Carthage, or els to render himself prisoner into their hands: when be saw y^e deliuery of the captiues would preiudice y^e honor of his country, he was content rather to returne to his enemies, & to indure most exquisit torments, then either to make breach of his promise, or to infer detriment to the common wealth: thinking it better to end his life in torture as a faithfull captiue, then to prolong it in plea­sure like a periured senator. I am y^e more willing to cō ­ceale & passe ouer the application of these examples, be­cause it doth redouble my sorrows to think, y^e heathens should ouercome Christians: or Romanes Englishmen in pietie & deuotiō to their coūtry. But (O vnspeakable grief) I can neither find in you Curtius faith, nor Scaeuolas zeal, nor Horatius courage, nor Regulus cōstancy. You at­tempt my destructiō, contrary to Curtius; you imagine your soueraigns death, cōtrary to Scaeuola: you desire to bring in strāge forces, cōtrary to Horatius: you deny loi­altie to your frends, wheras Regulus performed faithful­nes to his enemies. Regulus kept promise w^e his foes, be­cause he wold not indamage his coūtry: you break pro­mise w^e your frends, & enter league w^e your foes, because ye wold ruinate your country. Unworthy therfore are ye to be numbred among such men: Traitors are men in shape, but beasts in behauiour. vnworthy to liue a­mōg christian men: nay, vnworthy to carry y^e names of men, hauing litle in effect but y^e outward shape of men. Ye haue defaced the beautie of humane nature, in defor­ming [Page]your minds with brutish behauior. Ye haue lear­ned to weaue Spiders webbes, and to hatch Cocatrices egges. Ye haue lerned of the Tode to swell aboue natu­ral proportion: of the Wolfe to barke against y^e Moone: of y^e wilde Asse to braie against the thunder: of the Owle to eschue the light of the Sun: and of y^e Viper to gnaw through y^e bowels of your mother. Much more I might say, but I willingly refraine, least my spéeches should séeme rather to be distempered with partial choler, then seasoned with louing affection.

I could neuer yet vnderstand that any traitor closed vp his last daies with honor, or y^e his gray haires went downe to y^e graue in peace: The end of Traitors nu­serable. but though for a time hée so florished in pomp of worldly felicitie, y^e there might séem neither to haue bin place for better fortune, nor feare of worse: yet was his iollitie nought els but grins to in­tangle his desires withall, y^e being dronken w^e excesse of vanitie, & furfetting vpō al varietie of plesure, he might be pampred vp like an Oxe y^e in the stall is made fat for the slaughter. To which purpose if I should begin to dis­course, besides y^e I should enter into a wide open field: I should also light a candle at noone day, in reporting that wherof these times haue made you eiewitnesses. Ther­fore I wil only point w^e the finger at one or two exam­ples takē forth of our own Chronicles: which, for y^e they are in their kinde passing notable, ought not to be buri­ed in silence. Richard the vsurper, raging like a foming Boare, sought by force to open the waie to his wilfull & inordinate desire of soueraintie, sparing neither age, sexe, affinitie nor degrée, till hee had inuested himselfe with the regal Diademe, & was then perswaded that he had so firmely established his regiment, that hee might without daunger giue fortune the defiance: yet sée, a litle cloud rising from the sea, did on y^e sodaine so darken the Sunshine of his deuises, that as one surprised with trembling feare, and wéelded in an endles Labyrinth, hée sound no issue to wade through, but was affrighted [Page]with guiltie suspicion by day, and terrified with fearful visions by night: neither felt he any release vntil death hastned to demaund his right, & to take iust reuenge vp­on him. Who, though he were a king, yet being slain in the field was disaraied of his armor & robes, & stript na­ked was throwne ouerthwart a horsback with his face groueling to the earth: and so besmeared with mire and gore was hurried from Bosworth to Lecester: & there in stead of funerall solemnities, he had black fame for his herault: shame for his shrouding shéete: & neuer dying obloquie for his sepulchre. Neither were y^e executioners of his commaunds exempted from penaltie. For Syr Iames Tarrell (who was by him aduanced for the mur­ther of the yoong king, his nephew) was in the raigne of king Henry the seuenth beheaded at the Tower hill for treason. A vicious life endeth sildom with a happie heath. Miles Forrest péece-meale rotted away. Iohn Dightons death, though it be not certainly specified, yet we may w^eout any breach of charitie suppose, y^e it was not greatly discrepant from y^e former course of his life.

And no maruel if the Lord of hostes be so ielous ouer his Vicegerent, & poure out such rigorous punishments vpon archtraitors conspiring against his annointed, sée­ing he suffreth not petie trecheries, though in degrée far inferior, to escape vnreuenged. As may appear by Hen­ry Banester seruant to the Duke of Buckingham: who though he were brought vp vnder the Duke, & had from him receiued many benefites: yet at such time as the Duke being encountred with great extremities, and on euery side maruellously distressed, committed his life to Banesters secrecie, thinking it the safest refuge and sanc­tuary that he could repaire vnto: Banester in expectati­on of the reward that was promised by proelamation to him that could discouer him, readely cōdescended to be­fraie his Lord. But shortly after it came to passe y^e his sonne and heire fell mad & died in a Bores stie: his eldest daughter was striken with leprosie: his second sonne was takē lame, & his yoongest son drowned in a pudle: & [Page]lastly Banester himselfe was arraigned for murther, and with much adoe escaping, was frustrated of that golden recompence which he preferred before his Lords life, and his owne reputation. I speake not this to pa­tronage the Dukes action, the equitie of whose cause I refer to the censure of the wise, but séeing all déeds are to be measured by the intent of the doer, and the sequele of the fact, néeds must he be noted for a faithles caitife that began his action in wretched auarice, and ended it in shamefull miserie. If I should draw these and such like particulars into the forme of an induction, and there­upon grounding a generall conclusion should say, that neuer traitor to his prince atchiued happie and prospe­rous end, I thinke it would be hard for you to giue an instance to the contrarie: vnles haply you please to re­ply, by nominating any of the stragling extrauagants, Iesuites by profession are in condition Iscariotes. that carying the title of Iesuites lead the liues of Iscariots, and either by raunging abroad, or dissembling at home, chance to escape the whip. But they must imagine that forbearance is no quittance, and the longer they run on the score, the harder will the reckoning proue when it comes to paiment. Howsoeuer one traitor list to descant vpon the fall of another, imputing his ouerthrow to se­cond causes, ascribing it to fatall influence, and angrie stars: wresting it either to want of pollicie, or neglect of opportunitie; or default of secresie; or his too much care­lesnes, or his too litle courage; and with these vaine il­lustons flatter his conceite, hoping that he shal ouerleap that stumbling blocke whereat his fellow traitor broke his necke: though debating the matter with himselfe, he impart his purpose to no other: yet may he be sure, that he whose eies are as flames of fire: who searcheth the hart, and the reines: who bringeth light out of dark­nes: to whom darknes is no darknes, but the night is as cleare as the day: he may be sure (I say) that he both can & will at his good pleasure bewraie him for the vp­holding of his glorie, and maintenance of his annoin­ted. [Page]Therefore if I may either command as a mother, or intreat as a friend, or avuise as a wel willer; if either the declining course of my yeares may plead pitie, or the sinceritie of my meaning gains credit, or my experience in miseries giue direction; let these wordes, which my fainting breath and faultring tongue can scarcely vtter, dehort you from prosecuting those villanies that ye haue wickedly attempted, and forewarn you to auoid that peril ye haue desperately incurred.

If I should recount the benefits that from time to time I haue ouer prodigally bestowed vpō you, I doubt I should sooner weary my selfe with the rehersall, then bréed in you any thankfull acknowledgement of the same. Est aliqua ingra­to meritum ex­probrare vo­luptas. Yet because it somewhat easeth y^e stomacke, to ex­probrate to vngrateful persous good turns past; I must affirme that which you can not deny, that since Brute first set foot within my shore, I neuer was indowed with so bountifull blessings, neuer more deckt with or­namēts of peace, neuer lesse trauailed with incombran­ces of war: so that I may confidently auouch, that mer­cie & trueth are met together; righteousnes & peace haue kissed each other: truth hath florished out of the earth, & righteousnes hath looked down from heauen. But if ye looke a litle abroad, ye may sée others tossed in y^e raging tempests; whereas your selues stand on the shore not threatned by any such ieopardy: you triumph in garlāds of Oliue, when your neighbors are cōstrained to weare the wreathes of Cypres: Deus nobis haec otia fecit. and you may ioyfully sing Te Deum in the highest note, when they (God knoweth) are faine to cry Miserere in a mournful voice. The nations round about you are infested with martiall horror, with clattering of armour, with thundring of shot, with shrée­king of women, wailing of children, slaughter of men, desolation of prouinces, Amos. 6. & infinite such spectacles of dread and terror. But you haue stretched your selues vpon beds of iuorie, ye haue eate the lambes of the flock, & calues of the stall; ye haue sung to the sound of the [Page]viole, & inuented to your selues instruments of mu­sicke: ye haue drunke your wine in bowles, and an­nointed your selues with the costliest ointmēts: but who among you hath beene sorie for the affliction of Ioseph? who hath called his imprisonmēt to remem­brance? who among you hath not sought to throw him into the dungeon againe? or which of you hath nor gone about to trouble Israel? and as ye haue increased in iol­litle, so haue ye multiplied in transgression:Hosea. 4.therfore will the Lord turne your glorie into shame. Ye haue couertly girded your loines with the weapons of war in the time of peace, intending if opportunitie had ser­ued your purpose, 2. Sim. 3. to doe to your brethren as Ioab did to Abner, when he flatteringly embraced him with the one hand, & cruelly with the other gaue him his deathes wound. Ye haue peruerted the course of nature in cau­sing troublsom stormes to arise in the golden daies of y^e Alcyon. In déed I confesse it is an impessible thing that light should make agréement with darkenesse, or truth haue society with error. The mortall hatred & vnappea­sed cōtention, Genes. 25. that insued betwixt Iacob & Esau was not obscurely prognostieated at their natiuitie, when they stroue and wrestled together in Rebeccaes wombe, to the great discomfort of her soule. The rooted enimitie that you carry against the professors of the Gospel, The coles of hatred that Papists rake by in their brells must needs vent [...] the smoke of slan­drous re [...]orts howsoe­uer it be raked vp in the deceiptfull cinders of counter­feit amitie, yet doth it so vehemently striue to burst out, that if it should not find a louerhole and place of vent to issue forth by the smoke of slandrous reports & fabulous rumors (which are commonly coined for the nourishing of discouragement and false suspicions in true subiects harts) it would so scald and blister your lips, that by the same as by a certaine cognisance we might descry you. In your harts you euer follow the fashion of the Swal­low, that delights to fly against y^e wind: in your spéeches you play the Lapwing, that flickereth a loose in a place some what distant frō her neast, to withdraw the passen­gers thence.

The Poets pleasantly deuise that when Iupiter had made man, glorying in the workemanship thereof, he brought him to find-fault Momus, and demanded what he could espie in him worthy reprehension: Momus com­mended the orderly feature and séemely disposition of the lineamēts: but one thing (saith he) I greatly dislike, that thou hast forgotten to frame a window in his brest, whereby it might be known whether his hart and his tongue went together or not. If the consciences of trai­torous Papists might be as througly ransackt, and as déeply sounded, as they may be iustly doubted, there would be found cakes of foule cankered malice, & long festred choler buried vnder painted hoods, & mealemou­thed protestations. Then would the grutchings & mur­murings of Esau come to light, Genes. 27. who threatned to slay his brother Iacob after the daies of mourning were finisht. But take ye héed to your selues, lest the mischiefe ye in­tend against others, be in the end deriued vpō your own pates. For it often times commeth to passe that God snareth the wicked in their proper inuentions, and pu­nisheth them by the same meanes whereby they offend. Thomyris quéene of Scithia, after she had vanquished Cy­rus, smote off his head, and threw it into a vessel of blood, saying: Now drinke thou blood thy belly full, which thou hast hitherto so much thirsted after. Crassus be­ing flaine in the expedition against the Parthians, they tooke molten gold and poured it into his mouth, saying: Now glut and accloie thy selfe with gold, Iudic. 1.wherwith thy vnstaunched hunger was neuer yet satisfied. And when the Israelites had taken Adoni-bezek, they cut off the thumbes of his hands, and the great toes of his féet: wherupon he confessed, saying: Seuentie kings haning the thumbes of their hands and of their feet cut off, gathered bread vnder my table: as I haue done, so God hath rewarded me.

Your desire is to erect a fresh the pageant of papistrie; and for the compassing thereof, ye are willing, not onely [Page]to contribute your bracelets & earerings to the making of the golden calfe, Exod. [...]. as the idolatrous childrent of Israel did: but ready also to offer your sons in sacrifice, as the vnnaturall king of Moab did, 2. Reg 3. to pacifie his incensed Gods: naie, The Papists are content to hazard theyr liues for the restoring of the Romishe Religion. contented to make your owne liues a prate as the Athenians did, when they accorded by casting of lottes to surrender themselues to be deuoured of that hideous monster Minotaurus. Those among you that haue rotted in the corruption, and wallowed in the fil­thines of their opinions, longing with the dogge to re­turne to theyr olde vomite, deserue to be laughed at for their madnes: concerning whome we may cry out with the Prophet: Is there no baulme at Gilead?Ierem. 8.is there no Phisicion there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people healed? And those maie be compared to the Scarabie, which beeing bred in the dunghill prospereth there exceeding well: but if shée happen to settle vnder the rose trée, she dieth incōtinent­ly. The other that neuer sawe papistrie in his highest ruffe, but through the seducing of their olde maisters, haue bene brought to the bent of their bow, are to be pi­tied for their follie: of whome we may say with the Ora­tor, that they may seeme to haue sucked error out of theyr Nurses brestes with the verie milke of theyr in­fancie; and these are like the foolish flie that dallieth so long with the candle, till shee senge her winges in the flame: these playe as did the fond Satyre, who espying the fire that Prometheus first brought downe from heauen, would needes kisse it because it glistered in hys eyes. Both these sortes iointly considered, resemble that sottish Grillus; who, when he with the rest of his compa­nions had by the polliticke and ingenious stratageme of Ʋlisses escaped from out the denne of that deformed Ciclop Polyphemus, would needes haue gone back, with the hazard of his life to haue recouered his girdle that he left behind him. And beeing afterwardes in the same [Page]voiage by the inchantments of Circes chaunged into the forme of an hog refused to return to the shape of a man. The pope is that monster and astonishment of nature, who hath so long inchained christian soules in miser­able thraldome and more then Egiptian seruitude, The Romish Religion more infected with errors then Augaeus stable was filled with ordure. where they haue continued lockt vp in his darkesome dungeon as in the shadow of death: which is more re­plentisht with ordure then Augaeus stable, and therefore requireth a mightier and more puissant champion to purge it then Hercules was. He is that abhominable strumpet that so long besotted y^e world with her witch­craftes and sorceries; that made The kings and inha­bitants of the earth dronken with the wine of her fornication. Apocal. 17 But in the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the wine is red, it is full mixt, & he poureth out of the same: Psalme. 75.surely all the wicked of the world shal wring out and drinke the dregs therof. If all the wicked shall drink of it, then of all the most wicked, in respect of whom Ieroboam may be reputed for righteous, he, euen he of all others y^e most wicked, shal haue a large draught for his share, he shall turne off a full carouse.

If ye would but fasten your eyes vpon me a while, ye might in my forehead easilie reads what woulde be your own destinies vnder his gouernment. For though time hath healed the wounds with which he despitefully mangled my body yet y^e skars and blemishes remain stil behind. My meaning is, there yet liueth many a one, whose father, mother, brother, sister, kinsman or friend, this sauage Antichrist hath wrongfully murthered, & by vntimelydeath abridged y^e date of theyr days; cōfiscating their goods, and leauing their posterity not onely father­les children, but also comfortles orphans. When I look back to the calamity of those times, I féele my poore hart begin to resolue into streams of blood, & mine eyes melt into flouds of teares, at the onely remembrance thereof; euen as the carcase of a murtherd man gusheth forth [Page]into bléeding at the presence of the murtherer. Hercules when he came vp from hel, looking back at the wonderful dangers that he had waded through, shooke for ioy. And how can I but reioyce with trembling before my Lord God, who hath takē off my purple garment, and clothed me with a white robe; who hath wiped away the teares from mine eies, and crowned me with ioy and gladnes? Therefore blessed be my Lord y^e hath greeted his spouse with this consolation: Behold winter is past, Cant. 2.the storm is blown ouer, & gone awaie. Yea, for euer magnified he his name that hath respected the lowly essate of hys handmaid. How might I now expresse y^e moitie of grief that I then felt when my bosome was bedewed with the warim blood of guiltles martirs? when reuerent old age wanted due obsequies? These things are too true to be de­nied, and to apparant to be dissembled. when flouring youth was cause­les cropt in his prime? when womans weaknes was not spared, no, not the woman with child? but (O more then barbarous cruelty) when the infant springing out of the mothers wombe was thrown againe into the fire? what should I speake of burning the hands of persons vncon­demned? or of priuie slaughters cōmitted in prisons? see­ing to y^e former example I doubt whether Phalaris hun­self (if he had then liued) could haue added ame thing for the aggrauating of their tiranny. Thinke with your selues how I groned vnder the importable waight of so lamentable distresses: which if they did then craze my hart, they would now force it to breake in sunder.

But (as Capnio said) quum duplicarentur lateres, tum venit Moses: when Pharao caused the task of brick to be doubled, then came Moses. And when burdens begin to grow ouergrieuous, then ariseth vp deliuerance. When y^e Philistines offred sacrifice to their God Dagon, Iudic. 16. scoffing and insulting at the miserie of Samson, whose eyes they had before bored out, then was their comical pastime in­terturbed with a tragicall conclusion: the house came tumbling on theyr heads, & God made him their scourge [Page]whome they made theyr game. Prouerb. 16. For pride goeth before destruction and a high mind before a fall: Luc. 18. and could it be that God shoulde not auenge his elect which cried daie and night vnto him, yea, though hee suffe­red them long?

When Nessus the Centaure intending to rauish Dia­neira, had receiued his deathes wound for his hire at Hercules hand, he then besought her of pardon, and ma­king semblance of great sorrow, he gaue her of his blood, enioyning her to reserue it as a rare monument and riche treasure, the vertue whereof hee said was inualu­able: for therby shee might at her pleasure reclayme the wandering affection of her husband, if hee should chance at any time through distoialtie to estraunge himselfe from her companie. Of which thing shee afterward making triall, washed his shirt in the bloud, which so soone as he had at vnawares put on, he was therewith poysoned. In like case the Pope indeuouring to despoile the Church of England of her dignities by incroche­ment and intrusion; and to curtoll the prerogatiue of the royall state by vsurpation: had in a happie houre both the check and the mate giuen him; wherupon he almost in vtter despair of filling vp so great a breach, hath scat­tered abroad his lying spirites to inueigle our malcon­tent Romanistes, to reuolt from obeysance, warran­ting them by force of his absolution, as by Nessus bloud, to rectifie all imaginarie and supposed iniuries, where­with they shal find themselues neuer so little agreeued: and thus doe they (you I meane) practise to execute this deuise: but (thanks be giuen to our mercifull God) to your own subuersions. The differences are: what Di­aneira did was vpon ignorant zeale: what you doe is vpon pestilent rancour. Hercules imbraced strange loue contrarie to dutie: but her Maiestie tendereth you farre aboue your desertes.

But least I might be thought to compose clamorous [Page]inuectiues against the Sea of Rome, not sufficiently poized with their iust moments of reason; I wil alledge some specialties for the confirming of my assertion. As touching the scope of their doctrine, because it is a mat­ter not wholie incident to the meannes of my caparitie, and somewhat without the compasse of this discourse, I purposely relinquish it. Howbeit if I should descend to the discussing of particularities I coulde challenge him of many scismaticall points built vpon humane tradi­tion, and repugnant to the veritie of holie Scriptures. For howe hath hee infersed his [...] and [...] to continue the wodden worshipping of images? to the whiche I may (not vnfitly) applie the poeticall Ironie, which is vsed against the Egiptians that adored Oni­ons and Garlike, as the Papists do trees and stocks:

How hath he multiplied Mediatours, making some of saluation, others of intercession; derogating from the office of Christ, to maintain y^e inuocation of Saints? whereas the Scripture precisely designeth one, saying: There is one God, 1. Tim. 2.and one mediatour betwene God and man, which is the man Iesus Christ. How hath he foisted in his distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes, to prop his Purgatorie that is now so ruinous for lack of reparation? We are taught in Gods worde, that all sinnes are venial in Christ, except the sinne against the holie Ghost: (which is therefore called of Saint Iohn,1. Iohn. 5. Rom. 6. Marc. 3.a sinne vnto death) and all mortall in theyr owne na­ture. For the wages of sinne is death. And, all sinnes shalbe forgiuen vnto the children of men, and blas­phemies wherewith they blaspheme: but hee that blasphemeth against the holie Ghost, shal neuer haue forgiuenes, but is culpable of eternall damnation. These may serue to giue you a taste, séeing it stands not [Page]with my purpose to frame any cōtrouersial treatise: but ye may gesse the beast by his paw. In generall this is to be obserued in their doctrine, that they when they are had in chase, they haue so manie muces, inturninges: winding corners, and starting holes, that but for the tracke of their footing it were hard to ouertake them. In their intricate sophisines & inexplicable quiddities, they play like the fish called the Cuttle, which when the fisherman is readie to lay hand vpon her, casteth forth a slimis blacke humour like vnto inke, which darkening the vpper face of the water, causeth the fisherman to fayle of hys ayme, and by that meanes she escapeth: and I may say of them as Cesar sayd of the Scithians whose maner it was to lurke in vncouth thickets: Difficilius est inuenire, quàm superare: It is an harder matter to find them out then to ouercome them.

Touching his gouernement, it is nothing else but a mightie faction of men, and armed power of Princes bending their forces directly agaynst the Gospell of peace. Howe intollerable is his ambition that arroga­teth to himselfe Ʋniuersalitie, trusting to draw not one­lie Iordan like the Behemoth, but the foure quarters of the world into hys mouth? Iob. 40. And yet behold his shame­lesse hipocrisie, The Pores ambitious pride sha­dowed with a show of hu­mility. who claiming supreme iurisdiction in al causes, and throughout all Countries, yet vaileth bon­net, and abaseth hys stile calling himselfe seruum seruo­rum Dei. Of which dissembled humilitie this Distich was compiled, not altogether vnworthie the rehearsal.

Which is

Hath he not always vnder a colour of pietie and re­ligion, broched most impious and least religious practi­ses? [Page]So that long since the Germanes perceiuing hys iugling, howe he fostered contentions, cloked murthers wincked at heresies, and dispensed with all crimes how capitall so euer, if he might thereby either dilate his seg­niories, or furnishe his treasurie, reiected his pretensed aucthoritie: and marking howe outragiously hee set vp his bristles and whetted his tuskes against such as cros­sed his deuises, anathematising them with the horrible cursse of Shimei, and ratling out his excommunications against them, they both sharply reprooued and openly derided his Bulles before the which he was accustomed to prefix the name of the almightie, most blasphemously making it to leade the waye to his diuelish execrati­ons: so that it became amongest them a common by­worde: In nomine Dei incipit omne malum: all mischiefe beginnes in Gods name. And to gleane a fewe eares out of a full sheafe, I will set downe some seuerall examples. In the tyme of Gregorie the ninth, sprang vp the diuision of the Guelfes and the Gibellines: the Guelfes bolstering out the swelling insolencie of the Popedome, and the Gibellines assisting the iust title of the imperiall maiestie. Through the whiche occasion, moste tumultuous vprores and deadly warres were arreared: the furie wherof being scarse calmed & allaied within one hundred yeares after, hath left a perpetuall memorie to the world, How the fa­ble of Elses & Goblins first came vp. by those tearmes of elfes & gob­lins, that are at this day more generally knowne then rightly vnderstood. During which faction Boniface the eight aspired to y^e Sea: who beeing maliciously inflamed agaynst the families of Columne and Ʋrsini, because they fauoured the Gibellines, wrought them all possible despite, in putting theyr bodyes to the sword, their hou­ses to the sacke, and theyr goodes to the spoyle. And so irreconcilable was this his wrath that on Ashwed­nesday whē he sprinckled ashes on his Cardinalls heads, cōming to Porcherus Archbishoppe of Genna, who was [Page]of the Gibellines, whereas he had vsed these words to the others: Memento homo quod cinis es, & in cinerem reuer­têris: That is; Remember man that thou art ashes and into ashes thou shalt returne: Here was a hote stomacke and colde de­uotion. a sodaine fit of che­ler boiling in his stomack, caused him to forget the depth of his deuotion, and alter the forme of his speeche; so that throwing the ashes into the Archbishops face, hee blustred out in these terms; Memento homo quod Gibelli­nus es, & cum Gibellinis moriêre: Remember fellowe that thou art a Gibelline, and with y^e Gibellines thou shalt to the pot. Deus bone, tantaenè animis coelestibus irae? Good God, can holie heades harbour such rancorous hatred?

How mischieuously did Gregorie the seuenth conspire with the states of Saxonie, against Henrie the fourthe Emperour of Germanie, when commencing quarrell against him, he cōuented him of heresie, for bestowing ecclesiasticall promotions vpon persons both insuffici­ent for theyr giftes, and defamed for theyr behaui­ours? and sentencing against hym, hee adiudged him to doe dayly penaunce at the Churche-dore of Peter and Paule, for the space of one whole yeare. Moreouer he inforced hym barefooted and barelegged to creepe to kisse his feete. And during this turmoyle, hee suborned Rodolphe Duke of Saxonie to inuade the Empire: wher­of the Emperour beeing aduertised, thought it was nowe high tyme to resiste so daungerous a practise, and hasting into Germanie hee encountred Rodolphe, A guiltie con­science is a biting corro­siue. and in fiue seuerall battayles discomfited him. Ro­dolphe shortlie after lying on his deathe bed, was pre­sented with hys owne hand that had beene smitten off in fight. Whiche when he behelde, turning hys face to the Bishoppes that stoode about hym, hee sayd: This is the right hand, wherewith I vowed my fayth to the Emperor; now is the same become a witnesse of my breach of fidelitie, and traiterous attemptes against my soueraign: chiefly by your, euen by your instigation [Page]and procurement, my Lords. If I might without of­fence spurre the Pope a question, I would faine know whether S. Peters keyes hang (as he saith) at his girdle for that end to barre the gates of vnitie, and open the doores of dissension? If there be a blessing laide vp in store for the peacemakers, let him tell me what shalbe the reward of such as kindle coles of mutinie and sedi­tion? Especially séeing he is in double fault that giueth offence by his example. Was not the presumption of Alexander the third vnmeasurable, and the pride Lu­cifer-like, that he exercised against the Emperour Fre­dericke, surnamed Barbarossa, vpon whose backe when he had set the states of Italie and Ʋenice, and also capti­uated Otto the Emperours sonne, working vpon this aduantage he constrained him to yéeld to such vnreaso­nable condicions, as better agréed with his impudent and vaineglorious nature to demaund, then with Fre­derickes magnanimitie to condescend vnto. So that he was driuen to prostrate himselfe in Ʋenice at the Popes féete; and yet he not contented with this, more then humble submission, contumeliously trode vpō his necke, abusing that text of scripture: Psalme. 91. Super Aspidem & Basi­liscum, &c. Thou shalt walke vpon the Adder and the Basiliske, the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder thy feet. The Emperor séeing himselfe so disdainefully ouercrowed by a dunghill crauen, could not suppresse his heroicall stomacke, but answered a­gaine; Non tibi sed Petro: I doe this in reuerence of Peter, and not for feare of thée. Whereat the Pope ra­uing, with open mouth intercepted his wordes excla­ming, Et mihi & Petro: thou shalt dos this reuerence both to Peter and me. This ruffling champion was (no doubt) profoundly instructed in the schoole of Christ; Mat. 12. whose lowlinesse was such that he brake not the bruised reede, nor quenched the smoking flaxe: he reproued his Disciples, when they would haue had [Page]fire to come down from heauen and consume the Sama­ritans, Luc. 11. Mat. 11. Christes schoole is of humilitie: but the Pope may be tur­ned out for a non profi­ [...]ient. saying: Ye know not of what spirite ye are. He willed them to learne of him: For I am (saith he) lowlie and meeke: and so shall ye find rest to your soules. What should I rehearse the broiles, wherewith Grego­rie the ninth pestered Frederike the second? who for that in a cause which admitted no dilatorie circumstance, but as it imported matter of singuler consequence, so it required meanes of present expedition, for that (I say) he departed without taking solemne farewell & humble leaue of the Popes holines, hauing leuied a supply of souldiours to passe into Asia for reskuing of the distres­sed Christians in their wars against the Sarasens, he was retracted by the Popes countermaund, that he sent to the Christian armie straightly interdicting them to follow the Emperous conduct: neither could he by any intercession obtaine release, vntil he had throwne a ho­nie sop into Corberus iawes, and stopt the Popes mouth with paiment of an hundred and twentie thousand ounces of gold.

These things being so plaine that they can not be o­uershadowed with anie pretence, me thinkes the pain­ters answere was reasonably framed, that he made in defence of his workemanship: who being checkt because he dad drawne the counterfeit of S. Peter too high colou­red, whome they affirmed to haue béene of pale counte­nance, foreworne with carefull vigilancie and paineful trauaile, which he alwaies tooke about his pastorall af­faires & Apostolicall negotiations: I haue (said he) made him not as he was on earth, but as he is now in heauē: from whence looking down into the liues of his succes­sors, he blusheth for shame to sée their shamelesse misde­meanure. And as the Pope hath in other countries plaide his vagaries, to the disturbance of publike vnitie and racking of common wealthes by pillage & extortiō: so hath he vexed me with violēt turmoiles & chargeable [Page]impositions to my no small griefe, and no lesse detri­ment. I can not yet forget the dealing of that gréedie cormorant, and sweating Bull of Basan, A last of the Popes prac­tise here in England. whom I lastly recited, who in the raigne of king Henry the third, sent ouer his Legate, rentgatherer, or caterpiller, to purloine from mee of euerie Church throughout the Realme a yearely reuenue of foure markes: the which to what summe it amounteth I refer to your considera­tion. His letters mandatorie were deliuered into the hands of the Archbishops & Bishops for assisting of the Legate in his collection: enioining them withall to prouide thrée hundred of the best benefices, to be im­ploied vpon thrée hundred Italians at his appointment. Was not this to charge them to rend the fléeces from off their own backes, for the couering of his filthinesse? The king being certified of the matter calleth a Sy­node of Bishops, and causing conference to be had in their conuocation house, The king of Englands care for the welfare of his Realme and subiects. he thereupon addresseth his let­ters to the Pope, in his owne name, and in the behalfe of his subiects. But when he saw his trauell bestowed this way to be frustrate, he imparted the matter to his Lords assembled in Parlement, discoursing what in­conueniences must of necessitie ensue, if they obeyed the Popes precept: and in most earnest and discrete maner he debateth the cause seuerally with euerie par­ticular Bishop, willing them to weane their affection from straungers, and not practise the vndoing of their natiue countrie for gratifying of the Pope. But fin­ding them peruerse he mingleth his intreatie with me­naces, denouncing openlie against them the penal­ties of the lawes and auncient statutes of his Realme: charging them further vpon their allegeance to deli­uer no money out of the Realme to the beggering of the State. They (as best became them) yéelded at the last, obedience to their Liege Lorde.

But Gregorie thus defeated of his purpose and [Page]crost with a contrarie cue, cleane beside his expectati­on, began to make batterie with his gunshot of excom­munication, directed to the Bishop of Worcester, of whose inclinatiō he was best perswaded, with cōmand to pro­secute it in most vehement sort, that no possible furthe­rance should be omitted for the effectuating thereof a­gainst a certaine day prescribed, wherein the Audit of this sacred receipte must bee giuen vp. The matter was so diligentlie trauersed, what with the kinges Embassadors on the one side, to appease the Pope; what with the insatiable couetousnesse of the Pope on the otherside to impouerish the Realme, that notwith­standing all importunitie, submission and reaso­nable proffers that the king could make, no spéeche of reconcilement would be harkened vnto, vntill he had graunted the Pope a tenth of all goods moueable in En­gland and Scotland: The king in his owne Realme ouer­waighed by the vsurped authoritie of the Pope. and then (to vse Matthaeus Parisiensis his own words) Our Lord the Pope being before in­wardlie inflamed aboue all thinges to suppresse the hautinesse of the king, recomforted with these pro­mises, was made to consent. The which how pernici­ous it became to the state of this Realme can hardly by anie estimate be comprehended. For irregular custome hauing once set in his foot, would not for many yeares after take the repulse. So that the Church of Rome hath to her shame approued the veritie of this saying; Reli­gio peperit Diuitias; sed Filia deuorauit Matrem: Religion brought forth Riches; but the Daughter swalowed vp the Mother, like the Vipers brood. Such gourman­disers as praie vpon Princes, whereas they ought of duetie to pray for them, will be found to haue runne farre into arrerages, when it shall be said vnto them, Giue account of thy stewardship, for thou maist be no longer Stewarde. Of such it may bee saide, as Alcibiades said to Pericles, when he perceiued him very carefull to make vp his reckonings to the Athenians; [Page]O how much better were it for thee, if thou couldest de­uise to giue no accounts at all. The king of Englands Ex­checquer dis­furnished vn­der pretence of ransoming the Pope. It is not vnknowne howe the treasure of this realme was of late yeares transpor­ted, when that ambitious Prelate Cardinall Woolsey conueied at one time out of the Kinges Exchecker two hundred and fourtie thousand poundes sterling, for re­lieuing of Pope Clement, whom the Duke of Bourbon after the sacking of Rome, drew foorth of the Castle of Saint Angelo, and detained him prisoner in the Empe­rours armie. The which summes of monie he conuer­ted to furnish the french King with necessaries to make warre vpon the Emperour, who was then in league with King Henrie of England.

What should I speake of pardons, Peter-pence, with a number such polling & pedling deuises of oppres­sion wheref the manifestation of the Gospel hath clear­ly disburdened you? What should I declare how licen­tiously he hath presumed to cōtroll the mightie kings of England, infringing their liberties, abrogating their or­dinances, repealing their statutes, and ingrating vpon their prerogatiues? Wherein if hee were at any time gainsaid or ouerthwarted, he then cast about to depose them. As, Henry the seconde was suspended from his Crowne by the space of foure daies; went barefoote to Thomas Beckets Tombe dying the rough stones with his blood: and most vnkingly deiecting himself to be dis­cipled with the rod, of the Monkes of Canterburie. King Iohn was miserably vexed by Innocent the third, forced at last to resigne his Crowne with all title of souerain­tie both in England and Ireland into Pandulphus hand, who detaining it fiue daies, then restored it. This infor­tunate King after a troublesome and litigious raigne was in the ende poisoned by a traitorous Moonke; as also Henry the seuenth Emperour of Germany was by a Dominicane Frier, who ministring y^e sacrament vnto him, had before dipped the oste in poison. I must néedes [Page]highly commend the courage of king Henry y^e first, The magna­nimity of king Henrie the first, in with­standing the Hope. who beeing in contention with Anselme about inuestitures, pleaded the sufficiencie of his owne authoritie within his proper territories, saying; There is an ancient cu­stome of my kingdome ordained by my Father, that no person shal sue anie appeale from vs to the Pope: whosoeuer will attempt to violate this custome, doeth offend against our Maiestie, and the Crowne of Englande: hee that will seeke to despoile vs of our Crowne, is an enemie, and a Traitor to our person. And againe, when Anselme would haue had him follow the Popes Letters: what haue I to doe with the Popes Letters, I will not breake the lawes of my Realme for the pleasure of anie Pope.

As touching his market-making and whole sale of spirituall promotions to rawe and bankerout chap­men, it was truely said that the state of Asses was much better then of Horses; because the Horses were faine to post to Rome for benefices, but the Asses obtained them. Of his ordinarie absolution for mony without respect of crime, he descanted pretily that said, Friers were fed fat with mens sinnes. Of the scismes in his Sea, he spake rightly, y^e being asked why in their suffrages they praied not for Cardinals & Bishops, that is (quoth he) vnder­stood where we say, Oremus pro scismaticis & haereticis; let vs praie for scismatikes & heretikes. I omit his beastly gaine raked out of y^e sinkhole of brothel-houses. I loth to think vpon his tolerating of y^e most stinking sin of abho­minable Sodomitrie: in commendation whereof Iohn Casus Archbishop of Beneuentane, y^e Popes Legat to the Venetians wrote a booke. O detestable impudencie, to magnifie that in words, yea in writing, y^e onely thought wherof woundeth the heart with horror. Indéed Sinesius wrote a pamphlet in praise of Baldnes: Fauorinus com­mended y^e quartane ague: Apuleus y^e Asse: Erasmus not vnwittily blazed the praise of Follie: & one of late pain­ted [Page]out the praise of nothing, yet to some purpose: but what age euer hatched such a forlorne monster as this? Yet was he a deuout Catholike, a Romish Prelate, and one of speciall account with his holinesse: therefore I mate well thinke like maister like man: But roome now, els shall we bring all Rome on our back: for the Pope sits in S. Peters Chaire forsooth. Why, so did the Scribes and Pharisies in Moses seate: yet no into the holier men for that. So that I maie iustly say of him, as Themistocles said to a certain odde Seriphian, who ob­iected to Themistocles that his renowne arose more through the glorie of his countrie, then by the merite of his vertues: Not so: said Themistocles: for if I were a Seriphian I woulde not liue without honour: and though thou were an Athenian thou couldest not liue without shame. So, if Saint Peter were at Rome, It is an odi­ous compari­son betwixt S. Peter, and the Pope. he liued not like the Pope: and if the Pope sit in Saint Peters Chaire, yet he liues not like Saint Peter. Yet dare his blinde bold bayards make comparison, and cast him their gauntlet that will auouch the contrarie. For they affirme his integritie of life to be vnspotted, and the sinceritie of his doctrine vncorrupted. They wil say Saint Peter wrought miracles: I cannot denie it: and to counteruaile that the Pope speakes Oracles: I dare not belieue it: and they cannot proue it. But I iump in opinion with him, who answered, when as the Pope vainely vaunted of his heapes of gold, saying: I cannot say as S. Peter did, gold and siluer haue I none: No (said the other) nor you cannot doo as S. Peter did, cause the lame to arise and walke. But as Neanthus hauing got Orpheus harpe went about iangling and iarring so long, that wheras he expected the trées should haue dan­sed after his pipe, he brought the dogs about his eares: so y^e Pope hath so long bosted of Peters successiō, that y^e sim­plest discern his doubling, & he that hath but halfe an eie may find out his grosse iugling, & legerdemain. Yea, God [Page]hath raised vp diuers of his owne part, to publish his dealings, who if they should all haue held their peace, the verie stones would haue cried out for the displaying of the same. I will not wade any farther in recounting the actions of holy Father Pope, & holy mother Church, beeing matter so tedious for the length, and for the beastlines so loathsome; but will knit it vp with this conceited Pasquine:

And yet behold, your restles and retchles desire lon­geth and laboureth to inthronize this bloodsucking Can­niball, this brocher of quarrelles, this patrone of here­sies, this robber of churches, this controller of Princes, this enemy of Christ. Both the meanes and the end of al­teration are matters of ex­ceeding mis­chiefe and ex­treme follie. Neither are the meanes whereby ye would plant him any lesse pestilent, then the ende wherfore. Inuasion of the Spaniard is the meanes; ad­uancing of Papistrie is the end. It is a common saying, He blames Neptune without cause, that hauing once made shipwracke, will to sea the second time. You haue had alreadie some experience of the Spaniardes dispo­sition among your selues, and may elsewhere take per­fitter notice. So that in this your intent I cannot more aptly compare you then to a foole that laugheth and ma­keth semblance of mirth when he goeth to the stocks to be punished for his follie. But if it be a point of wise­dome for a man to looke to his owne house when he se­eth his neighbours roofe on fire, then first learne that point, least in neglecting it ye ouersée the best point in your tables. What the Spaniard hath attempted in the low countries, is better knowne then I am able to report: and what he had attained ere this, may partly be coniectured, if God had not mooued her Maiesties minde, and strengthened her hand to bridle his tyran­nies, to succour their distresses, and support his owne trueth. Consider what he hath done in the kingdome of [Page] Naples and in the Indies, and trust him accordingly. When Naples came to his hands, it had in it ten Prin­ces, nine chiefe Officers, nineteene Dukes, one & twen­ty Marquises, three & thirty Earles, besides of Barons and Lords a great number. He obtained it by a preten­sed title of marriage, after it had bene defended a longe time against the Emperour by Francis the french king: vnder whose regiment the people had retained theyr ac­customed franchises & liberties. How y^e king of Spaine came to [...]y the realme of Naples. But when the french king was taken prisoner at Pauia, one condition of his deliuery was, that he should from thence forward with­draw his forces out of y^e kingdome of Naples: by which meanes it came to the king of Spaines possession. The Spaniardes at their first comming shewed themselues most pliable in their behauiors, promising golden moū ­taines, & vowing all seruice to the Neapolitanes for the defense of their coūtry & continuance of their fréedomes. And thus by cloked amity they crept into credit: so that diuers of the chiefe of them were imployed in the stron­gest fortresses, & best fensed castles in the country. The king of Spaine to curry fauor with them and to rock sus­pition a sleepe, appointed y^e Prince of Salerne their owne countriman to be his Lieutenant. During the while he was sole gouernour they enioyed all benefits that they had afore time. Not longe after he sent thither one Don Pietro a Spaniard, whom he ioyned in cōmission with the Prince. This fellow sought by raising false reports of the Prince to discredit him with y^e king and cōmons: and by indirect practises to indaunger his life. Which when the Prince sawe, he willingly sequestred himselfe departing to his castle, & left all affaires to be ordred by Don Pietro. The Spaniard not thus contented contri­ued matter of accusation against the Prince, charging him with treason: whereto he refused not to make his answere. Which when he came to haue done, the Spa­niard had suborned a villayne pryuily to lurke in the [Page]mountaines to haue murthered him with a gunne, who missing his body strake him in y^e leg. The Prince séeing himselfe enuironed with manifest perill, tooke his way to Venice: vpon whose departure the Spaniard immedi­ately proclaimed him traitor. The prince framed his cō ­plaint to the king, but founde no remedy. Not onely was the offendor released from sentence of law: but al inborne subiects of y^e realme were discharged from bea­ring rule or office whatsoeuer. All Marchants and arti­ficers were prohibited to kéepe any kinde of armour or weapon in their houses: yea, so much as sworde or dag­ger. Only to gentlemen it was permitted to haue their swords & targets & none other. If all paiments which al the kings y^e raigned before in Naples were laid togither, they are not cōparable to th'extraordinary taxes y^e king of Spaine hath exacted of them. The greuous exactions rai­sed vpon the Neapolitans. Euery fourth or fift yeare they paide sometime two hundred thousande, sometime foure▪ & sometime a million of gold. Al such as had lands were called to know by what title they kept thē: if they had not euidence presently to show, they were defeated, thogh they were able to declare their possession of an hū ­dred or two hundred yeares. Againe, all such, as either themselues or their ancestors had born any kinde of magistracie, were called to account, & notwithstāding they had bene cleared many yeares before by receiuing theyr quietus est: yet if y^e quittance were lost by reason of time, they were condemned to repay y^e whole. I might make special relation of all accises, customes, & exactions, that he imposeth vpon al manuary trades & mechanicall fa­culties: vpon al cōmodities y^e may any way grow to the inhabitants: but they woulde require a large treatise. But think to what an huge masse of mony it amoūteth when the Farmar of the butchery and pultry of the city of Naples payeth daily thrée hundred ducats: when vit­tailers pay fiue ducats for yerely obedience: shoomakers one french crowne: filkemakers fiue: when for euery chimney he hath sixe shillings thréepence: of euery strū ­pet [Page]or curtizan thrée shillings peny half peny, and of all others in proportion. Euery head of great cattel payeth thrée Caualluchi (of the which, fourtéene or fiftéene make a peny) euery head of small payeth two: and (as it is credibly recorded) that taxe in one yeare, onely in two shieres Apulia & Calabria came to foure hundred thou­sand french crownes sterling: and there followed the next yeare after, a taxe of six hundred thousand frenche crownes. We vse to say, where nothing is to be had the king looseth his right. But y^e Spaniard though he make his gaine his right, and his will his law: though he haue brought the people to a low ebbe & a miserable state, yet will he haue what taxes soeuer he list to leuie, though he rake it out of their bowells, and pull their skins ouer their eares for it.

These are his practises in Naples: The cruelty of the Spa­niards in the Indies. but y^e execrable ty­rannies which the Spaniards haue shewed on y^e Indi­ans, as they doo almost surmoūt credit, so can they hard­ly be furnished with termes effectual to decipher them. They haue dispeopled in India more then ten realmes, greater then al Spaine, Aragon, & Portugall: which nowe remaine as a wildernes abandoned & desolate, being be­fore as populous as was possible. Within the space of forty yeres, they as in a cōmon butchery slaughtered of innocent lambs, aboue twelue millions, men, women, & children. At their first arriuall they were intertained w^e performance of al seruiceable curtesies, y^e Indians most humbly submitting themselues vnto them, & after a sort adoring thē as diuine creatures descēded from heauen: but after they were too well acquainted w^e their sauage cruelties, they fled frō them as frō hatefull furies broke loose out of hell. The Spani­ards made it a sport to murther the In­dians. The Spaniards customarily disported thēselues in laying of wagers which of them shoulde w^e one thrust of a sword panch or bowell an Indian brauest in the midst: or w^e one blow most deliuerly strike off his head: or best dismēber him w^e one stroke. They vsed to mutrher y^e lords & nobility, by broiling them on gredi­rons [Page]with a soft fire vnderneath, that yelling and de­spairing in those lingring torments they might so giue vp the ghost. Foure or fiue of the Lords on a time be­ing rosted on this maner, with their pitifull roring and lamentation disquieted the Captayne (the caytiffe I should say) and broke his sleepe: wherevpon for his bet­ter quiet he commaunded them to be strangled: This Peril­lus wanted but a Phalaris to serue him of the same sauce. the Ser geant woulde not suffer them to die so easie a death: but himselfe putting bullets in their mouth to the ende they should not crie, rosted them softly after his desire. If at any time by due order and formall processe of lawe, a malefactor being a Spaniard were put to death by the Indians, the Spaniards ordayned a decree among them selues, that for one Spaniard they were to flay an hun­dred Indians. A certaine Indian Lord flying from out the Ile Hispaniola into the Ile Cuba, was by the Spani­ards so continually pursued, that at last they apprehen­ded him, and burned him with the rest of his company. When he was bound to the stake, a Franciscan Frier began to common with him touching the knowledge of God & principles of Christian faith. Which thinges al­beit the noble man had neuer heard of before, yet hee gaue good eare to y^e Frier who was earnest to perswade him y^e if he belieued those matters wherein he instructed him, he should goe to heauen to inioy euerlasting happi­nes: otherwise, there was no way but to hell with him to indure perpetual torments. The L. somewhat paw­sing at the matter demaunded of the religious, whether the Spaniardes went. To heauen without question, said the Frier, because they die in the Catholike fayth: the L. hearing him say so, The Indian though it better to be in hel then to liue with the Spaniards. answered immediately with­out any further deliberation, that he would not goe to heauen, because he would not come in place where Spaniards were, nor haue society with a nation so cruell. When a certain tyrannicall gouernor entred vpon the firme land, a Lord of the country to gaine his good will and to auoid torture, presented him with the waight of [Page]nine thousand Ducates. The Spaniardes thinking to wring out of him an ample booty by compulsion, who of his voluntary accord had made so large a proffer, layde holde on him, fastned him to a stake, and setting him on the earth with his feete stretched out, put fire thereto, to make him bring forth more treasure. The L. sent to his house, and caused three thousand Castillans more to be brought and deliuered to them. They not yet satisfied gaue him the torments a fresh: not ceasing to frie his feete at the fire, till the sinewes brast and the marrowe spange forth, trilling downe to the soles of his feete: so that of the same cruelty he died.

Another monster after he had wrought a most bloody massacre vpon diuers Lords and other Indians, out of whose handes one noble man with his retinew to the number of thirty or forty had escaped, & inclosed them­selues within a temple, the Spaniarde following after them, neither waighed y^e reuerence of the place, nor the innocenci [...] of the persons, but deuoide of all humanity & compassion, set fire on y^e temple & so burned them. Him­selfe in the meane while vsed like gesture & behauior, as did Nero when he had caused Rome to be fired, & he be­holding it sate singing & playing on his harp. This ty­rant passed on to Mexico trampling in humane bloode. Motenzuma king of Mexico being aduertised of his cō ­ming sent a thousand presents to welcome him, Corpora ma­gnanimo satis est. &c. & met him at the barres of the citie attended on with an hono­rable troope of nobles: but that same daie by a diuelish Spanish suttletie they got the king into their hands & then loded him with bolts & gyues. The Indians thogh they were greatly agréeued at the wrongfull imprison­mēt of their king, yet because he had giuen thē straight commandement that they should not séeke to reuenge y^e despite, they indeuored themselues with pageants, dan­sings and such pastimes, as they could best deuise to re­cōfort their captiue king, assembling as nigh the house where their king was as they could. Besides the floure [Page]of theyr nobility gathered together in a place adioyning to the walles of y^e palace where Motensuma was, vnder show of fained mirth hiding sad hearts & heauy chéeres. The Spaniard purposing to strike a terror into the in­habitants bordering & confining thereby, determined to publishe a frightfull spectacle: and gaue his helhoundes charge that at an appointed houre they should set vpon them, The Indians lamentation for the merci­les cruelties of the Spani­ards at Mexico and siue y^e yong gentlemen being aboue two thousand, and slue y^e rest with an horrible slaughter. The Indians are wont in dolefull maner to bewaile & deplore y^e outragious ca­lamity of y^e day, especially the destruction of y^e ofspring of theyr nobility, in whom theyr ioy & glory did princi­pally consist. This diuell incarnate was accustomed when he went to make war on any City or prouince, to carry thither of the Indians yoaked together an huge multitude, to fight against their neighbors & brethren, & allowing no sustenāce to ten or twenty thousand y^e hee led a long in his army, he licensed them to eate y^e Indians which they could take. So y^e he had in his camp an ordi­nary shambels of mans flesh, where before his face they killed & rosted children; they murthred men only to haue frō them their hands & their féete which they counted y^e daintiest morsells. Another villainy he vsed, which was to ouercharge y^e miserable people w^e cumbersome bur­dens chaining them togither by the neckes; & when any hapned for lack of meate, or length of iourney, or excesse of waight to faint or fall sick, because he would not stay to vnlock the chaine, for y^e spéedier dispatch he cut off the head from y^e shoulders, so y^e head tumbled one way, & the body another. Thus many times of thrée or foure thou­sand shere returned not to their houses sixe a liue. The poore wretched creatures, when they wer to go on these voiages in this maner, parting y^e one from y^e other they wold say: In y^e places where we were wont to serue the Christians, howbeit we trauailed sore, yet at y^e last wee came home againe to our houses, our wiues, & our chil­dren; but now we go without hope euer to come back a­gain [Page]to sée them. What should I talke of eight hundred Indian soules partakers of reason giuen for one Mare? Or of their forraging with fierce mankinde Mastifes, hunting after men & women? From the which a séely woman séeing she coulde not escape, hanged her self, ha­uing tied at her foote her yoong babe of a yeare old: but by the time shée was dead, the curres came & straight­waies deuoured the infant. Another hunting abroad after Venison, & finding no game met with a woman, whom hee bereft of her tender childe: cut off first his armes, then his legs, casting them to his dogs for liue­rie, and lastly threw the whole carcasse among them.

It is impossible for me to vtter in wordes the mer­ciles dealings of the Spaniardes in the Indies, Non mihi si centum Dens or a sonanti [...] linguis Inge­niumque ca­pax totumque Helicona de­disset, &c. the gast­ly remembrance whereof is able to daunt the stoutest courage. So that after this show it is altogither su­perfluous to bring vpon the stage the wicked practises of the holie Inquisition, vnles it were to fill vp a roome of impietie if anie bee vacant. Therefore only thus much, they greatly pretend supporting of the Catho­like faith, but they wholly intend the multiplying of their priuate commoditie: to whome I may apply the fable of the Lion, who being hurt by the Bull comman­ded all horned beasts presently to auoid the forrest, vpon paine of his displeasurs. Amongst the rest y^e made hast a­way, was a beast y^e had a bunch of flesh in his forehead: the For méeting him asked whether he posted so fast: he answered, good faith I neither iustly know, nor greatly care, so I were once gone. Why so I pray thée? Tush, what a question is that? as if thou were ignorant of the late edict y^e Liou caused to be published, that no horned beast should remain within the wood. I know it well: but that is no reason why thou shouldest either flée or feare: for thine is no horn & therfore it cōcerns thée not. Marry, that is true: but yet if the Liō say it is an horn, in what case am I then? So he that comes within the clawes of that holie Court, whatsoeuer his religion be, [Page]if his purse be well replenished, he shall either burne for an heretike, or paie well for the sagots. Whether hée can saie Shibboleth, or Sibboleth it skilleth not: they will bear him down he is an Ephraimite. Such are y^e Spani­ards, such are their fruites: fruites farre worse then the fruites of Sodome. For they though bewtifull in shew, yet being handled fall to ashes, only to the delu­ding of him that would crop them: these glorious in appearance, but being touched turne to poison, euen to the destroying of them that credit them. Are ye then so foolish to looke for Grapes vpon thornes, or Figges vpon thistles? Doo ye take pleasure in the Sirenes song? or pitie of the Crocodiles teares? will ye follow the Hiae­nas voice? or dare ye swallow a Spanish bait? Sic notus Ʋlisses? Know ye not an Eft from an Eele? Learne to answere them as the Fore answered the sicke olde Li­on, when hée intreated him to enter into his denne. Naie, saith the Fore:

Remember the reward the Sabines bestowed vp­on the damosell Tarpeia, A friendly ca­ueat, to fore­warne trai­tors from pe­rill by the ex­ample of o­thers. when shée in lieu of betraying the Citie of Rome into their hands, had demanded those things which they wore on their left armes: they gran­ted, and after they had compassed their purpose, they performed their promise. But whereas shée thought to haue receiued their golden bracelets, shée was ouer­whelmed and slaine with their stéele targates: both which thinges they carried on their left armes. The Spaniardes are perfect in Gordians precept, who wil­leth, if thou wouldest haue thine enemie flée, to make him a golden bridge to run ouer. The Spaniard know­eth that y^e readiest way to win a fort is to batter it with [Page]bullets of gold. He knoweth this; he vseth this: too well he knoweth this to his aduantage; too much hee vseth this; and too late he hath vsed it to my griefe. It is a saying well knowne; Proditionem amo sed odi prodito­rem. Me thinkes your dealings are liuely described in the picture of Furie, who is painted with a sword in his hand, and for the impatient desire of reuenge wher­with he is inflamed, desperatly rusheth vpon a iauelin, slayeng himselfe while he attempteth to annoie his ad­uersarie: ye are farre more besotted than that foolish fe­low that was content to forgo one of his eies, conditio­nallie his companion might loose both. But if this that I haue said do not alter your minds, I doubt whatsoe­uer may be said will be insufficient. And therefore in respect of your obstinacie I am to wish that ye might be dealt withall as the eagle dealeth with hir yoong ones, who tumbleth such out of hir nest as can not stedfastly looke against the sunne beames: or that there were some deuise for the riddance of traitorous papists out of the realme, like to that which king Edgar inuented for the auoidance of wolues when he bound the Welshmen to paie their tribute with wolues skinnes.

If haply your maladie be past recouerie, I will not­withstanding comfort my selfe by repeating the words which Mardocheus vsed, in a case that threatned as great extremitie. When Haman had obtained of king Assuerus that all the Iewes within his Prouinces should be destroied, Ester. 4 An example of singuler comfort to all faithfull sub­iectes. & had got the proscription cōfirmed vnder the kinges seale manuell, Mardocheus being a Iewe, & vncle to quéene Ester, certified her by the kings Eunuches of Hamans procéedings, and sent her the co­pie of the commission, charging her to become petitioner and frame supplicatiō to the king for her people. When Ester heard the wordes of Mardocheus she commanded the Eunuche to tell him, that the law was so: whosoe­uer should come into the kings presence vncalled, must die, vnlesse the king of his grace held forth his scepter [Page]vnto him: Now, saith she, I haue not beene called to the king these thirtie daies, which when Mardocheus vnderstood, he returned her this answere: Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the kinges house more then all the Iewes. For if thou holdest thy peace at this time, comfort & deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place, but thou & thy fathers house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time? So though you being animated through the Popes absolution, and in hope of I know not what lordlie preferments haue agréed among your selues to make away with such as shall not be found to haue an Auemaria sticking betwixt their téeth, or an Agnus Dei couched in their bosome: yet because your rage is raised against the Lord, & your tumult ascended into his ears, I trust he wil doe to you & to your confederats as he did to proud Senacherih, put an hooke into your nostrils and a bridle into your iawes. For as it was prophecied of Troie, that it should not be subdued so long as the Palla­dium, which fell down frō heauen vpō the wals therof, remained within it: so I am assured that England shall haue rest frō all her enimies so long as Gods holy word shalbe sincerely preached & diligētly followed. Our sins the meanes to draw Gods plagues vpon vs. For there is nothing that can withdraw his blessings from vs, or draw his punishments vpon vs, but our stiffnecked and vncircumcised harts, which neither haue thankfuly re­ceiued his truth, nor yéelded obedience vnto y^e same. And were it not y^e there is a zealous Moses among vs, whose praiers appeare before the Lord as incense, & the lifting vp of whose hands is as an euening sacrifice: 1. Pet. 2. were there not a iust Loth who day by day vexeth his soul in seeing our vnlawfull deedes, & by continuall intercession sla­keth the heat of Gods wrath: I feare me your vngodly purposes had ere this preuailed, & his heauy indignatiō consumed vs. Exod. 17. But whensoeuer Moses hands shal begin to ware wearie: when Loth shall once depart out of So­dome, [Page]then I feare lest God lay the raines on your neck, and y^e yoke on ours: lest he grant vnto you power to de­spoile, & allott vnto vs sodaine destruction: then I feare least as the floud was in the spring of the yeare, and the burning of Sodome at the rising of the Sunne: So I feare (I say) least Gods comming vnto vs be in the winter of our faith, and the summer of our pride: and least hee thrust the sickle of his vengeance into the full haruest of our iniquities. Let vs therefore learne to loue him as a father: and let vs not forget to feare him as a Lord. Let vs not despise the riches of hys bountifulnes patience, and long sufferance: knowing that by the same he allureth and leadeth vs on to repentaunce: the differring whereof is most daungerous, for so muche as it is to be giuen of hys mercie, & not commanded at our pleasure: Nam qui promittit poenitenti veniā, non promittit peccanti poenitentiam: He y^e promiseth pardon to him that repentes, doth not promise repentance to him y^e offends.

As for you let this suffise, that there was a cursse denounced against him, that shoulde build vp Iericho a­gaine: that Achan, with his familie, his cattell, his im­plementes, and all that hee had, was stoned and burnt in the vallie of Achor because he had taken a Babilonish garment, certaine shikels of siluer, and a wedge of gold, being excommunicate things, and hid them in his tent: & dare ye then shrine such abhominatiōs in your harts? Surely I greatly doubt, y^e as the Lord plagued al Israel till they had punished Achan, so hee will not leaue to scourge vs till we haue rooted out all of Achans brood. The example of Tarquin in cutiing off the toppes of the poppies was moste happilie imitated to the glorie of God and benefite of the Realme: for by that meanes I trust the stalkes will soone wither away. The Queene of Scots the roote of infi­nite mis­chiefes. But while the roote remained whole, it nourished a great number of noisome and superfluous branches. Our malcontent Romanists were so affectionately deuoted to the con­triuing of her contentment, as Aeolus was desirous [Page]to gratifie Iuno when hee sayd: Tuus, O Regina, quid optes

Your villanies before theyr late discouerie, see­med in your owne conceits wellnigh to haue attained the highest step of theyr perfection: so that if Sinon could haue brought the horse within y^e gates of Troy, he should then haue giuen the watchword to the Grecian Fleete houering aloofe at Tenedos. Then would it haue bene to late to haue wished for Hector, whē Politus should haue bene slaine at the altar and sanctuarie; when Cassandra should haue bene rauished in the temple; and Priamus murthered in his own Pallace. O vnspeakeable grief! all these valefull calamities to haue sprung from one Helena? How much better had it bene that that Helena had neuer bene borne? or being borne, a thousand tymes better, she should haue bene throwne into the middest of the sea with a milstone about her necke, then to haue bin the subiect for so many tragedies. When Iabin king of Canaan sought to oppresse Israel by the handes of Sisera his captaine; [...]udic. 4. the Lord raised vp Deborah and Barak to ouerthrow his power. But the mother of Sisera making iust reckoning of victorie, looked out at the windowe, and cried through the lattesse, why is his Chariot so long a comming? why tarrie the wheels of his Chariot? haue they not gotten, & nowe they deuide the spoyle? &c. The mother, sister, cosin, or friend of Sisera, or howe so­euer she were allied vnto him, looked, & long she looked; but in stead of Sisera, contrarie to her hope, she saw Iehu come to doe iustice. The Lord looked also downe from heauen, hee saw your deuises: hee liked them not, but laughed because hee perceiued your day was comming: yea, hee looked long: at last he sawe iustice done, and it pleased him well. For my part I will euer pray, that I [Page]may rather beare the burthen of Deborahs song, then the burthen of Phineas wiues sorrow. The song of the one was; So let all thine enemies perish O Lord: Sic [...] di [...] [...]. bethae mal [...] v [...] lunt.but they that loue him shalbe as the sunne when he riseth in his might. The sorrow of the other was; The glorie is departed frō Israel; for the Ark of the Lord is taken.

But because a liue dogge is more to be doubted then a dead Lion, I wish that all theyr lurking holes may be narrowly searched, and they ferretted out of theyr Con­niburrowes, Psalme. 101. where priuily they lay wayt for innocent bloud. I pray God, her Maiestie may perfilly learn Da­uids song, Traytors presume upon her M [...]i [...]s mercie. who said he would sing vnto the Lord of mer­cy and iudgement. Her clemencie hath bene moste no­toriously abused; the musick had almost bene mard, and all like to be brought into an vnpleasant discord, while she harped so long vpon one string. The seruauntes of Benhadad king of Syria, 1. Reg. 2 [...]. what iniuries soeuer they had wrought Israel, yet when they were fallen into the lapse they comforted themselues with these wordes: Behold, we haue heard saie that the kinges of the house of Israell are merciful kings; let vs therefore put sackcloth about our loynes, & ropes about our heades, and go to y^e king of Israel: it may be that he will saue our liues. They stood vpon what may be, and what he wil do: not vpon what must be, & what he ought to doe; & thus they made mer­cy the groundwork of their mischiefe. But the king of Israel was reproued by the Prophet, who tolde him; be­cause thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I appointed to die, thy life shal goe for his life & thy peo­ple for his people. No lesse are those runnagate ruffians to be regarded, who practise to steale away the harts of y^e people, crying out with the black mouth of Rabsakeh: What say ye vnto me, we trust in the Lord our God?Esay. 36.Is not that he whose high places, & whose altars Eze­chias took down? & am I come vp without the Lord to this land? therfore let not Ezechias deceiue you, for he shall not be able to deliuer you. And as Artabanus [Page]king of the Persians answered the letters of Alexander emperor of Rome, saying: In stead of paper J assigne him the field, a lance for the pen, bloud for inke, & wounds for words: So these companions for disputations bring dispensati­ons: for reasons treasons, arguing ab vtili, and not ab honesto: concluding neither honestum nor vtile: arming their religion with atheisme: and supporting theyr faith by faithlesse trecheries. Yet when they are cut short by iustice, Papistes make treason the truit of conscience. they wouldimpudently face out the matter, that they die for their conscience, whereas (God knoweth) their conscience was dead long before. But we may an­swere their great maister, as king Richard the first did, when the Pope sent to him commanding him to release the Bishop of Beauuois and his Archdeacon, whome hee called his sonnes, being taken by Earle Iohn the kinges brother in the field, and by the king cōmitted to prison, he sent to the Pope theyr complete armour, with this message, Genes. 37. Ʋide an tunica filij tui sit an non: sée whether this be thy sonnes coate, or not. Let the pope looke whether his Iesuites iett in the garments of godly Churchmen, or rather of roisting vagabondes: let him saie if these be the doings of men that deale vpon zealous conscience, or rather vpon traiterous intent. These are they y^t by their whispering tales would put men in fear where there is no cause of feare: giuing false fires, and striking vp hote alarmes, when there is neither shot nor souldier nigh hād, Papistes in­deuour to amaze men with cause­lesse feare. thinking to make men afraid of skarcrowes, of their own shadows, or rather of nothing at al. These are they that construe euerie accident that befalles to y^e aduan­tage of their purpose, speaking as they would fayne haue it. These are they that vse wicked consultation in holie places, prophaning temples by their lewd confe­rence, and making the house of prayer a den of theeues. In a Church-yard in Paris shortly after the bloudie massacre sprong vp a Palme tree: which the Papistes straight interpreted to be a signe that the Protestants were fullie vanquished, and the lott of victorie falne [Page]to theyr part. But it was indeede a true token, and Time which is Truthes mother, hath prooued it so to be, that howsoeuer they practised by violence to extirpate true professors, yet maugre their malice, his seruants should florish like the Palme trée, and that from their blood as from the ashes of the Phenix should reuiue a glorious of spring. For the blood of Martyrs is the séede of the Church. And therefore as Alexander the great couragiously answered, when his souldiors would haue disswaded him from going vnto India because the image of Orpheus swet: what? (quoth Alexander) doth Orpheus sweat? then I know we shall make worke for the Po­ets: so we, though, not Orpheus image, but Orpheus Ape, Neanthus whom I touched before; though (I say) the Pope sweat and sweare, and take on as one of his pre­decessors did for his pie: yet we know that in maine­taining Gods truth, & obeying our soueraigne we shall doe a worke acceptable to him: but they and you, which doe the contrarie, will make worke daungerous to your soules, damageable to your countrie, & onely profitable for the hangman. I wish you better, & I would I might hope better of you; and when I sée you begin to amend, then shall you sée me leaue off to mistrust. But though faintnes now inforce me to shut vp my complaint, yet vntill that time, neither can I be fréed from feare, nor you cleared from suspicion.

O Louing God, and most mercifull Father, A prayer for the preserua­tion of her maiestie and continuance of the gospel. who hol­dest in thy hand the harts of all Princes, & turnest them which way standeth best with thy diuine plea­sure, we beséech thée so to order the thoughts of thy ser­uant our dread soueraigne, and so to dispose all her acti­ons, that as a faithfull handmaide, she may studie to please thée, and as a carefull nurse séeke to cherish thy Church. And forasmuch as thy glorie is chiefly shewed by bringing to passe thy will through weake meanes & féeble instruments, assist her we pray thée with thy spi­rite, that being weake in her selfe she may be strengthe­ned [Page]by thy arme, to confound all such as shall with Ho­lofernes assault thy people. And as thou hast hertofore of­tentimes redéemed her out of y^e mouth of the lion, so de­fend her still, that neither open force nor secret villanie at anie time preuaile against her. And séeing thesmall graine of thy Gospell which by her hand thou hast gra­ciously sown amongst vs in the field of thy Church, hath béene so watered with the heauenly dew of thy blessing, that the birdes come now & build in the branches there­of: and the slender vine that thou broughtest out of E­gypt, and plantedst in this land, hath through thy good­nesse taken such roote, that the mountaines are now co­uered with the shadow of it, & the boughes therof spread abroad like the goodly Cedar trées: we beséech thée to watch ouer it, that neither the Caterpiller which lur­keth in corners consume it, nor the wilde Boare out of the wood destroy it, but that being nourished by thée, it may grow vp before thée, & bring forth fruite vnto thée. Remember not our former iniquities, but let thy tender mercies preuent our imminent miseries. And as in the daies of Iosua thou didst stay the sunne in the firmament vntil thy people had cleane vanquished their & thine e­nimies: so now maintaine the throne of thine annoin­ted, that her daies may be as the daies of heauen for brightnes, and as that day of Iosua for continuance, that she may wéed out the aduersaries of thy truth, that so the worke which thou hast mercifully begun, may be prosperously perfited by her. Let it neuer be tolde in Gath that the glorie of Iacob is darkened; let it neuer be published in Ashkelon that y^e scepter of Iudah is falne, lest the daughters of the Philistines reioice, and the vn­circumcised begin to triumph. But let all the world know that thou carest for thy people and vpholdest thine heritage. As for thine enimies they shall be as the smoke that vanisheth in the wind; as the waxe that melteth at the fire; and as the dust that is scattered be­fore the tempest. They shall perish, yea they shall all perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.