The office and duety in fightyng for our countrey Set forth with dyuerse stronge argumentes gathered out of the holy scripture prouynge that the affection to the natiue countrey shulde moche more rule in vs christians then in the Turkes and infidels, who were therein so feruent, as by the hystoriis doth appere.

The office and duety in fightyng for our countrey Set forth with dyuerse stronge argumentes gathered out of the holy scripture prouynge that the affection to the natiue countrey shulde moche more rule in vs christians then in the Turkes and infidels, who were therein so feruent, as by the hystoriis doth appere.

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¶ To the ryght honorable and my syngular good ldrde and mayster, syr Anthony Sentleger knyght, of the moost honourable order of the garter, one of the gentlemen of the kynges hyghnes moost honourable priuie chamber, and lorde deputie of Irelande.

¶ This oracion was pronounced by Edwarde walshe, at seuerall tymes vnto his felowes militynge at the seige of Boloingn̄.

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¶ This oracion was pronounced by Edwarde walshe, at seuerall tymes vnto his felowes militynge at the seige of Boloingn̄.

OFTEN tymes consideryng with my selfe most hartely beloued frendes? the high and most vertuous re specte, which the famous romaynPreceptū Catonis. Cato hadde to the common wele, when he so earnestlye amonge other his moral preceptes did teachPropositio. that we shulde fyght for oure coū trye. I thought it myght be neytherBeneuolentiam consiliat a sua et auditorium persona. inconuenient nor yet incomly but very commendable and necessarye for vs that I shuld bestowe this small layser, in declaryng vn [Page] to you some argumentes and perswasions tochinge our most boun den duetie to oure natiue and naturall countreye. That ones hearynge the same, as we that haue redde and perused thystoryes of the noble feates of them that attayned immortall glorye in that behalfe as therby encoraged, you also with semblable alacritie andScopus. towardnes may vertuouslye aduaunce youre selues to follow the wholsome doctrine of ye Sapient Cato. And notwithstandynge that after I reuolued this attemp tate in my mynde and wt inwarde contemplacion behelde euery way howe I myght best begynne, and begon, procede and so condinglye perfourme it accordinge the due expectacion that you myght haue of me, interprysynge the same, I foūd it to be a burden heuier then [Page] I myght wel sustayne seing right wel yt yf I shuld take thoccasionsA difficultate rei attentiores facit. to write, that the mater frely offereth to my hand: no volume could comprehend the same, and scantly the hole entreual of my lyfe shuld therevnto suffise: yet as the maner is of other recent writers takynge this sodayne occasion as well ofAnsa. my propre exile, as of the most god lye quarels of our moost drad soueraigne lorde kynge Henrye the eyght, who most tenderly desyreth the welth of hys loyall subiectes and paynefully stodyeth for the same: the trompe whereof soundeth throughe oute al the regions of the earth, and shalbe doubtles foreuer a miroure to all suche as shall hereafter desyre to gouerne in a common wele, I can no lesse doo then expresse vnto you, such symple reasons, as haue at this [Page] presente concurred in my memorye touchynge oure sayde mooste bounden deutye and office to oure natiue countreye, whiche I haue gathered together partelye of the sayenges of famous auctours and partely of the experience that I daylye se in men of noble Ingene and vertuous educacyon.Consiliarios regios sibi cō siliat, dum circa rēp: se adeo solicitum predicat.

Trustynge that thereby, the zele that nature hathe in me kendled towarde my countreye, may apere in me not onelye inextynguyble, but also alwayes vygylante and cyrcumspecte for the good and commodytye of the same. For yf anye of vs, hauynge receyued offycyous pleasure at our frendes handes, wyll not onelye rememberSillogismos. the same with rendrynge due thankes, but also euen shewe aparant tokens of oure good wylles to regratifye it with lyke offyce, [Page] why then, consideringe that by the exemple of our fathers we ought to be alwayes thankefull for oure nutricion. Shuld we not accumulate and heape our thankes and officious dueties to oure natyue contrey, by whose ayde moost prin cipally we were not onely produced and nouryshed, but also preserHiis malis infantes obnoxii sunt maxime. ued when we coulde neither speke nor go nor yet of our selues euite ye peryll of fyre water yron or such lyke daungerous thinge, whereby we myght peryshe in our infancy. By her benefite, we fyrste learnedA beneficiis. to go on the grunnde, and in amia ble maner to frame oure babyshe tongues, to speake oure mother tounge or contrye language. By her benefite the stronge, the weke, the poore, the ryche, the noble, and thinferiour persons lyue together & are serued together in their vocacion [Page] with y• necessaryes of theyr bodye. In our countrey we fyrste dyd beholde the most beautyfull bryghtnes of the sonne, which the euerlastyng god hath so disposed to the vse of man, that beynge cō mon to al yt nacions of the earth, it extendeth beames and lyght, as though the same were propre to eche countreye: wherein the worke manshyp of god appereth to be equall vnto vs his sapience, exceadinge the iudgement of man. Out of her wombe dyd ebullulate andBaptizamur in pa tria. sprynge the water wherewith the most heauenly ceremonie through which we are called christiās was in vs perfourmed. By her benefit the rude feldis of oure vnderstan dyng, readie to growe wt all kynd of vnclene thinges, were sowed with ye diuine precepts of y• gospel without the instructions whereof [Page] we shulde be as thinfideles that do not knowe god, who can therefore repende condigne offyce or thāke though we dyd study paynfully for the same. And as the famousLucianus in opusculo de patrie encomio. auctor Lucian sayeth, there is nothinge in this worlde, so honourable, or so godly, whereof the goodnes of the natiue contrey is not in some respecte a maistres, & an occasion. Nether can we name the commoditie, the pleasure, the qualitie, the honoure or any other good thynge wherof the natyue countrey is not to be thanked. Ye though our contrey were in dede so baraign, as that she shuld nede the fruytes of other realmes andA contratii obiectione. so rude of tonge, ye in treatinge of weyghtie matters we shulde nede the ayde of estraunge languages: yet resteth in her as in ye originall and principall a great occasion of [Page] thankes and immortall prayses. Moreouer let vs considre the very instruct of nature that workethNatura. vniuersally in all men, who was euer so vnnatural, ye though he ex celled many in auctoritie & power in the straunge contreye, to be delired with the pleasant and volup tuos contemplacion of the cōpasse and riches of grat cyties, ye costly buyldynge of edificis, or any lyke blandiment, that he wolde totally forget his natiue contrey? Peraduenture in the comparison or weyinge together of the goodnes of countrayes or famous cities, men wyll haue sometyme consyderaciō & respecte to theyr amplitude, elegance, plentifulnes & riches. But nowe at all ye nature hath rightly educed, wyll chose for him felfe a more mete place to dwell in, then his natyue conntreye: preferryng [Page] the same we all her faultes, to al ye copious & rych places of ye world. Thus do the legitimate & trewe children. Thus do the fathers also that be honest, good, and ryghtuous. A chylde certis hauynge any respecte of humanitie wil not prefer in honour any mortal creature to his father, nor the fatherMutuum parentum & filiorum officium. embrace with more fatherly affection any yonglynge before his na turall chylde, yf then we owe due honour, to oure fathers as by theHonora patrem et matrem. very commaundement of god we are bounde, howe great study and industry is requisite of vs to forse that no wrake or euyll maye come to our natiue contrey, wherin our fathers are preserued and kepte, howe can it be sayde, that we do due honour to our fathers, yf sufferynge a permcyous myscheyf to growe agaynst our common wele [Page] that successiuely maye destroye the same: we spare our bodyes or goodes to take it awaye, and to establyshe a certayne order therin accordinglye: yf we be bounde toLocus a fortiore. oure fathers, we be moche more bounde to our lynnage, and so per quensequently to oure countrey, where they are conserued. You maye beholde the aged man, who all his lyfe tyme hath lyued sump tuouslye, reiectynge all maner the commodite ease and pleasour that he hath in the straunge countreye howe he wissheth most instantlye in his natiue countrey euen to repose his bodye as it were on the brest of his naturall mother: yea nature worketh with such fearce in men that whyle they suspecte them selues to be deprehended in an vnked contrey thinkynge ther to be buryed and turned to ye dust [Page] they can not but euermore desyre to departe. And the more we haue sene men come to the opinion of wysedome and to the nomber of yeares, the more subiectes they semed to be to this affectiō that you haue herde here rehersed. ye anye aliant or straunger, that lyke a bastarde or spurious vilipendeth the name of his natiue countrey, estemynge exile a small matter, & lyke a glotten reposinge his felici tie in the stinkynge and bestly vo luptuousnes of the body, and the vile pleasours of ye same, yeldinge his industrye to satisfye concupiscence, without studie charge or cō sideracion of the wele of his coun trey, is in no wise to be prosecuted with thargument of a gentle and regratifieng harte. Moreouer the goddis (as poetes do fayne) do delite in their natiue conntrey, [Page] Who, as Lucyan sayeth, beholdynge the whole possessions ofLucianus men with the compas of the earth and occean: and knowynge them selues, as they write to be owners thereof: yet euery of them preferreth with more inwarde affection his natiue coūtrey then any other place of the worlde wtout respecte. Whose opinion I haue here to you rehersed, to thende onely that the affection, which is borne from the beginnigne to the natiue contrey, maye appere to you thereby. But let vs haue oure recourse to the holy scripture, which is farre from the faynige of poetes, and considre we that is sayde of our sa uiour Iesus christe the verye owner and redemer of the worlde, wherof the holy prophet MicheasMiche. 5. enspired with the spirite of god re kenynge with him self the honour [Page] due of all men to their natiue coū trey sayeth these wordes folowing which the holy euangelyste MatheweMathei. 2 reherseth in his seconde chapter. Thou bethleem sayth he, of the lande of Iuda, arte not the lest amonge the princis of Iuda: for out the shall there come vnto me ye captayne that shall rule my people Israel: yf the holy prophet of god did note such respect in ourA fortiore sauyoure Iesus Chryste whiche doutles in that he was man, was in hym aswell assyduous as ferueut. The scripture testyfyeth theLuce 19. Io. 11. same by that he so tenderlye dyd wepe for the dissolation of Ierusalem, and sundreye other exemples whiche at this presente I neade not to rehearse. What inhumayne, yea rather what bestly instyncte shulde rule in vs yf we shulde haue no affectyon of loue [Page] risynge in oure hartes to our natiue countrey, whose fathers and whole generacion and progenie is earthy & of the erth &, who as you haue harde receaue so many officious cōmodities by her only bene fite. In this place by occasion of ye matter wherof I treate, I am cau sed to remēber ye moost detestable vilenie of Delapole, Path, GarrotDelapole Path. Garrot & such others as wt like madnes not only haue forsakē ye swete vicisitude & offices of their natiue countrey. But also wt most execrable & vngodly ingnominie haue wrought most falsely & trayterous ly against ye same. How be it lest I shuld seme ī their vituperie which no tunge can condingly vtter to digresse from my purposed matter, I leue to them for a perpetual torment to their hartes the same whiche the makers of the lawes [Page] haue ordeyned to punish greuous offendours, euen exile. And for an euerlastinge exemple of their contumely the, most excellent benefites whiche they haue receaued of their sayde natyue countrey, to be cōtrepeysed in the sight of all the worlde with their abhominable in gratitude & vnthankfulnes. Lettynge you to witte that who so euer offendeth in ye like trespas, not onely breketh the bounde of al humanitie and gratitude, falleth frō the high degre of liberty, renegeth for euer to runne in the race of honour, but also transgresseth ye high institution and prouidence of god wherwithby inexplicable presciēce he hath ordeyned, and constitued eche man to lyue vnder ye powers of the earth as it is written in diuerse [...] et 17 [...] Ro. 13 Sapien. 6 places of the holy euangelye we can not be therof ingnoraunt: [Page] not vnder such powers as we our selues shall chose or desyre, either through our blynde affections or otherwise: for he by the wounderful depte of his wisedome & his in uestigable wayes of for knoweledge, before we came to ye world, hath ordeyned prouyded and appoynted for vs, expresly that we ought in that behalfe to obserue and folow: in shewyng our duety to our natiue coūtrey without we shuld after the maner of gyaūtes, as sayth the Prouerbe fyght againstCum diis pugnare. god, & worke against his be hestes. It may be well apperceaued by this hyghe prouydence of god yt among al trāsitory thinges we are principally bounde to our natiue countreye, And also that itEpilogus primi capi tis. maye not lye in vs to chaunge yt god hath appoynted the same beinge euen the verye fyrste gyfte ye [Page] we receyue of our creator, by this also the wordes of the romayne oratour Tully, apere to be true where he sayth that oure byrth is the possession of our natiue countreye. It can not be expressed vnto your sightes by more viuely coullour of rethoricke, how moch com moditie and office accrueth vnto vs that be the germayne Citizens of our natiue contreye. Then if it myght be depinged before you, howe intollerable calamitie and vnquietnes is to them that be banished and expelled frō the same, who beinge totally descruciate by the grefe of their perigrinacion, cesse and to affirme that amonge all the good thynges of the world the natyue countrey is the beste. And miserably complayning their infortunate and wretched lyfe, for that they inhabite not their natyue [Page] countreye, they esteme them selues for that cause onely, most in fortunat though in al other thinges, they haue their hartes desire of all the riches and pleasours of the worlde. And how they that for a while, as estraungiers and aliantesAlienigene. haue leaded their lyues hauynge attayned no lyttle splēdour and glorie, eyther by ryches and possessions, dignite and honoure, notable fame of excellent lerninge and Ingene or renowne of diuine vertue, striuen together who may first come to their natine countrey as though no wher elsthey might with prayse excersyce their sayde goodes to the contentation of their myndes: ye the more I haue sene men auctorised and taken as mete tachiewe greater attemptates the more they semed to accelerate, to their natyue [Page] countrey to thende they might cō uerte their industrye to the behofe thereof. So as truely I am made of the opynion that the whole studye and labour that men take to attayne knowledge or to heape to gether treasours is pretended toNihill nō tenetur patrie. thende either they myght with the same do profitte in exercisinge liberalitie in tyme of neade or els in doing some laudable thing where of high commodite myght growe to the common wele, you maye beNotat tria viria quibus ho mines detinentur a [...]. sure I meane not here these grose marchauntes these sarcastical pre stes and possessioners of greate anuyties nor suche others, whose iudgementes touche nether heuen nor earth, but is caried with suche auydyous desire to hepe and to kepe as hath no maner ende.

These without doubt repose theirLuce. 16. whole felicite in the wicked Mam [Page] mon without further purpose thē to se the same locked vp as ye high treasour of their hartes. The very Etnickes that neuer receaued the fayth and consolacion of the word of god nor herde the manifolde reLuc. [...] ▪ [...]6 proches yt Christe layeth against the rych for their abuses (were notMa. 6▪ so blynde but they wolde for their countreyes sake bestowe not only their goodes but also their bodies as by exemples I wyll somewhatSecundū. declare. I meane not also these studientes that studie a great perte of their youth with great diligēce and paynes to thende they myght vnder coullour of the lawe or the worde of god, worke thinges for their priuate ease, and commoditie: a great nomber of suche byrdes buylden theyr nestes in the braunches and vnder the shadow of good doinge, whiche dayly inuent [Page] newe craftis of dissimulacion. These studie & watche always to encrease and augmēt their voluptuous ease, and amplifie their possessions and lyuelode, not regardynge thanxious thoughtes and studie that they are bound to take for the common wele and pre seruacion of the churche of God. Soch haue not receaued reuelaci on of the respect that our sauiour Iesus christ had to ye cōmon weleMa. 17. when he payed the peny founde in the fisshes belly, and when he aunMa. 22. Luce. 20. swered the pharisees touchinge yt tribute due to Cesar, neither consi dre they the study and circumspectionPetrus. Barnabas. Paulus. Passim in actibus Apostolorum et epistolis. whiche the appostles, Peter, Barnabas, and Paule had to the cōmon wele, in preachinge the gos pell, obseruynge alwayes the circumstances that made for the com mon wele: which thinges and many [Page] other necssarie instructiōs for our christē sotietie, while they stu die the contencious and inutile ru les of Duns, Thomas and sucheIohannes Dunt Thoma [...] de aquine others, and while they sticke in de fuse & insoluble questions of diuinite, are declared vnto vs wt great & heuēly discrecion by ye very Etnickis as Plato, Socrates, Aristotle,Plato. Socrate▪ Aristoteles. Tullius▪ Lato. Plutarchus. Seneca. Tully, Cato, Seneca, Plutharch & al other famous auctors yt euer hitherto did write. I wold o god yt such were thindustry and good wyl of our prestes & studien tes yt are allowed to sit at home to preach ye gospel & ministre yt lawe, peraduēture, in such heuenly iudgemētSpūs paracletus nam (que) di ci [...]ur spū [...] dorodoti [...] they had ye help of ye spirite of god, whose gracis are further extended then we can interprete or defyne. Neither do I meane suchTertium Demosth nes. as are reproued by Demosthenes that sometyme were militynge in [Page] Grece for the onelye loue of moneye and profite, without the inwarde study that they shuld haue to do the honour of their countrey who for that they trusted in the corrupte myndes of their captaynes to be by thē reaceaued agayne to fauour when they wold for moneye. Went about when any daū ger came vpō them, euery man to saue him selfe without any respect to the shame that they therby disserued. Wherfore the said Demosthenes extolleth with high praise, the order taken for soche in the cō mon wele of Democratia: whereResp. De [...]ocratica suche offendours coulde neuer agayne be receaued to fauour. And where many excellent honest and rightous istituciōs were set forth very necessarye for eche man that is beneuolent or studious for the good of his countrey to obserue [Page] and folowe, which for your sakes I trust shortly to se transphrased into our mother tonge, notwithstandynge that in this exemple of the cowarde grekes I can in no wise meue you. Whose deades be manifest ynoughe thankes be to god in declarynge your wyllynge hartes, to do the profitte and honour of our natyue countrey.

Of these defectus that you haue herde, I myght set forth domesticall exemples, wherewith my wordes mygh be opened euen to your owne eyes, but made odious and greuous vnto some mens hartes. But bicause it is necessary for himLocus comunis d [...] auditorū beneuole [...] tia: that wolde exhort the people, to al lure them with swete and pleasaūt instructions, to acquire fauour at their handes, for without that nothinge is to thē acceptable, I will not so manifestlie set forth ye faultꝭ [Page] which (without my speche) shalbe with such as I haue saide, confrō ted more and more to their perpetuall vitupery, & contempt, and to the immortall glorye, and vnspea kable renowine of ye noble hartes that be of suche humayne, and offi cious ingene, as knoweth their bo dies and goodes to be euen the ve ry possessiou of the common wele of their natiue countrey. And thē Marcus Tulius. selues as Tully sayth to haue ben borne to the vse thereof. Sythens therfore the noble oratour DemoDemosthe nes. sthenes not only coūteth him selfe vnhable to dilate ye noble vertu & y• honour of such, who as I haue said, ar giuē to ye commō wele but also affirmeth ye whole vigour of rethoricke to be therto insufficiēt: I were worthy to be redargued of moche arrogācy yf I shuld attēpt to make vnto you a diffiniciō ther [Page] of. He doubteth not to call suche men the very soule of their countreye,Anima patrie. bycause of their magnificence and nobylitie of harte, shewynge the same by an example of Grece, howe when such Citizens were decessed and passed out of the worlde the whole dignitie and noble aucthoritie of Grece, was taken awaye and fordone. HeLux patrie. calleth them also the lyghte of their countreye, meanings that as the lyght beinge taken awaye frome our vse, the rest of oure lyfe shulde be vnto vs tedyous: euen so the sayd noble cytizens beinge departed the spendour and glory of Grece, was turned vnto myserable darkenes, and so the commons brought to ryght great ruyne and decaye. By whiche exemples it is playnly aparant how muche difference is betwixt them [Page] that take paynes in the common wele of their countrey as you do. And them that lye lurkynge atA contratiorum comparatione▪ home lyke vnprofitable ye rather vnnaturall and bestlye people, ye wyll not loke to render mutuall office and thanke to so many and spontayne pleasours, that theyr natiue countrey mynystreth vntoUirtutis consummatio for [...]udo. them. And bicause that this that you haue herde is the vyue fountayne of honour and the very offyce of fortitude, whiche of all ver tues is the consummate perfectiō. I wyl exhort, that we, who the for knowlege of god hath destinied to be of the noble church and congregacion of Englande and Irelande: lacke no courage to aduaunce our selues defendinge the worthy fame whiche our fathers before vs so longe tyme haue defended and preserued. And regardynge [Page] the great & noble magnanimitie of the very Ethnickis, let no defecte or slakenes be in vs to perExempla magnanimitatis quorundā Et nicorū fourme so noble & worthy an inter prise. The Erectheans knowyng yt their prince Erecthea dyd put to death his owne doughters called Hiacyntidas for his countreyes sake, thought it shuld be vndecent for them, seinge their prince being immortall and doinge so moch for their coūtrey, to esteme more their mortall bodies then immortall ho nour. The Agidians also knoweyngeAgide. that their prince Ageus dyd fyrst establyshe lawes and instituciōs in the cōmon wele, wherby he attayned immortal praise, were animated rather to dyspyse theyr mortall bodies then to be lyuers in Grece, after that the honour by him gotten shulde be in theyr default lost. The Leontians knowyngeAgide. [Page] howe the doughters of their prynce Leon offred them selues a sacrifice for their coūtrey, thought it shulde be an argument of moch vilenie in them yf they shulde be counted inferiours in fortitude, & magnanimitie to womē. The AcaA camantide. mantians also remembrynge the verse of Homer, howe the immortal prince Acamans did sayle into Troye for the saluegarde of his mother thought it shulde be requisite in them to bestowe theyr mortall carcaise for their countrey the same beynge the conseruatrice of all their parentes and progenie from the first of them to the last. The Cecropians also consideringCecropide howe their prince Cecrope was ta ken to be pertely a man and pertlye a dragon for none other cause then that in ingene and iudgemēt he resembled a man, and in vigout [Page] a draggon, in thaffaires of the cō mon wele. And lykewyse ThantioAnthiochi de▪ chians forgettynge not that their prince Anthiochus was sonne vnto Hercules determined in theyr hartes either to leade a lyfe worthy the nobilitie of their prynces, or els to dye with the honour to them lefte. With diuerse, ye innumerable others as well Grekes & Romaynes as of other common weles the exemples whereof to be shewed our present leysar doth inhibite. Yf then such magnanimityEpilogos cum argumento. dyd reigne in the hartes of the very infidels, whiche in dede ye lawe of nature gyueth in yeldyng their personnes to so many ieoperdies for their countreyes, howe muche more shulde the lyke desire be euē inflamed in our hartes who haue [...] nature. aboue the lawe of nature the glad tydynges of helthe, the gospell of [Page] our sauiour Iesus Christ, who exLer diuina. emptyng not the lawe of nature, from his holy rules: hath further promised vs that our bodyes shal be reysed agayne with greater per fection ye with incorruptible glorie,Thess. iiii the hope whereof onely certis is no smale ioye and solace to our hartes, and an efficax remedie to put awaye from vs thanxious & formidelous thoughtes yt might rise in vs of our fleshe, whiche we haue aboue thinfydeles, and Etnickis that wante hope. Yf we shulde seme to staye and spare our wretched bodyes from so noble an interprise what maye thinfideles, as saynt Iohn̄ Chrisostome saythChrisostomus. laye to our charge? what will they not cast in our teth? These be they thatso cōstantly affirme that ther shalbe a resurrection of the dede: fayre wordes but their deades [Page] drawe not after that lyne, wt their wordes: they affirme that there shalbe a resurrection of the dead, but they dispayre in their hertes. Let not vs therfore frustrate theHortatur ad stabilitatem. hope that our sauiour Iesu christ hath gyuen to vs for the recomforte of our hartes, as sayth saint Paule: lest we shuld lament and morne lyke them that want hope. And yf thinfideles remenbrynge the magnanimite of their princes were so animated: Howe moche more shulde we be euen enflamed beholdynge the princely clemency fortitude and magnanimitie of our liege and naturell kynge Hen rye the eyght by the grace of god kynge of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendour of the fayth in earth vnder god of ye churches of Englande Irelande ye supreme hede, & of his noble progenitours [Page] whiche no volume can cōprehēde, were the same by any oratour explicable. ye why shulde we not be euen determined like men to fight for lyfe & death, rather thē lyuing to se that princely dignitie, that euangelical gouernaunce defaced, which the very prouidence of god hath giuen to vs not to thende we shuld permit the same to be by our enemies forfrushed and brought to nought, but that we shulde ver tuouslye stande in the defence and mayntenaunce thereof in all fideli tie trouth and singlenes of mynde As the lawe of nature, the bonde [...]erotatio of loue wherewith our natiue coū treye hath bounde vs, the exemple of the princely dexteritie of our no ble kynge and his highnes noble progenitours. And also the verye worde of god in so manye places doth incite and perswade vs to do [Page] And finally lest we shuld be inferi ours to thinfideles whose magna nimitie I haue here to your parte ly declared, I most tēderly exhorte you euen with the wordes of saint Paule: let eche of vs possesse his bodie in all holynes and honour not in sustayninge dishonour as thoughe we knewe not god ye as though we had no hope, or knewe not these thinges that you haue herde of the officious and plentifull goodnes of our natiue countreye. Which I doubt not hath efficace strengthe and energie to chaunge the very cowarde harte to be hardie bolde and coragious in folowynge the precepte of the sapiente Cato, euen to fyght for the natyue countrey. And not with standynge that by the rehersal vn to you of histories of noble men this proposicion shulde haue the [Page] strong collection of argumentes, for our small laysar, let this that I haue sayd be vn to you for this tyme sufficient.

Finis.

§

§

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The office and duety in fightyng for our countrey. Set forth with dyuerse stronge argumentes gathered out of the holy scripture prouynge that the affection to the natiue countrey shulde moche more rule in vs christians then in the Turkes and infidels, who were therein so feruent, as by the hystoriis doth appere. 1545.

¶ To the ryght honorable and my syngular good ldrde and mayster, syr Anthony Sentleger knyght, of the moost honourable order of the garter, one of the gentlemen of the kynges hyghnes moost honourable priuie chamber, and lorde deputie of Irelande.

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BEYNGE so many wayes bounde vnto your lordeshyp, for the most gracious, bountie and munifycence, which in the tyme of my greuous calamitie you haue vnto me extē ded. I thought it shulde be noted in me a poynt of muche ingratitude, to be so longe absent from my countrey without hauynge to [Page] you therfore due officious thākes. wherfore I haue deuised to presēt your honour with this my poore lucubraciō. That ye same maye be an exāple of my assiduous study, and desyre to accomplysh the duetye, wherewith your lordeshyppe haue me so often boūde. The mat ter may be aswell conferred to the feruent affection, whiche alwayes I haue borne to my countrey, and to the grefe of my propre exyle, as also wholy attribued to the moste godly purpose of our moost drad soueraygne lorde the kynges maiestie, in settynge forth his loyall subiectes▪ against our enemies.

In the one respecte I take it to be a gyfte nedefull for me to gyue.

And in the other (for this present tyme) somewhat apt for your wise dome to receyue. That the same beinge perused, corrected, and set [Page] forth by your honour maye haue creadite with al men, the more vertuouslye to do their most bounden deutie, euen in fyghtynge for their contrey, as the sapient Cato doth counsell. In my most humble maner besechynge your honourable lordeshyppe to note therein not my temerious audacite and rudenes, but my wyllynge harte to do my duetie for my parte & to swade other, in yt I may to do the lyke. I haue constrayned this litle worke to more brefnes then I ought, leuyng out the examples and historyes, wherof your lordeshyppe is so well fulcome, that I feared the readinge of them shulde be to you somewhat tedyous: notwithstandynge I knowe ryght well the rehearsall of them shulde adde to my worke no lyttle coulloure of perswasyon: whych thyng I eftesones [Page] beseche youre wysedome to accepte accordynglye, besechynge almyghty god to sende you most hartely well to fare.

Your moost humble & obedient seruaunt Edwarde walshe.

§

§

¶ Imprynted at London in Aldersgate strete by Iohannes Herford.

At the costes and charges of Robert Toye dwellynge in Paules church yarde, at the sygne of the Bell.

Anno dn̄i. 1545.

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Information about this book

Title statement

The office and duety in fightyng for our countrey Set forth with dyuerse stronge argumentes gathered out of the holy scripture prouynge that the affection to the natiue countrey shulde moche more rule in vs christians then in the Turkes and infidels, who were therein so feruent, as by the hystoriis doth appere.

Walshe, Edward.

Edition statement

1545

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A14700

ID [STC]

STC 25000

ID [STC]

ESTC S105083

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99840813

ID [PROQUEST]

99840813

ID [VID]

5348

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A14700)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 5348)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 159:09)

Source

— The office and duety in fightyng for our countrey Set forth with dyuerse stronge argumentes gathered out of the holy scripture prouynge that the affection to the natiue countrey shulde moche more rule in vs christians then in the Turkes and infidels, who were therein so feruent, as by the hystoriis doth appere., Walshe, Edward..

Extent

[40] p.

In Aldersgate strete by Johannes Herford. At the costes and charges of Robert Toye dwellynge in Paules church yarde, at the sygne of the Bell],. [Imprynted at London :: 1545.. (Dedication signed: Edward Walshe.) (Place of publication and printer's name from colophon.) (Signatures: A-B C⁴.) (Some print show-through.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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