EMong all the cruell and combrous chaunces of this worlde wherin bu­sie heddes, and wicked wittes are occupied (to the bodie and soules de­structiō) is no onething so perillous, as the pestilent plague and smo­theryng smoke that ciuill dissentiō bryngeth. Whiche is bredd in the bowells of rebellion, noursed vp in vile and naughtie Nature, and brought to a full perfection, by the pride or conceite of hatefull persones, and vnnaturall practises. And surely no matter more to bee lamented, then to see one member corrupte an other, and the foote or inferiour partes (whose forse is small, and feeblenesse greate) strine with the hedde, or deuie to dooe their duetie, and beare that thei are able. For in a maner it is a monsterous vewe to beholde, some branches of a tree yelde but bitter ber­ries, and all the reste of the bowes to beare moste sweete and acceptable fruite. And a more odious sight it is to see a ciuill manne, become a sauage beast, vertue and valliaun­cie, conuerted to villanous vice and treche­rie: The subuersion of kyngdomes, and cor­rupter [Page] of all Common weales, whiche ruste and canker once takyng roote, destroyes not onely pure and fine mettall, but maintaineth grosse and foule infection, the mother of mis­cheef and disorder, whereby cleane life and good maners is forgotten, and leaude beha­uiour is moste in mynde, and embrased.

In the daies of oure Forefathers many hundreth yeres agoe menne were so noblie bent and disposed (and honoured their Coun­trey so dearely) that no hazarde nor attempte was refused, that might aduaunce the pub­like state, or enlarge the boundes and liber­ties of the same. And some one to ridde their countrey of Plague, or noysome afflictions, haue offered their liues, and sought death as willingly as life and worldely felicitie, is e­mong the greatest nomber desired, the cou­rage of Marcus Curssius, and many others of manly minde beares witnesse to that mat­ter. Yea, some to ridde good and peaceable people, that wisheth quietnesse, from wicked warre (and the pride of a tyrant) haue aduen­tured to worke wonders: and bryng to passe thynges, beyonde the common compasse of mannes pollicie. Lette the boldnesse of Mu­sius Sceuola stande for an argumente suffici­ent [Page] in the proofe of this cause. And so sonde­rie, yea, a multitude of renowmed persona­ges (their order of life and death reuiued) brynges recorde enough of their noble dee­des, and vertuous dispositions. But as those worthies did weare awaie, and the season be­came old (through continuaunce of tyme) so newe fashions and maners wared ripe in a little while after, and were so well liked for their sodaine chaunge, and alteration of spi­rite, that the olde fidelitie and value of mens estimation, beeyng waied in the ballaunce of newe found fancies, beganne to lose weight, and wanted many graines of goodnesse (that our Elders honoured) it hath suttellie been solde, and finely laied vp, yet vsed ouer often and tasted to muche, and yet the custome is not so good, that it maie breede a Lawe in mannes Nature, nor make men leaue the v­sage of olde vertue, for the cumiyng trade of finenesse newe vice, that euery daie changeth condition, and lookes neither to GOD, the worlde, nor well doyng, but passeth to sonde­rie practises in some kinde of sorte, againste heauen and yearth, and so is carred cleane from all hope of repentaunce, rounyng head­long into a heape of hazardes.

[Page] The newe treasons, daungerous deuises, deuelishe attemptes, and rebellious rages of diuers wretched people (that for the reuenge of a little wrong, settes abroche many broi­les) argues a marueilous decaie in the myn­des of men, that hath been giuen to doe good, and expresseth plainely that our auncestours noblenesse is out of memorie, and the worlde is wonderfully enclined to followe badde cu­stomes, and curious knackes of crueltie, murtheryng freendes that neuer offended, and fauouryng foes that daiely seekes mis­cheef. The bloode of that honeste gentleman Harry Dauells, cries out vppon those filthie practises, and the murthers without mercie committed of late, doeth manifestly declare, the villanous exchaunge of this inconstaunte worlde, whiche nouseleth bloodie hartes in tyrannie, and bringes forthe the curssed fruit of Caine, that God did not leaue vnpunished.

You maie read of some noble warriours, that after thei were banished their countrey, through the furie of the people, and mutabi­litie of Fortune: yet thei behaued them selues so worthely, when thei looked backwarde to the bodie and bowelles of the natiue soile thei were borne in, thei refrained their handes frō [Page] dooyng violence, and kepte their hartes and their heddes from woorkyng of iniuries, es­pecially towardes their Prince and Coun­trey, whiche modeste and gentilnesse (when it was well considered of) wan them a grea­ter credite then thei had before, and brought them home againe, and in a good likyng of the Commons euer after. But as you maye read in many good aucthours, the goodnesse of suche menne that honoured their countrey: So maie you see the lightnesse of some peo­ple, ledde so farre beyonde the boundes of o­bedience, and loue of their Prince, that thei leaue no shamelesse matter vnsought, nor no mischeef vnministered, where thei ought to bee profitable members of the state, and pre­seruatours of the common weale.

It is assuredly more thē miraculous (and as wee might properly saie, a thing paste all reason) to see a manne forsake his Countrie, and cutte hymself in peeces, by abandonyng the same, and then to runne a gaddyng after euery shadowe, and giue hym self ouer to the leadyng and gouernemente of a straunger, who can not inwardlie esteeme hym, because he hath betraied the bodie whereof he was a member, and deceiued his owneself by sow­yng [Page] dissention, where duetie commaundeth concorde, and he of duetie ought to bee a sub­iecte, a matter that if menne would wisely waye (and throughly looke into) might kepe them from witlesse wanderyng abroad, and preserue them at home in more quietnesse of mynde.

Well, now beholde what brusteth out of rebellion, and chaunge of good conditions, and regarde how God prepareth instrumen­tes, to put them doune that Sathan hath ad­uanced, and you shall finde that the almigh­tie fighteth the battaile, when the pollicie and power of man faileth, or waxeth feble. You maie remember, that markes this worlde, how Shaen Oneall was strong in the feelde, and yet wanted force and cunnyng, to keepe his hedde on his shoulders. And an other cal­led Roorioege who delighted in rebellion, was lefte headlesse ere he was ware, and all by the prouidence and iuste Iudgemente of the Almightie, who holdes the bridle in his owne hande, and tourneth bothe horse and man, the verie same waie he hath appoincted for their destruction. And where one rebell by sufferaunce escapeth the scourge, a thou­sande lighteth in the lashe, and feles the whip [Page] of Gods wrathe and displeasure.

And maie not this laste example bee re­hearsed, for a testimonie of Gods veugaunce when he listeth to strike: yes vndoubtedlie, it maie hee recited, because Fitz Morrice was thought wise, valiaunt, strong, learned, experimented in Marshall affaires, and a greate trauailer to sturre vp troubles, which fell vpon his owne hedde, when neither wise­dome could preuent it, nor his rebellious po­wer could withstande Gods doyng and ordi­naunce, and who so deepely noteth the man­ner of his death (and daungerous deastenie that drewe hym to his ende) shall see the in­finite Maiestie of God shine, in the purpose and determinations of men, especially when thei goe about good thynges, whereby God is knowen and glorified, and the worlde in those purposes is dispatched of troublesome rebelles.

I praie you was not this a deuine worke, when men of his owne nation and acquain­taunce, were moued in courage, either to cō ­quere Fitz Morrice, or suffer death in the at­tempte. And after this resolution, wente so manfully aboute their businesse, that all was brought to suche passe (though with losse of [Page] life to the executioners therof) as better could not be deuised, nor be brought to effecte. The acte was noble: the hazard greate: The man­heade not little. And the matter shall remain regestered in the booke of Fame, whiles any Borrowe, Borcke, or Toune, can sett forthe good seruice, or shewe any notable exploite.

Now the maner of his death is looked for, but first the lādyng of hym self and his whole companie should be spoken of, whiche was so simple and so farre paste his hope, as neither it dooeth merite remembraunce, nor carries any pece of credite with it, recite it who plea­seth. For albeit he made muche adoe, to bring to passe muche matter, little was performed to the purpose, in the answeryng of his owne exspectation, for in deede diuerse thynges whe [...] contrary to that he desired: And albeeit some strength by fortification he sought, yet weakely and barely he beganne, and foolishe­ly ended his life. Though animated with worse in condition then hym self, he tooke in hande a greate aduenture, and dallied a while on the hazarde of happe, and the aduaunture of tyme: the one doubtfull, and the other sub­iecte to chaunce, yet neither Fortunes daun­gerous dealyng, nor tymes mutabilitie could daunte his outragious desire, nor at any sea­son [Page] make hym shunne the daunger he was in. But busiyng his braines and senses, about needelesse sleightes, and subtile seditions, he fell in the handes of his enemies, who char­ged vppon hym moste valliauntly, and with muche adoe ouercame him (because he stout­ly made defence) and stroke of his hedde, whē least he looked for suche a desteuie, and shorte dispatch of this world. Some reportes there are bruted abroade (to affirme it for trothe I can not) that one Borcke a gentilman for a pardon graunted by the Lorde Iustice, for the losse of a hande made promesse with the same pardoned hande, to purchace the Prin­ces fauour, and so to kil Fitz Morrice, But how soeuer the matter went, or the brethren called Borcks agreed in that poinet. Foricer­taine Fitz Morrice loste his life, beyng hurt by the Borckes, and shotte into the hedde by a good and perfite Hargabozier, and had his hedde striken of, although those that came a­gainst him, were muche lesse in nomber then hym self: A thyng to bee noted, and a matter wherein often, right and trothe euer hath shi­ned, and gotten greate glorie, whiche is a signe that victorie restes not in a multitude, but dependeth rather in Iustice, and equitie [Page] of the quarrell and cause.

Thus the worlde maie beholde the won­ders that God woorketh: Good people maie be ware, how thei offende the prince, and their countrey. And rebelles are curbed, and made holde in heddes by this open rebuke. And to conclude, the opinion of thousandes is suche, that a rebell liues without loue, wāders with out witte, feightes in feare, dyes without ho­nour, and lies without graue, as a prey to the wilde wolffe, and foode to the carren Crow, lest as a spectacle for many eyes to loke into, and shall reste as a perpetuall wonder to the wise, and matter of reproche for euery tonge to talke vppon. Now if better occasion had procured me to put penne to paper, you had not receiued this simple discourse at my hā ­des. Thus farewell good Reader, till my booke long promised bee Printed, that pre­sently is commyng out, and hath chan­ged the name of Chippes, and is called Churchyardes Choice.