VVHO SO EVER well conside­reth with hym selfe the hyghe com­modyties, y^t come of good lawes, he wyl, I am right assured, thynke as diuine Plato thought, all those lawes that are made for the welthe and safegarde of mankynde, to be of god, all be it they be constituted by manne: on the othersyde, he that wel pondereth the damages, that of necessitie must folowe, where eyther none be, that can rule, or fewe that wyll obeye, shall thynke as I doo, all realmes, regions, cities, and townes, that are not gouerned by lawes, to be forestes of wyld beastis, and not places habytable for men. We lacke noo good lawes, god be thāked: but what auayle they, whan as Diogenes sayth, men that are good, nede them lyttell, and they that be euylle, are neuer the better for them? Surely in tyme of sedition, lawes lese their voyces, or to say better, in suche ragious outcries of souldiours, noyse and brayeng of hor­ses, clutterynge and ienglynge of harneys, men waxe thicke of herynge. Iustyce hydeth her face, whanne she seeth this to be alowed for a lawe, He that is the stronger, shall oppresse and spoylle the weaker, and no man saye he dothe euyll. Honestie canne not abyde, there where myght sytteth aboue right, where wyll is skyll, where treason standeth for reason. Whan euery man wyll rule, who shall obeye? Howe can there be any common welthe, where he that is welthyest, is mooste lyke to come to woo? Who can there be ryche, where he that is [Page] rychest, is in moste daunger of pouertie? No no, take welth by the hande, and say farewell welthe, where luste is lyked, and lawe refused, where vp is sette downe, and downe sette vppe: An order, an order muste be hadde, and a waye founde, that they rule that beste can, they be ruled, that mooste it becommeth so to be. This agrement is not one­ly expedient, but also moste necessary in a common welthe, those that are of the worser sort, to be con­tent, that the wyser reule and gouerne them, those that nature hath endewed with synguler vertues, and fortune without breache of lawe, set in hyghe dignitie, to suppose this done by the great prouy­dence of god, as a meane to engender loue and a­mitie, betwene the highe and the lowe, the small & the great, the one beynge so necessary for thothers safegarde welthe and quietnes. For as there must be some men of polycie and prudence, to discerne what is metest to be done in the gouerment of sta­tes, euen so there muste be other of strength and re­dynes, to do that the wyser shall thynke expedient, both for the mayntenaunce of them that gouerne, and for theschewyng of the infinite ioperdies, that a multitude not gouernid falleth into: These must not go, arme in arme, but the one before, the other behynde, wyt and prudence muste be as maysters of a worke, and appoynt strengthe and redynesse their taske. For vndoutedly, boldnes dothe neuer well, excepte it come, and do as reason commaun­deth it to do. Sertorius that prudent Capitayne, shewed this by a prety exaumple, he had two soul­diours [Page] in his campe, thone lyttell, weake, and in maner of no strength, but very wyse: thother high, bygge and full of bones, but voyde of brayne. He had also two horses, thone galyarde, lusty, and of a thycke tayle, thother leane, lyttell, and almoste without a tayle. He appoynted the lyttell man, to pull of the great horse tayle, the bygge and sturdy soudiour to pull of those few heares, that the leane horse tayle hadde. The weake and feble man, vnto whom god and good education, had gyuen wyt in strengthes place, pulled by .iiii. and by .v. heares at ones, and so within a shorte space, he had made of a longe tayle no tayle. Thother a good yomās body, tugged at the hole taylle, and sweatte faste, but he pulled of not a heare. Nowe, yf the igno­rant souldiours, were here thus taught, a handful of witte to be moch more worth than a horselode of strength, and were contente in battayle, that they shulde rule: whiche were the wyser, they obey, that were the stronger, howe moche more ought we to be moued with this exāple, specyally in the gouer­nynge of a comon welth, in makyng lawes, in set­lynge mattiers concernynge faythe and relygion, fynally in discussynge, what thynges maynteyne moste the fauour of god towarde vs, and by what meanes a realme may best be kepte in welthynes? We loue to be disceyued, we ymagyne a certayne common welthe in worde and in outwarde appa­rance, whiche if we baptyse righte, and not nycke name it, we must nedes cal a comon wo. We think it is very euyll, that soo many of vs be poore, we [Page] thynke it were a good worlde, if we were all riche. I pray you for a season let it be as we desyre, let vs imagine, we be al ryche, doth it not streight folow, I as good as he, why goeth he before, I behynde? I as ryche as he, what nedeth me to labour? The mayde as prowde as her dame, who mylketh the cowe? The fermour hauing no more cause to toyle then he that loketh for the rentes, who shal tyll the grounde? His meny ye say. How so? why they more then he, if they be ryche to? What were more to be wayled, then suche welth, that shuld bryng eyther euery man, or the mooste parte of men, to extreme confusion.

¶The Romaynes after that they had wonne the citie of the Veiens, were at great contention, the commons of Rome, and many also of the gentylle menne, thoughte it very expediente, and hyghely profytable, that halfe Rome shoulde goo dwelle there, alledgyng, that many in Rome lacked, and that this citie was ryche, and of great welthynesse, gorgiously buylded, and also nigh vnto Rome, so that here many of them myght be enryched with­out any disturbance of them, that had possessions in Rome, ye and myght also, bycause they were so nyghe, be at al assemblees, all parlyamentes, that shulde be kepte in Rome. Marke what folowed: The senatours in especial those that were wysest, in no case wolde assent to this, noo they thought it moche better to abyde all perylle, then any suche matier shoulde passe theyr handes. In so moche, that whē this was had in deliberation, and hotely [Page] disputed, the comons were so kendled agaynst the Senatours, that it was harde to kepe them from goynge togyther by the eares. But what is it that sage and graue persones can not perswade, if they be harde of them that vtterly lacke not discretion? A fewe of these ancient fathers and estemed sena­tours, here strayte brydled the rage of the people, and made them condescende vnto this, that all be it outwardely there semed gaynes in departynge, and losse in the abydynge at Rome, yet they shuld doo better to tary poore, than in goynge awaye to make them selfe ryche.

¶A comon welthe is then welthy and worthy his name, when euery one is content with his degree, gladde to do that, that he may laufully doo, glad­der to do that, whiche he seeth, shalbe for the quiet­nes of the realme, all be it his priuate profite byd­deth hym doo the contrary. The shypman sayleth for other mens profyt, as moche as for his owne, but yet he sturreth the sterne, and turneth the sayle as hym lusteth, he casteth the shotte anker, when he wyll, and not when they bydde hym, that are in his shyp. The phisition is called to do more good to other, then to hym selfe, and in dede oftymes he saueth the sycke, and taketh the disease hym selfe, but yet he dieteth his pacient, not as the paciente desyreth, but some tyme kepethe hym from meate, when he is hungry, some tyme from drynke, when he is ful thursty, seldom geuynge hym that he cal­leth for. Gouernours in a common welthe, muste loke to the comons profyte, but they muste rule or [Page] elles howe can they gouerne? They must make la­wes, and not suche as euery man wolle, neyther e­steme that to be profytable to a fewe, whiche bryn­geth damage to the hole. They onely oughte to be offycers, that are knowen to be discrete, polytique, wyse, and of suche stomake, that yf nede be, they can sette lyttell the hatrede and malyce of theym, that seldonie loue suche as are in greattest auctori­tie, and not onely sette lyttel by them, but also con­temne their owne profyte, welthe, ye and lyfe to, sooner than to seke prayse at their tonges, that for the moste parte, loue they wote not what, and hate they wote not why.

¶Anthistenes seing the lyghtnes of the people of Athens came one day amonges theym, and gaue them counsayle, that they shulde plowe their lande aswell with asses, as with horses. They lawghed at hym and sayd, Asses were nothyng fytte for the tillage of the erth. Than let me laugh to, sayth he, at you, which woll haue them rulers in the cōmon welth, that so lytell can skyll of thaffaires therof. ¶Demosthenes, whan he was banysshed, by the consent of the people of Athens, in his departure he turned towardes the citie, and made this excla­mation, O Pallas, howe is it possible, that thou shouldest beare suche loue vnto these .iii. beastes, the nyght owle, the dragon, & the people? He was also wont to saye, If I had knowen the enuye, the feare, the false reportes, the iniust accusatiōs, that they must susteyne, whiche gouerne, where credite is gyuen to the fals iugementes of people, if of .ii. [Page] I muste nedes haue done the one, I wolde sooner haue broken my necke, than haue had to doo in the common welthe of Athens.

¶One tolde Antisthenes, The people speke mo­che good of you, why saythe he, what hurt haue I done? as who shuld saye, they seldome prayse, but such as do euyl. I dare boldly affirme, y^t there was neuer ethnicke more worthy lyfe, than Socrates was, the people wolde nedes haue hym deed. Who knoweth not, that knoweth any thynge, howe mo­che Rome was bounde to Scipio? This worthye Capitayne, dyed out of his countrey, banyshed by them, whom he ofte had saued. I lette passe Pho­cion, Aristides, and many mo, whom all hystories bringe in, to shewe the lyghtnes and lewde iudge­ment of communes. Dante, that good Italyane poet sayth full truely of them, It is seldome sene, that the people crie not, Viua la mia morte, muoia la mia vita, That is, Let lyue my dethe, lette dye my lyfe, lette that go forthe, that bryngeth my distruction, lette that be banyshed, that is my welthe and safe­garde. Geffrey Chauser sayeth also somewhat in theyr prayse, beare it▪ well away and lawde theym as ye fynde cause,

[Page]¶What can be more agaynst their profyte, than to obteyne that they moste desire? They be angry, that vertue shulde be rewarded, whan she cometh to men, that had no lordes to their fathers. They wyl that none rule, but noble men borne. Let them haue that they require, whome towcheth this soo soore, as them selfe, and al their posteritie? What doo they leaue vnto theirs, whan they also take a­way the possibilitie of better fortune? I may saye trouth, and without blame, thanked be the know­lege of our mooste gratiouse soueraygne lorde the kynge, whiche hath euermore welle declared, that trewe nobilitie is neuer, but where vertue is: and hath euermore, frome the fyrste of his reygne hy­therto, bothe by his owne great studye, to atteyne lernynge, wysedome, and other pryncely qualities, and also in gyuyng offices, dignities, and honour, well testified, that he woll all his subiectes to con­tende, who may obteyne mooste qualities, mooste wytte, moste vertue: and this onely to be the way to promotion, and here nobilitie to consyste. In all other thynges it lytell auayleth, whose sonne a mā be. At runnynge he hathe not the beste game, that leyeth for hym, My father ranne faster than any other dyd: nor he that taketh a fall at wrastlynge, hath that his father was wonte to haue, whan he gaue the fall. They muste nedes here, and almoste in all other thynges, contente them selfe, with that they be able to do, of what parentage so euer they be. There was one, whiche sayd, Princis and no­ble men, were moche more bounde to theyr horses, [Page] than to many of their frendes. A horse if the lorde ryde not well, layeth hym in the duste, and tellethe hym playnely, he muste lerne to ryde better, if he wyll take noo falle. All thynges telle trouthe but man. The bowe shooteth wyde, yf ye holde it not streyghte. The arrowe saythe, I muste nedes be shorte, excepte ye shote me hoome. I muste nedes be goone, yf ye shote me to farre. They canne not flatter, they can not saye, My lorde ye shote nygh, excepte ye shote nygh in dede. It is no great hurte to fayle here, it is smalle losse if a lorde▪ shoote not well, or at the least the losse hurteth but hym selfe. But gyue the gouerment of commune wealthes, into theyr handes, that can not skyll therof, howe many must nedes go to wracke? The hurte tow­cheth to many, to be but smally regarded. Agayn, what desyre shall good wyttes haue, to employe them self to the knowlege of thynges, and to passe thother, whome slouthe woll not lette growe any higher, whē good & euyl be equally estemed? what shall we nede to endeuour our selfes vnto, whenne what so euer we do, we must be tryed by our byrth, and not by our qualities? That comon welthe can not longe stande, saythe Plato, that vertue is not moste honored in. Any Citie, saythe he, that wyll be longe saufe and in prosperitie, muste distribute these two thynges well, Honour & Shame. They be well distributed, when the chiefe and prime ho­nour is geuen vnto qualities of the mynde, the se­conde to the bodye, the thyrde to external thynges, as nobilitie, possessions, and ryches. If ye breake [Page] this order, and put thone in thothers place, that is, if ryches be chiefly estemed, the body next, and vertue laste of all, here can be noo welthe. This cytie can not longe contynue, sayth Plato. Nowe, as there is a difference, in these thynges, so muste we put also, a difference in men that ar endewed with them. They must best be estemed, that haue moost gyftes of the mynde, that is, they that do excell in wysedome, Iustice, temperauncy, and suche other vertues: they nexte, that haue moste gyftes of the body, as helth, strength, quycknes, beautie: They thyrdly, that haue ryches and possessions, the la­wes not withstandynge, hauynge euermore theyr full strength, that is no man presumynge, of what qualities so euer he be, to preferre hym selfe to any offyce or landes, but as the gouernours or lawes, shall call hym to. Iustyce muste be in euerye acte. And therfore me thynke, Plato dydde wonderfull wel, to entitle his boke, that he writeth of a comon welth, de iusto, that is, of Iustice: Euery man must be sure of his owne, and be cōtent that his neygh­bour haue more than he, if that by honest wayes, he can atteyne vnto more. For welthe can not be, where rape is permytted, ne rape lacke, where or­der is broken. A comune welth is, as I thynke, no thynge elles but a certayne nombre of cities, tow­nes, shires, that all agre, vpon one lawe, and one hed, vnyted and knytte together, by thobseruation of the lawes: these kept, they must nedes florishe, these broken, they muste nedes perisshe. The heed muste rule, if the body woll do well, and not euery [Page] man make hym selfe ruler, where only one ought to be. Thynges be not doone in this worlde by chaunce, neyther ought to be gouerned by rasshe­nesse. God maketh kynges, specyally where they reigne by successyon. God toke awaye prynce Ar­thure, & wold king Henry the eyght, to be our heed, and gouernour. Woll we be wyser than god? wol we take vpon vs, to know who ought to gouerne vs, better than god? God made hym kynge, and made also this lawe, Obey your kynge. Howe can ye obey hym, that refuse his lawes? that seke his dishonour? that hate theym, whom his grace can not chose but loue? whome also ye wolde loue, yf ye dyd not sooner vppon false reportes, than iuste cawse, hate. Who shall doo the kynge trewe ser­uyce, who shall desyre, to stande mooste in his fa­uour, if atte the malycious requestes of fonde and lyght people, his highnes shoulde without any o­ther cause put downe them, whom his grace with the rest of his counsayle, thynke moste worthy fa­uour. we be but men, many of vs ignorant, many without knowlege, let vs thynke, that we knowe moch worse then god, who ought to be our gouer­nour. Let vs cōtent our selfes, that he rule, whom god made our kynge, whome god preferred in ta­kynge away Prince Arthure, his gracis elder bro­ther. If we woll this to be our prince, heed, & go­uernour, than we must also lette his grace gouern vs, by suche officers, as he shall knowe to be beste for vs, and not we to appoynte hym, suche as we shall thynke metest, that seldome eyther see, what [Page] is good for vs, or who most entendeth our profite. ¶A comune welthe is lyke a body, and soo lyke, that it can be resembled to nothyng so conuenient, as vnto that. Nowe, were it not by your faythe a madde herynge, if the fote shuld say, I wyl weare a cappe, with an ouche, as the heade dothe▪ If the knees shulde say, we woll carie the eyes, an other whyle: if the shulders shulde clayme eche of them an eare: if the heles wold nowe go before, and the toes behind? This were vndoubted a mad heryng: euery man wold say, the fete, the knees, the shoul­ders, the heles make vnlaufull requestes, and ve­ry madde petitions. But if it were so in dede, if the fote had a cap, the knees eies, the shulders eares, what a monsterous body shuld this be? God send them suche a one, that shall at any tyme go about to make as euil a comune welth, as this is a body. It is not mete, euery man to do, that he thynketh best. The Locrians had a very good custome a­monges them, no man might there, come to speke agaynste a law, that was constituted by suche, as had auctorite to make it, except he came to the dis­putation therof, with a corde about his necke. If he proued the lawe to be naughte, then he caste of the corde, and was highly commended: but yf he dyd attempte it, and after fayled of his pourpose, he was forthwith truste vppe. They thought hym worthy to dye, that dyd but speake ageynst a lawe: albeit he also thoughte therby, to doo good vnto his countrey, in speakynge agaynste that, that he iudged moche hurtefull to the comune welth.

[Page]¶Plato gyueth lesse lybertie to his cytezens, he wyll no man shall dispute any lawe, in the presence of youthe, or comon people, that hath lytel iudge­ment in suche thynges. It is noo parte of the peo­ples play, to discusse actes made in the parliamēt. Euery man dothe well in his office, euery thynge standeth well in his place. Socrates fyndeth this to be the only welth of all realmes, that euery man setle hym selfe to his owne affayres and busines, and intermedle with no other mannes office. The handes are content the fete go, the tethe pleased, that the tongue tell the hole tale: the eare doth not desire to see, nor the eie to here: a payre of shoes of viii. d. dothe better seruice to the fete, than a cappe of .v. s. though ye put theron a fether of forty pēce: a payre of gloues of lamme skynne, dothe moche better fytte the handes, than a payre of breches of right satyn: a frese cote dothe better on his backe, that hath to do at the carte, or at the plowe, than a gowne of veluet, furred with sables. To my pur­pose, Lordes must be lordes, comunes must be co­munes, euery man acceptynge his degree, euery man contente to haue that, that he laufully maye come by. We must, if we pourpose euer to come to welthe, whiche we ofte lese in wronge sekynge for it, all agree, that the lawes haue their place. It is but an easy remedy, that maketh the sore great­ter. He knoweth not the way to quenche fyre, that powreth oyle into it. Chese is no medicine to driue awaye rattes: neyther sedytion a meane to make men welthy. What ende of myserie shall there be, [Page] where no man wexeth ryche, but a nother is made a begger? Where no man is mery, but .ii. or .iii. be sadde for it? what ende of robbynge and spoy­lynge shall there be, if the poore maye euermore rob the riche? If the stronger may pulle from the weaker? Must not you abyde the same lawe, that you make your selfe? must not you, whan you haue spoyled them that are ryche, and so made your sel­fes welthy, suffre that they now being pore, spoyle you riche? And than must not ye be poore ageyne? O lyghtnes of comunes, who can say so moche a­geynst the, but he may seme to haue sayd nothing? I am ashamed to reherce the blynde folye, that the comunes of Englande haue so ofte runne into?

There can come no traytour, no rebell, of so base condicion, of so lyttell witte, but if he be bolde i­noughe to take vppon hym, to be their capitayne, they are foolyshe ynoughe to folowe hym. Howe ofte, and whom I praye you, and for what causes haue they made their capitaynes? Whom can they refuse, whan smythes, coblers, tylers, carters, and such other gay grekes, seme worthy to be theyr go­uernours? who wyl not be ashamed to see our cro­nycles in straungers handes, they to se suche out­ragious madnes reigne in vs, we to rede such temperancy, ciuilitie, and obedience to be amonges them? I wyll not compare vs to the best gouerned countreys, that be, I wyll goo to the Barberoust nations that be, and see howe our shame encrea­seth theyr honestie, and good orders, layde before our faces.

[Page]¶Is there any nation, that hath ben more enfa­med of barbarous conditions than the Scythes? any of lesse ciuilitie than these? yet they haue ben euer so true to their princis, that there be fewe na­tions, that haue obteyned higher fame by batayle, than they haue. Theyr concorde and vnytie, their faythfulnes toward their kynges, made them, that they were neuer ouercome. They draue Darius, that redoubted kyng of the Persians, to shamefull flyght: They kylled Cyrus and all his hoste.

Alexander magnus loste bothe a good capitayne at their handes, and all the armye, that he sente a­geynste them. They harde of the Romaynes va­lyantnes, but the Romaynes neuer durst sette vp­pon them. what reuerence bare they to theyr kyng? whan suche as were any thyng familiar with him, were wont at his deathe to cutte of their eares, to mangle their noses and faces, and many of theym to dye with hym. They thought trewe obeysaunce coulde not be shewed, neither the loyal hartis kno­wen, but at deth. Amonges these, the greatest othe that they coude swere by, was by the kynges seate, he that forsware hym selfe by this, was streyghte whypped to deathe.

¶Who wylle not meruayle, to see the Aethyops, men that neuer harde of goddis lawe, doo as they were wonte to do? there was no hangeman, none to cut of theyr hedes, that deserued deth. Se theyr obedience, laye it with ours, if god were no god, if honesty had neuer ben harde of, myght not shame brynge men from rebellion? Se theyr obedience. [Page] The kynge, when he harde of any that was wor­thy dethe, was wont to sende one of his seruantes with a token, whiche dyd no more, but telle hym, the kynges pleasure is, you dye. This manne, of what so euer estate he was, without any furder de­lay, went into some secrete corner, and there found one waye or other to doo the kynges commaunde­ment. They had their prynce in suche honour, that if he by any mysfortune loste an eye, or by some fal broke a legge, al his householde seruantis by their owne accord didde depriue them selfes of that part of theyr bodye, in whiche fortune hadde offended theyr kynge: thynkynge it moche vnsemely, that they shulde not halte, whan their kynge halted, moche vnmete, that they shuld not be content with one eye, whan theyr kynge hadde but one. They thought it a gret shame, if they bare hym not com­pany whan he dyed. They toke it for a hyghe ho­nour, to haue so glorious an ende, as to departe in the felowshyp of a kynge.

¶The Persians thought hym worthy great pu­nyshement, that dyd but nease, spyt, wype his nose, or coughe in a kynges presence: and are nat they wery of theyr lyues, that amonges christen menne ryse agaynste theyr prynce? Shal these capitaynes be suffred to lyue, that at any tyme shall styre the people to suche outragious ryotte? Is it possy­ble that the people pull them not a pecys, and soo shewe both to god and theyr prynce, that they now knowe the greatnes of suche an errour, and that they muste nedes hate hym, that brought them in­to [Page] it? God hath euermore well testified, that he fa­uoreth no traytours, no rebelles. Theyr ende (ex­cepte all histories fayle) can be no better then their intentes. May not the rayne, that god sent to part vs, and kepe vs from bloodshedynge, well shewe, that goddis pleasure is, we fyght not amonge our selues, that god loueth our prince, aloweth his la­wes, and wyll that we be subiecte to theym bothe? God wylle not the bondes of nature to be broken, the charitie and loue that shoulde be betwene all men, moche rather betwene theym that are of one countrey, one shire, one citie, one howse, one parē ­tage. Nature is forgotten, god is not harde, al hu­manitie is troden vnder the foote, where as is ci­uile dissention. Nature teacheth brute beastis, to loue them that gaue them life, that norished them. God saythe, Honour thy father and mother, Loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe. Thus he sayth, but he is nothynge harde, where as sedition is. For what sacryfice can the father offre to god and his coun­trey, more acceptable, than to kylle with his owne hādes his sonne, now no lenger his sonne, being a traytour? what act can be more worthy prayse, thā the son to slee his owne father in suche case? He is none of myne saythe Christe, nor worthy to be my seruaunt, that can not, if iuste cawse require hym so to do, forsake his father & mother to do me ser­uyce. He is none of myne saythe Englande, that canne not hate his father and mother, that canne not kyll them bothe, sooner than ones consente to my destruction.

[Page]¶Damatria a woman of Lacedemon, after she harde say, that her son had not so fought ageynst the ennemies of his countrey, as it besemed one borne in Lacedemon, she streyghte vppon his re­tourne from the warres, slewe hym with her owne handis, right glad, that she had shewed her self so­rye, to haue ben the mother of suche a son. What wolde she haue done? what deathe wolde she haue thought to shamful for him, if he had risen ageinst his prynce? if he had shewed hym selfe open enne­mye to his countrey? if he hadde intended to pulle downe the lawes of the Lacedemoniens?

¶There be fewe or none that haue red any hysto­ryes, but they knowe, what Brutus iudged his sonnes worthy to suffre, which by letters intended to call in Tarquinius againe. Theyr letters went not furthe, they weere intercepted, yet the father gaue sentence agaynste his sonnes, and comman­ded them to be tyed at a stake, there to be whypte, and after to lose theyr heedes.

¶It is more notable that Titus Manlius dyd, and moch more perteynynge vnto vs, which so oft haue broken our loyall obeysaunce towardes our prince. This Titus bad, y^t none of his souldiours shuld fyght, but whan he cōmanded them. Genu­tius Metius, oone of his ennemyes, prycketh out from his company, & chalengeth Manlius sonne. The commaundement of his father was, that he shulde not fyght: but he beinge the consuls sonne, a romayne, thought his honour loste, if he shulde not fyght. Youth, courage, nobilite, the renoume [Page] of his father, the fame of his countrey, wolde not lette hym suffre his ennemye to make this vaunt, that he hadde chalenged a consuls sonne of Rome, and that he durste not fyghte with hym. Wherfore Manlius cometh forth, they rūne togyther: with­in shorte space Genutius Metius had thende, that crakers are wont to come to. Manlius slewe him, and was hyghely commended of all his fathers sowldiours for it. But the Consule, whanne he sawe, that his sonne hadde broke his commaun­ment, and hadde fought, where he badde, he shuld nat so do, Sonne sayth he, seing that asmoche as in the lyeth, thou haste broke thorder that is to be kept in warre, by the whiche Rome hytherto, hath euermore ben aduaunced to great honour, and for as moch as thou hast brought me into this choise, that I must eyther forgette the common welthe, or els depriue my selfe of that I toke priuately moste pleasure in, sorye I am to doo it, but yet lette vs, that haue deserued punysshement, be punysshed. I wyll by this exaumple, that the comune welthe take no hurte. I wyll thy death teche all other our citizens, that the Consules of Rome wyll be obey­ed. Go hangeman go, tye hym to a stake, whyppe hym, heed hym, handle hym, as it becometh them to be, whiche by euyl example hurte the discipline & obeysance of souldiours. ¶What wold Man­lius haue done, if a soudiour had taken vpon him, to haue corrected any decree of the senate? any ple­biscite? any lawe? what if he had rysen agaynst the senate? Ye may wel iudge, that he y^t kylled his son [Page] for such a cryme, wherin also many excuses might haue be founde, wolde not a made to moche of a souldiour, that shulde haue bene a traytour, that shulde for small cause haue rebelled. what can we lay for our defence? we euermore crie we be poore. I admytte it be so, is sedytion lawfully defended, where men lay pouertie for their excuse? shal they, that be not ryche, by and by say, they wyll no more be ruled by their prince, by his coūsaylours, by his lawes? God sende vs more grace, for lesse wytte we can not haue. There is a way to ryches moche better, than in sekynge goodes to lese al goodnes. Moche nygher, than in sekynge riches, to defye al regarde of honestie. There be handy craftes, there be honest occupations, whereby pouertie maye be dryuen away.

¶It was a wonderfull good lawe that Amazis kynge of Aegypte made, by the whiche euery man was cōmaunded yerely, to put his name in the co­men boke, and at the yeres ende to shewe the gouernour of the place, where his abiding was, by what meanes he gote his lyuinge. Thus bothe ydlenes was banished, and none or fewe put to iniury, but the euyll doer was knowen and punyshed. Euery man had a crafte, they mooste estemed, that were found moste profitable to the comune welthe. The Atheniēs had the same law, they thought it a gret shame, menne to be of lesse polycye, then beese are, whiche suffre none to tary amonges them, in their hyues, but suche as brynge ynough with them for their comens. They wyll no drane bees amonges [Page] thē. Socrates alluding hither, sayth, there be two sortes of vnprofytable bees in a comune welthe, thone without stynges, thother with stinges. Vn­to the fyrste sorte he lykeneth poore olde men, that can not labour, by reason of theyr age, feblenes, or some other iust impediment. Vnto thother he lyke­neth these that be yonge and lustye, and neyther haue, nor yet wyll lerne any honest occupation, to get heyr lyuynge in trouthe, but contynewynge in ydlenes, fall to stealynge, robbynge, murther, and many other myschiefes.

¶Aesculapius that famous physition, wolde be­stowe no medicines on them, that he thoughte vn­curable, sayenge it to be moche ageyne a common welthe, to kepe them alyue, that can doo nothyng, but be sycke and combre the hole, and consume the vyttaile of theym that labour. Socrates moche commendeth hym for it. This I do not brynge in, bycause I wolde any man shuld lacke cherishing, when he is sycke, thoughe there be no hope of his recouerie: but that I wolde well shewe, howe all good ordred comune welthes, in tyme past abhor­red these belyes, that haue no handes: these flyes, that fede vpon other mens labours: these that be­inge ydle, without any occupation, without lan­des, fees, wages, doo nothynge but complayne of fortune, complayne of theym that be gouernours of the realme: And thus eyther sow sedition amō ­ges the people, or els be the feldes them selfe apt to brynge forth such fruites, These be they, that with their venomous tongue, stynge and poysone the [Page] fame of them that are set in office, to see that they do lesse myschiefe, then they wolde doo. They can not without feare of their lyues, do as they moste desire, excepte suche gouernours be putte downe. There was neuer ruler soo good, but the better he was, the more they that be sette on riotte, robbery, murder, and rebellion, hate hym. Many & shame­full seditions haue ben in Englande, they haue all ben soore punyshed: this remedy helpeth but for a season.

¶Lucius Cinna, a noble man of Rome, conspi­red, and vtterly entended the deathe of Augustus thēperour. Cesar had sure knowlege, bothe where, when, and after what facion he purposed to bryng his treson to passe. His intent was open, yet Cesar long douted, what was best to be done. He thought to banysshe hym, he thoughte to doo nowe this, now that. As he thus toke delyberation, Liuia his wyfe came in, and after she had perceiued the mat­tier, sayd thus vnto him: Sir, do as phisitions do, whiche whan they see, that their accustomed medi­cines wyll not serue, they proue the contraryes. By punyshment ye haue hitherto done lytel or no­thynge, forgeue a nother whyle, and see what cle­mency may do. Cinna canne not nowe hurte your lyfe, he may set forth moche your honour. Them­perour thynkynge her counsayle not the worst, by and by sente for Cinna to come speake with hym. As soone as Cinna was come, Themperour cau­sed a chayre to be set for hym. Than thus he began to reason the mattier with Cinna. This one thing [Page] saythe themperour, I muste require of you, that you do not interrupte my communication, ye shall haue tyme, when I haue sayde my mynde, to saye what ye wyll. Here he began to reherce his bene­fittes towarde Cinna. First that he had perdoned hym his lyfe, whan that he founde hym in his ene­mies tentis, and that he dyd restore him to his hole patrimony, that he had also gyuen hym great au­thoritie, many offices. If ye graūt all this, sayth Cesar, to be true, nowe I praye you tell me, what cause I haue gyuen you, to desire my dethe? ye to go about your selfe to kylle me? Cinna here began to chaunge colour, to be troubled in coūtenaunce, he wolde haue layde somwhat for his defence. Au­gustus made an ende of his expostulation, & sayde thus, Cinna, I gyue the ones ageyne thy lyfe: be­fore I gaue the it, beinge myn ennemie, I giue it nowe to the, beinge a traytour, and a parricide. From this day forthwarde, lette frendeshyp begin betwene vs, lette vs two contende, whyther thou mayste shewe me more pleasure, for perdonynge the thy lyfe, or I more gladde, that I saued the. And thus by and by Cesar began with hym, and made hym consul. Cinna was from that daye for­warde, as true a frende vnto Cesar, as one man myght be vnto an other, in so moche that he made Cinna his heyre.

¶The kinge our moste gracyous soueraine lorde myghte commemorate his benefyttes towarde all his subiectes. I wolde doo it for hym, but that I knowe I am farre vnmete, to take vppon me the [Page] handelynge of soo weighty a mattier. His grace woll, I doubt not, folowe the clemency of Augu­stus. He seeth, his noble progenytours haue ofte punished rebelles, and done no more, but cut awey the branches of sedicion, for their tyme. His high­nes intendeth to pull aweye the roote. He seeth, it is not possible to cure this sore, which in dede Pla­to calleth the greattest syckenes, that can come to a comune welthe, excepte he serche out, bothe where it ariseth, and what thing moste nourisheth it, and then do as phisicions are wont, whiche oft tymes laye not their medicines to the parte, that is disea­sed, but to that rather, from whens the disease first came, and is like to come stylle, onelesse it be there stopped. As for exaumple, when the eies be soore, first they seke, whether the disease grow in the eies, or is sent from some other place nighe the eies, as from the heed, or els some other place further of, as the stomake. If it be not in the eies prīcipally, but cometh either from the heed, or from the stomacke, they begynne not at the eies, but firste pourge the stomacke, and so the roote cutte awaye, the disease nowe no more maynteyned, can in no wyse longe tary behynde. It is very true, that Zamolsis, king of Thrace was wonte to saye. Loke, sayth he, as the eies can not be clensed, excepte ye fyrste clense the heed, neyther the heed, without ye pourge the hole body, euen so, neither the bodye, without the mynde be firste netted. This kynge sawe it lytell auayled, to rydde the body of noughty humours, oneles also a man so brydell his appetyte, that af­terwarde [Page] he can forbeare suche thinges, as dydde hurte hym before, and wyll do ageyne, excepte he moderate his affectiōs. The bote man I thinke, lacketh moche wyt, and loseth moche labour, that standeth all daye with a dis she ladinge out water, that nedes must come in agayne, oneles the bote be amended. The faut is in the breache of the bote, and not in the water. Surely, if it were any thing lyke to be brought to passe, it shulde be moche bet­ter to fynde a waye, that none might haue wylle to rebell, then to trusse vp rebellious people. Wolde god some high wytte, some man borne to do suche good for his countrey, coulde aswel bryng this to passe, as I thinke it myght nowe very lyghtly be done. For if euer the cause of rebellion may vtter­ly be taken awaye, we haue a prynce, god wyll we maye haue his grace longe, we haue a prynce, that sayth, the tyme is now. Al men ought to endeuour them selfe, here to occupie theyr wyttes, that suche a thynge myght take effecte. I for my parte, wylle do what I can, which I know is very lyttell, how be it if I do it not so well as my desyre is, I truste good intent shall soo make myne excuse, that loue of my countrey shall not moche hurte me.

¶Some say pouertie is the cause, that men come to be thenes, murderers, rebelles. But I thynke, nothynge so. For I knowe dyuers realmes, where pouertie raygneth moche more than in Englande, yet rebels there be none. The rote is lower, dygge deper, ye maye perchaunce fynde it. Education, e­uyll education, is a greatte cause of these and all [Page] other myschefes, that growe in a comune wel the. For where so many lacke honest occupatiōs, wher­by al men, that can not otherwise lyue by their lan­des, ought to maynteyne them selues, howe canne we lacke any kynd of mischief? No man is borne a craftis mā, youth must be beter brought vp, or euer the olde lyue welthely. The lacke, the lacke of ho­nest craftes, and the habundauncie of ydlenes, all be it they be not the hole cause of sedicyon, yet as they brede theues, murderers, and beggers, so not a lytle they prouoke men, or thynges lyke men to rebellion. There is a parte in man, whiche is na­med the mynde, that is of this nature, yf it be ga­lyarde and lusty, either to do moche good, or cōtra­ry to do moche hurt. If this lacke good institutiō, if this be not handeled and ordered as it shulde be, men maye lacke sedition, but they can not lacke a thynge within them to styre them to sedition. This must be so taught, that there be no rebellion with­in our selfes, we muste conquere our lustes, and compell the appetites, to obeye all suche statutes, as reason and honestie shall thynke worthye to be enacted. Euery man, some wyll say, can not clyme to suche perfection, Euery man can not be kept at skole. I graunt, But yet I thynke, al y^e lordes son­nes, and also the better parte of gentlemen, myght be as well brought vp, as it is necessary they be, if they had suche teachers, as oughte to instructe the nobles of a realme. These wel brought vp, I wold nothynge doubte, but eyther we shulde be welthier than we be, or els moche better content with that, [Page] that god shoulde sende vs, all be it we had moche lesse then nowe we haue. I longe haue supposed, that as the bryngyng vp of y^e nobles, is the saulfe­garde of a comune welthe, so theyr euill education is the ruyne therof. For as noble men be, so theyr seruantes are. The mayster gyuen to ryot, the ser­uant must nedes thynke, that there is no thriuyng for hym, excepte he shewe hym selfe a ruffler. So that though the seruaunt be good of hym selfe, yet to wynne the fauour of his mayster, he muste coū ­terfaite their condicions, that his maister most ly­keth. Thus in vsynge theym a monethe or two, he maketh theym his owne. He nowe dissembleth no lenger, he is as they be, whom he hath longe folo­wed. I must nedes saye more, if the nobles be euyl taught in poyntes concernyng religion, as if they be popyshe, to put one exaumple for many, Howe can theyr seruauntes chose, but be so to? Howe can theyr tenantes, whiche muste haue theyr lordes fa­uour, be of a nother religion, then theyr lorde is? Howe can they agre with their neighbours, if they bothe be not of one faythe and one beleue? The kynges grace shall neuer haue true subiectes, that do not beleue as his grace doth. For howe can they loue hym, as they shulde do, whiche beynge in er­rours them selfe, in darkenes and ignorancy, sup­pose his grace to be in a wronge faythe, and soo to seduce them, whiche entendeth nothynge so ernest­ly, as the sauyng of their sowles? Howe can these obey his highnes, as it behoueth them to do, whan they thynke in obeyenge his commaundementes, [Page] they disobey goddis. This foreyne heed, that is in Rome, y^e body being in England, hath brought the sely braynes of many a poore manne, into depe er­rours. Alas what greatter ignorauncye can there be, then to take hym for hede, that neuer was with the body? Hym for the heed, that hitherto hath done nothynge, but consumed the membres? The kyng is our heed, though popyshe say nay, yet lette vs beleue the prophete Samuel, Lo saythe he vnto kynge Saul, God hathe anoynted the, and made the prince of all his inheritance. I pray you, think you that priestes, monkes, friers, and byshops, be not a parte of goddis inheritaunce? Hath god no tytle, no right vnto them? If god haue, the kynge also, whom god hath made his holle heyre, muste nedes haue. He is theyr prynce, and yet not heade, some say. Samuell is a prophete, he sayth yes, he saythe vnto Saule, Nonne cum paruulus esses 1. Reg. 10. in oculis tuis, caput in tribubus factus es? He that sayth in the Tribes, I pray you doth he not meane in all the Tribes? He that is mayre of London, is he not mayre of all London? Yet there is, Pasce 1. Reg. 15. oues▪ sayde to Peter, and not to the kynge. Soo they saye, that alledgeth, but that that maketh for them. But you se, that god sayd to kynge Dauid, Tu pasces populum meum, Thou shalt fede my2. Reg. 5. people, and thou shalt be theyr guyde. I shal speke of this matyer perchaunce a nother tyme, at more leysure, And in place more conueniente. Nowe I wyll not go from my purpose. We muste agree in [Page] in religion, we must serue but one mayster, one bo­dy wyll haue but one heed. It is not possible men to agree longe, that dissent in relygion. No more than it is possyble, christen men to agree with tur­kes. Howe be it, who wyll not thynke it moch bet­ter, to dissent, then that we all agree, vpon perny­tious errours? Whiche haue noo defence but this onely, that they haue reygned long, and that men hath long ben subiecteto them? The nobles muste be of one beleue, of one fayth, of one religion, they must all agre vpon one heed. The gentylmen wyll folowe, the comunes can not tary longe behynde. And where I sayde before, youthe muste be welle brought vp, specially in opinions of religion, here I say, the olde muste begynne. It is harde for the sonne to be agaynst his father, in matters of faith. No, we se this thynge onely to be a defence for all argumentes: I beleue as my father did before me. Vndoubtedly, if the child lerne one thyng at scole, or of the preacher, and here his father at home, not onely saye, but see hym also doo the contrary, wor­des are forgotten, dayly exaumple worketh faste, specially when it is euylle. Clitipho saythe, as all yonge menne wylle saye, My father byddeth me lerne of other honest mē, what becometh me to do, he commaundeth me to folowe them, but when he hath well dronke, what shamfull actes dothe he tel of hym selfe? when he sayth, he hath doone thus, Can I thynke vppon that he byddeth me do? and not sooner do as he hath done? No no he telleth a tale, to one that hath no eares, that commaundeth [Page] the yonge to do well, when they see the aged do e­uyll. I haue ofte meruailed, to see the diligencye, that the Iewes vse in bringynge vp their youthe, and bene moche asshamed to see howe neglygente christen men are in soo godly a thynge. There is neyther man, woman, nor chyld of any lauful age, but he for the mooste parte knowethe the lawes of Moyses: and with vs he is almost a good curate, that knoweth .vi. or .vii. of the .x. commandemen­tes: amonges the Iewes, there is not one, but he can by some honeste occupation, gette his lyuyng. There be fewe idell, none at al, but such as be riche ynough, and may lyue without labour. There is not one begger amonges thē. All the cities of Ita­ly, many places in Eecilia, many bourges in Ger­many, haue a great nombre of Iewes in them. I haue ben longe amonges them, that are in Italy, I neuer harde of a Iewe, that was a thefe, neuer that was a murderer. No I neuer hard of a fraye betwene them. I am ashamed to saye as I nedes muste saye, They maye well thynke their religion better than ours, if religiō be tried by mens lyues. Nowe if Moyses lawe lerned in youthe, and but carnally vnderstande, can so steye them, that fewe or none fall into other vice, than vsury, whiche al­so they do thynke permytted by Moyses lawe, so y^t they vse it not one iewe to an other, as in dede they do not, but a Iewe to a straunger. Might not we lerne so moche of Christis lawe, as were able to kepe vs from rebellion? Maye not poore mennes chyldren come to the sermons? maye they nothere preachers? [Page] can they here goddis lawes, ye though they be but easily preached, and not abhorre sedycyon and rebellion? Who harde euer, that the Turkes rose against their prince? it is, it is vndoubted, one sorte of relygion, though also it be not ryght, that kepeth men in concorde and vnytie. Turkes goo not agayne turkes, nor Iewes agaynste Iewes, because they bothe agree in theyr faythe. Christen men do so varye, Englande is so deuyded, that I wonder rather that sedicion sprange vp no sooner, than that nowe men begyn to rebell. Englande is lyttell bounde vnto them, that at the fyrst deuyded it so madly. This North and south, east and west, is a good particion of the hole worlde, it were wel in Englande, if we were all called Englyshemen, of this countrey, or that, as of Yorke, of London, and suche other: and not these northern men, these southerne, these western. The very name maketh fooles out with theym, that they neuer sawe. The northorn can not but beare haulfe a grudge to the southern, ye for no nother cause, then that they be thus called. In Italie, Fraunce, Spayne, Ger­many, there is both north and southe, est and west, yet they iudge nothynge by these, but the wynde. In Oxford I know the name of the northorn and southorne proctour, hath ben the cause, that many men haue ben slayne. They that shulde rule tho­ther, are out or euer they entre into their office. We can not get out of Paules churche, but we muste passe by the northorn dore, or by the southern. Chri­sten men are to soore diuided. The fryers of saynt [Page] Fraunces skace loue the domynycans, the Iaco­bites loue not the Brigetines, or if they doo loue, they wolde loue moche better, if they were al of one sort. I do knowe, good men, of what order so euer they be, they wyll do well. But the euyll be mo in nombre, they bere the swynge: thother be sofewe that skace they be sene in the chapiter howse. It is only Christis religion, that can make Christē men one of vs loue an other, as we shulde do. The pre­ceptes of philosophie, and good education, coude make many of the Grecians, mo of the Romans, not only to forsake riches, to banyshe pleasures, & to put them selfes in a thousande perilles: but al­so to dye for their coūtrey. And can not the know­lege of the worde of god, the swete adhortations, the hyghe and assured promyses that god maketh vnto vs, kepe christen men from contempning the iudgemente and lawes of god, frome vndoinge theyr coūtrey, from fyghtyng against theyr prince? If we were any thing wel instructed in the ioyes, that are prepared for them, that obey god and their prynce, in the ioyes that neyther mans eloquence can expresse, neyther harte fele, nor thought com­passe: Who wyll thinke, that soo many of theym coude so frankely offre vp theyr liues, and that we shall not abhorre, suche as eyther wyll dye theym selfe, or bringe their countreye to ruine?

¶Who can prayse Themistocles soo well, but he maye seme to haue lefte out a greatte parte of his prayse? Who dyd more for his countreye then he? Who coude be worse rewarded then he was? that [Page] was not only banyshed his countrey, but also dri­uen to seke succour at Xerxes hande, whom he had not longe before dishonored in batayle? who had a greatter cause to fall out with his countrey than he? who more commoditie to haue reuenged suche ingratitude? But se what good education can do? Se what is to be loked for of them, in whose bre­stis vertue and desyre of honeste fame lodgeth. Xerxes interteyned hym highely, and shewed him all the fauour, that a myghtie prynce could shewe vnto one, whom he best loued. He gaue hym great possessions, in soo moche that Themistocles was wonte to saye, I had ben vndone, except the Athe­niās had vndone me. Yet al this being thus, when Xerxes wold haue sent hym agaynst his countrey, with an hoste of men, he forgot all theyr vnkynde­nes, he forgot they had exyled him, and put him in ieoperdy of his lyfe, and thought it moche better to slee hym selfe, than to be a capitayne agaynste his countrey. And thus at the laste beinge weried with ofte callynge on of the kynge, and seynge no remedy, but eyther to kyll hym selfe, or to fyght a­gainst his countrey: he chose of two the lesse hurt, and with a drafte of Bulles bloudde finysshed his life. I wyll not speake of Thrassibulus, Codrus, Ancurus, Decii, and manye other, whiche all thought the welthe of theyr countrey, to be prefer­red to their lyues. I can not thinke, but if Christis lawes were well preached, (they be well preached, whan the preacher sayth as the gospel is, and doth as the gospell saith) I can not thinke, but if Chri­stis [Page] promyses were surely prynted in our hartes, that we shulde be, and that a great sorte, to testifie the worde of god, to be of moche more puissaunce, then vaine fame. Goddis worde is potente, and to saye as I thynke, almost omnipotent, if it be well handeled, and of suche as it shulde be. It is moch that good men maye do. In Florence, the people were set parte agaynste parte, as we were latelye here in Englande. The syde that hadde the better hande, came to set a fyre the palaice of their aduer­saries Capitayne, called Pagolantonio Soderi­ni. As chaunce was, this capitaynes brother, the byshop of Volterra, was than in his howse, whi­che as soone as he harde theyr noyse, and percey­ued where about they wente, cast on his white ro­chet, and so came downe amonges them, he spake but few wordes, but by and by al that were in that rout, caste awaye theyr fyer brondes. There was none so lewde, that coulde in so honeste a prelates presence do any hurte. This Machiauellus wry­teth, as a thynge wonderfull, howe be it, if people were as obedient as they ought to be, and byshops in suche reuerence as they haue ben in tymes past, for their good lyfe and lernynge, this wolde be no wonder. who was lesse beloued in the northe, than my lorde Cardynall, god haue his sowle, before he was amonges them? Who better be loued, after he had ben there a whyle? we hate oft tymes, whom we haue good cause to loue. It is a wonder, to see howe they were turned, howe of vtter ennemyes, they became his dere frendes. He gaue byshops a [Page] right good ensample, howe they myght wyn mens hartis. There was fewe holy dayes, but he wolde ride .v. or .vi. myle from his howse, nowe to this paryshe churche, nowe to that, and there cause one or other of his doctours, to make a sermone vnto the people. He sat amonges them, and sayd masse before al the paryshe. He sawe why churches were made. He began to restore them to their ryght and propre vse. If our byshops had done so, we shuld haue sene that preachyng of the gospell, is not the cause of sedition, but rather lacke of preachyng of it. He broughte his dinner with hym, and bad dy­uers of the parish to it. He enquired whether there was any debate or grudge betwene any of theym, yf there were, after dinner he sente for the parties to the church, and made them at one. Men say wel that do wel. Goddis lawes shal neuer be so set by, as they ought, before they be well knowen. Howe shall poore men knowe them, excepte they be syn­cerely preached? We must fyrst lerne to kepe god­dis lawes, or euer we ernestly passe of the kynges statutes. All be it he that kepeth thone, wylle also kepe thother. He that can fynde a better way, to a­uoyde sedition, than fyrste to brynge in the worde of god, which our most lerned kyng, and true lieu­tenant of god in this realme of England, hath hol­ly intēded this many yeres, Secondarily the mynd welle pourged, that is restored into the good and pure nature, that fyrst god made it in, to purge as Zamolsis thought best the body. He that can fynd a better way, shall do ryght wel to shew it, I fynde [Page] none. Men after that the mynde is wel instructed, must se, that the body haue also a way to mainteyn it self. Euery mā must haue an honest occupation, wherby in trouth he may get his lyuyng, without doinge iniury to his neyghbour. Idelnes ydelnes must be banysshed. It can not be chosen, but men wylle steale, thoughe they be hanged, excepte they may lyue without stelyng. How it may be brought to passe, that no man haue cause to stele, me thinke I haue eyther shewed it, or elles gyuen occasion to some other to shewe it.

¶ Now that we content our selfes with that, whi­che god shal send vs, or with that, we by our owne industry shall laufully gette, me thynke a greatte parte lyeth in the prelates of the Churche. They muste begynne, thother can not leade this daunce. If religious men begyn, laye people wyll folowe, as soone as they shall haue lerned wel the fotynge of it. Religion toke a great falle, honestie was sore wounded, that daye that richesse entred into theyr hartes, handes I wolde say, whom Christ left for to declare bothe in worde and lyfe, what rewarde they were sure of, that here for his sake wolde re­fuse rychesse. It is noo meruayle, if a tapster or a wyne drawer, recken a peny or two more than his duetie, whan they see religious menne soo imbrace money. Lette the poore laye people here them say, and lye not, God is our portion, God is our lādes, Our conuersation is in heuen, They wyll vndou­tedly take pouertie for noo suche thynge, that they shulde sooner consent to the disturbaunce of theyr [Page] countreye, then to be poore. I haue longe sought, and can in maner fynde no cause of our pouertie, but the fertilite and welthynes of our countrey. Other men, that are borne in bare countreys, and can not lyue, onles they moche trauayle the world, auoyde myserie by their great labour and toyle. In Englande the grounde almoste nourisheth vs alone. It is an incredible thynge, to see howe sore men of other nations labour, howe moch we play, howe lytle they consume on their belyes, howe mo­che we deuoure, howe poore they be, and how wel­thy we are, welthy I saye in comparison of them. God hath gyuen vs to good a countrey, we maye here to many of vs lyue ydle. In many places of Germany, people are fayne to set theyr trees, that they vse for theyr fewel. They sowe corne on mountaynes, where neyther horse nor plowe can come, They plowe with mattockes, and harrowe with spades. Howe moche grounde is lost in England? Howe moche corne myght we carie into other coū ­treyes, if we wolde vse the commodities of our re­alme? Howe manye hethes be there, that wolde beare other frutis, than shrubbes, brakes, bromes, and ferne, if they were welle handeled? howe ma­ny cities are decayed, howe many townes, that are nowe hamlettis, quyte downe, that wolde stande, if the thirde parte of Englande dyd not lyue idel­ly? Townes wolde vp ageyne, yf craftes were set vp. There is fewe nations, but many be ydell, yet I thinke there is not two of the greattest nations in christendome, that hath halfe so many, that liue [Page] without craftes, as lytle England hath. In Frāce ye shal see many men drawe cartis about the citie, laden with fagottes, and suche other small wode. In Italy, there is no man so ryche, but he trauai­leth in marchandise. Dukes that are there in kyn­ges places, occupye marchādyse. And yet are fain to kepe small howses. I wyll not compare our co­mynaltie with theirs. I wyl not handel this place as I mighte. This I am sure, we that haue bene there, haue sayde ones a weke, God saue the wel­thy comynaltie of England. I wyl not cōpare our kepyng of houses with theirs, where frogges be a dayntie dysshe, snayles, a morsell for a lady, where musshrumpes stande for the seconde course. Ye wolde thynke it a madde syght, to see a quarter of a goose runne rounde for burnynge, the reste pow­dered and kepte in stoore for holydays. I am as­sured, the fare in Venys is as good, as is in the moste partes of Italie. Venys is as bygge, or ve­ry lyttell lesse, than London with the suburbes: yet is there more fleshe spent in two or thre monethes in London, than is there in a yere. We haue to ma­ny sawces, to many showynge hornes to drawe in meate. we knowe full lytel what we do, that make as though we cared not, who ruled in Englande. If a foreyne prince hadde the gouernynge of vs a whyle, thynke you, we shulde not be farre dyscey­ued, if we loked to lyue, as we nowe lyue, to do as we nowe do? Thynke you Daces wold not come in? ye knowe not what daces be, no dates I war­rant you? I pray god ye neuer knowe them. This [Page] I am sure, as longe as oure mooste gracyouse prince, kynge HENRY the. VIII, rey­gnethe ouer vs, whiche I praye god it be, vntylle his heires be of age, we shall nede feare no daces. They began properly to sparse pretye rumours in the North, that no man shulde eate whyte breade, no man eate pygge, gose, or capon, without he a­greed before with the kynge. They well bothe de­clared their malyce, and howe lytell they had to lay againste the kynges grace, whiche were compelled shamefully to fayne, suche abhomynable lyes a­geynst his highnes. The kyng entendeth no suche thynge. Wolde god bothe his grace wolde goo a­bout to gette vs a better name in straunge coun­treys, and we also content our selfes to haue it. we be called, I wote where, englishe bealyes. Who can not but be sorie, to se a man bye so dere so many hurtes, as come of to moch meate? Who knoweth not, that the englyshe swette, no olde sycknes, and twenty other diseases more, come euery day of in­ordinate fedynge? Memorye, wytte, ye the verye mynde, whiche is immortall, almoste is slayn with surfettis. The eyes, chaunge their colour, where they shulde be drye, they falle to droppynge, theyr syght departeth. The eares waxe dull of herynge, to be shorte, all the senses be drowned with drinke, and cloyed with to moche fedyng. where as the be­lye is greatter than all the body besyde, where the bealy raigneth, dothe not all honeste craftes, all good inuentions want? what countrey hath inuē ­ted fewer thynges than Englande? Be our wittes [Page] worse than other mens be? No no, there is no faut but ours, that wyll haue them no better. Is it not a shame, that we can not be as discrete, as wyse, as the brute beastes are? Doo they drynke, but whan they are a thurste? Do they eate, but when they be hungrye? when dyd any man see a beast dye of a surfette? Men are some tyme in the faute, that be­stes dye of drynkyng, they being to hote after their labour. Put a beast at lybertie, lette hym be at his owne fedynge, it wyll be long or he hurt hym selfe eyther by eatyng or drinking? Amonges vs, what syckenes kylleth so many, as meate and drynke? what pestylēce ryddeth more than sustenance? Be­sydes y^t, for the more part pestilēce cometh of outragious dyet, and doth lytel hurt, where mē can mo­derate their mouthes. Bibbers wil be offēded with hym, that shal go about to make them lyue better, to make them lyue longer, to make them rycher, to tourne theyr drynkyng money into stuffe of house holde. They enuye the duchemen, that drynke de­per than they, why doo they not enuye the moyles aswell, that drynke as moche as duchemenne, and yet fall not vnder the maunger, as they do vnder the bourde? We haue lost bothe the good thynges, that antiquitie vsed, and chaunged also the names of theym that we haue. He is called a louer, that doth al he may, to make an honest womā naught. If her louer entend to take away her honestie, her good name, what shall he do that hateth her? E­uen so we call that good fare, that doth vs mooste hurt, and that euyl chere, that doth vs most good. [Page] I thynke he suppeth euyll, that for his good sup­per kepeth his bedde a seuen nyght after. You wyl thynke I knowe London well, that make this of­fer vnto you. Blyndefelde me, ca [...]e me after to what place ye woll, I wyl lyttell fasle, to tel where ye set me, and before whose doore. They that know not my cunnynge, wyll skace beleue me. I praye you can ye set me in any place, but I may say, and lye lyttell, I am nowe before a Tauerne or an ale howse? Fayle I maye, but farre I can not fayle. In Italy it is all moste as moche shame for an ho­nest man to come out of a tauerne betwene meles, as it is here to come frō the ba [...]ke. In Venis there is no moo tauernes, thenne there be innes, neyther wyne is to be solde by the quarte, but in the innes, bicause it becometh none to bye after such facion, but strangers, & those that can not tary longe in a place. How moch good myght a few good men do? a fewe myght so begyn to redresse this errour, that there shulde nede no lawe to cōpell men to do them selfe good. who was amonge the Romans, but he myght fynd in his hart to haue fewer dyshes, whā Manius Curius, beyng dictatour, that is in the highest office, that any man coude beare in Rome, was contented, not onely to lyue with wortes, but also glad to styrre the potte hym selfe, and to gyue Ambassadours theyr answeres as he was kelynge the potte? We banyshed the best thyng, that euer was with manne, when frugalitie was dryuen a­way. we kowe not what welth is in smal thinges, nor yet what ryches is in contented pouertie. Po­uertye [Page] hath ben the inuentrice of all good craftes, and of al other thynges, that eyther gyue ornamē ­tes, or brynge cōmodities vnto mans lyfe. Recken but one goodthynge, that a welthy person hath in­uēted, a thousād euyl I can reherse. Pouertie hath ben the maker of al ryche realmes. What citie had a poorer begynnynge than Rome? what lesse Ry­ches, then Venys? What kyng was porer, then the kynge of Portyngale?

¶ Socrates was axed, howe his comon welthe shulde withstand the malice of a rycher, seing that he wolde the communes to haue very lyttell, and thother neuer a deale to moche. Howe they maye withstande one, sayth he, I nede not telle you, but I am sure, they shalbe good inough to fyght ayēst two, if they bothe be welthy and ryche ynoughe. Howe so saythe Adimanthus? Euer sayth Socra­tes, one poore soudiour, is good inoughe for two ryche in batayle. He is quycke, these are dulle, he leane and lusty, these fatte and foggy, he made to hunger, thurst, and hardenes, these delycate and deed, if they be a nyght or two out of theyr nestes. Howe shall they fyghte well, that ii. or .iii. shildes woll skace couer theyr belyes?

¶ Who wyll beleue, that Scipio so worthy a ca­pitayn of the Romayns, could leue his doughters nothyng to theyr mariages, but the comune welth fayne to gyue them their dowries? what Romaine coulde thinke pouertie to be refused, whan so noble a manne was contente with it? I can not tarye in exāples. Cincinnatus, Fabricius, and many other [Page] I muste not speake of. It is skace credyble, that Plutarche wrytethe of a capitayne of the Lacede­monians. Euermore whan this wente to warfare, they were fayne to gyue hym money out of the co­mune hutche, to bye hym botis and showes. what souldiour coulde thinke hym selfe poore, when he sawe his capytayne haue so lytel? They were con­tented, with suche extreme pouertie: and doo we thynke it laufull, because we be not so ryche as we wold be, to ryse ayenst our prince? & this our prince so louyng, so lerned, so made of nature to a kyng­dom, so endued of god with all such prīcely v (er)tues, as are to beautifie a comon welth? coude we, if we knewe what we dyd, go agaynst kynge HENRY the VIII, of whom I wyll say nothynge but this, that his gracis fame and prayse, can not falle, but when all good letters fall, which can not be before men leaue the erthe, and the erth men. I wyll saye nothyng of myn owne. Al be it me thynke it moch apperteyneth to hym, that wyll handel this mater well, bothe to shewe, howe moche Englande is bound to loue his grace, and howe moch we ought to hate all them, that wolde his grace any euyll: But I wyll let Erasmus, the greattest lerned man of our tyme, speke for me, Harke what he sayth of our kynge.

¶ I myght bringe in many places of Ludouicus Viues, of al them that eyther haue ben lerned them selfe, or loued lerned men: but Erasmus I thynke hath sayd ynough, for to make al vs glad of suche a prince. I wyl say, that I am assured, all the lor­des of Englande wyl grant me, that if they were all borne to be right enheritours of the Crowne of Englande, yet amonges them al, there is not one, whiche they myght thynke worthy to be kyng, his grace being alyue, Al be it their title were as good [Page] as his gracis is. Nowe when god hath gyuen his highnes only good title, and made him theyr right and natural kyng, and them his Subiectes, what shal we thynke, they ought to do, in defence of his gracis right and honour? They knowe ryght wel, they haue declared their hartis towardes his highnes. The nobles haue well perceyued, as they be the strength of the kynge, so he and his lawes, are their defence and saulfegarde. They know the fal of thone, is the fall of bothe. The dukes, worthy all hye prayse, all honour, all rewarde, haue she­wed them selfes, bothe wyse, in seinge their owne hurtes, to be adioyned with the kynges, and fayth­full, in defendynge theyr prynce. The lordes haue done semblable wise. Knyghtes lacked not of their parte. Gentlemen, and briefely al men, haue sene, that sedition, is sooner to be stopped with losse of goodes, great expenses, then that men of one na­tion, shulde cruelly one kyll an other. The kynges grace, both by his long experience, and also by his knowlege in good letters, wel perceyueth, that the chiefe honour, that a christen prince shulde seke, is the sauynge of his people. His grace knoweth the ende of ciuyle discorde. He knoweth the commodi­ties, that come of concorde and vnitie. In tyme of ciuile dissention, men wander here and there, sure in no place, trustynge no man, suspectyng all thin­ges, affrayed almoste of their owne shadowe. Ci­ties made for the welthe of then habitantes, are the distruction of all, or the moste parte of them, that are within them. Walles made to kepe out enne­myes, [Page] kepe vs from flieng our ennemies. Howses, townes, ye hole cities, are hurled oft to the groūd, then foloweth the last parte of the playe. Hungre, thyrste, lacke of lodgynges, lacke of other necessa­ries. Al craftes are distroyed, or at the leest hynde­red for a longe season: after horse and oxen, that shuld tyll the erthe, are taken away. But the most hurte of all is, that we lerne to set god and his la­wes at noughte. what shall he thynke vnlaufull, what vnhonest, that thynketh he maye weare har­nes agaynst his prynce? sleye his countreye men? neyghbours? frendes? kynsfolke? ye brothern and systerne? fathers and mothers? Whan Pyrrhus kynge of the Epirotes was settyng forthe ageynst the Romayns, in defence of the Tarentins, Cine­as a philosopher, in moche fauour with hym, asked Pirrhus what he wold do, whan he had ouercome the Romayns? All Italye sayth he, shortely after shal be ours. Wel, whan Italy is vnder you, what wyl you than do▪ Than we wol sayle into Secilia. This wonne, whether then? we wol into Spayn. This ouercome, is there any more to doo? Ye then we woll set vppon Carthago. Imagine sayth Ci­neas, ye haue obteyned this also, Haue ye it, that ye desyre? ye sayth he, for then, we woll retourne to Epirus againe, and there passe the rest of our life in myrthe and pleasure. Then I praye you, why maye we not make mery nowe? why be we not a­frayed, that somwhat chaunce in so many warres, that we lese this, which we foolyshely seke, hauing it in our handes?

[Page]¶ May not I say so vnto ours? Put you the case, as you woll ymagine, you haue the better hande, howe be it, better it is to be kylled, thanne to con­quere, fightyng ageynst your prince. Yet imagin, euery thinge go on your side as you desire. Can it chance so well, but many of you muste wayle? He that is ouercomme shall wepe, ye say. Trowe you they shall laugh that wynne? Thynke you myrthe can be within theym, that euermore shall thynke, god hateth them? the world abhorreth them? Lette vs agree, lette vs agree, let vs se, what good con­corde amonges men doth. Concord brought them together, that wādered without places, euer in fere one of thother. Concord made lawes, cōcorde buil­ded cities, increased and conserued them. Concord brought in all honest craftes. Concorde bringethe riches, whiche by dissention we seke maddely. In tyme of peace wittes atteyn vnto lernyng, vertue, and wysedome. Concorde maketh vs the frendes of god, the inheritours of heuen, parttakers of al the ioyes, that god hath prepared for them, he beste loueth. All that feare god, all that loue his fauour, wyl say as I do. we woll peace, we woll no dissen­tion, we haue oft sene the good that cometh of ruf­flynge, the good that cometh of chaungynge. We haue ben some tymes tourned from Brytones in­to Saxons, frō Saxons into Danes. The Nor­mans haue ben our gouernours. we haue euer chā ged for the worse. we woll kepe our strength for an other season. We shall haue a better tyme, a worse quarell we can not haue, to spende our bloode in. [Page] we woll our ēnemies laughe not at our distructiō. we wol that they be not mery at our calamitie, whiche can not be mery, excepte they see vs sadde. we woll be frendes, God saue Englande as it is, if al Englyshe men say so to, I am sure, God wyll saye Amen.